# \[Mafia game\] The Realm of Phere **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 1, 2012, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480 "2012-04-01T15:04:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![BobArrgh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobarrgh/32/2881_2.png) [@BobArrgh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobArrgh)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/301 "2012-04-07T23:39:48Z")
**@Toe Jam** : I realize that **Astral’s** action seems rather scummy, but after thinking about it for a bit, I think he made a simple mistake with the time. (I’m not really put off by the actual vote-jump, since last-minute vote-jumping is a powerful strategy.) I really think **Astral** was acting alone. It has been my experience in the past that usually the Scum have a lot of chatter going on in the Scum Board, especially near the end-of-Day. Typically, the talk goes on like, “Wow, old Whats-His-Name has really stepped in it, ha ha ha … if we can keep the pressure up for one more hour, then he’ll swing for sure.” So, if Astral were Scum (and paying attention to the Scum Board), he would have noticed the lack-of-chatter or even said something to the effect of, “Ohmigosh, folks, the day ends in an hour, are we sure we have enough votes to make Gad swing?” And then one of his scum buddies would have said, “Dude, chill out, we got another 24 hours or so.” (Of course, if Astral were Scum and not paying attention to the Scum Board, he could have made a mistake like he did. However, from what I have seen of Astral’s play in other games, I doubt he makes it a habit of not following the Scum Board when he is Scum.) Thus, I really think he was operating in isolation, without any outside influence. Whether or not he is a true Townie or PFK or whatever remains to be seen, but for now, I am thinking he is not Scum. ---
**Author:** ![Astral\_Rejection](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/258eb7/32.png) [@Astral\_Rejection](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astral_Rejection)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/302 "2012-04-07T23:40:25Z")
> [@GuiriEnEspana](#): > > Which do you think would be more in Town’s interest: voting for someone to prevent shenanigans OR allowing the shenanigans to take place and letting town deal with the involved parties? Do you even think Gadarene is scum? I must confess, with six minutes until what I thought was the end of the day, I didn’t extend my thought process out that far. Perhaps letting them take place would have been better. Perhaps not, though; I’ve seen games where forestalling lynch shenanigans would have been better. I made a quick decision that I felt comfortable with. As for your second question: yes, I have suspicions about Gadarene. I thought that would have been obvious, given how often I’ve been questioning him. MHaye remains my top target so far, but a Gadarene lynch is acceptable to me. ---
**Author:** ![Astral\_Rejection](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/258eb7/32.png) [@Astral\_Rejection](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Astral_Rejection)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/303 "2012-04-07T23:41:49Z")
> [@BobArrgh](#): > > However, from what I have seen of Astral’s play in other games, I doubt he makes it a habit of not following the Scum Board when he is Scum.) I didn’t realize we had played together before! Did you change your name? ---
**Author:** ![BobArrgh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobarrgh/32/2881_2.png) [@BobArrgh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobArrgh)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/304 "2012-04-07T23:48:38Z")
Nope, BobArrgh is my gamer tag on this board, Giraffe, the other Mafia site whose name I cannot recall, Poker Stars, and Call of Duty (when I played). I’m not sure if I have actually played with you or if I have just seen your name in other games. I started playing Mafia back in January of 2011, and played in 4 or 5 games. I stopped playing in April or May of 2011 due to some serious stress at work. However, I have read and followed quite a few games on the SDMB, so I know I’ve seen your name before. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/305 "2012-04-08T00:11:18Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > Is Astral Rejection the poster formerly known as Pedescribe or does he just share a philosophical outlook on mafia playing with Pede? > > (I can’t believe I don’t know the answer to this question) Pedescribe is still Trepa Mayfield on this board. Astral Rejection is a new player who’s only started playing in the last year or so. I believe Mahaloth’s LOTR game was his first game? ---
**Author:** ![BobArrgh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobarrgh/32/2881_2.png) [@BobArrgh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobArrgh)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/306 "2012-04-08T00:16:41Z")
Now, since we are 2/3 done with Day 1, I do find it interesting that there are 8 people who have not posted or who have posted just once: Drain Bead – 1 post, sick Scathach – 1 post Fubbleskag – no posts Tanaer – 1 post, lousy Internet access Red Skeezix – no posts RealityTrip – 1 post Lilflower – 1 post storyteller0910 – 1 post So, we are heading into the final 24 hours and have yet to hear anything (or anything substantial) from 25% of the players. That’s not good. By the way, is “Ro0sh” **Toe Jam**? ---
