I Shot an Arrow into the Air, and Where it Lands I Know Not Where [Spoiler]

[mockingbyrd7]

In strip 435, when Belkar tackles Grand Larceny Dude, (let's call him that for now) said Dude still releases his arrow, but it fires upward and in the opposite direction. Who do you think it will hit? Debate away!

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0435.html (<< Proof; panel 17)

[shadowkire]

In strip 435, when Belkar tackles Grand Larceny Dude, (let's call him that for now) said Dude still releases his arrow, but it fires upward and in the opposite direction. Who do you think it will hit? Debate away!

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0435.html (<< Proof; panel 17)

I got money that says it hits Belkar, because the Oracle's prophesy says that he will die soon. (this is likely to be followed by someone saying something like 'but sometimes prophesies can be misleading', which I agree with.)

[mockingbyrd7]

I got money that says it hits Belkar, because the Oracle's prophesy says that he will die soon. (this is likely to be followed by someone saying something like 'but sometimes prophesies can be misleading', which I agree with.)

But... but sometimes prophecies CAN be misleading. :smallbiggrin: (I actually think he won't die; his next birthday cake is gonna be REALLY tasty and there's going to be a scandal in the I.R.A., geez.)

By the way, I don't think it could, within the laws of Physics, hit Belkar, since it went in the opposite direction of him. (Within the laws of PLOT however, is a different story... :smallamused:)

[brazilian]

You know I just choosed Roy and had a creepy thought

I wonder if this is the way that Belkar causes the death of Roy? If the arrow does kill Roy it would fulfill the prophecy

[mockingbyrd7]

You know I just choosed Roy and had a creepy thought

I wonder if this is the way that Belkar causes the death of Roy? If the arrow does kill Roy it would fulfill the prophecy

*gasp*

In fact, it could hit Roy, and somehow Roy steers the dragon into the prison tower, killing Miko, and the exploding debris hits and kills V. Prophecy solved! WOW...

Edit: I realize this may have come off as sarcastic; I just meant it to be silly. I actually think that your theory is very plausible.

[kpenguin]

You know I just choosed Roy and had a creepy thought

I wonder if this is the way that Belkar causes the death of Roy? If the arrow does kill Roy it would fulfill the prophecy

Spoiler tag in a spoiler thread?

Hitting Roy would be the most logical for that arrow to fufill the prophecy. Miko, Miko's horse, the Oracle, and V are all too far away. I think that the arrow will hit nothing, but that's just me.

[shadowkire]

You know I just choosed Roy and had a creepy thought

I wonder if this is the way that Belkar causes the death of Roy? If the arrow does kill Roy it would fulfill the prophecy

but the prophesy is Belkar causing the death of any one of these people: Roy, Miko, or Windstrider.
But it could hit Roy........

[Alex Kidd]

You know I'm betting on Haley, she's already been hit hard by Xykon(literally cracking up at the edges), that poison arrow would put her in serious danger. The result of which is probably gonna tie up Durkon fixing her, cripple Elan(Haley as a damsel in distress kicks in the hero mode sure, I don't think Haley brought down by a random arrow is gonna have the same effect) and make Roy, V and maybe even Belkar go into overdrive.

Think about it, apart from maybe Durkon(and poison probably isn't a problem for him, being a dwarven cleric and all) she's the only member of the OoTs that could spur a real response from everyone when in danger.

[ShiningTed]

Well, it went in the air, Roy and Xykon are in the air, so I am betting on it hitting one of them.

We've seen Roy get totalled on poison before, so I'm gonna say Xykon - it won't hurt him, but it could distract him.

[Aimbot]

Miko. In the eye. Wishful thinking.

[Glome]

I'm going to go with the kidnapping dude still in the tower, just because it would be funny that way. Either that or Miko or someone else in the prison tower. Consider the trajectory as being parallel but slightly outside the wall moving up at the 45 degree angle. Xykon with the dragon were moving towards the wall (not parallel) and I don't see why he would change direction back near the walls again when he has Roy still to deal with.

Most of the OOTS is also grouped near where Belkar fell, so it wouldn't hit them either. The other possibility if it hits someone other then a hobgoblin or a tower prisoner is that it catches V. on the downward trajectory, as he's possibly far enough way to be hit and it would fulfill the prophecy as well.

