Tol-in-Gaurhoth XIV: Nyárë Nauroron Númenoreva

[The Saucepan Man]

OK, voting deadlines comin’ up. And it’s ’bout time I aired my views on what has gone on today and how I view each of you, my fellow villagers.

Aiwendil: Seen naught to change my initial view. Helpful and sensible contributions. Naught to suggest Wolfishness.

Boromir88: That there lad, ’e be ’ard work on the ears. Wish ’e could speak proper like me. But sensible thoughts, when I can unnerstand wot he dun be sayin’. Again, naught to suggest Wolfishness as yet.

Dancing spawn: Took badly to Aiwendil’s comments ‘bout the Seer. But I’m sure we are all concerned to protect our Seer (those of us as are innocent, that is). And I can’t reall see ‘ow it makes ‘er any more likely to be a Wolf than anyone else.

Fordim Hedgethistle: Suspicious, for the reasons I have stated before. Not contributing nearly enough for one so bright.

Formendacil: Looks like ‘e might be for the chop today. Can’t for the life of me see why. He’s done naught but flippantly claim to be a Wolf and then voted randomly. I don’t believe a Wolf would joke ‘bout isself bein’ a Wolf (although mayhaps that’s what ‘e wants us to think). Not nearly enough to go on.

Gurthang: The lad is correct that I still be suspicious of ‘im, following the revelation of this grand plan of ‘is. ‘E claims that is early vote was to spark conversation and protect the Seer. Well, as I said, ye can spark conversation without goin’ as far as to vote so early. And as for protecting yon’ Seer, well ’e ain’t doin’ a good job ’bout it. Why go an’ admit to it if that were what you were doin’, lad? It ain’t gonna work now you’ve done that. Could well be a Wolf who’s realised that ‘is plan to deflect suspicion ‘asn’t worked and is now frantically back-pedalling. Remains suspicious.

Holbytlass: Her suggestion that we look at those as kill animals for a livin’ was a bit strange, but then she’s not the only one who’s been making random accusations.

Jack: Reaction to Holby’s list raises some suspicions, but not much else to go on.

Kath: Didn’t like the way she seized on Jack’s words so eagerly. Is her tendency to confuse Fordim and Formendacil part of a strategy to confuse? I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt for now.

Lhunadarwen: Not a lot to go on. Early vote for WaynetheGoblin was explained. And who can blame anyone for voting for Wayne?

Mormegil: Not a lot to go on, but seems helpful and constructive.

Rune: Still keeping’ an eye on him for ’is tit-for-tat accusation of me. But ’as done very little else to attract suspicion.

The Saucepan Man: Innocent, I tell thee.

WaynetheGoblin: Who knows with Wayne? ‘E’s a man of few words and those that ‘e utters tell us little. Could be a Wolf or a Cobbler, but could just as well be an ordinary innocent or even a gifted. I won’t risk voting for ‘im - not yet anyways.

Wilwarin: Little to go on, but naught too suspicious so far.

Of course, there are a few there as ‘ave done little or naught to suggest any guilt on their part. Mayhaps, they are the ones as we should be worried about. But for now, I’m probably going to vote for one of them I find suspicious based on what they have said today.

I’m off for a smoke and a think. Back shortly to vote.

[Alcarillo]

DAY 1 will end in 5 minutes. Post anything else you have to say now.

[The Saucepan Man]

Cross-posted there with a few voters.

Well now it looks plain that dancing spawn will be lynched today. Can't say that I have any real reason to suspect either her or Formendacil. Nuthin I can do now will change today's outcome. So I shall make my position clear by placing my vote where it 'as been hovering all day - 'twixt Master Hedgethistle and Master Gurthang - and falling on:

++ FORDIM HEDGETHISTLE

[Alcarillo]

The Forostar was a desolate place. Bleak, purplish, rocky moors covered much of the land. Only a few shepherds wandered here and there, the only population in the central regions of the peninsula. There were no towns away from the coast, except in the southern regions. Often the only manmade structure one could see in all directions was the long road that stretched up to Sorontil. As one followed this road the land became more hilly, and through the hills one could catch a glimpse of Tar-Meneldur's ancient observatory. Eagles made their abode in the tower during the time of Ar-Pharazôn, and they became more commonly seen as one continued northwards. Eventually, the road reached the coast, dropping sheer into the sea with great black cliffs thick with fir and larch. Wherever the sea had pounded a harbor into the cliffs a tiny village grew. They dotted the coast, isolated and small. Their only major usefulness was to provide shelter for fishing fleets during storms on the sea, but those days were rare indeed while the Valar watched over the land. But as Númenor lost favor with the Avalôi, the villages became shelters for more than fishing boats . . .

