Long Game 95: The Fire of Ado's Light

[Ashbringer]

Long Game 95: The Fire of Ado's Light

On a planet deep within a cloud of red stars, a rock shifted.

White tendrils quickly circled the offending stone as a figure approached with a curious expression. Doubt would characterize it best. It had been so long since someone had used this method of communication. Only a few dozen people had ever known it. Seventeen, to be precise. And most of them were dead. Victims of Rayse’s dark quest, only for Rayse to fall alone. Korellium Avast and the research fellows on Silverlight had seen to that. 

It had been so long since then. So, so long since the death of Adonalsium. So, so long since the first University, the first outbreak. So, so long since Autonomy reigned. So, so long since the cycle had repeated. How many times had it been? How many Shards had he seen rise and fall? 

No, only one individual he knew still used these old stones.

He grabbed it from the bone-white vines, flipped it over. To even the Invested eye, nothing had changed. But his eyes bore more than just Investiture. He could see the slightly darker lines in the stone, etched by the rearranging of the very axi of the many layers of rock. Microkinesis, matching a similarly altered rock halfway across 

“Is the Last Word safe?”

The figure sighed softly. Old friend. What have you done.

Still, he eventually touched the rock’s surface, replying with a simple “Yes.”

The response was quick. “Khriss has begun to make a move towards the Facility. She was not a party to the agreement and will not abide to its rules. And…" the changing of the rock paused for a while. "And nor am I. We need to fix the mistake we made. Help me. Please.”

“I can’t. The cosmere is stable.”

“And you know how well that stability lasted last time. Autonomy nearly destroyed us all.”

The figure stopped. He was right. He had been right far too often. But it was still too dangerous. Silverlight was better now. Stronger. It would hold against the Ire, the Iri, any force in the cosmere. But those two…

“I know you will do what you think is right, Cephandrius. But I must as well. You know this.”

The figure held the rock for a long, long time before it shifted again.

“I know.”

The figure closed his eyes. So it begins.

Then the rock shifted again.

"And another thing. Bavadin lives."

The figure's suddenly-scaled hand dropped the rock. The vines caught it and lowered it to the ground. Bavadin? How? 

It didn't matter, did it.

It was finally time to leave this place. 

 

An impossible distance away, three beings entered Silverlight’s Shardic Research Facility. It technically had been attached to SilverPoly, but over time, and after the events that kickstarted the old Age of Autonomy, it had been… reinforced to some degree. Perhaps not large enough of one.

One man entered the facility in disguise, Light weaving together a jolly persona cracking jokes with the staff, accepted without a second glance with all who saw him.

One woman entered by simply going through a wall, emerging on the other side old but kindly, wearing the uniform of a professor.

The third was, technically, neither, but instead appeared as a well-dressed man at the front office of the Facility. Chairman Lorn Haemtes called for his secretary, but he didn’t seem to hear.

“Hello, Lorn. Good to finally meet,” the figure said, reaching out a hand to shake. Ice curled from his fingertips, forming ever-so-soft claws.

“... Frost,” Lorn said, bewildered. “I thought you’d never… I thought Yolen was…”

“That can wait,” the dragon said. “Khriss has attained her secondary goal, and Hoid has left us alone on respect no longer. They will find an ear here, and others will find the chaos an ample time to experiment on Investitures restricted. We must prepare.”

Frost turned, thinking. Thinking of the danger, the preparations, and the fourth being he knew would be manifesting here soon. 

But what could be done to prepare against the Shards themselves?

* * *

Welcome to Long Game 95: The Fire of Ado's Light! This is a game heavily built on Seonid's LG43: Under the Banner of Adonalsium, and is rather complex as most Shard Games tend to be. The Researchers of Silverlight have managed to re-contain the sixteen Shards of Adonalsium in their facility in the Cognitive Realm, but Hoid and Khriss have arrived in order to enact their own agendas. Meanwhile Frost has arrived from Yolen to prepare for the storm about to arrive, and from the reaches of the cosmere the power of Autonomy has found its original Vessel...

The full rules for the game can be found HERE; the majority of them will be posted below. I @Ashbringer will be your GM, and @Amanuensis will be your co-GM. There are secret rules that cover only the Shard's Independent win conditions, everything else is public. However, because of how complicated things are, a few rules may change / have clarifications throughout the signup period, and a few things (namely the number of Conversions or Avatars that are given out) depend on exact player count.

 

General Rules:

Spoiler

• Each Cycle will consist of a Day Turn and a Night Turn. Day Turns will last roughly 48 hours, while Night Turns will last roughly 24 hours. 
• The game will start on Night 0, rather than Day 1.
• Each Day turn will have an execution, with ties resulting in no one dying and 1 vote minimum. Players executed or killed will go to the Cognitive Realm Doc, and their Role(s) and Alignment will be revealed to the thread. Players in the Cognitive Realm are dead and cannot post in the Thread or in PMs, although certain abilities can let them use Actions. (The Cognitive Realm Doc will thus be unspoiled.)
• PMs are closed, unless otherwise opened. PMs that are opened during the game will be opened by the GM. 
• Unless otherwise specified, every player may use only one action during each Turn.
• Unless otherwise specified, every player starts the game with 1 Charge of Investiture, and may hold any number of Charges of Investiture.
• Any player may use a Day Action to worldhop from one Shardworld to another.
• Any player may use an Action during either Turn to pass one or more Charges of Investiture they possess to another player. 
• Unless otherwise specified, Actions can only affect players on the same Shardworld as you!
• Unless otherwise specified, Actions can only affect living players!

Factions:

Spoiler

17th Shard - With the dangerous machinations of the madman who once led you taken care of, you are free to study the power of the Shards however you like. And if you keep their power to yourselves, who could blame you? It’s not everyday you get offered a chance at Shardic power. Every player except for Hoid, Khrissala, and Bavadin start as this Alignment.

• You win the game if all members of the Standard of Unity, Adonalsium’s Chosen and Autonomous are killed.
• Sudden Death Win Condition - If Hoid, Khrissala, and Bavadin are killed and all 16 Shards are in containment, the 17th Shard wins the game.

 

Adonalsium’s Chosen - After losing control of the 17th Shard, Hoid has fled to the farthest reaches of the Cognitive Realm to plot how to reforge Adonalsium under the very noses of the researchers he once led. You are one of his loyal followers, ready to steal the Shards and combine their power again. 

• You win the game if your faction outnumbers all other living players.
• Sudden Death Win Condition - If all 16 Shards are fused into a single Shard, Adonalsium’s Chosen win the game.

 

Standard of Unity - For a long while, Khrissala has hidden in the shadows, waiting for the opportunity to restore the state of the Cosmere to its former stability. Now, with Hoid out of the way, you stand with her as she acts to release the Shards again. 

• You win the game if your faction outnumbers all other living players.
• Sudden Death Win Condition - If all 16 Shards (not Avatars) are Invested in a Shardworld, the Standard of Unity wins the game. 

 

Autonomous - Autonomy reigned over the cosmere for over a thousand years under the guidance of Jiamo, only for Silverlight to betray agreements once made and to consolidate powers that were rightfully separated. But the new Autonomy has become the old, and they will not rest until they regain what they had rightfully won.

• You win the game if your faction (including Autonomy’s Avatars) outnumbers all other living players.
• Sudden Death Win Condition - If the number of Charges of Autonomy’s Investiture exceeds the number of all other Shards’ total Charges of Investiture among all non-Autonomous players at the end of any turn, and there is a living Autonomous player, the Autonomous wins the game.

Mechanics:

Spoiler

Shardworlds:

Spoiler

There will be 8 Shardworlds available: Silverlight, Roshar, Braize, Scadrial, Nalthis, Threnody, Taldain, and Sel. Each world except for Silverlight will have its own Doc that players can use to communicate privately. Each player will start in Silverlight.

