Mafia [Mafia] Mr. E's Murder Mystery at Misty Mountain Manor ~ GAME OVER (EVERYONE'S A WINNER!)

Mʀ. E's Mᴜʀᴅᴇʀ Mʏsᴛᴇʀʏ ᴀᴛ Mɪsᴛʏ Mᴏᴜɴᴛᴀɪɴ Mᴀɴᴏʀ

On a dark and stormy night, somewhere high in the Himalayan mountains, a group of strangers convene at the doorstep of an enormous mansion. This mansion was owned by an eccentric millionaire veteran—that is, until his untimely murder only a few days ago, whereupon his trusty butler Perkins sent a (well-authored) summons to the very strangers we now see before us.

A glance about the assembled guests makes it clear that they are as much strangers to each other as to us; they come from across the world and a wide range of backgrounds. Only three things unite them this night: 1. Each has successfully apprehended a number of dangerous criminals, using either genius intellect or bountiful luck; 2. each of them, if they be preoccupied ordinarily with a hectic day job, has suddenly and mysteriously come into paid leave for an indefinite period of time; and 3. each was summoned to the mansion of a dead man they never knew, with only the vague promise of great riches to motivate them. But of course, riches would move men to move mountains... or climb them, as it were.

For a moment, the strangers stare awkwardly at the door, unsure of their next move. Are they welcome to enter? Will they be screened first? ...Then one of them spots the doorbell, steps forward and rings it, making the rest feel rather sheepish. Within seconds, they are greeted by the very man who summoned them: one Arnold Perkins, dedicated attendant to the late master of the house. "Please," he says in a manner that simply drizzles dignity, "come in."

The party enters into a spacious foyer, its ceiling two stories high, with a large ornate chandelier dangling overhead. "Right this way," comes the butler's distinguished baritone, directing them to the adjacent room: a sitting room, equally spacious, with exactly enough seating to comfortably accommodate each of them.

Gingerly, the party seats themselves. The pensive silence that has hung heavy over them since entering now gives way to small, scattered murmurs, as each settles into place and begins questioning their neighbors on the situation: What's this about? What sort of place is this? Did you know the man of the house? Alas, they soon find their confusion is shared and total.

Perkins steps to the front of the room, beside a metal stand of his height with an old, bulky television sitting at eye-level. Calling the room to attention, he draws a weathered-looking VHS tape seemingly from thin air and begins to speak:

"No doubt you all have many questions regarding your summons. The tape I have here should explain things, but I should preface it by saying that, as was stated in my letter, my Master has been murdered. The culprit sought his considerable riches, and as such remains hidden herein."

The butler stops for a moment, anticipating the sudden outcry of indignation and worry. What do you mean hidden herein? Is it safe here? Have you called us here to die? Then, with precision, he cuts through the din: "Not to worry; you are in no immediate danger. That said, this would be a fine time to turn to the tape..."

Without looking, Perkins inserts the tape into a VCR just below the TV. It clacks into place... whirrs for a moment... then goes silent.

Everyone holds their breath. The butler remains motionless, save for a few glances in the VCR's direction. Then, gently, he taps the top of the VCR. A moment later, with lightning quickness, he slams his fist down on the box. In a lovely coincidence, the weathered video player clicks and whirrs to life in time with a lightning strike only yards from the manor.

"Ah-ahem-hrm... Greetin's myst'ry lovuhs!" comes a distinguished southern drawl. "Ah'm Gen'ral Maxwell Reginald Eldridge, or Mr. E if you prefuh. Ah am th' proprietuh of this lovely estate. If you auh watchin' this, it means ah've been muhduhd."

The room gives a collective gasp, then remembers they already know that he was muhduhd since that is the pretense for their being here.

"Not to worry, the culprits'll get what's comin' to 'em... from you! Y'see, evuh since ah was a young'un, ah've had a pow'rful fondness fuh myst'ries, and muhduh myst'ries most of all. 'Twas mah sincerest wish, even to mah dyin' breath, that ah might meet mah end at the hands of some sinistuh, dastuhdly ne'er-do-well, then to be apprehended bah a sleuth of unpar'llel'd cunnin', and theuhbah posthumously avenged.

"'N that's wheuh y'all come in. If mah butluh has seen t' the fahnal task ah left 'im, then the vurry fahnest mahnds from across the globe have been assembled in this vurry room, t' discuhn th' ahdennity of mah killuh. Th' stakes? ..."

