Fyron's Crown

[Freed]

Okay, so Xykon's crown was an artifact belonging to Fyron, Eugene's master. Xykon stole the Crown simply because it looked cool. But that leaves one question: What does the crown actually do? Does it do anything? Why hasn't Xykon used it? Does he know how to use it? Can he use it? What do you guys think?

[hamishspence]

According to Xykon, it's not magic at all:

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0434.html

[Kish]

There's no reason other than Roy's assumption to think the crown has magic.

I'm pretty sure the point is that Roy, and Eugene before him, assumed the sorcerer who killed Fyron and his never-appearing-on-panel son, while obviously evil, valued life enough that if he committed cold-blooded murder for something it must be an item of power, but no: Xykon, even while alive, would murder on a whim without hesitation. Making the crown actually a magic item detracts from that.

[hamishspence]

According to Durkon, it does do one thing - radiate Evil energy, due to Xykon's own evil "rubbing off":

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0202.html

[Freed]

True, but Fyron was really adamant about not letting Xykon get his hands on it... and it's possible that the crown was always evil....

[Kantaki]

There's no reason other than Roy's assumption to think the crown has magic.

I'm pretty sure the point is that Roy, and Eugene before him, assumed the sorcerer who killed Fyron and his never-appearing-on-panel son, while obviously evil, valued life enough that if he committed cold-blooded murder for something it must be an item of power, but no: Xykon, even while alive, would murder on a whim without hesitation. Making the crown actually a magic item detracts from that.

Well, to be fair to Eugene and Roy (as far as they know) the crown was part of Fyron's collection of magic items and artifacts and Fyron was willing to fight to prevent the theft.
So concluding that it has some kind of powers makes sense.

I mean why should a powerful wizard keep a absolutely mundane crown around and be upset about its theft?
(Ignoring the whole sorcerer-part of the fight for a moment)

Roy even has the excuse that he only had a second hand account of the story. And his father didn't even know what exactly Xykon had taken.
So... Reasonable guess on their part I think.

[Kish]

TIL that resisting something being stolen proves the item being stolen is magical.

[Mightymosy]

On the plus side, it made for one of the most memorable and funny verbal exchanges in the comic.
Here, check it out.
Badass
.....
REALLY badass

Actually, I thought the whole "Quit scratchin up my ride" bit was in there as well, but appaerantly it was in the one before that.

Also, I really liked the one after that when Xykon tried to talk Roy out of the fight.

Xykon showed why he isn't just an evil piece of crap, but unfortunately also a pretty charismatic piece of crap.

I like that the crown is not magical, for the same reason Kish stated, and also because it allowed these cool lines.

[Peelee]

BRB, of to steal some wizard's nonmagical house. I hear they don't much care about things like that.

[Kantaki]

TIL that resisting something being stolen proves the item being stolen is magical.

Well, in this context it is like owning a art collection and starting/provoking a fight over a cheap piece of jewellery.
Someone not knowing what was stolen might assume it was worth more than it is.

Resisting the theft still makes sense, but it can lead a third party to a wrong conclusion about the stolen object.

And of course had the crown been magical- or rather had Big X stolen it because it is -he would be... less xykony.

[martianmister]

If Roy think it's magical, why didn't he ordered Vaarsuvius to identify it? Seems a ridiculously irresponsible thing to do.

[Peelee]

Well, in this context it is like owning a art collection and starting/provoking a fight over a cheap piece of jewellery.
Someone not knowing what was stolen might assume it was worth more than it is.

"Cheap" in this case being relative, I assume. Don't see any commoners running around with crowns.

[Kish]

Also, you're defining not letting someone take your stuff and stroll out with it as "starting/provoking a fight." You do realize that.

[hamishspence]

If Roy think it's magical, why didn't he ordered Vaarsuvius to identify it?

He wasn't interested in it as an item - only as a "trophy".

