Mid-Range Game 77: Traders & Traitors [SIGNUPS OPEN]

[Archer he/him]

Mid-Range Game 77: Traders & Traitors

Prologue: Fortune

No rain fell in the Shadesmar, but the Highstorm’s effects were nonetheless felt. In his lighthouse, Riino peered into his orb. 
“Your people will fail,” he told his guest, who sat cross-legged on the floor with perfect posture. In his lap was a cane, which he had used to navigate the steps up. 
“Lend me your sight.”
Those were the first words he had spoken since they had finalized their deal and sat to wait for the storm, several hours ago. Riino gave him a surprised glance, and immediately regretted it. His guest’s vacant stare was unnerving. 
In place of his eyes, the man had a pair of dun spheres: one blue and one green. 

“It will be given to a deserving woman. She has an exciting future ahead of her, if you’d like to follow that thread.” 
“Ownership of the larkin is unnecessary. Tell me, who will visit Relu-na in search of it?”
With some confusion, Riino began naming ships he saw. The list seemed to satisfy the man, who stood to leave. 
“That’s all you wanted? For what you paid, I’d give you more.”

The man paused at the top of the stairs, sweeping his cane to find the first step. “Tell me, Lighthouse Keeper. Have you foreseen your own death?”
Riino nodded, then remembered to speak. “That’s my own business.”
“One of the Fools would threaten a man secure in the knowledge of his fortune. My payment includes your discretion.”
Avoiding eye-contact, Riino’s attention fell to his cane. It was a single piece of white ivory, tapered to a sturdy point. “Is that a whitespire tusk?”
“Clever creatures, whitespires. They leave the carcass of their prey in plain view to attract scavengers. The beasts will lurk nearby, and those that sought an easy meal will oft become the prey” The Ghostblood began descending the stairs. “You have a lovely home, Keeper. I now know where to find you.”

Captain Pladel owned her own ship. Ishar’s Blessing, named for the Herald of good fortune, had been true to its name. Under her command, they had survived two pirate attacks and a tense encounter with a Thaylen party-cruise. Even in her rush to haul anchor from Northgrip, Pladel had made time to burn a prayer to Ishar.

“We’ve been lucky,” she murmured, gloved hand holding the ship’s wheel steady. Her violet eyes looked to where several planks of the decking had been replaced. They had tried to scrub away her former first-mate’s blood, but it had permanently infused into the wood. 

A cry from the eel’s nest re-foccused her. “Ships on the far side of the island! Three, maybe four!”

Pladel cursed. When news of the treasure available on Relu-na had spread across the trademaster networks, she had hoped she could outrun the competition. Her bargaining position was severely compromised, if the prize was even still available. 

She glared at the anxietyspren that hovered around her crew. “Quit gawking and trim the sails! This changes nothing! The fortune will be ours.” 
 

Premise

One month before Rysn’s visit (Words of Radiance Interlude I-3:) Sailors converge on the greatshell island of Relu-na, lured by whispers of a valuable treasure available for trade. But Ghostbloods have infiltrated the crews, seeking to prevent a deal. 

Factions

The Merchants are the majority faction, opposed by the minority Ghostbloods. There may be a neutral Thief alignment.

Gameplay

There is a standard exe each round, tie-broken randomly. Deaths will be announced with alignment and cause. Failed attacks are not announced. 

1-on-1 PMs may be freely made until a Thief is removed from the game. 

As explained later, Items can be claimed and used using your Action and Bonus Action each round. One use of Items is to prevent the Ghostblood win condition from occuring. 

Win Conditions

The success of the trade mission hinges on the Merchants’ relationship with the Reshi. The Reshi’s suspicion will grow, but the Merchants can curry their favour to counteract that.  

At the beginning of each round, the Reshi’s level of Enmity will be announced. This is an obstacle that must be overcome, lest the Reshi cancel trade negotiations. 

Enmity = 1 + # exed Merchants - # exed Ghostbloods

At the end of each round, the accumulated level of Favour is secretly calculated by the GM. Favour is won through Item usage. Favour resets to zero at the beginning of each round. 

If Favour equals or exceeds Enmity, there are no consequences. If Enmity exceeds Favour, the group receives a Rebuke. 

• 1st Rebuke: Reveals a random Merchant’s name and inventory to the Ghostbloods. 
• 2nd Rebuke: Unblockable kill of a random Merchant. 
• 3rd Rebuke: Ghostbloods win. 

The Merchants win when all Ghostbloods have been removed. 

[Example: Round Three writeup announces Enmity equals three, as two Merchants have been exed. Players use a Pre-written Boast and two Treasure Items to attempt to make Favour equal three. However, a Painrial use returned the Pre-written Boast to the Cargo Hold, so it was never activated, so the level of Favour only equals two, less than Enmity. A Rebuke is issued.]

Roles

Players are assigned one of the following roles: 

Merchant Officer: Can use keys and gain Expertise. Wins by eliminating Ghostbloods. 

Merchant Crew: Cannot use keys or gain Expertise. Can use the Mentorship Bonus Action. Wins by eliminating Ghostbloods. 

Ghostblood Officer: Can use keys and gain Expertise. Wins upon third Rebuke. Factional kill and shared doc. 

