Book 2 – Page 32

[Dancingrage]

That's good old Maggie all right, ruthless and yet still loyal to her side. Maybe not quite so much to her ruler, but that's a small matter. A brilliant piece of work there, and while it's probably stretching the bounds of loyalty to a great extent in regards to her ruler, remember Wanda did a lot similar in book 1, getting Stanley out of the way so Parson can do his booping job. There's loyalty to a singular PERSON, such as occasionally displayed on GK's side when everyone thinks Stanley's nuts for appointing Ansom over Parson for Chief Warlord, and loyalty to their SIDE, when they'll see with their greater intelligence that Stanley's being an idiot and if not adjusted like he was in this page, it would lead to their side's doom.

Hope one of Maggie's spells is 'Overclock'. Parson will probably need to do some dual-core thinking to get them outta this one.

Second thought: Lord Parson the Nuclear has returned...muahahah.

Edit: Wow, Maggie actually looks mad giving the suggestion...

Also: Ford's probably not legless, just has his foot behind his knee and out of the point of view. It's a 'sprawl' position, so is feasible...EDIT: ...until I saw the rest of his leg under the elephant's rear leg...wow, what a way to go....

[Ragn Charran]

Note to self--be very careful when the Thinkmancer makes the casual offer of a "suggestion".

I'd amend that to "Be very careful around the Thinkamancer. Period." Even before this quasi-coup.

[HTB]

Wow, that was just underhanded, and...

just...

Wow. That was really good.

[The Old Hack]

Peeking in just to show that I am still alive...

Wonderful page, and once again Maggie manages to charm me. Not that that is strange, given that she is a Thinkamancer.

I wonder what Charlie will do now. I suspect that the return of Parson as High Warlord of GK is something he has prepared for yet dreaded at the same time. It just might be the equivalent of going to Defcon 2 for him.

[HTB]

WAIT!

Wait.

Stop the presses.

Stanley can juggle?

[Rogthnor01]

LOLWHUT

[Vorteks]

BWAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. This was an AWESOME update. I love how Maggie tricked Stanley into giving her permission.

To date, Wanda's never directly ignored Parson's advice. Only once has she even twisted it slightly, by capturing/killing Ossamer as her way of "gathering intelligence".

Maybe... maybe not. From http://www.erfworld.com/2009/10/summer-updates-044/:

He was having a hard enough time just responding to Wanda's requests for tactical advice. Fortunately, he didn't have to do much but play Mathamancer, run the calculations, and say, "yeah, that'll work" to Ansom's fairly solid plans. The one time he'd said "no, bad plan" they'd done it anyway.

Maybe that means that Wanda did ignore him once? The update couple be taken to mean that Ansom ignored the advice, but I don't think Ansom would have been asking for Parson's advice in the first place.

[Rogthnor01]

Anyone else notice that Maggie shouldn't be able to cast as it is not Gobwin Knob's turn.

[Dr Pepper]

I can just imagine what is going on in Maggie's head right now. The whole loyalty thing and doing what is best for Stanly the Tool.

This must have been difficult to reason out in a mind like Maggie's. Or maybe not since in her mind Parson was always the one to have for chief warlord. But to actually cast a suggestion spell on her Overlord sounds like loyalty bells ringing.

I think it would have been difficult for Maggie before. But she's learned something about rules lawyering from Parson and something about deviousness from Wanda.

Great plot development, and amazing image detail.

I do think that naming an elephant "Irony" just on the off chance it might step on a republican is a bit weak, though.

[Joe Falco]

That was thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish.

I look forward to seeing how Parson handles himself in his old position and whether he will show resistance or grudging acceptance to it.

Why did I see that coming a mile away. I mean seriously how long has Maggie been planning that move?

If I had to guess, ever since Stanley broke off the link she was ordered to do with Jack and Misty.

That would mean the thinkamancers are really running the show.

Possible although I believe if it were true, the thinkamancers would have sense enough to tell their rulers not to go to war. Charlie is an exception because he is his own side that profits by solving problems he may sometimes create for potential clients.

Parson can't save them using tactics from GK. I suspect he will convince Jetstone to the let the column go. How? I don't know, but an enormous indemity (say 50 million) might be a good starting point, followed by having Wanda drop the pliers. Jetstone might bite on that offer.

Maybe, but I don't think there's any possible offer that would convince Slately to let that "witch" go, especially if he feels that he could get what he wants without having to deal.

No. I can see Parson trying to deal with Haggar and offering Dickie his son restored to him in exchange for protecting Wanda and her group.

