Helen (to Christy, Joanna): Full Disclosure. I'm not trying to lie to you guys and deceptive anymore. This is just to try to explain things.
If you hate me, or us, or all of us, I totally get it. If you want to talk to me, you know I'm always here. I like talking to you guys. If you don't want to, I understand, and, more importantly, I don't blame you, because I probably wouldn't either. But, you're both probably wondering wtf is going on, and you're owed an explanation. Even though Rob might have already sent this to you, here it is again:
Helen wrote:
That Ted was playing the fuck out of both sides, and doing a brilliant job of it, while sitting pretty in the middle and being completely unexposed. No one even realized it.
Even though Brian and I were urging Helios to vote for Shawna at F10, it wasn't until Ted said "Shawna"s name on his own that the tide turned, and he picked the first boot. Ted flocked to Helios to take out Shawna.
Last round, he was claiming to be with Penny and her 4-3-2 or 3-3-3 plan, but wanted Daniel out. Which, I was prone to agree with actually, because I wanted Shawna/Daniel as the first two boots, too, but some convincing was required of the others. Ted didn't like that, so he approached you guys and had that taken care of, and acted like it wasn't his plan (which you admitted, it was).
This round, he played coy with us while approaching you guys with the 3-3-2 plan. Then, when you asked me about it, and I asked Ted, he acted as though it was the first time he'd heard of it---even thought you said it was his plan. But really, he wanted Erin out most, which is why, if you'd notice, it should've been 2 votes Erin (you/Ted) and 2 votes Penny (Christy/Joanna), but Ted voted Erin because he felt like it.
Not to mention he was an IC threat, no one could tell he was walking the line between each side, and getting us alternate picking off members of each tribe until he was left in the middle at the end for a certain F3 spot. That's why, I think, his response to being voted out was the way that it was. He knew what he was doing when he near singlehandedly controlled the first three rounds of this merge, and he was perfectly in the middle for safety.
Because of him being in the middle, we'd have no idea where his allegiances actually were, and anytime he wanted something done, he'd do it himself and do it covertly. And if we approached you guys to take Ted out, you could've (and SHOULD have, in that case) easily seen through us being wishy-washy for three rounds now, taken Ted, and gone to the F4 with all Asteria. And frankly, for all we know, Ted would've made sure of that happening because no one knows (maybe you do, but not me, at least) what his plan was this entire time. Now, am I saying you WOULD have done that (because you've shown your trust time and time again), no, absolutely not. But, frankly, it would've been your best move, and that's why it would be dangerous even putting the available option out there.
There's more I have to say, surely, but you've been waiting for this long enough. And I'm probably going to send this exact same thing to Joanna/Christy because they deserve to know, too.
Joanna (to Helen): oh don't worry i dont trust you i've made that clear but Christy and Rob have something for you. idk what it is but whatever. i appreciate you coming to me and telling me this though.
Christy (to Helen): sooo, you fucked us over again. Shame on me. What's your plan now? Are you going to pagong Asteria?
Christy (to Helen): Thank you for the explanation, and I think I might've done the same thing in your position. I'm not sure. But it makes sense, and as I did it before, I'm not going to bitter or angry about it. At the end of the day, this is just a game. I actually thought that Ted had a deal with the two of you, because you were the only ones to cast eliminationvotes at the first two rounds.
Obviously I don't like the developements , but I have to deal with it. It's time for me make a change in my mentality. What's going to happen tonight?
Helen (to Christy): For the record, even though it probably means nothing to you, I really do appreciate the way that you're handling the situation. It's been a while since I've been in the ORG circuit, but I can say that years ago, there were times that I didn't handle it the way that you are, and since maturing from that time, I not only wish that I had been able to, but also think and hope that if I were to be in the same situation now (or even if I do end up in it tonight or next week), that I'll be able to do the same.
I sent Rob a long message about the game theory of it all just to explain myself and why (at least in my mind), I avoided unnecessary lies and deceptions as much as possible in this move and each of the ones prior. But truly, you'd have probably been a better audience for it, although it's far longer than the messages that you prefer to receive, so, for that, I'll leave it in his inbox exclusively.
At this point, as far as I'm concerned, my loyalty goes to Helios. I've enjoyed playing the game with you guys, and I'm glad that you guys are still around, but now it's time for me to setup camp and finish playing with them, and put an end to the lies and deceit in the "positioning" stage of post-merge. Sure, I could lie to you again to try to regain your trust and misplace your votes and blah blah blah, but frankly, even in my mind, that would be excessive lying.
I'd be dumbfounded if you'd actually trust us again, and not take any gift we'd give you as an opportunity to pick us off, or more appropriately, pick me off like I surely deserve (be it for strategy, appeasing the jury's hatred, or flat out revenge). I'd like to think that the girls will stay loyal to us tonight, as well, since they'd be dumb to team up with a threesome against their two or want to face you guys in finals, but anyone in your position can and should and will pull at any straws they have, and I get that.
I'd expect us to vote as a block against you guys, trying to avoid your idol, while you guys vote against us, and try to avoid ours, which should be in place as a safeguard in case we do hit yours. But I only have control over one of those seven votes, so I surely can't say anything for certain. But that's the most likely situation that we've probably both already thought of, and it's not in my nature to resort to borderline unnecessary lying to try to continue to hide that for practically no reason.
