For mobile readers.
Alt-text: he finally sleeps and now you want to wake him up?? bro
Image source: connected (Page number’s off by one yet again. To Tumblr!)
Great page
…So. I don’t know how many of you are Hollow Knight fans, but I know there is at least one here, so…hey! This is for you specifically I suppose, because the idea has possesed me for the past day and a half and I really need it to stop now.
I designed the charms the comic’s backstory characters would have left behind.
-In Hollow Knight, charms are pin-like artifacts usually created by dying people’s last wishes/thoughts, that grant the player helpful abilities.-
(Note; these abilities are not applicable to the game’s mechanics);
Companion’s Warning (Drann);
This charm contains the last wish of a fallen warrior, taken by surprise. When hostile creatures lurk nearby, this charm will start whispering in an agitated manner. It grants awareness, but rarely shuts up when equipped in dangerous territory. Smooth, circular, made of a bone-like material and adorned with the ravvan’s cloak pattern in the center and edges. Four holes have been brutally cracked into its middle, almost splitting it.
Familiar Souls/Caring Souls (Ppl of Vash);
Contains shreds of too many souls to count. When the wearer rests, they will be granted light yet restfull sleep, no matter the circumstances. In sleep, they will be shielded from dreams spreading the Infection, as well as visions of their destiny’s call. Masterfully chiseled metal. Soft lines starting from the middle, at first as concentric circles detailed with tiny tiles, turn into swirling spirals, resembling clouds near the top and flowing water near the bottom. Smoothly transitioning from one to the other, they eventually escape the confines of the disc. The center is slightly curved inward, reminiscent of a certain city’s. Decorated by three small, off-centered blue stones, each a bit smaller than the last; they form a crescent line on the middle left.
Mother’s teeth (Emira);
A charm containing a starving human’s last sane thoughts. With it equiped, the wearer will experience hunger far less often, and be able to thrive with a limited quantity and variety of nutrition. It will not however quench the wearer’s need for water or sleep. Roughly hexagonal, made of lavender-ish shellwood. Depicts part of a ribcage, wood carved out and painted dark where organs should be. Despite being named after teeth, none are on it; It has five long, dark claws closing around its edges. Uncomfortably light for a charm.
Drann was Dainix’s friend, who got impaled by the obsidian ghoul’s claws (that is what the cracks in the charm resemble :)). Look for page 1.19.8
Emira is most likely the name of Falst’s mother, the translation of panel one page 1.15.1 and of the gravestone in 1.21.16 (flashback, upper right corner)
The effects of these charms neatly ended up matching the needs of these people’s loved ones; Drann, killed from behind, would want his friends to survive. The cityzents, having lost everything and everyone they love, want Kendal to have peace (notice that the sword’s pedestal is not depicted, only the empty city). Emira, who lost her mind to hunger, would wish for it to go away- sadly, she couldn’t protect her son from it.
So this had to be the page when I lost my mind, huh. I’ve waited for so long to see Kendal again, because really, we’ve been put in the same position the crew is in. Wrestling our own problems until things calm down enough to adress his again.
I’m so glad nobody takes psychological/emotional damage in this comic and everyone gets to see therapists before their complex, relatable and understandable problems cause issues! 😀
I think many people desire to see/experience their heroes triumph over their adversities/troubles/environment. That is the reason I keep coming back to read Red’s wonderful work here (Aurora).
References to previous events, trust issues, and more magic medicine things. This page has it all!
(When Tess fought her first dragon, panels 6 and 7, and that pink thing Erin’s holding.)
Oh come on Alinua, what next? Make sure he only uses safety scissors? … Well, I guess he is technically a child.
Paired wind lacrimas as walkie-talkies? Makes sense; I think we saw Tess use one in 1-19-13 when Al called her up. It also provides a good answer as to why Tess struggled to find Erin if she didn’t have her’s anymore. I’d have though Erin would have at least one paired with Al or his mum, maybe Galen too. Has he got them but not been answering? He did mention that was deliberately not contacting anyone. Did he purposely leave them behind? I see no logical reason, but pride or distractions might have played a part.
