Long Game 75: Alethi Politics

[Mat]

Just now, Condensation said:

Hmm. Um, probably not. We're about to go to 4-day school.

:thumbs-up: Sounds good! My school is still in hybrid every-other but I’m actually homeschooling myself now so that’s kind of irrelevant

[+Whysper]

6 hours ago, Matrim's Dice said:

@Condensation, @xinoehp512, @Whysper- You three are listed as pinch-hitters, has anything changed in your schedule that would allow you to join? This is not me asking you to switch (okay, if kind of is :P) but if nothing has changed as far as your life and desire to join please don’t  I can’t stress that enough while simultaneously asking. Though if you can and are able to I’d appreciate it. But don’t do it just because I asked; I won’t feel offended at all if you stay pinch-hitting, as I’ll likely need those too  

Okay, I can switch to join. Other games I'm backing up are having delays in starting, so I can start this first.

[Kasimir]

Interested if I'm misreading the rules, and this is personal curiosity, no more: are there any means of earning spheres beyond waiting for a Highstorm cycle? Also, your Marketplace segment says a highstorm gives players 2 spheres. Your Events segment says it gives 3. Which is it?  

[Mat]

3 hours ago, Kasimir said:

Interested if I'm misreading the rules, and this is personal curiosity, no more: are there any means of earning spheres beyond waiting for a Highstorm cycle? Also, your Marketplace segment says a highstorm gives players 2 spheres. Your Events segment says it gives 3. Which is it?  

Heh, exactly.

The answer to the first question answers the second. One of the Events the Highprinces can trigger is a Highstorm, which is entirely separate from the normal cycle of them. The Event one gives everyone 3, and the normal cycle gives everyone 2.

Perhaps I shouldn't have named those the same thing...

Anyway, announcement: Because of the player count, all Highprinces may not be included in the game (though they can be). 10.25 hours!

[|TJ|]

12 minutes ago, Matrim's Dice said:

Anyway, announcement: Because of the player count, all Highprinces may not be included in the game (though they can be). 10.25 hours!

Whysper said she can join.  And sign me up as well. Though my activity would be very minimal at least until my game finishes. 

5 hours ago, Whysper said:

Okay, I can switch to join. Other games I'm backing up are having delays in starting, so I can start this first.

[Mat]

1 minute ago, TJ Shade said:

Whysper said she can join.  And sign me up as well. Though my activity would be very minimal at least until my game finishes. 

I'm aware of her signing up  Though I forgot to edit the OP

And alright.

[Mat]

I’m currently not at home, but consider signups closed at 5pm PST; if someone happens to join in the next thirteen minutes they’re in but not a minute behind  D1 should be up within an hour. Thanks!

Edit: And time! See you all D1!

Edited March 25, 2021 by Matrim's Dice

[Mat]

Day One: Sacrifices for Alethkar

Stormfather, I have before thought that the politics of Alethi were overly aggressive, but I never imagined they would go this far. I can’t decide if I am disappointed with the nation for the actions taken or amazed at the dedication of electing a chosen leader that the majority of the princedoms stand by.

-Mishinah Bethab, wife of Highprince Bethab, 1173.7.5.2

The body was found just outside of the meetinghouse.

Ruthar’s son discovered it first, letting out a yelp as he promptly sped out of the room following the discussion. He immediately poked his head back into the room with wide eyes, and soon a crowd had gathered.

Dalinar pushed his way to the front, and saw the dead man to be Rine Hatham, a Highlord and relative- how distant he didn’t know- of Highprice Hatham. Dalinar recalled Rine leaving the discussion an hour or so ago, presumably to use the privy, though it was clear now he had not gotten that far. Likely he had been killed almost immediately after leaving the room, judging by the position of his body- and those who remained inside had been arguing too loudly to hear the man cry out if he even had breath to do so.

Rine lay face down, his left leg skewed to the side. He had a knife wound in his back and leg, but the weapon itself was nowhere to be seen. Blood pooled around him, and crusted around the wounds. He had been undisturbed for some time. 

Dalinar felt troubled. Why Rine, out of all the larger assassin targets? Was it simply random? He seeked out Hatham’s face in the crowd, and saw one of confusion and only some pinch of grief. Distant, then.

He had to act quickly, lest this escalate. “This will be investigated.” Dalinar said loudly, over the conversation that had sprung up. “Everyone, clear out.”

