graveyard part 2

[gamehead]

hunter's game the graveyard You wake up in an unfamiliar cabin. At first, it almost seems like you're in an entirely different place and that everything had been just a dream. The interior of the cabin looks nothing like the run-down, old-timey shacks that you had been living in before. Everything in here is sleek and modern, from the enormous flat-screen TV mounted on the wall to the fridge and mini-bars stocked with all your favorite foods. There aren't any individual rooms in here, just a common area large enough to house everyone comfortably, no matter how many more people join you...and there will be plenty more people joining you before the week is over. Because if you look outside the window, it quickly becomes clear that not only are you still in Prayer's Pass, but that you are no longer among the realm of the living. Judging from the tombstones directly outside, you're now in what had been the abandoned broken-down cabin in the graveyard. The cabin's not all that changed; the world outside has gone completely grey and everything you see appears to be faded and blurry. The only things that remain sharp and in color are what's inside the cabin, including your fellow ghosts. Occasionally, people who are still alive may enter, but it's clear that what they're seeing is completely different from what you're seeing. The door's unlocked; however, a mysterious force prevents you from stepping beyond the threshold, no matter how hard you may try. After all, this cabin is a cage for the dead - a gilded one, perhaps, but a cage nonetheless. On the flat-screen TV plays everything that is currently happening in the town. It will shut off once night starts...and something else will appear instead.

Comments

[tsunneverset]

I suppose it was because America chose to help the hunters rather than save Akane once he knew I was one, but...I'd actually come up with that plan the minute I found out Kirigiri had been our former vigilante and was also armed. We'd originally planned to use it only as a last resort, but since the bloodhound had likely already identified both Ukyo and I, we chose to sacrifice her in order to convince the rest of the town that Kirigiri had never been converted. Without the bloodhound, it should be impossible to prove otherwise now.

[terryplz]

Hm.

[America's announcement then comes on the screen. He listens quietly to it, his face unmoving.]

...

You countries are peculiar. I've met many supernatural and nonhuman lives over my years, but nothing like this. His attitude can only work toward our advantage. But, I don't think the others will really eliminate him tonight.

[Even if he hates saying it like that, this is ultimately a good thing for the Hunters.]

[tsunneverset]

[England, on the other hand, stares at the screen in abject horror before he starts yelling furiously at the television.]

You -- what do you mean, you're not going to save yourself?! Why would you say that out -- this had better be some kind of plan to lure the hunters to you while you protect yourself, you unbelievable wanker! Stupid ungrateful piece of -- who the hell do you think I did it all for! I don't give a rat's arse about the other nations, so take it back! Take it back!

[He lets out a wordless scream of rage and kicks over a chair before burying his face into his hands.]

Goddammit!

[terryplz]

[...]

I'll leave you to your thoughts.

[He's not one for sympathies and reassurances. Someone will hopefully try to calm him on their own. He'll just walk away now, less England has anything to say to him.]

[tsunneverset]

[England doesn't have anything to say except to stew in his own rage for a bit...until America lets out the bombshell that he knows another hunter and he snaps up in his seat.]

He what?

[terryplz]

[He stops moving when he hears it and frowns.]

He's bluffing. Desperate to be killed.

[He has to be. There's no possible way he could know anyone else for sure, right?]

[tsunneverset]

[He suddenly groans and pinches the bridge of his nose.]

Holden. That bloody idiot made it too obvious he knew America was the real protector when no one outside of the people we told should have.

[terryplz]

He could argue that it was obvious that you were covering for America, given your actions...but yes, it doesn't bode well for him. Much of what he's done can be written off as childishness, but it's good enough.

[tsunneverset]

Given that the only person to figure it out without being told was Kirigiri, I doubt it. [He sighs.] It could just be a bluff to get the hunters to target him while he protects himself. America can be childish when he's upset, but I don't believe he'd ever be suicidal, especially when he doesn't know what'll happen to his people.

[terryplz]

I don't think they would target him either way. A protector is useless if they refuse to protect. Even then, the chances of America being lucky enough to protect someone the Hunters target are slim. Luke was by far the riskiest pick the Hunters made. If they're smart, they're going to go after people who get involved more at this point.

...I feel as though tomorrow they may start to go after potential werewolf targets, if they lack decisive evidence. There are a number of good candidates that have just so happened to not be killed, despite their continued involvement. It's the best they have to go on at this point.

[tsunneverset]

[He nods. He knows Bruce is simply being pragmatic, but his shoulders ease anyway when he says the chances of America being targeted are slim.]