At this, the figure of the late Mr. E leans in close to the camera. His audience leans in their seats as well, one catching herself just before falling forward.

"...If y' do fahnd th' culprit, y'all shall enjoy equal shares of mah vast and all-encompassin' fortune!"

The late millionaire's next few words are drowned out by excited murmurs, but the group quickly snaps to attention again:

"...'course old Puhkins should also've taken th' liberty of sealin' y'all insahd th' mansion with mah muhd'ruh, in th' int'rest of ensurin' a satisfact'ry conclusion is reached."

The party exchanges panicked looks, then scatters in search of a window to jump out of. If they'd been listening to the tape, they would know the job was thoroughly done: The mansion is airtight, and will remain thus until the general's twisted little game is won.

"Well, ah'd say that just about wraps it up. Thank y'all fuh bein' such good sports. Good luck, and happy huntin'! ...Oh, bah the way, this all's null n' void if ah should happen t' dah of natural causes—chokin' on a pretzel or some such. Eh heh! Eh heh heh heh! Eh he-HUGH..."

The tape ends with a flush of static over the general's sputtering cough. Perkins steps up to the VCR, ejects the tape, and turns to the frazzled audience, clearing his throat.

"Quite. I would also add that the culprit appears to be not just one man, but several—three, by my count—working in concert. To secure the late Master's fortune, you must bring them all to justice. And that is all. I bid you good eve."

And with that the butler departs, leaving the room quite stricken. Three murderers are among us? What are we to do? No fortune is worth our lives! So sound the shrill complaints of the company, quite sure they no longer give a care for the general's millions.

In the end, they must confront the grim reality that they will not leave alive unless they put in the effort to realize Mr. E's dying wish. At the very least, a handsome reward awaits the victors... Though small comfort in light of the full story, it was enough to bring them all here in the first place.

And so it is with bittersweet surrender that they resolve to solve the mystery of Misty Mountain Manor...​

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That's right folks, it's time for another Mafia—rather, two more! Yes, these are the more newbie-friendly games previously promised; I decided to run two smaller ones instead of one big one, in hopes that the groups will be more focused. This game, in contrast to its counterpart, will feature more light-hearted flavor and a few unique roles; though still suitable for beginners, it's advised that you read over everything carefully.

Most of you know the drill by now, but if anyone has not played a game before, just make sure you read the spoiler below.

Spoiler: How to Play

Basics
A basic game consists of two factions, Town and Mafia, each trying to wipe out the other. The Town outnumber the Mafia significantly (usually 3-1 or 4-1), but they don't know who's who; only the Mafia know who their teammates are. The game is over when one or the other side is wiped out. For the Town, this means eliminating every last Mafiosi; for the Mafia, it just means the Town is equal in number to them, at which point they automatically overrun the survivors.

The game progresses in two phases: Day and Night. By Day, all the players from both sides bicker and argue and point fingers for a set time; the Town tries to find Mafia in its ranks, and the Mafia tries to misdirect them and stay hidden. At the end of the Day, the group votes to lynch someone they find suspicious; the player dies, their alignment is revealed, and the Night begins.

Nighttime is the Mafia's chance to strike. The Town must stay quiet while their enemies convene in secret, talk strategy and discuss potential threats to the group. They vote on a Townie to kill, the Night phase ends, and as the sun rises the victim's fate/alignment is revealed and the madness begins again. (Certain roles of either faction may have abilities they can use during the Night phase, to benefit their side and/or hinder the other.)

The Lynch
You may vote for a player by saying ##Vote: [Player name]. (Those ##s are important! It helps me find your vote.) You may also retract your vote using ##Unvote (No player name needed for that one). Remember to bold these commands, or they won't count! (You can also color your votes to help me find them, just don't use anything obnoxious.) In addition it is also possible, though not recommended, to ##Vote: No Lynch, which if it wins will cause the Day to end without a death. Ideally this is used only in special cases; most of the time, lynches are a good thing!

As the lynch votes pile on, a lynchee will eventually reach one of two states: soft lynch, then hard lynch. Soft lynch (1/4 the # of living players +1/rounded up) is just a warning: Nothing will happen that instant, but if the lynchee keeps this status until the end of the Day they will be lynched. Hard lynch (1/2 the # of living players +1/rounded up) is the final nail in the coffin: The Day will end immediately, and the unlucky lynchee will be axed on the spot.

You can vote and unvote all you like before someone hits hard lynch, but the second the deciding vote (also known as hammer) is cast, all votes are locked in. If a Day ends and two players are tied for votes, the one voted for most recently will face the gallows. Also, if no one has enough votes for a soft lynch, then no lynch will occur that day—so when time starts running out, best to reach a consensus quickly!

