OOTS #1108 - The Discussion Thread

[The Giant]

New comic is up.

[Fish]

Hmm, fascinating.

It explains why she did not succeed in contacting him; and also provided an explanation that he may not have desired to contact her in return. And Durkula may not be aware she was even trying, if Durkon hadn’t been aware either.

[BLAHMASTER]

Thanks! :)

[10d10]

This confirm that Kudzu isn't Durkon's kid? Since the kid is 50% Durkon, you'd think they could use Kudzu as a focus instead of leftover vampire bite residue...

[Fitzclowningham]

I don't know why they don't just cast Follow the Trail of (un-)Dead Dwarves. Thought this update might have more oomph to it, considering.

[Keltest]

This confirm that Kudzu isn't Durkon's kid? Since the kid is 50% Durkon, you'd think they could use Kudzu as a focus instead of leftover vampire bite residue...

I'm kind of guessing that any part of Durkon that was used in making the kid ceased to be part of Durkon once Kudzu was born, on account of being part of Kudzu.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

This confirm that Kudzu isn't Durkon's kid? Since the kid is 50% Durkon, you'd think they could use Kudzu as a focus instead of leftover vampire bite residue...

No, Kudzu is 100% Kudzu. This is not about looking for DNA.

ETA: Roy could score some loyalty pints from Hilgya by pointing out that Loki is the primary representative of the vote Greg is trying to subvert.

GW

[Peelee]

I very rarely say this, but Belkar is my favorite this strip.

[Dogcula]

Well that is a disturbing gross development. Having enough vampire juice floating around in your blood to use it to scry...euch.

[Havelocke]

That does make sense why she couldn't find him without divine intervention. Kudzu wouldn't work since he is his own entity. I wonder if the Vampire's consciousness is what is causing her to have difficulty finding him. Durkon is still Durkon albeit dead. Not sure if scrying requires the person to have a pulse.

[2D8HP]

"Narrative abhors a vacuum"

Words to live by!



So planning to use that line!

[ohkwarig]

New comic is up.

It looks like "vacuum" is misspelled "vaccuum". I think if I were writing without spell check, I'd make much worse mistakes.

[Murk]

I very rarely say this, but Belkar is my favorite this strip.

I have a feeling Kudzu will be my favourite every strip he's in.

[Mordokai]

I was close to posting a semi sarcastic/semi inquisitive topic if we're going to see another comic this year.

Glad to see Rich beating me to the punch Happy holidays to ye all!

[The Giant]

It looks like "vacuum" is misspelled "vaccuum". I think if I were writing without spell check, I'd make much worse mistakes.

Typo fixed. Also, I forgot they were using the Light spell in the darkness, so that's added.

[Bluepaw]

Kudos for envisioning the vampiric blood drain like a mosquito's saliva injection... adds that extra horrifying je ne sais quois...

[Jaxzan Proditor]

I’m with Haley on even the less unpleasant option. Ewwww. But it is nice that the Order has a little bit more of a plan.

[Goblin_Priest]

And here I thought she was gonna say "the baby has some of his blood so he served as focus".

Am I missing something, I don't really understand why she wasn't able to locate him before.

[Doug Lampert]

Hmm, fascinating.

It explains why she did not succeed in contacting him; and also provided an explanation that he may not have desired to contact her in return. And Durkula may not be aware she was even trying, if Durkon hadn’t been aware either.

Not really, try an average of 20 times and a +arbitrarily high will save still fails once.

And here I thought she was gonna say "the baby has some of his blood so he served as focus".

Am I missing something, I don't really understand why she wasn't able to locate him before.

DNA may not even exist in the D&D world, and there's no actual blood from the father in a child.

[Peelee]

And here I thought she was gonna say "the baby has some of his blood so he served as focus".

Am I missing something, I don't really understand why she wasn't able to locate him before.

If the baby could serve as a focus, she would have found him soon as the baby was born, most likely. Possibly as soon as she found out she was pregnant, depending on how she can channel it.

Anyway, she couldn't locate him before because in Stickworld,* the scrying spell is resisted by the subject's subconscious mind. Durkon's uptight rule-worshiping little brain is apparently perfectly capable of keeping Hilgya from getting a fix on him.

Not really, try an average of 20 times and a +arbitrarily high will save still fails once.

Statistically, yes. Realistically, not necessarily. In the story, clearly not in Hilgya's case.

*Thanks, Doug Lampert!

[Doug Lampert]

If the baby could serve as a focus, she would have found him soon as the baby was born, most likely. Possibly as soon as she found out she was pregnant, depending on how she can channel it.

Anyway, she couldn't locate him before because in Stickworld, the scrying spell is resisted by the subject's subconscious mind. Durkon's uptight rule-worshiping little brain is apparently perfectly capable of keeping Hilgya from getting a fix on him.

Scrying is "Saving Throw: Will negates"
There's a -10 modifier to the save if the person scrying has a body part.

[HUMVEE Driver]

Finally! It's really super to peruse again Giant's enterprise!

[Sniffnoy]

Hm. Would whatever was blocking scrying have also blocked sending? Wondering if something else is going on here.

[factotum]

Would whatever was blocking scrying have also blocked sending?

I doubt it. Hilgya isn't really after starting up any sort of conversation with Durkon, though, so why would she Send anything to him? To her mind that would just warn him she's coming and give him time to prepare.

[a1chemi]

Statistically, yes. Realistically, not necessarily. In the story, clearly not in Hilgya's case.

She could also only attempt once every 24 hours, so she couldn't exactly spam it.

[The DeathKnight]

Do... Vampire 's even have siliva?

[Ron Miel]

So, if Durkon can block scrying because he's Lawful, why didn't she try locating Belkar or Elan?

[Herr Doktor]

Yay! A strip before the New Year. BTW, just noticed that Kudzu has a little beard. Do dwarf babies have beards already? Cute, though.

[ratfox]

Wow! I think the comic got posted while I was catching up with Astérix and Obélix on the previous thread.

Good to see Hilgya has a good head under the horned helmet! I wonder what's her intelligence stats. She's going to be a very nice addition to the team.

I have to say, though: it's been *how long* since Durkula fed on Haley? Over 100 strips? That's a very long shot for maybe-vampire-have-something-like-saliva to still be in the body.

I mean, I don't know how much time it is in-comic. It might be hours; for us it's been a year and a half... But I guess narrative abhors a vacuum

[Stabbey]

Well if using Haley as a scrying medium fails, they'll just fall back to Plan A - wander around aimlessly until stumbling onto the plot.