Book 2 – Page 58

[gameboy1234]

I don't buy it. The laws of drama demand that anything that looks certain, isn't. Maggie is certain that Parson will be safe, so I'm certain it won't be that easy.

Absolutely this.

Someone is gonna have to croak. You dont have that kind of scene set up just for Parson to waltz through and say "Well that was easy!"... If I was Sizemore I'd be digging a hole and friggen hiding in it.

I think the most likely hindrance will be if Parson twists his ankle falling through the first trap. Not a fatal wound, but something that'll make a run through a tunnel painful, difficult, and slow.

Also, GMtTA vs. other casters in the MK? It'll start a civil war. That's a prediction.

[No one in particular]

Oh yeah, who called the heavy unit trigger idea

It was me. I did. Back on the second page of the page 57 thread. :p

Ooh, I just thought of something. The thin layer over the entrance to the tunnel isn't just for show. If any of the casters wandering about walk over it, it will support them. But the moment a heavy unit steps on it, they'll break through!

[kaylasdad99]

1. Not obvious, possible. It could equally be there are more like that, unrevealed, and it is a mere coincidence or areference I don't get.

2. Even if it is something sinister, we don't know its Charlie. Plenty of other characters with motivations to be involved at Spacerock.

Yup. Even some who we already know have red eyes. Did anybody see Vinnie Doombats hanging around in Don King's salon?

[fjolnir]

Here's what is happening, Parson steps through the portal, falls down the hole and immediately all hell breaks loose. Whatever guards at portal park descend upon parson and the hole. The GMTTA are going to be forced into overt action, pushing complete war on erfworld.

[Smoker]

Ultimately, I think Maggie is somehow setting up Parsons, either for MK or Charlie purposes.

I dont think she's setting him up per se, but I feel its quite possible that Maggie's line "I believe you will be safe, Lord. I truly do." could mean "I'm about to prevent you from walking into enemy territory.

If the GMWTA stop/capture Parson, Wanda might try something incredibly stupid, and that could be the next problem to overcome, rather than another Charlie-ass-pull, or some brilliance on Tramennis' part.

Or not... Rob's done a good job on this one. Sorta like a pinkish herring?

[BLANDCorporatio]

*sshhh!*

But, the whole point is lost if you keep it a secret.

Excellent

Hey Oberon, I made you an avatar from today's update. =D

... You made my morning.

Ya know, the joke will be on you when Oberon will, in fact, use that avatar, and as a sig "I'm with stupid --->".

And.. he's... still... not... though... the... portal!

Spoiler: show

Why

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do

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you

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talk

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so

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slowly

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we

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can

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under

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stand

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English

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Ha! I was going to suggest "Run" {snip}

Boop, you're totally right, this is what should play.

I don't buy it. The laws of drama demand that anything that looks certain, isn't. Maggie is certain that Parson will be safe, so I'm certain it won't be that easy.

I've been harping about my own pet tin-foil hat theory a little while ago. Not all Great Minds who think alike, actually do think alike. There's gotta be a mole somewhere.

[peteratjet]

Ultimately, I think Maggie is somehow setting up Parsons, either for MK or Charlie purposes.

I dont think she's setting him up per se, but I feel its quite possible that Maggie's line "I believe you will be safe, Lord. I truly do." could mean "I'm about to prevent you from walking into enemy territory.

If the GMWTA stop/capture Parson, Wanda might try something incredibly stupid, and that could be the next problem to overcome, rather than another Charlie-ass-pull, or some brilliance on Tramennis' part.

Or not... Rob's done a good job on this one. Sorta like a pinkish herring?

Sounds likely to me. Wanda is standing right there in the Spacerock portal room, just one step away. If (when?) the wheels come off Parson's planned 60 yard sprint under Portal Park. I'll bet she's going to be jumping into the middle of the cluster***k

[Ditto]

Maggie is not working with Charlie. Her text update made it perfectly clear that the Thinkamancers are all against him. If she WERE, she would have coded 'ZOMG PGLH TO KILL EVERYONE IN MK. DESTROY. KTHXBAI.'

[Jinren]

Ultimately, I think Maggie is somehow setting up Parsons, either for MK or Charlie purposes.

