Book 2 – Page 102

[name lips]

Parson has NO stats. Or at least no visible ones.

They derived his Leadership bonus by observing what happens to unit's stats when he's in charge of them. I think they figured he must be a Level 2 Warlord.

So he must also have Attack, Defense, and Move -- he just has never had the opportunity to experiment and figure out what they might be.

[vintermann]

To spell out Beeskee's observation further:

Spoiler: show

When Wanda mentions that there will be a terrible cost, three other people are conspicuously crammed into the picture. Two of them are already dead, the third is Jack.

[mortissimus]

They derived his Leadership bonus by observing what happens to unit's stats when he's in charge of them. I think they figured he must be a Level 2 Warlord.

Just because I had already checked. Klog 4 confirms that this is how they found out Parson's leadership bonus, which is 2. And Klog 7 list the units remaining in Gobwin Knob (from the Stupid Meal), including "1 Chief Warlord, level 2, Special". So yeah, probably, if one assumes that full bonus is = level or at least is so at level 2.

[the_tick_rules]

Yeah, I hope he levels, I wonder how it would affect him. Would fat go away and replaced with muscle as he gets stronger and stuff like that? Would it make his mind sharper?

[Dystopianman]

OMG....

Parlay. Parsons gonna parlay. Thats the only way they can put out the fires before it becomes inferno level. The King will want to see his city saved, not built er popped anew. Even if they kill the king and all units in the hall, Ace and a heavy are outside and can possibly get clear. The city will still technically be Jetstone's. There won't be enough time to put out the fires while they're looking for Ace and the Cloth Golem. Even if Parson's stack can engage Ace's stack, it's not for sure they can take Ace and the Heavy (Dollamancer bonus to Cloth Golem) as many of Parson's units will have either been croaked or damaged during the King fight. (We all saw what he did to flying magical knight class level units.) On a side note, death by fire (destruction of corpse?) is the only known proven method of ensuring a body cannot be decrypted. Thus, Charlie's stratagem is revealed. Trap Parson in a fiery inferno. Gotta love the poetical nature considering the Rocks Fall Tactic of BoGK.

BUT if Parson Parlays and Allies with Jetstone there could be enough time to put out the fire, especially if Parson can utilize Ace's Hardware and make firehoses or something for the remaining units. Jack has the Healomancy Scrolls.

Or he could use the Charlie scroll on himself or the King.

Or he could die and get decrypted.

The suspense is killing me.

[joosy]

If Ace and the Cloth Golem leave the garrison wall (which they will probably be forced to do if the fire goes Inferno level) and if Parson and company croak the king and his minions then Gobwin Knob will control Spacerock the City. However, that will do them little good unless they can put out the fire. I believe the artwork redraw reveals that the fire is on the opposite side of the entrance to the portal which foreshadows the possibility that all units in the throne room will either be incinerated or forced back into the Portal room.

It has also been foreshadowed that a Dirtamancer can stop an Inferno. There is also the presence of the 'back to where you belong' scroll.

For Sizemore to get there, the portal needs to be re-opened. Parson will have to convince Stanley to switch capitols to Spacerock once GK conrols it - that will allow Sizemore to enter without breaking convention but would leave Parson will potentially all of the casters in the new capital and Stanley stranded back in GK - a prime target for attack at home or on the road via dwagon relay to Spacerock.

OR, I would guess that Parson will order Jack to use the scroll on himself (if he does it, it could pop him back to FAQ), but Jack may disobey and use it on Parson sending him back to Stupidworld. Thus would begin Book 3: Back to the Front or Toto, I don't think we're in Erfworld Anymore.
Edit: OR if where he belongs is really GK then Parson would appear there- much like Judy did when she appeared in Efbaum instead of Kansas.

[tgriff02]

Yeah, I hope he levels, I wonder how it would affect him. Would fat go away and replaced with muscle as he gets stronger and stuff like that? Would it make his mind sharper?

I think there have been being slight changes to his physical appearance already, I know art was a lot less "set" in the first book, but even here lately, his signamancy seems to be changing slightly and slowly.

[Goshen]

Unless there are rules preventing it, I think that Charlie scroll is lethal. The only thing safer than a banished Parson is a dead Parson.

[bladestorm]

Unless there are rules preventing it, I think that Charlie scroll is lethal. The only thing safer than a banished Parson is a dead Parson.

It could send him safely back to Gobwin Knob...and land him in the middle of the lava lake. Transported safely and pleasantly, and to his Side's capitol site, as advertised. What happens afterwards, the part about burning up in lava with no chance of getting to safety...that's not covered by the scope of the scroll. Basic genie logic.

[Denar]

Unless there are rules preventing it, I think that Charlie scroll is lethal. The only thing safer than a banished Parson is a dead Parson.

It could send him safely back to Gobwin Knob...and land him in the middle of the lava lake. Transported safely and pleasantly, and to his Side's capitol site, as advertised. What happens afterwards, the part about burning up in lava with no chance of getting to safety...that's not covered by the scope of the scroll. Basic genie logic.

I think that the spell really does send the target home, and it's the result of Charlie's experience with the Arkenshoes replicated using the Arkendish (possibly/probably with a link up with the Carnymancer as well). Although Sizemore couldn't work out what the scroll did, I think it's implied that the chief Thinkamancer did - and if that's the case, it doesn't seem sensible for Charlie to try getting Parson to voluntarily use a "suicide-spell" if there's an off-chance Parson could've worked out what it does.

And with Wanda nearby, even if an assassination on Parson is successful, he can always just be decrypted (presumably). Even being killed by lava wasn't enough to destroy Sylvia's body completely - Charlie needs to get Parson completely out of the picture, and what better way to do that than knocking him out of the world? With the prophecies on Parson that need to be fulfilled, maybe he can't be killed. Maybe the only way to beat him is to use this Carnymancy (which, as we've seen with Sylvia, has at least some capacity to change Fate).

[Chit Rule Railroad]

And with Wanda nearby, even if an assassination on Parson is successful, he can always just be decrypted (presumably). Even being killed by lava wasn't enough to destroy Sylvia's body completely - Charlie needs to get Parson completely out of the picture, and what better way to do that than knocking him out of the world? With the prophecies on Parson that need to be fulfilled, maybe he can't be killed. Maybe the only way to beat him is to use this Carnymancy (which, as we've seen with Sylvia, has at least some capacity to change Fate).

Since he's a thinker rather than a caster or combat monster, teleporting Parson to Charlie's dungeon would also be a pretty safe way to deal with him. We haven't heard any Predictions that would preclude him from turning to Charlie or forging a more extensive, magically enforced mercenary relationship with him, whereas banishing him would seem to only delay any Predictions he's involved in.

Charlie may even have convinced Jojo that Charlescomm is where Parson truly belongs. Charlie's willingness to negotiate temporary and nonexclusive contracts (which Jojo appears to have benefited from himself) fits in with Jojo's patter about free will, which Jojo might really believe.

[multilis]

The inferno was blazing around him.

"Hurry Jack, this is your only chance!" yelled Parson.

Jack used the scroll. Suddenly a bright flash and Jack was gone.

'Back where he belonged...?'

"Maggie!" yelled Parson, "find out where Jack is... oh no, no, NOOOO!"

Parson saw the hamster at his feet and knew it was Jack. 1 hit point, he would not last long.