#The answer to Narinder’s question? he can’t (‘: (at least at first)

[spiderin-space]

Lamb unfortunately was Not dainty in their escape 😔😩

(Feat. @paintpaintpaintman’s Petra in the third sketch)

[ouijathicc]

Ok COTL Post

I feel like of all the bishops Heket doesn’t get enough recognition.

Spoilers. Obviously spoilers

She’s the second major boss fight so we don’t see much of her, she doesn’t have a bad design but it’s not as memorable as like… Leshy. The game doesn’t talk about her as much as Narinder or Shamura because she’s less involved in the main plot and let’s be real when do you ever need to go back to ANURA it’s unlikely you need mushrooms so badly that you can’t just grow them.

But I’d argue that Heket is actually like… really interesting and important. Though less is clearly stated so I’m speculating here, keep that in mind.

Heket has a domineering and aggressive personality, and tends to almost act like an unofficial leader of the bishops.

The bishops SEEM equal like in theory, but in practice it’s pretty clear that Shamura was the leader when they started and whatever they did others went along with. Now, since Shamura is still around but definitely NOT what they used to be, it’s pretty clear they aren’t leading the way they once did or at least not as actively as they once did. The bishops would be left in a power vacuum without them and Nari and let’s be real. Kal is a coward who will back down easily under the slightest pressure, Leshy is absolutely not leader material and it doesn’t even seem like he’d be all that interested, the only one of the bishops who could be leading that makes sense is Heket, even if Kal or Leshy were to try to take on a leadership role it’s likely Heket would overpower them.

And it’s kinda what we see in the game honestly like Heket commands her siblings a bit. She tells Leshy to deal with you early on and later tells Shamura to rest because she and Kal will handle it “won’t we Kallamar?” The dialoge implies Heket is definitely the one calling the shots, telling the other bishops what they should be doing even if they already are aware. The dialoge frequently being against getting Shamura involved also tends to imply to me that 1, either she thinks they aren’t needed, or 2, which makes more sense with the comment to rest, Heket questions Shamura’s ability to do this. And the other characters tend to agree

I don’t know if it’s just a me thing but every time I kill Heket I feel like I’ve largely beaten the old faith. Kal and Shamura are still around but… what are they going to do? Kal is a coward who bargains with you to leave him alone, and Shamura is definitely not what they once were, not to mention there’s a coldness to their dialoge like they don’t really care about survival they just want to follow through. Heket was the one commanding her siblings to act, she was the one keeping the old faith moving. Once she’s gone the game may get harder but it feels like the old faith is just rallying for one final stand rather than actively making progress towards destroying you. Though this is just a vibe.

Beyond just being probably the unofficial leader Heket is authoritative and loud and capable of telling her siblings what to do clealry but at the same time… she’s not Shamura. She’s not a genius, she’s a thug. Heket is hotheaded, violent, and overall gives the impression of “attack first ask questions at a far later if I feel like it’s necessary”. She’s not a great leader who has all the answers, she’s again, like a thug trying to take over as leader. She thinks she is the next most qualified and honestly she might be, but it’s her anger and her lack of consideration for situations beyond “kill” or “cause famine” or “punish with violence” doesn’t necessarily make her the best leader.

Heket is so hot headed and angry that she doesn’t consider other options beyond outright killing the lamb really, Leshy doesn’t seem like the type to think that far, Shamura doesn’t seem to be trying to stop you, the only one who does think of another option is Kal he tries to make peace. Because the lamb CANT DIE. That’s obvious by now. Leshy doesn’t seem to give that much thought, and Shamura understands but doesn’t care. But Heket seems to believe if she kills you hard enough, you will fuck off. It’s even seen in her purgetory dialoge that she’s still just killing you until you stop. So are the others but her take on doing it is less because she has to more because it’s what she thinks will work. Heket doesn’t know how to handle a problem she can’t kill. And despite her being the most leader ish of the bishops who still care to lead, that makes her a bad leader.

Heket is a thug taking the place of a great leader trying to be just as great as they were, but she simply isn’t. Heket is not Shamura she never will be and violence is really the only order she knows how to give.

