Haley runs away from Crystal, but is confronted by Bozzok.
Cast
Transcript
- Panel 1
Haley: I got your "nice boots" right here!
Haley kicks Crystal in the face, "ftth!"
Crystal: Ooof!
- Panel 2
Haley runs out the door, leaving Crystal dazed.
Haley: Celia!
Haley: Celia, where are you?? We need to get out of—
- Panel 3
Bozzok bursts through a nearby door, swiping at Haley with his sword and missing.
Haley: Whoa!
Bozzok: Haley, you know you need to stop running. It's for the good of the Guild.
- Panel 4
Haley tumbles past Bozzok.
Bozzok: You have to understand, our entire business model relies in exclusivity. It we allow non-Guild thieves to come and go from the city as they please, we lose leverage over those who buy into our protection rackets.
- Panel 5
Haley: You don't have to kill them, though. You could just drive them out of town.
Bozzok: Other benefits of their execution aside, the fact that you yourself returned sort of undercuts your position, don't you think?
- Panel 6
Bozzok tumbles past Haley.
Bozzok: Your father felt the same way you do, incidentally. One of the many reasons he needed to be removed from play.
Haley: My father?? What are you getting at, Bozzok?
- Panel 7
Bozzok slashes Haley with his sword.
Bozzok: I'm saying that your father was very popular among the less violent members of the Guild, after the old guildmaster died and I took over.
Bozzok: And it's never prudent to have someone more popular than yourself around when you're trying to establish a new regime.
- Panel 8
Bozzok: A few letters to some friends on the Western Continent were all it took on my part. You know, I still don't know what they wrote to him to get him to rush off.
Bozzok: I mean, he didn't even tell YOU where he was going, did he?
Bozzok: I hear the local government has had him in custody for some time now.
- Panel 9
Haley: You don't really expect me to buy that story, do you?
Bozzok: Your purchasing habits are at your own discretion. I merely wanted to keep your mind occupied while Crystal took up a flanking position.
- Panel 10
Haley: Huh. Nicely done, Bozzok, but you know as well as I do that you need to be 4 levels higher than me to sneak attack me anyway.
Bozzok: True, but I did say there were other benefits to killing thieves that try to leave the Guild-
- Panel 11
Bozzok: Sneak Attack.
Bozzok stabs Haley through with his sword, "schtuth."
- Panel 12
Bozzok: -Namely, rapid XP gain.
D&D Context
- In the 10th panel Haley refers to her Improved Uncanny Dodge class feature which allowed her to avoid a sneak attack in #604. Bozzok is now apparently at least 4 levels higher than Haley, putting him at a very high 17th or 18th level at this point, and allowing him to execute a Sneak Attack for extra damage.
Trivia
- The comic's title was originally "It Takes a Thief". However, the title was changed shortly after the comic was published, most likely because there is already a comic with the same title.[1]
- The comic's title also refers to flanking, which enables rogues to use their sneak attack, and requires the target to be surrounded by at least two attackers.
External Links
References
- ↑ Namechange?, Giant in the Playground Forums.