2016/11/14 [DMFA #1710] - Two in the Piñata

[Tapewolf]

From the Katbox version:  "Usually one of the few ways to get a Taun clan member to go to your party is to have a pinata."

I wonder if Dan will now ask Cyra if he can visit her?  Then again, he still seems to be a bit overawed by the size of clan leaders.

[Dard]

First: That is really not a good mental image...

Second: Interesting that Taun does not seem to hold any grudges against Cyra. Quite on the contrary. Considering Tauns character I expected her to have a lot of reason to dislike Cyra very much considering what she did. OTOH she probably knows how much Cyra regrets what she has done.

[Cassi-kun]

I always figured the power surge of ascension was the final cut-off for failure, but I hadn't considered the impact of the physical transformation.

Hennya probably would have liked meat pinatas, though perhaps not made of people.

[Foxx Trotter]

Noticing a couple pauses in Taun's remarks, she may be attempting to choose her words wisely while communicating with Dan.  She could be aware that Dan has been through some emotional distraught recently and doesn't want to put him through more than he can handle.  While Taun is a great warrior, she is most likely also a great councilor (possibily better than Fa'Lina) due to the fact her clan happens to endure much emotional distress during any battles they may encounter.  There are some that don't take death and destruction as well as others, but Taun knows such tragic events will take place and they need a way to cope with them.  Jeremiah may be a prime example.  Although he is a member the Taun Clan and has had warrior training, there is still a bit of fear within him as noticed during the clan meeting...especially with someone as intimidating as Zezzuva.  Fear is definitely not a good thing to have on your shoulder while in battle.

Cyra may be trying to show some positive emotion from time to time, but in realism, she is drained.  Granted the affinity of Cyra Clan is pain (though I'm sure she is having second thoughts about it), drawing off her own pain may not be the best way of handling things though she knows that the guilty conscience of her actions at Hishaan and the tragic events that followed during the Dragon-Cubi War will haunt her through life.  Cyra's second mishap was extending the life of her daughter Destania beyond the natural lifespan in hopes of keeping her clan alive.  While it worked, and Destania eventually gave birth to Dan, there were many significant happenings which caused Destania to practically become a monster over time...being cooped up at SAIA for centuries, her embattled relationship with Aniz and later with his son Abel, her husband Edward being captured and held captive by the dragons (although this is a preumption, we don't know for sure) and her dire hatred of the dragon race overall.  Right now, the only happy point in the lives of both Cyra and Destania is Dan.  While hoping that Dan doesn't follow the same path as they did, the continued downward spiral of Destania's demeanor is not making it easy.  Granted there may still be some joy left somewhere within Destania, it is becoming much harder to find as her mind is generally become "single track" toward disaster and full speed ahead.

[Tapewolf]

Second: Interesting that Taun does not seem to hold any grudges against Cyra. Quite on the contrary. Considering Tauns character I expected her to have a lot of reason to dislike Cyra very much considering what she did. OTOH she probably knows how much Cyra regrets what she has done.

Taun seems to be all about saving 'Cubi wherever possible and Cyra Clan is very definitely on the endangered list.  It's not like Cyra knew that she was going to trigger such a massive backlash against her race, after all - and I think Amber once mentioned that the war would have happened anyway, she just hastened the process.

[Cassi-kun]

If Cyra had "only" killed M'chek, it's possible things wouldn't have turned out so badly for Cubi as a whole. But Cyra specifically states that he was harvesting the souls of "everyone in the city, including his own children." The backlash that turned Hishaan to glass almost definitely took MULTIPLE dragons out with it.

