OOTS #597 - The Discussion Thread

[JonahFalcon]

I'm more of the impression that it wen't more something like this.

<snip>

Sort of like this?

[JonahFalcon]

A further note: Vaarsuvius being pissed at Elan for cheating on Haley is entirely in-character: http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0365.html
In that example, it was just some cross looks, since Elan was still ignorant. Now, however, in V's eyes Elan has a clear responsibility that he's been shirking.

Um, V isn't pissed at Elan for possibly cheating on Haley in #597. Read again. It's more like "what-e-ver". V's only mildly troubled at not getting XP for Therkla.

[brilliantlight]

Meh. I'm not at all that pleased with this strip. Neither because of poor writing or forced punchlines. But am I the only one who thinks that thinks that the reason Elan's going to tell Hinjo is because he feels that V cheated him out of his own romantic subplot?

Probably, since he was horrified before V even mentioned Haley.

[JonahFalcon]

I still want Montaron to have a cameo.

[Frenzied_Berz]

Sort of like this?

HAR HAR HAR ^_^

[Hawkeye]

One thing to say after reading that:

Holy crap on a stick.

And is this the first time that V's eyes have changed colour to purple?

[FoE]

(Shrugs) V is in the right here. Elan is in the wrong.

[Arcadius798]

Ok, V's lost it. So, how does everyone want to die?

Quickly, he done lost it, and he lost it bad, i wanna die quickly so he doesn't unleash some forgotton epic level fire spell on me

[Eric]

How it will go:

Spoiler

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Hinjo: So Elan, what evidence do you have that Kabuto was disintegrated by V?
Elan: Well, he's not here, for a start.
Hinjo: I'm afraid evidence of absence is absence of evidence.
Elan

Seriously. If Hinjo couldn't take Kabuto to task about his nefarious dealings without proof (other than one persons' word against another), what makes you think he'll bother in this case?

[JonahFalcon]

(Shrugs) V is in the right here. Elan is in the wrong.

So sayeth the Face of Evil.

[JonahFalcon]

How it will go:

Spoiler

Show

Hinjo: So Elan, what evidence do you have that Kabuto was disintegrated by V?
Elan: Well, he's not here, for a start.
Hinjo: I'm afraid evidence of absence is absence of evidence.
Elan

Seriously. If Hinjo couldn't take Kabuto to task about his nefarious dealings without proof (other than one persons' word against another), what makes you think he'll bother in this case?

Because Hinjo can Detect Truth, and also knows Elan is not a liar.

Also, good ≠ dumb.

[Mad Scientist]

Wow
It looks like V may be going a bit "Miko" on us. You know, the ends justify the means and all that.
Do the glowing purple eyes mean V is evil now?

[Argot]

OH MY GOD!!!
I think V is my favorite character now...
GO V!

[JonahFalcon]

Again, a lot of you kiddies seem to think the populace wouldn't react negatively when a major politician/noble suddenly vanishes. Who's the #1 suspect? Hinjo, and Hinjo saying, "No, for realz, I had nothing to do with it!" won't save him. Especially if people he's associated with are even suspected of doing it.

V's going to end the civil war - the right thing for the wrong reason, and definitely the wrong method. V is going to end it permanently.

[Ikialev]

Duh. 3vul. D:

[FoE]

What does Elan mean when he talks about 'what he has had to give up?' Sex with Therkla? Is that it?

Gee, I feel for you, Elan. Compared to the people of Azure City who are being used as slaves and tortured every day, you got it rough.

Of course, this is going to come to nothing. Elan's ability to explain complex situations is on the same level as Thog's. At the end of all this, Hinjo is probably going to be give V an award or something.

[brilliantlight]

Wow
It looks like V may be going a bit "Miko" on us. You know, the ends justify the means and all that.
Do the glowing purple eyes mean V is evil now?

Yeah, she is definitely heading into CE territory now!

[JonahFalcon]

What does Elan mean when he talks about 'what he has had to give up?' Sex with Therkla? Is that it?

Gee, I feel for you, Elan. Compared to the people of Azure City who are being used as slaves and tortured every day, you got it rough.

Of course, this is going to come to nothing. Elan's ability to explain complex situations is on the same level as Thog's. At the end of all this, Hinjo is probably going to be give V an award or something.

Elan says that he didn't lie to Therkla to keep her alive. He told her the truth, and she decided to die and remain dead rather than have Elan's love.

