History Webcomic / KeychainOfCreation

** Marena's mother inflicted TrainingFromHell on her at an early age, though this training was for ''[[DeadlyDecadentCourt social]]'', rather than physical combat.

* OneHundredAndEight: Strip [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0108.html 108]] means 108 turns out to be quite the lucky number. [[spoiler:Luck had nothing to do with it.]]

''[[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0001.html Keychain of Creation]]'' was (see PaintingTheMedium, below) a StickFigureComic set in Creation, the world of the ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' roleplaying game. It follows the adventures of a quartet of Exalted as they quest to retrieve five magical keys that hold the evil Primordials sealed away: Misho, a Twilight Caste Solar, who has all of his Exaltation's memories dating back to the First Age, but no memory of his current mortal life, which can't ''possibly'' be suspicious; Marena, a Changing Moon Caste Lunar with a fox totem, a flirtatious, fun-loving, confident woman... who's quite possibly the most terrifying of the group; Secret, a renegade Day Caste Abyssal with some major self-esteem problems; and Ten Winds, an elderly Air Aspect Terrestrial, formerly a monk in the Immaculate Order, who left because he [[DefectorFromDecadence grew disillusioned with the Order]], and because he enjoyed the pleasures of the world a bit too much.

* OrphanedSeries: It's been ''nine years'' now. The author's hand ain't healing.

* SternTeacher: Misho. Misho. Dear Sol Invictus '''Misho'''.

* GogglesDoSomethingUnusual: Misho uses his glasses for triage purposes, while Nemen Yi has glasses that are some sort of artifact.

* OneHundredAndEight: [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0108.html Turns out to be quite the lucky number]]. [[spoiler: Luck had nothing to do with it.]]

* [[CaramelldansenVid Caramelldansen]]: [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0124.html Occurs in-story]].

** The Fae and the Sidereals. Nemen Yi uses this to her advantage in combat: [[PanelBreak leaping from one panel to another, abusing perspective to hit multiple targets with a single slash]], ''[[PanelBreak breaking off one of the comic's gutters and throwing it at Ben]]'', reaching across panels to smack the heads of two enemies together, and throwing one of them across panel lines into another. As you can expect, this is a CrowningMomentOfAwesome. [[note]]Such Sidereal Shenanigans are not exaggerations. Their martial arts allow, among other things, [[RetCon retconning]] your position on the battlefield...[[/note]]

* TryingToCatchMeFightingDirty: Misho, of all people.

* InstrumentOfMurder: Resonance Ben's soulsteel guitar. His FiveBadBand also has similar instruments, except for Flame who considers the whole thing silly.

** The God of Locks has a hairstyle that looks remarkably like Sora's from ''{{Kingdom Hearts}}''.

Unfortunately, the webcomic is on apparently-permament hiatus as the author developed tendonitis. Even so, he has been devoting the time he would have otherwise spent on the comic to writing homebrew material for the ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' setting, which is worth a look at.

** The woman in the second panel of [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0380.html this page]] in Costora's realm was last seen [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0345.html leaving Misho's tent]] after being healed, and she's doing some heavy lifting... just like Misho told her ''not'' to do. Disobeying the doctor's orders, are we?

** The woman on [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0380.html this page]] in Costora's realm, was last seen [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0345.html leaving Misho's tent]] after being healed, and she's doing some heavy lifting... just like Misho told her ''not'' to do. Disobeying the doctor's orders, are we?

* ByThePowerOfGrayskull: Costora. [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0381.html "In the name of Sol Invictus, and the laws of heaven...!"]]

[[quoteright:250:[[Webcomic/KeychainOfCreation http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/collapse_mid_sentence.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:250:There's a good reason she [[OverlyLongName usually]] [[NameThatUnfoldsLikeLotusBlossom goes]] by just "Secret".]]

For whatever reason, victims of poison always seem to have some big speech to give while the poison kicks in. The poor sucker will stumble around, lose his train of thought, start sweating heavily, sway a little--maybe take a few slugs from the (poisoned!) water bottle. The crowd, without fail, will suddenly become blurry and indistinct.

A common variant has the victim simply having a [[HollywoodHeartAttack heart attack]], {{fainting}}, or falling ill without poison.

KilledMidSentence is when the speaker dies, instead of just being knocked out.

Also note AlmostDeadGuy and HisNameIs.

RuleOfDrama - collapsing in public is a pretty spectacular way to go.

----
!!Examples

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]


* In the ''Anime/SailorMoon'' R TV series, Rei is attacked in the middle of her school concert. She transforms into Sailor Mars when everyone but the Senshi are knocked out, but since she had a good part of her LifeEnergy stolen by the MonsterOfTheWeek, she almost passes out in the middle of her InTheNameOfTheMoon speech.
* In the ''Manga/HetaliaBloodbath2011'', it happens to two characters. First, Seychelles experiences this as she's a nation-tan with a tropical climate and yet she's trouncing around in ''snow'' to join the others. Later, we find out that [[spoiler: a pre-teen!Holy Roman Empire experienced this ''and'' BloodFromTheMouth when he had a seizure during a Germanic states reunion, and his caretaker Hungary has to carry him in her arms.]]

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Film ]]

* An entire mob of grown-ups pass out during a speech in the ''Film/SpyKids'' movie.
* Deliberately invoked at the end of ''Film/{{Dave}}''. Main character Dave is an IdenticalStranger to the President and was hired to be the President's BodyDouble while the President goes out of town to carry on an affair. The President suffers a stroke while away and the phenomenally corrupt administration is terrified of the honest Vice President, who will probably throw them all in jail given the chance, so they have Dave continue pretending to be President, with the intent of making him a PuppetKing. Dave refuses to continue going along with them, however, and near the end gives a big speech to Congress and the Senate, where he confesses to all the President's crimes and blows the lid off the corrupt conspirators by implicating them too. After hitting the important confession Dave suddenly starts stuttering, then stumbles and collapses, as if he's had a stroke. Afterwards the real President (who has been on life support the entire time) is switched back in, while Dave walks away.
* Alex in ''Film/{{A Clockwork Orange}}'' falls face-first into his pasta after being slipped a mickey by the writer whose wife he and the Droogs gang-raped in the beginning of the film.
* This happens to Jefferson Smith at the climax of ''Film/MrSmithGoesToWashington'', although in that case it's not so much that he doesn't get through his speech as that [[HoldingTheFloor he keeps speaking until he collapses]].

