OOTS #481 - The Discussion Thread

[The Giant]

New comic is up.

[Bobbis]

Love the zombie in the second panel, for some reason I just found the "brains" hilarious this time.

[Renegade Paladin]

Well that was unexpected. Right before I left for work, too. I think I have just enough time to read it. :smallsmile:

Edit: Hmmm. The arrows in the penultimate panel. Where'd they go in the last one?

[Tal9922]

Poor Hinjo... i hope Durkon still has some heals left for him!

[Nightgaunt]

That was hysterical, although I do have to admit I feel a little bad that they left Lien on a Shark behind. What's up with that?

[SteveMB]

Poor Elan, as the realization sinks in.... :smalleek:

[anamiac]

And now Belkar, Haley and Roy's corpse will have their own private adventure!

edit: I wonder if they'll meet Lien?

[ericotto]

It's gonna be great seeing how Haley and Belkar get out of there now.

:elan: "Um....guys"

edit: Lien can swim to the ship and back, I don't see how it's a problem of them leaving her.

[Derivious]

That's.... that's not good :smalleek:

Great job at any rate.

[Harry Joy]

They certainly are big meanies. :smallbiggrin:

[Wolf53226]

Don't feel too sorry for Lein, she can always have her shark swim them out to the boat. Although that was rather nasty of the captain not to tell her.

[StickMan]

Wait are they leaving Lien behind shouldent she be able to keep up on her shark I mean ships are not that fast, last time I looked I mean If she had it "Run" then she should be able to catch up.

[PaladinFreak]

Wow... Elan wa hilarious in that one.

[Archonic Energy]

And now Belkar, Haley and Roy's corpse will have their own private adventure!


anyone seen weekend at bernies :smallwink:

[Ikkitosen]

These cows are small, those are far away :smallbiggrin:

[kire]

Sorry to be nitpicky, but is the arrow in the penultimate comic something that was fired by the archers to the left and missed? It's not sticking out of the boat in the last pannel, and there's no indication of where it came from. Meaningless detail, but the perfectionist in me had to point that out. Anyways, Great comic today!

[Dalenthas]

DAMN YOU CAPTAIN AXE! Though I have to say its not entirely unexpected. Poor Elan, Redcloak probably couldn't even hear his taunts...

[smellie_hippie]

This... um, can't be good. :smalleek:

[Geilan]

Poor Lien/Roy/Belkar/Haley

[Haeleth]

The Captain should have at least waited for Lien to return, that was a foolish sacrifice of a Paladin with at least a few levels under her belt.

[SKarious]

Lien has a shark. She can return whenever she wants.
Wheeee, new strip!

[Gilthans]

I can see Haley and Belkar coming to the docks and finding Redcloak and a goblin army instead of the ship :smalleek:

I wonder if Lien would wait for them or run after the ship.


Gilth

[Elderac]

Oh no! Lien, catch up with the ship.

I wonder how long it will be before Elan will start to think that Nale was killed in the explosion in the castle? As far as I can tell, none of the OotS saw the three escape.

Haley and Belkar are not going to be happy.

Perhaps the crowd at the pier will disperse now that the junk is gone and Lien can carry them to the ship on the shark.

Good comic!

[Akaziel]

Hehe. 'Brains.'

Anyway, I just hope that all of them will be able to find their way back.

[Max_Sinister]

Oops... they forgot something :smallbiggrin:

[Quikngruvn]

Oh dear. At least the Capt. finally was able to do what he's been trying to do for a couple of hours now.

Lien can get back to the ship fine with Razor. Haley and Belkar and Roy... may have a tougher time.

Nice comic, Giant. Way to make Elan go from "useful" to "clueless" in, oh, about two panels!

Oh, and if Cure Moderate is the best that Durkon can cast on Hinjo, then yeah, he's pretty depleted.

[banjo1985]

Oh dear that's not good, I wonder how Haley and Belkar are gonna get back now. Elan sure isn't going to be happy when his brain finally kicks into gear!

[Talitha]

Lien doesn't seem to be making any effort to follow the ship. Perhaps she's decided to wait for Hayley, Belkar, Roy and O'Chul (She doesn't know yet O'CHul is still with the MitD) to give them a lift out to the ship. After all, she's proven to Redcloak that she can beat anything he can summon to throw at her so staying in the water nearby isn't dangerous to her.

[Knight_Of_Twilight]

:O

That is all. :smalleek:

[Pyrian]

...although I do have to admit I feel a little bad that they left Lien on a Shark behind. What's up with that?

I think that's more of an Erfworld-like joke: as long as there was a lien on the ship, they couldn't take it out of port...

[Tundar]

Bah, I thought they would cut another cord and we would get to see Celia again.

Great strip nevertheless :)

[RedScholarGypsy]

Excellent comic. The 'oh sh!t' factor was definitely cranked up.

Also, there may be pockets of resistance/hidden survivors in the city still. They could hide out and plan their next move.

I wonder what Lien will do....

[Alysar]

"I'm sorry Uncle. I'll never swipe a drink from your private stash again."

Hilarious!

[Solara]

Well this doesn't bode well for Haley and Belkar... ...but as others have already noted, Lien doesn't really look like she's trying to follow the ship, so maybe she'll stick around and wait for them like Hinjo wanted. Haley+Belkar+Roy's corpse just isn't a very well-rounded adventuring party, and if they're going to be separated for awhile it makes sense to add another person to the mix.

Plus I would love seeing Lien turn into a more fully fleshed out NPC a la Hinjo - that's one thing I love about the Azure City storyline, all the new characters! Before this, the only new people who were ever added to the cast were villains.

[itliaf]

Boy, this whole situation is really making Elan lose perspective.

*snicker*

Sorry that was terrible. Good strip though, I hope Belkar and Haley are back in the next one.

[yoshi927]

Oh.

OH CRAP!

:smallbiggrin:

Well, this isn't good. It'll be interesting to see how Hinjo reacts when he finds out.

[JoshuaZ]

Hmm, the title "Cutting the Cord" seems to be talking about Captain Axe cutting the rope keeping the ship on the dock. Ropes on ships are called "lines" so a more appropriate title would have been "Cutting the Line." This message is brought to you by the Association of People Who Know Too Much About Sailing and Are Way Too Fast to Nitpick.

[O.T.R]

excellent work. Some actual Redcloak-Elan banter would've been great but the last 3 panels were worth missing that opportunity.

come to think of it, The Adventures of Haley, Belkar and Roy's Corpse sounds so good I actually want them to miss the boat.

[DrivinAllNight]

While I can understand the Captains actions, i definitely do not agree with him. And Durkon is obviously low on spells since he only used Cure Moderate Wounds. Although looking at the strip as a whole i think that the next one involving the strip will more than make up for this seemingly bad/not-so-great action on the part of Cap'n Axe.
And why was Lein just sitting there, not following the ship, it's not like she can do anything to the land based people, and she has got to have some healing left, she could'a helped out Hinjo, maybe bought some more time for the ship?

[TheBoneSplitter]

:smalleek: ...looks like Haley, the presently deceased Roy and Belkar are now royally screwed...

[malakim2099]

Hehehehe. What Lien is probably doing is

waiting for the crowd to disperse, then she can offer Haley and co. a lift. Though as soon as I saw the title, it was an "aw crap" moment. :smallfrown:


This should be interesting to see what happens next.

[Solara]

Hmm, the title "Cutting the Cord" seems to be talking about Captain Axe cutting the rope keeping the ship on the dock. Ropes on ships are called "lines" so a more appropriate title would have been "Cutting the Line." This message is brought to you by the Association of People Who Know Too Much About Sailing and Are Way Too Fast to Nitpick.

I don't think the title is so much about the literal cutting of the cord as it is about leaving Haley and Belkar to fend for themselves...


And why was Lein just sitting there, not following the ship, it's not like she can do anything to the land based people, and she has got to have some healing left, she could'a helped out Hinjo, maybe bought some more time for the ship?

How could she buy more time for the ship if it's already leaving? And going there now and helping heal Hinjo isn't going to stop it. Granted, there's no telling what she'll decide to do until the next comic, but right now it looks like she's the only one still following Hinjo's orders by 'sitting there', as opposed to saying screw it and abandoning Haley and Belkar.

[O.T.R]

*snip*

She still has the (O o) expression- I think she's still in shock at watching Hinjo have his **** handed to him by a goblin. Why else wouldn't she be chasing the ship? She didn't see Hinjo being healed, he could be dead for all she knows (disintegration-dust notwithstanding. She may never have seen the spell being cast before).

