Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
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Still more satisfying an ending than 'The Desolation of Smaug''.It isn't actually the end of the book, though.
Good. It might have been a fine ending if it had run, say, 6 months ago, when the Tarquin storyline had some momentum. But, at this point, with long delays deflating the excitement of the battle, a non-ending does not hold a lot of charm.
Hopefully, the Tarquin storyline will read better once it is assembled into a full book and the excitement isn't constantly draining out due to weeks passing without new strips.
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I think Tarquin's last comment(and the pained look on his face) sums him up very neatly: "There's no sense of closure! I don't know what happens next!"
What I like about this is it sums up Tarquin, but not the Order. The Order knows what happens next: They go to the last gate and try to stop Xykon. It doesn't matter what happens to Targuin - He's an exhausted sub-plot. He just still refuses to admit that.
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Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
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I think Tarquin's last comment(and the pained look on his face) sums him up very neatly: "There's no sense of closure! I don't know what happens next!"What I like about this is it sums up Tarquin, but not the Order. The Order knows what happens next: They go to the last gate and try to stop Xykon. It doesn't matter what happens to Targuin - He's an exhausted sub-plot. He just still refuses to admit that.
But do you think he really goes away? Maybe these last few strips will wrap things up, but without a solid ending, Tarquin will be back, and it's only a matter of when and how bad it will be. I suppose that doesn't do much to change the OotS status quo - the same could've been said for Nale and the Linear Guild, and Tarquin and his crew are mostly an upgrade to the LG.
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This is a beautiful ending (at least for the current Tarquin subplot).
Catching 2 arrows reflexively is NOT a good idea when you are holding by your hands to the ship.
Wonder why Haley used her feet and hands to draw the bow though.
Elan's lines were excellent and "you're not the real villain" is likely what wounded Tarquin the most.
And for the "Where is the growth? You didn't lose anything! Nothing has changed!", I believe Tarquin could not be more wrong. Elan lost his illusions about his father, his dreams about seeing his family reunited. He lost his twin brother and saw one of his friends turned into a vampire. He now knows how strong Haley's love is too.
I think Elan matured a lot through this arc.
Belkar did too in his own way I guess. As did V.
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Wonder why Haley used her feet and hands to draw the bow though.
Because Tarkin broke her arm.
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The truly grimly amusing thing about it is that everything Tarquin is ranting at the end is incorrect, he just can't see it.
Elan does grow, he did lose something, things did change.
Tarquin just can't see it...
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Still more satisfying an ending than 'The Desolation of Smaug''.It isn't actually the end of the book, though.
And neither is Desolation of Smaug!
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Still more satisfying an ending than 'The Desolation of Smaug''.It isn't actually the end of the book, though.
Which is a pity. That would have been an AWESOME last page. :)
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Traveling at "dramatic" speed.
I guess the Order of the Stick will get to the last gate "just in time."
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Traveling at "dramatic" speed.
I guess the Order of the Stick will get to the last gate "just in time."
"I don't always take damage...but when I do, I drink a potion."
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If I don't make it... bury me with my shiny!
(...)
LO, THE ICY TALONS OF DEATH APPROACH!
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I thought "I guess I've got some nerve causing a commotion" to be a fairly marvelous double pun, myself. :D
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So Blackwing plucked an orange ioun stone? Is that the consensus? If so, V should offer to hold onto it for him. :)
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"I don't always take damage...but when I do, I drink a potion."
LOL! It immediately makes me want to reference the line: "His mother has a tattoo that says 'SON' on it."
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Title should have been 'electric boogaloo'
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Blood Empire Strikes Back and Return Of The Oots.
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I am more amused by the comic title: "This is Not a Thing That is Going to Happen." It just sounds like Rich's polite way of saying "no frickin' way am I doing a sequel once this comic is done!"
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Now I really believe we've seen the last of Tarquin, even if the Order hasn't.
I still feel that Tarquin and his buddies might just appear near the end to try and steal the power and glory from the hands of every one else (and fail spectacularly).
I admit that I liked them and feel there are too many things we do not know about them.
Just as I hope that we have not seen the last of either Sabine or the Imp.
I am fairly sure we haven't seen the last of Tarquin, personally. I think Rich will wrap up most of the plot threads before declaring the story done. To my mind, this means Tarquin won't leave well enough alone and will give chase.
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The Linear Guild has made an appearance in every OotS arc, and Tarquin and co is the upgraded Linear Guild - I'm sure they'll be in the next arc, likely filling the same role as previously occupied by the Linear Guild.
