User:Ig8887/synopsis

Dungeon Crawlin' Fools
The Order of the Stick begins with the six main characters (collectively known as the Order of the Stick, or simply the Order) delving in a non-descript grey-and-yellow dungeon, fighting goblins and other monsters as they encounter them. They are led by Roy Greenhilt, who has assembled them to assist him on a quest to destroy the evil lich sorcerer Xykon, at the bequest of the ghost of his father. As the heroes continue through the dungeon, Xykon sends hired minions up from the depths to thwart them—first a chimera mercenary, then a band of adventurers made up of evil opposites for each member of the Order, led by the diabolical Nale (the identical evil twin brother of the Order's happy-go-lucky bard, Elan). The Order defeats them both before facing Xykon himself, whom Roy hurls into a magical gate of unknown properties. Elan then accidentally activates a self-destruct rune on the mysterious gate, causing the entire dungeon and the castle above it to explode. The Order escapes just in time, as does Xykon's lieutenant, the goblin cleric Redcloak, carrying Xykon's disembodied soul.

With Roy's sword shattered in his battle with Xykon, the Order seeks out rare starmetal to repair it, thwarting a clan of bandits and a black dragon along the way. Once the metal was in their possession, they are attacked by a stranger in a blue cloak—who all but defeats them before she is revealed as a paladin. Roy surrenders, and the paladin (Miko Miyazaki) escorts the Order south to her homeland to stand trial for destroying the gate Xykon was using. Along the way, they stop at an inn where Roy is targeted by assassins in a case of mistaken identity. The inn blows up, destroying the Order's dragon treasure and rendering Haley literally speechless. In Azure City, the Order is made to stand trial for the destruction of the gate, which, they learn from Miko's liege Lord Shojo, is one of five such gates that reinforce the structure of the universe. WIthout them, a god-killing abomination known as the Snarl would escape and destroy all of creation. Despite Belkar, the party's bloodthirsty halfling, escaping and dueling Miko during the trial, the Order is acquitted. Miko swears justice against the Order, who she believes to be evil, and leaves, after which Shojo explains that the entire trial was a sham, concocted with the aid of the ghost of Roy's father, to get the Order to aid Shojo in defending the remaining Gates. Roy reluctantly agrees to assist Shojo in this end once he learns that Xykon has survived. Meanwhile, unknown to all, Xykon has recruited a massive army of hobgoblins and is marching towards the gate at Azure City.

Afterwards, the party celebrates New Year's Eve, with Haley trying (in vain) to break her speech-impaired condition by demonstrating her secret love for Elan while Roy begins a romantic relationship with Celia, the sylph who served as their defense attorney. The team consults a nearby kobold oracle, but fail to learn of Xykon's approach. On the way back, they are magically contacted by Nale, who has kidnapped Roy's teenaged sister, Julia. The Order teleports to Cliffport and battles Nale's Linear Guild again, defeating them. During the confusion, however, Nale switches identities with his twin, Elan, who is then carted off to prison with Nale's accomplice, Thog. Nale returns with the Order and begins to seduce Haley, but is stopped when Elan and Thog burst through the window. Having escaped jail, Elan had been quickly trained by a legendary swordsman and, with his new skills, easily vanquishes Nale. Nale uses enchantment magic to try to turn Elan against Haley, who blurts out that she is in love with him—curing her speech condition. The two confess their love for one another, and the Linear Guild is again captured.

In the morning, Roy visits Lord Shojo for further directions, at which time Miko returns from abroad bearing news of Xykon's imminent invasion. She overhears Shojo talking with Roy and jumps to the conclusion that both are in league with Xykon. She strikes her master down, and is immediately stripped of her paladin status by her gods. Roy, Belkar, and Shojo's nephew, Hinjo, defeat Miko in battle. The following day, Xykon's hobgoblins attack the city, with the Order helping Hinjo hold the city walls. Xykon attempts to circumvent the defenders and seize the castle that holds the gate, but Roy leaps up to the zombie dragon that Xykon is riding. The two duel once more, but, Xykon is just too powerful for Roy, who is sent falling to his death. Xykon proceeds to the castle, where he wipes out the Sapphire Guard—only to see them rise as ghost-martyrs a moment later. Redcloak's army overruns the city, but Xykon and Redcloak are almost defeated by Soon, the ghostly founder of the Sapphire Guard. Right before the villains are vanquished, an escaped Miko destroys the gate, falsely believing it is the will of her gods. The castle explodes; Xykon and Redcloak survive, though Miko does not. The city falls to the hobgoblins, and the Order becomes separated. Haley and Belkar are trapped in the occupied city with Roy's corpse, while Elan, Durkon, and Vaarsuvius sail away to safety with Hinjo.

Looking down from the Afterlife, Roy finds himself with his father, who cannot find rest until Xykon is gone. Roy is judged and found worthy of entrance to paradise, where he encounters his mother, grandfather, and long-dead little brother. He returns to his father's side when he learns that almost four months have passed, and looks down to see where his friends are (and why they have not raised him from the dead using clerical magic yet). He finds the Order still separated, with half the team assisting Hinjo (and thwarting a treacherous nobleman) while the other half has formed an underground resistance movement in hobgoblin-occupied Azure City. When Haley accidentally summons Celia, the sylph convinces her to leave the city and begin looking for the other half of the party.