Durkon catches sight of Haley and Elan, and Malack suggests a way that they can keep in touch.
Cast[]
- Roy Greenhilt ◀ ▶
- Haley Starshine ◀ ▶
- Elan ◀ ▶
- Durkon Thundershield ◀ ▶
- Tarquin ◀ ▶
- Malack ◀ ▶
- "Mr. Guard" ▶
Transcript[]
- Panel 1
Mr. Guard: The general has a feast planned for tonight, then a full day of activities planned for tomorrow, including a parade at dusk for which you will be the honoree.
Elan: Do you think V will be done trancing soon?
Haley: Almost, honey.
Elan: Awesome! I reeeeeeally want Roy to meet my dad!!
- Panel 2
Elan fantasises.
Tarquin: Since Roy's father is dead, I've decided to legally adopt him!
Tarquin: Now you're for-real brothers!
Roy and Elan: HOORAY!
Tarquin: Also, you both get puppies.
- Panel 3
Durkon: Ye sure ye dinnae mind if'n I borrow this book?
Durkon: I dinnae know when I may get ta return it, if ever.
Malack: Not at all, it is easily replaceable.
- Panel 4
Malack: The subject matter is very common in my religion—
Malack:—though I imagine you may be able to adapt some of the more mystical aspects to your own.
Durkon: Aye, well, I'll be puttin' 'em ta good—
Durkon: Wait—
- Panel 5
Elan: Hey, do you think Roy will mind calling my mother "Mom" when Dad remarries her?
Haley: Do I even want to know the chain of thoughts that led to that question?
Durkon pokes his head out of a door and sees the couple. A sign next to the door reads, "LIBRARY Dewey decimal system strictly enforced.
- Panel 6
Durkon: Uh, I'm sorry, Minist'r Malack, but I... I haf ta go.
Malack: What? But the Chancellor has not yet returned.
Durkon: Ya, well, somethin' just came up.
- Panel 7
Malack: I was just about to invite you to be my guest at this state dinner I must attend tonight.
Durkon: Och, uh, sorry aboot tha, but I'll haf ta take a rain check.
Malack: This is a desert. It doesn't rain.
Durkon: Still.
- Panel 8
Malack: Very well, I shall escort you out.
Durkon: NO!
Durkon: Uh, no, tha won't be necessary.
Malack: Are you sure? Tha palace is still unfinished, I'd hate to see you get—
Durkon: I'll just use me dwarven ability ta detect new contruction, an' then go tha other way.
- Panel 9
Malack: As you wish, I enjoyed out little discussion thoroughly, Brother Thundershield.
Durkon: Aye, as did I. Give me a lot ta think aboot. It's a shame we cannae keep in touch.
Malack: I have a magic item that might help with that.
- Panel 10
The panel shows a page from Malack's "Macebook":
| “ |
macebook
|
” |
D&D Context[]
- Dwarves in D&D have the racial trait of Stonecunning, which, as Durkon notes, gives them a +2 bonus on Search checks to notice new construction, among other things.
Trivia[]
- Macebook (in the last panel) is a parody of Facebook, the popular internet social network.
- This is the first appearance of "Mr. Guard", who is escorting Haley and Elan through the Palace of Blood.
- Dewey Decimal System or Dewey Decimal Classification is a proprietary library classification system. It allows systematizing books in a public libraries using decimal indices.
- KOTOR is a common abbreviation for Knights of the Old Republic, a Star Wars game which adds to several other Star Wars references the strip has shown in the Empire of Blood.
- "Need a rez" is a common phrase in MMORPGs, with "rez" being short for "resurrection" (i.e. an effect that can revive a character that has been knocked out).