SAU 18 - Darkness Calling

[Kinslayer]

Sleep did not come easy to a Druchii caught in a tomb with five other elves, each as possibly possessed as the next. But eventually exhaustion took its toll, the long march to Xaroth and the ordeal they had faced since arriving wearing them down to their last reserves of energy. Tiredness and weary eyes in the dark but strangely warm tomb led to sleep, and before they knew it every member of the group was unaware of his surroundings. That said, they were all Druchii, born and raised to be deceitful, so nobodys hands strayed far from their blades. Time in the tomb was hard to follow, but gradually the hours passed them by...

They were awoken by the sudden sound of commotion, everybodys eyes flashing open in an instant, hands reaching for weapon hilts. The braziers still burnt strong, illuminating the darkness and revealing to them a new scene of bloody carnage. Kyran had pounced on Meteor and apparently cut or ripped out his throat, but even as blood poured down his chest the other warrior now pinned Kyran to the wall and quick as a viper stabbed him three times with his dagger. Twice in the gut, and then once the heart. Everyone else got to their feet in alarm, about to spring forwards and atend to the situation, but were suddenly stopped in their tracks. Just as Meteor slumped to the floor, his throat now nothing but a bloody ruin, Kyran collapsed to one side. The warriors eye sockets turned sunken and dark, and a whisp of unnatural wind blazed across the chamber.

All but two of the braziers fluttered out in the strong wind, casting yet more shadow across the now less populated chamber...


Nobody was going back to sleep after that.



________________

Players

1. Tarbo
2. Deroth
3. Seijl (Vaari)
4. Ubba

______________

Deaths

1. LordAnubis (Day 1; inactivity) - Innocent
2. Sidorio (Day 1; inactivity) - Innocent
3. Raneth (Day 1; voted) - Innocent
4. Meteor (Day 2; killed) - innocent
5. Kyran, Drainial (Day 2, inactivity) - infiltrator

______________



With 4 players, 3 constitutes a majority.

There is now 1 infiltrator in the game!


It is now Morning... Morning ends on Friday, at 14h00 GMT. You must post and can vote during this time.

[Drainial]

Kyran sat back on his rock with a sigh, looking over the piled corpses; the fact that he had put several of them there didn't make the deaths any less useless, or dangerous. It was impossible to tell how long they had been down here, but it felt like hours and when the surge of adrenaline wore off all he wanted to do was sleep, and yet Ubba continued voting
"Ah, not now. We have gotten no where, I am for my bed, such as it is. Let’s find the gribbly in the morning."

With that Kyran went to ransack Anubis' pack where, if memory served, he had a rather fine woollen cloak.

OOC:Ubba, its night, no voting till morning.

EDIT: Posted just as Kinslayer did

[Tarbo]

OOC: Drainial, you dead, no posting 'till next game. Zombie Kyran!

While still bleary-eyed, Tarbo stared into Drainial’s fading gaze with a smug grin chiseled into his face. “Well then, ‘Meteor’,” he chuckled. “I must admit you exceeded my expectations. It seems like you did finally find a use for yourself. Rest well.” He rose to his feet and straightened his sleeves.

“Now then, gentlemen, if you would cease your social commentary and attacks on my persona for a moment, I will lay out my reasoning to you, and you could expand on yours. Let us look at who remains. Deroth, Ubba, Seijl and, of course, myself, Tarbo.

“Ubba, I believe, we can safely exclude. While clearly his lucidity leaves something to be desired, he acts as a loyal man would: he trusts no-one. There is no escaping the lack of an infiltrator’s mark in his actions.

About Deroth, I am not so sure. I have little to hold for his guilt, but equally little for his innocence. He accuses Raneth of splitting the votes —curious, because an infiltrator would want the votes to stack as quickly as possible— but does point out rather peculiar behaviour: Raneth suspected Kyran, apparently, but voted someone else all the same.

“Seijl, however, fails to convince me of his innocence. From the onset, he has enjoyed a mildly stand-offish yet strangely trusting relationship with Kyran, bordering on companionship. What raises my suspicion even more is his silence in the matter of my refusing to follow him towards Raneth, rather picking on who might have been his ally. I would expect an innocent to at least make mention of it. An infiltrator, however, would find his silence well played, well played indeed.

“I am, of course, open to your comments on the matter.”

[Vaari]

The demon had revealed itself once more yet this had generated little hope or reprieve. Paranoia was showing on the remaining four faces, things were sure to turn uglier before the day had passed.

