RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
|
I was suspicious with the last couple of panels in #827. Looks like I was right: after the rebellion spy betrays the hobgoblins and the hobgoblin spy betrays the rebellion, Redcloak is betraying Xykon.
Best of all, Redcloak can go back to wearing the holy symbol, because no one can detect it.
Is it wrong that I'm rooting for Redcloak vs everyone?
I expect
~whistles~ wow. That was slightly unexpected.
I agree with Matthew Moris, but wow. Just... wow.
Daaaaaaang. Pretty awesome.
My prediction is that Xykon... well, he probably doesn't know that Red Cloak has differing goals, but he probably has contingencies in place, just in case.
By the way, in the 2nd panel of this strip...
"Who was that old guy, anyway? Janitor, or something?"
"Something."
Who was the old hobgoblin? I feel like he was featured in an older strip because of that exchange, but I don't remember him.
|
I was thinking that Redcloak was going to hfr Pbzznaq Haqrnq ng fbzr cbvag; I didn't realize he'd qbar vg gb fgneg jvgu. Cunning, cunning goblin.
(Decoder HERE, for anyone who doesn't have a plugin to do it.)
I was wondering what the red aura around Redcloak's hand was when he entered his office. Now we know.
As far Blue_Hill's question, I suspect Redcloak will simply wait to see how long it is until Xykon even notices she's gone. That lich is not very bright.
Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
|
I was wondering what the red aura around Redcloak's hand was when he entered his office. Now we know.
I see I wasn't the only one who went back a few strips to see if there was any indiciation of RC controlling the wights. At the time, I thought he was just dismissing the spell he was about to use to whup Tsukiko's ass.
I thought maybe the janitor hobgoblin was the same guy who shouted out a warning to Xykon about V during the Epic V storyline, but that hobgoblin didn't have a beard.
Edit: Also, is it too soon to predict Tsukiko's return as a ghost of some type?
I was wondering what the red aura around Redcloak's hand was when he entered his office. Now we know.
I see I wasn't the only one who went back a few strips to see if there was any indiciation of RC controlling the wights. At the time, I thought he was just dismissing the spell he was about to use to whup Tsukiko's ass.
I thought maybe the janitor hobgoblin was the same guy who shouted out a warning to Xykon about V during the Epic V storyline, but that hobgoblin didn't have a beard.
Edit: Also, is it too soon to predict Tsukiko's return as a ghost of some type?
About the same time Miko comes back. Rich seems to keep dead people dead. I'm worried about V being stuck in the Ranch Dressing plane. All that fat is going to go straight to his/her hips.
I was wondering what the red aura around Redcloak's hand was when he entered his office. Now we know.
As far Blue_Hill's question, I suspect Redcloak will simply wait to see how long it is until Xykon even notices she's gone. That lich is not very bright.
Don't confuse apathy with stupidity. Xykon is very intelligent. He just doesn't care. Tsukiko was a toy to him. So is Redcloak. I am waiting for Xykon to squish Redcloak for playing games.
If I were Redcloak, I would give Xykon a fake amulet and keep the real one hidden away for later use / destruction.
|
Don't confuse apathy with stupidity. Xykon is very intelligent. He just doesn't care. Tsukiko was a toy to him. So is Redcloak. I am waiting for Xykon to squish Redcloak for playing games.I was wondering what the red aura around Redcloak's hand was when he entered his office. Now we know.
As far Blue_Hill's question, I suspect Redcloak will simply wait to see how long it is until Xykon even notices she's gone. That lich is not very bright.
True. SoD does prove how perceptive and intelligent Xykon can be when he wants to be. Yes, he can be a bit dense but I wonder if that's all just a ploy to get people to under estimate him.
|
|
If I were Redcloak, I would give Xykon a fake amulet and keep the real one hidden away for later use / destruction.
Not so sure that'd work. Xykon has proven he's smarter than he acts. He might pick up on it. Plus all those things that RC summoned would know he has it and I'm sure someone else would end up telling Xykon at some point.
|
RPG Superstar 2009 Top 32, 2010 Top 8
|
Don't confuse apathy with stupidity. Xykon is very intelligent. He just doesn't care. Tsukiko was a toy to him. So is Redcloak. I am waiting for Xykon to squish Redcloak for playing games.
