Thread: Circus: Mafia Part II: La Cosa Nova Board: Limbo / Ship of Fools.


To visit this thread, use this URL:
http://forum.ship-of-fools.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=11;t=000592

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
As the dust settles after the opening game of Mafia, I'm now recruiting players for the next round. I'm hoping this game will have more players than the last one, as I'm introducing a few refinements this time.

First and most important, there will be no prior information about what roles exist and in what numbers. There could be detectives, doctors, mafiosi and others in any combination. (I'll try to keep it fair, though.) Roles may not necessarily have their usual names.

Secondly, we'll be using a 'godfather' method for assassinations, so that only one named gangster need PM me with the name of each night's victim.

Thirdly, a couple of changes to the voting system. Although I'm still looking for absolute majorities, in the event of exactly half the players voting to lynch a single person, that person will be lynched unless every other voter votes for the same other candidate, or else every other voter abstains. Any split among the second half will be enough to hang the victim. Also, you can no longer vote for yourself, although you may commit suicide.

Fourthly, I will only announce endgame situations when I think the players have enough information about roles to work it out.

My sincere thanks to the players of the first game; I hope as many of you as possible will join us again in this round. Your fantastic roleplaying made the game an absolute joy to run.

Respond here if you would like to play!

T.

[ 14. May 2007, 20:02: Message edited by: Belisarius ]
 

---

Posted by The Great Gumby (# 10989) on :
 
Yes please!
 

---

Posted by Fool of a Took (# 7412) on :
 
Young Meriadoc Took, having been left in the care of a kindly neighbour after her mother's untimely death, grew up and moved to...

...where is this game set then?

I'm in.
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
One further note: You are permitted to claim to be any role you like. Just remember that claiming a particular role is likely to make you a target for that role's enemies, whether or not you truly have that role.

T.
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
Ricky's twin brother, Roger, inherits the business. But given the unfortunate demise of his INNOCENT brother (did you get that Chelley, innocent ), he looks for an opportunity to relocate....

I'm in.
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Fool of a Took:
...where is this game set then?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by AnnaF:
Is there still space for another to play?

---

Of course! The more the merrier.

T.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
BL looked down at her red shoes in amazement. It worked! Somehow, in the twinkling of an eye, she had been picked up and transported from Pesto City to Cosenza Beach. BL wandered down the broadwalk, eyes wide in amazement. She was in a whole new story. 'I hope the munchkins are nicer here' she thought to herself...

Dorothy is IN.
 

---

Posted by The Great Gumby (# 10989) on :
 
Dr Gumby the brain surgeon looked out of the window suspiciously. A lot of the townspeople, despite being as new to the neighbourhood as him, seemed to know each other already! He'd heard about the terrible business in Pesto City - could any of these people have been involved? He'd have to watch his back, just in case. At least he wouldn't be defenceless, he thought as he carefully arranged his frightening array of scalpels.

[Getting the right professional title]

[ 13. October 2006, 12:48: Message edited by: The Great Gumby ]
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
Roger was delighted to quickly find suitable premises for his new shop. He would carry on with the family business of course, the Rugmakers had sold rugs for many generations –at least 2. But his brother Ricky had certainly not grown rich on rugs – it was time to diversify.

Roger had always liked a good tune, so the answer seemed obvious. In addition to rugs hand-woven in the sweatshops of Pesto City, he would also sell musical instruments. He begins to set up a stunning window display of violins, alongside a selection of carrying cases.
 

---

Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 
Count me in please!
 

---

Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
So, in the other game, did the detective 'know about' someone (ie whether or not the one they asked about was mafia)? Will it be clear what makes the different roles unique, otherwise all the doctors and detectives in the world will be just ordinary citizens when it comes down to it?
(In the RL game I'm familiar with: 'Angel, Archangel, Mafia', the angel can know about someone, the archangel can save someone and the mafia do their usual thing!) In this game is the doctor same as archangel and detective, angel?

Anyway, I'm in (if my fellow players can cope with that? )
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Chelley:
Anyway, I'm in (if my fellow players can cope with that? )

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Rugmaker:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Chelley:
Anyway, I'm in (if my fellow players can cope with that? )

---

Roger decides to install the extra-strong shutters on his new shop....

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Chelley:
So, in the other game, did the detective 'know about' someone (ie whether or not the one they asked about was mafia)?

---

quote:

---

Will it be clear what makes the different roles unique, otherwise all the doctors and detectives in the world will be just ordinary citizens when it comes down to it?

---

The detective (if there is one) will be told whether the investigated individual is a member of the mob or not. The doctor (if there is one) will look like a citizen to the detective. Some games have roles which can gain different information about certain non-citizen roles. I'm making no comment as to whether we're going to have any of those or not.

The citizens, together with roles like the detective and the doctor, form one Faction, and the Mafiosi form another. The detective can tell the two apart.

quote:

---

(In the RL game I'm familiar with: 'Angel, Archangel, Mafia', the angel can know about someone, the archangel can save someone and the mafia do their usual thing!) In this game is the doctor same as archangel and detective, angel?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Chelley:
Chelley the hermit (distant cousin of the nice bookseller brutally murdered with a giant egg sandwich)

---

I think we should be on the watch out for giant chickens, either that or look forward to some great English breakfasts!

<eating big breakfast makes messy eggy code!>

[ 13. October 2006, 13:18: Message edited by: dolphy ]
 

---

Posted by Pure Sunshine (# 11904) on :
 
I must admit I've not yet read through all the rules for this version, but want to sign up now just in case you start playing without me!!!
 

---

Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 
I'm in.

And bloody well listen to me this time, ok?
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
Autumn Wreath Road tossed her slightly battered briefcase full of rent receipts into the back of her Jaguar convertible, and headed for the shore road. Cosenza Beach was undergoing a nice boomlet in business. Now, how to restore the tourist business here without attracting the Mafia who had left neighbouring Pesto City a depopulated shell?

Cross-posted with bloody well everyone, she braked suddenly at a postbox and dropped in a hastily scrawled postcard addressed to Little Red Devil: "I'm in."

[ 13. October 2006, 13:21: Message edited by: Autenrieth Road ]
 

---

Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
Thanks Teuf... I asked here cos I thought it might be helpful for others too, before we start the next game. I'm about to wander off to the old game to make a further comment there...!!
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Eliab:
I'm in.

And bloody well listen to me this time, ok?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by christianjimmy:
I'm in. If thats still ok.

---

Plenty of room for everyone!

T.
 

---

Posted by Izzybee (# 10931) on :
 
The new girl in town pays the cab driver, looks around and wonders why she ever came here anyway. She walks up the path to her long-lost mothers front door, and nervously rings the doorbell.

When her mother answers, a look of surprise crosses her face quickly, and she hastily stubs out her half-finished cigarette on the run-down pront porch.

"Well", says her mother, "you coming in?".

Softly Izzy replies "I'd love to come in, if I can"

If you guys are still taking applications and can stand my horrible writing style (I'm very new at role-playing anything), that is
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Izzybee:
If you guys are still taking applications and can stand my horrible writing style (I'm very new at role-playing anything), that is

---

We're definitely still taking applications. The more complex starting setup I've got planned will benefit from more people.

And don't forget that this is not intrinsically a role-playing game. No-one should feel they have to role-play in order to participate - it's all just to add colour.

The main thrust of Mafia is the contest between the informed minority and the uninformed majority.

T.
 

---

Posted by dolphy (# 862) on :
 
So, this is what La Cosa Nova is all about
Death by knitting needles and wools!

It's all just to add colour... note who posted that!!!!

[ 13. October 2006, 15:21: Message edited by: dolphy ]
 

---

Posted by Zorro (# 9156) on :
 
"This is where you get off," says the bus driver. Zorro gets off the bus at La Cosa Nova, looks around. "Seems a nice little town. Somewhere to lie low after last month's escapades. Probably a good move just to keep things on the low for a bit." He wanders off from the bus stop high in the hills above the beach town, as the early morning sun glares at him, the rays penetrating his conscience. He walks down the long, winding road to the town centre, his hand clutching the Beretta in his trousers-after Pesto City, he's learned no-one's safe.

I might as well be in for this round too
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
I'm going to be away from the machine that holds my Master Plan™ until Monday now, although I'll probably be logging on from elsewhere in the interim. Players are free to join until at least Monday morning, therefore.

Thanks to all who have signed up so far. Roles will be handed out early next week.

T.
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
Excellent, thanks for running the game T.

Sign up guys, its great fun and the more players the better the game will be.

[ 13. October 2006, 18:14: Message edited by: Rugmaker ]
 

---

Posted by Papa Smurf (# 1654) on :
 
well, if I'm going to read everything here, I might as well join in at the same time. count me in

I'll close the other one, if my glamourous co-host hasn't done so already.

also, once this is over, succesful or not The Mafia will go away and not be heard about for quite a while, if you get my drift.

[ 13. October 2006, 18:18: Message edited by: Papa Smurf ]
 

---

Posted by AnnaF (# 10606) on :
 
Anna Fischer sat kicking her feet against the Cosenza Beach docks. She watched the coloured trap buoys dancing on the waves. The resting gulls stared back, replete with their day's catch.

"It's funny how things turn out." She thought. Her old friends would have laughed to see her now. Hell! she'd have laughed herself. But it was a good life, and the quiet routine suited her - you couldn't really put a price on the freedom to think without those awful twins, hurry and worry. Fishing was, when it came down to it, perfectly safe as houses. Whoever came into town, they always seemed to be hungry. What difference was it to her whether she sold lobster to a restaurant or to one of those canteens the dockers favoured? Even Teufelchen's often bought a couple to impress the more extravagent clientele.

She looked again. Far in the distance a wall of shadows raced landwards across the waves.

"Perhaps I'd better go and get the crawlers in now, before that storm blows all our houses down?" She mused.

IN and settling down somewhere with a view.
 

---

Posted by basso (# 4228) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Papa Smurf:

also, once this is over, succesful or not The Mafia will go away and not be heard about for quite a while, if you get my drift.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Stevie Boy Wonder:
the town's mayor, Pappy O'Smurfson,

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Papa Smurf:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Stevie Boy Wonder:
the town's mayor, Pappy O'Smurfson,

---

eh ?
since when was I Mayor ?
I thought the person running the game was Mayor !

---

There is sometimes a role of Mayor. If that role exists in this game, I have not yet assigned it.

As a rule, don't create other people's roles for them - if Papa Smurf wants to make out he's the Mayor, I shan't stop him.

I'm the Moderator. I don't exist. You never saw me. I was never here.

T.
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Autenrieth Road:
Teufelchen, can the Mafia PM with each other, arranging strategies, setting up victims, etc.? But other players should not PM each other about their roles in the game, speculations, etc.?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teufelchen:
As a rule, don't create other people's roles for them

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by nem:
Also as the last game is closed adn I've been away for a bit I thoguth I'd post my appologies here. sorry to not have revealed my true identity but I thought I made it obvious enough that Zorro (and Linguo) were members of the Mafia. I was trying not to get killed off and yet wsa surprised they didn't as I thought I wsa pretty obvious. maybe they thought it would make it obvious that I was telling the truth if I was killed.

Also someone asked how much I knew, I knew they were mafia adn that lamb chopped, chelley and fool of a took were innocent.

Chelley? what were you thinking thought, killing yourself? You should have truly stuck to your guns adn killed off Zorro.

---

quote:

---

Nem (from the old game) I'm here!!! Sorry I've been busy recently but I am here now. Chelley I am a citizen and think you are too! From what I've seen of Zorro I'm pretty sure he's a member of the mafia and so, as Qwai as noticed this too, I think she's also a citizen. So I am voting for Zorro.

---

That just felt like someone guessing like me!
And I wasn't on the lookout for someone who actually knew stuff, like I said before! Oh well eh!!
 

---

Posted by Papa Smurf (# 1654) on :
 
The bearded man rocked back and forth on the chair on his porch. Sure, he had held a position of town responsibility before, but he retired years ago, thanks to the stresses and strains, combined with the lack of credit. The people still called him "Papa", maybe affectionately, maybe mocking him, he wasn't sure.

Thing was, because of his life and work so far, he knew about people. How they acted, what drove them as "the people" instead of individuals. He also knew a few secrets, things that had gone on behind closed doors in this sleepy little town. And there was nothing to worry about with the current inhabitants. It was the arrival of so many new people recently that was giving him suh a furrowed brow.
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
Applications closed
I've just assigned the roles, so applications to play have now closed. (Spectators are welcome as before, though!)

It'll take a little while to post out all the roles, so I'll post again when it's time to play.

T.
 

---

Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
Can someone do us a drum roll...
 

---

Posted by Papa Smurf (# 1654) on :
 
* for some reason, a drum rolled along one of the deserted streets, kind of like the cartwheel you get after a crash*

[ 16. October 2006, 11:22: Message edited by: Papa Smurf ]
 

---

Posted by The Great Gumby (# 10989) on :
 
Dr Gumby looked out of his window in astonishment as the drum trundled down the street, chased at some distance by a rather overweight member of a marching band, panting and sweating as he tried to catch it.

"He should watch himself, running like that," he thought. "He looks like a definite candidate for a heart attack at the rate he's going."

He paused in puzzlement at the direction his thoughts were taking. He wasn't normally a morbid man - you didn't last long as a brain surgeon if your thoughts were constantly fixed on the shadowy menace of death - but since moving here, he'd found his mind straying ever more frequently towards the inevitability of life's bitter conclusion. Maybe it was just his imagination, but he had a strange feeling that he would be lucky to leave Cosenza Beach alive.

Recoiling from this unpleasant sensation, he turned from the window, and saw the parrot cage. His head full of images of death, something clicked. When was the last time the parrot had eaten? In fact, when was the last time it had moved?
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
Game on

You should all have received your notifications now. If you're playing, and haven't had a reply from me, or there's anything you don't understand in your reply, let me know asap. Many thanks!

The players are:

AnnaF
Autenrieth Road
Banner Lady
basso
Chelley
christianjimmy
cometchaser
CuppaT
dolphy
Eliab
Fool of a Took
Izzybee
Lamb Chopped
Leonato
Linguo
nem
Papa Smurf
Pure Sunshine
Rugmaker
Sir Kevin
Smudgie
Stevie Boy Wonder
The Great Gumby
Zorro

The game begins during the day. There has been no murder in town lately, so the crowds have no pretext for a lynching just yet. However, a certain amount of attention is being focussed on a mysterious piece of graffiti scrawled on a warehouse wall near the docks:

{R&J:1:1:1}&!{Mac:4:2:59-60}

Night will fall some time in the next 24 real-life hours, when I announce it.

Enjoy the game!

T.

PS: Apologies, as ever, to anyone who gets done in early on.
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
Autumn steers the Jag towards the docks. She wants to check out the warehouses; mostly unoccupied she should be able to get them cheap and turn them into condos.

She squeals to a stop and backs up. Was that graffiti? It was! In some cryptic code. A nefarious signal to the dread Mafiosi? A stray cryptic crossword clue? A Macintosh programmer feeling his oats?

Whatever. "I can spin this to the Cosenza Beach planning board that these warehouses are a pit of lawlessness and vandalism, and they'll approve conversion to wealthy out-of-towner condos in a heartbeat."

Autumn taps her red fingernails happily on the steering wheel and takes off in a roar.
 

---

Posted by dolphy (# 862) on :
 
JJ strollls down to the docks singing 'Bello Andrea'. She is hoping that she will make enough money busking to buy the pair of leather, burgandy boots that are on display in the trendy shop in the town centre. She reaches the docks, opens her violin case, tunes her violin, puts the case on the floor in front of her and starts to play.

As she is playing she looks around to see if there are any people nearby and notices some incoherant graffiti on the wall. She thinks to herself who would have done such a disgraceful thing. Kids probably, they have no manners these days....
 

---

Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 
"Leo" Leonato is seated at a pavement cafe in the main square. He is dressed entirely in black: black trenchcoat, black beret and dark shades, even though it is already dusk. He thinks black makes him look more interesting.

He thumbs idly throgh a copy of the colected works of Dario Fo, and a copy of Stanislavsky lies on the table by his half-drunk espresso.

He recognised the significance of that strange graffito instantly, and is now puzzling over what it all might mean. Surely there could never be violence in a small seaside town like this one...
 

---

Posted by Papa Smurf (# 1654) on :
 
"Papa" Smurf headed inside, looking for warmth against the sudden chill that had ridden in to the town. Was it just a change in the sea breeze ?

restless and fidgety, he pulled down a big leatherbound book from the library, and looked for inspiration, like he used to in the old days.

Sometimes that "good book" of his spoke to him in times of trouble. All he did was open it up at random pages and read the first thing he saw

"Gregory, o' my word, we'll not carry coals."

well, that was a good start - he knew it was right to install that central heatiung last year. The house was warmer, and he didn't have to go outside to refill the coal bucket so often. He tried again on another page.

"Then the liars and swearers are fools,
for there are liars and swearers enow to beat
the honest men and hang up them."

A chill went down Papa's spine, despite the central heating. was this a taste of things to come ? a reminder of a past he would rather leave behind ?

Putting the book back in its place, he shuffled off to make a cup of tea.

[ 16. October 2006, 13:06: Message edited by: Papa Smurf ]
 

---

Posted by Izzybee (# 10931) on :
 
Izzy decided to get away from the tension in her mothers house by taking a walk down to the docks.

She walked past a busker - unusual for this part of town, but a welcome distraction from the unfamiliarality of the place in general. She had heard things about New Jersey, and so far this place was living up to all the stereotypes. It was shaping up to be a long six months - her mother didn't seem to be too happy to live up to the promise she had made years before - "anytime you're in town, feel free to stay"... yeah right.

As she walked on past the busker, listening to the music float thhrough the air, she saw some graffiti.

{R&J:1:1:1}&!{Mac:4:2:59-60}

Interesting, she thought. Perhaps it's some kind of code! Having read the "Da Vinci Code" a few months back, she was convinced there were many mysteries in the world that needed solving - perhaps this was something she could look into - with nothing else to do, this might help the next six months fly by. Heck, there might even be a new book in it.

She turned and walked towards the library - getting out of her mother's hair for an afternoon wouldn't do any harm at all.


 

---

Posted by Stevie Boy Wonder (# 11869) on :
 
News of the mysterious graffiti message quickly spread through Cosenza Beach's close-knit but untrusting community. Little Stevie Peterson had heard the news from the shoeshine guy in the alleyway by the motel. Of course, the motel had a shoe shine machine, but that couldn't tell Little Stevie any local gossip in the manner he'd come to expect from watching too many cliched cop dramas.

Little Stevie headed to the docks to check out the message for himself. What could it mean? Who were R&J? Richard & Judy? Robson & Jerome? And who's Mac? Paul McCartney? Steve McClaren? Ronald McDonald? "Something doesn't smell right here" , Little Stevie thought to himself, before realising the warehouse was next door to the abbatoir. He turned to walk back to his motel - and came face to face with a man in a doctor's coat, with a handkerchief inexplicably perched on his head. "This place is too weird" , he thought, "my brain hurts."

Just as he reached the corner, Little Stevie heard a cry of, "Look out!" A large bass drum rolled past, missing Little Stevie by just a few centimetres. "Phew, that was close" , he thought, "I'm going to need to keep an eye out around here, otherwise who knows what might whack me..."
 

---

Posted by The Great Gumby (# 10989) on :
 
Dr Gumby rubbed his chin thoughtfully. It had been a long time, but he thought he recognised the strange notation that had been scrawled on the warehouse. Unless he missed his guess, the vandal had at least a passing knowledge of Shakespeare. He'd never got on with it at school - literature made his brain hurt. Nevertheless, it seemed that these were the references for Act I, Scene I, Verse 1 of Romeo & Juliet, and Act IV, Scene II, Verses 59-60 of Macbeth.

With his limited knowledge of how Shakespeare had counted verses causing him to struggle, he reached to the very top bookshelf in his office. That was where he kept his non-medical books. Full bookshelves looked good, and it was too far up for any visitors to see what the books really were. At least, if anyone had noticed that he had Winnie the Pooh in his office, thay'd never commented on it. After what seemed like an age of searching and cross-checking, he thought he had an answer. He still couldn't be certain he'd got it right, but this seemed to make more sense than any other explanation.

"Two households, both alike in dignity"
Romeo & Juliet, 1:1:1

"Who must hang them?
Why, the honest men."
Macbeth, 4:2:59-60

What did this mean? He already had a suspicion about a seedy underworld in the town, but could this anonymous message possibly mean that this gangland presence was split into two factions?

His brain hurt. All this literature was starting to get to him. He retired to his back room, placed a wet flannel on his head in place of his usual knotted hanky, and tried to rest. When he eventually drifted off to sleep, it was disturbed by strange visions, in which an army of heavily armed trees took on a gang of witches in sharp suits, with hundreds of peasants cut down in the crossfire.
 

---

Posted by Zorro (# 9156) on :
 
Zorro wakes up and gets dressed. Just jeans, a white t-shirt and a black hoody today. Easier to blend in that way. He hears a noise. Someone down the hall, "must be that lambiekins turning tricks again," he thinks to himself. He grabs his gun, not taking chances, opens the door, and walks down the corridor, to the main entrance. He strolls confidently out into the street, and down to the docks, where he sees a crowd gathered. Best to avoid this. No, wait, that'd be too obvious. Better to be with the mob than against them.
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
Roger strolls to his shop in the morning sunlight and pulls open the heavy duty shutters. He is pleased with the display of musical instruments he has been able to assemble. As well as the regular instruments, he is particularly proud of the Peruvian nose flute and the rare Danish harpsichord. Already sales have been good – a number of violin cases, some of them even with violins in them, and a large drum to a mysterious stranger who seemed far more interested in how well it would roll rather than the sound it made….

But Roger cannot put the fate of his twin out of his mind. What if the mafiosi are here too? What does the mysterious graffiti mean? How can he best protect himself from trouble? What is the capital of Ecuador? The questions seem endless.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Dorothy was oblivious to the outside world. She was unpacking medical supplies in the treatment room and trying to put things in a semblance of order. The doctor had gone out for a walk, so she wiped down the benches and the fishtank behind his desk then employed the feather duster over the dead parrot that was nailed to its perch in the corner. "Stupid thing!" she tutted to herself "how could any medic keep such a health hazard in here?" As she dusted it, a few of its feathers dislodged and fell to the floor of the cage. She wondered if he would notice, or even care. She put the duster back in the cupboard and went out to empty the autoclave.
 

---

Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 
As a fussy thespian, Leo is sorely tempted to scrub out the {R&J:1:1:1} on that strange graffito, and replace it with {R&J:Pro:1}, unless of course the mafia that he has heard rumours of are even stranger than one might expect.

[ 16. October 2006, 14:45: Message edited by: leonato ]
 

---

Posted by Papa Smurf (# 1654) on :
 
(non participatory aside)

I thought about that too.

am now unsure who was correct about the Macbeth quote - the online text I looked at didn't have line numbers.

