[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 "vote" and that player's name.
To vote to end the day without a lynch: bold the phrase "vote night".
To remove your vote without casting a new vote: bold the phrase "remove vote".
To change your vote for a player: First bold remove vote then vote for the new player.

The vote should be positioned at the end of a post, and be clearly seperated from the rest of the post. Example:

Quote

your text, many quotes, brilliant arguments and a clever and convincing conclusion. Alternatively, a lame joke.

remove vote

vote Killer

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.
If a player is modkilled during the day, the majorities will not adjust.
If a player dies during the day due to a player's ability, majorities will adjust.

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 (12 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 or if you are the all powerful tyrant Steve

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]

Core Set Up:

This is a Town versus Scum game. There are no roles that you will be unfamiliar with. Town need to eliminate scum. Scum need to reach a parity with town. TMDi 4

Days will be 36 hours. Nights will resolve when actions are in and/or a mod is available (no longer than 12 hours).

Reveals welcome do not quote your PM.

[Path-Shaper]

The two strangers stare down at a land painted in red. The best laid plans have to start somewhere and that somewhere is the back end of Hood's arsehole. Yes that's right, you couldn't get any deeper if you tried. The number of dead? Who cares, what matters is the number that live. One. That is where this story begins.

The huts are blurring rapidly to each side of her, she is out of breath, she feels as though she has been running for days, death chases her, she hears their howls, she hears their screams, all sounds mixed into one terrifying blood curdling feeling of dread. Her legs give way, she spins as she falls, something is coming toward her, something dreadful, she hits the ground but does not feel the pain.

She opens her eyes, the dream felt too real, she is breathing rapidly and her heart is pumping menacingly in her chest. The smell has been burning her nostrils but now she is awake she notices it and spews up. She takes a look around and wishes she was still dreaming. Blood, rubble, parts of bodies, it is all too much to take in. She knows she cannot stay where she is, she gets up and just starts walking through all the sludge. Her mind feels detached, unemotional which is strange because she should be hysterical, she should be weeping for her village, for her father but no. She walks and with each step she feels a sense of purpose.

Ganoes stares at Tattersail but he doesn't see her. His mind isn't in this place, he is thinking about the blood and sludge he had to endure when Adjunct Lorn took him for a "walk". Yes some walk that was, more like a battle of stomach versus mind. The smell wasn't the worst bit, no it was the swish crunch of each step, the sound that grated his teeth together. He didn't want to think about it, but it was nigh unforgettable.

Tattersail just wants to have sex again, she needs to put her mind at ease or take herself away from what's coming. She knows something is there, she knows she may have to pull out her cards, she knows but she doesn't want to, she looks up to see Ganoes with a weird look on his face, forget sex she thinks, I need a beer.

[Path-Shaper]

'It smells bad from here to the throne,' Kalam said, his scarred face twisted with worry. He sat crouched on his haunches, absently scratching the lines of a web on the ground with his dagger, then looked up at his sergeant.

Whiskeyjack eyed Pale's stained walls, the muscles of his jaw bunching beneath his beard. 'The last time I stood on this hill,' he said, his gaze narrowing, 'it was crowded with armour. And a mage and a half.' He was silent for a time, then he sighed. 'Go on, Corporal.'

Kalam nodded. 'I pulled some old threads,' he said, squinting against the harsh morning light.

'Somebody high up has us marked. Could be the court itself, or maybe the nobility—there's rumours they're back at it behind the scenes.' He grimaced. 'And now we've got some new captain from Unta eager to get our throats cut. Four captains in the last three years, not one worth his weight in salt.'

Quick Ben stood ten feet away, at the hill's crest, his arms crossed. He now spoke. 'You heard the plan. Come on, Whiskeyjack. That man slid straight out of the palace and into our laps on a stream of—'

'Quiet,' Whiskeyjack muttered. 'I'm thinking.'

Kalam and Quick Ben exchanged glances.

A long minute passed. On the road below troop wagons rattled in the ruts leading into the city.

Remnants of the 5th and 6th Armies, already battered, almost broken, by Caladan Brood and the Crimson Guard.

Whiskeyjack shook his head. The only force intact was the Moranth, they seemed determined to field only the Black regiments, using the Gr for lifts and drops—and where the hell was the Gold he'd been hearing much about? Damn those unhuman bastards anyway. Pale's gutters ran red from their hour of retribution. Once the burial shifts were through there'd be a few more hills outside the city's walls. Big ones.

