Parson's Klog, Page 2

[SteveMB]

Umm, actually her precise complaint was "I am not a Findamancer!"
The spell was originally described being forged by 'the Findamancers and the Predictamancers'", but exactly what discipline it falls into isn't mentioned. It could entail Lookamancy, except that Wanda is surprised by Parson's height in panel 8, meaning she didn't see him during the casting of the spell. As it is part of Eyemancy and useful for forward intelligence, Lookamancy seems into involve visual sight. The Lookamancy comment is probably misdirection on Wanda's part.

The original spell was probably a mix of Findamancy/Predictamancy (for the Fate magic), with something from the mix to do the moving of Parson from Earthworld to Erfworld.

Agreed, with one caveat -- even if Wanda saw Parson before he arrived, she might still have been surprised by his size -- she would see him in his own native environment, which contains no indication of how the scale of people and things compares with that of Erfworld.

[Om]

So what we're seeing here is that there is no way to comunicate the backstory in a creatively feasible way other than direct character to viewer exposition? Very poor, low-level stuff considering this is a visual medium. I am disappointed.

As I said in an earlier post, this is important information. However given the pace of Erfworld it would have taken a good two-three strips if not presented in this form.

[Erk]

So what we're seeing here is that there is no way to comunicate the backstory in a creatively feasible way other than direct character to viewer exposition? Very poor, low-level stuff considering this is a visual medium. I am disappointed.

Er... please point me to a webcomic which has developed a world this unique and unusual in 40 strips, yet manages to explain it only through non-expositionary dialogue and graphics.

This isn't a novel, nor is it a standard-fare webcomic. I don't mean to sound too fanboi, but Erfworld is doing something no (successful) webcomic has really tried before... essentially it's creating a unique setting more detailed than that of most fantasy novels, without relying on words. In fact, the setting appears to be expanding to the level of detail expected of a gaming environment, which is a pretty absurd amount of exposition.... yet the backstory has not actually been conveyed in anything but graphics and speech: only the mechanics have been exposited. I'd say that is some pretty flippin' high-level writing. If Parson starts talking about erfworld politics and Stanley's rise to power, I may retract these words. While he sticks to magical theory, I'll geek out right along with him.

[headwarpage]

Umm, actually her precise complaint was "I am not a Findamancer!"
The spell was originally described being forged by 'the Findamancers and the Predictamancers'", but exactly what discipline it falls into isn't mentioned. It could entail Lookamancy, except that Wanda is surprised by Parson's height in panel 8, meaning she didn't see him during the casting of the spell. As it is part of Eyemancy and useful for forward intelligence, Lookamancy seems into involve visual sight. The Lookamancy comment is probably misdirection on Wanda's part.

The original spell was probably a mix of Findamancy/Predictamancy (for the Fate magic), with something from the mix to do the moving of Parson from Earthworld to Erfworld.

Also, given that she has little interest in things other than Croakamancy, and that Sizemore says few people bother to study magic outside their specialty, Wanda may not have the full grasp of the schools of magic that Sizemore does. We have no idea how obscure all the charts and diagrams we just saw are, really. Sizemore studies this stuff, and explained it to Parson, but maybe from Wanda's point of view, it's sort of a muddle of disciplines that she's vaguely aware exist but has no interest in. She can still cast the spells, but she might not really know or care exactly how all the schools relate to each other.

[SteveMB]

Also, given that she has little interest in things other than Croakamancy, and that Sizemore says few people bother to study magic outside their specialty, Wanda may not have the full grasp of the schools of magic that Sizemore does. We have no idea how obscure all the charts and diagrams we just saw are, really. Sizemore studies this stuff, and explained it to Parson, but maybe from Wanda's point of view, it's sort of a muddle of disciplines that she's vaguely aware exist but has no interest in. She can still cast the spells, but she might not really know or care exactly how all the schools relate to each other.

True. The simplest explanation is that, after the deed was done and she no longer needed to focus her attention on something she never wanted to be bothered with in the first place, she forgot most of the details.

