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==Jillian's Background==
 
==Jillian's Background==
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{{outdated|Needs to have WRECD and her first meeting with Wanda included}}
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'''Jillian Zamussels''' was popped more than 700 [[turns]] ago (before 625 [[BW]]){{erf|2|T6}}, as [[heir]] to [[King Banhammer]] of the [[Kingdom of Faq]] after [[Marie Lavraie]] [[Predictamancy|predicted]] that Faq would be destroyed.{{ref|[[IPTSF Text 34]]}} When Faq was, as Predicted, destroyed by [[Stanley]] during his rise to power, she became a [[Barbarian]] [[mercenary]].
  
'''Jillian Zamussels''' was popped more than 700 [[turns]] ago (before 625 [[BW]]), as [[heir]] to [[King Banhammer]] of the [[Kingdom of Faq]] after [[Marie Lavraie]] [[Predictamancy|predicted]] that Faq would be destroyed. When Faq was, as Predicted, destroyed by [[Stanley]] during his rise to power, she became a [[Barbarian]] [[mercenary]].
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As a [[Princess]], Jillian did not understand or appreciate her Father's interest in Faqian Philosophy. If Jillian's personality was designed to enable her to survive the destruction of Faq, and then to gather the resources needed to rebuild Faq, then her intense concentration on the development of military skills makes sense. For at least 200 [[turns]] of her existence she would not put up with anyone calling her "Princess". {{ref| [[IPTSF Text 27]]}}
  
As a [[Prince]]ss, Jillian did not understand or appreciate her Father's interest in Faqian Philosophy. If Jillian's personality was designed to enable her to survive the destruction of Faq, and then to gather the resources needed to rebuild Faq, then her intense concentration on the development of military skills makes sense.  
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At the beginning of the [[Battle of Gobwin Knob]], Jillian Zamussels was a [[mercenary]] [[warlord]] in the service of [[Prince Ansom]]'s [[Royal Crown Coalition]] against [[Stanley the Tool]]'s [[Gobwin Knob]] faction.  
  
At the beginning of the Battle of Gobwin Knob, Jillian Zamussels was a [[mercenary]] [[warlord]] in the service of [[Prince Ansom]]'s [[Royal Crown Coalition]] against [[Stanley the Tool]]'s [[Gobwin Knob]] faction.
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Jillian is now the Queen of the newly restored faction of [[Faq]].{{blog|2009|09|summer-updates-037}} As a consequence of becoming Queen, Jillian is becoming more mature. She has ordered the production of a new [[Royal]] [[Heir]] for [[Faq]], in return for certain  concessions from [[Don King]]. By hiring [[Vanna]], she has accelerated the speed at which her new [[heir]] is being created. She has also formed alliances with [[Charlie]] and the [[Western Giants]]. Unlike most [[Royal]]s, she may not be a strong believer in [[Royalism]]. At the beginning of <i>[[LIAB|Love is a Battlefield]]</i>, she is in the capital city of [[Jetstone]].
 
+
Jillian is now the Queen of the newly restored faction of [[Faq]].{{blog|2009|09|summer-updates-037}} As a consequence of becoming Queen, Jillian is becoming more mature. She has ordered the production of a new [[Royal]] [[Heir]] for [[Faq]], in return for certain  concessions from [[Don King]]. By hiring [[Vanna]], she has accelerated the speed at which her new [[heir]] is being created. She has also formed alliances with [[Charlie]] and the [[Western Giants]]. Unlike most [[Royal]]s, she may not be a strong believer in [[Royalism]]. At the beginning of [[LIAB]], she is in the capital city of [[Jetstone]].
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===The Metamorphosis from Barbarian to Queen===
 
===The Metamorphosis from Barbarian to Queen===
  
As a [[Barbarian]], Jillian regularly took incredible risks. [[Ansom]] found this irritating, but for a long time, he didn't find it suspicious, probably because it was how he expected a high-[[level]] [[Barbarian]] [[Warlord]] to behave.  
+
As a [[Barbarian]], Jillian regularly took incredible risks. On her second mission as a [[barbarian]] she was almost killed. {{ref | [[First_Intermission_41]]}} [[Ansom]] found this irritating, but for a long time, he didn't find it suspicious, probably because it was how he expected a high-[[level]] [[Barbarian]] [[Warlord]] to behave.  
  
 
All [[Warlords]] probably have a fairly expensive [[upkeep]] cost. This means that [[Barbarian]] [[Warlords]] have to be able to pay their own expensive [[upkeep]], or [[disband]]. A [[Barbarian]] [[Warlord]] simply cannot afford to take a cautious, careful approach to life. She must make large profits, in order to pay her large upkeep. If the only way to make those large profits is by taking huge risks, then she knows that while she might die in battle, she will certainly die if she can't make the money needed to pay her [[upkeep]]. If she succeeds, she will rise in [[level]], as Jillian did. But rising in level is not an unmixed blessing for a [[Barbarian]]. It makes her more capable, and therefore makes her services more marketable, but it also increases the amount of money she must earn to pay her upkeep.
 
