Tol-in-Gaurhoth XVIII: The Play’s The Thing…

[Shelob]

Or few lower

DRAMATIS PERSONAE
Shelob--Mad Scientist/doctor
AbercrombieofRohan--Retired Yeti Spotter
Saucepan Man--foreign dignitary
Farael--alchemist
Mormegil--soldier
Aiwendil--cook
Glirdan--musician
Formendacil--knight
Dancing Spawn of Ungoliant--shepherd
Nilpaurion Felagund--fishmonger
Lhunardawen--princess
Eomer of the Rohirrim--priest
Littlemanpoet--silversmith
Kath--beekeeper
Garin--baker
Holbytlass--governess
Anguirel--banker
Celuien--resident amphibian
Tar-Ancalime--ex-leper
Gil-Galad--devoted Lupine enthusiast
Boromir88--magistrate

ACT I

Scene i
Thunder and Lighting, Enter three WOLVES

First Wolf: When shall we three meet again, in thunder, lighting or in rain?
Second Wolf: When the hurly-burly’s done, when our task’s over and done
Third Wolf: That will be ere the rise of sun.
First Wolf: Where the place?
Second Wolf: Upon the Heath.
Third Wolf: There to meet with MacDeath.

Scene ii
A moonlight dappled forest clearing, Enter ABERCROMBIE

Abercrombie: (muttering) They made me retire. I could find a yeti, all I have to do is look. DO YOU HEAR ME? I WILL FIND A YETI!
(While she’s been mumbling a large, dark shape enters behind her)
Abercrombie: No yetis over there.
(She half turns, the shape moves closer and she spots it)
Abercrombie: Yes? I do believe it’s…yes, YES! A yeti! I’ve spotted a Yeti!!!!!
(The shape moves into a patch of moonlight and is revealed to be a giant bear.)
Abercrombie: AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

(Exit, chased by a bear)

Scene iii
This and all following scenes take place in valley village Eaumor. Eaumor is nestled between mountains on its west and east. A river runs through the valley from North to South and runs along the Western edge of the village. To the east of the village is a dark (and very expensive) forest. The forest stretches across most of the eastern mountains and there lives within it the Mad Scientist/Doctor SHELOB. Everyone fears this mysterious scientist, yet since she’s come to their valley no one has died of sickness, injury or old age, for all that she’s kept these villagers alive and unharmed the rumours of her unnatural experiments are believed unquestionably by the residents of Eaumor.
It is early morning in the village square. The sounds of people waking up and beginning their day can be heard.
Enter GARIN and AIWENDIL

Aiwendil: Now Garin, I know you’re afraid of bees, but trust me. Just ask Kath for a little bit of honey and use it in your baked goods, it’ll make them much better.
Garin: (panicking slightly) But they’re bees! They can sting you!
(He backs away from Aiwendil. He trips into the shallow fountain in the square’s center and begins to scream)
Aiwendil: Garin, Calm Down!

(Garin has crawled out of the fountain but his continued screaming has drawn the attention of the other villagers, enter FARAEL, GLIRDAN, FORM, SPAWN, NILP, LHUNA, EOMER, LMP, KATH, HOLBY, ANG, CELUIEN, TAR, GIL, and BORO)

Littlemanpoet: Quiet! Quiet Garin! What’s the matter with you?
Garin: (stuttering) S-S-She’s…She’s…
Holbytlass: (trying to calm Garin) Who’s what dear?
Garin: Shelob. Fountain. Dead.

(This announcement gets quite the response, many villagers make dubious comments while a handful, including Eomer and Gil-Galad, rush to the fountain and pull out the ex-scientist/doctor’s mutilated corpse)

Celuien: My Fountain? MY fountain you say?
Gil-Galad: (while the body is being dragged out of the fountain) She’s been badly clawed up. This definitely looks like the work of at least two very unhappy werewolves. Three even, though it’s a little hard to tell for sure.
Eomer: I found this on her. It’s gotten rather wet but it appears to be a letter, written in her blood if not her hand.
Lhuna: Well? What does it say?
Eomer: (reading) Shelob hath murdered sleep and therefore Eaumor shall sleep no more, Death shall sleep no more.
Formendacil: “Death shall sleep no more” I don’t like the sound of that.
Farael: Nor do I.

