Book 2 – Page 88

[balder]

New One is up.

[atalex]

Holy crap! FIRST! For some perverse reason, I've always wanted to do that.

Anyway, TOPIC! I can't believe how sad I am for poor doomed Slately 2.0. How is it possible for dittomancy to make a copy that's BETTER than the original?!?

[juango_i]

Second! and barely beat. That archon just saved Tram and everyone in there, not very smart

[Eva]

I suppose this means that she knows doubles cannot appoint heirs, or she wouldn't laugh as hard.

Third?

[Beeskee]

Well there we have final confirmation of that long-disputed fact. And yeah, this update rocked, no matter how much I wanted to see some progress with Parson's situation.


That archon really should have kept quiet, but I have a feeling that Lloyd would have told Slately what was going on before too much longer. (Especially if he delayed in promoting Tram)

[badninja]

Nasty update, hated to see that caster go but now it is a little more even until Parson shows up. Why do I feel that that achron will never make it to Charlie. The story has been moving nicely but why do I feel that Charlie will bring bad news.

[Eva]

Charlie can ask for all that he wants now that he's got their boops in a vice.

[Beeskee]

Yeah, but Charlie really WANTS that archon. If Jetstone falls, he doesn't get her. Whose boops are in whose vice?

[gameboy1234]

Yeah, but I bet Charlie really wants that Archon, so perhaps he'll just cut a regular deal. He seemed really interested in getting in the good graces of Jetstone earlier. It would be a dumb player that bends over the side that they need as an ally.

You bend them over when you don't need them any more, but not before. Until then it's all sweetness and light and easy terms.

[Sixty]

Wow, so Cubbins is alive! I think most people assumed him croaked, buried somewhat protectively beneath a ton of rubble. A bit of good fortune for Jetstone.

[Vorteks]

Poor not-Slately. It would be really hard to hear that news.

On the other hand I'm excited to hear that there is at least some chance of Cubbins surviving! I assumed he was already dead.

Thanks very much to Xin for such drawing such expressive characters.

[barawn]

Charlie can ask for all that he wants now that he's got their boops in a vice.

No, he won't. Charlie made the bounty offer. He'll honor it. It's the same situation as in Book 1, when Parson tried to get Charlie to break alliance with Jetstone. He needs to protect his reputation.

[Biostar]

Looks like Cubbins really was "too cute to croak".

[Renion]

What a stunning twist! The artwork was powerful and the writing was some of your best Rob.

As a long time reader, I could not be happier with how well everything is running now. The new update schedule is awesome! Rob and Xin, thank you for all the hard work behind the scenes!

[Oberon]

As much as I think it's wonderful that Cubbins survived, I'm not sure I understand Tremms statement that "he is the only thread by which Jetstone hangs." After all, he is incapacitated and out of juice. I suppose that Pierce can take care of the former, but that doesn't impact the latter. And if they just need a unit with leadership, isn't the vary force they'd send to retrieve Cubbins going to have leadership? If Ace, Pierce, and who knows whom else is going there to get Cubbins, why can't they do whatever it is that Tremm thinks Cubbins is uniquely qualified to do?

[Arky]

Cubbins is the only thing that stands between Gobwin Knob and control of the garrison because he's hidden, I guess. Tram probably assumes that the other remaining units in the garrison will be killed in extremely short order, so it's a race between Jetstone getting a force back into the garrison and GK locating Cubbins (or killing him with fire). Although I'm a bit surprised that an incapacitated unit would still count towards garrison control.

I imagine Charlie is calling to make sure this deal gets done before Jetstone are wiped, seeing as DoppleSlately was taking so long to get around to it.

[the_tick_rules]

Somehow I had a feeling cubbins wasn't croaked. I dunno how hidden he could be if the double knew he was there? Oh wait rulers have like a special thing with their units right? But he can't be hidden for long.

[Whispri]

Wanda would spot the hidden Caster quickly if she were present me'thinks, what with her Croakamancy senses.

While Jetstone do need to talk to Charlie, is this really a good time for such delays? Granted the Space/Time Continuum has it in for Gobwin Knob, but all the same, this little conversation could work out well for Parson, Wanda and company if it just gives them time to get their little conversation at the portal finished.

[sheepfly]

I suppose this means that she knows doubles cannot appoint heirs, or she wouldn't laugh as hard.

That will definitely need to be cleared up as the situation develops. If doubles cannot appoint heirs, and the double itself is the only thing keeping Jetstone from falling and Spacerock from going neutral/barbarian and "freezing", then that is a VERY interesting situation indeed.

If Parson ever gets through the portal and is willing to take prisoners rather than letting Wanda mass-execute and decrypt everyone in the city, then he could really demonstrate what makes him different, perhaps even be hailed as a hero by his opponents.

One wrinkle, though, as many are pointing out, is Charlie's involvement. Maybe he could wrangle up some Haggar units to take the archon and deliver her to his forces, since he seems so convinced that Jetstone is about to fall? Haggar's still allied with Jetstone and for all we know they might have enough move left to make a detour into Spacerock and back out again.

Hopefully Charlie's call will settle details of the exchange and clarify whether the bounty will be received (was there a no-double payment clause? lol) and whether there's any point to it.

[kilercroc]

When does Jetstone disband at this point? They've lost their real king, have no heir and (though I find it a little weird that the double counts as a ruler) the fake king they do have is being powered by limited juice. Any decisions their side makes from now on has to be with the inevitability of total defeat in mind.