Book 2 – Page 62

[cdrcjsn]

He's just prepping Parson for a Turnamancy, making him question whether or not he's restricted to following orders or if he has the capacity to think for himself. Prepping the pump as it were.

Maybe Charlie knows that he has zero chance of turning Parson to his side, so he's gonna use Turnamancy to turn Parson into a barbarian that's not beholden to any side. That would suit Charlie's purposes almost as well since it deprives GK of his abilities and allows him the potential to hire Parson in the future.

Parson...as a free barbarian signamancer caster in the magic kingdom has lots of potential storywise...

[niklinna]

How does Jojo know Parson's full name? I didn't think it had gotten around very widely. I think Charlie has only revealed it to Prince Tramennis. Maybe Rockwell revealed it to the casters in the Magic Kingdom.

[ShinyBrownCoat]

I like how he's already tied Parson in a knot, anyway. If he turns to continue running, it's an unidentified scroll to the back. If he attacks, he'll be guilty of unprovoked assault on a supposedly neutral caster in the Magic Kingdom (and a sword isn't really nonlethal). As long as he stays to talk, other casters are bearing down on his position. Nice work.

I wonder if it is possible to disarm a scroll?

[cloudbreaker]

How does Jojo know Parson's full name? I didn't think it had gotten around very widely. I think Charlie has only revealed it to Prince Tramennis. Maybe Rockwell revealed it to the casters in the Magic Kingdom.

My guess is that his name got out the last time he was in the Magic Kingdom. And I doubt the news of his presence was a well kept secret.

Edit: Another possibility is that Sylvia may have relayed his name back to her capital back when she was still a warlord for Unaroyal (Jeftichew's former side).

[Beeskee]

Definitely an interesting update.

I wonder if Parson, given the choice, would stay with GK. It's probably the most difficult side to work with and win for, and is involved in some of the most challenging battles, even with the uber decrypted army.

I'd like to think he would stay with GK for just those reasons.


I love the "not buying any candy" line too.


Edit
On the other hand, after reconsidering some things, Parson does want to test the limits of Erfworld. He may be up for all or part of whatever Jojo is about to suggest.

[kefkakrazy]

Well, if he does go along with Jojo here, that explains where a break between Parson and Wanda could come from. If there IS an anti-Fate faction at work, Parson, judging from some of his thoughts during the summer updates, would be very likely to join them.

And Wanda would oppose them pretty much automatically.

Parson and a faction of undetermined strength against the Fate set down by the Titans?

If I'm right, Erfworld is about to get very interesting.

[Chance Gardener]

I'm wondering if the color background swirl when Parson drew his sword (reminds me of the ceiling of the Union Terminal somewhat) was the Carnymancer's spell taking effect and he's already "switched" Parson by making the GK MK portal now look like the Jetstone portal and the discussion is just to set up some confusion for Parson so that when he starts running again he's running back the way he came.

I also noticed his bracer glowed as if it was being activated which was the other reason I was thinking the Carnymancer had already fired off a spell.

And I still think it is possible his scroll is the reversal to the Findamancer scroll that brought Parson into Erfworld in the first place.
And that perhaps the Carnymancer's fate trick is to trick Parson into leaving Erfworld by choice. Because perhaps, based on the conversations from when the first scroll was used, apparently being willing to have the scroll work on you is a prerequisite.

[kjhoffma]

I did not see a debate coming. Erfworld always keeps you guessing.

I think this all but confirms that our new friend the Carneymancer caster is at least working with Charlie to some extent. First, he knew Parson was about to enter the MK. If he had just happened to notice Sizemore digging and made a lucky guess, it doesn't explain why he had the scroll already on him. Charlie knew that Parson was about to enter the MK because he can eavesdrop on other people's thinkagrams.

Secondly, he seems to know that Parson has pondered free will in Erfworld. Charlie would know this, because he hacked Parson's notes. Also, it explains why he knows Parson's full name (There are other possible explanations, I realize).

The questions now are, a) what exactly that scroll does, and b) if Parson doesn't take the bait, what the implications are for his mission to enter the portal. Seems like a lot of people may be converging on his position and maybe someone has figured out his objective.

[AJ_Impy]

"They told me you were sharp". Who are 'They'? There lies the question.

Now, He's sworn to only serve royals, as per Queen Bea's final request. His employer knows both the names Parson Gotti and Lord Hamster. Where does that leave us?

[Akkristor]

Yeah, the casters were sworn to only work for "Royal Sides", but technically speaking, Gobwin Knob and the Plaid Tribe were a "Royal Side" until the fall of King Saline IV. Does non-royal ruler = non-royal side, or does the promotion of Stanley, tho not royal himself, as part of the orders and actions of a Royal ruler, a king no less, continue to have Gobwin Knob, as a side, 'royal' in some sense of the word?

Carnivals (and thus carnimancers) are already stretching the definitions of things, words, realities, it's not impossible for Jefti to work for GK, depending on his definitions of the words used in the orders.


Just food for thought.

