WWJ III - Nan Qualinmerë: Death Wish Valley

[tar-ancalime]

If I was the Seer I'd have dreamed of Mith, Fea, tar-ancalime, Kath...

But then I'm a gallant squire...

Four dreams in only two nights? But that adds up to...good heavens! Two at once?

Ah, the exuberance of youth.

[Gandalf_the _white]

i don't know if i'll be able to get to a computer later so i might vote now i'll probaly vote for ++Wayne
if not posting for a while makes me look suspicious surely the same can be said for him

[Anguirel]

At the moment I am concentrating my sights on Garin and the three Eonwe voters. I mean, it's so suspicious to vote for someone whose name is an anagram of "woe, ne..."

They were, to wit

Mithalwen, Kath and Valesse

Consider Fea an honorary suspect. However, it will be a real shame if she's lynched since she's such a diversion from the ghastliness coalescing around us, so for the moment she gets away with it.

I'm prepared to settle for the resident Goblin Actor but, as some have become a judge of wines, I have become a judge of Waynes and don't particularly believe him guilty this time. Though admittedly hanging him, guilty or not, can be quite satisfying on stressful evenings...

And I'm still not satisfied with Shelob. Despite a fine defence by tar-ancalime.

Garin-An extremely unyielding, doctrinaire approach typical of a wolf but recently whelped, but also of a villager glancing frantically in every direction. The crucial thing about his behaviour yesterday was that he had the bit between his teeth; he stuck to his position. Most of the wolves I've seen tend to be more darting and rapier-like in approach. However, ironically, gathering votes in a retractable village requires far more bloody-minded stubbornness than in a non-retractable village. You no longer have the "my vote is precious and I need to conserve it" excuse. I think he really wanted me down and was hoping to scratch together a bandwagon.

Mithalwen-Her position as the first Eonwe voter absolves her of much opprobrium. She was wrong, but not in a wolvish kind of way-she was taking a shot in the dark and got unlucky, I feel. If she was a wolf she might have bungled it a bit more. Her noble soul doesn't take well to the side of evil and I could imagine her falling into the Eomer ploy.

Kath-converted the Eonwe movement from a possibility to a bandwagon, and did so on the specious grounds of spelling (I agree with her, but I don't think it's a valid argument, otherwise I'd vote for Wayne every day.) Usual technique of quietness; analysis perhaps slightly less deep than usual.

Valesse-made the bandwagon the dominant one. Could just have been in a pressurised innocent mindset. Spat with Eomer still, to her credit, did not lead to a vote for him. For her in particular, an Eonwe vote seems like the lesser of a few weevils...however, reasoning for vote extremely vague. Probably just a frightened villager as far as I can see...

So; I seem to be suspecting Garin, Shelob and Kath most, in that order.

[Garin]

My inexplicable vote for Anguirell quickly followed his/her appeal for everyone to make a random vote. Mind, you Anguirell then placed an unexplained vote for Gandalf I think. Anguirell early participation and a call for random votes could be a perfect cover for a wolf. "After all, don't blame me if an innocent goes down for I was only doing the first day shot in the dark." As far as AbercrombieOfRohan, I apologize for making fun of your name (linking you to a certain brand name) but it seems wolfish of you to call out how inexplicable my vote was when I simply answering a call for unqualified votes by one of our fellow 'villagers.'
I still refuse to cast a retribution vote so I will continue with another 'random' vote.
Ang's defensive reaction to to my calling his/her bluff raises my suspicion a great deal. (Please, note I put random in quotes, intimating irony.)
I can tell you that I am indeed innocent, in fact, I have no special role. All I can do is to wait around and wait for the more idiotic villagers to lynch me or the wolves to feast upon me. I think if the two fur balls have sense my death will be delayed for a few days because I think I have raised the ire of at least one of them.
++Anguirell

[Anguirel]

Was that a bit of negative psychology? I think it may have worked. I suspect you slightly less.

However, you might have placed a bit more stress on the fact that your first vote for me was a random one in accordance with my (pretty flawed) Day 1 strategy. And you were foolish to snap at your detractors later.

You may well be an innocent in deep, icy water of Forochel filled with were-sharks.

Let's play Suspect vs Suspect. Shelob, what do you think of Garin? Garin, what do you think of Shelob?

Oh and by the way, for future reference my name is Anguirel, not Anguirell which sounds too musclebound or Anguriel which sounds too effeminate. And I'm just about male. That alright, Garni m'lady?

