hector: How would Shakerag being killed rule out a cult? How do you know the cult has no kills? Further, I see you going on and on about the kill, but not grilling anyone about it. Why would that be?
What? When did I say these things? Could fire that last shot at you too, bucko. Excepting this question, anyway...
I'm having trouble finding where I said things that could be twisted to look like I said that, too. I said I think, given the information at hand, that there's no cult, not that there definitely absolutely 100% isn't one. My mind is open to being changed. PPE: see later.
Also, all we're really doing now is going "well this makes me think that" and nobody is really doing anything. I was throwing in my two cents and pondering what to do with the not particularly useful information I did have, which I proceeded to disseminate to y'all.
NK analysis is a bit hit and miss anyway. Until about an hour ago, I didn't know much about Shake's kill beyond it happened. Could've been town, TP, or scum. We don't want to delve too much into a town kill, while a TP kill is interesting. Scum probably have a kill, otherwise they're going to have much trouble winning, though I haven't looked through the previous supernatural games with a cult yet to see how Meph dealt with conversions and kills.
PPE: in saying that, this was a role in the Semi-Bastard Supernatural:
Hapah - You are a veteran Templar, your skills in hunting down the accursed Cults of the world honed by many battles against the dark forces of the world. You are immune to the seductive charms of the Cults, and cannot be converted by them. In addition, you may either attempt to Kill another player each night or Protect yourself from attack instead.
Seems likely there's a cult then heh.
However, it would seem
quite excessive for them to have a convert and a kill. One or t'other, though I guess they could convert a killing role... that would be unpleasant.
Supernatural 8 had a non-converting cult, though. Could be dealing with that again.
Equally so, the Templar role could be a red herring. *shrugs* various games in which there has been a Vampire Hunter with no vampire.
I agree with Rev's conclusion of Shakerag's death being awfully ritualistic. Perhaps the baddies are building a golem, or are attempting to summon a vicious beasty and need various body parts, but that's flavour pondering and not necessarily all that useful.
PPE2:
juicebox: where does the evidence point if not to a cult, in your opinion?