Mid-Range Game 2: Servants of Honor

[Theorymaker he/him]

Thanks for posting Luckat. The only reason people are focusing on inactivity is because we have no Radiant powers happening to help base any suspicions on. So any suspicions would either be for no reason (which gets many people on your case), or any problem we can find no matter how insignificant (inactivity, QC posting a defense too early, Jain, etc.). So basically today is a waiting game where everyone is super observant waiting for anyone to make a mistake.

 

Tahrin had finally found a gem cutter and he had paid the man to make another copy of the ruby. Now Tahrin was just wondering around seeing what other shops were in this town.

Edited August 18, 2014 by Theorymaker

[Gamma Fiend he/him]

Bingo. Also, aren't you going to say any more, Gamma? About, you know, anything? >>

Heh, well I started typing up something else, game discussion wise, but I wanted to get my "maths" sentence in before you corrected him first.

 

I've been trying to determine the efficacy of a lynch right though now, actually. Because we really only need to lose 3 specific people to lose (The WRs and the TW), so we have to be a lot more careful of mislynches. But then again, we only need to seek out and lynch 2 Skybreakers (Who I am calling SBs, or S(O)Bs) So in that light, lynching is definitely the best option we have.

Also, thinking about it, if any of the WRs or TW were in any actual danger from being lynched, I would hope they would just come forward and say so before they do get lynched, because if they're just going to die, we should at least know first and try to prevent it. Since the WRs know who each other are, and there's only one TW, then fake-claiming those roles will be almost impossible for the S(O)Bs to pull off, and if any of those Roles do end up having to reveal themselves, then hopefully there will be enough Squires with Basic Lashing to help out protecting that person from kills each night.

With all that said, I unfortunately don't have any actual lynch targets or suspects right at the moment. Need to do the old, reviewing through the thread and see where my gut leads me. :/

 

[Aonar he/him]

Egads. I did do a rather terrible job of explaining myself there, Jerric, and even somehow managed to get a couple letters of the alphabet wrong. (It's what I get for trying to do something like that at midnight, I guess. )

 

Spoilered, just because it's largely off topic now.

The first number is meant to refer to the first PM you sent, if you sent one. The number at the end refers to the last one you received from that person. I forgot to move the number to to the end in the first example, sorry. That's what lead to most of the confusion there. Not sure why I thought that I was the tenth letter of the alphabet though. 

 

We could extend it to all previous PMs, but I don't believe that's necessary, if all we're looking for is verification of identity. (I just woke up though, so I haven't been able to put a whole ton of clear thought into it yet, and I might well be wrong.)

 

There's no reason we can't use your sequence numbers as well, so people will know when they haven't been messaged. 

 

Since both Skybreakers can use Reverse Lashing, they could theoretically trade off back and forth to maintain the deception. Of course, it wouldn't hold up if anything were brought up in the thread though.

 

Alright, that's enough with the messaging mechanic I think, seeing how unless the Windrunners get real lucky, we probably won't get the time to really use it all that much anyway. 

 

Wyrm: I find it awful coincidental that two of the experienced players would get such a huge number of messages (one is an anomaly, two is a coincidence, and three is a conspiracy. ). I don't have any particular suspicions for any of them, but I'd place very good money on at least one of them being an Eliminator. (Although probably not a Skybreaker, unfortunately. I doubt any of them would stick their necks out like that at this point.) I'm really not sure why you and Meta didn't get any, (although maybe everyone automatically assumed Meta would get inundated with messages, so discounted him as an option).

Edited August 18, 2014 by AonarFaileas

[Ashiok]

Fixed the math (s) issue, and the thing about mislynches is that the only thing that would be bad is if it was the Truthwatcher, who should have had the ability to use illumination  cycle one... Meh. Windrunners could stand up for each other. (though I guess henchmen could stand up for sky breakers the same way...

