2023/08/10 [Epsilon Chapter 44]

[Starcat5]

44-01 - Daryil has quite a way with people

2 + 2 = 5. Called it, at least where The Professor is concerned. At least, I assume that Richard is under 25 ~ 24 and 1/2. Do we have hard confirmation on Richard's age? I have just been running with the "fact" that the timing doesn't add up, but the longer I take typing this comment the more I want to give them the benefit of the doubt. This is some very basic math for someone named "The Professor" to be screwing up.

[Infranscia]

Daryil indeed has a way with people.  The wrong way.

(I can't take credit for the joke.  I don't remember where I got it from, though.)

[Starcat5]

44-02 - There's crazy, and there's crazy.

Now the question becomes, is it "2+2=5" all the way down? Lady Finch at least should know that her son couldn't have been Daryil's child. All her actions on the Clan Daryil front as of late are based around that very premise. At worst, she might be too upset to be thinking clearly enough to remember this fact, but a gentle reminder should fix that. *Puts on a pair of brass knuckles. On one is written "Gentle", while the other reads "Reminder"*

[InhumanInterest]

I dunno, it's kind of like with the panthers becoming paranoid, once someone gets paranoid enough it becomes all but impossible for them to break out of an assumption because it's easier to just expand a conspiracy than to correct the error.

[Tapewolf]

I dunno, it's kind of like with the panthers becoming paranoid, once someone gets paranoid enough it becomes all but impossible for them to break out of an assumption because it's easier to just expand a conspiracy than to correct the error.

There's also the fact that she can only get the truth from Daryil.  This is a problem on multiple fronts as Daryil isn't on best terms with her right now, and also communications are being monitored.

So even if she did call him up, even if she believed what he told her, any answer she gets that puts her at odds with The Professor is something he'll find out about pretty quickly.

[InhumanInterest]

Oh yeah, it's definitely compounded by that stuff. Talking someone out of a paranoia driven conspiracy theory is hard enough in the best cases, add in a little intrigue and actual hostility and it only becomes worse.

[Starcat5]

44-04 - How not to treat an ambassador.

The good news is that the splatter is green in color, rather than red or grey. So either a spell or a fast acting knockout potion. The bad news is that Taun is going to be Blind Rage FURIUS over this. No bribes or backsies, just kill on sight.

[Starcat5]

44-05 - I'm running out of ways to say that this won't end well

...and by "We checked", he means that his employees simply told him what he wanted to hear, under fear of being added to the Brain Museum. No actual "checking" occurred.

[Raskahn]

This power shift between the two of them makes me wonder if the professor has something on Finch. 

[WhyNot?]

This power shift between the two of them makes me wonder if the professor has something on Finch. 

I think you may be forgetting that the Professor is the Clan's founder and leader. TBF it was quite a bit ago in RL time that Illiath cut his face open and put him on medical leave and I can see how his return coinciding with Finch going into mourning could feel a bit 'take over-y ish', but he's always been the guy in charge.

It probably doesn't help that he doesn't come across that way early on, and now we're having him shout out his authority, so it shows that something's changed but that's him slowly losing it over the clownshoes disaster this whole situation has been as opposed to a power shift.

[Tapewolf]

I can see how his return coinciding with Finch going into mourning could feel a bit 'take over-y ish', but he's always been the guy in charge.

It probably doesn't help that he doesn't come across that way early on, and now we're having him shout out his authority, so it shows that something's changed but that's him slowly losing it over the clownshoes disaster this whole situation has been as opposed to a power shift.

To be fair, in the previous page (10-04) he raps Finch's knuckles when she tried to impale Johan.

Realistically, the situation is that while The Professor is top dog, he also has his hands full developing the eponymous superweapon which his clan intends to use to assert themselves.  As such, Finch has generally been left to run day-to-day operations.  But now Daryil seems to be actively interfering with his clans interest he has taken a bit more of a hands-on approach.

[WhyNot?]

To be fair, in the previous page (10-04) he raps Finch's knuckles when she tried to impale Johan.

True, but I can see how that could be misremembered as something approaching the 'Beleaguered Assistant' trope like an evil mirror of how the Jakob and Daryil relationship can sometimes be.

To be honest I think I only included that link because I conflated Raskhan's 'power shift' comment in my head with:

...and by "We checked", he means that his employees simply told him what he wanted to hear, under fear of being added to the Brain Museum. No actual "checking" occurred.

...as if doing that was something he'd do now he was 'in power' so to speak, so I reached for something to show that he's not on the Finch level of killing a clan member over a petty disagreement or pointed out flaw.

[Raskahn]

To be fair, in the previous page (10-04) he raps Finch's knuckles when she tried to impale Johan.

True, but I can see how that could be misremembered as something approaching the 'Beleaguered Assistant' trope like an evil mirror of how the Jakob and Daryil relationship can sometimes be.

To be honest I think I only included that link because I conflated Raskhan's 'power shift' comment in my head with:

...and by "We checked", he means that his employees simply told him what he wanted to hear, under fear of being added to the Brain Museum. No actual "checking" occurred.

...as if doing that was something he'd do now he was 'in power' so to speak, so I reached for something to show that he's not on the Finch level of killing a clan member over a petty disagreement or pointed out flaw.

