Spoiler -- Kubota's horrible fate

[pendell]

I think it's about time for something horrifying to happen to Kubota. I suspect Vaarsuvius is the agent of choice. And I would be tempted to say Kubota deserves not just to die for his actions, but to SUFFER immensely for doing so.

What kind of awful things can a 14th level magic user do to a human? My first thought is polymorph him into a mouse, than drop him in with a cat.

But that's not nearly nasty enough. I just don't have the right kind of mind. Help?

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[Greg]

Turn him into a rat and give him to Belkar and Mr. Scruffy. Or Xykon?

[vampire2948]

Plane shift him somewhere that he won't like to be? e.g. some form of hell?

He's a random NPC class, aristocrat probably, so he lacks the ability to get out of there under his own steam.

[Tholok Razescar]

I think it's about time for something horrifying to happen to Kubota. I suspect Vaarsuvius is the agent of choice. And I would be tempted to say Kubota deserves not just to die for his actions, but to SUFFER immensely for doing so.

What kind of awful things can a 14th level magic user do to a human? My first thought is polymorph him into a mouse, than drop him in with a cat.

But that's not nearly nasty enough. I just don't have the right kind of mind. Help?

Respectfully,

Brian P.


You obviously have no idea what cats do with mice.

[Atelm]

Well, he is wearing armor and is rowing away in a small wooden boat. Fireball the boat and see how fast he sinks.

[Shhalahr Windrider]

Well, we start with this (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0020.html), and then we proceed from there.

[Niley]

Nah, I bet he'll just get stabbed by someone, presumably Elan or Hinjo. Or V's going to bring fiery hell down on him.

[Ganurath]

As he's boating away, V catches up. V attempts to blasting him with, say, Scorching Ray. Kubota explains how he has a bunch of magic items bolstering his saves and armor, so the elf's efforts are futile, and that he should cease violating the laws of Azure City. V replies by Disintegrating Kubota's boat, letting the weight of his expensive equipment drown him. After the last few bubbles pop, V says: "They aren't my laws."

[AKA_Bait]

Nah, I bet he'll just get stabbed by someone, presumably Elan or Hinjo.

This is what I expect. Possibly a formal exection, possibly our CG bardish friend taking mattes into his own hands.


Or V's going to bring fiery hell down on him.

It'd be neat to watch, but I just don't see this happening. V simply isn't going to care enough to waste his/her time going after Kubota. In V's mind he/she has better things to do. Especially since as far as V is concerned thus far Therkla was just an enemy agent anyway.

[Ganurath]

It'd be neat to watch, but I just don't see this happening. V simply isn't going to care enough to waste his/her time going after Kubota. In V's mind he/she has better things to do. Especially since as far as V is concerned thus far Therkla was just an enemy agent anyway.Kubota is the primary antagonist, Qarr is a subordinate. Logically, killing the former disposes of the latter and saves V to tedious effort of searching for the imp, giving him more time to search for Haley.

[pendell]

possibly our CG bardish friend taking mattes into his own hands.


A selection of quality photographic prints of Kubota's evil deeds? Or was it "matters"?

Tongue-in-cheek,

Brian P.

[AKA_Bait]

Kubota is the primary antagonist, Qarr is a subordinate. Logically, killing the former disposes of the latter and saves V to tedious effort of searching for the imp, giving him more time to search for Haley.

That's assuming he/she's willing to search for either. He/she hasn't been all that cooperative about it thus far, particularly when there isn't another member of the OotS currently in potentially lethal danger.


A selection of quality photographic prints of Kubota's evil deeds? Or was it "matters"?

Tongue-in-cheek,

Brian P.

Damn you and your spelling! :smallbiggrin:

[Ganurath]

That's assuming he/she's willing to search for either. He/she hasn't been all that cooperative about it thus far, particularly when there isn't another member of the OotS currently in potentially lethal danger.Granted, but methinks V will withdraw the earlier comments about probability and logic when a running gag regarding Spot checks makes a comeback.

