# \[Mafia game\] 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:** 9
**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 6, 2012, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/161 "2012-04-06T21:07:59Z")
> [@ToeJam](#): > > So Demon. What use are you to us? \*\*\*“I can exterminate this infestation of small, useless creatures who speak in un-worshipful tones toward their new and unmerciful God, ridding them of the burden of their short, pointless lives.” * * * > [@](#): > > Will you be voting today? * * * “If it pleases me.” * * * > [@](#): > > Be you Mortal in this Realm? * * * “Take your best shot, rodent.” * * * > [@](#): > > Does Doth have any thing of use to contribute? * * * "My power is beyond your comprehension, and my intelligence is far too vast to be fully utilized by beings of such limited scope. Annihilation is the destiny of all who cower before me, for none of you are worthy of being the Master of my power. You are tiny blobs of squishy goo, and the only justification for your existence is the small, satisfying pop your bodies make when I crush you within my grip. That is your sole purpose of being. I shall pop you all for my amusement, and watch your heads fly off and the goo ooze out. Squishy, squishy, squishy! And I shall step on your little heads as well, to see if they make a delightful crunching sound. Perhaps this is your inept way of asking for my assistance. The trifling matters of your insect lives are no concern of mine. Although I am easily capable of making all your darkest wishes come true, your imagination is too limited to make full use of my talents. Then you would still have to contend with my endless desire to pop your fragile little bodies, and would be unable to stop me from painting the landscape with your gooey innards. If you value your disgusting lives, bring before me anyone who would try to bind me with their feeble chains and who would pretend to be my Master, and I will drag them back to Hell with me." [SIZE=1][COLOR=Black] -IC-\*\*[/COLOR][/SIZE]\* ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/162 "2012-04-06T21:22:34Z")
[quote=“Askthepizzaguy, post:161, topic:617480”] If you value your disgusting lives, bring before me anyone who would try to bind me with their feeble chains and who would pretend to be my Master, and I will drag them back to Hell with me." [SIZE=1] Hey [COLOR=“Red”]Demon Lord- Do you have a Name? Or do I just call you \*\*Mr. Hughley[b/]? 😃 **Mr. Hughley** , What does Bemusement mean? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/163 "2012-04-06T21:26:10Z")
> [@choie](#): > > NETA: I admit I’m also looking askance at **ToeJam** for not knowing what ‘bemusement’ means. So you don’t believe in Love at first sight? 😃 Or am I just so nice that you had to look Twice, my possibly-fair unknown-Gender Good sir/Madam. 😛 That said, I certainly admit, I don’t know a lot of things. But are you sure you’re not the one bemused right now? ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/164 "2012-04-06T21:29:05Z")
> [@Askthepizzaguy](#): > > _ **Annihilation is the destiny of all who cower before me, for none of you are worthy of being the Master of my power. You are tiny blobs of squishy goo, and the only justification for your existence is the small, satisfying pop your bodies make when I crush you within my grip. That is your sole purpose of being. I shall pop you all for my amusement, and watch your heads fly off and the goo ooze out. Squishy, squishy, squishy! And I shall step on your little heads as well, to see if they make a delightful crunching sound.** _ Aw, somebody’s cranky. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/165 "2012-04-06T21:35:00Z")
> [@ToeJam](#): > > So you don’t believe in Love at first sight? 😃 > Or am I just so nice that you had to look Twice, my possibly-fair unknown-Gender Good sir/Madam. 😛 > > That said, I certainly admit, I don’t know a lot of things. But are you sure you’re not the one bemused right now? I’m almost completely certain there are things that bemuse me. (89% of the rules of this game, for example!) I’m female, fair in the sense of ‘justice-minded’ as well as beauty, but not of complexion. If thou wouldst talk pretty words to me, **ToeJam** , feel free – but I’m not certain it’s a good idea to play the courtier and his would-be queen d’amour when there’s a hulking great monster breathing down our necks. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/166 "2012-04-06T21:59:33Z")