Christy (to Helen): Aw, that's sweet, thanks.
I think if you play these games you have to learn how to not get emotionally attached. In my first game I was, and thanks to that I made some erratic decisions down the road.You can c/p the game theory, because the only reason I don't really like long messages, is that if I have to respond to it
Yes, Helios, who would've thought. Certainly not me.
But who am I to take the higher moral road, I would've stuck with Asteria if I were in the majority, so I'm not one to judge. Obviously, that's not the case though, so I'm not sure what will happen.But I appreciate the blunt honesty. At least I don't have to deal with analyzing every line of yours to see if you're lying through your teeth or not.
Helen (to Christy): Oh trust me, let's not get started on talking about playing ORGs at an age of less maturity. So much embarrassment. My worst is being betrayed by my closest ORG friend (who I still frequently talk to, and occasionally see) at F3 of one of the most disorganized games ever, just for him to get 2nd. Emotional investment only leads to bad things. Even as a reality TV fan, I've learned to watch for entertainment and not favoritism, because it's just too hard.
Christy wrote:
But who am I to take the higher moral road, I would've stuck with Asteria if I were in the majority, so I'm not one to judge.
I'm glad you're honest about it, because surely you're aware that I have to endure Rob's guilt-train about how he'd never have NOT brought Brian/me to F4 with you given the chance (which I'm not saying he's lying, he's insisted tens of times to the contrary and I'm not to disagree, but if you have a better move to make, I can't fault you for making it). It's just that his argument doesn't really stand since his "displays of loyalty" included voting out Penny, Daniel, and then Penny again. Why would any of that NOT be in his best interests? 
And for the record, I don't have a problem with him seeing ANY of part or all of these messages, it's just happening that I think of things while messaging you versus him.
Don't feel the need to respond to anything in quotes, but hopefully you can have fun with it. I thought that I had more, actually, but most of the rest of it was just "I get it if you hate me" stuff.
Helen wrote:
The game that we and I have played here is making sure that my fate is in my own hands. Not leaving Ted to team up with XYZ and take us out. Not leaving Daniel to team up with ZYX and take us out. Not leaving Asteria to... you get it. It's not that I deliberately go out of my way to shit on you, because, I'll tell you after this game that I actually genuinely like you and like talking to you (even though you'll surely neither trust me nor want to have anything to do with me). And that if I was on the same original tribe as you, instead of Brian being there, or probably even if you and he were together and I was alone, that things would probably be completely different right now.
I've said it so much that you're probably sick of hearing it and don't even want to hear it anymore: yes, you've given me every indication to trust you. You haven't wavered. But it is in my very nature to expect everyone to make the best move for themselves in this game. I don't lie to for no reason and to be a jack ass, at least I don't intend to, but I do it to be cautious, since even when my brain and heart and reason tell me otherwise, when there's a possible motivation for someone to take the upper hand and cut me, I don't want to let them have it, even if in my heart I'd not expect them to take it. If it wasn't you sitting over there and someone else in your place, they could very well have taken situations that I could hand to you (that you would use to prove your trust and go to the end with our F4) that the other person would use to slit my throat, and that's why I do it. But you're saying you wouldn't do that, and I believe that, and that makes me more of an asshole, but it's the approach I know how to take.
More detail can surely come with questioning or post-game. Our conversation continued to debate the validity of the reasons for eliminating Shawna, explaining why I find playing with game theory to be fun even though he doesn't regard it as a valid strategy, and the spectrum of varying levels of "necessary-ness of lies" and where mine fall. Can be c/p-ed if you want any of that.
tl;didntproofread
Helen (to Christy): Oh, and for the record, Penny doesn't listen to or believe anything that I say. In fact, if I tell her that I disagree with her plan, she's more inclined to demand that we go for it. Even if I were to copy/paste to her a quote saying that you were lying about everything and were actually going to physically stab her tonight, listing her home address and linking to a live GPS tracker en route to it, she'd think that I was fabricating it all.
But just for my own sanity (especially after she believed your logically-impossible lies to her last round that you and Joanna were voting Rob), you are lying to her right now, right?
A "Yes"/"No" will suffice if you want limit content to preserve deniability.Christy (to Helen): No, I'm voting for Rob tonight. Gotta do what I gotta do, and I won't fair with him. He dragged me into the alliance with you, he constantly bullies me, and he's a threat. I wanted her to tell you instead of me. Idk what she told to you, but my reason were logical, jsyk.
Helen (to Christy): ahahaha okay sure
Christy (to Helen): I'll talk with you about this after this challenge, because I get the impression that she lied to you.
Helen (to Christy): Okay, care to elaborate?
Christy (to Helen): gj on immunity!
What did she say to you? I can only correct her, if I know what to correct.
Helen (to Christy): Thanks! Why don't you just tell me though? She said who you're voting for, who is that?
Christy (to Helen): I'm voting for Rob.
Rob (to Helen):
Helen (to Rob): Haha, you don't really want to know. That's a much better response than I expected though, but the anger is probably soon to follow now... yes?
Rob (to Helen): Yes I fucking do want to know, are you fucking joking?
