Order of the Stick - Book 5 Discussion Thread

[robertliguori]

Originally Posted by shantih

Oh. Oh, dear. I do like Blackwing's attempt to put a positive spin on V's hairtrigger use of aggressive magic ('So, progress.'). I wonder if V is going to mention this to the rest of the OotS or just let it happen.

"Good news, my adventuring companions! I have located a short and lucrative side-quest for us to pursue! It will involve looting and demolishing a guild of lawyers!"

[Trepa Mayfield]

For some reason, I keep hearing Blackwing's lines as spoken by Wayne Knight (Newman from Seinfeld). Issat just me?

Also, Poor V.

[Malleus, Incus, Stapes!]

My brother thinks that maybe Smith and Rodriguez will tun up during the divorce procedings.

[Captain Carrot]

Sad, but not surprising.

[choie]

Originally Posted by pedescribe

For some reason, I keep hearing Blackwing's lines as spoken by Wayne Knight (Newman from Seinfeld). Issat just me?

Not anymore.

Also, Poor V.

Ditto. Poor elf can't catch a break -- he's OOTS's buttmonkey. Of course it's not surprising and Kyrie's understandably upset at V's scary behavior, but I still think going straight to the divorce papers is jumping the gun. Two days is like five seconds in an elf's life, isn't it? Dayum. Harsh.

I'd like to see V fighting this but s/he might not.

All that said, the strip was pretty funny until the bottom set of panels. Wizard/process server got what he deserved, the little creep! And V's use of the Bigsby hand never fails to get a grin out of me.

[Captain Amazing]

Actually, the last panel was pretty funny too. There's actually a D&D spell called Drawmij's Instant Summons. But you'd have to be a D&D geek to get that, I guess.

[choie]

True, I probably miss a lot not knowing much about D&D (aside from what I've picked up since starting to read OOTS. But I was too moved by Vaarsuvius's Closed Eyes of Sad Resignation, which gets me every time Burlew uses it. (Especially for V, for whom it's particularly poignant since V's normally such a stubborn/egotistical little elf.) What can I say, I'm a sap.

[Malacandra]

Originally Posted by Captain Amazing

Actually, the last panel was pretty funny too. There's actually a D&D spell called Drawmij's Instant Summons. But you'd have to be a D&D geek to get that, I guess.

Geek reporting for duty, sah!

[Alessan]

New strip up.

[shantih]

My only question: where did they find a teeny-tiny sombrero?

[Finagle]

Originally Posted by choie

Two days is like five seconds in an elf's life, isn't it?

Two days of strip time since the fight with the dragon? I guess they really did take the fastest ship to the desert continent. Seriously, their voyage only took one day?

[Alessan]

Remember, they teleported near the shore.

Originally Posted by shantih

My only question: where did they find a teeny-tiny sombrero?

Banjo's wardrobe?

[Leaper]

Originally Posted by shantih

My only question: where did they find a teeny-tiny sombrero?

In the Kingdom of Loathing?

[jayjay]

Originally Posted by Alessan

Banjo's wardrobe?

I miss Banjo.

I don't miss Banjo enough to try to call up Banjulhu, though...

[Just Some Guy]

Originally Posted by shantih

My only question: where did they find a teeny-tiny sombrero?

It's a spell component. They don't even have to keep track of those.

[tanstaafl]

Originally Posted by Leaper

In the Kingdom of Loathing? In the Kingdom of Loathing?

Except there the Sombrero is the familiar. And the raven always flies off after finding the Black Market.

[Yllaria]

Aw! V's being responsible and, barring baubles, the familiar is acting as a conscience. And it's so sad.

[Alessan]

Does anyone here believe V will survive the end of the story?

[jayjay]

Originally Posted by Alessan

Does anyone here believe V will survive the end of the story?

I never really thought of that. Has s/he had any foreshadowings of death like Belkar and Durkon have?

[Alessan]

Just a feeling I have. I just don't see him getting out of his Soul Splice deal any other way.

The way I see it, Belkar and Durkon are dead meat, V's prospects aren't looking good, Roy won't die again (too redundant) and Elan, of course, will have his happy ending - which means that Haley will survive, too.

[jayjay]

Originally Posted by Alessan

Just a feeling I have. I just don't see him getting out of his Soul Splice deal any other way.

The way I see it, Belkar and Durkon are dead meat, V's prospects aren't looking good, Roy won't die again (too redundant) and Elan, of course, will have his happy ending - which means that Haley will survive, too.

The Belkar/Durkon deaths don't really worry me too much. In a world with Resurrection/Raise Dead/Wish spells, death is (more or less) temporary. Durkon's prophecy was that he wouldn't return to his homeland alive...which doesn't preclude his body being returned to his temple's high priest for Resurrection. And as for Belkar...I don't know. I can see him cheating death (actually, I can see him backstabbing Death and stealing his scythe and cloak). I'm willing to bet that at the end of Book 5 they'll all be alive or at least plausibly revivable.

[Malleus, Incus, Stapes!]

I wouldn't be suprised if Belkar pulled a Screw Destiny and stayed alive just out of spite.

Roy: Uh, Belkar, weren't you supposed to be dead for several strips already?
Belkar: *waves daggers* Just try and do something about it.


Back on topic, poor V still can't catch a break.

[appleciders]

Originally Posted by Yllaria

...barring baubles...

