OotS Conflicts (Spoilers)

[[TS] Shadow]

I've been rereading through the archives recently, and I found a point of strip
548 very interesting. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0548.html)

On panel 8, one of the all knowing demon roaches states that there are "at least 9" sides to the main conflict in the OotS. With the new advancements in plot, I believe that the sides to the conflict are as follows:

1: Varrsuvius/Qarr
2: The Remaining Order Members
3: Xykon
4: Redcloak w/hobgoblin army
5: Hinjo/Lien
6: MitD/O-Chul
7: Linear Guild
8: Thieves Guild
9: Grubwiggler

This is just my speculation on how I think that the strip is going. Thoughts?

[Lokasenna]

There's the gods and the snarl, and because this was set in the past compared to the current strip, I think it is, in no order:

1)Elan, Durkon, and V
2)Hinjo and the fleet
3)Roy and Eugene + Afterlife
4)Haley, Belkar, Celia, and Roy's body
5)Kubota
6)Qarr
7)Therkla
8) Nale and the Linear Guild
9) Xykon and Tsukiko + some hobgoblins
10) Redcloak, maybe some hobgoblins
11) MiitD
12) O-Chul
13) Azure Resistance
14) Oracle
15) Other people.

Note that as of this time, some of these people are dead, and some the roaches didn't know about, like Qarr and Therkla. Although the roaches probably knew anyway.

Also, the hobgoblins, especially the main cleric dude watching O-Chul's torments, seem to follow Xykon more than Redcloak, if push came to shove. The Order is split up, so that is why there are three listings for the Order. This is also based off my internal list of sub-plots where the plot is divided into:
1)Elan, Durkon, V, and the Azure City Fleet and everyone in it, including Qarr
2) Haley and co.
3) Roy and the Afterlife
4) Xykon, Redcloak, MitD, O-Chul, and the Azure Resistance
5) The Linear Guild, whom we haven't seen since before Azure City fell.

[B. Dandelion]

Shadow;5142654']I've been rereading through the archives recently, and I found a point of strip
548 very interesting. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0548.html)

On panel 8, one of the all knowing demon roaches states that there are "at least 9" sides to the main conflict in the OotS. With the new advancements in plot, I believe that the sides to the conflict are as follows:

1: Varrsuvius/Qarr
2: The Remaining Order Members
3: Xykon
4: Redcloak w/hobgoblin army
5: Hinjo/Lien
6: MitD/O-Chul
7: Linear Guild
8: Thieves Guild
9: Grubwiggler

This is just my speculation on how I think that the strip is going. Thoughts?
My guess is we haven't seen them all yet -- Kraagor's Gate is in the far north, past eight kingdoms and Girard's on a completely unexplored continent. I wouldn't put it past Qarr to have some grand ambition, but the Thieves' Guild and Grubwiggler just seem too minor to count as "sides." Sure, they're involved in a conflict, but not really the same conflict Redcloak was really talking about: the conflict for the Gates.

The original Scribble Order parted on acrimonious terms. Kraagor, Lirian, Dorukan and Soon all died prior to the start of the series, but Girard and Serini's fates are unknown. (It is POSSIBLE those two might have kept in touch -- Lirian and Dorukan, who were lovers, did so in spite of their oath, and Serini seems to have been fond (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0196.html) of Girard. However the oath was her idea, and if she was qualified to take a level in Paladin she might have been too Lawful to consider breaking it.) For the purposes of determining "sides," whatever defenses were put together by Girard and/or Serini might qualify, and as they don't communicate with each other, they could qualify as separate sides even as the last remainders of Soon's Sapphire Guard probably qualify as a side of their own despite being allied with the Order of the Stick.

Or... well, what's left of it. Qarr's definitely up to something and might have reeled in Vaarsuvius. The Linear Guild is also on the hunt for a Gate to capture, (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0458.html) although there are two problems with this scenario which are unbeknownst to Nale as of yet: one, he's operating under the assumption that Xykon likes existing (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0378.html) too much to be involved in a scheme to blow up the world just for the hell of it. This is right as far as it goes, but unfortunately he seems to have misplaced his copy of SoD wherein he might learn that what Xykon thinks he's going to get isn't precisely what Redcloak or the Dark One are planning to deliver. Two, Sabine has her own bosses (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0380.html) and who even knows what those creeps are up to. (They may even have had a hand in moving Qarr.)

So that leaves us with... let's see:

1. The OOTS
2. The remains of the Sapphire Guard (Hinjo, Lien, O-Chul, Daigo, Kazumi)
3. Girard's defenses/allies
4. Serini's defenses/allies
5. Nale and the Linear Guild
6. Sabine's Dark Overlords
7. Xykon and Team Evil
8. The Dark One and Redcloak
9. ?? My money's on the Oracle

Scaly little bastard... not one to be trusted... plus there's the whole bit where his patron goddess is technically evil. But this list completely fails to mention Tyrinaria, where Ian Starshine is imprisoned, and we're almost certain to see some follow-up on that plotline. If Lord Tyrinar the Bloody is especially ambitious -- and I don't see why we'd assume he isn't (especially if he really is Elan and Nale's ruthless warlord father as so many speculate) -- he may take a more active role in the plot as well.