Mid-Range Game 66: Knights of Wind and Truth

[Guest Ψιτιsτηε Βεsτ]

Oh I thought that because you said that in response to his post which was in response to mine, so I thought it was in response to mine.

NoT a SLIP.

[Mat he/him]

As Shay drew closer to her fellow Radiants, a memory rose unbidden to the surface of her mind.

Shay is eight, maybe nine years old. Childhood has since blurred together, the breaks defined by key moments rather than arbitrary numbers relating to Roshar's position around the sun. She is at home, back when she had such a thing. Her mother is away, working. Her father... is away.

She has no siblings, so her days are monotonous, full of housework and staring at the wall. The latter activity is what currently occupies her time; the kitchen is tidied and the floor swept. 

Shay wishes for a toy. Or a friend.

A knock sounds on the door. Shay perks up. Have the Heralds sent an answer to her half-prayer?
She scrambles to the door, sending a chair askew on the way. She pauses to put it back in its place.
Waiting for her on the other side of the door is a boy Shay recognizes to be a year or two older than herself. Aston, she thinks.

"Hi," Aston says. "We saw you through the window, just sitting there. Want to come play?"

Shay blinks. Maybe the Heralds did hear her. Even when she wasn't talking to them.

"Sure."

 

Edit: @Aeoryi you've been quiet for awhile, how do you feel about the current trains?

Edited November 8, 2023 by Matrim's Dice

[Aeoryi she/her]

So unfortunately, due to technology reasons, I am having difficulty with logging into the shard. Apologies for lower activity levels. I am trying to fix this, however.

As I cannot do extensive analysis, I will park my vote on Ash. This is simply to avoid a tie, which grants us 0 information.

2 hours ago, Matrim's Dice said:

I think this is accurate--

• Devo (1): Kas
• Ash (4): Stink, Archer, Mat, Aeoryi
• Archer (2): TJ, JNV

Which is kind of eye opening because I thought Devo was still in the lead :p. I should be paying better attention.

Ash

Updated VC

[Mat he/him]

Just now, Aeoryi said:

As I cannot do extensive analysis, I will park my vote on Ash. This is simply to avoid a tie, which grants us 0 information.

Ah okay welcome back  Think I ninja edited you

We do have two hours still, so consolidating isn't of the greatest concern, but sure I guess?

[Kasimir he/him]

Keleran dropped the practice sword on the sand of the training yard.

He was done here, he decided. He'd tried to take a break from considering suspects by working over the stances again and practising what he learned, but...but the whole thing was so storming stupid.

The enemy wasn't someone he could fight. He wasn't going to outfight Phil Swift, and he wasn't going to fight Shay. Storms, the way Keleran thought about it, Galatar'd been absent for most of the events thus far, and he wouldn't give himself decent odds on beating Galatar in a fight either. Sure, there was all that storming Radiant philosophy crem but Keleran couldn't bring himself to believe it. Volition moved the Blade, the flesh followed—yeah right. All he felt was the burn of tired muscles repeating the same endless patterns of stances and strikes, hoping that repetition seared it into his body's memory.

Ellu was playing with spheres. "Look!" she giggled.

"Oh, my God," Keleran said, deadpan.

"I was gambling with Iolea," Ellu said, eagerly. "She wanted to know a lot about you."

"Please tell me you didn't tell her anything."

"Of course I did!" Ellu said, indignantly. "Gambling is sacred, Keleran."

Keleran wondered if it counted as oathbreaking to murder his spren.

"It is, is it?"

"It's the place where desires meet," Ellu proclaimed. "Greed, inspiration, desperation... Where people can turn a situation around because they're clever, or because they can't lose. It's like a miniature sculpture of people behaviour." She added, a beat later, "And I thought I'd see what Iolea was up to."

"And?"

"Fishing," Ellu said, thoughtfully. "So I played everything up. Gambling is sacred, but I'm not stupid."

"Do you think Orotha is one of the traitors?"

Ellu rolled her eyes. "Keleran," she said, indignantly, "I'm not going to do your work for you! Find the traitors yourself. It's character-building!"

"They're going to kill people, you know," Keleran said, grimly.

"I know," Ellu said.

He stared at the practice sword in the dust. He felt the weight on his shoulders. The need to get this right. The need to be better. Be smarter. Be faster. To get back up on his feet again and to whack the stupid training dummy again, to be more because Keleran the surgeon's son just wasn't good enough.

He just didn't have it.

He wasn't going to stop anyone from killing more of his squad. Wasn't going to be any kind of hero. Was, in fact, probably going to bleed the rest of his life out at the end of a Shanay-Im spear, the way Callar kept warning him he would if he wasn't better. If he wasn't...anyone but Keleran.

