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7[[WMG:[[center:[-[[Characters/TheOrderOfTheStick Main Character Index]] | [[Characters/TheOrderOfTheStickTheOrderOfTheStick The Order of the Stick]] – [[Characters/TheOrderOfTheStickHumanPartyMembers Human Party Members]] – [[Characters/TheOrderOfTheStickNonHumanPartyMembers Non-Human Party Members]] | [[Characters/TheOrderOfTheStickTeamEvil Team Evil]] | [[Characters/TheOrderOfTheStickTheLinearGuild The Linear Guild]] | [[Characters/TheOrderOfTheStickTheOrderOfTheScribble The Order of the Scribble]] | [[Characters/TheOrderOfTheStickAzureCity Azure City]] | [[Characters/TheOrderOfTheStickGreyskyCity Greysky City]] | [[Characters/TheOrderOfTheStickTheEmpireOfBlood The Empire of Blood]] | [[Characters/TheOrderOfTheStickNorthernLands Northern Lands]] | '''Animal Companions''' | [[Characters/TheOrderOfTheStickDivineBeings Divine Beings]] | [[Characters/TheOrderOfTheStickOthers Others]]-]]]]]
8----
9[[foldercontrol]]
10
11The various familiars, paladin mounts, animal companions and other pets affiliated with the characters.
12
13!Animal companions of the Order of the Stick
14
15[[folder:Blackwing]]
16!!Blackwing
17[[quoteright:127:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/e5e85a566e40c179b2377d9aa343001a.png]]
18
19->''"I prefer to think of myself as a super-advanced flying stealth dinosaur! (Also, you're a moron.)"''
20
21->'''Species:''' Raven\
22'''Gender:''' Male\
23'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
24
25Vaarsuvius's raven familiar. V ignored Blackwing for years, and in fact never even named him -- it was Haley who gave the bird its less-than-original moniker. For most of the comic's run, Blackwing just disappears until V remembers needing him, but from the start of Book 5 [[TheAtoner V is trying to make up for the years of neglect]], while Blackwing acts as the elf's much-needed conscience.
26----
27* AchievementsInIgnorance: Invoked. In need of a magical attack, [[spoiler:he manages to find a scroll Vaarsuvius was scribing earlier, a harmless ''locate creature'' spell that would be useless even if he knew how to use it. However, he proceeds to ''weaponize'' his complete inability to activate it by deliberately causing the magic within the scroll to explode, creating the magical attack he needed]].[[note]]This is a legitimate effect of attempting to blindly activate a magical item in the ''D&D'' 3.5 ruleset. Failing an attempt by 10 or more causes a "mishap", dealing damage to you as the magic within the item backfires. Since the exact number he needed to roll was likely in the mid-thirties (20 + V's caster level) and Blackwing would likely have a ''negative'' modifier to his roll on a 20-sided die, his failure was assured and he knew it.[[/note]]
28* AmplifierArtifact: [[spoiler:The Orange Prism Ioun Stone he seized from Laurin is turned into a bracelet by a gnome artificer]] that he can now wear on his leg, granting its power to Vaarsuvius when he's close, but staying Blackwing's possession.
29* AndIMustScream: Blackwing never made a deal with the Fiends, but his soul is still connected to Vaarsuvius's. [[spoiler:As such, he's [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0897.html dragged down to hell]] along with V when the Fiends call in their deal.]]
30* AscendedExtra: Originally only appeared as part of a RunningGag, he has now become an important and permanent member of the main party from the end of Book 4 onwards.
31* AttentionDeficitOohShiny: He ''is'' still a raven, after all, and tends to fixate on shiny objects at [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0677.html inopportune times]]. Also, Blackwing's first reaction to V being turned into a lizard is to [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0178.html try to eat them]].
32-->'''Blackwing:''' Wait a second, is that a bauble? I could use a shiny new bauble.
33* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Downplayed. It is implied that Blackwing wished for Vaarsuvius to remember his existence more often.[[note]]The Oracle responds "Try ginkgo bilboa" (a misspelling of ginkgo biloba) in response to Blackwing's question; ginkgo extract is often claimed to be a memory aid.[[/note]] Following Book 4, V starts keeping Blackwing around permanently, granting his wish. This decision is usually shown to be positive for both parties. However, it does prevent Blackwing from popping out of existence in times of danger like he used to, leading to him being captured alongside V by bounty hunters and trapped by a SwarmOfRats summoned by a vampire. Blackwing explicitly complains about this fact during the [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0715.html former occasion]].
34* BeneathNotice: Easily his most useful trait aside from serving as TheConscience for V is as a spy and scout. Pretty much nobody takes a small bird seriously until he forces the issue.
35* BokeAndTsukkomiRoutine: After they make amends, Vaarsuvius and Blackwing gain this dynamic, with Vaarsuvius as TheComicallySerious [[TheStoic Stoic]] and Blackwing as the [[AttentionDeficitOohShiny easily distracted]] {{Cloudcuckoolander}}.
36* CharacterDevelopment: As he and V forge a stronger bond together, he becomes more courageous and intelligent along with being more responsible, helping set Vaarsuvius on the path of being TheAtoner through taking on the job of being V's ''ersatz'' conscience along with becoming more genuinely loyal to Vaarsuvius (and the rest of the Order by extension). Compare him [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0440.html abandoning V to the Death Knight during the Battle of Azure City]] to him [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0935.html flying right at Laurin's face to protect his master]].
37* ChekhovsGunman: Early in the comic he only appears in order to be involved in jokes about arcane casters neglecting or abusing their familiars. Then O-Chul and Vaarsuvius need someone who can fly as part of their plan to destroy Xykon's phylactery and he gets a promotion to one of the main cast.
