OOTS #394 - The Discussion Thread

[The Giant]

New comic is up.

And before anyone says anything, "Stage Right" refers to the actor's right, and thus the audience's left.

[Shott]

It was good. Not what I was hoping for, but good nevertheless. : )

[hyikim]

good comic

[Erimore]

Given the quality that's been seen lately, a transitional strip to tie up a few loose ends was to be expected.

Oh, and sex 4 times in 3 hours....nice! Nale probably feels a bit...inadequate at this point. Not only couldn't he touch Elan, but he totally was dissed by his usual babe.

Now let's see Elan make a dashing rescue carrying Haley out the window!

[mixmastermind]

Heh, funny. This comic gets kinda racey when Nale and Sabine have conversations.

[Krytha]

Come on, Roy! CMOOONNNN :roy:

Elan needs you now!

[Myatar_Panwar]

Great comic. I wonder if this will be the last fight between the two brothers.

[Guildorn Tanaleth]

Aww... panel 9 looks so sweet.

[Alysar]

Funny. Some great stuff.

But I want to see what happened with Elan and Haley!

Had sex four times while she was away. LOL!

Nale is starting to realize that he can have sex with anyone he wants.

[Dawnstrider_Moogle]

"Yeah, well, I had errands to run..."

Heh.

Also, don't you just love when sometimes heroes drop everything to deal with their overwhelming personal issues? Powers far beyond mortal men, maturity far below mortal teenagers ;)

[Bilbo27]

what happened???

[Snake-Aes]

Now that was just TOO EVIL!

[Tabiani]

Hmm, so it's now 3-2 in favor of LG. Time to see what the rest of the OotS is up to...

[ref]

Heh, You must admit :nale: is a good bluffer... It seems a fraternal fight is brewing, hehe.

EDIT: There's no :smallnale: to be seen.

[Lidjis]

Nice comic and all giant but.... WHY WASN'T IT ABOUT HALEY AND ELAN.
sorry, couldn't control that

[fwiffo]

Not up to the level of recent strips and I am not sure how it squares with 385.

Still not bad, but hey... they can't all be above average.

[Jooky]

Not too bad! I would have hoped for more Haley/Elan resoloution, but I suppose we can't have everything handed to us in a nice shiny package.

[Alysar]

Incarnation of illicit sex? Was it ever specified exactly what kind of demon :sabine: is?

[eswan9]

And thus the debate on Sabine's true nature begins again...

[Argus]

So, why did Sabine seem annoyed in strip #378 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0378.html)? Was it just that Nale was getting sidetracked?

[SPoD]

This makes sense...in order for Elan and Haley to have an emotional confession scene, Rich had to get Nale the hell out of the room. So now that we know where Nale is for 3-4 minutes, I bet next strip goes back and shows us what Haley and Elan say to each other while he's gone.

(And wasn't there a rule that posting "First page!" would get your whole post deleted? I hope so.)

[Rokiyo]

Wow, Nale is an awesome bluffer...

[Spiky]

I don't know, the forum rules on sex talk mean we can't quote half this comic. Good stuff. Errands to run. LOL!

[Spiky]

So, why did Sabine seem annoyed in strip #378 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0378.html)? Was it just that Nale was getting sidetracked?
If you try to understand the women, it will only hurt your head. I recommend Vicodin, the whole aspirin/acetaminophen/ibuprofen thing just can't keep up.

[eswan9]

True dat :smallsmile:

[vanyell]

well... that was unexpected

[krossbow]

"thog help too!" Just gives more ammo to the "Thog is evil!" side.


Not quite as good as the rest, and bit too quick of a fix up, but I do love Sabine and Nale as a couple. "The make up killing is the best part!'

[Morchaint]

good comic.
wait a sec. a woman screams at you that she loves you and your response is : You're fixed! WTF.

[MightyMuenster]

(And wasn't there a rule that posting "First page!" would get your whole post deleted? I hope so.)

Yes there was... mine totally got pwned by that.

And to Argus, I think it may just be that she knows/suspects that Haley is on to them. While we know she isn't, Sabine doesn't, so she would likely want to eliminate that threat first.

[TigerHunter]

So, why did Sabine seem annoyed in strip #378 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0378.html)? Was it just that Nale was getting sidetracked?
She's pissed because it's Haley, not because Haley was coming onto Nale.

[krossbow]

^meh, Elan has woman say sexually implicitous stuff to him all the time, and he never notices either. I must admit, he IS as clueless as ever though. Come on! Show some initiative! comfort her man!

[Snake-Aes]

If you try to understand the women, it will only hurt your head. I recommend Vicodin, the whole aspirin/acetaminophen/ibuprofen thing just can't keep up.
well pointed

[Alysar]

She's pissed because it's Haley, not because Haley was coming onto Nale.

I think the point was that she seemed annoyed at Nale when he said it was 'Fascinating' and his attention was occupied with thoughts of Haley.

[plainsfox]

Darn. I'm still holding out that somehow Belkar and Thog switch places.

[nerman8r]

So, why did Sabine seem annoyed in strip #378 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0378.html)? Was it just that Nale was getting sidetracked?

Well, she does hate Haley, and just because she doesn't mind him having sex with other women, doesn't mean she necessarily wants him thinking about other women when she's around.

[SPoD]

Not up to the level of recent strips and I am not sure how it squares with 385.

This bugged me too, but I think #385 was carefully worded to trick us into thinking that she cared about Nale sleeping with Haley, when in fact she did not.

Here's what I've come up with:

#385, Panel 7:
"I go away for this thing for work for a few hours, and when I get back, he's groping her out on the dance floor."
Assumed Meaning: I'm upset he's groping her.
Possible Actual Meaning: I'm upset he's in the first stages of what is obviously a plan to kill her.

"HER! Of all the possible choices, it had to be THAT nasty skank!"
Assumed Meaning: Of all the women in the world, he had to hit on her instead of someone else.
Possible Actual Meaning: Of all the members of the Order of the Stick, he had to try to kill her instead of, say, Belkar.

[Wolfram]

Boy, Sabine is not big on cuddling, isn't she?

[Seffbasilisk]

Wasn't what I was expecting, but good none-the-less. I sorta assume sacrificial daggers are barbed and all...

[Calin]

If you try to understand the women, it will only hurt your head. I recommend Vicodin, the whole aspirin/acetaminophen/ibuprofen thing just can't keep up.

Lol. Yeah, it's not a cure, but a little Vicodin and Jack at least make you care less. After 3 years of marriage, I'm quite convinced the next time I understand her will be my last act on Earth.

[Thortok2000]

This is the first time I've ever had a complaint with the story.

Maybe it's all the good bluffing he just did on Elan, but I feel a little...'underbluffed'.

He out and out SAYS and I quote: "I was going to KILL her."

