Uh… no? The human body can adjust decently well to a change of gender, as real life proves quite handily. It’s not painless, but the male and female body are not very different in the grand scheme of things, biologically speaking, so it makes sense that the life magic present in this world can produce that effect. What you’re talking about is someone completely changing their body into something that isn’t human, which is more akin to what Falst was trying to do with the life lacrima way back when, which Erin informed us would be violently rejected by his body.
Even if full-on shapechanging, like becoming a whole different animal, is something that the body wouldn’t accept, there’s still a lot that is possible. Imagine life magic super-soldiers that have better eyesight, increased muscle density, increased bone density, and other physical enhancements. They would still be plenty human enough for the body to accept, but definitely changed. Something else that’s still possible under the stipulation of “remaining human” is changing your appearance. Changing hair color, eye color, skin color, face shape, etc. are way less intrusive than transitioning, so surely adopting a different human appearance is possible.
Falst is stronger, faster, more durable, more agile, with better eyesight. and (I’m pretty sure) better hearing than a normal human, so I’d say the “Life Magic Super soldier” niche has been pretty thoroughly filled already.
I think the site ate my first reply, but I’ll keep this breief incase it’s just being slow. The Ferin are super soldiers created by a wandering mage centuries ago so that point has already been explored.
If you remember the Ferin Lore™ then you’d realise that a mage already did this kind of thing WITH ferin like Falst, that’s how they got created. The only reason Falst’s lacrima plan wouldn’t work is that nobody has figured out how to replicate or “cure” ferin.
it doesn’t have to be a change into something inhuman to be shapeshifting. there are lots of different kinds of humans, and seemingly even more so in this world what with elf’s and metal caste and whatnot running around.
imagine just…extending your arms. just making them realy freaking long. this wouldn’t make you inhuman. there are a wide variety of arm lengths amongst even our worlds humanity. lots of arm shapes too. the number of kidneys can vary, number of spleens, skin tone, facial structure. i imagine whether a change is considered as making you “not human” in this world depends on the total extent of all changes you went through. 10 foot arms wouldn’t make you inhuman on their own, and neither would an extra pair, but having 2 pairs of 10 foot arms just might make you inhuman. still, this leaves plenty of room for shapeshifting. you could change your bodies abilities to a minor extent, you could make yourself look like someone else or have traits not typically associated with your species.
I think you’ve misunderstood. Dainix isn’t a fire mage because his soul channels were sealed during his transition. We actually have no idea how he transitioned, but we can assume it wasn’t an instantaneous process. In fact, and this is purely speculation, I imagine it was some sort of Life Magic imitation of hormone therapy, with very mild application of life magic over months or years, as Erin told Falst.
Question: If I’ve understood correctly the Ancient runes are just replaced letters, aside from thorn. Does that mean that the robots just speak English/whatever language English is pretending to be in the comic? If so, has the language not changed at all since the Ancients died out? It seems likely that the language would change over time, but so far all we know is that they no longer use the same alphabet. And at least I don’t think Cat&Dog here understand what it says?
I think it’s more like the Ancients text is supposed to represent a sort of protolanguage. The reason to use runes at all is because it obscures the meaning. Presumably the characters don’t understand it even if we do. And the fact that we can understand the language with some effort sort of reflects something like an old language, though admittedly simpler.
@Ongoing don’t look at the mouth of an Easter Egg (smile}
@Mat if it is not inconvenient could you please translate the runes on the knife of the Collector after she stabbed Vash on the fifth panel of 1.1.17? I have not wit or eyes to decipher and suspect a clue or at least story nugget there. If it is too good an Easter Egg to let out of bag then leave it for those cypher-cracker who earned it knowledge! (bows to master code-breaker)
It’s worth emphasizing that the mention is very easy to miss he says the wyrms wrap up various threats including “automatons” presumably that means robots like we’ve seen here. I actually could not see what you were referring to until like the 2nd or 3rd time reading that page.
Too early to have a translation waiting for me… such is life in the antipodean timezones. To whoever does translate the robot’s speech eventually: thanks in advance!
