2014/12/22 [DMFA #1539] Worrisome Behavior

[Ganurath]

I really want to disagree with Kria, but I too have worked in retail. Lorenda must have one of those bosses that takes her sadism out on the customers, killing two birds with one stone. It's the only logical explanation.

[ZacAttac21]

Ah yes, retail... I hope Customer Season opens soon, so we can thin the herd...

[Howl]

I find a minor oddity in the fact that creature races tend to be so callous toward those who, aside from not having a pair of wings, they have no outward differences between. Yes, culture and all that, but I can pretty much guarantee that the meat industry would grind to a screeching halt if all of a sudden those beef cattle could tell people flat to their face in (whatever spoken language is correct for the region) "I'd rather not be slaughtered.".

Then again, it's not like this sort of thing hasn't happened before. That's racism for you.

[Gabi]

Yes, Lorenda deserves congratulations here, especially with her previous work history!

And apparently so do we, since we're the "cool kids", according to Amber's rant.

[Drakkenmensch]

Now Kria is really showing her age. 3 days to develop murderous rage towards customers? Nowadays, you get that taste for customer blood before lunch on the first day.

[Kajet]

Well... just give Lorenda enough time, eventually she'll get -THAT- customer that'll spark a murderous rampage.

Though, I'm surprised Kria doesn't seem to know about Lorenda's habit of eating bothersome people.

[Drakkenmensch]

Well... just give Lorenda enough time, eventually she'll get -THAT- customer that'll spark a murderous rampage.

Though, I'm surprised Kria doesn't seem to know about Lorenda's habit of eating bothersome people.

I'm guessing she already knows, and is severely disappointed that she ONLY eats people who deserved it, rather than going on cannibalistic rampages like a proper demon lady should.

[Tapewolf]

I find a minor oddity in the fact that creature races tend to be so callous toward those who, aside from not having a pair of wings, they have no outward differences between.
...
Then again, it's not like this sort of thing hasn't happened before. That's racism for you.

I dunno... while we humans sometimes discriminate by skin colour, we do really love to kill people who are basically identical but have different beliefs.

[Delian Williams]

It happened gradually, but Kria seems to have finally adopted Mab's hairstyle (except for its length and color and parting ).

I'm wondering more and more about Abel's attitude. He's taking Kria's fondness of carnage and murder sprees so calmly.
At SAIA he probably learned all about the demon race and isn't surprised by his former teacher's behavior.

What are the conclusions he has come to dealing with monsters and his personal relationships with them all his life?
He sure wants to do more in his life than look good. I'd say he's having a somewhat hard time making the best of it, but is
determined to do so: Facing adventurers, dragons, evil old shopping ladies and the customers at Lost Lake. Maybe he got
used to the monsters around him without accepting the cruelty and threats of Furrae at the same time. And maybe he is
learning more and more that his time at SAIA and his maturity has equipped him with everything he needs right now
- with a little help of his friends.

Merry Xmas everyone!

[Arcblade]

I find a minor oddity in the fact that creature races tend to be so callous toward those who, aside from not having a pair of wings, they have no outward differences between.
...
Then again, it's not like this sort of thing hasn't happened before. That's racism for you.

I dunno... while we humans sometimes discriminate by skin colour, we do really love to kill people who are basically identical but have different beliefs.

Kill, dehumanize, maim, shun, or otherwise harm, yep.  The "us vs. them" mentality is distressingly well wired into humanity.  As such, I'm not overly surprised to see it mirrored in the sentient races of Furrae.  Racism translates into species-ism and Creatures vs. Beings.

[Treesong]

I really want to disagree with Kria, but I too have worked in retail. Lorenda must have one of those bosses that takes her sadism out on the customers, killing two birds with one stone. It's the only logical explanation.

You may have been joking, but you were right on target: http://www.missmab.com/Comics/Vol_1297.php

[Scow2]

I find a minor oddity in the fact that creature races tend to be so callous toward those who, aside from not having a pair of wings, they have no outward differences between. Yes, culture and all that, but I can pretty much guarantee that the meat industry would grind to a screeching halt if all of a sudden those beef cattle could tell people flat to their face in (whatever spoken language is correct for the region) "I'd rather not be slaughtered.".

Then again, it's not like this sort of thing hasn't happened before. That's racism for you.

