Latest Page Discussions/Comic Update Chitchat

[thorny]

I wonder where that fight takes them. Will one of the Sentinel Mages call backup or something? I mean what would Väinö do if there was Surma and one big Bear Beast fighting too close?

I have the impression that they're quite a ways away from any of the Sentinel Mages; and that what those mages are doing is guarding the edges to make sure nothing gets out, but not trying to police the area inside.

[JoB]

I have the impression that they're quite a ways away from any of the Sentinel Mages; and that what those mages are doing is guarding the edges to make sure nothing gets out, but not trying to police the area inside.

Google says that, based on today's road infrastructure, of course, Koli to Kerma(nkoski) is 130-some kilometers. Including an option to avoid the Joensuu area entirely.

Now if only we knew how many acres per hour they can raze and how wide a forest aisle they feel honor bound to leave in their trail ...

[Jitter]

Well well, by the looks of it, Mama Bear is becoming godlike. This could actually open avenues of escape after all. What if she burns out? Grows so big that she just dissipates? Becomes so powerful that Powers That Be step in?

There was also some discussion on why the mages aren’t magicking. They are just out of the Kade “battle”, but after Onni gathers his senses, he is now free to do some big mojo for the first time since leaving Iceland. Grandma is free and the Kade has mostly been dealt with (maybe…) and he has allies to carry him home if he’s comatose. Prior to this point he couldn’t risk it, but now he could, especially to save Lalli and/or the others. The same applies to Lalli for pretty much the same reasons. Although if they both are out cold, the rest of the team will be inconvenienced to carry them both.

[tehta]

Pah, Mikkel can probably carry one Hotakainen per shoulder. Also the later parts of the journey are by boat, which is a great way to transport comatose mages. Especially ones who get boat-sick when awake, or even ones that hate fishing.

I am still half-hoping that Lalli and Onni might team up to carry out a kallohonka for the bear. It would be such a nice way for them to bond, and start building an adult relationship. But none of the cool things I hope for ever seem to happen...

[Róisín]

A kallohonka for the bear and if possible her remaining cub would be respectful. Plus a pyre for Surma and making sure that she finds her way to Tuonela. What will happen to the Kade fragments, I wonder? Perhaps the mages could send them off with the Swan along with Surma.

[thorny]

In the meantime, kaded spirits or no kaded spirits, we seem to be right back to Bear and Surma whack-whack-whacking at each other, for no apparent purpose (other than pent-up anger) and to no apparent result.

I'm feeling a tetch annoyed myself.

[catbirds]

Yeah, okay, they're kind of just tackling each other now.

Please, please, please let there be some team bonding exercise between the mages soon. This would've been a great place for them to realize they had to ~open up to each other to overcome the odds~ or something! I mean, none of the physical fighters can do anything about a bunch of immaterial glowing eyeballs, right? Or maybe they're not immaterial?

[JoB]

Pah, Mikkel can probably carry one Hotakainen per shoulder. Also the later parts of the journey are by boat, which is a great way to transport comatose mages. Especially ones who get boat-sick when awake, or even ones that hate fishing.

I'd guess that getting Mikkel involved would imply the return of his best buddy Barry. Or is there a Finnish (horti)cultural taboo I'm not aware of ... ?

Fun fact, though: Comatose people can drown in a mishap with a (small row)boat ...

I mean, none of the physical fighters can do anything about a bunch of immaterial glowing eyeballs, right? Or maybe they're not immaterial?

Right now, those're apparently incorporated into a very physical Kaunoinen that you do not want attacked by anyone but whoever qualifies as the team's tank ...

[tehta]

Please, please, please let there be some team bonding exercise between the mages soon. This would've been a great place for them to realize they had to ~open up to each other to overcome the odds~ or something!

It would just make so much sense in an adventure about the Hotakainen backstory for the remaining Hotakainens to bond. More specifically, for Onni to realize that Lalli is not just a kid he has to look out for, but another adult who has agency and can support him, at least magically.

(Reynir can get in there too, but I actually think we have already seen him and Lalli growing closer.)

[lwise]

Has Lalli done anything magically useful since they got to Finland?  Other than finding the lime-green umbrellas, of course.

He hosted the dream that told Reynir and Emil what happened to the village, which information was appreciated by the onlookers but, so far as I can tell, is irrelevant to the adventure.  In mage-space, he ran around being attacked by kadettes, before following the Swan.  He then advised Reynir not to follow the Swan, which was bad advice that Reynir ignored.  The only contribution Lalli made after that was pulling Reynir out (splat!).

Unless I'm missing something, Onni won't see Lalli as another adult "who can support him, at least magically", because so far he hasn't been.

[tehta]

Hmm, all good points. On the other hand, apart from his tuuri-dive, it's not like Onni has done much either, magically or not (the main thing that springs to mind is VASTLY overestimating his ability to fight the Kade). So maybe they can bond over their sudden shared uselessness.

I do think Lalli has been helpful in some practical ways, mostly by dragging Reynir our of harm's way. I said magically because I don't think Lalli give Onni the emotional support he needs, but I should have said something different, like practically. That said, it doesn't look like he's been scouting for the team or anything, which he should be doing, and which Sigrun or Mikkel should surely advise.

Oof, now I'm talking myself into disliking all the characters.

[tehta]

I have two thoughts on the current page that I don't want to post where Minna can see them:

• Her story of her full-immersion baptism has a weird parallel in what happens to Surma.
• Oh no, not more Mamma Bear. I want to see the characters at some point before January.

[catbirds]

Oh.

This was a weirdly anti-climactic end to Surma.

IDK, I've never felt so little for monsters in a story.

Her story of her full-immersion baptism has a weird parallel in what happens to Surma.

Interesting way to look at it!

[Buteo]

If Minna's end of Adventure II is as flat as it may turn out to be - no further interaction with our crew, no apparent character development or glimpses of possible futures - we will have to rely on our fanfiction writers for satisfaction.
Fortunately, we have many folk who are very good with words, and who have provided splendidly recognizable views of our characters in storylines that closely hew to the Minnaverse.

It is not the same as a good story by the person whose world the story is being told in, not at all. But I love her characters, and I love the real-world people I have met here, too much to let it all go, just because the author has tossed her world away.

[thorny]

Surma was just trying to get some peace and quiet. (Though I suppose they've got it now. At least, if that kind of troll can be killed by drowning.)

And Mama Bear was just trying to care for her babies; and will never be able to do so again.

Is Mama Bear even still in there? or is she gone, and the body's just animated by the kaded spirits, without any kade? How does that even work? (not that I really expect to find out.)

And if Minna's been some sort of background Christian all her life: wasn't she already baptized? Or is it likely that her family are members of an adult-baptism sect? Or is the theory that the first baptism didn't count for some reason? Or do Christians sometimes get re-baptized, sort of like married people renewing their vows? Though I don't suppose I'll get answers to any of that either; except maybe the last, as it seems likely there's somebody on these boards who knows the answer to that.