The House of Origin [Concluded]

[seireikhaan]

20-ish minutes, y'all.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Partner: Captain Blackadder

[seireikhaan]

Fin.

[Montmorency]

Well, it is done then. As all townies go to check their inboxes, I ask that they forgive some of my less towardly displays.

Good luck.

[seireikhaan]

It seemed my followers were developing rifts faster than we could close them up. When we started up again, another fight broke out, this time between a zealous Montmorency and the elder diplomat, Andres. It seemed to be a debate over the value of caution versus aggressiveness. Judging by the final record showed to me by the scribe as we finished up, aggression was what won out, as Andres was led to me on his knees. The graying man glared insolently at me as I accepted my sword.

"Why, in my day, we didn't let these sorts of things happen! Your great, great, great, granddaddy would have just imprisoned his entire retinue and replaced the lot of them! Why, I should know! I was imprisoned in an icy fortress, which I was forced to walk to while carrying my chains! And I was given nothing more than a piece of leather to chew on for food! Why-" I had to stop him! I swung my blade with strength I didn't know I had and lopped his head off in a clean strike. Phew. That was too close. Oh... oh dear. Maybe not. It seemed I was too late. It seemed that Xenoneb and Jolt had both suffered a catastrophic case of death from Andres' ramblings, laying silently upon the ground, blood pouring from their eyes and ears.

"Er..." I started, pointedly ignoring the other two bodies. "Excellent work, my loyal retinue! Now, let us discover ourselves an exit! I am sure we are close! Yes, quite close indeed!"




Andres 4 (Monty, Ishmael, Visorslash, Jarema)
Montmorency 3 (Andres, Autolycus, Buddhafish)
ATPG 1 (GH
Double A 1 (Lazy McCrow)
Lazy McCrow1 (Captain Blackadder
Ishmael 1 (Choxorn)


Xenoneb and Jolt suffered Wrath of Khaan.


Visorslash partner Choxorn
Choxorn partner Visorslash
Pizza partner Andres
Andres partner Pizza
Captain Blackadder partner GH
GH partner Captain Blackadder
Buddhafish partner Jarema

Visorslash and Choxorn are now partners.
Captain Blackadder and GeneralHankerchief are now partners.


IT IS NOW NIGHT 4.

You have 24 hours.



Alive:

Askthepizzaguy
Autolycus
Buddhafish
Captain Blackadder
Choxorn
Double A
GeneralHankerchief
Ishmael
Jarema
Lazy McCrow
Montmorency
Visorslash

Lynched:

NinjaCow (D1)
God Emperor (D2)
TinCow (D3)
Andres (D4)

Killed:

Atheotes (N1)
JoanK (N1)
Arjos (N2)
Bsmith (N2)
Ironside (N2)
Zack (N2)
Chaotix (N3)
Edse (N3)
Makrell (N3)
Riedquat (N3)
White Eyes (N3)

Attacked:

Ishmael (N1)
Tincow (N2)

Wrath of Khaan:

Kagemusha (D3)
Xenoneb (D4)
Jolt (D4)

[Askthepizzaguy]

So, now what do I do?

Shall I resume thumb-twiddling?

Anyone have any use for an unpartnered person.

[Jarema]

I hope my partnership with Buddha is valid, I had no time to confirm it

[Andres]

It seemed that Xenoneb and Jolt had both suffered a catastrophic case of death from Andres' ramblings, laying silently upon the ground, blood pouring from their eyes and ears.

I do not ramble

I describe the glorious past in a most eloquent and passionate way, taking my audience on a magnificent journey to days gone by

[seireikhaan]

Writeups in progress.

[seireikhaan]

I rummaged through my belongings once more after the group adjourned. Finally. Such long meetings, so boring. They just did the same thing over and over again, cowering in fear as they picked out the one they feared most of all. I can cure this! Such joy they were missing out on! I threw my bear pelt over my shoulders, reveling for a moment in the embrace. I took off at a spring, in glee at the feeling of absolute freedom.

End it.

I reeled, pulling up to a stop. What? Who?

End it now.

I looked around, spinning on the spot. There was nobody here! But voices, still they came!

It is hopeless. End it now.

The voices, they echoed like a chorus, smooth, but deep. Suddenly, I could feel it again. The despair… the knowledge of the unmovable object of destiny sitting obstinately in my path, blocking my way. I could never budge it. I slowly sat down, putting my head into my knees.

End it. Embrace oblivion.

I could hear a buzzing again. Oh no… the bees. Again? They were back to torment me again? Stop it… stop it…

You can stop it.

Wait. No. Suddenly, it was as though a fog lifted. The pit in my stomach vanished as the swarm descended upon me. I had defeated this! I did not fear! There was nothing to fear, not death, not bees, not bears!

NO! END IT!

I grinned maniacally. No. No, I would not end it. There was no fear. There was no pain. Others had to be shown the path. As though sensing my renewed confidence, the swarm dispersed. I took off at a sprint. I do not know what foul force wished me despair, but I was a triumphant prophet! I would never be brought down! I wheeled around a corner, still reveling in my liberation. I saw Ishmael coming down to me at a slow pace. His eyes went wide, in apparent shock at my appearance. I sprinted to him, and before he could respond, I smashed his jaw with my fist. My momentum carried me past, forcing me to wheel around, spinning on a heel. Ishmael seemed to shake off his shock, and withdrew a sword to me and readied a combat stance. Haha! A good man! He raised his sword high and rushed to me. I had done my job! To overcome a sight as fearsome as myself, surely he deserved to live for now and spread the word! Cackling at the top of my lungs, I took off down the hallway, knowing he would never catch me.






Such a grand temple. That the large fountain at the center of this magnificent structure still ran with water was surely some kind of miracle of the gods. I was resting for a moment, sitting on the edge, contemplating how such a feat was achieved. I was running my fingers through the pool of water. Suddenly, the water’s texture changed. It became thicker. Then, a dark crimson began to seep from below, overtaking the clear blue. The water… was becoming blood. I recoiled in shock. What devilry was this? The fountain suddenly erupted with pressure it hadn’t had, showering blood across me. I staggered and slipped, falling down on the slick floor. I gazed up in alarm when a loud splash came from the fountain, and two demonic figures erupted from the pool. Razor, pointed teeth grinned at me from under twisted, dark red faces. I screamed as I scrambled away in a mess from the two, who cackled madly as they stepped out from the pool. I ran to the nearest exit. I stopped, slipping and falling again as two more monsters turned the corner to stare me down, bestial creatures with bright shining, golden eyes and long, pointed claws.

They chuckled as well when I scrambled upright again, trying to reach the next exit. I reached the doorway, only to be flattened as three more of the devils stood in the hallway that turned out from the door. They gazed down at me with those unnatural eyes, grinning widely, readying enormous curved blades in their hands. I tried to scramble backwards, but felt my shoulders bump into something. I looked up and felt blood droplets falling onto my face as the demons from the fountain cackled down at me. The seven swayed their hips and began to sing a jaunty, haunting tune.

“Tick tock, tick tock, Buddhafish,” the demons sang. “Don’t look at us with so much shock, for now the time’s run out on your clock. Would you like the sword, or perhaps the hemlock?”

“I… I…” I was paralyzed. What had we awoken here?

“You came here seeking treasure, seeking god. You came here seeking divinity, and for that we probably should applaud. But here’s the trick, our real treat. You’ve been undone by your own conceit. Here’s the real truth of our beauty- you wanted god, here’s your deity! So don’t be so anxious, just embrace the madness!”

Still paralyzed, I couldn’t even close my eyes as the demons raised their weapons high. Finally, mercifully, the world went dark.






