OOTS #1247 - The Discussion Thread

[Fyraltari]

I also misread "Guil" as "Gul" and wondered when V started having to deal with the Obsidian Order.

The what now?

[Schroeswald]

Hopefully it would last long enough to cover Z's recruitment into the Guild (I like him, but he's not a founding member).

I’d hope to see the formation of the whole original guil that fought the OOTS because 2-3 members of that weren’t the ones who tried to overthrow Tarquin (no I don’t trust trust that the kobold we saw in flashback wasn’t killed in the attempted coup and replaced by YikYik).

[Peelee]

The what now?

Deep Space 9 is the best Star Trek, and Garik is the best character.

[KorvinStarmast]

and Garik is the best character.

Sorry, Jean Luc Picard is the best character.

[Peelee]

Sorry, Jean Luc Picard is the best character.

Picard isn't even the best drummer in the band character in his show!

[mjasghar]

WRT to the western continent - the nature of the environment leads to insular city states that will fight over resources but find it difficult to maintain hold over other states. So I suspect this was intentional from the pantheon that created the area. It’s noticeable the elves have a highly fertile area and don’t seem to have those issues.

[Fyraltari]

Picard isn't even the best drummer in the band character in his show!

I dunno, he does make some nice frozen food.

[Hurkyl]

Why are we so sure that Serini recorded teleportation coordinates for the other gates, or even overtly recorded them at all? IIRC, the only thing we have is:

• In #0694, Girard says he gave Soon coordinates
• In #0196, Xykon says he "deciphered the locations"

While "decipher" and "decode" usually refer to undoing a cipher or code applied to information, it's colloquial use include figuring things out by piecing together incidental clues. E.g. if Serini's diary of adventurers included enough information to piece together that one of the locations was atop Crooked Mountain in the Redmountain Hills.

While we know that Xykon was able to teleport rather close to Girard's gate, it's nonobvious Team Evil had anything comparable for Soon's gate. In fact, #0415 reveals the whole encounter with Miko was an elaborate ploy that ultimately let them scry for information on the gate's location. This could go either way, of course: an ordinary city doesn't have the same sort of clues as a stereotypical dungeon crawl (complete with the "the bottom floors are off limits" rule) as to the location of the big prize it's hiding.

[Fyraltari]

Xykon says in SoD, that in order to "translate" the location of the Gates he first had to work backward from the one he knew. I don't really see how that makes sense, if not referering to encoded coordinates.

[Hurkyl]

Ok, makes sense.

[Squire Doodad]

WRT to the western continent - the nature of the environment leads to insular city states that will fight over resources but find it difficult to maintain hold over other states. So I suspect this was intentional from the pantheon that created the area. It’s noticeable the elves have a highly fertile area and don’t seem to have those issues.

At one point, it is implied that the elves actually sealed off the entirety of the northern section of the continent, which oddly enough makes me think there might have been some sort of magical catastrophe aeons ago? That could just be sealed in the "watchtowers and walls" sense though.
From a more mundane standpoint, it's also possible there was deforestation in the area that caused a once-small desert to swell in size, and this is the centuries-later result of that.

On the flipside, it's perfectly possible that the extremities of the Western Continent were meant to be societal hubs with cool adventure areas in between...? I don't know enough about anthropology to make any guesses about it.

[bunsen_h]

At one point, it is implied that the elves actually sealed off the entirety of the northern section of the continent, which oddly enough makes me think there might have been some sort of magical catastrophe aeons ago? That could just be sealed in the "watchtowers and walls" sense though.

In 680, the cartographer tells Haley that the Elves have that part of the continent "sealed up", but I took that to mean that they've taken it for their exclusive use, not that there's a literal barrier in place.

[KorvinStarmast]

In 680, the cartographer tells Haley that the Elves have that part of the continent "sealed up", but I took that to mean that they've taken it for their exclusive use, not that there's a literal barrier in place.

Maybe, nobody who has tried to cross that barrier has lived to tell the tale. (See the Girdle of Melian in Beleriand for a possible model).

Spoiler: Tolkien Elf Stuff

Show

The Girdle enclosed the three forests of Neldoreth, Region, Nivrim and part of the land of Aelin-uial. All those who attempted to pass through it became enmeshed and wandered aimlessly as if lost in an impossible maze of trees, placing them in a situation where their food would eventually run out and they would die. The Girdle also protected Doriath from the dark influence and prying eyes of Morgoth, similar to the way Galadriel used Nenya to protect Lothlórien from Sauron.

