Book 2 – Page 37

[technojunkie]

I can't wait to see the look on either Tram or Slately's face when they learn that their rout is going to turn into a rout.

[Archameades]

I never noticed how much more Tram looks like Slately then Ansom or Ossomer do. Perhaps there was some signamancy at work that caused his hair to get that Regal curl? Jillian mentioned how her hair was growing longer after she became queen. Or perhaps I'm just reading too much into how different he looks then his brothers.

[enthar]

This might sound weird...

Certain parties that I am in contact with have requested that I ask, maybe even beg, to get panel 12 (the last panel) or at least just T's face as a wallpaper. Maybe with a sunset behind it. "Sqeeee's" were involved.


All I will admit to is that it is some truly impressive artwork today

As to the comic as a whole- Parson is blessed by stupid enemies, and he really needs to get a warrior son back into Jetstone (barring actually destroying Jetstone) just as soon as possible. Really, they captured the /wrong/ son.

Enthar

[gazes_also]

Great update, both from plot and art angles.
Xin really captures the flow and dynamics of the conversation. We see Tram drop the floppish wise-cracking pose and the deference to his father. In the last three frames there is a change of perspective, looking down on Slately and looking up a Tram, that shows there's a shift in power here. The look on his face in the last frame - a glimpse of the iron fist inside the velvet glove, perhaps? The shading throughout is delightful.

So Tram is going to play this one to his strengths - the "your brother would never have done that" - "yeah and look where it got him" exchange is superb, the final clincher for Tram. If Parson thinks he can pull some stunt at parley based on his experience with the other brothers Jetstone, he could be in for a surprise. Also the Charlie-gets-Wanda scenario is seriously in play.

Evil plot suggestion: Tram does deal with Charlie that lets Charlie take Wanda without interference in return for JS suffering no further losses.
Tram offers terms that JS will end turn and allow GK to leave on condition that under no circumstances will GK attack JS for X turns. GK agrees, JS ends turn, dawn the next day Charlie surges in with massive Archon forces and captures Wanda, the decrypted Archons, and Ossomer (whom he hands over to Tram) and wipes out everything else.

[Ninjaguineapig]

As to the comic as a whole- Parson is blessed by stupid enemies, and he really needs to get a warrior son back into Jetstone (barring actually destroying Jetstone) just as soon as possible. Really, they captured the /wrong/ son.

Yes. If only Ansom realized the Trem was more valuable than Oss, Jetstone wouldn't have a chance. Parson and Trammenis on the same side? That's an open can of major ass-whoop.

[Dancingrage]

This is going to work out in an interesting manner. Tramennis is by far and away smart enough to pick apart things when presented with a situation, I'm looking forward to seeing how this goes.

[Welf von Ehrwald]

Sumptuous! I want the Jeststone throneroom for my living room. No? Ok, i'll settle for the Radish Throne. does it come in a swivel model?

I think that's the sleeping room; behind Trem is a (luxurious) bed.

AND, weirdly perceptive. Because Jillian IS a traitor, which we know well enough based on her apparently honest offer to Wanda. While Charlie is always a dangerous snake.

Not quite, she offered to turn traitor, but never actually went through with it since Wanda refused. Furthermore, it seemed like she expected Wanda to refuse, which drops the likelihood of her going traitor even further.

I have to wonder how Jetstone has survived as long as it has with Slately as Ruler. He refuses to acknowledge anything that doesn't support his idea of how Erfworld works.

I think the offer to change sides in the middle of the battle and to attack your former allies qualifies as treason. She wasn't bluffing, and she would have done it.

As for how Jetstone survived with Stlatley as king, one should note that he isn't wrong about Jillian. And by accident, he is not wrong about the parley. Croak first, ask questions later, or Parson will get you. Also he didn't need to do anything, he has/had three highly competent sons; a strategist and leader, a strong warrior and a clever diplomat. As long as he stays out of affairs, everything is fine. Note that he told Trem to not contact Charley, but didn't order him to not do it.
But he's still a douchebag.

[Squall83]

I am SO looking forward to read the dialogue between Tramennis and Charlie. I hope it will be a looooong text update. A dialogue between these two characters is promising to be epic. It will be quite new to see Charlie talking to a person which is smart AND possibly allied. Until now it was either one (Parson) or the other (Zamussel) or none (Haggar).

I am getting more and more addicted to Erfworld with every page.

[badninja]

Why do I think that Stately is going to screw up big time and while Trem tries to stop the real threat, Parson. Trem put it flatly Charlie has all the info and it could save them. Scary update, because I feel that once Trem realizes the danger they are in by removing Ansom he will pull out all the stops and play one heck of a game trying to take Parson down.

[DevilDan]

I like Tramennis.

(Looks at watch, counts down the time to when people start complaining that Tramennis is a Gary Stu.)

I think the offer to change sides in the middle of the battle and to attack your former allies qualifies as treason. She wasn't bluffing, and she would have done it.

Yes, but that only puts her at about the level of Prince Sammy and Haggar, just another kingdom in this dwagon-eat-dwagon world.

As for how Jetstone survived with Stlatley as king, one should note that he isn't wrong about Jillian. And by accident, he is not wrong about the parley. Croak first, ask questions later, or Parson will get you. Also he didn't need to do anything, he has/had three highly competent sons; a strategist and leader, a strong warrior and a clever diplomat. As long as he stays out of affairs, everything is fine. Note that he told Trem to not contact Charley, but didn't order him to not do it.

