Number of Character Appearances VI - Wrecan: "I like counting things"

[Schroeswald]

I can’t speak for the zombies, but Xykon and Crystal and TDO are all as far as we know the same, while vampires are very clearly different people and have been the whole time.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

Aeqsfdvfsc

Nothing that happens with vampires in this comic can be extrapolated to work similarly with other undead. All types of undead work differently, that's why they are different types in the first place. Xykon is still Xykon.

ten characters

[Gift Jeraff]

I think the official count doesn’t include the calendars, but for my own tally, I have been. What I see for the 2020 Calendar is the following:

Spoiler: In case someone doesn’t want the titles spoiled

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Spoiler: Cover

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Armand Vestinghole
Durkon Thundershield
Elan
Hobgoblin Cleric
Jirix
Lutey the Lute-tastical Lute
Redcloak
Vaarsuvius

Spoiler: January - “Searing Light”

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Main Image:
Minrah Shaleshoe
Shadow x3

Lower Page:
Blackwing
Durkon Thundershield
Haley Starshine
Minrah Shaleshoe
Pangtok
Tingtox

Spoiler: February - “See Invisible”

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Main Image:
(Invisible snow monster?)
Veldrina
Wrecan

Lower page:
Armand Vestinghole
Durkon Thundershield
Elan
(Invisible snow monster?) x2
Lutey the Lute-tastical Lute
Roy Greenhilt
Veldrina
Wrecan

Spoiler: March - “Wall of Fire”

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Main Image:
Hilgya Firehelm
Kudzu Thundershield
Orc Warrior x4

Lower page:
Durkon Thundershield
Hilgya Firehelm
Kudzu Thundershield
Logann Brightstone
Sigdi Thundershield
Thirden

Spoiler: April - “Shamblers”

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Main Image:
Lirian
Shambling Mound x6

Lower page:
Airship Crewman with Gray Hair
Gambling Mound
Leeky Windstaff
Little Whiskers
Pompey
Veldrina

Spoiler: May - “Iron Body”

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Main image:
Jacinda
Lizardman x5
Miron Shewdanker

Lower page:
Empire of Blood Infantry x2
Jacinda
Kilkil
Miron Shewdanker
Tarquin
Tarquin’s Warrior Companion

Spoiler: June - “Prismatic Wall”

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Main image:
Human Cleric
Human Warrior x3
Inkyrius
Vaarsuvius

Lower image:
Armand Vestinghole
Bandana Secundus
Blackwing
Elan
Haley Starshine
Lutey the Lute-tastical Lute
Phil Rodriguez
Vaarsuvius

Spoiler: July - “Mind Thrust”

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Main image:
Desert King
Illusionary Desert King
Illusionary Laurin Shattersmith
Laurin Shattersmith

Lower page:
Haley Starshine
Minrah Shaleshoe
Psteve
Redcloak
Thirden

Spoiler: August - “Suggestion”

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Main image:
Armand Vestinghole
Cyclops
Daigo
Elan
Kazumi Kato
Lutey the Lute-tastiest Lute

Lower image:
Armand Vestinghole
Belkar Bitterleaf
Daigo
Elan
Haley Starshine
Hinjo
Kazumi Kato
Lutey the Lute-tastiest Lute
Mr. Scruffy

Spoiler: September - “Programmed Illusion”

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Main image:
Illusionary Julia Greenhilt
Julia Greenhilt

Lower page
Armand Vestinghole
Blackwing
Durkon Thundershield
Elan
Haley Starshine
Julia Greenhilt
Lutey the Lute-tastiest Lute
Roy Greenhilt
Vaarsuvius

Spoiler: October - “Shapechange”

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Main image:
Doomed Warrior
Xykon

Lower page:
Demon Roach x2
Greyview
Oona
Redcloak
Xykon

Spoiler: November - “Contagion”

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Main image:
Azure City Guard x2
Azure City Nobleman
Qarr
Therkla