[InfiniteMiller]

Somehow it travels overseas and hits Kubota for great justice....?

Question Mark??

Yeah that complete bull, I know. Just thought it would be funny to mention.

[Rift_Wolf]

What if, in one of life's great ironies, it hits kidnapping guy who preferred to sit on his ass than help save Azure City?

[Kreistor]

The Giant doesn't do random death for important people, or at least hasn'tso far. Such things are anti-climactic.

[innk]

What about those tentacle dudes? (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0120.html)

I would laugh so ****ing hard..

[Glome]

What about those tentacle dudes? (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0120.html)

I would laugh so ****ing hard..

And what's even funnier is that somehow they would survive the poisoned to continue the running gag, just like they survived the displacer beasts. Yeah, I think you nailed it. Either it's going to hit the flumps or the kidnapping dude as I mentioned earlier.

[KurenaiYami]

I love how, at this point in the thread, nobody has voted for it to hit a hobgoblin, even though there is a veritable sea of them.

In truth, it could hit one and we'd never know, because I don't think The Giant would wast a panel showing the arrow hitting a random Hobgoblin.

[mockingbyrd7]

What about those tentacle dudes? (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0120.html)

I would laugh so ****ing hard..

Flumph 1: Geez, we're stuck in the middle of a war. We'd better get out of--
Flumph 2: GAHHH!!! THE PAIN!
Flumph 1: Oh my god! You were hit by a poisoned arrow gone astray!
Flumph 2: It's still in my tentacle...
Flumph 1: You need medical attention. *turns* Excuse me sir, where is the nearest cleric?
Flumph 2: Hey, I see that light again... I'm gonna go towards it, kay?


I love how, at this point in the thread, nobody has voted for it to hit a hobgoblin, even though there is a veritable sea of them. In truth, it could hit one and we'd never know, because I don't think The Giant would wast a panel showing the arrow hitting a random Hobgobling.

Or it could be shown in the background without wasting a panel.

[Khantalas]

This is D&D. If you miss your intended target, you don't anyone.

[silvadel]

Haley 30%
Elan 20%
Miko 10%
The Undead Dragon 5%
Someone Else 35%

My guess.

[Mr Wizard]

I doubt it will hit V, since these shots were from the outside of the wall, and the panorama shot in 426 had the gap he guards all the way in the other direction. Of course, The Giant might ignore this, since The Giants mistake of having V run to the right in his "A Wizard's Work" page, that would place him in the arrows path, which doesn't mesh with the Panorama shot, showing the larger gap to the left of where the OotSer were originally.

Mistake on the Giants part I know, but if it hits V, the earlier comics will have to be revised, since there is just no way that could happen with the way its physically set up now. The Arrow would have to do a 180 and fly almost the entire length of the walls, and this is just a poisoned arrow, not a cruise missile. :P

I know its hard to talk about this with just words, so let me illustrate. Feel free to use it to discuss this later on.


Comic 424:


Inside Azure City
V's Path<-----:vaarsuvius: :roy: :haley: :elan: :durkon: :belkar: ----->Others
__________________________________________________ ____________________________________________


Outside Azure City

Comic 426:


Inside Azure City
:roy: :haley: :elan: :durkon: :belkar::hinjo: :GrandLarceny: ---------V's Gap:vaarsuvius:
__________________________________________________ _______________


Outside Azure City


Comic 435:



Inside Azure City
<--Roys jump:roy: :haley: :elan: :durkon: :hinjo -----------------V's Gap:vaarsuvius:
__________________________________________________ _______________
<---Path of arrow:belkar: :GrandLarceny: .
Outside Azure City

[Demented]

Expensive, CON-damage poison? What's that oft-quoted law of plots? A gun on the wall in the first act must be fired in the last?

The arrow will likely hit someone. Someone important. It's just a question of who... and when.

[Jazzman]

See, I reckon it's going to hit Durkon. Think about it, yes, Miko is locked up, but sooner or later she's going to remember about the message for our poor dwarven cleric that she carried back from his homeland (i bet she knows what's in it), and the Oracle did say that he would die before he got to go home.

I can just see Durkon being hit with the arrow and rolling a natural 1 on his Constitution save. Noone would expect it, what with the dwarven racial resistance to poisons and all, but then again, it's very strong stuff....

