[HedgeWalker]

Having swords for hands would be very useful whenever chopping anything is required... I would wager that there are other KCCM with Spatula like digits, like a T-Rex based Edward Scissorhands, or a gardening KCCM with spade-hands and rake-feet...Wu's version of a JCB.

I could be imagining it, but I think the KCCM are capable of exuding some oils and growing functionally useful bits on their body, adjusting themselves to the required task? I.e. grow a saddle for Stormy/Gessler...

[Cyphon]

MODGOD NOTICE OF MINOR TCG SPOILER DELETED.

This post has been edited by Abyss: 12 April 2011 - 04:46 PM

[Abyss]

Key point being overlooked that sets the K'chain way outsideany concept of 'dinosaur'...

The KC are a 'bee-hive' culture based around a Matron who is mother, god and commander, which is entirely unlike anything remotely dinosaur'esque. The Matron essentially designs her children to be scouts, soldiers, sentinels, worker-drones and/or assassins as needed.

Interestingly, the KN seem to have evolved a hive-mind culture that exists as a sum of its parts, rather than around a Matron. We haven't seen that much of them, but what we have seen up to and including DoD suggests there is only one kind of KN, while there are many kinds of Matron spawned KC.

[stender]

Wow, for a post already at Nerd-Con 3 that post may have dropped us a whole extra level to Nerd-Con 2... I love it!

[ffunky]

Velociraptors + Borg collective = KCCM.

done.

[Feathersmith]

Gothos, on 11 April 2011 - 07:04 AM, said:

Here's a modern rendition of a T-Rex. Your childhood has now been ruined.

If by "ruined" you mean MADE EVEN MORE AWESOME, then, yes. Maybe it's just me, but that picture makes me go Awwww. But I took care of our flock of chickens when I was a kid, so I may have been brainwashed.

The KCCM do seem crazy over the top, even for a made-up world, but they're so much more than technologically advanced dinosaurs with swords for arms. I found them a convincingly alien species, even if I was really irritated that the planet had one species that at one point had amazing high-tech, but for 100s of thousands of years, everyone else had been stuck at the swords-and-carts level. Really? REALLY?? How did no one find old KC stuff? And examine it? That bothers me more than hive dinosaurs with swords for arms zipping around the planet on flying mountains. And shooting lasers (or whatever) at their enemies.

[Gothos]

Kallor did dig up a lot of KCCM stuff.
However.
You must note that KCCM 'technology' is as much tech as magic. I'd describe it as such: it's mechanisms that channel magical energy in a technological manner.

[Abyss]

stender, on 12 April 2011 - 11:20 PM, said:

Wow, for a post already at Nerd-Con 3 that post may have dropped us a whole extra level to Nerd-Con 2... I love it!

Stick around. You ain't seen a thing yet.

ffunky, on 13 April 2011 - 02:34 AM, said:

Velociraptors + Borg collective = KCCM.

WIN.

Fixed.

[worry]

You would think a society with kitchen utensils for arms would be able to create better dishes than fungus chunks.

[Abyss]

worrywort, on 13 April 2011 - 08:57 PM, said:

You would think a society with kitchen utensils for arms would be able to create better dishes than fungus chunks.

Their cole slaw is second to none.

[Agraba]

Gothos, on 13 April 2011 - 01:56 PM, said:

Kallor did dig up a lot of KCCM stuff.
However.
You must note that KCCM 'technology' is as much tech as magic. I'd describe it as such: it's mechanisms that channel magical energy in a technological manner.

And also, didn't Kallor's civilization (the one he destroyed before the three elder gods got to him) have advanced technology, mimicked from the KCNR? I figured that, from all the advanced ruins observed in the Imperial Warren.

[Gothos]

The ruins in the IW can be the same KCCM ruins that Kallor's empire uncovered.

As for Kallor's empire, I don't think we've got any leads as to the technological advancement of theirs. Though, of course, how Kallor managed to lay waste to an entire continent is something of a mystery, I think.

[stender]

Quote

As to Icarium in DoD:

Spoiler

I really liked the flawed aspect of Icarium, he was probably my favorite character. Basically I have taken him to be the single most dangerous entity around in the Malazan books, if angered. But to me him crashing the Skykeep at the end of DoD into the warren turned him into Randy Quaid from Independence day. All he needed was to be yelling "Tell Mappo I love him! I'm about to lose time FOR REAL! YEEEEEEEEHA!!! " I haven't read the next one yet but if he died in this pursuit I will be sorely disappointed.

If I have somehow misread any of the parts please let me know, as I would be happy to have this not be the case. Ok, that's all I have to say. Let the flaming of the forum noob commence. Thanks in advance to anyone who replies in a civil/intelligent manner.

Just wanted to bring back up the other part of my original rant as quoted above...
Discuss...
I mean it...

[Studlock]

I always thought magic had not been allowed advancement of technology. If you take into account that alot of technological advancement is brought about by the state I could see how the level of it has not advance. Why would the state put funding into it when they can just use magic? Also I am pretty sure when the KNCR are about to fight the 14 Jaghuts the Jaghut saying somthing about a KNCR warren at least giving us a hint that the dino aren't all laser beams, they're magic powered laser beams

[BlackMoranthofDoom]

The K'Chain Che Malle folow the typical structure of insectoids with a Queen as the giver of birth and ruler of her people. I always picture them as something resembling Tyrannids from Warhammer 40k, since they both come in different shapes and forms.

[foolio]

I am kind of with the OP, they just seem like a super race and I am just not a fan. I know they are lacking in battle tactics but how were they ever pushed out of being the dominant race of the world?

[Kanese S's]

How were they pushed out? Well, civil war isn't good for your civilization if you want to maintain dominance. The KCCM/KCNR conflict probably weakened them quite a bit. Also, the Tiste Andii and Tiste Edur were not friendly to them, and beat the crap out of a bunch right before Scabandari betrayed Silchas Ruin. Being the strongest species only helps somewhat when every other species hates you.

I really found the KCCM interesting, and the POV's didn't ruin the mystery for me, really. I thought Erikson did a good job of writing a species totally unlike humans.

[D'iversify]

I think its implied that part of the reason they declined, civil war aside, was that the Matron rule system led to stagnation, particularly due to the Matron's propensity to go increasingly mad with age.

[Kanese S's]

True. A system that pretty much keeps everything the same isn't that great at dealing with outside threats and changes. Stagnation, then decay, then fall.

[geniusloci]

KCCM may be lizard-like, but they have the hive-structure of insects, with different breeds for different purposes. In DoD we got a huge explanation of why they are almost extinct - they lack human's genius, which is why the Matron (one that is called insane and one of its kind in terms of imagination) turns to humans to lead her armies (Ges and Stormy). Their old ways just don't work, they are almost perfect killers - so specialized, but they rely on that and their masses, not skill and cunning (which, added to the humans short life is always referred as the main reasons human rule most fantasy worlds, no matter that there are longer living or more powerful races). KCCM are interesting concept, yet they ar8e alien and they couldn't fit into this world, which is why they evolved starting that last Matron's hopes in humanity.