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Werewolf 242: Murder on the Orient Express – Day 4

Dining Car

Dear Hastings,

No sooner had Countess Andrenyi and Greta Ohlsson been escorted to their compartments, or we had two new murder attempts to deal with. The Count, who had been sitting quietly muttering into his handkerchief, was gradually turning a most unhealthy colour. It is said that grief can kill a man, Hastings, but this was most decidedly more than that! I attempted to find out what he might have eaten or drank that could have led to this, but all he could talk about was the love of his life and perhaps it was better this way.

The other victim was the exact opposite. The brave Colonel stumbled into the dining car, bleeding from a stab wound in his back, and it was as if knowing his end was near had given him enhanced clarity. Matter-of-factly, he laid out his purpose in travelling to me: It appears that he had helped the son of a close friend gain his promotion some years back, but the young officer had afterwards fallen in with some bad friends, making considerable debts, and using the Colonel’s name. Scandalous! Now, his friend had finally gotten wind of the matter and implored the Colonel to pay the debts and put in the good word with the young man’s superiors to have him transferred, so as to avoid the matter becoming public and ending a promising career over the foolishness of youth.

I promised him that I would take care of the matter, and he was visibly relieved. I enclose the details, dear Captain Hastings, of all merchants and creditors affected, and trust that you will do what must be done.

H.P.

Dead (or otherwise removed from play)

Mister Samuel Edward Ratchett  You are an american businessman travelling with your secretary/translator and your english valet. You are a rich man – very rich indeed!

Played by: NPC

Alignment: Town

Mary Hermione Debenham You are travelling from Baghdad, where you are currently employed as a governess to two children, to London. You would love to find a suitable position closer to home. Or, indeed, a husband.
Played by: PersistingDeviation
Alignment: Town

Pierre Michel You live in Calais and have worked as a Wagon Lit conductor for the CIWL for many years. It is your duty to ensure all luggage is brought to the right compartment, to make the guests’ beds and to answer when they ring their bell – usually because they want you to fetch something.
Played by: Side Character
Alignment: Town

Antonio Foscarelli You are an enthusiastic sales agent for Ford motor cars. Born Italian, you are now a naturalised American subject – it is better for business. You pride yourself on having travelled all over the United States – New York, Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit! You are currently on your way to Milan for an important meeting.

Played by: Josephus
Alignment: Town

Hildegarde Schmidt You have been in loyal service to Her Excellency for fifteen years, and hope to serve her for many more. She wholly depends on your massages to make her rheumatism somewhat bearable, and you often read her to sleep.
Played by: Jake
Alignment: Town
Role: Lovers with Princess Natalia Dragomiroff

Princess Natalia Dragomiroff You are returning to Paris with your German lady’s maid, Fräulein Schmidt, after a visit to Constantinople. Your late husband realised all his money before the Revolution and invested it abroad.

Played by: Mama QueeQorq
Alignment: Town
Role: Lovers with Hildegarde Schmidt

Greta Ohlsson You are a Swedish nurse who has been working as a matron in a missionary school near Stamboul these past years, but you are now on your way to visit a sister in Lausanne. You are much looking forward to seeing your nieces and nephews again.

Played by: Scientician13
Alignment: Town

Countess Helena Maria Andrenyi – née Goldenberg. You were married little over a year ago and are enjoying life in the highest social circles at your husband’s side. Both of you have diplomatic immunity, so this investigation is little more than a diversion.

Played by: Mrs QueeQueg
Alignment: Criminal
Role: Backup

Colonel John Arbuthnot You are on leave from India and have spent three days in Baghdad to visit a friend. The current delay is most inconvenient for you, seeing as you need to make your connection to London.

Played by: Beinggreen
Alignment: Town
Role: Treestump

Alive

Monsieur Bouc You are one of the directors of the Belgian Compagnie des Wagons-Lits that operates the Orient Express line. Right before embarking you met with an old friend, Detective Hercule Poirot, who was going the same way, but alas this train was fully booked!

