# Order of the Stick - Book 5 Discussion Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 31, 2009, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323 "2009-08-31T04:09:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/241 "2009-10-26T20:09:09Z")
“A recap of events-to-date by Belkar Bitterleaf” Woo hoo hoo!! I bet that’s worth half the price of the book all by itself! ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/242 "2009-10-26T20:17:21Z")
Apparently there’s no joke or reference in the title. > **[Don't Split the Party (OoTS book 4)](https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?t=129597)** > > Hi, > > I have a penchant for the Order of the Stick in book form. In fact, I really only read the books, so I am "anxious" for the next book to come out. It's been about a year since "War and XPs". Is there any new information? > I have been... The poster named The Giant is the strip’s author. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/243 "2009-10-26T20:20:28Z")
> [@](#): > > Besides giving orders to Belkar is a scenario that will not end well for those above him. Belkar doesn’t mind obeying orders as long as they’re orders he’d enjoy obeying. If an archfiend ordered him “Torment this group of souls”, he’d do it. After all, he was planning on tormenting some souls anyway; what difference to him what particular group of souls it is? Basically, it’s the same way that Roy manages Belkar: He’s going to be killing anyway, so just make sure the folks he’s killing are the party’s enemies. **Peter** , the title isn’t a reference to anything in particular, but it’s a long-running piece of advice in role-playing games that you shouldn’t split the party. ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2009, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/244 "2009-10-26T23:10:48Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Apparently there’s no joke or reference in the title. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/245 "2009-10-27T06:34:26Z")
I was thinking it was a [political reference](http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1294986.html). But apparently it’s also a [gaming term](http://www.errantdreams.com/static/split_party). ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/246 "2009-10-27T09:57:22Z")
I thought it was in reference to the fact that the party spent pretty much all of the last book split to hell and gone. Okay, split to the Celestial Plane and gone. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2009, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/247 "2009-10-27T10:02:56Z")
Heh. My DM loves splitting the party up - sometimes the characters don’t even meet each other until the third gaming session. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/248 "2009-11-05T13:56:54Z")
[688 up!](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0688.html) \*The Comics Must Flow \* ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/249 "2009-11-05T14:19:05Z")
Fortunately Belkar’s name is a killing word. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/250 "2009-11-05T14:29:58Z")
Frak! This is getting annoying. I check the strip every morning before work. Today, no new strip. Then I get to work (where I can’t access the site) and blam! The new one is up. Come on, dude. Wake up earlier and get it done before us West Coast early risers have to go to work. Now I have to wait until I get home for my Belkar fix. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/251 "2009-11-05T15:23:09Z")
Sandworms. Why did it have to be giant sandworms? ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/252 "2009-11-05T16:03:57Z")
I like how it turned his eyes blue. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/253 "2009-11-05T16:29:37Z")
I like the sandworms showing up, but I hope it won’t sidetrack the journey too much. ---
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/254 "2009-11-05T16:49:58Z")
D&D/Dune is not my idea of a good mash-up, but it will give Roy another giant monster onto which he can leap. I hope this is the last random encounter roll for a while though. I’d like the next thing to be plot-driven. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/255 "2009-11-05T17:52:44Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > [688 up!](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0688.html) > > \*The Comics Must Flow \* Yeah, I wish they _would_ actually flow. At this rate, it’s more like they’re oozing. Admittedly I feel kind of bad about complaining about it, as I haven’t bought anything from Mr. Burlew, but still: twelve days between updates? I hope he’s well. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/256 "2009-11-05T18:26:25Z")
> [@Saltire](#): > > D&D/Dune is not my idea of a good mash-up, but it will give Roy another giant monster onto which he can leap. Hell, perhaps they can figure out how to open its segments with shovels (or other suitable implements), and start riding it around. Belkar undoubtedly will give it some sort of cutesy name (his right as he ‘summoned’ the thing), and they’ll use it in the next big battle against Lich Bunghole’s minions… ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/257 "2009-11-05T21:46:38Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > I hope he’s well. He’s chronically ill, which sometimes results in gaps in his comic output. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/258 "2009-11-05T22:33:17Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > He’s chronically ill, which sometimes results in gaps in his comic output. That I knew. I could have phrased it differently, I suppose. I hope he’s not going through a particularly rough patch right now, is what I meant. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/259 "2009-11-05T22:56:05Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > That I knew. I could have phrased it differently, I suppose. I hope he’s not going through a particularly rough patch right now, is what I meant. [“Sorry for the delays, it’s been a tough week.”](http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=130710) is all he said on the OOTS forum. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/260 "2009-11-05T23:03:38Z")
Reasonably I know that he’s finalizing the publication of the next book in order to have it out for Christmas and that is enough to keep anyone chasing their tail. It doesn’t mean that I’m going to be happy about it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323.md?page=14)