Long Game 16: The Empty Throne Part 2: The Catacombs

[Mark IV]

Woah! Did I miss something? Why are votes being thrown around due to RP reasons?

[Metacognition]

Their gang leader rose. Metrick liked the guy, due to his mysterious nature. Was he an Epic, like himself, or just a normal guy pulling one of the best pranks ever on everyone? As such, Metrick was one of the ones leaning forward when the bomb went off. He didn't have time to even try to fling himself away from the blast physically, so he reached for his power. As the explosion radiated outwards, Metrick increased the distance between himself and the blast radius. As fast as the explosion expanded, Metrick was luckily just a little bit faster. By the time the smoke cleared, Metrick was still untouched; as were many of the people on either side of him. He had hit the explosion with everything he had, like a shotgun blast, so he hadn't refined the range to just him. Would he have if he did have the time to refine it? Or would he have tried to extend the range to cover even more people? He wasn't sure and now wasn't the time to find out. Things were erupting into a different form of chaos; the kind that dealt with accusations and led to people's death. 

***

Metrick scowled as everyone started to get things back in order. That had not been a very good prank. If your target can't walk away from it, then what was the point? Of course, the people who had done it likely weren't thinking of it in terms of a prank in the first place. Didn't stop him from thinking that way though. 

 

Metrick saw his intended target picking his way through the steel rubble. While everyone else had to watch their footing, Metrick walked across the debris as if it was solid ground. Basically because it was to him since he could make any surface as large or as small as he wanted. It was a little thing, but Metrick shifted some of the rubble underneath the feet of his target, causing them to lose their footing. As they fell, their foot wedged itself between two larger chunks. Metrick tightened them just a fraction; enough to make sure their foot was truly stuck tight, but not enough to hurt. As far as pranks went, it was small beans, but it brought a smile back to Metrick's face, so it was worth it. 

 

---

 

Theresa, that's relying on us having certain roles, which we do not know whether or not we even have. Unless you're privy to some information that the rest of us are not?

 

Marr, it's Day 1. You have better reasons already? Cause I'd love to hear them. 

Edited January 18, 2016 by Metacognition

[Mark IV]

Well, Metrick , looks to me like stopping a few pointless deaths is not a good enough reason? Well, Metrick, do you have any reasons to vote against that? Hmmmmm?

EDIT : Fixed colour. Also, I'm not your target, am I?

EDIT : A bit of pondering has made me realise what is happening. Well, my vote still stays, 'cause "it's Day 1", isn't it?

Edited January 18, 2016 by Mark IV

[Metacognition]

How do you know if those deaths are pointless? The only people who would know that at this point are the Traitors. 

 

So, to recap, so far you've tried to stall voting, defended Altermind (because Theresa's vote is the only one so far that could be construed as RP related) for (as far as everyone else knows) no good reason, and now you're claiming to know that Altermind is innocent. Add to the fact that voting for someone because they voted for you is a pretty well-used Eliminator tactic and that you're trying to paint yourself as innocent by protecting people. The fact that you're, in a way, discouraging RP isn't really a mark against you, but it is a pet peeve of mine. I'd say that's more than anything else so far. 

 

I haven't named my target yet because I was hoping that someone else would take the RP and run with it. Since no one has, I'm tempted to pick out someone who just doesn't really do any RP and torment their character. They shouldn't mind, since they weren't doing anything with the character anyways.

[Kipper]

...Since no one has, I'm tempted to pick out someone who just doesn't really do any RP and torment their character. They shouldn't mind, since they weren't doing anything with the character anyways.

Oh snap.

That might actually tempt me to RP...o.O

I'll vote for Mark IV as well. Might as well put at least a threat of death in there.

[Kynedath]

When Drake received word from Persepolis that his brother Graye was an epic, he hadn't cried. He couldn't afford to show that kind of vulnerability. He had been sad, yes, but he hadn't cried. If he had shown how weak he could be, his next assignment would be a permanent recon mission in the graveyard.

 

When Drake received word from Persepolis that his brother Graye had died, he had cried. If he wanted to keep functioning properly, if he wanted to keep his sanity, he had to released his sorrow. He still couldn't show his weakness, but he had to cry. He had to mourn for the man who had raised him. So he went home and cried to his wife.

 

His house wasn't much of a sight. It's just a two roomed hole in the ground that Drake had to pay a near fortune to have made. It was furnished sparsely and didn't have a washroom, just a hole in the corner the size of a certificate. What it did have was working lights and a working sink. The location was good too, nowhere near the slums, residential areas or the luxury apartments where the city officials live. Drake's house was on the outskirts of the former industrial area of Newcago. True, there a couple of gangs in the area, using it as their base of operations, but they couldn't see his house. He had it built so that it was nearly invisible on the outside. He and Graye had designed it that way when Graye was still raising Drake.

