Source material: Kill Six Billion Demons: Wielder of Names, chapter 1-2
Blogged: July 5-18, 2019
Good evening! It’s demon time again!
Last time, Allison decided to go back to Throne and fuck the Demiurges’ shit, and that of anyone else who stands in her way, up in order to save her sketchy boyfriend Zaid.
(hello from the other zaid…)
A decent chunk of book 1 was spent on worldbuilding, setting the stage. With book 2, Wielder of Names, I think we’re going to see the deeper plot take more central stage. We know the basics, now let’s kick it up a notch with the prophecy and Allison probably being a not-entirely-human princess and the Demiurges plotting to prevent the prophecy but having the wrong heir and Allison having a clear goal she’s actively working towards rather than letting herself be dragged around in hopes of getting a chance to go home.
Sounds good to me. Not sure what else to speculate on, really, so let’s just go!
…oh yeah, I suppose there’s one thing: Allison will need to figure out where Zaid even is before she can rescue him. Maybe that’s part of why she gets back in touch with Ciocie, aside from Ciocie being the best candidate for trustworthiness around.
(White Chain seems set to get back into the party eventually, but for now Allison has lost her trust in them.)
Okay, now let’s go!
(P.S.: The patron sent me links to transcripts, here and here.)
I commented on this title page last time, but I wanted to include it here for completeness’ sake. Also because it’s awesome.
Fire is a good classical element to cover spirit and soul (when Spirit isn’t a fifth element of its own). The metaphysical stuff that makes sentient beings more than just sacks of meat, bones and water.
But does this also cover non-sentient life? I’m more thinking about plants and fungi than about animals here. Plants are typically more closely tied to the classical element of Earth, after all, with a side of Water. If I were to divide the elements between living things, I’d give plants and such those elements, and animals (humans included) Fire and Air.
I’m not so much asking if this page is lying as about whether it’s counting plants and such among “all life”.
*accidentally reads alt text while going to the next page*
[alt text]
There’s a parable here about light and cave walls I would fondly recount to you if I had drunk more
Ahh, platonic philosophy. Plato had some strange ideas, but they’re fun to explore, especially when mixed with internet culture and metafiction.
Y’know, the patron has been saying I should read some of the alt texts. So far I’ve been saying that I should go back and do that at some point, but perhaps I should use the fact that this little happy accident happened on the first page of a new book as an opportunity, to get into the habit of doing so as I go along.
Right, Aesma…
So the patron told me that it’d be a good idea to go read the Aesma story in my own time, if I had time, mentioning that it’d provide a bit of context that might come in handy soon (though it sounds like it’s not critically important – “If it doesn’t hook you, feel free to bail, but I think you would enjoy it.”).
Now, while I have had a busy schedule recently, the truth is I just plain forgot. Sorry about that. For now, I think I’d rather focus on the main story at the moment, but I’ll see what I can do between sessions.
At least the title of the story gives me the feeling that I might like Aesma as a character.
Stuff to unpack!
- Sounds like the angels did not originate from the Void, but were banished there for being cold flames. Although it’s worth noting their markings do connect them primarily to Un.
- The main population of Throne has a name: Servants. I guess the “one purpose” was to take care of Throne and serve the gods? Until now I’ve been assuming they were all people from various worlds who entered through the Magus Gates. Which I suppose may also be true.
- Humanity has a greater place in the multiverse than I thought, it seems. If Zoss was a human after all, that’d explain a lot. Like why he looks like one, and why the Magus Gate he bestowed upon Allison connected between Throne and Allison’s world.
- There may be humans in worlds outside Allison’s.
- Humans are “the only true mortals”, so what exactly happens when you kill six billion demons? Or even one? This might explain what’s going on with Zoss right now if he isn’t human (anymore?).
- That final flame is definitely going to bite us in the ass later. Maybe they’re the demons? Certainly look the part with those horns. Fitting that they should have been banished to the same place as the angels.
[alt text]
Many readers have been incredibly confused about just who the hell servants are. The answer is right there. Look at them, being all smug.
I take it the author mentioned the servants in some of the comic descriptions or bonus material.
By the way, I did notice that the narrator implied they’re an angel. Is it White Chain? This narrator seems a little less wordy.
Alright, so the narrator wasn’t White Chain, but they’re speaking to White Chain.
I don’t think it’s Delicious, so let’s go and meet the angels!
