Summer Updates - 008

[balder]

New one's up. [edit: fixed the number]

[Malanthyus]

Uhhhh, did I miss an update somewhere? I thought we were on 8...Very interesting inner monologue on that one though.

P.S. Woah, first post...I don't think that will happen again. ^_^

[BarGamer]

B ate 8. XD

From Stanley's expression and new attitude, I'm thinking Stanley is not gonna be quite so crazy from now on. Maybe that's wishful thinking, maybe it's speculation. Either way, Parson's got his work cut out for him.

Personally, I'm a gamer at heart. Will a bunch of people die for my entertainment, on both sides? Yes they will, no matter what I do. So it really comes down to morals. Am I willing to kill and kill and kill so that I and the people I know live on? This is what it means to be a Chooser of the Slain.

PS: Chooser of the Slain is one of the ancient titles for the Valkyrie. I'm going with a slightly different translation of it. Thank you, Eyrie Productions. Oh, and I'm still holding out for Archons on Dwagons.

[Mikalyaran]

I find stanley's expression in the picture very interesting. Its not angry, its almost sad.

[Malanthyus]

For some reason I'm actually reminded of the "Individual Eleven" trial in Japan Pre-world war II.

Edit: Strike that the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_15_Incident May 15th Incident rather.

[DunkelMentat]

I don't know if it's just the booze I've ingested in the past 6 hours talking, but right now, this is totally my favorite comic. I read a lot of comics. The woman I had a first date with earlier tonight (it went well) doesn't know that yet. BUT SHE WILL.

Maybe I'll show her Efrworld first.

[Doktor Jones]

I find stanley's expression in the picture very interesting. Its not angry, its almost sad.

I think he's a bit baffled/bewildered, that this strange warlord saved his capital long after he'd given up on it. It's like the little inner Stanley in him is telling him Parson is responsible for having a capital to come back to, but, being Stanley, it's difficult (if not impossible) to muster a thanks or apology to someone "below" him.

This is a complete left fielder, but perhaps Stanley will name Parson heir?

[Spot]

I find stanley's expression in the picture very interesting. Its not angry, its almost sad.

I think he's a bit baffled/bewildered, that this strange warlord saved his capital long after he'd given up on it. It's like the little inner Stanley in him is telling him Parson is responsible for having a capital to come back to, but, being Stanley, it's difficult (if not impossible) to muster a thanks or apology to someone "below" him.

This is a complete left fielder, but perhaps Stanley will name Parson heir?

Either Parson or Wanda will definitely be named heir soon.

[moose o death]

i really think the eyebrows sell the idea he's trying to think how he'll apologize. he left them all for dead. so he could start a new side on the next turn. he failled too do that with his best forces. and parson saved his existing city with what was left over.

wanda was driving the quest for more arkentools. and could probably have the blame for losing so many cities laid on her. but parson managed to keep the one that really mattered. every tactic parson did resulted in successes while stanley and wanda never really had much but failures in probably quite some time.

stanley will not name parson or wanda an heir not within the timeline of book 2 at least. i'm thinking parson and charles comm is more likely to happen.

[Goshen]

I don't know if it's just the booze I've ingested in the past 6 hours talking, but right now, this is totally my favorite comic. I read a lot of comics. The woman I had a first date with earlier tonight (it went well) doesn't know that yet. BUT SHE WILL.

Maybe I'll show her Efrworld first.

That is one of the most awesome posts I have ever seen. Seriously.

[Goshen]

Truly excellent episode.

I can't see Stanley naming anyone, ever, to be his heir. IMHO, he would rather let his side risk a fall to barbarian bits than make anyone into a potential usurper.

[raphfrk]

Either Parson or Wanda will definitely be named heir soon.

Can Wanda be named heir? It isn't entirely clear if she is officially part of Stanley's side, more like a barbarian who is in permenent alliance with Stanley (or just a unit with potentially very low compulsory loyality).

On the "spy satellite" thing, I wonder if we will be seeing Archons in spacesuits so that they can breathe high up. (That is ofc, assuming that a) there is a height limit and b) that the height limit is because air gets thin).

Maybe the higher you fly the more Move you use up because of lack of air, with a space suit, they could preserve their full move. OTOH, that would mean that high flying couldn't save them from attack from flying units within the stack.

