MR74: The Politics of Gods

[Through the Living Hopper He/Him]

KSOHS. If we don't play this right, the elims win. Please please please please Aman join Penguin. Killing Coder is too big of a risk.

[Jo and the Bush all/any]

Truthwatcher reveals laid his hands on Evi's shoulders. There had been much debate amongst his priesthood, but he was satisfied with this choice. "Evi, You have been a learned priest, or so I am told. I never had the privilege of your service, but your peers have spoken highly of you. Do you have any expectations?"

The priest shook their head. "No, Lord Truthwatcher. I am loyal to the Gods. I gladly accept this."

Truthwatcher nodded. "Very well. My command is thus; tell us of your loyalties. My life to yours, my Breath become yours."

Light filled Evi's eyes, and they spoke. "I am Evi, loyal priest of the people of Hallandren, and the gods of T'Telir."

*****

CD hurried through the halls, knife hidden in his robes. Things were going bad fast, but could still be salvaged. He just had to get to the storage room where Kosm was working, kill her, and get out without being seen, before the debate could be finished or his absence noted. If the timing worked out, he would have an alibi, Kosm wouldn't be able to testify against him, and things would be peachy.

He slowed outside the storage room, tried to modulate his breathing to appear calm, and smoothed his robes. Everything was normal, there was no threat.  He smiled congenially and pushed the door open. "Hello? Is anyone in here?"

Kosmwas at the far end of the records storage, near an ink repository. Hundreds of vials of different hues of beautiful ink stored for use. She looked up at him, and her gaze hardened. Her eyes flicked to the door, then to the surrounding room. "CD, I'm using this room. Please leave, I have no interest in talking to you right now."

He hesitated. She was suspicious of him, and both of them knew that she was trapped in here. If he tried to kill her, would she be able to defend herself when on guard? Should he leave now and just debate her and her allies later and hope to make it out? Willshaper trusted him, but Truthwatcher trusted her.

Kosm flipped the cork off a vial of bright yellow ink, then grabbed a quill. She moved away from the shelves, until there was no walls within arm's reach of her. She dipped the quill in the ink, then wrote on her arm. She raised it, revealing what was scratched into her skin.

CD MURDERED ME

"Try it CD. Alive or dead, I serve as a Witness to the Truth."

He stared at her. She glared back. He sighed, stepped inside, and shut the door. "You know I can just erase that right? Like, there's more ink I can use to cover that?" He drew his knife.

She smiled and continued staring.

He took three slow steps toward her, then feinted a lunge. She stepped backward, and flung the uncorked vial in a wide sweep, spraying the ink across his robes.

CD swore, and lunged for real, slashing wildly. She screamed as she failed to dodge, but stabbed the quill into his cheek, mixing blood into the yellow ink.

He stabbed her again, and she fell, silent, to the ground.

CD hissed, and pressed his hand to his bloody cheek. He was covered in blood and ink, and so was Kosm. He grabbed the quill and headed for the door. If he could somehow hide his robes, and wash his face, he might be able to stall long enough to avoid arrest. They would come for him, certainly, but if--

He opened the door, and was startled by a hand reaching for the knob, Evi stepped back surprised. "CD? What are you, what happened to your face? I was looking for Kosm."

Behind Evi stood Willshaper, and another 4 priests, and a dozen guards. CD stared at them. There were gasps as people saw Kosm's body. He sighed. "I plead guilty."

MR74 - C5: Timbre

Cycle 5 begins!

Coder Dragon has been exiled from Hallandren on suspicion of Corruption and Murder! They were a Pahn Kahl Conspirator!

Amanuensis has been murdered in the night!

Doc12 has been revealed as a Loyal Priest! They are still alive!

Willshaper has announced that she will give up her breath this cycle! Due to player count, all remaining players are in Willshaper's court. This means that there will be no Court doc created for Willshaper. Additionally, Willshaper's ability does not actually function in any meaningful sense due to player count, so voting on her breath does not matter.

Final Vote Count:
Due to Seniority, the tie broke in favor of Amanuensis.

Kaladin's Sense of Humor (1):  Iced Out Penguin
Iced Out Penguin (3): Coder Dragon, That One Worldhopper, Willshaper the Resolute
Coder Dragon (3): Doc 12, Amanuensis, Truthwatcher the Learned

Players in order of Seniority: (Stoneward's Breath was used.)