[Nakun]

Definitely an "Aw crap..." moment. Although I can't say I'd be disappointed if we got to see more of Haley, Belkar, and Roy's corpse.

Great Comic!

[Maerdred]

Hinjo's gonna be maaaaaaad.

[Magioth]

Hinjos junk just launced :) excellent strip

[Nazzo, the 102nd]

Okay. This does not look good. Now Hinjo, Durkon, Elan and V are officially out of the battle, that means end of the story arc for them. Now the attention turns on Lien, and on the other half of the OotS.

I can think of a fourth compilation book with the Order of the Stick splitted in half.

Where are they sailing to? :smallconfused:

[malakim2099]

Hinjos junk just launced :) excellent strip

And Lien wasn't even onboard, to the surprise of all I'm sure. :smalltongue:

[Surfing HalfOrc]

OK, now we have Team One: Hinjo (Muscle), Elan (Some Muscle/Some Magic), Durkon (Divine Magic), and Vaarsuvius (Arcane Magic).

And Team Two: Haley (Rogue/Ranged Attack), Roy (Muscle, once he gets over being Dead), Belkar (Back-up Muscle) and once Celia gets here, Arcane Magic.

This round goes to the Bad Guys. But the fight isn't over yet!

[KAZMYR]

Elan is going to go ape **** on captain axe...

[MR.PIXIE]

durkons speach bubble is missing its stem:smallconfused:

[Aerysil]

Swim, Razor, swim!

[Deme]

On one hand, I can understand Captain Axe's actions...On the other hand, I'm rolling on the floor screaming agony of "WHY? WHY? OH, THE MIDDEN'S HIT THE WINDMILL NOW!" Ok, it's hit the windmill before, but this is a brand new midden.

[Eldred]

My gods, I hope Haley and Belkar find some way out of there :smalleek:

[Ganurath]

Love the comic, hate the axhole.

[WalkingTarget]

Sorry to be nitpicky, but is the arrow in the penultimate comic something that was fired by the archers to the left and missed? It's not sticking out of the boat in the last pannel, and there's no indication of where it came from. Meaningless detail, but the perfectionist in me had to point that out. Anyways, Great comic today!

I see three arrows in the next-to-last panel and there are archers visible on the left dock in the panel before that. I take it they are just parting shots that may or may not have hit anything important. I think they're just a neat detail the Giant put in.

[Amon Star]

Everything I could possible want to say about this strip has been said already, so I will just go with :eek:.


Where are they sailing to? :smallconfused:

To the refugee fleet I imagine.

[warmachine]

I actually have to agree with the captain. With the number of hobgoblins on the dockside, Haley and Belkar will never reach the ship. Hinjo beating up the blockaders would have allowed the northerners to evacuate but that's no longer possible. The only other person not on board is on a swimming mount and can escape on her own.

Poor Haley and Belkar. They'll see the missing ship and have to escape on foot. In an area full of soldiers ransacking the countryside or worse. Hobgoblins are a savage species and they'll steal all the food. It's a good thing Belkar can kill and cook vultures.

[sealemon]

And so the general prediction of the team split comes true...I more or less figured it would happen. Awesome strip!

I wonder if Lien will be able to act as a go-between for th two groups; presumably her shark is fast enough to dodge any goblinoid ships. Come to think of it, we've already seen goblin ninjas. Are goblin pirates in the near future? Duh duh DUUUHHH!

I also have the bad feeling that Haley and Belkar are gonna wind up havign to stash Roy's corpse somewhere. I don't see him getting rez'd anytime soon...

[Varachan]

Haley has a Bag of Holding, right?

Can't they summon Celia to ferry them out to the junk, carrying Flopsy in the bag?

[McStabbin]

Sucks for Team Flopsy, awesome for us, the readers. I can't wait to see how Belkar will react.

[Lombard]

Lien doesn't seem to be making any effort to follow the ship. Perhaps she's decided to wait for Hayley, Belkar, Roy and O'Chul (She doesn't know yet O'CHul is still with the MitD) to give them a lift out to the ship. After all, she's proven to Redcloak that she can beat anything he can summon to throw at her so staying in the water nearby isn't dangerous to her.

I agree completely, except for the part where Lien's not in any danger, hello volley of hobgob arrows? I want to see the shark carrying Roy daintily to safety in its jaws, with hilarious temptation ensuing.

The token "brains" said by the zombie really made me laugh, it's like he says it because he has to, so funny.

[chorpler]

I see three arrows in the next-to-last panel and there are archers visible on the left dock in the panel before that. I take it they are just parting shots that may or may not have hit anything important. I think they're just a neat detail the Giant put in.

Yeah, it's the arrow in the upper-right corner of the second-to-last panel that proves what's happening, since it's clearly sailing through the air and isn't attached to anything (unless it's a giant arrow sticking out of the remnants of the castle far in the background, which seems, to put it mildly, unlikely): those archers fired at least three arrows at the departing ship and/or Elan, but they didn't hit anything important and the one to the left of Elan didn't stick in the wood of the ship; it was just drawn in mid-flight in a particular way that made it seem like it was stuck in the ship.

[Krytha]

+1 Elan's uselessness. Oh no! Abandon all posts to go shout that your friend might kill the enemy at a later point in time maybe!

[SteveMB]

She still has the (O o) expression- I think she's still in shock at watching Hinjo have his **** handed to him by a goblin. Why else wouldn't she chasing the ship? She didn't see Hinjo being healed, he could be dead for all she knows (disintegration-dust notwithstanding. She may never have seen the spell being cast before).

And, of course, for all she knows even if he wasn't killed outright by the spell he might have been knocked down enough to be killed by the fall onto the deck.

[Porthos]

Huh. Well that ain't good. <insert deadpan emoticon here>

Oh well. Barring a last second reprieve, let the Weekend at Roy's subplot commence! :smallbiggrin:

[jtheory]

Haley has a Bag of Holding, right?

Can't they summon Celia to ferry them out to the junk, carrying Flopsy in the bag?

They can't put Roy in the bag, because it might trigger Belkar's Mark of Justice.
That's also the reason why they won't be stashing his body anywhere (suggested by another poster).

And I suspect Celia wouldn't be too pleased by the idea of carrying Belkar around -- he's the sort who might not exactly keep his hands to himself.

We'll have to (oh dread) wait and see....

[factotum]

So, the Order is getting split! Wow, I think that marks the first time I've been right about a plot twist...

[Archpaladin Zousha]

This is probably overreacting, but I think I'm gonna explode if I don't say it.

Here goes...


NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOO!

There. I said it. I hope Haley and Belkar can get back safely! Will the OotS ever be fully reunited?!

[Fabio_MP]

New comic is up.

nice cut to the story :)

[Pyro]

Wow this plot line is going different than I expected. I wonder if there will be a battle for Azure City: Part Two. If that happens I bet the Order will find the other gate while Hinjo attacks. But then how does Haley get on the boat? I bet that talisman is involved somewhere.

[Atanuero]

Why don't they just sort of circle the city, out of range of archers on the shore till the night, have the spellcasters get some rest, then have them do a Sending to Haley to arrange a meeting place? I'm sure between a fairly powerful wizard (albeit without Teleport), 2 Paladins, and a Cleric they can find a way to transport Haley and Belkar (heck they could probably just swim, I think they both have at least average Strength) to the junk if it's close, and just, I dunno, Teleport the corpse. Or shove both it and Belkar insdie a Bag of Holding.:smalltongue:

There's bound to be some way.

[Svethnika]

Couldn't Lien catch up with his mount to the ship?

[Kesnit]

(heck they could probably just swim, I think they both have at least average Strength) to the junk if it's close, and just, I dunno, Teleport the corpse. Or shove both it and Belkar insdie a Bag of Holding.:smalltongue:

There's bound to be some way.

Depending on :haley:'s STR, she might be able to swim side-stroke, holding :roy:.

[Pantler]

Well, that certainly promises some cool dramatic tension. Way-2-go :smallsmile:

[the_tick_rules]

the OOTS is splitting up? Elan's got some attitude now don't he.

[Randalor]

Somehow, I don't think the last few panels were because Elan realized they left two behind. Why was Redcloak smiling, and Lien looking so shocked in the third-last panel? Remeber that Redcloak told the hobgoblin to summon "something land-based"... is it possible it made it aboard, and now Hinjo's crew has nowhere to run?

[Gez]

Lien doesn't seem to be making any effort to follow the ship. Perhaps she's decided to wait for Hayley, Belkar, Roy and O'Chul (She doesn't know yet O'CHul is still with the MitD)

She doesn't know they've found O'Chul to begin with...