And THEN u-turns around and says "She was going to be a gift to you" after already admitting that he planned to kill her.

And gets no more than a "... Really?" Not even any hesitation there at all. Especially considering the bottle of wine would quite obviously be for more seducing later.

Still good quality, though, but this is really the first time I've ever had anything negative to say.

[theKOT]

Well, it had some jokes, but(for me) no laughs. The dialogue is heavy and for the most part uninteresting. The plot moves a nanometer, the jokes are cheap, and the rhythm just seems off. After all those great strips, this was a bit of a let down. 4/10

And come on, normal length? I forgot how short these are. ;)

[SPoD]

He out and out SAYS and I quote: "I was going to KILL her."

And THEN u-turns around and says "She was going to be a gift to you" after already admitting that he planned to kill her.

And gets no more than a "... Really?" Not even any hesitation there at all. Especially considering the bottle of wine would quite obviously be for more seducing later..


I just took that be another Bluff on Nale's part. Considering he clearly has the skill maxxed, he can convince her of just about anything.

[Draigo]

it was good,i was hopeing for more elan-haley stuff, but it was good

[mockingbyrd7]

Very funny, I think that since 394 was Nale's exit and talk with Sabine, that 395 will be Elan and Haley talking to each other, 396 will be cut to Roy, Belkar, V and Durkon, 397-398 will be final showdown OOTS vs. LG, 399 will be Haley gloating to her self-loathing, 400 will be the OOTS riding off into the sunset as Xykon's horde arrives from the opposite direction.

[Alysar]

I just took that be another Bluff on Nale's part. Considering he clearly has the skill maxxed, he can convince her of just about anything.

Sooner or later, Sabine is going to roll a natural 20 against Nale's bluff and I just hope they're on-panel when she does.

[fwiffo]

This bugged me too, but I think #385 was carefully worded to trick us into thinking that she cared about Nale sleeping with Haley, when in fact she did not.

Here's what I've come up with:

#385, Panel 7:
"I go away for this thing for work for a few hours, and when I get back, he's groping her out on the dance floor."
Assumed Meaning: I'm upset he's groping her.
Possible Actual Meaning: I'm upset he's in the first stages of what is obviously a plan to kill her.

"HER! Of all the possible choices, it had to be THAT nasty skank!"
Assumed Meaning: Of all the women in the world, he had to hit on her instead of someone else.
Possible Actual Meaning: Of all the members of the Order of the Stick, he had to try to kill her instead of, say, Belkar.

Too much of a stretch for me. But then the whole strip is too much of a stretch. I find Sabine characterization to be not all that well done here. I am just not buying the basic "she doesn't mind if Nale is trying to seduce her, but she is really pissed off that he is trying to kill her".

For that matter, I am not at all happy with the killing without an explanation (although one might be forthcoming). Nale was set up as planning a murder, then figuring out that he would rather see if he get control of the gates, so he should be playing Elan for longer than anticipated. OOTS is his ticket to the gates. So, where does killing Haley fit into that?

And, as brilliant as his bluff was during the Elan fight, this one is really below Nale. Even worse is that it is directed at Sabine, who of all people should not be buying any of that rather transparent BS which Nale is feeding her.

[Solmage]

Nice! And now, before we find out what happened to Haley, we have a message form our sponsors!

And after that, we'll go see if Belkar is making dwarven burgers!

And after that, we'll go see how the evil cockroaches are doing!

Muahahaha :)

[brionl]

I figured Nale would scarper while Elan & Haley were standing there. I didn't think he'd be back right away though.


I predict... the next couple of strips will be dealing with Belkar, then the rest of the OotS (less Roy) will show up right after Nale et. al and then Nale & co will run away.

Then in the morning Roy wakes up and asks everybody what they did last night and they say "Nothing."

[Jefepato]

Too much of a stretch for me. But then the whole strip is too much of a stretch. I find Sabine characterization to be not all that well done here. I am just not buying the basic "she doesn't mind if Nale is trying to seduce her, but she is really pissed off that he is trying to kill her".

As near as I can tell, everything Sabine has said and done on the subject makes perfect sense in light of this revelation.

[Blood]

I can't believe Sabine would get so upset just because Nale was going to kill Haley without her. She was drinking herself into a coma!

I always love when Nale and Sabine have personal conversations, though I wish Thog could've said more.

Gah! Now I want to see what happens to Elan and Haley.

[The_Old_Fox]

:thog: "thog help too!"

I think this unfortunately shows where ‘s loyalties still lie and whose fate he is ultimately tied to. Too bad, I wanted to see more of him.

I get the feeling that :nale: should have cut his loses when he escaped from the room, going back in there could spell his doom when the rest of the OotS bust in.

One final random thought:nale: seemed genuinely surprised about :sabine:'s promiscuity (in my mind at least) and:nale: needs to re-evaluate his relationship with:sabine:, if he gets the opportunity

[Aimbot]

They can't all be diamonds.

[Hototo]

Wow... what a sweet relationship...

[kenjigoku]

Sooner or later, Sabine is going to roll a natural 20 against Nale's bluff and I just hope they're on-panel when she does.

I don't think it would matter if she rolled a Nat 20 or not, skill checks do not get an automatic sucess. Now if she rolled 20 and Nale rolled 1 then she might stand a chance.

[Querzis]

I love when Sabine and Nale talk together. Its never really funny but its always cute and evil at the same time. I know lots of funny stuff but Sabine and Nale are the only one I ever heard of who can be really cute and really evil at the same time.

Anyway I dont see why would it be stretch, I kinda expected it. I really dont see why a fiend would have any problem with sleeping with other people even if they are in love with someone but I'm sure they would be pissed off if someone try to kill their prey.

[Felinoid]

Mmmm...steamed cheese.
.
.
.
Wait, what was I thinking about? Oh yes. I wonder if perhaps Sabine DID think he was trying to seduce her at first (bar & before), but once she saw the sacrificial dagger close up (this strip) she realized she was wrong. Not wanting to look like an idiot (maybe the "I wasn't born last century" was defensive), she makes up a new reason why she'd be pissed at him and then gratefully takes the first oppourtunity to let him off of the hook for something she wasn't really mad about. Sabine could just be lying her ass off here.

However, there isn't a lot that could conclusively prove it one way or the other. #385 is already covered, and #378's "Ahem"-s could easily be "could we get back to the plan, please?" #252a (bonus in Paladin Blues) is obviously just mollifying Nale; Jeff may very well have been one of the four she just banged. It would certainly be an adjustment to make, but I think I'll wait a while for an absence of correction before I actually make it.

[Tobimaro]

Talk about a strange relationship. :sabine: and :nale: . *shudder* Even if Nale might be a bit inadequate in bed. I guess that is what you get when you bed with a succubus.

