Missing member of the Linear guild

[Othniel Edden]

Any guesses on Durkon's counterpart? Pulling for a turncoat Malack, but would kinda like to see a psionic character.

[ThePhantasm]

I'd rather see something new than see Malack turn on Durkon. I guess Malack being a traitor is a possibility but it just doesn't feel right for the story to me. A psion or something else might be nice.

To be honest, I'd rather it be Hilgya than Malack. And I don't even want it to be Hilgya really.

[faustin]

My bets for Hilgya, and her and Durkon´s children.

[TheMac04]

Hilgya doesn't actually make a lot of sense, but her return is sort of inevitable, and I really do want to see it. If there's a good explanation for it, I'd be excited to see her return.

[FujinAkari]

Malack makes absolutely no sense, Nale killed his kids, remember?

[Demonic1000]

Hilgya's preggers, stop bothering a pregnant lady.

[137beth]

I'd like to see Hilgya return, but I seriously doubt she will rejoin the linear guild. She hated Nale, remember?
Malack doesn't really fit either. Honestly I'd expect it to be someone entirely new, in the same way that Hilgya's PREVIOUS replacement was totally new.

[Esprit15]

Z's previous replacement was totally new as well. Didn't stop his return.

[Howler Dagger]

i think, if higlya comes back, it will be with her and durkons child(ren)(it has been awhile in OOTS). Which might be an effective way of neutralizing durkon, and it would provide a reason for hilgya to come back (for her to show durkon the child(ren))

[LudiDrizzt]

Malack makes absolutely no sense, Nale killed his kids, remember?

Why does EVERYONE and their mother take this as fact?

[Talvereaux]

Why does EVERYONE and their mother take this as fact?

Because it's stated by Tarquin without Malack's correction in panel five here.

He could be lying, yes, but there's little reason for such overblown disbelief unless an actual contradiction comes up. Otherwise, the claim he's lying is just a hunch, and even less supported than Tarquin's word.

I'm personally a fan of the theory the LG's new Durkon substitute hasn't been introduced yet.

[FujinAkari]

Because it's stated by Tarquin without Malack's correction in panel five here.

He could be lying, yes, but there's little reason for such overblown disbelief unless an actual contradiction comes up. Otherwise, the claim he's lying is just a hunch, and even less supported than Tarquin's word.

Pretty much this.

Until there is something besides speculation that both Tarquin and Malack are lying about Nale's murder of Malack's children, then the theory that Malack is secretly working with Nale is about as credible as the theory that Belkar is Lawful Good...

[Othniel Edden]

Doesn't mean that Malack isn't turning for other reasons, for example he might have more children that Nale is keeping hostage. Then again this would have to be fairly recently for the traitor angle to happen, that is after Elan was captured.

[LudiDrizzt]

Pretty much this.

Until there is something besides speculation that both Tarquin and Malack are lying about Nale's murder of Malack's children, then the theory that Malack is secretly working with Nale is about as credible as the theory that Belkar is Lawful Good...

Or Tarquin is lying, and Malack has no idea that he's really responsible.

Just as valid as it being the truth. Tarquin is a known manipulator, and a known sociopath. It's completely in keeping with them.

Nale, however, has never killed anyone without a reason. So why?

[FujinAkari]

Or Tarquin is lying, and Malack has no idea that he's really responsible.

Just as valid as it being the truth. Tarquin is a known manipulator, and a known sociopath. It's completely in keeping with them.

Do we have -any- evidence of this?

No, it basically comes down to "Well, maybe the strip is wrong!" and that isn't a good reason to speculate on.

Also... Nale has never killed people without a good reason? Nale is a mass-murdering psychopath! Nale kills people because they sneezed at him wrong...

[Surfing HalfOrc]

Heck, Nale killed people just for form three arrows pointing at a specific building he wanted the OotS to find!

Malack and Tarquin's relationship is the strange thing. Why continue to work with the man who murdered your children/why continue to employ the lizard folk who's children you murdered? I think I need to go back and reread that section...

But yeah, I'm totally on board with Hilgya's return with Durkon's Love Child(ren). Heck, I'm just about the captain of that boat! (I coined the term "Dwarven Defender" to represent the item Durkon probably DIDN'T have in his wallet. )

Becoming a father totally forces character growth on a person.

[FujinAkari]

Malack and Tarquin's relationship is the strange thing. Why continue to work with the man who murdered your children/why continue to employ the lizard folk who's children you murdered? I think I need to go back and reread that section...

Clearly you do, since Nale killed Malack's children, not Tarquin.

[Surfing HalfOrc]

Clearly you do, since Nale killed Malack's children, not Tarquin.

I think I meant to say "Father of the man who killed your children." Had someone killed my children, I would have put in a leave of absence to pursue justice. Instead, Malack stays around. Was Tarquin really expecting Nale to come back? Was Malack?

Maybe he was. As a cleric, he could have asked Someone.

[Talvereaux]

Nale, however, has never killed anyone without a reason. So why?

Nale attempted to kill his own brother, who was on completely friendly terms with him, for an imagined slight against his ego. Nale also killed an obscene amount of innocent bystanders in Cliffport as part of a plot to get back at his brother. He has no problem debasing his self to get his way, and he did not like Tarquin & Co's program.

[Mutant Sheep]

Nale attempted to kill his own brother, who was on completely friendly terms with him, for an imagined slight against his ego.

