Long Game 96: KKC in the Modern Age

[Kasimir he/him]

[TAG: RP, 741 words, DISCUSSION, 770 words]

1 minute ago, The Known Novel said:

Why would an elim want to learn the identity of a random roleblocker, while volunteering to be scanned? Explain that. It's not like they can actually be soft cleared, because I'm not going to flip, and the chances of them releasing their identity after I'm dead are just as low as they are now.

[OOC: Performativeness, and then kill the scanner, or roleblock the scanner, and then claim to have been recalled. Alternatively, you claim to be roleblocked or redirected. It's pretty straightforward. How do you explain not wanting to be scanned, given that this would be an obvious and glaring red flag for any player? The fact you are obsessing about scanning and being scanned instead of directly taking action to help the Village, e.g. roleblocking, is seriously questionable - it demonstrates performativity and a passive mindset.

If you think this is impossible for an Elim, I point out that you can say the exact same thing of E!Archer in AG9: why would Archer volunteer/agree to be scanned? So clearly he must be Village right? Oh, sorry, he was Evil. By your theory that doesn't happen - clearly your theory says this is impossible. Explain that.

Naming is the most OP field in this University—it's limited by your creativity—and seriously the best you can do or want to do is to get scanned and then go spy on PMs instead? No consideration of whether anything more complex as a combination allows for a delayed death, jailbreaking, reversal of expulsion, the fact Naming punches through most protections in this game if the Namer is sufficiently creative? Pretty much anything hacky or screwy in this game requires Naming.]

5 minutes ago, The Known Novel said:

You trusted me before this came out, why is your first inclinations to believe my PM planning is e!me, what, gloating? Why would e!me discuss my plans to PM scan in a PM with two villagers?

[OOC: Are you sure? I created PMs with at least four different players, individually, at the very start of this cycle, asking for their reads and listing mine. Among my set of reads, I noted I was downgrading my read on you due to general reactivity and also the victimology, i.e. the fact that two of the three casualties were Namers. Just because I have PMs doesn't mean I don't re-evaluate my reads periodically, and M1 was strange enough for me to re-evaluate. This would've put you on par with TJ and Sart, whom I had some reason to V!read but acknowledged I was harbouring doubts about,

I don't think it's E!you gloating - I think it's E!you threatening to be a real difficulty to stop if we expel you, because we can stop you from elevating but we can't stop you from acting against Village interests. It's ironic because it almost means what we really want you to get slapped with is Conduct Unbecoming for a three Turn roleblock, but that's not something we can do very much to finagle the way this is.

I do almost think you are trying to TWTBAW this.]

16 minutes ago, The Known Novel said:

All I want is to post this message, all I want is to not be roleblocked. Then we can get the first real flip in this game that hasn't been decided by the elims.

[OOC: There's something that TKN is missing out here that I can't comment on at this juncture. If I die at the end of this cycle, someone else will drop it for me. Suffice to say this is pretty much wrong-headed. Nothing to do with trust group shenanigans, just rules stuff.]

18 minutes ago, The Known Novel said:

There is no reason for a villager to roleblock me now. There is no way e!me risks putting on the kill with the chance of a roleblock and getting practically confirmed e. The worst that can happen if it's e!me is that the kill still goes through. The best is that the kill doesn't go through. But if I'm v, then the worst that can happen is the same, the kill still goes through, but the best, the best that can happen is the kill is still somehow blocked (maybe by that same roleblocker who would have roleblocked me), and I get to post my Message, letting us confirm me.

[OOC: Let me spell this out. You have the Name of the Wind. E!you knows you are a sunk cost, and the Wind is specified as an attack Name. I wouldn't be surprised if it can be used to supercharge a sabotage to a kill. You are currently invoking an IKYK to suggest that there's no reason to roleblock you, which is a tacit acknowledgement that on some layer, there is a reason to roleblock you. I don't give a damn about IKYKs. I give a damn about averting consequences - what's the consequence for us in the world we don't roleblock E!you, and E!you uses Naming to attack?

Now, if someone confirms you absolutely can't kill with Wind, because I was asking about this, and El noted it was an attack Name, then sure, it's the Roleblocker's choice. Always was, anyway.

