Summer Updates - 044

[DunkelMentat]

This is my favorite update ever.

Fatty's gonna get laid. Wonder if it'll be his first time.

[atteSmythe]

Another interesting point is that Parson is using his decreased role to distance himself morally from what the side he's on is doing... probably more than the decreased role can actually justify.

I have a feeling that rationalization is going to break down as events progress.

I think this is spot on. This was a great update for many reasons - humor and philosophy, what's not to love? Free Will sure has been a big topic over the summer, hasn't it?

I'm intrigued by Maggie's flashing eyes. I have no idea how that's meant to be read, but I suppose that's how Maggie likes it (the unreadable thing, not the being ordered...nevermind ).

Jack has been talking in riddles ever since he has been unlinked from the trimancer-setup.

Heh, and probably well before it, too.

[JoshuaWhite]

So many comments ...

1) Baum chicka baum baum! Waka chicka waka chicka waka!

2) There goes Rob with some reader shockamancy!

3) To me it is obvious that Maggie wants her some Parson. But it seems like with her driving Jack insane and killing Misty, I am not sure of her motives.

4) Parson is a virgin and is terrified of his first time being with an Archon. Agree with DunkelMentat.

Happy Friday!

- Joshua

[MarbitChow]

To me it is obvious that Maggie wants her some Parson. But it seems like with her driving Jack insane and killing Misty, I am not sure of her motives.

Maggie is a Thinkamancer. Just like Wanda's fascination with uncroaked, Maggie's fascinated by brains, and Parson's is the BIGGEST she's ever seen!

[gameboy1234]

Well this was a very naughty update.

Now perhaps we know what Wanda was doing with those Naughtymancy scrolls.....

[DarkNewton]

To get this out of the way:

From a logical perspective, Parson wouldn't be Frankenfurter.. I think that'd actually have to goto Stanley.. Parson would be Rocky, the man Frankenfurter made..

Ok so I think this is an interesting way to segway into Parson interrogating the Archons and actually learning Charlies trade secrets.. After all he's probably not really spoken to them much, and definately not quizzed them about Charlie.. But if they remember everything they used to know.. no wonder Charlie is freaking out as Charlie's biggest hammer is that noone really knows how he works.

Great update, good Job all around

[atteSmythe]

I reread this update, and I just had to respond again.

Maggie remains one of my favorite characters. She spends her time poking around thoughts, and Parson's alien mindset must feel to her like learning Thinkamancy again for the first time. I imagine it has been a while since she met someone who wasn't mostly predictable. She's both fascinated with and protective of Parson, and I think it's truly endearing. She definitely finds his rejection of the way that things obviously are to be utterly charming.

Perhaps Parson's hippiemancy* is more complete than we thought - make love, not war!

* no actual hippiemancy implied. Results may vary. For external use only; discontinue use if irritation persists. Offer not valid in Earthworld.

[Lunaya]

Wow..

This update really drives home the point that no subordinate in Erfworld has any rights, sexual or otherwise. Personally, my "inner feminist" kinda got her panties in a twist over the thought of Archons essentially being raped with impunity, but then I remembered Wanda. Yeah...I bet she could technically do the same to any male she wanted. Really a scary thought no matter who's being victimized. I'm respecting Parson a lot more though. I know there are a lot of guys out there who would love the Erfworld arrangement.

On a lighter note, I totally agree. Maggie has really got a thing for Parson.

[YesNinja]

I am yet another one of the many who have just now registered from this update. Now, I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this before, so stop me if you've heard this before... I don't think Wanda can look through her Decrypted unit's eyes. Or know what they're thinking, or any of that. The only thing I have as a basis for this argument is Summer Update 33. In that update, Wanda asked Ansom if there was any resistance in the city they were about to sack. If she could look through his eyes, or know what he knew, then she wouldn't have to ask him that, would she? Anyways, just my two cents. Great update, by the way. =P

[Anton Gaist]

Maggie is a Thinkamancer. Just like Wanda's fascination with uncroaked, Maggie's fascinated by brains, and Parson's is the BIGGEST she's ever seen!

Oh, Lord Hamster, your brain is soooo big... Do some Mathmancy for me?

*sets a Brain Bleach dispenser*

[badninja]

All jokes aside I am with Parson on this one.I am not a big guy 6 foot 175 pounds but I would never think of doing it with any woman that was that the size of the Erfworld Archons'. I think Maggie is a little a little to concerned about Parson's personal activities. The must be in response to some weird rule 34 thing. I do not need this type of image in my mind because there is not enough brain bleach in the world for this. (no I will not link to tvtroups for that is a sign of a person with to much time on their hands and I have a life.)

[Mr. Goodwraith]

Well, during the outage they seem to have fixed the "take of her clothes" typo, but "Why don't you ask an Archon or two to accompany your rounds tomorrow?" still needs to be changed to "Why don't you ask an Archon or two to accompany you on your rounds tomorrow?". I guess Rob was a little rushed with heading off to Capclave and all.

EDIT: Oh, and the ellipsis needs to have a third period in "What if your siege-ram is..is too grand for the gates?".

[Dancing Cthulhu]

To get this out of the way:

From a logical perspective, Parson wouldn't be Frankenfurter.. I think that'd actually have to goto Stanley.. Parson would be Rocky, the man Frankenfurter made..

