# 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:** 371
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2013, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7402 "2013-09-18T14:56:06Z")
I went to the archive list to see what the title of this comic was. Before it loaded, I thought to myself, “I’ll bet it’s the Johnny Cash song.” I can now meaninglessly pat myself on the back. ---
**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:** [September 18, 2013, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7403 "2013-09-18T15:11:25Z")
Is it possible that Myron’s power is based on some non-class power? I’m thinking of Malack and how we knew he was a cleric but the fact he was a Yuan-Ti (apparently) and a vampire were concealed. Maybe Myron belongs to some race with distinctive facial features and his scarf conceals this. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2013, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7404 "2013-09-18T15:16:53Z")
There’s a Simpsons episode where the Yakuza is fighting Fat Tony’s gang on the Simpson’s lawn. When Marge drags Homer inside Homer says “But Marge, the little guy hasn’t done anything yet! You know when he does it’ll be really cool!” Miron reminds me of that little guy. ---
**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:** [September 18, 2013, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7405 "2013-09-18T15:28:35Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **Enderw24** : > > I went to the archive list to see what the title of this comic was. For the current comic, all you have to do is look over at the bar on the left of the page. You only need to check the archive for older comics. ---
**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:** [September 18, 2013, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7406 "2013-09-18T16:19:46Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > I was totaling in my head all the stuff V doesn’t know about yet: > > - Z-person is dead. > - Malack is dead. > - Durkon is dead, sorta. > V does know about Nale being dead, since she watched that on the hell-plasma screen. And I’m sure she already knew Tarquin was an asshole. He might know about Z and Malack, from the Blood Plasma TV. ---
**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:** [September 19, 2013, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7407 "2013-09-19T01:29:40Z")
So, is the working assumption now that V is a Trojan Horse, carrying some sort of magical virus that will be triggered when the appropriate stimulus is provided? If this has been discussed already my pardon. ---
**Author:** ![Wolverine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba9def/32.png) [@Wolverine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolverine)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7408 "2013-09-19T01:56:06Z")
If we had, I missed it. What are you talking about? ---
**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:** [September 19, 2013, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7409 "2013-09-19T02:24:12Z")
He’s talking about V being under control of the 3 fiends sometimes. **John DiFool** , V owes the Three Fiends 20-some minutes of her soul. The TF can basically take her out of the game for those time periods (two separate time periods remaining) and hold her prisoner, ineffective, for that time. They apparently can’t take over her body or compel her to do things. She’s just on time-out, if and when. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7410 "2013-09-19T02:27:28Z")
Yeah, but I don’t quite get the point of it from V’s point of view. Obviously V would prefer not to be beholden but them’s the breaks. Now, if something damaging to the Fiends’ plan comes up, V can either try to do something about it and get stolen or fear getting stolen and not do anything about it. Either way, nothing happens but in the former case, V’s one instance closer to being out of their control. ---
**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:** [September 19, 2013, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7411 "2013-09-19T02:33:55Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > He’s talking about V being under control of the 3 fiends sometimes. > > **John DiFool** , V owes the Three Fiends 20-some minutes of her soul. The TF can basically take her out of the game for those time periods (two separate time periods remaining) and hold her prisoner, ineffective, for that time. They apparently can’t take over her body or compel her to do things. She’s just on time-out, if and when. I don’t think we know this as a fact. Up until twenty minutes ago, Vaarsuvius didn’t know that the fiends could call in their debt while V was still alive. So while V may now think that the fiends can only call a “time-out” and remove V from the scene, we don’t know that’s true either. Perhaps they can take over V’s body and use it on the material plane and have just chosen to not reveal this yet. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7412 "2013-09-19T02:35:02Z")
I thought we’d already determined that the LE Fiend ruled out possession of the body. ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7413 "2013-09-19T02:54:39Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I don’t think we know this as a fact. Up until twenty minutes ago, Vaarsuvius didn’t know that the fiends could call in their debt while V was still alive. So while V may now think that the fiends can only call a “time-out” and remove V from the scene, we don’t know that’s true either. Perhaps they can take over V’s body and use it on the material plane and have just chosen to not reveal this yet. > [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > I thought we’d already determined that the LE Fiend ruled out possession of the body. We have , in comic [897](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0897.html). The fields don’t get to control V, they just get to remove him from the situation for a period of time. ---
**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:** [September 19, 2013, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7414 "2013-09-19T03:22:27Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > I thought we’d already determined that the LE Fiend ruled out possession of the body. No - we know that a fiend said something that sounded like that. Fiends being fiends, there’s no reason to assume that the obvious meaning of the statement is the true one. Lying by telling the truth is an LE/devilish specialty. V: “You claimed you wouldn’t possess my body!” Fiend: “Nor have we. We have no responsibility for the actions of third parties that happen to find an unoccupied body lying about, however.” ---
**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:** [September 19, 2013, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7415 "2013-09-19T03:28:57Z")
Der makes a good point. Rules ain’t rules until the fat fiend sings. Maybe I’ll amend my explanation to **John DiFool** to begin with, “here’s our understanding so far:” ---
**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:** [September 19, 2013, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7416 "2013-09-19T04:27:18Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > V: “You claimed you wouldn’t possess my body!” > > Fiend: “Nor have we. We have no responsibility for the actions of third parties that happen to find an unoccupied body lying about, however.” Is that a quote from the comic, or speculation about a future one? They specifically promised to shield his body from all harm for the duration. That would include preventing third parties taking 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:** [September 19, 2013, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7417 "2013-09-19T04:28:51Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Is that a quote from the comic, or speculation about a future one? Speculation. > [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > They specifically promised to shield his body from all harm for the duration. That would include preventing third parties taking it. No…it would only including keeping the body undamaged. ---
**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:** [September 19, 2013, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7418 "2013-09-19T04:59:38Z")
BTW - “smell of bat poop and burning flesh” ? Is bat guano one of V’s fire spell components or something, and Belkar remembers that smell? ---
**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:** [September 19, 2013, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7419 "2013-09-19T05:12:45Z")
It’s definitely a component for fireball. I’d have to look up the others. ---
**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:** [September 19, 2013, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7420 "2013-09-19T05:19:08Z")
I’m just wondering why Belkar thought it distinctive - it seems like every single fireball spell in the world would smell like bat guano and burning flesh, 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:** [September 19, 2013, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323/7421 "2013-09-19T05:47:02Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > I’m just wondering why Belkar thought it distinctive - it seems like every single fireball spell in the world would smell like bat guano and burning flesh, right? It’s something of a callback. [Arcanolypse Now: “I love the smell of bat guano in the morning.”](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0020.html) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323.md?page=370) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-5-discussion-thread/508323.md?page=372)