Anyone else notice that Maggie shouldn't be able to cast as it is not Gobwin Knob's turn.

Throwing suggestion dust and giving suggestions to someone probably does not count as the same thing as casting. The dust is just a magic item that does not expend juice to use it.

[Dr Pepper]

What the?...

Where did Maggie get the hypno powder from? Is that from Wanda's stash? Did she get it from the magic kingdom?

That's just the physical manifestation of the spell. Since Suggestion is a simple mind control spell, it's something a thinkamancer should be able to do without props.

[TheMutant]

This page put a :D on my face. Maggie is so awesome.

Now, what an earlier person said is true, she DID just deny Wanda's stack a Chief Warlord's bonus. But really? She made the best long-term choice for GK, and she knows it (yay for Duty?). Wanda's stack is in massive trouble Chief Warlord bonus or no Chief Warlord bonus, and it could easily be interpreted that giving Parson full command of the current SNAFU, without having to wrestle with Stanley's every whim by virtue of our good Tool being in the room, is just as big if not a bigger boost to the short-term as the Chief Warlord bonus in Wanda's stack would be. He can do what needs to be done without worrying if Stanley will object- for the moment, anyways.

EDIT: AND she's ensured that the Chief Warlord is not a Decrypted, and thus under Wanda's control as well as Stanley's, to some extent. Which can only be a good thing for GK.

[Nows7]

I like the fact that she keeps her magic dust in a tasteful purse that matches her outfit. Ah, Maggie, You do give that Doll-a-mancer quite a bit of buisness don't you?

In her text update, Maggie said that being a think-a-mancer requires an ordered mind. It apparently requires an ordered wardrobe as well. Recall her Safari outfit when they attempted their picknic.

On Non-clothing related issues: She had a purse filled with magic dust ON HAND. Could she have been planing it? Could Siezmore tipped her off to Janis' prediction? I'm thinking with how close Seizmore and maggie are, it's entirely likely.

Will Parson recognize the forethought Maggie put into this?

Great Page.

[Snowtitan]

LOLWUT!

Ford's Defeats alas, was inevitable. Build 'em up and bring 'em down

Where did Maggie get the hypno powder from? Is that from Wanda's stash? Did she get it from the magic kingdom?

I' betting the hypno powder came from Janice Via Sizemore - it has flower power written all over it, it even looks like pollen
also if it were Maggie's powder then why not just spend some juice for the same effect. Also not Wanda's - Parson made Wanda use up her stash in TBFGK so it's not hers (Also I think she kinda likes being the power behind the CW)

Do wonder about the loyalty thing though, Units Can go against orders, if they Feel loyalty overides the orders, but risk de-popping if they do so - Maggie must REALLY believe in Parson's ability.

Edit - Re Read it and she DID ask if she could give him a suggestion (not Offer a suggestion 'Give'). and he said 'Sure' offering implicit permission to the magical suggestion, so she was following orders, in a sense

PS Love the expressions on the pikers faces in P1, up against the battle bear

Also LOL @

Stanley can juggle?

It's not really juggling if you've only got One Artifact!

[badninja]

Ok first why Maggie? The battle is over there and Parson is stuck over here, why do it? I know that he is damn good at leading and planning but he cannot award his bonus this far away. Secondly how do you think the Tool is going to react if he finds out about this, he may understand the whole duty point but are you not running low on juice? How is Parson going to communicate his necessary details through hat magic? This I think was a bad move on may levels. Unless Parson is actually able to get to the battle in very short order he is not going to do any good from where he is now. I do not care about some soothsayer, the here and now is much more important. I want to see how Rob handles this before I call this a bone headed move, because the story is not over yet (hell its still beginning).

[Fug]

It improves the comic that not every character developed survives- although I guess bogroll is the precedent on that one.

It does seem like loosing a (potential) chief warlord in her hex will hurt Wanda's chances of getting out.

On the other hand could it confuse the enemy- might they think the chief is veiled or going to strike elsewhere? It is a pretty unorthodox move and might throw them for a loop. I would guess a unit's stats can be veiled or otherwise the veil wouldn't really work (think of when Jack hid Stanley at the end of book 1).

[Rolan7]

So as many have pointed out, Parson's a terrible pick for Official Chief Warlord because he's not at the battle. I'd expect Parson to insist that Stanley reassign the Chief Warlord title again, except that seems narratively unlikely. Therefore, I think Parson is going to try to reach the battle to provide his (multiplicative) bonus.

