Long Game 61: A Radiant Light

Fifth Scholar · November 25, 2019

1 hour ago, Amanuensis said:

ED1T:

@Fifth Scholar, @Devotary of Spontaneity, @Snipexe, can you tell me if the Ghostblood Kill comes before the victim's use of Painrial protection on another player in the Order of Actions?

Protections come before all kills in the Order of Actions.

Edit: HH’s items are now public. Thanks to @Elbereth for the reminder.

Edited November 25, 2019 by Fifth Scholar

Amanuensis · November 25, 2019

1 hour ago, STINK said:

Sorry boutta take a nap but real quick cause I read that and was like 'wuh'

You didn't make me the Grandbow that I got?

Negative. If you received a Grandbow recently then it came from another source. N3 I made Araris the Painrial he died with on N4.

**STINK** · November 25, 2019

Also (hate to sound like I'm making excuses but it's uni life it is what is it) so sorry for the short post but uh where on earth did araris / HHspanreed go and why is no one hitting me up in this shadowy time

Fifth Scholar · November 26, 2019

The Night is over. Please stand by as we put up the new cycle.

Fifth Scholar · November 26, 2019

Silent night! Holy night!

All is calm, all is bright

Round yon Ghostbloods, Hidden with Blade

Silent Kill’rs, to the shadows they fade,

Sleep in the grave’s embrace;

Sleep in the grave’s embrace.

Silent night! Holy night!

Bridgeman quake at the sight!

Brightlords fear of assassins above

Ghostbloods laugh as the knife in they shove.

Blades, the sharpest, be used!

Mraize put his head into his hands and let out a sigh. Around him the crowd applauded the young Ghostblood. He looked around the tavern, his eyes still refusing to believe what was before them. Someone, who he noted would not be around for much longer, had decided that rather than actually doing their assigned work, that of killing people, it would be a great idea to throw a party celebrating some Thaylen holiday or another, while they should have been out killing people. He slipped the mug of wine into his hands, sipping it through a tube into his mask. It was terrible. But it was better than what was assaulting his ears. Whoever was singing needn’t bother with knives. A few warbling notes, and their victim would kill themselves. He finished his drink, then held it up. He would need quite a few more to stop himself from killing everyone in the room.

Domand surveyed the night, looking alternately down by the narrow light of his spheres at his feet, and up at the stone silhouette of the warcamps. A fall was not fatal to one of his talents, but it was inconvenient, and surviving one of them raised questions—as experience had borne out. He picked his way through the crem-covered rock formations which topped the chasms, peering out at the camps. An eerie quiet hung over them. No chull racing; no duels; no screams splitting the night air. It was a nice evening, and he intended to make the most of it. Smiling slightly at himself, and at the nostalgia of being a street vendor in the alleys of Silverlight, Domand began setting up his booth. It was always profitable—only the marketing needed to be changed. No longer Shard-invested items, the technically correct term which made the highly intellectual Silverlight scientists salivate at the prospect of studying them, but “blessed by the Almighty” for these more superstitious people—never mind that Honour was in very few of the things he was selling. The enemy was in more of them, in fact, as he knew himself. As was now a common occurrence at night, a light black steam began rising from the poorly dyed pink leather gloves which Domand wore. He tried not to think of what that meant. He was not here to see if Dominion could hold sway over the Lord of Hate, and he was not about to find out. After his conversation with Arrdel, the Council had largely stopped giving him grief publicly, but if he tried something like that, he’d be lucky to not be killed on the spot by the very group he’d founded. And for good reason.

Realising he’d allowed his thoughts to wander, Domand shook his head. I need to stay more alert, he chastised himself. Adonalsium alone knows what could happen on this forsaken world. Indeed, as he stood underneath the black sky, Domand slowly heard a distant yet approaching rumble; looking east, his suspicions were confirmed. A mere line on the horizon now, the stormwall would strike in hours. He sighed, packing his booth back up. It appeared the lasting peace which he sought would still need to be achieved, and the temporary truce keeping the king and the Ghostbloods apart would be torn to shreds by the coming storms. And with nobody any closer to consolidating and creating order, the reaction was bound to be even more violent.

