OOTS #1112 - The Discussion Thread

[Doug Lampert]

And que the countless pages and threads dedicated to debating what evil hijinks the vampiress and her host are planning.
Also, did she just ask Durkula out?

She definitely asked Greg out. They can at least share lunch if they unlive that long.

[DaOldeWolf]

I wonder if this is set up for things to come. It sounds important but I just dont know how....

[Rhasimir]

Can I bring a Rabi and a sacrificial chicken?

[Alaska Fan]

What is the spell Ponchula casts on No-Name in panel #7?

[hroþila]

She definitely asked Greg out. They can at least share lunch if they unlive that long.

Can't a girl suggest any activity without people taking it for a romantic move?

[The_Weirdo]

Can't a girl suggest any activity without people taking it for a romantic move?

Yeah! Besides, their love is evil, unnatural and an abomination!

I mean, she's human, he's a dwarf!

[Grey Watcher]

What is the spell Ponchula casts on No-Name in panel #7?

I'm gonna guess one of the Inflict Wounds series of spells or something else that heals undead.

[gatemansgc]

don't forget the title, too. "1112 And Maybe a Change of Shoes". so a poncho and a change of shoes. hmm...

[Chei]

I like the bit of characterization from Ponchola and her host. I'm glad they're getting to be friends for a short time, and even taking Durkon* along for a bloodbath.

I agree with folks saying she's seemed like the most independent of the new vampire clergy - maybe she was enthralled to a vampire that got killed at the moot, or maybe she was too high level to raise as a thrall even with Durkon* and Ex-arch.

[CoffeeIncluded]

That's actually really interesting. I wonder if the female vampire sometimes gives control back to her host, because it definitely seems like they're a tag team.

[ThisIsNotDan]

Is anyone here good enough at cryptograms to be able to decode the names on the Wall of Very Rich Donors? If there is any plot relevance to this scene, it's gotta be in those names. It looks like they are written with very intentionally-chosen non-English characters.

[Dagny]

I dunno--he doesn't look like a man whose clever plan has just started coming together in panel 6, he looks like someone who's beaten.

Right, but in Panel 8 Durkula describes a scenario where the host pretends to feel one way while actually feeling another. I think it's probable that Durkon is pretending to be defeated so that Durkula doesn't catch on to his plan. (Which would imply that Durkon is becoming more sophisticated in his deceptions, since on previous occasions he's been openly smug about it.)

Otherwise, what would be the importance of this strip? We've already had strips establishing that memories can't be used to distract the vampire from what it's doing in the outside world--strips where Durkon is actually defeated in such attempts. And Rich doesn't tend to publish strips that don't meaningfully contribute to plot or character development in some way, so I don't think he's just reiterating the point here. My reading is that this was a critically important memory that Durkon, for whatever reason, wants the vampire to think is irrelevant.

[Chei]

That's actually really interesting. I wonder if the female vampire sometimes gives control back to her host, because it definitely seems like they're a tag team.

I'd imagine not, given what Durkon* has said so far about the lack of bodily function in the corpse. He's an evil spirit driving the corpse around like a stagecoach powered by magic. I don't think living spirits can do that.

That said, the woman's spirit is clearly involved at the highest levels of decision-making for the vampire, to the point where it feels more like an interesting symbiosis than parasitism. I wonder how different the woman and her vampire spirit actually are, given that Durkon and Durkon* are like night and day.

[unbeliever536]

I really don't want to know why a poncho would be a good idea ;)

I honestly cannot think of how Durkon's memories are going to mess with Durkula, but it seems pretty clear that they are going to at some point. I mean, I guess it's possible that Rich is just showing us them to keep some reader connection with actual Durkon, I suppose.

I'm looking forward to seeing it, though ;)

I really want the confrontation to begin!!

I'd say the #1085 memory scene ("It crumbled ta dust") was pretty clearly a setup for the lack of such a scene in #1111. Durkon has some control over what memories he shows Greg, so I'm starting to think it's likely he's made the Hilgya connection and is deliberately concealing those memories. It's even possible Durkon's earlier word-association memory thing was a ploy to get Greg to believe he's seen more of the relevant memories than he actually has. And this particular memory was likely a similar ploy, to convince Greg that Durkon is entirely powerless to affect things, rather than slowly poisoning his situational awareness.

