Erfworld Thread X: A Series of Unfortunate Cliffhangers

[Zalabim]

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It's probably Significant that the pop-up sound for all of Charlie's 'grams is "BUNK," but what I really appreciate is that the boxes just have "OK," like authentic spam, instead of a yes/no option. Bill has to close the window to ignore it instead of having a "reject" option.

[HandofShadows]

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Bill is a monster and I don't like him, but I actually feel some pitty for him on this page. And Charlie has proven himself to be a much bigger monster than Bill.

[guttering flame]

That thinkagram scene filled with faceless dolls is quite disturbing.

[DigoDragon]

So nobody commenting about the new saturday morning episode?

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Charlie remembers his true ultimate, Unlimited Thinkgram Works. Poor Bill never stood a chance.

Anybody wants to take a bet that whatever Charlie's new ploy is, it will backfire horribly due to the power of love and friendship strings?

Make dolls real? So... gonna make that Bunny doll into a real girl perhaps?

Spoiler: spoiler for new page

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It's probably Significant that the pop-up sound for all of Charlie's 'grams is "BUNK," but what I really appreciate is that the boxes just have "OK," like authentic spam, instead of a yes/no option. Bill has to close the window to ignore it instead of having a "reject" option.

I LOL'd at Bill's "CTRL - F - OFF" command.

That thinkagram scene filled with faceless dolls is quite disturbing.

I dunno why I first thought Incredible Crash Dummies before motion capture actors. But yeah, disturbing, especially with Charlie's comment about knowing what's real. Riiiiight.

[-D-]

An Archon in the minigun defense team clarifies at one point that their orders are specifically to fire on sight, IIRC.

Then its either oversight on Rob's part or oversight on Charlies part since note following exchange in Book 3 pg 107.

Transcript: =Rulergram=
General to: All personnel with active clearance for ((Operation: Big Game))

Ruler: (order) All units, ((Operation: Big Game)) is now in effect. (end order)

RULER: I'm telling you. He hasn't really wanted to live since the volcano. I gave him an out, but he equates quitting with losing. And he doesn't want to go home, anyway. A hero's death is an acceptable endgame for him.
TONDELAYO: Let's give him one. He tried for you.
RULER: Yes. But I'm afraid (ORDER) Big Game rules stay in effect. Priority is capturing Parson. (END ORDER)
TONDELAYO: Yes, Charlie.

[Lethologica]

Then its either oversight on Rob's part or oversight on Charlies part since note following exchange in Book 3 pg 107.

Or adaptation, perhaps. Presumably what Lilith did altered the circumstances such that the "very close second" priority became #1 to Tondelayo (who was already in favor of killing Parson).

[-D-]

Or adaptation, perhaps. Presumably what Lilith did altered the circumstances such that the "very close second" priority became #1 to Tondelayo (who was already in favor of killing Parson).

Yeah, I noted that inconsistency when it was revealed. Big Game is "capture on sight". Kill on sight, but only if you can't achieve capture and you can retrieve the body. That Archon is plainly wrong. Either Big Game is in effect, or they need to shoot Parson on sight. Big Game hasn't changed since Book 1.

Tondelayo isn't a ruler, or a commander, she can't override Charlie, and units need Duty or Loyalty to break the Order.

We know Charlie made his order and an Overlord can give Orders to his units. Either Charlie forgot what he told them (massive idiot ball), or Archons forgot what Charlie told them (in which case congrats Charlie for picking worst people to defend you) or Rob forgot what he wrote (which is what I suspect happened).

[gbs5009]

Yeah, I noted that inconsistency when it was revealed. Big Game is "capture on sight". Kill on sight, but only if you can't achieve capture and you can retrieve the body. That Archon is plainly wrong. Either Big Game is in effect, or they need to shoot Parson on sight. Big Game hasn't changed since Book 1.

Tondelayo isn't a ruler, or a commander, she can't override Charlie, and units need Duty or Loyalty to break the Order.

We know Charlie made his order and an Overlord can give Orders to his units. Either Charlie forgot what he told them (massive idiot ball), or Archons forgot what Charlie told them (in which case congrats Charlie for picking worst people to defend you) or Rob forgot what he wrote (which is what I suspect happened).

No, charlie gave a default order on page 115 while he was off-dish to do nothing to Maggie, and to shoot Parson if he took the opportunity to come through while their defenses were down.

Charlie ****ed up, but not by very much... I'm thinking his next order was something to the effect of "actually, only shoot parson if he's not on our side", due to his concern that Parson would be shot by Marie and decrypted by Wanda. He had Delta explaining the situation to Bonnie, but was ondish at the critical moment.

[NEO|Phyte]

Do we know if the archons manning the guns were cleared to know about Big Game to have received the order regarding Big Game being in effect?

[guttering flame]

Delta's to blame. She updated the orders too slowly.

[Whispri]

We have SKIPsign it appears.

[gbs5009]

Delta's to blame. She updated the orders too slowly.

At any rate, Charlie gave "croak Parson" orders when it made sense to do so, and gave "don't croak him!" orders when it made sense to *not* do so, but didn't do so quite quickly enough (presumably because of the risk of Parson being killed by Marie, then decrypted and coming through as a hostile to rescue Lilith from their depowered tower).

Throw in Jack's nasty little baffle to muck up a lot of the contingency-based orders Charlie might have issued (such as "only shoot a *hostile* Parson"), and things managed to perfectly coincide to screw him over. Doesn't seem like it was a memory lapse though.

[deuterio12]

We have SKIPsign it appears.

But of course. Erfworld's a saturday morning cartoon now, the plot being moved by the power of love and friendship along big sister Wanda's lessons in the importance of recycling.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

SKIP! Another three in one month (even if it is on the cusp of the next one).