[Calemyr]

Okay, first off: What the boop is your problem, people? This comic is slated as a 2/week strip. Klog pages are ENTIRELY bonus material meant not to move the story or deepen characters but to help readers understand the mechanics of this new world. And it IS a new world. There are no applicable rules from real life or dungeons and dragons or even fictional imperative to draw accurate conclusions from. Erfworld is built from a different logic, and thus the Klog pages were added to help those readers who, like myself, want to see how the world works as much as how the plot progresses. If you're not enjoying the Klog pages, just enjoy the two strips per week that were advertised.

There. Now that I've got that out of my system, I must say this was an interesting page. Ever since Wanda bought that spell, I've been trying to work out the importance of the 8 colors in the Magic Kingdom, particularly since there were clearly more than 8 specializations. This three dimensional setup is impressive, and quite well thought out in spite of the names.

Now the question is this: will Parson learn to use magic himself? Is it an artform that can only be perfected through practice and effort or is it a science where Parson's clearly analytical mind can give him an edge? If he can combine his size, strength, and brains with magic, he just might become the ultimate warlord after all. (Um... did the spell say "some assembly required"?)

[Vreejack]

True. The simplest explanation is that, after the deed was done and she no longer needed to focus her attention on something she never wanted to be bothered with in the first place, she forgot most of the details.

Perhaps true, but given her obvious attention to detail it is possible that nothing she said with Jillian was not finely crafted.

Consider this: Jillian has apparently been captured before. We must assume then that she has perhaps escaped before. Wanda certainly seems to think she could escape easily with only a pair of chopsticks as a weapon, (or so she says). Now why would Wanda been relating such important information to Jillian knowing that that there was a real possibility she might escape with it? I do not think Wanda is that reckless, so I must conclude that she new exactly what she was saying to Jillian.

Note also that we do not yet know if she told Wanda about Parson, either. We assume she said something, but it might have been total rubbish. Perhaps she is counting on Jillian escaping with the bogus info that Wanda gave her. The real question then would be what did Wanda tell her?

[SteveMB]

Perhaps true, but given her obvious attention to detail it is possible that nothing she said with Jillian was not finely crafted.

Consider this: Jillian has apparently been captured before. We must assume then that she has perhaps escaped before. Wanda certainly seems to think she could escape easily with only a pair of chopsticks as a weapon, (or so she says). Now why would Wanda been relating such important information to Jillian knowing that that there was a real possibility she might escape with it? I do not think Wanda is that reckless, so I must conclude that she new exactly what she was saying to Jillian.

Note also that we do not yet know if she told Wanda about Parson, either. We assume she said something, but it might have been total rubbish. Perhaps she is counting on Jillian escaping with the bogus info that Wanda gave her. The real question then would be what did Wanda tell her?

If so, the earlier round of theories that Wanda was actually helping Jillian's escapes might be true, but for a different reason -- she wants to make sure her unwitting pigeon takes the misinformation back home and gathers new intel to be extracted next time she does something reckless and gets herself captured. With a proper setup, or some of the memory-altering magic used on Mung, Jillian would be under the impression that she escaped purely by her own efforts.

[Trond Forgelighter]

did anyone else find naughtymancy a little disturbing, how exactly would that be used in combat?

[erewhon]

So . . . he's worked out how to subvocalise and lay out tables in his eyebook. Truly, the man is a dweeb.

Spoiler

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And if anybody says I'm a dweeb for noticing, then I will . . . probably respond with an obscure geek joke of some kind. That'll show you.

Spoiler

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Man, I can't believe I registered to point this out. Oh. Dweeb, right. Carry on.

LOL!!!

Best. Post. Evar. :D

[Vreejack]

If so, the earlier round of theories that Wanda was actually helping Jillian's escapes might be true, but for a different reason -- she wants to make sure her unwitting pigeon takes the misinformation back home and gathers new intel to be extracted next time she does something reckless and gets herself captured. With a proper setup, or some of the memory-altering magic used on Mung, Jillian would be under the impression that she escaped purely by her own efforts.

If all this is true then Wanda is a supreme master of the field, having invented "strategic interrogation." That's not exactly true, since the idea of false flags and such is old hat, but getting what is effectively the most knowledgeable enemy lieutenant to repeatedly submit herself for interrogation has to be most brilliant ploy I have ever heard of.

