Tol-in-Gaurhoth LXIII: The Cottage of Lost Play

[Nessa Telrunya]

I march into the kitchen, searching through cabinets instead of the fridge. My search yields a little box labeled "Green Tea". A cup of water goes into the microwave, then out steaming as a teabag is plopped in. I take a moment to sniff it, then speak.

"There are two wolves left. Surely they left some sort of clues when they spoke."

[Eönwë]

Hmm... so it seems that the wolves wanted to get rid of the loud ones...

No we must wait to see whatMcCaber has unearthed for us.

Best case scenario: McCaber found a wolf. I don't know if that special protector-person is aloud to save the same person two Nights in a row, but if so, then they can hopefully save him again. I wish our hostess was still alive to tell us...

Worst case scenario: McCaber found someone innocent. The protector person (Shall we call them "ranger" now, to give it a Middle-Earth theme?) can't save the same person twice in a row and so he gets killed and then the innocent gets killed the next day (unless the the ranger did a bluff, and only protects McCaber toNight, in which case, he gets another dream).

So... let's see what he's got fer us lousy scurvy dogs! (erm...)

[Nessa Telrunya]

Well, if he finds an innocent, at least we can operate under the typical process of elimination. But I do hope McCaber doesn't get killed.

[Eönwë]

Originally Posted by Nessa Telrunya

Well, if he finds an innocent, at least we can operate under the typical process of elimination.

Still, it's 2/9. But I suppose that's better than nothing.

[McCaber]

Morning, gents. By this time I hope everyone believes me. I know trading one wolf for the seer is a move the wolfpack would willingly take, but on this Day (almost certainly my last) I feel rather confident.

But my scryings last night did not reveal a wolf. As of right now that's all I'm prepared to say directly on the subject.

And I heavily doubt that my ranger friend can protect the same person twice in a row. If that were true, he (or I, in this case) would become nearly invincible. What I do hope is that he was smart enough to realize that my last comment was meant to bluff the wolves out of attacking me so the ranger could protect someone else and save me tonight. I guess we'll find out soon enough whether that's the truth.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by McCaber

Morning, gents. By this time I hope everyone believes me. I know trading one wolf for the seer is a move the wolfpack would willingly take, but on this Day (almost certainly my last) I feel rather confident.

Certainly you are deserving of complete trust. It's good to see you still with us!
I have faith that the Ranger was wise, and you'll have another opportunity for dreaming the next Night.
Ruminations on the previous Day's conversations are in order. With luck, something interesting might be brought to light.

[Nessa Telrunya]

I believe I am not alone when saying that some light shed on your dream is eagerly awaited. At this point, there's no reason not to trust you after you pointed out the last wolf.

[Eönwë]

Of course, McCaber may be a wolf who gave up one of his fellows in order to appear helpful. Now he can just keep on claiming proven innocents. But as it's so early, this seems very unlikely to me, and I'm sure that if McCaber doesn't die toNight or the Night after then it wouldn't really pay off, as we would (or at least I would) start to see him as suspicious.

[McCaber]

Aside from a bit of sleep to dream in, I spent the night contemplating the actions of yesterDay. I think we can narrow these odds quite a bit in our favor. Having to come into the open wasn't really all that bad a move, because after I mentioned Fea a second or third time I had to think the wolves would have killed me in the night, just to make sure. Now I have some breathing room and some ranger backup.

First of all, people I don't think are wolves:
Nessa voted for Fea, and vice versa. I have a hard time thinking that the wolves would have spent two of their votes against each other as the first votes of the day.
For Nogrod, it would have been too easy for him not to vote and let me die yesterDay along with Fea. I'd say he's clean.
I would have said Boro over here, precisely because of his link to Fea. Working together like that really strikes me as more of a wolf working with an innocent to gain trust, rather than a wolf combo attack.
Pitchwife and Lal both seem decent, simply based around the voting records. I can only assume that I looked like a seer to the wolves, and that getting rid of me then or at night would have been what they were looking for.

I also believe that there probably is a wolf among those people who didn't vote. No real reason, but simply a feeling.

[Pitchwife]

A few comments on McCaber's last.

For Nogrod, it would have been too easy for him not to vote and let me die yesterDay along with Fea.

And Shasta, not to forget. Nog voted last and broke the three-way tie - for which we owe him thanks; on the other hand, this was exactly what might be expected from a person of his reputation for common sense and wisdom (I'm tempted to say, regardless of his role).

I would have said Boro over here, precisely because of his link to Fea. Working together like that really strikes me as more of a wolf working with an innocent to gain trust, rather than a wolf combo attack.

The problem with this is, the interaction, as far as I can reconstruct, was initiated by the innocent (Boro) rather than the wolf.

I can only assume that I looked like a seer to the wolves

I wonder why. You certainly didn't look like one to me prior to your reveal, but that may just be my lack of previous experience with visionary persons. Heck, I almost voted for you instead of Shasta!

I also believe that there probably is a wolf among those people who didn't vote.