(Enter MORMEGIL and SPM, from the Eastern forest)

Dancing Spawn: Hello, who are you two? Would either of you happen to know anything about this death, or have seen some suspicious looking wolves around?
Mormegil: We’ve just arrived here, the most we can tell you is that this morning, in the forest a little way from where we’d camped, we passed the remains of what we assumed was a villager. She was torn to pieces. A short distance from her remains was the corpse of a huge bear. Someone had put a good number of arrows into the thing, and cut off its head.
Saucepan Man: We’ve come with a message for Shelob, but The sight is dismal; And our affairs come too late: The ears are senseless that should give us hearing.
Nilp: Excellent, well, I am…
Kath: Nilpaurion, leave be. This whole thing is smells fishy enough without you muddying up the waters.
Nilp:…a fishmonger. I was only going to sell them fish Kath, what else could I have said?
Tar-Ancalime: You know, I’ll bet the villager who’s remains they found was Abercrombie. She gave me some alms last night before heading off towards the woods, and I heard her muttering something about wanting to find a yeti.
Anguirel: Alms? For an ex-leper?
Boromir88: Enough! I suggest we all get settled for the day and gather back here in the square. We should do our best to track these beast-people down, may we be as lucky in our shots as whoever hunted down the creature which kill poor Abercrombie.

(Exaunt all but Glirdan)

Glirdan: (singing) When that I was and a little tiny boy,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
A foolish thing was but a toy,
For the rain it raineth every day.

But when I came to man's estates,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain
'Gainst knaves and wolves we’ll shut our gates,
For the rain it raineth every day.

(Exaunt)

Scene iv
(The central square. Enter all)

[littlemanpoet]

Alas and alas, this is no good at all.
We're all going to die, mark my words.
There are werewolves amongst us,
and they will kill kill kill!
We are doomed.

All right, I've given me little speech for the sakes of this play which is apparently the thing, so now I'd have ye all pay attention for a might bit. I've silver, you see, and silver's a good thing when it comes to werewolves, see, as good or better than it is for making the ladies look pretty, you see, and I've got a fair bit of it for it's my trade. Now: I've made knives of it, a pretty little collection. Each of ye should purchase a nice silvery knife from me so as to make sure that who ever is our hunter winds up with a silvery knife. And if every last one of us has one, maybe one as is a werewolf will have bad luck and sit no its own silver knife and thereby do itself in.

Now, I hear tell that there's a seer or two in this here village, and that they can't be trusted. One of 'em's right all the time, the other's wrong more than half the time and we've no way of telling until one of 'em's dead, and that's not a good thing. But see, the werewolves aren't all pretty minded about this neither, 'cause they know that there's two seers, one true and one false, and the longer they both stays hidden, why the worse for them! Because that gives the true seer lots of time to gather facts, and who knows maybe we'll be lucky and the false seer will be found out in some way, though me fears the most likely is to get lynched or mauled, more's the pity. Well, that's all I'm saying for now. If some of you folk have wisdom to add, all the better.

Still, we're doomed unless we use our noggins and pay close attention to likely signs of lycanthropy.

Oh! The knives are five gold coins a piece.

[Anguirel]

Werewolves, you say? Are you quite sure? Right.

I'm afraid interest rates are going to have to rise.

The bank of Anguirel, Anguirel and Anguirel (Angangang PLC) will otherwise continue to function properly and cater for every inhabitant of Eaumor. We do not take responsibility for loans that turn out to be, in retrospect, to wolves.

However no one with a visible tail will be permitted onto our premises.

Now, I'm going to retire for a nice, ah, morning slumber and mull the business over. Business acumen can become sleuthing expertise in a pinch.

I want to end by emphasising that drama is all very well, but Polonius was an idiot...

[Glirdan]

Alas for poor Shelob. Tis a sad day to know that Wolevs are amongst us. I'm so frightened that when I practiced this morning, I couldn't hit high C!! Shelob was one of the only people who truly enjoyed my singing, and now she is gone. May her soul rest in peace.

And Abercrombie as well!? Oh this is truly a sad day. Why on Arda would the Wolves want to attack those two? What have they ever done to hurt anyone?

Now, to get to the matters at hand, I know this is quite obvious, but for those who don't know me, I like to be blantantly obvious. So, here we go: we have to cath these Wolves. And what's this? Two Seers, one of which is always right and the other pretty much alway wrong!? We are in a terrible state. Luckily, we have our nightly protectors. May you guard us well.

Now, I must say that we come up with a strategy and I have one already. It's simple: we get rid of the quiet people. ( ). They cannot be trusted. I have heard from others who have travelled and have lived in a village with Wolves that there is always one quiet one, one talkaive and one in between. So, I say we flush out the quiet one by lynching everyone who is to quiet. What say you!?

[Boromir88]

Werewolves you say? Why this was like the last village I was at...Salem I believe it was. I authorized 12 lynchings and one man to be crushed, alas I had to call an end to it all because it turned out the whole town went into hysteria and everyone was being accused of lyncanthropy. If I hadn't put an end to the madness everyone in the village surely would have been lynched. I shall do my part and authorize all lynchings if though shalt offer substantial proof of werewolvery.

Lmp don't use these desperate times to further the thickness of your wallet, a good noose is much better than any of your silver devices.

[tar-ancalime]

*shouts from 100 yards away*

No silver knife for me. No noose neither. I'm safe from the wolves--none of you will go near me, so why should they?

