Scum, nailed to the door...

Hello Guild Ballers,

Today I'll bring you a bit of speculation.  Working out who might have killed scum.
 If you want to read where and how that happened, please do that first since it'll help you understand some of my reasoning.  The Fluff

Let's round up the suspects first and then add next to them why they didn't (or did) kill Scum in my opinion.

Tapper : 

Did not do it :

• Still drunk and clearly not in the mood for driving the wedge into the guild.
• The story feels like he doesn't want the split to happen, so he has no motive to make it happen.
• He is reffered to by the traitor as having a look on his face.

Did do it:
After killing the cat and nailing her to the door (who else could've done it, isn't he the master brewer who 'lives' in the pub?  Would hammering a nail in the door not wake up everybody?) he got drunk barely able to live with what he did to set a plan in motion.
What plan?  The split in the brewers is bound to happen, desperate as he is he sees his side shrink, brewer by brewer.  He's sick and tired of it so he has been working on a plan to bring Esters down and what better way of doing it through her making a bad decision?  Allas, Tapper is not the keen mastermind, so a third party came up with this plan, offering it to Tapper in exchange for ...(whatever Sherwin comes up with next)  He is the traitor, he's getting paid for his own sollution!  The downfall was carefully planned out , not only that of Esters but also that of the ratcatchers at the same time!  In the end Tapper will burn down the house with all traitors who went with her in it and start building from the ground up using the money he got for betraying her.  Unfolding his deceit, Spigot leaves the guild.  Hooper bends the knee with Stave and they fall back in line...  Friday, filled with hate, leaves the guild, resenting the murder of Scum by the hands of the master brewer, and she joins some other guild!  Welcome VFriday!  Decimate is indifferent as the Union has done worse and remains with Tapper.

Esters:

Did not do it :

• She is reffered to in the third person: '‘She took the bait just as expected. You should have seen the look on Tapper’s face when the Guild sided with her. It was a real picture.’ This shows she is a victim as much as Tapper is.

Did do it:

• She wants to take Tappers seat.
• She touches Scum as if the cat has no meaning to her -> so she wouldn't have had any problem killing the kitty.

A third party approached Esters, with one question: 'What are you prepared to pay for Tapper's seat?'  As it turns out, she was willing to pay a lot!  As the plan was laid out to her; She appointed a traitor to mediate as a middle man with the ratcatchers deceiving them into thinking this traitor was looking to bring down the brewers guild, Esters and all.  In fact, they were going to bring down Tapper and the ratcatchers guild!  Step one was set in motion.  But who did she appoint as traitor?  Well, who else but somebody close to Tapper?  Who was easy to pressure?  Dear mr Spigot, you're sober, you don't fit in with the brewers!  Do you want me to force Tappers hand and make him kick you out like many others before you?  You can side with him on votes however much you like... But this... This you will do for me!  In the end, Spigot can't live with breaking Friday's heart and hopes to find some piece with the faith...

Scum:

Let's not be silly, Sherwin isn't going to make this pussy nail itself...

Quaff:

I feel a joke coming here...  A dog, a nail, a cat and a hammer...  Although dogs might have motive, I doubt this universe will get a twist this absurd.

Friday:

Did not do it :

• Well she's heartbroken over the death of the kitty!

Did do it :

• Think back for a moment.  Friday was never really feeling good with this guild...  She's just using the tears to hide her betrayal!  Like a true entertainer does, she put up a show.

Friday could no longer stomach it.  The fighting within the brewers lines, the tug of war between Estes and Tapper.  She new the Ratcatchers held a grudge against the brewers, aproached Piper and asked him what it was worth to him to get rid of the hefty woman.  He replied he'd do a lot, unbelievable things, if only she'd make a sacrifice to show her earnest, since he wasn't stupid enough to walk into a brewer trap.  And so she had to sacrifice the cat, to set upon both guilds a war, that would hopefully bring her up in the ranks, and who knows, maybe she'd take Estes place as vice captain on the team...

Spigot/VSpigot

Did not do it :

• He's one of Tappers boys, he's no traitor.
• He likes Friday too much to kill her kitty.

Did do it :

• Get real, this dude has to get a story to go to the church in some way...
• He's sobered up, he knows he's going to get kicked out of the guild sooner or later, why not do it to help his man Tap out and get rid of Esters?

