I’m not going to lie to you, my first thought when I saw this was that bit in the new Golden Axe show where the main villain rides the titular golden axe like a witch on a broomstick (high pitched cackle in front of the moon and all) and I snorted. Not sure if that’s a niche reference or what but go watch golden axe, it’s such a good time.
Okay, we now finally see some of Tahraim’s game. It’s like his plan for Dainix is to use him to transmute the Void Dragon (or, given the sparkly wisp we saw in 2.3.40) transmute both the Void and the Light Dragon into a secret third thing.
On a side note, I find it funny that Caliban is calling Tahraim a child given they’re only a few centuries apart in terms of age. But this and Caliban calling the Rakhnan ignans “our people” is further evidence I’m gonna put in my “Tahraim was ignan and the one who first invoked Fire’s truename” folder.
Ok Tahraim being an ignan but somehow stronger and immortal, perhaps like an emissary of Caliban would be interesting. Do we have any other examples of immortal powerful emissaries?
He is supposed to be a smith god though no? So… is he like a city god but his people are all the smiths and perhaps artisans? So he doesn’t necessarily need a city? I’m confused, but Erin did say that belief could create a deity, and therefore has enough power for something like this. Probably.
Also where on earth do we get any info about their age difference? I mean I guess they are both at least centuries old. Red’s post or something?
Emissaries are in Aurora are all a very specific thing. They are mortals with a soul linked to a god in some way. You can’t be an emissary to multiple gods at once (e.g. be an emissary of both Caliban and Tahraim, it’s either one or the other), and being a mage and being an emissary are mutually exclusive as well.
Tahraim is a conceptual god. He’s higher on the power tier, because his domain encompasses a concept rather than a location, a city or a people. Conceptual gods as a whole are grander and less tethered to mortal due to the breadth of their domain. Tahraim is also the exception to how gods normally form on Aurora, because he’s the only god to have once been a mortal.
As for age difference, it’s a simple inference. Caliban has been around for as long as ignans have been a thing, which is 4000 years at the bare minimum. The First Invocation of Fire’s truename most likely occurred sometime in the 24th century given Rakhn’s recollection (for the record, the current year in Aurora is 6182, so 62nd century). To my knowledge, Red hasn’t stated when exactly Tahraim first incarnated, but if he was in fact the ignan mage who deciphered Fire’s truename, it would by virtue of chronology place him as Caliban’s junior.
Caliban probably needs Dainix as a protector of some sort maybe (?), but I think Tahraim is just in it for the love of the game. He just wants people to reach their full potential as he sees it, to temper and mold them (at least I think)
I almost wonder if, because Caliban seems to be the god of the Ignans, they want Dainix to be an example that “See? It’s not actually terrible to be able to turn into a firey ball of fury!” to the rest of them, thereby changing their perceptions and preconceived notions, which gods are vulnerable to.
Tahraim is a craftsman, looking at raw materials and already seeing the sculpture inside the marble, so to speak. He definitely doesn’t really care about the mortals for themselves, but he also seems to have friends and a certain sense of justice, see him crafting that soul extractor thing for the Collector and then using it on Tynan, the Storm.
With ire Caliban roars “This is not a game!”
A war is no different for us says Tahraim
“I said we won.” Found is the dragons’ shared state
The Crucible he’ll temper, they just need to wait
I love the detail of Caliban’s cape! Usually it’s slightly on fire. But on these last two pages the cape isn’t burning. Instead it looks like ashes on the wind.
I knew at least some gods must’ve known! I love how Caliban looks so much like a ghost with their cape. It makes a lot of sense he could turn into a crucible too. I appreciate that it doesn’t seem like we have enough information to reach an objective consensus on what they want to use Dainix for. We know a lot, but there are still some pretty big players whose goals we just don’t know yet, aspects of the world completely hidden. I’m glad we have more mysteries to gnaw on for the foreseeable future.
With that said, they totally want to have Dainix become powerful enough to transmute the dragons into the secret third thing. Cut the existential terror in the bud and kill the last primordial. I wonder if they know another one recently woke up.
Reminds me a lot of the Licanius Trilogy. Dialogue that seems ominous and weighty initially, and enormously significant with the benefit of hindsight and context later. I look forward to getting that context.
For mobile readers.
Alt-text: last time on Dragon Ball Z…
Image source: wait
WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT THEY BOTH LOOSE THE PONYTAILS!!!
this looks so cool. The theory gears are spinning
A slow afternoon.. very funny
Well, Erin did have a slow afternoon that he spent theorizing off-screen. It’s just that everything thereafter wasn’t slow.
he makes that hammer look so comfortable
I’m not going to lie to you, my first thought when I saw this was that bit in the new Golden Axe show where the main villain rides the titular golden axe like a witch on a broomstick (high pitched cackle in front of the moon and all) and I snorted. Not sure if that’s a niche reference or what but go watch golden axe, it’s such a good time.