 

He cried for Graye, but eventually he had to move on. He couldn't let his pseudo-family know his weakness. He couldn't let them or else they would come and take his home away. They would take his wife away. They would take everything away from him. He couldn't let them take it away from him. It was his house. She was his wife. He couldn't lose them. He had to protect them! He had to live, because Graye is dead.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                  

 

Just so you know, I accidentally left the page when I was writing this the first time around, so this version isn't my best work.

 

Also, Adavantos! My name in Drake Pierce, you killed my brother, now prepare to die. 

 

Also, Meta, a bit tunnely no? Not saying you're wrong, but you are very intent on casting suspicion on Mark. Now I do find Mark's logic a bit flawed, as RP is nearly the only reason to vote right now. And I do find his voting you back is slightly strange, but I can also see that being his automatic response to threats. That's just not how I work. But it may be how he works. Not trying to take a side, just pointing out some inconsistencies.

Edited January 18, 2016 by Kynedath

[Mark IV]

So, to recap, so far you've tried to stall voting, defended Altermind (because Theresa's vote is the only one so far that could be construed as RP related) for (as far as everyone else knows) no good reason...

 

I just felt that voting based on RP was not substantial enough a reason for voting. There was no specific mention towards twei’s vote.

 

...and now you're claiming to know that Altermind is innocent....

 

By pointless deaths, (I'm assuming that that is what you're referring to, as I've not even once mentioned Altermind by name, nor have I alleged that he is innocent) I had meant that voting for anyone without any proof would fetch us a low chance for catching an eliminator.

 

....voting for someone because they voted for you is a pretty well-used Eliminator tactic....

 

Well, it wouldn't be well known for me, I mean I've barely played one game here.

Also, let me clarify the reason for my vote. I voted for you because Marr has a suspicion that the person who was walking to the central dais was expecting, even prepared some would say, for the blast which took place when it did. I did not, at all vote for you because you were a bit too aggressive towards me.

You see? Completely RP based. Not at all based off of real, non RP reasons.

Metrick, I feel that you're being a bit too aggressive on this issue. You’re voting for the first person who suggests not voting for RP reasons. And, you don’t vote because of RP reasons. That sounds sort of hypocritical to me.

 

 

Also, 

@Kipper

Could you state your own reasons as to voting for me? Because, to me, it just seems like you want someone to be lynched.

[Kipper]

As you'll see if you follow the link in my profile, I strongly agree with the principle that D1 lynches and pokevotes are pointless unless there's actually a threat of death behind them. If everyone knows that people are going to retract their votes, what's the point of voting at all? Discussion is useless if there's no threat of death. This way, we'll see a little better who's interested in keeping certain people alive (or dead).

[Clanky]

Their gang leader rose. Metrick liked the guy, due to his mysterious nature. Was he an Epic, like himself, or just a normal guy pulling one of the best pranks ever on everyone? As such, Metrick was one of the ones leaning forward when the bomb went off. He didn't have time to even try to fling himself away from the blast physically, so he reached for his power. As the explosion radiated outwards, Metrick increased the distance between himself and the blast radius. As fast as the explosion expanded, Metrick was luckily just a little bit faster. By the time the smoke cleared, Metrick was still untouched; as were many of the people on either side of him. He had hit the explosion with everything he had, like a shotgun blast, so he hadn't refined the range to just him. Would he have if he did have the time to refine it? Or would he have tried to extend the range to cover even more people? He wasn't sure and now wasn't the time to find out. Things were erupting into a different form of chaos; the kind that dealt with accusations and led to people's death. 

***

Metrick scowled as everyone started to get things back in order. That had not been a very good prank. If your target can't walk away from it, then what was the point? Of course, the people who had done it likely weren't thinking of it in terms of a prank in the first place. Didn't stop him from thinking that way though. 

 

Metrick saw his intended target picking his way through the steel rubble. While everyone else had to watch their footing, Metrick walked across the debris as if it was solid ground. Basically because it was to him since he could make any surface as large or as small as he wanted. It was a little thing, but Metrick shifted some of the rubble underneath the feet of his target, causing them to lose their footing. As they fell, their foot wedged itself between two larger chunks. Metrick tightened them just a fraction; enough to make sure their foot was truly stuck tight, but not enough to hurt. As far as pranks went, it was small beans, but it brought a smile back to Metrick's face, so it was worth it. 

