Threads of Fate

Main Match 6: Threads of Fate

The Fates spin the loom of the future, with each Fate taking one piece of the puzzle: spinning, measuring, and cutting. These threads bind you to each other, forging a connection–but one that can be simply snipped away. *snip*

RULES

This game concerns threads. Each thread is formed between two players, one in each realm. In addition, each thread has a source, which is the person who created that thread using their action. There cannot be multiple threads with the same source and recipient; as such, the total number of possible threads is 36, with 18 total pairs. Each thread has a strength, and some threads may be golden. Finally, players collect twine as a resource.

The game takes place over 7 rounds. In each round, players have three possible basic actions they can do. You may do each action at most once in a round (but can do multiple of the actions). The actions are processed in the following order:

• Cut: Select a player in the other realm. All non-golden threads between you and that player are cut. For each such thread, any player who performed a cut or a snip targeting that thread receives twine equal to the strength of the thread divided by the number of such players, rounded up.

• Snip: Select a thread (identified by its source and recipient). If the thread exists, then its strength is reduced by 1. If after all snips, the thread has a nonnegative amount of strength, then you gain 1 twine. Any threads that are snipped to have zero or less strength are destroyed.

• Create: Select a player from the other realm; you cannot ever select one player two rounds more than you selected a different player. (In other words, you select each player once, and then the restriction resets.) If you do not have a thread with them as your recipient, create one with strength 0.

At the end of each round, all extant threads have their strengths increased by 1. Also, if a thread is golden or has strength greater than or equal to the round number (of the round that is ending), then that pair chat is opened for the next round.

After each round, you are told the strength of all extant threads that you created, as well as which players you can communicate with. You also know your amount of twine. In particular, you do not know the strength of threads for which you are the recipient, or which of such threads are golden.

In addition to the basic actions, players may also visit one of the Moirai. Each Moira grants an ability; starting from the round that the player visits her, they can use the ability in any future round (with the exception of Clotho, whose ability can only be used once). Furthermore, players can donate twine to the visited Moira. Upon meeting certain thresholds of twine, the ability is strengthened; the bracketed text is replaced by the version for the highest threshold you met. You may not revisit a Moira.

The six Moirai are as follows. Each Moira has a name, and her ability also has a name; you can submit with either of them.

Clotho

Gilding: When you create a thread, you may specify it to be golden. This golden thread gains [0 extra strength] at the end of each round. This ability may only be used once during the game.

Upgrades:

• 3 twine: [1 extra strength]

• 6 twine: [2 extra strength]

• 10 twine: [3 extra strength]

Nona

Head Start: Begin a counter, X, which starts at 0. You may choose to trigger this ability so that the thread you create this round starts at X strength, and then, X is reset to 0. If you do not do this in a round, [X is increased by 1].

Upgrades:

• 3 twine: [X is increased by 2]

• 6 twine: [X is increased by 3]

• 10 twine: [X is increased by 4]

Lachesis

Boosting: Choose a thread for which you are either the source or recipient. If it exists, its strength [increases by 1]. This occurs before basic actions.

Upgrades:

• 3 twine: [increases by 2]

• 6 twine: [increases by 3]

• 10 twine: [increases by 4]

Decima

Protection: Whenever you are targeted as the source of a snip, then this snip reduces the strength of the string by [1 less]. This cannot make a snip go to negative strength reduction.

Upgrades:

• 3 twine: [2 less]

• 6 twine: [3 less]

• 10 twine: [10 less]

Atropos

Recycling: Whenever you gain twine from cutting or snipping, gain [1 additional twine] for each thread you would gain twine from.

Upgrades:

• 3 twine: [2 additional twine]

• 6 twine: [3 additional twine]

• 10 twine: [3 additional twine, plus the amount of twine you would have gained]

Morta

Stronger Cutters: Whenever you snip, reduce the strength of the string by [1 more].

Upgrades:

• 3 twine: [2 more]

• 6 twine: [4 more]

• 10 twine: [8 more]

The game ends after Round 7. The winning pair of players is the pair with an extant golden thread between them with the highest strength. If there are multiple such pairs, ties are broken as follows:

1) Check the sum of strengths of all golden threads between each pair of players.

2) Check the sum of strengths of all threads between each pair of players.

3) Go back in time until one of these ties is broken.

Each player in the winning pair gains a Token of Life; the member in Hell ascends to Heaven.

Each player also has a goldness value. This is equal to the highest strength that any golden thread attached to them has achieved. The players with the highest goldness value from each realm that haven’t already won are in Heaven next round.

The remaining player in Heaven loses, falls to Hell, and obtains a Mark of Elimination for the next Main Match. The Hell player who didn’t win and has the lowest goldness value is the elimination Candidate.

If there is a tie for goldness value, it is broken as follows;

1) Check the strongest extant golden thread attached to the player.

2) Check the sum of strengths of all golden threads attached to the player.

3) Check the sum of strengths of all threads attached to the player.

4) Go back in time until one of these ties is broken.

Note: The next Main Match is the final Main Match in which a player can ascend to Heaven. In it, the winner of Heaven and the winner of Hell will ascend. Therefore, the Heaven loser of this Main Match will be unable to return to Heaven.

In the next Main Match, there will be 4 players in Heaven and 4 in Hell. In the Main Match after that, there will be 2 players in Heaven and 5 in Hell.

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Addendum: I somehow forgot to write the information you get at the end of each round; this has been edited in.

After each round, you are told the strength of all extant threads that you created, as well as which players you can communicate with. You also know your amount of twine. In particular, you do not know the strength of threads for which you are the recipient, or which of such threads are golden.

Clarification: Decima's ability had a line added.

This cannot make a snip go to negative strength reduction.

Clarification / Addendum: A pair containing a player with a Mark of Elimination is ineligible for the winning condition (highest strength of a thread).

Clarification: You spend twine when you visit, and cannot revisit a Moira. As such, you cannot upgrade a Moira's ability after the round you visit her.