Prediction Page, (bring your quatloos, gps, and internets, you'll need them.)

[Kish]

The hidebound reactions to a bit of thinking outside of the box should not have surprised me.

Y'might want to consider that people not liking your proposals might simply mean people don't like your proposals and not indicate something negative about those people.

[Precure]

Xykon has agency. He can go to his fortress, he can leave it. Should boredom confront him, he has the means wander off somewhere - there are so many planes and places to choose from - in order to mitigate any boredom so encountered.

What could trap him there such that he could not leave?

Travel between planes or at least Xykon's plane and others could be disconnected due to events relating to the snarl.

[brian 333]

247 quatloos that Elan's happy ending does not involve his death.

5 quatloos that Elan's happy ending involves Elan and Haley going to the world in the rift, becoming 3d via an art upgrade, and begin a new campaign in the new world.

Bonus 5 quatloos that Elan's story ends in a bed surrounded by children and grandchildren who listen to PawPaw Elan tell the story of Uncle Roy Greenhilt and the Blood Oath one last time.

[KorvinStarmast]

5 quatloos that Elan's happy ending involves Elan and Haley going to the world in the rift, becoming 3d via an art upgrade, and begin a new campaign in the new world.

I think that the Giant has either intimated or declared that there will be no sequel to OotS, so I can't get on board with the second half of that.

[Peelee]

I think that the Giant has either intimated or declared that there will be no sequel to OotS, so I can't get on board with the second half of that.

I imagine that theory to be along the same lines as the final strip of Calvin and Hobbes. A new adventure doesn't mean a sequel.

[brian 333]

I think that the Giant has either intimated or declared that there will be no sequel to OotS, so I can't get on board with the second half of that.

Not predicting a sequel, just a last page splash panel with lots of red-haired, blond, and strawberry-blonds surrounding Elan's bed, with perhaps a red-silver haired man and a platinum blond woman hugging a wrinkled but still cute Haley nearby.

[ZhonLord]

Not predicting a sequel, just a last page splash panel with lots of red-haired, blond, and strawberry-blonds surrounding Elan's bed, with perhaps a red-silver haired man and a platinum blond woman hugging a wrinkled but still cute Haley nearby.

A post-credits scene, if you will.

[Metastachydium]

The hidebound reactions to a bit of thinking outside of the box should not have surprised me.

Two things, good Sir:
1. while Elan dying is merely extremely unlikely and a twist I'm not sure would work well anyhow, sorry, the Roy and Haley thing is just not going to happen, period;
2. I'm a FLOWER. Nothing about me is, or indeed, can be hidebound!

A shortage of spell slots and a lack of access to a teleportation device.

[Pedantry alert.] Technically, Teleportation wouldn't do much for him as the fortress is on the Astral plane.

5 quatloos that Elan's happy ending involves Elan and Haley going to the world in the rift, becoming 3d via an art upgrade, and begin a new campaign in the new world.

Gimme an exchange rate for those quat-whatevers, and I'll gladly raise the stakes to double against that.

[ZhonLord]

New prediction: the party is going to have to fight against MitD for a couple rounds before he realizes O-Chul is there and changes sides. Just long enough to put the party in serious danger from his overwhelming power, rather than having him switch sides instantly.

I bet one crypto coffee on this.

[Peelee]

2. I'm a FLOWER. Nothing about me is, or indeed, can be hidebound!

I wonder where that indignation stems from.

[Metastachydium]

I wonder where that indignation stems from.

It's rooted quite deep in what defines me, honestly.

[Peelee]

It's rooted quite deep in what defines me, honestly.

But you still branch out fairly well.

[Edreyn]

I posted all this before a few times, in other threads, but will post here again as an "official" prediction. Or maybe someone didn't see it before.

1) Belkar won't die. All prophecies will be fullfilled by a game of words - examples: drawing weapon "his last breath ever" from scabbard, being short (he is halfling) and not long in this world, getting so rich that he doesn't need a saving fund and so on.

2) MitD is a creature from metaphor\popular saying\slogan\famous fairy tale etc, and doesn't appear in any version of DnD rules.

3) There might be a conversation with Snarl and he could tell a story very different from what we heard so far.

4) Party might defeat not only Snarl, but also gods and will get independence for Oots world, no one there will have to worry about mighty beings kill everyone just for their own reasons.

5) Azurites and goblins will live together in one settlement, with merged populace and government.

[Kish]

1) Belkar won't die. All prophecies will be fullfilled by a game of words - examples: drawing weapon "his last breath ever" from scabbard, being short (he is halfling) and not long in this world, getting so rich that he doesn't need a saving fund and so on.

Twenty gold says Belkar will die.

4) Party might defeat not only Snarl, but also gods and will get independence for Oots world, no one there will have to worry about mighty beings kill everyone just for their own reasons.

One hundred gold says the Order will not kill or fight the gods.

5) Azurites and goblins will live together in one settlement, with merged populace and government.

Twenty gold says this will not happen.

[Peelee]

2) MitD is a creature from metaphor\popular saying\slogan\famous fairy tale etc, and doesn't appear in any version of DnD rules.

I'll take this one.

3) There might be a conversation with Snarl and he could tell a story very different from what we heard so far.

And this one.

4) Party might defeat not only Snarl, but also gods and will get independence for Oots world, no one there will have to worry about mighty beings kill everyone just for their own reasons.

And also this one.

5) Azurites and goblins will live together in one settlement, with merged populace and government.

This one too.

1) Belkar won't die. All prophecies will be fullfilled by a game of words - examples: drawing weapon "his last breath ever" from scabbard, being short (he is halfling) and not long in this world, getting so rich that he doesn't need a saving fund and so on.

So here's the problem. I would like to bet against this one a thousand times, but i am only able to do so once. Such is life.

