OOTS #661 - The Discussion Thread

[TigerHunter]

Fascinating.

[Glorendil]

Well, there is a psionic power called Baleful Teleport that allows one to teleport someone else (but it also inflicts damage to them, so it probably isn't that one exactly...)

From (a reletively old version of) the SRD: "You psychoportively disperse minuscule portions of the subject, dealing 9d6 points of damage", so it does damage by teleporting away pieces of your body... I don't see if fitting here.

[DSCrankshaw]

Well, considering MitD's eyes get all glowy right before the pair disappear, I'd guess it was him.

My first instinct was this was a psionic power. Partly because the glowy eyes is different from what we've seen from spellcasting. Partly because the MitD's Stomp already suggests psionic powers on his part. And partly because achieving something by wishing for it really hard suggests psionic. It's not conclusive, since sorcerers and the wish spell could also be interpreted as achieving something by wishing really hard. It'd help if there was a spell or psionic ability called Escape, but since psionic powers don't really have verbal components, the lack doesn't tell us much.

[Zoraciel Ivtel]

Random question:
Do liches reappear where there phylactery is? If so, couldn't Xykon easily find his by just blowing himself up and coming back next to it? I checked the earlier strips and there wasn't really a clear answer, though he was regrowing near Red Cloak the entire time.

And even if he doesn't find it, it's probably safer where it is now. If not even he is sure where it is, how will anyone who wants to kill him easily find it?

[Blaznak]

And I thought Xykon was mad before. This is likely going to be one of the madest times Xykon has ever been.

Yeah, I mean he's all insane and stuff, but its cool to see him just unleash once in a while, too!

[Faulty]

God, that made me think of FPS gaming.

[derfenrirwolv]

Something horrifically ugly.. that wouldn't be a dragon. Everyone knows what they are.

With wish

... that the demonroaches suspect he has

but that xykon and redcloak wouldn't think he had.

Wouldn't that indicate some sort of outsider?

[the_tick_rules]

I told you MITD had a rebellion brewing.

[SPoD]

When you're 14th level, inconveniencing a 30th level lich and living to tell the story is a major victory.

Also, don't forget about emotional changes: V learned to think before he strikes, and the MITD seems to be willing to actively thwart Xykon now. And Xykon himself is ultra-pissed, which could take the story in different directions.

[lothos]

Echoes of this strip:

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0543.html

...the exchange between Tsukiko and the monster in the darkness.

Oh 12 gods yes, You are so on the ball with that !
I wonder if Rich managed to drop something subtle in that that went unnoticed ?

[Hardcore]

If Xykon was evil in the "SoD" he is really badass now! Awesome work by Rich.

[Hardcore]

Oh 12 gods yes, You are so on the ball with that !
I wonder if Rich managed to drop something subtle in that that went unnoticed ?

You can be sure he did. If you re-read OOTS you will find lots of things like that from way back.

[Shadowbane]

What IS the MITD? AWESOME.

[holywhippet]

My immediate guess is that someone pulled them out of there with summoning magic. That way they don't need to know exactly where they are and can bypass the cloister completely.

However, that might make sense for V - the rest of the order might have run into someone with that kind of power (eg. V's master) since they are near an old elven fort. However, unless they specifically scried them out it wouldn't explain O-Chul being grabbed.

I'm not sure how summoning spells work though.

[the_tick_rules]

So was that a wish spell or something MITD cast?

[Warlord JK]

We also know it couldn't be the IFCC cause of what they say in http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0656.html

They can't directly affect the mortal plane unless they're making a deal.

[Porthos]

Bwa??
Bhu-ka?
*sound of brain melting*
zzzzztttt.

===============

(one system reboot later)

Responding to general points:

This was absolutely the MitD. His eyes went all glowy and Suvie and O-Chul disappeared. There are literally no other candidates to have done this. Especially with the Demon Roaches looking at the MitD.

This is NOT a Deus ex Machina. This is simply revealing an as yet unknown ability of the MitD (and as several posters have mentioned one that was vaguley hinted at in Comic #543). And since Rich has stated that he has known what the MitD was since around strip #100, this cant be something that was invented on the spot right here.

Man, Xykon is pissed. I really would hate to see just how he's going to get rid of his pent up rage.

And, as speculated, no instant summons or easily findable magic for the phylactery. Wonder how long he's going to be without it. And if Azure City will still be in one piece afterwards.
.
.
.
.
Did I say "Bwa"? I did? Just checking.

