# Order of the Stick General Discussion Thread (Open Spoilers and Speculation) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 2, 2009, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096 "2009-02-02T07:39:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**Author:** ![Saltire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saltire/32/553_2.png) [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/321 "2009-03-20T14:48:22Z")
Some very scary major magic happening in both The Order of the Stick and Erfworld on the same day. Both will have frightening consequences in upcoming strips. So, when Vaarsuvius releases the soul-binding, which I expect to happen in the next strip or maybe the one after, do these three super-evil MUs go straight back to the lower planes, or will they try to hang around on the Prime Material for a while? How’s that for a scary thought? ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/322 "2009-03-20T15:24:11Z")
All of the victims of Familicide were obviously dragons or half-dragons – none of them looked like sorcerers of any other race. Since the epic spell does not appear to be killing anything but black dragons and half-black dragons, V’s kids are safe. As if having \ turned into Raistlin wouldn’t be bad enough, sheesh. Anyway, this has been a really nice payout to the V storyline. Just as the Belkar/Haley stuff was a good payout to _that_ storyline. And Elan’s poor half-orc girlfriend was good on _that_. Despite all Internet whining to the contrary, splitting the Order for this long has paid off, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/323 "2009-03-20T16:40:33Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > All of the victims of Familicide were obviously dragons or half-dragons – none of them looked like sorcerers of any other race. Since the epic spell does not appear to be killing anything but black dragons and half-black dragons, V’s kids are safe. I dunno. What if the spell causes the victims to visibly manifest their “familial status” at the moment of death? Leaving V and mate with two suddenly dead half-draconic kids. After all, it wouldn’t be as horribly ironic if there weren’t tangible evidence that V killed them. What’s the deal with that dragon-centaur guy anyway? ---
**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:** [March 20, 2009, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/324 "2009-03-20T16:48:21Z")
> [@Terrifel](#): > > What’s the deal with that dragon-centaur guy anyway? Who said the non-dragon half of a half-dragon had to be humanoid? I THINK that the “half-dragon” template can be applied to pretty much anything. Found it! > [@](#): > > “Half-dragon” is an inherited template that can be added to any living, corporeal creature… ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/325 "2009-03-20T16:55:27Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Who said the non-dragon half of a half-dragon had to be humanoid? I THINK that the “half-dragon” template can be applied to pretty much anything. > > Found it! Ah, well that explains that. Sort of. While raising a whole slew of other, profoundly awkward questions. A giant clam is a living, corporeal creature. I wonder how that’d work out. ---
**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:** [March 20, 2009, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/326 "2009-03-20T17:02:57Z")
Sure, we just saw an epic act of genocide committed by a supposedly good protagonist and have no idea what the possible consequences will be. But my first reaction was “Suvie?” ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/327 "2009-03-20T17:03:14Z")
> [@Terrifel](#): > > After all, it wouldn’t be as horribly ironic if there weren’t tangible evidence that V killed them. I think the bolt of pink lightning coming back and killing them, just after V cast a spell that fired off bolts of pink lightning, would be a bit of a giveaway. > [@Terrifel](#): > > Ah, well that explains that. Sort of. While raising a whole slew of other, profoundly awkward questions. It’s the sort of thing that I’d just ignore outright in a game. Just because a dragon is able to produce half-centaur children, doesn’t mean that they’d actually lower themselves to doing it. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/328 "2009-03-20T17:06:22Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Sure, we just saw an epic act of genocide committed by a supposedly good protagonist and have no idea what the possible consequences will be. But my first reaction was “Suvie?” Vaarsuvius isn’t good. See the first panel of [strip 633](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0633.html). ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/329 "2009-03-20T17:27:47Z")
I don’t think his family will be harmed, they will be revolted by his actions and shun him. The payoff will come when the demons take control of his soul at a key moment after we’ve completely forgotten about this storyline. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/330 "2009-03-20T17:32:45Z")
Huh. That was probably an overreaction. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/331 "2009-03-20T17:33:58Z")
> [@Terrifel](#): > > A giant clam is a living, corporeal creature. I wonder how that’d work out. Wow…I’d hate to be taken away by a Calgon. ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/332 "2009-03-20T17:44:04Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Sure, we just saw an epic act of genocide committed by a supposedly good protagonist and have no idea what the possible consequences will be. But my first reaction was “Suvie?” Vaarsuvius is Neutral, not Good. In fact, an argument could be made that he needed to do something like this to balance out the (generally) Good he has been doing while working with the Order of the Stick. ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/333 "2009-03-20T18:02:16Z")
