Preface
This is a “mini” Mafia/Werewolf game, with few players and short turn-around. New players are welcome! The rules are mostly open (see below) and simple enough for beginners to enjoy playing. There is also a twist which will make this game interesting for experienced players as well.
Introduction
The Space Ship Insipid has been on a long, uneventful mission. Some blame the Captain, others the Headquarters, but it has been too long and too uneventful. The crew is restless. Most simply complain under their breath or make snarky remarks to the officers. But others have taken a more sinister approach to relieve boredom: mutiny!
Yes, a few to several malcontents have started eliminating other crew-members. While there are official procedures to handle the situation, even the loyal crew has become slightly crazed. Assumed mutineers will be spaced; that is, forced to take a long space-walk with short oxygen tank.
Game Rules
The game is divided into Days and Nights. Game Days last three real-life days, game Nights last one real-life day. Only weekdays are considered for this; weekends do not count. All Days and Nights will end/begin at noon Pacific Time (3pm ET). The game will begin with Day One, which will be extra long.
Crew-members must restrict game communications to the game thread, unless otherwise permitted by their role. Post editing is prohibited in the game thread. “Strategy” posts are only permitted during the Day; please restrict your Night posts to “fluff” or humor (however, I will not strictly enforce this no-Night-strategy rule). There are no post restrictions otherwise; you are free to quote PMs on any forums your role permits.
There will be no substitutions. There is no enforcement of crew-member participation. Crew-members are encouraged to use their own means to enforce play styles and participation levels as they see fit.
This rules set is mostly open. There may be some secret roles, possibly with powers that affect the officers’ powers. All crew-members are either loyal crew or mutineers, and no one will change sides. All rules questions must be directed to the moderator via PM.
This game requires at least 10 crew-members and no more than 15. The game should last less than two months.
Each crew-member may vote to space one or more crew-members. A vote stands until the voter removes it or is detained in the Brig (see below), or either crew-member is killed. The crew-member who has the most votes and has at least a strict majority is spaced at the end of each Day. Any ties are resolved by the vote of the highest ranked crew-member who has voted.
Player deaths are announced at the end of each Day and Night. Their role and side will be revealed at that time.
Roles
Every crew-member has a rank. The top-five ranked living crew-members are officers, with special abilities. Crew-members advance to fill missing offices. Crew-members in the Brig cannot be officers, but will regain their former position if released. If there are fewer than five crew-members available to be officers, the Head of Engineering and Ship’s Doctor positions will not be filled. If there are only two crew-members available, the Executive Officer will also take on the Chief of Security’s authority. If there is only one, the Captain will be vested with the power of both the Executive Officer and Chief of Security. If somehow all living crew-members are in the Brig, the ship’s fail-safe protocols will automatically release all prisoners.
Most crew-members are loyal. Their role PM is:You are a loyal crew-member. You win when all mutineers are dead.
Other crew members are mutineers. Their role PM is:You are a mutinous crew-member. Your comrades are (…). You win when, at any time, the number of mutineers not in the Brig is greater than or equal to the number of loyal crew-members not in the Brig. You may secretly talk at the forum below any time, where you may choose one of your own (not in the Brig) to kill any one crew-member each Night.
There may also be some special roles. These crew-members will be either loyal or mutinous.
Officers
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Captain
Each Day you may issue the order to arrest any one crew-member. Also, each Day you may cancel any one arrest order. It is up to the Chief of Security to actually detain the crew-member. These actions are public. Place your orders in bold green in the game thread like this,
arrest/release Pleonast
Once issued, these orders may not be rescinded. They take effect immediately. -
Executive Officer
Each Day you may promote or demote any one crew-member (except yourself or the Captain) one position. This is a public action. Place your order in bold green in the game thread like this,
promote/demote Pleonast
Once issued, this order may not be rescinded. It takes effect at the end of the Day, after the spacing. -
Chief of Security
Each Day you may detain any one crew-member who has a standing arrest order. Detained crew-members are placed in the Brig. Also, each Day you may release any one crew-member from the Brig who no longer has a standing arrest order. It is up to the Captain to issue and cancel arrest orders. These actions are public. Place your orders in bold green in the game thread like this,
arrest/release Pleonast
Once issued, these orders may not be rescinded. They take effect immediately. -
Head of Engineering
Each Night you may jury-rig the ship’s sensors to monitor any one crew-member. The sensors are not designed well for this and will only detect proximity to other crew-members. You will receive a single list at the end of the Night of all players who your target interacted with or who interacted with your target. This is a secret action. Send a PM to the moderator with your order. -
Ship’s Doctor
Each Day you may order any one crew-member to the medical bay for a complete psycho-physical exam. After your analysis, at the end the Day, you will learn whether or not that crew-member is loyal or mutinous. This is a public action, although the result is private. Place your order in bold green in the game thread like this,
examine Pleonast
Once issued, this order may not be rescinded.
The Brig
Crew-members detained in the Brig may still participate in discussion, but may not vote to space crew-members, are relieved of any officer position (but still retain their rank), and cannot take any actions at Night (including mutinous murder). They are still vulnerable to being spaced by the crew or murdered by the mutineers.