2010-03-22: This. Is. Tsuiraku!

[Initial B]

It's nice to see his heart can stil rule his head. He probably uncorked due to a variety of factors, including being furious with the idiots who got his daughter involved in this whole mess in the first place.

Still, the elves are in a hard place. They don't have Meji, and Ian is coming for them. They don't have the resources to marshall forces against both. I wouldn't be surprised if the new elven ambassador is sacked over the way she handled the negotiations, as you don't want to make antagonists, but allies. I think her reaction shows just how scared the elves are of the current situation.

[Graybeard]

My only complaint about these developments: When did Bani get so homely?

[mediocrates]

This brings back memories.

http://www.errantstory.com/2004-10-08/280

[mindstalk]

Elves have anti-magic grenades

IIRC, they have 1 left. Awesome against one or two mages, but against an army? Not so much.

There was one left in the case Misa stole. Someone else got the others. Nisotta used two. And that's what they had lying around; maybe they can make more.

The elves also have another couple of disadvantages: Ian still lives, and he already killed a lot of their best fighters under the mountain. And like someone pointed out last thread, the elves can't breed, but humans can.

Sure, in a long term war vs. an equal attrition would be a major problem. In the short term, they could kill a lot of Tsuirakuans. And we don't know if they are equal, which was my point, vs. an assertion that the elves were going to get outmatched. For all we know, it's the Tsuirakuans who'd be outmatched, with Ichiro having brought down the Wrath of the Elder Race.

Fuck, for all their battlemages and golems and such, Tsuiraku has fought one war we know about, ever. And they probably overpowered the Veracians. Out-logisticed, too, with airships and warp gates. Otherwise it's all theoretical wargames for them, vs. an opponent of unknown capabilities and lots of experience.

Whatever the reality, starting a war is unwise. Tsuiraku doesn't know how many elves there are (unless that got leaked recently), or even exactly where they live. We know they're a dying race; in-world, people know they're a *secretive* race. "Let's start a war with an unknown number of magic users mostly older than my entire civilization" does not strike me as a good idea, even if it works out in the end.

[Boss Out of Town]

This brings back memories.

http://www.errantstory.com/2004-10-08/280

Exactly, Batman!

[Rakshasa Taisab]

They even got the same heavy-breathing from rage and magic exertion, except Meji is much cuter when she does it.

Speaking of which... They even used the same spell, might be grandpa not only has the same fury but also the propensity for destructive spells.

[Nell]

They can't afford to start war with Tsuiraku even if Lucian brings that message home... (I'd like to see whether or not she avoids mentioning the fact the errant was the ambassador's grand daughter) They have an enemy out to get them, backed by the Ensigerum, and both of them are backed by Zombies. Unless the Ensigerum revolts.

And in the time she delivers the message and the elves deliberate on a response, Meji may start finally being able to use her powers and Tsuiraku will have yet another ace up their sleeves.

If the elves interpret things as a declaration of war then it becomes a matter of which hound gets to the fox first...

Or, it could be a matter of everyone dying in the conflict, which I find horrendously difficult to believe considering they are facing Ianilis and Mejilis. Their own gods.

Will we get a tragic scene where Misa is basically beheaded as she works out the courage to fight in the war?
Or maybe Misa/Chris and Jon/Sarine, Ian/Meji will be the only survivors of the whole mess....that would be giggly.

[DatDude]

Meji's grand pa is the man. I swear Poe read my mind with that alt text.

The elves It dawns on me are at a huge disadvantage in a war of attrition. If they didn't know that during the errant war they sure as hell did by the end of it. I wonder if they've been making golems or something just in case. Seeing as Sarine commented about how quick humans seem to " get over it " and move on I'd doubt it.

With Tsuiraku and Ian and his zombie, and the time monks going after the elves I'd say this is the end for the elves unless that half troll Poe did the pic of was half elf half troll.

Sitting back to enjoy the ride.

DD

[Forrest]

It just occurred to me, if we end up with a Battle of Five Armies type situation: the Tsuirakuans have golems, basically robots. Ianilis has zombies. We haven't seen much of either. Can we expect robots vs zombies in the big show down (with God vs Goddess thundering above the battlefield)?

[Schmorgluck]

Yeah, and while we're at wild war scenarii, I think there's an important question that hasn't been treated: what would be the policy of the Gewehr Wraiths. They are not exactly a neglectible force.