Werewolf XLIV: In the House of Tom Bombadil

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Rikae

Not to mention this is, absolutely, my last WW game. Twice now it has seriously interfered with my real life.

Oh please Rikae... This game tends to do it but it's fun anyway.

Ahh... Thanks Dury!

And you were just wonderful mates!!!

[Thinlómien]

Sorry I'll edit it away in minutes, it's a Finnish word for something this forum would censor.

Argharghargh. It was too close.

[Volo]

Originally Posted by Nerwen

Rikae, you got me to put Volo further down my suspect list– and you just made this huge case for voting Menel!

That post of Volo's does look awfully like a gloat, now that you mention it... Oh dear. I think I might have just done something very unfortunate.

If I'd have been gloating, then there wouldn't have been a chance to lynch me anyway, because I would have been a Wolf and thus a winner, because thus Menel would have been Innocent.

Hope that he's not Innocent. Though I don't believe we could really win even if Menel is a Wolf. We would need to survive still two Days by the method of the coin flip, if you get my point.

Xing with everything since #508 because at least there you are making fools of yourselves. :/

[Mithalwen]

++Nogrod

[Thinlómien]

It doesn't matter Mith as Dury was a wolf. Well, at least I can claim catching her and Nogrod, although I was not the only one to do so.

[Rikae]

Congratulations, Durelin, Nogrod & Volo.


I can't believe I caught two wolves and voted for neither. Well, that has to be the worst game I have ever played, and the worst village performance I have ever witnessed. Shoot me now.

[Nerwen]

Rikae, I did mention I was going to kill you, didn't I?

Perhaps I should have said I was going to...

EAT YOU!

[Thinlómien]

So Nerwen's a wolf too? You were very good then.

Now, tell us Mr Volo what would you have done in our stead? Why o why did you vote so hastily if you were not a wolf?

[Durelin]

Nerwen's the one that really needs to be congratulated.

[Mithalwen]

Oh I am hopeless. I had decided Dury creeped me out at lunchtime nad thought Nogrod most likely to be keeping me alive...

Sorry .... take this as my official retirement from WW. I am rubbish and it deranges me..... (mainly in the French sense of the word).

[Rikae]

Bah.
Well, at least I didn't defend a Volowolf.

[Volo]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

Paska.

This is quite amusing I must say, especially as I was right about the Wolves at least sometimes.

[Rikae]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

Oh please Rikae... This game tends to do it but it's fun anyway.

No really, I'm serious. If it were alcohol, it would be time to join AA... and besides, I'm bad at it.

[Thinlómien]

I already kicked you Rikae, so I won't shoot you. It probably does not comfort you at all, but at least I was as confused as you were (although I never accused a certain person called Lommy at any phase ).

Rikae, please take the stance I took: laugh at the general poorness of the villagers and the absurdity of the whole game and rejoice that you caught Durelin and Nogrod. It feels nicer that way.

[Nogrod]

I must say that most of the times I've been a wolf it has been quite unpleasant. I have always loved the role of the ordo - or that of the cobbler!

But this was just phenomenal! Nerwen and Dury were just great! *bows down*

And yes we took a pile of risks as we went forwards with our kills fex. but in the end they paid off and made the game just totally nerve-wrecking!

Sorry to gloat but it was so close indeed toDay...

And even if you ordos might disagree right now I must say that the capability of the innocents to make conclusions is slightly better in a game with no gifteds. You were so near so many times!

Kudos especially to Rikae, Lommy, Volo and Menel for great spotting!

[Rikae]

I wouldn't be dissuaded only by a lost game. It's not worth the RL cost anymore, though.

Anyway, well played wolves (especially Nerwen, who still looked innocent toDay...)

[Thinlómien]

Rikae and Mith you just can't quit!

You were both good regardless of doing some mistakes.

I didn't play particularily well but I'm not going to let that dampen my spirits and i think you should do so too.

Actually I feel like gloating even though we lost. I mean, although I was totally confused for most of the game, I managed to get two of the wolves in the end. Not bad. Now I don't need to skip the next games maybe.

Although seriously, some sort of pause would possibly do good for me.

