Fifth Scholar

The sun was lower in the sky than it should be, and Kir was sure of it. Why was this night longer than any other night? “That’s the wrong question,” a voice boomed in his head. “The correct question is, have you considered that you had more time to live because of the longer night, before your existence was revoked?” Kir gulped. He had not considered that. Sadly, he would have no opportunity to, as the sun finally rose over Urithiru and he no longer existed, just as the Almighty GM had decreed. The reasons were to be filled in later, of course. But the insolence was up there. And the fact that someone had killed him. The GM considered a giant walrus killing him as the means of death, and ultimately decided against it. Why did it matter? The daylight hours were being frittered away, and Kir could have just died. Perhaps he did. Either way, he needed sleep and the players needed to decide who to butcher. Maybe they’d kill the giant walrus. Onyx Flamingo was killed! They were a Loyal Radiant Worldhopper! Day Eight has begun! It will last 47 hours, and end at 9:00 PM EST on 18 January 2020. There was an error in previous playerlists which showed Magenta Albatross as an Odium Sympathiser. This is not the case, and his alignment flip of Loyal Knight/Village was correct. PMs are still closed! Not that you’d get too much use out of them... Player List: 1. Amber Vulture: Jashi, Stormwarden Radiant Worldhopper 2. Amethyst Scorpion: Jesh, Lost Axehound Radiant Worldhopper 3. Chartreuse Penguin: Taladir, GamblerRadiant Worldhopper 4. Coral Swan: Germaine, Scholar Radiant Worldhopper 5. Cream Tuatara: Dfyan, Scholar Radiant Worldhopper 6. Emerald Falcon: Sein, Inquisitive Radiant Worldhopper 7. Indigo Weasel: Adhom Inem, Ardent 8. Ivory Dragonfly: Krask, Conspiracy Theorist Sympathizer Worldhopper 9. Magenta Albatross: Jonan Wikim, Lost Axehound (Gren) Radiant Worldhopper 10. Mauve Crocodile: Sernes, Paranoid Scout Radiant Worldhopper 11. Mint Heron: Sam, Once a Darkeyes Radiant Worldhopper 12. Onyx Flamingo: Kir, Kleptomaniac Scout Radiant Worldhopper 13. Opal Lion: Tnaidar, Scout Radiant Worldhopper 14. Pearl Chameleon: Purrl, Adolin’s Former Girlfriend Radiant Worldhopper 15. Plum Rhinoceros: Logalog, Scholar Sympathizer Worldhopper 16. Quartz Zebra: Arauna Khadal, Adolin’s Former Girlfriend Sympathizer Worldhopper 17. Saffron Iguana: Merinira, Scout Sympathizer Worldhopper 18. Sage Kangaroo: Gilglin, Ardent (Devotary of the Mind) Radiant Worldhopper 19. Salmon Meerkat: Cadamum, Ghostblood Recruit 20. Scarlet Octopus: Max Mercury, Past Lives Sympathizer Worldhopper 21. Sunburst Toucan: Tafud, Slightly Crazy Radiant Worldhopper 22. Taupe Gecko: Brana, Scholar Radiant Worldhopper 23. Turquoise Gorilla: Bomer, Gambler Radiant Worldhopper 24. Violet Axolotl: Adi, Anxious Good luck!

Cycle closed (a little late). Day turn will be up in a little over an hour. Sorry for the mess, you guys, and thanks for hanging in there >>

The cycle might be slightly late in closing; however, all orders should still be submitted by 9 PM EST, a little over 35 minutes from this post. And y’all talk more!

