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** spoiler omitted **
Yup, Elan. Thank the pantheon for bards ;>
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It gives me a bittersweet feeling. Because this very happy ending, that is so important to Elan, will never happen for real.
The Oracle did say he (specifically) would get A Happy Ending though. Perhaps not this 100% Everything Is Right With The World Now Happy Ending, but we at least know things turn out well for Elan (and, presumably, Haley since any Happy Ending for Elan will require a happy Haley).
** spoiler omitted **Yup, Elan. Thank the pantheon for bards ;>
Makes sense, since in addition to being super-savvy about the cliches and expectations of the game world, he's also got the highest Will save of the bunch - no surprise that when prompted with something in the illusion that doesn't fit he'd make his second save. (Even with a Wisdom penalty, he'd still be better off than the slower progression of a Ranger, Rogue, or Fighter unless one of them had obscenely high Wis for their class.)
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Makes sense, since in addition to being super-savvy about the cliches and expectations of the game world, he's also got the highest Will save of the bunch - no surprise that when prompted with something in the illusion that doesn't fit he'd make his second save. (Even with a Wisdom penalty, he'd still be better off than the slower progression of a Ranger, Rogue, or Fighter unless one of them had obscenely high Wis for their class.)
I don't know about the rogue or fighter, but we do know that the ranger in question has, at several points, had his mental ability scores compared to those of a table - then had the comparison withdrawn as an insult to tables! (Remember the owl's wisdom incident?) So, no: Belkar's Will save, at least, is indubitably dismal.
So the question remains, since Belkar wasn't part of the shared illusion, what is he experiencing?
Makes sense, since in addition to being super-savvy about the cliches and expectations of the game world, he's also got the highest Will save of the bunch - no surprise that when prompted with something in the illusion that doesn't fit he'd make his second save. (Even with a Wisdom penalty, he'd still be better off than the slower progression of a Ranger, Rogue, or Fighter unless one of them had obscenely high Wis for their class.)I don't know about the rogue or fighter, but we do know that the ranger in question has, at several points, had his mental ability scores compared to those of a table - then had the comparison withdrawn as an insult to tables! (Remember the owl's wisdom incident?) So, no: Belkar's Will save, at least, is indubitably dismal.
My point exactly =)
So the question remains, since Belkar wasn't part of the shared illusion, what is he experiencing?
I imagine he's either forced into the role of a passive observer, or experiencing some sort of afterlife vision.
Or just passed out.
I'm hoping for something a bit more interesting (not to mention entertaining.) Everyone knows how boring it is to have their characters left out of the loop.
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So the question remains, since Belkar wasn't part of the shared illusion, what is he experiencing?
The fact that he's effectively cut out of the last two panels tells me that Rich is probably going to specifically reveal that in the next strip or maybe the one after that. It wouldn't surprise me if Roy, Haley, and Elan figure out the parameters of the shared illusion, and then the strip talks about why Belkar was killed off in it.
Alas, as they say, all good things must...
You're right. In all of our discussion above, none of us posted the direct link. :)
I think V is the only member of the OoTS that's aware of the lost eye first hand, and he likely communicated that fact to the oethers.
But why would V, who believes in the power of magic, Expect Redcloak not to regenerate his own eye?
Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
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I think V is the only member of the OoTS that's aware of the lost eye first hand, and he likely communicated that fact to the oethers.But why would V, who believes in the power of magic, Expect Redcloak not to regenerate his own eye?
Roy: "Then what happened?"
V: "The paladin poked out his eye."Elan: "Ooooh!" *imagines Redcloak with an eyepatch*
Roy: "Huh." *assumes Redcloak will get the eye back, but wonders if maybe the goblin will hold off until he can get his hands on the eye of Vecna, thus picturing Redcloak with an eyepatch*
V: "Yes, but that's not the point of my story." *never considers the matter of Redcloak's eye again, doesn't really care*
Something like that.
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So the question remains, since Belkar wasn't part of the shared illusion, what is he experiencing?
Y'know, I was turning this over in my head at work, and something occurred to me (theory in spoilers below).
That said, the Sapphire Guard is still only Girard's #2 worry in defending the Gate; first and foremost, he has to protect it against the nefarious designs of Really Bad Guys, like Xykon and the rest of Team Evil. So he sets up the corridor trap, and probably others, on an alignment basis. The 'greatest fantasy' illusion only neutralises Good characters for deportation; meanwhile, evil characters like Belkar (and remember, we've been given ample evidence, and several direct statements, to the effect that Belkar is CE) get hit with something a little more 'permanent', perhaps a phantasmal killer or such-like.
And of course it went up right after I checked. Typical.
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Yup, definitely just my dream.
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Pretty close theory, though, Trace! Kudos!
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It gives me a bittersweet feeling. Because this very happy ending, that is so important to Elan, will never happen for real.The Oracle did say he (specifically) would get A Happy Ending though. Perhaps not this 100% Everything Is Right With The World Now Happy Ending, but we at least know things turn out well for Elan (and, presumably, Haley since any Happy Ending for Elan will require a happy Haley).
