WWXXXV: Werewolves among the Wolf-men

[Brinniel]

Brinn sighed and rubbed at his eyes.

"Gil, harsh I may be, but it is only because I am honest. There are better ways to start up the day than by insulting the only person who has spoken.

"Mac, I find it a bit funny you think me slightly suspicious because I actually agree with you on one thing. Surely, you didn't think you'd be the only one to think voting for the silent is a bad idea...because that would be quite absurd.

"When it comes to Shasta, he has contributed very little, and what he has said doesn't scream Guilty to me just yet. While he is most certainly not in the clear, I do not see a good enough reason to vote for him.

"Folks, the sun is setting and Night is near. I must vote soon, and I hope everyone else will do the same."

Brinn pulled his hood tighter around his head as he swatted away pesky mosquitos.

EDIT: X-ed with Nogrod and Rikae

[Nogrod]

"I have some familiarity with this Xyzzy and Isabell. They might be ones that do not take part in our joint effort - and if they die the next Day they will reduce our numbers considerably... We have retractable votes. So please Rikae, consider once again. I'm not trying to pressure you - or anyone, but it's just frustrating when no one speaks when there is only twenty minutes left of the Day.

"Folks, the sun is setting and Night is near. I must vote soon, and I hope everyone else will do the same." Well Brinn, could you share us your ideas about whom to vote and not stay in the shadows?"

Nogrod sighed and took a deep inhale of smoke into his lungs. The sun really was setting.

[Macalaure]

"I agree with Nogrod that, given the quietness in Bar-en-Danwedh of late, we should leave one of the quiet or silent outlaws behind us. Lynching a silent one might mean that we waste a lynching, because the elected one would have been removed one day later anyway. I don't like this idea. I think we fare best with lynching somebody who was there, but said little, and is suspicious at least to a certain degree.

My preference still lies with Shasta.


And, Rikae, if you think I would refrain from voting you out of chivalry, then you do not know this outlaw, my Lady."

[Nogrod]

"Knowing I can retract this I will try to wake you up in another way...

++ Xyzzy

Please speak up my companions! What is it with you?

Give me a better idea if you don't like this..."

EDIT: X'd with Mac...

[Brinniel]

"Well Nogrod, I still disagree with your plan to eliminate the silent ones. They still have time to speak up early toMorrow, and if they do not, then I will consider voting for one. But I will not be so hasty to vote for one toDay when there is no evidence showing that either of them is a wolf.

"I still find tgwbs to be most suspicious for his quick vote for xyzzy, plus his suspicions towards others for strange reasons. Most likely I will vote for him, unless someone can convince me otherwise."

EDIT: X-ed with Mac and Nogrod

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Macalaure

Lynching a silent one might mean that we waste a lynching, because the elected one would have been removed one day later anyway. I don't like this idea.

"Don't you see this my friend? If they are removed after toMorrow and they are innocents, then on Day three which is a critical phase anyhow we have actually less in numbers that we would have if we lynched them ourselves! Why let a curse kill an innocent - or two - if we're not sure whom we lynch ourselves? Just more innocents dying...

Or are you so sure about your instincts / cases as to lynch someone who has at least said something toDay?

I'm all for lynching Shasta, to be sure, but with our numbers I'm not quite sure it's the best choice we have."

[Macalaure]

"I only think that the only way to overcome these beasts is to lynch them. If one of the two is a wolf, she or he will be dead tomorrow anyway. If not, then I would not want to waste lynchings on them, unless I really had no clue at all, which is not the case, for me."

[Brinniel]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

If they are removed after toMorrow and they are innocents, then on Day three which is a critical phase anyhow we have actually less in numbers that we would have if we lynched them ourselves!

"But how can we know for sure? There is always a chance that amnesty is given, and with our small numbers, I wouldn't be surprised.

"I encourage that you retract this vote and vote for someone who actually has reason to be suspicious of.

"It seems few are willing to join me on this and I have seemed to fail to convince you to follow my word, but nevertheless, I am a man of my word:

++tgwbs"

[Nogrod]

"Are you that sure Mac? I can vote Shasta if that is needed. And after all his contribution is not much more than that of Xyzzy or Isabell. I'm just afraid of our numbers going down drastically for Day3..."

[Macalaure]

"Sure I am not, of course, but suspicious enough for a vote. There's always a risk. I'm taking it.

++Shasta"

[Nogrod]

It seems Shasta has gained the two votes first anyway.

Let's see what you say if I join Brinn in this...

-- Xyzzy

++ tgwbs

edit: X'd with Mac again...

[Macalaure]

"Keep in mind that Bellkya or xyzzy still might appear tomorrow."

[Brinniel]

"Does this make a tie?

Then I think Shasta will be lynched..."

[Brinniel]

"No wait...

Shasta has more votes. Sorry, I'm just confusing myself."

Brinn rolls his eyes.

[Nogrod]

"Nope. Shasta will have three votes and tgwbs two."

EDIT: X'd with Brinn.

