THE OotS Thread, Part V

[Solauren]

They were not his bosses (that he knew of) when he died.

And he probably wasn't aware of them at all until well....

However, if Nale is half as smart as he thinks he is, he might be able to get a good deal out of it.

[Bedlam]

Well part of his recent revelation was that he isn't as smart as he thinks he is, so we'll have to see where that goes.

[Ralin]

I suspect the fiends just made their fatal mistake.

They didn't need to make the hard sell that hard. They could have threatened Nale without making him an active enemy. Now he's going to be looking for a chance to fuck them over, and he's probably about to be put in a situation where there's a lot riding on him and he's surrounded by moving parts. Doesn't take much to ruin someone's plan under those circumstances.

[Solauren]

I suspect the fiends just made their fatal mistake.

They didn't need to make the hard sell that hard. They could have threatened Nale without making him an active enemy. Now he's going to be looking for a chance to fuck them over, and he's probably about to be put in a situation where there's a lot riding on him and he's surrounded by moving parts. Doesn't take much to ruin someone's plan under those circumstances.

I'd like to think the Fiends have accounted for that, and Elan is going to be the distraction.

Or they're sending him in to take out his father and buddies, that way the Fiends have a gate of their own.

[LadyTevar]

Well well. Let's hear what the Fiends have to say, and see how Nale can wiggle things around.

[Ralin]

https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1183.html

An artifact and something about a vessel.

I'd like to think the Fiends have accounted for that, and Elan is going to be the distraction.

Or they're sending him in to take out his father and buddies, that way the Fiends have a gate of their own.

It's very appropriate to have their defeat come directly from their character flaws (arrogance, being domineering monsters who see others as things to be used, casual cruelty).

There's basically no reason other than ego and sadism that they had to humiliate Nale instead of taking a soft touch and letting Sabine persuade him.

[Bedlam]

I do wonder if they're not as cool as they seem and the pressure of the situation is starting to get to them, particularly if they're not the top of their particular command structures when it comes to this plan.

[Solauren]

Actually, considering Nale is a damned soul, which fiends do whatever the hell they want with, by any standards, this IS the soft sell.

[LadyTevar]

https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1183.html

An artifact and something about a vessel.

Holy shit, that was 2019.

Well well... they have their 'vessel' in Nale now.

[Ralin]

Actually, considering Nale is a damned soul, which fiends do whatever the hell they want with, by any standards, this IS the soft sell.

Nale's standards are the ones that matter here

[Rogue 9]

1319 is up.

[Crazedwraith]

The mystery of the throne is cleared up. Very devious.

[LadyTevar]

The mystery of the throne is cleared up. Very devious.

I knew it was a setup from the minute Nale reacted. I wonder if the throne will actually ever be finished, or if there are staged 'accidents' where a soul is blamed for damaging the throne and it has to be redone?

[Solauren]

The mystery of the throne is cleared up. Very devious.

I knew it was a setup from the minute Nale reacted. I wonder if the throne will actually ever be finished, or if there are staged 'accidents' where a soul is blamed for damaging the throne and it has to be redone?

Memory wipes at the end of a work day, and the stones the put in simply vanishing. Much like their hopes and dreams to their own envy....

[Ralin]

The mystery of the throne is cleared up. Very devious.

I knew it was a setup from the minute Nale reacted. I wonder if the throne will actually ever be finished, or if there are staged 'accidents' where a soul is blamed for damaging the throne and it has to be redone?

Memory wipes at the end of a work day, and the stones the put in simply vanishing. Much like their hopes and dreams to their own envy....

I imagine it's like an evil version of Alzheimer's where you forget everything except your worst, most spite and hate-filled memories.

[Solauren]

I knew it was a setup from the minute Nale reacted. I wonder if the throne will actually ever be finished, or if there are staged 'accidents' where a soul is blamed for damaging the throne and it has to be redone?

Memory wipes at the end of a work day, and the stones the put in simply vanishing. Much like their hopes and dreams to their own envy....

I imagine it's like an evil version of Alzheimer's where you forget everything except your worst, most spite and hate-filled memories.

Could be, but wouldn't having the good memories still, and knowing you wasted them for this point of envy be worse?
Probably a case by case basis.

[Rogue 9]

1320 is up.

[Ralin]

Could be, but wouldn't having the good memories still, and knowing you wasted them for this point of envy be worse?
Probably a case by case basis.

Yes case by case. And also the good memories are likely twisted and changed.

Well part of his recent revelation was that he isn't as smart as he thinks he is, so we'll have to see where that goes.

Notice how the fiends immediately started goading him to forget his recent bout of insight and clarity before he could internalize and act on it?

[Solauren]

And the newest strip...

This is why you might want to let the higher up Archfiends in on things.
Or in addition to mindwiping them, obliterate them all and just let them reform as if new. It really depends on the other life in the planes.

[Bedlam]

The problem is if you're expecting everyone to tow the party line when the more and more beings you let in on the secret the more there are who might decide to go off and do something else like this. ~100 gods might be possible but add hundreds or thousands of fiends, archons, deva's, modrons, etc and something is likely to give.

[Ralin]

Every single one of whom might decide that they care more about the cause of Evil, Good, Law, etc than they do about the will of the gods. Every single one of whom might decide they're just as offended by the gods working across alignment lines as the IFCC fiends were. Every single one of whom might get to thinking that if all the gods are dead then there will be no one to mind wipe them next time.

[Solauren]

I am still thinking 'Just Asmodeus (LE - Devils), whomever the Omnidaemon is at the time (NE - Daemons, I think it's still Anthraxus), and Demogorgon (CE - Abyss) in on it.

Devils: "Why did you let the Gods mindwipe us all?"
Asmodeus: "They used a subclause in the fine print of the pact primeval."
Devils: "... but, that's out trick! How fiendishly clever of them... oh wait... damn it!" (Lawful Evil nature prevents them from rebelling against this idea)

Daemons: "Why did you let the gods mindwipe us all?"
Omnidaemon - "They paid me a shit load."
Daemons: ".... do we get a cut?"
Omnidaemon: (Sighs). "I suppose..." (gets out an axe)
(They got paid, so they don't care)

Demons: "Why did you let the gods mindwipe us?"
Demogorgon - Destroys the demon in question for annoying him, devouring it's mind and essence in the process, preventing reformation or restoration.
Demogorgon: "Anyone else have any questions?"
(Demons are to terrified to ask anymore questions, and then forget about it in their eternal plotting and scheming).

[Ralin]

So now three of the greatest fiends in existence have the lifetime of multiple worlds to figure out how to prevent the mind wipe and spin the entire situation to their advantage.

They also know the biggest conflict of the setting isn't Good vs Evil or Law vs Chaos. It's the gods vs everyone else.

[LadyTevar]

And the IFCC Fiends still haven't figured it all out -- they only think ONE WORLD was destroyed.

[Solauren]

So now three of the greatest fiends in existence have the lifetime of multiple worlds to figure out how to prevent the mind wipe and spin the entire situation to their advantage.

They also know the biggest conflict of the setting isn't Good vs Evil or Law vs Chaos. It's the gods vs everyone else.

Actually, it's the SNARL versus every else.

I'm willing to bet that outsiders, created via divine energy and all, are very vulnerable to that.
The Archfriend rulers might be ambitious, but they are not suicidal.