What’s really spooky is that Falst understood that ‘SSS’ as ‘starving’ in a nonverbal way which is why its not drawn in comic ‘word-bubble’ style but as comic ‘sound effects’ style. Which is pretty damn clever and almost unique technique style. Kudos to Red!
Interesting interpretation, but… no, I’m pretty sure the creature literally said “starving” in a very spooky voice. The way it’s written is just a stylistic choice to add texture. Falst did not understand something non-verbally
Now here is a terrifying question: can cave crawlers even die of e.g. starvation, dehydration, old age etc?
This bunker has to have been sealed for a very long time, likely millennia, and the Ancients hiding inside have all either died or turned into cave crawlers.
I’m not sure that’s an ancient. Ancients we’re closed off from the elements, presumably including void, so I’m not sure they’re susceptible to element sickness in the way the other races are.
Erin says in 1.4.4 that even the most magically inert souls can be elementally corrupted, and in the following page, that they are subjects to the most extreme consequences of this ailment
Since the lore pages speculate that cave crawlers have been corrupted by an excess of void, and void is consumption, I would imagine they actually don’t live long because they’re probably starving to death constantly. I think more likely there’s a connection to the singing caves somewhere nearby for cave crawlers to get into the ruins.
counterpoint: if cave crawlers were constantly dying of their own starvation, then the Caves would be way less populated with Crawlers. at some point in history, every civilisation would have learned to stay away from the caves and the number of crawlers would have become effectively null, except in a few cases of extreme famine. but when Erin entered the caves before he ran into… what, two or three crawlers in what should only have been half an hour or an hour of walking? and how would they sustain themselves down there; there’s nothing to eat except each other. it just doesn’t add up, they have to have a modified lifespan, or there wouldn’t be any left
I think it must be some sort of “hungry dead” situation where they are always hungry but cannot die from starvation.
Just line Dainix has a tendency to be on fire, but cannot die from this, or Tess cannot be electrocuted. But even stronger than that since for the cave-dwellers it has reached the point of elemental corruption.
After all, the Void Dragon himself hasn’t starved to death either during all that time he’s been imprisoned.
this seems like the simplest and therefore most likely answer. they’re the undead of Aurora, and the Extra Lore pages even describe them as vampire-like creatures, sometimes with a specific thirst for blood. but i also morbidly love the image of a cave crawler scranning root vegetables like a raccoon
Naw, I forget I am not omnipresent at times (as well as not immortal) too. You took the time to gather more information and fill in the missing parts information you missed before. Good enough to count as being an adult for me! How many times have you tried to talk to a person from teen to twenties (mostly I have been seen in my experience but sometimes older) who could told ANYTHING because they knew what needs knowing Thank you very much, just fine. That you realized that were missing something and found out what that was shows better observation and thought then average at least and bravery to admit it (who also might have missed it too)! I give you credit for a better observer then you think you are!
I think we are going to get a big paladin arch. We will get to learn more about the guy who looks like an angel, and the Junior Archivist will confront Erin again.
I am hoping to see Junior Archivist (June) met up with Shrike and Trusk and travel together. I like Trush but half the fun is watching the two interact (he with Shrike) and I know Shrike has a ‘goodly’ number of fans among the commentators here and they would be happy to see her chew scenery again!
Falst back at it with throwing rocks at his enemies; maybe the gang should get him a sling.
So it was the stench of the crawler that woke Falst up rather than stagnant cave air, and it would seem Falst has little knowledge of cave crawlers from his quote in panel 5 and shock in panel 7. Makes sense, I see no reason why he would seek out the caves when forests have more food and more avenues of escape.
This cave crawler does not seem as inhumanly degraded as the ones in chapter 7, it lacks the spikes of the crawler at the end of chapter 7 which I assume are from stone corruption, and it is still capable of limited speech. From this, and the fact it’s saying “starving” leads me to hypothesise this crawler was born of localised famine rather than proximity to the caves.
Sh*t. I think Dainix might’ve gotten seriously concussed on the way down, judging from his unresponsiveness. And seeing how derelict these ruins are, I doubt the frequency of medkits in the area is all that high. I hope these two can make it back out soon, because they need a healer.
