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Rain Burn / Re: Rain Burn, Page 453

« on: December 03, 2025, 08:37:58 pm »

wonder what sadia is looking at.

Up along the trunk, probably at the puppet armature. I kind of agree with Saida. It isn't really scary but it IS creepy as hell. This was a really weird battle and it looks like all.the great kami that combined forces against the Puppetmancer were corrupted.

That's the million dollar question.that has darkened this whole world. Why?

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Rain Burn / Re: Rain Burn, Page 452

« on: November 29, 2025, 11:23:14 am »

...to turn people into trees?

We don't know enough about puppets yet. Were they people/creatures controlled by the puppetmaster or inanimate constructs animated by the puppetmaster?

It's been pretty well established that the puppets were inanimate armatures and/or war machines given life by the Puppetmancer. It was Suzocon that was working on meat puppets. But those needed  a soul, so he decided to try and make a blank slate. To program in his Miyo meat puppet how he saw fit.

Also there was one kami in this world that might have been able to turn things into trees: Ayal and his Dryads. And he was the first corrupted kami the main chars came across, and the only one so far they've managed to defeat. The Dryads still go bonkers if they even so much as sniff something that may be a puppet.

Things that make you go hmmm...

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Rain Burn / Re: Rain Burn, page 451

« on: November 26, 2025, 10:25:21 am »

Also anyone else notice the little comment which is. We are the good guys. So we can do whatever we want.... I think Brand is letting his hero complex go to his head. As the reason why the Quetz are forbidden from going to the mountain. Probity is due to it being insanely dangerous...As forbidden is a term used to ensure peoples Safety, not just a spiteful rule.

On the one hand, this is the quetz. They run on spite and greed. The fish rots from the head down, etc. Saida-hime is just the exception that proved the rule with this bunch of nonces.

On the other hand, that "sacred mountain" thing can mean a bunch of different things, and the edict to NOT GO THERE may well predate Vetra-jou's fall from grace, i.e. it was put into place immediately after the Puppet Wars ended. So Saida-hime... well, she may have a point here. But on the other paw Brand-san may well be right. It's the only good hiding place they have that's guaranteed to not draw continuous Long Patrols of quetz searching for them.

TL;DR: Brand is helping. Again.

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Rain Burn / Re: Rain Burn, page 450

« on: November 21, 2025, 11:15:32 pm »

I'm sure the large clawed armature holding a sword isn't impressive now, Brand, but man you can be thick sometimes.

When it was animated by the Puppetmancer, I'm sure it was a whole hell of a bloody lot more threatening.

Despite my abysmally low batting average, I'm down to two theories about the Puppetmancer.

1) The 'getting turned into a tree' thing was temporary, reversed, or never happened. Suzokon-kyo is the Puppetmancer, quietly working on a whole new kind of puppet to try the whole thing again.
2) Suzokon-kyo had a Sauron-Morgoth type of relationship with the Puppetmancer; Suzokon was once his apprentice, but when the Puppetmancer was destroyed, he quietly carried on as his protege, with the same goal as #1. Finish what his sensei started.

But I've been wrong PLENTY so don't take me too seriously. It'll be fun if I turn out to be right, though.

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Rain Burn / Re: Rain Burn, page 449

« on: November 21, 2025, 12:56:20 pm »

I realized the sword's shine was likely metallic, I was referring to the arm holding it.

Has to be metal. Note the circular joints, sharp claws, etc. That HAS to be metal; dirt wouldn't work for that.

The armature was buried and buried for a LONG time. Raised up, it's of course gonna be crusted over with dirt. And considering how cursed that object is, I'm not sure they're gonna want to go on an archaeological dig just now.

They have an important clue: They know this was a battlefield of the Puppet Wars. And more and more, the quetz seems to be key players in taking down the Puppetmancer.

Who has a beef with the quetz again?

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Rain Burn / Re: Rain Burn, page 449

« on: November 20, 2025, 06:07:03 pm »

Is it made of stone or crusted over?

Crusted over with dirt. The crust breaks off easily and it reveals a metal armature of some kind.

They found it by part of it reflecting like a mirror as the Long Patrol passes over.

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Rain Burn / Re: Rain Burn, page 449

« on: November 18, 2025, 09:25:17 pm »

My original theory was correct. There was a major battle in the Puppet Wars there and almost certainly the Puppetmancer himself was there to coordinate the assault. And whoever was counterattacking was using scorched earth weapons against the puppets. That must have been an UGLY battle.

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Rain Burn / Re: Rain Burn, Page 448

« on: November 17, 2025, 06:45:42 pm »

Since they're looking for our trio, hopefully they won't stop to investigate some random shiny.

I think that is exactly what Brand is afraid of. That something shiny like that will stand right out in a dull landscape. And they would send in the Patrol to investigate.

Things may be about to get downright harrowing for our trio.

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Rain Burn / Re: Rain Burn, Page 448

« on: November 15, 2025, 09:06:36 am »

Don't get another one of your bright ideas, Brand. Wait until the Long Patrol goes on their way before you touch the... whatever the artifact is.

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Rain Burn / Re: Rain Burn, page 447

« on: November 12, 2025, 06:34:17 pm »

Awesome, right into a Quetz Long Patrol. Now it's either get underground or fight, and that last is guaranteed to bring the whole Quetz army down on their heads. Roko has it right: Run for shelter!

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Rain Burn / Re: Rain Burn, page 446

« on: November 10, 2025, 06:00:47 pm »

Astute observation. If it IS Prince Shock Jock, they're going to wish for the volcano dragon. Guess we'll find out soon enough!

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Rain Burn / Re: Rain Burn, page 446

« on: November 09, 2025, 06:42:22 pm »

If it's a volcano dragon why is the flash yellow-green, not more red?

That, is a good question! But SOMETHING big is emerging and whatever it is is probably Bad News.

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Rain Burn / Re: Rain Burn, page 446

« on: November 08, 2025, 05:48:19 pm »

Wild theory: They're about to meet a REAL volcano dragon. All that destruction isn't a battle at all. It's from the dragon. Weak mana signal because he was asleep or otherwise buried. Inactive volcano.

Its about to get real active and they are at ground zero. Let the fun begin!

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Rain Burn / Re: Rain Burn, page 444

« on: November 01, 2025, 04:07:34 pm »

Looks fine by me. I recognized the craters and dead trees easily and Saida is still a Genius Bruiser. It does indeed look like a massive magic battle took place right outside the Ave forest.

Maybe the slAves weren't all that about being enslaved and fought back, or threw their lot in with the Puppetmancer.

Battle took place long ago but that's history you should pay close attention to, Saida-hime.

Brand finally has stopped helping.

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Rain Burn / Re: Rain Burn, page 443

« on: October 27, 2025, 09:16:02 pm »

If they are out in the open and still in range, they better hope the Ave Air Force collapsed from exhaustion or really horrible battle music by now. Because otherwise they're sitting ducks.