It all started when Xiapo tried teaching his dog to obey the command of "five".(Not that it has anything to do with what started; that's just when the story starts.)
Xiapo Yellip Zump is an artashastra, a member of an underground-dwelling species that do their best to avoid humans. He lives in a small village, owns an undisciplined dog, works as a food-taster, and has very few friends. None of this changes when the village elder sends him on a journey to save the planet from those humans before they inadvertently destroy it.
The Awesome Adventure of Xiapo Yellip Zump provides examples of the following tropes:
- Bioluminescence Is Cool
- The artashastra tunnels are lit by multi-colored glowing fungus. Oddly, these fungus require some power source, and are prone to black-outs.
- Xiapo's dog eats a weird glowing fish (which was used as a light-bulb until then), and begins to glow himself.
- Fake Wizardry: It is heavily implied that Argo does not wield actual magic. However, his magical staff tends to swing of its own accord and whack people who doubt his powers.
- I Just Want to Be Normal: Xiapo would shirk his responsibilities altogether, but he lacks the backbone to refuse the call to adventure.
- Meaningful Name: Xiapo's initials are X.Y.Z., the last three letters of the alphabet. The village elder named him this way on purpose, to warn that Xiapo will be the last surviving artashastra if he fails on his quest.
- Never Say "Die": Taken up to eleven. Instead of "die" or "kill" the narration uses the word "destroy", often to humorous effect.Mike: "Hey, wait a minute! Aren’t you supposed to be destroyed?"
- Noodle Incident: That prophecy with the scissors
- Plot Armor: Lampshaded.He aimed it directly at Xiapo and fired. However, for the convenience of the plot, he missed.
- Raised by Humans: Dwayne, the British demon
- Suddenly Always Knew That: Granny has gone through numerous midlife-crises, and can whip out whatever skill is necessary."Remember that time you were an escape artist?"
- The Prophecy: Xiapo doesn't really believe it, but he doesn't really have a choice in the matter.
