Belkar <3 Minrah Chances?

[Emanick]

Durkon isn't the type to prepare Flamestrike. Doesn't mesh well with his divine domains and support role. What he would do is cast Thor's Might and crush Belkar with his giant hammer.

He might do it for tactical reasons if Roy asked him to. It’s useful to have a spell that does untyped damage, especially when going up against a prepared foe.

But yeah, not really in character for Durkon to do so of his own volition.

[The Pilgrim]

I think any offspring between Durkon and Belkar would either be a miracle or an abomination, depending on how they pulled that particular feat off.

All they need to do is come by any decent magic shop and purchase a Girlde of Feminity/Masculinity.

[The MunchKING]

Belkar <> Minrah is where it's at.

So Colorless Mana then??

[enderlord99]

So Colorless Mana then??

It was a (presumably non-serious) reference to another webcomic.

[katiecruel]

It was a (presumably non-serious) reference to another webcomic.

A half-serious reference! But yeah, the core idea is that in this other webcomic I won't name there's different types of romantic relationships which are represented by the four suits of cards. <> represents the diamonds suit, and that represents like a platonic romantic relationship where two people are incredibly close and balance out each other's negative qualities without necessarily being physically intimate with each other. If you (the person being quoted by the person I was quoting, sorry not sure how to nest quotes here) want more details and a reason to judge me and everyone else in the thread that got the reference as harshly as possible, google the terms "moirallegiance" or "troll romance".

Based on how Minrah and Belkar's relationship has been developing, that seems kind of realistic to me? Like Minrah is a new person who is able to see the developing Good parts of Belkar, while Belkar is the person in the party who can most relate to Minrah's outsider perspective. There doesn't seem to be a lot of chemistry between them, but there's definitely a connection between them that isn't there otherwise in the party.

All that said, I'm not dismissing the possibility that Belkar doesn't know how to deal with having a woman as a friend and makes some highly inappropriate pass at Minrah at some point or another.

[understatement]

Belkar <3< Vaarsuvius

'K, time to find acid.

[Quartz]

Based on how Minrah and Belkar's relationship has been developing, that seems kind of realistic to me? Like Minrah is a new person who is able to see the developing Good parts of Belkar, while Belkar is the person in the party who can most relate to Minrah's outsider perspective. There doesn't seem to be a lot of chemistry between them, but there's definitely a connection between them that isn't there otherwise in the party.

We may be overthinking this but I think you're on to something.

[Darth Paul]

Belkar <3 Belkar, then Belkar <3 Mr. Scruffy. Everybody else is working their way up towards "tolerated" status.

[DaOldeWolf]

Considering that Belkar is a dead man, I would say that the chance they end up together is basically non existant.

[Peat]

I was going to say zero, but then I recalled V's theory and I'm wondering if it still holds. If it does, then Belkar developing some sort of feelings for Minrah seems inevitable. Whether that turns into a relationship is an entirely different question of course - I'd guess not - but an unrequited crush? I could see that. And Belkar having an actual friendship, devoid of sexual overtones or gristly death if they threaten the cat, would be a big step forwards for Belkar in and of itself.

[CriticalFailure]

I was going to say zero, but then I recalled V's theory and I'm wondering if it still holds. If it does, then Belkar developing some sort of feelings for Minrah seems inevitable. Whether that turns into a relationship is an entirely different question of course - I'd guess not - but an unrequited crush? I could see that. And Belkar having an actual friendship, devoid of sexual overtones or gristly death if they threaten the cat, would be a big step forwards for Belkar in and of itself.

I think losing that pattern is part of character develoopment.

[Liquor Box]

I think it's unlikely

Belkar has pulled some pretty smoking girls so far (remember the bard in the thieves guild), and Minrah strikes me as being more on the homely side then the comely. I think the Belkster is out of her league.

[Peat]

I think losing that pattern is part of character develoopment.

Right, my question/point is 'has he definitely developed that far?'

[hroþila]

Personally, I think that theory was more about V rationalizing the "incident" to minimize the yuckiness factor than about anything else. The theory didn't stand to closer scrutiny then, and it does not now.