If he didn't stop screwing up.

He just.

Didn't.

Have it.

But that was it, wasn't it. 

He thought about it. About how hard he'd been working, just as hard as he had in his studies to take over as a surgeon one day. 

"Ellu," he said. "I'm a Stoneward, aren't I."

"Dunno," said Ellu. "Maybe I'm a confused honorspren. You're pretty slow sometimes, aren't you, Kel?"

Keleran rolled his own eyes. "Stonewards fight," he said. And that was the crux of it, the one stupid problem he kept coming back to, like a whitespine worrying at an old bone. The fact that he wasn't enough, for whatever was demanded of him. Hadn't been. Never was. Was still failing.

"I told you," Ellu said, at last. "Fighting, Keleran..." her voice trailed off. "It's stupid. You keep thinking of fighting as the stupid thing you do with that murder pole that makes you so unhappy. And I keep telling you but trying to find the words you're ready to hear is..." she shrugged. "You can't make a play someone's not ready for."

"Then what is fighting then?" Keleran snapped. 

But then it clicked, a heartbeat later.

Fighting was...

Fighting was all of it, wasn't it.

Fighting was showing up despite being the worst Stoneward possibly ever recruited to join their ranks. Fighting was struggling with a stupid murder pole, knowing you would be needed, knowing you had to, because someone had to, and you were here, and you weren't going to say no when someone needed you. Fighting was clawing your way out of bed at an absurd hour before dawn despite the fog of exhaustion because you had to, because someone had to try, because if no one did their bit, the traitors would kill all of them.

Fighting was looking at your inadequacies, your weaknesses, and saying they didn't matter, because the fact of the matter was, someone had to, and this needed to be done. And so you did it, no matter the cost.

"It's all of this," Ellu said, waving a hand, vaguely. "It's..."

"Just showing up," Keleran said. "No matter how hopeless. No matter how doomed. It's not giving up." His mouth firmed. "Because no one else will."

These Words are accepted, rumbled the thunder.

Ellu looked at him, and gave him a firm, tiny nod.

Edited to add:

21 minutes ago, Aeoryi said:

As I cannot do extensive analysis, I will park my vote on Ash. This is simply to avoid a tie, which grants us 0 information.

If Archer is on the lam, there will be no tie, because Archer will absolutely vote manip it so Ash will die. Just saying. I don't think that's AI barring a specific situation, but it's the anticipated outcome.

On the move this morning so I wanted to get the RP done on PC - analysis can be done on the go. TJ's arrival causing me to once again doubt my reads.

Archer

@Fifth Scholar - Did not mean to edit this in, but the forum merged my post. Going to make it in a separate one again later, regardless.

Edited November 9, 2023 by Kasimir

[Aeoryi she/her]

Hi

Okay

Rollover in 1.5 hours

Aaaaa

 

[Kasimir he/him]

@Devotary of Spontaneity Do you believe E!Raven makes an obviously false claim like not receiving any messages in thread?

[Ashbringer he/him]

Oooh boy.

Well, hopefully I can work my magic in 30 minutes because I still have thesis work to do.

[Devotary of Spontaneity]

10 minutes ago, Kasimir said:

Do you believe E!Raven makes an obviously false claim like not receiving any messages in thread?

They could be an Edgedancer who was using Abrasion, but E!Raven presumably would have been told by their teammates that messages were sent out to seemingly everyone. I guess they could an elim who's specifically pretending to be a village Edgedancer, but that's convoluted. Or the Stoneward wanted to mess with Raven specifically for some reason.

Ash wasn't particularly involved in the votes last cycle except for being unconcerned with who died. If Ash is evil, I wouldn't expect top vote getters like Archer or Mat to be. Although apparently Ash can only be around for an hour or so before rollover, which limits options to vote elsewhere.

[Mat he/him]

14 minutes ago, Kasimir said:

@Devotary of Spontaneity Do you believe E!Raven makes an obviously false claim like not receiving any messages in thread?

I mean I don't really understand why v!Raven would do that either :P.

[Archer he/him]

44 minutes ago, Kasimir said:

If Archer is on the lam, there will be no tie, because Archer will absolutely vote manip it so Ash will die. Just saying. I don't think that's AI barring a specific situation, but it's the anticipated outcome.

On the move this morning so I wanted to get the RP done on PC - analysis can be done on the go. TJ's arrival causing me to once again doubt my reads.