38* {{Chuunibyou}}: He certainly has an... ''active'' imagination, that's for sure, as showcased below in [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1221.html Strip #1221]]
39-->'''Blackwing:''' ''[monologuing telepathically]'' Day 14 of the stakeout. No sign of the perps yet. Don't know how much longer I can take this. I miss the wife and kids, but that's the price I pay for keeping the mean streets of this city safe.\
40'''Vaarsuvius:''' It is a chasm, not a city, you are neither married nor a parent, and it has been approximately 47 seconds since we closed the door.\
41'''Blackwing:''' Time loses all meaning when you're on the job.\
42'''Vaarsuvius:''' I cannot sigh telepathically, so I invite you to simply imagine me doing so.
43* CleverCrows: While not without his own moments of irrationality (especially when [[AttentionDeficitOohShiny shiny objects]] are involved), he has enough common sense to advise V on morality-related matters and has seen through Qarr's attempted deceptions more than once.
44* TheConscience: To Vaarsuvius. He helps the elf hold their temper and calls them out on their pricklier moments.
45* CoolShades: He owns a pair, solely for the purpose of "sassily telling people to [[invoked]][[MemeticMutation Deal With It]]".
46* CryingWolf: Tries to use his empathic link with Vaarsuvius to alert V of a danger via fear and righteous anger vibes. It doesn't work, since Blackwing ''always'' feels like that whenever someone just looks at his bracelet.
47-->'''Blackwing:''' Ugh, this is all that wolf-crying boy's fault, whoever he is.
48* DarkIsNotEvil: An aversion of CreepyCrows; he may be a black bird, but he's definitely one of the good guys.
49* DeadpanSnarker: He's obviously taking hints from his wizard here.
50-->'''Blackwing:''' Oh no, you would ''never'' ignore someone to whom you are bonded. What''ever'' was I thinking?
51* DisembodiedEyebrows: Blackwing has the same range of eyebrow expressions as other characters, but being quite small those brows appear above his head.
52* DramaQueen: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0937.html Sometimes.]] Laurin hit him with a psionic attack, knocking him to the ground. V later determines him to be fine.
53-->'''Blackwing:''' If I don't make it... bury me with my shiny!\
54'''Vaarsuvius:''' You are not injured. You have a slight smudge of dirt on three of your feathers.\
55'''Blackwing:''' [[LargeHam LO, THE ICY TALONS OF DEATH APPROACH!]]\
56''[V sighs]''
57* EarlyInstallmentCharacterDesignDifference: In the early strips, his head was more circular and he had an eye on either side of his head as opposed to having both eyes visible no matter if he's facing right or left. It isn't until "Flew the Coop" that he is depicted with the eyes that he's normally depicted with.
58* ElectiveUnintelligible: Up to the end of Book 4, at least. Blackwing can speak Common, but considers it demeaning to speak anything but his native raven language -- to Vaarsuvius, anyway. Later, once V thanks Blackwing for his noble efforts and starts treating him like a sentient being, he starts talking.
59* {{Familiar}}: He is V's bonded creature as an arcane spellcaster. V can summon him and communicate empathically.
60* {{Fanboy}}: Is a big fan of Bloodfeast, due to the latter being a fellow therapod (birds are therapod dinosaurs) but with the size to back it up.
61* FeatherFingers: He rarely manipulates things with his wings ([[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0679.html although it can happen,]] [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1020.html notably with scrolls]]), but he often gestures with them (even while flying), most commonly to [[DeclarativeFinger "raise a finger"]] or point at someone.
62* FamilyOfChoice: He, Mr. Scruffy, Bloodfeast, and Little Whiskers all bonded, despite the latter three being quite willing to eat ravens under normal circumstances.
63* FireForgedFriends: His relationship with Vaarsuvius becomes better at [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0672.html the end of Book 4]], because he hangs out more often and the two help each other more.
64* {{Flight}}: He's a bird. Although strangely, he suffers from airsickness while on an airship, which puzzles Vaarsuvius. Blackwing suggests V get strapped to a bathtub on a boulder and roll down a hill before making a judgment.
65* IndyPloy: In a pinch, he [[ImprovisedWeapon weaponizes]] an utterly harmless spell by [[spoiler:reading the scroll so terribly it triggers a MagicMisfire]].
66* InLoveWithYourCarnage: Gets ''really'' enthusiastic when Bloodfeast is initially released and rampages around the Empire of Blood's arena.
67-->'''Blackwing:''' Hell ''yeah,'' brother! Chomp those monkeys!
68* ItHasBeenAnHonor: While he's [[SwarmOfRats swarmed by rats]], he says this to the other animal companions:
69-->'''Blackwing:''' I just want to say that it's been an honor and a privilege serving as animal buddies with all of you.
70* MinorInjuryOverreaction: A little while after being blasted with... whatever psionic power Laurin used on him, he dramatically overreacts for a smudge of dirt over three feathers.
71* MoralityChain: Offers guidance to Vaarsuvius to try and avoid a repeat of past transgressions. It must be effective on some level, as [[spoiler:Qarr's immediate priority on crossing paths with the Order again is to try and get Blackwing out of the way]].
72* NonHumanSidekick: A raven for an elf.
73* NotNowKiddo: V does this to Blackwing twice. [[spoiler:The first time, it turns out that elf is Zz'dtri in disguise, and he ambushes them shortly thereafter. The second time, V shrugs off Blackwing's warnings when the Exarch vampire is stealing the Order's "ultra-bauble" since Blackwing had been CryingWolf about the crew of the ''Mechane'' supposedly wanting to steal his own bauble]].
74-->'''Blackwing:''' Hey, was that elf glaring at you?\
75'''Vaarsuvius:''' Now is not the time.
76* NotSoImaginaryFriend: Played with; the rest of the party doesn't remember him, so they think V is casting an illusion of a raven. Then it turns out that with the exception of [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Elan]], the Order was just messing with V.
