Legs or no?

[MReav]

Now that Malack's dead, I wish to know the answer to one thing (actually, I wish to know many things, but this is the only one relevant to this thread and one I actually feel I have at least a minor chance of getting an answer):

Did Malack actually have legs? At any point? Was he a Lizardfolk or was he a snake creature like a Yuan-Ti this entire time?

[Xelbiuj]

Snake creature, this is not ambiguous.

[NerdyKris]

It's extremely clear during the Durkon fight that he's a snake person without legs. Besides seeing him supporting himself on his tail, when he grapples Durkon we can clearly see up to his waist with no legs. When he's upside down it's clear he has no feet as well.

[Sylthia]

I never really noticed his lack of feet. I just assumed he had a prehensile tail.

[martianmister]

I think he has legs. There is no reason to hide his real race, considering his death.

[Giggling Ghast]

He was a white worm.

[rewinn]

I think he has legs. There is no reason to hide his real race, considering his death.

1. He may have a collection of legs, and other body parts, back in Bleedingham. We don't really know everything about his hobbies.
2. Some snakes have vestigial legs, or at least vestigial femurs, that not readily apparent to the humanoid-centric.

[Sunken Valley]

I say he's a yuan-ti abomination. It's the only way he could have both the Craft Staff feat and an obvious inability to cast Level 7 Spells.

[NerdyKris]

I think he has legs. There is no reason to hide his real race, considering his death.

You think he has legs, despite the fact that in the strip I linked, you can clearly see under his robe and there's just a tail dead center where his body and legs would be?

Unless his body is tiny and shrunken, he clearly is a snake with arms.

[MReav]

I guess I want to know, is he a snake creature, or is he a lizardfolk, whose "lizard" happens to be based on assorted limbless lizards?

[EnragedFilia]

Well let's just hope nobody tries to call him a Yuan-ti, or else the lawyers might have to show up again. And nobody wants that.

[Gift Jeraff]

My guesses are still:

-Half-dragon lizardfolk. Girard's half-dragon aunt was a snake-like. This allows for his comment to Durkon about being a lizardfolk to be true.

-Yuan-Ti, but he called himself a lizardfolk because he doesn't want the Lawyers to show up.

-An extinct race, so he calls himself a lizardfolk to prevent people from wondering how he's still alive. Could go along with Yuan-Ti.

I don't think we'll ever know, because to Malack his living species is irrelevant. He considered "vampire" to be his true identity, to the point that he's perfectly willing to add halflings and dwarves to his "family." Plus it could be a subtle jab from Rich about how many snakeperson monsters there are.

[The Extinguisher]

I guess I want to know, is he a snake creature, or is he a lizardfolk, whose "lizard" happens to be based on assorted limbless lizards?

He's a snake.
Snakes have long bodies and short tails, legless lizards have short bodies and long tails.

[EnragedFilia]

He's a snake.
Snakes have long bodies and short tails, legless lizards have short bodies and long tails.

Without the ability to discern the exact location of his pelvis or vestigal pelvis-analogue, I'm not real sure that distinction is particularly meaningful. And since whatever Terrestrial animal's body plan his species is "based on" has had major modifications (those opposable thumbs didn't get there by themselves), it's probably less than productive to use Terrestrial animals as a starting point for this speculation. Although on the other hand, Anguisfolk is slightly easier to say than Yuan-ti, and requires a little more knowledge of herpetology to make any sense out of. To say nothing of the lawyers.

[Tock Zipporah]

The comic explicitly refers to him as a lizardfolk.

I also image a snake-like creature couldn't sit in a chair like this. A "sitting" snake would have to have its tail coiled under it, not dangling out like this.

Furthermore, Malack is not the only lizardfolk in the comic. The desert is FILLED with them, from the lizardfolk where's to the soldiers in Tarquin's army. Malack's artwork is consistent with the height, size, and shape of those lizardfolk, he's just in a robe. There hasn't been a single Yuan-ti seen ANYWHERE.

[jere7my]

The comic explicitly refers to him as a lizardfolk.

We have seen Malack without legs. If he is a lizardman, he is a legless lizardman. I think it's more likely that "lizardfolk," contrary to standard D&D usage, is a generic term for a range of species, like "humanoid."

I also image a snake-like creature couldn't sit in a chair like this. A "sitting" snake would have to have its tail coiled under it, not dangling out like this.

Snakes are extremely strong. They can support their full weight on just a small fraction of their body length—and in fact we see Malack doing exactly that as he converts Durkon.

[martianmister]

We have seen Malack without legs.

