1.14.25
on November 1, 2021
at 3:00 am
sigh……… out of the easily-drawn land of misty gradient backgrounds and back into the real world………
Aurora
A fantasy webcomic. Updates M-W-F.
sigh……… out of the easily-drawn land of misty gradient backgrounds and back into the real world………
Wait what????? Erin and Tess are related somehow?
His cousin or sister???
wait, how does erin know tess’s name?
Tess WHAT
I’m sorry Tess is there something you MAY HAVE FORGOTTEN TO MENTION?
He abruptly leaves
And then conjures a wind bird
to Tess Ru–… wait what?!
Holy…
And most importantly… WHO THE GELL WAS SHIPPING A LESBIAN WITH ERIN?
Well now I’m freaking out!
Does anybody know anything about humans being able to give birth to different kinds of… genus’s? Idk.
Cuz if it WAS possible then they’re siblings, if not then maybe Erins aunt or something married a metalcaste person.
Also, I have the odd feeling that Erin helped cause that scar on Tess’s neck.
Aaahhhh I’m freaking out! SO HECKIN MUCH.
I have the even more ominous feeling that we’re gonna cut back the the prison duo
And the plot, doth, thicken.
Tess Ruunaser? Of the Ruunaser Runadome?
Ok,the options are in order of likelyness (in my opinion):
cousin,
Sister,
Aunt,
Niece,
Adopted sister,
Sister in law.
IT’S TIME TO DO THE SIBLING DANCE! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AauAyjBxaIQ
…or the cousins or otherwise-related dance XD
Plot Twist?
@The Lolest
One thing I’ve learned from even a cursory glance into fandoms is to never underestimate a fandom’s capacity for shipping.
Well Tess is apparantly related to Erin now? Thats unexpected!
Don’t worry J.A., most characters get confused at the antics of the floof gang.
Tess RUUNASER?! Erin’s adopted sister? Member of their family clan? Maybe Tess was a slave that Erin’s family helped get struck by lightning and become a stormbreaker. If so did they liberate her? Find her? I don’t think they would have bought her, I don’t see Asera doing slaves, but I’m not ruling it out just yet.
Nice to see Erin both putting his friends, and potential family, first and thanking the Junior Archivist for her help. With things accelerating here and Tynan still looming I don’t see Erin returning to the archives. I can however see Erin’s possession being leaked, his face become known to the Paladins and J.A. possibly getting into trouble for allowing Erin access.
Art wise we get to see a runic circle with Erin’s wind magic, akin to his life magic one, and his message looks to be a standard borb. I guess he isn’t going to take the time to make the message a figure of himself this time. Following what Red says in the description Zuurith has actually got quite a wide array of different backgrounds; misty gradients of the Paladin HQ; Florence-esque streets; barebones earth prison walls. Really sets all the different facets of this city apart.
How much do we know about metal-caste? Is it hereditary or more of a this that anyone can be born as? I was under the impression that it was the later, but I don’t read all of the stuff in the comments and wherever else ya’ll talk about it.
Wouldnt it be funny if Ruunaser was just a super common last name, like Smith in our world, and this was just a coinkydink?
I think Erin is the adopted one. Tess’s behavior looks to me more like a minor noble who would rather be our adventuring. Concern for collateral to people, less about inconvenient rules. This would make Erin the lost child, found, and told he was a “chosen one”. See massive hubris, self sacrificial, and I’m just the distraction. Anyone else?
WAIT WHAT.
TESS RUUNASER??!?
ARE THEY SIBLINGS?! I REALLY HOPE THEYRE SIBLINGS.
Dang. This put me in SHOCK for a FULL minute. Never in my wildest theories had I even CONSIDERED that she knew him because they were related, but that makes sense. Holy freaking cow. This just made my week. I needed that. Thanks, Red!
Oh man… this whole weekend I’ve been imagining an awkward conversation like this:
Erin: *ranting at Tess’s supposedly stupidity*
Falst: So, how do you guys know each other?
