Ashbringer

I'd also note a couple other reasons - confirmed villagers may have more a need to go for Blast Mask, which may turn Elims off of otherwise appealing NK options. Plus I imagine most Elim teams wouldn't want to NK the same targets over and over again, especially Wahr who's relatively newer, just so people can play the game. And I wouldn't be too sure of e!Dive. Could be the Elim team thinks they'll lose members to the Exe, could be they thought Wonko more likely to allow for the PM cutoff, could be that it's v!Dive e!Wonko as a pretty devastating DGG if we don't read into it. (I don't think it's that, but it still could be.) TJ

The building was collapsing. Fire and panic was consuming the North Ward, now. Smoke. Shouts. Explosions. Not as bad as the last loop, different this time. But in the wreckage of one small building, the fire burned even within just as strong. And Ara-Marton still laughed.

Coliver looked out at the city engulfed in flame and smoke. They'd gotten out. They'd actually gotten out. "Good thing we left when we did, eh?" Vale said, absentmindedly rubbing the back of her head. Coliver had prioritized getting her out, and maybe a bit too hurriedly; she'd filled in her and Makazi on what she'd... remembered... and perhaps rushed to explain how Vale never made it out of the city. The explosions gave her enough credence to get them to leave, but now things were unraveling a bit. There was about ten of them, in all. Coliver, Makazi, Vale, the three Goron family members, Tormarin, and three other confused Terminans that they'd nearly drug out of the South Gate. The South Gate that was now a collapsed pile of timber and fire. "I thought you said everyone went this way?" Makazi said. "I- we did," was Coliver's response. "Something must have changed." "Marton changed," was Makazi's morose response. "Like I told you. That's not how Marton is. I don't even think that is Marton, anymore. Some spirit took his face." Coliver said it, but that didn't change the bit of... some emotion left in her. The bit of hope she'd had that Marton would be alright? Or the fact that the Marton of today didn't even seem like the one she'd avoided the time before? They'd left him behind. "Did he do this?" the Goron patriarch - Tersde, she knew his name now - said. "I invited him..." "I... I don't know. I don't see how he could, but he's..." Tormarin started. "We can talk about this later," Coliver said. "Most people went through the North Gate. I don't know how, but we need to catch up to them. Do you know the best way to get around the edge of city?"

Wait, you’re telling me I can have an active deterent against being PMed?

Because my brain consists of one cell going "Ashbringer No" and one going "Ashbringer Yes"? (I have no idea what you mean) (Unless a last minute vote gave you a heart attack)

Archer, you could probably talk me into an Elim team that had me in it Hmm. Do I actually not trust Burnt? I don't particularly trust Burnt or Dive, but Dive feels better to me. TJ Burnt. Pretty sure that doesn't actually change the outcome, but no one seems to want to go for TJ. I'll look at that next turn.

4 or 5?

I spy with my little eye a @Burnt Spaghetti and @Araris Valerian watching the show Unless the Recently Browsing is lying to me again

Thanks for the vote of confidence?

Coliver and crew are just getting out of the city, Coliver's not in right enough mind to think of warning the guard. As for AraMarton... well, he's a bit busy.

Bremen Mask is always handy to have (or make sure the Elim's don't have).

Eventually Coliver made it back to her feet. Or at least a group effort of feet, still leaning on Makazi. Makazi, who'd been alone in the temple. Makazi, who'd been left with bloodied hands. Makazi, who right now seemed mostly concerned with the fact Coliver had "fainted" and that the first batch of cookies was probably ruined. And she was saying she could make another! It was like nothing had happened to her. Indeed, as Coliver looked at the Goron home she was in, her friends returning from worried looks to giggles, it was as if nothing had happened at all. "Mak... how long does the festival go?" Coliver said, thinking she knew the answer that was coming. "Three days. The opening's tonight. We have a booth soon, we'll just need to probably postpone with two of us a bit under the weather," Makazi said. Three days. So it started... today. Two days ago from when she'd... she'd... No. Not again. Something else. Something else to think about. She'd heard stories of the Hero interfering with time, but she'd never thought she'd end up living in one. Then two things, not including her memory of death, made Coliver's blood run cold. Earlier memories, of fire and explosions, the first day of the festival. That was the first. The second was seeing Marton's body wander in sheepishly looking for cookies, sporting a limp he hadn't had when he'd gotten on that boat, and sporting a grin that was oh so ready to get away with something. Something in Coliver was already broken, but something else snapped. She grabbed the sheet of ruined drybread and threw it at Not-At-All-Marton's head. "You! You did this! You took my friend, you killed my friends, you ruined everything!" "Col!" Makazi started, but Not-Marton interrupted. Not with a complaint or an argument, but with a look of such stark surprise that Coliver couldn't help but believe it. At least part of it. "... what?" Not-Marton said. "You're helping them! The faces in the night! The ones who destroyed the city... who will destroy the city! Again!" Not-Marton just stared at Coliver, mouth agape. "Col, what are you saying?" Makazi said, taking her in part back to the first part of conversation. "Mak, we need to leave the city. Get everyone you can - find Vale! Please. Please remember. The South Gate, we need to get out. Someone's going to attack. Very soon." As Coliver half-dragged Makazi away to go fetch the others, she heard something else that made her cold-blood freeze. Not-Marton was laughing.

Well, I'd thought for most of the day that the Elims would have won even without an NK. Which isn't true. So me being sacrificed to some stone giant makes a bit more sense then, and shifts my target focus a bit. I'm pretty sure I was a low-pressure kill, so I tend to V!read the discussion points on D2 and N2, so not Hoid and probably not Archer/Mist. Although, I don't believe we've recieved any information about the Bremen Mask. Which may be good to have, @ whoever had that last cycle, because at minimum we have an idea who didn't put in an NK on N2. Although I suppose that may take a while due to the PMs resetting. Or maybe I just didn't get one. I've come around on not going for Mist right now. Do I have much of a reason to go for Burnt? Not particularly, besides that she's not Mist and that she fits the hidden-ish level I'd think the Elims would be taking, while also being... I remember LG74 . Though there's other options for that group - namely Hael and TJ. And Burnt is voting TJ. Eh, sure. Confirmed Villager Reads List coming right up I don't particularly E!Read Divergent. They may be playing safe, but they're also putting themselves a lot more out there than other options, and it didn't particularly read like they were trying to run the thread aD3. Doc is in null despite posting a lot because it's hard for me to figure out motives. Not sure why, he doesn't fit a relaxed Elim team, but I doubt the entire Elim team is fully in stealth mode. Eh, screw it. Burnt TJ. @The Unknown Medallion I'm going fishing, let me know if you feel a bite. ... moving off Burnt puts Dive up for the Exe doesn't it. Why do you assume such? The L1 Dead Doc was... very dead lol. Mist, what's your opinion on Doc and TJ?

Mistfallen Burnt Haircut time then I’ll actually make something of substance

In my experience, Villagers tend to be more assertive in their Village-ness than Elims do, as well as more accepting of mortality? One of the main Village things I've learned is sometimes it's fine getting misexed if it means you won't have to be the point of discussion for the next 2 cycles. Both of those arguments aren't necessarily strong, but IMO they're Village in foundation. I'll take a looksee at Burnt. (Oh hi Burnt!) I kinda agree, not seeing a lot of pressure examples. Not that I'm the best person to apply pressure. You're better at being a mayor than me, I'm pretty sure Elims would have zero benefit from sending a kill in N3-A, though I also want to look into why I got killed N2. Possibly just for the Economy, but it may show that there was some pressure leading into D3-A. Not necessarily from me, because again not good at the pressure. But a stronger possibility that the D3 exe would lead to an Elim than the D2 exe was. Because if I didn't die and the Exe did hit an Elim instead of you, then the Elim team is looking at a round loss and a 50/50 Elim/Village pairing which is really bad for them. (Or do an N3 kill, but that's either obviously trying to dilute the potential Elim pool or the most 5-D-chess move to set an NKed Elim up for future success, and Drake wasn't in the game at that point.)

Honestly I’ve been reading Mistfallen’s arguments as pretty Village-centric, if just I don’t think E!Mist would take this tack. But as aforementioned, am busy.

Pain. Nothing. Music? Coliver blinked, just about to put a tray of drybread into the Goron family's oven. That wasn't... what... The confusion lasted a moment or two, before the memories - all of them - returned. Marton wasn't Marton. Not-Marton was a warrior. The town had burned. The people escaped. Makazi had too much blood over her hands. Someone asked her for water in the night. Something had hit the back of her head, hard. She'd been carried... she'd been... she'd been... she couldn't breathe... Coliver wasn't sure when she hit the floor. She'd at least had the wherewithal to not dive head first into the oven. But she was still down when Makazi tried to sneak in to steal a cookie. "Oh Moons, Col!" she heard, before she got a face full of a pitcher of water. Coliver sputtered, shaking her head, then realizing a bit more where she was and shutting the open oven. Had she burned herself? No, she was still wearing a mitt. On her right hand, at least. Her left was... Still clutching where there'd been a hole in her chest.

Doc could have also just... not sent a PM out to you, no? Just because he sent one to two other active players doesn't mean he has to send one to you, he could have also just decided to save some rupees for emergency events or drawn names from a hat or any other reason. Especially since E!Doc or any Elim has incentives to mislead how many rupees they actually have, and/or E!Doc may claim PMs sent to fellow Elims and wouldn't want to get caught sending more PMs than he could afford. As to why would you bring it up - because it's not a bad argument, as asserting your own villageness is one of the few ways to put your own view on a generally held reads set. It's just not something only villagers can do. I'm... a bit busy tomorrow, but hopefully!

Wohoo! Honestly not sure if I've been confirmed good before... generally true, though we'll see how right I can be. But I'm 80% sure I got NKed because I managed to play 2 cycles with essentially no functional opinions. (The 20% is that the Elims saw me confidently say there would be no NKs for the loop and decided to prove me wrong lol) Speaking of functional opinions... Mistfallen. At least until we get some more specific specifics.

GAH ALIVE Not much to report from the Dead Doc besides that we don’t see it again until the game actually ends Also @Archer, do I look like someone who would pay money to use PMs

AraRaash - perhaps for now AraMarton - gave a quick nod in assent, as if that information was something he should have thought of before. In truth, the Goron family he'd been with briefly had seemed to eat whatever Coliver or the others in their little troupe had cooked up, but it did make some sense. Reminded him a bit of home, actually. Most things did. The kitchens themselves were bustling, and AraMarton wasn't particularly sure if that was normal or not. "Excuse me... can I get a meal for a Goron? He's got a mineral preference but speed is probably better." And, like a strange plant-based clockwork, within a few moments he held a small but deep bowl of stew in his hands. The Deku didn't seem much for conversation, but they understood him well enough, which was also a bit surprising. Though not as surprising as the bit of shiny material within the meal. "I'm not sure if the dumplings are just stale or if they're actual rocks, but we've got stew!" AraMarton said upon his return, but the Goron seemed lost in his thoughts a bit. He handed the stew over anyway. "Again, apologies for the fuss, and for... well. The name's Marton, from one of the further oceans. Did you make it out with anyone? I don't believe I caught your name."

AraRaash's fingers itched. The fights before... he could barely consider them a battle. These people were horrified by them, and right to be so, but still he'd seen... worse, by far. He'd seen worse yesterday, they day he'd decided not to act at all. But with his sword manifested, he wanted to act, to do something to change, to fight... that part of the old sword hadn't changed. But neither had his control over himself. He lowered his hands to his sides, now firmly placed but relaxed. Not here, not now. This was a kitchen, and this Goron seemed more here out of apprehension than desperation. And, more importantly, he was just here for food for himself. Like everyone else here. "Hello," he said carefully, before shaking his head and committing. Not here, not now. He would be Marton, not Ara. "Yes, we can get you something. We still have to ration out what we've got, but from what I've heard we might have a mess hall set up tomorrow for lunch. I believe the Deku are largely vegetarian, so I hope that's to your preference?" One of the true guard gave him a look. Marton sighed. Of course, he was the second civilian in the equation; the guards had seen him in action enough to have what he hoped was a bit of respect for him, but that wouldn't translate into authority. These guards had the same orders he had - give out food, but rationed and controlled - but they wanted to keep their control too. He had a knack for getting around that, but it would take Time he really shouldn't use up right now. "I can fetch it for you. You should probably stay here for a moment? The food's for whoever needs it, but the Commander doesn't want a bunch of us storming the kitchens and ruining... whatever order we've got, I guess."

AraRaash did not need sleep, but that didn't mean he didn't want it. He'd been assigned to stand with the guards over the kitchens, although based on the concerned look on the Terminian guards he wondered whether they were guarding against some invading force or the against a surge of a city's population desperate for food. Neither, hopefully. But whoever was in charge, they were pragmatic to a fault. They hadn't hesitated when he'd requested a scabbard for the sword he'd used to kill several of those skull-spiders. In fact, they hadn't even questioned a civilian with such skill. Though questioning boons at a time like this would likely be more paranoid than pragmatic. In AraRaash's experience, a healthy dose of both would serve these people well. He rubbed the scabbard, trying to feel his sword beneath it. Once it was a great blade of honor... once, by a very long once. But it had changed, as had AraRaash. Now his own abilities allowed it to join his torment. Someone was coming up the hallway towards the kitchens. Not in earshot, not just yet, but they were on their way with purpose. Hostile? Too early. But AraRaash nudged the palace guardsman next to him, other hand letting his sword relax and prepare to draw. Marton would be ready.

(Yep, all Zora) "I know yarrow. At least I'm pretty sure I do. Tiny poof flowers, little triangle leaves?" Coliver said. "I'm a baker, I've made herb cakes a few times... didn't know it had more medicinal purpose than that. But I can tell what plants can be cooked or eaten raw." She didn't want to do bandages again. And she liked her overalls, even if that thought made a part of her recoil. Shouldn't she be grateful? Or was that just her trying to be proactive? Night was falling again, and they'd been walking for most of the day. "And... thanks. I needed that. Makazi probably needs it more, but she's... not ready yet." Coliver tried to smile, though she wasn't sure how far it reached. She turned to a nearby patch of plants in the forest - no yarrow, not that easily, but she was pretty sure she'd used some of the berries there for scones. One careful bite: yep, honeysuckle. Not terribly sustaining, but any food in a famine. "Avery, do you know anyone who hasn't gotten something to eat? These are edible." @Hoid Slayer

No one's spent a PM on me, that's probably a good sign. Maladaptive rosemary marmit!