Tol-in-Gaurhoth XXI: Dueling Wizards Werewolf - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

littlemanpoet · 05-27-2006, 08:51 PM

Lalaith's parents had researched the lorebooks carefully and found one small instance of a name in an otherwise sad history of Men that struck their fancy. Sindarin for 'laughter' seemed just right for their little bundle of joy, and so they named her. Little did they know what fate awaited her.

She had lived her entire life in Sealville, and had made friends of the other women who either did not marry or found themselves without husband by fate. Married women looked upon her as frivolous and overly delicate. She knew this. And so she spent her time with Feanor, Valier, and Jenny. These four formed a clique that, unhappily, did not serve them so well when the Curse came. As the lorebooks of Sealville show, two of them were cursed to be werewolves, and two were not. Perhaps Lalaith was luckier than Feanor.

Things did not go well on the new day. Lalaith voted early for Eomer and stated her reasons. Eomer, Jenny, and Kitanna built a case against Lalatih, and the unfortunate Zali cast the deciding vote before Diamond and other villagers even had a chance to say anything.

Kitanna cried, "Quorum!" The four led the one to the beech tree.

"How fitting that the aunt shall suffer the same fate as the niece," murmured Eomer to Jenny, out of earshot of Zali.

"Any last words?" Kitanna asked.

"Yes," Lalaith said coolly, her eyes narrowing. "I'm looking at three werewolves and one dupe."

"A pity," said Eomer, and kicked the stool out from beneath Lalaith's feet. She died and did not change into a dead werewolf.

Eomer, Kitanna, and Jenny now turned to Zali.

"Woof!" said Jenny, smirking.

"Woof woof!" said Kitanna, grinning.

"Woofa woof woof!" yeowled Eomer, fangs suddenly listening.

Zali screamed and fled. The did not wait until sundown, which was still three hours off; they knew they had beaten the entire village. They gave chase and ran Zali down not a minute out of Sealville. They made hay of her anachronistically pinaforish gown with matching parasol, ripped out her heart and howled wolfishly over it, crooning to it as if they were phantom in love. Then they fell upon Zali with an appetite that could only be called, well, wolfish.

***********

The next morning, Eonwe, Feanor, and Diamond gathered at the Watcher Rock along with Eomer, Kitanna, and Jenny. There they observed a new grave, where Lalaith now lay, and what was left of phantom's love.

"We're dead," Diamond said in a hollow voice. "Would that I had been slain sooner."

"We would be most gratified," Eomer murmured, "to fulfill your wish."

With that the werewolves overpowered the three remaining villagers and took their hearts before finishing their feeding frenzy.

***********

That night, the three werewolves filed into Roa's basement and proferred the spoils of human hearts to the Shadow.

"You have done well, my werewolves," the Shadow purred. "One of you will become my new wizard. I shall meld these hearts into the power to make it so. Which one will it be?"

The three werewolves looked at each other with sudden hate and fear. Each of them wanted to be the next wizard. A murderous rout began. Fur was gouged. Blood flowed. Growlings and roars and howls were released from savage throats. Finally one werewolf struggled to its feet and waited for the Shadow's wizarding.

************

The Watchers turned and faced each other.

"This village has died," said the Lady.

"One survives and will spread the curse to another village," said the Man.

"Maybe we can somehow convey what must be learned from this village's sad doom," she said.

The Man nodded. "The innocent villagers failed to find common ground."

"It is most difficult when an evil wizard plays them like find strings of a lute."

"Yes, but they allowed her to play them so. They loved their families too well, their friends not enough."

"'Tis hard not to put loved ones first."

"Aye, but those not family must not be ignored."

"The good wizard's seers did not dream," the Lady said.

"A most unfortunate complacency killed this village," the Man said.

"Not least of the evils that befell this village, was that many fled the battle."

"Maybe," the Man said, "in the next village the innocent will take greater courage."

"Would that we could do more!" the Lady cried.

