OOTS #506 - The Discussion Thread

[The Giant]

New comic is up.

[Rinion]

Woot! She can fly!

So the Sea Trolls can speak Common. Sort of.

[Robak]

ohmygods, we're flanking together... lol
Great comic.

[Celtic19]

Why did i think the ninja was a guy until the last panel in the latest strip? :smalleek:

Oh and nice work Giant :smallsmile:

[Vulion]

Way too funny for words.

[sednanalien]

Heh, :elan: really knows how to bungle his way to victory :smallbiggrin:

[Green Bean]

Ah, Elan, your puns continue to be totally awesome. :smallbiggrin:

[whorrak]

Why am I thinking the ninja is going to end up being Haley's sister or somesuch...

Excellent work, Giant. Keep them coming.

[shylocxs]

Dumb down the puns, indeed! I can't help trying to figure out how low you need to go to get a troll to understand any puns at all! And ninja schoolgirl crushes (or is that schoolgirl-like crushes?)... how sweet!

[psychoticbarber]

Hurrah, a happy, feel-good, smile-y comic!

[Neopolis]

The virtues of having 18 charisma.

[Wolfie_1066]

ROFL Elan and Thurkla sittin in a tree... :smalltongue:

that was hilarious, i especially loved her reaction to him asking her to flank, this is a laugher...especally when he knocks her over and he's like, "heh? whered she go?"

[PhallicWarrior]

Awww... poor Therkla. She's in over her head on this one.

[atom]

Giant, I thought punchlines usually come at the END of the strip, not about 20+ times in between :)

Good one. Laughed out loud and everything.


Elan is actually stopping being useless. Thumbs up!

[Alfryd]

New comic is up.
Pretty good.

"The Gods help us all."
I must confess that killed me.

It is interesting that the clarity of Therkla's telepathic connection seems to vary with the strength of her audible vocalisations...

[Zarmina]

Great comic! It's so nice to see Elan's puns again. :smallsmile:

[MoelVermillion]

I can't tell what I enjoyed more "The gods help us all" or Therkla being so into Elan but what i do know is that it was awesome.

[Xpawn]

LOL

Great one !!!! :smallsmile:

[Verick Severith]

If I wasn't in the middle of class...I'd be laughing my ass off right now

[El_Frenchie]

Wow, hahahahah, nice "in your face" to the major evil bad guy there.

[Miraqariftsky]

*splosh*

Bloody great one, Giant.
Huh, wonder how her now-wet voyage will affect her impression of Elan?

[Querzis]

Lol, I hope Therkla wont get killed, she crack me up.

[Strengfellow]

I'm thinking Hinjo may ban puns in his court, assuming that is, he ever retakes the Azure City.

Classy instalment.

[Bayar]

Funny...like it...what more can I say?

[SoD]

As Therkla falls into the water, I couldn't help but say 'aww, that's so sad...'. Then again, if he does accidentally knock her into the water via a sea troll, I guess he's not the dextrous kind.

[Aurorax]

Elan's obliviousness always one ups what I'm expecting. Lucky he has that 18 (19?) Charisma.

[cavalier973]

It looks like Elan has developed "clutch": the ability to step up to the challenge when things are looking really bad (a term I've gotten from some game or other, probably a sports game). I mean, he knocked over a ninja and then convinced the ninja to help him kill the ninja's ally, and then killed a sea troll with one blow.

Does his rapier have an acid coating or something?

[lorditchy]

I only have one thing to say. Elan is da man! :}

[shakes019]

Happens to me all the time - 'cause, you know, ninja.

Excellent.

[Onikani]

Today's comic is made of pure "Win".


And i registered just to say that.
:D

[PaulRedeker22]

In my experience sexy resistance is the best resistance :smallbiggrin:

[MythicFox]

It looks like Elan has developed "clutch": the ability to step up to the challenge when things are looking really bad (a term I've gotten from some game or other, probably a sports game). I mean, he knocked over a ninja and then convinced the ninja to help him kill the ninja's ally, and then killed a sea troll with one blow.

It's probably one of his Dashing Swordsman class abilities.


Does his rapier have an acid coating or something?

I'm pretty sure that's the point of his being able to whip out the puns while he's attacking; he gets to add his Charisma modifier to damage or some such.

[Guts]

Elan is as oblivious as ever. The ninja girl should focus on her work and not Elan. Good strip.

[Freelance Henchman]

Does Elan have Sneak Attack? How did he kill the troll in one hit?

[lord_khaine]

I'm pretty sure that's the point of his being able to whip out the puns while he's attacking; he gets to add his Charisma modifier to damage or some such

i think he was refering to it normaly takes fire or acid to kill a troll, but as i recall sea trolls only regenerate in water.

[The Bushranger]

Remember folks, pirates >>>>>>> ninjas.

'Cause, you know, pirates can, like, swim...

:smallbiggrin:

[cavalier973]

i think he was refering to it normaly takes fire or acid to kill a troll, but as i recall sea trolls only regenerate in water.

Yeah, that's what I was wondering, thanks.

[Spiky]

As Therkla falls into the water, I couldn't help but say 'aww, that's so sad...'. Then again, if he does accidentally knock her into the water via a sea troll, I guess he's not the dextrous kind.

I think that's more on her...being totally and completely "charmed". She's a ninja, she ought to be able to move out of the way of a falling troll.

[banjo1985]

Hehe someone fancies Elan...this can only end badly :smallamused:

[hewhosaysfish]

"Ha ha ha, that was really-"

Is it just my imagination running away with or was she going to say "funny"?!
She was actually amused by his "con-TROLL" pun!
The poor girl... Maybe ninja school is a harsh, austere place... Maybe she's never been told an actual joke before... Or maybe love imposes a -6 penalty to all Int and Wis based checks...

[PePe QuiCoSE]

and that's how charisma work in battles :smallbiggrin:

[malakim2099]

Hehehehe. Most excellent.

"Ohmygods, ohmygods, we're flanking together! He is sooooooooooooooo into me! YES!"

(So I added extra o's... big deal!) :smalltongue:

[Narref]

Och! Lookae all'o tha trolls! Where's a billy goat gruff when ya need one?

Didn't get the billy goat gruff thing, could somebody explain it a little?

[maxon]

Note to self: don't read the comic in the post-grad room. I had to explain why I was laughing so much. Dammit. I have a reputation to protect here, you know.

Elan, Elan, Elan .... <shakes head> sigh.

Edit

Och! Lookae all'o tha trolls! Where's a billy goat gruff when ya need one?

Didn't get the billy goat gruff thing, could somebody explain it a little?

It's a traditional fairy tale - Wiki has a page explaining, here ya go
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Billy_Goats_Gruff

[Lumenadducere]

That was cute. It seems Therkla's a somewhat naive girl (at least in the ways of romance). I wonder how this will turn out?

[boyflea]

I love this strip. I've not roleplayed in over ten years and this one strip is pulling me back in... :) Cheers to Mr Burlew.

Anyway, loved it so much just wanted to admire our hero who attracts women who practice roguish skills, act on secret missions of their own, hear voices and tend to keep their emotions locked up in thought bubbles.

Hayley's got an exchange student from another dimension - go girl. :)

[Meinos Kaen]

Hehehehe. Most excellent.

"Ohmygods, ohmygods, we're flanking together! He is sooooooooooooooo into me! YES!"

(So I added extra o's... big deal!) :smalltongue:

Is it wrong that I'm taking a liking to the girl and the love triangle that will result? I just hope she's not really half-orc... Well, she shouldn't be. Don't know why, but... I can't really see a half-orc as a ninja. ^^'

I mean, that would give Haley an unfair advantage. lol XD

[Issabella]

I might have to dumb down my puns "Gods help us all"....yeah Hinjo taking over the roy straight man routine

[Surfing HalfOrc]

Who needs skill and talent, when you have good looks and luck?!?!

:smallbiggrin:

[fwiffo]

Och! Lookae all'o tha trolls! Where's a billy goat gruff when ya need one?

Didn't get the billy goat gruff thing, could somebody explain it a little?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Billy_Goats_Gruff

[Pronounceable]

Damn, now I pity her. Poor girl is now being exposed to full Elanity. And she's so charmed she doesn't even notice.

[slurpz]

hahaha. one of my favorite OOTS comics lately :smallsmile:

[PePe QuiCoSE]

Och! Lookae all'o tha trolls! Where's a billy goat gruff when ya need one?

Didn't get the billy goat gruff thing, could somebody explain it a little?

This link (http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0122e.html) might help. I didn't know the tale either, but a quick search on the web enlightened me.

