# 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:** 247
**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:** [August 26, 2018, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/4922 "2018-08-26T03:08:09Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > But it doesn’t account for the army of souls that Dark One is assembling. He has a use in mind for that, and it’s not going to be pleasant for anyone else. A homeland and equality for the goblins is just a first step in the Dark One’s plans. I’m sure he’s much more ambitious than that. Probably planning to become Overgod above all the pantheons, if not wiping out them altogether. Which by extension, would mean the goblins would become the dominant race in the Prime Material Plane. The other pantheons already have their armies. The Dark One needs one just to stay on equal terms. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2018, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/4923 "2018-08-26T04:29:47Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > The Gith - both githzerai and githyanki - are from way, way back, and were in the Fiend Folio and probably Dragon or White Dwarf or Imagine before that. Long, long before Dark Sun. Are you thinking of the hippo-people with a penchant for gunpowder and explosions? Those are the Giff. I think they came in with Planescape, BICBW. There was a race in Dark Sun that was called the Gith. They were githyanki who had been attacked with a massive githzerai psionic weapon in the middle of trying to conquer Athas (the Dark Sun world) and forgot who and what they actually were. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2018, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/4924 "2018-08-26T05:27:59Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The other pantheons already have their armies. They do? Is that from some rule/splat book? Because I don’t recall it saying that anywhere in the strip, unless a vague reference to a war (which I don’t remember the exact words of) by one of the Three Fiends counts as it. ---
**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:** [August 26, 2018, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/4925 "2018-08-26T05:38:43Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > They do? Is that from some rule/splat book? Because I don’t recall it saying that anywhere in the strip, unless a vague reference to a war (which I don’t remember the exact words of) by one of the Three Fiends counts as it. The current strip? Set in Valhalla? A hall full of warriors waiting to be called into battle? ---
**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:** [August 26, 2018, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/4926 "2018-08-26T06:32:31Z")
> [@dtilque](#): > > But it doesn’t account for the army of souls that Dark One is assembling. He has a use in mind for that, and it’s not going to be pleasant for anyone else. A homeland and equality for the goblins is just a first step in the Dark One’s plans. I’m sure he’s much more ambitious than that. Probably planning to become Overgod above all the pantheons, if not wiping out them altogether. Which by extension, would mean the goblins would become the dominant race in the Prime Material Plane. That’s the way superhero comics work. Every twentieth villain has a legitimate beef with the world, like Magneto for example. But they take it to an extreme and beyond; strict story formulas make them interchangeable with any other villain. Rich explores different aspects of D&D alignment. In the forward to Start of Darkness he says, “There are people in this world who are driven to evil because of what their life has forced them to endure. Xykon is not one of those. Redcloak might be, though.” In part. I suspect Redcloak is a tragic figure, someone who might have been neutral or better under the proper circumstances. Making the Dark One a meglamaniac (not entirely unreasonable, since he is a god) would undermine that theme. So I don’t think Rich will go that route. On the other hand if a plot device is needed, the Dark One could probably provide. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2018, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/4927 "2018-08-26T10:52:31Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > The current strip? Set in Valhalla? A hall full of warriors waiting to be called into battle? In the Norse religion, the warriors in Vallaha were training to be ready for Ragnarok. But this strip (especially Thor) is not based strictly on Norse mythology. Rather more on the Marvel Universe version of Thor and whatever other gods appear there. At any rate, we actually haven’t seen Vallhala up close, just a view from a distance. So we don’t know for certain what it’s like. You can assume it’s much like the Norse version, but don’t be surprised if it turns out different. One thing that’s different is that there’s no expectation of there even being a Ragnarok. ---