> [@choie](#): > > If thou wouldst talk pretty words to me, **ToeJam** , feel free – but I’m not certain it’s a good idea to play the courtier and his would-be queen d’amour when there’s a hulking great monster breathing down our necks. Trifles, m’lady, Trifles. That said, if my words doth annoy thee, a hundred apologies. But if the Town as a whole feels my words are bemusing them all rather than amusing them, simply speak up and we can return back to more a more practical tonguing. But if currently yours is the only desire for my change of tonguing, then I’m afraid The lady doth protest too much, methinks 😉 A pleasure to meet you though dear fair-minded **Choie**. We shall have need of such minds in these troubling times. : curtsies : ---
**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 6, 2012, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/167 "2012-04-06T22:09:16Z")
> [@ToeJam](#): > > Hey Demon Lord- Do you have a Name? Or do I just call you Mr. Hughley? \*\*\* "In order to properly pronounce it, I would have to rip out your tongue **and** \*\* crush your gonads. \*\*\*\*\*\*Until then, ‘Foot fungus’ should address me as \*_ **Lord Phere."** _ _**[SIZE=1][COLOR=Black] -IC-**[/COLOR][/SIZE]_ ---
**Author:** ![Visorslash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ee59a6/32.png) [@Visorslash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Visorslash)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/168 "2012-04-06T22:09:44Z")
So I have my own ragtag band of followers now, eh? Regardless, I don’t see how OMGUS is a jerk move, nor how it is so extremely scummy. Scum can only vote for themselves or innocents, generally. So, when someone votes you, they have as much chance to be scum as anyone on Day 1. So OMGUS is perfectly fine in my eyes. I understand the culture here is different, but I’m not going to play to a different standard because that’s not how I play. Lynch me for it if you want, I suppose. ---
**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 6, 2012, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/169 "2012-04-06T23:22:58Z")
> [@Visorslash](#): > > So, when someone votes you, they have as much chance to be scum as anyone on Day 1. So OMGUS is perfectly fine in my eyes. This makes a surprising amount of sense to me. I’ve never looked at OMGUS votes like that before. > [@Gadarene](#): > > Townies are generally more relaxed and free-flowing in how they post; scum are generally more self-conscious about how what they’re saying sounds, especially when it’s their first post in the thread or their first post for the Day. I’m fine with your reasoning, but I have several questions. 1. Do you believe that my set-up for the gouda joke is indicative of being **more** self-conscious? 2. Do you believe a town player or a scum player is more likely to make a fluffy first post? 3. You initially said “I agree” with Guiri’s post. Guiri says his vote is at least partially based on his expectations of me as a player in past games. Do you share that reasoning as well? 4. Of your 8 posts, 100% of them have to do with me in some way. 0% of them mention anything about anyone else. How do you reconcile this post–––– > [@Gadarene](#): > > In any event, all Day One reads are necessarily based on the most limited amount of information, so my confidence level is not strong beyond thinking that Astral is more likely than rand to be scum. –––– with the fact that you haven’t done any other scum hunting? If I’m just “more likely than rand to be scum,” why aren’t you looking elsewhere? Presumably the game wouldn’t end with my death if I was scum. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Also, **unvote Choie.** It was based on the slightest whiff of scumminess, a feeling which has since abated. ---
**Author:** ![Visorslash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ee59a6/32.png) [@Visorslash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Visorslash)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/170 "2012-04-06T23:29:22Z")
So how do you guys view OMGUS votes then? ---
**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 6, 2012, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/171 "2012-04-06T23:31:35Z")
Generally they’re considered a sign of flailing and lack of perspective. ---
**Author:** ![MHaye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bbe5ce/32.png) [@MHaye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MHaye)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/172 "2012-04-07T00:19:29Z")
> [@Visorslash](#): > > So how do you guys view OMGUS votes then? When the community was just beginning to develop some experience, OMGUS votes were viewed with suspicion as an easy reason for Mafiates to place votes without stretching. I don’t believe extended gameplay backs up that hypothesis, but I don’t feel like collecting vote data. Nowadays I consider it an unjustified vote supported by a bad idea; but bad ideas are not a ground for lynch, so I note it and move on. ---
