Gunnerkrigg Court 7: Psychopomp and Circumstance

[Vinyadan]

Actually, I am expecting this to be a humbling experience for Ysengrim. I can't believe that Coyote got things so badly out of hand.

[SZbNAhL]

This does all seem very ... condensed. I'm reminded of the last few chapters of Dr McNinja, but with less tying up of loose ends.

[Nettlekid]

I'm still trying to figure out Coyote's endgame. He repeatedly checked with Ysengrin to confirm that Ysengrin direly desired Coyote's power, and would "show the humans how weak they truly are" using it. So he knew this would happen, that Ysengrin would go on a destructive rampage. Coyote also suggests that the reason this is "the time" is because Jeanne is gone from the Annan River. I can't imagine Jeanne was holding Coyote back - even IF she could kill him, which is a big if, he always had the option of running across the bridge at lightning speed so the court couldn't stop him. Or there was that time he and Ysengrin visited the court, he could have wreaked havoc then. So far Ysengrin hasn't done anything with Coyote's power that Coyote himself couldn't have done or that would have been stopped by Jeanne, so what's even going on?

[Vinyadan]

Maybe Jeanne was a side effect, or a part of a larger mechanism capable of keeping Coyote at bay.

Maybe Coyote never lies, so, when he accepted the existence of the court, he found himself tied into a situation where only giving power to someone else he could nullify the effects of the treaty.

[random11]

I'm still trying to figure out Coyote's endgame. He repeatedly checked with Ysengrin to confirm that Ysengrin direly desired Coyote's power, and would "show the humans how weak they truly are" using it. So he knew this would happen, that Ysengrin would go on a destructive rampage. Coyote also suggests that the reason this is "the time" is because Jeanne is gone from the Annan River. I can't imagine Jeanne was holding Coyote back - even IF she could kill him, which is a big if, he always had the option of running across the bridge at lightning speed so the court couldn't stop him. Or there was that time he and Ysengrin visited the court, he could have wreaked havoc then. So far Ysengrin hasn't done anything with Coyote's power that Coyote himself couldn't have done or that would have been stopped by Jeanne, so what's even going on?

I don't think he has one.
At least not beyond the basic of "Let's teach Ysengrin a lesson" or "Let's see what happens".

I don't think Coyote didn't attack the court because of some restrictions, it's just that his motives aren't conquest or show of power as much as it is simply to amuse himself (Although that doesn't mean the court is powerless against him). All this might be a practical joke against Ysengrin that got out of hand.

I suspect what happens now is similar to the story of the goose.
Coyote IS Ysengrin, he just doesn't remember it.

[Ellen]

Annie, bring Rey up to date! He may be able to HELP you!

By the way, hyperfocus in a crisis is a normal thing. People in that state can close off and literally blank out anything that isn't part of whatever flight-or-fight scenario their brain is running. So, I can completely believe that Annie has eyes only for the magic-pencil-of-summoning and no room to think, "Hey, there's another canine forest-god right here who might be able to help."

It doesn't mean I have to like it.

[NEO|Phyte]

What is Rey supposed to do about a mad treewolf thing with Coyote's power, possess him?

...I mean that might be able to work, but still.

[Vinyadan]

What is Rey supposed to do about a mad treewolf thing with Coyote's power, possess him?

...I mean that might be able to work, but still.

But then the plushie would DIEEEEEEE....

[guttering flame]

Do we really want to meet the ultimate form Coyogrinadine?

[SZbNAhL]

Isn't outwitting Ysengrin sort of Reynard's whole raison d'etre?

[halfeye]

Isn't outwitting Ysengrin sort of Reynard's whole raison d'etre?

Sounds like a short bout to me. Ysengrin hasn't been particularly smart since I've been reading the comic, wise sometimes perhaps, clever, not obviously.

[eee]

<BLEEP> it, how can Eglamore (that guy) be using the Valknut?!? That should only be possible for Odin and the Valkyries!!