[Querzis]

Or maybe love imposes a -6 penalty to all Int and Wis based checks...

It doesnt change your int at all but in some occasion it reduce your wis to 3, no matter how high it usually is. Anyway, it cant be the first time your hear a girl in love laugh at every joke the guy make?


'Cause, you know, pirates can, like, swim...

Actually most of them coudnt...but pretty much everybody can swin in D&D so who cares.

[Wikkin]

I like the new ninja girl. Can't wait for her vs. Haley! :)

[cavalier973]

Och! Lookae all'o tha trolls! Where's a billy goat gruff when ya need one?

Didn't get the billy goat gruff thing, could somebody explain it a little?

It's a German fairy tale, where a troll inhabits the space beneath a bridge, but when three goats (billy goats gruff) attempt to cross the bridge, the troll stands athwart it and threatens to eat the little goat and the medium sized goat. The large goat eventually appears and butts him off the bridge.

[Aerysil]

That is one ditzy ninja.

[AtomicKitKat]

I guess you could say she's going overboard in her displays of being head over heels in love with Elan.:smalltongue:

[Calemyr]

One possibility is that the Ominous Overseer is scrying on the situation and communicating to her using one-way telepathy. (As in, sending messages being much easier to do than reading minds.) In that case, it would follow that the Ominous Overseer hears her through the scry, which would explain why he doesn't always catch what she says under her breath.

[Taghor]

I can't conTROLL my laughing ;)

Nice strip!!!!!
:elan: for the win :)

[Ganurath]

It seems Therkla is rather... young. Anybody else think that slightly quicker half-orc aging is making a crucial appearance in mid to late teenage years?

[chibibar]

Lol..... go Elan!!!

those extra Charisma points and Dashing Swordsman going into work :)

It is pretty typical if you think about it. When you see a movie with a good looking (high charisma) hero against a female villain. The villain doesn't have a chance.

[Roderick_BR]

Oh my god. Fangirl-ism in OotS... :smallbiggrin:
And Elan seems to be doing a good job, even if by accident :smalltongue:

[cheesecake]

awesome comic. Con-TROLL haha. Best Elan Pun to date, he must be working on his puns in all the spare time they have had of late.

[Omicroncubed]

''I've uh... encountered resistance''
''What kind of resistance?''
''The sexy kind''
''What?''
''I said the ''dexterous kind''''
''Oh''

Hilarious :smallbiggrin: Again good work!

[Kgw]

Hey, I think I've seen a giggling ninja :D
Nice comic, the laugh has come back with Elan, at last.

[jolus]

Yeah, it SCHLURKTs again.

Elan, the sexy kind of resistace... how sweet :-)

[Mask]

Oooh, I really hope she'll become a new, if temporary, party member.

After she betrays Big Black Scary Voise and sides with the good guys in order to impress Elan, that is.

[Tundar]

No wonder she can't resist Evan. He's cute when he's trying his best.

[JustSix]

"What kind of resistance?"

"The sexy kind."

Awesome. I also hope Therkla stays around. I've got a thing for bad girls who want to go good...

[Ganurath]

"What kind of resistance?"

"The sexy kind."

Awesome. I also hope Therkla stays around. I've got a thing for bad girls who want to go good...Nah nah, I say. Therkla wants to be bad... the best kind of bad.

[vegetalss4]

Good one.
it was full of Win, pricless and awesome and even some
Priceless awesome win:smallwink:
go giant

[SnowballMan]

It wouldn't matter what kind of Troll it was. Pun damage can not be regenerated.

As many of my friends will attest to.

[Telonius]

My prediction:
Whenever a hero is in that sort of situation, the not-quite-dead girlfriend always shows up at the exact instant Our Hero gives her up for dead and kisses somebody else. Elan, however, knows this; so he will deliberately kiss Therkla in order to summon back Haley! :smallbiggrin:

[One Skunk Todd]

I wonder if it should be degen-irate (degenerate) as opposed to regen-irate (regenerate?). Regenerate doesn't make sense to me (maybe I'm just stupid:smallsmile:) whereas degenerate would be an apt description of the sea troll's mental faculties.

[Barbolanero]

Can anybody say: Hayley is gonna be jeallous?
Great strip!!!
And Elan is finnally being the leader of Oots, can you imagine how happy Roy will be when he comes back to life?

[Ganurath]

My prediction:
Whenever a hero is in that sort of situation, the not-quite-dead girlfriend always shows up at the exact instant Our Hero gives her up for dead and kisses somebody else. Elan, however, knows this; so he will deliberately kiss Therkla in order to summon back Haley! :smallbiggrin: And when it doesn't work, Elan will think Haley really is dead, and feel no compunctions against giving a teenage half-orc girl the night of her life.

Fanfiction! I demand fanfiction!

[TheRiov]

I wonder if it should be degen-irate (degenerate) as opposed to regen-irate (regenerate?). Regenerate doesn't make sense to me (maybe I'm just stupid:smallsmile:) whereas degenerate would be an apt description of the sea troll's mental faculties.

Trolls are notable for their formitable powers of regeneration. (land trolls are nearly impossible to kill without fire or acid. Sea trolls do better in water)

[Elfanatic]

I think the best thing of this comic was that Elan did not see a purple ninja on a blue boat at sea, attacked by green trolls. :smalltongue:

[Vectner]

Would you say Therkla is "head over heels" For Elan?:smalltongue:

[Shatteredtower]

Telonius, I like your theory. But, Ganurath, what have you done?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!

Poor troll. Poor Therkla. I have got to get one of my friends to read for her some day, because her voice and attitude would be perfect for the role.

Funny how Elan may just have saved Hinjo's life and Hinjo's completely oblivious to the fact. Poor Elan.

[Ganurath]

Would you say Therkla is "head over heels" For Elan?*facepalms after fixing the pun-killing typo*

@Shatteredtower: I have dared to dream.

[Scribble]

Don't know why, but... I can't really see a half-orc as a ninja. ^^'

Well, half orcs don't get a penalty to dex. I can see where they might not make a good intelligent type ninja, but she's really a guided lackey, what with the telepathic link.

People don't give half orcs enough credit... they're just not particularly bright as a rule, but they have advantages in that too.

Imagine a half-orc rogue. If you get your pocket picked are you really going to suspect the lumbering half orc in ragged clothing? Also rogue sneak attack with half-orc strength behind it? Ow. *grins*

[Daedalus73]

Hehe very cute. Elan comics always make me smile. :)

[DrivinAllNight]

My prediction:
Whenever a hero is in that sort of situation, the not-quite-dead girlfriend always shows up at the exact instant Our Hero gives her up for dead and kisses somebody else. Elan, however, knows this; so he will deliberately kiss Therkla in order to summon back Haley! :smallbiggrin:

if it's deliberate, wouldn't that negate the effect you are looking for??

[TheKnifeofTrust]

hahaha nice, this comic was alota fun. :smallbiggrin:

"Uh-oh, I may need to dumb down my puns." :elan:
"The gods help us all." (why is there no Hinjo smily?!)

[Yendor]

Elan didn't even need to wink (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0391.html)...

[Invisible Queen]

In Sweden we say "hals över huvud ("neck over head") instead of "head over heels". Which makes sense. How is having your head over your heels unusual? :p

At any rate, the comic is comedy gold; as always better than expected. Hooray.

[One Skunk Todd]

Trolls are notable for their formitable powers of regeneration. (land trolls are nearly impossible to kill without fire or acid. Sea trolls do better in water)

Ah, I see. Thanks.

[Mauve Shirt]

:elan: "Uh-oh, I may need to dumb down my puns"
Hinjo: "The gods help us all."

:smallbiggrin: classic

[krossbow]

Hahaha. I loved this one. Its great to see hinjo stepping up and filling Roy's shoes as the party straight man.

"the gods help us all" Had me cracking up. I really hope hinjo sticks around, because him and elan are almost better than Roy and Elan.

[Jm2c]

Funny how Elan may just have saved Hinjo's life and Hinjo's completely oblivious to the fact. Poor Elan.

Indeed...
Then again, so is Elan.:smalltongue:

[cavalier973]

I wonder if it should be degen-irate (degenerate) as opposed to regen-irate (regenerate?). Regenerate doesn't make sense to me (maybe I'm just stupid:smallsmile:) whereas degenerate would be an apt description of the sea troll's mental faculties.

I think it is in reference to Trolls' ability to regenerate hit points over time, if they aren't hit with acid or fire.

[Manticorkscrew]

In Sweden we say "hals över huvud ("neck over head") instead of "head over heels". Which makes sense. How is having your head over your heels unusual? :p

That's because in its original form the saying was "Heels over head", but over the years it has mutated into its current form.

