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koofins
(High-res version available for free over on my Patreon!)
https://unitedhelpukraine.org/ https://savelife.in.ua/en/
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koofins(High-res version available for free over on my Patreon!)
https://unitedhelpukraine.org/ https://savelife.in.ua/en/
Category Artwork (Digital) / Comics
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 900 x 1354px
File Size 990.2 kB
Listed in Folders
yep. right that it's what they were made for, so it is their purpose technically, but kalgkur was also right in that he had chosen his own, new purpose, and it is just as valid. and the elder's thoughts earlier, about how kalgkur's sweet and impressionable personality might be his undoing... definitely makes more sense if the real test is them trying to convince him to defect.
I like the theory that it's some kind of Rimworld/ lost colony situation where humans crashed on this planet hundreds of years ago with no way of communicating or leaving and developed a new civilization. I think zhat zing is either a relic from those humans or a different species that lived on this planet and experimented with biological transformation. Most of the life from this world seems to be crustaceous and bug like. I'm almost wondering if yinglets are some sort of result of the humans arrival as they don't seem to fit in too well with the rest of the species in this world.
Look, when you don't have the advantages of being fluffy like a dog, you gotta find ways to make yourself useful to justify efforts of domestication.
And cats already cornered the massacring of rats market...
So MATHS it is, dammit! Thankfully, a lot of humans HATE maths. So that's good! Mission: Great Success!
And cats already cornered the massacring of rats market...
So MATHS it is, dammit! Thankfully, a lot of humans HATE maths. So that's good! Mission: Great Success!
3 possibilities :
- Truth, just truth, and it's just the young baxxids who are taught this naive view to make them natural at hidding it.
- Nah, they're lying their ass to bait him into confessing in case he did got allured by murder.
- Theses baxxids in particular are pulling the string under baxxid society for their cool cool murder cult.
- Truth, just truth, and it's just the young baxxids who are taught this naive view to make them natural at hidding it.
- Nah, they're lying their ass to bait him into confessing in case he did got allured by murder.
- Theses baxxids in particular are pulling the string under baxxid society for their cool cool murder cult.
From the sounds of it, essentially, the Baxxid have actively chosen to cultivate their society against their instincts/nature in order to foster a peace against the common nature of humans. Being true to themselves may well result is something akin to mutually assured destruction, or worse, the end of the Baxxid (or at least this particular group/hive). For the sake of their continued existence, the elders have molded them into something else.
Seems like the explanation. "We acknowledge this violence is part of our nature, but we don't have to like it or use it more than necessary." It's a pretty mature attitude and not completely obvious, so it's understandable that the elders who accept it would try teaching people differently. In our world some cultures reacted very differently to the chained one's ideas -- several different ways.
The Baxxid Elders acknowledging their own natures makes them surprisingly better as leaders.
They acknowledge they themselves are predatory and dangerous.
But they also acknowledge that human beings and other species can make and use tools that could kill Baxxids.
So they are taken steps to keep their people from being wiped out.
A lot like how some of the yinglet leadership wishes to do, come to think of it.
They acknowledge they themselves are predatory and dangerous.
But they also acknowledge that human beings and other species can make and use tools that could kill Baxxids.
So they are taken steps to keep their people from being wiped out.
A lot like how some of the yinglet leadership wishes to do, come to think of it.
In all honesty the ramifications here are immense and it worries that either Kal has to agree to keep the secret that goes against everything he has ever believed or refuse to acquiesces and die for his own beliefs. :( Very sad but VERY potent and amazing writing. Well done! <3
The best writing isn't always the story that makes the reader feel good but the one that has true life and death stakes and consequences to actions. :)
The best writing isn't always the story that makes the reader feel good but the one that has true life and death stakes and consequences to actions. :)
So I'm seeing two possibilities.
1. The elders are testing Kalgkur, saying that this coalescence is their true nature and they are merely obscuring the truth from the humans so the humans don't kill them all. To pass, Kalgkur must not accept this as THE truth and maintain his self-chosen path of purpose.