Hrrrmn. Ancients have no magic channels. Ferin cannot be mages and are highly magically resistant. Is the robot using the presence or absence of magic channels to distinguish Ancients from humans and elves, and has concluded that Falst must be an Ancient because its programming didn’t account for magic-resistant humanoids that are not Ancients?
Actually, Red all but explicitly disconfirmed this idea on her tumblr: apparently, if Ferin were known to register as Ancients to Ancient tech, Erin would have already been dragging Falst around to try to see what would happen.
Also, Falst apparently has terrible parents, so this is gonna play into his backstory.
A robot in a giant underground complex that doesn’t kill unarmed people the moment it sights them? Cave Johnson would be disappointed.
Dainix was able to tell what the automaton was looking for in terms of threats, why it didn’t target Falst, and hypothesised the age of the automaton compared to what he’s used to. I wonder how much of this was taught to him and how much he experienced; just how in depth does Ravvan automaton classification go?
Now that the reason, or at least suspicion, is out, how will Falst react? He definitely seems surprised at the suggestion, whether he’ll believe it or not, and if Dainix has any past experience with this phenomena, we’ll have to see on Friday. He also seems a bit puzzled at how smart the automaton was in recognising weapons; his previous “just a lacrima” statement about the robot brain may need reassessing.
I was correct! Or at least, Dainix has the same hypotheses possibly based on more accurate information which it sounds like he has.
I posted my own hypothesis several pages back, put to restate the gist of it here: my hypothesis was/is that the because of his relative lack of response to elemental effects (such as how he could hold the lacrima without harm), which robot may be able to detect, it therefore assumes that he is an ancient.
I’m sorry- THE ONES BACK HOME????? what circumstances has he encountered guys like these before??? are there more ancient shelters in the desert??? do the desert guys have their own??? do their neighbors have any???
Predictions for next page (also my previous predictions were correct about the explosions, hooray!):
a ) Falst either doesn’t know what’s going on and asks Dainix to explain for some tasty info-dumping, or
b ) He does know something about this, and that’s why he looks so startled
c ) Falst backstory? Please, Red?
d ) Not for next page but Dainix now has to bridal carry Falst at least once in this chapter/next chapter. It’s the law
(Suddenly has picture pop in head of Alinua struggling to Bridal carry Tess and failing as Tess giggles, Erin does face palm and Kendel and Dainix are mystified and Falst frowns in disapproval…)
Because Falst was feeling left out and he does not want to admit it. Only Kendal seems able to disarm Falst’s hostility with his sincere compassion. Kendal is good kid at heart!
Now I see in my head Alinua succeeds at bridal holding Tess as Alinua blushes, who is still giggling happily, while Erin groans because he is sure Tess is doing it just embarrass him, Kendal smiles, Dainix looks like a confused puppy, and Falst rolls his eyes to hide his feelings of loneliness. (bows to Red in apology for ‘borrowing’ her character without permission)
Unbeknownst to the robot, Dainix secretly carries five different knives. They’re all hidden in different places.
Hmmm, Falst seems a wee bit upset about the idea of being mistook for an ancient. I wonder why?
Time for a lesson in magical affinity, Falst! Unless he already knows, either from Erin’s textbooks, or some other source; according to the decipherers, the dream panel at the start of chapter 15 (“Find your way if you are truly my son.”) contains the name(?) “Emira” in Ancient script. He could already know something about the similarities between ferin and the Ancients, and is surprised at Dainix being able to deduce the truth so easily.
Really?! Now that is interesting.
I’ve heard about the “Emira” text from that panel before, but I never realised it was written in Ancient script. Falst definitely has something relating to them in his backstory. Maybe he has Ancient heritage. Maybe his mother was a researcher of the Ancients and some of it rubbed off on him. I’m getting excited now.
If I were to throw in my theory on what or who “Emira” is, I think that is Falst’s real name. What if in 1-10-18 he decided that, rather than tell the doctor his real name, he decided to use an alias. He was surrounded by Jolon’s chimeras, his new potential allies knocked out, life lacrima hanging in the balance, and at the mercy of the doctor; playing it safe by providing a name but not his real one may even be second nature to him.
