Andi makes a lucky decision. Elan recalls Bard Camp. Neither learn their lessons.
Cast[]
Transcript[]
- Panel 1
Andi: Ok, uh... port? No, wait, starboard! Or maybe—
Mateo: ANDI!!
Andi: Starboard, then!
Mateo: Everybody, hang on!
- Panel 2
The Mechane flies pas the mountain, scraping the side of it, "skrrrrtk!"
- Panel 3
Cut to Elan in the rigging.
Elan: MendOOWW!!
Elan loses his concentration, causing the spell to fail, "fizzle!"
- Panel 4
Back to the quarterdeck.
Andi: We made it through! I got it right!
Carol: We scraped the side of the mountain!
Andi: We didn't crash though! I'm awesome at this!
- Panel 5
Andi: Are the engines OK? How's the fuel pressure?
Kwesi: No leaks yet. We're hanging on still.
- Panel 6
The Mechane flies off-kilter with a, "whhrr! whhrr!"
- Panel 7
Cut to Elan
Elan: Wow, casting spells on a moving ship is hard!
Elan: I wonder why they never taught me about that back in Bard Camp...
- Panel 8
Flashback to Bard Camp.
Teacher: ...and that's everything you'll need to know about Concentration, kids.
Elan: What flavor do you think clouds are?
- Panel 9
Back to Elan
Elan: I mean, vanilla seems the obvious answer, but is it too obvious?
- Panel 10
Beat
- Panel 11
Beat. Elan realizes the balloon is still leaking.
- Panel 12
Elan: Oh, right!
D&D Context[]
- Concentration checks are required when performing a task, such as spellcasting, which requires the characters full attention, but the character is distracted.
- Bard Camp is a parody of the D&D concept of Bard Colleges, where characters may learn the skills of being in the bard class. Bard colleges were a formal part of the bard class in AD&D (1st edition), but in D&D 3.5 it is a more informal concept, and attendance at a college is not required for advancement as a bard. The 2005 Complete Adventurer for D&D 3.5 presented the Fochlucan Lyrist as a prestige class. In AD&D (1st edition), the Fochlucan College was the first of the Bard Colleges.
- The parody also refers to high school marching band summer camps, particularly as referenced in the 1999 film, American Pie.
Trivia[]
- There is a disembodied hand in the background in panel 5.