[rosebud]

- I don't see why so many are so negative. It's merely the bottom
part of the story arc. The point from which to rally. So the bottom
goes a little deeper. It just means it'll be that much more
uplifting (or crushingly disappointing) in the end.

- Are they flying now? That is not the perspective I'd expect for
a ship going out to sea.

- If things get really bad, how much of the body is required
for full resurrection? Will a head do? A finger? That would
reduce the weight.

[chorpler]

Why don't they just sort of circle the city, out of range of archers on the shore till the night, have the spellcasters get some rest, then have them do a Sending to Haley to arrange a meeting place? I'm sure between a fairly powerful wizard (albeit without Teleport), 2 Paladins, and a Cleric they can find a way to transport Haley and Belkar (heck they could probably just swim, I think they both have at least average Strength) to the junk if it's close, and just, I dunno, Teleport the corpse. Or shove both it and Belkar insdie a Bag of Holding.:smalltongue:

There's bound to be some way.

They could sail out to the ship on a raft made of hobgoblin corpses!

[fehler]

Hinjo's junk is faster than I thought it'd be, even though it went off prematurlly.

[kierthos]

They could sail out to the ship on a raft made of hobgoblin corpses!
Yeah, I could see Belkar recreating "Tales of the Black Freighter".....

[Keri Thornwood]

Wow, Elan goes from somewhat useful to totally clueless again... he doesn't even get the "drift" that the boat is under sail. What will happen to true love now that he unintentionally left her behind?

Eek!

[Krytha]

Wow, Elan goes from somewhat useful to totally clueless again... he doesn't even get the "drift" that the boat is under sail. What will happen to true love now that he unintentionally left her behind?

Eek!

He'll just go cry about it a bit.

[thegreatmightynerd]

Well that was unexpected. Right before I left for work, too. I think I have just enough time to read it. :smallsmile:

Edit: Hmmm. The arrows in the penultimate panel. Where'd they go in the last one?

huh?
penultimate?

[WuanAnselm]

That can't be good...tough I kind of expected to see that coming considering how they were about to be overrun, and it was both funny and shocking how they leaved "lien" behind :smalleek:

[fractal]

huh?
penultimate?
Second-to-last.

[Keri Thornwood]

- If things get really bad, how much of the body is required
for full resurrection? Will a head do? A finger? That would
reduce the weight.

I think the full body is required for a resurrection, or at a minimum the major parts needed to sustain life. Resurrect doesn't recreate lost material (as far as I know). I don't know all the rules though, and it's the Giant's world, so anything could happen. However, remember Tsukiko made a statement about needing a complete body when she was going to res Miko, though that was an evil spell so it could be different.

[Shadic]

Lien looks pretty worried about the ship leaving though... Maybe she'll stay around, and Haley + Belkar will show up, the three of them will take down all the Hobgoblins, and then ride back on the Shark?

...Maybe?

[paladindim]

Really Nice!

What can I say to you, Richard? (maybe:)

"God D*** it, Richard! Upload the next comic fast! I need to know about :haley:, :belkar: and :roy:'s body!!!"

[Elfanatic]

I think that one particulair Halfling would like to debate with you about that descision, Captain Axe.

[Omicroncubed]

Great comic there Rich :smallsmile:

[Porthos]

I think the full body is required for a resurrection, or at a minimum the major parts needed to sustain life. Resurrect doesn't recreate lost material (as far as I know). I don't know all the rules though, and it's the Giant's world, so anything could happen. However, remember Tsukiko made a statement about needing a complete body when she was going to res Miko, though that was an evil spell so it could be different.

Quick Summary:

Raise Dead: (Mostly) Whole Body Needed.
Resurrection: Any Part of the Body Will Do. Even something as small as a tuft of hair, a fingernail, or the ash from a Disintegrated Body will be sufficent for the spell to work.
True Resurrection: No Body Required.

[Blaznak]

Ooooooh.... Spooky! The gang is DEFINATELY split up now. Yikes!

Now what?

[theinsulabot]

Quick Summary:

Raise Dead: (Mostly) Whole Body Needed.
Resurrection: Any Part of the Body Will Do. Even something as small as a tuft of hair, a fingernail, or the ash from a Disintegrated Body will be sufficent for the spell to work.
True Resurrection: No Body Required.

well, there you go, just cut off a lock of roy's ....oh wait :smallbiggrin:

[Cyrano]

They left Lien, the bastards!

[Barachiel]

Hopefully the team split won't go on too long. I've never been a big fans of dividing the adventuring party in games for obvious reasons. Still, I have faith in the Giant. :)

[Belkar Rocks]

Great stuff, Rich! You've got me on the edge of my seat wondering how this story arc will turn out. Go Team Giant! Yayyyyyy, Giant!

[heroe_de_leyenda]

Well that was unexpected. Right before I left for work, too. I think I have just enough time to read it. :smallsmile:

Edit: Hmmm. The arrows in the penultimate panel. Where'd they go in the last one?

Both arrows in the penultimate panel have not hit the ship. They are in the air, because the hobbos are shooting them as the good guys get away, thats why they are no longer there in the very last panel.

[fractal]

Hopefully the team split won't go on too long. I've never been a big fans of dividing the adventuring party in games for obvious reasons. Still, I have faith in the Giant. :)
The OotS almost never fights as a full team anyway, dividing up is just the latest in their escapades.

A different issue is the clever trick of separating the casters from the physical combatants. Haley and Belkar are sneaky, but that's about all they have going for them, and carrying Roy's body even that won't work so well. Why do people keep thinking Celia will join them as an adventurer, let alone as an arcane caster? One lightning effect? She's just an entry in a monster book, people.

[Spiryt]

Belkar was right :

They're in deep shi...

[Alex Warlorn]

It may or may not have been included in the on-line version of the comic, but the whole POINT of Roy and Celia's date before was that she was more than just a monster entry and had become an actualy character.

[SteveDJ]

I gotta say, I loved the perspective of those last few frames where the docks, then the city, grow smaller and smaller as the ship sails away. Great job!

Now, I wonder:

Now that Haley and Belkar are stranded (with Roy), could they still make another attempt to rescue O'Chul?

[Doug Lampert]

Oh no! Lien, catch up with the ship.

I wonder how long it will be before Elan will start to think that Nale was killed in the explosion in the castle? As far as I can tell, none of the OotS saw the three escape.

Haley and Belkar are not going to be happy.

Perhaps the crowd at the pier will disperse now that the junk is gone and Lien can carry them to the ship on the shark.

Good comic!The OotS concluded that killing Nale was futile because someone would resurect him, ragardless of what they think happened to him at the castle they won't be shocked when he shows up.


And why was Lein just sitting there, not following the ship, it's not like she can do anything to the land based people, and she has got to have some healing left, she could'a helped out Hinjo, maybe bought some more time for the ship?

Why does she have to have some healing left? She was guarding the docks ALONE while they waited for Hinjo against repeated attacks by multiple hobgoblins. She'd have used it on herself since if she went down the entire shipload of innocents went with her.

Re: all the posts about leaving Lein behind. People, she grew up on the docks, she has a shark for a mount, "Oh No Brer Giant, please don't throw me in that wide open ocean!" She's fine, she's on a Large Shark mount, which moves at 60' (70' if she is level 8+ which is likely) and can Run. So it can ONLY move at 240'-280' per round, at the low end that's about 24 knots. How many sailing ships move at 24 knots? The world record is about twice that fast for a modern racing boat on a short course with no extra weight and a good wind. For a realistic refugue ship built of wood with historical methods the shark can catch them with normal moves and time out for lunch breaks.

[chorpler]

Both arrows in the penultimate panel have not hit the ship. They are in the air, because the hobbos are shooting them as the good guys get away, thats why they are no longer there in the very last panel.

Just to clarify, there are three arrows in the penultimate panel: one that looks like it has stuck in the ship, to the right of Lien and Razor; one that is sailing over Elan's "You are awfully..." speech balloon, and one directly to the right of his head that we can only see the tail end of. In the antepenultimate panel, it looks like the hobgoblin archers near Lien have at least partly raised their bows, and the two archers on the far right (near Elan's head) are pointing loaded bows, presumably at the ship. So it's no surprise that there's a final hail of arrows. Hopefully Lien and Razor will escape without being turned into pincushions, though.