 

 

Clanky stared at the remains of what had once been the leadership of his gang. All the most powerful and influential people in the gang had been gathered here to deal with the incursion of the rival gang and now they were all dead. As he moved closer to the origin of the explosion the ground around him began to shift.

 

Did the bomb damage the base of the building? This whole place is going to collapse!

 

Clanky tried to scramble towards the exit but the ground kept shifting underneath him. He tried to take another step but something grabbed his foot before he could. If his foot hadn't been held so tightly Clanky would've fallen flat on his face. Clanky was afraid to look back to see what or who had grabbed him. His mind told him it had to be the arm of some half dead gang member who had been buried under the rubble or maybe another traitor who had come to finish of the job and kill everyone that the bomb didn't. Clanky hesitantly turned his head back and saw that his foot had only become lodged into some loose debris. 

 

Weird, I felt it tighten on me. How could I get this stuck just from some loose stone?

 

Looking around to see if anyone had noticed his predicament Clanky noticed Metrick looking at him and smiling.

 

How did he survive? Metrick had been right in the middle of the table when the bomb had went off. Nobody could survive that! And why is he smiling? Everyone had almost died and they were still in serious danger now! Something is obviously going on with him.

 

Clanky tried to pry his foot free from the debris so that he could go and confront Metrick but it wouldn't budge. He pulled as hard as he could. Once, twice and on the third pull Clankys foot came free of the debris and he rolled down the side of a pile of rubble. Clanky looked down to see if he had damaged anything in the fall but everything seemed all right until he got looked to his feet. The boot from the foot that had been stuck was missing and a quick examination of the area showed why. There was his boot stuck as tightly as ever in the debris he had just escaped from.

 

----

 

 

How do we feel about minimising role uses (day and night) as much as possible for the first cycle? If we do that, then a future Mortician scan on the Traitor kill target is very likely to only show their killer. The Traitors have to choose between letting one of their own be revealed like that or bodysnatching someone whose alignment we effectively know. The main downside is that Snitches are set back a cycle.

 

I don't really see much benefit in this course of acton since it only makes sense for the traitors to use the bodysnatcher early anyways when it is easier to find out the killer so they will probably hide it regardless. In this game however where kills are indistinguishable from each other it is the assassins/ray gun people who are most at risk since they will show up on dead player inspection the same as a traitor would.

 

EDIT: Meta, feel free to torment me in any way you see fit. I have no plan for my character so I can just adapt to whatever you feel like doing.

Edited January 18, 2016 by Clanky

[Metacognition]

Also, Meta, a bit tunnely no? Not saying you're wrong, but you are very intent on casting suspicion on Mark. Now I do find Mark's logic a bit flawed, as RP is nearly the only reason to vote right now. And I do find his voting you back is slightly strange, but I can also see that being his automatic response to threats. That's just not how I work. But it may be how he works. Not trying to take a side, just pointing out some inconsistencies.

 

For someone not trying to take a side, you do sure seem to have Marr's back; providing excuses and possible reasons for his actions for him. Could be that you're defending a teammate. Could also be that you know whether Marr is innocent and that you're trying to integrate yourself with him.

 

I'm not tunneling. I'm typically the person to remind people to keep their suspicions fluid, so I'm not about to let myself fall into that trap. You're mistaking my strong approach with a conviction that isn't there. See, by providing strong accusations, it gives people something solid to defend against and we wind up learning more from their responses. Of not just them, but the people around them as well; as proven by the fact that I'm responding to you now. 

 

I look at it like this: I give people some rope by giving them something to actually defend against. What they do with it and how they respond helps tailor whether or not they wind up hanging themselves with it. This approach allows us to get the most out of the discussion, IMO, as it's not just a bunch of poke votes and/or votes in jest (your vote on Ada?). Those kind of votes can be more easily ignored because there's nothing one can say to defend themselves against them. 

 

As a final word about it; the Day is still young. I never said my vote was going to stay on Marr. In fact, I'm tempted to switch it to you, but I'll leave it where it is for now as Marr definitely seems to be doing more hanging than anything right now. His responses make me feel continuously wary. 

 

 

I just felt that voting based on RP was not substantial enough a reason for voting. There was no specific mention towards twei’s vote.

 

Theresa's vote was the only vote before you stated that idea that was even remotely based on an RP reason. If you did not mean her vote, then who's vote were you talking about? Exisa's (whose odd voting has its own red flags, but not RP related)? Neal's non-vote? This feels like backpedaling. 

