Long Game 77: A Political Trap

[Mat he/him]

8 minutes ago, Archer said:

I know. But you've really stuck with your village read of me, while others haven't. My playstyle has changed in this game, because of work and hockey, but I'm surprised you haven't seized on it yet thinking it's an evil strategy. 

In all honesty, I haven’t noticed :P. Your playstyle seems the same to me but maybe I missed something.

did it perhaps change because your usual alignment changed?  

9 minutes ago, Archer said:

Lurcher is the protection one, right? Did I miss a claim? Because I'd guessed they was one Lurcher and they were village.

I mean, TJ flipped Lurcher...

10 minutes ago, Archer said:

For the record, I'm down to roleclaim if it will help significantly narrow the pool of suspects, either by eliminating the lurcher and kandra from the suspect list, or getting a decent idea of who the roleblocker is. 

I don’t really see how a single claim could eliminate that many things or narrow down that much, but again I’m probably missing something  

[Szeth Pancakes he/they]

I am alive

Reading through the thread, I’m willing to jump on the TUO train. I’m also getting some elim vibes from Mat, Dannex, and Araris, but the first two are mostly gut. Archer and Drake seem pretty vil, and I’m not too sure about Bip. Devotary, Ash, and Books are all null for now, since they’ve been relatively inactive.

[Araris Valerian he/him]

1 hour ago, Szeth_Pancakes said:

Araris

I'm mechanically confirmed to be either a coinshot or the Kandra. Unless you think Striker gave the elims 2 kill roles this game, there is literally no way for me to be an elim.

[DrakeMarshall he/him]

3 hours ago, Archer said:

Kandra is an alignment I don't believe is an evil alignment.

From the rules document:

Quote

Republic Loyalists: This is the village for this game. Their wincon is to eliminate all of the Rebels.

Rebel Sympathizers: These are the elims for this game. Their wincon is to outnumber all of the Loyalists. If parity is reached and there are no villagers with vote manipulation, the Rebels win. They have a kill available to them to use each night. It is an action one of them must submit.

Kandra: Their wincon is to be the last player standing.

Make of that what you will.

3 hours ago, Archer said:

Lurcher is the protection one, right? Did I miss a claim?

In a manner of speaking, yes. We executed a village Lurcher.

Specifically TJ, with the D2 vote. You even voted for them

Not gonna lie but not checking the role/alignment flip of the people you voted for isn't a great look. That's, like, the one point of feedback I have as a villager. I might not care about anything else but I want to know if the person I voted for was evil or not.

3 hours ago, Archer said:

For the record, I'm down to roleclaim if it will help significantly narrow the pool of suspects, either by eliminating the lurcher and kandra from the suspect list, or getting a decent idea of who the roleblocker is. 

If you want to claim go ahead, I can't stop you  I don't plan on asking it of you, though.

1 hour ago, Araris Valerian said:

I'm mechanically confirmed to be either a coinshot or the Kandra. Unless you think Striker gave the elims 2 kill roles this game, there is literally no way for me to be an elim.

This tbh.

In order for Araris to be an eliminator, these are all the things that would need to happen:

• The eliminators were given double the number of nightly kills as normal, while the village received no obvious buff to compensate.
• Instead of using the fact that they had double the number of nightly kills to win normally, they decided to use an elim kill on an elim during N1, for some reason.
• Then they roleblocked one of their own kills on N3, for some reason.
• Whatever scheme they came up with to justify all this, which would have to be a very complicated scheme indeed, they came up with right out of the gates, and all agreed on, by N1.

Idk sorry if this is coming across as sorta heavy-handed, but I'm seeing multiple peeps posting elim!Araris conspiracy theories across multiple cycles, and, like, I don't lightly say a thing is legit impossible, but elim!Araris is impossible. Smh  I likes me a good tinfoil but there is such a thing as too much.

Edited June 8, 2021 by DrakeMarshall
reeee more invisible spaces that only appear *after* I post delete delete deleteee

[Archer he/him]

I do glance at the roles when people flip, but I didn't know what the Bodyguard one was called until I looked it up yesterday. I've been watching for the ones I recognize and assuming the others don't really matter until someone flags them. It's not a good way to play, fair criticism. 