[Jinren]

What are the current guesses about the meaning, if any, of the colour of scrolls? Because Jeftichew's holding something that's almost glaringly Charlescomm in its Signamancy.

The couple of times I've been able to find examples of GK using scrolls, they've been red... although that could just be the glow of activation (the cure scroll used on Wanda and the 4chan scholl used by Sizemore are what I found). The Perfect Warlord scroll was blue, but didn't originate with GK, so it may not count as a GK item.

[BCCroaker]

Just stick the sword in the sod, Parson, and keep on running.

[darkgolem]

This guy reminds me of the pig farmer slave in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.

[Goshen]

Whatever Jefchew wants to do, he'd better do it quick, before the GMTTA gets there and cooks his brain.

[Goshen]

WOW!
Good job Rob, keep us guessing.

That's what I like best about Erfworld. I really can't predict what will happen next, but all hangs together. It's not just a random pile of surprises. That's a really hard balancing act, and Rob has managed it so far.

[The.Healing.Mage]

Given that Jojo says that Parson is running to his fate as opposed to the one who could get it undone, my guess is another Fate spell that'll undo the Summon. Or Turnmancy. Something of note is that the colors of the scroll seem very Charlie-y. Courtesy of your neighborhood media mogul?

[Tinfoil Hat]And I think the fate question is to set up the answer to the question raised when Jojo was first shown. Can Jojo work for a non-royal (Charlie)? If PGLH gives the straight answer (yes), then Jojo will use some Carnymancy and hit Parson with the spell. But Parson does believe in free will, so he's going to give an answer that doesn't get him killed.

Or someone will save his armored posterior from pointed things like questions. [/Tinfoil Hat]

[boegiboe]

I'm wondering if the color background swirl when Parson drew his sword (reminds me of the ceiling of the Union Terminal somewhat) was the Carnymancer's spell taking effect and he's already "switched" Parson by making the GK MK portal now look like the Jetstone portal and the discussion is just to set up some confusion for Parson so that when he starts running again he's running back the way he came.

I also noticed his bracer glowed as if it was being activated which was the other reason I was thinking the Carnymancer had already fired off a spell.

Interesting idea, but I don't think so. It's pretty standard in games that a scroll disappears when used, and we've never seen one stick around after casting, but Jojo is certainly still waving his around. I know Erfworld doesn't have to follow RPG norms, but it tends to point up those times when it doesn't follow them, and it never has. The swirl was a lot like an action indicator from anime. Pokemon comes to mind, but I never watched that enough to be sure. But if that's a correct link, it's conceivable the bracer allowed an instant response, like an interrupt in a card-based game, that put his sword at Jojo's neck when Jojo didn't expect it. That looks like real surprise on his part.

And I still think it is possible his scroll is the reversal to the Findamancer scroll that brought Parson into Erfworld in the first place.
And that perhaps the Carnymancer's fate trick is to trick Parson into leaving Erfworld by choice. Because perhaps, based on the conversations from when the first scroll was used, apparently being willing to have the scroll work on you is a prerequisite.

I think this is it. Jojo will tell Parson this scroll returns him to his world, which it very well may do. Parson will be tempted, but choose...not to go. He finally has a challenge that matches his talents, and he can't just walk away. It parallels Rob's situation, maybe(?)

[Goshen]

Wouldn't it be a bummer for Jefchew if he risked his life and used the scroll to free Parson from the bonds of loyalty to GK only to find that Parson is already acting on his own free will. Something very similar happened with Jillian and Wanda way back in book one.

[╒╦╧╬╩╦╦╛]

I like how he's already tied Parson in a knot, anyway. If he turns to continue running, it's an unidentified scroll to the back. If he attacks, he'll be guilty of unprovoked assault on a supposedly neutral caster in the Magic Kingdom (and a sword isn't really nonlethal). As long as he stays to talk, other casters are bearing down on his position. Nice work.

I wonder if it is possible to disarm a scroll?

If Everything else fail, chop the holding hand...

[Dr Pepper]

Hmm, Georgiechew it is. And he's certainly got the patter for a carnymancer. And he does seem to represent a third faction. And from the things he knows he could be acting on a tip from Charlie. But i hope not. Or it may be that he knows about the hippymancers' desire to break the world but thinks his discipline has a better chance of doing it.

Also "Jo Jo" as mentioned before, references both "Jo Jo the Dog Faced Boy", the nickname of the original Jeftichew, and Jo Jo from Tucson, who was told to "get back" in the song of the same name. Having pent some time in Tucson, i thought it was rather mean of Paul McCartney to tell someone to return there after they'd gptten out. But then i discovered that Paul himslef had a ranch there, so he wasn't asking anyone to do something he wouldn't, and the name refered to the ex husband of his first wife; apparently they all stayed friends.

So it looks as if the forum is in sync with Rob's plotamancy. At least until he flips the tilt a whirl and throws us all off again.

I just hope this doesn't end in "For Queen Bea!" and a barrage of razor edged cards.