Book 2 – Text Updates 017

[zeuspro]

When she didn't say anything, he also added, "So I suppose I'm wondering why you're leaving the city."

How does Charlie know shes leaving the city?

We've seen evidence that Thinkograms can be sent to anyone anywhere, but the only way weve seen of tracking units from great distance is by Tri-mancer link up in book one.

[Dances-with-Marbits]

When she didn't say anything, he also added, "So I suppose I'm wondering why you're leaving the city."

How does Charlie know shes leaving the city?

We've seen evidence that Thinkograms can be sent to anyone anywhere, but the only way weve seen of tracking units from great distance is by Tri-mancer link up in book one.

We've just seen Maggie, in a recent text update, confirming location of various troops, like knowing that Ansom was still at the bridge rather than with Wanda's stack. Charlie may be able to do the same thing, especially if he is formally allied with Faq.

[Oberon]

But we also know that Charlie is not allied with RCCII, meaning that he doesn't take his turn at the same time as Jillian/Jetstone, so when he says "Please don't attack the column alone. I'll try to get you some help." he isn't talking about his own forces.

How do we know he isn't allied with RCCII? They're not knowingly allied with him, but there's a good chance he's allied with Faq (especially likely, since he was involved in a link with a Faq caster), meaning his units would take their turn at the same time as Jillian, who's taking her turn at the same time as Jetstone.

A good chance Charlie is allied with FAQ? I call it a certainty. We know that Charlescomm and FAQ are allied, because Jillian wants Charlie to join her air force in the assault on the GK column. You can't have units from different sides acting at the same time unless they are allied. I suppose that it's vaguely possible that Jillian and Charlie were talking about attacking one after the other in piecemeal, but the context of their conversation doesn't support that much. You don't say "Please don't attack the column alone" if you aren't allied and have to attack the column alone.

Parson reaches out to call Charlie (which we know Charlie can accept, from past updates).

Parson doesn't need to "reach out" to Charlie. All he has to do is open his Eyebook and start typing. That's cheaper then spending Maggie's juice trying to contact him, by far.

[multilis]

Sorry for being behind, but where do we learn this?

I think one of summer updates has Stanley fretting over no goblins and Parson using calculator to find out Charlie most likely behind it. Parson keeps that secret as fears Stanley would go straight after Charlie which would likely be bad move.

[OvaltinePatrol]

What's the possibility of Charlie co-opting Gobwins rather than destroying them? He needs some new tricks up his sleeves that his compromised Archons wouldn't be able to divulge to GK. I know Gobwins can't be on the same Side as Marbits and Elves, but they could be in a common alliance of Sides right?

[gameboy1234]

I don't think so, Charley was very dismissive of the info about Wanda, which didn't even come up until AFTER he had the long pause. I don't think Charley is terribly interested in Wanda at the moment. I think it's Parson letting Charley know he at least suspects Charley was behind the whole Kingworld deal (natch). Further, I think Parson called HIM which is why the long pause. So he's busy mentally fencing with Parson and Jillian is "blah blah turn Wanda blah blah" and Charley is "yeah, whatever, look I gotta go, I got another call on the line. I have to take this. We'll talk about that thing you said later, whatever it is."

Exactly.

I gotta agree with Angband here, the idea that Charlie wasn't interested is pretty ridonculous. That long pause is exactly because Charlie is interested. He's thinking hard on how he can use this to improve his own position. Then he says "I've got a developing situation." Bull. He's stalling for time so he can make some calls and call in some favors.

No, Charlie was being sincere when he said "That's very interesting information."

[Urf]

I think it's Parson letting Charley know he at least suspects Charley was behind the whole Kingworld deal (natch). Further, I think Parson called HIM which is why the long pause. So he's busy mentally fencing with Parson and Jillian is "blah blah turn Wanda blah blah" and Charley is "yeah, whatever, look I gotta go, I got another call on the line. I have to take this. We'll talk about that thing you said later, whatever it is."

To be clear: The ABOVE is what I responded "Exactly" to. I'm ambivalent to the idea that Charlie may or may not be interested in Wanda; I need more information.

[Oberon]

He [Parson] DID unlock a new ability, to cuss in Erfworld.

