Tol-in-Gaurhoth XXV: All Star Crossed With Nowhere to Go

[Diamond18]

Once upon a time in an age gone by, there was a small band of Elves who traveled to the far east of Middle-earth, all the way to Far Harad. What drove them to such a place is a point of fact lost in the sands of time, not to mention the sands of the desert, but surely they had their reasons. They set up a secret enclave in the heart of the desert, far from any Haradrim, and with the aide of the long forgotten Mood Ring of Power turned their home into an oasis. Palm trees and soft grasses are said to have leapt from the sand dunes at the command of the Ringbearer, and a crystalline spring bubbled up from the ground, as springs generally do, rather than bursting forth from thin air.

The Elves lived in their sunny paradise for many years, eating cocoanuts and mangos. I am not entirely sure that cocoanuts and mangoes should be growing in Far Harad, but if they used the Ring they could, in theory, be growing anything they wanted. Such as butternut squash.

Whatever became of the Elves of Far Harad? No one is sure. Many believe it to be a just a tale told by the Haradrim, a legend. Some say that deep in the heart of the most brutal deserts, where no man can survive the arduous journey, the Elves still live in their oasis. Others say that great tragedy befell the the Elves and their oasis was swallowed into the desert never to be seen or heard from again. Still others with throw rotting squash at you if you even so much as mention the word Elves.

The following is a tale of the Elves of Far Harad. Truth? Or Bolliwockus? Do we care?

---

One night in the dead of winter, a cold wind blew over the sand dunes on the outskirts of the Elven Oasis. It carried with it all the usual imports of impending doom. No one, it seemed, was out and about that night. Not even a mouse. But then, a lone figure came creeping out of the lush foliage of the Oasis and made its way to a barren rock several yards away. On the ancient stone, upon which the Ringbearer had stood and summoned forth the Oasis, were carved many runes of great importance. Alongside these were carved the runes: Diamond + Jay 4 Evah!

The figure, a young elven maiden by the named of Diamond (for it was said her eyes shone like jewels and all that rot) crouched by the stone and waited. For a long time. She began to grow bored and restless, and was thinking about going home when a hushed noise made her snap to attention. From the shadows came the sound of heavy breathing, and licking of chops, and she was mightily afraid. She peered into the darkness, and saw:



Screaming, she leapt up and ran. The giant cat leapt after her, but succeeded only in ripping the shawl from her lily-white elven shoulders. Diamond ran screaming back to the Oasis, and the Werecat ripped her shawl to shreds and left it lying upon the stone in tatters.

A moment later, a second humanoid figure came rushing from the Oasis. He was rather short, for an Elf, but he brandished a very long Elven sword. The Werecat, seeing said sword, wibbled a little, then bounded off into the darkness. Jay, for it was indeed the owner of the second name carved into the stone between the little girly hearts, was about to run after the Werecat, but then he noticed the shawl. He stopped and looked upon the torn fabric in horror.

He burst into spontaneous verse:

"But stay, O spite!
But mark, poor knight,
What dreadful dole is here!
Eyes, do you see?
How can it be?
O dainty duck! O dear!
Thy mantle good,
What, stain'd with blood!
Approach, ye Furies fell!
O Fates, come, come,
Cut thread and thrum;
Quail, crush, conclude, and quell!"

The gist being that he, seeing the mangled shawl, assumed his lover to be equally mangled and gave up all hope for life. He continued:

"O wherefore, Evil, didst thou Werecats frame?
Since Werecat vile hath here deflower'd my dear:
Which is--no, no--which was the fairest dame
That lived, that loved, that liked, that look'd
with cheer."

The gist being that Werecats suck and Diamond was a really great gal before she bit it.

Jay then lifted his sword and held it to his chest, weeping tears of utmost sorrow. With one final gust of poetry he declared:

"Thus die I, thus, thus, thus.
Now am I dead,
Now am I fled;
My soul is in the sky:
Tongue, lose thy light;
Moon take thy flight:
Now die, die, die, die, die!"

With each repetition of the words "thus" and "die" he stabbed himself in the chest. It takes quite the tragic Elven hero to stab himself in the chest eight times and still have breath enough to narrate his own actions. But then, you can see why Diamond held him in such high esteem.

