Unodus

Guadium stared out the window of his keep towards the street below. It was too early for stargazing tonight, though the mists had already grown too thick for that already today. Instead, Guadium was watching a horse drawn carriage unloading barrels of wine. He'd been watching it motionlessly for about half an hour. "Are you alright, Father?" asked Relmolina, causing Guadium to jump in surprise, "Ah, sorry my dear. I didn't see you there." he replied, turning back to face his desk, "I'm quite alright, just got a little distracted" Unconvinced, Relmolina walked over to the window he had been facing, "Why on earth are you watching a carriage being unloaded? Surely you have better things to do with your time." "Hm? Oh, I wasn't watching the carriage- I was watching the driver. He's the ringleader of a particular smuggling ring near the channel." "A smuggler?" Relmolina gasped, appalled, "in the keep? Why haven't your men apprehended him?" "Well, technically he isn't a smuggler yet. Tonight, he will return to his family and find his only son has developed a terrible illness. Knowing he cannot afford the treatment, he'll request a pay rise from us. When we refuse him that, he'll start looking for other sources of finance. That's when he'll turn to crime. Realizing the opportunity being a carriage driver offers, he'll turn to smuggling because of how easily it is to cover up from his position. Within the month, his smuggling business will become the biggest crime syndicate in Luthadel. Days later, he'll be captured by my men and executed for his crimes- and in doing so, we also condemn his son to death." Relmolina frowns, "But, if we increase his pay- he'll never have to turn to crime. If you know what he will become, why won't you give him what he needs? It's not like we can't help pay for the medication for his son" "Ah, sweet Relmolina" Gaudium sighed, shaking his head, "I wish that were possible. But if we raised the pay for one person- we'd be liable to pay extra rates to every worker with an ill sibling. Within the year, workers will realize they could intentionally force illnesses on their children in order to be able to afford food. I'm sorry. my child- but sometimes the solution to one problem can lead to creating worse problems." Relmolina turned back to face the window. "I see... If there's nothing you can do, though- why have you been watching him for so long?" Guadium paused. Eventually, he said "Well, imagine from the drivers perspective if, before he returned home, he stumbled across a rare jewel among the cobbles simply by chance- and by selling it he could afford his sons treatment. No need to turn to crime, and no social backlash." "But thats impossible, nobody would accidentally misplace a jewel of such worth- why would you..." Relmolina started, just as the driver bent down and picked up something hidden beneath a pile of ash. "One day, Relmolina, you will be the head of the house." Gaudium nodded, "I can only hope the issues of your generation will be as trivial as mine." Action 3 Who? Guadium, in his capacity as House Lord What? Donating 10 wealth to the Steel Ministry When? Second action Why? I've got some disposable income, might as well try for a stewardship again. Gotta smooth things over with the ministry before applying though V:

17th shard rap battle? :3 No? Just me? ok... π-π

Dalinar!

kelsier

Dalinar ftw!

Vin

Well, I'm assuming you're already familiar enough with the technique if you're asking about it- so can I ask on the specifics of the scene you're writing and offer solutions based on that? Otherwise, all I can really advise is to make the fail as completely unpredictable as possible (yet realistic)- and make sure the twist has a dynamic impact on the rest of the narrative. Remember to give your characters lots of weakness's that they have to maintain, etc. I think I understand what you're feeling though, I felt something similar when writing something of my own. I figure the problem was that it felt too forced (each character in the story had to "die" to initiate the finale. As things dragged on, I felt I should to try end things quickly and kill the stragglers quickly). I think the issue might be that the act of desperately wanting to put a fail in just for the sake of narrative is affecting the quality of the fail itself. Try not to get "tunneled visioned" into what you think you "should" write based on what people expect, but try and take the plot towards something people don't expect. Otherwise, all I can recommend is brainstorming multiple twists you could take the story and decide how they'll affect the plot before writing anything. I hope that helps. I'm not really a writer, but I've run a lot of RP games in the past (not on the shard)- so I'm not sure how useful my advice will be x.x Anyway, if the problem is that you want ideas/direction- just give some details and I'll see if I can help you come up with something.

Dalinar

The true nightmare ensues once he works out how to use his shardclaws... :3

I vote Kelsier. Kelsier has killed a full inquisitor, but I don't think Marsh has ever killed a full mistborn

Guadium threw the last letter into the fire, and sat back in his lounging chair. Tiredly, he watched the lazy embers gradually engulf and warp the text- a wine flute in one hand, and his reply to the message he had just burned in the other. Guadium looked out the window, the ashfall was particularly harsh tonight- too harsh for rooftop star gazing. Sighing inwardly, he turned back to the flute in his hand. After a moments consideration, he cast the wine flute into the fire. Action 3 Who? Guadium, in his capacity as House Lord What? Organizing a marriage for Guadiums daughter, Victel When? Third action Why? Only one turn left before the end of the generation, and I don't expect that I'll be making any last minute alliances in that time.

Vasher

Wayne

Dalinar

Kelsier!

I'll spend the turn covering the exposed entrance with small boulders and ferns with the help of a few skaa so that the cave entrance is less obvious- and then I'll take first watch, since I'm assuming I've got the best accuracy with the bow. If anyone gets too close to the caves and starts investigating, I'll shoot them with an arrow (hopefully to cripple quietly rather than kill) then bring them inside the cave. Anyone who gets caught rather than killed will have no choice but to join our skaa once their recovered. Will that work as an action..?

Are we skipping a cycle this week? :/

I think I gave you a job earlier? :V You and Kady (as the charmyiest crewmen around) are to visit the estate, impersonating caravan owners, in order to personally invite the man we're going to kidnap. Nobles will be less likely to refuse if given a discount from the owner of a business if pushed. I'll let you two decide the specifics on how you're going to convince them to come. This'd also give you an opportunity to learn about the estate and the relationships between the noble we'll kidnap and his fellows. Ideally, you'd leave after Wilor has given you a body to use (assuming you're not impersonating someone already?) On the offchance that Wilor fails to do so, you could use the body of a crow instead and pretend to be Kadys tamed bird or something.

I vote Kaladin

Ok, nobodies said anything in a while- would it be better if I assigned people stuff to do? I'll take charge of sorting out guarding the exposed exit, I guess Kammererite, since Arsenowick has high physique & wits- why don't you take charge of doing up the convoy? We'll need it to be flashy enough for a show (trapdoors would be helpful), but fast enough for a getaway. If we need materials, we could ask the local warlord if he wants to trade. Maill, that leaves you with the job of getting some fancy clothes. If you can find a nobleman nobodies going to recognize or miss, assassinate him, then give the body to DenPai so he can use it for the infiltration- but keep the clothes for your own disguise for later on. Is that alright with everyone?

I vote Vasher :V

I vote nightblood :V

Vin & Szeth team up!

the next fight is going to be interesting.... XD