[Shastanis Althreduin]

Shasta was horrified that everyone could twist the words he made in one remark, and attempt to kill him.

"Well! That's gratitude for you. In sheer self-preservation, I'm going to be forced to vote ++tgwbs, even though I'm not at all sure of his guilt. It seems that I can't say much of anything without seeming suspicious, can I?"

With that, Shasta stormed off, probably to sulk.

[Isabellkya]

Izzy opened her eyelids and looked upon the ceiling of the cave. She traced the subtle lines in the rock with her eyes as she continued to listen to the others discussing the best plan of action.
Their words had infiltrated her slumber, yet that was not what had awoken her. It was the poking of a stick by the grandmotherly old-woman which had finally dragged her from her sleep.

She continued to stare at the rock as she let her thoughts marinate, she was not ready to cast her vote upon another.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

After the echo of the outlaw's last words faded, Shasta raised his head.
"What do you say?" he spoke. "You are going to kill me, innocent, instead of getting rid of the beasts among you?"
"First things first," said Rikae. "I think we decided to make our sleep safer!"
"You- you cannot!" shouted Shasta, standing up and drawing a sword. "You will dare! No dirt-covered outlaw shall judge me!"
"I knew he will make trouble," said Gil-Galad. "But see? He is not one of us! Let's flank him!"
"Do not move," Macalaure spoke to Shasta. "Everyone, surround him! He shall not escape!"
The outlaws reached all for some weapons, but Shasta did not wait. With sword drawn, he gave out a war cry and sprinted forward. Some of the outlaws leapt aside to avoid him, but some turned on him to strike. Right in front of the door, Rikae's staff knocked Shasta to his head and then Gil-Galad and Macalaure fell on him with blades drawn. Shasta's sapphire cloak turned to red. "I curse you, Túrin!" was the last sound that came through his lips, though it was not clear to whom this cry was meant to go.

"Is he dead?" asked Nogrod.
"It seems so," said Brinn, coming closer to the body. "Was he a Werewolf?"

He reached down, and took the hood off Shasta's face. There were several screams among the observers. Shasta's features were not as human as it seemed on first sight. His fair face was the one of Elf-kind.
"An Elf!" cried Lhuna. "Is that not Beleg, one of the Two Captains?"
The crowd came forth to examine the body closer. Mithalwen pointed at a scar at the dead's right cheek. "What is this?" she said. "He has similar on the neck. Look!" Carefully, she took off the dead's cloak. Shasta's body was covered with old scars and wounds.
"What is this?" gasped Gil-Galad.
"He was not a werewolf," said Nogrod. "And that is what should concern us. Those of us who have not slept all the day - " he glanced at xyzzy and Isabellkya - "are surely in need of a rest. Let's leave all questions till tomorrow."

The outlaws slowly walked to their sleeping corners, silent. Túrin, quietly, moved near Beleg. "It was Saeros!" he whispered. "I do not understand it, but it was him!"
"But you killed him?" said Beleg.
"I saw him falling to the chasm," Túrin replied, looking around. "But it was him, I swear. What was he doing here?"
"We may never learn," whispered Beleg. "But sh! No one should notice us."

Another night fell on Amon Rûdh. There was one less of them – but two of Morgoth's servants were still lurking in the halls.

The inhabitants of Amon Rûdh – dead:

Ibun son of Mîm, killed by a Werewolf on Night 1
Shasta alias Saeros, outnumbered and stabbed on Day 1

The inhabitants of Amon Rûdh – living:
Mîm the Petty Dwarf
Rikae
Nogrod
Macalaure
Isabellkya
Brinniel
Lhunardawen
xyzzy
Gil-Galad
the guy who be short
Mithalwen

Night 2 has begun. Outlaws are asleep. Wolves may talk. Túrin and Beleg may talk. Everyone who has something to send to me, please do so.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

It was deep night. Outside Amon Rûdh, above its crowned top, cold moon was shining in the clear sky. But inside the hill, in the vast labyrinth of caves, darkness laid heavily.
Two dark shadows were slowly passing through empty corridors. Two dark shadows in the darkest darkness of Amon Rûdh's deep halls. Their senses found the best way to their target tonight. Their senses lead them towards their prey the best and safest way.
Here it was. They entered the small room, on its further end they sensed the heat of their victim. Unbeknownst to anyone, they neared their prey.

Unbeknownst to anyone?

Suddenly, a bow sang and an arrow pierced the air. The first monster stopped in fear. Twice! That was for the second time in two nights! There was no time to think. Before another projectile could hit them, the two shadows turned and quickly disappeared in the maze of corridors.

Beleg stood silently in the dark for a minute, but then he put his arrow back in the quiver. Good work, he thought to himself. The beasts will surely not return this night. Shame he could not hit one of them. But their evil deed was foiled. "Valar grant me blessings," he muttered to himself. Slowly, he walked out of the room to hide his bow for the Day in a safe place.

Unbeknownst to him, a dark hooded figure with covered lantern in its hands joined him in the corridors. He was being followed.