1. @ThatOneWorldhopper as As If
2. @Doc12 as Evi
3. @xinoehp512 as Kaladin's Sense of Humor Spren
4. @Aeternum as Big Bad Bagsworth
5. @IcedOutPenguin as ___________

Gods in order of Senority:

1. Willshaper
2. Lightweaver
3. Dustbringer
4. Skybreaker
5. Edgedancer
6. Windrunner

Edited September 12, 2025 by A Jo in the Bush

[IcedOutPenguin He/Him]

What the heck happened at the end of last cycle?

[Doc12]

I uh... what? For a 2 page cycle a lot happened! I was honestly expecting the game to end right there. 

In hindsight, I guess it really was a game where Aman, Araris and I were all villagers after all, which I was honestly not expecting. Thought Aman had a strong chance of being evil even after everything. 

So what happened was that Aman, Penguin, and I were voting KSOS, while CD and TOW were on Penguin. Up til an hour before rollover, when CD probably thought they were safe and voted KSOS, and Worldhopper jumped on KSOS too, claiming they wanted to extend the cycle. At that point, I knew something was up and changed my vote, believing it wouldn't be enough to matter. But Aman also voted on CD, causing Truthwatcher to join in? Which just managed to edge out the Penguin vote. Which I think is enough to fully clear Penguin, and tentatively clear KSOS... which leaves... BBB and Worldhopper as the remaining elims??

Now The One Worldhopper could have been a confused villager who earnestly, truly believed it was Penguin. But it's not looking good for you buddy. 

EDIT: Aman. Props to you. Even in death you 1) Got Truthwatcher to make a tie 2) Broke the tie because of your seniority and 3) Cleared me publicly. Respect. 

Everything was falling apart. Everything. After returning from The World Between with Puzzle, Evi bore witness to the senseless deaths of four more priests and two gods, one of whom she'd served almost all her life. There was just so much... madness. Iggdraz brandishing a knife threatening to kill himself. Ekkar, the passionate young priest who fought so hard to be heard, turning on Arlun the night before he died. Arlun, grizzled and kind, picking up the dagger and stabbing himself to prove his own innocence.

Kosm... 

She'd never figured it out. If they really had a connection or not. And now Kosm was dead. Gone. And yet, even if they had shared nothing but a passing glance... Her last acts had been helping her to expose one of the traitors. Her last wish had been to Truthwatcher, who had in the presence of all tested her loyalty and found it firm. She owed Kosm so, so much, and she was gone. 

Lady Stoneward. The Resourceful. Evi missed her dearly. 

And now to know that As If - former head priest of her Lady, former colleague now shuffled back into the same court - As If had tried to get ________ killed, which would have allowed CD to escape. To know that her former head priest might have been a murderer... Well, it made her blood boil. 

A whisper of a truth on her lips. An oath in her heart. Mist in her hands. 

Evi stalked the halls with a gleaming Blade, seeking for justice to be done. 

Edited September 11, 2025 by Doc12

[KaladinsSenseOfHumourSpren He/Him]

I... lived?

I LIVED!

Sorry I was gone for like 6 hours, unexpected stuff popped up.

No time now, will talk later.

Edit:

Alright unexpected that Coder was an elim.

Aman I feel like you bussed him.

Edited September 11, 2025 by KaladinsSenseOfHumorSpren

[Doc12]

6 hours ago, KaladinsSenseOfHumorSpren said:

Aman I feel like you bussed him.

I feel like you might want to check who died last night

Assuming that there are still 2 elims that means there are only 3 villagers so we need every villager voting on this one. @BigBadBagsworthwe need you here .  

 

Edited September 11, 2025 by Doc12

[Through the Living Hopper He/Him]

8 hours ago, Doc12 said:

Now The One Worldhopper could have been a confused villager who earnestly, truly believed it was Penguin. But it's not looking good for you buddy. 

I honestly just thought Penguin was the safer choice. BBB, you're the only one left that I have a e!lean other than Penguin, and we saw how that went. 

[IcedOutPenguin He/Him]

I was right with saying Aman and Doc were villigers, and TOW didn't believe me. There is a possibility that he is just a confused villager, but that would mean BBB and KSOHS would both be elims, which I don't think is likely. I believe that Doc being cleared as a villager also clears me by association.

My question is: Which of BBB or KSOHS is an elim?

Edit: I was also right with exing Coder

Edited September 11, 2025 by IcedOutPenguin

[Doc12]

44 minutes ago, IcedOutPenguin said:

I was right with saying Aman and Doc were villigers, and TOW didn't believe me. There is a possibility that he is just a confused villager, but that would mean BBB and KSOHS would both be elims, which I don't think is likely. I believe that Doc being cleared as a villager also clears me by association.

My question is: Which of BBB or KSOHS is an elim?

