Minister Malack

[Ya Ta Hey!]

I wonder what he had for dinner, anyway?

I figured that he would turn out to be some kind of lizardfolk vampire, what with the bit about specialized diets that have to be eaten in private.

[GSFB]

possibly. it also could be that he eats live rodents, and simply is too polite to gross out others at dinner time.

[Mutant Sheep]

possibly. it also could be that he eats live rodents, and simply is too polite to gross out others at dinner time.

If he eats live rodents, he really IS evil! Rats and mice and rats that look like guinea pigs are awesome.

[calam]

Yeah he's probably a vampire or other undead that has a sustenance requirement. It is unlikely that he's a standard lizard folk because he mentioned a special diet. he could also be a wight which must eat people's life force.

Kind of off topic but when/if Durkon finds out that someone he befriended is undead it might give him some much needed character development.

[Incom]

Well, if Malack is undead, and given that Team Evil now knows the gate's location, and if Team Evil brings along Tsukiko... hilarity could ensue.

[Demonic1000]

I wonder what he had for dinner, anyway?

I figured that he would turn out to be some kind of lizardfolk vampire, what with the bit about specialized diets that have to be eaten in private.

He seems like a good guy. Doesn't hate on the Order or anything.

[Morquard]

It's been pointed out that Malack walked in broad daylight, so him being a vampire is unlikely

[Ya Ta Hey!]

Its true. I saw it with my own eyes!

But something is just not right. Kilkil seems genuinely scared of interrupting Malack's ritual to the underworld diety, and Malack's pardon is kind of conditional. I see privacy as a recurring theme here.

Not to mention the bloodwort tea that Durkon probably shouldn't have drunk.

[theNater]

I wonder what he had for dinner, anyway?

Probably a herbal soup of some sort. A lot of medicinal herbs have strong odors, and that would interfere with other people's enjoyment of their own meals.

But something is just not right. Kilkil seems genuinely scared of interrupting Malack's ritual to the underworld diety, and Malack's pardon is kind of conditional.

What's so wrong about that? Malack is one of the top three people in the nation. It's a little like visiting the restroom at work and seeing the head of your department in there. No matter how relaxed they are, you're gonna freak out a little.

Not to mention the bloodwort tea that Durkon probably shouldn't have drunk.

Bloodwort is good for headaches and the digestive system. Why shouldn't Durkon drink it(apart from the flavor, of course)?

[RLivengood]

possibly. it also could be that he eats live rodents, and simply is too polite to gross out others at dinner time.

I don't really see how Malack's poor health would require him to eat live rodents. Clearly, he eats blenderized rodents. In which case, "Too polite to gross out others" is still a valid theory.

[Porthos]

It's been pointed out that Malack walked in broad daylight, so him being a vampire is unlikely

Not that I believe this for a second, but he could have some sort of magic item/ability that lets him be out in the sunlight.

[derfenrirwolv]

He's not a vampire, he's standing in direct sunlight in several panels.

There was plenty of blood at the table if he was

Its possible he didn't enjoy feasting on the innocent because he's Lawful Neutral: he feels that restoring order to a chaotic continent is something that needs to be done even if its by an iron fist... but is unwilling to take part in the unnecessary slaughter of the innocent such as the feast.

[Icedaemon]

What's so wrong about that? Malack is one of the top three people in the nation. It's a little like visiting the restroom at work and seeing the head of your department in there. No matter how relaxed they are, you're gonna freak out a little.

You forgot: Who is capable of casually killing you and any witnesses with a few words, working in a place where the most he would get for that would be a fine and some tut-tut-ing, given his status and who seems to be really insistent on privacy.

Malack does seem to be the 'neutral, working for evil people' sort indeed. His pointing out that the god of death and destruction should be neutral and such had a slight tinge of justification and clerics are after all supposed to have exemplary sense motive, so Durkon might well detect some casual evil notes if Malack were a true villain.

[Flame of Anor]

He seems like a good guy. Doesn't hate on the Order or anything.

Neutral guy, by his own implication.

[GSFB]

The bathroom comment totally reminded me of "Robocop" by the way...

[snikrept]

It's unlikely that he's undead, even one that can face full sunlight, since he serves a Death god. Undead would be a pretty big sin against his own religion.

[hamishspence]

Repose deities might disapprove of the undead, but not necessarily Death deities.

I could easily see Nerull or maybe Wee Jas allowing their clerics to become liches- so why not Nergal?

[NerfTW]

clerics are after all supposed to have exemplary sense motive, so Durkon might well detect some casual evil notes if Malack were a true villain.

