35 KiB
[RT][HF] A Practical Guide to Evil: Book 4: Interlude: Kaleidoscope VI
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Author: u/Zayits *
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URL: https://practicalguidetoevil.wordpress.com/2018/06/04/kaleidoscope-vi/
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Score: 91
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Created: 2018-06-04T04:01:39
Post:
Comments:
u/Ardvarkeating101 [+51] Father of Learning (30 minutes later)
We were twelve, once, but no longer. Do not forget this
Ha, nice Absence demon reference.
edit: Gods, Akua, that's fucking amazing:
"Still, a responding battle cry was in order. It was the heroic thing to do. Something about Callow? Akua pondered her understanding of Catherine’s temper. I am angry, the sorceress decided, because I am disappointed as I have mystifyingly failed to grasp that the Heavens prefer their pawns powerful yet rather dim. I must now protect the venerable sanctity of farms and countless peasants everywhere, as I am very concerned with their fate even though they are ignorant and full of lice.
“Fuck off and die,” Akua called back, tinting her voice with wroth."
edit 2: With that ending I'm beginning to actually like Akua now. That cloak must be burned before further damage is done
u/M3mentoMori [+18] (an hour later)
We were twelve, once, but no longer. Do not forget this
Ha, nice Absence demon reference.
Pilgrim's referring to the fact that 2 heroes died permanently in the last exchange.
ScoreboardStarting hero roster:Christophe, the Mirror Knight
Kallia, the Painted Knife
The Forsworn Healer, name unknown
The Rogue Sorcerer, name unknown
Mansurin, some variant of Champion (died to goblinfire)
Sidonia, the Vagrant Spear
Antoine, the Blade of Mercy
The Silent Guardian, name unknown
The Myrmidon, name unknown
Francois, Name unknown (died to goblinfire)
Tariq, the Grey Pilgrim
Laurence, the Saint of Swords
Edit: apparently there were 14 heroes at the start, my bad. Still, now we have a list of heroes involved!
u/Ardvarkeating101 [+8] Father of Learning (an hour later)
I’m aware, but it can be both.
Thanks for the list though, it’s a lot of characters to keep track of
u/M3mentoMori [+11] (an hour later)
Yeah, apparently Absence got to me, too, as I forgot that there were more heroes at the start lol.
u/ProfessorPhi [+2] (6 hours later)
I presume Francois is one of the sword and boards that cat clashed with before the interludes.
u/M3mentoMori [+2] (8 hours later)
I believe Francois was the hammer-wielder from that fight. Cat killed Sidonia and a male sword&board, and Mansurin is the only one mentioned to be killed twice.
u/ProfessorPhi [+7] (8 hours later)
First Sword and Board was instantly resurrected and then barefoot staff woman and Hammer Wielder were killed and greatsword wielder was disarmed.
With the coming of dawn, Tariq had been able to Forgive the death of Mansurin. The young man, displaying the famous fortitude of the Champion lines, had only been spurred to greater zeal by his stay Above. Little Sidonia, with her laughing eyes and quick wit, would have to remain under shroud of preservation until tomorrow.
Since we have Forgive only useable once per day, used on sword and board on the day Cat fought, this means Mansurin must be Hammer Wielder. Also Champion lines seem to prefer blunt weapons, which makes sense. Furthermore, all the resurrected heroes were mentioned, but not the sword and board.
I'm assuming that Myrmidion and Silent Guardian were used to protect Forsworn in the previous battle since they were on protection duty again here. There is some implication of heavy armour here. However, Cat did fight two different swords and boards and if Francois is one I'm not sure who the other would be.
u/M3mentoMori [+3] (9 hours later)
Ah, I see. Completely missed that Hammer had died.
u/ForgottenToupee [+18] (55 minutes later)
Something about the way that paragraph was written made me think of Azula from A:TLA and now I can't help but use that voice for Ubua.
