Mid-Range Game 67: 'Twas the Night Before SA5

[Mat]

"I should have bought a VIP pass," Mat muttered to himself, staring at the long registration line ahead of him. He should have figured the convention would have way more people than the year before, what with Stormlight 5 and all, but had weighed the extra cost of the badge against the benefits and chosen the cheaper option. A choice he was beginning to regret.

Eventually, he made it to the front of the line and picked up his badge. Number 1748. Isn't that the number of pages in SA5? He thought he remembered that fact from the Shardcast spoiler-free review that was posted the day before. That's a fun coincidence. And a very long book.

The designated SE meeting spot was in front of the Exhibit Hall, so Mat headed there next. The hall still was closed to non-VIP badgeholders. Yet another reason to have splurged for it. But even if he had one, that didn't guarantee the others did as well. He turned the corner and there they were: a circle of people he didn't recognize. Time to go put faces to a name. This is going to be a fun weekend.

*     *     *

Welcome to MR67: 'Twas the Night Before SA5! I'm your GM, and your IM is @Elandera. Please feel free to go to her for any concerns before, during, or after the game.

Mat and the other SErs are attending Dragonsteel 2024! But with Stormlight 5 so close, and the tension and excitement so high, some of them may have forgotten that this is not one of their games. Or maybe that was their plan all along…

Rules are found below, and also in this doc.

General Rules:

Spoiler

• Day and Night turns are combined, with cycles lasting roughly 48 hours. Rollover will occur at 3pm, PST.
• Each turn, someone will be banned from the con (exed). The exe has no vote minimum. Tied votes will be RNGd.
• Each turn, one of the Crazed SErs may submit a kill in their GM PM, forcibly ending a player’s Dragonsteel experience. Kills will not be differentiated, when applicable.
• There is an inactivity filter of two cycles. Failure to post during this time period will result in removal or replacement. (If you bought a badge, you’d better show up!)
• All PMs are closed. (No talking during the panels)

Factions:

Spoiler

• Reasonable SErs: Standard village faction. They win when all the Crazed SErs are banned from the con or are otherwise removed from convention grounds.
• Crazed SErs: Standard eliminator faction. They win when they outnumber the Reasonable SErs.

Mat's Kickstarter:

Spoiler

We all love a good kickstarter, right? Especially when relating to Brandon. So in honor of us all being here, I’d like to announce the stretch goals for the weekend. Let’s make this happen!

• Stretch Goal #1: At eight signups, unlock Brandon Sanderson.
  • Brandon Sanderson: One of the Reasonable SErs is actually Brandon in disguise! Each cycle, Brandon Sanderson may protect one player from all attacks.
     
• Stretch Goal #2: At ten signups, unlock the Ballistic SEr.
  • Ballistic SEr: Standard serial killer faction. They win when they are the last player standing. Each cycle, they may submit a kill, brutally ending a player’s Dragonsteel experience. The Ballistic SEr must be removed from the con by the exe; they have kill immunity.
     
• Stretch Goal #3: At twelve signups, unlock the Convention Game.
  • Convention Game: Mat shamelessly stole this concept from Archer. Players will be randomly paired off, and must beat their anonymous opponent in completing a miscellaneous task. Winners will be lauded. The Convention Game has no impact on the rest of the game.

Signups are open starting now, and run until Monday, December 11th, at 3pm PST. The game will begin shortly after, and that will be the regular rollover time. I don't think I'll need to delay a turn going up during the game, but if something comes up in my schedule I thank everyone in advance for their patience  Turns will always end at 3pm PST regardless of that possibility.

Note that you may sign up with an RP character, but because in-game you're actually at Dragonsteel in person, that's who will show up in the writeups  I guess that means this game also comes with the risk of someone else (AKA me) RPing as you, and if that makes you uncomfortable feel free to not sign up. But I'll be as courteous as I can. If at any point you feel I've crossed a line please yell at me and/or Elan, but I don't think it'll come to that. I'll be careful!

Participants:

Spoiler

Player List:

Spoiler

1. @Ookla of Ravens / TheRavenHasLanded
2. @Ookla the Raveness / The Wandering Wizard - Wizzy
3. @Ookla the Bald / The Known Novel - Shane Huge (jock/bully/audiobook listener)
4. @Ookla the Paradigm / Archer
5. @Winnie the Pookla / Araris Valerian
6. @Ookla the Resolute / Aeoryi
7. @Ookla thePresentParticiple / Ravenclawjedi42
8.  @WildKarrde  / Kasim  (Shot Araris in the face a long long time ago)  -  (@Kasimir) 
9. @JNV
10. @Devotary of Spontaneity - Lena
11. @TheOokla929 / Alpha/Labyrinth - that one guy with a 2 year old named Kaladin
12. @Coffeecat / Silberfarben
13. @neil the beguiled
14. @Amanuensis
15. @Ashbringer
16. @Ookla the Rich / Cash67

Spectators:

Spoiler

1.  

Pinch-Hitters:

Spoiler

1. @Violet
2. @Stick.
3. @STINK

 

Quicklinks:

Spoiler

Cycle One: Let the (Convention) Game Begin!
Cycle Two: Birdwatching
Cycle Three: kahoot.it
Cycle Four: Knife-Wielding Quokka
Cycle Five: Brandon Sanderson???
Aftermath: A Successful Lurch

 

Edited December 27, 2023 by Elandera

[TheRavenHasLanded]

im in!

[The Wandering Wizard]

I love the concept sign me up as Wizzy!!

[Mat]

Mat was confused. The first two people he talked two introduced themselves as Raven. And also with an Ookla name. Oh no... "Wiz, is that you?"

I forgot something!  Ookla Season Rules: Please put your original username as your Member Title and/or in your signature for ease of literally everyone but especially me. Thanks  When voting during the game, use both if you can but I won't enforce anything.