Anyways, I *think* it's good to see that they are an item again, but I suspect that there is more coming their way. :smallwink:

And yes, Thog, "all thog's family is back together."

[Torias]

I think elan's comment of "You're.. you're fixed!" is actually just his 'sweet' nature showing through, where his first interpretation / reaction to something that surprising was the purely happy "yay you for you that you can talk again!" side of it...

I'm also of the opinion that he already KNEW she was in love with him. Look at his behaviour on the "new years eve" strip:
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0316.html

I reckon he knows, he just also knows that until she's personally ready to admit it, nothing can positively happen.

[jscheibel]

What I wanted to happen (spoilered cause he could still maybe do something along this line but I really wanted at the end of this strip):
I really wanted the 3rd to last frame to have beklar still chasing durken singing the last part of meet me in st. louis maybe passing by at the end of the hall... then in the 2nd to last frame have sabine and thog just stare at nale who for once smiles like elan (after all they are twins and that surely brought him elan-esk joy) ... then the last frame have him say something along the lines its a long story I'll share over their corpses.. lets go.

[Iranon]

YES! . Rich has done it again - made me think 'this doesn't fit... if he's going where he seems to be going, I'm going to be very disappointed', then pulls off exactly the right resolution to make all my concerns void.
Sabine seemingly reacting like a human (and a conservative one at that) might didn't click; she didn't seem the right 'type' for this kind of jealousy. I had evaluated the V/S dialogue for clues in this direction, crossed my fingers but thought I was deluding myself...

to me, it was one of the most satisfying comics even by the ever-higher standards Rich sets; I guess I'm the odd one out here.

[Aiani]

That was great. I love that Sabine was upset over the idea that Nale was killing Haley without her but he did a great job bluffing his way through that. Now I can only hope that some back up arrives to help Haley and Elan.

[PaladinFreak]

Utterly sick, but hilarious nontheless!!

Oh and DIE SIMU'ER!!!

[The Extinguisher]

It was okay. Not as good as 393, but not many are.

[MonkOfAnarchy]

I know i should have posted this last comic, when haley got her voice back, but THANK THE GODS THAT LAME SUB-PLOT IS OVER!!! HALEY SPEAKS! SHE SPEAKS! WATER, HALEY, WATER! W-A-T-E-R, WATER!!!

[Winged One]

There's actually a slight chance that Nale was telling the truth about why he was going to kill Haley. Emphasis on slight, however.

Yet more evidence that Sabine is a demon rather than a devil. Promisciuity isn't really a chaotic trait, but that sure is the stereotype.

[Antina]

One word: WOW!!!

[Nikolai_II]

I bet next strip goes back and shows us what Haley and Elan say to each other while he's gone.

And I bet the next comic zooms over to gather a few tangents about what the other OotSers are doing ;)


edit: I see lots of people somehow claiming that Nale was out to bone Haley instead of killing her (first). Why does he swing his dagger :three: times in comic http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0386.html ?
It was there I realized that he wasn't in it for the seduction and it's carnal results, but merely for the killing. So the only bluff to Sabine would be the "keep alive", and if Nale's picked up a level or two of assassin he might have intended to use the dagger to make an incapacitating wound..

[Amotis]

And before anyone says anything, "Stage Right" refers to the actor's right, and thus the audience's left.

I knew that! HAha I have knewledge.
Hehe...

[GSFB]

Side track: if :sabine: is easily bluffed, doesn't that spell doom for her being a succubus, as can't a succubus Detect Thoughts at will? And with :nale: being a multi-class Fighter/Rogue/Sorcerer as opposed to a Bard (probably with Wisdom as a dump stat), his Will save is not so great.

Either :nale: is being honest with :sabine:, or :sabine: is NOT a succubus.

[foxtrothacker]

it was good i liked it. It was nice to end some loose ends.

[zimri]

Side track: if :sabine: is easily bluffed, doesn't that spell doom for her being a succubus, as can't a succubus Detect Thoughts at will?
Either :nale: is being honest with :sabine:, or :sabine: is NOT a succubus.

Have you never pretty much willfully ignored something you didn't want to be true ? (see "polite fiction")

[Renegade Paladin]

Okay, quick survey. Who did not see that coming?

[J_Muller]

And I see Nale isn't too happy about Sabine's habits...

See, he's really not that bad of a guy, except for the bit where he's evil.

[silvadel]

My first though was -- Infernal STDs

[Raistlin1040]

Three hours huh? Guess Sabine's been busy (wink wink)

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

Only 4 times in three hours? Even with errands...that is a lazy succubus.

[Sebastian]

Wait, Sabine just said "heck" !? :smallconfused:

A politically correct demon/devil?

[Sunflower]

Darn it, I don't want Thog to help fight against Elan after all the adventures they had together! :smallfrown: Their friendship is too cute to be over so soon!

[Idris]

I actually joined the board this morning just to say how good #394 is, having read with disbelief the posts slagging it off. I couldn't believe those people were moaning about it, or at best damning it with faint praise.

We all want to know what's happening with Elan and Haley, but it's a comic not a soap opera, and the last strip was really quite emotionally intense. Which is one of the great things about OotS - it's the kind of comedy, like Terry Pratchett's, that isn't just banana peels and guffaws.

#393 was never going to be easy to follow but Rich really pulled it off
- turning the whole scorned woman scenario on its head. Which if you think about it is just what you should expect in a love affair between two evil characters - sex is a mere frivolity but killing is serious fun.

The last two panels made me laugh out loud - Sabine certainly seems to be hitting Nale where it hurts.

[Delgarde]

Hmm, so it's now 3-2 in favor of LG.

By the numbers, yeah, but it's not quite that unbalanced. Thog is unarmed, and Nale armed only with a dagger, so both should be much less capable than normal. Sabine is the only one of the three at full strength.

Haley is also currently unarmed, but should be able to grab her bow quickly enough (since they're in her room).

[Aeek]

"Hmmm...all right. I'll forgive you, this time."

I'm not so sure that Sabine bought Nale's story, just that she decided to let it slide.

[Adeptus]

Hee-hee :smallsmile:

Can't wait for the next one.

[Cytaen]

I know i should have posted this last comic, when haley got her voice back, but THANK THE GODS THAT LAME SUB-PLOT IS OVER!!! HALEY SPEAKS! SHE SPEAKS! WATER, HALEY, WATER! W-A-T-E-R, WATER!!!

Haley Keller...terribly funny! I'll laugh for days over that. Thank YOU.

[Adeptus]

And I see Nale isn't too happy about Sabine's habits...

See, he's really not that bad of a guy, except for the bit where he's evil.

Huh? That's just basic biology. Jealousy and possessiveness are definitely evil traits, and not something that makes Nale "not that bad". It may be human, but it's not nice...

