# Harry Potter Mafia **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 25, 2010, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-mafia/544429 "2010-06-25T01:13:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 17
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-mafia/544429/321 "2010-07-06T12:47:35Z")
\*\*Special Note: HardlySanguine is replacing Freudian Slit Welcome Hardly!\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-mafia/544429/322 "2010-07-06T13:49:03Z")
Guys, I just had a thought. In the canon, Fenrir Greyback’s goal is to convert as many people as possible to Werewolves. And as I haven’t seen any mention of this topic, we need to clarify this: \*\*Mahaloth, does this game have a recruitment method besides Snape’s choosing between the Order and the Death Eaters? Can any player other than Snape have their win condition change?\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-mafia/544429/323 "2010-07-06T13:58:18Z")
> [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](#): > > He either is an SK as he has claimed, or he is a scum claimin g SK\*\* hoping that town would keep him alive on a “you target who we say basis”\*\*. Either way I am happy with my vote where it is. If he’s scum he’s dumb, because that only works when the SK claims a explicitly non-exclusive win condition. And even then, not always. ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-mafia/544429/324 "2010-07-06T14:41:10Z")
> [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > How would classifying it as more advanced mean we could rule out a bomb? If anything, the more advanced the game, the more likely the esoteric roles are. > [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > My memory isn’t what it used to be. When you say stance are you referring to the previous post where you seem to feel we can eliminate the possibility, or do you mean you think they’re a cheap ploy, or a valid danger or what? I’d rather we not assume that everyone is on the same page. I was concluding that there is a bomb. I was speaking in the negative, because we already have such a wagon on Skeezix:: \*\* I am thinking there is a bomb, those of you voting for Skeezix, move me off of that position. \*\* I saw your post where you said “bomb” and I figured you were at least closer to my position than not. I was simply pointing out that we had something in common here. A lot of people have used the word “paranoid” for my play. Still not sure what they mean, but I just have a personal, gut feeling, that one game, a bomb will get us. Just because your paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you. ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-mafia/544429/325 "2010-07-06T14:46:24Z")
If he is a bomb, he still needs to die, and better that it happens while there are no power roles claimed. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-mafia/544429/326 "2010-07-06T16:32:31Z")
> [@Rysto](#): > > \*\*Mahaloth, does this game have a recruitment method besides Snape’s choosing between the Order and the Death Eaters? > > Can any player other than Snape have their win condition change?\*\* No comment on either question. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-mafia/544429/327 "2010-07-06T18:11:20Z")
> [@Meeko](#): > > I was concluding that there is a bomb. I was speaking in the negative, because we already have such a wagon on Skeezix:: > > \*\* > I am thinking there is a bomb, those of you voting for Skeezix, move me off of that position. \*\* > > I saw your post where you said “bomb” and I figured you were at least closer to my position than not. I was simply pointing out that we had something in common here. A lot of people have used the word “paranoid” for my play. Still not sure what they mean, but I just have a personal, gut feeling, that one game, a bomb will get us. > > Just because your paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you. I doubt skeezix is a bomb. If he were a Scum bomb and trying to get lynched, he’d have just claimed Death Eater and we’d have happily lynched him (probably with the same amount of bomb-related hand-wringing, give or take). If he’s a Scum Bomb, claiming PFK ever-so-slightly _reduces_ his chances of getting lynched. But you know, even if he’s a Bomb, so what? We have to kill him anyway. If he’s a Bomb, either: 1. The impact of the Bomb falls at random, in which case his fellows will be at risk along with the rest of us; or 2. He’ll have to choose a target, in which case the fact that there are currently no claimed power roles works strongly in our favor. ---
