Long Game 13: Traitors on the Plains

[Aonar]

The Everstorm has come. Heralds and Voidbringers alike are returning. The Vengeance Pact has broken, shattered like the Plains themselves. Some Highprinces flee, returning to their princedoms, trying to prepare as best they can. Others rally to Dalinar’s call, fighting their way across the near impassable Plains to the Oathgate, and Urithiru.

 

Your small group once belonged to Highprince Thanadal’s camp, but now you are searching desperately for the Oathgate, hoping against hope that you arrive before you succumb to the elements. Bound together by adversity, you would like to believe you can trust each other. Not all is as it seems, however.

 

Trouble has been drawn to your expedition like rotspren to a wound. Bridges collapse, chulls die; your progress has been hindered left and right. And it’s beginning to seem as if it might not all be coincidence…

 

Factions:

 

 

In this game, there are two factions. The Refugees, and the Diagramists.

 

The Refugees wish to survive and reach Urithiru. To do this, they must kill all the Diagramists.

 

The Diagramists wish to prevent the group of Refugees and the nascent Radiants within it from reaching Urithiru. To do this, they must kill enough Refugees to outnumber them. As a group, they may make one kill each cycle, and they are allowed a google doc to conspire in.

 

Roles:

 

 

There are twenty possible roles in this game, but unless we get in excess of thirty people, a good number will not be used. There are no safe roles.

 

Knights Radiant: Radiants gain two charges of stormlight each Highstorm, and may use these charges in a variety of ways depending on their Order. The two powers that each may use are listed listed below. Both charges may be used in the same night, but one cannot use the same power twice in the same night.

 

Windrunner: Adhesion, Gravitation

Skybreaker: Gravitation, Division

Dustbringer: Division, Abrasion

Edgedancer: Abrasion, Progression

Truthwatcher: Progression, Illumination

Lightweaver:  Illumination, Transformation

Elsecaller: Transformation, Transportation

Willshaper: Transportation, Cohesion

Stoneward: Cohesion, Tension

Bondsmith:  Tension, Adhesion

 

Adhesion: You may stop a player from performing one action this turn. This can include voting and all actions, save those boosted by Gravity.

 

Gravitation: Any effect that would alter or hinder your actions/change your vote, or those of your target, is cancelled out for this turn. Includes Progression, Abrasion, Transportation, Adhesion, Tension, and Cohesion.

 

Division: You may attempt to kill one player at night.

 

Abrasion: You are untargetable for this turn. This includes any and all abilities (PMs, kills, Seekings, direct roleblockings etc.), other than those boosted by Gravity. This does not protect from the lynch, but it will prevent you from being killed by Cohesion, or having your vote manipulated.

 

Progression: You may attempt to save one player from death at night.

 

Illumination: You may open PMs with up to 1/5th of the current number of players for this cycle, and this cycle only. The GM will make the PMs at the end of the day/night, and they will last until the beginning of the next day. Transportation, Adhesion, Tension, Abrasion and Cohesion can all interfere with PMs. PMs are one-to-one, unless messed with by Cohesion.

 

Transformation: You may learn the power or alignment of one single person at night.

 

Transportation: You may target one player, and choose the target of their action/vote this turn.

 

Cohesion: You may choose one target, and this person will be affected by any powers used on you this turn, and vice versa. This can include the lynch kill, and all day actions.

 

Tension: You may cancel one random action against another player, or one vote.

 

Order of Actions will go: Abrasion/Gravitation> Transportation> Tension/Adhesion> Cohesion> Illumination/Transformation> Division/Diagramist Kill> Progression> Squiring. (Note: This means that Progression cannot be used to protect oneself from a kill.)

 

Mechanics:

 

 

Squiring:

Each Knight Radiant can choose to spend their night creating a Squire. They can choose one other player, and assuming that player is not already Squired, or a Radiant, turn them into a Squire. Radiants may PM freely with their Squires, and their Squires will know who their benefactor is and what powers they have. Squires gain one of their patron Radiant’s Surges at random, and gain one charge of stormlight each Highstorm.

 

The number of Squires that each Radiant will be able to create will depend on the total number of players. The game is designed for 21+ players, in which case there would be between seven and ten Radiants, with each being able to create one to two Squires.

