OOTS #896 - The Discussion Thread

[mattie_p]

So is orange going to take over? Per this strip, orange has 20 minutes and change. I wonder if it all has to be consecutive, or if the IFCC can take control in increments as they choose?

[Feruk]

Wait, what are the eyes in the first few panels?

They're eye-holes in the walls, so that the people in the tunnels can watch the passages leading to the gate room.

[mistformsquirrl]

And the proverbial natural fertilizer hits the proverbial aerosol dispersal device.

*shiver*

My thoughts exactly.

<_ _>

[AttilaTheGeek]

Don't you see? They're not coming to collect on the debt V already has, they're coming to put him in debt even deeper. They'll offer him one last chance at power, giving him the chance to "redeem" himself by preventing another genocide. But the price will be even steeper the second time- Iike his soul for all eternity.

[Aldrakan]

So V was already trying to stop them from destroying the Gate, which suggests that the IFCC's interference is meant to do the opposite. And also, since V would certainly need to explain about the planet, that they want the Order kept as ignorant as possible.

I do wonder why V is so concerned that destroying a fourth gate will do that destroying the previous three would not. Of course it could simply be a gradual effect (presumably until the last one) and each one causes damage.

Also this disproves the ludicrous idea that V created the tunnel through multiple Passwall spells, although I think there was a total of one person who thought that.

[The Giant]

Thanks Giant!

But I can't help but wonder, why post 2 1/2 pages rather than each page when you get it finished?

First, when I do a strip like this, I finish all of them at the same time. I don't finish one page, then the next; I do all the text, then all the foreground characters, then all the backgrounds, then the speech balloons.

Second, because this is the proper chunk of story to be read at one time. Each strip needs to end with a punchline or a dramatic moment; releasing the first or second page of this strip by itself would have left each one ending with a transitional exposition moment instead of an impact moment. While I try to get one impact moment per page, sometimes it's better to build up tension over more than one page before springing the end panel.

And third, by releasing them all as one giant strip, people can't speculate and predict (and spoil for themselves) what is going to happen between the first panel (when V comes back into the story) and the last panel. There's no time for everyone to debate three dozen theories and all agree that yeah, such-and-such is probably going to happen. And then when it does, no one is surprised.

[ratfox]

Oh wow. Whatever this means, the gate is going down… Well, we always knew it would. The story can only end at the last gate, of course.

In that sense, I don't feel there is much suspense; but nevertheless, having the IFCC act exactly at the last image is good story-telling.

Oh, posting on only the third page!!1!

[Sweet_Goddess]

The IIFC doesn't need V's soul for all eternity, but essentially they will have that anyway... V's acts were pretty soul condemning on their own... the ability to control V by each of them, while V is alive, is far more valuable.

For the record, it isn't a single debt, it is a triple debt, so V owes 20 minute to one and over an hour to the other two... and this is only one of them calling in that marker.

[Zubrowka74]

The IFCC might not be calling on their favor yet, seems kind of a waste. I think they are only communicating with the imp. He might be enough to prevent (or help, whatever their motives are) V from stopping the gates's destruction. Or there's another joke comming and the fiends where doing something else. So many possibilities! Nice cliffhanger!

[Epinephrine]

Second, because this is the proper chunk of story to be read at one time.

And it was AWESOME.

[Ionbound]

Oh no. This cannot possibly be pleasant for the OotS.

[Rastaban]

And it was AWESOME.

I concur! such an unexpected turn of events, now I can't wait to see where this goes!!!

[SavageWombat]

Second, because this is the proper chunk of story to be read at one time. Each strip needs to end with a punchline or a dramatic moment; releasing the first or second page of this strip by itself would have left each one ending with a transitional exposition moment instead of an impact moment. While I try to get one impact moment per page, sometimes it's better to build up tension over more than one page before springing the end panel.

And don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Your sense of pacing exceeds merely "excellent" and heads towards "amazing". You could probably teach Hollywood a thing or three.

[mattie_p]

The IIFC doesn't need V's soul for all eternity, but essentially they will have that anyway... V's acts were pretty soul condemning on their own... the ability to control V by each of them, while V is alive, is far more valuable.

For the record, it isn't a single debt, it is a triple debt, so V owes 20 minute to one and over an hour to the other two... and this is only one of them calling in that marker.

Your timing is off, three minutes and 6 seconds to purple, yellow and orange get 20 minutes, 35 seconds. I linked above.

[faustin]

First question: if the IFCC forces V to perform genocide, does it count as a sin in his moral account, considering he is under the fiends (or anyone designed for them, like certain imp), and yet, only because he agreed in the first place?

Second question: could the IFCC make V finish the job before the agreed possesion time expires, and save the rest for latter?

