Mini 1046 - Murder in the Desert (Game Over!)

[Nicodemus]

Dawn. You squint against the sun seeping through the grimy window and groggily assess your environment. You are in an unfamiliar room, lying on a bed that seems to have served a stint as a blacksmith’s anvil before taking up residence beneath you. Scanning the walls you see peeling paint and the skeleton of a mirror, long since shattered. Slinging your legs over the side of the bed you scuff bare floorboards, discarded clothes, and several empty bottles, evidence of the drunken night you spent with the strangers you met in the smoky tavern below.
Your brain pounds painfully in your skull, trying to make sense of the situation. And slowly it comes back. The hard ride through the desert. The beating sun. The building on the bluff, shimmering in the heat. The toothless innkeeper, grinning and pointing you to a seat at the bar. And the others. Motionless, silent, twelve men - or were they statues? - slouched in the shadows of the room. You remember the uneasy air in the room, the presence of something felt but not seen. Studying your glass, you drank. And drank. And slowly the tavern filled with noise, but it was subdued, secretive,

skulking

. Eventually, you were led in a haze to your room, where you disrobed and collapsed onto your steel-enforced mattress.
You dress as you remember, and by the time you reach the present you have stepped into your boots and descended to the first floor. The room which last night was steeped in shadows has been flooded with light, and it is because of this you can easily see what has brought the other patrons into a loose circle in the middle of the room. The innkeeper lies dead on the floor, his blood already stained through the boards. And as you stare at this strange sight, you realize why the number twelve stayed in your head from the night before. Twelve men, one barkeep. Thirteen. And the first to rise was the first to die.
As you approach the circle a gruff voice speaks: “We’re all here now, so out with it - which of you’s the killer? We’re miles from civilization, the train’s not due fer days, so who did it?”
“Make no mistake we will find the party - or parties - responsible,” rasps another man, standing close to you.
“And when we do, you’ll pay, and dearly,” adds a third. Rumbles of approval run through the circle.
“Well, as my good man over there rightly pointed out, we’re not going anywhere,” you say evenly. “We’ll get to the bottom of this. But not with dry throats and parched tongues. Methinks there will be plenty of talk in this room today.”
You step behind the bar and grab a bottle of whiskey. The others follow suit.
“Now,” you say, once everyone has his preferred beverage in hand, “Let us begin.”

The Living:

Oso

Socrates

Oso

, Mafia Godfather, Wins!
Boberz, Mafia Goon, Wins!

The Dead:

The Innkeeper, killed in Pre-game

Bub Bidderskins, Mafia Roleblocker, lynched D1, Wins!

Cogito Ergo Sum, Townie, killed N1

xvart, Townie, lynched D2

Parama, Watcher, killed N2

Lowell, Townie, lynched D3

charter, Townie, lynched D4

DemonHybrid, Doctor, killed N4

WeaponsofMassConstruction, Townie, lynched D5
Xine, Townie, Endgamed D5
Slaxx, Townie, Endgamed D5

[Nicodemus]

The Rules

1) Day Phases will be set at a length of (# of players alive + 7 days). This means that in the first Day, the deadline will be set at 19 days. Deadlines will be strictly enforced barring extreme situations (late Day replacements).

2) To vote to lynch,

bold

the word “vote” and the name of the player you wish to vote for.

Vote: Nicodemus

is an acceptable vote. You may use abbreviations of the player’s names, but make sure that they are easily comprehended. Unvotes, while not required, are much appreciated.

3) To vote to No Lynch,

bold

the word “vote” and the words “no lynch.”

Vote: No Lynch

is an acceptable vote.

4) A lynch occurs when the suspect has gained a true majority of votes. Thus, in a field of 12 players the lynchee must have 7 votes placed them before they are lynched, while a field of 11 players requires only 6 votes for a lynching.

5) If no true majority has been achieved by deadline, the player closest to lynch will be lynched. If two players are tied for the number of votes, the one who reached their total first will be lynched. No Lynch, necessarily, will occur ONLY if it is voted for specifically by the players. A true majority, however, is not required for a No Lynch to occur – merely 50% or greater of the participants must vote for it.

6) Players, including the lynched player, are allowed to post in-thread during the Twilight phase, or the time between a Lynch and Night. The Mafia is NOT allowed to post in their QuickTopic during Twilight (or Day, but this is more obvious).

7) Nights will last exactly 72 hours from the time the thread is locked until it is opened the following Day. Players with QuickTopics may use them at this time.

8) Lynched players from the previous Day are NOT permitted to make a “Bah” (or “Baw”) post. They should have gotten it out of their system the night before.

9) If you have any questions/concerns for me, please PM me or post “

@Mod: your question here

” in the thread. Your questions must be bolded or I may not see them.

