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[Exalted, ?] Most High

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Having Ambition entrusted to the reincarnations of Pearl is the sort of thing that can be played off as brilliance; a gambit by the most cunning of all the Exalted Host to insure that his prized blade would remain safe, continue to serve Creation, and would be at hand along with a vital ally when he re-emerged. In doing so he outwitted Kejack Chejop and the usurpers of the Bronze Faction, twisting their noses from his (temporary) grave. It's the kind of thing that adds to the legend of Odyssial and comes across as the sort of incredible stroke some unfathomably superintelligent plotter might come up with. That's why I remain strongly in favor of it.

Away in Ivory's hands doesn't have as much narrative interest because it doesn't have the compulsion on it. Ambition could help explain how Ivory's conditioning was broken by Odyssial's re-emergence. Away does nothing of the sort. Also I'd be careful using the term "transcends" in regard to Solar themes given how much 3E has gone to reiterate that, basically, "Solars are the best at everything." It might offer some a way to step outside Solar themes... but only for one purpose, destruction. That rather severely limits the attraction of its flexibility.
 
Its a fucking sword. It job is to destroy.

With Nameless/Away, it be the greatest weapon.

Something that destroys. Titans, gods, anything from the first age and onward REMEMBER the blade. Created BY destroying 10,000 legends. not one created by reference of such a feat.

A Sword that does not excel in the one function it was created to do is a failure for the sword of odyssial.
 
Usernames said:
Its a fucking sword. It job is to destroy.

With Nameless/Away, it be the greatest weapon.

Something that destroys. Titans, gods, anything from the first age and onward REMEMBER the blade. Created BY destroying 10,000 legends. not one created by reference of such a feat.

A Sword that does not excel in the one function it was created to do is a failure for the sword of odyssial.
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Yes and we all remember how WELL killing the primordials went :p
 
[X] Ambition
-[X] Sword is held by Ivory

Cavalier's argument convinced me.

Edit: My vote on the previous thing seems to have vanished?

[X] Night Time
 
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[X] Me Time
[X] Ambition
-[X] Sword is held by Ivory

Yeah, I'll like the sword held by Ivory. If not, then Away, just for that pun. And overwhelming killing potential.
 
On one hand, transcendent perfection in line with the themes of advancement that Odyssial exemplifies... On the other, apocalyptic destruction, power torn from the fresh corpses of ten thousand legends. Betcha we could find one of 'em that makes fire.

Also, puns. The puns are what really sold it to me.

[X] Away

Still not really interested in Ivory holding onto the sword. It just seems messy, an unnecessary variable when Odyssial had already planned so much of his future incarnation's life. It makes sense that he would die with his sword in hand, and consign it to his anima as a last gesture, intended to deny his foes their prize, saving it for future incarnations. Sending it away before then is like accepting failure.
 
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Usernames said:
Its a fucking sword. It job is to destroy.

With Nameless/Away, it be the greatest weapon.

Something that destroys. Titans, gods, anything from the first age and onward REMEMBER the blade. Created BY destroying 10,000 legends. not one created by reference of such a feat.

A Sword that does not excel in the one function it was created to do is a failure for the sword of odyssial.
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Nope. A sword is not just for destruction. It's also a deterrence, a symbol, a safeguard, many, many things.
Ambition is Ody's life principles distilled, the raw stuff that made him from a common mortal into the greatest Exalted that ever walked Creation.
He fights not using a murder effect, he kills by analysis, by optimising his environment to do his bidding.
That's my take on what Odyssial was. Is. And how he became the [Most High]

It's a complete set, not just for murdering.
As we saw, social combat has potential to be even more cruel than just wanton murder.
 
Savonarola said:
Still not really interested in Ivory holding onto the sword. It just seems messy, an unnecessary variable when Odyssial had already planned so much of his future incarnation's life. It makes sense that he would die with his sword in hand, and consign it to his anima as a last gesture, intended to deny his foes their prize, saving it for future incarnations. Sending it away before then is like accepting failure.
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Odyssial is hardly petty. He would deploy his resources where he could make best use of them. He does not actually need a fancy artifact sword to be a superlative killer. If giving it to one of his few trusted friends would be an optimal use of the sword, then it would go to the friend. If it also just happened to provide a backup plan in case that valued friend was killed, that might one-day bring her reincarnation back to him (or his own reincarnation) that's a significant bonus contingency.

And yeah it looks messy and "how the fuck could he have known it would work out like that" is a perfectly reasonable objection; but then the average Xanatos Roulette plays out like that, and it boils down to narrative fiat substituting for the literally superhuman sublimity and complexity of Odyssial's thoughts.
 
[X] Ambition
-[X] Sword is held by Ivory

Cavalier does make rather compelling arguments on this front. Indeed, when you look at it the way that he suggests, it does seem like a bit of a masterstroke doesn't it?
 
I've changed my mind after reading Cavalier's opinion on it.

[X] Ambition
-[X] Sword is held by Ivory
We will get to use this sword at some point right? Because I want to weild an N/A sword as our primary weapon.
 
Robotninja said:
Extremely?
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Yeah, but the incarnae got stuck in the Great Game, Creation is only a-fifth and a-tenth of it was, etc.
Then again, Primordial mindset really is disfunctional vis-a-vis humanity... Though I guess as a Solar we can fix them, if the Infernals can?
Or do they don't in this edition?

Derekc2 said:
We will get to use this sword at some point right? Because I want to weild an N/A sword as our primary weapon.
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Let's hope Zao can bullshit his way to "grant" Uly that artefact, etc.
 
Hm. Given the interest in the sword, you guys are clear that you'd need "Me Time" in order to get access to it right this moment? Right now I think talking with Ivory is still winning slightly. If you manage to clear the hurdle of overwhelming majority that is required to get Ivory the sword, you won't be using it yourself, she will until you can beat her. That is all understood?
 
Ok I'm divided, on one hand I want that super sword as soon as possible, on the other that Cavalier guy gave an amazing argument on why Ivory should have it and so many people are voting for that that, unlike me, spent time in the story of this guy and know the personalities on the characters.

But the super sword... I'm going to have to change my vote guy's

[X] Ambition
-[x]We have it in Anima

Sorry guys but it's an super sword and I want's it.

It's my, precious...:p
 
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Rihaku said:
Hm. Given the interest in the sword, you guys are clear that you'd need "Me Time" in order to get access to it right this moment? Right now I think talking with Ivory is still winning slightly. If you manage to clear the hurdle of overwhelming majority that is required to get Ivory the sword, you won't be using it yourself, she will until you can beat her. That is all understood?
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Ah, she won't be our ally just yet eh?
Damnit, making its wielder obsessed with optimality would lead to this, aye.

Hmm, I am conflicted. Oh well.
 
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