(end aside)

[ 16. October 2006, 14:52: Message edited by: Papa Smurf ]
 

---

Posted by dolphy (# 862) on :
 
JJ, who is getting bored busking to a wall, looks at the graffiti and starts to play another tune.

It's a haunting melody, but she feels the music talking to her soul... 'When I am laid, am laid in earth to rest.....

[ 16. October 2006, 15:00: Message edited by: dolphy ]
 

---

Posted by basso (# 4228) on :
 
Ezio sighs as he opens the door to the bar and surveys the damage from last night. Things had gotten a bit rowdy last night. Still, a lot of customers meant a good profit. He drags out the mop and bucket and starts getting ready for the new day.
 

---

Posted by The Great Gumby (# 10989) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Papa Smurf:
am now unsure who was correct about the Macbeth quote - the online text I looked at didn't have line numbers.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teufelchen:
If you have night actions, take them now.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Stevie Boy Wonder:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teufelchen:
If you have night actions, take them now.

---

I often need to go for a pee in the night. Does that count?

---

At least that's a different 'night action' joke to the one in the last thread.

T.
 

---

Posted by Stevie Boy Wonder (# 11869) on :
 
Who said I was joking?

Sorry, I'll stop now.
 

---

Posted by Izzybee (# 10931) on :
 
"Wow, sure is quiet here at night", thought Izzy as she stepped out of the library and headed home, after a fruitless search of the shelves for a possible church cover-up scandal.

"Hope it gets more interesting around here soon..."

 

---

Posted by nem (# 11108) on :
 
Nem goes to bed with a concern for her future. 'with so many people to consider to be mafia members is there any hope for us citizens?' she ponders. Maybe if she sleeps on it and sees what happens in the morning she'll hvae a better feeling about any chance of living.
 

---

Posted by Stevie Boy Wonder (# 11869) on :
 
Unable to sleep, Little Stevie reached for the cheap radio, the motel room's only form of entertainment, unless you included the cockroaches. "That's the sound of the Bee Gees with Stayin' Alive" , announced a man who was far too cheery to even be in Cosenza Beach, "let's hope we all are tomorrow." Little Stevie switched off the radio and pulled the pillow over his head - anything to block out the sound of sirens outside...
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Dorothy switched off her Wizard of Oz nightlamp and lay back contentedly. It had been a strange sort of day, but a satisfying one. At least they hadn't lost any patients so far. Although the brain surgeon certainly did have some weird clients. There had been the lumberjack who wanted to talk only about where to find the best women's lingerie to her; a young woman who arrived with a very large live fish, claiming it was for the doctor's fish tank; and a gothic looking woman who claimed she was undead, whatever that meant.

The goth seemed most put out that the clinic did not sell blood or allow blood-bank "withdrawals". And now the new receptionist was missing. Dorothy hoped he or she turned up soon, because she was tired of filling in, even though this had certainly helped to get her better acquainted with Dr.Gimby's fascinating clientele. As she said a little prayer of thanks, Dorothy nodded off happy that tomorrow would no doubt be another interesting day at Cosenza Beach.
 

---

Posted by Pure Sunshine (# 11904) on :
 
Meanwhile, next door to Dorothy slept the mysterious stranger, known only as "Luce Pura del Sole",* a new girl in town.

In Cosenza Beach, that's enough to make the finger of suspicion fall onto anyone.


*Feel free to correct my Italian.
 

---

Posted by Zorro (# 9156) on :
 
Zorro, woken in a moment of angst, leaps out of bed. "I have to do this. It's been on my mind recently, and it's now time."He wears his clothes in bed now, changing in the mornings-easier to escape if they come for him. He surges out into the street, gun in hand. It's dark, no-one cares, and if they do, they know not to say anything. Walking outside the hostel, he sees a taxi parked. "Get out the car!" he whispers, with the Beretta an inch from the man's temple. "It didn't have to be this way!" he thought to himself.

Driving in the dark, by the light of the streetlights, he knows instinctively where he's going. That house, there was something about it, and now he needs to make things right.

As he nears the yard, he cuts out the engine, and brakes softly outside the back gate. Beretta in hand, he picks the lock of the back door. He's in.

He glides silently through the house, and comes to the bedroom.

He kicks through the door, waving the gun at the bed.

"That's some fine Italian, 'mam. Excellent structural usage, and good, strong vocab. My congratulations."

He leaves, and curses in French at being scratched by a cat. The legion taught you a lot of things. Stealth, cunning...cusses. He decided to let the cat live.


This time.
 

---

Posted by christianjimmy (# 1820) on :
 
Drat thought CJ, as he opened his curtains. He'd slept through the entire day, and missed all the excitement. Still, he mused, thats what you get for offering one night a month to work with poor, homeless children. He opened the door of his apartment to go out to stretch his legs on the deserted streets, when a thought struck him. The streets weren't normally deserted like this, the town was never this quiet, and what was that mysterious shadow projected onto the warehouse opposite?! CJ thought better of his nocturnal wandering plan, and shut the door, bolting it top and bottom. Maybe going back to bed was the best option.
A shiver ran down his spine. Something strange was afoot...
 

---

Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
Readjusting the slight wrinkle in her left stocking, Miss Celeste Smudgeson totters her way along the darkened street on unaccustomed high heeled boots, seeking out the accommodation which she had prebooked via the internet... a little apartment just for one, but with room for a visitor if they were willing to share a bed. A wry tilt of the corner of the mouth betrays a smile as she thinks of what her sister Cynthia would make of this, but her staid respectability hadn't done her much good, had it? Perhaps it was time for the family to be a little more ..well... adventurous.

The streets seem fairly quiet, apart from a speeding taxi going at a quite unnecessary rate of knots which forces her to leap back onto the pavement. With a toss of her flowing black locks (hopefully the dye would cover even the greyest of roots), she strides forward... twists her ankle and proceeds to hobble forth to her new abode, the apartment block just opposite the warehouse.

Well, Cynthia. Now I plan to live life to the full.

[ 17. October 2006, 08:28: Message edited by: Smudgie ]
 

---

Posted by dolphy (# 862) on :
 
JJ, who has spent most of the night playing to the moon and a few passers by (how wierd that little old lady looked), decides to go off in search of some breakfast before some more busking.

She counts the money she has made. Five dollars. Hmm, she thinks to herself, not bad I guess but I've got a long way to go before those boots are mine.

She walks in the direction of the pavement cafe but, like many others do here, takes a detour to mock the mad Papa Smurf. She reaches the cafe, sits down, orders a coffee and a bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese and feels herself being stared at....
 

---

Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 
Erlendur Eliabsson sits at his open window overlooking the docks and draws thoughtfully on his roll-up. It is a calm night, but there is something in the air which keeps the old fisherman from sleep. His boat, the St Olaf, lies peacefully at her moorings, and Erlendur looks down at her enviously. They have been through a lot together, but it seems that she can sleep well and he cannot. Every year, the work seems harder, the catch lighter, the market for good fish thinner and the overheads higher. And every time old Eliabsson comes ashore, the modern city seems more bitter and unfriendly. Few of his old friends are left - they have died, or moved away, or are drifting out their last days in uncaring care homes.

The money has gone. The good men have gone. Even the fish are going. Only old fools and young villains are left. Eliabsson sighs, flicks the dog-end towards the sea, lies back on his bed and tries in vain to sleep.
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
Bizarre Masonic Double Slaying

Two Cosenza Beach residents, Dr G Gumby and Miss Merry Took were murdered last night in apparently related incidents. Both were associated with the city's Masonic Lodge, on Dock and Main, and had attended a meeting there during the evening. Details were still coming in as this story went to press, but it appears the victims were ambushed in their homes in the small hours of the morning. This alarming occurrence may signal a return to the gang violence which has bedevilled this area in the past, but the Masonic connection currently has the police mystified.

Day breaks. No nominations may be made until both victims have posted death scenes.

T.
 

---

Posted by Stevie Boy Wonder (# 11869) on :
 
Just a point of order, Teufelchen - is it part of the victims' death scene to tell us their role in the city (citizen, mafiosi, doctor, detective etc) or will you be updating us on that?
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Stevie Boy Wonder:
Just a point of order, Teufelchen - is it part of the victims' death scene to tell us their role in the city (citizen, mafiosi, doctor, detective etc) or will you be updating us on that?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Zorro:
Will there be 2 murders a "night" in this game, or is this just to start off?

---

That's for the various people with night actions to determine - and as I've said I'm not giving advance notice of what roles there are, that's all I'll say...

T.
 

---

Posted by Zorro (# 9156) on :
 
Lucky us
 

---

Posted by Papa Smurf (# 1654) on :
 
2 murders a night is more than the usual norm, so could you please explain how this is possible. Did the mafioso, for example, reach a split decision, and so both nominees were killed ?

seeing as in the OP you did mention "each night's victim", not victims

[ 17. October 2006, 11:14: Message edited by: Papa Smurf ]
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
The Godfather, or Don, is indeed the Mafia spokesman, and lets me know who they're going to off.

I did say I was including different roles - Mafiosi aren't the only role who can kill.

Dropping the stern mask of the moderator for a moment, I apologise if anyone finds such a cryptic game frustrating. All the elements used in this round can be found on Wikipedia's article 'Mafia (game)', and on this page at Princeton.

T.
 

---

Posted by Papa Smurf (# 1654) on :
 
I'm sorry I missed the bit in your OP about extra roles being included but not being explained, I would have called you on it then

for the purposes of clarity and ease of play, please list and explain all the roles which are being played in this game(though quantities are not needed).

thanks

Papa Smurf
Circus Host

[ 17. October 2006, 11:56: Message edited by: Papa Smurf ]
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Papa Smurf:
I'm sorry I missed the bit in your OP about extra roles being included but not being explained, I would have called you on it then

for the purposes of clarity and ease of play, please list and explain all the roles which are being played in this game(though quantities are not needed).

---

Ouch. Keeping this information secret was an intended part of this variant. I had hoped people would enjoy the guesswork and deduction. The roles are:

Citizen - as standard
Mafioso - as standard
'Ndrinu - as a Mafioso, but belonging to a different and rival gang
Detetcive - as standard
Watchman - as the standard doctor; can protect one person per night from being killed
Mason - a a citizen, but the Masons all know each other

Apologies for this. I would have handled things differently if I had known this variant was not allowed.

Nevertheless - there's lots still here, so game on.

T.
 

---

Posted by Zorro (# 9156) on :
 
Ooooh, sounds exciting
 

---

Posted by Papa Smurf (# 1654) on :
 
Thanks Teufelchen - I think knowing what is happening will allow a better enjoyment of the game, rather than "stumbling" about wondering what is going on.

Imagine it as if we were playing this in real life. You wouldn't have invited us all to play, and then only told a few people how to play it.

ETA - in the previous game the citizens won if they "found" all the Mafioso - the mafioso "won" if they outnumber the citizens. What are the "endpoints" for this game. Do the citizens have to find all the Maifa and all the rival group ?

[ 17. October 2006, 12:44: Message edited by: Papa Smurf ]
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Papa Smurf:
Thanks Teufelchen - I think knowing what is happening will allow a better enjoyment of the game, rather than "stumbling" about wondering what is going on.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Papa Smurf:
ETA - in the previous game the citizens won if they "found" all the Mafioso - the mafioso "won" if they outnumber the citizens. What are the "endpoints" for this game. Do the citizens have to find all the Maifa and all the rival group ?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Papa Smurf:
I'm sorry I missed the bit in your OP about extra roles being included but not being explained

---

From which we may deduce that Papa Smurf is probably not a 'Ndrinu, Watchman or Mason.
 

---

Posted by dolphy (# 862) on :
 
JJ, who has spent most of the day drinking coffee and watching the world go by, gets up from her chair, throws some dollars on the table, picks up her violin case and starts to walk back down to the docks. She was still aware of someone watching her but blamed it on too much caffine.

Once she reached the dock, she took a closer look at the graffiti... Was this some musical code? Was it a request in code from an admirer? She had no idea, so she decided to busk closer to the graffiti, just in case the code would come to her in a moment of Mozart...

She opened her violin case as usual, tuned up, and started to play... all the time her eyes were focused on the graffiti:

{R&J:1:1:1}&!{Mac:4:2:59-60}

[ 17. October 2006, 13:23: Message edited by: dolphy ]
 

---

Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 
And on further analysis, he's probably not a Mafioso, either - because the 'Ndrangheta brief must necessarily say that they are a second gang, so it doesn't stretch credibility too far to suppose that the Mafia brief contains the same information (otherwise the 'Ndrangheta know more than the Mafia, and the "informed minority vs. clueless majority" principle is seriously obscured). So if PS has only just picked up on the extra roles then he's a citizen or detective.

That's not to say that we shouldn't lynch him for clearly not paying attention, of course.
 

---

Posted by Stevie Boy Wonder (# 11869) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Eliab:
because the 'Ndrangheta brief must necessarily say that they are a second gang, so it doesn't stretch credibility too far to suppose that the Mafia brief contains the same information (otherwise the 'Ndrangheta know more than the Mafia, and the "informed minority vs. clueless majority" principle is seriously obscured)

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Stevie Boy Wonder:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Eliab:
because the 'Ndrangheta brief must necessarily say that they are a second gang, so it doesn't stretch credibility too far to suppose that the Mafia brief contains the same information (otherwise the 'Ndrangheta know more than the Mafia, and the "informed minority vs. clueless majority" principle is seriously obscured)

---

Unless, of course, the "clueless majority" were intended to be everyone who didn't know about the 'Ndrangheta, which would have meant (until Papa Smurf asked for clarification) that the Mafia would have been wondering why they'd only agreed one murder and then two had been announced...

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by dolphy:
JJ, who has spent most of the day drinking coffee and watching the world go by, gets up from her chair, throws some dollars on the table, picks up her violin case and starts to walk back down to the docks. She was still aware of someone watching her but blamed it on too much caffine.

Once she reached the dock, she took a closer look at the graffiti... Was this some musical code? Was it a request in code from an admirer? She had no idea, so she decided to busk closer to the graffiti, just in case the code would come to her in a moment of Mozart...

She opened her violin case as usual, tuned up, and started to play... all the time her eyes were focused on the graffiti:

{R&J:1:1:1}&!{Mac:4:2:59-60}

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Papa Smurf:
or maybe I'm just good at keeping my (absent minded)Hosting and (clueless) playing brains separate from one another.

Notice how I only asked for an explanation after someone else had also noticed something unusual was going on...
(eta - how do you know my hostly request wasn't becuase of a raft of complaints)

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by nem (but rephrased here so she isn't speaking about herself in the third person):
At least I can sleep easy at night knowing I am not the cause of such horrific deaths.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Stevie Boy Wonder:
there had been two suspicious deaths in the night - one by gunshot, the other thought to be spontaneous cranial combustion.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Papa Smurf:
Does not voting at all mean you are equally responsible for an innocent's death, if you could have prevented it by voting for someone else ?

---

quote:

---

That bandy-legged escapee from a hallowe'en party looks guilty for sure. I've heard rumours that the mafia fled undetected from my sister's town and I am sure he bears an uncanny resemblance to the oddball my sister mentioned in her letter as being a suspicious character. I accuse Zorro, whatever his name is.

---

quote:

---

"But now you will return to New York. We need you here; apart from anything else it's the day of my daughter's wedding soon, and we need somebody to sing at the service. And don't worry about Zorro - you won't be seeing him any time soon..."

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Zorro:
He glides silently through the house, and comes to the bedroom.

He kicks through the door, waving the gun at the bed.

"That's some fine Italian, 'mam. Excellent structural usage, and good, strong vocab. My congratulations."

He leaves, and curses in French at being scratched by a cat. The legion taught you a lot of things. Stealth, cunning...cusses. He decided to let the cat live.


This time.

---

I've only just noticed this So Zorro can't possibly get lynched.

Though if my cat mysteriously keels over, I'll know who to blame ...
 

---

Posted by Linguo (# 7220) on :
 
The young man in grey is nervous. Clearly somebody has noticed his resemblance to Pesto City's victorious mafia hitwoman. How can he make them realise that while he is in the family, he's not in The Family?
 

---

Posted by basso (# 4228) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by christianjimmy:

Barman Ezio, a whisky for me, and whatever anyone else is having.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by christianjimmy:
(although I cant remember where this town is, I suspect we're in the mediterranean, given as we're near a town called "pesto",)

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by christianjimmy:
That lawyer fellow seems to make a lot of sense.

---

Thank you, but I'm not a lawyer. I'm a fisherman. I have been told there's a sleazy ambulance-chaser in Pesto City called Eliab, who looks a bit like me, but he's no relation. And I think I heard that he's dead.

Someone asked me privately why I've made public that I'm a Mason, as it might make me a target. Two reasons.

One, is a sincerely belief that the Mafia can go fuck themselves. I'm not hiding from them.

Two, is the rumour that there's two rival gangs. They are going to want to kill each other more than they want the rest of us, because everyone is a possible threat to them by day, but the rivals can kill by night as well. So if they kill a known citizen, they just get a dead citizen. If they kill an unknown, they might get lucky and hit a rival. Which I hope they do, as both factions are best off dead.
 

---

Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 
Who to vote for?

Sir Kevin, who claims he wasn't here, or Zorro, who admits to being in the Mafia, but says he's left?

I can't say I know for sure which of them is guilty, if either of them is. I don't want to harm an innocent, but if we keep thinking that, we'll all be killed in our beds. So I'm afraid it's Sir Kevin.

Two reasons again. One, I like to think I'm a fair minded man, who's prepared to give folk the benefit of the doubt, and believes that everyone deserves a second chance.

And two, I really hate surfers. Sorry.
 

---

Posted by dolphy (# 862) on :
 
JJ wakes up, looks around, and realises she must have fallen asleep in the bar. She stands up too fast, head spinning, and looks around her...

Everything is blurred... she panics and staggers out into the daylight...

Not realising she has left her violin case in the bar, she staggers along the street. Then, she gets a flash back to her dream....

She slows down, tries to focus on a black comb on the street.... then she remembers the man walking out of the sea and rushing up to his house...

She picks the comb up... the seaweed is on it. She knew she recognised him when she was playing her violin...

Sir Kevin yes, it was him..... I saw him getting out of the sea with the gun in his hand.... JJ then walks towards the wall... and tries to understand the graffiti... She thinks to herself, "only Kevin would be this cryptic"... she then sits down and falls asleep..

[ 19. October 2006, 14:02: Message edited by: dolphy ]
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
Autumn crawls out of the backseat (to put it generously) of her Jag, parked around the corner from the bar.

"Ooooh, er, owww. Too many last night! That new barmaid sure knows how to keep your glass refilled without you noticing... Ouch."

She massages her throbbing temples. Oh right, there's an election today.

"Must vote. Important civic duty."

As someone who would rather sleep in the backseat (so-called) of a sportscar than drive drunk, Autumn is familiar with civic duty. Before she dropped off to sleep, she had flipped coins for her choice. Since it seems there's really no information to go on so far. Now she isn't sure what to think.

Are Eliabbsson and nem both Masons? Then maybe she should vote for Sir Kevin. But what if Sir Kevin is the Detective or Doctor? Surely that's more valuable than a Mason. But maybe he's in a Mafia gang. Or maybe he's just a falsely accused citizen. Or is Eliabbsson artfully setting up a smokescreen to protect fellow Mafia-member nem? He may not be related to that unlucky lawyer in Pesto City, but he's clearly familiar with the case and has presumably studied the tactics of that arch-impersonator Zorro. Hmmm, could Zorro be a Bad Guy a second time in a row?

Autumn staggers down the street to the nearest polling place.

"I give up, I'm just sticking with my initial random choice," she moans to the pollworker. "I vote for nem."
 

---

Posted by christianjimmy (# 1820) on :
 
Well, if Nem was random accusation ( - way to serve justice!!) then I'm gonna let her be, and as it seems that the only reason Zorro is nominated was because of his murky past, then I reckon that Sir Kevin deserves the hangmans noose. (By the process of elimination - it just seems that the others are entirely abitrary, whereas Bannerlady seemed to have some kind of reason for accusing Sir K)
There is some kind of twisted logic in there.

Slurred CJ from his stool at the bar.

And apologies Eliab Mr Fisherman Sir. What a slur to cast at you. But I maintain my position, you talk sense, and unless you're pulling a monumental double bluff I'm gonna stick close to you and your big knife!

And with that he downed his umpteenth drink, and staggered off in search of a toilet
 

---

Posted by Sir Kevin (# 3492) on :
 
But I'm scared of guns. I would never own one (true). I am a pacifist, just a peace-loving guy - go for the known Mafioso!
 

---

Posted by Stevie Boy Wonder (# 11869) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by christianjimmy:
Well, if Nem was random accusation ( - way to serve justice!!)...

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Stevie Boy Wonder:
For a Mason to "out" one of his own, apparently because he wants to ensure he himself doesn't get bumped off, seems highly suspicious to me.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Stevie Boy Wonder:
OK, have I missed something here Eliab? As far as I'm aware (and I'd be happy for you to prove me wrong) the number of Masons in the game has not been confirmed anywhere publicly. Therefore, how do we know there were only four Masons to begin with? How do we know there weren't eight? Or only two, who would both be dead by now? You're clearly a smart bloke, Eliab, and have no doubt thought things through more than I have - but I'm still not convinced that I can believe anything you're telling me. Please prove me wrong.

---

What you've missed is that the Masons can say for sure how many of them there are.

Now I'm sure there's two of us left. If I'm lying, then that's one more thing that the real Masons can call me on. But no one is going to stand up and say that they know I'm wrong. No one.

Because if they do, they'll be lying, and once they are found out (which they will be as soon as nem or I dies), they'll be dead. If I was lying, I couldn't be certain that no one would speak. In fact, I'd be shaking in my boots in case some real Mason did. I've had five whiskies now, and I'm still as steady as a rock. Not shaking at all.
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
Auuggggh, Eliab is right. Great apologies to nem . Though it does seem hard on Sir Kevin to have to die so soon again. Maybe we should as a group split our votes three ways and not lynch anyone? Or should we lynch Sir Kevin, since he might be guilty? If we don't do anything at all during the day, the Mafia and the 'Ndrinu will still bump us off one by one at night.
 

---

Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
Well, I had been planning to vote for nem, but at the moment I'm convinced by what Eliab's been saying... so, I am voting for SirKevin - despite being a bit reluctant as he was out of the first game so quickly too. (It seems unlikely that Zorro would be a baddy again - though I suppose it depends on whether the roles were pulled out of a hat, or chosen by Teuf?)
 

---

Posted by nem (# 11108) on :
 
me? guilty? after seeing the vicious work of the mafia last time I can assure you I am a mason as the kind fisherman Eliab has pointed out.