For extra creepiness, turn up your screen’s brightness and watch the corrupted’s facial expressions.
Hold up a minute guys! This crawler has white eyes, but every other one we’ve seen has yellow ones! What if this poor unfortunate got corrupted by Light? If the theory that Light is just a transmuted form of Void is true, that would explain why they look the same but this one has a bit of its old self still in there!
Other people have said that it wouldn’t make sense for this bunker to connect to the caves, and I agree. But there could be more of the robots down there, and we can see they give off a blue-white light that looks pretty close to what the Paladins have.
For mobile readers.
Alt-text: claws off the moneymaker
Image source: starving
Clearly wasn’t expecting a response.
What’s really spooky is that Falst understood that ‘SSS’ as ‘starving’ in a nonverbal way which is why its not drawn in comic ‘word-bubble’ style but as comic ‘sound effects’ style. Which is pretty damn clever and almost unique technique style. Kudos to Red!
Interesting interpretation, but… no, I’m pretty sure the creature literally said “starving” in a very spooky voice. The way it’s written is just a stylistic choice to add texture. Falst did not understand something non-verbally
Sure enough!
Now here is a terrifying question: can cave crawlers even die of e.g. starvation, dehydration, old age etc?
This bunker has to have been sealed for a very long time, likely millennia, and the Ancients hiding inside have all either died or turned into cave crawlers.
I’m not sure that’s an ancient. Ancients we’re closed off from the elements, presumably including void, so I’m not sure they’re susceptible to element sickness in the way the other races are.
They’d have to be, otherwise some Ferin would’ve explored the storm ages ago
Erin says in 1.4.4 that even the most magically inert souls can be elementally corrupted, and in the following page, that they are subjects to the most extreme consequences of this ailment
Since the lore pages speculate that cave crawlers have been corrupted by an excess of void, and void is consumption, I would imagine they actually don’t live long because they’re probably starving to death constantly. I think more likely there’s a connection to the singing caves somewhere nearby for cave crawlers to get into the ruins.
counterpoint: if cave crawlers were constantly dying of their own starvation, then the Caves would be way less populated with Crawlers. at some point in history, every civilisation would have learned to stay away from the caves and the number of crawlers would have become effectively null, except in a few cases of extreme famine. but when Erin entered the caves before he ran into… what, two or three crawlers in what should only have been half an hour or an hour of walking? and how would they sustain themselves down there; there’s nothing to eat except each other. it just doesn’t add up, they have to have a modified lifespan, or there wouldn’t be any left
I think it must be some sort of “hungry dead” situation where they are always hungry but cannot die from starvation.
Just line Dainix has a tendency to be on fire, but cannot die from this, or Tess cannot be electrocuted. But even stronger than that since for the cave-dwellers it has reached the point of elemental corruption.
After all, the Void Dragon himself hasn’t starved to death either during all that time he’s been imprisoned.
this seems like the simplest and therefore most likely answer. they’re the undead of Aurora, and the Extra Lore pages even describe them as vampire-like creatures, sometimes with a specific thirst for blood. but i also morbidly love the image of a cave crawler scranning root vegetables like a raccoon
OHH STARVING i thought that said staring. oops
also i literally move like that everyday. fuck you. becomes a creature
Lol same I thought it was staring too
Yep. I definitely thought they had stumbled into a weird gameshow/colosseum. And that was the announcer voice. SSSTARRING….
Is that meant to be *Staring* or *Starwing*?
Oh…starving. I’m a fucking idiot
Naw, I forget I am not omnipresent at times (as well as not immortal) too. You took the time to gather more information and fill in the missing parts information you missed before. Good enough to count as being an adult for me! How many times have you tried to talk to a person from teen to twenties (mostly I have been seen in my experience but sometimes older) who could told ANYTHING because they knew what needs knowing Thank you very much, just fine. That you realized that were missing something and found out what that was shows better observation and thought then average at least and bravery to admit it (who also might have missed it too)! I give you credit for a better observer then you think you are!
this is fine
One move of distraction gets the beast to come down
A starving nigtmare standing ‘fore him on the ground
Jup definitely boring
oh great, they can talk
Oof, no rest for the wicked (or Falst)
Maybe not the *best* decision to throw rocks at the creature perfectly capable of eating you when you have a broken arm already…
Aurora Question #23: How do you think this year of Aurora will go? (Also get it cuz I waited ’till question 23 to ask this and the year’s 2023)
Personally I hope we get to go to Asera because that place seems really cool, but anything that happens will be great.