Once they find the convert, they'll have at least ten or so clears between who the watcher had cleared beforehand and the active roles that claimed to Ema. Luckily, there's no reason to suspect Kirigiri now that she's proven herself. Ciel, though...she's been acting incredibly suspiciously according to Kirigiri. By this point, even her allies must be wondering by now.

[terryplz]

Yes. I imagine Ciel is certainly going to become suspicious soon. There's no doubt about it in my mind. Kirigiri can avoid suspicion for a while thanks to her stunt.

...Speaking of the Watcher...

Lets list. For the Prey, there are eight roles. Of the eight, four of them are gone. Rapunzel the Bloodhound, Ema Skye the Deerhound, Luke Triton the Dove, and Kyouko Kirigiri who was converted. Of the remaining four, we know America has a role and so does Sayaka Maizono. But then there is the Watcher and the unknown eighth role.

In addition...one of these roles was assigned to Elliot Nightray, before it was given to someone else. At this point, it is a fair assumption to make that his role was either that of the Watcher or the unknown role and it was redistributed to another person. Everyone else seems to have been active since the beginning. We also know the Watcher spoke with Lithuania, and behind closed doors.

I have a feeling this Watcher won't remain so hidden for long.

[notyetlost]

What's a watcher?

[Yeah Poland hasn't been paying attention to the actual game lately.]

[speakveryclearly]

The watcher can find out whether someone was active at night - meaning they either have a special role or are a hunter.

[tsunneverset]

The watcher's Ukraine. I'd stake...well, I suppose I can't stake my life on it anymore, but I'll stake my ghostly spirit on it. After all, the first people you'd investigate would be those you're closest to, right? And Lithuania said he'd asked them to check me, meaning it had to be both someone who was comfortable enough with him to approach him and to take advice from him, as well as someone who would investigate him before they'd investigate me. Finally, Lithuania's not an idiot. He didn't call the watcher by something gender neutral, he referred to them as a 'he'. I doubt he'd make a slip of the tongue like that unless he intended to.

So...a woman who's close enough to Lithuania to want to check him early on, but not to me. There's only one person it could be. If the hunters are smart, they'll kill her tonight. Prussia and I had been talking about targeting her once I died anyway to make them think there aren't any more nations among us.

[notyetlost]

D-don't kill Ukraine!

[tsunneverset]

It's not like I can do anything about it now. Besides, you know we have to win.

[notyetlost]

The hunter prey junk is just a distraction!

Who's going to help Lithuania figure out clues or keep him from going back into zombie mode if they kill her?!

[tsunneverset]

Spain can punch him out of it. And whatever the clues might be leading to, we won't need--

[He cuts himself off, glancing at the nonhunters in the room, and lowers his voice.]

We need the hunters to win, and we're not doing well right now. If the game ends too early, they might not even have enough time to figure anything out.

[notyetlost]

You're assuming Critter's actually gonna adhere to it's own rules.

[Critter already told Poland it wanted the Hunters to lose. And who better to ensure that happening than the game master itself.]

I'm not so sure.

[terryplz]

Ukraine was a choice in my mind and Charles Fei-Ong comes in second. He's been active in the proceedings, but still keeping very distant in a manner of speaking. He also seems to have a connection to you, coming from this place called "Mayfield". But I agree, Ukraine is certainly the more likely of the two.

Eliminating a Country at this point may be the best way to go. It would take suspicion off of Prussia for certain. Aside from Holden and Ada, the Hunters left haven't been seen as suspicious at all really.

[tsunneverset]

It's possible Charles is our last role, but if he were the watcher, I think he would have checked Joshua over the Doctor or Lithuania. Whatever the missing role is though, it either hasn't taken effect yet or isn't that big a threat. They need to get rid of the watcher first.

The two Hope's Peak kids will be in trouble once the town start questioning why Kirigiri is still alive, especially Togami and his odd voting history. But as long as there's no investigative role left, we may still have a good chance with the remaining.

[terryplz]

I doubt there is beyond the Watcher. It would make it rather easy if three people could make checks, even if Ema's role only gave her random results. Whatever the case, the last role may be an inactive role of some kind. Perhaps not "Blinder", but something can only activate by an external occurrence. We'll have to see.

[tsunneverset]

Don't forget Sanae Hanekoma. We don't know if he was brought back as a regular prey or something else. He could even be a scavenger on our side, but given how highly Critter keeps stacking the deck against us every time we make the slightest bit of progress, I wouldn't get my hopes up. I don't believe it wants us to win.