77* NotWhatISignedOnFor: Blackwing's attitude for hazardous missions, including his very first appearance.
78* OhNoNotAgain: He exclaims, "Oh no, not '''this''' extremely specific situation again!" upon seeing [[spoiler:Vaarsuvius get caught in an AntiMagic field and lose their flight spell while fighting a dragon]] for the second time.
79* PaperThinDisguise: When he has to buy diamond dust in stead of V after the elf got thrown out of the magic shop, he puts on a sombrero, a fake beard and mustache, and affects a Mexican accent. How convincing a look this is for a raven to adopt is left to your imagination.
80* ParrotPetPosition: Starting with Book 5, since he no longer disappears when not needed, he is frequently riding on V's shoulder. This can sometimes look weird, since stick figures in this comic have heads bigger than their shoulders are wide. Also, when V tells him the plan to polymorph him into a Roc and cast ''resist lightning'' so he could tank a lightning bolt, he is unsure whether to be giddy or outraged at the prospect. When V informs him that they won't be sitting on his shoulders in a reversal of their usual setup, he opts to be outraged.
81* PollyWantsAMicrophone: He's a raven who has the ability to talk. He didn't initially talk because Vaarsuvius was so much of a dick to him that he didn't want to speak to them in Common. The one time he spoke before "A Familiar Conclusion", he was cawing, with his words being translated for the audience's sake.
82* PsychicLink: With Vaarsuvius; it's part of the familiar thing. It doesn't allow full communication, though, just transmitting feelings.
83* RememberTheNewGuy: Played with. The rest of the Stick members seemingly forgot that V ever had a familiar to begin with because of the wizard's neglect. This leads to them thinking V has an illusion on their shoulder, infuriating the elf to no end. However, it is later [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0943.html revealed]] that Haley had simply been messing with V. Elan, not so much.
84-->'''Blackwing:''' ''[[[{{Troll}} cheerily]]]'' Now that you feel my pain, the healing can begin.
85* RunningGagged: He originally showed up in the comic only ''as'' a gag, only appearing for short periods when V happened to need him for something. [[spoiler:V summoning him as part of their attempt to destroy Xykon's phylactery]] was deliberately written as a conclusion to this RunningGag, as Rich Burlew thought that it would be impossible for any future iteration of the joke to have a greater impact than that. V's desire to keep Blackwing around permanently also serves as a signal of the wizard's CharacterDevelopment, showing their intention to atone for their past mistakes.
86* SarcasticDevotee: Since they mended their differences, he's a loyal familiar for his wizard, but never shy from calling out the elf's mistakes.
87* ScrewThisImOuttaHere: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0440.html "Screw THAT! You're on your own, mammal!"]]
88* SnarkToSnarkCombat: After they become FireForgedFriends, a lot of his dialogue with Vaarsuvius consists of the two lightheartedly snarking at each other. For instance, [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1099.html below]] is his reaction when the Order is preparing to hunt after [[spoiler:Vampire Durkon]] and Belkar gives a ''greater magic fang'' potion to Mr. Scruffy instead of him:
89-->'''Blackwing:''' Darn it! I was really hoping to become a totally cool killing machine with magical razor sharp talons of death!\
90'''Vaarsuvius:''' [[FalseReassurance You should not be concerned. There is far more standing between you and that goal than the absence of one potion.]]\
91'''Blackwing:''' [[SarcasmMode Thanks, V. You always know what to say.]]
92* SnarkyNonHumanSidekick: While V is pretty snarky most of the time, Blackwing can get even more sarcastic when it comes down to it.
93* SoProudOfYou: To V in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0920.html "No Running, No Hiding"]] over them becoming more trusting and willing to admit their mistakes/move past them. V tolerates it, though still feels too guilty to deserve praise.
94* {{Squee}}: Is ''really'' [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0934.html excited]] about Vaarsuvius and Laurin fighting.
95-->'''Blackwing:''' Ooooooo! Caster fight! Caster fight!\
96'''Vaarsuvius:''' Shush.\
97'''Blackwing:''' ''[-[[StageWhisper (casterfight!)]]-]''
98* StraightManAndWiseGuy: V is straightlaced and formal, while Blackwing is a little sillier than them.
99* TalkingAnimal: A trait for raven familiars, though before he refused to talk in anything but his native raven given V's mistreatment of him, and therefore only communicated in caws and through V's empathic link.
100-->'''Vaarsuvius:''' I thought you said that speaking in Common was demeaning!\
101'''Blackwing:''' No, I said that speaking to ''you'' in Common was demeaning. Try not to remind me why.
102* ThievingMagpie: Blackwing has a penchant for "baubles". It's mostly PlayedForLaughs, though at one point he does snag a useful ioun stone when he attacks an enemy psion.
103* VitriolicBestBuds:
104** Even after mending their differences, V will still occasionally quip at Blackwing, and the raven gives back as good as he gets.
105--->'''Gnome Artificer:''' Because really, who wants an annoying little thing[[note]]an ioun stone[[/note]] zipping around, flying in front of your face when you're trying to cast?\
106'''Vaarsuvius:''' [[BaitAndSwitchComment I concur, but unfortunately he is my familiar and I am stuck with him.]]
107** Also with Mr. Scruffy. Being a bird, the cat's first reflex is to chase after Blackwing, and a strip from ''Blood Runs in the Family'' shows them alternating RoadRunnerVsCoyote antics. But when confronted with a SwarmOfRats together, they prove an excellent team.
108* TheUnintelligible: Until the end of ''Don't Split the Party'', he only spoke in bird noises. While Raven familiars ''can'' speak humanoid languages, he refused to in order to spite V, until the elf had some character development.
109* WhamLine:
110** "You're welcome." It comes at a shock for both Vaarsuvius and the audience when Blackwing says it, because it's the very first time he expressed himself in Common in the comic, and also because he was refusing to talk to V until now.