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Literature ]]

* ''Literature/TheBible'': King Herod (the one who beheaded James the apostle) is said to have been struck down by God during a public appearance.
* In Creator/NgaioMarsh's ''The Nursing Home Murder'', an ailing and unpopular Prime Minister collapses while speaking in the House of Commons. He's sent to a private hospital for an emergency appendectomy, but doesn't survive the procedure.
* Creator/RobertAHeinlein's ''Literature/TheMoonIsAHarshMistress''.
** While Professor Bernardo de la Paz was on Earth he suffered greatly from the Earth's greater gravity, as it was six times what he was used to. On occasion, he did feign collapsing during negotiations when he wished to temporarily halt proceedings while he "recovered".
** After he returned to the Moon he seemed to get better. Near the end of the novel, after the Moon had won the war with the Federated Nations of Earth, he gave a speech to a crowd of Loonies.
-->He stopped for cheers, then went on, "But that lies in the future. Today-- Oh, happy day! At last the world acknowledges Luna's sovereignty. Free! You have won your freedom--"
-->Prof stopped--looked surprised. Not afraid, but puzzled. Swayed slightly.
-->Then he did die.
* A variation in ''Literature/StarshipTroopers'' has Rico protesting against his commander's decision to activate a post-hypnotic suggestion for him to sleep[[note]] They are on a Bug-occupied planet, Rico feels he should be awake and alert to lead his men, his commander feels he should take the chance to rest while it's quiet and be rested and alert for trouble later[[/note]]. The twist being that ''Rico'' doesn't immediately realize anything has happened, except for his commander's confused reaction to Rico picking up on their discussion mid-sentence, several hours later.
* A victim in the ''Literature/AlexRider'' series goes out this way.
* Vizzini from ''Literature/ThePrincessBride'' collapses after a short speech, in the middle of his EvilLaugh.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Live Action Television ]]

* ''Series/TheMentalist'': A chef collapses in the middle of his speech.
* ''Series/BabylonFive'' discusses and subverts this. Londo and Vir plan to assassinate the mad emperor. Londo worries that the Emperor will give a deathbed speech. The "almost" instantaneous poison is supposed to stop this. Vir jokes that maybe the Emperor will have just enough time to shout "Kill Londo!", a thought which does not amuse Londo. [[spoiler:Vir ends up being the one who stabs the Emperor with the poison needle. The Emperor's last words are simply "I was to be a god." Vir, being a relative innocent in a very dirty world, soon turns to DrowningMySorrows to deal with it.]]
* ''Series/GilmoreGirls'': Rory's grandfather has a heart attack and goes down in the middle of a lecture, but he makes it.
* Played with in ''Series/{{Buffy The Vampire Slayer}}'': The Mayor starts his Ascension in the middle of his speech to the graduating students, which causes him strong pains. However, he knew that it would happen and his collapse last few moments before he turns into a demonic snake. He only complains that he doesn't have time left to talk about civic pride.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Theater ]]

* In ''Theatre/InheritTheWind'', Matthew Harrison Brady is giving his closing speech, which his old and weary voice tries and fails to make sound passionate. After the microphone is taken away from him, he desperately tries to continue, but suddenly falls silent and collapses. As he is carried out of the courtroom in a semi-conscious state, he strangely starts speaking on being inaugurated as President. He dies offstage soon after.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Web Comics ]]

* On the very first page of ''Webcomic/KeychainOfCreation'', Secret collapses out of breath in the process of saying her OverlyLongName.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Western Animation ]]

* In the ''WesternAnimation/{{Visionaries}}'' episode "Horn of Unicorn, Claw of Dragon", this happens to Cryotek, Feryl and Galadria as they are struck down by the [[MysticalPlague Magical Plague]] which is sweeping Prysmos.
[[/folder]]

[[folder: Real Life ]]

* Mardi Gras Indian "chief of chiefs" and New Orleans cultural icon Allison "Tootie" Montana had a fatal heart attack in the middle of a speech he was giving to the New Orleans City Council to protest police brutality.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Not_a_keyblade_9854.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[YouWannaGetSued Of course it's not a]] [[Franchise/KingdomHearts keyblade]]. *cough*]]

''[[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0001.html Keychain of Creation]]'' was (see PaintingTheMedium, below) a StickFigureComic set in Creation, the world of the ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' roleplaying game. It follows the adventures of a quartet of Exalted as they quest to retrieve five magical keys that hold the evil Primordials sealed away: Misho, a Twilight Caste Solar, who has all of his Exaltation's memories dating back to the First Age, but no memory of his current mortal life, which can't ''possibly'' be suspicious; Marena, a Changing Moon Caste Lunar with a fox totem, a flirtatious, fun-loving, confident woman... who's quite possibly the most terrifying of the group; Secret, a renegade Day Caste Abyssal with some major self-esteem problems; and Ten Winds, an elderly Air Aspect Terrestrial, formerly a monk in the Immaculate Order, who left because he [[DefectorFromDecadence grew disillusioned with the Order]], and because he enjoyed the pleasures of the world a bit too much.

GenreSavvy and awareness of game mechanics is universal, and a source of much of the humor. The art style and premise were inspired by the ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', but ''Keychain'' spends less time {{lampshad|eHanging}}ing the conventions of the [=RPGs=] and fantasy stories and more time on the over-the-top action that's made ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' famous.

Unfortunately, the webcomic is on apparently-permament hiatus as the author developed tendonitis. Even so, he has been devoting the time he would have otherwise spent on the comic to writing homebrew material for the ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' setting, which is worth a look at.

Has a [[Characters/KeychainOfCreation character sheet]].

!!This comic provides examples of:

* OneHundredAndEight: [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0108.html Turns out to be quite the lucky number]]. [[spoiler: Luck had nothing to do with it.]]
* AboveTheInfluence: Misho. [[spoiler:Marena is furious about it.]]
* AbusiveParents: Marena reveals that Aria was one hell of a lot nastier to her than had been previously let on.
* AcquiredPoisonImmunity:
** It might be possible to find a drug or toxin that will incapacitate Ten Winds. You'll have to look for a ''long'' time (and commandeer the help of a few gods and/or demons) before you find it.
** Marena's mother fed her tiny doses of poison during her childhood to protect her from assassinations... which never happened anyway.
* ActionGirl: Pretty much every female in this comic worth mentioning can kick ass with all of the boys, and then some. Sort of comes with the Exalted territory, but even by Exalted standards some of the ladies (especially Nova and Nemen Yi) are incredibly skilled.
* ActualPacifist: Blossom of Harmonious Aethers. And she works for [[MadScientist Nova]], the poor thing.
* AIIsACrapshoot: Subverted, played straight and lampshaded. The Automaton Guard doesn't recognize Marena's caste mark (Misho hypothesises that it's because its sensors are faulty). On the other hand, though tainted with abyssal essence and abandoned for thousands of years, Mew Cai remains true to her original purpose.
* AllAmazonsWantHercules: Karen starts carrying a torch for Ten Winds after practicing martial arts with him. {{Squee}}!
* {{Animorphism}}: Marena, as one of the Lunar Exalted, loves this trope.
* ArrowCatch: [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0366.html Here]], by Ten Winds.
* ArtEvolution:
** Lampshaded in strip [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0319.html 319]], where the stick figure art became... [[BuffySpeak less... stickfigurey.]] (ARMS!!!) Explained in-story as a result of Marena and Secret's first step into learning sorcery, and "[[LeaningOnTheFourthWall changing how they perceived reality]]."
** Done again in [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0379.html 379]], this time explained as the result of the heroes entering the realm of a PhysicalGod. Out of story, it's because the author wanted to move away from sprite-based art and into drawn art.
* ArtShift: Creatures of the Wyld, Primordials, ghosts, and gods (''especially'' [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0191.html gods]]) are each drawn in a significantly different style from the main cast. TheFairFolk are a very subtle example -- they don't have internal lines, just colors.
* AsideGlance: Several, but one of the best examples is when TheDragon tells the local FourthWallObserver / [[TheChessmaster Chessmaster]] (who has just been OutGambitted) to "[[EvilGloating indulge a little]]," since no one's around. TheChessmaster [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0269.html looks right at the audience, smiles, and says]] "[[AllAccordingToPlan Just as planned]]." Just as the chapter ends.
* AskAStupidQuestion: [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0334.html Here's your sign, Secret.]]
* AwesomenessByAnalysis: In one corner we have a [[CurbStompBattle rampaging]] [[CrazyAwesome Sidereal Exalt]] that's [[TheWorfEffect just walked all over two death knights]]. In the other, we have [[LoveableSexManiac Marena]] [[TheChick Of The Red Crescent]]. Marena '''isn't''' able to stop the Sidereal, but she does take her down a peg in a very cool fashion.
* BareYourMidriff: Practically every female character of significance. Blossom of Harmonious Aethers being the sole exception.
* BeatPanel: It's easier to list all the strips that have a joke but don't have a beat panel, really.
* BeachEpisode: For some reason or another, the party ended up in the Sanctum (pocket dimension) of Costora, god of the beach.
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: "...I beseech you to guide events that [[ExactWords my sister]] will not reveal our nature to our enemies." [[spoiler: At that point the artifact armband that hid her Lunar nature snapped.]]
* BerserkButton:
** Being a HeroicBastard, Secret does ''not'' like homewreckers.
** The Fae are one for Misho, since they once murdered his previous incarnation's son. He also doesn't like the keys being called Keyblades.
** Her mother is one for Marena.
* BewareTheSuperman: Marena's justification for being a shamelessly flirty homewrecker is, well...[[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0092.html take a look for yourself.]] In the [[TabletopGame/{{Exalted}} source material]], this is an EnforcedTrope, as most Exalted are afflicted by the [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity Great Curse]], and those that aren't have [[WalkingWasteland other]] [[ContractualGenreBlindness problems]].
* BigBad: The First and Forsaken Lion. As a nine-foot tall man wearing armour forged from souls and hellbent on [[OmnicidalManiac killing everything ever]][[note]]Technically, he 'only' wants to kill the Neverborn. Everyone else is just collateral damage...[[/note]], he's one of the more literal examples of this trope. It's worth noting that this is rather pointedly spot-on to his portrayal in the game's canon.
* {{BFS}}: Ragara Karen's Daiklave, which is about [[SmallGirlBigGun twice her height]]. When not in combat she can actually fold it up into a slightly more compact form.
* BiggerOnTheInside: Because Misho knows [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0109.html Magic science!]]
* BilingualBonus: Those hieroglyphs are not made up on the spot. It's correct Old Realm, and you can transliterate everything... into roughly phonetic English. Two out of three ain't bad.
* BishieSparkle: [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0273.html Words fail.]]
* BreadEggsMilkSquick: [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0317.html Marena's list of things her mother did to her]], also counting as a LongList gag.
* BreakTheCutie: The backstory for Secret's transition from adorable little tyke to [[WalkingWasteland bane of]] [[ApocalypseMaiden existence]].
* BreastAttack: Nova gets nailed with one when pouncing an "unarmed" Misho. [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0172.html Cue winces from most of the female cast]].
* BrickJoke:
** All the way back in Marena's backstory, when Luna showed up, he was in fully-drawn art. Cut to the godrealm they enter hundreds of strips later...
** [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0035.html IF THERE'S NO MACHINE HEAVEN,]] [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0064.html WHERE DO ALL THE TOASTERS GO?]]
* ByThePowerOfGrayskull: Costora. [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0381.html "In the name of Sol Invictus, and the laws of heaven...!"]]
* CallingYourAttacks: Misho calls his spells and Combos -- which can provide a BilingualBonus for those people that can transliterate the Old Realm script it's in if the effect of the spell isn't shown until a page or two later.
* CanonImmigrant:
** Open up [=MoEP=]: Alchemicals, flip to page 81. Look at the last name on the list of prominent Alchemicals.[[note]]For those without the book, Elegant Nova of Progression is now the name of a canonical Alchemical Exalt.[[/note]]
** One of Nova's powers is now an official Alchemical Charm, Light-Etched Interceptor Barrier.
** Her scheme to reverse-engineer Exaltation seems to be getting some canonical backing with the Exigent Exalted, Exalted created by more minor gods that will appear in 3e.
* [[CaramelldansenVid Caramelldansen]]: [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0124.html Occurs in-story]].
* CatchPhrase: Ten Winds has "JUSTICE!"
* CelibateHero: Misho. Even Marena's charms don't work on him, [[spoiler: not that she hasn't been trying.]] Her [[LoveIsInTheAir pheromones]], [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0121.html on the other hand]]...
** Later in the comics, this is expanded upon. [[spoiler:It's not that Misho is completely unwilling to start a relationship with Marena. Rather, it's that [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0303.html she doesn't want him to see her solely as a replacement for his wife from the First Age]] -- who just so happens to be her Exalted self's past life...]]
* ChainsawGood: [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0046.html This strip]]
* ChekhovsArmoury: Drawing on its source materials, just about every major detail is shown or foreshadowed.
* ChekhovsGun: [[spoiler: Secret's necklace, and her habit of rubbing it when worried and distressed]]. Set up in Strip #1 actually.
* ChekhovsGunman: [[spoiler: Ten Wind's Sidereal student]], also set up in Strip #1.
* ClusterFBomb: [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0374.html Karen]], despite being ''mute'':
-->'''Ten Winds:''' "Astounding. I can actually '''feel''' you swearing."
