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View Full Version : OOTS #389 - The Discussion Thread



The Giant
2006-12-14, 04:55 AM
New comic is up.

Nu
2006-12-14, 04:59 AM
Wow. I'm not sure if Elan's plan is meant to just be silly, or so complex that it just might work, but all I can say is: wow.

SiD
2006-12-14, 05:00 AM
w00t!

Still no explanation for the leprechaun costume, but I get the feeling Elan's plan was as convoluted as Nale's Wile E Coyote blueprint...

battleburn
2006-12-14, 05:00 AM
Wow
And now we still don't know what the leprechaunsuit means :S

I agree with SiD. The complexity of Elans plan is new input for the debate that Elan and Nale really have the same stats.

I really didn't have to know the inside information on Elans mother.

Exalted_Hater
2006-12-14, 05:00 AM
I'm gonna go have a nightmare about Elans Plan...

Krimm_Blackleaf
2006-12-14, 05:01 AM
Just brilliant, really.

SPoD
2006-12-14, 05:02 AM
And now we still don't know what the leprechaunsuit means :S

Did you catch the title? I don't think we'll EVER know for sure...which is good, really, since could any explanation possibly top whatever our imaginations came up with?

Rumda
2006-12-14, 05:03 AM
A llama full of potato salad...

Mr._Wilson
2006-12-14, 05:03 AM
Sky pirates. Of course.

And, I actually like how the costume is left to your imagination.

Cruiser1
2006-12-14, 05:04 AM
Forget the Leprechaun, I still want to know how the corkscrew would be used! Any creative ideas? ;)

Caractacus
2006-12-14, 05:04 AM
Wonderful...

The salad! The Alpaca!

*Larf larf larf*

faerwain
2006-12-14, 05:05 AM
What the....:smallbiggrin: :smallbiggrin:

Okay, if we still needed prove Nale and Elan are relatives - here it is. Someday I want to see the blueprints of this plan.

Bonus points for for Valentino reference, sexiest undead alive and overall bizarreness.

P.S. I still need to fit the basketball in it, but otherwise the plan makes sense for me..

Castamir
2006-12-14, 05:05 AM
Still no explanation for the leprechaun costume, but I get the feeling Elan's plan was as convoluted as Nale's Wile E Coyote blueprint...
They're brothers, after all.

Rumda
2006-12-14, 05:05 AM
hmm...elan taking a level of swashbuckler is still possible ...

Kesnit
2006-12-14, 05:06 AM
Did you catch the title? I don't think we'll EVER know for sure...which is good, really, since could any explanation possibly top whatever our imaginations came up with?

Pretty much covers it, yes. :smallbiggrin: I have a feeling I'm going to spend the rest of the day thinking about what Elan's plan was. Oh, the ideas that have already crossed my mind...

Anthea
2006-12-14, 05:07 AM
Hm... ski, basket ball, soap, Alpaca stuffed with potato salad... I don't know if I want to know that plan... :smallbiggrin:

FlawedParadigm
2006-12-14, 05:08 AM
"Pretty good, considering we wouldn't be having this scene if it didn't forward the plot in some way."

I'll avoid mentioning any Fruit-Pie Sorcerors.

Some people win threads. Some people win forums. You, Mr. Burlew, win the internet.

Aurumvorax
2006-12-14, 05:08 AM
Wow! A sexy airship pirate!!! :smallbiggrin: :smallredface:
This is the kind of mentor Elan needs!
BTW, will he give Elan an autograph for his mother??? Elan loves his mommy, after all...

ElfLad
2006-12-14, 05:08 AM
Dashing.

I love swashbuckler characters.

Who wants to bet that the ropes Thog and Elan swung in from are suspended from the airship?

Zeb The Troll
2006-12-14, 05:10 AM
Wow. Just... wow.

Right from the request for the corkscrew all the way to the salad stuffed llama (step 3!) I was laughing.

So it's clear we're never going to know about the leprechaun outfit, but I think this was a fitting way to leave that. (We're obviously not going to get Elan's plan since, for the plot, it's not important anymore.)

Draigo
2006-12-14, 05:10 AM
worth the wait for sure! :smallbiggrin: :biggrin: :smallbiggrin:

Single Shot Zombie
2006-12-14, 05:11 AM
Hmmm........

A Trojan "Horse"?

Hide in the wooden Alpaca on the entire journey on board the airship. THe potato salad is for sustenance along the way. The basketball might be for Thog's amusement, while the skis might be to help traverse dig into the mountain of potato salad. Not sure about the soap, though. Bathing, maybe? No water, though........

baerdith
2006-12-14, 05:12 AM
New comic is up.


Umm, I know you said as good an explantion as we could expect, but the alpaca is going to have me puzzled for days!!!!!

BTW add a vote for Elan Dread pirate (plus a small INT bonus! to keep him at this level!!)


And Please, please, PLEASE!!! update on Friday!!!!!!!!!

Fingolfin
2006-12-14, 05:13 AM
Really enjoyed this one, some funny moments that fit perfectly in the plot, a sky's captain comment in a traditional OOTS way. Just great! :)

Zeb The Troll
2006-12-14, 05:13 AM
hmm...elan taking a level of swashbuckler is still possible ...
Good point. Pirate contact and all...


Who wants to bet that the ropes Thog and Elan swung in from are suspended from the airship?
That would be awesome. <starts tapping fingers waiting for the next update now...>

General Karthos
2006-12-14, 05:13 AM
Hahaha!

The expression on the airship captain's face after Elan explains the very convoluted plot to him (in one breath) is priceless.

And... me loves thog!

Dawnstrider_Moogle
2006-12-14, 05:14 AM
Bwahahahaha!

Julio is a fantastic NPC. I do hope he becomes a recurring character...anyone who can pull off "I promise I'll be the soul of discretion. If you don't tell me, it'll just rattle around in my head for days" without being a TOOL gets a few points in my book.

psiryu
2006-12-14, 05:17 AM
I guess Elan and Nale both share the same flare for crazy plans.

Adlan
2006-12-14, 05:18 AM
We Hail Great Rich, We Hail Great Rich.

Thats fantastic, Monty python awsomenss with more laughter and freaking poeople out in the computer library, I'm sure laughing uprouriously has blown my cover.

Naraht
2006-12-14, 05:19 AM
a small nitpick/typo

Elan's 1st text bubble - my != may

you dropped an "a"

=[

Angela Christine
2006-12-14, 05:20 AM
They put the llama full of potato salad at the bottom of the ship's loading ramp. While the crew is busy investigating the mysterious trojan llama, Elan sneaks under the ship and screws the corkscrew into the wooden hull of the ship. He uses the rope to tie the skies to the ship, and uses them as a seat. The airship can't see that it has stowaways, because they are directly underneath it. They use the box of soap to make the skies slippery, so that when they get over the hills near Azure city they can cut loose and ski into the city quickly, rather than having the airship land on them when it gets to port. The ball and the traffic cone are safety devices, to prevent injury if they fall: as long as the ball hits the ground first it will bounce, preventing a splat. The traffic cone isn't as good as the ball, but they couldn't find two balls and traffic cones are rubber so should still be pretty bouncy. Thog is dressed as a leprechaun because he is magically delicious.

What? It could happen.

ref
2006-12-14, 05:20 AM
The leprechaun outfit is so obviously step 2! How don't you see? :smallcool: :smallbiggrin: :smallamused: :smallwink: :smalltongue:

unstattedCommoner
2006-12-14, 05:20 AM
Right, so:
Stage 1: Put on a leprechaun suit.
Stage 2: Build a wooden llama.
(It's possible that these could be done in either order, but it's clearly essential to be wearing the suit before starting stage 3.)
Stage 3: Stuff the llama with mashed potatoes.
Stage 4: ...?

I think at some point a corkscrew will become necessary, but I'm going to have to try it myself.

Death, your friend the Reaper
2006-12-14, 05:21 AM
That comic was amazing. I have to love the logic that Elan and Thog employ in their plans.

What will be next, wooden llamas?

onikun86
2006-12-14, 05:22 AM
I had to pause and laugh for a minute at the "secret pictures drawer" part.
Oh man...
And the plan... don't ask. Elan thought of it. We don't wanna know.
Still... lol...

dragon95046
2006-12-14, 05:26 AM
Favorite lines from this strip:

"How were you planning on paying for the diet soda, then?"

"30 ft. per round movement rate."


Apparently, overly complex plans run in the family. I wonder if Elan wrote up a blueprint for that potato-salad-filled, giant, wooden alpalca.

denelian
2006-12-14, 05:28 AM
i am hearing echos of "Dread Pirate Roberts"...

really, i am AM!!!

chiefsheep
2006-12-14, 05:29 AM
Great issue, had me chuckling all the way through.

(And now, on a very picky note - should "A woman's life my depend on it" read "A woman's life MAY depend on it"?)

Dinosxanthi
2006-12-14, 05:35 AM
Plus: Sexiest man undead, Dracula

That had me on the floor for about a page of replies...

Jarelk
2006-12-14, 05:39 AM
Great. Júúúst great. I actually snickered for once, even though I never laugh at jokes:smallbiggrin:. Normally I just laugh in my head and get a good mood.

"30 ft. per round movement" *snicker*

carais
2006-12-14, 05:44 AM
I wonder whether the Giant was sitting in front of his desk, thinking about the most improbable combination of items for a plan that shall never be revealed. :)

I like the not-explanation for Thog's outfit. Even if I trust the Giant to come up with a plausible one I'm not sure I want to know.

Lord Herman
2006-12-14, 05:59 AM
Whoa... an alpaca.

And thank you, Giant, for yet another multi-page strip. That's the third in a row.

Flak_Razorwill
2006-12-14, 06:01 AM
Where the HELL did he get the alpaca?

I think he just carries this stuff around for kicks.

Fenix
2006-12-14, 06:07 AM
Is there some reference I dont get concerning the airship captain, or is it just a new character ?

Estelindis
2006-12-14, 06:22 AM
Fantastic strip. What a plan that must have been! The only down-side I can think of is that this one didn't involve rocket skates. However, the inclusion of skis gets an A for effort. ;)

Manga Shoggoth
2006-12-14, 06:29 AM
Fantastic strip. What a plan that must have been! The only down-side I can think of is that this one didn't involve rocket skates. However, the inclusion of skis gets an A for effort. ;)

:thog: not skis. rocket skis!

I managed to keep myself from laughing in the office right up until the past panel...

Max_Sinister
2006-12-14, 06:31 AM
That was hilarious. That's so... Elan.

