the Expedition - a Pokémon Mafia game. (GAME OVER. SYLANDRA WINS. TOWN WINS.)

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  • TremulaTremula Banished Quasiroyal
    Day rises and you each find a note pinned to the inside of your doors, "Lazy Day! Enjoy the first half of your morning resting and relaxing, trading starts at noon!" 

    Some of you venture out and about, some returning to Kiradawea'5 while others chow down in the galley. The ship holds an arcade on the second deck that draws a few of you, and a billiards room that draws others. But when the sun is directly overhead, you are all on the main deck watching some deckhands carefully park the trading machine where it's easily visible. 

    Alec and Sylandra enter in their bathing suits, Sylandra hosting a nice tan while the Champion seems to have avoided being burned (though his shoulders are quite freckled). "So! It's trading time! Might be the last one before we get to Alola, and then we've a lot of work to do setting up our first Pokemon Centre before we can install in permanently. Who's up?"

    He presses a button and the machine begins powering up, the screens humming to life and showing a countdown to when the machine will be active. It glitches, though, and whirrs aggravated as the screen sticks on the number 4 before shutting down and asking the operator to restart. Alec grumbles and disappears behind the machine, the creak of a panel audible before he throws out what looks like a chewed up piece of paper, a deckhand scurrying along behind him to scoop it up and dispose of it as he emerges and wipes his hands on his trunks, leaving grimy black handprints on the pristine white cloth.

    "There, that should do it." He presses the startup button again and the machine whirs to life much more happily, the countdown finishing uninterrupted and chirruping brightly when it's ready for use. 

    It is now Day 8 of the CCS: Expedition's journey.
    It will last approximately one week (31/8).

    You may trade by the rules expressed at the last trading event. Good luck!
                          * * * WRACK AND ROLL AND DEATH AND PAIN * * *
                                         * * * LET'S FEEL THE FEAR OF DEATH AGAIN * * *
              * * * WE'LL KILL AND SLAUGHTER, EAT THE SLAIN * * *
      * * * IN RAVAGING WE'LL ENTERTAIN * * *

    Ixion tells you, "// I don't think anyone else had a clue, amazing form."
  • PortiusPortius Likes big books, cannot lie
    A night may come when I accomplish something, but it was not last night. Something gave me amnesia and made me dream of maritime corpses.
    Any sufficiently advanced pun is indistinguishable from comedy.
  • That's odd. I also dreamt of maritime corpses (also both Alec and Sylandra being impaled by a sword)... Anyway, I can confirm that Cen works for the Pokemon Daycare, and there was nothing suspicious to be found in the room. Cabin. Something.

    Anyone have anything else to add?
    image
  • PhoebusPhoebus tu fui, ego eris. Circumstances
    Perhaps I was right to find the dead bodies at sea dream suspicious, if more of us are having it.

    My night was uneventful, and I slept just fine. Once again, I am surprised to live another day.

    Currently, I am convinced Vivet should die today. While I have been cautiously accepting of her story, I find it less and less likely that Vivet is as innocent as she claims. It is possible that the trick she tried to pull before her death, which seemed to not do anything at the time, was this delayed resurrection, and that this whole, "someone rezzed me but I'm innocent now" thing was her planned story the entire time.

    There has been a suspicious lack of mafia kills, so even if someone is watching her, she's not going to be caught doing anything bad. And why would anyone need to kill, when there's this countdown going on that I assume has to do with town's demise in some way if it reaches zero? It can't be anything good, and the countdown combined with the lack of kills makes it seem like they're deliberately stalling, leaving themselves more of a crowd to hide in while the clock ticks down to zero.

    Sylandra said she was innocent, sure, but Sylandra also needed us to vote for Kalaneya that day so she could win. It's very likely we would have gone for Vivet without that endorsement, and that would have disrupted her win condition. I don't believe we can trust it, especially since Sylandra was never on town's side and had zero reason to tell us she lied before she peaced out. She even outright stated she was withholding information from us on her way out the door!

    So I'm going to Vote Vivet.

    Unless someone has damning information on anybody else, or a very compelling argument in Vivet's favor, this is where my vote will stay.
  • Honestly, unless someone comes out with information, that's probably where my vote will go too. That said, I'll hold off on it for a while until other people have had a chance to come forward.
    image
  • Vote Vivet

    I blocked her, and nobody dies. The onus is on her to change my mind
  • I have some damning information. Unfortunately, it's on Tremula.

    Hi. My name's Thul. I'm 32 years old, a Gemini, and my blood type is NaCl.