Seems like confirmation that humanity exists in more than just the one world, unless this blue-devil-looking angel is using “men” in a broader sense.
I like the various cultures we see represented here. My favorite is the one that seems to have employed large birds for human flight.
Apparently White Chain finds it noteworthy that the first human was a woman. Alright.
That’s one way to make an introduction.
Okay, so I managed to keep from bringing up how the simple use of the word Servants got me thinking about Aes Sedai from Wheel of Time, because seriously, my brain works like that all the time, if I bring up every little thing like that we’ll be here all day and it didn’t seem relevant at all.
But then on the very next page you mention the White Flame – the symbol of the Amyrlin Seat, the leader of the Aes Sedai??
I suppose the symbol probably comes from the same origin, yang, even if there’s no relation between K6BD and the Wheel of Time series (although this isn’t the only point of comparison; I am officially squinting).
In Wheel of Time, the White Flame is what you get when the male channelers stop being Aes Sedai and their ancient taijitu-like symbol loses the black yin part (which separately becomes the Dragon’s Fang, a symbol scrawled on people’s doors to accuse them of evil). Meanwhile in K6BD, the angels are clearly associated with Un, a god who represents the yang.
(The Wheel of Time does get the halves of the taijitu backwards on the gender front.)
Anyway, in other news, prime angels aren’t extinct (I suppose with only humans being truly mortal, that makes sense) and the numbers in angel names may be an allusion to the numbering of biblical books with the same titles.
[alt text]
I resisted the urge to draw Michael with a boss cop mustache.
That sounds very difficult. I’m proud of you.
I see… does that mean there’s only one prime angel-compatible body to go around, that the others didn’t want to reincarnate, or that there’s something else stopping them? Like this “terrible curse”? And if it’s that, then why was Michael able to reincarnate?
Good luck telling some of the humans their free will is a curse.
Okay, so the event on the right has been mentioned before: The naming and masking of the devils. Seems they were the ones banished into the void alongside the angels, and… the masking gave them the ability to come back to Throne like the building of the vessels did for the angels?
Zoss may have made a mistake in conquering Throne.
Hi there, Demiurges. You’re looking great today.
I suppose these pages are to some extent a bit of a recap for readers coming back into the story at the beginning of the book.
*reads alt text*
[alt text]
I enjoy that we’re far enough in the comic to do a recap page.
…case in point.
So the angels are not just lawmen because they uphold it, but because it’s literally part of what they are.
Thus, when they break it, for example by lying, they fracture.
The New Compact… reminds me of the Judeo-Christian idea of the Old and New Covenants.
I take it the mark of the sundering of the New Compact is the spears.
Ah yes, spoken like a villain.
Although by the looks of it, angels on the Path of Thorns are working for the bigger villains, given that some of them brought Zaid to the Demiurges, so it seems more like a neutral-ish party choosing that it’s best for them to just go along with the bad guys.
[alt text]
I realized about two days after I wrote this that Michael is quoting Martyr Logarius. It kind of fits though.
Hm. Name doesn’t ring a bell. Let’s do a little lookup.
…a Bloodborne boss. Huh. Wasn’t expecting that one.
Apparently the full quote there is “Acts of goodness are not always wise, and acts of evil are not always foolish, but regardless, we shall always strive to be good.”
That last part does not seem to be the case with these angels.
Okay, looks like Michael isn’t entirely on board with the Thorns.
I still won’t claim to have a solid grasp on what the deal is with White Chain and gender.
Also, “putrid form!” – we’re back to Plato, I see.
Get in the bag, Nebby!
So how does Michael’s true face look?
[alt text]
82 has a hell of a time finding product for their natural hair
Hah!
(Good to know I’m using the same pronouns for White Chain as the author does.)
White Chain seems unsurprised by this news and to immediately get who Michael is talking about. Did they already piece things together?
(Let it go, let it go, can’t hold it back anymore)
So is this Steven Universe Kindergarten-looking place – the Concordance of Angels? – where the angel vessels were originally built?
While we’re reminding me of things, Michael’s hands-off approach here – “fuck it, let’s see if the next one’s worth anything” – reminds me of the Order of the Stick, though explaining why would be spoilers.
Again with using female pronouns for White Chain in a way that seems meant to mock (here looking like a false respecting of pronouns, except the author uses they/them for them), but referring to them by masculine titles – lawman, brother… and they physically seem to present closer to female than male but have been known to point out that they’re not female. Then there’s “I am not your brother”, though I think that’s more meant as “I don’t want to be one of you anymore” than “I am not male”.
Basically, White Chain’s gender is a Thing in some way but fuck if I know what’s going on there.
[alt text]
There’ll be alt text here I swear, I’m dealing with some personal issues.
Take your time, it’s only been four years since this was posted.
I said get in the bag!
Well hello there, White Chain’s true form, you’re looking awesome as hell today.
So is this a reflection of the location we were just at, out in the Void?
You okay there, White Chain?
I like the Sphringx’s design, and the Gemini H’s.
Except… those are hooves. It’s not a lion body, it’s a bull. One that looks somewhat golden in this light.
[alt text]
The bird theme of this comic intensifies
Certainly got wings for days here.
Is that what angels normally look like? Awesome.
Also, sounds like the numbers indicate how many times they’ve incarnated. Michael only reincarnated once, after the first conquest, and thus they’re 2. White Chain had incarnated 82 times… does this mean the next time they take physical form, they’ll be 83 White Chain?
Rereading these panels a few times, I’m getting the sense that White Chain is the Amethyst of angels – they reincarnate much more frequently and more hastily than many of the others, not taking their time like all these other angels are doing.
So White Chain is genderless leaning feminine while most angels are genderless leaning masculine?
Hm. Does this have to do with Allison or even Ciocie? We saw Allison ending up back in Throne, so I doubt this is her arriving, but we don’t know what happened to Ciocie. And it’s angels as far as we can see, but perhaps devils end up here when banished too?
Honestly I just want more Ciocie.
Oh, okay. 🙂
[alt text]
The watcher’s name is 10 Vigilant Gaze Purges the Horizon. Though among the most powerful angels, he is well known to his kin for being mild-mannered and extremely long winded. He has far too much free time.
I like Vigilant Gaze.
Nice to meet you, Mx. 6 Juggernaut Star Rolled Straight Out of A Heavy Metal Album Cover.
This could get awkward, considering White Chain isn’t particularly fond of Thorns but definitely wants a body again.
[alt text]
Woe be he that mistakes the rider for the steed
I’m gonna go ahead and take this to mean that we also shouldn’t mistake the steed for not part of the rider.
Ohh, she didn’t end up in Throne. She’s in the devils’ part of the Void.
Skitter can control that bottom right one.
She can also control Gog-Agog.
Ahaha, beautiful.
I didn’t even realize how much I missed Allison in those pages of White Chain’s perspective.
[alt text]
Thulsa Drulle was considered a bit of an odd case by his students for his archaic spelling and unhealthy number of cats.
Sorry, I don’t get it. Is Thulsa Drulle one of the devils on this page?
I think that’s a good stopping point for the night. See you when you scroll down to continue reading!
[End of session]
[Session 2]
Let’s get back to it!
CIOCIE!
Welcome back, Allison, to CioCio’s Bizarre Adventure.
Someone had to push her and that’s one of the main things Allison’s arc seems to be about overcoming. She’s making some good progress already.
Also you know what they say, if you love someone, push them off the side of an erupting hive of scum and villainy. If they come back, you’re both heroes of prophecy.
Oh, young heroes and their naïve belief that they’ll get to go home anytime soon. *glances at Rand al’Thor and Perrin Aybara*
So it seems that when activated, the Gate takes her where she subconsciously wants to go, to some extent? Except that sounds way too easy to exploit so I’m sure there’s more to it.
Ciocie seems to think the fact that Allison is still set on going home means she’s got a lot to learn. Does she have any clue about the prophecy, or is she that determined to make Allison act like the hero she can be just because she sees that Allison has that potential?
Pfft.
I believe that classifies her as the party bard.
So what does she write fanfiction about? Throne and the worlds, i.e. just plain fiction? The heroes of the prophecy? The gods, like Dante? Are there fictional stories for entertainment in Throne?
Hilarity and speculations about what exactly she writes about aside, the revelation that she’s a fanfiction writer really does add a lot to her character. It explains exactly why she was able to identify Allison as a reluctant heroine so easily, and other bits of genre savviness, and may explain why she’s helping Allison in the first place – she might want to be part of a story. Plus, even if she did Meenah it up a bit compared to White Chain’s Aranea, she does seem to know her stuff when it comes to the history of Throne and the telling of that story. White Chain tells it like a sacred text, Ciocie tells it like a summary of the canon.
Meanwhile, Allison is not taking the revelation that she’s working with a confusing bard very well.
That makes sense.
I will say I didn’t realize Allison was supposed to be see-through when she was like this.
So then if you lose your force of will out here, you fade? Hell of a place (no pun intended), then, for anyone with depression.
I get the feeling the Void was a lot more dangerous for Allison earlier in the story, and may become dangerous again later.
They started out as a “formless chaos” in a place where form is dictated by will (I love places where form is dictated by will by the way). Then the humans came along and gave them the will to be individuals, with the masks and names. Nice.
Whoops, skipped the previous page’s alt text.
[alt text]
Homecoming
…yes. A homecoming from home.
And the last one’s:
[alt text]
War Devils are for this reason among the most numerous and exist in diminished form throughout throne as demi-imps
Since they were named by warrior humans?
A coffee shop, hah. Perfect for a classic K6BD coffee shop AU. Just have all of Allison’s Throne acquaintances visit her at work and you’re set.
Ohh, okay. I was thinking it was because of the business card somehow.
Also, that explains why Allison’s been looking up a lot.
And Ciocie? Maybe get the full story of how she got the key. I promise you it’s more interesting than her stealing it.
Ciocie might argue that king isn’t the right word, but it actually seems right on the money. As far as I can tell, it’s Zoss’ own Magus Gate.
Oh right, we did establish that Mottom staked claim to Earth’s world.
Passing through as in moving?
Apparently Ciocie’s genre savviness isn’t quite good enough to realize that she’s currently being Allison’s mentor, having taken the role from White Chain.
I mean sure, may be worth finding a mentor who can teach Allison more about how to use that fancy sword of hers, but Ciocie is mentoring her in other ways.
With you on the love interest front, Ciocie. A thought did pass through my head when I made the “letting go” joke earlier, but I don’t know if you’d like it at this moment… Hey, Allison, how do you feel about ladies of a cerulean complexion?
…also I think I just realized why she’s named Allison, or if you ask Zoss, Alice. Rather than Zoss calling her Alice, though, it was the “Hey, Allison” I just wrote that flipped that switch in my brain. That’s because of this song, parts of which actually fits the previous chapter rather well.
I’m sure the giant sword is going to be super helpful on this pacifist route.
What’s up, guys? Is that the drink Allison ordered?
“Tha doesn’t know anything.” – and that’s one of many reasons it’s so good that she has you on her side, Ciocie.
And yeeah this seems suspect as hell, especially after Allison has been making no secret of her Magus Gate.
Hmm. I wonder, could these two:
…actually be one entity? They just started reminding me a little of Roswell the earth-golem-plus-bird from The Adventure Zone.
Oh yeah, these three, they were in an earlier panel as examples of other shades. I suppose they’re humans, here to do this “devil binding”, then?
Allison is so done with everything and I love it.
But I’m not sure telling this to people who may work for the Demiurges (Vax is unemployed, by the sound of it, but Ando and the third one might easily have employment already… though you’d think Vax would want to seek employment with her friends’ boss then) is a good idea.
And drinking that bottle is probably about to suck for Allison.
There I go with the alt texts again.
[alt text]
I realized I gave Allison every Japanese high school girl’s haircut when making this page. Seriously.
It especially shows in this panel:
[alt text]
Plans and machinations
Ominous.
Let’s hope Allison is as skilled at accidentally playing everyone for a fool in the Game of Houses as Rand al’Thor.
Good luck, Ciocie. You’re going to need it.
Oh cod, her lying is even worse than her oversharing of the truth.
Thank you for your assistance in getting it into Allison’s skull what she’s up against.
I swear there has to be some JoJo influence in this comic. That third panel’s composition gives me strong JoJo vibes, and then there’s Delicious and everything to do with them…
oh my cod.
Yeah, I don’t blame you, Ciocie.
So how much of this is the alcohol, and how much is Allison having no fucking idea what she’s doing?
I’m going to blame very little on the alcohol until proven otherwise, honestly.
[alt text]
The ley-stone is a pale replica of a true key. Like the key itself it serves as a tuning fork to merge the wielder’s will with that of God, but on a far weaker level.
Alright, so knockoff Magus Gates. Makes sense.
I say go with Teeth.
But Groke Yoda over here seems to be the offer we’re focusing on, and oh cod this is such a bad idea.