[chiasaur11]

What does Elan mean when he talks about 'what he has had to give up?' Sex with Therkla? Is that it?

Gee, I feel for you, Elan. Compared to the people of Azure City who are being used as slaves and tortured every day, you got it rough.

Of course, this is going to come to nothing. Elan's ability to explain complex situations is on the same level as Thog's. At the end of all this, Hinjo is probably going to be give V an award or something.

He had to have someone he cared about die in his arms.

And know they'd stay dead.

It's a little guilt and pain, at least.

[JonahFalcon]

Yeah, she is definitely heading into CE territory now!

Her actions are LE, but keep in mind, V also has a screw loose.

[FoE]

Elan says that he didn't lie to Therkla to keep her alive. He told her the truth, and she decided to die and remain dead rather than have Elan's love.

That's sad and everything, but it was Therkla's choice to die. If anyone should be felt sorry for, it's Therkla. (And I don't.)

[Scarlet Knight]

Now I'm curious as to how Hinjo will have to react to this.

Elan may or may not still tell him, but if he does, how is Hinjo to do?

In one sense a major thorn in his and his peoples side is gone and V might be a bit dangerous to confront. On the other hand there is the whole Paladin thing, as well as being bound to uphold the laws of Azure City - and it probably would, with Azure City laws, seem Kubota was murdered.

So if it does come out - does he confront V? Try and exile him? Does he have any wriggle room to ignore or cover up what happened?

Hinjo : "Vaarsuvius, I arrest you in the name of Azure City for crimes against it's nobles. Come along quietly; you already know I can take a disintegrate spell."

V: "Yeah, you and what army? Oh, them....um, could I have a few hours to study a different spell list?"

[FoE]

Hinjo : "Vaarsuvuius, I arrest in the name of Azure City for crimes against it's nobles. Come along quietly; you already know I can take a disintegrate spell."

That Disintegrate spell nearly killed him.

[David Argall]

Maybe it's been mentioned above, but 1 on Intimidate isn't an automatic failure (only saving throws and attack rolls are automatic failure on a roll of 1). So if V has invested a lot of cross-class points in Intimitade, s/he could still be quite frigthening with a roll of 1.

Intimidate is a cross class skill for a wizard, and is charisma based, which is often a dump stat for a mage [and seems to be for V]. While high Int makes for extra skill points, there are a number of more useful class skills. So V is quite possibly -1 to the roll.

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Therkla existed both to resolve this initial Arc and to provide Elan with a "hot villain" that he had to deal with realistically. Recall that he believed that Seducing Bad Girls was part of his duty - now he has to see that such flirtations don't always end without consequences.

Logically, it would seem he should conclude from Therkla that he should vigorously pursue such lasses. It was his failure to have his way with Therkla that led to her death. A little slap and tickle and she would have been willing to break from Kubota when it was safer to do so, and it would have allowed her to be raised. [It might also have caused holy hell when Haley finally got back, but Elan is not one for long range planning.]

[JonahFalcon]

Hinjo, as a leader, and not a paladin, would have to be fairly harsh with V, because anything less would be seen by the populace as condoning hiring a mercenary to off a potent rival.

As a paladin, he'd have to punish evil acts to begin with, but as a leader of a nation, he has to do it to retain the trust of the people.

He has a choice of imposing his will on V or imposing his will on the people, and he wouldn't even consider the latter.

[Morty]

That Disintegrate spell nearly killed him.

We don't know if he saved succesfully, though.

[Hawkeye]

We don't know if he saved succesfully, though.

If he didn't save he would be a pile of ash on the floor. Like Kubota.

[Morty]

If he didn't save he would be a pile of ash on the floor. Like Kubota.

Nope. He'd take 30d6 damage, which might not be enough to kill him outright if he were lucky. If he saved, he'd take 5d6 damage, which wouldn't knock a decently high-leveled paladin out.

[joela]

Is it just me, or does anyone else find it funny that Elan faced down one of his most powerful members by being utterly clueless?

[Hawkeye]

Nope. He'd take 30d6 damage, which might not be enough to kill him outright if he were lucky. If he saved, he'd take 5d6 damage, which wouldn't knock a decently high-leveled paladin out.

I thought it was a save-or-die effect... *reads rulebook* ah, I was justly proved wrong.