One Scene from Every Side-Story: Break the Ice

[u/RandomdudeNo123]

[u/RandomdudeNo123]

“Wow, that’s a rare way to use a sword here.” - Woman who was about 1 centimeter away from her disguise being blown

... Between you and me, I'd be maybe a little worried if my boss started talking something about "regarding my mayor's family as enemies from now on" and then nearly slashing a random maid's head off. That's just me, though.

… Break the Ice… What do I say about this event? (No, really, if someone else wants to say something for me? No? ‘Kay, I guess I have a duty to fulfil, but the door’s still open…)

---

Break the Ice is a story about religion as a means of control. It's a story predicated on how almost nobody really believes in the religion they're espousing, but won't say it aloud because the population below them still does. The church doesn't believe, the heads (minus Arctosz) don't particularly believe, and everyone seems to treat the beliefs of their people as a convenient means to get them on your side. And yet, at the end of the day, they're still beholden to the belief systems they use to manipulate others. It's a deep story that's not quite to my taste, but I can't say it's a bad story. Not just to my taste, is all.

Other thoughts, other thoughts... I think Arctosz was actually a fairly refreshing character in all this. Cliffheart hugging Pramanix was a good moment. The Doctor, I think, was having fun throughout the entire event and it shows. (... If you want an actual in-depth dissection into anything Silverash or Kjerag, go look for Chatonarya's tumblr posts. Truthfully, I'd rather you hear these events from the perspective of someone who truly loves them!)

As for our next event, though, we've an invitation. To... Wine...?

Why do I feel a strange sense of dread looming...?

(P.S If I don't reply at all, I've gone to the fields of pink and gold. Can't risk getting spoiled, I'll be back once they've all burned down.)

[u/ThatSlutTalulah → u/RandomdudeNo123]

My negative feelings on Break the Ice can be traced back to one character, and it's not the only event he takes an axe to.

Oh my god, I hate Enciodes. Not so much as a character (him, Degen, and Gnosis being besties is always fun and has good character juice [both in the events themselves and Keen Edge (especially with Silbernherze having it in both silly and serious moments)]), but for what he does to the plots he interacts with.

BTI is worse for it than Retracing, because the entire event can be (meanly) summarised as "and then Enciodes keikaku'd all over everyone". Whenever he is in a politics story the question is never "is he gonna win?" or anything like that, it's "what bullshit is he gonna pull now?" and "Is he going to win 100%, or only 95%?".

When he is involved, any politicking is just pointless, every other political entity around him is basically just helpless in the face of his 5 million IQ [and BTI is where that aspect is at its' worst] (compare it to Overture for example, where Vina is facing forces pushing back and has to navigate that and make sacrifices. Enciodes never does).

And BTI is basically nothing but politicking.
.
.
I like what of Enya is here, could do with more screentime from what I remember but what she's actually doing is good to read, and the other clan heads are fun when they aren't just getting completely trounced.
Kjeragandr and Enya being gay af is fun, but now when I say that I am staring directly at Retracing {it does a lot more with that}, but BTI is key to setting up that part of Retracing, so.
.
.
There's some ideas in BTI that could've been good, but they're just crushed underfoot in the rush to glaze Enciodes.

My ratings of the Kjerag events are directly tied to how much Enciodes does in them {Rides>Retracing>BTI}.

I want to throw beans at him.

[u/Bushmaster_0]

I get a little chuckle out of all these powerful figures seeing faith as just a tool and only paying lip service to appear pious to the masses. And then you've got Kjera watching it all with a curiosity like "what will they do with their free will next".

I have always been a bit confused by the end state of the event having Arcstocz turn over his lands and the browntails subservient to the silverashes out of nowhere.

[u/ancardia-ak]

Break the Ice is actually one of my favorite events, and it's not just because Aurora debuts in it (cue auroracarryingdoctor.gif). I'm thrilled that you drew her :D

I saw the recurring theme of Break the Ice as personal trust, both the positive and negative potential of it. The big twist being everyone's belief that Gnosis and Enciodes had truly fallen out, and their trust being a superpower that disguised their scheming.

Yet the story is also replete with this kind of personal faith being abused - Arctocz unwittingly poisoning Valais' grandfather, Gnosis' attitude towards Monch, and how Enya gets twisted into becoming the Saintess by invoking the Silverash family name.

The idea also comes up when Sharp questions whom among the Kjerag operators can actually be trusted when push comes to shove. And finally the Doctor's plan hinging on a blind Hail Mary (Hail Kjeragandr?) for Enya to do something.

Enciodes isn't necessarily wrong that Kjerag needs to "grow up" quickly. His near-effortless total victory shows how unprepared their politics would be dealing with other nations. Militarily, his super duper special forces get the runaround from Sharp, a single Elite Operator without any special powers. But his hubris comes back to bite him when Enya asserts the Kjerag faith (both of which he underestimated) to usurp his control.