**Author:** ![storyteller0910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@storyteller0910](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/storyteller0910)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-mafia/544429/328 "2010-07-06T18:12:24Z")
Ah. Also, if Mahaloth isn’t explicitly ruling out recruitment, we must proceed as if recruitment is possible. Worth noting. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-mafia/544429/329 "2010-07-06T18:27:40Z")
Hey **Skeezix** , if you’re still around: why the claim? Just a little bitter or what? Do you feel like giving any parting thoughts about the rest of the game, since if you’re telling the truth you’ll presumably be a confirmed non-scum, which is worth something, at least? Everyone else, some appeals for standard strategizing from the cleverer among us: 1. if he’s a bomb, is there a standard method of detonation or whatever? Is it always the last person voting, are there variations, etc.? Do we need to get a town vanilla to step up to the plate in that case, or how’s that work (don’t anybody go jumping to submit your name, obviously; I just don’t know the SOP)? **storyteller** answered this just above, I see on preview. The idea of a bomb seems more and more like a red herring anyway; does anybody think it’s _not_ a good idea to lynch him regardless? 1. What about naming the targets? I can understand and appreciate **Skeezix** ’ theoretically honorable intentions in refusing to identify them for fear of outing a power role, but is that really what would happen? If everything he says is true, and presuming he wants to cooperate and we ask for them, we’ll get the names of two players, but no role information - just the fact that he tried to kill them and couldn’t. Is that information that is potentially harmful? And on the flipside is it potentially helpful? Say for instance that down the line we find out that we had X number of blocking/protecting roles, and we’ve accounted for all of their actions, but it turns out that one of **Skeezix** ’ intended victims’ survival is not accounted for. It seems to me that at that point, town knowing that the player was somehow protected would be a crucial piece of information. ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-mafia/544429/330 "2010-07-06T19:40:52Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](#): > > 1. What about naming the targets? I can understand and appreciate **Skeezix** ’ theoretically honorable intentions in refusing to identify them for fear of outing a power role, but is that really what would happen? If everything he says is true, and presuming he wants to cooperate and we ask for them, we’ll get the names of two players, but no role information - just the fact that he tried to kill them and couldn’t. Is that information that is potentially harmful? And on the flipside is it potentially helpful? Say for instance that down the line we find out that we had X number of blocking/protecting roles, and we’ve accounted for all of their actions, but it turns out that one of **Skeezix** ’ intended victims’ survival is not accounted for. It seems to me that at that point, town knowing that the player was somehow protected would be a crucial piece of information. The information is only useful if it can be trusted. It can only be trusted if **Skeezix** is Town. At this point, it is clear he is not Town. Even if he really is 3rd party (and I’m not sold on that yet) and technically “neutral,” that doesn’t mean he’s not pissed at Town for lynching him. So, IMO, any info we get from him is inherently not useful, and potentially harmful. ---
**Author:** ![HardlySanguine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HardlySanguine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HardlySanguine)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2010, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-mafia/544429/331 "2010-07-06T22:09:48Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > \*\*Special Note: > > HardlySanguine is replacing Freudian Slit > > Welcome Hardly!\*\* Hi guys! Please treat me well. I don’t have anything insightful to add, at the moment, and it looks like today’s lynch is a gimme. I’ve been following the battle from the safety of the Forbidden Forest (made friends with the spiders) but now that I’m in the fray I’m going to re-read everything. Hopefully, something will pop out at me. ---
**Author:** ![tiltawhirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e99b99/32.png) [@tiltawhirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiltawhirl)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-mafia/544429/332 "2010-07-07T12:33:29Z")
Sorry for my absence–RL intruded. If I can’t catch up over the next Night I will ask to be subbed. I endorse the consensus on today’s lynch. **Vote Red Skeezix**. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-mafia/544429/333 "2010-07-07T15:56:17Z")
