Book 2 – Page 27

[BLANDCorporatio]

Ah the old Charlie is all-knowing, devious and stupid meme
Remember she told Charlie she was going after the column WITH THE CHIEF WARLORD
Implying that he was one of the key targets, if Charlie thought it was ok to croak the main bonus-supplier of the GK forces it's her own fault.

I don't get that feeling at all from this page. If anything, it shows Charlie is fallible and that perhaps the deaths of his archons and all of the chaos ended up affecting his critical thinking ability. People have indicated before that the latest developments have felt a bit ham-handed for Charlie, and I think that chicken is coming home to roost with this discovery of info by Jillian.

I think that what gazes_also means is that we forumites tend to overestimate Charlie's knowledge, abilities and competence etc. So he's saying, pretty much, what you are.

I for one think that, after being shown to be commander of a vast army of uber-versatile units, master of Thinkamancy, maker of long distance links and so on ... we're warranted to think Charlie knows a lot more than is immediately obvious.

PS: The Spidew. Awwwwww!

[balder]

When Wanda took off for Jetstone's capital, Ansom had a black eye - http://www.erfworld.com/book-2-archive/?px=/2009-12-31.jpg.
Now he doesn't. Gobwin Knob hasn't started a new turn... did they heal Ansom off-screen using a scroll or something? Or is this an oversight?

Just curious. Love the artwork.

It got missed. This will be retconjured today. Sorry.

[Django]

Why does everyone think Jilian will be pissed at Charlie?

I give 10% she wants to croak Ansom in order to "free" or "save" him. Though that percentage is sinking with her stopping Sammy.

I also give atleast a 60% chance that she will take Charlies "betrayal" in stride, I mean its not like she can expect him to not want to croak the chief warlord of the other side. She is the one with the unusual request. Now if part of their deal would have been that she gets Ansom or if she had asked him to help her gain Ansom, then she could/should be angry, but there is no evidence of that.

I think its wishful thinking of the Charlie haters...

[Ansan Gotti]

Well, usually when someone tries to kill someone you love, you tend to get upset at that person.

Charlie's admitted he knew something was up, and Jillian said it was none of his business. Now he's made it his business by trying to croak him to take him out of the equation.

I really don't think Jillian will react well to that, but I suppose we'll see soon enough!

[Vorteks]

It got missed. This will be retconjured today. Sorry.

Sweet! Now that's dedication. Thanks!

[Mose]

Well, usually when someone tries to kill someone you love, you tend to get upset at that person.

Charlie's admitted he knew something was up, and Jillian said it was none of his business. Now he's made it his business by trying to croak him to take him out of the equation.

I really don't think Jillian will react well to that, but I suppose we'll see soon enough!

Maybe Charlie wants to push Jillian in a particular direction.

Charlie is a pretty bright cat.

[Ansan Gotti]

Maybe Charlie wants to push Jillian in a particular direction.

Charlie is a pretty bright cat.

He wants to push Jillian into the direction of being angry with him?

Now THAT'S subtle! Eleven-dimensional chess subtle, even.

[SteveMB]

More than that, how do you think Jillian's going to feel when she finds out Charlie wanted to eliminate the man who he KNOWS is important to Jillian (and Jillian knows he knows that, see http://www.erfworld.com/page/8 on the interplay between them)?

When she finds out? She just did find out -- she knew that Charlie had given Sammy his marching orders, and now knows that croaking Ansom had been his main objective.

[gazes_also]

From Text Update 17

Well," he continued, "I suppose just tell me what you do plan to do next. I'll figure something out from there."

"There's still a column of about thirteen hundred infantry on the other side of the bridge, right?" said Jillian.

"Oh yes."

"Not for long," she snarled.

"You'll need help with that," said Charlie. "And it can't come from me."

Jillian frowned. "Why not? Riding in right now with me would be good for you. The Royals see you wipe out a major ground force, with Stanley's Chief Warlord in it, they'll probably accept you as an okay ally."

(emphasis added)

Please tell me how you could interpret this in any other way than Jillian telling Charlie to croak Ansom and everyone with him to get back onside with the coalition.
If anyone was being devious it was Jillian and she has only herself to blame.
I have generally been a Jillian defender here but this last action was just dumb or callous; distracting Sammy in the middle of a fight, what did she think would happen?

So it does set up if a) Ansom gets croaked or captured; and b) Wanda gets back to the bridge next turn for Sammy to become a new GK chief warlord, which could
be interesting, except that even Stanley would have to pick Parson as a better choice...

...wouldn't he...?

...really, not even Stanley...

[Ansan Gotti]

When she finds out? She just did find out -- she knew that Charlie had given Sammy his marching orders, and now knows that croaking Ansom had been his main objective.

My quote was just sloppy wording on my part, I knew what you're saying, and I agree.

