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The Codex Alera

Discussion in 'Fanfic Discussion' started by LogrusMage, Jun 2, 2008.

  1. Ranku

    Ranku First Year

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    I honestly had the same impression when I reread Furies of Calderon the second time after I'd read the other books. For some reason, I simply found it more interesting the second time through--maybe because I wasn't overthinking it as much as I had the first time, and just enjoying it.

    Anyway, I just had this thread pointed out to me not too long ago, and I was wondering what other reader's impressions on Furycrafting was, and how much of it was innate to the Furycrafter, and how much needed the manifestation of discrete Fury to accomplish.

    From what I understand, all Alerans have at least some small ability in crafting each element, but other than that, it differentiates quite a bit, and I was actually thinking that the ability to manifest a Fury isn't as common as it seems to be in Calderon Valley (though it is said that those on the wild frontiers of Alera have stronger furies, anyway, so that likely explains it). For example, Ehren, from what I can remember, hasn't shown himself doing anything that would involve manifesting an actual Fury, and from what I recall, he has very little overall skill in furycrafting (though I can't remember exactly how many beads he had, I don't remember them being a significant number at all).

    For some reason, for the longest time, I was under the impression that to do anything outside of your body, it required manifestation of a Fury (I suppose I was misled by the "internalized crafting" wording). But, this doesn't seem to be true: for example, aligning matrixes in blades and sensing metals around you is considering internalized crafting, yet it is an ability that obviously extends outside the body. So, that sort of led me to the idea that furycrafting doesn't need an actual Fury to do things outside your body.

    However, I do think internalized crafting is limited to what the crafter is touching, and anything involving otherwise requires the use of external furycraft. For an example, to make one of the large bows Knights Flora use supple, or to easily detach a plank of wood from where it has been nailed by hand, would be internal crafting, while making a tree grasp your enemy meters away from you would be external.

    Though, it does make me question something else: how does internal Fire crafting work? Is there even an actual significant thing other than being able to tell a furylamb to go off and on, or is there more that you can do with internal Fire crafting than that? It's the only element that we haven't seen a use for as far as internal crafting goes.

    Earth gives the ability to draw strength from its element (as long as you're in contact with it, anyway), Wind can lend you its speed (again, as long as your skin is coming in contact with air). Water allows you to sense the emotions of others, and metal allows someone to sense when things made of it are near by, while also letting the crafter make metal they are in contact with sigificantly more durable. Lastly, wood allows for the crafter to bend anything of that element to their will, but only if they are touching it themselves.

    So, where does that leave fire? I can, honestly, not thing of any huge benefit it would lend to a furycrafter as far as internal crafting goes, other than, as I said, command furylambs to do their righteous bidding (namely, turning them off and on).

    .. and crap, this post got a bit longer than I'd intended it to. I suppose I'll end it with what any other Codex Alera fan must be thinking lately: two more days!
     
  2. Moeed

    Moeed Third Year

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    Fury crafting fire can create terrible fear in the hearts of your enemies, btw it is shown very early in the first book.
     
  3. Skeletaure

    Skeletaure Magical Core Enthusiast ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    Internal Firecrafting, if I recall correctly, is kinda the opposite to water: it allows you to affect the emotions of others. This is why all the people in the senate and public speakers are Firecrafters.

    Also, with wood you can affect wood that you're not in contact with: we've seen arrows shot at people and break in mid air due to the actions of a woodcrafter.
     
  4. Ranku

    Ranku First Year

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    Hmm, for some reason, I was under the impression that Fearcrafting was an application of manifestation, though I suppose it's quite possible that it's not. Maybe it'd make sense that internal Firecrafting would be the direct opposite of internal Watercrafting.

    As for internal woodcrafting, I guess you're right, Taure, though I don't really recall where exactly that was done. I suppose it's possible that if you're fairly strong in that crafting type, that type of thing is possible, which could explain why only people with Knight Flora strength and skill could do so.

    Of course, that sort of opens up quite a few possibilities. It would explain why strong Firecrafters can manipulate the "hot" emotions (fear and anger), and why those with a gift in woodcraft can manipulate wood outside of what they're directly in contact with.

    So, it seems that the stronger you are with that element, the farther your abilities with it extend--which, I guess, should of been kind of obvious.

    I wonder if the reason Septimus was considered the greatest swordsman of his generation was because he could simultaneously focus his Metalcraft and Watercraft to the point that he could easily predict an opponent's next actions before they even begin them like we saw there at the end of Captain's Fury, or if that was something completely unique we saw there.

    Regardless, I'm looking forward to seeing if it happens again in Princeps' Fury, or if he even has it completely under control now.
     
  5. Lucullus

    Lucullus High Inquisitor

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    The way I see it, Firecrafting just amplifies select emotions in people who look/stare at the fire crafted by firecrafter instead of being able to wholly manipulate them. I'm not too sure if one could use a Firecrafting to lessen the fear and panic others feel.

    Then you have Earthcrafting which can inspire lust in someone.

    Is Princep's Fury coming out tomorrow?
     