10) You must post in-thread every 72 hours or you will receive a prod. If you do not respond to a prod within 24 hours you will be replaced.

11) If you are prodded more than three times in a game you will be replaced.

12) If you are going to be away from the thread please PM me about the absence or make a “V/LA” post in-thread. Failing to do so will get you replaced.

13) The flavor is present only to entertain and does not provide insight into the setup of the game or the alignment of the players.

14) Play to win, but have fun. Final interpretation of this rule is up to the Mod. This rule covers all topics ranging from personal attacks/derogatory posts to cheating in any way (discussing the game outside of this thread and designated Quicktopics, editing/deleting posts, posting in invisible or hard to read fonts, quoting or pretending to quote PMs from the mod, etc. This also means that flavor quoting, or even paraphrasing, is also illegal. The flavor was meant for you alone. Keep it that way). Breaking this rule may result in you being reprimanded, replaced or modkilled, at the discretion of the Mod.

15) A copy of the Vanilla Townie Role PM, which at least one player received:

XXXX

, you are a citizen who has stopped at the inn and is waiting for the train. You have no special skills except your ability to discern the truth, and your passion for justice. It appears that you will need both in the coming days.

You are a

Townie

. You win once all threats to the town have been eliminated.

Please PM me to confirm your participation in this game. You can find the game thread here. Good luck!

[Nicodemus]

Day 1 has begun!

Vote Count 1.01

Not Voting:

boberz, Bub Bidderskins, charter, Cogito Ergo Sum, DemonHybrid, Lowell, Oso, Parama, Slaxx, WeaponsofMassConstruction, Xine, xvart

7

to lynch.

Deadline for D1 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 1.02

Parama

(2): Slaxx, Cogito Ergo Sum

boberz

(2): xvart, DemonHybrid

Xine

(1): WeaponsofMassConstruction

Slaxx

(1): boberz

xvart

(1): Oso

Not Voting:

Bub Bidderskins, charter, Lowell, Parama, Xine

7

to lynch.

Deadline for D1 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 1.03

boberz

(4): xvart, DemonHybrid, Parama, charter

Parama

(2): Cogito Ergo Sum, Lowell

Bub Bidderskins

(2): Slaxx, WeaponsofMassConstruction

Slaxx

(1): boberz

xvart

(1): Oso

Not Voting:

Bub Bidderskins, Xine

7

to lynch.

Deadline for D1 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Hey Nic, does my vote count? Ijs.

Yes it does, I missed updating the total votes after my refresh edit. Fixed.

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 1.04

boberz

(6): xvart, DemonHybrid, Parama, charter, Cogito Ergo Sum, Slaxx

Slaxx

(2): boberz, Lowell

Bub Bidderskins

(1): WeaponsofMassConstruction

xvart

(1): Oso

Not Voting:

Bub Bidderskins, Xine

boberz is at L-1

7

to lynch.

Deadline for D1 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Tag fail. (Can that be fixed for me mod, to save that massive post twice?

Fixed.

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 1.05

boberz

(5): xvart, Parama, charter, Cogito Ergo Sum, Slaxx

Slaxx

(2): boberz, Lowell

Bub Bidderskins

(1): WeaponsofMassConstruction

Cogito Ergo Sum

(1): Oso

Not Voting:

Bub Bidderskins, DemonHybrid, Xine

boberz is at L-2

7

to lynch.

Deadline for D1 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

TAGFAIL. Goddammit. I could edit my own post but that would be against the rules so can you fix it for me, mod?

Fixed.

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 1.06

boberz

(4): xvart, Parama, Cogito Ergo Sum, Slaxx

Slaxx

(3): boberz, Lowell, charter

Bub Bidderskins

(1): WeaponsofMassConstruction

Cogito Ergo Sum

(1): Oso

Parama

(1): Xine

Not Voting:

Bub Bidderskins, DemonHybrid

7

to lynch.

Deadline for D1 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Arg! Tag fail! Mod could you please fix that? I'll give you a cookie...

Fixed. Where's my cookie?

Nic if you want you can delete one of those.

Done.

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 1.07

boberz

(4): xvart, Parama, Cogito Ergo Sum, Slaxx

Bub Bidderskins

(3): WeaponsofMassConstruction, DemonHybrid, boberz

Slaxx

(2): Lowell, charter

Parama

(2): Xine, Bub Bidderskins

Cogito Ergo Sum

(1): Oso

7

to lynch.

Deadline for D1 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 1.08

Bub Bidderskins

(5): WeaponsofMassConstruction, DemonHybrid, boberz, Lowell, charter

boberz

(4): xvart, Parama, Cogito Ergo Sum, Slaxx

Parama

(2): Xine, Bub Bidderskins

Cogito Ergo Sum

(1): Oso

Bub Bidderskins is at L-2

7

to lynch.

