OOTS #732 - The Discussion Thread

[dsavereide]

The last 2 strips puts current politics in this entertaining comics and this is just sad. I happened to be supportive of the recently signed law in that other desert state and this truly turns me off as a reader.

Expat, you are reading way more into this then is justified. To start with, there has been nothing negative implied about requiring valid paperwork of all residents. It's just a fact that this country has it. Many countries all over the world have such requirements. It's just that our heroes sidesteped the border and didn't realize it. That doesn't make it evil.

Now to the important question... can someone explain what Stone Shape is?

[DabblerWizard]

Maybe I just like Durkon as a character, but I thoroughly enjoyed this strip.

I think it had to do with the strip showing the story move ahead more than just a few minutes.

[gooddragon1]

Now for the geekery thread to update durkon's age as 55.

[horngeek]

Oh, dear god. The fourth wall would be weeping.

But you MURDERED it, Rich. I hope you're happy.

[Dziadek]

Now to the important question... can someone explain what Stone Shape is?

It's a spell with which you can modify the shape of any object made of stone. Durkon used it to make a hole in the city wall.

[Katana_Geldar]

Makes sense he has this spell, being a dwarf and all.

[binyamin20]

I don't see how =/ i mean it was the exact same comic, just about two or three times bigger

It's a joke!

[Crod]

This is my first post here. I'm reading OOTS since the very beginning. What's great with OOTS is that it's one of the only place on the internet where you can escape the usual bitter partisanship and shouting matches in other stupid forums. Really, I always enjoyed OOTS and was looking forward to it every evening... until now.

Expat, you are right about the forum being a very nice place. Reading from the forum rules it is clear that Rich does not want politics or other real world topics here. Don't you think it is quite far fetched that Rich, being a man who doesn't want this in the forum, suddenly makes a comic about it?

[Raging Gene Ray]

The last 2 strips puts current politics in this entertaining comics and this is just sad. I happened to be supportive of the recently signed law in that other desert state and this truly turns me off as a reader. I think that these were the last strips for me and I won't be coming back. I'll probably be scorned and yelled at in this forum, so be it.

PS: My main argument about all this is that I came here in the 90s through the legal channel, waited in line, paid the fees and did the paperwork for all the various immigration steps and finally became a US citizen in 2005. So, yes. Contrary to a lot of people talking about the issue, I know quite a bit about the topic and I do not appreciate a bit anyone cutting in line who moreover has the nerve to complain about it.

You obviously know a lot about the subject, so it colors how you interpret this strip. It's probably not a reference to the Arizona laws at all.

Requiring papers is typical in many countries, both real and fictional. This is sometimes used as a method by DMs of forcing players to deal with the authorities even when they don't do anything wrong and involve them with the plot in D and D.

Here, Rich just needed a way to get Roy and Belkar to the palace without making them criminals or using something convoluted to get them accused of something.

Don't let this turn you off to the comic.

[binyamin20]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr.Epic
Ah Stone Shape! That can be a fun spell! Also, how'd they get into the city the first time? Also, also, nice touch one the plotline gag!

For the sake of cthulu! Did you read the previous thread!?

Quote:
Originally Posted by binyamin20
They wind walked in. says so in comic 600 something.

[Darthteej]

The last 2 strips puts current politics in this entertaining comics and this is just sad. I happened to be supportive of the recently signed law in that other desert state and this truly turns me off as a reader. I think that these were the last strips for me and I won't be coming back. I'll probably be scorned and yelled at in this forum, so be it.

God, if I debated politics here, especially as a mere Pixie, I would get banhammered so fast. MUST...RESIST...!

But seriously, is it wrong to try to read into things(on your own terms)? Would it really be a bad thing for an author to express an opinion through satire? Rich Burlew did make fun of hippie-style-environmentalism in SoD, and has obviously passed plenty of strong opinions on morality. #272 is perhaps the most clear evidence of relevant political satire. I'm not necessarily saying this plot point was meant that way, it could very well have been planned out long beforehand, but it could also be the author noticing something and passing his view, and don't think that the possibility should be dismissed offhand.

Anyway though, that was quite funny, and I'm surprised that updates are coming along relatively quickly! I caught up a few months ago, and it seemed like updates were in a bit of a dry spell then.

[Faltenin]

"What are you trying to tell me, Mr Scruffy? Little Timmy fell down the well?"

I like how the alignments are really well played out - Durkon doesn't actually tell a lie, he just picks the truth that will get him through with minimal hassle...

[DougTheHead]

Yay! Durkon solo adventure!

I like the implication in the fifth panel that Roy and Belkar have managed to get themselves carted off to jail in nearly every town they've been in so far.

Only thirty strips left? Does it seem to anyone else that this arc has been short compared to the ones before it?

[kerberos]

Oh, dear god. The fourth wall would be weeping.

But you MURDERED it, Rich. I hope you're happy.

Nah, Rich murdered the Fourth wall in the very first strip. Now he's just desecrating it's bleeding, broken corpse.