As for the giulty party, I doubt it's Zorro otherwise his whole story telling thing seems a bit obvious for him to actually be a member of one fo the gangs, but then I don't want Sir kevin to go out so early on again if he is innocent. So tough but I think I'll vote for Sir kevin

[ 19. October 2006, 21:26: Message edited by: nem ]
 

---

Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
Poor Sir Kevin, thinks Lambiekins. He was always so good to me. But everybody's got their time to go.

She raises a frying pan for Sir Kevin.
 

---

Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 
Well nobody has stood up and claimed to be a Mason, so I'm going to give nem the benefit of the doubt for now. Perhaps the Mafia's future actions might reveal if this was justified.

Despite remaining deeply suspicious of Zorro's protestations there is only one name that Leonato can write on his voting card - Sir Kevin

[ 19. October 2006, 23:14: Message edited by: leonato ]
 

---

Posted by Stevie Boy Wonder (# 11869) on :
 
Little Stevie was confused. He'd been so sure that nem was guilty of something - maybe it wasn't this, though... Walking the dark streets to the address he had heard his girl was staying at, he went over the day's events again. Perhaps the fisherman had been right after all, but it was probably too late to take his vote back. "Next time I have to point the finger at someone" , he thought, "I'll try to do it while I'm sober."

But now it was time to put that out of his mind. Little Stevie had reached the apartment he'd been given the address of. He pushed the intercom button for number 93. No response. He tried again. Still nothing. One last ring, then Little Stevie decided he'd best call it a night.

Walking back towards the motel, a lady of the night called out to him. "Hey, handsome - is that a gun in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me?" Little Stevie whipped out his weapon and discharged it in her direction. Then he realised he wasn't in a Carry On film, and figured he'd better call an ambulance. And learn to curb his enthusiasm for acting out the worst puns that came to his mind.

[ 19. October 2006, 23:25: Message edited by: Stevie Boy Wonder ]
 

---

Posted by CuppaT (# 10523) on :
 
Sir Kevin
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Dorothy had heard rumours about that Old Man of the Sea; the godfather who never owned a gun, but by merely combing his hair a certain way the dark and dirty business of removing an enemy would be done. No one ever saw him, rarely was he heard from, but his rule in Cosenza Beach was absolute. At least that's what the mafia believed anyway. Who is this Sir Kevin anyway?she found herself wondering. What do we really know of him except that he would rather whack people than get whacked?

Dorothy votes for Sir Kevin.
 

---

Posted by comet (# 10353) on :
 
Ellen sat behind her reading table, shuffling her tarot cards, puling random ones, contemplating them, and shuffling them back in.

No customers today. not a surprise, with the news of the double killings. Odd - people dont want to hear from a seer when something serious is going on. only if they want to fall in love or know if their husband is cheating on them or know howto invest their money.

never when the results could matter.

She sipped her mint tea, and shuffled again. Turned over the first card.

The Wheel of Fortune - destiny at work. all pieces of the supposedly random puzzle are interconnected. The grafitti too? Ellen smiled to herself. flipped the next card.

Four of Pentacles. He who fears loss the most. The miser, the hoarder who doesn't want to let go of what he has collected. Hmm.

Eight of Wands is next. swift and decisive action is called for. She must act. she must make her vote, stop this madness. but who?

Last Card - the Hermit. The quiet one. is she to reach within for the answer? For better or worse, there are just so many reasons, factual and instinctual.

Ellen finishes her tea and locks up, walking out in her work regalia to join the growing crowd, and place her vote.

for Sir Kevin
 

---

Posted by Pure Sunshine (# 11904) on :
 
Is voting still ongoing? Luce Pura doesn't follow the crowd.

Nem it is.

She posted early and then stayed quiet.
 

---

Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
Shocked by the way Sir Kevin has clearly devised a foolproof (or so he thinks) alibi, I am swayed to believe that he is, indeed, guilty. I vote for Sir Kevin
 

---

Posted by christianjimmy (# 1820) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pure Sunshine:
Is voting still ongoing? Luce Pura doesn't follow the crowd.

Nem it is.

She posted early and then stayed quiet.

---

well, as a wise man once said, vote early, and vote often!
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
Roger is confused (not for the first time!). That Eliab fellow sure looks like someone his brother had told him about. But on the other hand, he makes a convincing case, and you have to trust someone.

Sir Kevin, however, seems another matter. All he can say is that he wasn't around, yet he has no alibi to back that up. It looks suspicious. Too suspicious to be let go.

Sir Kevin
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
I make that twelve votes for Sir Kevin: Banner Lady, Chelley, christianjimmy, comet, CuppaT, dolphy, Eliab, Lamb Chopped, Leonato, nem, Rugmaker and Smudgie.

Only five people - Autenrieth Road, Izzybee, Pure Sunshine, Stevie Boy Wonder and Zorro - voted for nem, and no-one voted for Zorro at all.

The self-appointed canvassers gathered their supporters around them in the town square. With the police seemingly busy investigating Krispy Kreme, the citizens had taken justice into their own hands. Soon, one large mob dominated the square, calling for the death of Sir Kevin...

Unfortunately for these enthusiastic vigilantes, Sir Kevin is a Citizen. Once he has posted an appropriately dramatic death scene, night will fall, and those of you with night actions should take them.

T.

[ 20. October 2006, 10:06: Message edited by: Teufelchen ]
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Chelley:
(It seems unlikely that Zorro would be a baddy again - though I suppose it depends on whether the roles were pulled out of a hat, or chosen by Teuf?)

---

quote:

---

I obviously can't comment on Zorro's guilt or innocence. He is, however, just as likely or unlikely as anyone else to be guilty,

---

Actually, owing to the increased number of players, I'd probably be less likely to be mafia twice in as many games
 

---

Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teufelchen:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Chelley:
(It seems unlikely that Zorro would be a baddy again - though I suppose it depends on whether the roles were pulled out of a hat, or chosen by Teuf?)

---

I obviously can't comment on Zorro's guilt or innocence. He is, however, just as likely or unlikely as anyone else to be guilty, as I assigned the roles using MS Excel's RAND() function. (I'll be posting a fuller account of my methods at the end of the game.)

T.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Chelley:
Thanks Teuf, that's all I was wondering - if it was random or if it was by human selection!!

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Zorro:

quote:

---

I obviously can't comment on Zorro's guilt or innocence. He is, however, just as likely or unlikely as anyone else to be guilty,

---

Actually, owing to the increased number of players, I'd probably be less likely to be mafia twice in as many games

---

You've heard of the Gambler's Fallacy, right?

Ahem. This is a digression.

T.
 

---

Posted by dolphy (# 862) on :
 
"Kevin, Kevin, we want Kevin", chanted the crowd who had been waiting for hours to witness his final minutes.

JJ decided to ask the barman to bring bottles of wine out into the square so that the onlookers could be refreshed as they awaited the death scene.

Everyone accepted a large glass of red wine, all were laughing and joking with each other. Everyone seemed friends and yet, the sky became dark... would there be another murder this night?

There were flashes of light... was this from the sky, was it a thunderstorm, or had someone leaked to the press?
 

---

Posted by Zorro (# 9156) on :
 
Zorro sits on the hill, looking at the crowd below. What a vile town. What a vile species. This needless killing is truly sickening. It's bad enough when your life depends on it, but when it could have been you, your stomach knots. A tragedy. The poor man. His thoughts go to his surf buddies.
 

---

Posted by christianjimmy (# 1820) on :
 
My condolences to Sir Kevins family.

B*st*rd mafia.

Sobbed CJ as he finished his glass of rather decent red that the strange alcoholic lady had demanded for everybody. He made a mental note to keep an eye on her, and on that person sitting up on the hillside watching everybody, and on... well, everybody actually. Trust no-one. That was going to be his new plan, well that and buying people drinks at the bar to keep them happy. Yes. A good plan. Now if only Sir Kevin can be buried with full honour we can move on...
 

---

Posted by Sir Kevin (# 3492) on :
 
Sir Kevin lies slumped at the bottom of a tree, his neck broken, life draining out of him. He wishes he'd never heard of New Jersey and the Mafia...wishes to be buried at sea in his beloved Pacific Ocean near LA...
 

---

Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 
Well, I’m sorry for Sir Kevin, but crying over spilt blood won’t help to put any criminals in the ground.

In case I don’t make it through the night, here are my thoughts.

We don’t learn much today, because it was a vote between a known Mason, and an unknown, who turned out to be a Citizen. And that means a smart Mafiosi would vote in the same way as the rest of us. They would rather kill an unknown person (who they are at least sure is not in their gang) because they might get a detective, or watchman, or rival gangster, and all of those would be better than a known Mason or Citizen for them. We would also rather kill the unknown person, in case they are Mafia. The chance of getting a detective or watchman has to be discounted for us, because we can’t avoid it. Everyone, whatever side they were on, had an interest in voting in the same way.

So there’s no real clue from the voting. Those who voted for nem just took a little longer to see that if she (and I) were guilty, a real Mason could and would have done for us easily, and as no one did, that she must have been innocent.

But having said that, the Mafia knew one thing that we citizens didn’t. They knew that they definitely wanted one of nem or Sir Kevin dead. They knew that neither of them were on their side – and we didn’t know that. We had to make a decision and vote, and for us the best vote, in all circumstances and whenever it was cast would be for Sir Kevin. But the Mafia, while they would rather see him killed as well, would still rather kill nem than see a deadlock. So I think one or two of them would have held back, waited to see if the vote might be split, and then make sure their vote was enough to kill.

So I think there’s likely to be a higher proportion of Mafiosi amongst the 5 people who didn’t vote (AnnaF, basso, dolphy, Linguo, Papa Smurf) than the 17 who did. I’m not saying they are all guilty, not by any means, not even that most of them are, but I have a shrewd feeling that they’ll be one or two of the Mafia in that group.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Dorothy walked up the stairs to her apartment slowly. She was in shock. She was sorry she had chatted to a few of them about her terrible find up at the clinic, and the appointment sheet which, it now turned out was merely that. The late Sir Kevin had been the last client of the late Dr.Gumby. What on earth had come over the people in the bar? Was it the fear? Was it the alchohol? And how on earth did CJ manage to foot the bill for a huge crowd that drank the night away while they became more and more murderous? Where did anyone get that kind of money?

She hoped the bartender was pleased with last night's takings. She had certainly tried to keep the liquid flowing. As she shut the door behind her she mused that there were two kinds of employers in the hospitality industry. Those who would put you on an unpaid trial, work you hard, spit you out then go find another chump while they laughed all the way to the bank; and those who not only looked after their customers, but the welfare of their staff too. She fingered the slim fold of $20 notes Ezio had pressed into her pocket as she had left, and wondered if he would call her to work again. She wondered if how thirsty this town was could be directly linked to how bloodthirsty they were?

Only another day would tell.
 

---

Posted by dolphy (# 862) on :
 
JJ drained her glass of whisky, stubbed out her ciggy, and with tears in her eyes for the loss of dear Kevin, decided to walk back to the wall and try to work out the graffiti code...

Surely Kevin was innocent... he'd just gone for a swim after all... what was it about that man in the cloak in the street cafe...

Is no one safe anymore....
 

---

Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
Lambiekins lies in an ambulance, eyeing the blood transfusion bag.
That f------ bastard. Just because I chatted him up. Thank God I'm one of the undead already--that dose of lead would have done for me for sure.

Now my only question is: How many transfusions can I get away with before they catch on?
 

---

Posted by Stevie Boy Wonder (# 11869) on :
 
So Sir Kevin was no more. Another innocent victim. The crowds in the bar didn't know what to say. Some were remorseless at the futile death they had brought about, others were vowing to make sure next time, it was the Mafia who suffered and not the innocent citizens of Cosenza Beach.

Little Stevie raised a glass of brandy in memory of Sir Kevin. He also pledged to stick close to his new and rather generous friend CJ. Well, as close and friendly as you can in a town where you can't trust anybody. And now, it was Little Stevie's turn to dig deep, in both his pocket and his conscience. He crossed the room and took a seat next to the fisherman.

"Er, Mr Eliabsson, sir? I just wanted to say I'm sorry I doubted you. I believe you to be a good and trustworthy man, and I wonder if I could buy you a drink by way of an apology?"

As he said the words, however, Little Stevie could feel eyes on the back of his neck. Not literally, that would have been creepy. But he knew someone was watching. He realised that he and the fisherman had shown themselves to be inquisitive souls, and he figured anyone asking questions was more likely to be noticed by the Mafia than those who accepted what they were told. Little Stevie was unrepentant, though. He had done the right thing, and now he just had to wait and see how that would be repaid...
 

---

Posted by Pure Sunshine (# 11904) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by christianjimmy:
well, as a wise man once said, vote early, and vote often! [/QB]

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Papa Smurf:
perhaps "Little Stevie" was worth watching too... After all, he did say something about taking a night action

---

Papa Smurf, there's only one type of slash I do in the middle of the night, and it doesn't involve a knife...

Sorry, was that TMI?
 

---

Posted by dolphy (# 862) on :
 

 

---

Posted by nem (# 11108) on :
 

quote:

---

She posted early and then stayed quiet

---

Nem was a busy lady, she had plenty of mason jobs to sort out adn sometimes wasn't able to check up on the latest news.If this makes her guilty of slacking then so be it but does this make her guilty of murder? I think not.

I'm very sorry to ehar abotu Sir kevin though I merely knew I wasn't a member of the mafia and so to protect my innocence thought I shoudl vote for someone. My sincerest apologies. next time I shall try harder to ensure only justice occurs.
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
Masonic Massacre Continues

Following last night's mysterious double killing, a third local Freemason has been found dead. Prominent lodge member Erlendur Eliabsson was killed at his home in Cosenza Beach some time after midnight last night. No explanation has yet been advanced for the apparent vendetta by local gangsters against the city's masons. Dan Brown is reported to be planning a visit to Cosenza Beach to research his new novel The Solomon Key, however. Local police chief Z Bob Mozsynski told our reporter 'Mmmm....donuts.'

Fortune-teller Cites 'Unforseen Circumstances'

Madame Elena Comet's clairvoyant shop has closed without warning. A note pinned on the door blamed unforseen circumstances for the popular local fortune-teller's sudden departure. A respected Citizen of the town, she will be missed - but in light of rising violence, her move may be seen as prudent.

(Eliab is assassinated by person or persons unknown - he was a Mason; Comet drops out of the game - she was a Citizen.)

Day dawns. Nominations will be allowed as soon as Eliab posts a death scene.

T.

[ 23. October 2006, 10:53: Message edited by: Teufelchen ]
 

---

Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :
 
[aside]

Sorry folks - when I changed my name I didn't think about how it would affect this game. I'll think of something to get the change as part of the story[/aside]

[ 23. October 2006, 10:59: Message edited by: Wet Kipper ]
 

---

Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 
Again, Erlendur cannot sleep. He knows that Sir Kevin's death was the responsibility of the murderers and cowards who had killed his friends, but it still weighs heavily on his conscience. He walks along the docks, watching the sea, and talking to his God. Except in the most severe storms, he does not pray often, and he struggles to find the words to express his hopes and his guilt.

A smartly-dressed figure in black is leaning against the mooring post to which the St Olaf is secured. He is holding a cigarette which he breathes at fiercely as Eliabsson approaches, the lit end standing out clearly in the gloom. There is a strong smell of petrol in the air, and Erlendur notices that the deck of his boat gleams with the harbour lights, as if it were slick with spilled fuel.

"Nice boat, old man. Real nice. Bet it cost you all your pension. Shame you didn't stay on it and mind your own business rather than meddling in ours. Now this is a friendly warning..." He grinds out the cigarette under his heel and produces a lighter, which ignites. He waves the naked flame in the direction of the St Olaf.

Eliabsson walks calmly forward. His right hand reaches under and around his coat.

"Get the hell away from my boat" he says softly. The smart figure laughs, holds up the lighter in his left hand, still burning, and there is a sharp click as the working end of a long switchblade appears in his right.

The fisherman walks on making no sudden movement, but calculating the distance, five metres, four, three. The other man does not move. His eyes are fixed on Eliabsson, and he is still smiling. Two metres, then a quick half-step and the old man springs to the attack with surprising speed, the blade sliding from the sheath at his back in a narrow arc at the gangster's neck.

Then, from the shadows, around the doorway to Erlendur's lodging, a shotgun blasts out towards the jetty. The shot takes him squarely in the lower back, and sprawls his body across the boards.

The smart figure, still standing, but a little taken aback by Erlendur's speed, looks down at the fallen fisherman. There is blood in the old man's mouth and more blood spilling over and dripping through the planks into the sea as he lies there, trying to say something. His outstretched hand still holds the gutting-knife, still pointed at the gangster. The blade has scored a long cut across the toe of his immaculately polished Italian leather shoe. The criminal's smile fades. He kicks down viciously at the fisherman, then, out of pure spite, hurls the cigarette lighter onto the St Olaf's deck.

...

The fire at the docks is reported quickly, but the police wait prudently for the criminals to leave the scene before coming to record the act of arson. By the time anyone approaches the jetty with the smouldering wreck of the fishing boat, Erlendur Eliabsson, Mason, is dead.

[ 23. October 2006, 11:41: Message edited by: Eliab ]
 

---

Posted by Pure Sunshine (# 11904) on :
 
Weeping, Luce Pura places a wreath by the docks. Her father had warned her against living in dangerous places like Cosenza Beach. In the silence, she hears a faint shuffling sound.

Perhaps its Papa del Sole turning in his grave.

Despite what everyone believed, she knew that he, too, had been killed by the Mafia, a few years ago. Now it was happening here, too.

Who could have done a thing like this?

As she heads home, Luce Pura notes a few people pointing at her, a few curtains twitching.

She can guess what they might be saying.
 

---

Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :
 
he didn't want to be known as "Smurf", or "Papa" anymore.

those names called up his past, of cowardly behaviour when he should have stood up for himself, and used his powers and responsibilities instead of letting them go to waste. Was it ultimately his responsibility that this place had become the way it was now ?
He vowed to change his behaviour. Perhaps if he changed his name, took on an alter ego, then the people would take him seriously.
He needed a name. Something that struck fear into the hearts of evil doers as being a potent force, but at the same time reassured the innocent that they had nothing to fear.

"I want to be as welcome to the bad guys as a slap in the face with a Wet Kipper" he thought to himself
 

---

Posted by basso (# 4228) on :
 
Ezio opens the bar again. A barman has supposedly seen it all, but he can't believe the chaos that's happening in this supposedly sleepy town.

As he straightens up, he finds a violin case under a table. He opens it and checks. Yep, it's got a violin in it. Must belong to that odd street musician. He holds the fiddle up to the light and peers inside. Handsome, but for sure it's not a Strad here in Consenza Beach.

Sometimes a violin is just a violin. He tucks it back into its case, and stores the case behind the bar. He has a feeling it won't be long before the owner comes calling for it.
 

---

Posted by nem (# 11108) on :
 
nem stands still. Shocked at the recent news. She is the last of the masons. 'What do these gangs have against us?' she ponders. 'Are we that much of a threat?' If it was me I'd be after someone that could actual do some harm to them. Looks like I don't have much longer left on earth. Best make the most of it....'
 

---

Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :
 
Spurred on by the death of another innocent, Kipper decided it was time for action. Call it rash, brave, stupid, or not wanting to hold back any longer, he nominated Banner Lady "Dorothy" for her closeness to the late doctor, and the fact that she was first to nominate someone yesterday, and the innocent Sir Kevin at that....

[ 23. October 2006, 20:52: Message edited by: Wet Kipper ]
 

---

Posted by AnnaF (# 10606) on :
 
Blinking back tears, Anna Fischer watched the mysterious tourist lay flowers beside the smouldering skeleton of the St Olaf. It was a touching action, but ultimately futile- catching his killers would be the only way to help old Erlendur rest peacefully in his grave.

She'd always respected him for his quiet bravery and sharp eyes that could pick a ship out of the fog before others had yet seen the shadow. She'd never guessed at his masonic activities, but, on reflection they fitted the thoughtful, generous man who'd always been ready with some bit of weather lore to share. He'd been the citizen's best hope of living to see spring in this town. And she'd let him down, frozen in horror at the angry, violent crowd and certain bloodshed. That would not be a mistake to make again.

She walked a way up towards Ezio's bar then stopped, shocked, as a new question slithered across her mind:

"Where was the port watchman last night?"
 

---

Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
Chelley decided to take a long walk as the sun rose. The events of the last few days had been shocking and she felt the need to be reminded that there was a greater power at work than just that of human aggression and spite. Cosenza Beach may not be the most spectacular of places to live - but even the grime of the town couldn't diminish the beauty of the rising sun as it glimmered over the sea. Perhaps there was still hope for another day?
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
Nominations close in an hour and a half from the time of this post, and so far Wet Kipper's nomination of Banner Lady is the only one we've had. Is it to be a one-horse race?

T.
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
OK, nominations are now closed. Clearly the halving of Cosenza Beach's murder rate late night has somewhat cooled the public ardour for mob justice.

Banner Lady now has 24 hours from the time of this post to defend herself, after which I'll be calling a straight for-or-against vote. Banner Lady is welcome to end her defence before the 24 hours elapses, but doesn't have to.

T.
 

---

Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :
 
Kipper was shocked by the town's reticence
Surely they know that "I'll go first" means that someone else should say something next ?

He is now worried that the lack of counter nomination from anyone else means that the gang members are more than happy with his choice, and another innocent is doomed.
 

---

Posted by dolphy (# 862) on :
 
JJ wakes up. She is cold and sore and hungry... She looks around her... and then remembers where she is... She looks up, yes, the graffiti is still there... She decides to take a walk to the beach... perhaps a swim in the cold sea would help her awaken... was that something she heard last night, was someone else dead? ... Poor confused JJ walks slowly to the beach...

She sees someone there in tears... she recognises this person as being Chelley, ah yes, Chelley who wanted the same boots, the same boots that JJ wants... JJ runs to the other end of the beach not knowing if anyone can be trusted anymore... she thinks about the code but, she is too tired to attempt to work it out.

As JJ paddles on the sea shore she remembers a small blue guy, he was in a rocking chair outside his house... wasn't he being teased?

JJ sits on the sand and lets the sea lap over her feet...

[ 24. October 2006, 14:21: Message edited by: dolphy ]
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
Autumn Wreath walked down to the middle of the beach, since there was already someone at each end of the beach. The town was very quiet. Was Nurse Banner Lady Dorothy doomed? If even one person voted for her, would that be a majority? How dreadful it would be to lynch another innocent person. But how dreadful to never do anything and simply get picked off one by one by the gangs at night. But how were the innocent citizens ever to defeat the Mafia and 'Ndrinu if anyone who spoke up got summarily killed off? There didn't seem to be much evidence for anything, except that nem is a Mason. Autumn watched the waves go in and out, pondering.
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
Autumn reread one of the posters tacked to phone posts all over town and illustrated with little red devils describing the upcoming election.

"Oh, I see, it looks like we'll get to vote Yes or No."

Autumn tossed a shell into the ocean. She'd wait and see what Nurse Dorothy had to say for herself.
 