Ciocie got more than she bargained for with Allison, and it’s going to be such a disaster.
Unlike Allison, she’s both genre-savvy and setting-savvy enough to know that making a deal like this with a devil rarely ends well.
Hell, she doesn’t even necessarily know if Groke Yoda really meant the Magus Gate (incredibly stupid thing to put on the table as a stake, even ignoring the fact that she has no idea how to get it out of her damn head) or some other “shine” in her head, like perhaps part of her flame. Groke Yoda did ask for “some” of it, suggesting they don’t necessarily know that it’s a solid thing that can’t be passed around in part.
The peanut gallery don’t seem to have caught on than there’s more to all of this than has been said.
[alt text]
Spin Wheel and Laugh at God
And then face him and walk backwards into hell 71.
So does the devil’s kiss disappear when the contract is fulfilled, or is it permanent? Twice and twice shall [s]he be marked…
Allison… Ciocie has been trying to help you. It’s not her fault you’ve been ignoring and undermining nearly every little bit of it.
Also, uh. You know what’s fun about this place? You get to look as old and scraggly as you will yourself to.
Your GROKE YODA evolved into SLENDER MALAXANDRITE!
[alt text]
Vladok, Grandfather of Dhuutholmel
*support group unison voice* Hii, Vladok!
I thought that was the second last page of the chapter, but checking the patron’s message, it was actually the last.
No matter. I was planning on doing two chapters this post anyway. But that does make this a good stopping point for the night.
[Session 3]
Alright, let’s do another chapter!
I feel like I haven’t acknowledged enough that the visuals of K6BD are really awesome.
…also, it seems the bike wasn’t actually part of the angel. Probably. Who knows, multipart bodies are still a possibility. Especially out here.
Yeeah I still don’t buy that Zaid is actually who the prophecy refers to.
So here we have a potential motivator for White Chain to support Allison in her goal, which just so happens to line up with this task. Sure, that works, but why does an angel who self-identifies as a speaker for the Thorns, a group who as far as I’ve gathered support the Demiurges, want Zaid to have the key? Does Juggernaut Star want him to have the key, or do they just want it brought to where Zaid is right now, i.e. the Demiurges?
[alt text]
A common saying in Throne is ‘Waking the Angel’ – meaning tempting ruin, destruction, or desolation
Excellent.
Sayings and idioms are a very nice worldbuilding tool.
And then some British assholes pulled Metatron 1 with them into a bottomless pit.
Zoss massacred the Prime Angels… but? Did he do something else with Metatron 1?
Zoss is interesting, because his backstory has a ton of villainous actions but he seems set up to be, if not a good guy, then at least sympathetic in the sense that we’re supposed to root for him and his successor (Allison, Zaid, whoever) over the Demiurges. I’m intrigued to see what he’ll be like down the line. Maybe Allison will find cause to distance herself from his legacy and his void ghost’s influence even as she fills his shoes and takes over Throne.
Weirdly enough, this all means the other character he most brings to my mind is Rose Quartz from Steven Universe, but with increased levels of vriska.
First the Servants, then the White Flame, and now the One Power? You’re out of excuses.
One key to rule them all, one key to find them
One key to bring them all and in the darkness bind them
So basically the Magus Gate in Allison’s head, is far more powerful than the other 777,777. Not terribly surprising in retrospect – it’s just good raising of stakes.
This also fits well with the plain shape of the key – just a stick on a circle, without any of the extra bits coming out from the stick part that the other designs we’ve seen have. It’s simple in design, stripped of extraneous parts. It’s a skeleton key.
[alt text]
It would surprise you to learn that the slayer of the Breaker of Divinities is, in fact, a Royalist himself.
…slayer of… hang on…
Are you telling me that the angel on the left here was Juggernaut Star?
I suppose that would explain why Juggernaut Star knows all this. Although reports would too.
So it seems like Juggernaut Star disliked Zoss, enough to call him an enemy and kill him, but does want a King to overthrow the Demiurges, and therefore wants to get the master key to Zaid.
And at least they seem to be open about why they’re dragging White Chain into these plots. Unless there’s more to it, like having realized White Chain is part of the prophecy.
Hmm. So are they trying to get Zaid to take out the Demiurges and then put this higher power on the throne instead of Zaid? Or perhaps there’s temporal bullshit going on – “outside causality” – and this higher power is Zaid? From the future?
Sounds like a nice plan, Doc Scratch. Is your master Already Here?
