Erfworld 150 - tBfGK - 137

[ishnar]

Dude, the volcano just Mount St. Hellens'd the HELL out of itself!

If the volcano did a mount saint helens then all those troops in panel 4 would have been blown away by the blast. It leveled trees for miles.

[Abraxes]

I haven't really gone back through the comments for http://www.giantitp.com/comics/erf0106.html, but isn't it conceivable that warlords simply have a high enough defense to negate or soak this sort of damage, at least for a while? The air defenses took out archons, but didn't eliminate the 2 warlords in the same airspace. I don't see the air defenses from the aforementioned page being able to ignore particular targets, so if the arkenpliers do give a decent stat-boost (and maybe even if they don't) , I can see the red warlord surviving this.

[elrod13]

After careful reflection, a few thoughts:
The first and second panel may be the same scene, separated by a few seconds.
The third panel may not be falling RCC troops, since we see no debris falling in the fourth panel. The third may be the Archons being blasted by the thermal shockwave of the... Zombicano.
The fourth panel is clearly showing an RCC member having an "onosecond".

[Boneyard]

...
That would be me. I the house I lived in (in PDX) had a nice view from the front yard, straight up the street to the eruption. That's something I'll never forget.

I was living on the east side of Vancouver, by Evergreen High. It was on top of a ridge of sorts, so my backyard had a perfect view of the mountain.

I was in second grade at the time. Every single paper and report that I had a choice in involved volcanoes. I was scared I was going to be 'exploded' and fascinated at the same time.

Anyhoo, I thought they might make it selectively shoot lava out of vents and cause tons of damage to the forces. I never expected him to scorch the earth.

Wow. I feel bad for the GK forces. All the Knights In Stanley's Service and Gobwins that are buying it.

Stanley may have a Morale problem in the future.

[Nargrakhan]

Kill 'em all. Let God sort 'em out.

Nicely done Parson. You're gonna be remembered like Ghengis Khan in the real world.

[SmallFurryMamml]

My thoughts:

Next comic, Scarlett attunes.

One after that, she gets croaked anyway.


Although I do think she'd make a nice antagonist for the next book (or protagonist, we don't know anything about the next book yet)

[Lichtouch]

When the volcano began to erupt, it's probable that everyone started to run out of the city.
Remember the city was just one hex.

Also, it seems kind of silly that in the enemy's turn, a side can animate a horde of undead, animate a volcano and cast countless spells. I guess it's a Heroes of Might and Magic style gameplay. It's usually hex to hex with your armies, exploring but when you go into a hex, it's a completely different ruleset.

I guess in this game, everything suddenly becomes realtime.

[The Old Hack]

I just realised. Last time we saw the sky outside, just a few pages before and likely only a few minutes ago in story time, the sky was blue, it was broad daylight. The ashes of the eruption are already turning day to night.

My God, this is seriously terrifying and beautiful art indeed.

[fractal]

I haven't really gone back through the comments for http://www.giantitp.com/comics/erf0106.html, but isn't it conceivable that warlords simply have a high enough defense to negate or soak this sort of damage, at least for a while? The air defenses took out archons, but didn't eliminate the 2 warlords in the same airspace. I don't see the air defenses from the aforementioned page being able to ignore particular targets, so if the arkenpliers do give a decent stat-boost (and maybe even if they don't) , I can see the red warlord surviving this.

If so, then that's justification for Bogroll's sacrifice. Presumably (at least prima facie), Scarlett with Pliers is less dangerous than Ansom with Pliers. Making sure Ansom didn't make it out alive could be more important than bringing Bogroll along to the Magic Kingdom or whereever.

[Leewei]

No, Scarlett isn't burning up -- but she should be. The others aren't falling into lava; they're bursting into flames from superheated volcanic outgassing preceding an eruption. There is no stream of lava, nor signs of any other (temporary) survivor. I expect we'll be seeing her again.

I wonder if Parson becoming a mercenary will allow him to operate independently of Stanley. Cripes, I hope so.

[DoctorJest]

When the volcano began to erupt, it's probable that everyone started to run out of the city.
Remember the city was just one hex.

Provided they have Move left.

Also, it seems kind of silly that in the enemy's turn, a side can animate a horde of undead, animate a volcano and cast countless spells. I guess it's a Heroes of Might and Magic style gameplay. It's usually hex to hex with your armies, exploring but when you go into a hex, it's a completely different ruleset.

So far the only thing we've seen Turns effect is Move, as when it's not a side's turn, their units move drops to zero. We've seen no indication that they stop or freeze in time during an enemy turn. In fact, we've seen units of all kinds do many things when it's not their turn. Many things other than move, of course.