[Hototo]

Seriously, Miko could definately be within range by now. I could see her praying to her false gods when out of nowhere a yellow finned dart catches her. Bad guy said it might not be lethal, so she would live, but it would dope her up.

[BobTheDog]

"High save DC, Constitution damage, the works. Costs a bundle per dose."

Black lotus extract
Type: Contact - DC 20
Initial damage: 3d6 Con
Sec. damage: 3d6 Con
Price: 4,500 gp

Ouch! Whomever it hits, they're as good as gone...

[Green Bean]

Seriously, Miko could definately be within range by now. I could see her praying to her false gods when out of nowhere a yellow finned dart catches her. Bad guy said it might not be lethal, so she would live, but it would dope her up.

Wait, what? First of all, how do you know she's in range? We have no idea where the jail actually is in relation to the wall. Secondly, 'false gods'? They seem to be taking a pretty active role to be false, what with the divine magic and paladin power removal and all.

[Studoku]

Maybe it hits Hinjo's wolf.

[Oxymoron]

Windstriker is in heaven, right? And the arrow went upwards? I think I have the answer. Windstriker is gonna die.

[Oxymoron]

I wonder if unnatural wizardry girl got the same deal to kill Hinjo? If so, which Oots will kill her and save Hinjo?

[Dausuul]

This is D&D. If you miss your intended target, you don't anyone.

First, the Giant plays fast and loose with the RAW, as we've seen before. Lots of DMs house-rule on this kind of thing anyway.

Second, it's not clear that the guy had an intended target; looked more like he just let go of the bowstring as he toppled over the edge.

Third, when you make this big a production out of introducing the Super Constitution Poison of Doom, you don't waste it on an arrow that flies off into nowhere and is never seen again.

[Lolzords]

I got money that says it hits Belkar, because the Oracle's prophesy says that he will die soon. (this is likely to be followed by someone saying something like 'but sometimes prophesies can be misleading', which I agree with.)

Actually, that sounds probable.

He attacked the dude, meaning whoever the arrow hit is his fault (technically) so he caused the death of whoever the arrow hit. He could die against all the hobbos too.

[Ave]

Hits Xykon doing no damage, but distracts him so Roy can finish him.

[happyturtle]

You know I just choosed Roy and had a creepy thought

I wonder if this is the way that Belkar causes the death of Roy? If the arrow does kill Roy it would fulfill the prophecy

I think so too. (In fact, I posted the same thing in the episode thread, but I don't feel like looking at date stamps to see who ninja'd whom. :smallwink: )

[Baalzebub]

It will hit the diviner.

[fizzbang]

I love how, at this point in the thread, nobody has voted for it to hit a hobgoblin, even though there is a veritable sea of them.

In truth, it could hit one and we'd never know, because I don't think The Giant would wast a panel showing the arrow hitting a random Hobgoblin.

Actually, thinking about it that way, I can totally see V being caught out of spells and isolated by a hobgoblin, only to be saved by what appears to be an incredible stroke of luck - a misfired goblin arrow poisons the hobgoblin and saves V's life.

Not only is it funny timing and coincidence, when V relates the story to the rest of the party, Belkar will figure it out and curse his "terrible mistake". Because we just can't have a Belkar who's going down the path of good, no matter how accidentally. :smallbiggrin:

[NeonRonin]

At this point it could really be anybody, so I won't nail myself down to a particular target just yet.

Though it would be amusing if it wound up hitting one of the Xykon clones... or Xykon himself.

:xykon: Oh great, somebody just put a hole in my robes. *pause* Oh man, and there's poison all over them, too; you have any idea how hard that is to get out in the wash?!?

[NeonRonin]

Looked at the strip again and, judging from the angle the arrow went off, if memory serves it is now flying AWAY from Durkon, Haley and the others. It's heading in the general direction of that breach further down the wall... straight at Vaarsuvius. This does not bode well for our magical maven...

[Baalzebub]

BTW, the title of the thread reminded me of a line I read in the Infinite Wars comic book. Coincidence?

And... what Neonronin says it's true. Will V be saved?

