Visions of the Animus [not game thread]

Visions of the Animus
A Beskar-Secura Large Mafia Game

https://img52.imageshack.us/img52/56...nceskyline.png
Firenze, Italia - c.1502

Nightfall; eternal betrayer of the innocent, companion of the malevolent.

The bitter, black expanse had enveloped the city of Florence unusually early that day, yet the streets were still bustling with activity long after the Santa Maria Novella's bells had subsided; nobles, priests and captains walked side-by-side with thieves, smugglers and footpads, their status within the city by day meaning nothing under the veil of night.

Upon the Ponte Vecchio, a slender figure stopped and leaned upon the cold stone wall, staring down into the Arno's waters; moonlight shimmered on the surface of the river, casting an almost ethereal glow upon the two reflections that gazed upon it.

"Il fiume... it is beautiful tonight, no?" the newcomer whispered, his eyes surveying the figure beneath vermilion-shaded spectacles; his right-hand had been clenching tightly upon a drafting compass hidden up his sleeve for some time, and he was maintaining considerable willpower in order to refrain from showing his hand too early.

"Si, magnifico" came the reply; a female, her voice soft and effeminate yet tinged with an air of severity and intense concentration. The gentleman furrowed his brow as he looked her over once more, as it became increasingly clear to him that this was not the woman he was looking for; he promptly slid his compass into one of his many coat pockets, nodded politely and slid into a passing group of citizens.

The woman smiled slyly as she watched the engineer vanish from sight; once she was certain he had disappeared, she left the bridge and ducked into a nearby alleyway without drawing the attention of anyone nearby. She then proceeded to tug at her flowing brunette locks, pulling the hairpiece away to reveal a shortened, sandy-blonde bob; she tousled her hair, partly to try and retain some semblance of her usual style and partly due to the fact that the hairpiece was incredibly irritable.

Her attire followed soon after, with the fuchsia-hued silk of her elegant gown easily torn away to reveal tanned leather trousers and the form-fitting pearl-white blouse of her courtesan guise; she slid a royal blue-and-burgundy jacket over this, fastened it and proceeded to slip out of the alley and walked boldly into the Piazza della Signoria.

A large crowd had gathered at the foot of the Palazzo della Signoria, which cast an imposing figure over the market stalls scattered across the square, whereby even the podium for public executions seemed to cower beneath it's gaze. The crowd was turning around periodically as if they were in Il Colosseo watching sparring gladiators; the thief noticed that they were observing a hunched figure that had taken to the rooftops, scrambling from building to building with a sense of unknown urgency that eluded his audience below.

Intense and maniacal laughter suddenly echoed around the square, seemingly issued by the palace itself; the crowd looked up to the parapets, where they could see a sinister silhouette cast against the moonlight, with notable horn-like protrusions curved downwards from the head and arms and legs aloft, seemingly fixed into a strange and contorted pose.

"Il diavolo!"

"Spirito maligno!"

The thief remained statuesque as the crowd scattered into the night, her gaze fixed upon the silhouette as it leaped from the Palazzo della Signoria, seemingly gliding down to the smaller buildings below, somersaulting and landing deftly upon a tiled rooftop; with continued cackling, the 'demon' chased his prey.

The fleeing nobleman struggled to keep the pace against the more athletic acrobat and his movements became more frantic as the laughter drew closer; in a moment of sheer desperation, he threw himself from the rooftops, landing in what could only be described as a conveniently-placed mound of hay. However, before he even had time to brush the straw from his expensive robes, there was a blur of blue and green and the cackling 'demon' was upon him.

The two assassins fought with one another, with the prosthetic arm of the noble clattering against the sleek stiletto blades of the harlequin; while his attacker had the advantage in athleticism, the nobleman had physical strength and adrenaline in his favour, and it eventually showed as the harlequin was thrown to the ground with brute force. In mere seconds, the noble had grabbed his assailant by the neck with his prosthetic appendage, a trio of claw-like blades puncturing the harlequin's throat and killing him instantly.