(Sorry for the long section, watching Red’s trope talk video on phones and communication has made me think a lot about this sort of thing.)
Maybe he could have saved Vash if he did the stab thing immediately after waking up instead of trying to minecraft his way to the Collector, but after Alinua’s healing that’s no longer possible. Probably for the best, that way Kendal ended up helping out with the V.D. crisis and the Collector would have either been chasing Vash or targeting another city.
Weighing the risks, probably best to give him the sword, if only for Vash to add his voice to Kendal’s dream sequence. Though that’s easy for us to say; the other characters don’t know what’s going on in his head and his last act while fully concious was to stab himself.
Yeah, so on the “maybe he could have saved Vaush if he did the stab thing immediately” – I disagree. Back on https://comicaurora.com/aurora/1-18-19/ Vash explains that the reason he can’t stay is because the Collector’s still pulling him back. The blade she stabbed him with still has a hold on him. Kendal’s body no longer being something Vaush can directly manipulate is a seperate problem, and he brought it up specifically to say Kendal would need healing, not to explain why he couldn’t stay in it.
Good points. I guess Alinua doesn’t know the full ins and outs of how this all works, which given context and the very stressful day she’s had, is understandable.
Yeah, I interpreted her “I can’t trust him” thing as more of a general “I can trust him not to do the most self-destructive thing possible now”, because of how much he’s done this to her, but your interpretation also makes sense.
It’s also possible that he wouldn’t have wind lacrimas to talk with some of his family if they’re wind mages, which we don’t know how magical the rest of Erin’s family is, since it seems like any wind mage can just produce these messages without assistance from a lacrima. And it also looks like there’s no confirmation that the message has been received, so if Erin just ignored the messages I don’t think there’d be any way for them to tell if he’s ignoring them or dead or whatever else.
I hope Question Master will be fine with it, once he/she comes back, but I guess I could as well ask another question. Therefore: Anonymous Aurora Question 2: What group name do you think the Floof Squad would come up with for themselves?
Ooh, that’s a good one. I’d imagine they wouldn’t care much about a group name in these circumstances, so this would probably be thought of at a more chill time.
I don’t think Erin would have a desire for a team name, and Kendal doesn’t have a good track record for naming things (not to say that Kendal was a bad name choice, just that he didn’t want to have a name at all.), but I feel like Falst might come up with the idea of a team name, Tess and Alinua would likely join in trying to pick a name too. But now comes the answer to the question you actually asked: I don’t really know 😛
My guess to AAQ #2 is: Erin would use big/intellectual/fancy words to describe the group, Dainix would try to find some unifying theme, Falst is too contrary to come up with one, Alinua would choose a homey and practical group name, Kendal too unclear on the concept to come up with one (he’s smart but still inexperienced socially) and Tess seems to be having the time of her life and has no desire to come up with one. Void Dragon(Walter) would too selfish/self centered to ever think of a group name. Junior Archivist(June) might think of them as Those Traitors. Shrike and Truck might use some general term like Targets or Prey to call them if they were hunting our poor protagonists. Vash and Lady Huracan probably some name to call them but Lady H. isn’t telling anyone- yet at least (though Red might know that by now) (same for Primordial Life) Vash is still stuck in the Collector’s knife and can’t tell anyone and I really hope the Collector is too busy studying Vash to care or notice our heroes!
Kendal is too meek to name it, but he would probably consider it something like ‘Vash’, as in the city since that’s all he’s ever known.
Erin would probably name it the “Void Containment Task Force” or something that places himself at the centre.
Tess would call it “My Little Brother’s Friends” or maybe “The Stormbreakers” after their battle with Tynan.
Dainix would probably just refer to it as “The Group”. It’s simple and practical.
Falst wouldn’t name it at all out of sheer stubbornness to ‘belong’.
Alinua would just call it “Family”.
Also, they/them is a good substitute for he/she. Just for future reference.
Ah. So Alinua actually has a very legitimate reason to not let go of Kendal; I thought she was just still holding on to it (him?) as a desperate keepsake. But after the first attempt failed to stick, I doubt he’s going to try stabbing himself again, especially in his sleep.
