159 The battle for Gobwin Knob, page 146

[Occasional Sage]

We didn't even know their were limits before.

Well, we knew that there was a limit to how many spells a caster could invoke in a turn (or a limit on the total power of spells, I suppose). Be default, that sets a limit on how many units could be uncroaked in a turn.

I love the decrypted Archon. Shes so cute in her 50's get up.

And... is that a pink bow on the skull, in the last panel? CUTE!

[Aquillion]

Is that a dragon approaching in Panel 2? Also a couple more archons coming in too.

I think it's the dwagon that was popped this turn. It's been sort of fluttering around in the background since then.

[kreszantas]

We didn't even know their were limits before.

Well, we knew that there was a limit to how many spells a caster could invoke in a turn (or a limit on the total power of spells, I suppose). Be default, that sets a limit on how many units could be uncroaked in a turn.

I love the decrypted Archon. Shes so cute in her 50's get up.

And... is that a pink bow on the skull, in the last panel? CUTE!

It looks like Wanda's flower not a bow from what I can tell at that size.

[ShinyBrownCoat]

We didn't even know their were limits before.

Well, we knew that there was a limit to how many spells a caster could invoke in a turn (or a limit on the total power of spells, I suppose). Be default, that sets a limit on how many units could be uncroaked in a turn.

We also knew that there was a limit to how long an uncroaked would last, which depended in part on how many units Wanda attempted to uncroak on the same turn...

[Fuzzypaws]

The big questions now are what happens next - and especially, what is Stanley's reaction to everything going to be.

I don't see Wanda as the type to defect and start her own side, skulls on all the decrypted notwithstanding. She seems much more like a power behind the throne type. Life is easier and more convenient when your enemies are gunning for your patsy rather than for you.

[Mikalyaran]

I was probably just taking the wrong thing from parson's statement but I was thinking more along the line of a finite limit. Not limit per turn but total. For instance only 1000 troops may be decrypted at any one time.

[BarGamer]

*Sniffles.* RIP, Bogroll. Now, Wanda? Go cast Familicide on Ansom. And then decrypt them. ^_^

[Morthe]

It's a shame that Bogroll cannot be decrypted (or maybe Wanda does not want to?)...

I'm still confused about the loyalty issues. The decrypted units show Wandas sign instead of Parsons. Wouldn't it be possible that she wants to start her own side or has always been on her own side? She was manipulating Stanley before and just using him as the wielder of one Arkentool to attract another one with an unattuned Tool? She could have even manipulated the summoning spell and secretly is the one who controls Parson and just temporarily gave Stanley that power.

[raphfrk]

We didn't even know their were limits before. A lot of good info in this page. The basic units seem just as powerful as ansom. Meaning zero upkeep, wont decay, retain their stats, are loyal to GK. This is very bad for the rest of the sides. The only advantage that I see them holding is that GK has only one low level city. This should give them some time to rebuild while Parson retakes the cities that had been lost.

OTOH, it might be worth instantly taking a few of the most weakly defended cities that they lost. This would allow them to transfer their capital to a fortified location (at least temporarily) and thus have some kind of defenses.

This assumes that they don't plan to go the foolamancy path and hide the fact that they even exist.

The "Dirtamancy bomb" plus taking the 2-3 nearest cities in a small number of turns could scare the others away. Given that the coalition is dissolved, it will probably be at least a short while before anyone can launch an attack, especially if it is one that eliminates a threat to the world (and thus benefits everyone). Without the coalition, there is a publics good problem.

[moose o death]

i don't think wanda is working her own angles all that much. and it does appear if stanley wanted her gone, disbanding her would work.

maybe she's just a typical woman, manipulating men when she wants something her way. and sulking when it goes wrong. she's got a new toy right now so she's happy.

she ceases to be fully typical at torture and interrogation ...and raising the dead.

the skull emblems may be fairly meaningless. that kind of thing may be indicative of who orders it.

edit: or who is the leader of their stack. parson isn't leading wanda right now so they probably are under her commands right now

[Mikalyaran]

Wanda as always shown a certain flair for fashion. Since food pops, and people simply get clean, clothes probably pop as well. Perhaps Wanda has a special trait that lets her pop her awesome outfit and customize the clothes of the troops she uncroaks? It could have little to nothing to do with loyalty.