Watching the chull who had adopted her after the death of the previous owner, Kay once again questioned why the beings best suited to understanding the Almighty’s will were among the least able to abide by it. Any animal was capable of blasphemy of course, but for the most part they did not attempt to predict the future or otherwise usurp the Almighty’s domain. This chull appeared more intelligent than others of her kind, but she still tended to limit her behaviours to those promised to have a specific outcome. Consuming rockbuds, cremlings, and grain had been declared to provide sustenance, and so eating these when hungry was not heresy. Experimenting was not forbidden either, so long as no firm conclusions were drawn and the outcome remained in doubt.

Kay questioned whether her new companion truly understood this second part though, as failing to provide grain upon a plaintive bleat merely led to louder, more insistent cries. Yet Kay was sure that this creature didn’t spend time wondering whether the people who had killed her former master would be caught and executed. Kay tried to avoid these thoughts as well, but every time she saw the chull she was reminded of the circumstances by which they met. There could be no evident solution to this conundrum, as any plan to remedy it would require an attempt to shape the future. It wouldn’t do to imagine the possible steps required to offer the chull’s services to a Highprince as a beast of burden, or return her to the races to find a new rider, or sell her to a chouta vendor for food. Instead, Kay made the decision as she’d been instructed, impulsively and impermanently. Every time, Kay decided to keep her new friend. And every time, the decision became a little easier.

Nobody was attacked!

Day 6 has begun! It will end in approximately 47 hours, on Wednesday 27 November at 9 PM EST.

Should a Night 6 be necessary, it will be 48 hours as well. Americans, enjoy your Thanksgiving with whomever, and don’t worry about getting orders in for SE. Spinach casserole is far more important.

An obligatory reminder that spanreeds may not open new PMs.

Thanks to Snip for an inventive parody of Silent Night, and to Devotary for continually excellent character development.

Good luck!

Player List:

1. Elandera as Brightness Ellarel, a flighty scribe who nonetheless remains tethered to the ground Noble

2. Rathmaskal/Young Bard as Brightlord I.N., whose reversed name conceals his role as a secret member of the Knights of Ni

3. Butt Ad Venture as Brightness Hmynyes, a connoisseur of classical Vorin music Noble

4. Xinoehp512 as Brightlord Rashor, a man who determinedly believes that blue wine is a plague from the Voidbringers Thief

5. Araris Valerian as Brightlord Arilar, a recently arrived spy with ties to the Kholins Noble

6. StrikerEZ as Brightlord Nalakor, a professional chull breeder and racer and close friend of the King’s Wit Noble Spy

7. Furamirionind as Brightness Dohila, a lighteyes who insists on wearing only orange and green lace Noble

8. Hemalurgic Headshot as Rat, a pet of Brightlord Joe and a secret worldhopper Noble Pet

9. Sart as Tleir, a Purelaker trying desperately to impersonate the missing Brightness Drella while House Sebarial hunts for her Ghostblood

10. STINK as Jumae III, a Brightlord whose eccentricity in fashion contrasts sharply with a docile and even temperament

11. DrakeMarshmallow as Brightlord Ekard, a man at the mercy of the Almighty Himself

12. Amanuensis as Brightlord Ularid Leiken, a man hunting a chull with a green shell which once insulted his mother

13. Coda as Brightness Dejda, one of Adolin’s former girlfriends who now hates the Kholins with a passion

14. Straw as Brightlord Straw, an effigy of Gavilar which was officially recognised as a lighteyes of the fourth dahn

15. Elbereth as Brightness Tintallë, whose title has come under charges of redundancy by expert Quenya scholars Noble

Amanuensis · November 26, 2019

Well that's surprising, but I suppose it makes sense. No one died last night for the same reason no one helped Sart on D2 with his lynch. Inactivity.