2. The elders are not testing him. Their truth is exactly as the "chained one" has spoken, and the elders have hidden it from the humans for the sole purpose of the survival of their fellow baxxids. If Kalgkur cannot accept this and continue with the 'lie' he will be exterminated for the betterment of the whole. The elders are the keepers of this secret and most baxxids don't even know as they have been raised with the full deception shown to the humans.
The second possibility is more worrisome, but perhaps more realistic. I can honestly see that a baxxid's initial purpose was as the 'chained one' has stated, but the elders of old realized that this purpose would mean the end of all baxxid at the hands of the humans. The older elders realized that in order to survive they had to create this illusion, one in which even most baxxids are unaware and until now, so was Kalgkur.
All that being said, this is a judgement. So I'm hoping the judgement isn't for Kalgkur to accept the horrible truth and instead is one where Kalgkur refuses to bend from his self-chosen path.
It is all very confusing and circular, but so incredibly neat and sorrowful at the same time.
1. The elders are testing Kalgkur, saying that this coalescence is their true nature and they are merely obscuring the truth from the humans so the humans don't kill them all. To pass, Kalgkur must not accept this as THE truth and maintain his self-chosen path of purpose.
2. The elders are not testing him. Their truth is exactly as the "chained one" has spoken, and the elders have hidden it from the humans for the sole purpose of the survival of their fellow baxxids. If Kalgkur cannot accept this and continue with the 'lie' he will be exterminated for the betterment of the whole. The elders are the keepers of this secret and most baxxids don't even know as they have been raised with the full deception shown to the humans.
The second possibility is more worrisome, but perhaps more realistic. I can honestly see that a baxxid's initial purpose was as the 'chained one' has stated, but the elders of old realized that this purpose would mean the end of all baxxid at the hands of the humans. The older elders realized that in order to survive they had to create this illusion, one in which even most baxxids are unaware and until now, so was Kalgkur.
All that being said, this is a judgement. So I'm hoping the judgement isn't for Kalgkur to accept the horrible truth and instead is one where Kalgkur refuses to bend from his self-chosen path.
It is all very confusing and circular, but so incredibly neat and sorrowful at the same time.
The sad part is if Kal accepts this truth and decides to not let humans know about it, Kal will understand what he is capable of, what baxxid's true nature is and he will most likely decide not to endanger Nell. I could see Kal deciding he can't risk it and maybe go into sunlight mode or decide to remain underground for his life all so there wouldn't be a chance to injure Nell. Worse yet, she may never know why. Oh you tear at the heart strings, Valsalia! :)
My guess is that it's more of a "From a certain point of view" type of thing. My take is that baxxid are raised with the idea "We used to be killing machines, but we have turned away from that to become gentle philosophers, with an admittedly unfortunate physiology." The Elders here are saying, "The truth is, we still are killing machines, and we must maintain the facade of meekness so the humans don't realize just how badly we could slaughter them (not that we want to) and do a pre-emptive strike."
I feel like I'm missing something here. Of course Mr. Acronym is "right" in the sense that coalescing or whatever is their normal biological function. Modern baxxid like Kal just choose not to do it/forbid it because they discovered the benefits of the funny meat people and their hands. So what's actually the dilemma here being presented here?
I think that may be the test.
The Chained One is correct in his observation of data, that they were created as weapons and they are capable of incredible violence and destruction.
His conclusion is flawed, in that submitting to the rampage baked into them is the best option.
If that were true... Well. If humans simply embraced only their lowest instincts...
The Chained One is correct in his observation of data, that they were created as weapons and they are capable of incredible violence and destruction.
His conclusion is flawed, in that submitting to the rampage baked into them is the best option.
If that were true... Well. If humans simply embraced only their lowest instincts...
Reading this page has me hoping that the direction it goes with the points being made lean toward one of my favorite Hogfather quotes about how a people can slowly try to change the reality of their own nature.
"NO. YOU NEED TO BELIEVE IN THINGS THAT AREN’T TRUE. HOW ELSE CAN THEY BECOME?" -said Death.
"NO. YOU NEED TO BELIEVE IN THINGS THAT AREN’T TRUE. HOW ELSE CAN THEY BECOME?" -said Death.
