Book 2 – Text Updates 035

[atalex]

Ahaha, I love the way Jack's twisty mind works. He's pretty much the only character that doesn't take Erfworld seriously. The question is whether that's because he sees the futility of Erfworld's current state or because he's not entirely sane.

The two are not mutually exclusive. I can't imagine how one could act under the belief that one's entire world was an exercise in futility without appearing insane to others.

[The Shadow]

That pic of Jack is really excellent. For me, at least, it captures his personality to a T.

[fjolnir]

I do love that lateral thinking was a foreign concept to Erf prior to Parson, not to say it didn't exist, but there was no term for it at all.

[Cyanshine]

Excellent update! I was so much thirsting for more and my thirst has been left bigger! I wonder what Parson is up to

[fractal]

Jack280, it appears that you have not yet encountered Jillian, for you are clearly mad.

[Smoker]

Crazy-cool update! Cant talk now.. need to re-read.

Squeee!

EDIT: on second viewing - Wanda has dropped her scroll

But god damn that was a good update.

[BLANDCorporatio]

Awww, poor Ossomer gets no love. Would be fun if Jack were proved wrong at some point and Ossomer turns out to be actually useful in a wit-fight.

But until then, the moment of truth nears. And I think that we will see falling and heal/decryption, but most likely as a side show to the main event- Parson- or someone/thing else- walking in through the portal.

Because that's another topic of speculation, what does Parson hope to accomplish by getting inside Spacerock, more or less alone? Delivering an MD might be a good idea, or maybe a crap golem which then is made to 4-chan, but none of that has been set up so whatever Parson does, it will be different.

And of course there's the thing about Parson breaking the MK's rules. Which might bring Sizemore in opposition to Parson, maybe, and you know what, that would be a really interesting turn of events. Parson needs competent adversaries to truly shine. The more the merrier. (Charlie does not count; that's not competence what Charlie has.)

It's a bit of a moral conundrum, that thing about abusing the MK portals. That rule exists to allow there to be at least one place in Erfworld which is neutral, outside of war. Parson is breaking it merely for his own convenience, and convenience alone is not the basis needed to make an act good. Supposedly, Parson is trying to make it so that Erfworld, eventually, will know lasting peace, but the end does not justify the means. What I mean to say is that a character (*cough*Sizemore*cough*) may well have some grounds to abandon Parson at this point.

[valce]

Actually if Parson is trying to 'end war in Erfworld' he doesn't seem to be aware of that himself. I don't think he's really taken on that goal yet, right?

[emuhunter]

Since when do any guards for the portal know that a 'caster' coming from the portal isn't there to hire themselves out to the ruler? Why not bring them straight to Slately? After all, our only experience with status vision comes from a Chief Warlord perspective. Do pikers see the levels of the archons killing them? Units respond, they don't decide. And the decision makers are busy.

[BLANDCorporatio]

Actually if Parson is trying to 'end war in Erfworld' he doesn't seem to be aware of that himself. I don't think he's really taken on that goal yet, right?

Good point, only Sizemore has that larger goal, from Janis (who was the one suggesting Parson would break the world etc etc). In any case, the point I'm making is that even though Sizemore might rationalize this breech as something for the greater good, he might just as quickly not, and grow more apart from Parson.

And it would not be a bad story either way.

Since when do any guards for the portal know that a 'caster' coming from the portal isn't there to hire themselves out to the ruler? Why not bring them straight to Slately? After all, our only experience with status vision comes from a Chief Warlord perspective. Do pikers see the levels of the archons killing them? Units respond, they don't decide. And the decision makers are busy.

Because the casters know who Parson is, or at least which side he works for, and because there must be some at least basically plausible way to enforce the rule of neutrality.

If the MK is not able to tell what the intentions of wanderers is, then no city would trust having a portal. Also, Parson asked Sizemore to sink the portals, presumably to avoid detection.

So it's a safe assumption that the MK inhabitants would be able to guess that Parson is up to no good for Spacerock.

[zilfallon]

that update....was just...too good, too damn good.