Túrin woke up. It must have been still night out there, though in the darkness of the tunnels inside Amon Rûdh day or night were not any different. At the moment he awoke, he more felt than saw someone standing above him. He reached for the blade.
"It's me, Beleg," whispered the person.
Túrin put down the sword and sat up. "Something happened?"
"Yes," said Beleg. "I stopped them."
"Good!" said Túrin. "That was a favor, at last. How much time remains till dawn?" he asked.
"Not much," said Beleg. "Have you slept enough?"
"I will take a nap during the day," said Túrin. "In this company, I think nobody notices."
"Sleep for now," said Beleg. "I will as well. We have nothing more to fear this night."

Somewhere in the darkness of far corridors, the dark shadow took Beleg's bow, and disappeared.

The inhabitants of Amon Rûdh – dead:

Ibun son of Mîm, killed by a Werewolf on Night 1
Shasta alias Saeros, outnumbered and stabbed on Day 1

The inhabitants of Amon Rûdh – living:
Mîm the Petty Dwarf
Rikae
Shastanis Althreduin
Nogrod
Macalaure
Isabellkya
Brinniel
Lhunardawen
xyzzy
Gil-Galad
the guy who be short
Mithalwen

Day 2 has begun. Heroes and villains, stop your talking. Outlaws, awake.

[Mithalwen]

Mithalwen awoke to find they were all safe and in the thall of death's counterfeit, Sleep not Death itself.

"It is well" she said to herself, "some benevolent power has protected us this past night it seems - but perchance may not be able to do so tonight. Let our decisions be wise and we may survive". More I will say later but now I will sleep again."

[Nogrod]

Nogrod woke up with the earliest birds who started singing. In haste he counted all the people around him... Thank the Earth, everyone is safe!

He took what was left of his bread and chewed the piece carefully. Now it must have been Turín or this Beleg-elf... But what has happened? My dreams... what on earth do they mean? It was Beleg who stopped the wolves at Night but there was a hooded someone following him as well? And Turín was asleep when Beleg had done his part? So Turín is a sleeper then? And who is this trailer and is s/he the one who took Beleg's bow? And what does that mean? Have we lost our protector while Turín is a sleeper? Cold chills went all the way in his spine as he took a long draught of wine from his skin.

First Nogrod had thought that these were good news but now he was not so certain any more. There was something wicked in all this...

"Wake up my friends! We need to talk now! We have a reason for joy and a gratitude to pay this elven master but we also need to fear a few things..."

edit: X'd with Mith

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

As the first of the Outlaws awoke, Mîm entered the room. "I heard the Men talk," he said. "It is good to hear no one was harmed tonight, yes, Mîm's old eyes are glad to see everyone here," the Dwarf's eyes turned for a short moment to Nogrod as he spoke. "But yesterday was not much lucky, Mîm and lady Mithalwen brought some meat," he held up a dead pheasant, "but that is not enough, not for the big Men."
"Wait! Do you say we should let you leave the mountain once more?" said Gil-Galad, who just came out of one of the corridors. "No way!"
Mîm blinked. "But he kept his word until now," said Mithalwen, turning to the newcomer. "He did not act any suspicious yesterday."
"Maybe he wanted to confuse us," said Gil-Galad, still glaring suspiciously at Mîm. "To let him go out without any guard today, so he can escape."
"But we have to eat something," said Nogrod. "And it is a fact that whether he lies or not, our supplies are quite small."
"Then I shall go with him," said Gil-Galad.
Mithalwen and Nogrod looked at each other. "Well, go then," they said.
Gil-Galad glared at them, looking upset. "All right!" he said. "Damn it! I hoped to sit - or sleep!"
With these words, he turned and followed the smiling Dwarf out of the cavern.

[Nogrod]

As Mith fell back to sleep Nogrod was left alone with the pheasant on the floor where Mîm left it. Nogrod took the pheasant and started plucking it. What else can I do now?... It's not much of a dinner to ten but making a hearty soup or stew might make it suffice... just some taters or whatever and it would be perfect...

He talked aloud his thoughts while preparing the pheasant...

"Like yesterDay I would say that Rikae and Lhuna are innocents and we should pay heed to what they say as they send a preliminary aura of innocence with them. I may change my view on them as the Day goes by but at least for now I'm withholding any judgement on them...

Macalaure and the short-guy I feel a bit unnerved about. Mac's defensiveness & "outsiderness" and tgwbs's over-friendliness both raise alarms with me. I'm wary about them but not exactly keen on lynching them anyway. ..

And if you ask me about my vote-change at the last minute... well I was trying to keep myself alive as tgwbs was my top suspect of those who had spoken and I tried to grant myself yet another Day alive by openly going against him with my vote.

But now I think there is a high possibility that I was the one the wolves were after last Night - or then it was Rikae or Lhuna - other suggestions I just hold too far-fetched if you look at the general way people were suspected on Day1.

The fact that the wolves tried the same person as Beleg was defending mean that we have no sporty wolves here but bloodthirsty wanna-be winners of the game. That kind of loosens my suspicion on Macalaure and tgwbs.