Erin: Ehhh…..
Tess: He is my brother.
Falst: ….SAY WHAT???
TL;DR: Family is a pain, isn’t it? Always interrupts your important research sessions that could help save your life but NOooo, a relative needs your attention… Ugh…
Erin: I leave you alone for a day and you’ve got yourself and two of my friends hunted by a paramilitary organisation!
Tess: Hey! It’s been years since we saw each other last.
Erin: OK. How long, exactly, have you been in town?
Tess: …I don’t see how that’s important, right now.
HOLD ON A FREAKING SECOND
Wait….could the scar on Tess’s neck have anything to do with the incident mentioned in Erin’s dream with Kendal and the VD (page 1.13.27)? Especially since on the page before, they first panel of Erin sleeping is accompanied with Falst saying, “Weird metal women aren’t really his highest priority right now?”
Coincidence or dramatic irony?
This is such a cool development, family dynamics are my favorite! It’ll be so interesting to have two members of the Ruunaser family on board!
Baseless theory time! I’m betting that Erin and Tess are biological siblings, born to Earth (so metal caste) and lightning influenced parents! (because according to the chart a few pages back those are opposite elements) Most siblings inherited one element*, but they cancelled out in Erin making him the Elemental Magus. Presumably something similar happened with all previous Maguses.
*Just remembered Tess has lightning magic. Maybe they got a little of each.
WHOA TESS RUUNA-
EXCUSE MEEEEEEEEE?????
@Stark9865 well, based on reds recent tumbler post, seems that way, they’re hair’s exactly the same!
TESS RUUNASER!???? WHAT!!
oH MY GOD I’M REREADING EVERYTHING TESS HAS EVER SAID EVERYTHING MAKES SENSE
Apologies for my absence last week, had to deal with some…
*holds up arm to hold little imp gnawing on it
…shenanigans, but I’m back again to welcome you to our first November FUTURIVIA! Since I appear to be late to listing off how two characters relate to each other, how about Who do you think the perspective will cut to next? will it be:
A: The Crime Trio (Alinua, Falst, & Tess)
B: The Jail Duo (Kendal & Dainix)
C: Shrike and the Hunters
D: Zuurith
(Bonus!) E: The Arenamaster
Gad dangit, it happened again. Worry not, I know what went wrong, and I will be sure to correct myself next time.
my prediction: Ruunaster is more a clan name/title (or like how “de Vinci” from Leonardo de Vinci just means “from Venice”). Erin and Tess are not related by blood at all, not even distantly (unless you go so far back as to be before metal caste people split off from other groups of humans)
WHAT!!? HOLY SHIT, I WAS NOT EXPECTING THAT! It’s rare when an audience subversion utterly fucking gobsmacks me (in a very good way), so congratulations on achieving that, Red!!
DragonMaster66:
SAME. What a way to wake up, y’all: to one of the most surprising surprises I’ve seen in a story.
Lazuul:
Sorry, but there’s a hole in that; in chapter 7, Erin mentions his father Galen when he’s telling Alinua about emissaries. We see from Galen’s preview that he has the same hair and skin color as Erin, meaning that Erin is most likely biologically related, and Tess is the adopted sibling/extended family member.
alt text: ooh
Holy carrion crawler! What in the…
Uh…
Ehem…
Are… are Tess and Erin-related? Is she his sister? Was one of them… adopted? Are they cousins? WHAT DO ERIN’S PARENTS LOOK LIKE!? Is this going to culminate in a massive diplomatic incident? Will Alinua have the same reaction as the rest of us when Tess gets the borb? Something something… Temptations cat treats…
Tune in this… week, to Find Out?
HOLY MOTHER OF THE TWINS IS TESS ERIN’S SISTER?!