"A tool is a tool, unless it does the job itself." -unknown.
I think it gives another insight to Redcloak.
Think about the influence Asmodaeus has in Golarion because he has the key to the Rough Beast's prison. Now imagine if he had that key, and a leash to send Rovaraug to where he wanted...
This is one loyal cleric.
Edit: As to squishing Redcloak
|
Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
|
About the same time Miko comes back. Rich seems to keep dead people dead. I'm worried about V being stuck in the Ranch Dressing plane. All that fat is going to go straight to his/her hips.
It is difficult to predict where Rich will go, but I could also argue that the reason Tsukiko will come back is because Miko did not. He has done a great job of keeping dead people dead, which sets an expectation that will create drama once it is broken.
Or not.
Still, the dramatic fallout from Tsukiko's death has yet to arrive. Having her return as a ghost could be the least interesting development.
This has to be one of the most effective villain scenes I've seen. Makes it at least the third incredibly great "real villain" moment I've seen from this comic.
About the same time Miko comes back. Rich seems to keep dead people dead. I'm worried about V being stuck in the Ranch Dressing plane. All that fat is going to go straight to his/her hips.It is difficult to predict where Rich will go, but I could also argue that the reason Tsukiko will come back is because Miko did not. He has done a great job of keeping dead people dead, which sets an expectation that will create drama once it is broken.
Or not.
Still, the dramatic fallout from Tsukiko's death has yet to arrive. Having her return as a ghost could be the least interesting development.
What do you know? You're just a unicorn.
As far Blue_Hill's question, I suspect Redcloak will simply wait to see how long it is until Xykon even notices she's gone. That lich is not very bright.
I don't think so. Xykon is chaotic and impulsive, but he is far from stupid.
I think Rich just hates hot oriental women.
Damn.
Go redcloak.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
New strip! So fast!
However, at the start at the current strip seeing all those Undeads (which I always confuse for vampire spawn instead of wights, probably fault of capes'n'fangs) I thought that Redcloak is going to defeat Tsukiko by using Command Undeads. Like some of previous readers I hadn't guessed that he already did that.
I normally value hobgoblins much mor ehighly than goblins but Redcloak is one hella of a green badass!
You know, I tend to get bored/frustrated when I don't see what's happening next with the main adventuring party, but...
Daaay-um. That was nasty. Yet quite entertaining.
I think, while Tsukiko doubtless left some undeath contingency plans--since what self respecting necromancer doesn't?--I think the more interesting and entertaining point will be that we'll see the return of Miko simply because I think she and Tsukiko will make great roommates in the same hell.
Like I said before, I think that Redcloak is more evil than Xykon, though I really should read start of darkness.
|
|
...while Tsukiko doubtless left some undeath contingency plans....
I'm not sure her contingency plans are going to matter, unless she's got a convenient magic jar somewhere. Having the wights eat her body was a pretty clever thing for Redcloak to do.
...Redcloak is more evil than Xykon....
Apart from the whole negative energy/command undead/summon fiendish creature thing, I'm not sure I see Redcloak as particularly evil from anything but a humanocentric (elfocentric/dwarfocentric/halflingocentric) (are these even words?) perspective. He's something of a sympathetic character, after all, in it for his people and his deity in a surprisingly selfless way. Ruthless, yes. Oh hell, yes. Evil from a goblin's perspective? No way.
|
|
...while Tsukiko doubtless left some undeath contingency plans....I'm not sure her contingency plans are going to matter, unless she's got a convenient magic jar somewhere. Having the wights eat her body was a pretty clever thing for Redcloak to do.
...Redcloak is more evil than Xykon....Apart from the whole negative energy/command undead/summon fiendish creature thing, I'm not sure I see Redcloak as particularly evil from anything but a humanocentric (elfocentric/dwarfocentric/halflingocentric) (are these even words?) perspective. He's something of a sympathetic character, after all, in it for his people and his deity in a surprisingly selfless way. Ruthless, yes. Oh hell, yes. Evil from a goblin's perspective? No way.
Not so sure. I think yes he's a tragic character, but he's definitely evil by goblin standards. Why?
