# Screamers Mafia

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screamers-mafia/510938>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [September 21, 2009, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screamers-mafia/510938 "2009-09-21T13:16:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 69

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**Author:** ![Stanislaus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stanislaus/32/3391_2.png) [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screamers-mafia/510938/1361 "2009-10-13T15:42:25Z")

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What are scum trying to do right now? In no particular order:

1. Avoid attention
2. Find power roles
3. Protect scum-buddies
4. Get town lynched
5. Build town-cred

This is the framework that we should be using to find scum. For example, Jimmy focused mainly on 5) above, with I would argue some 4) in his stirring of the pede brouhaha.

With that in mind, I’m going to  
**vote Thing Fish**

Reasons: There has been a fair amount of pro-town strategy type discussion - e.g. advising OAOW not to full-claim, and thinking about which side the leader powers favour. However, we’ve all got some sheep’s clothing. What I don’t like is:

The following pair of quotes re. the peeker/DB wagons early in Day One.

> [@Thing\_Fish](#):
>
> I have never seen a game where the voting was this extremely bandwagony. Of the last nine votes cast, the first four were for **peeker** and then the next five were all for **Drain Bead.** I have no idea what this means, but I think it may mean something; the most obvious possibility would be some sort of organized effort to save **peeker.**
> 
> Anyway, for now I will **vote peeker** both to break up that weird juju and because I thought his persistent picking on **Tom** seemed unjustified (pretty much the same reasons everyone else has voted for him for, in other words). **However, I think the case against Drain Bead also seems reasonable, so I’ll want to go back over that and possibly reconsider.**

Here we have both the belief that the DB votes are a scum-led distraction from peeker followed immediately by the claim that the case behind those votes is reasonable. And the suggestion that he might reconsider his vote for peeker.

> [@Thing\_Fish](#):
>
> **unvote peeker**. No reason not to give him the benefit of the doubt for now, though I’m still very suspicious. **Further review has strengthened my initial impression that the Drain Bead wagon was bogus** and possibly scum-motivated, and now comes **peeker** with a claim that is not only non-verifiable but conveniently packaged with a disclaimer that he is only **a** Doctor in order to forestall counterclaims; power role PMs don’t usually come with notes about how many other people have the same roles. Unless something happens to confirm him, I will definitely be looking at **peekytoe** again come midgame.
> 
> More to come…

Now we have an unvote of peeker with maintained suspicion (shades of Jimmy!) but more importantly we’re re-writing history: his initial impression of the DB case was that it was reasonable, not bogus. Editing your posting history is a very suspect maneouvre.

Then there’s this, in response to AllWalker’s comment that lynching a Doc on Day One wouldn’t necessarily be a complete disaster (NB - just that comment, no vote for peeker).

> [@Thing\_Fish](#):
>
> OK, although I’ve expressed grave doubts about **peeker’s** claim, I absolutely think we should categorically rule out lynching a claimed Doc on Day One! There are other scum we can be hunting for while waiting to see if more information on peeker manifests itself. Even if we do have backup Docs, as **AllWalker** points out in his next paragraph, we can’t afford to waste any because the Scum surely have extra powers to compensate.
> 
> This, combined with his “accidentally” misremembering the expressed opinions of Town in order to give us a long Day One, which, as I said, I think just gives us more time to shoot ourselves in the foot, has me starting to feel suspicious of AllWalker.

The problems with this are:

1. He’s using an argument AllWalker himself made as reason to throw suspicion on AllWalker
2. He’s exaggerating AllWalker’s position on lynching peeker
3. He’s seen CIAS’s suspicions of AllWalker and throws them into the mix although (as AllWalker later shows) they’re not well-founded. Evidently no effort made to check CIAS - so why trust him?

Clearly, it’s an attempt to make AW look suspicious - but it’s based on very weak sauce.

Finally we have this, which outlines the arguments for his current vote:

> [@Thing\_Fish](#):
>
> I also think the case against **BillMC** is adequate by usual Day One standards, and I wouldn’t be sorry to see him swing. But I still think that **Boozy** is a better candidate, and I encourage everyone to look at him again.
> 
> First, for the weird switch over a two minute period from [voting for Tom](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11612859&postcount=507) to[casting a “me too” vote based on Tom’s argument]]([http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11612859&postcount=507](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=11612859&postcount=507)).
> 
> Then he has persisted in voting for a claimed Doc.
> 
> And now this weird unforced soft role-claim, which I honestly don’t know what the hell to think of…I can’t think of any motivation at all to do this, much less a pro-Town motivation.
> 
> So, ladies and gentlemen of the lynch mob, I urge you to cast your vote for Boozahol Squid, PI. He might even thank you…

1. Encourages BillMC vote but doesn’t commit to one himself
2. Despite his oft-repeated doubts about peeker, apparently anyone who takes those doubts to heart enough to vote on them is clearly scummy.
3. Boozy’s lightning-quick change of votes was weird, but it always bugs me when people use things like this as a reason to vote. What’s the scum motivation for Boozy to make that shift? TF is challenged on this point later and claims that it looks like Boozy’s trying to find the easiest person to get lynched. But there were lots of easier people to get lynched - if that was Boozy’s motivation, there was no need for him to do something so attention-grabbing.  
So in summary, Thing Fish gets my vote because he tries to have things both ways, pushes bandwagons without voting on them, borrows unfounded accusations without checking them and tries to make obvious weirdness into scumminess without clear reasoning.

