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* DeliberatelyMonochrome: The story is not in color because Rich Berlew wanted to evoke the idea this is a prequel.
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* DeliberatelyMonochrome: The story is not in color because Rich Berlew wanted to evoke the idea this is a prequel. And it's cheaper to make.
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** The Order's first battle against a group of kobolds ends in disaster. Belkar prepares to charge the first kobold that gets within 30ft of him, Elan prepares to flank the first [[ExactWords creature]] that takes damage, Vaarsuvius prepares to hit the first four creatures in front of him/her with Lightning Bolt and Haley prepares to move ahead and shoot the first creature that charges. Belkar charges and misses, resulting in Haley shooting him. Elan then flanks Belkar and stabs him with his rapier. The three of them plus the kobold are hit by Vaarsuvius' Lightning Bolt.
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** The Order's first battle against a group of kobolds ends in disaster. Belkar prepares to charge the first kobold that gets within 30ft of him, Elan prepares to flank the first [[ExactWords creature]] that takes damage, Vaarsuvius prepares to hit the first four creatures in front of him/her them with Lightning Bolt and Haley prepares to move ahead and shoot the first creature that charges. Belkar charges and misses, resulting in Haley shooting him. Elan then flanks Belkar and stabs him with his rapier. The three of them plus the kobold are hit by Vaarsuvius' Lightning Bolt.
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* RPGMechanicsVerse: As usual for ''The Order of the Stick'', but invoked most directly when Haley convinces Vaarsuvius to go adventuring to gain levels fast. V bitters mutters that apparently decades of magic study is less effective than killing kobolds.
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* RPGMechanicsVerse: As usual for ''The Order of the Stick'', but invoked most directly when Haley convinces Vaarsuvius to go adventuring to gain levels fast. V bitters bitterly mutters that apparently decades of magic study is less effective than killing kobolds.
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* TalkingIsAFreeAction: Averted in the Iron Mage contest, where Vaarsuvius' SesquipedalianLoquaciousness costs him most of his prep time.
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* TalkingIsAFreeAction: Averted in the Iron Mage contest, where Vaarsuvius' SesquipedalianLoquaciousness costs him them most of his their prep time.
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* MySisterIsOffLimits: The very first lines is the standard "I didn't know she was your sister!" dialogue between two guards.
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* NominalImportance: Deconstructed in the preface written by Redcloak:
-->I should also mention that as far as [=NPCs=] go, I'm one of the lucky ones. I've had a name since OOTS #95, which is more than I can say for most. Before that, I was just another goblin in a long time of disposable goblins. For a moment, imagine the inconvenience of going through life as Goblin #341. You can't vote, you can't get a driver's license, and your letters are always ending up in Goblin #314's mailbox, which is awkward because you used to date his cousin, Goblin #734, but it didn't work out because she needed to "[[JustFriends find out who she really is]]", whatever that means.
-->I should also mention that as far as [=NPCs=] go, I'm one of the lucky ones. I've had a name since OOTS #95, which is more than I can say for most. Before that, I was just another goblin in a long time of disposable goblins. For a moment, imagine the inconvenience of going through life as Goblin #341. You can't vote, you can't get a driver's license, and your letters are always ending up in Goblin #314's mailbox, which is awkward because you used to date his cousin, Goblin #734, but it didn't work out because she needed to "[[JustFriends find out who she really is]]", whatever that means.
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-->'''Redcloak:''' [[IncrediblyLamePun Say it out loud if you don't get the "joke",]] [[BitingTheHandHumor though I use that term loosely. Dreadful.]]
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* PunnyName: ''[=On the Origin of PCs=]'' to ''[[UsefulNotes/CharlesDarwin On the Origin of Species]]''.
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* LiteralMetaphor: The Iron Golems are a HeavyMetal band who are... iron golems, and are definitely made of metal and are gigantic and heavy.
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* LiteralMetaphor: The Iron Golems are a HeavyMetal band who are... [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin iron golems, golems]], and are definitely made of metal and are gigantic and heavy.
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* UriahGambit: Shockingly employed by adventurers who are supposed to be Lawful Good, in that they send Durkon on deliberately dangerous missions because they wouldn't mind if he got killed. Roy, who is Lawful Good himself, is disgusted by their actions. He tries to inform Durkon of their actions, but Durkon already knows and goes along with it, thinking HumansAreBastards anyway. Roy's behavior changes his mind.
