# 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:** 206
**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:** [April 14, 2012, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4102 "2012-04-14T15:08:21Z")
> [@shantih](#): > > Me, too. It’s clear that Tarquin is playing a bigger game than Nale realizes. Or he’s playing a bigger game than Malack realizes. We don’t yet know who Tarquin is lying to. ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4103 "2012-04-14T15:17:11Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Or he’s playing a bigger game than Malack realizes. We don’t yet know who Tarquin is lying to. Excellent point. There’s no reason that Tarquin can’t be playing both of them for a scheme that he hasn’t shared with anyone yet. ---
**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:** [April 14, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4104 "2012-04-14T18:38:36Z")
I don’t think Tarquin really wants to kill Nale. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4105 "2012-04-14T19:08:14Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > I don’t think Tarquin really wants to kill Nale. Yep. He wants Malack to kill him. When Nale is no longer useful. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4106 "2012-04-14T19:18:36Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > Yep. He wants Malack to kill him. When Nale is no longer useful. 😉 Right. Tarquin wants to extract the maximum use from Nale, and then get some brownie points from Malack when he lets Malack kill Nale. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2012, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4107 "2012-04-14T22:19:16Z")
I just realized that the strip title (“Suspicious Agreement”) can be read two different ways: [ol] [li]The obvious interpretation is that Malack’s agreement with Nale’s plans is suspicious, especially given Tarquin’s reference to the end of the mission.[/li][li]It could also refer to Tarquin’s subject/verb agreement. If he’s trying to pass as Thog, that’s gonna be a giveaway.[/li][/ol] ---
**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:** [April 15, 2012, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4108 "2012-04-15T05:37:30Z")
The first thing to look at to figure out a strip’s title should always be the last panel. Nine times out of ten, the title makes sense in that context. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4109 "2012-04-16T03:53:56Z")
Is Malack [Affably Evil](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AffablyEvil), True Neutral, Lawfully Lawful or something else? I sort of imagine him ending up in [Mechanus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanus). Gotta say, I look forward to the strip and this thread way more than I should… ---
**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:** [April 16, 2012, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4110 "2012-04-16T06:02:22Z")
My guess is he’s Lawful Evil, he’s just not all moustache-twirly about it. Which is good, because lizardfolks can’t grow moustaches. In general in this strip, how well two characters get along socially seems to depend mostly on their ethical alignment. Thus, for instance, Belkar enjoys hanging out with Shojo and Elan, since they’re all chaotic, and Durkon and Malack strike up a friendship because they’re both lawful. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4111 "2012-04-16T10:06:10Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > My guess is he’s Lawful Evil, he’s just not all moustache-twirly about it. Which is good, because lizardfolks can’t grow moustaches. And the less said about [lizards with other mammalian traits](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0676.html), the better. ---
**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:** [April 16, 2012, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4112 "2012-04-16T15:20:12Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > Well, Malack can look forward to killing Durkon “honorably” or something, whatever that means to him. Or nuetralizing Durkon without killing him. ---
**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:** [April 16, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4113 "2012-04-16T16:05:08Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > In general in this strip, how well two characters get along socially seems to depend mostly on their ethical alignment. Thus, for instance, Belkar enjoys hanging out with Shojo and Elan, since they’re all chaotic, and Durkon and Malack strike up a friendship because they’re both lawful. That’s an interesting point, and it makes sense - lawful or chaotic are as much personality traits as they are ethical philosophies. You might be opposed to someone with a different moral alignment as a matter of principal, but someone with a different ethical alignment will just rub you the wrong way. ---
**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:** [April 16, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4114 "2012-04-16T16:55:18Z")
Roy (lawful) and Haley (chaotic) get along fine. Elan (chaotic) looks up to Roy (lawful) as a surrogate big brother. Durkon (lawful) worships Thor (chaotic) All the paladins (lawful) disliked Miko (lawful), but Shojo (chaotic) was a mentor to her. Haley (chaotic) dislikes Belkar (chaotic) and Belkar mostly ignores her, showing neither like nor dislike. Thog (lawful) and Elan (chaotic) became buddies. Haley (chaotic) and Sabine (chaotic) hated each other from the first. etc. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4115 "2012-04-16T17:05:56Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Thog (lawful) and Elan (chaotic) became buddies. There’s no way that Thog the barbarian is lawful. Do you mean someone else? ---
**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:** [April 16, 2012, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4116 "2012-04-16T17:19:38Z")
Elan says that they are [different ends of the alignment spectrum.](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0387.html) Elan is chaotic good, so I understood that Thog is lawful evil ---
**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:** [April 16, 2012, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4117 "2012-04-16T17:32:56Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > I just realized that the strip title (“Suspicious Agreement”) can be read two different ways: > [ol] > [li]The obvious interpretation is that Malack’s agreement with Nale’s plans is suspicious, especially given Tarquin’s reference to the end of the mission.[/li][li]It could also refer to Tarquin’s subject/verb agreement. If he’s trying to pass as Thog, that’s gonna be a giveaway.[/li][/ol] Nope; to me, the obvious one is the second. ---
**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:** [April 16, 2012, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4118 "2012-04-16T18:57:03Z")
No, Elan is on the good end of the spectrum, and Thog is on the evil end. All of Thog’s behavior is chaotic, and barbarians can’t even be lawful at all. I’d also dispute some of your other assertions: Haley and Roy work together as a team, but they aren’t really friends, and in fact are often in opposition. Shojo never liked Miko, either. And Sabine’s alignment is ambiguous, but she certainly seems to be portrayed as lawful (which is as rare as hen’s teeth for a demon, but she _does_ work for the IFCC). ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4119 "2012-04-16T19:59:44Z")
Tarquin’s mount is translucent. Is it a spell? ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4120 "2012-04-16T20:10:39Z")
> [@mlees](#): > > Tarquin’s mount is translucent. Is it a spell? No, the wings are just that thin. Note the rest of the body is solid. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4121 "2012-04-16T21:00:49Z")
How’d they manage to whomp up a zombie pterodactyl anyway? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323.md?page=205) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323.md?page=207)