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**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screamers-mafia/510938/1362 "2009-10-13T16:00:13Z")

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Vote Count:

Gryff(1):

Boozoahol(2): AlkaSelzter, Thing Fish

Daphne(4): DrainBead, Gryff, Oneandonly, Chronos

Catinasuit(1): Tom Scud

Freudian Slit(3): ScubaBen, Guiri, AllWalker

Normalphase(1): Daphne

Thing Fish(1): amrussell

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**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screamers-mafia/510938/1363 "2009-10-13T16:17:40Z")

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> [@Normal\_Phase](#):
>
> Kinda tangential to the main discussion going on, but **Drain Bead** , why do you keep bringing up the idea of Scum killing you, or pushing your lynch? Scum has no motive I can think of to want you dead, if you are Town.

My thinking was that if **Daphne** pops up Scum, I become a lot closer to confirmed Town, which will make me a very likely target to be killed. If **Daphne** comes up Town, _everyone_ will want me dead. 😉

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**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screamers-mafia/510938/1364 "2009-10-13T17:05:15Z")

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I’ve been thinking this over, and I’m also going to claim.

Looks like some of you forgot to file your tax returns.

I am the **Government Tax Collector**. I specialise in ‘special extractions’ and ‘tense withdrawals’.

Essentially, mine is a weak investigative role. I have the following information in my role PM:

There are 4 caches of Bernyium, 3 owned by town aligned players, and 1 by scum. The town roles are the **Lead Miner** (jpei), **General Store Owner** (very probably Gryff), and one **other**. The scum with the bernyium is the **Head Screamer**. (Interestingly, my role PM says Lead Miner, not Head Miner).

It should be obvious now why I was so supportive of jpei’s claim, and why I want Boozahol to make a proper claim. Last night, I collected Boozahol’s bernyium. Boozahol is either the third town berynium holder, or the Head Screamer, and I can confirm which he is.

**@Town** – You need to get some votes on Boozahol right now to prevent him from starting the countdown until this is resolved.

**@Boozahol** – I need to see a name claim from you please. If you give me the right name, you are confirmed town. If you fail to provide one or get it wrong, you are the Head Screamer and we will lynch you.

To prove I know who the final townie with bernyium is, their role title is either 2 or 3 words, at least one of which begins with M (and they are not a miner). That should be enough to give that player confidence I know what their role is, without giving scum much of a chance of fabricating it. If Boozahol does give me the wrong name, that player should not counter-claim him, I’m already outed and will reveal the actual role title.

If Boozahol is the Head Screamer, I’ll be very suspicious of the players who were so keen to confirm him.

I think this is the best I can do with my role. There is a decent chance of exposing the Head Screamer (who could be a GodFather), but if not I’ve confirmed a townie.

Tonight, I shall attempt to collect bernyium from Gryff, in an attempt to confirm him. I think he is lying about his ‘fruitless attempt to hoard bernyium’, my information is that the General Store Owner should have a cache.

Finally, there is a further pro-town aspect to my role, also weak, but it would not be pro-town to reveal what it is at this point.

**Mods: Please can you PM the other inactive players. I think that’s USCDiver and Oredigger.**

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**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screamers-mafia/510938/1365 "2009-10-13T17:08:07Z")

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**unvote Daphne**  
**vote Boozy**

This may change pending Boozy’s response, obviously.

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**Author:** ![GuiriEnEspana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc79bd/32.png) [@GuiriEnEspana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuiriEnEspana)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screamers-mafia/510938/1366 "2009-10-13T17:11:20Z")

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Agreed, will wait for confirmation.

**Unvote**  
**Vote Booze**

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**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screamers-mafia/510938/1367 "2009-10-13T17:31:54Z")

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Very interesting role. I eagerly await **Boozy’s** reply.

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**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screamers-mafia/510938/1368 "2009-10-13T17:32:56Z")

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I’m the \*\*Megacorp Regional Manger \*\*

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**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screamers-mafia/510938/1369 "2009-10-13T17:33:35Z")

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And I guess I will  
**unvote Cat**  
**vote Boozy**

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**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screamers-mafia/510938/1370 "2009-10-13T17:35:56Z")

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Crossed post obviously.

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**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screamers-mafia/510938/1371 "2009-10-13T17:40:06Z")

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**Unvote Boozy.**

Not the result I was hoping for, but I can confirm that Boozy is town.

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**Author:** ![Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d9b06d/32.png) [@Boozahol\_Squid\_P.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boozahol_Squid_P.I)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screamers-mafia/510938/1372 "2009-10-13T17:39:22Z")

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By the way, even if I was Head Screamer, do you really think I’d start the clock with my impending lynch?

