. âI donât have anyone sailing direct to Hollowsong until Lyssandraâs Turn, when the currents stabilize,â the centaur says as they turn, walking along the edge of the docks.
. âA little inclement weather wouldnât stop me, harbormaster,â Erin says.
. âHa.â Erin puts his hand to his chin, thinking, as the harbormaster continues, âWeâve got more than a few mages around these parts, Ambassador, and nobodyâs ever won a fight with the sea.â
. Erin starts as heâs interrupted by a shout from behind. âRuunaser!â He turns, finding a blue-toned elf hanging from a sling, working on a wooden ship. âI THOUGHT I knew that cape!â the elf calls down. âJUST A MINUTE!â
. âIs thatâ?â Erin starts, utterly surprised. âWhat are THEY doing here?â
. âOf course!â the harbormaster exclaims, smiling. âI shouldâve thought of them sooner. You might just make the northern passage yet.â He turns, starting to walk off. âIâll let you Academy mages catch up. If thereâs anything more I can do for you, please find me in my office.â
. âWaitââ Erin starts, but the harbormasterâs gone.
. He tenses as the blue elf pops up beside him, grinning. âWhat happened with the Storm, Ruunaser?â they ask. âThis is well far away from where I expected you!â
. âI could ask you the same question, Tarren,â Erin says, turning and slipping easily into a grin. âShouldnât you be holed up in the summit laboratory, finding new ways to make me ill?â
. âDonât undersell your contribution,â Tarren says. âThat nausea is valuable calibration data!â
. âYouâre welcome.â
. âI took a page out of your book and got the Academy to put me up on a work study trip!â Tarren says cheerfully. âIâve been here since Pendulumâs Swing finding new ways to fight the sea!â
If it makes you feel better – if there’s anything I’ve learned from fantasy, it’s that of a story is happening in your magical world and you’re not a protagonist, you have zero plot armor and are a likely faceless victim of whatever nonsense follows the protags around.
Assuming that you know you are in a fictional narrative (even better if you know what story it is) you could probably work the plot around you. Also, if you avoid places the protagonists will go – like flashy cities or places to travel from – then you could probably just chill out for the majority of the plot. If I was switched into this story with knowledge of the plot so far, and could pick where I spawn in, I would go for the town they are at right now because if the floof squad are going there to travel elsewhere, then they probably wonât return for at least another arc. I hope, however, that they donât get ambushed by a boss before they leave, because thatâs probably the fastest way to die apart from spawning on top of the Sorceress from the very beginning.
Whelp… ONLY going to hear them speak in Dani’s voice. Thanks for that. (No really; I love having real voices from my head for characters instead of just kinda… whatever I throw on)
Dani is the artificer that Sophia/Indigo OSP plays on the Dnd actual play that she and Red are on (its called Rolling with Difficulty if you’re interested). She’s a feral engineer and we all love her
Huh, another mage of the acadamy. Seems nice, probably not one who’d risk the fate of the world just to try and control the void but who knows, we’ve only just met them.
I love Erin’s horror! I’m not sure what’s worse: the fact that they’re already asking about the storm; that they’d be curious in a horrifyingly scientific way about Erin’s new, crazy tattoo; that they’d be capable of reading the signs of something very much up; or that Erin’s going to the Soul Shaper monks who are (I believe) responsible for him being The Elemental Magus and who Erin’s darkest secret (up till now, that is).
That and no doubt they have a story or two — or twenty — to embarrass Erin to his sister.
They’re the only way across, you say? *rubs hands together* This is gonna be good.
Nah, I’m telling youse. They have a blue colour scheme, they can rock a shirt, they’re involved in scholarly research, and with all that tlak of fighting the sea they CLEARLY hate deep water! It IS Blue!
Another comic full of peak Erin expressions. He looks like he’s been left alone with that one annoying aunt at a famoly gathering what with the “wait!”, the dawning dread in panel 7 and the clear “diplomat-face” in 8. I wonder if he holds general beef from the nausea incident, is concerned he’ll find out about the dragon situation, broke up with them at some point, or if he just finds them annoying. Could be any based on the face tbh.
Nobody I can see has yet commented on the fact that Erin deliberately avoided going to the Academy with his little possession problem, because he was quite certain that the Academy would rather study than save him.
This is bad. Very bad.
Even more so because Tarren seems to be a friend, or at least friendly.
