# \[Mafia game\] 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:** 37
**Author:** ![gnarlycharlie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5f9b8f/32.png) [@gnarlycharlie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnarlycharlie)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/721 "2012-04-11T17:53:01Z")
> [@Gadarene](#): > > I have reason to believe that fubbleskag is neither Town- nor Scum-aligned. fubbles, what say you? You just in it for the gold and the wealth? i’m guessing he’s neutral/3rd party. i’m not sure if that’s an issue. he’s been up front about it. i don’t see how he could get gold and how players can have items identified if he didn’t speak up. he could have PMed but that seems a roundabout way to go about it. are you going to share the info you have on **fubbles**? > [@choie](#): > > I’m with **Weedy** and **LightFoot**. I’m fascinated by the dynamics here, especially the **Inner** / **Visorslash** / **Guiri** triad of protection. I mean I can basically buy **Inner Stickler** ’s explanations, because **Visorslash** was (briefly) in the spotlight. But **Guiri** protecting **Inner** is beyond me, and ditto **Bob** protecting **glee**. What do they know about each other?! Pure chance or some kind of coalition? > > As long as I’m ruminating in public (how gauche!), I’m noticing some atypical behavior, from what little experience I’ve had with certain players. **Silver Jan** has been atypically silent, and ditto **Guiri** , at least today. **Red Skeezix** has a grand total of one post in this thread, and that was just questioning his 60hp loss. (Admittedly it’s actually a great question. Who attacked him, and why? Plus, most of the other hp losses were in multiples of 25 or pseudo-half of that (13). Why sixty for **Red Skeezix**?) > > I’m kinda surprised that for **fubbleskag** to examine a magic precious, the bearers of said precious have to give it over to him. That seems quite dangerous. What proof is there that he’ll give it back – or that he’ll tell the truth about its origin? how do we know if **fubbles** is honest? we don’t. at least initially. it would be bad for business if he was dishonest. when the items are used and the results are not as advertised, there will be unhappy campers. just like any business, unhappy customers will complain and potential customers will be turned off. end of business. maybe even end of **fubbles**. about the protection, **Bob** has given a lot of possible reasons. there need not be formal affinity. just like some players attacked, some decided to protect. it maybe as simple as this guy is fellow scum or this girl is perceived to be town. also we have PMs. some people may have built rapport with one another. for folks who have never played with PMs, try it. it adds another dimension to the game. > [@BobArrgh](#): > > I find myself agreeing with **choie** with regards to **Visorslash**. > > I’ve never played with him before and haven’t read any games that he’s been in, so I am not familiar with his playing style. I almost wonder if he has a role that requires him to be such a PITA. The way this game has rules about death not necessarily being the end of the game for a player, it wouldn’t surprise me if Visorslash is trying to get whacked due to some power he will receive if it happens. > > Man, a mechanism like that would suck. i have a sense that this scenario isn’t the case. doesn’t sound like something **Pizza** would include. for those who find **Visor** distracting, ignore him. don’t blame him for town failures or your unhappiness with the game. some people like to stir the pot. it surely generates conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Normal\_Phase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Normal\_Phase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Normal_Phase)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/722 "2012-04-11T18:37:06Z")
Testing … ---
**Author:** ![Normal\_Phase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Normal\_Phase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Normal_Phase)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/723 "2012-04-11T18:57:25Z")
I can’t seem to quote anyone, so I’ll do it the hard way. > [@choie](#): > > > [@Normal Phase](#): > > > > For myself I’m a bit surprised at the reactions to the protections. > > Sorry I’m confused. What reactions were you expecting? I mean, do you mean reactions from all of us in general (which I think I’d classify as ‘warily noncommital’) or from the protected targets? Or the protectors, for that matter? Specifically the “wary” part. I understand it, but I wasn’t expecting it. > [@](#): > > One thing that I don’t think we’ve discussed that much (and if we did, I’m sorry for forgetting) is: why were these specific attack targets picked in the first place? Not why did people protect them, which we’ve definitely discussed, but why did someone or something attack them? We’re a little hampered by the fact that as the color said, some of the attacks were “in house” (by other players) and some were from the demon. These two entities may not have the same motives for attack. > > Like, I can understand a Townie attacking Visorslash (oh boy can I understand it! ) since he’s been so antagonistic that he may have been viewed as a distraction. OTOH, a Mafia/Scum player could’ve attacked him just to hide under