New OotS is up. (#383)

[Nyeshet]

Considering he asked about killing but Varsuvius and Roy, I would think that he would not consider them his allies. Then there is the fact that the Charmed Person spell should not last over long. As ~12th level split between three classes, Nale is probably around a 4th level Sorcerer, so the spell will last about . . .

Yikes! I forgot! Charm Person lasts one hour per level. That means probably around four hours until it wheres off! On the other hand, I can't see the others not thinking something is funny when Belkar attacks them (activating the curse from the Mark of Justice) while singing whatever odd song he was asked to sing. The singing might keep him from telling the others about Nale, however - which may have been Nale's point in asking for it.

After the curse activates I imagine Belkar will be subdued rather quickly, but I wonder - will the curse remain activated until the mark is removed, or will Roy's password for activating it also allow him to deactivate it?

Hmm, I note Belkar was only asked to sing while he fought. Once he has been subdued and is no longer able to fight, I imagine that he will no longer feel a need to sing, perhaps.

I look forward to the next strip.


Regarding Belkar's question to the Oracle, I'm guessing Miko. Remember that the Paladins do not know of the deal that allowed Belkar to leave the prison. She already believes the OotS to have all but joined forces with Xykon - and so possibly are borderline evil as is. Should she next meet them before their quest is finished, she will certainly view Belkar being with them as a further sign of their non-Good nature. She will never believe that her own Lord / Shojo made such a deal - allowed a known murderer to roam free. She will attack on sight and strive her best to kill at least Belkar - as he is known to be evil beyond doubt. (Her quip regarding Belkar's wishes to be put in a pit due to cultural preferences - combined with the fact that she had him in chains for part of the journey south (if I recall correctly) would have allowed plenty of time to scan him without that lead sheet in the way.)

 

[Olaf the Stout]

Funny, but not as good as some of the previous strips. I actually thought that Belkar had found some integrity there. Of course, the fact that keeping the magic items was the sticking point just made it even funnier.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Voadam]

I still think the mark of justice is actually just an arcane mark with a lie.

Belkar's "mark of justice" is invisible except when revealed by V's magic. Marks of justice are not invisible. Arcane marks are invisible unless revealed by detect magic.

Attacking the party and not getting sick might expose Roy's lie when Belkar thinks about it.

 

[Cheiromancer]

I still think the mark of justice is actually just an arcane mark with a lie.

Belkar's "mark of justice" is invisible except when revealed by V's magic. Marks of justice are not invisible. Arcane marks are invisible unless revealed by detect magic.

Attacking the party and not getting sick might expose Roy's lie when Belkar thinks about it.

Ooh! I totally missed that. Good catch!

 

[wingsandsword]

I still think the mark of justice is actually just an arcane mark with a lie.

Belkar's "mark of justice" is invisible except when revealed by V's magic. Marks of justice are not invisible. Arcane marks are invisible unless revealed by detect magic.

Attacking the party and not getting sick might expose Roy's lie when Belkar thinks about it.

See also Durkon's casting of Control Weather. . .sometimes spells, especially Divine ones, in OOTS don't work exactly by the PHB, especially if the gods feel like it.

 

[orsal]

Here's what I think is happening:

[sblock]Belkar wasn't really planning to attack Nale. He still thinks he's got a mark of justice, after all. He really was planning to... cut his hair, after giving him a good scare. That's just the kind of thing Belkar likes, after all.

Belkar actually *did* make his save. So he was unaffected... and did exactly as he would have absent the spell.

After letting Nale know he's wise (not a word often applied to Belkar) to his tricks, he intended to team up. They do, after all, share somewhat similar goals. Belkar's wisdom is below average, but not through the floor. I think he can recognize this.[/sblock]

 

[Nyeshet]

I'm still a little surprised that Belkar didn't meet another of his team before the date between Nale and Halley. I would think that if he had Halley would have heard of it - or heard the commotion or something.

Another thought to consider: If the Snarl gets free it would destroy the world and possibly the planes of existence. Wouldn't the fiends want it contained, then? It could destroy them as easily if not more easily than the deities, after all, and if the world is destroyed that removes a place where they could spread their corruption, capture more souls, etc. I would think that the fiends would be wary of any plan that might free the Snarl, and while they may not like the deities, I can see them at least having a passing concern for their own survival. I wonder, therefore, what they will instruct Sabine to do.

 

[Felix]

Another thought to consider: If the Snarl gets free it would destroy the world and possibly the planes of existence. Wouldn't the fiends want it contained, then? It could destroy them as easily if not more easily than the deities, after all, and if the world is destroyed that removes a place where they could spread their corruption, capture more souls, etc. I would think that the fiends would be wary of any plan that might free the Snarl, and while they may not like the deities, I can see them at least having a passing concern for their own survival. I wonder, therefore, what they will instruct Sabine to do.

You're forgetting the possibility that someone might be able to syphon the Snarl's power for their own ends without it destroying creation. Fiends would find this possibility attractive, I should think, as long as they were the ones syphoning, of course.

 

[Nyeshet]

You're forgetting the possibility that someone might be able to syphon the Snarl's power for their own ends without it destroying creation. Fiends would find this possibility attractive, I should think, as long as they were the ones syphoning, of course.

True, but that raises another question - couldn't they deities have done the same - siphon off its power, I mean. I can't imagine the evil deities not relishing such a possibility, and if siphoning off its power weakened it, this could even have seemed a good idea to the good deities as well. After all, if the snarl is continuously weakened, then eventually it will not be as terrible should it later escape.

 

[Nightfall]

I still think Belkar failed and is now Nale's slave for good.

But that's just me.