Mid-Range Game 1: The Stormfather and The Nightwatcher

[Ashiok]

What noon?

[Awesomeness Summoned]

Meanwhile....

 

“Think you can steel from me thief!” Mon attempted to pull one of his many daggers, expecting to teach the man a lesson, but found the hidden pocket empty. The thief smiled victoriously and lifted his free hand to reveal the stolen knife. He then swept it viciously at Mon’s arm and he had no choice but to relinquish his grip on the thief to avoid being injured. Strangely, the man did not attempt to flee once freed. 

 

At that instant, something slammed against the back of Mon’s head and he found himself lying face first on the pavement. With great effort, he rolled onto his back to find himself staring hazily up at the thief and messenger who were quickly counting out the gemstones in Mon’s money purse.

 

“Jackpot,” whispered the thief. “This is far more than we expected for the first mark, more than we expected to collect after days of work.”

 

“Yes, it’s enough for us to get out of this void cursed city. We should leave today. There’s no need to keep risking our necks here. Wes my boy, I think it’s time to find greener pastures.”

 

The thief jammed the stolen dagger right into the messenger’s heart and slowly eased him to the ground next to Mon. “Yes, it is about time I moved on. Sorry, Summon, but you knew this partnership was only temporary.”

 

“I am sorry for you as well stranger,” he said as his attention returned to Mon. “You’ve done me a great service today,” the money pouch bounced in his hand again, “but you seem like the type to hold grudges and I don’t want to be looking over my shoulder the whole way to Azir.”

 

He raised the knife to Mon’s throat but just before he could trace a smile, a bloody sword tip sprouted from the center of his chest. He died as quickly as the messenger had. When the body had fallen out of view, Mon found one of his recently acquired compatriots standing over him. 

 

“Seems I returned just in time. I thought about letting you pay the price for your carelessness but we’ll need everyone we’ve got. I’m sure you’ll find some way to pay me back for my generosity.” He reached down and picked up the bag of gems the dead thief had dropped. “This should do nicely.” After sliding it into his coat he stepped over Mon, headed for the door. “Stop laying around and get in here. We have a lot to discuss.”

 

Mon shakily got to his feet and looked down at the two dead men. He had very nearly joined them in damnation. It was a stark reminder that no matter how smart or prepared, he could die at any moment in this city. Riots were unpredictable.

 

Just then, stomping hooves came barreling down the street. Mon quickly stepped back against the wall and just barely missed getting trampled by a giant Rhyshadium that was completely painted bright pink. A rope trailed behind, dragging a limp figure. The poor soul was either already dead or soon would be. Mon just shook his head then turned and pushed back through the door into the relative safety of the building.

[Aonar]

To break the trend of pure RP, I'm going to try and write a proper game-related post. I'm not sure how, as I can already speak with everyone I can trust, and few who I can't, at my leisure, but hey.

 

Now, this is really a very interesting situation we find ourselves in, when we think about it. We each have two enemies that we are on equal footing with, and one shared enemy that has fewer members and a great advantage in information. So, each Faction has a choice:

 

1. We can turn inward, root out those who seek to destroy us from the inside, and blind ourselves to the machinations of the other Factions who would crush us.
2. We can look outwards, defend ourselves from our greatest foes, and ignore the insidious corruption among our own ranks, slowly wearing at us from the inside. 

 

Neither of these options are overly appealing, are they? There are other courses, but those require some trust, which will be a rather scarce commodity in this game. 

 

Aonar sat on a rooftop somewhere in one of the wealthier districts of Kholinar, surveying the burning and looting taking place. Though he had no love for Aesudan or Elhokar and the mess they were making of his country, he couldn't help but wish things had turned out differently. Now, no one went about unarmed, even he had acquired a longbow to protect himself. It was useless on the streets, but here on the rooftops, it kept him safe. At least until the next Highstorm, anyway.

 

The riots had only been going on for only a little less than a week, and already he had been approached by those who wished to use the chaos to their advantage. While he had no desire to seize control of the city, he also hated seeing it in this state. It had been a beautiful place, once.

 

A clatter on the crem tiles alerted him to the new presence on the roof. With one smooth motion, he stood and nocked an arrow. 

