WW XCVI - The Fell Winter of 2911
 

In the winter of 2911 the snows fell heavy and they fell frequently. A great white blanket covered the Shire. Hobbits of Bridgefields of the Eastfarthing, huddled inside, avoiding the frigid air, and the bitter wind. They had survived winters like this before, they would survive again.

First the food began to run out. Frustrated and hungry tensions ran high. Threats were made and friendships ruined. But they were resolved to survive. Attempting to work together the Hobbits rationed their food to last out the winter, while sending for help.

Then the Brandywine froze. The wolves began sniffing around. Seeing this as an opportunity to ensure their survival three Hobbits struck a deal with the wolves. They sacrifice a fellow village every night and their own families stay safe. This was an easy road to survival.

Do not post here yet

Kitanna grumbled to herself. Waking up in the middle of the night was bad enough. Waking up in the middle of a cold winter's night was even worse. She pulled the blankets over her head and tried to muffle the sounds from outside with a pillow. Who would dream of being out so late? And in this frigid air.

When the hurried whispers outside did not cease Kitanna angrily kicked off the blankets and wrabbed herself in a furlined cloak. She grabbed an umbrella from next to the door. She'd show those good-for-nothings a thing or two about waking someone up in the middle of the night.

She flung the door open, pausing when she caught wind of the conversation. “We had a deal, now come on, Kit's asleep, there's no better time.”

“What if she wakes up?”

“What if indeed!” Kitanna cried brandishing her umbrella. “What are you three up to?” No answer was forth coming. “Come now! Get your butts on home and go to bed!”

One of the night whisperers came up to Kit, hands behind his back. In one quick motion Kitanna felt the pang of defeat. The whisperer dropped his frying pan into the snow, they could come back for it later. “Let's throw her body onto the Brandywine. The wolves are waiting.”

~*~*~

The village was gathered in Inzil's tavern. They'd continue deliberating about the food shortage. Kitanna and Aganzir still hadn't arrived. Everyone was getting impatient.

“We should just start without them!” Nogrod folded his arms across his chest. His foul mood worsened with each passing minute.

“Give them another minute,” Nerwen said. “Kit's always late and I'm sure Aganzir is with her.”

The door to the tavern opened. A snow covered Agan came in. She dropped a bloody cloak onto the nearest table. “We have a problem. The wolves got to Kitanna.”

“How?” Kath nearly jumped from her seat in a panic. Her hands twisting nervously. “We've kept a close watch on the borders. Nothing has gotten through!”

“Well she wouldn't have just wandered out after dark to be attacked.” Shasta snapped. “Someone would have had to drag her out!”

“You fiends!” Glirdan yelled. “Selfish fiends. You got rid of Kit so you could have more food for yourself!”

The fingers were pointed, the accusations thrown. Some Hobbits were dragging their neighbors into the cold and letting the wolves take them.

Day 1 Begins

The Dead
Kitanna – Umbrella wielder

The Living
Shasta - Village Chandler
Menel - Traveling Salesman
Glirdan - Traveling Thespian
G55 - Little Red Riding Hood
Nerwen - Maid at Inzil's
Legate - Local Bard
Pitchwife - Village Shopkeep
Nogrod - Retired Barkeep
Lommy – Local Cooper
Inzil - Village Barkeep
Aganzir - Herbalist
Sally - Town Bicycle
Kath - Woodsmith with the gammy leg

*points fingers* *throws accusations* Who killed Kit? :mad: *gives everyone a harsh stare*

No ridiculous suspicion list from me this time.

But I still have the first post!

No Hobbit has ever killed another on purpose before! What have we come to!

If you murderers are that savage already, you ought to get on out in the cold with your wolf friends!