But it seems he and his brother have one thing in common, though: They both like elaborate plans. Remember the blueprint?

charles
2006-12-14, 06:32 AM
so presumably they take the airship, somehow find the others and then swing in from the ship at the last minute to rescue Haley.

and why didn't they come to the rescue earlier?...

See comic 119

Estelindis
2006-12-14, 06:36 AM
:thog: not skis. rocket skis!

Of course! I can't believe I didn't make that intuitive leap. Rocket skis all the way! :smallbiggrin:

Krytha
2006-12-14, 06:37 AM
It's almost comforting to see that Elan is still partially stupid.

5tephen
2006-12-14, 06:51 AM
Ah...! The Ol' Wooden alpaca stuffed with salad trick. A classic.

I generally prefer Waldorf, myself, but each to their own.

PhoenixRising
2006-12-14, 06:56 AM
Brilliant! I love Elan and Thog.

Jukashi
2006-12-14, 07:05 AM
It's also a possibility that Elan could take a level of Dread Pirate, from Complete Adventurer.

Either that or Deulist would go a long way towards improving Elan's respectability with the other party members, and he's probably gotten enough XP out of this escapade already to gain a level (especially since he hasn't had to share it with other party memebers, Thog being an NPC.)

Pantler
2006-12-14, 07:09 AM
Elan's new plan is kinda creepy... Although it reminds me of another classic computer game: The Incredible Machine! :smallbiggrin:
Edit: On second thought, it's a bit more like "The secret of Mionkey Island". I can almost imagine Elan taking a 6 feet tall woodden alpaca out of his pocket :elan:
Great comic.

Jefepato
2006-12-14, 07:10 AM
Wow. I love it just for the title.

Blood
2006-12-14, 07:12 AM
Meh. I really wanted this subplot-flashback to get over with, and to see what happens with Haley, Nale, Sabine, Thog, and Elan.

The comic wasn't great either. The ending was fine, and I liked the magazine idea, but there wasn't too much that was funny.

spectralphoenix
2006-12-14, 07:13 AM
Right, so:
Stage 1: Put on a leprechaun suit.
Stage 2: Build a wooden llama.
(It's possible that these could be done in either order, but it's clearly essential to be wearing the suit before starting stage 3.)
Stage 3: Stuff the llama with mashed potatoes.
Stage 4: ...?

Stage 5: PROFIT!

Of course, recruiting the (second) sexiest man alive to rescue his would-be girlfriend may have long-term consequences...

warmachine
2006-12-14, 07:14 AM
This explains Elan and Thog swinging in through the windows. However, the captain is also a show off and would make a dramatic entrance.

Nikolai_II
2006-12-14, 07:26 AM
I can't believe noone mentioned the other greatest quote yet "how in the name of Gygax" - A most likely reference to one of the major gods of D&D (and maybe a wink at Julio Scoundrél being old school) :smallwink:

Manga Shoggoth
2006-12-14, 07:29 AM
Of course! I can't believe I didn't make that intuitive leap. Rocket skis all the way! :smallbiggrin:

It's not so much an intuitive leap as the fact that I have been watching a database load take place for the last two days, and it is having a negative effect on my thought processes.

If the Giant hadn't posted that strip just then I would have been in a desperate state.

(My mother might like the Valentino reference, as well...)

AngryGreek
2006-12-14, 07:32 AM
I can't believe noone mentioned the other greatest quote yet "how in the name of Gygax"

That was one of the highlights for me as well, but there were so many! Right from the idiocy of asking for a corkscrew, through the TMI of telling the Captain about his mothers fantasy-drawer to the Trojan Alpaca and Thog already in the Leprechaun suit. I didn't hate the previousi comic, but this one has more than made up for it !!

Ronald_saveloy
2006-12-14, 07:38 AM
so presumably they take the airship, somehow find the others and then swing in from the ship at the last minute to rescue Haley.

and why didn't they come to the rescue earlier?...

See comic 119

Elemental, Charles, elemental! The hero always arrives just in the nick of time to rescue its love. That's in the law of theatricals and if Elan knows on thing, it's theatricals. Especially as he presumably took a level in swashbuckler.

The Glitter Ninja
2006-12-14, 07:39 AM
Step 1: Build alpaca.
Step 2: ???
Step 3: Profit!

I think the traffic cone was my favorite part of the strip.

battleburn
2006-12-14, 07:40 AM
Well I can't believe noone mentioned that Elan just had an incredible opportunity to leave Thog behind. Thog will stand on the side of Nale, not on the side of not-nale in the upcoming fight. So why bring Thog along.

Even though bringing him along brings danger to Elans quest for rescueing Haley, he probably thinks its safer to bring him along then to set him loose on Cliffport again.


Elemental, Charles, elemental! The hero always arrives just in the nick of time to rescue its love. That's in the law of theatricals and if Elan knows on thing, it's theatricals. Especially as he presumably took a level in swashbuckler.It's not just an theatrical law. If you don't arrive at that precise moment, it just won't work. That is because of the one in a million chance. If the chance of something succeding is exactly one in a million, it will succeed. That's why you have to come in at the knick of time.
Excuse bad spelling

Illiander
2006-12-14, 07:45 AM
and the reason that thog's in a leprichaun suit is that he's going to be riding the wooden llama to distract the airship people

Antina
2006-12-14, 07:47 AM
a womens life might/my ???

And: OOOH ELAN... - that´s so typical! Babbling half of it out and then start whisteling again...

30ft movement rate - GREAT answer!!! ^_^

Going outtime again, huh? I´m talking about the "forward the plot"thing. Nice touch anyway :-)

Oh my - what kind of a plan was Elan up to?
Well - me as a GM - I would have offered him a free ride on the airship too...

silent_watcher
2006-12-14, 08:12 AM
There could only be one purpose for a giant wooden alpaca: deception. Same for the giant leprechaun. The basketball had me a little confused, since it's flexible in a number of roles. But why a basketball? Its distinguishing features are its bounciness, color, and size, something no other ball commonly has.

The skis, on the other hand, are a little more limited in their potential: downhill acceleration. Snow could be helped, but hey, as long as it was flat, any slope could be used successfully, especially if friction was negated by the previously-mentioned rocket skis. The soap had me stumped. I was thinking they could spread it on the bottom of the skis, allow increased movement, but then I saw Brad Pitt on TV and thought "Fight Club. Soap. Explosives." Maybe the dynamic duo will be forcing their way somewhere they don't belong. Maybe it'll be primitive rocket fuel.

So here's what I came up with: a complex mid-air boarding. They'll wheel the alpaca to the top of a steep, high hill, where they'll use the traffic cone to ward off curious onlookers. They'll mount the skis and tie themselves to the alpaca by corkscrewing the rope where its tail should be. So what does a wooden alpaca on wheels attached to two people on skis constitute? See, the whole thing is a basic two-stage rocket system. Being able to attach rockets to skis, there's no reason why they wouldn't be able to attach some to the alpaca as well. The potato salad is probably loaded with nitrates, allowing it to serve as a crude fuel, and mixed with explosives made of soap, creating a faster burn. At the precise moment that the 9:35 flight to Azure City floats into the target vector, they'll ignite the Trojan alpaca and hold on tightly to the rope as it rockets down the slope. When it reaches the precarious overhang, the alpaca will shoot off the cliff into the open air. The unsuspecting airship crew will see only a giant flaming alpaca flying towards them, sending them into a state of panic.

Around this point, the alpaca, the first stage, will have used up nearly all its potato salad. Then the second stage of this rocket mechanism becomes crucial. Combining the acceleration of the alpaca with centrifugal force, the two adventurers, or the "payload," will cut the rope and ignite their skis, the second stage, hurtling them at a high velocity towards the enemy ship. The crew will be too distracted by the alpaca to notice them land on their ship. From here on, they'll either hide as stowaways or commandeer the ship. In the first scenario, they'll subsist on diet cola and leftover potato salad/rocket fuel. In the second, Thog, dressed as a giant, frightening leprechaun, will use the basketball, which is bouncy enough, large enough, and orange enough, to allow Thog to bounce among the crew, threatening that the alpaca was only a warning and that next time, he'll bring even worse plagues to their humble airship unless they grant him and his companion safe passage. Cowed by the alpaca of flames, confused by the sudden appearance of a leprechaun, and possibly awed by Thog's prowess as a straight-up balla (maybe? I mean, he's tall, with a high strength stat. He could be the half-orc version of Shaq), the crew will have no choice to bow down and give them two seats in first class.

It's crazy enough to work.

Zongo
2006-12-14, 08:16 AM
Umm, I know you said as good an explantion, but the alpaca is going to have me puzzled for days!!!!!
Looks a lot like a Trojan horse/alpaca to me :)

Bruenor
2006-12-14, 08:17 AM
Sweet...I Think the way he did that was awesome, just letting us think the Costume was part of a plan and thats it...

Amon Star
2006-12-14, 08:20 AM
:elan: you bad boy! First you steal from a store, twice, then you plan on running out of a bar without paying. I see :haley: has been rubbing off on you. Or at least she wants to. :wink:


They put the llama full of potato salad at the bottom of the ship's loading ramp. While the crew is busy investigating the mysterious trojan llama, Elan sneaks under the ship and screws the corkscrew into the wooden hull of the ship. He uses the rope to tie the skies to the ship, and uses them as a seat. The airship can't see that it has stowaways, because they are directly underneath it. They use the box of soap to make the skies slippery, so that when they get over the hills near Azure city they can cut loose and ski into the city quickly, rather than having the airship land on them when it gets to port. The ball and the traffic cone are safety devices, to prevent injury if they fall: as long as the ball hits the ground first it will bounce, preventing a splat. The traffic cone isn't as good as the ball, but they couldn't find two balls and traffic cones are rubber so should still be pretty bouncy. Thog is dressed as a leprechaun because he is magically delicious.

What? It could happen.

The leprechaun suit is for luck, because with a plan like that you will need all the luck you can get.


Favorite lines from this strip:

"How were you planning on paying for the diet soda, then?"

"30 ft. per round movement rate."

QFT!

reorith
2006-12-14, 08:25 AM
yay for alpacas

EthanAlshire
2006-12-14, 08:29 AM
I guess Elan and Nale both share the same flare for crazy plans.

Except that Nale's tend to work...
Anyway, I like this one. "30 ft. per round movement rate." Heh.

Also, what is it with airship captains and trenchcoats?

Aelahn
2006-12-14, 08:31 AM
Forget the Leprechaun, I still want to know how the corkscrew would be used! Any creative ideas? ;)

Until the end, I thought the corkscrew had served its purpose. As I was reading, I thought the plan was that he recognized the sky pirate, and was asking for the corkscrew as a way to get his attention. Then, in the last panel, he goes to Thog and is all like "The plan worked!"

