Order of the Stick - A line is crossed

[sublight]

#643: V gets shut down

I love the look on his face when they give him the news.

So if V hadn't left to study on his own, he would have been on the ship when Haley reached Durkon with the sending spell and would now be traveling with Durkon and Elan to Greysky City. The black dragon probably wouldn't have made an appearance (though would likely still be stalking V and might have chosen to attack when the three party members were on their own), the imp wouldn't have been there to start the offer on V's soul, and the soul splice would never have happened.

But at least the Azurites found a home, so that's nice.

[Harlequin]

But at least the Azurites found a home, so that's nice.

Yes, at least that subplot will be over. I love reading this comic, but damn, I want them to get on with the last two gates already. I know that there's a fixed ending and the sooner we get there the sooner the comic will end so I should be happy about every little sidequest Burlew comes up with, but... but damn, that's what. Give me some main plot.

[AllWalker]

I love the title.

A Wizard Did It.

[sublight]

When I saw Burlew's "In Memorium" column for Dave Arneson the other day, I thought maybe the next OoTS would take a break from the storyline to honor one of the founding creators.

#644: An Unsung Legend

[AllWalker]

New update.

Heh. Looks like Belkar just added to his fanbase.

Awesome.

[Knorf]

Yeah the new one got quite a chuckle from me. "Welcome to the deep end of the alignment pool, pal." "You know, I like the cut of his jib." "Definitely." Comedy gold.

I am also reminded of an older episode where Sir Greenhilt (I think) tells Belkar something like "Your approval fills me with shame." Does anyone remember who said that? It'd be hilarious if it had been V who said it back then. Considering the extent that s/he has Belkar's approval now.

[AllWalker]

Yeah the new one got quite a chuckle from me. "Welcome to the deep end of the alignment pool, pal." "You know, I like the cut of his jib." "Definitely." Comedy gold.

I am also reminded of an older episode where Sir Greenhilt (I think) tells Belkar something like "Your approval fills me with shame." Does anyone remember who said that? It'd be hilarious if it had been V who said it back then. Considering the extent that s/he has Belkar's approval now.

T-shirts! It was Roy who said it.

I like the safety sign on the wall in panel 4. Nice touch.

[silenus]

"Welcome to the deep end of the alignment pool, pal."

I so want that on a t-shirt! With Belkar's little smirk.

[AllWalker]

Here were are again with an update!

[spoiler:35n0i4bw]Well, it looks like the team is finally back together. Poor Varsuvius.

And I liked:

"Who the hell are you guys, and why are you magically shackled to my friend?"[/spoiler:35n0i4bw]

[Harlequin]

The whole Order together. We haven't seen that for over 200 strips.

[Elyanna]

Poor V. Never getting that change to show off.

[sublight]

Whoa. Talk about a line being crossed.

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0648.html

I wasn't really expecting that.

[AllWalker]

Whoa. Talk about a line being crossed.

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0648.html

I wasn't really expecting that.

I know. I thought Belkar and that chick were going to be an item for sure.

[AllWalker]

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0650.html

Poor V. Knowing his(?) luck, Xykon will have already been killed by those demonic cockroaches.

[sublight]

I'm getting whiplash from these last few strips.

[Claptree]

I'm really enjoying the fact that I can't for the life of me figure out where this comic is going. I would be slightly surprised if he actually let V kill Xykon, but not terribly.

[sublight]

Looking at one of the evil spirits' comments in the current strip, apparently the last 15 strips (including the destruction of a huge portion of the worlds' black dragon population, V getting shot down by the spousal unit, the transport of the entire Azurite refugee population to a new homeland, the complete reuniting of the Order of the Stick (counting Roy's corpse), and Haley's re-betrayal of the thieves Guild and killing of Crystal) have all taken place in the course of just 20 minutes.

[Batman]

I hope it's less than 20. Can you imagine how many issues Rich Burlew is going to waste on 20 minutes of V repaying his debt?

[sublight]

I hope it's less than 20. Can you imagine how many issues Rich Burlew is going to waste on 20 minutes of V repaying his debt?

60, actually. I believe the terms were that each fiend would get control of V for as long as the splice was used. Or maybe just as long as their own contribution was used, so the one who brought the necromancer would only get a minute or so.

[sublight]

New comic (#651)

This could be interesting. The Creature in the Dark has never come off as a truly evil being, at least nowhere in the same league as Redcloak or Xykon. He's powerful but always seems good-natured. If O-Chul could convince him to start standing up for himself instead of doing what his masters order him to, CitD could well end up swinging events in the Order's favor. Or completely wrecking everything for everyone just by inadvertent blundering. Either one seems likely.

[sublight]

Hee hee... I just noticed in the most recent strip that Tsukiko sleeps with a stuffed Xykon.

[Darth Sensitive]

Which is utterly disturbing.

[sublight]

Especially considering her earlier stated predilections.

New comic up today: Mr. Stiffly looks to make a stand, and CitS may just join him.

[PonderThis]

O'CHUL!!!!!!!

[Ferret Herder]

O'CHUL!!!!!!!