[Lightsworn Panda he/him]

Urp. Sick again. Also, I said I was going to try and survive a game, not go full erratic again. I'm trying to turtle this game out like the last one (at least, until my brother took over. The fool). And when I said I couldn't message,  I said:

 

 

 

As of yet, I have not received nor sent any messages. Partly because I'll actually try to survive a game and turtle it out. Partly because I was violently ill the pas few days and couldn't do much.

 

Maybe I should have said 90% of the latter was the reason.

 

Huh... 2 days and no Panda RP!? I'm ashamed.

[Renegade he/him]

A few questions I've received via PM/doc/thread:

 

All roles have been included in this game.  There are still 2 Skybreakers, 2 Windrunners, 1 Truthwatcher, X Darkeyes, and Y Henchmen.

 

Both Skybreakers get a kill each cycle.  So, that's up to three deaths per cycle, if you include the lynch.

 

The Illumination Surge could not be used last cycle, as it was not one of the approved actions (Messaging and Recruiting).

 

The Progression Surge prevents all forms of killing from killing the Truthwatcher for the first cycle they would've been attacked.  As it is a passive ability, it cannot be blocked by a Full Lashing.

 

The Basic Lashing can protect against multiple uses of Division on the same target.  If the Truthwatcher was attacked once or twice by Division and defended by a Basic Lashing on the same day, they would not use up their Progression.

 

Only the Skybreakers must be killed for the "good team" to win the game; the Henchmen do not have to be killed.

 

Also, remember to get your actions in!  Only a little over 4 hours left until the write-up comes AND THE DEATH BEGINS!!!!

Edited August 18, 2014 by Renegade

[Metacognition he/him]

Okay, so I've looked over the thread one last time and I think my vote is going to have to go to Aladdin.

He's been on often enough and seems like he's helping, but if you look back through, none of it really helps us much. He's mainly focused on the scratch marks and Highstorms than anything else. 

 

Besides, while I still think Quismet was a little too fast with that response, I'd feel bad if she dies during the first turn two games in a row! Giving her another turn might help see whether that's the right call. 

 

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

 

Metam was preaching nearby when Wurum had some of his men throw Aladdin out of his office. The boy still carried that silly-looking lamp. Obviously, it was a symbol to some pagan god/s. Plus, this child also claimed to have been spoken to by the Stormfather! That urchin? The Stormfather would have never wasted his time with one like that when he could be having a fine, articulate conversation with someone like Metam. Well, articulate if you liked talking about Desolations and repenting.

 

As the boy dusted himself off, Metam rounded on him, bringing with him the full righteousness of his calling. 

 

"YOUR PAGAN GODS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SAVE YOU FROM THE DESOLATION, CHILD! THROW AWAY THEIR SINFUL WAYS AND SEEK THE HERALDS! ONLY THEN WILL YOU FIND SALVATION!"

 

He punctuated his rant with a swing of his sign to get the boy moving on his way. With a little luck, Aladdin would be at the Temple before dinner. 

Edited August 18, 2014 by Metacognition

[Mailliw73 he/him]

 

Besides, while I still think Quismet was a little too fast with that response, I'd feel bad if she dies during the first turn two games in a row! Giving her another turn might help see whether that's the right call. 

That's why I feel bad about voting for her. I'm the one who encouraged her death last game and now to take her out so early again seems cruel. QC, I accept your reasoning for now, but like Meta, I'm not clearing you yet. It seemed a bit too jumpy. Quismet.

For those of you voting Jeno, he was gone all last week and just got back today. He said that he hasn't had much time to post much since he's still cleaning and unpacking and what not, but he should be able to post more tomorrow. (From our Oregon Epic RP.)

Rulit hasn't said much, but I feel that he's not evil. He's posted without saying much, but subtle things are pointing me away from thinking he's evil. Naihar is going to get my vote since he's only posted twice and not said aside from thinking there weren't any squires. I GM'd him when he was Evil and he did the same kind of thing. He was active in doc and sat in the shadows in thread.

[Alvron he/him]

 Naihar is going to get my vote since he's only posted twice and not said aside from thinking there weren't any squires. I GM'd him when he was Evil and he did the same kind of thing. He was active in doc and sat in the shadows in thread.