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* RPGMechanicsVerse: As usual for ''The Order of the Stick'', but invoked most directly when Haley convinces Vaarsuvius to go adventuring to gain levels fast. V bitters mutters that apparently decades of magic study is less effective than killing kobolds.
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* GetOut: The High Priest of Thor to Durkon. And he doesn't meanafter an hour to arrange his departure. He means '''''right now'''''.
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* GetOut: The High Priest of Thor to Durkon. And he doesn't meanafter mean after an hour to arrange his departure. He means '''''right now'''''.
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** Sir Francois gets rid of Elan by telling him to count with his eyes closed and hightailing it out of there while Elan's distracted.
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** Sir Francois gets rid of Elan by telling him to count with his eyes closed and hightailing it out of there while Elan's distracted. [[OhNoNotAgain Elan's reaction]] indicates [[TheLoad this isn't the first time it happened to him]].
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* EverythingIsRacist: Belkar accuses the guard and medium-sized humanoids in general of looking down on small-sized people, citing things such as game mechanics and separate drinking fountains. The guard points out that small sized people can't reach the larger fountains.
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High priest of Odin gave the message to HPOT, but it was HPOT's decision to effectively exile him
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* GetOut: The High Priest of Odin to Durkon. And he doesn't mean after an hour to arrange his departure. He means '''''right now'''''.
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* GetOut: The High Priest of Odin Thor to Durkon. And he doesn't mean after meanafter an hour to arrange his departure. He means '''''right now'''''.
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** This is also how Sir Francois gets rid of Elan.
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** This is also how Sir Francois gets rid of Elan.Elan by telling him to count with his eyes closed and hightailing it out of there while Elan's distracted.
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* SnipeHunt:
** At the beginning of Durkon's story, the High Priest of Thor, Hurak, sends into human lands to act as a liaison and not return until called for. Not long after Durkon is tossed out, Hurak confesses to the Temple Brewmaster Firuk that Durkon has been prophesied by Odin's priest that the young dwarf will bring death and destruction the next time he returns to home, and sent him on an endless mission in hopes of averting a ProphecyTwist. Firuk points out that it may be a SelfFulfillingProphecy, and is ultimately proven right decades later.[[note]]It's later shown that had the priest ''asked'' Durkon to leave forever, [[ForWantOfANail he'd have never been a part of The Order]], and certain events would have gone unopposed and things would have been ''worse'', so it's not ''quite'' a Self Fulfilling Prophecy.[[/note]]
** This is also how Sir Francois gets rid of Elan.
** At the beginning of Durkon's story, the High Priest of Thor, Hurak, sends into human lands to act as a liaison and not return until called for. Not long after Durkon is tossed out, Hurak confesses to the Temple Brewmaster Firuk that Durkon has been prophesied by Odin's priest that the young dwarf will bring death and destruction the next time he returns to home, and sent him on an endless mission in hopes of averting a ProphecyTwist. Firuk points out that it may be a SelfFulfillingProphecy, and is ultimately proven right decades later.[[note]]It's later shown that had the priest ''asked'' Durkon to leave forever, [[ForWantOfANail he'd have never been a part of The Order]], and certain events would have gone unopposed and things would have been ''worse'', so it's not ''quite'' a Self Fulfilling Prophecy.[[/note]]
** This is also how Sir Francois gets rid of Elan.
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* SnipeHunt:
** At the beginning of Durkon's story, the High Priest of Thor, Hurak, sends into human lands to act as a liaison and not return until called for. Not long after Durkon is tossed out, Hurak confesses to the Temple Brewmaster Firuk that Durkon has been prophesied by Odin's priest that the young dwarf will bring death and destruction the next time he returns to home, and sent him on an endless mission in hopes of averting a ProphecyTwist. Firuk points out that it may be a SelfFulfillingProphecy, and is ultimately proven right decades later.[[note]]It's later shown that had the priest ''asked'' Durkon to leave forever, [[ForWantOfANail he'd have never been a part of The Order]], and certain events would have gone unopposed and things would have been ''worse'', so it's not ''quite'' a Self Fulfilling Prophecy.[[/note]]
** This is also how Sir Francois gets rid of Elan.
** At the beginning of Durkon's story, the High Priest of Thor, Hurak, sends into human lands to act as a liaison and not return until called for. Not long after Durkon is tossed out, Hurak confesses to the Temple Brewmaster Firuk that Durkon has been prophesied by Odin's priest that the young dwarf will bring death and destruction the next time he returns to home, and sent him on an endless mission in hopes of averting a ProphecyTwist. Firuk points out that it may be a SelfFulfillingProphecy, and is ultimately proven right decades later.[[note]]It's later shown that had the priest ''asked'' Durkon to leave forever, [[ForWantOfANail he'd have never been a part of The Order]], and certain events would have gone unopposed and things would have been ''worse'', so it's not ''quite'' a Self Fulfilling Prophecy.[[/note]]
** This is also how Sir Francois gets rid of Elan.
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* MysteriousStranger: Elan has Roy dress up as one and tells him to set in a bar booth. Roy thinks it's silly -- and realizes a long line of adventurers have ''lined up'' to talk to him.
