Order of the Stick: Start of Darkness(spoilers!)

[frigidmagi]

I just finished this book and I have to say I think the giant has really outdone himself.

For those of you who don't know Order of the Stick is a web comic, it is a fantasy that takes place within a world run according to the rule set of the Dungeon and Dragon's Roleplaying game. It is drawn in a stick figureish format (trust me when I say the art grows on you). If you haven't go read it, then come back.

Are you back? Good. The Start of Darkness is a prequel to the webcomic, much like the On the Origin of PCsbut where On the Origin focuses on the heroes of our story, Start of Darkness focuses in on our villains more specifically Xykon and Redcloak with a bit of Creature in the Darkness (no we still don't know WTF he is).

The story is well written and believable, extra dimensions end up being added to each character (even Roy's father) and the back story is rather well explored. I will warn any readers that this is a dark story, the bad guys are going to achieve quiet a few goals here, luke warm guys, good guys and would be heroes are going to die by the score. At the same you feel for Redcloak and the goblins, they got a raw deal and they know it and all they want is a fair shake at the good life. Or I should say you feel for the goblins.

Spoilers Below!

Seriously don't read this unless want the book ruined.

Aren't you listening?

Fine...














I started out fairly sympathic to Redcloak and his troubles, after all his entire tribe was wiped out and pretty much all he could was watch and barely save his little brother. All he wants is to futher his god's plan to get a fair deal for his people and I can understand that. I mean the fact that the gods created the humanoids (who are sapient feelings beings)just to serve as leveling fodder for their clerics is a pretty brutal and callous act, but then what can you expect from Marduk and Odin? Yes Redcloak is a damn bigot, but then if a race of people killed off your family and tribe, pushed you out of your homeland and continued to hunt you just because... Well that would make bigots out of most people so while not excusable it is understandable to me. Xykon, however. is pretty much a totally evil monster from day one though with no damn excuse for himself.

Here was the damning twist though, Xykon was a monster and a plague on the world even as a child, but he was a limited and finite danger nearing it's end point... Until Redcloak. It's Redcloak who is solely and completely responsible for making him the most dangerous thing on the planet of the OotS. Redcloak gave Xykon a goal beyond random murder and slaughter, Redcloak gave Xykon an organization to carry out wide spread evil, Redcloak gave Xykon his immortality and did it willingly and with full understanding that Xykon was nothing more then a monster wearing humanoid skin. He does this, even while Xykon kills more then a few of his own goblins and ignoring his own brother who repeatly does everything short of begging him to kick Xykon to the curb.

At the end of the book when Redcloak murders his own brother to protect Xykon. After Xykon had allowed adventurers to kill his nephews and sister in law and watched laughing... I don't have sympathy for Redcloak anymore. I have pity yes, because Redcloak is functionally in hell. He knows he's in hell, fuck even Xykon knows he's in hell and openly mocks him for it at the end of the book. But I have no sympathy because Redcloak built his hell brick by evil brick. That in itself is a display of damn fine story telling in my opinion.

I even have a certain grudging respect for Xykon, who is a total bastard but admits to it honestly and even throws himself into it. He simply put has no limit or lines he won't cross. It's because of this he's able to grab the win. It's this trait that is the main source of his power, the magic just provides him with a handy sledgehammer.

Last note, I actually walked away from this book with a qauter ounce of respect for Roy's Dad Eugene. Redcloak's brother hands him a chance to go kill Xykon but Eugene decides he rather try to be some kind of father and husband then pursue revenge. He was a shitty father and a rather spastic husband at best, but at least he tried and was willing to give up his own pursuits for that. It's not much, but it's more then I thought he was capable of. So yeah Eugene Greenhilt claws his way up just a tinny bit... He is still a damn prick though.

I don't know if we have an actual spoiler command so I faded the text to white to match the background (or at least the damn background on my screen). If we do have a spoiler command let me know and I'll kick it in there. Thanks.

[The Grim Squeaker]

Interesting, I had no idea there was a text only Prequel . I'll need to see if it can be ordered overseas or via Amazon .

[Cynical Cat]

Interesting, I had no idea there was a text only Prequel . I'll need to see if it can be ordered overseas or via Amazon .

It's not text only.

[frigidmagi]

It's a greyscale comic Dartzap. When you get it be sure to post your comments!

[Rogue 9]

The gods creating the goblins to serve as XP fodder would be monstrous if we knew the Dark One wasn't lying his ass off. Forgive me for failing to fully trust a self-described evil deity.

[SirNitram]

I see no particular reason to doubt the Dark One. Evil doesn't mean 'Lie all the time', especially when the truth can be damning. Unvarnished truth causes alot of shit.

[frigidmagi]

The gods creating the goblins to serve as XP fodder would be monstrous if we knew the Dark One wasn't lying his ass off. Forgive me for failing to fully trust a self-described evil deity.

We know no such thing and you damn well know it. An evil alignment is not proof of falsehood in and of itself. Especially given that the Dark One doesn't really stand much to gain by lying to his own cleric, who can check for himself as to the kind of deal goblin kind has gotten.

[Rogue 9]

You're right. We do know no such thing.

Syntax aside, he would stand to gain Redcloak's righteous indignation and the resulting zeal, which he got in spades, whether the story is true or false.

[frigidmagi]

, he would stand to gain Redcloak's righteous indignation and the resulting zeal, which he got in spades, whether the story is true or false.

Expect he doesn't need to lie to get it. Lets see... Redcloak is already a cleric of his, so there is some level of devotion and zeal. He just had his entire tribe and family wiped out to the last child expect his little brother. Even more fun he got to watch them butcher his parents, cousins, neighbors, friends, crush and little sister like they were animals...

You know Rogue, I'm gonna have to say the Dark One pretty much has Redcloaks unwaivering loyalty, righteous indignation and zealotry near jihad levels already, call me nuts.

So lying would be just taking a shit load of risk he didn't have to and I'm sorry but evil doesn't mean stupid. If it did we wouldn't need paladins or the Order of the Stick, evil would fuck itself over without any help.

[The Grim Squeaker]

Interesting, I had no idea there was a text only Prequel . I'll need to see if it can be ordered overseas or via Amazon .

It's not text only.

Er Print, Print, sorry