As Haley and Belkar get a handle on Tsukiko and Black Squadron, Belkar has second thoughts about his career decision.
Cast[]
- Haley Starshine ◀ ▶
- Belkar Bitterleaf ◀ ▶
- Mr. Scruffy ◀ ▶
- Ho Thanh (dominated) ◀ ▶
- Isamu (as a wight) ◀ ▶
- Tsukiko ◀ ▶
- Black Squadron
- Boot Wight ◀ ▶
- Second Course Wight ◀
Transcript[]
- Panel 1
Belkar: Look on the bright side: At least you don't owe me 20 gp anymore.
Belkar kills the undead Isamu with a dagger.
Belkar: I mean, unless someone raises you, then you better pay up, or we'll be right back to me stabbing you.
- Panel 2
Haley: Listen, Belkar, I'm still proud of you for picking our side. Especially since Xykon probably is strong enough to have removed the Mark of Justice from you, too.
Haley kills a Second Course Wight with an arrow, "thunk"
Belkar: CRAP! I completely didn't think of that! That totally changes everything!
- Panel 3
Belkar: Man, do you think it's too late to change my answer?
Haley: Gee, Belkar, I don't know, let's look and see.
- Panel 4
Mr. Scruffy scratches at Tsukiko's face interrupting her spell, "fizzle!"
Tsukiko: Someone get if off me! I can't concentrate on my spells!
Mr. Scruffy: HISS! mmrrRRROW! HISS!
Boot Wight: I'll get it off you, Mistress.
Tsukiko: NO! Someone who 'won't drain a level when they touch me!
- Panel 5
Belkar: ...
Belkar: Maybe she's the forgiving type?
- Panel 6
Ho Thanh: Coming to help, Mistress.
Haley: Stop worrying about it and get ahead of Thanh for a second, OK?
Balkar: Huh? Why?
Haley: *sigh*
Haley: Just do it, Belkar.
Haley: Sorry, Isamu... I really need to borrow this.
Haley takes a sap from Isamu's corpse.
- Panel 7
Belkar: "Just do it, Belkar." I bet Xykon doesn't order his minions around so rudely.
Haley: Thanks for the flank.
Haley: SNEAK ATTACK!
Haley saps Thanh, "PLONK!"
- Panel 8
Belkar: HEY! You can't go switching sides in the middle of battle!!!
Haley: Why not? You were thinking about it.
Belkar: Exactly! That job offer belongs to me!!!
- Panel 9
Belkar: Not to mention that when I did it, it was cutting edge. If you do it, it's just gonna go mainstream, and pretty soon—
Haley: I'm not switching sides. Thanh was Dominated by your prospective employer there, so I knocked him out with the sap.
- Panel 10
Belkar: Dominated, huh? I didn't know that Thanh was into that sort of kinky stuff...
Belkar: I mean, the flying chick, sure, obviously. But I never would have thought—
Haley: Not that sort of domination you idiot!!
- Panel 11
Haley: Help me carry him. We need to get out of here before Tsukiko regains her concentration—
Haley: —and we need to get him back to HQ before he wakes up.
- Panel 12
Belkar: Yeah...
Belkar: So you're absolutely sure the "Join the villains" deal is off the table?
Haley: Belkar!
Belkar: Because I'm willing to negotiate. I'd be satisfied with a regular office.
Haley: BELKAR!!
Belkar: OK, OK, just a cubicle, then.
D&D Context[]
- Spell casters need concentration to cast spells, so Mr. Scruffy's attacks, though not very damaging, impede Tsukiko's ability to continue combat.
- A Sneak Attack with a sap does Nonlethal Damage, which can render the target unconscious.
- Belkar confuses domination in Bondage, Domination and submission, and Sadomasochism (BDSM) with the D&D spell, Dominate Person.
Trivia[]
- Isamu bought the sap that Haley takes from his corpse to knock out Thanh from a duergar arms dealer in a flashback in #531.
- This is the final appearance of Second Course Wight. It first appeared in #513.