Deadline for D1 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 1.09

Bub Bidderskins

(5): WeaponsofMassConstruction, DemonHybrid, boberz, Lowell, charter

boberz

(2): Parama, Cogito Ergo Sum

Parama

(2): Xine, Bub Bidderskins

Cogito Ergo Sum

(1): Oso

Xine

(1): xvart

Not Voting

: Slaxx

Bub Bidderskins is at L-2

7

to lynch.

Deadline for D1 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 1.10

Bub Bidderskins

(4): WeaponsofMassConstruction, boberz, Lowell, charter

boberz

(3): Parama, Cogito Ergo Sum, Xine

Cogito Ergo Sum

(2): Oso, DemonHybrid

Xine

(2): xvart, Slaxx

Parama

(1): Bub Bidderskins

7

to lynch.

Deadline for D1 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 1.11

Bub Bidderskins

(6): WeaponsofMassConstruction, boberz, Lowell, charter, Parama, DemonHybrid

boberz

(2): Cogito Ergo Sum, Xine

Xine

(2): xvart, Slaxx

Cogito Ergo Sum

(1): Oso

Parama

(1): Bub Bidderskins

Bub Bidderskins is at L-1

7

to lynch.

Deadline for D1 can be found here

Oso

has notified me that he is V/LA until Wednesday, September 15.

Lowell

has been prodded.

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 1.12

Bub Bidderskins (7): WeaponsofMassConstruction, boberz, Lowell, charter, Parama, DemonHybrid, Bub Bidderskins

boberz

(2): Cogito Ergo Sum, Xine

Xine

(2): xvart, Slaxx

Cogito Ergo Sum

(1): Oso

Bub Bidderskins has been lynched!

It is now Twilight. Everyone may post until the lynch scene and flip are posted.

[Nicodemus]

^yeah

Mod could you specify a length?

There's none in the OP so

Everyone may post until the lynch scene and flip are posted.

So, basically, in a couple hours.

[Nicodemus]

Round and round the conversation goes. Accusations fly, tempers flare, and, slowly, you settle on one man as the killer. He tries to defend himself, but the will of the many is too much for him to overcome, and one by one the others finger him as the man to die. The man in question, a potion maker named

Bub Bidderskins

, has had far too much to drink, and as the pressure mounts he begins to falter and finally cracks.
Leaping to his feet he screams a garbled, alcohol-induced denunciation of all the men in the room, and, before anyone can stop him, pulls a gun from inside his coat and shoots himself through the skull.
Startled, but not terribly upset, you watch dispassionately as Bub thrashes on the ground, and, finally, his jerking feet are still. Silently, you approach his corpse and rifle through his pockets, removing a strange, cloudy vial of purplish liquid. The purpose of Bub’s gun is obvious, but the liquid is puzzling.
“I’ve seen that purple stuff before,” says a man, stepping forward. “Wickedly powerful stuff, that. If drunk, it can knock a man unconscious for an entire night, and he’ll remember nothing in the morning. My guess is Bub meant to use it on us, tonight!”
Dawning comprehension lights the faces of the other guests, mixed with the relief that the killer was found so quickly. Still, Bub’s words sit badly in your heart, and you think that his death was merely a precursor of things to come. As the Sun begins to set you take one last look around the room and then turn and climb the stairs to your room. You lynched correctly today, yes, but who knows what horrors tomorrow may bring?

Bub Bidderskins, Mafia Roleblocker

, lynched Day 1!

It is now Night. No more posting in this thread until Day begins again. Deadline for Night 1 can be found here.

[Nicodemus]

Troubled by the memory of Bub’s gruesome suicide, you have a hard time finding sleep. You toss and turn, jumping at the slightest creak or groan of the ancient inn. Eventually, you drift into an uneasy slumber.
Morning breaks suddenly – a loud gunshot cuts through the fog of sleep as it rings throughout the inn – and you spring out of bed, instantly alert. You spill out of your room into the corridor half-dressed, mirroring the other inn-mates’ exits from their chambers. Hurrying along the hall, you find the room that the report issued from. Although no shooter is present, the victim is in plain sight – and still gasping for life.
Before you can move, however, the man coughs blood and sputters, “I think, therefore–” but he can say no more. A thorough search of the room reveals nothing else, just the body, lying very dead on the floor.
A moan issues from the back of the crowd: “We killed the murderer yesterday – how can

he

be dead now?”
“The answer is obvious, but ominous,” you reply. “There is more than one person willing to take a life in our midst. We have to lynch again today, and pray that we are successful.”

Cogito Ergo Sum, Townie

, Killed Night 1

Vote Count 2.01

Not Voting:

boberz, charter, DemonHybrid, Lowell, Parama, Slaxx, Socrates, WeaponsofMassConstruction, Xine, xvart

6

to lynch.