111** "So... beautiful, but I don't understand..." This line comes from when Blackwing relates ''what'' he saw inside the Snarl: '''another ''planet'''''.
112[[/folder]]
113
114[[folder:Mr. Scruffy]]
115!!Mr. Scruffy
116[[quoteright:99:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/scruffy_7751.png]]
117
118->''"Meow?"''
119
120->'''Species:''' Cat\
121'''Gender:''' Male\
122'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
123
124An ordinary white cat, at first Lord Shojo's pampered pet. He is then adopted by Belkar and becomes his animal companion.
125----
126* ActionPet: He effortlessly disembowels a human gladiator in one round. Somewhat downplayed, though, as the gladiator admits he is only a level 1 commoner.
127* ArtEvolution: He originally had black "stick figure" legs like other animals; only later (after the fall of Azure City) did his legs get depicted as white lines.
128* AttentionDeficitOohShiny: Mr. Scruffy is easily distracted by a ball of yarn in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1190.html #1190]], but then again, ''is'' still a housecat.
129* BerserkButton: Just as threatening Mr. Scruffy will set off Belkar, threatening Belkar will set off Mr. Scruffy. If you're ''lucky,'' you might be able to keep your intestines, and literally every fight involving Belkar from Scruffy's adoption onwards will have the housecat angrily scratching, tackling, and biting anyone trying to threaten the halfling.
130* BrainwashedAndCrazy: [[spoiler:[[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1241.html He gets hit]] by Sunny's ''charm monster'' ray during the Order's fight with Sunny and Serini, causing him to go berserk and attack Belkar]].
131* CatsAreMean: Averted. He's usually sweet... unless you threaten Belkar.
132* CharacterDevelopment: It's subtle, but his interactions around Belkar after becoming his animal companion show him becoming tougher and more active instead of just being a passive participant, being actively taken into battle by the Order instead of just being left back somewhere out of danger. Compare his reactions to [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0406.html Lord Shojo being attacked by]] [[spoiler:Miko]] to Belkar being attacked by a gladiator. Both Elan and Haley chalk this development up to Belkar's ToxicFriendInfluence.
133* EvilDetectingDog: Hisses at [[spoiler:Vampire Durkon]]; it's unclear whether this is because [[spoiler:he was turned into a vampire or because he'd previously fed off of Belkar]]. Subverted in that he's perfectly OK with ''Belkar's'' evilness.
134* FireForgedFriends: With Blackwing and Bloodfeast after the Order's animal companions fight a SwarmOfRats together aboard the ''Mechane''. He's even shown having a caring moment with Bloodfeast by gently petting the ''Allosaurus''-turned-lizard after the battle, and specifically [[HoldTheLine Holds the Line]] to provide Blackwing with enough time to arrange a MagicMisfire to save their lives.
135* FluffyTheTerrible: His name isn't exactly terrifying, but he's more than capable of disemboweling someone in one attack.
136* FormallyNamedPet: ''Mister''.
137* HeadPet: To Yukyuk, while the latter is dominated.
138* TheHedonist: He doesn't want much from life, as his idea of a perfect world is to simply have his tummy endlessly stroked by Lord Shojo and to be fed an infinite supply of fishes by Belkar. In short, he's a cat.
139* IntellectualAnimal: While it's likely just RuleOfFunny in action, there are several times where it's been implied that Mr. Scruffy is at least as smart as Blackwing. For instance, [[spoiler:him activating Belkar's ''protection from evil'' charm in [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1130.html #1130]] might've been an accident... or it might've been on purpose]]. One of the biggest examples to put in the "actually smart" pile is how [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1199.html both he and Blackwing angrily get Roy's attention]] during the final story arc when the animal companions are being left off the list of assets the Order has on hand to fight Team Evil with.
140* KillerRabbit:
141** Technically counts as this, as proved in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0780.html "The Duel Everyone's Been Waiting For"]], and justified by ''D&D'' 3.5 rules. [[ScratchDamage All successful attacks deal at least one point of damage]], and [[http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/cat.htm cats get up to three a round]]. An [=EL1=] encounter of four stray cats [[DeathOfAThousandCuts can easily wipe out most 1st level adventurers]] (with actual class levels!) in a single round, especially if the cats use their insane racial stealth bonuses to launch a surprise attack. This is why first-level commoners don't walk down alleyways at night. That's dangerous enough on its own, but Mr. Scruffy in particular is the animal companion to a high-level ranger, making him a lot deadlier.
142** However, for the most part, this is usually averted in practice. Ultimately, Mr. Scruffy is still just a ''housecat'', and so despite him being a lot more formidable than he used to be along with eagerly going into battle alongside the Order now, his attacks against the Order's increasingly higher-leveled foes ultimately amounts to little more than ScratchDamage and aside from serving as [[WeNeedADistraction a useful distraction]] or scout like Blackwing, he doesn't/can't offer that much aid to the Order on the battlefield. This also lines up with the rules; ranger animal companions are considerably weaker than druid companions, and Mr. Scruffy's starting statline is decidedly lacking compared to even the animal companions that most level 1 druids would use, like wolves, eagles, and horses.
143* LoyalAnimalCompanion: Belkar's ranger animal companion. He even attacks Malack -- a vampire priest -- trying to protect Belkar, which goes as well as you might expect. Malack commends his loyalty but effortlessly bats him away.
144* MoralityPet: For Belkar. The halfling might still be [[invoked]] ChaoticEvil, but his care for Mr. Scruffy is also starting to help him develop genuine empathy and prove himself to not be just a straightforward sociopath. This, more than any combat advantages he provides, is Mr. Scruffy's greatest use to the rest of the Order. Haley and Elan even lampshade this in #781, with the latter musing that Mr. Scruffy is a good influence on Belkar.
