OOTS #1214 - The Discussion Thread

[Sapphire Guard]

So, what's Xykon's equivalent to the 'cat retrieving hand' spell? He seems to be using it here.

[pendell]

I'd bet that Xykon just finds it more entertaining.

Redcloak... How often have we seen him actually do necromancy stuff? Maybe it just doesn't immediately occur to him.

Well, he did make a lich, at least in start of darkness.

Tongue-in-cheek,

Brian P.

[Worldsong]

Well, he did make a lich, at least in start of darkness.

Tongue-in-cheek,

Brian P.

You know, I really should have seen that coming.

[Reboot]

Durkon mentioned something about, "If we can get outta thar line o' sight, I can-" before being interrupted. Any ideas on what that is? Avoiding a dispel magic on wind walk seems like a possibility, but then Durkon would be saying, "We can (turn into mist)". Maybe he's hoping to hide somehow?
Regardless of the plan, their current position makes getting out of line of sight easier said than done.

I think that was mostly about having a round to get rid of the midgies.

[Debatra]

Most undead don't actually retain their memories from life. Speak With Dead, on the other hand...

[Kantaki]

You go Oona!
Fight them Skitter style!

[StClair]

ohhh dear.

Shouldn't that be "what the Hel", though?

[Rynjin]

Most undead don't actually retain their memories from life. Speak With Dead, on the other hand...

Speak With Dead gives a Will save, and is quite limited in what you can ask.

Anywho, I wonder if maybe Xykon was watching the whole time, and Redcloak knew but couldn't let on. May give a glimmer of hope for Plan Eeace and Love after all.

[Worldsong]

You go Oona!
Fight them Skitter style!

Given that she's not using webs all over the place I'm guessing this is early story Skitter.

[Ionathus]

I'm thinking that might be their best hope for escape. An innocent "Why are ye so determined to give ultimate power to a goblin god?" would take a lot of focus off the dwarves.

Hmm, but would Durkon want to do that? Now I think about it more -- that might endanger Redcloak, whom Durkon wants to keep alive. It's a tricky situation to be sure, but maybe Durkon could inject enough doubt to distract them without getting Redcloak iced for treason against Xykon. Looking forward to seeing what happens next!

[Ginasius]

I have a hunch: the whole Order of the Stick is going to rescue at least one of the dwarves and then they will escape from Xykon by going into one of the already marked dungeons.

"Hey, guys, these dungeons don't have monsters anymore. Maybe we can hide here safely."

[understatement]

So, what's Xykon's equivalent to the 'cat retrieving hand' spell? He seems to be using it here.

It's probably the spell Telekinesis.

Hmm, but would Durkon want to do that? Now I think about it more -- that might endanger Redcloak, whom Durkon wants to keep alive. It's a tricky situation to be sure, but maybe Durkon could inject enough doubt to distract them without getting Redcloak iced for treason against Xykon. Looking forward to seeing what happens next!

Considering Durkon doesn't know how at odds Redcloak and Xykon are at, it might not occur to him to exploit it. And it wouldn't help the dwarves much, either - Xykon can ice them in one round and then go on to deal with Redcloak if need be.

***

At least in 1204, there was two mild assurances: a) Redcloak wouldn't attack a random dwarf on sight, and b) the Order could pull him out if needed, since Redcloak is lower level than Xykon. There's none of that here.

Honestly, besides the voices' intervention, I'm really not sure how Durkon and Minrah can make it out.

[Crusher]

Uh oh. S**t just got real.

[orrion]

Class example of "It Got Worse."

I have a hunch: the whole Order of the Stick is going to rescue at least one of the dwarves and then they will escape from Xykon by going into one of the already marked dungeons.

"Hey, guys, these dungeons don't have monsters anymore. Maybe we can hide here safely."

I'm thinking we had evidence somewhere that the monsters come back.

Otherwise, MITD's method of sabotage doesn't do nearly as much, since they could just peek in the doors to see whether they had monsters or not to determine whether they had already been inside.

[Mido]

And that's the ballgame. Oof. D:

[SpykeMH]

What do you suppose the odds are of Durkon accidentally exposing one of the puppet strings Xykon unknowingly dances on here?

[Canisius]

Thing about the Giant is that he so often surprises. I mean, this could either be another many-strip hostage rescue, an execution (or two, which could also be a celestial hostage situation if the team had any clerics left), or an amazing escape.

My hope is for an amazing escape, but a) it's too early in the book to resolve this sub-plot b) you could run straight into a confrontation between the whole team and Xykon's team c) there are other threads dangling that could be brought to bear.

Whence the paladin? Kinda thinking we may switch to that sub-plot pretty soon.

Frankly, I'm glad that Xykon finally showed up. You knew he would. The tension was killing me.

[TheNecrocomicon]

This is rapidly feeling like the frost giant fight from the last book, where things went from bad to worse to ridiculously overwhelmingly worse in a hurry and just kept going.

If the rest of the Order aren't showing up to shank Xykon in the back right freakin' now, there really is no escape for Durkon and Minrah other than Word of Recall, Plane Shift, or deus-ex-machina.