Roles and Powers
Every player is given the role of a character within the game. Usually, this is just narrative fluff designed to make the game a more compelling read, in which case you needn't pay much attention to it. But some roles also come with powers that will impact the game's progress. These powers can be passive, such as protecting you from an attempt on your life, or active, such as the ability to investigate a player's alignment each Night. Power roles affect you even if you don't have one, so make sure you know which ones are which and how they work before you sign up!

Other Notes
Conditions may change as the game goes on. For one, when the number required to soft lynch is equal to the number of remaining Mafiosi, the soft lynch is done away with. Also, the Town will be notified at Day start if lynching Town that Day will cause them to lose (Mislynch and Lose, or MyLo) or if they must lynch Mafia in order to avoid losing (Lynch or Lose, or LyLo). The difference between these is that No Lynch is a safe move at MyLo; at LyLo the Town must either lynch Mafiosi or admit defeat.

And that's about all there is to it. I know it's a lot to take in, but it'll become much clearer when the game actually starts. In the meantime, feel free to ask me any questions you have, either in-thread or via PM.

And the rest of you should know by now that these are mandatory reads. (IT'S NOT A ToS DON'T JUST SKIM IT, THINGS CHANGE AND THOSE CHANGES IMPACT YOU)

Spoiler: Rules

1. Keep it civil. Our primary goal here is to enjoy ourselves; if the game is stressing you out, I'd rather you ask to replace out than grin and bear it. By the same token, don't go out of your way to stress someone else.
2. Don't throw the game. Mafia is most enjoyable when everyone plays their best. Frustrated or no, don't just give up and shoot yourself (or your team) in the foot.
3. Don't talk about Fight Club. THERE WILL BE NO MORE SLAPS ON THE WRIST OVER THIS. BOTH OF THE PREVIOUS GAMES WERE POTENTIALLY SABOTAGED BY PEOPLE TALKING OUTSIDE THE THREAD/QTS. IF YOU'RE CAUGHT, YOU'RE OUT.
4. No name changes once the game starts. This was requested by a number of players; it just makes things easier on people trying to keep track of others' activity and post history. If you have a name change pending, either get it done before you sign up or hold it off until the end (Probably the first, since games can last half a month or more).
5. When casting a vote, preface it with double pounds (##). This is new, and it's meant to help me with votals. Examples: ##Vote: Makaze, ##Unvote
6. No post editing. Not even typo fixes. I know it's a pain in the ass, but it's important to keep players honest and make them own what they say, and this tends to work better than the honor system.
7. Observe calls for silence. When somebody hits hard lynch, you shush. When it's nighttime, you shush. If I need to pause the game for any reason, I will tell you to shush; you better do it. (Side note: When you die, you get one closing post where you may not say anything about the game or reveal relevant information—So "Good luck Town" or "WHO THREW THAT" would be ok, but "I think this guy is my murderer" or "I'm the Cop and here are my results" would not—After that, it's time to move on and be dead.)
8. Minimum 5 posts per game Day. And no, I won't count posts where you basically say nothing (by virtue of word count or actual content). This is not a game where you can just pop in and vote somebody on the weekend, it requires focus and attention. On that note...
9. Pay attention to the thread and your Quicktopics. I'm not going to warn you if you're about to miss posting in a day or sending in a Night action. It's your job to stay on top of these things. Some people have had troubles with their thread notifications, so don't rely on those either! Put the thread on your toolbar if you have to!
10. Do not copy-paste from confidential sources. This includes PMs and Quicktopics. Not only is this a terrible way to figure out who's what, it's also an unsavory form of metagaming that somewhat takes the fun and strategy out of the game. If you really must reveal info, put it in your own words.
11. Do not role play. Mafia is much less a story than a game; the flavor is just that, a little extra something for taste. Not to say you can't play up a quirk I've given you (within reason), just make sure you're in your own mind when you make statements or cast votes.
12. The mod's word is final. I reserve the right to change rules or roles as needed (though of course you will be notified) to preserve the enjoyment value of the game. Contest it if you want, but I can't pretend this isn't a dictatorship; in the end I will make the choice I feel is right, and that's that.

Barring special cases your first offense will prompt a friendly warning, the second a somewhat sterner one, and on the third I will begin searching for your replacement. Please don't let it come to that.