But he can't ride the dragons and has 0 move, as a garrison unit! Well, I think we've heard that garrison units can sometimes be upgraded to have move. If Stanley is completely convinced Parson should be Chief Warlord, it'd make sense to pay for a movement upgrade. At the core of Stanley's character is the idea that a warlord should be on the front lines. It worked exceedingly well for him personally, so he applied the same idea to all his old warlords (getting them all killed as a result). His glee at capturing Ansom and Ossomer also exhibit this. So I think he would much rather have his Chief Warlord on the front lines, regardless of said Warlords actual combat ability.

The other problem is, it's not enough for Parson to have move. He seems to be a heavy, incapable of riding the dragon express. Perhaps it's time for a visit to the Magic Kingdom to rent a teleportation mancer of some sort.

[Ansan Gotti]

It's also not GK's turn right now.

That page was about three gallons of awesome sauce atop an awesome burrito supreme.

Probably one of my top five pages ever.

[QuothTheRaven]

"May I give you a suggestion, Lord?"
"Sure."

He gave her permission. I'm lovin' it Rob, keep 'em coming.

[Dancing Cthulhu]

No. I can see Parson trying to deal with Haggar and offering Dickie his son restored to him in exchange for protecting Wanda and her group.

It is an option I guess, I'm just not sure why he'd think to go for it other then a "lets just fish around" - unless he knows Haggar is a naturally traitorous bunch. Otherwise, considering what he has been taught/told he'd just think "another royal side that hates Stanley and would rather die then help. Who, along with Jetstone, happen to be in a dominant position at the moment" - an opinion that might be reinforced by how Haggar would have appeared to behave leading up to Sammy's death (since Parson wouldn't know their tactics were being dictated by Charlie who didn't care if they all died they'd have just appeared to be really enthusiastic to get to grips with the decrypted/Ansom).

I guess he could think the offer of decrypting Sammy might be tempting (if he knows who Sammy is and that he is dead), but then again he has seen how non-toolists regard the decrypted (Bea towards Cruz and the prospect of the rest of her sides decryptions, Oss and Trem towards Ansom) - abominations/monsters/puppets. Plus he might not be sure how it would be attractive to Dickie to have his former heir raised as a servant to Wanda, but again maybe in a desperate situation random fishing might pay off.

Then there is Haggar itself, if Parson called them would they do it? Charlie's threat would still be hanging over their heads, they have no real reason to trust GK and turning would likely mean having their forces destroyed by Jetstone just to hurt them some in order improve Wanda's chances of surviving.

It improves the comic that not every character developed survives- although I guess bogroll is the precedent on that one.

Very true, it just has to be fitting or suitable. I think Ford's demise is a good example of that (both fitting and suitable based on what we know and the circumstances he found himself in). I like that he's even raising his shield at the prospect of being stepped on by the elephant. He never stood a chance, not really, but he battled on till the end.

I still wish I knew who cut his leg off though.

Do wonder about the loyalty thing though, Units Can go against orders, if they Feel loyalty overides the orders, but risk de-popping if they do so - Maggie must REALLY believe in Parson's ability.

Hmmm. Perhaps, while awesome and all, it might reflect an overconfidence in Parson on Maggie's part? He's proved himself time and time again, maybe she's come to view him as something of a miracle worker (Wanda also seems to have turned around since she was holding back things from him in book one) and believes he'll be able to fix this... even if in the short term a CW bonus would be more helpful to Wanda if it was someone in her stack.

Overconfidence of course often being a bad thing.

But he can't ride the dragons and has 0 move, as a garrison unit! Well, I think we've heard that garrison units can sometimes be upgraded to have move. If Stanley is completely convinced Parson should be Chief Warlord, it'd make sense to pay for a movement upgrade. At the core of Stanley's character is the idea that a warlord should be on the front lines. It worked exceedingly well for him personally, so he applied the same idea to all his old warlords (getting them all killed as a result). His glee at capturing Ansom and Ossomer also exhibit this. So I think he would much rather have his Chief Warlord on the front lines, regardless of said Warlords actual combat ability.

Well, good looking Warlords at least, like Ansom etc. He might not like the idea of sending a big old target like Parson to the front lines unless he thought he could fight like a twoll or something.

But anyway, it isn't GK turn at the moment, which means he can't move from the city anyway and the battle it pretty much over in Jetstone's favor (the ground forces have been overrun, which just leaves Wanda's forces), it is just a question now as to what can be kept alive for their next turn.