Selach (the merfolk) referred to the snea snek as “the Wyrm”. Capital W… I wasn’t expecting my Northern Wyrm theory to be correct. This is a surprise. 0_0
* slow clap *
The tripartite jaws are still confusing, but I guess it’s coincidental. I wonder what the Floof Squad could have done to anger the god of an oceanic current.
Gleicann said that Life magic can mutate a god’s vessel out of their control.
Presumably this is only possible if they have a large amount of Life matter (Gleicann’s vessel was made from plants whereas, say, Lady Ilia’s mostly Water vessel probably wouldn’t have that problem), so the Wyrm’s vessel would need to be organic for that to happen.
If it is, well, the Collector’s chimeras surely didn’t start with tripartite jaws…
Animals can get really big in oceans. And if you only see one at a time, and they all look alike, there might be more than one. And apparently, it/they don’t like things floating across its/their ceiling.
Earlier in the arc, someone in Argist mentioned that there was increased chimera activity in the territory of The Northern Wyrm. Red has elaborated in Tumblr that the Northern Wyrm is the name of a god. So some people theorize that the sea serpent is a god’s incarnation that’s been turned into a chimera
Interesting that Alinua thinks it was life herself actively changing her there has been alot of speculation on tumblr whether life would do that without her consent. She has shown that she will intefere if alinua is in danger/if she needs a body like with the chimeras and falst, but people where speculating that it was alinua doing it subconsiously rather than life specifically doing it. Its a hard thing to define, I see potential for alot of angst trying to seperate these forces and identitys in the future!
I would guess the opposite, that Flesh Shaping is an advanced version of Life Magic beyond effecting plants. What’s probably catching them off guard here is the raw POWER she channeled with it. Think about it: seaweed isn’t… strong, generally, so even if you put enough force behind seaweed to break something else it wouldn’t hold together well enough to actually do so. If they were (perhaps being more like strong vines) they wouldn’t have secured a Life mage near them to begin with.
What Alinua is doing here is using the seaweed as a vessel for pure Life power to exert her will.
Well, *Alinua* certainly thinks Life did it on purpose. It remains to be seen if she’s right.
I just realised that I don’t think it’s normal for a mage to be able to do magic unconsciously. Channel magical energy, sure, but not use it to manipulate elemental matter. So even if it was Alinua who did it, it’s not *her* fault that her magic does things it shouldn’t.
I was really confused for some reason by the captain’s headpiece last page; it makes a lot more sense to me now, and I really like it! And their clothes in general, they have a very nice shell theme, and the black ‘wetsuit’ looks really cool. Selach (the mermaid) looks really cool too, and i really like her eyes, and eyebrows.
I really like the texture of the seaweed in this. I went on holiday to Wales recently and saw a lot of seaweed, and the way that it is growing and shaped looks spot on.
I’ve belatedly realised that I can cross another box of of my bingo sheet! Though a bit underwhelming, this page (and last one) have ‘3+ glow effects’ — jellyfish, Alinua’s magic and the captain’s eyes (i haven’t been counting shinyness/vague light sources, although those look sort of similiar). https://myfreebingocards.com/bingo-card-generator/30-free-cards/nc3799u
I’ve just realised that the captain’s eyes look pretty Light dragon-y, but that’s probably just a coincidence… right?
To the people wondering why Alinua couldn’t just slide her restraints off of the top of the… rib thingy, there’s your answer! It had a hole through it that they were tied to.
Also: her dialogue her is quite interesting. It’s really flat, possibly reflecting how she doesnt like what has happened but feels there’s nothing she can do about it.
I’d think of her tone as shock, in the technical definition: her brain is trying to avoid thinking about it or downplaying the emotional effects out of self-preservation.
Oh, I knew what it was! My brain just couldnt figure out how it was attached to her head for some reason. It looked like it was just stuck to the side for me
Regarding your concern about the Sekrai Captain’s eyes being “Light Dragon-y” I think it’s the adapted state of humanoid eyes in an underwater setting. They somewhat resemble how Alinua’s eyes look now, post-Life-alteration. Note how both have the color of their iris carried over to the surrounding sclera.
If I had to guess, I would say the pupils have been expanded to better capture the low amounts of light here, and so the iris and sclera required reconstruction to accommodate it.
It wasn’t really a massive concern, I think its probably just a coincidence, but the light blue glowing pupil and slightly grey at the top (a feature that Theia’s eyes had when talking to the Dragon, they weren’t fully black) does look awfully similiar!
. “Bioluminescence proves nothing,” the Captain says, turning away.
. “I’m telling you, when she hit the water she was an elf!” the mermaid cries.
. “I’m underwater,” Alinua says in shock.
. “If she was on that ship, she’s responsible for angering the Wyrm.”
