I’m probably nitpicking here, but the alt text parable is rather imperfect because there ARE fish that can breathe air or at least use it in low oxygen waters, and there are invertebrates that can breathe air as long as their gills remain moist. Also, tetrapods evolved from fish that…. *cymbal crash* learned to breathe air.
Anyways, the problem with the second part aside, I get the point of the parable, how does one describe a thing that they’ve never experienced or are incapable of experiencing or vice versa. I wonder if the parable is about Incubus, after all, all he’s really known is struggle and violence. It’s kind of a ‘if all you have is a hammer…’ sort of situation.
Edit: A clarification, by vice versa I meant trying to describe something to a being that is incapable of experiencing said thing. Obviously the vice versa is imperfect since you can still attempt to explain.
Foolish Last-of-Pen, Favored of the Impure Snow Wolf
Ah, but given this new information, does the parable not become more interesting? Does the message not become more nuanced? The fish may breathe air (if such is its wish and in its power) but the fish does not breathe air because you ask it to. Just as the bee cares not what you think of its flight, the fish cares now what you think of its breath.
So too it may be of one who dwells in the dark. It is not that you know that they will lead you astray in what falls under the light. It is simply that your asking will not change their course. Does this uncertainty not make them a more dangerous enemy? Does this possibility of truth not make their advice yet more antagonistic? It is possible, even likely, that they may see things falsely, but you can not be sure that even this much is true.
I am glad to hear Allison verify our summation from the previous page: she could easily escape that cell, but refuses to leave WC behind. She could spare a thought for Nyave and Princess as well, but she’s got a lot on her mind. And a prison cell is – to quote David Byrne – a good place to get some thinking done.
Mebbe exists un o twae troggy darkdwellers knows leastsome summat o light. Frae passin speelios likesome. Lungsfish an Mudskippy o darkness be thums, outa myriadsome other uns.
Sometimes also the XIII. Always rendered as a wild lion gently resting beneath an unarmed and gentle hand.
But, as Prince Kassardis learned, violence is inescapable.
“Again and again you will destroy yourselves until you are mere hunks of flesh, crippled wrecks of meat. And there will come a day when you have become so ruined that even I will be able to best you in combat, and you will submit to my peace.”
Gog Agog and Solomon have an agreement, so, he tolerates her atm. Whether he is aware of Incubus’s dalliances with Allisons sleeping mind or not, I don’t know (doubt it, but it’s reasonable that he might suspect it), but it’s not like Solomon can do anything about it.
child let me tell you something no matter what path you chose its a path to enlightenment. It’s only the fact that you realized that violence brings violence that will let you take a less traveled path. But even if you find strength is something other than violence you will still attract fools to you like scavengers to carrion.
I wonder if anyone is collecting all these haikus and poems somewhere in the wiki. They are as much an inherent part of the webcomic as the alt-text or the stories under each page!
Maybe this will finally cool the heads of all those pretentious idiots who say “ALLISON PUNCH THING GOOD” or something of the sort whenever she does something idiotic. But I doubt they ever had the critical thinking skills to care about what they were saying, anyway.
To whom is this point being made? The wall? If I were a wall and the true king but asked I would gladly open up and let her through. No violence necessary.
42 Fragments the Universe Beyond All Reintegration
I like these sparks of a crown appearing in the last panel. I’m still going by the theory, and I’m open to being proven wrong, that the power can bend reality any which way you want as long as you can convince yourself you have the “right” to impose yourself on the world that way. As long as you “know” you’re entitled to wield the power. The physical law that those in the story has coded as the “continuous cutting motion”.
The demiurges and all who approach them so far have thought that this means realising the power depends on feeling like you’re “above” everything and everyone. But, and I admit this is very loose speculation, maybe Alison is beginning to think it can mean depending on the feeling you’re the only one in a position to “save” Throne from this shitty fascist-Darwinist system that’s keeping everyone from Mottom to the lowest slave trapped.
It WOULD be interesting if she did something in her dream, only to wake up and find that it had actually happened in the real world as well.