[Foxx Trotter]

A valid point, Tapewolf.  It is possible that Hizell may be looking for a possible single race domination of Furrae, well ahead of the events at Hishaan that took down a respected dragon comrade in M'Chek.  The Cubi would be a formidable threat in their path, although other dragons may prefer to compromise and have all creature races live on Furrae equally without major controversy.  I'm sure there are many dragons that despise Hizell and his plans, his son Pyroduck included.  Just like Cubi, there are most likely good and bad dragons on Furrae.  Unfortunately, the good dragons are not powerful enough to take down Hizell and his clan themselves are are reluctant to ask for help due to other races disliking dragons overall after events of the Dragon-Cubi War.  Cyra mentioned to Dan that M'Chek was harvesting souls of residents at Hishaan, although it has not officially been confirmed.  I'd expect that Zezzuva and her clan were looking into the incident after the war.  They most likely didn't have access to Hishaan at the time as it was (and probably still is), to the effect, being guarded by dragons.  Nonetheless, with the selfish behavior of Zezzuva, it probably wouldn't have mattered.  She is most likely to see someone as guilty until proven innocent without having all the facts.  In Cyra's case, while it is obvious that she was guilty for causing the Dragon-Cubi War, we still don't know as to what extent.  If what Cyra told Dan was actually true, she unsuspectingly did a favor for the residents of Hishaan although still costing them their lives.  It would be souls being set free instead of going to the dragons.

EDIT: After looking at a comic posting from a few months ago, I found a probable motive regarding the dragons' actions.  Some may have already seen it.  With Zezzuva soon sacrificing her leadership, most of the investigative responsibilities will likely fall on Nact'Larn and her clan although some of Zezzuva's members may continue to help out. I'd expect the new Insectis-Cubi clan will have a different role in the race.

There are still many clues and events yet to unfold on Furrae.

[Jack McSlay]

Think of the implications; that means Fa'lina's actual breasts are far larger

[Dard]

Cyra certainly did not know the extent of the tragedy she cause, but she should have. Well, maybe not the Dragon-Cubi war, but destroying an entire city is bound to cause a lot of hatred to her and her kin. And even if you don't add up all the non-cubi casualities from the city itself (which she should) there is still the question how many cubi died in the deed itself.

No matter how to look at it, Cyra is to blame.
Given how much she apparently regrets what she has done is speaking in her favour, but there are bound to be a lot of people for whom this is not enough.

One more thing Taun's sympathetic comment told me: The likelyhood that Cyra's grief is not an act has increased. I very, very, very much doubt that Taun is someone who would fall easily for such a kind of deception.
As for Cyra herself: Considering how Destania turned out, I always thought it possible (although not very likely) that Cyra was and still is just as bad.

[Tapewolf]

Cyra certainly did not know the extent of the tragedy she cause, but she should have. Well, maybe not the Dragon-Cubi war, but destroying an entire city is bound to cause a lot of hatred to her and her kin.

She didn't set out to do that either, though.  Her plan was a common-or-garden usurpation, i.e. murdering M'Chek and setting herself up in his place.  Ruling the city was the idea - not wiping it off the map.

As for Cyra herself: Considering how Destania turned out, I always thought it possible (although not very likely) that Cyra was and still is just as bad.

It is possible.  If it is, there's not much that can be done about it without breaking Dan.

[Foxx Trotter]

That is why such stories have these great ingredients called suspense and/or cliffhangers.   We'll find out the answers soon enough.

[ChaosMageX]

Well, this is quite interesting, in how it applies to the Epsilon Project.  Warning: Spoilers.  [spoiler]I don't seem to recall a certain incubus professor plastering the desert with his guts when his ascension failed--he simply slumped over and died rather anticlimactically, leaving a fully intact corpse behind.  In fact:

Not only that, but his ending is the most anticlimactic death for an attempted for a cubi to reach Tri-wing status.

Originally he was going to explode, but Amber told me that the most common failure mode was that they simply drop dead.  "Magic loves an anticlimax" I believe she said.  So I went with that.  Less cinematic, but arguably more realistic and definitely more personal.

