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Post by warrl on Sept 3, 2014 15:43:48 GMT
A Taoist priest immobilises Chinese hopping vampires (no, I'm not joking!) by sticking rune-covered labels on their foreheads. Paper talismans exist in several religions, most prominently they are known as "Ofuda" in Shintoism. They are used for all kinds of blessings like wards against evil. There's actually a whole sub-genre of 80's Asian horror comedies where this kind of thing is a fairly common theme. One of the most well known is probably A Chinese Ghost Story. They are prominent in the webcomic The Fox Sister and also show up in the Missing Moments side story to Sister Claire. |
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Post by aaroncampbell on Sept 3, 2014 15:48:53 GMT
Just a moment -- we don't KNOW that the Ofuda is what is disabling her abilities. Consider this: what if the Ofuda is some sort of ownership-glyph (not-unlike Annie's symbol on Rey) and it's the robot's statement "Your fire-type abilities are temporarily suspended" itself that is what is disabling her? That she is basically under the command/ownership of the robot cult now as Rey is under hers?  |
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Post by eightyfour on Sept 3, 2014 16:16:03 GMT
Why go back to the 80's when you can have younger pop culture references?  Being old, just like Angry Robot, the 80's are more of my domain than those fancy modern animated pictures (those will rot your brain!).  what if the Ofuda is some sort of ownership-glyph (not-unlike Annie's symbol on Rey) and it's the robot's statement "Your fire-type abilities are temporarily suspended" itself that is what is disabling her? That she is basically under the command/ownership of the robot cult now as Rey is under hers? That is an interesting theory. Incidently, I think paper talismans don't really fit into the GC universe, at least not in their classical form as religious symbols. It just doesn't mesh. But then, the robots are all about religion these days, what with their Cult of Kat... |
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Earin
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Post by Earin on Sept 3, 2014 16:43:44 GMT
You kid, but that was a pretty piss-poor display of spacial awareness. I'm actually a little mad right now. I hate it when a powerful character gets taken down so easily that its almost questionable. it's not any more questionable than the NO-EYE program the court used to bind renardine; exact same principles, different execution. Annie was taken off guard because when she turned around to face her assailant, it was holding a tiny slip of paper and saying "excuse me" to her. These are not the generally accepted parameters of an assault. momentary confusion isn't really a surprise i think--though it's probably not a mistake she'd make again. I'm also a little curious to know whether the paper tag would have worked if the ether syphons weren't present. |
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Post by aaroncampbell on Sept 3, 2014 16:54:40 GMT
what if the Ofuda is some sort of ownership-glyph (not-unlike Annie's symbol on Rey) and it's the robot's statement "Your fire-type abilities are temporarily suspended" itself that is what is disabling her? That she is basically under the command/ownership of the robot cult now as Rey is under hers? That is an interesting theory. Incidently, I think paper talismans don't really fit into the GC universe, at least not in their classical form as religious symbols. It just doesn't mesh. But then, the robots are all about religion these days, what with their Cult of Kat... I'm not sure that this is something religious. Look at it -- it kinda looks like the drawing of a long-haired girl in a dress, facing left, with something on her head. (Forgive my crude ASCII art interpretation): |
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The same thing, colored, makes it really easy to see that this is Annie. Just a guess, but I'm pretty sure the thing on her head is her crown that we've seen hinted at before, which is REALLY interesting since the robots shouldn't know anything about this!
