NOTW XXIII: The War Party. Game Thread.

Renata sat at her table in her tent eating a late supper, walking stick securely by her side. Darkness had fallen some time ago; an unusually dense darkness, what with the lack of visible moon or stars. The brazier she had lit did little to push back the feeling of oppression.

Her staff had not been able to spread a groundcloth for her. The rocky ground was too uneven, and she would have been tripping over the fabric left and right. Around the brazier the rocks were at least dry, but dampness still lurked in the corners. Possibly that was not the only thing that lurked. The flap of her tent was tied open, but not very far. She rarely took her eyes off it while she ate.

All of the delegations had now arrived, and the discussions would begin tomorrow. There was still much to do. Renata pushed aside her plate and levered herself to her feet.

A soft hushing sound, like a sheet of paper sliding to the floor, was her only warning. She felt a pressure against her throat; her arms were pinned securely to her sides. A sharp whisper in her ear: "You can die painlessly if you wish. What steps have you taken against us?"

Renata took what she knew would be her last breath, a deep one. The assassin saw a glint of metal in her right hand, and jerked to the side; what had seemed to be an innocent walking stick -- wasn't. The two fell together to the floor. The table tipped over and scattered papers left and right; the brazier scattered coals. The thing that was not a walking stick spun through the air and disappeared into the shadows.

After a moment the assassin stood, cursing complacency. Already shouts and cries split the night. The tent was on fire. There was no time for the search that had been planned. Quickly the dark figure slipped back out through the rent that had been cut in the back wall. Left behind on the ground was the mediator, crumpled in a pool of her own blood.

The peace conference was off to a bad start.

Welcome innocents! Your goal is to sign a peace treaty. Think that'll be easy?

Welcome bad guys! Think your opponents will be easy to fool? We'll see ...

Player Status

The Ljosalfar Delegation

Honor Guard
Sword Fighter (Ljosalfar, male): BananaLee stabbed, Night 5
Bodyguard (Ljosalfar, female): Chandrasekhar
Scout (Ljosalfar, male): Ekolite Shadowbound
Archer (Ljosalfar, male): Love throat cut, Night 1
Rookie Border Guard (Ljosalfar, female): Stuck in Pi
Old Warrior (Ljosalfar, male): TheForestAuro lynched, Day 5
Palace Guard (Ljosalfar, male): ZPV

Diplomatic Corps
Lead Counsel (Ljosalfar, male): Charles Li lynched, Day 1
Princess Royal (Ljosalfar, female): LightFang lynched, Day 4
Elohim Representative (Elohim, female): Izipo
Kuriotates Representative (Kuriotates, male): Ozbenno
Clerk (Ljosalfar, male): sirtommygunn oyzar
Herald (Ljosalfar, male): Splime shot, Night 9 Dragon Cult!
Assistant Counsel (Ljosalfar, male): The Lemon stabbed, Night 2

The Svartalfar Delegation

Honor Guard
Gate Guard (Svartalfar, male): CCRunner
Bowman (Svartalfar, male): D'artagnan59
Siege Engineer (Svartalfar, male): Diamondeye
Sentry (Svartalfar, female): Frozen In Ice
Assassin (Svartalfar, male): PaulusIII poisoned, Day 2
City Guard (Svartalfar, male): rhawn RRRaskolnikov killed by Alazkan, Day 6
Ranger Captain (Svartalfar, male): Tasslehoff lynched, Day 3

Diplomatic Corps
Sheaim Representative (Sheaim, male): Catharsis
Junior Envoy (Svartalfar, female): Methos
Prince (Svartalfar, male): Nictel
Lead Envoy (Svartalfar, male): reverend oats lynched, Day 7
Lanun Representative (Lanun, male): stee poisoned, Day 4
Noblewoman (Svartalfar, female): The13thRonin
Foreign Minister (Svartalfar, male): thomas.berubeg throat cut, Night 4

The Mediator's Party
Herbalist (Grigori, male): Backwards Logic shot, Night 8
Guide (Svartalfar, male): Icekommander lynched, Day 8
Scribe (Ljosalfar, male): J-man lynched, Day 6 War Party!
Aide (Grigori, male): KingMorgan
Supplymaster (Svartalfar, male): mergle poisoned, Day 6
Servant (Grigori, female): Nahkarma lynched, Day 2
Cook (Svartalfar, male): Niklas
Mediator (Grigori, female): Renata (NPC) murdered by an assassin, Night 0
Historian (Grigori, male): Winston Hughes vanished in a puff of smoke, Day 9 Unknown Loyalties!

