Anniversary Game 9/Anonymous Game 13: Rebuilding Tyrian Falls

[Devotary of Spontaneity]

Night One: Ties Kill Spies

Sidor stared into her open armoire with distaste. All her old Hazekiller gear was in there, equipment she hadn’t touched for a year. [I had hoped never to do so again.] She still wouldn’t fight unless pressed, brute force wouldn’t solve this crisis and she was much better suited to coordinating the town’s response, but there was no sense in being assassinated. Wooden shield, concealed glass daggers, and non-restrictive clothes would do. “Enough for defense, not enough to mark me as a threat.” [Everyone who remembers last year’s attack knows I’m a threat.]

Linaan was still missing, having gone off on her own without explanation. “That shouldn’t hurt so much. I’ve been overly reliant on her.” [She hates being seen as just a tool.]

“I’ve never felt physically threatened by her. I’ve seen her gleefully slaughter enough Empire supporters to know how dangerous she can be, but that’s never been turned against me. She’s told me flat out that Ruin can only maintain control of people with at least three spikes and she only has two, so why is she so quick to avoid me?” [I decide what is and is not a danger to me.]

“The only solution is to drive the Spiked out again. I have to see how the rest of the village is doing.” [If Linaan wants to talk to me, she will.]

~~~

In the town center, Sidor found arguments centering Spiked identity were all jumbled up and confused. Worse, fear of the Spiked was driving some people to espouse pro-Empire sentiments. “That has to be stomped out immediately. Steel Ministry agents and powerful nobles have been testing our borders all year, looking for the slightest opportunity to crush us beneath their heels. No safety can be found within a system that doesn’t consider skaa to be people.”

~~~

There was blood on the wind tonight. Sharp and metallic mixed with the dreadful knowledge of death. Oleinda’s nostrils flared as the scent hit. Carefully and using a walking stick to check for obstructions, she followed the smell and sounds of shouting. They all came from the same direction.

“Liar!” someone shrieked. 

Warmth sparked to life in Oleinda’s stomach as she began to burn her copper reserve. It wouldn’t be useful in stopping anyone, but it would keep her emotions safe. The Lord Ruler only knows what kind of machinations were happening in that crowd to make them so angry so quickly.

Luckily, she did not need to get too close to know what happened. Once she was close enough to hear the arguments clearly, she found a wall. If she had counted her feet correctly, it would be the wall to the tavern right off the town square. She trailed her fingers along the rough wood exterior, listening to the people while she searched for her hiding place. It was not safe for her to be exposed in such a volatile crowd.

Not while they were searching for people with unnatural powers. Most skaa still didn’t know better. And worse, they were scared. It had only been a year since the last attack. The last uprising that left their town in near ruins. They were looking for someone to blame. To throw out. Even to murder if they must.

And murder they would.

The smell of blood in the air was stronger than ever. Yet it wasn’t. It was the promise of blood to be shed, Oleinda realized. That was what had drawn her along with the shouts. The promise of something she could not stop.

It was Taltin Keriell, in the end. The noblemen were not thought of well these days as the skaa grew in power and strength. Of course it was the noble who would die first.

Oleinda bowed her head praying to a god long dead. It would only be the beginning of their troubles.

---

Saffron Iguana was executed! They were a Village Rioter!

Vote Count:

Saffron Iguana (3): Sunburst Toucan, Mint Heron, Melon Dingo
Melon Dingo (3): Ivory Dragonfly, Coral Swan, Indigo Weasel
Sage Kangaroo (2): Mauve Crocodile, Charcoal Hyena
Chartreuse Penguin (2): Amethyst Scorpion, Onyx Flamingo
Amethyst Scorpion (1): Sapphire Elephant
Onyx Flamingo (1): Cream Tuatara
Mint Heron (1): Salmon Meerkat
Ivory Dragonfly (1): Emerald Falcon
Charcoal Hyena (1): Pearl Chameleon
Azure Mouse (1): Sage Kangaroo

Night One has begun! The turn will end on Friday, December 30th at 6:00 PM PST/ Saturday, December 31st at 2 a.m. GMT / 1 p.m. AEDT.