Why do we care about confirming you? Why should we care about confirming you in particular, when confirming you doesn't remove the possibility that the Roleblocker is a Villager and we're in [KRAEM HAPPENS] world? What information does confirming you, after you have been expelled, offer us? (You in particular.) You yourself note you don't expect the Roleblocker to receive flak even after you are confirmed, so which is it? Why are you singularly obsessed with being confirmed rather than being Village?

And why can't E!you first put the message, and then use Wind or a second Name to redirect the Archivist into reading you as Village?

I don't rule out - even now - that we're in some variant of [KRAEM HAPPENS] or [GAMBIT] world but your aggressive insistence you need to not be roleblocked and confirmed Village and that this is the best, win-win outcome for the Village doesn't remotely make sense for the Village.]

lxvi. mews

It still felt so very unreal to Kevan: the anxiety and the knots twisting in his stomach all the way through his Admissions interview, the scrutiny of the assembled Masters about their table—one of them, a kindly, excitable man had winked at him when he hesitantly answered questions about treating a fever, and the other had a gentle smile that eased Kevan’s worries immediately when he asked him to name two valid forms of logical argument.

And then after that: the news he was admitted to the University. That he would be chasing his dream, after all, one way or another. 

He felt as though he was floating, as though he was moving through some sort of dream. He was going to have to write his mother and his grandmother, to thank them for supporting him, to let them know he’d arrived safely, that he’d passed Admissions, no matter that it was excruciatingly hard and they turned down at least thrice as many applicants as accepted new students each year. He’d made it. He was going to be an Artificer, to learn to make the sorts of structures that endured (Aturan roads, again, in his mind), that made the world just a little better.

At least the Masters hadn’t laughed at him when he’d said that, in response to the Chancellor’s question of why he’d wanted to study at the University.

He’d figured it was best to save his money, and after talking through the options with the bursar and making arrangements for the payment of his tuition fees, decided to go for a bunk in the Mews. Sure, he was going to be sharing the room with three other bunkmates, but the way Kevan saw it, he got a free meal, and—well, he was here to learn, wasn’t he? He figured his roommates couldn’t really be that much of a problem, one way or another.

Still, he couldn’t get rid of the excitement still blazing through his veins and the fragments of his nerves from Admissions, fluttering about in his stomach.

Kevan stepped through the wooden frame of the open door and blinked.

The sunlit bunk room was spacious enough, though Kevan figured some people would probably have considered it a little cramped. He’d had to sail the Reft to get to the University, though, and being crammed into a small cabin on the merchant ship had given him a healthy new respect for how packed a space could get.

One of the new students was already there, unpacking. Kevan watched as his bunkmate set a succulent on the window sill, and then another potted plant, and another. Wondered if he was a gardener, or something. A gentle breeze came in through the open window, bringing with it the scent of green life.

He inhaled, and rolled his shoulders. Felt the tension melt away,

“Oh, hello there,” the student said. He looked over, and smiled a greeting. Kevan didn’t recognise his accent, but figured Aturan wasn’t his first language. “Just came in?”

“Yeah,” Kevan said.

“Well, come on, pick a bunk.” The student got up, went over to him and clapped a friendly hand about Kevan’s shoulders, ushering him in. “Pretty much all the same, but I recommend the one nearest the window, for the view.”

Kevan laughed. They were on the first floor, in a squat, rectangular building, packed as far away from the University as you could get. The runner from the Chancellor’s Office who had escorted him here—an enrolled student, apparently—explained that the students at the Arcanum had their own bunks in the Mews, much closer to the main buildings of the University.

“What is there to see, you ask? Well, my plants! I’ve got some real beauties growing here—this one’s selas, and it’s particularly finicky and hard to grow, and really I should be putting it somewhere to the side, because it thrives in shadowy places, but the flower itself needs sunlight, which is why it’s so hard to grow. Some botanists suggest growing it on a trellis—oh, I’m Soren, by the way. Who’re you?”

“Kevan,” he said. Tried to smile, best as he could. Soren was a little too close for comfort, but it felt rude to say so, and…and Kevan liked his good cheer. If the other two bunkmates were as friendly as Soren seemed to be, his time at the University would be off to a good start.

