 | "Feels Uneasy" by Akira
(2010-09-16) |
Like Alex said it, sometimes I do feel unease (small embarrassment?) to go through some of the serious story arcs (Kotone, Haruna, Laika, Osananajimi story arc, for example). On the other hands, I don't have any problem reading through the joke strips. Reading through a serious story arc is like going through poems I've written when I was a teenager. There is this itchy feeling...
I do enjoy drawing serious story arc, but I think I need to learn how to cut/shorten the story a bit. I try to put too much information and it makes the story too long, in my opinion.
I didn't have too much time this morning. I just copied and pasted the third panel.
Please write your comment to this strip at pOnju forum
 | "Looking into Touhou with detail - The Spellcard Rules" by Totaku
(2010-09-16) |
Today, we're going to turn our attention to one of the core elements that makes up Gensokyo and what it is. We know the girls use these all the time, we know they are what are used to make the powerful and beautiful bullet formations. We know it's important for the youkai as well as the humans.... but the history behind it all?
Today we will be looking at....
The Spellcard Rules
While it's unclear how the spellcard rules came to be or who wrote them up. It is one of the most important part that keep Gensokyo in balance as it's without it, Gensokyo would had most likely become a dangerous killing zone.
Since Gensokyo was ment to be a safe haven for the youkai and the humans who wanted to find a way to escape from the ever modifying outside world... they had to come up with a way to keep a balance between them in order to prevent death from being a common occurance.
It's unknown when these rules were made or who wrote them, but it a clear given that the paper these rules were written on was from Youkai paper. I may have been a youkai sage who invented these rules, but as of this point none of it is known....
Regardless, it was Reimu who would find these rules and would apply them to Gensokyo.Ever since the beginning of Embodiment of the Scarlet Devil, the spellcard rules had been put into play and the youkai have been abiding by them....
The rules are as follow:
1. The Rules of Naming a Spellcard
With every spell between youkai, there is the slight fear of Gensokyo's decay. However, if it is not used, a youkai's power will gradually vanish. Therefore, I propose the following contract for spell card use.
2. The Concept of the Spellcard
That youkai can easily cause disasters. That humans can easily resolve disasters. That use of one's full abilities is to be denied. That there are no things superior to beauty and thought.
3. The Law of the Spellcard
- Each spell shall be given a beautiful and meaningful name.
- The number of named spells to be used shall be announced beforehand.
- Attacks relying on physical strength are not to be repeated.
- Do not attack without reason.
- Reason becomes its own power.
- If all your named spells are defeated, you are defeated, regardless of your remaining strength.
- If victorious against a human, you may not kill them.
- The name of the spell shall be recorded on paper in the same form as this contract.
As a result, all of the aforementioned regulations become absolute.
This paper will be called the "spell card".
A concrete method of casting may be discussed later with the shrine maiden.
So more or less, the whole purpose behind the spellcard rules is to ensure that those gifted with the talent can create spellcards and settle their disputes with flashy danmaku.
All thier talk about "exterminating" and "eating people" is more or less for flavor. :P
The youkais and humans mainly settle thier problems through spellcard combat...
Course there is one small expcetion to this rule...
Newcomers who somehow find thier way to Gensokyo are all considered fair game to the youkai. They are target that can be hunted down and eaten, which is why many suggest that as soon as you enter that you should get to shrine ASAP if you wish to live in Gensokyo and learn the rules. :P
Course as expected, because of these rules youkai and human live in harmony (somewhat. :P) even if it means getting beat up by tons of magical bullets. :P
And now you know about how the spellcard rules work in the world of Gensokyo
Tomorrow, I will be turning my focus on the next game in the Touhou series.... The Second PC game (and 7th game in the seires).... Perfect Cherry Blossom
Till Next time
Totaku
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