As a former tactician (long retired), I wondered when Fel would bring this up.
"We beat them to the well," Kyven declared flatly. "We divide our army. Half of it goes on to Riyan, and the other half will take the mining villages back from the Loreguard. If the commanders there feel they can't defend the mines, then they destroy them to deny them to the Flaurens when they march their armies in. After all, we don't need them. If we're going to have to deal with Flaur and the other nations that won't give up their Arcans, we force the issue. We do to them what the Loremasters wanted to do, starve them of crystals. When the time comes, we offer a simple deal: your Arcans for crystals. One or the other. You can't have both. After all, in just a few years, there won't be any crystals coming out of the mines anyway. We offer to trade Shaman-made crystals in exchange for them freeing their Arcans."
He did hint at it before, but didn't bring it right out into the open.
Another complication that I envisioned from the last chapter and saw enforced in this one is the reaction of Toby and Nightfall, as well as Toby and Umbra.
From what little I know of genetics it would seem to me that the Shadow Fox would want at least two litters from the Kyven/Umbra pairing and another two litters from the Toby/Shadow pairing, but also at least one litter from a Kyven/Nightfall pairing and one litter from a Toby Umbra pairing. ( Of course she'd also like to have one litter from a Kyven/Danna pairing!)(And from Danna's reaction in this chapter that seems a lot more possible now!)
GBLW
K Pelle aka GBLW
My recent stories are available at: http://www.grynenbayritpublications.com/
Splitting forces also invites defeat in detail, where the enemy can concentrate on each part of your forces in turn.
I would not be surprised if the Flaurens decide to hold back until the Danvers/Loremasters conflict is over. Or even strike a deal with the Loremasters.
There could be some interesting challenges and betrayals coming up.
Rational people have supported the worst dictators of history - Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, etc.
I'm mad - at least I have an excuse for what I do.
GBLW wrote:From what little I know of genetics it would seem to me that the Shadow Fox would want at least two litters from the Kyven/Umbra pairing and another two litters from the Toby/Shadow pairing, but also at least one litter from a Kyven/Nightfall pairing and one litter from a Toby Umbra pairing. ( Of course she'd also like to have one litter from a Kyven/Danna pairing!)(And from Danna's reaction in this chapter that seems a lot more possible now!)
Agreed; whilst is possible to start a new species with only a single breeding pair, there should be much less risk of problems if there is a wider initial base because (a) you are less likely to have faulty recessive genes become active, and (b) you have effectively jumped a large number of generations by already establishing diversity.
Mad Monk wrote:Splitting forces also invites defeat in detail, where the enemy can concentrate on each part of your forces in turn.
I would not be surprised if the Flaurens decide to hold back until the Danvers/Loremasters conflict is over. Or even strike a deal with the Loremasters.
There could be some interesting challenges and betrayals coming up.
The arcans will also have the much bigger Haven army coming a few days later. So Danvers could just wait for them to turn up...
Anyone want to guess at any of these:
Who is donating Toby their humanity when he uses his amulet? Or, if you prefer, who is getting changed into an arcan when Toby changes? Shario? The prostitute in Avannar? Timm?
What is Kyven missing regarding his illusions as alluded to in chapter 13 by the Shadow Fox Spirit?
Does Kyven smell of monster? Do all monsters have some kind of manna or spirit world smell?
What are the odds on Kyven taming a fully grown equar to ride?
Danna has discovered a way for the shadow to form substance. Can Kyven combine illusion with shadow powers for greater flexibility and endurance? Could he form a shadow-based weapon to cut with? Or maybe add and subtract shadow substance from himself?
Would Toby give up his humanity entirely so Danna can be fully human. Would the pairing of Kyvin and Danna then make Shamen ofspring instead of Shadow masters? Can't really call Kyvin a Shadow Fox any more. He is a Shadow master Shamen. What ever happened to the prostitutes kid that Kyvin produced very early on in the series?
Kyven's amulet was given to him quite some time after being changed into an arcan, if I remember correctly, as part of a deal between the Her and Danna, it's unlikely Toby has been involved in a similar deal, and he doesn't have a need for it any way, he's not infiltrating enemy bases.
I'm curious too about the extra abilities to the illusions, maybe a way to render them permanent?
TLGG wrote:I'm curious too about the extra abilities to the illusions, maybe a way to render them permanent?
I think the Shadow Fox was insinuating that during one of her last conversations with Kyven. She was talkin about how he had impressed her with his illusion but that he had just begun to tap into his true potential. How he had so much more power. Kyven talks about pushing reality into the details of his illusions. I expect that sometime soon he will push reality into a whole illusion and it will stick... At least for a while, and that's when the real fun will begin!
TLGG wrote:I'm curious too about the extra abilities to the illusions, maybe a way to render them permanent?
I think the Shadow Fox was insinuating that during one of her last conversations with Kyven. She was talkin about how he had impressed her with his illusion but that he had just begun to tap into his true potential. How he had so much more power. Kyven talks about pushing reality into the details of his illusions. I expect that sometime soon he will push reality into a whole illusion and it will stick... At least for a while, and that's when the real fun will begin!
What's going to be interesting is why Kyven doesn't smell the same between Clover and the new female Shadowfox Arcan. To me it's tied to why he still has his Shadow powers and that cryptic reference of the Shadowfox's at the end about plans that were laid down long in the past.
boballab wrote:What's going to be interesting is why Kyven doesn't smell the same between Clover and the new female Shadowfox Arcan. To me it's tied to why he still has his Shadow powers and that cryptic reference of the Shadowfox's at the end about plans that were laid down long in the past.