Helen (to Rob): That Ted was playing the fuck out of both sides, and doing a brilliant job of it, while sitting pretty in the middle and being completely unexposed. No one even realized it.
Even though Brian and I were urging Helios to vote for Shawna at F10, it wasn't until Ted said "Shawna"s name on his own that the tide turned, and he picked the first boot. Ted flocked to Helios to take out Shawna.
Last round, he was claiming to be with Penny and her 4-3-2 or 3-3-3 plan, but wanted Daniel out. Which, I was prone to agree with actually, because I wanted Shawna/Daniel as the first two boots, too, but some convincing was required of the others. Ted didn't like that, so he approached you guys and had that taken care of, and acted like it wasn't his plan (which you admitted, it was).
This round, he played coy with us while approaching you guys with the 3-3-2 plan. Then, when you asked me about it, and I asked Ted, he acted as though it was the first time he'd heard of it---even thought you said it was his plan. But really, he wanted Erin out most, which is why, if you'd notice, it should've been 2 votes Erin (you/Ted) and 2 votes Penny (Christy/Joanna), but Ted voted Erin because he felt like it.
Not to mention he was an IC threat, no one could tell he was walking the line between each side, and getting us alternate picking off members of each tribe until he was left in the middle at the end for a certain F3 spot. That's why, I think, his response to being voted out was the way that it was. He knew what he was doing when he near singlehandedly controlled the first three rounds of this merge, and he was perfectly in the middle for safety.
Because of him being in the middle, we'd have no idea where his allegiances actually were, and anytime he wanted something done, he'd do it himself and do it covertly. And if we approached you guys to take Ted out, you could've (and SHOULD have, in that case) easily seen through us being wishy-washy for three rounds now, taken Ted, and gone to the F4 with all Asteria. And frankly, for all we know, Ted would've made sure of that happening because no one knows (maybe you do, but not me, at least) what his plan was this entire time. Now, am I saying you WOULD have done that (because you've shown your trust time and time again), no, absolutely not. But, frankly, it would've been your best move, and that's why it would be dangerous even putting the available option out there.
There's more I have to say, surely, but you've been waiting for this long enough. And I'm probably going to send this exact same thing to Joanna/Christy because they deserve to know, too.
Rob (to Helen): I wanted to vote out Ted too. I didn't trust him. I knew he thought he had control because I was letting him think that. If you'd have told me you wanted to boot him tonight, I would have gladly gone along with it. But for some reason, despite everything I have done for you and despite how honest I have been with you this entire game, you still decided that you didn't trust me enough and that the better alternative to telling me was fucking me over and making me look like an idiot.
Helen (to Rob): And, just like last time, I feel like a douche, as I deserve to, because I fucking am one for lying to you about voting again and again.
I had no way of knowing that you wanted Ted out, the same way you probably had no idea that I did.
The game that we and I have played here is making sure that my fate is in my own hands. Not leaving Ted to team up with XYZ and take us out. Not leaving Daniel to team up with ZYX and take us out. Not leaving Asteria to... you get it. It's not that I deliberately go out of my way to shit on you, because, I'll tell you after this game that I actually genuinely like you and like talking to you (even though you'll surely neither trust me nor want to have anything to do with me). And that if I was on the same original tribe as you, instead of Brian being there, or probably even if you and he were together and I was alone, that things would probably be completely different right now.
I've said it so much that you're probably sick of hearing it and don't even want to hear it anymore: yes, you've given me every indication to trust you. You haven't wavered. But it is in my very nature to expect everyone to make the best move for themselves in this game. I don't lie to for no reason and to be a jack ass, at least I don't intend to, but I do it to be cautious, since even when my brain and heart and reason tell me otherwise, when there's a possible motivation for someone to take the upper hand and cut me, I don't want to let them have it, even if in my heart I'd not expect them to take it. If it wasn't you sitting over there and someone else in your place, they could very well have taken situations that I could hand to you (that you would use to prove your trust and go to the end with our F4) that the other person would use to slit my throat, and that's why I do it. But you're saying you wouldn't do that, and I believe that, and that makes me more of an asshole, but it's the approach I know how to take.
I don't expect you to like any of this, or me. And I don't expect you to necessarily accept it, either. And if you hold it against me during, at the end of, or after the game, I totally get that, too. But maybe this gives you more insight into why I do what I do, and you don't think I'm just trying to be belligerent for no reason. It's just game theory. And if that makes you think that I suck, and you never are going to speak or trust me again, then I deserve it. I accept that the game I'm playing will probably get me cut far before finals, and even if I don't, will doubtful lead to enough good will to win, but it's the game that I play anyways because it's the best way I can approach the game. Not giving people to the opportunity to cut you when they have the chance to, even if you don't think they'd take it. Is it fair, to do that to you, when you've proven to be nothing but honest? No. It's not. And I'm sorry for that.
Rob (to Helen): Sure, you had no way of knowing, but you certainly had way to find out. For example, asking "Would you consider booting Ted?" Rather than bold faced lies. Questions tend to work better at information discovery than bold faced lies do.