You could argue the bishops may have always functioned this way but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Shamura may be a god of war but they’re also smart. And kinda sentimental. They lock Narinder away because you can’t kill death (and honestly I think they also didn’t want to). You know what else you can’t kill? THE LAMB. Shamura has shown they know how to handle a being that can’t be killed and maybe it’s a bit different but I like to think if you can chain away a kicking and screaming god you can chain away a tiny sheep with a knife. Shamura in the past when they led the bishops, was smart.

And this is kinda a reach… but you know what plan ISNT smart and seems to be all “kill first think later”. The lamb genocide. Shamura understands how Narinder works enough to know you can’t kill him, and he is just chilling in the after life, I personally believe Shamura is not making any attempt to stop the prophecy because as they say “Though no longer be wise, I am no fool.” Shamura dreads the end but they cannot stop you they know this, they’re here to prepare you. I don’t think Shamura ever thought they stopped the prophecy because all the lambs were dead. They know better. And it really doesn’t sound like the kind of order they’d make more one they’d accept. But which of the bishops is notable for the belief that all problems can be killed. Heket.

I strongly believe that HEKET is the bishop responsible for the idea of the lamb genocide. I believe she hears the new prophecy, and decides to do what she knows best. Violence. Shamura seems to have an understanding you can’t just FIGHT fate, but Heket… Heket thinks if you kill something that will eternally resurrect enough times, it’ll stop. Heket��s logic throughout the whole game that if she kills you hard enough she wins is the same logic as “if we kill all the lambs the prophecy won’t work” both ignore that you can’t fight death with more death, both don’t really give thought to the situation, and both make no sense if you think about it. And this is a big part of why I think Heket is important, it’s her fumbling the bag that leads to the games events and her own death. Heket is a thug in the role of a leader who leads like a thug.

And damn if it’s not kinda interesting. I feel like the game overall suffers from the lack of dialogue and context we get, especially OBJECTIVE dialogue all we really know is what happened not in depth on why and how for the most part. And no one suffers more from that to Heket in my mind because she’s a character who tries to be a leader and accidentally causes the old faith to fall through poor decision making but we don’t see that so blatantly in the games.

If I were to have one critique of COTL IN GENERAL it would be that as strong as the story is we don’t get enough of it. The bishops essentially loose all interesting details about them once you beat them. It’s a product of the gameplay type it’s not a story driven game it’s a rougelike with a town builder attatched so really only those details matter, there’s not a linear progression so heavily enforced sure you get new areas and things to do but in terms of story you do it, it’s done, you go back to the gameplay loop. It’s just how the game works. It’s a game meant to be continuously played not a storyline that ends it just stops having a story at one point. I don’t dislike this and think it should have been a fundamentally different game I love it and its gameplay is amazing, but the story and characters do suffer from not being given screen time and I think Heket is a good example of that. She hardly gets any. And I feel like she’s overlooked.

Then again this is all speculation I’d love to see what others think!

[enchantingfirenightearthquake]

Forneus’ Children: Five becomes...

Shamura knew what their mission was from the moment they lost their first family.

Growing up under Forneus’ care and surrounded by several siblings where they previously had none was nice, but it didn’t erase the pain of their loss.

Due to their inquisitive nature, no one thought it odd they visited the Safehaven’s library on an almost daily basis. Nor did they question when they took interest in Kara, Valham, and Morning’s workings.

What did catch their family’s attention was on the day before their thirteenth birthday they announced, “I’m going to become a cultist for Bishop Palace.”

Forneus and Shamura argued a lot about that. No one could understand why Shamura wanted to join the cult and God responsible for their first family’s death.

It wouldn’t be until they were sixteen and Kallamar fifteen that anyone would get an answer.

***

Kallamar hated the gods.

Truly an awful thought to have living in a world where you could throw a rock and hit one, but it was true.

Between Olividae’s teachings and Harlin’s hand in the death of his family, Kallamar could find no love in his heart for any of them. Even nice ones like those living in Safehaven earned his ire. Because how is it fair that they’d protect this small town but not try to help others? Because how is it fair that there were creatures being starved, raped, enslaved, and slaughtered and they turned a blind eye?

So when Kallamar discovers the reason behind Shamura’s wanting to become a cultist for Silk Cradle, he immediately jumps on it too. He doesn’t remember how they turned to the subject but he’s glad for it all the same. Because Shamura understands.