In addition to private communications, each Shardworld other than Silverlight gives access to a special action or passive ability to the players that worldhop to it. Shardworld Actions may only be used once per cycle, and cannot be used the same turn as a Worldhopping Action.

• Silverlight - A player on Silverlight does not gain any special ability or access to a Shardworld Doc, but certain actions can only be used while on Silverlight. In addition, players on Silverlight can target any player on any Shardworld, and players on any Shardworld can target players on Silverlight as if they were on the same Shardworld.
• Roshar - A player on Roshar may use an Action to gain a Charge of Investiture from a random Shard.
• Braize - A player on Braize may use a Night Action and expend three Charges of Investiture to kill a player on any Shardworld.
• Scadrial - A player on Scadrial may use a Night Action and expend two Charges of Investiture to survive the first kill action targeting you that turn.
• Nalthis - A player on Nalthis may use a Day Action and expend one Charge of Investiture to count their vote double that turn.
• Threnody - A player on Threnody may use a Day Action to name a player. The player named by the most people on Threnody gains an anonymous vote.
• Taldain - A player on Taldain may use an Action and expend one Charge of Investiture to learn the identity of one player who targeted them that turn.
• Sel - A player on Sel may use an Action and expend one Charge of Investiture to gain another Charge of Investiture from any Shard.

Roles:

Spoiler

Starting Roles:

Hoid - You are the leader of Adonalsium’s Chosen, and a worldhopper of vast experience. 

• You start the game with 4 different Charges of Investiture.
• As the leader of your faction, you are immune to Alignment or Win Condition change.
• You may use a Night Action to target a player on any Shardworld and Convert them to your team. This Conversion fails if you target a Vessel, a member of the Standard of Unity, or the Autonomous. You may Convert up to X players.
• If you are in Silverlight, you may use a Night Action to target a Shard in containment. That Shard requires one fewer Charges of Investiture to be stolen in order to breach Containment that Night. 
• If you ever hold multiple unSplintered Shards, you may use an action during either Turn to Fuse the Shards together into a new Fused Shard.
• Whenever a Shard targets you with an Investment ability, you do not gain an Investment Role (if any) and instead gain a Charge of Investiture from that Shard.
• You cannot use Kill Actions on players.

  

Khrissala - You are the leader of the Standard of Unity, and a worldhopper of vast experience.  

• You start the game with 4 different Charges of Investiture.
• As the leader of your faction, you are immune to Alignment or Win Condition change.
• You may use a Night Action to target a player on any Shardworld and Convert them to your team. This Conversion fails if you target a Vessel, a member of Adonalsium’s Chosen, or the Autonomous. You may Convert up to X players. 
• If you are in Silverlight, you may use a Night Action to target up to two Shards. You steal one Charge of Investiture from each Shard. 
• If you ever hold a Shard, you may use an action during either Turn to Invest that Shard into a target Shardworld.

 

Frost - You are the leader of the 17th Shard, and a worldhopper of vast experience.  

• You start the game with 4 different Charges of Investiture.
• As the leader of your faction, you are immune to Alignment or Win Condition change. 
• You may use a Night Action to target a player on any Shardworld. That player is immune to Conversion (from Shardic Intent Conversion or from Hoid or Khrissala’s actions) for that turn. You cannot target the same player twice in a row.
• If you are in Silverlight, you may use a Night Action to target a Shard in Containment. If that Shard breaches Containment, you learn the identity of every player who targeted that Shard that turn. (Note this includes targeting abilities that are not Stealing Investiture, such as those of Hoid and Khrissala, or of Odium, Cultivation, and Honor.)
• You have the Researcher role.

 

Bavadin - You are the leader of the Autonomous and the only surviving member of the Sixteen original Vessels. It has been a long time since you held the Shard’s power, but you know how to use it to do things even Frost doesn’t know about.

• You start the game with 4 different Charges of Investiture.
• As the leader of your faction, you are immune to Alignment or Win Condition change.
• You start the game as the Vessel of Autonomy.
• You have the Researcher role.

 

Researcher - You are a worker in the vast Silverlight labs, studying the Shards and their power. With the recent unrest, you have found it prudent to siphon some of the Investiture off for your own protection. Surely that can’t have any side effects, right? 

• While in Silverlight, you may use a Night Action to target a contained Shard and steal a Charge of Investiture from it. 
• If you hold a Shard, you may use both a Day Action and a Night Action in a single Cycle to put the Shard back into containment. If you hold a Splintered Shard, you may use a single action on any Turn to put it into containment. 

Every player except for Hoid and Khrissala starts out with this Role.

 

 

In-Game Roles:

Returned - You died, and Endowment saw more purpose in your life than your death.

• As a Returned, you come back to life from the Cognitive Realm, losing any Role or Charges of Investiture you had before you died, but gaining one Charge of Endowment’s Investiture. 
• You must use a Night Action to consume a Charge of Investiture in order to survive for another cycle. Instead of doing this, you may instead use a Night Action to consume a Charge of Investiture to: roleblock a player on any world, protect a player on any world, or give a player on any world two Charges of Investiture from any Shard. Doing this will immediately cause you to die. 
• Dying as a Returned by not consuming a Charge of Investiture or by using their special Night Action bypasses Vessel Shield and any Protect actions. If a Returned dies in any way, they cannot become Returned again.

 

Shade - The Investiture of Ambition has changed your soul, leaving a more permanent mark on the world after your death.

• You retain any Charges of Investiture you hold (or held) upon death, and can use them in the Cognitive Realm to target living players. While using Charges of Investiture from the Cognitive Realm, you may target players on any Shardworld (but you are still dead, and still cannot post in Thread or in PMs).
• While a Shade is in the Cognitive Realm, if there is a Vessel for an unSplintered Ambition, that Vessel can speak in the Cognitive Realm.

Shardic Rules:

Spoiler

The Shards of Adonalsium are objects of immense power, capable of reshaping reality to their whim. The Shards are currently kept in containment in Silverlight, where they are being studied ceaselessly for insights into their power and how to replicate it. However, certain unscrupulous persons have been known to siphon a small portion of a contained Shard’s power away for their own purposes. Unfortunately, such thefts weaken the barriers containing the vast Investiture of the Shard. 

• If 4 Charges of investiture are stolen from a Contained Shard in a single Night Turn, the Containment fields will fail completely, releasing the Shard into the Cosmere again. If this happens, a random player who attempted to steal the investiture will instead gain the role of Vessel, holding that Shard. The other players will still gain a Charge of Investiture.
• Players are notified whenever a Shard is released from Containment, is returned to containment by a Researcher, is Splintered, is Fused, or is Invested in a Shardworld.
• A contained Shard does not have a Vessel, and cannot be used or targeted by any actions other than a Researcher’s ability to steal Investiture, the unique abilities of Hoid and Khrissala, and the Shardic Abilities of Odium, Honor, and Cultivation.

 

• All Vessels gain access to Vessel Action and Vessel Shield for as long as they remain a Vessel. 
  • Vessel Action allows a Vessel to use an additional action each cycle either during the Day or Night turn (not both actions)
  • Vessel Shield acts as an Extra Life, protecting the Vessel from a single execution or a Kill action (unless specifically bypassed). 
    • Note that once the survival from Vessel Shield is used, it cannot be regained by any method aside from Survival’s self-Investment.
• Shardic Abilities, unless otherwise noted, can only be used during the Night Turn and only once per cycle, but can target a player on any Shardworld.
  • Instead of using a Shardic Ability, a Vessel may use an action during either turn to gain a Charge of Investiture matching one of the Shards they hold. If this ability is used, the Vessel cannot use that Shard’s Shardic Ability for the rest of the cycle.
• Investment Abilities can either create Investment Roles or have other effects. Unless otherwise noted, they can only be used during the Day turn and only once per cycle, and must target a player on the same Shardworld as the Vessel.
  • Investment Abilities that create Investment Roles only will grant an Investment Role if the target is not a Vessel (or Hoid). The Vessel will not be informed if their target successfully receives the Investment Role or not, only if the action succeeded (ie not Roleblocked).
  • Investment Roles last for 2 Turns, and will be removed once the ability is used.
• Vessels may use an Action to pass a Shard they hold to another player, but they cannot use that Shard’s Investment Ability or Shardic Ability that turn.