That's what I had in my head canon as regards the Western Continent elves sealing their lands.

[Metastachydium]

Maybe, nobody who has tried to cross that barrier has lived to tell the tale. (See the Girdle of Melian in Beleriand for a possible model).

Spoiler: Tolkien Elf Stuff

Show

The Girdle enclosed the three forests of Neldoreth, Region, Nivrim and part of the land of Aelin-uial. All those who attempted to pass through it became enmeshed and wandered aimlessly as if lost in an impossible maze of trees, placing them in a situation where their food would eventually run out and they would die. The Girdle also protected Doriath from the dark influence and prying eyes of Morgoth, similar to the way Galadriel used Nenya to protect Lothlórien from Sauron.

That's what I had in my head canon as regards the Western Continent elves sealing their lands.

I think it's probably way simpler than that. Just south of the Elven Lands we find the Goaway Mountains. All the elves have to do is plug the safe passages through and set up patrols to its north to make sure nothing gets on the northern side that they'd rather keep south. Aside from that, all they need is good air defence capabilities.

[KorvinStarmast]

Aside from that, all they need is good air defence capabilities.

Yeah, plenty of things and persons in D&D based OoTS land can fly. I'm thinking that a D&D version of I-Hawk missiles would do the trick.

[Metastachydium]

Yeah, plenty of things and persons in D&D based OoTS land can fly. I'm thinking that a D&D version of I-Hawk missiles would do the trick.

I'm partial to Pantsir myself, but I think both would be an overkill. I mean, against pterosaurs, hippogriffs and airships an AA autocannon would do the job just fine. How the elves would build one of those is another question.

[KorvinStarmast]

I'm partial to Pantsir myself, but I think both would be an overkill. I mean, against pterosaurs, hippogriffs and airships an AA autocannon would do the job just fine. How the elves would build one of those is another question.

*There's no kill like overkill*
Wait, who said that?

Spoiler: A RAM that isn't a giant mountain goat

Show

(you need enough range on the missile to not have as many batteries. Most of the smaller missiles, like the Rolling Airframe Missile that was replacing Sea Sparrow on ships as I left the Navy, were smaller but also shorter range ... AD is an interesting warfare area and we are getting waaaaaay off topic)

[Doug Lampert]

Yeah, plenty of things and persons in D&D based OoTS land can fly. I'm thinking that a D&D version of I-Hawk missiles would do the trick.

My father worked for the HAWK development team for years. However, I do not believe that he is an elf.

[KorvinStarmast]

My father worked for the HAWK development team for years. However, I do not believe that he is an elf.

That's what he wanted you to believe. The fae are masters of disguise!

[Metastachydium]

That's what he wanted you to believe. The fae are masters of disguise!

Did you just tell a guy he's basically a half-elf? That was terribly rude, man!

[KorvinStarmast]

Did you just tell a guy he's basically a half-elf? That was terribly rude, man!

Blue text is usually used to denote humor.

[Metastachydium]

Blue text is usually used to denote humor.

Or anything that isn't meant in general, yes. I use it a lot myself and should have used it here as well.

[danielxcutter]

That's what he wanted you to believe. The fae are masters of disguise!

Elves are humanoids in D&D.

[Doug Lampert]

My father worked for the HAWK development team for years. However, I do not believe that he is an elf.

That's what he wanted you to believe. The fae are masters of disguise!

Nonsense, neither of my ears is pointed. On the other hand, he used to make overseas trips to help people with their Air Defense C3I systems and with interfacing with ours and to explain our systems for foreign purchasers.

I don't THINK any of those trips were to the elves, but I was rather young when he was on HAWK, so I may have missed something. They could be a foreign military sales customer....

My wife sometimes does cost estimates for FMS cases for small US military drones these days, I could ask if she knows if any of the US customers are elves, you could use the drones to watch the mountains for overland infiltration attempts.

[KorvinStarmast]

My wife sometimes does cost estimates for FMS cases for small US military drones these days, I could ask if she knows if any of the US customers are elves, you could use the drones to watch the mountains for overland infiltration attempts.

Yeah, and have a QRF to respond to intrusions. Also, set up a few mobile mortar platoons to take advantage of the sensor-to-shooter link. Indirect fire that can't be jammed once it leaves the tube ...