Then again, my idea doesn't get the leprechaun outfit involved. Speaking of leprechaun outfits, I think the comic explains the reason perfectly. Elan already had a really convoluted plan, and the costume was just another component of said plan. Because, seriously, how can you be questioning a half-orc barbarian in a leprechaun suit when there are Potato-Salad-Stuffed-Alpacas on the Line?

GKBeetle
2006-12-14, 08:32 AM
Well I can't believe noone mentioned that Elan just had an incredible opportunity to leave Thog behind. Thog will stand on the side of Nale, not on the side of not-nale in the upcoming fight. So why bring Thog along.

You never know with Thog. He may side with Elan just because Elan has been so nice to him. Thog's like a big, extremely dangerous, puppy dog. He seems like he's extremely loyal once you become his friend. Even if he won't fight Nale, I'm betting he won't fight Elan either. Remember, they're on a zany whirlwind adventure together, and those almost always end with two enemies becoming unlikely friends.

taigen
2006-12-14, 08:36 AM
It all makes perfect sense to me. Bards are great at getting information/getting what they want from people. Elan has 2 problems to deal with at once.

1. Keep Thog entertained (remember ice cream...)

2. Get aboard an air ship.

Step 1-3 takes care of the first

Step 4: Intrigue Mother's favorite airship pirate while Thog is entertained solves the rest....

TBone
2006-12-14, 08:47 AM
Ok, I was wrong about how he gets the leprachuan costume, but my god i want to know what that corkscrew was for. A+ again. This has been one of the finest series of comics in a while. Bravo!

geoschmo
2006-12-14, 08:51 AM
I have no idea what the plan is, and we will sadly never know because as was pointed out it is no longer is relevant to the plot. But if Elan had explained it in detail I'm sure it would have taken most of an entire strip of convoluted hilarity to do so, and the final panel would have been whoever was listening exclaiming...

"Why that plan is just crazy enough to work!" ;)

Snake-Aes
2006-12-14, 08:53 AM
Well I can't believe noone mentioned that Elan just had an incredible opportunity to leave Thog behind. Thog will stand on the side of Nale, not on the side of not-nale in the upcoming fight. So why bring Thog along.

Elan's the Good twin, not the Neutral twin. There's a lot in game for him to put up when dealing with Thog.

Sebastian
2006-12-14, 08:58 AM
Am i the only one that think Elan's mother already meet this dashing pirate? I mean, maybe Elan and Nale are only half brothers if you catch my meaning and Nale's fathers had other reason beyond alignement difference to get that divorce.
Come on, Elan's mother have picture of him hidden in his drawer? Elan remind him of a younger himself!? how many hints must the Giant throw at us again?

Mr_Saturn
2006-12-14, 09:02 AM
"sexiest man undead" teehee~ xD

Alysar
2006-12-14, 09:05 AM
Elemental, Charles, elemental! The hero always arrives just in the nick of time to rescue its love. That's in the law of theatricals and if Elan knows on thing, it's theatricals. Especially as he presumably took a level in swashbuckler.

It's not just an theatrical law. If you don't arrive at that precise moment, it just won't work. That is because of the one in a million chance. If the chance of something succeding is exactly one in a million, it will succeed. That's why you have to come in at the knick of time.
Excuse bad spelling

Yes, but everyone knows that a one in a million chance pops up 9 times out of 10. :smallbiggrin:

Faramir
2006-12-14, 09:07 AM
How many steps does it take to get to the end of an Elan plan?

The world may never know.

Asmodeus
2006-12-14, 09:20 AM
Can someone explain the Valentino thing to me? I must be missing something.

ampcptlogic
2006-12-14, 09:21 AM
I enjoyed the fact that Scoundrel's ship is named the Mechane, as in Deos ek Mechane - the Greek theatrical tradition that's better known as Deus ex machina.

indianajoe
2006-12-14, 09:23 AM
And now for the rest of the day...I will wonder what the heck Elan's true plan was. That is at least until my meds kick in.

warmachine
2006-12-14, 09:26 AM
Am i the only one that think Elan's mother already meet this dashing pirate? I mean, maybe Elan and Nale are only half brothers if you catch my meaning and Nale's fathers had other reason beyond alignement difference to get that divorce.
Come on, Elan's mother have picture of him hidden in his drawer? Elan remind him of a younger himself!? how many hints must the Giant throw at us again?
This would be a likely conclusion except it is contradicted by episode 50, 12th panel. They are twin brothers. This is confirmed by the fact they look alike. This could still be true and Elan's mother had lied to Elan, explaining the warlord's absence, but the warlord would leave without taking Nale. The warlord may have been deceived and left for other reasons but I can't see Elan's mother doing that. I'm going with the secret porn stash idea.

fithi
2006-12-14, 09:33 AM
*snort, chortle, chuckle*

Okay, We aren't getting an explanation for the leprechaun outfit, I guess I'll live with it. But now I'm curious about the rest of the plan! I hope we'll get to find out soon :smallbiggrin:

Alysar
2006-12-14, 09:35 AM
Am i the only one that think Elan's mother already meet this dashing pirate? I mean, maybe Elan and Nale are only half brothers if you catch my meaning and Nale's fathers had other reason beyond alignement difference to get that divorce.
Come on, Elan's mother have picture of him hidden in his drawer? Elan remind him of a younger himself!? how many hints must the Giant throw at us again?

They are identical twin brothers. Now it's possible that neither of them is the child of the warlord, and they they are both Julio's illegitimate sons.

Zeb The Troll
2006-12-14, 09:36 AM
Am i the only one that think Elan's mother already meet this dashing pirate? I mean, maybe Elan and Nale are only half brothers if you catch my meaning and Nale's fathers had other reason beyond alignement difference to get that divorce.
Come on, Elan's mother have picture of him hidden in his drawer? Elan remind him of a younger himself!? how many hints must the Giant throw at us again?
That's an interesting idea there. Of course, Nale and Elan are twins, of that there is no doubt. But is it possible that Ma had a dalliance while Daddy Warlord was off warlord-ing? That seems like a bit of a stretch. Unless they were on a break...

<ducks flying furniture>

Jarawara
2006-12-14, 09:42 AM
Thank you, thank you, and thank you! Thank you Giant for *not* giving an explanation of how Thog ended up in a Leprechaun's costume. It's just way so much funnier to wonder how it could have been part of the plan. Sometimes, less is more on your path to comedic genius!

Oh, and I see others have already referenced the obvious South Park Underwear Gnomes analogy.

Step 1: Thog puts on Leprechaun Outfit.
Step 2: .....
Step 3: Profit!!!

Good stuff! :smallbiggrin:

Daibhid C
2006-12-14, 10:03 AM
Can someone explain the Valentino thing to me? I must be missing something.

Rudolph Valentino, one of the first cinema sex symbols.

RecklessFable
2006-12-14, 10:04 AM
The Alpaca is clearly a reference to the SimCity games!

Ok, probably not, but I totally comiserated with thog with all the other game references :smallconfused:

Lostboy
2006-12-14, 10:07 AM
Step 1: Build alpaca.
Step 2: ???
Step 3: Profit!
I'm amused to see I'm not the only one here who thought of South Park's underpants gnomes when regarding Elan's plan.

nybbler
2006-12-14, 10:11 AM
But is it possible that Ma had a dalliance while Daddy Warlord was off warlord-ing?

Naa. Ruins the symmetry of Nale taking after his lawful evil father and Elan after his chaotic good mother. Julio is presumably also chaotic (obviously) good (he refers to himself as a "hero").

BTW, is "Julio Scoundrel" another reference I missed? Or is he the stock swashbuckling scoundrel he appears to be?

Frozen_Northman
2006-12-14, 10:16 AM
:elan: I feel like I'm at a loss, Thog! No plan could possibly work!

:thog: ooh! then not-nale and thog must have no plan!

:elan: Thog, that's.... genius! Start filling that wooden alpaca with potato salad while I get a corkscrew!

:thog: thog happy to be called genius by not-nale! not-nale's smartness must be rubbing off on thog!

Vargtass
2006-12-14, 10:28 AM
:elan: I feel like I'm at a loss, Thog! No plan could possibly work!

:thog: ooh! then not-nale and thog must have no plan!

:elan: Thog, that's.... genius! Start filling that wooden alpaca with potato salad while I get a corkscrew!

:thog: thog happy to be called genius by not-nale! not-nale's smartness must be rubbing off on thog!

This actually makes sense...

... so consequently it can't be true. Too bad.

mikeejimbo
2006-12-14, 10:28 AM
Bahahaha! So that's all that explains the leprechaun outfit, eh?

Newton Einstein
2006-12-14, 10:39 AM
I just HAD to register after reading this comic after lurking about since #61.

For those of you who really wanted a detailed explination for Thog's suit, I have two words for you from the immortal Calvin & Hobbes comic: Noodle Incident! No explination of that incident was ever given, yet it became the source of humor all by itself. No explination would ever be as good as the mystery. I bow to The Giant in respect for his great storytelling abilities.

Let's face it, isn't any RPG just an exercise in group storytelling in the end?

garylian
2006-12-14, 10:51 AM
I just HAD to register after reading this comic after lurking about since #61.

For those of you who really wanted a detailed explination for Thog's suit, I have two words for you from the immortal Calvin & Hobbes comic: Noodle Incident! No explination of that incident was ever given, yet it became the source of humor all by itself. No explination would ever be as good as the mystery. I bow to The Giant in respect for his great storytelling abilities.

Let's face it, isn't any RPG just an exercise in group storytelling in the end?

You know, the exact same thing came to mind. The famous Noodle Incident was a brilliant thing. Most of us that followed the comic were dying to know what it was, but it was always funnier to not know.

This was a brilliant comic. It gave us some more tidbits, like a perfect person for Elan to pick up swashbuckling from, and a chance for him to make his mommy happy at the same time!

Giant, you've outdone yourself with this whole Elan story arc!

eilandesq
2006-12-14, 10:53 AM
Looks like Elan's Mom hasn't gotten over her thing for bad boys. . .:smallcool:

Alysar
2006-12-14, 11:01 AM
I just HAD to register after reading this comic after lurking about since #61.

For those of you who really wanted a detailed explination for Thog's suit, I have two words for you from the immortal Calvin & Hobbes comic: Noodle Incident! No explination of that incident was ever given, yet it became the source of humor all by itself. No explination would ever be as good as the mystery. I bow to The Giant in respect for his great storytelling abilities.

Let's face it, isn't any RPG just an exercise in group storytelling in the end?

