The party finds themselves surrounded by the Jurassic Park–themed army of the Empire of Blood. Tarquin calls a family meeting.
Cast[]
- The Order of the Stick
- Roy Greenhilt ◀ ▶
- Haley Starshine ◀ ▶
- Elan ◀ ▶
- Belkar Bitterleaf ◀ ▶
- Durkon Thundershield (as vampire) ◀ ▶
- Nale ◀ ▶
- "Durkon" ◀ ▶
- Tarquin ◀ ▶
- Laurin Shattersmith ◀ ▶
- The Army of the Empire of Blood
Transcript[]
- Panel 1
Roy: OK, now that the pressure is off, let's take some time and look around. Vaarsuvius is still somewhere out here in this desert.
Belkar: What if she was in the pyramid when it blew?
Roy: Then we look for signs of that. We only need a drop of blood for Resurrection.
Haley: Do you guys hear—?
- Panel 2
Roy: I think maybe we'll camp at dusk so Durkon can prepare Sending, and maybe some divinations... though the canyon is pretty well shielded from—
Tarquin (off-panel): Mr. Greenhilt? Excuse me, Mr. Greenhilt?
- Panel 3
Cut to General Tarquin at the rim of the blast crater with Laurin and Nale and many soldiers.
Tarquin: Could you be so kind as to send my other son up here?
- Panel 4
The panel pulls back to reveal the entire rim of the blast crater is encircled by Tarquin's army of humans and lizardfolk, some of whom ride velociraptors, allosaurs, and pteranodons.
Tarquin: I think a family meeting is in order.
- Panel 5
Cut back to the party, looking up at the rim.
Roy: Well, of course. Why should we get a moment's rest?
Belkar: That's a lot of mooks.
Elan: Roy, it's OK. I'll go talk to him.
- Panel 6
Closeup of Tarquin
Tarquin: You too, Miss Starshine.
Tarquin: I don't want to presume too much, but if you might be a part of this family one day then this concerns you as well.
- Panel 7
Haley and Elan walk up the slope hand in hand.
Haley: I really don't like the way this is heading.
Elan: Don't worry. You'll keep me safe.
- Panel 8
They reach the top where Tarquin and company await.
Tarquin: I'm guessing this crater is where the pyramid stood?
Nale: Yeah... like I said, Greenhilt managed to destroy the Gate before I could swoop in.
Tarquin: Well, it happens. A good swoop is hard to time.
- Panel 9
Tarquin: Elan, Haley, this is Laurin Shattersmith—our team's psion.
Elan: I remember her from the flashback panels.
Tarquin: Good, good.
- Panel 10
Haley: What's the dino-army for, Tarquin?
Tarquin: Dramatic tension, mostly. Though this division is also trained for ominous plot-critical reveals.
Soldier: General Tarquin has been in control of the Empire the whole time!!
Tarquin: Yes, yes, we did that one already.
Trivia[]
- Tarquin introduced Laurin and the rest of the Vector Legion as well as his scheme to control the continent behind the scenes in #758.