[Path-Shaper]

Game Mechanics

1 - General Structure
Players may begin posting as soon as the mods announce that the game has started on the thread. The game begins during the day. The day ends when when a sufficient number of people have voted to lynch a player (remove that player from the game) or voted to end the day without a lynch. Many games also have time limits on the days, and if no consensus is reached when the time expires, the day ends with no lynch (36 hours is the time limit for the present game). When the day phase has ended, night begins. The mods will then post a scene reporting the outcome of the day. Players may continue posting in the thread (unless they've been voted out) but no voting is allowed. Night ends when the mods post the morning scene reporting the outcome of the night actions. Day and night phases continue to alternate until the game ends.

2 - Day Phase
During the day, players may post in the thread and vote. Some roles may have special powers which can be used during the day.

2.1 - Voting Mechanics
To vote for a player: bold that player's name.
To vote to end the day without a lynch: bold the word night.
To change your vote: bold the other player's name (or bold night).
To remove your vote without casting a new vote: bold the phrase remove vote.

2.2 - Voting Restrictions
You may only vote during the day phase. You can only have one vote outstanding at any time. You may not edit a vote into a post. You may not edit a vote out of a post.

2.3 - Bold Restrictions
The use of bold should be limited to voting. If you want to emphasize a players name or another word, you can underline the word or post using a different color

2.4 - Majority Defined
A majority means either more than half of the active players voting for one player's lynch or half or more of the active players voting to go to night without a lynch.

2.5 - Ending the Day
The day ends as soon as a majority is reached (or, if the game has a day time limit and the players fail to achieve a majority, once the time limit has elapsed). Anyone lynched is no longer an active player and must not post in the thread. Votes can no longer be withdrawn and new votes cannot be cast until the night phase ends.

2.6 - Evening Scene
The mods will post a scene shortly after the day ends to report the results of the day actions. If the day ended with a player's lynch, the mods might also reveal information about the lynched player, such as the player's alt or alignment. This is the mods' choice, and they'll explain what, if any, information will be revealed in the game rules. There are no hidden clues in the evening scenes.

3 - Night Phase
During the night, players may post in the thread but may not vote. Some players will have the ability to perform special actions. Once again, the mods decide which roles will be included for their game, so be sure to fully read the game rules and any role descriptions which may be included.

3.1 - Performing a Night Action
If your role includes the ability to perform a special action at night, you need to PM the mods to indicate the action you wish to take. Most, if not all, roles have the ability to "withhold" their powers (i.e. take no action). This will be made clear to the roled players, and, usually, to all other players as well. If you chose to not perform your allowed action, you must PM "no action" to the mods. Most games have a time limit on nights (0 hours is the time limit for the present game). All players must PM their night actions to the mods within this timeframe. Players are strongly encouraged to send their night actions as soon as possible. You may also send in a PM for your special action during the day phase, this is very strongly encouraged.

3.2 - Contingent PM
If you send in a PM during the day phase, you may choose to list alternative actions contingent on the manner in which the day ended. If none of the contingencies you list actually occur, your PM will be disregarded, and you must send a new PM to the mods (example: if Meanas is lynched I kill Kaschan, otherwise I kill Hood's Path).

3.3 - Provisional PM
You may choose to send a provisional PM if you want to further consider your night action but do not want to extend the night if all other roled players have decided upon their actions. Provisional PMs must be clearly marked as such. A provisional PM will not be acted upon by the mods until it becomes a 'definite PM.' A provisional PM becomes definite as soon as ( a ) you confirm your choice with another PM, ( b ) all other roled players that need to send night actions have done so, or ( c ) the time limit for the night has expired.

As a courtesy to other players we ask that you confirm your provisional PM as soon as you are able.

3.4 - Last Resort PM
In extraordinary circumstances you may be allowed to send in a last resort PM. A last resort PM will not be acted upon by the mods until ( a ) you confirm your choice with another PM or ( b ) the time limit for the night has expired. Should you need to send a last resort PM, you must first seek the mods approval by explaining the circumstances that necessitate such a PM. Last resort PMs are accepted only at the discretion of the mods.