\*\*Vote Count: Red Skeezix(10): Rysto, ShadowFacts, Chipacabra, OnandOnly, JimmyChitwood, Guiri, Storyteller, InnerStickler, Zeriel, tiltawhirl Pedescribe(1): Red Skeezix Rysto(1): Pedescribe 24 Hours until the end of Day Three\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-mafia/544429/334 "2010-07-07T20:39:27Z")
> [@storyteller0910](#): > > I doubt skeezix is a bomb. If he were a Scum bomb and trying to get lynched, he’d have just claimed Death Eater and we’d have happily lynched him (probably with the same amount of bomb-related hand-wringing, give or take). If he’s a Scum Bomb, claiming PFK ever-so-slightly _reduces_ his chances of getting lynched. > > But you know, even if he’s a Bomb, so what? We have to kill him anyway. If he’s a Bomb, either: > > 1. The impact of the Bomb falls at random, in which case his fellows will be at risk along with the rest of us; or > > 2. He’ll have to choose a target, in which case the fact that there are currently no claimed power roles works strongly in our favor. Well, if I am wrong, then it would be the gimmie that it looks like it is. And if it is the gimmie that it is, then we need to vote for it, given how sideways this game is. \*\* Vote Skeezy\*\* ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f07891/32.png) [@Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Plastic_Ninja)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-mafia/544429/335 "2010-07-08T12:07:07Z")
Hmf. I suppose. I still have my suspicions about the rest of y’all, though. 😃 **Vote Red Skeezix**. ---
**Author:** ![HardlySanguine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HardlySanguine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HardlySanguine)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-mafia/544429/336 "2010-07-08T12:56:14Z")
OK, on re-read I have very little of substance to add. First a couple of quick questions to our esteemed moderators: **1. I’m a little confused about Night zero. Did it allow for talk amongst faction members (scum, masons if they exist)? Or is this essentially a day-start game?** **2. Would you have told us if Dolohov had any special powers?** If you can’t answer, fine. * * * > [@HardlySanguine](#): > > I’ve been following the battle from the safety of the Forbidden Forest (made friends with the spiders) but now that I’m in the fray I’m going to re-read everything. Before anyone gets the wrong idea, this is not me breadcrumbing as Hagrid, or somesuch. * * * \*\* @\*\*Storyteller: You said in your first post of the day that you were slightly suspicious of **Chip**. I’m more inclined to think that he is over-eager, than anti-town. It’s Day 1, he was trying to get people to play, and all voting is rather frivolous. Trust your gut, of course, but since no-one else has commented, I thought I’d give my perspective. * * * The person who’s getting the most attention from me right now is **Meeko**. Perhaps it’s just your playing style, but Day 1 I felt like you were reading way too much into innocent (IMO) things people were saying and attributing to malice that which could easily be explained away (see [#101](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12624400&postcount=101), [#149](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12629071&postcount=149)). Further, your FOSes are really fickle ([#149](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12629071&postcount=149) to [#167](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12632916&postcount=167) and back again in [#192](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12635081&postcount=192)/ [#193](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=12635205&postcount=193)). These sound like you’re trying to convince yourself more than anything (or both you and **Chip** are scum). As a side note, **Meeko** , what did you mean by [QUOTE=Meeko in 315] Given that I would classify this game as more advanced [The entire I can chose my Win-Con (Snape) mechanic, the “Morph” color] can we rule out a Bomb? [/quote] ? Color is color; it doesn’t make the game mechanics any more advanced. Or were you just skimming? * * * With regards to **Omi** (good job, btw, guys!), with **Red** ’s claim I am confused as to what her motivations for voting **Chip** over the more maligned (by her) **Red**. Especially given that she had ample opportunity to renegade or change her vote when people questioned her motives. Does this mean that her supposed ‘slip’ was not really a slip that she genuinely believed she was doing pro-town work, and that we just got lucky? [QUOTE= **Chip** in 288] Right now, what I’m really puzzling over is why did the death eaters kill Normal Phase? [/quote] Did you come up with anything plausible? The only thing I can think of is that the scum thought it was a fast sub-in and it was therefore more likely to be a power role. But that’s not a very good