He’s also not the greatest at opening up, even to his new friends. He may not want to real his real name and origins, or may simply not see any point of revealing it now, and so goes along with Falst as his moniker in the group.
I went back and double-checked; yes, those are Ancient letters. I described them in my main comment on that page as runes superimposed on a brown sky; I didn’t know why they were there before, because I missed the obvious answer of “it’s a dream, funky sh*t like floating letters can happen sometimes”. But the brown sky, as well as the fact that apparently Falst knows how to read Ancient script, are interesting to me. I posited back then that the brown sky could indicate Falst’s home burning down due to a wildfire, but I didn’t realize the Emira runes were Ancient letters until later. Basically, there are a few different things going on with Falst’s past: knows Ancient script, got potentially abandoned by one or more of his parents, and had a traumatic experience with starvation, void corruption, or both. A lot of other commenters have mental Erin Backstory Conspiracy Boards; in addition to one of those, I now also have a mental Falst Backstory Conspiracy Board. (And I’m adding your alias hypothesis as a pin on that board; I’m a sucker for characters whose true identities are kept as private and secret as possible from even their closest friends, and unraveling their past is a whole mystery subplot all on its own.)
When I went back and checked the panel, someone else mentioned finding the “You will” part only by editing a screenshot, turning up the contrast and saturation way up high– something I don’t have access to on my device. Hence why I didn’t know there were two more words there.
The Ancients are long gone, according to the extra lore pages. Falst might have traces of Ancient blood, but I doubt he could be full or even half-Ancient. It seems more likely that these automatons have profiled him as an Ancient due to his magical inertia.
Guys. The new chapter cover. It’s a young Falst. We’re gonna get Falst backstory! I’m so excited! And terrified. Sad things happened to little fluff boy and it’s gonna be sad. But Falst backstory!!
Throwing his spear down puts the robot at ease
And it thinks Falst’s an Ancient, which gives him a lease
oop falst looks traumatized
For mobile readers.
Alt-text: “if you’re an Ancient why are you short” “oh my god you can’t just ask people why they’re short”
Image source: ancient
Aurora Question #43: Let’s see if it lets me post this time. What is an obscure use of magic in Aurora that has not been explored yet?
If magic can change Dainix’s gender then it could be used for full on shapechanging
Uh… no? The human body can adjust decently well to a change of gender, as real life proves quite handily. It’s not painless, but the male and female body are not very different in the grand scheme of things, biologically speaking, so it makes sense that the life magic present in this world can produce that effect. What you’re talking about is someone completely changing their body into something that isn’t human, which is more akin to what Falst was trying to do with the life lacrima way back when, which Erin informed us would be violently rejected by his body.
Even if full-on shapechanging, like becoming a whole different animal, is something that the body wouldn’t accept, there’s still a lot that is possible. Imagine life magic super-soldiers that have better eyesight, increased muscle density, increased bone density, and other physical enhancements. They would still be plenty human enough for the body to accept, but definitely changed. Something else that’s still possible under the stipulation of “remaining human” is changing your appearance. Changing hair color, eye color, skin color, face shape, etc. are way less intrusive than transitioning, so surely adopting a different human appearance is possible.
Falst is stronger, faster, more durable, more agile, with better eyesight. and (I’m pretty sure) better hearing than a normal human, so I’d say the “Life Magic Super soldier” niche has been pretty thoroughly filled already.
I think the site ate my first reply, but I’ll keep this breief incase it’s just being slow. The Ferin are super soldiers created by a wandering mage centuries ago so that point has already been explored.