To be fair to Tess, that storm drake seemed very territorial, and did not f*ck around with trying to crush her.
Ah, the most difficult decision: Take the sword with you on the redhead search and use it on cave crawlers like a warrior maiden or keep the sword here and (hopefully) make it easier for Kendal to wake up from his healing coma.
Oh SNAP. Right, the content–warning–page incident. It’s been a solid 8½ months, FOR US. For them, it’s LATER THAT SAME NIGHT. Well THAT just recontextualized Alinua’s whole sword–clinging situation! Of course she has no way of knowing what Kendal’ll do when he finally DOES wake up! It’s not like she got to watch the citizens of Vash doing their best to talk some sense of personal worth into him!
The siblings just banter, but Ali is sad
Lamenting the things they don’t know ’bout their lad
My feelings are stirring up agh
For mobile readers.
Alt-text: he finally sleeps and now you want to wake him up?? bro
Image source: connected (Page number’s off by one yet again. To Tumblr!)
As we thought, there was a cut page. https://comicaurora.tumblr.com/post/718024251518697472/from-12123-onwards-the-page-number-in-the-image
Great page
…So. I don’t know how many of you are Hollow Knight fans, but I know there is at least one here, so…hey! This is for you specifically I suppose, because the idea has possesed me for the past day and a half and I really need it to stop now.
I designed the charms the comic’s backstory characters would have left behind.
-In Hollow Knight, charms are pin-like artifacts usually created by dying people’s last wishes/thoughts, that grant the player helpful abilities.-
(Note; these abilities are not applicable to the game’s mechanics);
Companion’s Warning (Drann);
This charm contains the last wish of a fallen warrior, taken by surprise. When hostile creatures lurk nearby, this charm will start whispering in an agitated manner. It grants awareness, but rarely shuts up when equipped in dangerous territory.
Smooth, circular, made of a bone-like material and adorned with the ravvan’s cloak pattern in the center and edges. Four holes have been brutally cracked into its middle, almost splitting it.
Familiar Souls/Caring Souls (Ppl of Vash);
Contains shreds of too many souls to count. When the wearer rests, they will be granted light yet restfull sleep, no matter the circumstances. In sleep, they will be shielded from dreams spreading the Infection, as well as visions of their destiny’s call.
Masterfully chiseled metal. Soft lines starting from the middle, at first as concentric circles detailed with tiny tiles, turn into swirling spirals, resembling clouds near the top and flowing water near the bottom. Smoothly transitioning from one to the other, they eventually escape the confines of the disc. The center is slightly curved inward, reminiscent of a certain city’s. Decorated by three small, off-centered blue stones, each a bit smaller than the last; they form a crescent line on the middle left.
Mother’s teeth (Emira);
A charm containing a starving human’s last sane thoughts. With it equiped, the wearer will experience hunger far less often, and be able to thrive with a limited quantity and variety of nutrition. It will not however quench the wearer’s need for water or sleep.
Roughly hexagonal, made of lavender-ish shellwood. Depicts part of a ribcage, wood carved out and painted dark where organs should be. Despite being named after teeth, none are on it; It has five long, dark claws closing around its edges. Uncomfortably light for a charm.
Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I find those very neat (as there is no “Like” function in this comment section). Thank you for the food.
Thank you! This makes yesterday’s endeavour of refining them and sketching them until they look okay worth it
Yay Hollow Knight!
Hey I’m not the person you aimed this at but this is amazing, thank you!
hey i love you by the way
I, specifically, appreciate it! These are really good and thorough descriptions, and they feel like they could fit into a tabletop role-playing game.
I too am a hollow knight fan, and I love these descriptions!
Gonna be honest though, I can’t remember for the life of me who Drann and Emira were. Help?