I also note that Ansom is obsessing over it (Jillian tells him not to), but may be afraid to draw any conclusions because of the crush he has on her. Likewise, Jillian seems to have some sort of crush on Wanda; did she ask Wanda to run away with her at the beginning of her interrogation? It seemed that way to me, though whether it was as a friend or as a lover or some place in between is hard to say.

[innovan]

Parson the WITCHKING? Will Parson really be able to enters the battlefield Sauron-style and start kicking @ss on whole columns at once like the opening of Lord of the Rings?

He is from a different world. One without even stats. Perhaps he breaks the game and gets to be in God-mode all the time?

It would be cool if there started to be demonstrations of super-erfworld strength by Parson, like accidentally walking through walls or being able to throw boulders to the map edge. After all, he doesn't have a range or any other stat limitation. So far, Parson has been such an intellectual geek he hasn't even tried throwing a rock to see what physically happens, how far it will go and how far he can accurately aim.

[Liam the Dead]

did anyone else find naughtymancy a little disturbing, how exactly would that be used in combat?

It's naughty as a child would understand it, not the more adult sense. A child who is being things that are forbidden to it is being naughty, so naughtymancy is essential the forbidden magics.

But on a side-note, this means that Wanda can be described as a Naughtymancer

[SteveMB]

If all this is true then Wanda is a supreme master of the field, having invented "strategic interrogation." That's not exactly true, since the idea of false flags and such is old hat, but getting what is effectively the most knowledgeable enemy lieutenant to repeatedly submit herself for interrogation has to be most brilliant ploy I have ever heard of.

I can picture Wanda getting the idea from early incidents of Jillian flying a risky recon mission, getting captured, being interrogated, escaping (for real), flying another risky recon mission, getting captured.... Basically, it's a matter of noticing the pattern of Jillian's recklessness, finding out from the interrogation that she's in a position to have lots of useful information, and arranging to repeatedly exploit that situation.

I also note that Ansom is obsessing over it (Jillian tells him not to), but may be afraid to draw any conclusions because of the crush he has on her.

True; his feelings could blind him to clues about the situation (whatever it is).

Likewise, Jillian seems to have some sort of crush on Wanda; did she ask Wanda to run away with her at the beginning of her interrogation? It seemed that way to me, though whether it was as a friend or as a lover or some place in between is hard to say.

Jillian's offer is perhaps one of the clearest parts of this subplot (the motivations behind it, not so much...).

It would be cool if there started to be demonstrations of super-erfworld strength by Parson, like accidentally walking through walls or being able to throw boulders to the map edge. After all, he doesn't have a range or any other stat limitation. So far, Parson has been such an intellectual geek he hasn't even tried throwing a rock to see what physically happens, how far it will go and how far he can accurately aim.

Two words: "Whee. Stairs." Parson seems to be as physically unimpressive as ever, except in terms of sheer mass.

[TheJustWiseSage]

Ok, Just joined the forum to add my thoughts.

I agree with Parson, magic will probably the key, but I reckon like most games it will be a combination of spells, uses of the correct playing piece to create a "killer combination".

I reckon that Sizemore, holds the key to a few combos:

We know that Sizemore has been learning flower power, which by that large plant deside him and his teacher erf0011 you might conclude is about making plants grow, bigger and faster.
Of course, other things help plants grow faster, good fertilizer for example, got any ideas whom might be able to create a super fertilizer. Now you need a plant, preferrably a fast growing one with thorns. Thus fire off the combination spell on the right plant and before you know it, a forest of thorns will be around your mountain top. That of course slows the ground troops.

The next is questions like, if you make crap golems, from crap and the golem is attacked standing knee deep in crap, do they regenerate, some systems say they do? (sort of based on erf0013)
Now if you were to flood the underground systems with crap, therebye creating difficult terrain, (and a smelly environment, which might put off a few good creatures) put in a small number of regenerating creatures. You suddenly slow down all the underground attacking troops.

Which would mean you could concentrate on the arieal fight, in which your Dwagons are superior and once you win that, you can start bomarding the ground troops.

Thoughts?

Tim

[Dareon]

Is it too obvious to note that what Parson will be needing the most of is Luckmancy?