[chorpler]

Re: all the posts about leaving Lein behind. People, she grew up on the docks, she has a shark for a mount, "Oh No Brer Giant, please don't throw me in that wide open ocean!" She's fine, she's on a Large Shark mount, which moves at 60' (70' if she is level 8+ which is likely) and can Run. So it can ONLY move at 240'-280' per round, at the low end that's about 24 knots. How many sailing ships move at 24 knots? The world record is about twice that fast for a modern racing boat on a short course with no extra weight and a good wind. For a realistic refugue ship built of wood with historical methods the shark can catch them with normal moves and time out for lunch breaks.

And conveniently, that's about the maximum speed of a shark in real life, too -- their top speed is about 25mph, which is about 22 knots. (Assuming that when they say a shark's top speed is 25mph, they're talking about regular miles and not nautical miles.)

[SKarious]

Waitaminute.
Isn't stealing liqueur from your uncle's stash against the paladin code?

[Demented]

Poor Elan...
They left behind his best friend, his girlfriend, and the (other) bane of his life.
He must be so conflicted.

[PhallicWarrior]

Ohhh dear.

[JackShandy]

Waitaminute.
Isn't stealing liqueur from your uncle's stash against the paladin code?

I'm guessing that was something he did as a kid, before he became a paladin. As the heir apparent to Azure City I'm pretty sure he could afford his own booze if he was old enough for someone to sell it to him.

[Porthos]

Waitaminute.
Isn't stealing liqueur from your uncle's stash against the paladin code?


I'm guessing that was something he did as a kid, before he became a paladin. As the heir apparent to Azure City I'm pretty sure he could afford his own booze if he was old enough for someone to sell it to him.

Yep. I'm sure it's just a varient of "But, Ma! I don't wanna go to school today..." line that we seen in thousands of stories where a character is xtra groggy and reliving their childhood for a split second.

[holywhippet]

I was thinking this strip was a good example of why Elan should try to get some decent bard spells. Then I looked at the bard spell list on d20srd.org - they pretty much all suck.

[David Argall]

OK, the captain made the right call. No question. Their big fighter was down, the wiz is out of spells. The cleric is reduced to using 20 point cures on 100 point wounds. The bard is .... well, the bard. That leaves a couple of soldiers and Lien, who is needed in the water to stop any more marine attacks. On the other side is a dockload or two of zombies and hobgoblins, backed up by clerics of considerable power, minimum. [There are 20,000 more foes not far away.] They stay, they die.

They are to rescue Haley and party? She is either dead or able to take care of herself.

Haley and Belkar are going to rescue the ship? That won't even pass muster in Hollywood. Belkar is quite likely still in city here, and Haley is low on arrows.

So Captain Axe did just what he should have done, rescue Hinjo, and everybody else, from any foolishness of dying heroically.

[Doug Lampert]

I was thinking this strip was a good example of why Elan should try to get some decent bard spells. Then I looked at the bard spell list on d20srd.org - they pretty much all suck.
That would be suck in the sense of Rock I assume. The only problem with Bard spells is that Bards get so few spells per day and the level is about 2/3rds what a Wizard or Cleric casts. But the spell list itself is great and matches well with a Bard's strengths.

If you want to throw fireballs play a wizard, Bard spells are some of the strongest in the game at a given spell-level, they are frequently spells of one level higher for a wizard and some of the BEST spells of that higher level.

[silvadel]

Can you smell that smell.....

Roy is going to be really ripe by the time they manage to get anywhere.

[malakim2099]

Can you smell that smell.....

Roy is going to be really ripe by the time they manage to get anywhere.

It's not even been a full day yet.

[Iridium]

I have a sneaking suspicion that the Giant has been reading a lot of A Song of Ice and Fire lately.

Fortunately we don't have the incesto-pedorifficness. Yet.

[BRC]

I just realized, Capt Axe cut the ship away from the anchor, how will they stop?

[maximus]

I don't think the Giant would leave the group separated as the end of a story arc. I don't think we have seen the end of this yet.

Maybe Haley will find the amulet and smash it and get Celia to help them catch up so she can smack the captain for not waiting.

[David Argall]

I just realized, Capt Axe cut the ship away from the anchor, how will they stop?

The ship has plenty of rope, and any heavy weight will do as an anchor in a pinch. So lower the sails and toss something overboard. Crude, but effective.

[BRC]

The ship has plenty of rope, and any heavy weight will do as an anchor in a pinch. So lower the sails and toss something overboard. Crude, but effective.
Why do I have a feeling that durkon in his armor will serve as the anchor.

[paulg]

I just realized, Capt Axe cut the ship away from the anchor, how will they stop?

The ship was docked, so the captain cut the line that held it there. Ships usually don't anchor when they are docked.

My money is Elan will use all his bard skillz to convince the captain to turn around so he can dashingly save the day....maybe dreaming but it could happen.

I don't understand why everyone is worrying about Lien, she's probably in the best position of everyone right now.

EDIT: I also have to add that I would have severe reservations about getting on any boat where the crew moored it from the mast. :smalleek:

[Ink]

Hahaha! Not unexpected, but still hilarious! Eh, why did they just leave Lien behind though? If Haley, Belkar, and Roy meet up with Lien, I wonder if she could ferry them out to the ship on her big shark.

[NeonRonin]

Well this is certainly a fine how-d'ya-do. I can't really blame Capt. Axe for doing what he did, and now all we can hope for is that Haley & Belkar figure out how to rejoin the party(unless, of course, a split-party plot is what's in the works right now).

I could see Belkar tying together a raft of hobgoblin corpses, if someone let him. (:xykon: Hey! I had that idea first!)

Or, as some may have already mentioned, it may be time to get Celia back... though Haley more than likely doesn't know what the talisman is for, so I'm not sure if and how they're going to set that up.

Last but not least, loved Elan's transition from defiant to stupefied in a matter of seconds. I've been there myself once or twice.

Keep up the good work, Rich!

[eilandesq]

Things might not be so bad for Haley and Belkar right now--the docks are now empty of any major ships, and Redcloak is undoubtedly going to retreat to the main encampment to rest and regain spells (if he can rest while Xykon is mocking him for not using that disintegrate spell on the waterline of Hinjo's junk--which would have certainly sent it to the bottom of the bay by blowing a ten foot wide hole in the hull). If they can find another small boat and sneak it out past whatever hobgoblins are left to keep watch (or to kill them if the group is small enough), they can row out to sea and figure out a way to signal the others or wait for Durkon to recover spells and locate and/or contact them. If Lien is still lurking around, this becomes an even easier proposition.

[Tach13]

Great imaging at the end Giant. How you manage to convey emotions with stick figures is down right amazing.

As for Lien carrying 2 living and 1 dead passenger, can even a large shark swim with 4 beings on it's back (even if 1 is small, 2 are wearing heavy armor)? I don't think Lien is the re-uniting factor in that manor, just doesn't make sense.

[Surfing HalfOrc]

The OotS almost never fights as a full team anyway, dividing up is just the latest in their escapades.

A different issue is the clever trick of separating the casters from the physical combatants. Haley and Belkar are sneaky, but that's about all they have going for them, and carrying Roy's body even that won't work so well. Why do people keep thinking Celia will join them as an adventurer, let alone as an arcane caster? One lightning effect? She's just an entry in a monster book, people.

Celia is more than an entry in a monster book, she's also Roy's girlfriend, and an attorney (in training.) She also said "and if you really need help, you can break it, and it will summon you to me." http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0320.html

So the stage has been set for Celia's return when Roy needs help.

Ever see the movie, The Sure Thing? There was a scene when the two main characters (John Cusack and Daphne Zuniga) were caught out in the rain, no food, no money, no car. They tried to break into a travel trailer to get out of the weather, but the trailer was locked.

Alison: I have a credit card.
Gib: Credit cards work on a completely different kind of lock
Alison: I have a credit card.
Gib: You have a credit card?
Alison: Yes. But my father told me only to use it in case of an emergency.
Gib: Well, maybe one will come up.

Yeah, maybe an emergency will come along, and give Celia a reason to help her boyfriend. But we should wait a few more strips, just to make sure. After all, she's only an entry in a monster book, right?

[kreszantas]

Love the zombie in the second panel, for some reason I just found the "brains" hilarious this time.


Brains comment from the zombies reminds me of Diablo series all zombies said that

[Crimsonfur]

And thus begins an interesting side adventure involving Hinjo, V, Durkon, and Elan
And thus begins an interesting doom to befall Haley, Belkar, and Roy's body.

[Harry Joy]

Well, if we still assume that Elan, Durkon and V are meant to represent player characters, and Captain Ax is in fact a good guy NPC and not a BBEG in disguise, you can bet your sweet pattootie that the PCs are going to get that boat turned around, pronto.

