Book 2 – Page 69

[0beron]

What about the potential symbolism in that we didn't get shown Artemis's face at all on this page?

That is VERY interesting, I noticed it from an aesthetic perspective but didn't think about it from a plot perspective...is it possible she wasn't croaked? Maybe she's only incapacitated...?

[Swodaems]

Anyone want to guess on the effects that taking a direct arrow to your brain has on your decryptability? Or on your cognative functions once risen since Manpower stands as proof that arrows to the forehead allow for uncroaking?

[atalex]

While I hope Ossomer somehow survives, the following image just popped into my brain: Siege hits the tower hard, causing Slately to stumble and fall over the side. In a flash and without even thinking, Ossomer reaches out, catches Slately, and deposits him back on the roof. Slately has barely an instant to realize that "the Ossomer-thing" has saved both his life and perhaps his side, and he looks up into his son's tear-stained eyes ... just in time to see Ossomer auto-disband for the treason of saving the ruler of the opposing side from certain death. Instantly, down in the dungeon, Wanda looks up, startled, wondering what the hell just happened. A chill runs down her back for reasons she does not understand. Somewhere, a Titan smiles.

Speaking of which, if Jillian breaking free of Wanda's suggestion spell had such a damaging effect on Wanda that it incapacitated her for days and she is still feeling some effects, what will happen to her if/when a Decrypted does turn?

[the_tick_rules]

given they aren't linked to her through a magical mind link I'm assuming nothing.

[Syal]

While I hope Ossomer somehow survives, the following image just popped into my brain: Siege hits the tower hard, causing Slately to stumble and fall over the side. In a flash and without even thinking, Ossomer reaches out, catches Slately, and deposits him back on the roof. Slately has barely an instant to realize that "the Ossomer-thing" has saved both his life and perhaps his side, and he looks up into his son's tear-stained eyes ... just in time to see Ossomer auto-disband for the treason of saving the ruler of the opposing side from certain death. Instantly, down in the dungeon, Wanda looks up, startled, wondering what the hell just happened. A chill runs down her back for reasons she does not understand. Somewhere, a Titan smiles.

Speaking of which, if Jillian breaking free of Wanda's suggestion spell had such a damaging effect on Wanda that it incapacitated her for days and she is still feeling some effects, what will happen to her if/when a Decrypted does turn?

I'm thinking he'll order the archons to stand down, knowing he'll get disbanded for it but saving his father anyway.

Of course, I also think Parson will use the "go home" scroll on Tramennis to send him back to Jetstone, to spite Marie. Maybe I'm not the most reliable source.

[BLANDCorporatio]

{something or other}

0h dear, this will be s0 much fun when the 0ther Oberon will be around.

[MarbitChow]

{something or other}

0h dear, this will be s0 much fun when the 0ther Oberon will be around.

I suspect that if you blast your sonic screwdriver at 0beron, he'll explode into a big puddle of white goo.

[sleepymancer]

given they aren't linked to her through a magical mind link I'm assuming nothing.

Also, some of the difficulty arose because it was a thinkamancy spell that back-fired on her, and while Wanda was good enough to use it she wasn't exceptional in that area. With Decrypted being croakamancy (and artefact controlled) I reckon she'll be fine.

Of course, Wanda is always fine :p

[Kreistor]

While I hope Ossomer somehow survives, the following image just popped into my brain: Siege hits the tower hard, causing Slately to stumble and fall over the side. In a flash and without even thinking, Ossomer reaches out, catches Slately, and deposits him back on the roof. Slately has barely an instant to realize that "the Ossomer-thing" has saved both his life and perhaps his side, and he looks up into his son's tear-stained eyes ... just in time to see Ossomer auto-disband for the treason of saving the ruler of the opposing side from certain death. Instantly, down in the dungeon, Wanda looks up, startled, wondering what the hell just happened. A chill runs down her back for reasons she does not understand. Somewhere, a Titan smiles.

Speaking of which, if Jillian breaking free of Wanda's suggestion spell had such a damaging effect on Wanda that it incapacitated her for days and she is still feeling some effects, what will happen to her if/when a Decrypted does turn?

I'm thinking he'll order the archons to stand down, knowing he'll get disbanded for it but saving his father anyway.

Of course, I also think Parson will use the "go home" scroll on Tramennis to send him back to Jetstone, to spite Marie. Maybe I'm not the most reliable source.

Stand down and let themselves get murdered? Remember, Slately's stated purpose is to kill Archons for Charlie's bounty, so that he can promote Tramennis so that he'll become King when Slately dies. There is one out for every unit ordered to do something: if they think it is against the best interest of their Ruler (Stanley in this case), they can disobey the order. An order to commit suicide is simply not going to be obeyed.

