Book 2 – Page 43

[Gez]

Interesting development. They don't know, though, that Parson is intending to break another Rule of Erfworld and attack during their own turn.

[Hinotori]

Long time lurker, first time posting.

First of all, I'm 90% sure Charlie CAN tap into Thinkagrams; he's just not showing his full hand. That's how Charlie has always operated until now. It was unusual enough for him to offer Tramennis the dossier without strings attached.

I really like Tramennis as a character, but he really should have listened to Charlie. This is one case where curiosity almost certainly kills.

[Nihila]

I really like Tramennis as a character, but he really should have listened to Charlie. This is one case where curiosity almost certainly kills.

Well, we can't really talk about should and shouldn't without considering the psychology of the character. Remember, Trammenis is the diplomat son, not the warrior. He's inclined to talk to people rather than croak them. And there's no reason for him to listen to Charlie, except that Charlie is showing him some neat information which he certainly suspects to be one-sided and biased. Tram notices that Charlie doesn't want Jetstone to talk to GK, and Tram might still think that Charlie wants to conquer the whole world. Either way, Tram concludes that Charlie is afraid of a Jetstone-Gobwin Knob alliance. This is wrong, but it's really Charlie's fault--like you said, Charlie never shows his full hand, so no one expects him to. Meaning that when Charlie comes in with all this cool info, Trammenis's reaction is not "Wow! I'd better listen to Charlie!" but "Hmm... What's being left out? How can I find it?"

[Althernai]

Long time lurker, first time posting.

First of all, I'm 90% sure Charlie CAN tap into Thinkagrams; he's just not showing his full hand.

I agree with this and I think I can guess the reason why he's not willing to tell Jetstone the plan. He can afford to give up all of the old information because there is a myriad of ways he could have gotten it, but if he claims to know Gobwin Knob's less than a turn old plan, then the possibilities greatly diminish. It means either that he can eavesdrop or that he has a spy either in Wanda's group or in the palace. Given his unmatched Thinkamancy, it's much more logical to assume that he can eavesdrop on Thinkagrams. He told them everything he could without giving this ability away.

[build6]

First of all, I'm 90% sure Charlie CAN tap into Thinkagrams; he's just not showing his full hand. That's how Charlie has always operated until now. It was unusual enough for him to offer Tramennis the dossier without strings attached.

I'm ... 90% sure Charlie *can't*, and we're looking at the same evidence Oh well

There's nothing in the dossier that could not have come from non-thinkagram-wiretap sources.

Anyways, Charlie's clearly undeserving of all this generalised fear of him as some kind of "all-powerful" entity, considering another of his schemes just backfired on him, instead of driving Tramennis away from Parson, he's now much more interested to talk. Charlie makes plenty of mistakes. It must be the mystery of it - nobody's seen him etc., so people start attributing fantastical powers to him and hold him in some kind of dread/fear.

As for talking to Parson being unsafe - well, you just have to avoid doing it "in-person"

[build6]

It's interesting to note that Tram (Via Charlie) Called parson a Mathemancer, when Janice told the assembled casters at MK that he was a hippiemancer.
suggests he's getting his data from Parson's eyebook (Think he still makes notes in it), but not from MK casters.

Parson had that conversation/arrangement with Charlie over his bracer (the one where he still owes Charlie quite a few more calculations). That seems to me to be the basis for the "some kind of mathamancer" bit. Parson entering the Magic Kingdom would surely be known to anybody with any level of real contact with the Magic Kingdom, and we know Charlie is known as a good employer of casters from MK.

[Avens]

What I really want to see now is Parson walk out of that portal only to find it heavily guarded with Tramennis sitting down comfortably on the sides, welcoming him. We've got Charlie out of the picture, Parson in the battle space, and epic parley. All at once.

And the other thing I want to see is, after both sides ally, is Charlie trying to obliterate them immediately at the beginning of the next Turn.

[HailGreen28]

Wow, Tram really is more interested in talking than fighting. Though he did a great job mopping up the bridge.

At first I was think "Tram is an idiot. The pliers, croaking Wanda, and Charlie's bounty are already within his grasp. Why set Wanda's force free for just a non-aggression treaty?"

But his comment about GK maybe still beating the RCC... are Haggar, a weakened TV, and a hungry JS really that weak now?

Or does Tram just REALLY distrust/dislike Charlie?

Love how Tram thinks differently than the other CWs we've seen so far. Hate to see him go. But I still think JS is going down.

And maybe a bit of author foreshadowing: when Tram walked right under the dwagons and only then realized he had put himself in a vulnerable position. Even though he'll take precautionary measures for the parley, I fear he'll still get caught flat-footed by whatever Parson has planned.