And Hinjo, too.

hth

[Wonton]

I have to say, the best part was Hinjo's muttered comment. :smallbiggrin:

[Miklus]

There is still many options to get the party back together again:


Celia can airlift them, or she can at least carry Roy. Lien and her shark can carry Haley + Belkar. If they can get past the hobbos, that is. And only if the ship stays in sight of the shore...


I hope the party gets back together soon, I miss Roy.

[Bubbles]

I can envision...

...Lien and Haley riding Razor at a full RUn speed wihle they tow Roy's body behind Razor with Belkar using poor Roy as a monoboard to water ski behind the shark all the way to Hinjo's junk. .:biggrin:

[Ink]

I can envision...

...Lien and Haley riding Razor at a full RUn speed wihle they tow Roy's body behind Razor with Belkar using poor Roy as a monoboard to water ski behind the shark all the way to Hinjo's junk. .:biggrin:

This is a time when O-Chul would have come in handy, eh... :smallwink:

[Leliel]

With Elan's intelligence, I bet he thinks the hobbos are under a shrink spell.

[Gitman00]

Hinjo is going to be royally pissed at Axe. Remember #473 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0473.html): "...in the future, I prefer to have my orders obeyed, even if they cause me personal inconveniences later."

[Athanatos]

With Elan's intelligence, I bet he thinks the hobbos are under a shrink spell.

That ain't how we spell "wisdom" 'round these parts.

[Alex Warlorn]

I can envision...

...Lien and Haley riding Razor at a full RUn speed wihle they tow Roy's body behind Razor with Belkar using poor Roy as a monoboard to water ski behind the shark all the way to Hinjo's junk. .:biggrin:

That's the scenario we can HOPE will come to pass. If Redcloak or his troops don't murder them all first.

[Antamar]

My idea...

Haley and Belkar will kill the Hobbos on the dock (they're only 1 HD) and probably scare Redcloak off with Belkar using Roy's body to either a: deal non-lethal damage, or b: make all the kills count as Roy's since he's technically doing the damage. Hinjo, once he gets out of his stupor, will demand the boat be turned around to get Lien, Haley, Belkar, and Roy's corpse.

Great comic, love Hinjo waking up:smallbiggrin:.

[GrimDoomFlame]

:smallannoyed:

[silvadel]

Actually that was the perfect time to drop the illusion... It wasnt going to work on the zombies anyway.

[skywalker]

Captain Axe is a dillweed.

If you look really closely, you can see the "WTF?!" look on Lien's face. Which says to me that she's very surprised, not that happy, and not sure what's she's going to do about this turn of events.

I wanna see Elan go back to being hardcore and mess with Capt. Axe's head. Anyone else see his illusion use as foreshadowing? He's still got plenty of mind-affecting spells...

And you know he wants that boat turned around.

[Clamps]

Don't worry about Lien. She'll come back. She'll have to, or else Haley's player would be sitting in the corner bored during the Boat Team's plots.

It's my theory that Hinjo is a temp PC for Roy's player, and I think Captain Axe will turn increasingly Belkarish as the plot goes on. Note how Belkar and Axe both just left a Paladin in the hands of the enemy.

Assuming, of course, it lasts.

[Oberon]

Mysteries revealed!
Solved speculation 1: Looks like the OOTs will be splitting up, unless V Elan and Durkon find a way of turning the boat around.
Solved speculation 2: Hinjo did, in fact, take falling damage. We still don't know if he failed his save tho'.

[Mr Teufel]

I think that's more of an Erfworld-like joke: as long as there was a lien on the ship, they couldn't take it out of port...

That deserves a *groan*

Why don't they put Roy and Belkar in the bag of holding for ease of transport, whether that ends up being Celia by air or Lien by sea?

[Ghantul]

That deserves a *groan*

Why don't they put Roy and Belkar in the bag of holding for ease of transport, whether that ends up being Celia by air or Lien by sea?


Because Belkar would suffocate,like how Haley mentioned of O'chul suffocating if put into the Bag of Holding.

[David Argall]

My idea...

Haley and Belkar will kill the Hobbos on the dock (they're only 1 HD) and probably scare Redcloak off with Belkar using Roy's body to either a: deal non-lethal damage, or b: make all the kills count as Roy's since he's technically doing the damage. Hinjo, once he gets out of his stupor, will demand the boat be turned around to get Lien, Haley, Belkar, and Roy's corpse.


Haley is wounded and down to three arrows. Belkar is in a city and is a wimpy halfling, who can't swing a heavy Roy. Redcloak still has spells, and has other clerics to help him, not to mention there being 20,000 other troops on call. Nor can we expect Hinjo to turn around, or the rest of the ship to pay much attention to any order to turn around. He's down to about 25 hp instead of 100, and the cleric is about out of spells. Even Hinjo should see that there was no choice but to leave.
The heros ultimately win, but not every battle along the way. This time, the only victory they get is getting away.

[Flynnarrel]

Do the docks count as 'in the city'?

In any event, I'm waiting for Belkar to discover saps or another non-lethal causing weapon. With his dual wielding he can lay a mess of halfling smack down on a lot of hobbos. For extra credit, he'll dump the knocked out foes in the water to drown at their leisure.

[harodotus]

I'm surprised that no one else noticed that there is exactly one dock free of goblins (the far left one).

My guess is that the corpse retrieval party sneakingly arrives at that dock and gets the attention of Lien on her Shark (arrow shot maybe?) and get a lift to the boat.

That does leave the seating arrangements on the shark out for humor though. I think that it's gonna be Lien, Haley and Belkar squeezing onto it's back with Roy being literally thrown to the sharks... to ride it's it's mouth (hopefully Durkon can fix that damage too).

I do like the idea though of Belkar riding a shark pulled water-raft made of dead goblins (or even Roy). That sets up the "hey i thought of that first" line by Xyklon.

[belboz]

Celia is more than an entry in a monster book, she's also Roy's girlfriend, and an attorney (in training.) She also said "and if you really need help, you can break it, and it will summon you to me." http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0320.html

So the stage has been set for Celia's return when Roy needs help.


Anyway, although I don't have the "monster book" (and the SRD doesn't include sylphs), do I not correctly remember that they're actually *listed* as having a fair number of spell-like abilities?

On the other hand...does anyone but Roy actually *know* about the not-a-booty-talisman? And Roy's not really in a position to suggest breaking it.

[Ithekro]

I believe what you are looking for is an "Air Elemental", which could be known as a "sylph" outside of D&D. That is the closest thing I've been able to find.

[David Argall]

does anyone but Roy actually *know* about the not-a-booty-talisman? And Roy's not really in a position to suggest breaking it.


http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0320.html
Haley is right in the picture when Celia gives Roy the NBT, and Belkar may merely be off camera at that moment. He is present within a moment, as is the rest of the gang so there is plenty of grounds for assuming everybody knows [if it is convenient for the plot for them to remember].

[jamroar]

I believe what you are looking for is an "Air Elemental", which could be known as a "sylph" outside of D&D. That is the closest thing I've been able to find.

Sylphs are Small Outsiders (Air) from Monster Manual II. In the earlier editions they were classed as a type of Air Para-elemental, which is what Celia calls herself. They have innate sorcerous abilities, which explains her spellcasting.

[sir_pudding]

I wanna see Elan go back to being hardcore and mess with Capt. Axe's head. Anyone else see his illusion use as foreshadowing? He's still got plenty of mind-affecting spells...

He doesn't even need spells, this is exactly where the Bardic Music Abilities Fascinate and Suggestion are useful.

[slb]

Hmm, the title "Cutting the Cord" seems to be talking about Captain Axe cutting the rope keeping the ship on the dock. Ropes on ships are called "lines" so a more appropriate title would have been "Cutting the Line." This message is brought to you by the Association of People Who Know Too Much About Sailing and Are Way Too Fast to Nitpick.

Although I lack the vocabulary (in French we say "amares") I have been far more upset by these would-be sailors mooring their boat with the mast !

For sure Rich never had the opportunity to sail or even use a motor boat :smallbiggrin:

[Acyberexile]

Look on the bright side, at least now if Lien catches up with Belkar and Haley, she'll get to be a better supporting character, instead of just being in three or four strips. As I said before, they'll probably get a Lotr-ish adventure.

Now here's the real question, what gate is it going to be next? Girard's or Kraagar's? Redcloak said that one of them was across a great ocean and the other has seven nations between Azure City and themselves. Maybe they'll use Azure City's loot to build ships and head to the first one? And if they do that, Haley and Belkar, with the help of Lien can follow them from behind, or at least Haley and Belkar can sneak aboard some of the ships.