Time was short. The hour of destiny was at hand. I could see from Heshin’s face that he could feel it as well as we traversed the labyrinth. We were currently in the first thing I’d seen yet resembling a residential district. The walls of marble had been carved out into rectangular structures, with vacant rectangles indicating that no actual permanent doors. I was positive that he had come this way… but if the houses had passageways going further in, we would only end up in a deeper maze than we already were in. I sighed. Perhaps we were on the wrong track… Maybe it was the left. Wait! I saw a flash of movement from one of the doorways. Yes!
“There!” I whispered, pointing out our target. Heshin nodded.

“I saw it as well. Dive in?” He asked.

“Follow my lead,” I took off at a pace, withdrawing my sword. I put my back up to the wall, just outside the doorway. I could hear shuffling inside. I gave Heshin a look to indicate I was going in. I turned on a heel sword at attention, ready to charge. Only to be halted…
By sheer surprise. Captain Blackadder was inside, with a large color palette. The far wall was no longer pristine white, but a menagerie of colors, most prominently red. He looked back at us in surprise of his own.

“Oh. Hello.” He gestured to the incomplete mural. “Do you like it?” He asked. I kept my blade at the ready. This was… not right. I would ordinarily hesitate to strike down an artist, but there was something unsettling about this whole scenario. The secrecy, the bright colors. No, I had a mission. Destiny, it was still at hand. I ignored his query.

“Captain Blackadder, for the crime of treason, I sentence you to death.” I said calmly. “Now be still, and accept divine justice.” I raised my sword high and moved forward on a left-leaning arc, while Heshin moved opposite me, to prevent an escape. Captain Blackadder, in either shock or submission, did not move from the spot, and I readied a clean cut through his neck.






Most excellent! Clearly we had made great progress! Even though I had not yet discovered a path leading out of the labyrinth, I returned to find most of my retinue intact. Two were missing, but that was a marked improvement. And I had begun doubting my divine powers... What silliness. Still, it seemed we were not yet rid of the assassins, if two more people were missing. Perhaps there were but one or two more still lurking in the shadows? Either way, I offered my most official salutations to my retinue before handing things off to the scribe to record once more.


IT IS NOW Day 5.

You have 25 hours.



Feedback will be out asap.

Alive:

Askthepizzaguy
Autolycus
Choxorn
Double A
GeneralHankerchief
Ishmael
Jarema
Lazy McCrow
Montmorency
Visorslash

Lynched:

NinjaCow (D1)
God Emperor (D2)
TinCow (D3)
Andres (D4)

Killed:

Atheotes (N1)
JoanK (N1)
Arjos (N2)
Bsmith (N2)
Ironside (N2)
Zack (N2)
Chaotix (N3)
Edse (N3)
Makrell (N3)
Riedquat (N3)
White Eyes (N3)
Buddhafish (N4)
Captain Blackadder (N4)

Attacked:

Ishmael (N1)
Tincow (N2)
Ishmael (N4)

Wrath of Khaan:

Kagemusha (D3)
Xenoneb (D4)
Jolt (D4)

[Montmorency]

Buddhafish was indeed scum. We can see that he attacked Ishmael. I think it likely that he was the one who killed Makrell on N3.

There must be more, however. They played along with the vig. We do know, however, that auto and Crow killed CB.

The killers missing would be:

1. Chaotix' killer on N3.
2. My attacker on N3.
3. Edse's killer on N3.
4. Riedquat's killer on N3.

Assuming Andres and CB were baddies, we should have two of these to deal with.

Jarema is an interesting case. He knew nothing of the group vig. If he were scum, he would have had no reason not to kill. On the other hand, if I was correct and the Mafia were working with the 3rd parties, then he would have heard of it. I say to leave him be for now. He can be put to work tonight. Tonight, we should only have protection groups operating - no more vigs unless in extraordinary circumstances.

As for whom to lynch, well, that Ishmael was attacked is further evidence in his favor.

One more note: only 7 showed up at the vig. GH, do you have any feedback on that impairment?

I suppose the only real candidates for today are Double A and Choxorn. The rest have shown themselves to be valuable, and Jarema needs to have a chance to prove himself.