3.5 - Failure to PM
If not all PMs are received within the time limit, everyone who has failed to send in a PM will be considered to have taken no action. In addition, those who failed to send in a PM will be warned by the mods or may risk further penalties.

3.6 - Changing a Night Action
PMs to the mod can be changed at any point before the new day is announced. A PM is considered to be changed only after the mod receives and has read the PM. The player bears the risk that the mod will post the morning scene after the player has sent in a new PM but before the mod has actually read it.

3.7 - Abusing the Time Limit
If the mods have included a night time limit, it begins as soon as the previous day ended, regardless of when the mods posted the evening scene. However, this time limit is a maximum limit, and all players should send in PMs as soon as they feel comfortable doing so. Players (and mods) prefer shorter nights, as people are anxious to see who may have died and to begin voting again. If the mods feel that a player is abusing the time limit by unreasonably stalling, they may force the player to take no night action or take other appropriate action.

3.8 Preventing Night Actions
Except where expressly noted, no night actions prevent any other night actions sent in from taking effect.

3.9 - Morning Scene
The night phase ends when the mods post the morning scene. The mods will post the scene shortly after all night action PMs have been received. The scene will report any player deaths that occurred during the night, and might also reveal information about the lynched player, such as the player's alt or alignment. There are no hidden clues in the morning scenes. As soon as the scene is posted any players who have been killed at night will no longer be active players and can no longer post in the thread. The time limit for the new day will begin with the morning scene.

Section 4 - Endgame
The game will continue to alternate between day and night phases until the game ends. The game can end after either a day or night phase.

4.1 - Winning Conditions
The game ends once one faction has reached its winning conditions, which the mods will state in a later post.

Mafia is a team game. Once one faction achieves its winning conditions, all members of that faction have won whether or not they are active players when the winning conditions are achieved.

4.2 - Ending Scene
The mods will post an ending scene and declare the game over shortly after one faction achieves its winning conditions. If for any reason it becomes impossible for either faction to achieve its winning conditions, the mods will declare the game a draw.

The game is only over when a mod posts the ending scene. Even if you know (or believe you know) the result of the game before then, you may not post in the thread unless you are an active player.

4.3 - Calling the Game Early
The mods reserve the right to end the game at any time before a faction achieves its winning conditions provided there are compelling reasons to do so. In general, the mods will end the game early as soon as one faction's victory becomes inevitable.

4.4 - Spoilers
When the game is over, the mods will reveal the alts and roles of everybody who played and also give everyone access to the spoiled spectator threads on the discussion board.

RULES

All players must:

A1) Have an account on malazanempire.com/forums

A2) Log in and view the thread and the discussion board anonymously at all times, unless they have informed the mods that this is not possible for technical reasons

A3) Post at least once every 36 hours. Any player who has not posted within the last 36 hours will be automatically modkilled, whether or not the mods announce this on the thread. Warnings will be issued after 24 hours and subsequently closer to the deadline.

The mods may grant extensions to this limit in some cases (if so, they will give details in a later post). However, if they have not posted on the thread to announce an extension before the 24 hour limit is reached, no extension will be granted, whatever may have been said elsewhere. Please contact the mods as early as possible if you wish to request an extension.

A4) Send in role prescribed night actions (including the desire to take no action) within the time limit

A5) Treat everybody else playing with courtesy and respect

A6) Make any edits the mods request of them as soon as possible, whether or not they believe that the posts need to be edited.

A7) Contact the game mods as soon as possible if they feel you are at risk of breaking a rule or fear they or another person may have already done so.

A8) You must not edit previous posts unless to change spelling or grammar.

Players must not:

B1) Act in any way intended to reduce the chance of their faction achieving its win conditions. (However, should all surviving members of a faction agree that they wish to resign and end the game early, they may do so by PMing the mods privately, without stating their intentions on-thread until the mods post to announce that the game is over.)

B2) Discuss the game with any other living players outside this game thread except when told they may do so in their role PMs.