[Lissou]

Now here's the real question, what gate is it going to be next? Girard's or Kraagar's?

We might have the answer in the prophecy. Of course, the prophecy might have been fulfilled already, depending on how far the gates are (They might have been in the perimeter Roy stated (can't remember how much it was) without going towards it at all).

[factotum]

Roy stated they had to be within a thousand feet, so no way have they come close to either Kraagor's or Girard's gates. Girard's will definitely be next on the list. It makes more sense for Xykon etc. to head that way anyway--they're in a major port city, and they want to travel across the ocean to reach Girard's gate; can't help but feel that those two facts are linked!

[EntilZha]

I think a better title for this comic would have been "The Breaking of the Order".

:smallfrown:

[Amon Star]

I actually have to agree with the captain. With the number of hobgoblins on the dockside, Haley and Belkar will never reach the ship. Hinjo beating up the blockaders would have allowed the northerners to evacuate but that's no longer possible. The only other person not on board is on a swimming mount and can escape on her own.

Poor Haley and Belkar. They'll see the missing ship and have to escape on foot. In an area full of soldiers ransacking the countryside or worse. Hobgoblins are a savage species and they'll steal all the food. It's a good thing Belkar can kill and cook vultures.

Just to nitpick, but Hobgoblins aren't that savage. They vicious & militaristic, however, & will obviously use the food stores for themselves. But so would any conquering military force.
Why don't they just sort of circle the city, out of range of archers on the shore till the night, have the spellcasters get some rest, then have them do a Sending to Haley to arrange a meeting place? I'm sure between a fairly powerful wizard (albeit without Teleport), 2 Paladins, and a Cleric they can find a way to transport Haley and Belkar (heck they could probably just swim, I think they both have at least average Strength) to the junk if it's close, and just, I dunno, Teleport the corpse. Or shove both it and Belkar insdie a Bag of Holding.:smalltongue:

There's bound to be some way.

You forgot about :elan:.

[ail]

It may be just me, but I've seen craziest ideas around. I actually think the boat is not sailing away, it is flying away. That explains why Lien is looking up with her quizzed look and unable to follow, the missing arrows in the last panel (they flew below the ship), Elan's quizzed expression and, I think, having the rope around the mast, although I'm still to see why. I guess that also explains Hinjo's reluctance in starting the ship, since flying and landing is not as reversible a process as sailing in and sailing out: landing involves the loss of air that can not be easily replenished.

I got this impression mainly because of the people getting that small. Ok, that happens on land, of course, but it seemed too fast and also that there was some ambiguous perspective.

Just my thoughts, anyway.

Alex

[factotum]

I don't see the perspective as ambiguous at all. It looks like the background and docks are simply shrinking in each panel, because that's presumably easier to do than redrawing with the perfectly correct perspective each time. Lien is shocked because she just saw Hinjo blasted out of the air, and Elan is puzzled because he didn't think the junk would leave until Haley and Belkar turned up. Hinjo was reluctant to leave because they can't realistically sail back in to the docks--while the junk was tied up they could play to their strengths by meleeing with them, but once it's sailed they become vulnerable to hobgoblin archers and catapaults, so they can't easily go back.

[One Skunk Todd]

I wonder if

Haley, Belkar and Roy might already be on the ship. Haley has a fairly good sneaking ability right? Maybe they got close to the docks, saw the situation and took a last minute chance on stuffing Roy and Belkar into a bag of holding and Haley making a dash for it.

[John Campbell]

Mysteries revealed!
Solved speculation 1: Looks like the OOTs will be splitting up, unless V Elan and Durkon find a way of turning the boat around.
Solved speculation 2: Hinjo did, in fact, take falling damage. We still don't know if he failed his save tho'.
I strongly suspect that he failed it. It's hard to say exactly, because we don't know for sure what level either Hinjo or Redcloak are, but average damage from a failed save on a disintegrate is at least in the same ballpark as Hinjo's probable hit points. It does much less damage on a successful save; even maximum damage wouldn't take him down far enough that the falling damage would knock him out, unless he were already badly wounded before taking the disintegrate, which we see no evidence of.

Paladins have excellent Fort saves, but Redcloak's save DC for that spell is at least 20, and everybody gets unlucky occasionally.

[Prince_Rohan]

Although I lack the vocabulary (in French we say "amares") I have been far more upset by these would-be sailors mooring their boat with the mast !

For sure Rich never had the opportunity to sail or even use a motor boat :smallbiggrin:

LOL I was thinking the same thing, but thought it too anal to mention. I no longer feel so alone.

Fair winds,

Rohan

[rosebud]

Hinjo is going to be royally pissed at Axe.Hinjo's orders were followed, so Hinjo would have no cause. They held out as long as possible. With the leader of the defense incapacitated, Hinjo was no longer able to give further orders. With their defense down, that was the end of possible point, so off they sailed.


It may be just me, but I've seen craziest ideas around. I actually think the boat is not sailing away, it is flying away.Nope, not just you. I asked about it on page 3 of this thread, but no one seemed to comment on it (unless I missed seeing the followup). Basically, the boat seems to high in the water for it to actually be in the water.

[Doug Lampert]

Great imaging at the end Giant. How you manage to convey emotions with stick figures is down right amazing.

As for Lien carrying 2 living and 1 dead passenger, can even a large shark swim with 4 beings on it's back (even if 1 is small, 2 are wearing heavy armor)? I don't think Lien is the re-uniting factor in that manor, just doesn't make sense.
Assume Lien is level 8-10, the shark gets a +2 strength adjustment. A large Shark has a base strength of 17. So it has about 19 strength and is large, base heavy load is 700lb, more if you decide it is treated as a quadraped rather than a biped. It can drag up to 3500lb.

Guessing:
Roy + gear is probably about 200lb, Haley about 150lb, Belkar about 30lb, Lein maybe 150lb also (she's aquatic based, she probably isn't a heavy armor wearer).

The shark can carry them all.

[Vulion]

Oi...this is not going the way I had hoped it would...

[berrew]

<snip> Basically, the boat seems to high in the water for it to actually be in the water.Since the ocean is represented by a big aqua area without any waves or other definition, there's no way to see this. Occam's razor recommends that usually, a boat is just a boat.

[Faramir]

Boy, this whole situation is really making Elan lose perspective.

*snicker*

Sorry that was terrible. Good strip though, I hope Belkar and Haley are back in the next one.


Drat. You beat me to it. I really have to check for new strips more often...

[Aris Katsaris]

"A wind by night in Northern lands
Arose, and loud it cried,
And drove the ship from elven-strands
Across the streaming tide.

When dawn came dim the land was lost,
The mountains sinking grey
Beyond the heaving waves that tossed
Their plumes of blinding spray.

Amroth beheld the fading shore
Now low beyond the swell,
And cursed the faithless ship that bore
Him far from Nimrodel."

Just something that sprang in mind, given how the ship is now bearing Elan away from Haley.

[Hurkyl]

Both arrows in the penultimate panel have not hit the ship. They are in the air, because the hobbos are shooting them as the good guys get away, thats why they are no longer there in the very last panel.

While that's the most likely explanation, I do rather like assuming it simply got stuck in the border of the panel. :smallsmile:

Oh, I am now worried about the fact there were four bows, but we only saw three of the arrows...

[HUMVEE Driver]

If Hinjo's junk really is a flying ship, as you may percieve and as some have suggested, that may explain why the junk was moored with a line tied around its mast. I think the prefered method of securing a flying junk is unknown territory, so using the mast may very well be the best way to do it.

Captain Axe made the right choice. It may have been a hard choice, but it was the right one. His duty is to his crew, the innocents aboard HIS ship, (Hinjo might own it, but Captain Axe is in charge) and to the saftey if the ship itself. With Hinjo down, Captain Axe runs the show and his word is law aboard that ship. Standing your ground and getting killed (although very paladin-like) is not very smart.

A good leader knows when to obey orders. A great leader knows when to disobey them.

[teratorn]

The shark can carry them all.

Holy mount+evil halfling = Belkar as shark snack.

[factotum]

Why? Windstriker didn't randomly decide to kill Belkar at any point, even after Belkar made it quite clear that he'd kill the horse given the slightest opportunity.

[Drglenn]

As far as healing is concerned if Elan had the sense to choose some cure spells then the junk party still has plenty of heals left, but knowing Elan he probably didn't take any cure spells

On the other hand, the dead roy party has no spellcasters (or at least none that can cast any spells), unless they meet up with lien, who might be able to ferry them to the ship provided she stays behind long enough for haley & co to catch up

[shylocxs]

What I particularly liked was the fading landscape scenes in the last three panels... with the full devastation visible. Man, who says you can't make great art with stick figures! And I should know (I am an art critic/art historian, after all).

