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[crowe]

Goddamn. Alright, whether or not anyone else signs up we'll start tomorrow. I'll send out the roles today.

[SirNiko]

Dang, I'm on Vacation until Sunday night. I might be quiet for part of the first day, depending on how long that takes.

[crowe]

I've sent out the roles! Check your PMs and send any questions my way.

One gameplay mechanic this time is evidence which is incontrovertible. If you wish to reveal some, post it in red bold font to designate it as such.

If you post something as incontrovertible when you do not have the right to do so, there will be consequences.


Writeup of Day Zero will be up in the morning, to give you all time to ask any questions that might arise. I'm sorry it took so long to get going, but I really had hoped we'd get more players.

[Inanimate]

(I wonder where you got the truth mechanic from. )

[crowe]

Start of the Zero Day

    The snow was coming down heavily as the first guests pulled into the Warmsley Arms garage. Doctor Tanner, the first to arrive, was in the dining room with SirNiko listening to the wireless weather service rather languidly; it seemed more and more snow was forecast over the next few days. Why Geeze had chosen such a desolate spot to place his hotel is a mystery known only to him, but still not so much a mystery as the placard in the dining room inviting all guests to a talk that evening by the famous Inspector Crowe.

    Nine guests were all that arrived before the road was  blocked; a large amount for the season to be sure but fewer than the Inspector had invited. It was fortunate, then, that the key players had all arrived, and were sitting in the lobby waiting with ever-increasing levels of impatience – Abraham YG had needed a chair for her rheumatism, Fission Mailed had not understood the sign and had come in a wholly unsuitable outfit (the others in the party silently condemned foreigners to their British shore), and so on. Still, his words brought them all to attention:

    “Mis amigos,” he said, “I have brought you here for a little reunion to give you the facts about a case I have been working most, most carefully these past few weeks  on a case of some interest to all of you. There have been deaths these past few years that I have noticed admit of no rational explanation. I am sure that some of you have seen the same, yes? Muy bien but that I need you to understand the real cause of this.
   
    It is werewolves!”

    His audience was cast into a state of disarray. Even Poe uttered such words as a man of the cloth should not be heard to say. This was madness, it was a joke, it was idiocy –
“I have proof of this. There are, in fact, some among us today. If you look into your past, you will see events that prove it to you, too.

    Tomorrow, I will reveal all. I merely wish to prepare you. Buenas noches.”

    He seemed calm as he walked to his room and turned in, despite the early hour. Only someone with keen hearing could have heard the click of several locks turned into place. or the slide of heavy furniture against the door. Whether this was madness or folly, it was clearly serious to him.

    No doubt several of the guests would have fled that day, but Geeze came with the news that the snow had finally blocked the roads irreparably; they would all be stuck in the hotel for the foreseeable future. At least, he consoled them, the supplies of tea would hold out for weeks if need be, even if the food might not.



And with that,

DAY ZERO BEGINS


Anyone with actions at the start of the game should get their responses to me with alacrity. Apart from that, feel free to introduce yourselves. Noone's dead yet, so there won't be a lynching today.

[Ashkin]

"Well, this is a jolly pickle." Ashkin muses, walking to the front of the room. "Surely, we are not so daft as to believe that werewolves really exist. However, if such a thing really were to exist, I'm sure that that man will be dead by morning. For now, I suppose we must merely wait out the snowstorm with that madman." He punctuates his spiel with a sip from a cup of tea. Posh-like.

[Inanimate]

Inanimate squirms on the plush chair in the lobby.
He's never been very comfortable, no matter where he is, no matter who he's with. A boy with an awkward, lanky figure since birth, he's used to life trampling all over him. But it doesn't keep Inanimate from getting nervous about it. Trying to escape his implacable anxiety with traveling and vacations helps... but not much.

"Oh. Oh, oh my..." He sputters, staring at his shoes intently. "Man, I picked a bad time to be on vacation..." Inanimate sighs, and mumbles quietly, his mutterings muffled by the fact his face is currently buried deep within his hands. After a few seconds, he looks up at the assembled people, and sighs.

"Well... as a traveler, I can, uh... confirm that werewolves could be a threat, that is to say, they, they are existent. Erm," Inanimate pauses, gathering his frantic and disarrayed thoughts. "Werewolves do exist. I think. Maybe." Inanimate pauses to consider this, then shakes his head and returns to what he was saying.