And I don't know how many times I have to tell you that your fate was NOT going to be put in the hands of others. You claim to trust me and you even admit that you had no reason not to. The split vote would have guaranteed that Penny or Erin left, which put us in the F7 and that gave you a 100% chance of making it to the F3. I guess 100% aren't good enough odds for you
Helen wrote:
If it wasn't you sitting over there and someone else in your place, they could very well have taken situations that I could hand to you (that you would use to prove your trust and go to the end with our F4) that the other person would use to slit my throat, and that's why I do it.
You just answered your own question. "If it wasn't you sitting over there and someone else in your place." Totally irrelevant. It's not someone else. It's me. Someone else very well may have taken that as an opportunity to screw you over. I'm not denying that. I wouldn't have, and you know that I wouldn't have, but despite knowing that I'd never screw you over, you decide it would be not only a GOOD idea, but the BEST idea, to screw over twice and to screw my two allies over twice. You've now screwed over every single person who has made or who will make the jury. No matter who else is in the F3 with you, be it Erin or Penny, they won't have done that and they will win. I would honestly vote for Penny over you at this point because Penny got to where she was without having to needlessly and almost viciously lie to people and come up with elaborate complex plans that you don't intend to keep anyway.
And your whole paragraph about game theory is, quite frankly, boloney. We aren't playing Candy Land. Simple game theory doesn't really apply. This is a game about relationships that are necessary to no only succeed, but to win. If I get voted out next, I can take comfort in the fact that I have made two great friends in Christy and Joanna. If Penny goes next, she'll take comfort in the fact that she had made a great friend in Erin. Regardless of the outcome, Penny and I will both take comfort in the fact that we had a great rivalry that was not only intense and slightly spiteful, but also really fun. What are you going to take comfort in when this game is over? Is winning a game (that has no prize money, mind you) but having everyone in the game hate your guts for it going to be worth it? It may be for you. It's not for me.
The one overriding thing that makes you so hard to believe is that you have told me on countless occasions that you have such a loathsome hatred of Penny and can't think of anything you would rather see than her smug ass get booted, and yet on the two instances that we had a pretty much 100% chance of booting her, you instead chose to boot Shawna, who is about as useful as the toilet paper I just used to wipe my ass, and Ted, who only had fake power and who was going to be the next boot anyway. In doing both of those things, you also totally alienated three future jurors who aren't going to want to have anything to do with you, and you have successfully handed the win to Erin or Penny. So your goal was to come into this game and pave a road for someone else to ride to victory, then congratulations, you were successful.
The only reason I am even bothering mentioning all of this is because it is not too late to make it right.
Helen (to Rob): Rob wrote:
For example, asking "Would you consider booting Ted?" Rather than bold faced lies. Questions tend to work better at information discovery than bold faced lies do.
We just stand on different sides of the fence. You stand to think that we had nothing to lose by sharing with you that we were going to target someone who could've easily joined your side if he knew we wanted him out. I think differently. The same extends to the previous rounds. But after everything that we've been through so far, if I were to lie again to you today, to try to convince you not to play your idol or to play it on the wrong person? That's something that I'd call over-the-top and bold faced, and that's why I'm not doing it, but that line is different for each person. That's why you call them bold faced lies and unnecessary lies, and that's surely your opinion, but I think differently, that's all.
Even though you'd probably think differently, I'm happy with the game I've played. Drawing out all of the different contingencies and complexities and plans and alliances and extremities and taking that game theory approach to it (even if you don't consider it a valid strategy), I found my experience and continue to find it fun---whether I get voted out tonight, or win, or lose to a jury that eats me alive, I'm satisfied. You find fun in some elements of this experience, and I do the same. It's not like it's a zero-sum game where you leaving with positive memories means that I can't, or that our criteria for a positive memory needs to be the same.
And I've thoroughly enjoyed talking to you guys throughout. I haven't enjoyed lying to you or deceiving you, but talking to you, yes, even if you choose to never speak to me after this game, that's fine. I've played heaps of ORGs, some of which have lead to making tremendously close real-life friends that I still talk to regularly over five years later. Some of which I've screwed over, and some of which screwed me, but if it's meant to be, it works out in the end. The others, though, do tend to fall off the face of the earth post-game, but that's more attributed to the natural progression of things than anything else. So whatever the personal outcome this week and next, I'll live.
You've called into question the plan of eliminating Shawna, and the answer's pretty simple. At the last TC, you said that you thought Shawna and Daniel were the two that made the merge who didn't deserve to make F8. You want to keep around the people that are fun to play with, not people that don't talk, or don't talk to you. Now look at the six Asterias that made the merge. The three that you'd have wanted to be the last ones standing still are. And that's because for 6 people, and then 6 people, and then 4 people, it was in their best interests to take out the other three. The same way that it was in your best interests to target Penny, Daniel, and Penny/Erin---frankly, whether the deal with me stood or not.
I understand that you don't have many moves that you can make from the position that you're in, and one of those moves is appealing to my sense of guilt and emotion in the way that you have (which, mind you, I'm not at all disputing coincides with how you feel; in fact, I think it all to be genuine). But it's still the very principle of my game to look out for my best interests by assuming that everyone else is acting on their own best interests---even if my heart and my trust in people tells me otherwise---and that's why we fundamentally disagree on things. I would be dumbfounded if you'd actually trust us again, and, much less, not use that kind of a gift as an opportunity to dish us a very deserved helping of revenge. Accordingly, I'd be surprised if the girls joined up with you, simply because it'd be dumb for them to walk into a three-on-two against a group that could likely beat them in finals, but crazier things have happened.
