The sky is falling
Five hundred eighty one days
Friday be freaking


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I do remember that trying to drink blood from a guy who had eaten a bunch of garlic would mess them up but.....
um, vamps that are higher up on the chain are closer to the original vampire and so they are more powerful but less resistant (compared to newer vamps who are further away from the original vampire so they are less vampiric thus resulting in less power but more resistance).
That or they 'evolved' more.

We know Vryk are more resistant to garlic so maybe MM used enough to stun Sam but its only enough to be annoying to MM.

Or Minion Master was wearing a helmet with filters. And he took his helmet off because he wanted to boost his hearing because he though he heard something (his sister). And drama.


Also, regarding the Vryk who could 'fly' back in the day. Just say they are gliding after super jumping.

And I know it hasn't been addressed yet, but I like to think that Sam would have taken helped MM if he knew he was injured. Sam was too busy getting scolded and being grumbly to notice.

Those are some good explanations there, Endplanets. Those should be Pete-approved.

I keep forgetting the differences between the three kinds of vampire. Someone should write them down.

Boy, Vampire Minion Master is much less likeable than Human Minion Master. What an ignominious end.

I am liking the faster-seeming pace of this. But...

Is it too much to hope for that this storyline elevates Sam a bit (or more) beyond the group idiot in terms of character development? A sense of responsibility would be a start, or just less ego. Because MM is right, this particular turn is all Sam's fault. And everyone else has grown pretty significantly as characters, except for him, Kiki and in some ways Bun Bun, although in his case we've been given a whole lot of backstory. But Sam is still just a bumbling two-dimensional dolt, which really stands out (not necessarily in a good way) when compared to everyone else.

I get the need for jokes and levity, especially in the face of how serious the overall tone of this strip has become, and that's fine. But you have a whole character dedicated to it, a character that would actually be useful in the group's efforts if he were at all competent, or at least less likely to massively screw things up, like with N'aaww or Sasha, and now MM. How often should the plot advance because Sam just didn't come through, when he was more than capable of doing so?

Sorry, Pete. He just bugs me. I just think he's either gotta get his act together or just be cut loose completely.


Oh, and I'm not convinced that's Isabella. Not until the helmet comes off.

Arminius had *silver* in his blood when he fought Grabrijan and Phillinnon. The only reference to Vrykolakas being weak to Garlic I could find was when a group of them crashed the Vampire Hunter convention known as Garlic-neckcon Unless you're referring to events in the Sampire comic book?

Poor Izzy.

As for Vamp abilities lessee

Vorpyr (Lysinda):
Can't cross a threshold unless invited
Immobilized (shriveled) but not killed by a stake to the heart
Burned by sunlight
Weakend by garlic
Can fly
Killed by decapitation and head being stuffed with garlic
Can compel lessers of their circle to do their will
Can compel mortals in some cases
Mind reading
3 day ceremony to make new Vorpyr
Recoil from Holy Symbols
Faces switch between normal and vampire modes

Vrykolakas:
Burned by silver
Burned by sunlight
Killed outright by a stake to the heart
Masters can mist.
CAN'T fly, but can jump quite high and far (mist forms can float, and possibly fly)
CAN cross thresholds.
Masters can see through their minions eyes/ control their minions outright
Not weak to garlic
Victims drained completely rise as new Vrykolakas
Unlcear how masters are created
Unaffected by holy symbols

Strakoi
Can walk in sunlight.
Killed by decapitation and being set on fire
Fairly potent magical abilities
Reaction to Garlic unknown
Unclear how new ones are created
Immobilized (shriveled) but not killed by a stake to the heart (Thanks Lord Golbez!)

This is a typical thing on American forums for TV shows and other entertainment. To intellectually call for "character development". I mean, I like Americans. But every country has some quirks floating around, and this is an American one, along with saying "literally" when something isn't literal. These people would look at the Mona Lisa and the Sixteenth Chapel and say, "Yeah, but they looked that way last year too".

Thanks! That's more than I imagined. You can see why Sylvia would call the Vrykolakas rats, the masters have a lot to gain by making a large number of vampire minions, who they control easily and can then kill as needed with no trouble. They can't control humans or fly, so numerous vampire minions is their tool.

How fitting for the Minion Master to end up as a Vrykolakas. Except he's a bit down the ladder.

Hey, you're the one looking at the sixteenth version of it, not us. We think Michaelangelo's original is pretty swell.

Geeze MM. I do believe you've become quite the jerk since you became a vampire.

For now...

Strakoi are also apparently immobilized but not killed by a stake to the heart.

Dang. I have a guess about next week, and even if it's what I (and others) expect, it's going to be good.

Monday, Monday...

To the above comments.... Leave Sam as he is. He's already the perfect Sampire!

Nothing wrong with a flawed character in stories. Why should everyone be driven like Torg or Riff? Whom ALSO began as an idiot pun duo? Not everyone needs to self-actualize. Most people in the world never do. It's not a videogame...they all don't need to level up. It's also just boring story telling if everyone is perfect and acts the same. Sam is the endearingly stupid muscle.

If anything, I'm hoping you don't change Minion Master TOO much, TOO quickly, Pete. Yes, he has to act evil now as a vampire under Vryko mind control. But I hope you leave some of his personality quirks intact. Also, if he suddenly becomes super battle-awesome, try to add HOW. Most Vryko vamp's that we've seen aren't too hot.

I like how it's going, anyway! Awesome storyline!

Ha! I said Vyrkolakas are less effected by garlic and got a lecture telling me I was wrong.

I think some people see Sam a little like zhoas. A character more or less created for the purpose of one running joke and is pretty offensive overall. One difference with Sam though is that every now and then you see him almost evolve a little, but he always returns to form. He's done much worse than abandon MM too. The Sampire comic shows just how low he can go.

While I never really enjoyed zhoas, I've always loved Sam and don't really want him to change. He's just too lovabley stupid and I'd like him to be at the endgame (he was at the start!). I can empathise with those who aren't crazy about him though.