Long Game 5: Noble Secrets

[Theorymaker]

Cara came back from the duel early. When she got to the Ardentia all of her fellow ardent avoided her. Avoiding me just because I dabbled in politics and watched a murderer's death, Cara thought. They're acting like I was trying to bring back the Hierocracy or something!

[Mailliw73]

Day 7: Almost Victory

Day 7:

After the duel, Wurum began to leave to return to his camp. Reflecting back on the deaths of the last week and a half, he was furious at the Ghostbloods for all the terror and death they caused. If it hadn't been for Ace receiving the Shardhammer and the group finally being able to pull together and identify who had been most suspicious, the Ghostbloods may have taken over.

Alv had been one of the causes for so much bloodshed, Wurum knew. He couldn't let that go unpunished. To finish the job off, he knew he was going to shoot Alv tonight. He saw the assassin leaving the duel and followed him at a distance. Alv slipped into an alley right as Wurum fired his first shot. The arrow hit the wall instead. Wurum dashed into the alley to see Alv with a Pain Knife in his shoulder and him writhing on the ground. All of a sudden, a chull came stampeding down the alley and trampled right over Alv. Wurum dodged the chull and then went to Alv's side. Seeing that his chest was still barely moving up and down, Wurum stood up and drew back an arrow.

With one last gasp, Alv said, "All fled--all done, so lift me on the pyre;

The feast is over, and the lamps expire." Wurum shot his arrow into Alv's face just to be certain of the death. Another Ghostblood dead.

Awes left the duel and headed in a different direction than Alv. They each had their own jobs to do. After using one of his fabrials, he walked past Sadeas's warcamp, Awes heard a noise behind him and immediately summoned his Shardblade. He spun and saw a figure with a Pain knife creeping behind him.

He used his Blade to cut the Pain knife in half and the holder ran away in fear. A piece of the Knife flew into his shoulder and he dropped his Blade. He cried out his new heir and began to walk back to his lair when Ace appeared with his MAce again. Ace ran to Awes and slammed the Hammer into Awes, crushing his insides. Awes crumpled in pain on the ground but didn't give up on life yet.

Alv was a Ghostblood Spy with a Reverser

The day begins now and will end tomorrow at 11:00 am MDT/18:00 GMT

Edited June 3, 2014 by Mailliw73

[Awesomeness Summoned]

Um.... I have to admit, I find the fact that I am still alive rather surprising. Did someone painrial me last night just for the heck of it?

 

Edit: Oh... Ace's comment the other day on the hammer being a delayed kill makes more sense now. Well that just seems cruel then to make me have to suffer through an entire day in the pangs of death.

Edited June 2, 2014 by Awesomeness Summoned

[Macen]

Ace leaned over Awes before he walked away.

"We thought it would be fitting. You being the one who tricked me so many times. You get to die last, and alone."

With these words, Ace walked to Wurum and his meeting place with a smug look on his face.

I am a little curious as to who you made your heir. I also forgot that the Shardblade blocks a pain knife. Doh.
 

[Metacognition]

Careful Macen. That almost reads as a bit too much gloating. Awesome is typically a good sport about these types of things, but I don't want to have to come down on you if you tried something like that with a newer player or something similar. 

Edited June 2, 2014 by Metacognition

[Awesomeness Summoned]

I am a little curious as to who you made your heir. I also forgot that the Shardblade blocks a pain knife. Doh.

 

Guess you'll just have to find out in the write up won't you One hint is that despite being a Ghostblood, Awes keeps his word. Plus it will be a fun little irony if it does what I think it will.

 

Careful Macen. That almost reads as a bit too much gloating. Awesome is typically a good sport about these types of things, but I don't want to have to come down on you if you tried something like that with a newer player or something similar. 

No worries, anything in black I consider the character not the user.

[Macen]

Careful Macen. That almost reads as a bit too much gloating. Awesome is typically a good sport about these types of things, but I don't want to have to come down on you if you tried something like that with a newer player or something similar. 

Definitely not gloating, Awes was a step ahead of me the entire game, so I don't have much to gloat about, even if I wanted to. I just hadn't done any RP for this character yet, and I felt that was a good bit to add in (Wurum and I had talked about leaving him for last since he was the one who had announced himself to get us to lynch him).

