Comic 138 - Test out the elemental, press onward
17th Jun 2018, 10:19 PM
in High Roads, Low Roads, Threeroads
Average Rating: 5 (2 votes)
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Author Notes:
"I do feel rather tired after finishing the song," Justice replies. "It's not growing any worse, though."
The cost of casting is likely all up front, instead of eating mana over time. Between that and how long it takes to sing the song, summoning the elemental mid-combat is probably not feasible... but since it's not eating away at Justice's energy by existing, there's no reason not to just summon it during down time and keep it around.
Well, aside from an elemental possibly scaring regular citizens, but it's a small elemental. It shouldn't be a big deal.
Justice takes a moment to practice giving the elemental commands. It seems she does need some sort of gesture, or verbal command, to make it do anything--however, those gestures can be subtle, and it seems to understand her intentions even if the orders are hard to interpret.
It's not able to harden itself much--the elemental mostly exerts force by circulating the water inside it more rapidly, creating miniature "jets" or "jetting" its own body. It can do this to attack (shooting water out of its arms with some intensity, then drawing the water back), or even to propel itself around.
However, due to its size, the amount of water it has available to do these things is fairly limited. It can't hit very hard, nor can it go blasting off at ridiculous speeds. It IS extremely malleable, able to flatten itself out and reconstitute--it just lacks the physical presence that, say, a slime might have.
It's also able to hold small objects... just, not very well. It kind of... floats items around inside itself, if provided.
Lastly, the elemental is... maybe not all that great at maintaining its own moisture. Wherever it walks, and whatever it touches, is left wet--and you're no scientist, but you're pretty sure that's bad for the creature made of water. If active long enough, you suspect the elemental will shrink a bit, or may even exhaust its own supply of holy water just wandering around. In short, it has a time limit--a very generous one, probably, but a time limit nonetheless.
You all head into the next room, having the elemental lead the way. The room is... surprisingly skeleton free.
Comments:
Assuming the altars are fine. . . slot anchor, light fires on the two braziers if they don't light on their own.
Also we now have a (small) portable shower yay :)
Why.
I want one.
Can we cast identify? And maybe nab one or two on our way out?
Also thank Valley for sharing her milk. We know it’s no big deal to her but it’s very helpful and we appreciate it.
Our dad said Gramps was a fisherman, who also adventured a bit. He said nothing of him being a wizard / architect / engineer / gravedigger / polyglot / subterranean botanist. My point is, Gramps was a badass.
He might even be able to use the same concept on hollow enemies like skeletons to redirect their movements, and cursed undead like liches and vampires would be absolutely terrified of him.
I wonder if he can absorb some sand or we can find him some pumice later - he could use that to bulk up a bit and add some solidity to himself and his attacks.
Normally you use it to destroy them.
I wonder if he could jump onto a target's head and hold on until they drowned... or even pour himself into their mouth and flood their lungs directly. He's probably too weak for that, or it'd be too gruesome, but it's an option to consider if we find ourselves in a pinch.
Are these chests or altars an the sides?
These bowls atop the roots, are they for water or for fire?
Maybe we must place the candles from the room before in them.
Alternatively the HWE can somehow activate them.
Place the anchor in the middle after inspecting everything when you're sure nothing else is to do in preparation.
Although if Justice found out that the spell forced a free-willed entity to do her bidding, she would never use it again.
Maybe it gets harmlessly released back to its home plane if its physical form in this one is destroyed, but I'd want to know more about the mechanics of elementals in this setting before doing anything with it that might constitute cruelty or abuse.
I'm starting to think it's non-sentient, especially given the classification as a 'construct' and the talk of 'animation'. Maybe less like a dog and more like a roomba? (Or an Oglaf cumsprite, perfectly happy to splash-dive to death under suitable circumstances.)
Still probably needs clarifying either way, as you say.
Soooo.... its animated water under the control of Justice. It's not a pet, it's not sentient, it's just the element water formed into a shape that she controls. My guess is that its only limits are what Justice feels comfortable with.
(it's NOT something seduceable)
He's got no mouth to talk with us, but he does understand Justice's commands, so either he knows the language or maybe he can read her mind?
Or have it form words inside it's body.
Or maybe it can just imitate speech by vibrating or something after making a suitable facsimile of a mouth.