B3) Reveal any information about the game at all in any other thread than this one, or in any other forum (including message boards and chat rooms) where it may be seen by a living player.

B4) Give anybody access to any of their accounts (including game alts, if the game is using them), either here or on the mafia discussion board.

B5) Attempt to obtain advice about the game from anybody not currently playing.

B6) Post information on the thread relating to another player's past or current activity on (or absence from) the board that would not otherwise be available to anybody reading the thread.

B7) Quote, in whole or part, PMs from (or other private conversations with) the mods on the thread, or discuss the timing of any PMs sent to the mods.

B8) Post on the thread at any time after they are dead until the mods themselves post on the thread to announce that the game is over. Any posts accidently made after death should be immediately edited blank.

B9) Make any bets about the game.

B10) Offer to break any of these rules or any other rules the mods have set in place for the game, encourage others to do so or help to conceal the fact that rules have been broken.

B11) Revealing the name of your character is expressly forbidden both in the living thread and in the beyond, doing so will result in a modkill and the removal of your player from both here and heaven.

AND JUST SO YOU KNOW

C1) Failure to comply with the rules may result in any punishment the mods deem appropriate, including, but not limited to: a request to edit posts; formal warnings on thread; "modkilling", lashing, spanking, paddling, the rack, thumbscrews, waterboarding, time-out, death and/or ending the game prematurely in favor of one faction or none. Except where clearly stated in the rules, the mods are free to respond to any rules violation in whatever manner they wish. In all cases the mods' decision on these matters is final.

C2) Feel free to PM your thoughts (or questions) to the mods. We love to hear them!

C3) The mods reserve the right to amend the rules during the game if we realize we've forgotten to cover something.

-------------------------

As well as running the game on this thread, the mods are also responsible for administering the spoiler thread on the temporary forum and anybody not actively involved in the game (whether spectators or dead players who no longer wish to play) can request access to this thread by PMing the mods. Only dead players will have access to the Beyond. Please note that while in general the mods will be happy to let anybody have access to this thread, they do reserve the right to refuse access to anybody for any reason. Accordingly, please do not ask anybody other than the mods for access to the spoiler thread or give yourself access to it, even if you have the power to do so. Any posts found to contravene these rules will be deleted and the responsible players will be added to a blacklist for any future games run my this mod.

Once given access to the thread, spoiled spectators should also take note of the following rules, and must not:

D1) Share any information from the spoiler thread with living players, or post such in a forum where it may be seen by living players.

D2) Offer any advice, hints or strategy to living players.

D3) Make personal attacks on players in the game or on posters in the spoiler thread itself

D4) Post on the game thread before the mods announce that the game is over.

D5) PM living or dead players with comments on the game.

[Path-Shaper]

The One Above looked down upon his Blessed Isle. The mighty brow creased with a frown upon seeing the scar of flames crossing once bright farmlands. The fields were bare, the folk gone. Something had happened to his flock of worshippers, but what?

Omnipotence wasn't a given when you were a God, it had to be earned. The One Above had been lax, relying on the influx of souls rather than searching for empowerment. There must be something, someone who could provide the answers he suddenly needed. The piping songs of the priesthood were gone, the bellows of the blacksmiths as they cursed in his name, gone. There must be something... somewhere...






The distant call of a young mans desperate prayers...






Nashid was dying, but not fast enough for his liking.

The plague had swept through the island in a brace of days taking the strong and the able to an early grave, leaving the weak and the scarred behind to deal with the aftermath. They hadn't been able to cope. Bodies too infirm to work the fields certainly couldn't bury the dead who had once ploughed them. That hadn't been the worst thing by a way.

Folk had rallied, had joined together in teams to pull sleds loaded with the dead from the towns and discard them from the tops of sea cliffs or into the deep valleys that crossed the Isle. It had looked like they would recover. With the help of He Above they would multiply and grow fruitful once again, the priesthood assured them it was so.

People came together at the call of the priests, survivors all gathering in a single town below the mountain, to aid one another and grow strong once again. The priests were liars. With the fields untilled, the nets not cast and the snares not set the people went hungry. They became weaker, feebler.

