Admin Thread for Tol-in-Gaurhoth XVIII: The Cottage of Lost Play

[Mnemosyne]

I'd like to thank my AMAZING cast of players and comoddess for a really good game. The teams ended up being very well-balanced, as the survival of only one player shows.

Given that I was really incredibly busy during this time and often couldn't be at the gamethread this went really smoothly, and I can only think of a few brief errors that happened during the whole game, all of which were cleaned up very quickly. I'd like to thank the players for going along with the whole triple-lynch thing with little to no complaints.

And also for not breaking character that much... Nog's last words were touching and I'm having a lot of fun with the idea of Lal breaking the news to them. I really wish Fea and Inzil could have stayed in the game a little longer, as well as our talented gifteds. On the other hand, if the game had lasted longer than it did I probably would have run out of narrational steam.

What was astonishing to me was how much this did genuinely feel like an early game. I guess we've been without multiple lynches long enough that there was some question as to how they should be used (the answer is this: hold them until your seer comes out with enough known innocents to shut the wolves out. This is also why I decided to limit the number of double lynches during the game). And I loved the fact that we had some very nice long analytical posts even up to the last Day.

I do have some little appendices for you which will be placed here sometime soon: the Night actions, initial PMs, and the other two possible narrations I had drummed up depending on how this last Day went (I honestly did not think anyone would leave it up to a tie; you people are awfully indecisive).

I encourage all and sundry to post on this thread, whether you were involved in the game or just reading it.

[Mnemosyne]

Wolf PMs

That night, you find yourself sleeping very fitfully. For some reason your dreams are plagued with ancient memories and the sweet taste of blood.

Finally, you wake up, and find yourself transformed into something new and glorious. This is the way things were meant to be.

You slip out of your room and find your fellows.

To make things absolutely clear: our noble werewolves are Lalaith, Feanor of the Peredhil, and Inziladun. You may now PM.

Even though the narration says you have to kill someone, you do not need to send in a kill tonight. All subsequent Nights I will need a PM from you with your kill selection two hours before the deadline.

Thank you!

Enjoy being evil!

~M.



Seer PM

That night you sleep very fitfully. Visions of the past flit through your mind, of great men of the past who were gifted with foresight. You find yourself able to see into the minds of those who sleep at night--well, one at least. You find you don't have the strength for any more.

Just to be clear: you are the seer. Please send a dream pick to me no later than two hours before the deadline, this night and every night.

Enjoy your visions!

~M.



Ranger PM

That night you sleep fitfully. It does not feel like anything magical per se; you're just very troubled by the prospect of this lady's death trap.

So you slip out of your room at night, and wander around the Cottage of Lost Play until you find the armories. You arm yourself, and resolve that each night you shall prevent one person from being the victim of a Wolf attack.

Just to make things absolutely clear: you are the Ranger. You do not need to send a name into me tonight because the wolves will not be killing any villagers; however, every night thereafter you may. You may not protect yourself, and you may not protect the same person two nights in a row. Please send your pick into me by two hours before the deadline at the latest.

Enjoy ranging!

~M.



Innocent PMs

You sleep through the night soundly.

You are an ordinary villager.

Good luck.

~M.



The M stood for Meássë, by the way, not Mnemosyne.

[Mnemosyne]

Night One
Dream: Fea

Day One
Lynch: Fea

Night Two
Dream: Nog
Save: McCaber
Kill:Boromir88

Day Two
Lynch: Inziladun, Shasta, Pitchwife

Night Three
Dream: Nessa Telrunya
Kill: McCaber

Day Three
Lynch: autume98, Nessa Telrunya, Eonwe

Night Four
Kill: Nerwen

Day Four
Lynch: Tie between Nogrod and Lalaith. Nog lost due to coin flip.

Number of houseguests vs. wolves were equal, so Lal automatically won.



Alternate death scenes will go up later.

[satansaloser2005]

Originally Posted by Lalaith

That narration was phenomenal, Mnemosyne...I really feel haunted now.
Apologies to all for my vile behaviour. To Fea, for abandoning her...although she did say we should...but especially to Nogrod. I've felt like a worm these last few days, if it's any consolation...

*hugs you*

If it helps, I was cackling at your success most of the game. You did splendidly.



