What is Durkon's Amulet?

[One Skunk Todd]

For some reason I never really noticed Durkon's necklace/amulet until this strip. So thinking it was new I went back and looked through the old strips to see if I could figure out when he got it. I discovered that he's been wearing a gold chain since the very first strip and by about strip 35 or so it seems have a white or clear gem mounted on it.

I also noticed in strips 170 and 186 he apparently takes it off and holds it in one hand to cast spells. In strip 198 the color seems to have changed to a light or medium blue which I guess has stayed constant ever since.

So my question is what is it? Does he need it to cast spells? Is the color change important or likely just done for artistic reasons?

[SteveMB]

I would guess that it's his holy symbol. A particularly clear example of him using it is "Turn Undead" in strip 113 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0113.html) (note that Redcloak uses his amulet, which is his holy symbol (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0117.html), in a similar manner to "Bolster Undead").

(And, I suppose, insofar as Belkar holds anything holy, it would be the daggers he uses to "Stab Undead". :smallwink: )

[Rad]

Yes, it's his holy simbol, used to turn undead and as a "divine foucs" component for many cleric spells.

[Kaerbek]

Each cleric, no matter his/her god/godess, has a Holy symbol, it can be represented by a necklace, a ring, an amulet, your shield, your weapon, etc.

In some powerful clerics, your whole armor is your holy symbol, imbuied with all kinds of runes, images and words of faith dedicated to your patron god/godess

This items makes clear to everyone who sees you that you're "that god's cleric", some of those items are just pure image, others have special abilities (wether are related to your god or not).

For Durkon and Redcloack (or in fact, for Rich Burlew) clerics use their "Turn undead" ability through their holy symbols (represented as a necklace), other clerics cast Turn Undead as it was a normal spell, others just use other items.

[Silverlocke980]

Holy symbol of Thor.

...Isn't that supposed to be a hammer?

[One Skunk Todd]

Holy symbol of Thor.

...Isn't that supposed to be a hammer?

I was just thinking that too, but at that size it's probably easier to draw a round gem than to try and sketch in a teeny tiny hammer.

[Closet_Skeleton]

Well historicaly people only started wearing Thor's hammer amulets because other peopel started wearing Christian Crosses.

Since there are no Christians in DnD they wouldn't wear Thor's hammer as an amulet.

Wait... that makes no sense...

[the_tick_rules]

his holy symbol.

[Gaelbert]

Maybe his war hammer doubles as a holy symbol.

[Icewalker]

He says here (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0073.html) that it's his prayer necklace, aka holy symbol.

[CardinalFang]

Doesn't it have WWTD? engraved on it in one strip?

[jindra34]

Yep Yep Yep Yep

[RobbyPants]

Doesn't it have WWTD? engraved on it in one strip?
LOL. I forgot about that one!

[Slash_712]

Well, also let's not forget that in #130 Durkon does take the amulet of natural armor, so he could be wearing that.

[cheese534]

Its his source of magic. and its as already saida holy symbol.last,its an outstanding accesory :smallbiggrin: