Werewolf X: And then they were...

[Ozymandias]

William walked out of Tom's makeshift cell, stumbling slightly, his drawn face giving the only full sign he had slept little the previous night.

 

Without fanfare, he produced a cigar, cut it, and lit it, looking more relaxed almost immediately. "Well," he said in Luke's general direction, smiling grimly, "I'm glad that last night's fool's errand did not get you killed in particular. We need level heads to champion our cause, as much as we will no doubt need clever ones, or strong backs. And I was sorry indeed to see our levelest head go out to that damnable lighthouse because of the good Mr. Kant's assurances.

 

I only hope that our Captain will not greet us with a loaded pistol, or some other such festive noisemaker", he finished in a growl.

 

He took a long puff on his cigar.

[dragonqueen]

Adelaide's face pales when she sees Victoria. "Another death, so soon? How much longer do we have?" She observes Tom's reaction.

 

"And now my dear, my love, my...Victoria is dead."

 

Suddenly the equality of hits Adelaide. Dead...one life for another. But only God has the right to deal out justice like that. Not some twisted mysterious Mr. Kant...

 

"Yes, I killed my sister, but we had a long, troubled history. And killing her was no thrill. What sort of person would get a thrill from killing their only sister? I assure you, I had no hand in Victoria's untimely death. And I have never met Mr. Kant in my life, but I suspect he is insane." Adelaide says it quietly, not wanting to draw attention to Tom's words, but feeling she must say something.

 

Adelaide shakes her head and starts for the hall. I must get out of this mad house...

Edited September 7, 2004 by dragonqueen

[Ozymandias]

"Killed my sister, but we had a long, troubled history...have never met Mr. Kant in my life... suspect he is insane.

 

Bloody Hell," William mutters around his Cuban.

 

 

(OOC: Adelaide/Dragonqueen)

[Lady Celes Crusader]

(OOC: I'm extending the voting phase since I cannot lynch anyone with only two people who had voted.)

[cryptomancer]

Luke watches with interest as the group starts turning on each other, the first signs of it are written all over the words spoken in haste by Tom, and the reaction (so defensive) that Adelaide gave. The whole thing screamed setup. Is Tom just throwing us off the fact that he was last to see Victoria alive, most likely the only one that knew she would take medication if put under enough stress. Adelaide was an obvious target, she has so far kept to herself mostly. The things that dont add up, Anna had keys to all rooms, has been receiving instructions from Kant on the running of the Manor, and has had all preperation of food under her control. Anna was also first on the balcony. If any of us is suspect, it is her, even if only through coersion by Kant.

 

'I had better be carful, I was hired by Kant also, and by default may fall into a bad light.' Luke thought.

 

He speaks out to those gathered.

"Ok everyone, lets not get carried away accusing each other just yet. If we turn on each other we weaken ourselves. Stand together, anyone could be on this island with us, we are not the only suspects."

 

(OOC: Anna Raven/Tanuchan)

[Tanuchan]

Luke speaks out to those gathered.

"Ok everyone, lets not get carried away accusing each other just yet. If we turn on each other we weaken ourselves. Stand together, anyone could be on this island with us, we are not the only suspects."

 

Anna nods, but sees in his eyes the sudden and certain suspicion as he looks at her. She holds that look, understanding its meaning.

 

Of course... I was first to arrive. I had all the keys, I'm responsible for all the food and the rooms, and all the small arrangements of the Manor. Even if it was Mr. Kant who detailed all these things and I just followed those to the letter, there's little chance they will believe a lowly governess.

 

I am probably the least guilty here... but my position is the most suspicious. Nicely done, Mr. Kant. You will have me killed...

 

And even so, my conscience will make me do my best to help us through it all. Even if they suspect me.

 

 

She sighs softly, saying, "I guess you're right, Luke. If we work together, we will have better chances of survival. And... how goes the next line? Eight little nigger boys travelling in Devon; / One said he'd stay there and then there were Seven. We shouldn't be alone, I guess. Though I don't know how well it'll help us."

