O-Chul messed up?

[Ceaon]

Why did O-Chul try to break the gem?

Yeah, I know, this has been a while, it's just that my mind is slow.
Why did he try to destroy it, when he knew all paladins would rise again and probably take Xykon down? He risked unnecessairy destruction of the gate and in the end O-Chul standing there was one of the reasons Miko destroyed the gate, leading to Xykon's and Redcloak's escape.
Or didn't O-Chul know about the ghost-martyr thing? If so, why wasn't he told?

For reference, it's this (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0448.html) comic.

[vivi]

I don't think he knew of the floaty ghost paladins

[Ganurath]

O-Chul didn't know, because it was a secret of the royal family.

[Ceaon]

So... wouldn't it have been a teensy bit more wise to tell those paladins about it, since they now faced almost-destruction of the gate (prematurely, at least)?

[Deathwisher]

So... wouldn't it have been a teensy bit more wise to tell those paladins about it, since they now faced almost-destruction of the gate (prematurely, at least)?

Well, yeah, but things being wise doesn't seem to influence the whole Azur City - Paladins - Gates situation. It would have been wise not to institute Soon's Oath as part of the Sapphire Guard honor code too. It would also have been wise not to let emotionally immature mechalomaniacs become paladins. Nor to let chaotic people be in charge of lawful paladins.

[SoD]

Well, tecnically, they thought a neutral* creature was in charge.

* Mr. Scruffy, as a cat is true neuatral.

[Tempest Fennac]

To be fair, did anyone know that Miko would turn out like she did? She was only 13 when she trained to become a Paladin, and unless there's some relevant details we don't know yet about her parents, there could be reasons why she was chosen other ten her stats being really good. Regarding the point about everyone thinking Mr. Scruffy was in charge, I thought cats were more NE (this makes Mr. Scruffy being in charge seem even more ironic). Also, Hinjo did say to Durkon that only the royal family knew about certain secrets, including what happened with the Paladins when they died in the throne room.

[Surfing HalfOrc]

O-Chul was probably on "Defend or Destroy" orders. Defend the Gem at all costs, but if it's absolutely necessary, destroy it to deny it to the enemy.

O-Chul probably didn't know Soon Kim would return if all the paladins fell, and whether or not Miko should have asked the ghost guy before following through on O-Chul's clear plan of action has led to many arguments on this board.

Sometimes the orders are to hold your position at all costs, to allow the rest to safely retreat. Guys like that usually are awarded their nation's Highest Honor.

[DreadSpoon]

So... wouldn't it have been a teensy bit more wise to tell those paladins about it, since they now faced almost-destruction of the gate (prematurely, at least)?

Maybe not. It's a rather common scheme in fantasy literature that you can't get the super-cool afterlife benefits if you go die expecting them. (Unless you're evil, of course, and are going for lichdom. :p )

Think about it. Everybody in a D&D game knows that the gods exist, and knows that there are super-cool heavens waiting for them. Why wouldn't you just kill yourself at first opportunity to go to heaven right away? Or, if suicide causes you to get into your heaven, why not just live as recklessly as you can?

Non-OOTS, Forgotton Realms spoiler below:

I recall in one of the FR books about the Faerun gods how one of the paladins of Kelemvor (the new god of death, who changed the afterlife so that people were rewarded based solely on being a good person, which he felt was right) threw himself into certain death to battle some monstrous foe. Kelemvor asked the dead paladin, "Why did you throw your life away trying something you knew could never succeed?" The paladin replied, "Because I know you will grant me a good afterlife for my noble deeds, my Lord." Kelemvor had to restore the afterlife to its original rules for that reason (and some other reasons, which were the primary focus on the book, but not relevant to this discussion).

In short, if the Paladins knew they'd become better by being killed, their death would not have been a true sacrifice, would not have been truly noble, and therefor they could well not have been elligible to become ghost-martyrs.

[Mesfens]

I wonder what O-chul is doing now?

[sihnfahl]

I wonder what O-chul is doing now?
Well, last we saw, MITD was taking him to Xykon and Redcloak.

He's probably having his faith tested in most horrible ways.

:mitd: "Today, Mister Stiffley, we're going to play Candy Land!"

[Archbear]

Well, last we saw, MITD was taking him to Xykon and Redcloak.

He's probably having his faith tested in most horrible ways.

:mitd: "Today, Mister Stiffley, we're going to play Candy Land!"

Wouldn't he have starved to death by now?

[David Argall]

In the Throne room, O-Chul may not have known of Soon, having merely been ordered to his post. And even if he did, the lich just cut right thru the paladins. Assuming Soon would win was rather optimistic. And if Soon lost, there would be nobody able to destroy the Gate. This was then quite possibly the last chance to prevent the lich getting the Gate by destroying it.

O-Chul is still alive, at least until we switch to the city. He will be questioned by the lich/Redcloud and likely returned to MitD's control. Haley will rescue him. Presumably O-Chul does not need food or water while a stiff.

[Wrecan]

O-Chul can starve while under Xykon's paralyzing touch. But once the MitD brings O-Chul to the City, Xykon and Redcloak could each remove the paralysis on him (after chaining him up with manacles), which they will, so they can torture him for information and/or fun (and feed him along the way so he doesn't die too soon). (And information about the other gates is exactly the reason Xykon and Redcloak are occupying Azure City at all.) Xykon can always paralyze him again at will.

[Dwarkanath]

O-Chul can starve while under Xykon's paralyzing touch. But once the MitD brings O-Chul to the City, Xykon and Redcloak could each remove the paralysis on him (after chaining him up with manacles), which they will, so they can torture him for information and/or fun (and feed him along the way so he doesn't die too soon). (And information about the other gates is exactly the reason Xykon and Redcloak are occupying Azure City at all.) Xykon can always paralyze him again at will.More importantly, O-Chul would die of dehydration long before starvation becomes a risk.

Of course, they could let him expire and turn him into some freaky-powerful undead with all his prior knowledge...

-- Dave

[Voyager_I]

Alternatively, Xykon could always kill him and ask his corpse, as it would probably be much easier than getting anything useful out of a live Paladin. Of course, O-Chuul's probably scored enough plot points not to die off-camera, and Xykon would love gloating over the ruins of his city while torturing him in unimaginable ways. He'd still have to ask his corpse to get real answers (although O-Chuul most likely doesn't know about the other gates to begin with), though.

[....]

Xykon would love gloating over the ruins of his city while torturing him in unimaginable ways.

Would he? Xykon never stuck me as the type of guy with the patience for torture.