Chartreuse Penguin

I really dislike the fact that there was a bidding war over Odium. That makes me extremely uncomfortable, and trigger happy towards you. But since you came clean, I'll give you a break on this point. Plus, there's the point that Tuatara might not be so aggressive if they had Odium. Charcoal Hyena.

You do realize that 2 members of my faction are currently dead... if I or one of my remaining team-mates had Endowment, don't you think we would be a bit more vigorous with our use of Endowment? I suspect my return had something to do with finishing my RP arc, which I promise I will get around to doing.

Because we weren't going to shatter anyone (other than autonomy, who we determined to be a big enough threat to everyone's health that it was worth shattering). Also because there's a faction with three shards, and my faction ain't doing so hot atm because people keep killing us for some reason.

Why don't we have Odium? Because Axolotl passed it to someone before it could revert to us. Really kind of underhanded move, if you ask me. If Hidden Garden had Odium, I would be upfront about it. And then no one would be attacked by Odium, because my faction isn't really all that interested in killing people. I'm basically Hidden Garden's PR person right now, because everyone already knows my faction, but I'm not going to fib about us having Odium. That affects everyone. As such, I'm going to go with the assumption that Axolotl passed Odium to someone who was working with them. So, I'm tempted to just go with Joe Cream Tuatara. Even if they aren't a lizard, them being openly involved in the whole Odium stealing thing is underhanded, uncool, and I want them dead. Even though Tuataras are critically endangered and all that. I'll probably get some RP up finally tomorrow, I've been a bit swamped with RL responsibilities to write more RP.

I feel like Joe has been bored recently. He went out of his way to troll me last night, saying I got murdered and sent to the Spiritual Realm, and instead I landed in a Chartreuse Penguin Troll Document. As such, Joe.

We didn't get Odium back. Someone still has Odium, not entirely sure who, but it would have been someone who Axolotl trusted. Which definitely wasn't my faction. Also, you make a good point Albatross. But I'm not entirely sure that's a faction... it might just be Hoid... but who knows. Maybe he was the leader of the Ire this entire time and I was really on to him! Hah!

Well, looks like my Ire theory was not correct. It was a great theory, IMO, because it would make perfect thematic sense for the Ire to be a group that would steal shards. Would have been cool if I had been correct, but I'm glad I have my revenge on Axolotl for lying so profusely. Would have worked out better for them if they had just confessed to being Hoid and having Odium. If Odium lands back in my faction, I'll guarantee that Odium will remain unused unless we really really need the kill. I, at least, would much rather cooperate to allow more groups to win at once, then just try and kill everyone to win that way. I've always been a fan of joint wins.

Or, you can die, and then we get straight answers, not hedging and lies. And frankly, I don't know why you're hyping up this faction war stuff. If there's a war going on between factions, I sure haven't noticed. Other than being killed, but that was because I was stupid.

A. Why are we categorizing players by type of animal? That isn't useful at all B. While I don't think Axolotl is the one who took Odium, I'm still weirded out by how they're acting. It feels like a desperate sort of flailing about... plus the continuing refusal to answer how they were able to self target and take 2 actions... and I'd be lying if I were to say I'm not interested in the answers to those questions. At the very least, lynching Axolotl should give us some information, a currency I'm quite interested in getting my hands on.

The only reason we killed Vulture is because we thought they were Autonomy. That was all. Other than that, I'm not aware of any time my faction used Odium to kill anyone. We aren't bloodthirsty at all, although we did have the option of choosing the "let's murder all the shards" win condition. We came to the conclusion that wouldn't be as fun, and chose a more benign win condition.

