Xykon's Fortress

[faustin]

I know is a bit late to ask this question but...is there any reason Thor felt the need to inform Durkon about X's little project?

As far we know its only purpose is to hold a (unknown to the lich) fake phylactery. No need to send the Order after a red herring.

[woweedd]

It was a slip of the tongue.

[factotum]

It was a slip of the tongue.

And also, Thor didn't mention anything about the fortress beyond that it belonged to Xykon, so they have no idea if his phylactery is there in the first place. Xykon himself being there if they need to look for him, now that's entirely a possibility.

[The Pilgrim]

Well, Thor said that Durkon should forget about it. Also, Thor doesn't necessary know that the Philactery held there is a Fake.

[Squire Doodad]

I'm 90% sure that Xykon's Astral Fortress (can we go with XAF?) will have no effect on the story, with the minute possibility being that if the gates get resolved but Xykon is still undead and kicking that he will Plane Shift+Teleport the party there for the final boss fight. Either to put them at the beginning and him at the end to watch them suffer, or to wipe the floor with the Order in style, but for the final battle in general.

It could be used as a red herring, but I'd say that Monster Hollow is final dungeon enough, with the possible exception of delving into the Snarl's World.

[Fish]

Xykon is fearless and arrogant. I don’t think he’d retreat anywhere for a Final Dungeon Last Stand Boss Fight, least of all to retreat to his soul-hidey-place-hidey-place. The purpose of the fortress is to give him a place to recuperate after being discorporated, some place so impenetrable that he would have time to regrow his body while the heroes fought their way through.

I think it’s more likely that the purpose of the astral fortress is so Xykon thinks he knows where his soul is going when he gets defeated — and importantly, so we know there that place is that Xykon expects to be. So we realize the importance of it, and can see the look on his phylactery-face, when he realizes he’s not there, and that Redcloak has betrayed him.

Thor probably mentioned it because Rich didn’t want us to forget it existed, and to remind us where, exactly, the action was then taking place.

Standard disclaimers apply: Rich is a good storyteller and I can’t predict what he’ll do; just because I can’t imagine something or consider it unlikely isn’t evidence that it cannot happen. And so on.

[hroþila]

Xykon is fearless and arrogant. I don’t think he’d retreat anywhere for a Final Dungeon Last Stand Boss Fight, least of all to retreat to his soul-hidey-place-hidey-place.

I don't think he'll retreat there because if he's defeated elsewhere he thinks he'll regenerate there anyway, so he might as well fight it out. However, I wouldn't say Xykon is fearless. See his reaction to Soon when he realized he was actually in danger.

[Fish]

He was prepared to run because he was losing to a force he didn’t understand and couldn’t counter. He doesn’t fear his lessers. Who would frighten him enough to make him run — Roy? Redcloak? I don’t think so.

Xykon would only retreat to the fortress if he already knew his real phylactery wasn’t there. Too much risk. In that case, however. he already knows he’s been betrayed.

[PirateMonk]

Thor probably mentioned it because Rich didn’t want us to forget it existed, and to remind us where, exactly, the action was then taking place.

More likely because he didn't want to generate pages of "They're obviously going to Xykon's fortress!" speculation on the forums until it became clear where they were actually going.

Your analysis of why the fortress exists in the first place makes sense.