[Psychronia]

I'm curious about the theological implications of Noname-cula's circumstances. Her host is technically still not in control, but now she gets to act on evil desires like she's always wanted. The way it was phrased implies that what will soon be known as the Poncho Run is entirely her idea.

Under these circumstances, will she be held accountable for the evil committed here, or did she just successfully shift the sins to her vampire?

I get the impression that Durkon showed this memory for a reason other than just irritating the vampire, and--based on panel 8--he accomplished whatever he was trying to do.

Anyone have thoughts on what it might have been? I feel like it has to be related to the wall of rich donors, since Durkon is shown looking directly at it in the memory.

I wonder--can Durkon be compelled to show the same memory twice? If not, maybe he was deliberately "using up" the only memory containing valuable information that he expects the vampire to ask for later?

I'd take that bet. We don't know the rule, but really, if it inconveniences Durkon* at all, then it's a win to me.

[JumboWheat01]

I want to know what's the plan with the poncho, but at the same time, I kinda don't want to know.

Though still, Durkon, those are some big guns you're pulling out there.

[Hecuba]

What is the spell Ponchula casts on No-Name in panel #7?

My guess is the fire protection referenced in Panel 8 of #1109.

[Raimun]

A poncho...? Oh, man. That can mean only one thing.

Taco night.

[Lord Raziere]

Heh, your still a follower, Durkula. Still a follower.

as for the memory........very rich donors to a religion you say? in a world where gods are known to be real? interesting. I'm betting its more likely they are believers than not.

though I'm betting the celestial roaches could also be whats important, they are probably making a mess of things with all their attempts at being evil and probably chaotic, since all their inhibitions are gone.

[Hollysword]

I'm really starting to love that vampire girl. I've liked her when she first came to the story, but I'm loving her now. Knowing the trend of whoever I love ends up dying in this story, I feel I just doomed her though.

[axus]

Gold. This strip is pure comedy gold.

"Golden" might be even more accurate.

[Bucky]

The council. He just burned his memory of the councildwarves' names.

[Kish]

I'm really starting to love that vampire girl. I've liked her when she first came to the story, but I'm loving her now. Knowing the trend of whoever I love ends up dying in this story, I feel I just doomed her though.

Don't worry, she won't die. Being already dead will protect her from that fate. She will probably be destroyed, however.

[BrolySSG]

My first thought was about sexual connotations and maybe that's why poncho didn't made much sense.

Guess it says a lot about me.

In my country poncho has sexual connotation (Protection... Aka Condom) So i was thinking Tsukiko style messed up stuff

[ReaderAt2046]

So...

1- A poncho? Why?

2- So... That crazy psychopathic Evil vampire with the Evil host who is discussing the use of a poncho maybe to prevent blood spatter or something... Does anyone else think she might be kinda hot?

1: My bet is that it's something like running around frolicking in the rain. Just because I think it would be hilarious if it's something that humans like us regard as perfectly normal, but dwarves think is crazy perverted.

[Peelee]

1: My bet is that it's something like running around frolicking in the rain. Just because I think it would be hilarious if it's something that humans like us regard as perfectly normal, but dwarves think is crazy perverted.

She's not a dwarf, though.

[zimmerwald1915]

Celestial roaches? A contradiction in terms, I think. But maybe we can bring some in to battle the demon roaches.

There have actually been Celestial roaches in the comic before - way back in Xykon's backup fortress in the Southern Lands.

Ninja'd

[Giggling Ghast]

So...

1- A poncho? Why?

Because it will rain blood.

[Ezekiel]

I would think vampires wouldn't mind blood spatter, so I was thinking...viscera splatter?

[zimmerwald1915]

And que the countless pages and threads dedicated to debating what evil hijinks the vampiress and her host are planning.
Also, did she just ask Durkula out?

Pet peeve:

An action that prompts another action is a "cue."
A billiards stick is also a "cue."
A line made up of people waiting for a service is a "queue."
"Coup" is a loanword from French, where it means "blow," that in English has come to mean a sudden seizure of power or stroke of success.
"Que" is not a word in English at all.