Outreach and outrage: The Poison Song Read-along, Part 2

Vintage and Agent Chenlo make it to Tygrish, where they immediately clash with its newly crowned queens. Meanwhile, some very unexpected trouble is in store for our battle-ready heroes as they attempt to take on a very mission-oriented Hestillion…

Deep breaths. Let’s discuss The Poison Song.

SPOILERS FOLLOW FOR CHAPTERS 10 THROUGH 19.

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Noon meets ‘She Who Laughs’, after a rather unexpected departure in the middle of a battle… What’s your take on this strange ‘goddess’ and the lore drop she brings with her, and what do you think this meeting will lead to? Do you have any thoughts/suspicions about the significance of what happened in Noon’s past?

OK. So. This was VERY UNEXPECTED. I was utterly and completely floored by this sudden twist at first, and for about five minutes (before I quickly started reading on to find out more) I honestly did not have any thoughts or feelings beyond genuine shock. Well played, Ms Williams, you absolute evil genius.

However! I am starting to form some notions now. I love me a good lore drop, and I am definitely intrigued by this one! I’m glad we’re getting to dig a bit more into the alien/Aboran plot from The Bitter Twins – not only that but we’re getting a different perspective on it! Is She Who Laughs a good guy or the apparent villain she was originally presented as? What’s her goal with Noon? Does she actually care at all if Noon lives or dies, after she gets what she wants from her?

I have SO MANY QUESTIONS – but what I suspect this all means for Noon, assuming she survives it (and she’d better), is a very intense Level Up opportunity. What exactly that will lead to, I have no idea – but considering that she’s having a deep conversation with the literal source of all her power? I can’t imagine she’ll walk away unchanged. My money is on some sort of Gandalf the White outcome here, and I WANT IT.

As for the question of Noon’s past … I’m calling it here: I am starting to suspect that Noon may not have been (entirely?) to blame for what happened to her tribe. I think that grief and guilt are definitely playing a part in why she doesn’t remember what happened, and why she doesn’t want to, but … I don’t know. I just think something else happened that day, and all of Noon’s internalised self-loathing over it won’t let her recall that it wasn’t all her fault.

Yes, I think about this plot quite a bit.

This isn’t so much a question, as just a chance to check in with him, but: what are your thoughts and feelings on Tor’s reaction to Noon’s disappearance? Clearly our boy is not taking it well…

Oh, Tor.

I wanted to touch on his storyline this week, because quite frankly it’s breaking my heart. BREAKING IT INTO TINY PIECES I TELL YOU.

I mean, I kind of want to shake sense into him but mostly I just want to hug him and fight anybody who hurts him and

Anyway. His response to Noon’s disappearance is, in light of everything that’s gone before, probably not terribly surprising: he retreats into as many wine bottles as possible, as well as somewhat literally retreating into a ‘better’, more glorious past. One where things were much simpler, where he gets to be as passive and untouchable as his broken heart desires – and yes, I’m sorry, you cannot tell me he isn’t in love with Noon after all this. He’s got it bad, and I am DYING for the moment Noon shows up again.

TELL HER HOW YOU FEEL, TOR, YOU IMPOSSIBLE DARLING.

Also: I still do not want him to die and I refuse to accept this outcome. I REFUSE.

Also, part 2: I am so glad he stops wallowing eventually, but although I’m glad to see him taking some sort of action with his potential discovery of the Jure’lia’s hiding place, I am also worried that this is Tor throwing himself headlong at a Glorious Warrior’s Death, instead of waiting around for the flux to take him. Which would be better, I suppose, but…

Oh, Tor.

Onward to Tygrish, where Vintage and Chenlo … do not precisely receive a warm welcome. What do you make of the situation here under the rule of Queen Tyranny (and Queen Windfall!)? Is this royal partnership going to last, do you think?

Ha ha ha no.

I’m sorry, but it’s not, is it? Two queens, both wilful and proud, trying to rule the same patch of land alongside each other? Someone’s getting their head bitten off/burned to a crisp/both at once. Call me cynical but with these two? Betrayal is just a matter of time. Right?

Right.

But I do think it’s potentially really interesting that Vintage is drawing the conclusion I speculated on last time, that if it’s at all possible for Tyranny to be persuaded to help them fight the Jure’lia (or even just to let them go to do it themselves), it could be well worth it. Bless her optimistic heart, though. It would be awesome to see Tyranny Munk taking on Hestillion, I won’t lie, but Chenlo probably has it right: Tyranny simply cannot be trusted to do anything that isn’t in her best interests, and good luck convincing her that fighting a war she didn’t start is a good idea.

But, hey. If anybody can find a way to pull that off, it’s got to be Vintage.

 

 

2 comments On Outreach and outrage: The Poison Song Read-along, Part 2

  • Poor, damaged Tor. Although I think the thing that made me want to shake him wasn’t the booze – he has form there, it’s what he’s always done, and he’s so hurt and alone and I get it, give the man a hug – but the retreat into the tablets.

    Tor no.

    Tor, it’s basically propaganda: idealised nonsense that masks the ugliness that Micanal the supposedly clearsighted didn’t want to see (and oh, yeah, kept ignoring HIS WHOLE DAMN LIFE). Perfect escapism, I get it, but you know better (you know EVERYTHING now) and you know you could be making a difference rather than running away… and then it only goes and shows him how to find the Jure’lia, so what do I know? 😀

  • Yes! I hadn’t occurred to me that Tor was perhaps gearing up for a Glorious Death – but now you’ve said it – Yes!! (And also, noooooooooooooooo Tor!)
    As for the Tyranny Munk situation – I so, so, SO want her to join the good guys, however reluctantly, I just think she’d have so much more fun on their side than she is having being Queen right now. *fingers crossed*

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