The identity of the mysterious voices.

[brian 333]

Here is an analogy for how Familicide works:

Think of a family tree. When cast the spell goes from the branch, (the target,) down the trunk to every root, (ancestor,) and up the trunk again out to every twig, (descendant of the roots,) without any other consideration.

Now those family members who are not direct ancestors or descendants, (grandfather's uncle, aunt's husband, etcetera,) may have children or ancestors who do not share blood with the target. They are on separate family trees. It is these who may be spared if the link to the target tree passes through a dead person. Even if their tree is affected, the spell will stop at the first dead person and not progress further in that direction on that branch of that tree.

Thus, if blood relative Aunt Ivy is dead but her children are alive, the children die, along with their children. The father(s) of her living children die also, and the spell continues down the father(s) family tree(s) in all directions until they end at dead guys. If Aunt Ivy had no living children, then Uncle Green and his family is safe. (This is how Tarquin survived even though his wife did not. Had Penelope been pregnant at the time, Tarquin would have died too, along with Elan, Nale, and their mother.)

[Petrocorus]

Suppose girard was dead (which he is) and it targets him, but he's already dead, does the spell fizzle out, or does it go to the next guy? Unless this is a plot point, or plot hole, I'm assuming it just targets the next in line even if the father is already dead.

Hmm. looks like I answered my question already.

As did what the OotS found in the pyramid.
Girard was buried by his family years before they got zapped by the familicide

[WolvesbaneIII]

As did what the OotS found in the pyramid.
Girard was buried by his family years before they got zapped by the familicide

Is assumed to be girards, but I'd also a fool to suggest it wasn't at this point. The only point in favor of it not being girards, is that all skeletons look alike, to the point even redcloak had to put colored medallions on his xykon triplets to tell them apart.

Or rather, not a point to it, but that its a neutral point. Its likely girards and he's dead, because it serves no discernable plot relevance.

I suppose due to the ambiguity of skeletal remains, the giant could pull a trick and say "aha! it wasn't girards skeleton after all! all skeletons look the same anyway so haha!" but then he could also just put in comic that they're all still in the pyramid spacing out, even after telling everyone they weren't, and that his prior message was the ultimate illusion cast by girard himself, fooling even rich himself.

So, lets just play it safe (and not dumb) and say its girards skeleton, because it'd be too dumb to be anything else.

[factotum]

(This is how Tarquin survived even though his wife did not. Had Penelope been pregnant at the time, Tarquin would have died too, along with Elan, Nale, and their mother.)

I'm not sure I agree with that. When V was describing how Familicide works to Bloodwing, he specifically said, "I am the one who slew Tarquin's wife! And had she borne him a child, I would have slain it as well!". No mention of Tarquin himself or Elan dying in that situation. I think you're forgetting that Penelope herself was killed in the second part of the spell (because she shared blood with her missing child, who was the one who shared the dragon's blood), and that part is not recursive, so it wouldn't then go and kill anyone who shared blood with Penelope.

[RatElemental]

I'm going with agents of Serini using potions of invisibility and pass without trace. Possibly a half green-dragon and a half-gold dragon, or one of the more intelligent creatures form monster hollow.

[Lexible]

I get the impression that elves were decided to all be androgynous somewhere between SOD and V’s family’s appearance/team peregrine’s introduction.

Nope: If you recall, part of the reason Z'zitdri was an evil opposite of V was clearly defined & unambiguous gender role.

[CriticalFailure]

Which happened prior to both those things.

[Grey Watcher]

Nope: If you recall, part of the reason Z'zitdri was an evil opposite of V was clearly defined & unambiguous gender role.

I thought that was Pompey's shtick?

[The Pilgrim]

Looks like this thread failed his saving throw against Familicide.

[SlashDash]

I thought that was Pompey's shtick?

Correct. Z'zitdri's schtick was that they barely say anything while while V never shuts up.

[Lord Raziere]

my assumption was that the two voices were just a goblin and hobgoblin that is apart of the bugbear town, and that they're referring to Xykon or Redcloak potentially coming back to kill them for harboring paladins in their attempt to protect the paladins from them, but I might be wrong? because green could be a goblin voice and the orange a hobgoblin voice and its just an artistic way of showing it.

but yeah I could see how they could be outsiders or Serini's whatever trying to guard the gate.

[Peelee]

I'm not sure I agree with that.

Im absolutely sure I don't agree with that. The Giant write out exactly how famulicide works. It's curated by Jasdoif. Tarkie could have had any number of children with Penelope and he would not have died, nor Elan, nor Elan's mother, and so on and so on.

[WolvesbaneIII]

Im absolutely sure I don't agree with that. The Giant write out exactly how famulicide works. It's curated by Jasdoif. Tarkie could have had any number of children with Penelope and he would not have died, nor Elan, nor Elan's mother, and so on and so on.

Where is this quote so I can read it in its original context? Is there a collection of these quotes we can see on other things, such as like the complete collection of vampire mechanics? I'd love to see his opinion on vampire spirit durkon and the negative energy "squirming" within him.

It's off topic, but I'm wondering if there is an answer as to what happens long term in that situation.

Back on topic, maybe the main character in the next book will be the king of nowhere, somewhere or whatever that joke was.

Where are these dungeons xykon is clearing out, the middle of nowhere? or is it somewhere? I'd like to think it's elsewhere, or if its in a different game and setting like elsweyr.

[factotum]

Where is this quote so I can read it in its original context? Is there a collection of these quotes we can see on other things, such as like the complete collection of vampire mechanics?

It's the thread of the Giant's quotes, curated by Jasdoif as Peelee said:

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showt...Zapped-Bananas

[Peelee]

It's the thread of the Giant's quotes, curated by Jasdoif as Peelee said:

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showt...Zapped-Bananas

Aye. The tl;dr version is "Penelope was killed in step 2, not step 1. Penny and Tarkie's hypothetical offspring would thus be killed, but would not branch out to Tarquin himself or anyone in his line, because he only has shared blood with a step 2 death, and having shared blood with a step 1 death is the death sentence."

[WolvesbaneIII]

Aye. The tl;dr version is "Penelope was killed in step 2, not step 1. Penny and Tarkie's hypothetical offspring would thus be killed, but would not branch out to Tarquin himself or anyone in his line, because he only has shared blood with a step 2 death, and having shared blood with a step 1 death is the death sentence."

This is good stuff. thanks.

Alas, my initial question was not answered, but the rest was really good and I enjoyed my time with other such intrigues.

My thanks for this exquisite morsel of information none the less.