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

[Nogrod]

Nogrod was busy making an onion soup but had listened what the two others had said so far while occupied with the soup.

"You both have one thing that makes you look innocentish but another one of them has to be wrong. So which one?

Now Lalaith you surely let Fea down on Day1 if you were her mate. You'd have many options to help her discreetly there without anyone paying attention to it too much... well, possibly. After that you have voted early and safely - and for innocents (which surely innocents can do as well as wolves).

What Lalaith already pointed out, Rikae did herself state that she would be "‘ashamed’ to win as the kind of wolf she would have been in this game ". And I tend to agree with that. But then again what else could she have said in that situation? I mean I think she can make quite unforeseen turns and use quite unconventional tactics in tough situations...

So which one?

Meanwhile let me address a few things from your analysis Lalaith as I think you weren't actually too fair there. Just a moment."

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Lalaith

Wants to kill the careful and quiet ones. But then is worried about Shasta for being too busy. Note - this is odd.

That's a bit unfair interpretation that almost smells like a deliberate one. Shasta sure was one of the most "quiet and careful" people around. Did you see any suspicion he'd have made? Any case? Any real testing questions at anyone? Anything? But yes you can say he was busy - talking all kind of stuff not related to what we had to do in the first place (checking doors and suggesting cosier room to discuss...). But really, Lalaith - what where you thinking making that comment?

With Nessa this has been a roller-coaster ride for me. I have been suspecting her a lot at times and at others I have thought her possibly innocent. Sorry, without wolf's knowledge that's how it is. And btw. in a long run that's something a wolf has hard time trying to fake but an innocent has these doubts and changing feelings naturally and it can be followed from the discussions from one Day to another.

With Inzil it's nearly the same story - but I thought that he was more helpful to us making points and sticking his neck out there - unlike some others. The good thing with that is that you can in the end start actually making some reasoned deductions from that kind of person - whether to think he's a wolf or innocent. Now comparing to Shasta fex. the difference is huge. With Shasta you could only toss a coin and hope for luck; with Inzil you could actually mull over what he had said and done.

Nogrod is busy again! He says he was ‘right’ about Fea. Hmm....I’m not sure that the suspicions he voiced on day one amounted to a categorical accusation.

Did I say I had had a "caterogical accusation"? Who could come up with one on Day1? I did suspect Fea from her first speech onwards and you can go back the memory lane to check it. And yes, I felt good having it right.

He defends Pitchwife, four minutes before deadline, but also Inzil. Then seems to get upset by the way voting is going (not sure why?) and goes for Shasta.

Well this is a long story but I'll try to make it short.

Now both you Lalaith and Pitchwife voted for Shasta when Fea was at lead (with McCaber - and there were a few people in one vote as well). But now the difference between you and Pitchwife was that his vote was made two minutes later than yours - and McCaber's revelation. Now sad to say there was a chance for fraud there and I couldn't trust him as openly I trusted you... But finally I decided that I have to trust his word of that being an honest cross-posting - and then he looked as white as you did Lalaith. And he was leading the votes! And my curses there were because of that situation - and more importantly because no one seemed to be around not to talk of discussing their preferences leading the situation into a mad last minute picking... In a sad way Inzil offered me a way out by voting Shasta (I didn't want to vote for Pitchwife with reasons stated just up there - or myself either - and thought Inzil was more readable than Shasta). So there you go.

“choosing Shasta for Inzil because the latter would be playing” – that doesn’t make much sense actually.

It makes a lot of sense actually. I want to be able to think about people, not being forced to throw a dice as there's nothing to work with. Okay, 'nuff said.

Well that was not probably all but I'll leave it there for now. Feel free to ask more. I'm more than happy to answer. I have nothing to hide so I can answer all you have to ask.

[Rikae]

My intuition isn't even consistent right now. At first it said Nog was the wolf, then Lalaith, and now Nog again...

I can almost feel the presence of all the deceased innocents, watching us and maybe even hoping I will vote one way or the other. Perhaps, on the other side, they know who the last wolf is. I wish they could tell me!

I am generally against double, let alone triple, lynches in principle, and I dislike the way Nogrod make such a decision unilaterally, with no discussion. True, we all allowed him to by voting as we did, but engineering a triple lynch out of the blue at the last minute is just - well, something I disapprove of. But I shouldn't vote based on disapproval, but suspicion.

Lalaith could absolutely be a wolf as well. She has done nothing, really, that convinces me of her innocence (I don't find the failure to help Fea theory convincing at all - Fea might have even expected to go early).

Nog's behavior toDay - I don't like it. As I said, he seems to be waiting to see what direction things turn, urging us to suspect each other, and only feigning confusion for himself (it strikes me more as indifference than confusion - either one of us lynched is fine by him). He doesn't seem particularly concerned about his own vote.

Then again, Lalaith's behavior looks wolfish too. She stays cool, pretty much disregarding any suspicion directed toward herself, focusing on suspecting Nogrod, mainly, which would be a safe bet for her, if she's a wolf, if I actually started the day bluntly stating a misguided suspicion. In fact, it was just what I was looking for from her when I stated my intent to vote Nog in that way - a sense of calm certainty, little reason to consider the possibility that I might be a wolf, only to cement my vote for Nog and justify her own.

On the other hand, Nog's reaction was not what I would have expected from an innocent, either. I would have expected more effort to convince me of his innocence if he thought I was likely innocent, or, if he thought I was suspicious, more effort to gain Lalaith's cooperation. I don't get the impression, though, he's really making serious wolf-hunting efforts in either direction.

I started this little speech with an idea at the back of my head of ending it with a vote, but that vote has changed three times while I was talking.



Well... my intuition leans slightly more in one direction, I think... and I also think that what remains of this day is likely to shed much light on the matter. Actually, I can hardly stand the suspense.

And it seems Nog's talking right now... what he's saying reminds me of something that's bothered me about his posts... he says here "without a wolf's knowledge that's how it is", and it seems to me like he keeps making statements like that. It seems overly defensive, spelling things out too much, I don't know. Maybe it even speaks in his favor. *shakes head* But no. Then he goes on to say that's hard for an innocent to do... I don't like it at all. It's a very wolfish thing to say. It's almost as if he's telling us exactly what he deliberately did in order to appear innocent, as if he's congratulating himself on his own cleverness, right in the open.

No, no, no, you both look suspicious... you both look so evil. I need a drink.

[Nogrod]

"Here, take some of this fine Chablis I found from the cellar. It goes fine with the onion soup also..."

Nogrood had listened to what Rikae had to say and was a bit confused.

"Well if the Day begins with you both saying you would most probably vote for me what else can I do but to defend? And really I have no definite idea about you two. That should show from my words thus far. But I'd sure love to hear more from you.

Funny... as soon as Lalaith started to speak she started to look bad as well. That's the way it goes as well. Sure, looking at her analysis gives me an air of her trying to pile up any possible or impossible thing against me - with some careful "then agains" - and if it was to be an analysis of us both she has remarkably little to say about you Rikae - like she foremostly tried to get you convinced of my wolvery so that you wouldn't suspect her.

Well, to be fair you have done quite little thus far so less things to analyse - but still I find her comments on you merely superficial or neutral while she really tries to pick up with anything I've said and done.

I'm happy to see that was not a 100% success.

Okay, I need to finish the soup but will be back right away after that.

[Rikae]

It looks as though we're all holding our votes for the last minute, then? Say, let's all vote for the person to the right (or, er, east). That way the wolf doesn't win in any case, and our hostess may find it interesting enough to resurrect us all (if anyone is really dead at all) and set us free!

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Rikae

It looks as though we're all holding our votes for the last minute, then?

Well, I sure would love to hear more from you both before voting... and I'll try to give my two cents after I have eaten... So not just holding a vote but actually trying to form an opinion before voting."

[Rikae]

I'm not so sure there's anything left to find out/say, unfortunately. I'm not sure what my vote will be either at this point, but it may come down to a whim or a hunch in the moment. What do you want to know from me, that I haven't said already?

[Rikae]

Well, I'm around, and willing to talk - you say you want to hear more. Even if Lalaith doesn't say a thing, if you're innocent, figuring out my role alone would be enough for you. So where are you, Nogrod?

