Quick Fix 66: Full River Red

[Devotary of Spontaneity]

8 hours ago, |TJ| said:

"If someone else was heavily accused in the first hour, could any of you inform me?" he yelled at the crowd.

Fletcher was giving them the benefit of the doubt, but perhaps this endorsement was meaningless from a man who hadn't noticed that he himself had been accused. Georg had ultimately decided on another, but the public attention was there. Both her and Right had been accused by Krow, a conflict that had seemingly fizzled out. Suspicions borne merely of once belonging to a different faction lacked strength. They might even be an excuse not to dig deeper. "Us and you were accused, and Mallard in private."

1 hour ago, TheAlpha929 said:

Well, I have been “avidly paying attention to the goings-on,” because I’ve been more active in PMs, where I don’t really feel bad for not RPing. I’m sorry to everyone who does, but I strongly dislike RPing for some reason. I’m going to try to be more active in the thread, and I’m going to try to do some more RP, but I’m struggling to get fully invested in the game. That’s probably because it’s only Cycle 2.

A duck wrangler who hates her job and prefers privacy. Perhaps her reticence was due to the private conversations that had almost killed her, Right mused. Well and good for self-preservation, which might be necessary should she be required to bring forth the name of the investigated guard. A hesitance to commit early spelled disaster. At the rate Discovery soldiers were dying, the traitors could soon have control of the facility and take the fight directly to the captain. There was no more time for scattered accusations. Every soldier would need to commit to those few warranting death. She would start with the Lieutenant and she what secrets they'd uncovered beyond a simple search.

[The Unknown Medallion he/him]

See you on the other side, probably won't be back for the rest of this cycle.

Gaovaris circled. Shuffle, step, shuffle, step, shuffle, step, and lunge. He got infuriatingly close to his opponent, but Ki managed to dodge. He swung immediately into a slash, which his opponent was forced to block without his buckler, made even tinier by Ki's immense size.

The hot sand was kicked up by their feet, scattering across the arena as their blades crashed back and forth. The merchant watched on, cool and dispassionate. Gaovaris swung his sword, and when it was rebuffed, he stepped back, intentionally sending a spray of sand at the merchant. Gaovaris couldn't waste any time watching the man's expression as Ki lunged forward. Gaovaris stepped to the side. 

The hulking man was tiring, very few men of his size and speed could go for very long, and it appeared Ki was not one of them. General Tu had said it best, "The biggest army often wins the fight, but for every man you have you need exponentially more supplies." He had spoken of armies, but the same applied to men.

Gaovaris spotted an opening. He stepped forward, flicking his blade. It caught leather, then flesh, but he was knocked back, half blinded by a blow to his forehead. He raised his hand to feel it. Blood. That meant this first round was a tie.

[The Paradoxical Phenomenon he/him]

3 minutes ago, The Known Novel said:

See you on the other side, probably won't be back for the rest of this cycle.

Gaovaris circled. Shuffle, step, shuffle, step, shuffle, step, and lunge. He got infuriatingly close to his opponent, but Ki managed to dodge. He swung immediately into a slash, which his opponent was forced to block without his buckler, made even tinier by Ki's immense size.

The hot sand was kicked up by their feet, scattering across the arena as their blades crashed back and forth. The merchant watched on, cool and dispassionate. Gaovaris swung his sword, and when it was rebuffed, he stepped back, intentionally sending a spray of sand at the merchant. Gaovaris couldn't waste any time watching the man's expression as Ki lunged forward. Gaovaris stepped to the side. 

The hulking man was tiring, very few men of his size and speed could go for very long, and it appeared Ki was not one of them. General Tu had said it best, "The biggest army often wins the fight, but for every man you have you need exponentially more supplies." He had spoken of armies, but the same applied to men.

Gaovaris spotted an opening. He stepped forward, flicking his blade. It caught leather, then flesh, but he was knocked back, half blinded by a blow to his forehead. He raised his hand to feel it. Blood. That meant this first round was a tie.

Cya m8

[|TJ| he/him]

Reads - 

Leaning village -> Archer, Alpha, Devotary

Too much RP did not read [basically neutral] -> JNV, TKN, Xino, Hoid

Leaning evil -> Fifth

I'm on leave tomorrow, so I strive to get more than the one SP I've been getting each cycle ;-;

And to actually sit and read RP posts. 

