It was. An incorrect call to the section detailed above, perhaps because the template uses calls in a previous version of VB?
Who knows
PHP Code:
<if condition="$show['avatar']"><td class="alt2"><a href="member.php?$session[sessionurl]u=$post[userid]"><img src="$post[avatarurl]" $post[avwidth] $post[avheight] alt="<phrase 1="$post[username]">$vbphrase[xs_avatar]</phrase>" border="0" />
The Avatar call in that section of code comes from the default style. And substituting that image call for the avatar in place of the one above makes everything work cherry.