2013/01/18 [DMFA #1370] - ...and then ram your head through the wall after it!

[Plotting]

Okay, I'm going to chime in.  I don't think she is sufficiently interested in Abel anymore to try to arrange his death (at least for it's own sake.)  But a certain kangaroo-rat's gadgets might cause problems for her plans.  And she might be concerned about the protection he has.  By sending some "kill first, ask questions later" adventurers to the vicinity, she may have hoped that he would be killed in what looked like "collateral damage."

But the adventurers were after a Cubi. And only the suicidal would lay a hand on Zinvth's poster boy of the year.

[Tuyu]

I'm still having trouble believing that that the B.O.B. showing up at the inn looking for cubi could be the hit Destania is talking about.  The only way it could be would be if one of them was secretly a highly competent assassin who used the adventuring group as a cover. It would have to be Gen, and when Wildy disarmed her, she prevented Gen from delivering the 'accidental' killing strike.

But I don't really buy that. I think it's Pip. Mab said that he was trying to kill off folks. He could've arranged for Merlitz to be put into suspension right alongside Edward.  Since his limits in Furrae appear to be physical but not mental, he would know the B.O.B.'s suspicion about Alexsi and that if Merlitz disappeared or died they would jump to conclusions. He probably ate the phone to prevent Kria's people from reaching Jyrras, too.

[Plotting]

I'm still having trouble believing that that the B.O.B. showing up at the inn looking for cubi could be the hit Destania is talking about.  The only way it could be would be if one of them was secretly a highly competent assassin who used the adventuring group as a cover. It would have to be Gen, and when Wildy disarmed her, she prevented Gen from delivering the 'accidental' killing strike.

The simplest way it could have been achieved would have been for Des to shapeshift and to pretend to be a Phoenix, the very Phoenix which told them that a Cubi Killed in Lost Lake killed Merlitz. B.O.B. then go to avenge the death of Merlitz.

The whole "hit" thing is probably just a cover story. I personally am reading "hit" as "manipulating adventurers to unwittingly kill some innocent for Des". She is probably calling it a "hit" to be vague about her actions/intentions.

Also, its is not the first time she has disguised herself as Biggs to get someone to kill someone else for her - the first time she did it she manipulated her son Dan into killing Dark Pegasus.

[Lying Foo]

It seems weird that Destania would try to kill Abel at this point, or that she would think tricking the BOB was the best (or even a viable) way to do it, but her last line definitely sounds like it could only be Abel.

[Tapewolf]

but her last line definitely sounds like it could only be Abel.

The comic is implying that but it's implied a lot of false things before.  There's a lot of people it could be, especially if she's talking about a hit in response to the news, rather than hearing about a hit gone wrong. 

[Plotting]

The comic is implying that but it's implied a lot of false things before.  There's a lot of people it could be, especially if she's talking about a hit in response to the news, rather than hearing about a hit gone wrong.  

Who might those people be? I can't think of anyone other than Abe, Pyroduck, or Jyrrus.

[Tapewolf]

Who might those people be?

We've been round this a lot, even within this thread.  But since you ask:

Dark Pegasus is a prime suspect - he knows exactly who she is (see 388, also the 9xx series where he fights Dan).  He could very easily pose a threat to her interests and wellbeing - far more so than Abel.  She's already tried to get Dan to off him once, she was doing the Biggs thing again on that same occasion and it's entirely plausible that her rage is because that attempt failed, and nothing to do with the inn at all.(*)

Pyroduck.  He's a Dragon, she hates those for massacring her clan (and that's almost certainly why she's as insane as she is).  It's implied that she'll go mental when she hears that Alexsi is dating him.  He managed to snag some of her tail feathers, and I suspect that they were taken in a fight, not given voluntarily.

Hizell, or his agents.  I dunno how you'd organise a hit on someone that powerful, but if she's just heard that Talliopa has been murdered in an attempt to locate her, I imagine she'd throw something of a hissy-fit.

Someone we have no knowledge of at all, who has attempted to have her son murdered at Lost Lake Inn.

