Mid-Range Game 4: The Alethi War of Unification

[mail-mi]

Seth is out, I don't have time for this :-/ sorry

[Mckeedee123]

Mek joins the War, a defector from highprince Yenev's army.

 

Mek sat at the campfire, his new squad gathered around him. This, he thought, is what Alethkar deserves to be.

 

Everything was so neat. Soldiers walked by in clean pressed uniforms. The smell of hearty stew wafted through the temporary warcamp. Such a contrast to Yenev's disorganized barracks. Mek felt no loyalty to the cremling. Not anymore.

 

He used to be a minor craftsman living near Dalilak. That was before he was gang-pressed into the military by Yenev's cronies. We need more men to protect us from the Kholin threat, they said. You will be released from your obligations once the war is over.

 

Yenev's army was now strong. His cause was still weak.

 

And Mek had known it. He had trained with reluctance, never able to believe Yenev's excuses and justifications. What have we to fear from a united Alethkar? How could our princedoms possibly be worse off if they were one nation, like Alethela of old? He prayed to the Almighty that he would never actually have to fight Kholin's army. If he killed even one of their heroic soldiers just to defend his highprince's greed, he would never have been able to live with himself. As soon as he got through basic training, he deserted. Deserted and came here. The Kholin army recruitment officer had barely batted an eye. Defections were common, apparently.

 

Now he could fight for something real. Fight for a world where Alethi soldiers wouldn't have to die for their rulers' ambition. Long live The Blackthorn! Long live Gavilar! LONG LIVE ALETHKAR!

Edited December 1, 2014 by mckeedee123

[Araris Valerian]

Alinel Lenia is signing up, he is an exile from the Horneater peaks that chose to fight as the second son.

[Macen]

Ace signing up. I am a very unusual man who is always seen carrying around an over sized mallet. I occasionally talk to it calling it "MAce'. I also have this necklace, or talisman, that I never let out of my sight - no one knows why.

Most people think I'm crazy.... I probably am.


Hi guys! Hope I haven't missed too much over the last 6 months.

Edited November 24, 2014 by Macen

[A Joe in the Bush]

You're back! You missed the Game I ran.

[Macen]

I'm sorry Joe. Lots of life stuff - didn't think I would have time to play some for a while. Hopefully I can make it for your next one!

[Lightsworn Panda]

Welcome back, Macen!

 

So yeah, a lot of games have been run in your absence. Sadly, I wasn't evil in any of them. (Sob).

[Kasimir]

So yeah, a lot of games have been run in your absence. Sadly, I wasn't evil in any of them. (Sob).

Who knows, maybe you'll get (un)lucky this time

[Macen]

I know, I get emails every time a new topic is posted in this forum and it swear I got like 1000 emails over the last 6 months, haha.

[twelfthrootoftwo]

I think my brain has finally started working again, so I'll sign up as Torwel, who is really rather annoyed at being conscripted and would much rather go home and enjoy a mug of ale at the local tavern. He'll just have to settle for the inferior brew of whatever hamlet the army is passing by.

 

Edit: Just to check, are IRL relationships permitted if you don't discuss the game? If not, I'll sit out and let Eolhondras play.

Edited November 26, 2014 by twelfthrootoftwo

[Eolhondras]

Eoldren joined the Blackthorn's forces to get back at his parents for never letting him eat desert. He only writes to them once a year, reiterating that his sweet tooth is still not talking to them.

[A Joe in the Bush]

For the Battle, everyone that has a vote on them gets lynched? And can Lighteyes skip this to avoid being lynched?

[Wyrmhero]

For the Battle, everyone that has a vote on them gets lynched? And can Lighteyes skip this to avoid being lynched?

 

Not quite. During a Battle, the player with the most votes will be lynched, and each player the Eliminator teams choose (one per team) will die. Lighteyes cannot skip a battle in which they would be lynched.

[Wyrmhero]

A reminder, the game will start in just under 28 hours.

 

And as a clarification: You must post to be considered active. Sending in orders or responding to PMs is not enough to qualify as active. However, you don't need to vote to be considered active either, just post in the thread.

[Metacognition]

Meller, a bridge builder for the Blackthorn is in. Even he isn't sure exactly why people are asking for his opinion in such important matters. In fact, he'd much rather they left him alone. He had some new designs for the bridges that he's trying to work out and all this nonsense with spies is just distracting. 

[luckat]

Why not, I'll sign up.