Ideology blinds Slately: to Haggar, to Charlie, and to other things, probably. And being right by accident is no virtue, just luckamancy. And Jetstone's luckamancy is gong to be sorely tried today.

[HailGreen28]

King Slately is a likable character. I also approve of his leap before you think battle strategy. Worked for Ossomer.

To be fair, it was the parley on the bridge that "worked" out so well for Ossomer, and Ansom at GK, and Wanda in Jetstone airspace....... Can't think of why Slately would be against parley now, with that winning streak going....

Am I the only one getting a huge douchebag vibe from King Slately?

Of course! Slately dared accuse the Mary Sue of something odious like treason! He must pay! (Nevermind the only reason the barbarian didn't turn is because the Enemy refused her offer.... )

I really like the way Tremennis thinks . . . there are very few generals who question the basis for their war in the middle of it. Trem is wondering just WTF is really going on here? There are just WAY too many strings being pulled, and he's going to get it puzzled out if he can, before initiating combat. Which means, of course, that his parley with Parson is going to epic verbal warfare, on a most civilized level. And that Slately will somehow cock it all up . . .

Definitely think Tramennis is the most dangerous warlord of the three brothers. He's looking at the War, not just the Battle.

[MKBG]

gukolai wrote:Am I the only one getting a huge douchebag vibe from King Slately?

Nope, I'm with you. Yes, as many have pointed out there are REASONS for his douchbaggery, but that makes him no less a turd.

And BRAVO Rob and Xin for another spectacular update! I can't help but get the feeling that this is exactly the sort of conversation Tramennis has wanted to have with his father for a long long time.

[Chris Goodwin]

The "turning traitor" part refers to Jillian being in league with Charlie, because Slately assumed Charlie was in league with Gobwin Knob.. "I expressly forbade any member of the Royal Crown Coalition from allying with Charlescomm."

[gameboy1234]

Wasn't it Don King that called Slately a "dry turd", because he hit the nail on the head. Referring to someone who just pulled your kiester out of the frying pan a traitor doesn't seem like a sign of a diplomat.

What I'm getting here is that Slately = Stanley. They're two peas on a pod. Incurious, eager to battle, and eager to jump to conclusions.

I really think there's a dichotomy here between Erflworldians who are thinking, feeling creatures and those who behave like automatons, inflexible and preprogrammed for only a few situations, mostly war.

[Zeteni]

Long-ish time reader, first time poster. Howdy!

I really like the way Tremennis thinks . . . there are very few generals who question the basis for their war in the middle of it. Trem is wondering just WTF is really going on here? There are just WAY too many strings being pulled, and he's going to get it puzzled out if he can, before initiating combat. Which means, of course, that his parley with Parson is going to epic verbal warfare, on a most civilized level. And that Slately will somehow cock it all up . . .

My only, and substantiated, fear is that said parlay will never occur because of Parson's upcoming gambit. Heck, merely having a conversation between Parson and Trem could be delayed similarly to a romantic connection between two video game/anime/TV/etc. characters. Shipping for them to just talk to each other could be longingly desired by the fans! Such frustration.

I like Tramennis.

(Looks at watch, counts down the time to when people start complaining that Tramennis is a Gary Stu.)

Impossible! He's way too genuinely like-able a character for such a curse! ...I hope.

[cdrcjsn]

Poor Trem, he should have popped in old Faq.

I detect babies switched at birth here. Somebody messed up the pop list.

PPS: wait a minute. Ewwww.

LOL.

"Ansom, there is another..."

Heh.

So does this update really tell us anything that we didn't know already other than Tram plans on contacting Charlie?

How is that significant?

Will the royals ally with or hire Charlie?
Will the conversation reveal that Charlie is more concerned with the threat of the warlord back in GK than Wanda and her group?

[ftl]

Tramennis is toeing a dangerous line. If Slately were more of an ass or less in need he'd already be disbanded. I guess that fell into his calculations, though.

Going back to an old post - no, I don't think Tramennis is toeing a dangerous line.

Slately is not Stanley. I don't think that a son of his in danger of being disbanded from disagreeing on strategy with him, even if it's a heated disagreement. Not even close. He may be an ass, but he's a sane leader and can certainly take disagreement and argument.

[ftl]

Tramennis IS toeing a dangerous line because he might play exactly into what Parson wants - a quick strike really is the best tactic right now, talk later. I really hope it doesn't turn out that way - I'd like Tramennis to *actually* turn out to be a good leader, rather than being built up as a good leader and then walking into the same trap that a stupid leader would have.

[raphfrk]

The "turning traitor" part refers to Jillian being in league with Charlie, because Slately assumed Charlie was in league with Gobwin Knob.. "I expressly forbade any member of the Royal Crown Coalition from allying with Charlescomm."

Is it actually possible for a monarch to be a traitor? Jillian certainly didn't betray Faq and Erf Rulers are physics enforced absolute Rulers.

[Megaduck]

Wasn't it Don King that called Slately a "dry turd", because he hit the nail on the head. Referring to someone who just pulled your kiester out of the frying pan a traitor doesn't seem like a sign of a diplomat.

What I'm getting here is that Slately = Stanley. They're two peas on a pod. Incurious, eager to battle, and eager to jump to conclusions.

Short...