Update: I made a small change in my template that contains the javascript to be parsed from the above SoPW. I decided that, since the location of the the variable I want set at runtime in the script is static within the form that I am checking, I could use elements[n].value in its place.

Oddly enough, after I made that change (and a snide comment in the CB), I could create as many freakin' \ characters as I wanted. So, now I get a whole new question:

Why did the change from parsing elements[$script_var].value affect the process engine's parsing of \ character?

ALL HAIL BRAK!!!