I could have sworn I saw people asking fire bodyguard protection as late as last cycle, but in light of TJ's flip, we probably don't have a Lurcher in the game anymore. So there goes that plan. I could probably make a list of what roles are left, but I'm not sure if that's a helpful as I thought. Especially with some people having only half claimed. So, new line of inquiry. 

9 hours ago, Szeth_Pancakes said:

I am alive

Reading through the thread, I’m willing to jump on the TUO train. I’m also getting some elim vibes from Mat, Dannex, and Araris, but the first two are mostly gut. Archer and Drake seem pretty vil, and I’m not too sure about Bip. Devotary, Ash, and Books are all null for now, since they’ve been relatively inactive.

Are people really that inclined towards TUO? I know they gave us essentially nothing, and this will be a bad look if they do flip elim, but they seem more like a cremshoot to me. And Dannex hasn't posted in a while either. Those last three are nulled for inactivity, but two of the top susses could just as easily be too. And the other is Araris 'Shot an Eliminator' Valerian. I like the Mat sus though. :P. 

Edited June 8, 2021 by Archer

[Flyingbooks]

I'll put a vote on TUO until they give any thoughts at all about the game.

 

(and by the way, my AP tests are wednesday & thursday, not tuesday & wednesday. I was mistaken before.)

[Araris Valerian he/him]

I've reconsidered about Archer. He could still be elim, but I think Mat has a much better chance. I just didn't get elim vibes from his posts this cycle. Mat seems rather carefree, kinda like he's an elim that has been caught and is just waiting to get killed off. And, if Mat does flip elim, it will definitely be worth looking at C1 a bit more closely.

---

Sweeper was still doing his job, keeping the floors swept. Someone had claimed to have seen him killing one of the politicians, but that was nonsense. Was it really murder to clean the floor so hard that someone slipped and fell on a spike and died? Of course not. It was just doing your duty to the best of your ability. Although it was a bit sloppy to leave a spike on the floor, he admitted to himself. Unfortunately, the supposed revelation of his actions had totally destroyed any subtlety that his position had previously granted him. Why, the past night, someone had followed him on all of his rounds. It was impossible to do a good job cleaning with someone staring over your shoulder. Everyone knew that much. Which meant it was time for a change in duties.

Back in the broom closet, Sweeper stared at his reflection in a polished metal bucket. There were other tools around him. Other personas he could assume. He hesitantly reached for the handle of a mop on the wall. No more will I be called Sweeper. My new job will be... Moper. And with that settled, Moper abandoned his cleaning tools and set to moping about the building. There was certainly plenty to be upset about these days. All those folks dead, and him a part of it. Nobody could blame a fellow for having a good cry or two, after what they'd all been through.

 

 

[Mat he/him]

12 minutes ago, Araris Valerian said:

I've reconsidered about Archer. He could still be elim, but I think Mat has a much better chance. I just didn't get elim vibes from his posts this cycle. Mat seems rather carefree, kinda like he's an elim that has been caught and is just waiting to get killed off. And, if Mat does flip elim, it will definitely be worth looking at C1 a bit more closely.

Since when have I ever been that way under suspicion. Point to any time, any game, it's not how I act. Like- this is just plain old inaccurate. I'm confused what makes you paint that as specific as you did? Feels like you just made something up. 

[Araris Valerian he/him]

39 minutes ago, Matrim's Dice said:

Since when have I ever been that way under suspicion. Point to any time, any game, it's not how I act. Like- this is just plain old inaccurate. I'm confused what makes you paint that as specific as you did? Feels like you just made something up. 

I don’t actually have a recollection of you specifically under suspicion. I’m already suspicious of you, and was trying to account for your activity in light of that. I think I gave a decent explanation, and if there wasn’t an explanation, I’d have to reconsider my suspicion.

[Mat he/him]

15 minutes ago, Araris Valerian said:

I don’t actually have a recollection of you specifically under suspicion. I’m already suspicious of you, and was trying to account for your activity in light of that. I think I gave a decent explanation, and if there wasn’t an explanation, I’d have to reconsider my suspicion.

Well it's definitely not what you described it as :P. My activity is like this in representation of everyone else's; there's not much for me to say if there's no one to bounce ideas off of or discuss with. Though I don't know if that's what you meant by 'activity'.

