OOTS #1236 - The Discussion Thread

[hungrycrow]

If ‘stop the idiots from committing Xykon-assisted suicide’ was that high up on her priority list I imagine she’d have mentioned it already. Though I suppose she was talking with paladins.

That being said I wonder if the portal scam is that strong of a defense? A group strong enough to not instantly get vaporized by the monsters in the fake dungeons would usually have either a mage who’d put in the work scanning the general area for magic and/or a trapfinder good enough to figure it out, so it’s more of a “you must be this tall” feature than a main line of a defense I think.

On the other hand, of course, Xykon doesn’t have the patience or diligence to scan every square with Detect Magic et. al or to wait for that, and nobody on Team Evil has trapfinding at all so no need to break it if it’s working I guess.

She's also going out of her way to give them amnesia juice instead of just stabbing them.

I'm not sure how strong the portal scam is without knowing the rest of the dungeon. But I think most mages or rogues wouldn't fully realize how it worked. They'd just disable the trap and move on. So if knowing the trick was important somehow it could still stall smarter parties for a while.

[danielxcutter]

She's also going out of her way to give them amnesia juice instead of just stabbing them.

Well, stabbing them might cause their allies to come looking, or someone might True Rez them. But I guess if she expects Xykon to get the Gate eventually that wouldn’t really matter.

I'm not sure how strong the portal scam is without knowing the rest of the dungeon. But I think most mages or rogues wouldn't fully realize how it worked. They'd just disable the trap and move on. So if knowing the trick was important somehow it could still stall smarter parties for a while.

Disabling the trap instantly bypasses the false dungeon setup, remember?

[hungrycrow]

Disabling the trap instantly bypasses the false dungeon setup, remember?

Assuming that this is the "real" dungeon, which we don't know for sure yet.

[danielxcutter]

Assuming that this is the "real" dungeon, which we don't know for sure yet.

Considering that the Gate has to be somewhere around this area, I’d suspect it at least leads towards there.

[bunsen_h]

I wonder if someone in the order will realize in advance of contact that Serini's likely to be responsible for this? The suggestion or charm or whatever is much too subtle, conceptually, for anyone on Team Evil, I think. The bit about "bad creative choices" is knowledgeable and specific.

[Peelee]

I wonder if someone in the order will realize in advance of contact that Serini's likely to be responsible for this? The suggestion or charm or whatever is much too subtle, conceptually, for anyone on Team Evil, I think. The bit about "bad creative choices" is knowledgeable and specific.

They don't know whether Serini is alive or dead (similar to how we didn't know before a few strips ago, and there was a lot of debate over that topic).

[TRH]

Also, it's not of immediate relevance. Rogues generally can't cast enchantment spells, which means they could possibly deduce that this is not Serini but some unknown confederate. But that just puts you back at square one where you know essentially nothing about what you're dealing with. So who cares, really?

[dancrilis]

Considering that the Gate has to be somewhere around this area, I’d suspect it at least leads towards there.

If Serini can afford X teleport traps there is no reason she can't afford X*2 teleport traps - the Order could be anywhere and need to find another trap (possibly at higher difficulty) to get to the right dungeon.

I would be dubious about this but it is not unreasonable.

I wonder if someone in the order will realize in advance of contact that Serini's likely to be responsible for this? The suggestion or charm or whatever is much too subtle, conceptually, for anyone on Team Evil, I think. The bit about "bad creative choices" is knowledgeable and specific.

They (Roy) already think it is a random encounter - no reason for now for them to change that in any immediate timeframe.

[Dr. G. Ravenpie]

Wait, did just Elan pulled a WWE? He has "future endeavored" Lutey!
So you know what comes next...

"What is Booker Lute doing in the Impact Zone?"

[danielxcutter]

Wait, did just Elan pulled a WWE? He has "future endeavored" Lutey!
So you know what comes next...

"What is Booker Lute doing in the Impact Zone?"

What's a WWE?

[Peelee]

What's a WWE?

World Wrestlong Entertainment. Formerly WWF until that got taken over by World Wildlife Foundation in a very rare occasion when I would actually back the wrestling organization over the conservation organization.

But anyway, professional wrestling.

[Snails]

I wonder if someone in the order will realize in advance of contact that Serini's likely to be responsible for this? The suggestion or charm or whatever is much too subtle, conceptually, for anyone on Team Evil, I think. The bit about "bad creative choices" is knowledgeable and specific.

They have no idea if Serini is alive, but the possibility of "Team Serini" having some hand in the defenses is obvious, and surely they know it is not impossible for Serini to be alive. That said, Xykon got a diary somehow, which suggests Serini's demise.

This gambit is too subtle for Team Evil, as you say. It also fits within the vague parameters of how the two paladins mysteriously disappeared, though.

The Order will probably figure that out, but they are not going to have time to prepare any countertactics, as a team, because they have decided they are rushing to rescue Elan, in spite of the fact that following him screams trap. V, Haley, and Roy are smart enough that they might figure out something on the spot.

[Skull the Troll]

They have no idea if Serini is alive, but the possibility of "Team Serini" having some hand in the defenses is obvious, and surely they know it is not impossible for Serini to be alive. That said, Xykon got a diary somehow, which suggests Serini's demise.

This gambit is too subtle for Team Evil, as you say. It also fits within the vague parameters of how the two paladins mysteriously disappeared, though.

The Order will probably figure that out, but they are not going to have time to prepare any countertactics, as a team, because they have decided they are rushing to rescue Elan, in spite of the fact that following him screams trap. V, Haley, and Roy are smart enough that they might figure out something on the spot.