Reluctantly the politicians moved away from the unfortunate dead man, off their separate ways. He thankfully had spoken up in time. Sadeas lingered a bit longer than the others, but caught Dalinar’s eyes and turned to go. The man’s face was characteristically unreadable. 

Dalinar stared at the body for a few seconds more, shaken from the turn of events, but soon felt Elhokar’s hand on his shoulder. “Come, Uncle. This can be reviewed another time.”

Dalinar found himself nodding, and he let Elhokar lead him past Rine, back to his quarters.

*   *   *

Later that day, a frantic messenger brought Dalinar a piece of paper that he was told had been torn out of a personal notebook found on Rine’s person. Dalinar sucked in a breath when he realized Rine must have written it himself- but later, when Dalinar’s most trusted scribe had finished reading it to him, it was clear he had much bigger things to worry about:

I have found evidence of a secret society among the Highprinces. A Sadeas Society, born from Torol himself, seeking the ‘true ratification’ of Alethkar- whatever that means. I do not know how many members of our own coalition are members of this group, but suffice it to say that there are some who are not who they claim to be. Some who delve in traitorous principles.

I don’t expect to survive much longer. I have done the work I have needed to do, but doing so cost my secrecy. A sacrifice for Alethkar. Repeating this verbally was too great of a risk. I can only hope this missive finds its way into the right hands.

Long live the Kholins.

---

Rine Hatham has been killed! He was a member of Dalinar’s Coalition. And an NPC :P.

Day One has begun! The turn will end in 47.5 hours, on Friday, March 26 at 5pm PST. 

• There will be a majority execution today, with no vote minimum. A tied vote will be decided by RNG.
• PMs are closed unless opened with an action, which technically can’t happen this turn anyway. You may not create any PMs yourself during the entirety of the game. 
• There is an inactivity filter of two turns in place. Failure to post during this time frame will result in replacement or possibly death.
• If you have not received your role PM message me ASAP and that will be fixed.

Player List:

Spoiler

1. @Gears - Roko the Basilisk
2. @Random Bystander - the Random Bystander
3. @Ashbringer - Faleast
4. @Flyingbooks
5. @Dannex
6. @Quintessential - Lady Lumi Tominel
7. @The Unknown Order - Obliteration
8. @Araris Valerian - Ruthar
9. @forget me not - Cara
10. @Tani - Reva
11. @Archer - Filico
12. @StrikerEZ
13. @Elandera
14. @Illwei
15. @Whysper
16. @TJ Shade

 

[Gears]

 The following is an analysis of the rules

Factions: Standard, elims must kill the king.

Roles

Dalinar Kholin: His death causes the world to go under martial law. Also great at threatening people.

Torol Sadeas: Scum of the earth. Rolescanner, won’t see the confirmed people. A warning to Elhokar the Coward King: He wants your head on a silver platter. Could plausibly go on a rampage against the vanillagers to find Elhokar.

Elhokar Kholin: Can self-protect once every 2 cycles. Can protect from the execution as well, which is unique. Do not ever enter a situation where you would need to use this ability because you would be dead in the water at night. Under no circumstances are you allowed to die. Actually, you aren’t that important. We don’t need you. Your death just ‘normalises’ the game. Feel free to live or die on your own terms.

Bodyguard: Protect from all attacks. Emphasis on all. There is no doubletapping here. This is quite possibly the most powerful protection role I have witnessed in my brief history. Protect yourself until you find Elhokar.

Spokesperson: Remove a vote. Ties break through RNG, so feel free to engage in a healthy dose of shenanigans.

Spanreed Operator: PMs, all hail. I would like one, if you wouldn’t mind. Ta very much.

Assassin: One guaranteed successful attack. Not a successful kill, mind you, a successful attack. Apparently, you’re a novice that only brought one dose of poison.

Doorman: The roleblocker. Is this a sleazy bar now? Then again, politics in Alethela are always a bit unruly. Vaguely reminiscent of Papers, Please.

Highprince: There are possibly ten [player count indicates reduction] Alethi Highprinces. Other than the confirmed ones, you are nothing. Any unimportant individual: Tell us if the anonymous Highprince document is labelled with numbers or names. Also how many there are. That would be splendid.

Events

Highstorm: 3 spheres for all. Money is good.

Anarchy: Define “majority”. 50% of the votes on one person? 50% of people must vote? Both? Not very good. Burn through events.

Financial Crisis: No marketplace. Also terrible. Burn through it before economic gain or after economic deficit.

Democracy!: Cheaper items. Rounding up or down? Quite good.