 

Highstorms:

There will be a Highstorm every three cycles. It will be noted in the write-up, and each Highstorm will grant Radiants two charges of stormlight, and Squires one charge. The first cycle will start with a Highstorm.

 

 

 

Welcome to LG13! Sign-ups are starting now, and will end on July 13th, at 11:00 PM CDT. (This will also be the regular roll-over time.) Check back to this post fairly often; I'll try to keep an up-to-date player list, as well as rule clarifications and links to various write-ups.

 

If anything comes up, or you've got any questions about the Fair Play Rules, (which you should probably go give a read, if you haven't already) the impartial mod for this game will be Little Wilson.

 

Feel free to ask any questions you might have, and if you're interested in being part of the Spec Doc, just send me a PM.

 

---

 

Player List:

1. Sani (The Only Joe) - Lighteyes who once scribed for Dalinar Kholin.
2. Justin (Peng the Just) - Former slave.
3. Sheon Idris (Seonid) - Selish Worldhopper.
4. Ableah Edr (Haelbarde) - Woefully without description. Another Selish Worldhopper, of a clan of Selish Worldhoppers.
5. Etam (Metacognition) - Scout.
6. Madon (Mailliw73) - Crem collector. 
7. Bartholomew the Blind (Bort) - midget barbomancer/Worldhopper.
8. The Roszo (Renegade) - Herdazian who is determined to be more impressive than his glowing cousin.
9. Adamir (Adamir) - Darkeyes who is convinced he's from another world.
10. Seixa (phattemer) - Yet another Selish Worldhopper,* and once (pseudo-)Priest of Shu-Korath. 
11. Kip Sturm (Kipper) - Smart Alec Woefully without description.
12. Ace (Macen) - Delusional man with a tiny hammer, believes that he's a Brightlord and a Radiant. 
13. Jain (Lightsworn Panda) - A panda. In a desolate wasteland. (Maybe he's Thanadal's exotic Shin pet?)
14. Em C. Palah (Emerald101) - Emuli potter. (Needs Ace's hammer.)
15. Citrona Vinid (Shallan) - Scadrian-Elantiran Worldhopper and noble who will not be questioned.
16. Wannan (Herowannabe) - Darkeyed soldier. Alive, and assumed to be immortal, seeing how he isn't dead.
17. Eradin (eramit) - Best darkeyed spearman in Thandal's army.
18. Wol (Araris Valerian) - Old ardent who might know how to spell his own name.
19. Findilti Findilt (idolevy) - Delusional man who thinks he's a Knight Radiant.
20. Orlok (OrlokTsobodai) - Woefully without description.
21. Plurn Burn (Feligon) - Engineer who is woefully ignorant of fabrials.
22. Dow (dowanx) - Woefully without description.
23. Eo (Spooky Eowyn) - Apparently Thaylen with fake eyebrows. May or may not be a Selish Worldhopper.
24. Akirsefatafesrika (Bridge Boy) - Blasphemous pretend soldier.
25. Smeagol (leiftinspace) - Obsessive midget Universehopper. 
26. Kazaaakplethkilik (Paranoid King) - Supposedly famous thief and Worldhopper.
27. Alvonoha (Alvron) - Ardent, and owner of a strange cat. Catquisitor!?!
28. Cla (Clanky) - Horneater who loves drinking contests.
29. Torren (twelthrootoftwo) - Recalcitrant conscript, and spy for Roion.

*Don't ask why there are so many Selish Worldhoppers, despite the danger involved in traversing the Selish and Rosharan Cognitive Realms. It's complicated.

 

---

 

F.A.Q.s:

1. Why does Progression come last in the Order of Actions?

 

Progression comes last in the Order of Actions because you are not meant to be able to use it to protect yourself, and I don't want people working around that. Additionally, as Progression is a healing power, it makes logical sense for it to occur after the kill has been made, so there is something to heal.

 

2. Will Division and the Eliminator Kill be distinguishable in the write-up? Are people saved by Progression revealed in the write-up?

 

Yes they will. However, in the case of Progression, it is only made known that someone was saved from a kill, not who was saved. This holds true for players saved by Abrasion and Tension. (Progression will be distinguishable from kills blocked by Abrasion or Tension, though.)

