OOTS #1236 - The Discussion Thread

[The Giant]

New comic is up.

[carborundum]

Methinks a certain half-halfling has joined the party...

[dancrilis]

So invisible walked up to take the lute or magic to grab it at a distance - options open.

First seems risky, but which magic would allow for stealing an item in possession in this manner - not mage hand I don't think.

Anyway nice strip.

[Alaris]

So invisible walked up to take the lute or magic to grab it at a distance - options open.

First seems risky, but which magic would allow for stealing an item in possession in this manner - not mage hand I don't think.

Anyway nice strip.

Given that it glowed when it flew away, I'm going to say they magick'd it with an item.

Then she used an item of suggestion or something similar to coax Elan into following.

Welp, at least we're getting some action now.

[Yxylu]

In Panel 7, Lutey is still shown. At least for the moment.

Fixed. Thanks!

[Sylian]

I was wondering how they were going to move on from the situation they were in. I certainly didn't expect this, though

[RCgothic]

Panel 7 still has a lute in it.

Edit: NM, ninja'd.

[BruceGee]

Can somebody explain the 70-30 split reference? I don't get it.

[Kareeah_Indaga]

Looks like that terrible Will save is still not doing Elan any favors.

[Xlsfd]

Yeah, I'd say it's obvious that Serini Toormuck is behind this.

[Peelee]

I, for one, am excited to see the adventures of Joe SatLuteriani.

[link3710]

Can somebody explain the 70-30 split reference? I don't get it.

That just means that it's more likely that the former would happen than the latter, it's a betting term.

[Aron Times]

Can somebody explain the 70-30 split reference? I don't get it.

He means there's a 70% chance Elan got mind-controlled, and a 30% chance Elan's just being Elan.

[drazen]

Can somebody explain the 70-30 split reference? I don't get it.

The Order is comprised of:

Roy, Haley, Elan, V, Durkon, and Belkar; plus
Minrah, Mr. Scruffy, Bloodfeast, and Blackwing round things out.

10 beings.

Durkon and Minrah went off on their own to talk to Redcloak; Belkar wandered off in the pyramid to do his own thing, and again at the Godsmoot.

So that's 70-30.

At least that's my take on it.

[mjasghar]

Thanks Rich

[Quild]

He means there's a 70% chance Elan got mind-controlled, and a 30% chance Elan's just being Elan.

Swirly eyes are not for audience only. The OOTS members have likely seen them and know he got charmed or whatever.


Why does Serini want to avoid a fight between Team Evil and the OOTS?
The best explanation I see is that if Team Evil defeats the OOTS, they will know what they were doing wrong.

[Peelee]

The Order is comprised of:

Roy, Haley, Elan, V, Durkon, and Belkar; plus
Minrah, Mr. Scruffy, Bloodfeast, and Blackwing round things out.

10 beings.

Durkon and Minrah went off on their own to talk to Redcloak; Belkar wandered off in the pyramid to do his own thing, and again at the Godsmoot.

So that's 70-30.

At least that's my take on it.

That doesn't work out, because V also wandered off if Girard's Pyramid, so that logic would have it be 60/40.

Its not that, it's the odds that they went off due to being enchanted, which relates exactly to what Durkon had just said.

[Windscion]

Hm. How did Serini know to target Elan's crappy will save? Wizards and Bards have good will save progression, as do clerics. So the front-line fighters should be the clear targets. Sounds like Serini knows more about the order than I thought.

[Schroeswald]

I’m excited for Lutey’s spinoff comic, weird way to backdoor it but oh well.

[factotum]

Why does Serini want to avoid a fight between Team Evil and the OOTS?
The best explanation I see is that if Team Evil defeats the OOTS, they will know what they were doing wrong.

Judging from the conversation between the invisible entities when the paladins were kidnapped, it's almost as if she knows that the end result of what she's doing will likely result in the end of the world, but she *wants* that for some reason? I'm at a loss to explain why that would be, though.

[Sir_Norbert]

OOTS is really great.

[Beni-Kujaku]

Excuse me, what? This is not the Snarl, the swirls are yellow, not purple, and there should be nobody in this tunnel, so what?

[EmperorSarda]

"Do you know how hard it is for an instrumental project to succeed in today's media landscape? You'll never find enough guest vocalists!"

