Book 2 – Page 60

[Cellar]

That's Gibb modeling as Jeftichew, I do think that. Not that I'd've spotted that myself, didn't even know of the existence of that movie. But, someone's gonna get gibbed. Geddit, eh, geddit? "Gibbed", geddit eh? eh? Anyhoo.

He might be working for Charlie. But Charlie's no royal, so he'd have to be working for Faq, financed by Charlie. Vanna made the same promise yet she did eveneither link up with or get a lot of juice somehow from Charlie. That opens up interesting questions as to how deeply Charlie has his fingers in Faq's finances. And how far ahead he'd seen that contingency, or something like it, coming.

Then again, it looks like Jeftichew walked in following or actually preceding Janis and Marie. So he might be part of their plan yet; there was talk of them quietly pulling strings even without the GMtTA being pulled in through Maggie's G-string. He might also have been shadowing them on behalf of Charlie. Looking at the signs, perhaps not. Probably not, especially as Charlie already all but ditched Jillian. Would a quiet word from Marie or more probably Janis be enough to get him to lend a hand?

My guess? That scroll is fate magic. And that carnymancer is but the courier tosee to getting it to Wanda. That spell though might just make for one heck of a show. And maybe he needs to be a carnymancer to get through. Though he seems to be heading in the wrong direction. So he might be acting as a rear guard for Parson first? Also, this speculation is heavily based on text updates so it's going to be interesting how the story will introduce this, or more probably explain afterward.

[Not Me]

Not sure about the rest of you, but I'm having a "huge" deja vu moment of the Kingworld spell.
At that time we knew there was a caster out there, but we didn't know what type of caster nor what was the purpose of her being there. Everything was going GKs way until that caster did her thing and turned the tide completely.
After that GK (Parson) worked really hard to get the upper hand once again and it looks like they just did. Everything seems to be going against Jetstone right now and it so happens that we get to notice this caster's presence just now, but we have no idea what type of caster, or what is his purpose of being there. In this case it's even worse since we don't even know what side is he in.
I still feel Erfworld is the same game Parson had imagined at the start and that the world (many think this would be Charlie and I have no evidence to disagree with it) mining everything he does has not stopped after the Volcano. The thing is that as Parson gets better at exploiting things, the world also gets better at countering. And we are about to see another counter that will be carried out by that guy.
And if I'm right and this is another "Kingworld" moment, it makes sense that the caster is Jeftichew.

[Geordy]

Gee, in order to find out who the caster behind the portal is, simply answer me one question:
Whom is Parson talking to?

There is no indication whatsoever that he is currently linked to some far-away caster/unit. Even if you still believe this to be a possibility the nature of his order says otherwise. It has to be followed by a caster in the near vicinity. Because the music is supposed to take its effect on Parson or the bystanders (depending on what you think the music does).

Hence the unknown caster is working with Parson and prepares to execute his order. He is smirking because he already knows what is going to happen to the alarmed casters around him and is looking forward to it. If you ask me, Benny Hill music does two things: it accelerates movement and plays during chases where it causes chaos between the chasers. Therefor Parson will cover the distance to the portal in no time while the upset casters will run erratically and with hands in the air through Portal Park.

About Tramennis/Jetstone: Aaawww, no Tramennis-Parson interaction in this book then, bummer! And to all those false prophets already predicting the end of Jetstone: did you see the elite knights in this comic? These guys are totally awesome, the whole side is awesome - for what it is worth I dont wanna see this side end.

[Urf]

Uhm, no. George Harrison the caster is NOT going to cast "Benny Hill music" because he's working with Parson. Jesus. Parson is just talking to himself, making jokes like he does.

Tramennis is taken out in this page so that Slately can emerge as Chief Warlord and Ruler. When Tramennis wakes up, he'll be an Heir.

[Sygerrik]

Stanley is a ruler. Amongst all units other than chief warlord he is going to be aware of his own stats and those of him around. As far as Stanley knows, Hamster is a Garrison unit and it is not Gobwin Knobs turn. There is no way for Stanley and the units around him to lose the Chief Warlord is in the hex bonus except for the chief warlord croaking.

I suspect Stanley does not know where Hamster is, just that Stanley has lost his chief warlord is in the hex bonus. Stanley cannot conceive of Hamster leaving the hex. Therefore if Stanley loses the bonus then Hamster must have been croaked.

Quite a shock to assume one is safely in ones keep and not under attack of any sort then apparently have the chief warlord croak.

On the other hand if Stanley does know that Hamster is heading into battle Stanley has essentially written it off as a total loss with Hamster perhaps being able to pull off a miracle some of the units survive. But as far as Stanley knows the entire force is sitting ducks for the archers stuck in the air over a foreign capital and quickly destined for pincushion status. For Hamster to be heading there means Hamster is going to get toasted as Stanley is not aware GK has any ground forces at the desitination.