But if you go on to win, or take me out, or take out all of Helios (be it tonight or next week or at the bitter end), I'll still be cheering, and say "good game." But you haven't put me in the same position that I've put you, so I understand if it's not mutual.
Rob (to Helen): So basically, what you're saying is "tough luck pal, you're on your own and I'm not working with you ever again."
Helen (to Rob): No, I'm not saying that. But for someone who's chastised me for lying to you so much, given that I'm not planning to vote with you for this round, at least, to show my loyalty to the girls, I'd be surprised if you'd not want me to actually be truthful with you about that instead of leading you on.
Every round is different, you've seen that; we'll see where things go, and anything can happen now or in the future. But it's not in my best interests right now to turn on Erin and Penny or give them any reason to think me disloyal, given the track record. Much less, to bold face lie to you about it would result in nothing more than trying to mislead your actions with the idol to minimize any chance you have, and that's something I'm not going to do, and I'm telling it to you frankly, like you've asked of me so many times.
Rob (to Helen): Why do you have to prove your loyalty to them? You don't fucking owe them shit. Don't let them wrap you around their finger like they think they already have.
Rob (to Helen): And if you're going to be truthful like you claim, then you can tell me who are you voting for tonight?
Helen (to Rob):
Being truthful means that I owe it to you not to lie to you, not that I have to tell you everything. But I understand you had to try.Rob (to Helen): No response to be wrapped around Penny's finger, I see.
You should hear the things she has been saying about you since the merge.
Helen (to Rob): That I'm whipped? haha feel free to share, sharing is caring
Rob (to Helen): I'm not gonna lie to you but I don't have to tell you everything....
Helen (to Rob):
I'll take it! At least we still have humor.Rob (to Helen): I'm not even trying to be funny though. And when she turns on you, don't try to say that I didn't warn you
Helen (to Rob): Oh, I know. She's tried to make enough bad moves that I should know to expect it without your warning. I'd suppose that you're ultimatum would be that we vote together to take her out... again, huh?
Rob (to Helen): I'm not gonna make an ultimatium. I wouldn't trust you to come through. But I'll just say that if you'd like to survive past the next TC, I'd suggest that myself, Christy and Joanna all survive tonight's.
Helen (to Rob): Rob wrote:
I wouldn't trust you to come through.
I'm glad we're being honest.How would you suggest I do that, then? I only have one vote. Even with Brian, that makes two. With your votes (rightfully so) kept a secret, there's no way to eliminate someone with two votes out of seven.
Rob (to Helen): What I do or what I want is irrelevant. What's important is what you want. Do you want to still be in the game on Monday? If not, then vote out me, Christy or Joanna tonight.
Our votes shouldn't be too hard to figure out anyway.
Helen (to Rob): Oh no, I totally get what you're saying. Three votes on me, check. If we hit your idol, I'm gone, check. That means that the other four votes have to be a majority on someone besides you, Christy, and Joanna for me not to be voted out. But, those four votes are all Helios. And the only people on the tribe besides you, Christy, and Joanna are Helios. There's no way to put all four Helios votes on one of the four people in Helios. Given the rules of the game (not being able to vote for yourself), that's impossible. Meaning, you're actually essentially telling me that my only chance of not getting voted out tonight is by not hitting the idol, so shouldn't that encourage me to vote for one of you? I must be missing something here, right?
Rob (to Helen): That's not what I mean. You're safe tonight. Can't say the same for the next TC.
Helen (to Rob): Because you're saying that it would behove Erin/Penny (or whichever one is still standing if one of them ends up falling tonight to your idol), to jump ship with the remaining Asteria for a 4-2 or 5-1 next round, yes?
Rob (to Helen): You claim to always want to prevent people from being able to do something to take you out. I think you're smart enough to figure it out.
Helen (to Rob): I mean, the plus is, if I mislead you (for no reason) and lie to you about how I'm planning to vote again tonight, I'll get to see another wittily titled messaged of yours if you're still around after TC
Rob (to Helen): Too bad you won't see one on Monday :(
Helen (to Rob): AWWWW don't make me upset. I care more about the witty titles than staying in the game. Can you post them for me in TC, anyways. I promise that I'll always quote/smiley them.
Rob (to Helen): I don't know why you're so willing to sit back and accept 6th place.
Helen (to Rob): I ALWAYS get sixth place! It's actually as good as winning for me, since I'm continuing the streak. It's most disappointing when I play Dog Eat Dog or Fear Factor, if you know what I mean
But seriously, we can chat after le challenge. You can say whatever you say, and I'll not let it fall on deaf ears.
Erin (to Brian, Helen, Penny): WE DID IT YET AGAIN! I don't know when Carl's gonna put back the HII in its forum (since it's empty and all). But, we've seized the moment and taken back control!
Brian (to Erin, Helen, Penny): SUCCESS. Now one of those 3 has to go next round, or we'll be in a bad situation.
The second we see a post in there, let's get idol hunting with our Greek terms.
