Redcloak spplrtches two of the three remaining elves into dense bloody paste thanks to his newly-gained 9th-level Implosion spell. Thanh tells the Resistance paladin with the phylactery to run and hide, since the phylactery can't be detected with magic—but the goblins have a polymorphed spy of their own in the shape of a human who leads the paladin straight into a demon-trapped tunnel and reclaims the phylactery.
Cast[edit | edit source]
- Azurite Resistance
- Team Peregrine
- Team Peregrine Commander ◀
- Team Peregrine Lieutenant ◀
- Pink-Haired Team Peregrine Member ◀ ▶
- Redcloak (one-eyed) ◀ ▶
- Osmium Elemental ◀ ▶
- Summoned Bearded Devils ◀ ▶
- Bearded Devil who is Slain ◀
- Summoned Pit Fiends ◀
Transcript[edit | edit source]
- Panel 1
Resistance Halberdier: Redcloak?? HERE?!?
Peregrine Commander: ATTACK!
Ho Thanh: No, retreat! Before they cut us off with—
- Panel 2
A pit fiend teleports behind the pink-haired Team Peregrine member as she's casting, "pop!"
Pink-Haired Peregrine Team Member: Dismiss—
- Panel 3
The pit fiend attacks her with a claw, "SCHRRTCH!", causing her spell to fail, "fizzle!"
- Panel 4
In the middle of the melee, Team Peregrine Commander slays a bearded devil to make his way to Redcloak. Team Peregrine Lieutenant fires an arrow, "fft!", but it is deflected by Redcloak's Protection From Arrows spell, "deflect!"
Peregrine Commander: You will be repaid for each elf slain with the bite of my steel, goblin!!
Redcloak: If it’s all the same to you, I’m going to try not to waste my breath trading threats with a dead man.
Redcloak: Damn it, I just did it right there, didn’t I?
Redcloak: Screw it. Implosion.
- Panel 5
Pregrine Commander's head begins to deform
Peregrine Commander: Wha— what’s—
- Panel 6
His head and body implode into an unrecognizable mess with a sickening "SPPLRTCH!"
- Panel 7
Redcloak: Nothing quite like the feel of a new spell level.
Redcloak: Now, I believe one of you is holding on to some fine jewelry that belongs to me.
He points at Peregrine Lieutenant who also implodes into a mess of parts and blood with a "KLRRTCHP!"
- Panel 8
Thanh: You need to get that cursed thing away from here! He can’t locate it with magic, so get out and HIDE!
Thanh: We’ll hold them off as long as we can!
Goblinoid Spy: This way! I know a secret tunnel!
- Panel 9
The Resistance leader with the top-knot runs in a dark tunnel with another resistance member.
Resistance Leader with Top-knot: I can’t believe this is happening. How did he know that we had it?
Goblinoid Spy: Don’t worry, we’re almost at the end.
Resistance Leader with Top-knot: Of the tunnel?
Goblinoid Spy: No.
- Panel 10
Goblinoid Spy: The end of me having to live like one of you stinking humans.
Goblinoid Spy: Do you know how many weeks I sat in that prison, waiting for you to “rescue” me?
Resistance Leader with Top-knot: *gasp!* Bastard!
A pit fiend waits at the end of the tunnel.
- Panel 11
Goblinoid Spy: What, did you really think you folks had invented the idea of polymorphed spies?
Goblinoid Spy: Guess this serves as a valuable lesson on books and covers and all that.
- Panel 12
A pit fiend awaits them in the tunnel. It picks up Top-knot and rips him in half. The phylactery falls into the waiting hand of the spy.
Goblinoid Spy: Or not. I’m probably reading too much into it.
D&D Context[edit | edit source]
- Redcloak has a new spell level available, and a new 9th level spell, Implosion, indicating that he has recently gone up to 17th level.
- Implosion allows the caster to concentrate on a target and cause it to implode. He can do this for up to four targets over four rounds.
- The Pink-Haired Team Peregrine Member attempted to cast Dismissal a 5th level spell which forces an extraplanar creature back to its home plane.
- In panel 4, Redcloak was able to Deflect the arrow fired by the Team Peregrine Lieutenant. This sort of bonus is due to either magic armor he is wearing, or a spell such as Shield of Faith.
Trivia[edit | edit source]
- This is the final appearance in life of Resistance Leader with Top-knot, with an additional spot as an illusion in Elan, Haley, and Roy's phantasm dream in #887. The character first appears in #533.
- This is the final appearance of Team Peregrine Commander, Team Peregrine Lieutenant, and in life of Pink-Haired Team Peregrine Member, leaders of the elven strike team sent to aid their allies in Azure City. They first appeared in #670, The War Council.
- This is only other appearance of the Summoned Pit Fiends and the Bearded Devil Who is Slain by the Peregrine Commander. They first appeared in the previous strip.