Special kudos to the following, if I may say so....

• To Cabbie, for an excellent seer performance. It's hard to have to reveal, but you did wonderfully and were a real help to the village.
• To Tum, for surviving through most of her first game and doing quite well.
• To Rikae, for....well, just for driving me nuts on the last Day.
• To Nog, for having the....erm, you know what....to let that second triple lynch go through, even if it did end up having disastrous consequences.
• To Pitchwife, mostly because you got royally ripped off despite doing really well.
• To Fea, for taking her Fenris with as much dignity as possible.
• To Lal, for an excellently played game. No joke, you were fabulous. Never doubt your wolfing skills again, my dear.
• To everyone else for keeping the game entertaining and engaging. Well done all!

[satansaloser2005]

Mnemo, dear, your numbering seems to be off.

Day Two lynch was Dun, Shasta, and Pitch.
Day Three lynch was Steve, Tum, and Nessa.


Thanks for putting everything up; I missed a lot while gone, Night activity included.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Lalaith

but especially to Nogrod. I've felt like a worm these last few days, if it's any consolation...

Heh, I finally took a closer look at that situation back on Day1 on the last Day and realised it was not such an easy situation for you - and that what you actually did was just resonable for a wolf... Sadly it was a bit too late then. Especially looking at how Rikae then tried to get herself off from this...

But yes, no problem. It's a game and you outwitted us pure and simple. So congrats. Don't feel bad but enjoy! How about a toast? I have only some cheap red wine right now but anyway? To your health!

But this kind of bothered me:

Originally Posted by Rules

In the event of a tie, for the first two ties only, both candidates will be killed. All ties thereafter will be determined by the flip of a coin.

Now it may be my broken English - but looking how Rikae acted back there the last Day I'm not sure if I'm the only one who read this in a different way than was probably intended.

Now to me that looks like double-lynches (the first two ties) wil occur everytime but triple- / quadruple- / whatnots (all ties thereafter) will be decided by a coin. If Rikae knew her non-vote would result in a flip of a coin she would possibly have voted...

Okay, winning is not an issue here. That was a very enjoyable game; interesting twists and turns by us players, great narrations, mainly an active player-gallery etc. So much of fun. But the rules should be unequivocal anyway.

[Rikae]

Well, ok, it was in the rules and I forgot. Fair enough. But I still did not vote, and therefore, did not play a part in Nogrod's killing, nor choose Lalaith over him. I am not pleased with having my actions totally distorted, and that's all I have to say.

[Lalaith]

How about a toast? I have only some cheap red wine right now

Absolutely - skál! - , how about that...I happen to be drinking Sancerre....Sauvignon Blanc...I expect you're drinking the other kind....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sancerre_(wine)

Seriously though....you were spot on about the flaws in my analysis....I was searching around for slip-ups from you and to your credit there were no credible ones at all.

[Inziladun]

It was indeed a great game. Mnemo obviously put a lot of effort into it, and I, for one, had an excellent time. You lot killed me early, but in my short time I managed to flush out the Seer and sowed enough confusion that an ordo and the Ranger went down with me. There were certainly worse ways to go.
Poor Fea, I'm convinced, is guilty until proven innocent as a general rule. What a fearsome reputation she must have!
Hats off to my illustrious packmates, especially Lalaith, who carried it all by herself to the end.
Cheers!

[Nogrod]

And by way of special thanks...

Lalaith - Just wonderful play! Your smooth nicety wouldn't have carried you that far but added with that ingenious Day1 vote you just marched to victory! Splendid! (letting my inner Brit out...)

Inzil - You were really good first-timer wolf! I said it at some stage that I was a bit worried with your general approval of whatever I did but I never got into it to kind of start suspecting you more than I did some others - or thought them less helpful than you... I should have of course. *kicks himself*

Pitchwife - A great performance as a first-timer! Sorry I awakened to really defend you a bit too late...

Autume - I hope you liked this. You did well to survive that long and next time you'll be much more ready to take action yourself as well. I'm looking forwards to see you again in these...

McCaber - Excellent choice on N1 and even if I was a bit dissapointed on D1 that you came forwards so early I now think it was the right thing to do. I do wonder though why you didn't tell us your next dream on D2 at some moment - or why you didn't vote in the end? I was counting on you to vote when I added the tie there as you said you were cool about it...

