Reality and the Shadow Fox

[expedient]

While we anxiously bite and chew and generally gnaw away at our nails (and/or our loved one's patience), I present to you a wild ass theory:

Clover, other Arcans, and animals all smelled him to be what he appeared to be, right now as an Arcan, but monsters smelled him entirely differently.

There have been hints that when Kyven truly masters illusions he would be able to make changes to reality itself. I wonder if Kyven's scent gives us a hint as to what the Shadow Fox Spirit has really done to him.

What if the amulet that Kyven wears does not in fact allow him to exchange a part of his humanity with Danna but solely locks them to a false duality? Kyven is the most adept of the Shadow Fox Spirit's new children and to monsters he smells of something different; not arcan, when holding that form, and not human. Yet, as in the quote above, he smells of and appears to be exactly what he looks like to everyone else. One of the skills he has inherited with his other shadow powers is the ability to change his shape to any he can imagine, stretching and reshaping himself at will by bringing the shadows from within his core and accepting his physical body into them. What if his base state is shadow itself? The human and arcan shapes would then be only limits imposed by his own mind. Could Kyven, and the other new children, take on any shape they could accept and fool reality for any non-monster? Or be limited to human or arcan (or fox) shapes but can change between them at will?

What if the amulet is a lie to limit her children? Controlling them with guile and deceit. Kyven's powers would then be to change the reality of himself, using shadow powers, and the reality of the world around him, using his shaman powers. The ultimate expression of the Shadow Fox Spirit's mantra could be: what is real?

This might also explain why Kyven would eventually not need to worry about the shadow monsters whilst traveling as he could just take on their appearance or reality so that he fits into their perception of normal in the shadow realm.


<jumping up and down like a giddy child>Look! Look! New Chapter!

[SYED]

If shadow powers allow manipulation of reality, that means both the material and spirit world, could he even create bridges or gates between the two. Do we know for certain he is unable to make crystals, what if his shadow powers give him an alternative, an easier way to make crystal, or a new knind of crystals, shadow crystals.
If he can manipulate reality can he heal feral arcan.
WHat if he wasnt made part shadow fox, but part shadow fox spirit.
he can speak to animals, will he gather shadow foxes to him to act as spies and scouts.
can he bless shadow abilities, he can give spider climb abilities, so how is that different from shadow ability.

[expedient]

If shadow powers allow manipulation of reality, that means both the material and spirit world, could he even create bridges or gates between the two. Do we know for certain he is unable to make crystals, what if his shadow powers give him an alternative, an easier way to make crystal, or a new knind of crystals, shadow crystals.

The mana/spirit energy helps bridge to the shadow world but I think that they're fundamentally different. Which begs the question of how the Shadow Fox Spirit came to master the shadows and have other spirits mastered other realms?

If he can manipulate reality can he heal feral arcan.

Healing is an interesting limit Kyven currently has. Supposedly he can't channel enough power to heal as conventional shaman do. But since he can change shape, as shown in the Black Keep, could he reshape himself around injuries?

WHat if he wasnt made part shadow fox, but part shadow fox spirit.

Is this what makes him "monster"? This may allow another set of abilities, like travel to the spirit realm, if it could be manipulated. I suspect not though.

he can speak to animals, will he gather shadow foxes to him to act as spies and scouts.

He hasn't shown any ability to speak with animials though the spell is probably within his abilities to talk to foxes. He is able to intuit the correct responses to appear friendly to animals, feral arcans and monsters.

can he bless shadow abilities, he can give spider climb abilities, so how is that different from shadow ability.

They seem to be different sets of powers; the shaman powers using mana crystals/spirit energy and the shadow powers have a set of properties which is linked to using but separate from the spirit energy. Perhaps the part of Kyven that is monster is spirit energy enabled so it doesn't work well in a completely mana-null zone, like the Loremaster tower, but the shadow energies themselves are separate and distinct from the spirit realm.

[SYED]

WHy did the shadow fox, alter other fox arcans, why humans or shadow foxes, would it not be easier to change a fox into a diffent type. be better for breeding would it not. SImply give a speacial blessing to some unborn kits.

WIth all the new farming arcans they can turn a huge areas into farming communities. SO arcan communities could become the source of food and crystal, to human lands. THe mines would be destroyed, and the loss of arcan mean very hard to keep the human fariming community and economy going. THey use the crystals and food, to buy still collared arcans as well as manufactured goods.

WIth shaman, they can tame and breed the monsters. Equuar and tauren and lupans.
ALso they could purchase junk cheap, then shape it into high value goods. WHat they really need to do to make them more secure, rob the loreguard city, for all the alchemy material and industry. If they become the city of alchemy, it gives them unparreled economic advantage.
They can use alot of waste and dross material, to arm the nation.

[expedient]

If I understand you correctly: I believe that Kyven offered her a unique opportunity, as the first human shaman to survive into his power (I'm guessing he's either the very first of sufficient strength or the first not to be killed for fear of Touch poisoning). He gives her an *in* to the humans to execute her elaborate plans involving infiltration and subterfuge. A fox or an arcan couldn't execute those plans successfully as Kyven has. They lack the human experience.

The breeding plan of hers is probably a secondary plan for the long term. A force to effect large scale change amongst the humans and arcans using her preferred methodology. Using shadow powers, guile and deceit, a shaman lineage and the mystique of the black fox arcans as weapons in those plans.


Trade is a possible way to keep the peace with the humans; meeting their shortfalls in food and power (crystals). I don't think it is a situation that the humans will accept at this time however:

1) The arcans have always been their slaves and many generations will have to pass before they might be considered equals to humans.

2) The arcans can trade food and crystals for the remaining arcans but after they've all been recovered the humans have very little to trade with. Alchemical devices maybe?

3) With the arcans having the upper hand in trade many humans will resent the power that hand represents. History shows us that while bilateral trade can encourage peace unbalanced treaties often foment unrest.

4) The removal of the Loremasters (if that is what happens) will create a power vacuum that the more powerful nations will try to exploit leaving Noraam in a possible decades long power struggle not conducive to any sort of universal human/arcan trading.

5) A weakening of the Noraam nations due to a reduction in their ability to raise armies and food and power shortages could encourage more distant nations to attempt an invasion or some regionally unbalancing treaties that force a long war with the arcans or a cold war.


So in summary the humans may go to war because they think the arcans are inferior, they don't like being second best in trade, they want to deny or capture each others resources, they wish to test the arcans/shamans power, they face shortages or are under pressure from invasion. The building of power blocks where the cost of conflict is "too high" doesn't work very often either. The First World War is an example of that.

There are no happy endings.

[SYED]

People who can see spirits, glow from alchemy and crystals, will now know its not the touch, but they have the ability to be shaman, so they may head to haven for safety.

SHaman are better healers, so people will come for their health.

After the loremasters are taken down, war over the crystal spplies and mines. HAven can sit back and watch. THey are the sole secure point of crystals, so keep some trading going on. IF they help shore up human economies by supplying food and crystals, the longer the countries can devote their man power to war.

While shaman can produce anything, for emergencies, it is better to have inferstructure. THe loremaster city will likly be raided for treasure and crystals by the human nation, the arcans can simply buy using crystal, tools, industry, services, inferstructure, libraries and work shops. buy the materials from alchemy and smiths.