Draz74
2007-02-08, 12:42 PM
So far, we have three books:
#0: "On the Origins of PCs" ("Origins"), the prequel, unspecified number of strips.
#1: "Dungeon Crawling Fools" ("DCF"), 120 strips.
#2: "No Cure for the Paladin Blues" ("NCPB"), 180 strips.
Now, since the Crayon Saga, and especially since visiting the Oracle, my mind has been mulling over the future of the strip. The Oracle visit is particularly important because its message to Roy makes it clear that the rest of the series will not simply be centered around Azure City and its gate. I don't know what will happen in Xykon's attack, but somehow, he doesn't get what he wants from this gate, and he will be moving on to Girard's Gate.
So here's my prediction: Other than Origins, the whole story of OotS will be 5 books, one for each Gate guarding the Snarl. Only since Lirian's gate is already out of the way, "her" book will instead be devoted to explaining this overall plot to the Order and the readers.
Book 1: Dorukan's Gate
Book 2: Explaining the Gates (instead of Lirian's Gate)
Book 3: Soon's Gate
Book 4: Girard's Gate
Book 5: Kraagor's Gate
To support this theory, look at all the subplots that will be resolvable if they go looking for Girard's Gate. What all do we know about Girard's Gate and its location?
- It's on the western continent (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0331.html)
- It's in the desert (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0277.html).
What do we know about the western continent?
- By elimination, it must be across the ocean (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0300.html). That is, it's not connected to the lands of Cliffport or Azure City by land -- it's a massive island, probably something like Australia. This is supported by the picture of the gods making the world (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0273.html), though the more up-to-date pictures in the next two strips are less clear.
- It seems likely that it's the homeland for most worshippers of the Gods of the West (the Babylonian pantheon). This is interesting, since all we have heard about these gods so far is that the Oracle uses divine magic of Tiamat in its prophecies.
- According to Origins, it's a chaotic land constantly at war, ruled by all kinds of violent tyrants in an ever-changing power struggle. (Including Elan's dad?)
- According to the same part of Origins, it's where Haley's dad is being held hostage all this time.
Sound like enough material to fill a book with?
Then, I'm fairly sure the story won't end at Girard's Gate, either, if only because there's the subplot about Durkon bringing destruction with him when he returns to the Dwarven Lands (also "Origins," though hinted at a lot in the main strip). That means Kraagor's Gate comes into play, methinks. (It's probably also the best time for the Hilgya subplot to be resumed.)
There's also a couple more subplots that could fit in anywhere:
- The thieves' guild that undoubtably is still on the lookout for Haley ("Origins")
- Redcloak's whole "Crimson Mantle" backstory
- probably some others, including whole bunches of characters who might or might not reappear.
Now, one thing that was making me nervous about this theory was the odd "Intermission!" episode number 301 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0301.html). It just felt like it was marking a place in the series, and Intermissions are usually a halfway point (Monty Python aside). Since it's between the second and third books, and since the series obviously won't be done in four books (or even 600 strips), I wondered if we might expect six books and two Intermissions. But then I realized that the Intermission is right in the middle of my proposed series, if "Origins" counts. (Aside from the fact that the books tend to be getting longer and longer, as often happens in a series ...)
So I'm pretty comfortable with this proposed structure to the series.
#0: "On the Origins of PCs" ("Origins"), the prequel, unspecified number of strips.
#1: "Dungeon Crawling Fools" ("DCF"), 120 strips.
#2: "No Cure for the Paladin Blues" ("NCPB"), 180 strips.
Now, since the Crayon Saga, and especially since visiting the Oracle, my mind has been mulling over the future of the strip. The Oracle visit is particularly important because its message to Roy makes it clear that the rest of the series will not simply be centered around Azure City and its gate. I don't know what will happen in Xykon's attack, but somehow, he doesn't get what he wants from this gate, and he will be moving on to Girard's Gate.
So here's my prediction: Other than Origins, the whole story of OotS will be 5 books, one for each Gate guarding the Snarl. Only since Lirian's gate is already out of the way, "her" book will instead be devoted to explaining this overall plot to the Order and the readers.
Book 1: Dorukan's Gate
Book 2: Explaining the Gates (instead of Lirian's Gate)
Book 3: Soon's Gate
Book 4: Girard's Gate
Book 5: Kraagor's Gate
To support this theory, look at all the subplots that will be resolvable if they go looking for Girard's Gate. What all do we know about Girard's Gate and its location?
- It's on the western continent (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0331.html)
- It's in the desert (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0277.html).
What do we know about the western continent?
- By elimination, it must be across the ocean (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0300.html). That is, it's not connected to the lands of Cliffport or Azure City by land -- it's a massive island, probably something like Australia. This is supported by the picture of the gods making the world (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0273.html), though the more up-to-date pictures in the next two strips are less clear.
- It seems likely that it's the homeland for most worshippers of the Gods of the West (the Babylonian pantheon). This is interesting, since all we have heard about these gods so far is that the Oracle uses divine magic of Tiamat in its prophecies.
- According to Origins, it's a chaotic land constantly at war, ruled by all kinds of violent tyrants in an ever-changing power struggle. (Including Elan's dad?)
- According to the same part of Origins, it's where Haley's dad is being held hostage all this time.
Sound like enough material to fill a book with?
Then, I'm fairly sure the story won't end at Girard's Gate, either, if only because there's the subplot about Durkon bringing destruction with him when he returns to the Dwarven Lands (also "Origins," though hinted at a lot in the main strip). That means Kraagor's Gate comes into play, methinks. (It's probably also the best time for the Hilgya subplot to be resumed.)
There's also a couple more subplots that could fit in anywhere:
- The thieves' guild that undoubtably is still on the lookout for Haley ("Origins")
- Redcloak's whole "Crimson Mantle" backstory
- probably some others, including whole bunches of characters who might or might not reappear.
Now, one thing that was making me nervous about this theory was the odd "Intermission!" episode number 301 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0301.html). It just felt like it was marking a place in the series, and Intermissions are usually a halfway point (Monty Python aside). Since it's between the second and third books, and since the series obviously won't be done in four books (or even 600 strips), I wondered if we might expect six books and two Intermissions. But then I realized that the Intermission is right in the middle of my proposed series, if "Origins" counts. (Aside from the fact that the books tend to be getting longer and longer, as often happens in a series ...)
So I'm pretty comfortable with this proposed structure to the series.