# 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:** 167
**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:** [January 25, 2012, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/3322 "2012-01-25T22:18:31Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Same thing, since Xykon already knows his phylactery has been found. Well, maybe. She apparently told Jirix who _supposedly_ told Xykon - but that doesn’t mean that Redcloak hasn’t arranged for Jirix to check with him first before _actually_ telling Xykon anything. He clearly has been thinking in terms of preparing for contingencies; notice how he used his undead control power before he even knew what Tsukiko was going to say; that implies its just a standard precaution with him. He’s probably been doing that as a routine precaution for some time whenever he encountered her, just in case. The next strip may well have an exchange between Jirix and Redcloak of “Tsukiko told me about the phylactery. Should I go ahead and inform-” “No.” ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/3323 "2012-01-25T23:52:12Z")
[831](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0831.html). Can I just say I’m glad Rich Burlew is writing this strip and not, say, **Kobal2**? I’ve never read anyone so pompous about their own predictions for the course of a serialized story. It’s worse when he gets some of them right. But not all of them are. Anyway I guess that this is one thing that’s so very good about this strip–Burlew keeps everyone guessing. ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/3324 "2012-01-25T23:59:29Z")
Ooo! **Kobal2** , spill the beans already! What’s going to happen next? ETA: Hang on, the title of this one confuses me. I get the ‘two of a kind’ part, but ‘king high?’ ---
**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:** [January 26, 2012, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/3325 "2012-01-26T00:18:14Z")
The “king high” is Xykon. He’s a very powerful card, but he’s still defeated by the pair of objects. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/3326 "2012-01-26T00:21:16Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Wind Walk would let him – and a bunch of allies – fly there while looking like misty white translucent clouds. Oh yes, of course, I should have thought of Wind Walk, since we’ve seen Durkon and Elan using it, and it’s been mentioned as having been used by Durkon and Roy as well (“Who knew you couldn’t just Wind Walk into an alley?”) ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/3327 "2012-01-26T00:28:20Z")
> [@shantih](#): > > ETA: Hang on, the title of this one confuses me. I get the ‘two of a kind’ part, but ‘king high?’ Poker reference. If you have a hand that’s just trash - not even a pair - then the value of that hand is determined by the highest value card in it. ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/3328 "2012-01-26T00:33:03Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Poker reference. If you have a hand that’s just trash - not even a pair - then the value of that hand is determined by the highest value card in it. I did get that, it was who was meant by the king that wasn’t clicking. > [@Chronos](#): > > The “king high” is Xykon. He’s a very powerful card, but he’s still defeated by the pair of objects. Ah! Okay, that makes sense now. I was thinking of him as Lord Xykon, not a king, but he does have a crown so hey, close enough. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/3329 "2012-01-26T00:43:42Z")
Surprised Tsukiko didn’t find the magically sealed box on the smith. Also wondering how RC plans on putting _arcane_ enchantments on the fake. Nevertheless, I imagine he’ll be distracting X with the fake, lobbing the real one into the Snarl (least, that’s how I’d do it), and getting the bony maniac out of of Gobbotopia ASAP, before X wonders if Rain of Fire will improve RC’s loyalty and disposition… I mean, RC can always Rest on the road, right? Wonder how he’s going to spin Tsukiko’s death and how he got the phylactery? ---
**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:** [January 26, 2012, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/3330 "2012-01-26T00:47:41Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > Also wondering how RC plans on putting _arcane_ enchantments on the fake. He doesn’t need to fully duplicate the thing; he just needs a perfect physical copy that has the proper enhanced durability (so Xykon can’t discover the deception by damaging/destroying it himself accidentally), and protection from detection magic. Xykon can’t tell if it lacks arcane enhancements if it’s protected from such detection magic. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/3331 "2012-01-26T01:27:24Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > Surprised Tsukiko didn’t find the magically sealed box on the smith. Also wondering how RC plans on putting _arcane_ enchantments on the fake. Three possibilities, from least to greatest likelihood: 1. RC had those put on by a minion before it was brought to him. Highly unlikely, since that’d leave someone to tell tales. 2. Burlew’s ignoring this detail. Burlew doesn’t let many tricks get by him, though. 3. Who would’ve put arcane enchantments on the fake–Xykon? Of course not: Xykon doesn’t use his precious sorcerer slots for item enchantments, he uses them for funny ways to kill people. I don’t recall seeing him read too many scrolls, either. He has too much disdain for wizards to bother. This seems the likeliest possibility to me. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/3332 "2012-01-26T01:42:28Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Dead hobgoblin possibly was a forger bringing a fake phylactery (he’s dressed like a smith or jeweler), but then again how could he have forged something without an original to copy ? That’s the advantage of living in a stick figure universe, I guess. Tell the guy, “Make me a yellow circle with a white dot on it,” and you’re basically there. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/3333 "2012-01-26T02:41:23Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Sure it would. Didn’t one member of the Resistance escape? True, but is Redcloak aware of that ? I guess it doesn’t really matter now. [QUOTE=shantih] **Kobal2** , spill the beans already! What’s going to happen next? [/QUOTE] Heh. Credit where it’s due, I didn’t come up with the forger theory: **Gray Ghost** did in post #3208 (christ, this thread is getting ridiculous :)). I hadn’t paid attention to how the dead goblin was dressed until he pointed it out. [QUOTE=Gray Ghost] Wonder how he’s going to spin Tsukiko’s death and how he got the phylactery? [/QUOTE] So do I. I suppose he could try and spin it the way \*\*The Other Waldo Pepper \*\*suggested, “we assaulted the Resistance HQ together, in a last ditch effort they brought the mountain down on our heads. I could Word of Recall home with your bling, but she didn’t make it”. I don’t get it though - if his plan was to do a phylactery switcharoo all along, why would he take such pains to keep his raid on the Resistance HQ a secret ? ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/3334 "2012-01-26T02:46:34Z")
As someone on the OOTS forum said, maybe he might not want Xykon to know the exact details. Like, if he wants to say “Tsukiko was there with me, and tragically she was crushed by the collapsing mountain”, he doesn’t want anyone to inconveniently remember that Tsukiko wasn’t there. Also: Red-Eye?? Though I guess Xykon probably keeps him up at night…😉 ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/3335 "2012-01-26T02:52:33Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > I don’t get it though - if his plan was to do a phylactery switcharoo all along, why would he take such pains to keep his raid on the Resistance HQ a secret ? Possibly, he wants Xykon to think the resistance is still a going concern for some reason. Perhaps as a scapegoat for some other scheme of his? ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/3336 "2012-01-26T05:38:15Z")
What intrigues me is the last spell that Redcloak has casted. It’s “Greater ----” and the exact name of the spell is hidden by the crashing noise. What could it be? ETA: Also, I hope Rich keeps up with this update frequency. ---
**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:** [January 26, 2012, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/3337 "2012-01-26T07:37:05Z")
Has anyone been keeping track of Redcloak’s spells? I know he’s quite high level, but it seems like he’s been casting a lot of high level stuff one after another. Though if he’s on a mission from the Dark One, maybe he’s been granted extra spells for the day. Or maybe the cloak give extra slots. Then again, I don’t know anything about D&D past First Edition AD&D. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/3338 "2012-01-26T07:53:26Z")
Well, he’s a 17th level caster with a Wisdom of at least 19 (or else he wouldn’t be able to cast _Implosion_). That means he’s got _at least_ the following: 6 cantrips 6+1 first level spells 6+1 second level spells 6+1 third level spells 6+1 fourth level spells 4+1 fifth level spells 4+1 sixth level spells 3+1 seventh level spells 2+1 eighth level spells 1+1 ninth level spells ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/3339 "2012-01-26T10:11:54Z")
> [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](#): > > What intrigues me is the last spell that Redcloak has casted. It’s “Greater ----” and the exact name of the spell is hidden by the crashing noise. > > What could it be? > > ETA: Also, I hope Rich keeps up with this update frequency. I dunno, I think that was just to illustrate that Redcloak was casting lots of spells on the phylactery to duplicate the spells on the first one, without having to go into detail on what every single one was. Of course, I could be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/3340 "2012-01-26T11:49:00Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > That’s the advantage of living in a stick figure universe, I guess. Tell the guy, “Make me a yellow circle with a white dot on it,” and you’re basically there. Ah, but while examining it, RC comments, “Every detail, every scratch. Exactly as I remembered them.” Apparently, denizens of the stickverse can perceive details us folks scrying it cannot. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/3341 "2012-01-26T12:03:00Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > Ah, but while examining it, RC comments, “Every detail, every scratch. Exactly as I remembered them.” Apparently, denizens of the stickverse can perceive details us folks scrying it cannot. I think if something were the symbol of your faith, and you had to interact with it physically just to enact a lot of your religious rituals, and you were fairly intelligent and observant (and I’m sure RC has high Int & Wis), you wouldn’t have too much trouble describing it to an (as RC says, extremely gifted) artist (the dead HG clearly being a goldsmith, not a forger). Think of Catholics and their personal rosaries - I’m sure an interested Catholic would have no problem remembering nicks and scuffs on _their_ holy symbol. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323.md?page=166) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323.md?page=168)