I don't think they know that Xykon has the diary. That said from what they know of both sides, charm seems unlikely. What they know about Kragors tomb was that it was built by Serini using tough monsters in honor of hers friend's value of strength. What they know about Xykon is that he's unlikely to use charm when a meteor swarm will do. either way I think you still have to go find your friend who ran off. That fact that we can see the swirly eyes and they cant apparently, and that we know that it is charm and they don't, is irrelevant.

[danielxcutter]

I don't think they know that Xykon has the diary. That said from what they know of both sides, charm seems unlikely. What they know about Kragors tomb was that it was built by Serini using tough monsters in honor of hers friend's value of strength. What they know about Xykon is that he's unlikely to use charm when a meteor swarm will do. either way I think you still have to go find your friend who ran off. That fact that we can see the swirly eyes and they cant apparently, and that we know that it is charm and they don't, is irrelevant.

Haley outright said that O-Chul said that Team Evil has Serini's diary so yeah.

[Ruck]

World Wrestlong Entertainment. Formerly WWF until that got taken over by World Wildlife Foundation in a very rare occasion when I would actually back the wrestling organization over the conservation organization.

But anyway, professional wrestling.

Well, World Wildlife Federation got there first, I think that was the issue.

[Fyraltari]

Well, World Wildlife Federation got there first, I think that was the issue.

What issue? Two organisations having the same initials? How is that an issue and not and idea for a joint advertisement campaign?

[Ruck]

What issue? Two organisations having the same initials? How is that an issue and not and idea for a joint advertisement campaign?

It's hard to get a panda to put a new guy over.

[Peelee]

Well, World Wildlife Federation got there first, I think that was the issue.

Yes, but they didn't take any action when wrestling registered the name/initials, which was why I initially sided with the wrestling org. However, on more research into the issue, I found their reasons for starting to push back and agree wholeheartedly so I no longer side against the conservationists about that.

Also, I got the name wrong. Fund, not Foundation.

[Jasdoif]

What issue? Two organisations having the same initials? How is that an issue and not and idea for a joint advertisement campaign?

Absolutely.

[danielxcutter]

Yes, but they didn't take any action when wrestling registered the name/initials, which was why I initially sided with the wrestling org. However, on more research into the issue, I found their reasons for starting to push back and agree wholeheartedly so I no longer side against the conservationists about that.

Also, I got the name wrong. Fund, not Foundation.

May I ask why?

[Vikenlugaid]

Words mean nothing to her at this point, only actions. Their past actions condemn them in her eyes. And the fact the other gates are lost means she's basically operating on the base assumption "they can't beat Xykon". She'd probably like that, a little vengence if nothing else, but she's resigned to him defeating all challengers and is making sure they don't blow up the planet in the process. We suspect she's wrong, and we're confident she doesn't know the stakes of his victory, but from those base assumptions she's acting sensibly.

And we dont know how much info Serini knows. Maybe she knows about Redcloack's Plan and is agree with it... And who doesn't? If the altertative is armagedon...

[danielxcutter]

And we dont know how much info Serini knows. Maybe she knows about Redcloack's Plan and is agree with it... And who doesn't? If the altertative is armagedon...

I’d expect she’d lead with that then.

[Patterned_Pike]

I’d expect she’d lead with that then.

Maybe she's just thinking they would object too strongly to the idea of the dark one effectively holding their gods hostage, possibly even more than the possibility of Xykon ruling the world or it being destroyed.

[Quizatzhaderac]

World Wrestlong Entertainment. Formerly WWF until that got taken over by World Wildlife Foundation in a very rare occasion when I would actually back the wrestling organization over the conservation organization.

But anyway, professional wrestling.

Also the brief (and ill advised) Wrestling Wildlife Fund.

[danielxcutter]

Maybe she's just thinking they would object too strongly to the idea of the dark one effectively holding their gods hostage, possibly even more than the possibility of Xykon ruling the world or it being destroyed.

Well, goblins really have been shafted majorly. O-Chul’s the last person to deny that and Lien is a good enough person to understand if someone explains it to her. They obviously wouldn’t like it at all, but they probably wouldn’t need much persuasion when it comes to the general problem.

Of course considering what their predecessors were like, I don’t entirely blame Serini for not trusting the Guard if she does know about the Plan.

Also the brief (and ill advised) Wrestling Wildlife Fund.

I’d ask if you read Freefall, but I know someone on this forum posting a link is how I learned about it and I don’t remember if that was you.

[Peelee]

I’d expect she’d lead with that then.

Why? She's just going to drop the memory loss potion anyway. Because of that, she rather notably lef with nothing, and when asked about her plans in detail, said "no thanks".

[Dr. G. Ravenpie]

It's hard to get a panda to put a new guy over.

Maybe, but think about the promos!

Chris JeriBear, the Panda of 1004 holds.

.
"Number 2: Bear Hug!"
.
.
.
.
"Number 712: Bear Hug!"
.
.
.
.
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"Number 1004: BEAR HUG!!!!"

[HMClark]

The World Wildlife Fund were never that keen on the World Wrestling Foundation using their initials and after a court case in the 90s the pair came to an agreement where World Wrestling would use the initials under limited agreed upon circumstances apart from the in the US. The Wrestlers always more or less ignored it and when they started using wwf.com as their web address the World Wildlife Fund sued for them to stop using their initials.

[Fyraltari]

The World Wildlife Fund were never that keen on the World Wrestling Foundation using their initials and after a court case in the 90s the pair came to an agreement where World Wrestling would use the initials under limited agreed upon circumstances apart from the in the US. The Wrestlers always more or less ignored it and when they started using wwf.com as their web address the World Wildlife Fund sued for them to stop using their initials.

The idea of legally owning letters is still so wild to me.

[Metastachydium]

The idea of legally owning letters is still so wild to me.

Not letters, mind you: a specific combination of letters. (That said, yeah, copyright/trademark/&c. law can be weird.)