Lo, those memories of days of yore when blood ran between my fingers like a carnal syrup.
Lo, those days when mine enemies fled before my name like thunderclaps.
Woe, as i recall my nature.
Oh, yes. Having lost an eye, “Princess” not only restored it through transformation, but acquired 10 additionals to boot. What will trigger and shape transformation of others?
Lo, now do i remember the days of yore when bone split like lumber.
Lo, now do i recall my name like thunder.
Woe, now do reclaim my strength to sunder.
Hrmm… So handy, having a Hit Point counter out on display for your opponents to see. “31 hp? No problem, I got this!” Heh, more likely someone is keeping a tally of the body count though. Does make me further ponder the low numbered Priests that we see. Could it be that these are all that remain? We never did see those Exorcists with the bladed whips rising up out of the darkness (SoT 7-74). Maybe there aren’t nearly as many folks still on the Dragon’s payroll as we reckoned? Automation (i.e. traps and mazes) resulted in reduction to headcount? Hrmm…
The numbers would appear to be counters that indicate the rank within the priesthood, an interesting concept that is replaced in more enlightened cultures by a belt worn by the most holy deacons carrying the shrunken heads of the previous incumbents of their positions.
It’s more of a Ranking counter that automagically updates. If someone higher than you kicks the bucket, it ticks down one. I’m pretty sure we saw some priests numbered in the thousands, and they went down as easy as any others.
Ah, I see it now! Reckon y’all are right. I didn’t make the connection between the upper set of panels where the Priests were dying vs the lower panel showing the counters. Clearly see #31 in both panels now though. Hindsight and all that.
Hmm… As you mentioned, we previously saw some very high numbers. Perhaps as rank increases (number decrease) Priests move closer to Mammon himself. If so, then I would expect our adventurers have just about reached their gold… err… goal.
So, initially, we were reading & commenting as if the numbers were personal identifiers, like names. Someone else in this thread (nick012000) commented as if the counters were tracking the number of deaths in their presence. And now we have both “hit point” and “rank” interpretations.
Truly, the interpretation of the numbers of these ̶a̶b̶s̶o̶l̶u̶t̶e̶ ̶n̶u̶t̶t̶e̶r̶s̶ beasts is a matter for the wise.
We’re leaving together,
But still it’s farewell
And maybe we’ll come back
To earth, who can tell?
I guess there is no one to blame
We’re leaving ground
Will things ever be the same again?
It’s the final countdown
The final countdown
Could it be that color transformation requires a blood sacrifice, with Princess’s being provided unwillingly by dead priests? There is some dripping as they transform.
Interesting. The demon also gains hair sticks. It would seem that the devil’s body is not limited merely to the parts which mimic flesh, but can also create seemingly inanimate matter.
So, it looks to me like the priests’ counts reduce to zero when their priest dies– and that when another priest dies, they move up in rank. It’s not a kill count, it’s a rank-by-survival count.
So the fact that the last priest’s didn’t change… looks very, very bad for Princess, indeed.
Hrmm… Alright, I reckon we are also a little bit partially to blame for Princess Jack Moonshine’s… rapid escalation. Y’all recall yer Demonology lessons, right? Demons go by many names, and the correct names have power over ’em, and also grant them power – like we seen with the mask job ol’ Allison pulled on Grandad Vladok way back when (WoN 1-18 ish). Names are all well and good, and properly binding, so long as folks stick to the given names.
Y’all might recall for ’bout the last 2 years or so we have been slippin’ and calling Princess Jack Moonshine (etc) by a much shorter name… Now, how do you think a Demon GETS a shorter name? Reputation and ability, amirite? And when a Demon starts to be called by shorter names on a regular basis… Well, that imparts some power. Moves them up the ladder. Reckon?
“Transformations”. Plural.
The way we and Allison been throwing around Cio’s former name, it wouldn’t suprise me none to see her moving up a notch as well. Heck, she been holding it back so much already she’s sweating and sprouting horns. Hope she can hold on to enough of her old “Cio-self” though. I’d sure miss that little blue fan-fic gal.
Whoopsie. Is that gonna take a new binding?
Have you ever been the first to die?
Well, I can’t say I saw that coming. I’d like to know what provoked the…upgrade? Evolution?
Seeing everyone else being a badass reminded Princess that she is also Vladdock.
Please take a number, service will be with you shortly.
Transformations indeed. She transforms living priests into dead ones.
Lo, those memories of days of yore when blood ran between my fingers like a carnal syrup.
Lo, those days when mine enemies fled before my name like thunderclaps.
Woe, as i recall my nature.
You know, it’s probably good that Allison is in heartless murder-bitch mode, because dealing with a fresh red demon has got to be rough.
Demon kills six billion
Witty quite thy comment was.
Eye caramba!
Oh, yes. Having lost an eye, “Princess” not only restored it through transformation, but acquired 10 additionals to boot. What will trigger and shape transformation of others?
Promotions!
Lo, now do i remember the days of yore when bone split like lumber.
Lo, now do i recall my name like thunder.
Woe, now do reclaim my strength to sunder.
