Order of the Stick - Book 5 Discussion Thread

[mlees]

@Little_Nemo

It’s a widely held theory and one which I think is probably true*. But Burlew has never commented on it. The closest he’s ever come is saying the CITD is not something he invented; it’s an existing creature from the game system.

*My longshot theory: The CITD is Haley’s mother. That wraps up two mysteries in one.

Belkar tried to stabby stabby the CITD back when Xykon was laying siege to Azure City (strip #477). In that same strip, the CITD “stomped” the ground so hard it caused a fissure to open up.

Assuming it’s a creature out of the Monster Manual, what could do that? Giants? Is it immune to normal weapons? (Are Belkars daggers enchanted?)

Edit: Heh. I didn’t notice the “Hello Kitty” stuff on the umbrella before.

[Malleus_Incus_Stapes]

One thing in Kilkil’s favor- his name isn’t Yakyak.

[jayjay]

@mlees

Belkar tried to stabby stabby the CITD back when Xykon was laying siege to Azure City (strip #477). In that same strip, the CITD “stomped” the ground so hard it caused a fissure to open up.

Assuming it’s a creature out of the Monster Manual, what could do that? Giants? Is it immune to normal weapons? (Are Belkars daggers enchanted?)

Edit: Heh. I didn’t notice the “Hello Kitty” stuff on the umbrella before.

Baby tarrasque?

[Gray_Ghost]

Lots of speculation on the MITD at this thread at the OOTS forums. The first few posts go into great detail summarizing what is known about the creature.

I first thought it might be a Sphinx or baby Pit Fiend, but after reading the lengthy thread, I’ve no idea.

[mlees]

@Gray_Ghost

Lots of speculation on the MITD at this thread at the OOTS forums. The first few posts go into great detail summarizing what is known about the creature.

I first thought it might be a Sphinx or baby Pit Fiend, but after reading the lengthy thread, I’ve no idea.

Thanks for the link! Now I’m curious…

[Miller]

@Kobal2

My mind is boggled. How does Nale not see he’s getting a rapier up the kiester the second Tarquin’s got a hold of the gate ? Last I checked it was Elan who purposefully had a death grip on the idiot ball.

Nale and Elan have a time share. I think someone upthread said it best: Nale is high INT and low WIS, Elan is low INT and high WIS. They serve as a good example of how either combination can lead you into being a moron.

@Alessan

Actually, Tarquin’s biggest error is assuming he’s still the main antagonist.

I’ve been wondering if Tarquin’s “let them do all the work and sweep in at the last minute to steal the fruits of their labor” scheme could be applied to Xykon as easily as the Order. Let Xykon do all the hard work of fighting the Order, then Tarquin comes in at the last minute, and everyone remembers it as the story of how the Order defeated the Great Tarquin, with some minor business about a lich along the way.

I mean, Tarquin did say “protagonists” when he was laying out the plan, so clearly he’s talking about the Order, but he’s nothing if not flexible.

[Crowbar_of_Irony_3]

What is Tarquin’s class anyway, a Fighter? This is in big contrast to Xykon; Tarquin probably get more done with his brawl and wits than Xkyon with his spells. It will be interesting to see Tarquin vs. Xkyon anyway.

[Alessan]

@Miller

I’ve been wondering if Tarquin’s “let them do all the work and sweep in at the last minute to steal the fruits of their labor” scheme could be applied to Xykon as easily as the Order. Let Xykon do all the hard work of fighting the Order, then Tarquin comes in at the last minute, and everyone remembers it as the story of how the Order defeated the Great Tarquin, with some minor business about a lich along the way.

I think it’s the opposite: Xykon has been following all the events very closely (possibly disguised as a one of the characters) and intends to swoop in after the Order and Tarquin do all the hard work.

In fact, I’m betting on Kilkil being Xykon.

[Inner_Stickler]

@Gray_Ghost

(What metric does Good use to quantify Good acts anyway? We already know how many kiloNazis in the red Belkar is.)

I dunno about DnD but there’s certainly enough literary precedent for a few good acts at the end of a life to hold more sway than a lifetime of evil, c.f. Faust. Plus, doesn’t it strike you as emblematic of Chaotic Good to accept Belkar based on a few instances of empathy?

(I do wonder about the afterlife. Is Roy’s afterlife canon in DnD or was it dreamt up by Burlew? If canon, is there somewhere where I can read up on other alignment afterlives? I’m really curious what sort of rewards the "bad"alignments are looking forward to.)

[Alessan]

@Inner_Stickler

(I do wonder about the afterlife. Is Roy’s afterlife canon in DnD or was it dreamt up by Burlew? If canon, is there somewhere where I can read up on other alignment afterlives? I’m really curious what sort of rewards the "bad"alignments are looking forward to.)

The outer planes are described, but as places for living characters to visit. The actual afterlife is only alluded to in general terms.

[Jonathan_Chance]

@mlees

Assuming it’s a creature out of the Monster Manual, what could do that? Giants? Is it immune to normal weapons? (Are Belkars daggers enchanted?)

That may not be a proper assumption. I’m betting it’s in the game but that means Deities and Demigods…not The Monster Manual.

[Captain_Amazing]

@Alessan

The outer planes are described, but as places for living characters to visit. The actual afterlife is only alluded to in general terms.

I’m pretty sure it’s made generally clear, or at least it was in earlier editions, that worshipers/people of that general alignment go to the respective outer planes when they die and become residents there.

[jayjay]

@Captain_Amazing

I’m pretty sure it’s made generally clear, or at least it was in earlier editions, that worshipers/people of that general alignment go to the respective outer planes when they die and become residents there.

During the Planescape era, the dead became petitioners, kind of solid spirits, in their god’s realms. Their mission was to become paragons of their gods’ ideals and eventually merge with their god(s), ceasing to exist as individuals. This was during 2E. I haven’t really kept up with the cosmology after that…I liked the Planescape setting.

[Peter_Morris]

@mlees

Edit: Heh. I didn’t notice the “Hello Kitty” stuff on the umbrella before.

If did you notice the cats have fangs?

[Malleus_Incus_Stapes]

Curse you, I thought there’d been an update.

[shantih]

@Malleus_Incus_Stapes

Curse you, I thought there’d been an update.

And now there is! 823 Yes, It Is - Giant in the Playground Games

Also: Holy crap! The main plot is about to jump back into gear!

[Foggy]

Heh, the sewer monster.

[jayjay]

@Foggy

Heh, the sewer monster.

Otyugh! Or is it a Neo-Otyugh? I can never tell them apart…

ETA: Aquatic goblins, too! I kept trying to remember if there was a real name for them in-game, like the kopoacinth (aquatic gargoyle) or the merrow (aquatic ogre), but there apparently is not.

[Kobal2]

@One_And_Only_Wanderers

would that kind of rotating door death fulfill the prophecy though? Last breath is pretty specific. A resurrected Belkar would still be breathing right?

Depends how much Macbethian Malarkey™ the Oracle injects into his prophecies.

That’s the forest moving up the hill, William ? Really ? Really ?

[Der_Trihs]

@jayjay

ETA: Aquatic goblins, too! I kept trying to remember if there was a real name for them in-game, like the kopoacinth (aquatic gargoyle) or the merrow (aquatic ogre), but there apparently is not.

To quote Burlew himself on the OOTS forum:

[QUOTE=The Giant]
The guys in Panel 3 are intended to be koalinths, a form of aquatic hobgoblin that’s been in the game since First Edition. I’m sure they made it into 3.5, too, though I don’t see them in the SRD (possibly because the unique name “koalinth” was deemed Product Identity).
[/QUOTE]