"One has tabled the turn. While the otherrr..."

this line makes me think that something glorius will happen in next update

and "lateral thinking" (for that wonderful phrase alone, he was forever in his good Lord's debt)

It seems Jack learned how to think outside the box a bit.

Oh, it might have worked. With the last of his juice, they could have used baffles and screens to exhaust the air defenses. Having Lady Firebaugh decrypt the falling mounts would buy them all that much more time, that much more durability. Some of them might well have survived the turn, to flee home.

Even if it wasn't Hamster's plan, Jack's plan wasn't exactly "normal in erfworld standards" keep going, Jack!

[fjolnir]

that update....was just...too good, too damn good.

and "lateral thinking" (for that wonderful phrase alone, he was forever in his good Lord's debt)

It seems Jack learned how to think outside the box a bit.

Really, I thought this scene was basically Jack being greatful for a term to describe his normal train of thought, as in Parson showed him the box he was outside...

[HandofShadows]

Ah, Jack playing head games again. And Rob is playing head games with the readers.

[BCCroaker]

This update was all about questions and answers, bookended by a pair of riddles. We found why Jack didn't turn, A reason why Wanda didn't thats not the one she gave. We heard Jack rephrase the question from "How do we survive" in the light of Parson's answer. Jack even gave acknowlegement to Wanda's question regarding uncroaked casters. Most every line of dialog is a question.
"

We also found out that, win or lose, Jack is expecting the city to be destroyed. I don't see how that fits into any of the speculations about Parson's plans.

[TheMutant]

I booping love Jack.

That's all I can manage this early in the morning. More coherant post later.

[Geordy]

Yes yes, all nice and all, but the big question is: what is going to happen now? What is Parsons plan in the end? Do we get any forshadowing to what this could be?

Yes. First - as already mentioned here - we get to know what it is not. The falling crap idea. Thank god. Or lets say it is not going to be the integral part of the plan. So what is? I think the big secret hint in this text update is indeed the very last words about the musical lilt.

For this to understand let me refresh your memory about the start of Book 2. There we had our main characters wearing costumes and makeup heavily resembling a musical called Rocky Horror Picture Show. Now seeing Jack in the illustration like this, about to start a song I got the heavy impression that now is the time where this turns into a musical. Into the above mentioned.

I admit I dont know this musical. So I went through their lyrics looking for appearances of "while the other..." or "turns the table". Nothing. Maybe the answer to Jacks riddle isnt the obvious one? Maybe.. just maybe... Lord Hamster is again good for some surprising "turn of events". Because the one song that is very well known about this musical is one called "Time Warp". ("Leeets doooo tiiiime waarp noooow...")

Could this be possible? What do you think? After Jillian manipulated a specific turn ending it in the process - could the other be trying to manipulate time as a whole now? Warping it so that Goblin Knob is able to act again? Putting them all back (or forth) to the start of their turn? (but only in time of course so that the locations of units wouldnt be altered)

P.S.: still love Wandas hair. Here stockings are quite pleasing, too.

[Smoker]

It seems Jack learned how to think outside the box a bit.

Nice one - I'm going to assume that was no accident.

[Marshalle Ney]

Referencing another awesome update by another awesome comic today.

"Through Croakamancy...and Dirtamancy....I slew the Warrior Prince Ansom with cunning and devilry, and stuck my middle finger in the face of a Thinkamancy God. And I have come back to you now..at the Turn of the Tide."

[badninja]

I believe the saying is "Oh shit" is going to be appropriate. Jack and Charlie both can see the writing on the wall, Jetstone is in the middle of the tempest and it will not survive it. Now Charlie has some of his forces there but how will they play out? I feel that Parson might be aware of Charlies involvement because of his interactions with him, plus it would be some what out of place for him to make this big of a laps in judgment after the "King World" incident. What ever his glorious plan is not even Charlie is going to be able to stop it.

[Ninjaguineapig]

Damn...
I booping love Jack. He is officially moved up to be my favorite character.
With all this foreshadowing about Parson's plan, it better be really awesome.