End of Night TenCome morning of the eleventh day the head count in parliament is not one but two short. Now less than a dozen strong, the remaining members search the building together, finding nothing until they reach the chamber in which
Parksey was sleeping. The door has been left slightly ajar and together they all enter, unprepared for what waits inside.
The frame of the bed has been leant up against the far wall, clearing space on the floor in which Parksey's body now rests. He lies on his back, chest slashed open, the cause of a slow and agonising death. Above his head something is written in chalk.
"WE HAVE SINNED. NO MORE FALSE GODS"Most disturbingly, it appears to be written in his own hand.
In one of Parksey's hands he holds a rose. Looking closely, on one of its petals is a single tear. On his other hand he wears a Conformist's ring, this one more gilded than the rest. It is apparent that
Parksey was the Grand Inquisitor.
Next to Parksey's lifeless body has been left a sealed envelope. The letter inside reads as follows.
It appears that overnight the other unaccounted for member and last surviving of the seven Conformists, Memento Mori, has escaped from parliament. A second confession found within the Grand Inquisitor's pocket describes his final act being to release Mori from his bondage and to banish him, in disgrace and in penance, to a faraway land. A final ring included with the letter lends credence to the confession. There can be no doubt that
Memento Mori was a Fanatic.
Accusations of bribes to the guards and plenty more far-fetched conspiracy theories soon abound, and will do for many years, but no official explanation for Mori's escape is forthcoming. For his part, however, the Duke quickly returns to parliament to uphold his promise and lift the lockdown imposed on its members.
"Honourable members, surviving and departed, it would appear the fanatical threat to this nation has finally lifted, driven out by your courage and fortitude in these recent days. I shall now fulfil my promise and free you from this imprisonment so that together we may mourn those lost and move forwards towards a better and brighter future. I congratulate you all on this victory!"The Duke departs, his Royal Guard with him, the doors of the Grand Hall of Hannivalia's parliament left wide open. Across the square the Alpine sun shines down brightly as the first of the timbers of the gallows are broken away.
The Conformists have resigned. Congratulations Parliament, you win the game!Surviving Members of Parliament: Oblomov Boblomov (Minister of Justice), DarkRula (Backbencher), SuperChris (Committee Chair), Captain Kinopio (Committee Deputy), Mommy (Noble), Hypes (Chief Whip), VlaSoul (Filibusterer), Roonmastor (Occultist), Zilnad (Member of Parliament), Vermilion (Member of Parliament)EpilogueIn the tumultuous weeks that follow a letter comes into the possession of parliament by unclear means, its veracity unable to be ascertained. While the contents are never entered into the public record they have a lasting effect on parliament itself.
The Letter wrote:Dearest friends,
Grand Inquisitor Parksey
Fanatics sawyerpip and Memento Mori
Moggy, Clarkman, SillySprout and Skarjo
I write this on the eve of the opening of parliament, knowing full well what events are about to unfold. Under my late father this nation has suffered a great shame, turning its back on an institution that has served it for centuries. As you all know I do not share my father's delusion and seek a return to that glorious past where together the Church and my family wield absolute authority over this land. You have all been hand picked for sharing this sentiment.
Alas, I cannot yet go public with such plans, for I fear this parliament my father festered shall turn upon me, persuading the lost sheep that are our people to turn against us rightful masters. Regretfully it is up to you, my friends, to bring about the destruction of this parliament without my help. Instead I shall stage a fiction that should convince parliament of my allegiance while allowing you the opportunity to destroy them from the inside.
I wish you all the greatest of luck, and I shall see to it that the Royal Guard shall allow you to communicate amongst yourselves in private. This is all I can do for now.
A true faithful servant of the Church,
Duke Hanno IV
Following this revelation the captain of the Royal Guard is removed from office thanks to the influence of the noble but dedicated parliamentarian Mommy - the captain retires to a modest villa on the Mediterranean coast where he lives out the remainder of his days. Under the oversight of Speaker Captain Kinopio the Royal Guard itself is reduced in strength and number to not much more than an honour guard for the Duke, responsible only for the security of his palace, while the security of parliament becomes a police matter.
Over time the political power of the Duke is further eroded, making way for a truly sovereign parliament. Resigned to a hard life of theatre performances and dinner engagements, the Duke himself dies several years later in a skiing accident along with his sister, leaving no heir. Hannivalia transitions peacefully to a republic (excepting a brief thirty year military dictatorship spanning the interwar period), and the Elefantenpalast becomes a public museum.
Over the years following the crisis sightings are reported of a babbling crazed man with haggard features that match Memento Mori's own. A man who chants and raves, but not in the 1990s-sense of the word, to anyone who will listen. A man who talks about having found the light - the true light - and of a similar path to enlightenment for anyone who wants it. A man whose incoherent ramblings in a strange foreign tongue are hard to understand, but who talks of having witnessed a miraculous power. A man who in his more solitary moments, retreats to his hermit's cave, where locals can still hear him chanting to himself at night, just the same two words, over and over again - "Bladeforce forever".
The Church itself never regains its past influence amongst the people of Hannivalia, but still enjoys a special tax exemption to this day.
The nation of origin of the foreign agent who infiltrated parliament is never officially determined, although the real world events form the basis of a 2008 American made movie in which a CIA operative is integral in preventing the takeover of Hannivalian's parliament by communists. Tom Hanks plays the lead.
The Great Hall's bell tower is restored with a new bell, named the Ob Bob Bell in honour of the famous Minister of Justice. Apparently it sounds very sexy.
Thus ends the tale of the Hannivalia Crisis of 1891.
(With thanks to Parksey and Mori for their contributions towards this final update given their choice to resign.)
Full Player Role CallParksey -
Grand Inquisitorsawyerpip -
FanaticMemento Mori -
FanaticMoggy -
ConformistClarkman -
ConformistSillySprout -
ConformistSkarjo -
ConformistOblomov Boblomov -
Minister of JusticeKezzer -
Shadow Minister of JusticeDarkRula -
BackbencherQikz -
Military VeteranSuperChris -
Committee ChairCaptain Kinopio -
Committee DeputyMommy -
NobleHypes -
Chief WhipVlaSoul -
FilibustererRoonmastor -
OccultistFalsey -
SpymasterJenuall -
Foreign AgentPaperMacheMario -
Member of ParliamentSuper Dragon 64 -
Member of ParliamentDrumstick -
Member of ParliamentZilnad -
Member of ParliamentHerdanos -
Member of ParliamentNun -
Member of ParliamentTomous -
Member of ParliamentPedz -
Member of ParliamentPreezy -
Member of ParliamentAlbear -
Member of ParliamentVermilion -
Member of Parliamentaayl1 -
Member of Parliamentsatriales -
Member of ParliamentThank You For PlayingI hope you have all enjoyed playing and spectating as much as I have enjoyed running the game! I will share some more thoughts on the game later, including a breakdown of the night actions each night, some interesting stats, some of my favourite moments from the game, and other reflections on what went well and what didn't go so well in how the game was set up and balanced. Until then, congratulations again to our winners, the surviving members of parliament!
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