[Caractacus]

Huh? That's just basic biology. Jealousy and possessiveness are definitely evil traits, and not something that makes Nale "not that bad". It may be human, but it's not nice...


I think it was intended as being somewhat tongue-in-cheek... :smallwink:

As regards the strip, nice quick resolution of a few details; now I hope we get on to Belkar and Durkon... :smallbiggrin:

[Sleed]

ahahah.... Nale got owned by his own girlfriend :D

[tgva8889]

That was an awesome comic. Somehow, I knew she'd be mad because he was killing Haley, not because she thought he was having an affair. Bwahaha. Now, let's have Haley and Elan fight Nale and Sabine. Thog, he can get distracted by...let's say Durkon and Belkar charging down the hall or something.

[Wolfie_1066]

ROFL poor poor nale...i love that last pannel it pretty much putt he iceing on the cake...now if only their was a Friday comic too...*Sits in chair tapping foot and watching comic* come on...come on

[Khantalas]

Well, I needed a good strip after 393...

And Rich did it again! I should have never doubted the Giant.

Though the word "born" bothers me. I always thought full-blood fiends were spawned, not born. So, can it be that Sabine is another sort of fiend-blooded creature?

[Amon Star]

Fantastic - that was to good.

:elan:, when I women says she loves you, your reply shouldn't be, "you're fixed". You are a Bard, you should know that.

And :nale:, you had better hope there IS a bottle of wine in your room, or that :sabine: doesn't find out your lying.


So, why did Sabine seem annoyed in strip #378 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0378.html)? Was it just that Nale was getting sidetracked?


I think the point was that she seemed annoyed at Nale when he said it was 'Fascinating' and his attention was occupied with thoughts of Haley.

I think it was because :sabine: knows :nale: enough to know that he was planning on killing :haley: this way.


Wait, what was I thinking about? Oh yes. I wonder if perhaps Sabine DID think he was trying to seduce her at first (bar & before), but once she saw the sacrificial dagger close up (this strip) she realized she was wrong. Not wanting to look like an idiot (maybe the "I wasn't born last century" was defensive), she makes up a new reason why she'd be pissed at him and then gratefully takes the first oppourtunity to let him off of the hook for something she wasn't really mad about. Sabine could just be lying her ass off here.

That's a very good point. That would make her a better bluffer than :nale:, which is quite likely, considering.


to me, it was one of the most satisfying comics even by the ever-higher standards Rich sets; I guess I'm the odd one out here.

I'm with you Dude.

[Khantalas]

To me, it was one of the most satisfying comics even by the ever-higher standards Rich sets; I guess I'm the odd one out here.

Well, it bested 393, I'll give it that.

It's great, but not that great.

[battleburn]

I actually joined the board this morning just to say how good #394 is, having read with disbelief the posts slagging it off. I couldn't believe those people were moaning about it, or at best damning it with faint praise.

We all want to know what's happening with Elan and Haley, but it's a comic not a soap opera, and the last strip was really quite emotionally intense. Which is one of the great things about OotS - it's the kind of comedy, like Terry Pratchett's, that isn't just banana peels and guffaws.

#393 was never going to be easy to follow but Rich really pulled it off
- turning the whole scorned woman scenario on its head. Which if you think about it is just what you should expect in a love affair between two evil characters - sex is a mere frivolity but killing is serious fun.

The last two panels made me laugh out loud - Sabine certainly seems to be hitting Nale where it hurts.

It had its good parts...
The whole turning around thing, from love afair to the killing. That was good, the last part with Sabine hurting Nale this way, was also good. But I didn't laugh out loud, because I really didn't like the way Nale talked out of this. I just can't believe Sabine so easily gave in. This could have been a major turn around on it's own, but for the sake of the plotline, Sabine and Nale have to work together. The pieces are glued together so it will work, but the esthetics are not what I hoped for.

To the defence of this comic I must say, that I am rather stressed out at the moment with a school thing at the moment, perhaps when that is over and I'll read it again, I will think it good after all.

-Battleburn

[pita]

A bit of a let-down from the greatness of the five before...
But still good material.

[Duke of URL]

And :nale:, you had better hope there IS a bottle of wine in your room

I can see :nale: pulling :thog: aside, and telling him to go get a bottle of wine and bring it to :nale:'s room.

[Duke of URL]

"thog help too!" Just gives more ammo to the "Thog is evil!" side.

The best description of Thog's alignment I've seen is "happy evil".

[Amon Star]

I can see :nale: pulling :thog: aside, and telling him to go get a bottle of wine and bring it to :nale:'s room.

So can I now that you mention it. But I can also see :thog: screwing it up, or getting the wrong idea somehow.

:thog: "thog not like nale that way!"

[Blaznak]

Well, I guess it makes sense that the most sought after reunion in ages would be put off so we can see the SECOND most sought after reunion in ages... :)

I didn't mind the pacing of this episode so much, but yes, it is frustrating because you almost want TWO Panels to run side by side on this one...

Well...
Later!

[GKBeetle]

This bugged me too, but I think #385 was carefully worded to trick us into thinking that she cared about Nale sleeping with Haley, when in fact she did not.

Here's what I've come up with:

#385, Panel 7:
"I go away for this thing for work for a few hours, and when I get back, he's groping her out on the dance floor."
Assumed Meaning: I'm upset he's groping her.
Possible Actual Meaning: I'm upset he's in the first stages of what is obviously a plan to kill her.

"HER! Of all the possible choices, it had to be THAT nasty skank!"
Assumed Meaning: Of all the women in the world, he had to hit on her instead of someone else.
Possible Actual Meaning: Of all the members of the Order of the Stick, he had to try to kill her instead of, say, Belkar.

Here's what I think. I actually do think that Sabine was pissed about Nale getting with Haley. I think that she was actually pissed right up to the point where she realized that Nale was actually trying to kill Haley. When she figured this out she quickly changed her story saying that she was actually mad that Nale was going to kill Haley himself instead of letting Sabine do it. She probably lied about having sex four times as well just for good measure to make sure that Nale didn't think she was jealous. She probably doesn't want Nale to know how much she actually cares for him.

Anyway, that's my theory. Pretty good strip, Giant. Not as good as the recent strips, but anybody who is whining about that has just been spoiled by the awesomeness that you have been putting out recently. I mean a whole storyline about Elan and Thog would have been good enough, but during that time you had multiple triple length strips and refrences, even if unintentionally, to a whole bunch of crazy crap. Keep up the great work. Even your crap is better than most comic strip artists' gold.

EDIT: Doh, Felinoid already beat me to coming up with this theory.

[Soniku]

"Yeah, well, I had errands to run..."

Best punchline or line in general ever :smallbiggrin:

Made me laugh. A lot

[TaxiMan]

We may have this "Sabine" figured all wrong. "She" is a devil / demon, not a human. We've been ascribing human thoughts and emotions to an utterly non-human.