 

 

He says not to turn against each other, but we already have. Even him. It's plain in the way he looks at me. I won't voice it, but I wonder also... Adelaide is so... indifferent to the accusation. Not indifferent like Mr. Erickson or Mr. Horton, just... she almost says that killing her sister would be justifiable...

 

What she said... "The world should be thanking me for killing her..." Would she think that the world would thank her for killing murderers?

 

 

"Can I help in any way?" Anna finishes, still holding Luke's eyes. What can I do to prove I'm innocent? Or have you already judged and condemned me without knowing what happened, as every nun at the orphanage did?

 

 

 

((OOC: vote for Adelaide Welsh/Dragonqueen))

[dragonqueen]

Adelaide looks at them. They think I did it...I can see it in their eyes. I'm alone. No one in this world would support me...except maybe Anne. If she were here. It's coming back to haunt me...

 

"I guess...I can't blame you for not trusting me. But, please, let's not turn on each other, as Anna and Luke said. Anna, you can help by believing me." Adelaide stares at the faces watching her. A tear trickles down her cheek. They'll condemn me...just like I did to Anne. What have I done? Anne...Anne if you were here everything would be different. Forgive me...

 

Adelaide turns away, wiping away a tear. She whispers, mainly talking to herself. "Oh lord, what will become of me? How could I do it? How could I kill my only sister? Please, be kind, be good to me, gentle folk. I killed my sister, but I was wrong. I killed the only person who will always stand by me. Don't treat me as I did her, please! I did not kill her!" Adelaide's voice grows louder as she pleads with them.

 

She sniffs, still crying. God help me...justice indeed if they accuse me. But if I did not kill her, who did? Tom...last to see her, the least suspectible...they poisoned her fiance. Did not the other gentleman drink poison?

 

OOC: Vahktang/Tom Baker

[Lady Celes Crusader]

Eight little nigger boys travelling in Devon;

One said he'd stay there and then there were Seven.

 

Adelaide feels the suspicious glares spiking at her, spiking at the very last bit of her sanity she drops on her knees and cracks.

 

- Yes I did let my sister die, but she never really died in my mind. In fact, she kept sticking her ugly face at every opportunity. She never left me alone. Then, I've founded out about your stories...

 

Everyone's heart is battering as the young lady's face is now twisted with sheer hatred. She then resumes her speach.

 

- Yes, I've managed to find out about everyone's story one by one. Believe me, it's not pretty at all. When Flats died, he didn't told the whole truth. You see he and Claudia are con artists who were in love way before her marriage. She managed to attract a millionaire's attention, wedded him and both plotted for his death.

 

Claudia answers weakly.

 

- You are lying!

 

Adelaide looks straight at the con artist and a evil smile.

 

- Can you say that again while looking straight into my eyes? Claudia looks down instead, knowing that it was the bare truth, making the dilitant grinning. I didn't think so indeed.

 

Adelaide now shifted her attention to Charles.

 

- As for you, when your father was attacked by this tiger, instead of calling for help, you decided to shoot at them even thought you were way too much drunk for that. What a pity. As pitiful as Jeremy's wife faith, who had been shot down by him during a mafia shootout.

 

Tom's blood was boiling within his vein and he was about to do his move when Adelaide pulled out a gun toward him. Jeremy and Luke looked for theirs but they realize that both guns' barrels were empty.

 

- Behave and I'll tell you everything.resumes cooly Adelaide Now as for Luke, it's not for nothing that he's a vagrant. He killed his Captain during the first World War in the most irresponsible manner possible. As for Anne, she was the only one who spoke up the truth last night.

 

- But it was in self-defense!protested Luke

 

- Self-defense perhaps, but still a murder for me. Oh but one of the most disgusting person around here is Lady Melia. She was right that his pretendant committed suicide. But she did everything to drive him into commiting this act. Such beautiful woman on the outside, but such a wicked creature on the inside.

 

Then Adelaide stares defiantly at Tom with a smile so twisted by hatred that it becomes a mockery of a grin.

