Arcanist Lupus

I like concentrating, but it could get confused with the other concentrate - thinking hard. Condensing is okay, although I don't like it as much as concentrate or compress. It feels too passive to me. I don't like synthesize. Synthesize implies that you're creating something new, which you're not. EDIT: I was looking at synonyms for compress, and I found a good one: "Densify". It's definition doesn't match what we're looking for here, but I think it's too cool/funny to overlook.

I like "compressing". You're squeezing the same amount of energy into a smaller timeframe, thereby increasing your power. It's like when you squish a marshmellow and it gets fatter as well as shorter.

Nobody expects the Santa Inquisition! (Yes, this is my second post. Don't count me twice)

and only then

I think of it as magical friction. (although air resistance might be a slightly more accurate analogy)

No, I'm pretty sure Sazed mentions diminishing returns in the books. EDIT: maybe not though, I can't find it.

Better Feruchemy might mean you can store more in any given metalmind.

Good point. How about this: Object: n. Anything with a Cognitive aspect.

This is pretty much all theorizing. We do know that there are 10 main Shardworlds in the Cosmere, I believe. If we are looking at this as a map, I think we could think of the 10 major worlds to be the big cities. Yes, there are small towns dotted all over the landscape, but they aren't necessarily included on the map.

nonetheless well intentioned

This comment is in fact a meta comment which comments upon the fact that this comment is commenting upon this comment. It is more important to comment upon the comment than to know what the comment will be.

Highlights of the flow chart: "Ready to dive into a series? Yes. The other two options ended in strange choices", after LotR: "No. I'm not that new", and "Enjoy stories about orphaned farm boys? No. Tough"

Pretty. And last but not least... It's not done yet, but it's still awesome.

I just noticed this! Changing my name now (or as soon as I come up with a suitable adjective.)

I think that any map of Shadesmar is flawed at the core. This is not the physical realm, it doesn't have a definite shape. To some degree, a shape can be imposed on it by people who are visiting/thinking about it, but that shape would be somewhere between an illusion of shape and reality. Shadesmar isn't the realm of thought, it is thought. The shape of Roshar would likely be imposed upon Shadesmar by any visitors from Roshar accidentally. Someone visiting from another world would see Shadesmar shaped like their world. If you are adept at manipulating Shadesmar, like Hoid is, you could force it to assume any shape you wished. The names of the different areas are the physical interpretations of the overall manifestation of thoughts from each world.

I found it! I agree. Mad props.

Object: n. Anything that falls when dropped. More seriously, though, I like your suggestion. It might resolve the problems we've been having.

Kurkistan wasn't referring to Compounding. He was referring to using weight storage to create a perpetual motion machine. Basically, you take a large seesaw, and put an Iron Ferring on one side. She stores weight, and her side goes up. She taps weight, and her side goes down. Repeat, and you have infinite energy. Since tapping and storing apparently takes minimal energy, energy is produced by the system, although not by the Feruchemy directly. There are several ways of creating the machine, but they basically work on the principle that changing the mass of a fast moving or high object creates a greater change in the energy of that object then changing the mass of a slow moving or low object does. Therefore, adding mass to a high/fast object adds more energy to the system then removing mass from a low/slow object takes away.

I hate it when I miss the second page of a thread...

What are Al & co. rescuing?

The best reason I could come up with is that the bullet would deflect before it leaves the gun, cause damage to the barrel, and potentially cause the gun to explode.

What I want to know is, what happens if someone throws up a bubble around a portion of a moving train (while standing on the stationary ground next to the train).

I'm bothered by the apparent lack of zero. In the chapter headings, chapter 16 is made up of 16-1, while 17 is 16-2, etc. This implies a Roman Numeral* type number system, which is terribly impractical for doing complex math. They could be using them formally, though, the way we title chapters and label clocks with Roman Numerals, without using them in everyday life. * It accually seems to have more in common with Gematria then Roman Numerals, but the basic idea is the same. The main difference is in what values have letter representations.

AoL spoilers:

Hm... That's a good point. I wonder if there's a time limit on being Returned? If you've been dead a century, could you be Returned? a year? a day? an hour? a second? The only Returning we've seen so far was Lightsong's (and that one we learned about secondhand). If there is a time limit, it implies that the Breath does eventually leave a dead person. If not, then yes, I agree that death is ends-neutral. Also, to be clear, there is a distinction between whether people do Return long after death, and whether they can return long after death. I suspect that people who are given the chance to Return are given the chance once, when they die, and that's it, but does not necessarily preclude the ability to Return later, just the opportunity.