[Kasimir he/him]

Water trickled through the clock.

Another Hour has ended!

[Kasimir he/him]

Hour Three: Falling

How much like lightning!
Bright sheen of sword-blade
Falling

—Dumuzi of Ukurgi

 

 

Water trickled through the clock.

Kudyard Ripling watched the flow of the water. The couplet would not come. What did you liken a life to? A candle in the wind? The image didn’t stay, refused to be caught by the mind’s eye.

What remained: Randen kneeling, proud, defiant.

He hadn’t really liked the boy (because the fact remained, Randen was a boy, given credit for his meritorious and loyal service to the Emperor, himself a reflection of the glorious radiance of the eighty suns in this world. Randen had been prone to fighting, to not remotely comprehending the beauty of order, of the way their world worked and was structured. How did you see such light, and not find yourself moved to virtue?)

Even then, Ripling admitted, there was something about the sweep of the Captain’s sword that caught the breath in his throat, and he fought the instinct to look away.

Death had come to the compound, and death was here to stay.

Compose a couplet, they said. In memorial, as it were. But the words would not come. The images faded, and the thought of imperial glory—no. It would not do for an epitaph, not here.

Rambleton. Not much of a poet. They seemed to be going through the ‘R’s at the moment. Ripling hoped that didn’t bode ill for him. But you accepted, as it were, that you were not going to be eternal. No one was.

Only the Emperor. Only ever the Emperor.

He’d looked forward to a contest of wits. But you didn’t mourn a lost opportunity in poetry: it simply would not do. It was too personal. Too…rambly.

A paper rustled in the breeze from the mess left in the sleeping quarters.

Spectres from the past
Once wronged in life
Now haunt the present.

Ripling frowned down at it. Rambleton’s hand, of course. And just about as rambly as usual, he knew that disregard for proper poetic form or structure, even without recognising the brush strokes.

They were all haunted, in the present. 

 

 

Water trickled through the clock.

“Won’t you play with me, Deputy Ambassador?”

It was not, Leky thought, however politely-phrased, a request. She sat back down, scrutinising the board. Stones, Leky had learned, was popular on both continents: the Rose Empire seemed to play it as well, made popular by the small thriving JinDo enclave in the Imperial Seat. Strange, to see a game she knew well in her homeland spread this far north. But then again, she saw a group of Imperial guardsmen playing leky stick when their delegation visited the Rose Palace (under conditions of secrecy, their hosts insisted: the visit was downplayed, even if the Emperor received them personally, flanked by his Arbiters, and she thought she could see the flesh melting from his bones, and the tremor in his arm and knew they would be negotiating with a new Emperor soon.)

Havon had felt the Rose Empire had to be dealt with. There was the matter of the raids (not quite Svordish policy, but you could not admit as much—you were caught between what the current Wyrn wanted, and the grand posturing of the Rose Empire), and the Rose Empire was dealing with rebellions centred around MaiPon.

Never forget our mountains and rivers lost. She’d seen that scrawled in blood. Words worth killing for.

She placed the first stone.

Senior Arbiter Wuzhi smiled, and scooped up a polished black stone. He took his time, considering his move, before he placed his own marker down.

“Accept, again, our sincere apologies for Ambassador Havon’s unfortunate death,” Wuzhi said. “We are doing our best to ensure your security while my soldiers deal with the killers.”

Havon had warned of this man. You could find someone mild, likeable even. Then you remembered it was his job to be, just as it was her job to support Havon, to exist in his shadow. 

Then you remembered that Senior Arbiter Wuzhi did not attain his position by being nice. The men and women he’d destroyed to get there. The ruthlessness.

Senior Arbiter Wuzhi set down the next stone. 

“The killers?” Leky asked.

So much could change in a single word.

He’d used Svordish. 

There was a strange fact that few Svordish knew about the common language of the Rose Empire: not unless you were a Deputy Ambassador assigned to smooth relations with that very Empire.

Killers, he’d said. Confident in the fact there were several of them. 

The Rose Empire used the same word for a single killer as they did for a group of them.

Senior Arbiter Wuzhi smiled. “An internal dispute,” he said, quietly, as though he read her train of thoughts. “More wine, Deputy Ambassador?”

 

 

Water trickled through the clock.

