Malack is my new favorite

[Rajhiim]

He is quite sensible, so what if he's not a vegetarian?!

Though, I can't imagine dwarf is very tasty.

[Rakoa]

I would agree that Malack is quickly becoming one of my favourite characters as well. He is interesting, to say the least.

[Raineh Daze]

Anyone who's willing to try talking first gets a big plus in my book. :smallsmile:

[Koo Rehtorb]

The second to last panel where he closes his eyes is pretty moving. It continues to amaze me how much emotion Rich can pack into this art style.

[The Pilgrim]

Let's see...

"I'm Malak. I've been separated from my group. I'm an undead vs a high-level good-aligned cleric. Behind me is a midget psycophat ranger who can break free from my "hold person" at any minute. The rest of his party is soon to arrive. Ok, let's try talking first".

Reasonable? yes. Altruistic? not so much.

[Raineh Daze]

I dunno, three rounds of trying to talk it over rather than launching straight into the offensive would surely be the less sensible option if you were going for pragmatism.

He could possibly wipe out the rest of Belkar's health in one round. I'm not too sure, but I think he gets four natural attacks a round, and against an immobile target... maybe.

[Felyndiira]

Let's see...

"I'm Malak. I've been separated from my group. I'm an undead vs a high-level good-aligned cleric. Behind me is a midget psycophat ranger who can break free from my "hold person" at any minute. The rest of his party is soon to arrive. Ok, let's try talking first".

Reasonable? yes. Altruistic? not so much.

Clearly, the best solution, in that case, is to waste a few more rounds arguing with the cleric - not that they both let the other escape, mind you (which would be a much easier agreement to make), but trying to come up with a more permanent solution to ensure the best interests of both parties.

Then, when that fails after a bunch of rounds is wasted, attack instead of attempt to escape like one would do if you sense imminent defeat.

Yeah, Malack's actions sound pretty selfish to me.


Sorry for the sarcasm, but I honestly do not see how one could view Malack's arguments as saving his own butt.

[mawexzon]

Yeah, i really like Malack, The way his alignment doesn't influence his ability to reason or act around people.

[Rajhiim]

He has respect for Durkon, and clearly has demonstrated the ability to live amongst his food - without being a "monster."

In this case, Durkon is being the monster - with his blind self-centered point of view (and he realizes it too, I think - based on how the conversation ended).

I totally agree, when Malack closed his eyes - it was a solid moment in the strip. You could almost feel the emotion, "now I have to kill my only friend."

I also doubt Malack's EVIL alignment, but I've posted about the alignment system being "adventurer" centric before.

The vampire is to man, what man is to cow.

When Cows play Mailmen and Farmers - humans are always evil.

[Lvl45DM!]

Consider that Malack knew that he would be meeting Durkon at some point in this fight and had time to rehearse. Durkon has just been surprised by two equally disturbing revelations about his friend and caught him in the middle of a very evil act. And even then he used a defensive spell and talked to Malack first rather than going straight for Thors Lightning.

Durkon is being as reasonable as a reasonable person could reasonably expect

[Feddlefew]

Consider that Malack knew that he would be meeting Durkon at some point in this fight and had time to rehearse. Durkon has just been surprised by two equally disturbing revelations about his friend and caught him in the middle of a very evil act. And even then he used a defensive spell and talked to Malack first rather than going straight for Thors Lightning.

Durkon is being as reasonable as a reasonable person could reasonably expect

Not in this fight, probably, or Malack wouldn't have tried to turn Belkar when Durkon could have stumbled into the room.

Durkon's only mistake was telling Malack that he wouldn't let him leave instead of continuing to stall for time.

[Kish]

He has respect for Durkon, and clearly has demonstrated the ability to live amongst his food - without being a "monster."
Rather, he has demonstrated that he is the same type of monster his human friend Tarquin is.

He hasn't demonstrated the ability to not be a monster because he's never tried to not be a monster. Drinking the blood of the convicted-in-a-kangaroo-court is still drinking the blood of the innocent; for Malack to say otherwise communicates, "This sophistry thing works!" not, "I am a moral entity."

[Scowling Dragon]

I have no doubt that he is evil because of what he does to this poor country.

Also Turning people into more Vampires is also pretty evil.

However, he is quite intelligent and reserved.



He hasn't demonstrated the ability to not be a monster because he's never tried to not be a monster. Drinking the blood of the convicted-in-a-kangaroo-court is still drinking the blood of the innocent; for Malack to say otherwise communicates, "This sophistry thing works!" not, "I am a moral entity."


Pretty much. He hides his monsterism in sophistry.

