Hoid Slayer He/Him Posted June 10, 2025 Posted June 10, 2025 (edited) 1 hour ago, StrikerEZ said: Var had gotten very thoroughly invested in his latrine duty. It had been quite some time since he had been able to just pour himself into nice, physical labor like that. However, the voices of people from the market square had bothered him all day. And, despite his best efforts, he had listened to them. Somewhat. Poorly, but he had listened. It was hard not to, what with the Sense and all. So, steeling himself, he decided to walk straight to the market square and give his thoughts. "Hello, fellow citizens!" He proclaimed, hoping his dirty appearance would not scare away any listeners. "I have been listening to your noises all day, and there are some things I should set straight. I have been in many dire situations such as this one before. You can choose whether or not to believe a mad man, but know this: we need to execute someone today. That is a given. With the potential for secret killers amongst us, the longer we wait to act gives them more time to plot and kill us. Even if we sit on our hands and twiddle our thumbs, the killers will not be so kind. If we act now, we might get lucky and find a killer right away. Which would be an incredible boon. "So, having listened to the minimal conversation today, I think we should execute Lijal! Her reaction to Fox's accusation was to simply point a finger back at Fox, with no rebuttal. Lijal seems inexperienced and young, and a killer with those qualities would be prone to simple retaliations. Especially when there is little pressure on anyone right now and any accusations could lead to an execution. While I doubt I will convince all of you to vote for Lijal, I highly implore you to consider my arguments in light of her limited reactions and behavior. Your vote, especially when few have voted, is very impactful. And could be quite useful." Var paused to breathe and collect his thoughts. "Now, onto another point of order. There are almost certainly some of us among us who have allomantic abilities. Like Keldorn has said, anyone who can burn tin should make use of their ability at every single opportunity. If you are busy scrawling and scratching away during the night, you cannot be a killer. Anyone who can burn steel should make use of their abilities to their best judgment. The killers will not have mercy upon us, so why should we have mercy upon them? I would start with those who have been the most quiet this day. They likely felt safe to hide in the shadows this day since there was little discussion. Those who can burn iron should find a couple of fellow villagers they trust, whether that be because of their public opinions or because of private conversations, and protect those one or two people as much as possible. Those who can burn pewter should avoid being called for execution. We would hate to try executing you, wasting a day's worth of deliberations, only for it to fail. Those who can burn zinc should be extremely careful with their actions. You have the potential to inadvertently discover a killer, though you might also inadvertently cause someone else's death if you prevent a protection from taking place. Those who can burn brass should use their powers on whomever they find most suspicious. Those people will likely be killers. Copperclouds can be incredibly useful if they envelop a coinshot or lurcher. I would recommend smokers to use private conversation to build trust with and search out our most powerful allomancers. Those who can burn bronze...you might be our most valuable asset. I have a suspicion that our killers are...easy to discover with bronze. If you do discover a killer, make a trusted ally in private who can reveal your findings. We cannot lose you." With that, Var left to continue cleaning up human excrement. Kéamen watched the events escalate, silent. Waiting in the shadows. He knew not how he had ended up known by the people of Blackkeep. His job here was supposed to be secretive. Watch. Listen. And report. That was all. And yet, Kéamen’s body itched to take action. Here, finally, was his chance. A way to pull the strings of fate. So, knowing of the retaliation he would face from his mentor, Kéamen stepped out of the shadows. And spoke. ”No! We CANNOT afford to escalate this situation! This man speaks lies!” Kéamen spread his arms, spinning to address a growing audience. He watched their faces. Worried. Confused. In his chest, his heart pounded. He shut his eyes, taking a deep breath, and continued. “I URGE peace. Let us not be drawn to violence, for that is what our enemies seek! Let us not play into their hands! I know that if our accusations - our votes - are tied, no innocent blood need be shed today. We can wait.” Kéamen couldn’t explain to the others exactly how he knew that an exe was not needed. But it still resounded in him. Almost like information from a higher power. It was true that in the past he had not held this stance. And yet, recently, he had witnessed firsthand the dangers of brash action. The memories of that experience still lingered with him, the Obliteration. Area X. He was practically pleading at this point. Any inhibitions were gone. Kéamen lived in the moment. “DO NOT strike yet against foes that may or may not be foes at all!” This man -“ he faced Var. “ I do not know him. I will not pretend my accusations against him hold weight, for I acknowledge I may be flawed. But to my eyes, to my vision, he is instigating violence where there need be none. I beg you,” he turned back to the audience. “Balance your votes. Choose peace tonight.” Kéamen took a deep breath, and his mind finally caught up to him. But it was too late to turn back now. The votes tallied as follows: Lijal (3) - Fox, Mil, Var (although Keldorn seemed to think there were four, so perhaps Kéamen was missing something) Astrid (2) - Jox, Keldorn Fox (1) - Lijal Antari (1) - Derrick In the end, Kéamen’s vote fell on Astrid. (OOC: My phones acting weird and won’t let me make the text red, but I am voting Astrid here). Not because he sincerely believed her guilty - rather, the ones who drew the greatest suspicion from him at the moment were Jox and Var - but because he hoped to tie the scores, and prevent bloodshed for now. Finally, all eyes on him, Kéamen’s ducked his head and hurried from the crowd, making his way to his quarters were he would draft a letter to his mentor/employer, updating him on the situation in Blackkeep. He hoped the others made the right choice. @A Jo in the Bush @The Unknown Order @KaladinsSenseOfHumorSpren @TwinStorm @IcedOutPenguin @KelsierApologist @BigBadBagsworth @Lord Spirit @Kasimir @|TJ| @ThatOneWorldhopper @StrikerEZ @Biplet As he stepped out of the square, something occurred to Kéamen. Had the others realize show many had yet to speak? How low the chances of a spiked being the person they chose to execute were? If the execution went through, Kéamen could only hope that the others would realize the flaws in their ways. Hoped his speech had meant something. Edited June 10, 2025 by Hoid Slayer Made my vote red