How many times do I have to tell you, it's EX-leper!

[Aiwendil]

Oh! The knives are five gold coins a piece.

Five gold coins for a knife? Madness, I tell 'ee. Still, I've half a mind to take one. Only I hope that Boromir's right, the wolves get the noose, and the knife will be used solely on vegetables!

Now, I know we don't have much to go on as yet. But it seems to me that random accusations and similar nonsense will only help the Wolves. Meseems the sooner we get down to some serious discussion, the better the chances of our village surviving.

With that in mind, I offer a few questions for all to consider in the hope that they may provoke some useful discussion of villager strategy.

1. What is the most reliable way of spotting a wolf? Should we focus on the accusations people make, on the general tone of their posts, or on their voting records?

2. What should the Gifteds' strategy be? My own feeling is that the Gifteds, and our Seers in particular, should emphatically not risk revealing themselves unless necessary. Especially at the outset, the prime goal of the Gifteds should be to survive.

3. Among how many people should we spread the votes today? I would guess that with nineteen villagers, we should try to spread the votes among about five or six people, which would make the chances of at least one of them being a wolf fairly good.

Any thoughts?

And by the way, Wolves, to quote a famous Hobbit, I cook better than I cook, if you see what I mean.

[The Saucepan Man]

Enter THE SAUCEPAN MAN, Viscount Kettle and Fourth Earl of Lower Churdlecombe-in-the-Wold, Stage Right.

Zounds! Well that's just great isn't it!? I journey all this way from fair Albion, far away over the water, to meet with your resident mad scientist and part-time local dignitary. And forsooth! When I get here, I find that she hath verily kickèd the bucket. And what is more there are Werewolves to contend with, and seemingly Bears to boot. Ah well, the twinning of this village with Lower Churdlecombe-in-the-Wold shall have to wait. I know little of Werewolves, for they are but a legend in my land. But I shall do what I can to aid you in rooting them out.

May I suggest that all come forth and tell what they know of this foul deed. Let no one hold back, for it is only through discussion that we will have any hope of identifying these dreadful beasts. And when the time comes to choose one of our number to face the gallows today, as surely it will, I hope that all will see the sense in discharging their civic duty and casting their vote. For, over time, I imagine that those votes will tell a story in themselves, and only the Wolves have anything to hide in the telling of it. And I trust also that everyone will appreciate the wisdom of spreading our votes out as best we can. For it is only if the Wolves are in danger during the Day's voting that we may force their hands, or should I say paws.

Originally Posted by Glirdan

Now, I must say that we come up with a strategy and I have one already. It's simple: we get rid of the quiet people. They cannot be trusted.

While I have some sympathy for this view and will not look kindly upon those who hold back and do not contribute to our discussions, I believe that some restraint is in order here. Quietness alone doth not a Wolf make. We must look for other evidence in that which is said and, more importantly, in the way that the votes are cast.

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Oh! The knives are five gold coins a piece.

Originally Posted by Anguirel

I'm afraid interest rates are going to have to rise.

Er - perhaps it is a cultural thing, but aren't you being just a tad opportunistic there?

[Kath]

Just poking my head in before I go see to the bees. This werewolf business is a bad one. But I'm not sure that this free for all, make as much money as you can state of things isn't worse! Just as long as they don't take my honey I'm happy.

[tar-ancalime]

But I'm not sure that this free for all, make as much money as you can state of things isn't worse!

Nothing wrong with a good healthy dose of capitalism, eh, comrade?

It could be that one of these speculators will find a real solution--after all, what greater motivators than fear and money? We've got both in abundance.

Actually, now that I think of it, I've only got fear. Alms for the poor?

[mormegil]

A soldier I am and always will be. While I possess great physical prowess and dexterity it's my mind that has won me many a battle. I am able to out think my opponent and that, my friends, will be your greatest asset: A sound mind, reasoned logic, good mannered patience and random accusations.

Gil-Galad too much lupine in him already
Tar -Ancalime was only healed of leprocy because she became a wolf
Celuien a resident amphibian? More like resident lycan.
and Holbytlass as governess seems to govern the wolves more

Take my word for it friends there's two wolves in that pack.

[Farael]

Werewolves you say? ahh the 1,4-difanged-3-tailedfurrybeasts!! maybe we should spread some 2-sworded-1bigmeanhunter and hope for a favourable reaction... oh, but the reaction constant favours the wolves at this point... I guess that we must wait.

Poor Shelob! we were working together trying to find a way to turn gold into rocks... she was such a charmingly insane scientist! I guess I should be sorry for AbercrombieofRohan but who needs a Yeti spotter? Sulfur spotter would be much more useful.

And talking about sulfides, I shall go prepare some more sulfonamides for tar-ancalime... EX-leper he says, but better be safe than sorry.