Coalescence is likely the Baxxid's term for what was an annual cycle for them. The city the comic is based in was originally a Baxxid hive, and once every set number of months/years the Baxxid would swarm from the hive and butcher everything within a set radius of it to stock up on food. The only reason a peace between Baxxid and humans began is that the humans found the hive while everyone within it was 'out to lunch' as it were. Seeing this new species already occupying their already highly defensible home the Baxxid were put on the back foot and actually had to resort to something new to avert potentially massive casualties: diplomacy.
The two species learned to co-exist with each other and formed a very mutually beneficial compact that the Baxxid have had to adapt to accept, as a result 'Coalescence' (AKA the annual murder jamboree) was deemed self destructive and was stopped, with the Baxxid shifting from being hulking, blade armed killing machines to being hulking, blade armed killing machines with a love for the sciences and an abhorrence for violence.
He-Who-Knows-What-He-Did was likely one of the council of Baxxid elders that ratified this decision, but his was likely the dissenting voice, the one that pleaded for the Baxxid to cave in to their insinctive programming once again and butcher the newcomers who had invaded their hive. It's likely he then went against the orders of the council and tried to initiate an attack himself or with followers, forcing a Baxxid schism that ended with his capture and imprisonment, quite likely with the help of the humans (note that H-W-K-W-H-D is chained down by links of steel. Baxxid lack the technology or the manipulating limbs to properly forge metals, so this has to have been done by humankind). So it's very, VERY likely that the leaders of House Ivenmoth know that he's down there, as he's the very thing that forged the human-Baxxid compact.
The two species learned to co-exist with each other and formed a very mutually beneficial compact that the Baxxid have had to adapt to accept, as a result 'Coalescence' (AKA the annual murder jamboree) was deemed self destructive and was stopped, with the Baxxid shifting from being hulking, blade armed killing machines to being hulking, blade armed killing machines with a love for the sciences and an abhorrence for violence.
He-Who-Knows-What-He-Did was likely one of the council of Baxxid elders that ratified this decision, but his was likely the dissenting voice, the one that pleaded for the Baxxid to cave in to their insinctive programming once again and butcher the newcomers who had invaded their hive. It's likely he then went against the orders of the council and tried to initiate an attack himself or with followers, forcing a Baxxid schism that ended with his capture and imprisonment, quite likely with the help of the humans (note that H-W-K-W-H-D is chained down by links of steel. Baxxid lack the technology or the manipulating limbs to properly forge metals, so this has to have been done by humankind). So it's very, VERY likely that the leaders of House Ivenmoth know that he's down there, as he's the very thing that forged the human-Baxxid compact.
That makes sense, but it hinges a bit on humans and baxxid playing catch with the idiot ball, rallying terrible ideas, unnaturally rational behaviour, and missed opportunities. I wonder if either coalescence or the 'awakening' has anything to do with that Cordyceps-like fungus? Wasn't there something about it being responsible for Baxxid sentience? If so, was that pre or post-Awakening? Man, with its fully developed setting, multiple plot lines, and substantial cast, OOP deserves a wiki...
Oh jeez, I did NOT consider the implications of the steel chains.
But yeah, I absolutely love a splash of Iron Giant in stories. Built to kill, not wanting to, discovering exactly what kind of power you have at your command, and deciding to not use it.
But then again, realizing the massive difference between harmless and pacifist.
But yeah, I absolutely love a splash of Iron Giant in stories. Built to kill, not wanting to, discovering exactly what kind of power you have at your command, and deciding to not use it.
But then again, realizing the massive difference between harmless and pacifist.
I don't think they're lying.
HWKWHD is held down by chains.
I don't think smelting iron into steel and forging chains is in the Wild Baxxid's wheelhouse.
Locking down HWKWHD was probably a uniting event in Baxxid/Human relations.
But just like you don't think about the military having the capacity to nuke the planet into a sterile rock, Human/Baxxid society gets along a lot better if every day isn't an endless string of "Hello fragile hunam! Have I mentioned today I can murder you on a whim? Good talk, have a great day, try to not get splattered by our superior murdering abilities!" interactions.
A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky animals and you know it.
HWKWHD is held down by chains.