Edit: I was also right with exing Coder

Personally I think that with CD and Worldhopper voting on KSOS at the last hour there was a very good chance of KSOS dying instead of CD. It was only when Aman and I switched our votes to CD that they panicked and switched their votes to Penguin instead. It could have been a bus but that makes no sense as we would be in the same situation with an elim down. So KSOS I apologize for doubting you. Penguin, will you vote with me? 

Edited September 11, 2025 by Doc12

[IcedOutPenguin He/Him]

16 minutes ago, Doc12 said:

Personally I think that with CD and Worldhopper voting on KSOS at the last hour there was a very good chance of KSOS dying instead of CD. It was only when Aman and I switched our votes to CD that they panicked and switched their votes to Penguin instead. It could have been a bus but that makes no sense as we would be in the same situation with an elim down. So KSOS I apologize for doubting you. Penguin, will you vote with me? 

Yeah, so do we think its, BBB and TOW?

[Doc12]

Okay, let's do the multiple worlds thing. First I think I think TOW is almost definitely from the way they voted with CD to kill Penguin. 

World 1: BBB is the other Elim. 

BBB's self-voting stunt was dumb and made me want to clear him, but the fact remains that BBB and CD have voted together every cycle so far. They both were on Twinstorm first and second cycles, on BBB the 3rd, and it was only last cycle that BBB didn't show up. TOW is voting BBB, which muddies the waters a little, but it might be a bus.

Most likely in my opinion.

World 2: KSOS is the other Elim.

Yes, I said I was inclined to trust them from the way they almost died. I also think their confusion about voting Aman this cycle was real and not manufactured (might be wrong).

In terms of voting patterns, though, they voted with CD and BBB on Twinstorm in cycle 2, then on Araris in cycle 3. 

On cycle 4 they were the first to vote on Penguin, which Worldhopper jumped on within 5 minutes, and CD just a couple of hours later. They did rescind their vote on Penguin after Penguin answered, though.

Its possible, but less likely in my mind. 

 World 3: Penguin is the other Elim

They voted on Araris 1st cycle as a retribution vote, didn't vote cycle 2, KSOS cycle 3, and initially voted CD cycle 4 but switched to KSOS again as to not die. Reasonable in my mind. They put CD on their list of trusted players early cycle 3, but then has been consistently going after KSOS, TOW, and CD. 

Least likely in my mind. 

 

In any case, I'm fine with voting Worldhopper first and looking at our options again if we make it to next cycle.

[KaladinsSenseOfHumourSpren He/Him]

12 hours ago, Doc12 said:

I feel like you might want to check who died last night

Ahh yes I'd forgotten.

I don't have much time now, but I would've backed Coder too if I was in TOW's place. He did seem very village to me. I probably wouldn't've backed him like TOW did, but I do see how a villager could do so.

@BigBadBagsworth where are you?

BBB for now.

[Jo and the Bush all/any]

Here is the Situation.

BBB has not been online since Sunday.

In most games, I would not replace a player for missing a single cycle.

However, Kaladin's Humor has specifically asked to be replaced due to a flight and other IRL things. So I am replacing him. Because of that, I am also going to replace BBB if I can find a Pinch Hitter. Both of them will be subbed in as soon as they are ready to, rather than waiting for a rollover. This is the advice as given to me by our Impartial Moderator, who was not made aware of anyone's alignment.

I am posting this now because @xinoehp512 has graciously agreed to replace Kaladin's Humor, and has been slotted in. 

Current Vote Count:

Big Bad Bagsworth (3): That One Worldhopper, Xinoehp512, Willshaper the Resolute
That One Worldhopper (2): Doc12 and Iced Out Penguin.

There is about 22 hours left in the cycle.

Edited September 12, 2025 by A Jo in the Bush

[xinoehp512 he/him]

Hello everyone!

I, uh, need to go to sleep now.  Fortunately, it seems I already have a vote! I'll trust that past me knew what he was doing.

[Jo and the Bush all/any]

Big Bad Bagsworth has been replaced with @Aeternum

There is 13 hours left in this cycle.

Current Vote Count:

Aeternum (3): That One Worldhopper, Xinoehp512, Willshaper the Resolute
That One Worldhopper (2): Doc12 and Iced Out Penguin.

EDIT: For those who enjoy them, the missing C4 writeup has been edited in.

Edited September 12, 2025 by A Jo in the Bush

[Doc12]

Hi new friends! You've both joined at a pretty important cycle, where there's 3 villagers and 2 elims, meaning it's important that all the villagers work together. I have reads on your previous counterparts' actions, but I'm interested to see how you will act!