 

Edited December 4, 2023 by Ookla the Destined

[The Wandering Wizard]

4 minutes ago, Ookla the Destined said:

Mat was confused. The first two people he talked two introduced themselves as Raven. And also with an Ookla name. Oh no... "Wiz, is that you?"

I forgot something!  Ookla Season Rules: Please put your original username as your Member Title and/or in your signature for ease of literally everyone but especially me. Thanks  When voting during the game, use both if you can but I won't enforce anything.

 

Whoops sorry will do

Just forgot I was an ookla

[The Unknown Ajah]

Hmmm, to be myself? Let's be my other half, Shane Huge, jock, bully, and Audiobook listener because he doesn't like reading.

[Archer]

"Has anyone seen Brandon? I have ideas for his castle that I want to show him! If anyone bumps into him, let him know Archer has some really cool sketches to share!!"

Spoiler

 

[Araris Valerian]

I’m in as Araris, who is cosplaying as… himself.

[TheRavenHasLanded]

1 hour ago, Ookla the Destined said:

Mat was confused. The first two people he talked two introduced themselves as Raven. And also with an Ookla name. Oh no... "Wiz, is that you?"

I forgot something!  Ookla Season Rules: Please put your original username as your Member Title and/or in your signature for ease of literally everyone but especially me. Thanks  When voting during the game, use both if you can but I won't enforce anything.

 

ill keep my pfp the same.

[Aeoryi]

I'm in as Aeoryi, who is a Ookla in disguise

 

[Mat]

1 hour ago, Ookla the Raveness said:

Whoops sorry will do

Just forgot I was an ookla

All good, thanks  

Awesome Ookla name, Araris  

[Ravenclawjedi42]

I’ll play this. I like the elim name a lot.

[Violet]

I'll be a pinch-hitter since spotty activity 

[Kasimir]

Signing up as Kasim, a SE-er who has Seem Some Crem and is going for his first con because as it turns out, Dragonsteel never blesses his part of the world. ( @Ookla the Destined - request that if you RP my character, RP as Kasim, as this is the guy I'm inventing a whole SE history for and playing as  )

The few SE games Kasim has played occurred early enough that most people probably won't know him. (Except Araris, but Araris is a living fossil.)

Those who remember him will know him under the handle  @WildKarrde  as the guy who shot Araris in the face C1, costing the Village a Seeker, because he was drunk RNGesus told him to.

Edited to add:

RP may be light as my hand is still recovering but how often do I get to invent a whole SE-er out of cloth  

Edited December 5, 2023 by Kasimir

[JNV]

Hi um I guess Im too boring to invent a whole SEer from cloth so Ill just be JNV some random person who brought way too many quokka themed items like plushies woodcuts stickers you name it theyve got it sorta thing like this is their laptop bag and youd better believe the laptop is covered in quokka stickers

Spoiler

 

[TheRavenHasLanded]

im just being myself. so kinda a nerd, but also, get to be silly.

[Araris Valerian]

I brought a board game, intent on hiding in a corner with some friends for 5 hours.

[TheRavenHasLanded]

rp has begun, and its not even the first cycle lol.

[Mat]

From within the many layers of his fake wizard beard, designed to let him mingle without constant attention, Brandon Sanderson watched the SErs with interest. He'd never seen such a group before. They clearly liked his books well enough to be here, but there was something about their circle that was different. They were united by something more than simply a love for the cosmere. 

"Hmm," he thought. "I'm going to find out what that is."

*     *     *

Stretch Goal #1 has been reached! Brandon Sanderson has entered the game! One of the Reasonable SErs will be Brandon in disguise, and will be able to protect one player per cycle. His convention, his rules. To an extent, of course.

[Aeoryi]

Just now, Ookla the Destined said:

From within the many layers of his fake wizard beard, designed to let him mingle without constant attention, Brandon Sanderson watched the SErs with interest. He'd never seen such a group before. They clearly liked his books well enough to be here, but there was something about their circle that was different. They were united by something more than simply a love for the cosmere. 

"Hmm," he thought. "I'm going to find out what that is."

*     *     *

Stretch Goal #1 has been reached! Brandon Sanderson has entered the game! One of the Reasonable SErs will be Brandon in disguise, and will be able to protect one player per cycle. His convention, his rules. To an extent, of course.

Question: can the Sanderson self-protect or are they just a goalkeeper?

[Mat]

Just now, Ookla the Resolute said:

Question: can the Sanderson self-protect or are they just a goalkeeper?

I'll say they can self protect but can't protect the same person twice in a row. Standard Lurcher.

[---]

I am not a fan of the second kickstarter goal, but i want to join...

 

what to do...what to do.....

[Devotary of Spontaneity]

<Why are we even here. What do we hope to accomplish with a stolen VIP badge? Can we at least pitch our voice up?>

<A badge gives us opportunities! You never know what we could do with access to people we've only known over the internet. Plus, Brandon himself is supposed to be here. And no, our voice is the only thing we have left of our dearly deceased twin brother. Plus, it's not like they'll be surprised.>

"Hello! You know us as Devotary, but this time you can also call us Lena for short, or anything plausibly/implausibly nicknamed to Lena for long!"

Edit: SK in play whether you like it or not now.

[Aeoryi]

Only at an SE con would there be people willing to kill two people every day smh

1 hour ago, Ooklil the Wei said:

I am not a fan of the second kickstarter goal, but i want to join...

 

what to do...what to do.....

You join, now that Devo's enabled SK

[---]

1 hour ago, Ookla the Resolute said:

Only at an SE con would there be people willing to kill two people every day smh

You join, now that Devo's enabled SK

well thats kind of what i wanted to avoid....