Anniversary Game 9/Anonymous Game 13: Rebuilding Tyrian Falls

[Elandera]

In the year since Tyrian Falls weathered Spiked sabotage and a Koloss invasion, it has become a haven for anyone in the Western Dominance and beyond seeking refuge from the Final Empire’s remnants. Yet the wounds left by Scimon Tlag’s final stand are slow to heal. Nothing can replace the fallen villagers lost in those terrible days a year ago. 

Even as they have tried to rebuild, helped by many of the new residents, something has always felt wrong. Off. Just a little. As The world around them also began to crumble., Outside forces were drawn to the town’s miraculous survival. Soldiers of Ashweather Cett encroach upon the borders. Then a contingent of Koloss diverted from their path to Luthadel to set their sights back on Tyrian Falls. In the midst of these, problems begin to arise from within its walls.

Rebuilding has stalled.

Stockpiles of food inexplicably disappear.

Even the metal reserves begin to dwindle.

Then the hostilities begin again.

Those few who remain from before notice a pattern. They see the signs.

Spiked have returned among the new residents. But maybe, possibly, they have drawn the others into their ranks already.From the old residents.

No one is safe.

---

Welcome to Anniversary Game 9 and another year of SE! @Devotary of Spontaneity and myself will be the GMs, and @Elbereth will be the IM.

This is an anonymous game so don’t sign up in the thread. Please sign up by PMing me or Devotary privately. You can message us here, on Discord, or wherever else you like, and you'll be in so long as we respond with a "noted" within a day or two. Do your best not to indicate whether or not you're playing to anyone else. If you want to spectate, PM me and I'll send you a link when the game starts.

Check out the rules below and pick a cosmetic role if you wish before signing up.

---

Rules

You can find the rules in a doc at this link, nicely formatted for your convenience, but you can also read them below.

Alignments:
VILLAGE: Win when all Spiked are dead.

SPIKED: Win when they outnumber the village, or otherwise can no longer lose.

General Rules:

• 48-hour days, 24-hour nights.
• Vote minimum is 1. Ties are decided randomly.
• Final votes will reflect the number changed by manipulation, but not the names.
• Unsuccessful attacks will be announced as “____ was attacked, but didn’t die!” with no differentiation between Thug and Lurcher protection.
• Spiked vs. Coinshot attacks will be differentiated in the write-up, including if the attack is unsuccessful.
• Group PMs are allowed.
• Spiked are not guaranteed a role.
• There are no secrets.
• There is an inactivity filter of two cycles. You must post in the thread, or be replaced/removed.
• One action per turn (two allowed per cycle).

Roles:
THUG: They can survive a single attack. If they are killed during a night or day cycle, they survive and this will be revealed in the write up. If they are attacked again, they die… finally.

TINEYE: They are messengers and are capable of writing messages to the town while remaining anonymous. Each night, they can send a message to the Game Master. The GM will then post it within the write up at the start of the next Day. As long as a Tineye is alive, players can send Private Messages back and forth. Once no Tineye is alive, they can no longer deliver messages, so no more PMs.

SMOKER: The Smoker is undetectable and they can extend this power to one other person each night*. If scanned by a Seeker, the smoker or the person encompassed within their coppercloud will show up as being Smoked. Alternatively, the Smoker can turn their coppercloud off. This would allow them to be scanned accurately as a Smoker. In addition to being undetectable by the Seeker, the Smoker and their target are unaffected by emotional Allomancy. As long as the Smoker is using their coppercloud, a Soother or Rioter cannot change their vote.
*Smokers can choose on D1 whether they want their copper cloud on or off, applying only to themselves.

SEEKER: The Seeker can sense when someone is burning metals. In fact, they have gotten so good that they can tell whether someone is spiked or not! Once per night, the Seeker can target someone to learn their abilities and alignment.

COINSHOT: The Coinshot does what they do best. They push metals around; specifically into other people’s bodies. Once per night, the Coinshot can target a person for death. Unless otherwise disrupted, that person dies.

LURCHER: Where the Coinshot pushes, the Lurcher pulls. Once per night the Lurcher can target someone and that person will be saved from death. A Lurcher cannot target the same person two nights in a row.

