Will Save World for Gold

[Lizard Lord]

So it would seem Odie will be resolving his plotline BECAUSE he died. Is it just me or does that decrease his chances of coming back?

[wobner]

So it would seem Odie will be resolving his plotline BECAUSE he died. Is it just me or does that decrease his chances of coming back?

I'm guessing the plotline in question, much like elle's, will have some connection to Ardon, likely neccessitating his return. I mean he was connected to Dire even. but thats just a guess.

[eschmenk]

So it would seem Odie will be resolving his plotline BECAUSE he died. Is it just me or does that decrease his chances of coming back?

I think once things are resolved, he will find out that he is needed in the living world and will return to it. Since the possibility of additional raise dead attempts was mentioned, I expect that to happen.

[ImperatorV]

...Well. Words. Bleh.

Ardon+Nightmare Spirit is a truly scary villain. They enable each other to become... Well, that update sums it up pretty well. I wonder if Ell will figure it out before it's too late for her as well.

[Draconi Redfir]

Well... yup. that's a thing alright.

[wobner]

Guess i was completely wrong.

Is groffnar trapped by the nightmare spirit as well then?

[Douglas]

Guess i was completely wrong.

Is groffnar trapped by the nightmare spirit as well then?

I'd guess it needed the link of Odivallus being under the nightmare-dominate power when he died to pull this off, in which case Groffnar is in his normal afterlife. For him, the problem was that no one but Ardon knew where his body went.

[Anteros]

That was significantly darker than expected. I wonder what Ardon would do if he knew. Probably nothing, but then why is the nightmare spirit keeping it a secret?

[The Glyphstone]

There's a slim possibility this is just a Halloween joke from LSN, maybe? That this isn't actually canon?

[Shadowcaller]

There's a slim possibility this is just a Halloween joke from LSN, maybe? That this isn't actually canon?

A double page spread for a Halloween joke which has never been done before in the series?
I think that idea would be grasping at straws.

[The Glyphstone]

A double page spread for a Halloween joke which has never been done before in the series?
I think that idea would be grasping at straws.

I'll grasp at those straws all I like, thank you.

[Ibrinar]

Well I guess ardon isn't soulless anymore.

[Kantaki]

Well, that's depressing.

And I guess it answers the question whether we will get Odi back.

[eschmenk]

Well, that's depressing.

And I guess it answers the question whether we will get Odi back.

It does?

It was suggested that the raise dead spell might not have worked because Odi didn't want to come back. Now he would probably want to do so, but they would need to make another raise dead attempt. Also, it may be that the nightmare spirit is preventing it from working, but maybe they will eventually find a way around that. I think Odi will come back eventually, but there may have to be a number of things that happen before he can.

[Ibrinar]

It almost ensures that he comes back, yes.* Before there was some chance that it didn't work because he either doesn't want to come back or some other reason and that might not have been resolved though it likely would have. Now he is in a bad situation and he won't stay in it permanently so afterward there is no reason for the ritual not to work. The question is just when.

*Or he fuses with Ardon into Ardodi with Ardons ruthless planning and Odis.. not being a sociopath? I guess there is also a super small chance that they free him and he goes on into the afterlife but that chance is way less than 1%.

[Kantaki]

I'm not so sure Odi'll be back.
Didn't the Nightmare Spirit eat souls or something like that?

And even if it's not that extreme, getting Odi back would require dealing with the Nightmare Spirit, with requires dealing with Ardon.

Which I don't think will happen very soon.
He has to move into outright antagonist territory first for one.
And even then he might last a while.

[Ibrinar]

Well it took his soul into itself. I don't know if the nightmare spirit then also digests the soul but it doesn't really matter for one of the protagonist in a situation like this to et his soul destroyed or even just not eventually saved from suffering would be really really rare in a story (though eventually can be at the climax of the story I guess). Honestly at the moment I can't remember any story where someone from the main group doesn't get saved in such a situation (I don't really read horror where that probably happens more often), when main group people die it is usually relatively quick in a climatic scene (or sometimes quick and surprising depends on the type of author) getting in bad long term situations (especially when we are shown any of the situation), even if already dead, is almost always a setup for getting saved or escaping for main cast members. It is possible if rare for someone to get saved but die at that point but he is already dead so unless his soul does get destroye he should be fin.

As for conflict with Ardon, honestly I expect more that once the situation somehow comes to light there will be conflict with him but ultimately he will cooperate in taking care of the spirit.

[Kantaki]

Well, Odi was removed from the banner when other dead characters weren't.
Adding that to the new information about the whereabouts of his soul that points towards him not coming back- or if he comes back then towards the end of the story.

Sure, I hope Odi will be back, but currently I wouldn't bet on it.
But if pessimism has one advantage then that you can be positively surprised.

[wobner]

I'd guess it needed the link of Odivallus being under the nightmare-dominate power when he died to pull this off, in which case Groffnar is in his normal afterlife. For him, the problem was that no one but Ardon knew where his body went.

