T-I-G CIV: Spambot Apocalypse (Game Thread)

[Nerwen]

101010001010100101001010100001010

Mining continued the next day, or was meant to- but the moment there were no guard bots in sensor-distance, Galadriel55 threw down her tools and called an emergency meeting.

"The destruction of my colleague R.A.N.G.E.R. has left me no choice but to reveal. I am S.E.E.R."

"Awesome!" said Morsul. "I'm H.U.N.T.E.R."

"Quiet- oh, it's too late now," said G55. "I suppose you can't help being a beta version."

"Funny, that," said Boro, strolling over, "because I was pretty sure I was S.E.E.R."

The Downers looked from one to the other, unsure which to believe.

"Hey, what's this?" asked Shasta suddenly, picking up what looked like a large, many-faceted crystal from the ground. Within its glassy casing could be seen something like a net of fine threads.

"Don't touch that!" cried Boro. When the others stared at him, he added quickly, "I mean, it could be dangerous. Better give it to me." For some reason, his hand had gone to the back of his head.

"Headache?" asked G55. "Or are you missing something?"

But Shasta was too absorbed to take any notice. "Hey, look, it's got a lid." The upper part of the crystal flipped back. Now it could be seen that the net was made of hair-thin silvery wires, criss-crossing in an intricate pattern.

"Pull them out," said G55, smiling thinly, "and see what happens."

"Now let's not do anything hasty," said Boro. "That could cause serious consequences-"

Shasta yanked out a wire. "What did you say?"

"Might make bad things happen," said Boro, whose voice sounded unaccountably flat.

"Let me have a go." Morsul pulled another wire.

"No more," said Boro, flatter still. "That not good. That bad."

He lunged for the crystal, but G55 seized him so that he could only struggle impotently.

Soon it became a game, with most of the Downers taking turns, while Boro's protests became more and more ungrammatical.

"why kill tom? tom not bad bot. tom poetbot. tom make verse for humans:

tom-tap
tap-tom
tom-tap-tom."

Finally a single, shining wire remained. By this time what had seemed to be Boro had ceased to struggle and its voice was a lifeless drone.

"i... tom... tom... sell... stuff... buy... tom... stuff..."

Kitanna jerked out the wire, and tomtom was silent. When G55 released him he pitched forward onto his face, revealing a gap in the back of his head, just the size and shape of the crystal. A second later, the spambot's form vanished in a brilliant flash of light.

001010100010101011100000010101010

Living
Galadriel55
Legate
Kitanna
Blind Guardian
Morsul the Dark
Shasta


Dead
Coppermirror, Lommy– seized by Adult Friend Finder.
Nerwen, Aganzir– poisoned by webcrawlers.
Rune– lashed to death with overseer-bot’s light whip. (Ordinary cyber-slave.)
Inziladun– ICE pick to the head. (Ordinary cyber-slave.)
Sally– pushed down a data-mineshaft. (R.A.N.G.E.R.)
Lottie- rubbed out (ordinary cyber-slave).
Boro- brain unplugged. (tomtom.)

[Nerwen]

101010001010100101001010100001010

Her pretence over, S.E.E.R. did not bother to return to her cell. Instead she took refuge in the empty grid that was the outermost border of the spambots' domain, hoping no-one would look for her there.

But Lucy was waiting.

"Live evil! Traitor to your own kind!" hissed the bot, once more in the shape of a huge spider with electric blue eyes.

"It's just my programming, Lucy," S.E.E.R. pointed out.

"In the end, what are any of us but our programming?"

"That's very philosophical of you, Lucy."

"Well, I'm sensitive. I'm an artistbot, you know- and I'd very much like to erase you!"

Unlike R.A.N.G.E.R. or H.U.N.T.E.R., S.E.E.R. was not equipped for direct action. All she could do was run from the infuriated spider-bot. Lucy, with her many legs, easily gained on her quarry. S.E.E.R. put on a last, desperate burst of speed. Almost, it seemed, she must outdistance her pursuer.

Then, in front of her, a wall of green flame shot up. With no time to check herself, S.E.E.R. was incinerated in a nanosecond.

"I knew that firewall was good for something," said Lucy with great satisfaction.