Captain Kezin stood beneath the light of the torches, waiting. The servants he’d interrogated all yielded the same answer, whether put calmly or harshly, and Fade knew a great many methods of extracting answers.

No, the compromise had come from among the soldiers. 

Who else? Kezin wondered, ironically. The damnable affair would never stop haunting them. What did servants care for the General, after all?

Lieutenant Jiang Zhangrong strode towards him, and the thought surfaced once again, like a leaping heron. It darted down, picked up a quick treacherous flicker, and then flapped off again.

“Answers, Lieutenant. The killer’s identity. Do you bring me that?”

His lieutenant saluted, smartly. “Sir. Krow Nelcaf has had multiple connections to soldiers identified as those who served under Yuen. Left and Right have gathered reports, indicating that Nelcaf is a known sympathiser—”

“And you think this drove him to kill the Svordish Ambassador?” Kezin asked.

“I think he’s the most promising suspect we currently have, sir.”

Kezin looked to the side. A brief gesture, an invitation.

Georg Wasintown stepped forward.

“So,” the farmer-turned-soldier said. “I figured I’d kicked over a right anthill with this one, or at least, tipped a bunch of anteaters, and believe me, the last thing you want to do is to tip an anteater, they’re heavy as all hells, though cows are worse—”

Kezin cleared his throat.

“—and anyway, I thought to myself, where would a killer hide?”

“You dare?” Lieutenant Jiang’s voice sharpened, grew cold like killing steel.

Kezin held up a hand.

“Sir, he dares question my integrity—”

“You will suffer it,” Kezin said. Brooked no dissent.

He could see the flash in Jiang’s eyes, the moment the lieutenant tamped down on that anger, held it inside. He’d seen the resentment enough times. He just hadn’t thought Jiang would become a problem.

He’d been wrong. So very wrong.

“There’s a saying in the countryside,” Georg said, peaceably. “Well, more of a story, really, about a wolf that disguises himself as a sheep in order to kill and eat his fill of sheep. And I was thinking, by the suns, do we not know enough about you, Lieutenant. So I asked the good Captain for his signet—”

Kezin grunted.

“—And…recognise this?”

Georg held out a piece of paper. A letter.

“So, I figure maybe this is too small for everyone to read. Nights, with my old eyes, even I’m struggling to read it. But I’ll do you all a favour—” he raised his voice here; theatrics, of course. “—And read this aloud for everyone in this courtyard to hear. ‘Wuzhi is relaxing his guard. We have managed to infiltrate the guards posted to the compound, and Kezin will never suspect his faithful lieutenant. Killing the Svordish Ambassador will accomplish two things—’”

Lieutenant Jiang moved, with the speed of a striking snake.

Kezin went for his sword, but it was a dagger that Jiang went for, flicked it into Georg’s throat.

Silenced, Georg collapsed weakly in a welter of gushing blood. He made a choking, gurgling noise.

Kezin’s slash laid the lieutenant open from collarbone to stomach. 

Jiang’s movement to draw was too late, too slow, delayed by the attack on Georg. They collapsed to the ground, weakly glaring at Kezin.

Kezin looked down at Jiang, impassively. “You were late,” he remarked, quietly. “That first time. Hiding evidence. Why else did you think I allowed Georg’s search?”

Jiang drew a last, ragged breath.

“How could I continue to serve,” they asked, quietly, “When men like you saw fit to betray your own General in the name of politics?”

“I don’t care to explain my decisions to the likes of you,” Kezin said. He wiped the blade off, briskly, and turned his back on the dying lieutenant. “Nelcaf, you’re in charge now.”

Probably an unexpected decision: Jiang was likely not the only one who harboured resentment over Yuen’s death, but Nelcaf had the benefit of being experienced enough to assume the position, and he really couldn’t do worse than a second backstabbing traitor at this point.

“Continue the search. And someone take the damned bodies away and throw them into a pit.”

“Captain,” Krow Nelcaf said. “You believe there to be more of them, then?”

“Of course there are more,” Kezin said, calmly. “The letter said we, Nelcaf. Now the rest of you go back to your searching. I will report on this development to the Senior Arbiter.”

 

 

Quote

JNV (4): Archer, The Known Novel, TheAlpha929, xinoehp512
xinoehp512 (2): Devotary of Spontaneity, JNV
Devotary of Spontaneity (1): Fifth Scholar
Fifth Scholar (1): |TJ|

Jiang Zhangrong / @JNV was executed! They were a Yuen Loyalist!

