VAU: The Tale of Ivana Hoompalotte - Game Thread

[Johnny-Crass]

Nodding to the bloodstained wall "I did not take Abels death very well" Staring at the scars on his other hand he continued "It is not the first time I have done this so you would think I have learned..."

Turning to the rest of the table "I am fairly certain I know the vampires now and they know me. I will try and bring them the punishment they deserve in the voting but I fear the strong of us will die in the night." Pulling out his long pistol he handed it to Ysolda "You need to be armed m'lady so please take this" Then turning back to the table "From this day forward I am no longer captain Erik Stoutberg.... I am Erik Hunter of Vampires..." He tried to rise to his feet but fell back in the chair.

 

[Feast4Crows]

"Here now, you need to hold a minute, Erik." Dr. von Ungeheuer pulls his flask from his waistcoat pocket. Uncorking it, he takes a sip of the fiery, amber liquid and hands it to Erik. "Best drink that up, you're going to need it. I'm not going to lie, this going to hurt more than a little." With that, the doctor sets to work on Erik's hand. He tries straightening the broken bones, and then splints it to the best of his ability with the materials at hand. He wraps the bleeding wreck tightly with linen napkins. "I apologize, Erik. I've done what I can, but I'm afraid your hand may never be as it was.

"You have an idea of who the fiends may be, Erik. Will you share your suspicions with the rest of us?"

 

[Nelganis]

Assisting the good doctor, Isaac speaks to Erik.
"Let us pray that you do know of the fiends. And that some of them are easily parted with," Isaac nods in the direction of Duality.

 

[Malochai]

*To Erik*

"Then let us hear your suspicions, now you are finally back with us. The day is rapidly dwindling, and we have yet to vote ..."

 

[Raizi]

(To Isaac)


"Yet again someone, who did not cast a vote in Threeflower's voting decides to speak up. You have no right to speak afterwards if you did not have the courage to step up in the first place. I heard Cristof's arguments about Threeflower and I was convinced then. Do not try to imply that I voted out on a whim."

Duality makes a deep and elaborate courtly bow towards Isaac.

"You label me as a freak and I do not argue against that. My predicament is rather unique and queer, some might call it even supernatural, but I still nourish myself with bread and wine, not blood. You make it that as my condition is not 'normal' I ought to be a vampire. Look where it got us with Gurter! And before you take offence, I want to state that I know that you were not against him.

You on the other hand, much like Wilhelmina, have been trying to make others take notice on your suspicions against my person. Lingering glares, whispered words, direct accusations. Wasn't it you, who said that we need to face this threat as a unified front, not as a backstabbing circle of people? That was when you referred to my jest I made against the only person we have rightfully identified as a vampire. Did you know it at the moment, that he was one of the fiends or are you just one of those unfortunates who's born with no sense of humor?

(Turning towards the crowd)
"I think the tables are beginning to get set for this evening's vote. I also believe that I've made myself as a target for the vampires as I've clearly aggravated some of our crowd. Make no mistake, that has been my intention, because only in somewhat heated conversation the truths will start to become visible. I fear that the vampires amongst us see me as a threat as I have actively promoted the use of our only weapon against them, our wits."

Duality finishes, touching his temple.
"My role is but that of a jester, I can speak the ugly truth in riddles or rhymes too if you prefer..."

His voice trails off, and he sits down, taking a glass of wine. He sighs heavily as he removes the glove puppet from his left hand and folds it neatly in it's pocket.

"But I am not ready to vote yet, I need to gather my thoughts a bit more."

 

[Raizi]

After a few sips of wine and a short silence, Duality continues:

"I will say this as plainly as I can. I urge everyone to use their vote this evening and on the following evenings too. The reason for this is simple: abstaining only serves the fiends' purpose. And why is that? Because they are somewhere in our midst and able to vote as we all are. We have lost many more against their two dead and for every living who stays silent a fiend's vote gets more potent. They may have powers or secret ways to pass information between them without us noticing and by combining their votes they can turn our only weapon against us. By inducing passivity into our own vote and voting against anyone they see as a threat they can disarm us in our vote and then proceed to hunt us during the night as they please. The death toll will be just as numerous had we made a bad choice ourselves."

 

[Zephyr]

Ysolda takes the pistol from Eric, turns it around and hands it back.
"Though I appreciate the thought many well-armed guests have already died so I do not think this will truly protect me...nor would I really know how to use it properly."
She smiles at Erik. "I'd rather you keep it so that when given the chance you might at least avenge Abel's death. Also, the pipe worries me as I do believe they might have something in store for you. No I think it is better off in your able hands".

