OOTS #906 - The Discussion Thread

[TrixiePixie]

Awesome, best strip in a lot.

[Leirus]

Holy... awesomeness!

[DolGrenn]

We were all wrong. Durkon will save the Order.

[Forikroder]

Could be a case of Bad Guys Do The Dirty Work. Nale kills his father in an evil and undignified way, so that Elan doesn't have to. Like poisoning, or stabbing him to death in the middle of a desert, where there's no one to see or care.

Elan has a secret plan that doest involve killing Tarquin, but it needed Durkon who jsut so happens to be available again

[Amphiox]

Wow. I have to say, I dislike Nale as a person in general (who among us doesn't love seeing his plans foiled and Elan rub it in his face?) and I actually quite liked Malack's odd personality, the way he was loyal even to enemies who he bonded with and had a respectable personal code, but this was spectacular. And the first time I ever rooted for Nale. I'm surprised how many comments say they saw it coming, because it took me completely by surprise. Really, Nale's competence was staggering here, since despite having a weakened party (basically just him and Z there, without Sabine) he managed to pull this off without a hitch, and must have been planning it for some time. I just wonder now, when he said "My most hated enemies are about to die while I watch," exactly who was he referring to with that pluralization? We at first assume the OotS, but then of course Malack is grouped in. But maybe Nale has plans for his father too, and the OotS wasn't part of those "most hated enemies". Can't wait for the next few comics.

And on the note of Durkon, since Malack was reluctant to free him of his thralldom immediately, stating that it would be "confusing" for him, it suggests that Durkon will retain his full personality and Malack didn't want Durkon's recent murder held against him as they built a brotherly bond. This is gonna be great.

From the look on Z's face (like he knew exactly what was happening, was not surprised at all, knew exactly what to do), I'd say that yes, this is highly likely to have been planned well in advance, and discussed with Z. Probably Nale has, in the past, developed plans with his team about how they'd deal with any number of enemies, if given the chance, and Malack (unfortunately for him) was among that list.

[zimmerwald1915]

And Durkon now possesses Malack's staff, the one that's been criticized for being apparently loaded with game-breaking spells and buffs. He probably doesn't know how to use it, though, or even what exactly, it can really do. (I guess he knows that he could vamp Nale and use the staff to forgo the 3 day wait....)

V can cast identify...eventually.

[CrispyCriminal]

So was he aware of his actions up until Malack's death?

Because I sense one pissed off dwarf vampire standing in the middle of a desert instead of resting in his grave with his ancestors.

[Porthos]

You know what's deliciously ironic, something you always see but yet never gets old? Malack was always like, "You die when you die, accept your fate, you're a slave to your god, death and destruction, blah blah blah," and yet at the very end, he pleads to Nergal to save his (un)life.

What a great observation. Makes me even happier to see that dude dead at the hands of someone he had no respect for.

[DSCrankshaw]

That was surprisingly awesome of Nale. I've been expecting Malack to die before Durkon could be returned to the city. Vampire Durkon's too awesome a concept to be kept tied down offscreen. I just didn't expect Nale to do it.

You know, between that staff and the vampire bonuses, Durkon's going to find out that he's gotten a BIG power boost with the return of his free will....

Except for losing all his cleric spells. He may be able to use the ones he currently has prepared, but I doubt Thor will be answering his prayers for more spells. He'll probably find a new god eventually, but not right away.

[tmacdevitt]

So why did Malak not run for the staff himself? Thats the only part that makes no sense for me.

I loved the outcome, but I guess I would have liked to have seen Nale wrestling with Malak when that order came out.

[TRH]

Hmm. Z's flying now for some reason. I wonder what else Nale has up his sleeve, since Durkon will be hostile now regardless of his current outlook.

[Knight.Anon]

Nale vampire slayer. He finally did something that worth respecting.

It occurred to me last strip that the white worm was vulnerable but I didn't even think that Nale would use the opportunity turn on him.

I wonder what Durkula will do, he doesn't seem to remember his old life.

Malack's summon should be gone.

I wonder how Tarquin will take this.

I wonder if Malack was a nod to Bram Stoker's Lair of the White Worm.

[Excise]

Now THAT's the Nale I love to see!

Fantastic comic. Nale's had a solid victory coming for some time now.

[Neosmith]

I feel really mixed about this turn of events. Malack looked like he was going to be a key player in the master plot. Now, it seems he was one of those characters fated to die in service to the more important characters. And while it's a great thing for Nale, it really took away the Durkon-Malack element perhaps a bit too quickly.

Added to which, I hope that his death and his brief tenure as Durkon's Master won't simply allow Durkon a chance to quickly rejoin the OOTS gang in his new undead form. Because that would be a reset of the status quo.

Though if he were to remain as a villain, that would be great.

[DCR]

I was wondering why none of Nale's wounds healed after drinking the potion. And why the aura was blue.

And now for the REALLY important questions: What'd he drop? There's a hood, a cloak and an amulet, at the very least.

[Breccia]

If you ever needed an example of how well a fight can go when you're prepared for it, this would do it.

Bravo, Nale (and the Giant by proxy). I cheered aloud at your stunning success.