Our Hero fell to his knees, oozing copiously, blood gurgling from both chest and mouth. He gasped out one last word... "Di....!" Was he uttering the name of his love? Or just saying "die" again? Who can say?

Meanwhile, back in the Oasis, Diamond was collecting her wits about her. She feared going back out into the foreboding desert, but feared also that her love might come to their rendezvous point and get et while waiting for her. So she gathered up her courage, to go with her wits, and set off once more.

When she came to the rock, she found Jay lying facedown in the sand. Naturally, she assumed him to be sleeping, and said as much: "Asleep, my love?"

When he didn't lift his head from the sand to answer her remarkably stupid question, she gave him a little nudge with her foot. Belatedly, she noticed his bloodied sword lying nearby, and gasped. She turned the body over and gasped a second time upon viewing the multiple stab wounds. "What, dead, my love?" she squeaked.

From there she was about to launch into a soliloquy that would rival Jay's death chant, when she heard a fluttering of wings from above. She looked up and saw:



Screaming, she leapt up and ran. Unfortunately for her, she ran straight into the embrace of a:



The giant bear crushed her in its crushing embrace, crushingly. Diamond died with a scream on her lips and blood projecting from her mouth to strike the bear splat on the chest. The bear was about to tear into its kill with ferocious ferocity when it looked up and saw:



The bear roared angrily and dropped the compacted Elven maiden to the ground. The Werewolf stalked toward the Werebear, menacing, its hackles raised. Then they clashed in epic fashion, and fought late into the night over the kill. While they did this, the Werebird inconspicuously picked Jay's bones clean.

Finally, sunrise came, and the wolf and bear were forced to give up their fight. They both retreated to their lairs, regretfully leaving Diamond, now stiff with rigor-mortis and rather unappetizing all things considered, rotting in the hot desert sun. The Werebird fluttered away, burping. Jay's bones gleamed whitely in the sun.

---

The bodies were soon found, and the Elves wondered in horror what could possibly have happened. Luckily, Viggo Mortensen was riding by and stopped long enough to read the signs and tell them exactly what had happened, with quotes and everything. He also pointed out some important runes on the Ringbearer's Stone, which read:

I love my little teddy bear!

and

Wolfy and me oxoxoxox!

and

I know why the Werebird sings

and lastly

Werecats rule!

"But what does it mean?" they wondered.

"It means that the evil creatures have groupies, or lovers, if you will," he informed them in a barely understandable mumble. "If you'll excuse me, I have to go hallucinate now."

They watched him ride off into the sunrise on Hidalgo, then turned to each other, wondering what to do.

[Diamond18]

The Living Elves:

Lommy - Ostrich Chaser
Mac - Builder of Gibbets, unemployed for millennia
Kath - Flower Girl
Kitanna - One Legged Chambermaid
JennyHallu - Countess
Nogrod - a Smith of the Billmarins
Valier - Arranger
Menel - Mad Scientist
Holby - Oliphaunt Whisperer
Durelin - Lead Tragic Actor
arcticstorm - Raving Alcoholic and Resident Moocher
morm - City Street Cleaner
Lhuna - Beautiful Girl with Sleeping Sickness
Rune - Humungous Fungus Grower
Naria - Lemba Baker
Farael - Patient suffering from Mad Elf Disease
Rikae - Contortionist
Fintaeph - Mutton Herder and Purveyor of Fine-Quality Undead Prosthetic Limbs

The Dead 'Uns

tgwbs - Tragic Elven Hero and Lover of Diamond - (co-mod) - Stabbed himself eight times and subsequently eaten by the Werebird

Diamond - Elven Maid - (mod) - Crushed in the embrace of the Werebear

Day One starts now. Lovers, please stop PMing.

[Meneltarmacil]

It's alive! IT'S ALIIIIIIIVE!

...

Oh, you weren't supposed to see that. Pay no attantion to that hulking figure on the operating table with the bolts sticking out of his neck and all, heh heh.

Anyway, this was quite a tragic occurence, yes indeed. Hmm, but perhaps our little dilemma can be solved by logical reasoning yet. Problem is, we're not going to have much to go on in terms of finding connections with the werecreatures. Connections between one werecreature and one Ordo, certainly, but we've got four teams against us not one.The Seer seems our best chance now.

