OOTS #1107 - The Discussion Thread

[goodpeople25]

Probably didn't want her kid to end up becoming a Pokémon Professor.

*goodpeople25 used overthinking!
I don't think that would actually work, there are at least a couple professors named after other plants. (Ivy is from the anime, but Burnet even crossed over to S&M from her Dream Radar.)

[Draconi Redfir]

Oh so, Hilgya is just delusional and stupid then. Greaaaaaaat.

I mean, first she is delusional and stupid about the first husband, which she wanted to get away from, and now she is equally stupid about the guy to help take care of her child, even though the one she left seems not that bad compared to a guy who is a vampire and needs to be brought back to life to save the world.

I'm not feeling really sympathetic towards her. she is just hypocritical now. and I went back and checked, she was the one who ran away from HIM after he was just talking about how he feels about the situation and explaining why he wasn't ok with it. I mean really girl, he is an adventurer. you met him in a dungeon while he was on a big quest to fight a high level lich, AND from what I've been rereading, YOU WERE THE ONE COMING ONTO HIM! Then you left, didn't tell him sooner because y'know, you could've just paid a wizard to send you a message or something as soon you found out you were pregnant instead of trying to pray to Loki, and you knew that since he was adventurer he would be constantly traveling about, wouldn't be freely available to just go back to the same place to let him know, because y'know, adventurer stuff.

this situation is honestly entirely of her own making. you dug this hole Hilgya, your the one who took all those stupid risks, Durkon was just the guy who was trying to stick to the job given him to by his god and his people no matter how much he doesn't like it, and along you came along and was like, the first dwarf lass he seen in five years? like giving someone in the desert an oasis....

well too be fair, she's (most likely) evil. and probably had a long period of time between then and now. looots of time to convince herself that he was the one in the wrong, and that she wasn't guilty of any of it.

trust me, it happens. i have both been, and been the subject too, someone who has done that.

[Scowling Dragon]

This is still aggressively stupid. If the rigorous motion won't kill the child (Assuming that a single blow or unlucky trip doesn't):
Why, o WHY would you carry the child: IN THE FRONT. Making using weapons difficult, and making shielding the child difficult as well.

And yes, take the child into the danger zone not, out of it. Just pure brilliance.

[Doug Lampert]

I heard cows weren't thorough enough, and it needed goats.

We've got a field near here with cattle next to a field covered in kudzu.

It's easy to tell EXACTLY how far over the fence a cow can reach her head... Because that's where the kudzu STOPS.

There's a strip of grass near that fence on the kudzu side. Goats rip out roots, they may well kill kudzu faster than cattle, but cattle can keep kudzu from getting established quite well and will drive it back given half a chance.

Edited to add: Kudzu was deliberately introduced to the USA. It was supposed to help stabilize embankments and the like, which it does. This was a cure worse than the disease.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Well, if flaws and bad decisions lead to a character dying, then I'd have to say the odds of Hilgya coming out of this alive just got longer. Lots longer.

[Elkad]

This is still aggressively stupid. If the rigorous motion won't kill the child (Assuming that a single blow or unlucky trip doesn't):
Why, o WHY would you carry the child: IN THE FRONT. Making using weapons difficult, and making shielding the child difficult as well.

And yes, take the child into the danger zone not, out of it. Just pure brilliance.

Front&Center means you have direct eyesight and both hands to defend him.

[ReturnOfTheKing]

That last panel made me laugh harder than I've laughed in what feels like months! Thanks, Rich

[Bob_McSurly]

Hilygia's comment in panel 5 makes me think that she doesn't have enough levels in knowledge (religion) to know how vampires work in this setting.

[PopeLinus1]

This issue of the Baby Sitters Club: Stacy makes a big mistake about gambling, and learns an important lesson. Meanwhile the rest of the club experiences a not-at-all government encoureged lesson about drugs, and all learn about responsibility, hug at the end and remind each other that they are their best freinds. They then begin braiding each other’s Hair
Next issue: Stacy learns that somepeople lock their windows, and that shattered glass hurts.

[3WhiteFox3]

well too be fair, she's (most likely) evil. and probably had a long period of time between then and now. looots of time to convince herself that he was the one in the wrong, and that she wasn't guilty of any of it.

trust me, it happens. i have both been, and been the subject too, someone who has done that.

I also think that she's also projecting somewhat, she presumably spends most of her time dealing with Chaotic people, so that's the kind of behavior she expects.

The Church of Loki also probably doesn't have many good things to say about the worshipers of Thor. So her beliefs would have been reinforced by an already negative bias.

[Jasdoif]

Hilygia's comment in panel 5 makes me think that she doesn't have enough levels in knowledge (religion) to know how vampires work in this setting.

Exceedingly few people in the setting know how vampires work.

[eilandesq]

--I hope young Kudzu has improved evasion and some decent DEX save bonuses, or this will end badly;

--I have to agree with those who don't feel too sorry for Hilgya given that as a middle level cleric she had abundant resources for tracking down Durkon long ago, including Scrying and Commune if she's at least 9th level, and Greater Scrying and Wind Walk if she's at least 13th level. Durkon may have sent her away, but if she had wanted to track him down and make him aware of her condition and her anger, she had more than adequate means of doing so;

--can we just take the loud hint from The Giant that one of Loki's domains allows his clerics to turn undead and dispense with further discussion of the "clerics of evil gods can't turn undead!" issue?