**Author:** ![LightFoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LightFoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LightFoot)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/173 "2012-04-07T01:25:38Z")
> [@Visorslash](#): > > So how do you guys view OMGUS votes then? my thought process… When I am Town anyone who votes me is being anti-Town. \* 'specially if it reads as a week premise - or a ‘me too’\* An OMGUS ( OMGYS) vote can be a knee jerk reaction. If it leads to a case being made on the player it will carry more weight than a vote and disappear post. Although some days I think I should change my name to MzInterpreted. Take it as you wish ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/174 "2012-04-07T02:02:35Z")
> [@LightFoot](#): > > my thought process… When I am Town anyone who votes me is being anti-Town. \* 'specially if it reads as a week premise - or a ‘me too’\* No offense, but that’s just terrible logic. If there’s one thing i remember from my days of long ago… it’s _never a good idea to play with Absolutes. EVER._ 😛 Mafia is a game of perspectives, rather than assuming all who vote for you are scum- look for their motivations- WHY are they voting for me? Does it make sense? Does it seem opportunistic. If they were Town and did not know my role, would this make sense vs. if they were scum and did not know my role (or assumed I was Town) would they make this play? You have to look at both sides of the issue and try to think about it rather than just jumping to the idea that All who vote for you are automatically scum- the odds are that a Townie will vote for you at some point, and that you will vote for a Townie at some point as well- Unless you’re that type of player that never as mislynched. Just some words of caution, fair maiden, less you wish not to be a pawn by more intelligent scum who have nosy ears in future games. ---
**Author:** ![LightFoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@LightFoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LightFoot)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/175 "2012-04-07T02:17:11Z")
> [@ToeJam](#): > > No offense, but that’s just terrible logic. If there’s one thing i remember from my days of long ago… it’s _never a good idea to play with Absolutes. EVER._ 😛 > > Mafia is a game of perspectives, rather than assuming all who vote for you are scum- look for their motivations- WHY are they voting for me? Does it make sense? Does it seem opportunistic. If they were Town and did not know my role, would this make sense vs. if they were scum and did not know my role (or assumed I was Town) would they make this play? > > You have to look at both sides of the issue and try to think about it rather than just jumping to the idea that All who vote for you are automatically scum- the odds are that a Townie will vote for you at some point, and that you will vote for a Townie at some point as well- Unless you’re that type of player that never as mislynched. > > Just some words of caution, fair maiden, less you wish not to be a pawn by more intelligent scum who have nosy ears in future games. Hence the last line of me statement. I do realize that Town would/could/will vote me- hades they don’t know I’m on their side.they don’t know they are being anti-Town of course But I suppose part of my point was an OMGUS vote is a null tell in most cases ( atleast to me) unless it looks like a poke and hope and the player does not add meat to the sandwich ( does that help?) ---
**Author:** ![gnarlycharlie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5f9b8f/32.png) [@gnarlycharlie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnarlycharlie)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/176 "2012-04-07T03:18:40Z")
i don’t agree with the reasons for voting **Visorslash**. one can argue that his play is anti-town. but is it scummy? certainly, as **Toejam** said there are no absolutes. while it is certainly possible that a player like **Visorslash** can be scum being overtly anti-town, in the games i’ve played in and read, such occurrences are rare. that, coupled with that he is new to this board, would make such strategy very risky. why do we give someone like **peeker** a pass? he makes a lot of noise and can be very distracting. perhaps **Visorslash** likes to stir the pot to see reactions. voting and lynching **Visorslash** until he conforms will only make this game his first and last. > [@Silver\_Jan](#): > > The reason I haven’t removed my vote from **Visorslash** is that he OMGUSed **Weedy** , that bugged me a lot. are OMGUS votes scummy? or are they just silly? you’ve done that more