Tehlu, he really hoped so.

[OOC: Anyway don't really care, not my problem, votes are cast, roleblocker will do whatever, chill, RPful game, I interrupt to bring you this special bulletin and I can now die in peace:

@DrakeMarshall u asked me if i was sure bro u said i was a madman >:)

whose insane now????

i m a veritable writing god & the sds may make me insane but they cannot take away my godhood >:)]

[Araris Valerian he/him]

I think I need to spread more smiles this cycle, so here y'all go:

3 hours ago, Kasimir said:

[OOC: Ok, but formally-speaking, aren't you missing the world where the Elim who sent in the kill had their kill fail, for reasons of being at Ankers/on the streets, or because they were a noble who got recalled? In both this world and an Elim roleblocker world, it's possible that the Elim kill failed - for reasons of being at Ankers/on the streets/noble recall - and the Elims sought to use that opportunity to frame TKN, who was already suspected. I don't think it's as plausible as E!TKN but nevertheless.

So if the elims are trying to frame TKN then it follows that the person that PM'd JNV is elim. TKN might be unlucky (elim kill fails for some reason and a random player roleblocked him), but that's the only scenario where we don't get a Skindancer here.

[The Unknown Medallion he/him]

Oh whatever. Whatever happens happens. There's nothing I can do and nothing I want to do to change what happens here beyond what I already have. If my message goes through, scan me. Or don't. Can't say I care at this point, see y’all tomorrow once I'm a little less annoyed and I know what I can do going forward.

Edit: So apparently if you don't take an action, you aren’t notified of being recalled. Don't think this changes things at this point, but figured I should share the clarification with everyone. 

Edited August 7, 2023 by The Known Novel

[little wilson she/her]

The turn is over!

[little wilson she/her]

Term 2 Month 3 - The Case of the Vandalized Stacks

 

Hello, is this thing on?

 

JNV went insane!

Szeth and Archer were elevated!

TKN was brought on the horns and charged with Conduct Unbecoming. He was expelled! Sart was brought on the horns, but his charges were dropped!

TKN (15) - Kas, Kas, TKN, TKN, JNV, JNV, Archer, Ash, Ash, TJ, TJ, Stink, Stink, Sart, Sart
Sart (1) - Archer

 

Player List

1. Matrim's Dice - expelled
2. Kasimir
3. The Known Novel - expelled
4. Steeldancer
5. JNV - insane
6. Wonko the Sane - formerly insane
7. Archer
8. Drake Marshall - insane
9. Ashbringer
10. TJ
11. Araris Valerian - expelled
12. Szeth Pancakes
13. Stink
14. Sart

[The Unknown Medallion he/him]

That was... very quick.

So I'm expelled. Don't know if I got roleblocked because it doesn't matter since I was called home. 

If you're in Imre shoot me a PM I guess. I think that's how it works. I'll just be hanging around Winding.

[Mat he/him]

Two elevations is legit sad

Is no one filing EP or something

Do I still just not understand how elevations work

[The Unknown Medallion he/him]

So, do we get to know who my mysterious roleblocker is now?

Edit: @Archer Super Secret PM, don't open, you know the drill

Spoiler

Not sure if I can respond, so I'm awaiting GM clarification before I say anything. 

I'll have more serious comments if I can get a more secure channel. 

But for now, all that matters is to tell you, the T-A-K order is a very important reference to the books, please don't change it thank you goodbye.

 

Edited August 7, 2023 by The Known Novel

[Archer he/him]

6 minutes ago, The Known Novel said:

So, do we get to know who my mysterious roleblocker is now?

Edit: @Archer Super Secret PM, don't open, you know the drill

  Hide contents

Not sure if I can respond, so I'm awaiting GM clarification before I say anything. 

I'll have more serious comments if I can get a more secure channel. 

But for now, all that matters is to tell you, the T-A-K order is a very important reference to the books, please don't change it thank you goodbye.

 

Okay okay I won't open it 

OH, it's for me

Spoiler

You know PM names go over my head

I forgot expelled you can't PM. Good call 

Contribution crusade got me like

Szeth Szeth

[Araris Valerian he/him]

31 minutes ago, The Known Novel said:

So, do we get to know who my mysterious roleblocker is now?

