OOTS #716 - The Discussion Thread

[ss49]

C'mon, people, a Wanted poster will include somewhere on it a location or jurisdiction or such to bring your Wantee. Otherwise, what use is it?

[Zorn]

Depends what you count as "evidence." We have Gannji's express opinion that Enor is indeed stupid. ("For the record, you'll also be safe if it tells you to sit on your brain.")

I took this more as a gibe for Enor's recent mistake (sitting on his hands) rather than a comment on his overall intelligence. You're right, though; I should have mentioned that.

[RMS Oceanic]

So the party splits again. I don't think this will be a book spanning thing, but this Empress of Blood arc could go on as least as long as the banditry arc. Not that I mind, because it's definately interesting.

Thinking back on Don't Split the Party and Rich's understanding of each character, I think this split will be a lot healthier. Both groups have one of the Order's natural leaders, and a Spellcaster who respects them. Also, I trust Haley's right that Roy will put the dots together, so he should be able to come up with a plan to try and find them.

[Aurabolt]

What comes to mind is that even if they don't know about Haley's levels, there's two more important things to consider.

a) A good Rope is better than any other restraint by DC, and
b) A good Rogue has good Use Rope to outweigh good Escape Artist. There's a reason there is a +10 Circumstance Bonus for the captor.

And it's not like other people haven't managed to capture her before. Miko, for one. I admit she was prepared, but I always thought she could escape that restraint if she wanted to.

In terms of our other captives, I really feel bad that Elan always gets the shaft like this. Sure, give equality to all the members, but Elan always has to be the buttmonkey, when he's the one with the PrC and the Charisma for bonus spells? Luckily he stabilized or just got knocked out, and here's hoping he can manage to cast Lesser Restoration, and if things get worse, V has Still Spell. Most wizards, being in my experience in a captive position, tend to make sure of that.

[snikrept]

Everyone seems to be missing an important point: Haley didn't know where they were going. She didn't see the poster, so she didn't know who wanted them or where they were. They were teleporting out, and Haley had no way of tracking them once they did. And without V's people-finding spells, I'm not sure the rest of the party could (maybe Durkon has some divinations that will help, but it seems that V's the expert on that).

So it was critical that the party get that poster. Haley only knew that because V told her ("Deliver to Greenhilt!"). So she sacrificed herself to make sure that it was, because the poster could tell Roy something she couldn't.

I guess she doesn't have many ranks in pocket picking then ... seems like the best solution would have been to just steal the poster.

TBH not sure why the bounty hunters didn't just saunter over and pick up the dagger/poster lying on the ground. It's not like she made them vanish. And covering your tracks + free magic dagger for a few seconds delay, why not? Seems like a classic badguy blunder.

[SensFan]

I guess she doesn't have many ranks in pocket picking then ... seems like the best solution would have been to just steal the poster.

TBH not sure why the bounty hunters didn't just saunter over and pick up the dagger/poster lying on the ground. It's not like she made them vanish. And covering your tracks + free magic dagger for a few seconds delay, why not? Seems like a classic badguy blunder.

The entire point of Haley's plan was to a) make absolutely sure she got captured; and b) make it look like she's trying to free the other two. The combination will naturally lead the captors to want to get out as soon as possible.

[factotum]

C'mon, people, a Wanted poster will include somewhere on it a location or jurisdiction or such to bring your Wantee. Otherwise, what use is it?

Er, yes, we know it does, because we read it in the previous strip!

[ss49]

Er, yes, we know it does, because we read it in the previous strip!

But several posts are wondering how Roy will know where they went. Poster, Haley's knife, hurr durr. I am sure the knife was noted during the trip from their reunion to the desert.

[Killer Angel]

I really love the little flying dinosaurs over Gannji's head, instead of the usual birds for the cartoons' stunning effect. Very appropriate, and very nice touch!

[DSCrankshaw]

I guess she doesn't have many ranks in pocket picking then ... seems like the best solution would have been to just steal the poster.

TBH not sure why the bounty hunters didn't just saunter over and pick up the dagger/poster lying on the ground. It's not like she made them vanish. And covering your tracks + free magic dagger for a few seconds delay, why not? Seems like a classic badguy blunder.

Well, for one, it's not obvious that the knife is magic. It actually takes a spell to determine that an item is magic unless it has an obvious tell (such as it glows).

[Mariel Dragon]

Don't split the party!
Also, what's bugging me a bit, in one of the previous comics they said they don't need Haley (if I'm correct). How do they know that she is not the female demon rouge who appears human (i.e. Sabine)?

[derfenrirwolv]

C'mon, people, a Wanted poster will include somewhere on it a location or jurisdiction or such to bring your Wantee. Otherwise, what use is it?

On the poster

Imperial Palace,
1 Hemmorage Road
Bleedingham
EOB

yay for the new large computer monitor

Well, for one, it's not obvious that the knife is magic. It actually takes a spell to determine that an item is magic unless it has an obvious tell (such as it glows).

of course its obvious its magic. Its got barbs and its COOL looking. Regular wepons don't look that cool. (metagaming for dummies)

[DSCrankshaw]

Don't split the party!
Also, what's bugging me a bit, in one of the previous comics they said they don't need Haley (if I'm correct). How do they know that she is not the female demon rouge who appears human (i.e. Sabine)?

They don't. As a matter of fact, they're assuming that's exactly what she is, which is how she's worth 5,000 gp. They didn't need her because 5,000 gp pales beside 40,000 gp, and it wasn't worth the risk.