Please tell me how you could interpret this in any other way than Jillian telling Charlie to croak Ansom and everyone with him to get back onside with the coalition.
If anyone was being devious it was Jillian and she has only herself to blame.
I have generally been a Jillian defender here but this last action was just dumb or callous; distracting Sammy in the middle of a fight, what did she think would happen?

So it does set up if a) Ansom gets croaked or captured; and b) Wanda gets back to the bridge next turn for Sammy to become a new GK chief warlord, which could
be interesting, except that even Stanley would have to pick Parson as a better choice...

...wouldn't he...?

...really, not even Stanley...

I see your point, but from the earlier portion of that text update, it still seems clear to me that Charlie knows Jillian is in love with Ansom, and that Jillian knows Charlie knows. Using that as a foundation, I think Jillian would believe it ought to be "obvious" that wiping out the ground forces means "everyone but Ansom" who should be captured.

I'm not going to claim it's 100% rational, but that's how I am guessing it will play out, seeing Jillian's characterization thus far.

[Welf von Ehrwald]

By the way, I like the last panel, thus:

Spoiler: show

[opal]

I liked the faces in this update, they don't seem as flat when seen in profile.

[Lamech]

Yeah, this is totally Jillian's fault. She pretty much told Charlie to wipe out GK's ground forces, and he gets her some great help. Props to Charlie all the way... its not his fault he does't know Jillian has a crush on Ansom and was attempting to turn the quite possibly unturnable. If Jillian's rational she'll see her mistake, but if she was rational she would have told Charlie that he should be capturing Ansom not croaking him. And even if she does realize she has screwed up it doesn't change the fact that Ansom is being targeted and may need help. Now, what will she do next? Sammy seems to have pushed a good ways into the line, maybe he has archers lined up to pound Ansom or something, I'm sure he has a back up plan if he screwed up.

[Jeivar]

Hm. I was hoping we'd get more use out of Sammy. Oh well.

I wonder what the hell Charlie's thinking with trying to get Ansom killed. Jillian is the only Royal who is even bothering with him now, and he can't possibly think this won't piss her off. And Ansom isn't a Tool, so killing him won't serve Charlie's ultimate goal. So what gives, really? He's risking a valuable resource (Jillian) in order to kill someone of only moderate importance.

The only explanation I can think of is that he's gonna pull the same thing on Jill as he did Sammy: A veiled Archon force threatening FAQ while she's away and can't defend it. So no matter what, she's gonna have to go along with him.

Thoughts?

[Jeivar]

Props to Charlie all the way... its not his fault he does't know Jillian has a crush on Ansom and was attempting to turn the quite possibly unturnable.

Um, Charlie is perfectly aware of Jillian's feelings for Ansom. It's how he got her to ally with him against Gobwin Knob. And he's far too good at reading people and manipulating them to have misread someone as transparent as my favorite loony barbarian queen.

[Ehbobo]

Hm. I was hoping we'd get more use out of Sammy. Oh well.

Fear not! We may yet see him become a part of Wanda's unholy legions.

[effataigus]

Sammy just kicked a spidew in the face...

HOW IS THIS NOT THE ONLY THING BEING DISCUSSED??!!

The spider even cried afterwards...

Actually, I guess that's all there is to say on that, but, really, awesome art!

[randomstar]

Hm. I was hoping we'd get more use out of Sammy. Oh well.

Fear not! We may yet see him become a part of Wanda's unholy legions.

Could he be decrypted without head? .... it will make an interesting view

BTW wonderful art!
faces and bodies in panel 3.. and the trail of dust from sammy axe in 4.. and so many other details..too many to say
(and yes, they had nunchaku)

[Lord Kasavin]

By the way, I like the last panel, thus:

Spoiler: show

Was this made by a "demotivator" website? If so, can you provide a link?

Anyways, croaking Ansom is such a logical part of attacking GK's infantry threat that no reasonable person would get upset for ordering it. Except Jillian is not necessarily reasonable when it comes to her paramours. What I can see hapening is Charlie ditching Jillian for Tramennis, who might be more receptive to Charlie's "consul," though not at the expense of Jetstone interests.

As for Sammy's croaking, I'm having trouble getting a read on what exactly occurred. Yes, Ansom croaked Sammy. However, was Sammy croaked because a) Jillian distracted him, b) Ansom played dirty by ordering his men to attack after a duel was proposed, or c) Sammy was outmatched in terms of skill, leadership, units, etc.

[Jeivar]

As for Sammy's croaking, I'm having trouble getting a read on what exactly occurred. Yes, Ansom croaked Sammy. However, was Sammy croaked because a) Jillian distracted him, b) Ansom played dirty by ordering his men to attack after a duel was proposed, or c) Sammy was outmatched in terms of skill, leadership, units, etc.

I can't really see how it's Jillian's fault. Sammy and Ansom were already face-to-face and fighting, and I can't imagine Sammy cared enough about Jillian's demands to relax the offensive.