 

3. Which actions will players be informed of if they are targeted by them?

 

They will be informed of Division, the Diagramist Kill, Progression (if it saves them from a kill), Illumination, Transportation (if it successfully redirects an action) and Adhesion (if it successfully blocks an action, although this will be indistinguishable from action failure for other reasons).

 

4. Does someone with Transformation have to specify whether they are looking for a player's Alignment or Role?

 

Yes, you will have to specify which you're looking for. If someone forgets to specify, I'll flip a coin to see which they get.

Quick Links:

Spoiler

Day One: A Wayward Son
Night One: Bridges Over Darkened Chasms
Day Two: Taking the Sky
Night Two: The Terror of Knowing
Day Three: Nothing Better
Night Three: Spitting into the Stormwinds
Day Four: Patterns in the Storm
Night Four: The Long Arm of the Law
Day Five: What You Need
Night Five: The Warrior
Day Six: Maxwell's Silver Hammer
Night Six: Preservation of the Martyr
Day Seven: Learn to Swim
Night Seven: Big "Strong" Man
Day Eight: For What It's Worth
Night Eight: No Sympathy
Aftermath: Shelter From the Storm

 

 

Edited February 10, 2022 by Devotary of Spontaneity

[A Joe in the Bush]

I'm signing up as Sani, a Female Lighteyes who once scribed for Dalinar Kholin.

 

I've been wanting to use this character for a long time.

Edited July 7, 2015 by The Only Joe

[Peng the Just]

Justin, the former slave is in.

[Seonid]

Sheon Idris managed to bring himself from Elantris to Roshar, and is in.

[Haelbarde]

Yeah, why not. 

 

Ableah Edr is signing up. 

 

Edit:

 

After finding no acceptance on Sel, Ableah (along with the rest of the Sellish Heatherlocke clan) found passage through Shadesmar to Roshar, seeking to start a new life. Finding themselves in the lands of Highprince Thanadal, they sought refuge with his men. Drawn along to the Shattered Plains, he finds himself once again in danger, this time surrounded by mostly unfamiliar faces, any of which could betray him at a moments notice.

Edited July 7, 2015 by Haelbarde

[Metacognition]

Progression: You may attempt to save one player from death at night.

 

Order of Actions will go: Abrasion/Gravitation> Transportation> Tension/Adhesion> Cohesion> Illumination/Transformation> Division/Diagramist Kill> Progression. (Note: This means that Progression cannot be used to protect oneself from a kill.)

 

I will be signing up for this game, I just haven't thought of a character yet! But as I think about my character, I had a question about Progression. Since it comes after both the Division and Diagramist kill, wouldn't that make it so that anyone you tried to protect would already be dead? Since it only protects against night kills and not the lynch, it's not really doing it's job by protecting someone after a kill has happened.

 

I get what you're going for though, so what I'd do is put it before the Division/Diagramist kills, but with the stipulation that you can't protect yourself (or that you can protect yourself, but that it does no good, since the only two ways to die at night are the Division or the Diagramist kills).

 

That's just my thoughts though. Is there something I'm missing, like how changing a target would effect this? Maybe with Cohesion, where you target the player with Progression, but since they switch it back to you, it actually does work?

[Aonar]

I will be signing up for this game, I just haven't thought of a character yet! But as I think about my character, I had a question about Progression. Since it comes after both the Division and Diagramist kill, wouldn't that make it so that anyone you tried to protect would already be dead? Since it only protects against night kills and not the lynch, it's not really doing it's job by protecting someone after a kill has happened.

 

I get what you're going for though, so what I'd do is put it before the Division/Diagramist kills, but with the stipulation that you can't protect yourself (or that you can protect yourself, but that it does no good, since the only two ways to die at night are the Division or the Diagramist kills).

 

That's just my thoughts though. Is there something I'm missing, like how changing a target would effect this? Maybe with Cohesion, where you target the player with Progression, but since they switch it back to you, it actually does work?

 

This is exactly what I'm going for. You're not meant to be able to protect yourself with Progression, so I don't want people to be able to work around that. As Progression is healing, not protecting per se, I think it makes sense for it to come after kills. (It not protecting from the lynch is justified flavour-wise by the fact that to do so you'd have to act fast enough that everyone would be made aware of who saved them.) I can get the confusion though. Would it make more sense for me to place them concurrently, and note that someone who has Progression and is killed cannot save anyone, you think?