Tal is an enthusiastic young recruit. She was never content with the role whe was supposed to have, and was so entranced with the idea of fighting, that she disguised herself as a boy to join the army. Now she is excited to join the Blackthorn as he unites Alethkar, and more than a little hopeful that she will prove herself and earn a shardblade.

[Wyrmhero]

Signups are now closed. Roles are being sent out. A new thread will be up shortly after I have sent out all the roles.

 

Good luck everyone.

 

Edit: All of you who have changed your names, I hate you all >>.

Edited November 30, 2014 by Wyrmhero

[Wyrmhero]

Week 1

The Blackthorn held a hand to his side, where his Shardplate had been cracked. He realised what he was doing shortly after, and removed it quickly. It wouldn't do for his troops to see him in pain, after all. Not that there was much pain, he just felt more sore than anything, where the blow had crushed into his ribcage but been stopped from doing anything more than bruising by his armour.

He spoke to no-one as he stalked back towards his tent, flanked by his officers and a few Darkeyed attendants. As he walked, the Darkeyes started to undo the straps of his Shardplate, carefully removing it without forcing him to break stride. They had a hard time of it, thanks to his long stride and unrelenting pace, but he didn't give them a chance to slow down.

Initial estimates of their losses were of around a twentieth of Dalinar's division of the army. It wasn't even a particularly large skirmish, they had just been ambushed. They had not retreated, and had in fact rallied themselves and fought back at their foe and chased them off, but it had cost them far too much. They couldn't fight a war with casualties of this number. And the storming Shardplate wearer they had fought had retreated, even if he had to leave his Shardhammer behind to do so. It was a loss, no matter how you looked at it.

His armour now peeled off and taken away for repairs, he stepped into the strategy tent, where a handful more Brightlords stood, perusing a map of the surrounding countryside. Those that followed him here fanned out, so that each could have an unrestricted view of the map.

He glared at the strategists stood opposite him. He spent his tenth heartbeat, and as he brought his arm down towards the map, his Shardblade appeared, great blade piercing through the map and table beneath it at an angle, centred on the battlefield he had just come from. "They knew." He kept his voice level as he could, but it still betrayed the rage he felt behind his exterior.

Silence reigned in the tent, as all eyes were drawn to the centrepiece of the room. Not one Brightlord, nor the women scribing for them, wished to look towards their commander, fearful that he might lash out at them. The Blackthorn's rage was legendary.

"Well?" He asked, raising his voice and sweeping his hand out, letting go of his Shardblade. It remained there, not yet disappearing. "Who has been selling our secrets?!" He looked in particular towards Brightlord Kaddar, who had suggested this particular plan.

The man retreated back, like a rockbud in the dry season. "I-I don't know how this could have happened, my prince. The suggestion came directly from Brightlord Sadeas-"

Dalinar clenched his fist and unclenched it a few times, staring the man down. "Are you suggesting that Sadeas has betrayed us?"

"No, my prince," the man replied quickly, withering under his gaze.

"Perhaps Brightlord Jain could elaborate a little," Brightlord Jost suggested. "He was the one in charge of troop movements, after all."

"Or perhaps you decided to leak our plans, Brightlord Jost," Brightlord Jain snapped, clearly angry at the notion that he could be a traitor. "Accusing each other like this will not achieve anything. It may not even be any of us who are responsible. Our scouts could be spies, reporting our movements back whenever they leave the camp." He grimmaced as a thought occurred to him. "Damnation, all they need is a spanreed. Anyone could be responsible. It wouldn't surprise me if our enemies would be so impious as to teach men to write for that purpose."

Dalinar looked to Brightlord Jain. "So what would you suggest? Turn the camp inside-out searching for spanreeds? I'm doubtful that would help, as owning one would only be suspicious for a Darkeyes."

"You're right, my prince," Brightlord Jost said, looking up from the map nodding.. "Perhaps the troops have seen something suspicious instead? We can simply gather information from them, and see if that reveals anything."
"That would destroy our troops' morale and any sense of camaraderie between them," Macen disagreed. "They could not fight beside anyone that they suspect of trying to secretly kill them." He shook his head. "I cannot condone such a course of action.

"With respect, Ace," Brightlord Jost said, in a tone that suggested anything but, "I don't think that we have much of a choice. We could perhaps simply not tell them that we are searching for this sort of thing. Rather than execute the spies, we can just put them in a position where they will as good as die. At the very least, if they are not guilty of such a crime in the Almighty's eyes, then they will serve a purpose rather than being needlessly killed."