The way I interpret the title, this illusion was the happy ending promised by the Oracle to Elan.
Now that it is ended, what the actual ending will be for elan is IMO just as open as for any of the other characters : happy, sad, awful or anything in between.
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Figures that Belkar wouldn't be sharing the other PCs' illusion. I like the way that worked out.
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Figures that Belkar wouldn't be sharing the other PCs' illusion. I like the way that worked out.
It's a surprisingly humble thing, really, and bespeaks of potential character growth. I, for one, am proud of him, though I doubt it'll be fulfilled before his actual end, sadly.
Figures that Belkar wouldn't be sharing the other PCs' illusion. I like the way that worked out.It's a surprisingly humble thing, really, and bespeaks of potential character growth. I, for one, am proud of him, though I doubt it'll be fulfilled before his actual end, sadly.
Don't be too sure.
It appears that his vision was of the afterlife. This could have been the "death" foretold for him - just as Elan's happy ending may have already happened.
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I really hope not. That would really feel like a cop-out, to have those "endings" be all wrapped up in the vision like that. =/
I agree, Orthos.
Lord Fyre, I highly disagree, actually. This wouldn't fulfill the prophecy at all. He's still breathing[/i], and this, then annuls it as being an interpretation of the prophecy. It doesn't fit the oracle except for substantially beyond the reasonable meaning of words. In his own vision he kept breathing and enjoying. We've no evidence - except for Shojo's presence - that it was the afterlife, so we don't know what the actual situation was.
It would be like an oracle saying, "A dinosaur flies." and someone else extrapolating that because we saw a land-based dinosaur in Elan's vision, clearly there were dinosaurs in the vision, and thus the oracle was fulfilled.
While it could be extrapolated that, yes, because there are dinosaurs in the vision, that one of them could have flown, we've not actually see it fulfilled as a viewer of the comic.
"Last breath ever." is pretty specific. Elan definitely got his good ending, though whether or not it's "the" good ending is a little questionable. Still, I could accept that as the interpretation, though it's a little disappointing, as I like Elan and wish him well in the comic. But Belker's "last breath ever"? No.
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Figures that Belkar wouldn't be sharing the other PCs' illusion. I like the way that worked out.It's a surprisingly humble thing, really, and bespeaks of potential character growth. I, for one, am proud of him, though I doubt it'll be fulfilled before his actual end, sadly.
He was also sharing his illusion with the cat - hence the fish (for the cat) and the old emperor being there (to pet the cat). Also why Belkar gives the cat an odd look when they get out.
He was also sharing his illusion with the cat - hence the fish (for the cat) and the old emperor being there (to pet the cat). Also why Belkar gives the cat an odd look when they get out.Figures that Belkar wouldn't be sharing the other PCs' illusion. I like the way that worked out.It's a surprisingly humble thing, really, and bespeaks of potential character growth. I, for one, am proud of him, though I doubt it'll be fulfilled before his actual end, sadly.
Sure. However, "sharing" being the key word, here. If it couldn't have fit into Belkar's vision of perfection, they would have been divorced. Instead, it shows that Belkar can find true happiness in a simple, humble life, and, more importantly, it show Belkar that he can find true happiness in a simple, humble life.
I mean, Belkar was using his (in)famous ranks in Craft (Cooking), there, even.
However, Belkar being Belkar and Burlew being Burlew, I don't think it will suss out all that cleanly at the end, and it will likely be much more tragic.
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Sure. However, "sharing" being the key word, here. If it couldn't have fit into Belkar's vision of perfection, they would have been divorced. Instead, it shows that Belkar can find true happiness in a simple, humble life, and, more importantly, it show Belkar that he can find true happiness in a simple, humble life.
Possibly, but I get the feeling there was more to that dream than just what we saw. Single panels can't tell everything after all.
Sure. However, "sharing" being the key word, here. If it couldn't have fit into Belkar's vision of perfection, they would have been divorced. Instead, it shows that Belkar can find true happiness in a simple, humble life, and, more importantly, it show Belkar that he can find true happiness in a simple, humble life.Possibly, but I get the feeling there was more to that dream than just what we saw. Single panels can't tell everything after all.
I agree. But that's not my point. Belkar is going through change. And we've seen that he has the ability to be a peaceful, caring creature, if only his wisdom increases by four. While there's certainly more to the the dream than what we saw, we saw what we did for a reason.
Nonetheless, I'll wait to see. That was my point with, "I doubt it'll be fulfilled before his actual end, sadly." I don't think Belkar will learn, or if he does it's likely to be in the most tragic way possible.
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And I concur.
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It looks like he's getting his strength back in his thumb because he's been putting up updates fairly regularly.
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Score another one for straight-classed Bard!
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I'm not sure why Roy is so relieved in the latest strip.
I suppose that he is relieved because...
I'm not sure why Roy is so relieved in the latest strip.
** spoiler omitted **
The Linear Guild is only looking for the gate because the heroes are, from what I remember.
Spoiler!
What's with the floaty lady next to Haley's head in the last panel?
Pretty sure that's a sending or similar spell.