Helen (to Brian, Erin, Penny): Ted said before he left that the idol expires at F6, so if he was being honest (hopefully), it has two rounds to be left in play. If it doesn't get put back, we can safely assume that Rob has the idol, since he's the only one that took clues all along.
Helen (to Brian, Erin, Penny): Here's our list, in case it goes up later tonight. Ted also confirmed (hopefully) the idol password is lowercase. If the idol goes up after tonight, Penny (who should be back from her break today) can just take the lower part of each of the lists while we work from the top-down, unless someone wants to re-do the word assignments.
GOOD JOB TEAM! WOOHOO! Road to the final four!
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Erin (to Brian, Helen, Penny): Christy wants to separate Brian/Helen. I'm pretending to be interested to see what her plan is.
Brian (to Erin, Helen, Penny): Thanks, keep us informed! Rob's sending a bunch of questions about what happened last vote out to me right now. We should definitely keep Ted's idol a secret still so they still think that Erin has one and we can use that in our favor to surprise them hopefully.
Helen (to Brian, Erin, Penny): Agreed with Brian about the idol.
And thanks for letting us know, Erin! You're wonderful
I'll keep you guys up to date on what Rob is saying to me. Right now it's just trying to figure out what happened.
Chances are, he'll probably try to "serve us right" and even lie about us approaching him with more deals this round, to all four of us about the others. But any deals between us and them wouldn't even make sense, and here's why:
If any of the four of us go this round, they'll definitely force a 3v3 tie at F6, which is a problem (and Rob might have his idol then TOO, which makes it worse). Not to mention, any of them making finals is a guaranteed win. So keeping communication flawless between us for the next 24 hours to make it to F6 is crucial to our path to the F4.
Sorry if they sounded like marching orders, meant more to be inspirational!? WE ROCK! Can't wait til you check back later, Penny.
HELIOS <3
Erin (to Brian, Helen, Penny): Definitely. I was going to write the idol in my farewell to Ted bu then, realized that would be the worst game move ever. If they still think I have it, I'm not going to stop them.
Erin (to Brian, Helen, Penny): Christy "doesn't mind" going with the F3 with myself and Penny. And frankly, I'll believe her because then she'll win. And that's not happening. I told her we vote out an Asterian first and then, we split you up. Boy, she thinks I'm dumb.
Brian (to Erin, Helen, Penny): Thanks for the updates!
Rob's trying to play the angry/emotionally hurt angle to get back me and Helen, it appears.
Rob wrote:
But the thing is, I wanted to get rid of Ted too. I didn't trust him at all. I wanted to get rid of him next. If you had told me about it, I'd have voted him out this time, but for some reason you didn't trust me enough to tell me.
Helen (to Brian, Erin, Penny): I'm getting the same thing. But somewhat worse lol
Rob wrote:
I wanted to vote out Ted too. I didn't trust him. I knew he thought he had control because I was letting him think that. If you'd have told me you wanted to boot him tonight, I would have gladly gone along with it. But for some reason, despite everything I have done for you and despite how honest I have been with you this entire game, you still decided that you didn't trust me enough and that the better alternative to telling me was fucking me over and making me look like an idiot.
Erin (to Brian, Helen, Penny): I hate how transparently fake he is. He thinks he's a smooth talker. What a douche. I lied at TC. The last person I would vote for to win this game is Rob. What a douche.
Erin (to Brian, Helen, Penny): I'm talking to Joanna and she confirmed that Rob has the idol. She also said that she asked for it tonight but he was confident she didn't need it. I don't know if it's reliable or not but at least, we know something now though I'm not sure what.
Brian (to Erin, Helen, Penny): Alright. I think we all figured that Rob had the idol, but hearing it from someone on Asteria is nice. Perhaps we can use what she says about whether or not he's going to play it or give it away at tribal council to make sure we're choosing the right target. But we have to figure out if she's telling the truth or using it throw off our target.
I'm tired out, so have a good night, Helios!
Penny (to Brian, Erin, Helen): So I just logged on and I have 22 unread messages. Pretty much all from you guys.
SO GLAD IT ALL WORKED OUT TODAY!!! <333
Somebody want to sum up what I am too lazy to read? Lol.
Penny (to Brian, Erin, Helen): I read it and its mostly Rob bashing.
Here's just my two cents.
If we vote Christy out tomorrow (the bigger Immunity thread out of her and Joanna) then at the following vote we just have to split the votes between Rob and Joanna. Fair enough we dont know what the tie breaker system is, but this is our best bet IMO to negate the Idol.
Erin (to Brian, Helen, Penny): So what are we doing tonight guys in order to combat Rob's idol? I'm pretty sure he's going to play it today so...
Brian (to Erin, Helen, Penny): Pretty much we need to make sure that 1 of those 3 doesn't win immunity. Because that would mean we'd have a 1/2 chance of guessing the wrong person to target rather than a 1/3 chance if the idol's played.
Any idea if Rob will play the idol on himself, Christy, or Joanna? We just have to guess the right target to give our 4 votes to.
Helen (to Brian, Erin, Penny): Yeah, I'm down with Penny's plan from before. Is there anything that Joanna said to give you insight as to who they might play it on? Or have you guys made any "deals" with them to mislead them and establish particular targets (on their side) that we should avoid voting for?
