OOTS #262 - The Discussion Thread

[rosebud]

please take a good look at the expression on her face - if she had said THE THING ;) she would have smiled at least.

I think she's stunned. Give her 1d4 turns to collect her senses. :)

[Ironfang]

Her Hair ?!? Who started that idea? The only way hair could be used to pick a lock would be in a "Something about Mary" kinda way.

It must be concealed Picks which may or may not be masterwork but if they were they may even have a bonus to conceal, painted to match her hair or buckle etc.

I am surprised Giant doesn't chime in more to say things like "You dolts! they are obviously from her blah blah, blah blah" It must drive him crazy reading all this speculation on something that he has created and has all the answers to in his head.

Was there any confirmation on the cryptoquotes? Or was the 1st timer just assumed correct. Seems to fit but I am too busy (see: lazy) at work to check myself.

[ByzCath]

Her Hair ?!? Who started that idea? The only way hair could be used to pick a lock would be in a "Something about Mary" kinda way.

I thought Haley was using a piece of straw.

[Rawhide]

Her Hair ?!? Who started that idea?

I don't know, and I certainly don't see how it could be used to pick locks...

There are many ways to conceal lockpicking tools. Bobby pins, wire from an underwire bra, in boots, in a belt/belt buckle, buttons, cufflinks, jewellery, sleeves, etc. etc.

[Darius Midnite]

Great strip Giant!
Not to soppy, and not to errrm somthing else...

keep 'em comin'..!

[The Giant]

I thought Haley was using a piece of straw.

Winner!

Yeah, Haley is using straw from the mattress (which I just realized I didn't draw in yet) to pick the lock. Given their level, it is also probable that even in anti-magic, Haley has a Dex modifier of +5, which at 12th level (15 ranks) and with the -2 for improvised thieves' tools would give a "take 20" score of 38. Just shy of the DC 40. (There's no evidence in the rules that a nonmagical lock with a DC greater than 40 is physically possible, don't forget.)

[GeekDaddy]

Whatever, theres still Dragon magazine!

And since there's no way in Heck my wife would ever let me subscribe to or even buy a copy of Dragon, I can't wait until they are available in an on-line archive.

They will be, wont they?

Please?

:-[ _wibble!


(BTW: If this has been addressed elsewhere, please don't flame me. I rarely have time to post to BBs anymore, let alone read them voraciously like I used to.)

[The Giant]

The Dragon strips will not ever be available online, no. They will, someday, be collected in one of the books.

[ByzCath]

Winner!

Yeah, Haley is using straw from the mattress (which I just realized I didn't draw in yet) to pick the lock. Given their level, it is also probable that even in anti-magic, Haley has a Dex modifier of +5, which at 12th level (15 ranks) and with the -2 for improvised thieves' tools would give a "take 20" score of 38. Just shy of the DC 40. (There's no evidence in the rules that a nonmagical lock with a DC greater than 40 is physically possible, don't forget.)

Cool! What do I win?

[evileeyore]

Really, the guards should've welded the doors shut.

Two ways to prevent this:

Place the lock out of reach. Either by having a solid door and walls, by the old chain and lock trick (wrap a chain around the door and bar where it meets, run the taught chain ten feet away to a ring loop, lock the chain), or by the pit and ladder trick, like they did with Belkar.

Place Guards with crossbows outside the bars to shoot prisoners going near the door.

Honestly this prison was not designed very well to prevent escapes. As I said before plot hole. Not that I'm disparaging the Giant's plot, they have to escape someway and without tons of needless scenes or exposition, but it would not have been so easy in my game.

Does anyone recall if we've been told that Haley is good or neutral along the good-evil axis? Because if she's neutral, I find it amusing that the prisoners were segregated by alignment.

No one is Neutral on the G vs E axis. Roy and Durkon are LG, Haley and Elan are CG, V is either NG or LG (I am firmly in the LG camp). Only Belkar is Evil, and he is CE.

If the tools are made of copper, she just might be able to hide them in her hair - right color and all. Copper is very soft, though, and they probably wouldn´t be good for many uses. But once is usually enough.

This is just the kind of thing a good thieves´ guild might come up with.

Or a better idea...

There are many ways to conceal lockpicking tools. Bobby pins, wire from an underwire bra, in boots, in a belt/belt buckle, buttons, cufflinks, jewellery, sleeves, etc. etc.

Exactly. All my Rogues carry picks sewn into hemlines of their favorite clothes. Its not like simple lock picks are that expensive, not is it something that is often checked. Heck they always have one 'bluffed' set that is done clumsily so its easy to find. Plus you can hide a pick or two in your mouth, in your hair, or elsewhere... I had one character have his arm cut and picks put under the skin and have it healed. But then he was bat guano crazy...

Granted the easiest way to defeat this is to have the character stripped, searched and given 'prison issues'. But obviously in Azure City that isn't the norm.

Also the OotS might just be awaiting arraignment and thus since it won’t be a long stay Miko didn’t feel anything extreme was necessary.

[chibibar]

well.. there is also a case of "underestimate your enemies" miko DID kicked everyone's butt and put them in chain gang...

she probably thought these "motley" crew couldn't escape.
ALSO remember.. they are still inside the prison (the building) we haven't even gotten to outside of the prison building.

[The_Kobold_Hero]

Best circumstance bonus EVER! ;D

[Silivren]

I dont think V or anyone else in the strip has learned to decipher what Haley's saying. They can usually get the gist from context and attitude, and in this case its pretty clear he knew what would happen when he made his little suggestion to Elan. Namely, that given Elan's friendship with her, as well as his nice guy personality and high charisma, he'd definitely wind up saying something quite complementary to her, and given Haley's poorly hidden feelings for Elan, such a comment would have been extra-meaningful to her when coming from him.


