Belkar's End

[Lord Stoneheart]

Yes, strip #469, he took no damage from his emergency chamber pot's fire attack which means he made his reflex saving throw and has evasion much to his surprise.
He probaly made others in other strips but i can't remember for sure and you can't always tell but this one is clear.

It's will saves that Belkar never makes. It's probably the result of his abysmal wisdom.

[Synesthesy]

Well, we know that Belkar will die, and we know that death can mean a lot of things, and that we need something that isn't alive to break Durkon's shield.....

[Lord Stoneheart]

Well, we know that Belkar will die, and we know that death can mean a lot of things, and that we need something that isn't alive to break Durkon's shield.....

How long does the barrier last? Because to create an undead wouldn't necessarily be super quick. And Belkar's not even in the same room. He's actually a long way down the mountain.

In any case, all the stuff the Oracle said about Belkar's death seems to imply that he won't just come back as undead. (He's not long for this world, he shouldn't bother funding his IRA, etc...). I'm pretty sure when Belkar dies, his death will be quite final.

[Synesthesy]

How long does the barrier last? Because to create an undead wouldn't necessarily be super quick. And Belkar's not even in the same room. He's actually a long way down the mountain.

In any case, all the stuff the Oracle said about Belkar's death seems to imply that he won't just come back as undead. (He's not long for this world, he shouldn't bother funding his IRA, etc...). I'm pretty sure when Belkar dies, his death will be quite final.

Just to know, I still think that Belkar won't die at all.

But the way Durkula said 'alive' was surely written for us to think that now something that isn't alive will save the day.

Roy can just resolve the problem alone with his intelligence score as he did with Thog, like throwing his sword.
And the words 'next phase' show us that Durkula won't die here, his arc is not done. So, maybe 'alive' is a way to make us think to sexy undead god of war.

[Bulldog Psion]

Just as a random idea, what if something like this happens:

Belkar returns to the scene and sees the demigod priests going along with an undead Stoner ushering them. He attacks and kills them all, thinking they're allies of Lurky (which, in a way, they are).

The priests don't show up, but Belkar does. The duration on Lurky's anti-life shell starts giving out.

To avoid being killed (which will prevent his vote being counted AND prevent him taking the final gate and destroying it), Lurky flees the room. While this nullifies his vote, it still leaves him free to try to take the gate, wreck it, and force the gods' hand anyway.

Lurky takes off with the Undead Stoners (except the one Belkar killed) and rampages through Dwarven lands on his way to the final gate.

[Souhiro]

ROY has survived even worse in the last times, and he's some levels behind Belkar. Having him dying such an insificant death would be just WASTING

[Dumah333]

In strip #435, Belkar's pseudo-conscience demons state that he's got a slaad knocking around in his noggin. I'm unfamiliar with slaads, but I don't think it's gonna just sit by while its host bites it.

[Lord Stoneheart]

In strip #435, Belkar's pseudo-conscience demons state that he's got a slaad knocking around in his noggin. I'm unfamiliar with slaads, but I don't think it's gonna just sit by while its host bites it.

Huh? It's not an actual slaad in there though. it's just the chaotic equivalent to a shoulder devil. We see Elan's shoulder slaad earlier on. http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0068.html

I mean, it's not the worst advice in free fall.

[KorvinStarmast]

We see Elan's shoulder slaad earlier on. http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0068.html

I mean, it's not the worst advice in free fall.

It's one of the better strips Rich wrote, IMO, as it pokes fun at alignment paradigms so concisely.

[notthedog]

If I remember correctly wasn't Belkars path during his fall "corkscrewing" and he looked more frustrated and bored than fearfull. I think he has a magic item like the previously mentioned cloak that has a featherfall spell on it. Or at least that is how I read it.

Just reread it, yes he is glowing yellow and descending in a "spiral dive", looks like featherfall to me.

[dmc91356]

Actually, a featherfall item (cloak clasp or something else) makes complete sense. Belkar had no reason to expect any other means of travel other than the Mechane, and HPOH has already caused him to jump off twice. I would think it would be perfectly rational for Belkar to buy something with featherfall.

Nice theory, I like it.

[notthedog]

Thanks DMC, I just double checked the comics between the magic items shopping trip and Belkars fall, didn't see V or any other casters cast that or any other spells on panel. Adds a bit of weight to my theory. For all we know Belkar could have had this (likely stolen) item for years and didn't mention or use it till now.

[jere7my]

If I remember correctly wasn't Belkars path during his fall "corkscrewing" and he looked more frustrated and bored than fearfull. I think he has a magic item like the previously mentioned cloak that has a featherfall spell on it. Or at least that is how I read it.

Just reread it, yes he is glowing yellow and descending in a "spiral dive", looks like featherfall to me.

The yellow glow comes from his Protection from Evil clasp. You can see it just beginning to glow as he activates it in the fourth panel of 996.

[notthedog]

Agreed Jeremy the yellow glow during Belkars fall (996) is the same colour as the glow from the protection from evil clasp (969). Which should be answer enough, except for comic 960, where Durula dominates Belkar and commands him to jump of the airship, and Roy rescues him with a crane. Maybe he had the featherfall item then and that is why he survived and remained within the airships crane reach. Alternatively 960 could be an example of absurdist humour.

We will know soon enough I bet

[brian 333]

We all knew it was coming. What none of us saw was that it would end without a dramatic death scene, including posthumous gratuitous insult. It ended when the Belkster was beaten by Durkula. He fell off the cliff. Sometimes you fail the big saving throw.

I hope I'm wrong.

Apparently I was wrong too.

[Nightcanon]

Apparently I was wrong too.

I see that some folk here picked out a Featherfall item of some sort as a possible solution, though.

[gken1]

Long live Belkar.

[notthedog]

I am just glad he is still alive, Happy Holidays everyone.

[StLordeth]

Apparently I was wrong too.

Yeah but this forum would be pretty boring without all the theories shot around tbh.