Was there a predecessor strip to Order of the Stick?

[Curtis Cook]

I'm sure this has already been asked, and I apologize for acting like a noob, but you can't help noticing that OotS begins in media res as the characters are converting from D&D 3rd to D&D 3.5, at which time they've already achieved a considerable level. That and a couple of questions asked in Forum threads within the past week have led me to wonder whether there was something — specifically something we could read online — that came before.

So, is there anywhere we could find a 'what came before'? Or even a backstory synopsis?

[InvisibleBison]

As far as I know there wasn't any prior comics or other stories made before the comic started being published. The Giant did publish a prequel book, On the Origins of PCs, though it's not available online (unless you count buying the PDF version as being online) and focuses more on how the Order formed than how the members of the Order got the levels they had when they joined the Order.

[Jasdoif]

As far as I know there wasn't any prior comics or other stories made before the comic started being published.

Indeed. The comic was created to give people a reason to keep visiting this website, and the original plan for the comic was "to be an anthology of gags using a different party each time"; any sort of history for the party is bound to only be historical in an in-universe sense.

[Kish]

There was nothing we can read online, no. Rich did write two prequel books--one showing the Order getting together (On the Origins of PCs), one showing Xykon, Redcloak, and the creature in the darkness getting together (Start of Darkness), as well as an anthology which includes multiple stories set prior to online strip #1 (Good Deeds Gone Unpunished is the anthology; it has a prequel story about O-Chul, one about Lien, and one about Therkla, as well as a story set during Don't Split the Party about Mr. Scruffy and a story set after Don't Split the Party about Kazumi and Daigo. The compilation book for strips #1 to #120, Dungeon Crawlin' Fools, also include an added section showing the Order traveling to the dungeon.

[Curtis Cook]

There was nothing we can read online, no. Rich did write two prequel books--one showing the Order getting together (On the Origins of PCs), one showing Xykon, Redcloak, and the creature in the darkness getting together (Start of Darkness), as well as an anthology which includes multiple stories set prior to online strip #1 (Good Deeds Gone Unpunished is the anthology; it has a prequel story about O-Chul, one about Lien, and one about Therkla, as well as a story set during Don't Split the Party about Mr. Scruffy and a story set after Don't Split the Party about Kazumi and Daigo. The compilation book for strips #1 to #120, Dungeon Crawlin' Fools, also include an added section showing the Order traveling to the dungeon.

https://www.giantitp.com/GIPOTS00.html
https://www.giantitp.com/GIPOTS99.html
https://www.giantitp.com/GIPOTS50.html

These are available for $13.95, $16.95 and $15 respectively.

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Sea...0vol%20dungeon

This one was available for $13.28
***************************
Thank you to all three of you who replied, but especially to Kish who provided an actionable response.

[NerdyKris]

To be clear though, those are prequels. As in books written after the strip started to fill in details from before. They weren't written before the first strip was.

[Curtis Cook]

Got it. Thank you.

[Bohandas]

IIRC some of the Dragon Magazine stuff isn't in the site archive

[Tzardok]

The Dragon Magazine strips are published in Snips, Snails and Dragon Tails. They are also not in the same continuity as the web comic. (The Gygax magazine includes like five strips that can't be found anywhere else).

[Curtis Cook]

And now another collection appears! {runs away screaming "They're everywhere! They're everywhere!"}

[Metastachydium]

Someone remind me, is Uncivil Servant (that's a short Belkar prequel, Curtis) included in SSTD or does it only come as a standalone?

[Tzardok]

That's a stand alone (and I'm pretty sure younger than SSDT).

SSDT includes:
The Julio Scoundrel comic with the mummy queen,
the OOTS parodies of famous stories and fairytales,
the Dragon Magazine comics,
and Invasion from the Fourth Edition.

[Metastachydium]

Why, thank you (I need to get my hands on that damn book)! That's another one, then, Mr. Cook!

[Curtis Cook]

In lieu of having the money to purchase these now, I'm re-reading the series. I read it for the first time three and a half years ago, all in one long day. Now I'm going back over it at the rate of 250 episodes a week (50 a day every day I'm online), and I'm so glad I'm doing this, because I've forgotten so much!

Thank you guys for creating this list, which I'm hoping will be useful for other seekers-after-forbidden-knowledge.

And comic fans.

