When a webcomic updates but you don't want to make a huge deal out of it, what you do

[Menarker]

Very true, but Nale previously always tends to botch one of his plans due to his lack of impulse control. This time he actually managed to stay under the radar of an experienced professional high level character long enough to bide his time, observing until the opportune moment.

[tacticslion]

My guess?

Nale simply took advantage of the situation to do what he does best: deceit and betrayal.

While Nale has - so far - inevitably done something to ruin his own plans, keep in mind that he's generally been exceedingly patient up until the 'breakdown'... which is pretty much what this is. It's Nale's breakdown, his end to patience. The difference here is that all the circumstances are on his side.

That's really the big deal here, I'd say: the scenario-changer.

[MuMu]

So, DnD Nerds, what happens with Durkon now? I know he won't miraculously turn back but something probably will change.

[Mr.Bookworm]

Originally Posted by MuMu

So, DnD Nerds, what happens with Durkon now? I know he won't miraculously turn back but something probably will change.

Now that Malack's dead, he gets his free will back. The books don't specify beyond that. He might be all evil, because his alignment didn't change, or he might just go back to being who he used to be.

[Aldurin]

Originally Posted by Mr.Bookworm

Now that Malack's dead, he gets his free will back. The books don't specify beyond that. He might be all evil, because his alignment didn't change, or he might just go back to being who he used to be.

I expect an alignment conflict as he copes with what he is and fights the urges of being a vampire. At least Malack's parting gift means he won't necessarily suffer the same sunny fate.

[tacticslion]

Originally Posted by Aldurin

I expect an alignment conflict as he copes with what he is and fights the urges of being a vampire. At least Malack's parting gift means he won't necessarily suffer the same sunny fate.

Yeah, you guys thoroughly covered it.

I'm still expecting "grave" things (d'ohohohoh!) based on the twin prophecies that a) he'd bring catastrophe to his people, and b) he'd return to them posthumously.

I'm wondering if he'll still feel the friendship that he did so strongly with Malak before.

[Amake]

Yeah, the prophecies make it seem inevitable that Dwarfland will darken under Durkon's vampire scourge. It seems so obvious in fact that I'd bet money on it not happening. Except that half of it is print book-only information, which is supposed to not be essential to following the story. It could really go either way. Unless I'm thinking too much about it.

Anyway. Traditionally you'd expect Durkon to be conflicted about the mere fact of being undead. He has, shall we say, feelings towards things that are affected by Turn Undead that are like on the same level of Tsukiko but in the other direction. It should be a question if he wants to stay un-alive long enough to struggle with bloodthirst etc. It's never been conceivable for Durkon to quit on any level, and if he remembers that he's going to be the nicest vampire ever, but I expect he might be somewhat rattled.

[Loyal]

Chances are Durkon will regain his free will and rejoin the Order, after some humorous and/or heartwrenching misunderstandings. With the cleric abilities and better numbers (one of the summoned creatures is Durkon's, after all), the Order will have a much better time fighting the Elemental and fleeing. Not sure whether Nale will try to fight them, but with it being just him and the drow, escape is more likely.

I doubt Nale will be able to get one up on his father, or at least not yet, but the loss of Malack will force Tarquin to fall back and regroup for a time. He might even decide to fully commit his resources to assisting the Order (or at least trying to, they obviously have no reason to trust him), once he realizes that Nale cannot be controlled reliably enough to make capturing/harnessing the final gate a realistic objective.

e: another possibility is that Nale somehow convinces Tarquin that the Order is responsible for Malack's final death, which would be very bad news, but Tarquin is too savvy about literary tropes to fall for that, especially if he makes any attempt to communicate with Elan whatsoever.

[Menarker]

Chances are that things are going to be rocky on the cleric side since Durkon is going to struggle with the very real possibility that, as a vampire, his relationship with Thor is going to be heavily strained if not broken.

[tacticslion]

It's a possibility, but Thor's bent, if not outright broken, the rules for Durkon before. I'd not be surprised if he did it again.

On the Gunnerkrigg Court, I'm reading the comments of people going, "No! Don't kill Hetty, that'd be evil too!" or similar.

I get that they're equating killing with murder, but beyond the fact that we still don't know if he's killing the prawn-spirit or liberating it, Hetty has nearly admitted to murdering a young girl and then slowly working up towards murdering a young boy for the 'crime' of not knowing she exists when she explicitly kept her existence hidden from him.

Rey, then, isn't killing for any sort of personal desires beyond simply caring about people, and the killing of Hetty isn't cruelty, it's good sense and justice.

And, you know, he might be freeing her instead. So, you know.