All [[Warlords]] probably have a fairly expensive [[upkeep]] cost. This means that [[Barbarian]] [[Warlords]] have to be able to pay their own expensive [[upkeep]], or [[disband]]. A [[Barbarian]] [[Warlord]] simply cannot afford to take a cautious, careful approach to life. She must make large profits, in order to pay her large upkeep. If the only way to make those large profits is by taking huge risks, then she knows that while she might die in battle, she will certainly die if she can't make the money needed to pay her [[upkeep]]. If she succeeds, she will rise in [[level]], as Jillian did. But rising in level is not an unmixed blessing for a [[Barbarian]]. It makes her more capable, and therefore makes her services more marketable, but it also increases the amount of money she must earn to pay her upkeep.
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==Jillian's Weapons==
 
==Jillian's Weapons==
Jillian normally prefers to fight from the back of a [[gwiffon]]. She carries a large greatsword named Three-Edged, and a dagger.
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Jillian normally prefers to fight from the back of a [[gwiffon]]. She carries a large greatsword named Three-Edged<sup>[[IPTSF Text 28]]</sup>, and a dagger.
  
 
==Plot==
 
==Plot==
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She was torn between a desire for companionship and the desire to be alone. She wanted to reach out to others who might help her rebuild Faq, yet she knew that those others had different goals and ambitions, that usually conflicted with the seemingly impossible goal of creating a peaceful bubble Kingdom. Of course she told no one else about Faq during this period, because if any other side had occupied Faq's cities, her task of rebuilding Faq would become vastly harder.  
 
She was torn between a desire for companionship and the desire to be alone. She wanted to reach out to others who might help her rebuild Faq, yet she knew that those others had different goals and ambitions, that usually conflicted with the seemingly impossible goal of creating a peaceful bubble Kingdom. Of course she told no one else about Faq during this period, because if any other side had occupied Faq's cities, her task of rebuilding Faq would become vastly harder.  
  
When she learned about Stanley, she hated him like she'd hated no one else in her entire life. This was the man who had taken Faq from her. The fact that he must also know about the location of Faq made him an intolerable risk to Jillian. What if he claimed Faq's cities before she could? He had to die. So she joined the alliance against Gobwin Knob, and in time met the two people she'd come to love, [[Ansom]] and [[Wanda]]. {Preceeding sentence is incorrect. [[Wanda]] was Faq's croakamancer - Jillian already knew her.} Jillian was deeply attracted to both of these seemingly very different people, but she had trouble deciding between them. Her ambivalent relationships with both reflected an subconscious uncertainty about which of the two would be more useful to her in rebuilding [[Faq]].  
+
When she learned about Stanley, she hated him like she'd hated no one else in her entire life. This was the man who had taken Faq from her. The fact that he must also know about the location of Faq made him an intolerable risk to Jillian. What if he claimed Faq's cities before she could? He had to die. So she joined the alliance against Gobwin Knob, and in time was torn between the two people she'd come to love, [[Ansom]] and [[Wanda]]. Jillian was deeply attracted to both of these seemingly very different people, but she had trouble deciding between them. Her ambivalent relationships with both reflected an subconscious uncertainty about which of the two would be more useful to her in rebuilding [[Faq]].  
  
 
It was only when she knew that [[Stanley]] was about to try and take  
 
It was only when she knew that [[Stanley]] was about to try and take  

Revision as of 09:23, 2 December 2012

JillianZamussels.png
Jillian Zamussels
Race: Men
Faction: Faq, formerly Barbarian
Class: Ruler (Queen), formerly Warlord, (Princess)
Level: 9 (minimum)
Special: Dance-fighting, Leadership, Royal

Proposed Canon

Book 1:

"I never stabbed anything that didn't stop being an immediate problem."

Strengths: Fearlessness, Independence, Unrealistically Oversized Weaponry, Hack-slash-carve-stabbity-chopchop

Weaknesses: Manners, Subtlety, Knowing What She Wants

Book 2:

"And, for the record, King? She doesn't know everything.She only knows what I told you."

Strengths: Extensive Military Experience, Knows the Enemy, Cunning Advisers, Hidden Resources

Weaknesses: Ambivalent about Enemies and Allies, Loneliness, Secret Alliance, Knowing What She Wants


First Appearance: TBFGK 7

Jillian's Background

Nobby erfwiki.png This article contains information that is old or may be out of date. You can help Erfwiki by updating it.

Needs to have WRECD and her first meeting with Wanda included


Jillian Zamussels was popped more than 700 turns ago (before 625 BW)Erf-b2-pT6Same-site.PNG, as heir to King Banhammer of the Kingdom of Faq after Marie Lavraie predicted that Faq would be destroyed.IPTSF Text 34 When Faq was, as Predicted, destroyed by Stanley during his rise to power, she became a Barbarian mercenary.

As a Princess, Jillian did not understand or appreciate her Father's interest in Faqian Philosophy. If Jillian's personality was designed to enable her to survive the destruction of Faq, and then to gather the resources needed to rebuild Faq, then her intense concentration on the development of military skills makes sense. For at least 200 turns of her existence she would not put up with anyone calling her "Princess". IPTSF Text 27

At the beginning of the Battle of Gobwin Knob, Jillian Zamussels was a mercenary warlord in the service of Prince Ansom's Royal Crown Coalition against Stanley the Tool's Gobwin Knob faction.