[Garin]

I was impressed by Eomer's dialogue. It seemed reasoned an unwolfish. Example:

Shelob, I understand your concerns. However, in my experience, I have found that villages would much rather lynch loudmouths or extremely quiet people, or those who cast outstanding votes. I think the 'safe' posters do get away with it.

There was nothing in Eomer's dialogue that raised my suspicion and I don't see why anyone voted for her. Shelob's vote was not a random vote but a vote against an innocent participating in reasonable dialogue. A veteran innocent, even, and a surefire threat to the wolves.
I suspect Shelob as I look at past posts but will not change my vote just yet although I wish I had changed it yesterday and let Thin go alone. I wasn't following near the end so I awoke to the the unsettling double-lynch. I normally oppose double-lynches and probably would have broke the tie if I had been around.
Actually, now that I look at Ang's vote.
--Anguirel ++Shelob
However Abercrombie is not out of the woods.

[Valesse]

I still refuse to cast a retribution vote so I will continue with another 'random' vote.
...
++Anguirell

How random is that? You voted for Anguirel yesterday.

Maybe I'm just about to see this in a different light, and find your game strategy new and foreign to me? But so soon you change you vote... hmm. Just as citizens speculate Shelob. And here I was thinking I had figured the -- (I'll give you a hint: It rhymes.)

I'm not sure what to think of you, Garin, but I'm doing a great deal of it none-the-less. And if you don't mind my mentioning... Abercrombie is standing right here with the rest of us here fine folks. We're all in the woods together.

[Shelob]

Garin, they're probably harping on you a lot because you voted for Ang right after Ang posted. Had you voted for anyone else then only the early timing of your vote would have drawn notice.

Let's play Suspect vs Suspect. Shelob, what do you think of Garin? Garin, what do you think of Shelob?

Here's another idea, let's play suspect versus accuser, you up for that Mr. Inquisitor?

I wouldn't be averse to drawing attention to myself

Excellent, so now you can't say "but I'm talkative, ergo I'm no wolf". You yourself have said that you wouldn't mind drawing attention.

At the moment I am concentrating my sights on Garin and the three Eonwe voters...I seem to be suspecting Garin, Shelob and Kath most

That was quite the turnaround there, and all in one post. Somehow you've managed to accuse the only person to vote for you, and three who voted for a now known innocent at the begining of your spiel, and by the end have dropped two of those who voted for said innocent while adding me to your list.

[of Fea] that definitively indicts you as a wolf!

And yet she appears nowhere on your later lists, if she's "definitively" a wolf you'd think you'd pay more attention to her. Unless labeling people as wolves has descended to the level of a joke...in which case we may as well give up the hunt now and let the wolves take us all.

If I was the Seer

Actually, it's "If I were", maybe this "definitively indicts you as a wolf!"

no less than two-Thinlomien and Shelob

So once again you've got someone you feel certain is a wolf...and yet later I'm only second on your list of suspicious persons. Tell me, if you're so sure I'm a wolf shouldn't I be first on your list of suspicious people? And wouldn't it make more sense to press other people (Garin for example, since he's now highest on your list, or Fea whom you also said is obviously) a wolf.

Finally, isn't it odd that the two people you've stated are obviously wolves are the two people we're clearly being made to focus on? It seems a little strange to me that you're either dumb enough to fall into that trap, or dumb enough to keep pressuring it, trying to make people believe it, as it were.

Now, now, not to accuse you friend Ang, not directly anyway...but there's enough there for me to feel fine voting for you....


As for Garin, I'll note he fell for it.

but will not change my vote just yet...now that I look at Ang's vote...Abercrombie is not out of the woods.

Three things. Firstly, thanks, "will not change my vote, oh what they hey". Appreciate it. Appreciate more you taking my advice to put more people under pressure. Secondly, Ang's vote? from yesterday? because unless I'm mistaken Ang hasn't voted yet today. Thirdly, where did Abers come from? You'd mentioned her once, with no grand stress to finding her wolfish, and now she's a cantidate for your vote?


Hey, guess when I started typing this? That's right, imediately after post 107, 45 odd minutes ago! At least I've been keeping myself updated on what's happened in said time...

[Anguirel]

Oh fair Shelob, that was beautiful. I'll get back to you on it; eighteen minutes won't do it justice...

[Garin]

Valesse: How random is that? You voted for Anguirel yesterday.