 

Only problem with that is that there are no docs for me to be active in apart from the squire one which I'm fairly sure everyone knows I'm not in.

 

I have been very quiet due to spending time polishing up the roles/rules for my game which is up soon.

 

On a game related note, I neither sent nor received any messages last round.  Nor do I have any suspicions at this point so won't be voting.

[Ashiok]

Question for the general populace: would coordinating the squires and wind runners through general consensus be a good idea or give too much info to the skybreakers?

I don't think I have any suspicions, but I have ideas for messages tonight... I'll elaborate as soon as I get time, i have dinner now

[Mailliw73 he/him]

Only problem with that is that there are no docs for me to be active in apart from the squire one which I'm fairly sure everyone knows I'm not in.

 

I have been very quiet due to spending time polishing up the roles/rules for my game which is up soon.

 

On a game related note, I neither sent nor received any messages last round.  Nor do I have any suspicions at this point so won't be voting.

I didn't mean that you were in a doc, just that the way you and Kas survived that game was hiding in the shadow. Kas obviously has changed his gameplay. 

[Renegade he/him]

Did you hear that?  That is the terrible sound of the gates of fate closing shut.  This is your final hour.  Use it wisely, as the decisions you make may be your final ones.

 

No, I am not being "overdramatic."  1 hour left, though.

[Ashiok]

In a message, set up a completely random personal code. Bam! Instant in thread PMs! Just make suite the others know who you're talking to with the code, because with multiple people talking to you, it could get confusing...

[Ashiok]

Sorry I didn't think of it till now, I've been busy reading...

[Sir Jerric he/him]

Since both Skybreakers can use Reverse Lashing, they could theoretically trade off back and forth to maintain the deception. Of course, it wouldn't hold up if anything were brought up in the thread though.

Assume Carl and Emma are Skybreakers. They want to use continual Reverse lashings on Bill to deceive Abby.

 

On Day two, Abby messages Bill. Carl lashes Bill and messages Emma to let her know. Emma is doing something else.

 

On Day three, Abby messages Bill with an addendum. Carl gets Abby's message and writes a reply. Emma lashes Bill and messages Carl.

 

On Day four, Abby gets Carl's reply and messages "Bill" with a reply of her own. Carl lashes Bill and messages Emma with Abby's message and his reply. Emma receives Abby's addendum, but does not know anything about the original message or the reply -- she is unable to reply coherently, so messages Carl about the addendum instead.

 

On Day five, Abby gets no message from "Bill" despite the priority nature of the addendum. Carl receives Emma's message on the addendum and Abby's latest message -- he knows everything, and has to try explaining why "Bill" didn't reply like he should have, and has to hope that Abby doesn't mention anything to Bill in the thread.

 

And if Bill has been sending Abby messages without getting replies? Or if the lashing picked up Dan's message to Bill instead of Abby's?

 

I rather hope the Skybreakers do try that in this game. What a messy waste of time. =)

 

I don't have any solid suspicions at this point, so I'll not be voting this cycle. I don't even know how the votes stand at the moment, and by the time I total them, the Cycle may be over. =)

[Renegade he/him]

I'm afraid that the gates of fate are now closed.  Your time is up!

[Renegade he/him]

Day 3 – Death Wears White

Reginar looked particularly distraught when he walked into the Eye of the Storm the next morning.  He was late.  This can’t be, he kept repeating to himself.  It’s just one of that silly doomayer’s tricks.  But, no… it’s too much of a coincidence.  Reginar shook his head, and stood in the front of the tavern, where all the patrons could see him.  Jeno and Kaladen hadn’t showed up.  How could they possibly be any later than me?

“What took you so long?” Mallaw grumbled.  He didn’t look all that happy, either, probably due to that fierce, unexpected highstorm that blew through last night, flooding the streets.  There was no way that poor man could’ve fished during a highstorm.

“I was just… thinking,” Reginar responded.

