Comic for August 21, 2021: Detritus vs Stone

[fun2doimpossible]

Sketch Link

[Cosmacelf]

Well, that’s a callback!

https://twokinds.keenspot.com/comic/168/

[Bellhead]

Trace still clearly doesn't know how to fight, but at least he has the sense to raise a shield. At least now we have clarity that Detritus has in fact taken over everything. Too bad he doesn't understand that Stoney was made with a will of his own, not to serve the Estate. I wonder if he'll realize it...

[Tornir]

Too bad he doesn't understand that Stoney was made with a will of his own, not to serve the Estate. I wonder if he'll realize it...

The crate was (if nothing else) an effective distraction. I wonder if Stoney will use the time to escape those vines(?) and deliver that lesson?

[Technic[Bot]]

Trace still clearly doesn't know how to fight, but at least he has the sense to raise a shield. At least now we have clarity that Detritus has in fact taken over everything. Too bad he doesn't understand that Stoney was made with a will of his own, not to serve the Estate. I wonder if he'll realize it...

Yeah I think our favorite malfunctioning DIY Alexa is not aware Stony is not like the rest of the golems around. How could he? Stony was made (born? Is he alive?) Years before detritus was a thought on the back of Trace mind. And he obeys and protects real trace not his malfunction home automation.

Also I am surprised detritus is physical not some hologram mag ic projection or something. Seems a weird design choice.
Also what was inside the crate? Seeds?

[Starcat5]

Also what was inside the crate? Seeds?

Seeds and Fertilizer. Insert potty humor joke here.

[Tornir]

At least now we have clarity that Detritus has in fact taken over everything.

Detritus may have control, but they're not paying attention to the systems they've subverted (lacking experience?).
They didn't send Sythe back to the Oasis Room after taking Maren (and don't seem to be aware he's now just outside), and also don't seem to be aware or concerned that the Oasis team have broken out. I can't see Rose being that careless.

Also I am surprised detritus is physical not some hologram mag ic projection or something. Seems a weird design choice.

I guess the clue is in the name; Detritus is eroded or decayed geological or organic matter. There's a rib cage in there (and presumably a skull), and I'd assume the flexible black stuff is coffin mulm, animated T-100 style. Did Old Trace go grave robbing for bits, or just murder someone? Rose said he was obsessed with death, and bringing back life, so a zombie sludge monster seems an appropriate choice in light of that.

Also what was inside the crate? Seeds?

Very specifically, Red Rose seeds. Clue/pointer?

[Bellhead]

At least now we have clarity that Detritus has in fact taken over everything.

Detritus may have control, but they're not paying attention to the systems they've subverted (lacking experience?).
They didn't send Sythe back to the Oasis Room after taking Maren (and don't seem to be aware he's now just outside), and also don't seem to be aware or concerned that the Oasis team have broken out. I can't see Rose being that careless.

To be fair, Rose has had YEARS of practice, and was around and in service while Old Trace was running the manor. She had a lot of time to learn, not to mention experience from living an actual life, to understand not only how people think, but how they operate. An actual intelligent being. Detritus, on the other hand, seems to have been made as pure emotion given a physical body. I'd wager Old Trace built him out of dark mana, or some such, and "programmed" him with whatever will he wanted, which would have essentially been set in stone; unchanging, no matter the circumstances.

I'd also wager that that was part of the reason he had the manor continue to use Rose under restriction, rather than Detritus with free reign. Detritus seems incapable of thinking for himself, whereas Rose (even in her current form) can still show life, and has the intelligence to perform complex tasks without murdering anyone in the way.

.

Also what was inside the crate? Seeds?

Very specifically, Red Rose seeds. Clue/pointer?

Very possible. However, I think they were just meant to be random seed packs and some fertilizer in a crate in the greenhouse.
It's possible they were put there by Saria many years ago, in honor of her close friend, and Old Trace never cared enough about flowers to move them. Or do anything that should have been done in the greenhouse at all, for that matter.

[Kyrit]

Trace still clearly doesn't know how to fight, but at least he has the sense to raise a shield. At least now we have clarity that Detritus has in fact taken over everything. Too bad he doesn't understand that Stoney was made with a will of his own, not to serve the Estate. I wonder if he'll realize it...