Noodle Incident (http://img96.imageshack.us/my.php?image=chnoodledr3.jpg)

chibibar
2006-12-14, 11:03 AM
wow... love the FFXII reference :) sky pirates!! woot woot (yes.. there is a sexy sky pirate in FF12)

I'm still curious of the corkscrew :)

Draz74
2006-12-14, 11:15 AM
Am i the only one that think Elan's mother already meet this dashing pirate? I mean, maybe Elan and Nale are only half brothers if you catch my meaning and Nale's fathers had other reason beyond alignement difference to get that divorce.
Come on, Elan's mother have picture of him hidden in his drawer? Elan remind him of a younger himself!? how many hints must the Giant throw at us again?

I think it's more likely that these same "hints" that you're pointing out are actually foreshadowing that Elan's mom and Julio are going to get together.

Argus
2006-12-14, 11:22 AM
Just one thought...

When Rich has a booth at conventions next year, he will probably need to have a sign telling people not to answer with a quote from strip 389 when asked how they will pay.

Yzorth
2006-12-14, 11:23 AM
Yeah, it was okay as comics go. Advanced the plot a bit, and had a decent joke.

Average comic, I'd say. Only extra thing is that it was double length.

uselessnarcotic
2006-12-14, 11:30 AM
I enjoyed it :elan: is my favorite character, and I love his little plot.... even if it doesn't TRUELY make much sense.

(Elan's got the imagination of a 6 year old...as well as the attentionspan. :smallbiggrin: )

dakiwiboid
2006-12-14, 11:34 AM
I am awed! Thanks for a great strip, and for not explaining the leprechaun costume!

the_tick_rules
2006-12-14, 11:36 AM
well they were in a costume store earlier. or is was part of step 1 or 2 in their plan. either way i loved it. maybe the ancient greeks could learn a thing or two from them hehe.

Zephra
2006-12-14, 11:42 AM
a corkskrew?!? I don't think I want to know....

Espher
2006-12-14, 11:46 AM
Just want to point something out.

I know we've all been saying it's a leprechaun costume, but uh... with the whole potato salad thing, another possibility dawned on me.

What's to say it's not simply a green pilgrim costume? ;)

Xi-1
2006-12-14, 11:52 AM
What I want to know is where Elan and Thog got all that stuff, 'cause I figure Elan planned to use the corkscrew to fight Nale (he probably doesn't have the rapier yet since they didn't go for their weapons when they escaped). A perfect setup for the flight to Azure City, though, and it seems clear that Elan and Thog are at least friends now since Elan trusts Thog and has kept him entertained since before their escape (when Thog heard the Spice Girls threat and started singing). Since they don't seem to have landed on Pompey and taken him out of the equation incidentally I'm guessing they either escaped to quickly to be under his watch or one-pointy-ear is off flirting. Or Elan's new stepdad will take care of Pompey for Elan and Thog.

What's more surprising that Elan told Val the truth is that Val believed Elan. Nice!

Sam de Cheese
2006-12-14, 11:52 AM
hmm... great comic, I liked it, but i have just one question.

*ahem* WHEN DO WE FIND OUT ABOUT THE F***ING LEPRACHAUN COSTUME?!?!?! thank you

Mr.Burn
2006-12-14, 12:07 PM
At 1 point that guy reminded me a bit of Revolver ocerlot :P

Wrecan
2006-12-14, 12:11 PM
Elan's Plan

Elan and Thog (dressed as a leprechaun) approach the ticket agent.
:elan: "Good day, sir. Would you be willing to allow passage for me and my leprechaun cohort in exchange for a wish?"
:confused: "Isn't he a little big to be a leprechaun?"
:thog: "thog advanced to medium size!"
:confused: "I don't know..."
:elan: "I'll prove it to you. Just wait for me to stand innoccuously behind you with a box of soap flakes and also play some background music on my lute."
:confused: "okay...."
:elan: "fascinate!"
:confused: [googly eyed]
:elan: "Thog, I wish it would snow!"
:thog: "not nale's wish is thog's command!"
[Elan sprinkles soap flakes like snow. Thog dons skis and skis around."
:thog: "yay! thog like holday wonderland!"
:confused: "Hmmmm..."
[Elan puts out safety cone around fake snow with sign... "Careful. Slippery (and sudsy) when Wet."]
:elan: "Still not convinced? Why not try a test wish?"
:confused: "Hmm. Good idea. But something that wouldn't happen by coincidence..."
:elan: "suggestion! Ask for a wooden alpaca filled with potato salad. Nobody would just have one of those lying around!"
:confused: "Good suggestion. I wish for a wooden alpaca filled with potato salad!"
:thog: "blue smilie's wish is thog's command!"
[Elan produces wooden Alpaca.]
:confused: "Hey, it works! Okay, you can have passage if you grant me one wish."
:elan: "Great. suggestion: wish for a screwball comedy."
[thog readies the corkscrew, basketball and a hilarious slapstick routine.]
:confused: "Um... I think I rolled my save."
:elan: "What?"
:confused: "I saved."
:elan: "Am I allowed to do that again?"
:confused: "I don't know. Bardic music rules are very confusing."
:elan: "Tell me about it."
:thog: "today's sage advice says not-nale can use ability many times."
:elan: "Oh, thanks, Thog. suggestion: wish for a screwball comedy."
:confused: "I wish for a screwball comedy."
[Thog gives man corkscrew, basketball and performs slapstick routine.]
:confused: "Ha! That was funny. Very well. You may pass."
:elan: "See, Thog, I told you that would work."
:thog: (aside) "thog not tell not-nale not-nale could just suggest blue smilie man let us on airship. thog not hurt not-nale's feelings."

theKOT
2006-12-14, 12:23 PM
Good show. I really enjoyed the dialogue, and the jokes were spot on and the fourth wall was broken at the perfect time. There were problems however, as Elan seemed slightly out-of-character and there was little progression. Still, the comic is paced well and that last panel is a doozy. 7/10

Why was Elan getting a diet soda, I wonder? Those things taste terrible, and I don't think he's trying to count his carbs.

Martok
2006-12-14, 12:26 PM
hmm... great comic, I liked it, but i have just one question.

*ahem* WHEN DO WE FIND OUT ABOUT THE F***ING LEPRACHAUN COSTUME?!?!?! thank you
Never! That's the beauty of today's strip. As others before me have already pointed out, any explanation of the leprachaun suit would be almost impossible to match what our imaginations have already conjured up--an explanation now would probably just be a letdown.

Oh, and I loved the Gygax reference and Elan's mom being a secret fan of Julio Scoundrel. Priceless!

Alysar
2006-12-14, 12:28 PM
Elan's Plan

Elan and Thog (dressed as a leprechaun) approach the ticket agent.
:elan: "Good day, sir. Would you be willing to allow passage for me and my leprechaun cohort in exchange for a wish?"
:confused: "Isn't he a little big to be a leprechaun?"
:thog: "thog advanced to medium size!"
:confused: "I don't know..."
:elan: "I'll prove it to you. Just wait for me to stand innoccuously behind you with a box of soap flakes and also play some background music on my lute."
:confused: "okay...."
:elan: "fascinate!"
:confused: [googly eyed]
:elan: "Thog, I wish it would snow!"
:thog: "not nale's wish is thog's command!"
[Elan sprinkles soap flakes like snow. Thog dons skis and skis around."
:thog: "yay! thog like holday wonderland!"
:confused: "Hmmmm..."
[Elan puts out safety cone around fake snow with sign... "Careful. Slippery (and sudsy) when Wet."]
:elan: "Still not convinced? Why not try a test wish?"
:confused: "Hmm. Good idea. But something that wouldn't happen by coincidence..."
:elan: "suggestion! Ask for a wooden alpaca filled with potato salad. Nobody would just have one of those lying around!"
:confused: "Good suggestion. I wish for a wooden alpaca filled with potato salad!"
:thog: "blue smilie's wish is thog's command!"
[Elan produces wooden Alpaca.]
:confused: "Hey, it works! Okay, you can have passage if you grant me one wish."
:elan: "Great. suggestion: wish for a screwball comedy."
[thog readies the corkscrew, basketball and a hilarious slapstick routine.]
:confused: "Um... I think I rolled my save."
:elan: "What?"
:confused: "I saved."
:elan: "Am I allowed to do that again?"
:confused: "I don't know. Bardic music rules are very confusing."
:elan: "Tell me about it."
:thog: "today's sage advice says not-nale can use ability many times."
:elan: "Oh, thanks, Thog. suggestion: wish for a screwball comedy."
:confused: "I wish for a screwball comedy."
[Thog gives man corkscrew, basketball and performs slapstick routine.]
:confused: "Ha! That was funny. Very well. You may pass."
:elan: "See, Thog, I told you that would work."
:thog: (aside) "thog not tell not-nale not-nale could just suggest blue smilie man let us on airship. thog not hurt not-nale's feelings."

Blue smiley man! LOL!

CelestialStick
2006-12-14, 12:33 PM
"Plus: Sexiest Man Undead, Dracula." I LOVE it! :smallbiggrin:

Am I the only one who can't make head nor tails of the final frame? :smallconfused:

Hey, Alysar, I love your spoiler! :smallcool:

Demented
2006-12-14, 12:45 PM
Why was Elan getting a diet soda, I wonder? Those things taste terrible, and I don't think he's trying to count his carbs.

He IS a diet soda.
At least according to [squid thingies].

The Hammer of Thor
2006-12-14, 12:48 PM
What can Elan's plan involve that a vital part of it is stuffing a giant wooden apacha with potato salad? Surely Elan's not smart enough to devise a plan that complex, but at least it kept Thog occupied.

rawmutton
2006-12-14, 01:08 PM
You know, I almost gave Elan too much credit, since he has been exceedingly clever for most of the flashback. I figured that he needed to *mention* the corkscrew to capture the attention of the captain, and bluff him into giving him a free ride. I was sure i had it figured out until the last panel, which made the payoff THAT much better!

Amotis
2006-12-14, 01:10 PM
In the name of Gygax! Awesome.

brionl
2006-12-14, 01:12 PM
Just one thought...

When Rich has a booth at conventions next year, he will probably need to have a sign telling people not to answer with a quote from strip 389 when asked how they will pay.

Put up a sign:
"Warning: Author has 40 ft per round movement."

Maybe he's going to take a level in the Dread Sky Pirate class.

silvadel
2006-12-14, 01:13 PM
Elan isnt smart enough to think up that complex a plan that works... Anyone is smart enough to think up a rube goldberg that Doesnt Work.

Swash your buckles with Elan...

CelestialStick
2006-12-14, 01:18 PM
In the name of Gygax! Awesome.