  6. Ranku

    Ranku First Year

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    Hmm, you know, I'm trying to remember, currently, if any Fearcrafting was done without the actual presence of fire.. and I really can't think of any. So would that truly make it an application of manifestation? After all, you can't create fire without Firecrafting.. well, you can use what's already there, but yeah. Good question, though.

    And yep, Princeps' Fury comes out tomorrow: November 25th. I am waiting pretty anxiously for it; I plan to head off to the bookstore tomorrow and be there when it opens, that way I can read it as soon as possible.
     
  7. Skeletaure

    Skeletaure Magical Core Enthusiast ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    Fire isn't just about fear. I think it's more about the "passionate" emotions. Think back to the meeting of the Dianic (sp?) League that Isana attended. One of the speakers was using Firecrafting through his voice to stir up the emotions of the crowd, and no mention of any actual fire was there.
     
  8. Lucullus

    Lucullus High Inquisitor

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    I'm not saying it's just about negative emotions. I'm saying it only amplifies these so-called passionate emotions, instead of being able to totally manipulate them.
     
  9. Ranku

    Ranku First Year

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    Ah, I was actually under the impression that it manipulated the "hot" emotions, as I said earlier. Anger, fear, and the like--however, you do have a point, no actual fire was mentioned, and it'd be fairly obvious to any who knew of that use of Firecraft what he was doing (and considering that these are supposed to be the upper class Citizens and Senators and whatnot, I'm guessing they do).

    So, obviously, fire isn't needed for the emotion-crafting (though perhaps having a fire to work off of helps).
     
  10. Ryuugi Shi

    Ryuugi Shi Hierarch

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    Jim said on his forums that firecrafting can be used to inspire just about any emotion as long as the flame they're crafting through can be seen. Earthcrafting is for baser, more instinctual things, like calming someone, inspiring lust, etc.
     
  11. Aekiel

    Aekiel Angle of Mispeling ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    I don't agree with that. Fear is about the most basic emotion you can feel yet it is manipulated by fire, not earth. On the other hand, lust is definitely a passionate emotion and it is manipulated by earth, so the other theory doesn't work.

    What I reckon is that each element is associated with one emotional spectrum from one extreme to the other such as:

    Fire: Fear - Anger
    Earth: Lust - Serenity
    Metal: Cowardliness - Courage
    Water: Hate - Love
    Wood: Isolationism - Socialisation (couldn't think of the right words here >_>)
    Air: Slavery - Freedom of the mind

    There are of course some secondary emotions that would be covered by some, and a couple do linger on the border of one emotion and another, but I think it makes sense. Kinda.
     
  12. ZeroTheDestroyer

    ZeroTheDestroyer Auror

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    I am downloading it from rapidshare right now!
     
  13. Azrael's Little Helper

    Azrael's Little Helper High Inquisitor

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    My local libraries don't have anything past Academ's Fury and in one case Cursor's Fury and the bookshops are out. irc ebook channels = win.
     
  14. JoJo23

    JoJo23 Unspeakable

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    Alera is shaping up to quite an interesting series, im on the third one on the moment. I am, however, noting a disturbing trend. Does Helms Deep occur in every book?
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2008
  15. Tehan

    Tehan Avatar of Khorne DLP Supporter

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    Let's not openly request pirated materials on DLP, hmm?
     
  16. Abba99

    Abba99 Backtraced

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    I just read the first book. It was interesting and ridiculously boring at the same time, for example I think I counted fifty times when colour rose to someone's cheeks when they were embarrased. Talk about rebundancy. Try using new ways of showing lust or embarrasment Jim!

    The Keeper of Silence scene was the best one in my opinion, totally alien and terrifying, almost from something out of a psychedelic trip. Then the giant battle which was about 3/4 of the book, boring as hell, but some parts were interesting enough to keep me reading.

    I doubt there are any spoilers in my above post, but if so, lemme know.

    Now I'm going to read the second one, I hope it's better than the first one.

    First book, I'll have to rate it 6.5/10. I've read way way better books. Jim has a good plot and story but his writing is so redundant and ugly it bores me.
     
  17. Ragon

    Ragon Dark Lord

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    We have mentioned multiple times the first book isnt great. It gets better by the time you get to Cursor's Fury it is as good if not better than most of the Dresden books. Captains Fury is Butcher's best book that I have read which would be all the dresden novels and the Alera novels.
     
  18. DR

    DR Secret Squirrel –§ Prestigious §– DLP Supporter

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    Captain's Fury was rather good, but I was quite partial to Princep's Fury. Unfortunately for all of us, the next book (First Lord's Fury), to be published in, I think, November, will be the conclusion to the series.
     
  19. Ryuugi Shi

    Ryuugi Shi Hierarch

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    I disliked Princep's Fury, as there was no real character development, specifically none for Tavi (he's about the same as he was last book). The plot development wasn't very good either. We all knew the Vord would kick most of Alera's ass. He could have just mentioned it a few times, and it would have made no real difference.

    The fights were okay, though.
     
  20. Rahkesh Asmodaeus

    Rahkesh Asmodaeus THUNDAH Bawd Admin DLP Supporter

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    Captain's Fury was by far the best Alera book, in my opinion.
     
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