 

 

By pointless deaths, (I'm assuming that that is what you're referring to, as I've not even once mentioned Altermind by name, nor have I alleged that he is innocent) I had meant that voting for anyone without any proof would fetch us a low chance for catching an eliminator.

 

I disagree with this entirely. Not the statement itself, because that is simple mathematics, but where that kind of reasoning leads us. What would constitute enough proof for you, Marr? Should we just sit back and wait until a seeker-type role tells us who is innocent and who is an eliminator? How strong does a suspicion have to be to make it a viable reason for a lynch? 

By following this kind of reasoning, it stalls us and puts suspicion on those that vote and actively try to find the Traitors. That was what I meant about you trying to stall the voting. A suspicion is a suspicion. There is no guaranteed proof unless a role states so outright and I will not just wait for a role to do what we should all be trying to do; find the Traitors. Even a poor suspicion will tell us more about the person who presented it.

 

I'm automatically suspicious of someone that I think is trying to hard to come off as innocent by being concerned about our chances of finding the Eliminators. We all know that we're more likely to kill a Loyalists early on, but that doesn't mean we just stop and wait as they whittle down our numbers, just to make our odds better. 

 

 

Also, let me clarify the reason for my vote. I voted for you because Marr has a suspicion that the person who was walking to the central dais was expecting, even prepared some would say, for the blast which took place when it did. I did not, at all vote for you because you were a bit too aggressive towards me.

You see? Completely RP based. Not at all based off of real, non RP reason

 

To quote you from just earlier in your post:

I just felt that voting based on RP was not substantial enough a reason for voting.

 

So you think that voting based on RP is not substantial enough, but your reason for voting for me is RP based? That's exactly what you're stating in your white-text up there. And you accuse me of being hypocritical? I never said that voting based off RP was the way to go, especially if one has other possible reasoning. You just happened to give me a non-RP reasons. Besides that, you wanted me to give you reasons for why I was voting for you; so I did. This feels like more backpedaling to me. 

 

---

 

Metrick nearly fell over and rolled down the debris pile as he watched Clanky hop his way back to the stuck boot. This had turned out better than he expected! Now Clanky was pulling on the boot, wiggling back and forth and trying to chip the steel around it. Metrick waited until he went to give it a really good, hard pull and then released it; sending Clanky tumbling back head over heels. 

 

At that, Metrick couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out laughing. People were giving him funny looks, but he didn't care. Didn't they understand that, when a situation is as sparked up as theirs was, sometimes you just had to laugh? It was either that or break down and Metrick wasn't about to let that happen again. 

 

***

 

It had been the early days yet. Calamity hadn't even hung in the sky for a full year yet and he was at the mall with his parents. They were in one of the department stores when disaster struck. There was shouting coming from the direction of the food court. When Metrick had stuck his 7 year old head out to see what was the matter, it looked like there was a man curled up in a ball in the middle of the floor. He looked like how Metrick had felt when he had eaten that fuzzy apple his mom had thrown away. She had called it foot boisoning or something like that. Except this man didn't look like he was getting any better. His skin started to turn red and blister. People started backing away from the man as heat radiated off of him. No one had really heard about the Epics yet, just rumors of weird happenings in other cities and states. So no one knew what to expect in this situation or else many more people would've likely been running. 

 

With a primordial scream, the man threw himself onto his back as every muscle in his body went taunt. And then there was fire. With the man as the epicenter, it spread outwards in waves, burning anything and everything in site. It was hot enough to melt plastic at a touch and even the reinforced beams were starting to drip as if they were candle wax. 

 

Metrick's mother grabbed his hand and ran in the direction opposite of the food court, practically dragging him along since his little legs couldn't keep up. She wasn't the only one and it soon became a stampede of people looking for escape. 

 

As they neared the doors to the far side of the mall, the mob made for a perfect bottleneck. Everyone was pushing and shoving; trying to get outside. Many people were getting trampled underfoot in everyone's panic. It was then that someone shoved between Metrick and his mother, making them lose hold of each other. As if the mob was an ocean rather than people, they flooded between Metrick and his mother, pushing them further and further apart. Metrick was shoved towards the back of the crowd, back towards the flames. He was lucky in the fact that he didn't wind up getting trampled! 

 

Trapped between a sea of grown ups and the crumbling building, Metrick ran off into one of the clothing stores. He hid in the middle of one of the circular racks and just cried. 

 

He wound up staying there for days, hoping his mother would come back and find him. Over 3/4 of the mall had been destroyed, but the fire hadn't reached that far. He survived off of what little there was left in the mall. 