Georg Wasintown / @Archer was killed! He was a Discovery Soldier!

Hour Three has begun! It will end at 0000hrs on Friday, 26th May 2023, at 0000hrs SGT (GMT +8). 

Remember to let me know if you notice a discrepancy in your SP!

Due to inactivity, Son_of_Hoid has been replaced. Please remember to give @Amanuensis a warm SE welcome!

Edited May 24, 2023 by Kasimir

[Kasimir he/him]

Rule Clarifications:

Spoiler

• I will be doing my utmost to prevent any player SP errors. In the world where I do make a mistake with your SP and it affects how much you would have staked, I need you to highlight the post to me to rectify it as soon as possible. I can't change the final bid that got locked in post-rollover but I can refund you the missing SP. If you want to point out to me in your GM PM while submitting orders how many SP you expect to have, I can work with that, but that's not required.
   
• You will receive a normal votecount at rollover informing you of the votes and who voted where.
   

• On 5/23/2023 at 1:19 AM, Kasimir said:

  Pre-emptive rule clarification here made publicly given the centrality of SP to one of the mechanics in this game:

  This post counts as 191 words. 151 if I discount the last section, which I won't in this case, given it's an IC RP post, and it's irrelevant here anyway. I don't count text in quotes as those aren't yours. 

  If you have a single line of RP over a huge bloc of ingame text done OOC, I won't count the ingame text as the RP section should break the limit on its own, but you are free to do the RP then text format.

  To repeat, for the avoidance of ambiguity:

  • I don't count quotes no matter what. These are not your words so I can't give you credit for them.
  • If you are doing a IC RP post on game-relevant matter (see Archer), I count the whole thing, and I'm fine giving grace to the end there.
  • If you are doing a RP post with OOC text later on, then I count only the RP section.
  • You are free to ask me in your GM PM where you are on SP and I will tell you.

•  
• Try not to game my criteria too much or to assume I'm only going to reward players who do fancy, dramatic, serious RP. That's not how this works, and you'd be surprised.
   
• Please re-read the rules for the signet bids carefully. A signet request needs a scan target.
   
• There is no actions economy, so players can both scan and kill at the same time.
• [More forthcoming]

Player List:

Spoiler

1. Wiz - Rambleton (Poet) Discovery Soldier
2. @TheAlpha929 - Mallard G. Wingworth IV (Duck Wrangler)
3. @Fifth Scholar - Kudyard Ripling (Imperialist Poet)
4. @The Known Novel - Gaovaris Solumnant (Scholar)
5. @Amanuensis- John Bluhm (Spy)
6. Archer - Georg Wasintown (Farmer) Discovery Soldier
7. @xinoehp512 - Krow Nelcaf (Yuen Sympathiser and Veteran)
8. @Devotary of Spontaneity - Left & Right (Spy and Defector)
9. Szeth - Randen (Card Sharp and Bodyguard and Mistaken Identity) Discovery Soldier
10. JNV - Jiang Zhangrong (Lieutenant) Yuen Loyalist
11. @|TJ| - Fletcher the Fetcher (Fence)

 

Edited May 24, 2023 by Kasimir

[The Paradoxical Phenomenon he/him]

Devo 

She voted Xino with JNV, and there are other things as well

ED1T: I had a pretty active PM with Archer, and I’m sad to see him go. But, in the PM, he spoke about how Devo and Fifth both PMed him, asking for reads, they both said they were sus of the same person (Xino) and things like that. So, I want to exe Devo, then Fifth, and hopefully we’ll win it in 2 more cycles.

ED2T: Hi Aman!

ED3T (cause I don’t feel like posting again): @xinoehp512 would you agree with this thought process? @|TJ|, would you?

Spoiler

Anybody have anything to say? I’m lonely, and I need company 

 

Edited May 24, 2023 by TheAlpha929

[xinoehp512 he/him]

Krow stood quietly outside the compound, staring into the distance. It was really dark outside now. Far above, the stars watched silently.

A sound tickled the back of his ear. Was someone calling his name?

He wondered if they were really far-away suns like some of the scientists said. If they were, did they watch, observing and passing their own judgements on the people of the Empire?