I mean the wolves tried to kill someone who was generally thought innocent and Beleg did make the same deduction! That means our wolves are more likely to be in panic than in control of the things.

So who does this leave us then?"

Nogrod had finished plucking the pheasant and took his knife.

"I'll tell you what I think before I need to make a nap again... darn cave and the curse it has upon us!"

[Nogrod]

Nogrod lit a fire and brought a pot over it. After he had fried the pieces of the pheasant he added some water and herbs to it and then retreated from the fire.

He took Rikae's staff and punched all in turn leniently.

"Someone should take care of the stew as I need some sleep right now... But before I go to sleep I will wish to voice the following thoughts.

On the basis of what you people said yesterDay I would grant both Rikae and Lhuna a benefit of doubt. Because of the last Night's actions I would be willing to grant the same thing to Mac and tgwbs as well. This is subject to change with further voicing out of ideas but at this moment it is what I think.

So what does this leave me with? Brinn I find hard to catch but as his guts turned him to the same conclusion as I did, I'm ready to not suspect him too much. His vote could be seen as a safe one as he made it after a case had been made on tgwbs but anyhow I'm somewhat ready to release him for the time being.

Mith I'm ready to grant a benefit of doubt as well but am more than eager to hear what she has to say about the things so far as she has only being dropping in this far.

This leaves me with Xyzzy, Gil and Isabell. But as it is Day2 already, I'm not at all so keen to lynch the quiet ones - even if I wish to do it in principle... and if Turín is a sleeper...

I know one of the people I have claimed to get my "benefit of doubt" might be a werewolf... I know that. I'd really like to lynch all those who do not give us anything... and not least because of what happened last Night...

And if Xyzzy is not going to be here toDay either, I'd say we might go for him if we don't have any better candidates in the end of the Day. That would keep our numbers better if we make a misjudgement toDay... (if he will be killed anyway?) But if you have good candidates, please bring them forwards.

This is what I can say at this moment... I hope I have something else to chew as I wake up later..."

With that Nogrod gave a twist to the pot and went to his blanket.

[Isabellkya]

Izzy opened her eyes and sat up, upon her bed. She surveyed the sleeping inhabitants and noticed the numbers were the same. She thanked the good protectors, whoever they might be, for keeping watch through the night while they slumbered.

She rose from her bed and stretched her aching muscles. Such deep and long slumber tends to leave the body cramped and not of its full use. She eyed Nogrod near the fire as he settled down to sleep. She quietly strode over to the blaze, and took a seat nearest the cooking pot. She sniffed the contents and quickly wrinkled her nose as she turned away. Her vegetarian nature was not appreciative of pheasant; none the less she kept watch over the pot as she waited for the others to stir and awake.

[Isabellkya]

As Izzy stirred the contents in the pot, her thoughts stewed inside her head as well.
The flames of the fire flickered off Izzy's face as she thought about Beleg and Turin, and the mysterious shadow which had followed Beleg and thus taken his bow. Were Beleg and Turin protectors, only wanting to hide their identities from the wolves. Or were their intentions slightly more sinister, and thus wanting to hide from everyone?

She recalled the discussion the previous day in regards to the quiet outlaws. She agreed that if there were outlaws amongst them who did not want to contribute, they should be left behind. Izzy smiled to herself as she thought about the group of outlaws which they made; outlaws tended to be a bit rebellious by nature; and like herself preferred to live solitary lives. She thought that maybe a drink of ale would loosen the tongues of the quiet ones.

[xyzzy]

To much fanfare, Xyzzy awakens. With a yawn, he jumps up off of the small patch of ground where he had previously been. "So, what did I miss, guys? Did we lynch a wolf?"

A voice from the crowd speaks up: "How did you know there were Werewolves about? You were asleep all yesterday!"

"Well," says Xyzzy, "It was... uh... third person omniscient, specifically... the third-person omniscient voice of... uh, you know."

"Way to break the fourth wall, Xyzzy," says another highly annoyed voice. "Wouldn't want to break the whole roleplaying element by... oh, I've messed it up too, haven't I?"

"I'm a bit suspicious of Guy, simply because my inability to be woken from day one slumber having absolutely nothing to do with my alignment; After all, everyone has schedules which occasionally don't include fighting for their survival; I don't see how that relates to the possibility of me being an evil force.

"Secondly, I'm suspicious of Mith. It's mostly a personal reason, but I'd love to see what Mith has to say about it. It seems another very not good (if that's a good use of the English language, which I must admit is doubtful) person has been masquerading the world by the name Mith, and I want to know if perhaps there's a connection... and by connection, I mean an evil connection."

The mysterious voice speaks up: "Reasons why what you said was stupid: One, it used bad logic, two, it used bad grammar, and three... wel, okay, there is no third reason, but it was stupid, like you are."

Xyzzy walks over to a corner to cry since no one likes him. No one cares.

