How is Rich going to introduce Redcloak’s back-story for people who haven’t read SoD? I know he said it isn’t necessary to read the prequels, but a lot of people like clnilsen will be scratching their heads.
I’m not sure that he can. I’m prepared to be proven wrong, of course–Rich is a much better writer than I am–but it seems like a very difficult task.
He’s been giving hints and references to SoD for a while now that I know I wouldn’t have gotten if people who actually had SoD hadn’t spoilered explanations for. When Redcloak first lost the eye, the mirror panel was a direct and wonderfully subtle callback to that history (since, in the mirror, it was the left eye that was missing).
Is there a place I can read the prequels?
They are both print only as I recall; you can order them online from the links on the website. They might be available in stores for all I know.
Didn’t one of her minions drain a level from Belkar? I’m thinking wight.
I purchased both from my local comic shop, but have not seen them in stores like Borders or B&N.
Looks like Amazon has 'em, though.
Lots of gaming shops carry them, too.
[spoiler]There’s a little more to it than that. Xykon called Redcloak’s brother Right-Eye so calling Redcloak Wrong-Eye is a play off that.
A deeper level is that both brothers had real names but Xykon didn’t want to have to remember them so he called them Redcloak and Right-Eye for their most obvious attributes. Thereby showing that Xykon doesn’t give a damn about even his top minions.
Finally, Xykon eventually forced Redcloak to kill his brother in order to ensure Redcloak’s loyalty. Then he taunted Redcloak about it, saying that Right-Eye had been the better brother and Redcloak was the weak one.[/spoiler]
My local comic shop is my gaming shop. I’d quite forgotten they could be separate things. 
Actually, I’m surprised there are some still separate; I’d think it easier to maintain a going concern if you cater to multiple tiny niche markets, rather than just one.
Many of her “babies” are wights, but this one looks different, and the method of creating a wight is different from the method for creating a ghoul. To create a ghoul, you start with a corpse, and cast Create Undead on it. To create a wight, you start with a living person, and kill them through level drain, either by casting a spell like Enervation, or from contact from another wight, after which they’ll come back as a wight.
Well. You seem to be quite well-informed on the techniques of the matter.
What did you say your alignment was, again?
[spoiler]When they first met Xykon, they and a representative of a lizardman tribe were each trying to talk the obviously powerful sorcerer into an alliance. The lizardman started introducing himself with his acutal long complicated name… until Xykon got exasperated and blasted him. They then introduced themselves to Xykon as “Redcloak” and “Right-Eye”.
Their actual goblin names remain unknown. They usually addressed each other as “brother” – significantly, Right-Eye’s dying words were “Goodbye… Redcloak”.[/spoiler]
What the helling hell? #709: No Scry Zone is up already! Rich is really on his game!
And surprisingly touching. I’m not a big MITD fan but this was very cute. And maybe this means we’re finally going back to Team Good Guys again.
Oh, ***I *** am. Especially where his friendship with O-Chul is concerned.
It’s not only cute, it’s crucial to the plot. I have a feeling that the MITD’s ultimate allegiance will play a key role in the story’s climax, and as of now, O-Chul is the scarred, badass angel on its shoulder. Best it thinks of him as often as possible.
Now, as to that ritual Tsukiko is studying… any ideas?
Ewwww! “Two Words: Magic Fingers!”
Start Of Darkness spoilers
[spoiler] Xykon has cast a spell on the MITD, if Redcloak ever betrays Xykon, the MITD must eat Redcloak.
As for the spell, it’s a ritual to control the gates. It requires two casters, one arcane, one divine. Note that Tsukiko uses both types of magic. Redcloak has misled Xykon as to what exactly the spell does. Xykon thinks it will control the Snarl, and make it his servant. What it really does is to open the gate in the realm of the gods. The Dark One will be able to blackmail the other gods, sop that Goblins will get a better deal.
[/spoiler]
Start of Darkness spoilers:
[Spoiler]It most likely is the ritual mentioned in Start of Darkness that requires both a divine and arcane caster to work, the one that Redcloak and his God the Dark One intend to use that will let the Dark One open a portal to the Snarl where they like; the throne room of Thor, for example. Xykon has been manipulated into thinking that the ritual will let him command the Snarl as he likes; in reality, the only control involved will be where the gate to the Snarl opens, and the one in control will be the Dark One, not Xykon.
The fact that he has someone devoted only to him studying the ritual though implies that Xykon may not have been fooled as well as Redcloak thinks, though. Or maybe he just wants someone else besides Redcloak who can use it. [/Spoiler]
EDIT: I see** Peter Morris** posted most of that before me. Posted anyway to include my speculation.
Aw. That’s very sweet.