Dorukan's Gate [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

PDA

View Full Version : Dorukan's Gate

Harbinger

2013-08-13, 09:56 AM

Shale

2013-08-13, 10:07 AM

pikeamus

2013-08-13, 10:10 AM

Maybe Xykon didn't want to risk MitD screwing it up and putting Redcloak and the phylactory in danger?

Harbinger

2013-08-13, 10:41 AM

The battle for the Gate was over, so from Team Evil's point of view there was nothing left to "win." The idea that Roy and the Order, left to their own devices, would keep showing up to foil their plans never really entered Xykon or Redcloak's minds.

But that doesn't make sense. The gate was still intact. If MitD had killed the Order they would have easily been able to complete the ritual and win.

NerdyKris

2013-08-13, 10:44 AM

Somethings been bugging me for a while. Why didn't Xykon let the MitD loose to kill the Order in Dorukan's Dungeon, after Roy "killed" Xykon.? They could have won at the first gate if they'd done that. There probably an easy explanation for this, but I can't think of one.

Did you try reading the actual comic it occured in?

Xykon says why in Comic 117 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0117.html), when MitD is about to attack. Xykon doesn't want to show his hand when there's no gate to be won there.

Shale

2013-08-13, 10:51 AM

I guess it's possible that Elan hadn't activated the self-destruct rune yet at that point. But the insistence on getting out right now only really makes sense if he has, since the Order didn't seem concerned with hunting down and exterminating Redcloak or MITD otherwise.

Oscredwin

2013-08-13, 10:58 AM

I think the implication is that the Order would beat the MitD (with losses) back at 117. The plan was most likely have one of them touch the gate then Xykon, RedCloak and the MitD would wipe out the good guys together.

tomandtish

2013-08-13, 11:01 AM

As others have said, he wasn't going to waste his big surprise reveal on a minor (or so he thought) adventuring party.

After all (Spoiler for On the Origin of PCs):

Xykon intentionally decided to set his forces up a few at a time (weakest first) so the heroes could fight his way through them because he was bored and wanted something to watch. Had he really cared about defeating them he could have loaded the front encounters in the first place (and the comic ended in 2-3 strips).

Muenster Man

2013-08-13, 11:06 AM

I think he just didn't want to see someone on his team succeed where he had failed. So, pride is why, I would guess.

Harbinger

2013-08-13, 11:14 AM

Did you try reading the actual comic it occured in?

Xykon says why in Comic 117 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0117.html), when MitD is about to attack. Xykon doesn't want to show his hand when there's no gate to be won there.

I did read that comic, and the thing is, the gate is still intact in that strip.

Shale

2013-08-13, 11:21 AM

Harbinger

2013-08-13, 11:28 AM

But in the next strip we discover that it is about to explode, and even if Xykon can stop the self-destruct rune from doing its thing, he has no means to work the necessary magic in the next couple of minutes.

Ah, I see. I was under the impression that the rune hadn't been activated yet, but if it had, then that makes perfect sense.

F.Harr

2013-08-13, 01:27 PM

Also, with the minions dead or scattered, him imcoporial and no one going to turn off the zapping rune, it was the ninth inning and the home team simply didn't have any fresh pitchers any more.

It's the season, not the game, that matters.

Shred-Bot

2013-08-13, 05:47 PM

Also, keeping Redcloak alive could have been a concern as well (as out of character as thinking of his henchman's safety is for Xykon). Even if MitD would have trounced the Order, who's to say they wouldn't have taken down Reddy first? After all, without him around Xykon has to find a new priest of the Dark One to bear the crimson mantle, and he won't have the same leverage over a new one.

Geordnet

2013-08-14, 01:54 AM

You know, Xykon never said they weren't going to come back to the Dungeon, like maybe after he'd regenerated.

After all, Dorukon was still dead. If Elan hadn't blown the gate, there would be nothing stopping Team Evil from moving right back in after the Order had moved on. So, without knowing that the gate was about to blow... What was there to gain by sticking around?