Anyhow, please don't try to link my rather oddd experiments with animals to these things. Seriously, I'm not trying to make monsters here.

HULKING FIGURE ON TABLE: Uuuuuurrrrggghh...

On second thought...

[mormegil]

Okay so who's the moron that signed up for street cleaner in a desert?

Menel, your guilt is a obvious as the talons marks on your back you little bird lover!

[Fintaeph]

That's okay, mormegil, I thought to try raising sheep in the desert. #-o

Hmm, maybe they are sandsheep. Oh, I know, mutton jerky! It will be all the rage. Look out, Naria, lembas is on the way out!

Okay, I'll go away now.

[arcticstorm]

Can anyone give me some money? These events are too depressing, I need a drink. Besides, I cannot think clearly in this state of sobrietry. How am I supposed to make any wise decisions without something strong to drink. What? No one will give me any money? I guess I will just go home and go to my still.

[Thinlómien]

A tragedy. Two of our little settler community dead and there are surely more victims to come.

Now, to business: I see both our victory and ruin for looking for "pairs". Victory, because surely the werecreatures and their lovers will be defending each others, beacuse otherwise they'll die and lose their chance to win. Ruin, because I fear the whole game might turn to a state where no one dares to speak about who's most probably innocent/ speak out their mind in defense of people who they think innocent, especially if the person is of the another gender. And that won't work either. It will just create paranoia and most probably help the lovers, since they have no need to tell us who they trust because no one other is doing that either.

This game will be an interesting (and a scary) one, because the village is totally in control of six powers (the four lover pairs, the watcher and the ranger). Half of the village controls the fates of the other half (and of each other's.) Actually there's more people with a special role than those without one. That is not a comforting thought. At night, we can lose up to four innocents, or by a tiny good chance, the werecreatures might all destroy each other.

Oh, and we should really watch who enters from the village gates. I don't want any more viggos here!

[Lhunardawen]

*yawn*

Was I just dreaming, or was that really Viggo? Because if it was a dream I'll have to surrender to desperate measures and ask to be healed by that mad guy with the dinosaur.

Lommy, dear, you're too much for someone newly woken up. I didn't understand a word of what you just said.

Anyways, I'm in an utter hurry to crawl back to bed, so I'll say this just once. Knowing that crazy Diamond, it'll be best for us not to consider any gender issues in searching out the Lovers. Girl-girl, guy-guy, whatever, if they show the signs then lynch them. Whatever the signs are.

Also, this is almost anybody's game. It is so much easier for the villains to hide, because they don't know each other, and they only know the one they love. So the most anyone at this point can know for certain is that one person is either innocent or a werecreature. And in this game, it's usually easier for villains to know that not everyone else is innocent, because when they know their fellow baddies it is easier to track them.

So, with all that balderdash out of the way, there's really nothing we can do today but throw random accusations and see what happens. Like this. Farael is a Lover, because he is a Mad Elf. And isn't mad the best way to describe someone in love? Also, he's a copycat. A copyCAT. CAT. Uh-oh.

++FARAEL

What do you mean he hasn't posted yet? Bah, I'm too sleepy to change it. Goo--

*drops off with a snore*

[Nogrod]

This seems like playing with high stakes!

At worst scenario all the ordo-ordos and the gifteds are dead after Night3. With the best of luck there are no werecreatures or their lovers left toMorrow morning...

So, I'm appealing to everyone to use some of their capabilities also today, even though I know many an elf hates Day1's.

One thing coming to my mind as starters is the following, picking it up from Lommy's worries.

Originally Posted by Lommy

I see both our victory and ruin for looking for "pairs". Victory, because surely the werecreatures and their lovers will be defending each others, beacuse otherwise they'll die and lose their chance to win. Ruin, because I fear the whole game might turn to a state where no one dares to speak about who's most probably innocent/ speak out their mind in defense of people who they think innocent, especially if the person is of the another gender. And that won't work either. It will just create paranoia and most probably help the lovers, since they have no need to tell us who they trust because no one other is doing that either.

I do not actually agree with the latter. It would be good for the lovers if we all agreed. But I at least will not agree. I refuse to do it. We should speak, as openly as ever.