[Occasional Sage]

Check out the Bloopers thread; Rob has a post about what can and can't be done in whose turn.

[Zael Zuran]

Red's expression is clearly one of sheer despair, not fear. Whether she physically survives according to the author's future intentions is likely irrelevent. The person she was inside is probably dead.

Her face betrays a realization that "it was all for nothing." The war, the loss of Ansom, the Arkenpliers themselves...all useless in a zero sum game.

Even Charlie didn't realize what sort of monster Stanley had summoned until the very end.

Warfare has evolved in Erf, and it has been a rude awakening. Much in the way the guerilla tactics of the American and French colonists destroyed the conventions of warfare of their day, and the machine gun butchered the Napoleonic charge in the trenches of WWI; Parson Gotti brought Hell to Gobwin Knob in all of its ruthless glory.

It was beautiful.

So... is Stanley a barbarian now?

[Eraniverse]

So far the only thing we've seen Turns effect is Move, as when it's not a side's turn, their units move drops to zero. We've seen no indication that they stop or freeze in time during an enemy turn. In fact, we've seen units of all kinds do many things when it's not their turn. Many things other than move, of course.

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/erf0070.html Panel 3.

Admittedly could be referring to veils only (phrasing doesn't imply that though), but certainly an example of spell casting being effected by turns.

EDIT: Ninja'd and more comprehensively too.

[FalconPunch]

[ARKENPLIERS]
Binds on attunement
Unique
Two-hand Pliers
175-292 Damage Speed 3.80
(61.4 damage per second)
+20 Strength
+20 Stamina
+100 Fire resistance
Chance on hit: Turn target uncroaked to dust
Attunement: Survive plot hole.

Wishful thinking, but it'd be nice.

[knives6196]

hehehehhe, That must have been really fun to draw and paint.

[Nargrakhan]

Hmmm… on more serious reflection...

While Parson totally annihilating an enemy force that was far superior to his own, with a magnitude of firepower (ha!) perhaps unseen in the history of the world, will undoubtedly make him a feared individual… it might also have the side effect of unifying everyone to rid someone as dangerous as he. Being the boggieman is a two edge sword: just because you're utterly feared, doesn't mean your enemies automatically cower before you.

[Glome]

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/erf0070.html Panel 3.

Admittedly could be referring to veils only (phrasing doesn't imply that though), but certainly an example of spell casting being effected by turns.

EDIT: Ninja'd and more comprehensively too.

But Maggie used a veil scroll on the coalition's turn, so that isn't it. I believe he is saying here is that you can't cast spells on outside hexes when it isn't your turn. In other words, Jack wasn't in the dwagon hex and it isn't their turn, thus he can't veil the dwagons.

[Lombard]

Look how in the first panel she's sitting there calm and unaffected by the same heat that's incinerating others that are nearby. It's clearly intended to show that something strange and different is going on with her. Add to that the white eyes devoid of pupils and irises and... well I guess if you don't see it, you don't see it. o_O

[Evil the Cat]

I am definitely quite happy with where the story has gone. What started as a mildly entertaining cutesy webcomic (IMO) has developed into a solid, gripping story.

[Nargrakhan]

Look how in the first panel she's sitting there calm and unaffected by the same heat that's incinerating others that are nearby. It's clearly intended to show that something strange and different is going on with her. Add to that the white eyes devoid of pupils and irises and... well I guess if you don't see it, you don't see it. o_O

Mental scaring at its finest: watching everyone you know (possibly even care for) die around you - horribly no less - while you get a front row seat of the nightmare will unhinge the toughest minds. Throw in some survivor guilt, possible loss of faith in everything you believe in (that nobles are obsolete as Parson put it), and being at ground zero of a WMD lightshow... she's actually taking it quite well, relatively speaking...

He mind has probably "shutdown" (if only temporarily) in rejection of what's she's seeing.

[Xeticus]

Wow! I'm just thinking, how are Vinnie and Jillian going to react to this? And how about the rest of the coalition when they find out that Ansom and all of the RCC got scragged, GK is a roaring volcano and Stanley, his Chief Warlord, several top level casters and half a dozen dwagons are still out there? A lot of nations armies got completely scragged in that blast. GK turned into the ultimate meat grinder. I can't wait to see how they react.