@xinoehp512 You replaced Kaladin's Sense of Humor Spren, whose actions are rather neutral leaning, but I am deciding to trust because known elim CD with ThatOneWorldhopper tried to execute you yesterday. KSOS had suspicions on Bigbadbagsworth (now Aeternum) but I'm asking that you join our vote for now, unless KSOS left you any notes on why they think BBB is more likely to be Elim than TOW. 

@Aeternum You replaced BBB, who had a fairly perplexing history of action such as voting alongside known elim CD for almost every cycle, and then threatening to exe himself. Do you have anything you want to share? Would you place a vote on TOW, anyone else, or yourself (like your counterpart did )? 

[IcedOutPenguin He/Him]

I'm going to make a prediction for how this cycle will end. We are either going to exe TOW or Aeter (BBB), who are both likely elims. I think TOW is the safer vote, though. 

We enter cycle 6, where Doc is killed by the Elims (Your the most obvious choice to get killed, sorry) and we are left with a 3 person situation, where we need to correctly vote, on the hardest cycle, to exe an elim.

On 9/10/2025 at 9:18 PM, A Jo in the Bush said:

Willshaper has announced that she will give up her breath this cycle! Due to player count, all remaining players are in Willshaper's court. This means that there will be no Court doc created for Willshaper. Additionally, Willshaper's ability does not actually function in any meaningful sense due to player count, so voting on her breath does not matter.

 

I'm a little confused by this, won't revealing the alinment of a player still be helpful with cycle six?

[Jo and the Bush all/any]

16 minutes ago, IcedOutPenguin said:

I'm a little confused by this, won't revealing the alignment of a player still be helpful with cycle six?

Quote

When Willshaper the Resolute gives their breath away, the Recipient’s court (google doc) will not become inaccessible upon the death of that god or the lack of priests. The Recipient and their fellow court-members will still be moved to other courts as normal, but they may continue to talk in the old doc as well.

Willshaper's ability is to make a court/google doc stay open for its members. As of now, all living players are inside a single court. This ability thus does not actually change the game.

Truthwatcher was the only god to reveal the alignment of a player. Doc12's alignment was revealed. Araris ordered the gods in such a way that at this point none of them will actually affect the game. 

[IcedOutPenguin He/Him]

1 hour ago, A Jo in the Bush said:

Willshaper's ability is to make a court/google doc stay open for its members. As of now, all living players are inside a single court. This ability thus does not actually change the game.

Truthwatcher was the only god to reveal the alignment of a player. Doc12's alignment was revealed. Araris ordered the gods in such a way that at this point none of them will actually affect the game. 

Oh... I was just confused as to what gods did what.

[Doc12]

Yeahhh being a confirmed villager probably means I'm going to die tonight. Fun. 

@Aeternum @xinoehp512 @ThatOneWorldhopper Any thoughts? Two of you are probably elims but I'd just like to know who you're voting. How bout we give Joe a nice night of no pre-rollover shenanigans?

[Jo and the Bush all/any]

26 minutes ago, Doc12 said:

How bout we give Joe a nice night of no pre-rollover shenanigans?

Please

[Aeternum]

6 hours ago, Doc12 said:

@Aeternum You replaced BBB, who had a fairly perplexing history of action such as voting alongside known elim CD for almost every cycle, and then threatening to exe himself. Do you have anything you want to share? Would you place a vote on TOW, anyone else, or yourself (like your counterpart did )? 

I don't self-vote.

I haven't read anything yet, I have absolutely zero idea what this setup is, but I'll try to post some thoughts in the next two hours when I have some time. Although it's not likely to matter if this is elims win at parity. I only agreed to sub in because I thought it would be really funny if I subbed in and immediately died a couple hours later , didn't realize it was lylo today.

Unfortunately, my slot's inactivity means this probably is just a loss but oh well lol. If I had to guess, there's an elim voting me rn pretty much always because my slot is the designated miselim for today.

[IcedOutPenguin He/Him]

14 minutes ago, Aeternum said:

I don't self-vote.

I haven't read anything yet, I have absolutely zero idea what this setup is, but I'll try to post some thoughts in the next two hours when I have some time. Although it's not likely to matter if this is elims win at parity. I only agreed to sub in because I thought it would be really funny if I subbed in and immediately died a couple hours later , didn't realize it was lylo today.

Unfortunately, my slot's inactivity means this probably is just a loss but oh well lol. If I had to guess, there's an elim voting me rn pretty much always because my slot is the designated miselim for today.