Lommy is right that when facing a really grave danger of lynching, the lovers will try to help each other (timezone problems might twist our judgements though...). There is nothing else for them to do then as they both die when one dies. And that surely is our chance of catching them.

And let us remember: we have eight good targets! We have really good chances of getting a villain toDay, so let's not jump on early bandwaggons but play carefully.

So almost every other villager makes a good candidate for lynching. Oh, the curse and treachery over this village!

[Macalaure]

It seems like the course of this horrible situation will, of whatever outcome, be most interesting.

Will the werecreatures and their lovers try to kill innocents, or will they try to get rid of each other first? Either has its good and bad sides. If they go for innocents, they have to crook their reasonings and might be easier to detect for us. If they go for other weres they can blend in easier, but the better for us if they manage to get one. Even though we have to suffer four killings a night, our chances might not be as unpromising as they seem.

I don't think looking for pairs will be the key. Maybe later, but not on the earliers days. If I was a lover, I wouldn't defend my beloved unless she (or he) is in, as Nogrod put it, really grave danger. How many people are in really grave danger a day? Two or three maybe. If I was a lover of one of them, I'd probably rather take the chance than defend him/her and definitely go down the next day (or night even).

So, with all that balderdash out of the way, there's really nothing we can do today but throw random accusations and see what happens.

Ouuuhh, Lhuna...
Though I admit I don't have a real plan how to detect somebody, throwing random accusations is pretty much never a good idea.
But since it seems that you had to vote so early, I'll let it pass - for today!

[Meneltarmacil]

Mormegil, would you please elaborate on why I seem suspicious? I'm not a Lover, nor am I a Werething. My experiments, strange as they may seem, have nothing to do with the current situation.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Even more important: Could you clean the pavement infront of my house, Mormegil? There is sand all over it!

It is rather troublesome to grow this special fungus in the dessert, luckely we live in an OASIS ! ! ! So it should not be that hard to find some vegitation for your sheeps. . . However if they(or anybody else) touch my fungus, I shall kill them with a spoon!

Of course I am brilliant and could grow thousands of Fungi, but I like to dedicate all my time to this particular one. I shall call it Fenris !

[Holbytlass]

sshhh, the oliphaunts are restless
this is most sad and fearsome. who could do such a thing and why would anyone love them? to begin somewhere, let's take a look at the obvious:

most suspicious these four persons need death
Menel - Mad Scientist =need of body parts
Durelin - Lead Tragic Actor =there needs to be tragedy
Rune - Humungous Fungus Grower =most fungi need some sort of decay to grow
Mac - Builder of Gibbets, unemployed for millennia =needs murder to have a criminal to hang, perhaps tired of being unemployed

least suspicious these persons need live ones to make (or in the case of arcticstorm get) money from
Kitanna - One Legged Chambermaid
Nogrod - a Smith of the Billmarins
arcticstorm - Raving Alcoholic and Resident Moocher
Morm - City Street Cleaner
Naria - Lemba Baker
Fintaeph - Mutton Herder and Purveyor of Fine-Quality Undead Prosthetic Limbs

middle suspicious these people could care less whether we are here or not-could be scary depending on how one looks at their situation
Kath - Flower Girl
JennyHallu - Countess
Valier - Arranger
Lhuna - Beautiful Girl with Sleeping Sickness
Farael - Patient suffering from Mad Elf Disease
Rikae - Contortionist
Lommy-ostrich chaser

as time goes by and how things turn out, i'm sure i will be revising my lists.
now to try and coax out of the oliphaunts what they saw

[Kitanna]

Lommy is right that when facing a really grave danger of lynching, the lovers will try to help each other (timezone problems might twist our judgements though...). There is nothing else for them to do then as they both die when one dies. And that surely is our chance of catching them.

Quite good and I agree. Getting the Lovers between a rock a hard place will force them into giving away their role. If one Lover is in grave danger looking through those who defended him/her it'll be easier to root through. Or if they don't speak up and hope fate turns in their favor there's a really good chance of the death of a pair of Lovers.

Though I admit I don't have a real plan how to detect somebody, throwing random accusations is pretty much never a good idea.

You really think that? On Day One I enjoy random accusations. But I'd never declare them random. Throwing them out there can be quite telling, depending on how the person you accused reacts.