Steel knocked on a door. It opened, and a young girl peered out. "Here's a message for your parents," Steel said, handing the paper to the child. The little one took the paper, then closed the door without saying a word. Another message delivered, more money made to get more steel, which in turn could be used to make more money. It would take a lot of messages to build up enough steel in order to do the compounding necessary to take that evil man down once and for all. It was honestly a bit embarrassing for a compounder to be brought down to such a level, but he no longer had access to his funds on scadrial. Not without some serious explaining of why he was a returned now, twice over. Without steel, he couldn't even use his nicrosil medallion to transform his feruchemy into stormlight to use abrasion. But he was still a quick runner, light on his feet. As he ran across the area of Elantris, he though more about his spirit web. What did it mean to become speed? Steel was unsure. He did still run faster than anyone else, but could he simply account that to his physique, not some unknown shenanigans in his spirit web? These were his thoughts for the several days it took to make enough money to bring his steel reserves to minimum levels. Armed with enough steel to cross shadesmar, he headed to the closest perpendicularity, and burned his newly stored steel. And off he went, still dwelling on how maybe the shape of his spirit web had been the reason for why Endowment had brought him back again. But to where? Once he had escaped the cognitive realm of Sel, where should he go next? Back to scadrial to resupply on steel and food, but after that, where should he run? If he wanted to alter his spirit web to gain true speed, where would he go? Steel could only think of 2 things as he ran back to Scadrial's perpendicularities. Yolen, and scadrial for some spikes. If that man had gained an understanding of hemalurgy, it would explain why... but no, that made no sense. Why would he not have spiked Steel for his own spirit web? No, the only option would be Yolen. He had heard tell of investitures that could change the spirit web there. A dangerous and powerful thing to be sure. But Yolen was also difficult to find in the cognitive realm for one unacquainted with its ways. Setting this plan in his mind, Steel flared the feruchemical metal within him, and ran on.

I would love to share my theory, but I get nervous about disseminating information too broadly. Suffice it to say there is in-text evidence of others who would be far better candidates for shard stealers than Hoid. I actually still think Axolotl is Hoid, but now I find myself doubting that Hoid was responsible for the loss of Odium, therefore I have no beef with him. If you really want to know my theory, PM me and I'd be more inclined to tell you.

... you think I'm the evil force? I literally just got returned, I have no roles other than being returned. Any roles I otherwise had were revealed. I have no hidden motives. That being said, I just came to a realization, and have realized that there is a far better candidate than Hoid for who took Odium. As such, I'll be taking my vote off of you. Axolotl. You who took odium. I'm on to you. I know what you are, and I think I have you pegged for what you want. It will only be a matter of time before I figure out who you are. If you decide to contact me or my faction, we could perhaps come to an arrangement, as I suspect we could work to each other's benefit. But if you choose not to, I'll hunt you until my divine breath gives out.

Well there aren't a lot of other classical Cosmere roles that would fit the bill, and none of the shards provide a power to steal shards. Also, my faction has more reasons for being suspicious of you in particular that I don't really have time right now to type out. I'll share them if you want later. It's really not faction war, nor do I think I've had enough time to make up weird reasons. Remember, I've been out of the loop because I sort of let the game be once I got killed. So, I haven't had time to just "make up weird reasons" as you put it since I got returned. Others seem to say you have odd knowledge and powers, and that fits the bill of Hoid, and traditionally hoid's faction needs to be able to unite all the shards. Seems sensible that that would also entail them having the ability to steal shards they kill. So, I'm keeping my vote on you.

I don't think hoid killed khriss, but I do believe he was responsible for the loss of Odium. And as such, Axolotl. I'll probably do some more RP tomorrow before the day ends.

"You know, you can stop dying now. I've never done this for anyone before, returning them twice, much less someone not from Nalthis. But, the spiritual realm shows me that you are needed. So I reached across the cosmere, and have brought you back once again. But I will not, I cannot do this a third time. To do so would interfere too much with your spiritual aspect, and who you are would be lost forever." Steel woke up, a new divine breath within. The old one was gone. Surprisingly, he still remembered everything. But he also understood some new things from his time in the cognitive realm, and from his glimpse into the spiritual when he had been returned. Phlo also seemed to have been brought back. Clearly, Endowment had plans for him. He wore no steel, having flung it all away in his final moment of panic. So, he walked, getting used to being alive again. Phlo was silent, a crystalline vine trailing on the ground beside him. "Before I died, the old lady said something odd to me. Something about my spiritual aspect becoming the ideal of speed. Do you know anything about that, Phlo?" Phlo kept winding, but spoke after a moment. "When I was first attracted to you, you were something truly unique. A steel compounder, come to Roshar. One fit to be an Edgedancer. Your extreme use of feruchemical speed warped your spirit web, making it more like that trait that you constantly use. But after our years of bonding, that's become even more evident. The spiritual ideal of things... you're faster than you should be, mathematically. As strong as compounding is, you still shouldn't be able to achieve such speeds when combined with abrasion. You've heard of resonances, I assume. They result when two powers, two different shapes of spirit webs, they overlay and create something entirely new. And that is what has happened between the surge of abrasion and your feruchemical speed. It has become something new. I wasn't aware of it before, but once the lady pointed it out, I was able to see it within you. What you have, is what I think that man wants. True speed, motion incarnate." Steel thought to himself. "Huh. Then why did he kill me?" Just then, the pair arrived in one of the outer cities of Elantris. People gawked at Steel's newly returned physique, and he flexed for them. Now, he needed allomantically viable steel. Question was, how was he going to get that? Yeah, I'm back. No idea why I've been returned (again LOL), or really what's going on, but I would like to mention one thing I'm kind of angry about. Whoever killed Opal Lion, freaking stole Odium from my faction. Thankfully, our win condition wasn't the "murder every shard" one, but I'm a bit angry. Be aware, person (my guess is Hoid), I'll be hunting you. Soon as I finish my RP before I die. Or before the game ends. I'd like to pull it off this time, please and thank you.