If you remember the Ferin Lore™ then you’d realise that a mage already did this kind of thing WITH ferin like Falst, that’s how they got created. The only reason Falst’s lacrima plan wouldn’t work is that nobody has figured out how to replicate or “cure” ferin.
it doesn’t have to be a change into something inhuman to be shapeshifting. there are lots of different kinds of humans, and seemingly even more so in this world what with elf’s and metal caste and whatnot running around.
imagine just…extending your arms. just making them realy freaking long. this wouldn’t make you inhuman. there are a wide variety of arm lengths amongst even our worlds humanity. lots of arm shapes too. the number of kidneys can vary, number of spleens, skin tone, facial structure. i imagine whether a change is considered as making you “not human” in this world depends on the total extent of all changes you went through. 10 foot arms wouldn’t make you inhuman on their own, and neither would an extra pair, but having 2 pairs of 10 foot arms just might make you inhuman. still, this leaves plenty of room for shapeshifting. you could change your bodies abilities to a minor extent, you could make yourself look like someone else or have traits not typically associated with your species.
I think you’ve misunderstood. Dainix isn’t a fire mage because his soul channels were sealed during his transition. We actually have no idea how he transitioned, but we can assume it wasn’t an instantaneous process. In fact, and this is purely speculation, I imagine it was some sort of Life Magic imitation of hormone therapy, with very mild application of life magic over months or years, as Erin told Falst.
Red mentioned on the tumblr that the twins made a plant that can be used as hrt which is how Dainix transitioned.
oh damn, how thoughtful of them
Life magic can be used to transition, as can a plant-based elixir that the Twins were commissioned for once. Here’s an ask from Red’s tumblr about that (along with some info about shape-shifting, incidentally): https://comicaurora.tumblr.com/post/625483153776246784/hats-transitioning-like-for-trans-people-in-this
(Also, hopefully the link and the reply work, this is my first time commenting!)
First!
oh, no, apparently not
#rekt
Better luck next time buddy, I believe!
Ancient robot says:
“THREAT: MINIMAL”, “POWER: LOW”
Question: If I’ve understood correctly the Ancient runes are just replaced letters, aside from thorn. Does that mean that the robots just speak English/whatever language English is pretending to be in the comic? If so, has the language not changed at all since the Ancients died out? It seems likely that the language would change over time, but so far all we know is that they no longer use the same alphabet. And at least I don’t think Cat&Dog here understand what it says?
I think it’s more like the Ancients text is supposed to represent a sort of protolanguage. The reason to use runes at all is because it obscures the meaning. Presumably the characters don’t understand it even if we do. And the fact that we can understand the language with some effort sort of reflects something like an old language, though admittedly simpler.
@Ongoing don’t look at the mouth of an Easter Egg (smile}
@Mat if it is not inconvenient could you please translate the runes on the knife of the Collector after she stabbed Vash on the fifth panel of 1.1.17? I have not wit or eyes to decipher and suspect a clue or at least story nugget there. If it is too good an Easter Egg to let out of bag then leave it for those cypher-cracker who earned it knowledge! (bows to master code-breaker)
The last parts of it are basically unreadable. The main parts read: “VASH FAIRBLADE BIND SITY[sic!] GOD”
In-universe, those are different languages. Red’s using the cipher alphabets to distinguish between them.
Thank you for that wonderful bit of the story, @Mat!
He has been disarmed
And thus not seen as a threat
Robot naptime now
I wonder how Dainix knows so much about those things?
He’s encountered them back home. https://comicaurora.com/aurora/1-19-7/
That’s excellent research @Zer0 W0lf!
… and wonderfully foot-noted so you could use it twice for different questions!
It’s worth emphasizing that the mention is very easy to miss he says the wyrms wrap up various threats including “automatons” presumably that means robots like we’ve seen here. I actually could not see what you were referring to until like the 2nd or 3rd time reading that page.
Uh oh, new chapter cover just dropped, prepare to be emotionally devestated!
Wait, Ignans have robots?
As far I know, they don’t, but they’ve encountered them before. https://comicaurora.com/aurora/1-19-7/
@youngstormlord I think it is more accurate to say Ignans have robot problems from time to time rather than they own robot/automatons…
Too early to have a translation waiting for me… such is life in the antipodean timezones. To whoever does translate the robot’s speech eventually: thanks in advance!
The comments didn’t show. Such is the Aurora comments section. All too often.
I feel you in both respects.
