Erfworld, The Thread.

[sihnfahl]

So much luck can't be coincidence. Something (or someone) is tilting the battle in GK's favour.

How about Erfworld itself?

[HandofShadows]

But if it was just a natural consequence of the in-universe rules, you wouldn't expect an inhabitant of that universe to more or less say "Why, God, why?" when getting croaked. Clearly the missing arrows were something out of the ordinary for Erfworld.

Fate has plans for Lady Sylvia clearly. :) And don't worry about "Cupcake". She will be back.

[Teln]

I certainly hope so! We've only known Artemis for two text updates, and I've already found myself shipping her with Sylvia.

[Garland]

I really like Artemis. Maybe it'd be best for her to be obliterated than decrypted, It would be so sad if she ended up like Ossomer.

[Aquillion]

I really like Artemis. Maybe it'd be best for her to be obliterated than decrypted, It would be so sad if she ended up like Ossomer.

I doubt she'd end up like Ossomer. All she really wants is to get into combat -- she doesn't care about her side specifically. She'd be happier on GK's side, since they'd use her as a warlord the way Jetstone hasn't.

[Welf]

How about Erfworld itself?

The more I think about it the more it sounds possible. Wanda said that Erfworld wished for him, and Parson gave his big "[explicit] you" to Erfworld itself. This might be payback for the later.

[Teln]

I doubt she'd end up like Ossomer. All she really wants is to get into combat -- she doesn't care about her side specifically. She'd be happier on GK's side, since they'd use her as a warlord the way Jetstone hasn't.

My thoughts precisely. Artemis strikes me as a more refined, higher class version of Sylvia. Where Sylvia goes "MAIMKILLBURNRAWR!", Artemis seems like the type to go "We both know how this is going to end, let's just finish up so I can level already".

[factotum]

The more I think about it the more it sounds possible. Wanda said that Erfworld wished for him, and Parson gave his big "[explicit] you" to Erfworld itself. This might be payback for the later.

You mean...Erfworld is trying to pay him back by helping him win? Yeah, real painful lesson he's learning there...

[Welf]

You mean...Erfworld is trying to pay him back by helping him win? Yeah, real painful lesson he's learning there...

I probably should have added: "they give him a winning streak, so it's more painful when he finally falls. Or they let him pay a high price."

[Dacia Brabant]

I thought this was the best text update to date. Rob really has a good feel for how to write action sequences. Also really liked Sylvia's disappointment with the whole matter at the end--what's the point of playing a game against Death if it's cheating in your favor?

I was kind of hoping though that after Tramennis got knocked out that Artemis, being a real soldier, would be the one to step up and make Parson pay the alluded-to "great cost" for his actions, but it's pretty clear that cost won't come at Spacerock at all but rather in the Magic Kingdom (very worried for Sizemore now that he's stacked with PGLH).

[Gez]

(very worried for Sizemore now that he's stacked with PGLH).

PGLH? This message is long enough.

[Gamall]

PGLH?

Duh, that's, like, so obvious: PGLH = Parson's Gang of Libidinous Hippies.

FTWPDO. Frankly that was pretty damn obvious.

[Teln]

Speaking of Parson, I can't help but wonder exactly who Jojo is working for--getting rid of Gobwin Knob's chief warlord once and for all would be a tremendous victory for...just about everyone that hates GK. It's most likely the Royal Crown Coalition 2.0, but the possibility that there could be a third somebody manipulating things from behind the scenes can't be ruled out.

[blackjack217]

Speaking of Parson, I can't help but wonder exactly who Jojo is working for--getting rid of Gobwin Knob's chief warlord once and for all would be a tremendous victory for...just about everyone that hates GK. It's most likely the Royal Crown Coalition 2.0, but the possibility that there could be a third somebody manipulating things from behind the scenes can't be ruled out.

can't be them. To know what he was planning...
It would take some kind of commercial genius to...

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

but the possibility that there could be a third somebody manipulating things from behind the scenes can't be ruled out.

It would take some kind of commercial genius to...

...
Y'know, while an interesting possibility, I think Charlie is too intrigued with Parson to want him safely out of the equation. Mind you, as a mercenary power, Charlie does have a vested interest in the state of affairs being two evenly matched powers, and as it is Gobwin Knob can easily stand up to the RCC2 without Parson, and with him, are EASILY the sole powerhouse...

[blackjack217]

...
Y'know, while an interesting possibility, I think Charlie is too intrigued with Parson to want him safely out of the equation. Mind you, as a mercenary power, Charlie does have a vested interest in the state of affairs being two evenly matched powers, and as it is Gobwin Knob can easily stand up to the RCC2 without Parson, and with him, are EASILY the sole powerhouse...

But he was waiting for him, the only group with access to GK's plan is Charlie, which he acquired by hacking the call between Parson and Wanda.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

But he was waiting for him, the only group with access to GK's plan is Charlie, which he acquired by hacking the call between Parson and Wanda.