 

No one ever came. Not his mom, nor any rescue workers. They had bigger things to worry about now. Epics were appearing in larger and larger numbers. 

 

Metrick was left alone. 

 

***

 

He scowled as the memories washed over him. For a second, he was back in the corroding mall, but it was just the rubble after the bomb. 

 

He stabbed CT into the ground and vaulted out and away from everything. He looked for his target; for Clanky. He needed to find something to cheer him up again. As he flew through the air, he started trying to come up with his next prank. Maybe, if he could find some water...... 

[Araris Valerian]

I'm actually a bit suspect of phatt right now. If you are going to place a poke vote, then one target is as good as the next, and no one person is more or less likely to get a strong role. So I find it strange that you are letting something (that the eliminators orchestrated, no less) from two LGs ago influence what (in my opinion) is an arbitrary poke vote.

 

I would also like to hear more from STINK, since he clearly was here but didn't contribute to discussion much.

 

-

 

Allen lay dazzled for a while in the wake of the explosion. Was it really worth it to get up? Like as not the gang would decide that he was guilty of some crime, or some new gang would kill him in a power play. Life... just didn't hold much these days. Not like it once had, at least. There was no beauty in the Steel Catacombs, no safety.

 

Eventually Allen climbed to his feet and wandered away to his room. It had been hard to secure a place for himself to be alone in a gang where silence could spell death. When he first found the small room, two gang memebers had been arguing outside. As Allen had turned to leave, gunshots echoed through the corridor, and he turned to see both men fall dead to the ground. Everyone had assumed that he was responsible, so they left him alone now. Which suited Allen just fine.

[STINK]

(This post shouldn't have any RP in it)

 

So I got voted on by phatt for no reason, made a tired post of '??????????' and went to school. Come back from school, not much really happened. That's a shame. Like the discussion with (basically) Mark v Meta. So yes, I'm clearly here but am not discussing much, 'cause there really isn't much to say that hasn't been said/if I disagreed with hasn't been argued against.

[Amanuensis]

How do we feel about minimising role uses (day and night) as much as possible for the first cycle? If we do that, then a future Mortician scan on the Traitor kill target is very likely to only show their killer. The Traitors have to choose between letting one of their own be revealed like that or bodysnatching someone whose alignment we effectively know. The main downside is that Snitches are set back a cycle.

 

I've thought about this a bit and I think I'm going to suggest it should be up to each individual player. If someone believes using their ability is worth potentially implicating themselves then they should. The chances of a player using their ability on the same player that is attacked by the Traitors is low enough that I really don't think it's necessary. When I first considered this, I was going to agree and suggest we took it a step further, but what I was going to bring up would have effectively broken the game (assuming I understand the rules correctly) at the expense of us having fun. Still, I want to confirm this with the GM as the relevant question has some other implications. @Alvron: Will all votes cast, even if retracted, show up on a corpse examined by a Mortician? Or only those that are active when the turn is closed?

 

Also, @Alvron: Do the Traitors learn the roles of the players they Bodysnatch, or are they just as clueless as we are?

[Mark IV]

@Metrick

The RP reasons part was supposed to be sarcastic.

Try reading it again in that light.

I will post a full reply later. Morning rush, you see?

[Alvron]

 @Alvron: Will all votes cast, even if retracted, show up on a corpse examined by a Mortician? Or only those that are active when the turn is closed?

 

Also, @Alvron: Do the Traitors learn the roles of the players they Bodysnatch, or are they just as clueless as we are?

Only the active votes in the vote tally will be shown to the Mortician.

 

They do not learn the role of those they snatch.

[Amanuensis]

Only the active votes in the vote tally will be shown to the Mortician.

 

They do not learn the role of those they snatch.

 

Ahh, okay. So theoretically we could just refuse to vote for anyone or use any abilities so that the second a Mortician has a corpse to scan they'd know the identity of whoever attacked them without question. But like I said before, that'd be extremely unfun. So none of that.

 

However what that DOES mean is that the Traitors are going to have to try and disguise their kills as votes or actions. Therefore I think it's essential that if you're a villager and you poke vote someone you remove it before the cycle ends. If it's not going to factor into the actual lynch just don't do it at all. Why? Let's say Traitor!Kynedath poke votes me D1 and never removes it. The Traitors then leave me alone for the first three cycles while several players decide to use their abilities on me. N4 Traitor!Kynedath puts the kill order in on me. He has the excuse of having voted for me C1 whereas the truly innocent players have to explain why they used an action on me. Automatically those players will seem more suspicious than Kyn, and even if they manage to get themselves out of the limelight by admitting their role openly and providing proof, we kill Kyn. Cool. Except now the Traitors have a mess of information (who has which roles) which allows them to be more tactical with their kills.

