# 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:** 54
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1061 "2009-05-13T09:22:09Z")
> [@choie](#): > > So what does a Ring of Wizardry do in D&D, if anything? Has V. ever used it? It boosts the number of lower level spells a magic user can memorize, IIRC. Being that passive, the only way we’d notice it being used would be if V mentioned it. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ad7895/32.png) [@Just\_Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1062 "2009-05-13T12:19:29Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > It boosts the number of lower level spells a magic user can memorize, IIRC. Being that passive, the only way we’d notice it being used would be if V mentioned it. Spoiler for Start of Darkness (really, with this many spoilers for it in this thread don’t you owe it to yourself to order a copy?): Xykon also wore a ring that protects him from positive energy attacks. It’s unclear if this particular Ring of Wizardry is the same one. Der Trihs has the proper “normal” effect and the Positive Energy ring is only a fleeting mention that was introduced years later so it’s reasonable that they’re just two different rings. On the other hand if Burlew wants to bring it back then that can work too. ---
**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:** [May 13, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1063 "2009-05-13T14:59:11Z")
Going back a little bit, to [634](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0634.html). Is the part about Qarr having to keep his promise because he’s a lawful creature accurate? Even though there was no formal agreement between Vaarsuvius and him and carrying out the promise would get him killed? It seems unlikely that an offhand comment like _“Let me help. Free of charge.”_ could be interpreted as _“I bind myself to performing any task you ask of me even if it leads to my death.”_ ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1064 "2009-05-13T16:30:11Z")
AS a lawful creature, he is honor-bound to keep a promise. Even if there is a likelihood of death. As an NPC, Qarr’s general alignment structure is something you can count on. Besides, I think it was a worst case scenario sort of thing of Qarr getting killed. Likely they woudl at least wait until they saw why he was carrying the wizard’s head before killing him. ---
**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:** [May 13, 2009, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1065 "2009-05-13T16:46:52Z")
Would death be permanent for him anyway? wouldn’t it just send him back to Hell, from which he could return fairly easily. I’m not all that familiar with the game rules. ---
**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:** [May 13, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1066 "2009-05-13T17:58:28Z")
On several occasions, we’ve seen Vaarsuvius cast significantly more 3rd-level spells than e should get as a wizard ([example](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0323.html)). It’s all consistent with that being a Ring of Wizardry III, though. By the way, [new comic](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0653.html) just now. ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1067 "2009-05-13T18:12:24Z")
Goblin, please. Is it my imagination, or does Tsukiko have a stuffed Xykon instead of a teddy bear? Because if so, ewwwwww. ---
**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:** [May 13, 2009, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1068 "2009-05-13T18:17:11Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Would death be permanent for him anyway? wouldn’t it just send him back to Hell, from which he could return fairly easily. I’m not all that familiar with the game rules. That used to be the way it worked. Outsiders like Quarr would get sent back to their home plane to reconstitute if they were killed on the Prime Material plane. But they apparently changed that with 4th Ed. Now Outsiders that get killed stay dead. ---
**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:** [May 13, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1069 "2009-05-13T18:21:06Z")
> [@shantih](#): > > Goblin, please. Is it my imagination, or does Tsukiko have a stuffed Xykon instead of a teddy bear? Because if so, ewwwwww. “Goblin, please!” I loved that. And yes, it certainly looks like a stuffed Xykon. Her slippers are mismatched, too…must’ve dressed in the dark. ---
**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:** [May 13, 2009, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1070 "2009-05-13T18:43:48Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > “Goblin, please!” I loved that. And yes, it certainly looks like a stuffed Xykon. > > Her slippers are mismatched, too…must’ve dressed in the dark. Her slippers match her eyes. I’ve never understood why her eyes are different colors, but they have been from her [first appearance](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0420.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:** [May 13, 2009, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1071 "2009-05-13T18:51:20Z")
> [@shantih](#): > > Goblin, please. Is it my imagination, or does Tsukiko have a stuffed Xykon instead of a teddy bear? Because if so, ewwwwww. Whoa, I didn’t notice that. good catch. ---
**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:** [May 13, 2009, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1072 "2009-05-13T18:53:30Z")
> [@Max\_Torque](#): > > Her slippers match her eyes. I’ve never understood why her eyes are different colors, but they have been from her [first appearance](http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0420.html). Ha! That’s interesting…I probably noticed that about her eyes before but dismissed it as an irrelevant detail, so I never even looked at them when she came in with the slippers. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1073 "2009-05-13T19:00:26Z")
Boy, the GitP servers must be getting suh-lammed. I haven’t been able to connect in hours. ---
**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:** [May 13, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1074 "2009-05-13T19:03:34Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > Boy, the GitP servers must be getting suh-lammed. I haven’t been able to connect in hours. He’s got every single reader of this strip on the edges of their seats with this Vaarsuvius arc, and every single one is heading over there as the news spreads that there’s a new strip, then heading over to the forums to talk about it. And it’s the same old server that’s been juddering along for months now. No surprise. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1075 "2009-05-13T19:06:21Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > He’s got every single reader of this strip on the edges of their seats with this Vaarsuvius arc, and every single one is heading over there as the news spreads that there’s a new strip, then heading over to the forums to talk about it. And it’s the same old server that’s been juddering along for months now. No surprise. News bulletin says they’re moving to a better server while the site is being prepped for a multi-server configuration, which will hopefully put an end to the interminable slowness. ---
**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:** [May 13, 2009, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1076 "2009-05-13T19:08:17Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > News bulletin says they’re moving to a better server while the site is being prepped for a multi-server configuration, which will hopefully put an end to the interminable slowness. Ooh, good! No more “third time’s the charm” on getting in to see the strip. ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1077 "2009-05-13T19:08:25Z")
> [@Ogre](#): > > Boy, the GitP servers must be getting suh-lammed. I haven’t been able to connect in hours. Oh, I’m really sorry about that, because this strip is _really, really_ good. I suppose you haven’t been able to look at it yet? Pity. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2009, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1078 "2009-05-13T19:08:39Z")
Finally got it (always happens right after I complain. Is that some sort of corollary to Murphy’s Law?). Anyhow, yikes. Xykon never raised a sweat. Redcloak is enormously dangerous. Bye bye, Ultimate Arcane Power. ---
**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:** [May 13, 2009, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1079 "2009-05-13T19:11:23Z")
[quote=“jayjay, post:1074, topic:484096”] … then heading over to the forums to talk about it… [QUOTE] forums are turned off, now. ---
**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:** [May 13, 2009, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096/1080 "2009-05-13T19:14:50Z")
[quote=“Peter\_Morris, post:1079, topic:484096”] [quote=“jayjay, post:1074, topic:484096”] … then heading over to the forums to talk about it… > [@](#): > > forums are turned off, now. Aah…wasn’t aware of that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096.md?page=53) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/order-of-the-stick-general-discussion-thread-open-spoilers-and-speculation/484096.md?page=55)