OOTS #1130 - The Discussion Thread

[wRAR]

He didn't. He stabbed her through the heart with the stake.

That's not what I see in the comic. He is stabbing her in the throat with the dagger and the head flies off.

[Frozen_Northman]

The memories panel takes the definition of a "web comic" to a whole new level.

Brilliant storytelling. Great payoff for Durkon's slow memory reveal up to this point - a philosophy lesson and a Crowning Moment of Awesome blended together. And it's mirrored in Belkar's choosing to be better than his worst day, too.

[Devonix]

Nooo, Ponchette! :(

I don't think Belkar will kill the vampire. My guess is that Belkar was woken up 1) to drive home what exactly Durkon was talking about, and 2) perhaps to set up a scene with only Belkar and Durkon next.

Remember Durkon is still a vampire and still a high priest of Hel giving her a vote. My thinking is that Durkon will ask Belkar to kill him, costing Hel her vote and thus saving the world.

[Marcotix]

Awesome job.

Now my wonder is whether or not Durkon broke the vampire, or if this out come was inevitable?

Assuming Durkula slowly sucked memories from his host over time, would he eventually, slowly step by step become Durkon? Or Durkula be able to process it and maintain himself?

It would be a better story if Durkon overwhelmed Durkula though, since he is the hero of this arc, and so through his agency he must win.

[Korith]

Question to people who know their stuff on DnD more than I do: Is there a surprise round decapitation rule I dont know or how did belkar behead a full-hp vampire so fast?

Maybe she was a 4th edition minion.

[Blatt]

I'm lost! What has got Belkar all riled up? And how did he go from 0HP (I assume) to green-glowing terminator? And is Greg paying any attention at all to the outside world? And if Durkon actually turns Greg from the inside and is then killed by Bitterleaf, is it a simple raise dead to get him back? (Haley can probably afford it from loose change!)

Also, remembering Belkar is due to be permanently dead in the near future.

That said, I'm seeing gods handing out wishes if OOTS pull this off.

[anonynos]

Rich Burlew, if you're reading this, I hate to break it to you but Terry Pratchett got there first again. In his book Carpe Jugulum. The protagonist Granny Weatherwax is taken by vampires, but she's a woman very like Durkon. She doesn't get vampired, the vampires get Weatherwaxed.

I'm hoping you intend this as a compliment, but even if so this is like... one of the most dickish ways to phrase it you could... putting it this way turns it from "This is like Terry Pratchett's writing!" to "Yeah, your writing isn't special, someone else already did it."

[Marcotix]

Remember Durkon is still a vampire and still a high priest of Hel giving her a vote. My thinking is that Durkon will ask Belkar to kill him, costing Hel her vote and thus saving the world.

No he isn't, he gave up to one of his vampire back at the moot- unless I missed something. As I recall it was based on her being in the front (then there was a joke about being frontists).

[hamishspence]

That's not what I see in the comic. He is stabbing her in the throat with the dagger and the head flies off.

The stake is going in through the back - it's long enough to reach the heart but not long enough for the point to come out of the chest.

[GrayDeath]

I post rarely in these threads, mostly because they often are too long when we in europe get the chance, but ho boy, was that an epic three Strip Combo!
I am still gobsmacked!

[2D8HP]

Totally emphasising with Belkar right now

You made me think about things Mr. Burlew.

Dagnabbit!

[wRAR]

Is Belkar in the barbarian rage, getting temp HP?

[pendell]

I'm hoping you intend this as a compliment, but even if so this is like... one of the most dickish ways to phrase it you could... putting it this way turns it from "This is like Terry Pratchett's writing!" to "Yeah, your writing isn't special, someone else already did it."

Rich has deliberately been avoiding Terry's work for just this very reason. I'm hoping that, when he finishes OOTS and it won't compromise his own vision for the story, he'll have a look back and enjoy someone whose writing so closely resembles his own. If I were still in college, I think I could do a thesis on the similarities and parallels between two independent authors. Neither author is deliberately copying the other -- Rich is at pains not to steal Terry's ideas -- but the stories, characters and outcomes are remarkably similar. Perhaps it's a similarity in moral outlook plus a common fantasy 'dictionary' of tropes. As I said, I find it fascinating.

In any case, I take note that it came across as 'dickish' and will try better in future.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[hamishspence]

I'm hoping you intend this as a compliment, but even if so this is like... one of the most dickish ways to phrase it you could... putting it this way turns it from "This is like Terry Pratchett's writing!" to "Yeah, your writing isn't special, someone else already did it."