I don't think smelting iron into steel and forging chains is in the Wild Baxxid's wheelhouse.
Locking down HWKWHD was probably a uniting event in Baxxid/Human relations.
But just like you don't think about the military having the capacity to nuke the planet into a sterile rock, Human/Baxxid society gets along a lot better if every day isn't an endless string of "Hello fragile hunam! Have I mentioned today I can murder you on a whim? Good talk, have a great day, try to not get splattered by our superior murdering abilities!" interactions.
A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky animals and you know it.
Haven't commented in a while, have some catching up to do.
Cool how the plates on the back of the baxxid "necks" rise like hackles when they experience strong emotions.
I like the detailing that different baxxid face plates and bony outgrowths vary in color.
Page 267: emotionally rough page. Great stuff!
Okay, so he who knows drops another hint that the baxxid can grow and change physically. They can gorge and grow larger, with more leg stalks. And they can apparently combine, not just in mind or belief, but in physiology as well. Can they grow to kaiju (sp?) size? Did a giant baxxid create the Teeth the humans now squat in? It would explain why baxxid saliva can dissolve the material of the Teeth.
Cool how the plates on the back of the baxxid "necks" rise like hackles when they experience strong emotions.
I like the detailing that different baxxid face plates and bony outgrowths vary in color.
Page 267: emotionally rough page. Great stuff!
Okay, so he who knows drops another hint that the baxxid can grow and change physically. They can gorge and grow larger, with more leg stalks. And they can apparently combine, not just in mind or belief, but in physiology as well. Can they grow to kaiju (sp?) size? Did a giant baxxid create the Teeth the humans now squat in? It would explain why baxxid saliva can dissolve the material of the Teeth.
I wouldn't phrase it as 'denying' deliberately choosing to control with constant concerted effort via a cultural upbringing element would be more accurate. I don't think any Vulcan would say it's bad that they have the emotions that they do, they just say that the most consistent way to keep them in check is to control them that thoroughly. I'm hoping that the Baxxid have very good reasons for as a culture controlling this part of their nature and while agreeing that the chained one is right in what he says it does not mean that it gains them anything that they truly want for all time giving into it.
We've seen what vulcans can do when they lose control of those emotions. They can become just as violent as the rest of us. However, I don't think the baxxid have to be deceptive in this unless the deception is that they are keeping one of their own chained up as a reminder. The humans already know the great violence they're capable of.
I think it's not denial but ignorance. Kalgkur had no idea they were capable of casual Doomguy-level murderization.
Now that they do know, the big test is can they live the same way with the knowledge of their abilities?
Which is kind of an odd thought. "How can I go back to being peaceful?" "Well, step one, don't murderize people. Wow, so simple."
Now that they do know, the big test is can they live the same way with the knowledge of their abilities?
Which is kind of an odd thought. "How can I go back to being peaceful?" "Well, step one, don't murderize people. Wow, so simple."
Hi there, OOPs followers! I'm here to remind you once again that there's a place called "Top Web Comics" https://www.topwebcomics.com/?home=3 that compiles comics from various places. There's a bunch of cool stuff there. They have monthly votes, so you can support OOPs there. You can vote once a day per device, so your PC, laptop, tablet, phone, etc.
I've noticed that you can sometimes even get in extra votes from different IP addresses, or if you're disconnected from your IP and open up again later.
It closed out last month at 1127 votes and 41st place. It's currently at 932 votes and 52nd place. The highest it's reached is 36th place, and the top vote getters seem to end up with something close to 20,000 votes.
Vote early, vote often! Help OOPs get noticed!
I've noticed that you can sometimes even get in extra votes from different IP addresses, or if you're disconnected from your IP and open up again later.
It closed out last month at 1127 votes and 41st place. It's currently at 932 votes and 52nd place. The highest it's reached is 36th place, and the top vote getters seem to end up with something close to 20,000 votes.
Vote early, vote often! Help OOPs get noticed!
Verakses: “What he told you is true… from a certain point of view.”
Kalgkur: “From a certain point of view?”
In terms of how they evolved and survived, I’d agree. However, I think there could more to it when He-Who-Knows-What-He-Did speaks of purpose. He could very well be talking about their role in the food chain as nature has a way of correcting itself with the adaptation and evolution of new species. Then again, he could very well have been talking about a privilege he believes baxxid are entitled to.