 

Not too mention additional forms of manipulation they can do with this. Villager!Kynedath poke votes me D1. Traitor!Stink is a Beggar and checks who I visit N1. N4 he then puts a kill order on me and claims that he tracked me. Provides proof along with a living player he tracked N3. He's cleared, along with the villagers who used abilities on me, and we lynch Kyn; now what? Better that we make their lives as hard as possible, and to do that we need to coordinate.

 

As for Traitors not learning the roles of people they Bodysnatch... good. Not only are their Bodysnatches limited, but it removes the info gained for everyone, which adds a sense of uncertainty that might keep them from using it. If they end up doing it, I think it would suggest they already knew said player's role and thus wanted to keep that information from the masses. Which brings me to my next point; PM safety. Practice it. If you're going to reveal your role to someone, ensure that you have some sort of contingency plan in place just in case. What I like to do is take two players I trust the most, tell one my role and the other that I told that person my role; that way if I die they can accuse each other of being the reason why I died so within two cycles (maybe one of the assassin attacks the other) we're down a traitor. Thing with that is I could always die to a fear kill and neither of those are actually evil. But that might not apply to everyone in this game. So it's an idea.

 

---

EDITED TO ADD ADDITIONAL PARAGRAPH / LINE / ACTIVITY TRACKER

---

 

Adavantos: 2 posts, responds to Twei, asks Alvron questions, provides tips based off clarifications, townread.

twelfthrootoftwo: 1 post, RP, votes for Mailliw, asks group question, townread.

 

Deathclutch: no posts, no presence, noread.

Shallan: no posts, no presence, noread.

Burnt Spaghetti: no posts, no presence, noread.

OrlokTsubodai: no posts, no presence, noread.

 

Clanky: 1 post, RP, responds to Twei, noread.

Araris Valerian: 1 post, votes for phatt, confronts Stink, noread.

Kynedath: 1 post, RP, votes for Adavantos, noread.

IrulelikeSTINK: 2 posts, no substance, noread.

Kipper: 2 posts, votes for Mark, noread.

phattemer: 1 post, no substance, noread.

Hellscythe: 1 post, no substance, noread.

Elkanah: 1 post, no substance, noread.

Mark IV: 4 posts, confrontation with Meta, noread.

 

Mailliw73: no posts, presence on forums, mafiaread.

Elbereth: no posts, presence on forums, mafiaread.

TheMightyLopen: no posts, presence on forums, mafiaread.

 

Metacognition: 3 posts, RP, confrontation with Mark, Kyn, mafiaread.

 

EDITED TO ADD A LITTLE RP

 

Mr. Michael Durbin, Senior Advisor and self-proclaimed Extra Ordinary Gentleman, was in the midst of a brisk afternoon walk when he was suddenly accused of murder. Without hesitation and a suprising quickness he twacked the boy up the side of his head with his cane, face contorting into an ugly grimace.

"I know that voice. Is that you, Drake? Stop speaking nonsense. We both know you're brother's in Persepolis. How do you reckon a dusty old creature such as myself managed to travel over 2000 miles and back in a single night, let alone have the strength to kill an Epic? That's absurd. Go home to your family, kid. You're clearly in mourning and not thinking right."

Adjusting his sunglasses, the elderly man continued walking, smacking his wooden cane on the steel beneath his feet to guide him.

Edited January 19, 2016 by Adavantos

[Clanky]

You better watch out when I get my boot back Merick. I'll be coming for you!

 

Clanky finally recovered his boot after only 15 minutes of trying. The whole time he could see Merick laughing at him from across the room. Clanky was not happy. He was a respected member of this gang and here was Merick disrespecting him for no good reason! Noe that he had his boot bak Merick would pay! Clanky pulled his boot back onto his foot and tok his first step over to where he could still see Merick snickering only to feel his bare foot land on a sharp steel protrusion coming out of the ground.

 

What the!? Clanky lifted his foot that he had only recently recovered the boot for and checked out the bottom. The whole sole was missing, it must still be stuck in the debris that had captured his foot. Clanky threw away the remainder of his boot in disgust. Luckily he could see another boot for the right foot sitting just a few meters away. As he picked up the boot to see if it would be a good fit a foot fell out onto the ground.

 

Well I suppose that's why someone left a perfectly fine boot laying on the ground. I guess whomever this belonged to won't be needing it anymore. Clanky thought as he pulled the almost perfectly fitting boot on. 