**Author:** ![BobArrgh](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobarrgh/32/2881_2.png) [@BobArrgh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobArrgh)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/307 "2012-04-08T00:20:20Z")
I am typically quite busy on Sundays, so I want to make sure I get my vote in. **Vote Gadarene** I think his “Me, too” vote was telling. I also find it interesting that he has gone quiet, almost as if his Scum Buddies are telling him to “Shut up!” ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/308 "2012-04-08T00:22:22Z")
I’ve just managed to catch up with the game; it was an unexpectedly busy week at work, and we wound up adopting a new dog today, so that’s taken most of my time. I’m still not at all impressed with the votes on **Visorslash**. As far as I can tell they are all based on personality rather than gameplay. I can’t say that I agree with the votes on \*\*Gadarene \*\*either, but at least it seems they are primarily motivated by his play in-game. If someone could actually summarize the case on Gad, I’d appreciate it. The people who are pinging me most at this point are: **glee** , whose main contribution to the Day seems to have been to vote and unvote \*\*NAF1138 \*\*twice. **Mosier** for the way he ‘agreed with me’ in the post where he made his vote on Visorslash, and the fact that he hasn’t addressed the issue despite two people questioning him about it. **septimus** , who voted Visorslash saying “But I’ve not really concluded Visor is Scum; I just want to make sure I place some vote”, then tried to retcon his way into it being an “anti-Town behavior” vote. **vote Mosier** ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/309 "2012-04-08T00:24:01Z")
Yeah, ToeJam and ROosh are the same people. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/310 "2012-04-08T00:27:46Z")
> [@BobArrgh](#): > > By the way, is “Ro0sh” **Toe Jam**? Yes, but he doesn’t want to be associated with that old name now that he is a doctor. Thinks he is too good for us or something. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![gnarlycharlie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5f9b8f/32.png) [@gnarlycharlie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnarlycharlie)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/311 "2012-04-08T01:29:14Z")
> [@GuiriEnEspana](#): > > And so you unvoted her? I’m sorry, it’s not making sense to me how she’s suddenly innocent of something that was worth a vote earlier. If you think voting someone for OMGUS voting is worth a vote, is “not unvoting” someone for the same thing different? And you suspected there was scum among Visor’s voters but haven’t voted anyone else since unvoting? well, they aren’t totally the same. however it is more than just that she had some other reason. her reaction was not defensive, which she usually is when she’s scum. > [@Astral\_Rejection](#): > > Day ends in 8 minutes. Why did you fail to place a vote or weigh in on anything during the course of the Day? crap! don’t do that. i thought i missed EOD. * * * will look at **Mosier** and **septimus** now. i recall they pinged me earlier. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/312 "2012-04-08T01:47:13Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > … > > The people who are pinging me most at this point are: > > **glee** , whose main contribution to the Day seems to have been to vote and unvote \*\*NAF1138 \*\*twice. > > … The first time my vote + unvote wasn’t in bold, so it didn’t count. I also asked for information about a magic item I possess (which led to some discussion.) ---
**Author:** ![gnarlycharlie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5f9b8f/32.png) [@gnarlycharlie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnarlycharlie)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/313 "2012-04-08T02:00:54Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > I would address your vote, except that I can’t find it! Did you vote to kill me? If so, which post number is it? > > Anyway, my posts might appear to be self conscious because they are in fact self conscious. Is self-consciousness evidence of scummitude? > > On an unrelated note, vote: Visorslash, because I find Suburban Plankton’s argument about you sort of convincing. only sort of convincing? why the half-hearted vote? it’s D1 and reasons are usually thin. > [@septimus](#): > > I agree with this, especially his “My cup of care is empty.” > > **Vote: Visorslash** > > But I’ve not really concluded Visor is Scum; I just want to make sure I place some vote. (Storm knocked my Internet out for many hours yesterday, and storm continues.) > > I also have a special object with unknown use. (I’d mention that it’s black but then **choie** would never Unvote me. :smack: ) I’d offer to trade, but am afraid a trade would leave me even confuseder. not really concluded? why the disclaimer? as with **Mosier** you seem to be worried that you have a thin D1 vote. if you’re town, you are rarely sure who you are voting for is scum, especially on D1. * * * on preview, i see that **Suburban** has already elaborated on what i was trying to express. i find **septimus** more suspicious but **Mosier** has a slightly better chance at being lynched and EOD is near. **Vote Mosier** ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/314 "2012-04-08T02:42:26Z")
> [@glee](#): > > The first time my vote + unvote wasn’t in bold, so it didn’t count. That’s as may be…it still doesn’t change the fact that your vote was meaningless, and you’ve not come close to doing any sort of analysis of anything all Day. > [@](#): > > I also asked for information about a magic item I possess (which led to some discussion.) Which helps us exactly how? The primary function of the Town is to lynch someone each Day. Do you have \*any \*thoughts as to who that should be Today? ---