Regardless, there’s no denying their once “animalistic” behavior they once had and the instinct they still carry with them since they’ve co-existed with the humans. But there has to be something more they’re talking about that I really don’t know, because it’s not something that’s going to be in the regional field guides.
Kalgkur: “From a certain point of view?”
In terms of how they evolved and survived, I’d agree. However, I think there could more to it when He-Who-Knows-What-He-Did speaks of purpose. He could very well be talking about their role in the food chain as nature has a way of correcting itself with the adaptation and evolution of new species. Then again, he could very well have been talking about a privilege he believes baxxid are entitled to.
Regardless, there’s no denying their once “animalistic” behavior they once had and the instinct they still carry with them since they’ve co-existed with the humans. But there has to be something more they’re talking about that I really don’t know, because it’s not something that’s going to be in the regional field guides.
They're either a manufactured bioweapon, or he means 'created' in a religious manner as an apex predator.
However I'm leaning toward engineered life form, tied with whatever purpose the Yinglets were made for. Probably space travel, seeing as earlier strips leaned heavily on relic hunting for artifacts nobody seemed to understand, and the fact there's no prior human structures anywhere, as if they were all just dumped on a fresh planet.
However I'm leaning toward engineered life form, tied with whatever purpose the Yinglets were made for. Probably space travel, seeing as earlier strips leaned heavily on relic hunting for artifacts nobody seemed to understand, and the fact there's no prior human structures anywhere, as if they were all just dumped on a fresh planet.
Kalgkur (seen in panel 1) was assigned to guard duty. His people have a history of violence but have been striving to become known as peaceful, to the point that they feel shame at the thought of hunting or any other violent act. Partly because they enjoy it. Kalgkur here saw a thief stealing a gold trinket and tried to stop the man non-lethally. But his speed, power, and inexperience caused him to accidentally eject several of the thief's organs. In public.
The elders were horrified both by the public relations problem, like a human cop killing someone but reinforcing a stereotype that their species are murder-monsters. They also feared the lad enjoys killing. So they went through a ritual that involves making him talk with an infamous prisoner, then come back to see his reaction. The prisoner said, "Violence is part of our souls, our nature". (Commenters said "oh this must be some evil reactionary who wants the race to murder people".) Without bothering to hear anything else, Kalgkur left to talk with the elders, who said, "yeah, he's right". Kalgkur was hoping to hear something more like "no, we are innately Good and you should reject his lies".
This arc echoes a real philosophical split. What if violence and other bad behavior is an inescapable part of human nature? Nietzche says, "yeah man, there is only the will to power; revel in violence and greed!" Christians say, "accept that you're terribly flawed but know you're forgiven, and in turn work to be better than that". A lot of people say, "I reject the premise; people are innately good and I could prove it if only I could become a dictator and force everyone to get along!" In this story it looks like the species is taking a fourth route: "accept that we're innately bad, but lie to the commoners about it because they wouldn't get it".
The elders were horrified both by the public relations problem, like a human cop killing someone but reinforcing a stereotype that their species are murder-monsters. They also feared the lad enjoys killing. So they went through a ritual that involves making him talk with an infamous prisoner, then come back to see his reaction. The prisoner said, "Violence is part of our souls, our nature". (Commenters said "oh this must be some evil reactionary who wants the race to murder people".) Without bothering to hear anything else, Kalgkur left to talk with the elders, who said, "yeah, he's right". Kalgkur was hoping to hear something more like "no, we are innately Good and you should reject his lies".
This arc echoes a real philosophical split. What if violence and other bad behavior is an inescapable part of human nature? Nietzche says, "yeah man, there is only the will to power; revel in violence and greed!" Christians say, "accept that you're terribly flawed but know you're forgiven, and in turn work to be better than that". A lot of people say, "I reject the premise; people are innately good and I could prove it if only I could become a dictator and force everyone to get along!" In this story it looks like the species is taking a fourth route: "accept that we're innately bad, but lie to the commoners about it because they wouldn't get it".
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