If thats the way it works, then aren't Hragnash and Torrin likely in there with Odi? although Torrin died off screen and Hragnash wasn't technically under at the exact moment he died. It makes sense that he would be eating as much as possible though, whatever the rules are.
At the very least i expect he ate Torrin, now that i know he can eat people, and was likely why he pushed Ardon so hard to kill him.

[Hamste]

If thats the way it works, then aren't Hragnash and Torrin likely in there with Odi? although Torrin died off screen and Hragnash wasn't technically under at the exact moment he died. It makes sense that he would be eating as much as possible though, whatever the rules are.
At the very least i expect he ate Torrin, now that i know he can eat people, and was likely why he pushed Ardon so hard to kill him.

I figure the nightmare spirit does have other souls that it is torturing for fear food but it keeps them segregated to keep them from planning an escape or getting solace from each other. Torrin and Hragnash probably are in there but we just don't see them.

It is also possible it is related to the Ardon's fear. If Ardon was afraid of what Odi would do now that he knew, the nightmare spirit took advantage of that to take the soul?

[recneps]

Here's my prediction: The Nightmare Spirit will break out, ending Ardon's deception regarding it. The reason it was unable to leave Ardon after it tried to possess him is that it was currently too weak.. If it gathers the souls of those he kills, then he's gaining strength. If he gains enough strength, he'll be able to burst out of Ardon. Alternatively, he may be serious about actually working with Ardon. Ardon is shifting towards more Nightmare Spirit-like morality. Except in that case, why would the NS hide Odi's situation from Ardon? Why not tell him, if he's seriously working with him?

And as for Ardon.. I don't have any serious evidenced predictions. Except I do hope he doesn't just become a recurring villain like - Oh, dang, it didn't do the thing - did. He's been one of the main characters from the start, introduced in the second comic. He's arguably the central character of the entire story. I hope he is successful in his endeavors, be they Good or Evil.. And I must say I've liked him more and more through his descent.

[Celestia]

New banner makes me think Tuvi is probably temporary. Well, more temporary than otherwise.

[ImperatorV]

As meta as the evolving banner is, I feel like it would potentially cause spoilers for new readers. What with Ardon's red eyes and Odi not being in the banner.

[Celestia]

As meta as the evolving banner is, I feel like it would potentially cause spoilers for new readers. What with Ardon's red eyes and Odi not being in the banner.

Possibly, but not likely. Right now, none of the other main characters are in it, just Ardon and Tuvi. Thus, Odi's disappearance is entirely inconspicuous. After all, how will a new reader possibly know that Odi used to be in It? Tuvi also does not spoil much. All it tells people is that there is a character named Tuvi who eventually joins the story. That doesn't spoil anything. Ardon's eyes also don't mean anything to a new person as there could be any number of possible reasons for it. Most likely, a new reader will just attribute it to Ardon's constantly changing class features that used to be a big thing.

It's really not bad. Now, the last banner that had everyone except Odi? Yeah, that one probably was too much.

[SZbNAhL]

Right now, none of the other main characters are in it, just Ardon and Tuvi.

Elle, Peanut and Fortyfive are on there too, just really small.

[Celestia]

Elle, Peanut and Fortyfive are on there too, just really small.

By golly, you're right!

[Anteros]

Well, so far I like her. I just hope he's not being introduced just so Ardon can show us how Eeeeevil he is again later.

[Hamste]

Do you think she was chosen because of how much of an opposite she is to Odie? Not only do they not seem to share a single physical feature but she is melee, over prepared, listens to Ardon a lot, read the contract and is an optimist. I don't think she could be more opposed to Odie if she tried.

Also is 17 in all her defences good? It sounds low for AC even for a 3rd level let alone a 7th but I only know 3.5.

[Celestia]

Well, she was specifically recruited by Ardon who definitely hated Odi the most. Even if he didn't intentionally look for an opposite, it makes sense that he'd gravitate towards one.

[Leewei]

... Also is 17 in all her defences good? It sounds low for AC even for a 3rd level let alone a 7th but I only know 3.5.

She said her defenses were all "17 or higher". She also mentioned having a 16 in Strength and Dexterity.

At level 3, her NADs would start at 10 + 1 (lvl/2) + 1 (Monk) = 12. She'd presumably start with three +1 items (lvl 2/3/4).

Both Fort and Refl would be at 15. Will would be at 14, assuming she had a 14 in either Wis or Cha. (This seems fair; she has a lot of stat points left with 16s, and would have a racial +2 to Str or Wis.)

A neck item would boost these to 16/16/15. Improved Defenses would boost these to 17/17/16.

Stone Fist monastic tradition would further improve Will by +1 for a total of 17.

AC would be 10 + 1 (lvl/2) + 2 (Unarmored Defense) + 1 (Enhancement) + 3 (Dex) = 17.

This build leaves her with one feat. Unarmored Agility would boost AC to 19. Versatile Expertise improves her attacks. As a striker, expertise makes more sense, but the rest of her build looks fairly lackluster. (Specifically, Dex 16 hurts her ability to hit things and to defend herself.) Unarmored Agility is the less optimal option, and she's proud of her defenses. Until given cause to believe otherwise, I'm guessing her AC is 19, and she whiffs constantly in battle.