SOOTHER: Their ability to dampen emotions puts them and the Rioter in a very special position. During the Day, they can negate one person’s vote. The change will be anonymous, but since I will be posting voting results at the end of each day, those that are observant should be able to tell what votes were changed.

RIOTER: The Rioter works in a similar fashion as the Soother, except once during the day round they can change one person’s vote. Using this power does nullify their own vote though. They are still capable of voting, but their vote will not be counted. The change itself will be anonymous, but since I will be posting voting results at the end of each day, those that are observant should be able to tell what votes were changed.

MISTBORN: They have the abilities of all of the above, but will only be able to use one per cycle. At the beginning of every day, the Mistborn will be told which ability they have and they can use that ability until the next night. If a previously held power would be received, the die is rerolled, and the new power is granted regardless of whether or not it was previously held.

VANILLA: You have no special powers, but you still get a vote every day. Who knows? Perhaps you were meant to be the one to save the town! Not all stories are about the strongest people in a group.

Additional notes:

Spoiler

 

A Tineye who is killed at Night will still have their message appear in the writeup at the start of the next Day.

Mistborn Roles:
If the first roll for the Mistborn turns up a metal they already had, the die will be rolled again. The second roll will be used regardless if the Mistborn has already had that metal. Once all eight are used, all metal probabilities are reset.

Order of actions:

• Day
• Smoking*
• Soothing/Rioting**
• Execution

Night

• Smoking*
• Seeking
• Tineye Message
• Lurching
• Kills

*Smoking does not extend protection to someone the turn after the Smoker dies
**The interactions between Soothing and Rioting have already been clarified extensively below

Emotional Allomancy Interactions:
Seeking a Smoked target will have a result of “your target was Smoked” for role and alignment.
If a Rioter and a Soother try to move and cancel the same vote, the vote is moved and canceled, with an effective result of just canceled, plus the Rioter’s own vote being canceled.
Rioting someone’s vote to a Smoked player will work as normal.
Soothing or Rioting a Smoked player will not affect that player’s vote, but the Rioter’s vote will still be canceled.
Two Riots on the same target will “cancel out” and the target’s vote will stay in place.
A Riot can be used to move a player to no-vote, but not from a no-vote to a player.
Rioters and Soothers cannot self-target.

On Smoking: Once a smoking order finishes its two-cycle activation and no other order is received, the Smoker will return to the default state of Smoking themselves.

On Rioting: Rioter’s votes will be canceled even if the action effectively made no change due to where the player’s vote ended (e.g. A Rioter moves El’s vote to Wilson, but then El votes on Wilson with no change in the action order. The Rioter will lose their own vote, and El will remain voting on Wilson).

 

Cosmetic Roles:
You are highly encouraged (though not required) to take a cosmetic role. Use it however you wish and include it however much you want in your posts. This is simply for fun and for RP creativity.

Spoiler

• The Bereaved: You lost someone very close to you when Tyrian was last attacked. They may have won in the end, but much was lost. You must talk about the deceased in every post.
• Survivor: You fought against the Spiked when they attacked the town and were victorious. In every post, you must mention a lesson you learned from this experience.
• Rebuilding Engineer: You weren’t there in Tyrian when it all happened, but you were called to help rebuild. To salvage what could be used and to replace what was utterly destroyed. It is unfortunate, then, that you find yourself in the middle of yet another attack. You knew being sent to the cursed town was going to end poorly. Each post must describe the work you’re doing to repair Tyrian Falls.
• Hazekiller: You were trained to fight and kill allomancers and this town is a hotbed for metallic arts. In every post you must detail your plans to combat hostile metalborn.
• Tourist: Tyrian Falls has become famous for surviving an attack from the Spiked and a Koloss garrison and you’ve come to see it for yourself. Each post must reference your plans for your visit.
• The Skeptic: You lived in Tyrian Falls during the last attack, but somehow missed the whole event. Maybe you were visiting someone out of town or were sick that day and your house was one of the few not hit. In each post, reference something that you heard happened in the last attack but that you can't quite believe.
• Noble Thief: You grew up sneaking out of your family home, gaining skills most only associate with the underground. You simply wanted to have a little late night fun without getting caught. You soon learned the thrill of not only breaking out, but breaking in. Sure, you don't need what you take. But neither do the people you take it from. In each post, work on your plan for your next big heist while evading the detective.
• The Detective: Even as Tyrian Falls rebuilds, you're stuck tracking down a thief. They couldn't even give people a respite after the tragedy. Which means you don't get one. In each post, work on your investigation to track down the thief.
• Terris Steward: You live to serve others. You just don’t feel complete unless you’re waiting on someone, retrieving an item, delivering a message, you name it. Each post, you must wait on someone else.
• Forgetful: Your mind isn't what it used to be.  Each post must contain you starting one thing, either a sentence or task, and end with you doing something else completely unrelated.
• Hobbyist: You have something that you do on the side. Maybe you collect rare metals or gardening or whatever; but you’re passionate about it. You must reference your hobby in some way in every post.
• Allergic to Metal: No one envies your place in life, considering the planet you’re on. You’re allergic to metals. This means no forks, no swords, no metal buttons. If you do come in contact with metal, you tend to break out in a reaction. In every post, you must show the steps you take to keep yourself safe.
• Obligator: You still have faith in the Lord Ruler. Whether you think his death is a hoax or you think he will return, you haven’t wavered. In every post, you must make reference to the Lord Ruler or his, er, rule.
• Make Your Own: There have been some really creative and unique CRs in the past, like Madagascar’s Drunk Crazy Cat Lady, so have some fun with it! It will be entertaining to see what you create!