I have a question for you. Why have you been so eager to point out how things you've been doing would be difficult for a wolf to do? It's what's tripping my radar most about you lately.

[Lalaith]

She stays cool, pretty much disregarding any suspicion directed toward herself,

Well, as the suspicion directed towards me seems to consist of 'oh she's so calm', well what would you like me to do - stick a banana in my ear and run around screaming 'everybody PANIC!!!'.....
My huge problem today has been that I really don't find either of you very guilty.

Nogrod, I accept some of your points against my analysis actually - I concede that if you are a wolf, as I have to conclude you are, you have played brilliantly.
And I do actually have to vote now, this brinkmanship is making me feel dreadfully nervous (so much for calm) and also there's Stuff (not allowed on the thread).
On balance, there is the stuff I mentioned earlier, and also, what Rikae is saying today just strikes more of a chord with me.
I just hope I'm right.
++Nogrod

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Rikae

What do you want to know from me, that I haven't said already?

"Well for starters an answer to the question are you a wolf or an innocent would be just fine.

I'm not so sure there's anything left to find out/say, unfortunately. I'm not sure what my vote will be either at this point, but it may come down to a whim or a hunch in the moment.

Sadly you're possibly quite right there.

But I will revisit that Day1 voting once more to see whether my mantra of "Lalaith acted against Fea's best interest so she must be innocent" is as believable I have taken it to be thus far.

I mean that might be a second look well taken at this point. Other than that we can discuss if would all be around soonish. That might help in making one's mind.

The problem sure is that as soon as an innocent gives a wrong vote the wolf will capitulize on it and win. So therefore the carefulness..."

[Rikae]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

"Well for starters an answer to the question are you a wolf or an innocent would be just fine.

I'm an innocent. Does that help?

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Rikae

I have a question for you. Why have you been so eager to point out how things you've been doing would be difficult for a wolf to do? It's what's tripping my radar most about you lately.

What else can one do in this situation? I need to make the innocent one of you to trust me because otherwise we lose. That is one way of trying to achieve that goal - making you consider how much probable it is that certain actions I've done are innocent - for that natural reason that they are innocent actions.

Well, huh, there it goes then! *glances at Lalaith's vote* I do hope you Rikae are an innocent now.

[Rikae]

And you're right. See? I'm not capitalizing on Lalaith's vote... if you're innocent, so am I.

Bah, it all comes down to me, then.

Talk, people. Somebody make a wolvish slip in the next 45 minutes, OK?

[Nogrod]

Okay.

On Day1 the situation was as follows when Lalaith voted:

Fea 2 (wolf)
McCaber 2
Eönwë 1
Nessa 1
Inziladun 1 (wolf)

So to help Fea she should have voted either for McCaber, Nessa or Eönwë.

Now she probably knew it very well that I was suspecting Fea right there and there could be a third vote for her. But voting for McCaber could be too straightforwards - especially if Fea got lynched anyway. So to a wolf-Lalaith that wouldn't have been an option.

So how about Nessa or Eönwë? But even that wouldn't have guaranteed her Fea's live - but someone might look at her as trying to save her bringing more contenders to the front. So a new candidate? That would look good indeed.

It has looked so good I have basically trusted her ever since.

[Rikae]

Nog, you're not voting for Lalaith? I'm certainly not voting for myself, after all.

[Nogrod]

Btw. as you say, it's all up to you Rikae.

++ Lalaith

The good thing here is that you haven't jumped on that vote of Lalaith already - which makes me think you might be an innocent (or then you just toy with me here... but why bother if you were a wolf?). But in that case we have a chance indeed.

So anything you need to know or hear. I'll do whatever I can.

[Nogrod]

Originally Posted by Rikae

Nog, you're not voting for Lalaith? I'm certainly not voting for myself, after all.

[Rikae]

Ah, whichever of you is the wolf, innocents win. Whichever of you is innocent - well, you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.

I'm not voting.



Maybe this will cheer you up.

(Hey, it's the only way I can be sure of getting home to my family).

[Nogrod]

Interesting indeed.

I think I know now that Lalaith is the last wolf - because you didn't jump on Lalaith's vote. Sadly that is knowledge only from my perspective and you can't share it.

