Thread: Circus: Mafia 2010: Preservation Board: Limbo / Ship of Fools.


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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
Hi all.

It's been a while since we played Mafia, so how about we get a game going?

The scene is the small town of Shipbury buried somewhere in the Cotswolds in south-west England. The town's focal point is the market street which bustles with the weekly Farmers' Market every Friday morning, but which is more commonly the first destination for tourists who come to see the stone houses, drink in the pubs and walk in the surrounding countryside. However, the town is not what it was. The local economy has struggled to keep up with the times, and there is growing resentment about the number of second-home owners and tourists who pass through. So much so, that a group of local people have set up the Brotherhood for the Conservation of Shipbury (or BCS) to fight for the preservation of the town and its way of life.

At first, this secretive little group was no more than a talking shop, but over time they started to gain more influence, to protest at the market, and to intimidate owners of businesses which did not count as 'local' enough. Still, most townsfolk thought that they were harmless enough until a body was discovered in circumstances so suspicious that it could only have been their work. Julia Overton had been the town's representative on the County Council, and was very vocal in her support for the application for planning permission by Tesco to build a supermarket on the outskirts of the town. Local rumour was that the application wouldn't be successful without her backing and the issue was the talk of the pubs and tea rooms.

Now that she was dead, it was certain that no supermarket would be built for the foreseeable future. One half of the town rejoiced, the other was deeply suspicious. Who are the people who could be callous enough to take matters into their own hands in such a chilling way? Is there anything that they will not do to reach their own ends? And just who do they think they are to commit a crime like this? It is time for the silent majority to fight back...

So, if you would like to join this sheltered little community, please post a description of your character to this thread. I shall leave a few days for people to come up with their personalities so Monday 22nd is the earliest that play will begin. Some of our more recent games have got a bit bogged down because people have not kept up with the game so please be realistic about how likely you are to see the game through before you sign up. I would suggest that in order to be fully involved, one should expect to read this thread at least daily*.

Since we haven't played for a while, I think we should keep the rules relatively simple. We'll not have the full gamut of roles and I'll aim to keep the flow of night and day moving relatively swiftly.

The roles will be as follows:

Mafia (otherwise known as the Brotherhood for the Conservation of Shipbury): Their goal is to kill off the townspeople and so preserve the quintessential Englishness of the town that they love. Each night phase they will be able to nominate one player to assassinate.

Townspeople: The plebs at the mercy of the onslaught of the BCS. They have no special roles, but are free to discuss and vote as they see fit.

Policeman: The village Bobby will be able to enquire about the role of one participant per night phase. Otherwise, they function as a townsperson.

Doctor: The local GP can protect one person from assassination in each night phase. Otherwise, they function as a townsperson.

Roles will be assigned at random once I know how many have signed up. I shall also not tell you how many players have been assigned to each role (although obviously there must be at least one member of the BCS).

If there are any other questions (about the scenario, the rules, or anything else) then please feel free to ask. I shall post a complete description of what happens in each phase and how the voting will work in the next couple of days.


* As previously, I'll try not to let important things happen over the weekend, as I know that many shipmates post primarily from work.

[ 29. July 2010, 18:40: Message edited by: Chorister ]
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

<cough cough composes herself and tries to look cool>

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

"I do hope you’ve enjoyed your stay, did you get to visit the manor house like you wanted to?"

Vivian Rudge smiled warmly at her guests as she prepared the bill. Business was going well at her Country House Hotel and Sunday lunchtimes were always busy with visitors checking out after a weekend stay. She offered comfortable suites, traditional English cooking and easy access to the nearby countryside. And really turning it into a hotel had been the only reasonable thing to do with a house that size. She certainly hadn’t been interested in living there alone and the costs of the upkeep were a continual headache. But now she’d turned it into a flourishing business and was more than a little proud of her achievement. She’d even been able to get the gardens planted out again and looking respectable.

She typed the numbers into the credit card machine, handed over the ticket and told her guests she hoped she’d see them again soon. "Have a safe trip back now."
 

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Posted by El Greco (# 9313) on :
 
Dr. Andrew Brown is a young surgeon (a surgeon people, not a GP!) who works for a private hospital in Oxford. He doesn't get to spend all day in Shipbury, but he loves his hometown and he won't move to Oxford, even if this means getting up earlier in the morning to be there on time.
 

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Posted by Gwai (# 11076) on :
 
Old Miss Rachel looked out her window and sighed. The youth these days were going to the dogs. No culture at all and no respect. She wondered how many of them had gone to a museum in the last week. Probably not one of them. (Particularly since there were no museums anywhere near by.)
Some days one just couldn't hold it in anymore. She watched young Joe from next door cut across under one of her trees. Outraged, s he creaked over to the window and opened it. "NO DONKEYS ON THE LAWN" she yelled. Joe looked at her with complete bafflement for a moment before continuing on his paper route, but Miss Rachel didn't care if he understood. She'd told him!
Speaking of which, that tree was getting a bit overgrown. Miss Rachel added another item to her long list of things to tell her various helpers. Also, the tea seemed a bit bitter today. Must scold the girl about it tomorrow when she came by. She'd probably stopped to put on lipstick while the leaves were steeping. That would be just like her. In fact, it would be just as well to add "NO putting on lipstick on the job" to her list of rules. Surely one used to be able to find people able to make a decent cup of tea.
 

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Posted by fletcher christian (# 13919) on :
 
Dalbhac Nuabha is an Irish painter. He lives in a house with a large window looking out at the most incredible view. He is surrounded by empty canvases and full pots and tubes of paint and brushes that still have the plastic protective covering on them. He calls himself a talented artist, but townsfolk tend to think he's another kind of artist.
 

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Posted by AristonAstuanax (# 10894) on :
 
Hugh Northfield wiped down the bar after another long day at the Angel and Greyhound. It wasn't easy, the life he'd chosen and, what with the changing times, it wasn't getting any easier. First people started demanding fruit machines, then televisions, and now they couldn't even enjoy a smoke with their pints--well, things just weren't what they used to be. Hugh had his standards, though; the more that things changed, the more he stayed the same. The Angel was about the only place left in Shipsbury where one could have a drink in peace, curled up next to the old stone hearth in the corner on a blustery winter's night, with none of the awful racket one might find at The Carp down the street, with their boxed wines on tap and incessant "authentic" pub music piped in from some studio in London, no doubt. As he swept the illicit fag ends from the fireplace (no matter what the law said, some men must do right), he sighed, then descended into the cellar; the horse-drawn cart with the fresh firkins wouldn't be arriving for three more days, but supplies were already running low.
 

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Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :
 
He'd been away, and busy recently, (family commitments, this and that) but local retiree Andrew Thomas thought he'd better go for a quick walk into the town from his bungalow on the outskirts, just to let the locals know he was still alive, and still part of their community
 

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Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on :
 
Jim Cartwright looked at the wheel he was making, his father had been a cartwright, his grandfather has made carts for a living and the James Cartwryht referenced in the doomsday book was almost certainly an ancestor in spirit (if not in practice).
He looked resentfully at the garage that represented all that was wrong with society and was personally to blame for his fathers poverty, as he put his model back in it's box and got ready for his shift at the Co-Op as a cleaner.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Bo Langton trudged wearily back up the farm lane after another long afternoon footslogging around the township on behalf of the Farmers Co-op. She was tired, dispirited, and desperately in need of a hot cup of tea.
 

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Posted by Joyeux (# 3851) on :
 
Melindra Tallston, that darling of the American paparazzi simply because, as the authoress of dozens of New York Times' bestsellers, the heiress of the legendary Knot-Free Shoelace fortune, and occasional student of lightning crochet methods, she didn't create scandal or conduct herself in any sort of embarrassing way or even seek the limelight, had finally found her spot. No, not that spot, the one just to the left... there. She was directing the movers in the placement of her furniture in the home that she had purchased. Well, not purchased, exactly, but had recently leased for an extended period of time. 150 years, to be exact. She really liked the Cotswolds as a larger geographical setting, and particularly the atmosphere of Shipbury. Especially all of the fuss over a murdered woman who was creating controversy over something that turned out to be a grocery store. It was all such a unique experience! Now, if only she could learn how to make a proper cup of tea, and develop a taste for it, she might have a hope of being accepted by the townfolk. If only she could keep those parasites with cameras away...
 

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Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 
Leo Gnatsson is a mystery, or maybe an enigma. He appeared in the village a few years ago pitching his tent in Shipholme Wood as has been there ever since, although now home is a small log cabin he built himself. He seems to make a living making things out of rubbish he finds around the place, and doing the occasional odd-job.

He occasionally wanders into the village to buy suplies or for a drink in the pub, with his dog Knut trailing along behind him.

Many villlagers are wary of him because of his ragged clothes and interesting aroma, but he is generally tolerated. Every English village needs a mysterious eccentric after all.
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Lillian Austin was born in Shipbury, but her father moved most of her family to a Florida orange grove when she was but ten years old. Her older brother, George, stayed on the family estate in town. As Lillian grew up, she fell in love with a local cattle baron who married her and gave her a wonderful life. Unfortunately, they had no children, and when her dear husband and her loving brother both died within a year of each other, she decided to spend the rest of her days in her childhood home. She was 86 years old and a multimillionaire. But, Lordy, it was cold in Shipbury. South Florida had thinned her blood something fierce, and Lillian always had multiple layers of clothing on, and several blankets scattered throughout the house.
 

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Posted by Pax Romana (# 4653) on :
 
Kate Dominic came to Shipbury from New York as a tourist five years ago and decided to abandon her tour group and stay. Kate feels that the quiet atmosphere of this English village is the perfect place to sit and finally finish the fantasy novel she has been writing for the last six years. So far, she has been unsuccessful in her efforts to get anything published, but she feels in her heart of hearts that success is just around the proverbial corner.

Pax Romana
 

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Posted by Dafyd (# 5549) on :
 
Dan Ffloyd lives in a bedsit above the antiques shop on Coathanger Alley. He dresses like someone who sells the Socialist Worker and talks like someone who looks down at the Royal Family for being vulgar commoners. His claim that his dad was a coal miner is a little unconvincing. It's not clear where he gets the money he spends down at the local pub. It's unlikely he earns all of it in his 'job'. He calls his job performance art raising consciousness of the nature of the capitalist oppressor. Everyone else calls it being a living statue.

[ 20. February 2010, 15:43: Message edited by: Dafyd ]
 

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Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
Miss Matilda Smudgeson gazed up with pride at the new sign freshly painted over the door. "Shipbury Tea Rooms". A bit predictable, perhaps (what me? never!), but how better to stress the fact that this was no mass-produced St*rb*cks or trendy bar? This was Miss Smudgeson's pride and joy. She had spotted the old fashioned, rather run down old tearooms when she had visited her niece in Shipbury last year and had instantly sunk her entire savings into taking over the establishment. A couple of months of hard work wielding a paintbrush, varnishing tables, buying new lace tablecloths, and now it was the first day of her new life. What better way to spend her rather premature retirement?
 

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Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 
I'm really too busy - I have a big trial coming up IRL, but I can't resist.

I'm in. I'll decide on a persona when I have my role.
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
Okay, fifteen villagers certainly means that we have a game! I shall assign roles tonight, so the closing time for entries will be 2200 central (0400 GMT).

Please make sure that your PM inbox has sufficient space! Thanks

We shall then have a 24 period for character development and communication amongst those that need to. The first night will fall on Tuesday evening (central time).

Before we go any further, does anyone have any questions or anything which needs clarifying?
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
A couple of rules enquiries from me:

Will be the mob be allowed to communicate as much as they like, or only overnight? Also, if there are more than one watchman/policeman, will they be allowed to communicate with each other?

Cheers

(and for having lured out Eliab. Wouldn't be the same without you. I shall now forgive you for bumping me off last time )
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
The BCS can communicate with each other as much as they want -- there's no way that anyone can stop them!

If there is more than one policeman they will not be told the identities of the other policemen, so they will not be able to communicate with each other. Same goes for doctors.
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
Okay, the deadline has passed and we have fifteen players: A nice number!

I have sent the PMs containing the roles to everyone. Feel free to chat amongst yourselves, develop your characters and otherwise idle away a day in sunny Shipbury. Tomorrow evening (central time), the first night phase will begin.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Bo Langton flipped through her order book. It was not exactly encouraging, but neither was it bad. A firm believer in supporting the local economy with local produce, she not only worked in the Farmers Co-op office during the day; she supplied Shipbury's hotels and cafes with delicious farmhouse style cakes and puddings.

Every night she made somewhere between 2 and 3 dozen hearty dessert tortes, fruitified cakes and ramekin sized individual servings of all that was the best in Cotswald Cooking. She was extremely pleased that the new Shipbury Tearooms had placed an order, and was determined to keep up quality production to the tourist hotels like Country House which were loyal customers. It was just a shame that other Shipbury businesses seemed only too keen to jettison quality local produce in favour of mass produced shlock.

She would fight as long as she was able to uphold all that was good in the land to which she had been born. She had not been christened Boadicea Langton for nothing!
 

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Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on :
 
Jim did his best to put all fears behind him, as he quickly checked his morning paper, no deaths, maybe the campaigner was a one off, and then nervously hurried off to work. Where he'd have to use the bosses password if he wanted to keep up to date with the news, before he got back (6ish GMT).
 

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Posted by Sylvander (# 12857) on :
 
The ghost of Mr. Lysander, the former Jewish photographer, floated over the little town which he had only just discovered. Too late, alas!

He smiled vaguely to himself (as far as ghosts can smile) at the little games those village people in the South of England played and which he had so much enjoyed in his day.

He wished them good luck, merriment and pleasant murders.
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
The Country House Hotel is open for business. Unfortunately it's been raining this weekend and when the guests came back from hillwalking they've trailed mud all over the carpets. They're going to be a nightmare to hoover.
 

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Posted by El Greco (# 9313) on :
 
I hate rain. Sure, I love my hometown, but it has one big flaw. It rains a lot. And as if that wasn't enough, I've been feeling chilly all day. As if ghosts were haunting the town.

Ghosts. Like Julia. I knew her well. She loved Shipbury, and she wanted economic growth and development for our little town. And now she's dead.

It must have been the Brotherhood. Those creepy thugs! I was approached by them a few months ago, and they didn't like it when I said no to their invitation to become one of them. Mystery surrounds them. Even their invitation was sent anonymously to me. It was really creepy. Who are they? How powerful are they? Have they no limits?

And this horrible rain. Why doesn't it stop? When will it stop?
 

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Posted by fletcher christian (# 13919) on :
 
On an early morning walk, Dalbhac had heard whisperings of some 'news' in the area, but he didn't hear exactly what it was. He sat, gazing at the view from the window, half wondering what the news might have been. He had an odd mix of feelings swirling around in his gut; annoyance over the knowledge that soon the town would be flooded with tourists and dread that the new Tesco was going to kill every local business in the area. The people of Shipbury were loyal so long as it didn't cost them money.
 

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Posted by Joyeux (# 3851) on :
 
To celebrate getting unpacked, settled in, furniture rearranged, and all of the pictures hung, Melindra Tallston was going to settle onto her sofa... um... settle with a nice cuppa in hopes of beginning to get her mind into the proper English town mindset. Unfortunately, she hadn't had a chance yet to learn how to make tea. So she headed out into Shipbury. In her wandering, she passed what might have been a statue, except that it moved. Distracted, she stumbled slightly, and, upon righting herself came across "Shipbury Tea Rooms." "That looks promising," she mused, and entered with caution.
 

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Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 
Leo sat whittling by the fire, listeneing to the rain pounding on the roof of his cabin.

He was concerned, one murder in the village already, and he knew form experience that small villages with nice tea-rooms and cafes were hotbeds of murder, intrigue and mob-violence, even if the "mob" supposedly had the village's best interests at heart.

He checked the locks on the door. It may only be a cabin, but it had some impressive locksmithery. All secure.

Knut howled as the rain continued to fall.
 

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Posted by Dafyd (# 5549) on :
 
There weren't a lot of tourists due to the continuing light drizzle but Dan Ffloyd watched them anyway. They didn't put any money in his cap. Tight bourgeois pigs. Some woman in posh clothes had given a start when he scratched his nose as she walked past, but that was about it.

He decided to sod this for a game of soldiers and went off to the pub to have a pint.
 

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Posted by AristonAstuanax (# 10894) on :
 
Hugh smiled at the truly awful weather as he opened the Angel for the day. There was nothing like a truly miserable day, complete with rain, muck, fog, and mud, to drive people into a nice country pub with a warm fire, a friendly barkeep and a nice selection of malts. Business had been good thanks to the weather, and, happily for him, the coal shipment had actually arrived on time for once.
Of course, there were a few niggling problems here in paradise. The fresh casks still hadn't arrived (Hugh hated to tell customers their usual was off), that oddly paranoid man who hung around and stank up the pub while only ordering the cheap stuff still hadn't gotten the hint, and there were vicious rumors floating around town . . .
Naturally, as owner of a local pub of Character, Hugh was a bit more privy to some of these rumors than most, but, after several years of working with drunks, he knew how much trust to put in things you hear after "one last drink . . . really, one more and I'm done." By his reckoning, the Martians, the Templars and Satan himself had all moved in to his quiet little village and each were responsible for the latest events.
No matter. The Prince of Lies would probably buy the good Scotch–and wouldn't insist on bringing his @#$% dog into the pub with him!
 

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Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 
Campaigning journalist Alison Eliab emerged from a bladder-bursting four hour emergency planning session, at which the committee decided that:

1) murder is nasty; and

2) the meeting is adjourned.

How the hell she was expected to cover a murder story and still manage next week's job as a Court reporter, she had no idea. On her way to the Ladies' room, she jotted a few hasty notes on the town's prominent citizens, and swore offensively under her breath.
 

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Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on :
 
Jim returned from work and checked the news websites, the biggest news seemed to be that some lady in Mayfair had crossed a road, so all was well...then he reflected that the BBC would report that above a nuclear bomb outside the M25 and ran to the pub.
After a few gin and he felt better and started chatting with the Akela and Brown Owl about the shocking state of todays youth...he and Brown Owl left convinced that the murderer was possibly the BCS, but more likely a false flag operation by the Scouts, they seemed to think they owned the bloody Scout Hut, and moaned like hell when any of the other uniformed organisations needed it.

[ 23. February 2010, 16:53: Message edited by: Jay-Emm ]
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Miz Lillian sat at the window seat. (The exact place she remembered sitting when she was a child.) The light shower was very like the winter showers she had known in Florida, and about as cold. "I wonder if it ever rains here?" The maid had said it was raining, but she obviously wouldn't recognize the gully-washers of a summer monsoon. Never mind. A little walk would be nice.

Miz Lillian got her favorite umbrella, the one that's black on top, and underneath shows a bright blue sky and fluffy white clouds. It always was a secret rebellion to use the thing! She had heard several things since the beginning of the week; one: that there had been an unusual death in town. Two: that there was actually a woman who could supply her with fresh veggies and home baked goodies!

Perhaps a stop in the pub will provide her with some information, and maybe a pint of hard cider...for rosy cheeks, you know.

[forgot a word]

[ 23. February 2010, 16:59: Message edited by: jedijudy ]
 

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Posted by Pax Romana (# 4653) on :
 
Kate Dominic sat at a nice little table by a window in Shipbury Tea Rooms, enjoying a nice little pot of Earl Grey tea, with just one teaspoon of sugar and some fresh milk. She was typing away on her laptop, which sat on the table in front of her. Next to the laptop a yellow legal pad and a black ball point pen littered the little table. If J.K. Rowling could write her novels in a cafe, mused Kate, she could write hers in a tea room. Perhaps it would give her inspiration.

Kate took a short break from her writing to consider the awful event that had just taken place. Julia had not been a friend or even an acquaintance, but murder is murder, no matter who it happens to, and evildoers must be caught and punished ...

Ooh! The evil duke! Yes! A great idea for furthering the plot of her novel suddenly sprang into Kate's mind and she began to type again.

Pax Romana
 

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Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :
 
Mr Thomas paused and looked at the people in the tearoom. He considered going in, but thought better of it.
"I've been away too long" he thought, "people will think I'm just trying to be a somebody again"
So he continued on his walk, happy for the fresh air which was rosying his cheeks.
 

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Posted by Dafyd (# 5549) on :
 
Dan saw Jim Cartwright talking to the two representatives of the Reactionary Fascist Regime a.k.a. the Cub Scouts. He sighed at the cleaner's lack of class consciousness.
He wondered whether there was any point in trying to explain to the landlord about common ownership of the means of production again. The last time he'd tried to explain why money was an outdated concept Hugh hadn't been receptive.
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
Night falls.

The citizens of Shipbury should head to their homes and tuck themselves in for a quiet night. Please don't post again to this thread until the next phase begins.

If you have night actions, please PM them to me now. Once I have received all the actions and done anything else that I need to do, the accusation phase will begin.

I shall post again tomorrow to describe the detail of how the accusation, discussion and voting phases will work.

So, sleep tight...
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
So, as promised, here are the details of how the next few phases will work.

For dramatic effect, it would be nice if the night phase was ended by either an assassinated character posting their death scene, or by myself announcing that no assassinations have occurred. So, until one of those things happens, please refrain from posting (unless you have a question about how the following phases will work: See below!)

Once one of those things does happen, townspeople are free to accuse anyone that they think might be a member of the BCS. However, I shall place some restrictions on the accusation process:

• Each townsperson may only accuse one other player per round.
• Accusations may not be retracted.
• The first four accusations will be carried over to the voting phase. If subsequent accusations are made, they won't be counted for the vote.

quote:

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We are the Brotherhood for the Conservation of Shipbury. We claim responsibility for the death of Julia Overton, and now we have kidnapped Dr Brown. If you wish to see him again, you must suspend any thoughts of hunting for the Brotherhood for another day. In other words, you must choose between your vigilante 'justice' and the company of your neighbour.

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So, you townsfolk have a decision to make. If you decide to proceed with a round of accusations, voting, and possible lynching, then Dr Brown will surely die. If you choose to suspend this until after the next night phase, he will be released.

I suggest that you take a while to discuss which course you wish to take. Then, the town will vote.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Bo carefully laminated the newspaper clipping, and then taped it on to the front window of the Co-op. The headline trumpeted “COTSWOLD CHEESE VOTED BEST PUB CHEESE IN ENGLAND” and it gave her immense satisfaction. She knew this marketing triumph was due in no small part to her daughter Veronica. When Vo had married Joey Cuddy, of Cuddy Cottage Dairy, it was a match made in heaven. Joey was a dairy farmer through and through, but Veronica had inherited her mother’s campaigning spirit. Soon the Cottage Dairy, with the Co-ops help, was sending its complimentary tasting packs all over the country, and the family was just beginning to see a return for their hard work.

Bo was busy packing up the latest order of pub cheese and fresh milk for The Angel, when the phone rang. “Blast”, she exclaimed to the cleaner. “The delivery man has just rung in sick again. I’ll have to take this over myself. Keep an eye on the shop, until Vo gets here will you, Jim?”

She slipped out the back door with her parcels, and hurried to the pub. Even though it was not yet opening hour, a few locals were gathered around the front door and talking loudly.

“Bluddy ‘ell,” said one of them. “Wotz t’worldt cumin to, ey? Farncy kidnappin Doc Brown, then. An' roight under owr nosies."

"Its t'commies, thart's wot." said another. "You know - the CCCP, tharts wot I heard, anyways."

Bo looked at them in alarm. A kidnapping? In Shipbury? She rapped loudly on the trade entrance to the pub, and wondered if Hugh knew any more about it all.

[ 25. February 2010, 01:31: Message edited by: Banner Lady ]
 

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Posted by AristonAstuanax (# 10894) on :
 
Hugh cracked open the back entrance. "Oh good. Glad to see something's going right around here. Come inside, away from that mob."
He took the cheeses down to the cellar, then quickly returned back up the companionway. "Something to drink, Mrs. Langton?"
"Gin and tonic, if you don't mind. I could use something to steady my nerves."
"Can't say I blame you," said Hugh as he reached for a highball. "Strange things are afoot, that's for sure."
Bo took the drink from Hugh as he reached for the Caol Isla. "You heard the latest news, I suppose?"
"Almost before it happened. I'm not sure what to make of it, to be honest, but it can't be good. On the one hand, I don't trust the Brotherhood one bit. I want to see our dashing young surgeon returned safe and sound back to his barstool just as much as any of the rest of us. If that means we don't go after these ne'er do well thugs, then so be it. But I just don't know. Do you really think he'll make it back alive, no matter what we do?"
Bo sipped at her gin for a moment. "Who could do such a thing, Hugh? Here in Shipbury, of all places! What is the world coming to these days?"
"I honestly don't know. Wish to God I did. Probably that odd Commie statue fellow, always trying to get me to give him free beer or something. Then again, even the Brotherhood has to have standards–-couldn't see nobody hiring him for dirty deeds."
Hugh took a drink and chuckled. "Can tell you who it innit, though! No way it could be that odd Leo fellow who lives out in the woods. Let me tell you, that stench of his . . . well, he'd make the worst criminal ever; you could leave the bloodhounds behind if you ever wanted to track him."
Bo laughed at Hugh's silliness. "Keep an ear to the ground for us, would you?"
"You're asking me to trust the drunks in this place? I've spent my life ignoring what they had to say, and it hasn't killed me yet! I'll let you know what the Templars are up to, if you really want to know, though. Oh, and on the way out, could you let the rabble know that the pub does not open early just because someone got kidnapped?"
 

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Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
Matilda woke with the sun streaming in through her lace-curtained window and sighed with the simple happiness of one who has found her niche in life. Her little venture seemed to be taking off. She had found a reliable supplier of local produce, with some seriously delicious cakes (in fact Matilda could almost feel her weight increasing at the mere thought of the goodies waiting on the counter below), and the local people were starting to see her steaming cups of tea, coffee and indulgent hot chocolate as a welcome alternative to the seemingly grudging service at the local pub.

She bustled downstairs and within minutes the sign on the door was turned to "open" and the kettles were boiling.

But what was this? A crowd of muttering people in the street? And her first customers coming in from the cold talking of kidnap and demands and ... she shuddered at the word... lynchings? Surely nobody in this lovely part of the world could be party to such things.

She began to look more carefully at the people around her. This suspicion business was a horrible thing - suddenly finding oneself looking for the hidden depths in people you'd previously seen only as potential friends (or, at least, a source of reliable income!)
 

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Posted by Dafyd (# 5549) on :
 
Dan Ffloyd viewed the kidnap of Dr Brown with some schadenfreud. That would teach him not to work for the NHS. But killing even private doctors was a bit much.

To be honest, Dan was a bit puzzled by the offer. It seemed to him that the civilian party should jump at it. If the BCS wanted to give the detective and doctor an extra night to work, that was fine by him.
For that matter, it appeared that Dr. Brown was innocent, although Dan didn't entirely put it past his privately practicing ways to kidnap himself.

(Dan wondered why the pub landlord was calling him old?)
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
Breakfast was over and the dishwasher was stacked. Vivian went back into the dining room to finish tidying and picked up the local paper, which a guest had left lying on their breakfast table. There was never anything much of note in it (the biggest feature of the year had been on the local primary school's nativity play) but it added a bit of local colour and the guests seemed to like to flick through it.

Good grief! Well today there was something to report on after all… The Brotherhood for the Conservation of Shipbury had not only claimed responsibility for the recent murder, but they'd also kidnapped Andrew Brown (people, a surgeon is addressed as 'Mister', not 'Doctor' ) and were threatening to kill him if there was an attempt to bring them to justice. This was serious. And dangerous.

Vivian couldn't see any clear signs of who the criminals might be. Shipbury had always been so peaceful until the recent trouble had started. Admittedly her hometown seemed to have more than its fair share of loveable eccentrics, but that's a far cry from being in a criminal gang.

Without any more certain information it seemed to her that it would be foolish to risk Andrew Brown's life on an outside shot. Furthermore, Mr Brown was clearly not one of the gang (unless there were some rather complicated contortions that she'd not understood), so he ought to be allowed to go on living peacefully in Shipbury. So she was generally opposed to apprehending anyone without clear evidence of their involvement.

This didn't mean of course, that it might not be worth making some accusations to see what information they might bring to light. She pondered this as she started on the cleaning.
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Miz Lillian was stunned when Hazel, the maid, told her about young Mister Brown's kidnapping. Well, at least Brown wasn't dead...yet. Who knows what these BCS people will do next?

Lillian had been feeling so much at home, this town being small and quiet, so much like the life she had enjoyed while married to her dear Will. Now, the sense of comfort left her, and reminded her of the dangers of this world. "I must remember that some people deal with this every day. I will make a special effort to keep them in my prayers."

Lillian wrapped a quilt around her cold shoulders. The chill could come from the cold weather or the cold facts of life. Bless Hazel for carrying a pot of good black tea in. And honey! She is a dear.
 

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Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 
Leo heard the news from John Fletcher the local poacher as he was passing by his cabin. A doctor kidnapped, but why? Leo didn't have much confidence in doctors, being blessed with an iron constitution and a knowledge of the properties of all the local herbs, but this was dark news.

He heads into the village to see if he can learn more, and maybe have a slice of organic ginger cake at the tea rooms.
 

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Posted by Joyeux (# 3851) on :
 
Having risen early to take advantage of a new day, Melindra Tallston puttered about at home for awhile before venturing out of doors. Since she had yet to subsribe to any home-delivery newspapers, she decided to wander toward the business section of town. Seeing the crowd milling about the pub, she headed in that direction, wondering what was going on. "Surely the pub isn't open at this time of the morning?!" she thought, aghast.

As she neared the edge of the group, a woman stepped out, and seemed to be attempting to encourage people to leave, as the pub wasn't going to open early, simply because of a kidnapping.

"Kidnapping! Why, whoever has been kidnapped?" Melindra exclaimed, drawing the pitying glances of those closest to her. Since nobody volunteered any details, she realized that her not-from-this-town-in-England upbringing, behaviour, and accent were showing. So she did what any girl would do: head for the Tea Rooms, in search of hot chocolate and some of those delicious cakes.

......

Having patiently allowed the conversation to buzz nearby, Melindra chanced a statement to the lovely and kind proprietress, "I don't think that I've heard the latest news..."
 

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Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on :
 
'Huh', trust Bo to go on a jolly and not even pretend to work, though Jim as he stopped his cleaning, took up position by the till while failing to answer the phone (too busy cleaning) or indeed serve customers beyond a vague grunt.
It was only when he glanced at the headline on the Cotswold Journel that he left the magazines, and flicked through the papers.
A vague memory of crime dramas where the first 'victim' was the killer and wondered whether Mr Brown could be assumed innocent on release or not.
But in any case it seemed that the options were to take action and kill up to 2 innocent people, 1 if lucky, 0 if a double bluff and an accurate lynch mob.
Or keep quiet and possibly the conservationists are untrustworthy, but at least he'd have a slim chance. It seemed better in the long run...
 

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Posted by Gwai (# 11076) on :
 
Old Miss Rachel's housekeeper grimaced to herself. Somehow as soon as she entered a room to clean it, Miss Rachel seemed to always happen to enter that room and then would sit down and begin ranting "to myself, of course dearie. Don't you mind me none."

The news was really quite horrid enough without having to hear Miss Rachel's venting. "I told you this would happen! I knew that today's youth weren't being brought up right. In my day..." (Here the long suffering housekeeper snuck out of the room, wondering which room Miss Rachel would be least likely to follow her to. Perhaps the kitchen would be best. After all, it had no chairs.

However, the living room nearby did. "It was Dr. Brown's fault anyway. If he didn't run away to work elsewhere, he wouldn't have been as vulnerable, don't you know. See that's why I stay home and keep to myself." (And not because you're a old biddy who can't walk, the housekeeper mused?) Perhaps the bathroom would be safe...
 

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Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :
 
Andrew Thomas awoke. Fit and alive.
"Well, that's a start" he thought to himself "You never know what's going to happen overnight in this place nowadays.
He looked at his phone - someone had sent him a text.
"Surgin kdnpd by Bruthas" he read "akUs=deff"

Whilst he was happy to be kept abreast of happenings, he did wonder where standards of grammar and spelling were going nowadays.
And was this simply news, or was someone in town looking for his guidance and wisdom again, like the old days?
 

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Posted by Pax Romana (# 4653) on :
 
Kate Dominic walked out into the crisp, clean air to take her usual morning walk. She planned to stroll through the village common, take a turn around and stop for coffee and a nice piece of carrot cake in the tea rooms. She was shocked to come upon a group of villagers who gave her the news of the kidnapping of the town doctor.

The killing of Julia Overton was already such a terrible thing. What was happening to this picture-perfect town that she had adopted as her refuge?

Kate was not one to take drastic action. It was best, she thought, not to do anything until more information would come to light.

In the meantime, she must have her morning coffee.

Pax Romana
 

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Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 
Alison Eliab gulped down a couple of pills for her nagging hangover, and prepared to go to work. A smart, but not too expensive suit for the professional look, a skirt, of course, instead of trousers, in a backwater community like this, and make-up in soft shades, feminine and understated, to suggest approachability.

She opened her jewelry box and selected two stud earrings, and her engagement ring. The gentleman in question had been discarded and not replaced, but Alison liked the suggestion of not-quite-unavailability that it represented.

Now the finishing touches, the little clues to personality that might induce the good people of Shipbury to confide in the reporter. In a rural community, a label pin from the RSPB or National Trust would be safe enough. What else? Alison hesitated between the logo of the Countryside Alliance, and that of the League Against Cruel Sports. Which? Outspoken country girl, or idealistic townie? She could play either role fluently, but which would play best here?

After some deliberation, she pinned the LASC badge to her jacket. In her experience, the sort of people it would antagonise were as likely to be provoked to argument as to indifference, and once someone set out to argue with an earnestly naïve and attractive young woman it would not be difficult to get them to talk. That was all that mattered to a good reporter. A good reporter saw being liked by people as a means to an end, not an end in itself.

The persona decided upon, Alison switched her analogue watch for digital, replaced the mobile phone with one of later generation, and added a Blackberry and iPod. She chose an appropriately stylish black leather hand-bag, dropped her best dictaphone into it, and went to find out what was being said on the streets of Shipbury.


About an hour later, Alison said deep in thought in a local tea-room, thinking about the young surgeon’s disappearance, and wondering what the fuck was going on.

[ 25. February 2010, 21:57: Message edited by: Eliab ]
 

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Posted by Joyeux (# 3851) on :
 
While wandering back toward home, or at least away from the obvious reporter who had encamped in the tea room (shudder), Melindra considered the so-called options.

Do nothing, and Surgeon Brown may be released.
Pursue justice, and he will be killed.

Having lived in various large cities, and so having had access to the grittiest of the nitty-gritty crime shows, Melindra had learned one important thing about kidnappers and their demands: if the head cop was having a bad hair day, then it didn't matter what you tried to do, as it would backfire.

Melindra resolved to consider the matter from another perspective. "Ah! There's the Country House Hotel. They have a lovely lobby, and I should be able to find a quiet niche for awhile before they begin serving early dinner."
 

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Posted by AristonAstuanax (# 10894) on :
 
Evening came to the Angel and Greyhound, and with it the first of the locals looking for a drink after work, before dinner, or anywhere their wife wasn't. Hugh was infamous for his uncurable amnesia; any time one of the town's womenfolk called the Angel looking for her husband, he'd suddenly forget the name of the man who had sat at the same stool at the bar every day for years on end. Today, though, it seemed everyone was more concerned with who wasn't in the pub than who was; "Doc" Brown's customary place at the bar was left empty, with more than a few forlorn glances directed at the vacant seat.
"That'll be £2.70, if you don't mind, mate." Hugh made a point of having real ales from the local breweries on cask; in a perverse sort of way he was almost glad Doc had gone missing, as it kept people from noticing the Old Hooky had as well. So long as the Village Idiot held out and Mordred wasn't defeated, the pub might not run dry after all, even with all the Ale Trail tourists. Of course, if the BCS turned their attention to the North Cotswold Brewery delivery man, even Hugh would have to start making appearances at the new tea room.
"You have a light back there, Hugh?"
"Sure thing, mate."
From the front room, Hugh heard one of the local hotheads getting riled up. There'd been a bit too much talk about lynching for his taste, and certainly for his peace of mind. He loudly rang the last call bell, bringing the pub to a stunned silence; wasn't it only a quarter past six? Hugh never closed early, or even on time for that matter.
"If you're going to discuss lynchings, or even tarring and feathering, please take your heated words somewhere else. There'll be none of that here on my watch. I don't know who's responsible, nor do I particularly want to know. If you're the kind of person who gets an honest landlord in trouble, I suggest you proceed to The Carp post haste, as there's nobody meeting that description there!"
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
Okay, I think we're about ready to hold the first vote. Remember that voting is compulsory, so this phase will continue until everyone (except Dr Brown) has registered their preference. The options are:

1. To continue with a round of accusations and a possible lynching. In this case, the BCS will kill Dr Brown.
2. To suspend accusations and lynching for another day. In this case, Dr Brown will be released.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Imaginary Friend:
...and perhaps keep discussion to a minimum while the voting occurs.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Joyeux:
(Interesting but unnecessary prose on Melindra's thought process cut)

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Imaginary Friend:
Ah. Please accept my apologies, I certainly didn't mean for you to cut text that you had already written and which would be interesting and directly relevant to casting your vote. I guess what I meant by "keeping discussion to a minimum" was to keep on the topic of the vote, and to not respond directly to other player's comments. Certainly, explanation of why you are voting the way that you are is welcomed. Sorry again.

---

quote:

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Originally posted by Eliab:
But it looks as if the BCS would kill Andrew Brown even if we don't end up agreed on anybody. I'd like to have that confirmed before voting."

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Eliab:
Also, I wouldn't mind knowing whether we should necessarily be treating the promise to release the surgeon if we vote to do nothing as being trustworthy.

---

All I shall say in response to these two questions is the following: The BCS has it's own mind.
 

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Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 
In that case, let's go ahead. We can still decide not to accuse anyone, but it should be our (collective) choice, not one that's forced on us. I want to see who speaks up, who accuses whom and why,and how people vote, because that is, essentially, the only data we can get from which we can deduce guilt.

If we could guarantee saving the surgeon by complying with the BCS's demands, then that might be different, but it seems we can't be certain that he'll be released, whatever we do.

Alison Eliab votes for Option 1.
 

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Posted by AristonAstuanax (# 10894) on :
 
Option Two.
There's a small chance that the Brotherhood will be true to its word if we discontinue this discussion of stringing up our fellow villagers, as opposed to none at all if we start looking for a rope. What could be gained from further discussion? We're already watching each other's every move, scrutinizing every word for a hint of guilt or, dare I say it, innocence even; engaging in this sort of mistrust and suspicion will lead nowhere. We should see if the BCS is true to its word and allow the police to continue their investigation–perhaps something will come to light in the morning.
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
Vivian listened carefully to Ms Eliab's questions. The whole thing was rather tricky. If it was certain that the surgeon could be saved, then she would definitely be in favour of holding fire on looking for the perpetrators. She couldn't see any way that it would be in the interest of honest citizens to allow one of their own to go to his death. Not only would he die, but the Brotherhood might reasonably be expected to make another attack tonight, and then two innocents would be lost. If the town should come to a consensus on the identity of the criminal which was mistaken, the number would be three. That could not be to the advantage of the honest folk of Shipbury. Furthermore, as far as Vivian could see (unless there were more wheels within wheels than she cared to imagine), Andrew Brown could be considered definitively innocent. If further crimes were committed, it might be most useful for there to be at least one member of their population whose probity could be relied upon.

However, if the Brotherhood were not to be trusted, then this all went up in the air. Andrew Brown would still be dead, and no information would be gathered. So what it all came down to (assuming the villains were not to be trusted, which seemed reasonable, at the least) was a decision regarding how much useful information could be attained from making accusations now. This was a bit uncertain - there was nothing much to go on, unless anyone had been watching Mr Brown's house and was prepared to say so. But someone might get clumsy or daring. It might be worth it, but it was risky.

There was one further element to be taken into consideration - the votes already cast. So far there were two in favour of trying to save the surgeon, and one in favour of looking for the criminals. So if Vivian voted in favour of option 1, then it wouldn't really (yet) swing things either way - it would just set things back to equal, leaving others the chance to decide. Consequently she decided to hedge her bets and test the daring of the town, reasoning that this early in the day, the choice was still wide open. If they decided it was too risky, she would get outvoted anyway. Voting for what would surely be the unpopular option almost counted as an abstention at this stage, or so it seemed to her.

option 1

[missing word. Not a very important one but I'm a perfectionist]

[ 26. February 2010, 14:03: Message edited by: la vie en rouge ]
 

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Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on :
 
As Jim wrote down option 2 he explained to the neighbours cat (that had broken in), if they do release him then all's well and good, and if not then the mafia either get a kill in hand or lose a proxy kill, depending on the perspective. On balance I'll go for saving life.
 

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Posted by Dafyd (# 5549) on :
 
Four possibilities:
a) The BCS intend to keep their word and we don't debate accusations.
b) The BCS intend to keep their word and we do debate accusations.
c) The BCS don't intend to keep their word and we don't debate accusations.
d) The BCS don't intend to keep their word and we do debate accusations.

A). Nobody dies. The detective has, however, gained an extra night period in which to detect.
B). Andrew Brown dies. We gain a period of debate and accusation from which we can draw conclusions if sufficiently good at amateur psychology. However, we are already engaged in debating our response to this offer now.
We may kill a BCS member, or more likely, an innocent.
C). Andrew Brown dies.
D). Andrew Brown dies. We gain a period of debate and accusation from which we can draw conclusions if sufficiently good at amateur psychology. However, we are already engaged in debating our response to this offer now. We may kill a BCS member, or more likely, an innocent.

We can't do anything about whether the BCS intend to keep their word. B and D are the same. So, essentially it's how much better option A is than B, compared to how much worse option C is. It seems to me that at this stage C is not much worse for us than D is. A is a lot better for us. In fact, the only reason I have for hesitating is that A is so obviously good for us that I don't see how the BCS can think there's anything in keeping their word for them. I suspect that the BCS might be acting on some dictate from their god, sky fairy, or imaginary friend.

The only possible complication is that it looks very much as if Mr Brown is innocent. This might be a complicated way of making Mr Brown look innocent. In which case, going ahead with the accusation process would call the BCS's bluff. I don't think that possibility is worth passing up A for.

I vote for Option Two (don't go through the process of accusations).
 

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Posted by fletcher christian (# 13919) on :
 
Dalbhac reckoned the whole damned affair was a foil; that the doctor was one of the BCS's own and right now was sitting in some cosy hotel swigging brandy.

But what else could the townsfolk do? If they decided to go on with a lynching they could be branded as savages! No, they had to wait.

Option 2
 

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Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :
 
Andrew wondered if there wasn't a 5th option.
He remembered that in the description of events, it was possible to have a round of accusations, and a vote, but still not lynch anyone because there wasn't a majority.
If even just deciding to accuse meant death for Dr Brown, then there would be little point in then not having a lynching.
If Dr Brown was going to die anyway, why not just open accusations and accuse him, making sure he got enough votes for a lynching?

now he was even more confused. He decided to go for Option 2, as that looked like the way of the fewest possible deaths. He was not about to suggest a lynching, condemming both the doctor and whichever poor soul was picked upon for "justice"

[ 26. February 2010, 18:01: Message edited by: Wet Kipper ]
 

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Posted by Gwai (# 11076) on :
 
Miss Rachel picked up her cane and her lawn chair. Maybe it was time for a little fresh air. Certainly it was time to enlighten the town. She put her lawn chair down (on the sidewalk not the grass. Wouldn't want to mar the grass) and begin to speak. Meanwhile, the housekeeper sighed with relief.

"Now look, you foolish people, I can not believe you all are even thinking about leaving our distinguished surgeon to die! What are you people, a bunch of savages?

Eh! I already knew you were a bunch of donkeys. But I'll have you thugs know that we have a perfectly good police force in this town. They'll do the job just fine. Leave them be and get to behaving yourselves!" (Option 2)

[ 26. February 2010, 18:17: Message edited by: Gwai ]
 

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Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
Matilda Smudgeson was rather pleased at the sudden influx of people into her little teashop, though this was not quite the way that she had hoped to become established in the community. Understandably, the conversation at the little lace-covered tables was almost exclusively expressions of shock at the poor surgeon's distress and concerned debate about the townsfolks' response to the kidnappers' ultimatum. Normally she'd have been at the forefront of the gossip-mongers, but somehow she felt unsettled and uncertain of whom she could trust.
What should she do? Go for accusations and she could end up with two innocent deaths on her conscience. No, that was unthinkable. Option 2 it had to be.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Bo Langton put down the slab of Parkin on the tea room counter, and hefted her basket of still warm Lardy Johns over the till to Miss Matilda. I agree, she nodded. Option 2 it has to be.
 

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Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 
Hmm, now we can't trust the mob as far as we could throw them, so why believe anything they offer? Not making any accusations gives the mob a free night to do as they please while innocent citizens sit quietly by learning nothing, with the benefit of saving (possibly) one (possibly) innocent villager. Not a great exchange.

I wouldn't be surprised if the kidnapping were just a bluff so the Mafia can make themselves look all innocent and caring. Trust nobody!

We need to be brave. I vote for Option 1.
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Miz Lillian sat thinking of the possibilities. If she chooses option 1, there is a slight chance that an evil doer could be stopped before any other victims are accosted. Yet, that option ensures the death of the poor surgeon, and isn't he such a nice young man?

No, we must take the chance that he is yet alive, and not in cahoots with the BCS. She sends an Imaginary message... option 2.
 

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Posted by Pax Romana (# 4653) on :
 
Option 2 - save the doctor and start again to try to figure things out. Don't give in to the organization, but don't put a life in danger. Tomorrow is another day.

Kate Dominic giggled at her tendency to use cliched quotes from other writers. She really must cure herself of that habit.

Pax Romana
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
"Well," thought Bo, "things are definitely going from bad to worse here in Shibury. Fancy some folks actually WANTING more murder and mayhem." She shook her head. But what could you expect with this influx of foreigners who had probably been watching shows like Midsomer Murders for years? She tallied up the 14 votes.

Option 1 (murder and mayhem) Alison Eliab; Vivian Rudge; and Leo Gnattson.

Option 2 (save the surgeon) Mellindra Talleston; Hugh Northfield; Jim Cartwright; Dan Floyd; Dalbahc Nuabha; Andrew Thomas; Old Miss Rachel; Matilda Smudgeson; Bo Langton; Mz. Lillian Austin; and Kate Dominic.

She wondered what would happen now. Would the surgeon be saved?
 

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Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on :
 
Jim also was looking at the list he had drawn up of voters.

option 1 option 2

_________________Melindra
Alison_________________
_________________Hugh
Vivian_________________
_________________Jim
_________________Dafyd
_________________Dalbhac
_________________Andrew
_________________M Rachel
_________________Matilda (decider)
_________________Bo Langton
Leo_________________
_________________Lillian
_________________Kate
He looked at it for a while, clearly most innocents went for option 2, but presumably so would most fakes... This whole situation was unusual, as his mind continued to go round in circles he picked up his bag and went to the pub.
[edited as spaces compressed]

[ 28. February 2010, 13:44: Message edited by: Jay-Emm ]
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
So, the villagers have decided: No accusations today.

Now they must wait and see what the BCS will do in response...
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
It was a quarter to midnight. The villagers couldn't get used to the waiting. There were groups gathered at the pub, the tea rooms and the coffee house (all of which had stayed open late), but no-one knew what to say to each other. You could cut the tension with a knife.

Then, suddenly, uproar in Market Square. A van without number plates came careering round the corner from Down Street and screeched to a halt by the war memorial. The rear doors opened, and a body bag was dumped unceremoniously into the road. The driver lit up the tyres, and the van was gone.

Villagers were stunned. It was fully five seconds before anybody moved. Then, as one, they rushed to the abandoned bag and tore open the zip. It was Dr Andrew Brown. His body appeared unharmed, but he was certainly dead. Dazed, they reeled back. Some called for immediate vengeance, others that the police must be called, and still more cried that the village must remain united. A nurse pushed her way to the front of the crowd and knelt over the body. Smelling the dead man's lips, she announced "he's been poisoned!"

Then Archibald Mortimer, the head of the PCC stepped into the middle of the throng and implored "People, listen. This has been a tragedy. I personally grieve most deeply for Doctor Brown and stand in solidarity with his family and friends. But now is not the time for rash action or harsh words. We must take our time to consider our next move. Let us reconvene tomorrow and debate this fully, but until then, go home, protect yourselves and your families, and search your memories for anything that might give away the identities of these heinous killers."

The crowd listened, and knowing in their hearts that he was right, quietly slipped away into the night.

Night falls.

If you have night actions, please take them now.
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
Oh, and I forgot to say:

Just to make it explicit, the BCS decided to go ahead and kill Dr Brown. He was a villager.
 

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Posted by Joyeux (# 3851) on :
 
Question: Does the dearly departed get to post a death scene (without revealing identities to the remaining players)?
 

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Posted by fletcher christian (# 13919) on :
 
oops
 

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Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 
"But looking on the bright side..." mutters Alison Eliab as she goes - cautiously - back to her rented apartment "...the photograph of the body-bag flying out of the rear of the speeding van has got to be worth at least one awards nomination. I just hope I'm still around for the ceremony".

Inside, Alison makes a few brief and composed calls to editors, agrees a fee, and then fires up her lap-top to dispatch her story and pictures. She imagines the headline: "STATE OF NATURE? Environmental Protestors Turn to Murder", over the image of the young surgeon's horribly discoloured face.

The journalist shrugs off her jacket, removes her earrings and shoes, and turns off the computer. "That face..." she shudders uncontrolably, and her composure vanishes as she rushes to the bathroom to vomit noisily into the toilet basin.
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
Joyeux, Dr Brown is very welcome to describe his final moments if he would like. Up to him.
 

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Posted by El Greco (# 9313) on :
 
The bell struck one, and shook the silent tower;
The graves give up their dead: fair Elenor
Walk's by the castle gate, and looked in.
A hollow groan ran thro' the dreary vaults.

She shriek'd aloud, and sunk upon the steps
On the cold stone her pale cheek. Sickly smells
Of death, issue as from a sepulchre,
And all is silent but the sighing vaults.

A crack broke the silence. Andrew put down the volume with Blake's poetry and turned around.

"What are you doing here? How did you come in?"

Before he could stand up, a gun was pointing at him.

"Not a move", a familiar voice said.

"What do you want?"

"We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. You have betrayed our town. You had a chance to become one of us, and you spat on our face. Drink this. Let's not make a mess here, shall we?"

Andrew took the cup. He realized there was no way out. People whom he considered friends and neighbors, turned out to be deranged criminals. How could they do this to him?

He drank from the cup. He felt his heart slow. He got dizzy.

O Elenor, beware the cursed duke,
O give not him thy hand. now I am dead;
He seeks thy love; who, coward, in the night,
Hired a villain to bereave my life.

Familiar verses visited his mind. Then everything got dark.

A gloomy voice cried: "Is it done?"
 

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Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
With a sigh, Miss Smudgeson turned the sign on her teashop door from "open" to "closed" out of respect for the late lamented Mr Brown. Her faith in human nature was shaken to the core. She had truly believed that a vote for the most reasonable option would have moved the terrorists to mercy, finding hard to envisage a heart so callous as to commit cold blooded murder over such an issue.

Perhaps the tearooms was a mistake, she thought as she slowly nibbled subconsciously on a slice of home made Victoria Sandwich. Perhaps the call of the English countryside had been a siren call after all. Perhaps she should quit whilst she was ahead, move away from her new home where progress seemed so dangerously unwelcome, and seek a fresh start ...er.. afresh.

But no, everyone knew the best cure for shock was a nice cup of tea. She had a duty to her new townsfellows. Putting the kettle on, she flung the door open and turned the sign around again, then began loading teatrays with cups of a refreshing brew to share amongst the still shaken crowd. No charge. At times like these, folk had to stick together. (Though she had to admit she felt a frisson of discomfort at the thought that someone drinking her tea and eating her cakes could well be a murderer... and a poisoner at that!).

At last, teapot and till equally empty, she closed shop again, locked and bolted the door, and made her way cautiously to bed.
 

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Posted by Pax Romana (# 4653) on :
 
Kate Dominic is grateful to see that the tearooms are open after all. She needs her morning coffee after her morning walk, especially on such a day as this.

She buys a newspaper from a kiosk and turns to the front page. There it is, the story of the murder of Doctor Brown, written by the town's own Alison Eliab. It is a well-written article and Kate is intrigued. She must make the acquaintance of her fellow writer, even if she IS a journalist. Perhaps together they can solve the mystery of who is committing murders in this nice, peaceful town.
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
I'll remind you that it's still the night phase so we should refrain from speculating on the identities of other characters. Thanks.

And, I should point out, that it appears from Dr Brown's account of his own murder, that the poor physician was dead even before the BCS removed him from his house, and before they left the note claiming that he was kidnapped. Dastardly!
 

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Posted by Dafyd (# 5549) on :
 
Dan Ffloyd had hoped that the protestors against developers were acting out of opposition to the bourgeouis capitalist multinational property developers. But it was clear that they were in fact reactionary aristocrats who didn't keep their word to the people.
Anyway, Dan didn't think they'd done anything too wrong. Seeing if it was an honest offer from the BCS, or an offer forced on them by their imaginary friend, had been worth a bet. It hadn't paid off.

As he stood in the town square waiting for tourists to pass by, Dan wondered which of the villagers going about their business was devious enough to have suggested this proposition?
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Miz Lillian took off her scarf and wool coat. She held them as if not recognizing them for an instant or two, then hung them on the coat tree. What a hair raising evening it's been. Thank goodness for Hazel.

When the maid had gone to Lillian's sitting room complaining of stuffy air, and wanting to open a window...just a crack, mind you...Lillian suggested a brisk walk before bed, instead. Especially since the house was more than a little chilly in her estimation.

Hazel was very accommodating, not wanting Miz Lillian out so late by herself, and also enjoying the thought of a late-night stroll, something she hadn't done since she was in her early 20's!

Well, had they not been near to the war memorial, where they saw the crowd around the body bag, they might not have know anything had happened until the next morning. The Shipbury Tea Rooms was the perfect place to calm down, enjoying Miss Smudgeson's hospitality. And to gossip with the neighbors, of course.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Bo Langton sat down to her breakfast of Arbroath smokies and poached Legbars and flicked open the local rag. The haddock stuck in her throat as she looked at the sad sad picture on the front page. Who were these awful people claiming to be preserving the heart and heritage of Shipbury? She didn't know whether to scream or cry. She threw down her fork in disgust. This was NOT the way to garner local support for all that was excellent in Shipbury. What next, she wondered?
 

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Posted by Pax Romana (# 4653) on :
 
Kate Dominic was taking her early morning stroll before heading into the Shipbury Tea Rooms, observing everything and everyone around her, as a good writer must. The plot of that new fantasy novel had come to a halt in her mind, and she needed to find a way to extricate her characters out of the situation she had put them in. Perhaps she shouldn't have gotten them so entangled.

Suddenly, she was grabbed from behind by two unseen assailants, a pillowcase was thrown over her head and she was dragged behind a tall bush. She felt the cold steel of the blade as it entered her ribcage and expired. Her last words were the same ones once spoken by the Emperor Nero:

"What an artist is perishing!"

Pax Romana
 

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Posted by Pax Romana (# 4653) on :
 
PS: The blade did not expire. I did.

Sorry. The time for editing was past by the time I noticed that little grammatical/punctuation gaffe.

Pax Romana
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
Morning breaks.

So, there has been another murder! Kate Dominic has been brutally knifed by the BCS. She was a Policeman.

The accusation phase begins. I refer you to a previous post where I explained the procedures. So, whodunnit?!
 

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Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on :
 
Jim left his house and went down the street, as he turned a corner he sure something in the bushes, a drunk? He examined cautiously and found Kate lying in a pool of blood. It was blatant that there could be nothing done for her. He rang the emergency services and as he reported the victim there was a sharp intake of breath.
A chill struck his heart the front line of defence was gone.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
When Bo got to the co-op that morning, Jim was talking incoherently into the phone, and a crowd was beginning to gather outside. Further down the street, police tape had cordened off the road outside the tea rooms. As another body bag was loaded into the emergency services vehicle, Bo felt a shiver run down her spine. These felons had to be stopped. It was time for the decent folk to put their heads together.
 

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Posted by fletcher christian (# 13919) on :
 
Dalbhac always had suspicions about Bo Langton
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Bo had been wondering why Hugh had seemed to want to divert suspicion away from Leo in Round One. Leo, interestingly, had voted for murder and mayhem while Hugh had then voted to save the surgeon. Bo was suspicious of both, but nominates Leo Gnattson.

Bo knew she wasn't guilty of murder, despite her firm belief in promoting local produce. But she also knew it would be a neat temporary frame-up. She only hoped the locals knew her well enough to believe she could never harm another soul.

[ 03. March 2010, 03:24: Message edited by: Banner Lady ]
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
Hhhmmm… Vivian was suspiscious of Bo herself, but noted that the Irish painter fellow had got there first. Anyways, here's why Vivian had planned to accuse her (we're in a debate stage, no?):

One of the reasons that Vivian had voted for option 1 was that she had hoped to force a tight vote. Even if there were finally no accusations, it seemed to her that some useful information might be garnered that way. Since they now knew furthermore that the killers had been lying all along, she surmised that what they would have done would be: wait until the end of the round to see which way the wind was blowing, then if possible vote for option 2 (no investigation), knowing that Andrew Brown was already dead.

This was pretty much what Bo had done. She had cast her vote late, despite being seen about town earlier in the day, and had offered no reasoning for her choice beyond her attempt to butter up Miss Smudgeson. Furthermore she had popped up like a little mushroom as soon as the polls were closed, in what looked to Vivian like a rather clumsy attempt to incriminate the small number of those who, ironically, had voted for the option which would have actually been in the town's favour.

The accusation of Leo made this look even more likely to her. Vivian thought it highly unlikely that any of the killers had voted for option 1. There had only been three votes in this direction and these were now sticking out like a sore thumb. A sensible killer would try to go a little more unnoticed than that. Nope, Bo Langton was looking very dodgy indeed.

This was a bit of a pain in the butt because if Vivian was right, she was going to have to find a new produce supplier (and even if she was wrong, she supposed, since she doubted that Bo would keep on selling to her if it turned out that she'd wrongly accused her of murder, kidnap and extortion). Oh well. Better that than buying your cheese from a murderer. That couldn't be good for the hotel's reputation...
 

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Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
As Matilda Smudgeson busied herself with the early morning tasks of preparing the teashop for the first customers of the day, she glanced with surprise at the clock. Although the tearooms had not been open for long yet, there had been a degree of predictability amongst her customers, so it was unusual that Kate Dominic was not there yet, eager for a cup of coffee after her morning walk.

Content that all was ready, Matilda pulled the lace curtain aside and was shocked to find the police outside, cordoning off the road and trying to disperse the growing crowd of people gathering around what was clearly the scene of yet another crime. She opened the door and enquired of the officer outside what was going on, little expecting the shock that awaited her. No wonder Kate's usual table still stood empty! And to think she'd been protecting the townfolk as an undercover policewoman all along! Whatever would happen now?

With the street cordoned off it looked as though little custom would be coming her way at all today, so she loaded a tray with the fresh cakes and biscuits that Bo had provided the previous evening and took them out to share with the crowd and, she had to admit, to listen to some of the gossip. She was shocked to hear people voicing suspicions about people like Bo Langton and Leo Gnattson. She herself found it difficult to suspect anyone.. though Leo hadn't been the only one to vote for "murder and mayhem", as Jim had so finely put it. Perhaps he was on to something.

She would keep her ear to the ground and see what other people thought before she jumped to any ill-founded conclusions. Bad enough that three people now were dead.
 

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Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 
A bored Alison Eliab sat in the public gallery in Court 26, of the RCJ in London, waiting for the Judge to start the trial she was meant to be reporting on."If I can get here from Shipbury, the sod could at least start on time, even if there's a poxy fire on the Northern line..." she mutters.

She scours her copy of Metro for the third time in the hope that there is some article she has not yet read. The court papers which she lifted from the Advocate's robing room half an hour previously remain safely in her briefcase - because a pupil barrister is still looking forlornly around like a lost puppy in search of his missing file, and Alison does not like to tease. At least, not when she is as pissed off as she is now. "The sooner this circus is over and I can get back on the murder story, the better" she snarls.


[OOC: my trial starts today - I'll be looking in, but may not post much for the rest of this week.]
 

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Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 
Leo is somewhat surprised to be nominated as a Mafioso. After all, the good Doctor ended up dead and the mob reneged on the deal to set him free, so surely mob members would have voted for option 2 to avoid any accusations, secure in the knowledge that the doctor would die anyway.

That I went for option one is clear evidence of my innocence. In contrast the most likely guilty parties are those who voted for option two and voted late. The one who secured that there would be no accusations yesterday is most likely to be in the mob. So I nominate Matilda Smudgeson.
 

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Posted by AristonAstuanax (# 10894) on :
 
On most days, Hugh would have been overjoyed at the arrival of the Hook Norton cart, ready with a sarcastic barb for the tardy delivery man. Today, however, there was merely a grunt in greeting. One of Hugh's regulars had been killed, which was bad enough; to know that the town's police informant had been offed as well . . .
Hugh was just a bit nervous for his own life, in all honesty. He knew not to trust the BCS, but was unsure of trusting the wisdom of his fellow Shippies. As he opened the pub for the early lunch crowd, his doubts were, for the most part, put to rest. People were calling for ropes, as was to be expected, but the names that were being tossed about were, for the most part, the objects of Hugh's greatest suspicion.
Bo Langdon and Matilda Smudgeson had both aroused Hugh's suspicion in the past. Though he had once enjoyed Bo's company and cheese, Hugh thought it odd that, as soon as a finger even began to point her way, the lady started in on protestations in favor of either inaction or her own innocence. Methinks the lady doth protest to much. Matilda, on the other hand, had never enjoyed the favour of Hugh's good graces, ever since insulting the service at his pub. Furthermore, as one of his regulars pointed out, her behaviour during the last round of voting had been rather . . . suspicious.
Hugh continued deliberating as he brought his handpumps back into working order.

[ 03. March 2010, 14:09: Message edited by: AristonAstuanax ]
 

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Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on :
 
Jim looked through the newspaper, he knew action would have to be taken, else the mafia could kill at their leisure.
Yet he had nothing to go on, were the villages amenable to the idea of searching before killing things would be so much easier.
He looked nervously at the two groups being formed, if an innocent was lynched then it made the accusations of the other seem suspicious.
Yet he had seen enough phantom plots to take over the PCC, to know smoke could appear without fire, but surely some of the Mafia would be heaping the oil on.
 

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Posted by Joyeux (# 3851) on :
 
Heading for the tea room, considering the awful mess that this to-all-appearances serene & lovely town has gotten itself into (or been pushed into?), Melindra Tallston has to face facts.

(jots down notes once comfortably settled at a different table than during previous visits, this time not facing out the window - Melindra uses her own version of shorthand and abbreviations, designed to foil the attempts of others to read & purloin her creativity)
*The cliché about no honour among thieves carries over to murderers as well.
*Who sent Andrew Thomas that highly criptic message, where had he been for all of those years, and why did he come back?
*Just how long before the news establishment of the USA tumbles to the fact that I'm here, and have seen one of the recent victims? I don't want to contact anyone to guage how close they are, as that might trigger them to provide an anonymous tip to those who I wish to keep away.

Melindra looks up, feeling the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, as though someone was just staring at her... Is it paranoia if they really are out to get you??? she muses.

"Good heavens! I've begun thinking in worn-too-thin phrases. I've got to head home and immerse myself in something technical, something factual, something solid - like the manual explaining how to work my new toaster oven! Maybe that will help me to think clearly about this whole mess of justice in the hands of all of us!"

(Note: Melindra does not accuse Andrew Thomas, but is merely musing)

(eta - missing pronoun)

[ 03. March 2010, 17:25: Message edited by: Joyeux ]
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Good Heavens. Yet another murder? And if the police are not immune from these horrendous crimes, then who can be?

And, if I'm not mistaken, Hazel and I saw young Kate in the Tearoom last night. Who would ever have guessed that would be the last time we would have the chance to talk.

There are accusations flying all over town as to the identity of the murderer, or is that murderers? I think this is the time for some good, strong coffee, and consider who might be guilty. Honestly, I don't think I would have accused any of the ones who have been mentioned.

Miz Lillian gets a notebook and writes all that she can remember of the past few days while Hazel keeps the coffee mug filled.
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
Okay, we have three nominations so far. The nomination/defence phase will end in 24 hours, so at about 2100 central on Thursday (0300 GMT Friday). At that time, voting will begin.
 

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Posted by Dafyd (# 5549) on :
 
Dan Ffloyd had no thoughts on who to accuse. As usual, nobody was twirling moustaches and looking shifty.
Dan was wondering who, among the villagers, would be devious and imaginative enough to come up with the "offer" to not kill Dr Brown. That seemed an important consideration to him.
 

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Posted by Pax Romana (# 4653) on :
 
"Being dead isn't all that bad," thought Kate Dominic. "I don't have that bursitis pain in my shoulder anymore. And I don't have to finish that freakin' novel if I don't want to!" She flew up about 100 feet into the air and marveled in the view. She briefly considered haunting the Shipbury Tea Rooms, but decided against it. Instead, she would haunt the park. It would be more fun, and she could scare more people.

Pax Romana
 

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Posted by AristonAstuanax (# 10894) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pax Romana:
"Being dead isn't all that bad," thought Kate Dominic. "I don't have that bursitis pain in my shoulder anymore. And I don't have to finish that freakin' novel if I don't want to!"

---

But you can finish it . . .
Does this mean it would be ghostwritten?
 

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Posted by Pax Romana (# 4653) on :
 
Um ... I think if people start answering my posts I will be told I can't haunt anymore, and that would be no fun. Maybe it would be best to allow me to remain unseen and unheard, so that my posts don't interrupt the flow of the game.



Pax Romana
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
Okay, the nominations are closed and it is time for the village of Shipbury to decide if a lynching is called for.

The voting options are as follows:

1. Bo Langton to be lynched (nominated by Dalbhac Nuabha).
2. Leo Gnattson to by lynched (nominated by Bo Langton).
3. Matilda Smudgeson to be lynched (nominated by Leo Gnattson).
4. No lynching.

quote:

---

Originally posted by leonato:
That I went for option one is clear evidence of my innocence.

---

1. Lynch Bo Langton: 3 votes,
2. Lynch Leo Gnatsson: 7 votes,
3. Lynch Metilda Smudgeson: 2 votes,
4. No lynching: 1 vote.

Given that there are 13 voters, 7 votes is enough to secure a lynching and so Leo Gnatsson will swing. He was a villager.

Mr Gnatsson, if you would like to post a death scene, please do so.
 

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Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 
Realising the game is up Leo ran headlong into the village square.

"Fools! Fools!" He cried. "Don't be fooled by the honeyed words of the mob. Don't vote on gut instinct or blind prejudice. Listen to reason and evidence. Let the death of an innocent villager serve as a warning to you all. I can only hope that my death is the mob's first mistake, for the hands of the guilty are now clearly stained with blood."

He makes a desperate dash for freedom, with his dog tearing along beside him. But it is too late. A single shot rings out and Leo collapses in the square. Dead.

Leo's body will be burned on a funeral pyre in Sampson's field tomorrow. No flowers.

He hopes someone will give Knut a good home.
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
Night falls.

If you have night actions, please PM them to me at your earliest convenience. Thanks.
 

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Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
Alas, poor Leo. So he had been innocent all along! What was happening to this sleepy little town? Death and disaster at every turn, it seemed.

Matilda Smudgeson shuddered.

For the first time in ages she bolted the door before retiring to bed, leaving a nightlight burning to ward off her sudden fear of the dark.
 

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Posted by AristonAstuanax (# 10894) on :
 
Hugh was glad for the extra protection Knut afforded him. If nothing else, the dog now curled up asleep at the foot of his bed above the pub might warn him about intruders. A bit of leftover steak from the lunchtime pies definitely didn't hurt the poor dog . . .
Poor dog had had a rough life. Hopefully, only one master of his had to die. Hugh was happy to have a hound at long last; he hoped he wouldn't be meeting any angels any time soon, though.
 

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Posted by Pax Romana (# 4653) on :
 
"Poor Leo," thought Kate Dominic as she floated above the town square. "He had a few good years left in him. But maybe at least I'll have some company here on the other side. It has been getting lonely."

With that she headed for her favorite haunt, the park.

Pax Romana
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 

Rats. Ratsratsrats.

Miz Lillian had been so sure that Leo was not as innocent as he professed to be. It is a bitter thing to have that on one's conscience. Could it be her eyes? She certainly isn't as young as she once was. Maybe a good pair of spectacles would help her to see into the souls of the townspeople.

She wrote in her notebook:
To do...make an appointment with the ophthalmologist. Pronto.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Bo put the last cheese pie into the oven and went to check her phone messages. She wondered if the recent horrid events would affect business at the co-op. She knew there were rumours that she was part of the BCS. She knew this was rubbish; but how to convince everyone else that she was just a simple villager and not one of the sinister element terrorizing Shipbury?

She had nominated Leo (because he was one of three voting to kill the surgeon). She had figured that at least ONE of those voting for murder and mayhem must have been part of the BCS. So she was still VERY suspicious of Vivien and Alison. She also knew that the real power behind the nefarious activities in Shipbury was probably laying low and not doing anything to draw attention to himself or herself.

She poured herself a glass of sherry and Cuddy Cottage Dairy cream, and stirred it with her finger. "If I was in the BCS," she thought, "I would not kill Bo Langton overnight, because the innocent villagers could easily be manipulated now to lynch her as a scapegoat for the next murder."

It was not much comfort. But she expected to fnd herself alive in the morning. Just.
 

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Posted by fletcher christian (# 13919) on :
 
So the residents of Shipbury had ignored Dalbhac's advice and lynched an innocent. It was going to be a long night. He put the coffee pot on and sat in the dark thinking about painting while the pot gurgled.

With a sudden hiss the coffee was ready. A hiss! That was it - the kernel of an idea that was so long in coming. He would use his art to implicate the dastardly killers. He ran to the bookshelf, tripping over full paint cans and an empty easel. He flicked on the lights and limped back to the books. Right in the middle of the shelf - it had been sitting defiantly all along - sat a tome on 'The Night Watch'. Every preposterous idea, and possibly every good one, was contained in this one volume. He wrestled the book back to his chair to study again Rembrandt's accusation.

Ideas came flooding back into his mind. Dalbhac felt alive again. The coffee grew cold in the pot. He reached down to the floor and grabbed a sketch book and a small stubby pencil. Opening the book, Dalbhac began to sketch out the beginnings of an idea for the first time in over 15 years.
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
Morning breaks.

And, refreshingly, all of Shipbury's residents awake at their usual time and go about the business of their day.

We shall now have another round of accusations and defence. As before, I'll give you 24 hours warning of the vote.
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
Vivian had been of the opinion that the evidence was pointing to Bo even before the lynching of the unfortunate Mr Gnattson, but now she was convinced.

First of all, there had been the deliberate misinformation. Bo had tried to suggest that choosing option 1 was a vote for "murder and mayhem". This was palpably untrue. Option 2 could not save the surgeon, because he was already dead. Option 1 was actually an attempt to identify the killers, and in the event made precisely no difference to the outcome for Andrew Brown. The town had gone for what looked like the safe option but had in fact allowed the criminals to steal a march on them. Kate Dominic had been killed, and no attempt had been made to find the culprits.

Had the vote been tighter, it seemed likely to Vivian that one of the evildoers might well have voted apart from the others, but with the figures at almost 4 to 1 (11 to 3), she couldn’t see that there was any need. She believed that all of them had voted in the same way, and the fact that Bo had offered no reasoning for her choice also struck her as suspiscious.

Vivian is of the opinion that there are most likely three members of the BCS actively involved in the crime. She believes this since there are any given time 4 nomination possibilities. There must be more options than there are killers, otherwise they can avoid being caught simply by making all the nominations themselves. Vivian knows that the local bailiff, Mr Imaginary-Friend, must be well aware of this, ever since that Murder Mystery Weekend that she ran at the hotel, when the two of them had tried to pull precisely this stunt.*

If she is right in her surmise, then three people can perfectly well hide in a crowd of 11. There is no need for them to make themselves conspicuous by sticking their heads above the parapet to vote against popular opinion.

The misinformation (shock! people didn’t try to save the life of a man who was already dead anyway!) was carried on to the point of accusing Leo. Bo had herself been accused of involvement with the crime, and had immediately sought to deflect attention elsewhere by shifting the blame to Leo, another innocent (if eccentric) citizen who was no more. She had preemptively tried to claim that the killers were now going to allow her to take the blame, but well, she would say that wouldn’t she?

Bo Langton’s produce order at the Country House Hotel is cancelled forthwith. And frankly I'm looking at that last lot of pie with some suspiscion. Don't want to be poisoning any guests, now...

*and we would have gotten away with it too, if it hadn’t been for that pesky moderator  Sadly I don’t think this game made it to Limbo. We were very dastardly.
 

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Posted by fletcher christian (# 13919) on :
 
Dalbhac was still horribly suspicious of Bo
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
Can I clarify if either Ms Rudge or Mr Nuabha have actually nomiated Bo Langton for lynching?
 

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Posted by AristonAstuanax (# 10894) on :
 
Hugh awoke late in the day; it was almost opening time by the time he'd had his first cup of coffee. He patted Knut on the head as he headed downstairs to find out what had happened during the night.
Nothing.
A quiet night in Shipbury. No assassinations, no cement shoes, no kidnappings--simple peace and quiet.
Hugh was momentarily overjoyed at the prospect of quiet in his hometown, before he realized what this meant.
Both the BCS and the town's doctor (who? who could that be?) had chosen the same target--one to cure, one to kill. Which might just imply that both parties knew who the town police informant was, as well as that their foil knew as well. This also meant that the informant had effectively had his cover blown and would only be alive so long as the town GP was.
Hugh's heart sank. He knew exactly what this meant for him personally.
"Nothing left to loose now, I suppose."
He took a piece of kidney and gave it to Knut. Everyone was going to need their strength this morning for what was coming next. Having to open for Sunday lunch meant that Hugh was not a regular in the village church, but it was a rare man who had invoked the protection of the Almighty more fervently than Hugh did as he picked up a stout stave and walked out the door, Knut following at his heels.
His first task was to find Bo Langton, hopefully before the villagers ostracized her. Moral support would be extremely nice, as would some immoral support for when things got nasty. It was harder to find Ms. Langton than it usually was on most mornings; a number of customers had already canceled their orders, being suspicious of her--admittedly, as even Hugh had been until the previous night. Recent inquiries had put these suspicions to rest, however, and Hugh hoped Bo would be willing to forgive the enmity of the past.
Bo looked rather startled as Hugh approached her on the street. Admittedly, seeing the pub landlord out in the village during opening hours was odd enough, but especially when armed and in the company of a rather large dog.
"Do not be afraid," said Hugh, hoping that this line worked as well as it supposedly had in the past. "We must both act now; the villagers are about to lynch another innocent, while the real killer gets away again. Come with me; this may be our last chance to stop the BCS."
Over a bit of bread and cheese, Hugh explained to Bo what he knew; how he'd known of the innocence of Leo, how he'd confirmed his suspicions on the night before he was lynched, how his suspicions of Bo had eventually cleared her name--and implicated another in the crimes affecting their town. Bo took a deep breath, stood up, and, with a look of determination and renewed strength in her eyes, walked out the door with Hugh.

The Shipbury Tea Rooms were always busy at this time of day, but especially due to the lull in the heinous crimes committed by the Brotherhood. What was the meaning of this return to peace and quiet? Gossip flew and speculation ran wild as cups of tea and chocolate were constantly refilled by the friendly proprietress. There were few left in the village who knew for sure who belonged to the Brotherhood, ever since Hugh's colleague had been offed; even Hugh had been tempted by false leads in the past, while the criminals went unknown. Today, though, that changed.

Hugh opened the door to the tea rooms, followed by Bo and a growling Knut. All activity in the shop came to a halt. Hugh rarely left his pub during business hours; he never came into the tea rooms, ever since the owner slighted his service. Hugh stepped forward into the room, advancing toward the till, where Miss Smudgeson stood, staring at him and his dog.

"Matilda Smudgeson, you stand accused of the murders of the citizens of Shipbury!"
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
I was going to accuse Bo, but since the landlord clearly knows what he's talking about, I withdraw my accusation and agree that Matilda must be brought to justice.

If she still wants to supply me, then Bo is welcome to start selling fruitcake to the hotel again. (although it would probably be in your interests not to talk quite so much in the future, dear...)
 

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Posted by Joyeux (# 3851) on :
 
Question: does the fact that nobody died definitely mean that the BCS attempted a murder but the doctor intervened?

Roaming the streets on a blessedly quiet morning, Melindra deliberately avoids the hotel, the tea room, the pub, and that live statue thing, headed toward more open space. "Obviously my experience at writing fiction that deals with things unrelated to crime solving has been of no help to me in unraveling any of the mysterious events befalling Shipbury. I'll take the rest of today and explore the town... I haven't done any sight-seeing to speak of. How exciting! And maybe I'll get my head clear so that I can think. And maybe I'll avoid that telephone call from my publicity manager, who just wants to check in. Ha! He wants to find out of there's anything going on that out of which he can generate more book sales and so net himself a larger commission. I need to review his contract... make sure that the terms are generous, but sufficient to make him abide by my plans, not his."

As Melindra turns that last corner off of the main section of town, she thought she heard a noise... but was it a strange noise, a mysterious noise, or just an ordinary noise?
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Bo nodded at Hugh. She should have trusted Jim's judgement first time round. Matilda was the one who had the casting vote in the first lot of voting - never mind the fact that the surgeon was dead either way. "Mrs S, I'm cancelling my order here. How DARE you re-label my Lardy Johns as 'Matilda's Home Baked Fruit Scones'!"

Bo also accuses Matilda
 

---

Posted by Dafyd (# 5549) on :
 
Dan Ffloyd wandered into the pub. He'd been practicing his art in the market square, but the lynching pole cast something of a pall on it somehow.
After editing his memory of his part in the lynching by consuming several pints of the landlord's finest, Dan was in an expansive mood. The BCS had been cunning; Dan Ffloyd gave them that. They'd managed to make it seem to all but the keenest minds that Leo was guilty.

Sitting in his corner, Dan couldn't help noticing that some of the aforementioned keenest minds seemed to be coming to a consensus on the guilt of Matilda Smudgeson.
 

---

Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on :
 
Given that the only votes against Matilda last time were his own (which had been made after several pints) and poor Leo's, Jim wondered about Matilda, her actions were suspicious (voting the decider once is chance, twice...?, yet people were eager to focus on her if she was innocent then what did that mean about Hugh (why the face change with Bo-was it the surgeons knowledge?), Vivian (always 2nd to the rope), Bo (using an unreliable source) and the quiet ones, Dan currently distinguishing himself with stirring comments about the prevailing mood.
He thought that Dan ought to give some explainations of himself [the noisier members will have some explainations when the lynchee is searched, but the quiet will evade this].

[ 08. March 2010, 21:52: Message edited by: Jay-Emm ]
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
So, we have three nominations already. Any more for any more?

Defence will finish and the voting open in about 24 hours, so roughly 10pm Central tomorrow.
 

---

Posted by Dafyd (# 5549) on :
 
Dan didn't quite follow Jim's chain of reasoning. But Jim had asked him to explain himself. Dan was pleased to do so. Dan's performance questioned the boundaries between the animate and inanimate thereby exposing the way in which capitalism fetishises the commodity, and thereby...
Jim made it clear that he wanted Dan to explain his comments on the previous night's lynching.

Dan's alter ego was roleplaying his reaction to the previous night's events. There was not much more significance to it. As regards his final remarks, Dan had voted to lynch the wrong person. He now thought it likely that he'd been voting alongside the BCS. So those who hadn't voted for Leo last round were probably innocent and should be listened to. Wouldn't Jim rather hear about the fetishisation of the commodity?

It appeared Jim wouldn't.
 

---

Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
Miss Smudgeson could hardly believe her eyes and ears - to think that she was being accused once again of a heinous crime.

It struck her as interesting, however, that Dan had so abruptly changed his mind as to Bo's guilt or innocence. What possible reason could he have for drawing such attention to Bo, only to focus it more strongly on another? The only reason she could think of was a serious double bluff - perhaps Bo was indeed a member of the BCS and Dan her accomplice. To accuse a fellow terrorist and then withdraw that accusation could provide a smoke screen for one or the other, prevent the local populace from linking the two. And a "well reasoned" accusation of someone else, following on the bandwagon of another player, could then divert attention quite successfully onto an innocent person and thus dwindle the ranks of the villagers even more. As far as Matilda could see, that could certainly be one explanation for his behaviour. After all, he had stated in no uncertain terms that poor Leo was a more suspicious character than either herself or Bo.

It would appear that Dan Ffloyd could definitely have some ulterior motive for his accusation.
 

---

Posted by Gwai (# 11076) on :
 
Miss Rachel's lawnchair had become a permanent fixture -- on the neighbor's lawn. She wasn't about to ruin her own good lawn with an ugly chair! And what better place to let your neighbors know what you really think of them?

"I'm not even going to bother pretending to mourn that Leo fellow. So he wasn't guilty? Who cares. He annoyed me anyway. Only reason I might miss him is if his killers come after me. Or if someone blames me for it, I guess. But as a virtually immobile old woman, I can't see much odds in that.

As you can all guess, I don't much mind if we lynch Dan and Miss tea room lady. I'll happily vote for either. Still, I'd just as soon kill the right people first in case one of them comes for me. So I'll bother to ask: why are we all listening to a couple people repeatedly accusing each other for our entertainment? You all aren't that great*, I have episodes of Jerry Springer on VHS that are much better. So why are we letting all the talk be directed by a couple people? Seems dangerous to me. Don't it just."

*In case it's not very clear, let it be said that this is Old Miss Rachel's opinion not Gwai's.
 

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Posted by Pax Romana (# 4653) on :
 
Kate Dominic perched happily on the roof of the pub and looked down on everybody passing by. What a lot of fuss they are all putting up! If they only knew how much fun it is to be one of the dear departed they would all want to shuffle off their mortal coils. Oh well. If that were to happen, it would get to be too crowded up in the air. Better to just let all of them stay right where they are.

Pax Romana
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
It's time for another walk. Where has that Mr. Thomas been? I think it would be good to pick his brain about all the sad deeds being done in our poor town. I think I knew his parents when I was small. So, he might have some insight as to what is going on around here.

I just hope he doesn't say anything about my "American" accent. Hmmph. The Floridians told me how much they liked my English accent. Dag nab it. I do like the Floridian curse words I learned, though. This seems to be a good time to use them.
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
Okay, so I think we've had enough time to accuse and discuss. Now it is time to vote. The options are as follows:

1. Lynch Bo Langton (nominated by Dalbhac Nuabha).
2. Lynch Matilda Smudgeson (nominated by Hugh Northfield).
3. Lynch Dan Ffloyd (nominated by Jim Cartwright).
4. No lynching

quote:

---

Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
Vivian is rather astonished. She is amazed that Hugh's revelation could be anything less than completely crystal clear to anyone. For goodness' sake, people, he saw Matilda Smudgeson coming home with a bloody knife the night before last. As in the same one that Kate got stabbed with.

Now either I'm being played for a monumental fool (and there is the chance that is a major odd or even-parity bluff), or Matilda is very, very, guilty. I'll go for the latter.

---

I thought Hugh's revelation was absolutely clear, too. Do we believe him?

I can think of some reasons to doubt Hugh - the fact that the local undercover policeman has been murdered, and in a town the size of Shipbury we'd be lucky to have two of them, Hugh's apparent certainty about three people two nights in, his change of mind about Bo, and (it seems to me) the reckless way in which he declared his identity (the doctor foiling one murder should have made him more confident of survival, not less).

But on the other hand - he was right about Leo, and although I think some of the things he has said are curious on the hypothesis that he is a policeman, they would be even more bizarre on the hypothesis that he is either an ordinary villager or a criminal.

And, fortunately for us, his claims are testable. In two ways. We can lynch him, and find out that way. Or we can lynch the person he thinks is guilty, and see if he was right. The second (obviously) is better. Not just because Hugh has been nominated and Matilda hasn't, but also because if Hugh is guilty, then Matilda is (probably - she'd have claimed if not - an ordinary villager), and we sacrifice her to expose him. But if Matilda is guilty, then testing that by lynching Hugh would be to expose her at the cost of a policeman.

So there's an outside chance that Hugh is bluffing us. But it makes no difference. Even if he is, the sensible choice would still be to vote to lynch Matilda.
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
So, with seven votes, the village has decided to lynch Matilda Smudgeson. She was a member of the BCS.

Matilda, if you would like to post a death scene, now is the time.
 

---

Posted by Gwai (# 11076) on :
 
"ON MY LAWN???

HOW DARE YOU, YOU SON OF A BLIBBERING FLIBBERIGIBBIT?!!!!"

Here Miss Rachel's nurse came to tell her that her pulse was about fifty million point five and offered her a nice chill glass of something to make her feel better. Considering the percentage of alcohol in the glass, she accepted.

Muttered: "That nurse is the only worthwhile employee I've had. Who says they need nursing degrees. May have to give her a nice raise. Ten cents an hour maybe.

BUT! You who want to put something on my lawn? I'll hang you on a flibberygibbit myself if you try, you son of a unfeathered cow! I'll take the gibbity and stick it where the sun don't shine. I'll beat you with my cane until you wish you were in Antartica! I'll ..."

Here the nurse brought a refill and another request to calm down. One of the neighbors once again wished there were still police to call about the noise.

"Look you young son of a watered curmudgeon, I'll forgive you under one circumstance: set that gibbet up on the neighbor's lawn where I'll have the perfect view..."
 

---

Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
Matilda sighed. It really was inevitable, she realised, that the townsfolk would unite against her. They never do like newcomers, even when those newcomers bring a much-needed source of refreshment to the area (that pub, after all, didn't have much going for it) and when they fight tooth and nail for the preservation of the area.
The hammering sound of the gibbet being erected vibrated through the walls and windows of the little teashop and set the best china a-rattling. She had been ill-suited to the role she had taken, being far too sweet and innocent to maintain a facade for much longer. Perhaps she should have stuck to baking scones instead of meddling with murder and mayhem.
She shuddered. Death may be inevitable but there was still one way in which she could exercise control. She had, during the day, prepared a very special cup of tea for just this eventuality. She determinedly lifted the cup to her lips. One sip. A second sip. It took very little time to work.
By the time the mob burst into the cafe to take her prisoner it was too late. Miss Matilda Smudgeson lay dead on the floor, the last dregs of tea staining her pristine apron. In future they would have to make their own tea.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Bo was up early baking. It seemed there was going to be a good old-fashioned lynching today, and she wanted to make sure the pub had plenty of pork pies, curry puffs and cheesy potato pasties for the crowd that was certain to gather there afterwards.

Nothing like a public spectacle to whet the appetite - especially when a real villain had been unmasked...
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
...She was on her way to the pub with her baskets of still steaming goodies when she noticed the emergency services vehicle outside the tea rooms again. As the body bag was carried out, someone turned the sign on the door over and wrote along the bottom edge of it.

It now read "CLOSED and good riddance!"

Bo shuddered, and hurried up to the Angel. She wondered if someone had been sent to tell the very energetic carpenters of Shipbury to halt work, yet.
 

---

Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
Nice work citizens! You can all sleep with a self-satisfied smile on your faces as night falls.

If you have night actions, please PM them to me. Thanks.
 

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Posted by AristonAstuanax (# 10894) on :
 
The Angel and Greyhound was packed to the gills as night fell; even Ms. Langton had trouble making her way through the crowd with an emergency order of fresh pastries for Hugh's customers. The whisky flowed freely and the beer engines ran throughout the evening as the villagers and assorted visitors enjoyed a feeling of renewed calm, if only for a short while. Hugh was just glad that everyone had arrived after the fresh casks had; they were just at their peak, ready to be tapped and, he hoped, drained.

Suddenly, a hush fell on the crowded pub as the Chief Inspector came in the door, striding up to the counter. For the first time ever, Hugh wondered if he ought to have taken that smoking ban more seriously . . .

The inspector pulled a pack of cigarettes from his breast pocket. "Got a light back there, mate?"
 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Miz Lillian strode...well...walked as quickly as her 86-year-old legs could carry her. Hazel walked easily at her side, looking forward to dinner at The Angel and Greyhound. (Miz Lillian's treat.) They were both in need of some comfort food, and gossip.

Matilda's doing herself in before she could be done to was surely the subject of much speculation. Also, the speculation about Matilda's other helper or helpers would perhaps be enlightening.

Miz Lillian had some speculations she would like to share with some of the older and wiser crowd.
 

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Posted by fletcher christian (# 13919) on :
 
Dalbhac had been very concerned when the townsfolk circled around Matilda, but now that the horrible deed was done there was a certain relief that they had at least got the right person
 

---

Posted by Gwai (# 11076) on :
 
"AND I DIDN'T EVEN GET TO SEE IT!"
 

---

Posted by Pax Romana (# 4653) on :
 
"So Mathilda was one of the ones who so viciously waylaid me in the park and sent me here to the other side!" thought Kate Dominic. "Hah! If she plans to haunt the town, she'd better not come anywhere near me, or she'll know why!" Kate, who had recently discovered the thrill of being able to shoot up vertically into the air, took off like a rocket, setting what she thought was surely a record for straight vertical jumping.

Pax Romana
 

---

Posted by Dafyd (# 5549) on :
 
Dan was feeling rather pleased with himself as he checked the beer for poison. The BCS claimed to be out to protect the traditions of Shipley, but really they were just out to turn it into a heritage centre full of tea shops. Poisoning the real ale was just a sign of their dodgy ways.

Having ensured that the beer wasn't poisoned, he went back to his seat. It occurred to him as he drank that he really should have checked his own beer....
 

---

Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
Morning breaks...

...and once again, Shipbury has to mourn the loss of a resident. Dan Ffloyd has been murdered by the BCS. He was a Doctor.

We now move to the accusations, defence and discussion round. Same procedures as before.
 

---

Posted by Dafyd (# 5549) on :
 
... Dan being slumped dead on the floor of the pub having just drunk some poisoned beer wondered why nobody was setting out to catch the ones who'd done the dastardly deed. It couldn't be too difficult, he thought.
The fact that his body was still where he'd died (and in the pub at that) more than twenty four hours after his death just goes to show how public services are damaged under capitalism, he thought, before remembering that being dead he couldn't think.

The point of being a living statue was that you were living surely?

[ 17. March 2010, 11:37: Message edited by: Dafyd ]
 

---

Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
Vivian looked across the village green. The silence was deafening. Nobody wanted to make any accusations for the death of the town's doctor, which seemed rather odd to her, taken their recent success against the murderous mob.

Vivian had a suspiscion about the identity of another of the killers, she was far from sure, but thought it was worth airing her opinion, if only to get the ball rolling. And then, she might be right.

Once one of their own had been exposed, the evildoers had two choices - either to cut their losses and lynch one of their own, or to vote for someone else (most probably Bo) in order to try to save her. Vivian thinks that at least one member of the mob went for the latter option.

Melindra Tallston's vote sounds rather unconvincing to me and I suspect her of nefarious motives.
 

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Posted by Pax Romana (# 4653) on :
 
"Poor Dan," thought Kate Dominic. "He is having trouble getting the hang of this being dead thing. He just keeps hanging around the pub. He could be having a lot more fun out here in the park. I wouldn't mind sharing it, as long as he is civil and doesn't disarrange things. But I guess we all have to stake out our haunting spots."

Pax Romana
 

---

Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
Wow, the village is quiet today. We shall move to a vote in about 24 hours, so if you want to nominate someone or air your opinions, you should do it soon.
 

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Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
Matilda whooshed through her beloved Shipbury, slowly getting the hang of the art of moving with no body to move with. Straight lines were quite easy but corners took a little more concentration than she'd have expected. She was rather disappointed (but not entirely surprised) to have been rumbled so quickly, but at least she had her revenge now on Dan!

She'd have to do something about that Dominic woman.. er.. ghost. Acting as if she owned the place! Shame she couldn't yet think of a way to murder the already-murdered!
 

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Posted by Joyeux (# 3851) on :
 
Trying out the pub, Melindra considers.

"The atmosphere of Vivian's establishment never seems to fit the rest of Shipbury. Rather smug, as a cat that has successfully maintained dominance over all of the mice within a square mile. If she were truly only the proprietress of the Country House Hotel, wouldn't she have at least part-time help, one of the local girls, which would show the town that she wants to invest in the town, and help it to develop in a healthy way? Since she attempts to do all of the work of running her hotel by herself, Vivian must have a reason for keeping others from close interaction with her. Besides, all hotel-keepers are inveterate gossips, with connections all over. Vivian does not gossip."
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Bo woke late after a long night where she had been run off her legs at the Angel; trying to keep up with the demand for food; the need to celebrate and especially the need to talk. It was somewhat eerie to wake up to the deafening silence in Shipbury and headlines that the doctor had now been murdered. Who? Who could it be behind the BCS? She knew country people had a reputation for not being too bright, and she suspected she was not a very good judge of character. But as it was St.Patrick's day, her thoughts turned towards the Irish. "Hmmm, Dalbahc Nuabha's votes have been very suspicious lately. I reckon he's hiding behind his art."

[ 17. March 2010, 20:31: Message edited by: Banner Lady ]
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
So, Melindra's grounds for accusing me are that I'm not a proper citizen of Shipbury? One of those Jonny-come-latelies who she no doubt thinks would be in favour of Tesco and the whole nine yards? Sounds like the sort of thing that the Brotherhood would say to me

Does she actually have any evidence to link me to the crime apart from the fact that I just suggested that she has a part in it? Methinks the lady doth protest too much...

FWIW I think Dalbhac looks quite suspiscious as well. However, the last thing we want is for a vicious killer to get away with it by splitting the vote. Honest citizens of Shipbury, we need to decide carefully. I'm happy to try to lynch either one, but let's not allow them to divide and conquer.

(My other defence is that if I was the mastermind behind Shipbury's murderous rampage, I would be carrying it out with considerably more cunning and aplomb . Anyone who came to the murder mystery weekend at the hotel will remember that Prima Donna Silvia Conspiratia Screwtape Berlusconi is a truly Machiavellian evil genius and she never, ever gets caught )
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
Oh, and since the local private eye is still alive, I would like to know if he learned anything interesting last night...
 

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Posted by AristonAstuanax (# 10894) on :
 
Hugh was slightly whitefaced at the news that the doctor was now dead. A poisoning! Right under his own nose! Hugh was wondering if he should just slip away in the night, perhaps try to blend in somewhere . . . different. He'd heard that the Dominicans ran a rather nice pub somewhere in Belgium . . . certainly the BCS couldn't find him there . . .
As he poured himself another glass of nerve tonic (Caol Isla 18-Year Cask Strength--who knows if he'd live another day to enjoy it ever again), a new face walked through the front door. Hugh knew from his investigations who Melindra was; in fact, he had been more than a little suspicious of her once upon a time, but no reputable rumors ever connected her to the Brotherhood. Granted, the Brotherhood was the one thing nobody could connect her to, but Hugh was rather happy not to be privy to such scandals.
 

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Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
Once one of their own had been exposed, the evildoers had two choices - either to cut their losses and lynch one of their own, or to vote for someone else (most probably Bo) in order to try to save her. Vivian thinks that at least one member of the mob went for the latter option.

---

1. Lynch Melindra Tallston, as nominated by Vivian Rudge,
2. lynch Vivian Rudge, as nominated by Melindra Tallston,
3. lynch Dalbhac Nuabha, as nominated by Bo Langton,
4. lynch Andrew Thomas, as nominated by Alison Eliab,
5. or no lynching.

Please cast your votes now.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Dalbhac Nuabha.

(I can't even say it, let alone spell it - but you know who I mean). His comment on painting The Night Watch leads me to believe he intends to do some harm if he can.

[ 19. March 2010, 03:25: Message edited by: Banner Lady ]
 

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Posted by fletcher christian (# 13919) on :
 
Having been celebrating his newly found painting eureka moment (and St Paddy's Day) Dalbhac was slightly miffed to find himself accused in his absence. He had stupidly missed an opportunity to call out Bo - that same wretched woman who couldn't even pronounce his name properly. Anyway, the moment had passed and now he was being asked to make a different decision. Any inaction could mean the killers would get the upper hand, but Dalbhac didn't want to kill an innocent either. With some reluctance he nominates Melindra Tallston
 

---

Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 
Alison turns a wearied face back to her notebook. The jottings made this morning swim incomprehensibly in front of her eyes, and she shakes her and fumbles in her purse for a couple of caffeine pills, washed down with a generous measure of vodka. Cheap supermarket vodka - Alison can drink, and appreciate, the good stuff when a social role demands it, but right now she needs a raw alcoholic fix to jolt the brain and settle the nerves.

"I need to get that damned trial out of my mind..." she mutters, and tries to concentrate on the murders...

[ 19. March 2010, 10:32: Message edited by: Eliab ]
 

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Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 
It would help if people at least tried to offer a defence. Nothing's more useful, in trying to read people than knowing what they thinking or what they want the rest of us to think. The more the murderer(s) have to do that, the greater the chance is of them making mistakes.

If I'd known that Dalbhac wasn't going to offer much by way of explanation, I wouldn't have nominated Andrew. But I didn't know that, and I have, so it's time to make a choice.

I can't shake the thought that Andrew's vote is timed in a much more suspicious way. It would be more natural for a criminal to vote when Andrew did than when Dalbhac did. Against that, my reading of Andrew is that, while very bright, he can be inattentive. I can easily imagine him missing the point of Hugh's revelation, despite it being pretty obvious to me, to Vivian, and probably to lots of others. It would surprise me a bit, but not that much.

Dalbhac seems a more careful person to me, and as an artist he ought to have an eye for detail. It would surprise me a lot if he genuinely missed the proof of Matilda's guilt, or (apparently) of Mellindra's innocence. And yet, to make the first vote for someone not Matilda was a hell of a risk, if Dalbhac is guilty. Quite possibly, no one might have followed his lead (save the murderer herself) and he would have looked horribly exposed. But he probably is reckless enough to take that chance.

I'd like to have heard a full defence from both. Either might be a murderer. Or not. On balance, I don't think that my reason for picking Andrew as a plausible second choice if Dalbhac made a credible defence is strong enough to make me vote for him in the absence of any real defence. Dalbhac.
 

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Posted by Joyeux (# 3851) on :
 
"Given my inherent distrust of pretentious, pseudo-art, my suspicion of Dalbhac overtakes my uncertainty about Vivian. After all, I can't fault Ms. Rudge for trying to keep her operating costs down as she tries to make her business succeed."
 

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Posted by fletcher christian (# 13919) on :
 
There are wheels within wheels in this village; and fires within fires!
 

---

Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
Since I am clearly wrong about Melindra (although the fact that the town's policeman thought her worthy of investigation means that I don't feel like a complete imbecile), Dalbhac.

Who apart from anything else, has just voted for a known innocent. Which means that if he isn't guilty, he certainly isn't very bright, so I vote for keeping the brains alive
 

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Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on :
 
Jim reflected that the difference between a cunning plan and innocence looked insignificant till too late.
In the case of the '2nd detective' he would have to risk assuming that wasn't a cunning plan. If it wasn't, tomorrow would be too late to follow his advice.
That ruled one nomination out, another (though a self admitted expert manipulator) was supporting the detective.

That left Andrew and Dalbhac, unfortunately following Vivians argument, neither an attentive villager or (at 1st bluff) mafia would vote for an innocent, making it very likely he was a naif villager, (mafia having an advantage in knowing what's really going on wouldn't be so easily confused). Yet he knew nothing about Andrew was he an innocent and more aware civilian.

After neatly filling in the voting form with name, age, and address he came to the box. He go out a coin put it back and decided to come back to it later...
 

---

Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on :
 
Distracted by the decision Jim went to the pub.
A few drinks and the drunken conversation meant that writing Dabla/BaldhaDalbhacHadbal was almost no problem emotionally at least.
 

---

Posted by Gwai (# 11076) on :
 
Dalbhac, you just want us to kill Mellindra because you don't want to die. Couldn't you have at least given us a good reason to kill her? I see none, but I <i>am</i> a mostly blind old woman, so maybe that doesn't say much. Still, I ain't bothering to vote for that one.

Similarly, Andrew's vote timing doesn't mean much to me. Maybe he had other things to do so he voted when he needed to.

Vivian is just a revenge vote as far as I can see it. No one's told me why to vote for her really besides that Mellindra doesn't want to get her 'ead lopped off. Well, me neither, but that's no reason.

That leaves Dalbhac. Not so sure I think he's guilty either, but we should lynch someone. I missed the last one, after all! Let's use those gallows near by, because they're already half-made. That and I really want to see someone croak.
 

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Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :
 
Andrew was shocked, but unsurprised.
Bright but unattentive was not a nice way to be known, even if it was accurate.
How he wished his family circumstances outside of the village didn;t rob him of paying attention to his fellow villagers, now that they needed to support one another.
He'd been wrong to follow the crowd once, and wrong not to have followed them at the next opportunity. surely he can't be wrong a third time?
He wasn't going to get involved in a ladies' tit for tat, nor would he vote for lynching himself, so he votes for Dalbhac
 

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Posted by AristonAstuanax (# 10894) on :
 
Honestly now, Dalbhac, why must you always try to lynch Bo and Melindra? We've already conclusively seen that they're both innocent; you're not helping your case any by constantly nominating known innocents . . . again.
Someone get a rope while I'm still sober enough to tie the noose--or before the Brotherhood gets me.
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Good gracious. I don't even get my hat removed when I find we are voting for a suspect to lynch. Again. Silly me, I thought that out of town wedding was today. It's actually tomorrow, and thank goodness I bought two new hats. (They were both beautiful, and very good bargains, too.)

The groom's family was kind enough to take me to a very nice dinner. Even after several goblets of an excellent wine, I'm sober enough to realize that the other townspeople are correct. Dalbhac has the appearance of a very guilty person.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Bo looked at the votes stacking up and decided to fire up the stove early. It looked like more pastries would be needed at the pub tonight. "Steak & Guiness pies tonight," she thought to herself; "and a few Bailey's Irish Cream Cheesecakes won't go amiss. This time I am going to be prepared."
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
So, with nine votes, the village has decided to lynch Dalbhac Nuabha. He was a villager.

Dalbhac, please post a death scene if you would like, and then night will fall.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
"Bugger!" said Bo, as she pulled the tray of burnt pies out of the oven. "Bugger, bugger, bugger."

Then she sat down and cried.
 

---

Posted by fletcher christian (# 13919) on :
 
The gallows loomed up ahead of Dalbhac as he walked gingerly towards the rickety steps. Once on the platform a hood was placed over his head. Through the hessian he could see the sunlight twinkle like a million little stars through the tiny gaps. No life flashed before him, just the realisation of the present moment: the heat of his breath as the noose brought the hessian hood closer to his face, the feet shuffling around him, the smell of the hessian, the wind that softly touched his hands.
"Have you any last words?"
The voice was full of aggression.
Dalbhac could think of nothing else than Dave Bowman's accredited statement. He whispered quietly, but still audibly for those who stood next to him; 'My God, it's full of stars.'

A floating sensation greeted him. A sensation of sliding down a room that was slowly turning, his heels scraping furiously on the wood. A gust of pleasant wind and then an unpleasant jerk.

.......

Here endeth Dalbhac
 

---

Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
And with that, night falls. The villagers retreat to their places of rest, and a strange quiet descends. What will happen next?

If you have night actions, please PM me at your earliest convenience. Thanks.
 

---

Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
How sad, Dalbhac, to have you join the ranks of the ephemeral world. How could your fellow villagers do such a dreadful thing?
 

---

Posted by Pax Romana (# 4653) on :
 
"Oh now, she's gone too far," thought Kate Dominic as she furiously darted among the trees in the park. "It isn't enough that she helped snuff me out, she gloats over the public execution of poor Dalbhac, who wasn't even given the dignity of being stabbed to death under a bush like I was. How barbarous! I wish I could find Dalbhac. I would gladly allow him to haunt a section of my park."

Pax Romana
 

---

Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
Morning breaks, and once again Shipbury is relieved that no maids find employers in blood-soaked sheets and no paper-boys find subscribers collapsed in their front porches. All villagers are alive and kicking, and ready to go about the business of the day.

Nominations for lynching are now open, and once again we shall use the same procedures.
 

---

Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on :
 
Jim wondered why the mafia seemed to be killing slowly, first they kidnap Andrew and now when the detective is out give another rest.
Clearly it was meant to send some signal but wheels within wheels...
who was left

Jim, Melindra (innocent according to Hugh), Hugh (outed Matilda), Alison,
Vivian, M Rachel, Bo(IATH))
Lillian, Andrew

Jim decided he would hope Hugh had lots of useful information (preferably someone guilty).
 

---

Posted by AristonAstuanax (# 10894) on :
 
Hugh had never quite been so keenly aware of English history as he was as he staggered out into the morning dew after a long night of fitful rest. If it hadn't been for some unknown Catholic family deciding to live in the area before the Reformation started and subsequently declining to leave, there would have never been a priest hole for Hugh to hide in. Suddenly, the odd little architectural curiosity that got shown to the guests (and used as a wine cellar) was being put to its old intended use once more.
Hugh was greeted by an enthusiastic Knut. "Come on, boy. We may as well let the village know we're still alive."
Knut lead the way into the sunlit village. It was a lovely early spring morning, with the crocuses finishing their run just in time for the daffodils to have their chance. The honey-colored stone of the high street glistened in the golden sunlight as the first early risers of the town went about their business. Few failed to notice the shaggy dog or the damp-footed landlord. Hugh decided that a bit of strong tea might be just the thing this morning. Of course, this would be easier if he hadn't helped to expose the proprietress of the former tea rooms, but that couldn't be helped.
Jim and Bo were just opening the co-op as Hugh stepped in the door.
"G'morning. Seems I won't be needing to cancel after all."
While Knut gnawed on a few scraps in the corner, the three humans shared some cheese scones and Assam; Hugh was quite glad for the strong tea after his long night. Before tucking himself away in his priest hole, he'd followed up a few leads on Andrew Thomas; though he was never quite able to determine what the old man's story was exactly, he was quite certain it had nothing to do with any shady criminal syndicates.
"Not the best result of a night's work," said Hugh as he wiped away the crumbs, "but it's something."
 

---

Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 
I want everyone to read this very carefully, because it’s unorthodox, imaginative, and just a little bit utterly callous.

I think we’ve won at this point. If Hugh is the town’s second policeman (and it looks very much like he is) then we have FOUR known innocents. We also have reason to think that there are TWO killers left. And we have a pretty good lead on one of them: five people voted to save Matilda after the policeman fingered her, Matilda herself, Dalbhac, who was innocent and dumb, Melindra and Andrew, who clearly weren’t paying attention, and Jim – the only one of the five who still looks suspicious.

This is the point where I could nominate Jim. But I won’t. Because IF Hugh is right, at this point we have won anyway. We have the numbers of known innocents and strongly-suspected criminals that we go into the endgame with the killers simply outnumbered. And then we’ve won. It’s in the bag.

The only way we lose is if Hugh’s played us for a fool. If he took the chance that there was only one policeman at the start (not much of a chance, though – there are obviously two doctors if there were also two policeman then three killers would not have been well advised to take them on), claimed a role that no one else could expose, and fingered one of his own to provide cover. He could then declare his remaining accomplice innocent, and sit back while we lynch innocents. (In which case, Jim is probably innocent, and it would be a mistake to lynch him). The accomplice has perfect cover, because he or she can simply act in accordance with every other innocent person.

So my suggestion – and this is the callous bit – is that we lynch Hugh. It’s the only way to find out for certain if he’s telling the truth. If he’s the policeman, and I’ll say frankly that I think he is*, then it confirms everything he’s said and we’ll know that we’ve won. But on the off chance that I’m wrong, lynching him now will expose the plot, and give us an excellent chance of winning either way. And it has to be now, because if we’ve been played for suckers, it’ll do us no good at all to wait until Hugh has ‘cleared’ everybody, and we get one or two guesses at who his accomplice was before we’re all dead.


Hugh Northfield


(*I say that because my reading of Hugh suggests that the convoluted plot that he’d have to be following if he’s lying isn’t his style. But I say that with the caveat that if he has a criminal accomplice, he could be following their plan rather than his own.)
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
"Wheels within wheels" was what Dalbhac said before he died. This May be an oblique reference to Jim's surname. But the above post has absolutely convinced me that Alison is firmly working against the innocent. I trust that Hugh has been diligently sifting information since discovering Matilda's guilt. He avers that Melindra and Andrew are villagers. He certainly knows I am just a villager. I have been wrong about Leo and Dalbhac; but I am sure about Hugh. Alison is asking us to believe the unbelievable.
 

---

Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 
No, I'm not asking you to believe Hugh is guilty. I don't even believe that myself. I think that he's right.

The point is, that if we lynch him we know that he's right. And we win. Or, on the narrow chance that you, and I, and everyone else have been successfully fooled, we find that out, and we still win.


I'm not asking you to be credulous. I'm asking you to be callous.
 

---

Posted by AristonAstuanax (# 10894) on :
 
Now wait just a second there, missie! I'd like to know exactly how you think knowing my party affiliation will assure you of a win over the BCS. It seems to me that knowing which team I bowl for won't help you that much (that is, even supposing that anyone here is clever enough to feed me this ruse I've been supposedly keeping up for so long), but, if you're convinced it will, I'll do a regular Viennese Waltz up the gibbet steps all on my own. So, do tell. How can you be so confident of victory over our local band of thugs when they're still at large?

On another note, as everyone seems to actually suspect him on substantive rather than tactical grounds . . . Jim Cartwright, you should make some sort of accounting of yourself.
 

---

Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on :
 
Jim started to assemble his defence.
He had been paranoid about Hugh, and not followed his lead, he could understand people suspecting his motives but that theory left him only (undiscovered) mafia to try and save his ally.

As he wrote he wondered whether Alison's argument was really the best way.
Assuming the Detective case.

4 specialists seemed to imply 4 or 5 mafia (3/4 left_assuming 3), 4 known innocents, 2 under suspicion.
2 known innocents later (3,2,2), strongly outnumbered? Even assuming the best that leaves the next night (2,1,2).
Was there something he was missing?

Although going for the opposite was not much better-(3,3,1) 3*(2,2,1)+1*(3,2,0)

In the case of 4 mafia, an innocent death=instant tesco's.

(So if the Detective was the detective)
It seemed left to a random vote of 6. (2 of us can exclude ourselves). Unfortunately this included Jim. He reflected that he (and one other) would be natural choices for the mafia to lynch, but he was facing an accusation* by the detective. Could he convince them that leaving him alive upped the odds? He'd have to wait and see if he'd have to run through every alternative and considering every character (which I am willing to do but will be a _long_ post).

*I think Hugh is making the inquiry on spec, (for obvious reasons).
If Hugh is claiming it on knowledge then can he be explicit, for the tomorrows lynching.
 

---

Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by AristonAstuanax:
I'd like to know exactly how you think knowing my party affiliation will assure you of a win over the BCS.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jay-Emm:
4 specialists seemed to imply 4 or 5 mafia (3/4 left_assuming 3), 4 known innocents, 2 under suspicion.

2 known innocents later (3,2,2), strongly outnumbered? Even assuming the best that leaves the next night (2,1,2).

Was there something he was missing?

---

quote:

---

In the case of 4 mafia, an innocent death=instant tesco's.

---

The criminals, my friend, are trying to prevent us having civilised access to cut-price crates of cheap lager and buy-one-get-one-free ready meals. That’s the whole sodding point. It’s us, the innocents, who want Tescos built.
 

---

Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
Okay, this is your 24 hour warning of the vote. If you have any more thoughts on who the dastardly BCS are, please share them soon!

I shall call the vote at approximately lunchtime (Central) on Thursday.
 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Ms. Lillian sat on a park bench feeding the birds. And thinking. What if Alison, that reporter lady is right? What if Hugh is right? And what about Melindra and Vivian having a little cat fight to put us off the scent?

And why is Hugh acting so guilty all of a sudden?

The birds fluttered and strutted around Ms. Lillian's feet. It was peaceful and a very nice day to be out. But, is it safe? Daylight seems to offer some protection...but an old lady's bones need something more substantial. A determined spirit, and hopefully a chance for safety.

Hugh Northfield
 

---

Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on :
 

quote:

---

I like the Freudian slip here, though:

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Joyeux:
Who has been nominated for this round's vote? Are we still nominating or voting?

---

We're currently nominating, defending and discussing. Voting will begin tomorrow.


 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Imaginary Friend:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Joyeux:
Who has been nominated for this round's vote? Are we still nominating or voting?

---

We're currently nominating, defending and discussing. Voting will begin tomorrow.

---

Little old lady brain bubble from me. I jumped the gun a bit.

Sorry.
 

---

Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
I think that the village has had long enough to deliberate.

We shall now vote. There are four options:

1. Lynch Hugh Northfield, as nominated by Alison Eliab;
2. lynch Alison Eliab, as nominated by Bo Langton;
3. lynch Jim Cartwright, as nominated by Hugh Northfield;
4. no lynching

quote:

---

And, unlike Hugh, if he is, then his death tells us absolutely nothing about anyone else. There's no practical reason to kill him if he's known not to be guilty.

---

I'd been hoping to get in between Hugh and you, to tell you...you're actually wrong
The good news is I was petrified of there being 4 mafia, but then you'd have no compulsion so you'll go into the end game a minority.

Jim put on his uniform, brushed the dust of the maltese cross of the St John's logo and put it on.
Murderer of Dr Brown, Assassin of Kate, attempted murderer of Dan*, attempted murderer of Hugh**
does your worst.
(hope that makes it easier for you)

*I'm not actually sure about that as I nominated him for saving the night before he died, and there were no deaths, he could have saved the real victim, but Eliabs comment about him saving himself suggests probably he was the intended.
**Again the mafia could have conveniently missed a stabbing, but he was nominated the second time all villagers were saved.
 

---

Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 
Well I found that almost incomprehensible.

This:

quote:

---

Jim put on his uniform, brushed the dust of the maltese cross of the St John's logo and put it on.

---

quote:

---

I nominated him [Dan] for saving the night before he died, and there were no deaths

---

quote:

---

Murderer of Dr Brown, Assassin of Kate, attempted murderer of Dan*, attempted murderer of Hugh** does your worst. (hope that makes it easier for you)

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Eliab:
Well I found that almost incomprehensible.
...I read that as being a confession the first time I read it, but I think it should be "do your worst!" and is an accusation.

---

As Jim was marched away, confused villagers looked at the letter dropped.
"Regarding the comprehensibility. Sorry, It should be read as you've rendered it. It was meant to sound dramatic. It failed."
The letter continued
"After your insinuations and plan, I was already becoming suspicious. Then you went and claimed my occupation. Doubts changed to certainty. Yet what could I do. Who would believe my claim to be Spartacus. I choose to hope justice would work it's way, but then Andrew voted against me, and then Hugh."
"Then I thought whatever I'll do I'll be under constant suspicion, and just as likely to waste a valuable lynch tomorrow. Let's narrow your options. I trust you will use this time wisely and consider repentance. Jim"

Meanwhile the intended recipient, was taking Jim to the gallows. He was positive that the mafia were among the lynchers. Even at this late juncture he wasn't sure of who else (Lillian, Vivian or M Rachel).
As he went he thought he saw a grey shade weeping, as his neck was placed in a noose they became more solid, one was jeering at him. As he dropped they gained colour and body, but the world faded to a blur.
(death scene over)

[ 28. March 2010, 21:47: Message edited by: Jay-Emm ]
 

---

Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
And Shipbury lynches another of its inhabitants. I am sorry to say that the late Jim Cartwright was a doctor.

Night falls.

If you have night actions, please PM me now.
 

---

Posted by AristonAstuanax (# 10894) on :
 
Hugh knew that the Brotherhood was on to him. He suspected that Allison would be the village's next target, after her deceitful ruse ended up leading to the lynching of the town's last medic; no need to investigate her before leaving town. Another night in Miss Rachel's priest hole was out; though he was certain that some of the old ladies in Shipbury were up to no good, Hugh knew that all she really wanted was a better view of the lynchings . . .
Hugh was sad to be leaving the Angel and Greyhound, perhaps to never see it again. It had been his life for these many long years; he had fought the breweries that wanted to tie him, had resisted the wiles of the government, had even held out against the forces of crass commercialization and trendiness--but a group of thugs had managed to do what not even the assembled armies of Fuller's, the BBC and Parliament could not. He walked Knut over to Bo's house, hoping that, this time, the dog would find a good home. Hugh couldn't stop to say goodbye to his old friend; time was already of the essence, and he had no idea if he was being followed.
Hugh boarded his train to London with hardly a moment left to spare. He watched wistfully as the few lights of his home fell behind the carriage, this disappeared beyond the dark hills. One day, perhaps, things would be safer and the Angel could reopen, but he knew things would never be the same. So many of his friends and regular customers, those people he had shared many long nights with, from whom he had heard every heartbreak and triumph, had haggled with nightly over the never-changing price of the same pint . . .
It was all gone now.
***
Hugh looked up to see Brumel's arches above him as the train pulled into the station. He was far from the first man to have to give up the peaceful and regular life of the English countryside to make a new life in a strange land; Hugh only hoped he was up to the task. He made his way through the crowd, trying to get to the Underground (hopefully without attracting notice, in case the BCS still had agents after him), then off to St. Pancras and Brussels. From there? Hugh though Brugges might be a nice place to settle down; a bit touristy, perhaps, but Shipbury wasn't exactly "locals only," now was it? Plus, perhaps having the occasional countryman join him for a beer might be nice after all . . .
He threaded his way towards the Eurostar terminal, past the bomb-sniffing cocker spaniels. Even if he hadn't been thinking about the new life he was about to begin, it would have been unlikely that he would have noticed the figure perched in the girders above the gallery; none of the many patrolling officers did. As Hugh walked down the long station platform, taking a last, long look at the architecture, breathing his last few breaths of English air, the assassin acted. Hugh was dead almost before he heard the sound of the gun used to kill him. He certainly never heard the screams of terror as his body collapsed on the station floor.

[ 31. March 2010, 00:14: Message edited by: AristonAstuanax ]
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
"How strange," thought Bo as she rounded the corner of the farm house with a basket of freshly collected eggs. Knut was tied to the side fence, and whimpering loudly. There was a key tied to his collar with a tag which read LOOK AFTER THE DOG & ANGEL TIL I GET BACK, HUGH.

"You poor thing," said Bo. "Let's walk you home." The sky was rumbling ominously by the time she got to The Angel. The only one they passed was Miss Lillian, who was hurrying in the opposite direction. Knut's hackles went up and he began barking wildly. Miss Lillian looked alarmed, and it was with difficulty that Bo got him inside and settled by the fire in his usual spot. She stroked his head soothingly. "There, there, we don't like Miss Lillian, do we?" It suddenly occurred to her that Miss Lillian was in the pub the night there had been a most foul poisoning, and she had voted to lynch Hugh before the voting was even open. Bo nodded at Knut. Miss Lillian is looking very guilty right now.
 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Ms. Lillian was enjoying the park again. The birds were contentedly strutting, cooing and chirping. She threw out another handful of seeds and bread crumbs. Oh Dear!! "I had promised Hazel that I would be home early for the special dinner she was preparing!"

Ms. Lillian rose stiffly and walked toward home and what was sure to be a delightful meal. (Isn't Hazel just a treasure?) She hurried along, almost getting run over by a big, mean looking dog that was dragging Bo through the streets. "I swear that looks like the same dog that was chasing the birds last week!" She hoped he wouldn't hurt that nice lady, as he was fairly galloping with her hanging on behind.

With all the sadness of the past few days, Ms. Lillian only wanted to be in her home right now. A good meal and a little glass of wine would make the picture much brighter. Perhaps it would be good to pick up the local paper to see if anything interesting has been happening.
 

---

Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
(I take it nominations are open? In which case...)

And once again I face my nemesis…

Vivian goes out around town and plasters up posters inviting everyone to a public meeting in the evening in the hotel dining room (she has a couple of guests but she figures she can shunt them into the bar). When she gets to the meeting, she's pleased to see a good crowd and suitably Hercule Poirot-ish atmosphere...

Alison Eliab you sly dog, you almost got away with it. Unfortunately for you there are no way three doctors in a town this small and you have overstretched your evil self.

(Furthermore, unless the rules of the game have changed, doctors are not allowed to protect themselves, as you claim to have been doing. I therefore call on you telling pointless lies)

(Oh, and I'm kicking myself for not realising that the kidnapping trick must have been you as well. Credit where credit's due, only someone like you could have come up with it )

You, lady, are a killer and you going to be hanged by the neck before nightfall. I have the perfect tree in the hotel grounds <goes to fetch a noose>.
 

---

Posted by Dafyd (# 5549) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
(Furthermore, unless the rules of the game have changed, doctors are not allowed to protect themselves, as you claim to have been doing. I therefore call on you telling pointless lies)

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
there are no way three doctors in a town this small and you have overstretched your evil self.

---

quote:

---

(Furthermore, unless the rules of the game have changed, doctors are not allowed to protect themselves, as you claim to have been doing. I therefore call on you telling pointless lies)

---

quote:

---

(Oh, and I'm kicking myself for not realising that the kidnapping trick must have been you as well. Credit where credit's due, only someone like you could have come up with it )

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
(I take it nominations are open? In which case...)

---

It would seem that they are...
 

---

Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
I'm not buying it. This:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jay-Emm:
I know I'm innocent, but thinking about it as Alison says she's the surgeon, then it's better that I go than her.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
sounds to me like Jim nobly realised that the most effective way to call your bluff would be by making himself a martyr to the cause. As long as both of you were still alive, then it would be just one person's word against another.

---

quote:

---

Oh, and if you really are a doctor, why the bloody hell didn't you keep Hugh alive last night? It was pretty blindingly obvious that he was for the chop next.

---

quote:

---

Another night in Miss Rachel's priest hole was out; though he was certain that some of the old ladies in Shipbury were up to no good, Hugh knew that all she really wanted was a better view of the lynchings

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banner Lady:


Bo got up and stretched. "Well, however Andrew decides to vote, that's how I will vote too. Your call, Andrew."

---

• lynch Lillian Austin (as nominated by Bo Langton),
• lynch Alison Eliab (as nominated by Vivian Rudge),
• lynch Old Miss Rachel (as nominated by Alison Eliab,
• no lynching.

 

---

Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
Hhhhhhhhhm. Bo's "follow Andrew" approach is fine as far as it goes, but it strikes me that it has one rather major weakness. Andrew doesn't necessarily know better than anyone else. And if he gets it wrong, we all get it wrong.

We could convene on Miz Lillian, who I think is most likely a Brotherhood underling, but on the other hand I'm certain* that Alison is the brains behind the operation. So I could wait for Andrew and see if he goes for one of them (preferably Alison) or I can go with the courage of my convictions…

Oh sod it. I'm not farting about with mind games when I'm absolutely sure that Alison Eliab is an evil wicked murderous mafia boss. I know she is and I'm not bloody letting her get away with it. Qui m'aime me suive.**

Nonetheless, if the innocent don't believe me, you MUST all vote for Lilian. Anything else gets us a split vote. And the person who splits the vote is either (a) a murderer or (b) suicidally stupid.

*I'm rather disappointed by the "white noise" comment. I thought i was making a cogent, incisive analysis to prove why she dunnit
**Let the one who loves me follow me (but it sounds better in French)
 

---

Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 
I'm revising my opinion about Vivian. As I see it, there is no reason for the innocent not to at least see whether I manage to guess right and prevent a murder tonight - they have nothing to lose, and everything to gain by giving me that chance. The BCS, on the other hand, know that their only chance of victory now is to make sure that I cannot prevent a single one of their crimes.

Unfortunately, Vivian has not been nominated. I'm content to wait and see whether Andrew thinks Lilian or Rachel most likely to be guilty before I vote.
 

---

Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
Qui m'aime me suive.**

**Let the one who loves me follow me (but it sounds better in French)

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Wet Kipper:
Oh stuff it. I vote for lynching Miss Lillian

---

Andrew! I thought you didn't want to feed the birds with me because I got up too early in the morning...but no! You think I'm guilty of murder! If you will recall, I didn't vote for either of the doctors to be lynched. And those unfortunate mistakes (Leo and Dalbhac) were in the company of the majority of voters. And...I did vote for Matilda...who was found out to be BCS.

Perhaps I don't talk as much as some of our citizens, but hopefully I can be forgiven for being part of the (mistaken) crowd on two occasions.

But I will say this, Old Miss Rachel has much more of a mean temperament than I do. I can see her being behind those murders that have shocked us so.
 

---

Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Wet Kipper:
Oh stuff it. I vote for lynching...

---

Good enough for me.

Lillian
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Lillian
 

---

Posted by Joyeux (# 3851) on :
 
Melindra returns home from yet another ramble in an attempt to sort hard evidence (how many murder victims, how many guilty lynching victims, how many innocent lynching victims) from hunches, emotional upheaval at being in this situation, and from frustration at still not having learnt how to make proper tea.

Miss Lillian never would chat with me for more than a moment, and kept changing the subject when I asked about methods to making tea.
 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Oh, Melindra. You should ask Hazel about tea making methods. I am hopeless. I can give you some wonderful recipes for swamp cabbage, however. Alas, there are no cabbage palms here.
 

---

Posted by Gwai (# 11076) on :
 
Apparently I'm supposed to vote for that Lillian character to prove I'm innocent since Andrew thinks it's her.
Dunno about all that. Since when have I been willing to follow the crowd or remain polite anyway? However Lillian also wants to lynch me. Now THAT would start a physical fight if I were able to get up out of this chair. Hell, whether or not she's a murderer, KILL THE BITCH!
 

---

Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
So, with five of the possible seven votes, Lillian Austin will swing. She was a member of the BCS.

Lillian, if you would like to post a death scene, please do so; then night will fall.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Bo put the kettle on, and set about cleaning up the pub for another busy day. She checked the larder and was pleased to see it still well stocked with cheese and nuts. She rang Vo to have some fresh bread and milk brought over from the co-op, and decided to spend the rest of the morning making hazelnut hedgehogs and frangelico lily cups to help the crowds celebrate the end of another felon.
 

---

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
It was worth every bit of effort! When I moved back here to where I spent my childhood, it was with the hope of a return to those happy times. The idea of Shipbury becoming a tourist town is abhorrent...just as it was when the little Florida islands off the coast began to have more rich vacationers and fewer humble fishermen and vegetable growers. *sigh* You wait and see. You will wish you had Ms. Lillian back with you when you can't afford to stay in your own town.

And with that little speech, Lillian walks to the gallows. To spare the children we won't go into the gory description of her death, but suffice it to say that she was found out and swung for it.
 

---

Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
Night falls.

If you have night actions, please PM me as soon as is convenient.
 

---

Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
Morning breaks to reveal a strange scene at the pub. Bo Langton is alive and well, but there are footprints in the rose bushes, signs of an attempted forced entry on the side door, and a bullet hole in an upstairs window. It appears that someone has tried to kill Bo but was foiled.

Nominations are now open. I shall tell you now that this phase will last until 1600 Central (which is 2200 in the UK) on Wednesday.
 

---

Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 
Alison was awake early, and after making her usual run of calls to the local emergency services to ascertain that no one was killed in the night, files her latest report to her paper. "Shipbury Murders - the noose tightens..." ran the headline - though she did not expect the accompanying shot of Lillian's dangling corpse to make it past the over-delicate editor's desk. She curses him silently.

Then she relents. After all, if it were not for her editor, she would never have covered the hospital security scandal last year, and spent all those weeks undercover picking up the working basics of medical practice. And, also, picking up several large bagfuls of supposedly secure supplies. Most of those had long since gone on recreational use, but enough was left that a shot of stimulants, discreetly administed, could keep a potential murder victim up and awake who would otherwise have been in bed when a killer put a bullet through their window.

That detail does not make its way into the report. Alison is saving that for the final triumphant conclusion - should she live to write it.

Now all that was to be done was to finish off the killers.

[ 06. April 2010, 16:03: Message edited by: Eliab ]
 

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Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 
Thoughts about Rachel: she's kept her head down, mostly voted wisely, and given cogent and succinct (if mildly disturbing) reasons for doing what she's done. Which is just how a smart killer ought to act. But also, she is quite obviously an utter psychopath, without the least interest in concealing the fact. Which one would not expect in a secret murderer, unless the bloodthirsty and psychotic demeanor is a deliberate ploy to conceal a calculating and homicidal nature. Hugh was convinced that she was innocent - but he never investigated her. But then, Hugh was wrong in just about every call he made that wasn't backed by investigation, so that doesn't mean much.

Thoughts about Vivian: she had me convinced that she was innocent - she remembers that murder mystery week-end, and so do I - I know how she acted when innocent then, and until yesterday, she'd done nothing out of character for an innocent. The one thing that makes me doubt her is the attempt to lynch me: not because she thought I was guilty (I am painfully aware of how easy it was to think that if two people were claiming to be the 'second' doctor, one of them must be lying), but because she was unwillingly to give me any chance at all to prevent another murder, despite there being another very plausible suspect. I don't understand that - unless she is BCS, because they could not afford to be thwarted.

Either could be guilty. Hell, both could be guilty. There could be four killers. I'm inclined towards thinking that Vivian would be a better bet than Rachel, but I'd like to hear what they both have to say.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
The gunshot and window cracking woke Bo up, and she rolled out of bed just as the old chandelier above the bed shattered and fell. Stupidly, she spent the next minute or so trying to locate the light switch before realizing this wasn't going to help. Downstairs Knut was barking madly and she could hear him racing from window to window. She froze on the landing for a few minutes listening as hard as she could, but the footsteps seemed to be running away from the pub. Shakily, she made her way downstairs, phoned the authorities (who seemed entirely disinterested), and then sat with Knut to calm him down.

"So," she thought, "there really is another doctor in Shipbury. I hadn't expected that. This isn't looking good for Vivian at all."
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
”Shipbury emergency services, which service do you require?”

“Er… all of them, I think. The owner of the Country House Hotel has set the place on fire...She’s on the roof refusing to come down.”

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

By time the police helicopter circles over head, the blaze is well and truly lit. From the air, they have the perfect view of the giant letters that Vivian has burned into her front lawn. The flames leap up and spell out “ELIAB DID IT” in huge fiery script as the smoke drifts slowly upwards. The ground floor windows are full of orange flames that lick upwards towards the higher floors, leaving black sooty marks on the previously pristine walls as they climb higher. A small group of guests stands huddled some distance away speculating on what could have led the formerly sane owner to do such a thing.

Vivian herself is sitting cross-legged on the roof, dressed in a pair of pink pyjama bottoms and a leftover Cleopatra fancy dress outfit, with the kitchen colander lopsidedly balanced on her head. In one arm she brandishes the hoover pipe, and in the other she holds a tattered, one-eyed teddy bear. As the helicopter flies closer, she can be heard gibbering and babbling. Her unshakeable conviction that Eliab did it (and has probably just stitched her up) has finally pushed her over the edge.

“…Eliab did it. They don’t listen to us, but we know better, don’t we, Mr Fuzzipaws? And that’s why we’ve set the hotel on fire. That’ll teach’em. Twinkle twinkle little tea tray Eliab did it how you wonder are what …custard pie…wombat … Eliab did it… I know it. Eliablablablibliab Elibliar Eliar lawyer liar lalala Eliab’s a liar liar and that’s why I’ve set the hotel on fire… Sing a song of sixpence, a pocket full of sparrows, Eliab did it in a big Eliab did it pie… Are you cold, Mr Fuzzipaws? Don’t worry, we’ll soon get warmed up. It’s a shame we didn’t bring some bacon and eggs up here, though. With this lovely fire we could have made a great big English breakfast… No I won’t come down! It’s my hotel and I’ll set fire to it if I want to! Burn baby Eliab did it Disco infernooooo…”

The police marksman is a good shot. The tranquillizer dart lands firmly in Vivian’s neck and she slumps forwards, still clutching Mr Fuzzipaws. Just in time before the roof collapses, ladders are raised up, and Vivian is carried down, placed in the waiting ambulance and driven to the nearest hospital where a large dose of sedatives is administered.

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

The doctor passes by and takes Vivian’s pulse. It is weak and faint.

“Do you think she’s going to be alright?”

“I don’t know. I’m afraid it’s as though she’s losing the will to live… It’s a desperate woman who sets her own hotel on fire to prove a point. She’d rather burn the place down than see Alison Eliab get away with it. If they catch her, maybe she’ll recover. I don’t know how much hope there is, though…”
 

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Posted by AristonAstuanax (# 10894) on :
 
What an eventful night this has been for a new ghost--for the second time in as many days, somebody's decided to put a bullet through my head! It's not enough that they killed me once; oh no, you've got to go and shoot me again as I haunt my pub (and give Bo a hand with running the place; she can't honestly think that the Old Hookey handpump actually works on its own without swearing at it, can she?). I'm just out back in the garden, having a smoke by the rosebushes, when *BANG!* somebody shoots at my old window! The nerve of some people! You'd think the floating smoke would tip them off that something was up, but nooooo . . .
And now Vivian's gone bonkers and set her house on fire. That was certainly quite a show! Well done, missie! You certainly warmed this dead man's cold and nonexistant heart!
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Well, if I had known it was this much fun being dead, I would have pushed to the front of the lynching line! Watching someone shooting other spirits, avoiding the park spirit who doesn't feed the birds, watching live beings trying to make tea.

Everything looks so small from up here!
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Bo was pleased when the reporter lady rang to organize an interview and a photo session of the damage at the pub. She had a few questions of her own. Like: after all this time playing the self-interested hard-nosed bitch and just protecting herself, why would Alison switch to protecting me?

If Alison was innocent, then the BCS could just as easily have taken Alison out (although Bo was definitely innocent, and therefore of less use for screening purposes). But Bo just didn’t understand why the BCS would not take out an innocent claiming to be a doctor over an innocent with no special powers – unless someone had a bit of a gRudge against Bo. (Vivian dear, you shouldn’t take our role playing so seriously that you carry the past with you all the time; it could be your undoing). But then, it appears you ARE quite undone at the moment.

Bo had certainly accused Lillian and Rachel of being evil old ladies. Whether or not Rachel is guilty, she has definitely lived up to that truth. To organize a foiled hit at this stage of the game would take a truly and magnificently Machiavellian mind. Is Rachel sitting back, pulling the strings and cackling? Was Lillian sacrificed by two remaining BCS members, or is their only one mistress of pure evil left in town?

Bo sighed and poured Alison and herself another triple vodka slammer. ‘You know, it takes an awful lot, these days, to keep me awake. But I am definitely awake now.’
 

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Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banner Lady:
after all this time playing the self-interested hard-nosed bitch and just protecting herself, why would Alison switch to protecting me?

---

quote:

---

why the BCS would not take out an innocent claiming to be a doctor over an innocent with no special powers

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quote:

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Originally posted by jedijudy:
Well, if I had known it was this much fun being dead, I would have pushed to the front of the lynching line! Watching someone shooting other spirits, avoiding the park spirit who doesn't feed the birds, watching live beings trying to make tea.

Everything looks so small from up here!

---

quote:

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Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
it couldn't have been Miss Rachel. Think about it - Lillian and she voted for each other. That's not what killers would have done…

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Gwai:
P.S. You're damn right I've never been polite to you Melindra, and probably never will either. You quite hurt my feelings by sneering at my hairstyle ten years ago and I have absolutely nothing to gain by being nice to you now.

---

A-HA! So Rachel admits that she was the poison-pen gossip columnist that told the photographers where to find me when I went to the clinic... err... away on a trip! I knew that she had retired somewhere to try to live a quiet life. Figures I would end up in the same village.

But what does she have to gain by NOT telling her contacts in the tabloid world that I'm here... that continues to seem suspicious to me.
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
Well that's charming. I try to save Rachel from the noose and she thanks me by accusing me of murder. I should let her get strung up out of spite. Unfortunately she's innocent.

Even now, it's not certain that a doctor is still alive. We may be dealing with an exceptionally devious murderer who shot to miss.

Rachel is right that I'm a desparate woman. But not for the reasons that she thinks. I've tried reasoning but no one listens and the loquacious bitch always finds a way of talking herself out of it. So what's left to do except burn the house down?
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
Firstly, please accept my apologies for being thirteen hours late in calling the vote. You have the following options:

• lynch Alison Eliab (nominated by Vivian Rudge);
• lynch Old Miss Rachel (nominated by Bo Langton);
• lynch Vivian Rudge (nominated by Old Miss Rachel);
• no lynching.

As there are six villagers remaining, it will take three votes to secure a lynching.
 

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Posted by Gwai (# 11076) on :
 
Is it possible that we don't have a doctor living? I doubt we are allowed a clarification of the rules on that point, but if are allowed I'd love a clarification on whether the mafia could in theory not only not kill someone but choose who to pretend they'd tried to kill.
Knowing the answer to that might change my mind.

And yes, Melindra, that was me. And a damn good job it was too I thought. Did it's just very nicely. And then what do you do but follow me here. That deserves a whole new level of insult or attack, but unfortunately it seems we are all to be killed shortly, so I fear I will not have the time presently to attack your character further.
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
I don't want to say too much in answer to your question, Gwai, but I will confirm that the BCS can do pretty much what they want. The only thing that I can think of that they can't do* is kill more than one person each 'night'.

* There might be things that I haven't thought of, of course.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
So what happens if 3 villagers vote to lynch one person, and the other three all vote to lynch a different person? Do they both get lynched??
 

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Posted by mousethief (# 953) on :
 
I clicked on this thread and I thought I was clicking on the "Daily Office (yet again)" thread.
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
BL, over here the rules state that if the votes are split 50/50, then both people will be lynched.
 

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Posted by Joyeux (# 3851) on :
 
Hoping that the other villagers don't vote blindly, Melindra finally votes:

Miss Rachel

Having done her civic duty as far as she could see it (which isn't very far at the moment), she heads toward the pub, intending to find company as soon as anyone else wanders that way.
 

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Posted by Gwai (# 11076) on :
 
ARG!* That means I don't have any good way to know who's guilty besides that it's not me. Guess 50/50 isn't a bad rate really. Well, given a good reason I am willing to vote for either Lillian or Allison, or I'll just follow a trend that develops for either of them.

"Blindly trying to kill people, Melindra? You make me look innocent!"

(Not actually a complaint. Greatly enjoying this game.)
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Lillian whacks Old Miss Rachel with an invisible hand.

I'm already dead, missy!
 

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Posted by Gwai (# 11076) on :
 
Well that's your fault for having a similar sounding name to a living person then! Vivian, Lilian, you are all the same to me.

And more out of character, but oops! Thanks for the correction and sorry about that.

[ 09. April 2010, 18:28: Message edited by: Gwai ]
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Bo looked at the choices, and it was very tantalizing to realize there was the possibility of taking out TWO of the three nominees. If we did that, then if there are two BCS left, we are sure to get one of them. If there is only one BCS left and we miss, we should still be able to win.

So, who to vote for? The grouch, the bitch or the madwoman? At least the madwoman is already locked up, I suppose.
Vivian is obviously going to vote for Alison, so I will too.
Alison Eliab
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
Bo is right. The citizens are now in a position where it is impossible for them to lose, if they are smart.

To explain: three suspects are left alive. Lynching two of them means that the honest citizens of Shipbury are certain to win the game. Either one of them will be found to be a murderer (the citizens win) or they will both be innocent (the one surviving suspect is exposed as a murderer and the citizens still win).

The callous thing to do would be to split the votes 50/50 between two people. On the other hand, in my book, Miss Rachel is innocent so it's a shame to lynch her if we don't have to.

On that basis Bo is also right that I vote for Alison Eliab.
 

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Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :
 
well, if Miss Rachel is tru to her word of follwing the trend for either Lillian or Alison, then she'll vote for Alison and secure a lynching.

the only other vote active is for Miss Rachel. Do i want another lynching enough to vote for her too, hoping that Alison will do the same?

No - I vote for No lynching
 

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Posted by Gwai (# 11076) on :
 
"If Miss Rachel is true to her word"

OF COURSE I'm true to my word, the alternative is missing a lynching. Since when have I ever wanted to miss one of those? Besides Alison Eliab keeps refusing to come and prescribe me my pills. What kind of doctor is that? If she is a doctor, she ain't much use to me. KILL HER!
 

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Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 
You are making a tragic mistake in getting rid of me, but for what it's worth:

Rachel.
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
By virtue of the three votes given, Alison Eliab will be lynched by the villagers. She was a member of the BCS.

Eliab, would you like to post a death scene? If so, now is the time.
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
GOTCHA

( )
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Bo set about advertising free vodka lunches for the day at The Angel and Greyhound. She had become VERY suspicious of the reporter when Alison had covered the story of the broken window at the pub, and not a word was published by her about the spectacular fire at The Country House Hotel.

She rang the supplier, and ordered in another dozen cases of Russia's finest. Then she checked there were sufficient hangover remedies on the kitchen shelves. Today she was going to toast the fall of a formidable opponent.
 

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Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 
Alison Eliab fights to the end. For a moment it appears that she might even get away. One of the mob staggers out of the fray with her cheek gashed by the knife which the journalist tears from the sleeve of her blouse, another yelps and falls back after a stilletto heal jabs down her calf - but Alison is slightly built and outnumbered, and after a brief and savage struggle, her arms are pinned, the noose forced over her head, and her legs kicked away.