[Stormwolf]

As he's boating away, V catches up. V attempts to blasting him with, say, Scorching Ray. Kubota explains how he has a bunch of magic items bolstering his saves and armor, so the elf's efforts are futile, and that he should cease violating the laws of Azure City. V replies by Disintegrating Kubota's boat, letting the weight of his expensive equipment drown him. After the last few bubbles pop, V says: "They aren't my laws."

You aren't thinking as a PC. Kubota has just admitted to wearing +5 armor and a number of other choice resist / AC-enhancing items.... what PC in their right mind is going to consign that lot to the bottom of the ocean?

[Wrecan]

I'll get the Celene Dion album...

[Ganurath]

You aren't thinking as a PC. Kubota has just admitted to wearing +5 armor and a number of other choice resist / AC-enhancing items.... what PC in their right mind is going to consign that lot to the bottom of the ocean?One who's disposing of evidence, doesn't wear armor, and probably has a better ring?

[The Wanderer]

As he's boating away, V catches up. V attempts to blasting him with, say, Scorching Ray. Kubota explains how he has a bunch of magic items bolstering his saves and armor, so the elf's efforts are futile, and that he should cease violating the laws of Azure City. V replies by Disintegrating Kubota's boat, letting the weight of his expensive equipment drown him. After the last few bubbles pop, V says: "They aren't my laws."

That would be truly awesome. :smallbiggrin:

[Tingel]

I think it's about time for something horrifying to happen to Kubota. I suspect Vaarsuvius is the agent of choice. And I would be tempted to say Kubota deserves not just to die for his actions, but to SUFFER immensely for doing so.

What kind of awful things can a 14th level magic user do to a human?

Kubota poisoned a disloyal follower and left her to die. He even expected her life to be saved, actually. He only poisoned her (and thus effectively risked and eventually ended her life) to ensure his own escape.


Was that really that horrible a crime? Obviously he deserves severe punishment, maybe even death if you're so inclined, but I cannot understand why you want to see him suffer a cruel and horrible end.

Therkla wasn't even innocent. Her own actions lead to her death. First, she shouldn't have murdered people for her evil master to begin with, and second, she should have made an actual decision about whether to betray him and join Elan and Hinjo or to defend his plans to the end. Her "but I want both!" approach was childish.

I liked the Therkla character, and I liked her death scene. I don't want to see Kubota "suffering immensely" (probably because I don't particularly enjoy seeing anyone suffering immensely).

[Linkavitch]

I think it's about time for something horrifying to happen to Kubota. I suspect Vaarsuvius is the agent of choice. And I would be tempted to say Kubota deserves not just to die for his actions, but to SUFFER immensely for doing so.

What kind of awful things can a 14th level magic user do to a human? My first thought is polymorph him into a mouse, than drop him in with a cat.

But that's not nearly nasty enough. I just don't have the right kind of mind. Help?

Respectfully,

Brian P.

Eight words. Evan's non-deadly spiked tentacles of forced intrusion. Kubota's gonna be in serious pain.

[Linkavitch]

I'll get the Celene Dion album...

No, we still have some sense of our human selves.

[Jorrath_Zek]

I want to see Kubota get away...

What would fuel the extremist views of our Romantic Bard more than, "I'll never let another Bad Guy hurt someone I care about. Never again. Do you hear me Banjo?! Never again!"

[chiasaur11]

Kubota poisoned a disloyal follower and left her to die. He even expected her life to be saved, actually. He only poisoned her (and thus effectively risked and eventually ended her life) to ensure his own escape.


Was that really that horrible a crime? Obviously he deserves severe punishment, maybe even death if you're so inclined, but I cannot understand why you want to see him suffer a cruel and horrible end.

Therkla wasn't even innocent. Her own actions lead to her death. First, she shouldn't have murdered people for her evil master to begin with, and second, she should have made an actual decision about whether to betray him and join Elan and Hinjo or to defend his plans to the end. Her "but I want both!" approach was childish.

I liked the Therkla character, and I liked her death scene. I don't want to see Kubota "suffering immensely" (probably because I don't particularly enjoy seeing anyone suffering immensely).