“Well, that’s quite a lot of thinking you’ve been doing,” Faisan said bluntly.  “You’re two hours late.”

“I know,” Reginar sighed.  “It was… a rough night.  Especially after seeing that message yesterday.”

“THE END IS NIGH!!!” Metam shouted.

“Don’t be serious,” Naihar frowned, folding up a sheet of paper.  “You actually believe what that message said?”

Reginar nodded.  “It’s too much of a coincidence.  First, the arrival of the Knights Radiant.  And now this.”

Faisan shook his head, chuckling.  “Well, you know what they say.  One’s an anomaly, two is a coincidence, three is a conspiracy.  You’re going to need more than that to convince me that a Desolation is coming.”

“How about this?” Metam raised a sign, reading “THE END IS NIGH!” in a bright red font.

“Are we seriously contemplating this?” Serji frowned.  “There will be no Desolation.  There are other things we can be discussing, such as how we can use secret messages to tie some bonds –”

“Boy, you really do love tying things, don’t you?” Famed Gamin asked, not even sparing a glance at Serji.  Scum such as he were nowhere near his astounding demeanor.  “Almost as if you were the one who tied Paliadin’s shackles together.  I know you’re a Skybreaker.  No need to deny it.”

“Gamin,” Serji replied sternly.  “I like you –”

“Undoubtedly,” Gamin interrupted.

“– so I’ll let you off this time.  All I want is to encourage us to talk, to start gathering information.  If we don’t start getting any information, we will most certainly be defeated.”

“Yes!” Metam yelled, nodding.  “We must find the patterns!  We must kill the Skybreakers!  But we’ll still die anyway, so I don’t see the point in it.”

“Fine, fine,” Famed Gamin yawned, not really listening.  “Any of you peasants want to add anything?”

Reginar frowned.  Well, at least they’re trying, he thought, letting out a sigh.

“Jain,” Wurum started.  “That creature of yours has brought nothing but trouble.  I think you should get rid of it before we get rid of you.”

Jain stood, aghast, pulling the black-and-white furry beast closer to his chest.  “Get rid of it!  You are out of your mind!  I got this all the way back in Shin Kak Nish!”

“Mmm, Naihar, you’ve been awfully quiet,” Mallaw noted.  “Anything in particular you’re writing there?  A message to your Skybreaker friends, maybe?”

Naihar put his pen down, and looked over at Mallaw.  “I’m not part of any schemes, fisherman.  This is simply a letter home, to my family.  I imagine you couldn’t understand what that’s like, though.”

“Hey, can we see some action, here?” Tunnib asked, polishing one of his daggers.  “Jeno hasn’t showed up yet.  I think that’s awfully suspicious.  What say you?”

The others looked at Tunnib, and shrugged.  “Fine,” Reginar mumbled.  “It does strike me as suspicious that he hasn’t showed up yet.  Apparently, saving this town isn’t worth his time.  I shall take care of him.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Tunnib grumbled.  “If you’re going to do all of the killing, then why are we here?  Just as some sort of glorified informant or something for you?”

“Alright, if you think you can handle him, he’s yours.”

Tunnib, filled with glee, rushed out of the Eye of the Storm, and bumped directly into Jeno.  “Oh, there you guys are,” Jeno said.  “I was just about to —”

“You are a liar, Skybreaker!” Tunnib stabbed the man in the heart with his knife.

Jeno fell to the ground, blood pooling around him.  “No…” he gasped, his life fading.  “This is not fair…”

“I don’t think he was a Skybreaker,” Reginar sighed.

“Wait!” Wurum shouted, looking at the fallen man.  “There’s something in his pocket…”

Tunnib grabbed a crumpled paper from Jeno’s pocket, and handed it over to Reginar.

“He may not have been a Skybreaker,” Reginar breathed, looking over the paper, “but he was one of their henchmen.”

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

After the sun went down, Wurum exited the Eye of the Storm.  As usual, he had some… business… to take care of.

