Mafia V: The Cult of Sekham

[Autolycus]

I apologize for my delay. I do not intend on lurking. Between this games complexity, and how I plan on approaching my role-playing to this scenario, it has taken me a while to get started. My role-playing has annoyed people in the past, so I am trying to work out how I can have fun without being a detrimental aspect.

[zuma]

As I mentioned earlier, I’m more or less spending all my time at work this week in order to get a lot of things done before the weekend. My participation will be limited until the weekend.

Anyway, my thoughts through page 8:

@FlyingCowOfDoom

In general, I believe that it’s scummy to defend another player on the first day. Only the scum have information about roles, and it’s a known scum strategy to warm up to a townie by defending him/her. There’s not really any good reason for a townie to defend someone else this early in the game. NAF, J’accuse!

–FCOD

I can see this as a scum strategy, but I really disagree that it’s default scummy to do so. On my limited experience, I know I defended Blaster Master quite vigorously when everyone was ready to string him up on day 2 of M2 when I was pretty sure he was town, and I was as well. It wasn’t the first day, sure, but it wasn’t far removed. I was just a clueless townie in that game.

As an aside, I think I’m getting pretty good at identifying townies here and there, but horrible at picking out scum. I was pretty sure capy was town on day 1 of m3, and Idle when I tried to frame him, even though I had no knowlege of whether or not they were.

Pleonast: Your explanation of your vote/unvote based on mistaking Scuba and USC sounds reasonable enough.

[zuma]

Page 9-10

More discussion of the Oracle and how to find the apprentice. I too am starting to get a little tired of trying to set up plans about how the apprentice should announce himself. There is one Oracle and several scum… I think any feelers the apprentice sends out would be much more likely to be picked up by scum as by the Oracle.

@MHaye

I’m quite the fan of people talking. I even do it myself - sometimes when I’d be better keeping my mouth shut. Talk away.

The only thing I object to is the practice of saying " I vote player name to get him to do something." Whether that something be to talk, or to make a roleclaim, don’t vote me just to make me do it. If you’re going to put me forward for full-immersion baptism in Nairu’s holy water, give some reasons and I’ll try and answer them one way or another. Say something controversial or challenging and I’ll reply. maybe I’ll try and refute the statement, maybe I’ll ask questions.

I simply won’t respond to any form of pressure vote. Not in this game nor any other. I’m not stopping you from making pressure votes, or responding to them if you wish. I will not do so, is all.

Thanks for your response. I can kind of see your side in this, but I am still uncomfortable with the idea that you’d simply refuse to respond.

Sacherete is starting to attact attention due to his not letting go of the Oracle/Apprentice speculation, and it’s starting to bug. But I can’t imagine scum putting this much effort and attracting so much attention on day 1.

[zuma]

@Kyrie Eleison

@Hal Briston

So in a nutshell, the Apprentice needs to find an unobvious way to say “Yo, Oracle! Over here!” asap…

Certainly not! As nice as it would be were it possible, how smart is it to bet that one Oracle will notice this subtle message while a handful of cultists will overlook it? This suggestion is likely to get the Apprentice killed, and is easily the most suspicious thing I’ve seen so far. Vote Hal Briston.

Good catch. I think that may be the scummiest thing I’ve seen so far as well.

Two days in and I guess I’ll vote: Hal Briston as well for now.

[zuma]

Current unofficial vote count:

Clockwork Jackal (1) MadTheSwine
MadTheSwine (1) storeyteller0910
NAF1138 (1) FlyingCowOfDoom
sachertorte (2) SnakesCatLady, Pleonast
Hal Briston (2) Kyrie Eleison, zuma

7 votes total? I think in the next 24-48 hours it’d be a good thing to get some people to start voting. FOS is all well and good, but actual votes are taken more seriously.

[Malacandra]

I agree. The major problem I have is that my mathematical, game-theorist’s brain has trouble coping with the absence of information. Still, we have to start somewhere. So I’ll vote zuma, not because I especially think I have anything on him but because, in the event of his turning up scum, it can be taken as a minor point in my favour that I was willing to see him dunked. (Not a huge point, admittedly, since scum will cheerfully vote for each other, especially when there’s small risk of the vote actually resulting in a death. But like I say, we have to start somewhere.)

[zuma]

Good a reason as any, Mal. Day 1s suck in this game. I think there may be a reason they usually start at night. At least a few people have something to go on.