Gilglin smiled wryly as he leafed through Merinira’s documents. The scout had disappeared several days ago, and the numbers of Radiants had dwindled so far that Kareana stalwartly refused to risk sending search parties, insisting she would return alone or not at all. But somehow, it had occurred to nobody but him to check for associations with the great Enemy, Odium, and plain as day, there was a folded paper at the bottom of her briefcase with a list of “priority” targets. He continued his wry grin as he perused the names, seeing many Brightlord which had left Urithiru with the other team of Radiants. Still probably be best to redouble their guards, though, Gilglin noted. He then slid his eyes to the final name on the list, and his smile quickly disappeared. His name? What was it doing there? He was just an Ardent! Trembling slightly, he took the paper, folded it gently, and slid it into the breast-pocket of his coat. He had to show this to Kareana. At the very least, it might get her to direct her Radiants to look elsewhere for the last few traitors in their midst. As he stood, he looked around the corner, where the other Radiants in their initial group were looking at him disapprovingly. Distrust flared towards the lot of them, but he shoved it down. He was hardly the most vocal person on Roshar, and his unwillingness to answer questions was often construed as guilt. While he sympathised with the sentiment that he should publicly speak more, he needed to be left alone most of the time. Especially when he was preparing prayers for the Almighty to send men to stop the madness. Especially when he was meant to offer private spiritual help specific to the Devotary of the Divine, and not interact with the public much at all. He bent back over to the barrel of glyphward ink, which he had insisted on bringing, despite its flammable nature, up to the mountain. Prayer glyphs were especially necessary at this time, if they wanted the Almighty’s favour—the only factor that mattered—to rest upon them. Dipping his brush into the ink, he began painting on the barren rocks, aware as he did so that the other Radiants were closing in on him. Within a minute, he was staring into three hostile faces, none of which looked pleased at his silence. Gilglin put the finishing touches on his glyph, an odd form of “guidance” which was used most often for determining one’s Calling—as such, the prayer had more rarity, significance, and power. The matters ahead of them would require a blessing from the Almighty greater than the one which he gave upon the realisation of a Calling, for the corresponding threat was far greater. Yet he had confidence that Honour and the Heralds would provide, and so he was fearless when turning towards the three. “Where were you last night?” one demanded. “I was reading my book here,” Gilglin replied, unsure where the conversation was going. The leader only nodded. “Exactly. Are you sure about that?” “Yes…” Gilglin was confused. “I had nothing to do with Jonan’s death, if that’s what you mean!” Again, only that infuriating nod in reply. “I’m sure you didn’t. Alright, boys, take him.” Strong arms suddenly seized his own, attempting to drag him towards Kareana. He avoided being grappled narrowly, writhing out of one man’s grip and allowing the second to pick up the sheet he’d dropped when the fighting began. Unfortunately, his momentum took him into the second man, body-slamming him into the table where the barrel of glyphward ink was sitting. There was a crash, and a low groan emitted from the downed man. Well, no need to worry over him much now. How do I get out? he mused; his way was blocked by the two able-bodied Radiants in front of him, whose blades were now out. Casting around him, he saw the winded Radiant he had slammed into earlier, with only a few of Vamah’s soldiers supporting him. That’ll be where I have to break through, Gilglin thought. He charged at the man, preparing to shove him away and jump over the table, and expecting little resistance; however, instinct took over, and the man grabbed the entire barrel of ink, quickly swinging it between himself and the charging Gilglin. The ardent was unable to spring away, and the flimsy sides broke, deluging the unfortunate Gilglin in gallons of ink. Scrabbling to clear his eyes, Gilglin did not see who lit the match and threw it at his blackened form, but he did know—and now felt—how quickly and effectively glyphward ink burnt. By the time all that was on him had burned away, his own spirit had long since risen as a final sacrifice to the Almighty. Sage Kangaroo was lynched! He was a Loyal Worldhopper. Vote Count: Sage Kangaroo (3): Indigo Weasel, Onyx Flamingo, Violet Axolotl Indigo Weasel (1): Salmon Meerkat Night 7 has begun! It will end in about 22.5 hours, at 9 PM EST on 16 January. Please do not forget that PMs are still CLOSED! Player List 1. Amber Vulture: Jashi, Stormwarden Radiant Worldhopper 2. Amethyst Scorpion: Jesh, Lost Axehound Radiant Worldhopper 3. Chartreuse Penguin: Taladir, Gambler Radiant Worldhopper 4. Coral Swan: Germaine, Scholar Radiant Worldhopper 5. Cream Tuatara: Dfyan, Scholar Radiant Worldhopper 6. Emerald Falcon: Sein, Inquisitive Radiant Worldhopper 7. Indigo Weasel: Adhom Inem, Ardent 8. Ivory Dragonfly: Krask, Conspiracy Theorist Sympathizer Worldhopper 9. Magenta Albatross: Jonan Wikim, Lost Axehound (Gren) Sympathizer Worldhopper 10. Mauve Crocodile: Sernes, Paranoid Scout Radiant Worldhopper 11. Mint Heron: Sam, Once a Darkeyes Radiant Worldhopper 12. Onyx Flamingo: Kir, Kleptomaniac Scout 13. Opal Lion: Tnaidar, Scout Radiant Worldhopper 14. Pearl Chameleon: Purrl, Adolin’s Former Girlfriend Radiant Worldhopper 15. Plum Rhinoceros: Logalog, Scholar Sympathizer Worldhopper 16. Quartz Zebra: Arauna Khadal, Adolin’s Former Girlfriend Sympathizer Worldhopper 17. Saffron Iguana: Merinira, Scout Sympathizer Worldhopper 18. Sage Kangaroo: Gilglin, Ardent (Devotary of the Mind) Radiant Worldhopper 19. Salmon Meerkat: Cadamum, Ghostblood Recruit 20. Scarlet Octopus: Max Mercury, Past Lives Sympathizer Worldhopper 21. Sunburst Toucan: Tafud, Slightly Crazy Radiant Worldhopper 22. Taupe Gecko: Brana, Scholar Radiant Worldhopper 23. Turquoise Gorilla: Bomer, Gambler Radiant Worldhopper 24. Violet Axolotl: Adi, Anxious

Cycle is closed! Will there be a Night? Only time will tell...

El will post the writeup in the next hour or so, and please upvote and thank her in advance for taking over the majority of responsibility for rollover and being generally wonderful. All PMs should be out. See you guys next cycle!

Cycle closed! Please stop PMing. The Day will be up shortly.