Spoiler: Roles

This game will feature the following roles:

• Darling - This is a Town-aligned role that is publicly confirmed by the mod to be Town-aligned at the start of the game.
• Announcer - This is a Town-aligned role that, once per Night, may create a message which will be broadcast anonymously through the mod the next Day.
• Jailer - This is a Town-aligned role that may imprison one living player each Night. This has two effects: It protects the target, and also prevents them from using their Night action if they have one.
• Roleblocker - This is a Mafia-aligned role that may, once per Night, block one player of their choice from performing their Night action (if they have one).
• Hated - This is a role modifier that causes the bearer to be lynched one vote earlier than other players. This applies to soft and hard lynches (though it won't be apparent until they're lynched).

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Player List

1. Makaze - Mr. Perkins, murdered Night 3 (Won posthumously)
2. Trigger - Mr. Kint, lynched Day 2
3. Mish - Ms. Sonja, survived
4. Marushi - Mr. Creedy, lynched Day 3
5. Beau - Mr. Edogawa, survived
6. cstar - Insp. Zenigata, survived
7. h y u g e - Ms. Heterodyne, survived
8. al215 - Insp. Clouseau, survived
9. The Fuk? - Mr. Boddy, lynched Day 1 (Won posthumously)
10. Calxiyn - Mr. Daily, survived
11. Spike KeyToTruth12 - Mr. Harkness, lynched Day 4
12. Highlandeɼ (tale_wind) - Rev. Wolfwood, murdered Night 1 (Won posthumously)

Replacements

• Jiηx (Vivi)
• Judge Sunrose

Mods

• Ars Nova: Modmin
• Midnight Star: Modling

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D1 N1 D2 N2 D3 Uh Hm Welp

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Spoiler: Role PMs

Mish
You are Ms. Sonja, former intelligence officer for the Japanese military and a tactician without peer. You've been somewhat at a loss for things to do since your last tour of duty, mostly spending time with and being doted upon by your adoptive father, but this sideshow seemed like a nice way to pass the time.

You are aligned with the Town, thus win when all Mafiosi are eliminated (and at least one Townie remains). You have no special abilities.

Beau
You are Mr. Edogawa, a child-prodigy detective always struggling to gain recognition for your deeds. At a modest 12 years of age no one really takes you seriously, though you have the mind of a 20-year-old—quite literally, as rumor would have it...

You are aligned with the Town, thus win when all Mafiosi are eliminated (and at least one Townie remains). You have no special abilities.

hyuge
You are Ms. Heterodyne, a mad scientist brilliant inventor who delights in thinking outside the box. Aside from creating horrific machinations fantastic contraptions in your lab, you sometimes extend your genius intellect to various favors and projects. You've even committed solved a murder or two in your time.

You are aligned with the Town, thus win when all Mafiosi are eliminated (and at least one Townie remains). You have no special abilities.

al215
You are Insp. Clouseau, a fantastically inept detective with a lucky streak. Any success you have achieved in your line of work can be chocked up to a fortunate turn of events, but you are nonetheless sought-after for your uncanny ability to play against the odds and win.

You are aligned with the Town, thus win when all Mafiosi are eliminated (and at least one Townie remains). You have no special abilities.

The Fuk?
You are Mr. Boddy, an old friend of the late Mr. E. You originally came to visit on the pretense that you'd been named in his will, but all this has been a pleasant surprise; sharing in his eccentricity, you can't help but be impressed at the show he's made of his own demise.

You are aligned with the Town, thus win when all Mafiosi are eliminated (and at least one Townie remains). You have no special abilities.

talewind
You are Rev. Wolfwood, a dedicated man-of-the-cloth despite all outward appearances. And despite your colorful language. And your suspect moral compass. And the fact that you usually carry around an inordinately large firearm, which you'd LOVE to have right now if the butler hadn't forbidden bringing weapons on the premises... Sure didn't stop the murderers, now did it?

You are aligned with the Town, thus win when all Mafiosi are eliminated (and at least one Townie remains). You have no special abilities.

Makaze
You are Mr. Perkins, the butler. With a lifetime record of illustrious service to the late Mr. E and family, it is quite obvious you did not commit the crime—and no, not in the "Obviously you didn't so maybe you did" way.

You are aligned with the Town, thus win when all Mafiosi are eliminated (and at least one Townie remains). In addition, you are the Darling—At the start of the game, you will be publicly confirmed as a Town-aligned role.