Drann was Dainix’s friend, who got impaled by the obsidian ghoul’s claws (that is what the cracks in the charm resemble :)). Look for page 1.19.8
Emira is most likely the name of Falst’s mother, the translation of panel one page 1.15.1 and of the gravestone in 1.21.16 (flashback, upper right corner)
The effects of these charms neatly ended up matching the needs of these people’s loved ones; Drann, killed from behind, would want his friends to survive. The cityzents, having lost everything and everyone they love, want Kendal to have peace (notice that the sword’s pedestal is not depicted, only the empty city). Emira, who lost her mind to hunger, would wish for it to go away- sadly, she couldn’t protect her son from it.
So this had to be the page when I lost my mind, huh. I’ve waited for so long to see Kendal again, because really, we’ve been put in the same position the crew is in. Wrestling our own problems until things calm down enough to adress his again.
Sympathies @Testing- you are the only one that done that! (wave nicely to fellow Aurora conspiracy theorists)
Oops! I meant to type: You are NOT the only one @Testing (and ap0logies for redundant posting!)
Yeah, i got it! No worries
Sympathies @Testing!
I’m so glad nobody takes psychological/emotional damage in this comic and everyone gets to see therapists before their complex, relatable and understandable problems cause issues! 😀
I think many people desire to see/experience their heroes triumph over their adversities/troubles/environment. That is the reason I keep coming back to read Red’s wonderful work here (Aurora).
References to previous events, trust issues, and more magic medicine things. This page has it all!
(When Tess fought her first dragon, panels 6 and 7, and that pink thing Erin’s holding.)
Oh come on Alinua, what next? Make sure he only uses safety scissors? … Well, I guess he is technically a child.
Paired wind lacrimas as walkie-talkies? Makes sense; I think we saw Tess use one in 1-19-13 when Al called her up. It also provides a good answer as to why Tess struggled to find Erin if she didn’t have her’s anymore. I’d have though Erin would have at least one paired with Al or his mum, maybe Galen too. Has he got them but not been answering? He did mention that was deliberately not contacting anyone. Did he purposely leave them behind? I see no logical reason, but pride or distractions might have played a part.
(Sorry for the long section, watching Red’s trope talk video on phones and communication has made me think a lot about this sort of thing.)
Maybe he could have saved Vash if he did the stab thing immediately after waking up instead of trying to minecraft his way to the Collector, but after Alinua’s healing that’s no longer possible. Probably for the best, that way Kendal ended up helping out with the V.D. crisis and the Collector would have either been chasing Vash or targeting another city.
Weighing the risks, probably best to give him the sword, if only for Vash to add his voice to Kendal’s dream sequence. Though that’s easy for us to say; the other characters don’t know what’s going on in his head and his last act while fully concious was to stab himself.
Your analysis gave me a lot things to ponder, but also “minecraft his way to the Collector” is such fun mental image, because he would if he could
Yeah, so on the “maybe he could have saved Vaush if he did the stab thing immediately” – I disagree. Back on https://comicaurora.com/aurora/1-18-19/ Vash explains that the reason he can’t stay is because the Collector’s still pulling him back. The blade she stabbed him with still has a hold on him. Kendal’s body no longer being something Vaush can directly manipulate is a seperate problem, and he brought it up specifically to say Kendal would need healing, not to explain why he couldn’t stay in it.
Good points. I guess Alinua doesn’t know the full ins and outs of how this all works, which given context and the very stressful day she’s had, is understandable.
Yeah, I interpreted her “I can’t trust him” thing as more of a general “I can trust him not to do the most self-destructive thing possible now”, because of how much he’s done this to her, but your interpretation also makes sense.
“Kendal, don’t run with Kendal!” – Alinua, Vash, and literally everyone else, probably
It’s also possible that he wouldn’t have wind lacrimas to talk with some of his family if they’re wind mages, which we don’t know how magical the rest of Erin’s family is, since it seems like any wind mage can just produce these messages without assistance from a lacrima. And it also looks like there’s no confirmation that the message has been received, so if Erin just ignored the messages I don’t think there’d be any way for them to tell if he’s ignoring them or dead or whatever else.
There once was a sad purple elf
Whose best friend stabbed himself
And she doesn’t trust
That another thrust
Won’t happen when he comes to himself.