Maybe she is finally getting attuned to her Key?
Incubus has showed up in dreams when she was in other places, and that has not stopped Allison from rearranging the scenery to suit their dialog. The fact that she *chooses* to remain jailed even in her dream shows (imho) that she’s restraining herself
I’m probably nitpicking here, but the alt text parable is rather imperfect because there ARE fish that can breathe air or at least use it in low oxygen waters, and there are invertebrates that can breathe air as long as their gills remain moist. Also, tetrapods evolved from fish that…. *cymbal crash* learned to breathe air.
Anyways, the problem with the second part aside, I get the point of the parable, how does one describe a thing that they’ve never experienced or are incapable of experiencing or vice versa. I wonder if the parable is about Incubus, after all, all he’s really known is struggle and violence. It’s kind of a ‘if all you have is a hammer…’ sort of situation.
Edit: A clarification, by vice versa I meant trying to describe something to a being that is incapable of experiencing said thing. Obviously the vice versa is imperfect since you can still attempt to explain.
Ah, but given this new information, does the parable not become more interesting? Does the message not become more nuanced? The fish may breathe air (if such is its wish and in its power) but the fish does not breathe air because you ask it to. Just as the bee cares not what you think of its flight, the fish cares now what you think of its breath.
So too it may be of one who dwells in the dark. It is not that you know that they will lead you astray in what falls under the light. It is simply that your asking will not change their course. Does this uncertainty not make them a more dangerous enemy? Does this possibility of truth not make their advice yet more antagonistic? It is possible, even likely, that they may see things falsely, but you can not be sure that even this much is true.
I am glad to hear Allison verify our summation from the previous page: she could easily escape that cell, but refuses to leave WC behind. She could spare a thought for Nyave and Princess as well, but she’s got a lot on her mind. And a prison cell is – to quote David Byrne – a good place to get some thinking done.
Mebbe exists un o twae troggy darkdwellers knows leastsome summat o light. Frae passin speelios likesome. Lungsfish an Mudskippy o darkness be thums, outa myriadsome other uns.
New shoots, fresh growth.
New shoes, fresh feet.
New toothbrush, fresh breath.
Sometimes also the XIII. Always rendered as a wild lion gently resting beneath an unarmed and gentle hand.
But, as Prince Kassardis learned, violence is inescapable.
“Again and again you will destroy yourselves until you are mere hunks of flesh, crippled wrecks of meat. And there will come a day when you have become so ruined that even I will be able to best you in combat, and you will submit to my peace.”
Well said. Moreover, forget not the gentle caution contained in X. Swords, all of them reposing point first in one’s back.
Violence is inescapable. However, that is no reason to become cruel. Kassardis couldn’t find peace in the world, so he nourished peace in himself.
Uh. Where the heck is Cio? Is this in Allison’s mind? Given her previous interactions with Incubus, this wouldn’t be so far fetched…
Incubus loves to communicate through dreams, and Solomon might not appreciate another demiurge within his palace
Don’t you mean three? Do not forget our dear Gog-Agog.
Gog Agog and Solomon have an agreement, so, he tolerates her atm. Whether he is aware of Incubus’s dalliances with Allisons sleeping mind or not, I don’t know (doubt it, but it’s reasonable that he might suspect it), but it’s not like Solomon can do anything about it.
Do not mistake the dreamer for the sleeping pill.
child let me tell you something no matter what path you chose its a path to enlightenment. It’s only the fact that you realized that violence brings violence that will let you take a less traveled path. But even if you find strength is something other than violence you will still attract fools to you like scavengers to carrion.
Oh yeah, it’s pacifism time, baybee!
that last panel is gorgeous !
As a great poet once said, “WAR (HUH good god y’all) What is it good for? Absolutely nuthin’.”
“B-but how are you going to reach heaven without violence?”
Maybe that’s the catch. Heaven seems pretty full of assholes as-is.
Heresy!
The Ward’s new beat has so much light
he’s toned it down by drawing a fight.