There would be nothing to mark thirteen hundred dead Bridgeburners though. The worms didn't need to travel far to feast on those bodies. What chilled the sergeant to his bones was the fact that, apart from a few survivors, nobody had made a serious effort to save them. Some high ranking officer had delivered Tayschrenn's commiserations on those lost in the line of duty, then had unloaded a wagonload of tripe about heroism and sacrifice. His audience of thirty-nine stone-faced soldiers looked on without a word. The officer was found dead in his room hours later, expertly garotted. The mood was bad—nobody in regiment would have even thought of something so ugly five years ago. But now they didn't blink at the news.

Garotte—sounds like Claw work. Kalam had suggested it was a setup, an elaborate frame to discredit what was left of the Bridgeburners. Whiskeyjack was sceptical.

He tried to clear his thoughts. If there was a pattern it would be a simple one, simple enough to pass by unnoticed. But exhaustion see in like a thick haze behind his eyes. He took a deep lungful of the morning air. 'The new recruit?' he asked.

Kalam rose from his haunches with a grunt. A faraway and longlook entered his eyes. 'Maybe,'

he said finally. 'Pretty young for a Claw though.'

'I never believed in pure evil before Sorry showed up,' Quick Ben said. 'But you're right, she's awfully young. How long are they trained before they're sent out?'

Kalam shrugged uneasily. 'Fifteen years minimum. Mind you, they them young. Five or six.'

'Could be magery involved, making her look younger than she is.' Quick Ben said. 'High-level stuff, but within Tayschrenn's abilities.'

'Seems too obvious,' Whiskeyjack muttered. 'Call it bad upbringing.' Quick Ben snorted. 'Don't tell me you believe that, Whiskeyjack.'

The sergeant's face tightened. 'The subject's closed on Sorry. And don't tell me what I think, Wizard.' He faced Kalam. 'All right. You think Empire's into killing its own these days. You think Laseen's cleaning house, maybe? Or someone close to her? Getting rid of certain people. Fine.

Tell me why.'

'The old guard,' Kalam replied immediately. 'Everyone still loyal to Emperor's memory.'

'Doesn't wash,' Whiskeyjack said. 'We're all dying off anyway. We don't need Laseen's help.

Apart from Dujek there's not a man in this army here who even knows the Emperor's name, and nobody'd give a damn in any case. He's dead. Long live the Empress.'

'She ain't got the patience to wait it out,' Quick Ben said.

Kalam nodded agreement. 'She's losing momentum as it is. Things used to be better—it's that memory she wants dead.'

'Hairlock's our snake in the hole,' Quick Ben said with a sharp nod.

'It'll work, Whiskeyjack. I know what I'm doing on this one.'

'We do it the way the Emperor would have,' Kalam added. 'We turn the game. We do our own house-cleaning.'

Whiskeyjack raised a hand. 'All right. Now be quiet. You're both sounding too damn rehearsed.'

He paused. 'It's a theory. A complicated one. Who's in the know and who isn't?' He scowled at Quick Ben's expression. 'Right, that's Hairlock's task. But what happens when you come face to face with someone big, powerful and mean?'

'Like Tayschrenn?' The Wizard grinned.

'Right. I'm sure you've got an answer. Let's see if I can work it out myself. You look for someone even nastier. You make a deal and you set things up, and if we're quick enough we'll come out smelling of roses. Am I close, Wizard?'

Kalam snorted his amusement.

Quick Ben looked away. 'Back in the Seven Cities, before the Empire showed up—'

'Back in the Seven Cities is back in the Seven Cities,' Whiskeyjack said. 'Hell, I led the company chasing you across the desert, remember? I know how you work, Quick. And I know you're damn good at this. But I also recall that you were the only one of your cabal to come out alive back then. And this time?'

The wizard seemed hurt by Whiskeyjack's words. His lips thinned to a straight line.

The sergeant sighed. 'All right. We go with it. Start things rolling. And pull that sorceress all the way in. We'll need her if Hairlock breaks his chains.'

'And Sorry?' Kalam asked.

Whiskeyjack hesitated. He knew the question behind that question.

Quick Ben was the squad's brains, but Kalam was their killer. Both made him uneasy with their single-minded devotion to their respective talents.

'Leave her alone,' he said at last. 'For now.'

Kalam and Quick Ben sighed, sharing a grin behind their sergeant's back.

