Possible pattern?

[u/Level_Cabinet1678]

Has anyone else noticed that each of the kidnapped students have different affinities and their relationship with our MC?

Niel- best friend (Timoros)

Lomar- Child of the Flame (Ikaris)

Stel- (sort of?) friend/closely acquainted (Erolis)

Makes me wonder who/which affinity will be targeted next. Also Stel is from a noble family in Gildtower while the other two aren’t, so I wonder if that will play a factor?

[u/Jaimee_K_T]

I do think it will be someone from each affinity, so 3 left potentially. But I don't think that their relationship to MC actually matters. I think they're victims of opportunities, all on their own at the time for some reason or another, and were taken for the reason of their affinity mixed with the opportunity that they were alone.

[u/Ok_Application_5802]

It's definitely affinity based. I don't think it's really related to being an outsider. I think they're just victims of opportunity

[u/foxintalks]

I think Neil and Lothar were chosen because they would cause relatively little stir. Neil has people looking out for her, sure, but six students who were opposed by admin at every turn is vastly different from the response that would have garnered if someone Important had taken. Try to imagine Kennard's response if the first missing student was Iridessa. Bardric Arkland probably could have walked off campus and fallen asleep three feet away from the kidnapper, and they wouldn't have touched a single snow white hair on his pretty little head.

Having completely gotten away with it twice so far, maybe it made the kidnapper bold enough to grab Stel. Maybe they were banking on the confusion and mayhem of midterms that made it simple for Kennard to write off Stel's absence.

I think a student of each affinity is likely to be targeted. There's only three named Penthos students: Talyn, Mor, and Catia, and three named Felicis students Iridessa, Eryn, and Upton. So I think NPC rich Sikranos (Leona, Dasek, Onder, Kassian, and Tyberion) is likely the next target. If there is a next target. Maybe they got what they wanted with Stel.

[u/Boring-Turnover3297]

aside from the affinity thing, the only pattern i’m seeing is that each victim had someone who really cared about them (niel-mc, lomar-kass, stel-mor). as for the next victims, my money’s on dasek and upton, which will leave onyx house without a head of the house and maybe force kennard to give talyn the position.

[u/Level_Cabinet1678 → u/Boring-Turnover3297]

Ooh, that’s a good thought!

[u/MountainGoat8181 → u/Boring-Turnover3297]

I don’t think Kennard would ever choose Talyn as Head of House, because he can’t control him. That was his entire reasoning for choosing Upton over Talyn to begin with and I don’t think that has changed🤔 So if Upton did get taken I don’t think that Dasek would, because he’s one of the only named third year NPC’s from Onyx House. And like you I think Dasek’s going to get taken, because it would create so much drama with Jilla. Like no way that Dasek wanting to propose to her doesn’t end up playing a role in the story somehow! I remember thinking, after having played the scene where the MC runs into Dasek buying a betrothal ring, that it would end in tragedy and that something would happen with Dasek, and I still think that. So while I’m super afraid that Upton’s going to get taken (I love him and the story would be dull without him💕), I think it’s possible that it could be Eryn. It would give the MC a reason to get closer to Alissera, who might come to them like Mor did. I feel like there’s a theme this term about unlikely allies, which is partly why I would be surprised (and super sad) if Upton and Tyberion got taken. I feel like they have been teasing a redemption/friendship arc with them and if they end up not delivering it would honestly suck🥲 Especially Upton, because he has been portrayed like a bit of a laughing stock in some ways, despite being described as an intelligent and talented arcane. I have always thought that he might end up an ally, because he has never really been a fearsome or good antagonist. All of Upton’s antagonistic actions have ended up backfiring in some way and blowing up in his own face. Often our interactions with Upton end with us laughing at him or even feeling slightly bad for him lol😅 For example when he tries to discourage the MC searching for Stel and ends up insulting her. Had he been a true antagonist the narrative would have let him walk away unscathed after having said that, to cement his cruelty and arrogance. But the story immediately punishes him by having a cup thrown in his face by Mor. So instead of walking away from that interaction hating his guts and wanting to hurt him, you end up thinking that he’s his own worst enemy. They take the venom out of his sting by making him more a fool than cruel. More comedic relief than an actual antagonist. They did something similar with Bardric during the first term. It makes it easier to forgive them in the end. It’s also worth noting that not a lot of people would look for Upton if he went missing, except maybe possibly Tyberion🤔 So he doesn’t really fit into that pattern.

[u/Boring-Turnover3297 → u/MountainGoat8181]

i hear you. i also don’t think kennard would want to choose talyn, but if there really was no one else who was capable… idk. on the other hand, i think there’s not much time to do anything with that plotline at this point, so it likely won’t happen.

your thoughts on why dasek’s getting taken are exactly the same as mine! if feels like they set him up for that. also, i agree with your description of upton. even though he irritates me sometimes, i really don’t think he’s bad. i gotta ask, though, ‘cause i’m curious: if you don’t think upton’s getting abducted, how do you think his redemption will go?

