2007-9-2 [814] - Jokes are never as funny the second time around

[superluser]

Yes.  That is interesting.  Fa'Lina may get the giggles at the thought of decapitating Beings, but she does have some standards.

It's already been established that Fa'Lina has a thing for kids.  She tends to adopt them and wants Pyro to have them.  She may have no qualms about ripping a candy striper in two.

I'm starting to wonder if one of the points of Abels story is that cubi are able and willing to play "good" for a mortal lifetime if that fits their plans.  Makes you wonder if Destania has done that too...

I'm not saying it couldn't be right, but how would that fit into her plans?

[Zedd]

Dee makes most peoples moms a saint. When it comes some mothers who have willing rage and moments to pluck the souls of younglins in the olden days of lore of SAIA.  Ah better send the chickens to peck at Charles head while he plays with the dangerious chemicals..He could aford a good chickens to his fat noggin.

[Tapewolf]

Now it's time for Uncle Joe's rampant speculation hour:

Destania may actually have quit the pain and terror business because she's raised a child and her maternal instincts have kicked in to the point at which she's realised that in her old life she was doing something very nasty.  This has already been proposed.  There's the problem of why she settled down, and I'm ignoring the 'Final Solution to the Dragon problem' as a separate issue.

What no-one has looked at is why - if raising a child can invoke instincts strong enough to make her stop being a psychopath -  has this not happened before in the seven millennia that she has been at SAIA?

I present a possible solution.  Cue cackles of laughter from Amber at how off-base this is.

Amber has said that you don't generally have 'Cubi at SAIA until they are adults, i.e. around 25 and mature enough to study reasonably well.  However, there is the interesting fact that they remain 25 for the duration of their course, which is of the order of 300 years.  You have a thousand or so eternally young students of both genders, many of whom are learning seduction and various other similar subjects.  Even if they weren't you'd have them hitting off with each other (e.g. Messafint and Jard).  Yet somehow, SAIA seems not to have become - to put it coarsely - a breeding ground.

To me, the obvious answer is that they have some kind of magical forcefield or some other technique to render the occupants of SAIA infertile during their stay.  I don't see it being voluntary, although I suppose it's possible.
If we imagine this also affects the teachers, it would explain how Dee can teach rape/fall in love with someone on-campus without getting knocked up and suddenly quitting her job in pain and terror when the baby is born.

This might also explain why Fa'Lina doesn't seem to be trying to enlarge her clan, because she is also affected by the hypothetical forcefield and doesn't want to spend the necessary time away from SAIA (which would break her foresight).

Just my two grebs.

[computer nerd]

I think Dan mother is going to have to explain a few thing  to Dan 

[WhiteFire]

Now it's time for Uncle Joe's rampant speculation hour:

Just out of curiosity, can I ask why you are putting so much effort into trying to find ways for Destania to have undergone some magical transformation from horrific beast to nice mommy?

[Tapewolf]

Now it's time for Uncle Joe's rampant speculation hour:

Just out of curiosity, can I ask why you are putting so much effort into trying to find ways for Destania to have undergone some magical transformation from horrific beast to nice mommy?

To be honest I'm not sure.  The why-no-kids-in-SAIA thing was an idea I was toying with earlier before the revelations about Dee came to light... it was a thought experiment in why SAIA doesn't have a population explosion.  The application to the Dee problem didn't occur to me until today.

When it comes down to it, I think the real reason is because Dan isn't going to be able to cope with the fact that his mother is psychotic.

**EDIT**
And yes, I've been on both sides of that argument - 'already knows' and 'it will break him'... todays' strip has put me in the latter camp.

[WhiteFire]

To be honest I'm not sure.  The why-no-kids-in-SAIA thing was an idea I was toying with earlier before the revelations about Dee came to light... it was a thought experiment in why SAIA doesn't have a population explosion.  The application to the Dee problem didn't occur to me until today.

Could I suggest there that an early course in SAIA might involve birth control, especially for the female students? When your out in the field doing the 'cubi thing, you know, raping and then killing, it might be annoying to get pregnant off of an adventurer. I'm sure there are magical means for it.

As to wanting a child, if you live that long, I'm sure that the biological clock does not go off quite as soon, and that being around other "young" 'cubi may discourage it until you've left the school atmosphere.

When it comes down to it, I think the real reason is because Dan isn't going to be able to cope with the fact that his mother is psychotic.

Who knows, it might be a growth opportunity for him. Or he could become a jerk like Able. He is a great rolemodel for dealing with psychotic parents and all...

[Tapewolf]

Could I suggest there that an early course in SAIA might involve birth control, especially for the female students? When your out in the field doing the 'cubi thing, you know, raping and then killing, it might be annoying to get pregnant off of an adventurer. I'm sure there are magical means for it.

I considered it, but I figured a voluntary system wouldn't work too well.  'Cubi seem to be rather impulsive and I'm not sure they'd have the discipline.  Also there's the fact that there are only about 30'000 'Cubi in the world.  Take a couple of relatively immature 'Cubi in what amounts to a university, get them drunk and you'll have them thinking they're doing their bit trying to save the 'Cubi race

Now it might be that you have excessive penalties like in Quozl by Alan Dean Foster, but that would be counterproductive given that one of Fa'Lina's drives seems to be preserving her race.  (And the aliens in Quozl were trying to solve an overpopulation problem).
I figured an atomatically-enforced system would be more likely, and it might also explain Fa'Lina's motherhood complex if she's affected by it as well.

As to wanting a child, if you live that long, I'm sure that the biological clock does not go off quite as soon, and that being around other "young" 'cubi may discourage it until you've left the school atmosphere.

Dunno about that.  In all likelihood they're going to have the same kind of drive as a Being of 25, since 'Cubi are indistinguishable from winged Beings until their headwings kick in.  Heck, Dan kept trying to pick people up before he knew what he was.

(Heh... the original concept behind my CJP fanfic was exploring what happens if someone is forcibly taken to SAIA when they already have kids...)

[SpottedKitty]

Couldn't help noticing the posing in this strip. Have we ever seen Dan (or any of the other winged characters) looking over/around their wings at someone? Looks to me as if Dan might already suspect Abel wasn't lying, but doesn't want to admit it, to Fi or even to himself. Wish we knew more about that book, and whether he's read any of it yet.

And then there's the quivery-lipped last panel. How is Dan going to react? Angrily deny everything? Have an emotional eruption (comparable to Mount St. Helens)? Run away (maybe to confront Alexsi)? Keel over?

[nikename2]

I'm hoping for a mental breakdown myself personally. 

One where he decides to become so evil that his mom looks like Mary Poppins compared to him.

[superluser]

To me, the obvious answer is that they have some kind of magical forcefield or some other technique to render the occupants of SAIA infertile during their stay.

Or the universe's largest abortion clinic.  No offense, but I'd buy your honeypot about Abel being Dan's father before this one.  It has all the hallmarks of ad hoc reasoning.

[techmaster-glitch]

I dunno, super, It makes sense to me. I can't come up with any other viable alternative.

[Caswin]

I'm hoping for a mental breakdown myself personally. 

One where he decides to become so evil that his mom looks like Mary Poppins compared to him.

I'm, um, afraid I don't see the logic here.

[Sirius Griffon]

Yikes, poor Dan. I swear he makes the best expressions but really, ita a wonder he isnt in permenant therapy. Although Fi has the best seat in the house. I have to say, I thought Id be mad when things moved away from the Jyrras scene but man, this is some great reading.

[nikename2]

I'm, um, afraid I don't see the logic here.

Well think about it. First strike is that he finds out he's actually a cubi. Second strike is him being "enrolled" into SAIA, and he seems to have gotten the idea in his head that they want to turn him into some kind of evil monster. Third strike, his mom turns out to be the root of all evil. I'm expecting him to snap.

[GabrielsThoughts]

this brings up another possibility If Dan's mother Raised him  Dan could have wound up like the poor girl from "Pasadena" ( a television series I discovered today, where the mother is one crazy homicidal bitch)

[Caswin]

I'm, um, afraid I don't see the logic here.

Well think about it. First strike is that he finds out he's actually a cubi. Second strike is him being "enrolled" into SAIA, and he seems to have gotten the idea in his head that they want to turn him into some kind of evil monster. Third strike, his mom turns out to be the root of all evil. I'm expecting him to snap.

Oh, some type of mental breakdown in the face of all that, I can certainly see (and he's gotten that "idea" in his head for a reason, mind).  However, if he did snap, it would probably be some sort of backlash against the "evil" pressure rather than giving in to it.

"FA'LINA, THERE WILL BE A RECKONING...!"

[nikename2]

Either way, his whole outlook and thinking will fundamentally change from what it is now probably. I think he'd be more angry with his mom then Fa'lina if he does go down the "reckoning" path. It's really a matter of which parent he wants to embrace more in ideology, his mother or his father. For a good part of his life he undoubtibly has taken after his father, now that he's finally getting to know his true mother and in such rapid succession to cause doubt about who he really is, he could sway in three ways at this point.

[Tsunari]

It's possible that Destania is just as evil as before.  Also another possibility for the lack of kids is that Cubi have a huge fertility problem regardless of where they are.

[superluser]

The other thing is that barrier methods of contraception are pretty useless when all you have to say is, ``Nope!  No entrance to the uterus!'' and it's gone.

[Naldru]

According to Fi, Fa'lina and Destania had a fight over using children and infants in the torture class.  However, it doesn't say if Fa'lina had any objection to using adults.

[RobbieThe1st]

According to Fi, Fa'lina and Destania had a fight over using children and infants in the torture class.  However, it doesn't say if Fa'lina had any objection to using adults.

Which pretty-much means "no". I mean, thats to be expected, as I doubt Fa'lina would want Destania using pupils for showing off rape-techniques(though, we really don't know enough about 'Cubi to know if, or how many volunteers there would be in such classes).

The other thing is that barrier methods of contraception are pretty useless when all you have to say is, ``Nope!  No entrance to the uterus!'' and it's gone.

So, who says that SAIA doesn't have a spell built in that enforces that?


-RobbieThe1st

[superluser]

The other thing is that barrier methods of contraception are pretty useless when all you have to say is, ``Nope!  No entrance to the uterus!'' and it's gone.

So, who says that SAIA doesn't have a spell built in that enforces that?

It just seems too far out in left field.  We know that long term magic use can really screw people up, and I doubt that Fa'Lina would risk that happening to her students.  In addition, the faculty might want to have kids, and forcing them to be away for an entire term would not be an optimal solution.  In addition, it is quite possible that SAIA has reproductive experiments on a regular basis.

It still seems like an ad hoc solution that would be unlikely to work in the DMFA world.

[Aridas]

We know that long term magic use can really screw people up

er, where did you get that idea?

[WhiteFire]

We know that long term magic use can really screw people up

er, where did you get that idea?

http://www.missmab.com/Comics/Vol_776.php

[Tapewolf]

It just seems too far out in left field.  We know that long term magic use can really screw people up,

We know that one particular model of amulet may have bugs.  Heck, we don't even know if it is responsible for Lorenda's unusual condition or just something Kria is guilty over.  Besides 'Cubi are magical creatures - although that statement could be used to justify either side of the argument.

It still seems like an ad hoc solution that would be unlikely to work in the DMFA world.

They use wards all over the place and the lighting is most likely magical too.  Having a global spell like that is probably about the same as having a WiFi network on campus.
For that matter you could drug the water - assuming that 'Cubi drink regularly which isn't necessarily a given - but a spell seemed easier and more 'DMFA-like'.

In addition, the faculty might want to have kids, and forcing them to be away for an entire term would not be an optimal solution.  In addition, it is quite possible that SAIA has reproductive experiments on a regular basis.

This is true (or is it?  Nine months to a year out of 300 years...?)  Now they might have some kind of counterspell for that purpose, but that would break the Fa'Lina theory.

Ad-hoc reasoning?  More of a lazy way to ensure all your students fall in line.  And your staff too, since they're still effectively young.

Tying that theory into Destania was ad-hoc, I'll grant you that.  But it is a fact that having children generally changes your outlook considerably and it might - no guarantee - be enough to make Dee change.

Since Whitefire seems to have pegged me as a Dee apologist, I can equally well believe that the entire falling in love with Edward and raising Alexsi/Dan thing is a front.  7000 years can make you a good actor, and Aniz pulled that stunt off spectacularly in Abel's Story.  But for Dan's sake I'm hoping there's more to it than that.

[Aridas]

We know that long term magic use can really screw people up

er, where did you get that idea?

http://www.missmab.com/Comics/Vol_776.php

As tape said, AND THIS COMIC SAID, that was the one specific thing. I've yet to see a reason to believe otherwise.

[WhiteFire]

We know that long term magic use can really screw people up

er, where did you get that idea?

http://www.missmab.com/Comics/Vol_776.php

As tape said, AND THIS COMIC SAID, that was the one specific thing. I've yet to see a reason to believe otherwise.

You only asked where the idea came from, that was my best guess. You didn't ask if the idea was provably correct or not.

[WhiteFire]

Since Whitefire seems to have pegged me as a Dee apologist, ...

I don't think I would go quite so far as to describe you that way. I just thought the logic was getting rather oddly watered down from what I had seen of you in the past, so I was curious as to why.

Your welcome to label yourself that way though. 

[superluser]

We know that one particular model of amulet may have bugs.

It would still seem to be a consideration, and one that would likely result in not using magical solutions, as a matter of parsimony.

This is true (or is it?  Nine months to a year out of 300 years...?)  Now they might have some kind of counterspell for that purpose, but that would break the Fa'Lina theory.

Ad-hoc reasoning?  More of a lazy way to ensure all your students fall in line.  And your staff too, since they're still effectively young.

Now we're getting into some serious Occam's Razor territory.  This is like ancient astronomers declaring that the Earth is the center of the universe, and that everything revolves around it.  How to explain the fact that the planets seem to reverse direction?  Add another ad hoc rule that they rotate in epicycles.

I just think that the concept that Fa'Lina has cast some sort of contraceptive spell over all of SAIA could answer one question at the cost of raising hundreds of others with highly improbable solutions.  This solution just doesn't seem to fit Amber's writing style.