Ysolda turns towards Duality

"You make perfect sense and no I wouldn't condemn you solely on your...rather unique nature.
So far I have refrained from voting and even know I do not know who to vote on!" she sighs and pours herself another glass of wine.
"I need to think very long and hard on this."

 

[Johnny-Crass]

Smiling at the doctor "Thank you sir."

Taking the pistol back from Ysolda he turned to address the group "While I will not name names yet I have a strange feeling there are two fiends left. A man and a woman, both posses great cunning but I hope justice finds them tonight."

 

[Cromenon]

Carlos stared at Erik, a hint of awe on his face. How did he come with this feeling? he thought.
"A man and a woman, you say? Such as..." He tilted his head, inviting Erik to finish the sentence.

 

[Malochai]

*To Erik*

"And why will you not tell us who you think these fiends are? After all, it will do no-one any good to hide these ... Feelings of yours ... " asked Alesandro, suspicion creeping into his voice

 

[Bravo_10]

The Masque stepped forward, apparently also interested in what Erik had to say.

"I suppose it's relatively likely that, if there are two left, that there exists one of each gender. But I too am curious to hear your suspicions. The hour of voting is close at hand; who do you think we should eliminate?"

 

[Malochai]

*The Masque*

"Why, then, is it relatively likely that there is one of both genders left? It is easily possible that there are two male vampires, or indeed, though less likely, that there are two female vampires, due to the limited female numbers here in comparison to the numbers of males amongst us ..."

 

[Johnny-Crass]

Erik leaned back in his chair his face a look of pain and contemplation "At first I thought it was Allessandro and Wilhelmina. But then I realized it could not be so obvious about Allessandro so I thought and I beleive I have come up with the answers. My guess about Wilhelmina is correct and the other has to be Isaac." Erik paused to take a long drink from his ale before continuing "Now you may think I have no evidence but you would be wrong, you see I have watched their treatment of some of us and while they do not strike at the same time they do strike the same people. It is almost as if they are testing for weakness amongst our group. If my theory is correct this should work."

Vote: Wilhelmina

 

[Malochai]

*To Erik*

"Well, I am grateful I have managed to ... Maybe not convince you of my innocence, but ... Well, thank you, I suppose ..."

 

[Bravo_10]

*To Allessandro*

"The odds are simply good that, if two exist, they be male and female. Keep in mind that the two vampires already discovered were both men, and while it's certainly possible that the ones left, however numerous, are both men as well, the chances are good that there's at least one woman among their number."

*To Erik*

"I suppose your theory is sound, although I still have yet to make up my own mind on this matter. I shall have to wait until twilight is upon us, I think."

The Masque then moved over to one of the other tables, grabbed two pears from a fruit basket, then wrapped and stowed them as was her custom.

 

[Bishop]

"To those we have lost..". Lorenzo joined in the toast.

"To da moneys we ave made.. And the women we have had.. " Obviously drunk.

"So. Seems dat its startin ta get dark out... Anyone got ideaz?"

 

[Raizi]

"I wonder where she puts all those fruits? Will she poison them and make some of us die? Apples and pears don't share suits, maybe she just intends to make a pie?"

After his rhyme, Duality makes a cartwheel.

"I'm sorry, it's just an old habit. My mentor always teached me to make a cartwheel or some such fast moving manouvre after a jab in case someone throws a fruit at you, or a dagger in that matter. No pun intended."

Duality smiles towards the Masque.

"At first, in a fit of paranoia, I thought that the fruits might pose a threat after someone with your reputation picked them up without eating them. I hope you may forgive me my prejudice."

"But coming to the matter at hand, I believe I'm ready to cast my vote. I will go with what has been said today and what has not been said afterwards, when questioned. I will also retract a bit, mainly based on the rule: "When faced with a difficult decision, trust your first impressions."

Therefore, I vote for Wilhelmina as I did with my very first vote. She has answered my inquiries, but she follows them with direct accusations, as if trying to shift the lamplight shining on her head as quickly as possible to another location. She answers arguments with half baked answers, followed with immediate accusations, so that the conversation would not linger around her person. That I find the most dubious."

Vote: Wilhelmina Moench

 

[Feast4Crows]

"The hour does grow late. I have yet to see Kristof and hear his rebuttal against my suspicions of him and his behavior. I would like to see what he has to say for himself before I cast my vote."