 

• Intent Conversion - A Vessel risks being overwhelmed by the Intent of the Shard they hold. The 3rd time a 17th Shard-aligned Vessel uses one Shard’s Shardic ability, they become an Independent player with the unique Win Condition based on that Shard. The 3rd time an Adonalsium’s Chosen, Standard of Unity, or Autonomous-aligned Vessel uses one Shard’s Shardic ability, they gain the unique Win Condition based on that Shard, but retain their faction and can win either with that faction or via the Shardic Win Condition.
  • These Win Conditions are secret but will not end the game; save for Autonomy which is the Autonomous faction. 
  • Each Win Condition will clarify whether it needs to be true at the end of the game, or at any point during the game.
  • Intent Conversion is counted for each Shard - using three Shardic abilities will not trigger Intent Conversion unless they are from the same Shard.
  • Frost, Hoid, and Khrissala, and Bavadin are immune to Intent Conversion.
  • Members of Adonalsium’s Chosen and the Standard of Unity are immune to Intent Conversion by Autonomy.
  • Vessels already Intent Converted to one Shard’s Win Condition are immune to Intent Conversions from other Shards so long as they hold the Shard matching their Win Condition.

 

• Slivers - A Vessel that has undergone Intent Conversion can still give up their Shard by passing it or returning it to containment, which will turn them into a Sliver. 
  • Slivers retain the Win Condition of their matching Shard. 
  • A Sliver may use a Day action to exchange one Charge of Investiture in order to gain a Charge of Investiture of their matching Shard. 
  • If a Sliver is converted to Adonalsium’s Chosen or Standard of Unity, they retain the Sliver role and alignment, but gain the faction and Win Condition associated with that faction.
  • A Sliver who has completed their Shardic Win Condition becomes Immune to Alignment or Win Condition change. 
  • The Sliver role will be lost if the Sliver undergoes Intent Conversion from another Shard, or if they regain their matching Shard. 
  • Players who become a Sliver of Autonomy remain Autonomous instead of becoming Independent. See Autonomy.

 

• Holding Multiple Shards - A player may hold more than one Shard at a time. However, Vessel Shield and Vessel Action each only apply once. In addition, a player that holds multiple Shards may only use the Shardic Ability of a single Shard in any Night Turn, regardless of how many actions they have available. If a player holding multiple Shards used an Investment Action during the Day Turn, they may only use the Shardic Ability of a Shard with which they Invested.
• Fused Shards - Hoid can fuse two unSplintered Shards together into a single, new Shard. This Shard counts as a single Shard, but has the Shardic Abilities of all of the original Shards used to make it, and may use as many of those Shardic Abilities as they have actions for. In addition, a player invested by a Fused Shard gains the Investment Role of each original Shard used to make it. If one of the Shards used to create a Fused Shard cannot invest in another player, the Vessel must use that Investment Ability separately. 
  • Players are notified when two Shards are Fused, including which Shards were Fused and the name of the new Fused Shard.
  • A Fused Shard will suffer from Intent Conversion after using 3 Shardic Abilities, even if they come from different original Shards; however, they gain and can win by fulfilling any of the original Shard’s unique Win Conditions. 
  • Whenever a player would gain a Charge of Investiture specifically from a Fused Shard (not when they would specifically receive a Charge of Investiture from one of the original Shards), they will instead randomly receive a Charge of Investiture from one of the original Shards.
  • Fused Shards can only be un-Fused by Odium’s Shardic Ability.
  • If a Fused Shard contains Autonomy, the Vessel can still use Autonomy’s Shardic and Investment Abilities, but they will not join the Autonomous faction if they undergo Intent Conversion, instead gaining the Win Conditions of the other original Shards in the Fused Shard. See Autonomy.
• Splintered Shards - A Shard that has been targeted by Odium’s Shardic Ability becomes Splintered, unless protected by Honor’s Shardic Ability. A player holding a Splintered Shard cannot use its Shardic Ability or Investment Ability. Instead, they gain the Investment Role of the Shard as long as they hold the Splintered Shard. If the Splintered Shard does not have an Investment Role, the player holding it can use the Shard’s Investment Ability instead. A player cannot pass a Splintered Shard.
• Shards Invested in a Shardworld - Khrissala can Invest a Shard into a Shardworld. While a Shard is Invested in a Shardworld, at the start of every Cycle every player on that Shardworld will receive a Charge of the invested Shard’s Investiture. A Shard invested in a Shardworld cannot be targeted by any actions other than Odium’s Shardic Ability, Honor’s Shardic Ability, or Cultivation’s Shardic Ability.
  • Players are notified when a Shard becomes Invested in a Shardworld, including which Shard and which Shardworld. That Shard will then show up in the writeups as Invested in that Shardworld until removed.
  • If a Splintered Shard becomes Invested in a Shardworld (or a Shard Invested in a Shardworld becomes Splintered), then only half of the players on that Shardworld will receive a Charge of the Invested Shard’s Investiture, decided randomly.
  • If a Fused Shard becomes Invested in a Shardworld, players on that Shardworld will randomly receive one Charge of Investiture from one of its original Shards.
  • If Autonomy is Invested in a Shardworld, it acts as normal, but can only grant a total number of Charges of Investiture each cycle equal to the number of living Avatars, or half that if Autonomy is Splintered. See Autonomy.
• Shardic Inheritance - When a Vessel is killed or a Shard is otherwise taken out of play, the Shard will be given to players in the following order:
  • First, the Shard will go to the player with an Investment Role from that Shard.
  • If no player has an Investment Role from that Shard or that Shard has no Investment Role, the Shard will go to a random non-Vessel player on the same Shardworld as the killed Vessel or diVested Shard.
  • If there are no non-Vessel players on the same Shardworld, the Shard will go to a random non-Vessel player.
  • If all other living players are Vessels, the Shard is returned to Containment.

Autonomy Rules:

Spoiler

• Autonomy:
  • Shardic: Use an action during the Day to have an Avatar vote on a player, or use an action during the Night to have an Avatar roleblock a player on the same planet as it. This ability can be used as many times as Autonomy has available actions, but each Avatar can only be used once per cycle.
  • Investment: Create an Avatar on target Shardworld. There may only be X Avatars at any time. 
  • Unique Win Condition: You become Autonomous.

 

Avatar of Autonomy: Avatars are how Autonomy does business that is otherwise too overt for the Vessel themselves to perform. They are created via Autonomy’s Investment action, and Autonomy may only have X Avatars at any one time. If an Avatar is present on a Shardworld, they gain access to that Shardworld’s Google Doc and the Vessel of Autonomy may speak in it anonymously as that Avatar.

 

• Avatars are controlled by the Vessel of Autonomy. They are limited to the following potential actions, some of which they can use on their own and some of which require Autonomy’s Shardic Ability to allow. Avatars may only use one of these actions per cycle:
  • Worldhop to another Shardworld (Day)
  • Vote on a player (Day, Requires Autonomy’s Shardic)
  • Grant a Charge of Autonomy’s Investiture to target player on the same Shardworld as the Avatar (Night)
  • Roleblock target player on the same Shardworld as the Avatar (Night, Requires Autonomy’s Shardic)
• Avatars can be targeted by actions in the same way as Players can, with the following exceptions:
  • Cannot be targeted by Transfer actions (ie transferring a Charge of Investiture or a Shard), and cannot otherwise gain Charges of Investiture or Shards.
  • Cannot be targeted by Investment abilities that grant Investment Roles.
  • Cannot be targeted by Endowment’s Shardic Ability, Ambition’s Shardic Ability, or Valor’s Investiture. 
  • Cannot be targeted by Hoid or Khrissala’s Conversion actions.
  • Cannot vote on players without using both an Avatar action and Autonomy’s Shardic Ability.
  • Cannot gain Vessel Shield or Vessel Action, or any other Roles or Abilities.
• Otherwise, Avatars act like Players. An Avatar successfully executed or killed will be removed. Other actions (ie Roleblocks, Protects, Target Scans) work as normal, although certain actions (ie Frost’s Conversion Blocker) will not have any effect due to restrictions on other actions.

 

Players who undergo Intent Conversion from Autonomy join the Autonomous Faction instead of becoming Independent.

 

Charges of Investiture:

Spoiler

• Ambition
  • Investiture: Consumed to gain Vessel Action for the next cycle. (Either)
• Autonomy
  • Investiture: Consumed to learn one target of another target player on the same world as you. This will not detect Actions that are not targeting either living players or Shards in Containment. (Either)
• Cultivation
  • Investiture: Consumed to vote anonymously on target player on the same world as you. This overrules any vote you’ve made in thread. (Day)
• Devotion
  • Investiture: Consumed to cancel the vote of target player on the same world as you. (Day)
• Dominion
  • Investiture: Consumed to gain immunity to roleblocks and redirects for the following turn. (Either)
• Endowment
  • Investiture: Consumed to learn the Shard associated with one random source of Investiture (Charge of Investiture, Investment Role, or Shard) that target other player on the same world as you held at the start of the turn. (Night)
• Honor
  • Investiture: Consumed to protect another target player on the same world as you. (Night)
• Invention
  • Investiture: Consumed to gain one additional Charge of Investiture from a random Shard you already have a Charge of Investiture from or are a Vessel of (excluding Invention). (Either)
• Mercy
  • Investiture: Consumed to remove a vote from self. (Day)
• Odium
  • Investiture: Consumed to remove a Charge of Investiture from target player on the same world as you. If the target had no Charges of Investiture, instead Kill the target player. (Night)
• Preservation
  • Investiture: Consumed to gain Vessel Shield for the next cycle. (Either)
• Prudence
  • Investiture: Consumed to create a PM with target other player on the same world as you. This PM will remain until the end of the game or until closed. (Either)
• Ruin
  • Investiture: Consumed to roleblock a player on the same world as you. (Either)
• Survival
  • Investiture: Consumed to become immune to scans and vote manipulation the following turn. (Either)
• Whimsy
  • Investiture: Consumed to redirect one random action targeting you this turn to another random player. (Either)
• Valor
  • Investiture: Consumed to grant Vessel Action for the next cycle to target other player on the same world as you. (Either)

Shards:

Spoiler

• Ambition
  • Shardic: Target player becomes a Shade. You may target players in the Cognitive Realm in addition to living players.
  • Investment: Target player on the same world as you gains an anonymous vote.
  • Unique Win Condition: [REDACTED]
• Autonomy
  • Shardic: Allow an Avatar to use its Day Action to vote on any player or to use its Night Action to Roleblock a player on the same Shardworld as it. This ability can be used during the Day and can be used as many times a cycle as the Vessel of Autonomy has available actions. (You do not target the Avatars.)
  • Investment: Create an Avatar on target Shardworld. There may only be X Avatars at any time.
  • Unique Win Condition: You become Autonomous.
• Cultivation
  • Shardic: If target player holds a Splintered Shard, it begins to repair.  Alternatively, Cultivation can target a Splintered Shard in Containment or Invested in a Shardworld and begin to repair it. Two successful uses of Cultivation’s Shardic ability are required to fully unSplinter a Shard.
  • Investment: Grants the Booned role to target other player on the same world as you for the next two turns.
    • Booned: Can use an action to anonymously vote on target player on the same world as you. (Day)
  • Unique Win Condition: [REDACTED]
• Devotion
  • Shardic: Redirect all actions that target the target player this turn to yourself. This ability can be used during the Day turn, but cannot target the same player twice in a row.
  • Investment: Grants the Elantrian role to target other player on the same world as you for the next two turns.
    • Elantrian: Move the vote of target player on the same world as you. (Day)
  • Unique Win Condition: [REDACTED]
• Dominion
  • Shardic: Redirect all actions target player performs this turn to another target player. This ability can be used during the Day turn, but cannot target the same player twice in a row.
  • Investment: Grants the Dahkor role to target other player on the same world as you for the next two turns.
    • Dahkor: Protect yourself. (Night)
  • Unique Win Condition: [REDACTED]
• Endowment
  • Shardic: Target player in the Cognitive Realm is brought back to life as a Returned. This ability cannot target players who died as Returned.
  • Investment: Grants the Awakener role to target other player on the same world as you for the next two turns.
    • Awakener: Learn the Shard associated with one random source of Investiture (Charge of Investiture, Investment Role, or Shard) that target other player on the same world as you held at the start of the turn. (Night)
  • Unique Win Condition: [REDACTED]
• Honor
  • Shardic: Protect target other player. If they were a Vessel targeted by Odium’s Shardic, their Shard is not Splintered. Alternatively, you may protect a Shard in Containment or Invested in a Shardworld, preventing Odium’s Shardic from Splintering it this turn.
  • Investment: Grants the Radiant role to target other player on the same world as you for the next two turns.
    • Radiant: Protect target other player on the same planet as you. (Night)
  • Unique Win Condition: [REDACTED]
• Invention
  • Shardic: Use the ability of a Charge of Investiture you have without consuming it. This ability can be used during the Day turn, supplies the action necessary to use the Charge of Investiture, and can still target players on any Shardworld.
  • Investment: Gain a Charge of Investiture matching one of the sources of Investiture (Charge of Investiture, Investment Role, or Shard) that target other player on the same world as you holds. This ability will prioritize Charges of Investiture Invention does not have, but is otherwise random.
  • Unique Win Condition: [REDACTED]
• Mercy
  • Shardic: Target player is immune to the execution the following Day turn. This ability cannot target the same player twice in a row.
  • Investment: Remove a vote from target player on the same world as you.
  • Unique Win Condition: [REDACTED]
• Odium
  • Shardic: Kill target player. If they are a Vessel, this bypasses their Vessel Shield (but not other forms of protection), and any Shards they hold are Splintered (regardless of whether they survived or not). Alternatively, you may target a Shard in Containment or Invested in a Shardwold and Splinter it. A Fused Shard is not Splintered, but one random Shard is un-Fused from the Fused Shard and then Splintered. Odium cannot be Splintered.
  • Investment: Learn if target other player on the same world as you is a Vessel by the end of the turn, and what Shards they hold if any.
  • Unique Win Condition: [REDACTED]
• Preservation
  • Shardic: During the next turn, Roleblock target player and any players who attempt to target the target player. This ability can be used during the Day turn, but cannot be used on the same player twice in a row. (It does not grant immunity to the execution.)
  • Investment: Grants the Mistborn role to target other player on the same world as you for the next two turns.
    • Mistborn: Roleblock a random player who targets you. (Night)
  • Unique Win Condition: [REDACTED]
• Prudence
  • Shardic: Create up to three PMs that can contain up to four different players. These PMs will last until the end of the game or until closed. This ability does not target these players and cannot be redirected, and can be used during the Day turn.
  • Investment: Grants the Connective role to target other player on the same world as you for the next two turns.
    • Connective: Create a 1-on-1 PM with target other player on the same world as you. (Either)
  • Unique Win Condition: [REDACTED]
• Ruin
  • Shardic: Kill target player. If they are a Vessel, this bypasses their Vessel Shield (but not other forms of protection). Alternatively, you may instead target the Shardworld you are on and begin to destroy it. Two successful applications of Ruin’s Shardic Ability are required to Destroy a Shardworld. When a Shardworld is Destroyed, all other players on it are Roleblocked, and then all players on it randomly Worldhop to another Shardworld. Any Shards Invested in that Shardworld are di-Vested. Ruin cannot Destroy Silverlight, but two successful applications of Ruin’s Shardic Ability still Roleblock all other players on it and di-Vest all Shards Invested into it.
  • Investment: Grants the Hemalurgist role to target other player on the same world as you for the next two turns.
    • Hemalurgist: Roleblock target player. If they had attempted to use a Charge of Investiture action, you steal the Charge of Investiture. (Either)
  • Unique Win Condition: [REDACTED]
• Survival
  • Shardic: Learn the identity of all players who targeted the target player this Night turn.
  • Investment: Regain an expended Vessel Shield.
  • Unique Win Condition: [REDACTED]
• Whimsy
  • Shardic: Learn one random piece of information from this turn, from a group of: one of a random player’s targets, one of a random player’s PMs, one of a random player’s Shards, one of a random player’s Charges of Investiture. This ability can be used during the Day and can be used as many times a cycle as the Vessel of Whimsy has available actions.
  • Investment: Grants the Unkeyed role to target other player on the same world as you for the next two turns.
    • Unkeyed: Expend a Charge of Investiture from any Shard to use the ability of any Charge of Investiture. (Either)
  • Unique Win Condition: [REDACTED]
• Valor
  • Shardic: If target other player is killed by a Night from another player, kill that other player. This ability does not block the original kill on the target other player, and does not activate if the Kill was canceled by a Protect, Roleblock, etc. 
  • Investment: Grants the Voyager role to target other player on the same world as you for the next two turns.
    • Voyager: Expend a Charge of Investiture from any Shard to target a player on any Shardworld with the effect of that Investiture. The Investiture must be able to target another player (ie isn’t self-targeting). (Either)
  • Unique Win Condition: [REDACTED]

