# 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:** 295
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2013, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/5882 "2013-06-10T17:24:04Z")
Nale’s means of breaking out of the illusion made _me_ laugh out loud, too-- in a library. 😃 I wonder how large _this_ particular Gate is. So far the largest we’ve seen is Dorukan’s, which was a good 30 feet high and several feet wide, and the smallest was Soon’s (pre-shattering, of course), the size of a single sapphire. Assuming that the Gate actually _is_ on the inside of that octagonal structure (and I wouldn’t put it past Girard to have put it somewhere else entirely), I’m guessing this one is somewhere in between. ---
**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:** [June 10, 2013, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/5883 "2013-06-10T17:58:52Z")
It was explicitly stated somewhere that Dorukan’s was the largest and Soon’s the smallest. ---
**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:** [June 10, 2013, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/5884 "2013-06-10T20:42:21Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > He tried to, [here.](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0172.html) Where is the blade of Roy’s sword in that strip? ---
**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:** [June 10, 2013, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/5885 "2013-06-10T20:51:17Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > Where is the blade of Roy’s sword in that strip? That’s back when it was broken and he was [using a club](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0167.html). ---
**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:** [June 10, 2013, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/5886 "2013-06-10T21:13:20Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > It looks like a hexagon or octagon; if there’s a door in each wall, it could have 6-8. The thing in the middle has doors on alternate sides, as far as we can see. 8 sides, probably 4 doors. I’m guessing that the room has the same pattern of doors. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2013, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/5887 "2013-06-11T03:32:29Z")
Welcome to Fordor. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2013, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/5888 "2013-06-11T03:48:07Z")
re: the wall-illusion: I anticipate some fun poked at the fantastically detailed illusions of the dungeon they’re in and how those didn’t work, but Elan’s wall–simple and to the point–did the trick. > [@squeegee](#): > > Welcome to Fordor. Doesn’t work–they simply walked in. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2013, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/5889 "2013-06-11T04:00:35Z")
Simple, to the point, and produced by a first-level spell. ---
**Author:** ![Wolverine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba9def/32.png) [@Wolverine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolverine)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2013, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/5890 "2013-06-11T04:39:51Z")
There might have been plenty of first-level illusion spells around if the Draketooth clan wasn’t killed. First-level spells have a pretty short spell duration. ---
**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:** [June 11, 2013, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/5891 "2013-06-11T05:36:42Z")
Yup, I missed the obvious, dangit. “One does not simply walk into Fordor” To be fair, nobody has, yet. ---
**Author:** ![Phnord\_Prephect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/df705f/32.png) [@Phnord\_Prephect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phnord_Prephect)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2013, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/5892 "2013-06-11T08:06:46Z")
The image actually shows five walls; a sixth (the ‘fourth wall’) is implied. I find it difficult, myself, to imagine more than that based on what is actually shown… the angles of the walls don’t seem to admit the possibility of seventh and eighth walls (to the left and right of the image). My opinion is that the room must have six walls, although it appears to only have five. Which is odd because the central area clearly has eight. Some kind of numbers game, or Platonic Solids reference? ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/5893 "2013-06-12T04:14:45Z")
[893 is up](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0893.html). I hope you like cliffhangers. ---
**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:** [June 12, 2013, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/5894 "2013-06-12T04:39:58Z")
The hell? Is that the Azure City contingent inconveniently sending a Sending? ---
**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:** [June 12, 2013, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/5895 "2013-06-12T05:08:46Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > The hell? Is that the Azure City contingent inconveniently sending a Sending? Ancillary question: I assume someone not the target of a Sending (like the LG) will still see/hear it, possibly giving away the OOTS’ concealment, right? ---
**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:** [June 12, 2013, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/5896 "2013-06-12T05:46:46Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > The hell? Is that the Azure City contingent inconveniently sending a Sending? Specifically, it’s probably the long expected “The Resistance is dead and Xykon is coming!!” Sending. > [@squeegee](#): > > Ancillary question: I assume someone not the target of a Sending (like the LG) will still see/hear it, possibly giving away the OOTS’ concealment, right? IIRC not. EDIT: Note that no one but Haley is reacting to it ---
**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:** [June 12, 2013, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/5897 "2013-06-12T05:56:48Z")
And [here](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0733.html) (credit to **Grey Wolf c** on the OOTS forum) we have Durkon contacting Roy by Sending, and Belkar being unable to hear or see it. ---
**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:** [June 12, 2013, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/5898 "2013-06-12T06:02:07Z")
The description for sending specifies that it targets “one creature,” but doesn’t explicitly say that other creatures in the area can’t perceive the sending. It’s from the evocation school, and is not a mind affecting effect, so the image is likely “real,” in so far as its an actual, independent phenomenon (and, thus, likely visible to any observer) and not something happening in Haley’s mind that only she can perceive. The fact that she’s the only one reacting might indicate that she’s the only one who can see it, or it might simply be an indication that she’s the only one in the party in ranks in Spot. It’s also worth noting that the spell description for sening doesn’t say anything about creating a little hologram of yourself, but that’s probably artistic license. IIRC, the gag from way back where Nale kept running out of words in his message because he wouldn’t stop gloating worked the same, and was specifically identified as a sending spell. And ninja’d by **Der Trihs** , making most of my speculation moot. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2013, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/5899 "2013-06-12T06:14:33Z")
It’ll be tough on Roy, deciding whether to intercept the Linear Guild or deal with Xykon before he can arrive. He’d probably be tempted to split the party if it weren’t for that long storyline in which they were, well, split up. And the situation’s so tense, he hasn’t even had time to process seeing Durkon as a vampire… ---
**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:** [June 12, 2013, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/5900 "2013-06-12T08:45:10Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > The description for sending specifies that it targets “one creature,” but doesn’t explicitly say that other creatures in the area can’t perceive the sending. That pre-empts my next question, which was going to be “What happens if Hinjo sent a group message to the entire Order?” Because that message would have been cc’ed to Roy, Haley, Elan, Belkar, Vaarsuvius - and Durkon. ---
**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:** [June 12, 2013, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/5901 "2013-06-12T15:17:07Z")
I’m assuming the SG is making contact to share the news about Xykon, because the sender has blue robes. But does it even make sense that Haley is the target of that sending? Shouldn’t it be Roy? Maybe Haley is getting a sending about some non-Xykon subject specific to her? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323.md?page=294) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323.md?page=296)