I just want to give them all hugs so bad!
TL;DR: Sorry bro, busted my phone.
…hey elf, you alright?
No!
Hey alinua, remember when kendal had these exact same thoughts about you in the erin intro?? Maybe think back to then and take some of your own advice
I hope Question Master will be fine with it, once he/she comes back, but I guess I could as well ask another question. Therefore: Anonymous Aurora Question 2: What group name do you think the Floof Squad would come up with for themselves?
Ooh, that’s a good one. I’d imagine they wouldn’t care much about a group name in these circumstances, so this would probably be thought of at a more chill time.
I don’t think Erin would have a desire for a team name, and Kendal doesn’t have a good track record for naming things (not to say that Kendal was a bad name choice, just that he didn’t want to have a name at all.), but I feel like Falst might come up with the idea of a team name, Tess and Alinua would likely join in trying to pick a name too. But now comes the answer to the question you actually asked: I don’t really know 😛
My guess to AAQ #2 is: Erin would use big/intellectual/fancy words to describe the group, Dainix would try to find some unifying theme, Falst is too contrary to come up with one, Alinua would choose a homey and practical group name, Kendal too unclear on the concept to come up with one (he’s smart but still inexperienced socially) and Tess seems to be having the time of her life and has no desire to come up with one. Void Dragon(Walter) would too selfish/self centered to ever think of a group name. Junior Archivist(June) might think of them as Those Traitors. Shrike and Truck might use some general term like Targets or Prey to call them if they were hunting our poor protagonists. Vash and Lady Huracan probably some name to call them but Lady H. isn’t telling anyone- yet at least (though Red might know that by now) (same for Primordial Life) Vash is still stuck in the Collector’s knife and can’t tell anyone and I really hope the Collector is too busy studying Vash to care or notice our heroes!
Depends who names it I suppose, like Aulde says.
Kendal is too meek to name it, but he would probably consider it something like ‘Vash’, as in the city since that’s all he’s ever known.
Erin would probably name it the “Void Containment Task Force” or something that places himself at the centre.
Tess would call it “My Little Brother’s Friends” or maybe “The Stormbreakers” after their battle with Tynan.
Dainix would probably just refer to it as “The Group”. It’s simple and practical.
Falst wouldn’t name it at all out of sheer stubbornness to ‘belong’.
Alinua would just call it “Family”.
Also, they/them is a good substitute for he/she. Just for future reference.
I really want to see Ali use the sword Red. Please let her use the sword.
Ah. So Alinua actually has a very legitimate reason to not let go of Kendal; I thought she was just still holding on to it (him?) as a desperate keepsake. But after the first attempt failed to stick, I doubt he’s going to try stabbing himself again, especially in his sleep.
To be fair to Tess, that storm drake seemed very territorial, and did not f*ck around with trying to crush her.
Ah, the most difficult decision: Take the sword with you on the redhead search and use it on cave crawlers like a warrior maiden or keep the sword here and (hopefully) make it easier for Kendal to wake up from his healing coma.
god I feel for Alinua like seriously she just doesn’t want to lose one of the only people she ever cared about and have cared about her
Oh SNAP. Right, the content–warning–page incident. It’s been a solid 8½ months, FOR US. For them, it’s LATER THAT SAME NIGHT. Well THAT just recontextualized Alinua’s whole sword–clinging situation! Of course she has no way of knowing what Kendal’ll do when he finally DOES wake up! It’s not like she got to watch the citizens of Vash doing their best to talk some sense of personal worth into him!
No… Don’t you dare say it’s been that long.
it CAN’T have been 8 months, it just CAN’T. i’m older now, and i don’t like it
I like the blue sketch of Kendal in panel six. Very artistic!
Just caught up!
Poor Kendal 🙁
Grown up scissor privileges revoked
Aurora TTRPG when
Have Tess hold onto the sword, problem solved!
TESS’ FACE IN PANEL 3 I CAAAANNtt
Does this mean all blades are taken away from Kendal? That means he won’t be able to cook anymore.
(not that he did cook, just sayin)