I will be back later on, fellow villagers.

[The Saucepan Man]

Well I am glad, Master Cook, that you have suggested some strategies that do not simply involve the slaughter of those who are quiet but (quite possibly) innocent. I do, however, have some reservations over one or two things that you say, and will throw my thoughts out, for what they are worth.

Originally Posted by Aiwendil

1. What is the most reliable way of spotting a wolf? Should we focus on the accusations people make, on the general tone of their posts, or on their voting records?

All three, I should say, and more. We should focus on everything that is said and done, for therein might lie clues to guilt. As for the voting record, it is clearly important. But moreso over time and most particularly when we catch a Wolf.

Originally Posted by Aiwendil

2. What should the Gifteds' strategy be? My own feeling is that the Gifteds, and our Seers in particular, should emphatically not risk revealing themselves unless necessary. Especially at the outset, the prime goal of the Gifteds should be to survive.

I would prefer to trust to the Gifteds' discretion to act as they see fit, based on what they know.

Originally Posted by Aiwendil

3. Among how many people should we spread the votes today? I would guess that with nineteen villagers, we should try to spread the votes among about five or six people, which would make the chances of at least one of them being a wolf fairly good.

While (as I have said), I think that it is a good idea to spread the votes, I would counsel against setting an arbitrary limit. By doing so, we may unwittingly be restricting ourselves only to innocents. Everyone should cast their votes as they think best and if that results in a wide field, then so much the better.

[Glirdan]

I'm sorry my firends, but I must leave for the rest of the Day. I've been called out of town on a sudden emergency. I must vote and I tell you now that it is mostly random.

++Gil-Galad

Devoted lupine enthusiast my rear end! It's more like he's an expert lupine.

Good bye my friends.

*If you want real reason for my abscence, check the original thread. Thanks.

[Gil-Galad]

woah woah woah Glirdy, though i admire the Lupine, i would never want to be one, don't be rash Glirdan, senseless voting will get you know where!

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Glirdan

Now, I must say that we come up with a strategy and I have one already. It's simple: we get rid of the quiet people. ( ). They cannot be trusted. I have heard from others who have travelled and have lived in a village with Wolves that there is always one quiet one, one talkaive and one in between. So, I say we flush out the quiet one by lynching everyone who is to quiet. What say you!?

Too arbitrary. Let's see what people say (or not). If someone acts suspicious, lynch that one instead of an arbitrarily picked quiet one. There's not guarantee that the three werewolves will follow the ol' quiet/middling/loud format anyway.

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by Boromir88

Lmp don't use these desperate times to further the thickness of your wallet, a good noose is much better than any of your silver devices.

Easy for you to say, oh thou majestic magisterium, sir; you're on the guvment payroll. Those of us who actually have to work for a living must come up with whatever profitable methods we can for keeping body and soul together.

[littlemanpoet]

Good questions, Aiwendil.

Originally Posted by Aiwendil

I offer a few questions for all to consider in the hope that they may provoke some useful discussion of villager strategy.

1. What is the most reliable way of spotting a wolf? Should we focus on the accusations people make, on the general tone of their posts, or on their voting records?

For starters, such helpful questions as these lead me to suspect your innocence. By contrast, I have found that werewolves find it difficult to put on the act of innocence, and their guilt can often be read between the lines of what they say when they "suspect" others. Also, some werewolves tend to explain their strategy by means of conjecturing how they "suppose" a werewolf might think. These aren't definites, but they help me lean toward suspicion, if you take my meaning.

2. What should the Gifteds' strategy be? My own feeling is that the Gifteds, and our Seers in particular, should emphatically not risk revealing themselves unless necessary. Especially at the outset, the prime goal of the Gifteds should be to survive.

I've already spoken regarding the Seers: stay hidden, both of you. Make very, very subtle hints that can be referred to should you be killed. I agree with your advice otherwise.

3. Among how many people should we spread the votes today? I would guess that with nineteen villagers, we should try to spread the votes among about five or six people, which would make the chances of at least one of them being a wolf fairly good.

That seems reasonable to me; that way, the werewolves will be forced to vote in a telling way. However, five or six? That may spread things too thin, maybe? I don't know.

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by The Saucepan Man

While (as I have said), I think that it is a good idea to spread the votes, I would counsel against setting an arbitrary limit. By doing so, we may unwittingly be restricting ourselves only to innocents. Everyone should cast their votes as they think best and if that results in a wide field, then so much the better.

Hear hear!

[Boromir88]

Well I'm going to pop in here before I retire to my quarters. Just some observations.

Good discussion so far, though I must say nothing that I already don't know myself.

Saucepan is acting like his usual self, offering advice, counsel, sounding intellegent. So, there's no reason to think him of lycanthropy. Though he could know this and use it to his advantage.