The crowd emerged from the darkness once more, simply milling around at first but slowly gathering around the fallen arlecchino and the exhausted nobleman; the thief pushed her way through the massing numbers, certain that she had found her own target and eager to seal his fate while he was recovering, particularly given his physical strength in comparison to her own.

Upon the ground, the noble snapped back to reality, aware that this was no time to revel in his victory as there would always be more assassins; still feeling weak from his ordeal, he stumbled to his feet and began to stagger through the crowd in search of the nearest darkened corner, anywhere away from prying eyes.

Behind him, the thief's fingers clasped tightly around the looped handle of her own weapon; a single half of a pair of scissors, the blades separated in a pact long broken with a person long dead. In a single fluid movement, she flipped the blade around so that her fingers had a delicate hold of the sharpened edges, before throwing the scissor blade through the crowd and into the hunched back of the hobbling nobleman.

The crowd descended into panic once more, with plenty of pushing and shoving as everyone tried to flee the scene of two murders; the nimble thief found herself being pushed this way and that, her own chances of escaping in a low-profile manner seemingly slim as the nearest exit from the Piazza della Signoria was obstructed by the city guard.

The thief could hear increasingly heavy breathing behind her; struggling to turn back around in the crowd, her gaze eventually fixed upon a bone-white, avian-like mask with large blackened eyes... she failed to see the raised syringe until it was too late, the needle slamming into her neck, it's toxic contents seeping into her bloodstream and ending her life within seconds.

-Simulation Concluded-
Do try better next time, Subject #93!


Signups 40/40:
a completely inoffensive name
Andres
ArpeggiateTHIS
Askthepizzaguy
autolycus
Beefy187
Believer
ByzantineKnight
Captain Blackadder
Chaotix
Chimpyang
Choxorn
classical_hero
Csargo
Death is yonder
Diamondeye
Double A
ELITECubKingWarman88
gibsonsg91921
God Emperor
Husar
Ignoramus
Insanious
Ironside
johnhughthom
Kagemusha
Nightbringer
pevergreen
Renata
robbiecon
Romanic
Sasaki Kojiro
Seon
Sigurd
Skooma Addict
TheFlax
Thefluffyone93
TinCow
Yaropolk
Zack

Me! In!

Edit: Ahh, I'm already in. I hadn't read the OP, wanted to join quick to be the first in. :grin:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Romanic

Me! In!

Edit: Ahh, I'm already in. I hadn't read the OP, wanted to join quick to be the first in. :grin:

---

Anyone who posted in the previous thread has "GAH Priority", so they're automatically down as "in" unless they pop up here/privately and specify that they don't wanna play anymore.

You should read the OP... took me alot of time to write that and I'm always looking for feedback; there will be another story-based post once we get some more signups too. :3

Incredible, I can't miss out on the collaboration of two such Mafia Masters!

acknowledging continued desire to play.

IN again.. again...

Will be adding some comments to your writeups when I have the time Secura :)

I'm in

I'm in also.

:yes:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Secura

Anyone who posted in the previous thread has "GAH Priority", so they're automatically down as "in" unless they pop up here/privately and specify that they don't wanna play anymore.

You should read the OP... took me alot of time to write that and I'm always looking for feedback; there will be another story-based post once we get some more signups too. :3

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I read your writeup and it's great. :)

My first reaction was "Oh a new game with signups, I'm in! meep meep!", without reading any of the OP. :laugh4: But I did read it, afterwards.

Subscribing, and confirming.

Requiescat in pace

Confirming my registration. :bow:

Confirmed!

In!

Requiescatin in pace

Jeez, that write up was awesome.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Double A

Jeez, that write up was awesome.

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Glad you liked it! I tried to capture the essence of AC:B's multiplayer without making the whole thing seem too gamey; there's the disguise perk, haystacks, specific characters and their weapons and so on. :>

There will be another, slightly shorter writeup once we reach about thirty-five signups or so, just to ease into the game proper.

In...

:juggle2:

Confirming :curtain:

I'd love to be in but I understand if you deny me. This would be my second (0,5th game? First is on-going) game and you guys seem to do the best.

WIFOM summary; I want in, please allow me? <3

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Believer

I'd love to be in but I understand if you deny me. This would be my second (0,5th game? First is on-going) game and you guys seem to do the best.

WIFOM summary; I want in, please allow me? <3

---

This guy is playing in my game, hes playing well, and hes checked out enough org games to know how we play.

Oh, very well then. I'm never keen on playing two games at once, but I feel like I need to make an exception for this one.

I must stand humble before this collection of great players.

Therefore I will add what I forgot earlier. That if my times of play is not prefered I understand completely, from what I see most of the players are US-based and some even from east-asia time. I can play from (varying alittle bit of course) 08:00-01:00 GMT+1. I really hope this won't be a problem but I would feel dishonest not to tell you about it.

We thank you for the flattery. As long as you're ok the disadvantages of making most of your posts on non-peak times, we'll be fine with you. I'd also like to take this opportunity to invite you to be a reserve in my game, which just started. Link's in my signature, so you can skim the thread and shoot me a PM if you're interested.

Confirming. Can't think of a suitably snarky comment at the moment, so I'll get back to you on that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Believer

I must stand humble before this collection of great players.

Therefore I will add what I forgot earlier. That if my times of play is not prefered I understand completely, from what I see most of the players are US-based and some even from east-asia time. I can play from (varying alittle bit of course) 08:00-01:00 GMT+1. I really hope this won't be a problem but I would feel dishonest not to tell you about it.

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From your times I take it you are based in the UK? The hosts are UK based as are a number of players, so it wouldn't be a disadvantage at all.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by johnhughthom

Confirming. Can't think of a suitably snarky comment at the moment, so I'll get back to you on that.



From your times I take it you are based in the UK? The hosts are UK based as are a number of players, so it wouldn't be a disadvantage at all.

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I wish I was living in the UK! As you can see from my writing style I very much appreciate British english, poorly executed as it may be. The UK is GMT +-0. My country lies in the CET-zone (Central European Time). As for which country, I will keep you guessing for alittle while longer. :')

Firstly, welcome to the Gameroom, Believer! :>

I guess it's best to start off and say that myself and Beskar would never turn down any players for any game that either of us hosted; I would have liked to make this a huge game to be honest (60+ signups, ideally), because there's so much potential in what Beskar and I have come up with that a mere month doesn't feel like enough time... so we'll not be turning anyone anyway.

To address your concern regarding timezones, both myself and Beskar are in England so there shouldn't be too many problems synchronising (Assassin's Creed reference!) with the course of the game; besides, it seems like you'll be able to check the forum for the vast majority of the day, so your activity is unlikely to be a problem.

In all, I'm really glad that you chose this to be your first game at the Org, hopefully you'll have a blast and stick around some more (at least for Seamus' eagerly-awaited Capo IV, you don't wanna miss that); we could always use more players here, particularly those as eager and articulate as yourself :3

Thanks a bunch!

Wow, you make it sound so awesome! I really am looking forward to this.. Hope I can live up to your expectations, whatever my role!

Well, the curse of being long-time sick and unemployed is an abundance of time one can not pleasurably spend alone. This should surely satisfy my need for some extra drama!

I'm not very well spoken, but watching too much Midsomer Murders and Downton Abbey (strongly suggest this one!) has made me privy to some of the wonders that is British english. :')
Seeing as I'm somewhat new, is there an estimate time for this to start? (Currently I am F5-ing it every 20-minutes or so)

The only 'expectation' I have is that players have fun and enjoy the game; if they don't, then we're not doing our job right!

We're likely to start the game within twenty-four hours of reaching forty signups, so it's really down to however long that takes; I'm not keen on going forward with any less than forty, but it's ultimately Beskar's call... I'm just the narrator. :P

Seeing as how I will most likely die within 24 hours from now I think your timing is impeccable!


Editing (cardinal sin, I know. Game hasn't started though!)

