MK Portals apparently “disband” non-casters, which seems to be worse than croaking in that at least there is no corpse left behind. Unfortunately, that doesn’t tell us anything about whether non-casters can survive passing through a Portal in the other direction (from the MK), nor whether non-casters can even survive at all in the MK.
I suspect they can, as it would make no dramatic sense to pull the rug out from under Parson’s clever stratagem at this point. But it is a bit of a mystery why we’ve seen no caster-created Units in the MK – dolls and golems presumably have upkeep, but uncroaked don’t. Zero-upkeep caster-created Units would make the perfect servants in the MK yet there apparently aren’t any around.
I’m a little confused as to Parson’s end-game here though. Does he intend to regularly use the MK as a staging ground? That would just make no sense, as it would end up making him the enemy of plenty of casters. Good tactics, bad strategy. Why not just stay out of the magic kingdom from here on? Is he planning on becoming a caster, so he can regularly enter and exit the MK? How would that help him? Thoughts?
Either Parson will negotiate a detente from his new position of strength (a stack of Decrpyted + Chief Warlord bonus + Wanda’s bonus + Arkenpliers bonus = steamroller), or he will engage and destroy and decrypt a hella lot of Casters. Either way he benefits.
And either way he ends up with a force in the Magic Kingdom, either to monitor or control its interaction with other Sides.
Ignoring the situation would be bad: he’s militarized the Magic Kingdom, if he gives them time, they’ll strike back at Gobwin Knob. By acting, he can force a resolution to his own advantage.
The ‘Detente’ - So far, the extent of his ‘militarization’ was to personally pass from one portal to another, with the support of several fairly senior casters. The only ones really opposed to him were the Carneys. There had to be several ways to negotiate a solution that didn’t require what he’s done. Because lets admit it, this is much more of a militarization than anything else he’s done so far. Doesn’t make sense if it’s just for this.
Engage and destroy a large number of casters? Aren’t they among the most powerful units in Erfworld? The bonuses that you totted up only apply to units in the same stack right? So 6 other units. I’d say the MK could take him down quite handily. Seems unlikely that this is what he’s going for.
And the move has serious potential downsides. I mean you can see from the Dirtamancer’s face that he doesn’t like the fortified portal. Even Parson’s good friend Sizemore doesn’t seem to approve of this move in the earlier comic. So clearly it has the potential to piss off a large number of casters, including some who were supporting him earlier.
There just seem to be so many possible ways for this to end ugly, that I’m wondering what he’s going for. And drawing a blank.
Exactly so - on his last trip through he was at the mercy of the Thinkomancers, the Predictomancers, the Carnymancers etc etc., a far-too-vulnerable position especially now that he knows that there’s a price on his head (metaphorically and nearly literally) that at least some casters are willing to act on. He needs to be a force in the MK, even if it’s just to prevent having to be constantly on the defensive.
I’m not convinced that it’s quite the slamdunk you mention - Janis alone can stop a fight temporarily - but I suspect the threat of violence and death could keep the peace among the casters until things get resolved by talking.
Casters are powerful units – if they’re in a situation where their magic can be applied effectively. We just saw a bunch of caster engage: they were casting shockamancy (“hoboken”) and throwing sucker punches. Hardly a terrifying offensive. Casters aren’t the “most powerful” units in all situations; they have the potential to be overpowered, but they’re fragile. That’s why they’re kept out of fights unless it’s a capital fight, and why young Wanda going out leading her uncroaked was so noteworthy in the prequel story.
Parson has told and demonstrated, at length, that combat in Erfworld depends on force multipliers. He’s got a stack (including archers) that he’s piled bonuses onto. Against some casters who don’t have any bonuses. And, Hell, he’s had plenty of time to run some scenarios through his bracer to figure the odds. This is Parson, after all; he wouldn’t have gone back through the portal without knowing his plan had a good chance to succeed.
I suspect his plan is simply to force some sort of truce or agreement, at least on the Thinkamancers.
Also: the Warlord, Wanda, and Arkelpliers bonuses apply to all units in the hex, I think. Units led in the same stack get a bigger bonus, on top. Those Carnies probably have some spell to screw with archery (seems the sort of thing carnymancy would do), otherwise Artemis + huge bonuses is going to ruin their day.
As I understand it, stack bonuses (which you get even with an unled stack) and ordinary warlord bonuses only apply to a single stack, but chief warlord bonuses apply to every unit of that side in the hex (though not necessarily to allied units). I don’t know if the Chief’s own personal stack gets to double-dip.
Artifact bonuses, we don’t know much about, but it’s probably safe to bet that they’re as overpowered as possible.
Jack and Wanda apparently have secret knowledge about Charlie, which Jack is now free to speak about. No idea what it could be but it’ll be interesting.
And Ace has finally found a warlord he likes. Look at what he was able to knock together for Slately in a short time - now imagine what Parson could get out of his fabrication talents. Finger rayguns could be popguns by comparison.
Yeah, I’m sure that as soon as things settle down, Parson is going to ask Ace “So, just what can you do, anyway?”, a question that Ace has just been dying to answer.
I find myself wondering what Ace and Cubbins used to “come here to hang out and…” in the Magic Kingdom. And… what? Ace was very fond of Cubbins. Special friends?
Could someone summarize what deal Wanda made with Charlie and also what Jack was talking about in reference to the Wizard of OZ? I have not been reading the prologue, if the information is there.
Sorry, but Rob has been playing that aspect pretty close to the vest (and quite skillfully, I might add). Reading Inner Peace Through Superior Firepower, while definitely not a waste of time, will not spoil what he has in store for us in the epilogues and the next story.
Erfworld’s history includes a re-enactment of the events of the Wizard of Oz. Charlie was the Wizard (a Carnymancer). He summoned a Perfect Warlord, who was basically Dorothy Gale, who got the Arkenshoes. He did so to get his hands on the Arkendish. Both Arkentools had been previously held by the Wicked Witches of Easteros and Westeregg.
Dorothy ended up becoming the Ruler of a huge Side, Haffaton, with Charlie’s daughter (a Florist) as her Heir. Charlie left with the Arkendish to set up his current Side. Haffaton conquered a lot of other Sides, including Wanda’s original Side. Haffaton appeared to be using a version of the exploit that Gobwin Knob is currently using for its success: only staff the cities with minimal garrisons of zero-Upkeep units (uncroaked and such).
Anyway, Haffaton encountered Faq and Jillian. Jillian and Wanda managed to take down Charlie’s daughter and Haffaton; Dorothy had used the Arkenshoes to go home. Apparently, Charlie negotiated in the aftermath, so that all of Faq’s casters (including Wanda) and Jillian would not reveal what they had learned of Charlie’s backstory while they lived.
So, Parson now knows:
Charlie is a Carny.
Charlie summoned an earlier Perfect Warlord specifically to destroy enemy Sides to get his hands on an Arkentool.
Charlie thinks some of his backstory info could be used against him somehow.