Question about the Intro

[B'rrr]

So I was just wondering;

The game says that the conditions of Alex and Rosella are the same, they are under the same spell. why is the spell on alex beeing cast from a distance and took a while before it has it's full effect (he could walk back all the way to his room) and the caster appeared in person when casting the spell on Rosella?

[liggy002]

I thought about this as well.  My guess is that maybe Shadrack cast the spell on Rosella because he intended to leave the black cloak behind which could be a magical way for him to keep tabs on Graham.  Of course, that's just speculation.

[Haids1987]

Alex was an easy target, since he was pretty much alone, but he needed a dramatic entrance with Rosella. How else would he freak out that many Green Isles dignitaries at once?

[wilco64256]

I agree - he really wanted to cause chaos and confusion, if they both just passed out it wouldn't have had quite the same effect.

[oberonqa]

This is all based on the assumption that the cloaked man who appeared in front of Rosella was Shadrack....

[liggy002]

True,

We really don't know for certain if the cloaked menace is Shadrack. 

[Haids1987]

Aw, they're just trying to throw our sniffers off the trail.

It's Shadrack.

[oberonqa]

Aw, they're just trying to throw our sniffers off the trail.

It's Shadrack.

I'll bet Alhazared, Mordack, or Manannon might have a few words for you Haids.  about how quickly you dismissed the possibility that it might be one of them....

[Haids1987]

Wellllll......

Mordack was turned into fire and then extinguished, Manannan was turned into a cat and placed in a burlap bag (and is presumably still there ), and Alhazred is safely locked in a cell in the Castle of the Crown.

It's Shadrack.

[oberonqa]

Wellllll......

Mordack was turned into fire and then extinguished, Manannan was turned into a cat and placed in a burlap bag (and is presumably still there ), and Alhazred is safely locked in a cell in the Castle of the Crown.

It's Shadrack.

Oh well.... since you put it that way....

<<stomps off in a huff>>

.....

<<A puff of smoke appears and Shadrack steps out of it>>

Shadrack:  Oh silly mortal.... you have much to learn of the powers of the Black Cloak Society. 

Shadrack:  If I can summon forth a mighty tempest such as the Green Isles has never seen before... what makes you think a silly prison cell can stop me?

Shadrack:  Furthermore, silly mortal... what makes you think I cannot entreat with the Lord of the Dead to bring back a faithful servant... and mediocre chess player?

Shadrack:  And lastly... silly mortal.... should I require the aid of Mannannon, being tied up in a burlap sack would not be an insurmountable challenge.

Shadrack:  But by all means.... keep on thinking it is me. 

<<Shadrack disappears in a puff of smoke>>

<<I come clomping back>>

You were saying, Haids? 

Haids?

Oh dear... someone grab the smelling salts!  Haids!!!!!!!!!

[Haids1987]

...I honestly can't think of anything clever to respond to that.

But still...it's Shadrack.

[B'rrr]

This is all based on the assumption that the cloaked man who appeared in front of Rosella was Shadrack....

I never stated such assumption, only saying if they are under the effect of the same spell, why are they (or /is he if the spell on both childeren is cast by the same person) casting it in different ways and why did it took quite a while to get a hold on Alex and not on Rosella?

As for the dramatic effect, wouldn't it even be more dramatic to have both cast in public? Also I imagine for the people of the Green Isle it has a greater effect to see their king, their saviour, beeing enchanted then the kings sister. So that argument I do not buy 

[oberonqa]

This is all based on the assumption that the cloaked man who appeared in front of Rosella was Shadrack....

I never stated such assumption, only saying if they are under the effect of the same spell, why are they (or /is he if the spell on both childeren is cast by the same person) casting it in different ways and why did it took quite a while to get a hold on Alex and not on Rosella?

As for the dramatic effect, wouldn't it even be more dramatic to have both cast in public? Also I imagine for the people of the Green Isle it has a greater effect to see their king, their saviour, beeing enchanted then the kings sister. So that argument I do not buy 

Alexander was raised, for all intent and purposes, by a wizard.  One could argue that Alexander had a natural... tolerance for lack of a better word... when it comes to being on the receiving end of magic as a result of having spent so many years in the service of Manannon.  This paticular advantage would not extend to Rosella, who was raised by her birth parents and was probably not exposed to the same degree of magic as Alexander.

As for the different spell castings, who can say if they are indeed different. 

Spoiler (mouse over to reveal):

I am of the firm belief that there was two different entities revealed during the introduction... two different magical users.  You have one who was in the shadowy world looking over things and the caster of a spell on Alexander (and whom I believe to be Shadrack)... and you have the cloaked figure who appeared in front of Rosella and cast a spell on her (this individual's identity is up for grabs... but I sincerely doubt it is Shadrack).

As for the big spectacle theory.... perhaps the purpose of the cloaked figure was to show Graham that his family won't live happily ever after.  If I were bent on revenge (and I believe that the cloaked figure acted out of a pure sense of vengeance by being so bold as to appear in front of Graham... as if to show how powerless Graham was to stop him/her/it), I can think of no greater way to set that revenge in motion than by attacking a parents child... in clear view of said parent.

Now I have not seen the overall story that Cesar, Katie, and crew have put together.  I am merely conjecturing and thinking of theories here... just like all of you.  Waltzdancing and I had many a conversation about who the mysterious cloaked figure in the Town Square is... and I view this conversation in much the same way.  Do not take what I am saying as hints to the storyline to come or even attempts to steer people away from a paticular line of thought. 

When it comes to the storyline of TSL... I am as much in the dark as all of you.  I am saying this because I don't want anyone to think that because I have the Phoenix logo in my signature that I am somehow "in the know".  I am not.

[B'rrr]

Those are plausible explanations, aye.

as for the natural tolerance, you could leave away the natural if you argue that it is because of years of exposure to spellcasting 

[GwydionAE]

Does it say specifically that they are under the same spell or just that their conditions are the same?  (I'm afraid I don't remember, and the game doesn't really work on this computer so I can't double check. )  If it's simply that their conditions are the same, this could refer to their outward appearance as opposed to the conditions of the spell.  Perhaps the spells that they were hit with were in fact slightly different but just have the same outward result.  I took Alexander's white eyes/glowing eyes as part of the spell rather than it just not effecting him as quickly.

Or - branching off of oberonqa's train of thought - perhaps while living with Manannan, Alexander was having spells cast on him without his knowing (perhaps prepping him in case this day came...?), so rather than a tolerance, maybe he's more susceptible to what the spell was really doing to him - there seems to be more going on than "they're unconscious".  So whatever it is could be getting to Alexander differently than Rosella due to this.

Or maybe it was all just for a really cool visual effect, lol.

[B'rrr]

it doesn't really say the same spell is cast, but since the condition they are in are the same and saving them is done the same way I assumed it was the same spell.

And I agree that the same spell can have a different effect on people, just like a physical punch can. My question was more because the difference is so great.

I actually do wonder if this is a point worth looking into/speculating about or that it is, what you say; all just for a really cool visual effect, to make a great intro movie. Katie? *puppy eyes*

[KatieHal]

They are under the same spell.

Maybe the cloaked stranger cast it on them in different ways to create a distraction with one while laying the curse on the other as well.

[B'rrr]

yay! thanks for the reply!

But... how can you say 'maybe'? like you don't know it either! you co-designed it!

[KatieHal]

Or maybe I just like messing with you a little bit.

[B'rrr]

*sulks*

Another maybe that isn't a maybe...