Ah, hello, Erinâs hubris. Iâm sure fighting the sea can only end well. C:
We have seen Tarren for exactly one page and I already love them and the way they play off Erin. (Also: Erinâs hastily masked look of fear. Ooh. Someoneâs scared of getting probed?)
Yes, actually. The Floof Squad could have easily saved themselves the trip to Helm by going to the Aseran Academy, Erin’s university, but Erin made it clear that the higher-ups at the Academy are too much like Dr. Jolon, and would be far too interested in studying him, to actually free him from the Void Dragon.
Place your bets now, who’s gonna spill the beans? My money’s on Dainix, he’s trusting (unlike Falst), has no experience with the Academy (unlike Erin or Tess) and hasn’t been told it would be a bad idea (unlike Kendal and Alinua)
Took me some scrolling and thinking before I realized you were talking about Erin’s whole “possessed by the Void Dragon” deal, which he doesn’t want getting back to the Academy!
I think Erin is going to get a chance to meet with the other party members after this conversation, and just tell them not to spill the beans. Dainix has no prior reason to distrust the Academy, but if Erin tells him to keep a secret, I’m sure he can keep a secret.
The REAL problem is actually going to be when the Paladins show up midway through the voyage, yelling “Erin Runasser, Vessel of the Void Dragon, you have fooled us for the last time! Prepare to be smited!”
Pasty victorian-esk boi with too much power for his own good, tampering with things that end up out of his control and end up causing him much pain? No clue who that could be.
And the cute friend from uni with just a little too much chemistry with the other who (maybe) dies due to the power the other unleashed? Please dont let them die. That would be very sad.
me, when the harbormaster is walking off; self, don’t jump to conclusions about sane working class folk cheerfully foisting the mad academics off on each other to be suicidal at a distance. This new guy could perfectly sensi-
1) omw I love them already
2) is no one else curious what the nausea thing was about??? What does this man study? Calibration of what? Does this have to do with him being the elemental magus or is Erin just trying to be a good friend or was it accidental????? đđđ
I mean, how could you NOT make a character like Erin turn out to suffer from debilitating seasickness? I mean, I would expect Red to avert such a standard joke, but these ancient gags tend to develop powers of compulsion over the centuries… I took it that Tarren Mill was doing seasickness experiments on Erin in order to develop a better magical treatment. While making Erin miserable.
Which means that they might not be able to resist the urge to use the “opportunity” to research Erin’s condition, and potentially become a famous and influential scientist. I should really go on the Discord and ask Red if she’s read Ben Bova’s Solar System novels…
Are they a half elf? Their skin is somewhere between flesh and sky tones, and their ears and pointed but not long. I can’t remember if hybrids are possible.
Dang it!!! I’m so incredibly sorry! It was a mistake, of course they’re a they/them. It must have slipped ubder my radar somehow, thanks A LOT for correcting me.
Tarren is fellow student at the Academy. They are certainly floofy, but only in a short-term sense. Erin will not be so much annoyed, but anxious about word of the Void Dragon getting back to the Academy. They are not quite Tess-level besties, but they are friends.
Ok so they’re a person from the academy, they are DEFINITELY floof material and I love them so much too
Erin will be probably really annoyed and will try to avoid tarren for the whole way and I wish for tarren to become a bestie!!!!
I donât think theyâll be an official member of the floof squad, but I am sure they will absolutely be besties with them! Also, I feel like the squad will be very entertained if they try the whole âseasickness experimentationâ thing again
Along with me, of course đ
I think Erin’s expressions are interesting to note here. When facing away from Tarren Erin seems flustered, panicked. Wehen he turns to them, his expression is welcoming, calm, and familiar. Apart from the dragon in the room, I wonder what Erin is hiding from Tarren?
I hear the T beaten out of that sentence native speaker! Just because I live across the pond (way over in California) doesn’t stop me from appreciating the BBC, (smile)
I guess the Academy Mages don’t study Klingon Mythology?
“Long ago, a storm was heading for the city of Quin’lat. Everyone took protection within the walls except one man who remained outside. I went to him and asked what he was doing. “I am not afraid,” the man said. “I will not hide my face behind stone and mortar. I will stand before the wind and make it respect me.” I honored his choice and went inside. The next day, the storm came, and the man was killed. The wind does not respect a fool.” – Kahless (Clone)
For mobile readers.
Alt-text: erin’s dark season 2 redesign will not save him from his love of purple capes
Image source: tarren
Tumblr text: newwwwwww character
Twitter text: Erin has a friend? On purpose?
ANd He’s trying to be DUtch?
