WW XXXXI: With a Twist

[the phantom]

Valier could only shake her head as the village turned against her. Fools! she thought. Don't they recognize when someone is trying to help?

As the villagers closed on her, she drew her Hunting knife and threw it forcefully into their midst. At this nearly every villager rushed her, fearing the further flinging of fast flying blades. But rather than fight she slumped to her knees and accepted the blows that began raining down upon her.

I tried, M'Lord... I tried...

One by one the villagers turned away from Valier's broken body, knowing that they had not lynched a Werewolf. At last only Azaelia remained in the middle of the square, seemingly doubled over in grief.

"Come on, m'dear," said Rikae, walking towards Azaelia. When she reached Azaelia, she placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Hurry, my apprentice. It will be night soon."

But Azaelia did not move. Eomer strode over and shook her slightly. When he released her, she swayed sideways and spilled out onto her side. The villagers gasped. Protruding from Azaelia's chest was Valier's Hunting knife.

"Look at the hilt!" shouted Legate. But there was no need- everyone had spotted it simultaneously. There was a symbol on both sides. They all knew it well, for it was the symbol of Werewolf Hunters everywhere.

And then night arrived, more threatening than ever.

Living-
Aganzir- hangwoman
Boromir88- assistant to the apprentice to Rikae
Eomer of the Rohirrim- gravedigger
Farael- conspiracy theorist
Isabellkya- hen
Kath- milliner
Legate of Amon Lanc- lamp-maker/fiddler
Macalaure- jailer
mormegil- woodsman/carpenter
Nerwen- miller
Rikae- midwife/wise-woman
The Might- shephard
The Saucepan Man- traveling tinker

Dead-
Nogrod, reticent lumberjack- Day 1 lynch victim (WEREWOLF)
Shastanis Althreduin, herbalist- Night 2 wolf slaughter (VILLAGER)
Valier, basket weaver- Day 2 lynch victim (HUNTER)
Azaelia of Willowbottom, apprentice to Rikae- Day 2 Hunter victim (VILLAGER)

IT IS NOW NIGHT 3. YOU MAY NOT POST.

[the phantom]

The village did not sleep peacefully. During the night there was lightning and thunder, but not from the sky. It was in the clouds that had settled around the village. But it was no normal thunder and lightning. The light was brighter, and whiter, and the thunder was the booming of deep voices speaking words of power, and then crashing together. The voice from the outside was assaulting the fog.

The villagers stayed indoors and shook with terror, fearing the outcome of the battle, and hoping that Werewolves would not seek shelter within their homes.

Shortly before dawn a loud howl was heard, followed by a great deal of noise- the shuffling of feet, the breaking of wood, the thump of bodies landing heavily on the ground, but before it all the unmistakable ringing of a sword being drawn from its sheath.

After several minutes of clatter, a loud yelping was heard, as if some beast had been hurt. And then... silence.

As the dawn came, veiled and cool, the villagers emerged from their houses and were met with a surprise.

No one was missing.

"A victory has been had!" cried the voice outside the encompassing smokes.

"Nay!" answered the fog. "It is I who have had the victory this night."

"So say you!" returned the voice.

And the sun rose above the fog, and the village began to speak.

Living-
Aganzir- hangwoman
Boromir88- assistant to the apprentice to Rikae
Eomer of the Rohirrim- gravedigger
Farael- conspiracy theorist
Isabellkya- hen
Kath- milliner
Legate of Amon Lanc- lamp-maker/fiddler
Macalaure- jailer
mormegil- woodsman/carpenter
Nerwen- miller
Rikae- midwife/wise-woman
The Might- shephard
The Saucepan Man- traveling tinker

Dead-
Nogrod, reticent lumberjack- Day 1 lynch victim (WEREWOLF)
Shastanis Althreduin, herbalist- Night 2 wolf slaughter (VILLAGER)
Valier, basket weaver- Day 2 lynch victim (HUNTER)
Azaelia of Willowbottom, apprentice to Rikae- Day 2 Hunter victim (VILLAGER)

IT IS NOW DAY 3. YOU MAY POST.

[Farael]

Hurray for the ranger! If I read the happenings of the night properly, he has defended one of our people successfuly.

