Comic for August 29, 2020: Knock Knock

[Bellhead]

Click for Sketch

And now we know what Sythe was doing all this time. Looking for Maren, and help finding her.

I almost forgot how much I hate that guy. And he must have some clue as to what's going on with Rose... Wonder how. And while we're at it, what the heck kind of protection spell is that that blocks Nora's magic?! I call shenanigans!

Wait.. does Sythe know Clovis? Does Clovis know him?!

[Panther]

Well ; nude chest : happy to be a male again , Clovis (even if it comes from an artifact) isn't it ? What a shame for you if you lose it during the next unavoidable fight with Trace and other mages

All this to get back Brutus ; that's kind of you , in a way , to take care so much of him

[steelabjur]

It's clear from the fact that he didn't become a chicken (and the fact Rose is relying on Stoney's less qualified kin to kill everyone in the Oasis Room when she was sure it would be easy for her to kill Trace now that she is unrestrained) that the magic in the mansion isn't running at full capacity, power's likely being drawn off for the "Turn Maren into Saria" Project. I doubt Clovis knows anything about what's going on with Rose or actually happening inside, but was just keeping a magical eye on the security and noticed it wasn't running at full level and is probably planning on plundering and/or freeing his men.

Clovis is also wearing the broach Brahn paid him with (likely projecting an illusion making him look male) and like half a dozen probably magical rings (and who knows what he has in those pouches on his hips). Looks like he came loaded for bear.

[SangheiliSpecOp]

I haven't logged in here in years but I just wanted to say; "oh no he's hoooot"

[Bellhead]

I haven't logged in here in years but I just wanted to say; "oh no he's hoooot"

Wait... Which one?
EDIT: Nevermind. Had to forget he was Clovis for a second. Tom really did a nice job with him... Kinda makes me mad that the bad guy looks that good.

Clovis is also wearing the broach Brahn paid him with (likely projecting an illusion making him look male) and like half a dozen probably magical rings (and who knows what he has in those pouches on his hips). Looks like he came loaded for bear.

I'm not so sure.

The way Natani and Zen have described him, and his attitude in TDM, is that of a thieving playboy kingpin type of character. His rings are most likely just part of his usual outfit. Granted, the pouches may contain some magical artifacts of some kind.

That said, the broach must have something to do with his current form, but I doubt it's a simple illusion spell. Remember what Brahn said? It took a team of [their] best mages weeks to weave the magic. Natani, as untrained and self-taught, guessworked his way though a simple illusion spell in a couple of days, maybe less, with the help of Zen, who knows pretty much nothing about magic. If it took the Templar's best mages multiple weeks, it would have to be something rather complicated, or very difficult. I'd wager it can fully transform Clovis to male as long as it has a mana charge. Like Raine, but for gender instead. Given who he is, I doubt he'd settle for anything less. Might have even added in a magic resistance, too.

[Technic[Bot]]

I know the guy calls himself the prince of Greed but that is a more garish outfit, or lack thereof, than i was expecting.
Speaking of Clovis do we know why he is here? Brahn already paid him and other than saving Brutus, which for what i gather is not quite characteristic of him, there does not seem to be much reason to storm the state. Speaking of that do we have some motivation for Clovis? For what i know he only wanted to fix himself and other than that he seems quite content by being the leader of a crime syndicate. He does not seem to have more motivation than that.
And about Branh do we know anything else about his plans? For what i remember he is the kind of guy into simple world domination but other than that... Now that I think of it, besides Trace the comic has been very vague about our antagonist motives and plans....

And now we know what Sythe was doing all this time. Looking for Maren, and help finding her.

I almost forgot how much I hate that guy. And he must have some clue as to what's going on with Rose... Wonder how. And while we're at it, what the heck kind of protection spell is that that blocks Nora's magic?! I call shenanigans!

Wait.. does Sythe know Clovis? Does Clovis know him?!

Sythe was a somewhat well regarded Wolf diplomat, and Clovis is a notorious Crimelord, even if they do not know each other in person I am sure they are aware of their existence.

