Feral Mode - What, Why, and Where

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JediGuy
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Feral Mode - What, Why, and Where

#1 Post by JediGuy »

In the world of Two Kinds, there have been a few references (starting on Page 16) about a special Keidran defense mechanism known as "Feral Form." We've seen it in a few varieties throughout the comic, (Page 98, when Flora defended herself from Trace, Page 125 onward when Trace encounters the Feral Tiger, Page 211 is possibly Feral Form for Zen, Page 215 through 218 when Flora is fighting Natani) but what IS Feral Form, what triggers it, and why is it triggered?

Furthermore, where has it gone in the comic? To my knowledge (and I could be wrong), after the forest-battle with Zen and Natani, Feral Form has more or less disappeared within the comic. Why, when there are several occasions it could've been used during the Basitin Isle arc?
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Re: Feral Mode - What, Why, and Where

#2 Post by WindDragon »

As far as I know, feral form isn't actually falling completely into being a feral, but skirts the border between being sane and feral. The body reverts to a more primitive state, as shown by further animalization of the furries. However, the mind remains somewhat in control, however becomes as twisted as Alabaster's is now. In other words, emotions are exaggerated and they follow action before reason.
Being feral refers to reverting completely into a wild, primitive state. Pretty much leaving only the fight/flight reaction. Rational thoughts are lost, so basically this Keidran would be no more than an average tiger, wolf, etc.

As for where it has gone in the story, Tom probably ditched the idea once realizing how much confusion can occur between the two different states. Not saying that Tom won't use it sometime in the future though...
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Re: Feral Mode - What, Why, and Where

#3 Post by PhycoKrusk »

WindDragon wrote:The body reverts to a more primitive state. However, the mind remains somewhat in control, however becomes as twisted as Alabaster's is now. In other words, emotions are exaggerated and they follow action before reason.
Not quite, since feral form, when described in the comic, indicates that higher brain functions (i.e. logic, reasoning, abstract thought) shut down. What you said afterward is correct, but it's the mind that changes more than the body (the exaggerated physical features we see may be artistic only, to show us what's happening).
WindDragon wrote:As for where it has gone in the story, Tom probably ditched the idea once realizing how much confusion can occur between the two different states. Not saying that Tom won't use it sometime in the future though...
I can't speak for this. My understanding is that the books have some changes vs. the web comic, so maybe it was retconned out in the books. Or maybe it just hasn't show up because the story hasn't called for it.
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Re: Feral Mode - What, Why, and Where

#4 Post by avwolf »

PhycoKrusk wrote:
WindDragon wrote:The body reverts to a more primitive state. However, the mind remains somewhat in control, however becomes as twisted as Alabaster's is now. In other words, emotions are exaggerated and they follow action before reason.
Not quite, since feral form, when described in the comic, indicates that higher brain functions (i.e. logic, reasoning, abstract thought) shut down. What you said afterward is correct, but it's the mind that changes more than the body (the exaggerated physical features we see may be artistic only, to show us what's happening).
You're getting "going feral" and "feral form" confused. (It's easy to do. They're actually two different things, which use the same word, "feral" to describe them.)"Feral Form" is a combative shift, noted by the glowing eyes and more animalistic appearance (usually a more defined muzzle when appropriate, claws become more markedly obvious, etc...). "Going feral" incorporates the loss of higher-order brain functions as you noted, and while it also features the glowing eyes, you'll note that the tigress does not possess the more defined muzzle. A Keidran switches to feral form when their sympathetic nervous system engages (at the rush of adrenaline for fight-or-flight) and at more-or-less will to prepare themselves to action. A Keidran goes feral when they suffer a tramatic experience that casues their mind to shut down, but instead of going catatonic, they switch to instinctual control.
PhycoKrusk wrote:
WindDragon wrote:As for where it has gone in the story, Tom probably ditched the idea once realizing how much confusion can occur between the two different states. Not saying that Tom won't use it sometime in the future though...
I can't speak for this. My understanding is that the books have some changes vs. the web comic, so maybe it was retconned out in the books. Or maybe it just hasn't show up because the story hasn't called for it.
I can confirm that Feral Form (and it's even labelled) is still in the books. Though with the redraw, it looks a heck of a lot better. :P
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Re: Feral Mode - What, Why, and Where

