Book 2 – Page 58

[Hellestal]

Maggie's the one in danger.

She's been on the edge of the knife since she put the Tool himself under a spell. That risks either the pain of a broken connection -- the brunt of which she'd have to take herself since she can hardly allow the risk to her Overlord -- or else another similar danger that has "great personal risk". The Tool almost went to chew Hamster out after the dwagon harvesting, and his mental equilibrium was barely restored when they were un-fooded. He is uneasy. There's not much of the enchantment left holding him in the larder.

When Hamster "leaves" his post (as it would seem to the Tool) in order to enter the Magic Kingdom, that'll be one big natural Thinkamancy shock to the Tool's sensitive head. She's gotta know how close Stanley is to breaking.

And that smile in the second-to-last panel just kills me.

[Smoker]

Maggie's the one in danger.

I'll pay that. Maggie's a bit of an interesting one - She has a pretty high opinion of herself, since she judged her own functionality over that of the Lookamancer and the Foolamancer, not to mention how she suggested Stanley to go sit in his highchair and wait for the adults to sort out adult problems...

But arrogance aside, I think we all like her. She's loyal to Parson, perhaps even more than loyal (that minx!) and her cool calculating mind is something we can all respect...

Yeah, Maggie getting disbanded would be an appropriate amount of tragedy...

I foresee the blue jedi-ghosts of Bogroll and Maggie waving a fond farewell before this is done.

But then again I've been thinking that EVERYONE is about to die... Sizemore, Janis, Tramennis, Jack...

[BLANDCorporatio]

Maggie's the one in danger.

I'll pay that. Maggie's a bit of an interesting one - She has a pretty high opinion of herself, since she judged her own functionality over that of the Lookamancer and the Foolamancer, not to mention how she suggested Stanley to go sit in his highchair and wait for the adults to sort out adult problems...

But arrogance aside, I think we all like her. She's loyal to Parson, perhaps even more than loyal (that minx!) and her cool calculating mind is something we can all respect...

Yeah, Maggie getting disbanded would be an appropriate amount of tragedy...

I foresee the blue jedi-ghosts of Bogroll and Maggie waving a fond farewell before this is done.

But then again I've been thinking that EVERYONE is about to die... Sizemore, Janis, Tramennis, Jack...

Not saying it's impossible, but I'd be a bit surprised if Maggie turned out to be the one in danger. When there are other, more obvious targets.

Among them, Jack. Not saying I seriously support this theory either, but imagine if Wanda decided that now, with Parson in Spacerock, and away from anything that might conceivably be called loyal to Stanley, she can perform some Decryption Science on our favourite riddle-speaker.

[nth]

I am aware that my writing is often read more darkly than I intend it, even when I do intend to contradict someone else. I sometimes attempt to work on it, but telling someone I think they are wrong doesn't seem to evoke fluffy bunnies, no matter how politely couched. I can be just as ready to debate facts or theories in person, but the facial expressions and other body language speak miles that I'm not actually mad at the person I'm conversing with. Text just doesn't do that.

OH, LORD HAVE I BEEN THERE! On the other hand, I've also learned a trick or two...

[fehler]

Hey, did Tramennis just say he was going _into_ the tower? The tower we learned a minute (months) ago that the purples were about to start bringing down? That can't be good.

[Smoker]

Hey, did Tramennis just say he was going _into_ the tower? The tower we learned a minute (months) ago that the purples were about to start bringing down? That can't be good.

Fairies have the fly special.

Just sayin'.

[effataigus]

Maggie's the one in danger.

I'll pay that. Maggie's a bit of an interesting one - She has a pretty high opinion of herself, since she judged her own functionality over that of the Lookamancer and the Foolamancer, not to mention how she suggested Stanley to go sit in his highchair and wait for the adults to sort out adult problems...

But arrogance aside, I think we all like her. She's loyal to Parson, perhaps even more than loyal (that minx!) and her cool calculating mind is something we can all respect...

Yeah, Maggie getting disbanded would be an appropriate amount of tragedy...

I foresee the blue jedi-ghosts of Bogroll and Maggie waving a fond farewell before this is done.

But then again I've been thinking that EVERYONE is about to die... Sizemore, Janis, Tramennis, Jack...

Not saying it's impossible, but I'd be a bit surprised if Maggie turned out to be the one in danger. When there are other, more obvious targets.

I'm thinking Stanley might (correctly?) have strong cause to suspect that Maggie is part of some conspiracy against him depending on who ends up on top of the dirt pile that is Spacerock... Jetstone, Gobwin Knob, Charlescomm, or a new Wanda-side.

Hey, did Tramennis just say he was going _into_ the tower? The tower we learned a minute (months) ago that the purples were about to start bringing down? That can't be good.

Bah, don't worry about him... he's too interesting of a character to die from such an accidental cause. He'll be alerted to the danger when the tower starts shaking. I refuse to worry until we have Tram and Slately arguing that one another should use the Jetpack to escape on the tower parapet (for 3 months of Earth time, of course).

[No one in particular]

As an unintended bonus, in addition to the Flying special, the jetpack will grant a very specific Shockamancy attack to Tramennis.

Why?

If you'll recall, Tramennis doesn't wear pants.

[effataigus]

So, an endgame list:

Janis: End war
Predictamancer: ?
Wanda: Get all of the tools together in one place
Charlescomm: ?
Stanley: Conquer everything and gather all of the tools
Faq: ?
GMTTA: Get rid of Charlescomm

Thinking of these "endgames" in a board, or video, game context... empire building games typically have several ways to win... between Alpha Centauri, Civ IV, and Risk, the various ways to win that I remember are: special (transcendence/colonize Mars), economic (Global Market Buyout), conquest (wipe out nemeses), military (conquer significant fraction of world), cultural (have 3 cities with legendary-level culture), diplomatic (be elected Secretary General of UN).