My experiments, strange as they may seem, have nothing to do with the current situation.

You always say that! Just look at my leg. I just have a stump thanks to your experiments, Menel.

[Naria]

There aren't many posts to go on as of now, but there are a few things that perked my interest as I read. I have never liked it when someone puts forth an "if" type post and especially on Day one and especially your first post, Mac. It's hard to explain why I feel this way. It's like you are saying things that you are going to do or are not going to do, all the while, making us believe that someone that puts that down can't possibly be bad. Why would they? Afterall, you just told us how you would act if you were bad/lover...yeah right, I dunno like I said it's hard to explain, it's always made me uneasy is all.

Now on to my other perked interest. Menel you seem a little defensive so early on. I do realize that your job might be just a tad stressful, but....

And lastly, Fin...my Lembas will never go out. They are the best in all the lands. And if any Elf would disagree with that then...well...pooh, poo on you

[Farael]

One would say "Ohh Lhuna has voted against him, he's sure to retaliate" and then condemn me for trying to distance me from her, which is surely a lovers tactic. But on the other hand, if I go out and claim that she is innocent, I'll be accused of being her lover. Thus, I'll just say this.

Lhuna, day 1's are random, but that excuse will not serve you tomorrow. Pray to Eru you are not a were-creature because my eye is on you. I shall comb through your every word and if anything were to even as much as seem were-creatureish I shall lynch you myself.

But there is a bigger bone to gnaw at it today.... read this.

Originally Posted by Holbytlass

sshhh, the oliphaunts are restless
this is most sad and fearsome. who could do such a thing and why would anyone love them? to begin somewhere, let's take a look at the obvious:

most suspicious these four persons need death
Menel - Mad Scientist =need of body parts
Durelin - Lead Tragic Actor =there needs to be tragedy
Rune - Humungous Fungus Grower =most fungi need some sort of decay to grow
Mac - Builder of Gibbets, unemployed for millennia =needs murder to have a criminal to hang, perhaps tired of being unemployed

least suspicious these persons need live ones to make (or in the case of arcticstorm get) money from
Kitanna - One Legged Chambermaid
Nogrod - a Smith of the Billmarins
arcticstorm - Raving Alcoholic and Resident Moocher
Morm - City Street Cleaner
Naria - Lemba Baker
Fintaeph - Mutton Herder and Purveyor of Fine-Quality Undead Prosthetic Limbs

middle suspicious these people could care less whether we are here or not-could be scary depending on how one looks at their situation
Kath - Flower Girl
JennyHallu - Countess
Valier - Arranger
Lhuna - Beautiful Girl with Sleeping Sickness
Farael - Patient suffering from Mad Elf Disease
Rikae - Contortionist


as time goes by and how things turn out, i'm sure i will be revising my lists.
now to try and coax out of the oliphaunts what they saw

I should be glad I'm in the "middle suspicious" category, but what the Morgoth??? Half of us have not even uttered a sound and she's already separating us into categories?

"Divide and Conquer"

I SAY Holbytlass is a were-creature, or one of their nasty helpers!! I shall vote for her unless something changes my mind. Which would not be unheard of in day 1, but I have a hunch... and my hunches are usually good.

[Thinlómien]

Naria, I agree with you. Mac's a bit weird. I mean, his whole post is from a werecreature's/lover's point of view, and that indeed is enough to make me wary.

Maybe it's a bit early to say, but I think Naria is probably a good guy or then she is a bluffing evil creature; last time she was evil she returned to her earlier gameplay tactics and slipped under the radar. Why wouldn't she do that now too if she had evil intentions? I can see only advantages for an evil Naria in slipping under the radar early on. (Of course we it would be too short-sighted to discount the possibility of an evil bluffer-Naria though... )

Holby, why am I not in any of your categories, might I ask? Not that I wanted to be in one, but I surely wonder why am I ignored...

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

Are completely unable to see the humoure in Hoblytlas's post? I found it a good read. .

Vote for her if you like, she is a good a lynch candidate as anyone else at this point, but don't try to justify your vote like that.

and btw I would not think you were Lhuna's love just because you did not retaliate. I my self have often defended Lhuna.