[Agi Hammerthief]

They don't. As a matter of fact, they're assuming that's exactly what she is, which is how she's worth 5,000 gp. They didn't need her because 5,000 gp pales beside 40,000 gp, and it wasn't worth the risk.

her not being a demon might be a good point in Elan's defense. She's the only one that esay to prove she's not the one on the wanted poster.

so neither worth the risk, nor a wasted scroll of teleport

and whoever they deliver them to might feell the bounty hunters try to be greedy and screw them over, possibly with a fake Nale too.

[Adeptus]

Action Haley!

And quick thinking from V.

[slayerx]

her not being a demon might be a good point in Elan's defense. She's the only one that esay to prove she's not the one on the wanted poster.

so neither worth the risk, nor a wasted scroll of teleport

and whoever they deliver them to might feell the bounty hunters try to be greedy and screw them over, possibly with a fake Nale too.

Doubt that would help Elan at all...
Nothing stops nale from traveling around with other people... as far as anyone knows, Nale decided to pick up an extra human rouge as a companion
Same goes for V, if he is recognized as not being Nale's old wizard companion, nothing stops nale from picking up a new elven mage as a companion

The only real difference it will make is if the queen is willing to pay the 5,000 gp for each of them... on the one hand she may only be willing to pay for the ones in the past, or on the other hand she may accept anyone willing to side with nale... kinda depends on how much she hates nale and how much she's wants to save a few thousand gp

[Puschkin]

Meh, so the party is split once more ... I just hope they will be reunited faster this time. Call me oldfashioned or simple minded but I liked OOTS the best when the entire party made a dungeon crawl.

[binyamin20]

Isn't the paper the wasted teleport scroll?

[Tundar]

Uhhhh a power word.
I love those. And the tiny flying dinos too!

Too bad V rolled a 1 on the d4 for stun, else Haley could have gone sneak attack bezerk on Gannji.

[wzeller]

Hey, how come Gannji didn't drop everything he was carrying when he was stunned?
According to the SRD:
[B]Stunned: A stunned creature drops everything held,

And therein you answered your own question.

You don't drop everything you are carrying - you drop everything you are holding. Otherwise, every time somebody got stunned, they'd be naked at the end of the round. Great party trick, for sure, but not how the spell works.

The only thing he was holding was the poster, and he dropped it.

[slayerx]

Isn't the paper the wasted teleport scroll?

No it's not... in the first panel, The lizardman gannji, had the wanted poster in one hand and the teleport scroll in the other. in the second panel, V used STUN and the teleport scroll fizzled into nothing (when you screw up a spell cast from a scroll, the scroll is wasted)... so Gannji only had the wanted poster which he dropped when Haley pushed him

[Arrowstorm122]

without reading this 5 pages, i will say, a very good idea by Haley. and of course, the Giant who wrote it. its very awesome right now, im happy that i soon get to see if my theory is correct about this.
maybe this also is new side of the gate fight?

[SmaugTheYounger]

her not being a demon might be a good point in Elan's defense. She's the only one that esay to prove she's not the one on the wanted poster.

so neither worth the risk, nor a wasted scroll of teleport

and whoever they deliver them to might feell the bounty hunters try to be greedy and screw them over, possibly with a fake Nale too.

It would be easy for a cleric/druid/paladin to detect (not) evil on Haley, but not for Ganji and Enor.

(snip)
We have no idea where on the continent they are, how far away the EoB is, and heck, they could be in the country already. The Teleport could have taken the bounty hunters across the continent or across the city. Anyway, if they're not already in Bleedingham, Wind Walk will get them there soon enough.

Which is the point, I guess. And even if someone stole the Wanted poster, Roy and Co. could have very well already seen another one on their inquiries and connect the dots from that. Shouldn't take them more than two or three episodes.

Looks like the OOTS is being railroaded to the empress of blood, who might be Elans stepmother, or Sereni, or someone completely unrelated, with a plot twist that wrecks everyones mind.

[Edhelras]

Just to nit-pick here, but ought'nt Gannji be holding on to Enor when he was using the Teleport scroll? On both his attempts at reading the scroll, they'er not holding on to each other, and on the last reading, they're clearly standing apart from each other.

He-he, LOL why work when you can sit in front of your PC thinking such meaningless thoughts...

[Kareasint]

Roy, Durkon and Belkar will find the dagger and wanted poster rather fast.

After all, someone just fired off a signal flare (V's PW Stun). One of them will probably close enough to hear the PW at this point and come running. Belkar can track down the bow.

Spoiler

Show

I wonder if Durkon is also 15th level now. That sort of makes finding lost party members a lot easier:

Discern Location

Gannji and Enor can port out but the Order's remaining members will know exactly where others are (after Durkon prays to Thor).

[Edhelras]

Belkar can track down the bow.

Belkar... track down.... *snicker*

[RickDaily12]

Hooray Haley!

It's really nice that instead of running off to save her own skin, she's putting it on the line to protect other Order members. Good shot, btw. It's great that the lizards don't understand.

I just hope Roy recognizes the dagger... are we sure he knows it's hers?

Well, unless of course, they find the bow.

[Yendor]

Belkar should recognize the dagger, at least.

[Snake-Aes]

Just to nit-pick here, but ought'nt Gannji be holding on to Enor when he was using the Teleport scroll? On both his attempts at reading the scroll, they'er not holding on to each other, and on the last reading, they're clearly standing apart from each other.

He-he, LOL why work when you can sit in front of your PC thinking such meaningless thoughts...

As you'll see on previous teleports seen in comic, that's not quite necessary. As long as everyone is in touch range of someone else within the scroll's effect, it seems to satisfy the "touch" requirement.

[Needle]

Well, Haley being captured might prove easier for V and Elan on the future, tough I feel it won't be any bad for them once the kidnappers offers them for the reward