"Nay, we could; but our oath holds us back, as you know. Did we break our oath, it would have been much the worse for this village."

The Lady nodded. They stood and buried the three remaining corpses, then walked out of Sealville, following the path of the Shadow to the next village; they could see its trail of darkness as a stain upon the land.

The village of Sealville was reclaimed by the winds and rains and the slow onset of the dust of years. The lorebooks the villagers had gathered remain buried in the houses of the slain to this day.

Firefoot · 05-27-2006, 09:03 PM

I know I was rather disappointed when I saw that my name had been revealed as innocent. I pretty much expected to die that night, and lo and behold... but it probably worked out for the better that way. That week just got busy for me - my grandparents were visiting, and I only see them once or twice a year, and then it was my brother's Confirmation on Sunday - I just wasn't going to have as much time. But I was still disappointed.

Hats off to LMP for an excellent idea that worked out beautifully. Wonderful narrations, too.

Loki · 05-27-2006, 10:33 PM

My hat goes off to Roa. She played magnificently as an evil wizard. The bluffs and double bluffs pulled were played quite well. Everything about the way she played was pulled off flawlessly. However, despite that, the "evil" side was off balance. It would have taken a great amount of luck (i.e. - The good side discovering the indentity of the evil wizard early in the game) to throw the balance otherwise. Still, she did well. Points. I don't think it could have been better-played. From now on, however, I think we should just lynch Roa on principle.

Morm-- Nice. All around, you did very, very well.

LMP-- I found the rules to have a number of flaws. Te method of implementing the hunter was, in my view, an unfair method of play in an attempt to offset the unbalanced side of evil. A good job on the narrations. Liked what you did.

Valier-- You're wierd. There was no proof that Roa was the EW. No idea how on earth you could have known that.

Props, Gurth. You played as best you could for your position. As well as Roa, I say. You simply had the odds placed unnecessarily against you.

Nilp-- I'm sick of typing out the full compliments. Suffice it only to say that you did well.

Nogrod, you did very well. Were it not in Roa's plan, you would have lived for several more days. Everyone was being unbelievably ignorant in the beginning. I can't imagine how no one had realized that he was a wolf. Mad job for playing to your crowd like that.

Directed towards no one in particular, I find that this particular game is based primarily on luck. Luck on guessing who might be the EW. And with all of the confusion from so many players, chances of a correct guess were remote. It was not entirely the vilagers fault that they lost. Though they did largely contribute to it.

Also, villagers, I found that you all played quite poorly in this game. It need not have been so poorly done on your end. It was folly to lynch me in the beginning. You allowed yourselves to be lead astray by Nogrod, and voted in a horrible way. "I voted for Loki because I found him insulting." "I voted for Loki because his style of play bothered me." "I voted for Loki because he disturbed me." These "reasons" are no better than voting for me strictly because you don't like me. And that, my friends, shows that you have failed in this game. In the future, don't be so biased and, quite frankly, stupid. Yes, that's right. I said that your decision was stupid. Not you; I said your vote. It was completely pointless.

Yes, it was true-- the first night I was chosen by both the EW and GW. Fools.

There were far too many quiet players in this game. It grossly unbalanced the gameplay. Something ought to be done about that. I have no suggestions on how to fix that.

Funny, though, how accurate I was with my predictions of evil. Nogrod, Diamond, and Roa. Strike out Diamond...

Summary: Good job, some of you. Most of the rest of you just played horribly. Maybe I'll see you in the next game. Maybe.

Diamond18 · 05-27-2006, 10:56 PM

*ksssh* A moment of static, then a voice is heard over the loudspeaker:

"Cleanup on Aisle 7. Someone's ego just exploded and whooeeeeee it made one heckuva mess."