Maybe he's married to Brinnie.

And Parley, Annie's more subtle than that. Or thinks she is.

[Iruka]

Dat face on that guy!

[Fawkes]

<BLEEP> it, how can Eglamore (that guy) be using the Valknut?!? That should only be possible for Odin and the Valkyries!!

Maybe he's married to Brinnie.

The valknut also appeared the last time Annie used the Eglamore beacon. Eglamore doesn't have the power to teleport himself. The beacon itself must be some Norse magitek, likely from Brinnie.

[Vinyadan]

"And Coyote acted as if he knew it would happen" http://gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1124

I am wondering if this is part of Coyote testing and retesting Ysengrim's reactions, and then deleting evidence.

[halfeye]

"And Coyote acted as if he knew it would happen" http://gunnerkrigg.com/?p=1124

I am wondering if this is part of Coyote testing and retesting Ysengrim's reactions, and then deleting evidence.

Maybe setting Ysengrin up to fail, then picking up the pieces if he does.

[Vinyadan]

Maybe setting Ysengrin up to fail, then picking up the pieces if he does.

Also this "intentionally". Maybe it isn't just madness.

http://www.gunnerkrigg.com/comics/00001240.jpg

[Giggling Ghast]

I’m interested in hearing Reynardine’s take on all this. Sounds like he’s not all that surprised.

[AdmiralCheez]

Sounds like there's a slight possibility that we'll get an answer or two. But knowing this comic, we'll probably also get three or four more questions.

[137beth]

Rey is probably at least partially aware of Coyote's abuse of Ysengrin. He is also probably aware that Coyote has been experimenting with giving his powers to Ys, and he can probably guess (if he didn't already know) what power Ys would be most interested in. All in all, if you've known both Coyote and Ysengrin for centuries, as Reynard has, the events of this chapter probably aren't too surprising.

[eee]

Weren't expecting THAT, were you, you old wolf-coyote???

[Giggling Ghast]

Reminds me of when Oberon tried to take Fox and Xanatos’ son in Gargoyles. They keep him away temporarily with a force field, though he gets around it by phasing through the ground.

[137beth]

It looks kind of like the shield Anja made, but it also seems more powerful considering it doesn't even appear cracked.

[Giggling Ghast]

Ah, that’s what the robots were up to.

Well, I guess this fight won’t be so one-sided after all.

[eee]

Let's see, first panel, I think Ysengrin was falling into a supreme rage at being thwarted, then the Coyote part of him came up with an amusing plan. And now it's being implemented. I further think he's backing up; but whether he's going to try rushing the shield and smashing through it, or is clearing the area to call down an all destructive attack on the Court, I don't know.

The shield wouldn't be ultimately effective, he can always attack from beneath via roots and earthquake.

[Leewei]

Spoiler

Show

Heh.

Well, then.

[Fawkes]

Half a panel teasing something actually interesting, then we're back to boring stock anime villain Ysengrin.

This whole arc is such a wasted opportunity.

[Typewriter]

Half a panel teasing something actually interesting, then we're back to boring stock anime villain Ysengrin.

This whole arc is such a wasted opportunity.

I feel like I've done this when DMing before. Like - I have something interesting but I fail to properly explain it or explore it (or the players ignore things that explain it) and then it winds up as this really weird mess where things are just happening and it's dumb and forced. This is how this feels to me - I don't think the story is bad - I just feel like it is being told in the completely wrong way. It's funny that Ysengrin looks like an anime villain because this problem exists in anime a lot - they fail to properly explain something then suddenly something happens and the story ends before it can be properly explained or explored.

[Shadow of the Sun]

Okay, this makes my opinion on anime villain Ysengrin a lot more positive, since Coyote was just using his tendencies as a casus belli.

[Vinyadan]

A lot of things in this arc seemed predictable. However, I have to say that I never would have guessed the mind-controlled-mom thing.

Where was that?