[DrGonzo]

Woohoo! Durkon's back!

[Ancalagon]

I like how Durkon not-lies. ;)

[factotum]

I think Roy would have got the papers as well if he'd been aware of the necessity, but when you drop into the middle of the city using Wind Walk you tend to miss little details like that.

The innkeeper was presumably fined because he let them have a room without checking their papers, I guess?

[The Giant]

This is my first post here. I'm reading OOTS since the very beginning. What's great with OOTS is that it's one of the only place on the internet where you can escape the usual bitter partisanship and shouting matches in other stupid forums. Really, I always enjoyed OOTS and was looking forward to it every evening... until now.

The last 2 strips puts current politics in this entertaining comics and this is just sad. I happened to be supportive of the recently signed law in that other desert state and this truly turns me off as a reader. I think that these were the last strips for me and I won't be coming back. I'll probably be scorned and yelled at in this forum, so be it.

PS: My main argument about all this is that I came here in the 90s through the legal channel, waited in line, paid the fees and did the paperwork for all the various immigration steps and finally became a US citizen in 2005. So, yes. Contrary to a lot of people talking about the issue, I know quite a bit about the topic and I do not appreciate a bit anyone cutting in line who moreover has the nerve to complain about it.

As usual, there are no references to current politics beyond those readers invent for themselves. But hey, stop reading if it makes you feel better.

At any rate, the rest of you know that politics is a no-fly zone around here, so let's drop the conversation around it.

[Garwain]

Obviously Durkon will retrieve Haley's bow and dagger. But will he salvage Belkar's drink as well?

Dun Dun duuuuun.....

PS: time for the Durkon development I've been waiting for!

[Barlen]

I was expecting something like this, but thats cool. Awesome punchline. Love Durkon.


With that said I had a conversation with my players back in a 2ed game....I'll spoiler the nitpicking to avoid being a downer.

Spoiler

Show

My players wanted to exit the City of Greyhawk at one point and wanted to use stone shape. I didn't permit it through the city wall on the grounds that the wall was too thick. Typical city walls of that era were on the order of 20' thick. The City of Greyhawk box set specifically stated theirs were 18' thick. The spell (3.5 ed, not going back to look up what it was in 2ed) states that it can affect 10 cu ft + 1 cu ft per level. Durkon is 15ish (or less, I forget and I'm not looking it up atm) so thats 25 cu ft. Since I doubt he can squeeze through a 1 cu ft square, I'll assume a 2'x2' square to crawl through. Thats 4 cu ft for each foot of depth through the wall and he runs out of spell after about 6'.

So.....those are some mighty thin city walls

Or we could just call it rule of funny

[Killer Angel]

The last panel is pure comedy gold. Thanks, Giant.

God, if I debated politics here, especially as a mere Pixie, I would get banhammered so fast. MUST...RESIST...!

Politic is off topic here, you're right, but the titles are used for fun: post counts mean nothing, and Mods won't treat you more harshly because of your low post count.

[Darthteej]

At any rate, the rest of you know that politics is a no-fly zone around here, so let's drop the conversation around it.

[Phishfood]

Well, that made my morning. Do you get the feeling that durkon isn't a cat person?

Y'know, this comic highlighted something a bit subtle: the evolution of Rich's use of color. Go back and look at the first twenty strips. Everything was bright, high-contrast colors. Now compare to the last twenty twenty strips. Each strip has its own particular color palette, and the colors of each strip are tastefully chosen.

It's a subtle thing, but it elevates the comic from the rest and deserves some recognition. Well done, sir. claps

I do believe its partly because the original colours showed up terribly in print. There were a couple comments in DCF, one directly in the text and another comment in a bonus panel (or was that in SOD?) about resolution.

[Ashram]

I think they're called 'Orisons'. Also more Durkon is always appreciated.

I'm really surprised you're the only one who caught this. Since when did Durkon take an arcane spellcaster level? 0 level spells for divine casters are always orisons.

Of course, it's pretty obvious he only mentioned cantrips so that Mr. Scruffy would confuse it with "catnip".

[ss49]

I don't think Mr. Scruffy had any problem recognizing the word "cantrip"; Durkon was the one not understanding correctly.

Nice lampshade hanging at the end, there.

[abbott.e]

We see Haley's bow and dagger, and the wanted poster, but where's Roy's sword, (and Belkar's knives)?It seems odd that the Guards would confiscate their personal weapons, but would leave their friends weapons behind.

[snikrept]

So if it's that easy why didn't they do that the first time ><

[Reptar]

What's fifty five in Dwarf years? The average first level dwarven cleric is 61.
I do love Durkon though, and the spell stone shape, great to see them together.

[warmachine]

I wanna know how Belkar, Durkon and Roy got in without encountering any bureaucratic guards.

[Bedinsis]

I don't play Dungeons and Dragons. What does the spell Stone Shape do? Does it allow you to reformat the form of something made of stone, such as the wall?

My initial thought was that Durkon petrified Mr. Scruffy to make sure he wouldn't leave while he got his papers.