But if you look at what I said of the Day1 voting just a moment ago, it doesn't seem to be that good case on her innocence at all.

And as you say, she has been very careful all the time. I'd like to add she has also been careful not to suspect too many people at the same time but limiting possible retaliations or possible counter-suspicions to a minimum at a time.

Ah, whichever of you is the wolf, innocents win. Whichever of you is innocent - well, you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.

I'm not voting.

That's ingenious indeed!

Sadly it means I have to die.

Well. An interesting ending anyway.

[Nogrod]

What if Mnemo thinks your three Days without a vote from four possible will trigger a modfire and we all die?

[Rikae]

Thank you. After all, even in this world, I am the same person I am in the real world... and that person has been called "true neutral". Sorry, Nogrod, I really am leaning toward considering you more innocent, but it's close to 50/50 anyway, and I have four little ones to think of.

I fear it may interfere with our dear hostess's plans, though. I hope she keeps her bargain...

EDIT: Crossed with last statement of Nog's - well, I don't recall her telling us we had a voting requirement. Then again, a kidnapper who conspires to commit murder and poisons people may not be the most trustworthy individual.

[Nogrod]

Kind of an anti-climax though...

Crossed with last statement of Nog's - well, I don't recall her telling us we had a voting requirement.

Well it would fit the song you linked better...

[Rikae]

Heh, I had that song in mind already in case you voted for me. I would have voted for Lalaith...

[Rikae]

*sits back to watch Nogrod and Lalaith kill each other*

[Nogrod]

And as a farewell note.

If you get out of this terrible place Rikae, send Lommy and Greenie my love. I do love them the most in this world. So get an opportunity to meet them and tell them I died thinking of them and hoping all the best for them in this world - and advising them never take part in any 'Downs meeting!

[Rikae]

Of course I know you have a family too, Nog, but you may still be a wolf... if I help you to overpower Lalaith, you may turn on me. I hate that it has to come to this, though.

Perhaps it is all an illusion after all?

[satansaloser2005]

"All right," said Rikae, "so I guess you both kill each other?"

"Unless you want to kill us both," said Nogrod.

Rikae shook her head.

"Then what if only one of us dies?" said Lalaith. "We're not exactly the same build."

"You'll have no choice," said Nog. "Of course, you could be the last wolf yourself--in which case, my humble congratulations--in which case you'll be more than glad to do the dirty work when it comes to that."

"And if the wolf's already dead? You want an innocent's blood on Rikae's hands?"

"Look, this is the only fair way I can see us doing this!"

"Yes, because 'fair' means 'everybody loses.' Look, there's a better way of doing this. We flip a coin. If I lose, you kill me; if you lose, I kill you. Then if it turns out the loser was a wolf, we have two innocents who walk free. If the loser was an innocent, Rikae kills the other and wins--no matter who or what she is."

"Hey," said Rikae, "that isn't fair. I never even voted for anybody!"

"It's a one in two chance you'll have to kill someone. If we left it up to combat it'd probably be less than that."

Nogrod nodded. "It does seem to be the right way to go. Rikae, you should flip the coin; it's only right." He found nearby a silver penny; it had elvish writing on it and a tree on the back. He handed it to her. "Who's calling it?" he said.

"You can," said Lalaith.

"Right. Heads I die first; tails Lal does."

Rikae threw the coin into the air; it spun and caught the red sunlight as it came in through the window. It landed on its side, rolled, and finally settled. Rikae bent over it; it showed the face of a fair woman in profile. She beckoned the others to see.

"I'm sorry, Nog," said Rikae.

"It's not your fault," he said. "But when you get out of this..."

Rikae nodded. "I'll tell them."

Lalaith walked over to the bar. "Any last requests?"

"Something strong, I hope."

Lalaith rummaged around in the back. "Does something with the label '1420' sound good?"

"Depends on what it is."

She came back out with a small, bulging bottle. "I think it's brandy," she said. She looked at the label. "Made in Buckland, if you can believe it."

"Well," said Nogrod with a faint smile, "everything from that year was supposed to be good, wasn't it?"