Deadline for D2 can be found here

Oso requested replacement during the night due to extra responsibilities at work. Socrates has agreed to replace him. Everyone, say hello!

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 2.02

Xine

(3): Parama, Socrates, charter

boberz

(1): DemonHybrid

Not Voting:

boberz, Lowell, WeaponsofMassConstruction, Xine, xvart

6

to lynch.

Deadline for D2 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 2.03

Xine

(3): Parama, WeaponsofMassConstruction, Slaxx

Slaxx

(2): Xine, Lowell

WeaponsofMassConstruction

(1): Socrates

Socrates

(1): DemonHybrid

Not Voting:

boberz, charter, xvart

6

to lynch.

Deadline for D2 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 2.04

WeaponsofMassConstruction

(4): Socrates, charter, Slaxx, DemonHybrid

Slaxx

(3): Xine, Lowell, xvart

Xine

(1): WeaponsofMassConstruction

Not Voting:

boberz, Parama

WeaponsofMassConstruction is at L-2

6

to lynch.

Deadline for D2 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 2.05

WeaponsofMassConstruction

(3): Socrates, charter, DemonHybrid

Slaxx

(3): Xine, Lowell, xvart

Xine

(1): WeaponsofMassConstruction

xvart

(1): Slaxx

Not Voting:

boberz, Parama

6

to lynch.

Deadline for D2 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 2.06

xvart

(3): Slaxx, charter, Parama

Slaxx

(1): Lowell

WeaponsofMassConstruction

(1): Socrates

Xine

(1): WeaponsofMassConstruction

charter

(1): Xine

Not Voting:

boberz, DemonHybrid, xvart

6

to lynch.

Deadline for D2 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 2.07

xvart

(5): Slaxx, charter, Parama, DemonHybrid, Socrates

Slaxx

(2): Lowell, xvart

Xine

(1): WeaponsofMassConstruction

charter

(1): Xine

Not Voting:

boberz

xvart is at L-1

6

to lynch.

Deadline for D2 can be found here

Nah. Awkward is when I came into class in like 3rd grade with my pants on backwards. Mod might be able to confirm that.

Confirmage. Although it was 5th grade IIRC, not 3rd. Either way though, many lulz were had.

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 2.08

xvart

(5): charter, Parama, DemonHybrid, Socrates, Lowell

Slaxx

(1): xvart

Xine

(1): WeaponsofMassConstruction

charter

(1): Xine

Not Voting:

boberz, Slaxx

xvart is at L-1

6

to lynch.

Deadline for D2 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 2.09

xvart

(4): charter, DemonHybrid, Socrates, Lowell

charter

(2): Xine, WeaponsofMassConstruction

Slaxx

(1): xvart

Socrates

(1): Parama

Not Voting:

boberz, Slaxx

xvart is at L-2

6

to lynch.

Deadline for D2 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 2.10

xvart

(4): charter, DemonHybrid, Socrates, Lowell

Slaxx

(2): xvart, Xine

charter

(1): WeaponsofMassConstruction

Socrates

(1): Parama

Not Voting:

boberz, Slaxx

xvart is at L-2

6

to lynch.

Deadline for D2 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 2.11

xvart

(4): charter, DemonHybrid, Socrates, Lowell

Slaxx

(2): xvart, Xine

charter

(1): WeaponsofMassConstruction

Socrates

(1): Parama

Xine

(1): boberz

Not Voting:

Slaxx

xvart is at L-2

6

to lynch.

Deadline for D2 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 2.12

xvart (6): charter, DemonHybrid, Socrates, Lowell, Slaxx, Parama

Slaxx

(2): xvart, Xine

charter

(1): WeaponsofMassConstruction

Xine

(1): boberz

xvart has been lynched!

It is now Twilight. Everyone may post until the lynch scene and flip are posted.

[Nicodemus]

The sun seems hotter Today. It beats down upon the inn with a terrible ferocity, and soon all are sweating in its fiery rays. Some, though, have more to sweat about than the heat.
“We’ve been over this a hundred times!” yells a hulking figure from the corner. “It’s gotta be him. It’s

gotta

.”
You nod uncertainly and stand to refill your glass. The hot air in the room makes it difficult to concentrate, and you need a drink to calm your buzzing brain.
“I tell you, it’s not me!” screams another figure back at hulking man.
“Who then, if not you?”
Their voices continue to rage as you reach under the bar, hoping to find the inn-keeper’s secret stash of liquor. Instead, your hand runs across something far more interesting: the spine of an ancient book. You glance over the bar to confirm that no one is looking, and then surreptitiously wedge it under the waistband of your pants. A private book hidden by the initial victim? It could provide crucial clues to solving the murders.
You return to the circle in a haze of liquor, heat, and adrenaline, hoping that your discovery has gone unnoticed. It takes you a moment to realize that it is your turn to vote. Motioning vaguely into the air in front of you, you collapse in your chair, rubbing your aching skull.
“That’s it then! We’ve all voted, and