Helen (to Brian, Erin, Penny): And for any of you playing our home game, Rob has still been sending sporadic messages throughout the day to reinforce his attempt at a "guilt plan," all culminating in this doozy.
Rob wrote:
Why do you have to prove your loyalty to them? You don't fucking owe them shit. Don't let them wrap you around their finger like they think they already have. And if you're going to be truthful like you claim, then you can tell me who are you voting for tonight?
Any takers?
Erin (to Brian, Helen, Penny): I can't believe our "Helios is sooo divided" plan is still working
Are we masters of mindfuckery or do they just suck that much?Brian (to Erin, Helen, Penny): Rob wrote:
You have no reason not to trust me, you realize that right? I have never lied to you and I have never betrayed you.
Omg, he's trying so hard.
Erin (to Brian, Helen, Penny): If that's the case, ask him if he has the idol or not and if he will play it tonight or not.
Helen (to Brian, Erin, Penny): Something just occurred to me. What if the reason the idol hasn't resurfaced is because no clues have become available yet?
Pre-merge clues came by giving your tribe a disadvantage in the tribal IC. What if post-merge clues come by sitting out of the individual IC? And then, the idol might become available afterwards, not giving us enough time to work through that list of words that we've had sitting around before TC. I just know that they'd do that to us
Any thoughts if there's a way we could plan for that?
Erin (to Brian, Helen, Penny): It's possible but then it wouldn't be anonymous like it was during the pre-merge. Unless you get a disadvantage in the IC itself but it's not revealed who has the disdvantage? Idk
Penny (to Brian, Erin, Helen): Hey guys. Ive only just got online, here's what I have to share with all of you.
Christy came to me yesterday and said she was desperate to stay in the game and that she'd be willing to go along with a split vote plan to vote out Rob because of his Idol.
Im thinking; if Brian, Helen and Erin stack their votes on Christy then I will vote Rob. Im pretty sure Rob will vote me and if Christy and Joanna vote with us, it'll be a tie between them.
I am pretty sure they are going to vote with us. Christy is still buying the split Helios idea. So ive told her that Erin and I have no person to take with us to the Final 3 and if she helped us boot Rob, that I would consider it a repayment type thing to take her to the end.
So here's what I think under the best circumstances;
Brian-Erin-Helen: Vote Christy
Penny-Christy-Joanna: Vote Rob
Rob: Vote whoever.
If Rob plays the Idol, Christy goes home, regardless of whether Christy or Joanna vote with him or not. If we go to a Rob-Christy tie, I'll just tell her that Helen and Brian betrayed us again and must have blackmailed Erin into it somehow. Easy peesy.
Erin (to Brian, Helen, Penny): This will also ensure that if Christy and Joanna vote with Rob, in case of a revote, we get rid of Christy. The only problem is if Rob decides to give Christy his idol.
Penny (to Brian, Erin, Helen): Ill be telling Christy that the Helios members will be voting Joanna. Im pretty sure she'll believe me.
Helen (to Brian, Erin, Penny): Rob playing his idol on whoever our votes go to will be an issue regardless, unless Christy/Joanna are honest that they're voting for Rob (which, mind you, they have BOTH said before, and not followed through with).
The thing that we'd need to worry about then is that the three of them DO vote together, and the tiebreaker is automatically picking rocks (for which, if they have immunity and play the idol on the wrong person, we'd have a 4/5 chance of losing). The only reason I bring it up is that the old tiebreaker did NOT include a re-vote, and they've deliberately not told us what the new tiebreaker is meaning they have the freedom to make it whatever they please tonight, likely picking something to keep the game more interesting, and we need to plan for that. That leaves us with the chance of having one of our own eliminated tonight AND Rob still having the idol next round. Christy and Joanna could both be lying with this exact scenario in mind.
I'm up for what the group decides.
Penny (to Brian, Erin, Helen): We need to ensure Rob plays his Idol though thats all and the longer we wait the further in the game he gets and theres a bigger chance of him winning Immunity at a really shitty moment for us.
He needs to go now.
Brian (to Erin, Helen, Penny): Yeah, I'm up for this. I think it's the best plan that we have. There are risks, but there are risks either way like the idol being played on the target.
I guess the biggest problem is we don't necessarily know what the tiebreaker procedure is or if we're even going to re-vote. But hopefully it won't come down to that anyway.
Helen (to Brian, Erin, Penny): Yeah, I'm for it if everyone else is.
I'm just making sure that everyone knows, expects, and agrees to what we're potentially getting into, and that is: the staff can (and probably will, because it is their right to) decide on whatever tiebreaker they please for this evening to keep the game the most interesting. Having a re-vote, or any kind of breaker that would automatically fall in favor of Helios the majority, will not happen. That may even include the IC winner still deciding the tie, which if it's an Asteria, would leave Rob in the game with his idol for next round anyways.
I am on board for whatever the tribe is; it's your guys decision and I will follow it, no question. But I just want to make sure that everyone understands the risks going into it, because it has the potential to affect all of us, or one of us specifically, tonight.
Helen (to Brian, Erin, Penny): Oh, and just a reminder that idol expires next round (courtesy of Ted).