[Lhunardawen]

A rustling came from the corner Lhuna had called her own. She had stirred at the sound of a man's crying, and scowled. Such an attitude must not be displayed by an outlaw. She walked over to another corner and nudged the huddled man strongly with her foot.

"Stop that noise, xyzzy, or I'll stop it for you. Dare not forget that yesterDay you were useless, and though we understand your reasons for keeping to bed, you have a duty to protect this house and its inhabitants; and the least you can do to carry it out is offer your opinions on the wolves we seek. Learn from Shasta: do not be idle, or some here might think it better to have you killed. The same goes for you, Izzy," she shouted over to the woman at the pot, who jumped in surprise.

Lhuna took a deep breath, and said in a much lighter tone, "There is a lot to be gleaned from yesterDay's events, as well as yesterNight's. The last-minute scramble before Shasta's death, for one, could reveal a few things. And Nogrod does a good thing in trying to analyse Beleg's successful protection of one of our comrades.

"I need some time alone to think, but for now I leave you with this. Gil-galad," he looked towards the man, and just as she suspected he was fast asleep, "as he gave the first vote for Shasta, said this: 'rest in peace my lad, though for the first couple of days, many innocents will probably be lost.' Was this a slip that he knew he was innocent? I could have misunderstood him, but that's my interpretation of it."

No BDers were intended to be offended personally by this post.

[Rikae]

Rikae reclaimed her walking-stick, shaking her head and muttering about impudent young people, and slowly made her way around the room, looking at each person in turn.

"Isabellkya, I don't think I care for the way you imply that the gifteds are against us, or your emphasis on your "vegetarianism" (vegetarian by day, at least, hmmm?). Such things from someone else would point to innocence, but your grandmother was prone to slipping wolf-hints into her speech, if I recall correctly... "

"Lhuna, you also have said something that doesn't sit right with me. Your claim that Gil-Galad knew Shasta was innocent just doesn't seem supported by the quote - it seems quite clear to me that he's saying, as I did, that the chances are high of lynching an innocent. It looks a bit like an attempt, on your part, to focus attention on an easy target who was suspected yesterday - and your sudden change of tone to an aggressive one is also somewhat suspicious. Why change?"

"Gil-Galad did indeed seem a bit 'off' yesterday; but he isn't here to defend himself, and I would like to hear more from him before passing judgement, if possible".

"Xyzzy's words actually seem innocent enough, and I'm inclined to trust Macalaure, Nogrod and Guy for the time being; although Nogrod's comment about the wolves being "desperate" doesn't really make sense to me, since going for those who seem innocent is pretty much standard wolf strategy, as far as I know, and Mac and Guy are, after all, still asleep."

"Mithalwen has not said enough to judge, yet, and as for Brinn - I think lynching him on this day in particular would not be right."

Rikae sank back to the ground, clutching her staff more tightly than before and casting a sharp glance in Nogrod's direction.

[Isabellkya]

Izzy turned her face away from the pot she had been keeping watch over at the grumblings of the woman with the walking stick and others.

'I don't particularly care for or mind your assumptions about my vegetarianism; we outlaws live how we choose to. I particularly don't see the need to injest meat to survive in this land. Our Ancestors' actions from the past bare no weight here. I do not see them here in this cave, trapped in this predicament. Leave the past in the past.

Are Beleg and Turin our chosen protectors/gifteds? Those who creep in the night and keep to the shadows, are usually up to no good.'

Izzy turned her gaze over the others, some still remained in the world of slumber. Her gaze fell upon Nogrod; she reflected how quickly he was to defend his last minute vote change yesterDay.

'By nature, we outlaws are all about self-preservation; however I don't trust Nogrod. Those who have something to hide, are usually quick to the defense. In our current situation, we need to be thinking about the betterment of the group and discussing as such. Rather than looking out solely for ourselves.'

Izzy turned back to the pot and deemed the stew as almost ready. She continued ministrations and let her thoughts swirl once more.



(ooc, I am a vegetarian and my roleplaying will follow thusly.)

Edit: big spaces between paragraphs.

[Brinniel]

Midday was nearing, and Brinn sat on the ground playing with a stick in the dirt as he listened curiously to the others' words. He glanced over in the direction of Isabellkya and xyzzy relieved to see that they had finally awoken and had caught up on the most recent happenings. xyzzy was currently sniffling, which highly annoyed Brinn. As a pause arose in the ongoing discussion, Brinn took the opportunity to sit up straight and speak:

"Well, so far we know xyzzy is nothing but a big baby among toughened outlaws, Isabellkya is a vegetarian, and Gil-Galad is away for the Day. Last Night we were lucky to have no lives lost, but it does little in helping us figure out who the wolves are, except that they are being careful and playing it safe.

"Anyways, to help make sense out of everything, I've drawn up a record of how yesterDay's voting went."

