Beware, Tarin! Beware! This might be a trap! Just say: “No, thank you, Ma’am. ” “I’m perfectly happy to be taught rather than teach, but I did read the assignment.” Then again, Tarin’s a prefect, and really quick witted. It’s probably fine, but I’ve seen how fast that sort of thing can go straight into the toilet.
Oh god, that anime, I liked that anime when I was a child. It was so strange, I think that in the first episode the protagonist discover that the person he thought he was is dead, as collateral damage from a supernatural organization, and he is just a magic clone created with his memories that will slowly disappear while erasing the memories of old him from everyone that was close to him. Not a happy discovery.
Plus, I’m pretty sure what Kauthris is now. So will our favorite ultra-cool bi elf Tarin have a breakdown when she finds out who, or rather what, she had her *ahem* “sleepover” with?
/ Of course, there has to be an excuse for why Kauthris has been able to wander around completely covered up without being challenged on it. I presume that herbalists wear such things as poison shields, and that it’s pretty standard garb for them. So it’s not *that* unusual; it’s just unusual that she wears it all the time.
Great point. Perhaps Kauthris somehow wiped Tarin’s memory so she wouldn’t reveal her secret. Either through that infamous strong magic (unlikely though, as Kauthris hasn’t shown any signs of that), or some potion. Even if they didn’t hook up, Kauthris may have taken off her suit which would necessitate the brainy wipey. Unless she has several suits and they only played with one she wasn’t wearing… after all she probably wouldn’t leave her one suit in Tarin’s room when she leaves. In any case I hope we’ll find out soon.
If there’s a “brainy wipey” as you put it, it would have to be potion based. That’s Kauthris’s field of expertise, after all. … Or, that potion could simply be called “way too much booze”.
My guess for Svartlings is that they’re typically adapted to be *less* magical, since their home world has so much. Or at the very least, evolved to be less harmed by dangerous magic surges caused by portals. They have an innate magic “resistance” one might almost say.
Elysanea would seem like a “magical desert” to them, with far less magical energy to work with. So maybe the study of herbs is Kauthris’s way of compensating.
Getting really far out in the guesswork here. Love the comic and artwork. Looking forward to seeing how this worldbuilding works out.
This is based on a real-life Earth-like planet. Proxima Centauri b is on the list of Earth-like planets, but is also tidally locked, meaning the atmosphere is pretty much this.
Betting money that this isn’t just a throwaway detail about planar travelers, and Kauthris is a Svartling. So yea, high five since I guessed it before reading the second half of your post.
It’s an elf thing if I told you they’d have to kill you.
But I can give you a hint and they might just hurt you a bit 😉
(it’s plot power leaking out)
It’s not a coincidence in the sense that it’s an artistic tool to show that someone is powerful and/or angry, see (warning: TV Tropes link; sink time at your own discretion) https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MagicalEyeStreamers . In case of AI I take the streamers literally, because we see an actual fantasy game and visual buffs like that are common there. Here I think it’s just a sign of menacing power. I don’t think Tarin’s shown any magic affinity, so her streamers were probably metaphorical. In my reading anyway.
Fun fact: most English place names are archaic English or mashed-together language. So, Fishkill refers not to killing of fish anymore that Catskill Mountains is killing of cats (sorry PETA, you lose) but Fish + Kill (Dutch, “creek”). Feld comes from the same word root as feldspar (“rock” + “flake”), so Sunderfeld is not as you’d expect a sundered field, but a smashed up rock.
And the name of Svartlings derives from “svart” which is “black” in Norse languages. See also Norse mythology’s Svartalfheim, one of the names for the world of the dwarves/black elves (the two were probably the same race). The race of black elves was called svartálfar.
31 thoughts on “Elven 00176 | A New Week”
David G
Beware, Tarin! Beware! This might be a trap! Just say: “No, thank you, Ma’am. ” “I’m perfectly happy to be taught rather than teach, but I did read the assignment.” Then again, Tarin’s a prefect, and really quick witted. It’s probably fine, but I’ve seen how fast that sort of thing can go straight into the toilet.
TMI Fairy
Tarin’s file, when read by the Guild Overlady, had her as a “straight A” pupil.
BTW – it missed her money making activities 🙂
Samantha
At least it’s not this bad…
https://youtu.be/PRmbe3xY7oI?t=436
Arcane Darkness
Oh god, that anime, I liked that anime when I was a child. It was so strange, I think that in the first episode the protagonist discover that the person he thought he was is dead, as collateral damage from a supernatural organization, and he is just a magic clone created with his memories that will slowly disappear while erasing the memories of old him from everyone that was close to him. Not a happy discovery.
Fred A
Be like Tarin; you read it, and there will be a test.
Lee M
Best expository lump ever.
SteveM
Ooooooh! A tidally locked Science Fictiony magic eyeball planet! What an elegant mélange of genres.
