Inner Peace (Through Superior Firepower) – Episode 058

[balder]

New One is up.

[ftl]

Now THAT is a turn did not anticipate.

What's Olive's game here? What's Banhammer's?

It's obviously a trap, but with a lookamancer and predictamancer, perhaps they know that already and have a longer plan?

[mcw0933]

Agreed - fully expected Olive to come back with the axe, but I kept expecting the FAQ casters and Banhammer to outmaneuver. I think Jack siding with Jill in the vote does not bode well for some sort of surprise overturn.

Olive's just playing to Banhammer's weakness, I'm very much afraid, and he's buying it hook, line, and sinker. Desperate for the King to prove me (and his daughter) wrong here...

[wrecan]

I have no idea if Banhammer has a game. Jack doesn't seem to think he does. Hopefully, Jack can bring Jillian to Betsy Murgatroyd to get her cured of her floral addiction.

Olive's game seems pretty straightforward. Haffaton is in dire need of more casters. Banhammer has just supplied her with a signamancer and a predictamancer. If she plays her cards right, she can eventually get a shockamancer, lookamancer, healomancer, and foolamancer. And the way her relationship with Banhammer is proceeding, she might be able to get him to turn them without using flowers at all.

[Knight13]

We know that Faq had its cities back when Stanley sacked the place and that Banhammer was still ruler and that at least Wanda, Jack and Marie were still alive. So, while we know that Banhammer isn't going to turn, it's possible that Olive might turn or croak some of the casters.

[Aquillion]

Banhammer is right to stay, though, even without a clear plan. What would they do if they left? They have no cities and can't afford upkeep on anything; and even if Dame Branch's offer of safe passage is reliable (we don't know if those things can be revoked), she can just capture them all the moment they're outside her territory, once they're safely away from her own person and she has a chance to gather her forces -- assuming he can even pay upkeep long enough to get them outside her territory, which is dubious. With that many casters, they need a capital site, fast; and they can't afford to wander aimlessly looking for one.

My money is that Banhammer knows its a trap, but either has a specific plan, or trusts the minds of his casters to outdo Dame Branch's.

[MonteCristo]

Seems banhammer did not catch the contradiction in Olive's words. Namely she claims that Haffaton seeks peace above all else, but just last page Banhammer noted how haffaton had ignored all of Banhammer's attempts to settle matters between them peaceful and jumped right into conquest.

Now THAT is a turn did not anticipate.

What's Olive's game here? What's Banhammer's?

It's obviously a trap, but with a lookamancer and predictamancer, perhaps they know that already and have a longer plan?

not sure, but we do know that Olive just offered to show banhammer haffaton's hospitality, and we know that one of her favorite games is Poison

[tgriff02]

Hmmmm.... Interesting, Marie seemed skeptical of Olive's intent, and yet she voted to stay?

Personally, I don't think that Banhammer's actions are THAT far off, we've seen over and over that combat method's are ultimately ineffective against Haffaton. There also seems to be a huge variance between individuals as far what exactly a castor can do with their field. It may simply be that the best strategic option is for Faq to attempt to learn as much as possible about Olive before taking any action one way or another.

On the other hand, Olive just offered to let the castors and Faq's royal line join the side for an indefinite length of time. Banhammer just may, at least initially, see this as "proof" that his nonviolent theories are superior to military conquest. After all, from his perspective; Haffaton and Faq have already fought combat, Faq lost virtually everything; they came in and for the price of a speech have been welcomed in. And Olive will certainly be learning as much as she can about the Faq group. I wonder how long Olive can keep the Charm on.

Of other interest, Wanda and Olive both still know that Jillian is Fated to croak a Haffaton ruler, be it the literal or effective case. Wanda wanda may also still see this as her chance to fullfill the "poisoned pill" order her father gave her. I wonder if we shall be seeing Wanda-n-Jillian hijnks behind everyone else's back next.

