Yay Elan!

[F.Harr]

Just because I feel very strongly about this.

YAY ELAN! WOOOOOO! WAY TO SAVE THE DAY (a little).


YAHOOO!

He's earned ice cream!

[KillingAScarab]

He's earned ice cream!He's earned something better than ice cream. He's earned roleplaying XP.

[brionl]

Dun, Dun! DUNNN!!!

[FolcoTook]

:elan: I'm participating!

Sorry, couldn't help myself. And that is said out of love, I'm a big Elan fan.

[quasit]

:roy: YOU DON'T COUNT!

hope Roys opinion about Elan do a 180º from now on-
-wait, that won't ever happen neither :smallsigh:

[sims796]

He's earned something better than ice cream. He's earned roleplaying XP.

The greatest reward of them all!

[nogall]

:roy: YOU DON'T COUNT!

hope Roys opinion about Elan do a 180º from now on-
-wait, that won't ever happen neither :smallsigh:

I actually think that something like this will indeed happen, as they need to work better as a team to defeat Xykon and gang. Not 180º maybe, but he will have more respect for Elan and learn how to make him useful in battles and such. :smallcool:

[J's]

:roy: YOU DON'T COUNT!

hope Roys opinion about Elan do a 180º from now on-
-wait, that won't ever happen neither :smallsigh:

But but what about his happy ending?

It was interesting that his dreams didn't keep up with his character growth.

[RedneckTex95]

I knew Elan would break out of it because of the knowledge he knows of stories and how they go. It was also sad to see him realize how unrealistic his dreams are.

By the way: I just signed up for the forms today but I've been reading Oots for a couple years now. So hi everyone!

[davidbofinger]

He's earned something better than ice cream.

Thog ate all the fudge ripple anyway. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0252.html)

[Coat]

You do realise that this is the start of a character arc where Elan realises that a happy ending for a story is not the same thing as a happy ending for the characters in the story. Including him.

What Elan considered a happy ending when the Oracle predicted one for him, and what Elan will have come to consider a happy ending by the end of the story could be very different things.

Imagine a mature Elan, who fully understands the threat to the world, and his responsibility to stop it.

Imagine the scattered bodies of the Order of the Stick, surrounded by the shattered phylactery, Redcloak's body, and the destroyed remains of the linear guild, and Team Tarquin.

:xykon: Oh well, gave it a decent shot
:xykon: (dies)

:elan: Yay! I Participated!
:elan: (reaches out to Haley's body)
:elan: (dies)

Saddest Happy Ending Ever!

I don't really think the Giant will do this to us - but I think it is now within the possible growth of Elan's character.

[Toper]

889 is one of my favorite comics ever -- I keep rereading it, and it keeps being so good! Elan's reactions are perfect, and he and Roy both make me want to cry. Roy's "Ah, hell" must be pretty heartfelt, certainly a notch above his more usual "Crap." (I'm sad that Haley comes across as a little blasé, but I guess you can only pack so much in.)

[KillingAScarab]

Roy's "Ah, hell" must be pretty heartfelt, certainly a notch above his more usual "Crap." (I'm sad that Haley comes across as a little blasé, but I guess you can only pack so much in.)Not as blasé as Roy is, I think. He just accepted that Elan's mom was referred to only as Elan's Mom. Then again, he does have difficulty recognizing the value of NPCs which aren't his family members (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0340.html).

[Bedinsis]

He's earned something better than ice cream.

MORE ice cream!:smallbiggrin:

But seriously, yeah it was amazing that he could see through an illusion by an epic illusionist, in particular since it required him to see through the deceptions he put up around himself.

[Belkar<3]

Yes! Successful Bard Knowledge: Plot Illusions!

[KillingAScarab]

While I am amused at how many people chose to riff off my reply, I am here for another reason. Bard song did something! Go Elan, go Elan, go!

[Yael]

I bet Haley has the need to go and *congrat* Elan~~

:If you know what I mean:

[Amphiox]

When did Elan learn the "Song of FREEEEDDDOOOOMMM!"?

Could it be something he picked up recently, and deliberately, knowing they were heading for a gate protected by illusions?

If so, that, though basic, suggests a level of forethought Elan had not previously displayed.

Character growth on multiple levels!

[Amphiox]

The other notable observation is how assertion Elan was in using his song. He didn't just suggest it to Roy and ask for Roy's permission or command as party leader to use it. He took the initiative and just did it.

[rodneyAnonymous]

It's an ability that all bards get at level 12 (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/bard.htm#songofFreedom), not something you can choose to pick up or not.

[F.Harr]

:roy: YOU DON'T COUNT!

hope Roys opinion about Elan do a 180º from now on-
-wait, that won't ever happen neither :smallsigh:

One can hope. I do.


Yes! Successful Bard Knowledge: Plot Illusions!

