Long Game 48: The Terris Synod

[+Ark1002]

I advertised tot he alleyverse.

[I think I am here.]

On 7 August 2018 at 9:47 AM, Steeldancer said:

 

On 7 August 2018 at 8:46 AM, Alvron said:

I wasn't going to play but one of my unplayed characters has been rather vocal about her debut.  Please give a big welcome to Izzy Dedyet.

Well, I'm Steel alive

 

And I think I am here to live? No? No one? 

[Araris Valerian]

My apologies, I'm on vacation and didn't have time to make a signup post. Valywn is signing up, and I'll probably not have time to develop him much for a week or so.

[Alvron]

On 8/7/2018 at 1:47 PM, Steeldancer said:

Well, I'm Steel alive

14 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

And I think I am here to live? No? No one? 

You cannot see it but Izzy is scowling at both of you!  She doesn't have a sense of humour.  Like at all.  Izzy feels that with people trying to kill us, we would be better off looking for them and not making jokes.

I have no idea how I'm going to pull off a serious character but Izzy demands it.  Wish me luck.

[CadCom]

Just a little PSA, I'll probably be inactive D1. Oops! Please have conversation without me!

[Mafia]

I won’t have much time to participate, but add me to the spec doc?

[Coop772]

I'd like to join. Idk about the rp yet, but had to get in before signups closed

[Fifth Scholar]

I’ll leave about thirty minutes for anyone else that wants to join last-minute, but then I’ll close signups and hopefully get this show on the road. Thanks to Coop and Araris for joining. 

[Coop772]

Oh, glad I could make it in time. Now to figure out what I signed up for

 

[Sart]

To heck with it, I'll sign up. I'm going back to school on the 20th, so I'm not sure how I'll active I'll be past then. However, my internship has ended, so I'm going to be bored this next week. I was hoping to join a quick fix during then, but one has failed to materialize.

[Coop772]

I also go to school on the 20th, but I'll try to stay active
Also: Hoooo boy, this is going to be fun. 

 

[Alvron]

15 minutes ago, Coop772 said:

Oh, glad I could make it in time. Now to figure out what I signed up for

Are you afraid?  You should be.  You're in the great game now and the great game is terrifying!

[Coop772]

I am not afraid. The Spiked are of The Lord Ruler, and to fear them is to fear Him, and to fear Him is to lose. Stand strong, brothers and sisters, and together we will vanquish these creatures!

[Fifth Scholar]

And signups...are...closed!

Expect to recieve role PMs from Devotary soon. I will have the new thread up within the hour, but please do not post until you have received your role PM. Good luck to all!

[Fifth Scholar]

Marne walked towards the cell where the former Spiked ringleader, Olaf, was held. With no former need for a real jail, the cell in which Olaf was kept was simply a locked basement in one of the Synod’s old hideouts. Marne found the arrangements inadequate. Any servant of the Lord Ruler, Spiked or not, former or current, was dangerous. Deadly.

And he was about to negotiate with one.

Descending the dusty staircase, each wooden board creaking underneath him as he stepped, he nodded to the guards, a Windwhisperer and a Brute, who silently nodded back and stood aside, allowing Marne to pass. Stepping down onto the floor, Marne again nodded at the Feruchemists guarding the stairwell, who stood, tromping up to the top of the staircase. Though the Windwhisperer could tap hearing, Marne found paranoia unnecessary still. Refusing to trust his own men, who he had known and worked with for many years, was indeed a sure sign that the Lord Ruler has finally come—sowing dissension and mistrust amongst the ranks of the Synod. He would not have that; he would trust, until trust proved folly.

He would also need to trust the man in front of him.

Olaf seemed to fully occupy the spacious wooden basement. His lurking presence, with an air of anticipation as he sat on the edge of his cot, fingers splayed, seemed to extend beyond him and fill the room. It unnerved Marne, but little could be done about that. He would have to work with this man, if he had any hope of catching the Spiked in their midst.

“Olaf,” he began. The skinny man across from him raised a bony, long finger, indicating silence, and Marne abruptly shut up. Olaf spoke, thin and raspily. “I don’t know their names,” he said simply.

Marne frowned, thrown off. “What?”

“Their names,” Olaf repeated. “That’s why you’ve come, isn’t it? You want the names of all the Spiked in my group. That’s not the way this works. I remember nothing from when the spikes are in. Faces, people, even events, it’s all gone.”

Marne blinked. “I’m supposed to take you at your word?”

