Story: Wednesday, Jun 29, 2016

[Scotty 1,061]

46 minutes ago, Vorlonagent said:

Is this comic confirmation that Ed Verres is officially a wizard?

I think when it was mentioned that Tedd was expected to be a powerful wizard, it was a given that it was Edward that was the wizard, Noriko being a wizard would be odd considering Nanase's magic and the fact that the griffins believed her to be royalty, Noriko would likely give off the same aura of royalty.

[InfiniteRemnant 141]

1 hour ago, Scotty said:

I think when it was mentioned that Tedd was expected to be a powerful wizard, it was a given that it was Edward that was the wizard, Noriko being a wizard would be odd considering Nanase's magic and the fact that the griffins believed her to be royalty, Noriko would likely give off the same aura of royalty.

assuming wizardry is genetic, only one parent to inherit it from would be a tossup. both though, would have had a more predictable outcome.

If dominant, both parents carrying the gene would mean at least a 75% chance of the child inheriting it, 50/50 if only one has it.
if the trait is recessive, both parents having it would be a guarantee, while only one would rely on the other being a carrier of a dormant gene, otherwise the children would just be carriers.

Noriko's complete inability to understand how tedd not inheriting the trait was possible would actually suggest it's a recessive trait they both carried. Ie: something that should have been a sure thing.

[hkmaly 490]

1 hour ago, Scotty said:

3 hours ago, Vorlonagent said:

Is this comic confirmation that Ed Verres is officially a wizard?

I think when it was mentioned that Tedd was expected to be a powerful wizard, it was a given that it was Edward that was the wizard, Noriko being a wizard would be odd considering Nanase's magic and the fact that the griffins believed her to be royalty, Noriko would likely give off the same aura of royalty.

Image of Noriko on the panel talking about wizards seem to suggest Noriko is wizard, actually. (But just suggest ; it can't be taken as confirmation)

3 hours ago, Vorlonagent said:

Is this comic confirmation that Ed Verres is officially a wizard?

No: he might used wand.

1 hour ago, Don Edwards said:

I thought that Wolf and Cranium reporting to him was sufficient confirmation.

No: there is no reason to assume wizards have higher power, much less higher rank in DGB.

[ijuin 572]

Remember also that the main distinction between Wizards and Mages is that Wizards can learn other people's spells. Total magical power, or the relative power of available spells are completely separate matters. A Wizard is not necessarily a Super Mage.

[JustBecauseICantDraw 200]

1x, 2x, 4x, 8x

I find it quite weird that if I let my eyes unfocus I can read the ... thing ... on the right.  Because, honestly, that almost looks like random noise!

edit: actually, just walk about 3 meters away and you can read it too

[Vorlonagent 442]

5 hours ago, Don Edwards said:

I thought that Wolf and Cranium reporting to him was sufficient confirmation.

It's certainly enough to assume he was a magic user.  If not, there's this comic. 

Remember an EGS "Wizard" is someone who can learn other people's spells.   I don't think we knew Ed Verres was a wizard...

[WR...S 41]

The fact that he used a wand against Abraham suggests he isn't... then again, Wolf and Cranium used wands as well, and Wolf at least is (per Raven) certainly a wizard.  Although they might just have been trying to look intimidating.

[hkmaly 490]

13 hours ago, WR...S said:

The fact that he used a wand against Abraham suggests he isn't... then again, Wolf and Cranium used wands as well, and Wolf at least is (per Raven) certainly a wizard.  Although they might just have been trying to look intimidating.

Just because wizards CAN learn other people spells doesn't mean they do. If the wands are standard for agents, they may not actually bother to learn those spells themselves even if they can.

[The Old Hack 2,448]

7 hours ago, hkmaly said:

Just because wizards CAN learn other people spells doesn't mean they do. If the wands are standard for agents, they may not actually bother to learn those spells themselves even if they can.

Or the wands are power sources so the wizard can go on for longer without being depleted of magic energy, or they are focuses to allow easier/faster/longer ranged casting, or they just look cool. Harry Dresden can do lots of magic without his tools and implements, but they make his work easier and add oomph to the effects.

[InfiniteRemnant 141]

could also be intimidation factor? pointing a wand at someone clearly says "i'm a spellcaster, i will zap you." where as just holding your hand out could mean ANYTHING.

[hkmaly 490]

14 hours ago, The Old Hack said:

Or the wands are power sources so the wizard can go on for longer without being depleted of magic energy, or they are focuses to allow easier/faster/longer ranged casting, or they just look cool. Harry Dresden can do lots of magic without his tools and implements, but they make his work easier and add oomph to the effects.

Wands are definitely not power SOURCES. They, however, work sort of like batteries, so yes, it should be easier to cast with wand.