The bauble thing is just a nod to ravens having a penchant for shiny objects, right?

[ultrafilter]

Originally Posted by Alessan

Does anyone here believe V will survive the end of the story?

Not in a wider sense. V is a classic tragic hero, which means that he'll at least be ruined if not dead.

[Yllaria]

Originally Posted by appleciders

The bauble thing is just a nod to ravens having a penchant for shiny objects, right?

That seems to be the case, yes.

[shantih]

Originally Posted by Malleus, Incus, Stapes!

I wouldn't be suprised if Belkar pulled a Screw Destiny and stayed alive just out of spite.

See, that's just not nice. It's late, I'm tired, I should already be asleep, and that's going to be problematic if I spend the next three DAYS following one tvtropes link after another.


Just one more and I'll turn off the laptop ...

[kaylasdad99]

Originally Posted by Alessan

Just a feeling I have. I just don't see him getting out of his Soul Splice deal any other way.

The way I see it, Belkar and Durkon are dead meat, V's prospects aren't looking good, Roy won't die again (too redundant) and Elan, of course, will have his happy ending - which means that Haley will survive, too.

Umm, I htink Elan got his happy ending somewhere between strip 400 and strip 401, if you catch my drift.

And probably on several subsequent occasions.

[Kobal2]

Originally Posted by ultrafilter

Not in a wider sense. V is a classic tragic hero, which means that he'll at least be ruined if not dead.

They do say that "whoever the gods want to destroy, they first make mad" - and V's got a big headstart there

[iftheresaway]

Whew! I have finally read everything there is to read online about OOTS (help me out and let me pretend there is no such thing as a GitP forum, 'kay?) I've seen all these OOTS threads before, but I always thought it was a TV show or something and wasn't particularly interested. Then someone at the Giraffe boards posted about a webcomic they loved, and I thought to myself, "what the heck? I've got a couple of hours to kill." That was about a week ago, and I've spent every spare moment (i.e. those not devoted to sleep, work, or the beginning-to-end Lost marathon my brother and I are conducting) reading the entire comic, the 2000+ post original thread, this thread, the one at 'Raffe, and anything else I could find. It was amazing. I am definitely buying all the books! I want this to be a cartoon and a video game. I added it to my RSS feed. And now... I have to wait for new strips to come out like everyone else instead of having 600-odd strips to plow through in one sitting? Damn it, cruel fate!

[jayjay]

Another one snared...excellent! Bwahahahahaaaa!

[Peter Morris]

New strip up
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0680.html

[Alessan]

And an old plot thread has officially been picked up.

[Windwalker]

Logically, if the kingdom is that messed up that it doesn't exist anymore, then Haley's dad's ransom is probably null and void by now. Either someone else took him prisoner (and doesn't know about or plan on honoring the ransom), set him free, or just killed him. But the Elan in me thinks it wouldn't be resolved that way...

[shantih]

I have to admit, when I read the title, I expected to see Explosive Runes. Love the Roy/Belkar interaction offstage!

[Just Some Guy]

Haley's new character design is really bothering me. I think it's the fact that her cleavage looks really awkward on Burlew's basic model.

[Wolverine]

New strip is up. Strip 681

They're coming quick.

[appleciders]

Seriously! I didn't even check it this morning. This whole "frequent updates" thing is pretty cool.

[Leaper]

The message boards reminded me that the little old lady in the flashback may be a sweet little old lady, but she's a sweet little old lady who lives in Greysky City, which makes Haley's dad's warnings all too reasonable. Nice touch there.

[Chronos]

Or, for that matter, might be a creepy 30-something man with a bunch of ranks in the Disguise skill.

[Qadgop the Mercotan]

OK, after seeing this thread, I decided to check out this OOTS thingy.

That was a few weeks ago. Now I'm up to speed.

[E-Sabbath]

Opinion, good sir? Your evaluation is always interesting and useful.

[Qadgop the Mercotan]

Originally Posted by E-Sabbath

Opinion, good sir? Your evaluation is always interesting and useful.

Very entertaining, I'll be following it regularly.

More later. I think.

[Qadgop the Mercotan]

Originally Posted by Qadgop the Mercotan

Very entertaining, I'll be following it regularly.

More later. I think.

To elabore further:

I like it, it's funny!

[Ferret Herder]

Originally Posted by Qadgop the Mercotan

To elabore further:

I like it, it's funny!

One of us, one of us!

[jayjay]

Originally Posted by Ferret Herder

One of us, one of us!

Darn you!

rassinfrassinstolemylinemumblemumble

[Peter Morris]

Originally Posted by appleciders

Seriously! I didn't even check it this morning. This whole "frequent updates" thing is pretty cool.

But this "Keeping us waiting a week" thing isn't.

[Malleus, Incus, Stapes!]

You said it. I was waiting and waiting and then I saw someone had finally posted... tease!

[tanstaafl]

New strip is up!

Wonder if Belkar had planned that when he directed Durkon to that tree in the first place.

[Hypno-Toad]

So is Mr. Scruffy Belkars animal companion? I thought that was a druid thing, not for rangers.

[chorpler]

Originally Posted by tanstaafl

New strip is up!

Wonder if Belkar had planned that when he directed Durkon to that tree in the first place.

Wasn't it Haley who directed Durkon to the tree, to distract him from her trip to the cart-of-gopher to help find her dad?