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Shire
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Post by Shire on Sept 3, 2014 17:02:20 GMT
Just a moment -- we don't KNOW that the Ofuda is what is disabling her abilities. Consider this: what if the Ofuda is some sort of ownership-glyph (not-unlike Annie's symbol on Rey) and it's the robot's statement "Your fire-type abilities are temporarily suspended" itself that is what is disabling her? That she is basically under the command/ownership of the robot cult now as Rey is under hers? No, there's no way it's that easy to slap ownership on someone. Renard's only under Annie's command because he jumped into a vessel (i.e., the wolf toy) that already belonged to her. |
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Post by aaroncampbell on Sept 3, 2014 17:38:08 GMT
Just a moment -- we don't KNOW that the Ofuda is what is disabling her abilities. Consider this: what if the Ofuda is some sort of ownership-glyph (not-unlike Annie's symbol on Rey) and it's the robot's statement "Your fire-type abilities are temporarily suspended" itself that is what is disabling her? That she is basically under the command/ownership of the robot cult now as Rey is under hers? No, there's no way it's that easy to slap ownership on someone. Renard's only under Annie's command because he jumped into a vessel (i.e., the wolf toy) that already belonged to her. One would certainly HOPE not. I'm hoping that it's more something like this. But even in that case, as best as we can tell all Jack's device did was draw the no-eye glyph on the wall around Rey (which caused Rey's and Annie's symbol's to come splitting out too, as a side-effect of the Rey separating from the toy I suspect.) But it does look "that easy" to just draw glyphs and have some pretty serious effects happen.....at least if the targets of those effects happen to be etheric beings, which Annie partially is. |
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Post by The Anarch on Sept 3, 2014 17:47:56 GMT
That she is basically under the command/ownership of the robot cult now as Rey is under hers? No, there's no way it's that easy to slap ownership on someone. It's what Annie gets for letting everyone know her true name! |
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Post by descoladavirus on Sept 3, 2014 18:35:19 GMT
You kid, but that was a pretty piss-poor display of spacial awareness. I'm actually a little mad right now. I hate it when a powerful character gets taken down so easily that its almost questionable. Target fixation is a thing. I think it was necessary for Annie to be disabled, either we'll see some new ability of hers, or finally a realization of someone else's abilities. No, there's no way it's that easy to slap ownership on someone. Renard's only under Annie's command because he jumped into a vessel (i.e., the wolf toy) that already belonged to her. One would certainly HOPE not. I'm hoping that it's more something like this. But even in that case, as best as we can tell all Jack's device did was draw the no-eye glyph on the wall around Rey (which caused Rey's and Annie's symbol's to come splitting out too, as a side-effect of the Rey separating from the toy I suspect.) But it does look "that easy" to just draw glyphs and have some pretty serious effects happen.....at least if the targets of those effects happen to be etheric beings, which Annie partially is. Anja did design that thing to work with her own abilities and computer anywhere in the Court. I think jack used his abilities and knowledge to simply create a different version if it, but the "No Eyes" symbol is simply a focus/designation for the binding that holds Renard. I think it's reasonable that at some point limiting the abilities of a student or attacking creature that can control fire was necessary, and these particular robots seem to be able to learn of such things. |
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Post by Intelligence on Sept 3, 2014 19:04:39 GMT
Why does everyone want the robots to be attacked? All they have is separated Gamma from Zimmy to make the experiment work. They are not threatening any of the students in any way. |
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Post by Eversist on Sept 3, 2014 19:11:04 GMT
I'm not sure that this is something religious. Look at it -- it kinda looks like the drawing of a long-haired girl in a dress, facing left, with something on her head. (Forgive my crude ASCII art interpretation): Your interpretation is pretty freaking awesome. I agree. I think that's it's probably circuitry-inspired, or something perhaps tangentially related to the language that's on the cube Kat has been deciphering. Just because it looks like/resembles a talisman, doesn't mean it has to necessarily be a talisman in the traditional sense. Why does everyone want the robots to be attacked? All they have is separated Gamma from Zimmy to make the experiment work. They are not threatening any of the students in any way. Well, what they are doing is taking the ship hostage and (attempting to) force Kat and Zimmy to do their will. Not to mention taking Zimmy out of her comfort zone. I'd be pretty pissed, too. |
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Post by Lightice on Sept 3, 2014 19:17:16 GMT
Why does everyone want the robots to be attacked? All they have is separated Gamma from Zimmy to make the experiment work. They are not threatening any of the students in any way. Taking Zimmy and Gamma apart is a huge threat towards everybody on the ship, whether the robots realise it or not, and they aren't listening to reason. Just because it looks like/resembles a talisman, doesn't mean it has to necessarily be a talisman in the traditional sense. I'm thinking it's the same kind of etheric science thingy as Anja's seals. There's probably an etheric computer somewhere on the ship powering that piece of paper up. |
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Post by crater on Sept 3, 2014 19:21:52 GMT
No, there's no way it's that easy to slap ownership on someone. It's what Annie gets for letting everyone know her true name! it's like her mom wanted Ann to be enslaved by a powerful Elementalist! She comes with her own easy to etch in blood symbol and everything |
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Post by Eversist on Sept 3, 2014 19:28:24 GMT
I'm thinking it's the same kind of etheric science thingy as Anja's seals. There's probably an etheric computer somewhere on the ship powering that piece of paper up. I think I saw that theory in this thread at some point (maybe from you). It's a good 'un. Maybe they don't even need a computer, because THEY ARE COMPUTERS  |
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Post by mordekai on Sept 3, 2014 19:38:07 GMT
Oh, well, I guess Annie will just have to become ethereal, take her Coyote's Tooth sword and cut all the robots to tiny pieces while ethereal (I think ethereal Annie could would non-ethereal beings with Coyote's Tooth).