Jillian is now the Queen of the newly restored faction of Faq.Erf-b1.5-p037Same-site.PNG As a consequence of becoming Queen, Jillian is becoming more mature. She has ordered the production of a new Royal Heir for Faq, in return for certain concessions from Don King. By hiring Vanna, she has accelerated the speed at which her new heir is being created. She has also formed alliances with Charlie and the Western Giants. Unlike most Royals, she may not be a strong believer in Royalism. At the beginning of Love is a Battlefield, she is in the capital city of Jetstone.


The Metamorphosis from Barbarian to Queen

As a Barbarian, Jillian regularly took incredible risks. On her second mission as a barbarian she was almost killed. First_Intermission_41 Ansom found this irritating, but for a long time, he didn't find it suspicious, probably because it was how he expected a high-level Barbarian Warlord to behave.

All Warlords probably have a fairly expensive upkeep cost. This means that Barbarian Warlords have to be able to pay their own expensive upkeep, or disband. A Barbarian Warlord simply cannot afford to take a cautious, careful approach to life. She must make large profits, in order to pay her large upkeep. If the only way to make those large profits is by taking huge risks, then she knows that while she might die in battle, she will certainly die if she can't make the money needed to pay her upkeep. If she succeeds, she will rise in level, as Jillian did. But rising in level is not an unmixed blessing for a Barbarian. It makes her more capable, and therefore makes her services more marketable, but it also increases the amount of money she must earn to pay her upkeep.

Jillian survived and succeeded as a mercenary because she always took just the right risks. But now she is a Queen, who can draw upon the entire resources of her side. Unlike Barbarians, Rulers can and must take a cautious approach to life, and most of them do. They certainly want to expand their sides, but they must carefully manage and develop their resources. and avoid wars they can't reasonably expect to win. The difference in strategy between a Barbarian and a Queen is comparable to that between a weed and a redwood.

Or at least, that would be the case under normal circumstances. Jillian has become Queen at an unprecedented time in Erfworld's history. Never before have the Rulers of Erfworld faced such desperate challenges. The old strategies will simply not work. In order to survive, Rulers must try new ideas and take new risks. And Jillian, because of her time as a Barbarian Warlord, may be the only Ruler on either side of the War who has the right instincts.

Relationships

Wanda Firebaugh

Wanda and Jillian have an odd, complex relationship. Fate caused Jillian to pop to help Wanda move on to the "next phase of her journey" and Wanda believes their two Fates are linked.

Jillian met Wanda when she was captured by Haffaton. At the time, Wanda was addicted to Heroine buds and required by Olive Branch to torture prisoners like Jillian in order to turn them. Wanda eventually helped Jillian to defeat Olive Branch, after gaining permission from Warlady Judy to change sides and join Faq. Jillian then saved Wanda's life, by making a deal with Charlie, who helped cure Wanda of most of the physical effects of her addiction to Heroine buds.

It is implied in Book 2 – Text Updates 010 that before the fall of FAQ Jillian and Wanda were romantically involved. They appear to still have had a romantic and very intimate relationship during the times when Jillian was captured by Gobwin Knob, but it's unclear how much of that is genuine, how much was the spell of control Wanda cast on Jillian, and whether there might be other factors involved. This relationship is implied to have originated from Faq during a flashback. It is unlikely Jillian knows that Wanda was unintentionally responsible for the destruction of her side.

When Jillian breaks free from Wanda's Suggestion Spell, Wanda absorbs the full damage from the spell's abrupt termination. It's possible that she absorbed this damage deliberately, in order to avoid harming Jillian. She asked Parson not to croak Jillian, immediately after the spell broke. Jillian for her part remained concerned for Wanda even after breaking free of Wanda's spell.

Jillian has repeatedly attempted to persuade Wanda to leave Stanley's side, once while being held captive at Gobwin Knob, again during a fly-by visit to Gobwin Knob before the Coalition attack, and yet again when they parleyed at Spacerock. Her attempts to influence Wanda was hindered by the fact that she didn't know certain critical facts about Wanda. Jillian did not know about Wanda's role in the First Battle of Faq or the prediction that Wanda would someday gain an Arkentool. Wanda did mention the Summon Perfect Warlord Spell in passing after she interrogated Jillian at Gobwin Knob, but Jillian still doesn't know many critical facts about Wanda's relationship with Parson.

While Wanda benefited during the Battle for Gobwin Knob from having secrets that Jillian didn't know, Jillian has secrets unknown to Wanda. Wanda probably did not know that Jillian had rebuilt Faq and become a Queen, until she decrypted Ossomer. She still doesn't know that Jillian's Royal Heir will pop fairly soon, or that Jillian has formed separate alliances with the Royal Crown Coalition, the Western Giants, and Charlie.