Sabine ("it") may be playing Nale like a drum. It could be saying things, reacting, having sex, all to manipulate him towards some as-yet unknown evil end. That would be incredibly easy if it can read minds and knows how to react to push Nale's buttons. Supply any infernal plot-twist you wish here. Remember that the Devil is the father of all lies!

[Angela Christine]

I liked it. Hooray for Thog, his family is back together again. I guess that's why he doesn't worry about Sabine's cooties: she's not a pretty girl, she's family!




For that matter, I am not at all happy with the killing without an explanation (although one might be forthcoming). Nale was set up as planning a murder, then figuring out that he would rather see if he get control of the gates, so he should be playing Elan for longer than anticipated. OOTS is his ticket to the gates. So, where does killing Haley fit into that?

That's easy: Sabine is a shapeshifter. He could have planned to kill Haley, hide the body, and then have Sabine assume Haley's identity.

[Big_Red_Bird]

I am astounded. Not by the comic, but by this thread. When Rich puts up something mediocre like the leprecaun outfit or 393, people praise it to high heaven. When Rich puts up something actually funny, people complain and beg for more of the boring Haley+Elan plot.

[Ronald_saveloy]

After the greatness of the last strips, this one is a bit slower. But I'd stick with the Idea, that :sabine: is angry about :nale: trying to kill :haley: without her.

[fwiffo]

That's easy: Sabine is a shapeshifter. He could have planned to kill Haley, hide the body, and then have Sabine assume Haley's identity.

Oh, I can just see that... "Sabine, honey, I need you to stay shapeshifted into a particlar shape. You'd be replacing an OOTS member. Who? Oh, that redhead thi...". My guess is that Nale would not have survived Sabine's reaction to that one, considering how Sabine feels about Haley.

Not to mention that while Nale might think he has the skills to play Elan (which he doesn't, but he thinks he does), there is no way he would assume that Sabine could (or would) stay in character as Haley.

Now, perhaps Nale thinks that since he got gate info from Shojo, he knows as much as OOTS does and doesn't need them anymore. That could account for him resuming his old plan of killing OOTS members. But, that's a guess - comic has not dealt with it yet

[Ampersand]

Haley is also currently unarmed, but should be able to grab her bow quickly enough (since they're in her room).

True enough, but she'll also be firing into melee in a small inn room, meaning a -4 to hit and attacks of opportunity a-plenty. She probably has taken the feats the negate those penalties, but as far as I can recall there's never been any mention of her actually having them, it's possible that she's missing one or both.

[Zephra]

not impressed. frankly, I was expecting something a little more ...rumblworthy
(OotS 54)

[krossbow]

Side track: if :sabine: is easily bluffed, doesn't that spell doom for her being a succubus, as can't a succubus Detect Thoughts at will? And with :nale: being a multi-class Fighter/Rogue/Sorcerer as opposed to a Bard (probably with Wisdom as a dump stat), his Will save is not so great.

Either :nale: is being honest with :sabine:, or :sabine: is NOT a succubus.


Well, sorcerors have good will saves, and from the suggestion spell we know that he's at least level 6. That gives him a better will save than roy before wisdom at this point.

Not to mention he could of taken the force of personality feat from complete adventurer; hell, it fits his character PERFECTLY (the character is so full of themselves that they simply refuse to give in mentally; substitute char for wisdom on will saves).


But really, all that has to happen to end this battle in favor of the LGers is "Bull rush tackle hug!"

Bamf, Elan is negated, haley is facing two melee opponents. Ouch.

I really like Nale and Sabine's chemistry though; they make such a great couple! Heh, I also think the Sabine bluffing idea would make it funnier

[Jefepato]

Side track: if :sabine: is easily bluffed, doesn't that spell doom for her being a succubus, as can't a succubus Detect Thoughts at will? And with :nale: being a multi-class Fighter/Rogue/Sorcerer as opposed to a Bard (probably with Wisdom as a dump stat), his Will save is not so great.

Either :nale: is being honest with :sabine:, or :sabine: is NOT a succubus.

Succubi also don't have Sense Motive as a class skill. If she believes Nale -- and she has to trust him to some degree, despite both being evil, to have any sort of relationship -- why would she try to use her magic abilities (which Nale would notice, judging by the precedent of Miko's Detect Evil) to verify?

[EvilInfinity]

I can't wait to see how this ends :P Elan and Haley are not necesarily going to loose.. i mean..

:thog: Has no Axe... only a puny 4 leaved clover...
:nale: And his dagger and fizzling spells.... ohhh.. scary...
:sabine: She's the real threat...

[fwiffo]

We may have this "Sabine" figured all wrong. "She" is a devil / demon, not a human. We've been ascribing human thoughts and emotions to an utterly non-human.

That's why this strip is so disappointing. Giant has made characters that are not incompehensively evil. Audience might not be on their side most of the time, but there is understanding of natural pattersn of how they work and think and what drives them. There is a method to their behaviour that is not artifical "they are evil so they act this way". And this type of argument - she is non-human, so whatever she does is appropriate for her, because that's what her kind does - would be a step back for Giant.

[Zaria]

I am quite happy that the Giant let us have a break from the Elan-Haley storyline. As much as I love these two, I need a break from the danger and intrigue. Let's see what V, Belkar, and Durkon are up to. Or maybe get a glimpse of what Roy has been doing all this time. I mean, this is a comic called Order of the Stick, not The Adventures of Elan and Haley.

I vote for more Belkar. That Charm Person spell is gonna wear off soon, and then there will be an even-more-furious-than-normal halfling out for revenge. I can't wait!

[Lilivati]

I never thought I'd find myself liking Sabine, but she had me lol'ing in this strip.

[Lycar]

You know, ACTUALLY Nale is....


And before anyone says anything, "Stage Right" refers to the actor's right, and thus the audience's left.

.... never mind.

Lycar

PS: Sorry, couldn't resist :smallsmile:

[IlanaAeryn]

I am astounded. Not by the comic, but by this thread. When Rich puts up something mediocre like the leprecaun outfit or 393, people praise it to high heaven. When Rich puts up something actually funny, people complain and beg for more of the boring Haley+Elan plot.

Good work, Rich, a pleasure as always.

I think we've all got our own favorite kinds of strip and storyline. When I started in on OotS, I didn't particularly enjoy all the :xykon: and :mitd: exchange, with the possible exception of the little :roach: asides. I don't really look forward to his evilness coming back, but it's part of the story, too. [Oversimplification follows.] Our romantics were enjoying the beginning of a resolution of a romance eagerly, while our big-picture people want to know what's going with everybody else. (And we all want to know if :belkar: really does know all the words to "Meet Me In St. Louis".)

So, we'll see what the Giant has for us next, eh?

