Book 2 – Page 103

[Swiftbow]

Personally, rather than a convenient portal escape (which would only work for the casters and Parson) I like the prospect of the city being destroyed and Parson's stack having to make their way home through hostile territory. Possibly with prisoners that may end up being freed for an alliance of necessity.

[Whispri]

Man, those background Decrypted infantry still look unhappy. I think that's even two of the same unhappy Decrypted from page 102. I've even more convinced that's deliberate at this point.

The Jetstone infantry also look quite sad. Probably a side effect of the whole 'Battle to the death in a burning City' thing.

Personally, rather than a convenient portal escape (which would only work for the casters and Parson) I like the prospect of the city being destroyed and Parson's stack having to make their way home through hostile territory. Possibly with prisoners that may end up being freed for an alliance of necessity.

Even if the City was destroyed, they can just build another one on the spot. A far better choice than simply running in my book.

[Klear]

Ansom's a Level 10... hmm, would that mean that Ace, Don King, Jillian, Jack and Ansom qualify as a Royal Flush? Is that ultimately what's needed to beat Charlie's Full House?

They would have to be all from the same side first, I think...

[youngstormlord]

Nice update!

Slately King stands alone.
Ace: No, not alone! Bear, to the king!*crash through wall. Heal and protect*

I should have bet this would happen. Instead I wrote a fanfiction . Darn it.

Keep them coming, Mr Balder.

[jkosta]

On the other hand , "keep your mouth closed when you fight". Exactly what sort of doll does Fakely think she is?

I think Slately got some doll stuffing in his mouth when he fell.

[zbeeblebrox]

On the other hand , "keep your mouth closed when you fight". Exactly what sort of doll does Fakely think she is?

I think Slately got some doll stuffing in his mouth when he fell.

He talking to Ace, guys. You know, regarding that terrible one-liner?
Meanwhile, did Parson just get away with swearing??

[BrotherRool]

Erfworld with achievements? I love it.

Guess parley's off the table. It was awfully convenient for Ace to join the fight, though... now Parson doesn't have to go hunting for anyone. And it looks like it's really down to Parson's stack vs. Slately's. Epic!

Parley's far from off the table for Tramennis. I'm sticking to my prediction.

That must be an end goal, because you don't introduce a sympathetic character as a negotiator and not have him negotiate, but I can't see that happening any time soon. Tramennis is going to have to fight against the fact the person he needs to negotiate with is probably going to personally kill his father.

EDIT: Ish. I reckon it sort of counts if he takes out the clone. I'd be angry but maybe Tram can be more logical

[Saladman]

Rob, new product idea for ya - Erfworld-themed Deck of Cards. I'd buy it.

+1, would buy.

Meanwhile, did Parson just get away with swearing??

Yes! He is a player, after all. Not sure if the "tch" lead in was him powering through the censorship, or solely a natural "I almost died" reaction.

[Dancing Cthulhu]

Slately is being pretty badass. "Pew" indeed.

And nice entrance from Ace. Guessing he is pretty much spent now (but probably still providing his dollmancer bonus). He seems to have turned Slately's raggedy Raggedy Anne into an action figure, shall be interesting to see how she performs. And that is a big bear, might mess with Parson a bit.

KABEAR

For Bogroll? I guess it's suitable and all, it got to Parson... but wasn't that more Parson's doing, sacrificing him like that? And the ones that did kill him died in the eruption, were probably decrypted and... and have probably died again by now.

On the other hand , "keep your mouth closed when you fight". Exactly what sort of doll does Fakely think she is?

I think Slately got some doll stuffing in his mouth when he fell.

He talking to Ace, guys. You know, regarding that terrible one-liner?
Meanwhile, did Parson just get away with swearing??

I thought he was talking to himself. Reminding himself it wasn't the time for questions or monologues. But directing it at Ace works as well.

Personally, rather than a convenient portal escape (which would only work for the casters and Parson) I like the prospect of the city being destroyed and Parson's stack having to make their way home through hostile territory. Possibly with prisoners that may end up being freed for an alliance of necessity.

I don't know about these alliances of necessity kind of things. In the real world maybe, but Ace has never come off as anything but loyal to Jetstone (plus the whole duty/loyalty compulsion) and joining forces (but not turning) with Parson doesn't seem to benefit Jetstone at all. Sans a turnamancer (or decryption) or words strong enough to convince him to betray Jetstone, Cubbins etc it seems unlikely

I'll bet Ace is going to be captured by the end of this. With the destruction of all of their archons and most of their dwagons and high level warlords, that's pretty much the only way left for Gobwin Knob to recoup their losses.

Get Wanda on the battlefield when it's all over, and they will have recouped pretty much all of their losses. Not the archons, but all the dragons that haven't been decrypted before and enough enemy warlords.

GK came to the battle with Ansom, Oss, presumably many of its best front line warlords (like Sylvia, Archer, KC), most (if not all) of its Archons, a mass of dwagons, the column of ground troops plus a bunch of knights/heavies. And Wanda and Jack.

It seems to have lost all the above except Wanda and Jack. Nearly all of the dwagons would already have been decrypted (since that was the only way they could get to the ground, by dying).

Jetstone simply hasn't thrown the troops away to let GK recoup in terms of numbers or quality. They certainly didn't lose a lot of warlords - Trem left with them. Wanda already decrypted everyone that died in the Atrium way back (Antium and the guys with Parson are the only ones left). The only bodies still available for decrypting are Artemis and what was left of her knights, the archers that died when the tower fell and the troops in Slately's charge (which don't look to have numbered what GK lost in the column and there doesn't seem to have been a lot of warlords with them, let alone high level ones). And maybe Ace if it goes bad for him. And that's if the explosion didn't destroy any of them too much for decryption.

[Kaed]

Uh. I don't believe Ace is 'incapacitated', in previous instances that meant 'unconscious and near death'.

Instead he's just so hurt he can't move on his own. Remember how Erfworld is like a game only not exactly? If you break both a person's arms, they may not necessarily be incapacitated but they sure can't swing a sword.

He's probably in some kind of as yet unmentioned Crippled status.

[Dancing Cthulhu]

So the Staff of Suckage is basically a one-use. Still, it seems to have saved him some pain.

Parson looks surprised as well, maybe he thought it was longer lasting (or Slately just got lucky and overloaded it). Still, makes sense. Did the same job as Slately's cloak from earlier, useful one shot protective item (only it protects against a wider variety of magics) casters can cook up.

Man, those background Decrypted infantry still look unhappy. I think that's even two of the same unhappy Decrypted from page 102. I've even more convinced that's deliberate at this point.

It had me wondering if some of them might be thinking of turning or something. All of them but Antium look pretty unhappy. While most of Slately's are facing imminent death and only one looks kind of glum, the others look determined or angry.

Yes, very convenient entrance of Ace. Seems the forum gets its will.

It doesn't seem so convenient. He'd already decided to stay and fight to the death if need be when he sent Cubbin's off. And he knew where Slately was going - whether he could know he had made it or was still alive I don't know. With everyone dead outside going for the throne room was really the only thing left for him other than retreating (and dying if he couldn't catch up to the Jetstone forces).

Well, I should think heavily crippling one of the most powerful sides in the RC II would be victory enough to recoup their losses. Then again, they're gonna be sitting vulnerable ducks unless they execute a hasty retreat after this fight if Wanda isn't available.

They certainly landed a heavy blow, but "heavily crippled" might be a bit much. Jetstone's worst losses are Slately, Oss, the city (if Haggar or Charlie don't nab it somehow) and maybe Ace at this point. Trem escaped with the majority of the Jetstone forces that had been present for the battle. GK's worst losses are close to 100% of their attacking force. Higher if Parson and Jack are somehow cut off from GK. Plus Charlie getting back into the game on the RCII side.

[Owenator]

Am I the only one that lol'd at the "Ace in the hole" in the wall joke?

[Vorteks]

This page is so awesome.

Thanks Rob and Xin.

[drachefly]

Parson, you should have closed and gotten in a finishing blow while you had the chance. The doll had time to both be rezzed and come around the wall. Just how far did you kick him?

Well, I guess you're kind of new to this.

[Saladman]

Uh. I don't believe Ace is 'incapacitated', in previous instances that meant 'unconscious and near death'.

Instead he's just so hurt he can't move on his own. Remember how Erfworld is like a game only not exactly? If you break both a person's arms, they may not necessarily be incapacitated but they sure can't swing a sword.

He's probably in some kind of as yet unmentioned Crippled status.

It comes to the same thing by a different name, but canon is exactly opposite: there are different kinds of incapacitation.

Incapacitation could take a number of forms. All of them meant that you could not move, could not initiate engagement or disengage, could not personally fight or cast. Some meant that you would croak (or be dusted) if an enemy so much as struck you a single blow. Others, that you would live only until the start of your next turn, unless healed. Sometimes you were conscious, and sometimes not.

Sylvia was conscious, and not terribly wounded. But she was pinned, much like she had been hit with pink dwagon goo or another incapacitation special.

And she was alone. Lying with her face at the ground, she lifted her head.

The only boots she could see moving belonged to the enemy.

...

The boots were running in all directions, mostly away. But it was only a matter of time before some random enemy unit would encounter and engage her. Wounded and with only one, weaponless arm free, she would fall to the lowliest stabber. She could not fight and she could not run.

So she did what was left and commanded...

Ace is pretty clearly in the same position of doing the only thing left and commanding, especially since he can't move in page 101. Healing the Holly doll is a point against incapacitation, but I still have a vague idea that may count as spending juice without Casting a discrete new spell.

[fehler]

I'm surprised fake-Slately isn't ordering Ace back to Jetsone City. The trap has been sprung, his life is over regardless, there's no point trying to hold/end the hamster, that wasn't part of the deal with Charlie. Get out, let the city fall, and work on rebuilding under KingTramennis.

[Ambug666]

Looks like Parson has been studying at the Ed Gruberman school of fighting. Boot to the head!

[Kaed]

could not personally fight or cast.

Yeah, ok. Forgot about that. I think we can make a case for him not actually casting here - I think that maybe with dollamancy at least, repairing a golem might be a passive use of juice, as long as you're nearby it, maybe 'stacked' with it.

Sizemore repaired his golem with a spell, but he was also all the way across the cave hiding behind rocks and there were warlords between him and the golem. Maybe that makes a difference. That spell was probably required because he was 'engaging' the warlords, while this is just a doll on the floor.

[Frosted]

Jack says "I'm with you" in the first panel, and heads up the stairs. I'm guessing we won't see him for a page or two. Then he will croak Slately as Slately is about to croak Parson.

I believe this for two reasons.
#1 Jack is clutch
#2 Because Jack trumps King (and Ace for that matter)

[technojunkie]

I'm beginning to wonder if the scepter/raygun will ever run out of attacks...