Young Bard. @Young Bard, if you're busy IRL, I understand, but I hope you likewise understand why I'm suspicious. Can you please share your thoughts on the game? It doesn't need to be all-encompassing. Literally anything helps.

**STINK** · November 26, 2019

Gonna like segment this quote for referring to it later, but no word modifications that'd be too ridiculous. (some sentences have been deleted if I just don't react to them in any way really)

17 hours ago, Amanuensis said:

1/ONE.

And STINK. What were you even talking about bribes? I never bribed you with anything. I never asked you for anything. I gave you a Spanreed N1 because I had no idea what to use my action on and figured you would appreciate it since you were asking for PMs. By the time I was active enough to put in my next order (N3), Araris was one of my top trusts and he had a PM with me, which meant we could coordinate protection. That's the whole reason that I decided it was worth sacrificing El for me. I was hoping to block the elim's only kill that night.

And it was Araris himself who suggested I give the item to someone else. We anticipated him being a potential target and we both thought it was best not to put all of our eggs in a single basket. My list of options was the same I asked HH to PM for me, and I figured you were the best bet because you weren't really active enough to be in danger of the night kill and I'd already established trust for you N2, when you found out my role and nothing happened to me.

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2/TWO

I made a really bad assumption regarding Sart's lynch and I'm willing to accept the consequences of my pushing his lynch, however, the numbers are close enough that one more mislynch could mean the end of the game.

On that note, I'm back to doubting Straw again. We know now that HH was honest about being roleblocked by a Pain Knife, which means the elims didn't use it on Araris. That means Araris' protection went through (unless I'm missing something in the Order of Actions), which makes me think Straw was trying to get credit so I'd give him more leeway.

I find it extremely suspicious that no one has also claimed Artifabrian at this point. I'll admit the main reason I don't believe the Grandbow attack on me was perpetrated by a villager is because I don't think any of them would take a gamble like that. The problem is if the elims do have an Artifabrian, that means they've been active as early as N2, I think? Grandbows take two turns to make. Which means the Artifabrian can't be Bard or Drake. But both of them could still be the third culprit.

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3/THREE

And can we go back to the bribing thing? Cast your "shade" aside for a second and think. What would you expect me to do if I was a villager? Not try to form a network and coordinate? Maybe if I was evil I'd choose to go the same route, but I'm not so sure. Between my Reverser, which I've proven two turns in a row now (that I also didn't use at any point until my life was in danger), and the Pain Knife the elims got from Elandera, why would I not just make more vote-manipulation items and completely dominate the lynch from N2 onward? Or why would I not make a Grandbow every other turn to accelerate victory?

To me it seems you're only reaching half-formed conclusions and running with them. At this point it's hard for me not to worry that this whole time you've known about my role, you've also been telling the elims to keep me alive until we reach this exact situation. Not to mention the fact you immediately 180'd on me after Araris' death; our alignments had no impact on the others. Which is a part of the reason why I wanted to find a loophole for the duel so we could both live. Her death was wasted, and I'd much rather have gone for HH sooner, that way we could have cleaned up this mess turns ago.

I'm aware that saying this at all is probably a waste of time. After all, in games like this, our word is worth as much as a grain of salt. Had I not backed off Sart on D2 then maybe I would be in a better situation. Sadly this is how the cards have fallen and I have no choice to work with what we've got.

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4/FOUR

Thinking more on the Artifabrian thing, I don't think it can be anyone but STINK. Bard and Drake were too inactive, Coda had a lull in activity around the time the Grandbow would have been made, if I recall correcty. Straw is still a decent candidate, but I think it's more likely that he was being honest about protecting me than STINK genuinely flopping on me like this. It feels way too sudden / premeditated to me.

That leaves either Drake or Bard as the third teammate. Both "returned" to the game at the same time so it's impossible to determine which one of them was collaborating with the Artifabrian to hit me and Araris at the same time.