. “But if she really is a flesh-shaper–”
. “All the more reason not to trust her!” the Captain snaps.
. “She made me into something that can breathe underwater,” Alinua says softly. “She didn’t even ask.”
. “The Wyrm RAN from her, Captain,” the mermaid cries, quickly spinning in front of them and blocking their path. “Whatever she is, it’s scared of her!” The captain looks at her, frustrated, as she continues, “If you won’t accept an ally, could you at LEAST consider a weapon?!”
. The Captain starts as there’s a snap behind them. They whirl around.
. “Hi,” Alinua says, her bonds broken. Glowing seaweed, controlled by her Life magic, floats around her. “I’m leaving.”
The Captain’s face in the fourth panel is interesting, it’s like frustrated but also… a bit of pity or something? Or it’s just a Thinking Face. Idk.
Alinua mermaids can swim fast I don’t think you’re leaving
Yeah, binding a life mage with organic material is just not a good idea.
Even if you assume she’s ‘just’ a flesh shaper, well, kelp isn’t actually a plant, and even plant material could be considered a type of flesh anyway. You’re really just asking for trouble there.
I wouldn’t be so sure. Judged by the Captain’s weapons and armour, and Selach’s armbands (which have mysteriously vanished?) they clearly have some means of complex craftmanship.
Red has said that they don’t have access to that sort of stuff, but I may not have explained it well. The sort of materials that they DO have easy access to (e.g. bone, stone etc) may not be suitable for flexible restraints. It would be hard to make chain links out of bone or rock, so organic matter might be the best choice, especially at short notice. Doesn’t mean they didn’t make a mistake, though.
Here’s a post by Red that explains the changes the Sekrai had to make when they became aquatic.
It’s probably something they could trade for with surfacers or scavenge from wrecked ships, in the same way historical nomad communities still bought or looted metalworked crafts and tools that they couldn’t forge themselves.
But uh, handcuffs are probably not a trading/looting priority
They’d still be able to get metal worked items from the surfacers. Real historical Nomad communities didn’t have a lifestyle compatible with doing advanced metalworking domestically, but they were still able to trade or loot metalworked crafts from communities that did
The nature of the ocean means looting would be less viable, but a culture which keeps rebreathers on hand for drowning sailors definitely has some trade with the surface world. Of course, in terms of things to trade for “saltwater resistant handcuffs” is probably not a priority.
Do you know, I had planned to mention trading, but forgot to by the end of my comment? Oops. 😅 As for ‘looting would be less viable’, merfolk have a long record of piracy! So… you’re even more right than you thought?
Doesn’t apply to the ears and eyes though.
But I’m not sure Life can communicate directly at all times, nor that this wasn’t, effectively, a reflex by Alinua herself in some ways.
i mean… being left alone in an unfamiliar enviroment without any way to see or hear is pratically a death sentence just a slower one sure her life wasnt being threatened at that moment but would she even be able to react to the sekrai and mermaid while being barely able to see or hear them?
I’m very excited to see what happens next, we don’t get that many solo arcs in aurora (outside of dream sequences) and I think this is the first time we’ve seen Alinua apart from the main party. I’m really happy about this and I want to see what she does on her own in this situation. 😀
Its especially interesting since, so far, she’s been largely *defined* by her relations and connections to the others. She’s the healer; she’s here because of Kendal etc. It’ll be cool to see her on her own!
I wouldn’t say they’re in charge of it yet. The way the Captain refers to the Wyrm as if its a natural hazard suggests that they don’t like it anymore than Alinua, but they’ve learned to avoid it instead of provoking it. If it attacks ships, that’s not her problem.
Since they use a capital letter, they are likely referring to the Northern Wyrm, referenced by the lighthouse keeper in Argist, I think. The Northern Wyrm is a nature god of a major ocean current, and they wouldnt be in charge of it if that is its true identity.
Shouldn’t this sort of change be forbidden by the soul barrier? Or can Life change the soul barrier? Because, if she can, then the Collector is dead wrong about what keeps Life fused. And if these were made by bypassing the soul barrier? Erin will have a fun time with this when he finds out. Erin:“If we cut it off and used life magic on it, would it heal into a regular elf ear or into a merfolk one?” Alinua: “You’re not cutting off my ear to find out!”. It would be extremely fucked up if the way she gets her normal features back is by cutting off the affected body parts and healing herself to grow back normal ones.
Life Magic is the only type of magic that can bypass the soul barrier, allowing it to heal and/or mutate living beings. It’s not clear why, but the working theory is that the soul recognises Life as essential for growth.
As for how Alinua will get her original body back; I really don’t think that’s going to be an issue. If Life can give her gills and mer-ears, it shouldn’t be any harder to give her lungs and elf-ears when she goes back to land. The real problem is that mutations like these have a biological clock; her body WILL reject them eventually, Life Primordial or no, and she had better not be underwater when that happens.
As amusing as that would be, at least part of your question about the soul barrier can be addressed.
All living beings have bonded life within their bodies. It is what allows them to grow, develop, regenerate, etc. When Life mages heal, they extend their influence to the already-present Life in the body and feed it Life energy, to stimulate and accelerate healing. In small, regulated amounts, this is absolutely possible, and happens on a regular basis. Such invasions of elemental energy is the cause of elemental corruption. The soul barrier will reject any change from its default state, which has the benefit of neatly accepting most healing, but the downside(?) of rejecting any alterations beyond that.
Not sure, but my main theory is that Alinua’s unique connection to Life gives her Special Treatment. The Collector was able to heal from damage that should have destroyed her soul, not to mention her body, so it probably falls under the same exception to the rule. Even Dainix is able to do stuff that should NOT be possible without damaging the soul. Erin comments on this when Dainix tells his backstory.
Well I was wrong about her having a panic-attack anytime soon, her reaction is verging into ruthless efficiency in a really epic way.
She’s probably going to deal with her feelings on this eventually, but I forgot just how hard she is to back into a corner.
I do agree that in this situation life had every right to save her from a) drowning and b) a giant sea monster, but having the knowledge that a grater force outside your control can on demand change anything and everything about your physical form must be terrifying, and I think that’s what Alinua was referring to, and not that she wanted Life to wait for her to wake up before transforming her.
Oh my goodness I love Alinua on this page. Iconic line and power flex, 10/10 no notes
Understandable response to being tied up. (Evidently my instinct to bristle at that treatment was correct. It might have been “wariness,” but it certainly wasn’t friendly or prioritizing Alinua’s autonomy or comfort as a person.) I don’t imagine she appreciated being talked about, while fully conscious and present, no less, as a potential weapon either.
Ok, so Alinua seems to believe Life actively did this to her, not that she accidentally modified herself. I wonder if Alinua is right. Probably yes? She has a good intuitive sense of her own magic.
She probably knows she was recently unconscious, because she just woke up from unconsciousness. And she also knows (at least from the incident in the forest with the doctor guy, and potentially also her dream) that Life only does stuff with/through her when she’s unconscious. So it’s a reasonable assumption, at least.
So yeah, Alinua’s definitely not entirely happy about having undergone bodily transformations while unconscious. And now she’s just like ‘I’m getting out of here’.
Captain: She could be a threat!
Merfolk: She could be an ally, or weapon!
Alinua: (breaking out) She could be anywhere but here.
“Bioluminescence proves nothing.” Snail-head, you live in a world where ‘power glows’ is practically gospel. Unless you have creatures down here who use glowing mimicry to appear like they’re using magic for defence, a possibility I don’t discount, keep an open mind. … Well, she will now after that final panel.
“She didn’t even ask.” Interesting phrasing here. While Alinua might be having more angst about her agency, she sounds, to me at least, more annoyed than anything. Like, she can accept Life saving her by giving her gills, but wanted more of a say in it, or at least a heads up. Or maybe I’m wrong and she is taking this body modification badly; it’s hard to read her zoomed-out face.
First Kendal in the prison cell, then Tess with Shrike’s chain, now Alinua here; the squad members sure like casually breaking out of restrains, don’t they? I bet Dainix could burn through most bindings, and Falst though strength or cunning remove them, but Erin? After talking about how he can be rendered powerless from having his arms restrained, he might be the only squad member who can’t.
Prediction for next week: Alinua does not in fact leave.
Either the captain stops her, the merfolk convinces her to stay and hear them out, and/or this dome(?) they’re in is more secure than it looks. Not sure if we’ll get the Wyrm exposition next week; maybe a few escape attempt scenes followed by Alinua explaining who she is to them and vice versa.
I suppose those jellyfish are insanely powerful, then — their entire bodies are glowing!
All jokes aside, many deep sea Sekrai and possibly some merfolk do possess bioluminescence seperate from magical ability. Just from what the captain has seen, Alinua could ~maybe~ be a weird Sekrai. Alinua’s glow, though, doesnt really resemble bioluminescence. Sorry captain, but those are definitely Life Swirlies. It seems to me that the captain *really* doesn’t Alinua to be a ‘flesh-shaper’, for some reason, and that they’re trying to deny it.
I think that it’s more that *Red* sure likes the Floof Squad casually breaking out of restraints xD
The alt text is painfully correct. The rest of team friendship is scary but Alinua on a mission is terrifying. I doubt there’s anything short of a god that’s in her weight class when she’s pissed and/or scared – like she will be now with her friends missing and being alone for the first time since the story began. Absolutely the last person you want to crack.
i like how we as a community just collectively forget that aurora is an “oops all powerhouses” scenario because when we saw alinua tied everyone was like “oh no alinua is tied maybe they will release her after some chat or maybe she will just swim up” and then alinua does that
Alinua heard ‘consider her a weapon’ and IMMEDIATELY compartmentalised everything else about the situation so she could get out. Definitely still has a fine and healthy attitude towards the idea of her magic hurting everything around her.
Water of the deep now clear
Elf bound with Merfolk and Captain near
Asked not about gills, eyes, and ears
Possible ally? Captain won’t affirm
Or at least a weapon versus Wyrm
Not broken by life. Will she bear their fears?
As I’ve said before, there’s a chance it was their only practical option, but I’m sure they’re feeling very embarrassed about it. So let’s tone down the hysterical laughter *just a little bit*. Or not. xD
If she were to generate a bunch of seaweed under her upwards (like the stone pillar toph used in the serpent path in avatar) then there would be no practical way to stop her unless they used a ton of water magic to slice it up or make a barrier.
I’m pretty sure if she can do that, she’s either far stronger than they expected right now, or those were more “make sure she doesn’t drift off in the current” restraints than “imprison her” restraints.
Well, as of the last information from Red on merfolk, they’re often quite colourful. So maybe it follows that a grey one would be named after an often grey fish?
I just realised the captain says “if she was on that ship, /she/ was responsible for angering the Wyrm”. Not “her friends” or “those people”. Alinua in particular, it seems. Maybe if the Northern Wyrm got twisted by the Collector, it’s retained enough of a mind to get really, really pissed at life mages, and decided to attack the boat specifically because of Alinua? :huntershruggy:
*looks at the camera* i’m underwater
Hello. I am under the water. Please help me. *blubububububub*
Selach (the merfolk) referred to the snea snek as “the Wyrm”. Capital W… I wasn’t expecting my Northern Wyrm theory to be correct. This is a surprise. 0_0
* slow clap *
The tripartite jaws are still confusing, but I guess it’s coincidental. I wonder what the Floof Squad could have done to anger the god of an oceanic current.
Maybe it’s not a coincidence. Can a god become a chimera?
Gleicann said that Life magic can mutate a god’s vessel out of their control.
Presumably this is only possible if they have a large amount of Life matter (Gleicann’s vessel was made from plants whereas, say, Lady Ilia’s mostly Water vessel probably wouldn’t have that problem), so the Wyrm’s vessel would need to be organic for that to happen.
If it is, well, the Collector’s chimeras surely didn’t start with tripartite jaws…
The multiple tongues support this. We’ve only seen them once before, and that was on the chimeric bear.
Animals can get really big in oceans. And if you only see one at a time, and they all look alike, there might be more than one. And apparently, it/they don’t like things floating across its/their ceiling.
Plus Vash is on record as saying “I have no idea how this body works” after Ali “mutated” Kendal, so yeah, Vessels can be mutated.
Sorry i’m not up-to-date. Northern Wyrm Theory???
The Northern Wyrm in question is a nature god that manifests as a sea serpent! It is mentioned on page 2.1.10 (https://comicaurora.com/aurora/2-1-10/), and Red answered an ask about it to clarify it’s identity (https://comicaurora.tumblr.com/post/769605520619421696/is-the-northern-wyrm-argist-mentions-aquatic-if).
Some people, when they saw the sea serpent for the first time, theorised that it could be the Northern Wyrm, or a rogue chimera made from it’s vessel (https://comicaurora.tumblr.com/post/788778250880139264/can-a-divine-vessel-be-chimerically-mutated). The theory still isn’t confirmed, but the use of ‘wyrm’ together with it’s capitalisation suggests that it may be correct to some extent!
Sorry i’m not up-to-date. Northern Wyrm Theory???
Earlier in the arc, someone in Argist mentioned that there was increased chimera activity in the territory of The Northern Wyrm. Red has elaborated in Tumblr that the Northern Wyrm is the name of a god. So some people theorize that the sea serpent is a god’s incarnation that’s been turned into a chimera
Hey, how do we know the merfolk’s name?
Someone asked Red for an unblurred version of last pages text, and it included the captain addressing her as Selach!
Thanks!
In case anyone is wondering where to find the post with said unblurred text, it’s here: https://comicaurora.tumblr.com/post/788644201528213504/the-auroracord-is-trying-very-hard-and-mostly
(It was also linked twice in the comments of the previous page, but I figure I won’t be the only one who ends up not thinking of checking there.)
Probably not first
Interesting that Alinua thinks it was life herself actively changing her there has been alot of speculation on tumblr whether life would do that without her consent. She has shown that she will intefere if alinua is in danger/if she needs a body like with the chimeras and falst, but people where speculating that it was alinua doing it subconsiously rather than life specifically doing it. Its a hard thing to define, I see potential for alot of angst trying to seperate these forces and identitys in the future!
Honestly, if you put the obvious life mage next to seaweed you are kinda asking for them to escape effortlessly
They called her a flesh shaper. Maybe they just don’t know enough about life magic to realize it extends to plants?
I would guess the opposite, that Flesh Shaping is an advanced version of Life Magic beyond effecting plants. What’s probably catching them off guard here is the raw POWER she channeled with it. Think about it: seaweed isn’t… strong, generally, so even if you put enough force behind seaweed to break something else it wouldn’t hold together well enough to actually do so. If they were (perhaps being more like strong vines) they wouldn’t have secured a Life mage near them to begin with.
What Alinua is doing here is using the seaweed as a vessel for pure Life power to exert her will.
Which is… you know, kinda her whole thing.
Well, *Alinua* certainly thinks Life did it on purpose. It remains to be seen if she’s right.
I just realised that I don’t think it’s normal for a mage to be able to do magic unconsciously. Channel magical energy, sure, but not use it to manipulate elemental matter. So even if it was Alinua who did it, it’s not *her* fault that her magic does things it shouldn’t.
I was really confused for some reason by the captain’s headpiece last page; it makes a lot more sense to me now, and I really like it! And their clothes in general, they have a very nice shell theme, and the black ‘wetsuit’ looks really cool. Selach (the mermaid) looks really cool too, and i really like her eyes, and eyebrows.
I really like the texture of the seaweed in this. I went on holiday to Wales recently and saw a lot of seaweed, and the way that it is growing and shaped looks spot on.
I’ve belatedly realised that I can cross another box of of my bingo sheet! Though a bit underwhelming, this page (and last one) have ‘3+ glow effects’ — jellyfish, Alinua’s magic and the captain’s eyes (i haven’t been counting shinyness/vague light sources, although those look sort of similiar).
https://myfreebingocards.com/bingo-card-generator/30-free-cards/nc3799u
I’ve just realised that the captain’s eyes look pretty Light dragon-y, but that’s probably just a coincidence… right?
To the people wondering why Alinua couldn’t just slide her restraints off of the top of the… rib thingy, there’s your answer! It had a hole through it that they were tied to.
Also: her dialogue her is quite interesting. It’s really flat, possibly reflecting how she doesnt like what has happened but feels there’s nothing she can do about it.
I’d think of her tone as shock, in the technical definition: her brain is trying to avoid thinking about it or downplaying the emotional effects out of self-preservation.
Yeah, I thought that too, but couldnt figure out how to phrase it right. Thanks!
Compartmentalisation! Red just used that to describe Alinua’s reaction, and that definitely fits!
“Bioluminescence proves nothing.” -the Captain, dismissing Alinua’s glowing bits
Also, I figured the helmet was a snail/mollusk shell, which is thematically on-point for an underwater civilization.
Oh, I knew what it was! My brain just couldnt figure out how it was attached to her head for some reason. It looked like it was just stuck to the side for me
*their head. Not sure what the captain’s pronouns are yet.
Regarding your concern about the Sekrai Captain’s eyes being “Light Dragon-y” I think it’s the adapted state of humanoid eyes in an underwater setting. They somewhat resemble how Alinua’s eyes look now, post-Life-alteration. Note how both have the color of their iris carried over to the surrounding sclera.
If I had to guess, I would say the pupils have been expanded to better capture the low amounts of light here, and so the iris and sclera required reconstruction to accommodate it.
It wasn’t really a massive concern, I think its probably just a coincidence, but the light blue glowing pupil and slightly grey at the top (a feature that Theia’s eyes had when talking to the Dragon, they weren’t fully black) does look awfully similiar!
Its even got the same vertical glow line!
How do we know the Mermaid’s name?
From the squiggled out text (Red put the un-squiggled text on Tumblr)
Thanks!
Poor Aliuna, Life does have a tendency to violate her autonomy. ‘She didn’t even ask’ indeed.
Alt text: understandable have a nice day
Filename: weapon
Good work.
. “Bioluminescence proves nothing,” the Captain says, turning away.
. “I’m telling you, when she hit the water she was an elf!” the mermaid cries.
. “I’m underwater,” Alinua says in shock.
. “If she was on that ship, she’s responsible for angering the Wyrm.”
. “But if she really is a flesh-shaper–”
. “All the more reason not to trust her!” the Captain snaps.
. “She made me into something that can breathe underwater,” Alinua says softly. “She didn’t even ask.”
. “The Wyrm RAN from her, Captain,” the mermaid cries, quickly spinning in front of them and blocking their path. “Whatever she is, it’s scared of her!” The captain looks at her, frustrated, as she continues, “If you won’t accept an ally, could you at LEAST consider a weapon?!”
. The Captain starts as there’s a snap behind them. They whirl around.
. “Hi,” Alinua says, her bonds broken. Glowing seaweed, controlled by her Life magic, floats around her. “I’m leaving.”
The Captain’s face in the fourth panel is interesting, it’s like frustrated but also… a bit of pity or something? Or it’s just a Thinking Face. Idk.
Alinua mermaids can swim fast I don’t think you’re leaving
Tumblr Text: find out monday if this day can get any worse!
Bluesky Text: tensions are running high!
As a phone reader, thank you!!
Yeah, binding a life mage with organic material is just not a good idea.
Even if you assume she’s ‘just’ a flesh shaper, well, kelp isn’t actually a plant, and even plant material could be considered a type of flesh anyway. You’re really just asking for trouble there.
Might be the best they can do for flexible restraints. It’s not like they can forge chains underwater.
I wouldn’t be so sure. Judged by the Captain’s weapons and armour, and Selach’s armbands (which have mysteriously vanished?) they clearly have some means of complex craftmanship.
Red has said that they don’t have access to that sort of stuff, but I may not have explained it well. The sort of materials that they DO have easy access to (e.g. bone, stone etc) may not be suitable for flexible restraints. It would be hard to make chain links out of bone or rock, so organic matter might be the best choice, especially at short notice. Doesn’t mean they didn’t make a mistake, though.
Here’s a post by Red that explains the changes the Sekrai had to make when they became aquatic.
Oops, forgot to write the link. Oh dear.
https://comicaurora.tumblr.com/post/690438352685678592/how-do-the-merfolk-and-sekrai-get-along-was-there#notes
It’s probably something they could trade for with surfacers or scavenge from wrecked ships, in the same way historical nomad communities still bought or looted metalworked crafts and tools that they couldn’t forge themselves.
But uh, handcuffs are probably not a trading/looting priority
They’d still be able to get metal worked items from the surfacers. Real historical Nomad communities didn’t have a lifestyle compatible with doing advanced metalworking domestically, but they were still able to trade or loot metalworked crafts from communities that did
The nature of the ocean means looting would be less viable, but a culture which keeps rebreathers on hand for drowning sailors definitely has some trade with the surface world. Of course, in terms of things to trade for “saltwater resistant handcuffs” is probably not a priority.
Do you know, I had planned to mention trading, but forgot to by the end of my comment? Oops. 😅 As for ‘looting would be less viable’, merfolk have a long record of piracy! So… you’re even more right than you thought?
Alinua takes it all in shockingly fast
While the merfolk discuss what to do, she magicks past
Not even the weirdest thing to happen to her by an order of magnitude.
In Life’s defense, you were not conscious and about to die. I think this falls under good Samaritan laws
Doesn’t apply to the ears and eyes though.
But I’m not sure Life can communicate directly at all times, nor that this wasn’t, effectively, a reflex by Alinua herself in some ways.
i mean… being left alone in an unfamiliar enviroment without any way to see or hear is pratically a death sentence just a slower one sure her life wasnt being threatened at that moment but would she even be able to react to the sekrai and mermaid while being barely able to see or hear them?
Hmmm. I’ll give Life a pass on not asking as long as she is polite enough to turn Alinua back when she returns to the surface.
I’m very excited to see what happens next, we don’t get that many solo arcs in aurora (outside of dream sequences) and I think this is the first time we’ve seen Alinua apart from the main party. I’m really happy about this and I want to see what she does on her own in this situation. 😀
Its especially interesting since, so far, she’s been largely *defined* by her relations and connections to the others. She’s the healer; she’s here because of Kendal etc. It’ll be cool to see her on her own!
Huh I guess the merfolk/Captain conglomerate are in charge of the wyrm.. then why did it attack the boat? Perhaps the Collector influenced it.
I wouldn’t say they’re in charge of it yet. The way the Captain refers to the Wyrm as if its a natural hazard suggests that they don’t like it anymore than Alinua, but they’ve learned to avoid it instead of provoking it. If it attacks ships, that’s not her problem.
Since they use a capital letter, they are likely referring to the Northern Wyrm, referenced by the lighthouse keeper in Argist, I think. The Northern Wyrm is a nature god of a major ocean current, and they wouldnt be in charge of it if that is its true identity.
I stand corrected, it was Argist himself!
Shouldn’t this sort of change be forbidden by the soul barrier? Or can Life change the soul barrier? Because, if she can, then the Collector is dead wrong about what keeps Life fused. And if these were made by bypassing the soul barrier? Erin will have a fun time with this when he finds out. Erin:“If we cut it off and used life magic on it, would it heal into a regular elf ear or into a merfolk one?” Alinua: “You’re not cutting off my ear to find out!”. It would be extremely fucked up if the way she gets her normal features back is by cutting off the affected body parts and healing herself to grow back normal ones.
Life Magic is the only type of magic that can bypass the soul barrier, allowing it to heal and/or mutate living beings. It’s not clear why, but the working theory is that the soul recognises Life as essential for growth.
As for how Alinua will get her original body back; I really don’t think that’s going to be an issue. If Life can give her gills and mer-ears, it shouldn’t be any harder to give her lungs and elf-ears when she goes back to land. The real problem is that mutations like these have a biological clock; her body WILL reject them eventually, Life Primordial or no, and she had better not be underwater when that happens.
As amusing as that would be, at least part of your question about the soul barrier can be addressed.
All living beings have bonded life within their bodies. It is what allows them to grow, develop, regenerate, etc. When Life mages heal, they extend their influence to the already-present Life in the body and feed it Life energy, to stimulate and accelerate healing. In small, regulated amounts, this is absolutely possible, and happens on a regular basis. Such invasions of elemental energy is the cause of elemental corruption. The soul barrier will reject any change from its default state, which has the benefit of neatly accepting most healing, but the downside(?) of rejecting any alterations beyond that.
Not sure, but my main theory is that Alinua’s unique connection to Life gives her Special Treatment. The Collector was able to heal from damage that should have destroyed her soul, not to mention her body, so it probably falls under the same exception to the rule. Even Dainix is able to do stuff that should NOT be possible without damaging the soul. Erin comments on this when Dainix tells his backstory.
Also that sounds so like something Erin would do xD
Well I was wrong about her having a panic-attack anytime soon, her reaction is verging into ruthless efficiency in a really epic way.
She’s probably going to deal with her feelings on this eventually, but I forgot just how hard she is to back into a corner.
“alright me and life will have a chat about this later…but i have other things to deal with now”
Shrike is going to have a nasty shock xD
I do agree that in this situation life had every right to save her from a) drowning and b) a giant sea monster, but having the knowledge that a grater force outside your control can on demand change anything and everything about your physical form must be terrifying, and I think that’s what Alinua was referring to, and not that she wanted Life to wait for her to wake up before transforming her.
I agree, you put this really well!
“Hi. I’m leaving.”
Oh my goodness I love Alinua on this page. Iconic line and power flex, 10/10 no notes
Understandable response to being tied up. (Evidently my instinct to bristle at that treatment was correct. It might have been “wariness,” but it certainly wasn’t friendly or prioritizing Alinua’s autonomy or comfort as a person.) I don’t imagine she appreciated being talked about, while fully conscious and present, no less, as a potential weapon either.
Ok, so Alinua seems to believe Life actively did this to her, not that she accidentally modified herself. I wonder if Alinua is right. Probably yes? She has a good intuitive sense of her own magic.
She probably knows she was recently unconscious, because she just woke up from unconsciousness. And she also knows (at least from the incident in the forest with the doctor guy, and potentially also her dream) that Life only does stuff with/through her when she’s unconscious. So it’s a reasonable assumption, at least.
“Hi Leaving, I’m the Captain.”
Captain, I think you both have gravely underestimated your ‘guest’/prisoner…
So yeah, Alinua’s definitely not entirely happy about having undergone bodily transformations while unconscious. And now she’s just like ‘I’m getting out of here’.
The gills add some appealing variety to Alinua’s design
Captain: She could be a threat!
Merfolk: She could be an ally, or weapon!
Alinua: (breaking out) She could be anywhere but here.
“Bioluminescence proves nothing.” Snail-head, you live in a world where ‘power glows’ is practically gospel. Unless you have creatures down here who use glowing mimicry to appear like they’re using magic for defence, a possibility I don’t discount, keep an open mind. … Well, she will now after that final panel.
“She didn’t even ask.” Interesting phrasing here. While Alinua might be having more angst about her agency, she sounds, to me at least, more annoyed than anything. Like, she can accept Life saving her by giving her gills, but wanted more of a say in it, or at least a heads up. Or maybe I’m wrong and she is taking this body modification badly; it’s hard to read her zoomed-out face.
First Kendal in the prison cell, then Tess with Shrike’s chain, now Alinua here; the squad members sure like casually breaking out of restrains, don’t they? I bet Dainix could burn through most bindings, and Falst though strength or cunning remove them, but Erin? After talking about how he can be rendered powerless from having his arms restrained, he might be the only squad member who can’t.
Prediction for next week: Alinua does not in fact leave.
Either the captain stops her, the merfolk convinces her to stay and hear them out, and/or this dome(?) they’re in is more secure than it looks. Not sure if we’ll get the Wyrm exposition next week; maybe a few escape attempt scenes followed by Alinua explaining who she is to them and vice versa.
I suppose those jellyfish are insanely powerful, then — their entire bodies are glowing!
All jokes aside, many deep sea Sekrai and possibly some merfolk do possess bioluminescence seperate from magical ability. Just from what the captain has seen, Alinua could ~maybe~ be a weird Sekrai. Alinua’s glow, though, doesnt really resemble bioluminescence. Sorry captain, but those are definitely Life Swirlies. It seems to me that the captain *really* doesn’t Alinua to be a ‘flesh-shaper’, for some reason, and that they’re trying to deny it.
I think that it’s more that *Red* sure likes the Floof Squad casually breaking out of restraints xD
Don’t forget Falst and the light crown!
The alt text is painfully correct. The rest of team friendship is scary but Alinua on a mission is terrifying. I doubt there’s anything short of a god that’s in her weight class when she’s pissed and/or scared – like she will be now with her friends missing and being alone for the first time since the story began. Absolutely the last person you want to crack.
Like that time she cracked a mountain open?
Upset and confused
Hair more floofy than ever
It balances out
Ali now proceeds to have tea for the next day before leaving the water
“She didn’t even ask.”
“I’m sorry, you were a bit too unconscious and drowning at the time.”
EXACTLY
totally understand the anger at the violation of bodily autonomy but also at least you’re not dead
Yeah, just because it wasn’t a good thing doesn’t mean it wasn’t the best thing.
Yyyyeah methinks this qualifies for Life or Limb considerations
thanks red for all the work you do to make these. also PICK UP THE PACE PLEASE
But… what happened to the boat?
For mobile readers:
Alt text: understandable have a nice day
Image source: weapon
Thank you!
Girlboss Alinua yes sir! Also, THE HAIR IS STILL SO FLUFFY! Its gonna be so tangled when she comes out tho. No wonder the mermaid keeps it in a braid.
i like how we as a community just collectively forget that aurora is an “oops all powerhouses” scenario because when we saw alinua tied everyone was like “oh no alinua is tied maybe they will release her after some chat or maybe she will just swim up” and then alinua does that
Alinua heard ‘consider her a weapon’ and IMMEDIATELY compartmentalised everything else about the situation so she could get out. Definitely still has a fine and healthy attitude towards the idea of her magic hurting everything around her.
Water of the deep now clear
Elf bound with Merfolk and Captain near
Asked not about gills, eyes, and ears
Possible ally? Captain won’t affirm
Or at least a weapon versus Wyrm
Not broken by life. Will she bear their fears?
They bound her with LIFE MATTER
Guys that’s just too much
As I’ve said before, there’s a chance it was their only practical option, but I’m sure they’re feeling very embarrassed about it. So let’s tone down the hysterical laughter *just a little bit*. Or not. xD
If she were to generate a bunch of seaweed under her upwards (like the stone pillar toph used in the serpent path in avatar) then there would be no practical way to stop her unless they used a ton of water magic to slice it up or make a barrier.
Honestly I wouldn’t even be mad if the chapter ennded here.
Ah yes the age old paternalism vs. autonomy question
I’m pretty sure if she can do that, she’s either far stronger than they expected right now, or those were more “make sure she doesn’t drift off in the current” restraints than “imprison her” restraints.
Fun fact: sharks are classified as fish of the division Selachii. That merfolk is named Shark
Well, as of the last information from Red on merfolk, they’re often quite colourful. So maybe it follows that a grey one would be named after an often grey fish?
No, Life didn’t ask. She didn’t have time to really.
sis got places to be
“Hi.
Bye.”
I love how they’re just NOT paying attention to alinua at all
no alinua come back you haven’t experienced enough horrors yet
Tbf… Life mages make Life into all sorts of stuff without asking…
lmao this is true actually. At least with Alinua Life gave her the ability to do that on purpose.
Yeah, same girl. I’d do that too.
So what are we up to on the count of Dramatic Friday Cliffhangers? Cause this makes n + 1.
I think most Fridays somehow manage that!
Whatever drama you fishfolk have she will have none of that
“Sorry. Our party is already full of drama. I just don’t have room to add yours.
Like seriously, Tess is the only normal one. And she co-carries the drama for Erin.
And don’t get me started about myself!”
Imagine she really does just leave and that’s that lol
I just realised the captain says “if she was on that ship, /she/ was responsible for angering the Wyrm”. Not “her friends” or “those people”. Alinua in particular, it seems. Maybe if the Northern Wyrm got twisted by the Collector, it’s retained enough of a mind to get really, really pissed at life mages, and decided to attack the boat specifically because of Alinua? :huntershruggy:
As soon as she heard the word “weapon” she bailed. After so long convincing Kendal he isn’t one she ain’t putting up with that.
TL;DR: Hi. Bye. You guys are weird.
POV Alinua: hi but bye
Welp, guess she could also just do that.
To be fair to Life in this situation, Alinua, I think this qualifies for Life or Limb considerations