PS: That sound you hear in the distance is the sound of a thousand theories about just what the MitD was crying out in horror.... And then suddenly becoming silenced.

[waterpenguin43]

I just wonder where O-Chul and Vaarsivus are now.....

[shadzar]

Random question:
Do liches reappear where there phylactery is? If so, couldn't Xykon easily find his by just blowing himself up and coming back next to it? I checked the earlier strips and there wasn't really a clear answer, though he was regrowing near Red Cloak the entire time.

And even if he doesn't find it, it's probably safer where it is now. If not even he is sure where it is, how will anyone who wants to kill him easily find it?

In 1d10 days time they do....kinda. Xykon started with just a head last time, so he would have to bite onto it and hold on as the rest formed maybe?

[Geigan]

That's why you never announce your attacks Xykon. Drama can't stop you if you don't tell it what your doing first.Great comic!

[Trickywiggy]

I think the could have sorcerer levels and has wish as a spell, course then you would have to circumvent the material componets

[T.G. Oskar]

Wish? I'd say Miracle.

There's only two ways to point this out:

Spoiler

Show

1) Monster-san is the last scion of the gods that the Snarl destroyed. That means, theoretically, he's a Titan. With a nifty Wish/Miracle/Reality Revision ability

2) Monster-chan is a girl, and probably called Haruhi.

[waterpenguin43]

what creatures can use wish as a spell like ability?

Pit fiends once per year.

[herrhauptmann]

Someone said way back on page 1 that it couldn't be V's old master because of the Cloister effect. But why?
The Cloister affects the surrounding area when cast, as well as all the people in it right? Since V was never a subject of the Cloister spell, so there's no reason someone like V's master (who is potentially epic anyway) couldn't have scryed V and used a spell of some sort to pull V out.
Now what spell he could've used, I've got no idea (well aside from Wish). Maybe some fancy epic teleport spell of his/her own?

MitD is cool. Maybe we won't see what he is until the day he dies? You know, he jumps out of the box to save O-Chul from a falling rock, and dies in O-Chul's arms?

[Mystic Muse]

WHO STOLE XYKON'S KILL?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

he EARNED that kill whoever you are.

[Sijo]

Should've known O-Chul was going to make his save before V did. Higher wisdom, most likely.

But stopping for the MitD was a mistake. Though they could not have escaped anyway- not with O-Chul carrying V.

I was actually glad to see Xykon lose his cool for once, he was getting *far* too annoying in his smugness. But damn, I didn't expect him to just smash his way back in! Is superstrenght a standard lich power, or just Xyk's?

And now it turns out that MitD can teleport people? What is he, a genie? As if the mystery weren't deep enough already. But I suppose we won't have to wait much longer.

...Since MitD didn't seem to know he even could teleport O-Chul and V, I wonder where they ended up? Outside the castle? Since I still expect the phylactery to be found by a rebel in the sewers, I guess they may still be stuck in Azure City for a while more.

[i6uuaq]

Definitely the MitD. The blurring of the eyes, the dramatic cut-away to MitD saying "Escape". What in the world?!?!

Abit of a deus ex machina perhaps, because we were expecting that if MitD did anything, it would have to reveal itself. So it manifests heretofore unknown powers to rescue V and O'Chul.

It's kinda good in a way, because MitD gets plausible deniability. "I did that? Really? But where did they go?"

Also, Xykon knows exactly what MitD is, and so should know MitD's capabilities. Hence Xykon theoretically should know that MitD is to blame (if MitD is, in fact, to blame). The only problem is locating them, since the MitD obviously did it unknowingly, and V and O'Chul are still under the effects of Cloister.

Furthermore, I am SO HAPPY that MitD finally accomplishes something just by hoping really, really hard that it would happen. (link) Go MitD!!

Is this a good time to cut back to Roy's resurrection?

[ref]

whathappenedwhathappenedWHATHAPPENED?

OK, No one saw this one coming, that's for sure! Go Giant!

[DoctorJest]

I think the could have sorcerer levels and has wish as a spell, course then you would have to circumvent the material componets

Spell-like ability.

[herrhauptmann]

Spoiler

Show

2) Monster-chan is a girl, and probably called Haruhi.

I'm afraid I don't quite follow that one Oskar.