There. End obligatory IC. ;)

O tempora, o mores! Only a few days ago a couple of urchins tried to steal my golden dragon claw right from the counter - meaning to sell it for food, no doubt. (Granted, it's really just a cockerel's foot with some gold paint, but still, it makes a nice decoration.) And now this! That any hobbit should sink so low as to make common cause with murdering beasts... [etc.etc., insert verbose IC lament which I won't bore you by typing out]

* * *

With that out of the way, who of us three is most likely to be a wolf? Gal55 for ostentatious hard stares and furious smiley, so furious about Kit's death that she couldn't possibly have had a hand in it? Zil for self-consciously lampshading his IC post (which wasn't even terribly IC)? Me for inventing silly points against the other two (and being a hypocrite to boot)? Discuss.

All? :p

Well, there was very little activity here so far. I got to go write an exam, but I'll be back in a few hours. I hope more people show up!

Hiya all. Pitch, I suggest adding me to your suspicion list, for making the obligatory "sorry Day1 will be crappy for me but I'll be around more on Day2" post. In other words, I was pretty ill all weekend and I still don't feel at my sharpest right now (plus I might still have guests coming to entertain me) so I'm not sure how much I will be around this evening, and during the latter half of the day I will be sleeping and at work... Keeping an eye on the thread.

edit: apparently xed with Gal

Oh dear, if I'd known this would have happened, I'd have returned to Bree-land at once. Now I'm stuck in a tavern in an unfamiliar town with people bent on lynching anyone who looks vaguely suspicious.

In any case, I suggest that if we have had no luck for the next few days and innocents die instead of wolves, we look at those who have been pushing them to their deaths. The most dangerous werewolf is an influential one, after all.

Also, would anyone care to buy a magic amulet that scares off werewolves*? It's only 10 shiremarks and works like a charm.

*conveniently unmentioned note: may not really be magic, use at own risk

Thirteen hobbits on the wall,
who's the wolf among them all,
gotta catch 'em all.

(/end of obligatory IC)

***

I must unfortunately second Lommy, since toDay will be even worse for me. I have two exams right after each other tomorrow, and they are right before the DL (or almost. If I am right in counting the clock and the DL is 2 PM my time, then I should be able to appear just before it, but I probably won't be able to proofread the whole thread - or, depending on its size). Anyway, even in general because of this I don't know how much I will be around toDay, I'll probably pop in still in a couple of hours, but then nothing for a long time until DL. In other words, my performance toDay will be close to zero, but better than nothing, I guess.

So far, there's probably nothing much to react to, but I guess there is still time. If I was supposed to call anything suspicious, then it's the low to no-content from Zil and Pitch, being the players they are, I'd have maybe expected the two of them to be more... hmm... serious. But there's hardly anything much more this far.

EDIT: x-ed with Menel.

Ok prior warning - I'll be voting very early! Like about half the Day early. So if for any reason I've not voted by 11pm I'm very unlikely to turn back up.

Can we boost discussion toDay a bit somehow? Perhaps some conversation about the roles? This cobbler role is really interesting and I missed some of the discussion on it. If the cobbler chooses the Seer or the Ranger and thus disrupts their role - presumably the narration is going to say that the Seer didn't dream or the Ranger didn't protect. Will it be clear that this is due to the Cobbler - meaning the Cobbler will know the role of the person they picked?

A nice list
 

GUILTY
Pitchwife - Fake golden dragon claw on the counter? I can't see a way this does not scream "Get your fancy footwear from me!" Aaand he's 'a hypocrite to boot'!
Legate - Six lines about his incapacity to post, three about the concerning lack of seriousness on Pitch and Zilly's part.
Inzil - two lines of 'obligatory IC'. Why is IC obligatory? He's a conformist and tries to avoid suspicion by behaving in a way you 'should' behave.
Kath - Ooh Kath wants to talk about the cobbler! There's a girl to my liking. I don't think it will be said in the narration though, I think the cobbler will only be notified she hit a gifted. However, who would have a reason to be so interested in the cobbler?
G55 - stares. 'Tis rude.

