At level 1, SM1 is a really bad spell, because it doesn’t last long enough to do anything. But when you’re level 15 or 16, what the heck else are you going to use those first-level slots for?
He stabbed her in the back with the stake but the vampire responds by attempting to cast Harm before he cuts her head off. So we can safely assume that he missed her heart because a vampire staked through the heart is instantly paralyzed and can’t cast spells at you.
The Order isn’t playing a game though, they just live in a world in which the game rules are the accepted laws of reality. They don’t have “players” or a DM to ask questions to.
To late to edit: Actually, re-looking at it, he stabbed her with the dagger in his left hand, the stake mysteriously disappears when he uses his right hand to hang on while beheading her, then the stake re-appears in the panel where she turns to mist. So she was never staked.
No doubt about this one.
And I had just checked like 5 minutes ago to see if there was a new strip.
So Belkar did it! And Hilgya is un-dominated. So no TPK for Durkula.
I love this so much.
I liked Durkon baring his chest for Belkar. I also liked, though it might not be strictly within the rules, that the Dominations seem to cease with the death of the caster. Neat that Burlew wrote Durkon’s victory as only a very brief one over Greg, but it was long enough. And that’s an even better reason to wait to spring the trap until you know you have people ready and willing to dust you that second.
Now we get to see what Hilgya’s going to do.
And thus does Durkon’s character arc come to a climax. I’m assuming that either he gets brought back or we get a decent afterlife denouement, given Burlew’s storytelling style.
ETA: Also, Hel’s gonna be pissed off. Hoo boy.
Note that the aura around Belkar has disappeared.
Yup, thar will be Hel to pay.
Second to last panel, he’s turning it off.
I just re-read a bunch of strips from the Order of the Stick books with my daughter last night while her legs hurt too much to sleep, and Durkon’s death was one of them. It made both of us cry. I’m so happy that Durkon’s captivity is finally over (I’m assuming). It’s guess it’s a good thing for the world that Durkon didn’t actually “get ta go home” back then.
I also have so many questions about what happens to Greg’s soul now, if it even still exists. But much more importantly, regarding Durkon’s soul: this DOES count as “falling in battle” and “dying with honor,” right? He gets to go to the Lawful Good afterlife and meet Thor and whatnot?
So the aura wasn’t rage, it was the Protection from Evil effect.
Man, Durkon is quietly the most badass member of the Order. I love a character who can assess, plan and execute without making a big deal about it.
Durkon died in the strip you cited and it was an honorable death, since it was in battle. The fact that his soul was trapped for a while makes no difference. The “death” of the vampire, whether honorable or not, has no effect on his afterlife. Since he’s now been released, he goes to Valhalla and raises a mug with Thor and the other heroes there.
It looks like there’s something left of the vampire (dust, no doubt) in the chair. They can use that to Resurrect Durkon. As I understand it, the negative energy being (Greg) doesn’t even go back to Hel, but just kind of vanishes.
I have to feel that Durkon may have acted a little too quickly. Let’s not forget this was a sideshow; the main event is the Council of Clans voting. And Durkula already sent the Exarch off to handle that.
So while the Order of the Stick is congratulating itself for defeating Durkula and mourning Durkon, the Exarch could do whatever the plan was, swing the vote, and deliver the universe to Hel after all.
Durkon should have taken a minute to tell Roy, or even Belkar, what was going on so they could defeat the Exarch.
Roy is unconscious, so he’d have to tell Belkar.
There’s actually three vampires still around in this town, plus one back at the Godsmoot. The ex-Exarch took No-Name wtih him plus the one that ran off when Belkar attacked Ponchula in the last strip. I think No-Name is just a spawn, but the other two are regular vampires. Chances are the one that ran off went to Gontula.
Or that could be him turning from Evil to Neutral.
Maybe. Given the placement of his hand, I’m going with Belkar deactivated it once he thought he no longer needed it.
So what happened here? Stabbed through the heart, no paralysis, turned to gas or dust.