OotS #6662 is up

[Bumbles]

Actually, Leela was played by Katey Sagal, "Futurama" (1999).

However, Nicole Sullivan was cast as Leela before being replaced by Katey Sagal. I do not know the reasons for it though.

Here read this Billy West interview:

http://movies.ign.com/articles/652/652770p1.html

Seen it mentioned a few other places too. So believe it or not, it does seem to be true.

 

[StreamOfTheSky]

I agree with this. And it's hypocritically amusing that he blames Redcloak for sticking around Azure City, since he seemed to have little problem with just futzing around himself and torturing O-Chul for kicks.

And that he doesn't seem to mind having his own battle scars healed. No "remembering this failure forever" for him.

And that, in his surprising almost-kindness towards Jirix helps to point out: at least he HAD a bit of warning. Redcloak got jumped. And he still tried to beat O'Chul, but there's not much point in sticking around when you've been left half-blind, nearly spell-less, and unarmed with the combat ability of a gimped expert (judging from prior strips, plus any penalty the DM thinks losing an eye is worth). Was he just supposed to stick around and die...for honor? No, he went and got himself fixed up to rejoin the fight. Not his fault an epic level lich can't handle himself for two stinkin' minutes (or however long it was, looks like a few minutes, tops).

Contrast with Tsukiko who just...never came back.

Xykon was not that interested in azure city. The rearranging furniture crack was IMHO a direct jab at Redclock's bet that information on the other gates was in the city.

And yet, it's Xykon that ultimately makes the big decisions. Like in this strip, telling Redcloak exactly when (within 2 rounds of finding the phylactery) they would be leaving. If he really didn't want to stay there anymore, he could have said, "We're leaving."



I just hope Redcloak has the brains to regenerate that eye and just keep the eye patch on, maybe use some red marker around the eye just in case. Cause it would be really dumb to leave himself one eye-poke short of total blindness just to satiate that moron's ego.

 

[LoneWolf23]

My reading of it is that Xykon usually doesn't care about anything because nothing is a threat to him. If he were to die, he'd just resurrect himself next to the phylactery.

He wasn't really an idiot or fun guy before, just operating under a rather alien mindset of an eternal creature with no compassion, mortal needs or time limits.

Now that the phylactery is gone, his life is on the line. Things are suddenly starting to hit him very personally and close to home.

Exactly what I've been thinking. It's easy to act all carefree and such when you know the worst consequences you have to endure is waiting 10 days for your body to regenerate out of your phylactery.

But now he doesn't have that (at least not conveniantly or safely), he once again finds himself staring at Mortality again. And I think it's scaring him.

 

[frankthedm]

And yet, it's Xykon that ultimately makes the big decisions. Like in this strip, telling Redcloak exactly when (within 2 rounds of finding the phylactery) they would be leaving. If he really didn't want to stay there anymore, he could have said, "We're leaving."

Yes Xykon makes the big decisions, but he has been willing to [briefly] listen to and sometimes implement other's plans if they seem like ideas he is not smart or wise enough to come up with. The undead shell game was not his idea, nor were the wards that disrupted V's timestop. Xykon was killing time to let Redcloak conduct a "search" for more info on the gates. Which either became, or always was a stalling tactic which this comic shows. Having the Phylactery swiped has changed Xykons opinion on following Redcloak's hitherto fruitless search plan.

I just hope Redcloak has the brains to regenerate that eye and just keep the eye patch on, maybe use some red marker around the eye just in case. Cause it would be really dumb to leave himself one eye-poke short of total blindness just to satiate that moron's ego.

I'd suspect Redcloak will keep the spell prepared, not cast it. This may be the straw that breaks the camel's back, but until Redcloak has that phylactery is his skummy gobbo hands, he won't take a large risk like disobeying the direct order from Zykon.

 

[Asmor]

Giant In the Playground Games

Comic 548, which takes place during the Occupation of Azure City, sure makes it look like Redcloak does not see himself as a minion of Xykon, instead he sees himself as somebody who has to put up with him because of the very high value Xykon has to the larger plan.

He even says that he does not consider himself to really even be on the same side as Xykon, that the Goblins and Xykon are different sides working together for a mutual goal. When he says explicitly that "Xykon operates on a need to know basis and all he needs to know is we aren't finished here", "Xykon is a valuable ally, but he is NOT a Goblin.", "He does not have our best interests at heart, because he does not even have a heart" and "If you think for one round that Xykon gives a withered crap about the goblin race, I have a bridge to sell you to Terabithia." it kind of makes it look like Redcloak knows where his place really is, and it's not where Xykon thinks it is.

Don't get me wrong, Redcloak definitely has his own motives, but frankly I think in that comic he's convincing himself of Xykon's usefulness as much as he's convincing his underling.

But he also knows Xykon pretty well. In particular, he knows that he can pull this over on Xykon without Xykon questioning it. For his part, Xykon's usually smart enough to trust that Redcloak's strategic expertise is handy, and he's also a lich who enjoys simple joys like torturing a paladin and pitting wights against each other in gladiatorial combat. So it wasn't much of a gamble on Redcloak's part. Redcloak saw an opportunity and took it.