PMs are Open

Player List:

Spoiler

1. @Amethyst Scorpion

2. @Azure Mouse

3. @Charcoal Hyena

4. @Chartreuse Penguin - Donn Keihote (Insane)

5. @Coral Swan - Onidsen (Scholar, Caroler; has animal companion)

6. @Cream Tuatara - Willam (Terris Steward) 

7. @Emerald Falcon - Luciel (sheriff)

8. @Fuchsia Ostrich - (Secret Agent)

9. @Indigo Weasel

10. @Ivory Dragonfly - (Manic Ghostblood)

11. @Magenta Albatross

12. @Mauve Crocodile - (Obli-gator)

13. @Melon Dingo - Reverse (Glassblower, not psychologist)

14. @Mint Heron- Reneau (Former Obligator in denial)

15. @Onyx Flamingo - (Forgetful)

16. @Opal Lion- (Internet Speak)

17. @Sunburst Toucan - Avil Ejir

18. @Pearl Chameleon - WitLees (Kandra barkeep)

19. @Plum Rhinoceros

20. @Saffron Iguana - Taltin Keriell (Undercover nobleman spy) Village Rioter

21. @Sage Kangaroo - (High Imperial)

22. @Salmon Meerkat - Aurelien (Awake)

23. @Sapphire Elephant - Ciril Yuanivori (Sleeptalking oversleeper)

 

[Melon Dingo]

Spy they may be, but some spies can live guilt-free.

Ivory Dragonfly, can I ask what about my posts seems so performative and insubstantial that you vote me 40 seconds before rollover?

[Opal Lion]

Oopsie doo! Guy miss rollover. Guy not sure hoo Guy think baddie. Guy need look for baddies. Guy see u later.

[Mauve Crocodile]

Looks like no vote manipulation, but we know that The Lord Ruler had endowed it to at least one person. A one-manip distro seems unlikely. 

@Sage Kangaroo can you talk us through what you were thinking near rollover? Were you working on a post when time ran out?

2 minutes ago, Opal Lion said:

Oopsie doo! Guy miss rollover. Guy not sure hoo Guy think baddie. Guy need look for baddies. Guy see u later.

Let us know what you think about Dingo. Was their self preservation a sign of evilness or was their vulnerable position the type only villagers end up in? 

[Cream Tuatara]

"Guy missed a lot more than just rollover," Willam noted.

"The problem with someone like Iguana dying is that we don't get a lot out of it. The standout to me would be Toucan's straight-up sheep of the Iguana vote, though I don't know if I necessarily read that as evil. If so I'd be interested in what the trains were at the time that follow occurred.

[Opal Lion]

Just now, Cream Tuatara said:

"Guy missed a lot more than just rollover," Willam noted

Wot miss? U callin me stoopid?

[Cream Tuatara]

2 minutes ago, Opal Lion said:

Wot miss? U callin me stoopid?

"Of course not; 'inactive' is not synonymous with 'stupid'," Willam gently clarified. "Just, you only posted once yesterday and it wasn't one of game relevance, so saying 'Oops, I missed rollover' isn't as applicable whereas someone who contributed to discussion yesterday could say that and have it mean more."

Willam cleared his throat.

"Sorry I missed rollover, everyone. Though, I don't think I would have shifted my vote had I been there."

Edited December 30, 2022 by Cream Tuatara

[Ivory Dragonfly]

26 minutes ago, Melon Dingo said:

Spy they may be, but some spies can live guilt-free.

Ivory Dragonfly, can I ask what about my posts seems so performative and insubstantial that you vote me 40 seconds before rollover?

[OOC: I was a bit panicked in getting my post out, and “not enough substance” wasn’t really the right phrase. I was more suspicious of your suspicions of Falcon. It seemed to me like an elim proposing a village counter-train.

I really don’t know why I said “not enough substance.” I WAS RUSHED OK]

[Pearl Chameleon]

Quote

"This is interesting. They haven't been in communication with me privately as well. However, unlike you, I did not reach out to them. But, I'd like to know if there were other private communications from them too."

[OOC: My days have been unexpectedly busy and exhausting. Sorry to everyone I have not PM'ed yet, I will...tomorrow morning or afternoon. I will PM you all, eventually. And I will try to be more active, just been really busy.]

 

[Melon Dingo]

13 minutes ago, Ivory Dragonfly said:

[OOC: I was a bit panicked in getting my post out, and “not enough substance” wasn’t really the right phrase. I was more suspicious of your suspicions of Falcon. It seemed to me like an elim proposing a village counter-train.

