Could Belkar be descended from Serini?

[Fyraltari]

Yes, thank you.

[Rogar Demonblud]

Depends on when they found out what the Gates where and how dangerous they were relatives to when they found out where they are. She could have thougt it was just the locations of a monster with a teleportation ability or something.

EDIT: Hell she may even have forgotten she wrote them down in her diary in the first place, as I said upthread that was sixty freaking years ago.

They spent years on the quest. I'm pretty sure she knew what was going on, since she felt the need to encrypt the data.

[b_jonas]

Shojo is not related to Soon. This is the only issue I have with this otherwise flawless theory.

Are you sure? Because I think Shojo is Soon's grandson, or some other family relation like that.

[HorizonWalker]

They spent years on the quest. I'm pretty sure she knew what was going on, since she felt the need to encrypt the data.

No need for speculation: it's made explicit that they knew what the Rifts were.

[The Pilgrim]

Are you sure? Because I think Shojo is Soon's grandson, or some other family relation like that.

Nope. Shojo was the son of the Lord of Azure city to whom Soon surrended control of the Sapphire Guard before dying.
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0277.html

Soon was presented as a paladin from Azure City on a diplomatic mission to elven lands. But no mention was made about he being related to the ruling family.
http://www.giantitp.com/comic/oots0275.html

[Jaxzan Proditor]

The what now?

Like this?

Here’s an excellent video on the subject, if you’re willing to spend 13 minutes to watch it.

[NerdyKris]

Haley is Girard's descendant.

I think you're not being entirely serious with this theory, but regardless, if Haley was Girard's descendant, she and her father would be dead from Familicide.

[Dion]

I think you're not being entirely serious with this theory, but regardless, if Haley was Girard's descendant, she and her father would be dead from Familicide.

But maybe Haley is related to Girard through a time travel paradox.

[Vendanna]

I think you're not being entirely serious with this theory, but regardless, if Haley was Girard's descendant, she and her father would be dead from Familicide.

Not so fast! there is the chance that Ian wasn't lightning struck by the spell due him being inside an antimagic cell in the empire of blood when those events transpired, and since it didn't "hit him" the lightning couldn't pass thru him and pass to haley.

[b_jonas]

I think you're not being entirely serious with this theory, but regardless, if Haley was Girard's descendant, she and her father would be dead from Familicide.

I am entirely joking with the proposal, I don't think anyone from the Order of the Stick is descended from anyone in the Order of the Crayon. The familicide indeed poses a problem, but not too much of it I think, as long as Haley is like four generations younger than Girard and nobody knows his connection to the Draketooth family. That's not so hard to understand given how secretive the Draketooth family is.

[KorvinStarmast]

I am not sure how Halfling names and geneology works in OoTS world, but I'll offer this idea that they are not related.

Belkar's last name is Bitterleaf.
Serini's last name is Toormuck.

The only relative that I recall Bellkar referring to is his Aunt Judy.
(I vaguely recall a memory of him referring to a grandma, but I can't recall which strip that was in)

[Dion]

Belkar's last name is Bitterleaf.
Serini's last name is Toormuck.

And what is “toor” spelled backwards? That’s right. It’s “root”.

Bitter leaves and mucky roots? I think the connection is obvious. They have the same family tree.

[D.One]

And what is “toor” spelled backwards? That’s right. It’s “root”.

Bitter leaves and mucky roots? I think the connection is obvious. They have the same family tree.

Hank's surname is probably Saltflower.

[Peelee]

And what is “toor” spelled backwards? That’s right. It’s “root”.

Bitter leaves and mucky roots? I think the connection is obvious. They have the same family tree.

The first half was ironclad, but you lost it in the second half. The logical place to go was "and what are roots if not the foundation of a family tree?"

[Dion]

"and what are roots if not the foundation of a family tree?"

I bow to the pun master.

[hroþila]

Even though this is not how The Giant works, I have decided that the first element in Toormuck is Middle English tōr(e), dialectal Modern English tore, so it's either "difficult muck" (from what we saw, Serini could definitely be rather difficult) or "fierce muck" (she was totes that too).

[Fyraltari]

No need for speculation: it's made explicit that they knew what the Rifts were.

They eventually knew what they were. Their quest lasted for years we don’t know how long it took them to learn the truth. Serini’s diary mentions Dorukan as ‘the new kid’ so she started writing it before or at the very beginning of the Scribblers’ quest.

Nope. Shojo was the son of the Lord of Azure city to whom Soon surrended control of the Sapphire Guard before dying.
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0277.html

Soon was presented as a paladin from Azure City on a diplomatic mission to elven lands. But no mention was made about he being related to the ruling family.
http://www.giantitp.com/comic/oots0275.html

Furthermore GDGU establishes that the ‘jo’ in Shojo and Hinjo is a surname.