I know that having the same last name doesn’t rule out being cousins or something but I want them to be siblings. Oh my god I want this to be true so badly if only because that sibling dynamic will be HILARIOUS. Why do I have to wait for Wednesday to see more!? I’d personally think Tess was adopted, since we’ve seen Erin’s dad and he looks a lot like him, or that they’re half siblings. Either way I’m sure there’s an interesting story there. This also implies that Tess hasn’t been looking for Erin because of the dark magic-plosion she witnessed in the wastelands or to fight Tynan, as we all thought, but for a more personal reason: maybe just to check up on him since he was doing such a dangerous quest. Maybe she was even sent by their parents, meaning we could get some juicy *backstory*.
On another note I’d bet that Erin sent the message to Tess specifically because I’m not sure Alinua or Falst for that matter even have a last name and that seems to be pretty important for sending these messages.
@ Toby lonelytuarara, that’s exactly what I started thinking when I saw this
OH MY GODDD!!! EEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!! Tess RUUNASER! Cousins, siblings, step siblings, adopted, biological, general clan title, closely related, THE POSSIBILITIES!!! (I LOVE family arcs, and my Monday was going crappy, you have NO IDEA how much I needed this plot twist) I have SO many questions, what are Kendal and Dainix up too, how close is Tynaan, how are Tess and Erin related, how is Falst, what is Shrike up too now, will Alinua stop being so sad (please feel better, I hate to see her sad… (tho she is really cute when she is upset)), when is Zuurith going to find out, what will he do to Kendal when he does, when are Dainix and Kendal going to break out, are they going to have to fight in the arena, is Erin’s possession secret going to be discovered, what will they do when it is, OMG THIS IS AMAZING!
Cousins? Siblings? MARRIED?! Who knows? Either way…
Yay! Go Erin! Be a boss! Kick all of their bounty-hunting *sses. >:D
Oh shoot… It just occcured to me. What if part of the reason why Erin hasn’t been having his little spats with the Void dragon, is because he is in the paladins area. The paladins work against void dragon (Sort of) so it makes sense that the void dragon wouldn’t be as powerful in those areas, but once they move out of Zuurith, there is a possibility Erin will be more susceptible to his mental attacks. That could prove a lot of difficulties. (Especially to Tess, who, if she doesn’t get filled in about the possessed Erin thing, might end up very confused and upset)
@toby lonelytuatara
Siblings sibling siblings siblings
This is my sister(?)
And this is my brother(?)
We are siblings and we care for each other
Whatever we own
We always share
Something something floofy hair
Ok so Tess is probably Erin’s cousin or something but it would be really funny if they were married. Just imagine the whole rest of the squad’s reactions. You’re married?! To them!? Incredible
Guys, guys don’t burn me in the stake
Wife
Welp, I have now finally made a comment.
RED UPDATE THE CHARACTER PAGE WITH TESS’S LAST NAME!!!!
On an entirely unrelated note: how was everyone’s Samhain/Halloween? I spent mine marathoning the Castlevania adaptation and having a nice little feast with my mother and sister (Don’t worry, we live together, no inter-house plaguery happening here).
Becoming addicted to this series has given me something to actually look forward to on Mondays (I crave the next page almost enough to forget that I’m dreading having to work on Monday), making the end of the weekend a little less terrifying, and likely really boosting my mental health. So thank you
Tess: Sometimes I think I can talk to plants!
Both: C’mon let’s do a sibling dance!
Erin: The void of space is a vast expanse.
Both: C’mon let’s do a sibling dance!
Void dragon: *agressive thigh slapping noises*
All: C’MON LET’S DO A SIBLING DANCE. SIBLINGS!
This morning when I checked the page I was super groggy and missed the big reveal. I’m only now coming back lol
The way Tess talks about (pale, skinny…tattoos) and to (hey man) Erin makes me almost certain she’s his older sister.
@Aodh
Also, I checked a tumblr ask that Red answered about the gang in a haunted house, and Erin going in apparently guaranteed Tess went in after him so… Protective older sister Tess? Please yes.
I’d imagine she’d constantly call him “little brother” and flaunt her height over him constantly.
