The party is split, giving rise to the title of the next book.
Cast[]
- The Order of the Stick
- Roy Greenhilt (as a corpse) ◀ ▶
- Haley Starshine ◀ ▶ (also as Haley's Self-Loathing ◀ ▶)
- Elan ◀ ▶
- Belkar Bitterleaf ◀ ▶
- Durkon Thundershield ◀ ▶
- Vaarsuvius ◀ ▶
- The Army of Hobgoblins and Zombies
Transcript[]
- Panel 1, Page 1
Elan, Vaarsuvius, and Durkon stand at the stern rail of the ship looking back at Azure City burning in the distance.
- Panel 2, Page 1
Vaarsuvius: Elan, I have every certainty that both Sir Greenhilt and Mistress Starshine will be returned to us—fully functional —by this time tomorrow.
Durkon: Eye, lad, thar's no reason ta worry.
Elan: I suppose...
- Panel 3, Page 1
Elan: But then why do I feel like this? Why does it seem like I'll never see either one of them again?
- Panel 4, Page 1
Vaarsuvius: Dramatic tension?
Elan: No, see, that's more of a crampy feeling. This is more of a general ache...
- Panel 5, Page 1
Cut to Azure City.
Haley: Come on! We need to hurry!
Belkar: Really? I didn't know that, since you've only been telling me every round for the last 15 minutes.
- Panel 6, Page 1
Belkar: Aw, man! Look at this! Some perfectly good looting going on, and we're stuck on corpse duty.
Haley: I know, it pains me too, but we need to—
- Panel 7, Page 1
Haley: *gasp!*
Belkar: What? What is it? I can't see what's—
Haley: ...
- Panel 1, Page 2
Haley and Belkar, holding Roy's corpse, look out across the burning city teeming with Hobgoblins and zombies, and across the ocean beyond. Far away, on the horizon, a tiny ship with three sails can be seen.
- Panel 2, Page 2
Haley's Self-Loathing: Wow, I guess you were right. He really DID leave you as soon as you got close to him.
Haley's Self Loathing: Guess you really weren't good en—
- Panel 3, Page 2
Haley turns to look angrily at her inner demon, which disappears, "poof!"
- Panel 4, Page 2
Haley: Come on. We need to find shelter before a patrol finds us, and I don't think that tunnel will stay secret for much longer.
- Panel 5, Page 2
Belkar: OK, elf, enough with the jokes. You got me, fair enough, now bring the ship back.
- Panel 6, Page 2
Belkar: ...
Belkar: No, seriously, wherever you're hiding: You really had me thinking for a minute that we got left behind. Great illusion. Now, can we just get out of this stupid city already?
- Panel 7, Page 2
Belkar: ...
Belkar: Vaarsuvius?
D&D Context[]
- A round is six seconds. If Haley told Belkar to hurry every round for 15 minutes she would have told him that 150 times.
Trivia[]
- Roy decides to split up the party in #428. It would not reunite until #665.
- The looting Belkar missed out on was done by Elan in #471; he looted a lute.