Mormegil comes out with his random accusations as usual.

Glirdan quickly votes as usual. And it always seems to be the most obvious target.

lmp jumps right into things and gives his opinion as usual.

Gil-galad's quick witty remarks as usual.

People telling their woe and condolensces for the dead...umm as usual.

Everything just seems usual...too usual.

This false seer scares me as it could cause a whole mass of confusion for the entire village giving everyone the wrong information and going by our own mind to judge who is the right seer and who is the false seer. Above all people it will be the Seer who I would put my trust in to authorize the lynching of a wolf, but if we don't know who the false seer is, then this could cause some big problems.

[Holbytlass]

Originally Posted by Mormegil

Holbytlass as governess seems to govern the wolves more.

Well, Master Morm, I will be the first to admit my charges are like a pack of wild animals but if ye are implying those innocent babes are the culprits behind poor Shelob and Abercrombie's deaths then shame on you. But no worries, I suppose a soldier has seen situations that would make my hair curl.
I assure you and all others that my charges were tucked in all night and I was by their side seeing as they have come down with bad headcolds.

Originally Posted by Aiwendil

1. What is the most reliable way of spotting a wolf? Should we focus on the accusations people make, on the general tone of their posts, or on their voting records?

Now not always but it seems suspicious when a person wants to hang someone else that had made an arbitrary or even tacky accusation when everyone else feels that it was in jest. In my experience, sometimes the tattletail had done the worst offense.

Originally Posted by A

2. What should the Gifteds' strategy be? My own feeling is that the Gifteds, and our Seers in particular, should emphatically not risk revealing themselves unless necessary. Especially at the outset, the prime goal of the Gifteds should be to survive.

Of course, in agreement there-lay low, but not too low or Glirdan will hang ye . Oh I suppose the usual is in order:don't be obvious, but be clear and don't get killed!! If it's likely a seer is going to be lynched try to come and post a clear list of whom you've dreamt of.

Originally Posted by A

3. Among how many people should we spread the votes today? I would guess that with nineteen villagers, we should try to spread the votes among about five or six people, which would make the chances of at least one of them being a wolf fairly good.

A bit of spread is good, but how are we to know exactly how many.

[tar-ancalime]

This false seer scares me as it could cause a whole mass of confusion for the entire village giving everyone the wrong information and going by our own mind to judge who is the right seer and who is the false seer.

Well, yes.

It seems to me we've got to play as though we'd already lost the Seer (blind, if you catch me). We can dispense with the usual Seer-related flotsam of the first few days: people looking for hints that aren't there, declaring that they know who the Seer is, silly warnings to keep hidden, and the rest of that nonsense. We've just got to do the best we can and wait for later in the game, when we'll (if we're lucky) get a great gift from the true Seer.

The wolves will be looking for both Seers, but not too hard--if they kill the false Seer too soon, we'll be relieved of our doubts and they'll lose their advantage. I think both Seers have got a bit of breathing space, at least from the wolves.

I'd like to propose a moratorium on Seer talk--we can't know who is true until one of them dies, and the longer we wait the more information we'll get. So let's play as though neither of them is here.

[Celuien]

*Celuien enters, dripping water from her soaking froggie feet*

Alas for poor (ribbit) Shelob and Abercrombie. Especially for Shelob, the only mad scientist...erm...doctor who ever tried (ribbit) to understand my peculiar condition. If only she'd lived a little longer, maybe I would have been cured.

Originally Posted by morm

Celuien a resident amphibian? More like resident lycan.

Now, now morm. Don't let's be hasty. While my amphibious tendencies certainly make me a stand-out among the ordinary villagers, I'm far from a lycan. Indeed, why would I put poor Shelob in my own fountain? No, no. It's a frame-up, if you ask me. Ex-lepers like tar-a are far more suspicious. How did they come by a cure, after all? Deals with the lycanthropic side? I wonder. And bankers like Ang, well, everyone knows that bankers are naturally suspicious.

Anyway, gifteds, please stay hidden for the time being.

This little water-dweller is sleepy. Too many hours up snaring flies. But I'll return in a few hours.

[littlemanpoet]

Originally Posted by tar-ancalime

It seems to me we've got to play as though we'd already lost the Seer (blind, if you catch me). We can dispense with the usual Seer-related flotsam of the first few days: people looking for hints that aren't there, declaring that they know who the Seer is, silly warnings to keep hidden, and the rest of that nonsense. We've just got to do the best we can and wait for later in the game, when we'll (if we're lucky) get a great gift from the true Seer.

I agree. I was more or less trying to say this. Thanks for saying it better.

I'd like to propose a moratorium on Seer talk--we can't know who is true until one of them dies, and the longer we wait the more information we'll get. So let's play as though neither of them is here.

