ouch! How many hit points does Pun Strike cost? 
That looks like a carpet runner and not sunlight to me.
Durkevil seems to be reveling in his deception of Roy. He also doesn’t like having his hands tied. Unlike Malack, he doesn’t seem particularly lawful. Could be NE though. (Note that Malack’s living inmate was probably chaotic, being a barbarian and all.)
Also: Schkrct!
If you look at the first three panels, it’s got the same greenish outline as the sunbeams downstairs had, so I think it’s sunlight.
Which may or may not be significant, of course.
Obligatory StaffWatch™ posting: It’s on the floor of the main meeting area.
StaffWatch™: Your go-to source for panel by panel commentary on the location of the vampire staff.
While it does have the same outline as the main floor squares that look like sunlight, it also goes through a doorway in the second to last panel, which indicates carpet.
Could be an art error, could be the sunlight penumbra and the carpet are drawn the same way, could be oddly shaped carpet in the main hall. If it needs to be sunlight, it will be made clear at the appropriate time.
Perhaps by a recently level Belkster that took a point of wisdom… just enough so he can cast Dispel Magic from a scroll? Well, rangers don’t have dispel magic, plus it would be unlikely for Death’s lil helper to be carrying around a scroll he can’t use. Maybe a flying Vaarsuvius outside the window. There’s a couple of ways around Protection from Daylight spell.
Judging from this comic (for example) I’m guessing it’s a design in the floor itself. The “light” areas in no way correspond with the windows even when the window is right next to the areas.
But, that said, the place is filled with large windows so there’s sunlight all over the place.
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Take two comparably powered players and vamp one of them. It stands to reason that the unvamped player loses in a one-on-one. Admittedly Durkevil took some damage from Belkar. Plus stuff. I think Roy will need some outside help though.
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Would Bandanna order one of her shipmates to keep an eye on the castle? Would that even be necessary? Most probably and no: the ship’s navigator is likely to notice an ejected hobbit, unless perhaps the event occurred out of view. How the team responds is another matter.
Vampires have a +8 LA in the SRD; the CR of +2 assumes they’re facing a balanced party of four - Roy’s going solo!
How about “inside”?
I don’t think Roy has an actual chance, but since this style of vampire possession is new to us, it’s possible trauma might leave an opening for Durkon to break free, or at least do something.
I dunno, this whole deal is about twisting the strict rules of the Godsmoot in Hel’s favor. That’s pretty much the definition of LE.
He got a devil when he cast Planar Ally, so he was lawful then. However he was still Malack’s thrall at the time, so I don’t know if that affects anything.
Sure, but a these levels proficiency alone is not enough. Sure, he’ll hit but if you don’t have the truckload of feats to go with your pointy stick and make it do some damage, you might as well go home. This goes doubly for archery (which does crap damage on the whole, to be compensated by firing a billion arrows a turn) and especially against a vamp since they have some damage resistance IIRC, which in 3.5 at least is the death knell of archery barring special arrows. Ironically, the flung spear is a good option since that allows Roy to use his massive strength - but thrown weapons have their heap of downsides too, and need (you guessed it) feats to make them shine.
Hey, he tried going for a glaive-guisarme-glaive-glaive once ! 
Works for me.
Roy should still have a backup ranged weapon, because even without the boatload of feats, a bow is a heck of a lot better than nothing, and there are a lot of situations where melee just isn’t an option.
OTOH, cracks in the floor where the point of the sword enters argue strongly AGAINST carpet.
Yup. and it’s exactly the same color as some patches that clearly are meant to be sunlight. I have to vote for sunlight.
But if they dust him, they can’t ressurect him. Maybe that’s okay.
I’m seeing that second to last letter as an L – it’s less hookier on top than the second from first. Besides Schkrlt sounds wetter.
It doesn’t have to be carpet. It could be different colored stone or tile. The place was created with divine magic by guys following the elemental forces of earth – makes more sense that it would be fancy stonework than someone bringing in a bunch of carpeting.
That was nearly 900 strips ago when they were only level 9.
Durkon’s AC isn’t going to be that high against Roy’s improved AB.
Durkon (not Durkula) would have had an AC of 21 (+8 plate, +1 shield, +2 amulet) - there’s no indication that the shield or armour are magic. If you allow the heirloom shield to be masterwork then you get AC 22. As a vampire, Durkula gets to add another +6 Natural Armour bonus to that, and possibly a Dex bonus of +1 (max dex bonus for full plate) so has AC 29. But Durkula isn’t using his shield so has AC 27.
Roy has (before negative levels) a BAB of at least +14, Str of at least 24 for +7, a +5 sword, and +1 for Weapon Focus for a total of +27. This means he hits Durkula’s AC 27 on a 2+. Four negative levels mean an AB of +23 thus he hits on a 4+ or better - still most of the time.
If Durkula has cast Magic Vestment, he gets another +3 AC which means Roy hits on a 7+ or better even with four negative levels. Again, Roy still hits most of the time.