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* ALadyOnEachArm: Belkar, when he finds the local prostitutes are having a 2-for-1 sale.
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* ALadyOnEachArm: Belkar, when he finds the local prostitutes are having a 2-for-1 sale.
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* RagtagBunchOfMisfits: How the Order starts out. They get better in the main story.
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** At the beginning of Durkon's story, the High Priest of Thor, Hurak, sends into human lands to act as a liaison and not return until called for. Not after Durkon is tossed out, Hurak confesses to the Temple Brewmaster Firuk that Durkon has been prophesied by Odin's priest that the young dwarf will bring death and destruction the next time he returns to home, and sent him on an endless mission in hopes of averting a ProphecyTwist. Firuk points out that it may be a SelfFulfillingProphecy, and is ultimately proven right decades later.[[note]]It's later shown that had the priest ''asked'' Durkon to leave forever, [[ForWantOfANail he'd have never been a part of The Order]], and certain events would have gone unopposed and things would have been ''worse'', so it's not ''quite'' a Self Fulfilling Prophecy.[[/note]]
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** At the beginning of Durkon's story, the High Priest of Thor, Hurak, sends into human lands to act as a liaison and not return until called for. Not long after Durkon is tossed out, Hurak confesses to the Temple Brewmaster Firuk that Durkon has been prophesied by Odin's priest that the young dwarf will bring death and destruction the next time he returns to home, and sent him on an endless mission in hopes of averting a ProphecyTwist. Firuk points out that it may be a SelfFulfillingProphecy, and is ultimately proven right decades later.[[note]]It's later shown that had the priest ''asked'' Durkon to leave forever, [[ForWantOfANail he'd have never been a part of The Order]], and certain events would have gone unopposed and things would have been ''worse'', so it's not ''quite'' a Self Fulfilling Prophecy.[[/note]]
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* SesquipedalianLoquaciousness: Roy recruits Vaarsuvius by using this deliberately.
-->'''Vaarsuvius:''' Bah!! You are clearly only hiring me because I intimidated you intellectually, to the point where your masculine pride requires you to establish your dominance over my superior mind.\\
'''Roy:''' Maybe. Or maybe I'm hiring you because I require the creation of a managed spherical energy release with a thermal signature no less than 1850° Kelvin, which can be manifested at specific X, Y, and Z coordinates from verbal cues. I require this specific temperature because it is the minimum level at which necrotized epidermis has been proven to combust and I have reason to believe that my mission will require the incapacitation of multiple post-organic hostiles.\\
'''Vaarsuvius:''' So... [[LaymansTerms you need Fireball spells to toast the undead you expect to fight]]? \\
'''Roy:''' Did I stutter?\\
'''Vaarsuvius:''' ... A pleasure to serve under you, sir.
-->'''Vaarsuvius:''' Bah!! You are clearly only hiring me because I intimidated you intellectually, to the point where your masculine pride requires you to establish your dominance over my superior mind.\\
'''Roy:''' Maybe. Or maybe I'm hiring you because I require the creation of a managed spherical energy release with a thermal signature no less than 1850° Kelvin, which can be manifested at specific X, Y, and Z coordinates from verbal cues. I require this specific temperature because it is the minimum level at which necrotized epidermis has been proven to combust and I have reason to believe that my mission will require the incapacitation of multiple post-organic hostiles.\\
'''Vaarsuvius:''' So... [[LaymansTerms you need Fireball spells to toast the undead you expect to fight]]? \\
'''Roy:''' Did I stutter?\\
'''Vaarsuvius:''' ... A pleasure to serve under you, sir.
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* CallForward: Many of the jokes in the story, of course. The biggest two plot-relevant examples however are Haley getting the ransom note for her father (which was first seen in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0131.html #131]]) and the reason Durkon was exiled from his home.
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* ToBeLawfulOrGood: Roy refuses to murder trolls who are just camping for concert tickets, instead arranging a deal to bring them snacks from town while they're waiting. Roy's teammates point out that they could have killed them for XP and not have an alignment shift. Roy shoots this down, annoying them but pleasing Durkon.