EDIT: Cross posted with Lommy

[Holbytlass]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

Holby, why am I not in any of your categories, might I ask? Not that I wanted to be in one, but I surely wonder why am I ignored...

oh dear, my apologies. too much cutting and pasting, now we might be accused of being lovers

Lommy-ostrich chaser goes in the middle suspicios category.

went back and checked, did not miss anyone else

[Fintaeph]

Some things I'm thinking about while considering what to do about this tragedy:
1) there are 10 of us and 8 of them; therefore a random guess has a better chance of killing a friend than an enemy;
2) each pair has a 6 in 16 (37.5%) chance of killing another pair tonight; therefore, by tomorrow morning, assuming one of the pairs isn't lynched today, and they randomly pick their victims, 1 or even 2 pairs of the pairs should be dead by their own fangs;
3) with numbers this small, reality won't follow probabilities very closely.

Given all of this, I don't know what to do but bar myself in my barn with my sheep and hope to find my courage and a large weapon by tonight.

------------------------------------------------------------------
"Hey! This mutton jerky is awesome!" -- Naria, overheard talking to a friend
------------------------------------------------------------------
Missing a limb? Call 1-800-UNDEAD-ARM and get it replaced!

[Farael]

Originally Posted by Holbytlass

oh dear, my apologies. too much cutting and pasting, now we might be accused of being lovers

Ohhh yes you will... isn't it convenient? one "forgets" to add the other on her list and the other asks to be on the list and gets included. They couldn't be lovers, could they?

Well, I say they can and they are! it's too innocent a behaviour, why would Loomy WANT to be on a list? it's just too dangerous. If, as I suspect, Holby is found a werecreature or a lover, that list will probably be analyzed and picked appart. If I had been left out by accident, I would much rather have preferred NOT to bring that up!

And Rune, what I see or don't see you'll never know unless I tell you. She's suspicious though, and those of you who know my playing style should do well in listening to me. It has been proven perilous for the ordos to ignore me.

[Naria]

She's suspicious though, and those of you who know my playing style should do well in listening to me. It has been proven perilous for the ordos to ignore me.

Huh? What? Am I missing something Farael? Since we started with a Day phase, I'm not at all following your suspicions for Holby.

[Nogrod]

Okay. 13 from 18 has said something, most of them nearing nothing, though... Sadly we Finnish-elves need to go to sleep in a couple of hours and will have to vote soon...

So anything this far?

Naria and Lommy may be up to something with Macalaure. Post #10 surely raises questions. I myself like to speculate about how the baddies would work and many of you know well how prone I may be to suggest different methods to work with if I find something useful, but Mac's post seems to be just speculation from the angle of the baddie/lover. Except for the notion, that we should not look for the pairs on the early Days. What to say of that?

Farael is running loose again! I'm not suspecting him by his readiness to cast suspicion everywhere (as that my lorebooks tell me is normal), but for this:

One would say "Ohh Lhuna has voted against him, he's sure to retaliate" and then condemn me for trying to distance me from her, which is surely a lovers tactic. But on the other hand, if I go out and claim that she is innocent, I'll be accused of being her lover.

Now what is this? After receiving the Day's first early vote that has at least been formulated to be as random as possible, then all this defence? With a clear conscience one can just ignore these and get involved only if there seems to be reason to believe that a sidetracked bandwaggon is about to form on the basis of a nonsense vote. So why so keen to defend?

Nothing better this far... and this is not much.

[Kitanna]

Originally Posted by Farael

and those of you who know my playing style should do well in listening to me. It has been proven perilous for the ordos to ignore me.

Equally perilous to listen I think. A bit angry Lhuna voted for you so early, Farael? Trying to throw something out toward someone else?

I find nothing to convict Holby of werecreatureness. And since I have played with you before Farael (though it's been awhile) I can't say I find you completely wicked either. But I'll defiantly be watching you and Holby closer now.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

I hate to do this, but Farael really annoys me. I just don't like the whole

and those of you who know my playing style should do well in listening to me. It has been proven perilous for the ordos to ignore me.

thing. . .

I wish Lhuna had not voted for him, then I would not feel bad about this at all.