I'm surprised at how moving I found that one word.

[jayjay]

O'CHUL!!!!!!!

I'm surprised at how moving I found that one word.

Like I posted in the OOTS thread over at the Dope, I'm sitting here at work sniffling over two yellow dots in a black cloud. Burlew's GOOD!

[silenus]

Ow! That's gotta smart!

[jayjay]

You wanna talk bad-ass? Bad-ass is getting hit square in the face with a Disintegrate spell and walking out the other side with a scratch on your cheek.

THAT'S bad-ass.

[One and only Wanderers]

Also, taking down a (presumably quite high) level cleric with an iron bar. Is that lost eye gonna be permanent, or can these things be regenerated by healing magic quite easily?

[silenus]

I think Old Left-Eye will be sporting the new look for awhile.

I predict:[spoiler:1k4qcb9r]O-Chul will get zapped while destroying the phylactry, giving V the chance to escape and dying nobly in front of CitD. This act of sacrifice will come into play 800 strips from now, when CitD turns on Xykon in the final panels.[/spoiler:1k4qcb9r]

[DeadlyAccurate]

Also, taking down a (presumably quite high) level cleric with an iron bar. Is that lost eye gonna be permanent, or can these things be regenerated by healing magic quite easily?

A Heal spell should fix it right up, and Redcloak is high enough level to have a spare Heal lying around.

In Start of Darkness, the bad guys' prequel,

[spoiler:2ofkeje7]IIRC, it's mentioned that Redcloak could have fixed his brother's loss of an eye, but Right-eye chose not to have it fixed.[/spoiler:2ofkeje7]

[jayjay]

Also, taking down a (presumably quite high) level cleric with an iron bar. Is that lost eye gonna be permanent, or can these things be regenerated by healing magic quite easily?

It's likely to be easily healed, once Redcloak has time to pray for a Heal spell in his WoR safe spot.

The loss of the eye was more of a psychological blow, [spoiler:36ruu0ez]probably triggering memories of the paladin attack on his village and what happened to his brother, as has been mentioned.[/spoiler:36ruu0ez]

[PonderThis]

You wanna talk bad-ass? Bad-ass is getting hit square in the face with a Disintegrate spell and walking out the other side with a scratch on your cheek.

THAT'S bad-ass.

Ha! That's nothing. Take a look at some of these other O-Chul facts. Sixteen pages of O-Chul goodness right there.

[sublight]

Interesting that Xykon just gave V essentially the same lesson that the dragon gave while crushing V like a little pink monkey: Spells != power.

Wonder if it will stick this time.

[Fish]

Xykon can't be permanently destroyed here; the prophecy still demands he be within 1000 yards of Girard's Gate. However, dramatic convention almost demands that Xykon be seriously inconvenienced at this point.

[sublight]

I doubt he'll be permanently destroyed even if the phylactery goes kablooie. He's too good a villain to kill off at this stage.

I am hoping, though, the Creature in the Shadows finally makes a stand for himself in defense of O-chul. He could be what drives Xykon and RedCloak out of Azure City to head for Girard's Gate.

Also, V's familiar has betrayed him twice so far (during the battle for Azure City and during the trial), so what are the odds that it will put itself in mortal danger to help out this time?

[silenus]

Also, V's familiar has betrayed him twice so far (during the battle for Azure City and during the trial), so what are the odds that it will put itself in mortal danger to help out this time?

Ooh, I'd forgotten that. Complicates things, it does.

[sublight]

#659 is up.

Abso-fucking-lutely perfect.

[DeadlyAccurate]

[spoiler:3utqty1p]"You cheeky son-of-a-bitch."[/spoiler:3utqty1p] Fantastic.

[silenus]

Fucking outstanding!

[Fish]

I never say this, but: epic. Just epic.

[CatInASuit]

Sweet!!

[CatInASuit]

Oh boy, Xykon is really going to be pissed

661 is up

[silenus]

Going to be pissed? Going to be? Xykon is so far past pissed that pissed is red-shifted. He's absolutely peeved right now. Meteor Storming someone from inside is not the act of a calm [del:2oopir8b]person[/del:2oopir8b] undead thing.

Really upsets your conception of the CitD, doesn't it?

[AllWalker]

The fact that Xykon is usually so calm and witty, makes him seem that much scarier now that he is furious. I mean, he spent the battle with uber V making witty remarks, but now we are seeming some fury.

It is good stuff.

[Fish]

Lord help the hobgoblins who get in the way now. All plans for dominating the world go on hold until Xykon finds his phylactery. He'll be herding those armies of hobs into the sewers to sift the sewage with their bare paws.

Sacrificing minions... is there any problem it can't solve?

[sublight]

Zombies don't need air to breathe, do they?

I think Xykon's going to start animating his new undersea search and recovery team.

[CatInASuit]

What are the odds that the entire sequence with Uber-V going to face Xykon through to the Escape only took 10 minutes.

[Fish]

Pretty good, I'd say. The title of the Resurrection strip was "A Lot Can Happen In 10 Minutes."

[Fish]

New OOTS is up.