**Author:** ![Weedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/weedy/32/301_2.png) [@Weedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weedy)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/315 "2012-04-08T05:58:31Z")
> [@Astral\_Rejection](#): > > Anybody else notice we suddenly have 250 personal message slots available? When did that happen? No, I didn’t. Who have you been talking too? ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/316 "2012-04-08T06:12:10Z")
Current Vote Count, I do believe. Gadarene (6): NAF1138, ToeJam, choie, Inner Stickler, Visorslash, BobArrgh Visorslash (4): Silver Jan, Mahaloth, septimus, PetW Mosier (3): Lightfoot, Suburban Plankton, gnarlycharlie Astral Rejection (2): Guiri, Gadarene Septimus (1): Weedy MHaye (1): Astral Rejection Abstain/Unvote/Present (1): Glee 17 votes out of 30? 31? Poor showing for going into the final day. I’ll look in tomorrow and see what the burgeoning mosier train is up to but I can make no guarantees about my presence after about 10:30am central time and I imagine many others have simlar constraints. I think this is basically lock in time for votes. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/317 "2012-04-08T07:33:19Z")
As I stated, my vote on Visorslash was a placeholder. But I do get a slight Scum sense from another suspect: **Unvote** **Vote: Astral Rejection** He seems to be “trying too hard” with lots of posts of limited value. He voted choie in response to an obvious joke vote. **Visorslash** joined a bandwagon just to self-protect. Unless he is Scum, I think he should retract that vote. Otherwise I may restore my vote on him. ---
**Author:** ![MHaye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bbe5ce/32.png) [@MHaye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MHaye)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/318 "2012-04-08T08:03:10Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > **Visorslash** joined a bandwagon just to self-protect. Unless he is Scum, I think he should retract that vote. Otherwise I may restore my vote on him. I would argue that a townie Visorslash has every right to vote to preserve himself. If Visorslash is Town-aligned, he cannot know anyone else’s alignment with the same certainty he knows his own.[sup]1[/sup] He’s in the position where if he goes down he knows Town loses an asset, whereas if Gadarene dies instead, there’s a chance that the Mafia does. It may be small, but it’s _certainly_ greater than zero. Against this he must weigh whatever Gad has posted, including roleclaims. Consequently voting in self-preservation is a null tell. [sup]1[/sup]Absent info from his role. Visorslash bmight be a Mason, and already know someone else is Town. ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Jan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Silver\_Jan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Jan)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/319 "2012-04-08T08:14:53Z")
I’m still happy with my vote on\*\* visorslash\*\*, even happier than I was earlier. Although I understand his vote for self preservation, he hasn’t once tried to make a case on anyone, his first vote could have been a joke vote, his second vote was an OMGUS vote and his third vote was for self preservation. . Yes\*\* Guiri\*\*, I did keep my vote on\*\* visor\*\* for the OMGUS vote, that just made me think that he looked scummier after he did that. Thanks for doing my work for me yesterday, good lad. **Astral** nearly gave me heart failure with him thinking that it was so close to EOD, I don’t think it was a scummy move though, as someone before me said if he was scum, he would have been following the scum board quite closely and scum do tend to talk a lot on D1 and would have known exactly when EOD was. I ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2012, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/320 "2012-04-08T08:47:09Z")
> [@glee](#): > > The first time my vote + unvote wasn’t in bold, so it didn’t count. > [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > That’s as may be…it still doesn’t change the fact that your vote was meaningless, and you’ve not come close to doing any sort of analysis of anything all Day. You said the double vote was pinging you. When I explain why it wasn’t a double, you shrug. Also my vote puts me up a level, so it’s not meaningless. The rules for this game are complicated, but I’m trying to get the most out of them. > [@glee](#): > > I also asked for information about a magic item I possess (which led to some discussion.) > [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > Which helps us exactly how? I have this magic item (and others may well have similar stuff.) The item may well be important, but I don’t know what it does. Others may know, so I ask for help. Certainly doing nothing about the item until the game ends isn’t going to help. > [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > The primary function of the Town is to lynch someone each Day. Do you have \*any \*thoughts as to who that should be Today? The primary function of the Town is to lynch traitors. However Day One is the time when we have least information. I haven’t seen anything worth mention (just cheese jokes, pseudo-cryptic analysis; minor feuds…) If somebody hasn’t posted near day end, I’ll vote for them. Even if they’re Town, they’re not contributing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480.md?page=17)