The OotS thread

[Lord of the Abyss]

Well, the fact we got a close up on the monster plus it seemed to me as if his eyes were glowing a bit (could justb e the close up) it seems he was responsible.

Looking back through various strips with the MitD in it, I've yet to see one where it's eyes looked like that. And I'll also point out that it said "ESCAPE" in all-caps too.

[Solauren]

Poor Xykon.

With his soul gem in the sewer, and possibly now in the ocean, he's going to have to wait weeks for the Cloister spell to wear off.

If it doesn't exit the cloister.

Either that, or spend months reseraching an epic level spell. Or wait who knows how long for mundane methods to find it.

Unless, of course, he's smart and just has his body blown apart so he can regrow from it and oh, walk/swim/teleport back. It's not like he loses a level to do that.

As for the MiTD; More hints we're talking about something Epic level, and emotionally/mentally immature.

Has to be a dragon. Maybe some sort of hybrid (i.e Half Celestial Force Dragon) but, I'm more and more convinced it's a dragon.

[Crazedwraith]

Well, the fact we got a close up on the monster plus it seemed to me as if his eyes were glowing a bit (could justb e the close up) it seems he was responsible.

Looking back through various strips with the MitD in it, I've yet to see one where it's eyes looked like that. And I'll also point out that it said "ESCAPE" in all-caps too.

But if he did do. One wonders just where he will have sent them. Presumably not back to the order of the stick because the MitD doesn't know them but instead some where he would consider safe.

[Sriad]

Well, the fact we got a close up on the monster plus it seemed to me as if his eyes were glowing a bit (could justb e the close up) it seems he was responsible.

Looking back through various strips with the MitD in it, I've yet to see one where it's eyes looked like that. And I'll also point out that it said "ESCAPE" in all-caps too.

Yea, I'm 99% sure it was MitD. It would be a real dick move to make it something else after THAT MUCH indication and build up to MitD actually doing something. In a lesser webcomic I could see the author going for a "LOL, I troll u!" joke, but it just seems like oots is above that sort of thing.

[Isolder74]

Monstersan probably did it without knowing he did it. It doesn't seem to know what it is capable of.

[Darth Tanner]

he's going to have to wait weeks for the Cloister spell to wear off

I don't think that would help, Xykon says that the amulet itself carries the most powerful antiscrying spells possible. No magic is going to find it regardless of it being in a giant anti scry field.

Unless, of course, he's smart and just has his body blown apart so he can regrow from it

And be out of the game for 1d10 days? Hes got plenty of hobgoblins, simply send them to find the pretty amulet.

After all, there's no problem that can't be solved by throwing minions at it.

Has to be a dragon.

Any dragon capable of epic magic would be too big to be in that cage wouldn't they?

I'm sure there are creatures that can simply "will" things to be

The three monsters capable of wish as a spell like ability are Fiend, Glabrezu and Solon according to the OOTS forums. I doubt any of them have such low int/wis scores though so unless their enslaved under a permanent feeble mind spell or some such then it could be anything in the dark.

[Venator]

I doubt any of them have such low int/wis scores though so unless their enslaved under a permanent feeble mind spell or some such then it could be anything in the dark.

Start of Darkness reveals that TMiTD was always just as much of a ditz, even in the wild... so that's pretty much out, unless OOtS-verse D&D includes rules for mental disabilities.

[Napoleon the Clown]

Zodar are able to use Wish as a supernatural ability. Problem being, they don't have an intelligence score. Though I guess some nutter may have cast Awaken Construct on one. They're immune to all forms of damage except for bludgeoning, so that'd explain his reaction to Miko's best efforts. Without access to the description for Awaken Construct, though, I can't say if that would make him capable of eating or not. That he likes stew suggests he can, in fact, eat. So the odds are against him being an Awakened Zodar. Anyone got the Spell Compendium to check out the Awaken Construct spell? It's also in Savage Species.

[avatarxprime]

he's going to have to wait weeks for the Cloister spell to wear off

I don't think that would help, Xykon says that the amulet itself carries the most powerful antiscrying spells possible. No magic is going to find it regardless of it being in a giant anti scry field.

Minor nitpick: Xykon says the most powerful spells "we know," which leaves the door open for some spell to exist that could find it. This would also certainly provide a nice opportunity for the spliced souls to come back in. Surely someone has a sufficiently epic scrying spell. I also wonder if maybe all of V's time researching more powerful scrying methods will come into play here.

[Sriad]

Zodar are able to use Wish as a supernatural ability. Problem being, they don't have an intelligence score. Though I guess some nutter may have cast Awaken Construct on one. They're immune to all forms of damage except for bludgeoning, so that'd explain his reaction to Miko's best efforts. Without access to the description for Awaken Construct, though, I can't say if that would make him capable of eating or not. That he likes stew suggests he can, in fact, eat. So the odds are against him being an Awakened Zodar. Anyone got the Spell Compendium to check out the Awaken Construct spell? It's also in Savage Species.

Here ya go:

AWAKEN CONSTRUCT
Transmutation
Level: Cleric 9, sorcerer/wizard 9
Components: V, S, M, XP
Casting Time: 8 hours
Range: Touch
Target: One construct
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes (harmless)
Tendrils of writhing light cover your hand and the brain it holds. The light
disperses into the construct you touch, enveloping it in a soft white corona
for several seconds before the creature’s body absorbs the radiance.
This spell awakens a humanoid-shaped construct to humanlike sentience. An
awakened construct’s Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores are
all 3d6. The spell does not work on constructs that are constructs only
temporarily (such as objects affected by an animate objects spell). The awakened
creature is independent of both you and the being who originally made it,
though it is initially friendly toward both you and its maker. (See MM 290
for information on skills and feats the creature gains.)