It’s a remote chance, considering how much ocean the group has to cross first, but I hope we finally get to see Helm this year.
I want to meet the mysterious seventh member of the protagonist squad this year. She’s got to show up soon, right?
I think we are going to get a big paladin arch. We will get to learn more about the guy who looks like an angel, and the Junior Archivist will confront Erin again.
I am hoping to see Junior Archivist (June) met up with Shrike and Trusk and travel together. I like Trush but half the fun is watching the two interact (he with Shrike) and I know Shrike has a ‘goodly’ number of fans among the commentators here and they would be happy to see her chew scenery again!
Oh no. He’s got a pebble! Who knows how many bonuses he could have with a thrown rock! : )
https://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0745.html
Hey starving, I’m Falst
Falst back at it with throwing rocks at his enemies; maybe the gang should get him a sling.
So it was the stench of the crawler that woke Falst up rather than stagnant cave air, and it would seem Falst has little knowledge of cave crawlers from his quote in panel 5 and shock in panel 7. Makes sense, I see no reason why he would seek out the caves when forests have more food and more avenues of escape.
This cave crawler does not seem as inhumanly degraded as the ones in chapter 7, it lacks the spikes of the crawler at the end of chapter 7 which I assume are from stone corruption, and it is still capable of limited speech. From this, and the fact it’s saying “starving” leads me to hypothesise this crawler was born of localised famine rather than proximity to the caves.
You’re not you when you’re hungry scary evil cave lady, Snickers satisfies.
I laughed so hard at this and I am in my college library so this is your fault
Considering Dainix didn’t wake up from that, I feel a little worried
Sh*t. I think Dainix might’ve gotten seriously concussed on the way down, judging from his unresponsiveness. And seeing how derelict these ruins are, I doubt the frequency of medkits in the area is all that high. I hope these two can make it back out soon, because they need a healer.
For extra creepiness, turn up your screen’s brightness and watch the corrupted’s facial expressions.
Hold up a minute guys! This crawler has white eyes, but every other one we’ve seen has yellow ones! What if this poor unfortunate got corrupted by Light? If the theory that Light is just a transmuted form of Void is true, that would explain why they look the same but this one has a bit of its old self still in there!
Other people have said that it wouldn’t make sense for this bunker to connect to the caves, and I agree. But there could be more of the robots down there, and we can see they give off a blue-white light that looks pretty close to what the Paladins have.
I’m not sure that’s the case. looking back at https://comicaurora.com/aurora/1-7-15/ and https://comicaurora.com/aurora/1-7-27/ , the yellow glow seems to come more from the fact that they’re reflecting yellow light.
oh, its not a monster its just hangry!
There once was a crawling stink
Who had lost the ability to think.
Its hunger was greater
Than an alligator–
It just wanted to eat and slink.
TL;DR: Chucking rocks at the stinky hungry monster trying to eat your friend. Great way to get yourself killed.
*leans into mic* I would
Still technically hasn’t shown itself to be hostile yet! Maybe it’s just “starved” for affection and wants to be friends!
Oh, you’re hungry, skinny man? Well, you’re in luck, because Falst and Dainx are some high-quality snacks.
oh hey its me after winter break
Also I love the art for this chapter
After re-reading most of the comic for an Aurora-themed presentation I’m making, I can definitively say that Falst’s special attack is “throw rocks”
I think he might meet gaebriel mcflashy wings. he does, after all, hunt cave crawlers…
Red’s comment made me think of the “uh oh, stinky” monkey, and now I can imagine it in place of the cave crawler
:0
Actual comment coming later, super busy rn
Ok, everyone run, the thing can talk. Burn this whole cavern down because that’s so infinitely unsettling!
When did Gollum get so tall