OOTS #966 - The Discussion Thread

[The Giant]

New comic is up.

[Mordae]

The one time someone asks him to murder Durkula...

[Grey_Wolf_c]

I adore the first panel.

I really shouldn't be laughing this hard in the office.

Grey Wolf

[Syncrogti]

I am worried about Durkula trying to do something to Roy...

[Grey_Wolf_c]

I am worried about Durkula trying to do something to Roy...

Could be, but I doubt it. I think he is just adding more layers to the deception that he really is still Durkon.

GW

[-Sentinel-]

Durkon's first speech bubble is white instead of black...

[CoffeeIncluded]

Okay, whatever Durkula's planning cannot be good. Is he going to kill the clerics and start his plan here?

And I agree, the first panel was hilarious.

[pendell]

Why is Durkula's first speech bubble, starting "Lad, I was thinkin' ... any temples?" white instead of black? IS that an art error , or a deliberate decision to convey something to us, the audience? If the second, I'm missing it.

Kudos for the FF joke [airship finish up all sidequests -- video games often allow that since time is event-based, not real] and kudos for 'splaining how Haley talked down the character, and kudos for the quick update!

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[Garwain]

But I do want to see flying hats...

[Grey_Wolf_c]

I agree, the first panel was hilarious.

Right you are, CoffeeIncluded!

(OK, OK, I'll stop now)

Grey Wolf

[The Giant]

Durkon's white speech balloon was an error, fixed now.

[Surfing HalfOrc]

Hmm... What side quests are missing?

And Nice! I wake up from surgery, and the Giant has a new strip waiting for me! What an awesome guy he truly is!

[Psyren]

Durkula probably knows damn well there aren't any clerics powerful enough to do that in Tinkertown, the sly devil.

[DolGrenn]

Wow. Durkula seems to be manipulating Roy like one would a hand-puppet god.
That is to say, Roy is Durkula's Banjo.

[jidasfire]

Hmm, Durkula's support my theory about what he's up to. Every cleric he murders and turns into a vampire is one more follower for Hel where before there were none. Bad, bad news.

Also, I always enjoy the early book visit a town for powerups and sidequests arc and I'm glad we're getting to it now. I still hope Elan keeps that whip, though.

[Traab]

Durkula probably knows damn well there aren't any clerics powerful enough to do that in Tinkertown, the sly devil.

Either that or he has arrangements to meet with the priests of Hel in a location that wont give them away. Thats my guess. He can pick up some evil priest spells or just use them to pass messages on and keep up the deception.

[Puschkin]

What would actually happen to Durkon if he got rezzed? Would he mind be free?

[ManuelSacha]

Whoa.
I did not see that coming.
Durkula's deception is getting stronger.
Which is a bad thing, since Roy was already fooled with Durkula's half-hearted attempts so far.

Btw, I LOL'd at the product placement, too.

Oh, and another Final Fantasy reference! Nice!

[Qaanol]

Am I the only one who thought Elan leveled up for no reason in panel 3, before realizing the elevator made the ding?

Oh, I guess I am.

Also, the HPoH is sneaky.

Edit: Also, since we can always believe everything Belkar says in the last panel, there's now official confirmation that gnomes wear hats. Ergo the woman on the far right of panel 2 in strip 964 is a halfling.

[pendell]

Durkon's white speech balloon was an error, fixed now.

Thank you.

ETA: At any rate, I believe Durkula is trying to enhance his deception by doing what Durkon would do, if it were really Durkon driving the body. Of course, the fact that resurrection would spell the failure of Durkula's mission for Hel guarantees this is in no way a serious request -- somehow Durkula will find a way to sabotage the resurrection, if there is even a cleric able to do the job at all. But I am confident that Durkula will remain a vampire when he leaves town, and all the other players will be even more tightly wound into the deception.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[darkelement]

Hmm, Durkula's support my theory about what he's up to. Every cleric he murders and turns into a vampire is one more follower for Hel where before there were none. Bad, bad news.

Also, I always enjoy the early book visit a town for powerups and sidequests arc and I'm glad we're getting to it now. I still hope Elan keeps that whip, though.