++Farael

[mormegil]

My guess on Farael is that he is attempting us to think him the seer/watcher person. He is not, I believe he is a lover, and let me explain.

and those of you who know my playing style should do well in listening to me. It has been proven perilous for the ordos to ignore me.

As a lover, if dreamt of he will appear innocent. There are those among the non-watcher group that might think him the watcher, which is a benefit to him and his partner. Likely the watcher will dream of him tonight and will only see him as innocent. He is betting that the ranger will be protecting him tonight from the other three were-creatures so as to foil that attempt. The watcher dreaming of him tonight will keep his partner from being dreamt of. It's really a good strategy overall, but I believe it has backfired.

++Farael

as a lover not a were-creature...but is there really any difference?

I do believe Menel to be a bit aggressive in his defence fairly needlessly and suspect him greatly but Farael moreso.

[Valier]

Oh the tragedy!!!! I am completely speechless as of now....werecreatures galore, Oh my!!! I believe the only thing to do today is to sit and observe, and ponder all things. We have a fairly good shot at catching us some lovers today, but most of the thrown out votes are random and I do not like to commit to a lynchee till I have had time to think things through. I have no high suspects yet, but I will be back, hopefully with a plan to keep this village orderly, with everything in it's right place.

[Thinlómien]

At least Rune won't be the only one to feel bad about their vote toDay...

++Macalaure

I hate voting someone who has not had the chance to defend himself, but no other person has made me as wary as he has toDay.

EDIT: xed with Valier + just to inform I won't be back toDay (blame the timezones)

[Macalaure]

May I ask since when it is held suspicious to try to see things from the were-creatures' point of view?

Originally Posted by Farael

Well, I say they can and they are! it's too innocent a behaviour, why would Loomy WANT to be on a list? it's just too dangerous. If, as I suspect, Holby is found a werecreature or a lover, that list will probably be analyzed and picked appart. If I had been left out by accident, I would much rather have preferred NOT to bring that up!

Why would Lommy want to be on that list? Well, why wouldn't she? Should indeed Lommy and Holby be lovers, then Lommy hurt herself more by pointing out she'd been left than by remaining silent. Though I'm not sure what to think of Holby's list, I don't think Lommy's notice points towards a connection between the two - rather the opposite. I can't follow you in your arguments, Farael. I haven't played with you yet, so I don't know whether you're playing according to your style or not.

I find Rune a little strange. Many are suspicious of Farael right now, but none so aggressively.

[Nogrod]

I'm not happy with the zones either for I too must vote. And I don't like the look of the things at all...

But all in due time.

So yet to post:
Kath
JennyHallu
Durelin
Rikae

Were we closer to the deadline, I would be ready to vote one of these, but naturally have no wish to do so now as there still are several hours left. There are too many believable reasons for non-posting until this moment to gain my vote. But constant hiding under the radar will be arousing my attention, sooner rather than later.

Those posted, but posted little or nothing overtly helpful (something to look more closely in good or bad) would include thus far:
arcticstorm
Lhuna
Valier
Fintaeph

I wouldn't be very happy to vote for anyone of those in the last group either - as there is still time for them to come forwards and contribute more.

But already there are eight names whom I'm declaring not the ones I would like to vote! So should I restrict myself to vote only for those who have actually posted with points or open discussion making this game possible in the first place?

With all probabilities, there are 3 to 4 werecreatures or their lovers in these 8 already.

Why I think out aloud such a thing? Mostly because all the reasons for voting at the stage I've got are against Farael and Mac - and there seems to be others happy to vote similarily but I myself am somewhat unhappy with the reasons, at least with Mac. I have played too many games being one of the last to vote (or the lonely last one) and being frustrated with the no-choice situatiuons when earlier on the Day people have been just too happy to join any bandwaggons there exists (yes, the innocents too).

So what to do... I will have to take a cigarette and think it over.

[Meneltarmacil]

Sorry for the long absence, had a lot of work to do and I'm just taking a break now.

I find Farael to be suspicious on the basis of his challenging Holbytlass. Holby's post really seemed more like random Day One humor than anything else, and certainly not anything to be suspicious of. Though it's bandwagoning, I'm going to vote

++Farael

at this point.

[Meneltarmacil]

Sorry for the double post, but I'd like you to elaborate on why my questioning of your suspicion earlier makes me appear suspicious, morm.