As Rich has already pointed out in another thread, and as others have said over time, even if Malack were evil, Durkon is a willing guest in his home. He hasn't seen him commit any outright evil acts, might not know about the slaves, and is trying to be a good guest so the Order can gain information. He's not Miko. Until Malack makes an overtly evil act, Durkon has no quarrel with him.

As for slavery, killing Malack isn't exactly going to take down the entire regime. It would be pointless to start a fight that will help nothing and only delay their main quest. Durkon's a cleric with a strong sense of duty, not a zealot.

[Icedaemon]

I did not mean and am surprised it was read as 'if Durkon does feel that Malack is evil, they would fight', but rather 'If Malack were as clearly evil as Tarquin, Durkon would likely know by now, as probably would we the readers'.

[Lappy9000]

Maybe he just has a special diet. I know I have one, and wouldn't want to offend any well-to-do's at an official banquet by refusing the expensive and fancy cuisine.

[Querzis]

...or you know, hes an albino Lizardfolk which most likely means he has a very low CON score and therefore really need a special diet for his health.

I could easily see Nerull or maybe Wee Jas allowing their clerics to become liches- so why not Nergal?

Well it depends on the death god and the fictional universe, I saw some consider undead as cheating death and ask their followers to destroy them on sight or some consider undead to still be dead anyway and use them as minion. So basically, it mostly depends on Rich cause I saw both approach and they are both valid reasoning in my opinion. Although mind you, for the record, in a world where every sentient undead means a dead soul isnt in the afterlife it should belong too, I definitly think hating undeads make more sense then using them as minions for a Death God.

[Retech]

A ghast?!? TURN UNDEAD

[Zubzub]

Wouldnt the order be able to understand the difference between an undead lizardfolk and an albino lizardfolk by the appearance anyway?

[Snails]

It's unlikely that he's undead, even one that can face full sunlight, since he serves a Death god. Undead would be a pretty big sin against his own religion.

While I personally agree with your point that undeath would most likely be very offensive to a God of Death, we would be in the minority.

Authors of D&D material seem to not be able to resist putting undead amongst the priesthood and prominent worshippers of similar gods.

So if the OotSverse is emulating a campaign that has fairly common D&D norms, then Malack most certain can be undead.

I wish you were right, but I afraid your argument cannot be expected to hold water. Sorry.

[Snails]

Wouldnt the order be able to understand the difference between an undead lizardfolk and an albino lizardfolk by the appearance anyway?

Some kinds of undead are known for being very non-obvious, except for a somewhat unusual degree of pallor. Albinoism would cover that up nicely.

I still vote for vampire.

Admittedly standing in sunlight is a strike against, but I do not think that is an insurmountable problem for NPCs well into the realm of double-digit levels.

The charming thing about this hypothesis is it suggests a means for Belkar to "breathe his last" without being gone from the strip. Recall that Malack and friends had a slightly odd conversation around the subject of "family" with that "special bond".

[veti]

Neutral guy, by his own implication.

Why should we take his word for that?

Just for the moment, imagine you're evil, and your brief is to befriend and distract or detain the other party's LG cleric while your teammates wipe out his teammates.

Wouldn't you pretend to be LN? Particularly if you don't even have to tell a direct lie to do so.

We haven't seen him making anything that even approximates to a moral decision. All we know for sure is that he's close friends with Tarquin, who is evil on a level that eclipses everyone short of Xykon.

Bottom line: our only evidence for Malack's alignment is highly suspect.

[ORione]

Why should we take his word for that?

Just for the moment, imagine you're evil, and your brief is to befriend and distract or detain the other party's LG cleric while your teammates wipe out his teammates.

Wouldn't you pretend to be LN? Particularly if you don't even have to tell a direct lie to do so.

We haven't seen him making anything that even approximates to a moral decision. All we know for sure is that he's close friends with Tarquin, who is evil on a level that eclipses everyone short of Xykon.

Bottom line: our only evidence for Malack's alignment is highly suspect.

Excellent point. The only thing is that the person you quoted was using the evidence to argue against LG. I agree that Malack's probably either LN or LE.

[dtilque]

Not to mention the bloodwort tea that Durkon probably shouldn't have drunk.

I think he managed to neutralize any evil influences by drowning them with his .. ah ... "magic potion".


I always assumed Malack had the same thing the steward brought V: hummus. No evidence for this, just a hunch.

[Sunken Valley]

He can't be undead: no black speech balloons

[hamishspence]

Sometimes speech balloons don't follow the general rules- maybe because the character is keeping up a masquerade.

Sabine is a demon, yet does not have a coloured balloon. Where normally, Outsiders do.