Rikae - Well what a mess we managed to create there in the end!

Nerwen - Thanks for delivering Inzil to us. I was just unable to do it at that time... I do admire your reasonableness every time.

Boro - It was really sad to see you go that early in the game!

And well everyone! It was a nice game, small, cosy but still eventful (I don't remember seeing two triple-lynches in one game lately...). Thanks all!

Mnemosyne - A nice concept, great setting and interesting narrations! Kudos! And thank's for miss. Sally as well (even if she is awaiting a charge in the UN soon... )


PS. Lalaith: I actually looked at French white wines form my nearest winestore yestreday to go with my onion soup at home but the cheapest Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc cost like 20 Euros a bottle (what is it, almost 30$)!

[Rikae]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

If Rikae knew her non-vote would result in a flip of a coin she would possibly have voted...

I would definitely have voted, and for Lalaith.

[Lalaith]

Rikae....for what's its worth...I think we wolves got a very lucky break with Eonwe's late vote...the coin flip was even luckier. I wasn't expecting to win at all that last day. (Or indeed from the moment Inzil died...you and Nogs both know what a hapless lone wolf I am...)

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Rikae

I would definitely have voted, and for Lalaith.

Look at the bright side of it: more kids (mine and yours) in the world for Summerhill upbringing pushed to the extreme: free from a lot of unhealthy parental advisory!

[satansaloser2005]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

Look at the bright side of it: more kids (mine and yours) in the world for Summerhill upbringing pushed to the extreme: free from a lot of unhealthy parental advisory!

*snickers*


For what it's worth, when Rikae said she wasn't voting I thought I'd misread the rules, so I didn't think to clear it up for her because at that point I was busy writing a narration for the sudden unexpected not-tie. *headdesks* Either way, the three of you who were alive on the last Day were fantastic, and entertaining.

[Inziladun]

For what it's worth, my Day 2 vote was to have been Pitchwife, but Lalaith beat me to it, and I didn't want any obvious links between us. Shasta was my second choice.

[Lalaith]

I didn't want any obvious links between us

Both you and Fea were brilliant in that you left no traces or links to me at all, for which I am very grateful...

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Lalaith

I think we wolves got a very lucky break with Eonwe's late vote...

The whole dynamics of the game would have been pretty different indeed had Eönwë let his vote stand... Two wolves with two first lynches! (I think it has happened only twice before)

Well, then your "lonely wolf -skills" would have been tested Lalaith!

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

The whole dynamics of the game would have been pretty different indeed had Eönwë let his vote stand... Two wolves with two first lynches! (I think it has happened only twice before)

I spent Day 2 building cases on innocents, with some apparent success, only to have Nerwen dash in out of nowhere and vote for me.
When I saw Eönwë's initial vote, I think I uttered a 'strong' word or two.

[Shastanis Althreduin]

I don't have much to say. I think Nogrod is a coward for saying things about me after he made sure I wasn't around to defend myself, though.

I'd say good game, but libel just makes me angry. I may show up again, I may not. It all depends.

[Lalaith]

Shasta, hon - steady on. Werewolf is a nasty game and it's not a good idea to take it too personally.
Look at me, I spent the last few days sucking up to Nogrod, then twisted his words horribly with the intent of killing him.
Luckily, he has forgiven me.
And you have the consolation of knowing that your excellent instincts did not foresake you, you named both Inzil and I as suspicious on day 2.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Shastanis Althreduin

I think Nogrod is a coward for saying things about me after he made sure I wasn't around to defend myself, though.

Do you mean that if a U.S. resident makes a suspcious comment about an European in the last six hours of a Day - when the deadline is late-evening U.S. time - they are then cowards? Do you see where that principle would lead into?

But anyway, with that "making sure" and the libel-stuff and all I'll think I better PM you.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Originally Posted by Lalaith

Both you and Fea were brilliant in that you left no traces or links to me at all, for which I am very grateful...

I was a brilliantly lost cause early, love. That's why I warned you both in my first PM not to bother tying yourself to me. And then I separated myself in-game from everybody else to avoid leaving tracks... Both wolves knew perfectly well I didn't expect to survive past Day 2.