I’m interested by the implication that the new king is the one to come into Jughead’s master’s kingdom rather than vice versa. Or is that “come into” as in getting used to and learning being a king?
The theory so far: Zaid gets put on the throne because people think the prophecy is about him. Future Zaid turns corrupted and evil, somehow gains freedom from causality (perhaps using the Master Key), and turns his influence on younger, yet-to-be-corrupted Zaid in an effort to secure his own reign. This all makes him the Big Bad for Allison to overcome and truly fulfill the prophecy.
Perhaps there could be some branching future going on too, so that the corrupting Future Zaid can come from a future that isn’t actually going to be, one where Allison failed. But that’s getting a little too deep into the specifics for now.
Y’know, the fun thing about theories like this is that even if I’m ridiculously wrong, it could make for a good fanfic in the right author’s hands.
[alt text]
Bentley: What is it, Major Lawrence, that attracts you personally to the desert? Lawrence: It’s clean.
All of humanity’s problems would be solved if there were none of us left, you know.
Also I’m totally picturing Bentley as the dog from Worm.
The only other character who has been known to call Allison Alice, so far, is Zoss. I don’t yet know what exactly this implies, but I do have a feeling Juggernaut Star and Zoss have a complicated relationship.
So what do you offer that White Chain cannot refuse?
Ah, fuck. Is it possible to permakill an angel here?
Also, I love that right in this kind of situation, one of Juggernaut Star’s O’s looks like a little heart.
Oh, hey, it’s Delicious.
Probably not going to feel very delicious for many more panels, huh.
Okay, so even when killed here, you’ll reincarnate? But that results in “forgetting what change is”?
[alt text]
The circle. Pure. Infertile.
Uh? It’s the ciiircle of death?
To motivate you, it seems…
Ohhh, right, Metatron. I suppose this is implying he’s the higher power that founded the Thorns.
…Homestuck has taught me not to assume that such a thing means he’s not somehow Zaid or connected to him, but it does make the whole “future Zaid” thing significantly less likely.
[alt text]
Executioner
Yep.
Oh, hi there, Metatron.
You look like you’ve swallowed too many birds.
(Jokes aside, this page looks awesome as hell.)
[alt text]
“If God did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him.” – Voltaire
Voltaire may have had a point if we look specifically at the personally reassuring and community-building aspects of belief in a higher power.
Unfortunately those are far from the only aspects, as evidenced by the thousands of years of pain and suffering it has brought.
Oh, that’s lucky.
No, seriously, it’s one of the better things this challenge could’ve turned out to be for Allison. At least it’s something she knows how to do and can handle doing without too much difficulty.
That, of course, doesn’t mean she’s bound to win (I bet Vladok can hold a lot of liquor, especially if he’s willing/able to cheat under contract), but at least this way she has a chance.
[alt text]
Allison’s adventures in escalation
Heh, sounds about right.
Pale, blue, red, green, yellow, ebon.
Pale, blue, red, green, yellow, ebon.
Powerful bastards reap golden yams everywhere.
Alright, with that hopefully memorized… it seems Ciocie, at least, is willing to cheat. And show Allison the usefulness of having a chaotic neutral bard in your party.
Yes. Yes she is, and if you know what’s best for you, you take it, because you’ve already caused plenty of trouble here with your own so-called methods.
Besides, Allison, read some Norwegian fairy tales sometime. I promise you this kind of cheat does get considered heroic when used against the right targets. Though Vladok is probably too smart to be talked into killing himself to make space for more alcohol.
BARDS!
Now I can’t help but want a cartoon of K6BD.
It’d need a good team of background artists.
Let’s do this thing!
[alt text]
You can fit this to any tune you like
It’s like the Hogwarts school song.
When their names are yellow (or pink), you can spare them.
A hypothetical black demon…?
EPIC
DEVIL
RAP BATTLES OF HISTORY
(also you probably are a princess, Allison, get used to it)
It seems like the devils want to undo the Masking and reassimilate into the formless chaos… except by taking on the one black name, that formless chaos would get a form, wouldn’t it?
Not sure what to make of the lollygagging master. Zoss?
Ahaha! Ship validated!
There was totally more behind Ciocie suggesting replacing Zaid with a girl.
[alt text]
Devil weddings are, predictably, terribly noisy affairs
Hah, I’d like to see one.
Devils can evolve by finding names of a higher color. Nice.