In any case Stanley will have snapped out of the "get a sandwich" mode and will be back to bugging Maggie in no time.

No, Stanley knows when his units are promoted out of Garrison status. He felt it a few pages back. I don't think he knows where Parson is, but he feels it when he hits a trap. He definitely knows that he's still alive and unharmed, since he'd be instantly aware if he was croaked.

Stanley also knows that they're definitely going to win in Jetstone and everyone is out of danger. He knows about the ground forces. There was a Stanley text update a while back that covered all of this-- he isn't sure how he feels about Decrypted dwagons, etc. He also knows that Hamster will fix everything-- "expensively," he thinks, but it'll get fixed, and the danger is past.

[Jinren]

Stanley has lost his chief warlord is in the hex bonus. Stanley cannot conceive of Hamster leaving the hex. Therefore if Stanley loses the bonus then Hamster must have been croaked.

If nothing else, Stanley knows Parson is still alive because Chief Warlords provide a reduced bonus to the entire side, same hex or not. Losing the same-hex bonus only indicates that he left the hex, not that he croaked. Although there are certainly plenty of other things for him to be confused about.

[effataigus]

Oh, and I forgot to say it earlier, but awesome art! Especially in the panel where the door is getting blown apart. So much conveyed energy. Wonderful!

[Geordy]

Uhm, no. George Harrison the caster is NOT going to cast "Benny Hill music" because he's working with Parson. Jesus. Parson is just talking to himself, making jokes like he does.

Oh. He he. So you say Parson is not giving an order but just being his usual sarcastic self commenting on the fact that he is going to be chased now? Makes sense. Forgive me,my good sir, for I am no native speaker and clearly lack the intuition to grasp the meaning here. But in my defense let me add it would have been cool seeing Portal Park in a Benny Hill mess.

Then I vote for "George" here being with the GMtTA. Their intervention had been announced so I guess this is it.

P.S.: Yep, the art is fantastic. Look at the helmets for example each being a classic for themselves. Horns and wings I see.. but wait - what the heck is that red thing on the guys forehead in panel 1?

[Walt]

There are three main questions about George/Jeftichew at this moment. One is, whose side is he on, on which there has been some great discussion here. The second, likewise much discussed, is what he is going to do. What really puzzles me is the third one, though, which is: What is he waiting for?

It's pretty clear that his plan is not to attack Parson in any direct way, at least not until something else happens first, since that would mean he's standing there and waiting for no reason.

Has he done something already, and is waiting for that action to take effect or be triggered or be noticed? Having blocked the tunnel or closed the Jetstone portal are possibilities. Neither of those sounds much like Carnymancy but who knows? (Ten cubic meters of popcorn, for instance, could make a tunnel pretty difficult to get through.)

If he hasn't already done something of that nature, then he doesn't have much time to act, so again why is he just standing there smirking for at least a few precious seconds after hearing Parson going into the tunnel?

Let's not forget that "Carny" comes from the same root word as "carnage." (Latin carne, "flesh" or "meat") It's more likely the nature of Carnymancy is chaos and distraction, rather than carnage, but the possibility is there. (Either way, I expect the activation phrase for the scroll to be "hey rube.")

It also appears that we have several of the key ingredients in place for a cheesy sixties-movie wacky-chase-scene climax: a variety of odd characters representing different factions, a whole bunch of essentially doorways, a reference to Yakety Sax for background music, and a developing situation (possibly including a chaos-inducing spell) that could in theory lead to everyone chasing everyone else in and out of said doorways. No one's wearing a gorilla costume though...

[Zeku]

what the heck is that red thing on the guys forehead in panel 1?

Are we being trolled softly?

http://www.google.com/search?q=roman+hat&tbm=isch
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galea_%28helmet%29

[TheMutant]

I'm thinkin that the evidence is pretty strongly against our orange-clad friend being one of the Great Minds at this point. He's obviously in the park well prior to Isaac's group arriving. And sure, normally I'd agree that they could have been scattered around and he just happened to be there when the call went out, but remember that Isaac called for a temple meeting- it seems clear that any discussion of their plan would have happened within there. Hence, all the Thinkamancers involved in this endeavor should be spatially close, which excludes mister Harrison or whoever he is. At least that's the impression I get.

I'm also not convinced that this is one of Bea's casters- why would one of them be about to aid/interfere with Parson? It seems pretty evident so far that precious few individuals are aware of the threat Parson poses (if they're aware of him at all)- the most significant being Charlie, who (as he's not a Royal) couldn't hire those casters. We've seen no evidence of other Royals, like Don, aware of him- and remember all the convincing Charlie had to do to show Tramennis that the giant potato man was a problem? Certainly he could just be some random relatively innocent caster, but he's obviously lying in wait, rather than surprised/shocked/whatever like the rest of the local casters at Parson's reappearance. So my shmuckers are still on him being a Charlie hire.

