Mid-Range Game 7: Eighty Splendid Suns

[Kipper]

@Wyrmhero

1. I don't want to lynch an innocent. I realize that my reads can be wrong, based on what happened with Wilson. Because Mailliw is actually relatively active in the doc, he is a more valuable player than Zas right now. I would rather that he stay alive until I know for sure whether he is good or not. Also, many experienced players in past SE games often advocate for lynching inactives.

2. Did I say that your role was to sit and die? No. I said that your role is to attempt to misdirect and trick the villagers in any way possible. Probably one of the most important roles in the game. I'm not trying to minimize you, and you know it. I'm saying: "Treat what Wyrm says with extreme caution, because his mission is to mislead you."

3. I'll help you out, sure. What do you want me to do to help you?

@Aonar

1. That's perfectly fine. I said in my original post that it would make me look defensive and scared. I don't especially need your trust. I need everyone to be aware of what outed Discoverers will try to do.

No matter what action anyone takes, Wyrm will seek to undermine the motive behind it and create a schism. That's something I'm particularly passionate (and I guess a little agressive) about because I tend to notice (or at least think I notice) psychological games. Ah well. What I said was truth, regardless of my motives. Suspect me if you will.

2. This code thing contributes to me suspecting Mailliw. I can't imagine what Mailliw would need to say to a member of his former faction that benefits us, without telling us what it means or discussing it with us. That's not the entire reason I suspect him, but when all we get is a "Don't worry, it's totally on the up-and-up," that worries me.

[Mailliw73]

Aonar, I'm in Glory now. Sorry, but I have to work with them. They know what the code says too,but I'm not explaining it to either of you.

Kipper, I'm sorry you feel that way about me. But don't worry, there are plans in motion that will show you my loyalty soon. When it goes through, everyone will be able to know that I am not a Discoverer. If Heritage or Moderation wants to scan me fine, go for it.

I really a, not a fan of killing off an inactive in whichever faction happens to be the largest, we'll only decimate ourselves that way. I'd like a solid suspicion from each faction posted here and then we can decide on a lynch target. My suspicions from Glory are most likely Adamir and Paranoid King.

[Wyrmhero]

@Wyrmhero

1. I don't want to lynch an innocent. I realize that my reads can be wrong, based on what happened with Wilson. Because Mailliw is actually relatively active in the doc, he is a more valuable player than Zas right now. I would rather that he stay alive until I know for sure whether he is good or not. Also, many experienced players in past SE games often advocate for lynching inactives.

2. Did I say that your role was to sit and die? No. I said that your role is to attempt to misdirect and trick the villagers in any way possible. Probably one of the most important roles in the game. I'm not trying to minimize you, and you know it. I'm saying: "Treat what Wyrm says with extreme caution, because his mission is to mislead you."

3. I'll help you out, sure. What do you want me to do to help you?

 

1. You don't want to lynch an innocent? We may not be Eliminators, but this is still a game of Mafia at its core. You have to lynch people to get anywhere. Lynching inactives may be advised, but only in the late-game when you're clearing house, and generally even that isn't suggested. It's the kill Roles that should do that, but this time round they're better off going for actives.

 

2. My mission isn't to mislead you all, it's to help every single team whittle down their enemies. ...And to troll you a little, I guess. But just a little >>.

 

3. Well, I kind of have two things I want to happen right now: For me not to die, and for Diplomats to get taken out. The former's going to happen at some point, just a question of whether it's now or later. And the latter just isn't going to happen.

 

My suspicions from Glory are most likely Adamir and Paranoid King.

 

Oh, nevermind

 

Also, anyone else thought of the fact that if Glory finds my other half on their doc... They're going to possibly be clean of our influence? At that point, what happens? Do you really think they'll help you root out us for you? No, at that point, it's beneficial for them to not bother anymore with that sort of thing, and concentrate on the faction war rather than the hidden faction. After all, then they can probably share all their Roles safely and make plans for the late-game, wouldn't you say? Then it will be 'let's take out the other teams, since that will also take us out in the crossfire.