The same sort of thing has happened to the saying "You can't have your cake and eat it", where the original form was "You can't eat your cake and have it" (which makes much more sense).

I'm not sure what the reason for the change was. I suspect some people forgot the literal meaning of the sayings and thought that the changed forms sounded more pleasing.

[Surfing HalfOrc]

I had to reread the strip. I though Therkla had been crushed under the sea-troll, not that she had been kncoked overboard.

Wonder if that will "dampen" her infatuation with Elan?

Probably not.

[Ganurath]

In Sweden we say "hals över huvud ("neck over head") instead of "head over heels". Which makes sense. How is having your head over your heels unusual? :pI think the implication is that one's head is directly over one's heels, which would require that one's legs be in the ideal position for- Oh, manticorkscrew explained it while I was reading her post, awesome. Glad I was wrong.

[DracoDei]

In my experience sexy resistance is the best resistance :smallbiggrin:
I take it then that K-Y is getting NO business from you, EVER then? :smallbiggrin:

As a more sobering (but geeky) side-note: I read somewhere a while back that an actual preference in that direction is/was a contributor to the AIDS epidemic in Africa. See http://www.salon.com/health/sex/urge/world/1999/12/10/drysex/ for further (work SAFE I believe) details. :smalleek:

[Fingolfin]

Interesting to see Elan in action again, you can see how all that training is still paying off.

And are we going to have a love triangle maybe, hm...

It will be interesting to find out. :smallamused:

[Ganurath]

Interesting to see Elan in action again, you can see how all that training is still paying off.

And are we going to have a love triangle maybe, hm...

It will be interesting to find out. :smallamused:Quick, call Haley's Latent Bisexuality, I figured out how to solve the love triangle problem!

[Deathskull]

TTTTTTTTTTTTTRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLL LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!

sorry, ancient fumbbl tradition.

[Traveller]

Great stuff. Simply great. Elans puns are only getting "better".

"we are flanking together" Hilarious.

[Finn Solomon]

"The Gods help us all."

That is freakin' priceless. :smallbiggrin:

[Bongos]

That girl Ninja ROCKS!

She gets the BEST NEW CHARACTER award!

I hope she stays around for awhile!

[the_tick_rules]

boy the ninja fell pretty hard pretty fast. that dashing swordsman class has to have some kinda charisma aura or something. or maybe it's cause women love guys in relationships lol.

[moscatabaco]

This was SOOOOOOOO funny!!! Great strip!!! OotS at its finest, I was missing this! (Edit: hinjo got a punchline!!!)

[horus02]

OMIGOD elan you playa^^ LOVED IT! :smallbiggrin:

[CGM3]

Heh, :elan: really knows how to bungle his way to victory :smallbiggrin:

Good grief, let's hope he's not transforming into :smalleek: GROO! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groo) :smalleek:

[IsaacTheHungry]

Quick, call Haley's Latent Bisexuality, I figured out how to solve the love triangle problem!

*twitch, twitch" aaiieeee *runs away screaming*
good one:smallbiggrin:

[Hranat]

Elan: He knows no fear, he knows no danger, he knows nothing...

[Alias]

The virtues of having 18 charisma.

21 more likely - Elan probably started with an 18 and he's at least 12th level so that's 3 ability score increases.

[Kyeudo]

I see a future possibiliity of a Ninja vs Rogue fight when Haley finds out some half-orc hussy wants her man. Anyone know who wins in that situation? The ninja or the rogue?

[atteSmythe]

I love that Elan turns all responsible men into Roy. Watching Hinjo realize what Roy has to deal with all the time has been really hilarious. Thanks, Giant!

[Ganurath]

I see a future possibiliity of a Ninja vs Rogue fight when Haley finds out some half-orc hussy wants her man. Anyone know who wins in that situation? The ninja or the rogue?Assuming roughly equal level? Ninja wins. The class is more combat oriented, with a boosted AC and poison use. How are Haley's Fort saves?

*looks at DCs for knockout poisons*

...How are Elan's Fort saves?

[AtomicKitKat]

Would you say Therkla is "head over heels" For Elan?:smalltongue:

I already did. See page 2.:smalltongue:


In Sweden we say "hals över huvud ("neck over head") instead of "head over heels". Which makes sense. How is having your head over your heels unusual? :p

At any rate, the comic is comedy gold; as always better than expected. Hooray.

IQ: In the original form explained above, it means you're literally flipping out and somersaulting from love.

[Dreamin Elf]

Note to self: don't read the comic in the post-grad room. I had to explain why I was laughing so much. Dammit. I have a reputation to protect here, you know.



Glad Im not the only one oots-laughing in a UK post-grad room :smallbiggrin:

Giant, well done. Again.

[silvadel]

She actually laughs with Elan's puns.... Maybe she is a better match for Elan than Haley...

[dutch508]

"he is so into me!"

A-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[SteveMB]

I see a future possibiliity of a Ninja vs Rogue fight when Haley finds out some half-orc hussy wants her man. Anyone know who wins in that situation?

If the Jell-O Pit is available for this match, about half the readership.... :smallbiggrin:

[CockroachTeaParty]

GAH! Why is it this kinda crap only happens when one's already in a relationship? I can only see this ending poorly for the ninja, and most likely Elan and Haley as well. :smallfrown:

[Wych]

Just imagine how glad Hinjo will be when Roy is back.

[Blanth]

I particularly liked how Therkla's font size is smaller when she tries to speak under her breath. Little details like that really make this strip good. :-)

As for Elan "dumbing down" anything; wait what? It's Elan!

Seems like he picked up a few skill points in Bardic Punnery.


Sexy Bardic Punnery.

[Furin_Mirado]

It really is sad when Elan has to dumb something down for someone else.:smalltongue:

Oh man, I'm really loving Therkla right now. Poor, poor ninja...this can only end badly. I wonder if the infatuation is a prestige class ability?

[blackbird71]

Hmm...

Same hairstyle, same eyebrow expressions, same figure...

(Of course, they are all stick figures, so I may be seeing more here than there is)

Does anyone else see a resemblence between Therkla and Haley? Appearance, attraction to Elan, rogue-like skills... People keep referring to her as half-orc, but what if the green skin means something else. We still don't know what happened to Haley and Co., what are the chances Xykon got a hold of her, made her a zombie or something, and sent her after the others?

Of course, then she probably wouldn't care if Kubota was still on the ship before they sprung the attack (unless Xykon is in league with him), and the smell of a zombie ninja would probably be a dead giveaway (ok, you can stop groaning at the bad pun now), but it's a thought.

[Ganurath]

Sexy Bardic Punnery.You may have me pinned, ninja, but I that doesn't mean I can't get a critical hit!

[TroyXavier]

Ahhh that was fun. Poor ninja girl though.:smallbiggrin:

[Mauve Shirt]

Does anyone else see a resemblence between Therkla and Haley? Appearance, attraction to Elan, rogue-like skills... People keep referring to her as half-orc, but what if the green skin means something else. We still don't know what happened to Haley and Co., what are the chances Xykon got a hold of her, made her a zombie or something, and sent her after the others?

I saw this resemblance too when I first read comic 503, but we see Haley and Therkla in different places in comic 484.
Also from 484, we know that the black and red text isn't Xykon.

[blackbird71]

I saw this resemblance too when I first read comic 503, but we see Haley and Therkla in different places in comic 484.
Also from 484, we know that the black and red text isn't Xykon.

Hmm, true, I'd forgoten about her earlier appearance. Oh well, nice to see I wasn't the only one who thought of it though.

[Keri Thornwood]

That's great! Elan scores points in protection simply because the sneaky ninja thinks he's a hunk, and Hinjo has no idea he was just saved. Nor does Elan, but then being clueless is being Elan.

Like it.

[Fitzclowningham]

I just had a good thought: Rich spends a couple of comics introducing Therkla, gives her a name and everything, so maybe this means...

Haley's going to be back in the picture again soon!

(and, quite possibly hear Haley's 3 favorite words again soon thereafter.)

[Ganurath]

Hmm, true, I'd forgoten about her earlier appearance. Oh well, nice to see I wasn't the only one who thought of it though....There are people who still do.

[Yendor]

I think what will happen next is:
After the battle, Elan casually asks Hinjo if he's seen that ninja that was on board.
On hearing the word 'ninja' Hinjo immediately goes to look. They fish Therkla out and Hinjo has her arrested.
Hinjo and Elan coax information out of her so that they can finally put Kubota on trial for treason.
After agreeing to switch sides, Therkla tries to put the moves on Elan, only to find he already has a girlfriend...