 

Now that he had two functional boots again Clanky looked over to where Metrick had been standing only to see him fly away into the distance.

 

Well he's an Epic. I feel like that should have been something that I should have known by now. Not only are there traitors within my gang but there's also a crazy Epic out to get me. Things are looking great!

 

Realizing that there was nothing he could do about either of those problems at the moment Clanky decided to focus on something a bit more attainable. After his numerous tumbles over the wreckage during his fight to retrieve his boot Clanky had become sweaty and covered in dust and blood. He wasn't going to be able to catch any traitors if he looked like a common street rat. So the first order of business was to clean himself up. If he was going to face off against an Epic at least he would look respectable doing it. With that thought in his head Clanky set out to find some water so that he could clean himself up a bit before facing his seemingly insurmountable problems

 

---

 

I would like to hear a bit more from Hellscythe and Elkanah. They both showed up right at the beginning of the game to do some little joke votes but haven't done anything since. This is more suspicious to me than any of the people who have been completely absent since they know the game has started and have posted something even if it lacked any reasoning. I could add Phatt to that list but considering he has another whole game to GM he has reasons to not be on that much.

 

Edit: Vote Colour

EDIPlus I don't want to arouse the anger of my GM in case he decides to smite me in QF12.

Edited January 19, 2016 by Clanky

[phattemer]

STINK, it wasn't no reason so much as that I favor D1 lynches and wanted to see how people would respond. I'll probably retract later, if I don't change my mind. (Mobile)

Clanky, you would be smote, so don't even think about it.

[Elbereth]

Meta, you're being kind of harsh on someone who's only played one game so far. He's saying fairly normal things, and you're tying him in knots for it. Why him? There are plenty of other people who've said similar things.

I didn't post earlier because I wanted to wait until I could talk calmly. I am not fond of dying.

[Araris Valerian]

Calamity! With Nightwielder gone, a person couldn't stay up all night and pretend that they were on a perfectly normal sleep schedule. Allen was having a hard time figuring out when exactly sleep was supposed to happen.

 

Hey Alvron, what is the cycle end time? Or could we possibly get one of those nifty timer things people have been using recently?

 

Since he obviously wasn't going to get quality sleep anytime soon, Allen left his room to meet with the other gang members. A few lounged around, exchanging comments (both harmless and vicious), but for the most part people were silent. A rival gang was threatening to steal Allen's room, and nobody was doing anything about it!

 

"Ok people, listen up! You know my reputation, so if you don't start talking a bit more, heads might start flying." Allen turned to leave the room, then paused, remembering something.

 

"Hey, Exisa, you've been talking a bit, but I still haven't heard you elaborate on why Citona is less guilty than Rance for not speaking up... Just saying, is all."

[Alvron]

Hey Alvron, what is the cycle end time? Or could we possibly get one of those nifty timer things people have been using recently?

As it says in the sign up post:

 

Rollover will be at 5pm NZDT / 4am UTC / 9pm MST

There will NOT be a countdown clock posted by the GM.

[Orlok Tsubodai]

Ada, you mention that the informational negatives to the eliminators of body snatching might outweigh the advantages. This, to me, seems to be misdirection - although they do lose information on which roles remain, this is only a problem to the elimintors if they kill the mortician sufficiently early. Hence, I fully expect no information on eliminator kills for a number of days.

Whilst there clearly are advantages of refraining from using roles, I would argue that 1) this turns the game into a far more 'cop' reliant strategy - one I've never enjoyed, and 2) handicaps the village by preventing the use of effective roles.

[Hellscythe]

 

I would like to hear a bit more from Hellscythe and Elkanah

Not much to say. It was Day One with no posts. You want me to go in depth about how people are suspicious based on their number on the player list?

 

I'm voting for Araris because I don't like your reason for voting for phattemer.

 

Sad. No starting items. Oh well. Be careful trading items to people. If you end up trading it to a Traitor, you just gave their entire team something they can use not just one person.

[Amanuensis]

Ada, you mention that the informational negatives to the eliminators of body snatching might outweigh the advantages. This, to me, seems to be misdirection - although they do lose information on which roles remain, this is only a problem to the elimintors if they kill the mortician sufficiently early. Hence, I fully expect no information on eliminator kills for a number of days.

 

While I mentioned the negatives of it to the eliminators, I in no way said or implied that it outweighed the advantages. This, to me, seems to be misdirection. How is them killing the Mortician early a bad thing for them? That role scans corpses to see everyone who ever visited them. The most ideal thing for them would be to kill all Morticians ASAP, whether or not they know about it.

