OotS #6662 is up

[questing gm]

I should impose an Idiot Tax on my table where players who get their characters killed because of their idiocy should be ban from being raised/resurrected.

 

[freyar]

This strip really reminds me of the end of Start of Darkness. Nice!

 

[Brakkart]

This strip really reminds me of the end of Start of Darkness. Nice!

Yeah I got that same vibe too. It's good to see Xykon actually being a proper villain every once in a while, rather than just a comedy bad guy.

 

[Dausuul]

You know, I think this may be the first time we've ever seen Xykon really mad. The only thing that comes close is the scene in "Start of Darkness" where he discovers the drawbacks of being a lich; but even that wasn't on this level.

Well, Redcloak now has a good reason to dislike Xyklon even apart from his odious habits...

Oh, Redcloak had plenty of reason to hate his nonexistent guts before. Read "Start of Darkness." The eye is trivial compared to what's happened in the past. (Although it also has a lot of resonance with past events.)

I do think Redcloak may be getting set up for some kind of epiphany here, but I don't think it's going to be as simple as "I hate Xykon for not letting me have my eye back."

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

Occasional reminders that Xykon is in fact a really scary epic level sorcerer who isn't exactly stupid isn't a horrible idea.

Except Xykon just did something stupid, so it's not a great reminder.

 

[Glyfair]

What? I missed six thousand Order of the Stick comics?

Oh, wait. "#6662" must just be a typo. Don't scare me like that, Greylock!

(Whew!)

Johnathan

Hmmmm...#662. I wonder if we'll see a special theme in 4 more comics.

 

[Maggan]

So Redcloak is now one eye down ... and one step closer to becoming his brother, with all that entails.

I think we're seeing one part of a classic setup, and I'm seeing a scene coming in the future very much reminiscent of the end the friendship of Darth Vader and the Emperor.

/M

 

[Dausuul]

Except Xykon just did something stupid, so it's not a great reminder.

What would that be? Xykon has certainly done some stupid things in the past, but I don't recall any significant blunders here. He got blindsided by O-Chul, but then so did just about everyone else, Redcloak included.

 

[wingsandsword]

Except Xykon just did something stupid, so it's not a great reminder.

Xykon is actually pretty stupid, I'd even go as far as to hazard he may have Intelligence or Wisdom penalties (maybe even both), and certainly not bonuses. He couldn't remember Roy's name (or his father, or his father's master. . .), didn't care in the slightest for planning before the Battle of Azure City, and generally whenever it comes to planning and getting things done it's Redcloak we see doing anything that works towards long-term goals. Xykon is generally is reckless and dumb. It's Charisma he's got boatloads of, that and substantially more character levels than any other character currently running around in the strip that isn't long dead. The biggest thing Xykon has on his side when it comes to being an asset for Team Evil is that he has Epic-level firepower.

Xykon sees Redcloak as another minion, one he needs to conquer the world. Redcloak sees Xykon as an invaluable asset in his own quest for Goblin supremacy, but one to be held at a certain distance.

Things like this only make it more likely that Redcloak will eventually betray Xykon, or would if their rituals they need to conquer the world at one of the intact gates worked and he didn't need him anymore.

 

[DMINGW00TISAWSOME]

I hope I don't sound like an idiot here but... what is "Start of Darkness"?