Put me down as agreeing that the Order aren't going to beat Team Evil this early. Something will happen to break up or interrupt the fight. Probably, I would think, something like the IFCC landing on the scene with their oh-so-vaguely-promised "artifact" and "vessel".

[b_jonas]

On a related note, why do the villains bother interrogating high value captives? Kill them, create a free-willed undead from their remains, compel it to tell the truth, add the undead to the army.

Interesting. Though I think that would give some time, because they can't do that until nightfall.

Anyway, what I think will happen is simpler. Durkon doesn't need any miraculous rescue, because Redcloak wants to capture him alive. So Durkon will be captured, which is good for us because he'll be right where he wants to be, talking to Redcloak. Minrah might die, or she might survive for a bit longer.

[Olinser]

This is rapidly feeling like the frost giant fight from the last book, where things went from bad to worse to ridiculously overwhelmingly worse in a hurry and just kept going.

If the rest of the Order aren't showing up to shank Xykon in the back right freakin' now, there really is no escape for Durkon and Minrah other than Word of Recall, Plane Shift, or deus-ex-machina.

Put me down as agreeing that the Order aren't going to beat Team Evil this early. Something will happen to break up or interrupt the fight. Probably, I would think, something like the IFCC landing on the scene with their oh-so-vaguely-promised "artifact" and "vessel".

Put me down for thinking that the still-unknown Paladin kidnappers will add a pair of kidnapped dwarves.

Most likely by Xykon/Redcloak knocking them out, turning away to argue about what to do with them, and then realizing that they're gone.

[Marillion]

When Oona said "Okie dokie, Oona is doing the thing!", it brought to mind Uma Thurman's hilariously bad Swedish accent in The Producers, and I will forevermore hear Uma as Oona.

Spoiler

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Now Ulla belt:

In other news: Things go from bad to worst. I'm on the edge of my computer chair waiting for the next update!

[Shale]

Hmm, but would Durkon want to do that? Now I think about it more -- that might endanger Redcloak, whom Durkon wants to keep alive. It's a tricky situation to be sure, but maybe Durkon could inject enough doubt to distract them without getting Redcloak iced for treason against Xykon. Looking forward to seeing what happens next!

I don't think he'd do it on purpose, but Redcloak never mentioned he was running a con on Xykon. Durkon has no reason to think he's anything but a willing partner in The Plan, as far as I can recall.

[BarnZarn]

Zhu li, do the thing!

Yay, ATLA


Asides from the reference, I have three theories:

They get rescued because the rest of the OOTS show up, or the mysterious voice (who is totally not Serini) or the MITD or the paladins or something along these lines show up
They convince Redcloak and they fight off Xykon with Redcloak (unlikely)
They get captured and/or killed.

[Riftwolf]

Don't know about anyone else but I'm wondering if game theory will win the day here;
Durkon could raise his hands and say 'take us prisoner and ill tell you what I know and why we're here!'
This would at least delay Xykon for a few seconds, and could possibly start an argument between Redcloak (who doesn't want Xykon to know what the dwarves are doing there) and Xykon.
Yeh I know I'm grasping at straws but there's got to be *something* that stops this escalating this early in the arc.

[Hatu]

Wow. I'm trying to figure if this could be any worse if Durkon HADN'T planned for it.

So far, the only difference I can see is that Minrah would still be alive to help the party. :-(

Put me down for thinking that the still-unknown Paladin kidnappers will add a pair of kidnapped dwarves.

Most likely by Xykon/Redcloak knocking them out, turning away to argue about what to do with them, and then realizing that they're gone.

That seems plausible enough. It's about the only thing that could get our dwarves out of this that doesn't involve repeating the "dead PC" or "MitD tricks" plotlines.

-H

[Yuri-Os]

First post here, may as well get my stupid ideas out while I lack a reputation.

Maybe it's

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MitD shapeshifted into Xykon.

[woweedd]

****. I apologize for violating the profanity rules, but that feels like the only reasonable response to this situation.

[Jacky720]

First post here, may as well get my stupid ideas out while I lack a reputation.

Maybe it's

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MitD shapeshifted into Xykon.

{scrubbed} because it only works if MITD has mastered all his monstery powers as well as impersonation of someone completely unlike him, which is a crazy huge leap to make.

Reminds me of:
Maybe it's just another illusion?
Nah, that would mean we weren't totally boned.
—Strip 901

ETA: Those faces don't really work, do they?

[Harbajar]

Oh. Holy. Hell.

Oh UnHoly Hell - but alignment is subjective

OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMMNOMNONM... wait? ... oh my goodness.

Next!

[KorvinStarmast]

Jacky, I think we could have been a little warmer in greeting our new particpant.

{scrub the post, scrub the quote} because it only works if MITD has mastered all his monstery powers as well as impersonation of someone completely unlike him, which is a crazy huge leap to make.

I would like to welcome our new poster

Hello, Yuri-O's, glad you joined us.

Not seeing MiTD beginning to talk like Xykon, nor reveal himself without permission. He's had opportunities galore and has never yet broken lurk.

Also, I just noticed that in the last panel, Minrah has one eye closed and one eye open. It gives her an almost quizzical look. I like that kind of attention to detail.