 

[Awesomeness Summoned]

This does beg the question though, if two people vote for me, do I die from the hammer or from being lynched? So far I've been assassinated every game I've played in. Not sure if I want to keep that streak going or if I'd like to add a lynching to my death tally.

[Wyrmhero]

I think that we can consider it either way, really. I mean, we've tried to kill you four times including Alv's redirected Shardblade. Why won't you die, Awes, why won't you die?

 

Well, obviously I can vote all the same, and I shall do so. Good game, Awes. See you in Damnation.

[Aspren]

My task was to make Awes pause

But me being a novice made it a difficult thing to cause

I was nearly un-armed

Only through shear luck unharmed

So I'll not be accepting any more dangerous chores

 

Admittedly the last word didn't rhyme perfectly.

[Mailliw73]

Forgot to note, Alv was a Spy.

[Adolin_Dustbringer]

So all I need to complete my secondary objective is the Soulcaster. Could the owner give it to me? It's for a good cause.

[Theorymaker]

Cara woke up late. Very late. She looked around her room, confused why no one woke her up like they normally did. Then she saw a note in her room. It read: Cara Ristin, you have been formally dismissed from the Ardentia for using Ardentia property, notably the Soulcaster, for your own political reasons. You are forbidden from joining any devotary again, though we do hope that you stay in the faith. -The Devotary of Purity.

 

Cara was shocked. Kicked out of the Ardentia. She would have to contact her family, and find some place to stay for the night. Hopefully someone in the camp could help her.

 

Okay, Adolin_Dustbringer I'll give you the Soulcaster, but in exchange you need to help out my character if only for the coming night.

[Awesomeness Summoned]

Every breath was more difficult than the last. Awes could feel his mind wandering, recalling random moments from the last few days, unable to focus on the here and now any longer. He needed to pay attention though. He still had one thing to do before he let go.

 

They were all gathered around him, confident that they’d finally one. Awes couldn’t argue with that sentiment. But their victory would not be as complete as they seemed to think. Awes knew how to turn that joy into ashes in their mouth.

 

His heartbeat had slowed, but it was still there.

 

Ace was leaning over him, gloating about how this slow death was deserved for the crimes he had committed. After feeling the pain himself, Awes didn't think that was true. No one deserved to die like this. But Awes didn’t hold it against Ace. He could understand his rage.

 

What could not be forgiven was betrayal. Jim Bob Dirt had promised to help the ghostbloods but instead had brought their destruction. He likely never intended to help them but that didn’t matter. He’d made the agreement. The words had come out of his mouth. He would be judged by his actions, not his heart.

 

The heart slowed even more, but didn’t stop.

 

Wurum was the only voice of reason in the group. He was smart enough to realize that they should finish Awes quick and be done with it. No one else seemed to realize the danger though. They had no one to blame for this one final death but themselves.

 

Awes forced himself back to lucidity with one last push of strength. He opened his eyes and looked at each face, resting finally on Jim Bob Dirt who stood far closer than he should have.

 

“You think us defeated? We were but a small drop of blood in a sea of red. Enjoy your victory for now, what little you have left. In the end, the ghostbloods always get what we seek and right now I seek revenge.”

 

Awes extended his hand directly at Jim Bob Dirt’s chest. “Ten”

 

Edit: Spelling and grammar. Was typing this really fast to get it in before the deadline.

Edited June 3, 2014 by Awesomeness Summoned

[Mailliw73]

Game 5: Wrap-up

Wrap-up:

Awes was frantically clinging on to life all day long. He managed to use his reverser and get one final revenge. The nobles had just ignored him this last day, assuming him to be too much in pain to accomplish anything. Foolish nobles.

As Awes summoned his Blade, he was angry at Jim for the betrayal. He knew who his last kill would be. Jim Bob Dirt. The Shardblade appeared in Awes' hand and, with his last bit of energy, Awes pushed it into Jim's chest.

Stomper came trotting up to Awes and looked with disappointment at him. You failed me. With that, Stomper trampled over Awes. The damage from the Shardhammer coupled with the trampling took the last strands of life from him. "Twenty cremlings fighting, wanting to be fed.

Four were painted red.

Fourteen now lay dead.

Six continue crawling, who will be the head? ", Awes cried out at last. His chest stopped the faint rising and falling and lay flat. The last Ghostblood was dead.