The creature races say "Doesn't matter what you want. You'll do what we say."

It's not the wings that make Creatures feel superior to non-creatures - it's the lack of ability to eat souls, turn invincible, or reshape the world around them at a whim that makes creatures feel superior to non-creatures.

Creatures don't die of 'old age' - they die from lack of nutrition.

[Howl]

I didn't mean the lack of wings literally. What they don't realize is that when you don't have raw power, you learn to improvise. And when you learn to improvise, you pull some phenomenal tricks out of your hat. Has the time not already come, it won't be long before Jyrras puts "Just shoot them." on the table as an answer to a creature causing catastrophic carnage with colossal collateral.

Alliteration is fun.

[Scow2]

I didn't mean the lack of wings literally. What they don't realize is that when you don't have raw power, you learn to improvise. And when you learn to improvise, you pull some phenomenal tricks out of your hat. Has the time not already come, it won't be long before Jyrras puts "Just shoot them." on the table as an answer to a creature causing catastrophic carnage with colossal collateral.

Alliteration is fun.

But what is Jyrass doing to learn to consume souls of lesser creatures to prevent himself from dying of soul-starvation before he hits his first century?

[Tapewolf]

Creatures don't die of 'old age' - they die from lack of nutrition.

Actually it looks like they die from being killed, whether by other Creatures, or by mobs of angry Beings.  Page 1298 states "Furrae's a tough world.  The vast majority of all races die long before old age catches up to them."
I am sure there was another page which said Creatures tend only to make about a tenth of their lifespan "before they get their fool heads killed", but I can't find it at the moment.

In any case, 'Creature' is a broad brush that also includes phoenixes and cart-gryphons.  Demons seem to be the ones what mostly go in for random carnage and even that might be something they tend to grow out of if they don't get themselves hunted down first.

In the long run it looks like things settle into relatively stable states, e.g. city-states protected by Creatures.

[Scow2]

Creatures don't die of 'old age' - they die from lack of nutrition.

Actually it looks like they die from being killed, whether by other Creatures, or by mobs of angry Beings.  Page 1298 states "Furrae's a tough world.  The vast majority of all races die long before old age catches up to them."
I am sure there was another page which said Creatures tend only to make about a tenth of their lifespan "before they get their fool heads killed", but I can't find it at the moment.

In any case, 'Creature' is a broad brush that also includes phoenixes and cart-gryphons.  Demons seem to be the ones what mostly go in for random carnage and even that might be something they tend to grow out of if they don't get themselves hunted down first.

In the long run it looks like things settle into relatively stable states, e.g. city-states protected by Creatures.

Yes, they get killed by other creatures, just as they kill other creatures in turn.


As for city-states defended by creatures - is that because of fear of the might of beings (Ha!), or them getting tired of playing Saint's Row and deciding to play Sim City instead?

[Tapewolf]

Yes, they get killed by other creatures, just as they kill other creatures in turn.

As for city-states defended by creatures - is that because of fear of the might of beings (Ha!), or them getting tired of playing Saint's Row and deciding to play Sim City instead?

Perhaps, but I think it might be a bit more symbiotic than that.   What Demons seem to value above all else is power and status.  At its most basic level that's infamy, i.e. proving you're well 'ard by going on a killing spree, but there are other ways of achieving that.  Being the police force and army for a city might also satisfy those needs, though I don't know, since I'm not a demon.

I wouldn't be too quick to write off Beings as a force to be reckoned with, either.  There's a lot of them, and they've had tens of thousands of years to figure out ways to defend themselves.  Heck, adventuring is a popular career choice, which I doubt it would be if it was sheer suicide with no hope of making a kill (and thus getting paid).
Heck, Dan, in his pre-'Cubi "Being mode" was good enough at killing Creatures that he was able to retire in his 20s.

EDIT: Part of it, I think, is that Demons aren't invulnerable per se.  They can make themselves nearly invulnerable by hardening their skin, but as I understand it, it's something they have to do, either consciously or reflexively.  I suspect it takes a lot of energy as well.  Point is, if you can give them a crossbow bolt in the back or the head before they know you're there, I think they'll die just like anyone else.  That, after all, is what Devin and Xander nearly did to Abel and IMHO that's not the sort of thing you'd do if the Creature is just going to shrug it off and kill you.