And I honestly can't decide which is better, the reasoning that went into it or the battle cry itself.
u/Ardvarkeating101 [+23] Father of Learning (an hour later)
I think it's that her idea of Catherine's response to such a line of thought is to curse at them "heroically"
u/Cariyaga [+8] Kyubey did nothing wrong (an hour later)
NO! Now that's how I imagine her voice!
u/ForgottenToupee [+6] (an hour later)
Honestly I can't believe I've never seen the parallel before, they're pretty much identical manifestations of the same trope
u/akaltyn [+7] (3 hours later)
Akua doesn't have the parental issues and resultant inferiority complex Avula has.
u/Zayits [+9] (4 hours later)
More like she had the roles for the parents switched: her father is understanding and supportive, while her mother is the one manipulating and oppressing Akua into villainy.
u/HallowedThoughts [+6] (an hour later)
I thought they were twelve at the start of this battle? Two of them fell to goblinfire when Juniper made the rivers, right?
u/Ardvarkeating101 [+21] Father of Learning (an hour later)
There was 14 before absence ate two, then two more were killed by goblinfire so now they're down to 10.
u/HallowedThoughts [+3] (an hour later)
Wait, where did they mention the heroes before Absence again? I can't seem to find it
Edit: Nvm, just found it
u/Oaden [+3] (4 hours later)
Care to share?
u/notsureiflying [+11] (4 hours later)
It was mentioned in passing that the invading army had 14 heroes
u/ForgottenToupee [+41] (45 minutes later)
I know that Ubua's reappearance has been a little controversial, but I hope that after this chapter more people are on board with her sticking around. I found her perspective on the fight to be delightful to read. Really, I think that turning Cat's foil into her personal genie in a bottle/shoulder devil was a great move by EE.
Also, how horrifying is it that this has turned into an "all according to plan" moment? It's gone from a funny injoke in Book 1 to Cat doing it on purpose
u/18scsc [+32] (an hour later)
Yeah I hate that she's "getting off easy" so to speak, but well... this is "The Practical Guide to Evil" not "The Unproductive Guide to Vengeance".
u/Ardvarkeating101 [+13] Father of Learning (55 minutes later)
Plan means Keikeku
And it means she's growing up *sniffle
u/ForgottenToupee [+20] (an hour later)
The next one is going to involve Cat pretending to be Akua pretending to be Cat
u/Ardvarkeating101 [+17] Father of Learning (an hour later)
At which point she's going to become Professor Quirrel
u/ForgottenToupee [+16] (an hour later)
inb4 a quippy "one level higher than you" line
u/Ardvarkeating101 [+2] Father of Learning (an hour later)
I honestly tried to think of one but gave up halfway through
u/xland44 [+8] (5 hours later)
It could be Professor Quirrel pretending to be Akua that's pretending to be Cat that's pretending to be Akua pretending to be Cat
u/Anderkent [+3] (6 hours later)
At that point they may as well get married.
u/TheEngineer923 [+3] (9 hours later)
With Archer as the godmother.
u/None [+11] (an hour later)
[deleted]
u/ForgottenToupee [+8] (an hour later)
Like "at all" at all or just past Book 3 when she died?
u/None [+4] (an hour later)
[deleted]
u/ForgottenToupee [+8] (an hour later)
Huh. Why do you say that?
u/None [+8] (an hour later)
[deleted]
u/ForgottenToupee [+8] (an hour later)
Oh man, Book 3 must've been a slog for you then
u/None [+5] (an hour later)
[deleted]
u/GodKiller999 [+1] (11 hours later)
How are you finding the more recent chapters though?
u/None [+4] (13 hours later)
[deleted]
u/CouteauBleu [+3] We are the Empire. (a day later)
"Cat never plans, never has knowledge, and struggles to win, but wins"
I'm not sure I agree with that. Encounters that Cat has spent a lot of time planning in the first 3 books:
The final school battle.
The defense of Marchford.
Her resurrection scheme.
The duel with the Duke of Violent Squalls, arguably (the one where she gets her first Winter title).
The Battle of Four Armies and One.
The whole attack on Diabolist.
I think the major difference would be, in this book she's starting to do more long-term planning.
On the other hand, I'm with you on the hypocrite part.
u/Ardvarkeating101 [+1] Father of Learning (23 hours later)
Well they're going to be brutally sodomized by Catherine so I think if you set up a big enough backlog you'll be fine.
u/18scsc [+29] (an hour later)
>If Akua had always known heroism was this entertaining, she would have begun dabbling years ago.
I feel like this line holds some significance. Akua, villain of the old breed, has come from viewing Cat as a disgraceful upstart of a Villain to viewing her as a (lower case h) hero. I'm fairly certain Cat is gonna get a new name with the next chapter "the Queen returning from slumber in the hour of her kingdom's most dire need" is such a powerful trope.