* * * * *

The sun set in the West, and the entire sky over Númenor turned a wrathful orange. The black silhouettes of seagulls wheeled in the air, watching the villagers convene at the docks to lynch one of their own.

Each villager had a knot in his stomach and a deep feeling of dread. The votes were read aloud by the harbourmaster, and against the flaming northern sky he seemed a perfect match for Mandos himself. The votes were tallied and they declared that dancing spawn of ungoliant was to die. She sobbed into an embroidered handkerchief. "All I ever did was work with my needle, and my thread. *sob* I never in all my *sob* life hurt another soul! I didn't kill *sob* poor Alcarillo!"

She gained a few reassuring pats on the back, but someone shouted "Watch out! She could be a werewolf!" and the comfort ended. She sobbed even louder as she stood from where she sat by the pier and was poked into view by numerous pitchforks and shovels. The villagers gathered into a group behind her. "To the cliffs!" shouted someone. "Huzzah!" responded the villagers, and they poked dancing spawn towards the path at the edge of the village, the one that climbed up the old black cliffs that dropped sheer into the ocean. They moved single file up the steep path, between evergreen trees and ferns, until they reached the top of the cliffs. Through the trees one could see the ocean glittering. The group moved toward the cliff ledge that faced the sparkling sea. And at the very edge of the cliffs, where one more step would send dancing spawn to her death, she turned around, and she began to say something, but a thrust from one of the pitchforks thrust her off the black cliffs, and screaming she fell into the ocean below, dashed against the black rocks. The villagers watched her body transform as the waves washed over it. The dress burst as her dead body grew larger, and hairier, and her delicate hands became fierce claws. The villagers headed back to town to celebrate.

* * * * *

Dead
Alcarillo – mod - impaled upon his own sword – NIGHT 1
dancing spawn of ungoliant – werewolf – pushed off the cliffs and into the sea – DAY 1

Living
Aiwendil – retired tutor
Boromir88 – crab farmer
Fordim Hedgethistle – lithesome and non-unionized pearl diver
Formendacil – disgruntled office clerk
Gurthang – (possibly unemployed) dockhand
Holbytlass – butcher
Jack – blacksmith and farrier
Kath – bum
Lhunardawen – polite little shepherd girl
Mormegil - repairman specializing in ships and docks
Rune Son of Bjarne – Union leader
The Saucepan Man - harbormaster
WaynetheGoblin – doctor
Wilwarin538 – fiddler

It is now NIGHT 2. I need a name from the seer, ranger, and hunter. Villagers, stay silent, and werewolves, you may now PM. Sweet dreams!

[Alcarillo]

The coast of the Forostar was always a hideout for spies as long as there had been Elendili to spy on the King and an oppressive king to spy on the Elendili. Elendil would send his Elf-friends to the tiny hamlets of Númenor, where they waged an intelligence war against the King's men. Many were discovered and taken to Sauron's Temple, Zadan an-Mulkhêr, in Armenelos, and killed as sacrifices to Melkor. Sauron himself performed the sacrifices, under the name Zigûr, the Wizard. After long incantations in the Adûnaic tongue, the victim would be subject to a painful and terrible death.

And when Zigûr was not within easy reach of his victims, he sent out his werewolves to do the job for him. Rarely did they not slaughter a village when told to do so. And rare was it that Ar-Pharazôn refused Sauron wolves to transform into werewolves by his dark arts, like those of Sauron's isle of Tol-in-Gaurhoth, long before the rise of Númenor.

* * * * *

The moon rose as the sun set, and the clouds of that day faded to reveal a thousand stars glittering over the entire island. The fog from the morning had long since dissipated. Jack stayed awake late into the night, listening to the sounds of the wind in the fir trees on the cliffs and staring at the stars through his bedroom window. His eyelids drooped and for a moment he could have been sleeping, and once more conversing with the old King of the Sea, the one who was hated most of all by Zigûr, so far away in the city. But Zigûr's reach was not as short as Jack expected. An ominous creak sounded behind him, and Jack snapped awake, alert and listening. Then there was no more noise besides the rush of the wind, and Jack leaned back in his old chair and drew an old blanket about him to fight off the cold. But a shadow moved in the corner, and Jack now stood. Was it his own shadow? Was the darkness playing tricks on his tired eyes? He grabbed a fire poker from the ashy fireplace, and with a weapon in hand, he once again, for the second time, tried to sleep. But now he couldn't. What if the werewolves had discovered him?