Tarbo's thinly veiled threat forced Seijl to respond. " As I see it Tarbo, you are all my enemies till I leave this cursed place, if you choose not to follow my lead, so be it. I care not who dies as long as it is not me. To be honest my last vote towards Deroth was an effort to flush out any existence of cabal against those who I think are innocent.that Deroth shown little that demonstrates any machinations unseen."

"You Tarbo however, I have marked out as guilty from the beginning along with Raneth. Though it has been revealed that I was mistaken about Raneth, the both of you appeared oddly at ease with our situation. My conflict with Kyran was that he acted first in the way I wished to, as he who acts progressively first can often claim the support of others. It appears in Kyran's case it was not for the greater good of the group.."

"So I have been wrong twice know and have gained little from it. All of this talk so far has lead to nothing of use, it appears we are all working on instinct alone and maybe that is the way it should be. If I die my innocence will be proven, little good that it will do me but I hope at least it will lead to you, Tarbo, following me soon."
Seijl flashed Tarbo a grin as he spat this last line out.

Things were getting grim. Ubba had voted against Tarbo previously but was fickle in his allegiance, Seijl could not count on his support. Once again Seijl had acted too late, Tarbo had the upper hand by striking first.

Then again... if Ubba was in league with Tarbo, then all was be lost. The lines of conspiracy would be neverending if he allowed himself to follow them too long. "Curse that fool Kudo, he has doomed me" Seijl thought as he brooded over his position. Nothing was clear here, the daemon had divided us and remained hidden. This morning would prove be long, hopefully illumination would find its way in to this dark pit of growing despair.

[Deroth]

"Well Tarbo you give us some insight into the trails that your mind is wandering but I fail to see why we would like to sit around and vote for no one simply allowing the beast to kill us off in our sleep. I agree that we cannot be rash with our voting but the day only lasts so long and we do need to sleep, I would rather take action and be wrong than to quietly sit and wait to die."

As for Ubba he seems content to sit it out, hand on sword ready to slit anyone’s throat and vote when no one is listening, asleep. I’m not sure what he is playing at either, let’s see what he has to say today.

Chaos damn them all for this mess, he thought waiting for Ubba to respond.

[Tarbo]

“Truly now, Seijl. You hold my composure against me? Perhaps you’d have me hiding in the shadows, hand ever on my sword, spitting trashy insults, and screaming like a pig?” Tarbo sniffed contemptfully. “Then I will leave you disappointed. I will not indulge the demon in his petty quest to sow panic and grudges, and I will not be provoked into rash action.

“Think it through. Would I really go in against the grain and assault Kyran if he were my ally? Wouldn’t it have been easier to simply flow along with you lot and gangbang Raneth into oblivion? It’d certainly have been more entertaining.

“Would I take the forefront and expose my reasoning for you to pick apart? Wouldn’t it be easier to wait for one of you to trip and then place the seal of death on you? Of course it would.

“But I did do all those things, didn’t I? So you can either accept the fact that I am not possessed, or you can do as you did yesterday and see whether today fares any differently.”

Tarbo sighed annoyedly. “But Deroth is correct. I’d like to hear Ubba give some sign of life. We number far too few to start ignoring people.”

[Vaari]

"Going against Kyran when you thought he would not die by vote and least not by your possible demonic allegiance would be a good way of throwing off the dogs with a long term view in mind, would it not?" Seijl replied to Tarbo, whose annoyance with Seijl was beginning to show visibly.

All were looking to Ubba now, who remained against the wall, blade in hand. "If he's not going to speak then he could at least do us all a favour and end himself." Seijl thought to himself. They maybe few in number now but it would only be a matter of time till they were even less.


EDIT: for OOC

Games getting tense

[Kinslayer]

Despite the constant questioning of the others, Ubba remained as silent as the grave. The warrior watched the other three intently with a dark scowl, his hands firmly fixed on his weapon, but gave no sign of wanting to join in with their discussion or voting. With so few of them left alive the others had no patience for his games, they needed to find the host body that the daemon had possessed before it could kill them all. Unfortunately even when questioned more forcefully, Ubba just stared back at them in silence. By now the evening was setting in, and they had yet to decide who they were going to pin the blame on and execute next. With Ubba being the only one not responding to their allegations, he became an easy victim.

Seijl, Deroth and Tarbo approached the sitting warrior, who got to his feet and raised his blade defensively.


"I will have no further part in the sick game this daemon has us playing. I know what you are about to do, and I would have myself die with my dignity..."


Ubba cut his own throat.