Have you heard him preach midnight?
I wonder if anyone is collecting all these haikus and poems somewhere in the wiki. They are as much an inherent part of the webcomic as the alt-text or the stories under each page!
Be the change you want to see in the world. Write them in wax crayon, ha ha!
Riddles are fleeting
this is axiomatic
Seriously considering changing my handle for the KSBD comment section to Un’ What Dwells Un Darkness
Royalty is a continuous nipple-piercing motion
By what road, O Soma, Aditi or friends go, not hostile, by that do thou come to us with aid.
By what, O Soma, overpowering one, thou shalt make the Asuras subject to us, by that do ye bless us.
By what, O gods, ye did repel the mights of the Asuras, by that do ye yield refuge unto us.
~ Atharva-Veda Samhita/Book VI/Hymn 7
When you are down and out the demons show up because they know that this is the time when it is the hardest not to listen to them.
Glad to see you have been taking my lessons to heart!
Thank you, uncle. Your letters have seen me through many bad times.
Last panel is simply beatyful.
* Beautyful, of course. Damn Norman-infested orthography.
Maybe this will finally cool the heads of all those pretentious idiots who say “ALLISON PUNCH THING GOOD” or something of the sort whenever she does something idiotic. But I doubt they ever had the critical thinking skills to care about what they were saying, anyway.
Be not so harsh on those who explore the word BEAST. Pleasure and fun, the goals of the flesh are royal too.
I don’t think Gog Agog is into the carnal pleasures, but I wouldn’t be surprised if some aspects/units/fragments of hers explore it.
In all fairness, Mottom seems more like the demiurge to be into carnal pleasures.
Wasn’t that Incubus’ thing?
Yes Alison!!
ahh, accompanied by a white flame and a black, she truly is beginning to sound like a queen!
It would be appropriate for her to punch an escape-sized hole in the wall and then not actually escape. Just to make the point.
To whom is this point being made? The wall? If I were a wall and the true king but asked I would gladly open up and let her through. No violence necessary.
Yes, but the average demiurge is thicker than the average brick. Solomon needs to be shown that he is not in total control.
Why? He is not in total control. Whether or not he is shown so is, for the moment, immaterial.
‘Reach heaven through violence’ is true, but violence makes for a poor brick and mortar, and a poorer way to live a life.
To this and similar comments below, I observe:
“And having reached heaven… what then?”
Reach heaven through violence and then keep progressing on before it becomes your hell.
I like these sparks of a crown appearing in the last panel. I’m still going by the theory, and I’m open to being proven wrong, that the power can bend reality any which way you want as long as you can convince yourself you have the “right” to impose yourself on the world that way. As long as you “know” you’re entitled to wield the power. The physical law that those in the story has coded as the “continuous cutting motion”.
The demiurges and all who approach them so far have thought that this means realising the power depends on feeling like you’re “above” everything and everyone. But, and I admit this is very loose speculation, maybe Alison is beginning to think it can mean depending on the feeling you’re the only one in a position to “save” Throne from this shitty fascist-Darwinist system that’s keeping everyone from Mottom to the lowest slave trapped.
It WOULD be interesting if she did something in her dream, only to wake up and find that it had actually happened in the real world as well.
Maybe she is finally getting attuned to her Key?
Al-YIS-Un switching roles from carry to support.
But will White Chain click the lantern?
‘Tis must frustrate the Demiurge considerably. His ‘apprentice’ now thinks in the way of his former master.
One cannot argue against the occasional usefulness of violence, but it’s perpetuation feels wrongful as well.
Where did Cio go?
Incubus’ visits always take place in Allison’s dreams – the cell background merely shows that she’s restraining herself both in body and mind
Or maybe it’s just because she is in a jail and that’s just the psychic landscape atm.
Incubus has showed up in dreams when she was in other places, and that has not stopped Allison from rearranging the scenery to suit their dialog. The fact that she *chooses* to remain jailed even in her dream shows (imho) that she’s restraining herself