Hrrrmn. Ancients have no magic channels. Ferin cannot be mages and are highly magically resistant. Is the robot using the presence or absence of magic channels to distinguish Ancients from humans and elves, and has concluded that Falst must be an Ancient because its programming didn’t account for magic-resistant humanoids that are not Ancients?
That’s the general consensus, though there has been a theory batted around that the Ferin are also somehow connected to/descended from the Ancients.
Actually, Red all but explicitly disconfirmed this idea on her tumblr: apparently, if Ferin were known to register as Ancients to Ancient tech, Erin would have already been dragging Falst around to try to see what would happen.
Also, Falst apparently has terrible parents, so this is gonna play into his backstory.
A robot in a giant underground complex that doesn’t kill unarmed people the moment it sights them? Cave Johnson would be disappointed.
Dainix was able to tell what the automaton was looking for in terms of threats, why it didn’t target Falst, and hypothesised the age of the automaton compared to what he’s used to. I wonder how much of this was taught to him and how much he experienced; just how in depth does Ravvan automaton classification go?
Now that the reason, or at least suspicion, is out, how will Falst react? He definitely seems surprised at the suggestion, whether he’ll believe it or not, and if Dainix has any past experience with this phenomena, we’ll have to see on Friday. He also seems a bit puzzled at how smart the automaton was in recognising weapons; his previous “just a lacrima” statement about the robot brain may need reassessing.
Plus they fire the whole energy blast, that’s 65% more blast per blast!
Robots: “So anyway, I started blasting-“
I was correct! Or at least, Dainix has the same hypotheses possibly based on more accurate information which it sounds like he has.
I posted my own hypothesis several pages back, put to restate the gist of it here: my hypothesis was/is that the because of his relative lack of response to elemental effects (such as how he could hold the lacrima without harm), which robot may be able to detect, it therefore assumes that he is an ancient.
Oh boy, time for Falst to have a secret cool origin too!
Isn’t it just because he’s a ferrin? Though maybe this would be a ‘secret cool origin’ for all the ferrin?
Based on earlier comments, I think the robot is saying:
THREAT
MINIMAL
POWER
LOW
Ancient Catboys
I’m sorry- THE ONES BACK HOME????? what circumstances has he encountered guys like these before??? are there more ancient shelters in the desert??? do the desert guys have their own??? do their neighbors have any???
He’s encountered them on wyrmsilk-gathering trips. https://comicaurora.com/aurora/1-19-7/
does that mean automatons are somewhat common in certain areas of the world? I hope we’ll learn more about them in the coming pages!
falst looks scared in the last panel
There once was an ancient bot
Who figured out Dainix was not
A threat to throw,
And its power was low,
So it keeled over on its last watt.
Predictions for next page (also my previous predictions were correct about the explosions, hooray!):
a ) Falst either doesn’t know what’s going on and asks Dainix to explain for some tasty info-dumping, or
b ) He does know something about this, and that’s why he looks so startled
c ) Falst backstory? Please, Red?
d ) Not for next page but Dainix now has to bridal carry Falst at least once in this chapter/next chapter. It’s the law
(Suddenly has picture pop in head of Alinua struggling to Bridal carry Tess and failing as Tess giggles, Erin does face palm and Kendel and Dainix are mystified and Falst frowns in disapproval…)
That sounds absolutely adorable? And Tess just giving Ali word of encouragement. ‘I believe in you~’
Also why would Falst be frowning?
Because Falst was feeling left out and he does not want to admit it. Only Kendal seems able to disarm Falst’s hostility with his sincere compassion. Kendal is good kid at heart!
just wait until Alinua enters her buff era and starts deadlifting Tess
Now I see in my head Alinua succeeds at bridal holding Tess as Alinua blushes, who is still giggling happily, while Erin groans because he is sure Tess is doing it just embarrass him, Kendal smiles, Dainix looks like a confused puppy, and Falst rolls his eyes to hide his feelings of loneliness. (bows to Red in apology for ‘borrowing’ her character without permission)
Unbeknownst to the robot, Dainix secretly carries five different knives. They’re all hidden in different places.