Though honestly, I might press B on some of those transitions up there. But I like how turning yellow automatically makes this one a bee.
Meanwhile, Allison’s already having trouble.
Oh, huh, they can de-evolve too, if the name “grows old”. Is it because no one uses the name anymore, letting a lower name take priority?
Ichor is a good word. My DM insists on describing the effects of my tiefling warlock Icarus’ magic as looking like ichor. (It fits the character’s background and the source of his powers, but I’m not convinced it’s not half a pun on “Icarus” vs “ichorous”.)
Anyway, I’m quite liking how the singing is acting as a fun primer on how devils work.
Well well. This looks like we’re getting into addressing why Ciocie sees Allison as her “only bet”.
“I must say that looks good in blue.” implies that what we just learned about devils changing their colors is relevant to Ciocie – either this newcomer is mocking Ciocie for a fall from a higher color – possibly red, since that’s what the newcomer appears to be (and that’s the next higher color) – or acknowledging a rise up from pale. Probably the former.
[alt text]
He got a new coat!
The newcomer? It’s a very nice coat.
Oh boy, Praman Nand is getting involved.
…are those Sweetie Pie and Honey Bunch? 😀
[alt text]
More (actual) returning characters!
Yay!
See, the trick is, every few rounds, she takes that big sword she has and she cuts open her stomach to let the alcohol out. Wanna try?
If Vladok loses, does that affect his name in any way?
Just as long as your old name isn’t “America”.
I like the use of the word “ken”.
Ooh, a more serious bit of singing from Allison.
Also it looks like she wasn’t always blonde.
Ahaha!
See, I told you this was a lucky thing to get challenged in!
…she didn’t eat the cheaty thing Ciocie gave her, did she?
[alt text]
In which Allison lays down some hard truths
Hehe.
And the moment he stops singing, he gets booed. Although some of that might be because he wants power via the Magus Gate instead of by going the usual way.
Well, fuck.
So the contract isn’t unbreakable, but if you break it, it has unpleasant consequences. Ones with an area of effect, judging by the “take all you fools with me” line.
Or he could just be transforming to attack more easily before he… fades? (by refusing, he has ruined his good name?)
[alt text]
There’s a reason we haven’t seen any Unbound Devils in the comic yet
By refusing, he may have broken his bond and relinquished his form entirely.
Yeah, that’s pretty much what I meant by the last few ways I put it. By refusing, he ruins his name, and thus it no longer keeps his form.
By refusing and breaking his name, he also relinquished sapience, didn’t he? Making the unbound devil he left behind essentially just a wild force of chaos that’ll lash out at everyone?
Also where did you get that mask, Allison? I mean, clearly it’s below her in panel 2 of the bottom row, but why?
[alt text]
Out in the reaches, where the crawling things burrow deep in the flesh of the world
I… don’t know if that’s how it works, Allison.
Props for heroic instinct, though.
Hah, fair enough.
Is it going to be another Sailor Moon-related name?
I don’t think I made it clear earlier, but I did catch that her Alli-bi is the civilian name of Sailor Moon. That’s just about the only name I know from the series other than Luna the familiar and the various “Sailor <celestial body>”s.
And of course she invokes the Power of the Moon!
[alt text]
The Virtue of Ignorance
Sometimes it’s bliss.
Sometimes it lets you do crazy things.
This comic now has a character who is canonically named Princess Mamoru Moonshine Jagermeister Jack Jacck Daniels Timothy Tim Bill Freddy Mercury Blueberry Luna Esquire.
And I think that’s beautiful.
(I was right – the first name she came up with after Princess is that of a Sailor Moon character. And then she added Luna near the end, too.)
Princess Mamoru Moonshine Jagermeister Jack Jacck Daniels Timothy Tim Bill Freddy Mercury Blueberry Luna Esquire is cute.
I doubt they’re the same character as Vladok anymore. Vladok broke his name and became formless chaos, then Allison bound that chaos back in new names and someone else’s mask. It’s like the particles in my body coming apart after my death and later coming back together as a newborn baby (as unlikely as that is).
Though they do seem to retain Vladok’s drunkenness to some extent (enough that they feel it), so who knows.
Also, if Princess Mamoru Moonshine Jagermeister Jack Jacck Daniels Timothy Tim Bill Freddy Mercury Blueberry Luna Esquire doesn’t remember where they are, they probably don’t remember the other things that would let Vladok help Allison in the first place.