"Why, Brightlord Jost, I've never heard such a joke. Imagine you having a conscience. Were you applying for the position of the King's Wit? Because if so, I may just be willing to suffer the penalty for killing you."

"If you wish to duel me, Ace, then I'm willing to face you as soon as you have the guts to challenge me."

"Enough," Dalinar grumbled, banging on the wooden table for attention. He tapped the table with his fingers, letting his Shardblade finally disappear. "I want you to go out and talk to the Darkeyed troops. Report anything suspicious to me. We will discuss this again this time next week. Maybe then, things will be clearer."

At the end of the Cycle, there will be a Skirmish with Prince Vamah.

It is Raining.

This Cycle will end at 8PM GMT on Tuesday.
 

 

Player List
Darkeyes:
Damon Shan, Worldhopper [Jasnah Damodred]
Norlav, a mercenary drafted by the Blackthorn [Alvron]
Wok, a Horneater princess serving the Blackthorn [Ashiok]
Reihmer, a bad ketek poet [Renegade]
Newan, a failed (and failing) Envisager [Newan]
Odysa of Shao, a former-assassin turned mercenary [Winter Cloud]
Karlin, a Jah Keved Purelaker [surgebound Rainspren]
Aonaran Faialen, a wannabe musician [Aonar Faileas]
Marand, no further description [Mailliw73]
Mek, a defector from Highprince Yenev's army [mckeedee123]
Alinel Lenia, Horneater exile, second son [Araris Valerian]
Torwel, reluctant conscript, wants ale [twelfthrootoftwo]
Eoldren, guy with a sweet tooth and a grudge [Eolhondras]
Meller, a bridge builder for the Blackthorn [Metacognition]
Tal, an enthusiastic young recruit [luckat]

Lighteyes:
Brightlord Kaddar, a one-eyed veteran spearman with a fondness for riddles. [Kasimir]
Brightlady Kenara, a scribe for the Blackthorn [little wilson]
Brightlord Jain, a possibly-resurrected Shin traveller with a panda [Lightsworn Panda]
Brightlord Jost Joslin, a soldier who never had a Shardblade [The Only Joe]
Brightlord Ace, a guy with an oversized mallet and a talisman [Macen]

Minor clarifications:

• Messengers only get their PM at the end of the Cycle, in case an Officer roleblocks them.
• Surgeons cannot target themselves.
• Players can use all actions available to them each Cycle. This includes Roles, Spy abilities, Lighteyed Vote (which is not an action) and Shardblades (though Shardblade and Spy abilities are mutually exclusive as a Spy cannot have a Shardblade).
• There may or may not be missing Roles.
• The Heterochromic does not get to take part in the Lighteyed vote.
• The number of Eliminator teams is hidden.
• Oh, I need one Eliminator per team to send in the Sabotage order via PM. Just telling me in the doc is not enough to qualify.

Edited June 19, 2016 by Alvron

[Renegade]

Figured I’ll do my poetry like Shiv in LG 2, and put a translation (sort of) below each stanza.

 

Reihmer yawned at the news that one of the Brightlords had just brought.  Spies?  Well that figures.  Guess I ought to look like I’m doing something about this issue, so grouchy Dalinar doesn’t want to run me through with a Shardblade again.  Of course, there was only one way Reihmer could make his arguments clear to the others.  In his barracks, he grabbed a pen and paper, and began to write.

 

People of being, beings of people.
What jobs they have?  Have they jobs, what?
One the Wit, a fool in hiding, in fools, a Wit the one.
Into light, I suggest he come in, even in coming, he suggests me light, into.
Jobs aplenty, plentiful jobs.
Earnestly shall I go?  ...I shall, earnestly.

People.
What jobs do they have?
One person’s the Wit, a fool in disguise.  To reiterate: there’s only one fool, and that is the Wit.
I'm wondering if he should reveal himself, even if it means that he’ll insult my dark eyes.
Indeed, there are many jobs.
Shall I list them?  Too bad, I’m going to anyway.

Careful protection, two we have; having us two, protect carefully.
Guardsmen and surgeons are what there is.  Are there?  What are surgeons and guardsmen?
I ask this rhetorically, for I’m no chull-head.  No, I’m for rhetoric; this ask I:
Be there multiples of what was mentioned?  Is what of multiples there are?
I say two for Guards, one for surgeons.  For one Guard, for two say I?
Nay, I know not.  Not knowing, I nay.