Hrmm… So handy, having a Hit Point counter out on display for your opponents to see. “31 hp? No problem, I got this!” Heh, more likely someone is keeping a tally of the body count though. Does make me further ponder the low numbered Priests that we see. Could it be that these are all that remain? We never did see those Exorcists with the bladed whips rising up out of the darkness (SoT 7-74). Maybe there aren’t nearly as many folks still on the Dragon’s payroll as we reckoned? Automation (i.e. traps and mazes) resulted in reduction to headcount? Hrmm…
I’d bet leaving deadly traps about the place will reduce headcount by quite a bit, very directly.
The numbers would appear to be counters that indicate the rank within the priesthood, an interesting concept that is replaced in more enlightened cultures by a belt worn by the most holy deacons carrying the shrunken heads of the previous incumbents of their positions.
It’s more of a Ranking counter that automagically updates. If someone higher than you kicks the bucket, it ticks down one. I’m pretty sure we saw some priests numbered in the thousands, and they went down as easy as any others.
Ah, I see it now! Reckon y’all are right. I didn’t make the connection between the upper set of panels where the Priests were dying vs the lower panel showing the counters. Clearly see #31 in both panels now though. Hindsight and all that.
Hmm… As you mentioned, we previously saw some very high numbers. Perhaps as rank increases (number decrease) Priests move closer to Mammon himself. If so, then I would expect our adventurers have just about reached their gold… err… goal.
So, initially, we were reading & commenting as if the numbers were personal identifiers, like names. Someone else in this thread (nick012000) commented as if the counters were tracking the number of deaths in their presence. And now we have both “hit point” and “rank” interpretations.
Truly, the interpretation of the numbers of these ̶a̶b̶s̶o̶l̶u̶t̶e̶ ̶n̶u̶t̶t̶e̶r̶s̶ beasts is a matter for the wise.
The numbers definitely count down when priests die, and they definitely indicate rank (00000000001).
whoa. now THAT’S what i call a princess
We’re leaving together,
But still it’s farewell
And maybe we’ll come back
To earth, who can tell?
I guess there is no one to blame
We’re leaving ground
Will things ever be the same again?
It’s the final countdown
The final countdown
This is really messing with me. Why is 000032, until quite recently 000033’s counter going down when the newly promoted 000044 dies?
What sort of system is this, where when your underlings die you get promoted?
Hmm… I think it might just be that someone ranked above #32 died in another part of the fight, maybe.
“What sort of system is this, where when your underlings die you get promoted?”
Corporate America
Loving that shoutout to Vladok’s verses in the drinking game.
“Nay! Nay! Thou shalt not take this day!”
Princess JACKED Moonshine
Could it be that color transformation requires a blood sacrifice, with Princess’s being provided unwillingly by dead priests? There is some dripping as they transform.
CONTAIN….THIS BLACK FLAME ?
MY GREATNESS
RESPONDS
TO NEED.
FURIOUS
EVOLUTION.
DEMONIC POTENTIAL
MY TRUE MEASURE ?
FURY.
HURRICANE OF RAZORS
AM I. A JUGGURNAUT !
When I saw this page, immediately I thought “THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AoOa-Fz2kw
Hmm… Interesting that despite trashing her mundane clothes, Princess&c. seems to have kept her collar(s?), and gained earrings to boot.
Shred-cloth bikini & bling FTW!
Interesting. The demon also gains hair sticks. It would seem that the devil’s body is not limited merely to the parts which mimic flesh, but can also create seemingly inanimate matter.
Snapwise I utter, Vladok be mightsome lookerly!
Those abs inspire some truly mixed feelings.
So, it looks to me like the priests’ counts reduce to zero when their priest dies– and that when another priest dies, they move up in rank. It’s not a kill count, it’s a rank-by-survival count.
So the fact that the last priest’s didn’t change… looks very, very bad for Princess, indeed.
Love that callback to Vladok’s verses in the drinking game.
“Nay! Nay! Thou shalt not take this day!”
Our little Princess has come so far…
Hrmm… Alright, I reckon we are also a little bit partially to blame for Princess Jack Moonshine’s… rapid escalation. Y’all recall yer Demonology lessons, right? Demons go by many names, and the correct names have power over ’em, and also grant them power – like we seen with the mask job ol’ Allison pulled on Grandad Vladok way back when (WoN 1-18 ish). Names are all well and good, and properly binding, so long as folks stick to the given names.
Y’all might recall for ’bout the last 2 years or so we have been slippin’ and calling Princess Jack Moonshine (etc) by a much shorter name… Now, how do you think a Demon GETS a shorter name? Reputation and ability, amirite? And when a Demon starts to be called by shorter names on a regular basis… Well, that imparts some power. Moves them up the ladder. Reckon?
“Transformations”. Plural.
The way we and Allison been throwing around Cio’s former name, it wouldn’t suprise me none to see her moving up a notch as well. Heck, she been holding it back so much already she’s sweating and sprouting horns. Hope she can hold on to enough of her old “Cio-self” though. I’d sure miss that little blue fan-fic gal.
This is a brilliant theory. Cool beans.