[Durelin]

I kind of feel like returning to WW was a mistake, from Rikae and Mith's reactions...

I thought was done for toDay...well, I thought either Nogrod or I would get it toDay and the other tomorrow, and then Nerwen would skate by to the end...hopefully.

[Nerwen]

Yes, you guys were scaring the hell out of me toDay, you got that close.

[Thinlómien]

Hope that's not a final decision, Rikae.

*goes off to delete the pask-word*

[Durelin]

I just realized that statement in my last post sounded rather...egotistical. What I meant was that I wanted to come back to a game that was generally fun, and apparently it was not...

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Rikae

No really, I'm serious. If it were alcohol, it would be time to join AA... and besides, I'm bad at it.

The thing with AA you might be right about but you're pretty good in this. I mean one of the best I've seen. But it does happen one gets things wrong every now and then or isn't secure enough to go for what one thinks is right.

I know we went for the nerve-wrecking game in purpose during the Nights but I'm a bit worried as so many people have now declared that they are fools or not going to stand the excitement any more.

A game this is, after all. I've lost so many times and been wrong so many times I can't give you the count of them.

But surely this should be done only so far as it's fun. I hope you find your fun to this after a short while again.

[Volo]

What do I learn once again? To trust my suspicions and points made before the actual moment. In Noggie's game I suspected Mac strongly at one point, but dropped it. Now Nerwen.

Lommy's right, might as well gloat a bit, as Dury and Nogrod were my mains in the end and Nerwen still a possibility, or at least I didn't suspect anybody else much more.

Congratulations! You were great Wolves, and Innocents too! Rikae, it was a pleasure to play alongside (or behindside) you!

[Thinlómien]

Durelin, it was good that you returned to ww even though you were all too evil...

[Thinlómien]

I actually liked this game a lot. I enjoyed it except for one phase toDay and it returned my confidence in my wits and gut-feelings at the last minute and quite from around the corner.

Not that it will probably bother you at all since you won, but had you not killed Greenie, I would have been far more confused.

[Mithalwen]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

Rikae and Mith you just can't quit!

.

I wasn't - I haven't had a good game for yonks. I really can't play whne I have no access at home and am spending 10hrs a day at work and commuting even if I get to leave on time.

I mostly only play if people I feel an obligation to ask me so please if you like me at all please don't ask me to play. I would have given up ages ago if I hadn't wanted to mod again and with Ang absent our joint venture will probably never happen.

I really don't think I participated enough and I feel I let you all down so it is better if I retire at least untill my circumstances are different.

As I said, if you care for me at all you will respect this. I will soon sign up if I am in the right mood and have time.

[Volo]

Nogrod pretty much summed it!

It's the art of swallowing one's mistakes and embarrassment!

...and I have noticed that it's quite annoying when people say that they're no good, because they're always better than somebody else, from the perspective of the somebody else.

[Nerwen]

Once again, the village actually did really well– I knew Dury had given up from the way she started attacking me late in the Day...

...but it did give me great pleasure to say this:

Originally Posted by Nerwen

I just think the whole village has been played for fools (village idiots?) all along.

and this:

Originally Posted by Nerwen

All right, then–

++Menel.

And Rikae– if you're wrong about him, I swear I will kill you.

Nothing like using a bit of double-speak to have a secret gloat while the game's still in progress...

[Thinlómien]

Very well understood Mith , now try to get your circumstances better, and quick.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Durelin

I wanted to come back to a game that was generally fun, and apparently it was not...

Others may speak for themselves but what I understood from Rikae's comments was that this just takes a bit too much of the time and energy (I do agree with the verdict indeed as I'd need to be reading essays for tomorrow right now and will end up reading them up late night) as it's so addictive you can't let go or play less...

[Mithalwen]

Dury - don't take it personally - I am just seriously overstretched and hate letting people down.

And I can cope with losing but I hate being so useless..especially since people seem to think I should be good. I can't remember the last time I spotted a wolf in time.

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

And I can cope with losing but I hate being so useless..especially since people seem to think I should be good. I can't remember the last time I spotted a wolf in time.