The two met up again at Battle of the Expository Bridge. Wanda believed that Jillian had come all this way for her, but Parson suggested that it might have been for Ansom. Reacting jealously, Wanda had Ansom sent off with the ground troops to prevent Jillian from seeing him. Wanda proceeded to parley with Jillian.

Jillian indicated that she was fond of Wanda, but opposed her side because she can't stand Stanley. Jillian offered to let Wanda join her and conquer the world together. Wanda initially rejected this offer, saying that she is loyal to Fate. The Arkentools are Fated to be brought together, and she needs to stay by Stanley's side to help this event occur. Jillian suggested that Wanda could still fulfill her Fate if she joined Jillian's side, but was under non-disclosure, preventing her from sharing details. Wanda indicated that she might take her up on this offer, if she could win back her trust by helping her defeat Spacerock. Jillian pretended to agree, but proceeded to force an end to Gobwin Knob's turn, placing Wanda in a dire situation.

Though unwilling to croak Wanda herself, Jillian took a great deal of satisfaction in leaving her to her apparent doom. Much to Wanda's shock, Jillian left Wanda to croak while stating that she was finally sure who she had come for: Ansom.

Wanda has since entered a strong state of cognitive dissonance. She is not quite able to acknowledge what has happened in her relationship with Jillian and reacts violently to Jack's pointed hints, but realizes that somewhere, she has made a mistake.

A few turns later, Parson cautiously asked her if she would be willing to arrange Jillian's assassination. After a moment of shock, Wanda enthusiastically agreed. She continued looking for ways to rationalize how Jillian could still love her and sought to decrypt her. However, Jillian's words eventually made it clear beyond a doubt that Ansom was the one she loves, causing Wanda to break down in tears.

Charlie

Charlie and Jillian are both mercenaries, and they both tend to honor the letter of their contracts, while breaking the spirit of said contracts when it is in their interest to do so. One of Charlie's Rules reminds his Archons that by making trouble for their clients, they also make more business for Charlie.

As a former mercenary, Jillian probably understands Charlie's mercenary mindset better than any other Royal, which may be why she doesn't assume that Charlie and Stanley would become allies based on a common anti-Royal ideology. As a former Barbarian, she is also much more willing to take calculated risks than most other Royals, and so is willing to risk dealing with Charlie. She's confident enough to believe she has a good chance of benefiting from the association.

Jillian has long resented Charlie as her greatest competitor for mercenary contracts. At one time, she regarded Charlie as evil, especially because he had been trying to tempt her into signing a contract with the heroine buds. Jillian eventually agreed to sign the contract in exchange for saving Wanda. Charlie then violated the spirit, though probably not the letter, of their contract by destroying the section of Jillian's personality that manifested itself as the Jester. Charlie also erased most of what Jillian knew about him, including the fact that he had altered her personality. If Jillian ever learns what Charlie did, it is likely that she will become his implacable enemy. Jillian may have fought against Archons on occasion, before the Battle of Gobwin Knob, and may have sometimes fought alongside them, if her clients ever hired both her and Charlie. Given their sides' extremely different approaches to mercenary work (Charlie is very well known and works hard to further his reputation; Faq had a history of being veiled and took steps to have no local reputation at all), it is unclear how often they competed for the same contracts or were hired by opposing clients. However, Jillian worked far afield when Faq was still standing (to protect the side's anonymity), and Charlie deals with sides both near and distant, so the two of them are probably the most "worldly" participants in the conflict with Gobwin Knob, at least among non-Casters.

After the destruction of the first Royal Crown Coalition and the recreation of Faq, Charlie contacted her and they agreed to a deal. While we don't know its exact wording, it seems that he agreed to aid Jillian in return for her help in dealing with the threat posed by Wanda. Because all of the other members of the Royal Crown Coalition II refused to deal with him, Charlie needed Jillian badly. He helped build up Faq's power, presumably so as to be able to influence the decisions of the RCC II and create a viable proxy to attack Gobwin Knob, since he doesn't dare move against Parson directly. Fortunately, Jillian is willing to try Charlie's unconventional ideas, such as persuading the Western Giants to switch their loyalties from Jitterati to Faq. Charlie probably knows that Faq obtained much of its income from doing mercenary work, and may be concerned that it could eventually become a competitor once again, but given the magnitude of the crisis he faces, that possibility is likely to be of comparatively small importance.

Jillian never came to trust Charlie, but did talk to him often enough to make taking his calls habitual.

Charlie expected Jillian to croak Wanda, but Jillian tried instead to persuade Wanda to break with Stanley and join her. While having Jillian and Wanda join forces would not have been what Charlie or Don King had in mind when they decided to help Jillian, Jillian could argue that recruiting Wanda would have made Wanda less of a threat to Charlie, and would have done a great deal to weaken Gobwin Knob, which were the main goals they had in mind when they decided to help her.

Since Wanda refused to change sides, Jillian had Vanna end Gobwin Knob's turn. Though unwilling to croak Wanda herself, Jillian believed that Wanda's doom had been sufficiently insured to in itself fulfill the terms of her agreement with Charlie and end the threat Wanda poses. At this point, she decided to perform acts that would strengthen Faq at Gobwin Knob's expense, such as capturing Ansom and sacking some of Gobwin Knob's cities, while avoiding those acts that would weaken Faq, such as launching a frontal attack against Wanda's superior forces.