INNOCENT

EITHER
Lommy - sick person.
Menel - I came up with lots of things to say. They all sounded silly so I deleted them and won't say anything yet.
Shasta
Glirdan
Nerwen
Nog
sally

My my it feels good to be playing again. :cool:

Also, I have chamomile and heather to help you sleep. Mint and maté and ginger if you need an energizer. Medicinal mushrooms for vivid dreams. Wolfberries, herbal compounds and teas. All purchases will be handled with the strictest confidence. Get yours today.

This is kind of obvious - actually, a little too obvious for my taste. Or should it be read as "Hear me, packmates, and keep a low profile while we help the loudmouths lynch each other"?

Actually, what it does scream is "gratuitous Skyrim reference"; but your reading almost makes me wish I were the cobbler and had thought of such a hint.

Agreed about the narration, it's bad enough that the cobbler finds out that his pick is gifted without the narration pointing out the exact role. But I don't think the cobbler xyrself would be so interested in the matter to speculate about it on the thread, if that's what you were insinuating- I suppose xe'd rather clear up the technicalities of xyr role with Modanna behind the scenes.

Hear hear!

I'm no wolf, nor do I help them. The wolves involved in these lynchings need not be particularly loud, nor is every innocent lynched only by wolves.

However, even if innocents are lynching innocents, you can bet that there will be at least one wolf making sure his fellows aren't going to the noose. Whether he is making the major arguments himself or merely reinforcing those made by the gullible, I still expect a wolf or two to be involved when multiple innocents are lynched in a row.

Psh. Never played Skyrim.

Nopes and that's not what I thought. Rather, it would be in the wolves' interest to bring attention to the cobbler. Now it's me who's a hypocrite to boot though, considering my eternal love for discussing the cobbler's role and tactics. ;) But I'm still allowed to accuse everyone else who does it.

I hear they're nutritious. Regular consumption will make you fit enough to fight wolves single-handedly. Would you like to try some?

Elaboration on how the narrative will reflect a block would indeed be useful. I'd also like to add that with the Cobbler's extra abilities this go around, there ought not to be anyone saying something "Leave X be; just a Cobbler".

Meh, I don't see that. Though I've never played with Menel before, I know I've made similar statements as an innocent many times (and been suspected, naturally :rolleyes:).

At least Pitch is vocal. That's useful.

Unless the Cobbler has it in xyr mind to hint to the wolves. After all, xe still has to avoid Night-kill.

x/d with Menel and Agan

Well yes, that's their job description, isn' it? And yes, if innocents are lynched, of course those who pushed the lynch will be questioned; nothing of that is new IMO.

So in a game the defining characteristic of which, compared to other games, is a power boost to the role of the cobbler, wishing to discuss this power and how it affects the game is a sign of wolvery? What else would you like to discuss then?

Thanks, no. I've heard the enhanced fitness may come at the cost of uncontrollable body hair growth.


EDIT: x-ed with Zil

However, if you want something that will make you stronger, I happen to have a bottle of entdraught* that I'll sell for only 20 shiremarks. Doesn't get any cheaper than that!

*Unmentioned note: Actually just Old Forest water mixed with beer.

I get not mentioning whether the Seer dreams or not in the narration. I suppose we just have to assume they do. But if the Ranger misses a protection and the person they were going to protect dies would the narration stay vague or would it specify whether the person didn't die due to a) Ranger protection, b) Cobbler interference or c) Wolvish incompetence.

And, good point about the Cobbler needing to avoid Night-kills. So what happens if the Cobbler gets Night-killed but has named the Seer or Ranger in their nightly pick? Does the pick still go ahead or not?

I take this to mean the narration won't say anything about the cobbler's activities. Otherwise she'd get to know the person's exact role.

And yeah we can't ignore the cobbler but there isn't a lot we can do about her right now either because she'll appear as an ordo to the seer. All the usual rules apply: lynch whoever is suspicious, no matter if you suspect them of furriness or das Schuhmachen.