Game Status

Night, Day Zero: The Mediator Renata is murdered in her tent.

Mid-morning, Day One: The conference begins.
Evening, Day One: Ljosalfar Lead Counsel Charles Li puts his foot in his mouth, and pays the price.

Morning, Day Two: Archer Love -- AKA Gilden Silveric -- is found dead, and the Ljosalfar grieve.
Evening, Day Two: Servant Nahkarma's silence saves Aide KingMorgan from a watery grave, and Assassin PaulusIII is ... assassinated.

Morning, Day Three: Assistant Counsel The Lemon is killed, and is found to have possessed something most interesting.
Evening, Day Three: Silence is Ranger Captain Tasslehoff's undoing, but imminent death opens his mouth. The delegations learn that he believes the Svartalfar hero Alazkan is present -- and NOT interested in peace.

Morning, Day Four: A respite from death.
Evening, Day Four: Lanun Representative stee escapes a watery grave only to wind up dead anyway; Princess Royal LightFang succumbs to suspicion.

Morning, Day Five: Foreign Minister thomas.berubeg is found dead, and two mysterious items go up for vote.
Evening, Day Five: Old Warrior TheForestAuro's lack of fear cannot save him from the accusing mob, but they are wrong again.

Morning, Day Six Sword Fighter BananaLee is added to the growing body count; a mysterious noise in the night surprises the delegates.
Evening, Day Six The delegates score a success with the lynching of Scribe J-man -- otherwise known as Alazkan the Assassin -- but City Guard RRRaskolnikov is killed in the scuffle. Nor has the poisoner been deterred, as Supplymaster mergle learns to his cost.

Morning, Day Seven: For the second time, no one is killed in the night.
Evening, Day Seven: Lead Envoy reverend oats is too quiet, and it costs him his life. He's innocent, though.

Morning, Day Eight: It's becoming a trend. Once more, the night passes with no deaths.
Evening, Day Eight: The uncommunicative Guide Icekommander takes a swim.

Morning, Day Nine: Herbalist Backwards Logic dies, and returns to his roots. A blue dragon has decided to keep an eye on the delegates for a while.
Evening, Day Nine: Historian Winston Hughes thinks peace conferences are for fools and puppets, but then, he doesn't think much of the War Party either. An attempt at lynching him fails.

Morning, Day Ten: Herald Splime is found shot by a crossbow, and the blue dragon is less than pleased about it.

Still have a few bookkeeping things to do, and one player's PM somehow got overlooked and still needs to be sent out (if it's you, sorry, and if anyone contacts you in the next hour or two before I get the chance to type it up, STALL ).

But anyway -- game open! Have fun, everyone.

Oh! Just to reiterate: first 24 hours for roleplaying only. No accusations!

It is now morning.

Today is a dismal day indeed. Farewell my old friend and mentor. I swear we will not fail you. Your dream of peace shall be fulfilled. And we shall find those who tried to kill the dream by killing you. And we shall avenge you.

Ummm...
fumbles around in his dragon skin brief case
Oh dear, oh dear...

I so hope that this death wont affect the negotiations... oh, dear.

The archer is standing by the door. He is not talking too much but isn't silent either.

A part of me died with Renata. The assassin will not see the dawn. I will protect you all from attacks.

He play and throw his bow from one hand to the other and is looking around in the room for any suspicion.

This is madness!
What a terrible death indeed and whoever this assassin is shall pay in name of all of the Lanun!I say this for only blood washes blood. We will all miss Renata.
stee cry's

OOC: I'm setting up someone perfectly for the next line with the "this is madness."

Greetings, one and all. I must state that, despite the fact we Svaltafar have a long and illustrious history of clandestine dealings, this one was totally not on us. We promise. I hope that we will be able to broker peace with our estranged Ljostrafar brethren, forming a new, more peaceful elven nation that will hopefully be easier to spell.