Olaf smiled, though it was devoid of humour. “You could torture me, but you’d find the same thing, and I’m completely within your power anyway. I have no reason to lie to you, Marne of the Synod. You can overpower me, and perhaps outsmart me. But I don’t know the names. The spikes, they...do something, to a person. I don’t know how the Lord Ruler does it, but living with those spikes is like having a different person in you, who can’t remember what the other person does. I know I attacked you, and that I removed my spikes, but I can’t tell you much more.” Olaf looked up, a glint in his eye. “I would, however, be happy to help you hunt them. The other Spiked. I have no love for the Lord Ruler, and it seems that helping you is the only way either of us will emerge from this alive.”

Marne weighed Olaf’s words. The man may be lying, he thought. But if he is not...his brains will be an important asset, and his unique skills will make him a formidable ally. Besides, who do I want watching him? An assortment of random Ferrings, or myself?

Marne looked at Olaf. Trust. He would trust this man, for now. Because trust was one of the few things that remained left to him.

“I accept your offer, Count,” he said. “Let us go then, and do what we must to allow us both to come out of this alive.” Reaching out, Marne grasped Olaf’s hand. It was a small step, and might not have been the wisest. But any asset would help now. Now that Spiked were abroad…

And trust was needed now, more than anything.

 

---

Count Olaf has been converted to the Synod!

Day 1 has begun! It will end in 48-ish hours, at 9 EDT on Sunday, August 12. 

Player List: 

1. Rathmaskal as Laksam, an ash sweeper from the Eastern streets

2. Xinoehp512 as Ereheman Tresni, a man with his priorities backwards

3. Steeldancer as Steel, the fastest sculpture of a squid wrought entirely in steel in all of Tathingdwen

4. Randuir as Zihel, a worldhopper looking for his twin brother 

5. I think I am here as Itiah VI, a missionary on a mission

6. Bort as Tee Mai, a tailor specialising in offensive clothing

7. Cadmium Compounder as Ethin Hallil, a cadmium Feruchemist and SCUBA diver

8. _Stick_ as Stick, President of the Tathingdwen Tautological Society of Tautology

9. Jondesu as Remart, a man back from vacation armed with vaguely ominous statements

10. Kidpen as HanTor, a lonely Kandra that’s definitely not Spiked, nope

11. Elandera as Era, an old woman who claims to have been alive before the reign of the Lord Ruler

12. Snipexe as Snip, a fabric cutter in the local quilt shop

13. Worldhopper from Yolen as Tarin, a Sparker with a wonderful, awful idea

14. Alvron as Izzy Dedyet, who is not dead, feels happy, and thinks she'll go for a walk

15. Phatterner as Citona Vinid, a seemingly faithful follower of the Lord Ruler

16. Ark1002 as Kardik, a Full Feruchemist 

17. Araris Valerian as Valwyn, an honest rug merchant 

18. Coop772, as Irion, a Full Feruchemist more comfortable around his friends

19. Sart, a stuttering Nameless 

Edited August 11, 2018 by Fifth Scholar

[Elandera]

Era sat up, her bones creaking their protest. More joints cracked as she stood and attempted to stretch. Her whole body protested moving, like it knew she had lived past what was expected.

She walked - no, hobbled - across the room to open the curtains. It was still dawn, and the mist was just beginning to burn away.

Era missed the world before mist and ash. Before the tyranny of the Lord Ruler. The era when Terris was free and beautiful.

Maybe she should just let herself die so she could be at peace. Surely death would be better than this new era of suppression and depression.

But it was not yet time for this Era to pass. She had lived this long because of her fighting spirit, despite her body’s limitations. She would keep fighting until someone forced her into her grave or until her people were free once more.

[I think I am here.]

Itiah VI wasn't Terris.

I mean, he had Terris blood, you know? His mum was Terris and all that, but he actually wasn't born here, nup, nada. He was born somewhere else, and, more importantly, sometime else. A time of great electronic advancements. A time of spaceships. But ever since birth, he'd always been interested in the Terrismen and their traditions, and since his dad, the second successful Itiah in their line, had always been open on what Itiah VI could be, he didn't feel stressed or pressured to become a mechanic or a pilot. He followed his passion. And what was his passion, you ask?

Religions.

And yes, I know a certain other Terrisman also liked religions, and he kinda ascended into a god, but Itiah VI was trying something completely original, something even that Sah-zed guy couldn't do. And that was experimenting how Terrispeople from the past reacting to religions from the future. It was pretty interesting, I should say. So far he'd gotten looks of disgust, gasps of astonishment, and everything in between. But he still hadn't converted anyone to a future religion just yet, and that was his mission.

As he sat relaxedly on a log, he pondered about that spike issue. He knew about spikes, his dad had been spiked, and he'd turned out fine. But something about these people's worry told Itiah VI that these men were dangerous, more dangerous than Itiah would know. As he thought about it, he hummed the rhythm of a rock song that wouldn't exist yet.