* CollapsedMidSpeech: On the very first page, Secret collapses out of breath in the process of saying her OverlyLongName.
* ConfusionFu: Nemen Yi is able to judo throw people across time and space. [[RuleOfCool And it is awesome]].
* ContractualGenreBlindness: The Fae deliberately attack the party, knowing they'll be defeated, because:
-->"If we hadn't come to fight you, there'd be no reason to have us in this comic. And then we wouldn't exist."
* CoolSword: The Keys, of course, but also Misho's other sword, the Blade of Vitality. It supposedly makes its wielder physically immortal, as opposed to just spiritually immortal as the Exalted are.
* CureForCancer: Misho can apparently do this at will ("It's so easy when you know how to do it!") but it kinda breaks their cover.
* CuteLittleFangs: Marena and Secret, occasionally. Marena because she's a Lunar, and sometimes takes on animal features, especially when she's angry or agitated; and Secret because she's an Abyssal, with the added ability to grow full not-so-cute vampire fangs, because she regains Essence through consuming blood. ([[ImAHumanitarian Among other things]], if the author's staying close to the source.)
* DarkIsNotEvil: Secret. She's an Abyssal who's manipulated the system enough to ensure she only has to kill evil people.
* DarkSkinnedRedhead: Marena, Karen, Four the fire aspect lady.
* DealWithTheDevil: Canonically, most Abyssals get their StartOfDarkness this way. [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0300.html Like Secret, for example.]]
* DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu: [[TemptingFate Don't ever tell a god that what is going on isn't their concern.]] Otherwise, even if it isn't, they'll MAKE IT their concern, just to spite you. (Although, considering the relative positions of the Exalted and lesser gods, it's as much C'thulhu flipping YOU off.)
* DisabilitySuperpower:
** Subverted with Resonance Ben, who is blind and uses inhumanly acute hearing to 'see' because he thinks it's cool, but who constantly has it turned against him in various ways.
** Ben also has an Exalt-specific Disability Superpower that's the reason for his name (on multiple levels): he intentionally cultivates Resonance, the Abyssal form of Limit that stems from his EldritchAbomination patrons getting pissy with him, to channel it into devastating necrotic attacks. This is pretty much a complete GameBreaker though -- the entire ''point'' of Resonance is that you don't want it (you don't want [[EldritchAbomination Eldritch Abominations]] mad at you).
* DualWielding: Nemen Yi, the Sidereal of Mars. Bonus points for ''dual wielding {{BFS}}es''.
* DynamicEntry:
** Done by Ten Winds early on. ''JUSTICE!''
** Karen later pulls off the same thing, complete with the same cry as an UnsoundEffect.
* EldritchAbomination: The primordials, as per ''Exalted'' canon.
-->'''Secret:''' What are these, Misho?
-->'''Misho:''' Mostly, they're images of the primordials, as they were before the war. The gods felt it important we be reminded who we were fighting... thought we would feel a bit more confidence if we knew the nature of our foes.
-->'''Secret:''' Who's that?
-->'''Misho:''' That would be Adrián, the River of All Torments. The gods weren't... used to humans, at that point.
* ExactTimeToFailure: Subverted. Mew Cai announces that the Soaring Manse will self destruct in 47 seconds, [[spoiler:but waits until the evil Abyssals attacking the party have left before she mentions how to stop it]]. Later [[spoiler: DoubleSubverted, as something else caused the catastrophic chain reaction that killed her a few minutes later.]]
* ExactWords: The Terrestrial bandits have no objection to someone driving on to the bridge. [[spoiler:Getting off of it, however...]]
* ExploitingTheFourthWall: Nemen Yi weaponizes the fourth wall by grabbing people out of different panels, climbing into a new panel to ambush someone, and stabbing people with [[NinjaProp chunks of panel border]]. Justified in that she's one of the Sidereal Exalted, who fiddle with the laws of Creation as a daytime job.
* ExposedToTheElements: Marena, [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0156.html here]].
* ExtremeOmnisexual: Marena.
--> [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0185.html Let me see, how many... How many people... ...Define "people."]]
* EyelessFace: Ghosts have these, along with a black-and-white color palette, to distinguish them from mortals.
* TheFairFolk: The Fae. While everyone in the comic knows the mechanics on which the universe runs and is GenreSavvy, only the Fae realize they are in a comic strip. This is done in order to portray an alternate worldview that, to everyone else, seems like insanity.
* FantasticArousal: Marena has ''[[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0270.html very]]'' sensitive ears...
* FastballSpecial: Much to her surprise, Ten Winds [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0062.html throws Secret at the door to break it down]] when flying out of the manse.
* FearlessFool: Fury has Valor 5. [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0279.html It shows.]] Also [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0280.html here]]; compare her reaction with that of the others.
* FingerPokeOfDoom: [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0336.html Secret vs. pig.]]
* FollowTheLeader: Shamelessly admitted on the links page: "Here's the Order of the Stick, the comic that inspired me to write Keychain of Creation. And by 'inspired,' I mean 'the same, but with Exalted.'"
* ForTheLulz: Nova attacks, kidnaps, and harasses members of the party, largely because she's bored.
* FourthWallMailSlot: As explained by the author, it sorta makes some sense, since the Fair Folk characters who do it know they're in a comic anyway.
* FreeSamplePlotCoupon: Misho already possesses Eternal Dawn, the Key of the Sun.
* FreudianExcuse: Marena has a lot of issues regarding her mother. After we find out what Aria's idea of "parenting" seems to be, it's suddenly a lot less surprising. [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0317.html Take a look]], and pay close attention to Misho. You can actually watch his faith in humanity slowly dying.
* FunbagAirbag: Take note of the [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0374.html first and last panel]]. Also counts as FunnyBackgroundEvent.
* FunWithAcronyms: Mew Cai = '''M'''anse of the '''E'''ver '''W'''atchful '''C'''ustodian '''A'''rtificial '''I'''ntelligence.
* GenderBender: Marena's "Twin-Faced Hero" Knack.
* GenreSavvy:
** All of them to an extent, but Ten especially. [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0073.html Watch]] as he shoots down the potential for at least one standard MacGuffin plot.
** Nova is too. She seems to have read the EvilOverlord's list, despite not actually being an ''Evil'' Overlord. [[spoiler: When Misho saves her life, she promptly stops fighting him, returns Secret, and states that it's just good sense to not attack someone who has helped you.]] Very, very smart. And keeps her likable.
** TheFairFolk are actually aware they're in a comic strip, which makes them seem insane to everybody else.
* TheGloriousWarOfSisterlyRivalry: Secret and Marena seem like this at times, with Secret being more the Smart Sister and Marena being the Popular Sister.
* GlowingEyesOfDoom
* GoYeHeroesGoAndDie: Misho suggests the Primordial War-era murals in the tunnels had this effect.
* GogglesDoSomethingUnusual: Misho uses his glasses for triage purposes, while Nemen Yi has glasses that are some sort of artifact.
* GonnaNeedMoreX:
-->[[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0365.html "We're going to need more coconuts."]]
-->[[NoodleIncident "No, he doesn't do that any more."]]
* HeartIsAnAwesomePower: The God of Lock's power is nothing to be sneezed at. Besides the whole "keeping the Yozis imprisoned" thing, it has a number of other uses, like when Nemen Yi uses the key's power to make a stitched together zombie's stitches all come undone. See SemanticSuperpower for more information.
* HeroAntagonist:
** Elegant Nova of Progression. Sure, she's a MadScientist, but it's clear from the point where we actually meet her that she's a charitable and kind person who just happens to be ''really'' stubborn about test subjects. [[spoiler:The fact that she happily surrenders when Misho saves her from being badly injured helps too.]]
** Nemen Yi is a staunch defender of Creation, but she seriously questions the party's qualifications to defend the Keys. [[spoiler: There's probably more to it than that.]]
* HeroicBastard: Secret. As far as the character archetype goes, she had a pretty sweet deal (she was fortunate enough to have both parents in her life), but given that she lived in the [[HeManWomanHater Coral]] [[PlanetOfHats Archipelago... ]]