[Liwen]

That girl is officially chaotic evil. No seriously she is lying to her master, joining side with an ennemy but still willing to kill her target, who is LG. If this isn't chaos, then I don't know what it could be.

[eof]

In the original form explained above, it means you're literally flipping out...like a ninja! (http://www.7secondsoflove.com/ninja/)
and somersaulting from love.Oh.

[Oslecamo]

Omg we found someone who actually has less wisdom than Elan.

Seriously, how the hell you're an elite assasin and you give up your target so you can date with his bodyguard? Almost seems like the plot of some cheap romance manga.

[Ganurath]

Omg we found someone who actually has less wisdom than Elan.Belkar?
Seriously, how the hell you're an elite assasin and you give up your target so you can date with his bodyguard? Almost seems like the plot of some cheap romance manga.Which makes sense, considering she's a teenage girl who's only symbols of manhood up until now have either been her elderly employer or her victims... to our knowledge, anyhow.

[docstrange]

Remember folks, pirates >>>>>>> ninjas.

'Cause, you know, pirates can, like, swim...

:smallbiggrin:

Not necessarily ... you'd be amazed how few sailors in the Age of Sail didn't swim. They didn't want to linger for too long after the ship sank :)

[Querzis]

That girl is officially chaotic evil. No seriously she is lying to her master, joining side with an ennemy but still willing to kill her target, who is LG. If this isn't chaos, then I don't know what it could be.

Love...and love aint especially chaotic...and even killing her target isnt especially evil, ninja consider themselves as tools, they get contract and they do it but its the one who hired them who really killed someone. But I'm pretty sure shes evil anyway but right now shes done nothing especially evil.

[docstrange]

Yeah, that's what I was wondering, thanks.

Ah, that's why it could have X's for eyes and be truly dead.

What should the eyes turn into for a creature that has been reduced to negative hit points but is regenerating back into positive? I think little microsoft "waiting" hourglasses :smalltongue:

[docstrange]

My prediction:
Whenever a hero is in that sort of situation, the not-quite-dead girlfriend always shows up at the exact instant Our Hero gives her up for dead and kisses somebody else. Elan, however, knows this; so he will deliberately kiss Therkla in order to summon back Haley! :smallbiggrin:


That would be a brilliant, as Parson would say, " 'sploitable mechanic". Of course now that you've posted this Rich must do it or come up with something even more awesome.

[Invisible Queen]

I think Therkla is Attention Deficit Evil.

[GrayMatter]

GAH! Why is it this kinda crap only happens when one's already in a relationship? I can only see this ending poorly for the ninja, and most likely Elan and Haley as well. :smallfrown:

Because people find other people less romantically threatening (and thus more interesting) when the other people aren't showing any romantic interest. Generally that only happens when the non-interest is because of a relationship.

This is also why both "cool" and "mature" people attract more opposite-sex attention- because they convey the same non-threatening demeanor towards the opposite sex.

[Bongos]

Now that Therkla has a name does that mean she's less mortal as a named character kind of like Hinjo?

Course technically she's on of the bad guys, at least for now...anyways she is a very endearing character, even more so than Thogna the sucubus, man it's been so long I've forgotten her name.

The Order of the Stick is a little few on numbers at the moment, maybe they'll be doing some recruiting.

[ref]

Ninja overboard! Ninja overboard!

Is Swim a class ability for Ninja? Heh, Elan is so clueless... All he heard was "that was actually whoa" hehe.

[Vectner]

So the Trolls and the Kubuto are on the same side? This wasn't a random encounter!

[Blanth]

I think Therkla is Attention Deficit Evil.

Lawful Horny?

[d3115]

Does his rapier have an acid coating or something?

The puns have an acid coating.

[Lostboy]

Awww, I like Therkla! I hope she sticks around for a while! :smallsmile:

[Nerd-o-rama]

Once again, Elan seduces the bad girl without even trying. Even more effortless (and effective) this time.

[CGM3]

I think what will happen next is:
After the battle, Elan casually asks Hinjo if he's seen that ninja that was on board.
On hearing the word 'ninja' Hinjo immediately goes to look. They fish Therkla out and Hinjo has her arrested.
Hinjo and Elan coax information out of her so that they can finally put Kubota on trial for treason.
After agreeing to switch sides, Therkla tries to put the moves on Elan, only to find he already has a girlfriend...

But that assumes...

...that Elan recognized her as a ninja. Remember, ninja are difficult to Spot at the best of times -- he didn't even know Therkla was there until he ran into her -- and this is Elan, so it's entirely possible he'll assume she was a random wedding guest.

[SnowballMan]

Now that Therkla has a name does that mean she's less mortal as a named character kind of like Hinjo?

I think the mechanic for the OOTS universe is that once your name is stated while you are the focus of the comic, you automatically gain +1d8 hit points. Whether this is a one time bonus or is +1d8/name, remains to be scene.

[Yendor]

But that assumes...

...that Elan recognized her as a ninja. Remember, ninja are difficult to Spot at the best of times -- he didn't even know Therkla was there until he ran into her -- and this is Elan, so it's entirely possible he'll assume she was a random wedding guest.

She did tell him she was a ninja.

[Natsilani]

As a more sobering (but geeky) side-note: I read somewhere a while back that an actual preference in that direction is/was a contributor to the AIDS epidemic in Africa. See http://www.salon.com/health/sex/urge/world/1999/12/10/drysex/ for further (work SAFE I believe) details. :smalleek:

:smalleek: that is just... :smalleek: :smalleek: :smalleek:
*curls up in a corner, disturbed*

[David Argall]

Good thing this is #506. When the rating post comes out for 501-505, I can still vote for 505.


Why am I thinking the ninja is going to end up being Haley's sister or somesuch...



a-She's drawn a whole lot like Haley, enough to spawn insane theories that she is Haley. Now there are only a limited number of ways to draw a stick figure and so the resemblance can easily be an accident, but it is certainly possible it is deliberate.
b-It has definite plot utility. The girls become protected from each other, which means they can stay together in Elan's presence. They are also freed to be more violent with each other, without that violence leading to a too-quick end to the story line. We might see several cases of the ladies battling away over Elan while Elan is the only one who doesn't know what they are fighting over.
There is likely a c & d, but we have enough already.


I think what will happen next is:

After the battle, Elan casually asks Hinjo if he's seen that ninja that was on board.
On hearing the word 'ninja' Hinjo immediately goes to look. They fish Therkla out and Hinjo has her arrested.
Hinjo and Elan coax information out of her so that they can finally put Kubota on trial for treason.
After agreeing to switch sides, Therkla tries to put the moves on Elan, only to find he already has a girlfriend...

There are two more likely continuances...
a-Elan mentions the ninja and since nobody else saw her and Elan is...well... Elan, they dismiss the story. Therkla reports to her master that she is not able to carry out the assassination at this time ...(she can't have Elan seeing her when her hair is a mess and her makeup just ruined)...
b-Elan does manage to convince everyone there was a ninja, and that she was on their side. So when they fish her out, she is hired to be Hinjo's bodyguard. Given that this puts her right besides Elan, she accepts before she realizes that this puts her in a conflict of oaths of loyalties. We see several cases where she almost assassinates Hinjo, but must abort because of the conflict, or Elan wandering in, or...

[nybbler]

My prediction:
Elan, however, knows this; so he will deliberately kiss Therkla in order to summon back Haley! :smallbiggrin:

Alas, it doesn't work that way; washing your car doesn't make it rain if you're washing the car because you want it to rain.

[mikeejimbo]

Awww that was so cuuuute :smallbiggrin: :smallbiggrin: :smallbiggrin:

[Zephra]

oh, gosh. I'm still laughing--really good one--

" uh...the...Dextrous kind!" :smallbiggrin:

and people, she can't be Haley's sister--green skin!

My guess is, she's a goblin-subtype

[*Templar*]

Alas, it doesn't work that way; washing your car doesn't make it rain if you're washing the car because you want it to rain.

In the real world old saws and dramatic conventions are derived from the way the way things actually happen. In the OOTS world, it can be and often is the other way around.

[DracoDei]

What should the eyes turn into for a creature that has been reduced to negative hit points but is regenerating back into positive? I think little microsoft "waiting" hourglasses :smalltongue:
I like the way you think...

[*Templar*]

Ah, that's why it could have X's for eyes and be truly dead.

What should the eyes turn into for a creature that has been reduced to negative hit points but is regenerating back into positive? I think little microsoft "waiting" hourglasses :smalltongue:

As long as it's not mentioned by the characters in dialogue. I know that self-aware references and pseudo-breakings of the 4th wall are a standard part of the humor in OOTS, but while everyone else loved Durkon pointing out that Roy "had the X's in his eyes" after the latter's death, I felt it was a painfully cheesy joke that undercut the entire dramatic impact of the scene.