Brinn pointed at where he had drawn in the dirt:

tgwbs: ++xyzzy (xyzzy: 1)
Gil-Galad: ++Shasta (xyzzy: 1, Shasta: 1)
Lhuna: ++Macalaure (xyzzy: 1, Shasta:1, Macalaure: 1)
Rikae: ++Shasta (xyzzy: 1, Shasta: 2, Macalaure: 1)
Nogrod: ++xyzzy (xyzzy: 2, Shasta: 2, Macalaure: 1)
Brinn: ++tgwbs (xyzzy: 2, Shasta: 2, Macalaure: 1, tgwbs: 1)
Macalaure: ++Shasta (xyzzy: 2, Shasta: 3, Macalaure: 1, tgwbs: 1)
Nogrod: --xyzzy (xyzzy: 1, Shasta: 3, Macalaure: 1, tgwbs: 1)
Nogrod: ++tgwbs (xyzzy: 1, Shasta: 3, Macalaure: 1, tgwbs: 2)

"I'm not sure whether to include Shasta's late vote, but it doesn't really matter anyways.

Of these voters, I find the xyzzy voters to be the most suspicious. tgwbs was so quick to vote him with little reason except that he was silent for the first half of the Day, which is not a good reason to me. tgwbs makes me uneasy and I certainly hope he finds something to say soon, for if he remains silent much longer, then he is nothing more than a hypocrite."

Brinn glared at tgwbs, who seemed to be nodding off.

"Now, as for Nogrod, he wanted to lynch the silent as well, trying to persuade everyone else to do the same. And when his persuasion failed, he voted for tgwbs when it was already quite obvious that Shasta would be the one lynched.

"Alright, I must give this more thought before I say anything else."

Brinn pulled his hood tighter around his head and rocked back and forth on the ground, brooding.

[Lhunardawen]

"I claimed nothing, Rikae," Lhuna said with a glance at the old woman. "Wasn't it apparent from my tone that I was merely asking - suggesting, if you will? I do not quickly make claims, not in these times of doubt and confusion.

"It is normal, I guess, that we understand the same statement differently, for we are two different people. For my part, I sensed an offhandedness in Gil's manner of speaking that I found unsettling. Each to her own. But I will not pay much heed to it for now, for there could be a lot more revealing words from Gil - or anyone, for that matter - later. I would that he consider our situation more seriously toDay."

Lhuna kept momentarily silent, then cleared her throat.

"About those moments leading to the end of the yesterDay - thank you, Brinn, for the summary - Shasta was brought up to the lead with 2 votes by Rikae. And then Nogrod voted for xyzzy, making him tied with Shasta. Rikae chose Shasta with a bit of doubt, but found him most suspicious of those who have spoken. She said she might vote for xyzzy if the sleepers sleep on until the Day ends. Nogrod was adamant nearly the whole time to lynch those who were silent, thus his vote. Why xyzzy, I wonder? What made him chose xyzzy over Izzy, who was another sleeper? Was it because tgwbs had already voted for the former, and Nogrod didn't want to spread the votes too thin?

With Mac's vote Shasta's doom was pronounced, and after this Nogrod changed his vote to tgwbs. It achieved nothing, so far as yesterDay's lynching is concerned. In doing this, I think, he was trying to make it a point that he found tgwbs suspicious. But if he really did, why did he not vote for him at the first, when some argument against tgwbs could still have ensured his lynching? Why wait until it no longer mattered that he voted for him?

"And that's not the only thing: one of Nogrod's primary reasons for suspecting tgwbs, if I understand him right, was that he found the short guy overfriendly. But reminiscing on yesterDay's discussions brings no such thing to mind. The closest I found to an attempt of tgwbs to be friendly with Nogrod was that the former shared a glance with the latter - who had his eyes closed. Where's the "trying to gain a feel-good factor" with himself that Nogrod was saying? And the weirder thing is that right after tgwbs cast his vote, Nogrod expressed his appreciation of it. He even questioned me for disagreeing with tgwbs's vote. That's one big flip-flop, as the move will be called six ages of Arda from now."

A knowing twinkle came into Lhuna's eyes, and it seemed a ghost of a smile came across her lips. But before anyone who saw could dwell on it, it was replaced by a worried frown.

"It's a one-sided 'relationship,' this between Nogrod and the short guy, but all the same it makes me think if there's more to it than meets the eye. There are a few possibilities. One, they are Turin and Beleg, and this is their way of evading the wolves at Night, for their act casts perilous attention on them during the Day. Two, they are the wolves, and Nogrod seeks to have his comrade lynched, as though by sheer chance or cunning, so he can win us over into believing his innocence, or he can prove his worth. Or three, I am, which I am likely to do, reading too much into this."

[Lhunardawen]

"And one last thing," Lhuna added, for she had started to walk outside to think things through, "you asked me, Rikae, about my sudden change of tone. It will be called, I believe, stress."

With a quick, hardly perceptible, wink at the woman, Lhuna turned back the way she was to go.

[the guy who be short]

Guy awoke at his name being uttered. "Forgive me," he said. "I fear that our little group shall be destroyed by sleepiness unless we all make an effort to stay awake. Surely there is an unwholesome curse here..."