* HeroicBSOD: Misho in #220, [[spoiler:when faced with giving Ben the key and saving countless innocent lives (while simultaneously dooming all of Creation), or keeping it and effectively condemning them to death at the hands of countless undead troops.]] This is an actual rule in ''Exalted'' -- what you see is the [[spoiler:Heart of Tears]] Limit Break, where a Compassionate Solar becomes literally [[spoiler:[[AngstComa catatonic]] with indecision and guilt over every decision he's made.]]
* HeroicSacrifice: [[spoiler:Mew Cai]] *Sniff*
* HumongousMecha: Misho's God-Forged Champion of War.
* ImprobableWeaponUser:
** Misho fights with a keyblade. And is in denial about it.
** First And Forsaken Lion seems to be going the keyblade route as well, as opposed to the soul-sucking {{BFS}} he wields in canon. Misho mentioned [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0005.html early on]] that the First And Forsaken Lion had forged the Key of Soulsteel. And when considering what the Keys are capable of, it's not surprising that he'd trade his old sword in for the Key of Soulsteel. It would be hilarious, though, if he only wants to escape his armor instead of taking over/destroying the world.
*** It's noted later in the comics that the gods are actually incapable of even ''wielding'' the keys of creation. This means that Lion is just holding onto it until he can find someone worth giving it to. Unless, of course, there's something we don't know yet...
* IncorruptiblePurePureness: Misho seems this way.
* INeverToldYouMyName: Nova somehow knows Misho's name despite having never been told it, but refuses to say how when he asks her.
* InstrumentOfMurder: Resonance Ben's soulsteel guitar. His FiveBadBand also has similar instruments, except for Flame who considers the whole thing silly.
-->'''Flame:''' I'm really not affiliated with this...
* ITakeOffenseToThatLastOne: In an early strip, Secret calls Marena a "bossy overweight oversexed shapeshifting cow" and gets pushed down a long fall for it. The title of the comic is "I am not a cow!"
* FanNickname: Notably, Secret's OverlyLongName was initially going to be shortened as 'Sorrowful Herald'. 'Secret' was coined by a fan before a practical-sized name was established, however, and the author liked it, so it was taken up in the comic as well.
* JustAsPlanned: While every Sidereal, everywhere, can be presumed to be running at least one {{plan}} if not more, Nemen Yi [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0269.html goes out of her way to remind us of the fact]].
* {{Kawaiiko}}: Secret is so adorable she [[{{Omochikaeri}} inspired Marena to take her along with the party]]. As a child she was even ''more'' adorable, probably because she hadn't yet undergone the horrible experience that would eventually kill her and drive her to become an Abyssal.
* KickTheDog: Nemen Yi launches an unprovoked attack on [[TheWoobie Secret]] just to get what she wants. Admittedly, she's apparently under a mandate to rescue the Orichalcum Key from Abyssals, but given Secret's history this is a bit of a stretch.
* LamePunReaction: [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0145.html ...he just sort of...]] ''[[BondOneLiner fell to pieces]]''. [[LampshadeHanging Even the dismantled clawstrider, who can't hear the pun, is disgusted.]]
* LeaningOnTheFourthWall: Apparently, everyone but a sorcerer-initiate sees stick figure characters. This "fact" is used to hang a lampshade on the ArtEvolution in comic #319. Earlier, some characters lampshade it by commenting that they can't tell when somebody is wearing pants.
* LookBehindYou: Marena distracts a group of guards by shouting that the Kukla -- a legendary Earth Dragon larger than a mountain range -- is behind them. The ensuing conversation between the guards reveals they've fallen for this one before (you don't want to take chances with the Kukla). Of course, Marena was probably using a Charm on them. ([[http://keychain.patternspider.net/fanart/petemansarge.png One fan comic]] showed the one time when they finally didn't fall for it. Guess what was sneaking up on them?)
* LostTechnology: Subverted. Most remnants of the First Age are broken or malfunctioning. Anything still working is hard to maintain.
* LovingAShadow: [[spoiler: Marena won't entertain the notion of getting serious with Misho]] until she's sure he's seeing her as she is now, not as she was [[spoiler:in the First Age.]]
* LudicrousGibs: see FingerPokeOfDoom
* MagikarpPower: Implied with Secret. As a Deathknight, her power is potentially equal to Misho's or Karen's, but she has too much of a conscience and too little self-confidence to wield it. It remains to be seen if this changes or if [[spoiler: successfully becoming a Solar]] will unlock her full power.
* {{Magitek}}: The Nova arc features tons of it: Alchemical Exalted, magitek cybernetics, and more.
* MailmanVsDog: Nemen Yi [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0257.html claims to be the reason dogs hate mailmen]], apparently due to [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/index.html some feud she has with the messenger gods]].
* MeaningfulName: Resonance Ben (Resonance being a side effect of an Abyssal not following the path set for them by the Neverborn). Of course, most Exalted get names like that, but only with some of them is it obvious why they're named so.
* MediumAwareness:
** The Fae and the Sidereals. Nemen Yi uses this to her advantage in combat: [[PanelBreak leaping from one panel to another, abusing perspective to hit multiple targets with a single slash]], ''[[PanelBreak breaking off one of the comic's gutters and throwing it at Ben]]'', reaching across panels to smack the heads of two enemies together, and throwing one of them across panel lines into another. As you can expect, this is a CrowningMomentOfAwesome. [[note]]Such Sidereal Shenanigans are not exaggerations. Their martial arts allow, among other things, [[RetCon retconning]] your position on the battlefield...[[/note]]
** Interestingly enough, [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0108.html Ten Winds has it too]] -- the only "lucky number" here is the comic number. Fertiliser for [[invoked]] EpilepticTrees right there...
* MilesToGoBeforeISleep: [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0063.html Mew has felt like this, it seems.]]
* MorphWeapon: Secret's soulsteel weapon, courtesy of the entity that has dominated the other souls sealed inside. Besides a sword and bow, she usually keeps it as a belt.
* {{Munchkin}}: Encouraged in the ''Exalted'' universe and exemplified by several characters.
** Resonance Ben is a wonderful character with lots of depth and some truly amazing moments. However, anyone who attempts to create a character in an actual ''Exalted'' game who does ''anything'' like what Ben does with Resonance should be shot, as the whole point of Resonance is to penalize the Abyssal for defying the rules of their masters.
** Misho took a lot of flaws to pay for his badass abilities. Atypically, these flaws cause him a great deal of trouble.
** Secret appears to have optimized herself for Dodge charms. Because they solve '''everything'''.
** Karen paid for her Moonsilver Tattoos by taking the Mute flaw, in-universe by [[ChainOfDeals giving her voice to a goddess to be made into a war banner to be given to the Lunar Elders for membership in the Silver Pact]].
* MundaneUtility:
** Misho uses his divine power to create items from nothingness to make... a desk. A Glorious Solar Desk. Later, a hammer. A bit of MemeticMutation there too. GLORIOUS SOLAR <OBJECT> is fairly common in the rulebooks. For fun, replace <object> with anything. Desk. Chair. Pen. Hammer. [[NoodleImplements Pig]]. You get the idea.
** Ten Winds using his anima flux as a cold shower for Marena.
** Marena using (indeed, abusing) a shapeshifting knack to change clothes, complete with a naked transformation scene. In public.
* NameThatUnfoldsLikeLotusBlossom: But of course. The Conductor of the Cacophonic Steel Chorus, Fifth Man Born In Readiness, Elegant Nova of Progression... you get the idea. Secret's full name parodies the trend.
* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: Exalted tend to have these sorts of names as a general rule. Specific mentions include the King of Uncloaked Steel, the First and Forsaken Lion, and Misho Thrice-Radiant. Secret's would be one, if she could say it all in one breath.
--> '''Misho''': "When you find someone's name, it's often a good idea to find out why they were named so."
* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: In the inimitable ''Exalted'' tradition.
* NinjaProp: Nemen Yi breaks the panel dividers (gutters) and uses the pieces as throwing weapons.
* NoFourthWall: While the main characters have occasionally spoken of being in a comic, the Fae take this trope all the way. This complies with the source material, as it's actually a power of the Fae to do so according to their rulebook, ''Graceful Wicked Masques''.
* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: Ten Winds wanted to kill a pair of bandits out of fear that they may reveal their location to hostiles. Misho insists they be spared... and the [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0343.html first being they meet]] is a hostile to whom they reveal their encounter with Ten Winds.
* NoGuyWantsToBeChased: Misho, of all people, seems to have this attitude about Marena's advances. He refuses a relationship with her because he thinks she won't treat it seriously.
* NoodleIncident: Involving a beach god
-->'''Misho:''' ...We're going to need more coconuts.
--> '''Ten Winds:''' No, he doesn't do that anymore.
* NoOSHACompliance: From the annotation to [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0052.html comic 52:]] "You know, it strikes me that the health and safety people in the First Age must have had somewhat different standards from what we would expect."
* NoSenseOfPersonalSpace: [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0277.html Five Waves Fury]] frequently glomps StraightMan Flame.
* NWordPrivileges: Parodied with the derogatory "'nathema."
* OddJobGods: comes with the territory of being set in the ''Exalted'' 'verse. Examples so far include Kuka-Rem, god of political manipulation, and Costora, god of the beach.
* OhCrap: [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0339.html It is, in fact, not beyond the old man's business.]]
* OneWayVisor: "Sarge," one of Nova's cyborgs.
* OneWingedAngel: Would you settle for a nearly-defeated [[spoiler:Elegant Nova]] turning into a [[spoiler:thirty-foot-tall robotic sphinx?]]
* OrphanedPunchline: [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0206.html "...into a banana! I was amazed."]]
* OverlyLongName: Poor Secret nearly passes out just from trying to say her full title, in a parody of the overly long and poetic titles that tend to get used by Abyssal Exalted. It's actually over seventy words.
* OverTheTopSecret: When Secret asks Misho about the broken locator crystals:
-->'''Misho:''' I'd tell you, but I'm not even allowed to tell you why I can't tell you.
* PaintingTheMedium:
** SpeechBubbles change color and border depending on the type of character talking and sometimes the Charms they are using, similar to [[Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick OOTS]], as well as the Fae (and Gods) being drawn differently.
** Even languages reflect this, when the characters are using magic. [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0291.html Necromancy]], [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0245.html the one used by Ten Winds]] and [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0282.html Old Realm, used for Sorcery.]].
** [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0180.html That's how]] this comic shows that a phrase is said by one person in two connected bodies.
** When Marena and Secret are initiated to sorcery in [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0319.html #319]] (an event they have been told will "change how [they] perceive reality itself"), the strip suddenly stops being a StickFigureComic.
* PassThePopcorn: The leader of the GenreSavvy Fae that attack the group does this [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0101.html in the middle of battle]].
* PerkyFemaleMinion: Five Waves Fury, a Full Moon-caste Lunar in the service of the First and Forsaken Lion. ''Ridiculously'' [[GenkiGirl Genki]], constantly trying to snuggle Flame, and yes, ''that'' kind of perky.
* PuffOfLogic: Marena's Essence cannon disappears in a puff when she tells Secret that she can only carry four items in Elsewhere at a time (the cannon being item #5). She blames the Pattern Spiders.
* PurelyAestheticGender: Averted when Marena attempts to [[SmellsSexy use a pheromonal Charm]] against a robot who happens to be gay (or possibly asexual). [[FailureIsTheOnlyOption And currently in a sexless form anyway]].
* ReallyGetsAround: [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0185.html Marena]].
* ReplacementGoldfish: [[spoiler:Marena won't enter into a serious relationship with Misho because she is afraid of being this. ReincarnationRomance is funny like that.]]
* ReverseThePolarity: Subverted and lampshaded in [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0148.html a fight between Nova and Misho]]:
--> '''Nova:''' You are a worthy adversary, Misho! But even you could not anticipate that I would invert the photon charge of the deflector array... AGAIN.
--> '''Misho:''' [[OhMyGods SOL DAMNIT]] THAT SHOULDN'T DO ANYTHING EVEN IF IT IS POSSIBLE!
--> '''Nova:''' Ha! You just don't think the same way I do!
* RidiculouslyHumanRobot: Elegant Nova of Progression and her fellow Alchemical Exalted are all examples. To be fair, the Alchemicals have human souls, like their fellow Exalted, and are closer to being cyborgs than true robots due to their artificial flesh. At higher Essence levels, they're the foundation and central part of entire ''cities''.\\
\\
Further, the Alchemicals here are "houseruled," and seem much more machine-like than normal Alchemical Exalted (being broken to pieces without any lasting harm, for example)... although interestingly, once the 2nd Edition Alchemicals book came out, much of those "houseruled" effects became canon -- and Nova herself [[CanonImmigrant became a canon character, if only through a name drop]]!
* RightBehindMe: [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0357.html #357]]. Unusual in that the person in question is not ''overheard''.
* RPGMechanicsVerse: With ''Exalted'' being the RPG.
* RuleOfCool: As with ''Exalted'', a lot of things are handwaved with "We're Exalted! We're just that awesome!"
-->'''Alchemical:''' You're blocking my scent with yours!? [[HowIsThatEvenPossible Th- that doesn't even make sense!]]
-->'''Marena:''' I'm Exalted! I just smell '''that good'''.
* RuleOfThree: Subverted and lampshaded. Three goblins attack the party. The first two are flipped into a tree, but Secret stabs the last to death, remarking "Oh, was I supposed to flip it into the tree? Sorry."
* RuleThirtyFour:
** The author has an adult fanart gallery, separate from the main one. Granted, it only has one picture so far, but that's not bad for a StickFigureComic. There is written porn as well, and Jukashi himself has gotten in on the act.
** [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0204.html A very short (and clean) excerpt of another story appears in the comic]], presented as if Marena is writing it herself. [[ShowWithinAShow Self-insert fiction]] or memoirs? With [[LoveableSexManiac Marena]], who knows...
* SadisticChoice: Flame offers Misho one, either give up his Key to save the town they're in from a zombie attack letting Flame's Deathlord boss get it, putting Creation in danger, or let the town be slaughtered. [[spoiler:Misho is paralyzed by indecision and ends up in a HeroicBSOD for a while]].
%%
%% Please, no external links to porn.
%%
* SaveTheVillain: Misho does this to [[spoiler: Elegant Nova]] and ''it worked'', despite [[spoiler:Nova not being in much actual danger.]]
* SayItWithHearts: [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0170.html Nova]], amongst others.
* SealedEvilInACan: The Yozis, and the five Keys are the can openers.
* SemanticSuperpower: Per WordOfGod the five Keys, when used together, grant the wielder omnipotence as long as they can phrase the desired action as "unlocking." Want to kill an immortal? One might call that "locked" to life, so the Keys can help with that.
* SerialEscalation: What incredibly strange things can a stick figure do? How strange can the weapons get? How ''cute'' and '''adorable''' can Secret be? Or Misho? How much can this comic outclass ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' in fight scenes? And what new bizarre-yet-awesome [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot character type combinations]] [[note]]Mexican mummy/sorcerer wielding soul-encrusted chainsaw katars, A blind MusicalAssassin rockstar, A pheromone-emitting hippy android, a cyborg bandito/raptor transformer, a five-armed patchwork giant drummer, a shape-shifting cowboy martial artist...[[/note]] can Jukashi think up?
* SerratedBladeOfPain: Elegant Nova Of Progression has a huge combat form with micro-serrated claws.
* ShareTheMalePain: Inverted when Nova gets a BreastAttack from trying to attack an "unarmed" Misho.
* SherlockScan: Marena is able to undermine two [[TheFairFolk Fae]] and a [[CrazyAwesome Sidereal]] just by making deductions about their motivations.
* ShipTease: [[spoiler:"Ears."]]
* ShirtlessScene: Misho twice, Ten (Lampshaded by the page title), Marena ([[GenderBender In both sexes]]), Ben.
* ShootTheDog: Misho [[spoiler:going full SternTeacher mode]]. Even he thinks he was too harsh.
* ShoutOut:
** The God of Locks has a hairstyle that looks remarkably like Sora's from ''{{Kingdom Hearts}}''.
** [[Series/RedDwarf But where do all the Toasters go?]]
** Also, the elevator muzak is [[Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion Cruel Angel's Thesis]]. Which considering the questions raised by Misho's backstory could be Foreshadowing. Or not.
** The above is possibly also a shout-out to ''Webcomic/{{Megatokyo}}'', [[http://megatokyo.com/strip/377 which used a similar gag]].
** [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0256.html This]] Christmas-filler comic contains a [[{{Snowlems}} snowlem]] who is pretty much identical to a certain disturbing snowman created by [[ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes Calvin]].
** "'''''[[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0103.html Stop right there,]] [[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion criminal scum!]]''''' I mean, Fae."
** When entering Nova's city, Ten Winds states [[Film/FearAndLoathingInLasVegas "We can't stay here. This is house rules country."]]
** That Nova looks so much like [[WesternAnimation/MyLifeAsATeenageRobot Jenny XJ-9]] ''can't'' be coincidence.
** [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0323.html This comic]]. Don't get the reference? Here's your hint: [[Literature/TheHobbit It's written in Moon Runes on Thrór's map]]. Also counts as a TakeThat against a common fantasy trope.
** Three Words: [[Manga/DeathNote Just As Planned.]]
** [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0343.html This strip:]]
--> ''Mysterious cigarette-smoking figure:'' [[VideoGame/TeamFortress2 "Gentlemen."]]
** [[Webcomic/SweetBroAndHellaJeff and there she goes the dawn caste.... HASS the initiative.]]
** The comic also features cameos of characters from a spiritual predecessor comic, ''The Freedom Stone'', located on the ''Exalted'' forum.
* SingleStrokeBattle: The final showdown between [[spoiler:Ten Winds and Nemen Yi]] turned out to be one. [[spoiler:As with Karen, Ten Winds demonstrated his superior skill by messing up his opponent's hair.]]
* SkirtsAndLadders: Marena discovers that [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0014.html Secret's wearing black panties]] when they're climbing.
* SmallGirlBigGun: Parodied. One of the Exalted who shows up for the TerribleIntervieweesMontage is one of these, and manages to put someone's eye out with her massively oversized Essence cannon.
* SortingAlgorithmOfEvil: Ben and Flame are at the bottom of The First And Forsaken Lion's chain of command: Ben's department is Morale, since he's a musician, and Flame's is Recruitment, since he summons the undead. Neither of these ''requires'' any actual combat skills, implying that they weren't recruited for their combat prowess, but rather for their abilities in those areas instead.\\
\\
Which may give you an idea of just how powerful the guys at the top of the chain are (since Ben and Flame, two of their "weakest" members, are incredibly powerful). Especially the heads of "Equipment" and "Guerilla," who were sent off to go and do some serious ass-kicking to The First And Forsaken Lion's enemies. Remember, equipment includes weaponry... like giant essence cannons.
* SpinOff: [[http://lafreeze.deviantart.com/gallery/28821507 Tales of the Mastah]].
* SternTeacher: Misho. Misho. Dear Sol Invictus '''Misho'''.
* StoneSoup: Used as a {{brick joke}}.
* SuperEmpowering
* SurferDude: Costora, god of the beach. Now imagine him with Music/WeirdAlYankovic's voice.
* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: Marena and Racer are [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0251.html most definitely not members of a secret society]]. That doesn't exist. It doesn't have any political influence or {{ninja}}s.\\
\\
Which is a running gag in the [[http://www.patternspider.net/forums/index.php Exalted Compendium Redux Forums]], as shown [[http://www.patternspider.net/forums/viewtopic.php?p=114111#p114111 here,]] as well as a running gag in the game itself. The section of the rulebook that [[SuspiciouslySpecificDenial doesn't present the White Veil Society]] also makes no assumptions about how it might be organized if it did exist, which it doesn't, and presents no Charms that describe the martial arts style that might suit their needs, if they existed. [[OverlyLongGag Which they don't,]] so don't worry about the ninjas that aren't right behind you.
* TakeAThirdOption: The situation Secret has finally found herself in. Does she embrace her new existence as a Deathknight, and work towards the death of all Creation? Does she run from her responsibilities forever? Or [[spoiler:does she seek redemption and attempt to become a Solar]]?
* TalkingWeapon: Unlike most soulsteel, Secret's shapeshifting sword/bow/belt Cluivnarihe can speak coherently, shows no sign whatsoever of suffering from having been soulforged, and is a bully who mocks Secret when nobody else is around.
* TalkLikeAPirate: [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0035.html Seatongue.]]
-->'''Mew Cai''': Aharr yarr, harr <Seatongue> yarr?\\
'''Secret''': Avast! Yo ho yaharr harr yarr, matey!\\
'''Mew Cai''': Aharr yarr ho ho, scurvy dog bilges.\\
'''Marena''': Are you sure you're sane?
* TerribleIntervieweesMontage: The webcomic starts off with one of these, as Misho and Marena try to find two more adventurers to go along with them.
* ThoseTwoBadGuys: Ben and Flame. Recently upgraded to a full QuirkyMinibossSquad by the addition of several more Exalts.
* TimePassesMontage: Parodied. What looks like a seasons changing sequence is really just Misho playing around with a weather machine.
* TrainingFromHell:
** Ten Winds and Marena decide to "help" Secret out when they find out how abysmal her Stamina and Manipulation abilities are.
--->"You can run or we'll go through the bee training again!"
*** Later, Karen got in on the act. How does she let Secret know what to do?
--->'''Karen's [[{{BFS}} grand daiklaive]]:''' ''WH-THUNK!''\\
'''Secret:''' [[AmusingInjuries EEYAAH!!]]
*** One bit of fanart has Ten Winds chasing Secret while ordering her to [[OverlyLongName say her full name]].
** Different subject, same trope: Misho's Sorcery 101 class.
** Marena's mother inflicted TrainingFromHell on her at an early age, though this training was for ''[[DeadlyDecadentCourt social]]'', rather than physical combat.
* TryingToCatchMeFightingDirty: Misho, of all people.
* TwinSwitch: Secret suggests this to help Karen get with Ten Winds. Marena and Karen promptly [[DopeSlap shoot this idea down]], [[GenreSavvy because it never works]].
* TheUnreveal: We never get to see Marena's underwear. Subverted, because the Fae commentary tells you what you need to know anyway.
* UnsoundEffect:
** [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0012.html anima!]]
** [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0033.html Infuse! Manifestation!]]
** [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0043.html applicable defense!]]
** [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0093.html ninja vanish! ninja run! ninja leap! ninja climb!]] [[OverlyLongGag ninja brood!]]
** [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0355.html JUSTICE!]] when used by Karen.
* UnstoppableRage: Subverted with [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0220.html comic #220]]. An Abyssal is blackmailing Misho, hammering on every last one of his emotional stress points until he goes into Limit Break -- but as it turns out, his Limit Break is [[spoiler:Heart of Tears...]]
* TheWatson: Secret occupies this role frequently; as the least experienced Exalt present, her ignorance of the mechanics of the universe provides lots of opportunities for the other characters to be MrExposition, mostly Misho.
* WhatTheHellHero:
** Ironically it's [[DarkIsNotEvil Secret]] who calls Marena out on it.
** Marena later calls Misho out when he [[spoiler:uses Necromancy to summon Secret's father from the Underworld, as a trial she must overcome prior to learning sorcery]]. He doesn't seem to disagree. (Ironically, Summon Ghost has now been printed as a Sorcery spell, so he didn't even need Necromancy to do that.)
* WillTheyOrWontThey:
** Misho and Marena are just friends. [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0153.html That's what they agreed on.]] [[UnresolvedSexualTension The agreement]] [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0077.html is not]] [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0302.html iron-clad...]]
** Alternatively, Marena and Secret.
** Or Karen and Ten Winds.
* TheWorfEffect: Misho is notionally the strongest protagonist in the story, but he has yet to fight a non-trivial opponent who doesn't have him at some kind of metaphysical or tactical disadvantage.
* XanatosGambit: The [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0005.html God of Locks pulls a pretty classic example]] -- the heroes killing him fulfils his plan just as much as if they'd left him to his own devices.
* YouGottaHaveBlueHair: Lampshaded.
--> '''Marena:''' I keep forgetting some people just have green hair.
* YourAnswerToEverything: [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0029.html Dodge Charms.]]
* YouWannaGetSued: It's not a "Keyblade," get it?

