[Blend]

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. 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.
Typically, if a player is modkilled during the day the majorities will not adjust.
Typically, 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. Typically, 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. 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.

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 spoiler board.


RULES

All players must:

A1) Have an account on forum.malazanempire.com

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 usually 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.


Players must not:

B1) Edit their posts unless to change spelling or grammar.

B2) 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.)

B3) Discuss the game with any other living players outside this game thread except when told they may do so in their role PMs.

B4) 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.

B5) 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.

B6) Attempt to obtain advice about the game from anybody not currently playing.

B7) 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.

B8) 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, if this behaviour is forbidden in the current game (it usually is).

B9) 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.

B10) Make any bets about the game.

B11) 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.

B12) Reveal any information about their role within the game when such reveals are forbidden (this is only forbidden in certain games). .

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", restriction of access to the spoiler thread(s), 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 spoiler board 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. 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 usually be added to a blacklist for any future games run by 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.

[Blend]

Game Specific Rules

Days are 36 hours. Nights are as instant as possible.

There will be no CFs at all in this game.

All faction members know their leaders, the leaders do not know their faction members.

There are resurrection abilities in this game, so there is a limbo thread in Spoiler Heaven, and the Spoiler Thread is in Spoiler Hell. While in limbo, please only post from your game alt. Once there are no abilities that require the limbo thread, you will be provided with access to the Spoiler Thread.

Reveals are allowed, however no quoting your role PMs.

No offsite coding is allowed.


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


While in the Dreamlands, all players struggle to remain sane, to not let fear overtake their souls. Each day, each player (except the Phobic Animus) must add 1 point to their fear counter. If a player's fear counter hits 10, they are taken over by the Phobic Animus and, in a pique of insanity, lash out and kill one other player as decided by the Phobic Animus during the next night cycle. This kill will disregard any BPs or other protections completely. The fear counter will then reset. If the Phobic Animus is dead, an insane person will kill someone at random, as decided by a randomizer at random.org.

The members of Johannes Cabal's faction are rational folk, and have abilities to counteract the insanity.

The members of Satan's faction are irrational demons, and have abilities to empower the insanity.

Nyarlathotep is a wild card, a trickster god here to mess with all the players, particularly Johannes Cabal on whom he would surely like to get revenge.

The Phobic Animus is the embodiment of fear, and seeks to drive all others insane.


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


Victory Conditions

Johannes Cabal's faction must eliminate Satan's faction and Nyarlathotep.

Satan's faction must eliminate Johannes Cabal's faction and Nyarlathotep.

Nyarlathotep must eliminate all other players.

The Phobic Animus must survive and wins alongside either of the factions.

This post has been edited by Path-Shaper: 23 May 2017 - 06:08 PM

[Blend]

Cast of Characters

The Fear Institute Faction

Johannes Cabal

"An unapologetic, unabashed necromancer, with a streak of pragmatism a mile wide, and a streak of sarcasm and distaste for fools which is, if possible, slightly wider. Cabal isn't a gibbering villain intent on world domination - he is simply a professional, who has set out on a particularly unpleasant vocation for reasons of his own, and is acquitting himself as such." - From the notes of Inquisitor Tanzer on the Inquisition of Johannes Cabal


Shadrach

"A short middle-aged man with receding hair, snowy mutton chops, and the open, sanguine air of a defrocked priest." - From the notes of Inquisitor Tanzer on the Inquisition of Johannes Cabal


Corde

"A tall man in a top hat, who looked like an undertaker, with lips that looked well used to being pursed." - From the notes of Inquisitor Tanzer on the Inquisition of Johannes Cabal


Bose

"He had the air of a recovering alcoholic who now ran a small printing company dedicated to the publication of religious tracts. He, too, had mutton chops, but these were black and as lustrous as a dog's coat. His eyes were quick and dark, and he wore the disreputable shortened form of a top hat known as a Müller." - From the notes of Inquisitor Tanzer on the Inquisition of Johannes Cabal


The Serial Killer


Nyarlathotep

"Never, in all the burials and cremations that he had planned and attended, had he ever had to commiserate with somebody who had just gained the attention - the probably baleful attention - of a real and malevolent god. A god that, when prayed to, did not depend on or even expect faith, but simply smote one's enemies." - As described by Shadrach to the Inquisition




Satan's Faction


Satan

"It occurs to me that Satan is a terrible liar. Try this for a hypothetical; there is no God, except as a scarecrow set up by Satan for his amusement. He watches mortals make fools of themselves in the somewhat smug knowledge that all will eventually go to Hell, because there is no alternative. Think of all the evil that has been done in the name of God–we are in a chamber full of instruments of torture, after all–and then think of how my hypothesis would explain so much." - From the notes of Inquisitor Tanzer on the Inquisition of Johannes Cabal



Astaroth

"Astaroth is a very ancient Goddess. She has been with humanity, as have Satan and Beelzebub, since the beginning. Astaroth is Satan's daughter. She did not want this to be known until recently. She has always been very popular, much loved and revered in locales where she was worshipped. Because she has been with us since the beginning, she has been known by several different names, as she has been the Chief Goddess in many different areas and cultures. She has been known as a Goddess of fertility, love, and war.
Ghoul." - From the archives of the Inquisition



Azazel

"He is a very high ranking and important God. He is 7 1/2 feet tall, very strongly built with light blonde hair that is past his shoulders and flowing. He has piercing bluish grey eyes. He is very powerful and dedicated to Lucifer. He expects 100% and can be serious and strict. He closely interacted with and educated humans in ancient times." - From the archives of the Inquisition



Beelzebub

"Beelzebub is best known as the God of the Philistines, He ruled over the city of Ekron. He is second in command to Satan. The Ancient Philistines worshiped Him under the name 'Baalzebub.' Beelzebub is "Lord over all that Flies". Wherever he was worshipped, he was known as God of the weather and meteorology. He also controlled the airways when the Nephilim came to Earth. His name was perverted by the Hebrews to mean Lord of the Flies." - From the archives of the Inquisition




The Survivor


Phobic Animus

"The very spirit of fear, the manifestation of fear, the archetype of fear. If irrational fear had something approaching a physical form, then it could surely survive only in a world formed from dreams where the rules of existence were intuitive rather than scientifically rigorous. From there it could leak its influence into their waking lives and colour every decision with delicate shades of uncertain terror." - As described by Shadrach to the Inquisition

This post has been edited by Path-Shaper: 23 May 2017 - 02:21 PM

[Path-Shaper]

Johanes Cabal was sitting in his study, making notes in the small black book that he customarily carried in the inside pocket of his jacket. They were pithy to the point of acerbity – Cabal was not in a good mood. That in itself was no rarity, but he was particularly ill-tempered today as his latest attempt to secure – which is to say, steal – a rare copy of de Cuir’s very useful Enquêtes interdites had failed. Cabal was used to his frequent necessary descents into criminality coming to nothing, but it especially galled him on this occasion.

So absorbed in his writing and muttering was he that the pebble that bounced off the window failed to draw his attention. The second, thrown vigorously enough to threaten the glass, succeeded. Cabal sighed, put down his pen, took up his revolver and went to the window. Given that it was pebbles rather than bricks, and given that nobody who lived within ten miles would be so stupid as to irritate Cabal, who was not only a necromancer but, in the vernacular, ‘an utter bastard’, it seemed likely that the thrower was a child on a dare. Cabal intended to shoot to miss, albeit narrowly. He was therefore surprised when he saw three soberly dressed men standing on the other side of the garden gate. One looked like an undertaker and Cabal, who had had a similar experience once before, checked his pulse just to be sure. Pleased to find he wasn’t dead again, he went to the front door.

“Who are you?” asked Cabacl. “What do you want?”

One of the party, a short middle-aged man with snowy mutton chops spoke up: “We wish to make you a proposal Herr Cabal.”

“A proposal? What sort of proposal?” asked Cabal suspiciously.

“That is better discussed in private,” interrupted the tall man in the top hat. “Our immediate concern is to reach your front door.”

“My front...? Oh!” Cabal understood and laughed. He looked down. Just over the tile-ridged edge of the garden alongside the path was a faded circular for patios and conservatory extensions. There had probably been others, but they had blown away long since, this one staying only because it was trapped beneath a discarded human femur. The surface of the bone was pocked with tiny bite marks. He looked back up at the men, a sardonic smile on his face. “You’re concerned about the denizens of this little plot. Gentlemen! They are only pixies and fairies! You’re not afraid of them are you?”

“Yeah! We’re harmless!” piped a tiny voice from beneath a hydrangea, until it was shushed by other tiny piping voices.

For his answer the tall man stepped back and read the notice on the gate out loud: “No circulars, hawkers or salesmen. Trespassers will be eaten. We are not afraid, sir. We are showing rational caution.”