Formendacil · 05-27-2006, 11:43 PM

Excellent game, village- both the good and evil members thereof. I've not read the thread in its entirety (way, way, way... too many pages), but I've followed the narrations closely, and what I have is testimony to memorable game. Now, a couple of comments from a new player must be answered, methinks...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loki

Also, villagers, I found that you all played quite poorly in this game. It need not have been so poorly done on your end. It was folly to lynch me in the beginning. You allowed yourselves to be lead astray by Nogrod, and voted in a horrible way. "I voted for Loki because I found him insulting." "I voted for Loki because his style of play bothered me." "I voted for Loki because he disturbed me." These "reasons" are no better than voting for me strictly because you don't like me. And that, my friends, shows that you have failed in this game. In the future, don't be so biased and, quite frankly, stupid. Yes, that's right. I said that your decision was stupid. Not you; I said your vote. It was completely pointless.

Day 1s.

Best get used to it, if you plan to keep on playing... we are a divided camp where Day 1s are concerned, and as a member of the Dislike-Day 1s camp, I can fully see voting for someone whose style of play irked me. You nail it on the head in saying that it's the same as voting for you because we don't like you. That's the name of the game on Day 1. Being charming, modest, humble, handsome is definitely the way to go on Day 1. (If that's the case though, then how have I survived?

)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loki

There were far too many quiet players in this game. It grossly unbalanced the gameplay. Something ought to be done about that. I have no suggestions on how to fix that.

Again, get used to it... there's some in every batch. Some who can't help it (for unexpected reasons) and some who are out of habit.... the only way to deal with them is to lynch them. Pity.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loki

Most of the rest of you just played horribly. Maybe I'll see you in the next game. Maybe.

Further to my first response to your post... that's an excellent way to get yourself lynched there.

Now, back to talking to the lot of you in general...

I still don't fully understand this game... seems dreadfully complicated. But I have to hand it to LMP that it played out brilliantly, as well as more similarly to a regular Werewolf game than I would have expected. Kudos!

Cailín · 05-28-2006, 02:09 AM

I'm surprised to see how few people actually volunteered! And that Kath was among them. The others I had expected, but I thought there'd be more. Bunch of cowards we all are, not volunteering for the part.

Loki - obviously you missed something about the dynamics of this game. You say we played poorly, but you were the one lynched on Day 1. It is extremely rare for newbies to get lynched on the first Day. That means you messed up. Bad luck, yes, tis part of Day 1, but you did something wrong as well. Seriously.

The game is not all about rationale and who is the smartest or luckiest. You can be so right in your judgement and still get killed by the mob. That's why it's also about playing other people. Social skills, careful flattery, batting your eyelashes, being generally appreciated. Behaving yourself. The way you play, some might find you amusing and some may find you irritating but no one is going to want to keep you around too long. In terms of this game, that means you're a poor player.

Thanks for all stats, Elempi, though you're being a little harsh on the poor good guys.

Wonderful final narrative and an overall excellent job modding. Also thanks to Boromir and Kuruharan - though neither of the wizards bothered to turn me.