[Metastachydium]

But you still branch out fairly well.

Sometimes life leaves me with no other choice, you know?

3) There might be a conversation with Snarl and he could tell a story very different from what we heard so far.

4) Party might defeat not only Snarl, but also gods and will get independence for Oots world, no one there will have to worry about mighty beings kill everyone just for their own reasons.

Not sure what do to with mights bet-wise, but I'd put nice sums against both of those. Especially the latter.

5) Azurites and goblins will live together in one settlement, with merged populace and government.

And you're on.

[Peelee]

Sometimes life leaves me with no other choice, you know?

Makes sense. Sounds like i was barking up the wrong tree to start with.

[Metastachydium]

Makes sense. Sounds like i was barking up the wrong tree to start with.

Eh, I'm ready to brush that aside this once.

[Peelee]

Eh, I'm ready to brush that aside this once.

So long as it's been fruitful I'm happy

[brian 333]

So long as it's been fruitful I'm happy

Grasping at straws with some of these puns, are we? You should stick to what you do best.

Be careful you don't get stuck in a briar patch with Metastachydium; he is an ivy-league scholar.

[Peelee]

Grasping at straws with some of these puns, are we? You should stick to what you do best.

Be careful you don't get stuck in a briar patch with Metastachydium; he is an ivy-league scholar.

I feel like you're getting lost in the weeds here.

[Ruck]

New prediction: the party is going to have to fight against MitD for a couple rounds before he realizes O-Chul is there and changes sides. Just long enough to put the party in serious danger from his overwhelming power, rather than having him switch sides instantly.

I bet one crypto coffee on this.

I actually will bet against O-Chul being the reason specifically. MitD's friendship with O-Chul is well-established, and I think it's going to be an important piece of his growth to not just switch because he sees his friend on the other side, but because he realizes the other side are the good guys. I actually think it will be more interesting if MitD flips to save someone he doesn't know at all. I think Durkon and Vaarsuvius are the only members of the Order he's never seen before, although I don't think he's interacted with Elan, only seen him at Girard's Rift.

I posted all this before a few times, in other threads, but will post here again as an "official" prediction. Or maybe someone didn't see it before.

1) Belkar won't die. All prophecies will be fullfilled by a game of words - examples: drawing weapon "his last breath ever" from scabbard, being short (he is halfling) and not long in this world, getting so rich that he doesn't need a saving fund and so on.

2) MitD is a creature from metaphor\popular saying\slogan\famous fairy tale etc, and doesn't appear in any version of DnD rules.

3) There might be a conversation with Snarl and he could tell a story very different from what we heard so far.

4) Party might defeat not only Snarl, but also gods and will get independence for Oots world, no one there will have to worry about mighty beings kill everyone just for their own reasons.

5) Azurites and goblins will live together in one settlement, with merged populace and government.

I'll bet against 1, 2, and 4 for sure. 3 and 5 aren't implausible but I think 3 is an extremely long shot and 2 is a long shot.

[corydeburd]

1 promise to commit seppuku that I will renege on that the MitD turns out to be something more dramatically relevant than just an obscure monster from a forgotten source book somewhere.

I personally agree we've spent too much time on guessing the species identity of MitD and not as much about his backstory and plot relevance.

The Astral Plane remark seems a good point in favor of this.

3) There might be a conversation with Snarl and he could tell a story very different from what we heard so far.

Definitely this (not sure about a conversation exactly, but something). We already know the deities don't know about the city in the rift.

I think this is tied to the above. MitD's "What gate?" gag could really be telling us that most characters misunderstand the Snarl's nature, whereas MitD sees things more clearly.

[Metastachydium]

So long as it's been fruitful I'm happy

Grasping at straws with some of these puns, are we? You should stick to what you do best.

Be careful you don't get stuck in a briar patch with Metastachydium; he is an ivy-league scholar.

I feel like you're getting lost in the weeds here.

"Feel like"? Are those the seeds of doubt that I see here?

[Peelee]

"Feel like"? Are those the seeds of doubt that I see here?

Nah, i don't beat around the bush with that.

[KorvinStarmast]

We already know the deities don't know about the city in the rift.

What city? Did you mean "world in the rift" or "planet in the rift" ... or is there a city in there that I have not seen in any of the strips?

I think this is tied to the above. MitD's "What gate?" gag could really be telling us that most characters misunderstand the Snarl's nature, whereas MitD sees things more clearly.

Hard for me to bet against that, and I like how you presented this idea.

[ZhonLord]

I actually will bet against O-Chul being the reason specifically. MitD's friendship with O-Chul is well-established, and I think it's going to be an important piece of his growth to not just switch because he sees his friend on the other side, but because he realizes the other side are the good guys. I actually think it will be more interesting if MitD flips to save someone he doesn't know at all. I think Durkon and Vaarsuvius are the only members of the Order he's never seen before, although I don't think he's interacted with Elan, only seen him at Girard's Rift.

He saw V in the tower. Teleported the elf and O-Chul away to safety together. At this point it really is only Durkon he's never seen before from the core group. Though now there's also Minrah, Lien, Serini, Sunny and Mimi whom he could rescue from a tight spot, so your counter-bet still has merit.

[Metastachydium]

Nah, i don't beat around the bush with that.

My bad! In my defense, I am no sage.

At this point it really is only Durkon he's never seen before from the core group.

In actual fact, he saw more of Durkon than most of the cast would probably like to.

[ZhonLord]

In actual fact, he saw more of Durkon than most of the cast would probably like to.

.....I completely forgot about that. Then yeah, it would have to be a non-core team member for it to be someone he's never seen before.

[Peelee]

My bad! In my defense, I am no sage.

Happens all the thyme.