[isocum]

I doubt it will hit V, since these shots were from the outside of the wall, and the panorama shot in 426 had the gap he guards all the way in the other direction. Of course, The Giant might ignore this, since The Giants mistake of having V run to the right in his "A Wizard's Work" page, that would place him in the arrows path, which doesn't mesh with the Panorama shot, showing the larger gap to the left of where the OotSer were originally.

Mistake on the Giants part I know, but if it hits V, the earlier comics will have to be revised, since there is just no way that could happen with the way its physically set up now. The Arrow would have to do a 180 and fly almost the entire length of the walls, and this is just a poisoned arrow, not a cruise missile. :P

I know its hard to talk about this with just words, so let me illustrate. Feel free to use it to discuss this later on.


Comic 424:


Inside Azure City
V's Path<-----:vaarsuvius: :roy: :haley: :elan: :durkon: :belkar: ----->Others
__________________________________________________ ____________________________________________


Outside Azure City

Comic 426:


Inside Azure City
:roy: :haley: :elan: :durkon: :belkar::hinjo: :GrandLarceny: ---------V's Gap:vaarsuvius:
__________________________________________________ _______________


Outside Azure City


Comic 435:



Inside Azure City
<--Roys jump:roy: :haley: :elan: :durkon: :hinjo -----------------V's Gap:vaarsuvius:
__________________________________________________ _______________
<---Path of arrow:belkar: :GrandLarceny: .
Outside Azure City

Are you sure about that? Cause regarding the position of walls at strips it's looks like Roy jumps and arrow flies at V's direction.

My prediction is that arrow gonna hit and kill roy some strip next week for story sake. So xykon gonna enter the tower and start creating havoc as planned. Meanwhile the rest of the oots and hinjo kill fake xykons, let the unsignificant low HD npcs to chop each other, revive roy, and then enter to the tower to confront xykon(probably without belkster).

[Eldritch Knight]

In all honesty, I think the target that would have the greatest effect on moral would be Elan. Think about it, Elan is struck by this arrow and is essentially taken out of the fight. This would effectively cripple Haley's fighting abilities.

[One Skunk Todd]

Yeah, Mr_Wizard is right about the character arrangement. The only major characters who are possibly in the path of the arrow are Roy and Xykon. However, even if the Giant does intend for V to be a potential target, V did cast Protection from Arrows before the battle began.

[jindra34]

my votes on redcloak or MItd but we all know thats not going to happen...

[One Skunk Todd]

It's not really clear but I guess the main group must be somewhere in the middle of the wall. V had to walk north to get to the gaps in the wall and in #422 O-Chul says to Hinjo "I go to guard Soon's gate" which implies that they're not standing at the gate already.

Not that the Giant needs my advice but probably the easiest way to fix 424 would be to remove all the crenelation except for the first panel. This would change the viewpoint to that of looking at V from the outside of the wall instead of the inside and change his apparent direction of movement.

[Roderick_BR]

*gasp*

In fact, it could hit Roy, and somehow Roy steers the dragon into the prison tower, killing Miko, and the exploding debris hits and kills V. Prophecy solved! WOW...

Edit: I realize this may have come off as sarcastic; I just meant it to be silly. I actually think that your theory is very plausible.

It could also kill Durkon, fulfilling his own profecy!

[the_tick_rules]

i would say hit xykon or the dragon but as undead neither has a con score to hurt.

[CardinalFang]

Everyone knows that according to the strict laws of comedy, it will hit a duck.

[Emperor Demonking]

I for nobody but I think it'd be funny if it hit Hinjo.

[Porthos]

I for nobody but I think it'd be funny if it hit Hinjo.

The arrow is headed in the opposite direction of Hinjo. Since we have no idea where everybody else in the battle is in relation to Hinjo (battle, being very chaotic, tends to move people around), it would seem that Hinjo and Argent are just about the only safe people right now. :smallwink:

[Silverlocke980]

I rule it hits nobody, but Giant's proved me wrong before, so it could well smack straight into a beloved member of the OotS, or even Xykon.

Wouldn't that be great? Fly right up and smack his undead ass right in the face.

Kapow! Blam!

And other comic book-y noises!

[One Skunk Todd]

Wouldn't that be great? Fly right up and smack his undead ass right in the face.