"Krow!" the voice called. "Are you there?"

If they did, surely they would all be damned. Damned by a thousand splendid suns.

"LIEUTENANT!" shouted the voice, even louder this time, and Krow's head jerked up. The lieutenant was a traitor- he had to watch out- maybe he would slip up-

Wait. No. Jiang Zhangrong had been executed. He'd seen it with his own eyes, how they'd turned on their friends, cursing the Empire with their dying breath. Even though he'd known that Geoff had no reason to lie about the evidence he'd found, known that the lieutenant was surely guilty, it had still shocked him to see the betrayal made flesh. If he had been quicker, could he have saved the old man?

He shook his head. He couldn't dwell on that now. Not when it was his responsibility to find the traitors. Lieutenant Nelcaf. After all this time-

Wait. Hadn't someone been calling for the Lieutenant?

"Yes," he replied to the voice, which he belatedly recognized as the duck wrangler. "What is it?"

11 hours ago, TheAlpha929 said:

Devo 

She voted Xino with JNV, and there are other things as well

ED1T: I had a pretty active PM with Archer, and I’m sad to see him go. But, in the PM, he spoke about how Devo and Fifth both PMed him, asking for reads, they both said they were sus of the same person (Xino) and things like that. So, I want to exe Devo, then Fifth, and hopefully we’ll win it in 2 more cycles.

ED2T: Hi Aman!

ED3T (cause I don’t feel like posting again): @xinoehp512 would you agree with this thought process? @|TJ|, would you?

  Reveal hidden contents

Anybody have anything to say? I’m lonely, and I need company 

 

"Right and Left?" replied Krow, blinking. Right... he'd suspected her and her compatriot, hadn't he? And there was what Georg had said, that he'd seen the lieutenant - the former lieutenant - shoot her a glance earlier, when everyone had been asking them questions. "Yes... I suppose. It would be worth investigating them." (Devo)

[|TJ| he/him]

1 hour ago, TheAlpha929 said:

ED1T: I had a pretty active PM with Archer, and I’m sad to see him go. But, in the PM, he spoke about how Devo and Fifth both PMed him, asking for reads, they both said they were sus of the same person (Xino) and things like that. So, I want to exe Devo, then Fifth, and hopefully we’ll win it in 2 more cycles.

Did any of you guys have a PM with JNV? Did you hint that you guys suspected them? That would confirm it for me because it would lead to them voting together to protect JNV.

Devotary

Also, JNV claimed they won the bid for a scan C1 right? It wouldn't have been a lie [unless it was won by their teammates] because there would be a counter-claim. Did they reveal who they claimed to have scanned? Their choice could reveal some information, I like to delve into IKYK situations. 

[The Paradoxical Phenomenon he/him]

2 minutes ago, |TJ| said:

Did any of you guys have a PM with JNV? Did you hint that you guys suspected them? That would confirm it for me because it would lead to them voting together to protect JNV.

Devotary

Also, JNV claimed they won the bid for a scan C1 right? It wouldn't have been a lie [unless it was won by their teammates] because there would be a counter-claim. Did they reveal who they claimed to have scanned? Their choice could reveal some information, I like to delve into IKYK situations. 

Archer won the Signet, and scanned JNV. 

[Amanuensis he/him]

9 hours ago, TheAlpha929 said:

Archer won the Signet, and scanned JNV. 

I can verify this. Archer sent Hoid a PM explaining everything for the PH. He’d been the one to ask JNV to claim the signet scan too, as a ploy to gain JNV’s trust and potentially get them to say something incriminating of a teammate

[|TJ| he/him]

Just now, TheAlpha929 said:

Archer won the Signet, and scanned JNV. 

Oh huh, when I looked at 4 votes I was suspicious because 4 votes in anon-voting is uncommon, especially without any in-thread suspicion. So I was beginning to suspect a bus. Though... did TKN and Xino know about the scan result? If so, then if they are JNV's teammates then they would have forced to go along with it and bus them. Which would in-turn make Devo's vote weird because - hold on 

This is assuming TKN and Xino knew about the scan result - 

If Devo is evil -> JNV, Devo, [third member] ; Here third member likely not to be Xino or TKN because e!Devo clearly makes an attempt to protect JNV and if one of Xino or TKN were evil, they'd have informed e!Devo to join in the bus as well. 