The only problem with this is that seer talk is one more piece of the village talk by which we may be able to snare a werewolf by means of his/her words. So although I sympathize with your desire for clarity, too much of that kind of clarity at this early stage might help the werewolves (to hide out in the open) more than the innocents.

[Aiwendil]

Littlemanpoet wrote:

However, five or six? That may spread things too thin, maybe? I don't know.

But if we only spread them among, say, three or four, then chances are that all those voted for will be innocent. And if all those voted for are innocent, the votes end up telling us nothing. It seems to me that five or six is the optimal number - enough that we're likely to include a wolf and not enough that we allow the wolves a great many 'safe votes'. But I certainly did not mean to suggest that we adopt any such arbitrary number as an absolute standard. I merely suggest that we aim, rather approximately, for the 5 - 6 range.

I think people may be worrying a bit too much about the false Seer. True, his/her presence may lead to confusion. Certainly it would be better not to have a false Seer. But bear in mind that a 'dream' from the false Seer is no more likely to be wrong than a random guess by a bewildered villager. As long as we all bear the existence of the false Seer in mind, I think we should get along all right. I certainly don't see any call for a moratorium on talking about the Seer; though I would, again, advise the Seers themselves to stay completely hidden. Note also that, at least in my opinion, the chief value of the Seer is to be gotten after the Seer has died (after a long and fruitful life, I hope) - and when either Seer dies his or her true nature will be revealed to us.

[Lhunardawen]

Before anything else, let it be known to the masses that I, your princess, am not, I repeat, NOT an ordinary villager.

I'm extraordinary.

With that piece of information lodged in your crania, I propose, nay, demand that I must NOT in any case whatsoever be lynched by Day or killed by Night. Violators will be punished in the most fitting manner.

Thank you.

P. S. How do y'all like my title? I think our foreign dignitary in particular will find it, umm, interesting...

[Lhunardawen]

Now, to business.

Originally Posted by Glirdan

Now, I must say that we come up with a strategy and I have one already. It's simple: we get rid of the quiet people. ( ). They cannot be trusted. I have heard from others who have travelled and have lived in a village with Wolves that there is always one quiet one, one talkaive and one in between. So, I say we flush out the quiet one by lynching everyone who is to quiet. What say you!?

I say you ought to be lynched for that.

Princess though I am, there are certain realities in life over which I have no control, and with regards to this play or whatever we call this thing, I name a bizarre condition called timezones as my greatest bane. I've searched high and low for someone who can cure me, but to no avail. The grave effects of the condition include a disturbing degree of quietness on my part. And can you blame me, musician?

Originally Posted by The Saucepan Man

All three, I should say, and more. We should focus on everything that is said and done, for therein might lie clues to guilt. As for the voting record, it is clearly important. But moreso over time and most particularly when we catch a Wolf.

I couldn't agree more. However I must warn everyone of the perils of reading too much into what is being said. Many a village in the past have been completely destroyed by the kin of these villainous carnivores because their denizens look farther than they ought to look, if you see what I mean.

I also agree with the ex-leper tar-ancalime's thoughts on the Seers. Stay as hidden as you can, do not give blatantly obvious "hints," and choose your dreams well!

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

For starters, such helpful questions as these lead me to suspect your innocence.

If it's any good news, Aiwendil, I think the same of you. But if you ever so much as reveal a furry tail...

Alas, the time for my princess lessons (Calculus, actually ) draws nigh. I'll be back in three hours or so with a vote. Speaking of which, NOBODY must suspect me for voting early everyDay. Anyone who does so will be pushed down the stage and out of the theater.

[Formendacil]

Friends, villagers, countrymen, lend me your ears! I come to bury these ladies, and to praise them!

So wise so young, they say never live long, yet I am nearly done to death by this slanderous deed- for what is life without the fair maidens Shelob and Abercrombie? Mine chivalry is affronted, for I, the noblest Knight of this land, was powerless to assist them!

Alas, poor lasses! I knew them well, good villagers.

Though these deaths be madness, yet there is method in 't! We need but find the method and we find these things of darkness!

This is the unkindest cut of all, that we have no madness of yet in which to find a method. Let every villager negotiate for himself his defence. The course of Werewolf-hunting did never run smooth. O, what Werewolves dare do! Are not many done to death by slanderous tongue? Here's ado to lock up honesty!

Remember: Cowards die many times before their deaths. The valiant never taste of death but once! How poor are they that have not patience...

Something is rotten in the village of Eaumor!

[mormegil]

Formendacil, when will you knights learns that being a soldier is far superior to your station? You've wrapped yourself up in quixotic fantasies and dilluted your true purpose.

Now on to business.

Lhunardawen is a bit haughty and may be hiding pointed ears under her tiara.

All but Gil have responded to my accusations much like I would expect. I will not reveal yet what I think of those responses but will continue to hold them in high suspicion.

[Nilpaurion Felagund]

[Yavanna gilled rower here.]