Political Vengeance: Ties mean mass murder.

Recommended order for events: Highstorm, Vengeance, Highstorm, Democracy, Crisis, Anarchy. Crisis should come before Highstorm or after Democracy. Vengeance should be used early, when mass murder is distinctly good instead of just tolerable.

Marketplace: Open at night, spend money, items cannot transfer in any way.

Items

Knife: 12 spheres, murder. Not particularly good for the village, good for elims.

Contract of Peace: 5 spheres, stops extracurricular murder. Stops vigilantes. Again, better for elims.

Legal Document: 6 spheres, save someone from the X. You are one of two ways a person will survive the X. Great for elims since the relevant person can just claim and demand protection, and getting a counterclaim means you get Elhokar.

Slipped Note: 3 spheres, casts vote anonymously. Does the name change as well? Does Dalinar’s vote change alter where names go? More helpful for elims.

Armor: 7 spheres, you survive. Good job. Helpful for both sides.

Spy: 6 spheres, action scanner. Helpful for both sides.

3 elims with power, 4 elims without. If 3, Sadeas possibly only Highprince. If 4, could imagine 2. 

---

Roko the Basilisk took from within its plastic shell a stolen knife and crept past the perimeter's guards. Laughably easy, which was concerning. Sure, there was the excuse of a Highlord being literate and spies everywhere, but that was no excuse for poor guarding. It would have to get involved now. How could it possibly trust these idiots to keep the Coward King alive? The Influenced wanted Elhokar dead, but they failed to realise that a puppet on the throne was so much more powerful than a coup. Maintain power from a position of safety while the "rightful inheritance" of the throne continued, untainted by fresh blood. Same ends, different means, so they had to be stopped. It kept wandering purposefully, crafting a mental map of the camp. It would have to watch Elhokar closely in the coming days.

[StrikerEZ]

Hello! Feels good to be back in a game again.

Anyway, Gears already touched on a lot of the roles stuff already, but I just want to say that I feel pretty confident in saying that there are 4 elims. It's exactly 25% of the players, and 3 or 5 just feels like not enough or too little, respectively. 

Also, I definitely forgot that you can't repeat an event until all the events have already happened, so thanks for reminding me Gears.  I think doing Highstorm first is probably best, just so we can get everyone some more money, then I think Democracy is next, to promote everyone to use all those spheres they just got. Then probably Financial Crisis, so we get it out of the way after everyone's already bought things if they want them. Then I think Vengeance should be next, so we can try and get some good info from the exe even if it ends up tied, then Anarchy so if things go poorly, the elims can't control everything with the exe. If this is the exact order Gears said it in, sorry, I mostly just skimmed his post.

[Flyingbooks]

We could use up the required Anarchy less harmfully if an elim is mechanically confirmed during the night because everyone will vote on them the next day anyways.

[Archer]

It's hard for me to imagine that anyone's brain could really hold any more information, Filico thought. He turned to see the rest of the group jogging to catch up. He sat down next to them, returning their hatred with a smile. Philosophy is a difficult profession, and certainly not for the weak minded, but Filico did his best to encourage them to be open-minded.

Huzzah, it’s game time! In C1, barring any solid leads, I’m going to give preference to exing people who entered the game to bulk up the numbers. I’d feel bad randomly killing someone who has been raring to play from the get-go. Illwei fits the bill, and is devious enough to have devised a way to NK an NPC... 

@Matrim's Dice if a highprince dies, will the rollover post say 'Highprince Number 3 in the doc was killed last night!' or will it just say 'a Highprince was killed!'?

I'll state the obvious that buying contracts of peace is a good idea. I think one highstorm would be enough to get a few people to five spheres, and then we should avoid making people much richer if we don't need to. Spying might also be a legitimate use of funds? Past that point, everything the highprinces trigger will be better for the elims than the village, in my opinion. Democracy is a way to get half-priced knives into the hands of elims, anarchy and political vengeance make using the exe harder, and financial crisis blocks the purchase of peace treaties. I'm not looking forward to whatever result is voted on there. I understand that the village can use some of the pricier items too, but still. Kills scary. 

I agree with Gears' distro guess, but I have a feeling that the elims will have a fair number of highprinces. Maybe a third of the group.

