Grundbegriff's Gallows: Cassandra Crossing

[Bakhtosh]

It's better than NoxiousDog Bacon. You're welcome to as much of that as you want...

[Grundbegriff]

Wolverine runs by with a forearm in his maw, settles chaotically into the corner, and begins to gnaw. He guards his find like a treasure, growling at any who approach.

[Kelric]

Why the big push on Leigh rather than Padre? I'd consider Padre the more dangerous player. Either way, here's the damning vote.

Leigh

[Grundbegriff]

Current votes against...:
(8)Leigh [rdm, Remus West, tru1cy, Kraegor, Orinoco, Bakhtosh, Bad Demographic, Kelric]
(2)Nameless [Padre, Leigh]
(1)Padre [Caine]

Current required total: 8.
Haven't voted:

• Chaosraven
• Nameless
• UnicornPoint
• Zurai

Play-by-play:

Code: Select all

Caine acc Padre(1)
  Kelric acc Padre(2)
  UnicornPoint acc Leigh(1)
Padre acc Nameless(1)
  Zurai acc Padre(3)
  UnicornPoint wd Leigh(0)
  Kelric wd Padre(2)
  Zurai wd Padre(1)-
rdm acc Leigh(1)
  tru1cy acc Leigh(2)
  tru1cy wd Leigh(1)
  tru1cy acc tru1cy(1)
Remus West acc Leigh(2)
  tru1cy wd tru1cy(0)
tru1cy acc Leigh(3)
Kraegor acc Leigh(4)
Orinoco acc Leigh(5)
Bakhtosh acc Leigh(6)
Leigh acc Nameless(2)-
Bad Demographic acc Leigh(7)
Kelric acc Leigh(8)-, killing her.

Votes to the left are still active; votes indented have been superseded by a later play. The numbers in parentheses show a running total of votes against that person.

[Grundbegriff]

Although tru1cy had persisted in warning everyone about Leigh, few of the DARLings had been keen to heed his cry. Not always do time and knowledge foster wisdom and understanding. Nevertheless, a final strident plea at last opens the ears of some, and as the DARLings revisit tru1cy's allegation with fresh eyes, the truth begins to come into focus.

The wit and charm Leigh always displayed as editor of the DARLing Quarterly makes their decision difficult; nevertheless, the decaying flesh in the study, the carnage in the hall, the untidy stew in the basement, and the imminent setting of the sun make the decision tolerable.

Despite Leigh's vitriolic protests, the DARLings move as one to silence her and do what they must. With no great zeal but unalterable commitment, they seize Leigh, drag her toward the pantry, and quickly cram her into the flash freezer. Her dying words are bitter accusations of hypocrisy, and no DARLing is alone in supposing that she may be right. Still, none wavers.

The DARLings wait until there's no more hope for Leigh. Then they remove her chilled body, arrange it on the counter, and begin to peel away her scalp and face.

Deft scraping reveals what most in the group had never before seen. In the occipital region of the skull, where Leigh's hair was thickest, the DARLings discover a symbol about the size of a dime: concentric circles, the larger one ringed with angles-- a crudely engraved outline of the moon before the sun.

This was no accident of hair-pinning; Leigh was a member of the Ordo Varcolacorum!

No further desecration of the corpse is necessary, for the DARLings recognize the grim truth and understand that she could not have been working alone. Still, despite Leigh's obvious culpability, some among them feel more like assassins than avengers. The DARLings carry her body to the basement, store it in the freezer there, and then retreat-- each to his own room-- to meditate on the implications of this discovery.

• Bad Demographic
• Bakhtosh
• Caine
• Chaosraven
• Kelric
• Kraegor
• Lars(executed)
• Leigh(executed)(Wolfboon)
• Mr Bubbles(slaughtered)
• Nameless
• noxiousdog(slaughtered)
• Orinoco
• Padre
• pr0ner(executed)
• rdm
• Remus West
• setaside(slaughtered)
• tru1cy
• UnicornPoint
• UsulofDoom(executed)
• Zurai

It is night. Whip out your evidence bags.

* Wolfboons (if alive) may now PM one another until dawn. When they are ready, their appointed representative should PM me the name of the person they wish to attack.

* The Profiler (if alive) should PM me a plan for the night ("I will Sleep" or "I will Stalk X" or "I will Shadow X").

* The Conference of the Dead should appoint a delegate from their number. The delegate should PM me the name of the person (if any) who will be haunted and the message ("The Dead suspect that X is a Y" or "The Dead suspect that X has Y") of the haunting.