the radar; Visor’s made it easy to dislike him and Scum may have wanted to kill a Town Visor just because it would seem so understandably Townie to do so. Meanwhile, Phere may have tried to attack him for reasons unknown to us at this time. I don’t think there’s any reason to believe that any of the attacks save the one specifically attributed to Phere (on Toejam) came from Phere. > [@](#): > > I’m also curious about the use of a magical orb, btw. It might not be significant but Phere, this demon who seems massive with probably tons of hp and probably claws and teeth… not to mention his own damn army… why use some magical orb rather than a swipe of his claws? Like I said I don’t expect it to be him but rather a mage-type player, probably not a completely base level mage given the damage. I don’t know why anyone would decide to attack Inner (from a “vig” standpoint). Astral said he attacked glee. Red Skeezix is understandable despite the amount of damage being odd. Something to keep in mind going forward is the potential for scum to use attributable actions as a sort of alibi against not having been doing other (bad) stuff. For this first day I’d leave the exposed protectors out of this sort of paranoia (though not out of the protecting scumbuddy paranoia), though, since they wouldn’t have known it would happen. Astral on the other hand could fit that profile, since unlike any of the other attackers he was happy enough to claim what he did. It’s not an OMG SCUM thing, just a data point. > [@](#): > > Anyway that’s the sort of stuff I’m pondering this morning. As I mentioned earlier, the attack on Red Skeezix came from out of nowhere, but the explanation posited earlier that it might’ve been an attempt by either a player or our GM to force him to react may be accurate. I’m less convinced by the player argument, if only because of the weird number of hit points. As I said, so far all hit points except for Red were in multiples or divisibles (crap, what’s the math term?) of 25. So why 60? Might not be worth pursuing but whenever I see a discrepency in past behavior, my spidey-sense starts a-tingling. Not the GM as regards Skeezix; has to have been a player, and has to have been a damage modification of some kind. > [@Normal Phase](#): > > And what do you think about Septimus, choie? Or gadarene, for that matter? Gadarene has been defending himself vociferously without doing that much scumhunting, but in fairness to him, he’s been the focus of a near-lynch and obviously a lot of us are suspicious of the guy who was one of the receivers of what appears to be an attempt to save him, or Astral, or both. So I’d expect him to be on the defensive. Also, as much as I’d like to accept his kind words from last night calling me “incisive” and “townie,” it could have been snuggling. So I guess my read on him is.. I don’t know. It will be very interesting to see what, if anything, happens to him by Dawn. septimus… oy, are you really expecting me to give you my thoughts on him? He’s been noticeably quiet throughout the game, posting only 8 times, which IIRC seems unusual for him. (I could be misremembering; also, one of the reasons he might’ve been so active in our previous game was that he was targeted for lynching a few times, so he probably had to make defensive posts aplenty.) As I’ve said, nothing would give me greater pleasure than to lynch a scum septimus, purely for OOG and dumbass meta reasons that I really really am trying to curtail, but so far I’m not seeing anything that pings me either way. Dammit. What do you think, Normal Phase? [/quote] Dunno. I think the accusations made against him (septimus) are valid enough, but he’s right in the mushy middle of the suspect list. > [@](#): > > Visorslash risks being a distraction, but y’know, I felt exactly the same way about askthepizzaguy during De’endee, and it turned out he was Town, so there you go, so much for my instincts. Annoying-as-hell playstyle does not equal Scummitude. Doesn’t help Town, though, which is something I really really wish he’d consider. (Assuming he is Town, natch.) > > Finally (and there was much rejoicing!) there’s the notion that Gadarene was not the only person who benefited from the weird quadruple vote on Mosier or the extra silent vote on Gadarene. Second-place Astral could have been easily targeted by whoever-the-hell placed all those extra votes, but wasn’t. And maybe, just maybe, instead of looking at the supposedly saved (or injured) lynch leaders, we shoudl be looking at the people who voted for them. Was someone who voted for Mosier so convinced of his guilt–or the other candidates’ innocence–that they had to quadruple or triple his final score? I think it’s unlikely to be a regular player for several reasons, but not least because the power feels too strong for a regular townie. (Don’t forget the color – control of Lord Phere’s votes.) Also because no one has stepped forward to claim responsibility (if townie you’d expect it to be a one-shot type of thing) or just to come forth with whatever allfired-important reasoning there was to save Astral/Gadarene prior to their actually being lynched. This was last second, unknowable and underhanded (when it would not have to have been if town-oriented), hence inherently suspect. > [@](#): > > If one or more Scum folks knew that Gadarene and Astral were scum (either or both), then the