The Syndicate

A magical summons had gone out to the leaders of each remaining faction. Vague promises of peace and power, and then a definite time and place to meet. Sunset, at the ancient circle of stones atop Hedryn Plateau.

Ahriman arrived with the Avenger and the Master of Ancient Arts at his side. The sun was hanging low in the sky, casting long shadows from the circle of stones. Ahriman seated himself, cross-legged, in the centre of the circle and closed his eyes meditatively, while his two allies stood behind him.

Azura Nokomis arrived next, with the Gambler at her side. She sneered when she saw Ahriman. "So this was your idea, monk? You think you can negotiate peace? I think you are scared, because you realize how close I am to taking control!"

"And where is your ally, the Lord of Thunder?" Asked Ahriman calmly, not opening his eyes. "I can sense your anxiousness about it. I am not the only one who knows fear, am I?"

"The Lord of Thunder is following MY orders right now, I don't need him at my side to defeat you!" She smirked, and concentrated, enacting a controlling enchantment upon the Master of Ancient Arts. "How will it feel when you die at the hands of your own ally?"

The Master of Ancient Arts' eyes began to glow a deep sorcerous purple, and his hand went for the weapon at his side, but he fought Azrua's sorcery and managed to keep control, and to keep the weapon sheathed. Azura's brow furrowed as the Master's eyes changed once more, from deep purple to fiery red.

"It is not wise..." smiled Ahriman, still seated. "...to attack a Dragon!"

The Master of Ancient Arts began to glow with a white light, and the light changed form, growing, until it was long and serpentine, and with a bright flash, the light disappeared, leaving only a blue and silver dragon. The dragon roared, spouting forth a breath of pure icy coldness. Azura threw her hands up helplessly as she was frozen solid, her face fixed in a scream. The dragon snorted and Azura's frozen form shattered into a million pieces.

The dragon then glared at the Gambler, who stumbled backward a few steps with a nervous laugh, tripped a little, and then ducked behind a large standing stone. The Master of Ancient Arts narrowed her eyes and laid down behind Ahriman.

"Wonderful!" came the laughing call from just outside the circle. The cloaked leader of the Warriors of the Shadows walked in confidently, clapping his hands, and the Brutal Executioner followed behind him. "I'm glad I didn't miss that!"

"Ubzargan," whispered the Avenger warily.

"That is not Ubzargan," replied Ahriman loudly. "This is the one chosen to lead in his place, because he fell in battle days ago." Ahriman's eyes opened for the first time since sitting down. "Remove your cloak, imposter. I would know who I am dealing with."

The Immortal threw back his hood and stood proudly. "Very good, Grand Master. Your senses are as acute as they say!"

"And how long do you think you can keep up this charade? Your master's death will be noticed, it is inevitable."

"I am inevitable!" Came a deep and thunderous voice from the opposite side of the circle of stones. Ubzargan the Ruthless strode in, cyborg eye glowing a fierce red, and the Immortal smiled smugly and gave an elaborate bow. Ubzargan carried a limp body at his side with one hand, and he threw it into the circle. "The Lord of Thunder, servant of the witch!" Ubzargan spat. "Even the power of the storm was no match for me!"

A light began to glow above the circle, and they could see a figure descending from the darkening sky. Ahriman nodded with approval when he saw who it was, but a look of concern crossed his face when he saw Ubzargan grin. "Welcome my friend!" he called out.

The Gambler, still crouching behind the large stone, opened her mouth in shock. "The Stranger?" she whispered. "How?"

The Stranger spoke, eyes glowing a bluish-green, her hair coming free from the voluminous hood and floating in a halo around her. "You all would call me friend, and this pleases me." Her voice resonated with power. "I am Serenity reborn, and it is time to end this war and rebuild our land into the paradise that it once was!"

She turned to Ubzargan. "Ubzargan, you have proven to be the greatest warrior this land has known. I choose you as my General and head of our peacekeeping force. Together, we shall end the violence for all time, and usher in a new era." She held out a hand, and twisting tendrils of light poured forth, enveloping Ubzargan and flowing around and through him. When the light faded, his many battle scars had disappeared, his armour was polished and emblazoned with the sigil of Serenity, and his cyborg parts shifted, becoming sleeker, more advanced, and glowing with bluish-green light, as was his cyborg eye.

She turned to Ahriman. "Go back to your monastery now, Grand Master. Watch from your distant peak as I heal this world!" Ahriman nodded and turned to leave, his allies following behind him.

"One more thing to take care of," said Serenity. "A wild card, if you will." She nodded to the Brutal Executioner, who lifted his gleaming axe and stomped around the stone where the Gambler still stood, and the Gambler's screams echoed across the hills and then stopped abruptly.


The Rogue Mercenary walked along to long road that led away from the realm, away from the war, and off to other lands. He had survived, and that was good enough for him.

Spacedaisy sat calmly, expectantly waiting for the coming mob. The noise of the bloodthirsty throng drew closer to her house, and when the din was loud enough, she sighed and stepped out her door, choosing to meet them on the street rather than let them cause expensive property damage kicking down her door.

"There she is!" shouted the local butcher, brandishing a cleaver.

Spacedaisy held her arms out as they approached, and hopped up on a nearby barrel. A few tried to grab at her legs when they drew close, but stopped when she glared down at them sternly.

"Listen to me!" she shouted. "Why are you here?"

"We've come for your neck!" cried a street sweeper, shaking a broken and pointy broom handle. "You're one of them!"

"I certainly am not!" shouted Daisy. "Think! Were you not going after Llama today?"

Several of the townspeople looked confused, as her words made them almost recall something they hadn't realized they'd forgotten.

"I am not your enemy!" yelled Spacedaisy. "Please, go back home and sleep, and you will find more clarity of thought in the morning!"

The crowd's rage had been diffused into sarcastic muttering and placid yawns. There would be no killing on this day.

Spacedaisy has not been lynched. It is now Night 13, and the Position is 2.

The Brutal Executioner was still confused about the events of the night before. He was having gaps in his memory, he couldn't understand the images he was seeing. Horses with fiery blue eyes? The image seemed so real. What had happened last night?

All he really knew was that his target, Canucklehead, had gotten away, and his need to kill had gone unfulfilled. Tonight, he was going to keep it simple - a cut throat from a serrated dagger, from behind. Extra points for some creative blood spraying.

He eyed Spacedaisy, who seemed to be concentrating on something, oblivious to the outside world. He came up behind her and reached out to grab her, when she spun around suddenly and slammed her fist into the centre of his torso. Instantly, the wind was knocked out of his lungs, and it felt like slow motion as his feet went flying into the air, losing both boots, and he came crashing down on his back, knocking his head hard on the sidewalk.

Spacedaisy shot him a glare of contempt and walked away, leaving him moaning in the street.


Caelia peered into the depths of the cave, the cave where, it was said, a wise master lived. One whom Ahriman himself had spoken of with great respect. Perhaps here, Caelia would find her way on the path to becoming the Luminarch and uniting the realm. A way to be worthy of the blessing of a reincarnated Serenity.

The cave opened up into a wide subterranean room, and Caelia's heart leapt into her throat when she saw a dragon standing before her. Its eyes narrowed and it hissed, its blue and silver scales gleaming iridescently in the lamplight.

"There is no foe that I cannot defeat!" cried Caelia, and she reached into herself and summoned forth a fireball, shining with the greenish-blue swirling energies of the Lifeforce. She thrust it forward, and it blasted into the dragon's chest with a bright flash and a loud, resonating crash. The dragon reared back, and Caelia was quick to rush forward, focusing the Lifeforce into a great spear in her hands... when the dragon snapped forward with its head, snapping its jaws shut on Caelia just above her waist, and leaving only a pair of twitchy legs behind.


The cloaked figure approached the cave, having tracked Epignosis all the way to this remote and rocky location. She was almost disappointed to find charred traces of Epig's body scattered around the mouth of the cave. "I was going to do you the favour of killing you," she whispered. "Imposter. Would-be replacer. They never make them as good as the original."

She snapped into readiness as G-Man came running through the treeline. "Epi! Epi! I have something for y-" G-Man stopped when he saw the scowling figure.

"Friend of Epignosis?" the figure said contemptuously. "You'll have to do."

G-Man's screams echoed through the rocky ridges of the lowlands for many minutes.

Epignosis has been killed by a Dragon, and by Team Ubzargan. G-Man has been killed by a mysterious figure. Spacedaisy was not killed by the Brutal Executioner. There were no missing PMs.

Team Caelia has been eliminated.

It is now Day 13. The Position is 2.

"This one's in the service of Azura Nokomis, the infamous sorceress!" the excited street urchin pulled Terras by the hand through the streets to the centre square. The Guardian lord barely tried to hide his disgust at the touch of the dirty hand, following along reluctantly.

"I really just need to find the Bureau of Communication, boy," he protested. "I told you-"

"They won't be there," said the boy, turning his head without stopping. "Everyone will be here, in the centre square. Big execution!"

"Ugh, very well," said Terras, allowing the child to lead him through the streets. They soon arrived at the centre square, where another hanging had been organized by the local magistrate. Terras frowned when he saw the condemned, and then looked down to see the urchin still standing there, waiting expectantly. Of course thought Terras. A tip for his services.

He reached into his pocket grab a thick gold coin emblazoned with an elm leaf, and paused, asking the urchin carefully, "Tell me again - who is getting hanged today?"

"nutella! Servant of Azura Nokomis, the infamous sorceress!" Terras' face went pale as he dropped the gold coin into the excited child's waiting hands. The urchin eyed it with confusion, but slowly smiled and ran off into an alley.

"No, my sweet Druidic Elder," lamented Terras, watching helplessly as the led nutella to the gallows and hanged her. "How did that witch poison your heart?"

nutella has been lynched. She was the Druidic Elder, a recruit of Azura Nokomis. It is now Night 12, and the Position is 3. Send those PM's!

The Brutal Executioner was excited for tonight's execution. He had Canucklehead tied with ropes on all four limbs, and each rope led through a pulley to a separate horse. He ignored her desperate pleas as he checked each rope to be sure it went right. He had read about people

Canucklehead has not been killed by the Brutal Executioner. Tranq has been killed by the Rogue Mercenary. Sorsha has not been killed by Azura Nokomis.

It is now Day 12. The Position is 3.

I just lost my post. Post coming soon.

"We're going to lose this war."

Caelia spoke to Ahriman once again, while gazing out over the city she loved. "We've already lost. Everything's falling apart, so much death, so much needless suffering."

"It is not our doing," said Ahriman, seated at the thick stone table behind her. "We have endeavoured to protect the realm from itself, but we could not have predicted that the cancer had run so deep. Ubzargan and Azura's forces were everywhere, and they were well-prepared."

"Even today, another of our trusted allies has fallen," Caelia whispered sadly. "The Warden of the Inner Eye was part of our inner circle... he will be missed."

"A respected member of the Brotherhood." Ahriman nodded. "But if my fear is realized, then even this will pale in comparison to what will follow."

Caelia spun around, upset. "How can you think she's capable of such a thing? Surely her return could only be a good thing - the best thing!" Her voice was thick with emotion.

"I have meditated long on the issue. I believe I know what course of action she would have to take. The sickness runs too deep."

She turned back to the window. "No, you're wrong. We just have to be worthy."

birdwithteeth11 has been lynched. He was the Warden of the Inner Eye, and was on Team Caelia.

It is now Night 11. Night will run for approximately 22 hours. Please choose a position.

Catching up on some Poll posting...

The city had dissolved into rioting chaos after the peculiar and unsatisfying lynch that had gone on that day. Llama stuck to the shadows and sideroads, just trying to lay low until he could get out of the city and never look back. He gasped and stopped short when he rounded a corner to see the Rogue Mercenary standing before him, a smirking grin on his eyepatched face.

"Quite the trick you pulled today, Llama!" The Mercenary drew two gleaming black longswords and began to advance. "But I think this city is looking for a special kind of justice this time!"

Llama tossed down a smoke bomb and turned to run, and the Rogue Mercenary just shook his head in amusement and gave chase.


Roxy sat in her office, catching up on some of the day's work and trying hard to ignore the sounds of anarchy just outside. It was nothing she really wanted to be involved with.

A sudden crash outside her office door brought her to her feet, and seconds later the door splintered inward from the single crushing blow of a large metal boot. A cloaked figure walked in and pointed at Roxy. "You!" his deep and thunderous voice commanded her fealty. "You have caused enough trouble for me, whelp!"

"Ubzargan!" she whispered, her vocal chords tight with fear. She had one chance that she could see, and she took it, bolting for the open second-floor window and diving out, landing with a crunch on pile of garbage below, frightening a cat out of one of its nine lives. Ubzargan bellowed above, and she could hear his heavy bootsteps crashing down the stairs, so Roxy got up and limped away down the street as fast as she could.


The Brutal Executioner had picked his target tonight out of a need for closure. LoRab had gotten away from him last time, but he didn't intend to allow that to happen again. Armed with a wicked black crossbow loaded with explosive darts, he decided to have a little fun and go hunting.

Now LoRab was darting through streets and alleyways in abject terror, narrowly dodging small explosions that occasionally flew her way.


Scotty was urgently trying to leave the city as well. Word had come from a few days east that DharmaHelper had made an important discovery, and Scotty knew what it would mean. He needed to get this information to a team Leader, maybe every team Leader, in the hopes that the killing could at least slow down while it was investigated.

He hadn't counted on the cloaked figure waiting for him on the street outside, blue fire and lightning crackling from clenched fists. "No," he whispered. "How did she find me?" Knowing he was no match for the mysterious figure, he turned to run.


The frightened cat crept out cautiously into the crossroads, trying to determine which direction offered the least chance of danger. To the north, Llama was sprinting toward her at top speed. She looked west, and cringed to see Roxy, limping desperately in her direction. The east was no better, as a frantic LoRab clawed and tumbled her way away from the death that was close behind her. The south then, thought the cat, and her ears flattened against her head to see Scotty bearing down on her.

The cat looked back and forth, realizing quickly that they were all in trouble as the four fleeing people collided violently and painfully, toppling in a heap. Explosive bolts, black daggers, plasma blasts, and blue fire came at them from all four directions respectively.

The result was a charred and bloody mess. Out of the smoking, goopy ash, the cat popped her head up and scampered up a fire escape, her fur turned white from the traumatic experience.

Roxy has been killed by Ubzargan. LoRab has been killed by the Brutal Executioner. Llama has been killed by the Rogue Mercenary. Scotty has been killed by a mysterious figure.

It is now Day 11. It is Position 5.

"They're really riled up tonight!" whispered one guard to his partner.

"I know!" he whispered back. "Ever since we started having these old-school public hangings, they've been pretty docile... but this Llama guy is really... really... what's the word when everyone gets all focused on one thing...?"

"Polarizing?"

"Nah. No... maybe. Either way, they are absolutely out for his blood!" The crowd surged forward in a frenzy as Llama was led up, his head covered in a burlap bag, hands bound behind him. The guards roughly threw the noose around his neck, and one moved over to the release handle for the trapdoor Llama stood on. He turned to the crowd, mugging for a second, and chuckling when they doubled their frenzied cheers. Wasting no more time, he gave the handle a mighty, dramatic yank.

Too mighty, it turned out, as the handle snapped off in his hand, and the whole platform began to shake slightly, creaking. As the trapdoor opened and Llama dropped through, the gallows cracked and fell forward, snapping the rope, and Llama tumbled roughly to the ground.

Guards rushed in and grabbed him, and the sack was torn from his head in the commotion. As the dust settled, they were surprised to see that it was Tranq they had tried to hang!

"Maybe there's something to that 'any last words' thing people like to do," whispered the guard to his partner.

"It's kind of the sensible thing to do," he agreed. "We'll bring it up at the next meeting."

Tranq has not been lynched. It is now Night 10. The Position is 2.

Scotty wrote:Other things of note that I've been stewing on:

***

LongCon wrote:Ricochet - Killed Night 5 by Azura Nokomis - rezzed day 7 - Killed by Ahriman and Azura at the same time

That's from page 1. It was Azura, not Ahriman, right?

Slight error there that would be obvious when one reads the Night Post. It was the Rogue Mercenary and Azura that killed Ricochet, not Ahriman.

Metalmarsh had been scared before, like all people. The recurring nightmare where the llama carefully chewed MM's ears off. That time had fallen from the barn rafters and knocked the wind out of his lungs and he had been convinced he was dead for a minute or two. But he had never known the abject fear he knew now, being dragged by the ankle by the Brutal Executioner through a dark and dusty warehouse. The hooded beast of a man threw MM into a metal chair that was bolted to the ground, and slammed manacles down on his wrists, pinning them to the arms of the chair.

"You don't have to do this!" cried Metalmarsh, as the Brutal Executioner brought out a large metal cylinder with a crank at one end. The Executioner methodically unwound a length of raw copper cable and hooked it on to the chair, and clamped the other end to the cylinder. Grasping the handle, he began to crank it slowly at first, then more quickly. After a few minutes of turning, he reached a massive arm out to flip a switch. Metalmarsh screamed as the electrical current began to flow, but there was a shower of sparks and the manacles were blown open.

As the Brutal Executioner looked at the small generator and scratched his head, Metalmarsh leaped from the chair and took off into the night.


Ricochet knew that he had been given a second chance at life that few had ever gotten. He didn't intend to waste it by just laying low and staying out of the action. Tonight, Azura Nokomis would die at his hand. He grabbed his gear, and headed out to her last known location. He didn't see the shadowy figure following him.

After tracking her to an overgrown castle deep in the heart of Urrak Swamp, he opened his pack. An crown of magic resistance, and a cloak of nondetection, gifts from the Relicsmith that he had acquired through less-than-savoury means - all for the greater good, of course. He donned them, and headed for the nearest door.

Behind him, the Rogue Mercenary, slightly annoyed at having to track his quarry into the middle of a swamp, let loose a crossbow bolt, which hit Rico in the back as he began to cross the threshold into the castle. Rico cried out, and stumbled through the door, falling to his hands and knees inside the castle. The crown tumbled from his head, and rolled away across the room, to end up at the feet of a surprised Azura.

Azrua smirked. "Didn't I kill you once already?" Rico glared red hot daggers at her and tried to speak, but a wave of pain shot through him as the crossbow bolt's fatal poison pumped through his system. Azura crouched and whispered to him. "Shall I end your pain?"

She waited a few moments longer as Rico writhed and seized on the floor in front of her, amused at his suffering, finally speaking a word and holding out her hand, and flames flowed forth, roasting Rico alive and increasing his agony one hundredfold.


DharmaHelper had searched for many days to find this place, a tiny house, built into the mountainside. He turned to Boomslang, who had agreed to accompany him when he'd heard who DH was seeking. "So this is it - this is where Tenquist supposedly still lives."

"It seems so unlikely," said Boomslang. "He'd be so old by now!"

"Only one way to find out," said DH resolutely, starting to walk the winding path up to the house. He stopped when he saw Ahriman, Grand Master standing before them.

"I cannot let you pass," said Ahriman sternly. "Some secrets need to be kept."

"Keep going," said Boomslang to DH. "I'll take care of him." He stepped forward and bent his knees slightly, in a fighting stance, and Ahriman did the same. They stood for a moment, stock-still, sizing each other up, before exploding into a flurry of blows and parries, kicks and blocks.

Dharmahelper hurried up the path as the two fought, reaching the small house and pushing in the door. There were obvious signs of neglect, cobwebs over the chairs and table, broken pottery on the floor, covered in dust. Undeterred, he began to search methodically, until he found a hidden outline of a door in the rocky mountainside that made up the rear wall of the house. He pushed on the door, his heart beating rapidly as the door swung inward, revealing a tunnel into the mountain, lit by a series of halogen lights.

"I'll tell you this once," came Ahriman's voice from behind him. "Go no further." DH spun to see the Grand Master standing behind him. "Do not make me hurt you." said Ahriman evenly.

"Boomslang... did you..?" DH was concerned for his travelling companion.

"Though I defeated him," admitted Ahriman, "I was unable to deliver a fatal blow before he crawled over the cliff's edge, and scaled down the sheer wall." He nodded in respect. "He was no match for my prowess, but his skills were indeed impressive!"

"I can't stop, not now," DH stood firm. "I've come so far. Why do you want to hide the truth?"

"Knowing what truth will benefit the real is the price of wisdom," said Ahriman. "As is the duty to act on that knowledge!" Ahriman moved forward quickly, striking like a snake at DH, who knew he was no match for the martial artist. However, at that exact point, a jet of hot steam was released from a pipe above Ahriman, and he cried out in pain and fell back.

"Come, quickly!" A voice from behind DH spoke with urgency, and he turned to see a wizened old man in loose white clothing, many of his organic parts replaced with advanced cybernetic technology, glowing bluish-green all through the complex series of tubes and wires and metallic supports. Together, they ran through a door and slammed it shut behind them, and DH was relieved to hear a lock click into place.

He turned to the tiny old man. "Are you Tenquist?"

"Indeed I am," said the ancient cyborg. "I was Chief Advisor to Serenity the Technomagus. And only I know why she disappeared!"

"Please, tell me! Can we... can we rescue her? Save her?"

Tenquist chuckled at DH's earnest questions. "You don't understand - she doesn't need saving. Over the years, her organic components began to atrophy, and as she became more and more machine, she could feel her empathy for life slipping away. She decided on a new plan: to become completely one with the Lifeforce, and to be reborn, reincarnated, as the new Luminarch!"

DH was almost speechless. "Is she... did it...work?"

Tenquist nodded sagely. "Yes it did. Several decades ago. I used to visit her sometimes, but as she grew older, she began to regain her memories, and she also began to see what the world had become in her indifference and absence! And one day, she left. I have sent emissaries in all directions to find her, but to no avail."

He reached out and grabbed DH's hand. "She is out there somewhere, and I don't know what she plans to do!"

The Brutal Executioner failed to kill Metalmarsh. Ahriman failed to kill Boomslang. The Rogue Mercenary and Azura Nokomis totally killed Ricochet. Ahriman failed to kill Dharmahelper.

It is now Day 10. There was one missing PM last night. The Position is 2. The thread will now unlock.

Deep within the Bureau of Law in New Paradis, the Supreme Judge worked hard in his office, but was getting deluged with new cases faster than he could process them.

"That's it!" he bellowed, slamming a gavel-like fist down on his polished oaken desk. "Execute Protocol 9765!"

An executive assistant responded immediately, sending the command through the appropriate channels, until it was received by the Bureau of Time, a division that was, for good reason, unknown to most of the general populace and government officials.

A wizened old man in thick spectacles perked up from his pocketwatch repair as a message machine began to spin a brass wheel, printing out a thin line of paper. He placed both hands on his desk and gently eased himself off his high stool, and shuffled over to read it.

"Restart the night?" His eyebrows raised considerably. "Can't remember the last time I had to do that!" He made his way over to a large brass handle, and pulled it down, setting off a chain of events that delved into the core of the realm.

Night has been restarted, and will end in 24 hours when the new Position Poll ends.

The lone figure darted across the street, from one shadowy alleyway to another, his shadow riding long in the last stages of the day. If only I can make it out of town, he thought, I'll be in the clear!

Behind him, birdwithteeth11 could hear heavy boots and barking dogs, patrols out to track him down. He had already evaded them twice by using his natural disguise abilities, but they were closing in fast. Reaching the city wall, he took out a small grappling hook and tossed it up, climbing nimbly to the top.

As he crested the top, he turned to have one last look at the city he had spent so much time in. Just then, unfortunately, a crossbow bolt was loosed, and it struck BWT right in the chest. He looked down in shock to see several guardsmen step out of the shadows, crossbows at the ready, but they were not necessary.

BWT toppled forward and fell far below to the ground. Noting the mark of the Sorcerer Clan on his body, the magistrate sent for another Sorcerer.

"This one is known as the Windscout!" he exclaimed, looking down sadly. So much potential... wasted. And for what?"

birdwithteeth11 has been lynched. He was the Windscout, and unrecruited.

It is now Night 9, please choose another Position.

Ricochet wrote:@Hosts: The front page says timmer was killed by Uzbloosh, the Host Post says he was done by Team Ubzagga. Which one is it? They are one and the same.

@Hosts: Does a bad leader need to personally send in a kill PM? Can his teammates decide for him or for themselves, if he's AWOL, and send in a kill on his behalf? BTSC teams can send in PMs for their whole team from any member.

@Hosts: Was there no kill attempt from the Executioner last Night?

No!

The Rogue Mercenary considered himself a pretty good guy. Well, not so much a good guy, but a useful guy. He had travelled to the area several weeks ago, hearing that war was coming, and believing that he'd find lots of good work for a person in his profession. Time had passed, and all the connections he had tried to make had been rejected. Bored and frustrated, he had begun to drink, and when he got drunk, he got pissed off. Maybe he would just show them all how valuable he could be to them by killing someone!

He staggered out of the watering hole he had wandered into while the sun was high in the sky, and was mildly surprised to see that it was night. He spotted someone walking just up the street and smiled, drawing his dagger. Drunk or not, his aim never failed. He would up and threw the dagger, which spiralled end over end toward nutella, who just happened to bend over at that point to inspect a pretty wildflower that was growing through the cobblestones. The dagger clattered past her, down the street, and she looked up in surprise to see a drunk mercenary bearing down on her.

She ran away as fast as she could, and, looking back, she saw the Rogue Mercenary trip over the wildflower and fall hard to the ground.


As the bag was pulled off timmer's head, he winced at the brightness of the torchlight, as he spat and wiped his mouth from the linty hair the bag had left on his lips. He saw that he stood in a wide circular stone room, whose walls were draped in shadow. Hooded figures stood in a circle around him - Warriors of the Shadows!

"Swear allegiance to Ubzargan, or face death!" cried one. "Your abilities are his to command!"

"Yes, I swear!" cried timmer. "All hail Ubzargaggle!"

"Ubzargan!" the Warrior barked angrily. "Swear to him!"

"I'm sorry, it's a hard name!" timmer began to sweat. "I swear to Uzbekistan!"

The Warriors growled and grew visibly angry. Timmer's eyes moved around furtively. "I swear to Ubzekiel! To Ubbazango! Ubzarlemagne!"

The Warriors shouted in rage and plunged their spears into timmer's body, many, many times.


DharmaHelper's journey took him from Terras' land into a hilly, rocky lowlands. As he moved along a narrow path, he found himself confronted by a mysterious figure. "Ho there," he said cautiously. "I seek a man called Tenquist, a very ancient man. Do you know him?"

"Tenquist..." the man spoke from under the broad brim of a black hat. "I met him once, many years ago. He he was in the service of Serenity the Technomagus."

"Yes!" said DH. "But that was so long ago. How could you have been there?"

The Immortal grinned. "I've been around a long time!" Before he was done speaking, he had already lashed out with a long whip, wrapping it around DharmaHelper's neck before he could react. As DH clawed at it, the Immortal spoke to him.

"No hard feelings, friend. You could say there's a big price on your head, and I want to get a piece of it!" He tugged the whip and pulled DH off-balance, sending him tumbling toward a sheer drop. The Immortal nodded as DH went over, listening to he scream of terror diminishing as he fell farther away to his doom. "No hard feelings." He repeated again, chuckling, and walked on down the path.

DH grinned, holding tight to the root he had grabbed just below the edge. His fake diminishing scream had worked! Pulling himself up, he set out again to find the enigmatic Tenquist.

nutella has not been killed by the Rogue Mercenary. DH was not killed by the Immortal. timmer, however, is quite dead at the hands of Team Ubzargan.

It is now Day 9, and the Position is 4.

The War Monger was pleased; after only a week of conflict, the death toll was meeting and exceeding his expectations. Things had slowed down slightly, though, where the walled city of Hillsborn had shut out his forces, and turned it into a siege situation. Ubzargan would not be pleased, and his Warriors were getting restless - they had come for battle, not to sit around and wait!

Fortunately, the War Monger was as clever as he was bloodthirsty, and he knew what to do. "Fetch me a prisoner... and the mage!" He barked the order, and two soldiers instantly ran to fulfil it.

They returned with Synonym, hands bound, and looking worse for wear with cuts and bruises all over. The War Monger turned to the war wizard that had been summoned. "Amplify my voice. I want the whole city to hear me." The mage nodded and complied, casting a simple spell.

"People of Hillsborn!" he shouted, instantly loving the added volume in his mighty voice. "I have your man here, Synonym! The legendary Mistwood Ranger!" He drew a curved and jagged sword. "Will you simply stand by while your enemy does this?" Without a pause, he jammed the blade into Synonym's gut, and Syn dropped to his knees, his face wracked with pain.

He ripped out the blade and let Synonym's body drop into the dirt, smiling smugly. Only a matter of time until... he thought.

As if on cue, the militia of Hillsboro burst forth from their gates in rage. The followers of Ahriman led the charge, shouting loud and angry war cries. The War Monger smiled. "Ready, men! Time for some fun!"

Just then, from the treeline to the right, another, larger force began its charge. They were dressed in the green camouflage of Terras' military, and they brandished fine blades and bows of the Guardians of the Lifeforce.

The War Monger was no longer smiling. "Form up, men! Form up!!!"

Synonym has been lynched. He was the Mistwood Ranger, and a member of Team Ahriman.

It is now Night 8. Please choose your next Position.

Synonym wrote:I'm happy to abide by the spirit of the game but the threat of outing teammates is as much a defense against recruitment as my play style to date.

Rule clarifications notwithstanding, I found this to be quite palatable. Players can say many things within the rules without breaking any.

And as an added bonus:

"She may have her flaws," said the Keeper of Ravens, "But she certainly learns from her mistakes."

"You think Caelia did this?" replied the Warden of the Inner Eye. "What makes you so sure?" He looked down at the body before them, a lifeless husk.

"My birds see much," replied the Keeper with a wink. "And look to the east - the sun rises already."

"Indeed," said the Warden. "As the Judge decrees. Working with Caelia, then?"

"Or Caelia is just that good," smiled the Keeper, who then paused in dismay. "Oh... I recognize that family crest now. This was S~V~S."

"She will be missed. I hope Caelia knew what she was doing."

S~V~S has been killed by Caelia. It is now Day 8. Position 1 is active.

Azura's monster had been rampaging for days, targeting strongholds that were known to sympathize with leaders other than Azura herself. In one such stronghold, Golun Tirinnith, the residents watched with fear as the beast approached.

DrWilgy sat inside, crosslegged on a small mat, meditating as the commotion grew louder outside his door. The door then slammed open, and a friend came in, frantic. "Come on, Wilgy, we have to flee!"

DrWilgy did not respond.

"Are you deaf, it's the Chuddekon!" shouted the friend. "We have to go, or there's no way-" He fell silent as DrWilgy held up a hand sharply.

"The Way?" DrWilgy's eyes opened, and they were glowing with a soft white light. "I have found The Way."

The friend moved back in awe as DrWilgy stood.

"Open the door."


Wilgy strode confidently out of Golun Tirinnith, where the Chuddekon was closing in quickly. Azura saw him coming, and shouted at him derisively. "You wish to die before your friends, follower of Ahriman?" She laughed. "I will be glad to honour your request!"

"You have captured a soul that does not belong to you," replied DrWilgy. "And I no longer follow Ahriman's tenets. It is under Caelia that I have found my true purpose!" He spread his arms wide as the Chuddekon lashed out a black tentacle and wrapped it about his waist, lifting him into the air.

DrWilgy looked into its golden glowing eyes, and spoke softly. "You have lost your Way, friend. I am here to help you lead you back into the light." DrWilgy's entire body began to glow white, and tendrils of light wrapped around the gigantic beast, whose face was slack and unmoving.

"Stop!" shouted Azura, firing a bolt of energy at Wilgy, but it was diffused upon contact with him.

"Let us walk this path together," he said, and the white glow increased, and increased again, until he was blinding to look at.

When the glow had faded, the body of the Chuddekon lay on its side, lifeless. It quickly began to decay and crumble into ash, while Azura cursed.

DrWilgy has been lynched. He was the Seeker of the Way, and was recruited to Team Caelia.

It is now Night 7. The Position is 3.

""Forgive the level of wariness here," sighed Terras, walking with DharmaHelper to the edge of the forest, to meet back up with the main road. "It seems as though death is around every corner these days. You truly cannot be too careful."

"I appreciate your hospitality, Bastion of Hope," said DH warmly. Your land here is truly beautiful, it would be unforgivable if anything were to-" DH was cut off at that point when an arrow shot out of the shadows straight for his head. Terras, with feline speed and grace, reached up and grabbed the arrow in midflight, stopping it the moment before it impaled DH's left eye. Instantly, Terras' soldiers drew their weapons, half forming a protective circle around the pair, and the other half rushing toward the archer.

Before they could make it to the mysterious bowman, he had leapt atop a black mount and fled down the road at top speed, ducking and weaving to prevent himself from getting an arrow in the back.

Terras raised an eyebrow. "You truly cannot be too careful," he repeated, looking at the arrow. "Black fletching... this was one of Ubzargan's men." He put a hand on DH's shoulder. "I would advise you to find a man named Tenquist. He is very old, and knows much. He may have some answers for you. Stay safe on your journey."


JaggedJimmyJay looked back over the events of the day, wondering how he had gotten to where he was. At this moment, where he was was trapped by the neck in a makeshift guillotine built by the infamous and sadistic Brutal Executioner. He struggled and pulled, but he couldn't move anything, and all he got for his efforts were some splinters in his neck. "Well," he thought, "I won't have to worry about them getting infected!"

In spite of his grave situation, JJJ laughed out loud at the thought, drawing some strange looks from the Warriors that stood by, waiting for the day's execution. The Executioner pulled a lever to release the heavy blade, and JimmyJay's last thought was, "What? He's not even giving me some last words??"

The blade thundered down, but it hit the stocks JJJ was locked into, instead of falling past them and through his tender neck. The wood shattered and broke, and JJJ was thrown back by the impact, free from the guillotine's deadly hold. The Brutal Executioner seemed dismayed, rushing up to the guillotine with a hand on his head to inspect the damage.

JaggedJimmyJay wasted no time, and got up to run away into the night. He ducked down an alleyway, and then another, zig-zagging his way away from the scene of his near-death experience. Once he was many blocks away, he slowed down and breathed a sigh of relief. Rounding one more corner, however, he was met by a shadowy mercenary, who jammed a stiletto up under JJJ's ribs, finding his heart.

"Death's sweet embrace longed for you tonight," whispered the killer. "You mustn't keep her waiting!"

DharmaHelper was not killed by Ubzargan. JaggedJimmyJay was not killed by the Brutal Executioner, but he WAS killed by the Rogue Mercenary.

It is now Day 7. The Position for this next phase is 3. I'm going to lock the thread while I take care of some business, very briefly.

The Guardians of the Lifeforce preferred to live in forested areas, close to the trees and rivers of the natural world. Finding the large swaths of forest that had been burnt or broken by rampaging monsters and armies had forced them to close their borders and protect them militarily. Any outsiders were brought in for judgment, and sometimes executed.

And so it was with DharmaHelper, flanked by two golden-helmeted guards, he was brought before Terras, Bastion of Hope. "We found this one entering the forest at Seaforth, my liege."

Terras looked at DH, and DH met Terras' gaze without any outward sign of nervousness. Terras thought for a second longer before nodding and making a short, sweeping hand gesture.

"Let this one go. We'll not be killing him today."

DharmaHelper was not lynched. It is now Night 6.