With that page being from 2016 (yikes) I did forget about the chain of command, it is explained in the way they behave overall but indeed, with the professor being more in the background and Finch playing the part of the trigger happy villain boss a bit too well, gods know I love me a nice relatable short fuse boss type, also, I don't know why but, the title of lady seemed to have more weight than professor. Who needs recognition of academic accomplishments when you have easy to inherit titles, right?

[Tapewolf]

With that page being from 2016 (yikes) I did forget about the chain of command, it is explained in the way they behave overall but indeed, with the professor being more in the background and Finch playing the part of the trigger happy villain boss a bit too well, gods know I love me a nice relatable short fuse boss type, also, I don't know why but, the title of lady seemed to have more weight than professor. Who needs recognition of academic accomplishments when you have easy to inherit titles, right?

This is true, and exactly why she goes by that title is something which is not currently on my list of things to explore.

As for The Professor, the story behind that is that many years ago The Guardian - I think - ran a competition for people to write scenes depicting the Death of Dumbledore in the style of various famous authors.
My personal favourite was H.P. Lovecraft ("No... the four-eyed child!  He shall not have me!  I am hurling myself from the window as I write!")

However, one of the other notable entries (possibly the winner) was done in the style of Trainspotting where Dumbledore was their drug dealer and he was only ever referred to as "The Professor".  I thought it sounded nicely sinister so I stole it.

[Raskahn]

This is true, and exactly why she goes by that title is something which is not currently on my list of things to explore.

As for The Professor, the story behind that is that many years ago The Guardian - I think - ran a competition for people to write scenes depicting the Death of Dumbledore in the style of various famous authors.
My personal favourite was H.P. Lovecraft ("No... the four-eyed child!  He shall not have me!  I am hurling myself from the window as I write!")

However, one of the other notable entries (possibly the winner) was done in the style of Trainspotting where Dumbledore was their drug dealer and he was only ever referred to as "The Professor".  I thought it sounded nicely sinister so I stole it.

I would like to add "the manager". Doesn't care about the hows and the whys but justs needs the heroes to cease living. Uses powerpoint to slowly torture his enemies into a graph induced coma. 

[Starcat5]

44-07 - Lady Finch makes a phone call
Open maw, insert paw. Next week is going to the most EPIC of Epic Fails. 

[Raskahn]

You beat me to it Star, i'm already prepping the popcorn for this one!

[ProfesseurRenard]

You beat me to it Star, i'm already prepping the popcorn for this one!

Mind if I bring an extra bag?

[Starcat5]

You beat me to it Star, i'm already prepping the popcorn for this one!

Mind if I bring an extra bag?

I don't need as much prep time myself. I invested in a Carnival-grade popcorn maker back in 2021. Given that I would always burn out a consumer-grade popper in under a year, and I got it on discount due to some cosmetic dings and imperfections, it has already paid for itself. Now if it only wasn't so much of a pain in the tail to clean. 

[Raskahn]

I don't need as much prep time myself. I invested in a Carnival-grade popcorn maker back in 2021. Given that I would always burn out a consumer-grade popper in under a year, and I got it on discount due to some cosmetic dings and imperfections, it has already paid for itself. Now if it only wasn't so much of a pain in the tail to clean. 

This reminds me of that one time a fellow called a manufacturer of industrial sized vacuum cleaners. When asked about the surface area he was going to be cleaning, he reponded with: "It's 30 square meters." Now being challenged on the small size of the area he explained that it was for his living room. When he was told their machines were not intended for home use and he would be much better off buying a regular vacuum, he simply responded: "But then I will not be able to sit on it!"

[Raskahn]

Well, looks like we're back to serious moments again. I hope I'm reading the artistic use on the text correct and this is not a happy reunion between Jerry and Taun Switchboard Operator #243.That popcorn might need to wait a bit depending on how attached Taun Switchboard Operator #243 is to Jerry being attached to their head.

[Tapewolf]

Well, looks like we're back to serious moments again. I hope I'm reading the artistic use on the text correct and this is not a happy reunion between Jerry and Taun Switchboard Operator #243.That popcorn might need to wait a bit depending on how attached Taun Switchboard Operator #243 is to Jerry being attached to their head.

From the Furaffinity version: "The Taun clan jackal with the pink hair is Caroline, and yes, having a name means she's going to become even more relevant later."

[Starcat5]

It was at that moment Lady Finch knew... she ****** up.

Well, granted, it was The Professor who ****** up, but she is the Face of the clan.

[ProfesseurRenard]

It was at that moment Lady Finch knew... she ****** up.

Well, granted, it was The Professor who ****** up, but she is the Face of the clan.

The only pressing question left is whether the Professor admits his mistake, which might make him lose face (if he's lucky, that's all he loses)), or persists in the delusion and just makes things worse for himself.

[Raskahn]

[44-09 - Taun - the F**k-around-and-find-out clan]

Well, that escalated quickly.

Best thing they can do now would be to incapacitate Jerry again and drop him on the curb with a big "we are so. so. sorry!" card taped to his chest.

[ProfesseurRenard]

[44-09 - Taun - the F**k-around-and-find-out clan]

Well, that escalated quickly.

Best thing they can do now would be to incapacitate Jerry again and drop him on the curb with a big "we are so. so. sorry!" card taped to his chest.

Trust me, that ain't gonna cut it.

[Raskahn]

44-10 - The Professor has a way with words

Anyone that has had to prevent a Roomba from base jumping off of a flight of stairs (MULTIPLE TIMES!) should be able to relate to The Professor. "Advanced pathfinding", my tail.