Inner Peace (Through Superior Firepower) – Episode 050

[kukn]

I always knew hippiemancy was sick and perverted at core.

Croakamancy perverts bodies by giving the dead a semblance of life (but the dead remain dead, just the body is animated; decryption is worse).
But hippiemancy perverts love, so that affection is forced and artificial, so that behaviour is puppet-like. It's basically raping free will, while giving itself a warm fuzzy "loving" appearance.

Very well written in showing the grossness of the matter (though I don't much like the constant up-and-down twists of the plot with Jill being caught, escaping, being caught).

[Werebiscuit]

Or maybe this is just a hippiemancers form of a Jail. A place where a persons only real jailer is themselves and their addiction. A nice little twist on a prison with freedom and peace in mind.

I really like this concept.

Me too.
You can leave any time you want. But you won't.

More like ..to misquote Eagles "hotel california" "You can walk out any time you like...but you can NEVER leave "

[Not Me]

Haven't read every discussion in here so maybe this has been talked long ago and I missed it.
Seeing how powerful Olive is, has there been any speculation about her instrument being the fourth "known" arkentool?

[frei]

Haven't read every discussion in here so maybe this has been talked long ago and I missed it.
Seeing how powerful Olive is, has there been any speculation about her instrument being the fourth "known" arkentool?

The chillaxe is probably "just" an artifact (like Parson's bracer).

[Shai_hulud]

Why assume it's not a man made rhymamancy item?

[frei]

It just seems unusually powerful. It can stop combat in an entire hex. We haven't seen any evidence that (e.g.) Janis can do that (if she could, getting Parson through the portal would be no problem), and on like page 3 of the first comic Wanda expresses incredulity that even a powerful Hippiemancer would have such a capability. Not a knock down case, just more dramatic in its effects than say Ace's items, and more in line in power with Parson's bracer.

[pablob]

I had a somewhat crazy idea come to me, but I think it makes kind of sense (spoilered, just in case).

Spoiler: show

We know now that Olive Branch is very high level (even higher than Isaac), so it would not be surprising she is the highest level hippiemancer in Erfworld. We have also learned at the end of Book 1 that the hippiemancers are in a quest to end war in Erfworld (that's why they let Parson come).

What if Olive is trying to enact an earlier version of this "global peace" plan? In this plan, she is using Haffaton to conquer most of Erfworld so there can be lasting peace, a "Pax Haffatonia", where nobody willing to fight would be left. Of course the game dynamics make this almost impossible, but she might not know that...

After Haffaton falls (and Olive likely does with it), the hippiemancers realize they need to think more outside the box and they get onboard with the "perfect warlord" plan.

Ok, enough speculation and back to work!

[Not Me]

Sounds like a reasonable alternative the Bracer comparison.
Has there been any speculation as what the fourth known arkentool might be?
Don't ask me why, but I have the feeling we will get an answer for that before the end of Book 2.

[frei]

I remember seeing some suggestions that it's signamancy- or foolamancy-related in a way that makes it so that people are prevented from discussing it except in very general terms. I believe this was offered by way of an explanation as to why Parson hasn't asked about it yet, or why the other characters haven't discussed it, especially given the arkentool-fueled nature of the conflict right now. But this seems rather thin and we really have no idea.

[0beron]

That theory about the 4th 'Tool is covered/debated in this thread. The idea of the 4th 'Tool being keyed to Signamancy actually makes a lot of sense both from the plot perspective and from the "magic theory" perspective because it would mean the 'Tools have a kind of symmetry to which Elements and Axis they use.

[wrecan]

Just a note that the Wizard of Oz imagery carries backwards to Inner Peace (Through Superior Firepower) – Episode 049 in which Olive captures Jillian in a tree with Christmas ornaments, which is reminiscent of the living apple trees that harassed Dorothy in the movie version of Wizard of Oz.

All Olive needs now are flying monkey units!

[0beron]

All Olive needs now are flying monkey units!

Well considering that in Wicked at least, the Flying Monkeys were the result of the Wicked Witch experimenting with flesh and anatomy using magic.... *coughcroakamancycoughcough*

[Jorgath]

But there's no little dog!

WHAT HAS OLIVE DONE WITH POOR TOTO?

[No one in particular]

But there's no little dog!

WHAT HAS OLIVE DONE WITH POOR TOTO?

Who do you think Crapsack is standing in for?

[effataigus]

Okay... so I got two questions for ya...

First, do you believe that the Hippiemancers and the Thinkamancers both want Parson to defeat Charlie as part of his quest to attain peace/end the hegemony? I can see that many would believe that objective is thinkamancer specific rather than linked to both prophecies.

Second, if the hippiemancers DO want Parson to defeat Charlie... why do they want that? We know that Charlie is peace-averse, but is this where the hippiemancers learn that about him? Are we about to witness the end of a hippiemancer plot for world peace at his hands? Will Charlie's archons cap lil' Dorothy under the pretext of being hired by a mercenary side?

Ok.. more than 2 questions.

[drachefly]

All Olive needs now are flying monkey units!

Well considering that in Wicked at least, the Flying Monkeys were the result of the Wicked Witch experimenting with flesh and anatomy using magic.... *coughcroakamancycoughcough*

Interesting - that's not at all how it goes in the book.

[0beron]

Interesting - that's not at all how it goes in the book.

The Wicked book or the original Oz books? Because I'm aware Wicked deviates from Baum's books, but I could definitely see Rob bridging his references between both versions.

[Jorgath]

Interesting - that's not at all how it goes in the book.

The Wicked book or the original Oz books? Because I'm aware Wicked deviates from Baum's books, but I could definitely see Rob bridging his references between both versions.

Well, in the original Oz book (if my memory is working - it's been a while since I read it) the Wicked Witch has a magic cap that summons the flying monkeys and forces them to obey her, but any wearer can only use it three times in her life. It's part of how Dorothy ends up escaping her castle.

[0beron]

Huh that is very interesting, and creates 2 options for there to be flying Monkeys here. Go with the Wicked version where they're a result of alternative Croakamancy (which could make a lot of sense, if manipulating living anatomy was a croakamancy power but Wanda no longer performs it because she associates the memory with Haffaton). Or they could but a product of Hat Magic similar to Pop-a-Cap.

[Lamech]

Huh that is very interesting, and creates 2 options for there to be flying Monkeys here. Go with the Wicked version where they're a result of alternative Croakamancy (which could make a lot of sense, if manipulating living anatomy was a croakamancy power but Wanda no longer performs it because she associates the memory with Haffaton). Or they could but a product of Hat Magic similar to Pop-a-Cap.

Actually, I bet a combination magic would be best for manipulating living flesh. Dollamancy for example can graft additions to stuff, but flesh isn't its normal material. But if you combined it with croakamancy... Wanda wouldn't even need a link.