I was momentarily tempted to email him and let him know, but then I remembered that he's as likely to sue for unauthorized use of his good name than to feel flattered. :smallfrown:

Anyway, the current arc with Elan supports what I've thought all along--it's ot his Intelligence, but his Wisdom score that's not particularly high.

Moomintroll
2006-12-14, 01:20 PM
I wonder if Elan and Thog landed on a flumph when they were thrown from the airship. Ah well, they did in my mind.

Arancaytar
2006-12-14, 01:21 PM
I enjoyed the fact that Scoundrel's ship is named the Mechane, as in Deos ek Mechane - the Greek theatrical tradition that's better known as Deus ex machina.

Especially since it is likely this ship that they are literally swooping down from with their ropes, in the last moment, when all seems lost, to save the drama.

TheEscapist
2006-12-14, 01:50 PM
Is it possible that Nale and Elan's evil warlord father divorced their chaotic good mother on the grounds of her extra-marital affair with the swashbuckling sky pirate Julio Scoundrel, and simply cited alignment differences when explaining it to his children?

Which reminds me, I'd LOVE to see the warlord father show up in the story...

K'tai
2006-12-14, 01:54 PM
New comic is up.

Awesome awesome awesome. Excellent as usual.:smallbiggrin:

consul
2006-12-14, 01:57 PM
I wonder whether the Giant was sitting in front of his desk, thinking about the most improbable combination of items for a plan that shall never be revealed. :)

This all seemed very maguyverish.

Wolfie_1066
2006-12-14, 02:15 PM
:smallconfused: man that is WIERD...soap...skis...basketball...potato salad...alpaca...oh my GOD!:smalleek::eek::eek::eek: TAKE COVERRR!!! j/k i have no idea exept trojan horse :smallconfused: its one heck of a brain teaser

Fenrirs Ragnarok
2006-12-14, 02:16 PM
The comic isn't showing up for me. All that I can see are three vertical lines in the middle of the page. I tried refreshing over and over but nothing shows up.

Wooter
2006-12-14, 02:26 PM
Did you try Alt+F5?

Hyrael
2006-12-14, 02:31 PM
Is it possible that Nale and Elan's evil warlord father divorced their chaotic good mother on the grounds of her extra-marital affair with the swashbuckling sky pirate Julio Scoundrel, and simply cited alignment differences when explaining it to his children?

Which reminds me, I'd LOVE to see the warlord father show up in the story...
Yeah, she wishes.
She just had a drawer full of magazines, as does every middle-aged housewife in OotS land, probably.

And, I'm sure we all know that The warlord is the guy that has haley's dad captured, and that girrard's gate is on the western continent, where tyranaria is. so, the order has to go to the western continent anyway. so, the warlord will undoubtedly be featured at one point.

Brilliant comic, anyway. i have to say, I was expecting a very star wars moment, which reminded me of Dogma (holy ****, its like I'm han, he's chewie, youre ben, and we're all back in that ****ED UP bar!). and it still might tenatively apply. all scoundrel needs is a monstous race buddy, like a bugbear or something

Mad Scientist
2006-12-14, 02:32 PM
LOL Imagine the new note to the shopkeeper.
Dear Shopkeeper,
Sorry we stole from you twice, I mean three times, well four times, acually five times, lots of times. It was for a really, really, really, super important cause, just trust me we needed it.
Elan and Thog

Wrecan
2006-12-14, 02:40 PM
With a little tag at the end that says.

"Never mind. I got a ride. Here's most of your stuff back. Sorry about the mess in the alpaca!"

Hilbert
2006-12-14, 02:52 PM
Masterfully done. :smallbiggrin:

This comic more and more reminds me of Monkey Island! (Someone before noticed this similarity too.) I really love Julio, Capt'n Julio that is. I hope we get to see him again.

Could it be that Julio will play an important part in the upcoming fight? So maybe Elan's odds of winning aren't so bad after all!

krossbow
2006-12-14, 02:54 PM
"My mom is your biggest fan! She has dozens of pictures of you in the drawer bythe bed that she thinks I don't know about!"



Hah... can't breathe.... God I love this comic. Heh, that line made my day. That and the "30 ft per round movement rate"

Mewtroid
2006-12-14, 02:56 PM
What the....:smallbiggrin: :smallbiggrin:

Okay, if we still needed prove Nale and Elan are relatives - here it is. Someday I want to see the blueprints of this plan.

Bonus points for for Valentino reference, sexiest undead alive and overall bizarreness.

P.S. I still need to fit the basketball in it, but otherwise the plan makes sense for me..

If the plan makes sense to you, by god, explain it man.

Alamark Fireworker
2006-12-14, 03:04 PM
ok, i know i'm not the 1st one to say this but... I LOVE THIS COMICS!!!

one of the best things about it is that u never really can predict whats gonna happen in the next box, not to mention the next episode...

krossbow
2006-12-14, 03:11 PM
Yeah, she wishes.
She just had a drawer full of magazines, as does every middle-aged housewife in OotS land, probably.

And, I'm sure we all know that The warlord is the guy that has haley's dad captured, and that girrard's gate is on the western continent, where tyranaria is. so, the order has to go to the western continent anyway. so, the warlord will undoubtedly be featured at one point.

Brilliant comic, anyway. i have to say, I was expecting a very star wars moment, which reminded me of Dogma (holy ****, its like I'm han, he's chewie, youre ben, and we're all back in that ****ED UP bar!). and it still might tenatively apply. all scoundrel needs is a monstous race buddy, like a bugbear or something



Yeah, I also hold to the idea that their father is lord Tyrinar, the lord of Tyrania, who has Haley's dad captured; this is mainly due to Him marching underneath of a giant T, and that it would be a cool plot twist. The Giant T gives some credible evidence, and, from a plot perspective, it would make for delicious irony.




I don't think that Elan's mom had an affair with the captain; if she did, I doubt she'd be the type to have a drawer of porn next to her bed. Rather, she'd have a chest of memorabilia. Plus, the dad would of simply sued on grounds of affair, not alignment.


Besides, I think the plot works better with their father being evil.




Heh, I do hope that they swung their ropes from teh airship. It would just be priceless to see Roy ask how the heck Elan got their in a couple of days, and for him to point out the window towards the sky.

ozymand1as
2006-12-14, 03:16 PM
Amazing! A Trojan Horse! clever.

Anyway, what was the cork screw for?

Quantum Toast
2006-12-14, 03:34 PM
Interesting. Don't think I've ever seen it done with potato salad before. :smallamused:

KeiranHalcyon
2006-12-14, 03:42 PM
...I doubt she'd be the type to have a drawer of porn next to her bed. Rather, she'd have a chest of memorabilia. Plus, the dad would of simply sued on grounds of affair, not alignment.What do you mean? She's chaotic good, which I would think allows for pornography, at least moreso than lawful good. (And besides, I doubt she'd be able to get a hold of any truely pornographic images of this guy.)

As for other points:

RE: Underwear Gnomes - Something tells me that the Giant didn't even intend this reference. Doesn't compromise its funniness, though.

To several posts above me: I agree, if it worked, MacGyver would be proud.

And also, this would mean that depending on altitude, weather, presence of a telescope aboard ship, and artistic license, they might have been aware of Sabine flying ahead of them.

krossbow
2006-12-14, 03:51 PM
Ah; think I mis typed that.


What I meant is "IF he was an affair, she'd have memorabilia of him, not porn"





I believe she is perfectly capable of having porn, I just don't think she'd have porn of him if he was an old flame.

tcjsavannah
2006-12-14, 04:10 PM
The crate marked SOAP .. I bet it didn't contain soap, but Snakes on a Plane.

Hototo
2006-12-14, 04:20 PM
Yay for wooden Alpacas! And this does explain how Elan becomes so randomly dashing and has the gaul to smash through a window in the future (but already past comic strip).

Paine
2006-12-14, 04:21 PM
Minor typo alert:

"renown ladies' man" should be "renowned ladies' man".

I think.

Amon Star
2006-12-14, 04:26 PM
Also, what is it with airship captains and trenchcoats?

They're standard issue.


Just one thought...

When Rich has a booth at conventions next year, he will probably need to have a sign telling people not to answer with a quote from strip 389 when asked how they will pay.

ROTFL!!!


What's more surprising that Elan told Val the truth is that Val believed Elan. Nice!

Probably because no one would make up something like that.



Elan's Plan

Elan and Thog (dressed as a leprechaun) approach the ticket agent.
:elan: "Good day, sir. Would you be willing to allow passage for me and my leprechaun cohort in exchange for a wish?"
:confused: "Isn't he a little big to be a leprechaun?"
:thog: "thog advanced to medium size!"
:confused: "I don't know..."
:elan: "I'll prove it to you. Just wait for me to stand innoccuously behind you with a box of soap flakes and also play some background music on my lute."
:confused: "okay...."
:elan: "fascinate!"
:confused: [googly eyed]
:elan: "Thog, I wish it would snow!"
:thog: "not nale's wish is thog's command!"
[Elan sprinkles soap flakes like snow. Thog dons skis and skis around."
:thog: "yay! thog like holday wonderland!"
:confused: "Hmmmm..."
[Elan puts out safety cone around fake snow with sign... "Careful. Slippery (and sudsy) when Wet."]
:elan: "Still not convinced? Why not try a test wish?"
:confused: "Hmm. Good idea. But something that wouldn't happen by coincidence..."
:elan: "suggestion! Ask for a wooden alpaca filled with potato salad. Nobody would just have one of those lying around!"
:confused: "Good suggestion. I wish for a wooden alpaca filled with potato salad!"
:thog: "blue smilie's wish is thog's command!"
[Elan produces wooden Alpaca.]
:confused: "Hey, it works! Okay, you can have passage if you grant me one wish."
:elan: "Great. suggestion: wish for a screwball comedy."
[thog readies the corkscrew, basketball and a hilarious slapstick routine.]
:confused: "Um... I think I rolled my save."
:elan: "What?"
:confused: "I saved."
:elan: "Am I allowed to do that again?"
:confused: "I don't know. Bardic music rules are very confusing."
:elan: "Tell me about it."
:thog: "today's sage advice says not-nale can use ability many times."
:elan: "Oh, thanks, Thog. suggestion: wish for a screwball comedy."
:confused: "I wish for a screwball comedy."
[Thog gives man corkscrew, basketball and performs slapstick routine.]
:confused: "Ha! That was funny. Very well. You may pass."
:elan: "See, Thog, I told you that would work."
:thog: (aside) "thog not tell not-nale not-nale could just suggest blue smilie man let us on airship. thog not hurt not-nale's feelings."