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**Author:** ![GuiriEnEspana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc79bd/32.png) [@GuiriEnEspana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuiriEnEspana)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screamers-mafia/510938/1373 "2009-10-13T17:42:13Z")

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So, 2 questions…

Is \*\*Boozy[/B’s title correct?

Is a Goverment Tax Collector a Town or Scum role? “Stealing” isn’t exactly nice, right? And what’s **Alka** ’s reward for collecting the shiny stuff?

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**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screamers-mafia/510938/1374 "2009-10-13T17:47:06Z")

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**unvote boozy**  
**vote Cat**

Still eagerly waiting to hear from **FS**.

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**Author:** ![GuiriEnEspana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc79bd/32.png) [@GuiriEnEspana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuiriEnEspana)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screamers-mafia/510938/1375 "2009-10-13T17:56:53Z")

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Simulpost…  
**Unvote**

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![GuiriEnEspana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc79bd/32.png) [@GuiriEnEspana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuiriEnEspana)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screamers-mafia/510938/1376 "2009-10-13T17:59:03Z")

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WIFOM moment… Could Alka and Boozy have set this up?

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**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screamers-mafia/510938/1377 "2009-10-13T18:04:08Z")

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State of play, since damn it’s been a confusing day (swiped and modified from Cat’s post at day’s start)

Alive:  
Tom Scud  
tiltawhirl  
Normal Phase  
Freudian Slit  
Boozahol Squid, PI  
Chronos  
USCDiver  
peekercpa  
Allwalker  
ColdPhoenix Scuba\_Ben  
Drain Bead  
amrussell  
Daphne  
Gryph  
One and Only  
Thing Fish  
Alka Seltzer  
Oredigger77  
Nanook GuirienEspana  
CatInASuit

Dead:  
BillMC - Vanilla Town  
Jimmy Chitwood - Model 5 (Screamer Investigator).  
TexCat - Prostitute (Town Recruiting Mason)  
jpei - Head Miner (Town Governor)

Claims:  
OaOW - ineligible non-vanilla town  
peekercpa - Doctor  
Drain Bead - Vanilla  
Gryff - General Store Owner - Alka semi-confirms

Daphne - Bartender (Town roleblocker/limited investigator)  
AlkaSeltzer - Government Tax Collector (limited investigator with interest in berynium)  
Boozahol Squid, P.I. - Megacorp Regional Manager - Alka confirms

??? - Head Screamer (has berynium)

Factual claims:  
**Boozahol** attempted a Night 1 action which did not have the effect he expected  
**Boozahol** had his berynium stolen; **Alka** claims he took it  
**Gryff** gave an item to **Boozahol** (confirmed by Boozy)  
**Daphne** blocked/investigated **Freudian Slit** (not yet confirmed)  
**peeker** was blocked

Day 1 Leader: AllWalker -\> jpei (Town Power)  
Day 2 Leader: Boozahol Squid, P.I.

Day 1 Final Vote

jpei (1): Freudian Slit  
peekercpa(3): Gryph, Boozahol Squid, PI, Cold Phoenix  
Drain Bead (2): USCDriver, CatInASuit  
Bill MC(8): Jimmy Chitwood, Drain Bead, tiltawhirl, Alka Seltzer, Daphne Black, Allwalker, Texcat, jpei (Leader)  
Boozahol Squid, PI(3): Bill MC, Thing Fish, Chronos  
CatInASuit (2): amrussell, Tom Scud  
Cold Phoenix (2): Oredigger, Guiri  
Tom Scud(1): Peeker  
Chronos(1): Normal Phase

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screamers-mafia/510938/1378 "2009-10-13T18:05:39Z")

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NETA: I suppose I should add a

??? - Scum Roleblocker

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screamers-mafia/510938/1379 "2009-10-13T18:12:06Z")

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Incidentally, I’m not sure that we can consider **Boozy** 100% confirmed: if **Alka Seltzer** was given the other players’ titles in his role PM, why couldn’t the Head Screamer?

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**Author:** ![Gryff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/919ad9/32.png) [@Gryff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gryff)\
**Post date:** [October 13, 2009, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/screamers-mafia/510938/1380 "2009-10-13T18:20:19Z")

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> [@Alka\_Seltzer](#):
>
> Tonight, I shall attempt to collect bernyium from Gryff, in an attempt to confirm him. I think he is lying about his ‘fruitless attempt to hoard bernyium’, my information is that the General Store Owner should have a cache.

Huh, I was trying to hide my bernyium stash as I had assumed the thief was third party or anti-town, but I pretty much thought it was a lost cause with my role name. However I will be surprised if you are the only person looking for bernystuff. I doubt it is all there just to enable a weak investigative role.

Though if there are only four people with it then it is probably worth double checking the reactions to jpei’s claim in regards to the stuff. Anyone else who acted as if they knew about it must be the scumster.

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