What Ossomer might do is order the Archons to Capture Slately. That they would have no reason to disobey. The benefits? Any units outside Jetstone disband if Tramennis is not yet heir, so this prevents them from poofing, allowing them to be Decrypted. But there's another reason.

Forcing Slately to ally with GK gives GK access to a different set of Natural Allies. Elves won't work with GK because GK already uses Hobgobwins. Jetstone as an ally gives GK a wider range of Natural Allies.

[Sieggy]

Ya know, what would REALLY be funny is if Slately winds up getting croaked before getting to use any of the nifty creations his casters are putting together, and they end up going to Trem instead (assuming he survives, of course). Or worse, Stanley as spoils of war . . .

I can see several possibilities given the last panel . . . Slately stumbles off the tower into the waiting arms of Oss, who saves his life and then A) captures him, thus effectively ending the battle [checkmate!] or B) puts him back into the tower, thus triggering whatever unpleasantry befalls a traitor. Or possibly just stumbles off the tower and plunges to his death or severe injury, once again effectively ending the battle and destroying Oss's soul as he witnesses his father's death but was too slow to save him . . . But given the cracks that appeared in the last panel, another volley or two of death & boomination is going to drop the entire edifice.

I still don't understand, though, why Sylvia hasn't sent the big Reds up topside to scour the portico with their flame breath. It's just chock full of high value targets, not to mention the ranks of useless archers just idly standing there trying to come to grips with their imminent demise and / or decryption. You'd have thought that someone would have had the sense to send down for more ammo so they can sustain fire into the courtyard, but there seems to be a lot of hur-dur going on up there. Or at least send them below so they can be of SOME use down the road.

[Infidel]

People have already demonstrated why your complaint was ill-founded.

No, they didn't; routine praise is meaningless in terms of both praise and argument of quality. In plainer English, if you always think Erfworld pages are great, no surprise you'll disagree with Kreistor. Also, you'd be wrong in general (nothing, including Erfworld, is 100% great).

in lieu of quoting your entire post, I'll just agree with you. Sup Bland, nice avatar again. I'm in port for a few days, so I'm getting my erf fix. Instead of hitting refresh 200 times a day, I now only get to check erf once every month or two. Which is nice in some ways, annoying in others.

Seriously, this is the erfworld discussion forum, not the erfworld meaningless praise forum. It is under the "Reactions" heading not the "Praise" heading. Just keep any criticism civil--and to prevent half the forum jumping down your throat--rational.

I say that I'm loving the last few pages. Of course, now I'm wondering where the text updates went. I don't think we have ever gone 4 pages or more without one since book 1 ended.

Oh, and since the two erf books I received in the mail had the text updates, I'm going to say that the old statement that the text updates are "extra" material is no longer valid. That was said when they first were contemplated way back before the summer updates, but since they have been incorporated in the published material, they should not be considered extra. That said, not all of the text updates were published. So the non-published pages should be considered extra. If we adopt that strategy, then we won't know which updates are included and which are extra until after publication, so maybe we can treat all text updates as if they "might" be extra.

Ohh, and btw, I counted at least 3 comic pages that were not in the internet version. Nice little inserts that most people who don't have forum arguments about what happened on what page, probably wouldn't notice. I pinky swear.

[Lamech]

What Ossomer might do is order the Archons to Capture Slately. That they would have no reason to disobey. The benefits? Any units outside Jetstone disband if Tramennis is not yet heir, so this prevents them from poofing, allowing them to be Decrypted. But there's another reason.

Forcing Slately to ally with GK gives GK access to a different set of Natural Allies. Elves won't work with GK because GK already uses Hobgobwins. Jetstone as an ally gives GK a wider range of Natural Allies.

Yup this is a good plan. Another one would be "target the casters, Slately is too strong right now." I bet this Ossomer deal is going to lead up to Ossomer ordering the archons to do something other than croak Stanley but not a full-fledged turn.

[Hanyo]

Remember that this strip also marks Artemis' first appearance outside of a text update. Therefore this panel helps set her up to become a recurring character in the regular comic

[Hanyo]

I say that I'm loving the last few pages. Of course, now I'm wondering where the text updates went. I don't think we have ever gone 4 pages or more without one since book 1 ended.

Rob announced several weeks ago via RSS (at least that's how I got it), that he was suspending the text updates for the rest of the book. Something about how all of the setup and subplots that needed to be handled have already come to a good place, and that writing any more of them wouldn't add anything to the story at this junction. I'm sure they'll be back for the next book, though I definitely miss them now.

[kreszantas]

People have already demonstrated why your complaint was ill-founded.

No, they didn't; routine praise is meaningless in terms of both praise and argument of quality. In plainer English, if you always think Erfworld pages are great, no surprise you'll disagree with Kreistor. Also, you'd be wrong in general (nothing, including Erfworld, is 100% great).