Probably not, since JNV never claimed and then got sabotaged.

[The Unknown Medallion he/him]

Spoiler

Well I appreciate the one-way correspondence y'know. Please don't leave me, it's lonely out here by myself. You should shoot me some action recommendations in there. And maybe help to decide between the Pearl and the Grey Man.

^ Archer’s eyes only. Keep out. And I guess Kas. And like if you're a villager I don't care too much. But like, all of you skindancers, no reading. I mean it. anybody want a peanit

40 minutes ago, Araris Valerian said:

Probably not, since JNV never claimed and then got sabotaged.

I think Wonko and maybe Kas are supposed to know. So I was mainly asking them. 

[Araris Valerian he/him]

Oh, that's good then.

[|TJ| he/him]

@Archer, wym why im staying in windy tower? it gots extra ep bruv. 

3 hours ago, Archer said:

Contribution crusade got me like

Szeth Szeth

a. any reason why you want to cc at this stage of the game?

b. any reason why szeth over steel?

[Ashbringer he/him]

4 minutes ago, |TJ| said:

a. any reason why you want to cc at this stage of the game?

b. any reason why szeth over steel?

There’s at least one reason. Steeldancer hasn’t been online in about a week, he’s not putting in any actions. Szeth could have. And based on being one of two Elevations this turn, probably has been. (Not 100%, because I still think elevations are based on what you file that turn and not the prior turn no matter how many times Kas explains it to me, but… you get my point.)

[Kasimir he/him]

4 hours ago, The Known Novel said:

So, do we get to know who my mysterious roleblocker is now?

[OOC: Considering withholding for the moment as Wonko is safe for now and they can't shoot both me and Wonko. Waiting on a GM clarification but thinks it means I don't need to sit on you with nahlrout so that's good. Sucks that JNV got put back in but that's the best world - we're forcing them to waste tempo on players who have already been sabotaged.]

58 minutes ago, Ashbringer said:

There’s at least one reason. Steeldancer hasn’t been online in about a week, he’s not putting in any actions. Szeth could have. And based on being one of two Elevations this turn, probably has been. (Not 100%, because I still think elevations are based on what you file that turn and not the prior turn no matter how many times Kas explains it to me, but… you get my point.)

[OOC: Simpler answer then >>

Quote

 

• The Horns (filing complaints, complaint-relevant actions, assigning DP, and punishments including expulsion)

• Elevations

• Offsetting IP with EP

• Filing EP

Elevations precede filing EP. In other words you're elevated off what you had, not what you just filed.]

Edited August 7, 2023 by Kasimir
removed unnecessary tag

[Ashbringer he/him]

I understand it but my brain keeps rebooting the answer away >>

Besides, could be leftover EP. And it’s the action potential that’s more an issue.

[Kasimir he/him]

[TAG: DISCUSSION, 232 words]

42 minutes ago, Ashbringer said:

I understand it but my brain keeps rebooting the answer away >>

Besides, could be leftover EP. And it’s the action potential that’s more an issue.

[OOC: I am...hesitant about the Szeth pressure. I think it boils down to: what has he been filing EP in, that he only just elevated? A high demand field, perhaps, like Naming? Unclear. (I actually speculate here as we know Naming was like this: T1M2 JNV -> T1M3 Wonko -> T2M1 Wonko -> T2M2 TKN which means this might be the first time that Naming was this open. Considering how much I want to nahlrout druglord here :eyes: )

As I said, acknowledge I have a gut Village read of Szeth but it's nothing that can stand in/for this game landscape at this point. He's functionally just a null with good vibes so I do sort of feel fundamentally okay with that vote - here's my main thought. Pragmatically, he's told us upfront that he's seeking a pinch-hitter. Either this is true, or he is an Elim keeping a low profile. If he's checked out of the game, I don't think expelling him fundamentally changes our gamestate as the Elims would've hit him last anyway. If he's an Elim keeping a low profile, there's only one way to find out!

Well, two.

Smh guys I didn't expect to have to turn this game into an episode of Breaking Bad. But I guess that's what happens when I have 1337 vote powers and that's it. I need drugs to fuel a roleblocker rampage.)