Sel. A dangerous planet to travel to through the cognitive realm, but Steel passed through one of the few established routes where the investiture storm wouldn't rip him and his spren to shreds. He popper out of a pool at the top of a mountain, zipping down past the city of Elantris, wondering how he would find Thawne on one of the largest planets in the cosmere. Perhaps he should ask an Elantrian; there might very well be an Aon to help find his enemy. He asked around for an elantrian specializing in spiritual matters, and was told to seek out an older elantrian who spent most of her time in her studies, by the name of Faona. The glowing streets lit the night as he followed the directions he had been given. Finding the door, he knocked on it. He stood there for a moment awkwardly, then felt a chill run down his spine as he heard a raspy voice speak from inside. "Come in, Spirit of Speed. It is about time you came to speak with me."

Neutrals are all well and good, but claiming neutral in a game with lots of hidden information? Sets people on edge. And for good reason, because just as neutrals can be helpful, they are also very harmful potentially. But also fun.

Steel blurred out of the cognitive realm, hopping through a perpendicularity onto Scadrial. Which perpendicularity, he didn't know anymore. The shards had changed hands and reinvested themselves so many times that it was impossible to keep track of which perpendicularity belonged to which shard anymore. From there, he tore across the landscape, now using abrasion as well, with the help of a nicrosil metalmind. While abrasion wasn't very useful to use in the cognitive realm, it sped him up significantly in the physical realm. As before, he entered that between places where nothing could touch him. There was only the light presence of his spren in the back of his mind, the fire of feruchemical steel in his stomach, and the landscape blurring around him. His spren fell behind, but would catch up quickly once he actually stopped. Which he would need to soon, for he was arriving near New Seran. He stopped using abrasion to eliminate friction entirely, and carefully stopped burning steel and reducing how much friction was being eliminated. He had learned from hard experience that attempting to cease it all at once did not reduce momentum, and would send him flying. Sure enough, as he slowed down, the crystal-studded cultivationspren caught up with him. The city was a hub of activity, with cars and airships and other allomantic contraptions zooming around the waterfalls that framed the beautiful city. Unlike in Elendel, he wasn't allowed to use his extreme speed in the city, as it had been deemed "too dangerous." Thankfully, the man he was looking for was on the bottom of the city, not on the top. The streets were packed with people bustling this way or that. The papers headlines warned of shardic activity increasing again, and it was clear that something was going on. He felt some small responsibility towards attempting to help the situation, but in the end, what would he be able to do against shards? Let someone else do the hero work for once. Finding the door, he knocked three times, glaring at some individuals who were attempting to walk through him to get around the mob of people in the street. They walked around, and the door opened. "Terry!" he called, jovially. The elderly man glared at him. "You know, that sounds like a dig at my ancestry." "Your name is Terrance. Terry is easier to say. I'm terris too, you know that." "Well, get out of the street, young man. Why do you need me?" He walked with Terry into a small living room, sparsely decorated in the ancient Terris tradition. They both sat on small rugs. "How do you know I need you? Maybe I just came to see an old friend." Terry rolled his eyes. "Don't be difficult. Your sister was always the more respectful one." "Actually... that's the problem. My sister has been taken by a man who claims to have come from another reality." Terry sat back slightly, looking surprised. "Well then, you're trying to find him. But if he's from another dimension, how do you expect me to track him? Who knows how the spiritual realm works with other realities." The younger man leaned forward, poking at the rug he sat upon. "That's the thing. I think he stole a spiritual aspect. Maybe hemalurgy, maybe something to do with coming into the Cosmere, I'm not sure. But I brought something- a piece of cloth I ripped off his suit. Not sure how much good it will do, but I know you are good at reading into the spirit webs of things." Terrance nodded, taking the cloth from where Steel had placed it. He pulled out a metalmind, an unusual one, probably duralumin alloyed with atium or something. He held the metalmind in one hand, and the cloth in another. He almost seemed to glow for a moment, then spoke a single word. "Sel." Steel raised an eyebrow. "Really, huh. Now that's something. I originally thought Roshar for the realms... but now that I think about it, Sel's are even closer together. Thank you." He burnt allomantic steel, briefly pushing a bright gold coin to Terrance, and then he left. Phlo winded up to Steel, face of vines peering up. "Why did you leave your breath in your suit? You risk death in less than a week if you don't have breath in you. Eobard demanded you to collect so much, and you choose not to use it?" Steel pursed his lips. "If I carry that much breath, I'll stand out." Phlo huffed. "You already do stand out. Anyone burning bronze, or with a seeker device can tell you're burning feruchemical steel. What's the real reason?" "I'm worried. Worried about the idea of awakening lightning. What would happen if I did it? Would it create whatever that man desires, or would it merely fizzle in that moment between moments? It is too tempting to have all that breath there. I'll pull out the breath when I need to consume it." He didn't mention he felt the desire to simply let himself expire after the week if he failed. He picked his way through the crowd, thinking about Sel. Although Devotion and Dominion were reformed, the cognitive realm of Sel was still a very dangerous place. A worldhopper who didn't know what he was doing could very well end up blasted by the storm of investiture. He tried to develop a plan as he collected provisions for his trip, along with some more steel to use. But nothing came to mind. It would greatly depend on where in Sel this man had gone. Leaving the outskirts of the city, Steel stoked the familiar fire within him. He took another moment to admire his Returned physique. Endowment had done him a major favor, returning him after he had been blasted by Odium. And then he was off, to the perpendicularity he had left from. And hopefully, to find his sister.