I really don’t know why I said “not enough substance.” I WAS RUSHED OK]

See, that's less not "really the right phrase" and more the complete opposite. You weren't suspicious of the lack of substance, but were suspicious of the substance itself.

I'll also note that I specifically said I didn't want to vote Falcon. I didn't understand their reasoning, and found parts of it faulty, but they also had reasoning to look at.

 

Chameleon - that's quite alright, but it would be nice to know earlier. And an update on your Hyena opinions would be appreciated.

40 minutes ago, Cream Tuatara said:

"Sorry I missed rollover, everyone. Though, I don't think I would have shifted my vote had I been there."

From what I saw, you were there?

[Charcoal Hyena]

Aylia stood at the edge of the crowd, watching in horror as Taltin Keriell was dragged out of the tavern and lynched. She had never met the man, but the sight of his lifeless body hanging from the gallows made her feel sick to her stomach.

OOC: Why were we voting Iguana?

22 minutes ago, Ivory Dragonfly said:

[OOC: I was a bit panicked in getting my post out, and “not enough substance” wasn’t really the right phrase. I was more suspicious of your suspicions of Falcon. It seemed to me like an elim proposing a village counter-train.

I really don’t know why I said “not enough substance.” I WAS RUSHED OK]

I feel like the last second vote is villagery here, honestly.

[Indigo Weasel]

Interesting. Ties are always fun to see how people respond. That being said, I have come to the conclusion that Melon Dingo is a soft village for me. Not a lot of info, but well thats what I got.

Doesn't make me like their reverse posts any more though. 

[Cream Tuatara]

11 minutes ago, Melon Dingo said:

From what I saw, you were there?

"Ten minutes till and five minutes after, yes. In the middle, on a different tab doing different things. I blame my poor sense of time "

[Sage Kangaroo]

48 minutes ago, Mauve Crocodile said:

 

@Sage Kangaroo can you talk us through what you were thinking near rollover? Were you working on a post when time ran out?

OOC: I have to play this game on Mobile for the weekend. My activity is going to be spotty.

Wasing the being of being. Ising the being of being of notting. Notting the being of ising the voting. Being the notting but the being of ising. Being the trusting of being.

OOC: I couldn't get a read on anyone. I like RP, but couldn't track the votes. Mostly just Day 1 noise. Got distracted 15 minutes before rollover, and didn't post.

1 hour ago, Mauve Crocodile said:

Looks like no vote manipulation, but we know that The Lord Ruler had endowed it to at least one person. A one-manip distro seems unlikely.

Notting the ising of being. Howing the knowing of being? Ising the notting of nowing.

OOC: How do you know someone has vote manipulation? That seems like a slip up.

[Salmon Meerkat]

Aurelien watched as Taltin Keriell dangled from the hempen noose. He was no stranger to death. Not after having dealt it for years and years. But watching the crowd surge out of the tavern, dragging Taltin Keriell with it...the image was seared into his mind. Men and women and children on pikes. Keep Uethorn put to the torch. The strong sound of siege engines, the engines of war, battering down the walls of the Keep as the Iron Hawks waited on the outside to breach, to bring the House low.

Noble blood and skaa blood stained his blade the same. He had turned away from war, from crafting the machines of war. But now, Flavia was dead (his mind shied away from the shattering moment of Scimon Tlag's last stand, the last, petulant laugh of a cheated god) and his first thought was to shield Livie, to keep her safe. He hoped desperately, fervantly that the Sendlars had not taken her to the market square this day.

He rubbed at the worn string, tied about at his wrist, worrying at the knotted strands. 

"A dark business," said Hastler. They had stopped work on Dyring's Inn as the crowd surged past them, drunk on fear and fury.

"Fear always is," Aurelien said, and he tried not to think about what they might do, if they knew about Livie. If they knew about Livie's blood. The fear was caged tightly in his chest, pattering against the roof of his mouth. The Bastard of Kosigan was dead, purged from the books of House Kosigan, buried under years of brick and sawdust, but moments like this brought him back to the fore again.

Some of the townsfolk had begun to whisper suspicion of Dragonfly. He struggled to understand why Dragonfly was suspicious. Perhaps if one thought that Dragonfly had acted in a calculated ploy, but Dragonfly's panic did not seem false coin. And there was little reason for Dragonfly to panic and attempt to save Taltin Keriell.