[Fingolfin]

Well I have to say that the leaving boat was more or less expected, however in our hearts we probably wanted for Haley and Belkar to make it before it sails away.

Perhaps in the comics to come we may expect a sudden return of the boat with awaken Hinjo on command. May be one of the few plot resolving means left.

[Bart Sylfae]

A cord is a bundle of wood.

Sticks are in fact, wood.

So the "Order of the Stick" is a bundle of wood.

They have just been split up.

Splitting is like cutting...

Hence "Cutting of the Cord" is like saying "splitting up the order of the stick"

I think the title has little to do with Captain Axe cutting the main mast line.

[16oz]

Anybody else besides me picture Elan doing the Kids in the Hall schtick of closing one eye and going "I'm crushing you Redcloak! Crush! Crush! And I'm crushing your gouda loving army! Crush!!"

[Keri Thornwood]

Assume Lien is level 8-10, the shark gets a +2 strength adjustment. A large Shark has a base strength of 17. So it has about 19 strength and is large, base heavy load is 700lb, more if you decide it is treated as a quadraped rather than a biped. It can drag up to 3500lb.

Guessing:
Roy + gear is probably about 200lb, Haley about 150lb, Belkar about 30lb, Lein maybe 150lb also (she's aquatic based, she probably isn't a heavy armor wearer).

The shark can carry them all.

Hmm, you seem to have forgotten a variable in your math. The shark is supported by water buoyancy, not by land. Therefore the amount of weight the shark can carry is dependent on its mass displacement in the water, not its strength. While the shark may be able to float with Lien on its back, four people would likely sink it.

The shark can't carry them all. Towing, however is a different matter.

Oops.... *twirls finger in hair* Sharkie is shrinking just like the hobgoblins!

[Surfing HalfOrc]

Hmm, you seem to have forgotten a variable in your math. The shark is supported by water buoyancy, not by land. Therefore the amount of weight the shark can carry is dependent on its mass displacement in the water, not its strength. While the shark may be able to float with Lien on its back, four people would likely sink it.

The shark can't carry them all. Towing, however is a different matter.

Oops.... *twirls finger in hair* Sharkie is shrinking just like the hobgoblins!

The shark is bouyed by the water displacement, but so is everyone else. When I was in the Navy, they told us a lifering only had 30 pounds bouyancy, but it was enough to support two average sized people in the water.

Still, I'm not convinced that everyone will be meeting back at the boat anytime soon. I'm in the camp that says the Order will be broken into two groups:

Team One: Elan, Vaarsuvius and Durkon, with Hinjo as the non-core member.

Team Two: Haley, Belkar, Roy's dead body, and Celia as the other non-core member.

I'm not sure how they will raise Roy, but I remember dragging coffins around in the "Dragon Warrior" games. Rich makes comments/jokes about older computer RPG games, so I think he probably has seen the dragging coffin gag before...

I think the two teams also fit's WoTC's design idea of four PCs vs "The Adventure." Six isn't too "overmuscled" but I have some old 1st ed. modules that set the adventure at 6-10 adventurers vs. "The Adventure."

[Lazy Fat Man]

Is it just me or did Hinjo's junk just launch backwards.

If Hinjo's junk (does it have a proper name?) goes that fast in reverse, it must be the fastest ship in the ocean. :smallwink:

Edit: Having taken a second look, I guess it was just me. :smallfrown:

[David Argall]

No, it was not just you. Several people were not that aware that the bow of a junk can be quite low. Of course the picture of the stern here does have it a bit sharp and that may be an error.

[Metool2]

I'm getting Final Fantasy flashbacks here.. XD When Sabin, Terra, and Locke all got split up, had their own long winded adventures that eventually curled right back into one spot.

So, wonder what hinjos first orders will be when he wakes up? o.o

[Doug Lampert]

Hmm, you seem to have forgotten a variable in your math. The shark is supported by water buoyancy, not by land. Therefore the amount of weight the shark can carry is dependent on its mass displacement in the water, not its strength. While the shark may be able to float with Lien on its back, four people would likely sink it.

The shark can't carry them all. Towing, however is a different matter.

As has been pointed out the required bouyancy is negligale. In reality the DRAG of so many extra people would substantially slow a shark (far more than it will in game), but you are forgetting the most important part: This works by D&D3.5 rules and they don't say squat about not being able to do stuff because of bouyancy or drag concerns, they give carrying capacity based on strength and size and whether it has four legs or not and don't much care about trivialities like the difference between walking and swimming.

The shark can carry 700lb. It can carry 700lb of lead which in reality would send it straight toward the bottom, it can carry 700lb of balsa which in reality would anchor it to the surface, and it treats both exactly identically in terms of how it carries them.

[Arkenputtyknife]

The shark is bouyed by the water displacement, but so is everyone else. When I was in the Navy, they told us a lifering only had 30 pounds bouyancy, but it was enough to support two average sized people in the water.

Only if they're in the water as well, and so displacing water with their own volume as well as the ring's. One person standing on the ring, rather than floating within it, would sink the ring until he's chest-deep and displacing enough water to float.

However, this is academic, because unlike most fish, sharks have negative buoyancy. They're heavier than water and don't have swim bladders. When they stop moving, they sink. To stay afloat, they have to keep moving. So the amount of weight a shark can carry is limited not by its buoyancy, because it doesn't have any, but by its speed—which is determined in part by its strength.

Edit:


As has been pointed out the required bouyancy is negligale.

Wrong. The people on the shark are out of the water. The shark is carrying their full weight.

[Ariko]

I'm getting Final Fantasy flashbacks here.. XD When Sabin, Terra, and Locke all got split up, had their own long winded adventures that eventually curled right back into one spot.

So, wonder what hinjos first orders will be when he wakes up? o.o

Hehe, I am actually playing through that again right now :smallbiggrin:

[Slayn82]

/Spoiler
Maybe RC will cast an earthquake against the departing ship? It could create a wave big enought to sink the junk.
/spoiler

[Celisasu]

I'm surprised that Belkar hasn't cut off Roy's ear or something so that he'll always meet the radius requirement for being in a certain distance of Roy.

[Drizzt]

HA! I laugh at Elan's stupidity

[Dark Wolf]

I meant to say this days ago, but aren't undead, such as those Zombies, immune to illusions?

[Silverblaze]

Great imaging at the end Giant. How you manage to convey emotions with stick figures is down right amazing.

As for Lien carrying 2 living and 1 dead passenger, can even a large shark swim with 4 beings on it's back (even if 1 is small, 2 are wearing heavy armor)? I don't think Lien is the re-uniting factor in that manor, just doesn't make sense.

Are we talking an African shark or a European one? In order to maintain waterspeed carrying capacity, a shark needs to beat its fins forty-three times every ... :smallwink:

[Megatron]

Are we talking an African shark or a European one? In order to maintain waterspeed carrying capacity, a shark needs to beat its fins forty-three times every ... :smallwink:

You sir, win the internets. :smallbiggrin:

[Silverblaze]

You sir, win the internets. :smallbiggrin:

As could be said in my native tounge: "Den laa lige til hoejrebenet" - or 'very' roughly translated: "It was too good to let slip by" :smallbiggrin:

[Lupus Major]

@ Silverblaze

:smallbiggrin:

@ Those people who think the boat is flying

Have a look at page 480 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0480.html), panel 8. You clearly see the way the stern is cut, which may make it appear as if the junk is flying. But no, that boat's just a boat.

[Alfryd]

New comic is up.
Godsdammnit, he's at it again.
"Oh, Hinjo's keeping the ship moored. Logically, therefore, they'll pick up Haley, Roy's corpse, Belkar, Belkar's trophy (Miko's warm liver,) and all shall be well."

Oh well. I presume a sending spell in the morning will remedy matters.


To stay afloat, they have to keep moving. So the amount of weight a shark can carry is limited not by its buoyancy, because it doesn't have any, but by its speed—which is determined in part by its strength.
This is correct. Sharks create uplift through their fins and rely on these to remain at a particular depth.

I meant to say this days ago, but aren't undead, such as those Zombies, immune to illusions?
I think they're immune to enchantment spells, but not illusions.