It's clear from the fact that he didn't become a chicken (and the fact Rose is relying on Stoney's less qualified kin to kill everyone in the Oasis Room when she was sure it would be easy for her to kill Trace now that she is unrestrained) that the magic in the mansion isn't running at full capacity, power's likely being drawn off for the "Turn Maren into Saria" Project. I doubt Clovis knows anything about what's going on with Rose or actually happening inside, but was just keeping a magical eye on the security and noticed it wasn't running at full level and is probably planning on plundering and/or freeing his men.

Clovis is also wearing the brooch Brahn paid him with (likely projecting an illusion making him look male) and like half a dozen probably magical rings (and who knows what he has in those pouches on his hips). Looks like he came loaded for bear.

I am pretty sure the talisman is suppose to fix him and grant some protection to dragon magic. And I am not sure if Rose is even in control anymore or if is Trace's NecroAssitant pulling the strings now.
However I do agree he has no idea what it is going on, if he had nay he would be running away from the manor not into it.

[Panther]

I hope i'm wrong ; but i've the sudden feeling that Clovis will kill Rose's body during the fight ...............

[steelabjur]

I haven't logged in here in years but I just wanted to say; "oh no he's hoooot"

Wait... Which one?
EDIT: Nevermind. Had to forget he was Clovis for a second. Tom really did a nice job with him... Kinda makes me mad that the bad guy looks that good.

Clovis is also wearing the broach Brahn paid him with (likely projecting an illusion making him look male) and like half a dozen probably magical rings (and who knows what he has in those pouches on his hips). Looks like he came loaded for bear.

I'm not so sure.

The way Natani and Zen have described him, and his attitude in TDM, is that of a thieving playboy kingpin type of character. His rings are most likely just part of his usual outfit. Granted, the pouches may contain some magical artifacts of some kind.

That said, the broach must have something to do with his current form, but I doubt it's a simple illusion spell. Remember what Brahn said? It took a team of [their] best mages weeks to weave the magic. Natani, as untrained and self-taught, guessworked his way though a simple illusion spell in a couple of days, maybe less, with the help of Zen, who knows pretty much nothing about magic. If it took the Templar's best mages multiple weeks, it would have to be something rather complicated, or very difficult. I'd wager it can fully transform Clovis to male as long as it has a mana charge. Like Raine, but for gender instead. Given who he is, I doubt he'd settle for anything less. Might have even added in a magic resistance, too.

I don't think we've ever seen him wear them in any canon or non-canon appearance.

Well, it's probably not just a simple illusion (it likely also cloaks his true smell and makes him smell male), and it's an artifact rather than a cast and forget spell, which is going to take longer and be more complex from the jump. That's not even taking into consideration that Clovis' situation is due to Nora's magic, which was probably laid with checks to prevent it being easily hidden by illusion, let alone despelling or reversing it. Then there's the source of that information and who they said it to. Brahn had every reason to talk up the complexity and difficulty of its creation to Clovis, since it was what Brahn was paying him with. Raine's collar just suppressed her magic, which is what controlled her inherent ability to change, it didn't grant the ability.

[Phaing]

Yup, saw this coming, but I wasn't expecting him to come in before we got more info on what is really happening in there.

I wonder what Scythe wants on his tombstone....

Still not sure about what Rose's condition really is, but it looks bad for her. When a merciful death is the best one can expect, that's pretty bad, but that's just the view from outside.
All in all, it looks pretty dark, but I can't help having the pretty silly thought that anyone that didn't make use of those magical tables isn't going to get another shot at it.

[steelabjur]

I know the guy calls himself the prince of Greed but that is a more garish outfit, or lack thereof, than i was expecting.
Speaking of Clovis do we know why he is here? Brahn already paid him and other than saving Brutus, which for what i gather is not quite characteristic of him, there does not seem to be much reason to storm the state. Speaking of that do we have some motivation for Clovis? For what i know he only wanted to fix himself and other than that he seems quite content by being the leader of a crime syndicate. He does not seem to have more motivation than that.
Speaking of Branh do we know anything else about his plans. For what i remember he is the kind of guy into simple world domination but other than that... Now that I think of it, besides Trace the comic has been very vague about our antagonist motives and plans....