Not sure about that. I'm inclined to think Nerwen failed to vote for reasons that have nothing to do with our current predicament. As for Rikae, I don't know - after her last post, she may have been too drunk to vote.

(x-ed w/ Eonwe #140 ff.

[Lalaith]

Heck, I almost voted for you instead of Shasta

This is the problem, seers can so often seem wolfish.
Anyway, all this talk of whether McCaber is for real or not seems like time-wasting to me; common sense decrees that he is exactly what he says he is.

I think we should be looking more closely at our known wolf, Fea - what she said, who she said it to, what she didn't say, what others said and didn't say about her, and so on.

[Eönwë]

Originally Posted by Lalaith

This is the problem, seers can so often seem wolfish.

Yes, I would presume so, though it sounds as if you've done this sort of thing before. Please tell us...

In fact, the reason I found him suspicious was because he was laying low, not doing anything bold and standing out, but also posting all the things that he needed to so that you couldn't think he was deliberately being quiet or hiding his views. At the time when I first commented, he was ticking all the boxes, but no more, no less, which is exactly the sort of behaviour that I would have expected from a wolf- hiding right in front of your face. However, he improved afterwards, and seemed more involved and into the this discussion, and I'm sorry that I helped to force him out of hiding.

[McCaber]

Originally Posted by Pitchwife

I wonder why. You certainly didn't look like one to me prior to your reveal, but that may just be my lack of previous experience with visionary persons. Heck, I almost voted for you instead of Shasta!

Because you didn't know that Fea was a wolf. I was going after her, and it must have made them wonder.

[Pitchwife]

Originally Posted by McCaber

Because you didn't know that Fea was a wolf. I was going after her, and it must have made them wonder.

You weren't the only one. Nog did as much, and was much more explicit about it.

Nessa (assuming you're still with us), I'd like to believe your vote against Fea wasn't just a knee-jerk reaction, but I'd still like you to explain the reasoning behind it.

In case somebody's about to ask the same about my own vote: Shasta popped up very briefly and disappeared again, almost immediately; later offered an explanation for his absence that sounded plausible [OOC: story-wise I mean], but didn't really satisfy me; rebuked Inzil for twisting his words (and rightly so, I think); but all in all I had the impression he just made an appearance for appearance's sake without offering anything substantial - which I thought suspicious.
Indeed, one of the reasons I suspected McCaber is that he seemed too eager to clear Shasta of suspicion without any argument that looked convincing to me. And I'm still curious to hear what Shasta has got to say now, once he wakes up.

Lalaith (if you're still listening) -

Nothing, except that it is easy to appear busy and helpful and that can sometimes be a diversion.

Very true. But the same goes for being laid back, calm, cool and collected. Glad to see you more involved now!

Also rather troubling, incidently, is your rather frantic and pre-emptive response justifying your own actions

I can't see anything justifying the adjective frantic here. Care to enlighten me?

(x-ed w/ Nogrod)

[Nogrod]

Nogrod went to the fridge and was taking the Sancerre Pinot Noir he had stored there yesterDay when his hand suddenly wawered... No, this calls for something different...

He hesitated a moment. Finally he spotted the familiar deep green colour and the shape of a Tangueray Gin bottle. Without hesitation he took it out from the fridge and had a long draught from it, straight from the bottle. Closing his eyes he could feel the tingling liquid going through his body energising every inch of him. "There's no sorrow this thing couldn't make a bit more bearable..." he said mostly to himself before looking around.

"Uhh... sorry about this." He said a bit embarrased... "Survival kit, you know?" He tried to make an apologetical smile but failed lousily. "Some Gin and Tonic, Gin and Bitter Lemon, anyone? I could build you a shot..."

No one seemed too interested so he made himself a drink pouring some gin and a few drops of angostura into a glass with ice and a slice of lemon and then filled the glass with tonic. Then he withdrew from the fridge and sat down to the heavy armchair setting the glass aside. Then there was a heavy sigh...

"Okay, I should feel jubilated as I was right with Fea from the get-go... and those nightmarish creatures are one down. Sure, cheers for that..." Nogrod was yet again talking merely to himself but sure those close enough could hear him and his less enthusiastic tone of voice as he pondered about things with the glass in his hand. "I do miss Boro right now... like I said yesterDay, he could be your best friend in trouble or one who stabs you in the back... well, sadly his innocence has been proved in a most brutal way. Darn I miss him right now! I'd like to hear what he'd have to say... he was such a nice guy to chat around in the 'Downs - and to make all those fancy things like Arda Cup and such. And he's dead now! I mean dead..."

Nogrod went silent for a moment trying to concentrate in loading his pipe, which took some time indeed, but was finally done. After a few puffs and sips from his glass he felt ready to think out aloud once more.

"Okay mates... Now I think..."

He blew a long puff from his pipe and hesitated finally releasing a chain of smoke from his nostrils. "Now I think we must think about this."

He sat back again. "Sorry, I just had some more food for thought... and I need to refresh my memory. I'll be airing some thoughts just shortly, just a moment."