[Bavarian itP]

all in one long day

No wonder you forgot (or didn't even notice) a lot - that's about 72 seconds per strip.

[pearl jam]

In lieu of having the money to purchase these now, I'm re-reading the series. I read it for the first time three and a half years ago, all in one long day. Now I'm going back over it at the rate of 250 episodes a week (50 a day every day I'm online), and I'm so glad I'm doing this, because I've forgotten so much!

Thank you guys for creating this list, which I'm hoping will be useful for other seekers-after-forbidden-knowledge.

And comic fans.

I would note, also, that for the ookdook links posted above, "Good Deeds Gone Unpunished" is actually sold out. I forgot to buy that one before it sold out.

[Ionathus]

Someone remind me, is Uncivil Servant (that's a short Belkar prequel, Curtis) included in SSTD or does it only come as a standalone?

Both Uncivil Servant and Haleo and Julelan are standalones, I think released in the last 5ish years?

[Metastachydium]

Both Uncivil Servant and Haleo and Julelan are standalones, I think released in the last 5ish years?

Yeah, I've learnt that in the meantime. I was only asking because (I believe) How the Paladin (and maybe Spoiler Alert?) was(/were) also standalone(s/) stuff before it(/they) got compiled into Good Deeds.

[Ionathus]

Yeah, I've learnt that in the meantime. I was only asking because (I believe) How the Paladin (and maybe Spoiler Alert?) was(/were) also standalone(s/) stuff before it(/they) got compiled into Good Deeds.

Did they both start as Kickstarter stories? I started reading after the Kickstarter was over and done and missed a lot of that timeline.

[Metastachydium]

Did they both start as Kickstarter stories? I started reading after the Kickstarter was over and done and missed a lot of that timeline.

Paladin certainly did and [goes&checks] yes, so did Spoiler Alert.

[Curtis Cook]

No wonder you forgot (or didn't even notice) a lot - that's about 72 seconds per strip.

Okay, I should've said 'all in one sitting'. I actually put in about 90 seconds per strip.

But yes, that would explain a lot.

[Precure]

No wonder you forgot (or didn't even notice) a lot - that's about 72 seconds per strip.

And that's assuming he didn't sleep for 24 hours. Truly a big accomplishment.

[Curtis Cook]

And that's assuming he didn't sleep for 24 hours. Truly a big accomplishment.

About 30 hours.

In the same week I read through the Erfworld Archives and Girl Genius (two other online comics). Erfworld is now deceased, but Girl Genius is putting up three strips a week. After I finish this project I should probably go back over those and see how much I missed out on.

[Fyraltari]

About 30 hours.

In the same week I read through the Erfworld Archives and Girl Genius (two other online comics). Erfworld is now deceased, but Girl Genius is putting up three strips a week. After I finish this project I should probably go back over those and see how much I missed out on.

...

That can't be heathly.

[Curtis Cook]

...

That can't be heathly.

Neither is it healthy. I have manic episodes, and when they occur I can (sometimes) accomplish a lot.

[Precure]

Neither is it healthy. I have manic episodes, and when they occur I can (sometimes) accomplish a lot.

Worst part of these episodes is you might suddenly lost interest in the middle of story and distracted by something else.

[Curtis Cook]

Worst part of these episodes is you might suddenly lost interest in the middle of story and distracted by something else.

That sometimes happens with reading books. I started in the Sue Grafton ABC mystery series when it was at T 16 years ago. I got as far as L before that episode ended, and I've never gone back to it, though I now own the complete set. Maybe someday…

As I get older these episodes have become more rare, the most recent being three years ago this month. I'm now trying to do things on an installment plan. I spend two days a week at my parents' place, where there is no internet and I have a stack of books to read; I average close to a book a week there. During the other five days I read a bit a day at a stack here at home — basically bathroom reading and before turning out the light at night. And now I've added in re-reading these online comics.

The list of books I've gone through is gratifyingly long, but for some reason the stacks of books still to read never get any shorter, which is a bit discouraging

[The Glyphstone]

I can think of no fate in life more horrible than to run out of books to read.

[Peelee]

I can think of no fate in life more horrible than to run out of books to read.

Sounds like someone who hasn't read the My Cousin Vinny novels.

[JustIgnoreMe]

Sounds like someone who hasn't read the My Cousin Vinny novels.

The… WHAT?