But you all did well. It was a lovely last Day to watch.

It was a wonderful premise, Mnemo and Sally. I enjoyed it very much while it lasted.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

PS, hugs for everybody. Werewolf is a game that is based around lies and the manipulation of other people's words. While sometimes things can feel like a personal attack, we must remember that every player is expected to use opportunities to his or her advantage. It would be a hollow game if everybody bound themselves and refused to say or do anything that might offend.

If we can't remember that it is a game where we are expected to lie and cheat (within the limits of the rules, of course), then perhaps we shouldn't play it.

[Pitchwife]

Wow! That was a real nerve-ripper! Nog, Lalaith, Rikae - all three of you were simply glorious on Day4. I had as much fun watching you playing it out as I had playing myself, and was totally clueless until the last minute. (Goes to show that you should never trust somebody just because they have a cute avvie!)

Thanks and hats off to everybody else - it was an honour to play with you. And thanks, hats off and a deep bow to Meassyne and sally for making my first game an unforgettable classic!

Thanks for the laurels, too, though I'm not quite sure I deserve them. As some of you may have guessed, I was led astray by Eönwe's fake seer hint early on Day1 - not that I believed him to be the seer outright, but I couldn't rule out the possibility. McCaber's reveal surprised me out of my wits.
(It didn't help me in my confusion that by sheer newbie stupidity I had gotten my deadline all wrong and sent in a premature Save pick (Eönwe) before McCaber ever revealed. I clarified the matter with Mnemi, of course, and as I understood her at the time, she told me my pick would stand (as indeed I had told her it should, in my opinion). So I'm a little puzzled by the Save as it appears in Appendix B - another misunderstanding?)
On Day2, the sensible thing probably would have been to disregard the Eönwe question for now and trust McCaber more. Instead, I engaged Eönwe in a conversation on seer matters, curious if it would prompt a counter-reveal - but all it achieved was to make both of us appear suspicious and get myself lynched, leaving the true Seer unprotected. At least I had the brains to follow Boro's suspicions from Day1 and (thanks to Nerwen) get Inziladulf lynched with me!

Shasta, I understand your bitterness and agree that you've been treated somewhat unfairly in this game (sorry for such part as I had in this). On the other hand, if you'd only voted for Inzil with Nerwen and me instead of kicking Nogrod in your rage, both of us might have lived. But as the saying goes, no use crying over spilt blood...

[Shastanis Althreduin]

No, Nogrod. I mean all that about "I voted Shasta because he wasn't participating as much as Inzil was", when the moddess's clear secondary goal was to tell a story. I don't care about accusations made against my role - that's part of the game. What I'm not okay with are implied slurs against my actual person.

[Rikae]

Well, the rules are the rules, and although of course I'm annoyed my plan didn't work, that's due to my own oversight. But I am still irked at being made to do things I didn't in the narration. It's just not good role-playing etiquette to make people behave differently than they did (especially in a game where we are supposed to play ourselves!) Several of us did something like that early in the game, when we assumed a body had been cut up that hadn't, and I'll certainly never do it again myself, now that I see how rotten it feels to try to act in one way only to have your actions changed to suit someone's plan. Hmph. I mean, ok, so Nog had to die - but I didn't vote for him (nor did I drink beer - wouldn't touch the stuff! )

I would still like to congratulate our wolves, who did play their part well - Lalaith, I don't know why you'd call yourself a hapless lone wolf - you had both Nog and I thoroughly confused (and when I saw Sally's first narration, I went "of course! Everyone is innocent - it figures!")

[Rikae]

Shasta, I don't know, the way I see it, lack of participation is a perfectly good reason to vote someone - first, because it might be a wolfish attempt to lie low, and also because the quieter (or less opinionated) the player the harder they are to read.

The one time I was lynched early on, it was because I decided to post nonsense and people found me impossible to read. Sure, I was annoyed, but reading people is, after all, much of the game.