Jo and the Bush all/any Posted June 10, 2025 Posted June 10, 2025 (edited) 1 hour ago, IcedOutPenguin said: "So everyone's just voting me because I'm young and a street urchin." Lijal said matter-of-factly "Well, I think they're more voting on you because you're they don't think Fox is evil? I think? One moment, I need to make a chart." Jox knelt in the dirt, and ripped up one of Astrid's loafs of bread into pieces. The man had never answered the door, so he might as well make use of the bread. One part of it he munched on himself, another part he tossed to Lijal because the kid really did need more food, and the rest he started moving into a little tally box that he scrawled in the ash and dirt. "So, Keldorn voted for Fox, who then voted on Lijal." He drew a fox head and a small human, and put one large crumb next to each. "Then Kéamon voted on Keldorn." A picture of a eye, since the man seemed to be always watching people. "Then I made the Fox news joke, which was never meant to be serious. Sorry about that again everyone." But then Keldorn took his vote off of Fox. I don't really know why? My conversation with Fox was pretty short, and he didn't say much. He said to give the bread to someone who needed it more, which I did, and he said he appreciated my joke, which was nice. I don't really know what Keldorn and he talked about. But whatever it was, now Keldorn's voting for Var." Jox considered what to draw for the man, and settled on a Bagel. "Var gave my family a recipe for Bagels. We might sell those soon." "Almost immediately afterward, he switches to the Wizard for not voting while still talking a lot." Jox drew a newt, since Josha was on the hunt for some newt-bread. "Then I stop joking around and ask about Astrid. Keldorn backs me up." Jox did his best drawing of the lantern that the watchmen carried with him. "That's when you got here and got mad at Fox for voting on you." Jox looked up at Lijal. "And then, weirdly, Mil rolled a die and voted for you, despite an ancestor of his believing in determinism." While dice were more random than people, they were still pretty human. Was that suspicious? Probably not. "And then, it gets kinda interesting. See, my pa once told me about some of the older generations in this town, and Var's ancestors and your ancestors worked together to do some murders once. It's a theory that cuts both ways, but he could be trying to get rid of you quickly because he's worried that you'll be able to recognize he's a criminal, or he could be trying to get rid of you because he recognized you're evil. I don't buy it either way, but it is interesting." Jox put down another crumb of bread next to the crude drawing of Lijal to represent Var's vote. "Anyway, then Derrick showed up, I like him by the way, really cool maps and ideas, and he's searching for Antari. I didn't talk to Antari in person, but I sent him several messages via the barkeep where he's staying, and honestly? I think he might have gotten kidnapped. We should probably send the guards to investigate that tonight." Jox drew a bag of money, then looked with satisfaction at his scrawled drawings and crumbs. "There you have it. People are mad at you and at Astrid. You could probably vote for Astrid if you don't want to get run out of town?" Another crumb of bread fell to the ground from above, next to Astrid's name. Jox looked up to see Kéamen nod down at his drawing. "One more for Astrid." Spoiler Fox (1): Keldorn 1, Jox 1, Lijal, Lijal (3): Fox, Mil, Var Keldorn (0): Kéamen 1, Var (0): Keldorn 2 Josha (0): Keldorn 3 Astrid (3): Jox 2, Keldorn 4, Kéamen 2 Antari (1): Derrick @Hoid Slayer You can do [color=red]Astrid[/color] to vote on mobile. Edited June 10, 2025 by A Jo in the Bush Adding a link
Hoid Slayer He/Him Posted June 10, 2025 Posted June 10, 2025 5 minutes ago, A Jo in the Bush said: "Well, I think they're more voting on you because you're they don't think Fox is evil? I think? One moment, I need to make a chart." Jox knelt in the dirt, and ripped up one of Astrid's loafs of bread into pieces. The man had never answered the door, so he might as well make use of the bread. One part of it he munched on himself, another part he tossed to Lijal because the kid really did need more food, and the rest he started moving into a little tally box that he scrawled in the ash and dirt. "So, Keldorn voted for Fox, who then voted on Lijal." He drew a fox head and a small human, and put one large crumb next to each. "Then Kéamon voted on Keldorn." A picture of a eye, since the man seemed to be always watching people. "Then I made the Fox news joke, which was never meant to be serious. Sorry about that again everyone." But then Keldorn took his vote off of Fox. I don't really know why? My conversation with Fox was pretty short, and he didn't say much. He said to give the bread to someone who needed it more, which I did, and he said he appreciated my joke, which was nice. I don't really know what Keldorn and he talked about. But whatever it was, now Keldorn's voting for Var." Jox considered what to draw for the man, and settled on a Bagel. "Var gave my family a recipe for Bagels. We might sell those soon." "Almost immediately afterward, he switches to the Wizard for not voting while still talking a lot." Jox drew a newt, since Josha was on the hunt for some newt-bread. "Then I stop joking around and ask about Astrid. Keldorn backs me up." Jox did his best drawing of the lantern that the watchmen carried with him. "That's when you got here and got mad at Fox for voting on you." Jox looked up at Lijal. "And then, weirdly, Mil rolled a die and voted for you, despite an ancestor of his believing in determinism." While dice were more random than people, they were still pretty human. Was that suspicious? Probably not. "And then, it gets kinda interesting. See, my pa once told me about some of the older generations in this town, and Var's ancestors and your ancestors worked together to do some murders once. It's a theory that cuts both ways, but he could be trying to get rid of you quickly because he's worried that you'll be able to recognize