# Order of the Stick - Book 6 Discussion Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 3, 2014, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755 "2014-03-03T16:07:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 21
**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:** [July 6, 2014, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/401 "2014-07-06T21:26:50Z")
Question: Does anyone agree with Belkar’s strategy here (as such, yes)? In your face, full throated accusation? I realize that this is just his style, but on the OOTS forum someone said he would have been better off playing it cool and trying to reveal the truth of Durkula indirectly. But I felt that his life would already likely be in danger-Durkula might very well have found a way to kill him off without arousing suspicion on himself. And, although events in the following strips are pending of course, Belkar’s gamble might have paid off here. ---
**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:** [July 6, 2014, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/402 "2014-07-06T22:05:17Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **Quartz** : > > A targeted Dispel Magic will remove a permanent spell. Right, I meant that it’s only an inconvenience as far as magic items are concerned. It’s a big deal for permanent spells, which is, as you said, a good reason not to invest too heavily in permanent spells. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/403 "2014-07-22T13:21:43Z")
958 up [http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0958.html](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0958.html) ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/404 "2014-07-22T13:24:06Z")
Now, Durkula has just lied to Roy in a way that Roy can tell he’s lying… Something that Durkon would never do. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/405 "2014-07-22T13:40:25Z")
Let me guess - it was a \*pearl \*necklace. ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/406 "2014-07-22T13:41:26Z")
I wonder if something will be made out of how unpleasant it is to be fed from when Durkferatu chomps down. That would get old after a while IRL. I also wonder what other things will trigger random memories from Durkon? ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/407 "2014-07-22T17:04:06Z")
I don’t want to be the one to tell vampires how to do their job, but maybe if they stopped biting everyone _in the head_ it would go a lot easier for all involved. I didn’t want to bump this thread prematurely and risk the “I thought there was a new thread!” wrath but the increased role for Blackwing made me wonder: back in 1st edition AD&D, having a familiar meant the risk of _losing_ a familiar which was fairly substantial. Permanent hit point loss, if I remember right with even a chance for the magic user to die outright if they failed a System Shock check (and since MU’s usually had low Constitution scores, this as very possible). What are the current rules about familiars in this context? I thought about it when Blackwing got psionic-zapped and was just dazed when, back in the day, that could have been a quick way to seriously hurt V (killing a bird that likely has 1-4hp) ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/408 "2014-07-22T17:08:42Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I didn’t want to bump this thread prematurely and risk the “I thought there was a new thread!” wrath but the increased role for Blackwing made me wonder: back in 1st edition AD&D, having a familiar meant the risk of _losing_ a familiar which was fairly substantial. Permanent hit point loss, if I remember right with even a chance for the magic user to die outright if they failed a System Shock check (and since MU’s usually had low Constitution scores, this as very possible). What are the current rules about familiars in this context? I thought about it when Blackwing got psionic-zapped and was just dazed when, back in the day, that could have been a quick way to seriously hurt V (killing a bird that likely has 1-4hp) In 3.5, a familiar has 50% of their master’s hit points, making them much less squishy. IIRC, if they die, their master loses some XP. ---
**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:** [July 22, 2014, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/409 "2014-07-22T17:57:35Z")
It’s weird to see sleeves on Elan and Roy. They’re becoming less and less Stickish as time goes on. ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/410 "2014-07-22T19:15:44Z")
So, what was the point of Durkon’s memory panel? (I assume that the memory was happening inside his head and that only he and Durkula were aware of it, not that Elan experienced it through a mystical blood-sharing bond … right?) Is it maybe a sign that Durkon is getting more successful at pushing his thoughts over those of Durkula? Or what? ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/411 "2014-07-22T19:31:50Z")
> [@shantih](#): > > not that Elan experienced it through a mystical blood-sharing bond … right? Well, it DID have an erotic undertone… Off the cuff, I’d guess maybe it was Durkon blocking out the sensation of feeding? Letting the music distract him with a happier memory rather than paying attention to the events at hand? ---
**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:** [July 22, 2014, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/412 "2014-07-22T23:41:25Z")
If Elan’s got a memory of a bunch if dwarves sitting in a cave in his head, that might be why he felt “darkheaded.” Or it could be a reference to the fact that he doesn’t have a light source in his skull. ---
**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:** [July 23, 2014, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/413 "2014-07-23T02:58:01Z")
I think it’s along the same line as Groucho’s “Outside of a dog, a book is a man’s best friend. Inside a dog, it’s too dark to read”. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/414 "2014-07-23T06:11:05Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Let me guess - it was a \*pearl \*necklace. Nope, it was [gold](http://www.nastrond.net/freyasnecklace.html). ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/415 "2014-07-23T07:40:22Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > Nope, it was [gold](http://www.nastrond.net/freyasnecklace.html). That’s the story they tell when the kids are awake. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2014, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/416 "2014-07-23T10:56:19Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I don’t want to be the one to tell vampires how to do their job, but maybe if they stopped biting everyone _in the head_ it would go a lot easier for all involved. Well, it’s not like they have necks… ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2014, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/417 "2014-07-25T07:52:50Z")
Another one up. [959 It Was Not - Giant in the Playground Games](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0959.html) Three day turnaround for Rich. Huh. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2014, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/418 "2014-07-25T10:51:51Z")
“I think I’m contractually obligated to switch costumes at least once per volume.” 😃 😃 ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2014, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/419 "2014-07-25T12:29:13Z")
The throwaway lesbian reference caught my eye. I mean, I know the gay community wants to be in fiction as more than just the “token gay character”, but it still seemed out of the blue. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2014, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/420 "2014-07-25T12:48:09Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Now, Durkula has just lied to Roy in a way that Roy can tell he’s lying… Something that Durkon would never do. Can you elaborate on this? How can Roy tell he’s lying, and how do you know he can tell? > [@yellowjacketcoder](#): > > The throwaway lesbian reference caught my eye. I mean, I know the gay community wants to be in fiction as more than just the “token gay character”, but it still seemed out of the blue. At the times when I see V as being male, I picture him being in a gay relationship. (I for the life of me can’t see his partner as female, even though V sometimes gets a female voice in my head.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755.md?page=20) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755.md?page=22)