@TheUnknownGame
I had a few friends over yesterday since in my area trick or treat was on Thursday this year. So, a chill but enjoyable time.
if their cousins, their definitely close as it is obviously Erin’s first instinct to message Tess
@Humaniod Clay, B & E for suspense
It would be cool if they were siblings, or biologically or legally related, but considering what we know about metal-caste and Erin’s family, maybe she works for them? they’re probably pretty upper class, and metal-caste are a popular target for enslavement
SAY WHAT NOW?!? SIBLINGS? HOW? ARE THEY EVEN SIBLINGS? THIS IS DRIVING ME CRAZY!
UHHGGGG WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL WEDNESDAY!!!!!
Also, capslock.
Usually I read this right away in the morning, and I so regret waiting.
@TheUnknownGame
I did have a good Halloween, though I stayed up entirely too late.
Also, agreed, this completely took me by surprise. I was expecting a lot of things, but definitely not that.
I equal parts love and hate the delivery of ending the page that way and making us wait so f***ing long to see what happens. Would have been worse if it was friday, though.
I KNEW IT!!!!!
You know, them knowing each other/being(maybe) related makes a lot of sense. For instance, if they knew each other pre adventure, it would make sense that Tess was looking for him because she would probably have known that he was going into the storm, and when she saw it disappear (and then explode) she would probably be looking for him to make sure he was ok and to ask him what happend.
P.S.im hoping they’re siblings even though I don’t think it’s very likely.
Anyone with siblings knows either the pain of having to rein in the more rambunctious one… or the joy of pissing off the more responsible one by doing something ridiculous.
Okay, time for a baseless theory:
We already know that Erin’s dad was an emissary, and think it’s implied he was responsible for diplomacy or something else that made him travel a lot… what if he and Tess are only half siblings?
My theory is that daddy married Tess’s mom for political or diplomatic reasons, but left them most of the time in the city while he traveled abroad and had flings. One of those flings resulted in Erin, but he wasn’t going to acknowledge all of his kids because he already had a wife and daughter.
Then, “The Incident” happened. This would be what VD was referring to in that dream sequence. My guess is that it ends with Erin’s mother or some other loved one getting hurt, and Erin finds out he’s the Elemental Magnus.
Now that his son is a potential asset, dad picks up Erin and takes him home to Tess and Tess’s mom. Mom doesn’t like Erin on principal, but Tess is just excited to have a brother. She does notice the strain on her parent’s relationship, and ultimately starts acting out to get attention since her dad doesn’t value a lightning mage as much as the Elemental Magnus.
Meanwhile, Erin learns that the only thing about him people care about is his magic. He grows up with a distant father, a cold stepmother, a troublemaker for a sister, and more expectations and prestige he ever would have thought he’d get.
Is it any wonder Erin escaped to academia and adventure?
This has got to be one of my favorite pages in any webcomic ever. The composition works really well, you get the growing feeling that we’re about to see Erin go full badass, his glowy purple eyes while casting the birb spell, the REVEAL!
holy shit lmao. Was not expecting that one. GG red. upon looking closer they have really similar hairstyles so that is one indication they might be related, but Tess is giant and metal-caste while Erin is short and an Elemental Magus so that makes me wonder if they’re related by blood. Maybe they’re half siblings and have the same father? Erin looks an awful lot like his dad. Also this might tie into Erin’s unknown traumatic past with his parents with Tess’a scar and stormbreaker status.
Okay, since evryone else is already freaking out about Tess and Erin being related, I’ll just go: Aw! I so hope this isn’t the last we’ve seen of the archivist; she’s such a cool character!