Yeah I think our favorite malfunctioning DIY Alexa is not aware Stony is not like the rest of the golems around. How could he? Stony was made (born? Is he alive?) Years before detritus was a thought on the back of Trace mind. And he obeys and protects real trace not his malfunction home automation.

The other guardians were presumably made before Stoney, based on the flashback. It's possible that he keep working on new ones after Nora made Stoney, but Trace did specifically state he'd already made some. I'd wager that is where Detritus's problem comes in; something that was made by Trace will listen to his commands, sure. Even a system that Nora enchanted for Trace is listening. But Trace asked for a spark of life, and Nora granted just that. Stoney has a will of his own unlike everything Detritus is controlling. Heck, i wouldn't put it past Nora to have a connection to Stoney like Nat and Zen have to some degree. Not that she's got the strength right now to do much, but I could fully see her caving and making Stoney actually being a plan to be able to watch from afar.

[Tornir]

If Nora has a link to/through Stoney then she'll be able to cast spells through it.
If Stoney has enough of a spark of life to wake up "Mom" calling for backup, Detritus may find itself turned into something useful*.

*An ornamental container for the roses and compost lying around would be nice.

[Bellhead]

Can't believe none of us thought of that thus far. That said, given Nora's final conversations, I don't think she'll be interfering, unless she put in some failsafe in case of inescapable danger. And that's definitely something I could see her doing.

[Tornir]

Nora wouldn't need to do much to be useful.
She was the dev of the security system Detritus has taken over. Would it take much mana to wake up, log in over an established(*) link, ban Detritus, give Rose back root access, and go back to sleep?


(*)At this point, it's existence is pure conjecture.

[Technic[Bot]]

-snip-
I guess the clue is in the name; Detritus is eroded or decayed geological or organic matter. There's a rib cage in there (and presumably a skull), and I'd assume the flexible black stuff is coffin mulm, animated T-100 style. Did Old Trace go grave robbing for bits, or just murder someone? Rose said he was obsessed with death, and bringing back life, so a zombie sludge monster seems an appropriate choice in light of that.

Also what was inside the crate? Seeds?

Very specifically, Red Rose seeds. Clue/pointer?

Old Trace went on homicidal rampages against Keidran for fun (?) and made a plan to seduce his best friend childhood friend (Red) to steal her body (Maren's) and resurrect her deceased wife (Saria) using necromancy. Grave robbing and murder are the what Trace did on lazy Saturdays.

Unrelated putting Rose on the greenhouse was actually cruel or at least pretty twisted. I don't think neither Saria nor Trace had any interest in gardening. So they likely had the greenhouse simply out of "rich people things" Then Trace goes all depressed maniac and decides it is fitting to keep Rose on forced suspended animation on the greenhouse, he did not even bothered to remove the plants, gardening equipment even after turning the place into his necromancy lab. That is some twisted joke. Hopefully once this chapter is over Rose can finally join her girlfriend friend Saria in the afterlife instead of being a necromancy experiment.

At least now we have clarity that Detritus has in fact taken over everything.

Detritus may have control, but they're not paying attention to the systems they've subverted (lacking experience?).
They didn't send Sythe back to the Oasis Room after taking Maren (and don't seem to be aware he's now just outside), and also don't seem to be aware or concerned that the Oasis team have broken out. I can't see Rose being that careless.

To be fair, Rose has had YEARS of practice, and was around and in service while Old Trace was running the manor. She had a lot of time to learn, not to mention experience from living an actual life, to understand not only how people think, but how they operate. An actual intelligent being. Detritus, on the other hand, seems to have been made as pure emotion given a physical body. I'd wager Old Trace built him out of dark mana, or some such, and "programmed" him with whatever will he wanted, which would have essentially been set in stone; unchanging, no matter the circumstances.

I'd also wager that that was part of the reason he had the manor continue to use Rose under restriction, rather than Detritus with free reign. Detritus seems incapable of thinking for himself, whereas Rose (even in her current form) can still show life, and has the intelligence to perform complex tasks without murdering anyone in the way.