Yes, it's possible that she arranged a hit on Abel by proxy, but I can't believe it for reasons which have been gone over and over.  Chiefly: The adventurers are more likely to murder Dan; spreading that there's a 'Cubi at Lost Lake will have the Dragons on her tail before she's ready ; She hates Abel for sitting and moping - you throw tables over a threat, not someone who you consider a loser.


(*)What could be really interesting if is it was Dark Pegasus who tipped off the adventurers that there was a 'Cubi at lost lake.  He has the knowledge and motivation, especially if he's realised that Dan isn't actually Lorenda's boyfriend.


EDIT:

I think it's also fair to say that if she wanted Abel dead that badly, there are much, much, much better ways of doing so than sending adventurers around who would likely have targeted her son first if he was there and almost killed her stepdaughter instead.  At the very least the oracle would have said that it was "a spotted 'Cubi" to avoid mistakes, but it seems to me far more likely that if she wanted Abel out of the way, she could easily have got Dan to do it, by saying the right things when he came looking for his mother. 

[Mrs_A_ZeTavia]

All I know is yet again, I am camping in front of my computer, as I await for Monday.

Anyone want some mallows?

[Mao]

Anyone smell tea on the horizon?

Nope.  For once it really doesn't feel like the theorizing is going too far overboard. There's been a few that were pretty out there and absolutely lacking basis, but nothing that has felt like it was pants-on-head silly.  That said, I'm always watching.

[Lying Foo]

Actually, what I find interesting is the way Biggs calms down on hearing Dee is "just" overseeing a hit he didn't order.  If that calmed him down, what the heck has she been doing in his name?

[Tuyu]

The comic is implying that but it's implied a lot of false things before.  There's a lot of people it could be, especially if she's talking about a hit in response to the news, rather than hearing about a hit gone wrong.

Arranging a hit in response to what she heard would require her to have a non-crunched phone, though.

I was just reading the archives. Back in 1053, when Gen visited the inn and wanted to speak to Alexsi but Abel was tending bar, it would've been hard for her to not notice his clan mark.

However, during the fight, it seemed like the first time she was aware Abel was a cubi. An act?

[Pvblivs]

But the adventurers were after a Cubi.

Right.  But I said that (under the speculation) the death would appear to be "collateral damage."  That is, adventuring parties don't normally go in and kill one targeted creature.  They storm in after one.  And anyone else who happens to be there is just unlucky.

Only one of them recognized him.  If not for that, a whole guild might have come back and killed everything that moved.  Sure, Zinvth wouldn't be too happy with them.  But the guild wouldn't know to avoid killing that one being.  And no one would suspect Destania.

This is all speculation.  One possibility.  For all we know, this is about someone not yet introduced in the comic.

[Dressari]

I'm still having trouble believing that that the B.O.B. showing up at the inn looking for cubi could be the hit Destania is talking about.  The only way it could be would be if one of them was secretly a highly competent assassin who used the adventuring group as a cover. It would have to be Gen, and when Wildy disarmed her, she prevented Gen from delivering the 'accidental' killing strike.

The simplest way it could have been achieved would have been for Des to shapeshift and to pretend to be a Phoenix, the very Phoenix which told them that a Cubi Killed in Lost Lake killed Merlitz. B.O.B. then go to avenge the death of Merlitz.

Didn't Amber mention somewhere that Cubi could not emulate the fiery effects the phoenix's give off?

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Didn't Amber mention somewhere that Cubi could not emulate the fiery effects the phoenix's give off?

Not with native shape-changing, no. You could possibly manage with a bucket of gasoline and some fire-resistance, though...

[Lurkie]

Didn't Amber mention somewhere that Cubi could not emulate the fiery effects the phoenix's give off?

Not with native shape-changing, no. You could possibly manage with a bucket of gasoline and some fire-resistance, though...

Or perhaps she could do something like Abel did here.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Or perhaps she could do something like Abel did here.

I believe that _was_ what I was referring to,yes.