He made deals with devils.

He tried to kill a pregnant woman who might oppose him if the rest of his plan goes without a hitch.

He murdered an employee in cold blood who, just moments ago had been trying to get him a deal that would ensure him safety and a reasonable amount of wealth and power, and much better odds of safety than his current one, and only attacked him to ensure he'd be alive.

He. Needs. To. Die.

(You know, as much as that goes for fictional characters.)

[Ganurath]

No, we still have some sense of our human selves.V isn't human.

[Tingel]

He. Needs. To. Die.
I only question the call for a gruesome death and immense suffering, not the desire to see his crimes go punished.

Also, this new Kubota-hate has been triggered by Therkla's death. It is an emotional, not an adequate response. His former crimes (most worse than Therkla's murder in my eyes) did not create similar outrage.

[Lissou]

But Kubota's only starting to get interesting as a villain! If he dies now, what will all the character development have been for?

[chiasaur11]

I only question the call for a gruesome death and immense suffering, not the desire to see his crimes go punished.

Also, this new Kubota-hate has been triggered by Therkla's death. It is an emotional, not an adequate response. His former crimes (most worse than Therkla's murder in my eyes) did not create similar outrage.

Eh. Murdering a minion who is both: Trying to go good & trying to keep helping him is pretty bad, and this is the first time he's successfully murdered someone we know.

The law distinguishes between murder and attempted murder, and in fiction, we tend to forgive (or be expected to forgive) even the worst planned crimes if they fail to go through at all.

[Gamiress]

I only question the call for a gruesome death and immense suffering, not the desire to see his crimes go punished.

Also, this new Kubota-hate has been triggered by Therkla's death. It is an emotional, not an adequate response. His former crimes (most worse than Therkla's murder in my eyes) did not create similar outrage.

The thing is, he killed a sympathetic character. That is extremely high on the Kick the Dog scale, and evokes this kind of response from the fanbase. Yeah, he's responsible for a whole lot of other boop, but that boop didn't have a face, a name, and a fan following.

[RMS Oceanic]

Gentlemen, seven words shall suffice: Evan's Spiked Tentacles of Forced Intrusion (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0020.html)!

[pendell]

I only question the call for a gruesome death and immense suffering, not the desire to see his crimes go punished.

Also, this new Kubota-hate has been triggered by Therkla's death. It is an emotional, not an adequate response. His former crimes (most worse than Therkla's murder in my eyes) did not create similar outrage.


Three things:

1) In the first place, you are right. My reaction was emotional. It wasn't murder. It was self-defense. What else do you do when you are opposed by an extremely high-ranking assassin whom you can't possibly defeat in a sword duel? And what other dilemma will keep someone like Elan from arresting or killing you?

It was an emotional reaction, in the heat of the moment.

If he were a real person, I would even have to pray for his redemption. Anyone seen "End of the Spear"? It's about that very sort of thing -- a woman going off to preach peace to the murderers of her husband. Redemption is better than justice, because everybody needs mercy at the end of the day.

However, I strongly doubt that Kubota is going to be redeemed. He's being deliberately set up as a hateful villain. Which means that 'just desserts' are right around the corner. Which brings us to our second point:

2) As far as justice is concerned, as towards what he 'deserves', he 'deserves' to get back exactly what he meant to do to others. That is the meaning of justice , is it not? What you do to others is done back to you. So it would not be at all unreasonable for him to be assassinated by ninjas, or poisoned with his own ring, or torn apart by charmed monsters.

That isn't going to happen, though. By Azure City law, he is probably liable to either seppuku or beheading. But that doesn't fit the evil villain trope. For the purposes of drama, the evil villain deserves a *kewl* ending. Thus, it should be spectacular and poetic-- somehow his own deeds must come back on his own head.

3) Plus, I'm just curious as to what the imaginations of the people on this board can devise. Beheading may be a just, merciful ending but it's hardly an ending befitting a villain of Kuroda's status. It needs to be either spectacular or horrible and somehow tied to his own actions.