That is why I put random in quotes. It was to note its ironicalness. Yeahh, it's a 'real word,' look it up.
Shelob, maybe I did fall for a lupine trick to change a vote but last time I checked Ang voted for Thin.
Edit: Which was yesterday, and that is what I meant to say. Sorry, if it confused anyone.
Abercrombie voted for me on day one, because she was baffled by my vote for Ang.
I didn't care for her reasoning, and since I KNOW I'm an untalented, innocent, I suspect any of my detractors.

[Shelob]

So you are going from Yesterdays vote? just to be clear...

And you could fall for the lupine trick whether Ang was a wolf or no, he could still just be another innocent who fell for it too...in any case you voted in the most immediate-gut-reaction way possible...though admitedly after voting and retracting said vote for Ang.

[Anguirel]

Originally Posted by Shelob

Here's another idea, let's play suspect versus accuser, you up for that Mr. Inquisitor?

Try me. Oh, you have!

Originally Posted by Shelob

Excellent, so now you can't say "but I'm talkative, ergo I'm no wolf". You yourself have said that you wouldn't mind drawing attention.

That's what I said, oh wondrous passing fair maiden.

Originally Posted by Shelob

That was quite the turnaround there, and all in one post. Somehow you've managed to accuse the only person to vote for you, and three who voted for a now known innocent at the begining of your spiel, and by the end have dropped two of those who voted for said innocent while adding me to your list.

My posting is not the result of painstaking thought. It is thought. If I did not turn around, I'd be awfully narrow-minded.

It's true that my unease about Garin was heavily loaded. It's also true I admitted it was from the outset.

And as for you, I had you pinned as a target to be spun at a rather earlier stage. After seeing your rather hysterical first post of the day. Not at all like this incisive little masterpiece. I'm much easier with give-and-take than weep-and-sigh.

As for effectively dropping off two Eonwe voters, that was the whole point of the analysis! To see who was the most worth watching out of that three. I thought Mith and Valesse more innocuous looking, and said so.

Originally Posted by Shelob

And yet [Fea] appears nowhere on your later lists, if she's "definitively" a wolf you'd think you'd pay more attention to her. Unless labeling people as wolves has descended to the level of a joke...in which case we may as well give up the hunt now and let the wolves take us all.

Our valiant Ranger/Doctor said "Laughter is the best medicine" before he died. Rest assured that Fea and I are taking nothing we say to each other seriously. That won't stop us denouncing on its basis, of course...

The great shame about Eomer's death was that we lost one of the village's most adept joke-takers. The wolf who murdered him must have been a real killjoy.

After that you sink so low as to insult my grammar. As I said regarding Kath, such points are cheap and futile.

Originally Posted by Shelob

So once again you've got someone you feel certain is a wolf...and yet later I'm only second on your list of suspicious persons. Tell me, if you're so sure I'm a wolf shouldn't I be first on your list of suspicious people? And wouldn't it make more sense to press other people (Garin for example, since he's now highest on your list, or Fea whom you also said is obviously) a wolf.

Of course I'm not certain you're a wolf. Who do you think I am? Some kind of...Seer?! But don't slip into defensiveness madam. Keep it cool. It suits you far better. As for pressing the others;

a. I am prodding Garin
b. Fea-Definitive-Wolf was a bleeding witticism...not the first time those things land me into the fray
c. You yourself are implicitly criticising me for trying Garin's defences left, right, and centre; here you order me to press the poor varlet. I like your new signature.

Originally Posted by Shelob

Finally, isn't it odd that the two people you've stated are obviously wolves are the two people we're clearly being made to focus on? It seems a little strange to me that you're either dumb enough to fall into that trap, or dumb enough to keep pressuring it, trying to make people believe it, as it were.

That gets at this squire's pride, demoiselle. Double bluffs exist...in fact single bluffs are rather passe at the moment. And there is no way that you can suggest Eomer's demise makes us clearly focus on Garin.

Originally Posted by Shelob

Now, now, not to accuse you friend Ang, not directly anyway...

Of course not.

Originally Posted by shiningly gorgeous Shelob

but there's enough there for me to feel fine voting for you....

But of course.

Originally Posted by Shelob

As for Garin, I'll note he fell for it.

But so, oh fairer than fair, did you. You ended up lashing 'gainst him anyway. I merely oiled a wheel or two.

Now, voting. I enjoyed Suspect vs Suspect, but neither of you have had much success in persuading me you're wolves yet, sadly.

++KATH

See my analysis on the Eonwe crowd for my reasons.

[Shelob]

the third one that you're inexplicably omitting from your analysis is THINLOMIEN!

Because Thin's dead, I was speaking in terms of voting today and taking it for granted that no one would be voting for Thin. Though if you wish to vote for her be my guest, it's possibly the safest vote one could have.

what wolf would hop on a bandwagon WITH ANOTHER WOLF?