Oh, The Saucepan Man from foreign lands, have you ever seen anything like my sign?

Ah, dancing spawn, the Princess Shepherdess. ( to Lhunade-hime*) My name is Mamandil, and I would like to sing a ballad of--

*thwack thwack thwack* Listen, ignoble-class person, you will do only two things in this village: Sell fish and vote. ¿Comprende?

No Español.

*facepalms* Never mind . . .

Spanish . . . voting . . . that reminds me. I remember Farael carping about obtaining the Moderator's Gallstone to achieve immortality. That's pretty susfishious, isn't it?

Besides, I have a promise to him, and on my honour as a merchant of mer-products, I shall keep it!

++Farael

Never did understand his lecture on the Krebs cycle of life, anyhow?
__________________
*hime - princess (Japanese)

[Lhunardawen]

Fishpaurion Fishagund, you're nothing but a second-rate trying hard copycatfish.

Originally Posted by mormegil

Lhunardawen is a bit haughty and may be hiding pointed ears under her tiara.

Ah, dear soldier...perhaps I do. Maybe I'm an Elf. Who knows?

But if I were you, I wouldn't insult our Don Quixo...I mean our knight so much. As a matter of fact, why don't we make it a law? "All insults directed at the knight henceforth shall go 'rubber glue back to you.' "

Within the hour or so I shall come up with a name which I shall affix to two plus signs, and after that you shall see me after my royal beauty rest, on the next Day. Now will someone show me some fur before I go? I don't want to waste a vote.

[Anguirel]

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Also, some werewolves tend to explain their strategy by means of conjecturing how they "suppose" a werewolf might think. These aren't definites, but they help me lean toward suspicion, if you take my meaning.

I disagree that trying to discover wolves by empathatic thought experiment is necessarily wolvish. It can simply be an effective way of exploiting what we know of character and likely strategy to our benefit.

I agree with the...ex-lepress...on the state of affairs of our Seers. True Seers and False Seers, whoever they be, speak with manifold, contorted tongues. It is by stout steel and cunning that we will defeat these wolves, not mumbling, confused riddles! Let us regard ourselves as a village without a Seer.

We'll make them regret they ever picked this place for raiding!

[Lhunardawen]

Let us regard ourselves as a village without a Seer.

While I very well agreed to this, I wonder how the lycans will play this up. Any conjectures? They might help, they just might.

[Lhunardawen]

Perhaps I could answer my own question.

Naturally even as we speak they are on the hunt for the Seers. Yes, I think both of them, because none of us know which is which. I suppose they'd be doing off the "careful" ones first. And they'll take advantage of the Seers' quietness so they won't be able to reveal anything before they are killed.

Should we be wary, then, of those who call out the Seers or express disagreement to tar-ancalime's proposition? Or is this actually some sort of a lupine tactic (not that I'm suspecting the ex-leper)? Hmm...

[tar-ancalime]

originally posted by the Lhuminous Princess:

Should we be wary, then, of those who call out the Seers or express disagreement to tar-ancalime's proposition?

While it's always wise to suspect those who disagree with me (and it's a method I often employ, in Gaurhoth as in life), I wouldn't go that far here, Lhuna. I don't want to create any kind of cut-and-dried loyalty-oath-like environment: those are the easiest situations for wolves to wriggle out of.

Village: Let's suspect anyone who calls out the Seer!
Wolves: Hey guys, let's stop talking about the Seer!

or, perhaps,

Village: Let's trust anyone who posts in blank verse!
Wolves: We're innocent, we're innocent, we say!
So please believe us, for the love of God!

I stand by what I said earlier, but I don't think we can make any bold declarations about what we do or don't find suspicious--unless we're being a little duplicitous ourselves.

[tar-ancalime]

Should we be wary, then, of those who call out the Seers or express disagreement to tar-ancalime's proposition? Or is this actually some sort of a lupine tactic (not that I'm suspecting the ex-leper)? Hmm...

Well, there's the entire paragraph from which I drew the quote in my last post. Somehow I missed the second half of it, in which Lhuna qualifies her statement. So, I guess you can take my entire last post as a multi-paragraph extrapolation of that last sentence.

[Anguirel]

And, of course, the idea of wolves doing anything collectively is a pleasantly ludicrous one. They'll all seize different methods most suited to their skills.

[Lhunardawen]

*sigh* It's time.

++GLIRDAN

He's most likely innocent, but what can I do? As a respected Dwarf from a village of old, Kuruharan I think his name is, aptly put it, "Day Ones "

I decree that no one suspect me for voting in such a manner, even if Glirdan is later proved to be indeed innocent.

Farewell, fair village, and see you soon.

[The Saucepan Man]

I am glad to see that this seems a fairly talkative village. Some musings follow on what has been said since I was last here.