People tend to bring this up from time to time. Consider that there has been a change in venue. Rich over at GitP has a much more strict "no cursing on the forums or in the web comics" policy, and had to give approval for the sole time that Erfworld was allowed to show Parson curse. Here, it's their forums and their rules, and Parson has dropped a few bombs in a much more casual context. In other words, that thing you keep mentioning (not just you, Drascus), I do not think it means what you think it means.

[charles]

Personally I think its nothing to do with Parson but that Charlie has some sort of a deal going with the Gobwins.

I'm betting that he's either allied to them or he keeps in touch and buys information from them. Much like Jillian was able to negotiate an agreement with the Western Giants while they were allied to the Jitterati.

This could explain why they turned on King Sailine IV, How Charlie had intelligence on which way Stanley fled from Gobwin Knob and why they are now missing after the devastation.

If Charlie is known to be attacking Gobwin Knob forces directly that might affect his relationship with their natural allies (which could be really nasty if they turn on him while he has forces in the same hex as all the gobwins). I'm guessing that he was previously able to get around it because the allied sides were purchasing his units services rather than a complete alliance with Charlescomm.

[Ansan Gotti]

Parson doesn't need to "reach out" to Charlie. All he has to do is open his Eyebook and start typing. That's cheaper then spending Maggie's juice trying to contact him, by far.

Parson could use the Eyebook, but he could also reach out to Charlie without Maggie's help. It was established in a previous update that anyone can concentrate on Charlie and he can communicate with that person if he wants to.

People tend to bring this up from time to time. Consider that there has been a change in venue. Rich over at GitP has a much more strict "no cursing on the forums or in the web comics" policy, and had to give approval for the sole time that Erfworld was allowed to show Parson curse. Here, it's their forums and their rules, and Parson has dropped a few bombs in a much more casual context. In other words, that thing you keep mentioning (not just you, Drascus), I do not think it means what you think it means.

You're minimizing or dismissing the importance of the conclusion of Book One, and all of its glorious culmination of the triumph of free will, which is obviously a major theme of the entire story?

Honestly, I just don't get that viewpoint. It's not about Rich's profanity filter, it was a deliberate authorial choice, Parson even referred to it in a klog, how cutesy this world is despite all of its brutality.

[Chit Rule Railroad]

Couldn't Charlie turn Wanda to Charlescomm but then coordinate with Jillian to have her and the decrypted pose as Faqians? If there were a large number of Charlescomm decrypted hanging out with the Faq forces, that would also make it less likely for Jillian to break alliance with him.

For Jillian, that would mean that Wanda would be around but not reporting to her, and that may actually be more fun than having her turn to Faq. Note that Jillian already believes Wanda to be incapable of croaking her, regardless of natural thinkamancy.

[raphfrk]

We've just seen Maggie, in a recent text update, confirming location of various troops, like knowing that Ansom was still at the bridge rather than with Wanda's stack. Charlie may be able to do the same thing, especially if he is formally allied with Faq.

I wonder if a thinkamancer/foolamancer linkup could allow the table to be partially recreated, except that it would only show friendly units.

It might even be possible to show enemy units that friendly units can see.

The advantage of lookamancy was that you didn't need to scout, but thinkamancy allows consolidation of lots of info that various units in the side already know.

He [Parson] DID unlock a new ability, to cuss in Erfworld.

People tend to bring this up from time to time. Consider that there has been a change in venue. Rich over at GitP has a much more strict "no cursing on the forums or in the web comics" policy, and had to give approval for the sole time that Erfworld was allowed to show Parson curse.

The reason he allowed it was *because* of the artistic effect of the curse. See his post.

[build6]

I'm betting the stress in Charlie's voice is because he's got Parson on call waiting.

y'know, Charlie's always all about "presentation", being/appearing calm/collected/all-knowing/all-powerful. i don't recall any other reference to charlie being "stressed", in any way, before. Am I missing something?

if it's Parson that's causing stress to Charlie then that's really a big ... "vote of confidence" I guess, in Parson's abilities

[Decorus]

Jillian has hinted at the fact that Stanley on Charlie have the same endgame. Charlie has made it very clear he doesn't hate GK, just Stanley and more then likely he can't show his hand because then Parson will know he's actively working against him. Which Charlie doesn't know that Parson already knows... Honestly if Charlie could whack Stanley and put anyone else in charge of GK he would be a happy camper even more so if it was Parson..

