Book 2 - Text Updates 053

[Dr Pepper]

Let's see...

oberon
ober0n
0beron
0ber0n

QED: proof that there can only be 4 Arkentools!

[Angband]

This is how rumors get started, you know.

Now everyone needs to start registering sock puppets and make every post in the thread be from some new permutation of the name...

Øberon
Oßeron
Obéron
Obe®on
Oberºn
Oberoñ

...the possibilities are endless!

(The big reason I'm not joining the sockpuppetry fun: it would clutter up the userbase, making a mess for Rob to clean up. Not a funny enough joke to be worth that. Unless, of course, he says its OK...)

[Renion]

Your post is also superfluous. I'll delete mine.

Don't delete your post once someone responds to it. It is a breach of forum etiquette.

We all stick our foots in our mouth. But deleting your post is nothing but a back handed attempt to avoid responsibility for your mistake, and the opportunity to grow from it, and instead attempt to make the person that replied look bad.

A corollary to "don't delete your posts once replied to", is don't edit your posts once they have been quoted.

Because the internet is serious business?

[Tanuki]

The most important new information, to me, from this text update:

"Mistress has an Arkentool, Charlie has an Arkentool, Lord Stanley has an Arkentool, and there's one other."

I am reading this in a particular way, and you can stop me if this is something newsworthy, or if this is just me chasing an epileptic tree.

It is common Erfworld native knowledge that there are four known Arkentools. We got that from the StupidMeal in Book 1. No one has mentioned, or had the ability to recall, the fourth Arkentool, or who has it. What's up with that?

[quindraco]

I didn't see anyone else post this, so here's a handy list of typos for Rob to find in one place so he can easily fix them:

when we said weren't going to -> when we said we weren't going to
he's the ehn- He's the opposing -> he's the en- He's the opposing
"Okay, well he's wrong." -> "Okay, well, he's wrong." [Depends on the exact speech pattern, but the latter has better flow imho.]
"It's just like, so different now." -> "It's just, like, so different now."

[Xorbon]

The archons from left to right are obviously: Rachel, Monica, Phoebe.

Rachel got rid of the bob-cut after the 2nd season. Plus, the middle archon has the darkest hair, which would make her Monica.

[Housellama]

...

That's it.

I hate you all.

First you put new verses to the Friends theme song (and get it stuck in my bloody head all day long).

Then you make everyone Oberon. Of the Clan Oberon. Descendents of Obericus.

Serious Business indeed.

Bugger you all.

Spoiler: show

"I know, right?"

[Beeskee]

I got in the (bad) habit of quickly posting about 1/3 of what I really want to say, and then editing my posts to 'finish' them, due to posting on another forum that regularly lost everything I was working on. I try and mark anything that's distinctly different from the original. I'm not trying to do it to upset anyone.

- Oberon Pony

[name lips]

The most important new information, to me, from this text update:

"Mistress has an Arkentool, Charlie has an Arkentool, Lord Stanley has an Arkentool, and there's one other."

I am reading this in a particular way, and you can stop me if this is something newsworthy, or if this is just me chasing an epileptic tree.

It is common Erfworld native knowledge that there are four known Arkentools. We got that from the StupidMeal in Book 1. No one has mentioned, or had the ability to recall, the fourth Arkentool, or who has it. What's up with that?

I'm kind of astonished it hasn't come up in-comic too. You'd think Parson would be very interested in the 4th Arkentool, what it is, and who has it. Instead it's just the "Arkentool not appearing in this comic." From what we've seen of attuned Arkentools, they're stupidly powerful. But nobody seems to worry about it.

[M.A.D]

"'Don't bet on the lame runner, unless you know you can shoot the healthy one.'," quoted Phoebe. She sounded wistful.

"Yeah," said Monica. "When you know a side's going to fall, you don't give them anything. You take what they have left."

Rachel nodded. "Corollary to 17, 'Betting on the healthy runner and shooting the lame one is the better bet.'"

This is a poor gambling analogy. You get much better odds, and therefore make much more money, if you bet on the lame runner and shoot the healthy one.

Unless failure is a very high probability i.e. that betting on the healthy runner and shooting the lame one is best because even if you fail to shoot the lame one you're likely to win, the best return is still to bet on the lame runner and shoot the healthy one, as measured in return over time.

Actually, the main rule is exactly the same as what you say. "..unless you know you can shoot the healthy one" means that if you can't shoot the healthy one, don't bet on the lame one even when the lame one is supposed to be the better option

Of course, in any case, the corollary should be "Betting on the lame runner and shooting the healthy one is the better bet". I think this is a typo on Rob's part.