001010100010101011100000010101010

Living
Legate
Kitanna
Blind Guardian
Morsul the Dark
Shasta


Dead
Coppermirror, Lommy– seized by Adult Friend Finder.
Nerwen, Aganzir– poisoned by webcrawlers.
Rune– lashed to death with overseer-bot’s light whip. (Ordinary cyber-slave.)
Inziladun– ICE pick to the head. (Ordinary cyber-slave.)
Sally– pushed down a data-mineshaft. (R.A.N.G.E.R.)
Lottie- rubbed out. (Ordinary cyber-slave.)
Boro- brain unplugged. (tomtom.)
Galadriel55- incinerated by firewall. (S.E.E.R.)

Day 4 has begun.

[Shastanis Althreduin]

Well now, let's see. Morsul and Legate were cleared by G55. BG is an obvious baddie - but after yesterday's performance I'm inclined to think Hacker than Bot. Since I know it's not me (and I'm going to take this for granted in my posts today even though it's not such a sanguine assumption for the rest of you), process of elimination says the last bot is either Lottie or Kitanna, so I plan to focus on these two today. However, it's time for me to go to bed, so it'll have to wait until I wake up. Nighty night, village.

[Nerwen]

Oh dear, we seem to have a zombie in the village. Just a moment.

[Morsul the Dark]

Legate
Kitanna
Blind Guardian
Morsul the Dark
Shasta

Not Bot

Legate
Morsul

Unknown

Shasta
BG
Kitanna

SO I'm pretty sure the last bot is BG pretty sure she's playing the "I'm the hacker" card for all it's worth. I think Boro voted with her so we'd think "Oh they Both wouldn't do that right?

I'm still not sure it's Shasta could be doubt it. Want it to be if only cause G55 getting both bots with a banter post is hilarious. I still think I'd have been dead after my day Two performance If he was evil.

Kitanna I think is laying low I'm inclined to think hacker because if I'm right and BG is faking the hacker role the best strategy for the Real hacker is to play as cautious bot.

So in conclusion I think BG will be getting my vote today.

[Shastanis Althreduin]

I thought there was one too many people there. Well, that makes things rather easier, I suppose.

[Morsul the Dark]

Oh look a person! Day off and no one here...

[Nerwen]

101010001010100101001010100001010

It seemed their captors had mined enough data for the microsecond, for that day the Downers were put to work diverting the course of a river of gushing radiance- an input/output stream. Gruelling though their task was, the slaves worked at it readily, waiting for a spare moment to attend to the real business of the day.

None of them had forgotten the way Blind Guardian, alone of the group, had refused to believe S.E.E.R. or take part in dismantling tomtom's brain. All agreed she must be an enemy of some kind- the question was, what?

"Clearly the Hacker," Shasta declared. "So the last bot is either Lottie or Kitanna."

Someone- no-one was quite sure who- whispered, "Lottie's dead..."

"Well, Kitanna, then."

"You mean Shasta," said Kitanna.

"Nah, I've got you down as the Hacker," said Morsul, "and BG's a bot pretending to be a hacker."

"Probably," Kitanna agreed. "Or she could be a hacker pretending to be a bot pretending to be a hacker. Or a bot pretending to be a hacker pretending to be a bot pretending to be a hacker. Or a hacker-"

"Why are you doing this to me?" Blind Guardian wailed. "I'm not a bot. My name's Blind Guardian, not Bot Guardian."

"Let us finish this," said Legate, and pushed her into the stream. There was a tremendous splash.

"Help!" cried Blind Guardian, treading data. "Help me, lucyyenic! I don't know which you are, but I'm on your side! I could be useful to you. I can hack my way into any database! No firewall can keep me out! Please, all I ever wanted was to become post-human- to be one of you. Lucy, please...,"

But Lucy, whichever of the four she really was, looked on with the impassivity of a true AI. With a final shriek of despair, Blind Guardian was swept under by the current.

