Long Game 47: Shadow In The South

[Dalinar Kholin]

 

.Kadgar strolled up to the crowd discussing the murder, leaning heavily on his oak staff. Truly a terrible loss for the companions. "Oy," a voice shouted from the crowd, "you're late Kadgar, where the in the blazes were you yesterday. There's murderers about! We would have had a chance to find one of 'em if you hadn't been lying on your bum!" 

Kadgar turned, eyes and nostrils flaring. "A wizard is never late, he arrives precisely when he means too"

A different voice murmured from the crowd "who's that, that Gandalf?" Another voice scoffed, "yeah, if Gandalf was two heads shorter and had less magic than an orc's bottom. And what do you mean he? Would it make a difference if the wizard was a female?"

Kadgar was taken aback, "well I suppose I hadn't really considered..." he began.

"Well maybe you should," the voice responded righteously, "gender discrimination plain and simple. Here you are completely forgetting about half the conscious beings livin' on this planet!"

"Fine fine," Kadgar grumbled, "witches can be included."

"Not just witches," the voice continued, "sorcerers, sorceresses, magi, druids, enchanters, enchantresses, summoners, shamans, necromances, warlocks, warlockresses."

"Oh bollocks," Kadgar cried, "now you're just making things up. Why in the blazes would you have that many different names for magic users anyways? Not to mention Gandalf's not really a wizard anyways, he's a Mair.

"He's my wot?" Now you're the one making stuff up!"

"Am not! I read loads of ancient texts on the stuff, spent me whole life tracking down every scrap of knowledge you can find in the human realms. He's like a lesser God sent to protect us from," Kadgar paused to gesticulate vaguely, "you know, bad guys."

"Sounds like a load of moralistic rubbish to me," the voice responded skeptically. "Anyways, looks like a duck, walks like a duck, probably the duck."

"You dare compare Gandlaf the Grey," Kadgar boomed, the wood of his staff cracking underneath his grip, "to a duck!"

"It's a metaphor you moron," the voice responded amiably. "Regardless, if Gandalf's genderless why'd you say he?"

Kadgar paused, taking a deep moment to collect his thoughts. "Dunno," he started, "just sounds sweet. Anything wrong with that?"

"Well sure," the voice retorted sarcastically, "why don't I just go around saying I AM ERADOR OF BURNING LEGIONS, PRAETOR OF THE HEAVENS, THE VERY ELEMENTS BEND BEFORE MY POWER, WHO ARE YOU TO OPPOSE MY WILL." Lightning crashed against a nearby tree, startling the gathered crowd.

"You know," the voice continued, "that was pretty satisfying."

Kadgar rolled his eyes. "Let's get down to business."

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

On 7/18/2018 at 10:05 PM, Elandera said:

Hmm... That's an unfortunate start for the companions. The Agents of Mordor are one-third of the way to their win-con. 

Does anyone know how many people are Gondor Spies?

This feels a little off to me. Not "An unfortunate start" or "An unfortunate start for us."

I disagree with Snipexe, but I think his suspicion is honest for the moment. Not sure about Araris's claims on Devotary. 

Throwing a vote on  Elandera.

 

[CadCom]

So I don't think there's yet much to go on. It's almost like a d1 lynch. So, if I just throw a poke vote, I hope that won't upset anyone.

@Bort Bort

[Elandera]

31 minutes ago, Dalinar Kholin said:

This feels a little off to me. Not "An unfortunate start" or "An unfortunate start for us."

I disagree with Snipexe, but I think his suspicion is honest for the moment. Not sure about Araris's claims on Devotary. 

Throwing a vote on  Elandera.

 

I doubt an elim would make that kind of a slip this early (though it is possible). However, I phrased it that way because I've seen too many people get voted on/lynched because they used "we" and "us" while talking about village, because to some, it sounds too much like elim subtly trying to endear themselves to village.

Part of why I said it in the first place was to remind Gondor they might want to be careful who they kill if they don't want to achieve Mordor's win-con for them. Since then, I've realized my mistake in role abilities. For some reason I thought Gondor had the ability to kill (I think I got that from something said in D1) and Mordor could only poison. Reviewing the roles, I now see it's the Assassin of Mordor who kills, and the Hand of Sauron that poisons.

[Rathmaskal]

Rathm had a sword.  Sometimes it was the only conversation he had.  The camp had been fairly quiet.  Despite the fact that Legolas had been murdered last night, there wasn't nearly as much finger-pointing as he'd expected.  He found that almost more disturbing.  With the elves being as quiet as they were, it was easy to think they would be plotting to split off from the rest of the camp.  Oh well, he'd survived worse situations than a camp splitting.  As long as he had the sword, he'd survive.  The sword began ringing in his ear again.  A name began to form.  Hopefully he'd catch it this time before it slipped away.  Wasn't there a ranger in the party?  Glieven.  Ahh, the sword spoke.  He knew rangers usually sat in the shadows, observing, protecting, but at some point you had to step forward.