**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:** [August 26, 2018, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/4928 "2018-08-26T20:16:44Z")
Actually, Ragnarok does exist in Oots. During the vote on ending the world a character in panel 4 said, “It’s no Ragnarok, but it’ll do. Sutur, Lord of Fire Giants, votes Yes.” [http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1012.html](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1012.html) Also, historically most polytheistic religions allowed for other gods worshiped in adjoining regions. Multiple pantheons was the assumption I’d WAG before monotheism took hold. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2018, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/4929 "2018-08-26T23:01:07Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > Actually, Ragnarok does exist in Oots. During the vote on ending the world a character in panel 4 said, “It’s no Ragnarok, but it’ll do. Sutur, Lord of Fire Giants, votes Yes.” > [1012 Yellow Means Caution - Giant in the Playground Games](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1012.html) Ragnarok is an inevitable end-of-the-world battle. There might be an end-of-the-world battle in OotSverse, but as far as I can tell, it’s not inevitable. It’s an idea specific to Norse mythology and not shared by the other two pantheons/mythologies. That’s what I meant by there being no Ragnarok in OotSverse. Not that the idea/name weren’t known. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2018, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/4930 "2018-08-27T08:12:15Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > How metäl. Still sounds small for a city Looks [about right](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/07/ee/b5/07eeb532dc7eba745628ecc5f47193c7.jpg)… ---
**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:** [August 27, 2018, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/4931 "2018-08-27T08:28:11Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Are you thinking of the hippo-people with a penchant for gunpowder and explosions? Those are the Giff. I think they came in with Planescape, BICBW. The Giff were from Spelljammer. ---
**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:** [August 27, 2018, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/4932 "2018-08-27T10:05:17Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > The Giff were from Spelljammer. Ah yes. ---
**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:** [August 27, 2018, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/4933 "2018-08-27T10:42:49Z")
Man, the 90’s were _weird_. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2018, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/4934 "2018-08-27T11:54:52Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > The Giff were from Spelljammer. Which had its own branch of [gith](http://spelljammer.wikia.com/wiki/Pirate_of_Gith), too… ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2018, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/4935 "2018-08-27T14:55:10Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Man, the 90’s were _weird_. You should’ve tried the 70s. ---
**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:** [August 27, 2018, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/4936 "2018-08-27T15:21:38Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > The Gith - both githzerai and githyanki - are from way, way back, and were in the Fiend Folio and probably Dragon or White Dwarf or Imagine before that. Long, long before Dark Sun. Are you thinking of the hippo-people with a penchant for gunpowder and explosions? Those are the Giff. I think they came in with Planescape, BICBW. The Gith are also in Dark Sun. But they are a degenerate version of that race, primitive and feral. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2018, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/4937 "2018-08-27T17:36:33Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Man, the 90’s were _weird_. And don’t forget the giant space hamsters! ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2018, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/4938 "2018-08-27T19:05:37Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > And don’t forget the giant space hamsters! Would they have been that memorable if not for Minsc and Boo? **MrDibble** , well, they’re using the whole body in your image, not just the head. I dig the castle on stilts that are rooted in the dead god’s eyesockets. (Cue guitar arpeggio here.) Damnit Rich, quit screwing around and get to the ‘what’s so important about the Astral Plane?’ reveal already. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2018, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/4939 "2018-08-27T19:39:59Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > I dig the castle on stilts that are rooted in the dead god’s eyesockets. Those are chains - I believe it’s flying, and those anchor it. ---
**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:** [August 27, 2018, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/4940 "2018-08-27T19:40:00Z")
> [@Gray\_Ghost](#): > > Would they have been that memorable if not for Minsc and Boo? Sure they were! Don’t get me wrong - 3rd and 5th Edition were much better games, but in terms of content, 2nd Ed was the craziest, most imaginative period in D&D history. TSR was flailing, and they were throwing everything they could against the wall hoping it would stick. Most of it was crap, of course, but it was damn fun to read. ---
**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:** [August 27, 2018, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/4941 "2018-08-27T21:23:02Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > And don’t forget the giant space hamsters! Beware Woolly Rupert! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755.md?page=246) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755.md?page=248)