Let us hope that it is *not* like the Oath of Faenor, in LOTR. That may have much to do with other alternatives, opened by other powers, that see other things balancing the cha, as a whole, rather than just between humans and Urrts. Possibly the Book? Possibly Sura? Possibly Mentl? Not everyone has been heard from, just yet.
Well, he is right. That is a terrible thing to swear to.
But maybe amends can be made? After all, Ipola was young and many things have changed since then, such as the nassim.
Oyah. Although I note he didn’t swear to do it IMMEDIATELY, so he could be diverted by other necessities until the oath expires at the end of his life.
Frankly, given what we’ve seen of the current generation of Urrts, you may well need to kill most of them to achieve peace long enough to raise the young with different values. And it’ll still take a few generations for the peace to stick.
As stated in another context, It’s a work in process.
Depends on who “the enemy” is. If the Nassim could learn to respect other life forms, Urtts might as well. That being said, I agree Gorshash has to go. Maybe his whole people is unable to change and soften. Maybe not. Either way, there’s only one way to know and it ain’t what Ipola swore to do.
Reservist
They might as well. But back in her prime, Ipola had that trio of Urtts soldiers, amongst whom was an officer, brought to her, so they could relay a message to their authorities. And the officer simply acted as if they were the prisoners, not him and his band.
So while offing Gorshash would certainly change many things, I wouldn’t trust the Urtts to change that much from what Gorshash stands for and holds true (not mentioning the ancient demi-god-like Erogenian they woke up from that tomb. This man is also going to be tough to take care of.).
A current Korea-like situation, with both Erogenians and Urtts mutually quarantining along, say, a wide-enough river could be a way to go.
But, as you said, Ipola hasn’t sworn that. And she’s indeed a woman of her word.
Especially since, as we have already found out, the Eregonians not only created the Urrts, but taught them about Shuach and behaving like evil sadistic creeps. Wiping them all out isn’t the same as cleaning up their own screwups.
That reminds me a bit of “Larry and Moe”, the two Urtts who got offed by that Erogenian scouting squad.
They seemed to have some kind of potential for redemption
Funny, I was thinking about them while typing my reply to your other comment. I decided against mentioning them because what potential they had was frankly small, but ya hafta start somewhere, I guess.
Reservist
True, true. I was quite bummed to see they had been killed, like with the young Erogenian redhead who died at the ends of Thann.
Now technically she didn’t swear to anything then, but such a solemn declaration could certainly not be taken as less.
Also, I had to check: the way Uissan told the history of his people in https://barbarianprincess.com/comic/part-3/a-little-history-lesson/ , the Nassim would exist pretty much the same if Urtts had never existed. So Uissan’s concern seems to proceed more from his gentle soul than from fear for his own people. Which is beautiful in a way — empathy towards the Urtts certainly is a way to “heal the world” (not archive diving another time tonight, but it was first told around Ginsha’s first appearance), but terrible in another, because it might make the Nassim refuse to help Erogenians and make the new war that much more destructive. Then again, such is the toll of war: deny one’s gentleness or risk more deaths on one’s side.
The way Ipola’s eyes changed – narrowed, grew harder – from affirmative answer to affirmative answer… what incredible artwork. My hat is off to you, JED.
16 thoughts on “I Swear – Page 1115”
Tom Billings
Let us hope that it is *not* like the Oath of Faenor, in LOTR. That may have much to do with other alternatives, opened by other powers, that see other things balancing the cha, as a whole, rather than just between humans and Urrts. Possibly the Book? Possibly Sura? Possibly Mentl? Not everyone has been heard from, just yet.
Lora
Well, he is right. That is a terrible thing to swear to.
But maybe amends can be made? After all, Ipola was young and many things have changed since then, such as the nassim.
Prairie Son
Oyah. Although I note he didn’t swear to do it IMMEDIATELY, so he could be diverted by other necessities until the oath expires at the end of his life.
Frankly, given what we’ve seen of the current generation of Urrts, you may well need to kill most of them to achieve peace long enough to raise the young with different values. And it’ll still take a few generations for the peace to stick.
As stated in another context, It’s a work in process.
Descartes
Zero-tolerance is seldom a good policy.
Reservist
“Zero-tolerance is seldom a good policy.”
What other policy do you have left, when the enemy wants nothing but seeing anyone and everyone else reduced to sexual slave or livestock?
jd.
Depends on who “the enemy” is. If the Nassim could learn to respect other life forms, Urtts might as well. That being said, I agree Gorshash has to go. Maybe his whole people is unable to change and soften. Maybe not. Either way, there’s only one way to know and it ain’t what Ipola swore to do.
Reservist
They might as well. But back in her prime, Ipola had that trio of Urtts soldiers, amongst whom was an officer, brought to her, so they could relay a message to their authorities. And the officer simply acted as if they were the prisoners, not him and his band.
So while offing Gorshash would certainly change many things, I wouldn’t trust the Urtts to change that much from what Gorshash stands for and holds true (not mentioning the ancient demi-god-like Erogenian they woke up from that tomb. This man is also going to be tough to take care of.).
A current Korea-like situation, with both Erogenians and Urtts mutually quarantining along, say, a wide-enough river could be a way to go.
But, as you said, Ipola hasn’t sworn that. And she’s indeed a woman of her word.
Archone
Especially since, as we have already found out, the Eregonians not only created the Urrts, but taught them about Shuach and behaving like evil sadistic creeps. Wiping them all out isn’t the same as cleaning up their own screwups.
vrwhammer
All or nothing statements or vows can be very troublesome and heartrending.
jd.
Remind me again, who are those people who deal in absolutes?
Reservist
That reminds me a bit of “Larry and Moe”, the two Urtts who got offed by that Erogenian scouting squad.
They seemed to have some kind of potential for redemption
jd.
Funny, I was thinking about them while typing my reply to your other comment. I decided against mentioning them because what potential they had was frankly small, but ya hafta start somewhere, I guess.
Reservist
True, true. I was quite bummed to see they had been killed, like with the young Erogenian redhead who died at the ends of Thann.
jd.
If anyone is as curious as I am, that was here: https://barbarianprincess.com/comic/death-is-a-place/page-930/
Now technically she didn’t swear to anything then, but such a solemn declaration could certainly not be taken as less.
Also, I had to check: the way Uissan told the history of his people in https://barbarianprincess.com/comic/part-3/a-little-history-lesson/ , the Nassim would exist pretty much the same if Urtts had never existed. So Uissan’s concern seems to proceed more from his gentle soul than from fear for his own people. Which is beautiful in a way — empathy towards the Urtts certainly is a way to “heal the world” (not archive diving another time tonight, but it was first told around Ginsha’s first appearance), but terrible in another, because it might make the Nassim refuse to help Erogenians and make the new war that much more destructive. Then again, such is the toll of war: deny one’s gentleness or risk more deaths on one’s side.
Tomfoolery
The way Ipola’s eyes changed – narrowed, grew harder – from affirmative answer to affirmative answer… what incredible artwork. My hat is off to you, JED.
jd.
Very true. Not that Uissan’s face evolves as well, but not in a parallel way. Which is great since his face is built differently.
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