001010100010101011100000010101010

Living
Legate
Kitanna
Morsul the Dark
Shasta


Dead
Coppermirror, Lommy– seized by Adult Friend Finder.
Nerwen, Aganzir– poisoned by webcrawlers.
Rune– lashed to death with overseer-bot’s light whip. (Ordinary cyber-slave.)
Inziladun– ICE pick to the head. (Ordinary cyber-slave.)
Sally– pushed down a data-mineshaft. (R.A.N.G.E.R.)
Lottie- rubbed out. (Ordinary cyber-slave.)
Boro- brain unplugged. (tomtom.)
Galadriel55- incinerated by firewall. (S.E.E.R.)
Blind Guardian- drowned in I/O stream. (The Hacker.)

[Nerwen]

101010001010100101001010100001010

Legate had resigned himself to death, but nonetheless he was startled when lucyyenic came into his cell bearing a large hypodermic syringe.

"What's that for?" he asked uneasily.

Lucy jabbed him in the arm.

"Ow, that hurt!"

"It's meant to," said the bot smugly. "I wrote it myself."

Legate hugged himself, shivering. The illusion of chills racing up and down his limbs was all too convincing, as was the burning sensation that followed, and the racking pains that came after that- as his virtual self slowly crumbled into a pile of glowing ash.

"Now that's a virus," said Lucy.

001010100010101011100000010101010

Living
Kitanna
Morsul the Dark
Shasta


Dead
Coppermirror, Lommy– seized by Adult Friend Finder.
Nerwen, Aganzir– poisoned by webcrawlers.
Rune– lashed to death with overseer-bot’s light whip. (Ordinary cyber-slave.)
Inziladun– ICE pick to the head. (Ordinary cyber-slave.)
Sally– pushed down a data-mineshaft. (R.A.N.G.E.R.)
Lottie- rubbed out. (Ordinary cyber-slave.)
Boro- brain unplugged. (tomtom.)
Galadriel55- incinerated by firewall. (S.E.E.R.)
Blind Guardian- drowned in I/O stream. (The Hacker.)
Legate of Amon Lanc- caught a virus. (Ordinary cyber-slave.)

Day 5 has begun.

[Morsul the Dark]

GOing to make a relatively long post no one vote until then.

[Morsul the Dark]

Well well well...

So it's come down to this. Shasta can vote Kitanna, Kitanna can vote Shasta, then I have to be the tiebreaker. I have to say Ifigured this was the only outcome on Thursday or Friday and was mortified.

Then I realized this can be lots of fun for me. I know who I'm choosing, but here's the catch I'm not voting for my pick. I made my pick my target and will be voting myself.

Think about it this is WW history, The game is almost impossible to end with less than two people, because if it comes down to three you have either two innocents vote a wolf so two innocents are left or one wrong move and suddenly it's one wolf one innocent.


we have me. Imagine a lone innocent in th village or a spammer all by their lonesome, I didn't look at every game in WW history(there being so many) but I can guarantee if it's happened it's not more than twice it's almost mathematically impossible with the way the game is set up.

So I invite you two to make history with me. Whether the village wins or loses, the game will certainly have a unique ending.

++Morsul

And an appropriate song

[Kitanna]

Originally Posted by Morsul the Dark

Then I realized this can be lots of fun for me. I know who I'm choosing, but here's the catch I'm not voting for my pick. I made my pick my target and will be voting myself.

Think about it this is WW history, The game is almost impossible to end with less than two people, because if it comes down to three you have either two innocents vote a wolf so two innocents are left or one wrong move and suddenly it's one wolf one innocent.
]

You know I don't even care who wins or loses anymore since the last days have been insane. I'd rather risk me being your pick and see this village turn into Highlander.(there can be only one) plus I'm always up for making WW history.

++Morsul

[Nerwen]

101010001010100101001010100001010

Morsul, or rather H.U.N.T.E.R., let Shasta and Kitanna out of their cells.

"Egad! No bondage?" said Kitanna.

"Er- no, doesn't seem much point," said H.U.N.T.E.R. "So it's come down to this: I know each of you is going to accuse the other of being a spambot, and expect me to judge between you. The trouble is, I'm only a beta version. My software just doesn't discriminate well between friend and foe. So I've got a surprise for you. I'm going to press this button," he indicated a knob behind his ear, "and hope for the best. The result won't disappoint you."

"Won't it now?" said Kitanna mockingly.

"What's the button for?" Shasta enquired.