[/spoiler]

Maybe Taun has just been lucky so far and has only witnessed the rare gruesome failures so far without seeing any of the more common boring ones, though I find that hard to believe given her age.  Weird.  Or maybe she just doesn't recall them because they're so blasé they aren't worth remembering.

[Amber Williams]

Maybe Taun has just been lucky so far and has only witenessed the rare gruesome failures so far without seeing any of the more common boring ones, though I find that hard to believe given her age.  Weird.  Or maybe she just doesn't recall them because they're so blasé they aren't worth remembering.

This is also the reason I tend to try to tell people to be very careful about information gathered via forums and twitters and page-notes that haven't yet hit actual comic.  While there are some things that are pretty solid, there is also a lot of stuff that shifts and edits on the cutting room floors until final production and changes around.  Especially when it is on matters that at the time of some questions, there wasn't really a proper framework to guess from so a lot of the answers likely haven't had time to properly mull about and beat out the kinks.

Basically, until it hits actual comic...there is always a likelyhood things may change.  Really on that matter Tape is a thrillseeker since I suspect I've on more than one occasion inadvertedly mucked up his storylines.

[ChaosMageX]

Well, this is quite interesting, in how it applies to the Epsilon Project.  Warning: Spoilers.  [spoiler]I don't seem to recall a certain incubus professor plastering the desert with his guts when his ascension failed--he simply slumped over and died rather anticlimactically, leaving a fully intact corpse behind.  In fact:

Not only that, but his ending is the most anticlimactic death for an attempted for a cubi to reach Tri-wing status.

Originally he was going to explode, but Amber told me that the most common failure mode was that they simply drop dead.  "Magic loves an anticlimax" I believe she said.  So I went with that.  Less cinematic, but arguably more realistic and definitely more personal.

[/spoiler]

Maybe Taun has just been lucky so far and has only witnessed the rare gruesome failures so far without seeing any of the more common boring ones, though I find that hard to believe given her age.  Weird.  Or maybe she just doesn't recall them because they're so blasé they aren't worth remembering.

This is also the reason I tend to try to tell people to be very careful about information gathered via forums and twitters and page-notes that haven't yet hit actual comic.  While there are some things that are pretty solid, there is also a lot of stuff that shifts and edits on the cutting room floors until final production and changes around.  Especially when it is on matters that at the time of some questions, there wasn't really a proper framework to guess from so a lot of the answers likely haven't had time to properly mull about and beat out the kinks.

Basically, until it hits actual comic...there is always a likelyhood things may change.  Really on that matter Tape is a thrillseeker since I suspect I've on more than one occasion inadvertedly mucked up his storylines.

Fair enough.  I sort of expected that to be the answer, but I just wanted to be sure.  Warning: More Epsilon Project spoilers.  [spoiler]Still, now I wonder whether Tapewolf will retcon this rather explosive ending into the Epsilon Project comic.  It would be more canonically accurate, but then again reducing the professor to a blood stain smeared across the sands sort of ruins the poignant scene that follows his death.

Then again, Daryil could simply use his tri-wing powers to reverse entropy and reconstitute the professor's body from the remains, so that way we could have both the cool explosion and the poignant death scene that follows, with the former helping to amplify the emotions for the latter.  He could say something like "I can bring back his body, but not his soul.  I'm truly sorry."  Oh, the feels.[/spoiler]

[Delian Williams]

Ahem... I hope I'm not overinterpreting, but did Taun just say "changing from mortal to magic"?

Everyone remember #1644?
The huge (as in clan leader) rabbit figure and the small ones next to her... the warrior from Taun clan (probably Taun herself) with the spear...

Maybe that magic free projectile gun Jyras might build is bound to be a bummer. Maybe the secret to yielding those 100% metal bits' power is to put them in the hands of a 100% magic creature...

I mean, maybe the weapon Biggs offers to Jyrras is good enough to kill 100% magic cubi clan leaders... but will it still do the trick, if an imperfect part time magic creature tries to use it against a dragon?