he’s

the one to die!”
The man in question,

xvart

, shakes uncontrollably in his chair. “It’s not me,” he repeats, “I swear!”
His screams go unheeded as the noose is placed around his neck, and in minutes there is nothing left but a lifeless corpse, swaying gently in the desert heat.
Silently you approach the body and search his pockets. Unlike the saloon’s bar, however,

xvart’s

pockets contain no secrets. He was an innocent man.
Slowly the reality of the situation sinks in, and the men sit in stunned silence over the brutal murder that has been carried out by their own hands. One by one they drift away to their separate rooms. You, however, stay behind. Reaching behind you, you bring forth the book. Are the answers you so desperately seek contained within its pages? As the sun sets behind the hills for the Night, you begin to read.

xvart, Townie

, lynched Day 2!

It is now Night. No more posting in this thread until Day begins again. Deadline for Night 2 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

"

From The Journal of Obadiah Walker

April 7, 1884

A wealthy man came to the inn today. A man who kept his face hidden beneath his hat, no matter how I might try to peer under it. Every instinct told me to refuse him lodging, but money is hard to come by these days, and he paid well. Very well indeed. He is up in his room now, but for the past several hours he sat at the bar, ordering drink after drink. As much as he drank, though, his speech never slurred, and his mental faculties seemed unaffected. He asked me all sorts of questions – private things, things I’ve never told anyone. I mostly kept silent, but he pulled enough out of me to get what he wanted. Still, I have my money, and that’s what I want. I’ll watch him closely though.

April 8, 1884

The man was back at the bar today, and just as shadowy as the day before. I could get nothing from him besides trivial tidbits, but he continued to question me. Names, dates, family, how I was doing, where I’ve been, where I’m going. I lost track of it all. And he didn’t miss a thing.

April 9, 1884

I told him about the money! I don’t know why I told him, or how, but he knows. Obi, you fool. You know nothing of this man, yet you told him about your fortune. Still. He doesn’t know where I’ve hidden it, and he’ll be gone tomorrow. I got that much out of him at least. Oh, but I wish he’d be gone!

April 10, 1884

He’s gone, all right. Gone, and with the gold from his room as well. Hopefully it is enough to satisfy him – and hopefully it’s enough to teach me my lesson. I have the gold spread out in every room, yes, but if I tell any man who asks that I have it, it’s only a matter of time before I lose it all. If only I had gotten a look at his face! But, no matter. He got the gold in his room, mayhap he’ll just let me be. Please, just let me be."

You put the journal down and shield your weary eyes from the early morning light. Gold. That's what these murders have been about. And, with yesterday's sensless lynch, you are no closer to finding the culprits than you were the previous morning. You sigh heavily, and as you do, a shot rings out - but it comes from outside. Startled, you spring to your feet and tear out the door, looking frantically around. You see the barn door is ajar, and you run to it and peer inside. There, in a pool of his own blood, lies

Parama

. Around his neck is a pair of binoculars that he was using to look into the windows of the inn. But what he might have seen remains a mystery now. As the other inn-mates arrive at the scene, though, a bigger mystery is at hand. Who is responsible for

Parama's

death, and will you be able to stop the murderers in time?

Parama, Watcher

, Killed Night 2

Vote Count 3.01

Not Voting:

boberz, charter, DemonHybrid, Lowell, Slaxx, Socrates, WeaponsofMassConstruction, Xine

5

to lynch.

Deadline for D3 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 3.02

boberz

(1): DemonHybrid

Not Voting:

boberz, charter, Lowell, Slaxx, Socrates, WeaponsofMassConstruction, Xine

5

to lynch.

Deadline for D3 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 3.03

Socrates

(1): WeaponsofMassConstruction

Not Voting:

boberz, charter, DemonHybrid, Lowell, Slaxx, Socrates, Xine

5

to lynch.

Deadline for D3 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 3.04

Lowell

(2): DemonHybrid, Xine

Socrates

(1): WeaponsofMassConstruction

Not Voting:

boberz, charter, Lowell, Slaxx, Socrates

5

to lynch.

Deadline for D3 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 3.05

Lowell

(3): DemonHybrid, Xine, Slaxx

Socrates

(1): WeaponsofMassConstruction

Not Voting:

boberz, charter, Lowell, Socrates

Lowell is at L-2

5

to lynch.

