[Abyss]

The interesting thing tho is that Apsalar didn't use a rope. As far as we see her in action in TB, she uses hands, feet and knives. And super-strength sufficient to send a Hound of Shadow spinning, but i digress...

[WhiskeyJackDaniels]

Nemorensis, on 14 September 2010 - 09:47 AM, said:

WhiskeyJackDaniels, on 11 September 2010 - 05:08 PM, said:

Erayle, on 11 September 2010 - 05:53 AM, said:

Spoiler

Didn't Shimmer use a whip-blade to fight off the Claw during the end of RotCG?

Yes, but that still seems to be completely different.

Realworld whipsword

Yea they are both whippy weapons, but I think the Rope's rope is like a magic garrote, we see him using it to throw out and grab stuff (kind of like a whip actually) not a bendy metal sword.

[Mulch]

My thoughts/interpretations having just re-re-read Bonehunters

The rope no ordinary rope - as given when cot' lowers Kalam from the floating fortress into the hole where quick and stormy are unconcious - paraphrasing - "how much rope do you have?" the the rope expands to the length required.

On Aspalar and the not even cotillion comment

I interpreted (get that guys above who state interpretation as fact - my main bugbear about these forums)it to mean that though cotillion could have wiped out the claw he didn't as he's not as ruthless/callous - and aspalar has basically left Laseen defenseless

[chaosek]

I think that it point specifically to the shadow dance. It's not the ability to kill 300 and something claws but the perfection of the dance which enables her to do what she did. Cottilion is probably the best assasin, but Aspalar is the better dancer.

[Abyss]

Mulch, on 20 January 2011 - 04:22 PM, said:

...I interpreted... that though cotillion could have wiped out the claw he didn't as he's not as ruthless/callous - and aspalar has basically left Laseen defenseless

Now that's a different take on it... that Apsalar is nastier for having done what she did.

Altho i disagree - because it's made pretty clear that Apsalar did what she did specifically to backup/support Kalam and Tavore, otherwise she would have simply taken out Peal as per her job for ST and departed - it's a neat theory and would certainly build on the concept that giving teenage girls mad assassin shadow god skills and then pissing them off is a REALLY bad idea.

chaosek, on 21 January 2011 - 12:19 AM, said:

I think that it point specifically to the shadow dance. It's not the ability to kill 300 and something claws but the perfection of the dance which enables her to do what she did. Cottilion is probably the best assasin, but Aspalar is the better dancer.

Also an interesting take.


I fall back on the point that Cotillion, as Dancer or The Rope- Shadow God of Assassins, probably never HAD to kill 300ish Claw assassins, although we don't know how many Edur he took out on Avalii or how many darkness demons he took out in Raraku, both in HoC. As a general trope an assassin goes out of their way to avoid notice, not take on an army to get to a target (despite what certain movies would suggest).

So Dancer being the best there was, wouldn't have been doing much mass killing. At the end of TB Apsalar went into, essentially, 'bodyguard' roll, which is ironic and fitting because Kalam, someone she admired but regrettably could never be friends with (because of events in GotM), was also an assassin doing the same thing.

[Weave]

Really bloody interesting topic to read. Where's my"repall" button?

Anyhoo,I thought,errantly, perhaps even beligerantly, I'd take shot at answering the topic's original question.

I don't believe Apsalar is 'rope-trained' as when Cotillion was possessing her, he was very much aware the Bridge burner's and the army thereof, was full of people who knew him.Therefore displaying his signature move would of been a massive tell. Thus he never employed it, and Apsalar didn't gain proper knowledge of it.

[Mrs Savagely Wishy Washy]

I think the origin of the rope as Cotillion's special trick lies in the fact that he was a gamed character- high level assassin (level 15 to 20 or above when ascended in the DnD system). SE mentions in the latest interview that the founders of the Empire were gamed characters.

The character, ie. Dancer at that time was probably asked at some point in its gamed life to chose, specialise and fashion a weapon, which may also have been invested with powers subsequently as he progressed to a high level assassin. Also, in order to attack/strike some characters, such as demons, undead, or even invested armour on human warriors, you need to have a magic weapon anyway. So he chose the rope…. and the rest is history.

And then you don't pass on your own favourite gadget to random strangers even if you possess them for some time. And by the looks of it, Apsalar really doesn't need the rope skills…

This post has been edited by Miss Savage: 25 March 2011 - 09:10 AM