[Glome]

Look how in the first panel she's sitting there calm and unaffected by the same heat that's incinerating others that are nearby. It's clearly intended to show that something strange and different is going on with her. Add to that the white eyes devoid of pupils and irises and... well I guess if you don't see it, you don't see it. o_O

She doesn't have pupils or irises normally
http://www.giantitp.com/comics/erf0130.html

In fact I believe the only ones who have irises are Parson and the survivors from Faq.

And we don't really see any sort of magical effect like a shield going on in that panel there. I think she is just having a thousand-yard stare and knows she is about die.

[Architect]

Several nations banded together under Ansom (Jetstone) to defeat Stanley once and for all. They were reassured that victory was inevitable and that their forces would be led to victory. Then the boop hits the fan and their forces and treasury are completely wasted and victory has turned into ash in their mouths. What happens then? If it's like the real world, it turns into the blame game. You blame your allies, your advisors, your military commanders, and even your gods. Parson hasn't just defeated the RCC, he's killed it and virtually guaranteed that they'll never work together for a very long time... if not go to war with each other.

Parson is still a relative unknown to the leaders of other nations. I'm not sure if they recognize or would believe that he did this. Even if they do, it's not in their best interest to attribute it to him, as it will basically make him more powerful. It's easier and safer to blame it on the Titans. Stanley's kingdom has been wiped out. It's probably safe to say that most of the RCC's forces have been (or will be soon) wiped out. Attributing it to Parson will make him feared without the burden of being hated. That's the second best outcome for Parson.

Remember, from the perspective of Erfworlders, Parson has just done his duty. Stanley was hated because he overturned the status quo (he started as a simple footsoldier) and conquered other kingdoms (ruled by nobles). Parson was brought in to defend GK and did so successfully on behalf of Stanley. Even if the way that he denied them victory was unconventional, his reason (duty) fits their worldview.

[Muzzafar]

And why do I think of "the Shout" by Munch looking at panel 3?.

Technically, it is usually referred to as The Scream.

[BLANDCorporatio]

When the volcano began to erupt, it's probable that everyone started to run out of the city.
Remember the city was just one hex.

Also, it seems kind of silly that in the enemy's turn, a side can animate a horde of undead, animate a volcano and cast countless spells. I guess it's a Heroes of Might and Magic style gameplay. It's usually hex to hex with your armies, exploring but when you go into a hex, it's a completely different ruleset.

I guess in this game, everything suddenly becomes realtime.

Just as Stanley was surprised at our realtime style of warfare, so would we feel awkward reading (and even more so, writing) a story about a turn-based battle. It can be done, but it would look stilted, which is why, I think, the game mechanics drifted to real-time as the comic progressed.

And it didn't drift much, really. So far, it's more like the actions that you do out of turn have a defensive flavour, which to us makes sense. Imagine hacking at an opponent who will, dutifully, wait for their turn to retaliate.

If we have Magic the Gathering players here, could the "Uncroak Volcano" thing be one of those Instants or Enchantements?

(Somewhat btw, some games have, as an option, a "simultaneous turn based" game play (think Age of Wonders 2). You still have to hit that End Turn when you run out of action points, though.)

[Tordek]

There IS an MTG spell called 'Volcano', which destroys a mountain. Its an enchantment.

And I don't see the alliance surviving this incident, its just too shocking to everyone.

[ichthus]

Welcome Joan of Arkenpliers (guessing on the name). You've joined such illustrious companions as Charlie and Stanley the Tool.

Anyone thinking that she is not attuned to the pliers and is just standing there in awe before being burned alive are probably the same people that thought Wanda was scared when Tool told her Jillian was in the dungeon. The panel in context doesn't make sense if she is not attuned. There would be no point in showing a completely non-burning person holding the pliers. You would instead show the pliers either being blown from the volcano in the explosion or them sinking into the lava. It's basic storytelling. It is also the second time she has been shown with the pliers. Refer to page 132 (comic 145) panel 3 here. We have a new player in the quest to attain the tools.

Edit: Btw, my guess is "Thus ends Part 1: The Battle for Gobwin Knob"

[BLANDCorporatio]

Welcome Joan of Arkenpliers (guessing on the name). You've joined such illustrious companions as Charlie and Stanley the Tool.

Nice to see someone else dignifying Scarlett with a name in her likely last moments, but if you want her to live through the firey death, maybe Joan is not exactly the luckiest choice . It would be ironic though.

[BLANDCorporatio]

There IS an MTG spell called 'Volcano', which destroys a mountain. Its an enchantment.

At one million+ cardsets, anything is probably in MTG. What I meant was if the arcane turn rules of MTG allow enchantments to be cast out of turn (pretty sure Instants can, but I wouldn't know).