Yes. We're all wolves (except you who are the self-confessed cobbler), and I'd just like to talk about myself. :p

If the person dies because the cobbler stopped the ranger, she dies and that's it - if there was a narration about the cobbler holding the ranger back in a bear hug, the former would definitely learn which gifted she stopped.
And if the cobbler doesn't stop the ranger and she makes a successful save, I can't see any specific reason not to mention it.

I would imagine it does.

In other words, "If we screw up and kill our cobbler, will we still profit from xyr pick?":D
Never mind what I said above about cobbler discussion in general, who but the wolves would need to worry about that?

Quite. This is probably the only time I will fall away from my usual approach and consider the Cobbler worth lynching when it comes to that. Image the situations of the Seer being revealed, having the last dream among us and being targeted... and so on.

Well, the Cobbler needs to avoid the Night-kills in every game, of course. The new thing is that probably this time around the Wolves care a bit more for the Cobbler than usual, because of the "bonus abilities".

As for the Cobbler's death and the ability still being active, I'd think so. In the Werebear games, for instance, if the Ranger was night-killed e.g. by the Bear but protected a person targeted by the Wolves, she most often still protected the person from the Wolves, even though she died herself. I would say this would be analogical case. Or, technically, just like a non-logical Hunter killing whomever. But maybe the Moddess can clarify.

Speaking of her... shh... Kitanna, you still haven't corrected the typo of "for the rest of the day" in your Cobbler description ;)

Overall - I think I'll try to prepare some very short summary on what I think of people this far. I see the Cobbler-talk has dominated most of the debate, but that's pretty okay, I think. Better than sitting here being mute.

EDIT: x-ed with Agan and Pitch

Obviously. It will be a lot of running in the dark, of course, the Ranger/Seer will know, but that won't help the "common folk" much. But then again, it really does not matter (technically) whether some kill occured because the person wasn't protected or because the Cobbler succeeded in targeting the Ranger - the person is still simply dead. In fact, it might even confuse the WWs - because it will be harder for them to determine the Ranger's identity that way, for example (i.e. they couldn't make conclusions based on who was likely to protect whom etc...)

We know you like nothing more than that.

Hm, good spot. But then again, I think even innocents can speculate on theoretical basis - after all, what else is all this cobbler-pick debate about...

Anyway, so far, many of the people are "no show" and I am afraid I won't be around when the main debate starts. But no can do. I am trying to make as much as I can out of being here now, though of course there is nothing much to work with yet.

Shasta - exactly one of the no show folks
Menel - nothing special this far, I have no intention to get rid of him for no special reason when playing with him after such a long time
Glirdan - no show yet?
G55 - a bit in the beginning, nothing striking about her
Nerwen - again, nothing there
Legate - that's me
Pitchwife - a very nice discussion-starter, interesting digging deep into the Cobbler-issues, one can of course ask whether there isn't some agenda behind it, if he was a Wolf trying to find the Cobbler, then his Kath-spot might be attempt to randomly accuse someone, but if he was a Cobbler fishing for Wolves, not sure if he would start bringing attention to people who could be potential Wolves in his eyes; anyway, interesting persona
Nogrod - I fear of seeing him posting at 5 AM, when I am no longer here...
Lommy – nothing special this far
Inzil - talkative, but hard to make out anything out of that, though I'm somewhat wary
Aganzir - a bit the same case as Pitch, one of the Cob-talkers
Sally - no show...
Kath - ha, actually, I think I am sort of forming an opinion about her - which is most unusual, because normally I have no clue about her whatsoever! She seems in any case very active and interested, in fact, she was one of the main talkers this far... there is an air of genuine interest and activity about her, I'd say.

In any case, those are very preliminary, I mean, it's early Day 1. In general I don't have anybody I would find clearly suspicious or anything, so I hope there will be more overnight (my night) and also that I'll manage to process it before I have to vote...

J'accuse the authorities over the unhappy case of Mr. Dreyfus... oops, wrong time and place. J'accuse the football-games then... in this foul winter? Oops, again... I think I'm not perfectly balanced right now. You know us old guys...