 

Whilst there clearly are advantages of refraining from using roles, I would argue that 1) this turns the game into a far more 'cop' reliant strategy - one I've never enjoyed, and 2) handicaps the village by preventing the use of effective roles.

 

Once again, you blatantly misunderstood what I said. I responded to Twei saying that players should use they're power however they sit fit. The only thing I advocated is that all players take their poke votes off before the end of every day turn, making it harder for the Traitors to hide their kills through votes.

 

Just realized you could be saying this generally. Confused it for another comment directed at me. Sorry.

 

---

EDITED TO ADD EXTRA LINE AND RP

---

 

After a decade of living in darkness, it felt good for Michael to feel sunlight on his skin; for his weathered, leathery face to tingle with the star's warmth. He just wished he could see again. To witness the sunrise one more time. At least then, after this was all said and done, he could die happy.

Unfortunately he could only bask in the daylight for so long. Even with Steelheart and Nightwielder dead, he still had work to do. The leaders made sure of that. After he finished his circuit around what overstreets of Newcago he was still familiar enough with to navigate, he retreated into the Catacombs in search of Kali. As expected, Michael found her in her personal chambers, leaning over a desk at the farthest corner of the room.

If Michael tried, he might be able to explain how he could sense the presence of others. Some thought this talent made him an Epic, but he knew and often told people otherwise. He developed that skill long before Calamity brought those demons to Earth. It was something else; something natural. A byproduct of his blindness.

Before entering the room, Michael banged his cane on Kali's door. Instantly she recognized the distinct crack it made and called for him to enter. "Mr. Durbin; come in, but make it quick. Can't you see I'm busy?"

Michael ignored the comment. Of course he couldn't see she was busy. But he certainly could sense it, stress emanating from her body, thickening the air, so viscous he could hardly breathe. He decided to get straight to the point.

"Kali, I need a favor."

She didn't answer, but shifted her posture, rising from her bent position and crossing her arms. Good. She was listening.

"Send out word that I'm looking for a Bodyguard, and a bloody good and trustworthy one at that. Have them contact me tonight if you can. I know things, Kali, dangerous things. And the Traitors... I know they know I know. And you know that though I am old and blind, I have access to resources most others don't. If I'm going to find those Calamity-damned turncoats, then we're going to need me kept safe and free to work."

Kali grunted. "Back to your old ways of prying into other people's business, then?"

"Old ways? Hah. When did I ever stop?"

 

She flashed a half grin, then nodded.

 

Michael bowed his head in thanks and left.

 

Of course this meant the Traitors would learn he was looking for protection. Likely it would prompt them into action, maybe force them to attack before he could gain trust... perhaps even try to apply themselves as a Bodyguard to gain his.

 

Calamity let them. He expected it. Was prepared for it. Hell, he was even counting on it.

 

---

EDITED TO ADD COUNTDOWN TIMER

---

 

Edited January 19, 2016 by Adavantos

[twelfthrootoftwo]

 

I don't really see much benefit in this course of acton since it only makes sense for the traitors to use the bodysnatcher early anyways when it is easier to find out the killer so they will probably hide it regardless. In this game however where kills are indistinguishable from each other it is the assassins/ray gun people who are most at risk since they will show up on dead player inspection the same as a traitor would.

I've thought about this a bit and I think I'm going to suggest it should be up to each individual player. If someone believes using their ability is worth potentially implicating themselves then they should. The chances of a player using their ability on the same player that is attacked by the Traitors is low enough that I really don't think it's necessary. When I first considered this, I was going to agree and suggest we took it a step further, but what I was going to bring up would have effectively broken the game (assuming I understand the rules correctly) at the expense of us having fun.

Ada, you mention that the informational negatives to the eliminators of body snatching might outweigh the advantages. This, to me, seems to be misdirection - although they do lose information on which roles remain, this is only a problem to the elimintors if they kill the mortician sufficiently early. Hence, I fully expect no information on eliminator kills for a number of days.

Whilst there clearly are advantages of refraining from using roles, I would argue that 1) this turns the game into a far more 'cop' reliant strategy - one I've never enjoyed, and 2) handicaps the village by preventing the use of effective roles.

If I were a traitor, I'd want to hang on to the bodysnatches as much as possible, for use on critical lynches - think MR10, where the lack of reveals after death gave the village a lot of problems. IMO, alignment is much more valuable info than role for the village. Hence why I think forcing as many snatches as possible on lower value targets with known alignment - if the village kill roles hold their fire for a few cycles (please!) - is useful. From this point of view, it's certainly not a cop-based strategy as it's intended to ensure public information from the lynch.