MK Speculation

[Nueamin]

A comment in the most recent reaction thread has made me wonder about the Magic Kingdom. So any speculation or canon about the Magic Kingdom is welcome to be discussed here.

What we know - Not exactly an exhaustive list

The Magic Kingdom is connected via portals to every capital on Erfworld.
Only casters may travel to and from the MK (excepting Parson)
Casters may continue to exist in the MK without connection to any side, assumingly as a barbarian.
Casters have developed a sort of MK or caster only credit known as Rands
The MK is located on an island that isn't hex shaped, though it could be surrounded by water inside a Hex
Separated into 9 sections, 8 of various colors and the portal park as the last section in the very center.
Casters are protected from disbanding due to ruler death

Ejumacated Thunkins -

- Time flows in the MK just like in any other Hex. A caster's sides turn can begin or end while the caster is in the MK. Encounters do not seem to occur as normal in the outside Erfworld in regards to Turn Order. When Jillian's group is spotted by another side's forces each side moves according to turn order. If this was the case in the MK it would be turn hell for a side with a caster in the MK where their side might encounter a dozen or more different sides. This could be because the MK inherently does not allow encounters or possibly the MK itself doesn't recognize turns.

- One could know how many sides Erfworld currently has by counting all of the portals, which would be helpful (though not accurate) in estimating how big Erfworld is. Someone in the MK has got to have created a map of Erfworld

Things we have no way of knowing - (but are fun to speculate on)

- Has the Magic Kingdom always existed since Erfworld was created by the Titans or was it created by casters or even a side?

- Does the Magic Kingdom function as it was intended by the creators (Titan or otherwise)?

- Has the MK always been neutral?

- Is there a way to reach the MK without using a portal?

- Is there a Mancy which can create portals having nothing to do with the MK?


Any pet theories out there?

[Lamech]

Here's some speculation: The MK is multiple hexes, but some sort of item (or artifact, or structure natural to the place) reduces the movement cost to 0 between the hexes. If you'll note, at the entrances to portal park there are structures similar to the portal generators. I suspect they are what allow movement. I suspect similar magicks are used to keep all hexes "active"*.

*Casters are allowed to freely cast in a hex with an on-turn unit. That is what I mean when I say active.

[Oberon]

Ejumacated Thunkins -

- Time flows in the MK just like in any other Hex. A caster's sides turn can begin or end while the caster is in the MK.

We know this to be true. Wanda was in the MK when she dressed down Sizemore for being stoned and flaking out while the GK turn had begun. Since there's always someone willing to claim that anything not seen might not/can't possibly be true, then at the very least Sizemore was clearly in the MK before the start of the GK turn, and that Wanda had to go collect his wasted ass even if she entered the MK after the start of the GK turn.

PS: If Rob is recovering from surgery or other inconveniences with the aid of hippymancy, I hope he is visiting friends in Colorado or Washington state. Or I suppose it's possible that the hippymancy in question is of the prescription variety and doesn't require a state by state legalization for him to use.
Get well soon!

[Sieggy]

I think that the MK is the Erf equivalent of Galt's Gulch . . . anyplace that uses 'Rands' as currency, well what do YOU think?

[0beron]

I don't think the MK needs any special magic to explain it's exceptions to the movement rules. It all counts as a single zone, so entering it and moving within it can be done off-turn. Because of this extensive mechanic, I don't think it's possible the MK was Erfling-created. The entire zone ignores standard movement rules, ignores standard disbanding rules, and comes with portals that automatically pop in capital cities. The portals are of particular interest, because they are created over and over again even as different Sides hold a site. This is clearly a level of magic that is too far-reaching to be created by Erflings.

[Nueamin]

I don't think the MK needs any special magic to explain it's exceptions to the movement rules. It all counts as a single zone, so entering it and moving within it can be done off-turn. Because of this extensive mechanic, I don't think it's possible the MK was Erfling-created. The entire zone ignores standard movement rules, ignores standard disbanding rules, and comes with portals that automatically pop in capital cities. The portals are of particular interest, because they are created over and over again even as different Sides hold a site. This is clearly a level of magic that is too far-reaching to be created by Erflings.

Here's some speculation: The MK is multiple hexes, but some sort of item (or artifact, or structure natural to the place) reduces the movement cost to 0 between the hexes. If you'll note, at the entrances to portal park there are structures similar to the portal generators. I suspect they are what allow movement. I suspect similar magicks are used to keep all hexes "active"*.

*Casters are allowed to freely cast in a hex with an on-turn unit. That is what I mean when I say active.

I am going to have to agree with (Zero)beron on this one. I find it more likely that the Titans created the MK though I am not sold on it working as it was intended. It seems to me the MK is an exception to certain rules because of its nature, though I admit the possibility of tri-links having changed or modified the place since creation. I am speculating that even though it is *special* its not immune to changes. Though I do like Lamech's inclusion of background art stringing their theory together.

Ejumacated Thunkins -

- Time flows in the MK just like in any other Hex. A caster's sides turn can begin or end while the caster is in the MK.

We know this to be true. Wanda was in the MK when she dressed down Sizemore for being stoned and flaking out while the GK turn had begun. Since there's always someone willing to claim that anything not seen might not/can't possibly be true, then at the very least Sizemore was clearly in the MK before the start of the GK turn, and that Wanda had to go collect his wasted ass even if she entered the MK after the start of the GK turn.

Awesome. This is a perfect example. Thanks (Oh)beron

I think that the MK is the Erf equivalent of Galt's Gulch . . . anyplace that uses 'Rands' as currency, well what do YOU think?

I can see some parallels here. More than a couple actually. You may be on to something. Although I am more interested in what the MK means to Erfworld and not so much stupidworld references, I think I will have to look into this a bit deeper.

[Nueamin]

Wild Speculation.

The MK was not created along with Erfworld as a part of Erfworld. The Titans created the Magic Kingdom before Erfworld. Call it Erfworld Alpha. It was created before Hexes existed hence the non Hex shape of the island. It may or may not reside in the Erfworld ocean inside a Hex now but it was originally created before anything else. The Titans created the different casters first because the casters most resemble the Titans themselves. (Able to manipulate bits of Erfworld although in a much more limited way) The MK was full of villages of different caster types who initially worked together but with the Titans proddings fought and warred with eachother. The Titans craved this new thrill watching their creations in combat but there were few and in a small area.

It was only after the Titans became bored of their creations did they create Erfworld as a much larger and more diverse world so that the Titans might entertain themselves. Commanders, infantry, natural sides, different unit types were all created with ever more complex rules as things were added.

One of the Titans had reservations and wanted to see the world as it once was, a near utopia. It was this Titan which connected the MK to Erfworld via the side's capitals in a hope that one day with the help of the MK connecting all of the sides that it would return to co-operation rather than constant war.

[Lamech]

I don't think the MK needs any special magic to explain it's exceptions to the movement rules. It all counts as a single zone, so entering it and moving within it can be done off-turn. Because of this extensive mechanic, I don't think it's possible the MK was Erfling-created. The entire zone ignores standard movement rules, ignores standard disbanding rules, and comes with portals that automatically pop in capital cities. The portals are of particular interest, because they are created over and over again even as different Sides hold a site. This is clearly a level of magic that is too far-reaching to be created by Erflings.

I too doubt it was Erf made. That doesn't mean the boarder obelisks can't facilitate movement much like the portals do.