[doran]

Jillian has hinted at the fact that Stanley on Charlie have the same endgame. Charlie has made it very clear he doesn't hate GK, just Stanley and more then likely he can't show his hand because then Parson will know he's actively working against him. Which Charlie doesn't know that Parson already knows... Honestly if Charlie could whack Stanley and put anyone else in charge of GK he would be a happy camper even more so if it was Parson..

I very much doubt that. Stanley is stupid and a known factor - he remains hostile towards Charlie. Parson is brilliant and unknown.

[Raza]

When she didn't say anything, he also added, "So I suppose I'm wondering why you're leaving the city."

How does Charlie know shes leaving the city?

We've seen evidence that Thinkograms can be sent to anyone anywhere, but the only way weve seen of tracking units from great distance is by Tri-mancer link up in book one.

It's been my theory that Charlie can intercept and trace thinkamancy data anywhere; it's been all but shown with the eyebooks and hinted at/required as an explanation for a few other things. He'd know from Don King's bat.

It's also very possible that he can track her himself, just like Maggie explains tracking GK units in one recent text update. This goes doubly if they're allied.

[Oberon]

Parson doesn't need to "reach out" to Charlie. All he has to do is open his Eyebook and start typing. That's cheaper then spending Maggie's juice trying to contact him, by far.

Parson could use the Eyebook, but he could also reach out to Charlie without Maggie's help. It was established in a previous update that anyone can concentrate on Charlie and he can communicate with that person if he wants to.

Yes, but it was also detailed that this would take a variable amount of time. Sending an IM via the Eyebook avoids that limitation.

You're minimizing or dismissing the importance of the conclusion of Book One, and all of its glorious culmination of the triumph of free will, which is obviously a major theme of the entire story?

Honestly, I just don't get that viewpoint. It's not about Rich's profanity filter, it was a deliberate authorial choice, Parson even referred to it in a klog, how cutesy this world is despite all of its brutality.

The reason he allowed it was *because* of the artistic effect of the curse. See his post.

You are both citing from Rich's quote, and you are both ignoring the sole word which describes his viewpoint as it relates to my conclusion. "Once." It is the puctuation that describes clearly, to me at least, that continued cursing was not going to be allowed within Erfworld, were it to continue to be hosted upon the GitP site.

Erfworld was allowed a sole curse on the GitP site which otherwise forbids all cursing, because of the owner's appreciation for the artistic value of that curses presentation. This I hope we can all agree on. Rich says exactly that in the reference you both cite. I hope we can also agree that his final word on the subject was "Once", indicating that further cursing, such as the casual, non-artistic-value curses Parson has dropped here, on this new site not owned by Rich, would clearly have not been allowed on Rich's site. I find this to be very unambiguous : "Write and draw a brilliant 150-page fantasy epic, and maybe I'll let you cuss here. Once." How does this get translated into "Even though I otherwise forbid all cursing on my site, cursing in Erfworld is just fine and dandy on my site"? It's clearly not fine and dandy with Rich, or there would be no need for Rich to cite the very clear limiter: Once.

Thus, the need for a change in venue, if Parson's cursing was to be continued as it has been. That was my entire point, and you both seem to have used the exact reference which I used to form my conclusion, but instead reached the exact opposite conclusion. Interesting. Before anyone jumps in here with another false conclusion, I am certainly not saying that Rich ceased to host Erfworld because Rob wanted to continue Parson's cursing. And I'm not at all saying that Rob wanted Parson to continue cursing and Rich refused to allow it. I have zero insider knowledge, and I'm relying solely upon information available publicly. I'm just saying that Rich's post seems to me at least to make it very clear that the single curse at the end of Erfworld Book 1 was allowable due to Rich's perception of the artistic expression surrounding that curse, but that continued cursing would not be permitted on his site.

[Ditto]

^Most definitely. If Erfworld had stayed on GitP Parson would have had to make do with his minor cusswords like hosed and testes and bollocks. It was never intended to remain hitched to GitP forever, though.