Current unofficial vote count:

Clockwork Jackal (1) MadTheSwine
MadTheSwine (1) storeyteller0910
NAF1138 (1) FlyingCowOfDoom
sachertorte (2) SnakesCatLady, Pleonast
Hal Briston (2) Kyrie Eleison, zuma
zuma (1) Malacandra

[Fretful_Porpentine]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hal Briston
So in a nutshell, the Apprentice needs to find an unobvious way to say “Yo, Oracle! Over here!” asap…
Certainly not! As nice as it would be were it possible, how smart is it to bet that one Oracle will notice this subtle message while a handful of cultists will overlook it? This suggestion is likely to get the Apprentice killed, and is easily the most suspicious thing I’ve seen so far. Vote Hal Briston.

I disagree – given that the Oracle knows who he or she is, nobody else knows who the Oracle is, and the Oracle can investigate people when the scum can’t, I can think of a few ways the Apprentice could make this work. The risks that do come into play come later, after either Oracle or Apprentice has been exposed, when people go back through their posts looking for signals – and there’s definitely a payoff for such a risk if the Apprentice gets a few Nights to take advantage of his or her improved powers.

[Zeriel]

See, now I’m torn. I still think NAF1138’s purportedly anti-lurker post was scummy as all get-out, since there were at least a few non-lurkers on it. Hal Briston’s post looks more and more scummy every time it’s quoted. And Kyrie Eleison is nudging my radar a little, not as much as Clockwork Jackal did prior, but still enough. Finally, Captain Klutz’s explanation for a good reason to mostly lurk just gives me a bad vibe.

For now, I think that adds up, with my previous suspicions about the particular way he went about his defense of Mad, to me deciding to
vote NAF1138

I also wish there was an easier way to get in-thread post counts, because it would make figuring out who the lurkers are significantly easier–I’m especially interested, given my suspicions, in any disjunct between NAF1138’s list of lurkers and the list of the bottom eight posters in the thread. I’ll work on that after work tonight.

[Zeriel]

Bah, dammit.
Clearly I meant to vote NAF1138.

[Queuing]

A few things:
I don’t hate the idea of everyone picking a name and yelling it out, allowing the Oracle to find the apprentice. From a risk/reward perspective I see a much greater reward then the previous oracle/apprentice discussion.

If I understand the rules correctly, once the Oracle investigates the Apprentice the apprentice gains a better percentage of being correct in their investigations, eventually becoming infallible as well. This would give us 2 powerful investigators, and could hasten the demise of the cult. As stated by others by day 5 or so there should be enough investigations by the Oracle to break the back of the cult. So wouldn’t better investigations by the Apprentice hasten this process along?

The downside, as I see it, is that if one is found so is the other. Unless this happens very quickly, say we dunk the apprentice today or tomorrow, or s/he is night killed in the first 2 nights the information gained would outweigh this risk. As well we do have a priest who can protect the oracle until the cult find the priest (or s/he is dunked). As well it would take some of the guessing game out of “when to reveal”.

Ok, so the cult might not agree to the plan. So? All it should take is a majority, or say 20 people to agree to the plan to make it moot. 20 names should make enough noise to make the risk worthwhile. I do realize this cuts the group size that the cults have to choose from to get an investigating role to 1/10 (2/20), however I still see a worthwhile reward.

@zuma

Pleonast: Your explanation of your vote/unvote based on mistaking Scuba and USC sounds reasonable enough.

I don’t agree with this completely. I still am not buying the actions of Pleonast, and if I was forced to vote he (along with NAF, Diggit Camara and Pasta) are on my shortlist.

Diggit for similiar reasons as Pleonast (which I have previously stated).

NAF partly because I don’t like this statement:

@NAF1138

I was calling out people who seem to be below the radar, not just people who haven’t posted. I had forgotten you were in the game when I looked at the player list. Same with Mal and zuma. I knew you guys were posting, but I couldn’t remember a single thing you had said.

Your inability to remember players statements should not be used as a reason to find them suspicious.

Pasta for saying “oh I have this brilliant idea but I won’t post it now. You will have to wait”. Huh? You have a brilliant idea then post it. Don’t attempt to make us think “oh look at this smart person with a great idea, we better leave him/her alone”

On preview: Zuriel, you can click on the number of posts in the main forum page. This will bring up a list of everyone who has posted, and the number of times they have posted

[zuma]

Current unofficial vote count:

Clockwork Jackal (1) MadTheSwine
MadTheSwine (1) storeyteller0910
NAF1138 (2) FlyingCowOfDoom, zerial
sachertorte (2) SnakesCatLady, Pleonast
Hal Briston (2) Kyrie Eleison, zuma

Fretful, any clues the apprentice gives are far more likely to be picked up by many scum vs. a single oracle.
zuma (1) Malacandra

[zuma]

I hate screwing up my formatting.