reason considering it’s pretty obvious **ColdPheonix** wouldn’t be able to participate. If I were scum, I’d be picking off one of the more lurky people (tiltawhirl, Freudian Slit (me), Storyteller, etc.) in the hopes that lurkers are trying to be inconspicuous power roles. On that note, I find it a bit interesting that they did hit two unique roles twice in a row, especially since I feel like \*\*Jimmy \*\*brought out \*\*Omi’\*\*s potential slip into light better than did **Drain**. This coupled with the \*\*Omi \*\*weirdness I talk about above makes me think there’s some kind of find-power-role-spell that they’re using (though it’d have to work during the day for the **Omi** thing to make any more sense). So, I’m sure I’m just way-overthinking this. * * * Just for posterity’s sake (and these are barely FingernailsOfSuspision, just things that caught my eye): -I didn’t like **OaOW** ’s 215/215 posts, though I’m not sure why. Third vote, maybe. -Likewise **Little Plastic Ninja** ’s 218 felt off, though that may be because she’s posting so little. -Of course, **Freudian Slit** ’s posts all felt off, and I’m town, so I probably just suck. -I felt like **ShadowFacts** was reading too much into **Red** in 152. **-GEE** ’s post 198 was odd to me because Rysto didn’t really answer his question so either he wasn’t reading carefully or he let up too quickly. -Finally **Rysto** seems slightly town to me because of his post 186 wherein he voted for **FS**. If he were scum I’d like to think he’d vote for one of the already voted-for candidates. * * * OK, done rambling. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f07891/32.png) [@Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Plastic_Ninja)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-mafia/544429/337 "2010-07-08T14:48:27Z")
Yeah, I’ve been acting kind of scummy I guess. But I’m hardly posting because honestly I don’t have much to say: I’ve never played this game, and all the talk in the game appears to be about the game. It’s odd and interesting. I have my own suspicions about people, but I have to agree based on what I’ve seen that my behavior has been kind of scummy: after all, I tend to jump on voting bandwagons at the end, I don’t jump into the conversations much (again, because I have little to say)… I suppose I’d suspect me too. I’ll have to act like this if I ever DO get a scum role. 😃 > [@HardlySanguine](#): > > -Finally **Rysto** seems slightly town to me because of his post 186 wherein he voted for **FS**. If he were scum I’d like to think he’d vote for one of the already voted-for candidates.. Actually, I disagree with this. By slinging a vote to someone who hasn’t already been voted on, he votes for someone who’s unlikely to get killed. I don’t know why, I just feel suspicious of **Rysto**. But voting for him at this late stage is a little pointless. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-mafia/544429/338 "2010-07-08T15:52:38Z")
\*\*Vote Count: Red Skeezix(12): Rysto, ShadowFacts, Chipacabra, OnandOnly, JimmyChitwood, Guiri, Storyteller, InnerStickler, Zeriel, tiltawhirl, Meeko, Littleplasticninja Pedescribe(1): Red Skeezix Rysto(1): Pedescribe Day ends in 8 minutes or so. \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@Red\_Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-mafia/544429/339 "2010-07-08T16:02:17Z")
**Maha, can you spoil me right away?** ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2010, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-mafia/544429/340 "2010-07-08T16:02:38Z")
\*\*The Order of the Phoenix had more suspicions on the third day of their deliberations, but they were still unsure. While it was true that they had found Dolohov, they had also lost Harry Potter, a true friend, and Severus Snape, a potentially valuable ally. “I have to say something,” interjected Red Skeezix, “I have no interest in your world, but I don’t want to be killed. I’m Fenrir Greyback, a werewolf.” The wizards stared at him. “But, you look like Luna Lovegood, daughter of Xenophilius,” said one younger wizard. “Then there is only one way to know the truth,” murmured several wizards together. The Order encircled Red “Luna” Skeezix. They raised their wands and said the words together. “Avada Kedavra!” And Red Skeezix just smiled. The blast hit him and he died immediately. And his face, indeed, did begin to morph. Stunned silence filled the room. They could not believe who he really was. **Red Skeezix was Lord Voldemort, leader of the Death Eaters, whose mind was impenetrable by magic.** It is now Night Three. Day Four begins at Noon Eastern on Saturday, July 10. \*\* [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-mafia/544429.md?page=16) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/harry-potter-mafia/544429.md?page=18)