I’m surprised Haley missed noticing how to get past the traps. She said it herself: They were all triggered to go off if any of them was disabled. So, you just open the door and walk through, and leave them all intact and untriggered.
He is a ranger-can he charm a hell hound?
The ranger’s Wild Empathy ability works only on animals, and on beasts with an Int of 2 or less (at a penalty). Hellhounds are outsiders, not animals or beasts, and have an Int of 6. So, no.
Of course, he could try to befriend it the same way you’d befriend any sapient creature. But this is Belkar we’re talking about. So, no.
I really don’t think Mr. Scruffy would want any part of such an arrangement, anyway.
He might learn to steer it with daggers embedded in its spine, though.
Yes, but not every strip. Seems like ever since Rich returned, he’s made some reference to his thumb or his long hiatus or whatnot in every strip.
There have been only three strips since he returned, and the second (the one with Blackwing and Vaarsuvius) didn’t have any fourth-walling.
OOTS, now with 33% less meta-commentary!
Belkar would probably PREFER to steer it with daggers.
Someone on the forums pointed out that the entire last row of panels show Mr. Scruffy freaking out. He obviously knows the scent of lizardman cleric when he smells it.
This encounter probably won’t be good for SOMEONE, but damn if I know who…
Wait… Why is the lizardman-cleric there? What is his personal motivation?
If this plays out into a life or death encounter, Belkar is fucked.
I can’t imagine Belkar would die so ignominiously. It could happen, I guess, but it just doesn’t feel likely.
And, yep, he steers it with a dagger.
It has to do with how powerful a high-level cleric is.
This won’t–and could never be–a fair fight.
ETA: Isn’t the popular theory that Malack is considerably higher level than any of the OOTS, anyway?
I think they’ll have a calm discussion-IIRC Malack’s motivations here don’t dovetail very closely with those of Tarquin and/or Xykon.
I was wondering the same thing. Malack and Belkar are kind of the outliers of their teams: along for the ride, willing to do whatever when when directed but not, hmm fanatical about their alignment…? I’m not sure how to state it. I can’t see them talking philosophy at length, but I can see some conversation may happen before fireworks start. Maybe.
I feel that the last panel calls for a “DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUN!”