We have two protective roles; they ought to protect people carefully.
We have the guardsmen and the surgeons.  What are these roles?
That was a rhetorical question, as I’m not a fool.  Since I like rhetoric, I ask this:
Do you think that there are multiple guardsmen and surgeons?  How many of each?
I think that there are two Guards and one surgeon.  Could one Guard be a two-faced Spy?
I don’t know, so I’m just going to say: let’s move on.

Two other forms there be.  Are there forms, other two?
Swift scouts and officers, of protection being.  We being protective of officers and scouts swiftly?
Scouts, I suspect solely one; solely suspecting me.  Scouts,
Interesting, because of that ability; that, of because interest.
Officers the blockers are, tough and rugged.  Rugged and tough are blockers, the officers.
Abilities abound, its use is hindered; hindering is using its abounding abilities.

There are are two other forms of protection.  “There are?” you may ask.  “Other than those two?”

The swift scouts and the officers have protective powers.  Are we going to focus on protecting them?
I suspect that there’s only one scout, but I might be the only one to suspect as much.
Scouts are interesting because of their self-protecting ability.  And that’s really the only reason for interest.
On the other hand, officers are roleblocks.
With all of the abilities in this game, its blocking use may be hindered.  Or, to be more precise, using its blocking abilities might end up hindering us.

Messengers, squadleaders, and watchmen left; watchmen and squadleaders, messengers.
Messengers, one or two, I say; says I: “Two or one messengers!”
Use your ability well, couriers, good abilities you use.
Squadleader, the silencer of darkeyes, has great power; great has darkeyes of silencing the squadleader.
Choices, decisions.  Should we leave a kill to one’s decision?  One’s to kill; a leaving we should decide.  Choices.
Watchmen: be vigilant.  Be watchmen.

The only roles we’ve left unmentioned are the messengers, squadleaders, and watchmen.
There are likely one or two messengers.  I feel so confident in this regard that I’m going to shout it out loud.
Messengers, you ought to use your ability well, as it can be very powerful.
The powerful squadleader can silence a darkeyes.  His silencing power is unmatched.
This begs the question: Should we leave the result of our lynch to the choice of a single player?  We should abstain from allowing one person to decide all, I think.
As for the watchmen, just use your own intuition.  You’re watchmen, after all.

 

Nodding at his poetic vibes, Reihmer noticed one of hiss fellow darkeyes walking in the barracks.  It was Mek, the man who supposedly defected from another army.  "Hey, you!" he shouted at Mek.  "Shouldn't you be out training?"  Then Reihmer paused, suddenly realizing that he wasn't out training either.  He quickly slid his poems away and grabbed his spear from the wall, rushing out of the barracks before anyone else noticed.

 

Edit: So, anyone else planning to actually post, or am I missing out on some secret spy activities here?

Edited December 1, 2014 by Renegade

[Araris Valerian]

I'm here. and posting. The skirmish means that there will be an eliminator kill today.

 

Alinel was walking walking back to camp when he felt a shifting in the bridge under his feet. While the bridge quickly steadied, Alinel's heart began thumping harder. "Meller! A spy for another warcamp would also be a slacker in the making of bridges. Come fix this or I'll report you!"

 

Edit: Greened Vote

Edited December 2, 2014 by Ookla the Alko

[Alvron]

Norlav relaxed outside the inn he was staying at sipping on orange wine while watching others darting around.  Rumour around the taproom was that there were spies in the camp.  Norlav wasn't surprised, it was after all a standard tactic in all battles to learn what the other side was doing.

 

Several lighteyed officers looked his way but none stopped to question why he wasn't out training with the rest of his squad.  The halberd leaning against the wall told them that he wasn't a regular solider but one of the mercenaries that the Blackthorn had gang pressed into service.  Most officers disliked having Norlav and his ilk in the camp but none could voice their opinions too loud in case Brightlord Dalinar heard of it.  Highprince Gavilar had ordered the squad formed and Dalinar was in direct command of the mercenary company.

 

Finishing his wine, Norlav sighed and stood.  As much as he enjoyed irritating the lighteyes, he did have work to do.  Throwing his halberd over his shoulder, Norlav headed off to one of the many training yards the darkeyes used to sharpen their skills where Marand stood waiting.  At least this one knows how to fight.  Might even give me a good workout.

Three votes placed and all three starting with M.  Wonder if anyone will notice that or this message.

[Surgebound Rainspren]

Karlin sighed and reached for his purse, it contained a meager sixteen chips. he'd spent the majority of his money coming down from the pure lake, the journey was more draining than he expected and had regretfully had to sell two of his best chulls to afford accommodation. Now he was here, with no money and no job. And from the chatter he'd overheard from passing soldiers there was a traitor on the loose. He told himself to check if the capture of this traitor had a reward, but for now he needed sleep.