Spigot called upon his former drinking mates.  They all listened to what he had to say.  He was no longer a drunk and didn't want Esters to force Tap's hand into making him leave, so he'd do it himself.  As much as it saddened them that he'd go away towards the church he wanted to do something for Tapper.  He told Hooper and Stave about his contacts with the church and how they were willing to help, but they wanted something too...  He would be contacted by somebody who'd tell him what was what. He told them that Pellage came to see him, and how he told her about brewer rules, that it would take a clear message from them to start a war.  He was hoping they would side with Esters for his sake, for Tappers sake.  Little did he know the sign would be a dead Scum nailed to the door.  Hooper didn't like what he was going to do, but if it would help them get rid of Esters, he'd pretend to side with her, hence his pasing.  Stave kept thinking about his lines, he had practised them again and again in front of the mirror, and kept his face straight till the moment he could speak them...  And so Esters took the bait.  Ratcatchers thought they payed Spigot for it; And all the money the church gave to the Rats, came back through Spigot right back in their own pockets.

Hooper

Did not do it :

• He's one of Tappers men, not a traitor.

Did do it :

• Sides with Esters.
• To get rid of Esters, to free the Master Brewer of the yoke that is Esters. 
• All Brewer players like him, reason enough for Sherwin to abuse him.

Hooper: "Listen up Stave, I'm sick and tired of Tapper doing nothing, but I don't want to side with Esters either.  I'm going to take the offer that was made to me, and I want you as my witness to save my kutte when it comes down to coming clean! " 

Stave: "Get real Hoops!  You don't need the money! You don't want to do this!"

Hooper: "I know I don't need the money, that's not why I'm doing it!  That's not why I made them pay double what they offered!  But I'm going forward!  I'm all in!  I'm not asking you to take Esters side! I'm going to do it and that should tip the scales!  You can keep your hands clean right up untill Taps confronts me and I need to save my kutte!  You need to vouch for me that I'm telling the truth when I come clean!  I made arrangement not to get a knife in my back when it comes to the fighting, the rats know I'm going to hit Mash in the head and keep him from saving his wife.  As to what happens to Stoker and PintPot, I couldn't care less.  Those boys are Esters puppies, but Mash deserves better!"

Stave: "You can't ask this of me Hooper!  You can't!"

Hooper: "And yet I'm doing it! I'm counting on you!"

Long strides took Hooper away from a baffled Stave.  Later that evening Hooper looked at Stave and couldn't read his friends face.  All he wanted was for Stave to shut his mouth for the time being.  Esters would fall for it, he was sure, and his vote would secure the war with the Rats and the end of Esters!  Hooper kept pacing around until the vote was in.  He didn't hesitate too long and walked up to Esters to back her up.

But the vote wasn't going the way he thought.  Stave joined in!  What was he doing?!  He couldn't vouch for him if he was a traitor himself!  That stupid Stave! Stubborn fat bastard!

The fighting was over, Esters was dead, Stave was bleeding out in Hoopers hands, Mash knocked out on the floor, still alive.  PintPot was dead, with 5 dead ratcachers on top of him, as dead as he was.  But Stoker got away.  Stoker!  He saw Hooper take the swing that took Mash out.  What was he going to do?  No time to think about that!  He had to get Stave to the Seamstress, where he could be stitched up.  Piper walked up to Hooper and tossed him a leather pouch, filled with coins.  Here you go, traitor, welcome to the sewers!

Panting, filling his loungs with breaths of stinging cold fresh air he dragged Stave towards the only place of refuge he could think of, thinking Tapper would spot them when he rounded the corner of the cobbled street and rush out to help them.  

The truth bit hard in his heart as he saw the mounds of people.  All in a single line passing water buckets.  The black smoke filling the sky above the seamstress with clouds, for it was a black day for the brewers indeed.  The flames were eating away Hoopers home as they were also burning in his sould.  What had he done?! What had Stoker done to repay his actions in kind?  Is this the end of the brewers?  Broken, he fell to his knees next to Stave, sobbing, not noticing Friday who sprinted past them both screaming like a banshee.  For she had spotted two figures in the midst Heof the flames, could it be that Tapper and Spigot were still inside?

Stave

Did not do it :

• He's one of Tappers boys.
• His motivation is clearly made by the ways of old, not by precognition.
• A mask on Stave?  Everybody would recognize the fat dude, right?  