[Amon Star]

I'm surprised that Belkar hasn't cut off Roy's ear or something so that he'll always meet the radius requirement for being in a certain distance of Roy.Don't be silly. :roy: doesn't have any ears, as he's a stick figure. :tongue: Seriously though, :belkar: probably hasn't thought of it yet. Also, if he ever does, I doubt it will work.
I meant to say this days ago, but aren't undead, such as those Zombies, immune to illusions?It depends on the illusion, but mostly no. Undead are immune to mind affecting spells, but not all are immune to perception altering spells.

EDIT: Slightly Ninja'd by Alfryd.

[Slayn82]

Yes, undead wold not be afected by Elan`s ilusions (since the lion was just a image, not a shadow), but they also would not do enought damage to hurt a summoned celestial lion, and Elan`s lost concentration could be justified as the end of the duration of the spell, anyway.

[DragoonStar47]

Yea, they wouldn't be affected at all by it.

[John Campbell]

Undead are immune to mind-affecting spells, which includes some, but not all illusions. They're immune to "charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects". Illusions of the sort that Elan is using (one of the * Image spells) are Illusion (Figment), not either phantasms or patterns, and so work just fine on zombies.

[Leliel]

That ain't how we spell "wisdom" 'round these parts.
Sorry, I ment it in the sense that he is dumb, which can apply to Intelligence or Wisdom(I wouldn't say his Intelligence is that high either, though at least it is at a functional level).

[Leliel]

Undead are immune to mind-affecting spells, which includes some, but not all illusions. They're immune to "charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects". Illusions of the sort that Elan is using (one of the * Image spells) are Illusion (Figment), not either phantasms or patterns, and so work just fine on zombies.

The zombies are mindless, and can't tell the difference if their master(Redcloak) can't.

[Jevanyn]

Are we talking an African shark or a European one? In order to maintain waterspeed carrying capacity, a shark needs to beat its fins forty-three times every ... :smallwink:

I think the shark, and the junk, will move at the speed of plot.:smallcool:

(I see your Monty Python, and raise you J. Michael Straczynski (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Michael_Straczynski).)

[Uzraid]

These cows are small, those are far away :smallbiggrin:

Wow. Father Ted quote ftw.

Nice one.

[paulg]

As far as the Zombies being affected by Elan's illusion I have to say that they would and they wouldn't be affected by it. If the zombies can see and hear then they would definitely see and hear the image. However, being the mindless automatons they are they wouldn't be even slightly intimidated by it as the Hobgoblins are. They may try and attack it, in which case they'd probably just walk right through it into the water.

[Humnick]

Why do I sense a "Weekend at Bernie's" joke coming up? I don't think that the shark could tow them all, but I'm sure that the Paladin will meet up with the other half of oots. They will then have to lay low until Roy can be properly raised.

Retreat
Heal
Regroup

[silvadel]

A shark companion would make for a nifty waterskiing pal.

[John Campbell]

The zombies are mindless, and can't tell the difference if their master(Redcloak) can't.

Not quite. They get their Will save against figments just like any other critter, and will recognize it as an illusion or not based on that. However, they're under Redcloak's control, and will follow his orders without question or thought, so if he orders them to do specific things based on his belief (or lack of belief) in the illusion, they'll carry out those orders, regardless of whether or not they make sense in the conditions the individual zombie believes exist. If they've been given more general orders that don't specifically address the illusion, though, they'll follow those orders based on their own understanding of existing conditions.

For example, if Redcloak has ordered them to "attack the celestial lion", then that's what they'll do, even if they make their Will save and recognize it as an illusion. Boss said to attack the illusion... he must've had a reason.

On the other hand, if he's ordered them to "board that junk; kill any living creature that gets in your way", then whether or not a particular zombie makes its Will save becomes important. The ones that make it will recognize the lion as an illusion, and therefore not a living creature or an obstacle, and ignore it in favor of boarding the junk and chowing down on some tasty refugee brains. The ones that don't make it will believe the lion to be a living creature, and in the way, and attempt to kill it.

(Actually, I think the particular zombies in question belong to the hobgoblin cleric there, but that's beside the point.)

[karen451]

I'm surprised that Belkar hasn't cut off Roy's ear or something so that he'll always meet the radius requirement for being in a certain distance of Roy.

Humans don't have any ears! Bizarrely neither do Halflings, despite their racial bonuses to Listen skill.

[Faramir]

Humans don't have any ears! Bizarrely neither do Halflings, despite their racial bonuses to Listen skill.

Exactly. Now if he'd been an elf, or even a half elf, they could have tried it.

[JasonDoomsblade]

Exactly. Now if he'd been an elf, or even a half elf, they could have tried it.

Unless your COMPLETELY oblivious, OOTS is a stick figure comic.
C'mon theres only so much Rich can do. The Elves have ears cuz thats the only way to tell them apart from humans.

[factotum]

Hmmm. I think someone just failed their Knowledge (Sarcasm) check. :smallwink:

[SteveMB]

Hmmm. I think someone just failed their Knowledge (Sarcasm) check. :smallwink:

And yet he can detect evil just fine....

[Fitzwalrus]

So am I the only one who thinks this might be the (temporary) end of the story arc.... a really diabolical cliffhanger?

Rich did say he'd give notice before taking his two-week (or so) hiatus when the current arc (and end of the book) was reached, but it has been six days since there was a new strip posted.......:smalleek:

Muah-Ha-Ha-Ha.....:smallwink:

[Mobius Stripped]

So am I the only one who thinks this might be the (temporary) end of the story arc.... a really diabolical cliffhanger?

Rich did say he'd give notice before taking his two-week (or so) hiatus when the current arc (and end of the book) was reached, but it has been six days since there was a new strip posted.......:smalleek:

Muah-Ha-Ha-Ha.....:smallwink:

No splash page = not the end of the story arc. So sayeth the demon roaches (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0300.html).

[Caractacus]

Yeah, this can't really be the end of this part of the story. I reckon Rich isn't feeling too good, or there's a heap of work. He's normally got reasons for having such a long gap between comics.

Hope you're okay, Rich!

[Fitzwalrus]

Duh-OH!!

It would have been a great theory if it weren't for those meddling roaches......:smallwink:

I hope Rich is feeling OK as well.....:smallsmile:

[Jelihi]

It may be just me, but I've seen craziest ideas around. I actually think the boat is not sailing away, it is flying away. That explains why Lien is looking up with her quizzed look and unable to follow, the missing arrows in the last panel (they flew below the ship), Elan's quizzed expression and, I think, having the rope around the mast, although I'm still to see why. I guess that also explains Hinjo's reluctance in starting the ship, since flying and landing is not as reversible a process as sailing in and sailing out: landing involves the loss of air that can not be easily replenished.

I got this impression mainly because of the people getting that small. Ok, that happens on land, of course, but it seemed too fast and also that there was some ambiguous perspective.

Just my thoughts, anyway.

Alex


Wow, that would definitely be a pretty neat observation if it turns out to be true. The more I look at the strip and consider it, the more I'm inclined to agree with you. :)

[Tenebrous]

A flying ship coming out of the harbor in the middle of a formerly paladin-filled city under the control of a hobgoblin army with a shark-mounted dazed-looking paladin falling behind.....

we´re definetly not in Kansas anymore...

[berrew]

My problem with the "flying ship" theory (besides the whole Occam's razor" thing) is, why is it at a waterborne dock in the first place then? I suspect that flying ships already have a spot to land, since they seem common (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0388.html) in the south.

[Vargtass]

My problem with the "flying ship" theory (besides the whole Occam's razor" thing) is, why is it at a waterborne dock in the first place then? I suspect that flying ships already have a spot to land, since they seem common (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0388.html) in the south.

Cliffport is not in the south, though...

[factotum]

If Cliffport isn't in the south, why was Tiger so annoyed at Thor for helping Durkon out with the Weather Control spell?

[berrew]

There seems to be a scheduled run between Cliffport and AC, Vargtass. That's one reason I linked the comic - to make that and the existence of a special airship landing area fairly plain.

[nagora]

My problem with the "flying ship" theory (besides the whole Occam's razor" thing) is, why is it at a waterborne dock in the first place then?

For the same reason that seaplanes in our world tie up at docks.

[Vargtass]

There seems to be a scheduled run between Cliffport and AC, Vargtass. That's one reason I linked the comic - to make that and the existence of a special airship landing area fairly plain.

I stand corrected.

Good point!

[Amon Star]

If Cliffport isn't in the south, why was Tiger so annoyed at Thor for helping Durkon out with the Weather Control spell?

Tiger wasn't. Tiger was annoyed when he thought Thor might interfere here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0453.html), because he did it before with the Control Weather. Thor only got away with it before because it was his jurisdiction.