[Sebastian]

It looks like Elan has developed "clutch": the ability to step up to the challenge when things are looking really bad (a term I've gotten from some game or other, probably a sports game). I mean, he knocked over a ninja and then convinced the ninja to help him kill the ninja's ally, and then killed a sea troll with one blow.

Does his rapier have an acid coating or something?

No, but those puns really burn. :D

[Abjurer]

Wow, Giant. That was spectacular.
Your characters, story, villains... everything you do with this webcomic is absolutely amazing. I make it through each day knowing I can come home to read a new OotS comic. Well, every other day, at least.

I also have a new favorite quote. That was awesome.

[Bongos]

Alas, it doesn't work that way; washing your car doesn't make it rain if you're washing the car because you want it to rain.

See, your talking about the REAL world, this is the OOTS world, where once you get a name you can recover from mortal wounds, where once you mention "what could go wrong" something always does,

in OOTS when you want it to rain you wash your car.............

[maxon]

I just had a good thought: Rich spends a couple of comics introducing Therkla, gives her a name and everything, so maybe this means...

Haley's going to be back in the picture again soon!

(and, quite possibly hear Haley's 3 favorite words again soon thereafter.)

I thought Haley's favourite words were: 'and treasure' ... wait, that's only two.

[Invisible Queen]

As long as it's not mentioned by the characters in dialogue. I know that self-aware references and pseudo-breakings of the 4th wall are a standard part of the humor in OOTS, but while everyone else loved Durkon pointing out that Roy "had the X's in his eyes" after the latter's death, I felt it was a painfully cheesy joke that undercut the entire dramatic impact of the scene.
But that's how the OotS world works. The X for eyes is a real, reliable sign that a character is dead. It's just the world being cheesy. >_>

If anything undercuts the dramatic impacts it's the knowledge that nearly anyone who dies can be resurrected. <_<

[Blaznak]

Hee hee! I love puns...

[The Tygre]

Gods help us all indeed, Hinjo.

Looking forward to seeing what that voice is.

Keep up the good work, Giant!

[Querzis]

As long as it's not mentioned by the characters in dialogue. I know that self-aware references and pseudo-breakings of the 4th wall are a standard part of the humor in OOTS, but while everyone else loved Durkon pointing out that Roy "had the X's in his eyes" after the latter's death, I felt it was a painfully cheesy joke that undercut the entire dramatic impact of the scene.

Joke? It wasnt a joke, he wanted to know if Roy was dead so he looked if he had X in is eyes just like we look if someone is still breathing to know if they are dead. If you lived in a world where people would get X in their eyes when they die, I'm pretty damn sure you would check if people got X in their eyes to know if they are dead.

Everytime the OOTS talked about D&D rule they were not breaking the 4th wall. The characters are fully aware of the rules of their world. For them, saying «I just went up a level after killing these monsters» is the same as someone in the real world saying «I mixed yellow and blue paint and it gave me green paint». I talked about some D&D rule while in-character very often and I dont see how thats supposed to be bad roleplaying. Our characters are smart enough to know the rules of their own world.

[Milandros]

Hmm...

Same hairstyle, same eyebrow expressions, same figure...

(Of course, they are all stick figures, so I may be seeing more here than there is)

Does anyone else see a resemblence between Therkla and Haley? Appearance, attraction to Elan, rogue-like skills... People keep referring to her as half-orc, but what if the green skin means something else. We still don't know what happened to Haley and Co., what are the chances Xykon got a hold of her, made her a zombie or something, and sent her after the others?

Of course, then she probably wouldn't care if Kubota was still on the ship before they sprung the attack (unless Xykon is in league with him), and the smell of a zombie ninja would probably be a dead giveaway (ok, you can stop groaning at the bad pun now), but it's a thought.


I'm getting the feeling that speculation has gone from "out of control" all the way up to "maybe this has been accidentally posted from another comic strip somewhere?" What's with all the incredibly fancy towers of reasoning based on absolutely no evidence whatsoever?

OK, let's assume that Xykon, in a completely uncharacteristic way, had decided not to spend his time researching the next gate but instead decided to scry out the boats and on a whim teleport a zombified minion who happened to be Haley out to them, and that Kuboto and his boss had somehow gained control of said randomly-teleported minion and sent it as an assassin after Hinjo.

Said shambling corpse would then have had a meeting with Elan like this:

Haleycorpse: "Braaaiiiiinnnnsssss...."
Looks at Elan "Braaaaaiiiinnnnsss?"
Sees Hinjo "Braaaaaiiinnnnnssssss!"
Tries to kill Hinjo.

Zombies are not well known for suddenly and spontaneously generating teenaged girl personalities.

[dogmac]

He is SOOOOO into you Therkla... You know it, I know it....

And you flank really well together

[Hood]

Poor ninja. The job must be tough when you're in love with the target's bodyguard.
Wacky hijinks ensue as two romance-inclined characters on opposing sides stumble around each other in the feel-good comedy of the year!
Rated P for Puns. (inappropriate for all audiences)

[Raguzert]

I don't know about you guys, but Hinjo sounded so much like Roy on this strip that it seems unlikelly that the two would, well, share jokes... Wishfull thinking, I'm still hopping that Roy settles for dying once, ressurrection is too cheap, and Hinjo looks like a good enough substitute. :roach:

[Max_Sinister]

Fortunately that big bad behind her isn't omniscient. If he could read her thoughts...

[shakes019]

It's a class ability. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0391.html)

[Forealms]

If I wasn't in the middle of class...I'd be laughing my ass off right now

Pretty much the same for me, though I didn't feel like logging in when I first read itl.

[Forealms]

If I wasn't in the middle of class...I'd be laughing my ass off right now

Pretty much the same for me, though I didn't feel like logging in when I first read it.

[Leliel]

So, Therkla is on her way to doing a Heel Face Turn (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main.HeelFaceTurn). How utterly unsurprising.

Of course, she could pull a Prince Zuko on us and realize her loyalty to her boss outweighs her love for Elan...

[Yoritomo Himeko]

This is yet another great strip. Elan keeps getting funnier and funnier each time. :smallsmile:

I really like the Therkla. I wonder if she will switch sides. This does not look good for Haley.:smalleek: I hope she gets back soon!

I still think Elan and Roy have better chemistry. Roy is a lot funnier.

[†Seer†]

"The sexy kind."

Hahaha 'nuff said.

[David Argall]

So, Therkla is on her way to doing a Heel Face Turn (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main.HeelFaceTurn). How utterly unsurprising.

Of course, she could pull a Prince Zuko on us and realize her loyalty to her boss outweighs her love for Elan...

It is also possible she will stay in balance, or imbalance, and keeps trying to have it both ways.

[Adventurer]

The ninjagirl's crush was funny, but the "happens all the time" line was simply brilliant!! Kudos, Giant:smallbiggrin:


It looks like Elan has developed "clutch": the ability to step up to the challenge when things are looking really bad (a term I've gotten from some game or other, probably a sports game).
It's from NBA Jam and its sequel NBA Hangtime:smallsmile:

[Oslecamo]

Belkar?Which makes sense, considering she's a teenage girl who's only symbols of manhood up until now have either been her elderly employer or her victims... to our knowledge, anyhow.

If the ninja had the level of wisdom of Belkar:

1-Knock out Elan by the back whitout a second tought.
2-Drag him to secret hideout, tie and drug him.
3-Eeer, use your imagination, but I think you get the picture from that point.

Belkar sometimes does risky things, but when he makes a plan he bothers to follow it to the end. This ninja, on the other hand, was assigned a job to kill his target, and sundely gives up of this AND attacks her own teamates just because she feels atracted by some random guy. Ok, a random guy with 18-19 charisma, but who didn't make any atempt to try to seduce her.
And we can't really justify it on her "lack of men" life. Since we don't know anything about it yet. And we can't expect giant to immediatily throw the entire background of every character that appears

Haley was in her middle twenties, so this ninja who looks more or less the same size and shape probably already left her teenager hormone filled years.

Also, we know that there are ninja schools open to the public in Azure city, so there's a good chance she acknowledged other men during her life.

Then, she has green skin. Hmm, maybe the lack of intelegence from being half-orc can explain it. Thog also liked Elan.

[wootdavid]

I completely missed Durkon's joke in the first pannel (too until I re-read it).

That one was just great all around.