Anonymous Account Rules

Spoiler

At the start of the game, you will be issued an anonymous account. There are a number of rules associated with the use of an Anonymous Account. Please follow them carefully. Given the potential for abuse of Anonymous Accounts, any rule breaking using the accounts will be dealt with harshly.

1) Do not change the password of the anonymous account you are issued. The IM and GMs will have access to all anonymous accounts for the duration of the game.

2) Do not use the anonymous accounts to PM any non-anonymous account, other than the accounts of the GMs. Please do not use your normal accounts to PM anonymous accounts.

3) Once again, do not tell any other player or individual associated with SE whether you are playing or not playing the Anonymous Game. Player identities will be revealed after the game, not on the death of their avatar. Players are asked (but not required) not to reveal their own identity after their death, until the end of the game, including in the dead/spec doc. Players wishing to spectate rather than play should PM me for a link to the spectator doc. Questions and rules clarifications should be submitted in your sign up PMs, and will be posted by myself in the signups thread.

4) Do not change anything cosmetic about the accounts, including member title, username, signature, and avatar.

5) Do not post in other threads with your anonymous account, and do not post in this game thread with your actual account. If you realize your own accidental post, hide it if you can (if you can't, remove the content) and notify the IM/GMs. If you notice someone else’s post, do not quote the post or tag the account. Simply tag the IM/GMs who will handle it as quickly as possible.

Sign-ups will close Tuesday, December 27th at 6 p.m. PT /  Wednesday, December 28th at 2 a.m. GMT / 1 p.m. AEDT. 

Quick Links

Spoiler

Day One: Calling the Reserves
Night One: Ties Kill Spies
Day Two: Flying in Reverse
Night Two: Prior Obligations
Day Three: Dead and Unemployed
Night Three: Too Dumb to Die
Day Four: Awakening
Night Four: See You Later, Obli-gator
Day Five: The Survivor's Hat Trick
Night Five: Finally Flamingone
Day Six: Plum Out of Luck
Night Six: Too Smart to Live
Day Seven: Theft and Death
Night Seven: Bones Aplenty, Bones Galore
Day Eight: Triply Axed
Night Eight: Sleepwalker or Spiked?
Aftermath: Streaked with Blood
Finale: Hope Prevails

 

Current player count: 23/30

Edited March 4, 2023 by Devotary of Spontaneity

[Elandera]

One quick announcement before we start! We are taking applications for Impartial Moderator positions! It can be difficult and time-consuming, but it is great to work in such a fantastic community. Because life can get busy and responsibility can derail the best of plans, we’re hoping to expand our ranks to keep Sanderson Elimination running as smoothly as possible.

We are looking for players to fit the following criteria:

• GMing experience with a reasonable understanding of game balance
• Maturity and ability to make difficult decisions
• The ability remain impartial
• Good activity levels
• Generally avoids getting into conflicts, or is able to resolve them maturely

If you would like to help run this show, reach out to any of the current moderators (myself, @Devotary of Spontaneity, @Araris Valerian, @Elbereth, or @little wilson).
 

