OOTS #945 - The Discussion Thread

[Throknor]

Ok, this has bothered me for a while: have none of the paladins told Roy about the Crimson Mantle, or has he completely dismissed it? Even Haley should have picked up that Redcloak was not just another mook. But Roy is still stating that he's stopping Xykon. It could just be he's been told and dismissed it, but that would seem worthy of visible page to me.

[Socksy]

One other interesting thing to note (besides the whole "gigantic snarl thing"), is that Tarquin was found by Laurin and brought back to Bleedingham.

Between that and Miron yanking Laurin safely out of harm's way, it's clear they care for each other *o* they are my pRECIOUS BABIES ALL THREE OF THEM

[GAAD]

I think the Snarl is passively defending itself, but is also growing steadily stronger. We have seen it emerge from its prison thrice.
1: Start of Darkness

Spoiler

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Redcloak:[A]bout 35 years ago, when one of the Dark One's clerics was fleeing an elven war party deep in the elven forest [,] he discovered something ... weird. It appeared to be a hole in the sky itself, through which he could see a jumbled mix of blue and purple strands. He tried several divination spells on it before he tried sending a live chicken through the hole.
Right-Eye: That didn't work out so well for him.

2: No Cure for the Paladin Blues

The Crayons of Time: World 2.0
Here, Mijung, described by Shojo as ""the most learned in the ways of arcane lore", is (presumably) attempting to cast moderately high level divination spells on the rift. She is shushing Soon, saying "Just a moment, dear". Thus, what she is doing requires concentration.
3: Blood Runs in the Family

Jumbled Up
Here, Laurin is unambiguously attempting to cast an EPIC level divination spell on the Snarl, before she manages to wake it up.

Each of these three rifts were seen to be inactive until somebody decided to poke around in the rift. Each time, the attempts were stronger, but achieved the same result of eventually waking the Snarl.

In Don't Split the Party, A Familiar Conclusion, Blackwing is right up next to the rift, but doesn't provoke the Snarl. Thus, simply being next to the rift is NOT a provocation. Attempting to research it and violate its privacy IS. The Snarl is just trying to protect itself and its basic rights.
The Snarl is saying "Leave me alone, I'm dangerous, Rar!!!" in the most epic way possible for it.
I wonder if we can get a rendition of the Snarl singing "Let it Go" from Frozen.

[Porthos]

*SNIP*

Referencing your sig:

ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOSNARL!!!!

[AdmiralCheez]

I am very glad that I decided not to scroll down too much while reading the first page. That giant panel would have certainly distracted me enough to skip the build up, and ruin that terrifying reveal.

[blunk]

Referencing your sig:

ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOSNARL!!!!

Recognition is recognition.

[Selphares]

Let us be honest, Roy sums it up best in the last panel. Everything else right now feels like wild assumptions.

[Ron Miel]

I know it's not quite the point of the comic, but have we seen Tarquin soldiers with helmets that looks like Tarquin's purple ones before? I don't remember them.

Purple? I don't see any purple helmets there.

I suspect you are talking about the Empire Of Sweat.

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0758.html

[crimson5pheonix]

One other minor factoid, when we previously looked into the rift (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0900.html), it was daytime. It looks like the sun hasn't completely set in Ootsworld yet though.

[Eulalios]

Hoooh boy. So ... is the pretty world just an illusion? Is it haunted? Is it possessed by a psionic being that defends against intrusions?

ETA:

Look into the void and the void looks into you.

^ This.

[ChaosArchon]

After seeing what everyone has already said I noticed that it seems like any reaction from the Snarl has been triggered by an individual using magic on the rifts. This makes me feel like perhaps the Snarl isn't an anti-god entity but an anti-magic entity, which given that (it seems to me) the D&D/OoTSverse gods are essentially immortal beings with epic spell-like abilities, enabled the Snarl to defeat the Eastern pantheon (Zeus et al). Maybe it exists as V once said (albiet in jest and not in reference to the Snarl) as a method the universe uses the establish some form of equilibrium between those who can bend reality to their will (spellcasters and gods) and those who cannot.