13 hours ago, InfiniteRemnant said:

could also be intimidation factor? pointing a wand at someone clearly says "i'm a spellcaster, i will zap you." where as just holding your hand out could mean ANYTHING.

Definitely. Pointing at someone doesn't have the same effect as wand ... or gun.

[ijuin 572]

Yes, a clearly identifiable weapon unambiguously conveys one's willingness to attack if provoked.

[Don Edwards 548]

19 hours ago, InfiniteRemnant said:

could also be intimidation factor? pointing a wand at someone clearly says "i'm a spellcaster, i will zap you." where as just holding your hand out could mean ANYTHING.

Well, we know that the intimidation factor is why superheroes that can throw nuclear-grade fireballs from their fingertips carry guns.

(Well, that, and sometimes you want to shoot something small but not leave a crater.)

[SeriousJupiter 49]

On 30.6.2016 at 11:14 PM, Scotty said:

I think when it was mentioned that Tedd was expected to be a powerful wizard, it was a given that it was Edward that was the wizard, Noriko being a wizard would be odd considering Nanase's magic and the fact that the griffins believed her to be royalty, Noriko would likely give off the same aura of royalty.

I believe both of Tedd's parents are wizards. I'd say that's a pretty safe assumption, considering what Noriko said about her family having straightforward hereditary magic and her and Edward's bloodlines. Remember, anyone can learn to be a mage, but wizards are born, not made. Tedd and Nanase are probably the first non-wizards in Noriko's family in generations. Tedd is some sort of "mutant", but Nanase's non-wizardness can probably be explained by her father most likely not having magic. I have a feeling that Nanase's mother (who may secretly be a wizard herself) didn't want her children to carry on her family's monster-hunting profession so she chose to marry a non-magical man. Maybe she had issues with her family long before she disowned Noriko as a sister. I'm not sure how she feels about Nanase now, but she seems to have trained herself up a bit, possibly so she can protect her daughter if she needs help. Who knows, she may be just as powerful as Noriko, but if she hasn't used her abilities in a long time, she's wise to train in case she's needed.

[Pharaoh RutinTutin 1,586]

I would very much like to know for certain the specific magical abilities (if any) available to Mrs Kitsune.

 

[hkmaly 490]

16 hours ago, SeriousJupiter said:

Remember, anyone can learn to be a mage, but wizards are born, not made.

Anyone can learn to be a mage, but nevertheless, there are hereditary talents like the one Susan and Diane has. I'm sure Nanase also have one - or maybe several.

16 hours ago, SeriousJupiter said:

I have a feeling that Nanase's mother (who may secretly be a wizard herself) didn't want her children to carry on her family's monster-hunting profession so she chose to marry a non-magical man. Maybe she had issues with her family long before she disowned Noriko as a sister.

Secretly? Only if you mean keeping it secret from Nanase. Considering she DOES know DGB, she either "retired" or she might even still be active magic user. You may be right about her attempt to keep her children from family's monster-hunting business. Which failed and I'm sure she realized that already (although it's question WHEN).

16 hours ago, SeriousJupiter said:

Who knows, she may be just as powerful as Noriko, but if she hasn't used her abilities in a long time, she's wise to train in case she's needed.

Her talent might be just as powerful, but considering the way magic users keep getting more magic the more they use it, she certainly isn't as powerful now unless she trains ALL THE TIME.

3 hours ago, Pharaoh RutinTutin said:

I would very much like to know for certain the specific magical abilities (if any) available to Mrs Kitsune.

I'm looking forward to it and totally don't believe this build up will be for nothing.

Wait.

Everyone expect the next story will be Sisters III about Diane and Susan. But what if those sisters will be Noriko and Mrs. Kitsune?

 

[Scotty 1,061]

20 minutes ago, hkmaly said:

Anyone can learn to be a mage, but nevertheless, there are hereditary talents like the one Susan and Diane has. I'm sure Nanase also have one - or maybe several.

What makes Nanase special enough to be considered royalty, could be that her family line has more than 1 innate talent. Whenever there's mention of innate talents in regards to Susan, Diane and Sarah, it's always been singular, sure they can get other spells later that aren't specific to their talent but their main spell base would be more likely to come from that talent. If Nanase had multiple innate talents, it could explain the amount of things she can do, the sneaking around stuff might just be as much an innate talent as it was a reflection of who Nanase was at the time she was getting those, but the Guardian form isn't part of the sneaky spell set so it might have been part of another innate talent that she was able to unlock by meeting the requirements of being selfless and wanting to protect others. The fairy doll might be considered part of the same set as the guardian because part of the spell allows Nanase to link a doll with someone so that she could easily get to the person if needed, which would make for a very good way for Nanase to find someone if she felt they were in trouble, and if the person had the doll with them, she could still get to them even if she doesn't know exactly where they are.