Alison's scream of terror is cut off as the rope bites into her neck. Her vision blurs and her feet cast about for purchase on the ground that seems to have dropped away, and then the pain hits like a wave, and drives everything but fear from her mind.

And then it seems that she is drifting away from the panic and agony. As the air is cut off, and the brain begins to close down sensation, Alison is dimly aware of fingernails breaking as they try vainly to prise the rope from her throat, but cannot be sure whether they are her own hands or another's. Gradually, the feeling becomes more and more distant, and she is not so much hanging as floating, and those around her are no longer the screaming mob, but silent, waiting spectators. Julia, Hugh, Dan, Andrew, Kate, Leo, Dalbhac, Jim, and others. Many others.

She looks up at them. They are taller, much taller, than she remembers. She barely reaches the waist of the shortest of them. She holds up her hands and sees not the slender and elegantly manicured nails she expected, but short, rather chubby fingers. She steps forward awkwardly, on unexpectedly short legs, and nearly falls. All the proportions of what she must now think of as her body are wrong.

Then she sees the shining presence in front of her. And it sees her. Alison yearns to cling to someone, anyone, other than that, to bury her face against their side and be held safe, but wherever she turns, the watchers are still around her, and the light is in front. For the first time there is nothing to hide behind.

The light touches her hair and brushes her cheek with a tenderness that she had never thought possible.

"Alison..."

"What..." - her voice is thin, and high, a girl's voice - "please, what's happening to me?"

"Don't be afraid. That..." - and here Alison knows she must look down at a dangling and broken form below her - "...that was only the last of your disguises."

Alison turns her large, puzzled eyes up at the Presence. The woman's mind knew the word well enough, but the little girl's soul does not.

"The last dressing up. Now you must choose who you will really be."

[ 14. April 2010, 14:00: Message edited by: Eliab ]
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
And with that, it was done.

The BCS were exposed, humiliated, and eventually dealt with. The slow wheels of progress could start to turn: tourists could be welcomed, the local economy would start to grow and new developments would spring up all over the parish. In short, a capitalist utopia had been born.

Well done to the villagers of Shipbury!
 

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Posted by fletcher christian (# 13919) on :
 
Some said Dalbhac's ghost could be seen in the park, wandering endlessly after a floating paintbrush just out of reach. Now and again this spectre came close enough to civilisation at the edge of the park to be bathed in the neon light from the new Tesco. Some said Dalbhac's ghost gave out a scream when this happened, but some insisted the long screech was actually a series of words: 'Nooooooooo; it's the tenth circle of hell! Agggghhhhhhhhhh.'
 

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Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
Nice game, everyone! That was fun!

Thank you, Imaginary Friend for being such a masterful facilitator!
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Bo looked at the accountant in disbelief. It seemed Hugh had been a very canny manager indeed, and now that even more people were flocking to the pub (thanks to rumours it was haunted by a most convivial ghost) she was being urged to think about investments; investments which might benefit Shipbury and make it into the thriving country town it had always had the potential to be.

She looked at the pile of Dalbahc’s canvases stacked against the wall in Hugh’s office, and wondered if maybe Shipbury was ready for it’s own galleria & brasserie - the kind of place where performance artists and local writers could congregate. She knew of a vacant tea-room that was in an ideal location, and perhaps Miss Rudge might care to run a slightly smaller concern during her convalescence? She certainly had the talent for it.

Vo & Joey were busy expanding their cheese business, and had happily taken over her old farm, as well as the running of the co-op. They were keenly looking for more local staff. Vo had rung her this morning to say there was more good news – Bo was going to be a grandmother. Already they were discussing names – Daniel James and Andie Kate had been Bo’s suggestion, though Vo had rather liked the name Leo.

In other news, Ms Lillian’s old house was being bulldozed to make way for a Tesco's store. Bo did not feel at all threatened by this. Everyone needed convenience food occasionally; but the pub now had such a good reputation for its counter meals and ambience that she knew all would be well, as long as she continued to bake good Cotswold country fare.

“Well,” she said to Knut, as he sat contentedly by the fire, “You may not be much of a greyhound, and I am definitely no angel, but it seems The Angel and Greyhound will go on being the hub of Shipbury for a long time to come. I think Hugh would be pleased by that.”
 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
Back at the hospital, Vivian is feeling much better. The news that Alison Eliab has been apprehended seems to have brought her to a kind of serenity, and the doctors expect her to make a full recovery.

Unfortunately she seems to have burned her hotel down. And she suspects that the insurers might take a dim view of her having set fire to the place herself. She wonders if she can get the Brotherhood's assets seized to pay for the repairs...

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

Great game everyone, I had an awesome time (even when I was setting fire to my own hotel - my only disappointment is that it didn't make the quotes file ) And well done to Eliab for being so bloody hard to catch. I am suitably impressed by your evil genius
 

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Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 
Thank you all for a most enjoyable game.

A BCS strategic 'post-mortem':

Night 1: At this stage it was a pure guess which villagers were specials. We went for Andrew B because if I.F. had distributed the roles other than randomly, I thought it would probably appeal to his sense of humour to make the public-persona surgeon the doctor. And because El Greco is astute enough that killing him off was never going to be a bad move.

Day 1: The whole kidnap thing was I.F.’s idea, not ours, to give the first victim a better chance of involvement. Alas none of the BCS were possessed of such a thing as a better nature, so we did him in anyway (and bloody good job too – given the odds we were facing).

Our general strategy in the day phase was not to confer or collude, nor to avoid agreement, but for each of us to act as much as possible as if we were innocent.

Night 2: We had identified Kate and Dan as the most likely specials, and went for Kate on the basis that we thought Dan was probably going to be easier to lynch. Strike!

Night 3: Dan didn’t get lynched so we tried for him, but were blocked.

Day 3: Hugh declared himself as a second policeman (albeit obliquely) and we knew we were in trouble, since we hadn’t found the doctor yet. With Matilda gone, that meant two killers left and three known innocents, a ratio that could not be improved upon while Hugh lived, and would ultimately mean a losing game. But since any sensible doctor would now guard him, we couldn’t just knock him off.

Night 4: Lillian wanted to hit Dan again. I thought that he was unlikely to be a doctor if he had been protected (I was assuming that doctors couldn’t save themselves, as in previous games). My guess was Rachel. Fortunately this phase coincided with a particular busy spot of real life for me, so jedijudy made the call. I managed to talk her round, but too late, and the order to kill Dan proved effective. I.F. confirmed to us that doctors could self-protect.

Night 5: We had to guess whether there was a second doctor – if not, anything but a hit on Hugh was a bad move; but if so, Hugh would be guarded and we could not afford to waste a kill. On the maths, we had to kill Hugh on this or the following night to stand any chance at all, but even if there was a second doctor, to kill him in time meant one guess that had to be right – a 1 in 6 chance. Reasoning that if there was a second doctor we were probably screwed, we acted on the basis that there wasn’t, and tried for him. We called it wrong.

Day 5: Birnan Wood having come to Dunsinane, an unorthodox strategy was called for. Basically, we needed Hugh dead that night or we’d lose. So I nominated him for lynching. I didn’t expect to win the vote, but I did expect to be nominated back. The plan was then to role-claim the doctor, and draw the real doctor from hiding, while also planting the subliminal message that he might want to be guarding himself. I’d be lynched, but the policeman might then be unguarded. Not, I accept, the most solid of plans, but I don’t think there were any better options. Lillian tried to give a lead to the voting, but, perhaps predictably, no one was up for lynching the policeman (although if he had lived to the next day, I actually think it would have been a solid strategy).

The plan worked – better than expected. I’d all but dismissed the possibility of Jim being the doctor when he declared and sacrificed himself (and I was setting up a rationale for a ‘no lynching’ vote at the end, because we certainly couldn’t afford to lose an ‘unknown’ unless he was the doctor).

Night 6: A no-brainer. The detective died.

Day 6: Unfortunately, both remaining BCS members were hopelessly compromised. Once it was clear that Lillian was going down, I stuck the knife in.

Night 7: I chose not to murder, to support the ‘doctor’ thesis. This meant inviting a mathematic loss (as Bo and Vivian subsequently pointed out, with equal numbers of known innocents and suspects, a double lynching means the village automatically wins – and, indeed, the town can force a double lynching at the 2 v. 2 point (if there’s one killer) because the two suspects cannot plausibly do anything but vote for each other, and one innocent voting for each of them will kill both. I hoped you wouldn’t notice.

(Incidentally – if the finish had gone down to one against one, by my reading of the rules, both survivors would be lynched. It was completely unclear to me who would win if that happened – although BCS win-condition is defined as “kill off the townspeople” rather than “survive”.)

Day 7: At his point, the survivors were just too smart. Well played.

Summary: Hugh picked the right time to declare his role. We were playing a desperate game from that point on to take him out (which meant taking out the doctors) and could only do it at the price of any plausible claim to innocence. I’m pretty pleased with our victim selection – 3 ‘specials’ to 1 ‘ordinary’ is a ratio that it would be hard to improve upon – but it meant that we could never have the luxury of killing the suspicious or analytical, or using murders to cast suspicion on other people, we were just too busy hunting cops and doctors.

Thanks to I.F. for running the game and well played the town.
 

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Posted by Dafyd (# 5549) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Eliab:
Night 3: Dan didn’t get lynched so we tried for him, but were blocked.

Day 3: Hugh declared himself as a second policeman (albeit obliquely) and we knew we were in trouble, since we hadn’t found the doctor yet.

---

I didn't realise I was attracting attention before then; I thought I'd just made up a fun character to roleplay.

As it happened, that was the night I tried to protect Hugh. I didn't realise immediately that there was probably another doctor, so I was pretty convinced that Hugh was telling the truth.

NB: if there's more than one doctor then I recommend either that the doctors cannot protect themselves or else that they get told if they were the one who prevented the death. The ability to discover who might be an innocent target is the only real motivation for protecting someone other than themselves.

[ 14. April 2010, 22:26: Message edited by: Dafyd ]
 

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Posted by AristonAstuanax (# 10894) on :
 
Though he would have much rather survived the reign of the Brotherhood, Hugh was glad at his chance to be a good Pub Ghost here in his sleepy little Cotswald town. Suddenly, the Angel and Greyhound had gone from being an embattled-but-resolutely-traditional country pub to being a charming-and-untouched-by-the-ravages-of-the-modern-age country pub. The locals Hugh had served for years still came and went, the tourists in search of the "real England" got a taste of things as they should be, and Hugh was thankful that Bo always left out a glass of Caol Isla at the end of the night. There were certain other perks to being a pub ghost, Hugh soon found; the smell of Bo's cooking was even better for a spirit, he found, to say nothing of being able to work whatever hours he wished. Sure, there were a few responsibilities; keep the handpumps from breaking, prevent any number of disasters from breaking out (Hugh was glad he caught that gas leak before Bo blew the place up), pet Knut occasionally, serve his former customers who still dropped by now and again . . .
It was a good afterlife.

Sooner or later, all of Hugh's fellow villagers began to join him in the old pub. Life went on in Shipbury; babies were born, then grew up and started patronizing the Angel; the bittersweet day even came when a glass of vodka was first set next to Hugh's nightly malt. Though every pub has its drafts, the regulars all knew that the occasional mild chill they felt had a more-than-earthly source. Stories were told by the successive owners of the pub to visitors about the Brotherhood's reign of terror, of the investigations conducted by its owner, even on the night of his assassination (a member of the BCS had apparently cast doubt on his definitive declaration about Miss Rachel) and how, at long last, an old friend, an old dog, and an old pub all came together happily.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 

 

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Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
I think it was probably Hugh who won the game for us. Well done

You may have noticed that I knew that it was Eliab

I knew it had to be Ms Eliab from the minute Jim was revealed to be the doctor. A third doctor just stretched my credulity too far. Combined with an argument that I'd never rightly understood* about why we should lynch our own policeman, it was blatant to me. Apparently I was wrong about the kidnapping trick, although it did look sufficiently Machiavellian to me that I couldn't think it would be anyone else...

Add to this the small things that rang up my BS-ometer. Like, in particular, claiming not to have noticed that Hugh was the policeman. As. If. There is no way that anyone equipped with an Eliab-grade scumdar could possibly have failed to notice. So he had to be lying. And somehow, there's something about Eliab's tone when he's talking BS that doesn't sit right with me. Call it feminine intitution or something. Even so, the missed hit on Bo almost threw me. Until I checked the votes, worked out that Rachel had to be innocent, and I was innocent, ergo I had to be right.

The problem was trying to prove it. The slippery so-and-so can talk his way out of anything. (And Eliab, rest assured that if I'm ever in trouble with the law, I shall be giving you a call ) At which point I came up with the idea of going stark-raving bonkers and burning the house down. Eliab can always come up with an answer to a reasoned argument. So I decided to see if I could wrong-foot him by dispensing with reason for a little while... How does the master of logical rhetoric answer a load of irrational gibberish?

*I admit that I didn't get to think through that particular vote in as much detail as I would have liked. Is it bad to confess that checking this game is the only time I've ever connected to the interweb from Taizé? Silence, spirituality, meditation… mafia game
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 

 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
As this is the first time I've run a game like this, perhaps I could trouble you for a bit of feedback about one or two things.

Ratio of roles: We started with three mafia, two doctors and two policemen. Was that an appropriate division, or did it unfairly advantage the town?

The first night: I always feel guilty for the person assassinated the first night because they don't really get much of a game. I tried to combat this with the kidnapping plot, but I guess I only did a half job on it because I allowed the BCS to decide whether they would release Dr Brown or not once the vote had been taken. In hindsight, they were only going to do one thing! So, my question is, are there any other ways that people know of to extend the life of the person who is killed first, or is it just a regrettable part of the game?

Doctors who protect themselves: Is this a good thing, or a bad thing? (Actually, as a side note, in night 3 both doctors protected Hugh.)
 

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Posted by Gwai (# 11076) on :
 
I'd say that since it's always a bit more fun to be mafia, the town should have the advantage.

Re the person who gets killed in the first night round, I have played versions of mafia where the first death is always an NPC. If that was thought to be too much advantage to the town, one could arrange it that said NPC had as much chance of having a role as any non-mafioso.

I'd say that doctors who protect themselves are rather boring and thus perhaps avoidable, but I don't have much feeling either way.
 

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Posted by Joyeux (# 3851) on :
 
Melindra visited Ms Rudge in hospital, bearing flowers and an intriguing offer from her US-based publishers.

(from the letter)
...While we support your desire to live a less publicity-minded life, if there's a press-release soon, then we can direct the tabloids towards less sensational headlines. With that in mind, can we publish that you've settled in a quaint village, and are taking a hiatus from parties and writing, and will instead do something else, like running a bed & breakfast? We will, naturally, be available as financial backers in such an endeavor...

"So, Vivian, what do you think? Would you like a financial partner in getting your hotel back up and running? With the understanding that I'll probably use the hotel as a setting for future books, and that I'll have to be gone sometimes for press tours?"
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
I thought the kidnapping plot was a good idea. The uncertainty kicked the debating off well, and helped the players to form a few opinions about each other. The person taken out first is always going to feel a bit cheated, but unless you can think of a role for 'the communion of saints' in the afterlife, I think its always going to be that way.

As a villager, I did not think we had it too easy. In fact it looked like the mafia were wiping the floor with us until Eliab declared as a 'doctor'. (Yes, that got my attention too! Especially as it happened immediately after I voted to lynch Alison the first time). By the time Hugh got taken out we had no doctors, no police, and at least two known mafia left. It looked grim, even though Eliab says the mafia simply could not get to the analysts to take them out.

Having played both sides (felon & citizen) a couple of times now, I'd say the ratio 3:4 was right for 15 players. It needs to be that way because the mafia have an advantage by being able to communicate freely with each other behind the scenes. It also simplified things having just doctors and detectives rather than a few other more nebulous special roles, which has sometimes happened in the past. The clear job description of protection and investigation was good - although I never did find out what the difference was , if any, between Hugh & Kate's roles, as Kate got bumped off so early. Was Hugh the only one allowed to investigate?

The other thing about this game which was different, was the number of players who openly declared (or claimed to declare) their roles quite early on. That certainly surprised me. So if I was to put my finger on any one thing which tipped the balance of the game, it was not the ratio of roles, but the declaration of roles.

Thanks for running such a tight game, I.F. Just about the best I've participated in on S.o.F IMHO.
 

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Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
I really enjoyed playing - as always - though the funniest thing was that despite being mafia, I kept on trying to work out whodunnit! No wonder I was sussed so early on in the game!

Mind you, I deserved my lynching? Did anyone notice my stupid mistake? Good job I noticed before the editing window was up - I managed to post my secret PM to IF actually on the thread itself. No prizes for guessing I was mafia if you saw me trying to murder Hugh in full view!

I was taken aback by the kidnapping bit too, but quite liked the twist it gave to the beginning of the game.... and still feel somewhat guilty for killing our victim anyway! I agree that it's rotten to be the first victim in the game but can't see any way around it.

I think the ratios were just right. Not sure if the doctor ought to be able to protect themselves, though. I'd think it preferable if they couldn't, especially if there's more than one.

Anyway, it's the last time I make any of you lot a free cup of tea!
 

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Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by Imaginary Friend:
Ratio of roles: We started with three mafia, two doctors and two policemen. Was that an appropriate division, or did it unfairly advantage the town?

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quote:

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are there any other ways that people know of to extend the life of the person who is killed first, or is it just a regrettable part of the game?

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quote:

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Doctors who protect themselves: Is this a good thing, or a bad thing?

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Bad. Indeed, potentially game-breaking. Because role-claiming is a sacrifice play for the mafia, a self-protecting doctor is close to unkillable (unless guarding a declared detective).
 

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Posted by AristonAstuanax (# 10894) on :
 
Personally, I don't think having two doctors skews play nearly as much as having two policemen might. Kate was offed very early in the game; we have no idea of knowing who she even chose to investigate, if she even got a chance to at all. If either one of us had decided to investigate the other, we would have instantly known who our cohort was and have been able to systematically work through the entire village in concert. Doctors, on the other hand, can never know for sure who their partner is or what he or she is doing (unless, I suppose, the police were to inform them); the distinct possibility that the both of them decide to save the same target keeps two doctors from having anywhere near the advantage two policemen might.
 

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Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Oh, and just for the record AA, it would have been a shot glass of Opal Bianca next to Hugh's Caol Isla!

Anyone else for a virtual happy hour? Cheers
 

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Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 

quote:

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Originally posted by AristonAstuanax:
Personally, I don't think having two doctors skews play nearly as much as having two policemen might.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Banner Lady:
it looked like the mafia were wiping the floor with us until Eliab declared as a 'doctor'.

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quote:

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Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
I'm also interested that when Eliab missed on purpose, we were told that he had tried to hit Bo, but on the other occasions we weren't given any indication about who the mob were trying to kill. Was there any particular reason for that?

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I specified to I.F. that it was a faked hit, rather than mere inactivity - that may be why.
 

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Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on :
 
Once I was given role I decided the only way to graft it on to my career was something like the Saint John's. In my early posts I tried to set it up ready in case I needed to claim.
I then failed RP rather hard.

Tried to save others on basis that it was my only way of getting information. After (thinking I'd) saved Dan and suspecting his innocents accused him in the hope of getting the mafia to make a slip.

I was very suspicious of Hugh's claim, really until Eliab's declaration.

The Mafia may have felt that knowing there were duplicates, known of their attempt, and Eliab's dodgy reasoning, that it was obvious.
But from my POV a cunning fake personality with a fake non-attempt and a wise villager looked identical.
The fake declaration made me 85 percent certain, but Eliab was convincing and I did check my role several times. I guess it was even more convincing for the other villagers.

When I died I suspected Eliab & Vivian. But was rather glad to avoid the final dilemma.
 

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Posted by Imaginary Friend (# 186) on :
 
I'm having a very busy day today, so I can't digest all the feedback, but I'd like to thank you all for taking the time to type out your thoughts. I'll come back to it tonight or tomorrow morning.

One quick thing:

quote:

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Originally posted by Eliab:

quote:

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Originally posted by la vie en rouge:
I'm also interested that when Eliab missed on purpose, we were told that he had tried to hit Bo, but on the other occasions we weren't given any indication about who the mob were trying to kill. Was there any particular reason for that?

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I specified to I.F. that it was a faked hit, rather than mere inactivity - that may be why.

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That's right. I was trying to differentiate subtly between that and the other occasions, and it seemed that Gwai and la vie en rouge both picked up on it. I'll come back to this later.

Thanks again.

iF
 

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