145* OnlySaneMan: Amusingly enough, Durkon [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1132.html is of the opinion]] that Mr. Scruffy is this for the ''entire Order''. The best part? Considering how much of a DysfunctionJunction the Order of the Stick is, he's probably not wrong.
146* RightHandCat: Lord Shojo liked to pet him while pretending to be senile, and then Belkar adopts him.
147* SpannerInTheWorks: In a sense, [[spoiler:he's part of the reason why the Order is able to finally defeat the High Priest of Hel, as he activates an unconscious Belkar's ''protection from evil'' charm, letting him tap into his [[UnstoppableRage Barbarian Rage]] and finally off the High Priest after [[HeroicSacrifice Durkon lowered]] the ''anti-life shell'']].
148* SuperStrength: Briefly, when the Belt of Giant Strength falls on him.
149* TeamPet: Because Belkar adopted him, he is this for the Order. Belkar is his primary caregiver (to the point that Durkon literally describes it as one of Belkar's "jobs" within the Order), but everyone has had moments of caring for him as the comic has gone on.
150* TimmyInAWell: He desperately alerts Durkon in [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0732.html "The Papers Chase"]] that Roy and Belkar were captured by the Empire of Blood's forces by insistently scratching at his hotel room door.
151* TookALevelInBadass: Went from a pampered, probably overweight (given what Lord Shojo counts as "table scraps") pet to the lean (after weeks of living on rice and the occasional salted fish), deadly dangerous animal companion of a ranger. Just contrast his original reaction to his old master getting killed (to flee in panic, a natural reflex) with his fierce attacks in response to anyone threatening or hurting Belkar. The stat bonuses he got for becoming an animal companion certainly help.
152* ToxicFriendInfluence: PlayedForLaughs; In #781, both Haley and Elan conclude that Mr. Scruffy violently defending Belkar from a gladiator is evidence that Belkar is a bad influence on the cat.
153* TyphoidMary: Contracted Sphinx Pox at the desert [[spoiler:and have spread it to the rest of the Order. However, the incubation time is [[ComicBookTime 5 weeks]], which frustrates Hel. Fortunately, Durkon is well aware of it and cures everyone who contracted it from Mr. Scruffy.]]
154* VitriolicBestBuds: With Blackwing. Being a cat, his first reflex is to chase after the bird, and a strip from ''Blood Runs in the Family'' shows them alternating RoadRunnerVsCoyote antics. But when confronted with a SwarmOfRats together, they prove an excellent team.
155[[/folder]]
156
157[[folder:Bloodfeast the Extreme-inator]]
158!!Bloodfeast the Extreme-inator
159[[quoteright:150:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bloodfeast_4594.jpg]]
160[[quoteright:150:[[labelnote:As a lizard]]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bloodfeast_as_lizard.png[[/labelnote]]]]
161
162->''"Hurrrrr."''
163
164->'''Species:''' ''Allosaurus''\
165'''Gender:''' Male\
166'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
167
168Belkar's ''Allosaurus'', seized from the Empire of Blood's army toward the end of Book 5.
169----
170* AmplifiedAnimalAptitude: It's smart enough to [[AndroclesLion show gratitude]] towards those who help it, and during the fight against Serini it takes the initiative to wake up Minrah without being commanded to by any of the humanoid members of the Order.
171* AndroclesLion: It is very well-disposed toward Belkar because [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0784.html the halfling freed it]] to [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0922.html rampage and feast on Empire soldiers]]; the fact that Belkar is a ranger and thus animals are naturally predisposed to him doesn't hurt. It also quickly makes friends with the other pets, partly thanks to Blackwing saving him. Belkar's refusal to leave Bloodfeast behind to die at the Empire's hands has been richly rewarded as the little polymorphed lizard has saved the Order and the world's bacon a few times over in the next few story arcs.
172* ChekhovsGunman: After its first appearance at the Colosseum, you wouldn't expect it to show again, and yet it does, in a big way.
173* DeathbringerTheAdorable: Following said polymorph, it is a cute little lizard with a fearsome name.
174* DramaPreservingHandicap:
175** Being ''baleful polymorph''ed into a lizard prevents Bloodfeast from making combat situations easy, but on the other hand, this makes it portable, and it still manages to help save the day even as a lizard.
176** By using Sunny's anti-magic ray, Bloodfeast's ''baleful polymorph'' effect is temporarily suspended during the fight with the red dragon Calder. However, as the ''Allosaurus'' immediately and dramatically turns the tide in the fight, Calder knocks Sunny out of the room with a tail swipe two strips later, returning Bloodfeast to his lizard form. [[spoiler:And then immediately [[DefiedTrope defied]] when Vaarsuvius fires off a ''greater dispel magic'' as soon as they have a moment to breathe.]]
177* FastballSpecial: Belkar throws it in its tiny lizard form at a red dragon... while the latter is "protected" by an AntiMagic field. Cue ''Allosaurus'' grappling.
178* ForcedTransformation: [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0926.html Turned into a lizard]] thanks to Miron using a ''baleful polymorph'' spell. It makes it handily transportable -- and there are a few hints that it doesn't mind (this allows it to nap with the others and it's on their level).
179* InformedSpecies: Its size and head shape make it resemble a ''Carcharodontosaurus'' a bit more than a real ''Allosaurus'', and it has two fingers on each hand like a ''T. rex''.
180* IntellectualAnimal: Downplayed, but it does seem to have a greater degree of emotional complexity and ability to understand Common than one would expect from a normal lizard or dinosaur, often expressively reacting to various statements or requests.
181* LethalJokeCharacter: An amusingly downplayed case; after being polymorphed into an adorable little lizard, it still proves to be a decent threat when it's able to break through the Exarch vampire's exceptionally strong armor class.