There's no way Cat's gonna be a Hero, but maybe her new name will be neutral? In terms of alignment it's worth noting that the Heavens don't view Winter as something that must be destroyed (as seen when blessing the water failed to fuck up the Winter!Zombies).
EDIT: Fuck, maybe Cat has inadvertently offered Akua a shot at a redemption arc? I'm not sure if I like the idea, Akua deserves to suffer, but that would be quite a heroic or at least unvillanish thing to do.
u/Tallergeese [+19] (an hour later)
I feel like I've posted something to this effect in every update, but I really don't think Cat will be getting a Name anytime soon. A Name is a consequence of acting the part of a Role, and I don't think Cat wants anything to do with getting locked into playing the Gods' narrative games anymore. She wants to break the story of Callow being the beleaguered battleground for the fight between Good and Evil. A Role is a groove worn into Fate, a path tread by countless individuals in the past. She wants to forge a new path for Callow, and so there's no Role (and thus no Name) fitting for what she wants to do.
Besides, she's plenty powerful already as the Queen of Winter. As Akua just showed, she can stand on her own against two of the most mighty Heroes we've seen to date and eight fodder Heroes. She doesn't need a Name.
u/Ardvarkeating101 [+18] Father of Learning (2 hours later)
Erm, the black queen was basically unprecedented and she nearly got that one
u/18scsc [+13] (2 hours later)
We've seen new names before though, or at least names that haven't existed in living memory (see Hierophant). If not for that I'd think you're completely right. With the fact of new Names being a thing, I'm not so sure. Cat is carving a gauge in creation rather than following a grove, and that fits a new Role and Name better than no Name at all.
I guess the real question here is whether Cat wants to break the story, or if she wants to create a better story. I'm honestly not sure, I'd say the chances are even or close to it. Watch me get proved wrong next chapter though.
u/Tallergeese [+14] (3 hours later)
Both Cat and Black want to create institutions that can continue to function after they're gone, making Praes and Callow less reliant on and less susceptible to the influence and whimsy of Named. The fact that the Dread Empress/Emperor of Praes is a Name is a problem for Praes, not a good thing.
Cat talks on many occasions about abdicating as soon as there's a stable government in Callow that can survive without her. If she gets a Name that makes her the savior of Callow and the guarantor of its peace, then she's basically ensuring that this will never happen. Callow will be reliant on the Black Queen (or whatever her Name is) forever, whether that's Cat herself or claimants on the Name down the line.
I dunno. I don't really think it's impossible that Cat gets a Name, but I think that's the least interesting way to go.
u/Rheklr [+4] (6 hours later)
I've said the same thing in previous thread too. The Role that comes with any Name is too constricting, and the essence of Squire (not that the she really had it any more) is the potential to be something greater, which she is going to be.
u/18scsc [+3] (9 hours later)
Maybe her new name will be the Institutionalist 😂
Edit: Or [Adjective?] Dictator. Assuming massive power in a time of need like they did in the Roman Republic, and then abdicating in the manner of Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus.
u/tantalum73 [+7] (10 hours later)
Inb4 her Name is Foundling
u/tantalum73 [+3] (10 hours later)
Or at least that's the way she's referred to in the memoirs, and I can't think of any other Named that are referenced in the chapter quotes by name instead of Name
u/signeti [+3] (15 hours later)
I really hope she will abdicate and that author will not kill her off in last book.
I would give my left nut for continuation of story where Cat, after her abdication, just travels the world like sellsword. Perhaps visits other continents and just chills around.
u/Tallergeese [+6] (16 hours later)
Maybe she and Archer will finally bang after they've become fellow murderhobos.
u/werafdsaew [+2] (19 hours later)
I think she's going to retire to Arcadia and establish a new Court of Winter.
u/signeti [+2] (15 hours later)
I completely agree with you. Cat always kinda played a bit different game then everyone else, so I think its fitting for her to continue kicking other Named around without one of her own. I also think it provides her with bit of narrative protection.
u/None [+2] (9 hours later)
There's no way Cat's gonna be a Hero, but maybe her new name will be neutral?