[Nogrod]

addenda (everything after this is updated... and all is in the middle of the making):
Oh No! Menel, that wasn't the wisest thing to do - if you are innocent!

Lhuna --> Farael (Farael1)
Rune --> Farael (Farael2)
Morm --> Farael (Farael3)
Lommy --> Macalaure (Farael3, Macalaure1)
Menel --> Farael (Farael4, Macalaure1)

What bothers me is that we need some pressure here - if someone is planning to post anything in this thread toDay anyhow...

I agree. With the "evidence" so far Farael is also my prime suspect, but we leave our chances unused if we just lynch him. He might be innocent too and if we put all our apples into one basket we have no chance to gain anything but the chance of Farael actually being a baddie. Spreading the suspicion a bit more might make people speak and give us more to think about.

But it should be a believable threat!
(at this moment I saw Menel's vote... doing some calculating for a while...)

[mormegil]

Originally Posted by Meneltarmacil

Sorry for the double post, but I'd like you to elaborate on why my questioning of your suspicion earlier makes me appear suspicious, morm.

Menel it's odd that everytime I've thrown your name out there you are demanding and explanation as to why. This seems rather strange behavior unless you are guilty. I would wager a day's wage that you are a were-creature.

[Macalaure]

Though I find Farael most suspicious right now, I agree with Nogrod: We need some competition here. For obvious reasons, I don't think I would make a good one. Therefore:

++Rune Son of Bjarne

[arcticstorm]

Even now, no one seems to be too suspicious to me. Meneltarmacil's constant insistence on innocence when he has not been given a single vote, though, seems to be the most suspicious to me, but even then it could just be normal paranoia. Lhuna's vote just comes from her sleeping disorder, how, especially today, is she supposed to give a good vote with so little to go on and a sleeping disorder. Holby's list seems to me to be a normal attempt to separate the citizens into three groups, not that it is malicious, and so I should not find it too suspicious. Mac's talk about what he think the werecreatures would do, could be very helpful in the future, not that he is one. Farael's challenge of Holby could have been just been panic and confusion, not necessarily something to be suspected. But at the same time, his constant argument that everyone is voting for him because of Lhuna is ridiculous.

I find rune a little strange

Could you please elaborate Macalure? I have not found him too strange yet. But then again, I was drinking pretty heavily. With that said, it looks like I have mentioned everyone who has been suspected today. I have listened to everyone's arguments, save only for those that happened, as I was unconscious. Sadly, my still is dry now, so I need someone to give me money so I can get more to drink. Meanwhile, I will look or something to get rid of this horrible headache. The only solution to this throbbing will be to destroy the pesky little brutes that are harassing our conclave, and to go try to sleep it off. I will wait a little longer before casting my final vote though.

[JennyHallu]

Ok...so I just got online (MIL has been visiting, and the computer has been off.) and realized the game had unexpectedly started. Whoops.

SO I've got like a book and a half to read and I'll be back when I've got that.

[Nogrod]

Here's my counting and some thoughts on them.

There are 6 votes cast already (Farael4, Mac1, Rune1).

There might be 3 votes that will not be cast (have Kath, Durelin & Rikae even the knowledge that the game has started?).

That leaves 9 votes to be cast, possibly. Hopefully more. Let's hope not less.

As I said, I have no objection, on the basis of what I know this far, for Farael to be lynched. I'm not going to die with him. This is a question of basic tactics.

Tactically this is not very wise. We have all the chances to try different suspicions and to see whether a dog howls as it's hit. Now we are just playing it the way all the werecreatures & their lovers want it: stick to one suspicion and leave the others be. No credible danger to any (other?) werecreature / lover and we will gain very little by way of knowledge from this Day one.

PS. Numbers in the beginning are updated... and I'm more than out of good ideas right now.

[Durelin]

I do have knowledge, and unfortunate (nearly tragic) circumstances caused me to be unable to be here until now, but I am currently working on a lengthier post. Just think of me as being tragically fashionably late...

[JennyHallu]

I haven't got much time tonight. Tomorrow I'll be much more helpful...

But for now...

I just feel I can't trust Valier's claim of speechlessness. Speechless, Valier?? Really...

++Valier