Szeth
Szeth
Szeth
Szeth]

Edited August 7, 2023 by Kasimir

[Archer he/him]

4 hours ago, Kasimir said:

[TAG: DISCUSSION, 232 words]

[OOC: I am...hesitant about the Szeth pressure. I think it boils down to: what has he been filing EP in, that he only just elevated? A high demand field, perhaps, like Naming? Unclear. (I actually speculate here as we know Naming was like this: T1M2 JNV -> T1M3 Wonko -> T2M1 Wonko -> T2M2 TKN which means this might be the first time that Naming was this open. Considering how much I want to nahlrout druglord here :eyes: )

As I said, acknowledge I have a gut Village read of Szeth but it's nothing that can stand in/for this game landscape at this point. He's functionally just a null with good vibes so I do sort of feel fundamentally okay with that vote - here's my main thought. Pragmatically, he's told us upfront that he's seeking a pinch-hitter. Either this is true, or he is an Elim keeping a low profile. If he's checked out of the game, I don't think expelling him fundamentally changes our gamestate as the Elims would've hit him last anyway. If he's an Elim keeping a low profile, there's only one way to find out!

Well, two.

Smh guys I didn't expect to have to turn this game into an episode of Breaking Bad. But I guess that's what happens when I have 1337 vote powers and that's it. I need drugs to fuel a roleblocker rampage.)

Szeth
Szeth
Szeth
Szeth]

I know EP is on a delay so it's a reflection on their last round's engagement, but if you're going to progress, I'd like to know enough about you to know you're trustworthy. Better to get rid of the sleeper elim option imo. A functional null at this stage isn't great

Reminder to myself who can be voted for. I think I'm only interested in the bottom half of this list. 

1.  
2. Kasimir
3.  
4. Steeldancer
5.  
6. Wonko the Sane - formerly insane
7. Archer
8.  
9. Ashbringer
10. TJ
11.  
12. Szeth Pancakes
13. Stink
14. Sart

[STINK he/him]

Ok but fr idk why I'm still being sussed here I know I haven't been in your scheming PMs but thats on you guys 

[Kasimir he/him]

[TAG: RP, 312 words]

29 minutes ago, Archer said:

I know EP is on a delay so it's a reflection on their last round's engagement, but if you're going to progress, I'd like to know enough about you to know you're trustworthy. Better to get rid of the sleeper elim option imo. A functional null at this stage isn't great

[OOC: Don't strongly disagree, no. Between Sart and STINK, I'd probably V!read Sart more. STINK's sort of just there in nulls and I slightly worry about the LHF nature of his votes end of M1. Light Village read on TJ, even if I harbour doubts, and I don't feel Szeth gets too many more inactivity clears. Steel I think is pretty much in his V meta so as much as it's honestly pretty enraging, I'm willing to ignore him and move on. Generally lean V on Ash, at any rate. Maybe I need to relook, I dunno.]

10 hours ago, Matrim's Dice said:

Two elevations is legit sad

Is no one filing EP or something

Do I still just not understand how elevations work

[OOC: Everytime you elevate, you lose five EP in that field. You also might lose EP to stave off insanity or if you've been on the Horns and got DP from a Master. Since people are likely sitting on low EP counts, they may need time to get back to it. I can't recall if lashed players can file EP either. Ah they can but they can't be elevated.]

lxvii. cookies

“Cookies,” Valerra said, patiently. “Hard biscuit, small spiced cakes that are flat and hard, chewy if you do them right, crisp if you don’t….”

Kevan blinked at whatever it was he held in his hand. Valerra’d gotten the small and flat part correct, he supposed. As well as the hard bit. “You…stress bake, don’t you,” he said, flatly, intonation making it more a statement than a question. “And stress brew.”

“Admissions are the most stressful time of the term,” Soren spoke up. He was inspecting his own brown paper packet of cookies, though unlike Kevan, he hadn’t yet taken one out. “Unlike certain Re’lar here—”

“—God, I swear Master Herkimer will drift in and be in one of those moods,” Kevan said, fervently. “And then I’ll fail. I also think Master Volatile doesn’t like me much.”