 

- Tom Baker and Victoria Butler. Now these two killed three persons for the sake of keeping up the good appearance. You two met up together while she was married to Mr. Brent Butler. It was interesting that Victoria chooses her 15th wedding anniversary for such a devious plot. Yes, she did arrange for her then husband's death. As for this other gentleman, he just was an unfortunate casuality.

 

Tom was furious and stares at Adelaide furiously.The young artist resumes her horrific speech

 

- Tom, you know that you have to kill your American wife just for keeping her silent. You didn't want your very influencial father-in-law to find out about your affair with Victoria. Don't get me wrong, love had nothing to do with these murders, it was all about keeping everything in place, it was all about keeping both political reputation intact. However, it seems that Victoria decided that you were becoming of a nuisance.

 

- Stop your blatent lies.snarls Tom

 

- Lies? Really?she throws at him Victoria's diary. Take a look at the last entries and tell me if I'm still lying.

 

The politician reluctantly does so and reads the very entries Adelaide mentionned. He founded out that she spoke the truth: Victoria wanted to get rid of him. Suddenly, Tom cries in rages and was about to jump on Adelade when all the men jumped on him and try to calm him down. Taking advantage of the chaos, Adelaide runs out of the Mansion and heads for the lighthouse. Everyone pursue her to finally corner her at the lighthouse's balcony. Anne talks to the insane lady.

 

- Adelaide, why this? Why all this trouble? Why this horrid game?

 

Adelaide chuckled in defeat.

 

- I was disgusted that nobody else felt guilty about what they did. I've heard about this place and the nursery rhyme and I thought that I could strike everyone down one by one while making your last days in existence a torture. Also, by the time you'll be back home, the media and the police will have all the facts that I've gathered about you all in their hands.

 

Charles asks calmly, as he knows that he'll have nothing to gain from being anxious about his reputation right now, the question that had been on everyone's mind for a long time.

 

- So, where is Hunbe Kant?

 

Adelaide let go a frightening laugh and glances at everyone, amused.

 

- I am Hunbe Kant.

 

She then let sat on the rail and let herself fall off the lighthouse. She then lands on a rock, flat on her back. The gun she carried shoots in her chest on the impact. Adelaide is no more. Anne picked up a piece of paper that the lady dropped on her fall and take a look in it.

 

- So, she built the name Hunbe Kant around the word "unbekannt" which is the german word for... unknown!

 

Everyone looked down at the lighthouse, puzzled

 

(Congrats! You've found the Hunbe Kant aka Werewolf. I'll add an epilogue but I want to give you people the opportunity to let your character react to this whole mess.)

[Vahktang]

Also, by the time you'll be back home, the media and the police will have all the facts that I've gathered about you all in their hands.

"No!

"I'll be killed.

"We have to get off this island, now.

"We can spin this the way we want.

"She was obviously insane, a murderer herself.

"She was taking her real guilt out on our innocence.

He holds up the diary.

"A fake. And I can get experts to testify.

"We can do this for all of us.

"If we all hold together, it'll be like Hearst and Ince. Lots of questions and no answers. But we have to hold together.

"What do you say?"

[Ozymandias]

William sits in one of the plush wing-backed chairs, cigar clenched firmly in his teeth. His slitted eyes flash a cunning green in the sudden light of Luke's lit match as he went to light a smoke himself.

 

"Bollux, that's what. Why should I trust any of you? What does my fate have to do with yours anyway?"

[cryptomancer]

Luke looks at William, "Sir, If you pay me enugh you get my loyalty, that is how i worked for years, that will be how I work when I leave here. I seem to hold the unique position among us, of one that truely has nothing to lose. I have no home, no job, besides what I find when I need to. So, anything you need me to do, Pay me well, and I shall do it."

[Tanuchan]

I am no more than an orphan, a lowly governess. I don't have anything to lose either.

 

Anna shakes her head after recovering from the shock of finding Hunbe Kant a murderous psychopat. She fades back into her customary corner as the other guests speak and discuss how the events on the island will affect their lives.