"They aren't just bedtime stories... My great-grandpappy, many years ago, survived a dreadful werewolf rampage in his town, saved only by God's hand, as he said... uh." Inanimate chews his nail, mulling over his words carefully. "But that's probably... probably a story for a different time, like, for not right now. I guess."

Inanimate moans, and collapses back into the couch. Apparently he's done talking for right now.

[Ashkin]

"The mumblings of a madman." Ashkin says, obviously perturbed at having his word disputed. "Your grandfather was most likely daft- werewolves do not and can not exist. I live in a sane world constructed of logical rules, and werewolves do not fit into it. Our dear inspector crowe most likely saw a larger-than-usual dog roaming about at night after having a bit too much brandy."

[Inanimate]

Inanimate shrinks into his couch, and mumbles a bit. He notices an exasperated look from Ashkin, and winces as he speaks up.

"That could, uh, be true. Very well could possibly even be the case, as it were." Inanimate sighs, and continues, with a flinch. "But I, uh, I do think werewolves... are real. And I think... uh... I don't think you're right. That is to say, I think you're, uh, mistaken. Or even, perhaps, maybe wrong."

Inanimate quivers, unable to meet Ashkin's stare. He obviously exerted a lot of willpower to express even this much.

[Ashkin]

Ashkin gives one final glare to Inanimate before turning away and taking another sip from his teacup. "Well, I suppose one of us will be proved wrong come morning. So it's just a waiting game now." And with that, he walks over to a couch and falls into it, stretching himself out and relaxing.

[SirNiko]

"I've never seen a werewolf myself, but I've heard stories..." With a click of the dial, SirNiko hushed the radio. The roads had already closed, and hearing the radio repeat this detail wasn't going to solve the dilemma. Instead he busied himself with procuring additional chairs for the incoming guests. With the room prepped and ready, he smoothed out the tablecloth.

"... but I'm not sure what to believe. I've heard all kinds. Gruesome murders, some. Others where the victim disappears with no trace. They could be the ramblings of idiots, that's always a possibility."

SirNiko glanced at the clock and pursed his lips.

"If the inspector believes in werewolves, I think we ought to give him a good measure of trust. Keep our ears open, until we can prove decisively that he is wrong. And if we can't... give him all the assistance we can muster."

SirNiko glanced at the clock again. "I'll be back..."

(Off on vacation. I'll be back Sunday night!)

[crowe]

By the way, don't forget to CC me with any Private Messages you may send -- I may need them. I think everyone who needed to do something has done so, so the day will end in a few hours and we'll go right into the proper part of this thing, yes?

[poe]

Poe pulls out his robe and priest hat; he dawns them on his head. My sons I am afraid we are stuck here for the time being, so we may as well hear out what the good detective has to say.

[Nix]

"It appears we're in for a mystery!" Nix lets out the last word slowly and with relish, an almost too-jovial grin on his face.

"I do say I feared my life was growing rather dull. Whatever this man has to say, I don't think I can bear to wait until morning! I surely shan't be sleeping a blink tonight, what with werewolves about." He grows suddenly silent, his eyes narrowing as he stares, one by one, at each of his fellow guests. Then he bursts into laughter and pulls a bottle of whiskey from beneath his coat.

"No tea for me, thank you."

[Geeze]

"Oh dear, a werewolf, you say?", says Geeze walking to the room with a tray full of tea cups, and gives one cup to Abraham YG in his chair. "I'd almost like to say, intriguing. There rarely happens any, happenings. But now, things happen... Ahem, how rude of me, I have not welcomed you here. Welcome. To my warm little cozy hotel Warmsley Arms. Welcome. I hope you all enjoy your stay here, even if comes to a sudden end, and I'm sure that can happen, right Inspector?"

[crowe]

Start of the First Day

   The next morning brought with it a terrible sight – not only had Inspector Crowe’s door been knocked down despite the deadbolt and padlock, and not only had he been killed, but there were no kippers to be found for breakfast. This last point offended only Colonel Nix, who had seen enough death in his time to know that it was best faced with a good meal. The others were not so hardy; indeed, Inanimate was almost taken ill at the sight of the murder – for murder it clearly was. No accident could account for the disarray in the room, nor the almost animalistic way in which the body had been set about. In the fireplace lay burning what was likely his evidence for this day’s expose; those staying in the hotel would have to find the culprit (or culprits) themselves. Father Poe was brought in to give the last rites as best he could, given the circumstances, but this was merely prolonging the ever-present question of what to do.

