Machinations of Light's Glory - death, decisions, doom

"Madam, he does not elaborate on my role or abilities out of respect. And frankly, I speak for myself and when I so choose to reveal those specifics is my own business. Given how you handled the Baron's unmasking, I really don't consider you a trustworthy vessel with such delicacies. As to how I proved my innocence, I gave him an accounting of both which was then confirmed by the ever Watchful Eye. And since no higher power in the land exists, you and anyone else still not satisfied with the evidence of my loyalty can fuck right off because I'm done with being politely patient. Any next words on my supposed evilness will be done with swords and I'll gladly meet you in discourse." Soli'Sturm's eyes blazed with the light of her conviction and she spun the clicking Bithro knife with the sort of expertise that spoke of an itching to bury it in softness. Her stance was deceptively loose, almost relaxed as she leaned forward.

"We initially wanted to scry, but Demon came forward with his power and we decided to cast a circle to charge his powers so he could scry during the second night. We were wary of telling the rest of the schools about this, especially since we were planning on doing a proper scry tomorrow (which would have seemed strange if we were unable to do so that night). I had also resolved that if an all-Dove circle succeeded then I would tell them about my powers."

" Soli-chan, very well then. Since I have no desire to be stabbed, I'll drop that line of inquiry. Apologies."

In the interest of keeping track of what's happened, I have accumulated what appear to be the most accurate activity logs in the public record:

Night 1:
All circles successful
People who did NOT cast: Dan Lawrence, Phoenicity, Sarkus, Demon, Paradoxial, Anabanana

Day 1:
Sarkus: Neopythia, Fontaine, Kohei, Anabanana, Anxifera
Phoenicity: Bladida, TurinTuramba, AaronSofaer, Dan Lawrence, Lazy Shiftless Bastard, Nebty
Paradoxial: Demon G Sides, QuantumBit, Speak With Bread, Equis, Nute, Cormac, Q

Night 2:
Magic fail

Day 2:
Phoenicity: soundlyparanoid, Bladida, Chance, Lazy, Cormac, Fontaine, TurinTuramba, Nebty, John Stargazer, (Sarkus did not bold his text)
Nebty: Ana, Soli'Sturm, Dan Lawrence, Vi, Ann
John Stargazer: Q
Anabanana: Baron Ji-Sidas, Dazzler, Phoenicity, Equis
Abstain: Kohei

Night 3:
Scrying Quackers (failed): Dan Lawrence (leading), Soli'Sturm, Equis, Anabanana, JohnStargazer
Scrying (some Phoenix): TurinTuramba (leading), Kohei, Fontaine, Anxifera, soundlyParanoid
Protecting Nebty: Quackers (leading), Bladida, Chance, Dazzler, Nute

Day 3:
Everybody stab JohnStargazer!

Night 4:
Scrying (failed): Chance the Sofa leading, Dan Lawrence, Dazzler, Nute the adorable rascal, Anxifera
Scrying: TurinTuramba leading, Cormac, Anabanana, Neopythia, Lazy Shiftless Bastard

Day 5:
Dan Lawrence: Ana, Baron Ji-Sidas, Dazzler, Cormac, Bladida, TurinTuramba, Fontaine, Nebty, Kohei
Bladida: Ann, Chance, Dan Lawrence, Nute, soundlyParanoid, Equis, Lazy Shiftless Bastard, (Sarkus didn't get a vote in)
Dazzler: Soli'Sturm

Night 6:
Protection circle on someone: led by Anabanana, Nute, Cormac, soundlyParanoid, Fontaine
Scry circle: led by TurinTuramba, Bladida, Anxifera, Chance, Kohei

"Soli, put the damn knife down." Dazzler steps between the two ladies, arms crossed, glaring at her fellow Raven. "We have enough trouble with two stabbing implements on this island; bringing any more into the mix is ludicrously unnecessary."

Two stabbing implements? Other than the Knife, do you have an artifact we don't know about?

Dan "The Cyberqueen" Lawrence's evidence board

Nebty - circle scried night 1 (alignment unknown)
Anabanana - circle scried night 1 (alignment good)
soundlyParanoid - circle scried night 3 (alignment good)
TurinTuramba - circle scried night 1 (assumed since he is leading all the red school circles)

Nute - Nebty scried night 2 (alignment good)
Cormac - Nebty scried night 3 (alignment good)
Fontaine - Nebty scried night 4 (alignment evil but claims he is the shackled demon which means he scries evil but is really good)
Demon G Sides - QuantumBit scried night 2 (alignment good)

Bladida - Voted twice for Phoenicity
AaronSofaer - Voted twice for Phoenicity
Lazy Shiftless Bastard - Voted twice for Phoenicity
Sarkus - Stabbed by cultists and then healed
Equis - Necrobiologist ( a healer), extremely unlikely to be cultist
Soli'Sturm - Pushed off the balcony by cultists

The Rest:
Dazzler (Speaks with Bread)
Kohei
Ann (Anxifera)
Myself (Dan Lawrence)-Now exploded, not a cultist

I've always been a proponent of the shock lance, myself.