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* ToBeLawfulOrGood: Roy refuses to murder trolls orcs who are just camping for concert tickets, instead arranging a deal to bring them snacks from town while they're waiting. Roy's teammates point out that they could have killed them for XP and not have an alignment shift. Roy shoots this down, annoying them but pleasing Durkon.
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* GetOut: The High Priest of Odin to Durkon. And he doesn't mean after an hour to arrange his departure. He means '''''right now'''''.
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!!Tropes
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!!Tropes
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* ATankardOfMooseUrine: This is Durkon's reaction to a taste of "the finest beer in human lands". The implications [[BigNo do not sit well with him.]]
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* ATankardOfMooseUrine: The TropeNamer. This is Durkon's reaction to a taste of "the finest beer in human lands". The implications [[BigNo do not sit well with him.]]
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* HoYay: {{Lampshaded}} when Gronk tells Roy he "will do anything for a backstage pass at the Iron Golems concert", and winks at him. Roy is less than pleased.
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* HoYay: {{Lampshaded}} {{Invoked}} when Gronk tells Roy he "will do anything for a backstage pass at the Iron Golems concert", and winks at him. Roy is less than pleased.
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* HoYay: {{Lampshaded}} when Gronk tells Roy he "will do anything for a backstage pass at the Iron Golems concert", and winks at him. Roy is less than pleased.
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* LiteralMetaphor: The Iron Golems are a HeavyMetal band who are... iron golems, and are definitely made of metal and are gigantic and heavy.
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* DeliberatelyMonochrome: The story is not in color because Rich Berlew wanted to evoke the idea this is a prequel.
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Transferred examples from duplicate page.
* ButHeSoundsHandsome: A disguised Belkar tells guards that the amazingly handsome halfling who broke out ran in the other direction.
* CantArgueWithElves: V's constant response "And the problem with that would be?" to Haley explaining the limitations of elves earns hir a DopeSlap from Haley.
-->'''Haley:''' Sneak attack to the face!
* ComedicSociopathy: Belkar, as usual. When Belkar expresses a desire to kill Haley and Elan for accidentally attacking him in the Epic Fail below, Roy points out how [[RealityEnsues Varsuuvius, Durkon and Roy would make quick work of him.]] Belkar quickly agrees that his idea isn't smart.
-->'''Belkar:''' ''(thinking)'' [[ComicallyMissingThePoint If I'm going to attack my allies, I should delay until the END of the initiative order, when they'll all be tied up in melee.]]
* CantArgueWithElves: V's constant response "And the problem with that would be?" to Haley explaining the limitations of elves earns hir a DopeSlap from Haley.
-->'''Haley:''' Sneak attack to the face!
* ComedicSociopathy: Belkar, as usual. When Belkar expresses a desire to kill Haley and Elan for accidentally attacking him in the Epic Fail below, Roy points out how [[RealityEnsues Varsuuvius, Durkon and Roy would make quick work of him.]] Belkar quickly agrees that his idea isn't smart.
-->'''Belkar:''' ''(thinking)'' [[ComicallyMissingThePoint If I'm going to attack my allies, I should delay until the END of the initiative order, when they'll all be tied up in melee.]]
* DieLaughing: Durkon comments that the kobolds did this after the group's EpicFail.
* TheEeyore: After decades of being in the human lands, Durkon was constantly sour until he meets Roy.
* TheEeyore: After decades of being in the human lands, Durkon was constantly sour until he meets Roy.
* {{Fanservice}}: Lampshaded, as Haley complains Bozzok's summons are ruining her fanservice moment (bathing nude in a heated tub.)
-->'''Haley:''' Darn it! Who's interrupting my gratuitous bath scene? ''(later)'' Geez, you try to squeeze some fan service in...
-->'''Haley:''' Darn it! Who's interrupting my gratuitous bath scene? ''(later)'' Geez, you try to squeeze some fan service in...
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* SnipeHunt: At the beginning of Durkon's story, the High Priest of Thor, Hurak, sends into human lands to act as a liaison and not return until called for. Not after Durkon is tossed out, Hurak confesses to the Temple Brewmaster Firuk that Durkon has been prophesied by Odin's priest that the young dwarf will bring death and destruction the next time he returns to home, and sent him on an endless mission in hopes of averting a ProphecyTwist. Firuk points out that it may be a SelfFulfillingProphecy, and is ultimately proven right decades later.