---

Posted by Stevie Boy Wonder (# 11869) on :
 
Following his rash and ill-founded accusations against nem, Little Stevie was going to be more cautious about his behaviour from hereon in. Would that make him look suspicious? Maybe. But almost everyone in Cosenza Beach looked suspicious...

Unable to find an area of beach that wasn't already occupied by an emotionally charged woman, Little Stevie headed back to the bar to collect his thoughts. How he'd managed to leave them there, he wasn't sure. Once he had them, he walked downtown, found a quiet park and thought long and hard about what was happening. So many innocent lives lost already. Could Dorothy Banner Lady be another? Or was she, beneath the guise of the caring nurse, actually up to something more sinister?

As he pondered further, Little Stevie realised he knew one thing. And that was that he knew nothing.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Dorothy was confused. It seemed that she was a suspect in not only Sir Kevin's death, but also in Dr.Gumby's brutal slaying. The police had told her to be available to answer more questions, and now it seemed that the rumour mill had started. She wondered where it would end, and suspected nowhere good at all.

Ezio had not called her in for any more shift work. She guessed that he had his doubts too.

As she walked downtown to get her morning milkshake, again she could not help noticing how many of the inhabitants of Cosenza Beach wore black. Were they part of a gang? Did they have the police in their pockets? Could she be in danger? As she stepped out of the milkbar a wet kipper hit her full in the face. Dorothy screamed and dropped her shake all over the pavement. As she picked herself up, the tears streaming down her face, she was aware not one person on the cafe sidewalk stepped forward to help. Dorothy couldn't help sobbing out " Oh, I wish I was back in Kansas!"
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Banner Lady wishes to address the following remarks to Wet Kipper (the artist formerly known as Papa Smurf). I am innocent of murder. My crime is one of impatience. I like this game - but it drove me crackers how slowly the previous one moved. My reason for nominating Sir Kevin (in what I hoped was a round about way via the appointment slip) was firstly to get the ball rolling; secondly to see if anyone else was suspicious of him; and thirdly because in the last game it seemed that the quietest ones were the real criminals. Because Sir Kevin had protested that he hated being killed off so early in the last game, I wondered if Teufelchen had decided to make him one of the gang leaders instead (Hey, that's what I would do!). Alas, that was too obvious. As we all know now, Sir Kevin was innocent. Sorry Kev! If you string me up for my impatience, you will be leaving both gangs stronger and the citizen base much depleted, which would be unfortunate.
 

---

Posted by basso (# 4228) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banner Lady:

Ezio had not called her in for any more shift work. She guessed that he had his doubts too.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Wet Kipper:
He is now worried that the lack of counter nomination from anyone else means that the gang members are more than happy with his choice, and another innocent is doomed.

---

This sounds like a pretty reasonable line of thinking. Thanks for doing my cogitation for me, ex-Smurfy one!

So I won't vote for Banner Lady then
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banner Lady:
...in the last game it seemed that the quietest ones were the real criminals. Because Sir Kevin had protested that he hated being killed off so early in the last game, I wondered if Teufelchen had decided to make him one of the gang leaders instead (Hey, that's what I would do!).

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banner Lady:
Banner Lady wishes to address the following remarks to Wet Kipper (the artist formerly known as Papa Smurf). I am innocent of murder. My crime is one of impatience. I like this game - but it drove me crackers how slowly the previous one moved. My reason for nominating Sir Kevin (in what I hoped was a round about way via the appointment slip) was firstly to get the ball rolling; secondly to see if anyone else was suspicious of him; and thirdly because in the last game it seemed that the quietest ones were the real criminals. Because Sir Kevin had protested that he hated being killed off so early in the last game, I wondered if Teufelchen had decided to make him one of the gang leaders instead (Hey, that's what I would do!). Alas, that was too obvious. As we all know now, Sir Kevin was innocent. Sorry Kev! If you string me up for my impatience, you will be leaving both gangs stronger and the citizen base much depleted, which would be unfortunate.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Wet Kipper:
Are you guys either too busy to play, or too scared to say anything ?

---

quote:

---

if there are more "no" votes than "yes", does BL live, or is 1 vote enough for a lynching

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Wet Kipper:
Are you guys either too busy to play, or too scared to say anything ?

---

I'm just too confused and doubting in my own ability to work out anybody's motives.

eta: In light of your above post, Teuf, can you confirm for us what time the voting period ends please?

[ 25. October 2006, 10:49: Message edited by: Stevie Boy Wonder ]
 

---

Posted by christianjimmy (# 1820) on :
 
CJ sat at the bar, wondering if he could ever be bothered to move. Maybe not just yet, he thought, maybe just one more drink and then see what the weather's like outside.

Can I get a freshly squeezed orange juice please barman.

He called out, trying to avoid the service of the new bar-staff. She was a funny one that one. CJ just wasnt convinced by her, she might be playing it too clever... Gathering a small crowd around his bar stool - probably in the hope of further generosity with his bar bill, but possibly interested in the ponderings of a fellow town resident - CJ expounded his theory,

When Bannerlady nominated Sir K last time, and worked in a bit of "evidence" to back up her allegations, I thought to myself that Bannerlady might have been a detective (or whatever the variant is called in this game) and had discovered that Sir K was mafia and so was trying to say that without being explicit in revealing her identity, (cos otherwise she'd be target for those darstadly evil mafia types.) Which is why, in short, I voted for Sir K to be lynched, particularly after Nem was revealed to be a Mason.
However with the revelation that Sir K was innocent (sorry ) I started to wonder why Bannerlady was so keen to nominate quickly and even attempt to justify it with evidence (appointment sheet)...
Now I'm not saying that Bannerlady is definitely mafia, (cos lets face it, sticking your neck out in this town can be a dangerous occupation!) but I for one am not 100% convinced by her reasoning for accusing Sir K.
In the light of the fact that she's the only one to be nominated I guess many of us are going to be reluctant to vote, and indeed I'm partly tempted not to myself - but ask yourself this in the light of the facts:
According to the list from Teufelchen (on p.2) there are 24 players (ahem residents) in total. Of which 4 are dead - murdered or lynched, and 1 has left the town, leaving 19 of us alive. Now without the benfit of definitive numbers these are best guesses; but we definitely had 4 masons, we probably have 1 detective, 1 night watchman, and given as there are two mafia tribes, probably 4 or 5 mafia in total, (I'd guess 4 as probably the two tribes would have equal numbers, and I would have thought that more than 5 mafia would lead to a definite advantage for them in the game). So thats 10 roles, leaving us with just 14 "normal" citizens.
If we fail to kill a mafia member today, then they can bump off another 1 or 2 of us tonight (I'd guess 2 probably, unless the watchman does a good job!) leaving us very quickly with a small number of townfolk compared to the mafia. Basically what I want to say is...

CJ paused to sip at his orange juice, soothing his parched throat. Boy this this thought was going on much longer than he anticipated it would!

...Is this, if we dont take a chance of killling a mafia member, no matter how small the probability on paper that the accused is a mafia (and to be fair, there is nothing more than a slight suspicion about her actions earlier in the game to accuse her!) isnt it better to at least have a small chance of killing an evil mafia type, rather than giving them a day and night for free, and letting them bump off another 2 of us?!
In summary I think we should go for the lynching, and hope we get lucky by finding out that we've killed a mafia. Its about probablilities people - by doing nothing we definitely lose ground to the mafia, by lynching we at least have a chance.

And with his speech over CJ left the bar, and went for a pee, which he'd been busting for for the last 15 minutes.
 

---

Posted by Stevie Boy Wonder (# 11869) on :
 
"And the Oscar goes to... christianjimmy for 'Mafia II: La Cosa Nova'!" Good speech, CJ, and thanks for putting into words so eloquently what I was struggling to get straight in my own head.

Yes, FWIW, I think BL's actions have been pretty unusual, and something about her explanations hasn't quite rung true. The one thing that's just fallen into place is the lack of counter-nominations - sure she could be Mafia or 'Ndrinu, but no one in either camp will know if she's in the other. So, being cunning, if she is in one or other gang, her fellow gang members will keep quiet rather than arousing any further suspicion. Best to leave the one nomination there, and hope people are too busy/unconvinced/apathetic to carry out the lynching.

Given the numbers game jimmy's set out, I think it's in our best interests to lynch. But I'm going to think on it a little more before making a decision.
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Stevie Boy Wonder:
In light of your above post, Teuf, can you confirm for us what time the voting period ends please?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Eliab:
Can I ask a rules question even though I'm dead?

---

quote:

---

There was only one murder last 'night' - which might be because only one gang was organised enough to choose someone to kill, or because the watchman stopped one of the assassinations, or because both gangs went for the same victim.

---

quote:

---

Can the citizens distinguish any of those three possibilities? In particular, if there is a foiled murder will anyone (watchman, victim, assassin, the rest of the town...) know that there was an unsuccessful attempt or who it was on?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teufelchen:
There are 19 of you left in town. A majority is thus 10 votes. It will need 10 people to vote for a lynching for one to happen. If 10 of you vote against, or less than 10 have voted for when the 36 hour voting period is up, then Banner Lady will be saved,
T.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Wet Kipper:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teufelchen:
There are 19 of you left in town. A majority is thus 10 votes. It will need 10 people to vote for a lynching for one to happen. If 10 of you vote against, or less than 10 have voted for when the 36 hour voting period is up, then Banner Lady will be saved,
T.

---

what if there are less than 10 votes for, and everyone else abstains ?

---

• 4 mafia
• 4 n'drinu
• 1 mason
• 10 citizens

 

---

Posted by AnnaF (# 10606) on :
 
Teufelchen:

Just to make my intentions clear, there are no votes or potential votes contained in the previous post. After nem has declared one way or the other I will post again following the normal game mechanics to cast my vote, which will be happen to be in accordance with hers. And I'm firmly recommending that every other citizen who hasn't already voted waits to do the same thing.
 

---

Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
I agree that we can probably trust nem, but that doesn't make her psychic or God! I'm still weighing up what's been said and trying to decide what to do.

[ 25. October 2006, 12:51: Message edited by: Chelley ]
 

---

Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :
 
Nem maybe a confirmed Mason, but (IIRC) has no clue on the identity of Banner Lady, innocent or otherwise.

whilst we can trust that she won't be murdering us in our beds at night, we cannot trust in her to keep us safe (she is not the Watchman/Healer/ Dr/whatever) nor point our lynching discussions in the direction of gang members (she is not the Detective)

so saying that you'll trust her and vote with her looks to me like you're trying to find someone else to take all the blame if we end up lynching another citizen. In fact, the only innocent citizens that she could have prevented us from lynching are the other masons. And they're all dead.

Don't look for guidance from anyone else about how to vote. make up your own mind and take responsibility for your own actions.

[ 25. October 2006, 12:55: Message edited by: Wet Kipper ]
 

---

Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
Banner Lady , it is with great sorrow that I must add my name to those voting against you. I put a great deal of thought and reasoning into this and came to the conclusions that you look far too much like competition for the attentions of the meagre number of presentable young men in this town.
 

---

Posted by dolphy (# 862) on :
 
JJ has spent much of the night going over the recent events. She has listened to all the others casting their opinions and she had reached a decision. However, somewhere in the back of her mind was a thought niggling away at her; she could not put her finger on what that was until now.

And now, all of a sudden, Smudgie has reappeared...

JJ thinks and thinks...what about the graffiti.. why is no one mentioning it?...what about the man in the street cafe... finally she decides to speak out loud.

Banner Lady is innocent and should be saved.


<shame on my messy code>

[ 25. October 2006, 13:19: Message edited by: dolphy ]
 

---

Posted by Stevie Boy Wonder (# 11869) on :
 
Little Stevie noticed the glint in the lady's eye from across the bar. "Is she looking at me?" , he thought, before realising he sounded like a bad Robert DeNiro impression. Well, who knows? The girl he'd come to find seemed to have vanished into thin air like the laughable plot device she always had been. Time to forget her and move on. Little Stevie smiled back, then turned his head away slightly, just enough that he wasn't looking in her direction, but could still see her out of the corner of his eye. As she adjusted her stocking and gave her hair a playful twist with her fingers, he knew it was time for action.

Crossing the room, he noticed a slight, sly smile on her face. Was Little Stevie's luck finally in? Was there finally something going right for him in this godforsaken town? Of course, he knew there was a good chance she was involved in gang violence - but hey, maybe sleeping with the enemy (metaphorically speaking) would help him stay safe...

Reaching the booth where she sat, Little Stevie prepared to charm her in his own special way...

"Oi, get yer coat love, you've pulled... "
 

---

Posted by AnnaF (# 10606) on :
 
Chelley, It's true. She's neither psychic nor god, she's quite human and knows no more than you or I. The vital point is that everyone knows she's not corrupt.

If we had a way of knowing any other information for sure - being able to check that anyone was the detective without examining their corpse, for example, then that would be our best choice. But we can't.

What we can do is make sure that no mafiosi can decide who is lynched or not, and that is definitely in the citizen's best interests.

If we citizens vote freely (and effectively randomly as we know nothing certain), then we dilute our small majority so far that the mafiosi can and will vote tactically to ensure the lynchee of their choice. If we vote together as a block then we actually have that 4/9 chance of convicting a guilty person today. The same chance of success which convinced CJ to act so boldly. Otherwise, it's a mirage.

But to act as a block we need to trust absolutely that we're not being led by a mafiosi, and thanks to Eliabsson we have that chance - a known mason.

Wet Kipper, I'm not trying to look for anyone else to blame for the lynching (that I hope will happen in this case). You're also right that she can't guarentee anyone's safety by night, but the fact still stands: trusting nem to act as a judge is the citizen's best hope of survival.
 

---

Posted by Izzybee (# 10931) on :
 
Nobody is safe anymore, are they? Izzy has spent time trying to figure out what she should do in this case. As a newcomer to the town, it's been difficult to get to know people, and with the situation we've been having, it's nearly impossible....

She reluctantly casts a vote for Bannerlady's lynching.

I know we were both new in town, BL, but you did say how strange the people here were. Perhaps a little too strange?
 

---

Posted by Linguo (# 7220) on :
 
The young man in grey is acutely nervous. He sits over his double espresso in the coffee shop, and every sound makes him jump. "It's just like the old days," he thought, remembering his childhood in Pesto City. "And even here, there are lynchings."

Of course, the Mafia-inclined members of his family had rarely voted at the lynchings. They claimed it was their innate superiority that prevented it; he suspected that they'd generally been too lazy to check the times. But either way, it meant that he was making an important statement of innocence by choosing to vote that Banner Lady was guilty.
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
Roger has been quietly trying to work things out. It has left him wih little to say for a few days {that and limited net access this week).

The killings are awful and must stop. But what to do about BL? If she is mafia, she has to go. Frankly, the claim of nominating Sir Kevin just to keep the game moving was weak - surely a long quiet life is better than death of an innocent? And she has been around a murder scene.

He hears the line about Nem, but who knows what the Mason's agenda is?

Roger votes to lynch Banner Lady.
 

---

Posted by Zorro (# 9156) on :
 
Zorro votes Against, because he doesn't want another death. He goes off to finalise his "Can't we all just get along?!" speech
 

---

Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
After much umm-ing and ah-ing I've decided to vote against lynching Banner Lady.
 

---

Posted by CuppaT (# 10523) on :
 
Mrs. Cuppy has been down with the flu and emerges to find the whole town in a state of consternation. People drift into her gourmet chocolate shop (which her children have been operating for a few days) with talk of deaths and funerals and nefarious doings in the night. Cuppy feels sorry for the folks and for their killers, but she is sorry to miss a good funeral, too. She heard that the body of one townsman was shipped way across the country for burial in that sea. Amazing. Some folks go to great lengths to get away from this town, even in death.

Rumor has it that the bar has been doing a booming business. Cuppy wondered at first if Ezio was an official Barman, as in the town rulebook, but apparently not. Given the inclination of most in town to quiet their fears with drink, Mrs. Cuppy increases her inventory to include chocolate liquor cups. These sell very well, as do the little chocolate covered rum balls and liquor-filled balls. Mrs. Cuppy likes her job quite well.

However, responsibilities are responsibilies after all, and one must cast a vote when it is election time. Mrs. Cuppy is not very good with politics, and one person’s logic sounds just as sound as another’s to her poor mind. But she likes the involvement and interaction of Lady Dorothy, and would be sorry to see her have to leave town, especially in an untimely demise. Mrs. Cuppy votes Against.

not really edited -- just seeing how this thing works.

[ 25. October 2006, 19:39: Message edited by: CuppaT ]
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Dorothy noticed the shy smile of the man in the booth and went over to wipe down the table and collect his empty glass. As she bent over, hoping that her decolletage smelled more of perfume than stale beer, he pressed something hard and inviting into her hand. Dorothy straightened up, pleasantly surprised.

"Oooh! Chocolate for me? Is it...Cadbury's?"
 

---

Posted by nem (# 11108) on :
 
Wow no presure on me then...

Sadly I'm not god nor do I ahev any other idea about Banner Lady but for the sole perpose of moving the game along (incredible sorry if you really are innocent) I feel I have to vote for her. Sorry adn please dont' take this to mean that I know stuff cause I really don't. It's so much harder not being the detective...
 

---

Posted by AnnaF (# 10606) on :
 
I vote for Bannerlady's guilt, because working together is the right thing to do.
 

---

Posted by Stevie Boy Wonder (# 11869) on :
 
As Dorothy Banner Lady went to the bedroom to "slip into something more comfortable", two thoughts came to Little Stevie's head. The first was whether she still had her nurse's uniform. But the second was perhaps more pertinent - here he was, alone in the lounge of a woman who was being accused of all manner of evil crimes. "Hmmm, maybe a quick snoop around would help here" , he thought to himself. "After all, if I find any evidence that she's guilty, I could become the town's hero, and save them all from making a terrible mistake. And if I can prove she's innocent - well, who knows how she could ever repay me..."

Putting down his glass, Little Stevie started to glance around the room for something - anything - that might give some clue as to DBL's role within the Mafia. Sure, there was a gun on the windowsill - but who doesn't have firearms in Cosenza Beach. Little Stevie needed more evidence than that. As he looked around, he saw something that startled him. On the table near the stereo were framed photographs - some with Banner Lady in, standing alongside other people. But his attention was drawn to one particular picture. A man in a wetsuit, holding a surfboard. He looked very familiar.

And then the penny dropped. The man in the framed photo was... the recently falsely-convicted Sir Kevin.

Banner Lady had framed him.

Twice.

"So, are you ready?" came a call from the bedroom. "Just give me a minute" , Little Stevie called back. And then he climbed out of the open window, shinned down the drainpipe and ran for his life. Stopping only to vote for Banner Lady's lynching.
 

---

Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :
 
If this:

quote:

---

Originally posted by nem:
(incredible sorry if you really are innocent) I feel I have to vote for her.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Autenrieth Road:
Too awake now to be able to go back to napping, Autumn drives around town checking on timetables. On page 5, she discovers something important. She buys a picture postcard of Cosenza Beach and heads to the post office.

Dear Pure Sunshine, writes Autumn, your earlier declaration wouldn't (AIUI) have counted as a vote anyway because it was before Teufelchen declared the voting officially begun. So it's good you came back to say it now during the voting phase.

---

The next day* Autumn receives a postcard:

Dear Autumn, it reads, at least there's one person in this town who is (a) observant and (b) gets all the rules. And to your impressive code, taking me straight to the posts in question!


* Cosenza Beach might have crooked cops and noose-happy citizens, but it's got a damn fine postal service.**

** Perhaps that's because it's run by the Mafia.***

*** Note to self re. possible game strategy: is anyone role-playing as a postman???
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
Autumn happily reads her postcard. It's so nice to get personal mail and not the umpteen corporate invitations to real estate conferences that she usually receives. Business calls however. She collects her clipboard and heads down to the probate office to investigate the several properties that have become vacant due to Recent Unpleasant Events.
 

---

Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :
 
[Real life mode]
I'd just like to add that I was goign to watch how everyone voted (if at all) and then vote. I forgot that we were going out last night, straight from work

Looks like she's been let off anyway.
 

---

Posted by christianjimmy (# 1820) on :
 
CJ tossed back his last whisky, and deciding that he'd had enough for the day, (and that in fact it felt like he'd been in Ezio's bar for days on end withut leaving,) made his way in a surprisingly steady fashion out of the bar.

As he passed the hordes of alcohol, caffeine and/or fear-ravaged townfolks, CJ realised he didnt really know what was going on anymore.
Had that new barmaid survived the lynch mob? What time was it?
Did the townsfolk have to cower once more under the tyranny of night and the rule of the evil mafia tribes?
Was whoever was in the bar's only toilet ever going to come out of it and let CJ use it?
And was CJ now at risk from a night-time attack for having stuck his neck out in making a long speech, like the last person to make a case for freedom against tyranny (Eliab)?

He considered appealing to whoever the watchman was to protect him tonight, but decided that asking for protection might actually end up putting the thought of killing him into the thickheads of either of the evil mafia clans currently at large in this once-quiet town, and that the choice really had to be up to the watchman (pretty please!)

And so CJ exited the bar, hoping that once again Ezio would forget to get him to settle the bill before he left.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Dorothy had of course been warned by her mother to never accept chocolate from strangers - but hey, he seemed like such a NICE young man. He even offered to share his overcoat on the short walk up to her apartment. As she slipped her hand into it's pocket she realized a cold hard truth. He really DID carry a gun in his pocket. She gripped it firmly just in case things suddenly turned nasty. Nor could she shake off a feeling that there were many suspicious eyes watching from the shadows.

Inside her flat, they stood and looked at each other with unspoken questions hanging in the air between them. But years of habit won out. After a long day of nursing and dealing with some of the most disgusting things possible, Dorothy always headed straight for the shower. It was the same with bartending - especially when the last job of the day was to clean all the outside ashtrays. Dorothy put the overcoat over her arm and went over to the stereo. As she bent to turn it on, she slid the gun on to the window sill behind the curtain.

"I'm just going to get more comfy - please put on whatever music you like."

Then, dropping the coat over the back of a chair, and locking the door to the bathroom behind her, Dorothy put her hair into bunches and took a quick shower. As she slipped into her pale blue kimono, she found herself wondering what on earth she had gotten into. But it was in Dorothy's nature to be trusting; nor was there a malicious bone in her body. Pushing a tendril of hair back nervously, she opened the door to the living room to find it surprisingly empty.

The window was open and the overcoat was gone, but the gun was still where she had left it. Elvis was singing SUSPICIOUS MINDS on the stereo. Dorothy closed the window with a shiver. She was glad he had gone, but wondered if he was casing the place. It didn't look like anything had been taken, but maybe she should talk to her landlady about another apartment just to be safe.

"Yes," said Dorothy to the picture of Sir Kevin (a memento she had asked if she could take from the late doctor's desk) "I will try to find a new place right away. But at least he left the chocolate!"
 