[The MunchKING]

This is still aggressively stupid. If the rigorous motion won't kill the child (Assuming that a single blow or unlucky trip doesn't):
Why, o WHY would you carry the child: IN THE FRONT. Making using weapons difficult, and making shielding the child difficult as well.

And yes, take the child into the danger zone not, out of it. Just pure brilliance.

Abjurations! Nothing safer. :D

This issue of the Baby Sitters Club: Stacy makes a big mistake about gambling, and learns an important lesson.

If she really does have a flush, that's pretty good. If they aren't cheating that's a pretty likely to win hand. Not high enough I'D bet a baby on it, but I'm not a Loki cleric.

[Algeh]

I've been finding myself reading this comic (and the previous one) through twice: once to see what's going on with the plot, and then once again just to see what the baby is doing while everyone else is doing plot stuff.

[3WhiteFox3]

--I hope young Kudzu has improved evasion and some decent DEX save bonuses, or this will end badly;

--I have to agree with those who don't feel too sorry for Hilgya given that as a middle level cleric she had abundant resources for tracking down Durkon long ago, including Scrying and Commune if she's at least 9th level, and Greater Scrying and Wind Walk if she's at least 13th level. Durkon may have sent her away, but if she had wanted to track him down and make him aware of her condition and her anger, she had more than adequate means of doing so;

--can we just take the loud hint from The Giant that one of Loki's domains allows his clerics to turn undead and dispense with further discussion of the "clerics of evil gods can't turn undead!" issue?

According to the Class and Level Geekery thread, Durkon is currently level 14.

[Aeliren]

Plot twist: "Durkon Thundershield" is to dwarves what "John Smith" is to humans.

[Bob_McSurly]

Exceedingly few people in the setting know how vampires work.

Oh. Well, thanks for the info.

[Jay R]

Plot twist: "Durkon Thundershield" is to dwarves what "John Smith" is to humans.

A lovely theory. Unfortunately, we already know that:

He really is the Durkon Thundershield she's looking for, and
At least one dwarf thinks that he is positively identified by his name.

[Deliverance]

Plot twist: "Durkon Thundershield" is to dwarves what "John Smith" is to humans.

You mean a name that while it might be in common use in some culturally affiliated areas of the world holding only a small portion of the world's total population of humans, is rare in the human population as a whole? I can see why you think they would be similar.

[Jasdoif]

You mean a name that while it might be in common use in some culturally affiliated areas of the world holding only a small portion of the world's total population of humans, is rare in the human population as a whole? I can see why you think they would be similar.

Hey, the dwarven nation could easily be a culturally affiliated area of the world!

[ManuelSacha]

Ugh.
She's irrationally vengeful, she's irrationally jealous, she's judgemental, she's stubborn to the point of endangering her own child, she jumps to conclusions, she makes up her own truths despite all evidence... and she likes "Kudzu".
Hylgia is one of those.
Suddenly, all my enthusiasm has faded.

PS: Also? "Tunn unn deh! Tunn unn deh!"

[Windscion]

Kudzu would make an awesome babe magnet. I want to adopt him, and I'm a misanthropic bachelor. (I promise I'm not a Thor worshipper.)

[Hardcore]

I predict they get old Durkon killed and resurrected. Next he will want to marry Hilgya because of Duty and all that. Maybe they will be happy in the end.
(Of course she would need a divorce first. Should not be that hard with her proven lack fidelity and all.)

[a_flemish_guy]

you know, I almost forgot that she used to run with nale

I guess it takes one to tolerate one

[NihhusHuotAliro]

Clearly, the solution to "how do I protect my baby son" is to kill the baby and get a wizard to, in the crucial time just after death, reanimate the body and trap the soul in a gem, and then hide the zombie and gem in an undisclosed safe location until whatever you need to do has been done, and then get another wizard to release the soul and get a cleric to do the resurrection. It's just like hitting "pause" on life, so your children don't have to grow up or have any experiences without you.

[Bob_McSurly]

Clearly, the solution to "how do I protect my baby son" is to kill the baby and get a wizard to, in the crucial time just after death, reanimate the body and trap the soul in a gem, and then hide the zombie and gem in an undisclosed safe location until whatever you need to do has been done, and then get another wizard to release the soul and get a cleric to do the resurrection. It's just like hitting "pause" on life, so your children don't have to grow up or have any experiences without you.

But...but... Loki teaches us that lo, zombies are totally icky.

[8BitNinja]

Well, I guess the Church of Loki has the same childcare policies as your average babysitting center. I see nothing to worry about.

[Syldar]

Soooo, I see that last panel and all I can think is, what's the over under on Belkar having impregnated Jenny with a bouncing baby quarterling?

Doubt it, since Jenny’s at the table and isn’t the one betting the kid.

[goodpeople25]

Doubt it, since Jenny’s at the table and isn’t the one betting the kid.

Well yeah it's very doubtful for numerous reasons, the scenario it brings to my mind (you leave your kid with a cleric and she shows up at the specific poker game you're attending and then proceeds to add your baby to the pot) is absurd enough that it kinda matches/adds to the scene.

[Dagny]

So her M.O. is to strap her baby to her chest and carry it into battle? I guess she must have come from a dwarf fortress.