If there isn't an explanation you'll have to reconsider your suspicion? Well, your "decent explanation" is one that is factually false, so you might want to reconsider  

[Araris Valerian he/him]

16 minutes ago, Matrim's Dice said:

If there isn't an explanation you'll have to reconsider your suspicion? Well, your "decent explanation" is one that is factually false, so you might want to reconsider  

Well, I'd take your word for it, except for, you know, that being a pretty bad idea. But I am happy to bounce ideas with you. I'm currently feeling like you and Bip are the best candidates for being elims, and TUO is close third. This is based both on the arguments Drake has made, and on my own interpretation of the D1 vote events.

You seem to agree with me that Biplet is rather suspicious. If she flipped elim, who would you want to go after next, as things stand now?

[The Unknown Medallion he/him]

22 hours ago, DrakeMarshall said:

Thanks 

Shara seemed a bit skeptical, but then it was a bit of a conspiracy theory. There were a lot of those, where the faceless immortals were concerned. But couldn't all be bogus, yeah? She paid good money to get some details off of this contact in Elendel, and it was a bunch of lies she'd be having some serious words with him later.

"Coffee? Sure, I can probably rustle something up. Harmony knows none of us've been sleeping well enough of late. Too much goin on."

Juno wandered away, leaving the untouched plate of food and journal on the floor.
With any luck, somebody would be brewing some of the stuff in the main council chamber. These days some of the councilpersons were practically living there, and the city outside wasn't doing too hot, what with the people starting to riot.

Sure enough, some considerate soul had set up a pot of coffee on one of the tables. Juno poured it out in two dented cups, throwing several sugar cubes in her own. Probably shoulda asked Shara how she took her coffee but whatever, Juno would just remember the way Shara had gotten it in the tavern the other night and prepare it in roughly the same way. She waved to a few of the other early starters in the council room on her way back to Shara's cubicle.

"This good?"
She held out Shara's cup.

---

Alright, I think the surviving eliminator team consists of 3 of these 4 people: Ashbringer, Unknown Order, Archer, Devotary.

I have more village vibes from basically everyone else so this is largely a process of elimination. Except maybe Dannex, I don't have village vibes from Dannex, they just don't seem to be posting much? Idk what's going on there bc I think they have been online on the shard. Bip has moved up to more of a trust read mainly bc I don't get the vibe that they are the kind of mindgamey player who would suggest 3 elims + thug as the elim!thug.

And I also think there is distance between the people I listed. People tend to think distancing means voting or sussing a teammate but imo it more often takes the form of just sort of not addressing a teammate in the thread at all. And I also think that (Devotary excepted) one of those people is the Leecher, for what that's worth.

So yeah, I think I would agree with exing any of those 4 people.

@Matrim's Dice already said they wanted to vote for Unknown Order so in the interest of having a vote that succeeds I will support that vote, even though I think it is one of the weaker options from my list.

 

21 hours ago, Matrim's Dice said:

I’ll vote TUO as well, I still don’t have a reason to distrust Archer.

 

18 hours ago, Szeth_Pancakes said:

I am alive

Reading through the thread, I’m willing to jump on the TUO train. I’m also getting some elim vibes from Mat, Dannex, and Araris, but the first two are mostly gut. Archer and Drake seem pretty vil, and I’m not too sure about Bip. Devotary, Ash, and Books are all null for now, since they’ve been relatively inactive.

 

3 hours ago, Flyingbooks said:

I'll put a vote on TUO until they give any thoughts at all about the game.

 

(and by the way, my AP tests are wednesday & thursday, not tuesday & wednesday. I was mistaken before.)

So, uh, I'm in the lead in the exe because I've been low activity, haven't voted, and have played exactly how I always play with a little roleplay thrown in. That makes sense.

There is minimal to no reason for any of the votes on me. I would like Szeth to expand why they are jumping on a vote where very little valid reasoning has been given. You have Devotary, Ash, and Books as null, but they've said more than me about more relevant things.

As for Books, name any three games where I've been this inactive and given complex thoughts on the game. Actually, name four games where I've given complex thoughts and hard reads in the first place. Go head, I'll wait. 