[Elandera]

Announcement:

We've made a slight tweak to the rules. After having a minor issue pointed out, we decided to make the Mistborn role roll happen at the beginning of every day turn instead of night turn. This will allow them to begin with a role and have it for a full cycle.

This change has been reflected in the write-up and in the rules doc.

Edited December 20, 2022 by Elandera

[Elandera]

Sign-ups are officially closed. Players will be receiving PMs soon with their anonymous account information. Remember to not post from your main account once D1 is posted. 

[Devotary of Spontaneity]

Day One: Calling the Reserves

Linaan strode into Sidor’s private study in the middle of the night carrying a dead man, shifting her form as she went. Only so many alterations could be made in such a short time and without immediate access to her stores of bone and fur, but discreet modifications to her template’s skeleton enabled her to grow a fleshy tail and larger, more flexible ears. Her fangs and claws, newly freed from retracted gums and hollow fingertips, still dripped red with blood.

Sidor looked up from the latest forged inventory report [Faked for sure, but knowing what had been faked will grant insight as to why], her face flickering past irritation and concern to land on alarm. She got up from her desk to approach Linaan as she dropped the body on the floor. “What have you gotten yourself into?”

Linaan’s left ear flicked back once before she started angrily swishing her tail back and forth. “A year of not fighting has done wonders for you, but that time’s up.”

Sidor’s gaze slid to the armoire that concealed her dueling canes, obsidian knives, and Inquisitor’s axe. Hated weapons from her time as High Prelan Ferac’s favorite protégé that she’d discarded for pen and ink as Tyrian’s treasurer, but she’d never been able to throw away a tool that might be useful later. “Explain.”  

“I checked our metal stockpiles and it was just like you said, it’s being emptied faster than the inventory reports show. One of the locks had been smashed open and when I went to investigate, some minor noble screamed that Tyrian Falls is a disgrace to the Empire and that the Lord Ruler had given him a divine commandment to help His Koloss wipe us off the map. Then he grabbed a stone block he must have needed pewter to lift and tried to bash my head in the same way he destroyed the lock.”

Linaan flashed her bloodstained teeth and flexed her claws. “With these, I can never be unarmed. He clearly wasn’t used to fighting and no amount of enhanced strength and natural healing could help him lift that block with the tendons in his wrists severed.”

“Why didn’t you capture him?”

“I was going to but as soon as he dropped the block he cried out ‘I’ve failed You’, grabbed the spike sticking out of his heart with his forearms and pulled it out, killing him instantly. A waste, but now that he’s dead I can wear his bones and root out any accomplices.”

“No, you can’t risk it. If there are other Spiked working with him, they’ll already know he’s dead and if Ruin turns his attention to you, the best you can hope for is pulling out your spikes before he controls you.  

Linaan began purring as she licked herself clean of blood without breaking eye contact, tail slowly swaying behind her. “Concern for my well-being? Very well. I won’t be needing this body now but it’ll still be another skeleton for the closet once you’re done with it. No sense in wasting resources that can be modified to taste later. Good night!”

Sidor watched her open a trapdoor in a corner of the study and disappear down into her subterranean lair.

“What am I doing with her?” she thought. “She’s spent centuries lying to humans.” [How can I trust her after less than a year?]

“She claims that her animal features will accurately reflect her emotions, but she could be as adept at lying with those as she is with her human features.” [I’d need to test her and I don’t … want her to fail.]

“She could reveal that she’s been on a Contract this whole time, or get controlled by Ruin, or simply decide that she’s bored of working with me. Despite that, I don’t want a game piece, the way Ferac treated me and tried to get me to treat others.” [I want her as my wife.]

Ferac would call that foolish, but look where that got him! Just a pile of bones gathering dust underground, his ambitions forgotten. [He didn’t even live to see his ‘son’ betray him.]

She shook her head vigorously. “That’s not important right now.” [I’ll come back to this later.]

“Right now, I have to make sure the community I helped build isn’t destroyed. That means rallying the villagers against the Spiked, the way we did before. Ten others survived the fight last time, and Tyrian has grown since then. [If I can trust Linaan, I can trust them.]

“I’ll make the announcement in the morning.”