LOL! Looks like Bor has a challenger.

consul
2006-12-14, 04:33 PM
Amazing! A Trojan Horse! clever.

Anyway, what was the cork screw for?

To make air holes.

teratorn
2006-12-14, 04:36 PM
Yeah, I also hold to the idea that their father is lord Tyrinar, the lord of Tyrania, who has Haley's dad captured; this is mainly due to Him marching underneath of a giant T, and that it would be a cool plot twist. The Giant T gives some credible evidence, and, from a plot perspective, it would make for delicious irony.


Yeah I had the same thought, recently when reading "Origin", while drooling over Haley's gratuitous bath scene.

About Elan sticking with Thog after escaping. It makes sense to keep Thog from Pompey, but I don't suppose Elan is bright enough to think about that, or is he?

The flashback seems to be over. Time to see what happens to Haley (and Miko of course).

vanyell
2006-12-14, 04:43 PM
I think there will be one more flashback comic, and it will explain the last few things.

btw. freakin amazing giant

Quinton250
2006-12-14, 05:06 PM
Sorry if this has been posted already, I haven't read all the questions yet but....

Elan has a ride now to get to Azure City and Thog has already served his purpose of getting Elan out of jail, why does Elan go back to get Thog rather than just ditch him? He (should) know that when Elan arrives to battle Nale, Thog would never help Elan fight Nale and would much more likely help Nale defeat Elan (With a slim chance of him maybe deciding not to hurt either of them.)

So Elan's reasoning for this is likely one of the following
1. Elan feels he owes Thog for springing him from prison and decides to take him along to reunite with Nale.
2. Elan believes Thog will help him save Haley from Nale.
3. Elan thinks there is some information that Thog has that could be useful in the rescure.

What do you guys think?

battleburn
2006-12-14, 05:17 PM
Sorry if this has been posted already, I haven't read all the questions yet but....

Elan has a ride now to get to Azure City and Thog has already served his purpose of getting Elan out of jail, why does Elan go back to get Thog rather than just ditch him? He (should) know that when Elan arrives to battle Nale, Thog would never help Elan fight Nale and would much more likely help Nale defeat Elan (With a slim chance of him maybe deciding not to hurt either of them.)

So Elan's reasoning for this is likely one of the following
1. Elan feels he owes Thog for springing him from prison and decides to take him along to reunite with Nale.
2. Elan believes Thog will help him save Haley from Nale.
3. Elan thinks there is some information that Thog has that could be useful in the rescure.

What do you guys think?What about the option:
4. Setting Thog loose on Cliffport again isn't the smartest thing to do. Just wait till he's bored and he will start rampaging again.

Alysar
2006-12-14, 05:19 PM
Sorry if this has been posted already, I haven't read all the questions yet but....

Elan has a ride now to get to Azure City and Thog has already served his purpose of getting Elan out of jail, why does Elan go back to get Thog rather than just ditch him? He (should) know that when Elan arrives to battle Nale, Thog would never help Elan fight Nale and would much more likely help Nale defeat Elan (With a slim chance of him maybe deciding not to hurt either of them.)

So Elan's reasoning for this is likely one of the following
1. Elan feels he owes Thog for springing him from prison and decides to take him along to reunite with Nale.
2. Elan believes Thog will help him save Haley from Nale.
3. Elan thinks there is some information that Thog has that could be useful in the rescure.

What do you guys think?

Elan simply isn't the kind of person who would abandon (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0067.html) anyone (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0069.html).

Mirage_of_Deceit
2006-12-14, 05:21 PM
Perhaps whats his face is going to teach Elan how to fight :D

skinkatlarge
2006-12-14, 05:29 PM
Don't have the time to go through the whole thread; forgive me if I'm just repeating everyone.

OotSworld has diet cola. Made by alchemists? The harvestings from aspartame plants? The basketball, skis with attached boots, and traffic cones - for some reason, none of those struck me as hard as the diet cola. Weird.

I wonder which of the directional pantheons (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0273.html) Gygax is part of?

"...by kidnapping my best friend's sister..." - Awwwww, Elan...

"30 ft. per round movement rate" hehe

Captain Julio Scoundrél - it's the accent that cracks me up!

Sexiest Man Undead - still cracking up

Beautiful, insane plan. yes, I'm trying to reconstruct it.

Sweet strip, Giant. Thanks!

bosssmiley
2006-12-14, 05:44 PM
I wonder which of the directional pantheons (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0273.html) Gygax is part of?

In the context of the OOTSworld I'd say none, he's the Ur-god. The distant, uncaring overgod of the OOTS world who has left his creation to do other things. Upper_Krust has a similar cosmological joke about all the worlds your characters know (and all the 'alternative universe' of other gaming groups) being derived from the transcendental universal laws of the great Cosmic EGG.

PS: Gyrax (presumably Gygax mediated through Scooby Doo) is the draconic god of fate, isn't he? :smallconfused:

edit: phase 3 is win. :smallbiggrin:

Newton Einstein
2006-12-14, 05:45 PM
What about the option:
4. Setting Thog loose on Cliffport again isn't the smartest thing to do. Just wait till he's bored and he will start rampaging again.

Not to mention that Elan got Thog to break them out of jail to go rescue Nale. So my bet is that Elan does not want an angry Thog to be hunting him....especially after seeing firsthand what Thog is capable of.

Besides, as has been mentioned a few other places, Elan is the Good twin.

(Edit - got my twins mixed up.....sorry)

EddieBird
2006-12-14, 05:46 PM
"How are you going to pay for the diet soda?"
"30 ft. per round movement rate."
I'm Rolling On the Floor Laughing my Freaking Arse Off !

I'm not botherd by diet soda not being a medievil food. My own little "medievil" fantasy world has chocolate, soda pop, scented shampoo, and toilets that flush.

Felinoid
2006-12-14, 06:00 PM
Bahaha! So that's why I couldn't find any potato salad at the grocery store this morning! :smallbiggrin:

zegma
2006-12-14, 06:04 PM
^^^ ????? ok...... very random, lol.

well i still want to know how and why he got the lepracian suit.

Bilbo27
2006-12-14, 06:06 PM
And we will never really know how important a corkscrew was to the entire plan!

SteveMB
2006-12-14, 06:07 PM
What do you mean? She's chaotic good, which I would think allows for pornography, at least moreso than lawful good. (And besides, I doubt she'd be able to get a hold of any truely pornographic images of this guy.)
I daresay that there's a crafting or magical equivalent to Photoshop, whereby heads and bodies can be mixed and matched for the purpose.

Er, so I hear....

Blaznak
2006-12-14, 06:43 PM
Ok, I kind of like NOT knowing the plan. I think it would never be as good as it is imagined. :)

Enlong
2006-12-14, 06:51 PM
One awesome thing about Scoundrel's ship. Note that it's name is the Machane
In Greek Playes, the Machane was the name of the crane that would lower Gods from the "heavens" into the earthly scene to resolve problems. Because of this device, the term Deus Ex Machina. And Scoundrel and his airship are definately Elan's Deus ex Machina. Nice subtle note there, Giant!

skinkatlarge
2006-12-14, 06:55 PM
Elan's Plan

Elan and Thog (dressed as a leprechaun) approach the ticket agent.
:elan: "Good day, sir. Would you be willing to allow passage for me and my leprechaun cohort in exchange for a wish?"
:confused: "Isn't he a little big to be a leprechaun?"
:thog: "thog advanced to medium size!"
:confused: "I don't know..."
:elan: "I'll prove it to you. Just wait for me to stand innoccuously behind you with a box of soap flakes and also play some background music on my lute."
:confused: "okay...."
:elan: "fascinate!"
:confused: [googly eyed]
:elan: "Thog, I wish it would snow!"
:thog: "not nale's wish is thog's command!"
[Elan sprinkles soap flakes like snow. Thog dons skis and skis around."
:thog: "yay! thog like holday wonderland!"
:confused: "Hmmmm..."
[Elan puts out safety cone around fake snow with sign... "Careful. Slippery (and sudsy) when Wet."]
:elan: "Still not convinced? Why not try a test wish?"
:confused: "Hmm. Good idea. But something that wouldn't happen by coincidence..."
:elan: "suggestion! Ask for a wooden alpaca filled with potato salad. Nobody would just have one of those lying around!"
:confused: "Good suggestion. I wish for a wooden alpaca filled with potato salad!"
:thog: "blue smilie's wish is thog's command!"
[Elan produces wooden Alpaca.]
:confused: "Hey, it works! Okay, you can have passage if you grant me one wish."
:elan: "Great. suggestion: wish for a screwball comedy."
[thog readies the corkscrew, basketball and a hilarious slapstick routine.]
:confused: "Um... I think I rolled my save."
:elan: "What?"
:confused: "I saved."
:elan: "Am I allowed to do that again?"
:confused: "I don't know. Bardic music rules are very confusing."
:elan: "Tell me about it."
:thog: "today's sage advice says not-nale can use ability many times."
:elan: "Oh, thanks, Thog. suggestion: wish for a screwball comedy."
:confused: "I wish for a screwball comedy."
[Thog gives man corkscrew, basketball and performs slapstick routine.]
:confused: "Ha! That was funny. Very well. You may pass."
:elan: "See, Thog, I told you that would work."
:thog: (aside) "thog not tell not-nale not-nale could just suggest blue smilie man let us on airship. thog not hurt not-nale's feelings."

You so win. From now on, this will be what I hold in my head as the explanation. :smallcool:

fangthane
2006-12-14, 06:59 PM
I guess I never really liked Richard Dean Anderson... My first thought was that Elan would have done better with a wheelbarrow and a holocaust cloak... :)

As to Elan's parentage and the remainder of the zany adventures...
I very much doubt that Elan/Nale's dad is Lord Tyrinar. That'd be WAY too easy, and if the Giant's proved anything to us by now, it's that he's not generally that predictable. It's a possibility, but seems highly unlikely given how plausible an idea it is.

Despite what some have said about predicting we'll see more about Elan and Thog's arrival, no. We won't. Obviously those people didn't pay sufficient attention to the title of this particular episode. Yes, it could be about just the Leprechaun costume, but there's no reason we need to know about their trip other than to know how it began and obviously ended. And now, we do. No, the next strip is likely to lack a complete resolution, will probably feature Belkar and Durkon (and possibly more) and leave us with another cliffhanger for next week as both issues approach resolution. If we're really lucky, we'll see Belkar chase Durkon into Sabine's <ahem> back. If you think about their respective heights, you'll understand the <ahem> :) And why I say "lucky..." :belkar:

AyuVince
2006-12-14, 07:03 PM
So Julio will probably give Elan some lessons in swashbuckling. Woo hoo!