Order of Actions:

Spoiler

Day:

• * Invention’s Investment gains Investiture accurately as of here.
• Preservation’s Shardic Ability
• Ruin’s Investiture / Hemalurgist
• Dominion’s Shardic Ability
• Devotion’s Shardic Ability
• Whimsy’s Investiture
• Autonomy’s Shardic Ability + Avatar Vote
• Threnody Shardworld / Ambition’s Investment
• Devotion’s Investiture / Mercy’s Investiture / Mercy’s Investment
• Nalthis Shardworld
• Cultivation’s Investiture / Booned
• Elantrian
• Valor’s Investiture
• Execution
• Cultivation’s Investment / Devotion’s Investment / Dominion’s Investment / Endowment’s Investment / Honor’s Investment / Preservation’s Investment / Prudence’s Investment / Ruin’s Investment / Whimsy’s Investment / Valor’s Investment
• Prudence’s Investiture / Prudence's Shardic Ability / Connective
• Passing Charges of Investiture / Passing Shards 
• Odium’s Investment* / Whimsy’s Shardic Ability*
• Invention’s Investment*
• Worldhopping / Avatar Worldhopping
• Autonomy’s Investiture
• Researcher Re-Containment
• Ambition’s Investiture / Dominion’s Investiture / Preservation’s Investiture / Survival’s Investiture
• Survival’s Investment
• Hoid’s Shard Fusing / Khriss’ Shard Investing / Autonomy’s Investment
• Roshar Shardworld / Sel Shardworld / Invention’s Investiture / Sliver Investiture Generation / Shardic Investiture Generation
• Shard Inheritance
• Shard Intent Conversion
• * Odium’s Investment / Whimsy’s Shardic Ability learn information accurately as of here.

 

Night:

• * Endowment’s Investiture / Awakener learn information accurately as of here.
• Ruin’s Shardic Ability (second use on Shardworld)
• Preservation’s Shardic Ability
• Mistborn
• Autonomy’s Shardic Ability + Avatar Roleblock / Ruin’s Investiture / Hemalurgist / Returned Sacrificial Roleblocking
• Dominion’s Shardic Ability
• Devotion’s Shardic Ability
• Whimsy’s Investiture
• Scadrial Shardworld / Dahkor / Honor’s Investiture / Honor’s Shardic Ability / Knight Radiant / Returned Sacrificial Protection
• Valor’s Shardic Ability
• Valor’s Investiture
• Frost’s Conversion Blocker
• Endowment’s Shardic Ability
• Braize Shardworld / Odium’s Investiture / Odium’s Shardic Ability* / Ruin’s Shardic Ability (NK or first use on Shardworld) / Valor’s Shardic Ability (Reflective NK)
• Hoid’s Conversion / Khriss’ Conversion
• Ambition’s Shardic Ability
• Mercy’s Shardic Ability
• Cultivation’s Shardic Ability (first or second use)
• Endowment’s Investiture / Awakener*
• Prudence’s Investiture / Prudence’s Shardic Ability / Connective
• Passing Charges of Investiture / Passing Shards
• Avatar Investiture Granting / Returned Sacrificial Investiture Granting
• Whimsy’s Shardic Ability*
• Researcher Siphon / Hoid’s Sabotage / Khriss’ Double-Siphon
• Frost’s Containment Watch
• Autonomy’s Investiture / Survival’s Shardic Ability
• Researcher Re-Containment
• Ambition’s Investiture / Dominion’s Investiture / Invention’s Investiture / Preservation’s Investiture / Survival’s Investiture
• Returned Investiture Consumption (for survival)
• Hoid’s Shard Fusing / Khriss’ Shard Investing
• Roshar Shardworld / Sel Shardworld / Sliver Investiture Generation / Shardic Investiture Generation
• Splintering
• Shard Inheritance
• Shard Intent Conversion
• * Whimsy’s Shardic Ability learns information accurately as of here.

 

** Abilities that modify Charges of Investiture (ie Invention’s Shardic Ability, Unkeyed, or Voyager) fit in the OoA wherever the Charge of Investiture used fits.

** A lot of Actions don’t really conflict with each other in the OoA, but are separated for clarity and in case I missed something. (I.e. there’s not a massive secret reason why Ambition’s Shardic Ability is before Mercy’s.)

** Odium’s Shardic Ability will Splinter a Shard if the Vessel is passing it to another player - if the Vessel survives, the passing will succeed but the Shard will still be Splintered.

Clarifications and Changelog:

Spoiler

• Charges of Ambition’s, Valor’s, and Preservation’s Investiture can be used in the Day Turn, but will only grant Vessel Action or Vessel Shield starting the next cycle. 
• Redirects have no effect on Actions that have no target, Actions that can only target the user of the Action, or Actions that are targeting something other than a living player (ie a dead player, a Shard in Containment, or a Shardworld).
• Dominion’s Shardic Ability cannot make a player target themselves. Devotion’s Shardic Ability and Charges of Whimsy’s Investiture can, however.
  • Odium’s Shardic Ability cannot Splinter Odium, even if redirected to Odium.
• Actions that otherwise could only target players on the same Shardworld can be Redirected to players on different Shardworlds.
• A Shard being Splintered does not prevent that Shard’s Shardic or Investment Ability from being used that turn, nor does it prevent passing that Shard that turn (assuming the Vessel survives).
• Investment Roles last for 2 Turns or until their Ability is used, upon which it will be lost.
• Charges of Investiture and Investment Roles will both be lost if used while being Roleblocked.
• Frost, Hoid, Khrissala and Bavadin will in total start with Charges of Investiture of all 16 Shards. Other players will start with one Charge of Investiture that is not of Autonomy. After the start of the game, however, Autonomy’s Charges of Investiture act as any other Shards’. Charges of Investiture are distributed as if they were roles (so not randomly).
  • The one Autonomy’s Charge of Investiture may or may not start with Bavadin.
• You can become a Sliver of a Fused Shard, which lets you continue to win via any of the component Shards’ win conditions and create Charges of Investiture of any of the component Shards’ Investitures.
• Some Shardic Win Conditions can be completed by Slivers, and some require abilities of the Shard specifically. Some Win Conditions require certain conditions to be true ‘at any point before the game ends’, some require certain conditions to be true at the end of the game, other Win Conditions require a certain number of events to occur over the course of the game. 
  • Components of Win Conditions that require abilities of the Shard to be used will be labeled.
  • Win Conditions that require events to occur begin counting at the start of the game, not when the player gains that Win Condition.
  • Win Conditions that require conditions to be true at any point before the game ends / at the end of the game do not need the player to survive to that point
• If a Vessel would suffer Intent Conversion of a Shard while that Shard’s Win Condition is strictly impossible due to the game state, they will not be converted to that Win Condition. 
  • This rule does not un-convert players who gained a Win Condition when it was possible, then was made impossible in a later turn.
  • Some Win Conditions may have multiple paths to victory, and Vessels will still be converted if at least one of these paths is still possible.
  • (This rule is more future-proofing so someone doesn’t end up converting themselves into a situation where they can never win.)
• If Hoid and Khrissala both attempt to Convert the same (convertible) player on the same turn... for now, both Conversions will fail and the player will remain unconverted. (But that may change, it's an unlikely situation but not a very easy one to solve...)
• Silverlight is still a Shardworld. The only differences are a lack of a Shardworld Doc, the lack of a specific Shardworld Action, being able to target any player / be targeted by any player, and being unable to be Destroyed by Ruin. (Okay, there's a lot of differences.) Khriss can still Invest Shards into Silverlight, and Hoid and Khriss can still convert players on Silverlight.
• Hoid cannot use kill actions: he cannot use Odium's Shardic Ability or Ruin's Shardic Ability targeting players. He can still use those two targeting Shards in Containment or the Shardworld he is on, respectively. He cannot use Valor's Shardic Ability at all.

 

• Avatars are controlled by whoever is the Vessel of Autonomy, not independent players; but they act as players for most actions.
• The Vessel of Autonomy does not need to spend actions to make an Avatar Worldhop to another Shardworld or grant a Charge of Autonomy’s Investiture to a target player on the same Shardworld. 
• Autonomy follows the same rules for Containment and Inheritance as other Shards. If a player were then to become the Vessel of Autonomy and then undergo Intent Conversion by Autonomy, they join the Autonomous Faction and Win Conditions. 
• It is possible for Bavadin or the current Vessel of Autonomy to give up the Shard, and then another player to undergo Intent Conversion by Autonomy. This will allow multiple players to have the Autonomous Alignment and Win Conditions.
  • Players who become a Sliver of Autonomy remain members of the Autonomous. They can still undergo Intent Conversion by another Shard, but will retain the Autonomous Alignment and Win Condition in addition to gaining the Independent one of that Shard.
  • Members of Adonalsium’s Chosen or the Standard of Unity cannot undergo Intent Conversion by the Shard of Autonomy, and members of the Autonomous become immune to Hoid and Khrissala‘s Conversion abilities. (In other words, nobody should be able to become a member of two of these factions, as they are led by players who cannot win together.)
• If Autonomy is combined into a Fused Shard by Hoid, it behaves as normal, except that undergoing Intent Conversion by the Fused Shard will not grant the Autonomous Alignment and Win Condition. It will instead grant the Win Conditions of all other Shards in the Fused Shard besides Autonomy.
• If Autonomy is Invested into a Shardworld by Khrissala, it behaves as normal, except that it can only grant Charges of Investiture per cycle equal to the number of living Avatars (or half as many if Shattered). If this means not every potential player would receive a Charge of Investiture, they are randomly distributed.
• It could be possible for the Autonomous to meet their main outnumbering Win Condition at the same time as either Adonalsium’s Chosen or Standard of Unity - in this instance, both teams win.
• The Sudden Death Win Condition for the Autonomous only ends the game if there are living Autonomous players. (This is also true for Adonalsium’s Chosen or Standard of Unity, although I don't think it can happen that way.)
•  

 

• Players on Silverlight can target players on any Shardworld as if they were on the same Shardworld. Also, players on any Shardworld can target players on Silverlight as if they were on the same Shardworld.
• Vessel Shield is once per player, not once per Shard. Preservation's Investiture can grant a non-Vessel player Vessel Shield temporarily, and if they use the Vessel Shield extra life then it is still expended. (The Vessel of Survival can use their Investment Ability to regain their expended Vessel Shield, that should be the only way to get multiple.)
• Ambition's Shardic Ability doesn't kill players. A living player will gain the "Shade" role and be notified, but it won't do anything until they die.
• A dead player who becomes a Shade post-death regains their Charges (although it may make more sense to say all players keep their Charges, but only Shades can actually use them - same result though).
• Shards can only use their Shardic Ability to create a Charge of Investiture once per cycle. Abilities that can be used either Day or Night should only be usable once per cycle unless marked otherwise, like Autonomy/Whimsy's Shardics - although both of these shards can still only use their Shardic Ability to create a Charge of Investiture once per cycle.
• Sel lets you convert Charges of Investiture from one to another, just also takes an action.

 

• With all the changes, I should probably add - if anyone finds a discrepancy between the ruleset here and the ruleset in the Google Docs, let me know! I think I made everything match but some changes were more sporadic and I can't say for 100% which one I'd say is the One True Ruleset.

 

 

Changelog

Spoiler

• Shardic Win Conditions begin counting from the start of the game, not when they are acquired.
• Cleaned up OoA
• Vote Manip actions no longer occur all at the same OoA time to ensure vote removal happens before vote altering.
• Invention's Investiture now occurs at the same time as other Investiture-creation actions.
• Prudence's Shardic Ability can be used during the Day turn like other PM-creating actions.
• Frost's Conversion Blocker can now target players on any Shardworld.
• Odium's Charges of Investiture now reads "Target player loses one Charge of Investiture. If they had no Charges of Investiture, instead Kill target player."
• Hoid's Fuse Ability can now Fuse any Shard, Splintered or unSplintered - any Splintered Shards added to a Fused Shard will not give their Shardic Ability to the Fused Shard, but they can still join a Fused Shard.
• Whimsy's Shardic Ability can no longer detect Action Classes.
• Braize's Shardworld Kill now requires 3 Charges of Investiture to use.

 

Okay I think that's everything.

 

 

The game will start at 10:00 PM PDT / 5:00 AM GMT (+1 Day) on JUNE 5th, which will be the general rollover time. (Note that the game also starts on Night Zero instead of Day One.) Because this is such a large game, I'd need at least 20 people to sign up to play, and the more the merrier! Or 19, 19 is almost 20 right

 

Participants:

Spoiler

Players:

Spoiler

1. @The Known Novel - Ivam the Mad
2. @Kasimir - Evgeny Karamazov 
3. @The Wandering Wizard - The Poet
4. @Fifth Scholar - Dr. Mattithias Gunther
5. @Szeth_Pancakes - Liene
6. @|TJ| - Al
7. @DeTess - Tessa DeLoren
8. @Archer - Oliver Cosmos
9. @JNV - Jai
10. @xinoehp512 - Xorial
11. @The Last Fæ -
12. @DrakeMarshall - Adjunct Professor Uther
13. @Matrim's Dice - Sir Arren Brockett
14. @Sart -
15. @STINK - 
16. @Elandera - 
17. @Araris Valerian - 
18. @Drake Inferno - 
19. @TheAlpha929 - Felt
20. @Channelknight Fadran -
21. @Turtle - Letta Turson

Spectators:

Spoiler

1. @The Bookwyrm
2. @Bondsmith-Edgedancer

Pinch Hitters:

Spoiler

1. @_Stick_
2. @Walin

 

Quick Links:

Spoiler

Night Zero: Out of the Breach
Day One: A Word With You
Night One: Ties and Connections
Day Two: Spilled Blood and Splintered Bones
Night Two: Fault
Day Three: Sing Us A Song
Night Three: Face the Music
Day Four: Wrath
Night Four: Unto the Cosmos
Day Five: A Case Study of the Inevitable
Night Five: Unanimous Antagonist
Day Six: Shreds
Night Six: Death by Sleep
Day Seven: For Those Who Mourn
Night Seven: The Wanderer and The Broker
Day Eight: Return to Sender
Night Eight: Proven
Day Nine: Not Over Yet
Aftermath: A Solemn Crescendo

 

Edited December 16, 2023 by Elandera

[The Unknown Ajah]

I'll sign up! 