[krossbow]

It would seem to be that Thog, Nale and Sabine comprise the only "real" core members of the linear guild (in thogs mind at least).

Thog views them as "his family", and they have the best chemistry amongst them. I'd like to see some dialouge between thog and Leeky though...

[auron_the_awesome]

I am astounded. Not by the comic, but by this thread. When Rich puts up something mediocre like the leprecaun outfit or 393, people praise it to high heaven. When Rich puts up something actually funny, people complain and beg for more of the boring Haley+Elan plot.

Wow. I never realized that your opinion was the end all, be all of what deems a comic strip "good".

You learn something new every day.

[Dariune]

Long time lurker new poster here
I had to register just to say to all the people moaning about the new "short" thread that we are lucky to have had some long comics over the last week.
Lets not moan that it is now boring or too short because we are getting a normal sized comic again ay?
Nice work Rich, i love the comic and although there are some i like more than others, over all yours is the best one out there in my opinion

[denelian]

erm... i just want to say that i have a problem with an evil demon/devil saying "heck"

[Axorcist]

Here's another vote for this-comic-is-wicked-awesome!

[Axorcist]

erm... i just want to say that i have a problem with an evil demon/devil saying "heck"

That is a bit odd. Does the devil say the h-e-double-hockeystick word though? That's like me saying "Oh Indiana!"

[headwarpage]

That is a bit odd. Does the devil say the h-e-double-hockeystick word though? That's like me saying "Oh Indiana!"

I'm going to start using that.

[Alysar]

erm... i just want to say that i have a problem with an evil demon/devil saying "heck"

Not to mention saying it in the same breath as telling that she had sex three times in four hours.

[Jopinion]

I have no problems with this comic. It's easier to suspend disbelief and just enjoy the comic. I mean really, rich doesn't have to make the comic every other day does he? It's probably hard to make them all gems so let's give him a break here.

[GSFB]

She said "heck" because the 9 Hells are connected to a specific set of infernal fiends, and using "hell" in a sentence, one way or the other, could be a clue as to which set of fiends is her peeps.

But then, NOT using "hell" could also be a clue...

[TheEscapist]

Wow. I never realized that your opinion was the end all, be all of what deems a comic strip "good".

You learn something new every day.

What I find somewhat interesting and humorous is that Big_Red_Bird's original message was also directed at those who think their opinion is the end all, be all of what deems a comic strip "good."

What a tangled web we weave.

[AyuVince]

Hehe. I was almost wondering why Sabine, as a fiend, was jealous of Nale.. like she, who seduces men for a living, would care about him having an affair.

Oh, and I wanna see Thog talk with a brogue before Elan (and hopefully the rest of the OotS) kick the LG's butts.

[wowy319]

I like this comic quite a bit. I think that sabine adds a needed risque (sp?) humor to OOTS. after all, this comic isn't exactly intended for little kids.

[kimana]

Wait, Sabine just said "heck" !? :smallconfused:

A politically correct demon/devil?Of course not! the other term (which I don't know if it works on the boards) is a place name, "heck" is a curse word, obviously! :smallwink:
I think :thog: likes to help whoever he can who looks like :nale: :elan:. Makes you wonder what his role in the "family" is

I think :sabine: doesn't care who he sleeps with but she does care who he goes on dates with :smalltongue:

[Hushdawg]

I adore this whole set-up. I think Thog is going to end up in a conflict... well.. as much conflict as an INT5 can have!

Given the overall nature of Thog I can see that it is within the concievable realm of possibilities that, should Rich decide to have Nale hacked to bits at any point, Thog would follow Elan happily along.

I mean, if the group can deal with the Psychotic Midget [TM] then surely they can deal with stupid "evil."

Is Thog really Evil or is he just misunderstood?
Only time will tell...

And nobody go on telling me that Thog can't join the OOTS because he's an NPC - no way in hell and NPC gets that much airtime and a high level of cuteness and loveability.

Really...
Trust me....

I have charts...

[5tephen]

HA! That's perfect. Another brilliant example of a character doing the opposite of what you expect them to, and yet it being the most logical thing around.

And a bit of depth and BG on Sabine is turning her into a more interesting character, too. (Her sexual proclivity will be interesting in the context of a stick figure comic. But then; no one can say they weren't warned....)

[mikeejimbo]

Shouldn't that be "with whom you sleep?" or is "with" not a preposition?

[Wolfram]

erm... i just want to say that i have a problem with an evil demon/devil saying "heck"

Actually, it fit in. To her, schtupping a quartet of extraplaner dudes/babes is a minor thing, like my opening another bottle of diet cola. It's just that she twists the caps in a different manner.

[Wolfram]

And before anyone says anything, "Stage Right" refers to the actor's right, and thus the audience's left.

Gotcha, Snagglepuss!

[BlueWizard]

More Haley! More Haley! Woo-hoo! :smallcool:

[Iranon]

You know, I misread that as 'Haley! Haley! More Woo-Hoo!'

The sad part is that I wanted to post my full agreement.

[Alysar]

You know, I misread that as 'Haley! Haley! More Woo-Hoo!'

The sad part is that I wanted to post my full agreement.

I am forced to wonder if you have played Sims 2

(Don't remember if they called it woohoo in Sims 1)

[Iranon]

Watched my niece play it, which was enough to warp me permanently. Well, warp me some more...

[Balog]

As long as I get a couple panels of Thog in a leprechaun outfit I'm happy.:smallsmile:

[bosssmiley]

Where can I meet a girl like Sabine?

Good episode, and "the make-up killing" line was great

[Argus]

He out and out SAYS and I quote: "I was going to KILL her."

And THEN u-turns around and says "She was going to be a gift to you" after already admitting that he planned to kill her.

She probably wrote off the first statement as the "Reader's Digest" version.

That's still an impressive Bluff, though.

[Deuce]

So can I now that you mention it. But I can also see :thog: screwing it up, or getting the wrong idea somehow.

:thog: "thog not like nale that way!"

:thog: Awww shucks no! Thog straight.

(Will this lead to a "Candygram for Thog" moment?)

[sarcasticmuppet]

New comic is up.

And before anyone says anything, "Stage Right" refers to the actor's right, and thus the audience's left.

The stage managers of the world salute you! :smallsmile:

[Hushdawg]

As long as I get a couple panels of Thog in a leprechaun outfit I'm happy.:smallsmile:

Dude... totally with you on that!

"Thog looking over a four-leafed clover Thog overlooked before"

That killed me!

[Alysar]

Dude... totally with you on that!

"Thog looking over a four-leafed clover Thog overlooked before"

That killed me!

Now imagine him singing 'Danny Boy'

Try to get that image out of your head

[the_tick_rules]

so can we so can sabine an offical super-ho? she agreed is quite literally made to get it on.