I'm only seeing a long tail, his legs could be behind his clothes.

[jere7my]

I'm only seeing a long tail, his legs could be behind his clothes.

He's supporting himself entirely on his tail. I suppose he could have vestigial legs hidden in his robes, but they're certainly not long enough to reach the ground. Whenever we've seen Malack upright, he's been balanced on his tail.

[jogiff]

We have seen Malack without legs. If he is a lizardman, he is a legless lizardman. I think it's more likely that "lizardfolk," contrary to standard D&D usage, is a generic term for a range of species, like "humanoid."

Yes, but Durkon refers to him as a "lizard." I suppose it's possible that lizard is just a short name for lizardfolk and that lizardfolk is also a shorthand for reptilian humanoid, but I'd imagine a lawful cleric (I assume he's lawful considering the company he keeps) would politely correct an emissary who incorrectly identified his species instead of going along with it and saying "us lizardfolk." Being a snakefolk isn't like being a vampire, he wouldn't feel the need to hide it from Durkon.

[Kish]

Being a member of a lizardfolk subrace that died out two hundred years ago is something Malack might feel the need to hide from anyone he doesn't want to tell he's a vampire.

And Durkon also called Malack a "snake," shortly before Malack killed him.

[NerdyKris]

I'm only seeing a long tail, his legs could be behind his clothes.

It's clearly a tail for his body. Not once when his robes are lifted up past his waist, have we seen legs. Why would you continue to insist that his legs are constantly being tucked up against his chest every time? We've linked to two strips that clearly show his robe out of the way. Look at the image. His robe only goes to his waist, with his cloak dropping to the floor behind him. The previous strip shows it even more clearly. If you think he has legs, explain why they'd be hidden behind the cloak he's wearing on his back.

[ORione]

Yes, but Durkon refers to him as a "lizard." I suppose it's possible that lizard is just a short name for lizardfolk and that lizardfolk is also a shorthand for reptilian humanoid, but I'd imagine a lawful cleric (I assume he's lawful considering the company he keeps) would politely correct an emissary who incorrectly identified his species instead of going along with it and saying "us lizardfolk." Being a snakefolk isn't like being a vampire, he wouldn't feel the need to hide it from Durkon.

And in that strip, Malack says "us lizardfolk".

[Sylthia]

Since he can't use Yuan-Ti, and we don't know of any "snakefolk" maybe he just groups himself with Lizardfolk.

[ti'esar]

Furthermore, Malack is not the only lizardfolk in the comic. The desert is FILLED with them, from the lizardfolk where's to the soldiers in Tarquin's army. Malack's artwork is consistent with the height, size, and shape of those lizardfolk, he's just in a robe. There hasn't been a single Yuan-ti seen ANYWHERE.

Actually, we've seen multiple lizardfolk body types, including Malack's. Which helps support the idea of him being one (albeit possibly of an extinct or otherwise unusual variety).

[Flame of Anor]

I think it's more likely that "lizardfolk," contrary to standard D&D usage, is a generic term for a range of species, like "humanoid."

I agree. Note that there are already multiple types of lizardfolk in the comic--the round-headed type exemplified by that stock avatar that ti'esar uses, and the pointy-headed type exemplified by Gannji.

[EnragedFilia]

I agree. Note that there are already multiple types of lizardfolk in the comic--the round-headed type exemplified by that stock avatar that ti'esar uses, and the pointy-headed type exemplified by Gannji.

I believe Rich specifically identified the greenskins in #571 as troglodytes, which are distinct from lizardfolk but are also considered the "reptilian humanoid" subtype. In any event, it does seem likely that Malack would simply pretend to be a lizardfolk full-time to avoid problematic questions about his own species, especially if snakefolk or anguisfolk or whatever he is are no longer extant.

[Knaight]

"Legs or no?"
Not anymore.

[ORione]

"Legs or no?"
Not anymore.

*High five*.

If Malack is using lizardfolk as a general category, it would have to be a category that excludes kobolds.

"She prefers the kobolds to us lizardfolk."

[Flame of Anor]

I believe Rich specifically identified the greenskins in #571 as troglodytes, which are distinct from lizardfolk but are also considered the "reptilian humanoid" subtype.

Note that in 413, however, it is strongly implied that the guys at the end are "lizardfolk".

[Gift Jeraff]

Maybe "lizardfolk" in OOTS means non-draconic repitilian humanoids in general (i.e. not kobolds and the like). Though I think it's just that Rich didn't settle on what exactly lizardfolk were until Book 5.