---

Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
Lambiekins is confused, hoping that the voting is still open. If so, she votes against lynching dear BannerLady. We victims of Stevie have to stick together.
 

---

Posted by Zorro (# 9156) on :
 
Zorro leaves the hostel in silence, and under cover of darkness. He's annoyed. He can't sleep, he's out of tobacco, and he's getting bored of living life on the straight and narrow. He collects his gun and swiss army knife, and slips into the darkness.

A few miles away, there's a depot. If he can get there, he has a chance of getting a ride, or at least somewhere to sleep for the night that's warm. Probably more defensible too. No-one'd go looking in the depot for him. East side of town. Far away from the rest of the place. No reason to visit really. Of course, if he needs to escape, or take someone out, he's got busses. A nice disguise that.

He jogs silently through the crisp, cold air, towards the depot, and disappears from view, outside of the pool of yellow light from the last streetlight in town. Only a few miles to go. That's all. Too easy, really.
 

---

Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
Chelley went off wandering and wondering again... Where was Teuf? What had happened to Banner Lady? Was night falling or had the clocks been adjusted already to make it a really long day? So many questions... On passing the local bar, Chelley decided it wasn't an evening to sit alone (however much she loved living her hermit's existence, by the sea, in her little wooden home) and gathering all her courage, she pushed open the door of the bar...

[ 28. October 2006, 08:58: Message edited by: Chelley ]
 

---

Posted by dolphy (# 862) on :
 
JJ was scared... no one was talking... no one had mentioned the graffiti... she walked to the beach and opened her violin case for the last time.

She was not shocked that someone had taken her violin and replaced it with a gun.

It was that man in the cafe, it must have been, he must have known I was mafia

JJ takes the loaded gun out of the violin case and walks into the sea,...

Three shots fire... JJ sinks into the ocean... dead... she took her own life.
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
(I've been away from the 'net form longer than planned, and my access will be a bit intermittent for a few more days, although I'm hoping to be on now and then.

Banner Lady was indeed spared - 8 votes was as far as the motion got.

Dolphy's sudden departure means we have the death of a confirmed mafioso. How many more are lurking among you?

A little belatedly, night falls. Those of you with business after dark should start to lay your plans.

T.
 

---

Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
Chelley was getting bored of the quiet life... there's only so much walking along the beach, kicking at sand, gazing at sunsets and skimming stones you can do before you begin to take it all for granted. She pondered the nightlife of Cosenza Beach... oh dear, not much to choose from... it had to be that rundown bar again. Plenty of potential though, she supposed, for people watching...
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Dorothy went down the street and bought herself a box of crackers....
 

---

Posted by basso (# 4228) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Chelley:
oh dear, not much to choose from... it had to be that rundown bar again. Plenty of potential though, she supposed, for people watching...

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teufelchen:
Gang violence spreads during long night
Two more innocent citizens of Consenza Beach...

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teufelchen:
Coffee as good as our doughnuts since 1937. I'm sorry, please delete that last sentence."

Voting is now open.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Autenrieth Road:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teufelchen:
Voting is now open.

---

Voting? Nominations, surely. Get that little red devil a cup of 69-year-old coffee -- that should wake him up.[/QB]

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banner Lady:

"A young man from out of town, and that lovely little girl who supplied Ezio's with seafood..."

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Chelley:
Chelley sat in her little wooden home pondering the latest nominations... it was so hard to know who to trust. She knew it would be inappropriate to say them - because that's Teuf's job...

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Wet Kipper:
she nominated someone innocent who was killed, and she was close to the "Doctor" Gumby who was one of the first victims.

---

[Indignant ghostly voice]

Oi, what's with the scare quotes?

[/Indignant ghostly voice]
 

---

Posted by Pure Sunshine (# 11904) on :
 
I've thought it all through - my main objection was really just that the Citizens cannot be certain about anything, whereas the Mafia know precisely who their targets are, and Wet Kipper seemed very certain.

But perhaps he's just a better player of this game than me.

I think I might actually vote for someone else now. Will think it over.


 

---

Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Great Gumby:
[Indignant ghostly voice]

Oi, what's with the scare quotes?

[/Indignant ghostly voice]

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Rugmaker:
Wet Kipper ... seems to be waging something of a vendetta against Banner Lady, whom the majority of the populace thought innocent only a short time ago.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Wet Kipper:
looking at the votes, you will see that one of the people who thought she was innocent has turned out to be Mafia, and 2 of the people who voted for her lynching ended up dead last night

I will be busy for the rest of the day IRL, so I will rest my case now, and see what happens...

---

Good point!!!
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Right. I have no defence, and fully expect to be lynched shortly. You will, however, not be stringing up a murderer, but another innocent citizen. This is not the outcome you want (unless you're so bored with this you don't mind who gets taken out as long as it's someone!)

I have deep suspicions about Smudgie, Izzybee, Rugmaker, Linguo and Leonato who are all trying to skim along under the radar. But quite possibly my nomination of Leonato will prove as faulty as my nomination of Sir Kevin. Basso and Lamb Chopped are playing a very interesting game - and for that I thank them. You have made me laugh often - I hope you continue to do so.

If I go down, my advice to the rest of you will be to watch out for flying kippers. They hurt.
 

---

Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
After much pondering and beach walking, Chelley came to the conclusion that the whole town needed a bit of livening up. It wasn't surprising that everyone was getting depressed what with all the random killings and all... but perhaps something could be done to wake the living up?!
And once she'd decided, she went to town (so the expression goes...). Having hired a 30 piece marching band to get everyone's attention she set them on their way through town and followed them - giving out notices announcing...
Fancy Dress Karaoke tomorrow night... Basso's Bar (with permission?)
Chelley wondered who would come and what they'd wear? She pushed to the back of her mind the niggling concern that a night in disguise might be a dangerous cover for mafiosi and other gangsters... but ignoring the thought, she wandered back to her hermit style little wooden house.
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
RL observation: my theory is that people are scared that anything they say might be taken down and used in evidence against them. But in fact the story line bits are only manufactured into amusing supporting evidence for an accusation after someone has already decided based on other evidence to accuse them. So come on in and join the fun.

Autumn Wreath was very excited! A mariachi band, she loves music and dancing!

Then she reread the previous post and realized it was a marching band. And can one really dance to Karaoke?

Ha, Autumn is up for any kind of fun. She starts to polish her Argentine Tango shoes.
 

---

Posted by christianjimmy (# 1820) on :
 
CJ looked at Ezios bar wistfully, now serving food as well he discovered, if only he'd known that before. But... No, it was too late now.
As accusations and counter-accusations rang round the towns narrow streets CJ realised that it was time to do something that he possibly should have done before.

With a deep breath, he summoned up his courage and burst into the bar. Faces all around "the thinking mans boozer of choice™" turned to see the intruder, and recognising CJ, lit up at the thought of either more free drinks or a showdown between the enigmatically generous boozer and the bar owner about the unpaid bills from the last two weeks.

Holding his hands up for silence, CJ paused (for effect) before starting his spiel.

Mea culpa, my friends, mea culpa. I have shared your hospitality, and yet abused your trust. I have been a part of this towns wonderful, and yet bloodstained, family for a while now, and yet none of you know me. None of you know my background, my plans, my likes and dislikes...

Paying for bills apparently! Muttered a voice from behind the bar, but when CJ turned to stare at the interruptor there was no-one to face him. So he continued.

And I have plans. Wicked plans. Evil plans. Plans that would make you wake up in the night and shiver with fear. Plans that if you were to fully comprehend them would leave you unable to stare a cat in the face again. Or rather I should say I had plans. For now I find myself unable to live with myself, my time in this town has ended, and I must reveal myself to be...

Mafia.

The crowd gasped, and as one rose to their feet, perhaps to apprehend CJ, perhaps to flee from his presence. But before anyone could do anything CJ whipped out a bottle of whisky from under his coat - one of Ezio's finest single malts, purloined earlier when he'd been distracted with his new bar staff - and poured the contents straight down his throat. And to finish the job, before anyone could warn him about the dangers of alcohol poisoning, he swallowed a lit match - which amazingly caused the whisky to combust, and explode CJ into a splatter of blood, limbs, and most importantly, a dead mafia member.

Another member of the mafia had taken their own life.
 

---

Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 
Another mafioso dead and splattered rather messily over the bar. Perhaps there is some mysterious suicide pact going on among the mafiosi, or are they really suicides? Are they really dead? Am I being excessively paranoid?

But no use crying over spilled mafiosi. Leonato steps over the scattered remains of CJ and heads home to plan his costume for karaoke night.

The little red cocktail dress, or the bunny outfit, decisions, decisions...
 

---

Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
I hope Basso/Ezio can get the bar cleaned up in time for the party!

Chelley got news of the most recent happenings in the bar, and digging out her marigolds thought she'd better wander over there and give Ezio a hand with scrubbing the guts off the floor and walls before the festivities began...
 

---

Posted by Stevie Boy Wonder (# 11869) on :
 
Floating in the ether, the ghost of Little Stevie Peterson heard about the evening's festivities...

"Why couldn't you have had a party while I could still come to it?! Mutter grumble bastards..."
 

---

Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
In her apartment, Celeste Smudgeson hears the sound of the marching band and looks out of a window to see placards proclaiming a fancy dress karaoke party. At last, some decent music, rather than the tuneless screeching of that rather inept busker who'd been haunting the streets recently. She notes subconsciously that the busker hasn't been seen recently... though she's hardly going to shed a tear about anyone who could inflict such cruelty on the intestines of a cat.

She notes, too, however, that the population of the little town seems distinctly depleted and she begins to wonder whether there may have been more deaths while she was sleeping. The blaring radio from the neighbouring apartment seems to have gone quiet too.

She begins to ponder... having heard a rumour that mafia membership was rife amongst marine creatures, was a wet kipper merely a red herring, and what was with the recent change from blue to red?

But more important matters press on her mind at the moment. What to wear to the party? She opens her suitcase and begins to rummage through.
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
Voting opens
Following a second mafia suicide, there are 15 of you left. 8 is therefore enough votes to secure a lynching - and to speed things up, if 8 of you declare against lynching anyone, the voting phase will end. Otherwise, it lasts 36 hours from the time of this post.

T.
 

---

Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
I think The kipper done it.

I vote for a lynching of the Wet Kipper.

I never liked smoked fish anyway.
 

---

Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
I'm voting for Leonato.
 

---

Posted by Pure Sunshine (# 11904) on :
 
After mulling it over, I have decided not to have kippers for dinner tonight.

His reasoning has sunk in and is convincing me.

So sorry for, er, floundering, but after all that it's Banner Lady for me.

Btw, all these Mafia suicides (well, all 2 of them) are looking odd. I wonder if the 'Ndrthingummies are bumping them off and making it look like suicide? Something fishy is definitely going on - and I wonder if someone "persuaded" Madame Comet to shut up shop?
 

---

Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :
 
not wishing to make the same mistake as I did last time, I vote for Lynching Banner Lady
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
For the suspicions already stated, in the midst of total confusion, I vote for Wet Kipper
 

---

Posted by basso (# 4228) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Chelley:

Fancy Dress Karaoke tomorrow night... Basso's Bar (with permission?) [/i]

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Smudgie:
At last, some decent music, rather than the tuneless screeching of that rather inept busker who'd been haunting the streets recently. She notes subconsciously that the busker hasn't been seen recently... though she's hardly going to shed a tear about anyone who could inflict such cruelty on the intestines of a cat.

---

As the old lady is deciding what twin set to wear, a ghostly busker starts playing a tune outside her window Suicide is painless
 

---

Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 
With accusations flying around Leonato is ever more fearful for his life, but he must do his civic duty.

His vote, no surprises here, goes to Banner Lady.
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Rugmaker:
For the suspicions already stated, in the midst of total confusion, I vote for <snip>

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Rugmaker:
I make that 5 for Banner Lady, 2 for Wet Kipper and 1 for Leonato. With 7 left to vote all three can still be lynched, but Leonato is one vote for someone else away from safety - for now at least!

---

Although even if that saving vote is cast, people can still vote for leonato, either to indicate their belief in his guilt, or to stymie the attempts to lynch others.

T.
 

---

Posted by basso (# 4228) on :
 
Since I'm now running a restaurant, I have to be careful about the quality of food. I'd bin a blue kipper with no hesitation; the same goes for the wet one.

Ezio votes for Wet Kipper.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Well, despite my inclination to vote for Wet Kipper to return the favour, I vote for Leonato
 

---

Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
Despite all the whispering going on around the town and the expressions of distrust with their calls for lynching... Chelley's mind was on other things! Hmmm, what to wear for the fancy dress karaoke party that everyone seemed to be getting nicely enthusiastic about?
She fancied something historically elegant to wear... Elizabeth I? Nah... too starchy! Marie Antoinette... no, perhaps not... she didn't want any extra reminders of lynching with all the killing going on round here already!! She continued to ponder as she headed off to the fancy dress shop over at the other end of town...

[ 04. November 2006, 09:14: Message edited by: Chelley ]
 

---

Posted by nem (# 11108) on :
 
I don't really hvae any idea of who might actually be mafia but I'll vote for Banner Lady to help seed the process along.
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
Voting Over

The voting closes with the following votes cast:

Banner Lady (nominated by Wet Kipper): 6 votes: Pure Sunshine, Wet Kipper, CuppaT, leonato, Autenrieth Road, nem
Wet Kipper (nominated by Pure Sunshine): 3 votes: Smudgie, Rugmaker, basso
Leonato (nominated by Banner Lady): 3 votes: Chelley, Banner Lady

As no-one got the requisite 8 votes, you're all spared for now. As you wipe your respective brows and head home, night falls, and those who have actions now should take them.

T.
 

---

Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :
 
who didn't vote ?

this is getting ridiculous.
 

---

Posted by CuppaT (# 10523) on :
 
My notes have Izzybee, Lambchopped, Linguo, and Zorro as still playing. Are they still in town? And I think Teufelchen meant that Leonato got 2 votes against him, which is what I had counted, too.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Dorothy went down town and bought herself some more crackers. Ezio had told her about the karaoke fancy dress night, and that the bar staff should dress up too. She decided to go as a Christmas tree, and hoped the night wouldn't be a fizzer. She would try her hardest to make sure it wasn't. The town seemed quite enlivened by the idea of some entertainment and it was worth seeing the look on Ezio's face as she stepped out of the back room in her red shoes and little green swing dress festooned with tinsel and crackers.

"You do realize everyone's going to be trying to pull on those all night?" he growled disapprovingly.

Dorothy smiled sweetly. "It's okay, Ezio. I don't snap so easily, you know."
 

---

Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Wet Kipper:
this is getting ridiculous.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by CuppaT:
My notes have Izzybee, Lambchopped, Linguo, and Zorro as still playing. Are they still in town? And I think Teufelchen meant that Leonato got 2 votes against him, which is what I had counted, too.

---

quote:

---

Zorro as still playing. Are they still in town?

---

Argh, sorry, yes, I am, but I also got lost when the times got kinda mixed up a while back, sorry people. I'll vote next time!
 

---

Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by leonato:
Indeed, as things stand I think the mafia can easily prevent a lynching by splitting the vote or abstaining.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banner Lady:
I am unclear on how exactly the detective and the watchman can work behind the scenes to alter outcomes, but perhaps that is what has been happening?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Chelley:
But why would the Mafia want to prevent a lynching... surely they just want people dead?

---

quote:

---

And actually, my vote was not deliberately in support of Banner Lady, but because I was also feeling most suspicious of the people who hadn't said much at all... lurking in the shadows... which is why I voted for you.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teufelchen:
Nominations open once basso has posted his death scene...

---

I should add that there's no reason not to post any old thing at any old time, especially in the day phase. Some of the speculation I've been seeing about distribution of roles, voting patterns and the like have been very interesting!

T.
 

---

Posted by Pure Sunshine (# 11904) on :
 
What a fine upstanding citizen that Kipper fellow was.

Shame on all you people who voted for him!!


 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teufelchen:
I should add that there's no reason not to post any old thing at any old time, especially in the day phase. Some of the speculation I've been seeing about distribution of roles, voting patterns and the like have been very interesting!

---

Autumn picked her way past her discarded little black dress (slightly smaller than a dishrag), her discarded fishnet stockings, and her discarded dance shoes and picked up the early edition of the paper on her front stoop. The bright red advertising flyer on top of it caught her eye and she stood on the front stoop in her fluffy bunny slippers and Pooh pyjamas perusing it. Then she went inside to compose a letter to the editor.

"Dear Sir," she began, "the speculations might be very interesting, but we would like to know which of them are true. Signed, Confused of Cosenza Beach. P.S. mine are not any old postings, they are gems of literary merit "

Then she wrote a letter to her twin sister Autenrieth in Maine.

"Dear Austin Teeth," she began with the childhood nickname, "things are very confusing down here. On the bad side: no police, no mayor, and now no bar! What is this town coming to??? On the good side: two Mafia and one 'Ndrangheta are dead. Remember to vote today. Love, Autumn Wreath."
 

---

Posted by basso (# 4228) on :
 
Ezio sees the last customers out of the bar. It was a long shift tonight.

As he locks the door, he is stunned by a blow to the head. Unable to resist, he is dragged behind the bar. There's a crash as somebody knocks the top off the barrel of sweet white wine he had ordered for the big Masonic funeral. His last thought as his head is forced under is of how much he hates white wine.

Ezio - bartender and 'ndrinu - has offed his last innocent victim.
 

---

Posted by nem (# 11108) on :
 
OK I have to nominate Banner Lady , for the third time now?

She was good friends with basso and it all seems a bit too supsicious. Plus as she's lasted this long she may well live on again!
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
I nominate Zorro who does a great job of acting innocent, but could certainly be by random choice a Bad Guy, Gal or Dolphin two games in a row. He's been oddly quiet this game, too.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
I nominate Leonato again and declare the defense phase to have begun.

Let's recap. We have lost 4 citizens: Sir Kevin, Stevie, Wet Kipper & comet (who left town). We have lost 3 masons: Dr.Gumby, Merry Took & Eliab who declared nem to be a mason too. 2 Mafia, Dolphy & CJ, have committed suicide (or so we are led to believe). Basso is the only 'ndrinu to die so far.

Well, I am obviously not 'Ndrinu if you think I killed Basso. And if I was Mafia, why would Basso always vote for me? I am not a Mason, we all know that. So guess what that leaves, people: yes, Dorothy is an innocent abroad in this big bad city, just as she has told you all along.

Dorothy sat weeping into her milkshake. She had liked working for Dr.Gumby, and she had liked working for Ezio. It was horrible that he had died and even more horrible to find out he had an underworld connection. She only hoped her landlady would understand if her rent wasn't paid on time this week. But who could even think about job-hunting with so much horror happening all around? She just couldn't wrap her head around the situation. If only she could see a way forward. If only she could think straight. "Oh," said Dorothy to the scarecrow outside the produce store, "I'm sure I could work things out if I only had a brain!"
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
Autumn applauds Nurse Dorothy's eloquent defense. Perhaps she should declare a rent amnesty for a week; she senses everyone in town is going to be distracted trying to work out who's what this week and easily forget to put their checks in the mail; and she might as well make a virtue of necessity. Rent or no rent, there's a flaw in Barmaid Dorothy's logic.

quote:

---

Originally posted by alleged criminal Banner Lady:
Well, I am obviously not 'Ndrinu if you think I killed Basso.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banner Lady:
Well, I am obviously not 'Ndrinu if you think I killed Basso. And if I was Mafia, why would Basso always vote for me?

---

quote:

---

a naturally outgoing person, it seemed,

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pure Sunshine:
This game is getting waaaaaay too confusing. Why all these Mafia/'Ndrinu suicides? I thought suicide was just for when you didn't want to play any longer, but Comet shut up shop and Kipper (I assume) 'volunteered' to be murdered as he is away IRL. Whereas the only suicides we have had have been from gangsters.

What is the suicide function for, then?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teufelchen:
No 'Ndrinu has committed suicide.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teufelchen:
No 'Ndrinu has committed suicide.

Unless I'm seriously missing something, Kipper didn't volunteer publically to be killed. So unless he had some private way of telling the gangsters - which I doubt - it was just a coincidence that he was murdered that night.

---

I forgot that Basso had to post a death scene - I assumed it was suicide, forgot he had been murdered.

As for Kipper, I thought it was something to do with the fact that he said (in the Administrators' Shore Leave thread in the Styx) that he was offlining for a few days. I thought he might have asked you, Teufelchen, to let the Mafia know that killing him might be a good idea.

This game has a way of making you paranoid ...
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
So the voting phase must have started now, right? Not that I have any idea who to vote for, obviously - I alternate between thinking everyone is innocent and pretty much everyone is mafia or N'drunu.
 

---

Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
That masked man - he's a dodgy character to be sure. I am going to have to vote for him. Zorro killed my sister, I know now for sure, and I've yet to see a leopard change their spots. I vote for Zorro.
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
Autumn woke up early and decided to have a go-round of the candidates.

First she tracked down Dorothy Banner Lady, who bought her a milkshake. (But was that her own honestly earned money, or had BL been moonlighting as a hitwoman?)

Then she went to visit Leonato, who showed her lovely slides of a hill trip. (But had he really taken them, or just downloaded them off the internet?)

Then she found Stationmaster Zorro, straightening schedules in the depot. (Was he glad to see her, or was that just a gun in his pocket?)

As unsure as ever, she decided to stick by her original nomination.

I vote for Zorro.
 

---

Posted by Zorro (# 9156) on :
 
Smudgie

quote:

---

I've yet to see a leopard change their spots.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Zorro:
"That's some fine Italian, 'mam. Excellent structural usage, and good, strong vocab. My congratulations."

He leaves, and curses in French at being scratched by a cat. The legion taught you a lot of things. Stealth, cunning...cusses. He decided to let the cat live.

This time.

---

Ever since this, I've always known Zorro to be a decent sort - honestly, you people!!!

Though my cat is finally sleeping peacefully now.
 

---

Posted by CuppaT (# 10523) on :
 
Aaargh! Sorry, Zorro.
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
Private Eye Put Out
Two more gangland murders rocked Cosenza Beach last night. In separate incidents, Luce Pura and Izzybee were killed shortly after midnight. Luce Pura was an upstanding Citizen, and admirably outspoken on the subject of the recent attacks. Incidents of this type have been very common here lately, and it seems that the mobsters' activity had attracted some attention. It seems from Izzybee's papers that she was in fact an undercover private Detective, trying to identify members of the two gangs which are plaguing the town. The local police were unavailable for comment on the death of someone who seems to have been more diligent in tracking gangsters than they are.

Day breaks
Izzybee the Detective and Pure Sunshine the innocent citizen were killed in the night.

The remaining characters are Autenrieth Road, Banner Lady, Chelley, CuppaT, Lamb Chopped, leonato, Linguo, nem, Rugmaker, and Smudgie. As there are ten of you, 6 votes, or 5 without coherent opposition, will be enough to lynch someone. As ever, nominations start once both death scenes have been posted.

T.

