Oots 635

[Nyeshet]

A terrible idea just occurred to me ...

What if V saves his family - only to kill them himself when one of the other three personalities take offense at something they do - such as become horrified at what he has become or is doing to the black dragon, or not being appreciative of being saved by such a fiendish being? I can see the shock of it returning him to normal or sending him further down the damned path. (Granted, I also tend to be of the opinion that holding the power is not a matter of will to keep it but rather a matter of will to resist the allure of keeping it.)

 

[Aloïsius]

chapter 666 coming soon !

 

[Dark Psion]

Oh, that? That's just the choir of dead pedophiles.

That is so wrong

so, so wrong

 

[Miyaa]

Dead neutered pedophiles as choir boys. That is so Dante-like as a punishment. Well played, Burlew. Well played.

I'm also convinced now more than ever that V's got to be a girl. I also found it interesting that V didn't have any initial moral resistance to being evil, which surprised me. Even if you're true neutral, a magical shift in alignment would in my mind still have a steep resistance check, even if you agreed to it hook, line, and sinker.

 

[PoeticJustice]

The concept of 3 evil souls housed in a neutral body--it's almost like a metaphor for the IFCC itself. Like they're trying to see if the three different alignments can be fused together accomplish something.

I think V became the conflict of Good vs. Evil's equivalent of the Manhattan Project.

 

[wingsandsword]

I'm also convinced now more than ever that V's got to be a girl. I also found it interesting that V didn't have any initial moral resistance to being evil, which surprised me. Even if you're true neutral, a magical shift in alignment would in my mind still have a steep resistance check, even if you agreed to it hook, line, and sinker.

Well, V's ultimate goal for the duration of the strip has been total and ultimate arcane power. V has been dedicated to gaining as much raw magical power and knowledge as possible.

While it was ostensibly so he/she could save his/her family, we know that there is a deeper reason. V was offered an out, a way to save his/her family without a deal with fiends ect, but it involved self-sacrifice and contrition. Instead hubris won out and V got the goal of ultimate, total arcane power* ostensibly so his/her family could be saved, but in reality there is the total spellcasting power of three epic-level casters on top of his/her own: an epic-level conjurer, an epic level necromancer, and an epic level sorcerer/archmage.

I think the temptation of that much magical power overwhelmed the alignment-based resistance to such an act.

In a straight up shooting match V could probably toast Xykon, Redcloak, and the Goblin Legions right now, but given how the voices in his/her head are saying things like encouraging him/her to destroy creation just because he can and to make the world suffer, were she/he to do it he would probably just replace them as the main threat to the safety and integrity of the world (which is probably exactly the sort of things the fiends want).

(*some restrictions apply. . .)

 

[robertliguori]

Well, V's ultimate goal for the duration of the strip has been total and ultimate arcane power. V has been dedicated to gaining as much raw magical power and knowledge as possible.

While it was ostensibly so he/she could save his/her family, we know that there is a deeper reason. V was offered an out, a way to save his/her family without a deal with fiends ect, but it involved self-sacrifice and contrition. Instead hubris won out and V got the goal of ultimate, total arcane power* ostensibly so his/her family could be saved, but in reality there is the total spellcasting power of three epic-level casters on top of his/her own: an epic-level conjurer, an epic level necromancer, and an epic level sorcerer/archmage.

I think the temptation of that much magical power overwhelmed the alignment-based resistance to such an act.

In a straight up shooting match V could probably toast Xykon, Redcloak, and the Goblin Legions right now, but given how the voices in his/her head are saying things like encouraging him/her to destroy creation just because he can and to make the world suffer, were she/he to do it he would probably just replace them as the main threat to the safety and integrity of the world (which is probably exactly the sort of things the fiends want).

(*some restrictions apply. . .)

The fiend's backup plan involved a lot of failure points; that the imp would sacrifice itself delivering V's head instead of pointing out that oral agreements were not considered binding by the 9 hells, that Durkon had Raise Dead prepared and the diamond handy, that the spell would be promptly cast on a head dropped off by a fiend, that V's master would choose to promptly respond to the Sending from a stranger, and that the dragon won't be done with her grim business before the necessary dialogue to have all of the above happen is completed.

Besides, the nature of reality in OotS is narrative, and V accepts this. V recognizes this power in Elan, and even used it hirself to farm Quar's large devil-buddy for XP. V taking the deal that involves only dealing with fiends a little and, you know, dying, is not a narrative path to saving his family; it's a recognition there are forces in the world more powerful than adventurers, and when they come gunning for you, you're doomed.

There is one narrative out that V has, and I think he's going to milk it for all it's worth; namely, he is something new, something unprecedented, and if there is one rule to making deals with powerful magical entities, it's to be very, very sure of your bargaining position. This applies to trios of fiends wielding Plot-level magic; it also applies to triple-Gestalt epic casters. I think V is gunning for the chance to prove that he is going to be more than the trio bargained for.

 

[DandD]

But it's still the mind of three epic magic users of evil alignment versus his non-evil elven mind...

I doubt that Varsuvius will be able to outsmart the archfiends, because he's going to lose control of the gestalt sooner or later.

Also, perhaps the archfiends don't really care what happens with Varsuvius anyway, only that he wreaks havoc, spreads death, and leads the archfiends ultimately to the portal that holds back the Snarl.

I'm pretty sure they will always be able to track the malicious spirits crafted to the elf's spirit.

Perhaps in the future, the archfiends will trick Varsuvius into finding the Snarl-rifts by telling him that he'll gain even more power through it, and that he's so smart and tricked the trio.

 

[ProfessorCirno]

But the real question is...does this mean he said the four words that signified the prophecy?

 

[Pbartender]

But the real question is...does this mean he said the four words that signified the prophecy?

Yes, and those words were, "Ha ha HA ha..."