@Obscuria Something about her face in the fifth panel makes me think that we haven’t seen the last of her. I think she’s going to ask around or try to get information about what’s going on. This could kick off an arc where the Paladins are trying to try to destroy Erin seeing as he’s a tool of the dark dragon, or they could end up helping our protagonists. This could also mean the return of the paladin warrior we saw earlier. (https://comicaurora.com/aurora/1-7-31/) I don’t think that’ll happen super soon though.
everyone: distracted by the plot twist
me: dang that guy can power walk
Can’t imagine Erin’s going to be happy to see them when the finally meet up. Tess for causing trouble, and Alinua for getting drawn into it and causing him to have to give up his research.
oh my gods oh my gods oh my gods.
of all the things I was theorizing, this was not it. and to think I was intrigued before…
I honestly was a little surprised at how quickly and dramatically Erin left, even in the circumstances. There’s probably some shock about hearing from Tess. I want so badly to know on what grounds they last met. I originally thought she might have gone with him to the storm, but if so, she must have done so without his knowledge, or else he would have been looking for her.
@Obscuria I definately think we’ll see more of J.A. she’s intrigued, she’s confused, she’s 110% going to figure out what’s going on.
although I am a bit confused about J.A. Did she leave the room to let Erin listen to the note in privacy? Did the note only say stuff to Erin? I sincerely doubt the latter, as otherwise Alinua and Falst wouldn’t have heard Kendal’s note earlier…
Ooooooo interesting!
Awww! Erin will probably look so cute when he is annoyed with Tess! And considering Tess’s personality, crossed with them maybe being related, this could be very interesting to watch (mostly because seeing him annoyed and getting taken down a peg by a taller older relative (please be siblings!!) will be hilarious!) I can’t wait to see the gang’s reactions when they find out about Tess being related to Erin (I would be shocked too, considering how much they have opposite personalities. THE DYNAMICS BETWEEN THESE TWO!!!!
Point:
AGREED!!!
Meanwhile, deep in the prison…
with all these speculations, imagine if they actually turned out as a married couple.
I knew it!
https://twitter.com/AuroraWebcomic/status/1402593902796972039
They’re siblings!
That was a cool reveal.
@Fay
Given that Tess is a lesbian it’s unlikely. But it’s possible that they married for some social or political reason
Alright so based on Erin’s nightmares and the big deal of Tess’s last name… guys I think Erin may have something to do with (or at least feel in part responsible for) Tess’s scar
…Huh. Honestly didn’t see that one coming.
i really hope they are siblings!
I like the idea of the messages working like D&D’s teleport, where a variety of things (name, sure, but also “familiarity with target”) can influence their ability to find their way, so you can’t just pull a Light Yagami and hunt down anyone anywhere just by knowing their name (I mean, the message-birds also aren’t deadly, but you get what I mean).
WHAT
I’ve just noticed that Erin only starts running to them after exiting Paladin H.Q.; how polite of him not to run in the hall.
I think I’ll add my theories to the bunch (keep in mind these borrow heavily from the extra lore on the Aurora tumblr):
Tess was a metal caste taken from her home as a child for slavery, thus never developed a personality. Through some means, buying her as a servant, freeing her from slavers, etc, the Ruunaser family take her in. Some way along the line she was struck by lightning, maybe child Erin had a hand in doing or influencing it, either to bring her personality out or as some magic experiment to understand the stormbreaker phenomenon. If adult Erin was willing to explore into the storm it isn’t too much of a stretch to imagine child, unwise Erin trying to do such a thing.
This, or the repercussions thereof, might be the thing Erin alluded to in 1-13-27. Maybe he wasn’t aware at the time of how dangerous the process is and caused those scars. Maybe her sudden gaining of sentience and power meant the Ruunaser’s couldn’t keep her as a servant, or couldn’t justify her as a magic experiment subject, so officially adopted her.
Or maybe the half-sibling idea is right, both of them sharing a father who met Tess’s mother on a diplomatic mission. Maybe the mistake Erin made was getting his half-sister to be captured by slavers and it was only in later life did they find her again, devoid of personality. Then he or his parents could have done the lightning technique to get their daughter back.
idk, maybe the lastnames are a coincidence
HER LAST NAME IS WHAT??
I get up at 5:30 a.m. which is about the time the comic updates for me….. and THIS was the page I decided not to check Aurora right away
Flippin
Tess Ruunaser
TESS RUUNASER
T E S S. F L I P P I N G. R U U N A S E R.