 

Mother Rania knew all my past... how mistreated I was in the orphanage, how I ran away when the fire came... why I was on the streets. She told me to accept this offer from Mr. Kant. I hope she'll also accept me back in her house once I leave... I don't have anything else. Lady Morrain's already moved to Spain, I guess... it's a shame, she wanted me to go with her.

 

I survived the orphanage, and the streets. I can survive this horror-ridden island.

[Vahktang]

What does my fate have to do with yours anyway?

"Adelaide sent information of all our crimes to the press and to the authorities.

"Which one was yours again?

"The tiger, drunk while hunting?

"If we can convince them that she was insane, that her perceptions were off, her accusations baseless, then we are all safe.

"If not...

"You may be safe from the authorities, William, but you're not safe from Society.

"Do you remember anyone who was ever 'shunned', because of crime, divorce, just plain bad manners or bad judgement?

"Not a pretty sight. No parties. No outings. Polite 'I'm sorry, we aren't home' when you try to call or come calling.

"And you end up alone, at home, killing your liver, until it kills you or you kill yourself.

"And your fortune will turn also, don't think it won't. Without the contacts, without the access, you too can die penniless.

"No one is immune here.

"And Luke, Anna?

"If you think you may be low now, you can go lower still. Even you have people you turn away from when walking down the streets. That's who you will be.

 

"Our only chance is to stick together.

"If we all agree, if the story is straight, Victoria will not have died in vain.

[Lady Celes Crusader]

(OOC: I needed to completed this game so here's the epilogue)

 

Epilogue

 

Two weeks after the Nigger Island Affair, the seven survivors had been interrogated by the police not only about the incident itself but also about the crime mentionned by Adelaïde. These weeks influenced everyone's destiny.

 

Anna Raven is now in Spain, hired back by Lady Morrain. Her employer became even more sympathetic with her governess and their friendship is strenghtned.

 

As for Charles Baker V, the investigation cleared him of his father's death once and for all. He hired Luke Jesson as his secretary and man of trust as the events created a close bond between these gentlemen. Since Jesson had been already martial tried for the crime he had been reproached, he could go on with his life quietly.

 

Jeremy Erickson had been kept in prison and then send back in America since he was wanted there for various crimes. Although he have so many crimes on his hand, he knows that he never killed his beloved wife; his lifestyle did.

 

Lady Melia Darshiva had been confronted not only by the police, but also by the media. In fact, the journalists dub her as the "Dark Melia". While she's not being tried for being responsible of a suicide, her reputation had been stained. She decided to leave for Thaïlande, where she hopes she can rebuild a new name for herself.

 

Claudia VanCluessen, however, will be not as lucky as Lady Melia since her past as a con artist resurfaced. As a resulted she had been tried for her con artist crime and serves her time in jail, mourning Flat's death.

 

But of all seven, Tom Baker is the one who suffered the most of Adelaide's wrath. Since the story had been published, even thought the police don't have enough proofs to tried him for murder, the public opinion already condemned him. His brillant political carreer is ruined and he realized that what Adelaide said about Victoria was the truth: she did plotted to get rid of him. With the very little he have left, he decided to leave for the only country that will give him asylum; Dominican Republic. There, he rebuilt his life as a bar-owner.

 

Adelaide's victims, Flats London and Victoria Butler had grand funerals. Ironically, their respective spouse were the one who suffered the most of their reputation even thought both Flats and Victoria did acted asa dirty as their loved one. By them being dead, they had been washed off all suspicions that inadvertly fell on Claudia and Tom. As for Adelaide, her funeral attracted many curious people while her artworks sells at vertiginous price.

 

Even thought she killed only two of the nine guests, Adelaide succeded into marking the seven survivor with this ghastly experience. And then, there were seven.

[Vahktang]

Kewl.

The Dominican Republic?

Not Algiers, Casablanca specifically?

Work at The American Cafe?

That would have been fun.