[Aquillion]

Also remember: Jack voted to leave, but Marie voted to stay. And even if we don't know for sure what sort of guy Banhammer is, we know Marie's hardly a fool. If she voted to stay, she had a good reason for it.

[zbeeblebrox]

Banhammer is right to stay, though, even without a clear plan.

I agree, mainly because the things that make Branch so dangerous are also her greatest weakness, and on top of that, peace is the only game Banhammer plays well. Jillian was pretty gung-ho about outright capturing the Haffaton capital for Faq just before being re-captured. The only reason she isn't now is due to some unfortunate timing and the burden of a mind-dulling addiction. That's hardly a dealbreaker. It just means some lateral thinking will be required.

[tgriff02]

not sure, but we do know that Olive just offered to show banhammer haffaton's hospitality, and we know that one of her favorite games is Poison

Poison is also the weapon of Court, just look at the history of any earth-world nobility, well; poison and a nice thin dagger between ribs. Olive has mastered the art of conquest/elimination without violence, and the Court of Faq has spent Banhammer's entire reign with castors discussing the theoretical applications of their discipline's to accomplishing many things without violence, even up to the possibility of extending a discipline's mechanics to function as a completely unrelated discipline. This could be a contest of lateral thinking.

[sanjmerchant]

Still a little woozy from that lojban pun.

Also I find myself actually rooting for Banhammer. As much as our perceptions of him are colored by Jillian's attitudes, I find myself sincerely hoping that he's actually a genuine expert in debate, logic, and rhetoric and will deflate Olive's hypocrisy and self-serving BS and make her face what she really is: a bully and a petty tyrant who's technical pacifism is nothing more than a lie she tells herself to make herself feel better.

[Silverhorn]

What's Olive's game here? What's Banhammer's?

Olive's agenda is easy to figure out. Faq has a ton of powerful casters. She wants them. Using charm and Hero buds she thinks she can get them.

Banhammer is no so much stupid as he is infatuated with his on ideas. This a chance for him to put his beliefs in peace to the test. If retreats or attacks he will denying the truth of all his pretty little beliefs.

Personally, I don't think that Banhammer's actions are THAT far off, we've seen over and over that combat method's are ultimately ineffective against Haffaton.

Actually if sides were a game of rock,paper,scissors. Most sides are scissors, Haffaton is rock, and Faq is paper. Haffaton relies on Hippiemancy to pick its battles and turn its cities into traps. To the typical side that depend on regular engagements and spoils from cities, that is a toxic enemy to fight. But since they can't make lightning strikes against capitals they have to fight the traditional way of city by city. Faq has the air units and casters to make lightning strikes at capitals, rulers, and heirs AND know where those capitals, rulers, and heirs are. Faq pretty much is the only side that could beat Haffaton. Olive knows this, this is why she was merciless in her campaign, and scared when she did not take out their casters when they turned barbarian.

Olive knows that she has once again gotten the upperhand. Her fear was that Faq would kill her and the ruler before she could cast her spell. But now that they are trapped in her spell, time is on her side. She knows she can try her gambit of stealing their casters with impunity.

[Ambug666]

In case anyone is unfamiliar with the source material: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qswm7lHp7oY

[Salem]

Agreed - fully expected Olive to come back with the axe, but I kept expecting the FAQ casters and Banhammer to outmaneuver. I think Jack siding with Jill in the vote does not bode well for some sort of surprise overturn.

Not necessarily. Jack is probably the best thinker in Erf aside from Parson. I personally think he's smarter than Charlie. He could A be voting against to not tip their hand. If everyone is totally for going with their enemy it might look like they have a plan. Or he could be trying not to tip anything to Jillian who is open like a book and might tip their hand. Him asking Jillian questions might have been pointless other than to keep her in line. I doubt this though.

Seems banhammer did not catch the contradiction in Olive's words. Namely she claims that Haffaton seeks peace above all else, but just last page Banhammer noted how haffaton had ignored all of Banhammer's attempts to settle matters between them peaceful and jumped right into conquest.