same question applies. Meanwhile, were the voters on Gadarene and Astral trying to cover themselves by voting for fellow scum while planning to attack Mosier all along to save their buddy? A possibility. Some of the late votes were on the iffy side as far as expressed reasoning goes. I mentioned lilflower, but I think there were one or more such votes on Astral as well, maybe Mosier too (though they’d be suspicious for a different reason). > [@](#): > > And why the extra invisible votes, dammit? Why?!! They throw such a spanner into the works. True, that. Double votes aren’t uncommon where Pizza comes from, though, and I suspect that’s what both of those are. If so, they won’t stay anonymous for long. > [@](#): > > I guess my final analysis of those votes is the earth-shattering conclusion that either Astral or Gadarene is likely scum… or not. Yeah, really helpful, I know. … And basically I’m telling you everything you’ve probably already figured out. Seems crazy to attempt to advise someone as experienced as Normal Phase! But I guess my own motives are the ones being examined, less so the two folks (septimus and Gadarene) she asked about. (Or at least, equally.) Whew. That’s enough for me I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Normal\_Phase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Normal\_Phase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Normal_Phase)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/724 "2012-04-11T18:58:43Z")
Gah, what a mess. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![LightFoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LightFoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LightFoot)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/725 "2012-04-11T19:20:55Z")
I’ve been unable to log in to this site ( to post) since a bit after 10 am PST ( about 1 hour ago) I was booted just after post 719- I can read what’s written but not respond. It thanked me for logging in and when the page refreshed I was not logged in. I don’t know if it made a difference, but when I finally checked the box “ remember me” it let me stay logged in. ( incase anyone else is trapped out) ---
**Author:** ![LightFoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LightFoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LightFoot)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/726 "2012-04-11T19:22:34Z")
Something to think about… If/when we reach a point where we have to deal with our NPP\*’s we could just attack them alittle each Day until they run out of HP ( save the lynch ) OR maybe if you have an item that you don’t know what it does, you could use a NPP as a test subject \*NPP Non Participating Player To \*\* fubbles \*\* I asked a few questions about your ability and you have yet to respond to me or others. If anyone who has expressed interest in his services publically does so would they be so kind as to let the rest of us know if services were rendered as claimed? ---
**Author:** ![GuiriEnEspana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc79bd/32.png) [@GuiriEnEspana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuiriEnEspana)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/727 "2012-04-11T19:47:33Z")
> [@lightfoot](#): > > If/when we reach a point where we have to deal with our NPP\*’s we could just attack them alittle each Day until they run out of HP ( save the lynch ) Fortunately the mod has a plan for non-participants: > [@Askthepizzaguy](#): > > **If thou shalt miss three voting rounds without explanation to the game master, _even on nonconsecutive rounds_, thou shalt be removed from this life, and the next…** Or were you suggesting that Jon-participants would be a better target for any Town wannabe attackers? ---
**Author:** ![GuiriEnEspana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc79bd/32.png) [@GuiriEnEspana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuiriEnEspana)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/728 "2012-04-11T19:54:08Z")
> [@lightfoot](#): > > I’ve been unable to log in to this site ( to post) since a bit after 10 am PST ( about 1 hour ago) I was booted just after post 719- I can read what’s written but not respond. > It thanked me for logging in and when the page refreshed I was not logged in. I don’t know if it made a difference, but when I finally checked the box “ remember me” it let me stay logged in. ( incase anyone else is trapped out) Yeah, I think Normal and choie broke the board! Quoting seems wonky too. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/729 "2012-04-11T19:54:38Z")
> [@](#): > > I’ve been unable to log in to this site ( to post) since a bit after 10 am PST ( about 1 hour ago) I was booted just after post 719- I can read what’s written but not respond. > It thanked me for logging in and when the page refreshed I was not logged in. I don’t know if it made a difference, but when I finally checked the box “ remember me” it let me stay logged in. ( incase anyone else is trapped out) Me too. Weird stuff happening? Come to the zombie thread in ATMB! ---