Storming Simir, he thought, his steps quick and heavy.  This job would be so much easier if he hadn’t backed down like that.  I feel practically defenseless down here.  Straining his eyes to see, Wurum took a recently infused diamond broam out of his pocket, using its light to see the path in front of him.

He just had to make it to the docks, pick up a shipment, and then carry it off to his secret smuggling center.  Easy.  But then, why did he have the feeling that it wouldn’t be so simple?  That something was about to go horribly wrong?

Wurum rounded a corner, heading down a narrow alleyway.  His glowing sphere cast odd, slanted shadows on the walls.  And then, suddenly, the light went out.  Like a candle being snuffed, the alleyway plunged into utter darkness.

Wurum froze, suddenly terrified.  What just storming --?

“Wurum!” a voice boomed from behind.  Wurum jumped back and whirled around, seeing a figure, covered in white.  It glowed.  The figure radiated glowing Stormlight, creating an eerie, ghost-like apparition.  The figure’s face was concealed from view, covered by a large hood.  “You have been found guilty of smuggling illegal goods into this town.  You may have thought you were able to conceal your identity under the guise of a Stormwarden, but you were wrong.  Prepare to die.”

A Shardblade appeared in the figure’s hand.  Wurum stepped back, that horrible apparition burned into his memory.  This is not real, he assured himself.  It’s impossible.  But he knew that this wasn’t a dream, and that’s precisely what terrified him.

Wurum took off, dashing down the alleyway as fast as he could manage, into a small street.  He turned left, not bothering to look back.  At that… thing.

Unfortunately, the white-clothed figure was not far behind him, and was catching up, running at a speed that should have been impossible.

“You cannot escape, criminal,” the figure spoke, its tone eerie and hollow.

“No!” Wurum shouted, still not turning to look at the fiend.  He turned right, passing under an archway onto another narrow street.  I’m not far.  Once I reach the storage complex, I’ll have enough weapons to fight off this ghoul.

Wurum heard a scraping sound, and he finally turned around, just quick enough to see a large chunk of the archway hurtling towards him.  What?  How?  Frantic, Wurum ducked to the side, but he was too late.  The giant piece of masonry struck him in the back, and he fell to the ground, hearing the terrible sound of bones snapping.

“It is done, criminal,” the cloaked figure sighed, standing above Wurum.  Then, someone else crashed feet-first into the cloaked figure, knocking them off balance.

“Go!” the newcomer shouted frantically.  “Flee!  I will hold him off!”

What was happening?  Wurum struggled to get up, groaning in pain.  His back was smashed, bleeding.  How could he make it back to the storage complex now?  Valiantly, Wurum stood up, and turned around.

The two figures had somehow launched themselves into the air, and were flying around, glowing with Stormlight.  The newcomer, dressed in blue, was shooting dun spheres at the white-cloaked figure, trying to put them on defense.  The white-cloaked figure simply stuck their Shardblade out, the spheres funneling directly towards it, getting shredded into tiny pieces of glass.

The two flew along, the blue-dressed figure obviously trying to lead the other away from the storage complex.  As amazing and glorious as the battle above was, Wurum knew that he had to get to that complex.  He hobbled down the street, using the walls of houses as support.  He just had to make it past the next intersection.  I can’t do this! Wurum thought, mentally screaming in agony.  It’s too much!

He fell down, sitting against one of the stone houses, waiting for the end to come.

Reginar came instead, rushing down the street to his side.  “Get up,” he insisted, an urgency in his voice.

Wurum ignored him, rolling onto his side.  His vision wavered.

“Storms,” Reginar cursed.  “This is worse than I thought.”  Reginar looked around.  “Stay here.  I’ll get a surgeon.”

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

Wurum woke up inside of the Eye of the Storm, of all places.  Had he been drunk?  No, he never would’ve had any alcohol before an important job…

“He’s awake,” a female voice said.  Who was that?  One of Madame Quismet’s serving girls, probably.

“Ah, Wurum,” Reginar smiled.  “Glad to see you’re alive.  Unfortunately, the attack on you was not the only news this night.”