"Well," Hastler said. "Enough work for a night."

The roof of Dyring's Inn had partly collapsed. They had to dig out the tiling and slowly brace new timbers and then place in the roofing again. A slow setting of the world to rights.

"Tomorrow," said Aurelien, a promise and answer both.

Edit:

[OOC: 

3 minutes ago, Sage Kangaroo said:

OOC: How do you know someone has vote manipulation? That seems like a slip up.

It is tempting to read this as slightly Village. Iguana flipped Rioter. Therefore, it is trivially true that at least one player had vote manipulation.

Edited December 30, 2022 by Salmon Meerkat

[Indigo Weasel]

OH NOT YOU TOO

[Melon Dingo]

Oh my.

4 minutes ago, Sage Kangaroo said:

Notting the ising of being. Howing the knowing of being? Ising the notting of nowing.

OOC: How do you know someone has vote manipulation? That seems like a slip up.

Iguana was a Rioter. Ergo, someone had vote manipulation. Not sure if they were on at rollover but Toucan and Heron’s votes were significantly before.
 

[Salmon Meerkat]

Just now, Indigo Weasel said:

OH NOT YOU TOO

[OOC: This was part of my CR planned before the game. And not to put too fine a gloss on it, Indigo, but you're kinda being an arse about it. I refuse to believe, given your current level of engagement with the game, that a couple of posts that are right aligned are so utterly damaging to your enjoyment of the game that you can't cope with it. This isn't even a style that makes posts difficult to read or obscures it. I am not doing something like this, which is insanely frustrating to read. There is an actual point to the formatting where my CR is concerned. I am also happy to OOC annotate actual points that I have to make. Right now all I see is both Dingo and myself willing to make accommodations, and you deciding to be mad about this one thing.

You may engage me or Dingo via the GMs or the IM if you continue to have issues.]

[Magenta Albatross]

Lets try to not make this AG one of the ones we have to remember for bad reasons i say

Salmon, I interpreted indigo's posts as a joke, and I don't understand (if you didn't want it to escalate) why you brought it up in thread instead of a PM? 

So making this game related, is there something you hope to achieve by publicly antagonizing indigo? Is this distancing? Are you trying to inflate your posts so that people think that you are posting more than you are? are you trying to RP as Kasimir? 

[Melon Dingo]

1 hour ago, Magenta Albatross said:

Lets try to not make this AG one of the ones we have to remember for bad reasons i say

Salmon, I interpreted indigo's posts as a joke, and I don't understand (if you didn't want it to escalate) why you brought it up in thread instead of a PM? 

So making this game related, is there something you hope to achieve by publicly antagonizing indigo? Is this distancing? Are you trying to inflate your posts so that people think that you are posting more than you are? are you trying to RP as Kasimir? 

Indigo explicitly voted for me for speaking like this. 

[Salmon Meerkat]

1 hour ago, Magenta Albatross said:

Lets try to not make this AG one of the ones we have to remember for bad reasons i say

Salmon, I interpreted indigo's posts as a joke, and I don't understand (if you didn't want it to escalate) why you brought it up in thread instead of a PM? 

So making this game related, is there something you hope to achieve by publicly antagonizing indigo? Is this distancing? Are you trying to inflate your posts so that people think that you are posting more than you are? are you trying to RP as Kasimir? 

[OOC: Is there a particular reason why you are interested in making a non-game related post specifically game related?

Why would I not bring it up in the thread? Indigo explicitly voted Dingo, as Dingo pointed out, for posting with right-aligned text.

He was voted on for a playstyle choice that annoyed Weasel, and Weasel proceeded not to find anything suspicious for the rest of the cycle despite reading the thread, so the vote stayed. I am responding to a player who chose to act on his annoyance by voting on a player and keeping the vote there for how the player chose to play the game. 

What do I hope to achieve? I'm drawing a line in the sand. I think this is a matter of principle. Voting on a player for a playstyle choice (not a particularly annoying one at that, with the player expressing willingness to accommodate) is at the very least abrasive and unfriendly. If done in a sustained and aggressive manner, it becomes bullying. We do not bully players for their playstyle choices. I will speak out against it when I see it. You are welcome to disagree.