he's a criminal, or he could be trying to get rid of you because he recognized you're evil. I don't buy it either way, but it is interesting." Jox put down another crumb of bread next to the crude drawing of Lijal to represent Var's vote. "Anyway, then Derrick showed up, I like him by the way, really cool maps and ideas, and he's searching for Antari. I didn't talk to Antari in person, but I sent him several messages via the barkeep where he's staying, and honestly? I think he might have gotten kidnapped. We should probably send the guards to investigate that tonight." Jox drew a bag of money, then looked with satisfaction at his scrawled drawings and crumbs. "There you have it. People are mad at you and at Astrid. You could probably vote for Astrid if you don't want to get run out of town?"" Another crumb of bread fell to the ground from above, next to Astrid's name. Jox looked up to see Kéamen nod down at his drawing. "One more for Astrid." Hide contents Fox (1): Keldorn 1, Jox 1, Lijal, Lijal (3): Fox, Mil, Var Keldorn (0): Kéamen 1, Var (0): Keldorn 2 Josha (0): Keldorn 3 Astrid (3): Jox 2, Keldorn 4, Kéamen 2 Antari (1): Derrick @Hoid Slayer You can do [color=red]Astrid[/color] to vote on mobile. Thanks 1
IcedOutPenguin He/Him Posted June 10, 2025 Posted June 10, 2025 2 minutes ago, A Jo in the Bush said: "Well, I think they're more voting on you because you're they don't think Fox is evil? I think? One moment, I need to make a chart." Jox knelt in the dirt, and ripped up one of Astrid's loafs of bread into pieces. The man had never answered the door, so he might as well make use of the bread. One part of it he munched on himself, another part he tossed to Lijal because the kid really did need more food, and the rest he started moving into a little tally box that he scrawled in the ash and dirt. "So, Keldorn voted for Fox, who then voted on Lijal." He drew a fox head and a small human, and put one large crumb next to each. "Then Kéamon voted on Keldorn." A picture of a eye, since the man seemed to be always watching people. "Then I made the Fox news joke, which was never meant to be serious. Sorry about that again everyone." But then Keldorn took his vote off of Fox. I don't really know why? My conversation with Fox was pretty short, and he didn't say much. He said to give the bread to someone who needed it more, which I did, and he said he appreciated my joke, which was nice. I don't really know what Keldorn and he talked about. But whatever it was, now Keldorn's voting for Var." Jox considered what to draw for the man, and settled on a Bagel. "Var gave my family a recipe for Bagels. We might sell those soon." "Almost immediately afterward, he switches to the Wizard for not voting while still talking a lot." Jox drew a newt, since Josha was on the hunt for some newt-bread. "Then I stop joking around and ask about Astrid. Keldorn backs me up." Jox did his best drawing of the lantern that the watchmen carried with him. "That's when you got here and got mad at Fox for voting on you." Jox looked up at Lijal. "And then, weirdly, Mil rolled a die and voted for you, despite an ancestor of his believing in determinism." While dice were more random than people, they were still pretty human. Was that suspicious? Probably not. "And then, it gets kinda interesting. See, my pa once told me about some of the older generations in this town, and Var's ancestors and your ancestors worked together to do some murders once. It's a theory that cuts both ways, but he could be trying to get rid of you quickly because he's worried that you'll be able to recognize he's a criminal, or he could be trying to get rid of you because he recognized you're evil. I don't buy it either way, but it is interesting." Jox put down another crumb of bread next to the crude drawing of Lijal to represent Var's vote. "Anyway, then Derrick showed up, I like him by the way, really cool maps and ideas, and he's searching for Antari. I didn't talk to Antari in person, but I sent him several messages via the barkeep where he's staying, and honestly? I think he might have gotten kidnapped. We should probably send the guards to investigate that tonight." Jox drew a bag of money, then looked with satisfaction at his scrawled drawings and crumbs. "There you have it. People are mad at you and at Astrid. You could probably vote for Astrid if you don't want to get run out of town?" Another crumb of bread fell to the ground from above, next to Astrid's name. Jox looked up to see Kéamen nod down at his drawing. "One more for Astrid." Hide contents Fox (1): Keldorn 1, Jox 1, Lijal, Lijal (3): Fox, Mil, Var Keldorn (0): Kéamen 1, Var (0): Keldorn 2 Josha (0): Keldorn 3 Astrid (3): Jox 2, Keldorn 4, Kéamen 2 Antari (1): Derrick Lijal followed the bakers words pretty well, while also quickly stuffing the piece of bread into her mouth before someone stole it. "So Fox voted me because of my ancestors? What does that have to do with anything? My ancestors have been dead for generations. I personally still think he's worried that a street rat somehow ended up in important events, and just doesn't like that very much."
StrikerEZ he/him Posted June 10, 2025 Posted June 10, 2025 1 minute ago, IcedOutPenguin said: Lijal followed the bakers words pretty well, while also quickly stuffing the piece of bread into her mouth before someone stole it. "So Fox voted me because of my ancestors? What does that have to do with anything? My ancestors have been dead for generations. I personally still think he's worried that a street rat somehow ended up in important events, and just doesn't like that very much." "I am unsure why Fox is voting for you," Var said, scrunching up his face in what he hoped looked disturbing. Best to keep up the charade as much as possible. "But, I am voting for you, Lijal, because of your reaction to Fox. It feels...suspicious at best."
IcedOutPenguin He/Him Posted June 10, 2025 Posted June 10, 2025 1 minute ago, StrikerEZ said: "I am unsure why Fox is voting for you," Var said, scrunching up his face in what he hoped looked disturbing. Best to keep up the charade as much as possible. "But, I am voting for you, Lijal, because of your reaction to Fox. It feels...suspicious at best." She muttered something under her breath at that comment.
StrikerEZ he/him Posted June 10, 2025 Posted June 10, 2025 2 minutes ago, IcedOutPenguin said: She muttered something under her breath at that comment. "What was that?" Var asked. "Your life could be on the line here, there's no need to mince your words. We can all take whatever you might have to say, young one."