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Post by exuberancium on Sept 3, 2014 20:02:29 GMT
Well this is getting to be an exciting chapter. I'm almost more interested, though, in what the fallout of this chapter will be. I bet the Court never expected that the robots would go all SHODAN and try to alter reality to further their own means. I mean, technically they're not harming the students (yet), but they are holding them against their will and want to make Zimmy do something against her will which is also probably very dangerous. I'm guessing the next page will be Kat trying to reason with the robots ("First you all call me 'angel' for some reason and put me under your protection. Now, you make demands of me and threaten my friends!?!"). Either that or Annie judo flip's a model S or does some shenanigans with her psuedo-telekinesis. I also wonder if Parley and Smitty are on this ship. Knowing the logic of the robots in this comic I'm just waiting for the robot's anti-Annie measure to be unexpectedly countered by Annie just peeling the sticker off her arm... Actually, I like this theory the best. I also find it somewhat amusing how a fire ward can be made out of paper. I makes sense since it's the magic symbol that blocks the fire, but still. "Your fire-type abilities are temporarily suspended." If the talismans are power specific, then I doubt the Seraphs brought one for Zimmy. But if someone else knows how to make one (Jack), and talismans work on Zimmy, then they could force a stalemate. Also, Annie's ability to help Zimmy "keep it together" probably isn't a fire ability. Edit: Come to think of it, Jack did storm off somewhere. Maybe, it was to make just such a talisman. I doubt its as easy as a magic symbol drawn on a piece of paper to suppress Zimmy's ability. |
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Post by The Anarch on Sept 3, 2014 20:14:55 GMT
They are not threatening any of the students in any way. Zimmy's power being unleashed has proven demonstrably dangerous to the students in the past. It seems highly unlikely that unleashing that power under duress is going to work out better, especially when it's going to be used to substantially alter the very ship that is keeping the students safe from the surrounding elements. Not to mention that the bots are actively manhandling at least two of the students and are holding the entire group hostage while making demands. So they are, in fact, threatening the students in multiple ways. |
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Post by Phoenix on Sept 3, 2014 20:27:21 GMT
Why does everyone want the robots to be attacked? All they have is separated Gamma from Zimmy to make the experiment work. They are not threatening any of the students in any way. So far the robots have: Grabbed and manhandled someone who is loudly protesting, forced that person away from their "safe space" (Gamma), and expressed intent to force that person to do things they don't want to do. That's bad enough, but when said person can cause dangerous illusions when upset? Not to mention there is the threat inherent in that the robots currently have complete control over the environment and none of the students has freedom to leave. If they truly wanted to do this without force or threats they would have asked Kat and Zimmy nicely if they'd visit the dock to perform the experiment. Instead they demanded their participation in the experiment. Edit: Ninja'd by Jim North. |
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Post by keef on Sept 3, 2014 20:27:55 GMT
I'm not sure that this is something religious. Look at it -- it kinda looks like the drawing of a long-haired girl in a dress, facing left, with something on her head. (Forgive my crude ASCII art interpretation):
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The same thing, colored, makes it really easy to see that this is Annie. Just a guess, but I'm pretty sure the thing on her head is her crown that we've seen hinted at before, which is REALLY interesting since the robots shouldn't know anything about this!
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I love your interpretation, I think it is spot on.  Just because it looks like/resembles a talisman, doesn't mean it has to necessarily be a talisman in the traditional sense. I'm thinking it's the same kind of etheric science thingy as Anja's seals. There's probably an etheric computer somewhere on the ship powering that piece of paper up. Most likely. Mostly because I don't see Tom introducing something we haven't heard of at this point. I also wonder if Parley and Smitty are on this ship. They are not in the same year. |
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Post by Brother_Spartacus on Sept 3, 2014 20:51:14 GMT
Where did the seraphs get so in tune with the ether that they could create something like that? Unless there's a how to guide on the etheric-interwebs I suspect it's something along these lines. It could be they're using a premade thing as well. Thank you for giving me another comic to read. Just binged the whole thing in under an hour. |
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Post by Lightice on Sept 3, 2014 20:59:25 GMT
I think I saw that theory in this thread at some point (maybe from you). It's a good 'un. It wasn't mine, must've missed it. But I'm not surprised. It's the closest resemblance in the comic so far with the current situation, as far as I can tell. Anyways, I really hope that the kids finally realise that they should do something other than just gawk around. |
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Kuraimizu
Full Member
Master Librarian
Posts: 177
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Post by Kuraimizu on Sept 3, 2014 21:51:21 GMT
my analysis of the current situation is this.
the Etheric Syphons surrounding the ship are saturating
the atmosphere around the ship with an etheric charge
This Charge is absorbed by any person or object
that is in tune to the Etheric part of the world.
this includes people such as Annie that have developed their Etheric abilities
and People that are innately "Etheric Generators" such as Subject Zeta "Zimmy"
The Etheric charge would also interact with Etheric Antennas
such as Etheric Symbols such as the paper Talisman placed on Annie's arm,
and Etheric based technology such as the Court's Robots.