. âI donât have anyone sailing direct to Hollowsong until Lyssandraâs Turn, when the currents stabilize,â the centaur says as they turn, walking along the edge of the docks.
. âA little inclement weather wouldnât stop me, harbormaster,â Erin says.
. âHa.â Erin puts his hand to his chin, thinking, as the harbormaster continues, âWeâve got more than a few mages around these parts, Ambassador, and nobodyâs ever won a fight with the sea.â
. Erin starts as heâs interrupted by a shout from behind. âRuunaser!â He turns, finding a blue-toned elf hanging from a sling, working on a wooden ship. âI THOUGHT I knew that cape!â the elf calls down. âJUST A MINUTE!â
. âIs thatâ?â Erin starts, utterly surprised. âWhat are THEY doing here?â
. âOf course!â the harbormaster exclaims, smiling. âI shouldâve thought of them sooner. You might just make the northern passage yet.â He turns, starting to walk off. âIâll let you Academy mages catch up. If thereâs anything more I can do for you, please find me in my office.â
. âWaitââ Erin starts, but the harbormasterâs gone.
. He tenses as the blue elf pops up beside him, grinning. âWhat happened with the Storm, Ruunaser?â they ask. âThis is well far away from where I expected you!â
. âI could ask you the same question, Tarren,â Erin says, turning and slipping easily into a grin. âShouldnât you be holed up in the summit laboratory, finding new ways to make me ill?â
. âDonât undersell your contribution,â Tarren says. âThat nausea is valuable calibration data!â
. âYouâre welcome.â
. âI took a page out of your book and got the Academy to put me up on a work study trip!â Tarren says cheerfully. âIâve been here since Pendulumâs Swing finding new ways to fight the sea!â
the shading looks so nicee i want to skip school and be there ;-;
If it makes you feel better – if there’s anything I’ve learned from fantasy, it’s that of a story is happening in your magical world and you’re not a protagonist, you have zero plot armor and are a likely faceless victim of whatever nonsense follows the protags around.
Assuming that you know you are in a fictional narrative (even better if you know what story it is) you could probably work the plot around you. Also, if you avoid places the protagonists will go – like flashy cities or places to travel from – then you could probably just chill out for the majority of the plot. If I was switched into this story with knowledge of the plot so far, and could pick where I spawn in, I would go for the town they are at right now because if the floof squad are going there to travel elsewhere, then they probably wonât return for at least another arc. I hope, however, that they donât get ambushed by a boss before they leave, because thatâs probably the fastest way to die apart from spawning on top of the Sorceress from the very beginning.
We all knew Dani would make a cameo eventually
It’s a parallel world Dani! (in a water setting instead of a fire one)
(and still blue!)
Whelp… ONLY going to hear them speak in Dani’s voice. Thanks for that. (No really; I love having real voices from my head for characters instead of just kinda… whatever I throw on)
Who’s that?
A character from Rolling With Difficulty, a D&D podcast that Red is on
Dani is the artificer that Sophia/Indigo OSP plays on the Dnd actual play that she and Red are on (its called Rolling with Difficulty if you’re interested). She’s a feral engineer and we all love her
It’s Egan!!!
pfffffft- with today’s new RwD episode that is salt on a open wound, my friend
A genderqueer friend could help the floof gang
Tarren the blue-haired, of whom harbor boss sang
“Ruunaser!” Terren yells, a fellow
Mage from the Academy.
Terren’s here on a work study trip, they explain,
“Finding new ways to fight the sea!”
Oh I do like him, and more specifically them. Tantalizing.
THEM* SORRY I WAS THINKING VERY GAY THOUGHTS
Them (singular) and them (plural) sorry my brain saw potential gay and immediately ceased all complex thought
It’s okay. I think we’re all having a gay panic right now.
I love them SO MUCH already!!!
And I love even more the Academy Mage Nerdout Round 1!
Huh, another mage of the acadamy. Seems nice, probably not one who’d risk the fate of the world just to try and control the void but who knows, we’ve only just met them.
I love Erin’s horror! I’m not sure what’s worse: the fact that they’re already asking about the storm; that they’d be curious in a horrifyingly scientific way about Erin’s new, crazy tattoo; that they’d be capable of reading the signs of something very much up; or that Erin’s going to the Soul Shaper monks who are (I believe) responsible for him being The Elemental Magus and who Erin’s darkest secret (up till now, that is).
That and no doubt they have a story or two — or twenty — to embarrass Erin to his sister.