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5/FIVE

Whoever has the Shardblade tonight, the game is in your hands. You could either make or break this game depending on who you kill, or if you kill no one at all, give us one more chance to lynch the right person.

Alright now that's sorted, I guess I can go through and add my thoughts/responses to various things, see if anything can be tracked in that

1/ONE: Admittedly, the 'bribing' choice of words probably wasn't the best, but upon the time of posting I was pretty panicked that basically the game was over and I really hadn't done anything for either side (so effectively inactive ooft). I also didn't put it in the post because 'information security' which screw that now gonna let all the nothings that I know out, but I also thought you were the one who made me the Grandbow that I didn't end up using which would've made 3 items made for me which I was like 'wuh'.

However, I'm still actually kinda lost on your logic for giving me the painrial when Coda seems to be stuck at the hip to you, with you doing nothing really in return? Don't tell me there's nothing going on there.

2/TWO

Again, there's definitely a second artifab out there being all secretive unless we're all really bad at tracking Aman's item making, since he's claimed to have not made me the Grandbow and now I'm wondering if they're just constantly making grandbows for people until something happens, hm. As for the Straw situation, I'll see if I have time later to like actually look at what he's done throughout the whole game I guess.

3/THREE

And sure, I can put Aman back on the trust list since apparently you've been capable of basically doing whatever for god knows how long, that's kinda a worrying reason to trust someone but it is what it be sometimes. Better than all the quiet people >.> Also, a grain of salt is worth quite a fair bit in some situations, so don't go disparaging the power of the salt, I guess?

4/FOUR

Being an artifab would pretty nice yeah, but so is being a kick-chull Noble If the artifab is someone inactive, then might be time to bring back ye olde contribution crusade - even though it's cycle 6 now - and start a culling. Wow that was grim to type out.

5/FIVE

Just a quick comment that it seems the elims were also not wanting to make or break this game, apparently?

ANYWAYS TIME FOR MAYBE SOME ORIGINAL STUFF EVEN THOUGH WHATS THE CHANCES OF THAT ACTUALLY BEING ORIGINAL?

Me still no likey Coda, but me also not like any inactives really - who consist of: Bard,Drake and also maybe Coda I really ain't seen much - and I know Straw's out there clearly doing something. Ok so apparently I don't like anybody.

Straw I guess? Plenty of time for stuff to happen if anyone even responds thats not Aman anyway

Amanuensis · November 26, 2019

52 minutes ago, STINK said:

However, I'm still actually kinda lost on your logic for giving me the painrial when Coda seems to be stuck at the hip to you, with you doing nothing really in return? Don't tell me there's nothing going on there.

Coda voted for me over El when you defended me just the day prior to me making you that Painrial. That made me trust you more than him, and the shift only happened because of the PM Araris made with him and I. Coda might not have voted for HH at all that day if I knew Araris' PMs had closed after his death. I wasn't around at the end of the night turn to use it when it was first made.

In summary, while I have read Coda as village since D1, it's been mostly for tonal reasons. Even our PM seemed especially quick and casual for the short time we used it, which I think is a better indicator of him being Village. Again, this happened during the last day turn, so the perception you have of us being buddies isn't that severe.

Meanwhile, I was able to situationally clear you based on the fact I wasn't immediately killed when I stopped making you items. And honestly, I would expect for you to have killed me early on this game regardless of my role.

Stink, do you still have the Grandbow in your possession? It's possible that it's an actual Grandbow that was passed to you, though I can't understand why. I think if you didn't use it last night the GMs would PM you that it's no longer available.

**STINK** · November 26, 2019

15 minutes ago, Amanuensis said:

Stink, do you still have the Grandbow in your possession? It's possible that it's an actual Grandbow that was passed to you, though I can't understand why. I think if you didn't use it last night the GMs would PM you that it's no longer available.