Deadline for D3 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 3.06

Lowell (5): DemonHybrid, Xine, Slaxx, charter, WeaponsofMassConstruction

Socrates

(1): Lowell

Not Voting:

boberz, Socrates

Lowell has been lynched!

It is now Twilight. Everyone may post until the lynch scene and flip have been posted.

[Nicodemus]

Another death, another day. Another valiant attempt to find the killers and bring them to justice. How long will it go on? How long will these scumbags continue to live, killing innocent men for nothing more than money?
Today, though, is different. Everyone has laid their chips on the table, and any secrets that were kept back have been brought into the light. Except one notable fact of course, the fact you’ve been trying for days to uncover. Who are the ones responsible for the senseless killings?
You think back over the days and the discussions, and one name in particular stands out to you:

Lowell

. From day one he has seemed suspicious, and his actions today are suspect in the extreme. Slowly but surely a majority of the town decides the same. With unhurried hands you string

Lowell

up and watch as the life seeps out of him, certain of your choice.
His pockets, however, are empty. Reeling, you step back from the suspended corpse, horrified at what you’ve done. For the second day in a row an innocent man has died at your hands. And now only seven men remain. You return to your room in a haze of guilt and terror, the prospect of another night in the inn filling you with dread.

Lowell, Townie

, lynched Day 3!

It is now Night. No more posting in this thread until Day begins again. Deadline for Night 3 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

The morning comes much too quickly, and as you dress you wonder who the next victim will be. But as you descend the stairs and walk slowly into the bar you see the group from the day before – and it’s still the same size. Unbelievable as it may be, no one died the previous night.
There still must be killers in the inn though. Your resolve to find the guilty parties today is strengthened.

Vote Count 4.01

Not Voting:

boberz, charter, DemonHybrid, Slaxx, Socrates, WeaponsofMassConstruction, Xine

4

to lynch.

Deadline for D4 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 4.02

Socrates

(1): WeaponsofMassConstruction

boberz

(1): DemonHybrid

Not Voting:

boberz, charter, Slaxx, Socrates, Xine

4

to lynch.

Deadline for D4 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 4.03

Socrates

(1): WeaponsofMassConstruction

No Lynch

(1): boberz

Not Voting:

boberz, charter, Slaxx, Socrates, Xine

4

to lynch.

Deadline for D4 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

@Mod: Prod Socrates please.

10) You must post in-thread every 72 hours or you will receive a prod. If you do not respond to a prod within 24 hours you will be replaced.

Socrates still has 23 hours before he is eligible for a prod.

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 4.04

Socrates

(1): WeaponsofMassConstruction

WeaponsofMassConstruction

(1): DemonHybrid

Not Voting:

boberz, charter, Slaxx, Socrates, Xine

4

to lynch.

Deadline for D4 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 4.05

Socrates

(1): WeaponsofMassConstruction

WeaponsofMassConstruction

(1): DemonHybrid

Not Voting:

boberz, charter, Slaxx, Socrates, Xine

4

to lynch.

Deadline for D4 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 4.06

WeaponsofMassConstruction

(2): DemonHybrid, charter

charter

(1): WeaponsofMassConstruction

WeaponsofMassConstruction is at L-2

Not Voting:

boberz, Slaxx, Socrates, Xine

4

to lynch.

Deadline for D4 can be found here

Socrates has been prodded.

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 4.07

WeaponsofMassConstruction

(2): DemonHybrid, charter

Socrates

(2): boberz, Xine

charter

(1): WeaponsofMassConstruction

Not Voting:

Slaxx, Socrates

WeaponsofMassConstruction is at L-2
Socrates is at L-2

4

to lynch.

Deadline for D4 can be found here

Socrates did not pick up his prod. I am currently looking for a replacement. He will still be allowed to rejoin the game if he posts before a replacement is found.

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 4.08

charter (4): WeaponsofMassConstruction, DemonHybrid, boberz, Slaxx

WeaponsofMassConstruction

(1): charter

Not Voting:

Socrates, Xine

charter has been lynched!

It is now Twilight. Everyone may post until the lynch scene and flip are posted.

Also, Oso has agreed to take his spot back since his business has calmed down. He is replacing Socrates immediately.

[Nicodemus]

You think today might be different. The reprieve last night has given you hope. Perhaps the killers were scared, perhaps the grisly murders were done for good. Still, the murders of the previous nights need atoning. And (although you would never admit this to a living soul) you have begun to relish your role in the proceedings. A human life hangs in the balance, and you have the final say if they live or die.
The accused stands before you now.

charter

, the man who was often the loudest in the room, placing the blame on everyone but himself, is the next set to die. You, full of righteousness and, perhaps, relish, give your assertion with a confident nod. The group surrounds

charter

swiftly, and, before he can mount any sort of defense, he is hanging lifeless from the rafters.
Here, you are sure, hangs another heartless murderer. As you thrust your hands into his pockets, however, your confidence melts away. Once again, you and the inn-mates have chosen wrong.
Still, the day wasn’t a total waste. Another innocent was killed to be sure, but you are that much closer to finding those truly guilty. As you ascend the stairs for another night of agitated rest you contemplate the previous days’ events, and a curious thought strikes you: although you began with the best intentions, it seems that your group of justice enforcers has killed more innocent men than the murderers themselves.
You hope a different story will be written tomorrow.

charter, Townie

, lynched Day 4!