I don't know anymore, which universe is better: The one, in which Destania knows where Cyra sleeps, or the one in which she doesn't.

Oh frig, what about Mab... nah, different plane of existence.

[Amber Williams]

words words words words

That or it still applies. Magic being fickle and anti-climatic is still pretty accurate.  Considering I havent listed out every single ascension attempt with what happened, chances are some of them were less explosive or impressive than others.  And some were probably so downright anti-climatic no one ever realized an attempt was made.

[ChaosMageX]

Well, this is quite interesting, in how it applies to the Epsilon Project.  Warning: Spoilers.  [spoiler]I don't seem to recall a certain incubus professor plastering the desert with his guts when his ascension failed--he simply slumped over and died rather anticlimactically, leaving a fully intact corpse behind.  In fact:

Not only that, but his ending is the most anticlimactic death for an attempted for a cubi to reach Tri-wing status.

Originally he was going to explode, but Amber told me that the most common failure mode was that they simply drop dead.  "Magic loves an anticlimax" I believe she said.  So I went with that.  Less cinematic, but arguably more realistic and definitely more personal.

[/spoiler]

Maybe Taun has just been lucky so far and has only witnessed the rare gruesome failures so far without seeing any of the more common boring ones, though I find that hard to believe given her age.  Weird.  Or maybe she just doesn't recall them because they're so blasé they aren't worth remembering.

This is also the reason I tend to try to tell people to be very careful about information gathered via forums and twitters and page-notes that haven't yet hit actual comic.  While there are some things that are pretty solid, there is also a lot of stuff that shifts and edits on the cutting room floors until final production and changes around.  Especially when it is on matters that at the time of some questions, there wasn't really a proper framework to guess from so a lot of the answers likely haven't had time to properly mull about and beat out the kinks.

Basically, until it hits actual comic...there is always a likelyhood things may change.  Really on that matter Tape is a thrillseeker since I suspect I've on more than one occasion inadvertedly mucked up his storylines.

Fair enough.  I sort of expected that to be the answer, but I just wanted to be sure.  Warning: More Epsilon Project spoilers.  [spoiler]Still, now I wonder whether Tapewolf will retcon this rather explosive ending into the Epsilon Project comic.  It would be more canonically accurate, but then again reducing the professor to a blood stain smeared across the sands sort of ruins the poignant scene that follows his death.

Then again, Daryil could simply use his tri-wing powers to reverse entropy and reconstitute the professor's body from the remains, so that way we could have both the cool explosion and the poignant death scene that follows, with the former helping to amplify the emotions for the latter.  He could say something like "I can bring back his body, but not his soul.  I'm truly sorry."  Oh, the feels.[/spoiler]

That or it still applies. Magic being fickle and anti-climatic is still pretty accurate.  Considering I havent listed out every single ascension attempt with what happened, chances are some of them were less explosive or impressive than others.  And some were probably so downright anti-climatic no one ever realized an attempt was made.

Ooooh, are you saying that someone could survive making an attempt at ascension, or simply that the Cubi attempting ascension just didn't tell anyone about it and everyone thinks they died of natural causes?

[Merlin]

-snip-

Ugh, a fallout-style flesh-splosion sounds really hard to draw

[Tapewolf]

**Is absolutely livid that some cretin posted spoilers for his comic in plain sight of everyone**

[Amber Williams]

If I am that cretin, I apologize.   

[ChaosMageX]

**Is absolutely livid that some cretin posted spoilers for his comic in plain sight of everyone**

I'm sorry too.  It's been so long since I posted on the forums I forgot about the spoiler tag until it was too late, but I did retroactively add them in as well as a warning, if that helps.

[Tapewolf]

If I am that cretin, I apologize.   

No, but some spoiler tags around some of the things you've quoted would be nice

EDIT: And to be fair I have been quietly tweaking the Epsilon storyline here and there, this will just be another thing on my to-do list.
The ending for that one is years and years away so there is time to work around things...

