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Webcomic / Galebound

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The protagonist, Conan, and deuteragonist, Din.

"I have yet to find the limits of a sufficiently-determined Magician."
Din Duvent

Galebound is a webcomic started in May 2016, currently on extended hiatus as the creator works on the novel.

It follows the kidnapping of the seemingly-unimportant farmboy, Conan Renaud, by the devilish Magician, Din, who intends to overthrow the neighboring monarchy. Unfortunately for Conan and to his surprise, he possesses the ability the Magician needs to succeed in his rebellion—the power to command Magicians in binding geasa.


Galebound provides examples of:

  • Anti-Magic: Arcein's Ignorance doesn't just keep daemons from influencing Noblemen, or Noblemen from Commanding a Magician to obey, it apparently can't be affected by magic at all (forcing Din to form ice around it to lift it off the seafloor instead of calling it up directly), and is used to save Pascal from conflicting Commands that would otherwise kill him.
  • Armor-Piercing Question:
    Altiria!Lucie: Are you sure you can trust him?
  • Assassination Attempt: Three so far: Pascal's attempt on Conan's life in Evenheim, and later an attempt by the ocean itself, and then another apologetic attempt by Pascal.
  • Blessed with Suck: The magic system as a whole has huge drawbacks for anyone caught in it.
    • Magicians wield tremendous magical power but can be commanded against their will by the simplest imperative sentence. Even worse, their magic only works if they've been commanded to use it. And even if the person commanding them dies, their heirs will inherit any active commands. And if two commands that they have are completely mutually contradictory, it will almost certainly kill them.
    • Noblemen can command Magicians to do anything, but in return, Noblemen can be manipulated by daemons.
  • Conflicting Loyalty: A dangerous exploitation of the trope, intentionally invoked by Din when he sold himself into Cymaria's service after already being sworn to Evenheim.
    • "Conflict" has a dual meaning here: if either city-state commands Din directly to attack the other, the conflicting geas would kill him.
  • Dramatic Irony: Most readers had an immediate handle on what was going on with Lucie's sudden appearance. Conan, not so much.
  • Exact Words: A Magician can do this to commands. For example, "bringing someone's head" to another person clearly implies killing them, but if the command doesn't specify whether or not the head needs to still be attached...
  • Fog of Doom: Averted, thanks to Arcein's Ignorance, when Altiria and a fire daemon collide and explode into mist. Pascal attempts to use the mist to create another illusion to use against Conan, but the amulet prevents the magic from having any effect.
  • Lured into a Trap: Being a Nobleman, Conan is particularly susceptible to daemons' influence, like being tricked into walking off a bridge.
  • Power Glows: All Magicians can manifest a glowing aura with a color unique to the Magician. According to Din, the aura can manifest anywhere on a Magician's body at will, although hands are most common for the purposes of actually using magic. Pascal demonstrates by making his nose glow.
  • Protective Charm: Arcein's Ignorance, a Magical Accessory that prevents daemons from manipulating Noblemen. Unfortunately it also prevent Noblemen from commanding Magicians, raising questions as to who it's really protecting.
  • Really Royalty Reveal: Pascal swims ten miles to the end of the broken bridge, waits for the appropriate point in the conversation, and interrupts to spill the secret that Conan is a Nobleman and the prince of Evenheim.
  • Refusal of the Call: Conan's answer to Din's request for a guide.
  • Rewatch Bonus: Conan demands various things from Din, but it isn't clear why Din complies so easily until Conan's power is revealed and confirmed.
  • Rule of Three: Common in this world. For example, the connection between daemons, Magicians, and Noblemen.
  • Superpowerful Genetics: According to the appendix, a child of a Nobleman or a Magician is always a Nobleman or a Magician.
  • The Dog Bites Back: Whatever Felix did to Din, Din is out for his head.
  • Tranquillizer Dart: Din's answer to the Refusal of the Call, leading directly to Kidnapped by the Call.

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