Order of the Stick: November II

[Lilly]

And hello second half of November thread. Yeah I know it's a couple of days late.

[Greebo]

Yay, new thread! the old one was *LONG*

.... continuing...

Oh, I don't think V is ignorant of Roy/Regina's plight. Nor do I think that V is inconsiderate of Roy/Regina's feelings on the matter.

I just think that V is concerned more with the immediate danger, and once (s)he calms down from being smited (smote? smitten? Bah!) by the Laws of Comedy Physics, (s)he'll begin to ask Roy/Regina about it and come up with a solution.

(Editted for spelling -- I do that a lot, don't I... :-()

I don't know - I think that in the OotS world, Elves (or at least, elves like V) are so academically minded that they pay almost no attention to biology other than as a necessary means of keeping the species going - and they're so long lived that they don't have to do that very much.

Consider V's comments on his mate. Nothing in his commentary suggested to me that physical interactions played any part in his high esteem for having a mate.

It may make no difference at all to V what gender someone is. Elves, being so long lived, haven't got the biological urgency to reproduce that other races have. No urgency, no reason to care, and probably no significant short term physiological rewards for engaging in reproductive practices.

Of course, I could be just completely pulling this out of my bag of holding here... ;)

[Sylvius]

Do you feel tardy?

Belkar = cowbell.

[Greebo]

Do you feel tardy?

I brought my PEN-CIL!!!

[Malachi, the Lich King]

I brought my PEN-CIL!!!

Give me something to write on?
Is this going somewhere?

[Nikolai_II]

Yay, new thread! the old one was *LONG*

.... continuing...

I don't know - I think that in the OotS world, Elves (or at least, elves like V) are so academically minded that they pay almost no attention to biology other than as a necessary means of keeping the species going - and they're so long lived that they don't have to do that very much.

Consider V's comments on his mate. Nothing in his commentary suggested to me that physical interactions played any part in his high esteem for having a mate.

It may make no difference at all to V what gender someone is. Elves, being so long lived, haven't got the biological urgency to reproduce that other races have. No urgency, no reason to care, and probably no significant short term physiological rewards for engaging in reproductive practices.

Of course, I could be just completely pulling this out of my bag of holding here... ;)

I think you are.

Serini did hint rather clearly that Dorukan would be interested in Lirian, who does not seem to have been completely averse. (And also dresses more obviously)

Of course, Lirian could be an half-elf, but that faults your elven logic as well ;)

[evileeyore]

I don't know - I think that in the OotS world, Elves (or at least, elves like V) are so academically minded that they pay almost no attention to biology other than as a necessary means of keeping the species going - and they're so long lived that they don't have to do that very much.

Consider V's comments on his mate. Nothing in his commentary suggested to me that physical interactions played any part in his high esteem for having a mate.

It may make no difference at all to V what gender someone is. Elves, being so long lived, haven't got the biological urgency to reproduce that other races have. No urgency, no reason to care, and probably no significant short term physiological rewards for engaging in reproductive practices.

I think its just a V thing.

For instance I'm human (or so my doctor tells me) but I feel no overwhelming urge to procreate, in Fact I feel the opposite to the extent I'm mildly perturbed by those that 'over-procreate' (by this I mean have more than 1-2 children).

I also treat people as individuals and not the 'gender roles' assigned them. Nor any other descriminatory 'roles' they may often be associated with. To me it matters not whether one is male or female, black or caucasian, old or young, a leader or a follower.

Now I ain't sexless by a long shot, and I do notice things around me, I just don't comment on everything. For instance I had a friend that was a crossdresser. First time I saw him dressed up as her, no real difference, treated him the same. Granted I refused to refer to him as Ms. but then that was in a mild attempt to annoy.

I'm sure V noticed. Heck even Belkar noticed, V just doesn't think its remarkable, or possibly V knew Elan had the belt all along, made the rational leap in logic, and realized Roy had to use the 'Ultimate' disguise tool to save his friend. Why make a big deal of it, next mornin Vaarsuvius or Durkon will just cast Remove Curse. No lasting harm done.

[Kish]

Neither V, nor Haley seem very good. I think they're both neutral. Haley is probably chaotic neutral, and V is probably true neutral.

Remember the sigils.

[Lothorus]

The difference between "Good" and "Non-Evil" leaves a lot of stretching room. The requirement for toutching the sigil was only that the person not hold a selfish or evil purpose in mind for the amulet, if I remember correctly.

[Kish]

Actually, it requires someone of pure heart.

[Leveller]

The difference between "Good" and "Non-Evil" leaves a lot of stretching room. The requirement for toutching the sigil was only that the person not hold a selfish or evil purpose in mind for the amulet, if I remember correctly.

Nale said that someone of "pure heart" was needed. Dunno if that proves anything.

EDIT: Beat me to it ;D

[Amalthea]

Remember the sigils.

You're right, but that's only a point for Haley, as she's the one that touched the rune. She was always hard to pin down between neutral and chaotic anyway. V is still neutral.

However, I think 'pure of heart' is a pretty vague concept. It's possible that it works like unholy blight, and you just have to be non-evil.

[Gary_Schaper]

So someone who is pure evil isn't "pure of heart" ? ;D

[Lothorus]

I agree with Tish about the pure of heart deal. Much like the Champion of (Diety) class, you don't need to be good, specifically, just not blatantly evil and willing to think beyond your own needs.

[Sylvius]

I'm sure Rich mentioned somewhere that everyone in the party is good, except for Belkar, but I think he's wrong.