...while Tsukiko doubtless left some undeath contingency plans....I'm not sure her contingency plans are going to matter, unless she's got a convenient magic jar somewhere. Having the wights eat her body was a pretty clever thing for Redcloak to do.
The Clone spell is a necromantic standard and is triggered by death, so is easily possible.
Placing Contingency and Magic Jar on the ring Redcloak had the wights take off her? Also possible.
However, since there is such a thing as a revolving door afterlife, and we've actually seen the afterlife, and Redcloak did nothing to secure Tsukiko's soul? It's obviously somewhere, and if a necromancer can't escape death, they're not trying.
Ross Byers wrote:
As far Blue_Hill's question, I suspect Redcloak will simply wait to see how long it is until Xykon even notices she's gone. That lich is not very bright.
I don't think so. Xykon is chaotic and impulsive, but he is far from stupid.
Intelligent maybe, but prone to not thinking things thru.
As I recall, his first action after becoming a lich to escape a death trap was to order coffee.
Ross Byers wrote:
As far Blue_Hill's question, I suspect Redcloak will simply wait to see how long it is until Xykon even notices she's gone. That lich is not very bright.
I don't think so. Xykon is chaotic and impulsive, but he is far from stupid.Intelligent maybe, but prone to not thinking things thru.
As I recall, his first action after becoming a lich to escape a death trap was to order coffee.
This is true. I was thinking of the way he manipulated Redcloak at the end of "Start of Darkness."
But, as was pointed out in this comic, Xykon is also lazy. If it isn't interesting to him, then he doesn't think about it (regardless of how important it may be).
The Clone spell is a necromantic standard and is triggered by death, so is easily possible.
Placing Contingency and Magic Jar on the ring Redcloak had the wights take off her? Also possible.
However, since there is such a thing as a revolving door afterlife, and we've actually seen the afterlife, and Redcloak did nothing to secure Tsukiko's soul? It's obviously somewhere, and if a necromancer can't escape death, they're not trying.
Assuming she's not higher level than Redcloak, who just hit 17th level, she can't cast clone yet. (Wiz4/Clr3/Theurge10 is still only 14th wizard caster level, putting her at 7th level spells for Wizard and Cleric.)
And the ring is too specific for a general 'get out of death free' plan. She's have to know how Redcloak was going to kill her.
She has a thing for the undead, so if she had a plan I'd suspect if would have to do with a contingent create undead on herself or something.
HOLY CRAP! GOBLINS FTW!
She has a thing for the undead, so if she had a plan I'd suspect if would have to do with a contingent create undead on herself or something.
Regular contingency requires CL 18th to hang create undead. Of course we know that characters in the series are willing and capable of creating custom spells for their purposes. Still, I think that corpse-eaten-by-the-wights might be a certain problem for Tsukiko.
Yeah, I think the reason he had the corpse eaten wasn't just so her body couldn't be found, it was so she couldn't become several forms of undead.
This is also why he had the wights eat each other and the last one burn himself--so there wouldn't be a chance of her having any physical remains.
Without actually reading through various necromancy spells, the only thing I can think of from the perspective of a "GM" running this scenario is to reason that Tsukiko is both twisted enough, her death horrible enough, and she is infused with enough necromantic energy just from being a necromancer that she becomes some kind of incorporeal undead--not based on any specific spell, but just the nature of the situation.
I can't remember if the dimensional lock Redcloak has on the area would keep her incorporeal form from leaving the area though.
"A tool is a tool, unless it does the job itself." -unknown.
Michael Stackpole, Talion Revenant.
I also went back a few strips to see if there was an indication of Redcloak casting, he must have Silent Spell if he didn't have to call it out though.
Isnt channeling energy a Spell like ability?
Isnt channeling energy a Spell like ability?
"A tool is a tool, unless it does the job itself." -unknown.
Michael Stackpole, Talion Revenant.
I also went back a few strips to see if there was an indication of Redcloak casting, he must have Silent Spell if he didn't have to call it out though.
They're 3.5 characters, IIRC, and rebuke/command undead is a Supernatural ability.
So no, he wouldn't need to speak or gesture.