[Merlin]

OK on a scale of 1-10 how accurate is this to a failed clan leader?

[Cassi-kun]

Ooooh, are you saying that someone could survive making an attempt at ascension, or simply that the Cubi attempting ascension just didn't tell anyone about it and everyone thinks they died of natural causes?

Both are likely true! An attempt to ascend that simply happens without sufficient power to do so could easily be non-fatal, and is probably much more common than the survivors care to admit because there's likely to be a fair number who are embarrassed by their failure. And attempts that involve too much power could simply fry - physically or on a magical/soul level - whoever's trying without wholly destroying their body.

Though I imagine failed ascensions are also a good Drinkin' Story for the more party-minded Cubi. "So there I was with holy symbols carved in all six of my arms and an arrow of ivory and Phoenix feathers..."

OK on a scale of 1-10 how accurate is this to a failed clan leader?

Yes.

[Kajet]

Think of the implications; that means Fa'lina's actual breasts are far larger

This seems like the breast thing ever.

[Dard]

Cyra certainly did not know the extent of the tragedy she cause, but she should have. Well, maybe not the Dragon-Cubi war, but destroying an entire city is bound to cause a lot of hatred to her and her kin.

She didn't set out to do that either, though.  Her plan was a common-or-garden usurpation, i.e. murdering M'Chek and setting herself up in his place.  Ruling the city was the idea - not wiping it off the map.
[/quote]She should have done her research better beforehand.

[Tapewolf]

She should have done her research better beforehand.

That's easy to say, but I'm not sure what else she could have done to prepare.
Cyra was already cozying up to M'Chek in order to learn his weaknesses, otherwise she wouldn't have stood a chance at killing him.
Again, the reason it all went to smash was because of M'Chek's soul thievery.  You're not going to advertise that, otherwise people will start leaving the city and the scam will dry up.
Given that he was even eating his own children - the ruling class under him - it's most likely that M'Chek was the only person who knew.  And if I were in his position, I'd fight to keep it that way, if only to avoid having to share the goodies.

EDIT: Yeah, if we look at page 1583, she spent several centuries preparing for it.  If centuries of digging around can't uncover the fact that the city is booby-trapped, I don't think anyone short of the Fae is going to find out until it's too late...

[AzureEdge]

She should have done her research better beforehand.

That's easy to say, but I'm not sure what else she could have done to prepare.
Cyra was already cozying up to M'Chek in order to learn his weaknesses, otherwise she wouldn't have stood a chance at killing him.
Again, the reason it all went to smash was because of M'Chek's soul thievery.  You're not going to advertise that, otherwise people will start leaving the city and the scam will dry up.
Given that he was even eating his own children - the ruling class under him - it's most likely that M'Chek was the only person who knew.  And if I were in his position, I'd fight to keep it that way, if only to avoid having to share the goodies.

EDIT: Yeah, if we look at page 1583, she spent several centuries preparing for it.  If centuries of digging around can't uncover the fact that the city is booby-trapped, I don't think anyone short of the Fae is going to find out until it's too late...

Heck, even that last part of it taking a Fae to notice, if he had stuff strategically placed around the city to constantly keep one that is on the mortal plane distracted, they might never notice either and if they noticed from back in the little pocket dimension homes or from the Fae Kingdom, if they do anything like Mab does, they'd likely forget as soon as they step foot back out into the city.

[KathYohneke]

Clan leaders must need a hole army of seamstresses. even the warrior clan leader has the fanciest of outfits!

[Foxx Trotter]

Clan leaders can still shapeshift, meaning that they can also change their apparel at any time to whatever makes them feel comfortable.  That has been seen with Aaryanna quite a bit in the earlier comics as well as other Cubi, including Fa'Lina.  But yes, they can also wear standard clothing from time to time.  Nact'Larn did look cute wearing Dan's robe.