So...

Janis: Diplomatic
Predictamancer: ??
Wanda: Special
Charlescomm: Economic
Stanley: Military
Faq: Cultural
GMTTA: Conquest

Do these tinfoil hats give anyone else a itchy rash, or is it just me?

[Beeskee]

Hmm, still ambiguous as to whether the thinkamancers are heading there to protect Parson or protect the Magic Kingdom. Maggie's initial message didn't specify, and their response in the latest comic doesn't say for certain either.

[Carne]

The Thinkamancer squad is incoming. Let's, for the moment, assume that they will help Parson. Help against what? The possibility the other casters in the MK will try to stop him. Thinkamancers could possibly exert some pretty hefty mind control abilities, one assumes. But if that fails, would the MK degrade into a shooting match?

From what I can see, there's at least three distinct political factions in the MK:

* the GMtTA vs. Charlie, open to working in an ad hoc manner with Parson and allowing, for the moment, his passage;
* the "end war" conspiracy (which may overlap in part with the GMtTA) who are also likely to allow passage;
* casters who have no clue what's going on, and possibly sympathize with Sizemore's notion that breaking MK convention is A Bad Thing.

We've already seen the hostility the MK guards have shown towards Parson being in the MK. We don't know definitively if they were about to use deadly force, but they really didn't want him there. So it's at least conceivable that some exchange of force will probably occur between at least two of the above factions when they clash inside the MK.


Now, the fun speculation I have here is that Wanda is right on the other side of the JS portal. If fighting breaks out in the MK, might she suddenly have an opportunity to find out whether casters can be decrypted? What kind of carnage might ensue in the MK? How powerful could GK be at the end of the turn with a couple of dozen new decrypted casters (assuming they can still cast - from what we know about decryption described as "re-popped" this seems likely... or else they have to roll again to pop as a caster or warlord)?

Secondly, if Charlie is more adept than even the GMtTA realize, and has decoded Maggie's g-string tag (and is thus aware of their organized resistance), could he have hired/convinced MK loyalist casters to appear as a counterattack squad vs. the GMtTA? He's a great employer, and would probably find many who would work with him to defend the MK traditions.

[No one in particular]

Hmm, still ambiguous as to whether the thinkamancers are heading there to protect Parson or protect the Magic Kingdom. Maggie's initial message didn't specify, and their response in the latest comic doesn't say for certain either.

Uh... while the initial message didn't specify, Maggie's intention for them is spelled out pretty clearly.

PGLH TO ENTER MK, PASS GK TO SR PORTAL, PROTECT

She was sure that if the message were received, then the Thinkamancers would protect Parson's passage, for the same reason that her message must be coded in the first place.

(my emphasis is in bold)

Now, there might still be some drama left in this by having the GMtTA misunderstand Maggie's request, but since they've been working together for (presumably) a while, it's safe to bet that in this case, they're all thinking alike.

[Beeskee]

Hmm, still ambiguous as to whether the thinkamancers are heading there to protect Parson or protect the Magic Kingdom. Maggie's initial message didn't specify, and their response in the latest comic doesn't say for certain either.

Uh... while the initial message didn't specify, Maggie's intention for them is spelled out pretty clearly.

PGLH TO ENTER MK, PASS GK TO SR PORTAL, PROTECT

She was sure that if the message were received, then the Thinkamancers would protect Parson's passage, for the same reason that her message must be coded in the first place.

(my emphasis is in bold)

Now, there might still be some drama left in this by having the GMtTA misunderstand Maggie's request, but since they've been working together for (presumably) a while, it's safe to bet that in this case, they're all thinking alike.

It's just one of those things I noticed. Some effort was obviously put into keeping it ambiguous, it may be for a story reason. Or just to keep the audience guessing.

The last times I saw something like this tho was in KOTOR, the manual for the first Metroid, and in the new Battlestar Galactica...

[the_tick_rules]

I'm betting they know what she meant, they're thinkamancers, knowing what people are thinking, especially one of their own, is kinda their thing.

[Beeskee]

I'm betting they know what she meant, they're thinkamancers, knowing what people are thinking, especially one of their own, is kinda their thing.

I'm not saying one way or another, it's just something I noticed. I'm happy to wait to find out.

[Tesslyn]

I'm getting worried now that the Thinkamancers will abduct Parson. The way Maggie said '-I- think you will be very safe' implied a sort of 'This is true and its amusing to me because while it is true you may not agree with my definition of safe'

Meep

[coyotenose]

As kaylasdad99 noted, isn't the masked solider in Panel Three likely to be Vinnie, or at least from Transylvito? Red eyes, covered head to toe during the day (maybe not necessary, but thematically appropriate).

It's not likely to be a Jason Voorhees reference. Jason's traditional mask doesn't look anything like that, and I just don't see a mistake like that being made given the amount of attention we regularly see in these pages.

[KonradKnox]

Hot damn, been away for a while. It's April, and Parson is finally going, yaay.
Heads up, I may die of a heart condition soon, so could you tell me how its all gonna end real quick please?

[throwingrocks]

That is... a heck of a lot of Jetstone infantry. Wow. That's got to be more than a thousand, maybe even more, in that first panel. Just how many units does GK have in the engagement right now? Never seemed to be anywhere near that number.

[MarbitChow]

That is... a heck of a lot of Jetstone infantry. Wow. That's got to be more than a thousand, maybe even more, in that first panel. Just how many units does GK have in the engagement right now? Never seemed to be anywhere near that number.

GK doesn't need numbers - it's all about force multipliers. All decrypted get Wanda's bonus, Parson's bonus, maybe a dance-fighting bonus, etc. etc. And as the weaker Jetstone units drop, they rise again as stronger GK units almost immediately.