I don't form reads and don't have any hard thoughts. I just don't. For the record, I'm a Slider and a Gasper. Do with that what you will. I believe I Gasped d2? And n3 Have to go check those. I've only Sliderified once on me and Dannex. I, quite stupidly, did it during the day. 

I have done nothing out of ordinary for me. I've been a little less active than usual, but that's normal. 

[Biplet she/her]

6 minutes ago, The Unknown Order said:

As for Books, name any three games where I've been this inactive and given complex thoughts on the game. Actually, name four games where I've given complex thoughts and hard reads in the first place. Go head, I'll wait. 

I don't form reads and don't have any hard thoughts. I just don't.

I’m honestly confused. How do you play then? In all honesty not voting or doing anything actively harms the village.

Edited June 8, 2021 by Biplet

[Ashbringer he/him]

It has been a long, long time. I am not even sure how long anymore, but that is to be expected. Such is the nature of my experiments with the multiverse.

AraRaash felt stretched. He wasn't like Faleast was, tied to Investiture: he needed some form of it to stay cognizant, but that was usually alleviated by Lamentation. But it was still disconcerting to not have an actual body.

Time and space flew by, whipping around AraRaash's form. Worlds went by. Planets he could never name. And it all suddenly coalesced into Scadrial - a Scadrial - with a very familiar scene. A continent. A building. A room. A body. An eye.

Miss me?

"AraRaash," Faleast said, panting through AraRaash's mouth. He... we... they... looked rough. "Where... what... what the rust and Ruin were you doing, AraRaash!"

Am I a day late? I'm not early, I know that much... but I guess you did notice I was gone-

"YOU WERE GONE FOR THIRTY-SIX HOURS! WHAT! WERE! YOU! DOING!" Rusts, he didn't look good. The alterations must have been... less harmless than he thought.

Now, now... I don't know. Lamentation? Do I tell him?

Hmm. Perhaps later. Let's just say I was... messing around with the times. 

He gave a mental nod toward the interior of their body.

Faleast gasped, and AraRaash did as well. The spike. They had their old ones, yes, but their first one. The Blessing of Identity, the spike that tied them together. It used to be a mix of duralumin and copper, of Connection and Memory.

It was now a deep, dark, black.

 

Okay... okay.

Sorry I've just been gone. I'm not entirely sure why: between work getting crazy, prepping for other game things, and the QF being a... well, I'll get in that later... I just didn't have the energy to post things. I'm not going to blue that, because as you have probably noticed I have been around enough to see that I'm not dead / put in most of my actions, and... mostly I had time to post, and just did other random things. But hopefully I'll be back for now.

I think someone brought this up already, but if Araris is telling the truth about being the Coinshot and getting RB'd, and Illwei was a Hemalurgist... it's been 3 turns and there have been no Kandra kills. This... worries me. I suppose with the same rules, they would have had only one shot on N2 (and there is precedent for the Kandra hitting the same target...) but it's still interesting. 

I've got a dentist appointment soon, so I'll be back. I think I'm good to actually post more today and vote, but I'll figure out what my actions are doing first and then go for that second. And let me know how interested you are in AraRaash's little escapade - I was planning to write it N2 but a day later works well too 

[Mat he/him]

54 minutes ago, Araris Valerian said:

Well, I'd take your word for it, except for, you know, that being a pretty bad idea. But I am happy to bounce ideas with you. I'm currently feeling like you and Bip are the best candidates for being elims, and TUO is close third. This is based both on the arguments Drake has made, and on my own interpretation of the D1 vote events.

You seem to agree with me that Biplet is rather suspicious. If she flipped elim, who would you want to go after next, as things stand now?

It’s only a bad idea if you sus me for reasons independent of that, I guess? Which if you have those, do say.

I mean, I’d obviously go to my other susses (Szeth, TUO) and look at the people that were more resistant to her exe, and check her reads, the usual. I’d want to ISO her probably to get a super concrete idea and check the vote counts for past cycles in my notes.

I recall there was a vote missing from her at one point? I learning the identity of that manipper could be useful at that point.

Interesting that the one person TUO targeted with the Slider is Dannex, of all people.