182* MadeOfIron: As per ''D&D'' rules, polymorphed Bloodfeast retains the hit points of a full-grown ''Allosaurus'' (around 171) despite its current form as a small lizard (which would have about 2). This is why Bloodfeast isn't even mildly inconvenienced by the vampire cleric's rat swarm or the subsequent explosion; despite its size, it has a similar hit point total to ''Roy''.
183* MorphicResonance: It keeps the stripes, coloration, stocky build and incredibly sharp teeth of its ''Allosaurus'' form as a lizard.
184-->'''Exarch Vampire:''' Oww! How are your teeth so sharp?!?
185* NoOneGetsLeftBehind: As the Order is fleeing from the Empire of Blood on Scoundrèl's airship, Belkar refuses to leave Bloodfeast behind and be killed by the empire for helping them, leading Blackwing to go back and bring it along.
186* RidiculouslyCuteCritter: As a small lizard, it makes adorable noises when it sleeps.
187* SpannerInTheWorks: [[spoiler:After getting taken out of Belkar's Bag of Holding, [[https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots1242.html it helps the Order recover]] from Serini and Sunny's attack by waking up a sleeping Minrah through chomping on her hand and helping hold back Mr. Scruffy from continuing to attack Belkar by grabbing the cat by the tail]].
188* TRexpy: Close enough; it even has two fingers, like a ''T. rex'', as opposed to an ''Allosaurus''[='s=] three fingers. It's also notably bigger than a legit ''Allosaurus'' should be (though that can be explained by the ''D&D'' rules for improving monsters), even bigger than a full-grown ''T. rex''.
189%%* UndyingLoyalty: It's a given, since it's an Animal Companion to a Ranger, but Bloodfeast's loyalties seem to be to the entire Order as an extension, especially the other pets.
190* VehicularTurnabout: Well, it's not exactly a vehicle, but close enough. Besides eating gladiators in the arena, the ''Allosaurus'' is used as a shock trooper by the Empire of Blood's army. Until Belkar ([[OOCIsSeriousBusiness for once acting like a ranger]]) connects with it, kills its handler, and commandeers the dinosaur for the Order of the Stick.
191[[/folder]]
192
193!Animal companions of Team Evil
194
195[[folder:Demon-Roaches]]
196!!Demon-Roaches
197[[quoteright:197:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/king_roach_5386.png]]
198
199->'''Right-Eye:''' The real problem is the structural damage they do.\
200'''Redcloak:''' Yeah, they really rip up the walls. Especially the fourth wall.\
201'''Demon-Roach:''' That joke is dedicated to all you fans out there!
202
203A group of fiendish insects who follow the villains around, making sarcastic comments and pop culture references along the way.
204----
205* AffablyEvil: They're humorous and entertaining enough that you can't help but like them.
206* TheArtifact: Their peculiar style of SpeechBubbles was common early on in the comic for aside comments or mumbling to oneself. However, this was phased out by Book 3, and the Demon-roaches were the only ones to still use it until strip #1260, in the final book.
207* BreathWeapon: They have a small fire breath, though it's used more often as a lighter than as a weapon.
208* CharacterAlignment: Being fiendish creatures from the Abyss, they are proudly ChaoticEvil. They take offense when the Quinton calls Xykon the most chaotic of Team Evil.[[invoked]]
209* EvilCounterpart: Apparently, there are ''Angel Roaches'' as seen in Xykon's tower (which had been converted to a bastion of Good by a group of deva), so these guys are this to them. They are also mentioned by one of the clerics in the Temple of Thor, who refer to them as "Celestial Roaches", so presumably, they infest Good-aligned locations, while the Demon-Roaches are drawn to Evil-aligned ones.
210* FourthWallObserver: Even more so than the Oracle, if only because they get more screen time.
211* GreekChorus: They're part of the story but they spend most of their time commenting on it instead of partaking.
212* LackOfEmpathy: They might be mostly harmless and hilarious, but they're still literally MadeOfEvil. The closest any of them has come to caring about anyone but itself is when a survivor cheers when O-Chul gets blasted during his duel with Xykon because he is a "roach-killer", and it's one of them that callously tells the Monster in the Darkness that no-one cares that [[spoiler:Tsukiko is dead]].
213* NoBodyLeftBehind: They "pop" out of existence when killed, returning to the Lower Plane they originate from.
214* {{Pungeon Master}}s: "He besieged me with science!" is just one example.
215* SnarkyNonHumanSidekick: The character relationship chart in book four list them as this, specifically to the Monster in the Darkness.
216* SpeechBubbles: The Demon-roaches all speak with red texts without bubbles and just a connector. They get an upgrade in "Stew You", where they get square magenta-tinted speech bubbles with a single line for a connector.
217* {{Talking Animal}}s: Vocally snarking roaches.
218* {{Team Pet}}s: They follow Team Evil around.
219[[/folder]]
220
221[[folder:Lancer]]
222!!Lancer
223[[quoteright:100:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screen_shot_2017_03_09_at_55333_pm.png]]
224
225->''"'''EEEEEEEEEEE...'''"''
226
227->'''Species:''' Yrthak\
228'''Gender:''' Unknown\
229'''Alignment:''' Unknown (probably neutral)
230
231Oona's flying mount.
232----
233* BizarreAlienSenses: Not gone into detail, but it's a Yrthak; its horn is an echolocation broadcasting and signalling organ, allowing it to perceive the world around it through sound.
234* EyelessFace: Has no eyes or even sockets on its face, as its horn grows about where its eyes should be. Like all Yrthaks, it uses echolocation projected from its horn to perceive the world around it.
235* GiantFlyer: Ridden by a bugbear.
236* AGoodNameForARockBand: When trying to work out what it is, O-Chul describes it as a "sonic reptilian unicorn", prompting Lien to thank him for naming her future punk band.