As Sidor brought a knife with her to bed for the first time in almost a year and drifted off to sleep, she saw Linaan emerge from the trap door with a bundle of fur and curl up by the front door. “She’ll keep me safe until I wake. [She sees herself as a threat to me now.]

~~~

Oleinda shuddered as she stood in the doorframe. It wasn't from the cold, though there was a cool breeze. There was something else drifting along with the wind. An ill omen. The sense of dread and pending destruction. She'd lived through enough of it before to know how the air tasted before everything went to rust.

Retreating back into the stillness of her home, she made her way to a small hidden panel in her wall. She felt where the wood had been smoothed just the faintest bit from her fingers. Another person - one who relied on their sight more than touch - would miss it. Not Oleinda, though. She pressed against the smoothed panel to open her hidden compartment. The glass vials were cool as she slipped them into a pocket inside her belt. The last one she uncorked and drank its contents. A few seconds later, she sensed the reserve inside, ready to burn.

Copper.

People were going to need to hide in the coming days. She would do what she could.

---

Generic Thug was killed! He was a Spiked Thug!

Anniversary Game 9 has begun! All PMs have been sent. If you can't get into your anon account, please let us know as soon as possible!

A few quick reminders, clarifications, and whatnot:

On anonymous accounts: do not post with your anon account in any thread but this one. Do not post with your personal account in this thread. You can follow the thread or the forum with your anon account if you so choose. All PMs from past games should be gone already, but if there are any remaining please just delete them. You can add your personal account to your GM PM, but we do not recommend it, as it leads to substantially more mistakes.

If you want to add a cosmetic role or character name/description (and please do!), DM it to me (preferably on your anon account) and I’ll add it into the next player list. 

VILLAGE: Win when all Spiked are dead. 

SPIKED: Win when they outnumber the village, or otherwise can no longer lose. 

The turn will end on Thursday, December 29th at 6:00 PM PST/ Wednesday, December 30th at 2 a.m. GMT / 1 p.m. AEDT.

Player List:

Spoiler

1. @Amethyst Scorpion

2. @Azure Mouse

3. @Charcoal Hyena

4. @Chartreuse Penguin - Donn Keihote (Insane)

5. @Coral Swan - Onidsen (Scholar, Caroler; has animal companion)

6. @Cream Tuatara - Willam (Terris Steward) 

7. @Emerald Falcon - Luciel (sheriff)

8. @Fuchsia Ostrich - (Secret Agent)

9. @Indigo Weasel

10. @Ivory Dragonfly - (Manic Ghostblood)

11. @Magenta Albatross

12. @Mauve Crocodile - (Obli-gator)

13. @Melon Dingo - Reverse (Glassblower, not psychologist)

14. @Mint Heron- Reneau (Former Obligator in denial)

15. @Onyx Flamingo - (Forgetful)

16. @Opal Lion- (Internet Speak)

17. @Sunburst Toucan - Avil Ejir

18. @Pearl Chameleon - WitLees (Kandra barkeep)

19. @Plum Rhinoceros

20. @Saffron Iguana - Taltin Keriell (Undercover nobleman spy)

21. @Sage Kangaroo - (High Imperial)

22. @Salmon Meerkat - Aurelien (Awake)

23. @Sapphire Elephant - Ciril Yuanivori (Sleeptalking oversleeper)

PMs are open. 

Edited December 29, 2022 by Devotary of Spontaneity

[Mauve Crocodile]

Snap snap! The Lord Ruler doesn't mind some civil conflict, but he hates not knowing the identities of all the relevant ringleaders. I may be crying crocodile tears over this town's current predicament, but I will be doing my best to learn who the Spiked are. Perhaps Cream Tuatara is one of them? Come, tell your secrets to the Obli-gator.

[Elandera]

All PMs should be out. If you haven't received one with your anonymous account information, send myself of Devotary a message. 

Good luck and have fun with the whole unaliving thing!

[Onyx Flamingo]

A rather inconspicuous man of indeterminable age bumbled his way into the town square where people seemed to be congregating. 

"Agolac is my name, and I, uh..." Agolac fumbled in his pocket for a while before holding aloft a sheet of paper triumphantly. "Aha! And I need 3 loaves of bread, whatever meat is cheapest, and some southern imported fruit." He looked around, realized that he wasn't at the market, and ducked into a side street to recollect his thoughts.

[Salmon Meerkat]

Aurelien opened his eyes.