Plus, Pratchett's version is a little different - yes, they start to take on some of her personality traits - and regain vampire vulnerabilities - but they don't become clones of her, mentally.

Weatherwax, after being bitten, comes close to becoming a vampire - but doesn't change all the way, like Durkon did.

[xroads]

Simply awesome.

It took me a few minutes to understand the difference between Durkula's and Malack's situation. But I think I get it now.

[Resileaf]

Is Belkar in the barbarian rage, getting temp HP?

Belkar was never reduced to 0 HP. Roy knocked him out, probably with a feat of some kind.

[Yirggzmb]

I'm lost! What has got Belkar all riled up? And how did he go from 0HP (I assume) to green-glowing terminator? And is Greg paying any attention at all to the outside world? And if Durkon actually turns Greg from the inside and is then killed by Bitterleaf, is it a simple raise dead to get him back? (Haley can probably afford it from loose change!)

Also, remembering Belkar is due to be permanently dead in the near future.

That said, I'm seeing gods handing out wishes if OOTS pull this off.

Belkar is all ragey because Durkon sacrificed himself for him, and Belkar has had to deal with the emotional turmoil from that ever since. And I'm pretty sure he wasn't knocked down to 0hp. Just had been knocked out with non-lethal damage.

[Thokk_Smash]

To everyone saying Ponchella got staked: she turned to mist when she died. All the vampires who got staked got X's in their eyes, and didn't turn to mist. So my thought is that she wasn't staked.

[Marcotix]

I'm hoping you intend this as a compliment, but even if so this is like... one of the most dickish ways to phrase it you could... putting it this way turns it from "This is like Terry Pratchett's writing!" to "Yeah, your writing isn't special, someone else already did it."

Yeah, it's next to impossible to find completely new things do to. At some point, the Simpson's did it. That doesn't mean taking what is done and making it your own is bad though.

Good stories are often times like making a good steak - at some level all your doing is heating meat, but what seasonings, what marinade, baking, or grilling? That stuff still matters.

[wRAR]

To everyone saying Ponchella got staked: she turned to mist when she died. All the vampires who got staked got X's in their eyes, and didn't turn to mist. So my thought is that she wasn't staked.

She's got X's though.

[pendell]

To everyone saying Ponchella got staked: she turned to mist when she died. All the vampires who got staked got X's in their eyes, and didn't turn to mist. So my thought is that she wasn't staked.

ETA: Oh, I see it now. Belkar has the stake in his right hand and the dagger in his left. He sticks the stake in her chest while cutting off her head with his dagger. So he DID stake her.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[Ornithologist]

I have to say, after looking at all the memories, my favorite is one of Durkon Failing at being a bard.



On a more serious note, I have no idea where this is going to head next... But It looks to be somewhere good.

[Marcotix]

To everyone saying Ponchella got staked: she turned to mist when she died. All the vampires who got staked got X's in their eyes, and didn't turn to mist. So my thought is that she wasn't staked.

Yeah i'm pretty sure this is right.

[Resileaf]

Just because we don't see the vampires who get staked misting doesn't mean they didn't. They don't appear in any other panel, so I would wager they just misted out of panel.

[blackmage]

HOLY ****ING ****

DUR-KON!
DUR-KON!
DUR-KON!

giant!
giant!
giant!

[Kish]

To everyone saying Ponchella got staked: she turned to mist when she died. All the vampires who got staked got X's in their eyes,

You mean like Cindy did in the first panel of the second page here?

That said, my mistake on her being staked; what he's holding is his new dagger, not the stake he was holding earlier.

[2.5 cats]

I'm lost! What has got Belkar all riled up?

For one thing, the Protection from Evil spell that the clasp activated really hurts!

[HMS Invincible]

Why did Bellkar say "made him think things" is this about when Durkon traded his life for Bellkar? I'm surprised how long he's been holding that in.

[Windscion]

Belkar. Mechanically, I don't know of anyway by 3.5 rules for the Belkster to recover like that. Even subdual damage doesn't just disappear, and I dunno if animal companions can perform 'aid other', but realistically, it is perfectly plausible. And yes, raging gives extra HP (2*level) but won't stop him from dropping dead the instant he comes out of the rage. Which would be an interesting and amusing twist.

[Kish]

I'm lost! What has got Belkar all riled up?

He couldn't have been more explicit about why he's angry.