Hmmm, Falst seems a wee bit upset about the idea of being mistook for an ancient. I wonder why?
Time for a lesson in magical affinity, Falst! Unless he already knows, either from Erin’s textbooks, or some other source; according to the decipherers, the dream panel at the start of chapter 15 (“Find your way if you are truly my son.”) contains the name(?) “Emira” in Ancient script. He could already know something about the similarities between ferin and the Ancients, and is surprised at Dainix being able to deduce the truth so easily.
Really?! Now that is interesting.
I’ve heard about the “Emira” text from that panel before, but I never realised it was written in Ancient script. Falst definitely has something relating to them in his backstory. Maybe he has Ancient heritage. Maybe his mother was a researcher of the Ancients and some of it rubbed off on him. I’m getting excited now.
If I were to throw in my theory on what or who “Emira” is, I think that is Falst’s real name. What if in 1-10-18 he decided that, rather than tell the doctor his real name, he decided to use an alias. He was surrounded by Jolon’s chimeras, his new potential allies knocked out, life lacrima hanging in the balance, and at the mercy of the doctor; playing it safe by providing a name but not his real one may even be second nature to him.
He’s also not the greatest at opening up, even to his new friends. He may not want to real his real name and origins, or may simply not see any point of revealing it now, and so goes along with Falst as his moniker in the group.
I went back and double-checked; yes, those are Ancient letters. I described them in my main comment on that page as runes superimposed on a brown sky; I didn’t know why they were there before, because I missed the obvious answer of “it’s a dream, funky sh*t like floating letters can happen sometimes”. But the brown sky, as well as the fact that apparently Falst knows how to read Ancient script, are interesting to me. I posited back then that the brown sky could indicate Falst’s home burning down due to a wildfire, but I didn’t realize the Emira runes were Ancient letters until later. Basically, there are a few different things going on with Falst’s past: knows Ancient script, got potentially abandoned by one or more of his parents, and had a traumatic experience with starvation, void corruption, or both. A lot of other commenters have mental Erin Backstory Conspiracy Boards; in addition to one of those, I now also have a mental Falst Backstory Conspiracy Board. (And I’m adding your alias hypothesis as a pin on that board; I’m a sucker for characters whose true identities are kept as private and secret as possible from even their closest friends, and unraveling their past is a whole mystery subplot all on its own.)
no offense but, you missed the first two words, “You will find your way if you are truly my son” I hope that helps someone.
When I went back and checked the panel, someone else mentioned finding the “You will” part only by editing a screenshot, turning up the contrast and saturation way up high– something I don’t have access to on my device. Hence why I didn’t know there were two more words there.
OH SHIT WAS FALST AN ANCIENT BEFORE HE BECAME A FERIN
No, he would’ve been born a ferin. It’s just that both the Ancients and the ferin are both magically inert.
The Ancients are long gone, according to the extra lore pages. Falst might have traces of Ancient blood, but I doubt he could be full or even half-Ancient. It seems more likely that these automatons have profiled him as an Ancient due to his magical inertia.
On page 1.1.17, does anyone know if the writing on the knife is ancient? if so, can someone translate it?
I’m pretty sure they did try on the Discord server, but the results were inconclusive. They decoded this much, but
V A S H
F A I R
B L A D E
B I ? E
S I T Y
G O D
W? A R
white flash, unreadable
A R T S B? G? U? D ? ? ? ? ?
Thank you for sharing that from the Tumblr too! It adds information but the mystery only grows larger! (smiles happily at the richness of the story)
Guys. The new chapter cover. It’s a young Falst. We’re gonna get Falst backstory! I’m so excited! And terrified. Sad things happened to little fluff boy and it’s gonna be sad. But Falst backstory!!
Ah so its like the Iron Giants little brother.
Late TL;DR: Facial recognition technology has quite a ways to go.
Reminds me of the interpretation of the last update from the Curiosity rover
“It’s getting dark and my power is low.”
So I’m months late but the “You’re Short for an Ancient” makes me think Final Fantasy 14, and if you know why, you know.