He felt the moment of waking panic, like the precarious second before falling. Then the world righted itself. Flavia was still asleep, and he put his arm around her, taking in her warm presence. Listened to the peaceful rise and the fall of her breathing. Still alive, he thought. He had to hold on to that. He missed Livie already, with a fierce ache that never seemed to go away.

Eventually, he had to rise. It was supposed to be an early morning and Hastler knew—Ah.

He was seeing to the debris in the market square. A year from the day, and they were beginning to undo some of the damage the Spiked had done to Tyrian Falls. A single melon merchant with a spike had done so much damage. Yesterday, they were reinforcing the structural supports around some of the stalls.

A year from the day, and still, Aurelien couldn't grasp what it felt to wake up to that empty room, or the empty chair in the office. Gently, he shook Flavia awake, and leaned away as she batted at him. "Go 'way," Flavia mumbled.

"Morning," said Aurelien. He couldn't hide his smile. Flavia had never been a morning person.

"It's too early."

"Bakery's got to be open," Aurelian said, shaking her lightly again. "And I've got to see to the market square repairs."

Flavia blinked awake, yawning. "How's it coming along?"

Slow, without Hastler. 

"It's going," said Aurelian. He bent down and stole a swift kiss. "I need to get down to the site. Love you."

He picked up the short braided string from the bedside table, and looped it about his wrist until it was secure.

[Indigo Weasel]

A berwraggled man walked into town. Nobody knew him, so everyone stayed away. 
He had long hair, and a grey beard of considerable length. Indeed, it seemed to have been a while since his face had last seen a razor. 
Nobody asked his name, nor would he have volunteered one if he had been asked. 
But he was happy to talk about the going on's in the land, and had apparently come to reside in the village for a period of time. 
Whether he was to be trusted, was yet to be seen. 
This is me, signing in. I am expecting at least medium levels of activity from myself, so please bug me if I'm not giving at least that.  I'm also open to PMs, and perhaps I will send some out if I feel like doing so tomorrow. Depends on how much time my other pursuits in life take up. That shall be all for now. 
edit: also, my gosh I love my profile picture. 

Edited December 28, 2022 by Indigo Weasel

[Cream Tuatara]

15 hours ago, Mauve Crocodile said:

Perhaps Cream Tuatara is one of them? Come, tell your secrets to the Obli-gator.

Willam bowed. "I have no secrets to tell, good sir. I am but a humble Terris Steward."

Willam then turned to the Almighty Game Masters.

"I also may be so bold-- I know, I know, ironic for a humble servant such as myself-- to point out that my name is not William, but Willam." He swallowed, tucking his nimble clawed fingers into the long sleaves of his robe. "It's an easy mistake to make, I know; I'm half convinced I was originally intended to be called William but my birth certificate was mistyped. But Willam I am."

He again turned to face the host of colorful animals awaiting his attention.

"Back to the matter at hand-- Obli-gator obviously is voting based on player list, casting a vote on the player... er... six players up! I will do the same."

Sapphire Elephant

"...Of course, the numbers work out so that the sixth up is also the seventeenth down. But no matter."

Edited December 28, 2022 by Cream Tuatara

[Charcoal Hyena]

Aylia stood on the rooftop of her family's mansion, staring out at the city of Tyrian Falls stretched out before her. The wind whipped through her dark hair, and she wrapped her cloak tighter around her slender frame. As she gazed out at the twinkling lights of the city below, Aylia could not help but feel a sense of unease wash over her. She had always been a woman of great courage and fortitude, but there was one fear that had always lingered in the back of her mind.

It was a fear that had been with her for as long as she could remember, one that had followed her throughout her life and haunted her dreams. A fear of the unseen horrors that lurked in the shadows of the night. Aylia knew that she was not alone in this apprehension, that it was one shared by many. But for her, this feeling went beyond mere anxiety or trepidation. It was a deep, soul-shuddering terror that seemed to seep into every aspect of her being, powerful enough to turn even the bravest of hearts to quivering jelly.

Aylia had always tried to keep it in check, to push it down and ignore it as best she could. But on this night, as she stood on the rooftop of the mansion, it seemed to be creeping up on her more intensely than ever before. She tried to shake it off, to remind herself that she was safe and that there was nothing to be afraid of. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching her, something malevolent and sinister.