the talisman is really nothing more than an ethericaly charged post-it-note
that has an etheric symbol that would react with
a negative effect when placed in close contact with Annie and her own etheric Aura
easy enough to rectify as they need only remove the talisman to cancel the effect
however the robots are at this point running distraction,
and have revealed their plan early to create drama, and a mis-direction
the things that Annie, Kat, and Zimmy need to worry about
are not the robots holding Zimmy "hostage"
but the etheric syphon buoys in the water around the ship
to remove the danger the Syphons must be deactivated individually
or collectively from a remote control panel on-board the ship
fighting the robots will waste precious time
as the syphons are already running, and have been for a while
as they have built up enough charge to allow the use of the etheric talisman
and the build up is going to soon reach critical levels and start effecting Zimmy
as an "Etheric Generator" Zimmy, once she has absorbed enough Etheric charge,
will create a feedback loop of etheric energy, causing a reality shift
in the area of the etheric charge field surrounding the ship.
given the robots wearing of hard hats and the talisman
both of which are easily removed in a fight even when taped on
it should be mere seconds at worst or minutes at best
till zimmy's etheric charge reaches critical levels
and spawns the reality shift.
Now we sit back and see if I'm right.
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Post by todd on Sept 3, 2014 22:14:06 GMT
I'm actually excited to see how the story plays out without Annie saving the day. We don't see much of the rest of the students so I'd love to see them in action. Even if it is just standing up to the robots and them backing down cause they "can't" hard the students. They don't need to harm the students to keep them from interfering. They've already shown themselves capable of grabbing Zimmy and Gamma and of shutting down Annie's etheric abilities. They could also simply shoot the other students (except Zimmy and Kat) with tranquilizer darts or grab them all and tie them up. (Not to mention that the robots might prefer the students to be out of the way for good - so that they can't inform the Court about what it would see as an act of mutiny. Maybe that's the reason for them having the students inside the boat when it's made flesh - the possibility that the boat's transformation would be fatal to the students or that they'd be absorbed into its new form or something like that, thus disposing of them through a loophole, and ensuring that "dead students tell no tales". Though the Seraph robots would need to find some way of escaping themselves - assuming they're not willingly sacrificing themselves for the cause. Or at least, thinking that being absorbed into the ship's new body would be better than being turned into paper-clips by the Court.) |
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Post by aaroncampbell on Sept 3, 2014 22:17:20 GMT
Paper talismans exist in several religions, most prominently they are known as "Ofuda" in Shintoism. They are used for all kinds of blessings like wards against evil. There's actually a whole sub-genre of 80's Asian horror comedies where this kind of thing is a fairly common theme. One of the most well known is probably A Chinese Ghost Story. They are prominent in the webcomic The Fox Sister and also show up in the Missing Moments side story to Sister Claire. Thanks for the link to The Fox Sister; just read through the whole thing. It's very nicely done; I very much enjoyed the artwork and the story is good as well. |
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Post by Eversist on Sept 3, 2014 22:28:44 GMT
Gah, stop reminding me that The Fox Sister hasn't updated in a while. ;-;
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Post by Intelligence on Sept 3, 2014 22:49:22 GMT
Why does everyone want the robots to be attacked? All they have is separated Gamma from Zimmy to make the experiment work. They are not threatening any of the students in any way. and they aren't listening to reason. I don't believe we've actually seen anyone even attempt to talk with the robots. |
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Post by Phoenix on Sept 3, 2014 23:36:54 GMT
and they aren't listening to reason. I don't believe we've actually seen anyone even attempt to talk with the robots. Basically everything Kat's said since the robots appeared has been directed at them, starting with telling them not to cause any trouble. |
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Post by Daedalus on Sept 4, 2014 0:19:14 GMT
Robot used Disable! But seriously, something just does not fit here. This is one of the darkest points the comic has gone to...nowhere before have the Robots shown this level of planning, or malice, or any ability/desire to harm anyone. Not the least, they seem more coordinated and goal-oriented and genre-savvy: this may reflect that they are in a place with more processing power...hmm... Or perhaps Robot's teachings have begun to take hold, and they've become very 'ends justify the means'. Or perhaps their polarity needs to be reversed... If that happened it would be the best continuity EVER. |
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Post by sapientcoffee on Sept 4, 2014 1:30:22 GMT
I suspect it's something along these lines. It could be they're using a premade thing as well. Thank you for giving me another comic to read. Just binged the whole thing in under an hour. Now you can join the rest of us in waiting for updates. |
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Post by nero on Sept 4, 2014 1:43:37 GMT
If the ship does get altered, then there's nothing stopping it from trying to harm the students.
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