[satansaloser2005]

Originally Posted by Rikae

Well, the rules are the rules, and although of course I'm annoyed my plan didn't work, that's due to my own oversight. But I am still irked at being made to do things I didn't in the narration. It's just not good role-playing etiquette to make people behave differently than they did (especially in a game where we are supposed to play ourselves!) Several of us did something like that early in the game, when we assumed a body had been cut up that hadn't, and I'll certainly never do it again myself, now that I see how rotten it feels to try to act in one way only to have your actions changed to suit someone's plan. Hmph. I mean, ok, so Nog had to die - but I didn't vote for him (nor did I drink beer - wouldn't touch the stuff! )

I would still like to congratulate our wolves, who did play their part well - Lalaith, I don't know why you'd call yourself a hapless lone wolf - you had both Nog and I thoroughly confused (and when I saw Sally's first narration, I went "of course! Everyone is innocent - it figures!")

Hehe. As you saw, in my original narration you didn't do anything to him, but I just tacked Mnemo's narration onto the end and tried to make you as reluctant a participant as possible. I'm sure she'll edit it if she sees fit, but she specifically requested I keep the Nog-chopping in the narration so I did. And who doesn't like beer? *waits for Menel to show up* Hehe.

[Shastanis Althreduin]

Originally Posted by Rikae

Shasta, I don't know, the way I see it, lack of participation is a perfectly good reason to vote someone - first, because it might be a wolfish attempt to lie low, and also because the quieter (or less opinionated) the player the harder they are to read.

The one time I was lynched early on, it was because I decided to post nonsense and people found me impossible to read. Sure, I was annoyed, but reading people is, after all, much of the game.

Day 1 was useless, so I added to the story. Day 2 I had some things to do. Nogrod made it sound (multiple times) as if I were deliberately not playing.

[Mnemosyne]

Rikae, the portion of the closing narration in which Nog died is by no means complete. Keep in mind that I wrote my part of it--the actual death--before the Day even began and I had no idea that it was going to end the way it did. Sally had started out with a better fusion of the two narrations but apparently lost it (right?) and so we ended up with the currently cobbled version. I'm sorry that it puts you in a position of responsibility and we can write that out. But I was not around to write the narration at the time so I couldn't make adjustments.

As far as the double-lynching rules went, I had expected that the village would not even let triple-lynches occur when I was writing the rules. When they started to become a reality, I lumped them in under the double-lynches and thought that that would be logical enough. Apparently it wasn't. But I did create rules that I stuck to, and applied them as best I could in stranger circumstances.

In the end, this was supposed to be a relatively hassle-free game in which people were supposed to have fun. The point was not so much one side winning over the other as it was to have a rippingly good yarn (which I still maintain this game was)--and really, the survivor got the worst fate if you ask me...

So... if anyone feels really distraught over the matter, all I can say is 1). I did my best under the circumstances, and 2). it's just a game.

3). If the tone of this thread becomes nasty because of anyone's perceived or actual wrongs, I will ask people take it to PM. I may have made mistakes but I had fun with this game and I don't want it to end with a sour taste.

Cordially yours,
Mnemosyne

[Nogrod]

All fun and fine! No problem (except the beginning of the discussion being postponed into this day... )!

I mean it was an entertaining game - albeit a short one!

(And at least one PM has been sent already. Hope it settles things a bit.)

[Lalaith]

All fun and fine! No problem

Totally agree. The narrations were fantastic, especially.
Rikae, I hate beer too...but just look at all the stuff we "drank" over the course of this game, I don't think so much virtual alcohol has ever been consumed in a game of werewolf....

[satansaloser2005]

Originally Posted by Lalaith

Totally agree. The narrations were fantastic, especially.
Rikae, I hate beer too...but just look at all the stuff we "drank" over the course of this game, I don't think so much virtual alcohol has ever been consumed in a game of werewolf....

Tehe. That's why I did it, actually; I figured we may as well stick to the apparent secondary theme. Unfortunately, beer was the first thing that came to mind.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by satansaloser2005

Unfortunately, beer was the first thing that came to mind.

Like our hinting of our quite expensive tastes weren't obvious enough...

(heh, expensive tastes when you don't have to pay for them for real...)

[Boromir88]

Well it's good Lalaith and Inzil, that you decided to take care of me early, because I am totally confused by all of this, and surely would not have allowed any of those triple-lynches.

I think I will just say the role of moderator is continually gettng misunderstood. Don't take this as an attack Mnemo, your death narrations were very well written and it's not just this game).