Current unofficial vote count:

Clockwork Jackal (1) MadTheSwine
MadTheSwine (1) storeyteller0910
NAF1138 (2) FlyingCowOfDoom, zerial
sachertorte (2) SnakesCatLady, Pleonast
Hal Briston (2) Kyrie Eleison, zuma
zuma (1) Malacandra

[FlyingCowOfDoom]

@Queuing

The downside, as I see it, is that if one is found so is the other.

I’m confused. Why is this true?

–FCOD

[ArizonaTeach]

@Zeriel

Finally, Captain Klutz’s explanation for a good reason to mostly lurk just gives me a bad vibe.

He did what in the who now?

@Captain Klutz

Yes, I haven’t posted much yet, mainly because I haven’t got much useful to contribute. The minimum contribution we can expect from everyone is a vote together with justification - anyone who fails to vote, or who gives unconvincing reasons, is worthy of a strong FOS.

I don’t see anything in his other posts, either. Ok. Vote Zeriel.

[USCDiver]

@Zeriel

For now, I think that adds up, with my previous suspicions about the particular way he went about his defense of Mad, to me deciding to
vote NAF1138

I also wish there was an easier way to get in-thread post counts, because it would make figuring out who the lurkers are significantly easier–I’m especially interested, given my suspicions, in any disjunct between NAF1138’s list of lurkers and the list of the bottom eight posters in the thread. I’ll work on that after work tonight.

[out of character]
Since I’ve already had my remediation earlier in the thread…
votes are in Blue
unvotes are in Red
FOS in DarkOrange

Also, isn’t there a way to get a post count in-thread by clicking some button on the blue tool bar at the top of the thread? I think it was mentioned in a previous Mafia Thread.
[/ooc]

[Hockey_Monkey]

@Zeriel

<snipped>
I also wish there was an easier way to get in-thread post counts, because it would make figuring out who the lurkers are significantly easier–I’m especially interested, given my suspicions, in any disjunct between NAF1138’s list of lurkers and the list of the bottom eight posters in the thread. I’ll work on that after work tonight.

Go out to the main MPSIMS page, find the Cult thread and over on the right where it has the total number of posts…click on that.

Blaster Master 66
sachertorte 51
HazelNutCoffee 35
NAF1138 35
Hal Briston 34
DiggitCamara 29
FlyingCowOfDoom 27
Idle Thoughts 19
Queuing 18
Mtgman 18
ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies 17
Zeriel 17
Scuba_Ben 16
storyteller0910 16
Pleonast 16
Pasta 13
SnakesCatLady 12
zuma 12
MadTheSwine 12
USCDiver 11
Fretful Porpentine 10
Hockey Monkey 10
ArizonaTeach 8
MonkeyMensch 8
MHaye 7
Clockwork Jackal 7
fluiddruid 6
Malacandra 5
Autolycus 5
Captain Klutz 5
Captain Carrot 2
Projammer 2
Dragoness 2
Kyrie Eleison 2
capybara 1
Millit the Frail 1
panamajack 1

[USCDiver]

Thanks, Hockey Monkey… and I see the voting color was already addressed

[Blaster_Master]

@zuma

Good a reason as any, Mal. Day 1s suck in this game. I think there may be a reason they usually start at night. At least a few people have something to go on.

Current unofficial vote count:

Clockwork Jackal (1) MadTheSwine
MadTheSwine (1) storeyteller0910
NAF1138 (1) FlyingCowOfDoom
sachertorte (2) SnakesCatLady, Pleonast
Hal Briston (2) Kyrie Eleison, zuma
zuma (1) Malacandra

This matches my list, so I won’t bother to post my updated one yet.

[Fretful_Porpentine]

@FlyingCowOfDoom

I’m confused. Why is this true?

–FCOD

Well, if it’s the Oracle who’s caught, you look for the person or people who shouted out the Oracle’s name, and you’ve found the Apprentice (or two or three strong candidates, at the very least). If the Apprentice is caught, the name he or she shouted out is the name of the Oracle.

I’m inclined to think that the Apprentice can almost certainly find a subtler way to identify himself or herself to the Oracle under the cover of normal game chatter, so I’m not totally on board with this plan – but will go along with it if there’s general agreement that this is what we should do.