It was definitely not a real Grandbow, though it'd be funny if I ended up with it again after LG20

Got the whole spiel about Artifabrians Anonymous that makes sure you know it's temporary even if you miss when they specify temporary, then maybe a corporate joke that I didn't understand really.

Amanuensis · November 26, 2019

9 hours ago, STINK said:

It was definitely not a real Grandbow, though it'd be funny if I ended up with it again after LG20

Got the whole spiel about Artifabrians Anonymous that makes sure you know it's temporary even if you miss when they specify temporary, then maybe a corporate joke that I didn't understand really.

Hm. It's possible that recently only the eliminator Artifabrian has been active, and decided to give you an extra kill with hopes of you attacking me. If that's the case, the Artifabrian can't be Drake or Bard, but they'd also be someone who wasn't around the previous turn, as otherwise they would have put a kill in.

EDIT:

Furthermore, the fact no one has claimed the Grandbow attack on me by this point affirms that they are evil. Likewise with the other Artifabrian.

ED2T:

@Coda @Straw @Young Bard @drakemarshallow

Is anyone alive? o.o

Edited November 26, 2019 by Amanuensis

November 26, 2019

I live, but we're cleaning the house for Thanksgiving so expect silence hence forth.

Amanuensis · November 26, 2019

2 minutes ago, Coda said:

I live, but we're cleaning the house for Thanksgiving so expect silence hence forth.

Okay. Enjoy the holiday! Us expacts don't really celebrate often. Thanksgiving is probably the only holiday I miss. But please do come in for a vote as soon as you can. If you're village we really need your help.

Edited November 26, 2019 by Amanuensis

November 28, 2019

I exist! Young Bard. I don't think Straw is an elim, so leaving it up to chance wouldn't be good.

**STINK** · November 28, 2019

You know, I can't even get mad at you for that when at least it's a post

Fifth Scholar · November 28, 2019

The cycle is closed!

Fifth Scholar · November 28, 2019

The Ghostbloods were not the only secret society who had infiltrated the nobility of Alethkar, and not all sought political change. Brightlord I.N.’s immediate mission was far more botanical in nature: his goal was to transplant samples of Ashyn flora on Roshar’s rather more inhabitable surface. So far, things were not going well. Roshar as a whole may have been intact, but the Shattered Plains were a terrible place to grow vegetation. Any plants that managed to take root in the bare rock were washed away by the frequent highstorms that were at their most devastating this far east. I.N. had complained to his superiors after every failure, begging them to consider a more arable location for their plan to preserve the dying Ashyn species. Every time, his superiors had refused, saying they couldn’t afford to have their only Rosharan agent give up his position in the Alethi hierarchy. When I.N. brought up the possibility of inserting a second agent somewhere with agriculture, they had not even considered his request, instead demanding that I.N. acquire another of the dwindling number of native plants, submit it for approval, and begin the journey back to Roshar with his precious cargo.

Even with the Surge of Transportation and the general nonexistence in the Cognitive Realm of the vast distance between the two planets, the trip back to the Shattered Plains was a lengthy one. One did not physically tire running through the solid expanse representing vague thoughts about space, but making the same run week after week took its toll. As always, his spren Tolb tried to convince him to circumvent his orders. Like all of her kind she was bound by oaths, but she felt there could always be a way to fulfill promises while still undergoing to most reasonable course of action. Last time, she’d persuaded him to try and create a duplicate plant. I.N. was paid well enough to possess emerald broams, and such gemstones could be used as a focus to Transform any material into a plant substance. The results of this experiment had not been especially promising, as being able to produce a plant did not mean he could replicate vegetation perfectly, but he had planted his hybrid species in Jah Keved anyway. He would check on it when he arrived at the Horneater Peaks; perhaps he had been more successful than he’d thought.

