Erfworld 78, Page 72

[Querzis]

I think this whole section is just a very long setup for the main story where Parson is his own side, assuming everything goes as perdicted.

This is definitly the most interesting option. Stanley leave the city with the dragon and Parson, without Stanley, is now the commander of the city and he will start with almost nothing to raise his city as the greatest military power in the world and then maybe he'll start to expand his kingdom. I really doubt Ansom will attack them if Stanley leave, its not his style.

[MedPig]

Has it occurred to anyone that Parson may literally be a Titan?

Yep. I think he fits the bill. Since ALMOST everything he suggested so far has been tried, and not worked, there is just one thing left to try.

Two Words: God Mode.

I think we're about to find out why Parson's stats can't be seen. I don't recall the Titans having theirs seen, either. (I just hope he doesn't sing any Elvis tunes, that would be TOO over the top...)

I think Wanda's brain is broken, at least for the time being.
(She's still hot, though, in a "Busted Dominatrix" kind of way...)

[ag30476]

One more thought...we don't know that casualties on the coalition side just yet. The coalition won the battle but who survived? We'll have to find that out next time.

[EntilZha]

I love the compassion that Parson shows Wanda and the panel of Parson carrying Wanda out. What next for the happy trio then? If Stanley takes his Arkenhammer and gets out, will Parson take over command of the city and try to defend it, I wonder.

Yes, Parson's compassion was rather touching to me as well.

[ReccaSquirrel]

Agreed completely and totally, especially when you consider the following line:
"Your upkeep'll be paid as long as the city stands."

I now disagree with myself. He'll go for the Arkentool. We'll see them fight each other face to face. He won't care if the city falls as long as he gets another Arkentool.

[Archpaladin Zousha]

I'm hoping to finally get some real exposition soon. For instance, what happened to put Stanley in power (we know it was regicide, but what were the circumstances)? How did Wanda and Jillian get into such a close relationship that Wanda had full confidence her spell would work? What were the events leading up to the beginning. I don't mean to complain, but the lack of context and backstory has irked me for quite some time. Something happens or someone reacts a certain way and I am left with no explanation as to why? While this is a good story, I feel much like Parson did when he was first pulled into Erfworld. I have no idea what the boop is going on!

[Eva]

Yep. I think he fits the bill. Since ALMOST everything he suggested so far has been tried, and not worked, there is just one thing left to try.

Two Words: God Mode.

I think we're about to find out why Parson's stats can't be seen. I don't recall the Titans having theirs seen, either. (I just hope he doesn't sing any Elvis tunes, that would be TOO over the top...)

I thought about that, but I think there's at least one reason why Parson can't be a Titan: he didn't even know there were 4 arkentools, but the Titans were presumably the ones who made/planted them.

[JordanGreywolf]

Like God mode Doom on Roids. Enemy attacks will simply bounce off of him(or possibly tickle), and he will will possess the strength of the Titans themselves.

Wouldn't that be awesome to behold!?!?

While that might be interesting to a certain extent, I think it would ultimately be disappointing. Parson, as we know him, prides himself on tactical thinking (within the context of strategic fantasy board games). For him to fail at tactics but just win at "God mode" would mean that his victory is only by a fluke of the universe - not on any particular strength of character or intellect on his part. The story would then just be another power-gamer fantasy.

I do hope that Parson's position as an "outsider" can provide him with some sort of benefit that he can exploit - after all, he needs SOMETHING that he can work with as an edge, and just trying to figure out what that edge IS would be an accomplishment on his part. However, for the edge to be, "I am personally unstoppable and irresistible in combat" isn't too terribly sly. I'd find it more compelling if it'd be a matter of exploiting "loopholes" in the peculiarities of this world's set of rules.

[Caledonian]

Team Evil still controls the most defensible position in the known world, a large group of dragons, and is poised to destroy all of Ansom's forest-capable units.

It's not over yet. Stanley's no strategist.

[mport2004]

Team Evil still controls the most defensible position in the known world, a large group of dragons, and is poised to destroy all of Ansom's forest-capable units.