Merinira found herself, quite by accident, on the thirty-eighth floor. She did not fear it, as most did—she trusted her master to not rip one of her most effective tools to shreds—but it was not where she had intended to scout. For her reports to Kareana, she was to do the forty-fifth floor, and Re-Shephir wanted the levels around her cleared of humans to prevent an “unfortunate” incident like Radler’s again, and so wanted false reports of danger spread about the floods immediately around her. She had seemed genuinely worried about the Worldhoppers after the fight, and was perceived to be greatly weakened by those in the group who had visited in the immediate aftermath of the attacks; nevertheless, Merinira’s group had forged along, not willing to risk an assault against such a powerful being. The Lord of Hate rewarded ambition, but that was a step too far. Walking past the murals, the intricately decorated ceiling above her head, Merinira approached the chamber with the gem column rising into the air. She knelt, and watched as the oily black Midnight Essence curled around the pillar, consolidating into a face which gazed disapprovingly down at her. WHY HAVE YOU RETURNED HERE, CHILD? As always, the voice was in Merinira’s head. “Mother”—that word had always felt strange in her mouth, yet Re-Shephir insisted on its use—“I was drawn here, somehow, when I tried to get to the forty-fifth floor. I thought it was you, and you had instructions for me.” A general aura of confusion emanated from the Unmade, mingling with her own doubts. I DO NOT HAVE THE POWER TO DRAW YOU HERE IN THAT MANNER, CHILD, the reply came. SOMETHING ELSE—SOMEONE ELSE—HAS DONE THIS. AND YET IT IS ON THIS VERY LEVEL, GROUNDS WHICH I THOUGHT WERE MINE. Re-Shephir’s projected voice grew in resolution. IT IS GOOD YOUR INTUITION HAS DRAWN YOU HERE. I KNOW THIS CHAMBER, BUT SEARCH ALL OTHER ROOMS ON THIS LEVEL FOR ANYTHING AS YET UNSEEN WHICH MAY FOIL OUR DESIGNS. YOU MAY REPORT TO KAREANA LATER. Four shadowed figures materialised from the stone floor, twisting into the form of men with spears and shields. THESE WILL GUARD YOU. Merinira bowed. “Yes, Great One,” she replied briefly, rising and heading for the smaller rooms on the floor, separated by a door which led into a small antechamber. The four shadows tailed her, and they entered. The room was dark, and also, as Merinira could tell, completely empty, as she remembered. In fact, she had been here numerous times. In the centre, the working lift system hung; in each of the cardinal directions, a door was set. She had apparently come from the west door, and thus proceeded directly across to the east, trying the handle. It was locked, and three to four millennia of crem buildup made opening it a risky proposition anyway. Unlike the other doors in the hall, the Mother had not known about it, and thus could not slow its natural decay. So she tried the north door, expecting a similar result, and to her surprise felt it open fluidly. Unlocked and unjammed? She would have to be incredibly cautious. Checking that the four shadows were still accompanying her, she stepped into the room. Upon first glance, there was nothing special about it. It was small and square—only a few feet long in either direction—and tiled, with eight large blocks, alternating black and white, forming the floor. The ceiling and walls were bare, except for a window high above which let in light. And in the middle of the room, at the junction of the central four squares, stood a tall, thin, fragile object. The sense within Merinira flared, and she knew that this was what she needed to find. But what was so special about it? It didn’t look to be a fabrial, and had no other distinctive features. She tiptoed around it, noting with a vague discomfiture that the shadowed guardians she had been assigned were being winked out one by one, but her curiosity had her seized in a tight grip. She rounded the corner of the object, stepping between it and the window, and breathed in sharply. It was an enormous looking-glass, which cast every detail of her face in sharp relief. However, the background portrayed by the mirror looked...odd, with enormous squares similar to the floor behind her, but forested, with odd inhabitants roaming about. She glanced around her, and with horror, Merinira found she could not see the chamber in Urithiru any longer. Where on Roshar was she? Was this even Roshar? She doubted the looking-glass was a Perpendicularity. With nothing else to do, she began walking towards the next square of ground, marvelling at how slowly she moved. Would she ever get around this place, or find a way out? The ground on which she was standing seemed to never end, yet she always got closer to the edge of her square. Gritting her teeth, she began running, breathing heavily. She would make it out of this place, and— “You won’t get very far going that way,” a voice interrupted. “Why, here, it takes all the running you can do to stay in place. If you want to get anywhere, you’ve got to run at least twice as fast as that!” She gaped, and swivelled to face the voice. It was a Queen, decked all in red from head to toe, and it stood easily twice as tall as Merinira herself, on a square of the same colour which was diagonal from her. The Queen had an imperious, though not unkindly look, and she frowned down as she spoke. “What do you need to do here, anyway?” “Your...Majesty, I need to find a way out of here,” Merinira replied. “And what was that you said earlier about movement? It sounded like nonsense.” The Queen simply laughed, shaking her head. “You may call it nonsense if you like,” she replied, “but I’ve heard nonsense, compared with which that would be as sensible as a dictionary!” She chuckled again, then started as she saw a white figure appear two squares to the left and one square forward from her, and two squares forward and one to the left from Merinira. The chuckle sounded more nervous this time. “Well, I do hate to leave you hanging, but I will have an excellent tactic if he captures you next turn, so…” With that, the Queen flitted away, and she was left standing alone again. Nothing the Red Queen had said made sense at all. Except that last bit. Captures me? I’m hanging? With mounting trepidation, she saw the white figure consolidate into a knight riding towards her on a Meerkat—she had no idea what that was, but the name had popped into her head—and it drew an Axolotl-tipped Blade from its sheath, swinging at Merinira, who could not seem to move out of its path. It connected, and she fell, being dragged by invisible hands off the field of squares. Perhaps she wasn’t dead, but she wasn’t getting back to Re-Shephir any time soon either, and it looked to be a long period of adjustment as she learned the rules of this strange new world. From the Archives, regarding the Radiant Scouting Disaster: Today wasn’t very interesting. I walked through more hallways, jumping at my own shadow, marking down the paths. Even despite all the pretty colors, all of Urithiru is starting to feel the same. I don’t remember the last time I saw the sun. Apparently some excitement happened back here while I was gone - everyone around me is buzzing about it as I write. They caught another odium-person, it sounds like. I’m so glad I wasn’t here! I want to stay as far away from any excitement as possible. I miss you, Danerin. I hope this is all over soon. Love, Paleli Saffron Iguana was a Odium Sympathizer Worldhopper! Vote Count Onyx Flamingo (2): Magenta Albatross, Saffron Iguana Saffron Iguana (2): Salmon Meerkat, Violet Axolotl Salmon Meerkat (1): Onyx Flamingo Night 6 has begun! It will end in 22-ish hours, at 9 PM EST on 13 January. PMs are still open. Credit to El for the letter portion of the writeup! Player List 1. Amber Vulture: Jashi, Stormwarden Radiant Worldhopper 2. Amethyst Scorpion: Jesh, Lost Axehound Radiant Worldhopper 3. Chartreuse Penguin: Taladir, Gambler Radiant Worldhopper 4. Coral Swan: Germaine, Scholar Radiant Worldhopper 5. Cream Tuatara: Dfyan, Scholar Radiant Worldhopper 6. Emerald Falcon: Sein, Inquisitive Radiant Worldhopper 7. Indigo Weasel: Adhom Inem, Ardent 8. Ivory Dragonfly: Krask, Conspiracy Theorist Sympathizer Worldhopper 9. Magenta Albatross: Jonan Wikim, Lost Axehound (Gren) 10. Mauve Crocodile: Sernes, Paranoid Scout Radiant Worldhopper 11. Mint Heron: Sam, Once a Darkeyes Radiant Worldhopper 12. Onyx Flamingo: Kir, Kleptomaniac Scout 13. Opal Lion: Tnaidar, Scout Radiant Worldhopper 14. Pearl Chameleon: Purrl, Adolin’s Former Girlfriend Radiant Worldhopper 15. Plum Rhinoceros: Logalog, Scholar Sympathizer Worldhopper 16. Quartz Zebra: Arauna Khadal, Adolin’s Former Girlfriend Sympathizer Worldhopper 17. Saffron Iguana: Merinira, Scout Sympathizer Worldhopper 18. Sage Kangaroo: Gilglin, Ardent (Devotary of the Mind) 19. Salmon Meerkat: Cadamum, Ghostblood Recruit 20. Scarlet Octopus: Max Mercury, Past Lives Sympathizer Worldhopper 21. Sunburst Toucan: Tafud, Slightly Crazy 22. Taupe Gecko: Brana, Scholar Radiant Worldhopper 23. Turquoise Gorilla: Bomer, Gambler Radiant Worldhopper 24. Violet Axolotl: Adi, Anxious

Cycle closed!

