A race? It's a race! I hope I win!

[Petrocorus]

Having the English part sorted out, would it be time to come back to ontopic before a mod puts us up to our toes¿? :P

Don't worry. This forum actually help me improve my English, too. This and movies with English audio and subtitles.

In the case that O'Chul and Lien arrive and have to face Team Evil, what do you guys think would be their best shot? Please, consider that they have plenty of time to prepare a good strategy and ambush.

Remember that O'Chul and Lien are high-mid level Paladins, i don't remember exactly which ones, we should consult the Class and Level Geekery Thread. Team Evil is a High level Cleric (something like 18) and an Epic Level Sorcerer, plus MitD whose actions are difficultly predictable. O'Chul already faced Xykon, one single paralysing touch from Xykon was enough.

So i don't know what strategy they may use, but they certainly will not be at their advantage, and may resort to destroying the gate.
And concerning the time they have ahead, it's not that sure IIRC, that they know Team Evil is coming so soon.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

Don't worry. This forum actually help me improve my English, too. This and movies with English audio and subtitles.



Remember that O'Chul and Lien are high-mid level Paladins, i don't remember exactly which ones, we should consult the Class and Level Geekery Thread. Team Evil is a High level Cleric (something like 18) and an Epic Level Sorcerer, plus MitD whose actions are difficultly predictable. O'Chul already faced Xykon, one single paralysing touch from Xykon was enough.

So i don't know what strategy they may use, but they certainly will not be at their advantage, and may resort to destroying the gate.
And concerning the time they have ahead, it's not that sure IIRC, that they know Team Evil is coming so soon.

They should know that Team Evil is coming through the same method that OOTS found out; Hinjo should give them a sending. However, it is unlikley that there will be a whole lot they can do. I do not think they will resort to destroying the Gate (if they are indeed in a position to do so), because it would be taking quite a risk.

[Emanick]

They should know that Team Evil is coming through the same method that OOTS found out; Hinjo should give them a sending. However, it is unlikley that there will be a whole lot they can do. I do not think they will resort to destroying the Gate (if they are indeed in a position to do so), because it would be taking quite a risk.

Assuming everything we know is accurate, I don't think it would be so much a risk as a near-guarantee that the Snarl would be able to enter the world and kill everyone on the Prime Material Plane. I don't see O-Chul or Lien doing something that would precipitate that, no matter what.

Also, I don't see them entering Kraagor's Dungeon at all, given how ridiculously dangerous it looks to be, so it's unlikely that they'd have the opportunity to destroy the Gate in any case. I could be wrong on that, of course.

[littlebum2002]

They should know that Team Evil is coming through the same method that OOTS found out; Hinjo should give them a sending. However, it is unlikley that there will be a whole lot they can do. I do not think they will resort to destroying the Gate (if they are indeed in a position to do so), because it would be taking quite a risk.

It's been days since Team Evil teleported to the last gate. If Hinjo hasn't cast Sending by now, he's not going to.

[Keltest]

It's been days since Team Evil teleported to the last gate. If Hinjo hasn't cast Sending by now, he's not going to.

We don't know what either party has been up to since Hinjo sent a Sending to the Order. For all we know, O-chul could have pressed the "Collapse the Dungeon" rune with Xykon and Redcloak inside.

[Breccia]

Question: is "the Snarl" really an antagonist? In what limited evidence we have (most of it narration and second-hand as well), the Snarl's only role is to attack and unmake everything within reach. We have no evidence that it's sentient, and it definitely doesn't seem to be in control of its own destiny. I have a hard time believing it can be fought, either. From what we've seen so far, it just seems like the Snarl is a far more extreme version of "rocks fall, everyone dies".

Back on topic, my opinion:
-- I personally feel that Redcloak is the main villain here. Not only is he thinking the furthest ahead, he has the most power under his direct control. Also, he's working on a direct divine mission, and that's about as strong of a motivation as you can get.
-- Xykon is incredibly dangerous, and could quite possibly go the rest of the strip not knowing he's not really in charge. The topic of "what happens if Xykon is destroyed" has been tossed around a while, and with good reason. But he's not a great planner overall, not compared to Redcloak at least.
-- we're done with Elans's family issues. I'm willing to bet that's now just completely over. Tarquin's been worse than killed, he's been ignored.
-- Hel, I'll admit, is a current wild card. But one that's actually relatively easy to resolve once discovered: the remaining OotS is capable of (especially now) dusting Durkon in a straight-up fight, after which, Hel won't have much left to use. I expect to see that arc dealt with next, followed by the epic showdown.

[hamishspence]

Question: is "the Snarl" really an antagonist? In what limited evidence we have (most of it narration and second-hand as well), the Snarl's only role is to attack and unmake everything within reach. We have no evidence that it's sentient, and it definitely doesn't seem to be in control of its own destiny.

Shojo does describe it as "growing more intelligent - growing more hateful"

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0273.html

How intelligent (and, how reliable is his account), we don't know.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

It's been days since Team Evil teleported to the last gate. If Hinjo hasn't cast Sending by now, he's not going to.

Probably not. I'm betting that he would have done so by now, though (well, technically, Hinjo wouldn't cast it).

[littlebum2002]

Question: is "the Snarl" really an antagonist?

Rich has explicitly stated that it is not. I'll find the quote.

EDIT: Here

EDIT2: There is no one I would rather ninja me about a quote from Rich than the Banana in the Playground.

[Jasdoif]

Rich has explicitly stated that it is not. I'll find the quote.

I believe you're looking for this:

The MacGuffin is not the antagonist. The MacGuffin is the object sought by the antagonist. Narratively speaking, it does not matter what it does—only that the antagonist is willing to kill the protagonist to get it. That is the source of the conflict. It does not matter what is in the rift, it matters who is willing to kill whom to get it, even if they are mistaken about its usefulness. What is in the rift is only important insofar as it may, at some point, change who is willing to kill whom and why. And that IS important, because those details will change the shape of what happens, but not as the source of conflict. The Snarl is not the threat; Xykon is the threat. The Snarl's powers have as much relevance to the quest to get the Snarl as the exact properties of the glowing briefcase have on the plot of Pulp Fiction, or the exact dollar value of the statue in The Maltese Falcon.

[Keltest]

I believe you're looking for this:

Praise the banana!