Spiryt

2013-08-14, 02:27 AM

Well, in the first place, Xykon obviously needed someone with Good alignment to touch the Gate, due to it's protections.

Should MitD even win, there was slight chance of pulling this off in this whole mess, and the risk could be pretty big.

Silverionmox

2013-08-14, 05:25 AM

Somethings been bugging me for a while. Why didn't Xykon let the MitD loose to kill the Order in Dorukan's Dungeon, after Roy "killed" Xykon.? They could have won at the first gate if they'd done that. There probably an easy explanation for this, but I can't think of one.

Additionally, where was the MitD in between Dorukan's Dungeon and their arrival in Hobgoblin country?

Radar

2013-08-14, 07:56 AM

Additionally, where was the MitD in between Dorukan's Dungeon and their arrival in Hobgoblin country?
Under his Hello Goblin umbrella (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0147.html). :smalltongue:

Morquard

2013-08-14, 08:22 AM

Maybe Xykon didn't want to risk MitD screwing it up and putting Redcloak and the phylactory in danger?

I think that's it.

Remember the fight against Soon's Ghost. Xykon was cool and slinging around one-liners, but as soon as he realized the Phylactery is threatened he paniced, abandoned everything and ordered a full retreat.

It was the same here. His immortality was threatened, and he wanted to get the hell out.

The Pilgrim

2013-08-14, 08:44 AM

I've always been under the impression that for Xykon, the security of his ass is number #1 priority above all else. This is reinforced by the fact that he becomes very protective of his philactery the very moment something threatens it.

So, once his body had been destroyed, his number #1 priority became "keep my philactery safe". And since he was not around, protecting the Phil involved "make the boot-licking goblin who carries it get the f**k out here pronto".

Even if the Heroes had only a 1% posibility of beating MitD, that was still not an acceptable risk for Xykon.

Also, don't forget that Xykon does not trust Redcloak and (SoD spoilers)
had charmed MitD into eating the goblin if he even betrayed him.

So MitD was an integral part of Xykon's security system for his phylactery. Logic dicatates than he wanted MitD near Redcloak, not fooling around battling some random losers.

137beth

2013-08-16, 04:07 PM

I did read that comic, and the thing is, the gate is still intact in that strip.

Xykon explained why. Even if you don't agree with Xykon's reasoning, that is why Xykon wanted to leave. If you are asking "why did Xykon take action X instead of action Y", well, the answer to that is in the FAQ. It's also in this thread. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=294096)

Kish

2013-08-16, 06:09 PM

Suppose that the creature in the darkness had emerged and slaughtered the Order, leaving Xykon in command of the field. Xykon would have had a Gate and knowledge of how to break the wards protecting it...

...except, no, he wouldn't. Redcloak would. And Xykon could have bet on Redcloak's continued obedience, but he would have needed to bet everything on Redcloak's obedience. If Redcloak had simply smashed the phylactery, there is no way the creature in the darkness would have recognized "Redcloak just broke the necklace he was wearing" as a betrayal of Xykon. And Xykon would have been completely gone.

Harbinger

2013-08-16, 06:45 PM

Xykon explained why. Even if you don't agree with Xykon's reasoning, that is why Xykon wanted to leave. If you are asking "why did Xykon take action X instead of action Y", well, the answer to that is in the FAQ. It's also in this thread. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=294096)

Suppose that the creature in the darkness had emerged and slaughtered the Order, leaving Xykon in command of the field. Xykon would have had a Gate and knowledge of how to break the wards protecting it...

...except, no, he wouldn't. Redcloak would. And Xykon could have bet on Redcloak's continued obedience, but he would have needed to bet everything on Redcloak's obedience. If Redcloak had simply smashed the phylactery, there is no way the creature in the darkness would have recognized "Redcloak just broke the necklace he was wearing" as a betrayal of Xykon. And Xykon would have been completely gone.

Um, guys. I got my answer. The strip makes sense and there's no plot hole. I know. You don't need to keep telling me I'm wrong.