Order of the Stick - Book 5 Discussion Thread

[Lightray]

Originally Posted by tanstaafl

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

It was Haley that had sicced Belkar on the tree, to give him the slip while following up on a lead on her father.

Belkar was busy taking Roy to find some sex taints.

[Bosstone]

Originally Posted by Hypno-Toad

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

Rangers get animal companions at a higher level than druids.

[tanstaafl]

Originally Posted by chorpler

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?

Doh! You're right! IGNORE ME!

[Hal Briston]

Well, he's got to have some kind of special bond to get a cat to obey a command beyond "Sit there and lick yourself".

[Yllaria]

Would anyone care to predict whether a 'helpful' Belkar is going to get on everyone's nerves more than the homocidal Belkar did?

[Malleus, Incus, Stapes!]

Yes... come to think of it, THAT's how Belkar's going to die in seven weeks. Strangled by a fellow member of the Order.

[Knorf]

Originally Posted by Yllaria

Would anyone care to predict whether a 'helpful' Belkar is going to get on everyone's nerves more than the homocidal Belkar did?

The odds support this hypothesis.

[John DiFool]

Good punch line: "...with a hump." laffowtlowd.

[Der Trihs]

Originally Posted by John DiFool

Good punch line: "...with a hump." laffowtlowd.

And note the title of the strip:

Plus, He Probably Spits, Too

[Just Some Guy]

Hey, a new one.

Subplot, ahoy!

[Hypno-Toad]

More of a side quest.

[Alessan]

I don't have a Monster Manual handy - what are those things?

[Grumman]

I think they're Thri-Kreen, from the Expanded Psionic Handbook and Monster Manual II.

[Alessan]

Ooh! Maybe we'll finally find out whether the OotS world has psionics!

[jayjay]

Originally Posted by Grumman

I think they're Thri-Kreen, from the Expanded Psionic Handbook and Monster Manual II.

This would make sense, since they are generally desert creatures. They were a major race in the Dark Sun setting, for instance.

[tanstaafl]

"Stupid, entirely justified comeuppance!" - ROFL

[Alessan]

I have to say, the fact that Belkar even understands the concept of justice represents a huge amount of progress.

[Lightray]

Originally Posted by Alessan

Ooh! Maybe we'll finally find out whether the OotS world has psionics!

I think I can, I think I can...

[Malleus, Incus, Stapes!]

Originally Posted by Just Some Guy

Hey, a new one.

Subplot, ahoy!

Fixed link.

Why does Elan think V is half-camel? Is he just being silly, or am I missing a pun here?

[Trepa Mayfield]

Originally Posted by Malleus, Incus, Stapes!

Fixed link.

Why does Elan think V is half-camel? Is he just being silly, or am I missing a pun here?

It's from waaay back in Comic #87. That's why V calls Elan a "bottomless pit of self-reference"--'cuz he's always referring to obscure stuff from earlier in the comic.

[jayjay]

Never mind...pedescribe beat me to it.

[E-Sabbath]

Hey, look who's in the bathroom line ahead of Haley!

[Alessan]

Who?

[Chronos]

"I Think I Can" could still conceivably have been fiction within that world, just like we could have a story about a psion in our world. The more conclusive evidence is the psionic blue Redcloak used to interrogate O-chul.

[Miller]

Originally Posted by Chronos

"I Think I Can" could still conceivably have been fiction within that world, just like we could have a story about a psion in our world. The more conclusive evidence is the psionic blue Redcloak used to interrogate O-chul.

Also, in "On the Origin of PCs," a psion is among those auditioning to join the party.

[Peter Morris]

Originally Posted by Alessan

Who?

A pixie with a resemblance to Celia, but isn't her?

The snake haired woman from the Blind Date marathon?

[E-Sabbath]

Good catch, but yes, the pixie with the resemblance to Celia... who is _normal pixie sized_. I find that interesting.

[jayjay]

Originally Posted by E-Sabbath

Good catch, but yes, the pixie with the resemblance to Celia... who is _normal pixie sized_. I find that interesting.

I thought Celia was a sylph.

[Mr Shine]

Originally Posted by Chronos

"I Think I Can" could still conceivably have been fiction within that world, just like we could have a story about a psion in our world. The more conclusive evidence is the psionic blue Redcloak used to interrogate O-chul.

I guess I glossed over this reading it before, but Redcloak is offered an "18th level Incarnum user" but prefers a magic 8 ball. I'm not very knowledgeable about D&D, but I looked it up and it seemed like Incarnum had some useful powers. Why such a brusque dismissal?

[Lightray]

Originally Posted by Mr Shine

I guess I glossed over this reading it before, but Redcloak is offered an "18th level Incarnum user" but prefers a magic 8 ball. I'm not very knowledgeable about D&D, but I looked it up and it seemed like Incarnum had some useful powers. Why such a brusque dismissal?