To be honest, there's a part of me that still holds out hope that Tarquin gets knocked down another peg or two by his teammates.
We still don't know exactly what Laurin wanted from him in order to play ball, after all...
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The Linear Guild has made an appearance in every OotS arc, and Tarquin and co is the upgraded Linear Guild - I'm sure they'll be in the next arc, likely filling the same role as previously occupied by the Linear Guild.To be honest, there's a part of me that still holds out hope that Tarquin gets knocked down another peg or two by his teammates.
We still don't know exactly what Laurin wanted from him in order to play ball, after all...
I think she wanted out.
The Linear Guild has made an appearance in every OotS arc, and Tarquin and co is the upgraded Linear Guild - I'm sure they'll be in the next arc, likely filling the same role as previously occupied by the Linear Guild.To be honest, there's a part of me that still holds out hope that Tarquin gets knocked down another peg or two by his teammates.
We still don't know exactly what Laurin wanted from him in order to play ball, after all...
I think she wanted out.
I have that feeling too.
I think she wanted out.
That makes perfect sense; I don't know why I didn't think of that before. I assumed it had something to do with a benefit for her daughter, and that would certainly fit that description.
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Still thinking that it is probably not a coincidence that the Dwarven Lands seem to be on the path of the ship. All is now ready to fulfill the Oracle's prophecy to Durkon.
As well as that of the dwarven priest of Odin BTW ;-)
Yup. He's currently dead, so as long as he sets foot on that land at some point along the way, prophecy fulfilled.
I think she wanted out.That makes perfect sense; I don't know why I didn't think of that before. I assumed it had something to do with a benefit for her daughter, and that would certainly fit that description.
I think it's because you were looking for a direct benefit for her daughter. I'm interpreting the "wanted out" being about all of it - herself, her family, the whole shebang. And, by "out" I mean, "without any reprisal and with full acceptance and maintained friendship/alliance" instead of "assassinated once I leave" type of out.
Yup. He's currently dead, so as long as he sets foot on that land at some point along the way, prophecy fulfilled.Still thinking that it is probably not a coincidence that the Dwarven Lands seem to be on the path of the ship. All is now ready to fulfill the Oracle's prophecy to Durkon.
As well as that of the dwarven priest of Odin BTW ;-)
I'm almost suspecting Rich to subvert this in some way or another just because it's so clear now. (I'm wondering if Belkar will actually stake him and thus be killed by the Order. It's a curious thing, really.)
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Hmm, the "new" Belkar under stress seems suspiciously like the old Belkar.
....
Being blood-drained to near death probably doesn't feel good, so it is kinda hard to hold it against Belkar, but his character development seems to be taking somewhat of a relapse into its pre-mark of justice mentality of kill some sentient things because they have green skin and fangs and we don't.
That, or Belkar is scared and worried about he and his friends being killed by someone who not an hour earlier was an absolute slave to someone who had been deliberately and without quarter trying to kill them all. Malak may have been a noble soul, but that doesn't change his actions.
Belkar was five inches from death, watched one of the only people in the world he's ever cared about get turned into an abomination, and now has to come to terms with the fact that not only is Durkon the undead but that he has to look at the undead face of someone he's known for years.
Personally, I think his reaction and his concern is entirely justified. He's not saying "Hey, I'm bloodthirsty, let's kill him NOW NOW NOW!" he's saying "We have to make sure we're safe and we have to do it SOON."
Belkar isn't the planner. Roy is the planner. Belkar sees a danger to himself and his friends (and they are his friends) and to Mr. Scruffy (the only person Belkar has ever loved), and he reacts to it by seeking to eliminate it.
Roy wants the danger eliminated as well, but Roy sees the long game, and he comes to a plan that (he hopes) will work for everyone. Belkar isn't wired for long plans, so his solution isn't one he likes, but it's the best one he can come up with. Just because Belkar suggests that they're going to have to stake Durkon sooner or later doesn't make Belkar on a backslide to his old alignment. It makes him being written in character and it means he's scared.
My take on it, at least.
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Belkar is nor really reverting in that he is worried about the danger for the party and not only for himself and Mr. Scruffy. That collective thinking is quite new for him IIRC.
Also he was near killed by Durkula, so I can see how he is not happy being prevented from getting both revenge and safety by doing away with the undead.
Finally, I think that Roy is too sentimental and naive here and that he makes a mix of both the Durkon he knew and loved (LG just like him) and of Belkar (Evil but still loyal to the party) to assess Durkula as no threat and a friend and trusted member of the party.