237* MeaningfulName: Named after the Yrthak's "sonic lance" attack.
238* PaletteSwap: It has an unusual coloration for a Yrthak, being a snowy grey-white instead of their usual green.
239* SuperScream: Seemingly based on bats, all Yrthaks are blind and can project a damaging sonic attack.
240* UndergroundMonkey: Lancer lives in a frozen wilderness, despite Yrthaks normally preferring forested areas, which combined with its PaletteSwap suggests that it's a member of an arctic subspecies.
241[[/folder]]
242
243[[folder:Greyview]]
244!!Greyview
245[[quoteright:150:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screen_shot_2017_03_09_at_55103_pm.png]]
246
247->''"All deaths are horrible. Also inevitable. Nod. Get treat."''
248
249->'''Species:''' Worg\
250'''Gender:''' Unknown\
251'''Alignment:''' Probably NeutralEvil
252
253Oona's worg companion. He has a dour outlook on life and his position.
254----
255* TheComicallySerious: The absurd level of seriousness with which Greyview uses to describe literally everything makes him a walking laugh dispenser.
256-->'''Greyview:''' ''[when getting head noogies from Oona]'' See? Grim specter of noogie hangs like shroud over us all.
257* TheEeyore: His fur is as iron-grey as his cynical and constantly depressed mood. Nothing will turn out well in the end, and he will always find new ways to tell someone this.
258* EstablishingCharacterMoment: When the Monster in the Darkness says that he doesn't want to do bad things just because he'll be fed, Greyview tersely states that when he dies, the only thing he'll remember is that he didn't eat enough treats.
259* EvilCounterpart: To Mr. Scruffy. Both are the animal companions to their respective party's rangers and help showcase their owners' softer sides. Additionally, both are either explicitly or implicitly shown to be {{Intellectual Animal}}s, and are deceptively dangerous in combat. However, Greyview is a huge dark-colored worg that can speak Common, while Mr. Scruffy is a white housecat who can only meow. Furthermore, Greyview doesn't discourage Oona from aiding Team Evil and no longer being a villain, while Mr. Scruffy has incited genuine CharacterDevelopment in Belkar and has helped him in [[TookALevelInKindness Taking Levels in Kindness]] and becoming more loyal to the rest of the Order of the Stick.
260* TheFatalist: Death is inevitable, so you might as well give up and live for what treats you can get.
261* {{Foil}}: To the Monster in the Darkness. The Monster used to have the same mindset of "do bad things and get food from Team Evil" that Greyview has until he met O-Chul. Greyview is smart and chose this life because of his pessimistic nature while the Monster was too lazy and immature to think for himself and when he does he realizes he can't just go back to "nod, get treat" anymore.
262* TheHedonist: An unusually dour example; he insists that the only certainty in life is you will never get enough treats before your inevitable death.
263* HypocriticalHeartwarming: Despite his gloomy personality and stated dislike of the "grim specter of noogie", he briefly drops his scowl and wags his tail when Oona returns from her hunt and gives him a hug.
264* JustSmileAndNod: "Is futile to argue. Just nod. Get treat."
265* LaughablyEvil: Greyview's absurdly StrawNihilist outlook on the world combined with the contrast in regards to his [[AffablyEvil incredibly cheery]] owner make him absolutely hilarious to read.
266* MeaningfulName: Has a pessimistic ("grey") view of life.
267* TheNoseKnows: He is not fooled by Durkon and Minrah's ''meld into stone'' ruse because he tracks them by scent.
268* PerpetualFrowner: He only drops his constant grumpy furrowed brow once, when Oona greets him with a hug after coming back from a hunt. He even wags his tail.
269* SavageWolves: Amusingly downplayed; while he's still an evil intelligent wolf, he's also TheComicallySerious and only rarely displays any of the savagery normally associated with this archetype.
270* ServileSnarker: While he serves Oona loyally, he has a very pessimistic view of almost everything she does. To be fair, he has a very pessimistic view of everything else as well.
271* StereotypeFlip: Evil intelligent wolves in fiction are often depicted as savage, HotBlooded maniacs (i.e., Maugrim from ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfNarnia''). Greyview, by contrast, is TheComicallySerious and TheEeyore.
272* TheStoic: It takes a ''lot'' to raise Greyview's hackles, to the point where the most emotion he's ever physically expressed is a slight raising of the eyebrows.
273* StrawNihilist: A comedic example. He speaks only to complain about the inevitability of death or to cast a bitter pall over even the simplest of his mistress's comments.
274* TalkingAnimal: As a worg, Greyview is able to converse with others in "{{Common|Tongue}}".
275* YesMan: Will agree to anything for a treat.
276[[/folder]]
277
278[[folder:Carbuncle]]
279!!Carbuncle
280
281[[quoteright:100:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screen_shot_2018_08_17_at_20339_pm.png]]
282
283Redcloak's carbuncle.
284----
285* ADayInTheLimelight: It gets its in the story "Scruff and Tumble".
286* ADogNamedDog: Redcloak didn't use much imagination naming it.
287* MadeASlave: When introduced, it's been captured by Redcloak and bound inside a magic circle.
288* WeaponizedTeleportation: Its main power.
289[[/folder]]
290
291!Animal companions of the Linear Guild
292
293[[folder:Kitty]]
294!!Kitty
295[[quoteright:100:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screen_shot_2017_03_09_at_54113_pm.png]]
296
297->'''Species:''' Hawk\
298'''Gender:''' Female (presumably)\
299'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
300
301Leeky Windstaff's hawk animal companion, who he summons to stop Haley from taking potshots at him from a building.
302----
303* FeatheredFiend: A bird that does its evil master's bidding.
304* ImmuneToBullets: Courtesy of a ''stoneskin'' spell, she's immune to arrows, which causes big problems for Haley.