It had to happen eventually. The shell of an old priest was discovered on the ramp to the Holy Mountain, his flesh flensed from his bones, skin expertly flayed and discarded. The remains of a campfire showed the killer had at least retained enough of a mind to cook his meal before eating it. More than one stomach had rumbled at the lingering smell of meat. Nashid's gave a growl.

Shocked, those who had been able to make the trip to examine the scene returned to town. Word had spread ahead of them and all were regarded with fear. Would this evil practice spread? Would they be next? Nashid offered a brief prayer to He Above for intercession should he be set upon.

Things became worse still. Starvation began to affect even the most rational of folks, even Speaker Desrit; once chairman of the village hoopla team and as kind a soul as you could ever hope to meet. He was respected amongst these disparate survivors so when he quietly suggested that the killer could be discovered by examining the contents of their stomachs none had raised an objection. Desrit called out that all should have the contents of their stomachs inspected in turn until they located the body of the priest and could inflict their wrath upon the killer. People had cheered. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

A vote was held, managed by the Speaker. The first to be inspected was portly Davros form the Southern tip of the Isle. Too young and too round to fish the seas with his brothers he had been kept at home to weave by his mother, his limbs weak with disuse he put up no fight. Nashid offered a prayer that Davros not have the priests flesh within him for he was a kindly boy.

Examination proved more dangerous than first thought - Speaker Desrit nicked a large blood vessel during the inspection, the resulting shower of red droplets coating the table and walls in a grisly pattern. Davros didn't last long despite the best efforts of the Speaker, his blood running freely down the road. After that, well, it hadn't taken long before someone suggested that the meat not go to waste and the first dozen to reach Davros ate well that night.

It must have been a weakness of some sort Nashid thought, not to realise what would happen next. Old Fransuir had been elected the next evening, once a giant of a man now wasted away. He had been bedridden for the last week but still he would be inspected. Nothing.

Nashid began to realise the depths of darkness his fellows were stirring as they surged forward after the inspection was completed. In less than an hour there was a new set of bones in the pot, boiling out the marrow. Nashid had missed out on a meal again and grew weaker. Next time he resolved, with the help of The One Above, he would object.




Dysentery was such a small word to label so much discomfort. Already weakened as he was it left him bedridden for a week. A week shut away whilst his fellows grew more callous, more desperate. Whilst they abandoned the pretext of finding the priests killer and moved to a diet of human flesh out of choice, picking the juiciest morsel each night by means f a vote. It was absolutely forbidden in every book from the temple, every moral but they ate flesh again and again. The week of rest had been enough, some strength was returning to his limbs. Nashid rose from the bed, sipped the water that had been brought in to him every dawn and moved slowly towards the door.

He slipped on the floor coverings, cried out as he fell. The floor met his hip with a sharp cracking sound and a lance of pain shot through him. Typical he thought, I have regained my strength and I'm completely incapacitated by a broken hip. Nashid caught the curse before it left his lips as footsteps penetrated the door he was so near. There was a thump against it, a second followed. Nashid remained silent, quiet as a mouse. The latch raised, the door swung inward. A figure was outlined against the bright light of dawn.

"Help me please, brother" Nashid called, "for I have had a revelation from He Above and must tell the Speaker." It was a corny line but He Above wasn't answering and it would buy him some influence to try to halt the murderous elections.

The figure ducked into the house and peered out around the frame, cautious. Nashid stared as the door was shut silently and bolted. The pain receded as enlightenment dawned. The figure, a fellow survivor of the plague, once weak and helpless as Nashid was so painfully aware he was, had gained strength by preying upon the weak and the injured. This figure now standing over him speculatively was the killer of the priest. "No fire" he croaked, "Have to eat me raw." The figure shrugged as if to say there was nothing new there.

