Malack's speech bubble

[pendell]

I realize this is probably over-analysis, but I'll ask it anyway.

Looking at strip 811, I notice that Malack's speech balloon is different from everyone else's. Most speech balloon are a circle followed by a straight arrow pointing towards the speaker.

But Malack's isn't. Instead, the arrow is sort of squiggly.

I quickly looked back at previous strips, and the same pattern holds. See 743 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0743.html) as an example.

The pattern holds throughout the strip. So it's not an art error. It is a deliberate design decision. What does it mean? That he sounds lizardy or hissing or something like?

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[Ancalagon]

I thsssink it implissz thssat Malack szpeaksz like a lizsdard...

[slayerx]

Well no other lizard folk have similar speech bubbles... malack does mention that he has frail health, so it could have something to do with that

[Tulya]

I assumed it indicated a raspy voice.

[zimmerwald1915]

You know who else has a speech bubble like that? Horrendously ill Belkar (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0602.html). Note that it was not the curse that was making himtalk like that (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0569.html), in case anyone comes up with a theory that Malack is under a curse or something. It was the illness. Stomach and intestinal fluids are quite acidic and basic respectively, and can wreack havoc on the vocal cords if you vomit them up enough times in rapid succession.

So yeah. Probably indicates frail health.

[ThePhantasm]

This has been brought up a number of times now, I think, and always the consensus has been that Malack is, as established in the comic, sickly.

[Dr.Epic]

The pattern holds throughout the strip. So it's not an art error. It is a deliberate design decision. What does it mean? That he sounds lizardy or hissing or something like?

Yes. In any comic, when a speech bubble is done different it means said person or whatever has a very distinct speech pattern. Look at the undead or demon's speech bubbles.

[Gift Jeraff]

It's the same "tail" used when a character is near death, ill, or otherwise badly injured. Thus, it likely indicates frailty/poor health.

[Zejety]

It's the same "tail" used when a character is near death, ill, or otherwise badly injured. Thus, it likely indicates frailty/poor health.

For reference:
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0006.html

[Juggling Goth]

Or Xykon and Redcloak after a beatdown from Soon's ghost (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0462.html).

[Nimrod's Son]

Or Therkla on her way out (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0593.html). Or poisoned Elan (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0235.html). There are probably a few other examples too; seems pretty routinely used for seriously ill or injured people.

[hamishspence]

Sometimes the injury's not especially severe: Roy, in the last panel of this strip:

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0298.html

[St Fan]

This speech bubble affect had been used very consistently from the beginning of the comic with characters that are dying, wounded, sick, poisoned, stunned (like Gannji after V's Word of Stun), confused, drunk, etc. In short, any circumstances that could lead to a slurred, weakened, or shaky speech.

Malack, however, is the only character to have this trait constantly. Thus it implies a raspy, feeble voice, resulting from his frail health.

[snikrept]

I read Malack's assuming the voice of the albino from The Princess Bride - "the PIT... OF DESPAIRRRRR":smallbiggrin:

[Calmar]

I assumed it indicated a raspy voice.

Me too. I imagine him to have a quiet, slightly raspy voice.

[TheMac04]

Sometimes the injury's not especially severe: Roy, in the last panel of this strip:

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0298.html

How the hell do you guys find this kind of stuff?

[ZerglingOne]

I imagine he sounds somewhat like this old wizard (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn7cR_8_vAg)

[ObadiahtheSlim]

I imagine it means the person is pained or is otherwise having difficulty speaking. Malack could be speaking that way because he is rather old for his species or a health complication from being an albino. If it was because of a malady he could just cure it.

[Psyren]

How the hell do you guys find this kind of stuff?

WE. ARE. PLAYGROUND! :smallbiggrin:

[Eigenclass]

I wonder what sort of persistent sickness/weakness a high-level cleric couldn't either heal himself of, or purchase relief for, given that he is one of the most powerful functionaries (officially) as well as part of the secret power behind the throne (unofficially) in a powerful empire that can afford new palaces and to throw three-day festivals with parades on short notice.


