Vaarsuvius saves the Order from the swarm of vampires by erecting a force cage around the party, potentially trapping them for the next 34 hours.
Cast
- The Order of the Stick
- Mr. Scruffy ◀ ▶
- Blackwing ◀ ▶
- Minrah Shaleshoe ◀ ▶
- Vampire Dwarf with Blue Beard and Bald Head (5) ◀ ▶
- Vampire Dwarf with Blue Beard and Balding Head (1) ◀ ▶
- Vampire Dwarf with Blue Shirt and Beard (7) ◀ ▶
- Vampire Dwarf with Brown Beard (2) ◀ ▶
- Vampire Dwarf with Curly Beard and Hair (13) ◀
- Vampire Dwarf with Blue Curly Hair (14) ◀ ▶
- Vampire Dwarf with Gray Beard (9) ◀ ▶
- Vampire Dwarf with Green Beard and Bald Head (12) ◀ ▶
- Vampire Dwarf with Green Bun (10) ◀ ▶
- Vampire Dwarf with Green Messy Hair (8) ◀ ▶
- Vampire Dwarf with Purple Dress (6) ◀ ▶
- Vampire Dwarf with Red Ponytail (3) ◀ ▶
- Vampire Dwarf with Short Green Hair (4) ◀ ▶
- Vampire Dwarf with Straight Blue Hair (11) ◀ ▶
- Vampire Dwarf with Brown Ponytail (17) ▶
- Vampire Dwarf with Green Beard and Hair (15) ▶
- Vampire Dwarf with Green Shirt (16) ▶
- Vampire Dwarf with Black Hair ▶
Transcript
- Panel 1, Page 1
The vampires leap at the Order from all sides.
Haley: LOOK OUT!
- Panel 1, Page 2
Vaarsuvius: Forcecage!
Vampire Dwarf with Curly Beard and Hair: Rrrrr!
He seizes them by their cloak
- Panel 2, Page 2
The forcecage appears, "WHOMM!" Two vampires run into it, "POK! POK!"
- Panel 3, Page 2
Blackwing: V!!
Minrah: Thor's ding-a-ling! One got inside!
- Panel 4, Page 2
Minrah strikes the vampire with her hammer, "BONK!"
Minrah: Leggo!
Vampire Dwarf with Curly Beard and Hair: Grrrar!
- Panel 5, Page 2
Roy charges in and impales the vampire with his flaming Greenhilt Sword, "SHTHRK!", killing him
- Panel 6, Page 2
The vampire's corpse disappears in smoke as Roy puts up his sword.
- Panel 7, Page 2
Roy: OK...OK, I think we're clear. Quick thinking, V. Are you OK?
Vaarsuvius: I have suffered some reduced life energy, but I believe I will be fine, yes.
- Panel 8, Page 2
Roy: So...it looks like I may have miscalculated the number of vampires.
Roy: We can't let them drain our levels before we even get to Durkon, so everyone get ready to fight when V's spell runs out.
- Panel 9, Page 2
beat
- Panel 10, Page 2
Roy: This is one of those spells that lasts twenty-four hours, isn't it?
Vaarsuvius: And yet I feel that if I corrected you now to point out that it will last thirty-four hours, that would be considered too much information.
D&D Context
- Forcecage is a 7th level wizard spell which crates a cube or cage of force around a volume. The duration of the spell is 2 hours per level, so V is casting the spell as a 17th level caster (34 hour duration). Blackwing has an Ioun Stone that he stole from Laurin Shattersmith[1] and had crafted into a bracelet.[2] This item grants V +1 caster level when Blackwing is nearby, so V is still 16th level as of this strip. The spell is resistant to Dispel Magic, but it can be destroyed by Disintegrate, a Rod of Cancellation, or a Sphere of Annihilation.
- Vampires have an Energy Drain attack which temporarily (and potentially permanently) strips the target of experience levels. It is not clear if these are full vampires or the weaker vampire spawn, but likely they are the latter, in which case V has been drained of one level rather than two. The short term effects are -1 on skill, ability, attack, and saving throw rolls, -5 hit points, -1 effective level, and the loss of one prepared spell of V's highest level (8th level). In 24 hours the effect will either wear off, or become a permanent level loss depending on the outcome of a Fortitude Saving Throw.
Trivia
- This is the only other appearance of the vampire dwarf with the curly beard and hair who is destroyed. He first appeared in the previous strip.
- This is the first appearance of four more vampire dwarves: the ones with the brown ponytail, green beard and hair, green shirt, and black hair.
- In Panel 1, Page 2, the vampire dwarf with the curly beard and hair uses a white speech bubble instead of the normal black speech bubbles for vampires and other undead.
External Links
References
- ↑ Comic #935, "Caster Fight"
- ↑ Comic #967, "Craft Wondrous Bauble"