Now, as he lay on his back across the floor of the abandoned house he had claimed as his own, a figure growing dimmer by the second took another bite from his thigh. A blow to his head had put any thoughts of struggling firmly to rest. The pain was growing more distant. Little more than a minor itch now as the figure slurped noisily on his flesh. Nashid knew what needed to be done; his hour, nay, his minute was at hand. Closing his eyes he began to say the prayer of the dead.





...there!

Small and weak, growing weaker by the second but the voice of a true worshiper. The One Above clung to the thread of prayer like... like... a dying man clutching his last hope. The thought seared its way through the divine presence like a bolt of lightening striking a disbeliever on a barren hilltop. Bleeding some of his power into the man to keep him from failing further, He Above searched through the small mind.






Nashid felt strength flow through his body, brightening his vision and his senses. He screamed as his restored senses told him the figure gnawed on a toe. There was an impression of anothers thoughts in his mind, a sense of confusion that quickly turned into horror. This was quickly topped by rage, raw and hot. He Above spoke in the mind of Nashid telling him what he needed to hear, that his prayers were answered. Nashid would be the hand of vengeance amongst the sinners and would take the wrath of The One Above to the fallen souls. All those who had partaken of human flesh must die.

The figure had grown clear in his eyes. Sitting up surprised it. Probably not half so much as Nashid reaching out and clasping his hand around the figures ankle. Their eyes met and He Above judged through him. There was a flash of light and a brief sensation of heat. The figure doubled over, the eaten flesh inside him bursting into holy flame. Consumed from the inside in an instant the body collapsed into ash that drifted in the air.

The sensation of eyes upon his back made Nashid turn, rise faster than he thought he had ever done before. Another figure! Darting forward he caught a womans hand, the jug of water she had been carrying dropping to the floor. Their eyes met and He Above judged. A flash of vision, seeing himself from the outside, from her eyes. Thoughts of relief he had risen and fear at what would happen to her now. He Above judged and found her to be as innocent as Nashid.





Two! Thankfully two! The seeds of a new people can be grown from such as these, The One Above knew. The sinners though, they must be cleansed with fire, burned out of history. He joined the minds of the two for an instant, letting each know the flavour of the others thoughts, then spoke. "My children, I have failed you. No longer. We shall go amongst the foul creatures that were once your fellows and strike them down. They will try to resist you and there are many of them so you must be cunning. Disguise yourselves well. Place flesh in your mouth if you cannot avoid it and I will turn it to ash that you not join the sinners. Do well and you shall be the flowers from which the seeds of a new people spread."





The voice departed. Nashid looked at his new companion. They locked gazes for a moment then they turned and walked from the house. They had their mission. The sinners must die.

[Path-Shaper]

Game is basically M&P, TMDI is 4.

Days are 36 hours long, Nights are as close to instant as possible.

Inactivity modkill is 36 hours.

No quoting of PMs please on pain of modkill.




Scum team consists of two killers and one symp.

Town win when both killers are eliminated. Scum win when numerical parity with Town is reached.



Game start will be approx. 1500 GMT

This post has been edited by Path-Shaper: 20 January 2014 - 12:34 PM

[Path-Shaper]

The sun rose over the Blessed Isle, long shadows growing shorter as it climbed higher. Eyes darted nervously from shade to shadow, searching for something. A sign of life or a sign of death. A meal to be or a meal lost to ashes as the killer struck.

The ground was bare, the only movement the darting of eyes in every window and doorway. Stepping out attracted attention. Not to step out however was worse - once the hunt for the latest missing figure began it could only end when a new pile of ashes was discovered or when the slow to rise were dragged, befuddled and sleepy, from their beds and set upon the spit then torn apart.




It is Day 1. 36 hours remaining

14 Players still alive: Ampelas, Aparal Forge, Eldat Pressen, Emurlahnis, Hentos Ilm, Iparth Erule, Kadagar Fant, Karatallid, Kilava, Okaros, Prazec Goul, Rikkter, Silchas Ruin, Skintick

8 votes to lynch, 7 votes to go to night.



