MR77: Cycle One: Diamonds

[Archer he/him]

MR 77 Cycle One: Diamonds

Talenin wore a rope from his belt to the mast when above deck. The pale-skinned trademaster shied away from the railings as he addressed the crew of Dilid’s Reprieve. 
“These savages are godless creatures, but we must hold our noses today. Don’t fixate on their heathenistic ways."

Talenin noted the violet streaks of confusionspren hovering around the Herdazean contingent of the crew. 
“Macks! Aren't you supposed to translate for us?”

Macks spoke seven languages, but none of them well. The slender man stepped forward, fiddling with the medallion necklace he wore. 
“Sorry, Master Talenin. Can I have a moment?”
“Absolutely not! They need to hear this before going ashore.”
“I'm not-”

“Quickly now!” Talenin snapped his fingers at the crew. “A successful merchant…” 
“A good tradesmaster,” Macks repeated, in broken Herdazean. 

“Employs dual strategies.”
“Hires, no, does fighting strategies.”

“First, hear no evil,”
Macks gestured at the ship. “Here there is no evil.”

“Second, see no evil.”
“The ocean is also good.”

“Do what you must to secure the sale.”
“It is important to protect the sail.”

The Herdazean sailors shuffled their feet. “Our ships… fight?” one asked in broken Alethi. 
Talenin squinted. “Trade is kind of like a fight. One we will win! Lower the rowboat, my conquest awaits.”

Macks tinkered with his medallion as they watched Talenin approach the greatshell island. 

He would be dead by sunset. 

As it reached the beach, Pladel’s rowboat was greeted by a circle of merchant officers of various kingdoms, judging by their uniforms.
“Welcome to Relu-na, Captain.”
She ignored the proffered hand, pulling herself out with the help of a nearby vine. “Not the welcome party I expected.”

“I am Zeek,” said the Thaylen. “These are Captain Ado, Captain Marlen, and her translator, Macks.”
“I'm really not qualified…”

Pladel nodded curtly. “How's trade been?”
“Your crew is welcome to pitch tents and share the clearing. There's been some interest in our dried goods and metal wares.” Captain Zeek ran a finger through his spiked eyebrow. “Their dignitaries have yet to acknowledge us.”

Pladel had just unclenched her jaw when Zeek continued. 
“But there's been a complication.”

An angerspren burrowed from the ground at Captain Marlen's feet. “My trademaster was killed.”

An hour later, Pladel was sitting beside a fire, holding a three-pointed throwing star in her hand. 
“It's an uncommon weapon.”

Marlen was pacing. “The locals don't carry them. Weapons of any kind.”
Zeek nodded. “They barely wear clothes half the time. I had to send my crates of cloth back to the ship.”

“Did Talenin have any enemies?”
“Not… Well, probably. But they could have done it any time on the journey here.”

Her implication was clear: someone from another crew did this. 

Zeek's Thaylen eyebrows furrowed. "I have offered a reward of three diamond broams to anyone who identifies the killer. Even if he's one of my own. Especially so."

Pladel pinched the throwing star between her fingers. "Does the shape of this mean anything to you?"
Macks dropped his medallion and scrambled to pick it up. 
"Your translator knows." 

Pladel got to her feet. "Show this symbol to your crews. We have a Ghostblood among us."

Talenin has been killed! He was a Merchant Officer!

Plot hooks: Pitch tents on the beach and trade with the Reshi, or secure your ship from danger.

Mid-Range Game 77 starts now! I'm your GM, @Archer. Feel free to ping or PM me with game questions. Our IM is @Araris Valerian. He's available to resolve conflict and ensure this game is smooth sailing. 

Alignment PMs have gone out; please tell me if you've been missed. GM PMs are used for action submissions, while voting is done publicly. 

This round runs until 8:00pm EST on Friday July 3rd. 

Enmity is at 1. 

The Cargo Hold:

Quote

Book of Backbreaker Poison (Expertise)
Book of Painrial (Expertise)
Ship's Manifest
Ship's Manifest
Lavis Beer
Lavis Beer
Bribe
Bribe
Pre-written Boast
Pre-written Boast
Key
Key
Key

RULES LINK

Players

1. @Hoid Slayer as Y, an inexperienced sailor with a positive attitude and a secret. 

2. @Stardust

3. @The Unknown Character

4. @Wahrheitswächter as Ralm the Thaylen Merchant, and Babsk of Essyn, bearing a mistspren, trinkets, and secrets. 

5. @coco.pudding as Essyn, a Thaylen apprentice looking to prove herself worthy of her family name (which is secret).

6. @Mystic as Fickle

7. @Through the Living Hopper as 1. 

8. @Ascended Grubberfly as Darak the Reshi returning home who secretly helped draft pre-written boasts. 

9. @Mint11 as Shejun

10. @Qianweilian

11. @CoderDrag0n8 as X, the retired sailor brought along for his experience and his secret weapon. 

12. @Illwei

13. @|TJ|

Rules Clarifications

Spoiler

-Are there any secret rules?

No. 

PMs are open (1 on 1 only) 

 

Edited 50 minutes ago by Archer

[Hoid Slayer He/Him]

Hi guys

My presence exists

[coco.pudding she/they]

I also exist

Once again, my activity may be all over the place, but I will do my best. 

[Qianweilian He/him]

Good night everyone. Poor Talenin.

[Hoid Slayer He/Him]

Y closed his eyes and allowed himself to be immersed in the rocking of the boat on the waves, the smell of the sea, the light spray tossed up by the wind onto his face. It was cleansing. He opened his eyes.

They had anchored the Ishar's Blessing a ways out from the shore, only Pladel and her most trusted proceeding to the beach. The rowboat had just returned, and now the crew was preparing to move closer. It seemed they would camp on dry land.

Y liked that, and not only because despite his incredible fortitude this last week, he did not yet feel the ocean had truly accepted him. No, there was more to it than that.

The man he had come to kill was unlikely to hide behind the ocean spray.

"Ho, Y!" Y turned to see X waving from another rowboat, this one carrying more supplies than people. "You said you wanted to come early?"

Y rose an arm to wave back eagerly at the experienced sailor, and plastered on a cheerful smile.

"I could use some land to kiss."

The other man barked out a laugh, and Y strode over to join him. X kept talking as Y boarded, and continued as the vessel broke free of the Blessing's shadow, not realizing Y's gaze was fixed firmly on the sand - and beyond it, the cliffs and hills - that rapidly approached.

Patience, father.

...

So, hey guys, remember how I said I read the rules

Yeah... I forgot them already 

Okay quick review

I think we need to keep in mind going into this game it's unique nature

And by that, I mean wincons

My first SE game was MR 72. I don't know how many of you will (or even can) remember it, but it had an element that was somewhat similar to this: each player had a breath, and each cycle, we had to ensure a breath was given up to a Returned. Two failures to give breath would result in a village loss. What we ended up doing was coordinating so two people gave up their breath every cycle, holding them accountable without risking too much.

My first thought was that we could do something like that with the Favour in this game

However, considering how central an element it is in this game and how monitoring it entirely would take away a lot of the fun and mystery from this, I'm not even sure if I support my own idea here

I'm just putting it on the table

Otherwise, I would like to lobby for a Qianweilian exe

[Stardust She/Her]

Hi guys

Sorry, I'm most likely going to be offline for the next few days

...please don't exe me in the meantime.