IcedOutPenguin He/Him Posted June 10, 2025 Posted June 10, 2025 (edited) 2 minutes ago, StrikerEZ said: "What was that?" Var asked. "Your life could be on the line here, there's no need to mince your words. We can all take whatever you might have to say, young one." "So its fine for everyone else to retaliate against someone who has 'wronged' them, but when I do it, than everyone piles on me for doing it?" Edited June 10, 2025 by IcedOutPenguin Punctuation error
StrikerEZ he/him Posted June 10, 2025 Posted June 10, 2025 1 minute ago, IcedOutPenguin said: "So its fine for everyone else to retaliate against someone who has 'wronged' them, but when I do it, than everyone piles on me for doing it?" "Most people do not blindly retaliate. Where someone else might look for a reason to vote on someone voting for themselves, you simply placed a retaliatory vote on Fox. Though with the little pushback the votes on you have received, I am beginning to wonder if you are even a killer at all. I could be convinced to switch my vote to Astrid to avoid a tie and no execution. We need information, fast."
IcedOutPenguin He/Him Posted June 10, 2025 Posted June 10, 2025 1 minute ago, StrikerEZ said: "Most people do not blindly retaliate. Where someone else might look for a reason to vote on someone voting for themselves, you simply placed a retaliatory vote on Fox. Though with the little pushback the votes on you have received, I am beginning to wonder if you are even a killer at all. I could be convinced to switch my vote to Astrid to avoid a tie and no execution. We need information, fast." "I don't have much experience with being involved in important events. I suspect I will get better, but until then, and until we have more information, its a retaliatory vote." She folded her arms. "For no other reason than he voted for me."
Araris Valerian he/him Posted June 10, 2025 Author Posted June 10, 2025 (edited) The day ends in just under 20 minutes! Current VC (should be correct, let me know if there are mistakes): Astrid (3): Jox, Keamen, Keldorn Lijal (3): Fox, Var, Mil Fox (1): Lijal Edited June 10, 2025 by Araris Valerian
The Unknown Medallion he/him Posted June 10, 2025 Posted June 10, 2025 53 minutes ago, Hoid Slayer said: Kéamen watched the events escalate, silent. Waiting in the shadows. He knew not how he had ended up known by the people of Blackkeep. His job here was supposed to be secretive. Watch. Listen. And report. That was all. And yet, Kéamen’s body itched to take action. Here, finally, was his chance. A way to pull the strings of fate. So, knowing of the retaliation he would face from his mentor, Kéamen stepped out of the shadows. And spoke. ”No! We CANNOT afford to escalate this situation! This man speaks lies!” Kéamen spread his arms, spinning to address a growing audience. He watched their faces. Worried. Confused. In his chest, his heart pounded. He shut his eyes, taking a deep breath, and continued. “I URGE peace. Let us not be drawn to violence, for that is what our enemies seek! Let us not play into their hands! I know that if our accusations - our votes - are tied, no innocent blood need be shed today. We can wait.” Kéamen couldn’t explain to the others exactly how he knew that an exe was not needed. But it still resounded in him. Almost like information from a higher power. It was true that in the past he had not held this stance. And yet, recently, he had witnessed firsthand the dangers of brash action. The memories of that experience still lingered with him, the Obliteration. Area X. He was practically pleading at this point. Any inhibitions were gone. Kéamen lived in the moment. “DO NOT strike yet against foes that may or may not be foes at all!” This man -“ he faced Var. “ I do not know him. I will not pretend my accusations against him hold weight, for I acknowledge I may be flawed. But to my eyes, to my vision, he is instigating violence where there need be none. I beg you,” he turned back to the audience. “Balance your votes. Choose peace tonight.” Kéamen took a deep breath, and his mind finally caught up to him. But it was too late to turn back now. The votes tallied as follows: Lijal (3) - Fox, Mil, Var (although Keldorn seemed to think there were four, so perhaps Kéamen was missing something) Astrid (2) - Jox, Keldorn Fox (1) - Lijal Antari (1) - Derrick In the end, Kéamen’s vote fell on Astrid. (OOC: My phones acting weird and won’t let me make the text red, but I am voting Astrid here). Not because he sincerely believed her guilty - rather, the ones who drew the greatest suspicion from him at the moment were Jox and Var - but because he hoped to tie the scores, and prevent bloodshed for now. Finally, all eyes on him, Kéamen’s ducked his head and hurried from the crowd, making his way to his quarters were he would draft a letter to his mentor/employer, updating him on the situation in Blackkeep. He hoped the others made the right choice. @A Jo in the Bush @The Unknown Order @KaladinsSenseOfHumorSpren @TwinStorm @IcedOutPenguin @KelsierApologist @BigBadBagsworth @Lord Spirit @Kasimir @|TJ| @ThatOneWorldhopper @StrikerEZ @Biplet As he stepped out of the square, something occurred to Kéamen. Had the others realize show many had yet to speak? How low the chances of a spiked being the person they chose to execute were? If the execution went through, Kéamen could only hope that the others would realize the flaws in their ways. Hoped his speech had meant something. "I must admit, I once believed as you. Even still, I often hold my voice if I have no strong beliefs. Then I joined the Metal Mob. They showed me purpose. Wiser men than me showed me that sometimes, violence must be met with violence. If you turn the other cheek, the infiltrators will simply put a coin through that one too. This is not like in the cautionary tales told to us as children, like the Tale of the Tower, where the infiltrators had no true murder weapon, or the Tale of X, where the replacers were impossible to overrun, and also had no controllable weapon. We need information. If we execute somebody, we choose what that information is. If we attempt to create a tie to end no one, at best, no one dies and the infiltrators decide what information we receive. At worst, they subtly vote for someone else and confuse us, slightly like in the Tale of the Stick and Turtle, which @Kasimir, ahem, Keldorn may be able to recall. Then they choose both types of information we receive." Copper, having said his piece, sighed in relief. Now to complete his duties for Tin Capone. Quote Jox: Copper didn't want Jox dead. He liked the lad, but there were some arguments for accusing him. Copper had been mistaken about him not having Penpals in the past, but his first vote had still been a double up, that was immediately removed under pressure. Perhaps it was a joke, as he claimed, and it had been amusing, but Copper couldn't rule him out. Very Light E Mil Veriel: A rather unimpressive fellow. He had been around saying little of import until he disappeared. His final comment had been to accuse Lijal "randomly" despite them already having one vote. Perhaps it was truly random, but as the Tale of the Tower and others (that even included characters that were very relatable to Copper) cautioned, randomness could hide more sinister logic. Slight E Josha: Josha was even quieter than Mil. They had done little of significance and the only thing of significance done to them was a vote from Keldorn. Keldorn did such things so frequently though, it hardly meant much. Null Lijal: The topic of discussion. The one currently tied for most accusations. Copper Stopper concurred with Keldorn. Their spiteful accusation of their accuser didn't seem out of character for them, though Copper did find what could only he described as a temper tantrum odd. At least they weren't voting "randomly" again, as Copper had heard they used to do. The slight burst of accusations was a bit worrying, but the Astrid accusations could very well have sprung up as a slight defense. That would greatly implicate Keaman though, which made Copper feel it was problem for another day. Very very slight village practically null Lipitor: Absent, which Copper had heard was strange for them. There was no information of course, but if there continued to be no information for much longer, it would become information. Null Teal: Teal had also been absent, which Copper had heard was a bit odd for them as well, though not so much so. Same as for Lipitor Null Astrid: Also absent, but strangely also with three accusations. Copper found it odd that a silent townsmember should be so controversial, especially as they were the most expected to be silent, according to what Copper had heard. Null (but also ??? On the votes) Keaman: Keaman was certainly a divisive figure. He had come out with a wild accusation against Keldorn, which he later retracted. He had also advocated for peace for a time, which Copper found to be understandable, if futile. He was one of Astrid's accusers, ostensibly to create a tie. While Copper found these attitudes curious, they also seemed understandable given Keaman's history. Slight Village John Derrick: Not a very talkative fellow, his main contribution being a vote on Antari for surprising him with his absence. Copper thought it odd to be surprised by Antari in particular. It was also a bit late to poke someone with such an accusation, especially without yelling for them. E shaded null Keldorn: Copper wasn't willing to go after Kel yet. Tin Capone thought he could be useful to their operations. He hadn't shown any signs of evil either, though the relative lack of signs of good was notable also. There was enough for Copper to trust him for now. Mild V Fox: Fox had also been quiet, only speaking twice, both times to accuse Lijal. Copper thought his first accusation was reasonable, given the timing. That the accusation had remained and been renewed was interesting, but not alarming. Copper couldn't really understand his logic though. Maybe very very slight E? Antari: Another silent one. Accused by John, but that was about it. It wasn't even enough to accurately predict if they might be teamed or not. Null Var: They were probably the most outspoken in their accusation of Lijal. While Copper disagreed with them, he also found their logic more sound than those accusing Astrid in Copper's opinion. Slight Village Madiane: They had said some, but it had no true import. Null Copper frowned at the sky. It was growing late. That had taken him far too long. How did these people handle doing this so often? Copper had found that his only true suspect to recommend Tin Capone accuse was Jox. That was unfortunate, as Copper liked the lad, and found his own evidence lacking, but it was least lacking with him. He also knew that was condemning his voice to mean less, by not engaging with the main trains, but honestly, Copper disliked both of them. Copper thought Lijal was potentially village, and it was impossible to tell for Astrid. They should give Astrid time, or let the mists take her. Simple as that. Copper found himself growing very tired. He hoped he could stay awake for the executions.
Araris Valerian he/him Posted June 10, 2025 Author Posted June 10, 2025 (edited) There was an error in the previous VC , this should be correct (and I fixed the old one): Astrid (3): Jox, Keamen, Keldorn Lijal (3): Fox, Var, Mil Fox (1): Lijal Jox (1): Copper Edited June 10, 2025 by Araris Valerian
Kasimir he/him Posted June 10, 2025 Posted June 10, 2025 5 minutes ago, Araris Valerian said: There was an error in the previous VC , this should be correct (and I fixed the old one): Astrid (3): Jox, Keamen, Keldorn Lijal (3): Fox, Var, Mil Fox (1): Lijal Jox (1): Copper @StrikerEZ @The Unknown Order Keldorn wondered if anyone could be persuaded onto Astrid, or to switch to avoid a tie. Overall, he wasn't convinced of Lijal, but a tie seemed bad too.
StrikerEZ he/him Posted June 10, 2025 Posted June 10, 2025 (edited) "I must vote for Astrid," Var said. "We cannot go without information. I am sorry, oh quiet one." Edited June 10, 2025 by StrikerEZ Trying to get rid of those dastardly extra lines
Biplet she/her Posted June 10, 2025 Posted June 10, 2025 "I must admit I find it suspicious that Lijal reacted that way. I'm... unsure why I feel this way." Madiane's fingers twitched, once, then went still. "What is the point of executing someone who hasn't spoken?" 2 hours ago, Kasimir said: "Madiane can do the job," he reiterated. Damnit, but one way or another, he would make his voice heard in electing their new representative to the council. "Humbling, though I do not understand why you nominate me."