[Peelee]

They eventually knew what they were. Their quest lasted for years we don’t know how long it took them to learn the truth. Serini’s diary mentions Dorukan as ‘the new kid’ so she started writing it before or at the very beginning of the Scribblers’ quest.

Regardless, the information regarding the gates was encrypted, so she knew it was sensitive information.

[Squire Doodad]

Regardless, the information regarding the gates was encrypted, so she knew it was sensitive information.

Alternatively, Dorukan could have been the last group member to join and have only done so once like the third rift was found. Though it is a trivial matter either way.

[D.One]

Furthermore GDGU establishes that the ‘jo’ in Shojo and Hinjo is a surname.

omg
OMG
OMG
OMG
OMG

Shojo and Hinjo are related to Banjo!!!!!!

[Squire Doodad]

omg
OMG
OMG
OMG
OMG

Shojo and Hinjo are related to Banjo!!!!!!

Naturally, they are both descended from the great and bizarre Jojo.

[KorvinStarmast]

Even though this is not how The Giant works, I have decided that the first element in Toormuck is Middle English tōr(e), dialectal Modern English tore, so it's either "difficult muck" (from what we saw, Serini could definitely be rather difficult) or "fierce muck" (she was totes that too).

*tips cap* I like what you did there, and I have an idea that may make zero sense.

Muck and mud are similar things, though not necessarily synonyms.

Some of my friends at work are "mudders" in that about once a month they do these races that are a lot like doing an obstacle course. The day's events always include getting through some massive muddy and mucky pit or pool as a part of the obstacle course. Great fun, when you are younger and in better shape than I am now.

Your "fierce muck" idea, with a slight shift to "fierce mud" => fierce mudder takes me to what adventurers do in a figurative sense. They get down into the grimy and gritty parts of the OoTS world and need to be fierce to battle and triumph over all of those horrible monsters.
Fierce Mudder: yeah, Serini could fit that ....

[Fyraltari]

Regardless, the information regarding the gates was encrypted, so she knew it was sensitive information.

I mean Xykon of all people managed to break it.

But I'm tired of this, can we agree that Xykon having the diary is not evidence enough to conclude Serini is dead?

[Rogar Demonblud]

Conclude? No. Reasonable presumption? Yes.

Best reason for her being alive is someone is needed to fill the Order in on the backstory.

[D.One]

I mean Xykon of all people managed to break it.

But I'm tired of this, can we agree that Xykon having the diary is not evidence enough to conclude Serini is dead?

Of course we can. She's an epic level Rogue with +200 do Hide and Move Silently, and she's been following Xykon since he found her decoy diary

Seriously, I believe that if The Giant wanted to establish Serini as dead, he could have done that with a simple mention from some character. Her dubious status gives him the option to use her more freely if he needs.

Naturally, they are both descended from the great and bizarre Jojo.

So Giggles was adopted by the family?

[Emanick]

I am not sure how Halfling names and geneology works in OoTS world, but I'll offer this idea that they are not related.

Belkar's last name is Bitterleaf.
Serini's last name is Toormuck.

The only relative that I recall Bellkar referring to is his Aunt Judy.
(I vaguely recall a memory of him referring to a grandma, but I can't recall which strip that was in)

Obviously, the Grandma Bitterleaf Belkar’s family dropped off at the nursing home was none other than Serini (who changed her name when she got married, obviously).

[Peelee]

I mean Xykon of all people managed to break it.

You mean the guy who has constantly shown that he is smarter than people give him credit for when he cares? That Xykon?

But I'm tired of this, can we agree that Xykon having the diary is not evidence enough to conclude Serini is dead?

Sure, in the sense of:

Conclude? No. Reasonable presumption? Yes.

[D.One]

You mean the guy who has constantly shown that he is smarter than people give him credit for when he cares? That Xykon?

That's right on the spot. Xykon is more than capable of cracking any code from the diary.

I just wonder if he knew there was anything important on the diary prior to decoding it, or if he just decided, for the fun, "I'll discover this halfling lady's personal secrets".

[Fyraltari]

Conclude? No. Reasonable presumption? Yes.

Best reason for her being alive is someone is needed to fill the Order in on the backstory.

1) That's a conclusion.
2) How is that not a good reason?

You mean the guy who has constantly shown that he is smarter than people give him credit for when he cares? That Xykon?

Yeah, the Xykon who sucks at maths. He's perceptive and able to sit down and think through things when he cares but he's not gonna turn into a master cryptanalist because he cares. If he could break it then it was a weak code.

[D.One]

What's the (DnD 3.5) skill for breaking codes? Profession (codebreaker)? Knowledge (Cryptoanalysis)*? Craft (Codes)? Decipher Script?


*I know it's Cryptanalysis, but given it's Xykon we are talking about, I did an emphasis with the "o" to differentiate fro the ability to analyze a mausoleum.