Traxer wrote:In the sicuation I would get...on...the...bed...now. But that's just me. It's most likely the 'safe zone'...
That's a good point. Colin's been "visited" several times by these things and I don't believe he's ever been physically harmed, other than exhaustion from lack of sleep. And in his own words: "They never come up on the bed." Okay...why not? What makes the bed a "safe zone" if indeed it actually is?
Shaaruuk
squirrelly66104 wrote:As for the bed, a point I just remembered: Colins bed is a human style bed. Most Rac-conan beds are apparently floor nests, but Colins is raised above the floor. This was an important enough point for RH to emphasize it earlier.
I agree - RH is definitely making a point of this. Perhaps, being shadows, they must remain in contact with the ground at all times. At any rate, Quentyn better come up with a new strategy PDQ - hopefully, his lux-sword is already on its way, but I wouldn't count on it.
When trouble arises and things look bad, there's always one individual who perceives a solution and is willing to take command. Very often, that individual is insane.
I thought it was common knownledge that monsters can't get to you when you're in bed, covered with blankets.
I know what Quentyn can do. To chase of the shadow rats, he can bring in a bunch of shadow cats. But then, how would he get rid of the shadow cats? With shadow dogs, of course. But how would he get rid of... [continues on forever]
Magius del Cotto wrote:Now, where's everyone's favorite wandering priest when we need him, hmm?
Personally, I'm fairly sure we're dealing with a fairly standard breed of undead known as Shadows - nasty buggers that are only half corporeal. Granted, it seems that they have an ability or two that are above the norm (the ability to eat lux, primarily), but nothing too tough.
Individually, at least. With this many of them, Quentyn's definitely going to need his luxblade PDQ.
Magius out.
Umm... I think not. I can't remember if undead even exist in this universe, but if so they are NOT 'back-from-the-dead', which would go against Ralph's religion to have happen in a story that holds the truths of that religion constant, to wit: "It is appointed a man ONCE to die, after this judgement". I beleive that Undead in this world might be things that SHOULD be dead but are being kept animate and bound to this mortal coil with Lux, but I could be thinking of some other setting. In any case, I don't know if priests would have any especial powers against them (remember, this is DECIDEDLY NOT D&D!!! ). On the other hand Quentin did mention something about Holy Symbols repelling vampires... but whether vampires are any more real in this world than they are in ours hasn't been confirmed.
If the rats do NOT generate Lux, then they're not alive, or they're not physically alive, breathing, with heartbeat, carbon based, etc.
Ruling out zombies, the options available are:
a. The rats are not carbon based, but are using another base element which makes them Lux-invisible, or Lux-blocking, at least.
b. The rats are demonic beings. Not physically alive, but spiritually alive. Being spirits, they can attack the mind, and in some cases, like this one, the body. A snag here would be that if they're spirits, they would not need a hole in the floor to come through.
c. The rats are being controlled by someone who found a way to block Lux (reference "Heir To The Empire" (Star Wars), where an imperial officer uses animals that can repel The Force)
I'm sure you all can come up with more.
And it also looks like this is Quentyn's Blood Baptism (a term normally reserved for the bull-fighting world, when a bull-fighter gets gored for the first time).
On a side note, it would be interesting to know how other 'undead' creatures in the TOTQ universe appear when they are 'kenned'. This 'lux invisibility' may be a common attribute of creatures kept animated through unnatural means, or it may be unique to the shadow-rats.
When trouble arises and things look bad, there's always one individual who perceives a solution and is willing to take command. Very often, that individual is insane.
The "rats" are physically dangerous, but have never attacked Collin in bed. When killed, they bubble away into nothingness. I'd guess they aren't solid matter, but some sort of energy. Whether that energy is based on lux, other natural forces, or evil spirits... I won't even guess.
Anyway, something in or about that bed has been protecting Collin. Maybe it's Collin's own strong belief that they can't attack him there? This is a lux world, after all. I certainly couldn't gainsay a protective ward as a lux-using child's instinctive defense.
Or the bed may have something crafted into it. Wouldn't a wealthy family want a few extra protections around their child's bed? Wouldn't everyone? Or maybe the rats just really hate the smell of that fabric softener the laundry uses...