Votes:

Jim Bob (2): Wurum, Awes

The King and Highprinces will be announced as items are heired off from the kills.

Awes was a Ghostblood with a reverser and a Shardblade

Jim Bob Dirt was a Noble Thief with a half-shard, an Alerter, a reverser, a Soulcaster, emotion bracelet and Spanreed.

The game is now over. Thank you so much for playing and I hope you all had fun. You can wrap up role play here if you want or leave comments or suggestions. Dead players may now speak once again.

Dead doc

Ghostblood Doc

Speculation Doc

Actions Spreadsheet

Player list spreadsheet(Note: I stopped updating this partway through)

Edited June 3, 2014 by Mailliw73

[Wyrmhero]

Wurum looked at the weapon that pierced the ground in front of him, and the fabrial that lay next to it. It seemed wrong to him. He wasn't sure why. Perhaps it was because he was just used to his bow now, an entirely different weapon, even if a Grandbow was a complement rather than a worse weapon.

 

He still hadn't even touched the weapon. It was delivered with the rest of Jim's belongings: A Reverser and a Half-Shard - both useless to him, since he already had the former, and the latter was unusable with his Shardplate - an Alerter and a Spanreed. Useful items, to be sure, but not as useful as the other two items that he was given.

 

Had the thief really trusted him enough to give him the keys to an entire kingdom? He held all that the man could have ever wanted - Grandbow, Shardplate, Shardblade and Soulcaster. The Grandbow was by far the least expensive item of the lot, and even then it was a small fortune in his hands.

 

He held his hand out towards the Shardblade, half expecting it to disappear from the cracked earth and appear in his hand, but it didn't. Of course it wouldn't. He hadn't owned it nearly long enough to bond to it. Damnation, he hadn't even touched the thing yet. He was afraid to, in case it might disappear. His family had owned a few swords, and even a set of plate, a few generations back. Now, they had some of that back.

 

He stood up carefully, in case his Shardplate accidentally broke the chair. He took a step forwards, and went to grasp the hilt of the Shardblade. He hesitated, though. Claincy had died because he owned this sword. Jain had been cut through with it on mere suspicion. And now even Jim had been slain by its wielder. This sword, this immaculate, unstainable sword, had a lot of blood on it. Did he really want that on his hands?

 

No, a Shardblade was a tool. Just because it had been stolen from an honourable Alethi noble and put to terrible use did not make it an evil weapon. He could use it for good. Indeed, he had to use it. The Alethi were short of Shardbearers as it was. He was now one of the most powerful men in Alethkar, with Jim's death. He couldn't afford to not have that kind of power at his beck and call.

 

He placed his hand on the hilt of the blade and pulled it from the earth. It was heavier than he expected. People always talked about Shardblades being heavy, but-

 

Then, wordless screams erupted in his head. He dropped the blade suddenly, and it clattered to the ground and lay there, almost accusingly. The only sound he could hear was his heartbeat and his heavy breathing. He felt worn, far more so than he should have done from holding a weightless sword.

 

"What," he muttered, putting a hand to his face and wiping away a bit of sweat, "was that?"

Edited June 3, 2014 by Wyrmhero

[Wyrmhero]

Well, that's why you vote on the last day, guys. Well done to Awes for getting a final kill in. It's also a shame, but I am just a Pain Knife off of meeting Jim's secondary objective for him

 

I have just a few things that I'd like to say as constructive feedback. Overall, I really enjoyed the game, even if I got really concerned that we couldn't win when they got the Shardblade. But, as we can see, that didn't actually cripple us nearly as much as I thought. Anyway:

• I think it was too easy to abuse the Shardplate thing. Giving it away meant that you could trade Plates and be practically unkillable without a Painknife. I think it should've probably been a cycle to recharge or so, possibly two, so that each side had two chances to finish them off.
• Speaking of which, Painknives were a bit too strong. At the moment, it was one action to negate three, which meant that when we found the Ghostbloods, they couldn't really do much about it. I'd either make it an action for an action, or make it take up your entire turn too so that it was fair. Probably the former, since the latter is still terrible for them when the number of Pain Knives floating around is the same as the number of Ghostbloods.
• Finally, I think Spies could do with a little buff, since at the moment they rely way too heavily on the dice roll (or however it's determined) and become weaker later into the game. It's too easy to become immune to them by stacking more items to ensure the special one isn't discovered, particularly for the Ghostbloods since they'll gather more items. As such, perhaps they should discover an item as they currently do, but also the total number of items they have?