Let me know if you want me to hide this post for whatever reason.

[The Paradoxical Phenomenon]

I’m also in, same sentiment. 

[Kasimir]

And my axe!

Spoiler

 

 

[The Wandering Wizard]

And my bow!

[Fifth Scholar]

“…my Lord, to hold Dominion of the Cosmere is beyond your power…”

it hurt. it hurt so much, why was there the line of pain across his back, through his heart, through his spine, forever bleeding out the remnants of

“…it is an impossible task. Already the great factions are gathering once more, and who are we to go back into this? The ASWA is done! The assault on the Autonomous aspects failed, the trapper Returned to die, you have died, it cannot behoove you to once again…”

but he was awake, awake here with the screams of the tortured and the songs of the damned, and he was damned, and the power of the damned stood before him and he knew that to reclaim it it would be to end the pain to replace it with a worse pain, that pain of need, that pain of knowing the need would only become deeper and worse and the despair mounted into

“…the pact you have forged with Endowment and Honour will not permit this! They stand ready to hold you at your word, surely you cannot hope to overcome the might of not one but…”

“No.” Darrel’s voice, strained, cut through the silence. “I cannot sit this out. I…”

“my Lord. My Lord?”

“Go,” the voice rasped, holding out a pair of badly dyed pink leather gloves. “Go for me.”

---

Darrel is retired. But that doesn’t mean that Dr. Mattathias Gunther can’t try to do some damage on his behalf.  

[Mat]

I feel extremely conflicted:

I turned down Kas’ RP QF cause I’m too busy, and complication-wise this is leagues above that, so logically there’s no way I have time for this

But also, Shard game

How about this, put me down as PHer. Yeah.

[Szeth_Pancakes]

*glances at rules*

*dies*

Y’know what, sure. I’m next in line for the MR, but I’ll probably be dead here before then.

I’ll sign up as Liene, a cranky Elantrian.

[The Unknown Ajah]

I'll have my character be Ivam the Mad (the letter 'v' and the word 'the' are silent.

Having just finished* the rules, I am now braindead, experiencing a stroke, and having a heart attack. Forgiv me as I sloly descend into madnes. 

@Ashbringer, am I mising somthing, are the Otonomy Avatars players or puppets? Becuz this line is confuzing me:

Quote

4 hours ago, Ashbringer said:

Otherwise, Avatars act like Players. An Avatar successfully executed or killed will be removed.

 

Liek, I'm prety sure their not players but its frying my brane 

O and do u learn the unike win condishin  apon takeing cuntroll of the Shard or onlee after it taeks æfect¿?

*Should note I have not technically finished the rules, as I will be rereading them a minimum of three more times.

Edited May 22, 2023 by The Known Novel

[Ashbringer]

47 minutes ago, The Known Novel said:

I'll have my character be Ivam the Mad (the letter 'v' and the word 'the' are silent.

Having just finished* the rules, I am now braindead, experiencing a stroke, and having a heart attack. Forgiv me as I sloly descend into madnes. 

@Ashbringer, am I mising somthing, are the Otonomy Avatars players or puppets? Becuz this line is confuzing me:

Liek, I'm prety sure their not players but its frying my brane 

O and do u learn the unike win condishin  apon takeing cuntroll of the Shard or onlee after it taeks æfect¿?

*Should note I have not technically finished the rules, as I will be rereading them a minimum of three more times.

... oh dear 

Avatars are essentially the puppets of the Vessel of Autonomy, but action-wise they act like players are very (very) limited in the actions that they can use or can be used on them. When one is created they'll show up in the player list.

You only learn the unique Win Condition of a Shard once you get Intent Converted (ie use its Shardic Ability three times).

[|TJ|]

Al is tossing in his broken bottle. 

Ash, do the right thing and gimme Autonomy :P. 

[Kasimir]

Honestly I've not bothered to read the rules or I probably have and my brain has just died in the process and anyway the best way to play is complete dgaf YOLO right?

On 5/22/2023 at 10:38 AM, Fifth Scholar said:

“…it is an impossible task. Already the great factions are gathering once more, and who are we to go back into this? The ASWA is done! The assault on the Autonomous aspects failed, the trapper Returned to die, you have died, it cannot behoove you to once again…”

Scraps/fragments of a torn letter:

Quote

I lived, bastard >:(

u killed my bird prepare to die again

 

---

So many people seemed to want unlimited, Shardic power.

Evgeny Karamazov didn't. There was joy enough in the research, he supposed. Reasons enough to keep working with the 17th Shard, when those like Hoid seemed to thrive on the idea of collecting Investment the way you collected stamps or coins or fountain pens.

But the more Evgeny learned, the more he felt a sense of...disquiet. He didn't particularly crave power. It was the thrill of learning, the joy of discovery that did it for him. And so very many people seemed to seek immortality or power, with no thought for the fundamental brokenness that seemed to come with the human condition.

What, precisely, was the point of all this, if you couldn't fix the cracks in the human heart?

It didn't matter. The Shards were moving. And so were the 17th.

Even if Evgeny had misgivings about all of this.

---

Picked a character. Evgeny Karamazov, the only sane researcher of the 17th Shard beginning to question the decisions everyone is making.

Edited June 2, 2023 by Kasimir

[DeTess]

"Oh, that's truly wonderful!" The couple expressed their delight as the fortune teller finished the card reading predicting their happy future together. After paying the slight woman the two left the shade of the fortune teller's tent for Dayside's burning daylight. The fortune teller gathered up her cards and spread them out face-up in front of her, while waiting for the next customer. Some would consider her a charlatan, preying on the gullible with some made up card tricks. She had few illusions about the actual power of the cards she used. Most people that came to her simply needed advice or reassurance, advice which she would then dispense to the best of her ability using a little bit of sleight of hand to make sure the cards ended up were they needed to be. Sure, the set dressing was a little unconventional, but it was not that unusual to be paid for providing advice, now was it?

After some time, a new customer arrived. He was a very tall woman, appearing to be in his early thirties, with the lightest blue eyes the fortune teller had ever seen. "Welcome, dearest guest. If you wish I can lay bare the secrets of your future, or the futures of those you care about." She gestured towards the seat in front of her, inviting the woman to sit.

"Tch, so I've heard." The woman sneered at her as she sat down, disbelief in her eyes. The fortune teller suppressed a sigh. Sometimes people like that would stop by, people who just wanted to ridicule her and try to disprove her arts. She'd just have to keep a straight face and get the whole thing done with as soon as possible.

"Please tell me what it is you wish to learn about, dearest guest. Is it love you wish to know about or maybe the success of..."

"Everything." The tall woman interrupted the fortune teller.

"I'm sorry, everything?" The fortune teller asked. "I am afraid that it is difficult to..."

"That's right, everything." The tall woman interrupted the fortune teller again. "If you can't do that, I am done here."