OK, I'll stop this before I annoy Ralph any further.
so I wonder if anyone is looking after the magic sword of his?
I can just picture a janitor or something washing a floor when suddenly
out through one wall the sword flys into another and all that as it goes to
it's master?
after the rubble and dust clears theres the poor janitor lookin slack jawed
and messed up?
Richter B. wrote:so I wonder if anyone is looking after the magic sword of his?
I can just picture a janitor or something washing a floor when suddenly
out through one wall the sword flys into another and all that as it goes to
it's master?
after the rubble and dust clears theres the poor janitor lookin slack jawed
and messed up?
Ostensibly, Quentyns' sword has been "secured" in a vault at the Artifactors' Guild by Master Irons. I've already postulated that very scenerio......Your version tho' gives a VERY entertaining mental visual.
Shaaruuk
We are NOT surrounded.....this is a "target rich" environment!
Quentyns' sword has been "secured" in a vault at the Artifactors' Guild by Master Irons
Heh.
Or, maybe Master Irons is working late. He sees the sword trying to take off, grabs it, annnd...
Ends up flying through Colins window having been dragged across town by the sword!
Meh.
Its oh-dark-hundred here. What, you were expecting Henny Youngman?
You can fool some of the people all of the time
And all of the people some of the time
But you can't fool all of the people all of the time.
squirrelly61104 wrote:Heh. Or, maybe Master Irons is working late. He sees the sword trying to take off, grabs it, annnd...
Ends up flying through Colins window having been dragged across town by the sword!
And knowing Irons general personality........can't you just hear the blue streak he'd be yellin' as he's gettin' bounced off the street, lamp posts, and whatever else might be enroute? Let go of the sword??? Now WHY would he do THAT???
Now, imagine that same poor janitor's face as the sword comes thru the wall trailing a LOUDLY cursing & bellowing Irons.
Shaaruuk
We are NOT surrounded.....this is a "target rich" environment!
Yuoofox wrote:I know what Quentyn can do. To chase of the shadow rats, he can bring in a bunch of shadow cats. But then, how would he get rid of the shadow cats? With shadow dogs, of course. But how would he get rid of... [continues on forever]
By any chance, have you been reading a children's book entitled The King, the Mice, and the Cheese?
Sharuuk wrote:
Now, imagine that same poor janitor's face as the sword comes thru the wall trailing a LOUDLY cursing & bellowing Irons.
Shaaruuk
Hmmm.... with a story like that to tell, I think that said janitor might be able to count on being invited over for dinner so often, by so many different people, that he could eliminate food from his budget altogether...
DracoDei wrote:Hmmm.... with a story like that to tell, I think that said janitor might be able to count on being invited over for dinner so often, by so many different people, that he could eliminate food from his budget altogether...
I get a pretty good case of chucklefits (I don't giggle) at the mental image of Master Irons hanging on to the quillion (handguard) with a two-fisted death-grip, eyes skrinched closed, mouth wide open at full bellow (volume), head fur and ears plastered flat against his head in the sliptream, and his whole body flapping in the wind trailing behind the sword like the tail on a kite......
Now, given that Irons is a Master Artifactor and the Headmaster of the Guild, I have no doubt that he comports himself with a dignity bordering on the pompous. (no slam here, just observation) And ANYone who could relate a story of this level of discomfiture to Master Irons would not only be able to scratch food off his budget as you suggest, but the savings might end up being used to check this person into a weight loss clinic.
Shaaruuk
We are NOT surrounded.....this is a "target rich" environment!
When Colin's night terror started, the effect went into the ground. These things feed off lux energy, and it apparently attracts them. When Colin wakes from the night terror, the source of that lux is cut off.
When his father stood the watch hith him apparently these things apparently never showed up, perhaps they needed time to "lock on" to the source. The thunderstorm this night must have a tremendous amount of energy in the air that may be attracting them to the surface more rapidly than before.
Something in the raised bed must act as an insulator keeping the rat things from their prey. Unfortunately for Quentyn, he is right on the ground....
But this still doesn't explain the fate of the brownies.
It's most likely the 'safe zone'...
). On the other hand Quentin did mention something about Holy Symbols repelling vampires... but whether vampires are any more real in this world than they are in ours hasn't been confirmed.