[battleburn]

Hm, at first I couldn't place the title.
I just finally thought of the saying.
Blame it on English not being my native language
"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."
I like the comic a bit more now.

[Idless]

uhuhu Battleburn is right... that made the comic better for me too

Personally I think that Sabine IS hurt about Nale Dining and Wining Haley... but she won't admit it, so she gets back at Nale with the "I had sex 4 times"-thing.

I mean the comic isn't unfamiliar to denial... halloo... Haley? trauma from repressed feelings *snicker*

...Idless

[Silverblaze]

Hm, at first I couldn't place the title.
I just finally thought of the saying.
Blame it on English not being my native language
"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."
I like the comic a bit more now.

Hate to be picky, but the quotation is actually "Heav'n hath no rage like love to hatred turn'd, Nor Hell a fury, like a woman scorn'd. - from William Congreve's "The Mourning Bride" (1697)

http://www.farid-hajji.net/books/en/Congreve_William/mb-b3c02.html#womanscorned (http://www.farid-hajji.net/books/en/Congreve_William/mb-b3c02.html#womanscorned)

- Although the other misquote is often attributted to The Immortal Bard (and no - I am NOT talking :elan: here :smallsmile: )... And on the matter of said Immortal Bard (All hail Big Willie) He was about as immortal as Elvis, as Congreve wasn't born till 4 years after Shakespeare's death...

But for something far more important/serious:
Has :sabine: just told :nale: that she has been doing "her thing" four times while she was away ?? Wasn't her prime explanation of her being away that "The Red Knight was requesting lodging" ?? http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0380.html (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0380.html)
One must wonder if :nale: starts to question this at some point... Dun, dun, duunnnn :smallbiggrin:

Sorry for the white letters, but I haven't figured out how to do the spoiler thingy yet and didn't want to rumble Mr. G

[Amon Star]

But for something far more important/serious:
Has :sabine: just told :nale: that she has been doing "her thing" four times while she was away ?? Wasn't her prime explanation of her being away that "The Red Knight was requesting lodging" ?? http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0380.html (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0380.html)
One must wonder if :nale: starts to question this at some point... Dun, dun, duunnnn :smallbiggrin:

Sorry for the white letters, but I haven't figured out how to do the spoiler thingy yet and didn't want to rumble Mr. G

That's a very good point. :nale: is bound to realise that at some point, which is bound to be interesting.

BTW, you do spoiler tags like this.

{spoiler}"Insert text here"{/spoiler} except replace the {}s with []s.

[Silverblaze]

That's a very good point. :nale: is bound to realise that at some point, which is bound to br interesting.

BTW, you so spoiler tags like this.

{spoiler}"Insert text here"{/spoiler} except replace the {}s with []s.

Thankee, kind sir :smallsmile: Duely noted...

And I am sorry, but I couldn't help but toying with the pun of "prime example" as it was given on the Prime Material Plane before gating - it was nerdish and cheesy, I know *G*

[IlanaAeryn]

Okay, maybe it's just me, but shouldn't Nale be finding his way to healing sometime soon? I know Elan's just using a rapier, but it appears he put some nice holes in his twin brother. Or can Sabine heal him? I don't remember. I mean, I know he's evil and all, but ... just a thought.

[Amon Star]

Thankee, kind sir :smallsmile: Duely noted...

And I am sorry, but I couldn't help but toying with the pun of "prime example" as it was given on the Prime Material Plane before gating - it was nerdish and cheesy, I know *G*

No problem. :smallsmile:

I never noticed the pun until you pointed it out. I'm so dense.

[Silverblaze]

As for Nale healing - what was that potion he was drinking on his exit. I know it was green, but still... The blood won't go away merely because the wounds heal *s*

[Querzis]

As for Nale healing - what was that potion he was drinking on his exit. I know it was green, but still... The blood won't go away merely because the wounds heal *s*

Well its a comic based on D&D after all. If someone can survive from falling off a 200 meters cliff on a pile of rocks just because he is a level 20 barbarian and if fur clothes dont burn when you are hit by a fireball or a scorching ray, I'm pretty sure a healing potion can clean and repair clothes.

[Silverblaze]

Well its a comic based on D&D after all. If someone can survive from falling off a 200 meters cliff on a pile of rocks just because he is a level 20 barbarian and if fur clothes dont burn when you are hit by a fireball or a scorching ray, I'm pretty sure a healing potion can clean and repair clothes.

Thy arguments doth indeed hold a certain truth, good sir :smallsmile: Blasted sense of reality :smallamused: Was it not V that said: "Excuse me while I tell the laws of physics to shut up and sit down?!" :smallbiggrin: Or something to that effect..

[Amon Star]

Well its a comic based on D&D after all. If someone can survive from falling off a 200 meters cliff on a pile of rocks just because he is a level 20 barbarian and if fur clothes dont burn when you are hit by a fireball or a scorching ray, I'm pretty sure a healing potion can clean and repair clothes.

Infact that is OotS cannon. Just look at this.

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0008.html

[Nevrmore]

Infact that is OotS cannon. Just look at this.

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0008.html

HOLY CRAP, IT'S A CANNON?!

Run! Run! the Order of the Pirate Sticks will kill us all!

:smallbiggrin: lawl, canon/cannon

[Amon Star]

HOLY CRAP, IT'S A CANNON?!

Run! Run! the Order of the Pirate Sticks will kill us all!

:smallbiggrin: lawl, canon/cannon

Oops! :redface:

[Silverblaze]

Oops! :redface:
*L* Amon Star - this is not your day - missing puns and bringing out the big guns (Hey puns and rimes go hand in hand ;-) Rest up for New Year's and enjoy - That goes for all of you :-D

Silverblaze - last surviving member of Lord Hamlet's Realm of TOotS signing off - To be a Stickfan or not to be, is indeed the FAQ ;-)

[Amon Star]

missing puns and bringing out the big guns (Hey puns and rimes go hand in hand ;-)

I got THAT one. :biggrin:

[Silverblaze]

Or else you would've had me worried :smallwink: Later ya'll

[Hushdawg]

Well its a comic based on D&D after all. If someone can survive from falling off a 200 meters cliff on a pile of rocks just because he is a level 20 barbarian and if fur clothes dont burn when you are hit by a fireball or a scorching ray, I'm pretty sure a healing potion can clean and repair clothes.

Technically a potion that cleans and repairs is a Rotion of Restoration rather than just healing. I believe that is why Elan was so shocked that his clothing was fixed early on in the strip.
This is probably also why Belkar was so angry as Potions of Restoration are very expensive.
Well, and the fact that Belkar is a selfish little cretin. :)

[phoenixineohp]

Wow. This one seems a little... heavy? Or maybe it's just more... blatent? Not exactly as subtle as a rumpled dress. For some reason that bugs me. Weird.

