Carisbrooke Revisited: The Siege Continues [Complete]

[Valerian]

A generation ago, Carisbrooke Castle was the site of a great betrayal.  A group of rebels, unhappy with their young, inexperienced Queen, dethroned her and replaced her with a young man, who they felt would be both more pliable and more acceptable to those who still preferred a King on the throne.

To everyone's surprise, the new King, who was well-known as a rake and a hedonist, settled down after a few years and tried to rule on his own, rather than letting those who had given him his throne guide his every move, as they had at first.  This new ambition displeased many, though for several years, he actually managed the kingdom quite well.

Then his luck changed, and he was no longer ruling a relatively peaceful and prosperous kingdom.  Weather turned, and crops failed.  Neighborhing lands grew restless.  Powerful nobles began to speak openly against the King, unfairly blaming him for everything from the frost to the neighboring rulers' ineffectiveness.  The last decade has been one of unrest and fear, in spite of the King's best efforts.

Now, the King has died, victim of his earlier debauchery, if the whispers are to be believed, leaving a young half-brother as his heir.  This brother has always stayed away from public life, preferring to live as a scholar, and is almost unknown to the kingdom at large.  Some are uncertain as to the wisdom of having this man on the throne, when a strong ruler is needed.

Known only to a few, the deposed Queen, who has been in quiet exile ever since, has married and had a son.  That son, now a man, has made contact with those who had always supported his mother's claim -- or rather, the children of those people, who are now mostly dead or retired from public life -- and seeks to reclaim his birthright.

Will these new Rebels again succeed in taking the throne?  Or will the former usurpers stay in power for another generation?

• Amberghylles
• country
• Imogen
• LadySky
• Mithlomwen
• Moirae
• Remiel
• Ryven
• sinera
• Xandi

[Valerian]

Councilors (5) - A group of important nobles who have banded together in a time of political crisis.  The king has just died, leaving a half-brother as the new King; but he is inexperienced and unfamiliar with the ways of the court.  The councilors (led by an elected Regent) have gathered to protect and advise their new ruler... but they soon learn that there is a rebel faction that hopes to seize the throne.

Rebels (3) - Though the world thinks they are loyal subjects, they know the hazards of having a ruler with little skill in either diplomacy or warfare, and would prefer to have someone of their choosing on the throne.  They have a new ruler in mind, the son of the previously deposed Queen; and they believe that he will richly reward their loyalty.  Each night, they may vote to remove one other player.

Weaponsmaster (1) - This person's skill with weapons is matched only by their loyalty to the new King.  Once each night, this person may protect one fellow player from harm at the rebels' hands.  The Weaponsmaster can protect him/herself once per game.  They may not protect the same person two nights in a row.

Historian (1) - No ordinary academic, this person's knowledge of noble geneaologies and history is second to none -- and there is a good deal of useful information to be found in the pages of some books.  Once each night, this person may request to learn one other player's role from the Chatelaine (Valerian).

Regent (1) - An elected role.  In the case of a tie in the lynch votes, this person will decide who shall be escorted to Tower Green to meet the headsman's sword.

The Laws of the Land:

~Do not vote to lynch yourself.  You may vote for yourself as Regent, however, if you truly don't know who else to trust.

~Do not directly quote any PM secrets you might exchange with other players.  You may repeat them in your own words all you like, however.

~If you will be unavailable for a day or two, or need to leave the game (though we hope you won't!), please let Val, the Chatelaine of the castle, know as soon as possible.

~Until the last lynch vote has been tallied, you are free to change your vote, should you learn new information, be otherwise persuaded to switch, or simply receive a better bribe from someone else.

~Have fun!

[Valerian]

As the group gathered for their morning meal, no doubt some recalled the day, almost exactly twenty years ago now, when a similar group had gathered here, for a similar reason.  None spoke of that, however, preferring to think to the future.

Then, terrible news arrived, throwing everyone into turmoil. A young knight was dead, one Sir Richard, foully slain as he slept, given no honorable chance to defend himself.  The first planned business of the day had already been to choose a Regent.  Once that task was finished, it seemed that they would next have to seek out the Rebels in their midst, in an unsettling echo of the days two decades past...

• Amberghylles
• country
• Imogen
• LadySky
• Mithlomwen
• Moirae
• Remiel
• Ryven
• sinera
• Xandi

There are 5 Councilors, 1 Weaponsmaster, 1 Historian, and 3 Rebels.

Note:  This first vote is for a Regent, not a lynching.  Everyone should have received the PM containing their assigned role.  Let the suspicion and finger-pointing begin!  :)

[Ryven]

He set his wine cup atop the table before a half eaten plate of food.  After a moment of pause, Lord Ryven spoke up to nominate a regent and get their first order of business underway.

"I believe good Lady Mithlomwen should be our regent.  I believe her to be a trustworthy soul who will lead us well."

[LadySky]

She was the niece of a known killer, LadySky was even named after her infamous aunt, the Regent who had helped to bring death to her enemies. She paced the shadows of the great hall, always keeping her distance out of habit. Her eyes flickered over the faces of those whom she would either trust or not, the task ahead seemed a daunting one and LadySky was not ashamed to admit she feared for her own safety. Would she be murdered by one of these faces?