If it hit him in the eye socket I wonder if he'd taste key lime pie. :)

[MaxKaladin]

The Arrow would have to do a 180 and fly almost the entire length of the walls, and this is just a poisoned arrow, not a cruise missile. :PMaybe it's a patriot arrow. :smallbiggrin:

[MaxKaladin]

Everyone knows that according to the strict laws of comedy, it will hit a duck.Maybe it will hit the "you're not my father" chicken we saw many strips back.

[MaxKaladin]

Serious theory:

If it hits anyone important (and I'm doubtful that it will since that would be too predictable), I suspect it will hit Roy. He seems to be the best positioned to be the target.
Silly theories:

GLG (Grand Larceny Guy) had farshot and the arrow flys far beyond the walls to kill Redcloak.
The arrow ends up ricocheting off of various things, sliding through tubes and stuff like that until it winds up flying through the window of Miko's cell striking her in the throat and killing her.
The arrow lands harmlessly on the ground -- then Belkar steps on it with his bare hobbit feet and dies.
Just as Julio Scoundrel swoops in to save the day Han Solo style, the arrow punctures the gas bag on his airship causing a crash where he dies.

[MReav]

I'm rooting for Flumph for the sake of running gags. That being said, I sincerely doubt that the arrow will hit anyone inside Azure City, since the thing seemed to be heading in the opposite direction of the city.

[Jade_Tarem]

[Kinda Farfetched] Isn't it heading in the direction of the prison tower? Also, isn't Sangwaan still an aerial target?

[Farfetched] I, personally, like the idea of it nailing Kubota. That would be one heck of a shot, but the irony would be so thick that it would slow down Kubota's ship.

[Really Farfetched] Or better still, Redcloak needs to send a message to Xykon. He uses a carrier pidgeon becuase he only prepared battle spells this day. The arrow flies straight up into the sky pegging Redcloak's carrier pidgeon's message loop and catching on it. The arrow and the paper it impaled fall to the wall, and the arrow hits a guard right next to Hinjo. The guard's last words will be *THOK* "Message for you, sir!" - thus compensating for the recent lack of Monty Python quotes. :P

[BisectedBrioche]

I like the Flumpth theory, but two other ideas come to mind;

The arrow hits Xykon or the zombie dragon, causing a joke about their immunity to the poison

The dragon is slayed, then resurrected as a silver dragon, only to be killed by the arrow (it could if its really strong stuff

[Eldritch Knight]

If Haley is hit, we'd have Elan go into the 'Righteous Fury' cliche and just go crazy on the hobgoblins.

[Black of Night]

Maybe it's a patriot arrow. :smallbiggrin:

Damnit! You beat me to it!

[Hushdawg]

This is D&D. If you miss your intended target, you don't anyone.

unless you critically fumble... and this may count.

Crit fumbles are DM option to roll on a table to see if anyone/thing is hit instead of your intended target.

I had mean DM once that made my magic sword shatter from a crit fumble...

I was all "dude.. it's a masterwork longsword and it shattered from a crit? what did I do, embarass it with my bad swordplay?"

and he was all "look, it shattered; roll for damage from the magic explosion."

.... damn....

[Hushdawg]

Haley 30%
Elan 20%
Miko 10%
The Undead Dragon 5%
Someone Else 35%

My guess.

You work at M5 Industries don't you?

[korath]

I think its at enough of an angle that it will still fly Outside the walls of the city, along the edge of the wall, but outside of it. So, if it will hit any one being, the most likely target would be a Hobbo. It is possibble that Roy and Xykon are flying over the edge at the time, but unlikely.

[Hushdawg]

I'm going to put my money on Durkon as that will be how he gets returned to Dwarven lands (to get raised, maybe in Rich's world you have to be raised by a cleric of your patron diety).

:D

it'll be fun!

[Alysar]

I was thinking the Dragon, but poison doesn't have any affect on the undead, does it.

[Eldpollard]

What we're forgetting is that it doesn't really matter who it hits. They can always be raised.

[Drider]

I like the irony of it hitting an undead because its super expensive. im voting random undead tho

[Bilgore]

What we're forgetting is that it doesn't really matter who it hits. They can always be raised.

Durkon doesn't want to be raised right away though, he has to go home first.

[Starlit_Aria]

I for nobody but I think it'd be funny if it hit Hinjo.