It's not over yet. Stanley's no strategist.

the forest units are not going to be much help on a mountain

[SteveMB]

Wanda did not take it well.

A rather ironic image -- the puppet mistress looking like a marionette with its own strings snapped....

[JordanGreywolf]

This is definitly the most interesting option. Stanley leave the city with the dragon and Parson, without Stanley, is now the commander of the city and he will start with almost nothing to raise his city as the greatest military power in the world and then maybe he'll start to expand his kingdom. I really doubt Ansom will attack them if Stanley leave, its not his style.

I agree - it doesn't sound quite the right thing for such a "shiny do-gooder" to do, but Ansom is in command of a coalition of People Who Hate Stanley, and it could well be that some of them may want (for reasons more emotional than rational) to wipe out Stanley's former base of operations. (Perhaps the stated intent could be so that Stanley can't return to use it again later. Perhaps they might want vengeance for what losses they took in battle, or in Stanley's previous "offenses.")

It could be that Ansom is forced by the demands of honoring his pacts with various allied forces to press the attack against Gobwin Knob - though he might be reluctant to cause needless destruction, and thus might be a "sympathetic antagonist" to Parson.

I think that might actually be interesting. While I don't care much for hot-headed, bloodthirsty Jillian, I have no particular reason to dislike Ansom or Vinnie.


Also, I definitely agree with Zousha Omenohu: I want a chance to get some background exposition. It's about time to get a little more context on this world and the events leading up to the present situation. It might help me to better figure out who to root for!

[Lamech]

Parson's lack of stats might mean that he is viewed as a civilian. Also Parson might not be have the same arbitary move restrictions as erfworlders, but thats probably about it.

Anyway Stanley can leave the city through the magic kingdom portal if he wants to. He seems to still have a plan, and since he said stuff about a path and what the titans want. I assume he wants to take the Arkentools and that probably means killing and taking Ansom's Arkenpliers. Mabey Stanley will try to lure Ansom into a fight.

[mport2004]

i dont think that he demoted them just said that they cant talk while he is around and to stay away

[Eco-Mono]

That went surprisingly well.

[Tirian]

I don't see any reason to count GK out yet. For the past three or four turns now, we've gotten to the end of the turn and the prevailing attitude here has been "Oh well, war's over, the other side may as well surrender." Stanley canceling the link is hardly a sign of defeat -- he's going to have all of his forces in the same hex, he can just speak loudly and use the three casters to do perform more useful tasks.

Remember that we're a page or two away from Parson getting a new Stupid Meal prize, there's undoubtedly a buttload of crap golems, plus Wanda and Parson may enter battle. Plus plus Vinnie and Ansom might spend their next turn looking under every rock for the plan of the unbeatable intellect they faced last turn.

Not that I'm rooting for anyone here, but this story has still got a whole lot of gas left in it.

[SteveMB]

I agree - it doesn't sound quite the right thing for such a "shiny do-gooder" to do, but Ansom is in command of a coalition of People Who Hate Stanley, and it could well be that some of them may want (for reasons more emotional than rational) to wipe out Stanley's former base of operations.

Or take it for themselves.

However, if the most straightforward interpretation of Jillian's remark about "the kingdom he cost me" is correct (i.e. she is the "rightful heir" to the Plaid throne), Ansom would presumably (given his views of noble prerogatives) insist that her claim be honored if she chooses to make it, and would try to convince her to do so if she still doesn't want it.

[the_tick_rules]

i knew he was gonna freak out, but this is just huge.

[Caledonian]

the forest units are not going to be much help on a mountain

Yeah, so? The dwagons weren't being used in or on mountains, they were being used in forests.

[Jasdoif]

It's all starting to make sense. Stanley's talk of taking the Arkenhammer and getting out, his belief that the perfect warlord is a physical powerhouse, his implication that nobility is inherently corrupt, that strategy doesn't matter.

Stanley's not much of an overlord...

Spoiler

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...but he's not trying to be an overlord. He was infantry, and he's been thinking like a frontline combatant the whole time. The whole leader thing doesn't have any intrinsic value to him, it's just a means to an end. And now that he's seen that one of the other Arkentools (the ones he believes are meant for him) has thwarted it, it's no longer a reliable means.

