Tol-in-Gaurhoth XXVII - Ballroom Blitz

[Durelin]

The Barrows were topped with white and the breath of those who were still breathing, before the Wights got to them, shown as wisps of spirit in the air. Winter had come, and the new year was creeping up on them (it was already well into what they call now in the 7th Age "December," and they celebrate their new year on the first day of the very next "month."). The Wights enjoyed those pale months, as the night came seemingly much more quickly, and lasted longer. For in such darkness they felt most at home. So needless to say, they had much to celebrate.

One night, one Wight sat up almost into the morning - something which any Wight might regret seeing - to produce what she hoped might bring some always-desirable food, drink, and mirth. The next night, the invitations went out to nearly every carcass on the 'Downs. They read:

All residents of the Barrow are cordially invited to the Black and Wight Ball.

Black and Wight attire is recommended. Masks are required.

RSVP as soon as possible.

Sincerely,
Your Woman-of-the-Secret-Shadow of a hostess,
Thuringwethil (Durelin)

The invitations were acknowledged with pleasure (or displeasure, and possibly went unacknowledged) and responses were (or weren't) sent out. Fifteen souls promised their attendance, and a sprinkling of others made a good show of regretting their inability to attend. (Even the dead, especially those doomed to roam their Barrows, retain their fair share of propriety. And let it be known that every Wight at one time had superb manners from excellent breeding, but after a few plus centuries of rotting some things just fall off the bone along with the skin.)

When propriety is set aside (put away...*snicker*...put under...*chuckle*...done in...*giggle*...rubbed out...*snigger*...buried away...*roars*...), the result is often a rousing good time. For regardless of what one might assume, the dreary dead are not always so dreary, even if their "dark," "black," and "dark black" colour coordination grows stale rather quickly. And so the attendees expected they would have a night to remember. What they did not expect was a time they could never forget.

[Durelin]

Tol-in-Gaurhoth XXVII: Ballroom Blitz


About the Game:

Days = Dances
24 hours RL time = 1 Day = 1 Dance
Nights = Rests
24 hours RL time = 1 Night = 1 Rest

The band will play on, regardless of whether or not the villagers wish to dance or to lynch. When the music is not being played, well, someone will not be able to find a seat, and the wolves will find him or her easy pickings. In this case, being without a partner is more than simply socially unacceptable.

In place of the usual pretend ‘roles,’ you may choose who/what you are going to the ball as.

(All of this dancing nonsense is just for fun. You may call Days and Nights simply Days and Nights, and you may think of the village in normal terms. Playing along with the ball setting is optional.)


Among your partners you will find:
11 Ordinary Villagers
2 Werewolves
2 Cobblers, each with the knowledge of one Werewolf


About the Cobbler:

A Cobbler is a villager who is such a sorry soul that he/she wishes to bring about not only their own death, but also the deaths of...well, everyone else! They are an innocent, ordinary villager, but one who wishes the Werewolves to win. Normally, the Cobbler does not know the identity of any of the wolves, but still must try and help them win somehow.

In this game, there will be two Cobbers, and each Cobbler knows the identity of one of the two Werewolves (each Cobblers knows a different werewolf). Neither Cobbler knows who the other is, and the Werewolves are completely in the dark as to who the Cobblers are.


Rules:

1. Double-lynchings are allowed.
2. Retractable votes are allowed.
3. The Werewolves work together, and converse each Night, including Night 1. They choose one kill each Night, excepting Night 1.
4. Both Cobblers want the Werewolves to win. One Cobbler knows who one Werewolf is, the other Cobbler knows who the other Werewolf is. The Cobblers do not know who each other are.
5. The Werewolves do not know who the Cobblers are at all.
6. Let's try no editing!
7. Keep the severity level down.


~*~*Guest List*~*~

Durelin as Thuringwethil (Mod and Hostess)
CaptainofDespair as The Witch-King (Co-mod and Host)
mormegil as a (Kewl-Shades) Rude Boy
Kath as a (Beautiful) Butterfly
Farael as a Fair-looking Orc
Rikae as an Entwife
Nogrod as a Nice Choirboy
Lalwende as a (Mischievous Little) Christmas Elf
Kitanna as a Rejected Band Member wearing a bag with eyeholes
Naria as a Spoiled Heiress wearing a Venetian half mask
Macalaure as a Mime
Celuien as a Cowgirl
Valier as a Flighty Young Woman wearing an exotic colourful bird mask
Eomer as Vorgram, Ancient Prince of Wargs
Cailín as a Robin
Holbytlass as a Court Jester
Folwren as an Elegant, Cold, Stoic, Mysterious Countess


The game will begin with a Night in which the Werewolves may communicate, but do not pick a kill. Night 1 will begin shortly at 2:00 pm EST, today, Monday the 18th. Day 1 will begin 24 hours from then at 2:00 pm EST on Tuesday the 19th. Days and Nights will continue to rotate in 24 hour cycles. The Werewolves may not communicate during the Day. No one other than the Werewolves may communicate (about the game) period.