Jack could not sleep now. He had to light a candle and see for himself if the house was empty. He stood and moved towards the door to the hall, but found it locked. He tugged and pulled on the doorknob, but to no avail. Where were his keys? By the fireplace. Jack groped about until his hand rested upon the cold, stone, fireplace, searching for the peg upon which he hung his keys. But his hand wandered to far into the darkness and touched something furry, and warm.

* * * * *

When the villagers awoke they were dismayed to find that Jack was missing, and took his valuable skills in weaponry with him. And so as the sun rose the villagers made their daily pilgrimage to the home of the latest victim of the wolves. They found the front door unlocked, and they entered and searched the few rooms of Jack's home. The only sign of a grisly murder was the head of Jack's horse, discovered among the sheets of his bed. But they did not find Jack's body in the house. Instead, they found Jack's remains in the forge. Wedged into the furnace was an ashy mound. The villagers realized with horror that this was Jack. They could even make out the ashy remains of an arm or a foot, covered with black soot and barely recognizable. On the top of the pile sat Jack's eyeballs, perfectly intact despite the roasting the rest of Jack's body received.

"So they killed the seer." said Wilwa glumly.

* * * * *

Dead
Alcarillo – mod - impaled upon his own sword – NIGHT 1
dancing spawn of ungoliant – werewolf – pushed off the cliffs and into the sea – DAY 1
Jack – seer – toasted and roasted in forge – NIGHT 2

Living
Aiwendil – retired tutor
Boromir88 – crab farmer
Fordim Hedgethistle – lithesome and non-unionized pearl diver
Formendacil – disgruntled office clerk
Gurthang – (possibly unemployed) dockhand
Holbytlass – butcher
Kath – bum
Lhunardawen – polite little shepherd girl
Mormegil - repairman specializing in ships and docks
Rune Son of Bjarne – Union leader
The Saucepan Man - harbormaster
WaynetheGoblin – doctor
Wilwarin538 – fiddler

DAY 2 has now begun! Wolves, stop PMing, villagers can start talking now, and the Hunter needs to PM me by the DAY's end. Happy hunting!

[mormegil]

So the wolves strike back with ferosity I see. In reviewing Jack's post I can see how a wolf who would spend time examining every post would come to the conclusion that Jack was the seer. Now one helpful assumption would be that SpM is innocent. I'll explain why as I go.

Originally Posted by Jack

Rune, don't vote for someone just because of personal dislikes. Saucepan Man is an important person here. He thinks more clearly than a few of us. Since we have to vote somebody off today, and since there are really no good reasons to vote anyone off, I highly recommend we not vote one of the smart people off. Saucepan Man, mormegil, and Fordim all fall into this category. True, some of us might suspect them, but at this point in the game, it would be folly indeed to kill any one of these.

If SpM is innocent, which I believe, Jack indicates here one of his stronger affirmations (I know Folwren is female) of innocence. Then wisely includes others who are unknown, Fordim and me. Now this may tip the hat a little to the wolves but not enough to know he was the seer.

Originally Posted by Jack

And all I had to say to deflect that argument, I thought, was say that I didn't kill animals by day (therefore it would follow that I didn't kill humans by night). Guess I was wrong on that bit of logic. No. I don't kill anything at night. One would think that after spending all day at the anvil or shoeing horses (that sometime have the audacity to lean entirely on me while trying to fit the shoe), it'd be pretty obvious that all I did was sleep at night.

Here is another clue, subtle and innocent in itself but when coupled with the next it's devastating.

To Holbytlass's vote, I've one thing to say with a merry twinkle in my eye:

"Ha!"

I believe that all of this was too much for the wolves to miss. Most of the contention showed by Jack yesterday was directed at Holby, though I'm not sure of her guilt she's somebody to watch though she could be being set up by the wolves.

Now Jack voted for Formendacil, does that mean anything? He claimed to be a wolf but Jack's logic was simply that--He claimed to be a wolf. I'm not sure he was certain of his guilt. My assumption is that he dreampt of SpM as would most seers.