Edited July 7, 2015 by Aonar Faileas

[Haelbarde]

Just dropping by again to say I edited in a backstory.

[Metacognition]

This is exactly what I'm going for. You're not meant to be able to protect yourself with Progression, so I don't want people to be able to work around that. As Progression is healing, not protecting per se, I think it makes sense for it to come after kills. (It not protecting from the lynch is justified flavour-wise by the fact that to do so you'd have to act fast enough that everyone would be made aware of who saved them.) I can get the confusion though. Would it make more sense for me to place them concurrently, and note that someone killed by Progression cannot save anyone, you think?

 

I think that answer explained it perfectly. I'd just add in a section for Q&As or something like it so that all of these kinds of questions will be readily available for everyone. That way people don't have to hunt through the thread as it grows for all the clarifications. 

 

I know Ren wound up getting asked certain questions that had already been answered multiple times during his last game (and I think that every GM has had that happen to some degree), so having all of the clarifications in one place might help curb some of that. At least then you can refer people back to the Q&A section if it's already been answered!  

 

I really like how open-ended all the powers are. With some understandable exceptions, most of them are usable on both day and night turns! That will make it really interesting to see how everyone (but especially the Diagramists) plays around with the powers. But I'll also bet that it'll lead to a lot of clarifications, so a Q&A section might help keep all of it in order.

[Mailliw73]

Madon, a crem collector is in.

[Bort]

A strand of long, white hair blew on the breeze. It twisted, dancing, as it spun in a circle. Suddenly the circle solidified into a portal, reaching from the floor to about chest height in your average Alethi. A midget mass of white beard stepped through, and looked around.

 

Seeing the Shattered Plains, Bortholemew the Blind nodded to himself, his eyebrows dipping, then catching the breeze and blowing off to one side. "Roshar..." he muttered to himself.

 

It didn't take him long to reach a Warcamp - Thanadal's from the banners. It seemed to be busy, so Bortholemew slipped into the camp while the guards were distracted, and wandered for a while, just listening to the conversation.

 

Eventually, he heard what he was looking for... Urithiru. It seemed like these people were going that way themselves, excellent. Bortholemew really didn't like the idea of wandering the plains looking for the damned Oathgate. Of, course, it was quite possible (although Bortholemew had never risked putting this to the test), that his beardomancy could be strong enough to harness a chasmfiend to use as a mount, but Botholemew really couldn't be bothered with digging his way out of a chasmfiend, should the beardomancy prove futile.

 

So, the midget Knight Awkward decided to stay with the Thanadal citizens, and make his way to Urithiru with them. Once there, his quest for the Shardmarks could continue.

 

Bortholemew the Blind signing up.

[Renegade]

“Okay ganchos, what am I supposed to do?”

 

The ardents turned around from the tent they were setting up and stared at the short Herdazian man, who was grinning at them eerily.  “Um… who exactly are you?” one of the ardents asked.

 

The Herdazian looked confused for a second.  “What?” he asked.  “You mean that you’ve never heard of the Ronzo?  I am hurt.”  Despite this, he began to laugh uncontrollably.

 

The ardents looked amongst each other.  Clearly, this man was crazy.  “What are you doing here?” questioned one of the ardents, a female.

 

“What are you doing here, gancho?” the Ronzo replied, poking the ardent in the stomach.

 

“Alright, alright,” the ardent protested.  “Someone get him out of here, please.”

 

“Okay, I’ll go,” the Ronzo sighed.  He started to turn around, but stopped.  “But first, let me take a souvenir.  Y’know, to remember the good times we just had.  Like a big Herdazian family.”

 

“A what?”

 

The Ronzo lunged at the ardent who had spoken, and pulled the soulcaster off the man’s hand.  “Hey!  What’s your problem, young man?” the ardent scowled.  But by the time the other ardents had realized what was going on, they were too late.

 

The Ronzo took off, giggling madly.  “Ha!” he laughed to himself.  “My cousin thinks he’s special just ‘cause he can glow and all.  But now I can turn rock to food!  Oh, how I will be all the life of the Herdazian parties!  Sure, that little man can make a few jokes, but that isn’t enough to impress the women.  But infinite chouta!  Now, that is truly something!”  The Ronzo cackled, glancing behind to see if he was being followed.  Not that it mattered.  Nobody could catch the Ronzo.