No pressure. I actually know how that feels, that's close to how I felt when Rikae (and Mac...?) complained to me that I'm suspiciously trying to deceive the villagers when I did not place myself in the good experienced loudmouth players -category....

My apologies to Menel who ended up being the scapegoat, as always...

[Durelin]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

Others may speak for themselves but what I understood from Rikae's comments was that this just takes a bit too much of the time and energy (I do agree with the verdict indeed as I'd need to be reading essays for tomorrow right now and will end up reading them up late night) as it's so addictive you can't let go or play less...

Yeah...which I quite agree with because it has kept me from starting on either my paper or presentation, and from working on my programming homework, and from reading for my lit class...

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

My apologies to Menel who ended up being the scapegoat, as always...

That was indeed bad! Sorry Menel. Before Rikae and Volo voted for him I had already decided that I should be very reluctant to vote for him toDay (after Rikae had suggested it) so that if I was to go toDay and found out a wolf you would have then toMorrow gathered that my reluctance speaks against him and thence you would have lynched him as an innocent and I would have thus helped my packmates from behind the grave...

[Durelin]

Exactly what I tried a little to do, too, Nog. XD Yes - sorry, Menel!

[Rikae]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

Others may speak for themselves but what I understood from Rikae's comments was that this just takes a bit too much of the time and energy (I do agree with the verdict indeed as I'd need to be reading essays for tomorrow right now and will end up reading them up late night) as it's so addictive you can't let go or play less...

Yep, the time and energy it takes (this time when I could least spare it), along with the inadvisability of playing a game involving deceit and accusations against one's fiancé.

By the way, Nogrod, I didn't vote you, although I thought you looked as wolvish as Menel, because I wanted to keep what I thought was the more talkative of the "two wolves" around for a more interesting Day 5.

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

That was indeed bad! Sorry Menel. Before Rikae and Volo voted for him I had already decided that I should be very reluctant to vote for him toDay (after Rikae had suggested it) so that if I was to go toDay and found out a wolf you would have then toMorrow gathered that my reluctance speaks against him and thence you would have lynched him as an innocent and I would have thus helped my packmates from behind the grave...

I would probably have fallen for that, had last minute doubts and voted him anyway...

I know what people are talking about when they're complaining about this and RL. I actually half-dreaded what will happen later this week if the game is still going on as I have quite a lot of school things to do as well as other stuff and guests coming to see us...

[Mithalwen]

I am as bad as anyone but having modded, I would like ot apologise to Agan for preempting her dramatic moment.... this isn't really fair guys...

[Aganzir]

The atmosphere in the house was rather depressed. The beggars knew that this was their last chance to kill a wolf, otherwise they would all die. Volo lost his hope already in the morning, and when evening drew near, several others followed his example.

”If we don't lynch a wolf now, I deserve a public flogging!” said Rikae.

”This has been a disaster. We've been played for fools,” sighed Nerwen.

Lommy and Durelin only looked depressed. Menel was still sorry about his brother's death – or innocence.

Maybe the pressure and frustration was too much. Maybe having spent four days under the same roof was too much. Suddenly Lommy and Nogrod attacked each other. It might have ended badly, but luckily the beggars had some buckets of ice-cold water near-hand, which they could now throw upon the fighters. That had a queer effect on them. They had been boiling over; now they became cold and sensible. Lommy found a sweet bubblegum somewhere and started chewing. Quickly, she was her cheerful old self again.

Finally, the sun was beginning to set. It was time to vote.

”To whatever end,” said Rikae.

”For best or worst,” said Volo.

”If Menel isn't a wolf, I promise I will kill you,” said Nerwen.

”Not that this is going to do any difference,” said Menel.

”May the force be with us,” said Nogrod.

”Let the chance be on our side,” said Lommy.

”Sorry,” said Durelin.

And Mith only voted.

**

Poor little Meneltarmacil stood alone. More than half of the beggars had turned against him.

Rikae turned to speak to him. ”Little Menel, do you like building snowmen?”

”Yes... But isn't it too cold for it? There isn't the right type of snow.”