Soren rolled his eyes. “Pretty much every Master except Master Volatile voted to readmit you on a clean-slate basis as an E’lir, sponsored by Master Anders. And Master Bob raised you to Re’lar. I’m pretty sure you’ve got enough people in your corner. Meanwhile, I’m going to cry if Master Rhys lets Master Wyles savage me again. At least the last time, Master Alys asked me an interesting question about pruning techniques on miniature trees…”

“Seriously?”

Soren nodded. “I think she’s a fan.”

Carefully, Kevan nibbled on the cookie. Just a little. He noticed Valerra watching, the crease of anxiety between her eyebrows. It was good though. It really was. Crisp, with a hint of spice and warm chocolate and molasses.

“Fhanks,” he said, and somehow, the entire cookie had ended up in his mouth. He swallowed and tried again. “Thanks. You said these are cookies?”

“You’re a fan then?”

“Yeah, you should really sell it. You’re stress baking or stress brewing anyway. Might as well market it to everyone suffering through Admissions,” Kevan said, seriously.

Edited August 7, 2023 by Kasimir

[Archer he/him]

39 minutes ago, STINK said:

Ok but fr idk why I'm still being sussed here I know I haven't been in your scheming PMs but thats on you guys 

yes we're definitely scheming, you should be very afraid. And I'm contributing mightily to it, make a note of that too

I know you were a early investor in the TKN wagon, but otherwise, you don't really have a vote record. Youve fallen behind the people who I have more reason to trust. 

31 minutes ago, Kasimir said:

[TAG: RP, 312 words]

[OOC: Don't strongly disagree, no. Between Sart and STINK, I'd probably V!read Sart more. STINK's sort of just there in nulls and I slightly worry about the LHF nature of his votes end of M1. Light Village read on TJ, even if I harbour doubts, and I don't feel Szeth gets too many more inactivity clears. Steel I think is pretty much in his V meta so as much as it's honestly pretty enraging, I'm willing to ignore him and move on. Generally lean V on Ash, at any rate. Maybe I need to relook, I dunno.]

you're not allowed to village read all of them, m8

6 hours ago, |TJ| said:

@Archer, wym why im staying in windy tower? it gots extra ep bruv. 

a. any reason why you want to cc at this stage of the game?

b. any reason why szeth over steel?

Forgot to answer this earlier. 

0. Yeah but for one talent more you could have kill protection from the Horse and Four

a. got a better option? I felt good about the last couple of exes, but the game has kept going. It's less CC and more might be a deepwolf. It's a minimal loss proposition 

b. steel hasn't elevated 

[Kasimir he/him]

[TAG: RP, 311 words, DISCUSSION, 222 words]

12 minutes ago, Archer said:

you're not allowed to village read all of them, m8

[OOC: Well, tbf, two problems. First, keep in mind I've been 30%ing most of this game with zero backreading and running off raw impressions until this cycle. Last cycle was a bit halfway there as the mech puzzle drew me in. The second thing is that I do have STINK as a null, and also when I say V, I just mean some gradation of good reads. We're kinda late-mid-game to lategame right now, so it's clear I'm due revision, but that isn't happening just yet.

As I expressed last cycle, I sort of have maybe three loose tiers in my head: Sart, TJ, TKN were all some flavour of Tier 2. Szeth, Steel are some flavour of Tier 3, and STINK's solidly a null, whom I've packed with Tier 3 for convenience. I kind of want to Tier 2 Ash but realistically have him somewhere in between Tiers 2 and 3. Functionally this means re-examination somewhere, but if I look at where I am right now, it's got to be somewhere in <Szeth, STINK.> for me barring major revisions.

Which might come as I plough through a re-read of the gamestate.]

12 minutes ago, Archer said:

0. Yeah but for one talent more you could have kill protection from the Horse and Four

[OOC: I mean, I felt you were asking a deeper question. There's no point accumulating EP - the point is to do things with it. Maybe it's just me though.]

lxviii. words

You had, thought Kevan, to be in Rhetoric and Logic to understand the power of words. Let others focus on the power of Naming; let Rothfuss wax poetic about what seven well-chosen words could do. One way or another, if you looked at words, and their power to persuade, to weave narratives and reality itself…well.