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

Also, some werewolves tend to explain their strategy by means of conjecturing how they "suppose" a werewolf might think. These aren't definites, but they help me lean toward suspicion, if you take my meaning.

Originally Posted by Anguirel

I disagree that trying to discover wolves by empathatic thought experiment is necessarily wolvish. It can simply be an effective way of exploiting what we know of character and likely strategy to our benefit.

I tend to agree with the Banker on this one. What is it they say? To catch a Wolf, one must try to think like one. And it can help in assessing innocence as well as guilt. Having said that, we should still take care over what we say in this regard. As tar-ancalime has suggested, we do not want to provide the Wolves with a ready-made guide on how to act to avoid suspicion …

Originally Posted by Boromir88

Mormegil comes out with his random accusations as usual.

Indeed. Though he has said that he prefers to use the power of his mind to his strength at arms, his accusations are made seemingly without any rational basis. Still, it is standard behaviour for Captain morm and, although I don’t hold much with random accusations, I will be interested to see what conclusions he has reached concerning the responses to them.

Originally Posted by Boromir88

Glirdan quickly votes as usual. And it always seems to be the most obvious target.

Well, it seems that he had good reason to vote early. But I agree that he has chosen an easy target. Legend tells of the quietness and confusing nature of Gil-Galad’s predecessors ( ). Nevertheless, it is risky behaviour for a Wolf to draw attention to himself by voting so early and for someone who had not at that stage spoken, and I somehow doubt that a Wolfish Glirdan would be so bold. Not at this stage, at least.

Originally Posted by tar-ancalime

It seems to me we've got to play as though we'd already lost the Seer (blind, if you catch me). We can dispense with the usual Seer-related flotsam of the first few days: people looking for hints that aren't there, declaring that they know who the Seer is, silly warnings to keep hidden, and the rest of that nonsense. We've just got to do the best we can and wait for later in the game, when we'll (if we're lucky) get a great gift from the true Seer.

I certainly agree with this. As I said earlier, we should trust the Gifteds to get on with doing their jobs as they think best. There has been far too much Seer talk already for my liking. In my view, it serves only to distract us from the job at hand.

Originally Posted by littlemanpoet

The only problem with this is that seer talk is one more piece of the village talk by which we may be able to snare a werewolf by means of his/her words.

I disagree. Too much Seer talk can only help the Wolves. How do you envisage that it might ensnare them? Surely it is better to focus our discussions on who might be the Wolves, rather than on how the Seers should be behaving.

I will be keeping an eye on those who seem to be encouraging this talk of Seers. *Glares at littlemanpoet and Aiwendil*

Originally Posted by Aiwendil

But I certainly did not mean to suggest that we adopt any such arbitrary number as an absolute standard. I merely suggest that we aim, rather approximately, for the 5 - 6 range.

Well then, I agree. But none should regard themselves as constrained by it. Still, we have three votes already for three different villagers, so it seems already that the votes are likely to be well spread.

Originally Posted by Lhunardawen

Before anything else, let it be known to the masses that I, your princess, am not, I repeat, NOT an ordinary villager.

I'm extraordinary.

Hmm, your imperious manner befits your station in life. And that would be a bold statement indeed for a Wolf. But your vote for Glirdan concerns me. I accept that you had good reason for voting when you did and it is fair to say that there is not yet much to go on. Yet, if Gil-Galad was an easy target, then so is Glirdan at this moment in time. Do you really think that a Wolf would have acted in the way that he did?

Originally Posted by Nilpaurion Felagund

Oh, The Saucepan Man from foreign lands, have you ever seen anything like my sign?

Aye, I have seen its like before. But not in these parts. And ‘tis a helpful contribution to our e-moot. Your quick and unreasoned vote for Farael does not speak in your favour, but I see that you were discharging an oath sworn before the village was beset by these unhappy circumstances. For now, your vote notwithstanding, I am inclined to view you as innocent.

As matters stand, I would like to hear from dancing spawn of ungoliant, Eomer of the Rohirrim and Garin none of whom have, I believe, joined our discussion as yet. Oh, and I would like to hear something more useful from Farael, Formendacil and Kath …

[Boromir88]

But if we only spread them among, say, three or four, then chances are that all those voted for will be innocent.

That I would agree with. There are 19 villages 3 of which are wolves, making it an approximately 6:1 ratio. So with 6 votees the math tells us one is a wolf. 3 or 4 would be too little. Though I agree with Sauce and that a cap should not be set at all. Though math shows us one wolf per 6 villagers...I do not always trust math. Everyone should just vote for who they think looks the most wolfish.

In my prior post I talked about how usual things were going a long, or atleast they were going a long with the way I expected. Well, Lhuna seems unusually chirpy. I doubt she'll be back today, but a lot of posts for our princess in a short time, mostly filled with junk that's of no use to anyone.