Any suggestions?

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[MReav]

As he's boating away, V catches up. V attempts to blasting him with, say, Scorching Ray. Kubota explains how he has a bunch of magic items bolstering his saves and armor, so the elf's efforts are futile, and that he should cease violating the laws of Azure City. V replies by Disintegrating Kubota's boat, letting the weight of his expensive equipment drown him. After the last few bubbles pop, V says: "They aren't my laws."

Alternatively:

:vaarsuvius: International territory.

[Pronounceable]

Much as that V scene is awesome, it's not gonna happen. V had to use a whole lot of magic to deal with the devil, and doesn't care about all this in the first place. So he'd consider using more of his magic on Kubota a waste.

Kubota was expecting Therkla to survive. I'm sure he still thinks she'll be fine, how the hell'd he know she'd totally give up on her life?

If Elan can be stopped from exacting vengeance on him (he's getting less happy go lucky bard we knew by the minute as is), I see Kubota being exiled by Hinjo in the long run. Exile and loss of his title, not to mention wealth and power, would hurt Kubota more than any physical harm Elan could imagine to inflict. Without his wealth and influence, he'd be as good as a high level commoner: absolutely no threat to the Order OR Hinjo. That could even lead him to seppku(?)... That is how I'd handle it if it were my story.

EDIT:
But Kubota's only starting to get interesting as a villain! If he dies now, what will all the character development have been for?

Also this.

[Ganurath]

That isn't going to happen, though. By Azure City law, he is probably liable to either seppuku or beheading. But that doesn't fit the evil villain trope. For the purposes of drama, the evil villain deserves a *kewl* ending. Thus, it should be spectacular and poetic-- somehow his own deeds must come back on his own head.

3) Plus, I'm just curious as to what the imaginations of the people on this board can devise. Beheading may be a just, merciful ending but it's hardly an ending befitting a villain of Kuroda's status. It needs to be either spectacular or horrible and somehow tied to his own actions.

Any suggestions?

Respectfully,

Brian P.My theory of V for Vigilante fits this well, I think. All this time, Kubota has been hiding behind the laws of Azure City. All it takes is one person disrespecting those laws as much as he does, and he dies.

[Red XIV]

Kubota is the primary antagonist, Qarr is a subordinate. Logically, killing the former disposes of the latter and saves V to tedious effort of searching for the imp, giving him more time to search for Haley.
Don't forget the XP. V's already come to the conclusion that he needs higher levels to get through whatever's concealing Haley from his scrying attempts, and he didn't level up stoning that giant devil. Maybe he's close to gaining a level, and maybe killing Kubota would be sufficient to put him over the top.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Don't forget the XP. V's already come to the conclusion that he needs higher levels to get through whatever's concealing Haley from his scrying attempts, and he didn't level up stoning that giant devil. Maybe he's close to gaining a level, and maybe killing Kubota would be sufficient to put him over the top.Probably it would. Kubota's probably ~level 10, so CR 9, depending on how he got stats. Probably bump it up a bit for his masses of items, and it's a worthwhile encounter. At the least, it would get him enough to make it worth his while.

[chiasaur11]

Kubota was expecting Therkla to survive. I'm sure he still thinks she'll be fine, how the hell'd he know she'd totally give up on her life?



I doubt it.

He used a fast, strong poison, he's been setting this up for years in case she does betray him, and the "self defense" would hold water if he hadn't just turned down a perfect chance to get away scott free.

[SoC175]

One who's disposing of evidence, doesn't wear armor, and probably has a better ring?
Well, Roy has a +5 sword, but otherwise these +5 items are likely better than anything else the party has.

Kubota was expecting Therkla to survive. I'm sure he still thinks she'll be fine, how the hell'd he know she'd totally give up on her life?

Don't think so. Her giving up on her life didn't matter anyway. With her most probable Fort save there was basically nothing she could do to make the second save safe for a natural 20 anyway.