Nashua
2006-12-14, 07:10 PM
Elan's Plan


Elan and Thog (dressed as a leprechaun) approach the ticket agent.
:elan: "Good day, sir. Would you be willing to allow passage for me and my leprechaun cohort in exchange for a wish?"
:confused: "Isn't he a little big to be a leprechaun?"
:thog: "thog advanced to medium size!"
:confused: "I don't know..."
:elan: "I'll prove it to you. Just wait for me to stand innoccuously behind you with a box of soap flakes and also play some background music on my lute."
:confused: "okay...."
:elan: "fascinate!"
:confused: [googly eyed]
:elan: "Thog, I wish it would snow!"
:thog: "not nale's wish is thog's command!"
[Elan sprinkles soap flakes like snow. Thog dons skis and skis around."
:thog: "yay! thog like holday wonderland!"
:confused: "Hmmmm..."
[Elan puts out safety cone around fake snow with sign... "Careful. Slippery (and sudsy) when Wet."]
:elan: "Still not convinced? Why not try a test wish?"
:confused: "Hmm. Good idea. But something that wouldn't happen by coincidence..."
:elan: "suggestion! Ask for a wooden alpaca filled with potato salad. Nobody would just have one of those lying around!"
:confused: "Good suggestion. I wish for a wooden alpaca filled with potato salad!"
:thog: "blue smilie's wish is thog's command!"
[Elan produces wooden Alpaca.]
:confused: "Hey, it works! Okay, you can have passage if you grant me one wish."
:elan: "Great. suggestion: wish for a screwball comedy."
[thog readies the corkscrew, basketball and a hilarious slapstick routine.]
:confused: "Um... I think I rolled my save."
:elan: "What?"
:confused: "I saved."
:elan: "Am I allowed to do that again?"
:confused: "I don't know. Bardic music rules are very confusing."
:elan: "Tell me about it."
:thog: "today's sage advice says not-nale can use ability many times."
:elan: "Oh, thanks, Thog. suggestion: wish for a screwball comedy."
:confused: "I wish for a screwball comedy."
[Thog gives man corkscrew, basketball and performs slapstick routine.]
:confused: "Ha! That was funny. Very well. You may pass."
:elan: "See, Thog, I told you that would work."
:thog: (aside) "thog not tell not-nale not-nale could just suggest blue smilie man let us on airship. thog not hurt not-nale's feelings."

Wow! That plan makes perfect sense in a wonderfully convoluted and hilarious way! I almost wish Rich HAD done a comic of this!

Norenche
2006-12-14, 07:26 PM
Elan's Plan

Elan and Thog (dressed as a leprechaun) approach the ticket agent.
:elan: "Good day, sir. Would you be willing to allow passage for me and my leprechaun cohort in exchange for a wish?"
:confused: "Isn't he a little big to be a leprechaun?"
:thog: "thog advanced to medium size!"
:confused: "I don't know..."
:elan: "I'll prove it to you. Just wait for me to stand innoccuously behind you with a box of soap flakes and also play some background music on my lute."
:confused: "okay...."
:elan: "fascinate!"
:confused: [googly eyed]
:elan: "Thog, I wish it would snow!"
:thog: "not nale's wish is thog's command!"
[Elan sprinkles soap flakes like snow. Thog dons skis and skis around."
:thog: "yay! thog like holday wonderland!"
:confused: "Hmmmm..."
[Elan puts out safety cone around fake snow with sign... "Careful. Slippery (and sudsy) when Wet."]
:elan: "Still not convinced? Why not try a test wish?"
:confused: "Hmm. Good idea. But something that wouldn't happen by coincidence..."
:elan: "suggestion! Ask for a wooden alpaca filled with potato salad. Nobody would just have one of those lying around!"
:confused: "Good suggestion. I wish for a wooden alpaca filled with potato salad!"
:thog: "blue smilie's wish is thog's command!"
[Elan produces wooden Alpaca.]
:confused: "Hey, it works! Okay, you can have passage if you grant me one wish."
:elan: "Great. suggestion: wish for a screwball comedy."
[thog readies the corkscrew, basketball and a hilarious slapstick routine.]
:confused: "Um... I think I rolled my save."
:elan: "What?"
:confused: "I saved."
:elan: "Am I allowed to do that again?"
:confused: "I don't know. Bardic music rules are very confusing."
:elan: "Tell me about it."
:thog: "today's sage advice says not-nale can use ability many times."
:elan: "Oh, thanks, Thog. suggestion: wish for a screwball comedy."
:confused: "I wish for a screwball comedy."
[Thog gives man corkscrew, basketball and performs slapstick routine.]
:confused: "Ha! That was funny. Very well. You may pass."
:elan: "See, Thog, I told you that would work."
:thog: (aside) "thog not tell not-nale not-nale could just suggest blue smilie man let us on airship. thog not hurt not-nale's feelings."

maybe someone can do a fan-strip with that scene :P

baerdith
2006-12-14, 07:37 PM
There could only be one purpose for a giant wooden alpaca: deception.
It's crazy enough to work.

You know, the interesting thing is that you figured out the whole engineering process. (Are you by chance an engineer?)

But could Elan? If he had, I think the Elan is smart threads might take a BIG leap forward!

:)

Nightmarenny
2006-12-14, 07:53 PM
"How are you going to pay for the diet soda?"
"30 ft. per round movement rate."
I'm Rolling On the Floor Laughing my Freaking Arse Off !

I'm not botherd by diet soda not being a medievil food. My own little "medievil" fantasy world has chocolate, soda pop, scented shampoo, and toilets that flush.
Am I the only one that doesn't get the diet soda thing?

Maerad of Pellinor
2006-12-14, 08:07 PM
Wow....

I think the potato salad in a wooden alpaca beats "Woooo, I'm invisible!" :biggrin:

Tobimaro
2006-12-14, 08:08 PM
1) Make Sleight of Hand check to read OotS strip while at work.

2) Hope that co-worker does not have high enough Spot check to notice that I was not working at that time.

3) Make Will Save to avoid laughing out loud upon seeing :thog: filling a giant wooden alpaca with potato salad, and having him mention that is was a *part* of a plan. :smalleek: :smalleek: :smalleek:

:smallamused:

I made sure that when I did LMAO, I did so when I was alone and away from my work computer. Great one, Rich.

The_Old_Fox
2006-12-14, 08:14 PM
I like this one. It showed :elan: being :elan: I was getting worried with all of his recent heroics....

However, I don’t know why but this quote made me laugh:

:elan: : "Oh wow! My mom is your biggest fan! She has like a dozen pictures of you in the drawer by the bed that she thinks I don’t know about!"

And at long last :thog: 's leprechaun costume is explained, :elan: just had one crazy plan.

Alysar
2006-12-14, 08:25 PM
Am I the only one that doesn't get the diet soda thing?

I'm not 100% sure, but it might have something to do with this (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0031.html).

xyzchyx
2006-12-14, 08:37 PM
In the context of the OOTSworld I'd say none, he's the Ur-god. The distant, uncaring overgod of the OOTS world who has left his creation to do other things.IRL, Gygax was sort of backed into a corner when Williams (legally, but unfairly) obtained controlling interest in TSR and he ultimately resigned shortly thereafter when he recognized that the direction she was steering the company was unlikely to end well.

I figure in the OOTS world, it's sort of hard to draw any kind of parallel, so I figure reference to the name doesn't really mean anything... and it's solely there for its value for the reader.

StarWidget
2006-12-14, 08:46 PM
Well, that explains some...

...no, it doesn't. But is was funny as hell!

:)

Nightfall
2006-12-14, 10:17 PM
I don't think I want to know about the potato salad....!

Celisasu
2006-12-14, 10:31 PM
It makes me think of Calvin&Hobbes and the noodle incident. One of those things that will be hinted at until the end of time but the specifics will never be known letting us create some image in our heads that is vastly greater than anything the creator could think of.

humanpylon
2006-12-14, 10:43 PM
Why was Elan getting a diet soda, I wonder? Those things taste terrible, and I don't think he's trying to count his carbs.

Perhaps to match his brain? Or at least his brain as the mind fl-squid thingy sees it.

*edit* Ahhh couple people beat me to it.

Kinneus
2006-12-14, 10:45 PM
Step 3: Stuff wooden alpaca with potato salad.
Step 4: ...
Step 5: Profit.

Ninja-Edit: It seems somebody already made the above joke five pages ago. Ah, well.
Good comic this time around, though.

humanpylon
2006-12-14, 11:10 PM
So does anyone know if this airship captain is a reference to a specific character rather than a generic swashbuckler type?

dakiwiboid
2006-12-15, 12:30 AM
Just want to point something out.

I know we've all been saying it's a leprechaun costume, but uh... with the whole potato salad thing, another possibility dawned on me.

What's to say it's not simply a green pilgrim costume? ;)

:smallconfused: Have you ever seen a Pilgrim with a shamrock?

BlueWizard
2006-12-15, 12:33 AM
The green suit is awesome!

I can't wait until Rich's third book comes out!

Quinton250
2006-12-15, 12:59 AM
What if the Giant had a contest that involved us readers sending in fan comics of possible explanations of the entire event. Next time the Giant is busy/sick/injured he could post the top five explanations for everyone to enjoy, but we would still never know what _really_ happened.

Klingon_in_the_Playground
2006-12-15, 01:57 AM
I've figured out the potato salad part of the equation.

It boggles the mind, and since boggles only eat potato salad....

Archonic Energy
2006-12-15, 02:33 AM
anyone else notice the typo in panel 3?

oh and that was bloody funny Giant... almost worth going to work for... well i could have checked it at home.

appleavengergrl
2006-12-15, 02:46 AM
I'm thinking the leprachaun outfit had something to do with step 1 or 2... or maybe 4...


Corkscrew. The cornerstone of any brilliant plan.:smallwink:

A Gray Phantom
2006-12-15, 04:13 AM
[quote=FlawedParadigm;1689417]I'll avoid mentioning any Fruit-Pie Sorcerors.quote]
Too late.

MReav
2006-12-15, 04:47 AM
I'm just wondering... Azure City seems to get a fair amount of airship traffic from Cliffport. They might get more of a heads up than just Miko on her horse (go Julio!).

Delgarde
2006-12-15, 05:34 AM
Besides, as has been mentioned a few other places, Elan is the Good twin.

Yeah, that's the only answer necessary. Elan isn't bringing Thog along because he's useful, or because he's afraid of Thog getting angry if he's left behind. Elan's bringing him along because Thog's his new friend, and it would never have occurred to him to abandon him. It'd be utterly out of character for him to do so.