05-27-2006, 08:51 PM	#1
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	Final Narrative Lalaith's parents had researched the lorebooks carefully and found one small instance of a name in an otherwise sad history of Men that struck their fancy. Sindarin for 'laughter' seemed just right for their little bundle of joy, and so they named her. Little did they know what fate awaited her. She had lived her entire life in Sealville, and had made friends of the other women who either did not marry or found themselves without husband by fate. Married women looked upon her as frivolous and overly delicate. She knew this. And so she spent her time with Feanor, Valier, and Jenny. These four formed a clique that, unhappily, did not serve them so well when the Curse came. As the lorebooks of Sealville show, two of them were cursed to be werewolves, and two were not. Perhaps Lalaith was luckier than Feanor. Things did not go well on the new day. Lalaith voted early for Eomer and stated her reasons. Eomer, Jenny, and Kitanna built a case against Lalatih, and the unfortunate Zali cast the deciding vote before Diamond and other villagers even had a chance to say anything. Kitanna cried, "Quorum!" The four led the one to the beech tree. "How fitting that the aunt shall suffer the same fate as the niece," murmured Eomer to Jenny, out of earshot of Zali. "Any last words?" Kitanna asked. "Yes," Lalaith said coolly, her eyes narrowing. "I'm looking at three werewolves and one dupe." "A pity," said Eomer, and kicked the stool out from beneath Lalaith's feet. She died and did not change into a dead werewolf. Eomer, Kitanna, and Jenny now turned to Zali. "Woof!" said Jenny, smirking. "Woof woof!" said Kitanna, grinning. "Woofa woof woof!" yeowled Eomer, fangs suddenly listening. Zali screamed and fled. The did not wait until sundown, which was still three hours off; they knew they had beaten the entire village. They gave chase and ran Zali down not a minute out of Sealville. They made hay of her anachronistically pinaforish gown with matching parasol, ripped out her heart and howled wolfishly over it, crooning to it as if they were phantom in love. Then they fell upon Zali with an appetite that could only be called, well, wolfish. ********* The next morning, Eonwe, Feanor, and Diamond gathered at the Watcher Rock along with Eomer, Kitanna, and Jenny. There they observed a new grave, where Lalaith now lay, and what was left of phantom's love. "We're dead," Diamond said in a hollow voice. "Would that I had been slain sooner." "We would be most gratified," Eomer murmured, "to fulfill your wish." With that the werewolves overpowered the three remaining villagers and took their hearts before finishing their feeding frenzy. ******* That night, the three werewolves filed into Roa's basement and proferred the spoils of human hearts to the Shadow. "You have done well, my werewolves," the Shadow purred. "One of you will become my new wizard. I shall meld these hearts into the power to make it so. Which one will it be?" The three werewolves looked at each other with sudden hate and fear. Each of them wanted to be the next wizard. A murderous rout began. Fur was gouged. Blood flowed. Growlings and roars and howls were released from savage throats. Finally one werewolf struggled to its feet and waited for the Shadow's wizarding. ********** The Watchers turned and faced each other. "This village has died," said the Lady. "One survives and will spread the curse to another village," said the Man. "Maybe we can somehow convey what must be learned from this village's sad doom," she said. The Man nodded. "The innocent villagers failed to find common ground." "It is most difficult when an evil wizard plays them like find strings of a lute." "Yes, but they allowed her to play them so. They loved their families too well, their friends not enough." "'Tis hard not to put loved ones first." "Aye, but those not family must not be ignored." "The good wizard's seers did not dream," the Lady said. "A most unfortunate complacency killed this village," the Man said. "Not least of the evils that befell this village, was that many fled the battle." "Maybe," the Man said, "in the next village the innocent will take greater courage." "Would that we could do more!" the Lady cried. "Nay, we could; but our oath holds us back, as you know. Did we break our oath, it would have been much the worse for this village." The Lady nodded. They stood and buried the three remaining corpses, then walked out of Sealville, following the path of the Shadow to the next village; they could see its trail of darkness as a stain upon the land. The village of Sealville was reclaimed by the winds and rains and the slow onset of the dust of years. The lorebooks the villagers had gathered remain buried in the houses of the slain to this day.