.

Also what was inside the crate? Seeds?

Very specifically, Red Rose seeds. Clue/pointer?

Very possible. However, I think they were just meant to be random seed packs and some fertilizer in a crate in the greenhouse.
It's possible they were put there by Saria many years ago, in honor of her close friend, and Old Trace never cared enough about flowers to move them. Or do anything that should have been done in the greenhouse at all, for that matter.

There is a reason is insist on the Alexa comparison. Detritus seem quite less "refined" than even Stony and I doubt he is much more sophisticated than your real phone assistant. He clearly is way over his head, he has not dealt with Clovis, has not realized half the party escaped from the beach room. Nor that there is some other eldritch abomination around Nibs, Not that Sythe is basically in the same room with them.

Can't believe none of us thought of that thus far. That said, given Nora's final conversations, I don't think she'll be interfering, unless she put in some failsafe in case of inescapable danger. And that's definitely something I could see her doing.

Nora wouldn't need to do much to be useful.
She was the dev of the security system Detritus has taken over. Would it take much mana to wake up, log in over an established(*) link, ban Detritus, give Rose back root access, and go back to sleep?


(*)At this point, it's existence is pure conjecture.

Yeah i think Tom once mentioned he made Nora fell into slumber as he did not wanted a elder dragon solving all the party problems. But I would not put it past her to add something to Stoneward in case Trace is in mortal danger. Besides in case of external interference we have Nibbly in the room. We do not know what she is but she likely is able to give Detritus a run for his money. Alas i do hope Tom decides not to have Nibs or anyone Deus Ex Machina Trace and co out of this predicament. would be a lazy resolution to this chapter in my opinion.

I have mentioned before but i expect something like the following:
While Trace, flora and Sythe fight detritus. The rest of the party has to deal with Clovis all amped up on his magical toys. The latter eventually overpowers Reni, Nat, Red and co , not before taking significant damage, given he has a highly refined magic amulet and half of that party are non combatants. Meanwhile Trace manages to destroy Detritus but seeing the ritual almost succeeds makes him regress into his old self. He then summarily turns Clovis into mincemeat, bonus points if he uses zombie Brutus for the deed, as he does not want anyone else to interfere. The party fights him but they are severely outmatched by the necromancer, all seems doomed until Raine manages to muster the courage to defend her friends and using all her strength manages to overpower Trace long enough for Good Guy trace to reassert control and free Maren. They then flee as the manor crumbles to dust

[Dreamfox]

Trace should have his own link into the estates magic. The backdoor worked for him and he had to allow the others to enter the estate to begin with.
The question is, can Trace muster the willpower to overpower Detritus?
Does he even realize that this might be possible?

[Bellhead]

Trace should have his own link into the estates magic. The backdoor worked for him and he had to allow the others to enter the estate to begin with.
The question is, can Trace muster the willpower to overpower Detritus?
Does he even realize that this might be possible?

To questions 2 and 3, Yes, and No. Trace was the Grand Templar for a reason. Not just his magical potential, but his skills as well. It's just that now, he's at the level of "slightly capable apprentice", and lost most of his memories.

As for that first one...
I personally think any part of that link that would be helpful here would have been an active part; one that he would have to manually trigger, or focus on specifically, which he kinda can't do in his current, good state.

The backdoor you mentioned (which I assume was when he used the gate key), seems to be a more passive connection. It seems that anyone he thinks is okay to enter, is okay to enter. Of course, since Group B entered the Estate through there and not through the front door, it's possible that it bypasses the security systems since it would only ever be activated by Trace and nobody else. Or it could be like the vampires in Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and later Angel, where he only has to say it once, and that's that.

But either way, I'll put forth Rose's quote, "I still can't outright attack you", meaning that even Rose, with NO RESTRICTIONS, is incapable of using the security systems to cause harm. And that's DEFINITELY the Nora way of doing things, since she's probably one of the main architects of those magic systems. She was always more of a trickster than a killer, anyway, and I wouldn't put it past Old Trace to follow her rules to stay on her good side.