Time to rescue the ... cranky old man.
Cast
Transcript
- Panel 1
Elan: But Haley, what if the invisible ogre sneaks up behind us and attacks?
Haley: I'm willing to take full responsibility if that happens.
- Panel 2
They find a tied-up man.
Elan: There! That must be the dirt farmer's husband there.
- Panel 3
Haley: Hey, old-timer, wakey wakey!
Husband: Whuh? What's going on? Who are you people?
Elan: We're here to rescue you.
- Panel 4
Haley unties him.
Haley: You might want to speak louder, Elan. I'm not sure he can hear you.
Husband: Griffon puckey! My hearing is just fine.
- Panel 5
Husband: Everyone knows your hearing and vision get BETTER when you get old, not worse!
Elan: They do?
Husband: Of course! Your Wisdom increases as you get older, doesn't it, now?
- Panel 6
Husband: And Spot and Listen are based off of Wisdom. So my senses are sharper today than when I was a young whippersnapper like you!
- Panel 7
Husband: Of course, you kids today with your crazy internally-consistent skill systems. Back in my day, we just had Nonweapon Proficiencies and we liked them!
- Panel 8
Husband: And we would walk uphill in the snow to OUR dungeons, both ways!
- Panel 9
Husband: Which reminds me of a story from when I was young. See, there was this keep, and it sat on the Borderlands...
- Panel 10
Haley: I wonder what the Craft DC on a gag is...
Elan: Sorry, Haley, I can't hear you. I'm intentionally failing my Listen check.
Husband: ...and when we got to the palace, the Silver Princess said to us...
D&D Context
- The husband refers to two modules for the D&D Basic Set: B2 The Keep on the Borderlands (1979) and B3 Palace of the Silver Princess (1981).
- Wisdom, Charisma and Intelligence scores increase as you get older, while Strength, Dexterity and Constitution decrease.
- Skills replaced Nonweapon Proficiencies in the change from AD&D 2nd Edition to D&D 3rd edition.
- "DC" is "Difficulty Class," or the number you have to roll to successfully complete the action, in this case, crafting a gag.
- "OD&D" is the most common term for the original 1974 boxed set of D&D, standing for "Original Dungeons & Dragons" in place of "Basic Dungeons & Dragons" or "Advanced Dungeons & Dragons."