Rathm had a sword.  Sometimes it was the only conversation he had.

~~

I think that's the last person not to post who hasn't already been poked. @Mafia

[Snipexe]

12 hours ago, Araris Valerian said:

However, I just now picked up on the fact that Xino had already posted earlier. I had thought that Devotary was trying to save someone that hadn't posted at all. Things make a little more sense to me now. Devotary. And sorry @xinoehp512 for voting on you after you had posted.

Alright. I’m still pretty suspicious of that whole lynch, but it was Cycle 1, so almost everything is NAI anyway. Also, people more experienced then I have posted that this is just your playstyle, and so I might be looking a little to deep into this. araris 

[Walin]

I am going to be semi active for the next day or two, due to being out of range for Internet. I should have said this earlier, but I got out of range yesterday too.

[GreenRover]

I don’t find anyone very suspicious, so I’ll throw a poke vote on Alvron . I’m interested to see how or if he will defend himself, because of he’s elim, it will be difficult to see any of his slip-ups when everything he says is nonsensical.

I am also out of cell service for most of today and tomorrow, so I won’t post much.

[Dalinar Kholin]

You're response is fair Elandera, but considering you've thrown votes on multiple people, and the probability of catching an elim/gondor spy is pretty random, I'm fine chancing that you're one of the two and determining that anyone who've you've thrown a vote on is not on your team. Got to start somewhere. Read over the thread, but there really isn't to much there right now. We could really use some more activity (yes yes, I'm guilty too). I'll be interested to see who the elims target tonight, I suspect they might have targeted Fifth for his activity, which makes me suspect Mordor could be hiding among the inactives.

[Elandera]

Four hours to go, and we're tied at ones on votes.

I'm not really keen on any of these lynches. My vote on Ornstein was mostly an effort to get them to show up. If they don't, however, they'll die to inactivity eventually, so I don't really want to waste a lynch on that. The same goes for Mafia, and potentially Bort if they don't start doing more.

I don't really want to vote on Alvron, either, because as nonsensical as Zunn the Mad is, it's at least some level of activity (and entertainment ). And obviously, I don't want to vote on myself.

So the vote count now stands:

Mafia (1) - Rathmaskal
Bort (1) - CadCom
Elandera (1) - Dalinar
Alvron (1) - Green Rover

Anyone else have some options or suspicions?

[Rathmaskal]

Rathm had a sword.  He'd known it for a long time.  Rathm paid attention to his companions as the continued on their journey.  Too much, people seemed afraid to to talk to the group, afraid of being singled out.  He'd had some quiet conversations with a few members of the party while they were moving, but everyone seemed just as perplexed as he.  To strike down an elven lord was no easy feat.  To do so in the middle of a camp with several skilled warriors when everyone was already on edge was even more difficult.  He knew one thing, if he was attacked, he wouldn't go quietly but with his Sword in hand.  That was one thing he could trust, even if he could trust the people around him.

Rathm had a sword.  He'd known it for a long time.

~~

Mafia...yeah...was hoping the @ would get some activity.  At this point, I'm thinking we had at least some discussion/voting D1 when Walin and Xinoehp were being poked.  I'm going to throw a vote back down on Walin and see what happens.

[Devotary of Spontaneity]

The little corner of Anfalas where Eleryn lived had been nearly uninhabited. Just him, his father, and his aging grandmother surviving within a small segment of river. Eleryn hadn't seen another intelligent being until he was ten years old, when his father had taken him to Dol Amroth on a supply run. At first, Eleryn hadn't believed the Númenórean inhabitants of that city were humans. They were tall, beautiful, and spoke in a language Eleryn had only ever heard from his grandmother. Surely, these must be the mythical elves of his grandmother's youth. In her stories there had been perhaps dozens of elves, but this city a mere seven nautical leagues away from home, there lived thousands upon thousands of 'elves'. While his father traded fish for salt and steel, Eleryn wondered if any of the 'elves' they passed had known his grandmother. Struck dumb by awe, Eleryn didn't speak a word until they returned home. "When will we see the elves again Father?" he asked.

"Hmm?" said his father, distracted.

"We got to see the elves today in that enormous city, and they were almost as beautiful as the elves in Grandma's stories. When will we get to see them again?"

Without changing his expression a fraction, his father replied, "I make the trip to Dol Amroth every year. Now that you're old enough, you will always be able to come."