 

Edit: Glory's also planning on Bribing a certain Bloodsealer this Cycle. Might not be a good idea if the highest-population team gets two Bloodsealers and a Striker.

Edited July 4, 2015 by Wyrmhero

[Wyrmhero]

Double-posting, as it's been a while and this is an entirely new thing. I just love nonsense.

 

VYADMTNAHWBBSSRFVUXKIRGERTYCBUJRVXIVIHRKIOSPOHTHCHIZEOCUTUJVNTKAUFBXEIGBVRFZFYWQPRXZWVZAVAIFEYKHNVWCZTU

 

Edit: Would also be handy if you responded on here. I'm not going to answer things said in your doc. Can't catch me that easily.

Edited July 4, 2015 by Wyrmhero

[Kipper]

Edit: Glory's also planning on Bribing a certain Bloodsealer this Cycle. Might not be a good idea if the highest-population team gets two Bloodsealers and a Striker.

Aw thanks, man. You're being oh so helpful. *plans change*

Edit: We actually have no idea how many Discoverererers are in our faction currently. The plan remains to root out the Discoverererers. Of course you can't trust that we will follow the plan, but that's nothing unusual.

Can you guys please stop posting code that goes off the page. It's incredibly annoying on mobile. Thx.

Edited July 4, 2015 by Kipper

[Kasimir]

Timecheck: There remains under 24 hours left in the cycle. Thank you.

[Paranoid King]

Oops, forgot I'm not supposed to edit posts. What I originally said was that I cracked Moderation's code, but they changed it before they revealed whether or not they were teaming up with Wyrm to attack Glory.

Edited July 4, 2015 by Paranoid King

[Kipper]

Just in case that was unclear to anyone, Wyrm wanted to team up with Moderation to destroy the Glorious Glory Faction. I am not amused. So much for just wanting to help out the other factions, Wyrm.

And thanks to Paranoid King for cracking the code! You are stormin' Awesome!

[Wyrmhero]

Just in case that was unclear to anyone, Wyrm wanted to team up with Moderation to destroy the Glorious Glory Faction. I am not amused. So much for just wanting to help out the other factions, Wyrm.

 

I was helping out the other factions. You know, not yours, but the others . Doesn't seem that fair, since you guys are ahead and want to kill me and all. That kind of tends to put a crimp on a professional relationship. Plus there's the fact that you'll probably have two Bloodsealers and a Striker AND the Tellu Warrior after today. Seems a bit unbalanced, so I wanted to address that. But, if you really want to work with me, then remove me from your Striker list. After that, I'd be much happier about helping you lot out as well.

Edited July 4, 2015 by Wyrmhero

[Kipper]

...I guarantee you that the other Factions want to kill you. Fairness...as if you care...stop trying to push my emotional buttons.

[Wyrmhero]

...I guarantee you that the other Factions want to kill you. Fairness...as if you care...stop trying to push my emotional buttons.

 

Well, yes, but to be fair everyone who isn't in Glory also wants to kill you. It's kind of the default state of the game. Everyone wants everyone not in their faction dead. Me being a Discoverer doesn't really change anything there.

 

And believe it or not, I do want the teams to be fair. The best chance for me to win is for you guys to all whittle each other down at the same time. Of course, the best chance for you to win is, in lieu of being ahead, being equal. So really, all I'm doing is not helping the guys who are ahead right now. Today that's you, but tomorrow, who knows who it could be? Everyone should strive to be in an equal position so they can try and win my help!

[Zas678]

I admit that I've been lurking, which is different than how I played the first two games, but that's mostly because I'm drained of SEness after my first two games, and this format is weird to me. I don't really have a better defense.

[Kasimir]

Timecheck: Slightly over an hour remains in the cycle, ladies and gentlemen! Please remember to get your actions in!