Edited June 8, 2021 by Matrim's Dice

[DrakeMarshall he/him]

While we're bouncing ideas and such does somebody wanna explain to me reasons why Archer isn't totally Evil

1 hour ago, Matrim's Dice said:

Since when have I ever been that way under suspicion. Point to any time, any game, it's not how I act. Like- this is just plain old inaccurate. I'm confused what makes you paint that as specific as you did? Feels like you just made something up. 

Note that I'm not voting for you currently, but idk, I did look back on some of your past games and imo you seemed fairly chill about being sussed as an elim or even being an outed elim in some previous games. If anything I'd say you have pushed back against the votes on you more in this game than in those games I skimmed, so I don't quite agree with Araris' assessment, but for kinda different reasons than you are implying.

1 minute ago, The Unknown Order said:

So, uh, I'm in the lead in the exe because I've been low activity, haven't voted, and have played exactly how I always play with a little roleplay thrown in. That makes sense.

That may in fact be an accurate summary of everyone else's stated reasons, but you misunderstand my reasons.

I am voting on you based on process of elimination.

I don't really approve of not doing reads or voting, but that is not why I am voting for you, and even if you did those things I would still probably vote for you. Pretty much only two things would dissuade me here, and that's if one of my villager reads were disproven, or if a wagon on a different name from the list of players I would support executing seemed like it would be more viable.

I am decently okay with the vote against you being in competition with the vote against Matrim, since Matrim is probably my weakest village read, but I still think my vote is best placed on you.

[Mat he/him]

Just now, DrakeMarshall said:

Note that I'm not voting for you currently, but idk, I did look back on some of your past games and imo you seemed fairly chill about being sussed as an elim or even being an outed elim in some previous games. If anything I'd say you have pushed back against the votes on you more in this game than in those games I skimmed, so I don't quite agree with Araris' assessment, but for kinda different reasons than you are implying.

Well, being definitively outed is a whole different story  If it’s MR49 you’re talking about.

Idk then maybe it’s a matter of perspective, cause I certainly wouldn’t have said I was chill under suspicion :P.

Archer not being evil... idk I guess I’m sort of in a village tunnel on him. I would say this turn less so but I’m probably biased because of his vote :P.

[Szeth Pancakes he/they]

1 hour ago, The Unknown Order said:

There is minimal to no reason for any of the votes on me. I would like Szeth to expand why they are jumping on a vote where very little valid reasoning has been given. You have Devotary, Ash, and Books as null, but they've said more than me about more relevant things.

I was honestly just voting on you because everyone else was. I know that’s kind of dangerous, especially if everyone is thinking that way, but I don’t have much capacity to put thought into these games right now. I’m going to go for Mat (TUO) (gah, formatting is such a pain on mobile) for now, because I have a hecka strong gut read on him and I’m not willing to let go of it just yet. Yes, I know his elim playstyle is very similar to his village playstyle. It can’t be the exact same, though...

If anyone can convince me to not vote for Mat, I will take my vote off him. I just don’t see any reason why not to right now, especially without too much concrete information.

[Mat he/him]

39 minutes ago, Szeth_Pancakes said:

I was honestly just voting on you because everyone else was. I know that’s kind of dangerous, especially if everyone is thinking that way, but I don’t have much capacity to put thought into these games right now. I’m going to go for Mat (TUO) (gah, formatting is such a pain on mobile) for now, because I have a hecka strong gut read on him and I’m not willing to let go of it just yet. Yes, I know his elim playstyle is very similar to his village playstyle. It can’t be the exact same, though...

If anyone can convince me to not vote for Mat, I will take my vote off him. I just don’t see any reason why not to right now, especially without too much concrete information.

What do you want me to say

It’s entirely unwarranted; I’ve addressed everything you’ve brought up against me, and everything everyone else has brought up against me. It’s not like I’m lying or there’s faults in my elaborations or anything.

The wording of this is like- yeah I might be tunneling but like at the same time Szeth has been so obviously bandwagony it’s insane. Smh there’s nothing I can say short of asking for reasoning against me that isn’t meta. So far every piece of reasoning against me has been incorrect meta, that I can remember, or ‘gut’ late game.

[Biplet she/her]

On 6/7/2021 at 5:50 PM, DrakeMarshall said:

"This good?"
She held out Shara's cup.

---

"A blessing, thanks."