A very dumb one so far as I'm concerned. Esp. on the first day when you can basically vote anyway you want. Jumping on a bandwagon's not always the brightest of things, but for a wolf to jump on so soon after another (and remember, whether you think I'd seen Fea's or not there were three votes IN A ROW) is just plain stupid. It draws attention to the wolf who joins on, and the one they're joining. Placing two wolves in danger.

A bandwagonny vote like the one for Eomer yesterday stands out enough on the first day; killing him that very night makes it stand out more.

Which is exactly why it's unlikely that Fea and I are wolves. The Wolves don't want to draw attention to themselves. Instead they want to keep the spotlight-of-death off themselves. So what better way to do that than to shove innocents (and the more the better) into said light.

Quite frankly, If I'm a wolf at this point I probably deserve to die. I would successively managed to get myself into a wonderful position from which, chances are, I'll never recover. However, I'll ask this: DON'T FOCUS ON ME TODAY!

Just don't spend the entire day asking "is she a werewolf?" "does that look suspicous to you?" and so on, ABOUT ME. Kill me later if you want, but if you spend the whole day discussing killing me the real wolves don't have to do anything to hide. Talk about other people, the more the better. Put people under pressure so that wolves are more likely to slip up.

[Shelob]

Tar's was a defence? hmm...maybe I should go fully wake up before continuing, I took it as more stones being slung my way... Appologies then Tar if that's the case.

And in either case, I'm going to go get coffee...or tea...or something...

[Anguirel]

Originally Posted by Shelob

Which is exactly why it's unlikely that Fea and I are wolves. The Wolves don't want to draw attention to themselves. Instead they want to keep the spotlight-of-death off themselves. So what better way to do that than to shove innocents (and the more the better) into said light.

There's a certain amount of personality involved too. I wouldn't be averse to drawing attention to myself even if I was a wereiguana in the employ of the Dunedain Intelligence Services.

[Shelob]

well, arguably there's a difference between "attention" and the "spotlight-of-death". Yesterday Eomer drew alot of attention, but Thin and Eonwe drew the spotlight-of-death. I used attention to mean spotlight-of-death, which isn't really the best way to avoid confusion.

Wereiguana huh? That's an interesting image...

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Originally Posted by Anguirel

There's a certain amount of personality involved too. I wouldn't be averse to drawing attention to myself even if I was a wereiguana in the employ of the Dunedain Intelligence Services.

So true. I'd have no qualms about saying "I'm a wolf. You should lynch me before I kill you all in your sleep and win and yell Mwhahahaha!"

Which is probably a bad thing to say, but it's a good example.

Instead of saying "What would wolves do?", say to yourself "How would so-and-so be acting, do I think, if s/he was a wolf?"

We know each other fairly well in this village... take advantage of it.

In any case, I kind of like Anguirel. Not saying I trust him, but I don't actively distrust him either. Or maybe I'd just like to keep him around in order to acquire more fun new sigs. I think I'm leaning toward the latter.

I still don't like Shelob, though I have no plausible reason for it.

Mithalwen is flying under the radar, but she's got a life, like the rest of us. She's probably just busy. Like me.

[Valesse]

It might be a little ex post facto but Anguirel noticed something I did (about not doing...) before making my vote yesterday. This may serve to get me accused, but its tricksy and disturbing.

In all honesty I voted for Eonwe because of her use of the word "winnow" the very post after I had mentioned it. Mind I don't figure winnow to be a very common word, afterall, and her chosen usage seemed a bit biting. In all it made me feel uncomfortable as if she were trying to frame me for wolvery, something I've seen before in games of this kind.

I had planned to vote for her at that point be decided to watch for anyone else to rouse my suspicions more. Obviously I ended up being wrong.

I'll admit it doesn't sound too innocent of a reason, but there it is. Now what bothers me is Shelob has also used "stones... slung" which was a colloquialism I rewarded for alitteration. Again... this really really bothers me because I see no reason for the original version NOT to be used. I'm paranoid. Very paranoid, but one has to be in these dark times.

Then again... I could be just so smegging awesome everyone wants to sound like me.

Wary as I am, I was wrong last time and for that feel ghastly irresponsible in my voting practice. There are several suspicious people about saying very suspicious things. When I get back from practicing with Wayne (I want this whole mess cleaned up..!) (--I'll be in classes--) I will see what hurt I have just now done to myself, and cast my vote and suspicions.