Date	# Skipped
10/6/17	1st
10/20/17	2nd
11/7/17	1st
11/14/17	2nd
11/21/17	3rd
12/5/17	1st
12/19/17	2nd
1/5/18	1st
1/19/18	2nd
1/31/18	3rd

[Kantaki]

SKIP! Another three in one month (even if it is on the cusp of the next one).

Date	# Skipped
10/6/17	1st
10/20/17	2nd
11/7/17	1st
11/14/17	2nd
11/21/17	3rd
12/5/17	1st
12/19/17	2nd
1/5/18	1st
1/19/18	2nd
1/31/18	3rd

If I'm reading the pattern right we will get two skips in February and three in March.

At least it would be consistent.
Good enough for me.

[TheWombatOfDoom]

If I'm reading the pattern right we will get two skips in February and three in March.

At least it would be consistent.
Good enough for me.

Saw that too. We shall see.

[keybounce]

But of course. Erfworld's a saturday morning cartoon now, the plot being moved by the power of love and friendship along big sister Wanda's lessons in the importance of recycling.

You have read Caligula's Legacy, haven't you?

The story of a side where the leader, in a fit of rage, promoted his mount to heir. It is absolutely classic Saturday morning cartoon stuff.

It's good though. Very good.

[DigoDragon]

You have read Caligula's Legacy, haven't you?

The story of a side where the leader, in a fit of rage, promoted his mount to heir. It is absolutely classic Saturday morning cartoon stuff.

Reminds me of The tale of Glitterhoof from a Crusader Kings 2 run where someone managed to get a horse into power. Probably the inspiration.

[The Glyphstone]

Reminds me of The tale of Glitterhoof from a Crusader Kings 2 run where someone managed to get a horse into power. Probably the inspiration.

They are both references to the story about the Roman Emperor Caligula allegedly trying to name his horse Incinatus as consul.

[deuterio12]

You have read Caligula's Legacy, haven't you?

The story of a side where the leader, in a fit of rage, promoted his mount to heir. It is absolutely classic Saturday morning cartoon stuff.

It's good though. Very good.

I started reading the intro when it first came out.

When I figured out that it was actually sparkly pony fanfiction, I noped out of that as fast as I could close my broswer tab.

[super dark33]

Reminds me of The tale of Glitterhoof from a Crusader Kings 2 run where someone managed to get a horse into power. Probably the inspiration.

Theres also the even better sequel, in which a horse exterminates humanity.

[deuterio12]

This week in pretty thinkmancer of love Maggie and friends:

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Bill lives another turn. Shame we didn't get to see what Charlie said, but seems like it was super effective.

Maggie losing her confidence in thinkmancy, and seems unaware Hamster's ok.

And yes Maggie, Stanley would not hide behind squishy casters. It's important for a ruler to show they're a ruler, and indeed to have a good view of others, because not everybody has magic senses.

Tee Vee's capital awakening, aztec style. I'll miss the last ghotic enviroment in Erfworld.

Also that's some fugly final art.

Tune in next Saturday for a new episode!

[Kantaki]

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The contract says CC can't attack TV without paying another million?
Yeah. Caesar and co are dead if they don't stay allied with GK.
I can think of at least two ways Charlie can circumvent the terms as stated when he strikes.

Either he uses agents, thus paying nothing or the penalty is per battle not per individual unit, making it really cheap to get his shmuckers back. And even if not, a surgial strike against the capital might be well affordable for Charles, especially since he gets his money back when TV falls.
And I'm willing to bet he has even more plans available, simply because he thought about it for more than a minute.

Also, who else is willing to bet that the enchanted pedant is a trap?

But that new thinky Tower... Seems like those things have a tendency to clash with their side, style-wise.
I wonder if that means something.

[The Glyphstone]

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Eh, I can see the Signamancy similarities. Aztecs are, for better or worse, immortalized as a culture that spilled massive amounts of blood in their ritual ceremonies, what with ripping out hearts and everything. The new tower might in fact be more inclined to encourage proactive violence than Caesar is comfortable with, which would be an interesting mirror to how Caesar favored violence more than Don King did.

[DigoDragon]

Theres also the even better sequel, in which a horse exterminates humanity.

Heh, the pun names were fun. :3

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Bill lives another turn. Shame we didn't get to see what Charlie said, but seems like it was super effective.

Yeah, that conversation was what I looked forward to. Ah well.

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The contract says CC can't attack TV without paying another million?
Yeah. Caesar and co are dead if they don't stay allied with GK.
I can think of at least two ways Charlie can circumvent the terms as stated when he strikes.


Also, who else is willing to bet that the enchanted pedant is a trap?

Yep. Loopholes in contracts is Charlie's thing. And Bill bought it like a sucker.

Hmm, I dunno. I'll bet not a trap.

[Wayson]

Oh look, plot progression.

So... time to cut away to someone we haven't seen in a while. Bets on Jillian, anyone?

[JavaScribe]

Oh look, plot progression.

So... time to cut away to someone we haven't seen in a while. Bets on Jillian, anyone?

Don't jinx it! This is the first genuinely interesting update I've seen in a while.

[Lizard Lord]

Oh look, plot progression.

Spoilers!

[-D-]

Oh look, plot progression.

So... time to cut away to someone we haven't seen in a while. Bets on Jillian, anyone?

My money is on Parson. Perfect time to get Jed's viewpoint.

But yeah, anyone not expecting Bill to go turncoat is just forgetting he is reading Erfworld.

[DigoDragon]

Kantaki wins a cookie. :3

Spoiler: Update

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I think if there's only one lesson to be learned from Erfworld, it is that you never take prisoners. Just straight up go Darth Vader on everyone who fails you.