They’ll make them all pay.

***

Narinder didn’t want to be a god. Not at first at least.

But his siblings did, and the cat decided long ago he’d go where they’d go.

Millenniums later, when he’s trapped and they’re mutilated and they all feel betrayed, he can’t help but weep for what he’s lost.

When he can no longer push out tears, he promises himself he will never let anyone else get that close to him again.

He breaks that promise with Baal and Aym.

He breaks it again with his many vessels.

With the Lamb.

He refuses to weep again when the Lamb betrays him.

***

Heket is endlessly grateful for living in a house where she can fill her belly whenever she wants and the fear of being eaten by her loved ones is an all-time low.

But she never forgets the ache of going hungry for so long that she begs for death. Or the cold terror that she will become someone’s next meal.

She wakes up in tears from nightmares of her neighbors’ screams for mercy. For death or fear of it she is still unsure.

When Shamura and Kallamar tell her their plan, she doesn’t hesitate.

***

Leshy just thought it’d be fun.

He was wrong.

***

Forneus doesn’t remember who told her or when or where she heard the news that Palace, Harlin, the Fox, and Harmony were dead. Just that they were each betrayed by one of their disciples. She does remember her fear for her children. Please let them be ok.

So you can imagine her shock when her children return home claiming to be the new gods of War, Pestilence, Death, Famine, and Chaos respectively.

“Just remember my darlings, heavy is the head that wears the crown,” she tells them when they have to leave again.

Forneus remembers Leshy making a joke about boobs.

She remembers Kallamar kicking up a fuss about it.

Remembers Nari and Heket try to hide their snickers and failing.

Remembers the fond look she shared with Shamura.

The last memory of her children all together and smiling and still looking like the babies she raised helps in the years to come.

***

Forneus shouldn’t still be alive.

***

Her children still won’t tell her where Narinder’s gone or who’s hurt them.

She weeps. She feels so alone and misses her little babies.

***

The two rats have been arguing with each other for the past ten minutes. Forneus can just barely make out what they’re saying. The smaller one is trying to figure out where they are. The taller one keeps making heart eyes her way. He’s kind of cute.

As the two get closer, she gives her best sexy grin to the taller rat who is more than happy flash one back. His brother groans loudly at the display.

***

“Hey, do you have a minute? I have to tell you something.”

Ratoo looks over at the cat. She had been acting strange for the past few days. Ever since she went to the town’s doctor.

“Is everything alright?”

“Yes. We just need to talk about something.” Forneus sat down next to her lover, taking his hands. With a deep sigh, she speaks. “I’m pregnant.”

Ratoo’s eyes light up at the admission. “Really?!” She nods. Ratoo chackles in delight as he pulls his lover close. “That’s wonderful, darling! Did the doctor tell you how many?”

“Too early to tell.” Forneus nuzzles the rat. “You’re really ok with this?”

“Ok? Darling, I’m ecstatic! I can’t wait to raise this baby with you.”

Forneus smiled. Maybe everything would turn out ok.

***

The Fox was alive.

Ratoo gave him his heart to save her and the babies.

And now he’s gone.

And now she’s alone again.

***

It’s been so long since Forneus has seen any of her oldest children. So, you could imagine her surprise and delight that Shamura had come to visit.

Their memory wasn’t like it once was due to their injury, but she was happy all the same.

“Aw, shit. I’m sorry Shamura I don’t have anything to serve you. Do you mind watching the twins until I get back?”

Forneus would return later to her eldest gone and her twins dead.

***

Five becomes four becomes three becomes two becomes one becomes none…

***

Forneus had met the Lamb many times. They were always stopping by to buy tarots and items. She thought today would be no different.

Someone was following behind the Lamb. A child? Two? And then they stepped out from behind them and Forneus gasped. Standing there were her babies. Baal and Aym were alive! Just the same as the last time she saw them!

Forneus pulled her youngest children into a tight embrace, tears streaming down her face as the Lamb watched on with a smile.

***

“Where are we going again, Mama?” Baal asks.

“To visit a friend, dear one.”