**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 11, 2012, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/730 "2012-04-11T19:56:22Z")
Thanks for the help to get in LightFoot, I really thought it was my internet. I just wonder if what Pizzamod meant that you can still play if you are dead, even if you can’t talk, is when you die when you lose all your HP but maybe not if you are lynched? Just a Flaky Jan thought. I like the idea of trying things out on NPP’s, it might just get them to play. I am really having a hard time with Visor, it has been pointed out a few time that he is not being very helpful to Town and yet he continues in the same vein i.e. very abrasive, don’t you think that if he was scum he would try and be more of a snuggle bunny? I just don’t know! I think that the secret votes at EOD could be from more than one person, otherwise why the votes on 2 different people? ---
**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 11, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/731 "2012-04-11T19:58:03Z")
I hope my post makes sense, couldn’t preview or quote. ---
**Author:** ![LightFoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LightFoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LightFoot)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/732 "2012-04-11T20:08:17Z")
For clarity LPP’s would be more accurate. And I do think they would make lovely guinea pigs. If it doesn’t kill them they won’t mind………[grin] \*Quote feature broken for me too \* ---
**Author:** ![LightFoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LightFoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LightFoot)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/733 "2012-04-11T20:13:24Z")
Jan wrote > [@](#): > > I just wonder if what Pizzamod meant that you can still play if you are dead, even if you can’t talk, is when you die when you lose all your HP but maybe not if you are lynched? Just a Flaky Jan thought. I like the idea of trying things out on NPP’s, it might just get them to play. There may be powers that can heal HP’s And maybe some HP’s heal over time too. FWIW ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/734 "2012-04-11T20:43:17Z")
> [@LightFoot](#): > > I’ve been unable to log in to this site ( to post) since a bit after 10 am PST ( about 1 hour ago) I was booted just after post 719- I can read what’s written but not respond. > It thanked me for logging in and when the page refreshed I was not logged in. I don’t know if it made a difference, but when I finally checked the box “ remember me” it let me stay logged in. ( incase anyone else is trapped out) > [@Bumbershoot](#): > > Me too. Weird stuff happening? Come to the zombie thread in ATMB! Disregard that post, it looks like they fixed it. ---
**Author:** ![PetW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@PetW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PetW)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/735 "2012-04-11T21:00:27Z")
So, what does everyone think of my idea of using a focused group attack as a secondary lynching mechanism? My thinking is that more lynching equals more chances of catching scum, but the only person that weighed in on that idea is **Gadarene** (I think she’s against it…) ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/736 "2012-04-11T21:12:03Z")
> [@PetW](#): > > So, what does everyone think of my idea of using a focused group attack as a secondary lynching mechanism? My thinking is that more lynching equals more chances of catching scum, but the only person that weighed in on that idea is **Gadarene** (I think she’s against it…) I actually like the idea, if (a) we could coordinate it well enough; and (b) it doesn’t out which Townies have more powerful attacks (and which can’t attack at all). We might be able to do (a), but I’m much less confident about (b). I’m a guy, by the way. ---
**Author:** ![Askthepizzaguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askthepizzaguy/32/9405_2.png) [@Askthepizzaguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askthepizzaguy)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/737 "2012-04-11T21:32:08Z")
\*\*5:00 has passed. It will take some time to calculate results and update people on their status, and do the writeup. Your last chance to send in night actions will pass when I have written down everyone’s sent actions, and I will post an announcement to that effect.\*\* ---
**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 11, 2012, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/738 "2012-04-11T21:49:17Z")
ETA of dawn? ---
**Author:** ![Askthepizzaguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askthepizzaguy/32/9405_2.png) [@Askthepizzaguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askthepizzaguy)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2012, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/739 "2012-04-11T21:54:01Z")
Don’t wait up. This is more complicated than Day Actions, and I screwed those up. Must check everything twice. Day officially begins on Thursday at this time, but it will open as soon as I’m done here, which could be 1-2 hours, more with breaks. Everyone who has updates to their character also gets a fresh role PM, so um… this could take a while. ---
**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 11, 2012, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/740 "2012-04-11T21:59:11Z")
No worries! Take your time. I know how complicated this GM stuff is, and my game was way simpler. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480.md?page=36) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480.md?page=38)