We've seen pretty clearly that he doesn't want to DIRECTLY participate, but rather change circumstances in a way that "should" benefit whoever he's backing.

GK has all those archons who can report that Charlie was linked with Vanna for the Kingworld (*ptui!*) spell. Not directly participating is right out the window now, as a useful position.

These are the same archons that could have reported to Ansom that Parson was actually a Twoll in disguise

[Housellama]

The most important new information, to me, from this text update:

"Mistress has an Arkentool, Charlie has an Arkentool, Lord Stanley has an Arkentool, and there's one other."

I am reading this in a particular way, and you can stop me if this is something newsworthy, or if this is just me chasing an epileptic tree.

It is common Erfworld native knowledge that there are four known Arkentools. We got that from the StupidMeal in Book 1. No one has mentioned, or had the ability to recall, the fourth Arkentool, or who has it. What's up with that?

I'm kind of astonished it hasn't come up in-comic too. You'd think Parson would be very interested in the 4th Arkentool, what it is, and who has it. Instead it's just the "Arkentool not appearing in this comic." From what we've seen of attuned Arkentools, they're stupidly powerful. But nobody seems to worry about it.

It's probably the "Arkentool in play well outside the Great Western Conflict" at this point. Or it is known that there are 4 Arkentools, but not what they are specifically, and the 4th hasn't been found/attuned yet.

Or, my personal favorite theor-tree, the lack of concern/obfuscation is part and parcel of it's functions/powers. So everyone knows about it, but because of its very nature, nobody talks about it.

[Beeskee]

Someone threw a big Arkentool party and the fourth one got drunk and acted like a jerk and so now all the other tools shun him.

[Saela]

It's probably the "Arkentool in play well outside the Great Western Conflict" at this point. Or it is known that there are 4 Arkentools, but not what they are specifically, and the 4th hasn't been found/attuned yet.

Or, my personal favorite theor-tree, the lack of concern/obfuscation is part and parcel of it's functions/powers. So everyone knows about it, but because of its very nature, nobody talks about it.

I'm inclined to think that the last one has been found, mostly because book one says that there are four known Arkentools. I rather like the idea that the final Tool's powers make people somehow apathetic towards it, though it seems like it would be hard to reconcile this with Toolism's fanatical obsession with the Tools. Still, reminds me of the end of Buffy season five...

(Spoiler tag half legitimately used to avoid spoiling an old tv series, and half because it's lengthy and arguably offtopic)

Spoiler: show

SPIKE: Uh, Will? Now, uh, don't turn me into a horned toad for asking, but - what if we come across Ben?

WILLOW: I don't think a doctor's what Buffy needs right now.

SPIKE: Well, yeah. Specially not one who also happens to be Glory.

GILES: What do you mean?

SPIKE: You know... Ben is Glory.

WILLOW: You mean Ben's with Glory?

XANDER: "With" in what sense?

ANYA: They're working together?

SPIKE: No no. Ben is Glory. Glory's Ben. They're one and the same.

ANYA: When did all this happen?

SPIKE: Not one hour ago! Right here, before your very eyes! Ben came, turned into Glory, snatched the kid, and - phht! - vanished. Remember? You *do* remember? Is everyone here very stoned? Ben. Glory. He's a doctor. She's the Beast. Two entirely separate entities, sharing one body. It's like a bloody sitcom! Surely, you remember!

XANDER: So you're saying... Ben, and Glory ...

ANYA: Have a... connection.

GILES: Yes, obviously. But what kind?

SPIKE: Oh! I get it. Very crafty. Glory's worked the kind of mojo where anyone who sees her little presto- chango instantly forgets. And yours truly, being somewhat other than human, stands immune.

WILLOW: So, Ben and Glory are... the same person?

XANDER: Glory can turn into Ben, and Ben turns back into Glory.

ANYA: And anyone who sees it instantly forgets.

SPIKE: And a kewpie doll for the lady.

GILES: Excellent. Now. Do we suspect that there may be some kind of connection between Ben and Glory?

SPIKE: (sigh)

Heh, I met Rob at a con once and he actually brought that up (well he said one person early on in book 1 guessed at a huge spoiler, I think he said it involved uncroaking the volcano) and said he was so glad it never caught on as a popular theory. Interesting to think how he reacts whenever we guess something right or when we're hilariously wrong.

Personally, I'm a bit shocked that it never took off. The post was very well reasoned and well spoken, and it made perfect sense. There were a lot of theories floating around at the time, but reading that one post just left me thinking "wow, they really nailed it, that probably really is what's going to happen." I was very surprised that no one seemed to bother replying. I guess everyone was all too busy speculating on the theory (well established fact) that Charlie is actually Parson From The Future, With Amnesia.