This, I have been rooting for this so hard, I really hope Cath get a neutral name that way she can use both side to her advantage and this can finally do evil right
u/ProfessorPhi [+25] (an hour later)
Mirror Knight == Dauntless
u/None [+8] (an hour later)
From WORM?
u/jtolmar [+28] (2 hours later)
Wouldn't be the first hero to be a Worm reference; one of the heroes from the Absence fight was based on Browbeat.
u/dashelgr [+14] (8 hours later)
one of the heroes from the Absence fight
Ohh man that battle was so epic
u/cyberdsaiyan [+3] (10 hours later)
... did I miss a chapter? When did this happen?
u/AurelianoTampa [+18] (10 hours later)
It's a joke :-)
In Chapter 4, Thief and Cat discuss the invading host's heroic makeup:
“We’ll untangle that particular mess in full at the briefing,” I sighed. “What’ve you got on the heroes? None of this matters if they just splatter us across the countryside at the first scrap.”
“Wasn’t able to get all the Names,” Thief said. “But I do have a number for you: there’s fourteen of them.”
When GP and Cat meet up and talk in chapter 8, she promises not to use demons and warns GP that they believe one may be somewhere in Callow, possibly trapped in a legion standard:
“Done,” I grunted. “As a gesture of goodwill, I’ll add a warning. There’s a demon from Dread Empress Triumphant’s day bound somewhere in the vicinity of Harrow. My people believe it might be one of Absence.”
“A Hell Egg, after all these years?” he said, brow rising. “I thought none remained within Callow.”
“Would that this were true,” I ruefully said. “I don’t know exactly where it is, or what keeps it bound. Odds are it’s an old Legion standard but I can’t guarantee it.”
He inclined his head in thanks.
“I will discuss this with the others,” the Pilgrim said. “If we can slay it, we will.”
Absence is a particularly nasty demon, because its corrupting effect is to basically erase things around it from existence - even from memories. When previously released, Absence apparently wiped an entire country from existence, with no one even remembering it. From book 2, chapter 22:
A shiver went up my spine at that, I was unashamed to admit. Every Callowan was raised on stories about what demons could do when let loose, and both of those kinds had famous legends to their names. An absence demon was widely believed to be the reason the entire Yan Tei Empire had no mention of it anywhere during two centuries and then had suddenly reappeared in the histories. People hadn’t even noticed it was gone, or even that anything had been missing at all.
In chapter 10, Archer and Cat discuss the heroes again:
“It’s just twelve heroes,” Archer shrugged. “Nothing to worry about. Worse comes to worse, I shoot a few in the eye and run away.”
Strange, it hadn’t occurred to me before now that the muster of heroes on the other side was essentially a tenth and two officers. I had been tired, and there’d been a few days a while back where I’d had vicious headaches. Must have been the lack of sleep having unforeseen consequences. We were all feeling the pressure: even Vivienne and Masego had been out of sorts.
The implication here (and referenced again in this chapter when GP tells the heroes to remember they were twelve once and to never "forget") is that the demon was found and fought. Two heroes were erased from existence, as was any memory of the battle. Hence the headaches suffered by characters, and the subtle references to a smaller number of heroes than originally discussed.
It was probably quite the battle, but no one remembers it.
u/cyberdsaiyan [+3] (11 hours later)
Oh damn, nice, I read through but I didn't catch it becoming a meme here.
u/jtolmar [+8] (11 hours later)
To explain the rest of the joke, Browbeat is a character from Worm who disappeared almost immediately after being introduced because the author forgot about him.
u/Razorhead [+1] (a day later)
A bit like Launch in Dragon Ball, then.
u/dashelgr [+5] (11 hours later)
To add to /u/AurelianoTampa there was also this joke thread on the guide subreddit where EE pitched in as well.
u/ProfessorPhi [+6] (4 hours later)
Yep. He imbues an object with power and that becomes permanently enhanced. Expected to be super strong one day (spoilers: but doesn't survive). His backstory is super similar.
u/CeruleanTresses [+9] (9 hours later)
Should probably use the actual spoiler tag for that one. I've already read Worm, but nobody reading your comment would be able to avoid the spoiler with only one word of warning. The word "spoiler" and the text of the actual spoiler are basically both absorbed in the same "chunk."
u/werafdsaew [+2] (2 hours later)
Might be Dark Soul reference? The Looking Glass Knight, formerly known as the Mirror Knight, also has a mirror shield.