“Did somebody else die?  That blue-clothed figure?”

“No,” Reginar frowned.  “Another message has been scrawled on the wall.”

Wurum leaned up, the pain in his back flaring up again.  “Ah!  That hurts,” he moaned.

“Then stay down,” Reginar advised.  He turned to the message on the wall.  “The message says that we have two days.”

“Two days?” Wurum whispered.  “Two days until what?”

Reginar looked down nervously.  “Two days… until Odium arrives.”

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

Jain (1): Wurum
Kaladen (1)
Aladdin (0): Metam
Jeno (2): Tunnib
Naihar (1): Mallaw

No Vote: Serji, Jain, Kaladen, Aladdin, Twlv, Madame Quismet, Rulit, Jeno, Faisan, Famed Gamin, Gart, Tahrin Resten, Naihar, Lyce

Day Three has begun!  The cycle will end at 10 PM EST on Wednesday.

Wurum was saved by a Basic Lashing!
Jeno was a Henchman!

Player List

 

1. Serji (Sir Jerric)
2. Jain (Lightsworn Panda)
3. Kaladen (Kal Dell)
4. Aladdin (Ashiok)
5. Twlv (twelfthrootoftwo)
6. Wurum (Wyrmhero)
7. Madame Quismet (Quitecontrary)
8. Rulit (Tulir)
9. Mallaw (Mailliw73)
10. Jeno (The Only Joe) - Henchman
11. Faisan (AonarFaileas)
12. Famed Gamin (Gamma Fiend)
13. Metam (Metacognition)
14. Tunnib (Binnut)
15. Gart (a smart guy)
16. Tahrin Resten (Theorymaker)
17. Naihar (Alvron)
18. Lyce (luckat)

Edited June 15, 2016 by Alvron

[Tulir he/him]

Ok, this streak of luck can't last. First lynch in the last two games has been an Eliminator. That is some storming good luck! I would say it looks like Wurum can be trusted, as he was target by the Skybreakers.

[Gamma Fiend he/him]

O.o

Whew. That was pretty darn good luck. I did think we were about to lynch an innocent because nobody had tried to defend him too much, it seemed like, but I guess it looked like the S(O)Bs just figured it wasn't worth trying to deflect suspicion off of an inactive. Either way, that was a storming good break for us.

Also, fantastic write-up, Almighty GM!

 

Another thing to note was that there was only 1 S(O)B kill last night, when there could have been two, potentially. That's all I got for right now.
 

[Sir Jerric he/him]

Splendid write up there, Renegade.

From that, it looks like the SB's choose Division versus Wurum for one, and either Reverse Lashing or inactive for the other.

The Basic Lashing may have been either of the WR's or possibly a squire. Rather cool that it happened to work out to save someone.

The odds of Wurum's survial being any kind of a gambit are next to none. The henchmen and the SB's had a doc to plan in on Day one. On day two, a henchman might have been activated as a squire, and might have received the Basic Lashing. But to attack a teammate on that same cycle -- before any message could be sent -- that kill would have been made on the blind chance of two variables falling into place. Only other solution is that the henchmen had a special code blended into a public post that informed the SB's of their new power and triggered the gambit.

So, more than mildly likely, Wurum is on the village side of this game. Unless I missed something?

[Ashiok]

Um guys... Look at the vote tally.

Meta's vote has a 0 next to it. So somebody hit him with a full lashing. There was only one kill today. Coincidence? I think not.

Therefore, I'll vote (red) Meta for the lynch today...

[Tulir he/him]

No, I think you are right about that, Serji.  I would put it almost certainly that he is on the village side.  I must commend the Squire/Windrunner that targeted Wurum, because that makes things a lot easier us, having a practically confirmed villager without the Truthwatcher stepping forward and revealing themselves.

 

Rulit was in a daze for several hours after he found out about Jeno.  He trusted Reginar, but there is a difference between believing someone and seeing it with your own eyes.  

"I am personally very surprised we uncovered Jeno so soon, and I am sure the others are hiding themselves better after this loss.  But this proves, they can be beaten!" Rulit said with confidence.