StrikerEZ he/him Posted June 10, 2025 Posted June 10, 2025 (edited) "Ah, perhaps we do not have to execute the quiet one after all. Lijal, it is then." Edited June 10, 2025 by StrikerEZ Extra lines once again
Araris Valerian he/him Posted June 10, 2025 Author Posted June 10, 2025 (edited) Night 1: A Nasty Fall Aral finished his initial notification of significant individuals in Blackkeep within the hour, and somewhat surprisingly, the news about the council's death remained under wraps the whole time. Apparently his judgement of leadership skills wasn't entirely lacking, because when the word did get out, there was surprisingly little reaction from the general populace. In fact, it's almost concerning how little of a response there was. Maybe a few more deaths just doesn't mean much when it seems like the whole world is against us. Unfortunately, nobody seemed willing to step up to fill the hole left by the dead councilmembers. On one hand, stepping into the shoes of a bunch of men that had just been murdered was a risk, but Aral had hoped that the character of Blackkeep's occupants was firmer. Of course, it was decently probable that one or more of the town's leaders were involved with the killings Despite their unwillingness to hold office, many of the townsfolk did begin to take steps to seek out any who might be working with Jorg. He had requests for a dozen different messages to be delivered (plus three loaves of bread that Jox had entrusted him with), all of which were related to the current crisis. Aral hurried toward the dockside gates, then paused as he saw two of his recipients working in a ditch off to the side, where the scent of fish mixed with that of human excrement in a way that deterred most folks from nearing that half of the road. The council had decreed that any refugees without a profession would be put to work on sanitation, since Blackkeep wasn't built to support the number of people currently residing in it. Both Var and Madiane appeared to be hard at work, though Var was holding his shovel the wrong way, and Madiane occasionally glanced around as if she'd lost something. "Var, Madiane, I've got bread, courtesy of the baker and his apprentice. Also a few messages from folks." The two workers glanced first at Aral, then at the mud and... other fluids covering their lower bodies. "Ah, sorry. I'll just set them here for when you get cleaned up. Anything you'd like me to pass on while I'm around?" His business by the docks concluded, Aral headed back towards the town square, such as it was, munching on the third loaf. Near the end of the day, Aral found himself back on the east side of Blackkeep, where he saw several townsfolk surrounding a child whose back was to the newly dug latrine pit. He recognized Var and Madiane, both now cleaned up, as well as Fox and Mil. The child was Lijal, a refugee who Aral had taken note of for his intelligence. The adults were shouting about Lijal's lack of work, and the urchin kept inching backwards, a look of fear on his face. Then Lijal's foot slipped on the edge of the ditch, and the boy toppled backward. His brief call of surprise was cut short by a nasty-sounding *thunk*. Madiane frowned, then jumped down in after Lijal. A few moments later, her head rose over the edge and slowly shook. Apparently Lijal had broken his neck in the fall. Then she looked down at herself and groaned. Now that I recall, Madiane is the only person that anyone was willing to support to lead the town. Keldorn spoke up on her behalf, and I have reason to trust his opinion. She seems a bit absentminded, but certainly is willing to get her hands (and legs) dirty when things need doing. Lijal's body didn't have a spike like Jorg's had, and there was nothing linking him to the council's deaths, so in the end it was determined he was innocent. Vote Count: Lijal (4): Var, Madiane, Fox, Mil Astrid (3): Keldorn, Kéamen, Jox Jox (1): Copper Stopper Fox (1): Lijal Antari (1): John Derrick Lijal @IcedOutPenguin was executed! They were a Village Vanilla! Night 1 has begun, and will end at 10 PM Pacific Time on Tuesday, June 10th. PMs are open. Player List: Spoiler Jox - young, thoughtful, flour-covered Baker's Apprentice @A Jo in the Bush Copper Stopper/Tin Al - copper stopping Copper Stopper/stone-cold killer Mob Boss @The Unknown Order Mil Veriel - resourceful Wandering Scavenger @KaladinsSenseOfHumorSpren Josha - well-meaning, wimpy Wizard @TwinStorm Lijal - distrustful and shy Urchin Village Vanilla Lipitor - pompous, bratty Folk Hero @KelsierApologist Teal - awesome 10-Year Old @BigBadBagsworth Astrid Lefflame - no-nonsense Watchman @Lord Spirit Kéamen Wither - a secret-seeking Skaa Spy @Hoid Slayer John Derrick/AraRaash - Scout and Cartographer/Worldhopping Kandra @Ashbringer Keldorn - cynical, lamed Soldier and Investigator @Kasimir Fox - silent Wanderer @|TJ| Antari Erlington - mysterious Mystery @ThatOneWorldhopper Var - confused but diligent Latrine Cleaner @StrikerEZ Madiane - unstable, forgetful Latrine Cleaner @Biplet Edited June 10, 2025 by Araris Valerian 3
Ashbringer he/him Posted June 10, 2025 Posted June 10, 2025 Derrick paused. He thought he’d voted for Antari. But he supposed Soothers did different things now, and it wouldn’t have mattered anyway.
Kasimir he/him Posted June 10, 2025 Posted June 10, 2025 (edited) Keldorn narrowed his eyes. That last minute double accusation on Lijal had caught his attention, though the close timing of it with Var's switch made him feel that coordination between Var and Madiane didn't seem realistic here. The way the Lijal accusations had taken off didn't feel right to Keldorn, though he'd noted that Kéamen had caught he might have made a mistake with the figures. It was difficult to read Astrid in absentia, and Keldorn hoped the elusive Watchman would return. However, while the Lijal accusations seemed fairly normal for an early investigation, the extent and the last minute way Lijal had overtaken Astrid accusers didn't quite sit right with him. The low scattering of accusations made it seem as though there was relative investment in keeping Astrid alive, which Keldorn was wary of. While he was suspicious of Astrid, Keldorn wondered if a Spiked Var truly swapped from throwing his co-conspirator under the bus to voting to accuse Lijal just like this, on the flip of a clip. It seemed as though if Astrid might be Spiked, then perhaps just one in Var and Mandiane was. He was currently tied up writing a few minor reports wrapping up prior investigations for Aral Penrod, but resolved to spend more time examining the events of the day before dawn came. After all, in times like this, you never knew if you were permitted to see the light again. Another long night, Keldorn thought, with a sigh and a yawn. He wasn't beating the "sleep cycle screwed ten ways to hell" accusations anytime soon. Edited to add: Partway through the report, Keldorn'd fallen asleep. He dreamed again of the strangely-squared ring, of the ropes and the light. Great joy warring with disbelief, that something impossible had happened, because the world was not kind. The world did not allow you things, or happy things, and there was surely a hook somewhere, yet to lodge its barbs into this joy. (It was about stories, after all. Everyone liked heroes. Fox was saying, for some reason, that he wasn't beating the allegations and was laughing at him. Rusting bastard.) The truth was there; the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and the truth would not be denied. The truth cried out in a voice of flame and then cut off the past deliberately with a snip of shears. Chains dropped to the ground, and then became braids. Killings, unleashed, borne on the cheering and the cries of the crowd. ("You're all miserable people," someone accused, heatedly. "They aren't the same people," someone else pointed out. He knew that person, in the dream, and couldn't say why. "You're upset, but for Keldorn, this is the happiest day of his life." And he was happy. It was just... This wasn't permitted, was it? Wasn't it? Everything had led him to believe that faith only got the world ready to kick you down. He hadn't forgotten the events of Mania. That the General'd returned...that seemed the sort of fantasy that wasn't allowed to happen because heroes always won, and people from a certain country weren't prepared to understand stories that didn't fit their narrow cultural frame.) And then Keldorn woke up. The candle had flickered out. One report down, one more to go. He'd doodled the ring on the report. Aral would just have to deal with it; he didn't have time to make a fair copy and to also continue his investigations. Edited June 10, 2025 by Kasimir 2