A divine breath burned within him, feeding him, keeping him alive. For another week, anyways. As he blazed across the cognitive realm, he saw glimpses of the war yet to come. Investiture where investiture did not normally lie. Shards were beginning to war, and the entire cosmere was at stake. Again. But he was not here for the shards, not yet anyway. He had family to rescue, and a psychotic villain to banish. Preferably before the Shards started ripping the very Realms apart. Or before his week ran out. Or before that man killed his sister. All of the above were bad options. His spren followed him, as always barely keeping up. But he could hardly pay attention to that. He flared the steel inside him brighter, turning the metalminds he had ingested into speed. But where to go? Did he even have a good idea of where the madman would have taken his sister? Not Roshar, the Knights would have been on high alert after last time. Nalthis, they had just left from. Scadrial was a terrible option, given the sheer number of invested technologies and people there. Taldain, Yolen, Threnody, Sel... all were options. Plus a few other backwater planets accessible from the cognitive realm. Who was to say? Perhaps there were some other options for tracking the man down. A man from a different reality couldn't be undetectable, even if he had managed to steal a spiritual aspect. And if he really had, as he had implied by his desire for speed... perhaps there was an investiture art to track him. Probably a spiritual art, all things considered. The best place to go then, would be back to his home- Scadrial. Perhaps a terrisman could help him find where the villain had Connected himself to. -- While it's quite likely you'll be able to guess my identity, I'm not going to confirm or deny it. Anyway, this game should be fun so long as everyone stays active. Although, we do have a nice backlog of pinch hitters, and while that doesn't condone going into inactivity, that does mean we have a bit of a cushion. Let's give Seonid a nice dramatic send off from SE. Go out with a bang, or something like that. Anyway, I'll be around. Probably.

There's nothing more to say; they are just rumors. Why would I care to attack Jasnah? I am on very good terms with the king and his family. I'm certain that he will invite me back in shortly if I become exiled from the party. As for the slowing of time, well, I've always felt like time goes slower when serious matters are on the line. I suspect it was all just a matter of perception.

I think I'm going to vote on Darkness, given the turn extension.

But people already suspect me. I'm just pointing out that I am one among many.

I think any of the Sons would have had a motive to kill Thaidakar, as well as Jasnah/Liss. I don't think the Ghostbloods are/were too well liked.

Perhaps the only way to bring the return of the Heralds is to play until enough "kill" win conditions are fulfilled that only 1 player remains.