# 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:** 262
**Author:** ![Unpronounceable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9de0a6/32.png) [@Unpronounceable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unpronounceable)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2018, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/5222 "2018-10-01T20:35:04Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > If you look at the final frame of that strip you see a member of the Northern pantheon with a yellow glow holding blue threads and a member of the Twelve Gods with a blue glow holding purple threads. So I’m not sure you’re right. Also: no green or yellow in the snarl at all. Just red, blue, purple & a bit of black. Probably green & yellow didn’t look right. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2018, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/5223 "2018-10-01T21:15:21Z")
The colors you guys citing are those of the actual strands that make up the Snarl, not its quiddity. Consider Thor. His clothes are shades of blue. That does not make him a member of the Southern pantheon. His quiddity is an aura around him and that’s yellow. The Snarl doesn’t have an aura, so we have to take Thor’s word that it has a 4-color quiddity. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2018, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/5224 "2018-10-08T18:30:43Z")
[1143: Lines of Communication](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1143.html) ---
**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:** [October 8, 2018, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/5225 "2018-10-08T19:22:38Z")
I see the blue dragon head has the same thick jaw as the dopey half (blue) dragon bounty hunter guy from the desert & arena. Which makes me think of the blue head as dopey which is sort of amusing since, traditionally in D&D, blue dragons were one of the smarter and more intellectual breeds (along with the greens). ---
**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:** [October 8, 2018, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/5226 "2018-10-08T20:21:39Z")
So Tiamat is allied with The Dark One\*, and doesn’t one of the Three Fiends report to Tiamat? I remember an angry phone call on lines 1, 2, 5, 9, and 11 or something, I think when V was held prisoner. \*and what’s Rat doing defending TDO in that same panel? ---
**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:** [October 8, 2018, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/5227 "2018-10-08T20:31:23Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Oh, yeah. Xykon has to go down. Not entirely clear. Xykon is an evil dick, but at least he has a sense of self preservation. Redcloak has a dangerous streak of fatalism. Redcloak must survive though, as he may be the only goblinoid spellcaster in Stickworld who can cast 9th level spells. Other than the Dark One himself. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2018, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/5228 "2018-10-08T21:04:34Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > \*and what’s Rat doing defending TDO in that same panel? I think they were pals in _Start of Darkness_ along with several other evil gods. Thor only say’s he’s pissed off after the events at Azure City. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2018, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/5229 "2018-10-08T22:44:43Z")
…and how does this relate to the Monster in the Darkness? ---
**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:** [October 8, 2018, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/5230 "2018-10-08T22:59:17Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > So Tiamat is allied with The Dark One\*, and doesn’t one of the Three Fiends report to Tiamat? I remember an angry phone call on lines 1, 2, 5, 9, and 11 or something, I think when V was held prisoner. > > \*and what’s Rat doing defending TDO in that same panel? The primary evil deities defended The Dark One’s initial ascension to godhood on the basis that they didn’t prevent the elven gods from forming. Since then, The Dark One ended ties with Loki and I wouldn’t be surprised if he did the same with Tiamat and Rat since his goal was to use the Snarl to blackmail the gods. Even if Tiamat and Rat are nominally on his side, I don’t know if I’d want to test the limits of that with the only thing that can swiftly and permanently kill them. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/5231 "2018-10-09T01:00:18Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > The primary evil deities defended The Dark One’s initial ascension to godhood on the basis that they didn’t prevent the elven gods from forming. > > Since then, The Dark One ended ties with Loki and I wouldn’t be surprised if he did the same with Tiamat and Rat since his goal was to use the Snarl to blackmail the gods. Even if Tiamat and Rat are nominally on his side, I don’t know if I’d want to test the limits of that with the only thing that can swiftly and permanently kill them. “Rat”? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/5232 "2018-10-09T01:06:26Z")
One of the Twelve Gods of the South, derived from the Chinese Zodiac. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/5233 "2018-10-09T01:11:02Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > One of the Twelve Gods of the South, derived from the Chinese Zodiac. I dont remember rat ever showing up. Rabbit, Dragon, and tiger, yes, but rat? ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/5234 "2018-10-09T01:14:24Z")
The twelve signs of the [Chinese zodiac](https://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/social_customs/zodiac/) are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. Rat shows up in the SoD crayon pages. Rat is also moonlighting as a character in Pearls Before Swine. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/5235 "2018-10-09T10:37:49Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I dont remember rat ever showing up. Rabbit, Dragon, and tiger, yes, but rat? 😕 Rat is in this very most recent comic, standing behind Loki and in front of Tiamat in the second frame. The small creature with the blue quiddity. ---
**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:** [October 9, 2018, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/5236 "2018-10-09T12:25:39Z")
There have also been a few cases where we’ve seen the entire Southern Pantheon at once, like [Miko’s fall](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0407.html). ---
**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:** [October 9, 2018, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/5237 "2018-10-09T13:30:06Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > I dont remember rat ever showing up. Rabbit, Dragon, and tiger, yes, but rat? > [@ekedolphin](#): > > 😕 Rat is in this very most recent comic, standing behind Loki and in front of Tiamat in the second frame. The small creature with the blue quiddity. Also he was in \*Start Of Darkness \*as a friend of The Dark One. ---
**Author:** ![chorpler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chorpler/32/2888_2.png) [@chorpler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chorpler)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2018, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/5238 "2018-10-09T20:18:40Z")
Which, naturally, led to a lot of discussion along the lines of “WTF? At least one of the Twelve Gods is evil, but Miko still thinks they’re cool?!” ---
**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:** [October 9, 2018, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/5239 "2018-10-09T22:55:25Z")
Is Rat evil? I don’t think being friends with TDO proves that. ---
**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:** [October 10, 2018, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/5240 "2018-10-10T00:15:07Z")
_Start of Darkness_ makes it explicit that The Dark One made friends among “some of the other evil gods”. And Miko doesn’t worship Rat; she (like the Azurite high priest) worships the pantheon as a whole. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2018, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/5241 "2018-10-10T01:28:36Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And Miko doesn’t worship Rat; she (like the Azurite high priest) worships the pantheon as a whole. That doesn’t seem entirely consistent with a Lawful/stick-up the-ass-Good alignment. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755.md?page=261) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755.md?page=263)