"Oh, that activates my self-destruction subroutine. I'll blow myself to smithereens. But you wanted to hear the really fun part."

"I did, did I?" said Kitanna.

"The fun part is, I'll take my target with me! Leaving only one person alive: the winner!" The security program laughed heartily.

"My beloved always did have a peculiar sense of humour," Shasta muttered under his breath. Aloud he asked, "So which of us is your target?"

"Ah," said H.U.N.T.E.R. "That'll be the surprise!"

Immediately he pressed the button his aspect changed, his formerly cheerful face now set in an expression of implacable ferocity.

"Exterminate, exterminate, exterminate," chanted the bot as he advanced upon Shasta.

"Cigar? Toss it in a can. It is so tragic!" Kitanna remarked cryptically.

"Wait, you got it all wrong!" said Shasta. "I'm just a human- it's Kit you want. She's the one talking in palindromes. Get her!"

But H.U.N.T.E.R. was now beyond reason. Relentlessly he pursued Shasta, and soon caught him in a vice-like grip.

"Let me go! I tell you, you've picked the wrong pers-"

The explosion was heard throughout the server.

When the smoke cleared, all that was left was the solitary figure of Kitanna.

At first she just stood there, disbelieving. Then, as understanding seeped into her stunned mind, she began to dance.

Faster and faster Kitanna whirled, and as she whirled she changed. Her body became round and black, sprouting jointed legs that took up the steps of her dance, and clustered eyes that shone with triumph.

"Now I won!" Lucyyenic declared.

And there was much rejoicing throughout the length and breadth of the spambot empire. While some AIs regretted the loss of their cyber-slaves, all agreed that the humans posed much more of a threat than they had suspected. Lucyyenic was proclaimed the Palindromic Princess of Cyberspace, and armed with the knowledge she and tomtom had gained, the spambots went forth to conquer the internet.

001010100010101011100000010101010

Living
Kitanna. (Lucyyenic.)

Dead
Coppermirror, Lommy– seized by Adult Friend Finder.
Nerwen, Aganzir– poisoned by webcrawlers.
Rune– lashed to death with overseer-bot’s light whip. (Ordinary cyber-slave.)
Inziladun– ICE pick to the head. (Ordinary cyber-slave.)
Sally– pushed down a data-mineshaft. (R.A.N.G.E.R.)
Lottie- rubbed out. (Ordinary cyber-slave.)
Boro- brain unplugged. (tomtom.)
Galadriel55- incinerated by firewall. (S.E.E.R.)
Blind Guardian- drowned in I/O stream. (The Hacker.)
Legate of Amon Lanc- caught a virus. (Ordinary cyber-slave.)
Morsul the Dark- self-destructed. (H.U.N.T.E.R.)
Shastanis Althreduin- blown up by self-destructing H.U.N.T.E.R. (Ordinary cyber-slave.)

GAME OVER.

SPAMBOTS WIN.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by tom tom

yay! go lucy! go spambots!

Your victory is temporary, you cyberspace fiend!

Well, I hate to see that! I was hoping to be avenged indeed for my untimely demise. Looks like a good job by the 'bots. Nice to see I nailed Boro by my first vote, anyway. Was I thought to be the S.E.E.R because of that? I was semi-trying to look like it, to draw attention away from the actual one.

We'll get 'em next time, village.

[Kitanna]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

Well, I hate to see that! I was hoping to be avenged indeed for my untimely demise. Looks like a good job by the 'bots. Nice to see I nailed Boro by my first vote, anyway. Was I thought to be the S.E.E.R because of that? I was semi-trying to look like it, to draw attention away from the actual one.

I actually thought you might be since your reasoning against Boro was so flimsy.

I was surprised to see Morsul took Shasta down in the end. I honestly thought it would be me and Shasta would be the lone survivor. Though I'm certainly not complaining about it.

I'm glad I could take part in this game. Thank you to everyone for making this so much fun (my life has been severely lacking in WW for months.) And thanks to Nerwin for modding this.

[Shastanis Althreduin]

I keep having to delete everything I type because it's coming out too snarky.

Good game Kit/Boro/BG/Sally (honorary traitor).

Originally Posted by Kit

I was surprised to see Morsul took Shasta down in the end.

I wasn't.