I am posting mostly to say that I'm fairly under the weather and my activity level today will probably be low. Now with your excuse I'm going to go away and... craft some conspiracy theories?

[The Saucepan Man]

Day 2 votes:

Valier: ++Aganzir (Aganzir 1)
Legate: ++Valier (Aganzir 1, Valier 1)
Boro: ++morm (Aganzir 1, Valier 1, morm 1)
Valier: --Aganzir, ++Nerwen (Valier 1, morm 1, Nerwen 1)
The Might: ++Eomer (Valier 1, morm 1, Nerwen 1, Eomer 1)
Nerwen: ++Valier (Valier 2, morm 1, Nerwen 1, Eomer 1)
Rikae: ++Valier (Valier 3, morm 1, Nerwen 1, Eomer 1)
SpM: ++Valier (Valier 4, morm 1, Nerwen 1, Eomer 1)
Mac: ++morm (Valier 4, morm 2, Nerwen 1, Eomer 1)
Morm: ++Nerwen (Valier 4, morm 2, Nerwen 2, Eomer 1)
Aganzir: ++Mac (Valier 4, morm 2, Nerwen 2, Eomer 1, Mac 1)
Farael: ++Valier (Valier 5, morm 2, Nerwen 2, Eomer 1, Mac 1)
Isabellkya: ++Nerwen (Valier 5, morm 2, Nerwen 3, Eomer 1, Mac 1)
Eomer: ++Nerwen (Valier 5, morm 2, Nerwen 4, Eomer 1, Mac 1)

Did not vote: Kath, Azaelia

Originally Posted by Farael

Hurray for the ranger! If I read the happenings of the night properly, he has defended one of our people successfuly.

That looks to be what happened, and I hope that you are right, but the phanto-mod is a tricksy one, and the Night's events might be interpreted differently. Unlikely, I admit, but we cannot be absolutely certain.

I am afraid to say that I will not be around much toDay, for I have an appointment with my mind's eye to watch a musical enactment of events many years hence on a stage in a strange place called London. I hope, however, to be back before the deadline and I will be around now for a while yet.

[The Saucepan Man]

A few things that I noticed from the back end of yesterDay:

Originally Posted by Mac

You know, Sauce, until now you were the one I considered to look most innocent. And now you put me on the top of your suspect list (even though you voted Valier) based on that - a possibility? You can't be serious...

Yes, indeed, it was a possibility. But, to my mind, there are no probabilities just yet, only possibilities. And it seemed the most likely to me out of a range of possibilities. As I explained at the time, I voted for Valier because I didn't see much prospect of my top suspect (you) being lynched and I wanted my vote to count. Hmm, who else didn't vote for their top suspect? Ah yes, it was you, wasn't it?

Originally Posted by Mac

It's funny that all the people who keep on suspecting me don't dare to put their money where their mouths are.

The way that I am thinking at the moment, I might just take you up on that dare toDay.

Originally Posted by Nerwen

Would anyone consider switching to Valier now, in case Kath jumps in and finishes me off?

What are we to make of Nerwen's plea here, just after the deadline? Is it indicative of guilt, innocence, or neither? It sounds genuine to me, but it may well have been a bluff. The problem is, Nerwen has been right there in the thick of things in both Day's voting. I think that it was morm who said yesterDay that Nerwen's death might help to make things clearer. It may sound callous, but that is even more the case now, whether she be Wolfish or not.

[Boromir88]

I say we lynch either morm or Isabell today...either one I'd be happy with. If it was up to Me, that is, Another choice may prove to be Catastrophic...

[Isabellkya]

Aren't we a little quick to be attempting a bath in blood so soon after our piece of good fortune Boro? Though I caught what you've done.. and it is a bit strange I must say.

[The Saucepan Man]

Originally Posted by Boro

I say we lynch either morm or Isabell today...either one I'd be happy with.

Care to explain why Boro? I could go either way on both of them, but I have stronger suspects at present.

Originally Posted by Mac

Yes, I was your top suspect before, but at the time you voted, you claimed Valier and I were even.

Actually, as your helpful quote indicates, I said it was a toss up between you. You because you were (are) my top suspect, Valier because she was my second suspect and my vote for her was more likely to count.

