Stymied by the antilife shell, Roy seeks to knock out his teammates so he can heal V, but is caught in a vicious sneak attack by Haley. Meanwhile, Durkon's memory of his mother's revelations continues.
Cast
- The Order of the Stick
- Roy Greenhilt ◀ ▶
- Elan (dominated) ◀ ▶
- Haley Starshine (dominated) ◀ ▶
- Belkar Bitterleaf (dominated) ◀ ▶
- Vaarsuvius ◀ ▶
- Durkon Thundershield (also as vampire and as spirit) ◀ ▶
- Mr. Scruffy ◀ ▶
- Blackwing ◀ ▶
- "Durkon" ◀ ▶
- Hilgya Firehelm (dominated) ◀ ▶
- Minrah Shaleshoe (blind) ◀ ▶
- Creed of the Stone Vampire with Long Hair ◀ ▶
- Kudzu ◀ ▶
- Sigdi Thundershield ◀ ▶
- Vampire Dwarf with Blue Curly Hair ◀ ▶
- Sigdi's Soldier ◀
Transcript
- Panel 1, Page 1
Minrah is hit by a spell.
- Panel 2, Page 1
Minrah: Oh. Uh, OK. I can't see.
Minrah: Silly me, not preparing Remove Blindness on a day when I was supposed to be just minding the temple overnight.
- Panel 3, Page 1
Roy: Damn it, not again with the shell!
Roy sprints past Elan, who is lying supine.
Elan: All the cool kids are getting dominated, Roy.
- Panel 4, Page 1
Roy strikes the vampire with long hair as she retreats into the shell, "SHUNK!"
- Panel 5, Page 1
Vampire with Long Hair: Hey Boss, mind if I share your Innocent Baby Shield?
"Durkon": Feel free.
Roy strikes futilely at the shell.
- Panel 6, Page 1
Inside Durkon's head; Durkon is infuriated.
"Durkon": Don't look at me like that. I promised not to harm the baby personally.
"Durkon": If Roy throws his sword and hits the squirmy little brat, that's on him.
- Panel 7, Page 1
In the banquet hall; Roy rushes back past Elan
Roy: OK, change of plans, everyone.
Elan: It'll make your breath fresher and your teeth whiter.
Roy: Shut up.
- Panel 8, Page 1
Roy: Before, I needed V's dispel so the rest of you could rejoin the fight.
Roy: Now I need it just so I can keep fighting—
- Panel 9, Page 1
Roy knocks Belkar with the flat of his sword, "THUNK."
Roy: —even if I need to knock the rest of you out to get it.
- Panel 10, Page 1
Belkar: Protect V.
Roy: Unnh! You want to follow my orders to the letter all of a sudden? Here's one for you:
- Panel 11, Page 1
Roy: STAY DOWN!
Roy knocks out Belkar with at nonlethal strike, "WHAP!"
- Panel 12, Page 1
Mr. Scruffy looks with concern at the unconscious Belkar.
- Panel 1, Page 2
Cut to Durkon's memory.
Sigdi: After the troll...after yer Pa passed on. After I got hurt...
Sigdi: I were recuperatin' in tha Temple o' Thor.
Sigdi: One o' my soldiers came ta me wit a chest.
- Panel 2, Page 2
Sigdi's Soldier: I grabbed this on the way out, while I was fleeing the cave.
Sigdi's Soldier: But...you should have it, Sarge. You lost so much more than any of us did.
- Panel 3, Page 2
Sigdi (inset): Inside were some gold an' some silver, but also a big pile of gemstones. More'n I ev'r seen in me whole life.
- Panel 4, Page 2
Durkon: So ye decided ta give it all ta tha church?
Sigdi: Sorta. Na really.
- Panel 5, Page 2
Cut to the banquet hall.
Roy: Minrah, are you OK?
Minrah: I'm blind, so I'm gonna say, "Not really."
Roy: If I guide you, can you still heal?
Minrah: YEah. As long as there's not a halfling waiting to smack me again.
- Panel 6, Page 2
Roy: Good. I'm going to dump this potion down V's throat while you cast.
Roy: We need as much healing as possible so V can dispel without getting knocked back out right away.
- Panel 7, Page 2
Elan stabs Roy.
Roy: Here let me guide—OW!
Elan: Have you ever really considered the benefits of owning a high-quality set of steak knives?
- Panel 8, Page 2
Roy: That's not even an argument anymore! You're just spouting general marketing copy!
Elan: They're really great for any cut—
- Panel 9, Page 2
Elan stabs Roy under his arm.
Elan: —especially the flank steak!
- Panel 10, Page 2
Roy: Wait, was that a pun? Did you just make a pun on the word—
- Panel 11, Page 2
Haley runs in from the side and moves all around Roy, stabbing him, "SKLRT! SKLRT! SKLRT! SKLRT!"
Haley: snnn
Haley: eeeee
Haley: eeak
Haley: aaaaa
Haley: ttaaa
Haley: aaack
D&D Context
- Remove Blindness is a 3rd level cleric spell and a counter to the Blindness spell.
- Haley typically performs sneak attacks with her bow. This is a rare example of her performing a melee sneak attack. Elan provides the opportunity by drawing Roy's attention, allowing her to flank Roy.
- In the final panel, Haley's boots are glowing lime green, indicating that her Boots of Speed powers are active. The boots were originally lime green, a running gag in earlier strips, but were re-dyed a sand color at Sandsedge. Their true colors shine through when active.
Trivia
- "Durkon" agreed not to harm Kudzu in return for Durkon only replaying one final memory in #1121, "Protection Racket".
- Haley uses the adamantine dagger she bought from Ferdinand and Eartha in #976, "Hard Sell".
- This is the only other appearance of Sigdi's Soldier, who was with her during the troll raid, portrayed in crayon style in #991, "A Sergeant and a Sapper".