u/CantLookUp [+3] (4 hours later)
I'm inclined to agree with the Dauntless suggestion, the schtick of getting slightly more powerful every dawn matches his power almost perfectly.
u/ProfessorPhi [+1] (4 hours later)
It's a Worm reference. In that every day he becomes slightly stronger, but each enhancement in itself is unnoticeable.
u/None [+5] (9 hours later)
can be an Arthurian reference, seven deadly sins also have a similar character that taken from the legends of king Arthur
u/PotentiallySarcastic [+7] (18 hours later)
This is more likely as it is directly tied to the sun rising. It's a Gawain reference.
u/Frankenlich [+23] Ankh-Morpork City Watch (26 minutes later)
A very satisfying conclusion to Akua's reappearance. Can't wait to see where this goes next.
Very interesting that winter!undead are unaffected by light / priest power. I'd bet Catherine continues to make use of that discovery, even if only on a small scale.
u/Yes_This_Is_God [+18] (an hour later)
The exposition on Winter zombies reminded me of Spongebob (replace "Darkness" with "Zombie").
Really liked the creative use of Winter's powers by Akua. Reminded me of Ice-Man from the X-Men comics in their overwhelming, indiscriminate control of water/ice, which is terrifying.
The action was anime af, which is great. I liked Akua's arrogance and internal monologue in the midst of battle. It's a shame we only got to see her as a Classic Villain, because she really is a fun character (assuming she's not on the other side). She felt like a mini-Triumphant here (may she never return): quick, witty, and hopelessly arrogant.
u/Zayits [+14] (an hour later)
She felt like a mini-Triumphant here (may she never return): quick, witty, and hopelessly arrogant.
Triumphant doesn't have any witty quotes; if anything, Akua was closer to that in life and is now becoming more like an average Dread Emperor.
u/Ardvarkeating101 [+7] Father of Learning (an hour later)
So smile, Tyrants
And let us be Wicked
u/Zayits [+4] (5 hours later)
That was from a play about Treacherous.
u/tantalum73 [+1] (10 hours later)
I thought it was Traitorous?
u/Zayits [+3] (13 hours later)
My headcanon is that this was the way he ended the War of Thirteen Tyrants and One (and that's the reason it's called so): he pretended to be two different people to play the other factions into making a truce. We know that he used to pretend to be his own Chancellor, and that he liked to depose himself, so he could use that to purge the ranks of his "followers".
u/Ardvarkeating101 [+1] Father of Learning (10 hours later)
Yeah, classic dread Emperor
u/None [+16] (9 hours later)
I wish I had "Ignorant and Full of Lice" as a flair option.
u/BaggyOz [+16] (an hour later)
Am I the only one who thinks it's a big deal that Akua called Cat "my Empress"?
u/cyberdsaiyan [+24] (an hour later)
You have to realize that she is Praesi old breed. Loyalty is ever fickle with that lot. You can see that Akua wasn't concerned with getting herself bound to Catherine, as she believed it was the victor's right to enslave the loser.
And so, even as she thinks of Cat as her empress, she would backstab her in a heartbeat if she was ever completely sure of becoming herself again. You can see that in the last line as well, she is making herself useful so that she has more opportunities to plot.
u/TheEngineer923 [+9] (9 hours later)
If I am recalling correctly, aren't the Sahellians direct descendents from the first noble who killed the first Dread Emperor/press and started this whole treachery "Iron sharpens Iron" bullshit? I think betraying your leader is in the blood for these types of people.
u/cyberdsaiyan [+3] (10 hours later)
Indeed, which is why every single speck of power granted to her must have a million contingencies.
u/Ardvarkeating101 [+17] Father of Learning (an hour later)
She's been saying for a while now that Cat wants to claim the tower, even if she doesn't want to admit it.
u/akaltyn [+10] (3 hours later)
I feel like it would be a Worm style situation where she ends up taking control while complaining the whole way that this was definitely not what she wanted, just that she was the best for the job, it was the only option, etc
u/TideofKhatanga [+6] (5 hours later)
It's a big deal, but not unexpected. Cat consulted Akua on the matters of goblin politics and Akua isn't dumb. The Matrons are sensing weakness in the current Empress, the Black Knight also wonders how long she has left. The signs of an incoming succession are here and, of the two would-be heiresses, only one is still in the race.
u/DarkArchon_ [+1] (16 hours later)
That caught my eye as well. There are a lot of signs that Cat is "fated" to become the Empress. The song of course. Presumably Alaya heard it before and that's how Black knows even thought it "wasn't for him". I wonder if the crusade would consider that a win? Praes reformed under Cat and Callow as a tributary state to Praes, but not headed by a Named.