This being the case, I wouldn't be surprised to see Stanley take his quest on the road in person. He may very well be an impressive fighter in its own right, and he's got the Arkenhammer on his side already. This might be the most effective thing he can personally do. Maybe the next chapter in Erfworld's story involves a roving Stanley, more of a threat then overlord Stanley ever was.

[Eisen]

Wow. Just...wow.

Still reeling from that...whoa Eisen steady yourself. So....wow.

OK, recoup. Stanley...snapped? No, I don't think so. The guy has, from day one, been of the opinion that his victory is not only possible, but pre-ordained from the Titans themselves. I don't see his toolship falling to pieces just yet. He's stressed and angry that his minions failed, but it's obvious he plans to keep fighting, which tells me he plans to win. To put it more honestly, Stanley's shown time and again he's too stupid to know when he's losing. That may actually work in his favor here.

What's more, three of his best and brightest (Wanda, Parson and Sizemore) are now free of his stupidity, but still on the payroll. That means they can act without the ever-present doom of his disbanding them. Perhaps now is the time they work out something to redeem themselves?

And it's not over. We know Stanley's lost a large number of his dwagons and most of his uncroaked Warlords, but he has some of each left. And he knows about the feint ploy to attack the tunnels. And over half of Ansom Seige Enginery is destroyed, meaning it's gonna be that much harder to crack GK. This fight just started.

Oh and about breaking the link....um..it makes perfect sense. The link allowed him unrivaled scouting and unit communications. But if he withdraws all units to GK for the seige...there's practically no need for external comms/recon. As such the Trimancer link isn't helping him much, but the various indvidual abilities the Lookamancers, Foolamancers, and Thinkamancers posess (veiling if nothing else) might be handy. I'd have done the same myself.

[StrykerX]

It looks like Stanley has gone into "last stand" mode. Either he's planning to run for it, or he's resigned to fighting a traditional siege. Since he ordered all units back to the city, I suspect he's gearing up for the siege (though I wouldn't put it past him to run for it if it looks like the city is about to fall). Breaking the link actually makes a lot of sense... who cares if you have instant communication and long-distance viewing when all your forces (and the enemy) are all at your base? Having three more casters available for the siege, on the other hand, could help a lot.

EDIT: Curse you Eisen... you ninja-posted me!

[Jade_Tarem]

Y'know, even with the table broken, GK still has better intel gathering capabilities because they have Misty the Lookamancer, something that Ansom's forces lack (by Ansom's own confession).

And it sounds like Parson has a salvage plan. If he gets to implement it it may even the odds a little bit for GK.

Recall that even with decent siege engines, you supposedly needed a 3 to 1 advanage in manpower to win against an entrenched enemy, and while Erfworld doesn't have to follow the normal rules for such things, Ansom and Vinny acted like the total loss of the siege meant that the entire coalition force should pack up, go home, and try again later. Perhaps the loss of 40% of the siege (plus some more, if that's what the backup plan is) is a more crippling blow than some are making it out to be.

And there is something else in Parson's klog that hasn't been tried that I haven't seen listed: "What about those tunnels? Ansom's planning a feint through them. Force him to come in that way? Sizemore built most of those defenses and he says he has a few tricks..."

I'm thinking that that ^ + additional siege loss could lead to something.

[Dimicus]

So, about Stanley ordering a total recall of troops as opposed to whatever Parson was planning,

do you guys see that more as a rare sign of benevolent pity for his troops,

or more as a surreal 'rally the army for one last stand' kind of thing?

EDIT: dang, beaten to the punch.

[Finn Solomon]

Excuse me, but threatening underlings with death if they bother you and dismissing them from service is taking it out on said underlings.

Because he should really have sat them down and made up, Oprah style after that colossal screw-up.

Stanley's a hard man, and he's moved from small-time joke to a more credible and ruthless leader with this strip. Wanda's collapse is really shocking, considering how cool and in control she's been all this time. As always, can't wait for the next strip.