However, I am sorry to say that I will locked in epic battle with mighty foes for the next two days, and so cannot devote the entirety of my (considerable) intellect to the matter at hand.

OCC: I will be at a chess tournament this weekend, and so will only be able to read the thread sporadically based on when my rounds end.

We will hammer out this peace treaty. I am absolutely sure the assassin(s) are here to cause trouble and sabotage our attempts.

"Renata's death was unfortunate and has set back the peace negotiations - we should not delay this further. Although we all mourn her passing, we need to look forward. It is not often that negotiations between the two courts have come so far as this peace meddling, and we should push the negotiations onwards."

(At the Svartalfar):

"Queen Viconia herself has decided that peace is our objective - we should do our best to achieve that goal, brethren."

OOC: Chess tournament? Nice, Rev... And if anyone wants to contact me for game discussion, PM me and I'll throw you my msn.

"The Kuriotate Nation and Cardith Lorda mourn the loss of our Grigori friend but stand commited to re-uniting the Summer and Winter Courts."

Ozbenno stands and surveys the full delegation.

"We hope that all who are here share these goals but fear that some of you come with hidden agendas of your own."

"The representatives of the Winter Court mourns the loss of the Grigori mediator, and hope that this does not happen again.

I sense a plot against peace. A group of people with bad intentions, who would see the elves slaughtering each other instead of living together. If the Svartalfar can help it, we will not let that happen. Let us now speak of peace between the delegations."

OOC: Also, I wish the Reverend good luck on his chess tournament. One of the oldest turn-based strategy games in the book

Aye, this will indeed set things back a bit. I fear increased rounds will be in my future. *sighs* Anyway, the best way to honor Renata's memory now is to see that the peace conference is successful.

"This is truly outrageous! Those responsible will pay the price."

"Svartalfar, we shall fulfil the wishes of my mother, Queen Viconia. To the Ljosalfar I reach out my hands and I welcome the help of the Mediators in accomplishing our common goal: Everlasting peace."

The Sheaim representative, upon seeing the carnage wrought by the assassin and the butchered remains of Renata, turns his face from the scene. Partly, this is due to shock, and the thought that a noble mediator, Grigori though she may have been, was now dead; but mostly because, as a Sheaim, he is unable to stop himself grinning stupidly at the sight of a tent on fire. Seriously, that's just funny stuff. They say some jokes don't cross borders, you know, but a tent on fire is just inherently hilarious. Even the Bannor would crack a smile for a tent on fire.

Eventually he manages to regain his composure long enough to speak a few words.

this... a most tragic occurrence. a setback. but not... insurmountable. i know terror campaigns - we were taught of several, back in sheaim school, perhaps you know of these, historian - and this is undoubtedly what we have here. assassins, saboteurs of the peace. but i think... i think that this will not prevent the peace from happening. that is a hunch.

this is all too much. i need a drink.

The representative takes a clear flask of red liquid from his cloak. He notices the odd looks he is getting from some of the assembly.

it is red wine, i assure you.

Upon opening the flask, a ghastly fog arises from its neck, and the liquid froths and bubbles, accompanied by an awful wail which sounds agonisingly for about half a second, and then vanishes.

strong stuff, this.

Terrible, just terrible indeed. But no matter what, I will have a peace treaty drafted.

We must persevere against the odds and draft up a peace treaty in spite of this turn of events.

This is terrible news. An assassin on the loose, and our mediator killed. If we want to have a peace treaty, we must be able to compromise, as we won't have a mediator to help.

Above all else, we need to get this treaty right. A poorly written treaty will do nothing but cause more misfortune later on. And, above all else, it will make Renata's death in vain.

The Noblewoman bows her head, furrowing her brow.

No doubt this is a tragic loss to be sure. And someone must be held responsible. Lest our hard work toward peace be brought to ruination.

Leaning upon a spear that has obviously seen better years, an old Ljosalfar warrior that had perhaps seen even more eyed the scene with a mix of cynicism and despair.

"Long, have I fought these wars against my brothers and it pains me to see that even now some wish to perpetuate a war that leaves us all lucky to still be standing."

Looking over all gathered, he shook his head and sighed. "There is no way to peace. Peace is the way."