Plus, I’m pretty sure what Kauthris is now. So will our favorite ultra-cool bi elf Tarin have a breakdown when she finds out who, or rather what, she had her *ahem* “sleepover” with?
/ Of course, there has to be an excuse for why Kauthris has been able to wander around completely covered up without being challenged on it. I presume that herbalists wear such things as poison shields, and that it’s pretty standard garb for them. So it’s not *that* unusual; it’s just unusual that she wears it all the time.
lou
Great point. Perhaps Kauthris somehow wiped Tarin’s memory so she wouldn’t reveal her secret. Either through that infamous strong magic (unlikely though, as Kauthris hasn’t shown any signs of that), or some potion. Even if they didn’t hook up, Kauthris may have taken off her suit which would necessitate the brainy wipey. Unless she has several suits and they only played with one she wasn’t wearing… after all she probably wouldn’t leave her one suit in Tarin’s room when she leaves. In any case I hope we’ll find out soon.
Dragoons45
Kauthris is going to turn out to be a svartling
SteveM
If there’s a “brainy wipey” as you put it, it would have to be potion based. That’s Kauthris’s field of expertise, after all. … Or, that potion could simply be called “way too much booze”.
My guess for Svartlings is that they’re typically adapted to be *less* magical, since their home world has so much. Or at the very least, evolved to be less harmed by dangerous magic surges caused by portals. They have an innate magic “resistance” one might almost say.
Elysanea would seem like a “magical desert” to them, with far less magical energy to work with. So maybe the study of herbs is Kauthris’s way of compensating.
Getting really far out in the guesswork here. Love the comic and artwork. Looking forward to seeing how this worldbuilding works out.
Samantha
This is based on a real-life Earth-like planet. Proxima Centauri b is on the list of Earth-like planets, but is also tidally locked, meaning the atmosphere is pretty much this.
Betting money that this isn’t just a throwaway detail about planar travelers, and Kauthris is a Svartling. So yea, high five since I guessed it before reading the second half of your post.
someone
“How to make the drow more interesting than their old and tired vanilla D&D lore”
And yeah, I bet the whole point of this expodump is that one of the cast has been a svartling all along!
Njall
Drow. Created because Gygax got his wrist slapped for trying to “borrow” Michael Moorcock’s Meniboneans for D&D without asking.
lou
World building, woot! Can’t wait for the inevitable invasion of Svartlings in exosuits…
Lisekmaly
Ok so Tarin has Twerpy chan and now possibly svartling-Kauthriss in her harem? Damn impressive, keep it up girl!
Such an Idiot
Apparently Svartlings speak with Diablo font!
David G
Wait a minute, didn’t Tarin just recently manifest that same eye streak thing?
TMI Fairy
Yup.
I see
K – “Tarin, I am your mother”
T- “Noooooooooooooo!”
soon 😛
Llywenna
It’s an elf thing if I told you they’d have to kill you.
But I can give you a hint and they might just hurt you a bit 😉
(it’s plot power leaking out)
TMI Fairy
Personally I’m happy with a “looks cool” explanation
Lee M
There are more eye-streak thingies over on Artificial Incident. Coincidence? I suspect not.
https://www.artificialincident.com/comic/hunted-23/
lou
It’s not a coincidence in the sense that it’s an artistic tool to show that someone is powerful and/or angry, see (warning: TV Tropes link; sink time at your own discretion) https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MagicalEyeStreamers . In case of AI I take the streamers literally, because we see an actual fantasy game and visual buffs like that are common there. Here I think it’s just a sign of menacing power. I don’t think Tarin’s shown any magic affinity, so her streamers were probably metaphorical. In my reading anyway.
TMI Fairy
I forgot to comment earlier – the chibi last panel made me emit “KYAA! Too cute!!!1” noises <3 🙂
Samantha
Fun fact: most English place names are archaic English or mashed-together language. So, Fishkill refers not to killing of fish anymore that Catskill Mountains is killing of cats (sorry PETA, you lose) but Fish + Kill (Dutch, “creek”). Feld comes from the same word root as feldspar (“rock” + “flake”), so Sunderfeld is not as you’d expect a sundered field, but a smashed up rock.
THE MORE YOU KNOW
lou
And the name of Svartlings derives from “svart” which is “black” in Norse languages. See also Norse mythology’s Svartalfheim, one of the names for the world of the dwarves/black elves (the two were probably the same race). The race of black elves was called svartálfar.
TMI Fairy
Yup.
I learned that from a WH40 fanfic a long, long time ago 🙂
Svart – or “schwarz: in German – lingers on in English as “swarthy”.
Njall
There is a place in England where the name translates as Bridgebridgebidgeford Bridge Town.
I’ll try and find the link.
TMI Fairy
I thought it was Hill Hill Hill? I.e. Bredon Hill?
Or
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tautological_place_names
ChrisH
That teacher would get my attention without saying a word. 😉
Ungor
Is the Teacher the same woman as the Escort?
ChrisH
@Ungor, FWIW, I don’t believe so.