05-27-2006, 10:33 PM	#3
Loki Animated Skeleton Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 31	My hat goes off to Roa. She played magnificently as an evil wizard. The bluffs and double bluffs pulled were played quite well. Everything about the way she played was pulled off flawlessly. However, despite that, the "evil" side was off balance. It would have taken a great amount of luck (i.e. - The good side discovering the indentity of the evil wizard early in the game) to throw the balance otherwise. Still, she did well. Points. I don't think it could have been better-played. From now on, however, I think we should just lynch Roa on principle. Morm-- Nice. All around, you did very, very well. LMP-- I found the rules to have a number of flaws. Te method of implementing the hunter was, in my view, an unfair method of play in an attempt to offset the unbalanced side of evil. A good job on the narrations. Liked what you did. Valier-- You're wierd. There was no proof that Roa was the EW. No idea how on earth you could have known that. Props, Gurth. You played as best you could for your position. As well as Roa, I say. You simply had the odds placed unnecessarily against you. Nilp-- I'm sick of typing out the full compliments. Suffice it only to say that you did well. Nogrod, you did very well. Were it not in Roa's plan, you would have lived for several more days. Everyone was being unbelievably ignorant in the beginning. I can't imagine how no one had realized that he was a wolf. Mad job for playing to your crowd like that. Directed towards no one in particular, I find that this particular game is based primarily on luck. Luck on guessing who might be the EW. And with all of the confusion from so many players, chances of a correct guess were remote. It was not entirely the vilagers fault that they lost. Though they did largely contribute to it. Also, villagers, I found that you all played quite poorly in this game. It need not have been so poorly done on your end. It was folly to lynch me in the beginning. You allowed yourselves to be lead astray by Nogrod, and voted in a horrible way. "I voted for Loki because I found him insulting." "I voted for Loki because his style of play bothered me." "I voted for Loki because he disturbed me." These "reasons" are no better than voting for me strictly because you don't like me. And that, my friends, shows that you have failed in this game. In the future, don't be so biased and, quite frankly, stupid. Yes, that's right. I said that your decision was stupid. Not you; I said your vote. It was completely pointless. Yes, it was true-- the first night I was chosen by both the EW and GW. Fools. There were far too many quiet players in this game. It grossly unbalanced the gameplay. Something ought to be done about that. I have no suggestions on how to fix that. Funny, though, how accurate I was with my predictions of evil. Nogrod, Diamond, and Roa. Strike out Diamond... Summary: Good job, some of you. Most of the rest of you just played horribly. Maybe I'll see you in the next game. Maybe. __________________ My, that's a rather sharp piece of wit you've got there. Why don't you let me take that away from you before you cut yourself? Always judge a book by it's cover.

05-27-2006, 10:56 PM	#4
Diamond18 Eidolon of a Took Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: my own private fantasy world Posts: 3,460	ksssh A moment of static, then a voice is heard over the loudspeaker: "Cleanup on Aisle 7. Someone's ego just exploded and whooeeeeee it made one heckuva mess." __________________ All shall be rather fond of me and suffer from mild depression.

05-27-2006, 09:03 PM	#2
Firefoot Illusionary Holbytla Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 7,547	I know I was rather disappointed when I saw that my name had been revealed as innocent. I pretty much expected to die that night, and lo and behold... but it probably worked out for the better that way. That week just got busy for me - my grandparents were visiting, and I only see them once or twice a year, and then it was my brother's Confirmation on Sunday - I just wasn't going to have as much time. But I was still disappointed. Hats off to LMP for an excellent idea that worked out beautifully. Wonderful narrations, too.

05-28-2006, 02:09 AM	#6
Cailín Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Lurking in the shadows. Posts: 711	I'm surprised to see how few people actually volunteered! And that Kath was among them. The others I had expected, but I thought there'd be more. Bunch of cowards we all are, not volunteering for the part. Loki - obviously you missed something about the dynamics of this game. You say we played poorly, but you were the one lynched on Day 1. It is extremely rare for newbies to get lynched on the first Day. That means you messed up. Bad luck, yes, tis part of Day 1, but you did something wrong as well. Seriously. The game is not all about rationale and who is the smartest or luckiest. You can be so right in your judgement and still get killed by the mob. That's why it's also about playing other people. Social skills, careful flattery, batting your eyelashes, being generally appreciated. Behaving yourself. The way you play, some might find you amusing and some may find you irritating but no one is going to want to keep you around too long. In terms of this game, that means you're a poor player. Thanks for all stats, Elempi, though you're being a little harsh on the poor good guys. Wonderful final narrative and an overall excellent job modding. Also thanks to Boromir and Kuruharan - though neither of the wizards bothered to turn me.