Forneus and the twins trudged through the Darkwoods heading towards the Lamb’s cult. The older cat couldn’t be more thankful for the gifts the new God bestowed upon her. “Please, Forneus. It’s the least I could do for all that you’ve done for me, friend,” they had said when she tried to repay them. “If there’s anything else I can for you, please let me know.” Forneus couldn’t bring herself to ask about her other children.

“What friend?” Aym asked.

“The Lamb that brought you to me.” The two kittens puffed up their cheeks. For the life of her, Forneus couldn’t understand why her babies didn’t like their savior. She had asked of course, but it seemed her children couldn’t seem to remember the years they’ve spent in the Below.

Upon reaching the campgrounds, Forneus heard someone calling her name. Looking over revealed Ratau. He appeared to be speaking with a purple schnauzer with a heart on his forehead.

“Ratau!” The two animals pulled each other into a tight hug. “How have you been old friend?”

“Well enough. And you? Lambert told me you recently received a gift from them.”

Aym and Baal grew bored as the adults talked. They didn’t like the Lamb or their dumb cult, but exploring was better than standing there doing nothing. This is when they noticed a familiar face in the crowd of followers.

“Is that…?”

“It is.”

“MASTER!”

Narinder felt two little bodies ram into him with the force only children could make. A look of shock overtook his face as he found the twins clinging to him.

“Boys?”

“Baal! Aym!” All three cats turned as Forneus. “What did I tell you boys about…running…?” The older cat trailed off as finally acknowledged her older son. “Narinder…?”

“Mama?” It wasn’t Narinder who spoke. Forneus turned around to find Leshy in front of her. “Is that really you?”

“Oh, little worm.” The ex-God rushed into his mother’s waiting on. Behind them, Narinder is still in shock. He didn’t think he’d ever see his mother again. He was sure when the Lamb took his crown permanently that she would perish. How thankful he is that isn’t the case.

“Oh, what a wonderful day this is,” the she-cat says through purrs. “To have four of my darlings returned to me. Do…Is it too much to hope for that the rest of your siblings are here too?”

Leshy pulls their mother along to find their remaining siblings, Narinder close behind with the twins hanging off of him chattering away. All of them have the biggest grins on their faces.

None becomes one. One becomes five. Five becomes everything.

[transtistic]

7, 21, 22 for the cat game! (love ur ask games so much its always so fun reading everyones answers on them and u make great questions)

7. Which sibiling was his favorite? Least favorite?

Least favorite is a tie between his brothers. Leshy’s chaos is entertaining and cute for the first few centuries, before it becomes annoying and more than meddlesome. And he’s never been particularly close to Kallamar. He doesn’t respect death in the same way as Narinder and doesn’t see it as a sacrifice on a mortals part. Like a child playing with ants and a magnifying glass but instead it’s a squid god playing with venereal diseases and people’s children.

When young his favorite is Shamura, because he lives in their court and they’re the only trusted adult in his life (don’t trust priests of war fyi) and the door he knocks on after nightmares. When older his favorite is Heket because she does see mortal’s lives in a similar way and recognizes the sacrifice of those who wish to be ritually cannibalized for her. She and Leshy don’t shy away from him after the prophecy is revealed which is another bonus.

21. Does he have any new disabilities upon being spared?

For my temple in wait Au, yes! He was chained in a kneeling position and was unable to move his legs for millennia which caused the muscles in his legs to atrophy. He refuses to be touched by The Last, so the priors (including Forneus) have to lift him to his new chamber. He tries a lot of mobility devices at The Last’s behest like crutches, but he can’t stand how the cuff wraps around his forearm. Eventually The Last creates a wheelchair for him and within a couple years he becomes a semi-ambulatory wheelchair user. Along with chronic pain, arthritis, etc.

I haven’t planned that far for my gold bell au!!

22. How does he pass the time in exile?

(For both naris) He does still have duties as the Bishop of Death and must guide/instruct the recently departed to their respective afterlives. This is done by projection while he meditates, and no one aside from his priests (minus Paean in that au bc alive) and the kits see his physically chained body until The Last/the lamb is sacrificed. Other than that, actual meditation, reliving memories, teaching the kits, fuming at siblings he can’t see, etc.

[thewitchoftheweed]

Hello! It’s me again! Coming at you with more questions because I never seem to run out of them. Plus you’ve built an incredibly engaging and complex world from CoTL’s baser aspects that I can’t help but try and pick apart a little. Very inspiring.

