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Lien holds the dock until the party can arrive, but they still can't leave without the rest of the Order of the Stick

Cast[]

Transcript[]

Panel 1, Page 1

Lien stands in front of the ocean.
Lien: My parents were fishermen. When I was a little girl, I stood right here and learned how to clean the fish they had caught.
Lien: I'm telling you this so that you know...

Panel 2, Page 1

The view pulls back to reveal the junk and the dock. Four dead hobgoblins lie around Lien as she defends the ship. The remaining hobgoblins are threatening at the end of the dock.
Lien: ...when I say that if you take one more step, I will gut you like the Catch of the Day—
Lien: —it is NOT hyperbole!

Panel 3, Page 1

Lien: *sigh*
Lien: So much for the Intimidate check; homestyle hobgoblin filets, coming up.

Panel 4, Page 1

Lien impales two hobgoblins in one stroke with her spear, "splortch! splortch!"

Panel 5, Page 1

The dead hobgoblins fall to the dock, pulling Lien's spear out of her hands.

Panel 6, Page 1

A hobgoblin swordsman advances menacingly on the unarmed Lien.

Panel 7, Page 1

The remaining hobgoblins and the hobgoblin cleric are killed by a bolt of lightning, "zzzzzzzap!" Lien is hit as well.

Panel 8, Page 1

Durkon: Och, did I singe ye a bit, lass? Thor's Lightning can be a bit all o'er tha place...
Lien: So not complaining.

Panel 9, Page 1

Lien: Lord Hinjo!! You're—you're alive!
Hinjo: As are you, thank the Twelve Gods. I guess that doubles the current resources of the Sapphire Guard.

Panel 10, Page 1

Hinjo: Lien, why didn't this boat launch already? I gave you orders to send it as soon as refugees were loaded.
Lien: Well, I'd love to take credit for disobeying an order in such a way that will likely end up saving your life, but I can't.

Panel 11, Page 1

Lien: I've been trying to order the ship to launch for more than an hour, but the captain refuses.
Captain Axe: This is the Lord of the City's boat, and I'll not sail it unless he's safely aboard.

Panel 1, Page 2

Hinjo: Commendable in spirit, Captain...
Captain Axe: Axe, sir. They call me captain Axe.
Hinjo: ...but in the future, I prefer to have my orders obeyed, even if they cause me personal inconveniences later.

Panel 2, Page 2

Durkon: Come on, lass. Ye look like ye could use a nice Cure Somthin' Wounds Spell.
Lien: Yes, please! I ran out of my own healing about six disembowlement [sic] threats ago.
Hinjo: Elan! Good, you made it!
Elan: Is Haley here?
Hinjo: No, not yet. What about the two soldiers who were with you?

Panel 3, Page 2

Elan: They're dead. They died a heroic death to save us all.
Kazumi Kato: Actually, we're right here.

Panel 4, Page 2

Elan: Wait! IF you listen closely, you can almost hear their voices...
Kazumi: I should hope so, we're 5 feet behind you.

Panel 5, Page 2

Elan: Yes, of course they are behind me, as well as in front of me. Their spirits are all around us now, guiding us...
Kazumi: Any chance of guiding him to turn around?
Daigo: I was thinking more of guiding him into the ocean...

Panel 6, Page 2

Hinjo: OK, OK, before this devolves into a zany comedy sketch where Elan thinks he's seeing ghosts, I want all three of you on board and ready [to] repel the enemy.

Panel 7, Page 2

Captain Axe: Your Lordship, now that you're here, we will set sail immediately.
Hinjo: Not so fast. We need to wait for two more: a halfling and a Northern woman.

Panel 8, Page 2

Captain Axe: Sir, the enemy has tried to seize this boat twice already. We need to get you out of here before they send more troops!
Hinjo: We're going to wait here as long as possible, Captain. Those are my orders.

Panel 9, Page 2

Hinjo: Leave the ship's defense to me and my people. Your men should be ready to cast off when I give the order.
Captain Axe: Aye, sir, if that's what you think is best.

Panel 10, Page 2

Hinjo: Now we just need to pray to the gods that no one notices us before then...

Panel 11, Page 2

Redcloak: Hey, I'm gonna go sink that last boat they have tied up. Wanna come?
Xykon: Nah, Teevo is helping me edit my submission to "World's Funniest Protagonist Deaths."
Redcloak: OK. Back in a few.
Teevo is replaying Roy's fall to his death with a loud "SPLAT!!"

D&D Context[]

  • Intimidate is a skill that uses the character's Charisma score to attempt to modify the behavior of an opponent, either causing them to behave as if they are friendly or giving them negative modifiers in combat.
  • Lightning Bolt is an "area of effect" spell (line of effect really), so Durkon could not target the hobgoblins without also damaging Lien.
  • There are several cleric spells of the form, "Cure [Light/Minor/Moderate/Serious/Critical/Deadly] Wounds".

Trivia[]

  • This is the first appearance of Captain Axe.
  • The title, On the Waterfront is also the title of the classic 1954 film starring Marlon Brando. It won 8 Academy Awards including Best Picture, and Best Actor for Brando.
  • Though Hinjo thinks he and Lien are the last of the Sapphire Guard, there is another. (And another.)
  • Teevo is replaying the end of the first panel from #443, The First Step is a Doozy.
  • This is the final appearance of Teevo. It first appeared in #415, Idiot Box. It sometimes is referred to as TeeVo.

External Links[]

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