Excited, Eleryn had run home to tell his grandmother about his adventures. His enthusiasm was such that he didn't notice the accusatory look on his grandmother's face, nor the minute shake of the head his father offered in response. 

...

Many years later, Eleryn finally got to meet real elves. The fallen Prince had been the first one to interact with the company as individuals. Now he was dead, killed by an assassin in the night. Such a cowardly act could not go unpunished. Unfortunately, Eleryn didn't know where to point his knife. He decided to wander down to the center of the group in the hopes of overhearing something useful.

[Araris Valerian]

Well, oops. I thought there were another 24 hours left in the cycle, otherwise I would have voted sooner. I say we kill Bort, since he posted cycle 1, but didn't vote and hasn't posted this cycle. That sort of activity only helps the elims win, regardless of alignment.

Also, I guess I'll reveal this now. I have a poison vial, and I'm going to use it during the night on a random low active or inactive player. If that player becomes active (meaning that they vote and discuss) during the day, I'll send them a PM so that they can cure themselves. I'll make sure to tag players during the day to make sure that nobody is just forgetting.

[Alvron]

4 hours ago, GreenRover said:

I don’t find anyone very suspicious, so I’ll throw a poke vote on Alvron . I’m interested to see how or if he will defend himself, because of he’s elim, it will be difficult to see any of his slip-ups when everything he says is nonsensical.

Beetles don’t like people!  They pulse in my brain and I hears their words.  They don’t like you.  No, no. No, no, no, no.

2 hours ago, Elandera said:

I don't really want to vote on Alvron, either, because as nonsensical as Zunn the Mad is, it's at least some level of activity (and entertainment ).

Anyone else have some options or suspicions?

A ring surrounding everything.  In the weeds.  With no hat.  Tasty!

Purple foxglove.  Suomynona!   Black trees and thistles.

48 minutes ago, Araris Valerian said:

Also, I guess I'll reveal this now. I have a poison vial, and I'm going to use it during the night on a random low active or inactive player. If that player becomes active (meaning that they vote and discuss) during the day, I'll send them a PM so that they can cure themselves. I'll make sure to tag players during the day to make sure that nobody is just forgetting.

Tiny Ghul.  The Void calls.  Blood in the Mist!  In a hole in the ground.  Two.  Then one … then none.  Squeaky-Squeaky!

[Elandera]

I'm curious about the Walin thing. Sorry this is a little later of a vote than I had hoped. I got busy getting ready for work. 

EDIT: Oh, I have longer in the cycle than I thought. I was concerned I wouldn't have time to properly explain my vote and get the vote down before the cycle ended. I have time though, so here's my reasoning.

I'm curious as to why there was an apparent last-minute effort to save both Walin and Xino. Is it possible they are both on a team? I understand saving Xino a bit more, because he had posted. But why the sudden votes to save Walin, who had been inactive that whole turn?

I'd like to learn his alignment, and maybe learn about those who came to his defense.

Edited July 20, 2018 by Elandera

[GreenRover]

Elandera (1): Dalinar

Another tally of the votes:

Bort (2): Araris, CadCom

Walin (2): Elan, Rath

Alvron (1): Me

Suomynona (1): Alv

Elandera (1): Dalinar

 

I’m interested to see what will happen with a tied vote if nothing changes.

[Alvron]

2 minutes ago, GreenRover said:

I’m interested to see what will happen with a tied vote if nothing changes.

On 7/18/2018 at 1:12 PM, Jondesu said:

I failed to define what would happen in the case of a tie, so I decided to simply allow it to result in a no lynch. Don't let it happen again, though.

No one has died.

Fish Leather.   

[Devotary of Spontaneity]

Looks like I've been given another chance to break a tie. I'm going to vote for Walin again, as I believe that his lynch will give us more alignment-related information than a Bort lynch. 

I see @Snipexe viewing the thread. Would you like to cast a vote?

[Snipexe]

4 minutes ago, Devotary of Spontaneity said:

Looks like I've been given another chance to break a tie. I'm going to vote for Walin again, as I believe that his lynch will give us more alignment-related information than a Bort lynch. 

I see @Snipexe viewing the thread. Would you like to cast a vote?

No one's really posted a ton, to give me any new suspicions, so I'll just throw my vote back on Araris.

[Jondesu]

Cycle has ended! I'll review and get the new cycle up in a little while.

[Jondesu]

Findecano's song finally faded away, leaving the entire encampment feeling melancholy and yet somehow serene and peaceful, mourning the loss of the prince but ready to continue. They trekked over the easy land between Mirkwood and Rivendell, for the next few weeks feeling the loss of Legolas, even though they had known him only as Thalin at the time, and feeling the dread of the now more-serious nature of their quest set in. There were those among them that did not want them to succeed.