Aylia took a deep breath and tried to calm herself. She closed her eyes and took a few slow, measured breaths, focusing on the sound of the wind rushing through the trees and the distant hum of the city below.

Maybe it was just her imagination, she thought to herself. Maybe she was just letting her fears get the better of her. After all, the matter seemed to defy logic. Weren't the Spiked a legend, anyway?

 

[Ivory Dragonfly]

yayay! ag9!!!

im so exciteeed hehehehehehehehehehehe

i think master thaidakar will be pleased if i vote magenta albatross

hehehehehe

[Pearl Chameleon]

I'm too tired to RP right now, WitLees will have his bar open in the morning. Free horneater white for everyone. 

Time to see if we can get some heartfelt reads :eyes:

Charcoal Hyena

[Salmon Meerkat]

Townsfolk were gathering about the market square. Maybe more than Aurelien had seen in a while.

The market square was taking a lot of work. It had been the eye of the storm, the epicentre of the destruction that had torn through Tyrian Falls, as though fueled by something more than the rage of a spiked melon merchant.

Aurelien shook his head and continued to hammer the nail into the beam. He'd seen worse: manors and fortifications under siege, and the aftermath. He had even been paid to bring about reckonings in steel and fire before. But what was true in the Iron Hawks was just as true, working with one of the many rebuilding teams in Tyrian Falls.

Hastler's absence still gaped.

Aurelien tapped away at the nail with his hammer. The beam had to brace the half-collapsed smithy on the edge of the market square. Edric and his apprentice had long since moved out. You had to get down in the sawdust and the seasoned wood with everyone. That was the way it worked in the Hawks. You couldn't just give instructions, and detail the work. People trusted you more if you were willing to get yourself as dirty as the rest of them.

"Rust," Jurald swore, as the saw bit into the edge of his thumb. But he'd pulled away in time. It was a nick, nothing more, quickly staunched. 

"Pay attention," Aurelien said, mildly.

"Yeah, but have you heard?" Jurald glanced about them, as the rest of the repair team worked on the broken smithy. "Sidor's making an announcement. Word got out before her, though. One of hers," he said that with a touch of distaste, for Sidor's uncanny eyes and ears were rumoured to be this side of unnatural. "Looks like sabotage."

"Sabotage!" Keirasti repeated. "Whatever next?"

"Aye," Jurald lowered his voice. "They say the Spiked did it. Caught someone, even."

"But they rooted out the last of them, last year," Keirasti protested. She set down her own saw, before she would follow Jurald's example. "Sidor killed Scimon Tlag in the market square." Her eyes flicked over to the torn pavingstones, where it was said you could still see the last spurt of Scimon Tlag's blood. 

Aurelien didn't abide by that foolishness for a second.

He could all but hear Hastler's voice. "Or they thought they got them all."

Nita said, "You don't think they found everyone?"

"Brace the beam for me," Aurelien told her. He moved to the other side, selected a nail, and began to drive it in. "How would we know?" he asked, rhetorically. "If this place was worth killing for once, it's worth killing for again." 

Spiked in Tyrian Falls. 

He still saw Keep Uethorn on fire, some nights. Now, he just woke up.

"Anyone saw Onidsen lately?"

Edited December 28, 2022 by Salmon Meerkat

[Mauve Crocodile]

44 minutes ago, Cream Tuatara said:

"Back to the matter at hand-- Obli-gator obviously is voting based on player list, casting a vote on the player... er... six players up! I will do the same."

Plausible guess, Stewart! Thank the Lord Ruler that will be the last time I need to consult the player list... 

7 minutes ago, Salmon Meerkat said:

Onidsen 

I stand corrected. Are you unvoting Short Braided String? 

[Salmon Meerkat]

13 minutes ago, Mauve Crocodile said:

I stand corrected. Are you unvoting Short Braided String? 

[OOC: Short braided string is #ff3366, which is not by a reasonable definition red.]

[Sapphire Elephant]

Ciril Yuanivori's eyes blinked away. And then immediately shut them again as the light from the low sun streamed in through the nearby window. He groaned, turning over and sticking his pillow over his head to hide from the sun. Fifteen more minutes would be okay before having to get up, he figured, though it'd be nice if people stopped shouting so loudly. He guessed that's probably what had woken him. After a time, he finally resolved to get up. Figured he may as well work out what the fuss had been about. The sun wasn't a problem anymore. Although... didn't his window give him a view of the sunset!? 