He looked at Brinn and said, "You criticise my early vote for xyzzy. I am afraid that there was nothing I could do about its earliness, and today once again I must vote far before the deadline. For this sleeping charm seems to work more strongly upon me, such that I cannot stay awake until the end of Day, but must sleep far earlier. There is nothing I may do to stop this."

"Let me explain my vote for xyzzy in more transparent terms. I held, at such an early time, no suspicion of any person without our group. I feared also lest xyzzy, through sleeping the Day away, should be a wolf seeking to avoid all suspicion. The ever-silent are dangerous folk."

"However, I knew not that, when two days of silence were passed, the sleeper would be killed by a curse upon this place. Now that I know this, verily do I regret my vote: for, at the time, I did think that xyzzy would not appear at all for days, but I knew now that, were this the case, he would be killed automatically. Thus I wished to lynch him."

"And yet," he continued, "I find it interesting that only toDay, when he realises that death awaits the silent, does he choose to speak."

He bowed to Brinn before turning to Nogrod.

"And you, sir, I can no longer trust, for your words make little sense to me. Firstly, may I say that, yesterday, when I talked to you, I did so only because you were the only person awake at that time.

"You wished, Nogrod, to lynch xyzzy, for if he were silent, he would die automatically. While you claim this could aid our numbers, this is not a logical way of looking at things. For we would have wasted a chance to lynch a potential wolf in killing somebody, wolf or no, who would have died anyway. It is foolish to wish to minimize lynching so as to boost innocent numbers, for in this wise would no wolves be killed."

"You say also that you changed vote in an effort to 'keep alive for another Day.' This makes little sense to me, for you were not in danger of lynching that day. I am troubled by you, old man.

EDIT: Crossed with Lhuny

[Macalaure]

Unusually early, Macalaure was roused from his long sleep. The utterance of many a strange word he perceived in the long hours of dreaming and he now had to bring forward his thoughts.

"That elderly fellow over there, Nogrod he calls himself, has troubled my thoughts of late.

Yesterday, he tried to make us lynch Izzy or Xyzzy all day, but then, when Shasta turned to be our candidate, he chose the Guy. Why, I wonder. Yes, Nogrod has been suspicious of him, but given the course of his argument over the day, this really does count as a sudden change of mind, I think.
The question: would an evil Nogrod have done that? The vote is quite outstanding and usually wolves do prefer to hide their votes. Evil Nogrod could have left his vote where it was, or have voted Shasta, and nobody would have taken notice. It is also remarkable that, even though Guy was so suspicious to him, he first followed the Guy's vote for Xyzzy. A person of pure heart would not do such a thing so easily.
His vote explanation today does make some sense, but not much. If he was so suspicious of the Guy all day that he was even afraid to be immediately killed by him, then why didn't he pursue his suspicion more assertively? I cannot read much sense into his vote and its reasoning.

Nogrod, you said you were suspicious of me because of my "outsiderness". What exactly do you mean by that?

Furthermore, I cannot see how Nogrod's assumption on the nature of the wolves follow. Bloodthirsty wanna-be winners? So if Guy or I were wolves, we wouldn't be bloodthirsty and wouldn't want to win? Or do you think the wolf-kill was dilettantish and that Guy or I would have picked somebody Beleg wouldn't have foreseen? How do you know the wolves picked someone who was generally thought innocent? It's quite possible, yes, but after all, all we can assume is that, whatever strategy the wolves pursued, Beleg was able to somehow guess it.

You argue on many unproven premises, Nogrod, which very much puzzles me.

However, I agree with you that the wolves now are more likely to panic than before, with a cobbler(?) dead and their kill rejected.


Isabell, you say that we should think about the betterment of our situation rather than just to look for ourselves.

Indeed, I say, indeed...


It's a curse today. There's no dead body to analyse and there's little to nothing that can be analysed from Shasta. This is the second coming of Day One and I'm yet to become any wiser than yesterday."

[Nogrod]

Nogrod opened his eyes and looked around him approvingly. Finally some discussion... and the smell from the pot... hmmmm. With that he rose and walked to the fire. After smellling the pot with delight he took his spoon and tasted the stew - as that was what it was now after the long hours of simmering.

"Good. You should take your share - all you meat-eaters I mean. This is delicious even if it would get better with some taters or seasoning.

But to bussiness then. I do disagree with you guy on the wisdom of trying to keep our numbers up and I clearly haven't made myself clear about my reason to chnge my vote yesterDay. So I'll give you a short reminder of them.

If you don't have a good idea of someone's guilt your voting is a shot in the dark and that means that on Day1 you're very likely to lynch an innocent and only hit a baddie with a considerable amount of luck, right? It's different if you have good reasons to vote for someone but that sadly is not the case most times on Day1 - like yesterDay.

Now people who don't take part in discussion are dangerous people to us as with them we will need to shoot in the dark everyDay they hang around as they don't give us a chance to look at their speeches and in the worst case not even to their voting - if they don't even vote, that is. The more Days we spend here the more dangerous they become. All of you who are old enough to have heard tales of villages lost in the werewolf-mania should know that.

