# 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:** 99
**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 23, 2015, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/1961 "2015-10-23T19:58:33Z")
Except Belkar didn’t lay down his life for anyone, nobly or otherwise. He was spying on Durkon, got caught, tried to run, got _physically_ caught, tried defending himself and got tossed out a window and off a mountain. That’s just a punk death. Though, like **Chronos** said, he should be able to survive it anyway (assuming maximum fall damage rules versus just “splat after X feet”). He’s a high level ranger and was pretty much unharmed prior to the window toss, just taking one or two bite attacks, unlike Roy at Azure City who was pretty knocked around even before eating a _Meteor Swarm_ and then falling. ---
**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 23, 2015, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/1962 "2015-10-23T20:25:23Z")
Maybe he’ll land on a flumph. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/1963 "2015-10-24T03:39:52Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Maybe he’ll land on a flumph. Or even better, a lawyer… As for Durkon contributing to the fight, here’s something I posted elsewhere. **Prediction for the next strip:** Durkula, now being hit for lots of damage, realizes he made an error and tries to fix it by reconvincing Roy of his Durk-ness. He has Durkon bring up a memory that he can use to do this. Durkon chooses a memory that ostensibly should do it, but actually subtly undermines Durkula’s argument. Here’s where Durkon’s recognition of Durkula’s weakness will come into play. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2015, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/1964 "2015-10-24T04:06:57Z")
> [@Stanislaus](#): > > Lawful Neutral on this, I think. What happens, happens but I prefer it to be fitting. Well, there’s philosophically fitting, and there’s narratively fitting. This strip is about the story, so, IMHO, narratively fitting should win out. Anyway, there’s no rule that says a Belkar return to the fray would have to prevent Durkon from playing a crucial role in the foiling of Hel and Durkula’s plot. In fact, from what’s been shown so far, the narrative requires both. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2015, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/1965 "2015-10-27T22:48:07Z")
[New one’s up.](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1010.html) Guess it wasn’t just a trick of the light. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2015, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/1966 "2015-10-27T23:09:27Z")
Can getting slashed that badly trigger the end of Thor’s Might? Or was that just a coincidence? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2015, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/1967 "2015-10-27T23:13:09Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > Can getting slashed that badly trigger the end of Thor’s Might? Or was that just a coincidence? If it’s an alt-version of Righteous Might, then no. It lasts a round per level. I found it interesting that Durkula was holding onto a Slay Living the whole time. Even if Roy had successfully saved against it he would have taken almost as much damage as from an Inflict Serious Wounds. Typical evil hubris, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2015, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/1968 "2015-10-27T23:20:24Z")
What happens Godsmoot-wise if Roy is killed? Can anyone else step in and start fighting? Is there some advantage to Durkula if he drags it out rather than killing Roy immediately? ---
**Author:** ![satogata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@satogata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/satogata)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/1969 "2015-10-28T00:05:45Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > Can getting slashed that badly trigger the end of Thor’s Might? Or was that just a coincidence? Nothing is a coincidence in this strip! I suspect that along with healed green-eyed Roy and green flame, there’s a dispel effect. It feels to me like these two strips are a reveal of new powers of the starmetal greenhilt sword. The [aerial fight with Xykon](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0442.html) was the closest we’ve seen to an ‘activate’ of the sword before. Roy clearly damaged Xykon with green flame strikes, but (a) Roy didn’t have green eyes, (b) Roy wasn’t healed, and (c) Xykon’s Overland Flight was not dispelled. This combat is quite different. But if Roy can learn to invoke this effect in a fight against Xykon and/or Redcloak, then wow! ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/1970 "2015-10-28T00:20:10Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > What happens Godsmoot-wise if Roy is killed? Can anyone else step in and start fighting? Is there some advantage to Durkula if he drags it out rather than killing Roy immediately? Well, I doubt the rules require you to have a bodyguard. Unless Death’s Little Helper comes back, it means the vote would stand at a tie unless the demigod priests can be rounded up. And damn, Roy has been holding on to one mother of a weapon this whole time. Full heal and Greater Dispel on undead when he rages? That is a weapon that would make taking down Xykon almost too easy. Seriously, that is a near game-breaker. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/1971 "2015-10-28T00:21:46Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > Can getting slashed that badly trigger the end of Thor’s Might? Or was that just a coincidence? Normally buffs like that last for a set duration (Thor’s Might would be X rounds/level where X is Durkon’s level - so at least a minute and a half), and even getting killed doesn’t stop them. So his shrinking is either creative licence or, as \*\*satogata \*\*says, Roy’s new GreenJuju includes an innate Dispel Magic effect. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/1972 "2015-10-28T01:17:13Z")
> [@satogata](#): > > Nothing is a coincidence in this strip! > > I suspect that along with healed green-eyed Roy and green flame, there’s a dispel effect. It feels to me like these two strips are a reveal of new powers of the starmetal greenhilt sword. The [aerial fight with Xykon](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0442.html) was the closest we’ve seen to an ‘activate’ of the sword before. Roy clearly damaged Xykon with green flame strikes, but (a) Roy didn’t have green eyes, (b) Roy wasn’t healed, and (c) Xykon’s Overland Flight was not dispelled. This combat is quite different. But if Roy can learn to invoke this effect in a fight against Xykon and/or Redcloak, then wow! Well they happen to be in a room with as much as much of a total sum of wisdom as you could expect to exist in the world, although maybe not Intelligence. But still between all the high clerics(and the sacred Knight of the Expository Aside) who all saw it, maybe we will get a full explanation of the effect in story. ---