But into reading now, erm... reminiscing about what has been said.

Here's a mug of beer for each of you gentlehobbits– drink deep and drown your sorrows. Don't worry. it's on the house. (Inzil just doesn't know it yet.)

Now, I couldn't help overhearing some of the conversation, and I must say, Menel seems intent on stating the obvious– wolves will try to lynch innocents? You don't say?:rolleyes:


'Course, he's been out of town a good long while on his travels, and has maybe forgotten how we do things here.

X'd with the Retired Barkeep.

I'm popping in before leaving for a couple hours again and commenting as I read.

Hmmm.... ;)

This looks a bit overly defensive/dramatic for my taste. And this:

...is the second time you're stating the obvious.

I don't know your playing style, and it might have changed anyways over your absence, and playing for the first time after a big break can be nervewracking, I guess, but you do sound a bit too concerned.

(Bolding mine)

Ok, I'm seriously hyperventilating right now. My alarm turned on when you said "her". I don't always write both genders, or a cross (like "xe"), but then people usually choose male over female. Why "her"? I can't wave it off as a typo, because you refer as the cobbler like that twice, and in different forms of the word! This makes me wonder about your role, Agan. Considering that, as you said, the seer doesn't differentiate a cobbler from an ordo, who else but the cobbler themself and the Moddess would know the correct gender of that role? What else, but the exact knowledge, could have caused this slip?

Umm, innocents? We don't want the pick to go through!


Edit: xed since #23

I like your paraphrasing well enough. Which means that the way Kath initiated the cobbler talk raised my hackles a tiny bit and you gave words to my feeling.

Not that I'd think our seer is dumb or anything, but she shouldn't forget about the cobbler before revealing if she hasn't targeted her before.

Oh yay, this is one of those villages we can't really even trust the seer because the cobbler appears as an ordo.

Says the one who asked if the ranger can protect two people in a row. :p

I'm off to bed now. I'll pop in and vote before work tomorrow, and if I'm feeling energetic, I may even stay and post for a while.

You mean her role as "Finnish feminist"?;)

Really, I doubt very much whether it could be a slip. Agan's hardly a n00b...

Prediction: Agan will now find me highly suspicious for defending her.

Edit: X'd with Agan.

I think his playing style is nothing out of ordinary. Whether that's a good or a bad thing though, who can tell?

Look at my last post and you'll see I'm also the seer. ;)

NERWEN IS A WOLF! Lynch!

bed->

To be honest, my brain does not work especially as my head is in the wrong fandom (ahem) and I haven't played ww in ages. *complain complain complain*

What stands out to me the most is G55's "case" against Menel. It's almost a schoolbook example of a flimsy Day1 case that gets its maker lynched because it looks wolvish but is innocent ergo I keep thinking G55 is double-bluffing by trying to look too suspicious to be a wolf. :rolleyes:

Noo! They'll drink up me profits! :eek:


Menel has merited a comment for his words, but more than one person homing in on it at once puts one in mind of a pack of salivating beasts eyeing some raw meat.

I seem to recall Agan having a habit of calling the Cobbler "she". Why? Ask the wind why it blows. ;)

x/d with Agan and Lommy

I hope I'm not putting my job on the line when I suggest that my honoured employer check for x-posting next time.:Merisu:

Okay maybe a list will clear my head
 

Around
Menel - for some reason whatever he ever says, I find it suspicious. For this reason, I'm reserving judgement until Day2.
G55 - typical G55 Day1 messing around. To the point that it looks like a cover for something.
Nerwen - is evil as usual. Hopefully just the behaviour not the alignment this time.
Legate - I appreciate his effort to talk. It still doesn't help me much that he talks.
Pitch - fine.
Nog - for some reason, I liked his one-liner. Maybe because I feel like saying j'accuse flu and George R.R. Martin and go to bed to read and sleep instead of playing.
Inzil - after Agan pointed out (in RL) that he's probably again playing at work, his posts haven't made me feel anything else except for amusement. We've yet to see if he's the good cop or the bad cop.
Agan - seems to be enjoying herself.
Kath - confusing role talk. Not sure if anything should be made out of it.