[Wyrmhero]

Please remember to get your actions in!

 

Kas would like me to let you know that he regrets saying this, and has asked me to close the Cycle. So yeah. Closing time. Cycle 3 is over. Ain't you got no docs to go to? I'd better not die after being Kas's servant like this >>.

Edited July 5, 2015 by Wyrmhero

[Kasimir]

MR7: Cycle Four - The Wretched and Divine

The storm that blew in on the Imperial Seat was one of the worst anyone could remember, flinging clay tiles from roofs and battering at scraped-paper windows.

The two men who waited out the storm in the cellar of the Frozen Moon glanced at each other, warily, with only a flickering paper lantern by which to see.

“Tell me why you did it,” the first said.

The second man looked at him. He said, “I’m no stranger to faction games.”

The first said, “Ah. I understand now.” He smiled, amused. “It was you, all along. You were one of Kaleva’s sources.”

“A long time ago,” the second man acknowledged, folding his arms across his chest as he leaned against the wall. “I’m retired.”

A soft chuckle. “And of course, if you happen to hear anything of particular interest…”

The second man dipped his head in acknowledgement. “Old habits die hard,” he admitted. “And I repay my debts in full. He asked me to give you a place to lie low for a while.”

The first man would only very rarely admit to being startled. He was now. Shi KwaiRan said, slowly, “You would expect me to believe he knew, even then?”

Wenshon shrugged. “Believe what you want,” he said. “You wanted my reasons. You have them.”

Kwai shook his head. “No,” he said, aloud. “I think there’s more to it. You shielded me from the Strikers. Only a brave man or someone tired of living does that.” He looked at Wenshon, taking in the thin white scars along the man’s arms, the unremarkable face, the competent air with which he carried himself. “You were one of them, weren’t you? A long time ago. And then he gave you a way out. That’s what you mean by being no stranger to faction games. You were—”

“—used,” Wenshon said. “Just as you are, now.”

Kwai said, “Is it being used if I chose to do it?”

Wenshon held out a hand in an open gesture. “You tell me,” he said. “Do you think you were anything more than a tool in Gamman’s hand?”

Kwai looked away, at the walls of the cellar. In the silence, there was a loud clap of distant thunder. He said, “These walls are far too empty.” He looked back at Wenshon. “I have some paint, if you’d let me.”

Wenshon thought about it. It didn’t take too long, at all. “Fine,” he said. A peace offering.

 

 

Another man sipped his last cup of tea as the storm raged in the Imperial Seat, rattling the shutters of his home.

It was, he thought, the final gift, from a dead man.

He looked at the leaves settling at the bottom of the celadon cup, and, very deliberately, let go and stepped away.

In the silence that followed the snarl of the thunder, the cup dropped to the floodboards, and shattered.

The sound was no less loud; no less sharp than the thunder, than the persistent drumming of the rain.

It was a gift from one dead man to another. The man walked away, without looking back.

 

Somewhere else in the Imperial Seat, a man played a game with himself.

He moved the painted wooden pieces on the board, gripped the board, turned it around, and then moved the pieces of the imaginary opponent’s.

Thunder split the night, almost, but not quite masking the sound of splintering wood.

As the Strikers burst into his study, swords drawn, surrounding him, Ashim simply looked at them and smiled.

It was, he thought, in the end, a beautiful game, played by children.

Lightning flashed; the bright sheen of a sword-blade.

 

 

In the downpour, the door to the Golden Mean swung open.

The proprietor glanced up from where she was balancing the accounts, startled. Only a fool or a desperate man, she thought, would brave the storm to enter the teahouse.

As it was, the man in question was neither and both.

The room spun around him as Waimin staggered into the Golden Mean and collapsed, the last of his strength deserting him.

“Sir! Are you—” he dimly heard the proprietor asking him something, and managed to mumble a response. He felt—distantly—deft hands parting his jacket and heard her gasp as she saw the bandages, soaked through with blood.

