The Order of the Stick

[Jorpho]

There was a scroll Xykon told her he didn't understand. O-Chul and the paladins are heading to a different gate than the PCs.

I don't suppose you can link to the strip where these things were introduced?

[Naurgul]

• O-Chul and Lien are heading to Kraagor's gate: #671, panel 2
• Xykon told Tsukiko to learn a ritual from a scroll and explain it to him: #700, panel 4

[TaintedDeity]

She says "the missing half of this ritual is actually divine" meaning she doesn't have the part that Redcloak is meant to cast.

Spoiler:

Could be that whoever performs the ritual is consumed by it so Xykon wants somebody else to do it. Or maybe he wants all his power fresh for when the Snarl appears. Or maybe he's lazy and doesn't want to learn it.

[Jorpho]

Xykon told Tsukiko to learn a ritual from a scroll and explain it to him: #700, panel 4

Really? Only nine strips ago? Updates really have been slow!

[Naurgul]

Indeed, #700 was more than 2 months ago.

[Sir_Elderberry]

She says "the missing half of this ritual is actually divine" meaning she doesn't have the part that Redcloak is meant to cast.

Spoiler:

Could be that whoever performs the ritual is consumed by it so Xykon wants somebody else to do it. Or maybe he wants all his power fresh for when the Snarl appears. Or maybe he's lazy and doesn't want to learn it.

SoD

Spoiler:

The ritual doesn't actually control the Snarl. Redcloak told Xykon it would, to lure in a (then-living) arcane caster to his plot. In reality, it just lets the Snarl loose a little bit on an area, the idea being that the Dark One will kill off a few gods and scare the others into line. Redcloak knows the divine half of the ritual instinctively because of the Crimson Mantle, and presumably he told Xykon the other half. Xykon is now trying to reverse engineer Redcloak's half.

[TaintedDeity]

She says "the missing half of this ritual is actually divine" meaning she doesn't have the part that Redcloak is meant to cast.

Spoiler:

Could be that whoever performs the ritual is consumed by it so Xykon wants somebody else to do it. Or maybe he wants all his power fresh for when the Snarl appears. Or maybe he's lazy and doesn't want to learn it.

SoD

Spoiler:

The ritual doesn't actually control the Snarl. Redcloak told Xykon it would, to lure in a (then-living) arcane caster to his plot. In reality, it just lets the Snarl loose a little bit on an area, the idea being that the Dark One will kill off a few gods and scare the others into line. Redcloak knows the divine half of the ritual instinctively because of the Crimson Mantle, and presumably he told Xykon the other half. Xykon is now trying to reverse engineer Redcloak's half.

Oh yes, I knew that I just forgot
However I'm still pretty sure that he's given Tsukiko the arcane half.

[Sir_Elderberry]

Right. I'm pretty sure Xykon has a copy of the arcane half--from the Dark One via RC--and gave it to Tsukiko, telling her "figure this out".

[Chfan]

So, are those of us who never read SoD out of luck as to knowing what's going on?

[TaintedDeity]

Right. I'm pretty sure Xykon has a copy of the arcane half--from the Dark One via RC--and gave it to Tsukiko, telling her "figure this out".

That's what I think too.
Chfan: I've not read SoD, I'm just aware of some of the larger plot points in it as references are made.

[Sir_Elderberry]

So, are those of us who never read SoD out of luck as to knowing what's going on?

Eh. I don't know. I think those of us who have read SoD understand things right now, but that Burlew will toss a few explanations in later to make it understandable to the others. Right now the whole Wrong-Eye thing is going right over your heads. (And you should definitely read SoD 'cause it's worth it.)

[LuNatic]

So, are those of us who never read SoD out of luck as to knowing what's going on?

The last couple of comics certainly make it seem that way. Prior to that, I don't recall noticing any inside references.

[phlip]

Though, Rich has promised not to leave people who don't buy the books in the dark, so as soon as the ritual becomes plot-important, there'll be some exposition, like what happened here (the three bandits in that strip having previously had major roles in Haley's part of OtOoPC's). In the meantime, us book-buyers simply know more current-plot-irrelevant-so-far backstory about a macguffin or two, and get one or two additional jokes (like the "Wrong-Eye" thing).

[pseudoidiot]

So, having read the newest (as of this post), #714, I have no idea what the last panel means. Anyone care to enlighten me?

[Jorpho]

Do you mean to say you don't get the "purple lizard" reference in #713 either?