I keep hearing don't get worked up it's only a game. Yes, it is a game, not an RPG. Of course I don't mind wanting to bring the story part of RPG to WW (if I remember correctly, it's been attempted before and I don't recall it working out as successfully). But I agree with Rikae, that WW is meant to be played out by the participants and it is the participants who determined the outcome. Speaking honestly, I'm tired of seeing Mod's interfere and tweak situations to get the outcome they want. This is not an attack against one person, or even a few people, just a general opinion lately I think the Moderator role in WW has been misunderstood and it's causing me to lose my love for...the game.

While we all must realize cheating, deceiving, harsh suspicions are part of the game, I don't think anyone will deny we can all get overboard. I often fear in my aggression, I get too rude (and on a few occasions I have been). So, just consider what Shasta's said. I think it's quite rude to tell someone 'Doesn't matter if you turn out innocent, you are not being any help, so it'll be better to get rid of you, than a wolf who is helping more.' That wasn't the exact wording, but that was the gist of what was said to Shasta, and well I don't blame him for his reaction.

In Brinn's game someone said I was stupid, and even if I knew the person met no harm by it (as I doubt any member means anything personal in what they say in a game) it still doesn't feel good to be called stupid (or unhelpful), and then on top of that lynched, when you're out there trying your best. (Plus, I just couldn't hold a grudge against someone who admittedly made a bad joke at the wrong time,when I am the king of bad jokes during inappropriate times. ) Anyway, this is probably something best left to hammer out privately between Shasta and whoever feels it's necessary.

[Eönwë]

[QUOTE=Lalaith;604650what a hapless lone wolf I am...[/QUOTE]
Hapless wolf? You won.

The Day 3 was so annoying for me, because I thought that there were already two votes for Nessa, and by the time I realised my mistake, it was too late, because I'd already posted and there were no retractions. So basically I thought I had caused a kamikaze triple-lynch. And then Nogrod decided not vote, and at that second I realised that the three of us were innocent. But it also seemed like an innocent mistake.

I think I should trust my instincts more though, because the whole time something in the back of my mind was screaming "Vote Lalaith! She's too clean, too perfect to be innocent!" And I didn't listen. I was mentally urging Nogrod to vote her the last Day, but she managed to win, and what a brilliant victory. Congratulations to Lalaith on her excellent game-play!

I would also like to congratulate Inziladun on his great performance as a reasonable wolf, Nogrod on his long, analytical post (and his unapreciated long posts), Pitchwife for his great rangering (even of he did die a little early- and sorry for making you seem suspicious of the others), and to everyone who played this game and made it fun!

And of course, thank you to Mnemosyne (or should that be Meássë) for coming up with the idea and letting her play in this great game!

[Hakon]

Now that the game is over I can finally share my thoughts as I read it. Originally I thought McCaber was a wolf as well as Nogrod and I thought Eonwe was the real seer. I knew Pitchwife was the ranger from the start, just a hunch that was right. I then began to suspect Nessa after Inziladun's death. After McCaber was killed I thought the remaining wolf was Eonwe. I think it was before Eonwe's death but someone pointed out Laliath was getting everyone liquored up. That made me think she was the final wolf and I was right. Inziladun congrats on being the only wolf who fooled me till your death in the game.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Hakon

Inziladun congrats on being the only wolf who fooled me till your death in the game.

Too bad I couldn't fool Nerwen.
But thanks for the compliment! And you also, Eönwë!

[autume98]

I was thinking the same thing. I was going to vote Lalaith and then ended up voting Nessa.

Originally Posted by Eönwë

I think I should trust my instincts more though, because the whole time something in the back of my mind was screaming "Vote Lalaith! She's too clean, too perfect to be innocent!"

Thank you all for a GREAT game! I enjoyed myself. I'm looking forward to the next game. It was a pleasure playing with each and every one of you.

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Shastanis Althreduin

No, Nogrod. I mean all that about "I voted Shasta because he wasn't participating as much as Inzil was", when the moddess's clear secondary goal was to tell a story. I don't care about accusations made against my role - that's part of the game. What I'm not okay with are implied slurs against my actual person.

Look, it wasn't really you, Shasta: Zil did a rather brilliant job of framing you.