Quietly she took her seat nodding toward Lady Mithlomwen. "For the time being I place my vote for Regent upon the Lady, she has always felt to me to be an honest soul."

[Valerian]

Current Voting (Regent):

Mithlomwen (3) - Ryven, LadySky, Amberghylles
Ryven (3) - Xandi, Mith, Imogen
Xandi (2) - Moirae, Remiel
sinera (1) - country
Amberghylles (0)
country (0)
Imogen (0)
LadySky (0)
Moirae (0)
Remiel (0)

Yet to vote: sinera

There are 5 Councilors, 1 Weaponsmaster, 1 Historian, and 3 Rebels.

[Autumn52]

Lady Xandi sat her goblet down and thought for a moment before placing her vote for "Lord Ryven". I believe that Lord Ryven would make an excellent Regent, he is trustworthy I feel.

[desert ashes]

Moirae let out a soft sigh as she lifted her gaze, swept it across those seated at the table.  "I place my vote with Lady Xandi."

[country]

As Country drained his mug of ale and licked the last of the cold porridge from his bowl he could but reflect on how dour everyone was.  Mornings were bad enough in this cold, damp castle, with the smell of the chamber pots drifting down the corridors, to say nothing of the odours coming from behind the wall hangings. 

Now food was scarce, rumours were rife; did no one learn from history?  A sage once said, 'History repeats itself as no one was listening the first time.'  That seemed so true today with the death of Sir Richard.  Evil was once again afoot in the kingdom. 

A new Regent to elect.  Who to trust?  It was time to form allegiances, share secrets and swap lies.  It was also time to see to your weapons.  For now Country would look to  Sinera. 

[Remiel]

Remiel, the young lord of Farthinghamcocklebury, nervously inspected his leg of lamb for traces of arsenic.  He sniffed his chalice, and then stared at it, almost as if daring the liquid inside it to do something suspicious, like fizz or bubble ominously.  When the time came to cast his vote for Regent, he squirmed in his seat, unhappy to be put on the spot.

"Er...I think you, Lady Xandi, would be a responsible Regent," he said, before checking the shadows behind the gallery for lurking assassins.

[Mithlomwen]

Glancing around the room, Mith was rather surprised to garner two votes for herself as Regent.  She smiled at both people and nodded in thanks.  "I shall cast my vote for Lord Ryven.: 

[Amberghylles]

Lord Amberghylles sat sipping his drink and looking around the room.  His father had been one of the ones who'd put his loyalty to the kingdom above that of the young queen to be.  And thus some felt that choice of his son as the crown's champion was biased.  But most dropped such thoughts upon seeing the tall muscular knight in the flesh.  Not to mention the many, especially in the recent troubled times, challenges to the crown that he had met without a single defeat on the field of honor.

With the news of poor Sir Richard, it seemed the rumors of that the exiled queen had born a child were true.  It was troublesome business to say the least.  Whatever qualifications this half-breed might or might not have as a ruler, his supporters were prepared to move in secret with dishonorable murders in the night.  It made the noble warrior growl as he cast his gaze about the assembled nobles.  After a time his gaze settled upon the Lady Mithlomwen.

"I cast my vote for Lady Mithlomwen," he said firmly as he lifted and emptied his cup.  Poison or not, living in fear wasn't living.  Likewise, his vote might be a mistake, but he would stand with it until proof to the contrary was brought forth. 

[Imogen]

Lady Imogen the Second, named after her aunt Imogen the Chaste, studiously diced the tender lamb steak but when the meal was prepared proper, she seemed to lose her appetite and raised her coy gaze to the gathering. "It is a sad loss we have suffered." She pushed her plate away and rose. "I hope that our new regent shall hold a memorial for Sir Richard, so his deeds will not be forgotten."

"As it stands both the Lady Mithlomwen an the Lady Xandi are highly recommend for this position, but I do know which to choose. And so, I shall follow both their advice and join my vote with theirs for Lord Ryven."

[sinera]

Sinera sat quietly in her chair, listening intently to the debate. It was with some surprise that she heard her own name thrown into the mix, for she had never dabbled in politics, keeping to her own council.  It was even more a surprise when all eyes turned to her. It appeared her vote would be crucial - she could vote for Xandi, causing a 3-way tie, or cast her lot in with either Mith or Ryven.

She smiled at country gently, "I appreciate your confidence in me, Country, but I must protest that I know little of politics; I find it amusing that Ryven and Mithlomwen, our top two choices, have voted for one another. However, I must choose between them, I suppose...."

She steepled her fingers over her lips, then lowered them and spoke but one word, "Mithlomwen."