 

"Get off my roof." Whoever it was that was on his roof - Aonar did't know, or care who they were - looked confused. "There's nothing for you here. Evict yourself quickly, and I won't have to shoot you." After a short pause, his would-be roofmate appeared to take his advice to heart, slowly backing away and climbing to the ground below. 

 

Letting out a sigh of relief, Aonar replaced the arrow in his quiver. Thank the Almighty. When you only had a few arrows in the middle of a riot, it didn't do for you to waste them on the first stranger to come your way.

[Mailliw73]

Killing off two previous characters in one post, Awes, wow. That's cruel.

Oh, and that's noon MDT.

Aili had to take vacations from governing with Dainard on Nalthis every once in a while. Taking care of a city was no easy job. This time, she had gone with her friend, Maw, to Roshar. Right in the middle of riots, it seemed. A strange figure wearing his sword upside down zigzagged randomly towards them.

Mailam saw the pair from the other end of the street and knew he had to talk to them. The tall, curvaceous woman was definitely not Alethi. Alethi women didn't look like that. The man, the lighteyes who looked like a poor man, was glaring down the roads with his scythe. What lighteyes dressed like darkeyes.

As Mailam approached them in his strange, zigzag way, he realized the woman was making all colors around her more vibrant and it only added to her allure. "Who are you this fine evening?" Mailam asked the pair. Couldn't get too predictable.

"I believe you mean how," the gorgeous woman said.

"Of course I didn't. Why would I mean that? Calm winds, that's too normal!"

The man stared at him with an unbelieving expression. "Get your head on straight and listen to us. We've survived this, you can too. Listen to what we tell you and you have a chance."

Mailam decided to take them up in the offer. "How would you like an eat in my house? It's quite okay, I assure you, chulls haven't broken in since tomorrow." The woman giggled at this.

All of a sudden, a figure dashed behind the pair. Both the woman and man spun around just before he came barreling around the corner. "Hold things when thrown," the woman told a rope she had pulled out of somewhere. She threw the rope at the man with a sword who was lunging forward. The rope hit him and bound him just as tightly as if someone had tied him up. "We have to go. Now." The woman said. "We need to hide. If they've found us, we can't come out for at least a day."

[Lightsworn Panda]

Jain watched the man with the bow. Quite the trigger-happy fellow, kicking him off the roof before he could even introduce himself. Sadly, the fellow didn't seem to know that the building's foundations were badly scorched, and may collapse at any moment.

 

Taking the hook and rope he had found earlier today, he turned to assail one of the strange plateau-like windblades rock formations that made up a large part of Kholinar. Jain had always wanted to know how the view from the top looked like.

[Alvron]

Rolav strode down the stone halls of the palace.  A thick sack clenched in his fist swung with each step banging against his leg.  The guards didn't stop him despite the hooded cloak concealing most of his face.  Even if they didn't know who he was, they all knew what he did.  There were few who would dare stop him.  The clasp he wore on his cloak made sure of that.

 

As he approached the queens council chamber the guards posted on either side straightened and opened the large doors.  Rolav noticed one of the guards pale as he passed.  His leather boots silent on the marble floor.

 

Seated on the throne was the Queen of Alethkar, her gaze fixated on the sack hanging from his fingers.  Approaching the throne, Rolav kneeled on one knee and bowed his head.

 

'Rise.'

 

Rolav kept his chin raised as he stood and lowered his hood.  The queen waved her hand, rings sparkling as the caught the light streaming in through the windows.

 

'Is it done?'

 

Rolav reached into the sack and tossed the severed head of Brightlord Khalder onto the marbled floor.  No one spoke as the head bounced and rolled to rest against the dais, milky eyes staring lifelessly up towards the throne.

 

'It seems there are several groups of individuals who are willing to do anything to get me off my throne.  Your next assignment is to root out their leaders and make an example of them.  Show my subjects what happens when they interfere with my plans.'

 

The queen drummed her fingers on the arm of the throne, still staring at the severed head at her feet.

 

'Be quick.  I want order restored by months end.  Your payment for Khalder is waiting for you in your chambers.'

 

Nodding, Rolav turned to leave.

 

'Take that head with you.  The smell is starting to turn my stomach.'

 

Scooping up the head by its hair, Rolav shoved it back into the sack and strode quickly out of the chamber and down the halls.  He had work to do.

 

Sorry folks but Rolav doesn't talk.  Your not going to get much from him I'm afraid.