---

 

Also, a few questions:

 

Which of the actions will a player be informed were used on them?

 

Will there be any differences between the Division kill and Diagram kill in the write-up?  Will players saved by Progression be shown?

[Adamir]

Thay fell into a crouch as he hit the ground, glancing around at the terrain. Stone, with nary a blade of grass or touch of soil to break the monotony. Had he stumbled upon one of the Barrens? But no, Morthal wouldn't have sent him here if there wasn't something he needed from this world. There had to be something his god wanted...

 

He closed his eyes, opening his palm. Where... where was it? The mark on his hand was missing - and with it, his access to the Infernal. This was a world outside of Morthal's influence, perhaps outside the entire Pantheon. Cursing himself for a fool, Thay set off to find what Morthal sent him here for.

 

Signing up as Thay Adamir, a non-Cosmere Worldhopper from a book I'm doing my best to procrastinate writing. I couldn't figure out a way to work in a description without it being forced and awkward; darkeyed, ethnicity similar to most Alethi.

 

EDIT: And now, a special announcement due to the amount of Selish worldhoppers on here... *drumroll*...

 

via Imgflip Meme Makervia Imgflip Meme Maker

Edited July 7, 2015 by Adamir

[phattemer]

Selish Worldhopper, Seixa has barely recovered from the chaos at the Rose Empire. He used to be a (fake) Shu-Korath Priest, though he was really an Elantrian.

[Kipper]

I'm signing up as Kip Sturm, and I can't believe we have to wait almost a year for the game to start.

[Macen]

Ace, a ^delusional man in his late 50's who thinks he is a Knights Radiant and a Brightlord. He carries around a ball-peen hammer calling it his Shardhammer. I'll think up some more backstory for him when I have a chance.

Also, let's all pretend that Roshar has ball-peen hammers - kthx.

Edited July 7, 2015 by Macen

[Haelbarde]

Well it's said to say Ableah won't be surviving the trip out. D:

 

I just realized I'm going to be away on prac for a week halfway through the game, so I'm gonna have to pull out of this one I think.

[Lightsworn Panda]

Jain, an ordinary panda, is signing up. Your ursine overlords have returned!

[Aonar]

Now that I'm back at a computer, and have my lists all updated, it's question answering time.

 

Which of the actions will a player be informed were used on them?

 

Will there be any differences between the Division kill and Diagram kill in the write-up?  Will players saved by Progression be shown?

 

They will be informed of Division, the Diagramist Kill, Progression (if it saves them from a kill), Illumination, Transportation (if it successfully redirects an action) and Adhesion (if it successfully blocks an action, although this will be indistinguishable from action failure for other reasons).

 

Yes, these two will be distinguishable. It will be noted if a player is saved by Progression, but no names will be revealed.

 

I'm signing up as Kip Sturm, and I can't believe we have to wait almost a year for the game to start.

 

 Shh...

 

Note: I realized that Squiring was forgotten in the order of actions, this has been rectified. (It comes right at the end, in case you were wondering.)

[Emerald101]

Em C. Palah, an expert Potter from Sesemalex Dar, is signing up.

[Shallan]

Ooh fun!

Citona Vinid, a House Lady from Scadrial who got here with Aon Tia (don't ask) is joining!       

[Herowannabe]

I'll be signing up as Wannan, or just "Wan," a dark eyed soldier who is thoroughly convinced of his immortality. When challenged about it he replies, "Hey, I've survived everything thrown at me so far, haven't I?"

---

Transformation: You may learn the power or alignment of one single person.

one question: does that mean you have to specify whether you want to learn a player's role OR alignment? Or do you learn them both automatically? Or one of them at random?

[Aonar]

one question: does that mean you have to specify whether you want to learn a player's role OR alignment? Or do you learn them both automatically? Or one of them at random?

 

Yes, you will have to specify. If someone forgets to specify, I'll flip a coin to see which they get. 

[eramit]

eradin the best darkeye spear soldier in thanadal's camp is signing up

Edited July 9, 2015 by eramit

[eramit]

ahh and dont be hard on me coz its going to be my first game coz just today i discovered sanderson elimination