MAFIA 21 – FLAVOUR, RULES, and SET-UP INFORMATION

PROHIBITION WARS - BACKGROUND FLAVOUR

It is 1928 in the fictional US city of Metrodipolis. The not-entirely fictional CAPONE GANG have a stranglehold on the city's underworld thanks to their domination of the illegal liquor trade. Their cunning head honcho has evaded the law time and again. Now, the combined forces of LAW AND ORDER in the form of the MCPD, FBI, and ATF are looking for any chance to take the gang down. Under pressure, the Mafia are willing to resort to ever more homicidal tactics to stay in business. Metrodipolis's PROHIBITION WARS are entering their final, bloody chapter!


INTRODUCTION

Mafia is an educated guessing game of epic proportions, challenging you to put your Diplomacy skills to good use as you become either 'Town' or 'Mafia' or ‘Ghost’ and analyse, argue, convince, lead, schmooze, lie, deceive, and hoodwink to win with the power of your words.

The Town's objective in the game is to imprison or kill all Mafia members before the Mafia outnumber the rest of the Town. The Town can vote to imprison one player in each Day phase. Remember that mafia members are also part of the Town during the day and may manipulate the vote to their liking.

The Mafia's objective is to avoid being imprisoned in the Day phases and kill Town members during the Night phase so that the Mafia outnumbers and can thus take control of the Town. The Mafia can vote to kill one Town member in each Night phase.


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 twice per game day.
2. All players are forbidden from posting screenshots of their role PMs.
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 notes.
6. All players are forbidden from cheating.
7. All players are required to play to win.

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. All role PMs have been posted in the setup information below. The point of this rule is to forbid "gaming" the role PMs to determine alignments; after all, the fun of this game is reading people, not outguessing the GM.

2. Encryption is defined as posting an encoded message on public channels that an average person would require outside 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 webDip user could decode it without a decryption service, don't post it.

3. 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 forms of private messaging.

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

5. 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 create fake game related mechanics. 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 easily be sorted out through questioning and evidentiary circumstance.

6. 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.

PENALTIES

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

ROLE ACTIONS
If your role has a special action (eg. Roleblocking, investigating, shooting a gun etc) then you may PM your action to both GM’s. Day actions such as certain gunshots will be processed as soon as possible by the first GM to read this. Night actions will be processed at the end of the night and can be changed up to that point. Mafia night actions can be voted on or selected in the Mafia QuickTopic thread.


MISCELLANEOUS NOTES

SPAM
Spamming (defined as excessive content-free posting; or, excessive posting regarding subjects irrelevant to the game) is not mod-killed by rule in this game. The in-game voting mechanic exists to curb any advantage that spamming as a tactic may confer; please reference the “VOTING” section above for more information. Suffice to say that spamming is not worth anyone’s time in this setup, and will be frowned upon, so while you may not be lynched or mod-killed for spamming, please refrain from doing so.

PLAYER SILENCES:
Players that have other participants on their mute 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 moderator/admin team, an alternate will take their place for the duration of their silence. The silenced player will 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.

TURN DURATION
This game’s Day phases will last 48 hours and Night phases will last 24 hours, unless cut short by in-game mechanics (e.g., hammer). Extensions may be granted at a
moderator’s discretion, but don’t count on it. Phase shifts will be at 10PM BST.

VOTING

There are three types of voting within this game: collective voting to IMPRISON players in Day phases, collective voting to end a Day or Night phase, and Mafia voting to kill town members in Night phases.

“Lynch” vote: The first level of voting is for whom you intend to IMPRISON. Notate this vote with a pair of octothorpes before your intended vote target. (e.g., ##VOTE Ghug) 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 an imprisonment vote, no one shall be imprisoned. The city of Metrodipolis abolished the death penalty several years ago. Therefore in this version of the game, the votes cast during the day will select a player to be incarcerated instead. The player with the most votes at End of Day will be convicted of a major crime and sent to the state penitentiary for the rest of the game. They may no longer post in the game thread.

PLEASE NOTE: If you do not use double octothorpes 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.