It is now Night. No more posting in this thread until Day begins again. Deadline for Night 4 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

You wake up to the sound of pounding rain. The clouds must have rolled in overnight, bringing with them the torrential desert downpour. The ceiling is leaking, and water stains the sheets on your bed. But, how can water stain something? You look closer, and you see that the water is mixed with something else. Something thicker, something … red.
You spring out of bed and run to the stairs, taking them two at a time to the inn’s cramped third floor. You tear down the hall and throw open the door to the room above you, and there, lying dead in a pool of his own blood, is

DemonHybrid

. Lying next to him is an open medical bag with bandages flowing out of it – obviously he tried to save himself before the end, but to no avail.
So, the doctor is dead. Everyone suspected it would happen soon, but seeing his body stretched out on the floor brings it home with a terrible finality. Just five men now remain. As the rain crashes harder against the roof, the sky weeping for the dead, you know: time is running out, and will soon be gone.

DemonHybrid, Doctor

, Killed Night 4

Vote Count 5.01

Not Voting:

boberz, Oso, Slaxx, WeaponsofMassConstruction, Xine

3

to lynch.

Deadline for D5 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 5.02

WeaponsofMassConstruction

(2): Oso, Slaxx

Not Voting:

boberz, WeaponsofMassConstruction, Xine

WeaponsofMassConstruction is at L-1

3

to lynch.

Deadline for D5 can be found here

[Nicodemus]

Vote Count 5.03

WeaponsofMassConstruction (3): Oso, Slaxx, boberz

Not Voting:

WeaponsofMassConstruction, Xine

WeaponsofMassConstruction has been lynched!

3

to lynch.

That's a lynch! Lynch scene and flip coming.

[Nicodemus]

Just days ago (days that might as well have been years) you arrived at this god-forsaken inn. Day after day you have seen innocent blood spilt, and day after day those responsible have inched closer to their goal. The train comes tomorrow, but you think – no, you

know

– that you have run out of time. If you lynch wrong today, nothing will be able to save the innocent from death.
And, you must admit, there aren’t that many possible murderers to choose from. Your ill-fated lynches from the previous days have seen to that. Thus, although the stakes are so high, you feel that the odds of finding the guilty ones are better than ever, and choose the one to hang with impressive speed.
The man in question,

WeaponsofMassConstruction

, has been under suspicion for several days. Always going against the flow, always taking unpopular stances, you decide that he has lived too long. And, as you prepare to vote, you are confident in your choice. But when two other men rush forward so quickly to string him up, your confidence begins to falter. You hang back in amazement as

Oso

and

boberz

stuff

WeaponsofMassConstruction

into the noose, and kick the chair out from beneath him.
Your mind reeling, you stumble back a few steps. The men finish their deed and turn in unison, pulling twin revolvers from the inside of their coats. As

WeaponsofMassConstruction

twitches behind them, the life ebbing from his body,

Oso

and

boberz

aim their guns at the man beside you, quickly gunning him down. Your mind a blinding sea of panic, all you can do is turn to run –

WeaponsofMassConstruction, Townie, lynched Day 5!
Xine, Townie, Endgamed Day 5!
Slaxx, Townie, Endgamed Day 5!

Epilogue:

As the train slows in the station, the conductor glances uneasily at the two lone men standing on the platform. Something in the way they carry themselves, the tilt of their hats, the way he can’t quite make out their faces, bothers him in a way he isn’t often bothered. And, the fact that the crowd shuffling onto the train from this station regularly numbers twelve or more does nothing to calm his nerves. Still, business is business, and he waves the men aboard.
They take seats facing each other in the rear of the passenger car, and, try as he might, the conductor