Just vote TOW

[Doc12]

38 minutes ago, Aeternum said:

I don't self-vote.

I haven't read anything yet, I have absolutely zero idea what this setup is, but I'll try to post some thoughts in the next two hours when I have some time. Although it's not likely to matter if this is elims win at parity. I only agreed to sub in because I thought it would be really funny if I subbed in and immediately died a couple hours later , didn't realize it was lylo today.

Unfortunately, my slot's inactivity means this probably is just a loss but oh well lol. If I had to guess, there's an elim voting me rn pretty much always because my slot is the designated miselim for today.

Yeaaah you did just sub into a game where we're one misfire from dying and you're a suspected elim  

All I'm asking for is a vote from you, to see where your loyalties lie. If you're village, I'd like to you band with us and vote on TOW. If you vote for anyone else, that's, yknow, suspect, but it'd be interesting to hear your reasoning. I recognize this is sounding a little 'vote with us or die' and Penguin and I might be wrong with TOW but at this point, four hours before rollover, it's 50/50 we all live to see another cycle anyway (Less for me I'm definitely dying tonight )

[Aeternum]

Iced leading voting on CD last cycle is, without context, a good look. The only way I'd reconsider this being a good look is if CD was up for elim the day before, because it could be bussing. I have no idea whether that's something Iced would do ngl.

Could just be xinoehp512/TOW lol. I think that indicates an elim team of mostly newer players, which would explain a lack of distancing and pretty pairing stuff. When Iced votes CD, they all immediately vote there together, which is not exactly the best idea for elims, but I could see a team of newer players doing something like that. Especially so late into the game.

This post from CD is also just a terrible look for all three of them since CD flipped elim lol. The level of defensiveness is very unpairing with Iced, and it's probbaly indicative that one of TOW/xinoeph slot is an elim with CD. If they were e/v/v CD doesn't react like that imo. I'm pretty comfortable calling Iced unpaired with CD, aka I townread Iced, based on the resulting back and forth.

Tbf I think this post from KSOHS/xinoeph slot can be town sometimes, but the defense of CD is something I don't really like.

CD and TOW voted in the same minute on KSOHS/xinoeph slot is really funny. Idk how much I read into TOW then moving back a couple minutes later while saying "I didn't see Coder's vote" because I can imagine a scenario where it's theatre or a miscommunication. CD then voting Iced a minute later is also really funny if they're all elims together.

Guessing TOW's final post didn't count, but that's... an interesting post? It almost made me want to think that the team is probably not TOW with KSOHS/xinoeph slot ngl, until I checked the alive players list. Weird to move off of likely a town slot to vote an elim partner while trying to appeal last minute to v!Aman and save CD. Like if you're bussing there, don't you just bus CD lol.

Doc is confirmed town (if I say IC that's the same thing), and I didn't read the setup so uh I'll just assume the game isn't bastard. Iced/TOW/CD is probably never the team judging by CD's reactions to Iced and the final VC. I will say that I had light pings on Iced having potential TMI and bussing, so I don't really feel confident enough in v!Iced to lock in the other two as the team. Iced can be bussing because of TMI, especially because of the way the final VC ended yesterday. The thing is that I don't really think e/e CD/Iced talk to each other like that last cycle, and TOW was also aggressive towards Iced in a usually not e/e way. Not confident enough in a solve either way, I probably place Iced as likely to not be an elim though, because Iced/TOW/CD is a really weird team when they would've had to have done some weird bussing when it was a cycle they could've won on if they stacked (I assume? f7 yesterday?).

TOW, because I think this slot should always be an elim regardless of who the final elim is. TOW is also just lacking curiosity and feels one dimensional in posting off of what I've read. I have trouble seeing a team in Iced/KSOHS rn, but I haven't really looked.

Reading through cycle 3 now, because reading in the correct order is overrated, this post from Iced ngl makes me want to lock Iced town. If you want my paranoia thoughts, there's a chance Iced is too TMI-y to be able to push my slot. Saying this because when I was a newbie elim, I was extremely TMI-y and I may or may not have killed my entire wolf team in some of my early games.

One of TOW/KSOHS always flips elim based on CD's readlist here. Also literally how is anyone voting my slot atp lol. My slot is so unpaired from CD off of that post. I digress.

I'm not reading cycle 1 and 2, I think I've seen enough and I got stuff to do. I'm feeling ok with voting TOW -> xinoeph/KSOHS slot here. I'll check my Iced and xinoeph/KSOHS slot reads later since elims have to bring me to f3 because I'm probably the only possible miselim rn. Sigh.