Lower page:
Nale
Qarr
Sabine
Therkla
Thog
Yukyuk
Zz’dtri

Spoiler: December - “Planar Ally”

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Main image:
Durkon Thundershield
Hound Archon
Tinna

Lower Page:
Argent
Durkon Thundershield
Hinjo
Minrah Shaleshoe
Rogo

Spoiler: 2021 - “Misspelled”

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Baron
Baron’s Cat
Durkon Thundershield x2
Haley Starshine
James Bond
Phantasmal Biller
Roy Greenhilt x2
Talking Bread
Vaarsuvius
Wall Mouse x6
Zombie

If anyone sees anything I missed or got wrong, or can identify the thing in February, I’d appreciate the assist.

I also track calendar appearances and the only major difference I see is that I had put Laurin's mental construct as a redesigned Ishtar, though upon looking at it again you're right. It matches Laurin's hair.

[Mad Humanist]

I can’t speak for the zombies, but Xykon and Crystal and TDO are all as far as we know the same, while vampires are very clearly different people and have been the whole time.

I don't think this is quite correct.

Xykon's soul is still associated with his body and has not gone to its afterlife.

For most sorts of undead or flesh golems etc the soul has gone to the afterlife. For the undead the body has been defiled and cannot be used again. For flesh/bone golems such as Roy's and Crystal's the soul had gone to its afterlife. Crystal's was different in that it retained her consciousness but not her soul.

A vampire entraps the soul of the host but contains its own "soul" of pure negative energy (albeit one with no afterlife).

Crystal's peculiar state and this interpretation of vampires are presumably unique to OOTS. (Then again every teen fiction seems to have its own interpretation of vampires).

[Emanick]

I don't think this is quite correct.

Xykon's soul is still associated with his body and has not gone to its afterlife.

For most sorts of undead or flesh golems etc the soul has gone to the afterlife. For the undead the body has been defiled and cannot be used again. For flesh/bone golems such as Roy's and Crystal's the soul had gone to its afterlife. Crystal's was different in that it retained her consciousness but not her soul.

A vampire entraps the soul of the host but contains its own "soul" of pure negative energy (albeit one with no afterlife).

Crystal's peculiar state and this interpretation of vampires are presumably unique to OOTS. (Then again every teen fiction seems to have its own interpretation of vampires).

I think the golem version of Crystal was heavily implied to contain her soul, or at least her “self,” which for all intents and purposes seems to be the same as her soul or consciousness. Haley certainly treats the golem as Crystal herself, in the flesh (no pun intended), and the narrative gives no indication that she is wrong to do so.

I agree with the rest of your post, though - aside from Crystal’s weird (and possibly even impossible by standard D&D rules) situation, golems and the majority of undead don’t seem to contain the souls that their bodies had in life. To address an earlier post, zombies certainly do not.

[Mad Humanist]

I think the golem version of Crystal was heavily implied to contain her soul, or at least her “self,” which for all intents and purposes seems to be the same as her soul or consciousness. Haley certainly treats the golem as Crystal herself, in the flesh (no pun intended), and the narrative gives no indication that she is wrong to do so.

I agree with the rest of your post, though - aside from Crystal’s weird (and possibly even impossible by standard D&D rules) situation, golems and the majority of undead don’t seem to contain the souls that their bodies had in life. To address an earlier post, zombies certainly do not.

The notion of soul is a bit weird. Obviously it arose as a description of consciousness. However in religious and AD&D contexts it is often separate, he Egyptians sliced up their conception of human beings very finely. So I don't think there is any implication in the comic that Crystal's golem contains her soul. As I recall it the comic refers to her consciousness not soul. So the golem felt pain (lots of it) and had something like Crystal's motivations. But Crystal's actual soul was off in the afterlife somewhere, otherwise the magic involved would have been much more necromantic than what Grubwiggler was upto. That was the whole joke that Celia was so confused about the distinction.