Calxiyn
You are Mr. Daily, a famous news comic with a penchant for witty, topical commentary. Though perhaps a more accurate word than 'penchant' would be 'obsession,' since sometimes you just can't help but belt out a humorous report—even in patently inappropriate situations. Like this one!

You are aligned with the Town, thus win when all Mafiosi are eliminated (and at least one Townie remains). In addition, you are the Announcer—Once per Night, you may create a message which will be revealed anonymously to the players at the start of the next Day. This message will go through even if you die.

cstar
You are Insp. Zenigata, a bumbling-yet-not-entirely-incompetent police agent currently on paid leave. Though far out of your jurisdiction, you aren't afraid to slap the cuffs on any of these no-goodnik hoodlums if they give you backchat.

You are aligned with the Town, thus win when all Mafiosi are eliminated (and at least one Townie remains). In addition, you are the Jailer—Once per Night, you may imprison a player to both protect them from kills that Night AND prevent them from performing their Night action (if they have one). You may not target the same slot twice in a row.

Trigger
You are Mr. Kint, a small-time con artist with a nasty limp. Despite (or perhaps thanks to) your handicap, you perform on par with any able-bodied man or woman in your field and are well-regarded; this job marks your first step (heh) into the big leagues.

You are aligned with the Mafia, thus win when your numbers equal the Town's (or nothing can prevent this from happening). You have no special abilities.

Spike KeyToTruth12
You are Mr. Harkness, a male escort—no, not a manwhore! Your profession is perfectly respectable, and not to toot your own horn but you haven't met a man or woman alive who wouldn't fall for your charms. In fact, you can put this to use to help you and your comrades escape this menagerie.

You are aligned with the Mafia, thus win when your numbers equal the Town's (or nothing can prevent this from happening). In addition, you are the Roleblocker—Once per Night, you may block a player of your choice to prevent them from performing their Night action (if they have one). You may not target the same slot twice in a row.

Marushi
You are Mr. Creedy, an overtly shifty man whom nobody likes. It's hard to describe, you just sort of have this untrustworthy aura about you. Perhaps it's the permanent sneer affixed to your face, or the fact that your hairline has already receded substantially by age 35. Superficial, that's all people are these days...

You are aligned with the Mafia, thus win when your numbers equal the Town's (or nothing can prevent this from happening). In addition, you are Hated—It takes one less vote to get you lynched than it would anyone else (i.e. hard lynch -1).

Spoiler: Quicktopics

Mafia Faction
cstar
Calxiyn
Makaze
Mish
Beau
al215
The Fuk?
talewind
Hyuge
Spectator Chat

 

Count me in.

 

Le sign le me le up le le le le lelele lelml;ekmpoej0j[1l 'd1,2d2

 

Putting my name down for this one too.

 

Yay! This sounds awesome, count me in!

FOLLOW ME AND WE SHALL SOLVE THIS CRIME TOGETHER!!!

 

lol okay i know i said that i wouldn't join this game but i'm legit a sucker for murder mystery themed anything

and i promise i won't drop out lol

[ however, due to things that have happened previously, i'd understand if i wouldn't be allowed to participate just fyi so there wouldn't be any hard feelings if so ]

 

-raises hand- mememe (I'll READ THE DAMN ROLES ON MAFIASCUM SO I'M NOT THE DUMMY OK? OK.)

 

You know you'll be locked into your username once you sign up, right? Just makin' absolutely sure.

 

...look, I don't want to up and abandon this theme yet, but if I get my name changed back to cstar before Halloween can we work around this?

 

Sure. :v

 

Yo.

 

Put me in for a replacement if needed, or if you struggle to fill all the slots obviously just stick me in there.

 

I haven't played a game of Mafia for ages. Signing up, if I may.

 

yo sign me up fool

 

I'm going to jump into this Game as well~

 

I have never played a Mafia game before, so sign me up!

 

Hey, I just wanted to remind everyone that there are two Mafia games running at once. The other one is a more normal set-up and newbie-friendly.

This one introduces unusual roles so it may be a bit different from the usual games of Mafia. You are still free to sign up for either and/or both but I thought I should mention this in case people are playing for the first time.

 

^ um, okay. I think I'll sign up for the replacements. And I'll sign up for the other game as well.

 

Thought of Yosemite Sam through the whole Prologue.

Sign me in. Just a heads-up, though: I already registered for a username change, so you might want to jot that down as 'Spike'.

 

Same as Spike. I put a request in almost a week ago. Name changes obviously haven't been done yet, but I'll be back to h y u g e for the duration of the mafia games.