Archer

@Fifth Scholar - Did not mean to edit this in, but the forum merged my post. Going to make it in a separate one again later, regardless.

Thank you for the reminder to submit my vote manip :P. 

As much as I appreciate the opportunity to potentially end up in 2nd place, I'd rather not die. And I'm out of role claims to make. (I'd still like to support the Aeoryi for 2nd place campaign, if anyone's in a position to later).

I like the concept of an Ash vote but I don't like the source. So Ash Devo

Just now, Matrim's Dice said:

I mean I don't really understand why v!Raven would do that either :P.

that's so raven

[Kasimir he/him]

20 minutes ago, Devotary of Spontaneity said:

They could be an Edgedancer who was using Abrasion, but E!Raven presumably would have been told by their teammates that messages were sent out to seemingly everyone. I guess they could an elim who's specifically pretending to be a village Edgedancer, but that's convoluted. Or the Stoneward wanted to mess with Raven specifically for some reason.

Ash wasn't particularly involved in the votes last cycle except for being unconcerned with who died. If Ash is evil, I wouldn't expect top vote getters like Archer or Mat to be. Although apparently Ash can only be around for an hour or so before rollover, which limits options to vote elsewhere.

-Assuming SW would definitely message everyone. It's a free ideal.

-Bracketing the weirdness with me as it seems to involve other SW madness and potential redirects. 

-Feel V!Raven is less likely to think through implications @Matrim's Dice. 

-Question was provocatively phrased. Agree with Devo unlikely actual lie, more likely ED who used Abrasion. 

-Do not feel is claim E!Raven would make so easily—Elims less likely to accidentally give role info and to be more careful about this, no real V cred to be gained from reply.

-Wanted to ask Devo especially as Devo suggested Raven flip but imo on further reflection this looks V to me 

[JNV]

Jenel held a sword in their hand with some amount of trepidation. Not a Shardblade, they weren't nearly far enough along for that, but a sword. They'd held swords before, but it was one thing to hold a sword and quite another to use it. Quite another thing to become someone capable of using it. There was almost a block in their mind against the idea of becoming a warrior. Because they weren't. They were a scholar in the quiet confines of their mind, and there was still a part of them that was... discomfited. But they had chosen this. They had chosen to come forward with their Oaths instead of standing aside. And maybe that was the trick of it in the end. Choice.

The sword was lighter than they'd thought it would be. Or maybe they were stronger. It balanced well in the hand and swung easily through the air. Jenel breathed, in and out in a slow and steady rhythm. Then they began a simple kata, movement like water as they flowed from one stance to the next. It felt strange, and they could feel their sword wavering as they moved, but at the same time, it felt right.

[Mat he/him]

Not to mess with this nice silence we got going on but this is eerily different from last turn, is that just me?

Like it's lowkey making me want to vote Wit because that's the easiest explanation for the difference between the two turns. Or vote JNV for only RPing :P.

[Archer he/him]

1 minute ago, Matrim's Dice said:

Not to mess with this nice silence we got going on but this is eerily different from last turn, is that just me?

Like it's lowkey making me want to vote Wit because that's the easiest explanation for the difference between the two turns. Or vote JNV for only RPing :P.

I assume everyone, like me, is watching hockey. Who do you propose gets the 2nd place crown? 

[Ashbringer he/him]

On one hand, me dying here gives me a lot more time to focus on IRL things.

On the other hand, I’d rather not die, because I don’t want to and there’s still so much to do.

So… hmm. Archer. Although a switch to Wit wouldn’t be the worst.

[Mat he/him]

Just now, Archer said:

I assume everyone, like me, is watching hockey. Who do you propose gets the 2nd place crown? 

See here

You or Aeoryi are good alternatives  With you being the obvious choice as you have votes. No idea where the VC is though.

[Kasimir he/him]

11 minutes ago, Ashbringer said:

On one hand, me dying here gives me a lot more time to focus on IRL things.

On the other hand, I’d rather not die, because I don’t want to and there’s still so much to do.

So… hmm. Archer. Although a switch to Wit wouldn’t be the worst.

Care to give me a stronger reason than that? I can still switch trains

14 minutes ago, Matrim's Dice said:

Not to mess with this nice silence we got going on but this is eerily different from last turn, is that just me?

It is, but I also don't have PC access for a decent chunk of today. I appreciate not needing to panic tbh.