@Ardent I’m drawing ur thing
@Evil Tree
I’m pretty sure that Metalcaste can only become stormbreakers if they’re struck by natural lightning, it wouldn’t work with lightning caste by a mage.
@The Lolest
I doubt Tess and Erin is the ship Red was talking about. I get the impression that them being siblings is the only thing that was objectionable about the ship, since Red couldn’t specify which ship it was without spoiling that. If she was referring to Tess and Erin, she could’ve just said “She gay”, and not have to bring the sibling thing up at all.
Currently, I’m guessing Erin and “Michael”.
Ruunaser could be something other than a family name, guys. It could be a title, like how teachers have “sensei” appended to their name in Japanese. Don’t jump too far down the rabbithole until we see what’s up! If so, my guess is this is something that denotes a degree of training in magic. Like a Bachelor of Runics or something, idk.
Occam’s Razor still points at family, but if Occam’s Razor was always right, the world would be a boring one.
“Send this to Tess Run-” wait what!
Hey lore nerds! How does metal casting work? Is it something genetic or is it a process where someone’s skin is turned into metal? How is Tess metal caste and Erin insn’t (managed to bungle that spelling). What are the disadvantages to being metal-caste exclusive to the world of Aurora? I have found little lore about them so maybe the more dedicated should enlighten me?
@Archaleus Metalcastse are varient humans like Ignans. They are earth influenced and are from Ironhill. They function more or less like humans except that their skin is metal, and this other thing where children don’t gain any personal willpower until puberty. This is called ‘the spark’ which is cool I guess, but because young metalcaste will basically do whatever you tell them too, this can make them targets for slavery, especially since bad treatment can stop the spark from happening at all. Most metalcaste mages are stone mages, but some are lighting mages, the connection being established by literally being struck by lighting.
As for the posibillity of them being siblings, i don’t think it’s super likley because Erin would probably have some kind of sign of being part metalcaste, even a minor one. My guess is Tess being adopted by Erin’s family after she gained her lighting magic.
@Eleta thanks for providing me this lore!
Also WOW is that a unique (and darker than I expected from this comic) concept! The world building here is pretty top tier and unique.
YOOOOOOOOO Siblings!?
@ Ardent
The VD part made me cackle
@ bear bear
I feel like it’s more of a strut
“Runnaser-HOLD UP! Also no, I do no think the name Runnaser is a title. Based on when Erin is introducing himself to Kendal, he says “Does the name Runnaser ring a bell?” If Runnaser was a common title, he would not use it this way, therefore, I believe it is a family name, so Tess MIGHT be adopted or a cousin/distant relation he grew close with.
@Sunstorm the Budgie
Sorry, should have made that clearer. I was thinking more they positioned Tess at the right time and place to get struck by natural lightning. Maybe wait for a storm then order her to stand on top of a hill.
Ok woah
Look at the number of comments
96 at the time of posting
pretty crazy
@Lazuul that makes a lot of sense! no idea whether you’re right but it really fits
Well, they do have similar hair styles. Ignore the fact that erins got brown and tess has got metalic shiny goodness, and the hairdos are nearly identical.
OMG THIS IS LIKE THE BIGGEST MYSTERY IN THE WHOLE COMIC THE SECRET SIBLINGS HAVE BEEN REVEALED I’VE BEEN WONDERING ABOUT THIS FOR SO LONG YES AMAZING I LOVE IT
there are side effects to fighting the government
Steve, Lord of Darkness:
Your comment made me laugh out loud, thank you
LMAO… first time I read Aurora, I didn’t really read the comments because arc 1 was almost complete, I had good internet, and I was hooked. Now I’m reading again to undo my confusion from reading so fast, and I’ve been following all the speculation since Tess’s name and design got leaked, and the comments on this page are just killing me!
Following the birdling to the target, most likely. So this is a very important factor in deciding whether to trust someone with a True Name. Imagine the reaction of a proper spy to the way the floof squad just give out their real names to everyone.