So I could offer a bit more of explanation of Saraine’s magic, but I think it will be somewhat more explained next page…
As for her activating it with a keyword, I’ve noted before that’s not required, but some mages do it; it’s more of a very primitive formula construction – they’ve associated the formula with the word and by speaking it back they recall up and project the formula. Some mages use longer phrases, some use single words, and while some import will often be ascribed to the words, that comes from the associations the mage has to that word and is intentionally recalling.
Anyway, due to other factors in life (the Kickstarter) I’ve been pretty busy. No one told me it would involve so many people emailing me. As much as I may have occasionally bad mouthed sales departments, I must admit that I don’t enjoy playing their fiddle here. Not complaining, per se, as it’s done very well, just… tired. It’s a lot to deal with. I think it’ll be in fits and starts, but trying to get some things squared away before the campaign ends, and dealing with international logistics is like kicking myself in the shins… challenging and painful.
I really sort of thought I’d start the Kickstarter, then have more time as it would just sort of run on its own…
Complaining about my job is sort of tradition in these comment boxes, but now some of the people that read this are my clients, so to speak. I think there’s a little cross over from people that follow this comic to following my other stuff (in, in some cases, just because it’s my stuff…) but not much the other way around, I suppose, though I know there’s a few folks here that found that stuff first.
Anyway; been tired. Life is still weird; hope you’re all doing well.
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What is happening with Cali’s hand? Did she twist it into those things holding up the kid? Is her hand behind him and those things holding the kid up are bits of concrete or something? Enquiring minds want to know!
Pretty sure her hand is behind the former hostage, who is being liberated from very heavy duty bindings that they have been in for the past few pages. Because if you are going to telekinesis one thing why not more.
That’s the Dragon’s Claw spell. Good for catching things. Also one of the prerequisites for Summon Huge Red Dragon.
I think someone didn’t get the memo that the IDS’ biggest and baddest opponent, when Kor’s World isn’t around at least, is the IDS.
Nor the memo that null mages can be outclassed. Nor the memo that IDS has them, too, so they’re not that surprising to people who’ve mostly fought the IDS and Kor’s World.
I seem to recall it’s difficult for people to use magic directly on other people, especially other mages, so boosters like Naomi are pretty resistant to null magic. Sarainne probably knows about this one, at least.
On a completely different note. Yo, Kibbles! Successful kickstarters involve *so* many emails. Just FYI, so you know, you know? (Possibly not as many emails as being postmaster for a high volume email domain, so if you want to avoid having a lot of email, that’s a job you might want to avoid.) Sorry about telling you about this a little late, but better late than never, right?
I think the erroneous assumption is not Kally’s strength, but rather her capacity to summon and control Fluffy in the relatively small space of one rooftop. Thus the comment about “at this range”- IE, point blank. Someone is about to discover that dragons do not have a minimum arming distance, and that they can be surprisingly precise and delicate when they want to be.
And bring whole new volumes of meaning to the words “collateral damage” when they DON’T want to be?
Based on the scene with Kally, Sophie, and the null caster, the normal solution for a mage faced with a null caster is boosting. That’s not something we’ve really seen Kally do so she may not be all that good at it, but that sort of doesn’t matter, because the simple solution is “Naomi, let’s switch partners”.
I don’t really think we’ll see dragonfire here, because of the risk of collateral damage.
Wow, so we found the scenario where Naomi ‘sorry about the wall, I was aiming for the window’ Atarah is the less collateral damage solution?
Interesting.
Wouldn’t even be the first time the situation came up. http://pastutopia.com/comic/comic-for-thursday-december-29th/
That’s just crazy. Who knew Naomi’s punch counted as a surgical strike!
Have you looked at the typical splash damage when powerful mages get into fights? Other than Kally, consider Atter, Camilla, Elisabeth, Ila, Rovak, Tyler (possibly others, but we haven’t seen people like Nathan and Sophie fight seriously).
I suspect that Sarvaine Hilvari’s understanding of what Kally can do “at this range” is built on an erroneous assumption.
I also think that her assertion that Kally’s on the wrong side of somebody kidnapping children and claiming their fate is insignificant because there are more children in that family is unlikely to be very convincing, let alone Sarvaine’s assertion that they have interests in common.
A certain somebody may get to find out what humans taste like to them, after all.
Or, as the tee shirt for women that I have been seeing advertised everywhere online of late says, “Underestimate me. That’ll be fun.”
For women?? Dang.
I don’t care. I’m going to keep wearing it.
Ooo
Old people who don’t realize how out-classed they are in magic compared to the new kids in town. I’m guessing naomi does something fun next page. There might be dragons too. Hopefully ice cream as well. There can always be more ice cream.
And apparently fancy pants mages just don’t learn, you shouldn’t use your key phases in earshot of any protags…
-meoi lass
Crunchy and good with ketchup.
Magic fire is still fire, the nullification wont work on it. That’s what the IDS null caster knows.
Kally doesn’t need help to cast he dragon, elana needs help with the spirit beast. I don’t think she really knows how strong Kally is….
this thought just occured to me…Kally is called “The Dragon Witch.” Everyone takes that as the witch who summons the dragon..It could also mean the Dragon, who is also a witch…has Kally tried to breathe fire herself? That would be a real time saver for ranged attavk…just saying. Kor’s world soldiers would probably find it disconcerting as well.
I really like your Dragon Witch part of the comment.
Within the context of this universe… I understand that certain forms (dragon wings) make certain calculations (flight) significantly easier, even when the form couldn’t necessarily maintain that activity even if it were flesh and blood.
That said, I’ve gotten the impression that some sort of incineration / disintegration spell is one of Kally’s older tricks. She’s fun a lineage of mage families on a par at least with the outcast families, but with much more recent all out war experience.
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