Remember to turn yourselves invisible and stay invisible!

[Durelin]

Night 1 has now begun. Werewolves, you may begin PMing and plotting thus verily and verily thus.

[Durelin]

The ball was proceeding nicely, with fifteen Wights in attendance along with their Hostess and Host, Thuringwethil and the Witch-King, who formed an awkward pair, her wings and his hollow nature making dancing difficult and conversation nearly impossible. They’re a lot different than they sounded online, each thought of the other. The two had found each other on mordortrimony.com, and matching on a whole seventeen dimensions (including fashion tastes, interest in dead things, and the ‘Sauron loyalty meter’), they of course believed each other to be their perfect life companion. Apparently, though, neither made the best date.

Both running out of excuses for not dancing with their companion, Thuringwethil and the Witch-King called for a pause in the music. Everyone seemed to be glad of this, tired of being on their feet, and a number of them took seats at the tables scattered about the room, nibbling and sipping as they chatted.

Whirrrrrrrrr....

mormegil was “doing the lean” in the corner while doing his best to look disinterested even as Kath walked by in her striking costume. (Her wings far out-did Thuringwethil’s, particularly in glitter.)

Farael was reminding everyone at his table how they could keep a slim figure like his, causing Valier to eye her hor’dourves suddenly distastefully.

Celuien was showing Macalaure some moves he could do with his invisible rope.

Holbytlass was attempting to cheer up a rejected and dejected Kitanna with her juggling and jingling.

Whirrrrrrrrr....

Lalwendë was giving Nogrod a candy cane for being sweet.

Naria and Folwren were turning up their noses at the proceedings, and at each other’s company.

Eomer was trying very hard not to look too fearsome as Cailín considered taking a seat near him.

Rikae was still making her way through the door.

Click.

A few began to wonder if the whirring noise they heard was all in their heads when suddenly all eyes were drawn toward the ceiling. Two lights appeared, swaying above their heads. The chandelier, holding thirteen candles, had been left unlit, but now bright orange flames glowed on two wicks. Eyes darted around, until Valier let out a screech. Gasps and screams filled the room. They had found the source of what they believed to be their imagination.

It was a large contraption, with a long, thick tube and humongous bag of some sort of rough material attached to metallic machinery. But though the metal was shiny, everyone’s eyes were glued to the bag. It was covered in lumps, as from things trying to poke out of it, and very little of the bag’s original colour could be seen: the rest was a deep, sickly red.

Those who had the stomach to look more closely noticed that a couple things had poked through the thick material: a sharp, curved claw, and a heavy, dark metal spike. A bat wing and a dark crown that belonged to none other than their hostess and host, Durelin and CaptainofDespair.

All but two of the guests looked up to the twin flames and then bowed their heads in respect.

On even closer inspection, a note was found pasted on the mechanism:

BUSTED!

-The Barrow-Wolves

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Dead Dead

Durelin (Mod and Hostess) – Ghostbusted on Rest (Night) the First
CaptainofDespair (Co-mod and Host) – Ghostbusted on Rest (Night) the First


The Living Dead

mormegil as a (Kewl-Shades) Rude Boy
Kath as a (Beautiful) Butterfly
Farael as a Fair-looking Orc
Rikae as an Entwife
Nogrod as a Nice Choirboy
Lalwendë as a (Mischievous Little) Christmas Elf
Kitanna as a Rejected Band Member wearing a bag with eyeholes
Naria as a Spoiled Heiress wearing a Venetian half mask
Macalaure as a Mime
Celuien as a Cowgirl
Valier as a Flighty Young Woman wearing an exotic colourful bird mask
Eomer of the Rohirrim as Vorgram, Ancient Prince of Wargs
Cailín as a Robin
Holbytlass as a Court Jester
Folwren as an Elegant, Cold, Stoic, Mysterious Countess

Originally Posted by Walter Benjamin

“[E]ven the dead will not be safe from the enemy if he wins. And the enemy has not ceased to be victorious.”