[Bongos]

Where is everyone getting that Therkla is a teenager? She may have a "schoolgirl" like crush, but she seems to act like an adult to me, she's a skilled Ninja after all.

As far as I remember all the female adult characters are more or less the same looking and size, except maybe's Roy's sister, now she's a teenager and has an appropriate level for one......

she could be a half-orc, but a really smart one, look at the words she uses, distraction, encountered resistance, dextrous, pretty fancy words for a 1/2 orc.

[lonewolf23k]

"Ha ha ha, that was really-"

Is it just my imagination running away with or was she going to say "funny"?!
She was actually amused by his "con-TROLL" pun!
The poor girl... Maybe ninja school is a harsh, austere place... Maybe she's never been told an actual joke before... Or maybe love imposes a -6 penalty to all Int and Wis based checks...

My theory is she's a half-orc.. Not only would it explain the green skin, but let's face it.. Only someone with a -2 to Intelligence would laugh at that joke.

[lonewolf23k]

So, Therkla is on her way to doing a Heel Face Turn (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main.HeelFaceTurn). How utterly unsurprising.

Of course, she could pull a Prince Zuko on us and realize her loyalty to her boss outweighs her love for Elan...

Or she might get really, really angry once she discovers Elan's already got a girlfriend...

[Hood]

At who, though? Elan, or Haley?

:smallconfused:

Maybe she's just another minor character who will be killed before Haley and her meet. It may be for the best.

[Querzis]

My theory is she's a half-orc.. Not only would it explain the green skin, but let's face it.. Only someone with a -2 to Intelligence would laugh at that joke.

Once again, I cant believe you never saw a girl with a crush laugh at every joke the guy make! Come on, this is a pretty common reaction. I saw my sister and my cousin do it lots of time and they are both pretty smart. Anyway, even if she woudnt have a crush on Elan, it would just means she got a weird sense of humor, nothing else.

[Solara]

Interesting thing, after going back to reread #484, I noticed that Therkla referred to Hinjo not being a match for two of her ninjas, which would imply that she's not just some random assassin, but actually fairly high up on the food chain. So switching sides wouldn't be something she'd do lightly...man, Elan must have really had an effect on her...

[Bongos]

I've decided I am Therkla, thereby putting a rest to all theories and speculation.

[Ganurath]

Bongos... no. Just, no.

[silvadel]

Hold on here -- there was only ONE ninja there -- shouldnt she have been unbeatable?

[SquirrelKing]

*waves hand.

There is no ninja...

*looks overboard

Oh, there she is... :D

[Belkar]

Does anyone else keep waiting for Miko to come back? I miss her......
:belkar: -Hehehehehe

[docstrange]

He is SOOOOO into you Therkla... You know it, I know it....

And you flank really well together

Time was when kids wouldn't flank together until they got married... or at LEAST the third date.

[Ganurath]

Time was when kids wouldn't flank together until they got married... or at LEAST the third date.No, no, that's grappling. Flanking is what happens when three people are really comfortable with one another...

[Warlord JK]

Such an awesome comic
Laughed for a minute straight
Can't wait to find out what will happen between Therkla and Elan, after learning the Bard Charter and all
Great Job Giant!

[Bongos]

Hold on here -- there was only ONE ninja there -- shouldnt she have been unbeatable?

I thought the Law of Inverse Ninja applied to a group of ninjas that get killed off, not to a lone ninja?

Anyways Therkla did'nt get beaten technically Elan and she were'nt fighting.

[*Templar*]

I thought the Law of Inverse Ninja applied to a group of ninjas that get killed off, not to a lone ninja?


It's supposed to work both ways.

[Hidalgo]

soooo funny!

i still think she is Haley...

[Dr. Magic]

While it's been great as always, its nice to see a "classic" OOTS comic - quirky hijinks in battle without the epic 'end of the world' stuff getting in the way. A good balance to the last 20 or so...

[5tephen]

Y'know, at first I wasn't sure about Elan's new profession class, and the way he seemed to have switched over entirely.

But with humour like this, how mad can you stay?

And it does seem in character that Elan's Player would get bored playing a straight profession.

[Bongos]

Okay, I'm not Therkla, everyone else is!

[Invisible Queen]

My theory is she's a half-orc.. Not only would it explain the green skin, but let's face it.. Only someone with a -2 to Intelligence would laugh at that joke.
Only someone with -5 to humor would think you need low intelligence to laugh at something. :p

[Jarwy]

I don't usually post in these topics, but I simply have to point out *again* this amazing joke.

Elan: I may need to dumb down my puns.
Hinjo: The gods help us all.

Seriously, I haven't laughed this well in a while. :smallbiggrin: Keep up the good work...

[Arssanguinus]

oh, gosh. I'm still laughing--really good one--

" uh...the...Dextrous kind!" :smallbiggrin:

and people, she can't be Haley's sister--green skin!

My guess is, she's a goblin-subtype

Well, just sayin' - HALF orcs are called HALF orcs for a reason, there is absolutely no reason dear ol' da couldn't have knocked up a Orc while drunk, or somesuch.<C>

[Arrogant]

Does anyone see the similarity between this ninja and the bandit chick. You know that its going to follow the same route as it did before.

[pendell]

Great job as usual!

Romantic tension a-building, and if Haley sees them together that'll bring on an attack of self-loathing in a really strong way.

Question. Why do we assume Therkla is a half-orc? Could she be a full orc?

Respectfully,

Brian P.,

[Mauve Shirt]

Everyone's saying she'd have to have low intelligence to laugh at that joke. What's wrong with liking bad puns? Some people have that kind of sense of humor. It's rare but it happens.

[Bongos]

Therkla has a very good vocabulary for being a half orc,

maybe she is a Ninja disguised as a half orc so she can work for the bad guys, when really she is a fallen paladin hoping to kill the bad guys after gaining their trust

then when her celestial mount returns after being transformed into a pumpkin, she will be able to wear her ruby slippers once more and continue her quest for the one ring..

[*Templar*]

Does anyone see the similarity between this ninja and the bandit chick. You know that its going to follow the same route as it did before.

Yes, it's been discussed, and all I can say is that I sure hope we don't end up recycling that plotline.

[Mystyco]

very nice comic, it made my day :D

[silvadel]

That sock puppet almost became an official member of the pantheon....

There is something "special" about Elan -- one could almost call him fate-touched.

----

You also know we have only seen therkla's eyes/build. She could look like anything under those robes... Ugly enough to petrify cheese with many scars and missing an ear.

[Horned]

This chick has to be the clumsiest ninja on the planet. Getting bowled over by a loud bard coming from behind? And then not being able to step out of the way as a troll falls toward you?

[Twilight Jack]

This chick has to be the clumsiest ninja on the planet. Getting bowled over by a loud bard coming from behind? And then not being able to step out of the way as a troll falls toward you?

She has the second left foot of love!!

[factotum]

Therkla has a very good vocabulary for being a half orc,


Half-orcs don't HAVE to be witless grunts like Thog, you know...the racial -2 to Intelligence doesn't preclude them having a high enough intelligence to speak and think normally. (Heck, when you consider how low Elan's INT must be, he seems to get along well enough with his vocabulary).

[Belkar]

Only due to his 18 Charisma, methinks.

[Adventurer]

Interesting to see Elan in action again, you can see how all that training is still paying off.

And are we going to have a love triangle maybe, hm...

It will be interesting to find out. :smallamused:Quick, call Haley's Latent Bisexuality, I figured out how to solve the love triangle problem!

Best post in this thread (says then dies laughing):smallbiggrin:

[teratorn]

Hinjo was drinking heavily. Shouldn't he have some sort of sanity penalty or something? Unless lay hands cleans the alcohol from your body (a good reason to be a paladin).

[stickygoo]

Half-Orc doesn't necessarily mean dumb and crude. I make a half-orc fighter once and had great rolls. I had 14 INT and 13 CHA, and those were my dump stats. In fact my general attitude was a lot like Roy's, and this was before I heard of OOTS.

[CGM3]

Therkla has a very good vocabulary for being a half orc,

maybe she is a Ninja disguised as a half orc so she can work for the bad guys, when really she is a fallen paladin hoping to kill the bad guys after gaining their trust

then when her celestial mount returns after being transformed into a pumpkin, she will be able to wear her ruby slippers once more and continue her quest for the one ring..

That sounds logical. :amused:

[Bongos]

I"m sorry I'm just posting this one last time,
but you all knew right? It was so obvious...

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w130/superbongos/mikotherklaweb.jpg

[Pvednes]

Heh, Hinjo's doomed... (get the reference and win a cookie)

Unless Elan gets some ninja-chick action, anyway. Only one ninja, and she's a named NPC too!