“This…” he slurred, “Where I belong.” He took her hand in his, pressed it to his heart. “Understand?” he demanded.

She nodded; her face seemed to blur in and out of his vision. “Y-Yes…you need help. Fei! Get me a Resealer!”

“Too…late…for me…” he gasped, and then, in the empty teahouse, with none but the proprietor by his side, he was gone.

 

 

A man walked in the storm, unperturbed.

It was, he thought, one of life’s unspoken pleasures, to feel the rain on his face.

“Well, then?” he said, aloud.

The assassins following him did not speak, as they surrounded him. He felt a sharp flash of pain, and discovered a crossbow bolt had punctured his left shoulder. He gripped it, ground his teeth together, and snapped the bolt off.

Pain, like nothing he had known before.

It fogged his vision red, and then finally receded.

Rain, and blood, dripping. His blood, he thought, running in tiny swirls in the rainwater on the pavingstones. It had, after all, only been a matter of time before Arbiter Urskevan hired assassins to kill him in retribution for his discovered treachery.

Though, Cang Lu wondered, can a man even betray something he was never loyal to?

It was, alas, an academic point. Deliberately, he brought out the Essence Mark from the pocket of his trousers: the one he had tinkered with, slowly, for the past thirty years. It was an open question if something like this should’ve even been possible in the first place, or so his fellow Scholars had argued.

They’d fallen silent when he’d shown them the results of his research.

Soul Forgery allowed you to reach across lifetimes, to draw on experiences you’d never had, memories you’d never lived, skills you’d never learned. Could it reach across worlds?

He bared his bicep, inked it in his own blood, and stamped down, locking the seal into place.

Two lives, two histories, two worlds.

He was Cang Lu, scholar, spy, traitor, and friend.

He was Wurum Heron, spy, noble, and, eventually, the King of Alethkar, First of his Name, Protector of the Realm, and Herald of the Storms.

One life faded. The other did not.

Wurum Heron let fall the bandage and held his hand out to the side, concentrating. Ten heartbeats. Each of them steady.

He threw himself down to dodge the next bolt, and pushed back up onto his feet and backed away from the assassins, cautiously. He unnerved them; that, at least, was something.

The kingkiller’s Blade appeared, then, coalescing as if from mist into his hand, the metal beaded faintly with drops of water, indistinguishable from the rain. He was not a swordsman; he had, for the most of his life, favoured the bow rather than the sword that was his birthright. But now, Wurum fell into Windstance and moved.

He could not falter. To falter would be to die. They had him at a disadvantage, without Shardplate, with their crossbows.

Screaming. In his head. He didn’t know if it was from the assassins, or the Blade itself. He ground his teeth together, willing himself to ignore it.

The Blade swept through an assassin’s arm; he dropped his sword. Wurum’s recovery to guard stance brought the Blade in place to cut through another onrushing attacker and then he smashed the pommel into the face of a third.

The sound of smashing cartilage was strangely satisfying.

They moved as though they were taking part in a perfectly choreographed dance. He could not afford to be hit, so he simply did not put himself where the blows landed, moving away and striking out at them with his Shardblade.

They came at him. They fell. They died.

There was no blood; all the blood was his. A knife raked a line of pain along his shoulder, but he turned, snake-swift, and slammed his elbow into the woman’s neck, forcing her back, and then killed her.

He’d felt the Thrill before. This transcendent state of battle was not it: it was something else, something different, even as the lightning flashed and the thunder roared. He fought harder and better than he had in his entire life.

The dance faltered, came to an end. There was no one left to fight. The assassins were all splayed out around him. His breath puffed out in the air, like mist.

Wurum Heron fell to his knees and just enjoyed being alive.

---

Ashim was a Bloodsealer!

Waimin was a Diplomat!

