Erfworld 119, page 107

[ChowGuy]

Some thoughts on Wanda being the Predictamancer of FAQ that Jillian refers to, despite her obvious preference for Croakamncy:

We have no indication that when an Overlord orders a caster "popped" they have any control over what that caster's specialty will be, any more then we have reason to believe they can specify in detail the stats of any other unit. And we know that a given unit type can vary in personality and ability. Witness for example Bogrool, who "has a good heart" which is an uncommon trait for a Twoll. Or Stanley himself for that matter, who was not even popped as a Warlord but as a infantryman, yet apparently rose to that rank and eventuallty to the level of "designated heir" on merit. So it seems there is a "will of the Titans" factor involved in popping new units. This is after all consistent with many gaming system rules rules, where you chose the makeup of your starting lineup but those unts may be adjusted by the RNG [Random Number God], and it is then your responsibility to make the best use of them you can.

Banhammer, as has been pointed out, would likely have had no use for a Croakamancer (so why "pop" one intentionally?) but, having been dealt one may have chosen to have her work in some other (to him) more useful field. We have after all seen Stanley do the same, when he had her cast the massive findamancy/lookamancy spell As Jillian notes she "hate[s] that sort of thing" but will do so, and do well, out of duty. Likewise if she were Banhammer's predictamancer, it may have only been out of obligation, not out of choice.

I can well imagine that, even it it were not contrary to her inclinations, any Predictamancer in that situation (Banhammer treated his casters like crap) would have been discontent. he lot of prophets and oracles has traditionally not been a happy one. The prophet who receives no honor in there own land is a common theme, and that's not the half of it. There's the whole "Kill the Messenger" idea, and/or the "I Disbelieve" one. I'm sure someone can post a trope page, but just consider Cassandra as an example.

Nevertheless, this does not imply that the fall of FAQ was, in way way, a result of betrayal. The ability to predict a future event does not, in general, convey the ability to prevent it. Even if the Predicamancer was able to foresee an overflight of Dwagons piercing the veil and destroying FAQ, it does not follow that they could have done anything to substantially alter that outcome. Indeed, that inablity to alter a predicted outcome is the entire basis of many tales, eg the king/god who attempts to prevent his overthrow by killing/banishing the predicted usurper, only to have that very act set in motion his eventual doom.

Under those circumstances, if Wanda were the predictamancer, and if she was already involved with Jillian (as likely she was) it might not have been outside her "duty" to allow, even encourage, her absence at the critical time. Indeed, with Jillian being the "designated heir" to the Kingdom, it might well have been considered her duty to insure such absence, lest she too be croaked.

This raises an interesting question. If as Jaclyn notes, Wanda is not currently serving Stanley not due a loyalty spell, is it because she is doing so for her own advancement, or is she doing so because, knowing/guessing the future, she knows that her Jillian must eventually come to a one-on-one confrontation with him (in FAQ, perhaps) in order to achieve her own destiny as Overlord? If so, that would imply that she is, and has always been, working in Jillian's interest even though Jillian might not perceive it that way. The" You never had as much choice as you thought" line strikes me at the moment very much as the way an oracle might refer to such a situation.


ETA: by the way, as to how Stanley and his Dwagons (if it was Stanley though that's likely) managed to find FAQ despite the predict-and-veil defense, that defense might well be effective against the occasional overflight by Transilvito units who were no actively looking for a city. However, if a (potential) enemy scout were led there some other way, say by spotting and following Jillian back from one of her mercenary missions, it's likely no amount of veiling could prevent them finding it again later. It's similar to the situation we saw with Ansom when he suspected a veiled stack in the forest. He went charging in, confident that knowing it was there he could find and engage it. Stanley might well have relied on the same principle.

Again, this plays into the whole "Banhammer, you are predicted to fall [and your actions to prevent that will eventually bring that about]" trope. Had he not had a rebellious, adventure-loving heir popped, FAQ might have remained undiscovered.