Kasimir he/him Posted June 10, 2025 Posted June 10, 2025 (edited) Keldorn was short on time due to the report in question. However, he decidedly felt it was important to get his thoughts out as much as he could. He thus drew up a fresh sheet of paper and began to jot down notes as he thought back about the events of the past day: Quote -Mil, Lijal, and Var all establishing early presence. (Entrance from Var feels more muted in terms of vibes - positive point for Var?) -Slightly better response from Fox on probe in private conversation; however, Fox also responded defensively. Improvement from past baseline but dislike defensiveness, considering if Fox overreacting because of past slip. -Jox explicitly announces to all of Blackkeep he intends to visit everyone to deliver bread. Notable for Copper subsequently asking Jox the bloody obvious. However, asymmetry of interaction (Jox remains null on Copper) suggestive it isn't distancing. [Note: Slight positive for Jox. This is an extremely attention-grabbing stunt which would commend him to the good graces of any Seeker or Mistborn within Blackkeep. See this as less likely to come from a Spiked if Jox has not been fishing for information. Caveat that this is a little watered down if Jox is Smoked.] -Josha explicitly enters the market square and loiters, while signalling to Jox. Question why Jox, and why Josha feels particularly comfortable interacting with Jox - teamed? [Note: Ask @A Jo in the Bush about interactions with Josha. Somehow don't confuse the damned J-names.] -Joke vote from Jox. Slightly inclined to feel positively about Jox for this, if only because of Jox's comfort in the market square. Surely a Spiked would be more ill at ease? Keldorn, you fool, stop trying to take everything positively. -Copper placing great significance on a question already answered. Isn't paying attention, but am wary Copper signals here the beginning of a bad faith push on Jox. Such an aggressive statement of intent seems peculiarly uncharacteristic for a criminal of Copper's profile. (Copper subsequently drops by for a private conversation, and claims to have been acting on prior orders from his boss. Slightly paranoid Copper is attempting to pocket.) [Note: Alright, fair as a starting point, but no real evolution in Copper's position across the cycle from the basic 'this follows up and could be an opportunistic accusation' stance that was also partial basis? Wary of Copper.] -Josha is spending a lot of time present on the first day doing nothing but existing and asking about the incident, but showing little interest in actually finding Spiked. Dislike on principle. -On reflection, can see that Jox's quick retraction under attention here seems to reflect an allergy to suspicion; however, feel that Jox is well able to keep his cool, despite certain events involving one of his ancestors. [Note: Cross-reference file from informant. Do not feel this detraction should be taken as a point against Jox. Recalling as well that Jox in general seems to be mildly sensitive to negative attention.] -Josha attempting to placate - shows no development of own views. Lack of interest or lack of capacity? Dislike. -Well past midday, there were only three accusations cast, with the market square fallen quiet. Of view this indicates no strong sense of threat felt by Spiked. Jox made fair point that with only one accusation apiece, Spiked were unlikely to feel threat regardless. -Jox essentially accuses Astrid for lurking. [Note: Ask @A Jo in the Bush if it is correct to take he is implying that unlike the others, Astrid was definitely at home.] -Fox is wary of Jox. [Note: Ask @|TJ| to acknowledge der Ringgeneral if able to explicate this further.] Wariness of Lijal drawing on past bad experiences. [Note: Take a look at where/see if Jox is able to corroborate. Recall an informant mentioning Lijal's tendency to back down under pressure but not retaliatory behaviour.] -Mil rolls a die and selects Lijal. If Astrid is Spiked, Mil's ostensibly random choice for Lijal here should be concerning. -Kéamen advocates not actually executing anyone and emphasises the possibility for error. This is a strange drift from prior positions, which Kéamen defends by appealing to past experience. [Note: Report from informant indicates this doesn't really match well - a most unusual case. Some concern about the motivation behind this shift, though have seen villagers stumble at the prospect of taking a life when they join Garrison work.] -No disagreement with Var's position on executions. Var adopts the consensus investigative position, and indeed, it would be noteworthy should Var not do so. Var advocates for Lijal's execution on the basis of retaliatory position. [Note: Kéamen correct to point to error in reckoning earlier - Var marks the third accusation on Lijal, and I likely double-counted Fox. However, Var and Mil both accusing Lijal in a short period of time given earlier stagnancy is weakly suggestive that it is Astrid accumulating two accusations in short order that provoked a reaction.] -Var continues to more or less read the Allomantic textbook, with one or two asterisks (some schools of thought believe Allomantic steel is best employed as a secondary execution but really it's all academic!) Slight unwillingness to offer too much credit for restatement of the obvious. Considering key lacuna in Var's position - uncertain if more likely to make Var village or Spiked. Probably lean Village a little, but profiles like Var have significant risk appetite. Be wary. -Derrick accuses Antari as absence is startling. [Note: Ask @Ashbringer about decided reluctance to take stance on Lijal or Astrid. Potential attempt to start a side-train?] -Kéamen brazenly choosing to force a tie shows belief in own convictions. In world where Astrid is Spiked (which I currently lean towards), this looks good for Kéamen. -Slight sympathy for Jox accusations when Jox sits on the fence when litigating Lijal. Odd disengagement/reluctance to take a stance, also noted in private conversation. -Var willing to explain suspicions to Lijal, and claims could be persuaded to vote Astrid instead. -Copper decides to accuse Jox. Not much shift in views, and directly commits to vanity vote. Giving Astrid time slightly strange decision if Copper convinced Lijal was potentially village while remaining open on Astrid. -Quick flick from Lijal to Astrid back to Lijal from Var. Commitment to avoiding tie noted, and Mandiane expresses preference for Lijal over Astrid. While theoretically possible for Var and Mandiane to be teamed due to the timing of the votes, odd for Var to stage a last minute swerve if so. Of view both Var and Mandiane are unlikely to be Spiked together. If of view Astrid is Spiked (leaning this way due to the acceleration on Lijal after Astrid vote-accumulation rather than distribution), then probably a little more likely to be Mandiane than Var. [Note: @StrikerEZ and @Biplet work together. It would be wise to ask them for their views on each other.] -If of view Astrid is not Spiked, Var's recklessness with the votes draws attention to him. Would feel that attention especially well-spent on the side-trains at that point, such as Derrick and Copper. While potential for Spiked in the quiet exists, do not really believe that investigative energy is best spent there at present. -P.S. I voted Mandiane for council because I thought it'd be funny to force Aral to live up to his words. If Mandiane is Spiked, I guess I need to buy Aral a drink... Edited June 10, 2025 by Kasimir Accidentally used a player name instead of RP name. Fixed.