[Ishha]

HAHAHAHAH!LOL Love the comic!Therkela seems to really like Elan though,to bad that he still loves hayley,so theres no hope for her.:smallfrown:

[Anealen]

This chick has to be the clumsiest ninja on the planet. Getting bowled over by a loud bard coming from behind? And then not being able to step out of the way as a troll falls toward you?

I made a similar thought (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3517709#post3517709)

maybe it's only due to Elan presence :smallsmile:

great comic, by the way!

[Castamir]

You mean, stupidity is contagious?

[Anealen]

You mean, stupidity is contagious?

At least for now, I don't think..

I was thinking about "Elan's charisma bonus reflects to a deficit for Therkla's Dexterity"
or something like that

Strange (and quite impossible) idea, I know, but I find it kind of funny.

[katyland]

It looks like Elan has developed "clutch": the ability to step up to the challenge when things are looking really bad (a term I've gotten from some game or other, probably a sports game). I mean, he knocked over a ninja and then convinced the ninja to help him kill the ninja's ally, and then killed a sea troll with one blow.

Does his rapier have an acid coating or something?

No, because of his "Dashing Swoardsman" prestige class, he gets to swap out his stregth bonus for his charisma bonus when he uses a rapier and makes a witty pun while fighting.

I want to know what is under that ninja get up! And who is she talking to and why are they trying to kill Hinjo (if not for the obvious reasons)

[Crom]

Well my first post on this site. Finished reading the OoS comic few days ago. Man this series rocks!

[Twilight Jack]

Well my first post on this site. Finished reading the OoS comic few days ago. Man this series rocks!

Yes it does, by Crom.

[docstrange]

No, no, that's grappling. Flanking is what happens when three people are really comfortable with one another...


Ah, thanks for the clarification. My dating -> marraige years all took place with 1st Edition in effect.

[Belkar]

I want to be a Dashing Swordsman.......
:belkar: but at least I'm still dead sexy!

[BigBooter]

Hmm...

Same hairstyle, same eyebrow expressions, same figure...

(Of course, they are all stick figures, so I may be seeing more here than there is)

Does anyone else see a resemblence between Therkla and Haley? Appearance, attraction to Elan, rogue-like skills... People keep referring to her as half-orc, but what if the green skin means something else. We still don't know what happened to Haley and Co., what are the chances Xykon got a hold of her, made her a zombie or something, and sent her after the others?

Of course, then she probably wouldn't care if Kubota was still on the ship before they sprung the attack (unless Xykon is in league with him), and the smell of a zombie ninja would probably be a dead giveaway (ok, you can stop groaning at the bad pun now), but it's a thought.

No resemblance... Therkla implies that she is the head ninja, which didn't really happen overnight, not to mention being a trusted assistant to someone as paranoid and scheming as Kubuto...

Besides, green skin? All I have to say is: "Tony the Archon" (OotS #292)... "Heaven is a half-orc" :smallbiggrin:

Anyway, I can't wait to see where Giant is going with this one... always love it when a new character joins the show! (yeah, even the bad ones... the good guys are good, but Team Evil is "baaad to da bone"... :smallwink: )

[ Boot to the FACE (thwack) ]

Roy: "Just curious, do you get XP for killing the dramatic moment?"

[BigBooter]

This chick has to be the clumsiest ninja on the planet. Getting bowled over by a loud bard coming from behind? And then not being able to step out of the way as a troll falls toward you?

Well, as they say, "love is blind... and often deaf, and dumb!" :smallbiggrin:

Besdies, being the head ninja of someone like good ol' Kuboto probably doesn't involve getting out much... methinks Therkla might be missing out on some regular "Treasure Type O", to quote the Roy-meister (God of Quip)

'Hey, don't feel bad, Roy, I thought you were awesome. "Treasure Type O"... heh heh heh.'

Anyway, why let the rules get in the way of a great gag? The laws of physics never interfered with W. E. Coyote, unless dramatically or humourously appropriate! :smalltongue:

[Archangel Yuki]

You mean, stupidity is contagious?

It's a valid theory because it would explain alot about the world. =P

[TakerFoxx]

But damn, Elan really does seduce the bad ladies. Can we say third wheel?

Wonder what will happen when Haley returns. I'm predicting another Samantha moment.

[holywhippet]

But damn, Elan really does seduce the bad ladies. Can we say third wheel?

Wonder what will happen when Haley returns. I'm predicting another Samantha moment.

Unlikely IMO. Elan went after Samantha because in his mind, that's what a bard does. Now that he's in a relationship with Haley I doubt he'll stray. Even though he's chaotic I don't think he's that kind of person. Of course, if Therkla can manage some kind of form changing illusion to make herself look like Haley... Well, actually that's not likely since it's unlikely she even knows what Haley looks like.

[David Argall]

Unlikely IMO. Elan went after Samantha because in his mind, that's what a bard does.
And he is still a class that is supposed to go after the girls.


Now that he's in a relationship with Haley I doubt he'll stray. Even though he's chaotic I don't think he's that kind of person.
Reality check time. The male percentage that stray is close to 100% once one eliminates practical problems such as the wife is watching, or that no woman is that desperate. Add in that he is chaotic and staying loyal to Haley alone is just not likely to be a major value. Now we might well find that Elan intends to keep Haley and if she says her or the other girl, Elan will go with Haley, but the idea he is immune to the lures of other women just won't fly.



Of course, if Therkla can manage some kind of form changing illusion to make herself look like Haley... Well, actually that's not likely since it's unlikely she even knows what Haley looks like.
An interesting idea. Not too likely, but Therkla may already look a lot like Haley, and it will not be hard for Therkla to get Elan to describe Haley close enough for Therkla to look more like Haley than Haley does.
Hmm... On the sisters idea... Could Therkla have a tramp stamp too? Identical to Haley's?

[Epinephrine]

Reality check time. The male percentage that stray is close to 100% once one eliminates practical problems such as the wife is watching, or that no woman is that desperate.

First time poster, long time reader.

Even if you'd cheat at the drop of a hat, you don't represent everyone out there. Having read on the subject (for example, the Journal of Sex Research, Journal of Family Psychology) the rates are much lower than 100%, and although there are variables that are correlated with higher rates of infidelity (and indeed, they are labeled "opportunity variables" - income is an example) rates of 23% for marital infidelity are hardly "everyone". Evolutionary psychology even examines the sexual differences in choice of extradyadic partner, this is a well researched area. Feel free to cite some papers on the subject, if you wish to contradict me.

Oh, and I liked the comic - not sure if Elan would cheat, it isn't clear to me whether he values Haley enough to overcome his bardic/swordsman tendencies.

[Surfing HalfOrc]

First time poster, long time reader.

Even if you'd cheat at the drop of a hat, you don't represent everyone out there. Having read on the subject (for example, the Journal of Sex Research, Journal of Family Psychology) the rates are much lower than 100%, and although there are variables that are correlated with higher rates of infidelity (and indeed, they are labeled "opportunity variables" - income is an example) rates of 23% for marital infidelity are hardly "everyone". Evolutionary psychology even examines the sexual differences in choice of extradyadic partner, this is a well researched area. Feel free to cite some papers on the subject, if you wish to contradict me.

Oh, and I liked the comic - not sure if Elan would cheat, it isn't clear to me whether he values Haley enough to overcome his bardic/swordsman tendencies.

I have to agree with you. I've been married 16+ years, and have had opportunities to "stray," but never took advantage of them. Some people don't care, some do. "The 100% of all men stray" is as unfair to say as "100% of all gamers have no clue what deodorant and showers are, live in their mother's basement, and are all virgins." :smallbiggrin:

Now on to Elan and Haley... Although their "romantic" relationship has just begun, I'm seriously doubt Elan is going to go off chasing "strange booty." Even pirate-ninja booty!

[battleburn]

I like that, Elan seems to get more effective in battle when Roy is not around.
First when he gets his prestige class. Most of the time he gets help from other characters. Learning the prestige class for one.

Later on Haley tells him to effectively use his illusion to escape certain death at the hands of a lot of goblins when they hide in the tower.
And V also gives hints on effective illusion use when he "summons" the "celestial" lion.

This time against the trolls, he does it all by himself and does some good damage to take out that troll so fast.

I also Haley has shown some quality as a leader. Haley as second in command did a good job after Durkon gave her a boost of confidence.

Also, this is the first time I think I have seen some character development in V. She/he has always been a bit one-dimensional. Now she shows to have great concerns about the wellbeing of Haley. An obsession even.

I wonder how this is all going to play out.