Material Component: The brain of a humanoid that has been dead less than 8 hours.
XP Cost: 5,000 XP.

[Solauren]

Dude, Awaken Construct IS NOT AN SRD SPELL.

You just posted copyrighted material, dumbass.

[The Yosemite Bear]

Mr. Mod wannabe, there's exceptions for critique, and original expression as well as parody. Not to mention he only typed in text by hand. We discuss information from copywritted sci-fi and fantasy stuff all the time here.

[AMT]

I don't get what the big deal about the amulet is... the dude's a LICH. When he dies, he goes to the amulet and gets a new body, yes?

So... kill his body, let him go to the amulet, take a new body, then get his stuff back from Redcloak.

[Starglider]

So... kill his body, let him go to the amulet, take a new body, then get his stuff back from Redcloak.

Regrowing a body seems to take weeks, which depending on what the OoTS do next may not be time Xykon can afford. That also assumes that he can teleport straight back from the amulet location; if not then he's in a vulnerable state in an unknown location (e.g. sea monster digestive tract) for weeks.

[Solauren]

Mr. Mod wannabe, there's exceptions for critique, and original expression as well as parody. Not to mention he only typed in text by hand. We discuss information from copywritted sci-fi and fantasy stuff all the time here.

If you've actually read Wizards of the Coast/Hasbro's policy on posting their stuff in it's entirety (or majority), it can be summarized as: Unless it's in the System Resource Document; Don't. (There rarely get upset by 2 - 3 lines, but enough to use the spell without buying the book, they do)

You can't even post that much of a spell's description on their webforums (in the members only sections) without, at the minimum, getting the post deleted and your account temporarily suspended (they might have lightened up as it regards 3rd edition stuff with 4th edition out).

If you've actually taken a detailed look at any D&D webcomic, except in very specific jokes (i.e the Mind Flayer/Beholder joke really early in Order of the Stick), it's very rare you see a non-SRD item posted unless it's a custom name, or so bloody well known, it doesn't matter. (i.e everyone know's Grasphing Hand is Bigby's Grasping Hand).

However, what was done here, they've been known to come down on like a ton of bricks.

I was pointing out to him that it's not in the SRD, and therefore Wizards of the Coast/Hasbro could get annoyed by it.

There is a massive difference between discussing copyrighted material (i.e yeah, I just looked it over and...) and posting the copyrighted item.

[Napoleon the Clown]

Fair use allows someone to post excerpts of material that's protected by copyright, so long as it's for non-profit (check), educational (check) use. The question being if posting the entire spell is a violation of the "excerpt" part.



Though even if his above use would fall under fair use, it doesn't mean Wizards, or Hasbro, would be unable to make their displeasure known.

[The Yosemite Bear]

Thank you

I know Fair use, I know Corperate IP policy, I know that CIPP usually extends beyond what fair use. Hell Marvel and DC have even copywritted the term "Superhero" and "Nazi"

[Sriad]

Dude, Awaken Construct IS NOT AN SRD SPELL.

You just posted copyrighted material, dumbass.

Without the accompanying rules system to use the spell (class details, spellcasting rules, game mechanics, etc.) it is legally a minor excerpt of a large work for purposes of discussion without profit. The same fair-use laws that allow a reviewer or researcher to quote paragraphs of other people's writing in their own work apply.

WOTC is free to punish people on their own forums (just as banable offenses HERE fall well within the limits of free speech), but they don't get to define copyright law for the rest of the world.

[NecronLord]

It is my opinion that this really doesn't qualify as fair use for education - the topic is not educational, nor is it a review or discussion of the work in question.

Nonetheless, if Wizards of the Coast object to his post, it will be removed at their request. However, this is not their board, and their posting rules are entirely irrelevant to us. I see no reason to delete it - as it was on topic - until that time.

In any case, for what it's worth, no, I would say that Awaken Construct does not grant the need or ability to eat.

There is another spell, which is similar, called Incarnate Construct that does, but creatures lose special abilities and attacks when incarnated.

Personally, I'd bet it's actually its own creature. Maybe something weird like the Soul of the Snarl.

[NomAnor15]

So doesn't the phylactery falling into the ocean (or what have you) make Xykon effectively invulnerable? I mean, yes, he has to go to wherever it is and regrow his body, but there's no way in hell the OoTS can find it to destroy it now, is there? So with the phylactery impossible(?) to destroy, how can Xykon be killed?

[Grandmaster Jogurt]

In one of the commentaries in Book 3, Mr. Burlew stated that the Monster in the Darkness is a creature from an actual D&D book and he's made sure to be consistent with what it can or cannot do, so it can be guessed correctly.

[Majin Gojira]

In one of the commentaries in Book 3, Mr. Burlew stated that the Monster in the Darkness is a creature from an actual D&D book and he's made sure to be consistent with what it can or cannot do, so it can be guessed correctly.

Oh, I hope it's the Tarasque. That'd be fun .

[Starglider]

Oh, I hope it's the Tarasque. That'd be fun .

It'd be amusing, but unfortunately that doesn't fit any description of the Tarasque ever published (you know, capable of speech, not mindless, smaller than barn sized, has spell-like abilities...).

[Crossroads Inc.]

Oh, I hope it's the Tarasque. That'd be fun .

It'd be amusing, but unfortunately that doesn't fit any description of the Tarasque ever published (you know, capable of speech, not mindless, smaller than barn sized, has spell-like abilities...).

Somehow I htink whatever monster comes out of the box, the ONE thing we can know for certain.. is that it will NOT Be the size of the box

[Archaic`]

Personally, my money is on the MitD being an Abomination. It is pretty much by definition ugly and powerful, and can be as no limits as the writers want.