* The Wolfboon Wannabe (if alive) should PM me a question ("Is X a Y?" or "Was X a Y?") about the actual identity of any Living or Dead player.

* Any Dysanites (if alive) who lack a their Quire should PM me a question ("Does X have my quire?") about the current location of that Quire.

* Any player who possesses one or more Quires should PM me (at most) one question per Quire ("Was X a Y?" or "Did X have Y?") about the actual identity or possessions of any Dead player.

* Any player who possesses one or more pouches of Teeth should PM me one question per pouch ("Is X a Y?" or "Does X have Y?") about the actual identity or possessions of any other Living player.

* Any player who would like to leave a notecard on the nightstand should send me a PM containing the notecard's assertion ("X is a Y" or "X has a Y" or "X was a Y" or "X had a Y").

* Every Living player should PM me a Writ of Theft containing the following information:

1. whether a Theft will be attempted
2. the intended victim of that Theft
3. a number from 1 to 100 (inclusive)

Committing a theft is not required; filing a Writ of Theft is required. The sun will not rise until I have received a Writ of Theft from every Living player.

All posting in the thread (except by the Moderator) is forbidden during the night.

[Grundbegriff]

[Grundbegriff]

[Grundbegriff]

A spine-chilling shriek pierces the still night

[Grundbegriff]

Code: Select all

The Dresden Codex is one of only four surviving Maya hieroglyphic books 
painted on white-limed bark paper.  Friar Diego de Landa, writing in 
about 1566, reported that  "we found a great number of books . . . and 
since they contained nothing but superstitions and falsehoods of the 
devil we burned them, which they took most grievously, and which gave 
them great pain"....  The codices have been described as priest's 
handbooks, used to time rituals and make auguries.

The Dresden Codex survived the fires of the Spanish friars because 
it was sent to Europe as an example of native art....  The Codex 
eventually found its way to the Dresden public library, where it 
gathered dust until it was rediscovered in the late 19th Century by 
the library archivist, Ernst Forstemann.

The Dresden Codex was produced in the late post-Classical era (1200-
1519 AD). The style in which it is painted suggests that it was 
produced in the eastern Yucatan, near Chichen Itza and Tulum....  The 
Dresden eclipse table may be based on a much older example. The table 
itself includes a long count date from the Classical era, which 
correlates to 755 AD....

The explanation of eclipses likely current when the Codex was compiled 
is preserved in a post-Conquest manuscript, the Book of Chilam Balam 
of Chumayel:

     the Sun is bitten into. What bites into it, is that it is matched 
     with the Moon, which goes attracted by it, before biting it. It 
     arrives through its path to the north, large, and then they 
     become one and the Sun and Moon bite each other, before arriving 
     at the "trunk of the Sun." (Katun chapter).

The Book of Chilam Balam of Tizimin, recalling what must have been an 
older tradition, lists eclipse augury among the ways of predicting the 
future:

     At the time of seeking fire, of seeking shark tails. That is 
     the return of the seeking of things, when one seeks them in the 
     sky, in storms, in sun phases, far seeing, at the time of the 
     covering of the face of the sun, of the covering of the face 
     of the moon on the fourteenth tun again [1607 AD]. (folio 5r)

...The most obvious formula, repeated with minor variations in four 
pictures, shows a k'in sign, representing the sun, suspended between 
black and white lozenges, suggesting the movement of the sun through 
the eclipse shadow....  In two cases, the k'in/lozenge is shown in 
the process of being swallowed by a snake.

...Until Michael Closs examined the connection between Venus and 
eclipses, the least obvious eclipse imagery was the picture on 58b, 
showing a human form with the Venus glyph in place of its head, 
hanging by its feet from eclipse glyphs on the sky band. This is 
likely the Maya equivalent of the Aztec Tzitzimime, who plunges to 
earth during eclipses.  Closs reads his name in the glyphs above the 
illustration as Ah Tzul Ahaw, "dog lord" or "spine lord" ... the dog 
who leads the sun to the underworld....  Ah Tzul Ahaw was regarded 
as a causative agent of eclipses.

~ from "The Dresden Codex Eclipse Table" in Michael J. Finley, Maya Astronomy.
Web research discovered in the Study of Stephen V. Aurorae ~

[Grundbegriff]

Code: Select all

Four times he struck: as oft the clashing sound
Of arms was heard, and inward groans rebound.
Yet, mad with zeal, and blinded with our fate,
We haul along the horse in solemn state;
Then place the dire portent within the tow'r.