Which is a bit of a humorous turn around, considering how Rocky was meant to be a slice of physical perfection (though not exactly a strong man of the mind).

Stanley though, I can see slipping into fishnets and a corset no problem.

Ok so I think this is an interesting way to segway into Parson interrogating the Archons and actually learning Charlies trade secrets.. After all he's probably not really spoken to them much, and definately not quizzed them about Charlie.. But if they remember everything they used to know.. no wonder Charlie is freaking out as Charlie's biggest hammer is that noone really knows how he works.

It makes me wonder if Wanda hasn't already done some intel gathering of her own. Logically she is in the best position to know how much a decrypted should be able to remember and reveal. But then again she might not be thinking as practically as Parson so she might not have seen the value yet in gathering intelligence on potential future enemies from the decrypted.

Of course if she is monitoring things somehow through the decrypted she will probably know Parson is brushing up on his Charlie intelligence if he starts asking questions. I wonder if she could order them to withhold information at all from Parson or Maggie?

Personally I don't want Parson to get too much info on Charlie just yet. GK seems to be in such a strong position, to pull the curtain back on Charlie at this stage would seem like a waste his enigma and mystery (well if I did it, the authors could probably pull it off well, they are going great). It would seem even more in GK's favor, since one of the few Erf-minds that Parson can't easily outmaneuver or outthink/outplan would be weakened significantly.

I prefer Charlie and Parson's battles of wit, with any victory made by either valuable and any info gained hard won. So not a major info dump through a decrypted Archon. A little information that gives Parson some ammo for future battles with Charlie is fine, just not too much.

[raphfrk]

Of course if she is monitoring things somehow through the decrypted she will probably know Parson is brushing up on his Charlie intelligence if he starts asking questions. I wonder if she could order them to withhold information at all from Parson or Maggie?

It probably depends on rank. We don't know which rank is higher, warlord or caster, though it is probably warlord.

So, maybe the order of ranks is:

- Ruler
- Heir (maybe)
- Chief Warlord
- Warlords
- Casters
- general units

There could be additional ranks, like knights. Perhaps for general units, it is purely down to combat strength.

[jnrhayz]

I think the whole point is that Pason still is having a hard time with if this is reality. He killed "people" and he didn't like it, but he is still an alien in an erf world. Sexualizing the Erfworlders helps to make them more real.

Until this update, I thought the Ansom-Jillian-Wanda fiasco would be center stage in the next book, but now I can't help but wonder if 1) Jillian's heir won't be some super attractive philosophy woman that Parson is attracted too, or 2) Charlie is actually a woman and Parson figures it out and falls for her, or 3) Some Charlie-Parson-Jillian Heir fiasco.

Of course, that is just my initial reaction. It will probably change tomorrow.

[Dancing Cthulhu]

Of course if she is monitoring things somehow through the decrypted she will probably know Parson is brushing up on his Charlie intelligence if he starts asking questions. I wonder if she could order them to withhold information at all from Parson or Maggie?

It probably depends on rank. We don't know which rank is higher, warlord or caster, though it is probably warlord.

So, maybe the order of ranks is:

- Ruler
- Heir (maybe)
- Chief Warlord
- Warlords
- Casters
- general units

There could be additional ranks, like knights. Perhaps for general units, it is purely down to combat strength.

True. It will be interesting to see in future.

I guess I was getting thrown by the position of strength a caster (Wanda) is in, seemingly in position of greater power then Parson, but in actual rank maybe (probably) not.

[Lothmar]

Im so glad the line of questioning didnt go from 'are you unable' to 'So you prefer piker?' or something along those lines. XD

[quixotecoyote]

Another new registration with this update.

I've been pondering for a bit what it must mean to live in the hollowed out shell of a world; where form is there but the substance is lacking; where there is no such thing as a peaceful occupation; where you and everyone you know has been born (or popped) to fight and die so that a Lord can expand or protect territory.

Because that's all Erfworld is, when you come down to it, an endless series of battles or preparing for battles. There probably isn't even the concept of a lasting peace. The whole PURPOSE of Erfworld as it exists is war.

And that of course throws morality into a whole different perspective. Individual rights, freedoms, personal responsibility, relationships, empathy, all would unrecognizable from an Earth to Erf perspective and vice versa.

It also makes Hippiemancy the most bizarre of all the magical disciplines. What purpose a peacemaker in a world that is made for war?

[Cadrys]

To get this out of the way:

From a logical perspective, Parson wouldn't be Frankenfurter.. I think that'd actually have to goto Stanley.. Parson would be Rocky, the man Frankenfurter made..

Which is a bit of a humorous turn around, considering how Rocky was meant to be a slice of physical perfection (though not exactly a strong man of the mind).

Stanley though, I can see slipping into fishnets and a corset no problem.

...speculation of this sort, once begun, must be carried out to its conclusion.

I submit...

Magenta: Wanda
Riff-Raff: Ansom?
Columbia: Jillian

and, since Bogroll has left the movie early, he must be Eddie!

(wait...Jillian pining for Bogroll...ok, NOW I need brain bleach!)

[raphfrk]

It also makes Hippiemancy the most bizarre of all the magical disciplines. What purpose a peacemaker in a world that is made for war?

Well, they could operate as diplomats. Sometimes, it is in your interests to convince your enemy not to fight.