   Indeed, what could be done? The Colonel advocated immediate martial law (“just as we had in my time in the Army!”) to maintain control and find the perpetrators – but, as in this case martial law would simply mean him, he was turned down. He settled for another bottle of whiskey as the others discussed what should be done. In the end, it was old Ms. Abraham YG who offered a solution: trial by jury, as best as could be done. And that, as they say, was that. In such dire circumstances,

Day One Begins

Don't worry; the starting day was short because it was mostly an excuse to get certain roles set up; the rest will be much longer to allow time to vote. Similarly, we skipped the night phase, both because nothing untoward had happened and to allow the game to progress quickly.

Speaking of voting, from now on, you will be able to vote on whom you have decided is guilty of lyncanthropy! You do not have to vote each day, and can change your vote at any time up until the day ends. The player with the highest votes will, of course, be executed.

In case of a tie, it will be decided at random, so be warned.

[Inanimate]

"I... I can't believe that the Inspector is... is dead." Inanimate says, staring vacantly into nothingness. "He was just here... just a bit ago... and now he's... well, he's not." Inanimate closes his eyes, struggling to regain his composure and hold back the retching and the sobs. After a few seconds of this, he exhales slowly, and shifts on his couch.

"I think maybe we should perhaps talk about our, uh, careers... uh, in other words, explain our livelihoods, or, that is to say... tell everyone what we do. For a living. Perhaps just a bit, a smidgen, or even a brief amount.. I think that'd be a good idea, at least." Inanimate quivers, his nerves almost overcoming him, but continues.

"I'm not even from here... I'm just passing by... this was supposed to be a one-night stop, but then the snow, er, that is, the blizzard... snowed us in. Closed the roads. Well, it didn't close the roads, but it... it made them have to be closed." Inanimate realizes he's rambling. "Uh. Sorry. I'll get back to my point.

"I'm a tourist. I was just going to stay here, that is, lodge at Warmsley, for the night. I was on my way up north, to see the countryside. Due to the weather. The snow, I mean. I guess the vacation, the trip, is perhaps canceled. Most definitely, at the very least, probably, postponed."

Inanimate shakes his head, the events of the morning overcoming him again. Images of Crowe's dead body won't stop surfacing to his mind, no matter how much he tries to push them away. Apparently, he's done speaking for now.

[Tanner]

Tanner emerges from the Inspector's study, looking perplexed. "In all my days, I've not seen anything quite like this. The way his body was... torn... It looks like an animal savaged him. I highly doubt, however, that there is a wild animal roaming the lodge." He pauses to consider the absurdity of the ideas passing through his mind before continuing. "I am a Doctor, a man of science, of logic. The Inspector's belief in lycanthropes, to me, seemed highly irrational. Yet, it seems from the nature of his death that he might have been right after all..." The doctor shivers at the thought. "In the mean time, I think we should dispose of the body, and perhaps give the Inspector a burial. He'll begin to rot soon, what's left of him, and it's a health hazard. Colonel Nix, would you give me a hand with this? Anyone else that's not too squeamish is welcome to help."

[Ashkin]

Ashkin regains his composure, though his face is still paler than usual. "Either way, doctor, we have a deranged psychopath in our midst. I suggest we try our best to rat him or her out before we worry about the supernatural."

[Nix]

Colonel Nix nods at the Doctor, looking a bit distracted, glancing around the ravaged room furtively.

"Sure thing, Doc. I've hauled more dead than I care to remember." He stops and stares, seemingly at nothing in particular, then moves to help carry the body out of the room.

"I knew the Inspector," Nix says upon returning. "We must send word to his family as soon as the road is cleared."

He pauses, and then, "No man should die a death like this." For a brief moment, a fury seems to light his eyes, but it fades as quickly as it came. Nix takes a seat and lights a pipe.

Remembering Inanimate's suggestion of introduction, Nix says, rather curtly and between puffs on his pipe, "I was a Colonel in the Army. I retired many years ago. Now I just spend my days... awaiting the end, I suppose. Though aren't we all when it really comes down to it."