I dont think she's setting him up per se, but I feel its quite possible that Maggie's line "I believe you will be safe, Lord. I truly do." could mean "I'm about to prevent you from walking into enemy territory.

If the GMWTA stop/capture Parson, Wanda might try something incredibly stupid, and that could be the next problem to overcome, rather than another Charlie-ass-pull, or some brilliance on Tramennis' part.

Or not... Rob's done a good job on this one. Sorta like a pinkish herring?

Sounds likely to me. Wanda is standing right there in the Spacerock portal room, just one step away. If (when?) the wheels come off Parson's planned 60 yard sprint under Portal Park. I'll bet she's going to be jumping into the middle of the cluster***k

Normally I'd say it was obvious that the Great Minds would be about to betray/attack Parson... except for the whole "must make sense without the text updates" business. Has there been enough foreshadowing in the graphical updates for this to work, or would it come completely out of nowhere for the comic reader? 'Cause if you're going to do something like that there has to be some kind of setup for it.

As for Wanda, did she get any kind of approval for her order to bring down the tower? I can see that being a problem if Parson doesn't know it's about to happen.

[boegiboe]

Thinking about this speculation that Maggie's trying to prevent Parson from going into Spacerock, I went back to the coded message she sent:

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

I read that at the time as "PROTECT" Parson. But if I were to construct that message, I would feel I have to add "HIM" to the end, or the assumption would be I meant the "PORTAL" to be what is protected. From Maggie's word choice and satisfied smile, I'm pretty sure she trying to prevent him from getting to Spacerock in a way that she can't be ordered to fix. Mighty clever, that old girl.

Tramennis' knights...are all Jasons. In the first three, from left to right, we have Jason Voorhees, Jason Grace from Heroes of Olympus (or maybe Jason Stackhouse from True Blood, but the hair's wrong for him), and Jason of the Argonauts (hence the helmet). The guy with the Viking hat I'm not sure of, but it could be a representation of the Norwegian cartoonist Jason, aka John Arne Saeteroy. I'm stumped on the girl, but I'm willing to bet there's a Jason reference there somewhere.

[joosy]

Folks,

I think we are (intentionally) missing some backstory on the creation of the Perfect Warlord Spell. Remember that in Janis' update regarding the spell it was mentioned that "The Thinkamancers only sort of thought they knew" what the spell's real intention was.

I believe that means that the Thinkamancers were led to believe that the summoned warlord would bring about the defeat of what they perceived to be the greatest threat to Erfworld: Charlie. They will protect him as much as Janis and Marie would but for different reasons.
.

[Jinren]

Thinking about this speculation that Maggie's trying to prevent Parson from going into Spacerock, I went back to the coded message she sent:

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

I read that at the time as "PROTECT" Parson. But if I were to construct that message, I would feel I have to add "HIM" to the end, or the assumption would be I meant the "PORTAL" to be what is protected. From Maggie's word choice and satisfied smile, I'm pretty sure she trying to prevent him from getting to Spacerock in a way that she can't be ordered to fix. Mighty clever, that old girl.

This was my initial thought as well. However, the very next line is:

She was sure that if the message were received, then the Thinkamancers would protect Parson's passage

For that to mean anything other than that the Thinkamancers will support Parson's plan is really stretching the meaning of the exact wording to breaking point.

[Hatu]

Alea iacta est. Wonder what happens next.

I hope the Dirtamancy trap doesn't mean Parson will have to dice with falling again. I'm really sick of those rules.

-H

[BLANDCorporatio]

Normally I'd say it was obvious that the Great Minds would be about to betray/attack Parson... except for the whole "must make sense without the text updates" business. Has there been enough foreshadowing in the graphical updates for this to work, or would it come completely out of nowhere for the comic reader? 'Cause if you're going to do something like that there has to be some kind of setup for it.

As for Wanda, did she get any kind of approval for her order to bring down the tower? I can see that being a problem if Parson doesn't know it's about to happen.

Two things here, I'll start with the latter.

2) Wanda, in the Portal Room, as in, where Parson is about to arrive, seems unconcerned about the Tower possibly falling. So I really don't see the rush you have to get Parson to double check all orders.