[ 10. November 2006, 14:14: Message edited by: Teufelchen ]
 

---

Posted by nem (# 11108) on :
 
It would appear this town only allows the corrupt and murderers to live, won't be long until all the innocent and sent to their doom, especially as we are now without our detective! It appears that Miss Izzybee knew something we didn't about Miss Banner Lady though, as she has been adiment of her innocence, therefore I shall stop trying to get her lynched.
 

---

Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
Oh Sorrow, oh Zorro. I misjudged you. A leopard can change its spots after all, it seems, and I was one of those who harrassed you to an untimely death. I am full of remorse. Can you ever forgive me?
 

---

Posted by Izzybee (# 10931) on :
 
Both an eventful and fruitful night of work for Izzy, and as she runs back to her Mothers house, she is desperate to get the word out somehow. As she plans how best to do this, a figure steps out from the shadows of the front porch, grabs her, and marches her down to the library - somewhere she had been seem many times before - about the only place in this town where people would know who she was.

"This is what happens to girls who know too much" a softly spoken person says - someone who Izzy realizes is a prominent citizen - someone who had been involved in the recent lynchings themselves!

As Izzy faced her fate, she thinks to herself of the strange sting of Shakespeare quotes. Hah! She had one for them now!

"The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones;"

She had done some good in her short time in this town, but it would be buried with her. Such a shame.

A single gunshot pierces the night.
 

---

Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 
Sorry Zorro, for falsely accusing you, and also that I would have voted for your lynching (had I not lost internet connectivity last night).

And sorry also to Banner Lady, whose innocence is confirmed by the now deceased detective. Sadly though the detective seems not to have known about anyone's guilt, unless I am missing something.

Right, now off to try and deduce who the real guilty parties are...
 

---

Posted by Pure Sunshine (# 11904) on :
 
Luce Pura can't sleep. Fear had driven her into the depths of mob justice, and she had accused an innocent man of murder. His eloquent testimony had convinced her to spare his life, and they had succeeded - just. And then all that had come crashing down with his murder the very next day.

And Zorro - she had always known that he was innocent, despite his temptations towards felicide, and annoying habit of breaking into people's homes. This town was descending into mass murder. Wasn't there anything for kids to do here, other than lynch people?

She picks up Wuthering Heights, her favourite novel, and reads a few chapters. Balance is restored to her world, and she falls asleep.

Her sleep is broken by a faint cry.

Luce gets up to check. The noise is coming from the other side of the window.

She lives on the 12th floor.

She sees a shadow on the other side of the window. For a moment she doesn't know where she is, and wonders if it is the ghost of Catherine, clawing to get in. Then she remembers she is not in a cold house on the moors, but in Cosenza Beach. She opens the window.

The masked figure extends his hand.

"Ah, Luce Pura del Sole, daughter of the double-glazing multi-millionaire Francesco del Sole?" He grins evilly. "Daddy's windows can't save you now ..."

Luce comes to her senses and shuts the window, but the bullet flies through anyway, leaving not just blood but also fractured glass splattered all over the floor.

As the sun rises, the cat gets up and struts into the living room, carefully avoiding the broken glass. His little bowl is empty. He starts mewing pitifully.

Why isn't anyone feeding him today?
 

---

Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pure Sunshine:

As for Kipper, I thought it was something to do with the fact that he said (in the Administrators' Shore Leave thread in the Styx) that he was offlining for a few days. I thought he might have asked you, Teufelchen, to let the Mafia know that killing him might be a good idea.

---

not quite.

before I left, I warned Teuf I would be going, so asked for him to post a death scene for me, should I be "got" whilst I was away. I did not volunteer for it, (though some may say I was "asking for it" )
 

---

Posted by Zorro (# 9156) on :
 
Whilst you read this, put on this song. It's kinda fitting.

As Zorro polished his gun in the cabin of his tanker, he noticed the crowd arriving in their trucks, with banners. They looked pretty pissed. Of course, there were some exceptions-apathy always plays a part in the tragic mistakes of a "democratic" process.

They killed him. Didn't seem sorry-just kept going on about revenge or something. He could understand that. If he ever got the chance, he'd be taking out ex-mafia members.

Still, that's just how humans are he supposed, his soul floating off to the bad fire-at last, somewhere warm.

They cremate him, and his ashes drift out into the royal blue twilight, a poignant reminder of how desperate the need to get their damned asses together and start killing some mafia.

Then, the ashes settle, a pattern perhaps. Who knows, it seems to spell something out though...


FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, IT'S TIME TO START TAKING THE BAD GUYS OUT PEOPLE!!!! AND TO BL'S CAT-I'LL GET YOU IN THE AFTERLIFE.


It always seemed interesting how much ash you get from a person as insignificant as Zorro. They'd seen it often enough.
 

---

Posted by CuppaT (# 10523) on :
 
Mrs. Cuppy takes a rare moment to sit down in the middle of the day. A good cup of tea now and then helps one to think. Do we have to nominate 3 people? Rhetorical question. If only one or two get nominated and we let the time run out, then there will be less of a chance of spreading the votes too thin.

Now, Izzy said one of the bad guys was involved in recent lynchings, and that person also was a prominent citizen. Leonato missed the last vote, so although it does not mean he is innocent, it probably means he is not the one that Izzy was talking about. Nem is a Mason, and BL has been declared innocent. Chelly and AR are both prominent, and both voted for Zorro, whom the thugs would know is innocent. Rugmaker and Smudgie pipe up now and then, but they have not been as prominent.

I will take the bull by the horns and nominate Autumn (Autenrieth Road).

Mrs. Cuppy makes one more decision. She packs up two sample boxes of truffles and sets out for a walk. She goes to the house of Linguo, rings the bell, and offers her a pretty box of chocolates. Just a neighborly visit to see if Linguo is all right, since she has not been heard from for the last two votes, she declares. “Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country”, she says. “We need to hear from you.” Then Mrs. Cuppy sets her hat straight and walks around the corner to Lambchopped’s house. She makes her friendly good-will offering, and encourages Lamby to speak up, too.

Mrs. Cuppy walks home. Hrmph. Only nine others left, and probably at least two of them are thugs.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Dorothy sat glumly at the cafe table stabbing at the bubbles in her milkshake with a straw. The police tape had been removed from Ezio's Bar now, and she noticed her landladys' green jag was parked outside. She guessed that some more prime real estate was up for grabs.

The citizens of Cosenza Beach were very subdued. Three more innocent (if slightly strange) people had been murdered overnight and Dorothy knew that her vote was responsible for yet another life being snuffed out. Rumours were that one of the dead had been an undercover detective. It seemed that half the people left in the town belonged to a gang of some sort. She shuddered, and went back to looking though the employment section of the Cosenza Circus. Things were not looking good.
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
Autumn was shaken out of her brown study in her green jag by the sound of a small woman followed by twelve children carrying a folder labelled in very large letters "Nomination Papers" marching past.

How ironic that CuppaT and I were both apparently considering Detective Izzybee's dying words, trying to determine if there's a secret message in them or just local colour. CuppaT thinks there's a message; I don't see on practical reasons how there can be and think it was Izzybee making her death scene dramatic.

I was parked in front of Ezio's Bar trying to figure out how the Mafia and 'Ndrinu think. For now, I've been assuming the posters who are posting a lot are, like me, Citizens trying to work out who the Bad People are. So far all the Bad People we've seen have been middle-of-the-road -- posting just enough to seem to care about their civic duty, but not enough to actually find anyone out.

There are several people who fit that bill, but by Eliabsson's initial analysis, all we can do is go with hoping for probabilities. And we citizens have to act.

I nominate Rugmaker.

After submitting her own nomination papers of the enigmatic rugseller at the Town Clerk's office, Autumn stopped at the codes office to find out the feasibility of opening up a soup kitchen in half of Ezio's Former Bar, to be served by students at the cordon bleu Zorro Memorial Cooking School she proposed to establish in the other half. Maybe that would assuage the guilt she felt at having unfairly suspected him.
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
On the way out of the town hall, Autumn stopped to slip a note into the Questions & Suggestions box:

Teufelchen, do the nominations and defense phases continue in solely 24 hours chunks over the weekend? Or do they get extended as if Sat. and Sun. don't exist, except that defense can begin as soon as 3 nominations have been made, if that happens sooner?
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
Just in case the nominations 24 hours ends abruptly as clock hours instead of ignoring weekend days, I would add that I disagree that fewer nominations is better.

If you look at the record of voting over the last four rounds, what has caused lynchings to fail has been people abstaining from voting. Not the number of nominees. (Note in the first round e.g. Zorro had 0 votes; and in the second round Banner Lady unopposed was not lynched -- a good thing as it turns out.)

And it's only if people are nominated that we can air and share our opinions about the relative evidence, and increase the chances of us catching a Mafia or 'Ndrinu in our net.

Consider the limiting case of just one nominee, as I gather CuppaT wanted: then it becomes a straight up-or-down vote on that person (me, she says, trying to look stoic ). But odds are that any one person is a plain Citizen (because if the Mafia/'Ndrinu outnumbered us, Teufelchen would have declared the game over), so having just one person to vote on pretty much guarantees we won't catch a Bad Guy.

So now we have two nominees (no, no, don't thank me, really, it was my pleasure ), but it would be better to have three because I'd like to hear what thoughts people have on other people who might be Mafia/Ndrinu. And sooner rather than later, before we're all murdered in our beds.
 

---

Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by CuppaT:
Chelly and AR are both prominent

---

I have never been called a prominent citizen before.
I suspect though it wasn't said in quite the same complementary way as I'm imagining to hear it? Oh well, and just to add that I've tended to be more suspicious of those who are saying very little (hiding in the shadows) and so because of that I am nominating Linguo.
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Autenrieth Road:
On the way out of the town hall, Autumn stopped to slip a note into the Questions & Suggestions box:

Teufelchen, do the nominations and defense phases continue in solely 24 hours chunks over the weekend? Or do they get extended as if Sat. and Sun. don't exist, except that defense can begin as soon as 3 nominations have been made, if that happens sooner?

---

The intention is that the cycle of phases continues regardless of the actual calendar date. Some people have better access at weekends, and others worse, and I feel it's more balanced not to hold things up trying to second-guess this. Others are free to disagree, of course - do let me know.

However, we did in fact get three nominations within 24 hours of Pure Sunshine's death scene, so let the defence begin!

T.
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
The nominations are:

Autenrieth Road nominated by CuppaT
Rugmaker nominated by Autenrieth Road
Linguo nominated by Chelley

T.
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
So being quiet is a punishable offence now? All i've done is try to keep the town supplied with hgih quality floor coverings, and suddenly I'm mass murderer? I've posted regularly and nevr tried to fly beneath the radar. Yes, I voted to lynch Zorro - but so did lots of people, and I for one am sorry we got it wrong. But lynch me and you'll be making another huge mistake. Now Linguo looks another cup of tea altogether to me. There's someone who has been far too quiet for comfort and looks to clearly have something to hide. My defence rests. I've done nothing wrong and so have nothing to defend.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Floor coverings? I thought you were in the musical instrument business - with the violin cases in your front window a specialty...
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
I was really non-plussed by CuppaT's nomination of me. I'd been mulling Detective Izzybee's final words, and wondering if she was trying to tell us something. I had pretty much decided "No" when CuppaT came to the opposite conclusion. Now, CuppaT might be right that there's a secret message, but if so, then since it's not pointing to me, we'd need to try to figure out who it could be pointing to. Which I guess we could try next round. I can't do that though, cause I just don't see it.

Here's why I think "No."

First of all, it reads just like many other death scenes. Think back to Pesto City. The vague allusions to someone in town, to someone involved with lynching people, creeping up on the victim.

Second of all, when could Izzybee have gained this knowledge? If she knew it before last "night's" action, then she would have hinted about it, e.g. by nominating someone, suggesting that she had suspicions of someone, etc.

If Izzybee gained this knowledge last "night" (in the event that Izzybee got her question in early and Teufelchen sends out the reply to the Detective query as soon as he's asked, which I don't know if that's how he does it), then she would have worded her scene more specifically e.g. "from information garnered in her most recent inquiries."

Third of all, why be cryptic at all? The only reason for the Detective to normally be veiled in her revelations is so that the Bad Guys don't catch on and murder her.

Since the only "evidence" against me is the possible secret message (hmmm, maybe it is a message, pointing to CuppaT, and that's why she was so quick to nominate someone else), I'm not going to go into any of the other gazillion and one reasons pointing to my being a Citizen. Which, amazingly enough, all point to me being a Citizen because I am one.

Autumn wanted to go join Dorothy Banner Lady in a milkshake (my, that's a large milkshake), but felt uncomfortable going into the Cuppy's Cuppa Chocolate Café, what with the owner glaring at her and all. She slowly put her car in gear and drove back down to the beach. She wondered if maybe Dorothy would want to manage the Zorro Memorial Cooking School.
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
Voting begins

Voting last for 36 hours from the time of this post. As mentioned before, 6 votes, or 5 with divided opposition, will be enough to hang a nominee.

T.
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
Autumn Wreath, after reflecting, decided that on the whole she was more convinced by Chelley's nominating argument about the shadowy purveyor of linguoini and other fine pastas, than her own argument about the rugshop proprietor.

I vote for Linguo.
 

---

Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
I vote for Linguo for reasons already given.
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
Glad to have convinced at least one person of my innocence, I too vote for

Linguo

for reasons already given coupled with Chelley's excellent arguments.
 

---

Posted by nem (# 11108) on :
 
I honestly haven't the faintest idea so I shall follow the crowd and vote Linguo , sorry
 

---

Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 
Well I can't see any strong reasons to suspect AR, and Linguo has been rather quiet, and it does make me suspicious, but I should know that being quiet doesn't prove guilt.

Rugmaker did vote, like the 'Ndrinu Basso, to lynch Wet Kipper shortly before his death, so my vote is to lynch Rugmaker.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Well, in keeping with my rotten track record, I vote for Linguo too.
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
5 votes for Linguo

Linguo will now be lynched unless everyone who has not voted votes for Rugmaker.

T.
 

---

Posted by CuppaT (# 10523) on :
 
I was debating about Linguo, but I guess I will stick with my first hunch and vote against Autenrieth Road. At least it prevents a take-over against Rugmaker for now.
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
Linguo is lynched

CuppaT's vote for Autenrieth Road means that no-one else can poll as many votes as Linguo has, which is half the electorate. Accordingly, Linguo is lynched. Sadly for the people of Cosenza Beach, Linguo was the town's Watchman, defending innocent citizens against the depredations of gangsters. Linguo should post an appropriately guilt-inducing death scene shortly.

And so, on this tragic state of affairs, night falls. If you've business after dark, go for it.

T.
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
Gaaaaack! No Detective, no Watchman. And who knows how many Mafia and 'Ndrinu still at large .

Autumn proceeds slowly home, sadly realizing she will have to change the name to the Zorro & Linguo Memorial Cooking School.
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
Hermit slain in revenge attack

Cosenza Beach's gang violence became an all-out vendetta last night, with the murder of Chelley the Hermit. Chelley had been seen close to the scene of another killing earlier in the night, and is thought to have been followed. Celeste Smudgeson, the earlier victim, was an innocent girl-about-town. However, a search of the hermit's shack has revealed that he was a member of the Mafia, who are currently engaged in a fierce turf war with their Calabrian rivals, the 'Ndrangheta. It seems likely that the hermit was killed in retaliation for the recent death of 'Ndrinu agent Ezio the barman. The police were reported to have bought single rail tickets to New York.

Smudgie was killed in the night. She was a Citizen.
Someone also toasted Chelley. He was a Mafioso.

Day breaks.

The remaining players are:

Autenrieth Road
Banner Lady
CuppaT
Lamb Chopped
Leonato
nem
Rugmaker

Nominations begin once both victims, as well as Linguo, have posted death scenes. With seven of you left, just four votes will be enough to hang someone.

T.

[ 13. November 2006, 16:16: Message edited by: Teufelchen ]
 

---

Posted by Linguo (# 7220) on :
 
The young man in grey whistled as he stepped down from the train at Cosenza Beach. The trip out of town had been fun and all, but he was looking forward to getting back to work. Maybe the killings would have slowed down as well.

He exited the station, and vaguely noticed a crowd. An angry crowd. Something unpleasant must have happened. He made his way towards the press of people, who regrettably were between him and the bus station.

"What? Hey, what are you...? EEEK! Noooooo...."

Poor, foolish citizens of Cosenza Beach. As they pawed through his effects they found his warrrant card, and the reason for his low profile became clear. They'd hanged an undercover watchman.
 

---

Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
A ghostly pre-death scene voice came from somewhere or other... she was the top, terrible, female mafioso thank you!!

[ 13. November 2006, 16:29: Message edited by: Chelley ]
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Chelley:
A ghostly pre-death scene voice came from somewhere or other... she was the top, terrible, female mafioso thank you!!

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teufelchen:
Hermit slain in revenge attack

Cosenza Beach's gang violence became an all-out vendetta last night, with the murder of Chelley the Hermit. Chelley had been seen close to the scene of another killing earlier in the night, and is thought to have been followed. Celeste Smudgeson, the earlier victim, was an innocent girl-about-town. However, a search of the hermit's shack has revealed that he was a member of the Mafia, who are currently engaged in a fierce turf war with their Calabrian rivals, the 'Ndrangheta. It seems likely that the hermit was killed in retaliation for the recent death of 'Ndrinu agent Ezio the barman. The police were reported to have bought single rail tickets to New York.

---

quote:

---

Linguo was the town's Watchman,

---

HA! Idiots
 

---

Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
Lambiekins sashays into sight, wiping the red from her lips. Damn unsanitary blood supply round here, she thinks. Hepatitis, malaria and now chickenpox. Huhhh.

She spits into the gutter. Oops. Not ladylike. Must be ladylike. Then maybe they'll overlook the lingering chicken pox marks that kept me out of, erm, circulation recently. Can't have a lady of the night with chickenpox. Nor a vampire either. It just Isn't Done.

She shudders. Of course, there aren't that many of us left to notice. Getting a bit quiet round here.
 

---

Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
Glancing in the mirror in her little apartment, Celeste Smudgeson adjusts her "upholstery" - how could anyone deny that she was a prominent citizen dressed like this? She was looking forward to the karaoke and it had been a bitter blow when the news had broken that Basso was no more. This town was getting to be less than welcoming and perhaps a move to happier and safer climes would be in order.

She is slightly taken aback as, reflected in the mirror, she sees her door slowly open and Chelley the Hermit appear in her room

Ah, my dear. It's unusual to see you out and about in polite company, but do come in and we'll see what we can do about rustling you up a cup of tea or something.

Excuse me, those are my support tights. Could you leave them alone please - a lady has to have some secrets, you know. No, put them down. PUT THEM ...... AAAGGGGGGGGHHHGGGGGGGGGH!

Sinking to the floor, poor Celeste Smudgeson will never achieve her ambition of finding love at 72. This poor innocent citizen has been done to death by strangulation by Chelley the Hermit and will not be dancing the paso doble tonight.
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
Right, time to take action. I have refrained from nominating up to now, as frankly I had no dea who was who and hoped that we might get some help from the detective. But with both the detective and watchman gone, its down to us innocent citizens to get the bad guys before they get us.

Lambchopped has been far too quiet for my liking, and while that's not a huge amount to go on, I have an inkling that she's been up to something.

I nominate Lambchopped
 

---

Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 
Well, lynching people for being too quiet has gone badly wrong twice now. We ought to look for someone who has been vocal, and who has always voted to lynch those innocent citizens - someone who voted with Basso the 'Ndrinu to lynch Wet Kipper...

I nominate Rugmaker
 

---

Posted by nem (# 11108) on :
 
There have been so many changes in nem's life recently with so many deaths, even some on her own conscience! She tried to make note of anything said by those in the know that may prove revealing. Little did she find and yet something told her to nominate Autenrieth Road.
 

---

Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
Well! Says Lambiekins indignantly.

The nerve of some people. Too quiet indeed!

I'll have you know I was administering a little comfort and sympathy to one of the leading citizens of this town, who has been badly shocked by the horrible events of the past few days. Don't ask me for his name--I know JUST what you'd make of it!
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
"It weren't me, guv," Autumn announced to the leader of the crowd of Masons advancing on her waving placards. "I may have been out oppressing widows and orphans, charging high rents, and snapping up old warehouses at bargain basement prices to convert to condominiums for rich people from away, but I haven't been out murdering no-one in their beds at night. Or is it anyone? No-one? Anyone? Anyway, they wasn't done by me."

"Do you always talk like that?" asked the square type who seemd to be permanently in the "Off" position, switching her placard to her other hand.

"Ummm, well, no, not really. Only when puzzled as to why I've been nominated," answered Autumn.

She sidestepped around the crowd and hurried down the street to the Zorro & Linguo Memorial Cooking School, where she locked herself inside. Curiously, it looked as if someone had started painting the lobby with red glitter paint, and green, purple, blue, yellow and red patches on the floor.
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
This is exactly why I've avoided nominating anyone up to now. This kneeferk reaction that anyone nominating must be mafia is so predictable and frankly, so boring. Guys, the only way we citizens win the game is by lynching the mafia. Yes, I voted to lynch Zorro and so did Basso, but so did lots of other people as well. It took more than two votes, as I recall!

If we all sit back and don't lynch anybody, then the mafia win. I've gone out on a limb to try and stop that happening by nominating Lambchopped because I've a strong feeling that she's up to something. If I'm wrong, then I apologies in advance, but doing nothing is a one-way ticket to gravedom.

All I know about me is that I'm innocent and trying to save myself and my fellow citizens. I suggest that the rest of the good guys do the same, and getting rid of me will not help that cause.

My defence rests.
 

---

Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 
I didn't nominate you because you nominated Lambchopped, you just happened to get your nomination in first.

As I see it Basso would not have been the only 'Ndrinu to vote for Wet Kipper. They wanted him gone so they would have voted for his lynching. Only Basso, Smudgie and Rugmaker voted to lynch Wet Kipper, one was a citizen, one 'Ndrinu, one remains...
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
So because one was N'drinu and one wasn't that automatically makes me N'Drinu? Huh?

If Smudgie could vote to lynch him and be a citizen, why can't I be?

Mr Leonato, it seems to me that you are clutching at straws to try and get an innocent citizen lynched - the only motivation I can see for that is that you are N'drinu yourself. This may be a distraction to stop Lambchopped being lynched or just a ruse to get rid of another innocent citizen - me! Don't let it work, citizens! Either Leonato or Lambchopped or both now look to be N'drinu. We must lynch one now and another the next round before they get us all!
 

---

Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 
Not very likely Mr Rugmaker, remember that I very publicly accused Basso of being an 'Ndrinu, shortly before his murder - hardly the action of a fellow 'Ndrinu now was it?