Now looking at votes I think it's fairly safe to assume that Boromir and Aiwendil are innocent, they cross posted at the same time thinking they would give Spawn the 3rd vote and put her in the lead. There is a possibility that they could be the cobbler but I doubt it.

There is somebody that isn't sitting right with me but I will review their posts and write more later.

[The Saucepan Man]

Durn! They don gone killed our Seer! Kind of like takes the edge off of us lynchin’ a Wolf yesterday. Takes t’edge of it, I tell thee.

Having reviewed poor Jack’s words yesterday, it seems to me as there were some things them there Wolves might of picked up on. So mayhaps they knew he was the Seer. Or mayhaps it was a clumsy attempt to frame Formendacil, on account of Jack’s vote.

Well, here be yesterday’s voting record - in chronological order like, with a tally of the state of voting after each vote were cast.

1. Gurthang votes for Formendacil (Formen - 1)
2. Lhuna votes for WaynetheGoblin (Formen - 1; Wayne - 1)
3. Wayne votes for Lhunadarwen (Formen - 1; Wayne - 1; Lhuna - 1)
4. Spawn votes for Aiwendil (Formen - 1; Wayne - 1; Lhuna - 1; Aiwendil - 1)
5. Formendacil votes for Dancing Spawn (Formen - 1; Wayne - 1; Lhuna - 1; Aiwendil - 1; Spawn - 1)
6. Fordim votes for Spawn (Formen - 1; Wayne - 1; Lhuna - 1; Aiwendil - 1; Spawn - 2)
7. Mormegil votes for Gurthang (Formen - 1; Wayne - 1; Lhuna - 1; Aiwendil - 1; Spawn - 2; Gurthang - 1)
8. Kath votes for Fordim Hedgethistle (Formen - 1; Wayne - 1; Lhuna - 1; Aiwendil - 1; Spawn - 2; Gurthang - 1; Fordim - 1)
9. Holbytlass votes for Jack (Formen - 1; Wayne - 1; Lhuna - 1; Aiwendil - 1; Spawn - 2; Gurthang - 1; Fordim - 1; Jack - 1)
10. Jack votes for Formendacil (Formen - 2; Wayne - 1; Lhuna - 1; Aiwendil - 1; Spawn - 2; Gurthang - 1; Fordim - 1; Jack - 1)
11. Rune votes for Wayne (Formen - 2; Wayne - 2; Lhuna - 1; Aiwendil - 1; Spawn - 2; Gurthang - 1; Fordim - 1; Jack - 1)
12. Wilwarin votes for Formendacil (Formen - 3; Wayne - 2; Lhuna - 1; Aiwendil - 1; Spawn - 2; Gurthang - 1; Fordim - 1; Jack - 1)
13. Boromir88 votes for Spawn (Formen - 3; Wayne - 2; Lhuna - 1; Aiwendil - 1; Spawn - 3; Gurthang - 1; Fordim - 1; Jack - 1)
14. Aiwendil votes for Spawn (Formen - 3; Wayne - 2; Lhuna - 1; Aiwendil - 1; Spawn - 4; Gurthang - 1; Fordim - 1; Jack - 1)
15. SpM votes for Fordim Hedgethistle (Formen - 3; Wayne - 2; Lhuna - 1; Aiwendil - 1; Spawn - 4; Gurthang - 1; Fordim - 2; Jack - 1)

I’m off for a smoke an’ a think. Back in a mo’ with more thoughts.

[Rune Son of Bjarne]

I am not sure the wolves knew that Jack was the seer, this could however just be because I did not see it my self. . .

The only thing that struck me as odd, was the post about the: twinkle in my eye

The other posts as Mormegil mentions seems to be rather inoccent and I am having it hard to belive that the wolves figured it out. I belive that they either were lucky or they spottet the twinkle in Jacks eye and took a chance.

About sauce pan beeing inoccent: That could very well be, but I need to give it more thought

- Rune

P.S. Great job getting a wolf the first day, I am impressed.

[mormegil]

Originally Posted by Rune Son of Bjarne

I
The other posts as Mormegil mentions seems to be rather inoccent and I am having it hard to belive that the wolves figured it out. I belive that they either were lucky or they spottet the twinkle in Jacks eye and took a chance.

True the other posts do seem innocent enough but if you look at the whole picture it shows a different story. Though it doesn't help us lynch the next wolf I find it compelling.