[Schroeswald]

That theory is constantly disproven, he likes Elan cause he's funny but there is 0 lust in that, he likes Shojo because he's funny and makes paladins clean up cat poo, no lust, and he loves Mr. Scruffy because he's cute and cool, and he definitely has no lust for him.

[Peat]

I mean, yeah, it doesn't hold up with guys. But with women? For at least most of the comic it seems pretty watertight to me. If Minrah's a platonic friendship, I think it is his first. And I'm very much hoping that is the case.

[katiecruel]

I mean, yeah, it doesn't hold up with guys. But with women? For at least most of the comic it seems pretty watertight to me. If Minrah's a platonic friendship, I think it is his first. And I'm very much hoping that is the case.

I feel like it's worth pointing out that Belkar's relationship has been evolving alongside his more general growth. I was going to link comics 622 and 969 in here but I don't have the ten posts needed to post links yet lol.

[KorvinStarmast]

I feel like it's worth pointing out that Belkar's relationship has been evolving alongside his more general growth. I was going to link comics 622 and 969 in here but I don't have the ten posts needed to post links yet lol.

There you go.
969

622

[LunarDrop]

I'm still holding out for Belkar/Vaarsuvius.

[RatElemental]

I'm still holding out for Belkar/Vaarsuvius.

That... makes a surprising amount of sense to me.

[Chronos]

I think that, at the time, Vaarsuvius' hypothesis was mostly accurate, but incomplete: Belkar was capable of three different emotions towards people, hatred, lust, and amusement (the latter being demonstrated towards Elan and Shojo).

But while that may have been true at the time, he's already outgrown it, most notably with respect to Durkon.

And yeah, while a Minrah/Durkon romance is unlikely at this point, it's still a heck of a lot more likely than Minrah/Belkar. If nothing else, they'll have decades or centuries of knowing each other, in which time almost anything could happen between them, while Belkar has somewhere in the vicinity of a week.

(and I thought that the <> thing was a reference to some programming languages using <> to mean "not equal to")

[CriticalFailure]

(and I thought that the <> thing was a reference to some programming languages using <> to mean "not equal to")

What languages use that as not equal?

[littlebum2002]

Minrah is level 10. 3 level 10 characters have an encounter level of 13. Belkar is level 15, which gives him an encounter level of 15.

So Belkar >3 Minrahs.

[Fyraltari]

What languages use that as not equal?

SQL sometimes.

[Manga Shoggoth]

What languages use that as not equal?

Also various BASICs. Excel formulae also use them.

[PopeLinus1]

I'm still holding out for Belkar/Vaarsuvius.

Belkar and Vaarsuvius are so far in the Caliginous Quadrant.


Yeah, I ship it.

[understatement]

Isn't Belkar around a decade older than her? (mentally)

I always got the impression that Minrah is fairly young for a dwarf, since she's still an acolyte.

[Fyraltari]

Isn't Belkar around a decade older than her? (mentally)

I always got the impression that Minrah is fairly young for a dwarf, since she's still an acolyte.

She did switch jobs. And everyone in the Order is fairly yound, around 20 years old in human/dwarf/elf years.

[dude123nice]

I'll just say that there is one "against" that is very powerful: it would be way out of character for Belkar to fall in love with anyone. As hard as I try to see this turning around to where he and Minrah have warm and even loving feelings for one another ... it does not seem to fit Belkar. I think Minrah's capable of love, and more.

As weird as it may be for you to hear, there are many people who don't equate beginning a relationship with someone with falling in love with them. And I get the feeling that a somewhat reformed Belkar is that kind of person.

[Askthepizzaguy]

I was under the impression that Minrah might be a lesbian. Thus the thing Thor told her he was cool with, and the deeply personal thing she wanted to tell her mother after she died.

https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1135.html

https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1180.html

Then I realized that Durkon's mom is fine with same sex couples and probably taught those values to Durkon, so the first instance is probably wrong.

I don't know, I feel like Minrah might be into girls, and if so, probably isn't into Belkar. But I may be reading a lot into stuff that isn't being said explicitly, only hinted at.

Maybe it was just the first thought I had after piecing those two things together, and it's wrong, but since I thought it, I never let go of the idea. Could be.