Now we know for certain that the 'Ndrinu murdered Wet Kipper, and we know that one of them voted for his lynching. Those are the undeniable facts. And if one 'Ndrinu voted to lynch Wet Kipper it seems likely that at least one other did too.
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
All I know is that you are trying to whip up a conspiracy against an innocent citizen on the basis of the flimsiest of evidence. As for previous voting practices, I'm sure most if not all of use have voted to lynch inncoent citizens given the number that have died.

I trust in my fellow citizens to see sense.
 

---

Posted by CuppaT (# 10523) on :
 
Mrs. Cuppy pins on her voting hat and toddles out to the polls again. To everyone she sees, she encourages them to vote carefully and not split the vote too much. Citizens still outnumber the thugs, so we have the advantage. Watch out for those who vote late and try to split the numbers.

Mrs. Cuppy has been thinking as she works. There have been 3 known Mafia, and 1 known ‘Ndurmmwatsits, 1 detective, 1watchman, and 4 citizen masons. With 24 original players, she can see roles being assigned to half of us as reasonable. On the other hand, it may have been some sort of strategy to have the mafia outnumber the other gang. Four to two would not be good, but 3 to 2 might have worked, or 4 to 3. She guesses that all the Mafia are dead, and that there are either 1 or 2 ‘Nd’s left. At the most, there would be one Mafia left and three ‘Nd’s. She doubts that, but if that is the case, then all citizens need to vote early or those 4 bad guys will get together and vote against one of us!

Now Mrs. Cuppy is still not sure about AR or a couple others, but that Lambchopped is just pure evil. It was not a bad way to play actually -- come in at the beginning with so weird a role that most of us ignored her posts for not knowing how to respond, then disappear for a month. When she was forced out of hiding, and remember that Teuf said that he was sure that the silent ones were still around (let the reader understand), she comes again dripping with blood. Do we really want a vampire in town?

Mrs. Cuppy reaches the voting booth and boldly votes against Lambchopped. Mrs. Cuppy reaches the voting booth and boldly votes against Lambchopped .
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
Assuming that voting has started, on the basis that three nominees have posted defences, I too vote for Lambchopped for reasons already given amplified by the excellent summary provided by CuppaT.
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
Nominees are allowed to defend themselves as much as they like in the course of the 24 hours following the third nomination, Rugmaker. The defence phase only finishes sooner if all three of them declare their defence finished, which only you have done so far.

Voting is not open until 24 hours after nem's nomination of Autenrieth Road, which I make to be about 6h20 from the time of this post.

T.
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
[cross-posted with the excellent Little Red Devil. He knows your desires before you ask? ]

Dear Mrs. Cuppy (Autumn reconsiders -- she just might visit the Cuppy's Cup'o'Tea and Chocolate Café and Canteen after all now that Mrs. Cuppy doesn't seem to be glaring at her quite so much), is voting open yet? I thought the defense phase lasted 24 hours, so voting won't open until 6 hours 20 minutes from now (by my calculations). Or (Autumn appeals to the skies from whence a Little Red Devil has been known to appear and answer petitions occasionally) is voting open now because everyone has said something?

[ETA: I'll rest my defense, since nem doesn't seem to have any reasons for me to answer to.]

[ 15. November 2006, 13:40: Message edited by: Autenrieth Road ]
 

---

Posted by CuppaT (# 10523) on :
 
Sorry, Sir T. I thought that since all had defended themselves that the polls were open.
Small curtsy.
 

---

Posted by nem (# 11108) on :
 
Going on previous actions Chelley nominated leonato so either he is part of the rival gang or he is innocent and as there don't seem to be many more leads I just thought I'd put forward the suggestion that Miss Road was guilty, whether or not my suspicions are comfirmed is yet to be seen.

Also Rugmaker's reasoning seems slightly flawed due to lambchopped's silence so we shall see what happens....
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
Autumn heeds Mrs. Cuppy's call to vote, even though she hasn't got a nice hat to pin on.

I vote for Lamb Chopped.
 

---

Posted by CuppaT (# 10523) on :
 
It being the proper time of day, Mrs. Cuppy re-registers her vote for Lambchopped.

To Teufelchen:
How'd you do that? I saw AR's note posted over an hour ago, then it disappeared, and reappeared at the right time for voting. I have a couple of early posts that I'd rather like to disappear!
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
It was me -- I was 6 minutes early for when the voting opened -- I was thinking 40 minutes past the hour, and it was really 50 minutes past the hour. So I deleted my post, and came back an hour later when I next got free from the Accounting Software Speed Testing Vendor Reps with whom I am tied up today (via my IRL persona Autenrieth ).

(When you edit your post, there is a checkbox above & to the left of the message, saying "Delete". Check that, then click Edit Post, and poof your post is gone.)
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
I too reregister my vote for

Lambchopped
 

---

Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
Aughhhh! You're making a terrible mistake!

Has it occurred to any of you that the most active members of our community are likely to be the Mafiosi and the, er, Nderwhatsits? Because they have more, um, invested?

My silence is positively saintly.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
A saintly vampire? This does not compute. Lambie, if you're not mafia or 'ndrinu, at least we will have eliminated one of the undead. I think. (How ARE we going to lynch the vampire and make her stay dead pray tell?)

Dorothy votes for Lambchopped just to see if she can keep her record of being 100% wrong in tact.
 

---

Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
Undead? I prefer to think of it as "resurrected."
 

---

Posted by Pure Sunshine (# 11904) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by CuppaT:
It being the proper time of day, Mrs. Cuppy re-registers her vote for Lambchopped.

To Teufelchen:
How'd you do that? I saw AR's note posted over an hour ago, then it disappeared, and reappeared at the right time for voting. I have a couple of early posts that I'd rather like to disappear!

---

A ghostly voice is heard over Cosenza Bay ...

I believe it has to be within 2 minutes, like editing posts. So you might have to be quick ...

Avenge my death, townspeople! Avenge me!!!!
 

---

Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
And came another ghostly voice... You're already avenged Pure Sunshine - it was me what done you in... and they already got me!
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
Lamb Chopped is lynched

Four votes in favour of lynching Lambiekins settles it. Unfortunately for you, Cosenza Beach's resident vampire was simply a Citizen.

LC, please post a suitable death scene.

Night falls

You know the drill.

T.
 

---

Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 
Posting now in case of my imminent demise...

Six left. Assuming that nem, Banner Lady and I are all innocent, and there hasn't been some incredibly extravagant cover up, and also assuming that there are 2 'Ndrinu left alive it is now certain that they are 2 of Autenrieth Road, Rugmaker and CuppaT.

Presumably one citizen will die tonight, so it will be 2 vs 2. Or perhaps we will get lucky and there is still a mafioso around so there will some nasty mafia/'Ndrinu bloodletting tonight...
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
Very neat assessment, Leonato. Unfortunately, it rests on one key assumption that the rest of us can't make - that you are innocent! We know that BL and Nem are innocent, but there is no such evidence concerning you. The more you make statements like this trying to urge people into lynching innocent citizens like me, the more convinced I become of your own guilt!
 

---

Posted by CuppaT (# 10523) on :
 
Aaarrrrgggh! Boy this is frustrating. I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about it!
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
Unlike many of our fellow innocent citizens who are not waking up at all thanks to Mr Leonato and his chums....
 

---

Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Rugmaker:
We know that BL and Nem are innocent, but there is no such evidence concerning you.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Chelley:
And came another ghostly voice... You're already avenged Pure Sunshine - it was me what done you in... and they already got me!

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Pure Sunshine:
Were you the last Mafioso left alive???

---

Now that would be telling wouldn't it... I don't want them all sleeping too easy just yet!
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
So to reassess Leonato's ver so slightly biased assessment, we know that Nem is innocent, and we think that BL is innocent. I know that I am innocent, so from my perspective, the N'drunu are likely two from Leonato, CuppaT and Autenrieth Road.

I remain deeply suspicious of Leonato, and fairly suspicious of the other two. Both have had plenty to say and seem like possible candidates for mafia to me!

Of course, the next night victim could tell us something - like proving the fact that I'm inncoent if they get me! And I've just thought - I've made it clear that I think that Leonato is N'drunu. The obvious retaliation will be for him to now take me out, but I think he's more clever than that, because killing me would make his guilt clear! I'll sleep with one eye open tonight.
 

---

Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 
Indeed we can all say we think that ourselves, nem and Banner lady are innocent. I would say that the evidence that I am not 'Ndrinu is fairly strong - I remain the only person who has named someone as 'Ndrinu and been proved correct, I also have not voted to lynch innocent citizens like Linguo an Lambchoppped.

The problem is the assumption that Banner Lady is innocent, we are all assuming that when Izzybee said she was convinced of her innocence she was doing so with her detective hat on and not as a casual remark.
 

---

Posted by nem (# 11108) on :
 
Poor lambchopped, too many innocent folk die in this game, stupid gang culture! Sorry I wasn't here to register a vote,although I think my last post was actually the right time to vote...

I'm shocked that since you've known I'm innocent I haven't been killed off! I seem such an obvious target, or could these be my famous last words?

Due to Izzybee's comments I think we can assume BL to be innocent.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
That dead kipper really has it in for me, doesn't he? Well, Lambiekins, I hope you won't let a little lynching get in the way of your entertaining posts. I'm sure a bit of rope action is all in a day's entertainment for a good vamp...
 

---

Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :
 
sorry I missed putting 2 and 2 together.
(and apologies for "hounding" you, BL.)
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
Mason Murdered: Mafia Missing?

Last night, a known Mason was killed by the city's notorious gangsters. Nem was murdered at an unknown time between midnight and dawn, by a person or persons unknown. This may be a continuation of the attacks on Masons seen earlier this week. However, compared with many nights recently which have seen double murders, last night was relatively quiet. Has one gang finally driven the other out of town?

Day breaks

Nominations will be valid once Lamb Chopped and nem have both posted death scenes.

T.
 

---

Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
Rats! says Lambiekins, back at the Pearly Gates again. Who would have thought someone would bring a stake to a necktie party?

Ah, well, she thinks. St. Peter turned me away last time, but I'll try our Lord himself this round. After all, he has a fondness for low company. And he knows what it's like to be unjustly done in.

Lord? Oh, Lord?

Would you mind if I asked for a taste of the Blood of the Lamb?
 

---

Posted by nem (# 11108) on :
 
nem sat down to organise the next mason meeting for which she only had to make sure that she herself could attend, when her thoughts turned to her fellow mason members; how she missed them. It had been so tought to carry on without them. As she turned to put away her membership atire she felt somewhat strange. Maybe she wasn't as alone as she thought.

Suddenly the lights dimmed adn she coudln't make out what was around her. "hello? anyone there?"

"not anymore" was the reply


Nem, the final mason left standing, was no more.
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
Right, this has got to stop. I'm certain that Leonato is guilty, but people don't seem to want to vote for him. So instead we'll go for his partner. Someone who has had plenty to say for herself but still managed to keep out of the limelight somehow. The games's up.

I nominate Autenrieth Road.
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
Here I was, working on a long reasoned explanation of who I think is guilty, and in pops Rugmaker from his window of violin cases to toss this at me.

So, in order to make my position clear, let me say this briefly.

I have finally been convinced by Leonato's arguments against you -- among other things, I see I was wrong to waver from my initial hunch that caused me to nominate you back a few. I nominate Rugmaker.
 

---

Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 
Well, bang goes my theory that Rugmaker and Autenrieth Road were the two 'Ndrinu. One of them must be guilty, the question is which one?

By my logic I am innocent, and so is Banner Lady, and one of the two nominees so far is, which means there is almost certainly one more guilty 'Ndrinu, who must be...

I nominate CuppaT

[ 17. November 2006, 21:55: Message edited by: leonato ]
 

---

Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
And came another ghostly voice from beyond the grave (there's no shutting some people up you know... not even death can silence us!). It was Teuf.. I reckon he's been secretly bumping everyone off... it's all a cover...
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
Ahem. Autumn began. I have done nothing wrong. Except try to figure out who is who. And vote them off. It's too bad I got carried along by others' reasoning and voted for the innocent Linguo and Lamb Chopped. Early on it was hard to say who was anything, so I am sorry about Zorro but that's the way the cookie crumbles.

Autumn decided to add Steak Tartare to the Zorro & Linguo Cooking School curriculum, in memory of Lamb Chopped. Then she got in her Jag and drove off to the animal shelter where she adopted a cat that had been found abandoned in a 12th floor apartment where a dreadful murder had taken place several nights ago. Then she took it to the beach to teach it to hunt for shrimp.
 

---

Posted by CuppaT (# 10523) on :
 
Damn. Can you say that when you are not in Hell? No other word is good enough in this case. I did not want to talk at night much with them still making decisions and reading what we say. But nem said it herself, and it was fairly obvious strategy on their part to kill her. They are leaving the rest of us fools to kill each other off.


That’s as far as I got in writing this morning when I saw that nem had been killed. Now Mrs. Cuppy has tucked the smallest of the children into bed and finds that she herself has been nominated to be lynched. It stands to reason, and I am the only one who has not had a turn yet. I suppose that says something about what you all have intuited all along. So, here are the three nominations, and I think we all know by now that we are three citizens against two ‘Ndrdmms. The defenses begin, and we who are innocent have to think, while the other two laugh. Not an enviable position.

In my actions last round, I will say that I am sorry that I said things against Lambchopped, who really was upright after all. Why she portrayed herself as evil from the start, I do not know. I guess it was fun, but it sure looked suspicious.

Regarding my nomination this round, I can only encourage the citizens to skim the thread from the beginning. I have not said or done anything that would be nefarious, although I suppose all of us voted for people who turned out to be fellow citizens. I really was not a very forthright poster until there were few of us left. Usually what I was thinking was said quicker by someone else.

Then, of course, there is the matter of the 13 children who would be left motherless. (See the earlier Mafia game. Someone said I had 12, and then I adopted a foundling on my doorstep just before a person was killed.) I admit the older children are quite capable, but everyone needs a mother. And poor Mr. Cuppy. We are aiming for a couple dozen. Secretly, I suspect he is hoping menopause hits soon.

Once again, we must be very careful. This may be the last round of a tricky game, unless I am seeing it wrong. All three of us must vote for the same person, and that person must be one of thugs. If we lynch him or her, then we have another chance, even though one of us will get killed in the night. But if a citizen gets lynched, the game will end in a tie of numbers and the ‘Ndurms will have won. Why those Mafias dropped out is another thing I don’t understand, except that the game is rather consuming.
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
Another nomination. How tiresome. My defebce has realy lll been said before. I maintain my innocence and stress again the importance of geting an N'Drinu this time.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Dorothy sat in the library, surrounded by a pile of cookery books, scribbling furiously. Her landlady (and now employer) had requested a meeting to talk about the cooking school curriculum and building menus for its first term.

Dorothy was troubled - not just by the coming meeting, but with the news she was required to vote again. It seemed like a cruel jinx that everyone she voted for in the past was innocent, and all her employers had came to a not very pleasant end. 'But then,' thought Dorothy brightly as she underscored DELICIOUSLY DEADLY DESSERTS with her glitter pen, 'there is always the hope of third time lucky, isn't there?'
 

---

Posted by CuppaT (# 10523) on :
 
On the way to the voting booth Mrs. Cuppy saw Miss Dorothy. "Where is that fellow that unlocks these doors?" she asked. "Isn't this the proper time? I do get so mixed up."

Dorothy politely held the door open, but once inside, Mrs. Cuppy stepped aside. "No, no, dear, after you. I insist."

[ 19. November 2006, 04:24: Message edited by: CuppaT ]
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
Voting Opens

And remains open for the next 36 hours. Go for it.

T.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Dorothy's sparkly red pen is poised over the voting paper. Who will she vote for? Any of them could be 'ndrinu. She could vote for her employer, but then she would have to look for work again soon; She could vote for Mrs Cuppy; but her gourmet chocolates were rather good, and she was hoping to get her over to teach a class at the new cooking school.

Dorothy therefore votes for Rugmaker with absolutely no confidence at all she has got it right this time either. She sighs, and passes the pen to Mrs Cuppy.
 

---

Posted by CuppaT (# 10523) on :
 
Very sick. Sorry so long. I think you have it wrong, but there is no choice but to make all the votes go in one direction since there is no certainty.
A whole lot is riding on whether BL is really innocent.
Rugmaker
 

---

Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 
Well, as I see it now either CuppaT is 'Ndrinu and Rugmaker is innocent or Autenrieth Road is in league with Rugmaker.

I suspect it can't stop Rugmaker from being lynched, but I vote for Autenrieth Road.
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
Leonato, as far as I can tell, your first idea is the right one as I am certainly innocent and therefore stand by my nomination and vote for

Autenrieth Road
 

---

Posted by CuppaT (# 10523) on :
 
Not me, guys. Maybe it really is BL and AR!
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
Oh dear me. Are Banner Lady and CuppaT actually going to get away with it?

I vote for CuppaT.
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
Voting closes
Thanks to two nominators not voting for their original candidates, you've managed to avoid lynching anyone. To horrified gasps from those who've been following the voting closely,

Night Falls

Sinister music plays...is this the beginning of the final act in Cosenza Beach?

T.
 

---

Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 

quote:

---

Izzy shook her head as she learned of the latest murders. At least while she had been sick she had gotten to know Banner Lady a little better, and was now convinced of her innocence.

---

Well our local detective did say this some time before she was murdered. I think she would only have said that if she was really convinced, thanks to her detective skills, that Banner Lady is innocent. So why are CuppaT and Autenrieth Road suggesting that Banner Lady is guilty?
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
Day breaks

The newspaper staff have all fled town; the end game is upon us. Last night, the mobsters disposed of Banner Lady, who was indeed innocent all along.

Once she has posted her death scene, nominations will be open for what will very likely be the last round of voting.

T.
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
Autumn sat in the red glittery lobby of the Zorro & Linguo Memorial Cooking School, tapping her foot and waiting for her manager to arrive. Dorothy had promised to bring several menus; Autumn was impressed by the culinary knowledge Dorothy had displayed so far. It was greater than her own, at least!

She looked at her watch again. Where was Dorothy?

She went back to considering all the possibilities of who was in it with whom. Maybe there was only 1 'Ndrinu left? Or an 'Ndrinu and a strangely inactive Mafia? Or could everyone else be in it but her? She was getting increasingly nervous as the voting patterns became increasingly bizarre.
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
I should add that as there are only four of you left - Autenrieth Road, CuppaT, Leonato, and Rugmaker - only two nominations will be allowed.

T.
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Dorothy made her way home from the voting booth trying not to think about anything other than presenting her coursework plan well. It was going to be hard to eschew her favourite hometown kind of food in favour of more fancy stuff; and she really didn't know how long she could fake an interest in managing a cooking school anyway. She was as prepared as she could be, and had already packed her basket ready for the meeting with AR.

She smiled sweetly as she rounded the corner, but her cheery 'Hello' was followed by a gasp as the projectile entered her heart. She staggered and put out a hand against the wall. This couldn't be happening! As her life blood flowed down her white dress she struggled to tap her red shoes together: once; twice...Dorothy slid slowly down the wall, her basket of plans scattered across the pavement. Her last conscious thought as a welcoming light whirled and grew brighter in her mind was
"Oh, am I back in Kansas, now?"

Dorothy, sweet innocent and not-very-clever citizen was dead. She would be found later lying on the pavement outside Ezio's bar with a red glitter pen impaled in her chest.
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
Ok Leonato, the game's up. Enough of your deceptions and pointing the finger at others, we know it's you now.

Rugmaker nominates

Leonato
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
Way too obvious, turning that vendetta around, Mr. Manufacturer-of-Floor-Coverings.

I nominate CuppaT.
 

---

Posted by CuppaT (# 10523) on :
 
My defence was made before -- nothing more to add. Rugmaker is the only one I am fairly sure is innocent. If it turns out to be him, you'll hear my Argh all the way across the pond.

I'm rather glad now that the Kipper has said we will not have another round of this until next year! Whew.
 

---

Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 
Interesting nomination there Rugmaker, given that I voted to save you last time. Just, in fact as I voted to save Linguo, who was innocent, and refused to vote to lynch Lambchopped, also innocent of course. In fact I'm the only person left who hasn't recently voted to lynch the innocent. Everything else you already know. I'm still the only person to have correctly identified an 'Ndrinu.

I'm innocent. I was wrong not to vote for Rugmaker last time, I apologise to my fellow remaining citizen.

My defence rests.
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
Mrs. Cuppy, have you rested your defence as well?

Autumn was itching with suspense... She walked through town, pausing to admire the viola cases decorating Rugmaker's window ("Fine floorcoverings, an instrument of luxury") before stopping in at Mrs. Cuppy's Cup'o'Tea Chocolate Café, Comestibles Canteen, and Coffee Cafeteria. (It was a free-standing building, but Autumn didn't want to trespass to walk around the back & see what was written on the fourth side.)

[ETA: she would have stopped by Leonato's as well, but she couldn't remember what he does. An artist perhaps, painting paintings as engimatic as the Mona Lisa?]

[ 20. November 2006, 19:54: Message edited by: Autenrieth Road ]
 

---

Posted by CuppaT (# 10523) on :
 
I have. Let the voting begin (without Teufelchen, since he said before that we could).
One, two, three, Go.
 

---

Posted by CuppaT (# 10523) on :
 
Leonato
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
Autumn put on her earmuffs before voting. Cosenza Beach, or even Maine, was rather close to the Ozarks, and she didn't want to be deafened by Mrs. Cuppy's "Argh." She wondered which of the two lovely ladies left in Cosenza Beach Leonato had thought was the fellow remaining citizen. He had been unexpectedly helpful the previous day; she was quite grateful. She brushed some red glitter off her right sleeve where the gun's backfire had tossed it and entered the voting booth.

I vote for Leonato.
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
Is that a faint chuckle that can be heard from the Rugmaker as he hears of CuppaT's belief in his innocence as he too votes for

Leonato

?
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
All alone at the top of page 11, the two 'Ndrinu paused in memory for a moment in front of the shiny new memorial plaque on the wall at the cooking school:

"Ezio Basso, our colleague.
Fallen but not forgotten."

Then they sat down to write a letter to the editor (if the newspaper staff could be lured back to town) thanking the Little Red Devil, Basso their fallen colleague, the Mafia who had helped decimate the citizens, the Detective who had made life scary, the Watchman who had lent uncertainty to their nightly activities, the Citizens who had fought back so valiantly, their friends, family, relations, best friend's wife's cat, and The Academy, for an excellent game.

Rugmaker signed his name with a flourish; Autumn signed her name with a snitched red glitter pen:

"Doña Autumn Wreath Road della 'Ndrinu"

[ 20. November 2006, 20:42: Message edited by: Autenrieth Road ]
 

---

Posted by Pure Sunshine (# 11904) on :
 
Have the 'Ndrinu won then??? Oh no ...

Btw, sorry, Banner Lady!!!
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
We have, since we now outnumber the hapless remaining citizen CuppaT. (Mrs. Cuppy's 13 children are not yet of voting age.) However I have adopted your cat and despite my nefarious nighttime activities I'm quite kind to animals, so she is safe with me.