So much of what he did under Master Anders, under Re’lar Jakob and El’the Aksel was about words. Being precise with them, because as Jakob pointed out, you wanted to be sharp with your conceptual analysis. When you analysed a word or a concept, you wanted to include everything which belonged under the cloak of that concept or word in your analysis. At the same time, anything which did not belong had to be excluded.

This sounded both trivial and banal in theory, but was difficult in practice. Despite Re’lar Jakob saying it was fairly easy, they spent nearly three whole classes on problems with the Geschen analysis of knowledge as justified true belief. The problem, Jakob pointed out, was that the whole cottage industry in Geschen cases and reworked Geschen analyses demonstrated one crucial flaw with the Geschen analysis: it wasn’t complete. There were cases which, in theory, satisfied the Geschen analysis but simply didn’t constitute knowledge, intuitively-speaking.

Words, Kevan thought, circumscribed things. They reflected how you saw the world, how you understood the world. Working under Master Anders, he was beginning to dimly understand just how important words were.

He’d never been all that good with them, though. He’d never been much of a poet, or very precise, though he felt the lessons in logic were helping him, just a bit. With logic, you had to articulate clearly, to be very aware of the nuances of your translation.

He felt as though he was learning, even as he wrestled with words and their meanings.

[Mat he/him]

I will say that JNV being sabotaged here makes me think that the RBer could just be evil and the skindancers didn't want the identity of them getting out, but that would probably require the skindancers to not know that Kas/Wonko have the identity of the RBer and idk how likely that is.

[Kasimir he/him]

[TAG: RP, 378 words]

43 minutes ago, Matrim's Dice said:

I will say that JNV being sabotaged here makes me think that the RBer could just be evil and the skindancers didn't want the identity of them getting out, but that would probably require the skindancers to not know that Kas/Wonko have the identity of the RBer and idk how likely that is.

[OOC: JNV asked for permission to pass it on to me and Wonko, citing [GAMBIT] concerns. They agreed.]

lxix. bureaucracy

Kevan really thought that he was about to have a fit. If he were a Namer, he supposed he would have already called the Name of Water and drowned the entire bloody Chancellor’s Office, and probably done the University a favour into the bargain. His head throbbed, between his eyes, and in a thick band of pain about his temples. Slowly, excruciatingly painfully, he said, “Can we start again from the beginning?”

The officer from the Chancellor’s Office nodded politely. 

“You’ve told me I need to drop one class, because I have too many, and University policy—”

“—your sponsor’s policy,” the officer said.

“Right, my sponsor’s policy is that Medica students shouldn’t be overworked. Which I fully and completely understand and agree with, as rounds and shifts in the Medica are extremely exhausting.”

The expression on the officer’s face was currently some variant of ‘so why is this my problem?’ Kevan really wished he had that luxury himself.

Kevan forced himself to take in a long, deep breath. And then another.

“Your office isn’t letting me drop a class.”

“We have a policy about the minimum number of classes a student must take in a term,” the officer said, staidly. “You can’t be in violation of that policy unless you’re taking a term off, in which case the decision must be communicated to the University by two weeks after Admissions.”

Kevan was this close to learning the Name of Water. He could feel it in his bones.

“Your office won’t let me drop a class because if I do, I have too few classes. My sponsor’s policy requires that I drop a class because I have too many classes. Both of you have told me I can’t progress with my studies until I somehow manage to resolve this. Do you realise how absurd both of you are being?”

“I’m sorry,” said the officer, but he really didn't sound very sorry at all, “But University policy exists for a reason, and I can’t simply give you an exemption.”

“Let’s start again,” Kevan sighed. “Who do I need an exemption from?”

“Your sponsor,” the officer from the Chancellor’s Office said, brightly.

Kevan strode off. Damn it all, he hated bureaucracy. Was going to get it done yesterday, if he could.

Edited August 7, 2023 by Kasimir

[Archer he/him]

6 minutes ago, Kasimir said:

.OOC: JNV asked for permission to pass it on to me and Wonko, citing [GAMBIT] concerns. They agreed

Pass what on, the fact he'd roleblocked TKN?