[pseudoidiot]

Apparently I'd missed that bit in 713. It makes more sense now. Thanks!

[SecondTalon]

Re: 723

Spoiler:

So, wait.. if Elan/Nale's dad is a goofball, where the hell did Nale learn to be a dick?

[Naurgul]

Spoiler:

Random mutation? But anyway, he was portrayed as a bloodthirsty lawful evil warrior previously in the comic, so I guess he's a bit of both? Or maybe he turned goofball later in life, due to some sort of latent gene?

[TaintedDeity]

Re: 723

Spoiler:

So, wait.. if Elan/Nale's dad is a goofball, where the hell did Nale learn to be a dick?

Spoiler:

He may be a goofball, but he's a lawful evil goofball, apparently.

[Sir_Elderberry]

Spoiler:

He might have mellowed out since his more warlord-y days. Not to mention, the only time we saw him was in Nale's flashback. Nale is hardly the most honest or level-headed guy.

[SecondTalon]

Spoiler:

No, I'm thinking that he's always been a goofball. I mean, there's nothing that says you can't be lawful evil, a bloodthirsty tyrant and a big ol' goofball too. He may even be a dick. I'm just wondering if, in the land of fictional parentage and hereditary personality and so on, if their mother isn't completely and totally serious about being a barmaid.

[Jorpho]

Re: 722 723

Spoiler tags don't work very well with incorrect references.

[SecondTalon]

D'oh!

[Sockmonkey]

Spoiler:

For all we know Elan's mom might be a lot darker than his idealized memory of her too. But yeah you can be silly and evil. Everything Xykon does that isn't related to ruling to world (and some of the stuff that is) is pretty goofy.

[SecondTalon]

#725 - It suddenly all makes sense.

[Sir_Elderberry]

#725 - It suddenly all makes sense.

Burlew is stunningly good at taking "wait that doesn't make sense", tossing in a one-panel joke, and then you forget it ever bothered you.

[Grop]

As weird as it may seem, I've just discovered that comic. It is quite awesome, but now I have to stay away from spoilers.

[TaintedDeity]

You mean you haven't read it all already?
Can't be a real fan

[SecondTalon]

Don't make me hurt you, TD.

[TaintedDeity]

Awww, why not?
Now I've remembered this comic actually has a beginning so I'm going to read the archive!

[Jesse]

When I killed my computer and installed Widnows 7, I entirely forgot that OotS existed. I'm stil not sure if I can be bothered catching up.

[Thadlerian]

When I killed my computer and installed Widnows 7, I entirely forgot that OotS existed. I'm stil not sure if I can be bothered catching up.

This is a valid concern. In my view, OotS has gone out on a wee bit many tangents lately, without achieving very much. However, I would have tried to catch up if it were me. OotS is one of those few webcomics I'm aware of that is sufficiently accessible, well-written, and pleasant to look at for me to follow it regularly. It'd have to drop far for me to throw it away.

[Jorpho]

I've said before that I thought the first hundred strips were a much more pleasant romp than it was for a while there, but lately it's been much better. I just wish it would update three days a week like it did back then.

[Sir_Elderberry]

Yeah, Book 4 was rough going. I actually imagine it'd be better if you were reading book-by-book, rather than getting it slowly doled out to you via Internet. Then Book 4 is a self-contained plot arc with interesting consequences, rather than strip after strip of "WHY ISN'T THIS OVER YET?"

[The Pigeons' Rule]

I haven't read that much of OotS, but I agree it's got a fairly high-level. Plus it's nice to have a plot. Not knowledgeable enough to discuss the plot with you guys, though.

[Grop]

Hey, dear D&D geeks, I have a question: what kind of creatures do we see in strip #210? I have no idea.

[Naurgul]

Hey, dear D&D geeks, I have a question: what kind of creatures do we see in strip #210? I have no idea.

The ones in the first panels are Displacer Beasts. The ones in the last panel are 2nd edition monsters that didn't make the cut to the 3rd edition of D&D.

[JayDee]

I had to look those up (and get ninja'd in the process), but in doing so learnt that there is an wiki. Of there is. The jellyfish looking creatures are apparently Flumphs, "the only Lawful Good monsters in the 2nd Monster Manual". Which makes sense, I do recall them first showing up in the Hall of Outdated Monsters.

[Grop]

Thak you guys, the oots wiki in particular will be useful!

[Chfan]

Jesse, I don't know how long it's been, but Rich isn't exactly known for updating frequently.