I feel that, in the end, Roy, and in fact the whole OOTS except Belkar, are far too trusting of Durkula. I see Durkula as VERY similar to Malack and thus quite able to play on other people's trust by being outwardly polite and even kind while planning nefarious goals that could even include the death of those who trust him, all in cold blood.
I think that Roy is too sentimental and naive here and that he makes a mix of both the Durkon he knew and loved (LG just like him) and of Belkar (Evil but still loyal to the party) to assess Durkula as no threat and a friend and trusted member of the party.
I completely agree. Roy is completely overlooking what will likely happen as soon as Durkula's interests no longer align (or worse, conflict) with the party's...
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Ben, I swear I'm not singling you out, you just happen to have pertinent points that I want to address, and the way you make them lends themselves to me replying. So, that being said...
But what has vampire Durkon done or said to suggest that he is "planning nefarious goals that could even include the death of those who trust him, all in cold blood."? What reason (in the story) do Roy and the others have not to trust him?
The issue is that right now, we really don't know anything about how vampirism in the OOTSverse works. We have the one comment from the author that assuming a creature (including a vampire) should be killed purely based on the alignment listed in the monster manual is racism and Evil. Other than that, we really don't know...anything. It seems like you (and other readers on the OOTS forum) are applying assumptions based on [insert readers' favorite vampire story here]. But Roy hasn't read any of those stories, and they aren't necessarily true in the OOTS-verse*. Based only on what Roy knows now, he has no reason not to trust vampire Durkon.
Actually they kind of do have a reason not to trust Durkon. The OOTS universe is what we refer to as "Genre Savvy." That means that the characters do things like:
speak in terms of their to-hit rolls
announce their sneak attacks
discuss what manner of weapon could have made a wound like that: was it a slashing or piercing weapon? Would you say that wound is in the 1d4 or 1d8 range?
talk about alignments and behavioral patterns as though these things can be codified and organized out into nine easy-to-digest paragraphs
And so on and so forth. They don't necessarily know they're in a game but they do know that they have hit points, and that they have alignments, and that certain creatures behave in certain ways because of their alignment.
That being said, the alignment for any creature who uses the Vampire Template will always be evil. It's safe to say that the characters all know this. They know that Durkon has become a creature of evil that casts no shadow and has no reflection (good thing he's a Dwarf and doesn't have to worry about shaving). They're assuming, I like to think, that because he was created by a very obviously Lawful Evil vampire, and because he was Lawful Good in life, that Durkon will be Lawful Evil in his undeath. So if Roy makes an arrangement with Durkon of the type he has, then the non-Belkarian members of the OOTS trust that he'll keep the deal.
Belkar, on the other hand, being scared out of his gourd, doesn't necessarily believe this.
Now, it may well turn out that vampire Durkon is plotting everyone's demise. Right now, the only reason to suspect that is whether or not it would make an interesting story. If it does turn out to be true, I don't think that that is any indication of Belkar's perceptiveness--right now, Belkar doesn't have any more (logical) reason to be suspicious than Roy does (i.e., none). I think he's after revenge and/or a desire to stab things.
*Except, I think I can be fairly certain that OOTS-vampires do not work the same way as Bram Stoker's vampires, based on Malack's destruction.
OOTS Vampires work on the the 3/3.5E Vampire Mechanics, which is to say that beyond certain items, the theatrics of their demise is left entirely up to the GM.
I do think that Belkar has a very valid reason not to trust Durkon: Vampires are evil. It may be racist and an evil act in itself to automatically assume that because Durkon has acquired the Vampire template that he is a foul and vile creature of misery and despair, but the fact of the matter is that the OOTS world is all about using the rules in a real-world context. And the rules say that Vampires are evil. Is Belkar being racist by assuming that? Yes, he sure is. Is he wrong to mistrust Durkon? Maybe. But is he in character to want to protect himself and his friends from a perceived threat? Not at all.
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I think it stops being racist when it hits the third .9 in 99.9999999% true.
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The author disagrees with you. A post of his saying so was linked either earlier on this page or on the last.
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Based only on what Roy knows now, he has no reason not to trust vampire Durkon.
Roy: You're not evil? Durkon: Not anymore'n Belkar, I'd wager. Roy: That...is a really good point.
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The author disagrees with you. A post of his saying so was linked either earlier on this page or on the last.
Well, if I'm wrong, I'm wrong and I'll take that one on the chin. :)
Either way, I really hope Durkon gets back to his old living, breathing self. Soon. I don't think I can take the drawn-out-stress of it all.
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I was responding to Norsewolf's comment, sorry >_>