This Cycle has begun and will last for 48 hours, ending on Tuesday, 7th July, at 11PM SGT! [=GMT+8]

Player List

 

 

1. Ableah Edr (Haelbarde)
2. Bortholemew the Blind (Bort)
3. Cang Lu (Wyrmhero)
4. Baatar Zaofu (Adamir)
5. Jain (Jain) - Arbiter
6. Seixa (phattemer)
7. Wai ZhierSen (little wilson) - Resealer
8. Cation Vinid (Shallan)
9. Sir Edonar (Paranoid King)
10. Hreo (Herowannabe) - Resealer
11. Waimin (Mailliw73) - Diplomat
12. Locke (OrlokTsubodai)
13. Sei Nis (Seonid)
14. Arandar (Araris Valerian)
15. Dow (dowanx)
16. The Green Xienbei (Emerald101) - Striker Captain
17. Kartesh (Zephrer)
18. Jeno (The Only Joe)
19. Eo (spooky Eowyn)
20. Neo (neodymium)
21. Pixie (Pixie)
22. Ishtar (zas678)
23. Asterion (Alvron)
24. Ynla Ka (Clanky)
25. Slave (Bridge Boy)
26. Kip Sturm (Kipper)
27. Ashim (Aonar Faileas) - Bloodsealer

Edited July 5, 2021 by Kasimir

[Kasimir]

1. Prior rule clarifications

2.Clarifications from Cycle Two

3. Clarifications from Cycle Three

Clarifications from Cycle Four:

-Is Wyrm a Shardbearer? Does he have a Shardblade? Can he kill with it?
PAFO.

-What happens if a Diplomat scans a person killed during the same cycle?
The same thing as if the Diplomat scanned a dead person. They get no result.

-Unlike MR1, there is nothing in this game capable of insta-killing a Diplomat. They will always have a delayed death. This applies to both (S) and (J) Diplomats.
 
-If I am a Forger, can I use more than one Essence Mark at a time? And can I take an action with the Essence Mark in the same cycle that I've used it?
Hmm. Here is where flavour and the game mechanics diverge a little. Yes, you can use more than one Essence Mark at a time, but remember you can only use each Mark once. In addition, yes, the action takes place in the same cycle. So you say something like "I want to use my Hunter Essence Mark and kill Gamma."

 

-Can the Teullu Warrior protect from the lynch?

Yes. So can the Forger. In the case of the Teullu, they kill one of the random people who voted for the lynchee.

Edited July 6, 2015 by Kasimir

[Adamir]

Note to self: Never put off actions until the last two hours, because as luck would have it, I got a power cut right before I could click 'send'. Luckily for me, the person I was investigating just got murdered, meaning it wouldn't have done any good regardless of whether the electricity came back now or day after tomorrow.

[Kipper]

Might we have an updated player list?

[Bort]

Would anyone like to come forward and claim the killing of Maill? Or Aonar?

 

Also, can anyone confirm the Heritage and Moderation bribes for last turn? We are missing two players besides Maill, but neither died. I'm wondering if someone targeted our second original Discoverer...

 

We are now down to 6 players, so are now quite possibly the smallest faction now. Joe was our transfer.

[Wyrmhero]

Wurum Heron dismissed the blade, and the screaming died down. It was pretty much always there, in the back of his head, these days. But it could be drowned out easily enough. Other people apparently managed it, so why couldn't he do the same? By trial, he was deemed worthy of the Shardblade, so he would have to bear it.

He sighed as he looked around at the bodies. It was an unfair fight with an unfair weapon, though the fact he had been attacked by so many possibly made it a little more honourable on his part. Regardless, it unsettled him just a little. Dismissing the blade into the nothingness from which he had conjured it, he reached into his robe to take another soulstamp out. They would never understand what happened here, with the dead, unharmed people and their burned-out eyes. This world didn't have anything similar.