So there are at least 2 spell sets for Nanase, a sneaky set and a combat guardian set.

[hkmaly 490]

2 hours ago, Scotty said:

3 hours ago, hkmaly said:

Anyone can learn to be a mage, but nevertheless, there are hereditary talents like the one Susan and Diane has. I'm sure Nanase also have one - or maybe several.

What makes Nanase special enough to be considered royalty, could be that her family line has more than 1 innate talent. Whenever there's mention of innate talents in regards to Susan, Diane and Sarah, it's always been singular, sure they can get other spells later that aren't specific to their talent but their main spell base would be more likely to come from that talent. If Nanase had multiple innate talents, it could explain the amount of things she can do, the sneaking around stuff might just be as much an innate talent as it was a reflection of who Nanase was at the time she was getting those, but the Guardian form isn't part of the sneaky spell set so it might have been part of another innate talent that she was able to unlock by meeting the requirements of being selfless and wanting to protect others. The fairy doll might be considered part of the same set as the guardian because part of the spell allows Nanase to link a doll with someone so that she could easily get to the person if needed, which would make for a very good way for Nanase to find someone if she felt they were in trouble, and if the person had the doll with them, she could still get to them even if she doesn't know exactly where they are.

So there are at least 2 spell sets for Nanase, a sneaky set and a combat guardian set.

Trying to find two distinct sets might not be easy enough to be good idea. We know less than we think.

Considering persistent avatar was THE thing Andrea considered rare, I'm sure it's at least partially talent. That doesn't mean Noriko has persistent fairies - maybe her persistent avatar spell is something else, or maybe she has persistent magic weapons ... the talent might not be easily recognizable part of spell.

Similarly, the guardian form looks like something powered/enhanced by talent, but maybe there IS something part which is external (although the spell being from Christian god doesn't seem likely to me).

She certainly got sneaking spells because being sneaky. But Fox seems pretty high-caliber for "just sneaking spell" ... maybe she's combination of sneaking reflection and talent, possibly the same talent which is helping with fairies.

And flying was her first spell. Maybe it was talent - it doesn't seem likely she would want flying THAT much it would be more important than talents. But maybe she did or the assumption than talent-based spells are likely to be first is incorrect.

Of course she also have spells obviously connected to ASMA, but those are caused by ASMA training and not likely to be talent. On the other hand, we can't rule it out completely.

Or, perhaps her talent is not anything specific and it's just causing her to get more spells than others.

And finally, maybe she IS wizard. The reason why Tedd or noone else is wizard is basically that with all magic around them they would learn some spell already. But considering the fact Nanase has more spells than all others combined AND is not really that much interested in transformation, she might not actually try. Note I would find weird Griffins didn't mentioned it, but with the difference in terms, it's not clear what they actually said ...

 

[Scotty 1,061]

The griffins were going on Nanase's aura specifically, I'm not sure if there'd be any distinction between mages and wizards based on their aura, I would think that the griffins would know there is a difference between mages and wizards though, at least Andrea should know.

I didn't mean to imply that Nanase would have the same talents as Noriko, I would suspect that each member of their family born with innate talents could have different talents from each other, they'd just have extra talents that would give them a broader range of spells and abilities. The chances of having similar spells and abilities is still there though.

Although...what if Nanase's family didn't have access to just a few talents, but all of them? It would be fitting for someone with a royal aura to have a huge arsenal of spells and abilities, normal magic users would only be able to get spells based on their personality and/or innate talent, but royal blood magic users could potentially learn all the spells. It was implied that Noriko had a weapon summoning spell similar to Susan's and Wolf stated that Noriko had a "long family history of fighting monsters and evil wizards" so it'd make sense to be able to have as much of an advantage as possible, meaning the ability to counter nearly everything thrown at them.

[hkmaly 490]

7 minutes ago, Scotty said:

The griffins were going on Nanase's aura specifically, I'm not sure if there'd be any distinction between mages and wizards based on their aura, I would think that the griffins would know there is a difference between mages and wizards though, at least Andrea should know.

Andrea would know. Would she consider it important? Maybe it's normal for royals. Or it's less rare and she only commented the most rare thing.

7 minutes ago, Scotty said:

it'd make sense to be able to have as much of an advantage as possible, meaning the ability to counter nearly everything thrown at them.

That doesn't necessarily mean having all talents. Being extremely versatile may be talent by itself.

... the question if fairy counts as magic weapon for purpose of Vampire hunting is still open. Guardian forms wings are another option - just from what Nanase already has.