Must Vote: At the end of the Day phase, all participating players must have their vote on a candidate. You may ##VOTE and then ##UNVOTE if you change your mind as the Day progresses, however you may not end the phase with an ##UNVOTE in place. Anyone violating this rule risks being modkilled unless there are very extenuating circumstances. Ending the day with a vote on “No Lynch” is permitted.

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 to 24 hours long; however, players may instead elect to activate the hammer mechanic. Notate this vote with a pair of octothorpes before the word end. (EX: ##END). The day will end as soon as a majority of the players are voting ##End and are voting the same player. The day will only end if the majority of players are voting ##End AND are voting the SAME person. If you are not able to vote before the hammer is dropped, you will not be penalized for failing to vote during that day. Night phases may not normally be hammered - any exception to this will be announced by the GM.

Mafia Vote: The third level of voting refers to Mafia members choosing their NK (nightkill) targets during Night phases. The mafia members will use their separate QuickTopic thread to discuss this. Please make your votes in bold, like so: kill Brainbomb (< b > kill Brainbomb < / b >). Mafia NK will be decided by majority vote. In the event of a tie, if the GODFATHER is in play, their vote will break the tie. Otherwise, the oldest vote will break the tie. The *last* player to place a vote will carry out the nightkill, unless a member of town has been BLACKMAILED (see below).

The Mafia, of course, have limited regard for the law, and their nightly victim is still murdered in cold blood, as normal. Any references to a player being "KILLED" therefore do NOT refer to the result of the vote - but a player being killed by a killing role, a deadly item, or killed by the Mafia nightkill.

GM TEAM
This game’s GMs are Jamiet99uk and captainmeme. PM any of us with any questions or concerns and we'll get back to you as soon as possible. We are lovely people, despite what you may have heard.

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Previous mafia games and reference pages:
M20 threadID=1372206
M19 threadID=1365499
M18 threadID=1352010
M17 threadID=1340285
M16 threadID=1327937
M15 threadID=1316780
M14 threadID=1310615
M13: threadID=1302501
M12: threadID=1296737
M11: threadID=1286922
M10: threadID=1276122
M9: threadID=1266590
M8: threadID=1256043
M7: threadID=1240217
M5: threadID=1217792
M6: threadID=1203168
M4: threadID=1153331
M3.5: threadID=1143397
M3: threadID=1142133
M2: threadID=1129589
M1: threadID=1116382

General Mafia Discussion (defunct): threadID=1126828
Mafia Game-Play Guide: threadID=1129840


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FORMAT INFORMATION
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20 Total Players

15 Town - Of which 4 are PR and 11 are VTs
5 Mafia - Of which 3 are PR and 2 are VM.


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TOWN ROLES
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11 LAW ABIDING CITIZENS - You are a LAW-ABIDING CITIZEN! During the day you make an accusation against someone; the candidate who reaches a plurality will be IMPRISONED at the end of the day.

0-1 JUDGE - You are the JUDGE! During the day you make an accusation against someone; the candidate who reaches a plurality will be IMPRISONED at the end of the day.

Once per game, you may take ONE of the following actions. Once you have used one, you may not use the other:

1: Close Proceedings: During the day, at any point when a MAJORITY of players have a vote in place (thus not counting UNVOTES), you may END the day phase. The END will be processed as soon as the GM receives your order. The imprisonment vote will be processed based on the votes in place at the time you activate this power. (No player will be punished for failing to vote by this point as it ends the day early). This power *may* be used to cause the vote to end in a tie.

2: Casting Vote: If the day vote is tied, you may use a CASTING VOTE to select any of the tied imprisonment candidates. Your selected candidate will be IMPRISONED. This may be a different candidate than the one you voted for during that day. You may use this power in one of two ways: (a) by sending a PM to the GMs, at any time *before* EoD, stating that in the event of a tie, you will use your casting vote on <CANDIDATE>. Or (b) within 15 minutes of EoD, where there is a tied IMPRISONMENT vote, by PMing the GMs to break the tie. If you intend to use (b) it is your own responsibility to remember to be online at EoD. The 15 minute time window for this action will be strictly applied.