Once again though Mailliw, I really enjoyed this game. Thanks for GMing

Edited June 3, 2014 by Wyrmhero

[Tulir]

Very nice job Mailliw, the game looked really good.  Having died the first day, I got to observe and not really interact, but I agree with Wyrmhero that the Spies needed a little bit of a buff.  Identifying who has what item is useful, but more so if they were working with the thief.  Outside of that, finding out an item doesn't give them that much of an advantage.

[Kasimir]

About the Spy -- unless you're Alv j/k

 

Thanks for the game once more, Maili. Really enjoyed playing it. Could I ask about your cackle moments, now that the game is over? You mentioned some particular cackle moments, one of them being when we went after Tion not knowing he had Plate. 

 

I'm just curious that way

 

Feedback-wise, I think I'd agree with Wurum about the Plate. Insofar as that I'm not sure if it's just me, but the game balance seemed to be a bit off in terms of how protective items became proportionally so much more effective towards the end of the game--although that might be a good thing, holding off the Ghostbloods and allowing for a recovery. It sure made the game more exciting.

 

In any case, thank you for all the effort you put into GMing It was great.

[Adolin_Dustbringer]

Thanks for the soulcaster, Cara. 

 

Also, Awes.

 

edit: guess I was a tad late. oops

Edited June 3, 2014 by Adolin_Dustbringer

[Awesomeness Summoned]

Sorry, too late. You are dead

[GreyPilgrim]

I must say, good game everyone, and also thanks to Maill for putting it together. I think this model has the potential to be a fun one to play many times without feeling repetitive. The fact that almost everyone had at least one item made it difficult but fun to puzzle through everyone's actions, and I think it worked out very well in the end.

Very well done to the Ghostbloods, even though it didn't all work out in the end. Hiding your spanreed was genius, and did a good job of preventing suspicion from falling on you. I must say, having a spanreed became kind of a death sentence after we decided that one of the Ghostbloods must have a spanreed. The limiting of PMs was overall a cool part of the game, forcing us to work in the main thread a bit more than usual.

Edited June 4, 2014 by GreyPilgrim

[Adolin_Dustbringer]

Well, honestly didn't expect that. RIP me. And I was so close to winning too 

Edited June 3, 2014 by Adolin_Dustbringer

[Wyrmhero]

Again, that's why everyone should've voted

[Metacognition]

The game is over, guys. You don't have to keep your text in blue unless you like the color!

 

I was really hoping after that first night, where I got attacked, that I could wind up getting enough items to be King. I think it would've been hilarious to have the sadistic, almost evil himself guy wind up with the throne. Alas, it wasn't meant to be.

 

Wow, that was downright devious, Awes. Bravo. All the way up till the end, you were an incredible opponent. I haven't read through the docs yet, but I'm looking forward to it! 

 

I can see what everyone means about the Plate and stuff, but also consider that there were three possible kills per night. Without a decent amount of defensive items around, when the Ghostbloods did get the Blade, that really could've been the end of it for us! I'll bet that if we played the game again, without changing any of the rules, we'd get an entirely different result and some other item could come out looking extremely powerful (Imagine if the Ghostbloods wound up getting triple Reversers early on, for example). 

 

Personally, the highlight for me is the fact that I think the number of items and their distribution was perfect for this game. There were enough of every item that you couldn't count on a person being good just because they had a certain type of item. In a way, we've gotten used to being able to get absolute verification of some roles and that's made us a bit reliant on them. This game, we had to use subtle clues and such to determine whether someone was innocent. Early on in the game, Macen was partially convinced that the Thief must be a Ghostblood. When Adolin came forward in the PMs, saying he was the Thief, we didn't go after him because he knew I had a Spanreed and yet he never stole it. That was our only clue, but it was enough. 

 

As Wyrmhero put before, this really was a concerted win on our part. Without everyone doing their part, this easily could have been a win for the Ghostbloods, so in that right, we've proven that we don't necessarily need those roles as well. 

 

Just some initial thoughts from my perspective. Now it's time to read the Docs and see how much of it changes! Well played everyone and thank you, Maill for an amazing game!