Wooooo!


Not as blasé as Roy is, I think. He just accepted that Elan's mom was referred to only as Elan's Mom. Then again, he does have difficulty recognizing the value of NPCs which aren't his family members (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0340.html).

NPC's are one of Roy's week points.

"While I am amused at how many people chose to riff off my reply, I am here for another reason. Bard song did something! Go Elan, go Elan, go!"

You were effective. Gonn'a party, like you're effective.

[Sylthia]

Elan's come a long way in learning how to be useful. He's about the most powerful PC still in commission if he knows how to use his abilities properly.

[Amphiox]

It's an ability that all bards get at level 12 (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/bard.htm#songofFreedom), not something you can choose to pick up or not.

That changes the calculus slightly. Instead of Elan having the forethought to prepare in advance, it becomes a case of Elan realizing he has skills and abilities that would be helpful in the moment, and taking the initiative to use them, on his own, without someone else telling him to or guiding him in it.

Which is also something he had not been shown to be able to do previously.

Still character growth!

[rodneyAnonymous]

Instead of Elan having the forethought to prepare in advance, it becomes a case of Elan realizing he has skills and abilities that would be helpful in the moment, and taking the initiative to use them, on his own, without someone else telling him to or guiding him in it.

Indeed. Presumably he could have used it to undo the Flesh to Stone on Haley.

[J's]

You mean you could do that the whole time!?!

No. Only when it was funny.

[ChristianSt]

It's an ability that all bards get at level 12 (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/bard.htm#songofFreedom), not something you can choose to pick up or not.


That changes the calculus slightly. Instead of Elan having the forethought to prepare in advance, it becomes a case of Elan realizing he has skills and abilities that would be helpful in the moment, and taking the initiative to use them, on his own, without someone else telling him to or guiding him in it.

Which is also something he had not been shown to be able to do previously.

Still character growth!


Indeed. Presumably he could have used it to undo the Flesh to Stone on Haley.

I haven't played D&D, but from reading the SRD it should also be possible that he hadn't a high enough Perform skill back then. (And the Geekery thread lists 890 as proof for Perform 15+)

[F.Harr]

That changes the calculus slightly. Instead of Elan having the forethought to prepare in advance, it becomes a case of Elan realizing he has skills and abilities that would be helpful in the moment, and taking the initiative to use them, on his own, without someone else telling him to or guiding him in it.

Which is also something he had not been shown to be able to do previously.

Still character growth!

Yeah, awesome.


You mean you could do that the whole time!?!

No. Only when it was funny.

Ha! :D

[rodneyAnonymous]

I haven't played D&D, but from reading the SRD it should also be possible that he hadn't a high enough Perform skill back then. (And the Geekery thread lists 890 as proof for Perform 15+)

Characters get skill points when they level. I don't think Elan has gained a level between then and now.

[quasit]

Regarding flesh-to-stone'd haley. Using song of freedom to break enchantment on haley would have required one full minute of country folk mussic and full concentration on that task; with the LG supossedly prowling around and his only friend avaliable busy fighting Z wouldn't be very wise , even for his early-in-comic-song-to-bluff-the-ogre-as-if-said-ogre-weren't-listening standars. Also, V provided him another solution: made Haley pocket size and sent Elan for help; don't see why we would't just follow along with that plan.
Then he got captured and barely managed to escape from Nale and Sabine clutches. With both chasing him very closely didn't had the time to song, either. Then he finally stumbled upon Durkon, Malack intervened and fought off the evil lovers, nearly killing Nale.
To put it simple, I think he realized he did't had the time to and ,even if he had it, it would be pretty risky to do so and favored the plan B/A instead.

[EmperorSarda]

To put it simple, I think he realized he did't had the time to and ,even if he had it, it would be pretty risky to do so and favored the plan B/A instead.

The only flaw is that the stadium looks to be more than a minute's run to the city and palace (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0775.html). Plenty of time to sing.

[rodneyAnonymous]

Pretty sure he just didn't think of it. It would have taken Durkon one minute to cast break enchantment (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/breakEnchantment.htm), too; same casting time.

[quasit]

Yeah, but again, standing still and singing alone in the middle of the road when he knows that one or more LG member may be actively searching for him doesn't looks good, neither. Also they needed to warn the rest of the party (namely : durkon) asap. Nay time fer songs this time, lad.

Edit: @Rodney anonymous: Didn't thought about that: A supernatural/spell-like ability/whatever that works as a spell having the same "casting time" makes sense... Still, either way, he needed to bring Haley to safety before breaking the turn to stone spell, methinks.

[F.Harr]

Also, spreadding the word? Awesome.

By the way, way to go on Elan over-reacting to Roy complimenting him. Roy's may take a while to get there, but he arives. And Elan is good for a punchline.

:smallbiggrin: