And once again, the dragon wants to play with its food. Kendal’s mobility is extremely hampered underwater, but starfire might give him the power edge.
This begs the question, though. Where is the other glacial drake? Knowing our luck, it’s gonna find Dainix and Erin at some point. It’ll be in for a very nasty surprise when Dainix goes Crucible Mode on it.
I really wonder what summoning starfire underwater would do. Even if it wasn’t extinguished, wouldn’t it surround Kendal in boiling water? That might actually be effective against a glacial drake, but it can’t be fun for him. Unlike Dainix, when Kendal goes Super Saiyan, he still has flesh and nerves.
Ladies and gentlemen, have we found an environment that counters most of Kendal’s abilities?
Ooh, you may be onto something. Kendal’s bones are starmetal, which makes him more dense than a human. Sun Wukong is made of stone. They both seem to rapidly sink in water…
Kendal: You want to play? Fine. Let’s play.
(he brings forth the power of starfire, concentrates it into the jewel of his blade, and creates a blue laser that shines a dot on the ground) Vros/Calian: Ah! (tries to catch it as Kendal wiggles it about) Ugh! You fiend!
Never mind what I thought last page; this dragon does know that’s Kendal and is just engaging in pre-fight banter. I agree 100% about the dragon-cat analogy; every other species can follow the “all animals are dogs trope” but not dragons. The interested/mischievous look on Vros/Calian really sells it.
This may look bad, but don’t despair yet. The glacial drake is being far too cocky, unlike them Kendal does not play when fighting, and I’d wager starfire is hot enough to be effective underwater. Also, in not reporting to Stefan, the Paladins may send reinforcements, maybe even the other water dragon, this way, thus lowering the pressure on the other gang members.
Prediction for next week: This seems like a good place for a scene change. Maybe we’ll catch up on Falst or have Erin and Dainix face the other glacial drake.
If I were to make a bold prediction about this fight, I’d say the Northern Wyrm did hear Kendal’s message, N.W. will tell Alinua about it, who will arrive at this battle seeing a dragon trying to kill Kendal … again. The drake will proceed to have a very bad time as they become enveloped by magically amplified kelp.
oh. right. im early.
I lovvvveeee this sea dragon design with the big flippers. Confused by the lack of gills though. Do they absorb all the water and air energy through their scales.
perhaps this is my cue to go to sleep.
In Aurora lore water has the property of mimicking other elements so certain magical creatures breathe water via making it mimic the properties of air? But I’m pretty sure the mermaids use that logic, and they have gills. And I’m also pretty sure the rules are that you still need all six elements to make a body; water can only take the place of others for so long since it’s not a perfect imitation.
I thought “so dragons are literally just giant scaled cats” and then saw the alt text, lol. Imagine if all cats were dragon sized…
Fingers crossed that the Northern Wyrm and Alinua were alerted to Kendal’s presence and are on their way. Kendal is tough, but this looks like a hard fight with an environmental disadvantage.
Y E E T T H E B O I
Seriously, did this dragon volleyball-serve Kendal w i t h i t s h e a d ? ! (If you ask me, its flipper in the first panel looks an awful lot like a hand after a toss)
Anyway, good luck, Kendal. I don’t know how your ribs have survived up to this point, but don’t stop whatever you’ve been doing
I wonder if asphyxiation will eventually become a problem for Kendal. Even if he can hold his breath for a looong time, Dainix said in 2-1-23 that he does need to breathe while fighting.
That’s a classic “struggling during a fight” face. There has been nothing to imply Vash ever had to fight underwater. His city was landlocked and the major water sources nearby are the underground reservoir that supplied the city with water, and Lake Illia, whom Vash was friends with. Also Kendal has never said he could breathe water, only that he doesn’t breathe much.
The more I see of these dragons, the more I wonder just wtf was this “lady’s gift” they get left after possession. Intellect? A sudden desire to take orders from humanoids? A heady discovery of religious fervor? Or just “if you follow orders we will get you tasty snacks.” Originally I had just assumed some kind of intellect or perhaps speech, but I have a hard time believing a dragon that got smarter stops being a dragon and starts being a mook. (Even if the mook is a cat the size of a house, they’re still using dragons like taxis). It just feels a little brainwash-ey, to me.
I think Hornbearer Stefan’s dialogue in the last page of Interlude (2.0.10) is very telling of what we know about the presence of the White Dragon in the drakes:
“Have the Caleds restrain it and take it below. When it awakens with the Lady’s parting gift, it may be persuaded to make a valuable ally.”
The “Lady’s parting gift” grants them sapience and, given everything we’ve seen of draconic beings connected to the Paladins, the ability to speak to and understand Humanoids. Given the storm drake needs to be “restrained” and “persuaded”, I believe they keep their own mind; The White Dragon’s spirit can control them, but the gift she leaves does not. Whether it gives them anything more than that, we’ll just have to wait and see ;~}.
Perhaps the intelligence comes with a degree of sociality? Not to the level of humans, of course, but perhaps to the level of… well… cats? That’s my guess, anyway.
I get the impression that the Lady’s “gift” imbues them with enhanced cognitive abilities, more complicated will, and communicative abilities with human language… and that the dragons only become mooks because they get indoctrinated by the paladins, based on what we saw of the Stormdrake’s treatment at the Snowfast. That’s my hypothesis, anyway. It’ll be interesting to see what the comic reveals.
“nothing has done more for fantasy than this new idea that dragons are just basically big scaly cats”
Ah, but have you considered: Cat hardware but dog software? Princess is happy and eager to be with her chosen human, just wanting to be a Good Girl, even though she moves like a panther and is fully willing to reduce someone to char-boiled clawed strips if they harm her partner.
So they DO like to play with their food
Omg first?
Bad dragon! *squirts it with a spray bottle*
Its a water dragon, so it will probably like that.
Flamethrower, then
Taser?
Hit it with a large broom. Bad dragon! (Whap whap!)
Rolled up newspaper… might need the Sunday Edition.
Spray bottle filled with alcohol.
for mobile readers
alt text: nothing has done more for fantasy than this new idea that dragons are just basically big scaly cats
image source: fun
Thank you!
Tumblr text: you get a dragon! and YOU get a dragon!
Bluesky text: blasted water dungeons (sic)
And once again, the dragon wants to play with its food. Kendal’s mobility is extremely hampered underwater, but starfire might give him the power edge.
This begs the question, though. Where is the other glacial drake? Knowing our luck, it’s gonna find Dainix and Erin at some point. It’ll be in for a very nasty surprise when Dainix goes Crucible Mode on it.
I really wonder what summoning starfire underwater would do. Even if it wasn’t extinguished, wouldn’t it surround Kendal in boiling water? That might actually be effective against a glacial drake, but it can’t be fun for him. Unlike Dainix, when Kendal goes Super Saiyan, he still has flesh and nerves.
Ladies and gentlemen, have we found an environment that counters most of Kendal’s abilities?
So he may be like Sun Wukong: bad at fighting underwater. Let’s see how the rest of the fight goes.
Ooh, you may be onto something. Kendal’s bones are starmetal, which makes him more dense than a human. Sun Wukong is made of stone. They both seem to rapidly sink in water…
*FF X underwater boss battle theme starts playing from a nearby rock.
I have had that playing in my head since they entered the water. Bet Kendal would be great at blitzball, since he barely needs to breathe.
Or Sonic low Air music
Time to find out how Kendal fights while underwater.
Well, time for a boss fight
I’d be careful with that if I were you buddy, Alinua is probably within Deus Ex Machina range by now
Kendal: You want to play? Fine. Let’s play.
(he brings forth the power of starfire, concentrates it into the jewel of his blade, and creates a blue laser that shines a dot on the ground)
Vros/Calian: Ah! (tries to catch it as Kendal wiggles it about) Ugh! You fiend!
Never mind what I thought last page; this dragon does know that’s Kendal and is just engaging in pre-fight banter. I agree 100% about the dragon-cat analogy; every other species can follow the “all animals are dogs trope” but not dragons. The interested/mischievous look on Vros/Calian really sells it.
This may look bad, but don’t despair yet. The glacial drake is being far too cocky, unlike them Kendal does not play when fighting, and I’d wager starfire is hot enough to be effective underwater. Also, in not reporting to Stefan, the Paladins may send reinforcements, maybe even the other water dragon, this way, thus lowering the pressure on the other gang members.
Prediction for next week: This seems like a good place for a scene change. Maybe we’ll catch up on Falst or have Erin and Dainix face the other glacial drake.
If I were to make a bold prediction about this fight, I’d say the Northern Wyrm did hear Kendal’s message, N.W. will tell Alinua about it, who will arrive at this battle seeing a dragon trying to kill Kendal … again. The drake will proceed to have a very bad time as they become enveloped by magically amplified kelp.
I’m thinking Kendal is going to try his darndest to de-escalate this fight. That’s just my reading of Kendal in this situation.
oh. right. im early.
I lovvvveeee this sea dragon design with the big flippers. Confused by the lack of gills though. Do they absorb all the water and air energy through their scales.
perhaps this is my cue to go to sleep.
Perhaps they just hold their breath like whales and dolphins?
In Aurora lore water has the property of mimicking other elements so certain magical creatures breathe water via making it mimic the properties of air? But I’m pretty sure the mermaids use that logic, and they have gills. And I’m also pretty sure the rules are that you still need all six elements to make a body; water can only take the place of others for so long since it’s not a perfect imitation.
Somewhere in the depths, Alinua pulls a “ZWING” sfx-style head turn
OMG I CAN SEE IT 😂 with the vfx light line at eye level
Dragon cat has entered the chat
You called.
lol
Very well
*squirts it with a lava squirt bottle*
Ah. Now we see the challenge Stefan faces. HE may be disciplined and practical, but his troops? Not so much.
I thought “so dragons are literally just giant scaled cats” and then saw the alt text, lol. Imagine if all cats were dragon sized…
Fingers crossed that the Northern Wyrm and Alinua were alerted to Kendal’s presence and are on their way. Kendal is tough, but this looks like a hard fight with an environmental disadvantage.
Y E E T T H E B O I
Seriously, did this dragon volleyball-serve Kendal w i t h i t s h e a d ? ! (If you ask me, its flipper in the first panel looks an awful lot like a hand after a toss)
Anyway, good luck, Kendal. I don’t know how your ribs have survived up to this point, but don’t stop whatever you’ve been doing
I think his bones are made of starmetal?
Did the dragon just toss Kendal with its mouth? Not certain how to read that awesome first panel.
Awww, they’re having such a nice playdate!
A Dragon Comedian? (File under everyone is a comedian trope). (Am I getting too old for this?)
I wonder if asphyxiation will eventually become a problem for Kendal. Even if he can hold his breath for a looong time, Dainix said in 2-1-23 that he does need to breathe while fighting.
He did show his teeth last page so he might be able to breathe water, seems like the kind of thing that Vash would make sure his body could do
That’s a classic “struggling during a fight” face. There has been nothing to imply Vash ever had to fight underwater. His city was landlocked and the major water sources nearby are the underground reservoir that supplied the city with water, and Lake Illia, whom Vash was friends with. Also Kendal has never said he could breathe water, only that he doesn’t breathe much.
The more I see of these dragons, the more I wonder just wtf was this “lady’s gift” they get left after possession. Intellect? A sudden desire to take orders from humanoids? A heady discovery of religious fervor? Or just “if you follow orders we will get you tasty snacks.” Originally I had just assumed some kind of intellect or perhaps speech, but I have a hard time believing a dragon that got smarter stops being a dragon and starts being a mook. (Even if the mook is a cat the size of a house, they’re still using dragons like taxis). It just feels a little brainwash-ey, to me.
I think Hornbearer Stefan’s dialogue in the last page of Interlude (2.0.10) is very telling of what we know about the presence of the White Dragon in the drakes:
“Have the Caleds restrain it and take it below. When it awakens with the Lady’s parting gift, it may be persuaded to make a valuable ally.”
The “Lady’s parting gift” grants them sapience and, given everything we’ve seen of draconic beings connected to the Paladins, the ability to speak to and understand Humanoids. Given the storm drake needs to be “restrained” and “persuaded”, I believe they keep their own mind; The White Dragon’s spirit can control them, but the gift she leaves does not. Whether it gives them anything more than that, we’ll just have to wait and see ;~}.
Perhaps the intelligence comes with a degree of sociality? Not to the level of humans, of course, but perhaps to the level of… well… cats? That’s my guess, anyway.
I get the impression that the Lady’s “gift” imbues them with enhanced cognitive abilities, more complicated will, and communicative abilities with human language… and that the dragons only become mooks because they get indoctrinated by the paladins, based on what we saw of the Stormdrake’s treatment at the Snowfast. That’s my hypothesis, anyway. It’ll be interesting to see what the comic reveals.
Yyyeeeeeet!
I understand now why Erin ended up with a dragon inside.
Hubris attracts hubris.
He needs to breathe when he’s fighting he needs to breathe when he’s fighting HE NEEDS TO BREATHE—
Just gotta get the dragon to toss him up to the surface every now and then!
This is 100% what a cat would do if it had that much of a size advantage.
Always give your dragon the proper enrichment
I love this dynamic pose on this dragon. A really fun way to show off their aquatic design!
Someone has seen the 1997 hobbit movie.
“nothing has done more for fantasy than this new idea that dragons are just basically big scaly cats”
Ah, but have you considered: Cat hardware but dog software? Princess is happy and eager to be with her chosen human, just wanting to be a Good Girl, even though she moves like a panther and is fully willing to reduce someone to char-boiled clawed strips if they harm her partner.