The Order of the Stick

[Jesse]

Turned out I missed two comics.

[Jorpho]

Bit shabby when the whole comic is a wall of text from people standing around. Oh well.

So what's the reference in 746, Grandpa? H. R. Puffnstuff? Naah.

[Chfan]

Mystery Science Theater 3000. Could have been older.

[phlip]

So what's the reference in 746, Grandpa? H. R. Puffnstuff? Naah.

According to someone on the GitP forum, it's this thing.

[frogman]

Whatever it is, it's more scary-looking than anything that Rich could have lined up to take on our travelers any time soon. Shudder.

[SecondTalon]

So what's the reference in 746, Grandpa? H. R. Puffnstuff? Naah.

According to someone on the GitP forum, it's this thing.

I can believe it

[Small God]

Wow. The last few comics have been... eye-opening.

I can safely say this. The debate over Tarquin's alignment is over. Completely.

[JayDee]

Awesome is an alignment, right?

[SecondTalon]

Yeah, Awesome Evil with Lawful tendencies.

[Jorpho]

Are we going to find out about Haley's father now, or is that just going to be conveniently forgotten..?

[TaintedDeity]

Yes, that thing mentioned a few strips ago has been completely forgotten. Nothing to do with the other threads of the story going on simultaneously or anything

[Jorpho]

It sure is hard to follow the story when the updates are so infrequent.

Did anyone else pre-order the new book? I sure did. (It's easy to miss if you don't bother reading the news updates at all.)

[axilog14]

Well, I'd finally caught up to the last few strips I'd missed out on over the last few months (yay for slow updates? ), and though I was never into D&D I still have to say Rich Burlew is a sick genius of a plotter.

Are we going to find out about Haley's father now, or is that just going to be conveniently forgotten..?

Spoiler:

Oh, Burlew, you cad!

[pseudoidiot]

Rich has been on quite the updating spree lately.

Anyhow, I just felt the need to praise Red Cloak's awesomeness.

[TaintedDeity]

Yes, has been rather good. Plot progression and everything. Shame about Tsukiko, though. I liked her.

[phlip]

Well. That's certainly a thing that just happened.

Also, since the thread is bumped anyway, I figure I'll link to this for those who don't read the GitP news page, and like bonus content, magnets, physical books and/or paying for things.

[Belial]

Yes, has been rather good. Plot progression and everything. Shame about Tsukiko, though. I liked her.

She was the kind of amusingly obnoxious character that you liked, but that absolutely had to die in some particularly appropriate way. I liked her, but I also like this end for her.

It's kindof how I felt about Miko, too.

[Jorpho]

It's nice to see some solid closure for a character, at least.

I figure at this rate by the time whatshisname the half-elf wizard shows up again, no one will have any idea who he is.

[Jorpho]

So the kickstarter has gone crazy bananas, if you haven't been following it.

I'm tempted to throw in more money, but I can't figure out what this means:

A pledge-drive-exclusive 8x10 art print of pretty much the entire OOTS cast, suitable for framing, plus a Roy Greenhilt magnet. Add any one book for $30 (but no additional books beyond that, please), chosen at the end of the driver. (Canada/Mexico orders, please add $7 extra to your pledge to cover shipping; international orders, add $10.

So does that mean by pledging $37, I get a random book plus the art print? That's quite a bargain.

[phlip]

I read it as $37 on top of the rest... ie it's $25 for the print/magnet/PDFs, plus $30 for a book, plus $7 for shipping to the Canadas.

[Belial]

Wow, yeah, he writes his kickstarter rewards extremely confusingly. But I'm thinking it means what Phlip said.

Also, check the updates page. You get most of that stuff too. The stickers, notepads, wallpapers, and bonus story pdfs.

[Jorpho]

It's too bad that he's (apparently) insisting on Priority Mail. $7 shipping is just too much.

[Jorpho]

Ah, I changed my mind. There's too much other swag being peddled with the art print now to pass it up.

Join the insanity! There's still time!

[charliepanayi]

*sees last few posts*

So...how about that Order of the Stick webcomic eh?

These are all about the Order of the Stick. We have always been at war with Eastasia. - ST

[Vaniver]

Oh man. That last comic was... fantastic. I greatly enjoy Burlew's ability to tie everything together.

[phlip]

.. Wow. This is going to get interesting.

Though, I can't help but notice that that's a female human at the top of that tree. In which case... ouch indeed.

[Jorpho]

Yikes, thanks for bumping this. I almost forgot to do my Kickstarter survey!

Also, yes, dayum and such forth. It took me a minute to grasp that; I reckon new readers brought in by the Kickstarter are going to be more confused than usual. Oh well.

[phlip]

Yikes, thanks for bumping this. I almost forgot to do my Kickstarter survey!

Wait, that exists already? I thought there'd be an email...
[edit] Oh, that's right, he's doing them in phases, and is just doing the cheap ones first. I remember now.

[Jorpho]

Yikes, thanks for bumping this. I almost forgot to do my Kickstarter survey!

Wait, that exists already? I thought there'd be an email...

There was, at least in my case. It went out on Monday.

[Kewangji]

I can safely state that I did not expect the current developments (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0870.html) (major spoilers if you're behind on things, I suppose)

[Grop]

I can safely state that I did not expect the current developments (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0870.html) (major spoilers if you're behind on things, I suppose)

I have followed the series up to this point, and I don't understand what is happening.

[raudorn]

I was confused too, but if the discussion on the giantitp forums is anything to go by, then Malack is about to

Spoiler:

turn Belkar into a vampire. In hindsight it's obvious and it plays well into the oracles prophecy that Belkar will "draw his last breath before the end of the year." So there's a good chance the vampirism will stick. The question now is, will Malack control Belkar for his own gains or force him under the rule of either Nale or Tarqin?

[pseudoidiot]

Huh, I hadn't realized Malack was a vampire.

[Jorpho]

I was confused too, but if the discussion on the giantitp forums is anything to go by, then Malack is about to

Spoiler:

turn Belkar into a vampire. In hindsight it's obvious and it plays well into the oracles prophecy that Belkar will "draw his last breath before the end of the year." So there's a good chance the vampirism will stick. The question now is, will Malack control Belkar for his own gains or force him under the rule of either Nale or Tarqin?

Speaking of which, in what comic was that prophecy made? I saw that in the forums as well and I draw a blank. It isn't here.

EDIT: Wait, here it is, I guess.

[SecondTalon]

Huh, I hadn't realized Malack was a vampire.

I hadn't realized it either. Puts a completely different spin on Nale killing his children.

And holy shit is it obvious in retrospect. Might have well as said "and I don't drink.....wine."

[Vaniver]

Yeah, I'm surprised that that was a surprise for either of you. I thought it likely the first time he was onscreen, and confirmed shortly thereafter.

[Jorpho]

Sweet Christmas, regular updates! And they're not stacked to the rafters with confusing exposition, too!

[Nylonathatep]

Richard Burlew have a lot of time to trump up new ideas and ponder on the direction where his comic wants to go when he injured his thumb...

and now the plot has just gone very very wrong epic.

Spoiler:

Undead dunkon2.jpg (23.44 KiB) Viewed 1727 times

[Kewangji]

New direction? This has likely been plotted since way back, given all the foreshadowing.

Loving the twists and turns in the plot, and the current speed of updates.

[Thadlerian]

Whoah! I didn't look closely at the last panel for a minute, and actually thought we were having plot progression for a while there!