Wouldn't that just be ironic? And Belkar's reaction would be priceless too...
"This guy forced me into a quasi-good act just to get himself killed anyway? Last time I help people!"

[Enzario]

Oh, how full of funny I would be if said "yellow-fletched" arrow had some sort of daylight-like effect, and it landed on :mitd:.


:amused:

[Lizard Lord]

At first I thought about Belakr's destiny to cause the death of (not murder or intentionally kill) Roy, Vaarsuvis, Miko, or Windstriker.

Well we already know that he can't kill Windstriker, so that leaves the other 3.

With Miko in jail, this just leaves Roy or V, however it seems to early to kill any of the Oots, so I shall say it will not hit anyone.

[KurenaiYami]

Actually, thinking about it that way, I can totally see V being caught out of spells and isolated by a hobgoblin, only to be saved by what appears to be an incredible stroke of luck - a misfired goblin arrow poisons the hobgoblin and saves V's life.

Not only is it funny timing and coincidence, when V relates the story to the rest of the party, Belkar will figure it out and curse his "terrible mistake". Because we just can't have a Belkar who's going down the path of good, no matter how accidentally. :smallbiggrin:

I can sort of see that as a possibility, but I think this is far too early in the battle for V to be out of spells.

[Mad Scientist]

I think because the arrow is heading up not across it will hit either Roy, Xykon, or the dragon. I'm guessing Roy just because it would REALLY make him mad. Plus I don't think poison would hurt a lich or an undead dragon.

[Sinewmire]

Rich... you are AWESOME.

This thread is well and truly concluded.

[pendejochy]

Looks like this question has been put to rest. Great comic. :D

[Kreistor]

There is no way the Giant missed this thread. I have no doubt it inspired the "magic" arrow. Miko, Roy, and V were all discussed as viable targets.

[MReav]

There is no way the Giant missed this thread. I have no doubt it inspired the "magic" arrow. Miko, Roy, and V were all discussed as viable targets.

I think he always intended the arrow not to hit anyone. Just, after seeing this thread, he decided to have some fun.

[NeonRonin]

Part of me wonders: If this thread had been tagged with 'spoiler' in the title, perhaps the strip might have turned out different.

I'm certainly not complaining, though. Arrows ricocheting like superballs = highly amusing.

[Gaelbert]

There still may be a chance for the arrow to strike. Perhaps through the power of plot the poison wasn't spent on the miss and someone may step on the arrow.

[Jade_Tarem]

There still may be a chance for the arrow to strike. Perhaps through the power of plot the poison wasn't spent on the miss and someone may step on the arrow.

IIRC, poison isn't spent until it strikes a viable target, by the RAW. You may yet be correct. :smallamused:

Or this could be well and truly finished.

[Alysar]

I think Rich saw this thread :smalltongue:

[Purple_cloack]

It hits on earth.all is safe. First I think it hit vaarsuvius but no.

[Raeden]

Part of me wonders: If this thread had been tagged with 'spoiler' in the title, perhaps the strip might have turned out different.

The thread is tagges with spoiler :P so Rich sometimes reads spoilerthreads anyway. He probably had no intention for the arrow to do anything, but when he saw this thread he couldn't resist :P

[sir_z]

B D and E are all potentially correct answers, it hit the dragon, but bounced off (other), it hit V, but she was protected ( other member) and it hit the ground (nobody).

I bet anyone who said A or C feels pretty bad.

[kire]

Gaia, make a fort save.

[Demented]

Dirt doesn't have a CON score. Fort save that!

I am very slightly sad that I voted Roy and the arrow just about everything but. Still, it did go high enough to at least be a plausible threat.

[Kaerou]

hahaha... Rich sure defeated this thread and the theorists. Awesome Rich, i see you're keeping tabs :D

[Gez]

This thread makes today's strip so much funnier.

[BisectedBrioche]

I was sort of right, there was a joke about it hitting the dragon and not harming it....

[Mad Scientist]

Well, I was wrong. I voted for Roy on the grounds that the dragon or Xykon wouldn't be hurt by a poison arrow and it would have been funny when Belkar told Roy about his "good" deed. I forgot that V had cast protection from arrows. Almost thought (s)he was done for! Eep!

[MinMax]

IIRC, poison isn't spent until it strikes a viable target, by the RAW. You may yet be correct. :smallamused:

Or this could be well and truly finished.