I am not sure how clear Haley was about what was going on. However clearly she was a lot more clued in than Celia. Also I think it was entirely reasonable for Haley to treat the Crystal as something like a human even if she was well aware that Crystal's soul was elsewhere. As I said the golem expressed pain and suffering (albeit no empathy or compassion). That is the criteria for whether someone has moral importance not the metaphysical notion of soul.

[2.5 cats]

Pretty sure nobody mentioned this, but the Mechane crewman who's in the new bonus half-page on 1051A is the same crewman that we saw (once, IIRC) in 1076b.

[Flame of Anor]

But Crystal's actual soul was off in the afterlife somewhere, otherwise the magic involved would have been much more necromantic than what Grubwiggler was upto.

Sorry, I haven't seen any evidence for this. "Grubwiggler didn't use any/enough necromancy" is neither confirmed as true nor a perfect argument against Crystal's soul being present. After all, conjuration spells do things with souls all the time, no necromancy required.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

FYI

Grey Wolf

[Schroeswald]

FYI

Grey Wolf

Oh no! That’s awful, while I was never really active while she was around she seemed nice and like a good person.

[knag]

How terrible. She had said she was working an archaeological dig in Turkey as I recall, and now she's gone? I never expect the real world to intrude on these virtual ones, but here we are (again).

[Emanick]

That's horrific. Truly ghastly. My best wishes to her family and other loved ones.

[CriticalFailure]

I’m sorry.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

Its truely awful. I worked with martianmister a lot in a number of threads. I was gutted to see this had happened.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

That‘s deeply saddening to hear. martianmister did a lot of work for these threads. My condolences to those who knew her in real life.

[2.5 cats]

Oh no! How horrible! Deep condolences to MM's family and friends.

[JustinKase]

So sad to hear - my thoughts are with her family and friends.

[Gift Jeraff]

Very sad to hear the news... martianmister has been a regular on this board for the past decade and I considered her one of my closer GiantITP pals.

[2.5 cats]

Well, because someone had to say it...is anyone out there noble / unsuperstitious enough to step up and curate this thread going forward? (And no, don't look at me.)

[ti'esar]

Honestly, this entire business is just too tragic for words. I don't think it hurts anything to let the thread lie a bit longer, considering that new comics won't even be starting up for a few more weeks.

[Schroeswald]

So um, here is the update for the previous three comics, I guess, I feel weird about it but here it is.

1190: Belkar Bitterleaf (+1), Elan, Mr. Scruffy (+1)

1191: Belkar Bitterleaf, Julia Greenhilt, Mr. Scruffy, Roy Greenhilt

1192: Julia Greenhilt, Roy Greenhilt

[2.5 cats]

Mr. Scruffy was also in 1191.

[Schroeswald]

Mr. Scruffy was also in 1191.

Oh yeah, I updated it, thanks.

[ByzantiumBhuka]

Now that the forums are up again...

Does anyone want to take up the torch and create a Number of Character Appearances VII?
@knag or maybe @Schroeswald, you've both been fairly active on this thread over the past few months. Do either of you want to curate?

[Schroeswald]

Now that the forums are up again...

Does anyone want to take up the torch and create a Number of Character Appearances VII?
@knag or maybe @Schroeswald, you've both been fairly active on this thread over the past few months. Do either of you want to curate?

I’d take the job, but IIRC there is some sort of voting process for this, right?

[JustinKase]

I’d take the job, but IIRC there is some sort of voting process for this, right?

We talking a caucus or just a standard vote? ;)

You have my (s)word of support.

[ByzantiumBhuka]

Voting sounds like a good and prudent idea. What do you all think of a week for curator candidates to declare on this thread and a further week for voting (if there's more than one candidate)?

EDIT: The current candidates are Schroeswald, TheWombatOfDoom, knag, and Emanick. More may come by March 2.

[Vargtass]

I second this proposal!

[TheWombatOfDoom]

I'll put my hat in the ring.

[ByzantiumBhuka]

1193: Julia Greenhilt, Roy Greenhilt. Short and sweet.