[Morak]

I'm still confused about the loyalty issues. The decrypted units show Wandas sign instead of Parsons. Wouldn't it be possible that she wants to start her own side or has always been on her own side?

Don't forget although there are still a lot of questions about Wanda's past she is not of the plaid tribe. So she is from somewhere else which puts her in the same circumstance as Jillian. Therefore Wanda would be considered a barbarian. And a previous strip revealed that Wanda has no loyalty spells on her.

So Wanda does what she wants to.

[chaoschristian]

I anticipate that what we'll see soon is a montage of images of a reluctant/confused/overwhelmed-by-events Parson leading an ever-growing army of de-crypts on a campaign of conquest across Erfworld, complete with a triumphant but clueless Stanley and a Wanda who will have grown even more sinister.

Ending the book possibly on a siege or assault on Charles Comm with the final cliff-hanger being Parson's realization of what he's done and a resolution to somehow confront it.

Or perhaps Book 1 will end with the end of Erworld as we know it, Wanda Ascendant, and Book 2 will pick up in a post-Wanda age of apocalypse and kinky sex.

[kreszantas]

I'm still confused about the loyalty issues. The decrypted units show Wandas sign instead of Parsons. Wouldn't it be possible that she wants to start her own side or has always been on her own side?

Don't forget although there are still a lot of questions about Wanda's past she was at Faq. So she is either from there or somewhere else which puts her in the same circumstance as Jillian. Therefore Wanda would be considered a barbarian. And a previous strip revealed that Wanda has no loyalty spells on her.

So Wanda does what she wants to.

Nope wrong answer on the last part, she does what she can get away with. Remember like another poster stated Stanley CAN DISBAND her and threatned to do so.. Where Stanley stated are you refusing an order officer? http://www.erfworld.com/book-1-archive/?px=%2F005.jpg and get out of my sight I dont want to see any of you, if I do you WILL be disbanded. http://www.erfworld.com/book-1-archive/?px=%2F072.jpg therefore she is Not doing what she wants to do she does have a purpose in mind.

[jamie]

You may not notice, but I wanted to mention that with this latest page and going forward to the end, I'm using a brush to ink the comic just like the grown up comic inkers do!

[Vordrax]

You may not notice, but I wanted to mention that with this latest page and going forward to the end, I'm using a brush to ink the comic just like the grown up comic inkers do!

Sniff. They grow up so fast.

[moose o death]

so your doing all this by hand then? do you use pc/mac for colour or is it all on paper right to the end?

[Morak]

Nope wrong answer on the last part, she does what she can get away with. Remember like another poster stated Stanley CAN DISBAND her and threatned to do so.. Where Stanley stated are you refusing an order officer? http://www.erfworld.com/book-1-archive/?px=%2F005.jpg and get out of my sight I dont want to see any of you, if I do you WILL be disbanded. http://www.erfworld.com/book-1-archive/?px=%2F072.jpg therefore she is Not doing what she wants to do she does have a purpose in mind.

Yes she does what she can get away with because it is what she wants to do. Stanley's power over her are due to the laws of natural Thinkamancy: http://www.erfworld.com/book-1-archive/?px=%2F084a.jpg

Therefore as Chief Warlord Parson has control over everyone (except for Stanley) including Wanda. Which is also why Ansom defers to him over Wanda.

[jamie]

so your doing all this by hand then? do you use pc/mac for colour or is it all on paper right to the end?

Coloring is all computer. Lineart is all paper and ink.

[malekith]

wow, so much to talk about!
there are so many possibilities from here, cant wait for these last few strips...
I personally think it's best to wait and see what happens when Stanley gets back, I must say I'd find it interesting and probably more enjoyable if there was a Wanda/Parson lead side that's split from/got rid of stanley - but I'm game for anything.
Although couldn't the icons and fashion sense just be a nice artsy addition? just to look nice, nothing to do with the story?... ...aww hell what am I thinking? course not :L

Mal