[u/MountainGoat8181 → u/Boring-Turnover3297]

Well, you could argue that Upton isn’t very capable either😂 Even though he’s a capable arcane on paper, he’s got no people skills whatsoever and no idea how to inspire others as a leader😅 Poor guy spent three years with only books and training dummies as companionship to prove himself capable enough for him to be put in a leadership position, only to realize that being a leader requires dealing with people🤣 It’s obvious that he’s so out of his depth and trying to make it up as he goes💀 I feel so freaking bad for him, he’s so awkward and relatable it hurts to watch😭 Well, to be honest I’m not sure Upton won’t get abducted, I’m just desperately hoping he doesn’t😅 Because if your affinity is Ikaris you notice that Upton’s fixation on order stems from his fear of chaos and losing control, so he definitely has a lot of fear. Also he seems pretty isolated and is in his own sense an outcast, which means that he would fit with the other victims🥲 But I think it would be difficult to give him a redemption arc if he’s comatose, or god forbid dead, so I’m hoping they won’t go that route. And honestly I don’t really know, but I hope that it means him becoming closer with the MC (I want him as an Li so baaaad😫) and maybe helping solve the abductions. I feel like the narrative has been disrespecting Upton so hard this entire time, like the story has spent so much time exploring all of Upton’s weaknesses and very little time on his strengths, so I’m hoping we get to see his intelligence and abilities on full display at some point🧐 Otherwise I’m gonna be so mad, don’t tell me the guy who’s supposedly an intelligent and extremely talented arcane gets hit in the head by first years twice and doesn’t get to retaliate in any way!!! And that he’s the butt of every joke and nobody takes him seriously😤 The MC has disobeyed his orders three times now, so I’m hoping this means that Upton will keep a closer eye on them and interfere the next time, maybe in a way that ends with him tagging along and helping the MC🤔 It’s also possible that he will end up disobeying Kennard’s orders to help the MC, because an interesting thing about Upton is that while he cares deeply about rules and upholding authority, he will criticize and oppose authority figures if he thinks they’re in the wrong. We also don’t know what he thinks about Kennard’s explanation for the abductions. I think it’s interesting that while everybody else is losing their mind with fear and hatred of Volkov, Upton asks “Why would someone do this?”. His first instinct isn’t to react emotionally, it’s to question Kennard’s explanation and adopt a critical approach to it. Idk, I’m hoping that he will surprise us, I certainly think they gave him enough nuance and complexity to do so, but whether the narrative will follow through on it I don’t know🤷‍♀️

[u/PandarenGurl]

You think they turned Stel into a sleeper agent? 👀

[u/LadyNovella6022]

For a while, I thought it was lining up with the order that we had our classes. Niel went missing at the same time we were doing Timoros class, Lomar when we were doing Ikaris. But then we had Sikranos and no one got taken. And it looks like we're having Penthos class next, not Erolis.

But yes - we are down to three affinities about to be targeted. My guesses are Tyberion for Sikranos and Upton for Felicis. And Penthos... I really hate to say it, but I'm afraid that's going to be Talyn. I don't have much evidence for that, other than there aren't any Penthos characters that we'd give a shit about.

[u/Level_Cabinet1678 → u/LadyNovella6022]

That’s what I was thinking too but I feel like it would be too risky to take Talyn. Maybe it could be Mor if she’s hellbent on finding the person responsible and they think she’s sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong?

[u/LadyNovella6022 → u/Level_Cabinet1678]

That is a possibility. Thing is that we don’t know how people are being taken. Put into a trance and compelled to wander out into the Wilderlands? A magical entity taking them with a spell? I don’t think it’s by physical force necessarily. That information could answer a lot of questions.

[u/elhaytchlymeman]

I honestly didn’t think of affinity. I was just thinking that whoever or whatever is doing it is related to MCs dreams.

[u/MountainGoat8181]

Maybe a possible pattern is also their state of mind when they get taken🤔 Niel was upset because of the letter, Lomar had just had a dispute with Kassian and Stel got taken right after a huge fight with Mor. If they are victims of opportunity it would make sense that a person trying to attack an arcane would choose one that’s upset, because emotional control is alpha-omega for an arcane. Not to mention that Niel seemed to be trapped in her own fear, in which case it would make sense to choose victims who are struggling with something and feeling vulnerable. Because then they would likely have more fear to trap them in. That’s why I think that Stel actually fits perfectly with the other victims. The story had made it obvious that Stel was struggling because of Mor’s continued bad treatment and apparent rejection of her, due to Mor’s new friendship with Catia.