#5 Post by PhycoKrusk »

avwolf wrote:You're getting "going feral" and "feral form" confused. (It's easy to do. They're actually two different things, which use the same word, "feral" to describe them.)"Feral Form" is a combative shift, noted by the glowing eyes and more animalistic appearance (usually a more defined muzzle when appropriate, claws become more markedly obvious, etc...). "Going feral" incorporates the loss of higher-order brain functions as you noted, and while it also features the glowing eyes, you'll note that the tigress does not possess the more defined muzzle. A Keidran switches to feral form when their sympathetic nervous system engages (at the rush of adrenaline for fight-or-flight) and at more-or-less will to prepare themselves to action. A Keidran goes feral when they suffer a tramatic experience that casues their mind to shut down, but instead of going catatonic, they switch to instinctual control.
Thanks for clearing that up, Avy.
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Re: Feral Mode - What, Why, and Where

#6 Post by Sithil »

My theory is that both Feral Form and Going Feral is triggered by extreme or prolonged exposure to stress or other mental traumas, to put it simply.
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Re: Feral Mode - What, Why, and Where

#7 Post by PhycoKrusk »

Sithil wrote:My theory is that both Feral Form and Going Feral is triggered by extreme or prolonged exposure to stress or other mental traumas, to put it simply.
Feral form is shown used in situations where it's simply needed, however. It has less to do with mental trauma and more, as avwolf pointed out, to do with physio-chemical changes caused by the flight or fight instinct activating. This also explains why there are instances where some character appear to simply be in feral form, like Zen when he is first introduced, because part of his conditioning was getting into the proper mindset to trigger it.

No doubt some of you have seen something similar in a certain video game series, only instead of "Feral Form," it was called "Devil Trigger." It's not a great comparison, but does provide a workable analogy.
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Re: Feral Mode - What, Why, and Where

#8 Post by Sithil »

PhycoKrusk wrote:
Sithil wrote:My theory is that both Feral Form and Going Feral is triggered by extreme or prolonged exposure to stress or other mental traumas, to put it simply.
Feral form is shown used in situations where it's simply needed, however. It has less to do with mental trauma and more, as avwolf pointed out, to do with physio-chemical changes caused by the flight or fight instinct activating. This also explains why there are instances where some character appear to simply be in feral form, like Zen when he is first introduced, because part of his conditioning was getting into the proper mindset to trigger it.
Those are the cases I would point towards stress instead of mental traumas. Because you will be under stress when you're fighting, especially for your life as has been the case in the comic.
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Re: Feral Mode - What, Why, and Where

#9 Post by WindDragon »

Maybe not stress...but more so of immediate danger of yourself or others you deeply care for. Technically they'd be more under stress where the story is right now...but none of them are going into feral form because the danger is spread out over a longer period of time, with events occurring one after another. The mind recognizes the danger, but the body doesn't. It's when the body takes control over the mind when either feral form or ferality occur.
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Re: Feral Mode - What, Why, and Where

#10 Post by FastChapter »

I was under the impression that Tom had phased out this aspect from the comic, seeing how it's only been used in the first few pages and dropped ever since.

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Re: Feral Mode - What, Why, and Where

#11 Post by Sleight of Word »

It would almost appear to be the same mode, but called different things because of how you arrive there.
Feral Form is chemical, as has been stated, and can be put out and withdrawn like a cat's claw. It seems to shut most higher functions down.

Going Feral is simply psychological trauma that puts you in a similar state as Feral Form simply because the higher functions cannot handle information anymore. ( I think that it has not yet stated if this can be consciously achieved. Like, just completely giving up.)

So it appears that when a Keidran stops thinking for any reason, they simply act like animals.
And there's Natani's case. It seems that, because of special training, she does not go into Feral Form when danger is immediately present, but rather acts rationally and quickly like a soldier. Flora, on the other hand, has no training and a lot less experience fighting. Practically her first defense is Feral Form.
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Re: Feral Mode - What, Why, and Where

#12 Post by WindDragon »

Maybe...I'll wait for Av to have the final say on that one though...

And I agree with Fast, I think Tom phased that out as it seems to have not been in use for quite a while. Either that or Tom forgot about it.
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Re: Feral Mode - What, Why, and Where

#13 Post by PhycoKrusk »

WindDragon wrote:Maybe...I'll wait for Av to have the final say on that one though...

And I agree with Fast, I think Tom phased that out as it seems to have not been in use for quite a while. Either that or Tom forgot about it.
Or the story just hasn't called for it.

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Re: Feral Mode - What, Why, and Where

#14 Post by Sleight of Word »

Man, something just occurred to me. Probs' posted already, but what about Laura going into Feral Form?
That would be weird. But inspiring.
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Re: Feral Mode - What, Why, and Where

#15 Post by WindDragon »

Laura doesn't seem to get angry, just very very depressed. If it's possible to turn into a suicidal feral Keidran, then anything's fair game.
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