Edited June 4, 2014 by Alvron

[Wyrmhero]

Heron was an observant sort of person. It was something that kind of ran in the family, you could say. And the things he had observed today... Well, he knew there were riots going on, but did they have to be so uncivilised? You couldn't walk for finding a theft or a murder. It was strange, considering that they were trying to oust the queen, but all they did was turn on each other.

 

He had to get out of the city. There was no way he could avoid that conclusion. Unfortunately, he also couldn't avoid the fact that he didn't have the money to leave the city and travel elsewhere. And who knew what banditry preyed upon the countryside while the guardsmen tried (and failed) to keep the riots under control here in the city?

 

No, perhaps strangely, the safest place for him was in the city. At the very least, he could make provisions here, ready to leave in a hurry if needs must. At that point, he'd probably take his chances with the bandits. Though come to think of it, they'd probably kill him when they stole his money anyway, just because they could. It'd probably be a kinder death than being beaten to death here or dying of starvation before reaching another city.

[Awesomeness Summoned]

Killing off two previous characters in one post, Awes, wow. That's cruel.

You might want two recount. I'm even crueler than you think.

[Kasimir]

I counted three?

 

Kasimar watched the tumult of death and fire; hours framed by splintered wood. Someone on the streets had been yelling about someone coming through with a war panda, whatever those things were. He had no idea at all; heart in his mouth, he peered around the corner of the building. No one in sight.

 

He darted across the gap, fear lending surprising alacrity to his movements. I can't keep this up forever, he thought. He noticed swords now, clasped, carried openly. The last thing anybody wanted to do was to appear a victim. The dagger was in his pocket. He wasn't sure if he could bring himself to use it.

 

Come to Kholinar, they'd said. They'd offered him a surprising number of spheres for the job, if he could just find his contact. If he could just find Rejkvar. He'd come and waited, and waited, as the city imploded around him, and still there was no Rejkvar.

 

Perhaps there never was, he found himself thinking. He rested his forehead briefly against the cooling, charred wood of the building. Someone had tried to set the tradesman's quarter ablaze, but the fire had gone out now. He stepped back, and then frowned as his foot encountered something unstable. He tripped, caught himself against the building, and straightened up.

 

Bones. Charred bones.

 

Someone had died here.

 

Kasimar threw up.

[Claincy]

Clanal watched,Vobserving the?fighting but avoiding:taking part.)

 

Really busy atm so no real rp for now =(

[WeiryWriter]

Weiriah slipped out of her families hiding place, it wasn't as early a start as she had hoped but the twins hadn't wanted her to leave. "What if you don't come back?" they said. She had smiled and told them that everything would be all right but their question stuck in her mind.  What if I don't come back? The answer was a simple one.  I have to...

 

After leaving Nellek specific instructions (Stay out of sight, don't attract attention and above all don't answer the door to anyone, under any circumstances, unless they knew a special knock) she had made her way down to the street, luckily no one was watching, at least no one she could see.  The streets were worryingly empty, at least in this section of the city.  Every few streets though she saw somebody dead or dying.  What has the world come to?

[Sart]

I think this game might get the record for most RP in a game. Let's give it even more.

 

Sarams carried the improvised sling, his only weapon in this chaos. He was using spheres as his ammo, since there wasn't anything to buy with them. He had hidden in a narrow alleyway, constantly watching for any signs of violence. It could work as temporary shelter for a highstorm, but it wasn't good for much else. What was he going to do? He had taken a small satchel of food and water, but it was quickly running out. He needed to ally with someone, but who? This riot would be the death of him if he didn't do something. However, it didn't seem like there was anything he could do, so he waited for someone to come. 

[Mailliw73]

You might want two recount. I'm even crueler than you think.

But Awes was already dead.

V?: )

Edited June 4, 2014 by Mailliw73

[Awesomeness Summoned]

But Awes was already dead. 

V?: )

Technically they were all already dead. But it was purposely left ambiguous if the body being dragged was dead or just unconscious (and likely to die soon). The way each of them died in the RP was supposed to be reminiscent of how they had died in the game. Wes was just assassinated but Summon was betrayed by someone he thought was working with him and Awes had a very slow painful death that ultimately ended with his own Rhysadium finishing him off. I added the dragged by rope part to tie in with the rope theme you had used in the game. I'm confused about what the V is referring to as well.