1) This is also somewhat in response to Rob's original post. YMMV, but for me any overlaps/rehashes between text updates and illustrations are barely noticeable. The story works well with both; I kinda doubt that, had I not seen text updates in between, I would feel that the comic-update-only story was just as fluid.

[badninja]

So Parson finally enters the portal yes! I may be a little late in saying this but Mortichia Addams is a thinkamancer?!

I would have had her as some sort of spookyamancer, she is an Addams after all! Nice update as now two opposing parties are going to have a conflict and why do I feel that it will effect Parsons trip through MK. Good update and the artwork was top notch as usual.

[M.A.D]

Normally I'd say it was obvious that the Great Minds would be about to betray/attack Parson... except for the whole "must make sense without the text updates" business. Has there been enough foreshadowing in the graphical updates for this to work, or would it come completely out of nowhere for the comic reader? 'Cause if you're going to do something like that there has to be some kind of setup for it.

As for Wanda, did she get any kind of approval for her order to bring down the tower? I can see that being a problem if Parson doesn't know it's about to happen.

There has been enough foreshadowing in the graphical updates. First, we have Maggie who casted Suggestion on her own Overlord because she believed that was the right decision, and then we have Parson who call it "Battle-tested bull**** rationalization". Secondly, Maggie had shown reluctance when Parson mentioned that he would go to fight himself. If Maggie truly believes that Parson would be disbanded if he risked going through MK's portal to an enemy territory, then her rationalization allows her to do what she could to stop him, without disobeying his orders. And then we have the GMs whom are supposed think just like her, who believe in the same bull. The third lampshade is that they were there in numbers, which means they're expecting to do something that could hardly be achieved individually, like stopping a big fat caster-warlord doing a 50ft dash underground.

And Wanda, even though she hasn't got approvals from Parson, that plan was proposed by Jack, so I suppose to some extent, it's acceptable

[BLANDCorporatio]

So Parson finally enters the portal yes! I may be a little late in saying this but Mortichia Addams is a thinkamancer?! I would have had her as some sort of spookyamancer

Insert "Tish, that's Thinkamancy!" *smooch-smooch-smooch* "Tish, that's Foolamancy!" *smooch-smooch-smooch* "Tish, that's Naughtymancy!" *smooch-smooch-etc* joke in here.

[No one in particular]

I already posted this on the LOLErfs thread, but I figured I might as well show it off here too, just so everyone can enjoy it:

Spoiler: show

(nothing but love, but like addicts we always want more, and we want it now, right? ;p)

[boegiboe]

Thinking about this speculation that Maggie's trying to prevent Parson from going into Spacerock, I went back to the coded message she sent:

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

I read that at the time as "PROTECT" Parson. But if I were to construct that message, I would feel I have to add "HIM" to the end, or the assumption would be I meant the "PORTAL" to be what is protected. From Maggie's word choice and satisfied smile, I'm pretty sure she trying to prevent him from getting to Spacerock in a way that she can't be ordered to fix. Mighty clever, that old girl.

This was my initial thought as well. However, the very next line is:

She was sure that if the message were received, then the Thinkamancers would protect Parson's passage

For that to mean anything other than that the Thinkamancers will support Parson's plan is really stretching the meaning of the exact wording to breaking point.

Duh. It would help if I read a bit more thoroughly. Yes, you're right. But I guess without the text update readers of the book will definitely be thinking she might be betraying him.

Then again, they'll only be thinking it until they turn the page. Not for 2 months like we get to! Sometimes I wish things would move faster, but then I remind myself how much richer this story is for us due to the time we spend theorizing between updates.

[effataigus]

I understand that it will become important to the plot that he does step through the portal, but I'm having a hard time understanding why Parson is going through. This seems like a lot of risk for very little apparent strategic gain. Even his explanation to Maggie falls short when you consider that he is apparently forcing extra risk upon his troops in order to put himself in danger.

I'm thinking he just wants out of GK hard... and wants to be 70 hexes away from Stanley for awhile. Or perhaps he just wants Wanda to think of him as a white knight coming to her rescue... can't say I blame him if true!