Yes.

Cycle closed! (It was like a minute ago but shhhh)

Cycle closed!

Cycle is closed! Come back to see whose blood has been spilt!

In the aftermath of the attack on Nolan and Radler’s disappearance, Brightness Kareana had begun to set far stricter rules for the scribes’ movements and activities within Urithiru. So long as there remained any men sympathetic to Odium within the Radiants, no scribe was to venture into the city alone, or during the nighttime, and especially both. Not that they had time to do any of that, Linna reflected, as the Radiants themselves were doing enough scouting to keep the scribes busy simply recording everything they saw. Some of the details were fascinating—Errdal’s account of the Unmade’s chamber which she had overheard, for instance, with the cryptic images on the walls, and others were simply odd, with some scouts apparently seeing nothing beyond strata within the rocks in the city’s walls on their section of the level, which they nevertheless found the need to describe in excruciating detail. Today’s pair of scouts were thankfully more brief; after a short description of some rather standard storage rooms on the fifty-second floor, they took their leave, and Linna was left sitting, listening to the scratching of reeds and the low voices of reporting Knights. She yawned, though it was midday, and glanced over at Kareana, whose supervision of the operation looked anything but detached. That woman was determined to bring a good report back to Dalinar, and somehow seemed to constantly operate at full capacity on little sleep to ensure it would happen. Linna admired the dedication she showed, but it was annoying at times like now when she would prefer to take a walk around to keep herself awake. She wouldn’t be seeing any Radiants for another hour, anyway, but escaping the eagle eye of Kareana to take advantage of that would be an impossibility—and she would be foolish to try, or she’d find herself on the receiving end of an order sending her back down the Oathgate. Plans of a lone walk foiled, she cast around, searching the other scribes. Most were still conversing with the Radiants or doing the logistical work of the operation, but Brana was done already; unsurprising, given that she was one of Vamah’s best scribes before she became Radiant, and could easily record her own findings. For the moment, though, she was free. Perfect. Rising, Linna felt Kareana’s gaze sink into her before she even turned her head to look at the woman. This is not going to be a fun conversation. Steeling her nerves against a possible outburst of temper, she walked up. “Yes, Linna?” Kareana’s voice was perfectly neutral. “As you can see, Brightness, my work for this shift is done, with my Radiants having left…” “Why should I care? Go translate an ancient text or whatever it is you scribes do when you’re bored. I’m not here to micromanage your day for you, woman. As long as you’re staying out of trouble, you’re fine.” Linna winced, hopefully only inwardly. She’d gotten only a lick of Kareana’s acid tongue, but it still wasn’t pleasant. “Well, you did give orders that nobody should wander about the city without accompaniment, and I was going to take a walk around this floor to get some air.” “My orders stand. Find someone to go with, then, and then perhaps you can leave me be.” Linna looked hopefully at Brana, who had taken her head out of her book to glance up at the noise. The Radiant scholar smiled and rose fluently. “I’ll go with her, Brightness. I need to stretch my legs myself, and I’ll make sure she doesn’t wander anywhere she isn’t supposed to.” The ghost of a smile flitted across Kareana’s lips. “I suppose you will, at that. Go ahead, and don’t make me send search parties after you. Stay on this level.” “We will, Brightness,” Linna replied, and turned to make her exit. Kareana sighed as the pair left the Breakaway. Why couldn’t the fool girl have asked Brana to go with her, and then nodded to her on their way out the door? People took everything she said so literally these days. Then again, if it helped keep people cautious and away from the Unmade, perhaps it wasn’t a bad thing at all that her ban on aimless exploration had taken effect to such a strong degree. But if people were needing approval to take a short walk, that was a separate issue entirely, and one that did not rest on her shoulders. Her annoyance with Linna stayed smouldering inside her as she watched the other scribes stratching away, though, the mundanity of her supervision job allowing it to stay fresh in her mind. She resolved to give the girl a proper tongue-lashing in private when she got back, and then frowned, looking at the fabrial on her arm. It had been an hour or so, and still no sign of either Brana or Linna. It didn’t take that long to circle