Jillian's sudden decision to change their agreed upon plan at Jetstone and not attack Wanda placed some stress on Jillian's alliance with Charlie. Charlie did not think that Jillian had ended the threat posed by Wanda, because he, unlike Jillian, knows that Parson has the ability to find a way that Wanda can escape the trap Jillian placed her in. He pretended to consider Jillian's revelation that Wanda does not hate Charlie and would probably be willing to work for him, but in actuality, he tried to have Ansom croaked out of anger at her failure to croak Wanda personally. Alternatively he tried to croak Ansom so to remove Jillian's main goal of fixing her lover - in such situation that even angry at Charlie, Jillian would return to the battlefield to help her allies. Either way, as a result, Jillian wants nothing to do with a scheming manipulator like Charlie, while Charlie for his part has concluded that Jillian is too unreliable to work with. Charlie has told her to do as she likes, since she is now on her own.

Nevertheless, he will take any opportunities she offers to antagonize Gobwin Knob. He also considers it very important that she is kept out of Gobwin Knob's hands, which might have to do with her Fate.

Jack Snipe

Jack and Jill(ian) seem to be long acquainted with each other. Jillian indicates that she believed he had a crush on her. Jillian on her part seems at least fond of Jack and considers him to be a genius Foolamancer. However, she rejected his attempt to form a romantic relationship with her.

Even though she had no romantic interest in him, Jillian still considered Jack to be her best friend, and desired to repair their relationship. But it is likely that the damage caused to her mind by Charlie and Betsy removing the bits they didn't like made her forget the fact that their relationship had even been harmed in the first place.

When the two met in battle both seemed to be deeply affected; Seeing Jillian and hearing her speak his name appears to have largely cured Jack of the insanity caused by an improperly broken caster link. Jillian has offered to accept Jack to her side both times they have encountered each other within the comic. Both times however, Jack has declined the offer. Because of his painfully unrequited crush on her and his admiration of Parson's skill at "lateral thinking", he has thus far chosen to remain Gobwin Knob.

Prince Ansom

The two did not know one another prior to the beginning of the RCC's campaign against Stanley. Although they knew each other for only a brief time, and were superficially very different, the deeper similarities which came from them both being Royal allowed them to develop a strong romantic relationship. Ansom invited Jillian to come to his tent during their first meeting at the beginning of Book One. Jillian nearly decided to join him then, but changed her mind while walking towards his tent. Her initial ambivalence about starting a romantic relationship with Ansom is probably attributable to the fact that she was already involved in a relationship with Wanda. Despite Jillian's hesitations, Ansom continually trusted Jillian despite large amounts of evidence pointing to her being a traitor. The love that Jillian and Ansom shared gave Jillian the strength and desire to break Wanda's suggestion spell.

Jillian was deeply troubled by the death of Ansom at the Battle of Gobwin Knob. Charlie's revelation that Ansom had been decrypted by Wanda played a major role in Jillian's decision to ally with Charlie. After traveling to Jetstone, and giving Jetstone what she believed was a decisive military advantage, by having Vanna and Charlie prematurely end Gobwin Knob's turn, Jillian formulated and carried out a plan to capture Ansom. She hopes that Vanna will eventually be able to Turn Ansom. But turning Ansom may have become more difficult, because he strongly disapproves of Jillian's decision at Progrock to croak instead of capture all of the decrypted units in that city.



Don King

Don King regards Jillian as an absolutely vital ally. In fact, he suspects that she may be the only person who can save Erfworld from total destruction. He also likes her personally, regarding her as his "sweet, cranky, warrior-Queen". He first met Jillian at the moment when he realized that Stanley posed a far, far greater threat than anyone had previously believed. Because of his ability to secretly observe events through his bats, Don may have seen far more of the Battle of Gobwin Knob than anyone realizes. He understands that Stanley poses both an ideological threat (because of his claim to a new Titanic mandate), and a strategic threat, (because Gobwin Knob has weapons that can wipe out an entire armies). This new awareness has forced him to reassess many things, including his views on the importance of Royalty.

Don may have been watching Jillian though his bats since long before he met her. It's not clear exactly how much he knows about her, but he certainly knows that she is a young Royal with extraordinary combat abilities who has good reason to hate Stanley and who has demonstrated some capability to predict Stanley's actions. After meeting her in person, he decided to help her rebuild Faq.

But then, he learned at some point that Ansom, whom he knew Jillian loved, was not, as previously thought, croaked. Instead, Ansom was leading Stanley's forces as his Chief Warlord. This may have led Don to question how Jillian would react to Ansom's apparent decision to support Stanley. Could Jillian be trusted, or would she join forces with her lover Ansom? It may have been concern about which side Jillian would fight on that caused him to demand that Jillian pop a Royal Heir, because producing a Heir would dramatically slow down Faq's ability to pop other units. When Don learned the truth about Ansom from Queen Bea's final message, he probably realized that his assumptions about how Jillian would react to Ansom were wrong. It was after this point that he dramatically increased the resources he was sending to Jillian in order to expand Faq's military.