EDIT:

Also, I definitely forgot that you can't repeat an event until all the events have already happened, so thanks for reminding me Gears. - Striker

I totally knew that

Recommended order for events: Highstorm, Vengeance, Highstorm, Democracy, Crisis, Anarchy. Crisis should come before Highstorm or after Democracy. Vengeance should be used early, when mass murder is distinctly good instead of just tolerable. -Gears

this smart, minus the highstorm doubling

Edited March 25, 2021 by Archer

[+Whysper]

19 minutes ago, Gears said:

Recommended order for events: Highstorm, Vengeance, Highstorm, Democracy, Crisis, Anarchy. Crisis should come before Highstorm or after Democracy. Vengeance should be used early, when mass murder is distinctly good instead of just tolerable.

5 minutes ago, StrikerEZ said:

Also, I definitely forgot that you can't repeat an event until all the events have already happened, so thanks for reminding me Gears.  I think doing Highstorm first is probably best, just so we can get everyone some more money, then I think Democracy is next, to promote everyone to use all those spheres they just got. Then probably Financial Crisis, so we get it out of the way after everyone's already bought things if they want them. Then I think Vengeance should be next, so we can try and get some good info from the exe even if it ends up tied, then Anarchy so if things go poorly, the elims can't control everything with the exe. If this is the exact order Gears said it in, sorry, I mostly just skimmed his post.

The order Gears presented makes sense. The Highstorm C3 is automatic. So then waiting for Democracy until after both Highstorms is good.

 

[Quintessential]

So I may have forgotten this game existed  or rather forgotten that it started today... but here I am! I only skimmed Gears' post and I need to reread the rules (for the third time) but it's late-ish here so I'm just dropping in and then logging off. Actual thoughts in the morning XD

Side-note: Striker's not giving off elim vibes yet... should I be worried?  

Side-note the second: Tani  

[Mat]

2 minutes ago, Archer said:

@Matrim's Dice if a highprince dies, will the rollover post say 'Highprince Number 3 in the doc was killed last night!' or will it just say 'a Highprince was killed!'?

Just ‘Highprince’, it won’t specify doc number.

10 minutes ago, StrikerEZ said:

Also, I definitely forgot that you can't repeat an event until all the events have already happened, so thanks for reminding me Gears.

Technically, no. The Hps can’t trigger a second one twice before they all have been triggered but they can trigger a single event twice before they all have been. So theoretically they could do the same event N1 and N3 (because no back-to-back), and then have to do the others before repeating any more. If that makes any sense.

[Ookla of Colors]

Hey! Guess what! I get to be good this time!!! 

 

 

Doublepost:

9 hours ago, Quintessential said:

So I may have forgotten this game existed  or rather forgotten that it started today... but here I am! I only skimmed Gears' post and I need to reread the rules (for the third time) but it's late-ish here so I'm just dropping in and then logging off. Actual thoughts in the morning XD

Side-note: Striker's not giving off elim vibes yet... should I be worried?  

Side-note the second: Tani  

I totally deserve this for killing you, but also I'm good this time. Next time I kill you Im not gonna tell you it was me (unless you ask then i'll either ignore it or answer)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reva’s body thumped to the ground, peppered with holes. She lay in the street, bleeding in the ash, tapping health and feigning death, waiting for the lurkers to disperse. It didn’t take them long.

She tapped health enough to heal her wounds, stood, brushed herself off, and began walking toward Kredik Shaw.

The dark-skinned foreigner she had spoken to long ago had told her many things, things previously unknown to her. He told of Shards and Perpendicularities, of worlds beyond number, of metals made of the essences of gods.

She drew her dagger, hesitated, winced, then gritted her teeth and sliced open her own forearm. Feeling around inside her wound, she drew out a bead of metal and put it in her mouth, leaving the wound unhealed for now as she took one of her rings off and swallowed both the metals.

Then she burned gold.

She wasn’t expecting the ghosts, but kept going with her plan anyway, tapping all the healing out of her burning goldmind and storing it in the bracer on her left ankle as the foreigner had told her. The next metal to go down her throat was an earring, an empty steelmind. She took to the air and left, not looking back even in her heart. These people had rejected her help, now she would let them suffer the consequences of their folley. She had a cosmere to explore.

Edited March 25, 2021 by Tani

[StrikerEZ]

1 hour ago, Matrim's Dice said:

1 hour ago, StrikerEZ said:

 

Technically, no. The Hps can’t trigger a second one twice before they all have been triggered but they can trigger a single event twice before they all have been. So theoretically they could do the same event N1 and N3 (because no back-to-back), and then have to do the others before repeating any more. If that makes any sense.