the floor, even at the slow pace some seemed to prefer. As if to confirm her words, the door to the chamber was thrown open, and a breathless Brana came rushing in. She collapsed at Kareana’s feet, gasping in air. Why do things always end like this? Nobody ever returns from these innocent trips with everything intact. “What happened? Breathe deeply and slow, you’ll be fine, there’s nothing pursuing you anymore.” Kareana kept speaking gently, shooing away the bemused and curious clump of people which had gathered. Many of them were still peering over at Brana, which Kareana supposed was inevitable, but the poor girl was in shock and didn’t need their attention. To her credit, Brana had pulled herself together, her breathing shuddering but evening out as she controlled it. “Where’s Linna?” “The shadows attacked again...she’s dead. A whole crowd of them, and I barely made it myself. As soon as she got dragged away from me, one of the figures threw something at her…a short sword maybe...it went straight through her chest…” Brana broke down sobbing again. “The corridor darkened as soon as it happened, the strata changed colour to red. I just ran here as fast as my legs could carry me, not even seeing if those...things...were following me. But I couldn’t save her or myself.” Kareana whispered reassurement, consoling Brana while her mind raced. The Unmade’s arm had grown long if it was striking at the level they were on with its creations, but most concerning was that she had been right to forbid travel outside the Breakaway. Inwardly, she seethed. Too many people were dying on her watch. She would see Odium’s presence removed from the tower, and any shadows which got in the way were going to regret the day they crossed paths with the Knights Radiant themselves. Brana finished making her report to Brightness Kareana, shaking slightly. This was the second time in a week that she’d stumbled over a dead body, and she did not want any more. She barely made it a dozen steps before Jesh and Jonan confronted her, with a... spren? bobbing along behind. “This is the second time you’ve seen one of those dead bodies before anyone else,” Jesh said. “You know, the ones that keep being killed by shadow spren? Like the ones Errdal fought,” Jonan added. “And Errdal said he saw two very weak-looking axehounds escape from their nest-” “But we can’t find them anywhere. I want my Gren back-” “And my Trisk-” Jesh interjected. “So tell us where they are,” Jonan finished. Brana blinked. “I- I don’t-” she stammered. “Lead us to them, or we’ll expose you as a Sympathizer to everyone.” “I’m not a Sympathizer! I’ve just... had a bad couple of days, is all,” Brana said, thinking about Linna’s staring eyes. “I’m sorry, I don’t know where your axehounds are, I wish I did.” The two men looked at each other for a moment, then back at Brana. “Last chance.” “No,” Brana said, feeling increasingly desperate. “I’m not a Sympathizer, I promise I’m not![/i]” “Three... two... one...” “Please,” she said, half-whispering. “Brana is a Sympathizer!” “She serves Odium, she just admitted it!” After that, well... her death was not pleasant, but it was swift. A mob of Worldhoppers already on edge from days of death was a force to be reckoned with. Taupe Gecko (Brana) was a Loyal Knight Radiant Worldhopper! Linna was a Loyal Scribe! Vote Count Taupe Gecko (4): Amethyst Scorpion, Coral Swan, Emerald Falcon, Magenta Albatross Onyx Flamingo (1): Mauve Crocodile Opal Lion (1): Saffron Iguana Night 4 has begun! It will end in 22 hours on 7 January at 4 AM EST. Thanks to El for writing Gecko’s lynch. Please remember that PMs are closed. Player List 1. Amber Vulture: Jashi, Stormwarden 2. Amethyst Scorpion: Jesh, Lost Axehound 3. Chartreuse Penguin: Taladir, Gambler Radiant Worldhopper 4. Coral Swan: Germaine, Scholar 5. Cream Tuatara: Dfyan, Scholar Radiant Worldhopper 6. Emerald Falcon: Sein, Inquisitive 7. Indigo Weasel: Adhom Inem, Ardent 8. Ivory Dragonfly: Krask, Conspiracy Theorist Sympathiser Worldhopper 9. Magenta Albatross: Jonan Wikim, Lost Axehound (Gren) 10. Mauve Crocodile: Sernes, Paranoid Scout 11. Mint Heron: Sam, Once a Darkeyes 12. Onyx Flamingo: Kir, Kleptomaniac Scout 13. Opal Lion: Tnaidar, Scout 14. Pearl Chameleon: Purrl, Adolin’s Former Girlfriend Radiant Worldhopper 15. Plum Rhinoceros: Logalog, Scholar Sympathiser Worldhopper 16. Quartz Zebra: Arauna Khadal, Adolin’s Former Girlfriend Sympathiser Worldhopper 17. Saffron Iguana: Merinira, Scout 18. Sage Kangaroo: Gilglin, Ardent (Devotary of the Mind) 19. Salmon Meerkat: Cadamum, Ghostblood Recruit 20. Scarlet Octopus: Max Mercury, Past Lives 21. Sunburst Toucan: Tafud, Slightly Crazy 22. Taupe Gecko: Brana, Scholar Radiant Worldhopper 23. Turquoise Gorilla: Bomer, Gambler Radiant Worldhopper 24. Violet Axolotl: Adi, Anxious

The cycle is closed! The Night will be up in a little while.

Everyone participating in a successful kill on a target is informed they have killed the target player.

The night is over! New turn will be up shortly.

“No, he clearly couldn’t be a Sympathiser! How can you accuse him after he participated in the death of Aruana?” “It was all a farce, I’m telling you! They did it to get our trust! We need to look harder into both him and Bomer!” “Now you’re just sounding like Krask. Bomer’s dead, and has been for a while, and you’re just afraid your friend you’ve been kicking around with for a while is evil! Or you are yourself…” Logalog of Mossflower shoved the bickering voices to the back of his head, muting them to a dull whine. Which, frankly, they were. He had figured that these humans, even on a highly dangerous planet in a city fatal to the unwary, would find a way to work together, but more often than not they simply argued and fought, worse than shrews at some points. Shrews knew better than to let argumentation descend into killing, at least on his watch. Despite the odd traitor or deserter, the Guosim had continued strong that way, with friendly, nonfatal duels settling disputes and the tribe moving on as normal. Humans, though...you could never tell who the vermin was until it was too late, and everyone you thought was a friend of yours could turn their back on you in an instant. And the bickering was something he’d still not figured out how to solve. This made his tribe look tame by comparison, though it did appeal to the confrontational part of him. Logalog threw in his thoughts on the oddly named “Tnaidar” (even otters didn’t name their kids something weird like that, and those otter chaps were downright strange. Good allies to have in the water, though) who he suspected looked suspicious to the humans, what with the narrowed eyes and downcast looks he was always casting about, looking like a shifty ferret trying to go unseen and failing miserably; plus, he was always off on scouting missions, and scouts were easy to blame. He knew, having nearly gotten his tail tanned as one for missing a small water rat, so he figured missing an enormous hostile deity was even worse. Impeccable logic, or at least good enough to suit his tastes. Participation finished for the day, he pivoted to leave, tucking in his tail underneath him and settling into the next best thing he’d found to a logboat—a hollowed shell of some vile creature with cartwheels attached to it, allowing it to be used without waterways. He was still surprised and disappointed at the lack of forests on this new planet—whatever the humans claimed, sipping violet wine in their large ships on a turbulent ocean was no match for a good October ale in a well-crafted logboat on a lazy woodland stream. And there was no way to enjoy the smallest portion of that on this planet, at least around Alethkar. Maybe once he was allowed out of this cursed city, he would retire to Shinovar. From the sounds of it, at least that place was green. He suddenly noticed that the assembled voices had gone quiet, and not from a cat eating them all, unfortunately. And they were staring at him? He bothered to listen again, and it looked to be Jonan speaking. That’s not a bad name. Better than Tnaidar, at least. “...searched and questioned him last night, and he’s not only from some crazed world he insists on calling ‘Mossflower,’ he admitted allegiance to Odium!” Logalog sighed. Of course they would go after him eventually. He shook his head at himself—I really am getting grey in the whiskers if I’m answering questions from random humans—and set his makeshift land-boat rolling. It creaked, but held together, speeding away from the assembly and drawing cries of surprise. Good. Two others, including the leader, a female named Kareana, tried to cut off his path, so he pivoted, gripping the sides of his boat with his paws and turning it. There was an audible pop as the first wheel broke free of its axle, the flimsy structure unable to accommodate the sharpness of the turn, and the others soon followed, tumbling off. Logalog swore, drawing his tail back up to avoid getting it crushed underneath the disintegrating logboat, and clung on for dear life as he closed his eyes. There was a bright flash of light, and the clamor of the fighting instantly subsided; he re-opened his beady eyes, casting them about. Still no forest; instead, a sea of small spheres which seemed infinite, extending in every direction, though the surface was still. Pearls? Or perhaps ordinary beads. He pinched himself, discovering he still had a full body. Not the gates of Dark Forest made specifically for roving shrews, then, he thought wryly. Looking down, his paws were tucked into an actual logboat, made from a good rowan or beech, and an oar was in his hands. Well, this was a spot of fortune, and much better than being killed by the humans back there. He began paddling through the sea, his spirits good as he plotted his return to Mossflower. None of this made sense to him, but that could be figured out later—right now, he was in his element. Munching on the end of a loaf he’d brought with him, he took up humming to himself an old shrew ditty. Whum chakka um chakka chumchakka whum! Guosim dig yore paddle deep, Hurly-burly river wide'n'curly, There’s no time to sleep. Whum chakka um chakka chumchakka whum! Rapid wild and fast do go, Hurly-burly river wide'n'curly, Bend yore backs an’ row. Whum chakka um chakka chumchakka whum! Keep her bows up in the foam, Hurly-burly river wide'n'curly, Logboat take us home. Whum chakka um chakka chumchakka… Recruit. Survive. Protect Kareana. That’s all the Ghostbloods had given Ellira. She didn’t even know why Kareana needed to be protected - if she was a Ghostblood, Ellira had been unaware, and she was pretty sure she knew the majority of the Ghostbloods in Urithiru at this point. She returned and reported the... darkness-spren-thing... to Kareana, mainly because if Errdal did and she didn’t, it’d draw suspicion on her. Then she passed the orders on to Cadamum and the other Ghostbloods in the group. Conversation seemed different, tonight - more subdued, but also more excited, as Worldhoppers felt free to talk about their places of origin for the first time. Ellira, for herself, didn’t specify, just smiled slightly whenever asked and turned the question back on them. She’d not had magic back on Sel, of course - she had dealt with danger only with wits, charm, and steel. Most of the others here hadn’t had the benefit of that experience, and it showed. So she flirted and laughed, watching them dismiss a pretty face as nothing more. It was really quite convenient, she reflected, that safehands were a norm here. It was a fantastic hiding spot, and Ellira loved knowing how easy their deaths would be in a single movement. Shardblades were too slow, in her opinion - she could kill in ten heartbeats. But for now, she played nice and made friends. And when she went to bed, she slept only a few feet from Kareana’s bedroll. Plum Rhinoceros was lynched, but survived! Vote Count Plum Rhinoceros (13): Amber Vulture, Coral Swan, Emerald Falcon, Indigo Weasel, Magenta Albatross, Mauve Crocodile, Mint Heron, Onyx Flamingo, Saffron Iguana, Salmon Meerkat, Scarlet Octopus, Taupe Gecko, Violet Axolotl Opal Lion (1): Plum Rhinoceros Night 3 has begun! It will end in approximately 22.5 hours, at 4 AM Eastern Time on 4 January 2020. All credit to El for writing the section on Ellira. PMs remain completely open. Player List 1. Amber Vulture: Jashi, Stormwarden 2. Amethyst Scorpion: Jesh, Lost Axehound 3. Chartreuse Penguin: Taladir, Gambler Radiant Worldhopper 4. Coral Swan: Germaine, Scholar 5. Cream Tuatara: Dfyan, Scholar Radiant Worldhopper 6. Emerald Falcon: Sein, Inquisitive 7. Indigo Weasel: Adhom Inem, Ardent 8. Ivory Dragonfly: Krask, Conspiracy Theorist Sympathiser Worldhopper 9. Magenta Albatross: Jonan Wikim, Lost Axehound (Gren) 10. Mauve Crocodile: Sernes, Paranoid Scout 11. Mint Heron: Sam, Once a Darkeyes 12. Onyx Flamingo: Kir, Kleptomaniac Scout 13. Opal Lion: Tnaidar, Scout 14. Pearl Chameleon: Purrl, Adolin’s Former Girlfriend 15. Plum Rhinoceros: Logalog, Scholar 16. Quartz Zebra: Arauna Khadal, Adolin’s Former Girlfriend Sympathiser Worldhopper 17. Saffron Iguana: Merinira, Scout 18. Sage Kangaroo: Gilglin, Ardent (Devotary of the Mind) 19. Salmon Meerkat: Cadamum, Ghostblood Recruit 20. Scarlet Octopus: Max Mercury, Past Lives 21. Sunburst Toucan: Tafud, Slightly Crazy 22. Taupe Gecko: Brana, Scholar 23. Turquoise Gorilla: Bomer, Gambler Radiant Worldhopper 24. Violet Axolotl: Adi, Anxious

Cycle closed! I wonder who died

Happy New Year, SE! Unfortunately, some of you didn’t quite make it across the line...writeup to come in a bit. And cycle closed, obviously.

Radler’s “death” is edited in. If you’re RPing, especially if you lost an axehound, I recommend you read through it.

The cycle is closed! Please stand by for rollover.

On the fourth day of Christmas The AG gave to me Four hours of sleep Three vote counts Two NPC deaths And a penguin in a pool of blood Brightness Kareana, Captain and Radiant, surveyed the scouts trickling in a few at a time and worried. She kept track of the numbers in her head - almost everyone was back, now, thank the Almighty. She’d spent the entire afternoon pacing and wondering how many would end up returning at all. This had been a simple scouting mission, to get the proto-Radiants to make ties and work as a team in preparation for more difficult tasks. When she put the group together, she hadn’t anticipated any issues - she hadn’t even brought more than a few guards, since twenty-odd Radiants was quite the force in itself and the Highprinces hadn’t the troops to spare. She’d sent for more, but they’d take a while to get here even if politicking didn’t tie them up, and she wasn’t sure they’d even be useful. It had been a simple scouting mission, and then there had been three deaths in the span of a day and a half. Two Sympathisers already known and taken care of, but... there might be more. She didn’t know how many more. And given Locke’s death, she knew this was probably just the beginning unless they were found, and fast. Mentally, she again thanked whoever had killed Naihar, much as she hated to be grateful for any death. Had he not died, had the killings just started without warning... well. At least this way they had some chance. If they were very, very careful. She sipped her steaming soup, frowning over at Brana. The girl was shell-shocked, clearly - and though it wasn’t quite as obvious, she suspected Purrl or Merinira might be too. Taladir, well... she glanced over at the fire where Taladir was telling his tall tales. Taladir was coping just fine, it seemed. Taladir sat near the small cooking fire, telling his tale - with a few grandiose touches, of course. “And then I told ‘er I wasn’t scared of no Odium whatever, come at me!” There were suitably awed gasps, from all but... one man was frowning and squinting at him. “Oi, what’s your problem?” Taladir challenged. The man narrowed his eyes. “I happen to know,” he said as if imparting a great secret, “that the area in which you were scouting is continually filled with the most noxious fumes, poisoned air rising from the depths of the city to take us all. It hasn’t reached here yet, but when it does, oh, when it does...” Taladir blinked. “Uh... what kinda fumes? I didn’t smell nothin’.” “The most vile kind! For they cause fever-dreams in the brain, hallucinations, of whatever you most want to see. Something the city makes to try in its twisted way to keep its citizens happy, of course. And so you saw what you most wanted - Arauna, Odious and dead.” “But... we brought her back here,” Taladir said. “Still dead. And we all saw that blast of dark magic, not just me!” “Bah,” the man scoffed, but was cut short by a few boos. “None of your nonsense tonight, Krask!” someone else called out. “Taladir, go on, we want to hear your story! What happened next?” Taladir grinned, back on familiar ground. “Well, you see, next that girl’s eyes just widen in fear, and she turns to run - she’s heard of me, scared to even face me...” Later that night, Taladir ran into Krask as he was heading to the latrine. Literally - the man bumped into him, clearly paying no attention to his surroundings, and Taladir could hear him... counting, under his breath? He didn’t even stop looking up at the ceiling when Taladir ran into him, either. “Hey, what’s your problem?” Taladir said. Krask jumped and looked at him. “What? Don’t go startling me like that! I was trying to check whether the number of ceiling rings was perfect, and you interrupted me. Now I’ll have to start all over again!” “You didn’t believe that Arauna was a Sympathiser. You thought I was breathing some kind of gas. What’s your problem?” Taladir repeated, ignoring the man’s nonsense. “Oh, I believe she was a Sympathiser,” Krask replied. “As for the rest...” he looked around, as if to make sure no one was looking, then leaned closer. “I’ll tell you, but not here. Too many listening walls.” Taladir rolled his eyes. “Fine.” It wasn’t like he couldn’t take the spindly man in a fight if it came to that, and he doubted it would. Krask was just a bit... off his rocker. Besides, what was life without a bit of a risk? Krask led him into a nearby corridor, then around a few sharp turns, looking nervously right and left each time he did so. Finally, they came to a stop in what looked like a perfectly ordinary stretch of hallway to Taladir. Krask knocked on one wall, then the other, listening afterwards each time, then nodded in satisfaction. Even so, he beckoned Taladir especially close and was nearly whispering when he spoke. “You see, I know she was a Sympathiser, I just don’t believe she died. She couldn’t have - she’s out there somehow, she faked her own death and is just waiting to come back and kill you when you’re least expecting it!” “...Nah, she’s really dead,” Taladir responded after a moment. “I saw her bleed out and everything, and her corpse is even in the camp for you to look at.” Krask squinted. “I don’t believe you. Noxious fumes, remember? But... just in case you are right... I guess I might as well do the job myself.” “What?” Taladir asked. His only answer was Krask whipping out a knife, impossibly fast, and driving it up into his chest, where it slipped underneath his ribcage to hit his heart. The man smiled in response. “Don’t worry! You’ll have a fantastic life, I’m sure - the Tranquiline Halls even have chickens!” What. With Taladir dead, Krask felt it was high time to investigate the rumours he’d heard from various credible sources about a spren which lived at the heart of Urithiru. The ceiling rings confirmed it, if that fool hadn’t messed up his count—it coincided precisely with the floor he’d need to start his search on, and if he was right, the lift system on the thirty-eighth floor was an excellent starting point for quickly getting to the heart of the tower. When he arrived and found that the lift itself had disappeared, Krask knew it was no coincidence. It was simply to dissuade the faint of heart. He got to work with a vengeance. He set his sack at the top of the lift, trusting that nobody would be on watch in this remote section of the abandoned city to see anything incriminating in it—however, he would have to be quick to make it back to the meeting point by dawn, even if there weren’t typically nighttime sentinels in this area—the walls could be telling Kareana of his whereabouts any minute. Quickly tying a support system around himself with the rope from his bag, and fastening it securely to the column above the shaft of the lift, he jumped off into darkness, feeling himself fall and be caught in a buoyant net by the rope tied around him. The rope was tight, but still allowed him movement, and hadn’t cut his circulation either. Krask grinned—an almost perfect beginning. He slowly felt his way down the shaft, which ran the closest to the center of the tower as he could find. If the spren wouldn’t kill him on the spot, it would be here that he would make his great discovery. Imagine Odium’s pleasure at delivering a spren of that size into his hands! His special knowledge would finally be validated, and those fellow Sympathisers of his who mocked him behind his back for his supposed insanity would learn their lesson. As he descended, he could almost fancy he saw a faint light towards the bottom of the shaft, barely a speck, but there nonetheless. The spren was there! His hands worked faster on the rope. He had to reach it before daybreak, or all his work would ruined. A sudden gust of fire and wind came from high above, roaring down the shaft at high speed. I knew those storming walls were out to get me! Krask thought, with a healthy degree of indignation. Further thoughts of the walls or the spren were driven out of his head as the front end of the fiery blast struck his rope at full force. Krask watched in horror as the threads were burned away in an instant, the pressure on his body being relieved as he fell freely into the empty shaft below the lift, gravity working strongly enough that the odd storm of fire and dust failed to catch him before he was hurled into oblivion. Glancing down and seeing nothing but darkness and that pinprick of light growing ever larger, Krask reasoned it would be a very long fall and an even shorter landing on top of a hostile deity, and resigned himself to his fate. Perhaps the spren had got the better of him in the end, but the Mother’s work would be completed by those who survived him. Let the Lord of Chaos rule, he prayed, and opened his eyes. The pinprick of light...was a square? And it was rapidly growing, too. Krask flew out of the shaft into open air, striking bottom in the peaks of the mountains below the tower city as the first sunlight stretched over the horizon, and the third servant of Odium in Urithiru was no more. A particularly curving and uneven section of passageways on the thirty-seventh floor forced Nolan to his hands and knees after falling for the third time on an uneven ledge of rock or a sharp turn which left some area of the floor four feet lower than its surroundings. Among the designs the ancient Radiants had used in the city’s construction, this was one of the most baffling to him—there was no reason for these inconsistencies in an area which they would be using. Unless, of course, you put Skybreakers and Windrunners on this level, who use Lashings to get everywhere. Then the joke’s on an invading army—like you. The wry thought put a smile on his lips, which was quickly erased upon remembering the corpses of Naihar and Locke. Regardless of one’s loyalty to Odium, the city was dangerous, and though he was not a one-man army, that didn’t mean he shouldn’t be careful on these scouting trips. He had no desire to see his throat slit in the middle of a more important mission, and if that meant crawling on his belly to get around while he was mapping the area for Brightness Kareana, so be it. Footsteps—normal footsteps—echoed in the passage above him. Nolan froze, then quickly rolled to one side of the wall, hoping he had been as quiet as possible in doing so. He was supposed to be the only scout in this section of the city for the day! Perhaps someone had gone to fetch him? But it was too early in the day for that, if his stomach wasn’t lying to him; he’d not even felt the need for lunch yet. Swallowing, he chanced a glance up the passageway, and came face to face with a grinning Radler. Relief flooded him. “Thank Adonalsium!” Nolan cried, springing to his feet and embracing his partner. “I’m not sure how in the Almighty’s tenth name you got back here, but I thought I was getting killed. You should really stop doing that to me.” The silly grin was still pasted on Radler’s face as he replied. “Well, it was your decision to crawl like a slug through here so you couldn’t tell a hawk from a handsaw in the distance, though you’re correct about it being a storming impossible job to get over here. It took me the better part of two days to find you, so let’s walk. The path evens out ahead, and I may have found something important.” “For...Domand?” Nolan replied uneasily, and received a grim nod. “One of his fancies, or something actually important?” Radler’s face had definitely lost its grin. “The latter. Come on, you’ll see.” Without further comment he strode up the passageway, his Stormlight illuminating the way ahead, and casting strange shapes into the wall—red and purple marbled veins. Nolan frowned. They had been green further back in the passage, no? He swung his light around, and felt, rather than saw, a shadowy dot flit by him on his right as he did so. Was he going insane? Peering, he saw the veins behind him bleeding to a blotched violet or stark crimson, the green receding rapidly. Something was definitely wrong now. He spun back around to call to Radler, who was about twenty paces ahead of him, when he glanced backwards and saw the same shadowy material coalesce into a figure wielding a knife, and a host of its fellow shadows emerge from the twisted walls. With a yell, he began to sprint up the passageway, away from his assailant, when he felt an impact in the small of his back. Pain flared, then was abruptly cut off; instead, a torpor seized his muscles, and he fell onto the stone floor for the fourth time that day. Dimly, he could see Radler wielding Stormlight ahead, the other shadowy figures retreating, or being torn apart by rays of light. Or was that another light he saw? He was so tired. It would be so much easier if he just drifted off to sleep. A short rest...that sounded excellent. The din of conflict in his ears receded, and Nolan, scholar, Bondsmith, and Worldhopper, dozed off for the last time. Chartreuse Penguin (Taladir) was a Loyal Knight Radiant Worldhopper! Ivory Dragonfly (Krask) was a Odium Sympathiser Worldhopper! Nolan was a Loyal Knight Radiant Bondsmith! Edgedancer Messages “You are sneaky, little bird. The reptiles are scaly and the frogs are slimy. Kill Odium, my friends.” “GREETINGS CITIZENS I AM THE STORMFATHER AND I HAVE AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR YOU %96C6 2C6 D64C6ED :? E9:D 82>6] z:== E96 v|D]” Day 2 has begun! It will last 46 hours, until 4 AM Eastern Standard Time (or Fifth Mean Time, if you prefer) on 31 December 2019. PMs are open. There is a lynch today with no vote minimum to kill. Please thank and/or upvote El did her help with the writeup. (She did Taladir’s death.) Player List Amber Vulture: Jashi, Stormwarden 2. Amethyst Scorpion: Jesh, Lost Axehound 3. Chartreuse Penguin: Taladir, Gambler Radiant Worldhopper 4. Coral Swan: Germaine, Scholar 5. Cream Tuatara: Dfyan, Scholar 6. Emerald Falcon: Sein, Inquisitive 7. Indigo Weasel: Adhom Inem, Ardent 8. Ivory Dragonfly: Krask, Conspiracy Theorist Sympathiser Worldhopper 9. Magenta Albatross: Jonan Wikim, Lost Axehound (Gren) 10. Mauve Crocodile: Sernes, Paranoid Scout 11. Mint Heron: Sam, Once a Darkeyes 12. Onyx Flamingo: Kir, Kleptomaniac Scout 13. Opal Lion: Tnaidar, Scout 14. Pearl Chameleon: Purrl, Adolin’s Former Girlfriend 15. Plum Rhinoceros: Logalog, Scholar 16. Quartz Zebra: Arauna Khadal, Adolin’s Former Girlfriend Sympathiser Worldhopper 17. Saffron Iguana: Merinira, Scout 18. Sage Kangaroo: Gilglin, Ardent (Devotary of the Mind) 19. Salmon Meerkat: Cadamum, Ghostblood Recruit 20. Scarlet Octopus: Max Mercury, Past Lives 21. Sunburst Toucan: Tafud, Slightly Crazy 22. Taupe Gecko: Brana, Scholar 23. Turqoise Gorilla: Bomer, Gambler 24. Violet Axolotl: Adi, Anxious

The cycle is closed! Please don’t PM during rollover; we’ll have the new Day up in a little over an hour.