All that said, Xykon could kill Redcloak in a heartbeat. More importantly, Xykon could all but destroy Recloak's entire people (and Xykon seems like the sort who'd be perfectly willing to do something like that were he crossed), and Redcloak knows that. So when push comes to shove, if Xykon says, "Jump" Redcloak replies, "How high?"

So basically Xykon knows he can trust Redcloak not through loyalty but through fear, sheer intimidation, and the fact that he knows that Redcloak knows there's not a chance in the nine hells of him actually destroying or overthrowing the lich.

Redcloak hates Xykon, but is wise enough to know he's powerless to do anything about it. However, he's also wise enough to recognize an opportunity where his action might mean the difference between Xykon defeating the OotS or vice versa, and when that moment finally comes my money's on Redcloak tipping the scale in the OotS's favor.

 

[Nymrohd]

I think Xykon is smarter than Redcloak takes him for, He probably knows that Redcloak has been lying about having to stay at Azure City to look for clues and Recloak's motives for this and simply decided to let it pass. If Xykon ever finds out exactly what the ritual for controlling a gate does he will kill Redcloak rather messily (and I wonder why he doesn't know already given that his spellcraft skill is very strong).

Btw Xykon's line to the MitD on the last panel leads me to believe we may get some major info on the MitD on 666.

 

[wingsandsword]

Don't get me wrong, Redcloak definitely has his own motives, but frankly I think in that comic he's convincing himself of Xykon's usefulness as much as he's convincing his underling.

But he also knows Xykon pretty well. In particular, he knows that he can pull this over on Xykon without Xykon questioning it. For his part, Xykon's usually smart enough to trust that Redcloak's strategic expertise is handy, and he's also a lich who enjoys simple joys like torturing a paladin and pitting wights against each other in gladiatorial combat. So it wasn't much of a gamble on Redcloak's part. Redcloak saw an opportunity and took it.

All that said, Xykon could kill Redcloak in a heartbeat. More importantly, Xykon could all but destroy Recloak's entire people (and Xykon seems like the sort who'd be perfectly willing to do something like that were he crossed), and Redcloak knows that. So when push comes to shove, if Xykon says, "Jump" Redcloak replies, "How high?"

So basically Xykon knows he can trust Redcloak not through loyalty but through fear, sheer intimidation, and the fact that he knows that Redcloak knows there's not a chance in the nine hells of him actually destroying or overthrowing the lich.

Redcloak hates Xykon, but is wise enough to know he's powerless to do anything about it. However, he's also wise enough to recognize an opportunity where his action might mean the difference between Xykon defeating the OotS or vice versa, and when that moment finally comes my money's on Redcloak tipping the scale in the OotS's favor.

Well, for Redcloak being able to destroy Xykon. . .

Can a Lich actually innately know if something is its phylactery? I don't think they can by the RAW.

Could Redcloak subvert the retrieval process and have Xykon's phylactery cast into the Snarl Rift, while saying it was retrieved and is now secure? Xykon would be unable to regenerate and would be destroyed forever if his body were lost, but he wouldn't know that and keep on being reckless and get himself killed. We already know that Redcloak can make dummy Xykons with other undead, so he could even make it look to everyone that Xykon is still around.

Xykon's power to the master plan is his arcane spellcasting being needed for the ritual to control the Snarl. We don't know just how powerful it has to be. I've thought it has to be Epic level, but since Redcloak is also needed and he can cast 8th level spells (and we don't know if it's any higher, but he didn't use it during the Battle of Azure City), maybe it's just 8th level spells. Tsukiko isn't there yet, but could get there and Redcloak would have a lot easier time controlling that little gothling than Xykon.

Then again, maybe briefing Tsukiko on the master plan wouldn't be so hot: she's a Mystic Theurge which means she could be powerful enough in both Arcane and Divine magic to perform the ritual all by herself.

I will certainly agree with you that one way or the other, when the time is right Redcloak will betray Xykon, it's a long slow build to it, but I certainly think it will happen (and you'll know the dung has hit the fan when you see Redcloak reveal himself to have two eyes again). If Redcloak has a couple of levels by then, use True Resurrection on his brother while he's at it.

 

[Byronic]

I just hope Redcloak has the brains to regenerate that eye and just keep the eye patch on, maybe use some red marker around the eye just in case. Cause it would be really dumb to leave himself one eye-poke short of total blindness just to satiate that moron's ego.

He can always just regenerate it later on.

Anyway, Xylon is just passing on the blame. Whether office worker or evil Overlord/Liche the rules are still the same. Pass the blame.

 

[Dausuul]

Redcloak hates Xykon, but is wise enough to know he's powerless to do anything about it. However, he's also wise enough to recognize an opportunity where his action might mean the difference between Xykon defeating the OotS or vice versa, and when that moment finally comes my money's on Redcloak tipping the scale in the OotS's favor.

That moment came more than 500 strips ago, when Xykon's body was destroyed and Redcloak had the phylactery in hand. He didn't do it.

 

[Miyaa]

Actually, Tsukiko's suggestion is pretty good one. Even if Xyklon finds himself regenerated inside a sea-monster, he's a Epic level sorceror. And unless there's a sea-creature version of some magic-eating monster that I'm not aware of, I think the only problem it will be is how much pressure will it be get out of wherever the heck it is.

I'm betting it will take more than a few months to find the phylactery. A year or two at least. We're talking needle in the hay-stack kind of thing, and it might be moved around several times too.