They’re the only way across, you say? *rubs hands together* This is gonna be good.
Is that… Blue?
Oh god it is, isn’t it? That is Blue!
Blue has straight hair and does not have pointy ears but now I hear Blue’s voice coming from Terran’s speech bubbles. How strange!
Nah, I’m telling youse. They have a blue colour scheme, they can rock a shirt, they’re involved in scholarly research, and with all that tlak of fighting the sea they CLEARLY hate deep water! It IS Blue!
*squints* …Cyan??
Yay, a (probably) pure water mage. Let’s see more of that so far rarely used water magic!
And I’m sure it’s no problem that Erin looks very concerned about their presence!
“Ruunaser!” Terren yells, a fellow
Mage from the Academy.
Terren’s here on a work study trip, they explain,
“Finding new ways to fight the sea!”
I tied to post this as a reply to OngoingConversationCouplet, but it isn’t showing up to me.
Iâm adopting them and YOU CANâT STOP ME
Oh, they are so cute.
Oh, so weâre picking a fight with the OCEAN?
What could possibly go wrong? Itâs not like itâs known around the world for its capricious, unforgiving, and unfathomable nature.
Are you implying godly or spirit high jins? I love that idea!
Another comic full of peak Erin expressions. He looks like he’s been left alone with that one annoying aunt at a famoly gathering what with the “wait!”, the dawning dread in panel 7 and the clear “diplomat-face” in 8. I wonder if he holds general beef from the nausea incident, is concerned he’ll find out about the dragon situation, broke up with them at some point, or if he just finds them annoying. Could be any based on the face tbh.
Nobody I can see has yet commented on the fact that Erin deliberately avoided going to the Academy with his little possession problem, because he was quite certain that the Academy would rather study than save him.
This is bad. Very bad.
Even more so because Tarren seems to be a friend, or at least friendly.
Erin is trying to avoid anyone from the academy. He deliberately has broken contact with them.
So it’s nothing personal.
Ah, hello, Erinâs hubris. Iâm sure fighting the sea can only end well. C:
We have seen Tarren for exactly one page and I already love them and the way they play off Erin. (Also: Erinâs hastily masked look of fear. Ooh. Someoneâs scared of getting probed?)
Yes, actually. The Floof Squad could have easily saved themselves the trip to Helm by going to the Aseran Academy, Erin’s university, but Erin made it clear that the higher-ups at the Academy are too much like Dr. Jolon, and would be far too interested in studying him, to actually free him from the Void Dragon.
Recognized by the cape, what an Icon
Oh no, I love them already.
There once was an elemental mage
Who thought cloaks were all the rage.
He really can’t stand
Tarren’s blue brand
And a nerd-battle proceeds to wage.
OH MY GOD WATER DANI AHHHHHHH YES LETS GO THEYRE SO COOL WTF HEEHEHEHE
My oh my how convenient
Place your bets now, who’s gonna spill the beans? My money’s on Dainix, he’s trusting (unlike Falst), has no experience with the Academy (unlike Erin or Tess) and hasn’t been told it would be a bad idea (unlike Kendal and Alinua)
Oh, here it is. I thought nobody else had understood the subtext!
Took me some scrolling and thinking before I realized you were talking about Erin’s whole “possessed by the Void Dragon” deal, which he doesn’t want getting back to the Academy!
I think Erin is going to get a chance to meet with the other party members after this conversation, and just tell them not to spill the beans. Dainix has no prior reason to distrust the Academy, but if Erin tells him to keep a secret, I’m sure he can keep a secret.
The REAL problem is actually going to be when the Paladins show up midway through the voyage, yelling “Erin Runasser, Vessel of the Void Dragon, you have fooled us for the last time! Prepare to be smited!”
I’ve only known Tarren for one page, but if anything happened to them I would kill everyone in this room and then myself.
Harbormaster: I’ve never known anyone to win a fight with the sea.
Tarren: Hi my name is Tarren and I’m here to fight the sea.
Erin when his easily recognizable fashion choices make him easily recognizable: *surprised pikachu*
and here we have the Clerval to our Frankenstein
But who’s the Clerval and who’s the Frankenstein?
Pasty victorian-esk boi with too much power for his own good, tampering with things that end up out of his control and end up causing him much pain? No clue who that could be.