Random thoughts. This panel probably foreshadowed a lot. http://www.erfworld.com/book-2-archive/?px=%2F2010-05-06.jpg Tram's statement "hope to be half the Queen she is" 1. Tram is following Jillian Sue's advice to a T. Swat the column, pull back to the city, and do what the King doesn't want to do. 2. He's gay (obligatory "not that there's anything wrong with that" comment). 3. We see the *TOSS* mechanism. Bet we see it again in more detail soon!

[gameboy1234]

Yay for updates!

You know, I'm not sure I'm ok with Jetstone letting Ossomer go. That doesn't sound like Tramennis to me. I'd think they'd want both Ossomer (hoping they could turn him) and Wanda.

But let's see how this actually plays out.

[name lips]

heh heh heh.... everybody's been clamoring for the story to Get To The Battle.... so we can see exactly how Parson is planning on breaking the Erf Rules.


But Rob is pulling a fast one! There's not going to BE a battle! We're really rushing headlong into an exciting NEGOTIATION!


Clever and tricksy Titans the writers be.




And for the record, I think Charlie CAN eavesdrop on Thinkagrams. But he wouldn't present such information for 2 reasons:

Reason the 1st: If he reveals information which could ONLY be gained by thinkagram eavesdropping, there is potential for people to discover he can eavesdrop on Thinkagrams. For instance, he reveals specific data to Trem, Trem doesn't follow advice and talks to Parson, Parson says WTF how did you know that I only said it to Wanda via Thinkagram, Trem says WTF Charlie told me how the bloop did he know, then both of them lean back and silently go ooooooooooh. Now 2 sides know about Charlies secret power, and will not use Thinkagrams anymore. Bad for Charlie. Especially if they tell anyone else. So Charlie CANNOT reveal any information he reveals this way, because by doing so there will always be a chance, however slim, that the wrong 2 people talk and figure it out. He CANNOT take that chance. It's his biggest secret.

Reason the 2nd: Revealing Parson's specific plan will teach Trem one of the ways to break Erfworld rules. Trem is a quick study -- he figured out the flyer relay, and even declared "I cheated!" when he did so. Charlie doesn't want this kind of game-breaking tactic to be widely known. Also, he likes to collect such tactics for potential use of his own.

[badninja]

Nice, Jetstone is actually thinking but how will this plan work? Parson will soon show up, if he somehow ends up in Jetstone could they try to capture him, provoking Charlie? Either way I feel that any survivors of this battle for the coalition will have a serious reason to sue for peace with GK. Something thing that bothers me is why would Jetstone with what it knows now, even seek to parlay with Parson? The outcome of the next several pages will speak of how the battles outcome, probably.

[the_tick_rules]

Seems our warlord is thinking of ignoring charlie, probably a good idea. But can we please get to parson's move before I retire?

[Crisis21]

I have a feeling that Charlie just went extremely pale for no reason he could readily discern.

[spriteless]

Wow, Xin's art is much improved since the last page of Tram and Slately talking in his room. It is fun to see an artist evolve.

It is also cute that Tramennis's dad knows him well enough to see what he really wants. 'Daww.

[Avens]

Actually, I'm not sure I like the switch to total soft shading. I feel like some of the potency is lost, somehow. Is that just me?
I mean, I know the light's diffusing like before, but there's not enough contrast. Tram's getting too much light, Slately isn't red enough to bring him out of the bg...

[BenH]

Excellent. I've started to like Tramennis more and more; hopefully he won't get himself croaked any time soon (there's already evidence to suggest that talking to Parson can be dangerous even when not in person).

[hajo]

"Pehaps" in panel 11, is that a typo, or just sloppy talking ?

[Wazzit]

I'm calling it right now:

Tre goes to parley with Wanda in the courtyard of the city. During the meeting, Parson arrives through the portal with Sizemore, who summons a few golems. With this force, they take the tower, and therefore capture the city. That means all units in the city garrison get taken prisoner, and shackles suddenly appear on their arms (like in Summer Update 34). This way, they capture the city, and Tre stays alive. No idea where they'll go from there.

[ftl]

"Pehaps" in panel 11, is that a typo, or just sloppy talking ?

Almost certainly typo. I read that as "perhaps" first time around (and second time around, and third when you pointed it out until I really focused on that panel). TYPO!!! FIX IT, ROB!!!!

[Alexei P]

Another typo: "Coaliton" (panel 9)

And ohohoho, Parson isn't the only sane man in Erfworld anymore. So Tram and Slately are preparing for an earnest parley just as Parson is about to enter Spacerock's city space? I smell a "tea and quince tarts" scene coming up!

This page is also interesting in that we see Tramennis as a cold opportunist. He appears totally willing to let Ansom's and Ossomer's deaths go unavenged and to throw Jestsone's sacred Royal Mandate out the window if it can put him on the Winning Team. Whatever happened to "the true meaning of nobility" and "double the dog bowels", Tram?