There was a few more lines in this one that I was thinking on:
The line about resurrections. I wonder if the side of good using such a potent ability will empower the side of evil to maintain the balance?
I wonder who else would call what Cat is doing heroism? It's clear that compared to Akua she could be considered heroic, but Cat reminds me too much of Doctor Doom or Magneto. Still considered Evil.
What does it mean that Cat's soul is completely fused with Winter? Did that just happen from the magical backfire or has it been like that since she became the last titled entity of winter?
u/Iwasahipsterbefore [+17] (an hour later)
Such a thing could be interrupted by workings, but it would take nothing less than a miracle to usurp or reshape it.
Oh geez foreshadowing for Heirophant.
u/dashelgr [+5] (8 hours later)
It's the Piligrim who used a miracle to usurp Hierophant's working. The radiance was the remnant of the Summer Sun after all.
u/tantalum73 [+3] (10 hours later)
I got the impression from Akua that it was Divine radiance, not summer
u/dashelgr [+1] (11 hours later)
Hmm it's hard to parse Akua's words sometimes when she's so darned poetic
u/tantalum73 [+3] (17 hours later)
Yeah, although I think my favorite move by her was stomping the hero's head to dodge Saint's cut. It was a perfect, casual "down, my minion" moment
u/Croktopus [+13] (3 hours later)
Holy shit dude Akua is almost as good a Catherine as Catherine. That was so hype.
u/dashelgr [+14] (8 hours later)
Except for the "I was born to rule" line. Though her acting was close enough that the heroes could think this was due to the effect of Winter.
u/tantalum73 [+8] (10 hours later)
I think she was playing truth games in front of Pilgrim. Couldn't outright lie, but was having to test the bounds of deception to stay in character as much as possible. I'm drawing most of this from her "that didn't register as a lie, did it?" Line
u/Croktopus [+4] (12 hours later)
I wasn't even referring to her acting as Catherine so much as...when she played the role of the Black Queen, I was just as into it as when Catherine does. Like, she is good at that role.
u/HallowedThoughts [+11] (28 minutes later)
Akua's not as good an actor as she thinks, sadly. They will be wondering why she fought and acted so differently, but hopefully they won't realize the truth. Saint's strength seems to be waning now, her end might be soon. Regardless, loved seeing Akua using her own methodology with Cat's body
u/ProfessorPhi [+11] (an hour later)
Starlight stolen
I always got the feeling that Pilgrim was not using the Summer Sun with his weapon - to call it starlight instead of Summer's sun doesn't seem to match thematically, since thematically stars are associated with night and suns with day, and this world if nothing else, follows theme more than logic. It was something else entirely, as the staff he has has made appearances beforehand. I feel like the Summer Sun was more him breaking the control and reshaping the leftover magic rather than usurping Hierophant's miracle. Like in the way he breaks Hierophant's 'light has no effect' circle, or Cat's portals.
It seems to me that the Pilgrim's staff is a completely different power source that is tied to the breaking of power. Like the power of a fallen star or something - thematically fits with the idea of breaking power and it's lack of effect of Pilgrim who doesn't wield personal power to break.
Such a thing could be interrupted by workings, but it would take nothing less than a miracle to usurp or reshape it.
This sounds like Hierophant is going usurp the starlight as a new weapon in his arsenal
u/CouteauBleu [+10] We are the Empire. (2 hours later)
Huh. I'm surprised how much Akua didn't screw this up.
u/Oaden [+27] (4 hours later)
Akua is extremely competent, and her foe is actually the kind she loves to fight. A entire parade of heroes, young and old, new and legendary, all just for her. Its like Christmas
u/PotentiallySarcastic [+15] (6 hours later)
She also is the exact type of person whod think the restrictions placed upon her regarding demons and devils makes for a fun exercise in creativity.
u/DTravers [+10] (8 hours later)
It's like bubble wrap, once you pop the head off of one it's hard to stop.
u/AurelianoTampa [+11] (8 hours later)
Devil's in the details! Some stuff that stuck out:
He drew strength from it, from the Dawn that was one of his aspects.