Just a thought anyway, might be wrong and YMMV

[Porthos]

Look into the void and the void looks into you.

^ This.

More like:

Look into the void and the void TPKs you.

[Forealms]

I suddenly can't help but feel that the best solution is for the Dark One's plan to be enacted. It seems like only the gods can address an issue of this magnitude; the remaining gate is not enough.

That said, it's still the Dark One's fault for causing the race for the gates in the first place. Tough to say how much of this potential outcome he knew about beforehand.

If the OotS realizes this... they may even agree to help Redcloak's plan (if they trust him to be honest), if they assume that it's the only feasible option. V could maybe act as the arcane caster in a pinch.

[EccentricFellow]

Oh my stars and garters! I do believe things are going to get messy.

[DoctorIllithid]

Please, please, please let Miron and Laurin live.

Pleeeeeeeease.

[Ron Miel]

"Snarl actually exists"--Now firmly established beyond any reasonable doubt.

Not really. It looks to me like something that reacts to attempts to examine it through magic. Could be a natural force. Could be a protective barrier set up by the gods.

[jmucchiello]

Xykon doesn't have access to a psionicist. Apparently a psionic probe causes pretty streamers of blues and purples to come out of the gate. :)

[Porthos]

Please, please, please let Miron and Laurin live.

Pleeeeeeeease.

So they can ring the Alarm Bells? OK, that's valid.

Any other reason these fine examples of species-ity should continue to draw in air?

[orrion]

Oh thank GOD the rumors and speculations of Laurin's stupid favor are finally dead as last week's mutton.

[mikeejimbo]

That said, it's still the Dark One's fault for causing the race for the gates in the first place. Tough to say how much of this potential outcome he knew about beforehand.

The Dark One wasn't the one to create the goblins to be XP fodder.

[Burner28]

Man... Woah. What's going to happen next?

[rs2excelsior]

Wow. Just wow. I don't know what just happened, but it looks bad. VERY bad.

Also, we did see Laurin's favor, and relatively quickly, too. Score one to all the people who swore the Giant emphasized it too much to be a throwaway.

Although, I wouldn't be all too surprised to find someone asserting that this wasn't actually it, and we are never going to see the real favor

[Edric O]

WE LIVE...

[Kariccia]

Any other reason these fine examples of species-ity should continue to draw in air?

Death is one thing. Cessation of existence is quite another. I don't believe the latter is appropriate for anyone, not even Xykon. Until we know otherwise, I'm going to assume the latter is what will happen here unless they get out now.

For Miron anyway. It may be to late for Laurin.

[PhallicWarrior]

That...that is a lot of tendrils. We really DON'T know what's going on anymore.

[ShadowmageGalen]

I had to register to ask this question.

Did anyone else notice the top half of Orion on the horizon over the rift ocean? The angle of the belt, the two upper corner stars (or possibly lower). Or am I just channeling Daniel Jackson here.

SmG

The Truth is.......Out of fashion.

[Hopeless]

Makes me wonder what would have happened if Xykon's phylactery actually fell inside?

One scary thought I had is what if that sight of a world in space was actually the Snarl looking out from its side of the Rift?

Curious, I wonder about the other rifts, we've only seen inside two of the rifts so what about the other two?

Spoiler

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One's atop a mountain and the other at the heart of a forest that was burnt down... how many years ago?

[Lissou]

People keep saying "So that's what Laurin's favour was".

But when I read this strip, I read "So I got Tarquin to give me control of this part of the desert in exchange of teleporting him back to his palace".

Completely new favours, nothing to do with the ones from before.

[Joseph_Lavode]

Well now... that is interesting. They better get some distance, and fast. Have we seen the Snarl outside of crayon art before?

Also, very good thing Roy nixed the whole "flee through the rift" idea earlier.

And good to see Roy continues to be practical.

[Renneth]

My reaction to today's strip:

"Huh, most of this sounds familiar. Looks like we're finally tying up the book's loose ends by summarizing all the prominent forum speculaAAAAHHHHHHH MAY THE DARK ONE PROTECT US THE SNARL IT LIVES"