Malack has probably had the Vampire Lord Template (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mm/20021018a) applied and his speech-bubble is wavy as a result of the constant weakening from being exposed to sunlight (and fakes it when not in direct sunlight, so no one wises up).

I mean he's a) unusually pale for his kind, b) wears all black, c) requires a "special" diet (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0743.html) that he can't have in public, and even drinks BLOODWORT tea (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0735.html)!

[MoonCat]

I wonder what sort of persistent sickness/weakness a high-level cleric couldn't either heal himself of, or purchase relief for, given that he is one of the most powerful functionaries (officially) as well as part of the secret power behind the throne (unofficially) in a powerful empire that can afford new palaces and to throw three-day festivals with parades on short notice.


Malack has probably had the Vampire Lord Template (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mm/20021018a) applied and his speech-bubble is wavy as a result of the constant weakening from being exposed to sunlight (and fakes it when not in direct sunlight, so no one wises up).

I mean he's a) unusually pale for his kind, b) wears all black, c) requires a "special" diet (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0743.html) that he can't have in public, and even drinks BLOODWORT tea (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0735.html)!



He lives in a desert. We have seen him outside, in the sun, loads of times. How is he a vampire? I can think in italics!

[Eigenclass]

We have seen him outside, in the sun, loads of times. How is he a vampire?

There's a "official" template you can apply to vampires to make them resistant to traditional vampire weaknesses such as sunlight, garlic, and holy symbols. It isn't much, but it's enough to throw a lot of players off track.

[Steward]

He lives in a desert. We have seen him outside, in the sun, loads of times. How is he a vampire? I can think in italics!

He might be one of those vampires that has all of the powers but none of the weaknesses associated with 'traditional' vampires.

You know, munchkin-pires.

[pendell]

He might be one of those vampires that has all of the powers but none of the weaknesses associated with 'traditional' vampires.

You know, munchkin-pires.

So long as he doesn't sparkle.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[CloakedDancer]

I never really noticed the whole thing with the speech bubbles before. Very interesting.


He lives in a desert. We have seen him outside, in the sun, loads of times. How is he a vampire? I can think in italics!

You did read the template that was linked to, right? Where it says that a vampire lord can go out in the sunlight if one desires? And that they do not suffer the same vulnerability to sunlight as other vampires? Because that's what I read, so I don't understand the point you are trying to make. His character would be perfectly capable of being in sunlight as we have seen him.

[Leecros]

You did read the template that was linked to, right? Where it says that a vampire lord can go out in the sunlight if one desires? And that they do not suffer the same vulnerability to sunlight as other vampires? Because that's what I read, so I don't understand the point you are trying to make. His character would be perfectly capable of being in sunlight as we have seen him.

*ahem*

Unlike normal vampires, a vampire lord does not look the least bit unusual. It looks exactly like it did when alive and in the peak of health. It has lost the pale, hardened, almost feral look of the vampire.

and it definitely is quite affected by sunlight.
A vampire lord is not as vulnerable to sunlight as a normal vampire, and can go about in broad daylight if it desires. Under sunlight, it takes a -4 penalty to all ability scores and on all attacks, saves, and skill checks. Also, a vampire lord in sunlight cannot use any of its supernatural powers.
A vampire lord would not go out into the sun unless it absolutely had to ever. Those are nasty penalties.

[Dark Elf Bard]

This wins.

[CloakedDancer]

*ahem*

Unlike normal vampires, a vampire lord does not look the least bit unusual. It looks exactly like it did when alive and in the peak of health. It has lost the pale, hardened, almost feral look of the vampire.

and it definitely is quite affected by sunlight.
A vampire lord is not as vulnerable to sunlight as a normal vampire, and can go about in broad daylight if it desires. Under sunlight, it takes a -4 penalty to all ability scores and on all attacks, saves, and skill checks. Also, a vampire lord in sunlight cannot use any of its supernatural powers.
A vampire lord would not go out into the sun unless it absolutely had to ever. Those are nasty penalties.