[Kish]

I also think Roy thought it was magical for about one strip.
1) Xykon's crown! A fitting trophy for my victory over him!
2) This is what you stole from Fyron? Then it's surely magical!
3) No, it's not? You murdered him and his son so you could look more badass? I hate you so much!

[Kantaki]

"Cheap" in this case being relative, I assume. Don't see any commoners running around with crowns.

Of course relative speaking. And exaggerating.
Compared to a collection of priceless magical artifacts the crown would have to be really fancy to qualify for more than that.

And my point is less "Fyron was unreasonable" and more "Going by Fyron's reaction and Eugene's knowledge about his master's stuff Xykon the sorcerer stole a magical thingy from the collection is a reasonable conclusion."

Re:Kish: The way I recall the situation Xykon threatened to start a fight if he wasn't allowed to leave and then Fyron insulted him.
That's what I call starting/provoking a fight.

And... well, if it escalates to the point that someone dies over the equivalent to cheap jewellery then something really went wrong.
That's mostly on our favourite Lich-Sorcerer, but Fyron isn't entirely blameless.

[hroþila]

Re:Kish: The way I recall the situation Xykon threatened to start a fight if he wasn't allowed to leave and then Fyron insulted him.
That's what I call starting/provoking a fight.

You recall wrong. Xykon said he would leave, Fyron said that he'd have to give up what he had stolen first, Xykon refused. Vehemently and with threats.

[Kantaki]

You recall wrong. Xykon said he would leave, Fyron said that he'd have to give up what he had stolen first, Xykon refused. Vehemently and with threats.

I just reread the sequence to check how it went.
Mostly to see how off I was...
-Xykon tries to leave peacefully.
-Fyron insist on getting his trinket back.
-Xykon threatens him.
-Fyron starts to Insult Xykon and sorcerers in general.
-They fight. Fyron is a zombie, Xykon leaves with his price(s)
-In the aftermath Eugene can't tell what was taken, but assumes it was a magical object.

So yeah, Xykon clearly opened the fight- and is in the wrong anyway because of stealing, murder and zombification -but Fyron definitely provoked it with his insults.

[martianmister]

Also, he somehow murdered Fyron's son.

[Rogar Demonblud]

I wonder if the crown was some kind of memento, with a value other than GP or 'MAGIC!'.

Maybe Fyron was ravished by a wild princess in his youth?

[Kantaki]

Also, he somehow murdered Fyron's son.

Can't comment on stuff that happened offscreen and that we only have a third-hand account of.
Did anyone involved in that scene even knew that happened? At the time I mean.
Because if Fyron did it doesn't make him look very good.

[Jasdoif]

Can't comment on stuff that happened offscreen and that we only have a third-hand account of.
Did anyone involved in that scene even knew that happened? At the time I mean.
Because if Fyron did it doesn't make him look very good.

I would advise against assuming Fyron was killed after his son

[Keltest]

Obviously, Fyron is his own son.

[ti'esar]

I really do hope that we someday get an explanation of what's up with Fyron's son.

[Kantaki]

I would advise against assuming Fyron was killed after his son

So Xykon murdered and zombiefied Fyron, teleported away with zombie and shiny and then returned to murder his son?

On a second thought that sounds like him.

But the thought that Eugene completely ignored that there was a dead body lying around is funny too.
[steps over dead body]„Master Fyron I brought dinner.”
[Overlooks dead body in Master Fyron’s study]„I wonder what kind of artifact that sorcerer-guy stole...”

[Mightymosy]

The son is the crown. He is a lich and the crown is his phylactery

[Kish]

I really do hope that we someday get an explanation of what's up with Fyron's son.

I think we will. If Rich was going to retcon him, he would have not had Roy mention him last time he brought the subject up.

[Peelee]

Obviously, Fyron is his own son.

Headcanon'd

[martianmister]

What if Eugene killed him because of jealousy and then blamed Xykon.

[SaintRidley]

It is entirely possible Fyron's son tried to gank Xykon independent of Eugene's paltry efforts and died that way.