than others. > [@ToeJam](#): > > Do you feel that he is SCUMMY for OMGUSing **Sir Weeds** , or a Jerk for OMGUSing **Weedy**? > > Because while the two may seem the same, it’s not quite the same. agreed. > [@Visorslash](#): > > So I have my own ragtag band of followers now, eh? > > Regardless, I don’t see how OMGUS is a jerk move, nor how it is so extremely scummy. Scum can only vote for themselves or innocents, generally. So, when someone votes you, they have as much chance to be scum as anyone on Day 1. So OMGUS is perfectly fine in my eyes. I understand the culture here is different, but I’m not going to play to a different standard because that’s not how I play. Lynch me for it if you want, I suppose. i actually think OMGUS votes have value. it’s generally frowned upon here so i am careful when i do so. technically one can argue that my OMGUS votes are not OMGUS because i add arguments to such votes. * * * i think there might be scum in the **Visorslash** bandwagon. so i’ll **Vote Silver Jan** for voting **Visorslash** for OMGUSing when she has been the reigning queen of OMGUS. ---
**Author:** ![gnarlycharlie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5f9b8f/32.png) [@gnarlycharlie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnarlycharlie)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/177 "2012-04-07T03:24:19Z")
for everyone’s convenience i am posting everyone’s gender, at least those ones i’ve played with before. corrections and additions welcome. 1. Mahaloth - male 2. Drain Bead - female 3. Suburban Plankton - male 4. Mosier - ? 5. Scathach - female 6. Fubbleskag - male 7. Weedy (aka Evene) - female 8. Gadarene - male 9. PetW - ? 10. Astral Rejection - male 11. gnarlycharlie - male 12. NAF1138 - male 13. septimus - male 14. GuiriEnEspana - male 15. Inner Stickler - male 16. Lightfoot - female 17. Silver Jan - female 18. choie - female 19. BobArrgh - male 20. Tanaer - ? 21. Red Skeezix - male 22. Normal Phase - female 23. MHaye - male 24. RealityTrip - ? 25. Lilflower - ? (i’m guessing female :D) 26. glee - ? 27. Visorslash - male 28. storyteller0910 - male 29. ToeJam - male 30. Askthepizzaguy - undefined (this one escapes me :p) ---
**Author:** ![gnarlycharlie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/5f9b8f/32.png) [@gnarlycharlie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnarlycharlie)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/178 "2012-04-07T03:26:09Z")
for those who wish to talk to me, you can reach me through: Windows Live - [gnarlscharlie@live.com](mailto:gnarlscharlie@live.com) Yahoo - [gnarlscharlie@ymail.com](mailto:gnarlscharlie@ymail.com) AIM - gnarlscharlie in that order of preference. ---
**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, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/179 "2012-04-07T03:32:00Z")
Here is my take on what has transpired so far. I think **Guiri’s** vote for **Astral Rejection** was a little over-the-top. I thought it was clear **Astral** was trying to work in the cheese pun. Hardly enough to vote for, but then, it is Day 1 and the ball has to start somewhere. **Gadarene** looks very suspicious for a weak-sauce, “Me too” vote. Gadarene’s first attempt at answering **Astral’s** question (#87) was not much of an answer. His second answer in #113 starts out by saying, “Your tone sounded forced,” which seems to be an attempt to add meat to the weak sauce. **Silver Jan’s** vote for **Visorslash** (#95) because Visorslash voted for “Renata” instead of “Normal Phase” strikes me as pretty weak, as well. **Visorslash** appears to have gotten off to a pretty interesting start by stepping on as many toes as possible. His posturing doesn’t seem to be so much scummy as it is annoying. At least he had the moral integrity to call his OMGUS vote on **Weedy** what it was. @ **Glee** : What part of the UK are you in? A friend of mine was in London and he says he caught some sort of bug from drinking WATER! Can you believe it?! I thought the UK was far more civilized than for travelers to be worried about finding drinkable water. I told him he should have stuck to beer and ale. In any case, I am a little confused as to why you posted information about your role and possessions so soon. Were you angling for a mass claim on Day 1? ---
**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, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480/180 "2012-04-07T03:38:11Z")
[OOG] I think it is highly amusing that someone named “Gadarene” is in a game that has a “Demon Lord” in it. If anyone is unfamiliar with the reference, please see Mark 5 in the Bible. [/OOG] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mafia-game-the-realm-of-phere/617480.md?page=10)