Played by: MacCrocodile

Count Rudolph Andrenyi You are attached to the Hungarian embassy in Paris, where you are returning after a belated honeymoon. You own a country estate in Hungary and are absolutely devoted to your beautiful wife.

Played by: Cork

Hector Willard MacQueen You were employed by Mr. Ratchett little over a year ago in Persia when he impulsively fired his former secretary in the hotel where you were staying. You are fluent in English, French, Italian, Arabic, and Persian. The job paid well and involved a lot of travel.

Played by: Narrowstrife

Edward Henry Masterman You were Mr. Ratchett’s valet and take great pride in your profession. All your previous employers can be counted on to vouch for your character. Unfortunately you are suffering from a toothache.

Played by: Indy

Doctor Stavros Constantine You were last to join the train when it merged with the one from Athens. You have examined the body and were able to assist some of the more nervous ladies with sedatives and sleeping draughts.

Played by: Bob Mustard

Cyrus Bethman Hardman You are a travelling salesman for typewriting ribbons from New York, here on business. The only reason you can afford a first class compartment is because the firm pays your travelling expenses.

Played by: Moolissa

Mrs. Caroline Martha Hubbard You are widowed and returning to the US from your first visit to your adult daughter and her family. She and her husband are on the staff of a big American college in Smyrna and you must have shown the picture of your grandchild to everyone on the train with eyes to see.

Played by: MSD

Mechanical Details

      At night, players have the following options:

      • Stay in their compartment, which has the benefit that nobody can search it (this is the default action if you don’t choose another)
      • Try to search someone else’s cabin and learn a hint about their secret
      • Observe someone else’s compartment, which lets you find out whether that player stayed in or not, or the identity of one other person who tried to enter (you will only ever learn one of these, even if several things happen in that location)
      • Plant evidence (criminals only)
      • Kill another player (criminals only, one per night)

      You cannot choose to do the same non-criminal action two nights in a row.

      Here are some further mechanical details about how those night actions work and interact:

      • The criminal night actions (kill and plant evidence) can be multitasked with other, innocent actions, and may have restrictions/options only the criminals will know.
      • Players may have special rules for their night actions related to their secrets. Last time I ran this setup, for example, one player could search other players’ cabins every night instead of having to alternate actions.
      • Players who fail to submit a night action will default to either staying in their cabin or searching that of a random living player, depending on what they did the night before.
      • If two players try to search the same compartment, they will not do so but learn eachother’s identity instead.
      • If three or more players try to search the same compartment, they will instead learn the identity of one of the others.
      • When observing, a player only ever learns one piece of information, even when there are several to be had.
      • When searching someone’s compartment, you will learn a hint at their secret, not the exact text.
      • These hints are unique, so searching someone’s compartment on consecutive days will yield different information.
      • Criminals can plant evidence in eachother’s compartments.
      • Feel free to ask about scenarios, this is not an exhaustive list.
      Rules
      • Roleplaying your character is encouraged, but not required! It is totally okay to roleplay “The Count from Sesame Street”, “Hermione Debenham/Granger got lost in the wrong movie and tries to solve the murders with magic”, or “Princess Dragomiroff, the Singing Banana”.
      • Players should not talk (post in the game thread) during the night phases.
      • Players who claim their secret or anything related to it can no longer fulfill the associated personal goal.
      • Do not quote directly from your private channel(s) on discord. If you’re discussing your night action or its result, paraphrasing is fine.
      • Do not communicate with the other players in other ways than intended. This includes PMs, chats outside of the game, ciphers or any other forms of communication that may disrupt the balance of the game.
      • Do not edit posts other than to correct pronouns.
      • This is not a bastard game. Flips are truthful, and I will not lie (though mistakes are possible).
      • Do not belittle other players or their play.

      Colonel Arbuthnot has no vote today and will be removed from play at Twilight.
      Count Andrenyi has been poisoned and will die at Twilight unless he gets healed!

      Good Luck and Have Fun ❤️