> [@Terrifel](#): > > A giant clam is a living, corporeal creature. I wonder how that’d work out. Half-dragon, half-clam. 3 attacks per round (clam/clam/bite). Able to polymorph 3/day at will into a bowl of 15 HD chowder. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/334 "2009-03-20T18:06:15Z")
> [@tanstaafl](#): > > In fact, an argument could be made that he needed to do something like this to balance out the (generally) Good he has been doing while working with the Order of the Stick. That assumes there’s some reason he or his god would _care_ if he starts setting off Detect Good spells. Even evil gods might not care, as long as your good deeds don’t get in the way of their plans. ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/335 "2009-03-20T18:15:00Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > I think the bolt of pink lightning coming back and killing them, just after V cast a spell that fired off bolts of pink lightning, would be a bit of a giveaway. Good point. > [@](#): > > It’s the sort of thing that I’d just ignore outright in a game. Just because a dragon is able to produce half-centaur children, doesn’t mean that they’d actually lower themselves to doing it. Well, apparently they’re not averse to lowering themselves as far as breeding with humanoids-- which has surely got to be even weirder from a dragon’s perspective, given that humanoids don’t even have the proper number of extremities. At least centaurs have the hexapod thing going for them. > [@DigitalC](#): > > I don’t think his family will be harmed, they will be revolted by his actions and shun him. The payoff will come when the demons take control of his soul at a key moment after we’ve completely forgotten about this storyline. I don’t think the current situation is sustainable storywise, though. An epic-level, evil V would completely overshadow everything and everyone else in the campaign so far. Therefore, it seems much more likely to me that V will come to a realization and renounce those powers very shortly. Simply being shunned by the family wouldn’t be a strong enough motivator for such an action. It’ll have to be something much worse, I suspect. ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/336 "2009-03-20T18:16:55Z")
> [@Hal\_Briston](#): > > Wow…I’d hate to be taken away by a Calgon. > [@Fish](#): > > Half-dragon, half-clam. 3 attacks per round (clam/clam/bite). Able to polymorph 3/day at will into a bowl of 15 HD chowder. 😃 “This evil beast is infamous for its greed and shellfishness.” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/337 "2009-03-20T18:25:02Z")
> [@Terrifel](#): > > Therefore, it seems much more likely to me that V will come to a realization and renounce those powers very shortly. Simply being shunned by the family wouldn’t be a strong enough motivator for such an action. It’ll have to be something much worse, I suspect. The fiends who made the deal said that the splice would only last for as long as V could mentally hold it together. They mentioned timeframes ranging from hours to weeks, but it’s not intended to be a permanent thing. V doesn’t have to choose to give up the splice. It will start to unravel on its own soon enough. ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/338 "2009-03-20T18:30:46Z")
> [@Terrifel](#): > > I don’t think the current situation is sustainable storywise, though. An epic-level, evil V would completely overshadow everything and everyone else in the campaign so far. Therefore, it seems much more likely to me that V will come to a realization and renounce those powers very shortly. Almost certainly before he realizes that he can now find Haley and Roy and Belkar, before he realizes he could kill Xykon, and before he starts thinking about the Oracle’s prophecy. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/339 "2009-03-20T18:55:32Z")
Well, that was pretty much an act of pure evil on an unimaginable scale. (dragon. scale. snerk.) I mean, the dragon was already dead, and V had won; the original purpose, V appears to have forgotten, was “saving my family”. But, despite already having his victory, he raised the dragon back to half-life for no purpose other than inflicting emotional harm upon it, by killing other beings V had no personal quarrels with and, indeed, didn’t even know existed. I dunno if V can pull himself back from this one. By giving in to the impulse to inflict pain on the dragon, he’s pretty much ceded control over to the spirits bound to him. I’m not sure he’ll be able to swing it back. It’s also pretty clear that he didn’t fully consider the consequences of this action; the dragons that just dropped dead surely also had friends and non-blood relatives (there’s no indication that the spell affected, for example, the spouses of those dragons actually related by blood to Ol’ Blackie) who’ll be interested in why their family member or dear chum just dropped dead. And there’ll be more than just one pissed-off grand-dragonparent (even more powerful than the one V just faced) wondering why the grandkids just dropped dead; there could be, what, a quarter, a third, even half the world’s dragon population hunting for V? Of course, they have that Oracle to tell them what happened… This was a very bad decision. ---
**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:** [March 20, 2009, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/340 "2009-03-20T18:56:26Z")
Man, he just totally ganked that kill from those two adventurers, too. Which is interesting, because when Belkar decided to be less evil, one of the first things he did was _not_ gank Haley’s kill. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096.md?page=16) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096.md?page=18)