True, I forgot about that bit. I really want Charlie to play a bigger role in this, because think he's the most interesting side in all of Erf.

[Aquillion]

...
Y'know, while an interesting possibility, I think Charlie is too intrigued with Parson to want him safely out of the equation. Mind you, as a mercenary power, Charlie does have a vested interest in the state of affairs being two evenly matched powers, and as it is Gobwin Knob can easily stand up to the RCC2 without Parson, and with him, are EASILY the sole powerhouse...

Charlie could intend to summon him again or something.

[datalaughing]

The woman has a point. A carnymancer wants to cast a spell on you? He's claiming it's this epic spell and exactly what you want? Of course he's saying that, he's a carny! That's like the least trustworthy profession ever, except for maybe lawyers.

[Garland]

The way I see it, Xin's art has just gotten better and better. You can almost see it after each update. (not that it was ever bad, mind you)

While the predictamancer is showing great common sense and wisdom, maybe there was more to the carnymancer than we can assume now.

[The Glyphstone]

Indeed, some of the discussion on the Erf forums are rather enlightening. Marie is actually quite sinister when you take a close look at her - she has her fingers in a number of pies, more than you'd expect for a seemingly harmless Predictamancer; it's in her best interests to make Jojo appear as untrustworthy as she can.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

I do love Erfworld. I always forget, until I do a re-read through all of it, and it really is very well written!

[Killer Angel]

Marie is actually quite sinister when you take a close look at her - she has her fingers in a number of pies, more than you'd expect for a seemingly harmless Predictamancer; it's in her best interests to make Jojo appear as untrustworthy as she can.

When the destiny of the world is at stake, you'd better not trust too much anyone... especially new unrequested powerful allies. Which have their own agenda.

[AmberVael]

The woman has a point. A carnymancer wants to cast a spell on you? He's claiming it's this epic spell and exactly what you want? Of course he's saying that, he's a carny! That's like the least trustworthy profession ever, except for maybe lawyers.

Indeed, some of the discussion on the Erf forums are rather enlightening. Marie is actually quite sinister when you take a close look at her - she has her fingers in a number of pies, more than you'd expect for a seemingly harmless Predictamancer; it's in her best interests to make Jojo appear as untrustworthy as she can.

Of course you don't trust a carnymancer!
...but keep in mind that you're getting your second opinion from what amounts to a fortune teller. If the stage magician is untrustworthy, what does that make her? Tricks and lies are just as much a part of the profession of an oracle, after all, telling you what you want to hear, and making things vague or muddled until you draw your own meaning out of it.

[Dr. Simon]

So, I've been reading too much Girl Genius. I was thinking that Marie's reference to Parson as "the smot one" should have read "schmott vun".

[Radar]

So, I've been reading too much Girl Genius. I was thinking that Marie's reference to Parson as "the smot one" should have read "schmott vun".

He even has a hat!

[sihnfahl]

If the stage magician is untrustworthy, what does that make her?

One of the people involved in a Thirty Xanatos Pileup?

[John Campbell]

I think looking at is as a question of whether Jojo's being honest or malicious is too simplistic.

If we assume that spell does exactly what Jojo said it would, nothing more or less, and that Jojo's being 100% completely honest and above-board... from Gobwin Knob's point of view, casting it on Parson is definitely a malicious act. It'd banish the perfect warlord that they paid a lot of Schmuckers for back to his place of origin or nearest convenient parallel dimension. From Marie's point of view, it's definitely a malicious act. It'd banish the world-burning monster that she's gone to great lengths to have brought to Erf back to his place of origin. Even from Jojo's point of view, it's probably a malicious act. Banishing the hideous Lovecraftian entity from beyond space and time back to whatever bizarre, Turnless place it came from isn't quite the same as croaking it, but it's close enough for most Erfling purposes... maybe even better for some purposes. If Jojo were to croak Parson, what's stopping Wanda from stepping through the Spacerock portal with Arkenpliers in hand and Decrypting herself a Perfect Warlord? (Might not be possible, but I don't think anyone could know until it's tried.)

But from Parson's point of view, it just means going home. That might not be what he really wants at this point in his character arc, but he's not going to reject it out of hand, either, the way he would, say, getting blown up by Shockamancy. Jojo may have failed in his immediate attempt to use his natural Carnymancy patter to convince Parson that it is what he really wants, right here and now, but he has put the scroll into Parson's hands, leaving the possibility that Parson will voluntarily banish himself (or get Sizemore or Jack or someone to do it for him, at least) at some later point in time, so he may yet succeed in his mission... which would not be the case if he'd attempted something unsubtle like blowing Parson up with Shockamancy.

[Garland]

Hmm, what if the scroll takes Parson to where he belongs, which ends up being...


wait for it...



Erfworld. He then says he always felt he didn't fit on earth.


I'm sorry, I'll see myself out.

[fizzybobnewt]

I hope that happens.