She stirred her cup before taking a sip. Well, not perfect, but it would do.

"So, tell me more about this theory of yours?"

[StrikerEZ he/him]

@Ashbringer @Biplet @Szeth_Pancakes @Matrim's Dice @Araris Valerian @The Unknown Order @DrakeMarshall @Archer @Devotary of Spontaneity @Dannex @Flyingbooks Here’s your 12 hour reminder to get any votes and actions in before the turn ends!

Also, here’s a VC:

Matrim's Dice (3): Araris Valerian, Archer, Szeth_Pancakes
The Unknown Order (3): DrakeMarshall, Flyingbooks, Matrim's Dice

[Flyingbooks]

Since TUO has responded, I'll switch my vote to Mat.

[DrakeMarshall he/him]

2 hours ago, Biplet said:

"A blessing, thanks."

She stirred her cup before taking a sip. Well, not perfect, but it would do.

"So, tell me more about this theory of yours?"

"So I been digging around," Juno continued lecturing. "Finding all the skeletons in the closet, and let me tell ya I wish that was only a figure o' speech. And I've been looking to the folks in the meeting hall. They say the immortals don't use metals like we do, maybe it's true and maybe it's not, but I figure it's worth keeping track of whenever somebody uses a metal, just in case. Most important is that I've been getting to know some of you all better. Looking for signs of impersonators. I've got a good memory, right? I know when somebody's not actin' quite usual."

"That's how I figured the sweeper fellow is off. I coulda sworn he was left handed last week, but then he was sweepin away with his right hand without a care in the world! And now look, he stopped sweepin altogether, now he's just just mopin! Now what do you reckon is up with that? Paints a very unsavory picture if I do say so myself, very unsavory indeed."

"But Juno, you ask. What do we do about it? What can we even rusting do about an immortal mythic being? Well, I don't reckon we gotta do anythin much." Juno smiled unpleasantly. "I reckon the rebs 'ave got that down pat. And no need to clue 'em in 'bout what they're dealing with either, yeah? We just mind our own business."

---

I'd wager a boxing that the probable soother is not online at the end of the cycle and we might see something interesting there.

But I really don't feel like I know how this is going to turn out, generally speaking. I guess I'm just surprised that less than half of the players are voting in a game that has voting incentives, and when voting is just plain a good thing even without incentives. But then again, I'm also the person who ran multiple games where not voting on too many days would get you activity filtered, so my views on the subject may not exactly be average.

There is also the fact that getting a decent sus read has felt sorta difficult in this game. Maybe is just because I'm getting back into things. If not though then I would say it's maybe a good hint that a number of eliminators are maybe not taking the most active role in affairs? Not gonna lie I'm not a huge supporter of "I don't do things therefore I can't have done anything wrong" being generally treated as a sound defense, especially from someone who is around enough to be making that defense. But idk what do I know Matrim could totally be evil lol.

Anyways vote judiciously and all that and I will see you all on the other side of the turn probably.

[The Unknown Medallion he/him]

"I'm an avenging spirit. Just be glad I'm not my brother because if I were, you already be dead." The man, no, Inquisitor ripped his mask off, revealing spikes where his eyes should have been.

"You're the one they call Ironeyes, brother to the man they worship." 

"Yes."

"Why are you here." 

"I'm... checking on you. A man from before the time or the Lord Ruler is a rarity indeed."

"Well, they'll be even rarer soon."

"Why is that?"

"I'm going to kill myself soon. The last vestiges of Alendi's empire are falling apart. I have nothing keeping me here."

 "You're running out of atium." 

"I am." 

"Is that the real reason you are giving up?"

"Maybe I just want to out on my own terms, how about that!" Walker ended with a shout.

"Do with this what you will." Ironeyes dropped a small bag on the ground. He leaped away.

Shaking, Walker stood up. He grabbed the bag and looked inside. It was full of atium, enough to live for another century at least. He looked up into the sky and softly murmured, "Thank you." Still amazed, Walker jumped to the distant ground. He then strolled through the street.

[Mat he/him]

Kinda dumb that I’m the winning train because I’m active here, huh. TUO can dodge votes for posting once and where does posting once get me?

@everyone voting me, specifically name something sus I’ve done this game.

Go. I’m waiting.