After discovering that Charlie had attempted to manipulate Transylvito using Jillian as his agent, Don has been forced to reassess his perspective once again. Between the serious threat Charlescomm poses to his side, Parson and Jack's slander, and Jillian's own unreliable nature, Don King now fears that Jillian wasn't who he thought she was after all.


Caesar Borgata

Caesar despises Jillian, whom he privately refers to as "the Wack from Faq", and is strongly opposed to Don King's policy of rapidly building the strength of Faq. Jillian dislikes Caesar because he was unwilling to give her the opportunity to find and croak Stanley.

Caesar's personal troubles began when he was assigned to meet with Count Vinny and a Barbarian Mercenary named Jillian. Jillian had made what Caesar regarded as the highly improbable claim that the ruins of three previously undetected cities existed close to Transylvito, and that Stanley planned to rebuild these cities after Gobwin Knob fell. Don King sent Caesar and a group of Warlords to investigate, to croak Stanley if he arrived where Jillian said he would be, and to claim the three cities for Transylvito, if they actually existed.

Caesar was deeply suspicious of Jillian from the beginning, and made it clear that he was in charge. Jillian and Caesar quickly developed an antipathy for one another. Part of the problem was that, unlike Vinny, Caesar was not particularly friendly towards the members of the RCC, and frankly seemed to care little about Stanley one way or the other.

Stanley did indeed make an appearance, but Caesar's ambush failed to croak him, because of Foolamancy and the combat power of the Arkenhammer. Two of Caesar's Warlords were croaked. Jillian then demanded that they pursue Stanley, but Caesar rejected her demand, because they would never find him while he had a Foolamancer. Caesar intended instead to claim the three ruined cities as he had been sent to do. Later when he informed Jillian that Ansom and all of the other members of the RCC army had been mysteriously croaked, she attempted to croak him in a fit of rage. If not for Vinny's interference he probably would have croaked her on the spot.

He may have regretted not doing so, because the next morning he received a change of orders from Don King. He was now ordered to escort Jillian to Transylvito, and to treat her as a Royal as he did so. Whatever dealings Caesar had with the two Royals who preceded him as Heir had left him with a rather low view of Royals in general, so he followed his orders from Don in the most sarcastic way possible. When he arrived in Transylvito, he learned that Don not only intended to allow Jillian to claim the three city sites, but to give her a significant amount of money to rebuild them. This was only the first of the money transfers to Faq which Don has authorized, and to which Caesar is deeply opposed.

When Jillian left the battle for Jetstone, Caesar ordered Vinny to begin listing every military asset Faq had. His current intention is to take the side.

Vinny Doombats

Vinny was originally unsure just how far his friend Ansom should trust Jillian. While Vinny had some doubts about Jillian's loyalty, they seem to have respected each other professionally, and fought well in combat together. Their mutual grief over the reported croaking of Ansom brought them together at a deeper emotional level, and Vinny worked hard to make sure that Jillian and Don King had favorable first impressions of one another. When Faq was rebuilt, Vinny was assigned as a diplomatic liaison.

At some unknown point the two became lovers. Vinny tried to persuade Don King not to demand that Jillian pop a heir, in part because he feared it would ruin their relationship. While their relationship has become increasingly strained due to Don King's demands and Jillian's secrets regarding her alliance with Charlie, it has so far remained intact.

While Jillian left to join the Siege of Spacerock, Vinny found himself growing increasingly bored with his Duty as an ambassador. The only parts of his job that he liked were Jillian, and a nice message hat that came in as a close second. Finding Jillian's report from the Siege of Spacerock to be suspiciously brief, Vinny contacted Bunny, discovering to his shock that Spacerock had fallen, and that Jillian had ditched the battle to grab Ansom. Caesar's letter to prepare intelligence for an invasion of Faq will have only increased the amount of strain on Vinny's relationship with Jillian.

Vinny continued to care about his friend, despite being mean and a little bit crazy. But his loyalty remained to his side, and he dutifully carried out Caesar's orders. When Jillian returned home, she refused to speak to him, and he experienced a moment of jealousy when he briefly mistook Vanna for Jillian when Vanna and Duncan were having nookie.


Jillian holds her sword back as she prepares to engage Stanley's dwagon mount.
Jillian draws her dagger as she engages a wounded dwagon.

Jillian's Weapons

Jillian normally prefers to fight from the back of a gwiffon. She carries a large greatsword named Three-EdgedIPTSF Text 28, and a dagger.

Plot

Jillian is a barbarian warlord, hired to lead Prince Ansom's flying units. She is a good tactical fighter, but reckless, and has been known to seek out combat even when it is irrelevant to the mission and contrary to orders.

Her personal relationship to Prince Ansom is ambiguous when the two first meet. She rejects an invitation to spend the night in his tent; however, she later approaches the tent as if reconsidering the offer, but walks away.