You could argue that she sought peace but didn't have the guidelines and rules till she read FAQs libraries. I wouldn't buy it but you could.

[bladestorm]

A book of absurd principals admonished by the entire world except the side of the author, and now someone from a different side has actually read the book. I wouldn't be surprised if half of Faq never read the book, and got by with a cliff notes version and just repeating something from a previous discussion. This is exactly what Banhammer's delicate ego needed. And Olive served it up on a silvered platter.

[teratorn]

Marie is quite safe there, and her actions make sense, as shown previously she knows Wanda is fated to join their side. Unfortunately Jillian keeps choosing the hard way (not telling Wanda the exact words from Delphie).

[No one in particular]

Hey, since Faq is a formal guest of Haffaton, does that mean that Haffaton is paying for their upkeep? (Some sort of hospitality-based natural Moneymancy, maybe?)

If so, Haffaton is going to CHOKE on Faq.

Consider!

Olive's primary weapons are peace & patience. She likes to trap people in situations where they can't fight, and since that's all most Erfworlders can think of doing, the boredom and inaction either drives them to give up or forces them to run away. (she doesn't poison them until the last second, since she really does want every chance to convert them)

Faq, however, is more than happy to sit around until the end of time, talking and thinking. If they don't have to worry about upkeep or staying hidden, Faq will never move again.

Here's the trick though:
1. Haffaton has a bunch of ghost cities, who are barely generating any shmuckers.
2. Faq has a metric faq-ton of heavies (expensive), warlords (expensive) and casters (really expensive).
3. IF Haffaton has taken over the upkeep of Faq as a guest, THEN Banhammer can simply sit on his duff, discuss philosophy with Olive, and drain their treasury dry... politely.

Olive is as patient as the trees. Banhammer is as patient as the mountains.

[joosy]

Interesting turn of events but not unexpected. I did enjoy the "One Tin Soldier" lyrics I sing that song at Karaoke much to the chagrin of my war mongering conservative friends

So, Olive believes she has the upperhand by preventing any fighting from taking place. However, she has just engaged in a new battle with folks who have spent nearly their entire existence in this form of 'peaceful' combat. I believe Olive to be badly outmatched and doesn't realize it yet.

I wonder if Jack will take some initiative and help speed things along.. some subtle images and sounds that would send Olive accidentally walking off the tower to her death? or perhaps Betsy can heal Judy thus bringing her back in control of Olive. Or perhaps Rusty can blast the ceiling above Olive (not likely given how crude Banhammer would consider that). Perhaps the Moneymancer and Mathamancer can help with Haffaton's schmucker issue, get Olive to overextend herself, withdraw their support and watch her disband due to lack of funds? (yes a reach). Hmmm..

I do find it interesting that we only see Orwell (the Lookamancer), Marie (the Predictamancer), and Jack (the Foolamancer) along for the ride and not the rest of the casters. Are they still hidden in the airspace or at some other location, I wonder? I can understand bringing Jack and Marie to make their approach but why Orwell? I would assume he had already scouted the hex so why bring him to parley? I would assume either Betsy (to heal them if they were damaged) or Rusty (to attack). Heck even Adderall would be useful to predict odds. Of course it could simply be that he is the 'Chief'' caster.

Whatever happens I wish Olive's end to be poetic, painful, and at least partially by Wanda's hand.


... and on another note I do hope that the rest of Faq's casters are hiding out in the Magic Kingdom still. I imagine the reason that Jillian hasn't welcomed them back is because she can't afford them .. perhaps also because she can't stand them.

[Beeskee]

I think at this point that I am pretending Banhammer has some elegant plan to utterly destroy the enemy, and everything that happened he allowed to happen since it fit into this plan.

The alternative is that he is dumber than Jillian...

... Haffaton is going to CHOKE on Faq.

+1 internets. I think this is the plan.