Yes, well, Shadowfox is Omniscient Council Of Vagueness all by herself. But one thing she does seem to be working on is closer relations between the humans and Arcans. About five years ago the arcans hadd this Really Great Plan but only vague ideas how to pull it off; except for the Masked, and the Masked General. The concept then seemed to be that humans would work, bleed, and die together to free the arcan slaves - and then everyone would naturally go their seperate ways.
The arcans as a whole seem to be deliberately steering for apartite. Though this is arguably justified in their case, the problem starts when you ask how long this will continue for? Two or three generations down the line, young arcans would grow up believing that humans were wicked and evil beings - something aptly demonstrated that even the descendents of the 'good' humans are kept at arms length.
Then little miss Shadowfox sticks her oar in, and suddenly the humans start getting a lot more involved. Kyven, Danna, and the other one, seem to be well on their way to becoming honarary Haven citizens; irrispective of what shape they keep afterwards. Given how (some of) the humans are fighting and dying right alongside the arcans - some of them might also be tollerated/welcomed.
Could one of her long term goals be:
*Note to self: Apartite is unstable.
The goals of the shadow fox are, still to this point, being kept quiet. Yes, one of her goals is to change the attitude of the Arcans, to make them believe in themselves and stand strong...but as you've seen, they can do that without much help once the shackles are taken off. There's a hidden strength inside the Arcans, a spirit that is very hard to crush, even after centuries of institutional slavery. Part of it is genetic, part of their warrior creation, but part of it is simple guts. Arcans are very brave by nature, and once the collars come off, the courage that caused them to survive slavery roars up and changes direction.
What can change, though, is how the Arcans see people. Some of the Arcans are taking a different view of humans, mainly within the army. It's a shock for Arcans who've known nothing but owners and handlers to suddenly be fighting for a human and with humans. If not for Clover and Kyven, they'd probably not be cooperating, which was why it was so important for there to be a Shaman with the army. It'll take a great deal more for some to change, mainly the ones in Haven, but change is possible.
Change is what the shadow fox is working to bring about...but a whole lot more change than you might expect.
As to the shadow fox Arcans, yes, they have a human lifespan. They'll live twice as long as other Arcans on the average.
Just another guy from the shallow end of the gene pool.
With no farm workers, there will be less food. But all these free arcan and all that free land near haven, plus pack mentality means, communal farms will be every where. So not only will they trade crystals to humans but food as well. Haven territory will tripple in size just to hold all the arcans.
while armies hold the villages and mines, they are likly to be under the assumption that the attackers want the mines intact. Would they be held up in mines or near by. Unless designed to be used as a base, mines would be a poor military option. Use a powerful ground pounder to deal with the mines, they could sneak in and set it off. Also if the mines are sealed, why would the army stay, it would take a lot of resources to get them working again. likly to head for homebase. will the arcans try to rob this force to. the army is very fast.
Iwonder if any of the magical ability monsters like shadow fox has the potential of creating uniqly powered arcan, like power over lightning, flames, water. So the creation of elemental arcans.
Governments will be forcd to claim all arcans left as their to ease the labor issue.
While illusions make kyvern the best spy, his other affinity for healing will make him the best ammbassador to the humans. So far any illness can be cured, once taught more about healling spells, he will be a very sought after man. even if humans hate him as a traitors, he can heal the gravest of wounds so curry great favor.
Also are the later generations of shadow fox arcan also unable to breed with other foxes so allowing the small breeding group to work easir. monsters can breed with normal versions so once seperated from the artificial progenitor mybe possible.
also kyvern needs to keep the human nations ppit against each other. once loremasters are gone, the rival ries that they suppressed will be freed and those that want vengence or control will attack. the big guys will swallow up the little ones. CIty states will be absorbed. the free territories will get conquered for the few remain crystals. the humans will be furious about the arcan army, afraid of the might of shaman, hate the economic changes of no arcan slavery. farms will be in deperate need of workers, there will be a worker shortage, so money difficulties. there will likly be those who keep arcan slaves, or try to breed them. shaman will come to free them
Currently noone actually knows the size of the army just that the arcans are stealing everything, so before the loremaster seige send as much as possible to deep river, and get them to make an entrenched possition so humans can not reach haven. humans will see a well provided army, but never realize the true size. kyvern will whem the time is right, shadow walk a death device into the lormaster HQ or their crystal vault. if you place an incredibly powerful cystal into one made for a weak one, would it have a boost. so when the arcans strike, they can enter and seize everything and leave, knoledge, supplies and money. The masters would keep their tower stocked, provided and defended, also they have the sum total knoledge of alchemy in the world. the loremasters were the unofficial rulers of noram it would be a prize. like in cheston, find a way in and race to the tower and take it. most of the loreguard would be at the walls, or they could use the sewers, the shaman can control the monsters, and they simply dig in the island. who else goes into the sewers during a siege. with the crystals taken, they could buy what arcan are left behind.
Kyvern smell allows monsters to like him, the quuar, lupan and shadow foxes are examples. He may have greater influence over them as they could consider him kindred, they listern to shaman sometimes, but he reminds them of monsters. so he is not only a shadow fox shaman, he is a monster shaman. which means they will be free to use the sewers filled with monster rats. a river spirit could make the city flood so monster could be unleashed.
If there not an army with no leaders nearby, with almost no way to know what going on. Will the arcans be visiting this group for supplies.
Last edited by SYED on Sun Aug 29, 2010 8:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
