I know everyone has their own theory... SPOILERS

[CardinalFang]

I hadn't seen this idea, though (although that doesn't exactly mean it's not out there):

What if Xykon and/or Redcloak steal Roy's body (and maybe the sword, too)? That solves the major dilemma of resurrection: sure, it's easy to resurrect Roy with his body, but if they don't have it, they either need True Resurrection (or Wish or somesuch), or they have to get it back. That way, death isn't "cheapened" by bringing him back right away, but he doesn't necessarily stay dead forever.

Additionally, so far we've seen the following scenarios with Xykon: Xykon sitting in a dungeon and the OotS going in to get him, and the OotS knowing he's coming, and preparing to defend against him. What we HAVEN'T seen is the OotS CHASING Team Evil...what if they grab his body and run to the next gate, and it big globetrotting chase for a hundred strips or so? This way, instead of being one step ahead of Xykon, they'll be one step behind, dodging traps and ambushes while trying to catch up.

[Darkxarth]

What we HAVEN'T seen is the OotS CHASING Team Evil...what if they grab his body and run to the next gate, and it big globetrotting chase for a hundred strips or so? This way, instead of being one step ahead of Xykon, they'll be one step behind, dodging traps and ambushes while trying to catch up.
That would be pretty interesting, it would be an interesting direction for the strip to take, giving Rich a different angle to work with and showcasing some of D&D stupider transportation and movement rules.

[Finwe]

the problem with that theory is that Xykon really doesn't consider the OOTS to be a thread at all. He wouldn't bother to steal Roy's body.

[Jawajoey]

the problem with that theory is that Xykon really doesn't consider the OOTS to be a thread at all. He wouldn't bother to steal Roy's body.

But Redcloak would certainly see the tactical and morale-effecting value of denying the opposing force a high level fighter, leader, friend, and tactician.

Although I doubt that would materialize in any more than the destruction or zombification of Roy's body, not the capture of it.

[Finwe]

But Redcloak would certainly see the tactical and morale-effecting value of denying the opposing force a high level fighter, leader, friend, and tactician.

Although I doubt that would materialize in any more than the destruction or zombification of Roy's body, not the capture of it.



It would make more sense to turn Roy into a powerful, intelligent undead, such as a Death Knight.

[factotum]

But Redcloak would certainly see the tactical and morale-effecting value of denying the opposing force a high level fighter, leader, friend, and tactician.


But Redcloak would also know that Azure City really don't have any chance to get Roy back during the battle anyway, because the resurrection spells take too long to cast and half of them leave the recipient in a state completely unsuitable for fighting anyway. This means that Azure City would have to have won the battle (and, perforce, Redcloak etc. would have had to have lost) before Roy comes back anyway.

Raising Roy as some sort of low-level undead might have a minor effect on morale, but they can always destroy his undead form and then raise him as they were going to--it just costs them a bit more to do it.

[Jawajoey]

It would make more sense to turn Roy into a powerful, intelligent undead, such as a Death Knight.

Good point, that's the other option. How does that work though? You can make zombies out of corpses and stuff, but when you summon something, can you specify an individual? Or whatever you would need to do to turn a certain person into something other than a zombie? I honestly don't know how it works.

factotum- I think you underestimate the effect of seeing the group leader become a mindless zombie would have on the morale of the team. Roy's corpse, sitting out there untouched leaves hope, but zombification, that's major insult to injury.

In any case, it would simply make sense for Redcloak to do something with the corpse as soon as possible, rather than A) leaving it. or B) stealing it and hauling it around for the next hundred strips.

[BisectedBrioche]

It would make more sense to turn Roy into a powerful, intelligent undead, such as a Death Knight.

1. That would require Roy to be evil when he died

2. He would maintain his free will, so I doubt he'd want to work for his killers

[jindra34]

1. That would require Roy to be evil when he died

2. He would maintain his free will, so I doubt he'd want to work for his killers

Yeah raising Roy as an itelligent undead would just backfire...

[CardinalFang]

I think the assumption that Team Evil losing means they can't grab the corpse and run is an invalid one. They can make a hasty retreat and just leg it while the hobgoblins and undead get crushed, and since Roy's body is also on their side of the battlefield, they could probably make a grab for it, and zombify him in the relative safety of not-being-in-a-battle.

[Geilan]

Can you charm person an intelligent undead?

[happyturtle]

But Xykon thought he could animate Miko as a Death Knight. (It's the little surprises that make unlife worth unliving)

[Finwe]

1. That would require Roy to be evil when he died

2. He would maintain his free will, so I doubt he'd want to work for his killers



It certainly would not be outside of the reach of team evil's power to control Roy as an undead.

[BisectedBrioche]

It certainly would not be outside of the reach of team evil's power to control Roy as an undead.

Well I suppose Roy could be a bit fatalistic *is shot*

[factotum]

But Xykon thought he could animate Miko as a Death Knight. (It's the little surprises that make unlife worth unliving)

Actually, he wasn't sure WHAT kind of undead he'd get from her--I doubt Xykon has ever studied, well, anything in his life, but particularly not the ins and outs of undead creation; he wouldn't have been so pleased with himself when he created a flying zombie if he had!