[Valerian]

Final Voting (Regent):

Mithlomwen* (4) - Ryven, LadySky, Amberghylles, sinera
Ryven (3) - Xandi, Mith, Imogen
Xandi (2) - Moirae, Remiel
sinera (1) - country
Amberghylles (0)
country (0)
Imogen (0)
LadySky (0)
Moirae (0)
Remiel (0)

With the Regent in place, it was now time to move on to darker subjects.  If the lessons of the past were anything to go by, Sir Richard's death would hardly be the last, and the best thing the innocent could do would be to try to root out the rebels as quickly as possible.  With luck, perhaps they could find their first rebel today, at the edge of the headsman's sword, and sleep that much easier in their beds tonight.

There are 5 Councilors, 1 Weaponsmaster, 1 Historian, and 3 Rebels.

[Amberghylles]

Lord Amberghylles looked about at his fellows.  "Treason," he growled, "Murder in the night.  We must ferret out the rebels among us unless we wish to join Sir Richard."

[Imogen]

Imogen nodded solemnly in response to Amberghylles' statement. "Sir Richard was a good and loyal man. His death must be avenged. The guilty shall be found and put to justice." She declared vehemently. Her gaze found Mithlomwen. "Unfortunately, I do not know who to suspect of this foul deed. My lady Regent, we have placed our trust in you, what are your thoughts on this matter?"

[desert ashes]

It was difficult to imagine who among them would be the Rebels.  How many hours had they spent working together on different matters in this very room?  Granted, they may not all share the same politics, as it had been reflected throughout time, but this... this was different altogether.  Slowly she looked to each of the fellow Councilors, briefly rested on the Regent.  It was a shame her mother's alchemy lab had been permanently closed with her passing, a little extra back up would have been nice -- just in case the past repeated itself.

"How can any of us tell?" she asked quietly.  "Unfortunately I'll rely on history for this decision and say LadySky.  I am sorry, my dear, but one cannot help but wonder how far the apple fell from the tree."

[Valerian]

Current Voting (Lynch):

LadySky (2) - Moirae, country
Remiel (2) - Ryven, LadySky
Amberghylles (0)
country (0)
Imogen (0)
Mithlomwen* (0)
Moirae (0)
Ryven (0)
sinera (0)
Xandi (0)

Yet to vote: Amberghylles, Imogen, Mithlomwen, Remiel, sinera, Xandi

There are 5 Councilors, 1 Weaponsmaster, 1 Historian, and 3 Rebels.

[Ryven]

"You do have a good point, Lady Moirae, but let's not pass judgment too harshly on those for the mere fact that they share blood with previous traitors.  I do see your point, but I think that there is more than just one of the disloyal among us.  That is why I put my vote on Lord Remiel."

[LadySky]

A shiver of dread raced up her spine, she stilled in her seat and kept her eyes locked on the table before her. This moment had been inevitable, how could they see anything other than her Aunt when looking upon her. She had never known the woman however, LadySky was loyal to a fault and hated the stench her rebel Aunts past forced upon her own present. With a long sigh she quietly replied, "I am loyal to my King, I will go to my grave for him. In the interest of saving my own life I place my vote upon Lord Remiel as well. May God have mercy on all our souls."

[Amberghylles]

"The only ones who know the traitors are the villains themselves," he growled, "And their foul deeds leave us divided and fearful.  I do not know who among you are loyal and who are rebels.  I swear to being loyal, but so do these fiends who hold sedition in their hearts.  They have no honor.  I would welcome a fair challenge by this alleged royal in exile, but his supporters have chosen skulduggery.  I will see their heads on pikes or die trying."

He frowned then and looked to the accused.  "Sadly I do not know who I can trust in these uncertain times nor do I know who should be condemned.  I beseech whomever among you has the means to discern loyalties to act swiftly and well for the sake of our young king.  For now, I refrain from casting a vote as I know not who is guilty."

[Remiel]

Remiel dropped his spoon into his soup as he heard his name echoing about the hall.  His complexion turned even paler and more haunted than usual, and he shrunk back into his chair, as if trying to disappear into it.

"Not I! Not I!" he cried out, grasping ahold of his fork and holding it in front of him, as if to ward off evil.  "I-it is t-true that m-my uncle, Lord F-f-farthinghamhamham, was m-m-murdered by the K-king's s-supporters, but I have s-sworn an oath of l-l-loyalty! I d-do not care who s-s-sits upon the throne, I just want to live to s-s-see my s-seventeenth b-birthday!"

He turned his wide eyes upon Ryven.  "P-please think again, Lord Ryven.  You're m-making a mistake.  A b-big mistake!"

[country]

As Country gazes about the hall he realizes that something is gravely amiss – not only within the kingdom but also within the kitchen.  Why were others breaking fast on lamb and wine while he made do with pease porridge and thin beer?

Looking at the group who had replaced their ancestors as the nobility of this realm, he could but wonder where their loyalties lay.  While it was true that his sire had assisted in replacing the queen who was suspect in an attempt to replace the current order.   Had anyone shown where their allegiances lay?

Uncertain, with hesitation and trepidation Country whispered “LadySky has your allegience changed from that of your aunt?”

[Valerian]

[Votes in as soon as possible, please, everyone.  :)  Let's not keep our victim, whoever that might be, waiting...]