So...if they do something N2, they can’t do that thing again N4? This is confusing.  Maybe I should read the rules again.

[Flyingbooks]

24 minutes ago, StrikerEZ said:

So...if they do something N2, they can’t do that thing again N4? This is confusing.  Maybe I should read the rules again.

They can, but if they do the same event multiple times then they can't do any single different event a second time until they've gone through all of the events. For instance, if the 5 possible events are A, B, C, D, & E, then ABACADAE would be valid & ABCBDBEA would be valid, but ABACADAB would not be valid. I think that ABACADAEBABCB would be valid, but I'm not completely sure.

[Mat]

47 minutes ago, StrikerEZ said:

So...if they do something N2, they can’t do that thing again N4? This is confusing.  Maybe I should read the rules again.

Sorry  

16 minutes ago, Flyingbooks said:

They can, but if they do the same event multiple times then they can't do any single different event a second time until they've gone through all of the events. For instance, if the 5 possible events are A, B, C, D, & E, then ABACADAE would be valid & ABCBDBEA would be valid, but ABACADAB would not be valid. I think that ABACADAEBABCB would be valid, but I'm not completely sure.

Well, no :P. None of those would be vaild. Why did I assume everyone just knew what I meant xD.

So with those designations, ABACDE(DADBCE) or ABCBDE(BADBCE) would be valid, with the first runthrough of all five being outside of parentheses and the second runthrough of all five being in parentheses- like you can only repeat a single one once before having to cycle through all of them again. The longest it could take for a single event to happen would be N6, translating to D7. Does that make sense?  

[The Unknown Ajah]

Hello, I am here. Not much analysis other than that Highstorms should be used as the double event every event cycle (meaning series of events as Mat just explained).

[Araris Valerian]

Step 1 of my plan that I wrote before we started the game: Stab(TM) Vote Archer.

[StrikerEZ]

I'll go ahead and add a vote onto Archer as well. 

2 hours ago, Archer said:

I'll state the obvious that buying contracts of peace is a good idea. I think one highstorm would be enough to get a few people to five spheres, and then we should avoid making people much richer if we don't need to. Spying might also be a legitimate use of funds? Past that point, everything the highprinces trigger will be better for the elims than the village, in my opinion. Democracy is a way to get half-priced knives into the hands of elims, anarchy and political vengeance make using the exe harder, and financial crisis blocks the purchase of peace treaties. I'm not looking forward to whatever result is voted on there. I understand that the village can use some of the pricier items too, but still. Kills scary. 

This very much feels like an elim-y thing to say, to me. We want to make the village richer as it gives us a chance to get contracts, which can just completely block kills altogether. Doesn't matter if the elims get their hands on knives if we can just make it so no one can do kills at all. And Vengeance is actually good for the village, in my opinion. Ties killing all tied players gives lots of information to the village, and will force the elims to try and do tie breakers when one of their own is on the line, which will give us info when we look at the votes. And Anarchy isn't that bad, though I do think we should wait as long as possible to do it, because getting 8 players to all agree on something doesn't sound fun.  A lot easier to do a 50% majority if the player list has already been shrunk a decent bit. The Financial Crisis is a big oof, and will kind of suck no matter when we do it. 

[Flyingbooks]

3 minutes ago, StrikerEZ said:

We want to make the village richer as it gives us a chance to get contracts, which can just completely block kills altogether.

On 3/16/2021 at 6:30 PM, Matrim's Dice said:

Contract of Peace - 5 spheres: This item is automatically used after purchase. During the next Night turn, all kill attempts with the knife or from the Assassin will fail. All parties blocked will retain their item or attempt.

Contracts of peace don't block the elim kill.

[StrikerEZ]

Just now, Flyingbooks said:

Contracts of peace don't block the elim kill.

Hmm, yes, I should've read the rules again a bit more closely.

My point still stands: getting contracts into village hands is a good thing, and Highstorms and Democracy are good for that. Even if the elims get their hands on knives, contracts can block those, so all we'd have to deal with is the normal elim kill. 

[---]

I tried reading the rules this time but it really didn't work so I'm going to pretend to understand things.

I think Vengeance should be used early, yeah. Had more written here but now I don't. pointless.

Anyways.

TUO

 

Also Archer also mentioned buying Peace Contracts and then stopping, but Peace contracts are useless if no one gets the knives or whatnot. and I don't know what to think about Gears saying the village shouldn't buy murder, but that the Elims should :P.