Redcloak missed one

[ChristianSt]

It was stated that Redcloak knew that the Resistance planted a spy in the goblin ranks. Presumably he let this spy live so that the resistance could steal the phylactery (which he could steal back, giving him a chance to have some alone time with it). The goblin spy probably knew about the resistance spy (since everyone in the resistance did) and Xykon would flip a lid and a half if he knew that Redcloak literally let the resistance have the phylactery for no reason

... what?

Ok, first of all, the Resistance didn't steal the Phylactory, Vaarsuvius did.

Second of all, even if the Resistance did... why would he go through all that work in order to get some alone time with his own holy symbol? He already HAS infinite alone time with it!

Xykon WOULD flip because Redcloak WOULD be doing it for NO reason.

Vaarsuvius tried to throw in the rift and lost it (659/660).
After being found (823) the Resistance stole it (824).

I think this is fine reasoning - Redcloak could have argued about it might by valuable to could feed him false information, but so he doesn't even need to. Whitout the Resistances intervening he would have been forced to tell Jirix about it (since the phylactery should go straight to him), so letting them the possibilty to steal it was crucial. (Sure, maybe he could have told Jirix more, but safer for Redcloak if nobody else knows anything).

And before V's action Redcloak has thought he not needed a fake phylactery.

[Winter]

We know exactly how Xykon reacts to the Resistance stealing the phylactery. We saw it in the comic. And we also saw he stopped caring the moment he believed the thing to be aquired.

Xykon is only caring for results and if the Resistance does not pose an issue to his results he does not care at all. Redcloak had no problem at all in that regard.

[Mr. Pants]

It might, but the time involved was clearly nowhere near that long.

Tsukiko came to Redcloak's study (...just before Redcloak got back, and well before he started casting spells on the fake phylactery...) already knowing the phylactery had been discovered, and its discovery reported to Xykon. Redcloak went straight to his study with the phylactery, and confronted Tsukiko there. After killing her, he started casting spells on the fake phylactery as he walked to bring it to Xykon. Presumably he cast a few spells off-panel, between saying the word "Greater--" and reaching the creature in the darkness, but unless you're suggesting that from Redcloak's study to the creature in the darkness' box is a walk that takes multiple hours...and even if you are, Xykon would know that there were lost hours between the phylactery being found, stolen, and recovered. (And if there was any error in concealing this hypothetical time-skip, it would be in saying that he killed Tsukiko ten minutes ago, if Tsukiko actually disappeared hours ago.)

(I also wonder how long you're thinking Jirix would have survived Xykon's rage.)

You could say that the hobgoblin spy foreshadowed her ultimate fate. :largeeek:

Anyways, so far has covered his tracks pretty good. But how long do you think he can keep it up? It's probably only a matter of time before finds out he's trying to stab him in the back...

[Mordae]

The dialogue in 833 seems to imply rather strongly that Xykon already knows Redcloak doesn't trust him, that Xykon was working behind the scenes to uncover Redcloak's duplicity, and further that Xykon is fully willing to "smoke" Redcloak (or any other uppity minion) if that's what it takes to achieve world domination. At this point, it's simply a matter of positioning themselves to strike the first blow.

[Snails]

The goblin spy might have revealed information that implied Redcloak could have squashed the Resistance days or weeks ago. By not doing so, Redcloak allowed the phylactery to fall into elven hands. Even if in enemy hands for mere minutes, Xykon might simply kill Redcloak for that decision.

But it is worse than that, because there is no obvious gain to Redcloak for doing so. This is where the real trouble lies. Xykon might well guess that Redcloak was purposefully using the Resistance as a distraction.

Now the question becomes whether Xykon guesses incorrectly that the Resistance was just a lame excuse for Redcloak sitting on his keester in Goblotopia, or does Xykon guess the real reason -- that Redcloak was using the distraction of the Resistance for a few unaccountable minutes with the phylactery?

[Winter]

The dialogue in 833 seems to imply rather strongly that Xykon already knows Redcloak doesn't trust him,

Did you read Start of Darkness?

Spoiler

Show

Xykon knows Redcloak hates him.