Bickering arose again, with fingers being covertly pointed and groups forming with targets around them, but never quite coming to blows about it until several of the companions cornered Dorder on the High Pass through the Misty Mountains.

"We know it was you who offed Thalin, we do." said Rathm. 

Elandera chimed in. "You're hiding a secret, and that worries us."

Dorder stammered and protested, but when they glanced around looking for a weapon, they found that Rathm had vanished, and Findecano was coming upon them along with several other members of the group.  They faded away, unwilling to test their accusations further, and silence reigned among the group until they reached the borders of Imladris.

————————————————————————————————

No one has died!

Vote Count:

• Walin (2): Devotary of Spontaneity, Elandera
• Bort (2): Araris Valerian, Cadmium Compounder
• Alvron (1): GreenRover
• Araris (1): Snipexe
• Elandera (1): Dalinar Kholin
• Xinoehp512 (1): Alvron

Night 2 has begun! It will last until 8PM Saturday July 21.

Player List:

Spoiler

1. Thalin (Fifth Scholar) Prince of Greenwood

2. Elandera (Elandera)

3. Eleyrn (Devotary of Spontaneity)

4. Itiah IV (I think I am here.)

5. wyndlenquardra (Ornstein)

6. Rathm (Rathmaskal)

7. Zunn the Mad (Alvron)

8. Bob the Hobbit (Snipexe)

9. Caddor (Cadmium Compounder)

10. Legless, the alcoholic Elf (Bort)

11. Kadgar (Dalinar Kholin)

12. Fade (Araris Valerian)

13. Suomynona (xinoehp512)

14. Glieven, a Ranger of the North (Mafia)

15. Dorder (Walin)

16. Halve (GreenRover)

[Elandera]

Curious. Very curious. Someone wants Walin to live. 

It could be one of two things:

- He's elim and the Hand of Sauron was protecting him..

- Or the Hand of Sauron was trying to make him look bad by protecting him. 

I find that second one less likely, simply because it would be easier to just let him die now than to set him up to die later.

The other thing I take from that is Walin either has an important role or possibly item the elims don't want to lose.

I also will take a closer look at Araris, since he seemed pretty keen D1 to protect Walin. I'll look into if there were any others, too.

[Mafia]

Many apologies for inactivity. I was called away unexpectedly.

---

Glieven was in the back of the group, silently watching the others. After the death of Thalin, there had been a sort of tension among them; accusations flying around from one suspect to the next and then hasty refutations to hopefully deter the accusations. Thus he'd fallen to the back to reach an outside perspective; however, at some point, the group had fallen silent and there was no more real use to being in the back, but he stayed there anyway. Having fallen to the back, he failed to notice they had reached the borders Rivendell, one of the dwellings of the elves; he failed to notice, that is, until the rest of the group slowed down.

 

[Devotary of Spontaneity]

1 hour ago, Elandera said:

- Or the Hand of Sauron was trying to make him look bad by protecting him. 

I find that second one less likely, simply because it would be easier to just let him die now than to set him up to die later.

Unless the Hand of Sauron was around within ~15 minutes of rollover, they would have seen the votes at 2-2 between Walin and Bort. If neither Walin nor Bort happen to be Agents of Mordor, the Hand could very well have attempted to make *someone* die. In this scenario, saving Walin makes sense, as he was already under a certain amount of suspicion for surviving the lynch D1, and thus would probably be easier to lynch tomorrow than Bort. Walin definitely still could be an Agent of Mordor, and there's a good chance I'll vote that way a third time unless something else comes up, but I do believe your second scenario is more likely than you might think.

[Elandera]

1 minute ago, Devotary of Spontaneity said:

Unless the Hand of Sauron was around within ~15 minutes of rollover, they would have seen the votes at 2-2 between Walin and Bort. If neither Walin nor Bort happen to be Agents of Mordor, the Hand could very well have attempted to make *someone* die. In this scenario, saving Walin makes sense, as he was already under a certain amount of suspicion for surviving the lynch D1, and thus would probably be easier to lynch tomorrow than Bort. Walin definitely still could be an Agent of Mordor, and there's a good chance I'll vote that way a third time unless something else comes up, but I do believe your second scenario is more likely than you might think.

Oh, I hadn't thought about that. It's also possible they were luring the vote away from Ornstein (the one Rath voted on intitially), if they weren't around in those last few hours (less likely). 

But good point. I agree, though, I'll probably still vote on Walin unless someone becomes more obvious.

[xinoehp512]

Sorry for not posting! I was unexpectedly unable to post. I will almost certainly post again this night cycle, with a closer look at( peoples' votes.( @Araris Valerian, please don't poison me)