Page 1 of 1

K'ansanar's tail

Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2019 5:45 pm
by Tattered Rags
Finally getting around to reading Travar and have to wonder what's so important about him regrowing his tail. Was it cauterized?
Denizens of Earthdawn: Volume 1, pg. 72 wrote:Indeed, many foundations along the river maintain the ancient practice of cutting off the tails of individuals who commit minor acts of lawlessness. Such a mark no t'skrang can conceal, but it is an injury easily survived and soon recovered--our tails grow back after a year or so.

Re: K'ansanar's tail

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2019 2:46 pm
by Tattered Rags
Bumping this because I'm still really curious about it.

Re: K'ansanar's tail

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2019 3:26 pm
by Bonhumm
I'd say there is 3 possibilities:

1- It was, indeed, cauterized.
2- The Denizens book also states at page 73: In fact, a t'skrang can lose three or four feet of tail in combat and regenerate most of that length within a year. Thus it COULD mean that the tail can regrow if its cut no further than 4 feet. I.E. it would not regrow if cut from the base.
3- The devs forgot about that.

Re: K'ansanar's tail

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2019 3:47 pm
by Tattered Rags
Bonhumm wrote:
Sat Apr 20, 2019 3:26 pm
I'd say there is 3 possibilities:

1- It was, indeed, cauterized.
2- The Denizens book also states at page 73: In fact, a t'skrang can lose three or four feet of tail in combat and regenerate most of that length within a year. Thus it COULD mean that the tail can regrow if its cut no further than 4 feet. I.E. it would not regrow if cut from the base.
3- The devs forgot about that.
I did not think about #2. That makes the most sense with regards to what is and isn't explicitly stated in the book.

Re: K'ansanar's tail

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2019 9:50 pm
by JetBlackJoe
Might it not simply be a temporary punishment? A mark that can’t be concealed but doesn’t last forever either? Like you might only go to prison for a year but not the rest of your life.

It’d make sense that regrowing his tail was important since his punishment is no longer visible.

Mark you; I havn’t read the book yet.

Re: K'ansanar's tail

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2019 10:24 pm
by Tattered Rags
It was clearly a more permanent thing. Get the book! Good book!

Re: K'ansanar's tail

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2019 11:06 pm
by Bonhumm
JetBlackJoe wrote:
Sat Apr 20, 2019 9:50 pm
Might it not simply be a temporary punishment? A mark that can’t be concealed but doesn’t last forever either? Like you might only go to prison for a year but not the rest of your life.
It’d make sense that regrowing his tail was important since his punishment is no longer visible.
Basically, he makes a deal with an Horror to get his tail back. This would imply that he somehow knows that it would no re-grow because, to be honest, who the hell would deal with an Horror so save himself a year worth of dishonor?

Re: K'ansanar's tail

Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2019 1:43 am
by etherial
Bonhumm wrote:
Sat Apr 20, 2019 11:06 pm
Basically, he makes a deal with an Horror to get his tail back. This would imply that he somehow knows that it would no re-grow because, to be honest, who the hell would deal with an Horror so save himself a year worth of dishonor?
A deal with a Horror is often a permanent solution to a temporary problem. That said, tails are not just skin. There's bone and muscle and sinew and there probably is a line in most animals that regrow tails above which the tail cannot recover.

Re: K'ansanar's tail

Posted: Thu May 02, 2019 6:07 am
by tibout
Love the book!

Re: K'ansanar's tail

Posted: Sat May 04, 2019 8:59 am
by Flowswithdrek
Given that the Order of the Crimson Sky (Secret Society led by Kansanar) was written almost 10 years ago my memory is a bit fuzzy, so forgive me if I don't get this correct.

Kansanar is the survivor of catastrophic military debacle and he just happens to be the only surviving officer, albeit a lowly sergeant, so he was made a scapegoat. It wasn't just embarrassing for House K'tenshin, but for their Theran allies as well. The Shivalahala K’tenshin would have simply have had him quietly executed, but the Therans demanded he be dishonoured at the hands of the Shivalahala K’tenshin herself. So, yeah, given that he escaped execution, the tail removal is supposed to be a permanent humiliation and a reminder. I don't recall it being a Horror that done a deal with Kansanar but one of the Mad Passions, but that might have been changed during the editing.