________________

Players

1. Tarbo
2. Deroth
3. Seijl (Vaari)

______________

Deaths

1. LordAnubis (Day 1; inactivity) - Innocent
2. Sidorio (Day 1; inactivity) - Innocent
3. Raneth (Day 1; voted) - Innocent
4. Meteor (Day 2; killed) - innocent
5. Kyran, Drainial (Day 2, inactivity) - infiltrator
6. Ubba (Day 3, inactivity) - innocent

______________



With 3 players, 2 constitutes a majority.

There is now 1 infiltrator in the game!


It is now Evening... Evening ends on Monday, at 14h00 GMT. You can post and vote during this time.

[Ubba]

sorry about that my internet wouldn't work

[Tarbo]

“So, your incontrovertible evidence is a poor judgement of my intelligence? Think for a moment, man! There were no dogs to throw off, and there is no long-term view. There is yesterday, and there is now. And now we face a single possessed between damnation and freedom, and you insist on filling your mind with elaborate conspiracies and some grim desire to believe me guilty.”

Tarbo breathed through his nose slowly and deeply after Ubba decided to take his own life. “Then I suppose the time has come to face the demon. I had hoped there would be more people on our side, but we will have to make do.

“Deroth,” Tarbo almost cooed. “You’ve done pretty well for yourself, haven’t you? A dejected remark here, a fatalistic reflection there, a silent lack of direction, and you’ve maneuvered yourself perfectly through our ranks.

“Yes, you’ve done well. Like Kyran, you worked hard not to incriminate yourself directly. After all, who could blame you for jumping the wagon on Raneth? You blent perfectly with the crowd, meticulously staying in reach but out of sight.

“And that is exactly what gave you away. You hide. That is your goal: survival of the self. Despite our differences, Vaari and I share a common cause: we want to find our enemy. You do not. You hide, you wait for one of us to slip, to vote the other, and then slap your own vote and seal our fate.

“You’ve hidden yourself well in and from the masses, Deroth, but now you have run out of hiding ground. There is you, there is I, there is Vaari. No more hiding. No more murdering.

“You should have killed me when you had the chance.”

Vote: Deroth

[Kinslayer]

OOC - And sorry Drainial, I had a PM from you stating you probably couldn't play anymore and I was not sure if that was you bailing out or just stating you might not see it to its end. Well I PMed asking but did not hear a reply before my post, and nor did the other infiltrator have word from you on who to kill as far as I know, so I thought you had gone on holiday. I would have written you back in except your identity has now been revealed! Sorry!

[Vaari]

Seijl looked down at Ubba's corpse. "Thanks for that champ, it makes things a little easier." he mused.

Seilj pondered Tarbo's words. It was down to a coin flip really. Either Deroth's silence was evidence of his guilt or Tarbo had spun enough lies to make a rope for the innocents to hang themselves.. coin flip indeed.

"Lets end this farce" Seijl uttered as the coin spun in the air.

Vote : Deroth

OOC : Post game analysis will be very interesting indeed. Have enjoyed laughing over the keyboard as my character had a biatch fest with anyone else who would respond - Thanks guys

[Deroth]

Watching Ubba slump down Deroth looked baffled, "interesting way for things to go, but saves us the trouble of doing it ourselves I guess."

As for you Tarbo your accusation is based on the fact that you have a bigger mouth than me and spout off inane babble whenever possible, I did vote for Raneth but there was no way I could know that everyone would go mad leaving us in this situation of few survivors.

Simply by using your silver tongue to make arguements seem concrete and based on reason you seek to place yourself above suspicion and force trust. Well I dont think I trust you.

Vote: Tarbo

[Meteor]

only raneth had been voted out up till now lol. Why was I killed off anyway?

[Kinslayer]

OOC -

only raneth had been voted out up till now lol. Why was I killed off anyway?

Infiltrators get to make a kill at night. They converse privately and then let me know their decision. Unfortunately for you, they chose to kill you!

Keep talking if you want, I will modpost on Monday.

[Vaari]

IC - The mood has oddly calm for the time being. Seijl and Tarbo despite beingat each others throats the past few hours had came to an accord. Deroth's defiance had a hint of acceptance to it, he was not going to fight too hard against the tide. The three were worn to the bone. A large portion of their number had died due to madness, the deamon had taken Meteor and Kudo, only Raneth had died at the groups folly.

Soon Seijlwould know if there was any chance out of this hell hole, we cared not of Teclis himself was waiting at the entrance. To die under the sky would be the divinest of gifts from Khaine at this stage.

ooc - What a brutal campaign, Thanks Kinslayer and to those who managed to speak up. Damn cowards of inactivity

[Meteor]

indeed thanks Kinslayer for this SAU, it was entertaining seeing how things unfolded.