Lalaith opened the bottle and handed it to him. He took a swig, all propriety discarded. He nodded and returned it. "You should have some," he said. "I don't envy you your task, though perhaps you won't mind it yourself."

Lalaith took a sip. "You know," she said, "you'll make this easier if you transform now. I'm not afraid to hurt you to make it happen."

Nogrod laughed. "Wouldn't I just overpower you?"

"You wouldn't be human, that's what. And that way we'd know that we'd be free."

"I'm not doing it. I can't."

"Aren't you now?" Lalaith put his eye out.

"What are you doing?" said Rikae.

"He isn't putting up a fight. He won't. He thinks he'll be able to strike at our conscience that way, by not fighting. But if he's hurt, he'll get angry, transform--we can fight him, and he'll already be weakened that way." She looked down at Nogrod, who was clutching at his eye. She put the other one out.

"Why isn't he fighting back yet?" said Rikae.

"I don't know. If you want, you can help--"

Rikae shook her head. "I'm having nothing to do with this. Call me when you're done, or if you're in danger."

"As you wish."

Rikae walked away, but she could still hear the cries of pain as Nogrod was brutally put to death. There was a moment of silence, then Lalaith's voice came quavering. "You can kill me now," she said.

Rikae came back. Nogrod's body lay on the floor. Nearby were his hands, feet, and head: cut off one by one. "What have you done?" she said.

Lalaith looked at her, blood all over her front. "What I had to," she said.

"So, he didn't transform after all."

"Maybe I was wrong."

"We should check the front door to make sure."

They did. It was still locked.

"So that means the last wolf..." said Rikae

"...is one of us."

Rikae reached down and picked up a knife.

[Mnemosyne]

"Oh, right," said Lalaith with a grin. "That'd be me." Standing up and stretching, she felt her muscles expand and the fur sprout out of her flesh as she transformed into the last wolf.

Rikae backed away, clutching the knife in her hands. "Get away from me! I'm not afraid to kill you!"

"Yes you are," said Lalaith. "You were too afraid to vote and too afraid to make sure both of us would die at the same time according to your precious plan."

"You're supposed to die! That's the rules!"

"No, the rules are that when there are as many of you as there are of me, I win. The end."

"Her game, maybe. But we don't have to play by her rules. We could still try to get out of here!"

"Hmm, one human and a wolf versus this place. And you think we'll be able to get out even better than when I still had my brother and sister? Don't think we didn't try breaking free! Don't you see? There's no escape unless we play by her rules!" She took a swipe at Rikae. Rikae struck out with the knife and slashed at Lalaith's chest.

"Oh, fighting, are we?" said Lalaith. "Might as well make it a good show, I suppose! Now, shall we make this like Tol Sirion?" Suddenly their surroundings shifted and they were in an old dungeon.

"Yes," said Lalaith, "that's a little more like it. Although if we want to go for real historical accuracy, you shouldn't be armed..." Rikae's knife vanished.

"That--that's not fair!"

"I know; isn't it marvelous?"

Lalaith leaped upon Rikae and tore her heart out. As she bit into the succulent meat and felt the warm blood course down her throat, she could not help but let out a long, glorious laugh of victory.

[Mnemosyne]

The Cottage of Lost Play rang with the sound of fell laughter. Had any been around to hear it, it would have chilled the bone, the curious blend of man and beast that made up the Werewolf.

Rikae's body was mauled viciously, and there was blood all over the floor of the dungeons of Tol-in-Gaurhoth. Lalaith's fur was soaked in it from her rolling on the floor in glee.

At last the fit of laughter passed and she shrank, changing back into her natural form. She looked down at her skin, slick with blood, and then over at the body nearby.

"Oh, God," she said.

She staggered over to a nearby corner to vomit. Flesh--human flesh--came up, mixed in with the bile and blood. She was shaking, but whether from the shock, from rage, or from shame, she could not say.

A hand rested on her shoulder, delicate and red. "Drink?"

Lalaith spun around. Leaning against the dungeon wall with careless ease was someone similar to the lady in black, and yet different.

