Erfworld 153 - tBfGK - 140

[Tingel]

I dunno. The spockamancer? sure was emoting a lot. I mean three exclamation marks? That's not very logical.

He is high on spores.

EDIT: And why are there a bunch of tapered snakes/sperm wiggling about the ground?

Snakes symbolize occult knowledge.

[Oracle_Hunter]

Do we have any evidence that casters can identify other casters by sight? As far as I know knowing unit stats is only an ability of faction leaders and warlords right?

Casters can see unit stats.

Oh yeah, and the Hippiemancer's name is Janis

EDIT:
I dunno about the "fame" thing. Remember that this is just after Parson jumped through the Portal - I doubt the Volcano is even halfway done by this point.

Yeah, it's probably the Thinkamancy Reason.

[Aquillion]

For reasons I can't fathom people seem to think the volcano was only a Dirtamancy spell, not one of those uber spells cast by a mage gestalt. I'm guessing people only noticed the flowing lava (not the uncroak the dead volcano part). Now there're those who'd want to either kill or capture the dirtamancer responsible for such a devestating spell, and the Magic Kingdom is trying to stall the inevitable drama.

Also, talking to someone in a link as an individual endangers the link (and possibly their lives). That's why he stopped Orko from saying Sizemore's name.

But yes, I'm guessing that Sizemore is famous because of what happened just now...

[ShinyBrowncoat]

That is for sure Carl Sagan in the last few panels.

It's the exact same suit he wore in the Cosmos series, down to the patches on the elbow of his jacket. He has the same hair and the same shirt. Add on top he's a thinkamancer (considering he sent out a message for more thinkamancers) and who else could it be.

The clincher:

Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

ETA: Oops, nevermind. That was Arthur Clarke, not Carl Sagan who said that...

[Kyouhen]

I think the thinkamancer stopped Sizemore's name from being said because it could destroy the link.

This is probably why. Maybe the reason such a big deal was made out of talking to Misty was just so people don't get used to calling her by name for when she's actually linked.

Ok, so the snakes have always been there. I guess I just didn't notice it before because there were so few. But why are the snakes there?

And now that we've figured out who all the casters all, cookie for the first person to figure out what they all are!

[datalaughing]

Sagan or whoever he is stops Orko from saying Sizemore's name because addressing Sizemore as an individual could break the link suddenly, which could end badly for them. He's a thinkamancer. So he understands. Besides, names have magical significance even in erfworld. It's how they brought Jack back from crazytown, after all.

EDIT: I was ninja'd! Oh well.

[Titanium Dragon]

Parson's a hippie-mancer? Didn't see that one coming. Or the Leonard Nimoy look-a-like.

Its possible. But lest we forget, its also very possible that the hippiemancer is lying and simply said it to defuse the situation.

Though it'd be pretty funny if he was a hippiemancer, someone who brings peace. Of course, one could argue that's precisely what he's meant to do...

I wonder why there's no charge for the thinkamancers. I guess they really like Sizemore. Good guy, frequent customer, and he seems to tip pretty well.

Most likely. They may also know Maggie and like her as well. Or they could have reasons of their own.

And what's up with all those snakes?

Association with knowledge/wisdom.

[Welf]

Do we have any evidence that casters can identify other casters by sight? As far as I know knowing unit stats is only an ability of faction leaders and warlords right?

Yes, Parson's Klog says all warlords and casters can do that. They are just confused because no one can see Parson's stats.

[Yuki Akuma]

Yes, Parson's Klog says all warlords and casters can do that. They are just confused because no one can see Parson's stats.

Can casters (and warlords) see enemy stats, or just their own side's?

[Majutsukai]

Can casters (and warlords) see enemy stats, or just their own side's?

Both sides, presumably, but nobody can see Parson's stats.

[darkgolem]

The guy next to Orko could be Carl Sagan. Pardon the political content of the web page I found the picture on, btw, just see the picture please.

But I also think that there was a guy in Scanners or maybe the Fury who was a sportcoat wearing psychic.. I can't find a picture to exemplify this though.

[Vreejack]

Is it just me, or is the guy towards the end of the comic, the one who covers Black Red Mage's mouth, supposed to be Carl Sagan? It's a bit of a stretch, but note the atom-symbol around his wand in the group shot.

Well, he is a thinkamancer. Sagan was my reaction, too. Plus, "sagan" sort of means "mind."

[Oracle_Hunter]

And now that we've figured out who all the casters all, cookie for the first person to figure out what they all are!

Hmm...

Spoiler

Show

From Left to Right
- Albus Dumbledore
Carnymancer
No so sure here, but he can't be a Thinkamancer (or Sagan wouldn't have needed to summon more) and there's no "fire-mancer." But he does summon a lot of things, which I imagine is what Carnymancy is all about

- Hermione Granger
Mathamancer
Big on the books, right?

- Harry Potter
Rhyme-o-Mancer
Maybe even with garbled Latin phrases

- Carl Sagan
Thinkamancer
Given

- Orko
Hatamancer
It's pretty much the only thing he did well

- Jeannie
Changemancer
Most of her wishes were material based, and she did a lot of turning one thing into another.

- Wicked Witch of the West
Weirdomancer
The Wicked Witch's main power seems to be in her minions, and I think the Spookism School is all about animating the inanimate (like the Bears). Besides, shouldn't she be a Spookist?

- Doctor Strange
Predictamancer
Doctor Strange would definitely fall under the "Hocus Pocus" School, and he spends a lot of time foretelling DOOOOM!