Zeb The Troll
2006-12-15, 07:06 AM
I just HAD to register after reading this comic after lurking about since #61.

For those of you who really wanted a detailed explination for Thog's suit, I have two words for you from the immortal Calvin & Hobbes comic: Noodle Incident! No explination of that incident was ever given, yet it became the source of humor all by itself. No explination would ever be as good as the mystery. I bow to The Giant in respect for his great storytelling abilities.

Let's face it, isn't any RPG just an exercise in group storytelling in the end?

Is it irony when someone going by the name of Newton Einstein misspells "explanation"? Twice. :smalltongue:

ImperiousLeader
2006-12-15, 07:33 AM
One question: How did Elan and Thog escape Pompey's notice? Isn't he supposed to be keeping a lookout?

AngryGreek
2006-12-15, 07:35 AM
Monkey Island was a fantastic game! I should break that out again just for sh*ts and giggles.

I am curious about something though, how is a 30 ft. movement rate going to help Elan escape the innkeeper? To the best of my knowledge, he is not a dwarf, halfling or gnome, meaning that he would arguably also have a 30 ft. movement rate, no?

Vargtass
2006-12-15, 08:10 AM
Monkey Island was a fantastic game! I should break that out again just for sh*ts and giggles.

I am curious about something though, how is a 30 ft. movement rate going to help Elan escape the innkeeper? To the best of my knowledge, he is not a dwarf, halfling or gnome, meaning that he would arguably also have a 30 ft. movement rate, no?

But he would be surprised, and Elan would presumably win initiative, and then Elan had the perfect hiding place: a wooden llama filled with potato salad.:smallbiggrin:

AngryGreek
2006-12-15, 08:23 AM
Ahh, yes! I see the genius of his plan now! Not only could he have hidden in the wooden alpaca, but he could have stayed there for weeks, months even! I do wonder at something though; how safe would that potato salad be to eat after baking in the sun a few days (mayonnaise and lack of refrigeration don't get along too well) and would anyone really want to eat it after Elan and Thog have been living in it for a few days, with no latrine in sight?

Yeah, ew.

BlueWizard
2006-12-15, 08:27 AM
More Gygax I say!

AngryGreek
2006-12-15, 08:29 AM
I wonder if Gygax still plays D&D?

Amon Star
2006-12-15, 08:33 AM
Elan has a ride now to get to Azure City and Thog has already served his purpose of getting Elan out of jail, why does Elan go back to get Thog rather than just ditch him? He (should) know that when Elan arrives to battle Nale, Thog would never help Elan fight Nale and would much more likely help Nale defeat Elan (With a slim chance of him maybe deciding not to hurt either of them.)

So Elan's reasoning for this is likely one of the following
1. Elan feels he owes Thog for springing him from prison and decides to take him along to reunite with Nale.
2. Elan believes Thog will help him save Haley from Nale.
3. Elan thinks there is some information that Thog has that could be useful in the rescure.

What do you guys think?

I think it's as simple as :elan: not thinking. Or, as other people have pointed out, because he's the Good twin.


Am I the only one that doesn't get the diet soda thing?

If you mean how :elan: was going to pay for it with no money, he was just gonna run out with the corkscrew.


Yeah, that's the only answer necessary. Elan isn't bringing Thog along because he's useful, or because he's afraid of Thog getting angry if he's left behind. Elan's bringing him along because Thog's his new friend, and it would never have occurred to him to abandon him. It'd be utterly out of character for him to do so.

I don't think :elan: thinks of as :thog: as a friend. In panel 9 of the second section :elan: hesitated before using that word about :thog:.

xyzchyx
2006-12-15, 09:25 AM
Has anyone tried reading the 7th panel aloud?

Notice: no periods or commas!

Try to get through it without stopping to take a breath.

Sounds freakin' hilarious...

Cythraul
2006-12-15, 09:38 AM
Is it irony when someone going by the name of Newton Einstein misspells "explanation"? Twice.



Three times, actually! Ironically, your correction was inaccurate... :smallbiggrin:

fwiffo
2006-12-15, 10:00 AM
One question: How did Elan and Thog escape Pompey's notice? Isn't he supposed to be keeping a lookout?

Oh, he is keeping a lookout, all right. It is just that neither Elan nor Thog are a teenage girl. Well, as far as we know, at least.

Zeb The Troll
2006-12-15, 10:01 AM
Three times, actually! Ironically, your correction was inaccurate... :smallbiggrin:

Ah, yes, but I didn't have the audacity to name myself after not one, but two geniuses (genii? :smallsmile:).

Amon Star
2006-12-15, 10:15 AM
Oh, he is keeping a lookout, all right. It is just that neither Elan nor Thog are a teenage girl. Well, as far as we know, at least.

In Pompey's case, anything vaguely female would probably do.

Sky_Schemer
2006-12-15, 10:42 AM
I see a lot people comparing the complexity of Nale's plans to Elan's. Remember that this is Elan's second plan, not his first. His first was not only simple and brilliant, but would have worked if Thog, in true Thog fashion, hadn't ruined it. :)

Newton Einstein
2006-12-15, 10:45 AM
Is it irony when someone going by the name of Newton Einstein misspells "explanation"? Twice. :smalltongue:


Science Geek that I am, I did not even see that error in spelling until it was pointed out to me. Thanks for the catch Zebbie! :smallbiggrin: (It would be even more Ironic if I misspelled the word misspelling :smallcool: )

Amon Star
2006-12-15, 10:53 AM
I see a lot people comparing the complexity of Nale's plans to Elan's. Remember that this is Elan's second plan, not his first. His first was not only simple and brilliant, but would have worked if Thog, in true Thog fashion, hadn't ruined it. :)

I think it's a bit unfair to blame :thog: alone for that mistake. After all, if :elan: hadn't said resurrect then they wouldn't have got suspicious at that point. And as :elan: knew who they were, he should've known better.

Nikolai_II
2006-12-15, 11:14 AM
I don't think :elan: thinks of as :thog: as a friend. In panel 9 of the second section :elan: hesitated before using that word about :thog:.

I took the hesitation to be more like "maybe I shouldn't say prison-break buddy" :smallwink:

Amon Star
2006-12-15, 11:20 AM
I took the hesitation to be more like "maybe I shouldn't say prison-break buddy" :smallwink:

Could've been that, I suppose.

Bluesilver
2006-12-15, 03:39 PM
Nice... I'll be waiting for #390.

Wolfram
2006-12-15, 05:11 PM
An alpaca? Why not a vicuña?

Illiander
2006-12-15, 08:16 PM
ok, I just spotted this, don't know if anyone else has mentioned it

who do you think of when I say Captain J... S...... in the context of a pirate film

(the dots are per letter)

I think we have a very obvious reference from the Giant here (and it's a modern one that everyone should get, not some obscure geek only joke)

answer in the spoiler if you don't get it right away
Jack Sparrow, Captain

Alysar
2006-12-15, 08:36 PM
ok, I just spotted this, don't know if anyone else has mentioned it

who do you think of when I say Captain J... S...... in the context of a pirate film

(the dots are per letter)

I think we have a very obvious reference from the Giant here (and it's a modern one that everyone should get, not some obscure geek only joke)

answer in the spoiler if you don't get it right away
Jack Sparrow, Captain

If the forums had a shocked smiley, I'd be using it here.

I totally didn't see that.

You think it's on purpose, or a coincidence?

Mad Scientist
2006-12-15, 10:21 PM
Seems to me that the title makes it obvious that we won't ever know exactly why Thog is in that costume. Sigh. But honestly, I think this is funnier in a way. Leaves it up to your imagination.

JosephSmidgens
2006-12-15, 11:15 PM
ok, I just spotted this, don't know if anyone else has mentioned it

who do you think of when I say Captain J... S...... in the context of a pirate film

(the dots are per letter)

I think we have a very obvious reference from the Giant here (and it's a modern one that everyone should get, not some obscure geek only joke)

answer in the spoiler if you don't get it right away
Jack Sparrow, Captain

How about (Long) John Silver?

Wooter
2006-12-15, 11:23 PM
Silver doesn't have enough letters.

Alysar
2006-12-15, 11:24 PM
How about (Long) John Silver?

Not if we're taking the number of letters into consideration, although it is possible it doesn't matter. Is it possible the initials of the former were taken from the latter's name?

Nightfall
2006-12-15, 11:59 PM
Is it irony when someone going by the name of Newton Einstein misspells "explanation"? Twice. :smalltongue:


Albert Einstein himself did poorly in school. I happen to know Newton Einstein personally, and he's a sweet guy, as well as a member of MENSA. Cut him a little slack, okay?:smallsmile:

Sky_Schemer
2006-12-16, 12:49 AM
Also, what is it with airship captains and trenchcoats?

Ever wonder why the first aviators wore heavy, leather coats? It's pretty cold up there.

Zeb The Troll
2006-12-16, 08:00 AM
Albert Einstein himself did poorly in school. I happen to know Newton Einstein personally, and he's a sweet guy, as well as a member of MENSA. Cut him a little slack, okay?:smallsmile:
Big Al (as his friends called him) did poorly in school because he couldn't be bothered to pay attention to teachers that were dumber than him. :smalltongue:

Or at least that's what I hear around the school yard.

Besides, I never made any comment whatsoever about NA's intellect I just found it funny. And he seems to have taken it in the vein it was intended so I think we're all okay here. <group hug> :smallcool:

PS - If any are interested, the Oct 2006 issue of Disover magazine has a fantastic article about Einstein, the man beyond the science, titled "My Three Einsteins".

Alysar
2006-12-16, 11:17 AM
Obligitory:

http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/6708/einsteintonguewd6.gif

Amon Star
2006-12-17, 09:13 AM
ok, I just spotted this, don't know if anyone else has mentioned it

who do you think of when I say Captain J... S...... in the context of a pirate film

(the dots are per letter)

I think we have a very obvious reference from the Giant here (and it's a modern one that everyone should get, not some obscure geek only joke)

answer in the spoiler if you don't get it right away
Jack Sparrow, Captain

I don't see it myself. Julio isn't insane enough. Though he did say that :elan: reminded him of his younger self. So you might be right.


Silver doesn't have enough letters.


Not if we're taking the number of letters into consideration, although it is possible it doesn't matter. Is it possible the initials of the former were taken from the latter's name?

Julio = 5 letters. Scoundrel = 9 letters. None of the suggestions given so far would work if we were taking the number of letters into consideration. Therefore (Long) John Silver is as good as suggestion as Jack Sparrow .