[WindStruck]

Oh no! Oh no! This isn't when the IFCC was supposed to intervene at all! Such a big plot device wouldn't happen now!

And looky there, it happened anyway. Just like I said. I think I'm getting good at this.

[satorian]

Maybe it's just the slow nature of reading this as a webcomic rather than a single book, but wow there has been pretty consistent bad news for ages. I, for one, am ready for something really good to happen to the Order. I need a reprieve.

[ohkwarig]

And it was AWESOME.

Indeed.

Awesome to the max.

[Sweet_Goddess]

First question: if the IFCC forces V to perform genocide, does it count as a sin in his moral account, considering he is under the fiends (or anyone designed for them, like certain imp), and yet, only because he agreed in the first place?

Second question: could the IFCC make V finish the job before the agreed possesion time expires, and save the rest for latter?

1) No, despite his contract for the time share, V is not spiritually responsible what they do while in charge (that does not mean V's teammates can't still blame all such actions on V, just that the nigh omnipotent number crunchers in heaven won't)

2) The contract was for every second, so I do not think there is any clause that says they have to use it all in one shot.

[Needle]

Indeed

Poor V, whatever it happens, V's gonna be a bit lower

[Scrynor]

Wooo! Exciting!

Wild speculation time: The Snarl was made by all the Gods disagreeing on how to make the world. The Snarl was lashing out at the source of the chaos by attacking the Gods. I think that means the world-within-the-rift is an orderly world. More importantly, it is a world without Gods. The IFCC doesn't actually care about proving they can work together, or chaos, or Vs soul, or any of that. This is the IFCCs first encounter with an intact gate while they had Vs debt. We know they can't interact with the world directly but we don't know what happens when they call the debt. I think they are calling the debt, they are going to possess V directly themselves, and their overall goal is to use V as a vessel to get them to the world-within-the-rift where they can actually fill the power vacuum and assume the role of top dog Gods while the outer world crumbles.

[Ivrytwr]

Dramatic Tension!
The world(s) hangs in the balance.
One elf's mistakes ...

[Giggling Ghast]

Yet again, it's all V's fault.

[Jay R]

Can that actually work? I mean, can a set of rooms be designed so you can hear one room, but the other room cant hear you? It just seems that if sound can pass in one direction, it should be able to go the other way too right?

Yes. Use an ellipsoid wall (only near Roy), with Roy & company at the near focus and Vaarsuvius at the far focus. All the sound that bounces off the wall from Roy reaches Vaarsuvius at the same time.

Yes, the sound can go in the same direction, but much more of it will go from Roy into that wall and to V than will go from V to the wall and then to Roy, since Roy is so much closer to it.

[Of course, there are also any number of magic spells that can improve on the technique.]

[Kingault]

You sure love kicking the group when they're down, eh?

[Tass]

Can that actually work? I mean, can a set of rooms be designed so you can hear one room, but the other room cant hear you? It just seems that if sound can pass in one direction, it should be able to go the other way too right? Also, I cant wait to see what the "now" is going to do.

Indeed. You cannot do this with passive acoustics. That is, you could make them easy to hear like that, but that would work the other way too.

For one way spying - whether we are talking sound or light - you either need a large difference in background, such as one side of the "one way glass" being brightly lit and the other dark, or you need active devices such as microphones, cameras, loudspeakers and screens.

There didn't seem to be a lot of noise around the rest of the order which would have drowned out Vaarsuvius' voice, thus we have to conclude that magic is involved. (Or more likely that the author doesn't know and doesn't care about such technicalities.)

[Bulhakov]

And third, by releasing them all as one giant strip, people can't speculate and predict (and spoil for themselves) what is going to happen between the first panel (when V comes back into the story) and the last panel. There's no time for everyone to debate three dozen theories and all agree that yeah, such-and-such is probably going to happen. And then when it does, no one is surprised.

Instead, let the speculations begin on what the orange (neutral?) fiend will have V do:
- not do anything
- assist in destroying the gate
- offer a new bargain for the possibility to stop Roy

[theNater]

Aaahhhhhh! Ahhhhh! Ahhhhh!

I concur with this sentiment.

[Toper]

Eeeek!

Sounds like the IFCC knows more than they've told. I don't know why they want the gates destroyed but I'm sure it can't be Good.

Also, a great comic with great dialogue. I especially love Belkar's take on everything.

The only thing that's a little unfortunate is the plot hinging on a fairly senseless lack of communication between V and everyone else about the world within the rift, but I can live with that.

[The Pilgrim]

IFCC serving a gate-destroying device as of... now.

Who said a Demon can't be helpful? or was it a Devil?