0-1 REPORTER - You are the REPORTER! During the day you make an accusation against someone; the candidate who reaches a plurality will be IMPRISONED at the end of the day.

At night, you may choose someone to visit. You will be informed if they went out that night, or stayed at home. You will not be informed if anyone else visited them - only whether your target went out or not. If your target did go out, this will be revealed to everyone, in the newspaper headlines at the beginning of the day.

ONCE per game, you may use EACH of the following powers:

1. Hide! One night, instead of using your investigative ability, you may HIDE in the newsroom. That night only, whilst you are hiding, any night actions targeted on you will fail.

2. Extra, Extra! Once per game, during the DAY, you may publish a message of up to 10 words. The GM will announce this message in the thread.


0-1 COP - You are the COP! During the day you make an accusation against someone; the candidate who reaches a plurality will be IMPRISONED at the end of the day.

At night, you may choose someone to investigate. You will learn their alignment the following day.


0-1 VANILLA COP - You are the VANILLA COP! During the day you make an accusation against someone; the candidate who reaches a plurality will be IMPRISONED at the end of the day.

At night, you may choose someone to investigate. You will learn whether or not they are a vanilla role, the following day.


0-1 ITEM COP - You are the ITEM COP! During the day you make an accusation against someone; the candidate who reaches a plurality will be IMPRISONED at the end of the day.

At night, you may choose someone to investigate. If that person is in possession of an item, you will find out what it is the following day.

Once per game, if you find a player in possession of an item, you may CONFISCATE that item at any point during the following day phase. The item will be removed from them and put under lock and key (you do not get to use the item yourself).


**COP SANITY - It is *possible* (determined randomly) that one of the cops is insane. An insane cop receives a report which is the OPPOSITE of the truth. If the item cop is insane, their report on visiting a player WITHOUT an item will 'reveal' a random item, taken from items which could be in play. If an insane cop is KILLED or IMPRISONED, their insanity will be revealed in their flip.


0-1 DESPERADO - You are the DESPERADO! During the day you make an accusation against someone; the candidate who reaches a plurality will be IMPRISONED at the end of the day.

You are armed with a GUN which has two shots. Twice per game, at NIGHT, you may choose a player to shoot. However, if you choose a fellow TOWN player, you will die instead of them. If you successfully kill a member of the MAFIA team, you will be immune from gunshots for the following day phase.

NOTE: If the Desperado targets a town player and dies as a result, their target is *not* automatically disclosed. However, the town player in question is informed that the Desperado targeted them.


0-1 CORONER - You are the CORONER! During the day you make an accusation against someone; the candidate who reaches a plurality will be IMPRISONED at the end of the day. Once per game, you may use EACH of the following abilities:

1. Once per game you may conduct a POST MORTEM on a player who has been KILLED. You will discover the ROLE of the player who killed them. You must carry out the post mortem within one phase of their death, or the corpse will be too decomposed to yield any clues. The corpse is brought to you for examination, so this does not count as "going out".

2. You are also in possession of a MEDICAL BAG which contains enough medicine to be used twice. Twice per game, at night, you may visit a player. That player will be protected from any night actions that would otherwise kill them. If they are saved, they will be informed of this - they will not learn your identity. If no-one attempts to kill them that night, they will not be informed of your visit - but one use of your MEDICAL BAG is still expended.



0-1 WATCHER - You are the WATCHER! During the day you make an accusation against someone; the candidate who reaches a plurality will be IMPRISONED at the end of the day.

At night, you may choose a player to watch. You will learn the identity of anyone who visits them that night, with the exception of the NINJA. You will not learn what actions (if any) are performed on the target.


0-1 INVENTOR - You are the INVENTOR! During the day you make an accusation against someone; the candidate who reaches a plurality will be IMPRISONED at the end of the day.

Each night, you may create a (potentially) useful gadget, and visit a player of your choice to deliver the item to them. Each item can be created only once. The six gadgets you can invent, all of which are single-use, are as follows:

- Night Vision Goggles - Allow the user to see in the dark.

- Hand Grenade - A deadly weapon, but risky in the hands of an inexperienced user.