The lesson I take away from AG7 is that going from zero to a full-out policy lynch is undesirable. The lesson I take away from AG7 is that the one point every single player in the game failed on is that no one told Ventyl that blackmail was unacceptable or made a clear statement about the matter. No one tried to intervene, until Orlok did. And by then, it was too late to keep the situation from exploding. You can argue the result was mod passivity. I invite you to speak to the GMs or the IM in your PM about their view about how proactive the mods can be in dictating community values.

Sure, Albatross. We can make this game not one of the bad AGs to remember.

That starts with you.

Do you choose to dismiss players who note that this is bordering behaviour unwelcome in SE and indeed, to try to wrap their concerns in game-talk by attempting to ascribe a read on the basis of this? Or do you choose to say it is just a joke? If it is a joke, it is one that landed poorly in light of Weasel's past behaviour.

Now that the issue has been resolved, do you choose to continue to make this an issue? Or do you choose to actually go find Spiked?

Community before game for me, every single time, without fail.

But of course, that is what Kasimir would say, and I am RPing as Kasimir, as you have so astutely pointed out.]

Edited December 30, 2022 by Salmon Meerkat

[Plum Rhinoceros]

hi

[Amethyst Scorpion]

G-games? Wh-why are all th-the g-grownups t-talking a-about this like th-this is a g-game? I d-don’t l-like all the ar-arguing ab-about th-this s-situation like it’s a g-game. It r-reminds me of hiding u-under the b-bed while my p-parents were arguing w-with each other late at night, (w-well, before th-they w-were brutally m-m-murdered by s-spiked l-leaving me an o-orphan.)

B-but you kn-know, even th-though th-this is serious b-business, r-remember I th-think the m-most important th-thing is that w-we love each other. F-for what is S-Sanderson El-Elimination without love? J-just a b-bunch of an-angry adults b-bickering at each other.

*pops thumb in mouth*

[Sunburst Toucan]

Avil cursed as reports of Taltin Keriell’s post mortem examination reached him. No spikes. Overborne with guilt and remorse, Avil bowed his head and ducked out of the crowd, attempting to get his thoughts together. 

The reality of the town’s predicament finally sunk in, now that Avil had innocent blood on his hands. His hands trembled as he pressed his fingertips to his forehead. Get a grip! He told himself. There’s no use moping. What’s done is done. Remember that the Spiked are still rampant, do not give them the opportunity to strike while you’re down. Avil took a deep breath and willed himself to calm down. Yes, just like Taltin, his days here were numbered unless he found the Spiked before they beat him to the punch. He was sure there were some substantial insights to be gleaned from the events of this morning. 

Based on his understanding of the situation, Reverse [Dingo] being proven guilty would make Dragonfly the most trusted of the townsfolk. Additionally, it would imply association between Reverse and Mouse and/or Donn Keihote [Penguin], as Reverse had chosen to put Taltin up for execution over those two. Avil was also apprehensive of the numerous accusations on the periphery of the main executions, because he would think that the optimal strategy for the Spiked is to go unnoticed while contributing to the town discussions. What mildly bothered Avil was the apparent lack of resistance towards any particular execution, although he would not be surprised if he found that the Spiked deliberately employed this strategy to avoid forming noticeable connections. Of course, if Reverse was innocent, then the apparent lack of intervention could easily be explained. 

Dragonfly’s last-minute accusation appeared genuine to Avil in hindsight, given Taltin’s innocence. The guilty had little reason to make an attention grabbing move such as that, unless they feared their accomplices' lives were at stake.

Glancing at the crowd gathered in the market square now, Avil found that for reasons he couldn't put his finger on, the auras surrounding both Lion and Rhinoceros unsettled him.

Edited December 30, 2022 by Sunburst Toucan

[Sapphire Elephant]

Sprawled across the top of tabletop at the local inn, Ciril's regular deep regular breathing caught for a moment as he shifted, before settling back to rest.

...

Sorry folks, found it hard to focus yesterday. Just in briefly to give a gentle reminder to be cautious of what you share in PMs. Small hints about roles in isolation might not be that dangerous, but can be quite so in aggregate. And elims are much better able to aggregate such details if they have multiple active PMers. And that goes for the roleless even more so than those with roles. Being free with your rolelessness effects the privacy of those with roles.