Her hair was loose, wild and matted with blood, and she still bore a few scratches on her face. She was dressed in a warrior's garb, and though her hands and forearms were still red it was not due to gloves. They seemed to have been permanently stained--but whether with blood or wine Lalaith could not say. But the light in her eyes was if anything keener and more unsettling.

"You!" said Lalaith! "We killed you; I saw--"

"Indeed you did. It was a pleasantly painful death, although I must say it was rather unoriginal. Your craft improved over time."

"Then how are you--"

"--still alive? As soon as I saw what you were going to do I fled my fána and watched from behind the scenes. Far better to watch you comport yourselves without your knowing my presence. Drink?" She snapped her fingers and a wineglass, filled with a dark red, appeared in Lalaith's hands.

"Absolutely not! After last time--"

"Oh, surely you won't reject one of my special brew? I assure you, Lalaith, I have no further games for you in mind. Your spirits simply seemed in need of lifting."

Reluctantly Lalaith took a sip. As she did new life coursed through her veins. She set the drink down. "Who are you?"

"Haven't you guessed?"

"You shouldn't be able to do this, so you must be one of the Powers, but if I've read of you I surely can't remember it."

The lady's eyes blazed in fire. "Precisely." A spear appeared in one of her hands. "Take your time if you must."

Slowly the light of comprehension dawned in Lalaith's eyes. "He dropped you, didn't he? Tolkien wrote about you, but decided he didn't need you, so he..." She thought a moment. "You're one of the M ones, a brother and a sister--"

"Meássë," the lady said. "Brought into existence by one of the greatest minds of the century and then left to rot because he decided he didn't need me. Should've made me a little nicer if he was going to do that."

"And the person who met us at first, that was Ælfwine?"

"And Gilfanon. And Trotter. There are a few others."

"And what of your brother?"

"Makar? He made this place. When we were dropped he took our house, and poured all the energy he could into making it what it is today. I maintain it, and use it to exact our revenge."

"But we haven't done anything wrong!"

"Of course you haven't. But you, the thinking, living, breathing fans, who were so touched by your Professor's work, are very dear to the one who did."

"Then just kill me already and finish what you've started."

Meássë laughed, a cold, bone-chilling laugh. "You think that's what this is about, even after all this time? I'm not interested in killing you. I'm interested in keeping you alive, weighted down with the guilt of those very deaths, going about the world on your wearying business knowing exactly what you've done. There's a certain beauty in a broken soul, wouldn't you agree? That's why the tale of Frodo touches us so."

"But it's not my fault! You made me do it!"

"Did I? I told you you'd have to kill or die, day and night, but did you ever stop to find out? No, you were too afraid. What if I were to tell you that you could have slept through each night with your strange condition, killed no one, and you all would have been released?"

"You're lying!"

"Am I? I'll never tell you. But late at night, in very early hours you'll stay awake, and wonder, and wonder, and wonder, and never learn. And years later you'll die, a broken old woman, and when you reach whatever place is prepared for you beyond the circles of the world you'll see him and tell him exactly what his creation did to you."

"You--" With a strangled cry Lalaith wrested the spear from Meássë's hand and thrust it at her heart. The spear curved from its path and snapped right back into its original position.

"I only allow myself to be killed when I'm in the mood for it, Lalaith. I'm not in the mood for it at the moment." She snapped her fingers and they were in the dining room from the first night. "I'd suggest a shower and a change of clothes before you leave. You look absolutely filthy at the moment." She paused. "In fact, so do I. And so with your pardon I must leave you. You'll find the carriage awaiting you here within the hour. And don't try to stay around or kill me or anyone again, because it won't work. Farewell." She turned and disappeared through a side door.

Lalaith did as she was told, though she never remembered much of it. When she was ready she found the front door, already healed of its scratches, sitting open into the sunlight of the real world. It almost burned her eyes.

* * *

"Well, that went well, didn't it?"

"I'll say--we got down to one!"

"And it was a wolf. They usually come out so much more scarred afterwards."

"Good. When's the next batch coming in?"

"Twenty-four hours, if we can get everything in order by then."

"I daresay I should."

"Excellent. Now, Trotter, this time you'll be getting Ms. Flieger, Mr. Shippey, and Mr. Rateliff..."

FIN