I noticed that you have alluded to or at least built up your own magic system for Red Star. I’m a sucker for anything with a magic system so I wanted to pick your brain a little bit if that’s okay.

In “Sins of the Bishops” Kallamar and Narinder are trying to figure out how to use magic with the book they have but they don’t have much luck. However, later on they do learn how to do some spells and Narinder focuses on necromancy. So mortals can do magic but I think it was mentioned somewhere that divine magic is different and obviously more powerful.

So if mortals can do magic are there any limits to what they can do?

Obviously there are also those who specialize in certain magics as well. Are there any categorized types of magic users?

Can anyone accomplish magic or does it require some special circumstances?

Also what is the difference between magic bestowed to a god with a crown and magic that any mortal can use? Both seem pretty powerful in their own right.

How powerful could a mortal mage be before they hit some sort of roadblock?

Also is Nari ever going to get back into magic again or is he pretty content with the farming gig he’s got going?

Sorry for so many questions! I’ve been thinking about this for the last week and figured the greatest teacher is the creator! Thanks for taking the time to read all my nagging and I hope you have a wonderful day. :)

Hi again!!

I tend to play fast and loose with my magic systems, but I do have answers for these.

The idea that I had for magic in the Red Star AU is that mortals can use magic and, theoretically, anyone can learn it with the proper education. Kallamar and Narinder struggle a bit initially as children because they are teaching themselves from scratch; they eventually realize they need to master the fundamentals and understand magic's basics before they can jump into actual spellwork.

The only thing that really separates casters from non magic users is their ability to focus their own willpower. It's like a 'muscle' that must be exercised regularly; the more often you do it, the easier it is. Not everyone has the time/patience/access to resources to learn, but the Bishop family is nothing if not scrappy.

As an aside: the Definitely-Not-Latin I use for some spells/incantations is called Godspeech in-universe and is (allegedly) the language of the First Gods, with which they shaped the world. (I like A Wizard of Earthsea can you tell.)

There are different types of magic users. Kallamar initially specialized in defensive magic (shields, barriers, force fields) while Narinder specialized in necromancy (speaking with/binding the dead). There's also healing magic, enchantments like Neftis used that can warp perception/take control of others, and various types of offensive elemental magic.

The difference between mortal magic and divine magic is what they're able to accomplish. A good example is Narinder's necromancy; he was considered a talented mage in that respect, and was able to:

Briefly speak with the dead (3 questions)

Bind spirits to his weapons

Summon spirits to fight on his behalf

As a god, Narinder is able to:

Create a variety of undead 'guards' and 'servants' out of skeletons, zombies, and mummies

Dispel restless spirits

Open a fissure directly to the other side and bring forth even more, spirits of the damned to fight on his behalf

Speak with spirits for longer periods of time (a few minutes)

And, eventually, resurrect the dead

Divine magic is essentially the same as what mortals can use, but without 'restrictions.' Other barriers that mages run into don't exist for them; the world will bend to their will always.

Mortals are able to do extraordinary things with their own magic, but it is a fraction of the power gods are able to use. They can even tap into devotion without a Crown, but again, at a fraction of its power. Narinder is able to channel the burgeoning cult's devotion to help him fight Neftis; it gives him a bit more strength/agility and adds some umph behind his magic. But that's about it.

Where a mortal's power plateaus depends on the type of magic being done. A force field may keep off rain or deflect regular blades/arrows, but will be destroyed by a godly curse or attack. A healer might be able to mend a broken arm or heal a cut, but they're powerless to beat back illnesses or more catastrophic wounds.

Basically, consider some of the magical enemies we see in game vs the Lamb. Enemies can throw a fireball here or there, heal an ally or two- but the Lamb can rip open fissures in the ground, send out huge blasts of hellfire, etc. etc.

Narinder still has his magic, but is very much out of practice. He got a bit of 'exercise' while fighting Neftis, but he doesn't really have much use for his particular brand of magic in everyday life. He's pretty content with his farming gig, but will occasionally spar with Hamal and use magic to give them more of a challenge during practice/stay in practice himself.

I hope this provided some clarity/shed some light on things! Thanks again for the questions, they're always so fun to read and consider.