Just as he was thinking of them, I.N. found himself at the Perpendicularity that led to the top of the Horneater Peaks. Being merely a third ideal Radiant, this was as close to the Shattered Plains as he could get from the Cognitive Realm. Leaping through to Roshar, he summoned Tolb as a shield and began to sled down the mountains. So far, he had never died doing this, and it was certainly the fastest way down. This time, I.N. managed to only obliterate half his bones and didn’t even end up with a concussion, which qualified as a rousing success. After repairing his shattered body with all his remaining stormlight, I.N. ran at normal human speed towards is makeshift garden and stopped with subpar human grace when he saw someone else already there.

I.N. recognised the man as an Alethi, one of Leiken’s underlings. I.N. panicked and began to reach out his hand to summon Tolb as a weapon, but the other man raised his hands in a calming gesture. He explained that he was merely a messenger, informing I.N. that the other nobles had voted to strip him of his title and holding in his absence. I.N. remained in shocked silence as the messenger turned to leave, recommending that he stay here and tend to his garden instead of returning to the Shattered Plains. As the man disappeared from view, I.N. couldn’t help but think this was a good idea.

And the LORD answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain GM, which made an LG for his community, and sent forth his co-GMs to call them that were bidden to the game: and they would not sign up. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are in Discord: Behold, I have prepared my game: my NPC character and my co-GM’s character are killed, and all role PMs are ready: sign up for the LG. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his college work, another to his pressing RL obligations: And the remnant took his ruleset, and entreated it spitefully, and slew it. But when the GM heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his bot armies, and destroyed those unwilling, and broke up their Discord.

Then saith he to his co-GMs, The LG is ready, but they which were entreated were not worthy. Go ye therefore onto the Shard, and as many as ye shall find, invite to the game. So those co-GMs went out into the forum, and gathered together all as many as they found willing, both villager and Eliminator: and the LG was furnished with players. And when the GM came in to observe the players, he saw there a man which had not posted for two cycles: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having posted for two cycles twice? And he was speechless. Then said the GM to the co-GMs, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into the spec doc, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are called, but few are chosen.

Brightlord Ekard was sleeping again. As the congregation of nobles discussed who to kill, and seemed intent on disposing of those who spoke up and were suspicious, Ekard felt that the best way for him to carry out Mraize’s work was to simply say nothing at all. Then, he wouldn’t be killed. The solution had worked wonderfully thus far, with Elhokar’s men largely ignoring him. Moreover, he had found an outdoor pavilion which made for an excellent resting place, and carried the additional benefit of being screened from obvious notice. Much trouble—too much trouble—would have to be gone to in order to do anything with him besides criticise his absence and move on.

Unfortunately, having closed his eyes earlier last night, Ekard could not use them to discern the unplanned highstorm which brewed above the horizon, moving with unnatural speed towards the warcamps. The Stormfather was determined to punish apathy this time, and Ekard’s own strategem of avoiding notice had worked too well. Not having seen him, all the people of the warcamps fled inside for cover as nature’s wrath was poured out around them.

The stormwall hit the warcamps with a deafening rumble. Ekard started, awakened at last, and his eyes widened as he realised the dire straits he was in. He sprinted for the door of the nearest barracks, but was not nearly quick enough; a gust of wind threw his body into the air and over a chasm, and a defiant yell was the last heard of a man who truly placed himself at the mercy—or lack thereof—of the Almighty.

Young Bard was lynched, but survived!

Vote Count:

Bard (3): Aman, Coda, Stink

Drake Marshall died of inactivity! He was a Ghostblood with a Spanreed, Pain Knife and Reverser!

Night 6 has begun! It will end in 48 hours on Friday 29 November, at 9 PM EST.

Everyone have a happy Thanksgiving. For my part, I’m thankful for the chance to moderate and be a part of this wonderful community, and am also thankful for my co-GMs, who have helped tremendously this game. Please show your thanks by upvoting Devotary, who did the writeup for Bard’s not-really-death. EDIT: I’m also thankful for @Elbereth, without whom none of you would know which items deceased players held.

Spanreeds may open new PMs during this Night turn at the cost of an action.