And the cute friend from uni with just a little too much chemistry with the other who (maybe) dies due to the power the other unleashed? Please dont let them die. That would be very sad.
me, when the harbormaster is walking off; self, don’t jump to conclusions about sane working class folk cheerfully foisting the mad academics off on each other to be suicidal at a distance. This new guy could perfectly sensi-
new character: I’M HERE TO FIGHT THE SEA!!
me:…nvm, I was right the first time.
1) omw I love them already
2) is no one else curious what the nausea thing was about??? What does this man study? Calibration of what? Does this have to do with him being the elemental magus or is Erin just trying to be a good friend or was it accidental????? đđđ
I mean, how could you NOT make a character like Erin turn out to suffer from debilitating seasickness? I mean, I would expect Red to avert such a standard joke, but these ancient gags tend to develop powers of compulsion over the centuries… I took it that Tarren Mill was doing seasickness experiments on Erin in order to develop a better magical treatment. While making Erin miserable.
Which means that they might not be able to resist the urge to use the “opportunity” to research Erin’s condition, and potentially become a famous and influential scientist. I should really go on the Discord and ask Red if she’s read Ben Bova’s Solar System novels…
Wait, Academy mages that know what Erin’s been up to?
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA…
Gender envyyyyyy nooooooooooooooo (I love this character too much aaaaaaaaah)
GIVE ME MY PARTY SIZE OF SEVEN! LET ME HAVE THIS! PARTY ARTIFICER!!!!
RAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
They’re absolutely sufficiently floofy enough to join our party.
Are they a half elf? Their skin is somewhere between flesh and sky tones, and their ears and pointed but not long. I can’t remember if hybrids are possible.
Anonymous Aurora Question #39: Who is this Tarren guy, is he Floof Material, how annoyed is Erin going to be, and are they going to be besties?
I miiiiiiiight be just a liiiiiiiiittle bit too excited about him.
Them, their pronouns are they/them
Dang it!!! I’m so incredibly sorry! It was a mistake, of course they’re a they/them. It must have slipped ubder my radar somehow, thanks A LOT for correcting me.
And, I correct, I am SOOO excited about them!!!
Tarren is fellow student at the Academy. They are certainly floofy, but only in a short-term sense. Erin will not be so much annoyed, but anxious about word of the Void Dragon getting back to the Academy. They are not quite Tess-level besties, but they are friends.
Ok so they’re a person from the academy, they are DEFINITELY floof material and I love them so much too
Erin will be probably really annoyed and will try to avoid tarren for the whole way and I wish for tarren to become a bestie!!!!
I donât think theyâll be an official member of the floof squad, but I am sure they will absolutely be besties with them! Also, I feel like the squad will be very entertained if they try the whole âseasickness experimentationâ thing again
Along with me, of course đ
…blue?
I for one can’t wait for the pirate arc.
Has viewing comments on mobile just gotten significantly harder for anyone else?
Yeah! What’s up with that???
I think Erin’s expressions are interesting to note here. When facing away from Tarren Erin seems flustered, panicked. Wehen he turns to them, his expression is welcoming, calm, and familiar. Apart from the dragon in the room, I wonder what Erin is hiding from Tarren?
“Flustered”, you say…
I love them already.
I spent ALL DAY binge reading this comic and I LOVE IT SO MUCH
He took a page from history and has a personal grudge with the sea. this is going to be a fantastic voyage.
TL;DR: You never know who you’ll run into out of context…
yoo, i love their hair! also- do they have a knee/leg brace? and crutches in the later panels? that’s so cool to see :0
I I can already tell that they are going to be awesome.
Hey, where’s the rest of the Floof Squad?
Is that cockney I spy?
It’s certainly something Bri’ish.
I hear the T beaten out of that sentence native speaker! Just because I live across the pond (way over in California) doesn’t stop me from appreciating the BBC, (smile)
oh dear theres two of them
Why do I ship them already, they’ve barely spoken each other!
Must be all the ships sailing in the background XD
Nonbinary hottie?
Hmmm was that a noodle incident they just referenced
I didn’t even notice that Tarren is a they themmer the first time I read this lol
Oooooh curly hair and googles? Seemingly the artificer type? I love them already!
Is that Blue?Âż?
I guess the Academy Mages don’t study Klingon Mythology?
“Long ago, a storm was heading for the city of Quin’lat. Everyone took protection within the walls except one man who remained outside. I went to him and asked what he was doing. “I am not afraid,” the man said. “I will not hide my face behind stone and mortar. I will stand before the wind and make it respect me.” I honored his choice and went inside. The next day, the storm came, and the man was killed. The wind does not respect a fool.” – Kahless (Clone)