- Improvised Armour - Metal plates of personal protection.

- Hot Air Balloon - A fun flight to whisk the passenger away from the stresses of the day.

- First Aid Kit - A life-saving box of tricks.

- Police Radio – A cop communication aid.

(NOTE: The Inventor does not know the full in-game powers of the items they invent - as per the more traditional version of this role. They player given the item gets the full item information when they receive the item.)


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MAFIA ROLES
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Possible PRs:

2 MAFIA GOON - You are a MAFIA GOON! During the day you make an accusation against someone; the candidate who reaches a plurality will be IMPRISONED at the end of the day.

Your Mafia partners are XXXXXXX. At night, you may communicate with them in the Mafia QT, at XXXXXXX

0-1 GODFATHER - You are the GODFATHER! During the day you make an accusation against someone; the candidate who reaches a plurality will be IMPRISONED at the end of the day.

If you are investigated by the cops, you will show up as INNOCENT and VANILLA. However an ITEM COP will still be able to spot any items you happen to be in possession of. While you are alive, your NK vote is strong enough to settle any ties.



0-1 NINJA - You are the NINJA! During the day you make an accusation against someone; the candidate who reaches a plurality will be IMPRISONED at the end of the day.

If you go out at night, you will not be seen.


0-1 JAILBREAKER - You are the JAILBREAKER! During the day you make an accusation against someone; the candidate who reaches a plurality will be IMPRISONED at the end of the day.

Once per game, at night, you may break into the state penitentiary and BUST OUT any player who has been INCARCERATED. That player will have to go into hiding and does not rejoin the game, but they may take two final actions:

1. If they wish, they may give you a message of up to 20 words (via the GM)

2. If they have an un-used night or day action (including an item-based action) they may trigger that action, which will then occur during the next relevant phase (that is, if it is a day action, it will happen immediately. If it is a night action, it will be processed the following night).

Alternatively, INSTEAD of using your power to bust out a felon, you may use your skills to break into the police station at night, and STEAL an item which has been CONFISCATED by the item cop. The item will then be in your possession and you may use it. The ITEM COP will be notified that the item is missing from their evidence safe.


0-1 HOOKER - You are the HOOKER! During the day you make an accusation against someone; the candidate who reaches a plurality will be IMPRISONED at the end of the day.

Each night, you may visit one player. They will have a lovely, sexy time, but this will roleblock them for any other night activity.


0-1 STRONGMAN - You are the STRONGMAN! During the day you make an accusation against someone; the candidate who reaches a plurality will be IMPRISONED at the end of the day.

Once per game, you may carry out the nightkill and bludgeon the target to death so effectively that no medical assistance can save them. While carrying out this action, you cannot be roleblocked.


0-1 THIEF - You are the THIEF! During the day you make an accusation against someone; the candidate who reaches a plurality will be IMPRISONED at the end of the day.

Each night, you may target one player. If that player has an ITEM, you will gain possession of it. You will be able to use the item as normal.


MAFIA ITEMS: The Mafia have assembled a stash of items to help them. These are stashed in a secret location at the start of the game. Each night, in their QT, the Mafia should discuss which item to bring into use, and which of their team should have it. The Mafia can vote on this, if a consensus cannot be reached. Each night ONE item may be assigned. The player assigned the item must go and retrieve it from the stash at EoN. They may do this in addition to their normal night action(s).

The items are:

1. A one-shot GUN which may be used night or day, once obtained.

2. A set of BINOCULARS which may be used, each night after being obtained, to spy on one player. You will learn if that player went out, or stayed at home.

3. A bottle of WHISKEY. This may be used once, at night, to target one player. That player will get DRUNK and lose any night actions for that night.


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ORDER OF EVENTS
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Events at night will take place in the following order:

1. Reporter starts investigating / Binoculars start watching / Watcher starts watching
2. Hooker / Whiskey Roleblock
3. Reporter hiding
4. Cop investigations (all cop roles)
5. Inventor delivers
6. Jailbreak / Jailbreaker safecrack
7. Thief robbery
8. Desperado gunshot / Mafia kill
9. Doctor / Medic / First Aider visit