Actually Teufelchen told us we had won once we equaled the citizens (2 & 2), but I wanted to see what CuppaT and Leonato would make of Rugmaker's and my final nominations.

Some questions:

Teufelchen, did we-all extract all the meaning there was to be found in your Shakespeare quotes?

Izzybee, was that really a dying message, and if so who were you meaning to implicate?

[ 20. November 2006, 21:08: Message edited by: Autenrieth Road ]
 

---

Posted by CuppaT (# 10523) on :
 
Aaaaarrrrggggggh!

I really never did suspect Ruggy because he seemed to think the way I did without being too overt, but I did indeed suspect AR who got friendly too fast. I was not sure about her at the end, though, since she did not seem to make up her mind either. It shows that you should really trust no one. I did nominate her earlier.

For what it's worth, I had Izzy pegged correctly somewhere along the line. Linguo, what did you do? Were you able to prevent any deaths?

Were the rest of you Citizens, Mafia and threadwatchers reading this to the bitter end? Did you guess correctly?

Good game. Congratulations to the winners.
 

---

Posted by nem (# 11108) on :
 
Noooo not again!

You innocent folk took too long to nominate me thinks, not even an absention could ahve helped then surely?


Well done to all for a good, if not very long, game.
 

---

Posted by leonato (# 5124) on :
 
Well I knew a successful lynching wasn't possible.

It turned out there was no way of deciding for certain which of Rugmaker or CuppaT was 'Ndrinu. Turns out I was right all along about Rugmaker though, shame the other citizens didn't listen to me! Nice touch nominating each other near the end. But it's time for my death scene (at last!)...

Leonato makes one last desperate attempt to flee the horrors of Cosenza Beach, knowing now that he never should have returned to his home town. Grabbing all that is most dear to him he races in blind panic across the square, but he is not fast enough.

A shot rings out, and as the bullet hits him Leonato falls headlong onto the cobblestones his possessions flying from his grasp in his last great dramatic moment. One book falls open to reveal, in a dramatic irony Leonato would have appreciated if he were alive to see it, Macbeth scene 1 - "Fair is foul and foul is fair". But the word are soon lost as his blood seeps across the stones and over the pages.

He is lucky in a way. He will not have to live in a town in permanent fear of its new 'Ndrinu masters with their ruthless and deadly ways...

[ 20. November 2006, 22:52: Message edited by: leonato ]
 

---

Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Autenrieth Road:

"Ezio Basso, our colleague.
Fallen but not forgotten."

---

Well, at least I managed to take out one of the enemy gang before they got me ( ). All in memory of my suicidal mafiosi family, Dolphy and ChristianJimmy

[ 21. November 2006, 05:36: Message edited by: Chelley ]
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
Ahem. Dorothy DID in fact vote for Rugmaker more than once. Just not convincingly enough to make anyone else agree. However I was truly amazed I lived as long as I did in Cosenza Beach. Possibly a reward for extreme ineptitude (although I prefer to think it may have been the entertainment value 'Dorothy' provided.) Now, shall we all post about what we thought was frustrating about this game and how the format could be fine-tuned before it is ever attempted again?
 

---

Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :
 
You can have a couple of days for post-match analysis, and then this thread will be closed

Papa Smurf
Circus Host
 

---

Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
Having a Jekyll and Hyde moment this morning Wet Kipp... I mean, Papa Sm... er, Wet Kipper??
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
Roger awakes with a broad smile on his face. The town now belongs to him and his esteemed colleague, Autumn.

There are going to be changes around here, big changes. It will now be compulsory for every household to cover all its floors wiht rugs - carpets,lino, funny grassy stuff- they're all banned. And of course, there is only one rug shop in town.

He joins with Autumn in saluting poor fallen, brave Basso, who gave so much to bring this day about.

******

Great game guys, many thanks to T for running it so beautifully.

I remain intrigued by the suicides - were they triggered by something in the game or were they genuine withdrawals?

I agree that citizens did not help themselves by being slow to nominate towards the end. AR and I were helped by being in different timezones and so being abale to monitor the game for most, though not all, of the time.
 

---

Posted by Pure Sunshine (# 11904) on :
 
Thanks for adopting the cat, Autenrieth!
And thanks, Teufelchen, for compering such a good game -

I did keep on reading the thread, but less often and less diligently, hence my confusion about how many Mafia were still alive.
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Wet Kipper:
You can have a couple of days for post-match analysis, and then this thread will be closed.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Autenrieth Road:
Teufelchen, did we-all extract all the meaning there was to be found in your Shakespeare quotes?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Wet Kipper:
You can have a couple of days for post-match analysis, and then this thread will be closed

Papa Smurf
Circus Host

---

err, oops

I meant
Wet Kipper
Circus Host

carry on !
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banner Lady:
Now, shall we all post about what we thought was frustrating about this game and how the format could be fine-tuned before it is ever attempted again?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Rugmaker:
From a personal point of view, I would like weekends to be taken into account in time limits for voting etc. Not necessarily a time freeze as such, but maybe an extension as appropriate eg, Any set period for an action which would otherwise include part of a weekend automatically extends to Monday night?

---

quote:

---

I realise that this may slow the game a little, but perhaps strict time limits could be enforced on night actions as a countermeasure - if the mafia don't nominate in time, they miss out on a victim. This would also make life a bit fairer for citizens who lose their votes if they don't use them in time.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teufelchen:
No-one seemed to get the '&!' for 'and not', and no-one got both the quotes right at the same time. Gumby was nearest with the Macbeth quote 'Who must hang them? Why, the honest men.'

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Wet Kipper:
My disappointment was with votings not turning into lynchings.

My suggestion would be to take the majority from those who actually vote within the 24 hours, not those who are eligible to vote.

for example, if there are 19 players, then 10 votes would be enough for an absolute majority. If 4 people abstain, this should reduce the majority level to 8.

It is also hampered by having 3 nominations. Again using the 19 player example, the rules would state that a majority of 10 is needed for a lynching. but chances are (unless everyone piles on someone) the votes will be split, with people probably getting 5-6 votes each, depending on abstentions.

would it be too bloodthirsty/unfair, to go the whole hog and just say that whoever has the most votes by the end of the period gets lynched anyway (except in times of a tie) ?

---

I agree. It would help give the citizens a bit more of a chance. Having now played the game from both sides, it does seem to me to be weighted towards the bad guys somewhat - they are guaranteed to kill someone every night and they know mist of what's going on.

It would also stop the strategy of disrupting a vote by not voting, particularly in the latter stages. If there are 4 players left, 2 mafia, 2 not, and both mafiosi are nominated, one of them is then likely to go whatever happens!

I think there should always be 3 nominations allowed though - any less makes it easy for the bad guys to quickly nominate others and avoid getting lynched themselves. The game should never hinge too much on who is online at the right moment and posts first, though inevtiably there will always be some element of this.
 

---

Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 
Very well played, 'Ndrangheta .

I think it's a harder game for the citizens having two gangs - not just because there are more murders (most of which will be citizens), but also because there is much less disparity of interest between innocent and guilty voters. Both sets of criminals have goals that substantially overlap with the townsfolk (basically, everyone has an interest in lynching people they don't know about). Looking back over the thread and identifying voting patterns is hard enough even when you know who's guilty.

I'm surprised and impressed that Autenreith Road got aware with such blatent stirring an manipulation for so long. I was always a little suspicious of her (I remember last year's Cluedo, too, AR) especially since she voted for nem on turn 1. And then she changed her position on voting for Banner Lady and then Rugmaker without any cogent explanation. But she played it so confidently I'm not sure when I'd've called her on it if I'd still been in the game. I started off by voicing what seemed at the time to be a more certain analysis:

quote:

---

Papa Smurf is probably not a 'Ndrinu, Watchman or Mason ... he's probably not a Mafioso, either.
[and]
I think there's likely to be a higher proportion of Mafiosi amongst the 5 people who didn't vote (AnnaF, basso, dolphy, Linguo, Papa Smurf) than the 17 who did. I'm not saying they are all guilty, not by any means, not even that most of them are, but I have a shrewd feeling that they'll be one or two of the Mafia in that group.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Eliab:
Incidentally, I think Teufelchen could have called the game one round sooner. It was theoretically possible (if the 'Ndrangheta had screwed up) to have one of them lynched when it was 2 vs. 2, but even so, one of the surviving citizens would have died that night, leaving the teams 1 vs. 1, with no lynching possible, and a ‘Ndrinu as the last man standing next day.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teufelchen:
What Really Happened in Cosenza Beach

...That night, lone gunman Chelley went and offed basso. (I have no idea whether she knew he was 'Ndrinu or not.)

---

quote:

---

Everyone else went round to Wet Kipper's place ... except for the Watchman, who was busily protecting that upstanding citizen, er, Chelley.

---

That was very nice of linguo... thanks
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
Thinking about varying the voting rules...how about this:

"If more than half (rounded up) of the eligible voters either fail to vote within the alloted time, or formally abstain, no-one is lynched. If two nominees tie for the largest number of votes at the end of the voting period, no-one is lynched. Otherwise, the nominee with the largest number of votes is lynched."

What do players think?

T.
 

---

Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
How is that different to what happens already? (Sorry, I have my dunce's hat at the ready!!)
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
The current voting rule is effectively:

"Anyone who is voted for by more than half the eligible voters is lynched. Anyone who is voted for by exactly half the eligible voters is lynched unless the other half either all vote for the same other candidate, or all abstain. Otherwise, no-one is lynched."

T.
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 
Sounds good to me. Should increase the chance of a lynching without letting a bizarre result happen because of a very low turnout for some reason.
 

---

Posted by Chelley (# 11322) on :
 
Where'd I put that hat then?
 

---

Posted by CuppaT (# 10523) on :
 
I actually like the majority wins voting rules the way they are. The impetus is on us all to rally forces and participate. If someone is silent on purpose, then we can read meaning into that. If people are let off the hook from voting, then many could play at their convenience and walk in and out of game play. Let's face it; those of us who played, for as long as we were in the game, kept up with it quite regularly.
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 
I picked up on the &!, but never quite worked out which the proper pairs of quotes were; and I didn't want to say anything because one interpretation implied too much about the Mafia and 'Ndrinu, which I didn't want to draw any attention to.

Izzybee, your death scene completely terrified me! Guilty conscience had me convinced it was pointing to me; then I did so much obfuscating & arguing the other way to protect myself that I just about convinced myself it was not a message at all.

Lamb Chopped's death scene: .

Eliab, I was terrified of your logic and was determined to assassinate you very quickly! I was convinced by the logic of it that you and nem were truthfully Masons, (the Bad Guys can't sensibly claim to be another actual Role, because that tips that Role off that they're lying Bad Guys), and after voting for nem was then waiting for an appropriate point to put in my "arrgh" comment pretending to have only just realized that point.

I kept on getting confused in the first vote and thinking it was Sir Kevin, Eliab, and nem nominated rather than the actual Sir Kevin, Zorro and nem (because I was thinking so much about the Masons) -- I regret that because after I'd "argghed" and "realized" nem had to be a Mason, I should have pointed a finger at Zorro, because I wanted Sir Kevin to get a chance to play longer in this round.

I became convinced Banner Lady was innocent because of Izzybee's comment about her innocence, (in fact that triggered Izzybee's assassination, because it pegged Izzybee as the Detective), but it was convenient to be able to raise questions about that, which CuppaT then picked up.
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Eliab:
I'm surprised and impressed that Autenreith Road got aware with such blatent stirring an manipulation for so long.

---

Blatant? Blatant? I prefer to call it living your cover as an innocent citizen trying very hard to find the bad guys .

quote:

---

I was always a little suspicious of her (I remember last year's Cluedo, too, AR) especially since she voted for nem on turn 1. And then she changed her position on voting for Banner Lady and then Rugmaker without any cogent explanation.

---

quote:

---

But she played it so confidently I'm not sure when I'd've called her on it if I'd still been in the game.

---

Thanks . It's been quite a learning experience playing this role. It had me thinking a lot about Kim Philby and Tim Powers' Declare that we read earlier in the Ship's Book Group, about living your cover. And filtering everything through a mix of truth, with a bit of fibs salted in as necessary to turn attention elsewhere, and then double-thinking it for whether it might raise a theory that could point back at what Rugmaker and I were doing, in which case I had to deep-six it and think of something else to say.

CuppaT mentioned getting friendly too fast; I think I would play similar even if I were a Citizen -- I had a long thought at the beginning about laying low and not attracting attention, vs. thinking the game is more fun if people are participating and role-playing at least even if not theorizing. After Banner Lady posted her "thanking people for making her laugh" comment I decided to be more wide-open in my participation.

[ 21. November 2006, 14:26: Message edited by: Autenrieth Road ]
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
I confess I enjoyed the game not because of the tactics at all (of which I am usually oblivious although I was sure at the end rugmaker was an enemy) but the role-playing. I enjoyed Gumby and Eliab's posts very much, so I was sorry to see them go early. I would have lost interest very quickly after that if AR and Stevie hadn't kept me amused. Lamb Chopped and Basso should get posthumous awards for the best one-liners in the game.

On my wish list for next time is a clockface and a calendar on each page (or in each post of the gamehost) because the global differences in timezones always had me confused. There must be some way to monitor the time better - and perhaps that would help the game to flow faster, even allowing for weekends (which means 3 days of quieter traffic realistically).

Perhaps Papa Kipper could tell us if that is feasible?
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banner Lady:
On my wish list for next time is a clockface and a calendar on each page (or in each post of the gamehost) because the global differences in timezones always had me confused. There must be some way to monitor the time better - and perhaps that would help the game to flow faster, even allowing for weekends (which means 3 days of quieter traffic realistically).

---

Every post already reports, in its header, the time it was posted according to your local time. This was why, in the first game, I abandoned references to my local clock, and simply said that things would happen X hours after the current post. That way, everyone should just be able to count on the appropriate number of hours from the time they see on their own screens, and work out when things would actually happen.

Does that help at all?

T.
 

---

Posted by Amazing Grace (# 95) on :
 
I have to admit that I was completely out to sea the first time I saw this game played, but was following along a lot better this time. Autumn had me totally fooled till near the end with the flaming red glitter hint . I suspected dear Dorothy instead (ooops). Well played 'Ndrinu, especially being speedy on the nominating fingers .

Teufelchen, could you please explain (or point out where I missed) the suicide pact thing?

Also, were the Masons a group of citizens who knew who each other were? Part of the tension of the game is, of course, the "some of us have information the others of you don't".

Charlotte
 

---

Posted by Banner Lady (# 10505) on :
 
I rest my case that I am not the most observant player. Yes T, that helps a lot. I must have missed where you originally said the bit about the times.
 

---

Posted by Autenrieth Road (# 10509) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teufelchen:
Every post already reports, in its header, the time it was posted according to your local time.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Amazing Grace:
Teufelchen, could you please explain (or point out where I missed) the suicide pact thing?

---

quote:

---

Also, were the Masons a group of citizens who knew who each other were?

---

Exactly. Rolled-up trouser legs, the works.

I'll be posting a truly exhaustive (and exhausting) list of roles tomorrow.

T.
 

---

Posted by Stevie Boy Wonder (# 11869) on :
 
A thoroughly enjoyable game, albeit one I went out of much earlier than I wanted to (but much later than I expected to). With hindsight, I know I was quite overzealous at first, throwing wild accusations about (sorry nem) without thinking them through much, and that probably aroused some suspicion. But towards the end, with the whole Rugmaker/Leonato mutual accusation thing, Leonato's arguments looked so well rounded to me, and Rugmaker's defence of them so leaky, I had to bite my tongue hard not to chip in from beyond the grave, "For crying out loud, Rugmaker's as guilty as [insert clearly guilty criminal mastermind's name here]!"

As for the rules, I didn't really understand them at the start, but I wasn't going to tell any of you that , I got more of a grip on them as the game went on. I'd agree with the suggestion that the rules should be less strict regarding how many votes are needed and in what circumstances to authorise a lynching, as (although BL may have been bumped off considerably earlier) it would generally have made the game more interesting and less frustrating. The only other thing I'd recommend next time, is having a bit more information about the roles in the game, and what all the different groups of people were. Teufelchen, I can understand you trying to make the game more mysterious by keeping details to a minimum at first, but it did seem to cause a lot of confusion until Papa Kipper/Wet Smurf requested clarification of the set-up. But otherwise, a good game, well played and (as others have already said) made all the more enteraining by the characterisations.

Thanks Teuf for organising, Kipper (and Chorister) for humouring us all the way through what may have been an arduous thread at times, and everyone who played for making it so much fun. Let's do it again sometime...
 

---

Posted by basso (# 4228) on :
 
I decided after the second suicide that we were playing under the 'siblings' rule from the Wikipedia article - that each gangster had an unsuspected sibling whose death inspired a suicide on the part of the gangster. Teuf's hints about extra hints prompted a rereading of the article. Wrong, but a great theory...

It also made me prepare a third death scene in case I was called upon to commit suicide. But nobody picked up on the death I actually had to post.

We picked FoaT as our first killing purely at random (we even eliminated Sir K as a candidate because he'd gotten it so quickly in the previous round). Eliab was way too smart to survive - I think the Mafia decided the same thing.

Very enjoyable game, T. Thanks!

b.
 

---

Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Stevie Boy Wonder:
Let's do it again sometime...

---

something similar but different may come along soon
 

---

Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
Cluedo? Cluedo? Please say it's Cluedo, Mr Wet Kipper sir, and you'll be on my list of favouritestest circus hosties for ever.
 

---

Posted by Wet Kipper (# 1654) on :
 
just before Teufelchen started up the first Mafia game, I had been in discussion with my fellow Circus Host regarding the resurrection of Wink Murder.

That might be a little too like Mafia, so maybe a game of Cluedo next.
 

---

Posted by Smudgie (# 2716) on :
 
Oh my, I'd forgotten wink murder!!!

Cluedo first, then wink murder. I'll be a happy penguin from now until Christmas.
 

---

Posted by Rugmaker (# 10728) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Stevie Boy Wonder:
But towards the end, with the whole Rugmaker/Leonato mutual accusation thing, Leonato's arguments looked so well rounded to me, and Rugmaker's defence of them so leaky, I had to bite my tongue hard not to chip in from beyond the grave, "For crying out loud, Rugmaker's as guilty as [insert clearly guilty criminal mastermind's name here]!"

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Wet Kipper:
just before Teufelchen started up the first Mafia game, I had been in discussion with my fellow Circus Host regarding the resurrection of Wink Murder.

That might be a little too like Mafia, so maybe a game of Cluedo next.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Banner Lady:
I enjoyed Gumby and Eliab's posts very much, so I was sorry to see them go early.

---

I'm sure I'd have got steadily more boring if I'd had to keep it up for any length of time, though. At least there are some advantages to being bumped off early.
 

---

Posted by Teufelchen (# 10158) on :
 
Thoughts on openness:

My original gambit of trying to play an 'all roles secret' game clearly didn't work. Since then, I've thought more about how the Moderator should announce the roles.

1. If a role is in use, the Moderator must say so.

2. The Moderator may also announce the use of roles that are not in use, in order to confuse things.

3. There's no reason to say how many of each role exist.

Additionally, I'm aware of various roles which involve inaccurate information. Examples are the Miller, who's innocent, but looks guilty to the Detective, and various kinds of 'broken' Detectives who see the wrong people as guilty, or who see everyone as guilty. As a matter of policy, I will never use these roles. Aside from the difficulty they would create for me, I think they're quite unfair to the players. Therefore:

4. Each role's abilities will be correctly disclosed to the player who has that role.

5. The Moderator never lies in PMs.

T.

[ 22. November 2006, 10:39: Message edited by: Teufelchen ]
 

---

Posted by Eliab (# 9153) on :
 

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teufelchen:
The introduction of a second gang in the second game was intended to weaken the gangsters and give the citizens a positive motivation for not lynching anyone if they really didn't agree with any of the nominations. In the event, I'm not sure if this approach worked or not.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Rugmaker:
The detective is really just taking a punt in the dark, and as soon as he or she makes any move to reveal their role they'll be killed by somebody, so they really can't help much.

---

quote:

---

Similarly, the watchman is really just guessing, especially early on - has the watchman actually managed to save anybody in either game?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Teufelchen:
Would any of the following have helped the citizens compete against two gangs?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by The Great Gumby:
What would neighbourhood watch do? I didn't notice them in the list of roles, and they don't appear to be mentioned in the Wiki article. Would they be the same as watchmen, or different?

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by Rugmaker:
I fear that a vigilante may actually help the mafia. Either he/she kills people based on only partial evidence/gut feelings and probably takes out more citizens, or he/she waits for convincing evidence that someone is mafia in which case they would be lynched in any case.

---

quote:

---

The Mafia roles have now been allotted. You are a Mafioso. You must keep this information secret. The other Mafiosi are Mario and Luigi. You have a night action which enables you to kill one other character. Between you, choose a Don to notify me of each night's target. Once I get a PM from your Don confirming the same target, I'll let your victim know that they've been done in. Your day options are the same as everyone else's: you may nominate who to lynch, and you may vote in lynch mobs. You win when the only people left are Mafiosi and the same number or fewer from the citizen faction.

---

quote:

---

The Mafia roles have now been allotted. You are a Detective, a member of the citizen faction. You must keep this information secret. You have a night action which enables you to investigate one other character. Once I get a PM from you nominating your target, I'll let you know whether that person is a citizen or a mobster. Your day options are the same as everyone else's: you may nominate who to lynch, and you may vote in lynch mobs. You win if there are only members of the citizen faction left.

---

quote:

---

The Mafia roles have now been allotted. You are a Watchman, a member of the citizen faction. You must keep this information secret. You have a night action which enables you to guard one other character. Once I get a PM from you nominating your target, that person is protected from being killed that night. Your day options are the same as everyone else's: you may nominate who to lynch, and you may vote in lynch mobs. You win if there are only members of the citizen faction left.

---

quote:

---

The Mafia roles have now been allotted. You are a Mason, a member of the citizen faction. You must keep this information secret. Your fellow Masons are Pip, Squeak and Wilfred. You are all at a lodge meeting on the first night, and can thus vouch for one another's innocence. You have no other night action. Your day options are the same as everyone else's: you may nominate who to lynch, and you may vote in lynch mobs. You win if there are only members of the citizen faction left.

---

quote:

---

The Mafia roles have now been allotted. You are a Citizen. You must keep this information secret. You have no night action. Your day options are the same as everyone else's: you may nominate who to lynch, and you may vote in lynch mobs. You win if there are only members of the citizen faction left.

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by basso:
Since nobody wants to ask, I'll just tell you that the intent of my death scene was that Ezio had been drowned in a butt of malmsey. It seemed appropriately Shakespearian for the intro we had. If I'd been lynched, one of the mob would have yelled "The first thing lets do is kill all the barmen!"

---

© Ship of Fools 2016


UBB.classic^TM 6.5.0