I agree. A vampire lord probably never would. But it is perfectly capable of doing so. And I certainly don't think that Malack is a Vampire Lord. I don't really speculate on such things. But to say he can't be a vampire lord based on the fact that he goes out in the sun is not accurate. That is all I was saying.

[Eigenclass]

A vampire lord would not go out into the sun unless it absolutely had to ever. Those are nasty penalties.


Normally, no, but if you were a major functionary who lived in a well-guarded palace surrounded by hundreds of minions, and had class levels to boot, wouldn't you feel a bit confident that should any threat arise that you might have to deal with personally, that you'd at least have time to flee indoors into a windowless room?

You do raise a good point about vampire lords appearing normal though. Not quite sure how to resolve that one yet, except that maybe they get a choice on how they'd wish to look, and as a cleric of a death-god, Malack opted a healthy Lizgreaper motif.

Edited to address appearance.

[CloakedDancer]

Edited to address appearance.

When we see a flashback (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0758.html) to when Malack was younger, he looks exactly the same. You could argue that a number of ways, and it doesn't necessarily mean anything, but I just figured I would link to it.

[Leecros]

Why are we spoilering things? We're not talking about spoilers... :smallconfused:




Normally, no, but if you were a major functionary who lived in a well-guarded palace surrounded by hundreds of minions, and had class levels to boot, wouldn't you feel a bit confident that should any threat arise that you might have to deal with personally, that you'd at least have time to flee indoors into a windowless room?

Absolutely not, I wouldn't. I know well enough that overconfidence is how "Accidents" happen. Especially in a world where an enemy could pop in at any moment and do any number of things during the surprise round. I would rather spend the round afterwards actually doing something to get me out on the winning end of the fight than running to the nearest dark place and hope they can't do various nasty things to me before i get there.

[Psyren]

The pale skin and strange dietary needs are definitely a hint at something. (Or an elaborate red herring.) Either way, I expect we'll find out eventually.

Has anyone mentioned strange odors around him? He could be walking around in Liquid Night or something.

[Forikroder]

Why are we spoilering things? We're not talking about spoilers... :smallconfused:




Absolutely not, I wouldn't. I know well enough that overconfidence is how "Accidents" happen. Especially in a world where an enemy could pop in at any moment and do any number of things during the surprise round. I would rather spend the round afterwards actually doing something to get me out on the winning end of the fight than running to the nearest dark place and hope they can't do various nasty things to me before i get there.

especially when you have a low con score and are relatively fragile

he had no problem setting up tea time on the roof or engaging Nale there and with his long head his hood didnt even cover all of it so shouldnt there have been some burning going on if he was a vampire?

[TheMac04]

Well obviously his hood covers him so he's okay. Come on you guys it's obvious. :D

[MesiDoomstalker]

Well obviously his hood covers him so he's okay. Come on you guys it's obvious. :D

Just like its so obvious that Haley's Mom is a Celestial and thus its obvious that she's Half-Celestial. And its obvious that Belkar won't die despite the Oracles prediction by some weird twist of plainly stated, no-work around predictions. Or that its obvious that V's prediction about the right 4 words hasn't been filled yet. :smallannoyed: [/rant] And yes, I know, TheMac04, you were joking. Please don't take offence.

[ghoul-n]

Wait, a sick cleric :smallconfused:?

[Caractacus]

Well obviously his hood covers him so he's okay. Come on you guys it's obvious. :D

I see that smiley there... :smalltongue:

Mind you - of COURSE the hood covers him - it's like a chainmail bikini that gives AC 5 (yes, I am that old...).

[toysailor]

When in doubt use Occam's Razor. Its certainly more plausible for Malack to have poor health than for Malack to be a secret vampire with magical sun-block powers.