Now if that kind of non-participator will be killed automatically her or his going away will reduce our numbers and if that one person is an innocent it hurts us considerably if we at the same time lynch other innocents ourselves - it's like giving the wolves an extra-kill voluntarily. So if we have no better candidate, if we have no good case against anyone else, lynching that kind of people is absolutely the wisest thing to do. And a silent person may be a wolf as well. It's not a lynch wasted anymore than lynching someone we don't have a good case against but just lynch for some feeling or whatever as people tend to do on Day1 in general.

And yes part of reason to change my vote was to save my life. And that's perfectly sensible thing to do. You know whom the wolves like to kill during the Night? Firstly known innocents, secondly those that people tend to trust or at least do not suspect. Whom they will not like to kill at Night? Firstly those whom they think can be lynched, secondly those who have suspected them - or one of them - strongly - yes, they can pull out the "that's a set up" -thing and kill the on who suspects them, but in the end that happens quite rarely.

So I thought yesterDay evening that I was pretty high in the list of wolves. As I had my strongest doubts on you guy I decided to give you a vote to show that I was serious about you and thence hoping that were you actually a wolf you would not wish to kill me then as it would point so clearly to you then. There seemed to be no way of changing the result anyway at that point whomever I would have voted.

Happily it seems to have worked to my favour the other way which I then hadn't any idea. It clearly has led some of you to suspect me and that's good for it may just mean that I can sleep my Night in peace without fear of being killed."

With that Nogrod smiled and then gave the stew a stir.

edit: x'd with Mac...

[Nogrod]

"By the way Mac, yes you interpreted my thoughts well enough. I do think our wolves are a bit diletanttish as you formulated it. Wise wolves would not go for the obvious kill on their first Night if there is a protector like Beleg around. Thinking that the wolves were really intelligent and managed to pick a good kill for them and Beleg just happened by chance to be on their way is totally unbelievable the odds being 1:11. But if there was a logic there it's lot easier to understand why they both picked the same person. But a wise wolf in that situation leaves the obvious and kills someone else. Like you Mac or the guy, you both would be cunning enough to pick differently were you the wolves and thence I'm not suspecting either of you very much right now. With the very same reasoning I'm also keeping Rikae, Lhuna and Mith outside my "most suspicious" list for the time being."

[Nogrod]

"Okay. Here's what I think right now before I need to take yet another nap."

Nogrod said as he was walking back to his blanket.

"I could bet quite a large sum of money for there being at least one wolf in the company of Isabell, Xyzzy and Gil. Lynching one of them would also keep the numbers of actual contributors to the discussion maximum and do away with one threat for the Days to come.

My only problem with that is that it looks like Turín is quite a sleepy person as well and if his fate is tied to that of Nienor we might lose them both by accidentally lynching Turín.

The second thing I'd wish to consider is the possibility of both wolves being in the list of three I gave. That I find highly unlikely. But from where do we start searching for the second one?

I think thast firstly I will dismiss from my search those who in no situation would have acted as clumsily as our wolves did last Night. That means I'm not going to go after Rikae, Mac or tgwbs. I have known them long time enough to know something of their capabilities.

That means that I have to reconsider what I said about Lhuna and Mith and also think about Brinn.

If I was ready to bet a large sum on one wolf being in the group of Isabell, Xyzzy and Gil, I'd bet a smaller sum for the other being found from the group of Lhuna, Mith and Brinn as I really can't see them both being found from the first group and as I really can't see Rikae, Mac or tgwbs as the ones wasting their kill last Night.

I know it's not good politics to suspect two thirds of people around you but that's what I have to do now. Four of the six I suspect are innocents. I just need to find out who they are.

But I'll give it some thought while I take my nap. I'm going to wake up before the evening turns into Night."

With that Nogrod laid his head to the ground and pulled his blanket over him.

[the guy who be short]

Guy scowled at Nogrod. "I understand your vote somewhat now. However, as Isabellkya says, we should look out for the interests of the group and not ouuselves as individuals. I find it frightening that your desire for self-preservation seems to override your desire to help the group and lynch somebody who may be a wolf.

Isabellkya's social approach to this lupine threat comforts me, and so I feel she is likely innocent. The others are difficult to judge. I would say Mac seems innocent also, for his reasoning about lynching the silent follows mine. Nothing anybody else has said has attracted my attention - which is, perhaps, the most deadly thing of all."

Guy glared at each of the others in turn. Unfortunately, he was no Galadriel: they could each hold his glance, and he could divine no guilt in this fashion.

[Nogrod]

"I heard that guy. And I must say I'm a bit concerned of your rhetorics here. I think you can hardly criticise me from not trying to do something to get us out of this mess we're in... Also my vote at that time was insignificant anyhow as there was no way to alter the end result.

But why you wish to make that kind of suggestions? That I wonder... that I truly wonder..."

Nogrod turned to his other side and readjusted his blanket.