-Battleburn

[PegasusTreewalk]

I think what will happen next is:
After the battle, Elan casually asks Hinjo if he's seen that ninja that was on board.
On hearing the word 'ninja' Hinjo immediately goes to look. They fish Therkla out and Hinjo has her arrested.
Hinjo and Elan coax information out of her so that they can finally put Kubota on trial for treason.
After agreeing to switch sides, Therkla tries to put the moves on Elan, only to find he already has a girlfriend...

Only to immediately fall in love with Hinjo! (she had been distracted by :elan:'s 18+ charisma:smallwink:)
just wanted to throw that wild theory out there as one of many reasons she could be a recurring character.

[David Argall]

the rates are much lower than 100%, and although there are variables that are correlated with higher rates of infidelity (and indeed, they are labeled "opportunity variables" - income is an example) rates of 23% for marital infidelity are hardly "everyone".
Now I am not able track the 23% figure down, but it seems to be a survey answer, and thus subject to persistent bias. [On this point, I have yet to see a survey that does not say men say they have more sex with women than women say they have sex with men.] No matter how often the survey is run, nor how well, it can still only give us a minimum figure.
DNA tests are one evidence 23% is way too low. They find that about 10% of us have the wrong idea about who our father was. [No, this is not limited to the loose element. Back when they were first investigating the inheritance of human blood types, a study of a conservative Midwest town chosen for its presumed lack of adultery was abandoned because there were too many "errors", where the blood test said the child was not fathered by the man the mother claimed. A few years later when they had more confidence in the tests, they had another talk with these mothers and most fessed up that there "might" have been another man.]
Now there are several reasons to think that our average wife does not have sex with somebody other than her hubby 10% of the time, but we are concerned with how many stray, not what percentage of the time each does. Even 1% of the time could mean 100% for our purposes. We would assume a more scattered pattern, but it still works out to a very high percentage stray once or twice during the marriage.
And the male statistics are going to be worse.


not sure if Elan would cheat, it isn't clear to me whether he values Haley enough to overcome his bardic/swordsman tendencies.
Let's see. He is male, which means a desire for sex [& means he can value Haley a lot and still want other women]. He is chaotic, which means a low value for loyalty. Haley has been gone for months, and there is no sign visible to him that she is about to return. Therkla is eager. He has those bardic/swordsman tendencies.

Really, the question would seem to be: When Haley catches Elan and Therkla in bed, will she still be wearing that ninja outfit?

[Epinephrine]

Now I am not able track the 23% figure down, but it seems to be a survey answer, and thus subject to persistent bias. [On this point, I have yet to see a survey that does not say men say they have more sex with women than women say they have sex with men.]

Heh. Given that my work is analyzing health statistics, I am somewhat aware of bias and surveys. I'm not saying that 23% is the true figure, it's an example of a statistic that is fairly recent, and is from a survey with thousands of participants, reducing the confidence interval.

Even defining infidelity is difficult. Some studies ask about current relationships, others ask if one ever cheated. Some are about marriage, some aren't. Some are measuring only the act of sex itself, others are more inclusive.


DNA tests are one evidence 23% is way too low. They find that about 10% of us have the wrong idea about who our father was. [No, this is not limited to the loose element. Back when they were first investigating the inheritance of human blood types, a study of a conservative Midwest town chosen for its presumed lack of adultery was abandoned because there were too many "errors", where the blood test said the child was not fathered by the man the mother claimed. A few years later when they had more confidence in the tests, they had another talk with these mothers and most fessed up that there "might" have been another man.]

I've seen results like this, first I had seen was from the UK.

For one thing, you can't generalise the results of a comparatively small number of non-representational samples, and samples are typically small and from a single area.

Secondly, you can't assume that there's a equal chance for fertility. The studies show exactly the opposite. Fertility rates are increased during affairs (for women), and evolutionary psychology has theories on why this is the case.

Even if it were generalizable, it would only apply to those relationships in which there are children, since all relationships without children are not included in the sample space.

I won't actually question that rate, as 10% is well within the range of values I've seen. I also don't doubt that the rate is likely around that high nationally, but one needs the statistics to prove it.


And the male statistics are going to be worse.

Why? Because you feel they should be? Evidence please.

Again, we know that there are those who lie in surveys, we also know that the rate of truthfulness can vary depending on other variables. Take body mass index as an example; not only does the rate of lying about one's height and weight vary by sex (which it does), it varies as well by age and by BMI itself (those with BMIs that are farther from the accepted ideals are more likely to lie). So even evidence of greater rates of infidelity from surveys are not proof that women are less likely to cheat, as it might simply indicate greater deception.

I'm not suggesting that the rate isn't shockingly high. For someone who doesn't cheat it is amazing to think so many people do so. However, it simply isn't "almost 100%".

Questions like this should only be resolved by research, and claiming otherwise and making statements based on general impressions is misleading. The true values are of course unknowable. We do know that problems in a relationship can lead to infidelity, it's a predictor. Given that the rate of marriages failing in 3 years is ~50% it is hardly surprising that the rate of infidelity is high, but some of us beat those statistics.

Back to the comic though...

Re: Elan,

Chaotic doesn't mean Chaotic in every sense, nor on every issue. Someone who values his friends above all else, and will do anything in his loyalty for them, including throwing every law out the window? Someone terribly commited to a cause, believing that the ends justify the means? These are classic examples, and loyalty to his friends (and his love) seem appropriate to Elan. I'm not convinced that having a chaotic alignment means that one has no loyalty, and in fact I believe that many chaotic individuals are so precisely because of loyalty. What greater reason to break the rules than love?

[David Argall]

Chaotic doesn't mean Chaotic in every sense, nor on every issue.

Of course not, but that is the way to bet. Loyalty and consistency are lawful virtues, and we should not expect the chaotic to display them. We can't rule out Elan being absolutely loyal to Haley, but we just have no good reason to think he will be. On the other hand, we have a long list of reasons he might tumble the ninja.
Maybe Elan will find fangs a turnoff or maybe he will prefer one of the other ladies. But right now there is a serious chance the strip will feature a quarter-orc in a year.

[Oslecamo]

Why is everybody thinking that Haley would want to sleep with Therka?

1-She's an half-orc. Charisma penalty. And since probably int isn't her dump stat, charisma has to be. She can't sacrifice wisdom, str, dex or con as a ninja. So we're looking at someone who, at best of chances, is just as gorgeous as the regular human women. Not specially atractive

2-There are a lot more girls in the boats that probably would like to go with Elan to bed. Why would he pick a half-orc ninja then?

3-Haley has already showed she's not very forgiving. And since Elan's bluff sucks, he knows petty well he may end in the wrong end of a sneack attack if he cheats her.

[TheMeanDM]

How can you say that there's a "serious chance"...?

Dude...he hasn't even *noticed* her "in that way".

There is no supporting evidence that he even *will* notice her "in that way".

For starters...she's wearing a ninja mask!

Second: Samantha was a sorcerer (high CHA)

Why do you feel the need to make stuff up and pull things out of thin-air?

I don't understand that..unless it's just arguing for arguing sake...

[turkishproverb]

And the male statistics are going to be worse.



Let's see. He is male, which means a desire for sex [& means he can value Haley a lot and still want other women].

Oy. SOmeone has a problem wtih men, doesn't he (She?)?

Suddenly I can see your argumetns in the Miko threads in a whole new light.

Anyway, given the way Elan desperatelly wants to go back for her, I'd disagree on the chance of cheating because she hasn't been around for a while.

[Sequinox]

It was a great comic and stuff... Sure... But I'm posting this a WEEK (at least) after it came out! Is there some follow-up hiatus no one told me about? :smallconfused: Meh...

But onto the subject of the comic itself: Now we know that the sea trolls work for kubota. Kubos to you for all of the planning, Kubota! (The kubos thing wasn't a typo - it was a pun! Get it?) :smallbiggrin:

All in all I thought it was great.

EDIT: I just read that the Giant slipped on ice. I deeply apologize for my first paragraph. Just rest and put ice on the bruise (assuming nothings broken) and don't worry about oots.

[humanpylon]

Regarding Elan possibly cheating on Therkla....

Elan went to great lengths and personal risk to rescue Haley and obviously cares very deeply about her. I doubt he's going to just hook up with Therkla because she's available and willing. And if he does Haley's better off without him anyways.

[Daen]

2-There are a lot more girls in the boats that probably would like to go with Elan to bed. Why would he pick a half-orc ninja then?

Because she's high level and named. Heh! :smallsmile:

Just kidding... I don't think Elan would cheat, but it is possible that Therkla might try to sneak into Elan's bed at night (just in time for Haley to catch the scene).