Did do it :

• Sides with Esters in the end.
• Puts up a poker face - refrains to show emotion (like pacing around in Hoopers case)
• Stave does sound like the type of guy that would fall for a clever plan, even if it includes him putting on a mask to disguise himself.

At the table Stave held his breath.  He was afraid Hooper would call him out!  Why did he tell  him of the plan?  Stave wished Hooper would stop pacing.  The weight of the world fell off his shoulders the moment Hooper sided with Esters.  He had made up his mind, he was with Stave on this one.  Stave kept his pokerface on and waited for everybody to show where they stood.  Blasted pokerface was what got him into this in the first place.  Gambling debts...  Stave knew Piper was cheating somehouw... But as long as he couldn't prove it... The money Piper was paying him was a means to an end.  And he didn't really betray Tapper now did he?  Stave kept telling himself that it would all turn out to be ok.  That it would be like in the old days.  He came to his sences with this still fresh on his mind and realised that he was to cast his vote.  So he did, not willing to look Tapper in the eyes...

If they went all in on the rats and won, Esters would be the new boss and Stave would have his revenge on the rats for cheating.  If they failed to bring the rats down, Tapper would be rid of Esters.  What happened to him wouldn't matter much.  Stave wanted to let the Master Brewer now the truth of it, so he told Hooper.  But the blasted loyal friend came down into the hellhole with him, to protect his brother.  To bash in the skull of Piper.

Mash

Did not do it :

• He's Esters husband, no matter how much love he has for Tapper, he's not going to set up his wife.
• He sides with Esters, not wanting to for other reasons than precognition, or so I take from the tale.

Did do it :

• Mash has been henpecked for long enough.  It has to stop somewhere.
• Who else better to betray Esters than her husband?
• Mash is a dog person, right, Quaff?

Pellage came up to Mash's side as he rushed homewards: "Well hello there, hurrying back to your sweet momma?  Doesn't she aprove of your friends?  Are you not afraid she'll find out?"

Mashs fist hit the brick wall, as Pellage saw the swing coming, was expecting it to come.  She chuckled,"Poor man, living under the thumb of such a woman, what did you ever see in her anyway?"

Two more blows were adeptly dodged by Pellage: "Why take it out on me, Mash? Why not step up and take it out on her?"

Mash grunted: "There is another way!  I'll talk her down yet! She has to see reason!" Mash kept swining at his opponent, who wasn't even breaking a sweat dodging his every move. "Except you know she won't, she'll keep manipulating everybody around her to get to the Master Brewer! Even you, Mash!  She uses you!  Can't you see that!"  Mash stopped swinging: "I do see it, damnit!" Pellage dropped her guard at hearing it, did she sway him already?  Next thing she knew she was knocked back and flat on her arse in the gutter. "Hah!" Mash sniffed: "Right where you belong! Now what do you want?!"  "What do I want?  You know what the rats want, brewer, you know what she did!" Mash's shoulders slumped, he did know all to well.  But that didn't mean he was going to have any of this ratcatcher bullshit!  As he made his mind up and made to swing at Pellage again he got hit in the head from behind, he turned on his heels and faced Scourge.  What happened next was a blur, Scourge and Pellage were on him and dragged him into an alley, kicking and screaming.

In the end  he gave in.  The promise of coin only a band aid on his treatorous acts to come...

Stoker

Did not do it :

• Because it would be painfully obvious...

Did do it :

• Because it's painfully obvious.

"Tapper knows nothing, in fact he thinks I hate his guts.  I make it painfully obvious every time we face eachother."
"Good, the master brewer shouldn't know I want him back in the saddle, I know him all too well, he'd do the opposite of what I want.  Now do you understand what must be done?"
"I hope Piper and his rats understand it, don't worry about me."
Stoker and the owner of the other voice parted ways.
Tapper could make out Stoker running off in one direction and a dark figure in the other.  Too bad he wasn't close enough to hear what was said.  He decided to follow the unknown figure.  If he could find out who Stoker was talking too it might help him piece together what was going on, so he could act with knowledge instead of just swinging in the dark like Esters is pushing him to do.
Tapper made to set after the figure when a lamplighter lit a lamp right above the man.  A dash of light fell on his face and Tapper froze on the spot.  Not him! This was worse than he thought...
But maybe he could end it all right here...  If he could just follow the man, and off him, it would end a lot of wheeling and dealing in this Guild Ball Scene...