    So reviewing my night events from two nights ago, three things occurred:

    1) I was visited by Cen, who wanted to play with my Pokemon. As before, I denied this.

    2) Krackenor wanted to sit in my cabin all night. I denied this as well. If this is his advertised block, as amnesia indicates, it does not beat Noctowl*'s power. As Melali's jail power did not beat it either.

    3) A mysterious figure made of shadows and surrounded in silver light attempted to break my will and force me into the Cult of Lunala.

    I passed on that one too.

    It is my unfortunate duty to inform you all that we are playing in a game with lame-ass cult recruitment mechanics, and there's no telling how long they've gone undetected. I thought we were doing remarkably well, lynching scum every day, but now I have to consider that we've only been keeping pace with active recruitment the entire game.

    I'd really, really hoped that Tremula would have the minimum self-restraint to leave this one thing out, and that Lehki was just trying to mess with us, but it appears to be official: This isn't mafia, it's Calvinball.



    Meanwhile... erk. @Portius, I used Noctowl* on myself last night (and have been, and will continue to do so,) so I don't know how you got amnesia. Might be that redirect that hit Melali earlier. Did you notice any other weird effects, besides the corpse dreams... which... doesn't sound like anything specific? >_> I still have no idea what this new add-on to my Poke-power does. It's good that you're not dead. I think. Need to think about who I can trust again.
  • PortiusPortius Likes big books, cannot lie
    I felt kind of seasick, presumably due to being on a boat. I think it was just fluff. I also didn't get confirmation on if my pokemon action went through or not. Whoever has the doll should speak up.

    As for cults, I've assumed that we had one for most of the game. Recruitment probably only started after we wiped the normal mafia groups, though.

    For what it's worth, I went after Cyndarin last night. It was between that and Vivet, and I figured it would be easier to get a lynch train going on Vivet if necessary. I'm assuming that Vivet is not the Chosen and thus not the cult leader (hopefully it's the kind of cult that can't recruit after the leader dies) because she died and flipped normal mafia leader. At the same time, that makes Vivet into a pretty good recruit, since we'd be prioritizing people who were more likely to be the Chosen. Doesn't bring any powers into the cult, but recruits might not get to keep their powers anyway, and they need numbers more. I figured Cyndarin was also a likely recruit because a lot of us have seen her use her claimed power, so not much suspicion on her. Opted for Cyndarin because it's better to kill a 3rd party if I'm wrong than a townie, and there's a marginally better chance of Cyndarin being Chosen than Vivet. It was more of an educated guess and risk-avoidance kill choice than having much evidence on either of them.

    I'm down for killing either of them on that basis, if we don't have better leads on someone actually being the recruiter.
    Any sufficiently advanced pun is indistinguishable from comedy.
  • Tremula, can we get a list of the Pokemon that Alec has?

    Now, the people who are left are: Melali, Ileein, Cen, Vivet, Cyndarin, Ssaliss, Portius, Krackenor, Phoebus, Othero, Thul, and Dylara (12 people, 7 to lynch).

    Thus, there are at most 6, and at least 2 Mafia left. Now, what we need to do is go through the investigations and figure out who has been vouched for. Cen was vouced fo today, and I've shown my badge to about half of you. Also, Thul and I are both effectively immune to being recruited, me because I lock myself away at night, and Thul because of his Noctowl. We should have enough points of information to rule out people, hopefully enough so that we have a good chance of lynching/killing Mafia.
  • TremulaTremula Banished Quasiroyal
    edited August 2016
    Pokemon currently available for trade from the Champion (I believe this is all, but watch this post in case of edits):
    EDIT 1: Forgot Mawile.

    Zubat
    Pumpkaboo
    Mystery Pokemon #1
    Mystery Pokemon #2
    Mystery Pokemon #3
    Piplup
    Mystery Pokemon #4
    Purrloin
    Sandshrew
    Mawile
                          * * * WRACK AND ROLL AND DEATH AND PAIN * * *
                                         * * * LET'S FEEL THE FEAR OF DEATH AGAIN * * *
              * * * WE'LL KILL AND SLAUGHTER, EAT THE SLAIN * * *
      * * * IN RAVAGING WE'LL ENTERTAIN * * *

    Ixion tells you, "// I don't think anyone else had a clue, amazing form."
  • VivetVivet , of Cows and Crystals
    I can confirm that Krackenor did, in fact, visit and spend time with me. Which I did not mind one bit - it was good to have some extra company.