Not just any follower!! Durkula is going to be specifically tracking down HIGH LEVEL clerics, who can create armies worth of undead in single day. Not just the usual zombie fodder either - we're talking wights, ghasts, wraiths, the GOOD ****. And once you've got the clerics, you're pretty much set for your undead army. You're not even limited by the supply of easily-murdered civilians nearby - graveyards are everywhere and even zombies aren't too dumb to swing a shovel.

Almost as if Hel wants to be able to quickly assemble a massive undead army... but what would she use it for? And where were they all heading again?

...oooh, right.

[FujinAkari]

I am actually concerned that HTOH may be able to BE resurrected without actually giving control back to Durkon. Vampirism represented Hel's chance to take over Durkon, but who is to say her containment of his soul would end simply if his body died?

[Lkctgo]

Looking at the reaction Durkula has when Belkar seems to not want to come along. It seems he believes that Belkar has finally let up on revealing him as a monster. I just hope this is the time for Belkar to save Roy somehow. Or at least for a "there isn't any cleric around (Durkula evil thoughts), oh wait here's one (plot convenient temple)!

[Origamite]

Hmm, Durkula's support my theory about what he's up to. Every cleric he murders and turns into a vampire is one more follower for Hel where before there were none. Bad, bad news.

Also, I always enjoy the early book visit a town for powerups and sidequests arc and I'm glad we're getting to it now. I still hope Elan keeps that whip, though.

You think he'll vamp the clerics? I think that's too obvious for Roy to be able to argue that he's still Durkon.

[MugaSofer]

What would actually happen to Durkon if he got rezzed? Would he mind be free?

I ... think he would be subject to the same memory-fog Roy was when he was resurrected.

Hmm, Durkula's support my theory about what he's up to. Every cleric he murders and turns into a vampire is one more follower for Hel where before there were none. Bad, bad news.

Ah, heck.

This guy. This guy is right. Dammit.

[Emperor Time]

That was great since with Vampire Durkon asking to be resurrected will ensure that Roy will earn his complete trust. Since it was a clever ploy from Vampire Durkon to make it seem that him and Durkon are the same being even though in reality they aren't the same in any way.

[Reathin]

I am actually concerned that HTOH may be able to BE resurrected without actually giving control back to Durkon. Vampirism represented Hel's chance to take over Durkon, but who is to say her containment of his soul would end simply if his body died?

Vampirism is a sort of "natural" soul trap effect. Durkon died in battle fighting a powerful force for Evil, so his soul's straight off to Thor if the body perishes, the vampiric curse being the only thing keeping that from happening right now. So no, it's in Hel's best interest to keep the High Priest in play as long as possible. This whole thing is most likely just a trick, since clerics who can raise the dead are very rare and the High Priest knows it. It just looks like he's trying to be restored without there being much chance of it. The moment Durkon's body dies properly (a prerequisite to resurrecting him), the High Priest will either return to Hel's halls or, more likely in my opinion, cease to exist entirely.

Definitely suspect something's up though. Vamping other clerics when Roy's not watching sounds interesting, but I'm not sure how much use they'll be without Protection from Sunlight.

[jidasfire]

You think he'll vamp the clerics? I think that's too obvious for Roy to be able to deny he's still Durkon.

He probably won't do it in front of Roy. I imagine he's scouting right now, learning what he's up against, and then when Roy's asleep, he'll come back and do the killing. And eventually, once he has enough followers of enough power, it won't matter if Roy knows. For now though, it serves the purpose of gaining more of Roy's trust in addition to his other goals.

[Keltest]

I ... think he would be subject to the same memory-fog Roy was when he was resurrected.



Ah, heck.

This guy. This guy is right. Dammit.

Im fairly certain that if nothing else, Roy would get suspicious around the third time a cleric tried to cast Resurrect and failed, and/or word would start traveling around town when clerics start vanishing at the temples they visit (in order). Besides the fact that we don't actually know anything about Durkon's plans yet, leaving an army of vampire clerics and their minions in your wake is not subtle, which is what Durkon needs to be right now.

[Neoriceisgood]

I can't even describe what a bad feeling I have about this.