He sat right up. "It's evening? But my appointments!? Why didn't I get woken?!". Quickly he got up and stormed out to find out what was going on.

...

Hey you at the other side of the player list. Yes you. Who are you, Amethyst Scorpion? @Amethyst Scorpion

[Cream Tuatara]

19 minutes ago, Salmon Meerkat said:

[OOC: Short braided string is #ff3366, which is not by a reasonable definition red.]

"Looks like someone has the Third Heightening," Willam observed, rubbing his fingers on his chin. "Mayhaps that would explain your Cosmetic Role?"

[Sage Kangaroo]

Hasing the wasing of posting. Notting the hasing of notting of good. Asking the nowing of ising the Azure Mouse.

[Salmon Meerkat]

50 minutes ago, Cream Tuatara said:

"Looks like someone has the Third Heightening," Willam observed, rubbing his fingers on his chin. "Mayhaps that would explain your Cosmetic Role?"

[OOC: Bi-lal kaifa!]

[Mint Heron]

As Reneau walked through the market of Tyrian Falls, he was surrounded by heathens. Those who, the moment news of the Lord Rulers death reached them, cast off his scriptures and ordinances, and were prepared to call a tyrant he who only a week earlier they had worshipped as a god.

But Reneau knew better. This was simply a test, so that the Lord Ruler could discover those among him were truly faithful, and who were mere pretenders. Well, Reneau was no pretender, and he would be rewarded well when the Lord Ruler revealed himself once more.

But until that glorious day, Reneau needed to eat. He approached a .

"I require sustenance." he announced to the shopkeeper. A woman in her early 30's, her face seemed weathered from her former life in the fields. She sighed in response to Reneau's pronouncement.

"Hello to you too, Reneau. If you're after a couple bread loaves, they're six clips, as usual."

Insolent skaa. Before the Lord Ruler's disappearance, she would have been punished severely for talking to an obligator in such a way. But for now, Reneau had to cope with this indignity. Reluctantly, he grabbed the coins out of his pouch and slid them over the counter, and grabbed the paper bag containing the bread rolls with his other hand, and strode out of the store.

[Plum Rhinoceros]

hi

[Sunburst Toucan]

Tyrian Falls.

It was said the town brought good fortune. It’s reputation was not always so, but the events of the past year had left a noticeable effect. It symbolized a new hope. 

Besides, helping rebuild this town had been a good distraction. For the first time in many years, Avil Ejir had felt useful. He hadn’t just been helping repair Tyrian Falls, he’d been mending himself too. 

But Avil did not evade the whispers. They started trickling in not long ago, snaking their way through the town. He’d dismissed them. No, he would not waste his time worrying about a non-existent threat, a threat this town had already risen over. 

Avil pushed those thoughts aside as he made his way into the town square, where a small group of town folk had gathered. He walked right past them, heading for the market. 

Nevertheless, he found himself drawn to the crowd and his pace slowed. He eventually stopped in his tracks and cast a wary glance at it. There was an eerie sense of dread plaguing the air that Avil had not previously noticed - yet it had always been there. 

A moment passed. And just like that, Avil snapped out of it. He blinked. What was he here for? Ah, yes. The market. 

He continued his way. Little did he know, the koloss had returned, and they had returned stronger and smarter.

---

Heyo folks. I was having anon account issues but Sunburst Toucan here now. 

Edited December 28, 2022 by Sunburst Toucan
Missed a word

[Charcoal Hyena]

48 minutes ago, Plum Rhinoceros said:

hi

Aylia's eyes flew open and she jumped, startled by the sudden sound. She looked around, trying to locate the source of the voice, but she saw nothing out of the ordinary. The rooftop was empty, save for herself and the stone walls that surrounded it.

She hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should investigate further or return to the safety of the mansion. But her curiosity won out, and she began to cautiously approach the source of the voice, her heart racing in her chest.

"Who are you?" Aylia asked, her voice shaking slightly. "What do you want?"