Missed a good pun chance here; should have been Drawn, as he draws power from the dawn. That's Good for you - no sense of humor.
Only the greater lines won more than empty titles and emptier privileges from being recognized, as was only fitting for the descendants – in Blood or Bestowal – of the five heroes that had founded the Dominion.
Neat world-building about the Dominion of Levant. Looks like their heroes have two ways to become Named (or as they call them, Bestowed) - either through Blood ties to a former Named, or through being Bestowed by the Heavens. If the Named has a family, their descendants form a new Line; a lesser line if not one of the Names shared by the founders, or a greater line if it is (I think?). Valiant Champion, slayer of Captain, wasn't born into a greater line but inherited the Name of one of the founding heroes - so her kids will be, effectively, royalty. Speaking of royalty, Grey Pilgrim is apparently both from a greater line AND inherited one of the founders' Names. I find that interesting, especially since he's so close with Saint of Swords, who is known as the Regicide for her history of murdering royalty. I wonder if there's potential conflict brewing there.
"...I see you’ve been tossing around resurrections like they’re godsdamned solstice treats, too. Charming. Not going to have any long-term ramifications at all.”
Oooooo... wondering what this could foreshadow?
The heroine flickered with Light and it pulsed in a perfect ring around her. Aspect, the sorceress decided. Weak enough it could likely be used more than once, which would be difficult to deal with.
I'm wondering if Saint's Aspect is weak by nature, kept weak by Saint to not overexert herself, or is weakened because of Saint's advanced age. It was mentioned in the previous chapter that she hasn't used Aspects before, and theorized it's because she can't without repercussions. Now she's started to use them... death-flag is being hoisted?
She called on Winter again, the fullness of the mantle, and kept digging deeper until her vision blurred. Her reward did not take long to be delivered.
Back into the box, Diabolist.
While Cat coming back is awesome and welcome, I'm wondering what her coming back while going full-blown Winter is going to do to her. I'd really hate for Winter-Cat to be the version we get back, because she's basically a rabid demi-god. Demi-dog? Hoping that's not the case, but it seems too lucky and easy to have her just pop back and be "normal" Cat.
This also doesn't solve the issue of Masego. Unlike Cat he doesn't have an Arcadian hardcopy to tether himself to and reassemble. I wonder if a potential solution would be for Cat to deputize him with a Winter title, and then use her power to yank him back. Although I worry what that'll do to a guy who's already pretty amoral... mix in Winter and he stands to get his personality turned cold. Suddenly rather than just an academic interest in everything, he may find his passion in hunting prey or figuring out how to freeze all of Creation or something...
u/None [+7] (9 hours later)
I wonder if a potential solution would be for Cat to deputize him with a Winter title, and then use her power to yank him back.
Interesting idea
u/TheEngineer923 [+5] (9 hours later)
Given how masterfully Akua wielded Winter's Power, Hierophant would take to Winter like a duck to water.
u/HeWhoBringsDust [+6] (a day later)
Hierophant tests Winter powers
“Interesting. It’s using the link in my soul to modify my perceptions and make me more like the fae... Very interesting...”
Two days later
“Catherine I have good news. I’ve been experimenting and through the use of (insert arcane gibberish here that translates to “I’ve made Winter my bitch and got it to behave”)
u/CeruleanTresses [+6] (9 hours later)
While Cat coming back is awesome and welcome, I'm wondering what her coming back while going full-blown Winter is going to do to her. I'd really hate for Winter-Cat to be the version we get back, because she's basically a rabid demi-god.
That could be bad, yeah. At least we know Archer's nearby. Hopefully Cat gave her the same oath keywords she gave Thief.
Edit: On further consideration, just because Archer got a shot in doesn't necessarily mean she isn't a full mile away.
u/sharikak54 [+3] (a day later)
Archer's close enough that Cat's-soul-slash-winter refused to let Ubua leave her in the middle of the fight, at least.
u/CeruleanTresses [+1] (a day later)
Good point!
u/panchoadrenalina [+2] (12 hours later)
The saint used an aspect before. sever or something like that to cut cat's arm with an injury that winter did not seem to heal. It happened just before she dropped a lake onto the army