# 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:** 213
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4242 "2012-05-06T11:07:01Z")
Remember, too, that V got in the habit of going invisible to pee as an attempt to frustrate Belkar’s attempts to establish ers gender. V knows what gender is, has one, and is intentionally concealing it for ers own purposes. ---
**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:** [May 7, 2012, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4243 "2012-05-07T01:22:19Z")
V is Schroedinger’s Elf. Hir biological sex is undefined until a character with a clearly-defined gender-identity takes a look. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2012, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4244 "2012-05-07T01:35:29Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Personally, I think that V’s gender is 1/sqrt(2) (|male\> + |female\>), while Inkyrius’s gender is 1/sqrt(2) (|male\> - |female\>). And this board is one of very few places I could say that and be understood by anyone. Just cause we understand you doesn’t mean we aren’t judging you. ---
**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:** [May 8, 2012, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4245 "2012-05-08T03:39:43Z")
[New strip.](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0852.html) ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4246 "2012-05-08T04:07:25Z")
…who the hell is _that_?!? ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4247 "2012-05-08T04:39:41Z")
> [@galen\_ubal](#): > > …who the hell is _that_?!? Uhhh… It’s Tarquin. He’s wearing a mask against this eventuality. ---
**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:** [May 8, 2012, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4248 "2012-05-08T11:42:38Z")
So we once again see that Roy is smarter than the average fighter, and that Tarquin is smarter than Roy. And genre-aware. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4249 "2012-05-08T15:29:28Z")
Burlew’s use of “genre-savvy” is still one of the more fascinating abilities in this comic. Most of all, it’s wonderful in reference to Elan, since he’s a bard and well-versed in the art of storytelling, but Tarquin’s doing it very well too. What class is Tarquin? Is he a fighter? Multiclassed, somehow? ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4250 "2012-05-08T15:39:27Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > What class is Tarquin? Is he a fighter? Multiclassed, somehow? Part Ninja, judging from the mask, and the arrow snatching. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4251 "2012-05-08T16:19:49Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > What class is Tarquin? Is he a fighter? Multiclassed, somehow? Tarquin almost assuredly has taken some second-party Prestige Class or other, one that is on the verge of being broken. He’s too savvy not to have done so. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2012, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4252 "2012-05-08T16:32:12Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > Tarquin almost assuredly has taken some second-party Prestige Class or other, one that is on the verge of being broken. He’s too savvy not to have done so. Who needs second party? There are plenty of first party PrCs that would suit his purposes, although the more powerful ones tend to be spellcaster PrCs. My guess is that he’s a Factotum - the ultimate “Jack of all Trades” class - and from a book Burlew helped work on, to boot. ---
**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:** [May 8, 2012, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4253 "2012-05-08T17:22:51Z")
There’s also speculation he might be something from _Tome of Battle_, though Rich doesn’t seem to be as familiar with that one. And there’s no doubt that he’s highly optimized, just not quite precisely optimized for combat. He’s optimized for _looking awesome_. Hence, for instance, Snatch Arrows, which costs way more feats than it’s worth for an ability that’s only situationally useful, but is totally Rule of Cool when it does come up. ---
**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:** [May 8, 2012, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4254 "2012-05-08T18:46:29Z")
I wonder if he has any levels of Dashing Swordsman. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4255 "2012-05-09T17:34:42Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > Uhhh… It’s Tarquin. He’s wearing a mask against this eventuality. Disagree. I think this furthers my point that it’s _not_ Tarquin. Tarquin was just with the Linear Guild wearing no mask and was seen putting his helmet on. This masked dude says he’s been wearing the mask for two days. ---
**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:** [May 9, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4256 "2012-05-09T17:36:52Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > Disagree. I think this furthers my point that it’s _not_ Tarquin. Tarquin was just with the Linear Guild wearing no mask and was seen putting his helmet on. This masked dude says he’s been wearing the mask for two days. [No, he was wearing a helmet the entire time.](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0849.html) ---
**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:** [May 9, 2012, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4257 "2012-05-09T18:26:01Z")
The thing with the mask is lampshaded enough that I’m starting to come around on the possibility it might not be Tarquin. The fact that he’s worn it for two days means that he might be concealing his identity from the other members of his own group as well as the Order of the Stick. They might think they’ve been traveling with Tarquin while he’s been back in the city the whole time. Which raises the question of who it is under the mask if it isn’t Tarquin. It isn’t Thog. I’m calling Shenanigans if it’s a brand new character we haven’t seen before. So who else is 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:** [May 9, 2012, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4258 "2012-05-09T18:33:49Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > I wonder if he has any levels of Dashing Swordsman. He did match Elan pun for pun during their [rooftop duel](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0761.html). ---
**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:** [May 9, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4259 "2012-05-09T18:37:11Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Which raises the question of who it is under the mask if it isn’t Tarquin. It isn’t Thog. I’m calling Shenanigans if it’s a brand new character we haven’t seen before. So who else is there? Could be Tarquin’s fighter buddy who was last seen counselling the Emperor of Tears. But no, really, it’s Tarquin - who even made a point to tell Elan he never left home without his ring of regen in the comic just after the one I linked just before (if you follow me). Burlew’s just fucking with y’all is all. ---
**Author:** ![Agent\_Foxtrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc29f/32.png) [@Agent\_Foxtrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agent_Foxtrot)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2012, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4260 "2012-05-10T19:44:48Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > Could be Tarquin’s fighter buddy who was last seen counselling the Emperor of Tears. But no, really, it’s Tarquin - who even made a point to tell Elan he never left home without his ring of regen in the comic just after the one I linked just before (if you follow me). Burlew’s just fucking with y’all is all. Seems like an awful lot of effort just to fuck with us. ---
**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:** [May 10, 2012, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/4261 "2012-05-10T19:57:44Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > Seems like an awful lot of effort just to fuck with us. Dude, he’s not fucking with us. There’s no ambiguity about who that is at all. It’s Tarquin. His identity isn’t meant to be remotely suspicious or questionable to the audience. The helmet and mask is Tarquin fucking with the Order, not Burlew fucking with his readers. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323.md?page=212) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323.md?page=214)