It's a joke. The stuff in Magic of Incarnum was received, by and large, with astounding indifference by D&D fans. Thus, Redcloak humorously rates it as less useful than the Magic 8-Ball and the fortune cookies.

[Alessan]

It's still better than Ghostwalk.

[ultrafilter]

New comic.

[Knorf]

Go, V. And Elan, as well. Nice pile of corpses, there!

[E-Sabbath]

Fly, blackbird, fly...

[Little Nemo]

An obscure issue, perhaps, but why doesn't Elan have a surname? We've seen he has a family. Roy, Haley, Durkon, and Belkar all have surnames as do several of the minor characters. Vaarsuvius doesn't, but presumedly elves don't go in for them.

[E-Sabbath]

For drama, of course.

[Little Nemo]

I was wondering if it was an obscure D&D reference that I wasn't getting.

[Leaper]

Another new one already!

He deserved to die. No one messes with Mr. Scruffy.

[Chronos]

To clarify on Incarnum, the biggest problem with it was that it was too front-ended. A first-level Incarnate is hideously overpowered, probably on a par with a 2nd- or 3rd-level character of most classes. An 18th-level Incarnate, meanwhile, is probably on a par with a 5th- or 6th-level spellcaster. And even aside from the power level in general, Incarnum really doesn't have anything that would be useful in an interrogation at all-- The best you could do would be a +8 or so to Sense Motive.


As for Elan's (and Nale's, of course) surname, the general consensus is that they're related to someone dramatically-significant, and that relationship obviously can't be revealed until the moment of maximum drama.

[Der Trihs]

Originally Posted by Chronos

As for Elan's (and Nale's, of course) surname, the general consensus is that they're related to someone dramatically-significant, and that relationship obviously can't be revealed until the moment of maximum drama.

They are the sons of a barmaid and an un-named "ruthless warlord". The fact that no name at all is attached to that warlord does seem to lend itself to your scenario.

[Hypno-Toad]

The latest strip makes it clear that Belkar really is just acting.

I like that he's drawn pink and sunburned, per Durkons witheld protection spell.

[Left Hand of Dorkness]

I just regret that V didn't use chain lightning on Belkar's group: I would love to have seen some electric Buggy Lou.

[silenus]

You...are going on the list.

[chorpler]

Originally Posted by Hypno-Toad

The latest strip makes it clear that Belkar really is just acting.

Was that ever in question? I thought it was specifically spelled out that he had to pretend that he was developing character just so he could continue "playing" with the good guys.

ETA: Left Hand of Dorkness, that was awesome. Elan couldn't have done better.

[ultrafilter]

Belkar may just be pretending to not be a psychopath, but he clearly actually cares about Mr. Scruffy.

[Chronos]

That pun was so perfect, that I'd almost suspect Rich Burlew of setting it up deliberately, except that he's never going to get the chance to deliver the punchline.

[chorpler]

Originally Posted by ultrafilter

Belkar may just be pretending to not be a psychopath, but he clearly actually cares about Mr. Scruffy.

When I read the new strip with my daughter (it's become a ritual now; in fact, when I found out the Beatles-pun strip was up, I shouted "Hey! There's a new Order of the Stick!" and she came in to my room and said "Oh yeah, I know, I saw it last night," and I said "The one called 'V Was Only Waiting For This Moment To Arise'?" and she said "Oh, I don't know, I didn't read it yet, I was waiting for you to get home so we could read it together.") we both thought that was pretty sweet. And the strip title is "On Friendship," which (as we figured it) shows that Belkar considers Mr. Scruffy to be a much better friend than his old slaver pal or his drinking buddy Buggy Lou.

[chorpler]

Originally Posted by Chronos

That pun was so perfect, that I'd almost suspect Rich Burlew of setting it up deliberately, except that he's never going to get the chance to deliver the punchline.

That occurred to me too after I read Left Hand of Dornkess's post. Perhaps Rich was going to use it when he came up with Buggy Lou's name but then changed the strip? I guess it's probably more likely just a hilarious coincidence.

[Alessan]

Originally Posted by chorpler

Was that ever in question? I thought it was specifically spelled out that he had to pretend that he was developing character just so he could continue "playing" with the good guys.

That's obviously what mind-Shojo wanted him to think. I have my suspicions - namely,that the manipulative old bastard tricked him into developing actual character.

[chorpler]

Originally Posted by Alessan

That's obviously what mind-Shojo wanted him to think. I have my suspicions - namely,that the manipulative old bastard tricked him into developing actual character.

That's a good point. I suspect that a normal person forced to act like a good guy all the time might actually develop some good guy attributes. Of course, this is Belkar, so who knows... but it would be nice if he did.