And yes, I love that Elan's response is not about what she said, but that he could understand it.

[Thexare Blademoon]

Actually, it fit in. To her, schtupping a quartet of extraplaner dudes/babes is a minor thing, like my opening another bottle of diet cola. It's just that she twists the caps in a different manner.

That's some pretty ****ed up morality.

DIET cola?!

[Goofy]

Technically a potion that cleans and repairs is a Rotion of Restoration rather than just healing. I believe that is why Elan was so shocked that his clothing was fixed early on in the strip.
This is probably also why Belkar was so angry as Potions of Restoration are very expensive.
Well, and the fact that Belkar is a selfish little cretin. :)

Restoration in D&D has nothing to do with objects such as clothing.

[AyuVince]

Of course, a creature of pure indulgence like Sabine would *never* drink diet cola. Fiends don't get fat from food.

[vbushido]

But for something far more important/serious:
Has :sabine: just told :nale: that she has been doing "her thing" four times while she was away ?? Wasn't her prime explanation of her being away that "The Red Knight was requesting lodging" ?? http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0380.html (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0380.html)



She did say she had errands to run! :smallamused: The Red Knight is requesting lodging was a veiled reference to her period. She needed to get infernal femanine products. And happened to have sex four times along the way.

------
People ask me why I play with computers at home when I use them at work. They don't understand--I play with computers at work, too.

[Skippy]

Well, I suppose that being an "incarnation of illicit sex" has its advantages, hasn't it?

[Duggan]

It ought to be interesting to see how this goes. He didn't expect her to overreact so much to kill-cheating, and it sounds like he's having second thoughts about her philandering. I mean, if nothing else, you've got that old dictum about "You're not just having sex with them, but with every person they've ever had sex with."

:nale: Ow! It hurts and it burns!
:sabine:Sorry, honey. You see, there was this fire demon back home... there must have been some residue.

[fangthane]

As for Nale healing - what was that potion he was drinking on his exit. I know it was green, but still... The blood won't go away merely because the wounds heal *s*


Well its a comic based on D&D after all. If someone can survive from falling off a 200 meters cliff on a pile of rocks just because he is a level 20 barbarian and if fur clothes dont burn when you are hit by a fireball or a scorching ray, I'm pretty sure a healing potion can clean and repair clothes.


Thy arguments doth indeed hold a certain truth, good sir :smallsmile: Blasted sense of reality :smallamused: Was it not V that said: "Excuse me while I tell the laws of physics to shut up and sit down?!" :smallbiggrin: Or something to that effect..


Technically a potion that cleans and repairs is a Rotion of Restoration rather than just healing. I believe that is why Elan was so shocked that his clothing was fixed early on in the strip.
This is probably also why Belkar was so angry as Potions of Restoration are very expensive.
Well, and the fact that Belkar is a selfish little cretin. :)


Restoration in D&D has nothing to do with objects such as clothing.
The joke in #8 was that most adventurers don't really pay much attention to the presumed physical effects of combat on their gear. Many never think to take a spell (or cantrip) like Mending or Make Whole, for example, which are specifically designed to be able to take care of that sort of thing. Indeed, those spells are completely omitted from computer versions of D&D specifically because they're something the game designers don't want to think about. As a result, many gamers tend to ignore them as well, and/or make house rules to the effect that healing wounds incorporates the repair of items which might have been damaged - but not broken - in the process of receiving those wounds. According to the RAW, there's no healing spell which incorporates equipment repair, but in OotS-world, we've seen that at least some are able to also repair their "collateral damage" so to speak, and it looks very much as if they all do. I note that this bottle's much smaller than the one Haley fed Elan though;it looks like it helped, removing the black eye (which was subdual anyhow) and the first torso wound Elan inflicted (interestingly, the wounds seem to heal in FIFO order, other than subdual), but didn't have enough power to do the full job.

Edit - yes, I'm well aware that I've appeared to studiously ignore most of the punishment in this thread. That's probably because it's true. :)

[Alysar]

Has :sabine: just told :nale: that she has been doing "her thing" four times while she was away ?? Wasn't her prime explanation of her being away that "The Red Knight was requesting lodging" ?? http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0380.html (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0380.html)
One must wonder if :nale: starts to question this at some point... Dun, dun, duunnnn :smallbiggrin:

Sorry for the white letters, but I haven't figured out how to do the spoiler thingy yet and didn't want to rumble Mr. G

This is a bit gross
Maybe male demons don't have a problem 'sharing lodgings with the Red Knight'

BTW, spoilers are done like this

[SPOILER]Spoiler goes here[/SPOILER]

[Tabiani]

This is a bit gross
Maybe male demons don't have a problem 'sharing lodgings with the Red Knight'
Or maybe...
The whole "Red Knight" story (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0380.html) was made up so she could have an excuse to report her learning about the gates?
:sabine: Uh, actually...
:sabine: Umm...
:sabine: It's uh, ...
Seems to be thinking fast to come up with an excuse here, don't ya think?

Sorta reminds me of Haley way back when (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0029.html)...

I think they're more alike than they'd like to admit.

[fangthane]

Tabiani - Umm, we already know that's her real reason. The suggestion was that Nale believes otherwise and might have questioned her recent revelation (4 times) in light of the earlier excuse.

Alysar - I'd expect you're probably right. After all, demonkind is reputed to revel in blood. (Let's see anyone else come up with a risque pun that classic) :smallbiggrin:

[Alysar]

Or maybe...
The whole "Red Knight" story (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0380.html) was made up so she could have an excuse to report her learning about the gates?
:sabine: Uh, actually...
:sabine: Umm...
:sabine: It's uh, ...
Seems to be thinking fast to come up with an excuse here, don't ya think?

Sorta reminds me of Haley way back when (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0029.html)...

I think they're more alike than they'd like to admit.

Well, yeah. The whole point was that if Nale realized the inconsistancy, she'd be able to to cover herself. Of course, it's not as if Nale knows anything about the carnal practices of demons.

[Amon Star]

It ought to be interesting to see how this goes. He didn't expect her to overreact so much to kill-cheating, and it sounds like he's having second thoughts about her philandering. I mean, if nothing else, you've got that old dictum about "You're not just having sex with them, but with every person they've ever had sex with."

:nale: Ow! It hurts and it burns!
:sabine:Sorry, honey. You see, there was this fire demon back home... there must have been some residue.

That one had me squirming in my chair! :eek:

[Angela Christine]

Yeah, I assume that demons/devils won't be squicked out by a little blood. Sure it's messy, but people wash.

[Silverblaze]

Yeah, I assume that demons/devils won't be squicked out by a little blood. Sure it's messy, but people wash.

So you are saying that this Blood War all the lower planes are talking about are actually a battle of the sexes ?? :smallbiggrin: