MAFIA LVIII (58) - WITCHFINDER GENERAL - GAME THREAD

[Jamiet99uk]

BIG RULES POST

GM: Jamiet99uk
Co-GM: Dargorygel
Start: Sunday 9th August, 10:00 PM British Summer Time (UTC+1)
Phase lengths: 48 hour Days and 24 hour Nights.

Mafia is an educated guessing game of epic proportions. The objective of the game (for the town majority) is to kill all mafia members before they outnumber the rest of the town (and to prevent the victory of any third party). The game is typically very active, so the thread will get big quickly. However, it is essential to read the thread to play the game.

GENERAL RULES

0. The GM reserves the right to adjudicate individual scenarios that arise during the course of the game at his discretion.
1. All players must vote at least once per game day, and post at least four times per game day.
2. All players are forbidden from posting screenshots of ANY game-related communications.
3. All players are forbidden from using encryption.
4. All players are forbidden from using non-sanctioned PMing, or copied mechanics.
5. All spectators and players who have been eliminated are forbidden from posting on all comment threads related to the game.
6. All players are forbidden from cheating.
7. All players are required to play to win.
8. Players and/or teams may not concede the game in public.
9. All players must not +1 other players' posts. However you are greatly encouraged to +1 any GM posts.
10. Please conduct yourself with a reasonable level of human dignity despite the argumentative nature of this game, and try to avoid the use of the word "lynch" as it has offensive connotations.

ELABORATION

0. Given a lack of omniscience, the GM cannot create a rule to resolve all possible scenarios pre-emptively. To compensate for this, the GM is permitted to resolve a given scenario however they see fit, within the remit of the rules listed above, in the interest of all participants. The GM will resolve all scenarios as closely as possible to the intention of the rules, and will present an explanation regarding the adjudication to the greatest possible detail (which does not compromise anything in-game) and as closely in accordance with the written rules as possible.

1. You MUST cast a vote at least once during each day phase - failure to do so will lead to substitution or modkill, at the GM's discretion. You may vote and then 'unvote' if you change your mind as the Day progresses. You may end the day on “Unvote” which will be counted as a vote for not eliminating any player. “No-Kill” remains an option on the bot for now, and will be counted as “Unvote.” During each day phase, every player MUST make at least four game-related posts. The GMs will use reasonable discretion when applying this rule.

2. Role PMs will be posted at game start, below this rules post. You must not post, circulate, or link to screenshots of any game-related content. This includes PMs from the GM, the content of QuickTopic threads or anything similar.

3. Encryption is defined as posting an encoded message on public channels that an average person would require outside software or other tools to decode. It is perfectly acceptable to leave "hidden messages" in your posts (for example, spelling out "I AM THE COP" with the first letters of every sentence), but as a rule of thumb, if you don't think the average user could decode it without a decryption service, don't post it. Posting a message in "code" which is only fully decipherable using information from a QT that you are part of is, of course, permitted.

4. All in-game communications should be kept within the thread. Only GM endorsed QuickTopic threads can be used for communicating with one another outside of the main game thread; aside from this, there should be no other form of private messaging between players. You may PM the GM with questions or instructions, and you may ask questions of the GM publicly, by using "##Call GM".

5. Players who have been removed from the game are no longer playing the game, and are not permitted to comment on it in private messages or comment threads. A special QuickTopic "God Thread" will be opened for individuals who wish to spectate on the game, or players who have been eliminated. Use this channel to discuss the game while it is still ongoing.

6. This is a catch-all rule intended to preserve the spirit of the game. If you are considering saying or doing something that may be against the spirit of the game, message the GM about it before saying/doing it and the GM will let you know whether it is allowed or not. To clarify further: Players may not copy and paste any game related Mechanics. Players may not doctor and/or create fake game related mechanics or GM PMs. Players may not share personal correspondence between GM to player under any circumstances. The GM will not confirm any claims or adjudicate based upon anything that could be sorted out through questioning and evidentiary circumstance. Additionally, please do not make cheating accusations or insinuations in the game thread; if you are concerned about potential cheating, PM the GM.