 

I'm thinking about doing this every few games. Do one throw back to the last few characters then never mention them again.

[firstRainbowRose]

In the end Hanih didn't have the courage to travel out of the city. All she had ever known was life with her family. Instead of leaving she spent the night in her bedroom, trying to ignore the scuttle of feet and the occasional grunt or cry.

 

At the thought of leaving, she was overcome with shaking that she could not stop. I can't, she thought. I just can't leave. I can't face that again.

 

Dropping her head to the pillow she decided that unless something required her to leave, she was going to stay in bed, and the consequences be hanged.

[Binnut]

Binnt did not like to be out on the streets during the riots, he liked laying low and let the riots sort themselves out its own. A group of people he knew had said they had a plan for survival, so he dared the streets today to meet with them and discuss. There was a lot of bodies on the street, but thankfully were there not any angry people about at the moment so he safely went through the shadows to the house where they would meet. He knocked a secret knock and went in.

[Peng the Just]

Peng did the only thing that seemed logical. He locked himself in his house, boarded up the windows and doors, and made breakfast.

Edited June 4, 2014 by jasonpenguin

[Lightsworn Panda]

Jain knocked on the door. He had smelt breakfast getting made from the house, and, while he did have food in his bag, he didn't want to waste it when he could freeload. What was the inhabitant called again? Ah, yes. Peng. Short for one of those queer animals that lived in the Oceans of the South called penguins. Quite like his toy panda, except they could swim and were birds.

 

"Hey, Peng, mind if I have some breakfast? I swear I'm not a bandit or mugger! I just want some smoked chull meat!"

[jaelre]

Khiriq was wandering for the streets, absolutely unconscious of the shadow following him. He had 2 fingers in his mouth, drool trickling down his arm up to his elbow, a fizzling breathing sound coming from him.

I do wonder how whistling works. People just do that, why doesn't it work. Storms! he thought.

 

A finger tapped his left shoulder, and he turned half-way through a new attempt at whistling. In front of him was standing a men, well it looked like a man, clad in black clothes and holding a dagger in his right hand. His left hand's motion clearly mimicked to consign him anything of value, or... Or, well, Khiriq was at the moment too busy to stop, and drool sprayed all over the thief's upper body.

Startled by the realization it might not have been a good idea being too busy, he tried again. This time a faint whistle came from him. At the same time he motioned to his pocket to get his little money bag to give to the thief.

"I'm... I'm sorry..." he tentatively whispered in a loud, clear, and very scared high-pitched voice.

 

The thief glared at the whistling boy, disgust and contempt in his eyes. He snatched the bag, and ran away in the closest alley. The boy's cry had attracted attention.

Realizing this, Khiriq too ran away. No one wants to attract attention in the middle of riot, if you're not armed. Besides, a wonderful smell was coming from a house nearby, and he wondered if he couldn't beg for some food. Maybe he could try to make a whistling show!

Before turning the corner, he was back with 2 fingers in his mouth.

[Ashiok]

Asphodel was roaming the streets in search of allies, failing miserably, and debating skipping town, when he literally walked into a man standing against a wall, with a sling that he was using to shoot spheres at the five large men that were surrounding him.

Should I help him? V=Z

I'm going to help him. He looks like the kind of guy I could get along with.

"Oi! Cowards! 5v1 isn't fair. Let's make it a 5v2"

[twelfthrootoftwo]

This turned out much longer than I expected... Feel free to TLDR.
Twei’s newly filled sphere pouch felt comfortably heavy against her chest. Her allies had agreed to the loan, which meant she would have a roof over her head for the next few weeks. It meant she was in debt, though, and Twei had no intention of losing her head to her creditors.

There was a crowd ahead. Curious, she craned her neck, and caught a glimpse of a thick-set man charging a door. Looters. An unsavoury occupation – but then, this was a riot. She wove her way towards the front of the mob, and cheered with them when the door finally burst open.

The inside was dimly lit. The terrified shopkeeper huddled against one wall, watching the looters pour through the door like a flood. Navigating by flickering torchlight, Twei moved to the back, feeling for her lockpicks. An initial glance found a strongbox and a locked drawer, neither of which had visible light coming through. She took her chances with the strongbox. The lock was tricky, but it clicked in place after a few tries and she was rewarded with a faceful of coloured light.