"As you wish." the fortune teller fished a card bearing an image of a planet out of the deck and put it down in front of her, then started shuffling the deck. As she did so, she started tapping into the reserve of Fortune stored in the metalmind on her right arm. She rarely did so, but the customer had riled her up enough that she wanted to attempt a True reading, even if the person in front of her would never be able to appreciate it.

Once she was done shuffling she put the deck down and pulled the first card, putting it down on top of the card she'd picked to represent the question. "Nine of staves, reversed. Calamity and adversity. The world is not a peaceful place." The draw had not shocked the fortune teller. The world had always been like this. "Next is four of cups. In this context, it could mean stagnation. Things have remained unchanging for too long." That card, too was unsurprising. The world had been stuck in its current paradigm for a long time, though not so long that the young-looking fortune teller had not seen a different one. "Next, the four of coins." The fortune teller stopped for a moment. This was a bad omen. "The best possible outcome for the coming events is that things stay exactly as they are. Change can only be for the worse. Next is..." she frowned for a moment. She was starting to see the outline of the situation, and did not like its implications. "Three of staves. For what is to come, Strength and ingenuity will be the main tools."

The fortune teller took a moment to regain her composure, but kept here eyes on the cards. No doubt her audience of one still had that sneer on her face. "Next is the eight of coins, reversed. Vanity and lack of ambition are things of the past. After that, six of cups, also reversed. Change is coming." She was silently cursing the impreciseness of the cards now. It was a useful enough tool when dispensing advice, but now that she actually wanted to know...

She reached for the deck again, preparing to draw the last four cards. These would hold the actual prediction. "Queen of swords, reversed. Deceit will be the way this change is brought about. Two of coins. News should arrive soon about the matter to come. Ace of swords. Whatever will come, will be done by force, and the changes will be massive. Last card, Four of Swords. Solitude, retreat. But in light of everything else... an end to such matters. A force that had left the world returns to plague it once more." Then, the fortune teller added as a whisper, meant for herself, not her audience. "The Shards will break free"

The fortune teller took a moment more to collect herself, then looked up to face her customer. She expected scorn and derision at the overly dramatic reading. Yet instead, the tall woman had gone pale, a mix of fear and newfound respect on her face.

"Master Vahal was right." The tall woman murmured. "Your ability is real."

The fortune teller had gone pale herself at the mention of that name. 'Vahal' was a name she had not heard for a long time. Not since the war that ended the age of Autonomy.

"Tessa DeLoren." The tall woman addressed the fortune teller directly. "Won't you return to the fold?"
***

Signing up as Tessa DeLoren, a veteran of the (now clearly wrongly named) Final Shardic War that ended the age of Autonomy.

edit: for those curious about Tessa DeLoren's past adventures:

 

 

Edited May 22, 2023 by DeTess

[Archer]

In as Olivier Cosmos, travel critic. 

[Stick.]

I want to sign up  But I doubt this game of all games will end within a week LOL

Will pinch hit based on availability 

[JNV]

Ill play as Jai 

[Ashbringer]

Also, just a side note: In case it wasn't obvious, I am playing... fast and loose with continuity on this one with respect to AG7/AG5/LG43  They happened, at some point. Maybe AG5's reboot of the cosmere led to AG7 and then LG95 arrived. Maybe this one is just weird in the multiverse of game states. Whatever works!

[Kasimir]

4 minutes ago, Ashbringer said:

Also, just a side note: In case it wasn't obvious, I am playing... fast and loose with continuity on this one with respect to AG7/AG5/LG43  They happened, at some point. Maybe AG5's reboot of the cosmere led to AG7 and then LG95 arrived. Maybe this one is just weird in the multiverse of game states. Whatever works!

Tenth of the Dusk is happy and retired, thank you  Well I mean unhappy and retired but given someone ( @Fifth Scholar) murdered his bird, there's only so much he can do. Not saying I'm opposed to cameos but I really don't feel the obsessive need to link all my characters up and it's also pretty nice to work on someone new  

...Anyway I'm signing up for a Shard game for a quiet RPful game so I'm not even bothering to read the rules, lemme know if there's no Elims or something and then I'll just recalibrate from there  

Edited May 22, 2023 by Kasimir

[The Unknown Ajah]

20 minutes ago, Kasimir said:

Tenth of the Dusk is happy and retired, thank you  Well I mean unhappy and retired but given someone ( @Fifth Scholar) murdered his bird, there's only so much he can do. Not saying I'm opposed to cameos but I really don't feel the obsessive need to link all my characters up and it's also pretty nice to work on someone new  

...Anyway I'm signing up for a Shard game for a quiet RPful game so I'm not even bothering to read the rules, lemme know if there's no Elims or something and then I'll just recalibrate from there  

There's no elims and three (or 19) conversions. Sorry not sorry.

[Kasimir]

7 minutes ago, The Known Novel said:

There's no elims and three (or 19) conversions. Sorry not sorry.

Spoiler

Edited to add:

K that settles it. I'm declaring kanly on anyone who ruins my quiet, RPful game.

Edited May 22, 2023 by Kasimir

[Mat]

I'll add this caveat to my PHing-- if the signup period ends and you don't have your 20, you can switch me over to a player.

There, now I don't have to make the decision whether to play or not, you guys get to decide for me :eyes:

[xinoehp512]

Sign me up.

[Tea Leaf]

Um...

I'll sign up

I might have just made the worst decision of my life, yay!

This seems... complicated... but I like complicated...

[xinoehp512]

First of all,

I would like to announce to all players that I am founding the 17th Shard Rebirth movement, committed to actually using the power we have contained for the good of the Cosmere! Now accepting applications. @ me for details.

 

Secondly, @Ashbringer I'm just gonna ask a few questions. I will note that your rules are really good at covering all the bases; a lot of questions that I had I was able to answer myself through closer inspection of the rules.

• To confirm: players on Silverlight can target other players as if they were on the same Shardworld?
• Is Vessel Shield once per player, once per Shard, or something else? How does Preservation factor into this?
• If Ambition turns a living player into a Shade, does that kill them?
• The rules text for Shade says that you retain Charges of Investiture you held up death- If Ambition targets a dead player, do they regain the Charges they had while alive?
• Could a Vessel gain a Charge of Investiture on both the Day and Night turns?
• Do I understand correctly that Sel allows you to convert Charges from one form into another?

Thirdly, I am very concerned by the possibility that a large number of people will grab Odious Investiture N0 and use it N1 to drastically reduce the player count. It seems like a very accessible and very powerful means of murder. How much of a concern do you think this is?

Edited May 24, 2023 by xinoehp512

[The Paradoxical Phenomenon]

4 minutes ago, xinoehp512 said:

First of all,

I would like to announce to all players that I am founding the 17th Shard Rebirth movement, committed to actually using the power we have contained for the good of the Cosmere! Now accepting applications.

 

Secondly, @Ashbringer I'm just gonna ask a few questions. I will note that your rules are really good at covering all the bases; a lot of questions that I had I was able to answer myself through closer inspection of the rules.

• To confirm: players on Silverlight can target other players as if they were on the same Shardworld?
• Is Vessel Shield once per player, once per Shard, or something else? How does Preservation factor into this?
• If Ambition turns a living player into a Shade, does that kill them?
• The rules text for Shade says that you retain Charges of Investiture you held up death- If Ambition targets a dead player, do they regain the Charges they had while alive?
• Could a Vessel gain a Charge of Investiture on both the Day and Night turns?
• Do I understand correctly that Sel allows you to convert Charges from one form into another?

Thirdly, I am very concerned by the possibility that a large number of people will grab Odious Investiture N0 and use it N1 to drastically reduce the player count. It seems like a very accessible and very powerful means of murder. How much of a concern do you think this is?

Let's decrease the surplus population! Who's with me?