Ah'm not sure we can conclude that Soli and Sarkus were stabbed by cultists. Dint someone say that they thought Dan Lawrence pushed Soli off the balcony? And if so, ah think that means Sarkus isn't particularly cleared.

An' of course, Dazzler's now been cleared by Nebty.

I would append further notes to the evidence board, but for some reason it seems to crash the forum software when I attempt it.

Welcome back, Mr. Lazy! That's a nice list you drew up there! Unfortunately, I'm more interested in something else right now, namely that somebody was protected last night by an unknown individual and it could only have been done by somebody who was not casting.

So, Lazy Shiftless Bastard and Sarkus, mind if one of you confess who used a protective ability last night? Because I think that lynching the person who didn't sounds like an extremely attractive idea right about now.

Wait Ana. Who were you protecting? Was it Nebty and Equis as you first intended or did you change your plan?

Soli'Sturm suddenly grinned. How happy some o'er other some can be. She stabbed the little Bithro knife into her scuffed tea table and made her motions to sit with deliberate slowness. "I believe she means the Sacrificial Knife and the Scythe of Antioch, Nute. And shock lances are fine and all but I do love me my Pekkelo Incisor."

"My apologies for the obfuscation. I suppose the Scythe of Antioch is more of a slicing implement."

Well I must confess that I have no such ability. What abilities I do have would leave very public, visible, and incontrovertible evidence should they be used. I do not know that claiming a mysterious protective ability was used and that I should be lynched for not being involved in any activity is a useful argument, however.

Given that Sarkus and myself were the only ones free to do as we pleased and no one was murdered, I would say that we are the two LEAST likely suspects. The question you must ask yourself is: If the cultists require the night to perform their grandiose murders, would they stay in a circle without breaking it in order to maintain cover?

I always thought it was a metaphor.

"A metaphor that's killed, let's see, QuantumBit, Quackers, and Neopythia so far? Hmph." Dazzler turns her back on the cyborg and holds out a hand to Soli for her knife.

Like poetry, you glowing tart. The Scythe as a representation of evil and chaos and demon sorcery. I don't tend to recall stories of farming implements slicing apart islands or calling up tentacled monsters of the deep.

And stop looking at me that way, I wasn't always a convict, you know. Some of us got a legitimate degree before being drafted into the Raven School.

Soli'Sturm considered using puppy eyes for all of two milliseconds before sighing in defeat. She cast a final mournful look at the delicate little thing still so elegantly stuck at 90 degrees before taking it out of the table and retracting the blade. Then giving a small kiss to the hilt she reluctantly handed it over to the singer. "I'll need that back at night's end so have a care with it."

This may be a longshot, but could whoever abducted Nute come forward and verify his story. Going over the questions again it seems to me it was a servant of the light. In fact what would an evil one hope to gain from those questions?

I don't quite see how that's relevant to our current situation? The people my circle protected were not attacked. That's the most important part, not their identities. But if you absolutely must know, apart from our healer, I protected Soli'Sturm yesterday since Nute suggested it and Mr. Paranoid, whose judgment I trust in, confirmed that Soli'Sturm was worth protecting. Also, I thought it prudent in case whoever it was that went after Ms. Soli last night wasn't THE CYBERQUEEN and intended to finish the job tonight.

Well, I think that's less evidence of your innocence and more evidence that you simply don't have the ability to murder. That said, I have been assuming that the cultists can move the Scythe regardless of whatever else they are doing at night.

"You can have it back tomorrow morning when we meet up again. Until then, behave." The singer scritches Mibbles and pockets the knife.

Dazzler just laughs, hollowly. "Good luck with that one."

A hologram of Nute-452 appears eight inches behind him, doing the Time Warp with extra emphasis on the pelvic thrusts. The "glowing tart" giggles and returns to her quarters, singing quietly. "It's just a jump to the left..."

Damn it people!
We are going around in circles here and are obviously being successfully manipulated by the devious traitors in our midst. Our numbers are dwindling and we've only caught one cultist! They must be laughing behind their backs at our incompetence...

Unfortunately there are just too many variables in play here to make any clear accusations, but if Turin is so sure that Kohei is good, perhaps I shall give him the benefit of the doubt for now.However I'll have to be honest here, I'm still very suspicious of my fellow Phoenix members, as I'm assuming there is probably one cultist per school.

Lets look at our members:
Our paranoid teddy bear and Turin were both confirmed by a scry.
Nebty confirmed me.

That leaves us with Kohei & Fontaine:
Kohei's actions seem to support his alignment to the light, but we have no real proof as yet.
Fontaine claims to be a Shackled Demon, which seems possible, as long as there is nobody else here claiming the same character trait. I assume that is the case, right? Problem is, that even if he is one, that does not actually preclude him from still being evil anyway!

Lastly we need to consider that there is probably still an Ascendant Spirit amongst us that will appear to be good, but might not necessarily be so... Though having this skill would preclude having another one. Turin claims to be able to compel participation in his circles. Do we know Paranoid's skill, it seems I've forgotten it?

So, even if it hurts me, I shall have have to vote for a fellow member of my school. If he's proven to be good, at least his death will buy us another day!

I change my vote to Fontaine.

Soli'Sturm nodded in thoughtfulness, her manner now serious. "You have a good point there, Cormac. Though it does pain me to have to make a choice on a man that possibly is redeeming his prior transgressions, I cannot make any between my other two and buying a day for time seems a good tactic. Thus I will vote Fontaine as well." She bowed her head in further thought, projecting the tally whilst she pondered the many twists of the time spent.

[Vote Tally]
Kohei: soundlyParanoid (1)
Lazy: Chance, Dazzler (2)
Fontaine: Cormac, Soli'Sturm (2)

Hm, I do share soundlyParanoid's suspicion of Kohei, but as pointed out there is only one way to verify Fontaine's claim. Unless he dies we can but guess whether he is actually a shackled demon or an audacious ploy by the cultists. And if all testings of his alignment are faulty, then we can assume there is a good chance his counterpart exists among us, someone who has been scried and cleared but is actually a cultist.

For now I vote for Fontaine.

This train of though is quite correct, and that I will not argue. However, you, of all people, should realize that if I had sought out any malicious intent, that I already had the perfect opportunity to do so; or have you already forgotten the fact that I came forward to the members of the Phoenix school with my abilities?

I never informed the High Priestess about said abilities because there was no reason for me do so; I never carried the intent on using it. Besides, even if I had done so, she would have immediately confronted me about it either during the meeting, or out publicly the next day; which would have done nothing but garnered me ill-will from everyone, plus my fellow Phoenix members would have simply told her what had happened to her if I had not. There is no reason for me to announce said abilities out loud because meeting the High Priestess is the only meeting I ever intended to make; and, by this point, I would imagine is the only one I'm going to get.

I came forward to the Phoenix's about who I am because a Scry Circle won't tell you everything about me, and I know this. I came forward to Lady Nebty because I needed someone outside my own Circle to hear about this as well (or at least, what I would consider essential); the protection of my own group simply won't be enough. And, as I have stated already, had I committed any atrocity to the High Priestess, she would most likely have come forward about what I had done.

I cannot lead a Circle because I am deemed 'Evil' by the High Priestess' ability.
I cannot meet with anyone privately because... well... I shouldn't have to explain this one.

I have the threat level equivalent of a de-clawed and de-fanged kitten.

Are you not aware, Cormac, that I have taken measures to do exactly the contrary to what someone who would have something to hide would do? One could argue that I could have simply been upfront with everyone about it right away, but who would have believed me if I had done so?

The only reason for me to ever come forward into the spotlight now would be if I am in danger of being sent to the Knife; which, as I'm sure you can see now, it currently is.[/quote]

Oh right, I forgot that you could tell if your target was being attacked. I'll just stick to the shooting from now on, heh.

The thing is, Fontaine, your actions are also consistent with an evil Shackled Demon. Outing yourself as one means that you won't be able to lead circles or participate in private meetings for fear of murder, yes, but all of that is irrelevant if your true and perhaps only weapon is the Scythe of Antioch. Since I'll be performing maintenance for the rest of the day, I'll go ahead and vote to knife Fontaine.

Ana bows and cloaks herself, preparing to run some routine checks on her body. Seems like she'll be out of commission for a while.

"I have to throw in my vote for Fontaine, too, as we do not have any better leads."

Let me throw a different name into consideration: Nebty

The case against her:

- She is still alive. This either means the Cultists are incompetent or she is a cultist herself.
- She is the sole remaining member of the Dove school whose alignment has not been verified. Remember that Quantumbit got immediately killed after he revealed his powers to the school.
- Her first day actions do not convince me. Using up a onetime communication tool to ask for a private meeting? Why not ask it in public directly since the asked person most likely will share the strange offer with his group anyway. Also you obviously need to tell your fellow school members why you will not be available for casting.
- She constantly asks for protection, which is a colossal waste of possible scries if she is a cultist.
- We need to sacrifice her anyway at some point to learn whether we can trust her scries.

What do we lose if she is sacrificed and not a cultist? Well obviously her scrying ability. However there are not many people left who have not been scried. Indeed there are no obvious suspects left. And in that case we have enough confirmed good people left to form secure scrying circles for the remaining members.

In summary I think the time has come to sacrifice Nebty, because confirmation of her scries is at this point is more important than getting one or two more scries from her. Additionally all of her behavior is consistent with that of a cultist trying to waste as much time/resources as possible, whereas some of her behavior is inconsistent with a follower of the light.

I am not sure what you expect me to say. As you know I could not join a circle early on because of the item now in the Baron's possession. He's confirmed its properties. I did offer to join any circle yesterday but nobody needed any extra hands. I also will point out that I voted to sacrifice the one evil cultist we've managed to identify, and not just in a bandwagon jumping way either.

That said I am more then happy to be the subject of a scry or a private meeting with Nebty.

As for today's vote, I am not convinced of any one candidate but will join the vote for Fontaine for now.

Sarkus hasn't been scried.

Chance smiles.

Of course, if we're to be talking about behavior in the manner of, it's quite interesting that you consistently refuse to discuss your scrying targets and yet coincidentally they end up dead. Which could be considered behavior in the manner of an evildoer, shielded to seem as though he were a follower of the Light.

"Allow me to paraphrase Chance's actions in a less genteel manner. Go [redacted due to anatomical impossibility] with a plasma chainsaw, TurinTuramba."

I can't say that I disagree with TurinTuramba's theory.

That's true. He hasn't been scried to my knowledge, and personally the attack on the first night has always sat odd with me. However, being included in three of his scrying circles, I can tell you each target was confirmed and is still breathing.

I don't think Nebty's a cultist. I've got absolutely nothing concrete to base that on - the Ravens scried her on Night 1 and found her alignment to be unknowable. Turin's absolutely right, though, that having been outed she should have been a giant target, unless the cultists knew her to be protected.

As for why the first day's message was private, she didn't explain that. If I was the Technotheologian, I'd try and keep that power under wraps as long as I could. If she's a cultist, that means we'd have every reason to doubt every scry she's made. So let's see what we have here:

*Nute begins tracing holographic notes in the air*

Unverified by either circle or Technotheologian: Chance, Equis, Soli, Nebty, Anxifera, Sarkus, Lazy, Kohei.
Verified by the Technotheologian, and thus in doubt if she's a cultist: Nute, Cormac, Dazzler.
Verified by the Technotheologian as Evil and confessed as the Shackled Demon: Fontaine.
Verified Good by QuantumBit (whose power is unknown but is known to have been Good): Baron ji-Sidas
Verified Good by circle: Bladida, Turin, soundlyParanoid.

Sixteen of us left, and at least two cultists. Notwithstanding the possibility that any one of us could have possibly had our allegiance masked or turned since we have been scried.

*Nute steps back and runs a hand through his scruffy beard.*

If the cultists knew about QuantumBit's power, that was their best move taking him out. If they didn't, it was the luckiest thing they could have done.

We're practically back where we started, assuming nobody's turned Evil on us, with a 1-out-of-8 chance of randomly knifing a Cultist.

Unless, of course, the remaining cultists are not afraid of being scryed either because they have a) already been confirmed innocent or b) have some excuse for not needing to be scryed. If so, I am useful to keep around because my iffy alignment makes me a prime candidate for a lynch.

One whom I trust has made a very valid point. I vote to sacrifice Fontaine.

Yep. And as we're nearing the appointed time, it's time to make a decision. For the sake of balance, I'm going to vote to sacrifice Lazy Shiftless Bastard.

Votes: (12/16)
Kohei: soundlyParanoid (1)
Lazy: Chance, Dazzler, Kohei (3)
Fontaine: Cormac, Soli'Sturm, Lazy, Ana, Anxifera, Sarkus, Nute (7)
Nebty: TurinTuramba (1)

Am I missing anyone?

We're lacking votes from the Demon, Nebty, Fontaine, and Bladida. Coming down to the wire here.

Unless someone changed their vote, the only outcome I can see is a tie.

"I did, but I'll be waiting to change it back if the situation requires."