Oh, and since the two erf books I received in the mail had the text updates, I'm going to say that the old statement that the text updates are "extra" material is no longer valid. That was said when they first were contemplated way back before the summer updates, but since they have been incorporated in the published material, they should not be considered extra. That said, not all of the text updates were published. So the non-published pages should be considered extra. If we adopt that strategy, then we won't know which updates are included and which are extra until after publication, so maybe we can treat all text updates as if they "might" be extra.

Ohh, and btw, I counted at least 3 comic pages that were not in the internet version. Nice little inserts that most people who don't have forum arguments about what happened on what page, probably wouldn't notice. I pinky swear.

The bolded text of your comment is exactly the reason this whole wth text updates, no text updates debate started. That is the premise on which I made comment. What I also liked here is that you put it in a positive light, not being all, I want it my way, the only way and if it is not that way, I am going to whine until it becomes my way. (sounds like a bunch of politicians in D.C.)

[WaterMonkey314]

>wear tinfoil hat
You put on the tinfoil hat. The threads of hidden conspiracies suddenly materialize around you...

Could the title of the issue ("It's Raining Men") only now be coming into play? (Parson's harvesting exploit would be more "It's Raining Dwagonburgers" or "It's Raining Hobgobs" then men). Suppose Slately orders his archers to charge off the tower en masse; could all the falling archers interfere with either the Archons or Sylvia's siege?

Or perhaps the final shot of the book will be the tower falling unexpectedly, with Jetstone archers pouring off and Slately's fate uncertain...

>remove hat
As you remove the hat, the threads of conspiracies fade away until you see nothing but the gloriously mundane.

[BLANDCorporatio]

Sup Bland, nice avatar again. I'm in port for a few days, so I'm getting my erf fix. Instead of hitting refresh 200 times a day, I now only get to check erf once every month or two. Which is nice in some ways, annoying in others.

Hi, Infidel, welcome to these here parts again!

I've had an imho better av recently but I tend to switch them as new material becomes available.

And yeah, reading rarer has its perks- like seeing things in a better, more fluent light, which allows the story's pacing and structure to better shine through. Not reading Erfworld for a month or two means that when you do get online there's, like, 2 updates waiting for ya

Suppose Slately orders his archers to charge off the tower en masse; could all the falling archers interfere with either the Archons or Sylvia's siege?

The Lemming Attack! I like it!

Forcing Slately to ally with GK gives GK access to a different set of Natural Allies. Elves won't work with GK because GK already uses Hobgobwins. Jetstone as an ally gives GK a wider range of Natural Allies.

I like this idea a lot, but I bet exploit-happy Parson would like it even more.

[Hatu]

I still don't understand, though, why Sylvia hasn't sent the big Reds up topside to scour the portico with their flame breath. It's just chock full of high value targets, not to mention the ranks of useless archers just idly standing there trying to come to grips with their imminent demise and / or decryption. You'd have thought that someone would have had the sense to send down for more ammo so they can sustain fire into the courtyard, but there seems to be a lot of hur-dur going on up there. Or at least send them below so they can be of SOME use down the road.

I don't think she can, since the GK forces still have no move. The Dwagons are on the ground now, and won't be able to re-enter the airspace until their next turn (barring some other exploit, of course).

The move-physics of Erfworld confuse me to no end, but it seems that any unit must enter the Airspace zone when it takes off, and leave the zone when it lands.* Since crossing zones costs move (unless you control the city), the Dwagons are stuck on the ground, and apparently cannot project their attacks to the top of the tower.

-H


* In city hexes, at least. The rules may be different in the wild, based on what happened when TV ambushed Stanley back in Book I.

[Housellama]

That said, not all of the text updates were published

The bolded text of your comment is exactly the reason this whole wth text updates, no text updates debate started. That is the premise on which I made comment. What I also liked here is that you put it in a positive light, not being all, I want it my way, the only way and if it is not that way, I am going to whine until it becomes my way. (sounds like a bunch of politicians in D.C.)

I believe that there is an intent to publish the unpublished ones with Book 2. Rumors on the hamster-wheel say that Xin is hard at work on art to go with them. I believe that if this is the case, the only reason that they WEREN'T published in the first place is the lack of non-user submitted art to go with them. In that case, we're back to the text updates being solid material.

[0beron]

{something or other}

0h dear, this will be s0 much fun when the 0ther Oberon will be around.

I suspect that if you blast your sonic screwdriver at 0beron, he'll explode into a big puddle of white goo.

1) MarbitChow I highly approve of this reference
2) There's an Oberon here already lol? I've always spelled mine with a zero just for the fun of it haha