Penny (to Brian, Erin, Helen): We're going to have to count on beating Rob at the Final 5 IC then. Since if we play it safe tonight and eliminate Christy and then vote for Joanna the round after since Rob will be playing his Idol, then thats the only time we can get rid of him.
Im wondering if he actually has it at all, and whether or not just lumping all our votes on Rob would be in effect the best thing to do.
Brian (to Erin, Helen, Penny): I'm pretty sure that Rob does have the idol. If Ted could find it with 2 clues, then someone on Asteria probably found it pretty easily as well. Like with Ted, it was also a good fail-safe if things went wrong after he mutinied.
Helen (to Brian, Erin, Penny): Yeah, I'd say that Rob has it because no idol has resurfaced, and he took clues the first three rounds of the game (before deliberately having his alliance take a clue in round four to throw the challenge).
Again, I'm all for whatever plan we're going with, be it the 3-3-1 or the 4-3, but my only other point to bring attention to is this:
If Christy is telling the truth about being willing to force a tie, why would she force a tie between two of her best allies (Rob/Joanna, who will get the votes in her mind) when she can just as easily force a tie between Joanna/[member of Helios] with the votes of herself, Joanna, and Rob. If she's willing to force a tie, and deal with the tiebreaker routine, why would should willingly have that tie be between two Asterias when she's able to make it between an Asteria and a Helios?
Also, if anyone's been looking at "Who is online" these past few minutes, it appears that Rob/Christy have been messaging back and forth.
I'm up for anything, as long as we do it together, and we all know what to expect.
Penny (to Brian, Erin, Helen): Ok so ive told Christy that we are down for her split vote plan. I just thought of another scenario:
If Christy and Joanna do try to screw us, they'll go to Rob and tell him about the split vote plan. Now they know that im voting Rob and the rest of us are voting 'Joanna' so they would play the Idol on Joanna thinking they could negate the Helios votes and vote one of us out with 3 votes.
So if you three vote Christy. That plan goes to shit, as Joanna wont get any votes, Rob loses the Idol and whatever tiebreaker scenario eventuates we'll have to sort out, but at the very least, Rob's Idol is wasted.
808 Re: This is going to be weird Christy Rob 88.132.142.241 20.01.2012, 02:26
lulz
Funny thing, Penny actually wants to boot Helen next round.
Here's the thing: You are too trusting of them. It may work out this round, but it never worked out before. When they said they'd vote with us, they didn't. When they said they won't vote with us, they did. I don't think her words mean a lot to be honest.
Penny (to Brian, Erin, Helen): I told Joanna we would be splitting the votes and if she didnt vote with us, she'd be going home.
I also told her if she told Rob about the split vote that he would play the Idol on himself and she'd go home.
It really is in her best interests to vote with us.
Christy is confident it'll be a re-vote if its a tie. At which point we just pile our votes onto Rob.
I know its risky trusting them, but Christy is confident that Erin and I will pick her over you two. So I think she is being genuine.
Brian (to Erin, Helen, Penny): At this point with a little over 10 minutes until the challenge, I think that's our best bet. Brian/Erin/Helen voting for Christy, Penny voting for Rob, and then hoping Christy/Joanna come through, and if not, at least forcing a tie with Christy as one of the votes and hopefully sending her out in a re-vote.
Penny (to Brian, Erin, Helen): The tie rules wont be something ridiculous. We've earned our majority and the hosts shouldnt be able to influence the game to such an extent where they would favor the other side. If they did, then this game would lose its feeling for me anyway and I wouldnt want to be staying in a game where the hosts influence the game in one person's favor over another. But anyway...
Surely the tie should be a re-vote as thats the fairest solution. On the re-vote we all pack our votes on Rob.
This should ensure that 1 of 2 Immunity threats are eliminated. Christy or Rob.
Plus Rob's Idol will either be flushed, or he will go home with it.
Erin (to Brian, Helen, Penny): Congrats Helen! It's also the third time someone's taken Immunity from me. sigh
Let's hope the tiebreaker is a revote or Helen gets to choose who goes home. Let's do this! HELIOS!
Penny (to Brian, Erin, Helen): Joanna and Christy are both voting Rob since its the only way to save themselves. I reckon this will work.
Erin-Helen-Brian: Vote Christy
Penny-Joanna-Christy: Vote Rob.
If there is a re-vote, we all switch to Rob first and foremost. Or Christy if Christy and Joanna flip on us.
In the event of a tiebreaker challenge, it will probably be a Fire image hidden somewhere in the forum and the two players have to find the image of Fire. First person will obviously win.
Good luck everybody! <3
Brian (to Erin, Helen, Penny): Alright, I'm voting Christy. And Rob is the first priority to go on a potential re-vote, followed by Christy if Rob's not eligible to be voted for.
Let's hope this works and one of us doesn't get idoled out, or taken out in a tiebreaker.
Helen (to Brian, Erin, Penny): Sounds good! Vote Christy, and Rob on re-vote.
Christy's been PMing me saying that Penny is lying about what Christy is saying to Penny? But she's probably just trying to break us apart. And hope that she votes for Rob?
Have you said anything specific to him yet?
Have you been in communication with her since?
I really hope he doesn't get lucky with the idol here and send one of us home.