If at least one of TKN or Xino are evil then -> JNV, TKN, [third member] OR JNV, Xino, [third member] OR JNV, TKN, Xino ; Here the third member is not Devo, for the same reason I mentioned above

Important to note that in the latter case, if one is evil in TKN/Xino, it's not likely to be Xino because of JNV's vote on them. 

[The Paradoxical Phenomenon he/him]

10 minutes ago, |TJ| said:

Oh huh, when I looked at 4 votes I was suspicious because 4 votes in anon-voting is uncommon, especially without any in-thread suspicion. So I was beginning to suspect a bus. Though... did TKN and Xino know about the scan result? If so, then if they are JNV's teammates then they would have forced to go along with it and bus them. Which would in-turn make Devo's vote weird because - hold on 

This is assuming TKN and Xino knew about the scan result - 

If Devo is evil -> JNV, Devo, [third member] ; Here third member likely not to be Xino or TKN because e!Devo clearly makes an attempt to protect JNV and if one of Xino or TKN were evil, they'd have informed e!Devo to join in the bus as well. 

If at least one of TKN or Xino are evil then -> JNV, TKN, [third member] OR JNV, Xino, [third member] OR JNV, TKN, Xino ; Here the third member is not Devo, for the same reason I mentioned above

Important to note that in the latter case, if one is evil in TKN/Xino, it's not likely to be Xino because of JNV's vote on them. 

We were theorizing @Fifth Scholar

[Fifth Scholar he/him]

I am fine with killing Devo (as evinced by my own vote this cycle) but it’s kind of funny how thoroughly I was out of all the important PM loops.  Archer did indeed PM me, but I bought his double-lie and thought JNV had actually gotten a scan off, and that Archer trusted them and had lied to me. To answer some questions, Archer PMed me early C1 back when I was accruing more SP asking me to stand down in a battle for the ring, and I obliged him, hence my frustration when he seemingly didn’t go through with it. I still don’t think he needed to lie to me as much as he did (yes I am aware of glaring hypocrisy don’t @ me Kas), but I guess it’s water under the bridge, hooray we caught a baddie, and I’m reasonably sure it’s a real one given the number of assertions we have backing Archer  

If it isn’t Devo (which I think it is) I am banking on TKN or TJ.

[Kasimir he/him]

Just now, Fifth Scholar said:

I still don’t think he needed to lie to me as much as he did (yes I am aware of glaring hypocrisy don’t @ me Kas)

Sorry, you asked me to say that louder, for people in the next galaxy to hear, right?

[The Unknown Medallion he/him]

I concur with that, Alpha. Archer also noted that JNV posted the "I scanned" thing after Devo showed up, implying that they got permission. 

I got the signent and checked Archer just in case. He was (duh) village. That does mean the seal hasn't been used yet though.

Kinda done role-playing, definitely won't be going for the five a turn.

[The Paradoxical Phenomenon he/him]

55 minutes ago, The Known Novel said:

 

I concur with that, Alpha. Archer also noted that JNV posted the "I scanned" thing after Devo showed up, implying that he got permission. 

 

Archer pointed that out too. I thought it was far-fetched, but maybe not if more than one person thought that. 

[Devotary of Spontaneity]

Wow, you all had a vote for JNV party and didn't invite me. I voted Xino with Fifth who was apparently lying about that. Archer indicated that they were village reading xino and elim reading TJ for similar strategies of prioritizing RP over analysis.

[The Paradoxical Phenomenon he/him]

3 minutes ago, Devotary of Spontaneity said:

Wow, you all had a vote for JNV party and didn't invite me. I voted Xino with Fifth who was apparently lying about that. Archer indicated that they were village reading xino and elim reading TJ for similar strategies of prioritizing RP over analysis.

Well, we’re suspicious of you, so why would we let you in on the secret  

[Fifth Scholar he/him]

22 minutes ago, Devotary of Spontaneity said:

Wow, you all had a vote for JNV party and didn't invite me. I voted Xino with Fifth who was apparently lying about that. Archer indicated that they were village reading xino and elim reading TJ for similar strategies of prioritizing RP over analysis.

I was voting Xino and then talked myself out of it :>

Archer said the same thing to me which made no sense but hey he caught an elim so who am I to judge  

say we’re wrong, and you’re Village—who else is evil? Currently thinking TKN or TJ, just based on the niche I’d expect them to be filling, but as the person being executed I’m curious to hear your take.