”It doesn't matter,” said Volo, ”there's the snow and you are the man.”

Menel looked unsure. ”Err, I'm not sure if I want to try that.”

”Let's go now,” said Nerwen and took Menel by hand. Nogrod put on the coat that was hanging on the coatrack and followed them out. The other beggars followed silently.

”Stand still, laddy,” said Nerwen. Menel had no chance but to obey. Rikae, Volo, Nerwen and Nogrod started to heap snow around him.

Menel's legs were now covered by snow.

”Mummy, I'm cold,” he said helplessly. But all Mith could do was to stand where she was, watching the last living member of her family slowly being killed, and curse the thing that is called 'democracy.'

Menel's chest was now covered by snow.

”Mummy, I can't move my hands,” he said helplessly.

Menel's mouth was now covered by snow.

”Mummy, it's hard to breathe!” his scream was muffled by the snow.

”Does anyone have a carrot?” asked Nogrod.

”Here you are.” Durelin stepped forward, smiling, and put it where Menel's nose had been.

The night fell.

The beggars stood shivering.

Death pattered out softly. ”It is time.”

**

It was not called the Old Forest without reason, for it was indeed ancient, a survivor of vast forgotten woods; and in it there lived yet, ageing no quicker than the hills, the fathers of the fathers of the trees, remembering times when they were lords. The countless years had filled them with pride and rooted wisdom, and with malice. But none were more dangerous than the Great Willow: his heart was rotten, but his strength was green; and he was cunning, and a master of winds, and his song ran through the woods on both sides of the river. His grey thirsty spirit drew power out of the earth and spread like fine root-threads in the ground, and invisible twig-fingers in the air, till it had under its dominion nearly all the trees of the Forest from the Hedge to the Downs.

**

Rikae, Mithalwen, Volo and Thinlómien were standing by the gigantic tree. Three white wolves were standing behind them.

Death spoke.

”Awake, Willow-man! I have brought you the pay for a permission to go through your forest! Take these humans as my sacrifice to you!”

And the beggars were swallowed by hungry earth, and the whole wood was silent.

**

A few days later, the Shire was attacked from two directions. The first wolves crossed the frozen Brandywine river, but while the Hobbits were fighting against them, the main force came from behind the Hedge, from the Forest, and swept over the Shire.

Soon they were already plundering the southern lands.

**

Alive:
Nogrod the Agreeable, the leader of the beggars
his wife, Nerwen
Durelin, Rikae's widow

Dead:
Tom Bombadil (ranger) - killed on Night 1
Goldberry (seer) - killed on Night 1
The Barrow-wight (hunter) - killed on Night 1
Gwathagor, the child of Nogrod and Nerwen (ordo) - used as a battering ram on Day 1
Sally the Insufferable, a slightly mad crippled woman (ordo) - skinned, scalped and made to clothes on Night 2
the Right Honourable McCaber, Volo's child (ordo) - drowned in the Withywindle on Day 2
THE Ka, a blind old woman (ordo) - poisoned with carbon monoxide & throat slit open on Night 3
Boromir88 the Silent One, Mith's husband, Mac & Menel's father, an ex-pickpocket (ordo) - accused unjustly and carried away against his will by annoying trees at the beginning of Day 3
Macalaure the Guileless, Mith & Boro's son (ordo) - fell in snowball fight on Day 3
A Little Green, Lommy's little sister (ordo) - deceived by a big bad wolf and eaten on Night 4
Meneltarmacil, Mith & Boro's son (ordo) - died as a snowman on Day 4
Rikae the Kind, Durelin's wife - fed to Old Man Willow on Day 4
Mithalwen the Perpetually Sane and Serene, Boro's widow - fed to Old Man Willow on Day 4
Volo, a young widowed man - fed to Old Man Willow on Day 4
orphaned little Thinlómien - fed to Old Man Willow on Day 4

The game is over. The wolves win. Congratulations!

[Thinlómien]

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

I am as bad as anyone but having modded, I would like ot apologise to Agan for preempting her dramatic moment.... this isn't really fair guys...

What? Surely it's not your fault we did not end up having a fifty-fifty situation...