No-shows
Shasta
Sally
Glirdan

Me
Lommy


edit: xed with Nerwen

Or trying the ice with Agan's use of the feminine pronoun? A helpful innocent trying to get discussion going or something else? But it should be noted she does try unlike most of us others and therefore I'd like to give her the benefit of doubt at least this point on D1.

Menel I think just suffers from a long time of not playing and thus states the obvious - but for what reason he thinks it is a good thing to say those things? To make himself look a smart player we wouldn't want to lynch? Now what ios the motivation behind someone coming into a game trying first and foremost stay alive? On the other hand I remember some games from years ago when I think I suspected him quite frequently just because of the way he played so I'm not going to take that clue at least for now any further because of our history.

Now it may be I'm also in a bit of rust, but to me Zil's point about the cobbler needing to avoid Night-kills kind of raised some alarms. I knowperfectly well (been there, done that a few times), yes, that the cobbler has a special problem of staying alive during the Nights, but I didn't "remember" it. So reading it was like, "yes, you have a point there! - wait, I know that actually"...

So maybe I'm just coming into this game more unprepared I should or then Inzil is just so spot on into the game - or then he speaks of things that are close to him this time... Hard to say, as always - and I will not make that a reason to vote him anyway, but will take it as a reason to follow him more closely to be sure.


EDIT: X'd with three last ones...

EDIT: used the expression "benefit of trust" (instead of "doubt")... which I'm not actually sure what it might mean, but probably nothing I mean anyway... :)

Ugh. Migraine. No me for hours. I'll stop in later this evening after I've had some rest. Sorry, everyone.

Okay, going to bed now since my head doesn't work much, I'll be around tomorrow before the DL. Just as the last comment I would like to do a bit of Captain Obviousing and say that since I've just checked the rules and roles and done some maths, we need to be sharp in this game. It is three wolves and a powerful cobbler against nine innocents. The odds could be much better.

Good night and see you around!


edit: xed with poor Sally. Get better!
edit2: am I the only who keeps switching the words in the thread title the other way around? I know, I'm corrupted and should go to bed...

I suppose what I meant was:

If there is a period of three or more Days in which only innocents are lynched, then we should look for a wolf among the most influential people during that time.

Ah. Noted.

Well certainly, if we can spot a pattern of a particular person pushing innocent lynches, that would be something to zero in on.

Typical, I am about to leave and there is a host.

A couple of remarks, really briefly. (alas...)

The case of Agan calling everyone "she" is well-known, so it would hardly raise my eyebrows. But as for G55's vehement case, I can see her becoming intent on exploring some issue like that, so I am not intent to putting much behind either issue. Of course, that said, whoever thinks Agan is not fooling anybody is probably always wrong, but...

More interestingly, what's up with Lommy and Nog suspecting Menel? I think he said what he said just as part of the early banter, where nobody said nothing, and so did he. Then he sort of said that we should turn to the vocal ones if we keep missing our targets (provided the village still exists at that point, I would need to calculate the numbers to figure out, there are not that many of us as Lommy had pointed out), which I think is not so groundbreaking new theory either, but in fact, it is rather sensible. So no problem with that - it even has some substance. I just wonder if this is the thing I remember from ages ago, when Menel was playing and very often he ended up victim of some random accusation. I'd be wary of that, especially on Day 1.

As for Lommy's part at least, she sounds a bit more, hmm, accusatory than usual, but also a bit more confused, so perhaps she just needs to rest and recover (from both the body sickness and the apparent case of Iceandfirobsessionia :) ). I may just as well follow her example. I'll be back before DL, I hope.

EDIT: x-ed with Menel (what I said) and Zil.