7. This rule simply means that your actions should in some conceivable way advance your win condition as stated in your role PM. This rule is somewhat subjective, because the difference between a mistake and sabotage is sometimes hard to determine; the GM will exercise caution and restraint in observing this rule. This also means that if you need to leave the game for any reason, you should not simply drop out, but should message me first so I can determine the best course of action.

8. If someone wishes to concede defeat, they must PM the GM, or post in their relevant QT thread for the GM to check it over. Public concessions are not permitted. Fakeclaims and assertions of one’s alignment or teammates can be processed in-game and are not considered concessions.

9. You are NOT permitted to click the "+1" on any other player's in-game posts. Giving +1s to the GM is actively encouraged.

10. Players are expected to treat each other with a degree of respect and refrain from personal attacks. Players are encouraged to work cooperatively to maintain civility in the thread - it is far better to call for a break or to step away from the keyboard than to let things devolve. Players who would like to raise an issue about personal attacks (either targeted at them or at another player) should contact the GM directly. The GM has discretion to issue specific or general warnings to players in the thread or by PM, to remove or modkill players for serious personal attacks (even if no warning has been issued), or take whatever other actions they deem necessary to address the issue. Please try to avoid the use of the word "lynch" as it has offensive connotations.

PENALTIES

The penalty for breaking one of the above rules is decided at the GM’s discretion, up to and including immediate removal/modkill and/or sanctions from future games. Removal and/or sanction are instruments of last resort and will be used only if absolutely necessary. Sanctions such as future bans will be determined by the consensus of the active player base after the game has concluded. A player removed from the game may or may not have their role revealed on removal, depending on the circumstances surrounding their removal.


MISCELLANEOUS NOTES

SPAM:
Spamming (defined as excessive content-free posting, excessive posting regarding subjects irrelevant to the game, over-sized posts that are not relevant to game, or quoting over-sized posts that are not relevant to the game) is not subject to mod-kill by rule in this game, but the GM reserves the right under Rule 0 to sanction any particularly egregious examples. The in-game voting mechanic exists to curb any advantage that spamming as a tactic may confer; please reference the “VOTING” section below for more information.

PLAYER SILENCES:
Players that have other participants on their mute (or "foes") list are asked to remove them for the duration of this game. Disputes stemming from outside of this game should not carry over into the gameplay. If they do, the GM reserves the right to address these issues and potentially remove or sanction players if it becomes a disruption.

FORUM SILENCES:
If a player is silenced on the forum by the site moderators/admins, an alternate will take their place for the duration of their silence, where possible. The silenced player will, on their return to polite society, then have the option to take their position back over or leave it in the hands of the alternate. As long as the silence does not stem from actions involving the Mafia thread, there will be no in-game sanctions for a forum silence.

REPLACEMENTS:
A player wishing to drop out may be replaced at the GM's discretion. Individuals wishing to serve as potential replacements must NOT join the out-of-game God QT. Replacement is not guaranteed.

ROLE ACTIONS:
If you have any actions to take, please PM your action the GMs. Mafia's nightkill will be voted on in the mafia chat, and members of the Mafia may submit individual orders there, although orders PM’d to the GM will always take precedence.


VOTING

There are three types of voting within this game: collective voting to execute perceived Mafia (or Third Parties) in Day phases, collective voting to end a Day phase, and Mafia voting to kill town members.

Daykill vote: The first level of voting is for whom you intend to kill. Notate this vote with a pair of hash symbols before your intended vote target. (e.g., ##VOTE Bob_Dole) You do not need to spell out your intended target's username fully; as long as the GM can understand who you're referencing. In the event of a tie during a Daykill vote, no one shall be killed.

PLEASE NOTE: If you do not use double hashtags your vote will not be counted, for reasons of fairness but also because it is unlikely the GM will see your vote using the CTRL+F feature and this rule thus prevents vote miscounts. Votes posted after EOD (as timestamped on the forum) will not be counted. The GM will endeavor to call the end of phase promptly, but in case of delay, players should cease posting.

Must Vote: At the end of the Day phase, all participating players MUST have their vote on a candidate, or "Unvote" or "No-Kill" if you don't want to eliminate anyone. “No-Kill” remains an option on the bot, and will be counted the same as “Unvote.” In both cases, a majority of “Unvote” or "No-Kill" will result in no one being eliminated. Any player violating the Must Vote rule will be modkilled unless there are very extenuating circumstances.

Hammer Vote: The second level of voting is whether or not to employ the hammer mechanic. By default, days are set to 48 hours long, and nights are set to 24 hours; however, players may instead elect to activate the hammer mechanic. Notate this vote with a pair of hashes before the word end. (EX: ##END). The day will end as soon as a majority of players are voting to endhammer ON THE SAME TARGET. If you are not able to vote before the hammer is dropped, you will not be penalized for failing to vote during that day.

Mafia Vote: The third level of voting refers to Mafia members choosing their factional NK (nightkill) target. The mafia members will use their separate QuickTopic thread to discuss this. Please make your votes in bold, like so: ##kill Zultar (<b> ##kill Zultar </b>). Mafia NK will be decided by majority vote. In the event of a tie, the newest vote will break the tie. The newest vote also determines which member of the Mafia performs the kill, unless a Strongman is activated, in which case they are always the killer that night.

=====PLEASE DO NOT POST=====

[Jamiet99uk]

SETUP INFORMATION (1)

MAFIA ROLES

Matthew Hopkins, in one of the following roles:
0-1 Lie Detector (2x shot)
0-1 Tamperer (2x shot)

John Stearne, in one of the following roles:
0-1 Strongman (1x shot)
0-1 Executioner (1x shot)

William Dowsing, The Goon
Master Loach, The Goon

TOWN ROLES

Richard Marshall, Roundhead - who may be:
0-1 Midnight Desperado (1x shot)
0-1 Vanilla Cop
0-1 Bodyguard

Oliver Cromwell - who may be:
0-1 Bloodhound
0-1 Judicator
0-1 Cop

John Lowes, the Village Priest - who may be:
0-1 Priest
0-1 Weak Doctor
0-1 Lie Detector

Sara Lowes - who may be:
0-1 Virgin
0-1 Roleblocker
0-1 Innocent Child

Plus a number of VANILLA TOWNSPEOPLE

THIRD PARTY

Either:
0-1 Witch
or:
0-1 Warlock

== PLEASE DO NOT POST YET ==

[Jamiet99uk]

SETUP INFORMATION (2)

Role PMs are as follows:

MAFIA ROLES
===========
Executioner - Each day, you must vote for a suspect. ONCE per game, during the day, you may choose to ##execute a player that has received at least 50% of the available vote, based on the number of players remaining. This counts as the daykill for that day, and immediately ends the Day. You are part of the MAFIA and win when the Town and the Third Party are defeated or nothing can stop this from happening. At night you may confer with your Mafia allies at <Link>.

Note on this role:
Successfully using this role does require the GM to be able to process your action in a timely fashion. This game will have two GMs and JamieT is a very active GM, but no GM can ever be online at all times. You are therefore advised to check if a GM is available before triggering this action, unless you are willing to wait.

Lie Detector - Each day, you must vote for a suspect. At night, two times during the game, you may contact the GM, quoting a statement by another player. The GM, if able to do so, will confirm whether the statement is TRUE or FALSE. The quoted statement should only pertain to one self-contained fact or piece of information. Unverifiable statements will return UNCLEAR, and will still use up a shot. You are part of the MAFIA and win when the Town and the Third Party are defeated or nothing can stop this from happening. At night you may confer with your Mafia allies at <Link>.

Notes on this role:
1. The Lie Detector only finds out whether or not their target was verifiably telling the truth in good faith, or not. This power cannot, therefore, expose information which the quoted player would not themselves know. (For example the power cannot be gamed by having an uninformed Mafia Goon say "Kestas is the Cop" and then using the Lie Detector on them to verify whether Kestas really is the Cop or not, because the Goon could not verifiably have had such knowledge of the Cop).

2. Using the Lie Detector on statements containing multiple assertions will yield an incomplete or inconclusive result, at the GM's discretion. (For example using the Lie Detector on the statement "I am the Cop and on N1 I investigated Vecna and on N2 I investigated Ghug and they are both guilty but on N3 I was roleblocked" will be likely to yield unsatisfying or confusing results as it pertains to more than one potential fact. But you could have selected just the part of the phrase which says "I am the Cop", and this would be more likely to provide a useful result).

Strongman - Each day, you must vote for a suspect. ONCE per game, you may activate your power and carry out the Mafia kill. When you do this, your kill cannot be roleblocked or stopped by any protective role. You are part of the MAFIA and win when the Town and the Third Party are defeated or nothing can stop this from happening. At night you may confer with your Mafia allies at <Link>.

Tamperer - Each day, you must vote for a suspect. TWICE per game, at night, you may visit a player and place misleading evidence upon them. If they are investigated that night, this will have the following effects:
- The Vanilla Cop will read the target as "Not Vanilla" irrespective of the truth.
- The Cop will read the target as "Guilty" irrespective of the truth.
In addition if the target is hanged on the immediately following day, they will reveal as a Mafia Goon instead of their actual alignment.
- The Bloodhound will obtain a result which is the opposite of the truth (i.e. "Bloody" for someone who has not been involved in any kills, and "Not Bloody" for a killer).
You are part of the MAFIA and win when the Town and the Third Party are defeated or nothing can stop this from happening. At night you may confer with your Mafia allies at <Link>.

TOWN ROLES
===========
Bloodhound - Each day, you must vote for a suspect. Each night, you may investigate a player. If at *any* time in the game, they have participated in a kill, you will detect the scent of BLOOD on them. You are part of the TOWN and win when the Mafia and the Third Party are defeated or nothing can stop this from happening.

Bodyguard - Each day, you must vote for a suspect. Each night, you may (only if you wish) target a player. If they are attacked during the night, you will intercept the attack and redirect it onto yourself. You are part of the TOWN and win when the Mafia and the Third Party are defeated or nothing can stop this from happening.

Note on this role: The bodyguard's life can be saved by the Priest or Weak Doctor. This requires the Priest or Weak Doctor to target the *Bodyguard*, not the person the Bodyguard is trying to protect.

Judicator - Each day, you must vote for a suspect. ONCE per game, at night, you may kill a player who participated in the immediately preceding day's lynch. You are part of the TOWN and win when the Mafia and the Third Party are defeated or nothing can stop this from happening.

Lie Detector - Each day, you must vote for a suspect. At night, two times during the game, you may contact the GM, quoting a statement by another player. The GM, if able to do so, will confirm whether the statement is TRUE or FALSE. The quoted statement should only pertain to one self-contained fact or piece of information. Unverifiable statements will return UNCLEAR, and will still use up a shot. You are part of the TOWN and win when the Mafia and the Third Party are defeated or nothing can stop this from happening.

Notes on this role:
1. The Lie Detector only finds out whether or not their target was verifiably telling the truth in good faith, or not. This power cannot, therefore, expose information which the quoted player would not themselves know. (For example the power cannot be gamed by having an uninformed Mafia Goon say "Kestas is the Cop" and then using the Lie Detector on them to verify whether Kestas really is the Cop or not, because the Goon could not verifiably have had such knowledge of the Cop).

2. Using the Lie Detector on statements containing multiple assertions will yield an incomplete or inconclusive result, at the GM's discretion. (For example using the Lie Detector on the statement "I am the Cop and on N1 I investigated Vecna and on N2 I investigated Ghug and they are both guilty but on N3 I was roleblocked" will be likely to yield unsatisfying or confusing results as it pertains to more than one potential fact. But you could have selected just the part of the phrase which says "I am the Cop", and this would be more likely to provide a useful result).

Midnight Desperado - Each day, you must vote for a suspect. Once per game, at night, you may select a player to target. If the target is Mafia, they will die and you will live. In addition, you will gain a one-night kill immunity, the following night only (*not* the night on which you act). If the target is Town, you will die, and your target will remain alive. You are part of the TOWN and win when the Mafia and the Third Party are defeated or nothing can stop this from happening.

Priest - Each day, you must vote for a suspect. Each night you may select a target to protect. If the player is targeted by the Mafia kill, you will save them. You cannot protect against non-Mafia causes of death. You are part of the TOWN and win when the Mafia and the Third Party are defeated or nothing can stop this from happening.

Weak Doctor - Each day, you must vote for a suspect. Each night you may select a target to heal. If the player is targeted by the Mafia kill, you will save them and they will be notified that they were saved. However, if you try to heal a Mafia player, they will kill you instead. You are part of the TOWN and win when the Mafia and the Third Party are defeated or nothing can stop this from happening.

Vanilla Townsperson - Each day, you must vote for a suspect. You are part of the TOWN and win when the Mafia and the Third Party are defeated or nothing can stop this from happening.

Virgin - Each day, you must vote for a suspect. If you are hanged or killed, the Mafia lose their kill on the night immediately following your death. If you are ever roleblocked, this effect is removed. You are part of the TOWN and win when the Mafia and the Third Party are defeated or nothing can stop this from happening.


THIRD PARTY ROLES
=================
Warlock - Each day, you must vote for a suspect. Each night you may make a prediction about who will be lynched the next day. You MUST vote for that person at some point the following day but do not need to end on them. If you get three of your predictions correct whilst remaining alive, you win the game, which ends immediately. If you die in any way, or survive until the end of the game but without reaching three correct predictions, you lose. You are independently aligned, but scan as if you were a Vanilla Town.

Witch - Each day, you must vote for a suspect. During the DAY, you MUST select a target. You may not select the same person more than once. At the beginning of the night phase, you will be told the *type* of action, if any, your target is able to perform. If they have an action, you briefly take control of them and may direct their target. You may cause them to target you, if you wish, or to self-target, even if their action cannot normally self-target. They will not specifically be informed of your interference. If their action is X-shot, they will *not* lose a charge and may still use their action again in a later phase. You are independently aligned and scan as if you were a Vanilla Town. You win immediately, causing the other factions to lose, if the following is achieved:

1. All of the Town and Mafia PRs are dead, and you remain alive.
OR
2. You have successfully gained control, at one point or another, of all of the Town and Mafia PRs (even if they subsequently died).
OR
3. You are the last person alive.

Note on this role:
1. If you redirect a killing role, you will have blood on your hands, as well as them, for the purposes of a Bloodhound.
2. If you manage to redirect the Mafia NK, this will still count as a "Mafia Kill" for the purposes of the Priest.
3. If you select a target during the day and that person is hanged, you suffer no penalty, but will clearly be unable to redirect the hanged person's actions.
4. If you target the Executioner, there is no effect.

== PLEASE DON'T POST ==

[Jamiet99uk]

GM NOTE

For the resolution of Night Actions, I will be using Natural Action Resolution, but where strictly necessary, actions that may be in conflict will be resolved in the following order:

1. Witch gains control.
2. Strongman activation.
3. Blocking actions.
4. Tampering with evidence.
5. Warlock predicts.
6. Investigative actions.
7. Protective actions applied.
8. Killing actions.

== STILL DON'T POST==

[Jamiet99uk]

GM NOTE

I managed to fail to paste the Innocent Child role PM:

Innocent Child - Each day, you must vote for a suspect. ONCE per game, at any time, you may ask the GM to declare that you are the Innocent Child. The GM will confirm this in the thread. You are part of the TOWN and win when the Mafia and the Third Party are defeated or nothing can stop this from happening.

==NO POSTING YET==

[Jamiet99uk]

And these are 100% standard but for completeness:

Cop - Each day, you must vote for a suspect. Each night you may investigate a player. You will learn if they are GUILTY or NOT GUILTY. You are part of the TOWN and win when the Mafia and the Third Party are defeated or nothing can stop this from happening.

Vanilla Cop - Each day, you must vote for a suspect. Each night you may investigate a player. You will learn if they are VANILLA or NOT VANILLA. You are part of the TOWN and win when the Mafia and the Third Party are defeated or nothing can stop this from happening.

==DON'T POST, OK?==

[Jamiet99uk]

The SIGN UP thread will close and the ROLES will be drawn TWO HOURS before the game commences. Role PMs will then be sent out.

Until then, if you wish to play, you may still go to the SIGN UP thread and add your name.

If you do not get a Role PM by the time the game is due to start, please PM me urgently.

The game begins in EIGHT HOURS and five minutes.

==DO NOT POST, until then==

[Jamiet99uk]

GM NOTE:

The MAFIA Nightkill and Roleblock in this game are factional. The kill is performed by a specific Mafia member, based on which Mafia member voted *most recently* for the kill target.

==PLEASE CONTINUE NOT POSTING==

[Jamiet99uk]

PLAYER LIST in ALPHABETICAL ORDER because some people always demand this:

BismarckAlive
Bozotheclown
Bo_Sox48
BunnyGo
Damo666
Durga
Flash2015
Foxcastle
Ghug
Hamilton Brian
Hellenic Riot
Rdrivera2005
Sarahk24
Seth24c
Summit_fever
TrPrado
Vecna
Worcej
Yoyoyozo

Subs:

Chaqa and E.m.c^42

==DO NOT POST YET==

[Jamiet99uk]

GM NOTE:

Every player has been assigned a flavour name including the Vanilla Townies and Goons. However, the Vanilla Townies and Goons do not know what their individual flavour name is and will only learn it if they flip (PRs can obviously work theirs out from the Setup Info).

==NO POSTING YET==

[Jamiet99uk]

Opening flavour the first...

The year is 1645, England is in the grip of bloody Civil War. On the one side stand the Royalist party of King Charles, on the other, Cromwell's Parliamentarians, the "Roundheads".

The structure of law and order has collapsed. Local Magistrates indulge their individual whims, justice and injustice are dispensed in more or less equal quantities, and without opposition. An atmosphere in which the unscrupulous revel, and the likes of Matthew Hopkins take full advantage of the situation.

In a time where the superstitions of country folk are still a powerful factor, Hopkins, the self-styled "Witchfinder General" preys upon them, torturing and killing in a supposed drive to eliminate witchcraft from the country, and doing so with the full blessing of what law there is.

However, his influence is confined largely to the Eastern Sector of the country: East Anglia, which is held firmly in Cromwell’s grasp, but not so firmly that Roundhead cavalry patrols have everything their way. For here persists an ever present threat of the remnants of the Royalist armies, desperately foraging for food, horses and supplies.

[Still no posting for you - game has yet to begin]

[Jamiet99uk]

Opening flavour the second...

It is here in East Anglia that we pick up our tale. Young soldier Richard Marshall, fresh from promotion to Coronet, rode into the village of Brandeston. The morning sun bathed the village in gentle light, and all seemed quiet as he trotted towards the church.

Marshall knocked at the rectory door, the village priest welcoming him warmly.

"Master Marshall! Come in! You will dine with us today!"

Richard smiled. Father Lowes' good spirits were a positive omen, for he intended to ask for permission to marry the Reverend's niece.

"Of course you have my blessing, Master Marshall!" beamed Lowes, but as he prepared a glass to toast the news, his countenance clouded.

"I fear there is trouble coming to this village," he mused. "And I want my Sara far away before it arrives..."

==DAY ONE HAS BEGUN==

YOU MAY NOW POST
YOU HAVE 48 HOURS

[BunnyGo]

My role is in the list of Town Roles.

Please all post the above.

[TrPrado]

the above.

[TrPrado]

anyone know any good sea shanties?

[BunnyGo]

the above.

I suppose I should say that whomever hasn’t done so by EOD will get my vote.

[TrPrado]

I'm gonna hold you to that.

[summit_fever]

I am town.

[summit_fever]

I'm gonna hold you to that.

Is there a reason you wish not to make the statement?

[Yoyoyozo]

My role is in the list of Town Roles.