Tahraim doesn’t seem like he’d wish to kill the VD. I wonder what his goal is.
Okay, we now finally see some of Tahraim’s game. It’s like his plan for Dainix is to use him to transmute the Void Dragon (or, given the sparkly wisp we saw in 2.3.40) transmute both the Void and the Light Dragon into a secret third thing.
On a side note, I find it funny that Caliban is calling Tahraim a child given they’re only a few centuries apart in terms of age. But this and Caliban calling the Rakhnan ignans “our people” is further evidence I’m gonna put in my “Tahraim was ignan and the one who first invoked Fire’s truename” folder.
Ok Tahraim being an ignan but somehow stronger and immortal, perhaps like an emissary of Caliban would be interesting. Do we have any other examples of immortal powerful emissaries?
He is supposed to be a smith god though no? So… is he like a city god but his people are all the smiths and perhaps artisans? So he doesn’t necessarily need a city? I’m confused, but Erin did say that belief could create a deity, and therefore has enough power for something like this. Probably.
Also where on earth do we get any info about their age difference? I mean I guess they are both at least centuries old. Red’s post or something?
Emissaries are in Aurora are all a very specific thing. They are mortals with a soul linked to a god in some way. You can’t be an emissary to multiple gods at once (e.g. be an emissary of both Caliban and Tahraim, it’s either one or the other), and being a mage and being an emissary are mutually exclusive as well.
Tahraim is a conceptual god. He’s higher on the power tier, because his domain encompasses a concept rather than a location, a city or a people. Conceptual gods as a whole are grander and less tethered to mortal due to the breadth of their domain. Tahraim is also the exception to how gods normally form on Aurora, because he’s the only god to have once been a mortal.
As for age difference, it’s a simple inference. Caliban has been around for as long as ignans have been a thing, which is 4000 years at the bare minimum. The First Invocation of Fire’s truename most likely occurred sometime in the 24th century given Rakhn’s recollection (for the record, the current year in Aurora is 6182, so 62nd century). To my knowledge, Red hasn’t stated when exactly Tahraim first incarnated, but if he was in fact the ignan mage who deciphered Fire’s truename, it would by virtue of chronology place him as Caliban’s junior.
Hey, Mat? I might be missing something, I’ve read this comic a few times but I’ve forgotten things before, how do we know Tahraim used to be mortal?
Aurora Question #71: What do you think these two need Dainix for?
Caliban probably needs Dainix as a protector of some sort maybe (?), but I think Tahraim is just in it for the love of the game. He just wants people to reach their full potential as he sees it, to temper and mold them (at least I think)
I almost wonder if, because Caliban seems to be the god of the Ignans, they want Dainix to be an example that “See? It’s not actually terrible to be able to turn into a firey ball of fury!” to the rest of them, thereby changing their perceptions and preconceived notions, which gods are vulnerable to.
Tahraim is a craftsman, looking at raw materials and already seeing the sculpture inside the marble, so to speak. He definitely doesn’t really care about the mortals for themselves, but he also seems to have friends and a certain sense of justice, see him crafting that soul extractor thing for the Collector and then using it on Tynan, the Storm.
With ire Caliban roars “This is not a game!”
A war is no different for us says Tahraim
“I said we won.” Found is the dragons’ shared state
The Crucible he’ll temper, they just need to wait
I agree, Caliban, waiting sucks. Especially waiting for a new chapter…
I love the detail of Caliban’s cape! Usually it’s slightly on fire. But on these last two pages the cape isn’t burning. Instead it looks like ashes on the wind.
Yo, Caliban’s just like us at the end of every chapter.
This seems like a relevant time to mention my Dainix is a Baby God theory
The literal embodiment of fiery temper.
I knew at least some gods must’ve known! I love how Caliban looks so much like a ghost with their cape. It makes a lot of sense he could turn into a crucible too. I appreciate that it doesn’t seem like we have enough information to reach an objective consensus on what they want to use Dainix for. We know a lot, but there are still some pretty big players whose goals we just don’t know yet, aspects of the world completely hidden. I’m glad we have more mysteries to gnaw on for the foreseeable future.
With that said, they totally want to have Dainix become powerful enough to transmute the dragons into the secret third thing. Cut the existential terror in the bud and kill the last primordial. I wonder if they know another one recently woke up.
Good Job!
Reminds me a lot of the Licanius Trilogy. Dialogue that seems ominous and weighty initially, and enormously significant with the benefit of hindsight and context later. I look forward to getting that context.