[Hectonkhyres]

Stanley is probably reverting to his previous, original plan: Try and separate his nemisis from the arkenpliers (preferably with Ansom's death) and flee the city. Then, with two arkentools, he can flee with an escort of dragons to beyond the reach of local kingdoms and set up shop elsewhere. Its the will of the Titans, or so he thinks.

Not an unreasonable turn of the wheel. It might even work.

[fendrin]

Heh, after this strip I think it's safe to say that none of us has any real clue what the authors are going to do next. Yippee! So many stories are too predictable.

One thing I will say is that this is an awesome character development panel.

We see that Stanley isn't so weak as to give in to rage when he knows he may need his underlings.

We see Wanda in shock. Wanda, who makes domination (physical, emotional, magical) her life. It all fits now. Fundamentally, Wanda is insecure. She dominates and controls because she's afraid of being abandoned.

Sizemore isn't just a brain on legs, he points out Wanda to Parson. That indicates that he more than fears Wanda (unlike, say, the minions) or just respects her magical potency. He shows compassion for her.

Parson shows compassion for Wanda as well, carrying her out of the room like the broken doll she currently is. This also isn't the first time he shows compassion. I think this is an important point. We see things revealed about the other characters. Parson grows. That is what makes him the protagonist, not the fact that his name is an anagram.

Edit: because i can't resist some speculation

Spoiler

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Jasdoif has a really good point about Stanley thinking like infantry. Being a superior combatant (in his own mind at least), I would not put it past him to challenge Ansom to a mano-et-mano duel to the death. Of course, If that happens, I would expect Ansom to come out with the early advantage, at which point his Toolness would cheat (probably calling in some dwagons to ambush Ansom, possibly croaking a few of his lieutenants in the process (I'm thinking Vinny). Stanley would of course flee the scene on dwagon-back.

Of course, if he's really still thining like infantry, he'd probably be thinking
"better to run today and return to fight another day". He may just run away with his hammer and thus the dwagons, hunting the other three Arkentools.

I just don't see Stanley being the 'go down with the ship' type of leader.

[sihnfahl]

One more thought...we don't know that casualties on the coalition side just yet. The coalition won the battle but who survived? We'll have to find that out next time.

It's pretty clear that Jillian, Ansom, Vinnie and the Archons survived. Not one of Stanley's units in that fight survived.

That's why Stanley's 'programming' the dwagons that are in the 'fort' formation to return to GK next turn.

He's breaking up the trimancer setup so nobody but him can command GK's units.

Y'know, even with the table broken, GK still has better intel gathering capabilities because they have Misty the Lookamancer, something that Ansom's forces lack (by Ansom's own confession).

How much of an advantage will that be, though? The Alliance would presumably even out the forces equally in every hex around GK - they'd just be looking to make a hole and pour through it. GK can't make many forays out - caught wounded, GK's units would fall faster.

And it sounds like Parson has a salvage plan. If he gets to implement it it may even the odds a little bit for GK.

He has a single turn to do whatever he needs, then pull back. The Alliance air force is in range next turn and will decimate the remaining dwagons out in the field. But... see my answer at the bottom as to why this may not happen...

Perhaps the loss of 40% of the siege (plus some more, if that's what the backup plan is) is a more crippling blow than some are making it out to be.

Oh, it hurts, to be sure, but it's not crippling. Remember, Ansom said he had 4 times the necessary forces to take GK as it was. Parson would have to repeat the same thing with weaker dwagons and less of a warlord bonus (the ones he chose were, presumably, the better warlords).

<snip>I'm thinking that that ^ + additional siege loss could lead to something.

But Stanley would have to let him do it. Stanley's taking charge... Parson's orders would be overridden by Stanley's orders. And, right now, Stanley doesn't look to be in any mood to listen to anyone for advice.

[Tirian]

Parson shows compassion for Wanda as well, carrying her out of the room like the broken doll she currently is.

Could be compassion, could just be that he knows that she's his ride home.

[benthehater]

Wow. I feel like I've been kicked.