305* LoyalAnimalCompanion: To Leeky, as a druid class feature.
306* SingleStrokeBattle: With Roy.
307* StealthPun: "You named your hawk Kitty?"[[note]]As in [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitty_Hawk,_North_Carolina Kitty Hawk, NC]].[[/note]]
308[[/folder]]
309
310[[folder:Sir Scraggly]]
311!!Sir Scraggly
312[[quoteright:150:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screen_shot_2017_03_09_at_54834_pm.png]]
313
314->''"Grrrrr!"''
315
316->'''Species:''' Dog\
317'''Gender:''' Male\
318'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
319
320Yukyuk's riding dog mount -- thus providing an opposite to Belkar's feline companion.
321----
322* BrickJoke: In a reference to a much earlier strip in which Belkar expressed a preference for a wolf as a mount, but was stuck with a wiener dog.
323* CanisMajor: Compared to his kobold master, who is small enough to ride him.
324* CanineCompanion: Yukyuk's riding dog mount.
325* EvilCounterpart: To Mr. Scruffy, being a mount for an evil guild like the Linear Guild.
326* FormallyNamedPet: ''Sir'' Scraggly.
327* TheNoseKnows: He spots Mr. Scruffy by smell.
328* RightHandAttackDog: Yukyuk's riding dog mount.
329* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: After his master is dominated and he is hit through a wall by Mr. Scruffy, he's never seen again.
330[[/folder]]
331
332!Animal companions of the Sapphire Guard
333
334[[folder:Windstriker]]
335!!Windstriker
336
337[[quoteright:114:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/2ff043726e3e6276595af4fb7f688854.png]]
338
339Miko's paladin warhorse mount and, as it is implied, her only friend in the world.
340----
341* CoolHorse: Paladin warhorse.
342* HeroAntagonist: Just as his paladin, he is a heroic horse but happens to be a mount for a KnightTemplar -- especially for Belkar, since he's evil.
343* HilaritySues: He has Phil Rodriguez serve a restraining order to Belkar. It doesn't end well.
344* LightIsGood: As a heroic horse for a paladin, he has a classic white coat.
345* LoyalAnimalCompanion: His loyalty [[spoiler:even extends into the afterlife, though this is standard for a paladin's warhorse.]]
346* OnlyFriend: He may be the only creature in the world to regularly interact with Miko and bear absolutely no animosity towards her, [[spoiler:even after her Fall]].
347* PutOnABus: After [[spoiler:Miko's fall]], he's stuck in the Celestial Realms.
348* SapientSteed: Intelligent enough to fight Belkar on his own. While he can't talk, he's also intelligent enough to react with surprise or shock to events around him, as well as follow Miko's instructions.
349* ShoutOut: To ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' -- "Windstriker, I choose you!"
350* SitcomArchNemesis: To Belkar. [[spoiler:Ultimately, their feud ends in an {{Anticlimax}}, as Miko dies before Belkar is able to exact revenge on the horse.]]
351* WhiteStallion: As fitting for a paladin's mount, Windstriker is a white warhorse.
352[[/folder]]
353
354[[folder:Argent]]
355!!Argent
356[[quoteright:150:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screen_shot_2017_03_09_at_54333_pm.png]]
357
358->''"grrrrRRUFF!"''
359
360Hinjo's paladin mount, a large silver-hued wolf.
361----
362* CanisMajor: He's big enough for Hinjo ''and'' one other person to ride.
363* LoyalAnimalCompanion: Paladin's celestial mount.
364* MeaningfulName: Is named after the French word for "silver"; see SilverHasMysticPowers below. Lampshaded: the strip this fact is introduced in is called [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0588.html "His Name Probably Helps, Too"]].
365* NobleWolf: The steed of a[[invoked]] LawfulGood paladin couldn't be anything but noble.
366* ShoutOut: To ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'', again -- "Argent, I choose you!"
367* SilverHasMysticPowers: He has silver tooth fillings that make his attacks more deadly towards devils.
368* SweetTooth: Lord Shojo fed him a 20-lb. tub of strawberry cake frosting.
369* TheToothHurts: Said cake frosting ended up being the reason he got his silver fillings from a dentist, all that sugar did a number on his fangs, and it's not like wolves can brush their teeth.
370[[/folder]]
371
372[[folder:Razor]]
373!!Razor
374[[quoteright:150:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screen_shot_2017_03_09_at_54504_pm.png]]
375
376Lien's paladin mount, a great white shark.
377----
378* LoyalAnimalCompanion: Another paladin's celestial mount.
379* MeaningfulName: "Razor" is sure a fine name for a sleek shark with rows of sharp teeth.
380* ShoutOut: To ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'', [[RuleOfThree still]] -- "Razor, I choose you!"
381* ThreateningShark: A play on the trope, since it's a holy paladin mount and thus on the side of good. Still bad news for the villains, of course.
382[[/folder]]
383
384!Other animal companions
385
386[[folder:Little Whiskers]]
387!!Little Whiskers
388[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screen_shot_2017_03_09_at_54945_pm.png]]
389
390->''"mrrrrwww..."''
391
392->'''Species:''' Tiger\
393'''Gender:''' Male\
394'''Alignment:''' TrueNeutral
395
396Veldrina's pet tiger.
397----
398* DramaPreservingHandicap: A swarm of rats might as well been fleas to him, forcing the vampire summoning them to drain him of blood.
399* FluffyTheTerrible: "Little Whiskers" sure evokes more a small kitten than a tiger. Then again, he doesn't seem that terrible for what we've seen of him.
400* LovableCoward: He's scared of climbing aboard an airship, and is easily cowed by Mr. Scruffy staring into his eyes.
401* PantheraAwesome: A large tiger is sure an impressive companion. Though it can be problematic since not all (air)ships will accept one on board -- and he suffers fear of flying.
402[[/folder]]

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