    I do find his vote a bit strange, however. He's using his block on me as the sole basis for said vote, but we haven't really had any scum killings during the night for a while now. Just Portius killings. I take it you can elaborate more on this, Krackenor?

  • I watched thul, he stayed in his cabin all day, vote: Vivet
  • LuceLuce Fox Populi
    Tremula said:
    Pokemon currently available for trade from the Champion (I believe this is all, but watch this post in case of edits):


    Pumpkaboo

      D=!
  • VivetVivet , of Cows and Crystals
    Oh. Also, didn't Allyrianne have Mawile?

    Not that it particularly matters to me. I'm not parting with Munna. Swapping out for something with an actual power would just feel lame now.

  • My turtle power seems awesome if I ever need to use it. 


    Nothing exciting last night, no visitors, no dreams. Man I must be the boringest person on this trip. Couldn't do my autopsy beca use I did one the previois night. 

    Avurekhos says, "Dylara's a PvP menace in my eyes, totes rekting face."

    The eye of Dylara materialises in your hands and flings itself around your neck, tightening incomprehensibly until it is irremovable.
    Perfectly clean, this eyeball has been wrenched from the socket of Dylara. It has been animated by some unusual force, constantly looking around itself as if in shock or fear. It is bathed in a light covering of white flames that roll endlessly over its surface. A single chain of empyreal metal pierces either side of the eye, allowing it to be worn around the neck.


  • PhoebusPhoebus tu fui, ego eris. Circumstances
    Melali said:
    Tremula, can we get a list of the Pokemon that Alec has?

    Now, the people who are left are: Melali, Ileein, Cen, Vivet, Cyndarin, Ssaliss, Portius, Krackenor, Phoebus, Othero, Thul, and Dylara (12 people, 7 to lynch).

    Thus, there are at most 6, and at least 2 Mafia left. Now, what we need to do is go through the investigations and figure out who has been vouched for. Cen was vouced fo today, and I've shown my badge to about half of you. Also, Thul and I are both effectively immune to being recruited, me because I lock myself away at night, and Thul because of his Noctowl. We should have enough points of information to rule out people, hopefully enough so that we have a good chance of lynching/killing Mafia.
    Unfortunately, due to an allegedly confirmed cult recruitment mechanic, previous alignment confirmations might not apply anymore. :unamused: What a pain... no wonder they took out Luce as soon as the cult dynamic changed. I'm sorry I didn't protect you that night, man. I didn't know it was gonna be like this.

    Ok. Let's see. How many people might have been grabbed at this point, assuming recruitments only started after Lunala beat Solgaleo and the countdown began? Thul declined conversion thanks to his OP Noctowl*, so that's one night safe. I like the theory that Allyrianne was attempting to convert Portius and failed due to amusing doll rebound. That would be two safe, if it's correct. If they have to choose between killing or conversion each night, then that could mean the night Luce died was safe as well. But of course, this is purely speculation, and nothing is a given.

    I mean, there's even the possibility that Thul is lying and allowed himself to be converted in a moment of frustration-induced Machiavellianism, knowing his victory would be all but assured with his overpowered baloney of a Pokemon stopping anyone from getting dirt on him. I'm really hoping that didn't happen, though.

    It's fairly certain that there was at least one attempt to convert Portius, and they might have succeeded since then. It's not like he could flip around and start openly killing for the other team without everyone catching on right away, since he has a distinct murder method. Of course, now that it's public conversion is in play, he could easily do so behind the cover of "he looked pretty culty to me, sorry" and not raise too many eyebrows. 

    Basically I can't trust anyone anymore, not even my beloved Othero, who tucks me in at night and brings me black coffee in the mornings. :( What if he was compromised by the enemy in one of the rare moments we weren't attached at the hip? How can I possibly know at this point? 

    I could close my eyes and wish super hard that every recruitment has failed so far and we're safe, too. I mean, there are all sorts of things that could screw it up, like Noctowl*'s existence, Melali's jailing, Krackenor's blocking, fortuitous Portius doll rebound, the possibility we killed off the recruiters with Allyrianne's death, etc. But that is way too much wishful thinking.

    Hrmf. I could speculate til my head spins off, but I really don't have any way of backing it up with anything concrete. Killing Vivet is still my recommendation for today, but if people are being converted, what are we going to do long-term? Cult recruitment is dumb.
  • VivetVivet , of Cows and Crystals
    Phoebus said:

    Hrmf. I could speculate til my head spins off, but I really don't have any way of backing it up with anything concrete. Killing Vivet is still my recommendation for today, but if people are being converted, what are we going to do long-term? Cult recruitment is dumb.
    And now you all know why I've been pretty ambivalent about this whole staying alive thing. I am in a really weird place, and the longer I am alive, the more of a liability I am regardless of my alignment. All they had to do was leave me be for a while, and they'd always have an assured town lynch target when they need one. I'm too conveniently suspicious not to be! Once they have enough people, they can just seal the deal with their general majority, and perhaps only convince one or two town to hop along with them.

    I can't blame them, either. It's a pretty good plan.

    But good grief, it makes it hard for me to do pretty much anything. Town's just as liable to hop on an easy vote train with zero arguments as mafia is at this point. I don't really have anything to direct my aggression towards.

    Just got that continual odd feeling about Othero lingering. Meh.

  • VivetVivet , of Cows and Crystals
    Also, a theory about these nightmares - since there are no kills going down, the nightmares might be something like an arsonist mark.
  • PhoebusPhoebus tu fui, ego eris. Circumstances
    I know Othero was town for the majority of the game, unless Luce's alignment matching was flawed. I'd like to continue to believe he is town and hasn't been converted, because my flavor has me thinking things like "at least I got a great friend out of this even if our relationship turns out not to be made to last~~" and it'd be really awful to be double-crossed for a stupid moon Pokemon that looks like a flying busted trampoline and isn't even canonically evil. I don't exactly have a way to confirm his continued innocence, but he hasn't been acting any differently at night from what I can tell.

    I do have the perfect song lined up in the event he does betray me, though. Silver lining.
  • I can really only vouch for myself and Melali at this point. I also buy that Thul got the better of a conversion attempt; why mention it at all otherwise?

    I think Vivet is probably the easy choice, and unfortunately, I also think that's precisely to the mafia's benefit. It kind of makes sense to me that they would bring known scum back and leave her alive to draw our fire. It's a good play.

    But even more unfortunate is the fact that I have nfi what else we should do. I only have two suspicions and neither have any real substance.

    The first is against Phoebus. I do find it odd that such a priority role is still alive, but maybe it's just because she keeps stating her surprise every day and it just keeps making me think of Lehki...

    The second is Dylara (I'm sorry, girl). The first report was mod-posted at the start of dayphase. The report that was supposed to exonerate Dylara was posted *by Dylara*. I'm still not sure why everyone decided that seemed legit. Maybe I missed something there.

    Either way, it's looking a lot like we need to just make a best bet sort of lynch, without any more solid evidence. I'd personally put my money on the latter of my two suspects, but as always, totally willing to back up the majority.
  • I'm looking at utility right now from a cult standpoint.

    Of course they came after me, not that it worked. I suppose I could have willingly jumped into that if I wanted... but the bright thing to do after that would've been not to say anything, leave it as a dull suspicion. And it makes no narrative sense to pull the whole Muscle Mayor, Defender of the People bit and then gleefully hop into the local moon cult that very night. There are rules here. It is not done.

    Portius is probably the most valuable target... he's been good with the vigilante role and logic in general. He did hit my OP barrier last night, but... well, I'm more inclined to read that as a misdirect attempt than subversion on his part. We established a long while ago that OP barrier trumps his murder abilities, so he'd've known not to come after me directly. Maybe cult recruit can't get past dolls? Trusting him for the moment. Suspect we'll have to hang him before the end.

    Cult reveal oddly makes me less suspicious of Phoebus, who in any reasonable game should've died nights ago. Maybe the cult doesn't have a kill ability, and Phoebus isn't a danger? Last unclaimed death hit Lehki, of all people. Still suspicious, but I'm relaxing on her for now.

    I want to trust Melali, but fact of the matter is that jailer's been flaky this game. Lehki's death went through that, barrier trumps it. He's still safer than pretty much anyone else (besides my OP barriered self) on the board, but his ability's shown some holes and we need to leave open the possibility. @Melali, who'd you hit last night, by the way?

    Then there's the whole tracking/info posse. We've got Ileein, Othero and Ssaliss poking around with the potential to out cultists, Dylara with a pending reveal, and I have a grim suspicion that one or more of them have been subverted by now. Not as big a deal as people who can swing the game in the night, but just need to be taking any reveals with a big grain of salt.

    Meanwhile... can else anyone actually confirm that Krackenor's ability is a block? He did visit me on the same night as they tried to recruit me. His visit and the recruit attempt showed up on separate lines, so I think they're unrelated. I wouldn't even be questioning this if his attitude weren't rubbing me the wrong way. Does he seem terse and hyper-aggressive to anyone else? Is that normal, or is this a scum tell for him?
  • Phoebus said:
    and it'd be really awful to be double-crossed for a stupid moon Pokemon that looks like a flying busted trampoline and isn't even canonically evil.
    Maybe it's just that it's late and I haven't been sleeping well, but I laughed at this. A lot. Thank you.
  • VivetVivet , of Cows and Crystals
    Thul said:

    Meanwhile... can else anyone actually confirm that Krackenor's ability is a block? He did visit me on the same night as they tried to recruit me. His visit and the recruit attempt showed up on separate lines, so I think they're unrelated. I wouldn't even be questioning this if his attitude weren't rubbing me the wrong way. Does he seem terse and hyper-aggressive to anyone else? Is that normal, or is this a scum tell for him?
    Well, when he came to visit me he just invited himself in and I set about to sharing my carbonara with him, and he just hung around while I read. After the night before, any extra company was cool with me so the whole thing didn't really read like a block to me, but it could just as well be. I have no actions to block, so that might make it read differently than someone who'd actually wanted to have gone and done something.

    As for his behaviour during the day phases... that's why I asked for more exposition from him. I can understand how you'd feel some concern. Like, was my food really that bad?

  • Wait, so last night, Krackenor tried to block both Vivet and Thul?

    I jailed Cen last night (That's what she meant by vouching for me). And Lehki's death was due to poison, so I'm not too sure what to think about that. I don't think that counts as a hole in my defenses.
  • VivetVivet , of Cows and Crystals
    He visited upon me last night. I think Thul was the night before - he did say something about be amnesiac then. Then Portius was weirdly amnesiac last night when his intended target was Cyndarin... stuff isn't adding up.

    Oh, speaking of Lehki, Togekiss is not included in the list of Alec's trade options. Did Lehki not let go of that one even in death? That seems like an important one to me - would want to keep an eye out for anyone hopping on that Togekiss.

  • TremulaTremula Banished Quasiroyal
    Pokemon with no functional powers were not included in the list. While they are technically available for trade, I saw no situation where anyone would try and choose them over a functioning power, so I did not include them. 

    That said, if you want Togekiss, shout. 
                          * * * WRACK AND ROLL AND DEATH AND PAIN * * *
                                         * * * LET'S FEEL THE FEAR OF DEATH AGAIN * * *
              * * * WE'LL KILL AND SLAUGHTER, EAT THE SLAIN * * *
      * * * IN RAVAGING WE'LL ENTERTAIN * * *

    Ixion tells you, "// I don't think anyone else had a clue, amazing form."
  • PhoebusPhoebus tu fui, ego eris. Circumstances
    Thul said:
    Phoebus said:
    and it'd be really awful to be double-crossed for a stupid moon Pokemon that looks like a flying busted trampoline and isn't even canonically evil.
    Maybe it's just that it's late and I haven't been sleeping well, but I laughed at this. A lot. Thank you.


    And I'd be suspicious of me, too, so I can't really blame anyone for thinking it. I figured I was dead as soon as I was outed, but here I am. I guess a doctor isn't much of a threat when you aren't even bothering with attempted murder. :disappointed: I'm so superfluous. At least I got to save someone important that one time.
  • PhoebusPhoebus tu fui, ego eris. Circumstances
    Tremula said:
    Pokemon with no functional powers were not included in the list. While they are technically available for trade, I saw no situation where anyone would try and choose them over a functioning power, so I did not include them. 

    That said, if you want Togekiss, shout. 
    Man, you should definitely have done it as a comprehensive list. The Saga of Lehki the Undying made Togekiss seem pretty great from our perspective, so finding out it has "no functional power" in this way spoils the fun a little. The potential for mindgames alone with that thing was up there regardless of its actual abilities, but now the poor thing has been declawed.
  • My poor beleaguered Egbert deserves some rest after you people kept trying to paralyze and kill her all the time. D:
  • Hmm. If the Chosen (I assume) tried to turn Thul last night, it'd mean it's likely someone who didn't do anything else. So... Who do we have at that?

    2. Dylara - No action
    3. Thul - No action
    6. Othero - Watched Thul - Thul stayed in his cabin
    8. @Phoebus - Who did you protect?
    12. Krackenor - Blocked Vivet
    13. Melali - Jailed Cen
    14. @Portius - Did you try to kill someone tonight?
    16. Ssaliss - Investigated Cen
    18. @CyndarinAscends - Did you scan someone's pokemon?
    21. Vivet - No action
    23. Cen - Jailed by Melali
    27. @Ileein - Who did you spy on tonight?


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