[Vaari]

ooc : Stu[id GMT being a full 12 hours behind! Anticipation continues to grow.

[Kinslayer]

OOC - Sorry I'm late, I ended up getting monday off work so I took the missus out and, well, forgot about you lot

IC -


With the hours ticking slowly by, the three remaining mercenaries huddled around the warmth of one of the braziers and continued reading each others every word for sign of possession. They wondered why the daemon did not strike, with only two of them left against it they were sure it could deal with them openly. Perhaps it had come to enjoy their malicious game, watching from the shadows behind the eyes of the possessed. They didn't even know if killing the host body would free them, or if the beast would simply hop on over to another until they were all reduced to naught but cold, dead corpses destined only to rot in the tomb. But there was a small glimmer of hope, someone a few nights before had suggested that perhaps starving the daemon of a host body would open the portal. Even if the daemon did then try to possess another of them, it could give them the oppertunity to escape.

They had no real sense of time, but the tomb was starting to get colder, a sign they had learned meant night was soon to be setting in over the town above. They recalled Kyran, possessed by the daemon, lunging himself at Meteor the night before and slaying the poor soul almost in his sleep. They had to find the daemon before the night came, for to fall asleep now was sure to see one of them killed, leaving the last survivor for the deamon to torture, maim, possess, or worse. Both Tarbo and Deroth seemed set against each other, providing evidence for their innocence as well as reason for the others demise. In Seijls' eyes they both had a reasonable footing in the argument, but he knew that his vote would swing it one way or the other. At first he voted Deroth, but as the discussion continued his mind was pulled at by both the others speeches. He took a deep breath. He kept his vote the same.

Tarbo and Seijl exchanged a brief glance and nod of confirmation, before fast as anything they leaped at Deroth, ripping their blades from their sheaths.

Deroths' hands flew up into the air in a bid to defend himself, but the pair knocked him clean onto his back and riddled him with stabwounds before he could retaliate.

Tarbo and Seijl paused and looked around for a moment, half expecting the other to turn on them now that they and they alone remained. After what seemed like an age however, Deroths head rolled back and a gastly wind was torn from his gaping mouth. His eyes went sunken and black, and the essence of the daemon blew past them like a hailstorm.

The golden sarcophagi suddenly gleamed and glistened in an unseen light, an eerie howl resounding from within.


The door to the chamber creaked open...


________________

Survivors!

1. Tarbo
2. Seijl (Vaari)

______________

Deaths

1. LordAnubis (Day 1; inactivity) - Innocent
2. Sidorio (Day 1; inactivity) - Innocent
3. Raneth (Day 1; voted) - Innocent
4. Meteor (Day 2; killed) - innocent
5. Kyran, Drainial (Day 2, inactivity) - infiltrator
6. Ubba (Day 3, inactivity) - innocent
7. Deroth (Day 4, voted) - infiltrator

______________



Thanks to all who took part, be it a single post or playing it through to its end. It was great fun and I'll be sure to run another one in the future!

[Deroth]

Good job guys, was a bit hard to play with everyone dropping out due to inactivity but it was good game anyway. Good Job as always Kinslayer, Look forward to the next one

[Meteor]

at least you remembered us in the end kinslayer. hope to participate in another of your fun installments later in the future!

[Raneth]

Nice going Jase. Also, I KNEW IT!

[Vaari]

HA, I suck. I got through this purely on luck Consider me signed up for the next event.

[Tarbo]

Congratulations, Kinslayer, on finishing your first SAU! Thanks for hosting us, and I hope we weren't too rough on you. I'm curious, though: were there any roles in the game other than the infiltrators?

For a moment there, Vaari, I thought you were our guy. I couldn't really pin a reason on your, well, half-way amicable reaction towards Drainial. You were either in cahoots with him, and he would curse you for showing it, or you were really just seeing his point of view. Hence the little prod at the start of the second Day. But your defense felt like that of an innocent.

But I'm curious what all our new, first-time players thought of the game they played. Did you understand how the game works (and how it doesn't)? Are there moments in particular that have stuck out with you, for good or for bad?

[Kinslayer]

I decided just to run with 2 infiltrators to make it easier on me since I am new to the system, but I thought I'd make it a bit trickier for the players by not revealing there was two until one was found. I liked the game a lot, I just think it's a bit of a shame so many people dropped out or were inactive. It could have made for a better, longer run if we'd had a lot more input and players. Those that did play along made it totally worth it though