 

 

[Sart]

"Ohmygosh I'm late. I'm sorry, sorry, so sorry. Um, anyway Spiked. There's Spiked. And they're bad. And you know that. And I know that. Obviously. But we can't be too careful, I mean there could be lots of them. Well, maybe not that many. Maybe like 4 of them. That's still a lot. Like a lot, a lot. And they're bad. I already said that. Um, right. We have to, we have to kill someone. That's, that's the only way to be certain you know? So, um, who should we kill? It's not, it's not easy. Um, but we gotta do it. So um, let's um....maybe... if they're new, they're suspicious. Er, well, I'm late, but I'm not new, you know. Er, you might not know. I'm not new. I'm just, uh, trying to think, and I, um, anyway. Um, so new people. Um, Tarin (Worldhopper from Yolen) is new. So like, I don't know them. I mean I don't know that they're Spiked. But um, if they talk, then I'll know them. And if I know them, I know they're not Spiked. Um, well, I guess they could still be Spiked. But they wouldn't, like, be the big scary Spiked in the dark. They'd be like, the tiny Spiked that we can deal with, you know? So um, Tarin @Worldhopper From Yolen do you want to, um, say hi?"

[Worldhopper From Yolen]

Tarin stared out the window. Life had been disturbed by the news of Spiked, but everything was fine. If the Spiked got everyone, she would be OK. Well... she would be dead, but that's OK. Tarin was an orphan, mother died in childbirth and father died in a fall. She was new to the village, relocating after her uncle vanished. Some suspicion would obviously fall her way, but it was OK. She was a Sparker, so she could enhance her thinking speed, but that wouldn't help her live through this. Oh well. What did it matter? 

 

(If you haven't caught on by now, Tarin is kind of apathetic.)

[Araris Valerian]

Valywn pondered where the best place to begin peddling his rugs was. He found a crossroads and was about to begin unloading his wares when a steel sculpture of some tentacled beast reminiscent of a miniature mistwraith appeared right in the spot he was planning to use. Valywn turned in shock and went to report the occurrence to the Synod, and to ask them to have the Squid removed.

[Coop772]

 Quick character description, then some RP *evil grin* Irion, or Remy to his friends, (it's a long story) is a relatively average, reserved young Terisman; notable for his status as a full Feruchemst and not much else (for the record, not claiming that on a game mechanic level, just telling a story) That is, until you get to know him. Around his friends, he becomes a completely different person. Full of energy, with a smile for everyone he meets; he is even more skilled at Feruchemy than he tends to show most people. He arrived at Tathingdwen about 5 years ago, and was quickly recognized for his Feruchemical abilities. But don't ask about his past. Just don't. Also, he's brutally honest, often in ways that get him in trouble.

RP! 
"Tarin, my friend, how are you feeling? Apathetic as usual? Good to see you're consistent! So, who do you think is spiked?"
End RP

I am happy to RP with anyone who is interested, I kind of jumped on Tarin, so if you don't want to RP just let me know and I'll leave you be
 

[Worldhopper From Yolen]

"Greetings, stranger! I have absolutely no idea who you are, but I have no qualms about speaking to you. There is insufficient data to determine whether someone is spiked or not, and I am at a disadvantage when determining this as I do not know how a person would normally behave."

(@Coop772, I would love to RP. You're the best)

[Coop772]

(Thanks! Here, have a cookie)

"Ah, but you have advantage when it comes to honesty and humor. You almost had me there, pretending you didn't know who I was." He leans in close for a second. "Just play along, trust me." he whispers under his breath. "You probably just didn't recognize me, since I wasn't pretending to be the good little Terrisman like everyone expects. But don't worry, that's just a face I put on for the elders. Among friends, I am as you see me now."

[Worldhopper From Yolen]

"OK," Tarin muttered. "Good to see you... Irion." She glanced to him for confirmation. Since Tarin had a tendency not to care about anything, she didn't notice or remember things very well. "How do you feel about the Spiked among us?"

 

(I don't want a cookie. I already brushed my teeth. *cough bad excuse cough* *cough the DA cough*)

[Elandera]

Era scowled at nearly everyone she passed as she made her way to the Synod meeting place. The talk of spiked made her grumpy and turned her gut sour. She was too old for this... subterfuge. 

She looked at the young Irion talking with the new one... Tarin, was it? She gave them a particularly nasty look. She didn't trust anyone too happy or too new.

The one peddling rugs near the.. steel squid? Where had that come from? Era grumbled about young folks and their odd art choices.

Anyway, the one peddling rugs caught her eye. The rugs seemed decent quality, at least for the supposed Final Empire. Rugs in her day we're much better, softer, than anything she could find now.

Curse the Lord Ruler.