That, unfortunately, got the attention of everyone in the shop. Twei hastily hid a handful of spheres in the sleeve of her safehand, then cast the rest of the strongbox on the floor.

She fled the ensuing scramble, ducking into a corridor at the back. The next door was barred, but she managed to move the steel rod with some careful leverage. As the door swung open, she smelled smoke. This one was an oil fire. She hoped the looters hadn’t hurt the shopkeeper too badly, else he might be caught in the blaze.

She looked down at her handful of spheres. Was that…yes, it was a ruby broam. This was about half of what she owed, and several times what she had expected to pick up.

She turned a corner, and glanced back to see a dark plume rising into the sky. For all her opportunistic drive, the riots were frightening. She would have left for a safer city, if she’d only been able to afford it. It was a comforting truth – perhaps the only one she had - to know she had allies with a common goal, who wouldn’t set her on fire on a whim.

She pulled out her pouch of spheres, and poured in her newfound wealth. As she did so, her thumb brushed a slip of paper. Surprised, she pulled it out. There were two glyphs, drawn in a simple style - “danger” and “faith.”

What?

Pain erupted from the side of her head. She blacked out momentarily, then found herself pinned to the ground by someone much stronger. Something cold was at her neck. Then the stranger stood up, and she sluggishly realised he was holding her sphere pouch.

“Shouldn’t flash your wealth like, that, lass. No hard feelings.”

Twei wasn’t sure how long she was on the ground. The sun was certainly lower than she remembered when she eventually got to her feet. What would she do now? Without her spheres, she couldn’t pay for accommodation. Perhaps she could ask one of her allies for shelter – ridicule was infinitely preferable to cold stone.

But…”danger” and “faith.” The note’s meaning was suddenly clear. She couldn’t trust them. The only allies she had in the city, and she couldn’t trust them. The thought was far more frightening than it should have been.

She glanced around, looking for the scrap of paper, but it was nowhere to be seen. Part of her was certain it had been a figment of her imagination, a voice she couldn’t silence.

Twei sighed. Truthless, roofless and proofless. If she wanted to survive, she would need to ad ruthless to that list.

[Sart]

As his assailants turned to look at the angry man with a club, Sarams did the only logical thing; he hightailed it out of there. As he ran, he contemplated his current situation. He had just wanted the bandit's food and water. He had tried knocking the first man unconscious, but instead left him with a nasty bruise. And how was he supposed to know that his assailant was leading a five-man thieving crew? Sarams hoped they wouldn't kill his rescuer, but, well, it was every man for himself out here. He dashed through several abandoned streets, and ran smack dab into a small crowd of people begging for what smelled like a delicious breakfast. Sarams looked around; it was a dead end. Well, in times like these...

 

"I hate to bother you, but a couple of well-armed men are trying to kill me. Can we, I don't know, fend them off before they kill all of us?"

[little wilson]

How secret are the votes?

 

 

The votes are entirely secret. Only the most-voted person is revealed, and that's because they die. The number of votes against them and who voted for them remain secret, under most circumstances (if Rubix finds something funny he can put in a write-up, he'll probably do it).

 

Also, if any of you have questions you've asked via PM to Rubix that haven't been answered, go ahead and add me to those PM's. His inbox got a little more bogged down with elimination game PMs than he'd originally anticipated.

[Ashiok]

Asphodel saw the peculiar man with the sling run away as he distracted the men and thought Storm it! I'm an Idiot! I should have simply distracted the men, perhaps by throwing a sphere, and then we both could get away. I had a feeling he would just run out on me. 

Now what? Do I run? Can I fight? No, I can't stand against five larger men. They have better weapons too... Gotta look threatening. Maybe they won't attack me.

"Well, it seems to be 1v5 again. Since you helped him escape, you get beat within an inch of your life!" Now there was a slight stain dripping down his pants. 

Or not. Maybe that weird talking spren can help me. What was she called again? Oh yeah. Eve.

"Eve. If you could help me, now would be as good a time as any." He muttered.

"HELP! ANYBODY!" He yelled out at the world, hoping against hope for somebody to save him

[jaelre]

If two worldsingers were to target the same person with the change vote ability, voting each a different person, what would the outcome be?