================

“So, you are Messrs Shadrach,” Cabal thumbed the card from the top of the small pile, “Corde and Bose of the Fear Institute. Fellow necromancers, I wager?”

“No, sir!” said Corde, a little heatedly. Gentlemen do not wish to hear themselves described as nascent necromancers, even by a necromancer. “We study the little death that eats away our lives form the moment we are old enough to realise that a final death certainly awaits us. I mean, Herr Cabal,” and here Corde took an unconsciously dramatic step closer to Cabal, “fear! Every waking moment of our lives we spend as hostages to the terrible ‘perhaps’. We dread the unnameable that lurks beyond our doors. We collapse into ridiculous phobias with the most fleeting provocations. Clowns! Birds! The number thirteen! Each one a nail driven into the fabric of our lives, limiting our movement, hemming us in, draining our futures of possibilities.”

Cabal lauged: a humourless sound. “You wish courage, gentlemen? I believe it may be found in any public house, by the pint. Good day.” He rose to escort the men out, but then Shadrach spoke.

“We have conducted much research, Herr Cabal, both experimental,” here he shot a sideways glance at Bose, who looked suitably abashed, “and theoretical. It is the latter that has led us to a possible – indeed probable – solution. What we intend is nothing less than to isolate the very spirit of fear and, thence, to focus our energies on finding its anathema. The antibody to fear, if you will.”

Cabal smiled or, at least, his face creased in a manner only suitably described as a smile, but there was little warmth there. “How can you possibly hope to isolate the incorporeal? If it were a true spirit, you could amuse yourself with salt and pentagrams, but fear, sirs? You waste your time and mine.”

“There is another place, Herr Cabal,” said Bose, “another world where things are not as they are here. Where the most fanciful concepts may prove sterling truth, and the incorporeal take form.”

Cabal straightened a little in his chair, interested despite himself. “You speak of the Dreamlands.”

====================

And so, Johannes Cabal, despite his better judgment, leads the trio into the Dreamlands in search of the Phobic Animus. Of course, anything, indeed everything, is possible in the Dreamlands, and Johannes Cabal has made many enemies over the years. He expects to be hounded by Satan and his cronies, that one had been insufferable ever since Cabal had tricked him out of the deal from which the necromancer received his powers, but is surprised when he invokes Nyarlathotep, a god he’d thought destroyed, and feels an answer to his call.

Can Johannes Cabal and the Fear Institute navigate these lands, put down their enemies, AND save the Phobic Animus?

This post has been edited by Path-Shaper: 23 May 2017 - 04:58 PM

[Path-Shaper]

It is Day 1. 35 hours and 59 minutes remaining

10 Players still alive: Anomandaris, Gait, Kadagar Fant, Lock, Okral Lom, Prazec Goul, Rikkter, Serc, Trake, Ultama

6 votes to lynch, 5 votes to go to night.


Players not voted: Anomandaris, Gait, Kadagar Fant, Lock, Okral Lom, Prazec Goul, Rikkter, Serc, Trake, Ultama

[Serc]

Firssssssst

[Anomandaris]

I have your finnest. Surprising, what can be found at a flea market.

[Kadagar Fant]

I have a big cock. I think. It's only six inches but smells like a foot.

[Anomandaris]

I have a big foot. aka, sasquatch.

[Kadagar Fant]

You know what they say about big feet

[Lock]

Awesome intro!

[Ultama]

It's about time!

[Serc]

Blend's or Kadagar's?

[Trake]

Serc, on 23 May 2017 - 03:27 PM, said:

Blend's or Kadagar's?

I can answer that one!

Yes.

[Lock]

Serc, on 23 May 2017 - 03:27 PM, said:

Blend's or Kadagar's?

Blend's. Kadagar's by comparison was highly predictable and unsurprising.

[Path-Shaper]

Just so there's no "Wah wah wah" copyright stuff, I pulled lots of the intro, some of the characters, and the Dreamlands conceit, from "Johannes Cabal: The Fear Institute" by Jonathan L. Howard.

But thank you!

This post has been edited by Path-Shaper: 23 May 2017 - 03:46 PM

[Rikkter]

I know what they say about big hands.

[Ultama]

Rikkter, on 23 May 2017 - 03:52 PM, said:

I know what they say about big hands.

That they need big gloves?

[Prazec Goul]

Checking in.

[Rikkter]

Ultama, on 23 May 2017 - 03:56 PM, said:

Rikkter, on 23 May 2017 - 03:52 PM, said:

I know what they say about big hands.

That they need big gloves?

Yah, the one fingered type.