History ComicBook / OrangeCrows

--> '''Natalie''': Forsaken Witch Cierra, I'm here to inform you that your exile has ended. You are to be escorted back to the Orange District in order to partake in the reassessment trial. This trial will determine if you are fit to rejoin society as a contributing member. There will be no ''2nd exile period''. If you ''fail'' this trial, then you will be put to ''death''. Do you accept these conditions?
--> '''Cierra''': ...
--> '''Natalie''': Do you accept or not? Forsaken exile Cierra, if you do not give an answer then we'll be forced to assume you refuse the conditions. You have five seconds to comply.
--> '''Sparticus''': Look, I shouldn't be telling you this, but if you don't accept our orders are to kill you on the spot. So, you need to give her an answer.
--> '''Cierra''': I... of course I accept. What other choice do I have?

--> '''Cierra''': It was strange. She left all of her research material to me, including the laboratory she had set up at home. Why did she do such a thing? Why would she all of a sudden leave her most precious possessions to ''me''? Was this her way of saying... that she really did love me? That day I decided in front of my mom's grave that I would somehow finish what she'd started. I would prove my worth.

---> Myth of Wings, Tome of History, Chapter 757

--> '''Cierra''': Huh? Like what?
--> '''Jack''': Like your ''periods''. Glad we weren't born Witches, you know?
--> '''Sparticus''': Heh heh. You and me both.
--> '''Cierra''': Shut up!
--> '''Natalie''': H-how DARE you?!
--> '''Bianka''': It's just how we are... i-idiots.

* FaceStealer: One of the Forsaken Witches working with the Free Minds [[spoiler: can assume the face of one of the bullies who appeared in Natalie's flashback nightmare, and the face of the waitress who served Natalie, Jack, and Sparticus in Arx Ceridwen]]. She keeps a belt of still-living faces around her waist, and is able to take on the appearance and mannerisms of those who she's collected.
--> '''Unnamed Face Stealer''': You just don't understand the value of true friendship, Adinella. If you let me wear you, then I'm sure you would understand.

---> '''Clover''': All right, y'all! Let's saddle up and get the heck outta here! There's a camp about a day's travel from here!

---> '''Lu''': Vat a funny face! Vhy are you making such a silly face?!

---> '''Adinella''': Ya expect me ta be believin' that flimsy excuse?! How 'bout we deepen yer bond 'tween me candlestick an' yer head!
---> '''Ahmee''': Aw Nella, you always know how to treat me! Hit me, again!
---> '''Adinella''': Will ye calm down, ye half wit?! 'Tis no way te treat yer master! Hey, are ye listenin'?

* DarkSkinnedBlond: As of Volume 2, Jack's design is updated to include skin shaded with screentones to complement his pale hair.

* AllThereInTheManual: The full names of most characters never appears in print:

* NiceHat: Some Witches wear [[LivingClothes talking hats]], although the three that are introduced in volume one are a bit worn out and grubby looking.

%%* HeightAngst:
* MagicMusic: During a flashback to Natalie's time in the hospital after Cierra's failed experiment, the nurses at her bedside discuss the limitations of medical magic. They report that they've had healers singing the "Song of Soothing" for three days straight, but it's curative properties aren't enough to save Natalie's damaged wing from amputation.

%%* OutOfCharacterMoment: It seems odd that Bianka would be the one to express concern for Cierra's wellbeing, given that Bianka spent the majority of their short acquaintance attacking or making fun of Cierra -- but Bianka is the only member of the S.W.S. to wonder aloud why Natalie isn't more invested in recovering Cierra, and the only one to become visibly upset when she and Sparticus discuss Cierra's escape.

* BandageBabe: Cierra is covered in bandages when the Orange Crows find her in the Wilderness. Even after a healer removes most of her scars, Cierra continues to wear bandages as a makeshift eyepatch.

* PunnyName: Dr. Lowe (who is afraid of low places, and can be seen crouched like a gargoyle on the edge of a tall cauldron) and Dr. Highe (who is afraid of heights, and frequently suffers bouts of nausea due to her tall stature) are a pair of minor characters who work in the research lab in Arx Ceridwen.

* NoPeriodsPeriod: DoubleSubverted -- Warlock Jack tells the horrified Cierra, Natalie, and Bianka that Warlock school is now teaching their all-male student body Witch biology, including information about their ''periods''. In this case, "period" means the time of the month when a post-pubescent Witch's wings molt -- and it's treated just like a regular period though, with the embarrassed girls insisting that it's "totally natural" and that they were "born that way."

* AffectionateNickname: Clover calls Cierra "Pup" as a sign of affection, and as an indication of her mentoring relationship with Cierra. [[spoiler: Also as an early indicator that she considers Cierra to be little more than an asset in the fight against the Arx, like a loyal attack dog.]]

* DarkSkinnedBlond: As of Volume 2, Jack's skin is shaded with screentones.
* FaceStealer: One of the Forsaken Witches working with the Free Minds [[spoiler: has the face of one of the bullies who appeared in Natalie's flashback nightmare, and the waitress who served Natalie, Jack, and Sparticus in Arx Ceridwen]]. She keeps a belt of still-living faces around her waist, and is able to take on the appearance and mannerisms of those who she's collected.
--> '''Face Stealer''': You just don't understand the value of true friendship, Adinella. If you let me wear you, then I'm sure you would understand.

* MagicMusic: During a flashback to Natalie's time in the hospital after Cierra's failed experiment, the nurses at her bedside sadly discuss the limitations of medical magic. They say they've had healers singing the "Song of Soothing" for three days, but it's curative properties aren't enough to save Natalie's damaged wing from amputation.

* {{Premiseville}}: Arx Ceridwen shares a name with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceridwen Ceridwen]], an enchantress who appears in Welsh mythology. The mythological Ceridwen was famed for brewing a powerful potion in her magical cauldron -- the first three drops would grant poetic inspiration and peerless wisdom, while the rest of the brew would prove a fatal poison. Arx Ceridwen is at the forefront of magical research, having earned the title of "The Queen's Cauldron" for their production of magical medicines and potions, and having been chosen from among all the other cities to produce the mysterious and powerful Crythium Brew for the Witch Queen.

* YouGottaHaveBlueHair:
** The only characters to appear in color on the covers of the published books are Cierra, Natalie, Clover, and Adinella (not including characters Gaet, Sheri, Shay and Ze'ek, who appeared in a preview of the artwork for the cover of Volume 3 posted to the author's twitter). Of these characters, Cierra has dark orange hair, Natalie has crimson hair, Clover has bright green hair, and Adinella has dark blue hair.
** Based on merchandise promoted with Kickstarter for the 3rd volume and artwork posted to the author's twitter, it would appear that Bianka has purple hair, Whisper has cyan hair, Klo has orange hair, Sheri and Shay have lavender hair, and Three Times has bright red hair.

* OurFairiesAreDifferent: Fairies in ''Orange Crows'' are Witch-eating monsters that live in the wilderness between civilizations' walled, isolated city-states. They're impervious to spells because they can absorb magic (although it's noted that a particularly strong Warlock might be able to survive combat with a Fairy). They're capable of a sort of teleportation within pockets of magically charged air known as an "arcus", which allows them to simulate flight and attack the {{Cool Airship}}s Witches use for long distance travel. The only known substance that can repel Fairies is electricity, which is why all inhabited districts are surrounded by a dome of electric energy. According to legend, fairies first appeared when Witches began to attack each other, sent as punishment by the gods for their warmongering.