[Kreistor]

Heh, I met Rob at a con once and he actually brought that up (well he said one person early on in book 1 guessed at a huge spoiler, I think he said it involved uncroaking the volcano) and said he was so glad it never caught on as a popular theory. Interesting to think how he reacts whenever we guess something right or when we're hilariously wrong.

Personally, I'm a bit shocked that it never took off. The post was very well reasoned and well spoken, and it made perfect sense. There were a lot of theories floating around at the time, but reading that one post just left me thinking "wow, they really nailed it, that probably really is what's going to happen." I was very surprised that no one seemed to bother replying. I guess everyone was all too busy speculating on the theory (well established fact) that Charlie is actually Parson From The Future, With Amnesia.

There's a better story that equates to that. The revived Battlestar Gallactica. They had one Cylon left to identify, but the big secret was that the writers hadn't decided who it was. So, before the last season, they scanned all of the websites, forums, everywhere they found people talking and made a list of everyone that had been named as the suspected last Cylon. They eliminated them all, and chose the only person left that hadn't been suspected. So no one could claim to have figured it out.

As for the volcano uncroaking... Yeah, the possibility had always been seen as a "maybe". There was no serious discussion of it, I think because most of us wanted Parson to win with what he had.

[multilis]

It is possible the 4th known tool is far east, and no one talking knows much about it or even for sure who has it, other than perhaps Charlie. (Just like no one outside GK knew much about Parson except Charlie, knowledge doesn't seem to spread too fast)

[Oberon]

We've seen pretty clearly that he doesn't want to DIRECTLY participate, but rather change circumstances in a way that "should" benefit whoever he's backing.

GK has all those archons who can report that Charlie was linked with Vanna for the Kingworld (*ptui!*) spell. Not directly participating is right out the window now, as a useful position.

And also, as a side note, is the whole thief bit really necessary? It's not like I did it on purpose, I often use this screen-name ever since I played the namesake character in high school. We don't even have the same avatar, so it's not like people will mistake our posts.

Yes, it is necessary. Look at the above. When I quote you, or you quote me, or anyone quotes either one of us, there is no reasonable means to differentiate us. And you didn't play the namesake character in high school, unless Shakespeare used 31337 speak way before it became uncool. Of course, I am forgetting the classic R0m30 & Jul13t... Why don't you select a different name? I suggest Ke$ha.

[MarbitChow]

Yes, it is necessary. Look at the above. When I quote you, or you quote me, or anyone quotes either one of us, there is no reasonable means to differentiate us. And you didn't play the namesake character in high school, unless Shakespeare used 31337 speak way before it became uncool. Of course, I am forgetting the classic R0m30 & Jul13t... Why don't you select a different name? I suggest Ke$ha.

Differentiating him him in your quotes may be necessary. Constantly referring to him as a thief is not, especially since you didn't invent the name. When you quote, if you change it to "0beron (with a Zero)" or ("L33t) 0beron", you'll have the same effect without being derogatory.

[Morni]

Differentiating him him in your quotes may be necessary. Constantly referring to him as a thief is not, especially since you didn't invent the name. When you quote, if you change it to "0beron (with a Zero)" or ("L33t) 0beron", you'll have the same effect without being derogatory.

Oberon #2, should ask for a name change or re-register or something. Since Oberon #1 was there way before.. but of course it's just being nice.

I'm sure you'd be mad if someone created a "MarbitChovv" or "Marbit Chow" or whatever.

But hey that's what happen when someone use already existing name.. the chance are someday someone will probably mimic and the debate will start again.

Personally I find it funny.

[MarbitChow]

I'm sure you'd be mad if someone created a "MarbitChovv" or "Marbit Chow" or whatever.

It seems quite plausible that someone has been using the name 0beron (with a zero) on forums besides Erfworld, and didn't intentionally 'steal' Oberon's name. Unlike MarbitChow, the name 'Oberon' has nothing to do with Erfworld. Google 'Oberon', and you get 12 MILLION hits. Since MarbitChow is clearly a name unique to this forum, unlike Oberon, I'd... we'll, actually I'd be kind of flattered if someone bothered to create an account like it.

But really, do people get upset when two "John Smith"s work in the same office? Do they make one of them change their name? No, they behave like rational individuals and deal with it.

[Sojiko]

It seems quite plausible that someone has been using the name 0beron (with a zero) on forums besides Erfworld, and didn't intentionally 'steal' Oberon's name. Unlike MarbitChow, the name 'Oberon' has nothing to do with Erfworld. Google 'Oberon', and you get 12 MILLION hits.

And there is 42 thousands hits for 0beron.

This is not the first time this name is used.