Long Game 49/Anonymous Game 3: Window to the Past

[Magenta Albatross]

“Hire an assassin? I doubt anyone would require additional incentive to kill Wit.”

[little wilson]

This cycle is really truly now closed. No false alarms this time. I promise.

[little wilson]

LG49/AN3: Hour 4 - A Change in the Air

Thara found it difficult to walk across the room. She heard the lighteyes talking about time fabrials and she just had to shake her head. What would they think of next? As if her life wasn’t hard enough.

She heard a noise behind her, and she swung around, just as a man collapsed to the ground, face-up. Thara screamed as she saw the burnt-out eyes. She didn’t drop the platter though. She was nothing if not a good servant.

 

---

Thaidakar was killed!

 

Hour 4 has begun! It will end Tuesday, the 25th of September, at 4:00 PM MDT (11:00 PM BST)

 

[Sage Kangaroo]

Klade felt a strange sensation, like he had been taken from a river and dropped in one that moved slower. Glancing around the room, he spotted a servant girl staring at something on the floor. A body! He rushed over. "Are you alright?" he asked the girl.

[Saffron Iguana]

A servant ran up to Venli. A murder! Storms, this is all going wrong. She ran back toward the feast hall, so no one would think it had been her.

[Mauve Crocodile]

The world is changed. 

I feel it in the water...

I feel it in the earth... 

I smell it in the air... 

Much that once was is lost, for none now live to remember it. 

It began with the conquest of the Shardblades. Three were given to the Sadeas, wise and fair, rulers of men. Seven were given to Jah Keved, great farmers and dwellers of the open fields. And nine...nine blades were given to the Kholins, who above all else desired power. For within these blades laid the strength to dominate and lead armies of mortal men. 

But they were all of them deceived, for another blade was made. In the land of Shadesmar, in the Great Sea of Beads, the Knight Radiant Jasnah Kholin forged a master blade in secret, to best all others, and into it she poured her intellect, her strength, and the malice of heresy. A Living Blade—One Blade, to Rule Them All. 

Edited September 24, 2018 by SE_Adolin_Kholin
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[Chartreuse Penguin]

I'm not sure why those are good reasons to kick your cousin out of the palace though. Just because women give you trouble doesn't mean the rest of us can't handle them. Although anyone that claims to be able to handle Jasnah is setting themselves up to look like a fool.

[Mint Heron]

I raised an eyebrow at the ruckus. "Well it only took 4 hours for someone to die. Longer than usual at one of these once-in-a-lifetime parties." 

[Ivory Dragonfly]

Drumroll, please.

 

And now, what you've all been waiting for: the dawn of a new era, a total game-changer!

Without further ado, I would like to announce the opening of KING trading!

I’m sure you all have questions, so I'll try to answer them preemptively.

What is KING trading?

A few of you might have already seen a preview. Put simply, you will be able to sell useless items for spheres, which you can use to buy items or favors.

Sounds great, how do I start?

Good question! Everyone can receive 2 spheres for FREE just by messaging me.

Wait, what can I do with spheres?

You can give me a sphere to learn my secrets, or a few more to win my vote. Additionally, we will be putting out a catalogue at the beginning of each cycle with available items and their prices.

I don't trust you, and I won't buy from you:

No problem! Just send me a message that you want to transfer your spheres to another person. They get the spheres, you get a favor from them, and you don't have to give me anything

Okay, what’s the catch?

All cards on the table here: we can only transfer 1 or 2 items every half hour. You can always sell to us, but buying may take a little longer. If we do get swamped, we’ll let people know when they try to buy something.

Give me some prices:

In general, single-use items sell for 5 spheres, multi-use for 3 spheres per use, and permanent items for 8 spheres. If you want to buy an item, the price will be roughly double what you can sell it for.

Is this for real?

Totally, dude.

No really, is this a joke?

I assure you, this is a real thing that will be happening. If I try to cheat you, you can always throw me out of the feast.

Well, I'm sold!

Glad to hear it, hypothetical customer. Enjoy your trading!

Current items:

Shardbow, 14 spheres.

[Coral Swan]

A contingent of guards burst into the room, led by Tearim. The crowd parted and Tearim turned to face them as the guards surrounded the corpse. "Nobody panic!" Tearim declared. However, his words seemed to have no effect, for the room was soon roaring with voices, some of reason, others of hysteria. Tearim simply rubbed his head and directed the guards to dispose of the body.

[Emerald Falcon]

As the timestream began to accelerate, Ialai considered Prince Elhokar’s offer. It seemed... interesting.

Quote

First kill! It only took 8 cycles. But that’s also somewhat concerning - it seems people are starting to get wincons that require people out of the way. 