DANCE 1 (DAY 1) HAS NOW BEGUN. Guests, talk. Werewolves, shush.


*Note that the Ghostbusters-style death is thanks to the Captain's genius.*

[Kath]

Well! What a party this has turned out to be! I know we were promised excitement but really, death? Not exactly a fun surprise, especially not for our esteemed hosts. Let's hope we catch these dastardly villains before they cause any more bloodshed. We know they walk among us, and there is quite an array of characters to choose from!

That Kitanna, for example, rejection can be a powerful motivator. Or maybe Farael. He might be fair-looking but an orc is still an orc. Then again it could be mormegil. Trying to appear "kewl" is no excuse for being rude. Why, he barely said three words to me earlier, though I wouldn't be surprised if he turned out to be particularly verbose later on.

Now back to the dance! We'll not find anything out if we just stand here staring, but watching the choice of partners may be very interesting.

[Farael]

Originally Posted by Kath

Or maybe Farael. He might be fair-looking but an orc is still an orc.

Oh, please... spare me the drama, 'tis always us Uruks who have to solve the troubles when other people mess up... alright, so there are a few werewolves around, let us Uruks find them and kill them, as we always have to do.

*Grumbles something about lazy-bum high-class spoiled little Gödzhil (orkish for some nasty bad word, that's for sure)*

So, we have werewolves here... howcome I'm suspected and not Eomer (let me spell it out for you here) the Prince of Wargs ?

I say warg=wolf, prince=special, special wolf= werewolf!!!!!

It's rather simple if you ask me. Will you all let me play a little before we kill him? I've heard that werewolves give good game, surely you would let me enjoy it, right?

After all, torturing a werewolf is said to be one of the best three workouts possible, right after running away from an angry Sauron and destroying the One Ring by walking pretty much all the way from The Shire to Mt. Doom.

[Nogrod]

Maybe we should just stick our bottoms to these chairs even though the band has started playing again? Let's see if anyone comes to rip one chair off from under someone openly as the orchestra ends playing?

I'm afraid this will be a game where we need some stamina. I mean that with no seer or ranger we can't count on them to save us this time. So we will be forced to rely in the beginning more to lucky choises or outright blunders by the cobblers and/or the wolves. Without them this will take it's time and many of us will meet our makers before we get any trails.

So let's talk friends, even if of nothing else than how to play on this first actual dance.

Thank's for the candy Lal, would you care for a dance?

[Lalwendë]

Tempted as I am by your suggestion just to instigate group cheating and sit on the chair all night (as I am a naughty/nice Elf), Nogrod, I shall indeed dance.

Now I'm used to watching out for people and if they have been naughty or nice all year, it's part of my job working for Father Christmas and I have my suspicions. Being naughty is not so easy to hide. I have my eyes open...

[Farael]

Originally Posted by Durelin

DANCE 1 (DAY 1) HAS NOW BEGUN. Guests, talk. Werewolves, shush.

Why, silly me... our dearly departed hostess has made it rather easy for us!! "Werewolves, shush"... we only need to see who is being silent and lynch him/her!!!

Thank you Durelin, I shall torture your killers twice as painfully as a gift to you. IF being tortured by someone so much more beautiful than them, like me is not torture enough.

[Holbytlass]

Dancing and eating and talking
the ball was fash'nably hopping
when whirs and clicks made them stop
and a ghastly sight made eyes pop
most bowed their heads for the dead
but two couldn't wait to be fed
some will start acussing
others will start their musing
one said aloud to be more heard
"Will the Fenris wolf step forward?"

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Holby

one said aloud to be more heard
"Will the Fenris wolf step forward?"

That would be most convenient indeed!

And thanks Farael for pointing out this:

Originally Posted by Durelin

Guests, talk. Werewolves, shush.

This time I seem to have our host's backing to my "lynch the quiet" -campaign to be unleashed before the end of this Dance...

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Holbytlass

one said aloud to be more heard
"Will the Fenris wolf step forward?"

Just a moment. This is from Holby's first post. Is there a Fenris wolf still among us living? I mean someone who has been a wolf and Died on Day1 lynching? This could be acobbler trying to contact her wolf (if there actually is one Fenris around)? Any knowledge?