Current Thoughts:

-Maybe V!Raven
-Ngl Mat, Ash, and TJ concurring on Wit is ???
-K tryna Digimon on this com is rough so:

Pretty V: Aeo
Light V: Raven
Null +: STINK, JNV, Wit
Null: TJ, Ash
OMFG I Give Up: Archer, Devo (but if Devo is Evil omfg guys I told y'all so I am done with questioning myself nonstop), Mat

If there's anyone I forgot about, you're Evil because dear Lord I should not be forgetting about you at my tender young age >>

[Archer he/him]

1 minute ago, Kasimir said:

Care to give me a stronger reason than that? I can still switch trains

It is, but I also don't have PC access for a decent chunk of today. I appreciate not needing to panic tbh.

Current Thoughts:

-Maybe V!Raven
-Ngl Mat, Ash, and TJ concurring on Wit is ???
-K tryna Digimon on this com is rough so:

Pretty V: Aeo
Light V: Raven
Null +: STINK, JNV, Wit
Null: TJ, Ash
OMFG I Give Up: Archer, Devo (but if Devo is Evil omfg guys I told y'all so I am done with questioning myself nonstop), Mat

If there's anyone I forgot about, you're Evil because dear Lord I should not be forgetting about you at my tender young age >>

trust me, bro 

12 minutes ago, Matrim's Dice said:

See here

You or Aeoryi are good alternatives  With you being the obvious choice as you have votes. No idea where the VC is though.

I'd agree with that. 

Ash

[Kasimir he/him]

19 minutes ago, Matrim's Dice said:

Not to mess with this nice silence we got going on but this is eerily different from last turn, is that just me?

Like it's lowkey making me want to vote Wit because that's the easiest explanation for the difference between the two turns. Or vote JNV for only RPing :P.

BIG EDIT THING: If this goddamn forum update kraem puts this in my post, this section is new, guys. You theorising that the train was meant to protect Wit? Also Ash. If V!Raven world and I'm leaning towards V!Wit (maybe not sure sort of running off that impression from the C1 reread post thing), then the closest I can get to smiting a suspect is him.

Can someone please post so I can put this vote somewhere new and not confuse Fifth. This bloody forum change is going to have to lead to a new rule tbh or some new way of handling the double vote rule because waiting for someone to post or getting this drek merged is absolutely not remotely feasible.

[Devotary of Spontaneity]

Devo (1): Archer

Ash (3): Stink, Mat, Aeoryi

Archer (4/3): TJ, JNV, Kas, Ash

 So if Archer uses his vote manipulation here, it's a tie. Don't want to leave it up to Archer. I'm oh and two votes. Well. I still think we learn more from Archer's death so let's force him to vote manip at least. From Ash, it's just how concerned the elims were yesterday.

Slani hummed Satisfaction reading through Taliat's latest report. To Excitement: That she'd escaped the brunt of suspicion. To Supplication: Whether Phil Swift or Bailis could be safely executed. Taliat had added brief notes on the two, one a Windrunner seeking powerful adhesives who was extremely dedicated to his physical exercise regime, the other a Siah Aimian woman who talked to more than just her spren and often contemplated unmoving until the day was almost over.

Slani didn't know offhand who the other essai within the Radiant camp were. Her Mavset-im direct superior desired a degree of separation, such that no connections could be drawn should any one essai be discovered. Naretlan had refused before to tell her who the other allied surgebinders were, but she relayed him another message in the form of the Rhythm of Craving just in case.

Hearing no immediate response, Slani sent Taliat another Rhythm of Indifference before turning her attention to her primary task. She relayed the Rhythm of Subservience to Lady Leshwi, leader of the vanguard that sought to liberate Deleshar from human occupation once and for all. The Singer army would have to prevail no matter how many Knights Radiant human supporters managed to kill.

[Ashbringer he/him]

I could roleclaim, I guess.

But that might just get me killed anyway. 

Hmmm. Nah.

[Kasimir he/him]

EDIT MAYBE LORD, SCREW THIS UPDATE I'M ABSURDLY TILTED BY IT:

Quote

• Ash (5): Stink, Archer, Mat, Aeoryi, Kas
• Archer (4):  TJ, JNV, Ash, Devo

Is this remotely correct.

2 minutes ago, Devotary of Spontaneity said:

Don't want to leave it up to Archer

YOU LEGIT V!READ ARCHER PREVIOUSLY WHY THE F IS A TIE SUDDENLY OKAY WITH YOU

GUYS WHY IS THIS REPEATING AGAIN

WILL SOMEONE JUST SMITE DEVO ALREADY WTH GUYS

Edited November 9, 2023 by Kasimir
Hate. This. Update.

[Fifth Scholar he/him]

The cycle is closed! Stand by for C3 (and be aware it may take a while ). 

[Ravenclawjedi42]

Aargh I missed rollover!