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* SnipeHunt: SnipeHunt:
** At the beginning of Durkon's story, the High Priest of Thor, Hurak, sends into human lands to act as a liaison and not return until called for. Not after Durkon is tossed out, Hurak confesses to the Temple Brewmaster Firuk that Durkon has been prophesied by Odin's priest that the young dwarf will bring death and destruction the next time he returns to home, and sent him on an endless mission in hopes of averting a ProphecyTwist. Firuk points out that it may be a SelfFulfillingProphecy, and is ultimately proven right decades later.[[note]]It's later shown that had the priest ''asked'' Durkon to leave forever, [[ForWantOfANail he'd have never been a part of The Order]], and certain events would have gone unopposed and things would have been ''worse'', so it's not ''quite'' a Self Fulfilling Prophecy.[[/note]]
** This is also how Sir Francois gets rid of Elan.
** At the beginning of Durkon's story, the High Priest of Thor, Hurak, sends into human lands to act as a liaison and not return until called for. Not after Durkon is tossed out, Hurak confesses to the Temple Brewmaster Firuk that Durkon has been prophesied by Odin's priest that the young dwarf will bring death and destruction the next time he returns to home, and sent him on an endless mission in hopes of averting a ProphecyTwist. Firuk points out that it may be a SelfFulfillingProphecy, and is ultimately proven right decades later.[[note]]It's later shown that had the priest ''asked'' Durkon to leave forever, [[ForWantOfANail he'd have never been a part of The Order]], and certain events would have gone unopposed and things would have been ''worse'', so it's not ''quite'' a Self Fulfilling Prophecy.[[/note]]
** This is also how Sir Francois gets rid of Elan.
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* TaxmanTakesTheWinnings: Haley steals a diamond worth 20,000gp. Bozzok's fees reduces her take to double digits.
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* ToBeLawfulOrGood: Roy refuses to murder trolls who are just camping for concert tickets, instead arranging a deal to bring them snacks from town while they're waiting. Roy's teammates point out that they could have killed them for XP and not have an alignment shift. Roy shoots this down, annoying them but pleasing Durkon.
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* WantsAPrizeForBasicDecency: Belkar says he didn't kill everyone in the bar. The guard retorts they didn't want ''anyone'' killed. Belkar replies that's just silly.
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* TicketLineCampOut: Roy's first mission as an adventurer is helping a town deal with a band of orcs. In the battle, he learns that the orcs aren't raiders, but camping out for concert tickets. The town just overreacted. The concert they're waiting for isn't due for a few more weeks, but the orcs are that determined to get good seats. "Mezzanine seats are sign of weakness."
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[[quoteright:277:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screen_shot_2018_10_12_at_65933_pm.png]]
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'''(WARNING! UNMARKED SPOILERS!)'''
!!Tropes
* CostumeTestMontage: Elan puts Roy through one of these to make him look like a mysterious stranger.
* DeliciousDistraction: Haley is able to sneak past an AngryGuardDog this way. It helps that the steaks she brings are laced with sleeping potion. And that she has one for [[MultipleHeadCase each of its heads]].
* EpicFail:
** While in an ''Series/IronChef'' like magic contest, Vaarsuvius miswrites a spell. The result destroys the entire wizard's guild ''and'' a part of the jail next door... allowing Belkar to bust out.
** The Order's first battle against a group of kobolds ends in disaster. Belkar prepares to charge the first kobold that gets within 30ft of him, Elan prepares to flank the first [[ExactWords creature]] that takes damage, Vaarsuvius prepares to hit the first four creatures in front of him/her with Lightning Bolt and Haley prepares to move ahead and shoot the first creature that charges. Belkar charges and misses, resulting in Haley shooting him. Elan then flanks Belkar and stabs him with his rapier. The three of them plus the kobold are hit by Vaarsuvius' Lightning Bolt.
* IResembleThatRemark: When Roy claims that Arcane casters are flawed by their faith in their magic, his father Eugene (A wizard) immediately retorts that Arcane Magic is all-powerful and completely flawless.
* MonochromePast: To give the book a "flashback" feel. And be cheaper to print...
* ALadyOnEachArm: Belkar, when he finds the local prostitutes are having a 2-for-1 sale.
* NeverBringAKnifeToAFistFight: We first see Belkar in jail, on a charge of murdering several people in a bar brawl. He tries to defend himself saying that they shouldn't have brought fists to a knife fight, but the guard retorts that it wasn't a knife fight until Belkar started stabbing people.
