THE OotS Thread, Part V

[Jub]

Whoa.......

Uh, wow. That's a heck of a way to make one think on your existence. No wonder so many of the Gods at the Godsmoot were in favor of redoing the universe again. To them, it's just so old hat that it doesn't matter if they do it again.

So, what does it mean for the heroes when the gods can't learn from their mistakes?

I think this is less the gods not learning and more that one mistake being so awful that even the gods can only do so much to mitigate it.

[Solauren]

I think the problem is the gods haven't figured out how to prevent the rifts from forming.

For all we know, the current world is the first one mortals found out, and put a system in place that was working, up until the Dark One got his plan, and then a certain Lich got involved...

[LadyTevar]

0-0
That's... a lot of attempts to contain the Snarl.

I'd say this world has lasted longer than the rest -- the first one lasted 4yrs, so the next one might have lasted 6-8yrs, depending on if we want to look at it doubling every time, or just going up by half every time. This means that "OotS World" might be as old as their legends say.

But yes, it does explain why the Gods are ready to just hit the "restart button" again. At this point, they're too used to "it failed, time to try again".

[Crazedwraith]

1140 went up while the board was down

Nice strip and reference to the intermission strip from the very first story arc.

[eyl]

But yes, it does explain why the Gods are ready to just hit the "restart button" again. At this point, they're too used to "it failed, time to try again".

And as said in strip 1140, destroying the world themselves at least allows them to retrieve the souls of the mortal therein, which would be lost if the Snarl destroys the world itself.

[LadyTevar]

So now there's a chance to stop it. Is Thor gonna tell them HOW?

[Crazedwraith]

Exposition ahoy But quite interesting and makes sense with what we already knew.


eta: That ending is fascinating but to me it sounds like they would be better destroying the world and restarting.

[Civil War Man]

eta: That ending is fascinating but to me it sounds like they would be better destroying the world and restarting.

Not necessarily. One of Redcloak's main motivations is Goblin rights, and if I recall correctly that is also a motivation of the Dark One, since the reason he's looking to control the Snarl is to basically blackmail the other pantheons into recognizing their legitimacy. If the other pantheons do that on their own, give the Goblin gods a seat at the table to replace the dead Eastern Gods, and encourage their followers to start treating Goblins as more than just XP fodder, it removes the necessity to try to control the Snarl.

[Crazedwraith]

eta: That ending is fascinating but to me it sounds like they would be better destroying the world and restarting.

Not necessarily. One of Redcloak's main motivations is Goblin rights, and if I recall correctly that is also a motivation of the Dark One, since the reason he's looking to control the Snarl is to basically blackmail the other pantheons into recognizing their legitimacy. If the other pantheons do that on their own, give the Goblin gods a seat at the table to replace the dead Eastern Gods, and encourage their followers to start treating Goblins as more than just XP fodder, it removes the necessity to try to control the Snarl.

If you grant the Dark One what he wants, a seat at the table, you can promise that to him in in the next world, and that next world will be a snarl resistant four colour one.

Other than whatever benefits Hel's expecting to get from her plan and the Dwarf souls (I've forgotten tbh) that seems ideal to me. The pantheons get a new stronger world, the Dark One gets goblins a fair deal in the new system.

[Civil War Man]

If you grant the Dark One what he wants, a seat at the table, you can promise that to him in in the next world, and that next world will be a snarl resistant four colour one.

I guess the question here is whether the Dark One, being a creation of this world, would survive its destruction unless he is given some kind of official recognition by the other pantheons in this one. It may be necessary to give him a seat at the table in this world regardless of whether they eventually save it or replace it.

[Raesene]

It might also help that whatever the Dark One cocreates contains a colour that is not part of the Snarl.

The Snarl might not be able to affect it as strongly (destructively) as created out of the other colours, going by the hot glaive through ochre jelly analogy. A new colour might be able to block him or at least be an obstacle.

All of that doesn't explain the planet that Blackwing saw inside the Snarl's prison. Maybe the Dark One is residing there ?

[LadyTevar]

Don't they create the new planet around the remains of the old, Snarl-riven one?

[Rogue 9]

Thor's plan depends on getting the Dark One to cooperate, though, and considering the task the Dark One has his high priest currently engaged in, I wouldn't bet on that.

[Crazedwraith]

Thor's plan depends on getting the Dark One to cooperate, though, and considering the task the Dark One has his high priest currently engaged in, I wouldn't bet on that.

Depends how fixated the Dark One is on the snarl plan, if he's reasonable and they make concessions to Goblins, he gets what he wants without the plan.

Thor might want Durkon to convince Redcloak they will though, which would be interesting.

[Napoleon the Clown]

As I recall, the Dark One's plan with the Snarl is pretty much all for the sake of improving things for his worshippers. If he can achieve that goal without the risk of letting the Snarl go on a rampage, why the hell would he go with a dangerous as hell plan? OotS has shown that you can be evil and still smart about it.

[Ralin]

As I recall, the Dark One's plan with the Snarl is pretty much all for the sake of improving things for his worshippers. If he can achieve that goal without the risk of letting the Snarl go on a rampage, why the hell would he go with a dangerous as hell plan? OotS has shown that you can be evil and still smart about it.

Extreme distrust of the other deities and their motives. Notice how they'll be bringing this up JUST as his high priest is (he thinks) about to give him the upper hand over the other pantheons?

[Rogue 9]

1142 is up.

[Crazedwraith]

certainly intriguing.

[Solauren]

I'm thinking that he plans to send Durkon back with a message for Red Cloak to relay to the Dark One.

[Ralin]

See what I mean? The plan is to try to persuade the Dark One to cooperate with the other deities in sealing the Snarl away forever or next best thing, right on the eve of the Dark One's master plan to murder the other deities using the Snarl comingb to fruition.

On top of whatever else Thor is about to reveal. Which I'm guessing involves the whole "Created as disposable XP fodder" thing.

[Crazedwraith]

1143

Durkon's got to convince Redcloak to play nice. This will work out well obviously.

[Ralin]

Interesting. It doesn't come up much, but the way the mechanics work in most editions does imply that once imbued with their deity's power they can cast spells without their direct influence or approval. Theoretically there's nothing stopping a really, really high-level cleric from declaring they're in charge and blasting their god with clerical spells other than the threat of failure and the near-certainty they won't be preparing any new spells later if it doesn't work.

[Solauren]

I'm thinking that he plans to send Durkon back with a message for Red Cloak to relay to the Dark One.

I was mostly right

[Crazedwraith]

1144 up

Answers the question i had. Spoiler

the Dark one won't survive the gap between worlds to help make the next one

[FaxModem1]

Love the reference to Marvel comics and Jack Kirby.