Cassandra cried, and curs'd th' unhappy hour;
Foretold our fate; but, by the god's decree,
All heard, and none believ'd the prophecy.

With branches we the fanes adorn, and waste,
In jollity, the day ordain'd to be the last.
Meantime the rapid heav'ns roll'd down the light,
And on the shaded ocean rush'd the night;

~ dog-eared page in a weathered volume of the Aeneid lying open on a side table in the Great Room ~

[Grundbegriff]

Code: Select all

The tzitzimime ("Monsters descending from above") were celestial demons 
in Aztec mythology that continuously threaten to destroy the world. They 
are said to be the stars that battle the sun each dusk and dawn.

...Quetzalcoatl gathered up the Mayahuel's bones and buried them, and 
from that grave, the first maguey plant grew. Maguey was the source of 
an alcoholic beverage that was important in Aztec ceremonies as both a 
ritual drink and a sacrificial offering.

~ "Tzitzimime", in Krista, deliriumsrealm.com.
Web research discovered in the office of Stephen V. Aurorae ~

[Grundbegriff]

Day breaks over Cassandra Crossing, and again the DARLings congregate to consider their plight. Checking the basement and its freezer to see whether Leigh's body was disturbed during the night, they discover how quickly-- and how far-- rising fortunes may fall. For there, adjacent to Leigh's form, they discover the body of tru1cy. Like Leigh's, his head has been stripped of face and scalp. Like Leigh, he appears to have been slain by flash freezing in the pantry above. The sole difference is that tru1cy's sternum and heart have been extracted.

From within their sockets, his lidless eyes stare accusingly, as do Leigh's, at their former colleagues.

In mocking emulation of their sunset antics, the Wolfboons have committed this early morning atrocity.

Slamming the freezer door, and confirming that little else has changed in the basement, the DARLings head upstairs to the Great Room. There, they discover nailed in a row to the wall near the Study door the dangling boneless faces of Leigh, tru1cy, and noxiousdog. They droop like molten masks.

From beneath the faces, formed by hand from smears of bloody, fatty pulp, screams a hideous exhortation: LISTEN TO YOUR HEART!

• Bad Demographic
• Bakhtosh
• Caine
• Chaosraven
• Kelric
• Kraegor
• Lars(executed)
• Leigh(executed)(Wolfboon)
• Mr Bubbles(slaughtered)
• Nameless
• noxiousdog(slaughtered)
• Orinoco
• Padre
• pr0ner(executed)
• rdm
• Remus West
• setaside(slaughtered)
• tru1cy(slaughtered)
• UnicornPoint
• UsulofDoom(executed)
• Zurai

7 votes required for a majority

[Remus West]

I think it obvious that Padre should be our next target since nameless' teeth confirmed him. Should he prove to be the wrong target that will confirm nameless as a proper one. I did not recieve any information in the night though, failed stealing, no haunting, no toys to ask questions of, so I will wait to post a vote and allow those who have information thay can now share the opportunity to do so.

[rdm]

Sick. Well we finally got one right. I'm sorry I ever slowed Leigh's execution down earlier. Alot in these past few days hasn't gone as we would've expected....

[rdm]

Padre is definitely the next that should go. I also did not find my quire and did not successfully steal anything. I'm beginning to think it doesn't work!

[Bakhtosh]

I agree that Padre is next, but in order to keep an accurate track of artifacts for my list that I publish, I'd like to give everyone a little while to come forward with information gained from recently stolen artifacts.

Did anyone lose teeth last night? What did you learn while you held them?
Did we get an answer to the quire questions?
Was anyone haunted overnight?

My attempt to steal from Remus failed.

[Bad Demographic]

Was anyone haunted overnight?

I heard strange noises coming from Kelric's room. I don't want to know.

[Remus West]

My attempt to steal from Remus failed.

Damn it, you picked the wrong number then. For the first time I put out a notecard and had such high hopes someone would steal it. . I will leave it out tonight though so if you wish to know that I suspect Orinoco you can steal it and read my lovely card.

[Bakhtosh]

Yeah, I'm 0 for 4 on steals.

[Remus West]

Ha ha, I'm not. I am 1 fer on them. I stole a notecard from noxiusdog the night before he got killed saying he thought Kraegor was guilty.

[Grundbegriff]

did not successfully steal anything. I'm beginning to think it doesn't work!

Over the past 4 nights, 55 thefts have been attempted, and 32 have qualified as candidates for success. The dice have therefore allowed 58% to succeed so far.

The actual number of successful thefts is smaller than 32 due to competition (multiple people taking aim at the same target) and bootylessness (thieves successfully robbing targets who have nothing worth stealing).