Oh, and The Chart for ease of reading

[Welf]

I think so; the klog doesn't limit this to units of the own side. And Sir Webinar immediately recognized Sizemore as the caster when he saw him.

[The Old Hack]

"He's a Hippiemancer. But guard him anyway." I am with the people who think Janis is pulling a fast one here in order to 1) defuse the situation and 2) get Parson into her charge. Also, a masterclass Thinkamancer would be very leery of having the names of the participants of a link just dropped about while they were present. So no secrecy, I suspect, just professional caution.

Nice page, and a nice change of pace after the emotional tension of earlier. So now we only need to find out what the Tool is up to while all this is going on, and what he will think of things when he comes home to the lava pool.

[Glome]

Well I suppose that explains why Parson's upkeep was so high. Kudos to those who guessed that he was a warlord/caster, although I don't think anyone guessed he was a hippiemancer.

Janis of course could be lying, but I don't think it was necessary to defuse the situation at that point since he was already unconscious, and I don't think she would risk her reputation on someone who she doesn't even know. She could have just said 'let's wait and figure out how he got here' and gotten the same response.

[Xorbon]

I really enjoyed all of the references in this one.

And Parson's delayed reaction to the "Spock Pinch" made me snicker.

Also, Parson's a caster?! Wha-wha-what?

[Mysteryman64]

Well I suppose that explains why Parson's upkeep was so high. Kudos to those who guessed that he was a warlord/caster, although I don't think anyone guessed he was a hippiemancer.

Janis of course could be lying, but I don't think it was necessary to defuse the situation at that point since he was already unconscious, and I don't think she would risk her reputation on someone who she doesn't even know. She could have just said 'let's wait and figure out how he got here' and gotten the same response.

Speaking of upkeep, how is Parson's going to be maintained now that the Tool's treasury has been buried under an earthquake and melted by a ton of lava?

[Welf]

I'll join the Janis-lied-faction. She probably wanted to calm everybody down and get a closer look at him. Casters are very valuable, and the casters-only portal probably protected the magic kingdom from attackers that would like to have them all. If Parson can ignore that, he is a potential threat to all of them.

[Aquillion]

Speaking of upkeep, how is Parson's going to be maintained now that the Tool's treasury has been buried under an earthquake and melted by a ton of lava?

It could be automatic, in which case however much is left of the Tool's treasury under the tons of rock will continue to have the necessary gold withdrawn from it every day until it runs out.

[Devoured_Dude]

Speaking of upkeep, how is Parson's going to be maintained now that the Tool's treasury has been buried under an earthquake and melted by a ton of lava?

His food might not pop next turn, but I suspect Parson can afford to miss a couple of meals.

[Welf]

Down down down goes the server... down down down goes my mind

The upkeep could be a problem; but Jillian somehow managed to survive with her squad, so she must have had some money with her. Maybe warlords and casters automatically carry a little bit of the treasure with them when they leave their city.

[Aquillion]

Down down down goes the server... down down down goes my mind

The upkeep could be a problem; but Jillian somehow managed to survive with her squad, so she must have had some money with her. Maybe warlords and casters automatically carry a little bit of the treasure with them when they leave their city.

Jillian was heir. That's different.

[ishnar]

I'm with the people that claim quick lie, but I'd find the alternative just as interesting. Everyone's been wanting to find out what the heck *special means for a long time now.

While people can see stats, apparently they don't normally see names or questions like, "Isn't that so-and-so?" would never be asked. I think Sizemore just visits the Magic Kingdom so often, and trained under all the specialties, so he's pretty much known personally by many.

Since context has me looking back at this page, http://www.giantitp.com/comics/erf0011.html Looks like I'm seeing some dance fighting training going on in the background there. Especially than one guy looks to be doing a Capoeira move, so maybe that was the inspiration for dance fighting.

It's interesting how the island pie colors extends into the water.

[Ganurath]

Doubletake: Parson said die!

[Furin_Mirado]

I don't think Parson is actually a caster, but his 'special' attribute allows him into the Magic Kingdom. I think the fact that he comes from outside Erf means he is able to bend some rules.

[Nekomata]

Nice bit of expo speak in fist two panels. Clears up many questions but doesn't feel forced at all.

[chefsotero]

Jillian was heir. That's different.

And so was the Tool. So we only have exemples of heir's becaming barbarian after the King passes. (Just a tought)

And if Parson is really an Hippiemiancer, what flavor? (Flower-power, signamancer or date-a-mancer)

This is from the magic Thread

Hippiemancy (We know this field largely by inference.)

Flower power--Used to calm beings and create peace. (May also cause distortion in one's awareness of time.)

Signamancy--Theme-based speculation: astrology, prophecy, and/or omens. Long-term and general predictions, rather than the short-term, focused applications of Predictamancy.

Date-a-mancy--Speculation: Date- or turn-based numerology. Prediction of auspicious times for various actions. "Your lucky number is four. Wait until the fourth turn to commit your forces."

Given this theory Parson could easly fit in one of the last 2

[Mysteryman64]

Could the fact that Parson is a summoned creature have anything to do with his ability to go through the gate? He could be considered some sort of spell by the portal.

[shamelessmerc]

So what kind of currency do we think Rands are?

I'm thinking that the magic kingdom is supposed to be Galt's Gulch.

Either that or it's a reference to the RAND corporation... these are the finest minds in Erf after all...