 

[Bravo_10]

*To Duality*

"But of course, I understand completely. When there's an assassin in your midst, you must be careful of all that you eat. But fret not, I didn't poison the fruit. I simply choose to eat in the comfort of my quarters, where I may remove my mask somewhere away from the public eye."

 

[Cromenon]

Carlos nodded silently at the tough captain's reasoning.

"However... I must have missed something, but since when do we know that there are only four vampires among us? I'm honest, I cannot remember and I'd rather be cautious about this..." he searched frantically in his notebook but couldn't manage to find anything.

"Anyway, whilst I am tempted to vote against Wilhelmina, I will not do it now. There are people here that seems more suspicious to me, at least..." He nodded slightly at the masked woman and glared at Duality.

 

[Nelganis]

"Wait Erik, you would vote me as the vampire?!? After I stood up for Gurter, Abel, and even you as well? I'm glad to see our trust runs that deep."

Alas, turning to Duality.

"The main reason that I do not vote for you is that you're right in saying that we have to unite...And you have done a fine job at helping to unite most of us against a common enemy. So you do have use in this group, although your multiple selves scare and confuse me. But I won't condone violence against you off of a whim, and I suppose the vote for Treeflower was a mistake on all of us for jumping too early. So I am sorry Duality." Isaac bows his head.

 

[Raizi]

Turning to Isaac, Duality raises his glass in salutation.

"I must admit, it is a rare treat when a fool gets an apology. I accept it wholeheartedly, though. Thank you, sir."

Duality sits back down, and fills his plate with different fruits and some ham, then continues to talk to Isaac.

"You need not be scared about my passengers. Although the vile sorcerer trapped their souls in my body, it is still my body and I have the most control about who of us sits in the driver's seat. The others are merely passengers, they can peek through the windows and they hear the commotion around the carriage. But even should we switch places, everyone I travel with is a kind soul.

What scares me the most is what would happen if I died before I have found redemption for them. I truly don't know, I fear the most that our souls would return to the twisted sorcerer to be used in his experiments or stored in some containers so he can revel in our torment. I have a strong feeling that my condition now is not the final punishment for my betrayal, but merely an overture. Ezmerelda's father did not appear to be a person who would forget a grudge."

 

[Johnny-Crass]

Erik turned to Isaac, his one eye hard and cold "Sometimes we must look to those closest to us for the greatest betrayal. Everyone you have stood behind has died... And they were all human"

 

[Raizi]

Turning to Erik.

"Now even you must confess that your argument there has no logic, please calm down. When I was putting pressure on Wilhelmina and she failed to answer my questions and Isaac came to defend her, I suspected him too. But he clearly can understand arguments and welcomes open conversation. It seems that he seeks to keep us unified, which is a good cause. I've already cast my vote for the day, like you have, Erik. I think it unwise to make accusations after that, if they do not support your vote. Let's just keep our calm and see how the voting develops."

 

[Nikos]

"Ah, so now we fianlly come to it, do we?" Well, please allow me a moment to retort." Wilhelmina said whilst placing her wine glass on the table. She gently dabbed the corner of her lips with a vermillion silk handkercheif.

"Firstly, you claimed that when you took part in the lynching of Threeflower, that you were too busy looking for body parts to think of who to vote for and so went with the majority. What do you think the rest of us were doing that day, sitting around knitting? No we were not, yet still of us were able to give the matter at hand a little consideration. At best your reasoning wass lazy or foolish, although I suspect the worst. Then you claim that it was easy for me as I did not cast a vote that day. Sadly not true, as I did in fact, vote for you. And now the cornered dog turns and returns the favour, casting its vote at me."

"You also say that I reply to any of your thinly veiled accusations by turning it back on you. What offer of action would you suggest is normal? Shall I sit here nodding my head in agreement like a simplton while you try and get me killed? No, I think not."

To Erik
"Oh and how can I forget the one eyed oracle over here?" She said gettting increasingly irrate
"Funny how you have developed this gift of prophecy as the day grows later still. Shame you couldn't have done it earlier before people started dying. Why not go a little further and tells us who it is and save the rest us the bother? Could not the man and woman in this fantasy tandem of monsters be you and Duality?"


To the group
"Anyone else got anyhting else to say to me?" she stormed "If it didn't involve the unpleasant element of dying I wouldn't mind losing the vote just to prove my innocence."