 

[Pearl Chameleon]

Quote

I'd like to clarify that a good deal of RP I post will be centered around trying to find, convict and execute whoever Ivory has formed a Nahel bond. Currently, Nale believes it to be one of Jasnah or Navani, as the kind of 'scholarly-type' that Inkspren like to bond with. In other words, don't take my RP to be win-con indicative.

Nale steps forward, considering. One dead, and Jasnah Kholin accused. The inkspren, currently, was in the corner, but as of yet, has said nothing. Curious. Nale looked toward @SE_Navani_Kholin, who also had not yet spoken. Perhaps, Inkspren, I can find a way to test where your allegiances lie.

"Let us consider this!" Nale bellowed. "If we want to find out who killed this gentleman here, we must find out who stood to gain."

Very few appeared to be listening to him, though he carried on anyway.

"Does anyone know who this man was, or why he was here? That is the easiest way to find out who might have stood to benefit from his death."

Nale approached the body. A Shardblade... Curious. Could the inkspren be far enough in their bonds? No. No, probably not. But it is worth investigating.

5 hours ago, SE_Elhokar_Kholin said:

Drumroll, please.

 

And now, what you've all been waiting for: the dawn of a new era, a total game-changer!

Without further ado, I would like to announce the opening of KING trading!

[snip]

Nale looked towards @SE_Elhokar_Kholin. "You seem... unconcerned, Brightlord, at the thought of an assassin at your party. Particularly since you seem to be selling a Shardbow, no less - does this not seem... insensitive to you?"

Quote

Looking through Thaidakar's posts, they seemed fairly inactive - it's possible they were inactive killed if the GM's have run out of pinchhitters. But I find it far more likely, partly due to the way the RP was written, that they were killed by someone at the party with a Shardblade. That... doesn't actually narrow down the list all that much, now I think about it.

 

[Azure Mouse]

A Brightlord dead? Killed by a shardblade? Torol was appalled, though glad he or the King hadn't been the target.

"I demand to know who would kill one such as Thaidakar," he said, voice booming with authority.

-----------

1 hour ago, SE_Darkness said:

But I find it far more likely, partly due to the way the RP was written, that they were killed by someone at the party with a Shardblade. That... doesn't actually narrow down the list all that much, now I think about it.

It actually narrows it down by about half if you consider the timeline. Sadeas, Amaram, Jasnah and Renarin have yet to receive blades. Only twelve people on the player list would have a shardblade. That's a liberal number because I don't know when/if Restares got a blade, how many the Parshendi had at that time, or who the Drunk Beggar really is. Adolin is questionable, because he would only be 14ish at this party. I can't remember when he was given his blade.

I don't know if that really has any relevance to who actually put in the kill order. I suspect it was probably a couple of people, since cooperation leads to better results. It's also plausible the person used some RP points to carry it out alone, though less likely.

Ialai is probably right. Win-cons will likely include more killing. It's been eerily kill-free up to this point.

 

[Emerald Falcon]

Quote

Also, I’d be interested to ask why Adolin voted against Jasnah. Is there any particular reason?

 

[Fuchsia Ostrich]

3 hours ago, SE_Ialai_Sadeas said:

Also, I’d be interested to ask why Adolin voted against Jasnah. Is there any particular reason?

Based on PMs, I think it's because he didn't receive help on something that I promised to him, but on my end it says the action was successful. 

Edited September 24, 2018 by SE_Jasnah_Kholin

[Ivory Dragonfly]

7 hours ago, SE_Darkness said:

Nale looked towards @SE_Elhokar_Kholin. "You seem... unconcerned, Brightlord, at the thought of an assassin at your party. Particularly since you seem to be selling a Shardbow, no less - does this not seem... insensitive to you?

Truth be told, I don't expect to do much buying or selling. This is mostly just a way to give people more ways to trade with each other, as well as to make key win items more available.

That being said, I do need to sell items or the currency would be useless. The shardbow is dangerous, true, but an assassin would probably find it easier to make several attempts to kill someone on their own than to convince people to hand over their spheres.

[Fuchsia Ostrich]

14 hours ago, SE_Elhokar_Kholin said:

What is KING trading?

A few of you might have already seen a preview. Put simply, you will be able to sell useless items for spheres, which you can use to buy items or favors.

Sounds great, how do I start?

Good question! Everyone can receive 2 spheres for FREE just by messaging me.

Wait, what can I do with spheres?

You can give me a sphere to learn my secrets, or a few more to win my vote. Additionally, we will be putting out a catalogue at the beginning of each cycle with available items and their prices.

So, um are these spheres an actual in-game effect? or is it just a mechanic your Character came up with to be a hub for object trading?

14 hours ago, SE_Elhokar_Kholin said:

I don't trust you, and I won't buy from you:

No problem! Just send me a message that you want to transfer your spheres to another person. They get the spheres, you get a favor from them, and you don't have to give me anything

Why can't I just reach out to the other person and ask them for a favor in return for something they might actually use? 

14 hours ago, SE_Elhokar_Kholin said:

Okay, what’s the catch?

All cards on the table here: we can only transfer 1 or 2 items every half hour. You can always sell to us, but buying may take a little longer. If we do get swamped, we’ll let people know when they try to buy something.

Give me some prices:

In general, single-use items sell for 5 spheres, multi-use for 3 spheres per use, and permanent items for 8 spheres. If you want to buy an item, the price will be roughly double what you can sell it for.

Ok. So if you can transfer up to 2 items per half hour, that means there might be another person in on this with you, right? So we would possibly need to transfer the item to that person instead. I do see a benefit of doing this, because now if anyone does need to find an object, they would have a place to go to search for first. But I still think that these spheres will do us the most good, if we want to negotiate with you. 

14 hours ago, SE_Elhokar_Kholin said:

Is this for real?

Totally, dude.

No really, is this a joke?

I assure you, this is a real thing that will be happening. If I try to cheat you, you can always throw me out of the feast.

Well, I'm sold!

Glad to hear it, hypothetical customer. Enjoy your trading!

So it's for real, but is it something you've come up with this, or is it officially sanctioned by Honor and Odium?(GMs)

[Chartreuse Penguin]

Is there anyone with any sort of theft ability that would be willing to work with me to acquire something?

[Oxblood Beagle]

Ash felt a lurch as time returned to its normal pace. One of the chulls must have stepped on the fabrial.

[Ivory Dragonfly]

4 hours ago, SE_Jasnah_Kholin said:

So, um are these spheres an actual in-game effect? or is it just a mechanic your Character came up with to be a hub for object trading?

They just facilitate trading. They are not an actual item. Think of it as a credit system

4 hours ago, SE_Jasnah_Kholin said:

Why can't I just reach out to the other person and ask them for a favor in return for something they might actually use? 

Why not? You're still free to trade without this system. (In fact, I'd prefer it. Less work for me ) But this system gives you more ways to trade favors. You're still reaching out to them, but instead of asking the to cooperate (for example) in exchange for a future favor, you're asking them to cooperate for 3 spheres, or 1 sphere and a favor, or whatever works for you.

5 hours ago, SE_Jasnah_Kholin said:

So if you can transfer up to 2 items per half hour, that means there might be another person in on this with you, right?

Maybe. Still working out the details.

5 hours ago, SE_Jasnah_Kholin said:

So it's for real, but is it something you've come up with this, or is it officially sanctioned by Honor and Odium?(GMs)

Beats me. @Orlok Tsubodai, @little wilson, What do you think of this?

[Melon Dingo]

Does anyone have information into this mysterious death? I alas, seem to be out of the loop.

[Mauve Crocodile]

Jasnah Kholin apparently doesn’t make a past time of forging master Shardblades. My bad.  

(I very much wanted an excuse to quote LoTR)

At any rate, the death of a Brightlord casts a dark shadow over this assembly. I would like a full investigation from the authorities as to why anyone would possibly have a motive to carry out a murder of a foreign dignitary on this night of celebration. In addition, we should all watch our backs more carefully. Keep your guards close, you wits about you, and your wine far away. Hey Wit, can you turn on that device again?  

[Fuchsia Ostrich]

"If we really want to discover who is at fault for the murder of Thaidakar, perhaps it would be good for us to discuss what we know of Thaidakar, and his actions tonight. Many of you may know that a bit over an hour ago, I was involved in helping others locate a black sphere. I do not yet know of any true purpose for the black sphere, but I do know Thaidakar was also searching for it recently. He reached out to me for information, and promised help in return. Unfortunately, His chance to return the deed has been cut short. But perhaps, knowing that he was looking for this object will help us know what happened to him." Jasnah reported loudly to all who would listen. 

After a moment of silence, she added. "Since that time, I believe the black sphere has been passed around multiple times anyways, and I no longer know where it is. But if it is important to you, please reach out to me personally, and I can provide you more information regarding it's past locations." After she finished, she collected herself, and turned to discuss more with the Parshendi. She genuinely had interest in their culture, but the events of the night kept interrupting her. 

[Sage Kangaroo]

Klade looked about, staring at the party guests. Was this merely for personal gain, or was it to disrupt the treaty between the Parshendi and the humans? Fortunately, Jasnah seemed to be interested in them. He walked over to her and said, "Greetings, Brightness. I hope you are well."

[Saffron Iguana]

Venli followed Klade's lead and walked over to Jasnah, hoping to join the conversation.