Speech balloons = Indicator of which spirit is currently in control?

[Gift Jeraff]

So far, the High Priest of Hel has only spoken with undead speech balloons, and we know it has yet to be Durkon in control of the vampiric body.

When Malack was fighting Durkon (872 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0872.html) [last panel], 873 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0873.html), 874 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0874.html), 876 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0876.html)), he had the undead voice, even though he did not "vamp out" when trying to kill his mortal enemy (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0811.html), so it's not like it's an adrenaline/anger thing. Perhaps since it was the "living" personality (white speech balloons) that befriended Durkon, he suppressed that part of him when fighting his friend?

Now the two Malack voices seem to otherwise function as the same person, so maybe the barbarian shaman was actually willing to become a vampire, so Nergal tailor-made a dark spirit that would not conflict with the "living Malack's" spirit. Maybe the shaman and/or his people were dying, and getting vampirized was the answer to continued survival. It would explain why, when dying (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0906.html), the living voice seemed more concerned with surviving, while the undead voice only popped up briefly to avenge his spawn.

Or maybe 200 years of being a vampire caused the two spirits rub off on each other (making them seemingly indistinguishable) or possibly even literally absorb traits of one another.

[hamishspence]

I'd go with "when an undead pretends to be alive, they can change the colour of their speech bubble".

Same may apply to fiends who specialise in masquerading as mortals, like Sabine.

[Ghost Nappa]

So far, the High Priest of Hel has only spoken with undead speech balloons, and we know it has yet to be Durkon in control of the vampiric body.

When Malack was fighting Durkon (872 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0872.html) [last panel], 873 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0873.html), 874 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0874.html), 876 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0876.html)), he had the undead voice, even though he did not "vamp out" when trying to kill his mortal enemy (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0811.html), so it's not like it's an adrenaline/anger thing. Perhaps since it was the "living" personality (white speech balloons) that befriended Durkon, he suppressed that part of him when fighting his friend?

Now the two Malack voices seem to otherwise function as the same person, so maybe the barbarian shaman was actually willing to become a vampire, so Nergal tailor-made a dark spirit that would not conflict with the "living Malack's" spirit. Maybe the shaman and/or his people were dying, and getting vampirized was the answer to continued survival. It would explain why, when dying (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0906.html), the living voice seemed more concerned with surviving, while the undead voice only popped up briefly to avenge his spawn.

Or maybe 200 years of being a vampire caused the two spirits rub off on each other (making them seemingly indistinguishable) or possibly even literally absorb traits of one another.

I don't have a link handy but I remember that someone asked the Giant why Malack's speech bubbles changed and it was only black when he was "vamping out."

Perhaps after a sufficient amount of time the two spirits might reach a symbiosis or agreement to share but I think that involves a lot of psychological torture.

[oppyu]

I think the Giant said something like given enough time, vampires can change their voice to mimic regular people. Plus the Giant didn't want to spoil the reveal that Malack was a vampire.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

I believe that this (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=14733452#post14733452) post is the one that is relevant to this discussion.

[Gift Jeraff]

Yeah, I vaguely remembered that post and that's what got me thinking: the post implied that the undead speech balloons and red eyes only come out when "vamping out." Yet here the High Priest of Hel has been using the undead speech balloons and red eyes even when trying to convince the OOTS that he is Durkon.

The Giant also implied that 'Durkon' is a non-theistic cleric when people were discussing his spellcasting. :smalltongue:

[Jaxzan Proditor]

I think the High Priest of Hel is assuming that the Order, already aware of his condition, would be expecting that voice from him. Maybe, as time goes on he will learn how to use a normal voice, just like he had to learn to use his "inside voice" (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0879.html).

[Gift Jeraff]

Good point.

[Loreweaver15]

Also, all signs are pointing towards having a new spirit shoved into your corpse being a one-of-a-kind special attention from Hel rather than the standard for vamps.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

Also, all signs are pointing towards having a new spirit shoved into your corpse being a one-of-a-kind special attention from Hel rather than the standard for vamps.
I'm not sure that's true. We have only seen two vampires so far, so it is difficult to tell what the norm is. I don't see why what happened for Durkon couldn't have happened for Malak, just substituting in a soul from Nergal's domain.

[Falbrogna]

Why are Durkon's speech balloons a mixed shade of grey instead of being properly black now?

[Jaxzan Proditor]

Why are Durkon's speech balloons a mixed shade of grey instead of being properly black now?
It could be what I mentioned up above; he could be learning how to speak in a normal voice. Or perhaps it's just a coloration thing.

[Gift Jeraff]

Or could that be an effect of the change in programs starting in #935 IIRC?

[ti'esar]

While I'm not at all sure this is correct, it's interesting that Malack seemed to default to the living voice most of the time, even when he had no reason to hide that he was a vampire. I hadn't really noticed that before.

[Greatmoustache]

While I'm not at all sure this is correct, it's interesting that Malack seemed to default to the living voice most of the time, even when he had no reason to hide that he was a vampire. I hadn't really noticed that before.

what do you mean "he didn't have any reason to hide his vampirism" ? (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0882.html)

[Loreweaver15]

what do you mean "he didn't have any reason to hide his vampirism" ? (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0882.html)

...In that comic, he had no reason to hide his vampirism. Everyone in the room knew what he was, as did the audience.

[Rakoa]

...In that comic, he had no reason to hide his vampirism. Everyone in the room knew what he was, as did the audience.

Well, Malack has disguised his vampire voice even when everyone in the room knew what he was before. And yes, the audience didn't either, but it would be a bit too hard on the fourth wall for him to just drop that act for us. One joke about the audience shouldn't really dictate Malack's actions; it'd still seem out of place.

[Loreweaver15]

Well, Malack has disguised his vampire voice even when everyone in the room knew what he was before. And yes, the audience didn't either, but it would be a bit too hard on the fourth wall for him to just drop that act for us. One joke about the audience shouldn't really dictate Malack's actions; it'd still seem out of place.

I know, the person I was responding to was questioning "what do you mean he had no reason to hide his vampirism" by simply linking to a comic where he hid his vampirism even amongst a group of people who knew exactly what he was; I'm saying that's the point, that Malack defaults to his facade even when he has no reason to hide.