[A Joe in the Bush]

Somebody here has a hate for M's. First Mek, then Meller and now Marand accused? Coincidence? Jost had never believed in Coincidence. When both Luck and Fate were involved, Coincidences never happened. What other Coincidences had he seen? There were only 5 Lighteyes in a Position to betray the Armies Movements, and of them, only Brightlady Kenara had been absent from Dalinar's Tent. She did use Spanreeds often, and since there weren't any other women in the tent with her, she could write what she pleased while she was there. He'd have to ask The Highprince for permission to bring his sister Sani to the meetings, just to be certain.

 

EDIT: Retracted Vote.

Edited December 2, 2014 by The Only Joe

[Mckeedee123]

"Spies?" Mek asked incredulously. "Who? Why?"

 

The messenger sighed. "I don't know anything more than what's written here, but the Blackthorn seems to believe that our army has been infiltrated by enemy informants. It's how they ambushed us so effectively in that skirmish last week. This message is just a heads-up to report any suspicious activity you see. Clear?"

 

Mek nodded, but wasn't sure if posture gave away his inner turmoil. How in the Stormwinds could an Alethi army use such a dishonorable tactic? The messenger moved on to another group. Because they're not real Alethi, of course. There's only one true Alethi army on this continent, and I'm marching in it.

 

Mek threw himself back into his kata. He was working vigorously to improve his form, now motivated by a desire to prove himself to his legendary commander. If I caught a spy, I'd be a hero. I'd be lauded by Dalinar himself. He added killing the spies to his mental to-do list, though he was still convinced that winning Shards was his path to glory.

 

He mulled over some of the personalities in camp. The army did seem to attract some odd folk. He resolved to look first at the recruits who weren't ethnically Alethi. Wok was a strange one for sure. There was an old saying in Alethkar that one should never trust someone who claimed to be a Horneater princess. Her name, too, seemed almost like an acronym for something...

 

And then there was Reihmer. Mek detested his squadmate, despite the man's beautiful poetry. Mek had heard rumors that he had directly insulted the Blackthorn several weeks ago. Perhaps he was trying to undermine Dalinar's reputation! Mek glanced about the darkeyed training field, looking for Reihmer. The so-called poet had given up all pretense of training, mumbling to himself as he tapped his spearhead thoughtfully. Mek scowled with disapproval. Even if he wasn't the spy, how was the man supposed to be ready for battle when he wasted all his training hours composing idle poems? Mek didn't share his leisurely attitude. He had decided he was going to be the best spearman in the army, and that was that. He was sure that if he hadn't been stuck in a reserve force during that ambush last week, he would already have a few kills under his belt. His katas were still sloppy, but he was improving daily.

 

His mind turned back to the matter of the spies. I haven't seen anything even mildly suspicious yet. I'll have to wait until at least after the next skirmish to make any accusations. I will catch that spy though, and Almighty help any fools who get in my way.

 

He trained and trained, until sweat ran down his face and exhaustionspren swirled around him. Someday, the Almighty would give him a chance to win a Shardblade, and he would not waste that chance. He was destined to become a Shardbearer. He knew it!

 

In the meantime, he would just have to root out the spies.

Edited December 1, 2014 by mckeedee123

[little wilson]

Somebody here has a hate for M's. First Mek, then Meller and now Marand accused? Coincidence? Jost had never believed in Coincidence. When both Luck and Fate were involved, Coincidences never happened. What other Coincidences had he seen? There were only 5 Lighteyes in a Position to betray the Armies Movements, and of them, only Brightlady Kenara had been absent from Dalinar's Tent. She did use Spanreeds often, and since there weren't any other women in the tent with her, she could write what she pleased while she was there. He'd have to ask The Highprince for permission to bring his sister Sani to the meetings, just to be certain.

I don't have time to write up an RP right now as I just got back from Thanksgiving weekend and I have somewhere to be here shortly, but I want to give the reason for this. Somehow Wyrm didn't get my name onto the list of the lighteyes, because I wasn't on there when he posted the write up. I was on the darkeyes list. I asked him about it, and he realized the error and fixed it. I'm guessing that when he wrote that write up, he was using the list he made that didn't have my name on it. Hence my lack of appearance in the tent. Nothing more conspicuous than that. You can keep the vote on me though. I don't mind.