The Staff belonging to the Vampire Formerly Known as the High Priest of Hel

[littlebum2002]

Last we saw Durkula's staff was #1003, in his fight with Roy.

However, we know that vampires have been (somehow) using the speedy vampirization spell to create the vampire army.

So let's ply the forum's favorite game:


We Know This Will Be Explained Later in the Comic But Let's Try To Explain it Now Anyway!

How are these vampires being created? What's your theory? Mine is that the staff Durkula is using is not the same he got from Malack, that one is being used by the vampires.

[Jasdoif]

What's your theory?997 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0997.html) opened on a different scene with Roy making small talk, so there's no indication of how much time elapsed since HPoH tossed Belkar out the window in 996 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0996.html). There isn't any evidence there wasn't enough time for the Creed to be InstaVampedTM before HPoH went into the nave with the staff.

[dtilque]

Where would he get another staff? It's not like there's a magic store around where he buy one.

[littlebum2002]

997 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0997.html) opened on a different scene with Roy making small talk, so there's no indication of how much time elapsed since HPoH tossed Belkar out the window in 996 (http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0996.html). There isn't any evidence there wasn't enough time for the Creed to be InstaVampedTM before HPoH went into the nave with the staff.

While I agree that there is no definitive timeline between Durkula killing Belkar and him arriving in the moot, the conversation Veldrina had made it seem like it was about to start, which doesn't seem like enough time to run around killing a dozen people and vamping them all before it starts.


Where would he get another staff? It's not like there's a magic store around where he buy one.

I dunno, it could have been someone elses i guess.

[Rift_Wolf]

Where would he get another staff? It's not like there's a magic store around where he buy one.

Can't remember if it's the same in 3.5, but in Pf a very squinty eyed reading of craft rules means you can craft a quarterstaff, club or sling instantaneously out of thin air. HpoH is the sort to abuse rule loopholes like that.

[Reboot]

Where would he get another staff? It's not like there's a magic store around where he buy one.

Well, he didn't cast a spell from it while in the Moot Chamber...

[Markozeta]

My theory is Durkula vamped 2-3, until he got a similar looking staff from one of the other vampires, and gave the all-powerfull staff to his exarch, who went and vamped his whole cult while the moot was proceeding.

[Draconi Redfir]

Where would he get another staff? It's not like there's a magic store around where he buy one.

doesn't need to be magical. just needs to be a stick that looks like the real one.

[Johnnyjester]

The accelerating spell was in the staff, as the protection from daylight spell, correct ? Durkula did research a new spell during his time on the Mechane, but it could well be the "Accelerating spell" instead of the protection one (or maybe he has time for both, I don't remember how researching spell works in 3.5 for a Cleric... does it work for Clerics, since they are granted spells by their deities ??)

I'd maybe go with that, but then again, Durkula casted many spells in his fights during the day (one or two silences in the halls at the very least, the summon proxy one, all his spells against Roy during the fight...) so he might not have enough spell slot for this theory anyway.

My two cents anyways, I'd go with the researched spell ! :P

[littlebum2002]

The accelerating spell was in the staff, as the protection from daylight spell, correct ? Durkula did research a new spell during his time on the Mechane, but it could well be the "Accelerating spell" instead of the protection one (or maybe he has time for both, I don't remember how researching spell works in 3.5 for a Cleric... does it work for Clerics, since they are granted spells by their deities ??)

I'd maybe go with that, but then again, Durkula casted many spells in his fights during the day (one or two silences in the halls at the very least, the summon proxy one, all his spells against Roy during the fight...) so he might not have enough spell slot for this theory anyway.

My two cents anyways, I'd go with the researched spell ! :P

I had this same thought originally, but when you consider it, whether Durkula researched the spell or not is irrelevant to this dilemma.

If Durkula vamped them prior to #997, then he could have just used the staff and didn't need to prepare spells.

If they were vamped by another Creed member after #997, then Durkula preparing the spell wouldn't have helped anyway.