Kabuto used a poison that would kill her and he knew it. Otherwise the whole escape plan would failed upon Therkla stating "Don't worry, I can just take the second Con damage anyway"

[Pronounceable]

Remember all those bandaid people Hinjo has hanging around. Only reason Therkla won't be back is because she refuses to.

[AKA_Bait]

Kubota was expecting Therkla to survive. I'm sure he still thinks she'll be fine, how the hell'd he know she'd totally give up on her life?



I doubt it.

He used a fast, strong poison, he's been setting this up for years in case she does betray him, and the "self defense" would hold water if he hadn't just turned down a perfect chance to get away scott free.

Well, I think the answer is in the middle here. Kubota may have expected her to die, maybe not, but in a world where coming back to life is common place death isn't as big a deal as here. The big deal is that Therkla isn't going to be willing to come back. I doubt Kubota knew that although he certianly does know that Durkon is a powerful enough cleric to cast Raise Dead.

This raises an interesting question for me. Is Kubota going to be pissed at Elan for letting her die such that she won't come back? Both are genre savy and the expectation was for Elan to save her. Kubota may be a magnificent bastard but she is still his protege.

[Kato]

First things first. If it was to bring some punishment on Kubota, I'd vote for an eternal 'Evan's spiked tentacle of forced intrusion'.

About his real fate... I think Elan will soon enact revenge on him. I'm not sure, if Elan's bardic behaviour will keep him from killing K, but he will surely (soon) make his plans fail and leave Kubota powerless. Either he then openly acts againsts his genre and finishs him, or he will rot in jail. Or, even better, V is there as well and finishes him a la 'I'm not as a good hearted person as Elan is... Disintegrate.' On the other hand... V didn't have any connection with Therkla, so chances aren't too good s/he will directly care for him in any way.

[Entar]

I wouldn't like to see Kubota dead just yet - I like the spice he's bringing to the comic. In fact, I wouldn't mind some of his schemes actually succeeding.

[Prowl]

No member of the Order that is with the Azurites, nor any of their present associates would resort to torture as a means of revenge. All this horrible-end-for-Kubota stuff is a hysterical audience reaction to a dramatic death of a sympathetic character. Any end Kubota might meet in the short term will most likely be either legalistic or mundane; the stage is not set for any of the other characters to act as savagely towards him as is suggested. And I am not so sure the author is ready to discard him as a villain, I can very well see him going into exile in some form and returning later in the storyline in order to enact some revenge at a critical moment.

[Shatteredtower]

I think it's about time for something horrifying to happen to Kubota.Well, he could be forced to kill one of his most powerful servants, one he'd tutored extensively in the ways of villainy. That'd show him, right?

:smallwink:

[Ganurath]

No member of the Order that is with the Azurites...Vaarsuvius.

[Red XIV]

Vaarsuvius.
V would not care about inflicting torture. If he were to kill Kubota, he'd aim to do it quickly so his XP would come sooner. Because that's all he'd be doing it for; it's not as if he cared at all about Therkla.

[Tundar]

I love Evan's Spiked Tentacles of Forced Intrusion. Best spell ever.

Thanks for reminding me of that one :smallbiggrin:

[chiasaur11]

V would not care about inflicting torture. If he were to kill Kubota, he'd aim to do it quickly so his XP would come sooner. Because that's all he'd be doing it for; it's not as if he cared at all about Therkla.

Eh.

V seems the "quick but painful" type by now.

And I lean towards the "So long as he's dead" school.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

Eh.

V seems the "quick but painful" type by now.

And I lean towards the "So long as he's dead" school.So...Avasculate?
It's a spell from SC that rips out your intestines and strangles you with them. Good fun.

[David Argall]

As he's boating away, V catches up. V attempts to blasting him with, say, Scorching Ray. Kubota explains how he has a bunch of magic items bolstering his saves and armor, so the elf's efforts are futile, and that he should cease violating the laws of Azure City. V replies by Disintegrating Kubota's boat, letting the weight of his expensive equipment drown him. After the last few bubbles pop, V says: "They aren't my laws."

A- that is 4 words.

b-Neat, but unlikely. V is presumably rushing back to the ship to get back to researching contacting Haley. So she would likely just fly past Kubota as unimportant. V might also be low or out of spells [tho his spell exhaustion is generally based on plot needs rather than any careful count. But she has been tossing a lot around.]

[MReav]

I think V should kill Kubota, but more because Qarr had done something to interfere with V's divinations.

[Sstoopidtallkid]

A- that is 4 words.

b-Neat, but unlikely. V is presumably rushing back to the ship to get back to researching contacting Haley. So she would likely just fly past Kubota as unimportant. V might also be low or out of spells [tho his spell exhaustion is generally based on plot needs rather than any careful count. But she has been tossing a lot around.]We're talking about a ~10th level NPC here, it's not like it would take much in the way of spells. 3 Magic Missile castings should do it.

[Red XIV]

We're talking about a ~10th level NPC here, it's not like it would take much in the way of spells. 3 Magic Missile castings should do it.
Or, if V attacked before Kubota got back to his ship, just blowing up the rowboat and letting gravity + ocean do the rest.

[FoE]

Kubota isn't going to die at Vaarsuvius' hands. He's going to die at ...

... Qar's.

Since his usefulness is now over, the little imp has no reason to maintain the alliance anymore. And at this point I think we're going to find Qar is a lot scarier than he looks.

[AKA_Bait]

Kubota isn't going to die at Vaarsuvius' hands. He's going to die at ...

... Qar's.

Since his usefulness is now over, the little imp has no reason to maintain the alliance anymore. And at this point I think we're going to find Qar is a lot scarier than he looks.

That's... entirely too potentially close to the mark for my tastes.

I too noticed that Qar is not in panel, or even heard talking, for any of the stuff taking place on the boat. Makes one wonder just what the 'possibilities' he needed to go act on were. Something about that line in 584 immediatley made me think he was heading down to the Nine Hells to make some sort of play now that a Pit Fiend is out of the house rather than to report to Kubota or possibly both.

I note that Threrkla is right about what Qar will do... so I'm not so sure. Those ninjas did get there mighty quickly though...

[chiasaur11]

That's... entirely too potentially close to the mark for my tastes.

I too noticed that Qar is not in panel, or even heard talking, for any of the stuff taking place on the boat. Makes one wonder just what the 'possibilities' he needed to go act on were. Something about that line in 584 immediatley made me think he was heading down to the Nine Hells to make some sort of play now that a Pit Fiend is out of the house rather than to report to Kubota or possibly both.

I note that Threrkla is right about what Qar will do... so I'm not so sure. Those ninjas did get there mighty quickly though...

You know, that might work.

Especially if Elan does the classic: "I won't stoop to your level. The courts can decide." type bit. Not those exact words, obviously.

[Prowl]

Eh.

V seems the "quick but painful" type by now.

And I lean towards the "So long as he's dead" school.

V is what V has always been, if perhaps a little more single minded and less pleasant in manner. V has never been a torturer type (prankster yes, torturer no) and is not of an alignment which lends itself to such an act. Even in a stressed state, V is still quite matter-of-fact and a practicioner of expedient solutions. Torture-as-revenge is an emotional action which nothing in V's past or present would indicate that V would view it as a suitable course of action.

[Prowl]

A- that is 4 words.

b-Neat, but unlikely. V is presumably rushing back to the ship to get back to researching contacting Haley. So she would likely just fly past Kubota as unimportant. V might also be low or out of spells [tho his spell exhaustion is generally based on plot needs rather than any careful count. But she has been tossing a lot around.]

V must be around 13th level right now to be casting 7th level spells... we know V had 18 int many levels ago and probably is around 20 int at the moment. A 13th level wizard with 20 int and a specialization can cast a large number of spells, and it wouldn't take many spells (if more than one) to deal with Kubota if V wished.

On the 'four words' thing, I think that's one of the items that will be resolved way down the line at the very end of the overall story. Whatever challenges the Order may face before that point would be too trivial if they had with them a mage who wielded 'ultimate arcane power'. Given the scope of the storyline I expect the Snarl to be involved when the four words are finally spoken.