**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:** [October 28, 2015, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/1973 "2015-10-28T01:23:13Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > What happens Godsmoot-wise if Roy is killed? Can anyone else step in and start fighting? Is there some advantage to Durkula if he drags it out rather than killing Roy immediately? If Roy is killed (and Belkar doesn’t show up) the Godsmoot proceeds as normal and the world ends. Remember from the beginning of this fight, if a priest or his bodyguards attack any of the other parties, they’ve violated the Godsmoot and will be struck down. Roy can only attack Durkon because of a loophole that lets a priest’s own bodyguard attack him. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/1974 "2015-10-28T01:28:50Z")
What if Heimdall’s bodyguard decides to take out Heimdall’s priest? Or what if Wreccan decides to take out Veldrina? Be kind of a dick move, but would Roy’s loophole still apply? ---
**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:** [October 28, 2015, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/1975 "2015-10-28T01:37:51Z")
He’s not dead(again) yet. Roy better not let down. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/1976 "2015-10-28T02:15:57Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > What if Heimdall’s bodyguard decides to take out Heimdall’s priest? > > Or what if Wreccan decides to take out Veldrina? > > Be kind of a dick move, but would Roy’s loophole still apply? Sure, but why would they ? One would assume that, apart from Roy, each of the various bodyguards actually know who their own priest is, are loyal to them and presumably also share their devotion. ---
**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 28, 2015, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/1977 "2015-10-28T02:19:51Z")
> [@satogata](#): > > But if Roy can learn to invoke this effect in a fight against Xykon and/or Redcloak, then wow! The weapon maker mentioned that the green glow occurred “Sometimes” when battling the undead. Redcloak is not undead. > [@kaylasdad99](#): > > What if Heimdall’s bodyguard decides to take out Heimdall’s priest? > > Or what if Wreccan decides to take out Veldrina? > > Be kind of a dick move, but would Roy’s loophole still apply? I’m guessing that if Durkevil dies, then his vote would still stand, the group would remain deadlocked, but anyone thralled by him would be freed, including representatives of demigods. ---
**Author:** ![yellowjacketcoder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4bbf92/32.png) [@yellowjacketcoder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yellowjacketcoder)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2015, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/1978 "2015-10-28T03:01:09Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > The weapon maker mentioned that the green glow occurred “Sometimes” when battling the undead. Redcloak is not undead. I’m guessing that if Durkevil dies, then his vote would still stand, the group would remain deadlocked, but anyone thralled by him would be freed, including representatives of demigods. I don’t think the vote stands, which is one reason why the HP of Balder (I thought it was Baldur, but it has an e in the comic) can’t leave the room to go find the demigod priests. If Durkula gets whacked, his vote does too, and the tie is resolved without the demigods. That said, if the demigod priests got thralled, they probably also got their own lawful evil vamp spirit running their bodies around, so presumably they would vote with Hel since they’re dwarves. Well, assuming they can fake the _summon proxy_ spell, which I doubt. More likely is that Durkula whacked the priests of any demigods that would have voted no. Assuming he whacked them at all, as opposed to just the unaligned clerics. ---
**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:** [October 28, 2015, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/1979 "2015-10-28T03:09:26Z")
I’m guessing the other deities can’t rescind their votes; that seems to have been covered by Hel invoking the “no takebacks” rule. So killing off any clerics wouldn’t change the vote count. So the clerics of Elemental Earth are the only open vote left. My guess is that the connection with Durkon is that he’s holding those clerics in thrall and can control their vote. And like Malack’s hold over Durkon, Durkon’s hold over his thralls will end if he’s killed. ---
**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 28, 2015, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755/1980 "2015-10-28T03:29:35Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > The weapon maker mentioned that the green glow occurred “Sometimes” when battling the undead. Redcloak is not undead. Nope. The weapon maker [specified](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0297.html) that the sword, “will sometimes glow with a deadly green energy that is particularly harmful to the undead”. I read this as the green glow being harmful to anyone, but especially so to undead. So Redcloak isn’t off the hook just because he’s still alive. And if the sword casts a Roy-heal (which seems likely) and a dispell (I’m skeptical, but whatever), then those certainly help against Redcloak (among others). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755.md?page=98) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-book-6-discussion-thread/682755.md?page=100)