Ghostblood Crew: Cannot use keys or gain Expertise. Can use the Mentorship Bonus Action. Wins upon third Rebuke. Factional kill and shared doc. 

Thief: Cannot use keys. Can steal a random Item from a player as an Action. Wins upon accumulating 5 Rare Items, then is removed from play along with their inventory. 

Actions and Bonus Actions

Players may take one Action and one Bonus Action each round. 

Action: (Pick one)

• Use Item (Items are immediately removed from play when activated, unless otherwise stated.)
• Anything listed as a Bonus Action option (provided it doesn't duplicate your Bonus Action choice that round; they must be two different choices.)
• Ghostblood kill
• Thief Steal ability 

Bonus Action: (Pick one, can not be blocked)

• Take an Item from the Cargo Hold. (Anonymously done, RNG tiebreaks.)
• Pass an Item to another player  
• Crew Mentorship ability: If it targets an Officer, they learn a random Expertise they do not already know. If it targets a Crew, a key is added to that player's inventory. If it targets a Thief, it reveals the mentor’s name and inventory to them. Cannot self-target.

Items 

The ships brought many goods for trade, such as fabrials and soulcast luxuries. As you barter with these, you remember some specific Items in the Cargo Hold that may aide you.

At the start of each round, the game-relevant contents of the Cargo Hold will be announced. Players can use Take an Item to attempt to add something to their inventory. 

Players might start with an Item. Players do not start with an Item Expertise; effects of Expertise are listed beside applicable Item.

Items are immediately removed from play when activated, unless otherwise stated. 

Rare Items:

• Book [of Specific Expertise]: Instantly learn titular expertise, then the Item is instantly removed from the game. No effect on Crew. 
• Spanreed: It reveals that round’s level of Favour to you by connecting you to a Reshi informant. (Passive, multiple uses.)
• Letter of Endorsement: Makes Favour equal Enmity that round. 
• Agreement with Axies the Collector: If held by a Merchant, it adds one Favour each round. If held by a Ghostblood, it lowers Favour by one each round. Causes bearer to lose RNG contests prompted by the Take an Item action. (Passive, multiple uses.)
• Shardblade: Kills target. Uniquely, if multiple players request this Item, it instead stays in the Cargo Hold and one of those players dies. 

Common Items: 

• Pre-written Boast: Adds 1 Favour, as it impresses the Reshi. 
• Lavis Beer: Learn target’s inventory - sailors love to talk over drinks if you’re buying. This will match the end of round inventory update they receive during rollover. 
• Ship’s Manifest: Replenishes the Cargo Hold, as you identify which crates contain the goods you’re looking for. (GM chooses Items.)
• Bribe: Target’s vote changes to match yours. Vote cancelled instead if this would cause self-voting. 
• Key: Officers have permission to enter their Captain’s quarters, and can take Items from the locked chests therein, if they pilfered the key. Crew can possess, but not use, keys. 

Uses for Keys: (Upon use, immediately acquire and use your choice of:)

• Treasure: Adds 1 Favour, as the Reshi are impressed by the bravery shown through its acquisition [Expertise: Adds 2 Favour instead]
• Half-shard: Protect target from one Ghostblood or Shardblade kill [Expertise: Protect from all Ghostblood and Shardblade kills instead]
• Backbreaker Poison: Negate target’s action and inform them, if the puking wasn’t enough of a giveaway. Items are still used and removed. [Expertise: Target not informed instead]
• Alerter Fabrial: Learn target’s Action target, or that “they did not target a player” [No Expertise available]
• Horneater White: Remove target’s vote and inform them, by getting them into an… agreeable mood [Expertise: Target not informed instead]
• Painrial: Return a random item in target’s inventory to the Cargo Hold by encouraging them not to misappropriate the ship’s supply so liberally [Expertise: Add it to your inventory instead]

Order of Actions 

(This is a work in progress) 

Additional

If the Cargo Hold is not replenished for two consecutive rounds, one of every common Item will be added to the Cargo Hold, plus a piece of chalk (has no in-game function). 

My thanks to @Sart, whose LG73/57 rules inspired this game. 

Players

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Start Time

I'm tentatively planning to start this game in the evening of July 1, but I want to check with our American friends: how disruptive will the July 4th weekend be to gameplay? 

 

Edited 4 hours ago by Archer

[Hoid Slayer He/Him]

I'll read everything later

For now, sign me up

[Stardust She/Her]

Sign me up! I would love to play!

[The Unknown Medallion he/him]

Insane to be posting signups for a game while the fate of the Shard lies undecided

I'll sign up to play. I have a very large wrestling tournament from the 7th on, so my activity could literally be the highest or lowest depending on a ton of factors

[Through the living Wahr He/Him]

I will also sign up

[coco.pudding she/they]

I’ll sign up. My activity may be weird for the next month and a half but I should theoretically have enough time to play.

edit: as an American July 4th won’t disrupt things for me at all. In fact that’s actually one of my few free days this next month!

Edited 1 hour ago by coco.pudding

[Myst He/Him]

I’m free after July 2nd, so sign me up

Fickle is here to definitely not betray people