[chiasaur11]

V is what V has always been, if perhaps a little more single minded and less pleasant in manner. V has never been a torturer type (prankster yes, torturer no) and is not of an alignment which lends itself to such an act. Even in a stressed state, V is still quite matter-of-fact and a practicioner of expedient solutions. Torture-as-revenge is an emotional action which nothing in V's past or present would indicate that V would view it as a suitable course of action.

I was actually thinking of an event near the start of the strip.

Spiked tentacles aren't exactly nice.

[Chronos]

Also, this new Kubota-hate has been triggered by Therkla's death. It is an emotional, not an adequate response. His former crimes (most worse than Therkla's murder in my eyes) did not create similar outrage.It was over a year ago that I first said that Kubota needs Disintegrate, Horrid Wilting, or Implosion (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3099823&postcount=123).

And V isn't the type to deliberately inflict pain, but e is the type to apply expedient solutions without regard to the pain they cause to the target. The tentacles fall into this category.

[Fish]

But Kubota's only starting to get interesting as a villain! If he dies now, what will all the character development have been for?
Upon seeing Kubota, Roy complained that the party was getting themselves a side villain and working on storylines without him.

Best guess: Kubota was the temporary villain designed for Roy's hiatus; therefore Kubota's defeat heralds the imminent resurrection of Roy.

[Kaytara]

I dunno, I think a V-type of solution is actually pretty likely. Vaarsuvius may not care about Therkla or Kubota directly, but he does know that the noble is responsible for the latest bout of trouble as well as the many interruptions in his research due to monster attacks. In short, V might be willing to remove Kubota only because the noble's schemes have been getting in the way of the elf's research.

To those arguing that V doesn't have enough spells left - V hasn't used any of his fire spells against the devil, since the devil would've been immune to them... And, as an Evoker, V is pretty damn sure to have prepared a Fireball or two. Therefore, V almost certainly has a few more destructive spells up his sleeve.

In fact, V dealing with Kubota though it is Elan's place to do so would be an interesting subversion of the tropes and storytelling laws that V shows such a disdain for. I can even imagine V having Kubota at his mercy, Elan shouting something like "No, V, let me deal with that bastard!" and Kubota sneering something about how one of the good guys would never kill a man on his knees in cold blood. Vaarsuvius is unimpressed: "Too bad I'm Neutral."

[Uncle Festy]

As he's boating away, V catches up. V attempts to blasting him with, say, Scorching Ray. Kubota explains how he has a bunch of magic items bolstering his saves and armor, so the elf's efforts are futile, and that he should cease violating the laws of Azure City. V replies by Disintegrating Kubota's boat, letting the weight of his expensive equipment drown him. After the last few bubbles pop, V says: "They aren't my laws."

Hah.
That's great. :smallbiggrin:

[Demented]

Any way that Bond has been threatened with execution would be a perfectly fitting death for Kubota. He'll bemusedly appreciate the irony while being eaten alive by pirahnas.

[Yendor]

:vaarsuvius: Forcecage!

Weasel out of that one, Mustache Lad.

[Zolem]

Sadly, as Kubota is a master manipulative, the V scenario is unlikly as he'd have boots of waterwalk or somthing like that. Add to the fact that V wouldn't even bother with him but would instead return to her spell research, and the scenario becomes even less likly.

[Trixie]

Gentlemen, seven words shall suffice: Evan's Spiked Tentacles of Forced Intrusion (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0020.html)!

That's six words, actually.

[Belkarsbadside1]

We are all forgetting Elan is a banjoist. Elans sheer anger at Kubota will temporarily rise banjo to greater godhood amd Smite Kubota in a painfu; and probably humorous way

[chiasaur11]

We are all forgetting Elan is a banjoist. Elans sheer anger at Kubota will temporarily rise banjo to greater godhood amd Smite Kubota in a painful and probably humorous way

Now, now.

Vengeance isn't Banjo's way.

He leaves that to Giggles.