Not that he doesn't know their alignments, because he created them, but that their behaviours so far don't demonstrate goodness. Roy is good. Durkon is good. Elan is good. I don't see goodness in Haley or Vaarsuvius.

That said, if they are good (as Rich says, and again, he'd know), their behaviour so far hasn't been sufficient to change that.

But this detailed debate really doesn't belong here.

[BurntOfferings]

Sorry, I don't have the patience to figure out how to make the quote tag point back to the old thread. :-/

boolean wrote in the first November thread:

A monk also cannot use flurry of blows while armored.

The Giant replied in the first November thread:

Ah, true, my mistake. However, a Monk can't use a flurry of blows when attacking with a bastard sword and a short sword anyway, so it's moot.

Ah, but we've seen that Miko doesn't always attack with her bastard sword and short sword (she kicked Haley to deliver a stunning attack). If she sheathed her weapons, or was disarmed, or simply restricted herself to kicks, headbutts, etc, then the ability to flurry could matter. Especially if the DM allowed her to combine her flurry ability with [Improved] Two-Weapon Fighting (using her firsts as weapons).

Oh, and when wearing armor, she loses any increased speed she may have, too (but she probably doesn't have that many levels in monk, so it really is moot). ;)

Hey, wait, is this our first confirmation of what weapons Miko wields? :D

In other news, I finally got my copy of Dungeon Crawlin' Fools yesterday! Woot! Love the commentary! I only wish the filler had included the Beer of Annihilation. "So deadly, but so tasty!" ;D

[Amalthea]

I'm sure Rich mentioned somewhere that everyone in the party is good, except for Belkar, but I think he's wrong.

Actually, I think that what you're thinking of was the speculation that V is evil, and Mr. Burlew pointed out that V (and everyone save Belkar) was stricken with Unholy Blight, so only Belkar was Evil, and everyone else was either Neutral or Good.

To bring this a back to the topic, I think it's interesting how continued interaction with Elan is nudging Haley's alignment towards Good, and how much Elan's opinion matters to her. I wonder if he's noticed.

He'd better do something nice to her in the next comic, or I may cry. :'(

[Sylvius]

He'd better do something nice to her in the next comic, or I may cry. :'(

Speaking of the next comic...

...it is Friday, right?

[The Giant]

New comic is up.

[Lothorus]

Glee!

[Amalthea]

Oh my... I wonder if Belkar has taken some sort of Maliciousness feat that grants a bonus to Spot, Listen, and Sense Motive checks if the results can be used to torment someone...

[Eriol]

So is it a striaght-out character exchange, or did you randomize the letters? Did you completely randomize it, or can it be solved?

If it can be solved, I wonder how long until somebody does...

[Lothorus]

Five gold pieces says that a lot of people here are gonna spend a lot of time trying to break the "Haley Code" and see if there is any pattern to the jibberish that can be translated into plain english.

Edit: Dang! Someone even managed a post about it while I was still typing this! You guys are quick.

[Zargon]

Ok - time to translate!
Hmm.. it is not a rotation of letters, but perhaps a letter exchange.
In the 10th panel, she says Xqrm? Ui!
I'm pretty sure she says Elan? No!
So then...
i is o
m in n
q is l
r is a
u is n
x is e

Unfortunately I'm going off-line so hopefully someone will complete this!
Of course it might be a different cypher, but it's worth a shot!

[Zargon]

No, it doesn't appear to be random. The letter F is used in a few places by itself and always capital, so it is very likely to be the letter I.

[Nikolai_II]

It doesn't look like a rotary substitution cipher, but since F seems to equal I at all points it probably is a substitution one of another form.

I fully expect it to be solved by the time I have finished sleeping. Good night all :)

(A kick says more than a thousand words - heh)

[Eriol]

To get people started (REALLY looks like a straight-out character exchange):

Haley <-> Actual
f = i (8th panel is evidence due to capitalization, and alone)
r = a (5th panel, it appears alone, uncapitalized)
u = n
i = o (10th panel "Ui!" strongly suggests this)
fm'v = it's (speculation, but fits with above interpretation of "f = i")

[Eriol]

Ok - time to translate!
Hmm.. it is not a rotation of letters, but perhaps a letter exchange.
In the 10th panel, she says Xqrm? Ui!
I'm pretty sure she says Elan? No!
So then...
i is o
m in n
q is l
r is a
u is n
x is e

Unfortunately I'm going off-line so hopefully someone will complete this!
Of course it might be a different cypher, but it's worth a shot!

I don't think Xqrm is Elan, because "m" appears a LOT after apostrophes in other sections, and n NEVER appears after those alone in english (that I can remember).

I'm betting on more m = t.

[maxon]

Are those some new pics on the news page?

Sorry OT.

[Theo]

Here's what I have so far... I have to leave, so hopefully someone else can finish it up...


Mnbrvcnp!
Treasure!

Wiup! Rdd is fm, wiup! F tru'm epdfpjp fm'v rdd wiup!
Gone! All of it, gone! I can't believe it's all gone!

F wim prmpu eh r ynrwiu sin mqrm snprafu' mnbrvcnp!
I got eaten by a dragon for that frea?in' treasure!


-----



Xqrm? Ui! Yiu'm hic yrnp!
What? No! Don't you dare!

Vuprz rmmrtz eiim mi mqp srtp!
Sneak attack boot to the face!

Yrnu vmnrfwqm.
Darn straight.