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Messages - Wolfdrop

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1
General Earwa / Re: Mistakes and things that piss off in the series
« on: May 14, 2018, 08:45:47 pm »
In that final line of TTT, is this the first time we see Wizard capitalised as a title?

I’m pretty sure it was just “wizard” in general before. If so that’s some nice foreshadowing for TAE. From that moment he stopped being the Holy Tutor and become the Wizard.

2
The Unholy Consult / Re: "Kellhus is dead, but not done."
« on: February 16, 2018, 11:41:25 am »
My gut response is that he's in the other Decapitant, based on evidence, but I can't really see it being the case. Logistically, that's now a hanging prison attached to a salt statue right at the top of the world's most unassailable fortress and in the hands of the Consult.

When Malowebi got the chop the Decapitant took on his appearance and he it's. I was guessing this was the case with Kellhus and Ajokli. The other Decapitant is mentioned once as having a "line of iron horns jutting from black hair" and I'm sure once more it's noted as specifically having four horns. So that would seem to explain the appearance swap, with Ajokli taking Kellhus's face before revealing his own one when it erupts into flames and he fully takes over.

But something about that theory just doesn't sit right with me.

I'm inclined to believe it's more his plans and machinations the "dead but not done" relates to, but tbh I'm hoping for baby Kellhus as an Alia analogue being the case...

3
The Unholy Consult / Re: A certain scene in a pool
« on: January 22, 2018, 06:10:22 pm »
The repetition of the dream with Moenghus’ face changed.

4
The Unholy Consult / Re: A certain scene in a pool
« on: January 22, 2018, 01:01:57 pm »
Was there any debate that it wasn't intentional?  ???

I thought it was a really nice touch.

5
On the womb topic, I’m unsure if it’s a TDTCB inconsistency but the first person to have sex with Esmenet after Aurang freaks out becomes his seed is black as well.

If there is some sort of lingering effect, surely Kellhus would have noticed. Bearing in mind the aforementioned encounter with the Eothic Guardrsman was weeks, if not months, after the first encounter with Aurang if I recall correctly.

6
General Earwa / Re: [TUC Spoilers] Nascenti of Zaudunyanicon
« on: January 16, 2018, 03:00:55 pm »
Glad to hear! I'm excited for this.

7
The Unholy Consult / Re: A certain scene in a pool
« on: January 12, 2018, 03:18:04 pm »
Finally found the section. I had originally thought it just sounded familiar, but in fact, the dream is exactly the same, word for word, from TDTCB, with the some changes: Moenghus Snr replaced by Moenghus Jnr, Cnaiur accorded his title

Chapter 13 of TDTCB and Chapter 7 of TUC if anyone wants to look up the scenes.

It's the nightmare he has the night following discovering Kellhus atop his father's barrow. In TUC it's immediately following the capture of Moenghus after the Scylvendi attack Sorweel, Serwa and Moenghus at the top of Eaglehorn.

Here's the text:

1) Moenghus's face rises from the depths of a pool, pale through the greenish cast of the water. Throughout the surrounding darkness, caverns intertwine, like the thin tunnels one finds beneath large stones pulled from the grass. Just beneath the surface, the pale Dunyain pauses as though tugged by some deep restraint, smiles, and raises his mouth. With horror, Cnaiur watches as an earthworm presses through the smiling lips and pierces the water. It feels the air like a blind finger. Watery and obscene, the bland pink of hidden places. And always, his own inarticulate hand drifts over the pool, and in a quiet moment of insanity, touches it.

2) The face rises from the depths of a pool, pale through the greenish cast of the water. Throughout the surrounding darkness, caverns intertwine, like the thin tunnels one finds beneath large stones pulled from the grass. Just beneath the surface, the turquoise-eyed youth pauses as though tugged by some deep restraint, smiles, and raises his mouth. With horror, the King-of-Tribes watches as an earthworm presses through the smiling lips and pierces the water. It feels the air like a blind finger. Watery and obscene, the bland pink of hidden places. And always, his own inarticulate hand drifts over the pool, and in a quiet moment of insanity, touches it.

I'll be keeping an eye out for other repeated sections Madness! This scene and Saubon in TAE are the only ones that come to mind so far.

8
General Misc. / Re: Video Game Thread! What are you playing?
« on: January 09, 2018, 01:46:58 pm »
Recently finished Pillars of Eternity, best RPG I’ve played in a long time.

9
The Darkness That Comes Before / Re: Inrau and the Cants of Compulsion
« on: January 07, 2018, 01:09:02 pm »
I don’t buy that it’s not sorcery and just a dream state/remembering either.

Simply using sorcery wouldn’t immediately make everyone see the light. Yes, further in the series everyone can see Gnostic War Cants but the glowing eyes and mouth can be hidden. They are in fact hidden by their cowls by sorcerers later in the series.

The thunderous voice that comes from everywhere seems to be associated with certain Cants. I doesn’t seem to happen with the Cants of Compulsion and Calling or the Agonies when used on Seswatha.

There’s no doubt it’s risky, and a bit of an inconsistency. But I don’t think there’s anything to suggest using sorcery immediately points it out to everyone nearby.