Edit:

Best circumstance bonus EVER! ;D

Yes. Yes it is. ;D

[Istielthia]

Was there any confirmation on the cryptoquotes? Or was the 1st timer just assumed correct. Seems to fit but I am too busy (see: lazy) at work to check myself.

I got the same thing... not sure if that's confirmaton enough for those who haven't translated it for themselves yet. This one was fairly easy... (more words - easier translating) I started with the "C" (only stand alone letter/word, had to be A or I) and went from there.

On another note... I loved this strip! Not just cause I'm a girl and love the mushy stuff. I thought it was an over-all stupendous strip. And even though I couldn't see it until this morning, it was worth the wait. Great start to 2006, Giant!

[Shatteredtower]

No one is Neutral on the G vs E axis. Roy and Durkon are LG, Haley and Elan are CG, V is either NG or LG (I am firmly in the LG camp). Only Belkar is Evil, and he is CE.

Aside from the fact that we have confirmed alignments for Belkar, Durkon, and Roy (with a good confirmation in regard to Elan, almost certainly chaotic to be his brother's opposite number), where is this stated?

[Djagir]

That's funny, Mr Djagir, I don't recall anyone asking for a really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, REALLY boring story...

I guess I was just bringing out my Inner Elan.

Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy, enjoy the boring story...

I found Djagir's story quite interesting actually, and am now curious as to what the series or who the alien was.

The series is Aaron Williams' PS238, and the character is Prospero.

[watermammal]

Masterwork Hairpin?
Masterwork Underwire?

[possible spoiler]

Now THAT is sneaky. I like the way you think.

As far as Miko goes, my guess would be wither a, her pride and arrogance would forbid her from believing they could escape from HER dungeon; or b, her pride as a professional would demand she trust the guards to do their jobs. Either way, pride goeth before the fall. Or wait, maybe it is all a ploy to prove to her master that they are not good people. I hadn't even considered that. Ohh, that's good.

[ByzCath]

[possible spoiler]

Now THAT is sneaky. I like the way you think.

As far as Miko goes, my guess would be wither a, her pride and arrogance would forbid her from believing they could escape from HER dungeon; or b, her pride as a professional would demand she trust the guards to do their jobs. Either way, pride goeth before the fall. Or wait, maybe it is all a ploy to prove to her master that they are not good people. I hadn't even considered that. Ohh, that's good.

I don't know.... I have a funny feeling that this is all a test devised by Lord Shojo to see if the OoTS is up to doing a job for him.

[Maryring]

It's just... V said the L word. Even Elan with his Wis and Int should have guessed it by now...

[Hawkeye]

from the things that Elan does I think that his wis and int would give him a penalty

nitpick: in panel 3 Haley has her bow on her back

[Eriol]

nitpick: in panel 3 Haley has her bow on her back

Nice catch! I wonder how long until it's "edited".

And remember, whenever that happens, like people warping across frames, or inconsistencies appear, "a wizard did it."

;)

[yuccadude]

Heh, nice catch on the bow, even if it is inconsistent with the other panels, a bow is still pretty much useless without any arrows

[rosebud]

Cool! What do I win?

A piece of straw, of course.

[Capfalcon]

A piece of straw, of course.

Wrong!

TWO pieces of straw! ;D

You now have your own FREE* Haliey^tm Lockpicks!






*$20.00 S&H

[phlip]

Aside from the fact that we have confirmed alignments for Belkar, Durkon, and Roy (with a good confirmation in regard to Elan, almost certainly chaotic to be his brother's opposite number), where is this stated?

Rich has been quoted (just trust me - I'm lazy, it was around the time of the Unholy Blight strip I think) saying that all the characters are Good except Belkar who's Evil.

Edit: I can't find it... it's not around the time of #11, so it must have just been people talking about it later, and the search insists that The Giant has never said the name "Belkar" in any of his posts...

[evileeyore]

Rich has been quoted (just trust me - I'm lazy, it was around the time of the Unholy Blight strip I think) saying that all the characters are Good except Belkar who's Evil.

Edit: I can't find it... it's not around the time of #11, so it must have just been people talking about it later, and the search insists that The Giant has never said the name "Belkar" in any of his posts...

As philip said, plus they are all revealed as Good (and Evil) here.

[Eloco]

Was it the straw that set them free or Elan and Haleys love.... these are the days of our lives! :'(

[idksocrates]

As philip said, plus they are all revealed as Good (and Evil) here.

actually, Unholy Blight does effect Neutral characters, just half as much.

[Winged One]

actually, Unholy Blight does effect Neutral characters, just half as much.

It only does damage to Neutrals, it doesn't sicken them like it does Goods.

Oh, and it was Elan and Haley's love that set them free. The need to use straw actually gave Haley a penalty to her Open Lock check. ;D

[Erathia]

well.. there is also a case of "underestimate your enemies" miko DID kicked everyone's butt and put them in chain gang...

For all we know the ease of escaping is just part of the Samurai/Paladin's test of guilt. Fleeing when accused of a crime is SURELY* an admission of guilt right? Maybe they do have a bunch of guards waiting outside to execute them for escaping

Heh, nice catch on the bow, even if it is inconsistent with the other panels, a bow is still pretty much useless without any arrows

Edit: True, but Miko also broke Haley's bowstring, whereas this one's fine


*Surely as defined under the Paladin code of righteousness and any similarity to objective reality is purely coincidental