* OhNoNotAgain: Elan's reaction when the knight he accompanies decides to ditch him.
* PaperThinDisguise: Belkar uses the beard of a guard he just killed to craft a fake-mustache in order to sneak out of jail.
* ATankardOfMooseUrine: This is Durkon's reaction to a taste of "the finest beer in human lands". The implications [[BigNo do not sit well with him.]]
* SnipeHunt: At the beginning of Durkon's story, the High Priest of Thor, Hurak, sends into human lands to act as a liaison and not return until called for. Not after Durkon is tossed out, Hurak confesses to the Temple Brewmaster Firuk that Durkon has been prophesied by Odin's priest that the young dwarf will bring death and destruction the next time he returns to home, and sent him on an endless mission in hopes of averting a ProphecyTwist. Firuk points out that it may be a SelfFulfillingProphecy, and is ultimately proven right decades later.
* TalkingIsAFreeAction: Averted in the Iron Mage contest, where Vaarsuvius' SesquipedalianLoquaciousness costs him most of his prep time.
* TerribleIntervieweesMontage: Inverted; Roy will take anyone, but almost no one is interested in his terms.
* TheUnreveal: Eugene's story on how he began his Blood Oath against Xykon is skipped over, as it's covered in the main comic.
* YouAllMeetInAnInn: Naturally. In fact, Elan tells Roy flat out this is how adventurers meet for some reason.
!!Tropes
* CostumeTestMontage: Elan puts Roy through one of these to make him look like a mysterious stranger.
* DeliciousDistraction: Haley is able to sneak past an AngryGuardDog this way. It helps that the steaks she brings are laced with sleeping potion. And that she has one for [[MultipleHeadCase each of its heads]].
* EpicFail:
** While in an ''Series/IronChef'' like magic contest, Vaarsuvius miswrites a spell. The result destroys the entire wizard's guild ''and'' a part of the jail next door... allowing Belkar to bust out.
** The Order's first battle against a group of kobolds ends in disaster. Belkar prepares to charge the first kobold that gets within 30ft of him, Elan prepares to flank the first [[ExactWords creature]] that takes damage, Vaarsuvius prepares to hit the first four creatures in front of him/her with Lightning Bolt and Haley prepares to move ahead and shoot the first creature that charges. Belkar charges and misses, resulting in Haley shooting him. Elan then flanks Belkar and stabs him with his rapier. The three of them plus the kobold are hit by Vaarsuvius' Lightning Bolt.
* IResembleThatRemark: When Roy claims that Arcane casters are flawed by their faith in their magic, his father Eugene (A wizard) immediately retorts that Arcane Magic is all-powerful and completely flawless.
* MonochromePast: To give the book a "flashback" feel. And be cheaper to print...
* ALadyOnEachArm: Belkar, when he finds the local prostitutes are having a 2-for-1 sale.
* NeverBringAKnifeToAFistFight: We first see Belkar in jail, on a charge of murdering several people in a bar brawl. He tries to defend himself saying that they shouldn't have brought fists to a knife fight, but the guard retorts that it wasn't a knife fight until Belkar started stabbing people.
* OhNoNotAgain: Elan's reaction when the knight he accompanies decides to ditch him.
* PaperThinDisguise: Belkar uses the beard of a guard he just killed to craft a fake-mustache in order to sneak out of jail.
* ATankardOfMooseUrine: This is Durkon's reaction to a taste of "the finest beer in human lands". The implications [[BigNo do not sit well with him.]]
* SnipeHunt: At the beginning of Durkon's story, the High Priest of Thor, Hurak, sends into human lands to act as a liaison and not return until called for. Not after Durkon is tossed out, Hurak confesses to the Temple Brewmaster Firuk that Durkon has been prophesied by Odin's priest that the young dwarf will bring death and destruction the next time he returns to home, and sent him on an endless mission in hopes of averting a ProphecyTwist. Firuk points out that it may be a SelfFulfillingProphecy, and is ultimately proven right decades later.
* TalkingIsAFreeAction: Averted in the Iron Mage contest, where Vaarsuvius' SesquipedalianLoquaciousness costs him most of his prep time.
* TerribleIntervieweesMontage: Inverted; Roy will take anyone, but almost no one is interested in his terms.
* TheUnreveal: Eugene's story on how he began his Blood Oath against Xykon is skipped over, as it's covered in the main comic.
* YouAllMeetInAnInn: Naturally. In fact, Elan tells Roy flat out this is how adventurers meet for some reason.
