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

Which is why ah have no intention of invoking that power.

Chance smiles.

Ah can't even claim that ah'd use it to see you off to a clean death, since you can't cast in a Circle anymore, or so you claim.

"Listen to your big sister or whatever, Ana. You've had a hardon for lynching me for days, enough that it's starting to make me wonder if your programming isn't a bit corrupted.

As it stands, though, I too am curious as to why everyone keeps forgetting about the Baron Ji-Sidas..."

Well, you three were in Soli'Sturm's circle, which was sandbagged, which I assume means that one of the three of you are a cultist. If all three of you turn out to be innocent, I assure you that we'll lynch the Demon. Or Chance. Depending on how the scries go tomorrow night. I'm pretty sure one of the three of you are a cultist though. I'm somewhat less inclined to suspect the Demon at this moment since I was the one who suggested Sarkus give the box of evil to him, instead of being something the Demon instigated himself.

Yes. The Demon and the Sofa were not part of Soli-chan's failed circle.

Very well, if no one wants to join me in killing Nute as he makes himself ever more suspicious, I suppose I shall join Anabanana's circle. Do be wary, of course, as from his insistance that he be magically killed I believe he may also have some sort of Arcane Reflection power. Also of interest is that he has all but said that Chance is an Arcane Superconductor.

Meanwhile, you let the Demon walk around free without question and almost every night he has done so somebody dies.

And if you want to talk about sandbagging circles, I give you night three. I was part of a successful circle along with Chance and Dazzler, Nebty was meeting Cormac, Demon was doing nothing, and Quackers was killed. Now, if we Ravens were busy, and if Nebty (known evil) and Cormac (suspect) were occupied...

It's all about the numbers.

Aye, it's so. Ah've had many a chance to use it, and haven't, as I was quite sure ah didn't know who was evil. And being a follower of the Light, I had no desire to murder a fellow servant of Good.

If TurinTuramba will have me in his circle, I'll cast in it.

"Awww... It would greatly help me with my studies on the principle behind leading and casting in magical circles.
I'd really love to see an Arcane Reflector in action, especially under such unique circumstances."

Ann looked to the ground, pouting slightly.

Ah don't think it's too terrible an idea m'self... at worst it costs us an innocent but bags us a sinner.

Chance frowns.

No, at worst it gives us false certainty that she's good, as if'n she's an Ascended Spirit, she'll still scry as Good.

That goes for anyone, though.

My apologies, Ms. Ann. My job is to get you through this in one piece, and so I'd rather not do anything that might put you at risk. Who knows what might happen if we let a cultist lead a circle? I promise I will do my best to fulfil whatever you wish after we complete our mission here safely.

"And if I'm an Ascended Spirit, which I'm not, you'll know that when I lead a scry circle on myself. Idiot."

If Turin doesn't want you in his circle, Chance, I'll take you.

Ah believe it to be a hidden trait, ma'am. Doesn't show up on a scry.

As the group begins their journey back to the central facilities to discuss the coming night's activities, they are interrupted by a rumbling in the earth.



An immense shard of rock detaches from the edge of the island. It begins to spin, as smaller dislodged fragments whirl around it, propelled by unseen forces. Lines begin to etch themselves into the surface of the rock, forming intricate designs that can be understood as evil by the reader of any language in the world.

The same is happening elsewhere on the island. Equally spaced around its edge, shards of rock are breaking away, and beginning to carve themselves into something else.

I did meet with him, he did his technology based "Scry" that verified me as good. I had him tell Nebty, who I trusted at the time as the technotheologian because I equated that with good, an honest mistake I do think you'll all agree. We did not trust Bladida and Quackers at that time, because neither had been scried nor verified, and Quackers couldn't speak and was, in the main thread, basically saying everything she possibly could about our private conversations.

He never responded in time. Not my fault.

We met, I got the box, we've all read the posts about this.

Ahh, well, here's the exact evidence against your main assertation that I've killed someone every night. Or was I just lazy this one night, Mr. 452?

As we all know, I have an artifact that disallows me to cast in a circle, and I'm an Arcane Vessel of the Light, incapable of using magic unless I've been charged by magic cast at me. So, if we were to meet tonight and you use that special power on me, then i'd not die from it, and be able to use it the next night on a target of my choosing. I have been open about this since it came out I can't cast in circles, and our first turn was an attempt to be able to do a full circle night 2. We thought no one in our school evil since the circle went off, but it looks like Nebty just went ahead and did it for appearances.

You're getting sloppy, recruit.

"I almost suspect a certain demon is behind this.

Just. A hunch.

Ann and the Meido, I think a bit of shielding might be in order."

Barking up the wrong tree, my beary friend. You'd be eliminating a vote made of the light. Focus on the others; I'm impotent with this box anyways.

Mmmhmm. That... does not look good. Who should we shield? If Ann will shield me and herself, I will be able to shield two other people. We can resume our scrying activities tomorrow, when this place will hopefully reek a little less of doom and destruction. Or should we ignore it and continue with our scries...?

Ah don't know that shielding is the right answer. Unless you think you can predict who the cultists are goin to try to kill tonight.

"Along the same token, I disagree vehemently with soundlyParanoid's "Circle of Potent Killing." But what do I know, since I'm obviously scum?" The singer spits.

Yeah, you're right. I think we should probably proceed with our scries as planned and hopefully the sky won't fall on us tonight.

And that whichever cultist is left isn't the Ascendant Spirit.

There's a certain logic to killing... every kill we make as followers of the Light may kill a cultist, but the cultists certainly shan't play fratricide.

Regardless of whether we kill or scry them, we should take care of the issue of the cultist amongst Nute, Cormac, and Dazzler tonight. TurinTuramba, right now I am set to scry Cormac. We will begin as soon as one last person, hopefully Bladida, completes my circle. I believe the best course of action is for you to scry Nute with your circle, but if you choose to kill him instead... it's just that I, personally, can't help but be suspicious of somebody who is so eager to be sent to the afterlife. Might there not be... unforeseen effects from such a killing? It is ultimately your choice.

The carving stopped. A drumbeat emerged on the edge of human hearing, coming from everywhere and nowhere all at once
The completed Dark Obelisks began to move.



In geometric patterns, they circled Light's Glory. In patterns any mortal mind would be driven mad in any attempt to understand.
There seemed to be too many of them. More than had been seen being carved just a moment before.

The island trembled, the very earth hysterical with fear.

Um. Comrades? I... believe it may not be too late to switch to protection circles tonight.

Well, this doesn't look good. I'll go and fulfill the priestess's last wish before the island gets wrecked up any more. Yes she was evil and made me look like an idiot, but suffering can make us do some desperate things. Like killing all of humanity. I mean, who hasn't been there? Heh...
...anyway, I'll be right back and then join Ana's circle.
I wonder how much the church would pay for their High Priestess?

While Ana scrys me and confirms my allegiance to the light, I will once again assist Turin in his circle.

The Dark Obelisks' ritual movements take them up into the sky above Light's Glory in a path that resembles both a spiral, and the madness of chaos. The spectral drumming grows, and is joined by the singing of voices that were never of this world, and never should be.

The whole thing feels just like a dream. You can barely believe it is real.



But it is.

Yay we killed Nebty.
Ok here is the deal: Nute is obviously a cultist. I even managed to reconstruct part of the cultists conversation on the first day:

Nute: "Hey Nebty I got a great idea. I will tell my school you contacted me and they will scry you. Wasting a scry, because you cannot be scried. So clever. Contacting them right now."
Nebty: "No, you goddamn moron! How will you explain that we can communicate?"
Nute: "Eh I dunno, maybe a oneshot communication item, that you wasted for no reason whatsoever?"

With Nute a cultist, Cormac and Dazzler are highly unlikely to be traitors. Since they would not send more than one into a sandbagged circle. However since you guys thought sacrificing Equis is a sound plan, we will have to scry them. As such I propose the following:

Circle one: Safe circle scry on Speak with Bread
Led by Speak With Bread
Anabanana
Bladida
Anxifera
soundlyParanoid

Contrary to popular opinion this circle is completely safe.

Circle two: Scry on big mystery target, you will never guess!!

I will lead a scrying circle:
Cormac
AaronSofaer
Lazy Shiftless Bastard
Kohei

Demon and Nute can team up to do whatever Cultists do in their free time.

"Wait a minute. Turin just put forth a completely sensible scry proposal.

Folks, I think the world may be ending after all."

As said before, I will happily cast in Turin's circle.

The Dark Obelisks gather into their final positions over Light's Glory. Whole chunks of the island break away and take their positions to match. A tower of earth into the heavens and beyond is lined up above the heralds of darkness. The drums and the voices reach a crescendo.

Then it is done.



The Rite of Babel has been completed.

Kohei emerges from his transport and looks to the sky in awe.

So.. Uh.. Anyone got an explanation for this?

...I got nothin'.

Everyone falls to the floor as a screeching in their implants overwhelms them. It takes several agonising minutes for auto-diagnostics to find and shut off the faulty signals. But when it's done, your headspace is silent. The only things you can hear now are soundwaves coming in through your ears.

All private telepathy has been blocked.

Oh crap.

"Fair warning: if anyone starts talking in a disturbingly similar manner to Miss Q, I think we may have to execute you for the sake of the rest of our sanity."

OW THAT HURT.

...WHY IS EVERYONE TALKING SO QUIETLY?

"I hope we can end this by next nightfall. I get the feeling we won't be around much longer than that, anyway."