Keychain of Creation 3: Not-a-Keyblade Understanding & Falafel-is-Awesome Prana Combo

[SlyGuyMcFly]

You've got me when it comes to May Blossom, though. Winter and summer might exist in the setting, but the Gregorian months? Not so much.

Because Might Blossom, Could Blossom and Will Possibly Blossom don't really sound that good. Just a guess.

[Jukashi]

You should meet the sisters, Contain Blossom and Nuts Blossom.

[tonberrian]

You should meet the sisters, Contain Blossom and Nuts Blossom.

I thought the sisters were May Bubbles and May Buttercup.

[Barefoot Monkey]

You've got me when it comes to May Blossom, though. Winter and summer might exist in the setting, but the Gregorian months? Not so much.

When she was born, there where complications and at the time it was not certain whether she would live long enough to grow up and become a beautiful woman. Hence her name: a slightly shortened form of "May Or May Not Blossom".

[lesser_minion]

'May' is actually another name for hawthorn.

The word is derived from the name of a Greek goddess, so it's not exactly too much of a stretch to assume that some famous Exalt or other supernatural had a similar-sounding name.

[Reynard]

And people die when they are killed.

Now I want to play a martial artist Day Caste that wields a shield. And points out the obvious. Obviously.

[Barefoot Monkey]

'May' is actually another name for hawthorn.

The word is derived from the name of a Greek goddess, so it's not exactly too much of a stretch to assume that some famous Exalt or other supernatural had a similar-sounding name.

That's a good answer. It also explains something I'd been wondering for a while: why I have the plant in my garden that is called "Cape May" yet flowers in February.

[Sojiko]

So Secret was good at hiding before her exaltation.

[Rockphed]

So Secret was good at hiding before her exaltation.

Presumably such is why she was selected to be the ultimate spy. She is day caste, after all.

[lesser_minion]

I think she'd probably have spent less time on combat and more time on social abilities if she was intended as the ultimate spy.

[Gez]

Pretty sure Racer is much closer to the Ultimate Spy archetype anyway. He just needs to dress more sharply.

[Revlid]

Assassin/Ninja rather than Spy, methinks. Difference between James Bond and Solid Snake. That said, if some way to remotely see through her eyes/access her memories/send her berserk was developed by the Silver Prince (who's the exact sort of bastard to do so), then she could be quite useful as a spy precisely because of her lack of guile. Hell, she's already been passed around all the other Deathlords, and is currently travelling with a very interesting Exalted Circle. Who would suspect?

On tenterhooks, here, Jukashi. And then what happened?

[The_Shaman]

Btw, it's not the most recent comic, but if Abyssal exalts lose their name, what happens when someone says it to them?

[ZeroNumerous]

Btw, it's not the most recent comic, but if Abyssal exalts lose their name, what happens when someone says it to them?

They gain resonance.

[spectralphoenix]

Well, technically they gain Resonance if they acknowledge the name as theirs. Just calling them by their old name does nothing unless they answer to it. </nitpick>

[The_Snark]

If they respond to their old name, or speak it themselves, they attract the wrath of the Neverborn (meaning they gain Resonance). Aliases are generally exempt, allowing Abyssals to create false identities for themselves, but I seem to recall reading that an Abyssal who gets emotionally attached to a false name risks being punished in the same way.

See here.

[Yuki Akuma]

Assassin/Ninja rather than Spy, methinks. Difference between James Bond and Solid Snake. That said, if some way to remotely see through her eyes/access her memories/send her berserk was developed by the Silver Prince (who's the exact sort of bastard to do so), then she could be quite useful as a spy precisely because of her lack of guile. Hell, she's already been passed around all the other Deathlords, and is currently travelling with a very interesting Exalted Circle. Who would suspect?

Yeah, he can do that. He can cast spells and use charms on her Monstrance and it affects her, no matter where she is.

[Revlid]

Yeah, he can do that. He can cast spells and use charms on her Monstrance and it affects her, no matter where she is.

Oh, I know that. I just wasn't sure if there were spells that would allow him to access her memories/see what she sees, etc, without her being aware of it. Probably are, this being Exalted and he being a Deathlord, but still.

[Green Bean]

There certainly are, but Secret may or may not have Integrity Charms that let her shut down attempts at mental influence. They're not that hard to have.

That's actually part of why Solars and Abyssals are so powerful; they tend to have very basic and easy to qualify Charms that shut down very broad ranges of hostile effects. For instance, they have an anti-Shaping Charm that requires only an Integrity score of 1 and no prerequisites, and it perfectly negates all shaping effects for an entire day.

[Revlid]

There certainly are, but Secret may or may not have Integrity Charms that let her shut down attempts at mental influence. They're not that hard to have.

Well, she did buy an awful lot of Dodge Charms...

A little OT, but I've been reading up on some Performance Charms (courtesy of this discussion over in Gaming), and I'm shocked we've yet to see Ben use Haunting Apparition Trick and/or Withering Phantasmagoria.

[Weimann]

That is indeed an awesome charm that I'm sure he has. Maybe he just hasn't deemed it appropriate yet? After all, it's much more efficient as a "kill loads of extras" charm.

[Revlid]

That is indeed an awesome charm that I'm sure he has. Maybe he just hasn't deemed it appropriate yet? After all, it's much more efficient as a "kill loads of extras" charm.

True. The minions were doing all the heavy lifting in that department the last time he showed up, and I suppose he's not really had much call to use it otherwise. Just seemed a little sad.

EDIT: ON EFFIN TENTERHOOKS

[Jukashi]

It is done. Lo, and all that.

[The Rose Dragon]

By the way the placeholder is stretched, I can tell this page is gonna be tall.

[Jukashi]

... You best refresh that there page, I reckon.

[Yuki Akuma]

Whenever I see Secret, I want to give her a hug and tell her everything is going to be okay.

This backstory is not helping.

[Weimann]

This just makes me want to see her interaction with Rouen's ghost even more.

Why is Rouen actively covering his eye in the 7th panel? Is he crying? Or is he savvy enough to know we are watching?

The last panel is great. I hope the flashback doesn't end here, however. Marena got a power rush, Karen seemed to not really notice due to her determination. I'm very eager to see how Secret reacts to her new power.

We've seen Marena, Karen and Secret Exalt so far. Will there be any chance of seeing Ten's and Misho's moments? I do hope so.

Notice how she lost the gleam in her eyes in the last panel? The spark of life, snuffed. Nice touch. I love the whole dock scene at the end, but I think it's a little forced for Secret, even in her state at the time, to casually agree to dooming the world. I understand the page was long enough as it was, and that it should end in Exaltation, but I feel it would have benefited from some further exploration. Maybe Marena will ask her about it when she's finished telling the story?

Great work, Jukashi!

[Gez]

Panel 8 is far too cute.

[horngeek]

...damm you, Jukashi. That's one of the saddest things I've ever read in a webcomic.

Good writing. And it gives people an idea of exactly why someone who's not a bad person would accept the Black Exaltation.

[Xelloss]

Nice !