Originally Posted by Mac

Also, at the time you voted there were still enough people who were suspicious of me left to vote. Had I really been your top suspect, then a vote for me wouldn't have been in vain. Why are you twisting the facts?

I knew that Aganzir would probably vote for you. But, of those left to vote, it looked to me unlikely that anyone else would. I looked in for the last few minutes up to the deadline and would most likely have switched my vote to you had there been any possibility of lynching you.

I am not twisting the facts. Merely explaining my own thought processes. Why are you so eager to (mis)interpret them? Actually, I should say reinterpret them, as you clearly thought yetserDay that you were top of my suspect list and, on the basis of it, commented on me having voted for Valier instead of you!

[Macalaure]

Originally Posted by SPM

As I explained at the time, I voted for Valier because I didn't see much prospect of my top suspect (you) being lynched and I wanted my vote to count. Hmm, who else didn't vote for their top suspect? Ah yes, it was you, wasn't it?

Hang on, that doesn't coincide with what you said before you voted.

Originally Posted by SPM

Currently, it’s a toss up for me between Mac and Valier.

Yes, I was your top suspect before, but at the time you voted, you claimed Valier and I were even. You gave Valier the nod because of her number of votes, but you suspected her the same as me. Also, at the time you voted there were still enough people who were suspicious of me left to vote. Had I really been your top suspect, then a vote for me wouldn't have been in vain. Why are you twisting the facts?

[Macalaure]

A quick look at the votes

Legate for Valier - an early vote which appears rather confused, but ordo-ishly confused.
Boro for morm - innocentish, I would say.
TM for Eomer- again a confused-looking vote, but in his case I'm not so sure whether innocently or not.
Nerwen - there's not really have the best reasoning behind her vote. But it doesn't look as confused as Legate, so the vote doesn't look exactly good.
Rikae for Valier - the vote which got the waggon up and rolling. Third votes for innocents look bad by default, but would Wolf-Rikae put herself into such a situation? Among morm, Nerwen, and Eomer there must've been another innocent to vote for which would have looked less bad. I'm not sure about Rikae. She bears watching.
SpM for Valier - same as above, a Saucepan Wolf could have easily found someone better to vote for. Still worth watching, though.
morm for Nerwen - Valier's innocence makes morm look better, I think. Another vote for Valier, easy to justify, would have saved him (4-2 at the time). Of course he'd easily be gutsy enough to risk it and not get his hands dirty.
Aganzir for Mac - yes, she goes along with her suspicion, but what she ultimately does is to throw her vote away.
Farael for Valier - if morm or Nerwen are wolves, then Farael likely is one, too. Otherwise, it's just a safe vote. A little suspicious.
Isabell and Eomer for Nerwen - if we only knew Nerwen's role.

No vote that screams wolf, but a lot that are worthy of watching based on them, I think.

[mormegil]

Originally Posted by The Saucepan Man

What are we to make of Nerwen's plea here, just after the deadline? Is it indicative of guilt, innocence, or neither? It sounds genuine to me, but it may well have been a bluff. The problem is, Nerwen has been right there in the thick of things in both Day's voting. I think that it was morm who said yesterDay that Nerwen's death might help to make things clearer. It may sound callous, but that is even more the case now, whether she be Wolfish or not.

Saucie, the way I took it is genuine too, but genuine for a desperate wolf.

Originally Posted by Boro

I say we lynch either morm or Isabell today...either one I'd be happy with. If it was up to Me, that is, Another choice may prove to be Catastrophic...

I don't remember you bringing up Isabell yesterday...I haven't had a look back though but I think you are on a dangerous course Boromir. You seem to be focusing solely on one person. Of course, that happens to be me which doesn't bother me in that regard but rather it bothers me because you seem unwilling to even entertain the notion that others might be suspicious. I fully believe you are not the seer as if you were you would have dreamt of me and left me alone. As it stands I think you are a crazy innocent on a mission that will prove catastrophic if you continue to persue it because, like I said you are innocent, I believe, too so if you kill me it will increase the suspicion around you and only lead to your ultimate demise.

On that note Boro, I don't feel you've given any real substantive answer as to why you suspect me.