Cast[]
- Order of the Stick
- Order of the Scribble
- Mimi ◀ ▶
- Minrah Shaleshoe ◀ ▶
- Calder (also as his younger self) ◀ ▶
- Eight unnamed humanoids forming Calder's dragon cult
Transcript[]
- Panel 1
Calder's fiery breath engulfs the order, Serine and Mimi, with them all trying to avoid it as much as possible.
- Panel 2
The panel shows a badly singed Elan being healed by Minrah as Roy and Durkon head to the right as they aren't as badly injured as the bard.
Elan: You know, I think groveling doesn't get enough credit as an option.
Minrah: Cure Serious Wounds, like kinda pretty serious!
Roy: Everyone, spread out! Avoid a clump formation!
- Panel 3
Durkon casts a spell engulfing himself, Roy, and Serini in white as Roy throws the Greenhilt Sword upwards to the right, presumably at Calder.
Durkon: Mass Resist Fire!
Roy: Serini, you two seem to be acquainted. Anything specific we should know about this guy?
Serini: He'a a bit of a mindbender, so don't let him put the brain whammy on you like he did to Sunny!
- Panel 4
The panel shows a flashback to Calder's enthralled dragon cult, showing eight humanoids with swirly eyes wearing red robes and yellow sashes. Their heads have been shaved and red tattoos of a stylized dragon have been put on said shaved heads. The second cultist from the right holds a dagger while a younger Calder can be seen in the background, still having two intact horns.
Serini: (narration) When we met him, he was enthralling folks into joining his creepy dragon cult.
Serini: (narration) It took all six of us working together to take his operation down.
- Panel 5
The panel shows Elan walking up behind Roy, with a spell engulfing both of them in blue as Elan casts it.
Roy: Elan, if you're up and operational, I think we all could all use some more healing.[sic!]
Elan: I can do it, Roy. Mass Cure Moderate Wounds!
Roy: Great, now maybe get a song going.
- Panel 6
The panel shows Calder as he casts a spell, sending a yellow beam downwards to the left as the Greenhilt Sword flies past him.
Calder: You clearly display leadership qualities, human. I feel like you will make an excellent cult lieutenant.
Calder: If you will not kneel willingly, I am not above forcing the issue.
Calder: Dominate Person.
- Panel 7
The panel shows Roy as he resists Calder's spell, while the Greenhilt Sword reappears in his hand. PWOK!
Roy: Sorry. I'm not the religious type.
- Panel 8
Haley hovers behind Calder as she loosens three arrows at Calder, with the dragon turning his head and neck to face her as one arrow sticks in his lower back and a second bounces off his tail. fft! fft! fft! THUNK! pting.
Haley: We have experience fighting vampires-that's why everyone in the party is protected with Mind Blank!
Haley: So please, keep trying to mind control us!
- Panel 9
Calder slams Haley with his tail as the panel focuses on her. WHUMP!
Calder: (off-panel) I have several tools to ensure compliance at my disposal, many less pleasant.
- Panel 10
The panel shows Elan, Roy, and Minrah, with Elan playing his lute, Roy throwing his sword at Calder a second time, and Minrah running to the right while looking at Elan.
Elan: Wait, Haley- Only Roy and V are protected by-
Roy: (telepathically) Elan, don't contradict your girlfriend in front of the dragon she's successfully bluffing!!
Minrah: (telepathically) Yeah, that's like basic relationship stuff.
D&D Context[]
- Cure Serious Wounds is a spell that uses positive energy to heal 3d8 points of damage inflicted to the target, plus 1 point of damage per caster level to a maximum of +15.
- Mass Resist Fire is the mass version of Resist Energy, giving targets resistance against the specified damage type (acid, cold, electricity, fire, sonic) for 10 minutes per caster level.
- Mass Cure Moderate Wounds cures 2d8 points of damage to a maximum of 1 creature per caster level, plus 1 point of damage per caster level to a maximum of +30.
- As Bards like Elan have to reach minimum 16th level to cast 6th level spells like Mass Cure Moderate Wounds, he must be at least Level 17 due to having at least 1 level in Dashing Swordsman at this point.
- Dominate Person allows control of any humanoid creature through a telepathic link, though if the caster and the target do not share a language, only basic commands can be given. While the given commands are carried out to the exclusion of anything else, a dominated target still carries out tasks necessary for everyday survival, such as eating and sleeping. Furthermore, the target will not carry out obviously self-destructive orders.
- Mind Blank protects a target against any spell meant to detect, influence, or read emotions and thoughts, up to and including limited wish, miracle, and wish if these spells are used to try and influence the subject's mind or gain information from it.
- Bluff is a skill used to make a target believe something that isn't true, opposed by the target's Sense Motive check. The harder the bluff used is to believe, the more the target's Sense Motive check is buffed.
Trivia[]
- The flashback is the first time, including previous flashbacks, that Calder is shown with both horns intact.