----

* ContractualGenreBlindness: The Fae brothers reason for attacking the party is part this, part DangerouslyGenreSavvy (see below).

* DangerouslyGenreSavvy: The Fae deliberately attack the party, knowing they'll be defeated, because:
-->"If we hadn't come to fight you, there'd be no reason to have us in this comic. And then we wouldn't exist."
** It needs to be noted that this perfectly fits the portrayal of the Fair Folk in ''Exalted''. They live stories, and the more powerful ones '''are''' stories.

[[caption-width-right:350:[[YouWannaGetSued Of course it's not a]] [[KingdomHearts keyblade]]. *cough*]]

GenreSavvy and awareness of game mechanics is universal, and a source of much of the humor. The art style and premise were inspired by the ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'', but ''Keychain'' spends less time [[LampshadeHanging lampshading]] the conventions of the [=RPGs=] and fantasy stories and more time on the over-the-top action that's made ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' famous.

* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: Ten Winds wanted to kill a pair of bandits out of fear that they may reveal their location to hostiles. Misho insists they be spared... and the [[http://keychain.patternspider.net/archive/koc0343.html first being they meet]] is an hostile to whom they reveal their encounter with Ten Winds.

* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: Ten Winds wanted to kill a pair of bandits out of fear that they may reveal their location to hostiles. Misho insists they be spared... and the first being they meet is an hostile to whom they reveal their encounter with Ten Winds.

** The comic also features cameos of characters from a spiritual predecessor comic, ''The Freedom Stone'', located on the ''Exalted'' forum.

** Three Words: [[Manga/DeathNote Just As Planned.]]

** The God of Locks has a hairstyle that looks remarkably like Sora's from ''{{Kingdom Hearts}}''.

** That Nova looks so much like [[WesternAnimation/MyLifeAsATeenageRobot Jenny XJ-9]] ''can't'' be coincidence.