So why did Malak not run for the staff himself? Thats the only part that makes no sense for me.

Depending on which rules you use, sunlight can really mess up an unprotected vampire. Malack may have been physically unable to get to the staff in time.

[homeslice]

This update conflicts me.

On the one hand: I never really liked Nale and rather preferred Malack.

On the other hand: I wasn't too fond of Malack for turning Durkon into a vampire and it was kinda nice for there to be some vengeance.

Of course, even though I don't like Nale, I do like to see a good villainous plan succeed (with some good quips thrown in).

[Lord Raziere]

hey I just realized

you could say Malack just got…



NALE'D

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAHH!!!

[zimmerwald1915]

Malack's summon should be gone.

Malack didn't summon anything. Durkon and Z are responsible for the fiends down in the crater.

[ThePhantom]

Hmm, well, so Malack is dead. Nale, you do know that know the rest of your father's group will likely hunt you down for this? Not to mention that your father went to something, which may not be good for you.

[Forikroder]

That was surprisingly awesome of Nale. I've been expecting Malack to die before Durkon could be returned to the city. Vampire Durkon's too awesome a concept to be kept tied down offscreen. I just didn't expect Nale to do it.



Except for losing all his cleric spells. He may be able to use the ones he currently has prepared, but I doubt Thor will be answering his prayers for more spells. He'll probably find a new god eventually, but not right away.

he doesnt need a god, he can take power from the Negative enrgy or positive energy plane

if he gets back to pre-vamp durkon then Thor will gladly grant him power, and if Thor wont the Positive energy plane will

if he still remains evil then the Negative enrgy plane will happily supply him

nothing will stop Durkon from casting spells unless he refuses to cast if Thor isnt providing the power which imo would be out of character for him

I was wondering why none of Nale's wounds healed after drinking the potion. And why the aura was blue.

And now for the REALLY important questions: What'd he drop? There's a hood, a cloak and an amulet, at the very least.

it was an elixir of protection from negative energy

[Amphiox]

He is a fairly high-powered cleric. I assume he has some spells that would be effective if he were not distracted by attempting to hide from the sunlight.

I would imagine being exposed to sunlight for a vampire would be like being immersed in corrosive acid for a regular human.

Unfortunately for Malack, he is not O'Chul....

[Henry the 57th]

I can just picture Tarquin's reaction:

*sniff* "My little boy has finally grown up. Too bad I have to kill you now."

[Thokk_Smash]

Hmm, well, so Malack is dead. Nale, you do know that know the rest of your father's group will likely hunt you down for this? Not to mention that your father went to something, which may not be good for you.

For all we know, Nale's got half-baked plans to kill off Tarquin's other companions as well--Malack was just personal for reasons unknown. I do agree that Tarquin and co will not take kindly to Malack's death.

[Arcanist]

I am not angry, I am just shocked and a little disappointed at Malack getting knocked out of the picture. Will this free Durkon? That remains to be seen, however if Z performs what I believe he is going to do, Malack's death might be more... Immediate... Than expected

EDIT: Nope! He's dead for good. So says the Giant.

Huzzah! Durkon is free

[Starwulf]

Whoa. I totally didn't see that coming, whatsoever. Way to keep us on our toes Giant!

So, now the question becomes, does Durkon regain his consciousness with his master gone(well, not so much his consciousness, but his ability to think for himself), and then slip away from Nale and them, or does he die with his master? I can't honestly remember if a vampire's thralls die when their master dies or not.

[zimmerwald1915]

Hmm, well, so Malack is dead. Nale, you do know that know the rest of your father's group will likely hunt you down for this? Not to mention that your father went to something, which may not be good for you.

Nale said it himself: he knows his father planned for him to die. That being the case, he really has nothing left to lose but his chains. And he has a world to win.

[Porthos]

He is a fairly high-powered cleric. I assume he has some spells that would be effective if he were not distracted by attempting to hide from the sunlight.

Who already has had several fights during the day.

[Forikroder]

I am not angry, I am just shocked and a little disappointed at Malack getting knocked out of the picture. Will this free Durkon? That remains to be seen, however if Z performs what I believe he is going to do, Malack's death might be more... Immediate... Than expected





Durkon isn't free yet, but it is highly likely. He might be free if Z cast Resilient Sphere, Forcecage, Telekinetic Sphere, Gust of Wind, or Antimagic Field to negate his Gaseous Form, however that might not be necessary as with the current geographical location might work against him (Windy Canyon).

At most, Malack might just accept his fate and seek to join his children in the afterlife allowing Durkon to gain freedom and rejoin the Order of the Stick... Best case scenario of course.

Malack only gets a gaseous forms in killed in non-magical ways the sun would completely eradicate him in every way note that his cloak remains but when he went gaseous against Durkon it melded into him

[Amphiox]

Hmm, well, so Malack is dead. Nale, you do know that know the rest of your father's group will likely hunt you down for this? Not to mention that your father went to something, which may not be good for you.

First panel, next strip, Nale and Z are teleporting out. Or at least they could if they were really worried about Tarquin doing something soon.

Not to say that Tarquin couldn't then put resources into hunting them down like dogs.... but it gets that little plot thread out of the way until the next book.