still

can’t see their faces under the wide brims of their hats. Approaching them somewhat apprehensively, the conductor asks them for their tickets in his quiet voice.
“I’m sorry, my good sir, but we have neglected to purchase tickets for this particular train. Is that a problem?” asks the larger man, lounging in his seat.
“Well, uh, railway regulations do require–”
“Why don’t you just take this,” says the other man, leaning forward and pressing something that glinted in the lantern light into the conductor’s hand, “and forget about those regulations? Just this once, of course.”
“Of course, of course,” mumbles the conductor. “It is rather difficult to remember all of the rules, all of the time.”
He backs away from the two men quickly, stumbling over himself as he exits the passenger car. The conductor looks down at the smooth, cool object clasped tightly in his fist, and confirms to himself that it is indeed the largest piece of gold he has ever seen. Making his way quickly towards the engine, he stows the gold piece in his waistcoat and vows never to think of the men again.
The conductor reaches the engine, slightly out of breath, and nods stiffly to the engineer. The bearded man acknowledges him by giving the whistle a double pull, and starting the train’s slow acceleration out of the station.
“Next stop, California?” asks the engineer, and when the conductor nods again the engineer smiles and says, wistfully. “California. The land where anything is possible, and men become rich beyond their wildest dreams.”

Oso, Mafia Godfather,
Boberz, Mafia Goon,
Bub Bidderskins, Mafia Roleblocker, Win!

[Nicodemus]

Night Actions!

Night 1

Parama watches charter
Xine tracks Slaxx
DemonHybrid protects Parama
boberz kills Cogito Ergo Sum

Night 2

Parama watches Xine
Xine tracks DemonHybrid
DemonHybrid protects Xine
boberz kills Parama

Night 3

Xine tracks Socrates
DemonHybrid protects Xine

Night 4

Xine tracks Slaxx
DemonHybrid protects Xine
Oso kills DemonHybrid

[Nicodemus]

Thanks to everyone who played for a great game. Activity was good all across the board (I only had to issue two prods the entire game), and if Oso hadn't been forced to replace out we wouldn't have needed any replacements either. Still, it was great that he was able to come back and finish the game off, and I was really happy that Socrates was such a competent replacement as well (before he went AWOL anyway).

Overall I was happy with the way this game played out. The setup worked just about as well as I hoped it would, although I wish there had been more opportunity for Roleblocker vs. Doctor claims, or counterclaims of any kind. Still, I thought the sides were pretty well balanced, and obviously having the Roleblocker taken out D1 didn't hurt the scum team terribly. I haven't seen anyone discuss it yet, but I'll go ahead and say that the Godfather was put in solely to throw a little bit of misdirection at the scum team. Since 3:9 setups are won about 65% of the time by scum, I thought it was fair to hamper them slightly by giving them potentially misleading information. It didn't affect them hardly at all, however, so I was happy with this addition.

I was also very impressed by everyone's play in this game (town more on day 1, and scum more on subsequent days). The level of town play on day one was really top-notch, with all of the scum getting heat to one degree or another, and multiple people calling out two or even three scum members by the end of the day. I was actually worried that you would be able to run the board and end the game on day 3. But, scum fought back, thanks in large part to boberz' newly found town cred due to his well-timed bus, and Socrates' great entry into the game on day 2. I think I might have gone after Socrates/Oso more than town ended up doing, just because of his notable absence on the Bub wagon, but Socrates really played well on day 2 and 3 to get the heat off of his slot.

And then, mislynchgate 2010 happened. I know that town had a large advantage going into day 2, with the mafia roleblocker dead and all three powerroles still alive, but some of the lynches that were pushed through were quite horrendous. xvart's lynch in particular just felt like it was a "well, I'm tired of running people up and lynching them, I'm going to force this through no matter how town he sounds". I was also very surprised that charter got lynched as quickly as he did, as he seemed fairly town the whole game.

But yes, kudos to both town and scum for a well-played game, it was a great first time modding experience for me, and I would be happy to have any of you play in my games again. And here is the dead thread, for those who didn't get to see it: http://www.quicktopic.com/45/H/Phk2kXhCCqi

Also, as a first time mod, how do you think I did? Any comments/suggestions/critiques about improving for the future?

[Nicodemus]

You did a great job modding. That doesn't get said very often anymore, either.

d(''d) GJ Nic.

The modding was attentive and good I really enjoyed this game.

Nic - I thought the game was ran excellently. Great flavor for a normal and everything was run smoothly. Kudos on the first moderating. I would not hesitate to enlist in another of your games.

This was your first game? Really? Wow, it came across to me as very polished and refined, like you had done this dozens of times. Excellent job.

Thanks a lot guys, your praise is very much appreciated. Definitely sign up for Slaxx's and my game when it gets going, it's gonna be the shiz.

I liked the hell out of your flavor.

You know, there is a thread where comments like these could be taken to their full potential. Hint, hint.

[Nicodemus]

That was actually the idea I mentioned in the QT Oso. By no-killing N3, mafia were able to ensure lylo on D5 rather than mylo on D4. If Xine

had

been scum, this would have been the perfect play, because the town wouldn't be in a situation where they no lynched to get to lylo, only to find that the claimed tracker didn't die during the night.