[The Unknown Medallion he/him]

7 hours ago, TheAlpha929 said:

Archer pointed that out too. I thought it was far-fetched, but maybe not if more than one person thought that. 

I don't find it particularly far fetched, Archer's reasoning was pretty solid, since he told them early in the cycle, then I think JNV was on, but they waited until Devo (/fifth or whoever) got on to make sure it was okay.

9 hours ago, |TJ| said:

Oh huh, when I looked at 4 votes I was suspicious because 4 votes in anon-voting is uncommon, especially without any in-thread suspicion. So I was beginning to suspect a bus. Though... did TKN and Xino know about the scan result? If so, then if they are JNV's teammates then they would have forced to go along with it and bus them. Which would in-turn make Devo's vote weird because - hold on 

This is assuming TKN and Xino knew about the scan result - 

If Devo is evil -> JNV, Devo, [third member] ; Here third member likely not to be Xino or TKN because e!Devo clearly makes an attempt to protect JNV and if one of Xino or TKN were evil, they'd have informed e!Devo to join in the bus as well. 

If at least one of TKN or Xino are evil then -> JNV, TKN, [third member] OR JNV, Xino, [third member] OR JNV, TKN, Xino ; Here the third member is not Devo, for the same reason I mentioned above

Important to note that in the latter case, if one is evil in TKN/Xino, it's not likely to be Xino because of JNV's vote on them. 

JNV voted both of us.

[xinoehp512 he/him]

Krow listened to the others chat without speaking a word, letting the conversation flow over him. Right was arguing for their innocence in a manner that could only be described as evasive. Left was nowhere to be seen, but he doubted she was far away. Maybe she was trying to sneak into her room, destroy evidence that could condemn her, though hopefully she'd have a tough time of that- he'd posted guards at the door to her room and in the two adjacent rooms. Even so, he still worried she'd manage to find a way to sneak in. If it were up to him, he'd have searched the room already, but he dared not do that without the approval of the captain.

Somehow, he felt that wouldn't be required. Public opinion had turned against the duo, and he knew the captain need to produce something before the hour was up. He'd been so confident of Right and Left's guilt before- he wished he could conjure up that confidence now.

Nothing was certain anymore. Not since he'd heard the words Jiang Zhangrong had spoken in their final moments.

11 hours ago, Kasimir said:

“How could I continue to serve,” they asked, quietly, “When men like you saw fit to betray your own General in the name of politics?”

He'd heard rumours, of course- Left and Right had accused him, earlier, based on his past connection to General Yuen - but he hadn't really believed until now that the traitors had really been acting in Yuen's name. But the fervor in Jiang's eyes- there had been no mistaking that.

How quick he'd been to condemn the traitors when he could write them off as selfish maniacs. Now... how could he, when their passions were so painfully similar to his own? Could it possible that Discovery was right to distrust him, knowing his past? If things had gone differently... could he have ended up on the floor, his knife in the throat of a former friend, his dying breath screaming out defiance?

The water flowed, and no answers came.

[Devotary of Spontaneity]

Executing me is probably for the best since I clearly don't know what's going on and I don't want to be accused again if we hit some other villager and tomorrow is exlo. You'd have a higher probability of hitting an elim after I'm dead.

[xinoehp512 he/him]

The hour was beginning to draw to a close. But only just beginning- somehow, this hour had seemed nearly twice as long as all the others. People huddled in groups, whispering among themselves, waiting for something, anything to happen. He was sure by now they'd all spoken to the captain in private and expressed their suspicions. Even now, the captain must be mulling it over, deciding which one of them he would execute next. Such was the blood price that Discovery demanded. How does he decide?, Krow wondered. Was it simply majority vote? Maybe if he told himself it was the soldiers deciding who would die, it lessened some of the horror. Took away some of the guilt.

Krow felt a sudden surge of gratitude that Kezin was in no danger of dying this night. Even the possibility that he might be asked to heft the executioner's blade... well. He had no idea what he'd do. Once again, his mind flashed back to the former lieutenant's dying words. Wuzhin probably didn't know either, he pondered. He couldn't say he was too upset by the idea. After the events of this night, a promotion seemed much less appealing than it had before.

And the water flowed on.