But then he hesitated. No, these assassins were looking for Cang Lu, as he was known here, not Wurum Heron. Perhaps he was best not returning to his full guise, particularly since the next time he may not have the chance to un-stamp himself. He replaced the stamp inside his robe. For now, he would remain Wurum Heron instead of Cang Lu. When this was all over, and only then, he would return to his Sel persona.

In the mean time, he was late for his meeting in the Gardens of the Sun. A nice cup of tea would sort all of this out. Unfortunately, all he had to hand was the terrible tea served there, but for now he would make do. Perhaps he could soulstamp it into something drinkable.

---

(as opposed to your King having Returned. Also, this was all Kas' idea >>)

I'd like to say to say thanks to whoever it was who saved me from a timely death for letting Wyrm Talk be renewed for another season. I'd shake your hand and offer to buy you a drink, but I don't actually know who it was. And whoever it was who did attack me, shame on you (I'm kidding, I know exactly who it was who attacked me. But you should still feel shame).

Edit: Interesting that Glory don't want to say who was taken, isn't it?

Edited July 5, 2015 by Wyrmhero

[Bort]

Edit: Interesting that Glory don't want to say who was taken, isn't it?

 

Explain please? I am in Glory, and I said in the post above yours who was taken from our faction.

 

Edit 2: Oops, I thought I had given names. Sorry all. Kipper and Adamir were taken from us, and Maill was killed.

 

If that's not what you mean, then do tell.

 

While I'm on, I should also like to ask about the rumours going about that Moderation is considering an alliance with Discovery?

 

Edit: Adamir, if you are willing, I'd like a scan of Shallan, please.

Edited July 5, 2015 by Bort

[Seonid]

We gained Adamir and lost no one. Can I have a moderation representative tell if they lost anyone more than Aonar and Joe?

I am also quite interested in the rumors that Moderation is interested in an alliance with Discovery.

Down that road lies a Discovery Faction win. Period. End of story. Joe made that quite clear in the moderation doc several cycles ago.

EDIT: Also, specifically, who was the lynch target?

Edited July 5, 2015 by Seonid

[Adamir]

Adamir, if you are willing, I'd like a scan of Shallan, please.

Aye aye, former cap'n. Aye will get t' the scannin'.

Edited July 5, 2015 by Adamir

[dowanx]

I don't think Aonar or Wyrm were up for a lynch.  Whoever the lynch target was I bet is the next discoverer we have discovered.  With only two deaths there might even be another discoverer found.  

[Bort]

We had put forward a few names for the lynch in last cycle's thread, but I voted for Zas.

 

I think Wyrm was the target for our Striker, although Kipper did put some other names forward, including Aonar.

 

Maill, seemed pretty convinced of his death last cycle. He kept saying things like he was innocent, and soon we would see, and he makes his own plans, but we'd see he was trustworthy. He even claimed the code he posted was basically saying 'I am dead. Don't do anything.' This makes me think he was the target of a kill, as opposed to the lynch, so Aonar was probably the lynch target, but I have no idea why other than the Discoverers must have had something to do with it if most people were voting for Zas (assumed).

 

One possibility is that he was against the idea of allying with Discovery, so they manipulated the vote to get him out of the way.

 

This brings me to another point. Kas, if this is just me being blind, I really am truly sorry (again), but I don't recall seeing anywhere that the Discovery faction don't get to vote on lynches when they are no longer part of the three factions. This would mean that everyone who has been saying 'Discoverers are no threat, they can't do anything' is immediately suspect.

 

I'll admit, I did say this once (I don't recall if this was in the faction doc or in the thread off the top of my head) before I came to this realisation.

 

What Seonid said earlier, about allying with Discovery leading to a Discovery victory, it will, and this is why. Even outside of the factions, if we are divided on our lynch targets, they can still control a vote, and the amount of support they need from outside Discovery to do this will only go down as more people die.

 

Kas, if I'm wrong about this, please let me know.

 

@Adamir: Thank you