[gameboy1234]

He might be working for Charlie. But Charlie's no royal, so he'd have to be working for Faq, financed by Charlie.

Or it could be that Charlie, as an ally of the royal side of Faq, is good enough to keep his promise and that Jeftichew/George is working for Charlie. That'd be my guess.

As a result, I think the scroll is not carniemancy but some sort of capture/confuse spell. If Parson could be redirected from the Jetstone portal to the Charlescom portal, it's an instant capture for Charlie. All Charlie has to do is get Parson to run into the wrong portal.

[boegiboe]

The other 'mancer in panel 5 is bugging me - I don't recognize that head decoration, but it is pretty striking - and I don't think it's Pinhead.

Alien Nation, an old prime time TV show.

[boegiboe]

He might be working for Charlie. But Charlie's no royal, so he'd have to be working for Faq, financed by Charlie.

Or it could be that Charlie, as an ally of the royal side of Faq, is good enough to keep his promise and that Jeftichew/George is working for Charlie. That'd be my guess.

As a result, I think the scroll is not carniemancy but some sort of capture/confuse spell. If Parson could be redirected from the Jetstone portal to the Charlescom portal, it's an instant capture for Charlie. All Charlie has to do is get Parson to run into the wrong portal.

Yeah, I really like this theory. And the GTtTA can save Parson by arriving just in time.

[One Skunk Todd]

Perhaps I'm wrong but isn't that George from Sgt. Pepper's band in Yellow Submarine. Not the live action Sgt. Pepper movie with the Bee Gees?

[paint]

Benny Hill was my great uncle ..
Defently Georg.

LOL , love how the trap didn't break right away..
arrgh a week is too long to wait for action sequences

[drachefly]

It's Jeftichew, and he was hired by... DON! To capture Parson by confusing him and diverting him to the wrong portal. So he can have someone to make Caesar look dumb.

Yeah.

Hypothesis 1: Rulers know the unit stats of their units via natural thinkamancy.
Hypothesis 2: Rulers know the orders of their units via natural thinkamancy.
Hypothesis 3: Rulers also know the location of their units via natural thinkamancy.
Hypothesis 4: Rulers must make a conscious effort to use natural thinkamancy

Your evidence in favor of Hypothesis 1 only amounts to evidence in favor of a weaker hypothesis:
Hypothesis 1a: Rulers know their side's incomes and expenditures by natural moneymancy, and know what each item corresponds to; harvesting causes an immediate notification even though the rations do not appear immediately.

Hypothesis 2: could be abused to let any warlord send messages to their ruler instantly. "Hey, you. Go tell that tree over there exactly this: Dear King..." Even if not that detailed, messages could be conveyed. Certainly, Stanley had no idea about Parson's actions in GK when he was on the run. If he had known that they had gained 2000 decrypted troops, he probably would have turned around.

Hypothesis 3 is definitely false - at least, for allies. Ansom did not know when Jillian was captured, for example.
Hypothesis 4 seems false, based on Stanley's surprise.

[Aquillion]

He might be working for Charlie. But Charlie's no royal, so he'd have to be working for Faq, financed by Charlie.

Or it could be that Charlie, as an ally of the royal side of Faq, is good enough to keep his promise and that Jeftichew/George is working for Charlie. That'd be my guess.

As a result, I think the scroll is not carniemancy but some sort of capture/confuse spell. If Parson could be redirected from the Jetstone portal to the Charlescom portal, it's an instant capture for Charlie. All Charlie has to do is get Parson to run into the wrong portal.

That doesn't work, though. It might have if the details of Parson's plan had been different, but the tunnel will lead him right to the gate he's chosen -- there's no way for him to easily get confused or wander to the wrong one.

[President_Allosaurus]

Regarding scroll color: the Summon Perfect Warlord scroll was also blue, which some have suggest was lookamancy/findamancy. And I suppose I'll point out a 2nd time that mystery caster (whoever he is) is holding a scroll that has changed color.

On page 60: Light blue, with dark blue trim.
On page 57: Red, with uncertain trim

As for none of the GMtTA likely being in Portal Park beforehand, "Princess Zelda" is very clearly standing in PP in the last panel of p57, and is in cameo in http://www.erfworld.com/wiki/index.php/LIAB_Text_38.

I agree that it is unreasonable for the mystery caster to be both a Unaroyal unit and working for Charlie. Is it not well known that Charlie has the 'dish, even if he is not allied to GK? And certainly, his eye type is not unique to Unaroyals.

It's blue in both pages.

I'm dissapointed more people haven't figured out who the random casters are. You guys are usually good at this.

[Utoryo]

It might have if the details of Parson's plan had been different, but the tunnel will lead him right to the gate he's chosen -- there's no way for him to easily get confused or wander to the wrong one.

Agreed. However it seems theoretically possible that there exists a spell which replaces one portal with another. Whatever it is (and there are many possibilities) I'd be surprised if Charlie wasn't involved.