[Welf von Ehrwald]

I don't know if it's just the booze I've ingested in the past 6 hours talking, but right now, this is totally my favorite comic. I read a lot of comics. The woman I had a first date with earlier tonight (it went well) doesn't know that yet. BUT SHE WILL.

Maybe I'll show her Efrworld first.

Women, booze, Erfworld. Finally I found a way of living, I can follow wholehearted.

I can't see Stanley naming anyone, ever, to be his heir. IMHO, he would rather let his side risk a fall to barbarian bits than make anyone into a potential usurper.

+1
I don't think Stanley is stupid enough to name a heir. Seems like he will establish a "rule of one".

[KiltedNinja]

Hi folks - 1st post here so I thought I'd jump right in with some..

Hellos:
Hey all, nice to meet'n'greet - it's good to visit a forum where there's good people who actually act decent... a rare thing on the interwebs these days (I'm including GiTP too)

Praise:
I'm loving this comic - I feel I can sometimes relate to how Parson would feel (given my extreme geekyness and fondness for D'n'D and such things) - Whenever I think of Erfworld I keep being reminded of Flight Of Dragons and Tron, which for me were fairly important movies - and finding a comic that encompasses so many things that I love, is just amazing. I love the development of the story - especially with the transition to prose which just adds so, so much.

Thoughts:
After following this comic since the start (which seems like yeeears ago), and now just being reminded that Parson has only been in Erfworld for a week.. Made me completely rethink my approach to characters/motivations/possible futures.
With Stanley, we're never quite sure exactly what's going on in his tiny little head, although recently we're seeing signs of fear/worry and maybe a little humbleness. It'll be interesting to watch the exchange between him and Parson, and I'm wondering if Parson might actually just ask to be sent home..
..buut he might not do that if he thinks that he can retain his position and use that to do the whole hippy-mancer-peace-bringing-world-fixer thing. Going from a 'nothing' to a hero, to a person with purpose, to a person who actually *means* something - well, that can really change a person, wether they like it or not.

Regardless of wether Erfworld is all just a coma-induced distortion of reality, or wether it actually exists in a parallel universe - Parson has changed so much in just a week, his life will never be the same, and hopefully, for the better.

Other things:
Erfworld. Fantastic.

[Kreistor]

More on Archons. That was a real argument back a while ago. Didn't expect that. Rob really is trying to explain.

[Doctari]

It seems that Parson is dealing with the consequences of a NG person being thrust into a LE side after years of pretending to be true N.

I personally would love to see him less conflicted, simply because it is an overused cliche', and more looking forward to the next set of challenges.

He is very much Ender in this story. He showed up, immediately began out thinking strategists who had been functioning in the system for hundreds of turns then in a final battle against overwhelming odds he still managed to pull off the ultimate victory. And now, much like Ender, he is finding his actions to be unbearable. I have to wander if he will follow a similar course: Speaker for the Croaked

Onto Stanley:

I personally think that Stanley's expression is one of mixed awe, gratitude and warriness. "This strange fat thing just croaked a boop ton of enemy troops with Wanda, Maggie and the poop dude. No arkentools, no numerical superiority. Just his boopin brain. And in doing so saved my kingdom."

[Marller]

I think Stanley is worried about how to handle Wanda. It was clear when es was the only tool user and Parson might have to give him advice, since he can't go to Wanda. And Parson might have to more often in the future.

[Anton Gaist]

He is very much Ender in this story. He showed up, immediately began out thinking strategists who had been functioning in the system for hundreds of turns then in a final battle against overwhelming odds he still managed to pull off the ultimate victory. And now, much like Ender, he is finding his actions to be unbearable. I have to wander if he will follow a similar course: Speaker for the Croaked

Just as long as he isn't contacted by some disembodied "voice" in his book that turns out to be a new species... And as long as he doesn't go Outside and come back with a new Bogroll and Misty all sharing his aiua...

Damn, is it me or did that just make sense?

OK, no it didn't.

[Skorj]

What are the skulls on The Tool's shoulders? Given his size they seem too small to be gobwins or marbits, but they're clearly humanoid. What have we seen that fits?

[SteveMB]

What are the skulls on The Tool's shoulders? Given his size they seem too small to be gobwins or marbits, but they're clearly humanoid. What have we seen that fits?

I'm guessing that they're just decorative features that the garment popped with, and not actual skulls.