I can think of several reasons why Clovis might be attacking the manor. Sythe has a price on his head, Trace probably does too for that matter (maybe even two, if Brahn offered Clovis gold to kill him off screen). While Clovis certainly isn't one to rescue any of his men in trouble (he sold his parents into slavery for sweet, sweet cash, after all), he might be worried that they might blab his involvement, which would put him in hot water if word got back home to wolf territory that he was involved in helping the Humans and Tigers form an alliance against the Wolves, this might be less a "rescue mission" and more a "make sure they can't talk mission". He might think Trace isn't there; a manor of the Grand Templar MUST be full of magical geegaws and gold, right?

Personally, I'd worry less about Clovis doing something to Rose, and more what he might do if he finds a wounded and/or unconscious Zen. He still has a marker on the Magi Brothers and the fact that they were involved with his gender related problems would make him a good target for revenge.

[tony1695]

Would Clovis had known about Trace and co. being present, though? I think this is just nothing but sheer dumb luck on his part. The manor of the missing former Grand Templar would almost certainly be a gold mine of magical artifacts and knowledge, especially the darker sort Trace was dabbling in. That alone would be a good reason to try and break in, and if he's working alongside a current Templar, no matter how shaky that alliance is, he would know more than the average thief about where to find the things worth taking. Combine that with the timing of the 'false' Templar's attack on the Tiger delegation, which would focus attention away from the surrounding countryside and focus it within the town, makes me feel like this entire scheme was planned without considering what kind of wrench Trace and his friends would throw into things, because they were completely unexpected variables. He certainly would have been made aware, but if I have the timeframe right then that leaves only a day or two to make/alter plans.

If anything, Trace's pre-programmed ritual activating and rerouting power from the manor's automated defences has only played into his hands.

[aitaituo]

Would Clovis had known about Trace and co. being present, though? I think this is just nothing but sheer dumb luck on his part. The manor of the missing former Grand Templar would almost certainly be a gold mine of magical artifacts and knowledge, especially the darker sort Trace was dabbling in. That alone would be a good reason to try and break in, and if he's working alongside a current Templar, no matter how shaky that alliance is, he would know more than the average thief about where to find the things worth taking. Combine that with the timing of the 'false' Templar's attack on the Tiger delegation, which would focus attention away from the surrounding countryside and focus it within the town, makes me feel like this entire scheme was planned without considering what kind of wrench Trace and his friends would throw into things, because they were completely unexpected variables. He certainly would have been made aware, but if I have the timeframe right then that leaves only a day or two to make/alter plans.

If anything, Trace's pre-programmed ritual activating and rerouting power from the manor's automated defences has only played into his hands.

Clovis would know from the fake Templar attack that he organized, but it's a good point that the manor is an obvious high profile target for valuable magic. It's likely, if not indisputable, that Clovis learned from the Master Seer that Trace is a weakened amnesiac.

[Eclipse]

Damn, didn't think Clovis would start the party this soon. He's not messing around. Hope he doesn't find Zen before Natani and co. finish off the knockoff Stoneys or Zen's screwed.

[tony1695]

Clovis would know from the fake Templar attack that he organized, but it's a good point that the manor is an obvious high profile target for valuable magic. It's likely, if not indisputable, that Clovis learned from the Master Seer that Trace is a weakened amnesiac.

I think it'd be more accurate to describe Trace as 'strong but unskilled' in his current, amnesiac state. And all that is guaranteed to go out the window the moment Clovis and his cronies look at Flora the wrong way.
Which does raise another question. Just what does the amulet/talisman he got from Brahn do? If it can successfully reverse/fight off the magic of a dragon (as some people have speculated), it could completely nullify any advantage Evil Magic Trace can bring.

[Hayate]

Oh dear, it’s that one guy...