So there’ll be some recollection, but far from everything.
Meanwhile, Princess Mamoru Moonshine Jagermeister Jack Jacck Daniels Timothy Tim Bill Freddy Mercury Blueberry Luna Esquire is not happy about being named Princess Mamoru Moonshine Jagermeister Jack Jacck Daniels Timothy Tim Bill Freddy Mercury Blueberry Luna Esquire.
That ebon devil is definitely going to come back to haunt us.
Also, Allison, you may want to listen to Ciocie this time.
[alt text]
Yes, her full name is in fact now Princess Mamoru Moonshine Jagermeister Jack Jack Daniels Timothy Tim Bill Freddy Mercury Blueberry Luna, Esquire
Thank you for confirming that. And for confirming my hunch that she was a she now.
So is it Jack Jack, like in the alt text, or Jack Jacck like in the comic? Am I to understand that the Jack Jacck in the comic was a typo? That would make it a little easier to pronounce.
Aww, don’t just leave Princess Mamoru Moonshine Jagermeister Jack Jack Daniels Timothy Tim Bill Freddy Mercury Blueberry Luna, Esquire, behind!
If Ciocie is right here that Allison isn’t actually super drunk (she might be wrong on account of expecting Allison to have used the cheaty thing and her not doing so), it does make Allison blaming the fact that she didn’t know what she was doing on drunkenness even better in hindsight.
Oh my cod, you’re telling me I was right that she didn’t use it, but she didn’t not use it on purpose? 😛
Sweetie Pie, for all the briefness of her previous appearance, remains one of my favorite characters.
Leagues below Ciocie, of course, but still.
[alt text]
Reach Heaven Through Violence
Question is, who’s doing the violence? The person who reaches heaven, or the person who sends someone there?
Oooh, is it a magic weapon-summoning coat?
Hell yes.
So this is where Eightfold fell.
[alt text]
She was waiting to bust that one out
Of course. Bards!
(For the record, I know this is the second last page of the chapter.)
Niiice.
I was joking about Eightfold, but seriously, look, it’s even got the markings.
It’s a majestic steed, perfect for burning entire fleets and seven-eighths-blinding your would-be rival.
Ah, yeah, you didn’t exactly pass through there quietly.
I suppose this is why the next page is called Pursuers (I know because the patron gave me the url of the page to stop on).
[alt text]
Uhh. Okay, let’s see where the author is sending me.
Pffft! Yes, thank you, author, I know what birds are.
I was thinking of their steed as more of a dragon, but I suppose birds fit the origami theme better.
Oi! Give captain Jack Sparrow his compass back!
Oh hey, look who came along…
It’s the sumo baby! 😀
End of chapters 1-2 of Wielder of Names, book 2 of Keep Six Bitty Deird
…that’s a mouthful.
This comic continues to be excellent, and in fact only gets better as I go along. Now that we’ve gotten the core of the worldbuilding and history lessons out of the way, we can focus more on plot and shenanigans without pausing every two seconds to explain things. While the worldbuilding is absolutely fantastic and certainly not something to be pushed aside, the plot is what makes it compelling, and now we’ve reached the point where we can mostly follow the plot without stopping in our tracks and have enough plot to make the worldbuilding we do get seem more immediately relevant and compelling.
Did that make sense? I hope so.
Our heroes have had a great showing in these chapters. White Chain is working their (her?) way back into my good graces, and being given an interesting motivation to help our heroes. Allison is coming into her own as a protagonist who does somewhat crazy things other than being perpetually freaked out, finding new ways to be absolutely hilarious. And Ciocie’s place as favorite character is very secure.
The devils as a race and culture are an absolute blast. The angels less so, but they’re still interesting… I have always preferred chaotic characters over lawful ones.
I sincerely hope we meet Princess Mamoru Moonshine Jagermeister Jack Jack Daniels Timothy Tim Bill Freddy Mercury Blueberry Luna, Esquire, again.
Next chapter, Allison’s bound for Mottom’s palace. That’s… probably not a good idea. When you’re in a story, you should probably listen to the bard, they know what they’re talking about. And in less meta terms, when you’re in a world you’re new to, you should probably listen to the local who’s lived here much longer than you have.
So I look forward to seeing exactly how Allison finds out just how unprepared she is. I wonder if she’s still planning on trying the pacifist route with Mottom?
See you soon!
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