Who are the eight creatures Vaarsuvius wants to teleport?

[b_jonas]

In #967, Vaarsuvius said she needed an item to teleport eight creatures several hundred miles. (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0967.html) My question is, who exactly are those eight creatures? How did she get that tally?

[Quild]

Roy
Durkon
Haley
Elan
Belkar
V (Blackwing is automatically transported with V)
Mr. Scruffy
Bloodfeast

[Gift Jeraff]

If Blackwing was a freebie due to the Share Spells ability, wouldn't the same go for Mr. Scruffy?

[dancrilis]

Only if Belkar is the caster (in which case Blackwing would not be free).

[Quild]

If Blackwing was a freebie due to the Share Spells ability, wouldn't the same go for Mr. Scruffy?
Nope.
Familiars and animal companions are not the same thing at all and I'm not even sure Mr. Scruffy is Belkar's one.

dancrilis: Uh? Are you sure of that? V can technically summon and dismiss Blackwing any time. Belkar can't with Mr. Scruffy. Also Blackwing and V's soul are bound (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0897.html).

[Peelee]

Even assuming Belkar was a caster and Mr. Scruffy was a familiar, it wouldn't matter; it only works for the familiar of the one casting the spell.


Share Spells (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/sorcererWizard.htm)
At the master’s option, he may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) he casts on himself also affect his familiar.

[Gift Jeraff]

Only if Belkar is the caster (in which case Blackwing would not be free).
Ah right. My bad.

[dancrilis]

dancrilis: Uh? Are you sure of that? V can technically summon and dismiss Blackwing any time. Belkar can't with Mr. Scruffy. Also Blackwing and V's soul are bound (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0897.html).

Pretty sure:

Animal Companion:
...
This ability functions like the druid ability of the same name, except that the ranger’s effective druid level is one-half his ranger level (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/ranger.htm#animalCompanion).

Features for animal Companions:

Class Level 1-2 - Link, share spells (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/druid.htm#theDruidsAnimalCompanion)
Share Spells:


At the druid’s option, she may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) she casts upon herself also affect her animal companion. (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/druid.htm#theDruidsAnimalCompanion)

As such my reading is that in the exact same manner as Vaarsuvius treating Blackwing as a freebie Belkar would treat Mr. Scruffy (assuming that Mr. Scruffy is an animal companion to Belkar) as a freebie - but only if he was the one casting the spell (at which point Blackwing would not be a freebie anymore).

[Quild]

Even assuming Belkar was a caster and Mr. Scruffy was a familiar, it wouldn't matter; it only works for the familiar of the one casting the spell.

Technically (https://xkcd.com/1475/), doesn't it says that it works for the familiar of the one casting the spell? Without the "only" part?
It doesn't say that it doesn't work for those who don't cast the spell.

[Peelee]

Technically (https://xkcd.com/1475/), doesn't it says that it works for the familiar of the one casting the spell? Without the "only" part?
It doesn't say that it doesn't work for those who don't cast the spell.

The "only" is superfluous; it affects casters who are casting the required spell. Ergo, anyone not casting the spell is excluded.

[b_jonas]

V can technically summon and dismiss Blackwing any time.

I don't think she can. The bird is right there by Vaarsuvius's side the entire time (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0154.html), even when you can't see him.

[Peelee]

I don't think she can. The bird is right there by Vaarsuvius's side the entire time (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0154.html), even when you can't see him.

Correct. The "summoning/dismissing" was a joke on that many players do not keep track of their familiar unless they have reason to do so; effectively, it "disappears" until it needs to be used (I actually needed this explained, as I always kept immaculate track of my familiar, and thus didn't understand the joke). The Giant has said that the joke has run its course, and thus this effect will no longer appear.

[Quild]

Oh. I thought V stopped to dismiss Blackwing because it was kinda a rude thing to do.

[Keltest]

Oh. I thought V stopped to dismiss Blackwing because it was kinda a rude thing to do.

Yes and no. That is the in-universe explanation for why the joke ended.