I think the face removal thing was originally going to be expanded upon more, but in the case of the Javreh Shield-Captain Geshrunni, I’m happy enough with the explanation that they removed his face to both be more brutal because they enjoy it, and to render indentifying th body more difficult if it’s found. I’m assuming a replacement skin-spy took his place.

For me, the real problem here lies in the unwillingness to stain Inrau with the Mark.

10
The Darkness That Comes Before / Re: Inrau and the Cants of Compulsion
« on: December 26, 2017, 10:17:04 pm »
For me, theres no clear answer.

The Cant used doesn't match the Cants of Calling or Compulsion exclusively, but I'm leaning towards some kind of minor Compulsion to puppet him to the meeting. Fuck it, I'm calling it a Cant of Locomotion and saying that it's never used again in the series to put my OCD at rest.

What I can't understand is using sorcery in Sumna, even hidden by a hood or facing a wall or whatever, seems totally nonsensical.

Given that there's ideas in TDTCB that never fully developed is this one of them? One off spells we never see again before the magic system was set in stone? Again, Inrau's superhuman speed, exploding fiery blood spells etc come to mind. There's also the Nonman "levitating" back to his feet in the initial fight with Kellhus, something that's never seen again.


11
The Darkness That Comes Before / Re: Inrau and the Cants of Compulsion
« on: December 26, 2017, 12:58:54 pm »
Hmm I definitely like idea of a Cant of Calling, but what confuses me if how immediate he goes from the dreamlike state to physically being there.

I had thought the purpose of the Cant was to force Inrau to meet him.

Doesn’t a Cant of Calling depend on the sender knowing the exact location of the sleeping receiver, hence how Moenghus could send the dreams.

Man, this is a mindfuck.

12
The Darkness That Comes Before / Re: Inrau and the Cants of Compulsion
« on: December 26, 2017, 12:32:09 am »
Yeah, I totally glossed on first read. I knew something was up but wasn't familiar enough with the setting to put my finger on it.

Reading it with eyes tuned to the telltale signs of sorcery it seems really obvious.

But as with all things in this series it simply raises more questions. Why is he averse to Compelling spying but not the meeting. If using the Compulsion on someone gives them the Mark, shouldn't that have damned Inrau and outed him as a sorcerer during his showdown with the Consult? The justification for not using the Cants of Compulsion comes...right after he uses them.

It's tragic, but I loved that in his final moments, Inrau becomes a badass and unleashes some scraps of the Gnosis, though that ultimately cost him his soul.

I swear I forget about all these things during AMA's and squander my questions on why the umlauts aren't consistent and spelling mistakes.  :(

13
The Darkness That Comes Before / Re: Inrau and the Cants of Compulsion
« on: December 24, 2017, 12:30:08 pm »
It’s before that encounter.

I’ve seen it’s been discussed on the reddit reread.

I’m torn somewhere between only continued use of Compulsion leaves the Mark, or that Akka is lying to himself.

I’m 100% sure Inrau is Compelled to come to the initial meeting. Full section attached.

“In his dream, Inrau walked through canyons of burnt brick, through faces and figures illuminated by rags of torchlight. And he heard a voice from nowhere, crying through his bones, across every finger’s-breadth of his skin, speaking words like the shadows of fists striking just beyond the corner of his eyes. Words that battered whatever will remained to him. Words that walked with his limbs.

He glimpsed the sagging facade of a tavern, then a low, golden-dim enclosure of smoke, tables, and overhead beams. The entrance enveloped him. The rising ground tipped forward, directed him toward a malevolent blackness in the far corner of the room. It too enveloped him—another entrance. Everything rushed into the bearded man, his head slack against the chapped stucco, his face on a lazy, upward angle, but tight with some forbidden ecstasy—light spilling from his working mouth. Flakes of sun in his eyes.

Achamian . . .

Then the impossible mutter trailed into the rumble of patrons. The murky interior of the tavern became sturdy and mundane. The nightmarish angles squared. The play of light and shadow became crisp.

“What are you doing here?” Inrau sputtered, struggling to clear his thoughts.”


14
The Darkness That Comes Before / Re: Inrau and the Cants of Compulsion
« on: December 23, 2017, 06:26:54 pm »
I checked my paper copies after reading, both Orbit and Penguin editions and it’s there.

It’s easy missed, I believe it’s the second time we ever see sorcery in the series after the Nonman showdown in the prologue. I totally glossed over it on my first read, before we know much about the metaphysics.

15
The Darkness That Comes Before / Inrau and the Cants of Compulsion
« on: December 23, 2017, 12:31:27 pm »
So I’m listening to the audiobook version of TDTCB and it’s brought up something I remember wondering over on my first read.

When Inrau first comes to meet Akka at the tavern, is he under the influence of a Cant of Compulsion? The whole sequence he’s in a dreamlike state, and describes “Words that battered whatever will remained to him. Words that walked with his limbs.”

And when he arrives “light spilling from his working mouth. Flakes of sun in his eyes.”

When Akka stops everything seems to come back into focus. All the evidence points at a Cant.

Now here’s my confusion.

1) He later rules out Compelling Inrau as it would leave him with the Mark, and would out him to the Thousand Temples.

2) Wouldn’t Sarcellus and the Shrial Knights noticed him Canting?


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