He could have developed a cure to his vampire state if he truly cared about others.

[Mr.Rictus]

Let's see...

"I'm Malak. I've been separated from my group. I'm an undead vs a high-level good-aligned cleric. Behind me is a midget psycophat ranger who can break free from my "hold person" at any minute. The rest of his party is soon to arrive. Ok, let's try talking first".

Reasonable? yes. Altruistic? not so much.

Hm. Cough. There is a problem with your statement. You are assuming that Malack isn't powerful enough to wipe Durkon off the face of existence. Which most hints given thus far imply that he is.
(help running a huge empire where he is a feared figure, talking with Tarquin as an equal, almost killing Nale 5 seconds after seeing him and forcing him to retreat, talking with "I can take the entire Oots" Tarquin as an EQUAL)
So I'll say that wanting to talk things out is definitely him trying to be the bigger man (pun intended), and done out of friendship. Because I can almost guarantee you, that if Durkon doesn't get help within the next minute (and by help I mean more than a single halfling, psychotic though he may be) Durkon is a dead dwarf.

[Chantelune]

I totally agree, when Malack closed his eyes - it was a solid moment in the strip. You could almost feel the emotion, "now I have to kill my only friend."

It sure is a nice pannel, but I doubt Durkon is his only friend. There's Tarquin. The way the two interact shows that there's more than just cooperation to achieve their goals. ^^

[dehro]

he's a cleric, which I'm guessing makes him lawful evil.. I'm not so surprised he tries talking first.

[Rajhiim]

It sure is a nice pannel, but I doubt Durkon is his only friend. There's Tarquin. The way the two interact shows that there's more than just cooperation to achieve their goals. ^^

His only friend who had no expectations of him, no empire to help run, no intrigues to plan, etc.

Simple, pure - semi-honest - friendship.

Gone, in a puff of blood and fangs!

[KillianHawkeye]

he's a cleric, which I'm guessing makes him lawful evil.. I'm not so surprised he tries talking first.

Clerics can be of any alignment. It all depends on what alignment their deity is. So far, I don't recall any mentions about where Nergal is on the Law vs Chaos axis. I think the only mention of Nergal's alignment at all was Malack's original statement that gods of death aren't necessarily Evil (which is really dodging the question, IMO, Nergal could very well be Evil).

[King of Nowhere]

I see malack as lawful neutral, he don't have big plans for his life and he sticks with his friend's plan. if malack was part of oots he would be equally willing to portect the gates.
And I am also liking him a lot. I feel sad for him. all he wanted was to be friend with both sides, and they are forcing him to choose. It's like your two best friends split up and now both won't talk to you unless you stop talking to the other.

[The Pilgrim]

Clerics can be of any alignment. It all depends on what alignment their deity is. So far, I don't recall any mentions about where Nergal is on the Law vs Chaos axis. I think the only mention of Nergal's alignment at all was Malack's original statement that gods of death aren't necessarily Evil (which is really dodging the question, IMO, Nergal could very well be Evil).

The more I read Malack's statement about "neutrality suits Death better", the more I think about it as just a self-excuse to avoid acknowledging his Evil alignment. Like Tarquin does later when justifying himself to Elan after their duel ("even if I where to place myself within your limited and unrealistic alignment system)".

[Kish]

The more I read Malack's statement about "neutrality suits Death better", the more I think about it as just a self-excuse to avoid acknowledging his Evil alignment. Like Tarquin does later when justifying himself to Elan after their duel ("even if I where to place myself within your limited and unrealistic alignment system)".
Way before I'd seen enough of Malack's morals to form an actual opinion on Malack's alignment, I noted the remarkable degree of similarity between the way Malack almost-but-not-quite-said "My god and I are both Neutral" and the way Tarquin almost-but-not-quite-said "I'm sending forces to help the Free City of Doom."

[Dr.Epic]

Malack needs to do at least one of the following things in order to become my favorite:

-get a 70" plasma screen TV with Netflix (but no 3D)
-say "BITCH! I EAT PEOPLE!"
-be voiced by Takahata101

[KillianHawkeye]

The more I read Malack's statement about "neutrality suits Death better", the more I think about it as just a self-excuse to avoid acknowledging his Evil alignment. Like Tarquin does later when justifying himself to Elan after their duel ("even if I where to place myself within your limited and unrealistic alignment system)".

I agree. The way he kinda went off on that tangent, when Durkon was paying more attention to putting alcohol in his drink, it seems almost like Malack was saying it more for his own benefit. Or, you know, as a deliberate way for Rich to deflect suspicion from the creepy albino dude. :smallwink: