[LP CYOA] 傳

[treave]

ERYFKRAD - C > A
Smashing Axe - B
Ifeex - A > C
Kipeci - A
Lambchop19 - A
Zero Credibility - B
Nevill - A
Azira - C
XenomorphII - A > B
Baltika9 - C
Grimgravy - B
The Brazilian Slaughter - B > C
Jester - B
ScubaV - B > C
LWC1996 - A > C
Esquilax - C
Tigranes - C > A
TOME - A
Bloodshifter - C

Current tally:

A - 7
B - 6
C - 6

***

Taking into account the flops for B to C it could be:

A - 7
B - 4
C - 8

Perhaps we can leave this open for another 5 hours.

 

[Esquilax]

I think that this is important to remember:

Initially, you think that Master Yao appears to have been mistaken about the need for an invite; according to the innkeeper, many scholars travel there year-round. However, you find out from an old scholar in Xuzhou that there is an ‘inner court’ that can only be accessed by known fellows of the manor. These fellows are selected via a mysterious trial during the winter solstice conference which can only be attended by obtaining an invitation. This is probably the ‘real’ Luoying Manor.

The nature of the trial is unknown even to those who have passed it. No one knows the criteria by which they select their fellows, but the selection process is done every four years, during the winter solstice conference, and four are chosen at each trial year.

And we know that the mistress of the manor isn't here yet:

At the front of the hall is a raised dais for the mistress of the manor who has not yet arrived.
...
There are boats that take travellers over to the manor. It is owned by a mysterious woman named Lady Ji, who is rumoured to be an ageless and beautiful immortal, having resided in the manor for over two hundred years. It seems that Lady Ji has never left the grounds, preferring to live in seclusion.

I am not sure what Qilin wants to talk to us about or whether or not we can trust her, but if she isn't trustworthy, it's probably better to talk to her now rather than later. She probably has a better idea of what the competition here is like. So far, we know that there are eight, including Jing: poetry contest winners, battle royale winner, two strangers, and Qinlin. We really have to thin the herd if we're going to get in here.

 

[Baltika9]

I just had a thought: with Jing's charisma and speech skills, I believe we have the chance to cobble together a team out of the other contestants. There are four winners, after all, so cooperation is a viable tactic. I don't want to make assumptions here, so will we get a chance to talk to the other participants after this choice to make a team, treave?

 

[treave]

Well, before thinking about forming a team, you don't know what the trial is like, and more interestingly, none of the fellows appear to have an idea of what the trial actually is even after being selected. Even the criteria is unknown, so apparently it's not anything as simple as being the strongest or the smartest or the prettiest or even the most reputable - people would have noticed the pattern if it were so. The only thing you know is that there is a trial going on within these three days.

It might be good to speculate on why that is so, and what implications that has for the way the trial might be conducted.

You'll likely get your chance to talk to other important characters since you'll be here for three days, and since the main purpose of the public conference is for those interested (and worthy) to present their knowledge and philosophy, and to mingle around exchanging information.

 

[Baltika9]

Well, before thinking about forming a team, you don't know what the trial is like, and more interestingly, none of the fellows appear to have an idea of what the trial actually is even after being selected. Even the criteria is unknown, so apparently it's not anything as simple as being the strongest or the smartest or the prettiest or even the most reputable - people would have noticed the pattern if it were so. The only thing you know is that there is a trial going on within these three days.

I suppose the selections are unique across each batch of contestants or, better yet, unique to each contestant (hey, maybe the Proprietress takes them aside and asks them deeply personal and philosophical questions; What can change the nature of a manwhore?). In that case, teamwork is a moot point and even cooperation with Quiling wouldn't do us much good, since all we'll now that something is going to happen and will have no idea what this something is.

And that badass in the room really intrigues me, although I would not object to B winning that strongly, the scholar can be a great balance to our brains. Quiling can be a dangerous opponent, if only because of her wish for attention (Hey, pay attention to me, I'm right here!), or she may just have a "Huff! Fine, be that way! Stupid virgin, it's not like I like you or anything."

 

[XenomorphII]

I am going to flip mine. A>B

 

[Kipeci]

Wait, treave, how exactly would we be trying to brush off poison girl in B and C?
And would we try to be relatively nice in A or start being confrontational?

Offending her just seems bad for our health.

 

[treave]

You would just ignore her and walk off. She might get offended, maybe. Or she might be amused and bear you no hard feelings when Muscles McBadass tears your head off in front of the entire hall.

If you are going to try to talk to her, you're going to start off civilly since she doesn't seem to be trying to antagonize you at the moment.

Still, seeing as you're all invited guests of the Manor, you suspect no one is up for causing a public commotion. They have all these eccentrics over every year and the place hasn't blown up after all.

 

[Baltika9]

You would just ignore her and walk off. She might get offended, maybe. Or she might be amused and bear you no hard feelings when Muscles McBadass tears your head off in front of the entire hall.

Yeah, all the options are good, but that guy just makes me want to scream:

He feels like what Jing could become once he gets older, a badass warrior-scholar. I want to establish contact here. Hopefully he'll be sufficiently impressed with our balls that he will at afford us a moment of his time.

 

[TOME]

A

 

[Baltika9]

Put me down for C>B. Bros b4 hos and all.
Never mind, regular C vote.

 

[treave]

The current tally:

A - 7
B - 6
C - 5

***

Taking into account the flops from B to C it could be:

A - 7
B - 4
C - 7

Which would make it a legitimate tie. In this case there won't be any flopping between A and C because they're already at their preferred choices.

***

Taking into account the flops from C to B it could also become:

A - 7
B - 7
C - 4

In this case, C voters could flop to A to break the tie and prevent B from winning, making it

A - 9
B - 7
C - 2

....



Not too sure what to make of this. I will give it some thought.

 

[Baltika9]

Holy crap.
Yeah, maybe we should really stop the "preferential voting" thing, it just makes things confusing.

 

[Esquilax]

Preferential voting should only come into play in the event of a tie. Otherwise it's a fucking mess.

As much as I want to take an ill-advised gamble on chatting with the dangerous warrior who everyone is avoiding, I believe that A rightly has it. We never had a voting system like this in the Epic LP, and for good reason.

 

[treave]

As it is now, I'm using it as an statement of intent to flop should their chosen choice not be selected. It might be that they can't get online in time to change their vote before voting closes. At least now it's a tie, before this it could have turned out in a victory for all three choices depending on who flopped where.

If I take into account the voters' intent this might become simpler? Baltika9 doesn't want A to win, and would therefore not flop to B which would ultimately result in an A victory when the contingency plan for the C > A voters kick in. By remaining at C, it would then lead to a tie between A and C, which is probably the more preferable outcome for him.

...

This is the sort of political voting that should be in a 4x LP.

 

[Baltika9]

Preferential voting should only come into play in the event of a tie.

The whole point of the preferential voting is to avoid "the worst" option from winning (in quotations because everyone considers the options he doesn't individually like as "the worst") not finding the "best" option, so that's where all the crazy flop calculations come in. I engaged in it, but no more, just confuses the whole process and the old system worked best, if anyone is displeased they can just filibuster in person. Butthurt is always going to be present.

 

[treave]

That will result in an A victory once the C > A contingency activates since C now has no chance of winning.

As much as I want to take an ill-advised gamble on chatting with the dangerous warrior who everyone is avoiding, I believe that A rightly has it. We never had a voting system like this in the Epic LP, and for good reason.

Well, it was rather unofficial, but we've always had the 'goddammit you BLIND MORONS C1 is fucking stupid I'll go A5 to stop it from winning' scenes.

This is really the same thing, but in fewer posts.

 

[Baltika9]

How are we going to reach 1000 pages without that?

 

[Bloodshifter]

C

 

[Baltika9]

And since I have zero scruples, C.

 

[treave]

...Alright. You get what you guys asked for. :/

A - 7
B - 4
C - 8 wins

 

[Esquilax]

Ah fuck, I was just about to flop too. Is it too late? I was gonna go A.

Er... how about this, if we don't get our ass beat, I don't flop. If we do get our ass beat, I flop.

 

[treave]

Well, you don't die, there's no permanent harm done, and you do get some measure of respect from every single person there for being bugfuck nuts enough to approach him, so all in all C should work out rather okay, though it's going to increase your visibility.

It'll be just a bit painful, but not to the extent you get a stat penalty for the duration of the conference.

 

[Baltika9]

Ah fuck, I was just about to flop too. Is it too late? I was gonna go A.

Er... how about this, if we don't get our ass beat, I don't flop. If we do get our ass beat, I flop.

Wuss.

 

[Esquilax]

Eh, if it's locked in, it's locked in. Even if it was a bad choice, it would be bad form to change things around. Fuck it, yoloTiger needs to do his thing.

Ah fuck, I was just about to flop too. Is it too late? I was gonna go A.

Er... how about this, if we don't get our ass beat, I don't flop. If we do get our ass beat, I flop.

Wuss.

I know. I lost heart, bro. I rarely let second-guessing get to me like that once I've really committed to a choice. Next time we have the option to do something utterly fucking insane, I'll convince everyone to vote for it. "Guys, the rift is perfectly safe!!! DON'T BE SUCH FAGGOTS!"