Obviously, I also know how many candidates for successful theft (i.e, folks with the dice in their favor) actually snagged loot, but I can't share that info until after the game since it would perhaps allow someone to draw useful inferences about what has happened so far.

[Kraegor]

i'd get over the ND note, he was guessing based on leigh defense.

/shrug.

I stole from orinoco, got foul teeth and quire.

foul teeth say nameless is a boon.
asked if ND had teeth when he died....quire says i suck.

both items have been stolen from me.


Padre

[Remus West]

i'd get over the ND note, he was guessing based on leigh defense.

/shrug.

I stole from orinoco, got foul teeth and quire.

foul teeth say nameless is a boon.
asked if ND had teeth when he died....quire says i suck.

both items have been stolen from me.


Padre

At the time I agreed with him as notable from my posts. I haven't removed you from the suspect list. I have moved you down a bit though, and with that statement I just moved you up everyone else's

[rdm]

did not successfully steal anything. I'm beginning to think it doesn't work!

Obviously, I also know how many candidates for successful theft (i.e, folks with the dice in their favor) actually snagged loot, but I can't share that info until after the game since it would perhaps allow someone to draw useful inferences about what has happened so far.

I wonder if in the future(another game), it might be acceptable to have a few results for theft, like success, failure to actually unlock the door, and success but nothing to steal. Though I spose that tells you more about the player.

It's just frustrating to keep getting nothing and thus know nothing!

[Bakhtosh]

Nameless was pretty much confirmed at an original Antiquarian. Why would you test him?

[Kraegor]

considering how the leigh bandwagon worked out. My advice would be to check who changed from leigh to usulofdoom

[Kraegor]

Nameless was pretty much confirmed at an original Antiquarian. Why would you test him?

dunno, made sense at the time, but i'm in a hurry.

[Bakhtosh]

Kraegor, did the Quire answer your question about ND? Were there other questions answered?

[Kraegor]

Kraegor, did the Quire answer your question about ND? Were there other questions answered?

Quire told me nothing. only get answers mirrored if pray of same target.

[Grundbegriff]

only get answers mirrored if pray of same target.

[Bakhtosh]

I wasn't sure if your "told me I suck" comment meant that it answered you with a "no" or failed to answer.

Does anyone have any information on the other quires? We've lost track of 2 of them completely.

Any news on the other 2 pouches of teeth?

How about last night's haunting?

Beuller?

Just as I feared, it appears several of our artifacts are in the hands of the boons. If you steal any artifacts that remain unaccounted for after you steal them, you might want to let us know about it (you can say they were stolen, even if they weren't).

[Kraegor]

apparently you all suck at theft. everyone better be stealing! theft is how information is exchanged.

[Caine]

batting 1000 so far. no success in any of the 4 thefts. i always roll a bad number i guess.

[Kelric]

Damn, I asked if Kraegor had my quire last night and was told he did not. He had one, but not mine! Bastard!

Could someone give an updated post count at the end of this game day, whenever it ends?

And I'm on the Padre must die bandwagon, I'm just waiting to see if any more information on other people comes out before casting the vote.

[Grundbegriff]

Could someone give an updated post count at the end of this game day, whenever it ends?

I'll be posting stats after supper.

[Zurai]

I won't be around much this evening, so I'm going to go ahead and cast my vote for Padre in case the voting actually gets started by then.

On the information front: I stole Kelric's quire two nights ago, missed on the questioning, and had it stolen from me last night. I got nothing on my theft attempt last night.

[Orinoco]

Could someone give an updated post count at the end of this game day, whenever it ends?

I'll be posting stats after supper.

I don't want to know what you'll be eating!!

I'm definately on the Padre wagon as well, but let's hear more from people about the teeth/quire, which reminds me...

[Khan voice]KRAAAAAAAAAGEOR!!!!![/Khan voice]

Give me bck my lawfully stolen objects!!

[Kelric]

On the information front: I stole Kelric's quire two nights ago

Can I change my vote from Padre?

[Caine]

if yesterday proves to be anything like today, i won't be able to post as much, so count my vote for padre now.

vote for padre! padre for president (of the wolfie fan club)

[Remus West]

I won't be around much this evening, so I'm going to go ahead and cast my vote for Padre in case the voting actually gets started by then.

On the information front: I stole Kelric's quire two nights ago, missed on the questioning, and had it stolen from me last night. I got nothing on my theft attempt last night.

Damn it. I knew I should have kept trying to steal from you rather than switching targets.