It's also not spent when you roll a 1 and stab yourself with it. So, apparently, poison only counts when you stab someone else...

[SteveMB]

The thread is tagges with spoiler :P so Rich sometimes reads spoilerthreads anyway. He probably had no intention for the arrow to do anything, but when he saw this thread he couldn't resist :P
Or GMTA. :smallsmile:

[mockingbyrd7]

My thread... affected the comic itself?! *sniffle* I'm so proud!!

[BisectedBrioche]

My thread... affected the comic itself?! *sniffle* I'm so proud!!

Maybe the comic retroactivly affected your thread? ¬_¬

[mockingbyrd7]

Maybe the comic retroactivly affected your thread? ¬_¬

Well, that too; I never voted for my own poll (I'm a bad person) but now that we know the outcome, I voted nobody. So both! :smalltongue:

[nothingclever]

You guys sound way too easily amused. "OMG I MIGHT HAVE INFLUENCED THE AUTHOR! I FEEL SO POWERFUL!!"

Did you ever think he already knew what was going to happen to the arrow since he purposely drew it being successfully shot in a random direction from the start? Oh course not, you must've swayed him. *rolls eyes*

[the_tick_rules]

the arrow had one of those rub goldberg journeys huh

[ShiningTed]

Meh, I was wrong too.

This comic, the way he dealt with the arrow, was the first one since 'smite evil, not bump uglies' that made me literally scream with laughter. Priceless, particularly just missing Miko's cell window.

[Bogardan_Mage]

There is no way the Giant missed this thread. I have no doubt it inspired the "magic" arrow. Miko, Roy, and V were all discussed as viable targets.
While I do think this thread inspired that (hilarious) sequence, it should probably be noted that those are the three avaliable subjects of Belkar's prophecy (of course the reason that they were candiates) so the choice of those allows the joke to still have relevance to those who haven't read this thread.

[BisectedBrioche]

I wonder how toxic the arrow is, there's always the possibility someone will grab it as an emergency weapon and find it to be surprisingly effective.

[Baalzebub]

My thread... affected the comic itself?! *sniffle* I'm so proud!!

If we go to the FAQ section...

http://www.giantitp.com/FAQ.html#faq8

[fangthane]

I suspect it's far more likely that Rich read this thread prior to the comic coming out and had to stifle laughter at the thought of how his planned "magic bullet" style arrow would play out in its wake. Admittedly, he might just have planned a slightly less extensive tour but opted to expand things as a nod to those of us who participate, but the simpler solution is that he had this planned all along. Remember also that the arrow's destiny may not yet be entirely final. Per the SRD on contact poisons: "A poisoned weapon or object retains its venom until the weapon scores a hit or the object is touched" - which means the arrow's still poisonous and may be the source of a rules-joke, in that whoever touches it next without first taking care to wipe it will either make the save or suffer its effects. Especially with its tip firmly buried in the dirt, I'd be anticipating the potential for a rules-vs-realism joke.

[Pony Up!]

You guys sound way too easily amused. "OMG I MIGHT HAVE INFLUENCED THE AUTHOR! I FEEL SO POWERFUL!!"

Did you ever think he already knew what was going to happen to the arrow since he purposely drew it being successfully shot in a random direction from the start? Oh course not, you must've swayed him. *rolls eyes*

I thought flaming wasn't allowed.

*roll eyes!*

[ShiningTed]

If Rich didn't read this thread and still included the bounce-off next to Miko's cell window, then all I can say is damn, he knows his audience! I never even thought of the arrow going near Miko (with her locked up in a gaol cell and all) yet thats the way folks' minds went.

[Icewalker]

I can see two possibilities.

1. The Giant had this all planned out in advance.

2. He saw the title of the thread, but didn't read it, as he says in the FAQ, and either realized that it could fulfill the prophecy, (or already saw that) and seeing there was discussion about this decided to flesh it out into several panels.

[Mr Teufel]

If Rich didn't read this thread and still included the bounce-off next to Miko's cell window, then all I can say is damn, he knows his audience! I never even thought of the arrow going near Miko (with her locked up in a gaol cell and all) yet thats the way folks' minds went.

I think it's highly probable that Rich knows his audience very well.