Technically, he was hired by Xykon to kill the Order, so he had a reason the first time. Lawful and all that.

I think I meant to say "Father of the man who killed your children." Had someone killed my children, I would have put in a leave of absence to pursue justice. Instead, Malack stays around. Was Tarquin really expecting Nale to come back? Was Malack?

Maybe he was. As a cleric, he could have asked Someone.

Since Malack was "an old adventuring buddy" of Tarquin, I think Malack would trust Tarquin. A-lot, especially since that's the reason he gets a nice and cozy high priest position, gets to hang around with old friends, and meet traveling Dwarven clerics. And that's you, not a ???Neutral??? Albino Vampire Lizard.

[Talvereaux]

Technically, he was hired by Xykon to kill the Order, so he had a reason the first time. Lawful and all that.

True, but he does get pretty passionate about Elan not joining him in strip #61. I figured following the contract was more of an afterthought, especially considering the contract was mostly just an excuse to get a pass to snoop around for the Talisman of Dorukan. I suppose you're right, though.

Either way, even putting that detail aside, he still wanted to kill his own completely non-hostile brother for ridiculous reasons, and even long after the contract and connections to Xykon stopped being relevant, he then proceeded to centralize his life around the grudge against Elan.

[mrmcfatty]

maybe durkon is already being attacked by the other member, that is why is hasn't been seen because he is trying to fight off his opponent to warn the others but is being subdued by someone built to take him, similar to V not being able to take Z.

[Jackson]

I don't think there's evidence in the strip for us to judge between Nale and Tarquin as to who is more likely to kill people 'for no reason.' They both always have a reason, however poor; neither have been shown to kill someone casually just for the hell of it (unlike Belkar). So saying one or the other is more likely to have killed somebody offscreen is pretty unsupportable, especially when that claim also goes against what evidence there is in the comic.

[Howler Dagger]

Malack would be perfectly fine staying with Tarquin in Nale killed his children because:
A)They are adventuring pals. They have both probably saved the other's life
B) there is a panel depicting the fight between The empress of blood + co. vs. the linear guild. Tarquin is shown fighting nale. So Malack wouldnt hold it against him if Nale killed his chilldren if Tarquin was trying to stop nale.

I honestly dont see why so many people think Malack is the LG opposite of durkon. Except for their first encounter, the linear guild memebers generally don't have tea with their opposites. The most credible theory that involves Malack being the opposite of durkon is that nale is holding his children hostage, maybe with a scroll that binds their souls(otherwise Malack might of (true)ressurected them by now)

[Rougn]

I don't see Malack becoming turn coat for Nale for a multitude of reasons.

1) Has been stated a few times in this thread but I feel it needs to be looked at again.

Nale killed his children. A father would not forget that lightly and wouldnt forgive that. Of course he could be a bad father but then again why would Tarquin mention thats why Malack hates Nale so much?

Now the reason I do not believe he sought revenge is because he could simply have raised his kids already. He has the magic and the wealth to do it but it is still insulting to have your kids killed. Plus Nale is no match for his father he barely won in a sneak attack betrayal.

Knowing that Elan was easily beaten by his father and that Elan can hold his own, if maybe a tad bit weaker, then Nale reason shows he isnt a match for his father either.

2) Tarquin wouldn't lie to help Nale.

All current theories of his betray is that Tarquin is lying and is secretly working with Nale. But that doesnt work well if you look at Tarquins personality. Yes he is twisted, evil, and a known liar but most of all he loves a good ending. He is like ethan in this. He loves the story books story of a evil mad man taking over the world but being destroyed by the hero in the end.

That is what he is after. That death he wants to be immortal in that manner and right now only Ethan can give it to him. If a normal hero kills him yes he will be remember in fear but if his good son of a hero killed him songs and poems plays and books will be made of it.

But if Nale kills him? Evil son killing evil father for the nation? He would be forgotten in a week. No he needs Elan alive.

3) He gains nothing in this betrayal. His life long friend and meal ticket will turn on him he loses his power and his money and most of all he loses protection. Being by the side of a evil leader for so many years would create a lot of enemies and I do not believe he could live long without the protection a army provides.

4) Which leaves Nale kidnapping his children and holding there souls to prevent a true resurrection. But then again him being that strong would Nale risk taking on a cleric that strong? Not to mention alerting his Fathers best friend his return. The cleric could easily have lead Nale into a trap for the simple reason Nale over plans everything, something he got from his mother if I remember correctly, and Malack would know all he needs to do is one tiny little flaw to break the entire plan.


EDIT: Was reading CAD while typing this...Was a idiot and said Ethan instead of Elan XD

[Zerg Cookie]

Stuff

Who the hell is Ethan?

[Demonic1000]

Who the hell is Ethan?

Nale and Elan's younger brother, somewhere deep in the True Neutral alignment pool, goes both ways.

Nine wives...

[Zerg Cookie]

Nale and Elan's younger brother, somewhere deep in the True Neutral alignment pool, goes both ways.

Nine wives...

I read all the OotS material save for SS&DT (Still waiting for it), so I'll assume that info comes from there. Please spoiler mark it.
I'm totally sarcastic

[Demonic1000]

I read all the OotS material save for SS&DT (Still waiting for it), so I'll assume that info comes from there. Please spoiler mark it.
I'm totally sarcastic

Spoiler

Show

It... it, it's a joke....

[mrmcfatty]

i think Rougn called him ethan instead of elan by mistake, thats the confusion.