While flying a scouting mission, riding a gwiffon with a flight of orlys as support, Jillian encounters a group of Stanley's dwagons. She croaks a blue dwagon before she is captured and taken to Gobwin Knob.

When Wanda Firebaugh arrives to interrogate her, Jillian proposes that "both of us get out of here." Wanda's response is to strike her with a whip and instruct Jillian to address her as "Mistress". After Jillian complies, Wanda casts an unspecified Spell (presumably her Suggestion Spell to manipulate Jillian's actions).

After the interrogation, Jillian shows signs of considerable physical torture, and has apparently told Wanda everything she wanted to know. However, she is also chatting with her interrogator in an offhand, even friendly, manner. There is a strong implication (at least) of a sadomasochistic relationship between the two.

The following turn, Jillian is used as bait in a trap to lure Ansom out to where he could easily be ambushed by Stanley's Dwagons. The plan fails, and Jillian meets up with Sir Webinar and Dora, and then Charlie's Archons. Meanwhile, the Coalition column is raided by dwagons, and Prince Ansom leads an expeditionary force to finish them off while they are still wounded and vulnerable. This turns out to be another, more successful, trap. Ansom calls on Jillian and the forces accompanying her to hunt the wounded dwagons.

After a long search, with little Move left, Jillian et al. discover the dwagons hovering over a nearby lake. Jillian becomes conflicted: she knows her duty is to destroy the dwagons, but Wanda's Suggestion Spell is pressuring her to find a reason to do something else. The Archons approach her and engage her, trying to help resolve the conflict, pointing out the spell. Jillian makes her decision: she announces her love for Ansom via a Thinkagram, and proceeds to attack the dwagons. Parson responds by ordering the dwagons and uncroaked Warlords to attack to kill Jillian, but Ansom saves the day by coming to her rescue. The dwagons are wiped out. The leadership of the Royal Crown Coalition now expects to be destroyed by the remaining healthy dwagons from the circle trap. Jillian and Ansom spend the night on his flying carpet, permitting themselves a last moment of joy.

The attack never comes. Stanley has ordered the dwagons elsewhere. Jillian believes she knows where, but will only tell Ansom personally. They meet back at the siege train, and Jillian reveals her history to Ansom. She was popped as an heir to a Side named Faq by King Banhammer. Banhammer had been told that his bubble kingdom -- a kingdom essentially unapproachable except by air or tunnel -- would someday fall. Jillian believes she failed to meet his expectations by being a warrior instead of a philosopher. Since she had no real place in the idyllic little kingdom, she was sent to fight as a mercenary in distant lands with other Faq forces. One day, she received a Thinkagram that suggested dwagons were over Faq, and the next day she was a barbarian. She continued the mercenary lifestyle while trying to learn who might have destroyed Faq. Eventually, she heard rumors about Stanley the Plaid and his dwagons. When she learned about Ansom's coalition, she thought it was an ideal situation -- she could work as a mercenary against the most likely culprit responsible for Faq's destruction, while learning more about the candidate.

Stanley's uncharacteristic move with the dwagons suggested to Jillian that Stanley was headed to restart his Side in Faq. With the knowledge of Faq in hand, Ansom suggested she get to the site of Faq ahead of Stanley and become Queen of her re-started side. Jillian had not even considered that, instead wanting to intercept Stanley and ambush him. Ansom arranges for Vinny, the Archons, and other air forces to accompany her to a location where she can meet up with additional forces from Transylvito.

Jillian made a side trip into Gobwin Knob, instead of going directly to Faq. She intended to use the lack of dwagon defenses to mount a "rescue" of Wanda, whom Jillian believes is being forced to work for Stanley. Wanda declines, and the Archons reveal Wanda is under the effect of no mind-altering Spells, but during this conversation Wanda interrupts by unleashing Gobwin Knob's Air defenses, killing several Unipegataurs and the Archon Jaclyn. Jillian flies off towards Faq with a diminished force.

Charlie is not paid, so the Archons become free agents, leaving Jillian with just her gwiffons, some orlies, Vinny, and a few doombats. The next day they meet up with the forces from Transylvito. Caesar Borgata, the Chief Warlord of Transylvito, has brought nine other Warlords and a few hundred doombats. The forces set up with the doombats in line in front, commanded by Warlords, with Caesar providing a portion of his leadership bonus to all. Stanley arrives and attempts to punch through, throwing aside Caesar and his stack with the Arkenhammer's shocking powers. Jillian moves to intercept, discovering Stanley has brought the Foolamancer Jack Snipe with him. Jack's mind is restored when Jillian calls him by his real name, and Jack's awesome Foolamancy comes into play. He makes Jillian believe that she destroyed Stanley's dwagon, but instead flies off with Stanley towards the hex edge. Jillian spots a doombat stack in a suspicious position, with Vinny confirming it was not a Transylvito stack, and the pair correctly deduce that this is Stanley. It is, however, too late. They are unable to catch Stanley before he leaves the hex, headed back in the direction of Gobwin Knob.