Edit: it was definitely blue

Edited August 19, 2014 by Tulir

[Mailliw73 he/him]

First thing, Renegade, Mallaw isn't a fisherman. He's actually based off a Ranger from the series, Ranger's Apprentice. But you know, whatever.

Well, this cycle, it appears mine and Gamma's message luck may have been switched. I received four messages. One of which I am 100% sure of the sender. The other two, I am pretty confident that they are who they claim. The fourth I am less sure about.

I did not think Jeno was on team evil this time, so I was wrong about that.

[Metacognition he/him]

It's more likely they used Reverse Lashing, Aladdin, as I have good reason to suspect that I didn't receive a message that I should have.

 

My 2 best guesses is that they're trying to disrupt our communication or find the Windrunners that way. While I understand why you'd go that route, it's not the only reason that a possible kill was missing and not even the most likely, IMO. 

 

Honestly, I'm a bit more suspicious of you at this point. I put in a vote for you yesterday and you didn't even bat an eyelash. In fact, you practically ignored it! That plus you jumping to conclusions makes me think this is some sort of set up to get me lynched. 

[Sir Jerric he/him]

@ Mallaw: I assume the 100%-er is mine? You're welcome to reply to my message in thread, if you wish to reply at all, since privacy for that particular subject is largely meaningless. =)

Thank you, Ashiok, for mentioning the vote tally. I forgot to pay attention to that. So a Full Lashing was used on Metam? He might have been the missing kill action, as one possible reason for the "inactive" option. A WR probably used the Full Lashing, though if a squire had the option, that could have been the case too. I have been wondering if the WR's recruited anyone the first day, since the conversation was so thin it would be hard to get a read on people.

 

The only party in a position to use that power for protective vote manipulation is the WR for the other WR, but a simple vote tally would have revealed that as being unnecessary, so I doubt that was the intent.

 

I thought of another use for Messages. (Old saw, I know.) The primary design (or, the first use I thought of) behind the messages is to allow the TW to send "Alex is a henchman squire" to someone who could report that to the thread, thereby shielding the TW from exposure. But if four messages in that format go around, blaming different people, how do we trust that info?

Now that we are in Day Three, the TW will have just received the first Illumination result. Unless they expose themselves, they can't share until the close of Day Three. The puzzle is how we are to know that the message is real and not a trick. The best method is for them to find a trusted party, and then establish communication with that person using a verification scheme, reporting all results to them. Except for the part where a Reverse Lashing could delay the message going through, if the Skybreakers caught on.

Of course, the TW could be setting up two alternating conversations, checking both of them, and then alternating the reports back and forth. And another thing I hadn't considered before, but is a really good idea, is that once the conversation has begun, the participants can drop their names from the signature (instead of "Beth the Grumpy" just sign it "the Grumpy one"), since a verification like mine or Aonar's can replace the easily faked name, and a stolen report from the TW that doesn't say who sent it is going to be a potent security measure against a stolen message getting the TW targeted.

And this is posted early enough for it to have full usefulness, so none of that "Should have posted that on Day ###", this time, alright? =)

Big tangent aside, the other important thing to do with messages: Noise.

 

People keep reporting getting piles of messages. If that player is targeted by a Reverse Lashing, whose message is stolen?

Reverse Lashing: Allows you to target a player, and steal one Message that they would have received. That player will not receive the Message, but you will, at the beginning of the following cycle. Cannot be used two days in a row.

Even if you have no particular reason to be sending a message to someone, the presence of a message that isn't important can shield a message that is important. Extra benefit is gained by sending your message to someone you think is going to be receiving a useful message (Like the TW's contact(s)), since the useful message is more likely to get through.

That being the case, I think that having people say how many messages they've been sending and receiving could be useful data. Volunteering who you sent to may also be helpful, but I do not want to require that of anyone, since that could give away too much.

I've received nothing either cycle, by the way. =)

Edited August 19, 2014 by Sir Jerric