Stoker found Pellage where the man told him she would be.  "Killing Scum and nailing her to the door? Yeah that would send a clear message allright!" Stoker snorted, why didn't he come up with that? "It might even sway Friday to Esters' side! Give me the coin and I'll let you know when the coast is clear!"
"Half now, half after the job is done."  Pelage handed him a pouch.
"Sure, lass, I'll let your master Piper know how it went right after the meeting!"

PintPot

Did not do it :

• Not the type of man to answer a problem other than with his fists.

Did do it :

• Easy to manipulate, violent and possibly hungry for money.

"Pssst"
"What?!" PintPot put his fists up.
"Calm down, I'm not here for a fight, not yet... anyway" Pellage smiled at Pint Pot "Want to earn some money?"
"Depends"
"Want to fight me?"
"Didn't you just say you weren't here for one?"
Pellage chuckled: "Well, I can offer you both!  Piper is to declare war on the brewers soon and we want somebody to tell us how the vote went after we sent the message."
"So what are you telling me?  What do I have to do?"
"Nothing much, we'll do something, the master brewers is going to have to respond to; And knowing him he'll do nothing, what we want to know is if Esters is going to take action!  We'll bait you guys into a full on war with us!"
"You want a fight? I'll gladly punch you on the nose right now! In fact I'm not sure why I haven't already?"
"The promise of coin?"
Pint Pot snorted, meaning her to get to the point quickly.
Pellage took a hint "Look, you'll know when, but we want you to come find Piper and tell him if Esters is going to retaliate or not, that's all."
"What are you going to do? When?"
"I can't tell you that... But it'll be clear, even for you."
Pint Pot gave her a look, but didn't react to the insult.  "All I have to do is tell Piper if Esters wants war?"
Pellage nodded.
"How much?"
Pellage held up both hands and whispered "Silver"
The light in Pint Pot's eyes gave him away before he agreed...

VDecimate

Did not do it :

• Smart enough to know the way Tapper is handling it is the better way.
• Sides with Tapper

Did do it :

• Only came back to the brewers as part of a greater scheme

"I like the way you think, Greede.  How long do I have to side with Tapper for?  This war is going to escalate real quick if I read the brewers right,  rather I'm not stuck in between the two of them."

"Just a while longer..." The small man looked like an evil leprechaun smiling like that.

"Tell me, how did you know of Blackhearts plan? And why go through with it?"

"The Union has fallen appart, if I want to mend the pieces, I'll need some glue... The war between the rats and the brewers is only the catalyst.  I'll need to take out the competition and become the sole master manipulator!  The broken pieces will need a home and I'll provide.  As to how I know the things I do...  well... stay by my side and you might find out yourself how important a side-kick can really be!"

"You think Tapper is going to come into the fold of the union?"
A cackling laughter cut through the room! "My God Decimate!  Of course he won't, he's to proud, he'd rather break and die with his kutte clamped in his fist than turn!"
"Who then? Spigot?"
"Wrong again dear, Spigot, he's a believer, if he falls down broken and no longer a brewer, my bet is the church is going to mend that broken piece.  No, Friday is the one I'm gunning for!  What a striker she is!"
"You're cruel, Greede, break her heart to mend it yourself? I'm glad I'm on your good side..."
There was that evil leprechaun smile again... "You're sure Skulk saw you when you went in to kill him?"
"Yes"
"But didn't know it was you? Only a brewer?"
"Yes, yes!"
"Then we have nothing to worrie about, and if you're wrong, you have everything to be worried about!" Greede laughed again "Now don't go sticking your knives or sword into the next rat or spook you see!  It might scurry up to you with presents"
Decimate didn't respond, she knew Greede would fill her in, no need to seem to eager.
"The way I see it, you're the most likely brewer to turn your back on them, being a former mercenary and all...  The morticians will need information, the rats know it has to come from within the brewers guild and chances are they'll offer you a price for it.  Tell them you don't know but will keep an ear on the ground, if we play our cards right we'll be able to get you back home alive. And with coin in your pockets!"

Lucky or Somebody Else (entertainers)

Did not do it :

• The traitor was most likely present during the meet
• Not a real brewer, so hardly a traitor

Did do it :

• To throw off all speculation that was going on, like on this blog and on FB...  That's why!

No story here folks, to many variables, and with all the stuff I put out here...  I'm sure something else will be going on...  

Oh Sherwin, how you got me dreaming...

That's all folks!

Bob Out