Players not voted: Ampelas, Aparal Forge, Eldat Pressen, Emurlahnis, Hentos Ilm, Iparth Erule, Kadagar Fant, Karatallid, Kilava, Okaros, Prazec Goul, Rikkter, Silchas Ruin, Skintick

[Ampelas]

Oooh, first!

[Ampelas]

....and only?

[Iparth Erule]

Calm down Chesney, the game has just begun.

[Iparth Erule]

Are you baffled at my Chesney comment? Need an explanation Bitch?

[Ampelas]

I mostly just don't care.

[Iparth Erule]

Ampelas, on 20 January 2014 - 04:03 PM, said:

I mostly just don't care.

Chesney Hawkes, he sang a song once at one point about being the One and Only. Glad to see you not caring. Is that a standard thing or just Emosexual or your current persona?

I care. Ampelas, I really care don't do it. I was just setting some bait down. Rodine by Rentokill. Better than them live traps.

Don't be a pest, come out and play

[Ampelas]

Guh, I wish I had gotten more than 4 hours of sleep last night. I feel like a zombie today.

[Iparth Erule]

Ampelas, on 20 January 2014 - 04:17 PM, said:

Guh, I wish I had gotten more than 4 hours of sleep last night. I feel like a zombie today.

No way, 4 hours? That's got to be a killer! Why did you only manage 4? I have at least 7 every night, no questions

[Ampelas]

Iparth Erule, on 20 January 2014 - 04:28 PM, said:

Ampelas, on 20 January 2014 - 04:17 PM, said:

Guh, I wish I had gotten more than 4 hours of sleep last night. I feel like a zombie today.

No way, 4 hours? That's got to be a killer! Why did you only manage 4? I have at least 7 every night, no questions

Addicted to Person of Interest. Watched like a bajillion episodes, lost track of time.

[Iparth Erule]

Ampelas, on 20 January 2014 - 05:00 PM, said:

Iparth Erule, on 20 January 2014 - 04:28 PM, said:

Ampelas, on 20 January 2014 - 04:17 PM, said:

Guh, I wish I had gotten more than 4 hours of sleep last night. I feel like a zombie today.

No way, 4 hours? That's got to be a killer! Why did you only manage 4? I have at least 7 every night, no questions

Addicted to Person of Interest. Watched like a bajillion episodes, lost track of time.

Seriously? I've never done that before, I know when bedtime comes. Is it a Crime Documentary? Or a Comedy? I am guessing a crime show like CSI?

[Ampelas]

Iparth Erule, on 20 January 2014 - 05:11 PM, said:

Ampelas, on 20 January 2014 - 05:00 PM, said:

Iparth Erule, on 20 January 2014 - 04:28 PM, said:

Ampelas, on 20 January 2014 - 04:17 PM, said:

Guh, I wish I had gotten more than 4 hours of sleep last night. I feel like a zombie today.

No way, 4 hours? That's got to be a killer! Why did you only manage 4? I have at least 7 every night, no questions

Addicted to Person of Interest. Watched like a bajillion episodes, lost track of time.

Seriously? I've never done that before, I know when bedtime comes. Is it a Crime Documentary? Or a Comedy? I am guessing a crime show like CSI?

It's kind of a crime show. The premise is that this guy built a machine that spies on everyone all the time to help prevent acts of terrorism, but the machine sees everything, including regular people doing bad things - so he pays this ex-marine (or soldier of some sort anyway) who is being chased by the law to help him stop violent crimes from happening.

[Skintick]

So yet another game with PS on the killer's side, ordaining them and all. Another crazy Santa in the making.

That show reminds me of Minority Report.

[Emurlahnis]

Person of interest, great show.

Checking in, will be in again in once we get more activity in here.

[Rikkter]

Umpteenth. Or fifth or sixth, rather. On the phone, so apart from the occassional F5, I am absent.

[Ampelas]

Emurlahnis, on 20 January 2014 - 06:07 PM, said:

Person of interest, great show.

Checking in, will be in again in once we get more activity in here.

At first I didn't really like the actor that plays Reese, but he's grown on me. And I squee'd a little when Veronica Mars' dad showed up.

[Karatallid]

I am here