I'm going to have to disagree with you there Elan. Clearly you are not aware of Lindsey Stirling.

[EmperorSarda]

Hm. How did Serini know to target Elan's crappy will save?

V has been trying to reach Serini via Sending for about a year now. She's also aware of the other gates failing.

She probably has been scrying on them for some time.

[SpykeMH]

Excuse me, what? This is not the Snarl, the swirls are yellow, not purple, and there should be nobody in this tunnel, so what?

Most likely our invisible half-troll half-halfling(quarterling?)

[SlashDash]

First seems risky, but which magic would allow for stealing an item in possession in this manner - not mage hand I don't think.

Anyway nice strip.

Telekinesis allows you to do that if the opponent fails a will save.
It's pretty much established that Roy, Durkon and V are the only ones in the party with a high will save.
So Elan just likely failed.

Why does Serini want to avoid a fight between Team Evil and the OOTS?
The best explanation I see is that if Team Evil defeats the OOTS, they will know what they were doing wrong.

No, if the order loses to Xykon, the gods destroy the entire universe. Period.
Loki didn't say they won't destroy the world, he said let's the give the mortals one more chance and if it comes down to it, they can destroy the world in 10 minutes before the Snarl escapes.

Serini told the paladins that they it's better off to let Xykon take over the gate than destroy the gate and risk the world being unmade. If she doesn't trust O-Chul for this - why the heck would she trust the party? They destroyed Dorukon's gate by accident and Girard's gate on purpose.

Judging from the conversation between the invisible entities when the paladins were kidnapped, it's almost as if she knows that the end result of what she's doing will likely result in the end of the world, but she *wants* that for some reason? I'm at a loss to explain why that would be, though.

She never said she wanted that. It's just that she knows it's coming.

Basically there are 3 options as far as she is concerned:
1) The last gate is destroyed. Snarl destroys the universe
2) The gods take actions to prevent that - this world is destroyed.
3) Xykon takes over the gate and uses it to rule the world but doesn't destroy it. He doesn't put the gods in danger so they do nothing. It's a very cruel time but better off than #1 and #2

Therefore, she's assuming she's likely to be killed one way or the other but as she told the paladins at least option #3 means a lot of people won't die.

Of course there's option #4 which is what will happen: Party defeats Xykon and Redcloak is convinced to get the Dark One to seal the gates permanently. But Serini doesn't consider option. She neither knows what Durkon does nor does she have much faith in the party that is responsible for the loss of 3 gates already.

[Fyraltari]

Woah, Serini really figured Elan out, didn't she?

That doesn't work out, because V also wandered off if Girard's Pyramid, so that logic would have it be 60/40.

Its not that, it's the odds that they went off due to being enchanted, which relates exactly to what Durkon had just said.

I mean, Belkar didn't wander off in the Pyramid, he got forcefully dragged by a summonned monster.

Judging from the conversation between the invisible entities when the paladins were kidnapped, it's almost as if she knows that the end result of what she's doing will likely result in the end of the world, but she *wants* that for some reason? I'm at a loss to explain why that would be, though.

I don't think it's that she wants it, it's that she recognizes that things are coming to a head and she needs to intervene, but that the situation even got that bad means their chances of survival are pretty slim.

Excuse me, what? This is not the Snarl, the swirls are yellow, not purple, and there should be nobody in this tunnel, so what?

It's Serini.
Edit: and most likely "Orange voice" and whoever else she might have under her command.

[jidasfire]

Good to see Serini finally making her move, though I think the spell being cast here is not actually her doing. The magic aura suggests that it's likely her orange-voiced companion, whom we can probably now guess is a caster of some kind.

[bengator]

As I don’t play a lot of D and D, can someone please explain how a rogue uses suggestion or otherwise hypnotized Elan? I thought a spell was needed. Did I miss a magic item Sirini had? Or is this possibly the other invisible being we saw at the end of the last book?

[EmperorSarda]

As I don’t play a lot of D and D, can someone please explain how a rogue uses suggestion or otherwise hypnotized Elan? I thought a spell was needed. Did I miss a magic item Sirini had? Or is this possibly the other invisible being we saw at the end of the last book?

Last we saw, Serini has a bunch of magic items with her. She also has henchmen.