'Just don't get cocky,' Whiskeyjack said drily.

The grins faded.

[Path-Shaper]

'I would hear your thoughts,' Tayschrenn said.

Tattersail started, shied from the High Mage's steady gaze. She began collecting the cards.

Would it hurt to offer some explanation? If anything, it will leave him even more rattled than be already is. 'Deception is the Patron Assassin's forte. I sensed nothing of his presumed master, Shadowthrone himself. Makes me suspect the Rope is on his own here. Beware the Assassin, High Mage, if anything his games are even more subtle than Shadowthrone's. And while Oponn plays their own version, it remains the same game, and that game is being played out in our world. The Twins of Luck have no control in Shadow's Realm, and Shadow is a Warren known for slipping its boundaries. For breaking the rules.'

[Path-Shaper]

Chiff, chiff, chiff three quick stabs and she is done. Lung, Kidney, heart. The man was in the wrong place at the wrong time, nothing can interrupt her goal. She loves that sound, chiff, it's a lovely sound when skin is parted and the bite of the knife has found it's mark. The man was in the alleyway she wanted to use and therefore he was in her way. She looks down upon him, he fell face first and then turned over, his face is all scratched from the stone floor, he was dead before he hit it. She debates with herself on whether to keep cutting him, there's no chance she can use this alley tonight. No, good things come to those who wait and she wants those good things so badly. In this instant she knows she is about to embark on a killing spree and no one is going to get in her way. Chiff, she plunges her knife into the man's face, she loves that sound.

[Path-Shaper]

Tattersail rolls over and almost crushes Ganoes with her sheer weight. She forgets her lover is sleeping next to her but the cold dread that settles over her as she makes contact with his skin is enough to stop her. Is it a sign, is Hood watching over young Ganoes or is she just being a silly little witch?

It is day one: 35 hour 59 minutes until night time.

16 players still alive; Alkend, Ampelas, Bek Okhan, Denul, Eloth, Galayn Lord, Kessobahn, Kilava, Korabas, Lock, Monok Ochem, Okaros, Okral Lom, Rikkter, Silchas Ruin, Tiamatha,

9 votes to lynch, 8 votes to night

Players not voted; Alkend, Ampelas, Bek Okhan, Denul, Eloth, Galayn Lord, Kessobahn, Kilava, Korabas, Lock, Monok Ochem, Okaros, Okral Lom, Rikkter, Silchas Ruin, Tiamatha,

This post has been edited by Path-Shaper: 12 March 2014 - 11:36 AM

[Lock]

First

[Rikkter]

Damnit, I've been thread watching like a hawk to get first.

you sir lock, are my mortal enemy hence forth

[Eloth]

What up?

I can't remember the last time we had an actual Malazan-based game. The material really should be mined more often.

[Galayn Lord]

Been too long since I revisited GoTM. I think I'll start again after the game.

[Lock]

Rikkter, on 12 March 2014 - 11:50 AM, said:

Damnit, I've been thread watching like a hawk to get first.

you sir lock, are my mortal enemy hence forth

[Rikkter]

Why is that mans shin curved?

[Tiamatha]

Rikkter, on 12 March 2014 - 12:09 PM, said:

Why is that mans shin curved?

It is either a function of the lenses that took the picture or more likely he is an alien.

[Monok Ochem]

checking in

[Kessobahn]

Checking in

[Okaros]

Mmm, Malazan lore. Nice intro.

[Korabas]

Hello ladies and gents!

[Path-Shaper]

Path-Shaper, on 12 March 2014 - 11:36 AM, said:

It is day one: 32 hour 50 minutes until night time.

16 players still alive; Alkend, Ampelas, Bek Okhan, Denul, Eloth, Galayn Lord, Kessobahn, Kilava, Korabas, Lock, Monok Ochem, Okaros, Okral Lom, Rikkter, Silchas Ruin, Tiamatha,

9 votes to lynch, 8 votes to night

Players not voted; Alkend, Ampelas, Bek Okhan, Denul, Eloth, Galayn Lord, Kessobahn, Kilava, Korabas, Lock, Monok Ochem, Okaros, Okral Lom, Rikkter, Silchas Ruin, Tiamatha,

[Lock]

Rikkter, on 12 March 2014 - 12:09 PM, said:

Why is that mans shin curved?

Curve lens camera maybe? Either that or he's outrunning physics.