Jillian spends the remainder of the day with the forces of Transylvito. At dusk, around a bonfire, Jillian is informed by Vinny that Caesar did not come here to fight Stanley, since he didn't believe Stanley would come in this direction. Caesar came to check on the cities of Faq, and to claim them for Transylvito if they existed. Jillian becomes angry, not because of the deception, but because she wants to finish off Stanley. Caesar approaches and informs Jillian and Vinny that the Battle for Gobwin Knob is finished, with all Royal Crown Coalition forces eliminated, including Ansom. Jillian, enraged, attacks Caesar, who easily stops the assault. Caesar threatened Jillian, but Vinny stepped in and took charge of the distraught Jillian. They appear to spend the night comforting each other while mourning Ansom.

Jillian was then taken, as a prisoner in all but name, back to Transylvito to an audience with Don King, the royal ruler of Transylvito. There she was offered the resources to reestablish her former capital side, Faq. She reluctantly accepted this offer, but is slowly growing accustomed to the new role.

Speculation

It's possible that the natural Signamancy inherent in being the Queen of Faq will compel Jillian to become more interested in Faqian Philosophy.

Her suit on page 12 of book 2 seems to be rendered in a way similar to the Arkentools. Perhaps it is a tool itself?

Her suit is a reference to the time warp dance in the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Between her and Wanda's clothes, we have a case of strong signamancy foreshadowing the following events.

What does Jillian Really Want, and Why Doesn't She Know It?

According to Jillian's cast page, one of her weaknesses is "Knowing what she wants". It's not uncommon for people in the Real World not to know what they want, but on Erfworld, this is an extraordinarily unusual problem. Almost everyone on Erfworld knows exactly what they want, because they are popped to fulfill a particular role in life, and are bound by the constraints of Loyalty, Obedience and Duty. So why doesn't Jillian know?

Jillian has deeply conflicting desires, because she was popped to fill a role that did not exist, and might never exist. She was created to be the Queen of a peaceful side devoted to philosophy, because that's what Faq was when she was created. But she was also created knowing that the Faq she was created to rule would soon cease to exist. This is why she was so frustrated in Faq. She wanted Faq, but she knew she couldn't have Faq. She channeled that frustration into her fascination with war. Every enemy she struck down was, for that instant, the foe who prevented her from living in peace as the ruler of Faq.

When Faq was destroyed, it was probably almost a relief for Jillian. Though she deeply hated the knowledge that Faq no longer existed, at least the Prediction had been fulfilled, and maybe, someday, she would be able to rebuild Faq. At least she no longer had to live in a Kingdom she knew was doomed. She threw herself even more completely into the role of a Mercenary, hoping she could, somehow, someday, gain the resources needed to rebuild Faq.

She was torn between a desire for companionship and the desire to be alone. She wanted to reach out to others who might help her rebuild Faq, yet she knew that those others had different goals and ambitions, that usually conflicted with the seemingly impossible goal of creating a peaceful bubble Kingdom. Of course she told no one else about Faq during this period, because if any other side had occupied Faq's cities, her task of rebuilding Faq would become vastly harder.

When she learned about Stanley, she hated him like she'd hated no one else in her entire life. This was the man who had taken Faq from her. The fact that he must also know about the location of Faq made him an intolerable risk to Jillian. What if he claimed Faq's cities before she could? He had to die. So she joined the alliance against Gobwin Knob, and in time was torn between the two people she'd come to love, Ansom and Wanda. Jillian was deeply attracted to both of these seemingly very different people, but she had trouble deciding between them. Her ambivalent relationships with both reflected an subconscious uncertainty about which of the two would be more useful to her in rebuilding Faq.

It was only when she knew that Stanley was about to try and take the site of Faq's cities that she revealed who she really was to Ansom. She probably felt great ambivalence when Ansom suggested she might become the Queen of Faq again, because she knew that the Faq he had in mind was not the philisophical Kingdom of her most secret dreams. But the important thing right now was stopping Stanley.

With some help from Caesar and Transylvito, Jillian was able to prevent Stanley from reaching Faq.But then, she learned that Caesar planned to claim Faq's cities. Her momentary loss of control, and attempt to kill Caesar, was the result of hearing this horrible news at the same time she heard that Ansom had been croaked.

Being offered the resources needed to rebuild Faq by Don King was in a way both the best and the worst thing that ever happened to Jillian. It meant she had finally become Queen Of Faq, but it also meant that she and Faq were caught in a network of alliances that makes it impossible for Faq to be the sort of philosophical Kingdom it once was. And so Jillian continues to feel great ambivalence, and uncertainly about exactly what it is she wants.

Trivia

  • Her name may be a pun on "Jillions of muscles", a epithet suitable for a person relying on brute force and violence to solve problems.
  • Her familiarity with and relation to Jack Snipe may be a reference to "Jack and Jill."
  • The name Jillian, in combination with the fact that she is a barbarian, may be a reference to the actress formerly known as Jillian Barberie, now Jillian Reynolds.
  • Jillian's outfit in Book 2 - Page 12 is very similiar to Columbia's first costume in Rocky Horror Picture Show, a tie in to Wanda's outfit for Book 2.
Preceded by:
King Banhammer
Ruler of Faq Succeeded by:
None, incumbent
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