Hoid Slayer He/Him Posted June 10, 2025 Posted June 10, 2025 Kéamen collapsed into his bed, groaning. He had warned them of the risks, and yet they had still taken a life. Now, he would have to face the consequences of his own rash behavior with his mentor. He had already sent the report; now all he could do was wait for the response. He reviewed the facts. Going over the notes Keldorn had graciously made publicly available (Kéamen had decided to trust the man for now, if only for the clear effort he was putting into this), Kéamen had to admit he did not understand all of it. He was still relatively new to this game. But still, he stayed up at night, poring over the information. Of those that had been active (Keldorn, Jox, Copper, Mil, Josha, Lijal, Derrick, Fox, Var, and himself) those with the most suspicion from Kéamen were Jox, Mil, and Var (Jox and Var seemed unstable with their votes, Jox had established contact with everyone quickly - although that wasn’t necessarily incriminating - and Mil voted for Linal seemingly randomly). In all honesty, Kéamen didn’t understand well the trains on either Lijal or Astrid. Astrid hadn’t even posted - sure, maybe she hadn’t answered, but she could just be busy, and Lijal had been clear with her motivations. Perhaps it was worth looking into the origins of those trains. Derrick’s attack on Antari did not draw suspicion from Kéamen. It made sense to try to pressure an inactive figure, even when there were more substantial debates taking place. Frankly, Kéamen couldn’t shake the feeling that many people here - even those he didn’t consider particularly suspicious - weren’t carrying their weight in finding the culprit. And those who stood around, voting without providing their own reasoning - Mil, Madiane, even Fox - were also of suspicion. Finally, those who were active yet didn’t vote - only Josha, for now - also held suspicion. Main suspects: Jox, Mil, Var Votes without sufficient reasoning: Mil, Madiane, Fox Active but no vote: Josha He would appreciate it if Keldorn, or any of the others, compiled similar lists, listing culprits of each behavior they found suspicious. Finally, after a long time spent scrawling notes, Kéamen finally out down his notebook. Exhausted, he looked out his window at the mists. He should probably sleep. Sweat collected on his brow, and he was overwhelmed fully by his situation. But he could not fail even more. And so, straining, Kéamen forced himself out of his bed, put on his shoes, and slinked out of his room. Slinked out of the inn, into the mists. He had a job to complete. Kéamen was going to go look for the inactives.
BigBadBagsworth He/him/his Posted June 11, 2025 Posted June 11, 2025 (edited) Teal woke up. Teal looked up. Teal saw the moon. Teal smacked his face with his hand. He’d been hiding from his mom, and had found the perfect spot behind a pastry cart and had… okay. He had fallen asleep. He had been having the best dream! His parents had dragged him to the Grand Canyon, which had been awesome, but there hadn’t been internet, and Wait. What was internet? What was the Grand Canyon??? The details were fading like they always did after a dream. Never mind. His brain vacation meant that he could only glean so much from the chatter of what had happened the previous evening. He’d have to relay mostly on the opinions of those he trusted. “Good riddance”, he thought as he heard of the death of that one Penguin-loving Urchin, but then he immediately felt guilty. She had been innocent, after all. But their families had had a feud, on a different planet that his dad talked about sometimes. He had said that her ancestor had once killed five people at a time, including his uncle, a merry fellow named Tim. Well, he would have to be more open-minded in the future if he wanted to stop the Spiked. He wasn’t sure who exactly he was suspicious of yet. Copper Stopper was acting far more analytical than his Rosharan ancestor had been, and his Ancestor had been a good person. Maybe he was trying too hard? Keldorn was basically the same as ever, and he had no experience with the character of Kéamen. @Araris Valerian He wasn’t sure if he could act tonight. It might have been too late. Plans like the one he had formed were usually planed during the day and executed at dusk, but he wasn’t sure if that applied. He still felt ashamed for missing an entire day. “I will be there”, he promised, “for those who need me”. Then he turned around, stole a spiced baywrap, and gnawed on it as he scampered to a better vantage point over the market square. Edited June 11, 2025 by BigBadBagsworth 1
Ashbringer he/him Posted June 11, 2025 Posted June 11, 2025 Derrick held a note in his hand. Smoother than one that had perhaps been seen on this planet in a long time, containing information they wouldn't find out for centuries. It was keeping him busy. Doctor's Orders, seeing as a recently-perhaps-nearly-deadman should get some things done. But soon, tomorrow, it would be done. Then there would be some debts to be paid.
Recommended Posts