Die in my other game that is, don't worry about my health!

Welcome Believer :bow:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Believer

Seeing as how I will most likely die within 24 hours from now I think your timing is impeccable!

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Nah, that is going to be Pizza. :tongue:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by God Emperor

Welcome Believer :bow:

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Thank you kind sir.
I love going to exotic planets and getting hammered!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Beskar

Nah, that is going to be Pizza. :tongue:

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He already is! ;)


Alive: 13/30
deconduo
SiNiquity
JBright
gryffindor
Believer
Coagulation
Insanious
thefluffyone93
Beefy187
chaoser
GMarshal
ilovejonn
aidnai


Lynched: 4/30
zerroth (Strike for the South)
Misder (Csargo)
GGQ (a completely inoffensive name)
Mr. Wiggles (Seamus Fermanagh)


Killed: 6/30
bumatlarge (TheSpartan)
Ace (TinCow)
kitaman27 (pevergreen)
Node (Askthepizzaguy)
BrownBear (Gregoshi)
why (Andres)

Suicided out of despair: 1/30
LunarDestiny (Louis VI the Fat)

Wrath of God: 6/30
me_viet (Omanes)
ELITECubWarman8 (Centurion1)
SouthRawrea (Glenn)
Johnhughthom (Sigurd)
Project Psycho (Kommodus)
darmousseh (atheotes)

(This is the ongoing game over at Teamliquid.net that pevergreen is brilliantly hosting)

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L5aU9SvCAp...oooo+vader.JPG

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO-

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

OOOOOOOOOOO-

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

ODE. :clown:

This looks like fun.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by johnhughthom

Confirming. Can't think of a suitably snarky comment at the moment, so I'll get back to you on that.

---

Will it help if I spam some?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Believer

Seeing as how I will most likely die within 24 hours from now I think your timing is impeccable!


Editing (cardinal sin, I know. Game hasn't started though!)

Die in my other game that is, don't worry about my health!

---

Editing is permitted here, except for posts with votes in them.

And welcome :)

Lets try this one as well. In.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Romanic

Editing is permitted here, except for posts with votes in them.

And welcome :)

---

and even that is usually allowed, as long as the vote is not being altered that way

I may or may not be able to play this game due to RL issues, please take me off the players ist. Thank you.

An Assassin's Creed Mafia Game?
How could I miss this?
In please.
And welcome Believer, even though we already met in Pever's game.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Thefluffyone93

And welcome Believer, even though we already met in Pever's game.

---

I am not above cross-game modkilling you.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pevergreen

I am not above cross-game modkilling you.

---

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Believer

(This is the ongoing game over at Teamliquid.net that pevergreen is brilliantly hosting)

---

Believer did good? Master pleased?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by pevergreen

I am not above cross-game modkilling you.

---

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKss...eature=related

7 More people!

That's right, a game of a lifetime, featuring never seen before mechanics is at your doorstep. Invite your friends, drag your lovers, and prepare yourselves!! *wiggles fingers*

*cough*

Anyway, there is a lot of work invested in this and I would recommend signing up for you to experience it. :yes:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Beskar

Anyway, there is a lot of work invested in this and I would recommend signing up for you to experience it. :yes:

---

That sounds like I will regret signing up and feel like the game mechanics ruined all the fun for me but hey, I'm dumb, so count me in. :juggle2:

Innage.

I'll join up, as long as I am allowed. *looks at pever with puppy dog eyes*

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Insanious

I'll join up, as long as I am allowed. *looks at pever with puppy dog eyes*

---

Of course you are! :laugh4:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Beskar

That's right, a game of a lifetime, featuring never seen before mechanics is at your doorstep. Invite your friends, drag your lovers, and prepare yourselves!! *wiggles fingers*

---

((Cheesy Italian Accent)): Ex-cuse me, but a-did not think you had the mo-ney.

I'm here, of course. If I can't be an assassino, Cesare Borgia is fine as well. Someone has to be the incestious, patricidal, magnificent bastard, after all.

In. I see I was already on the list, aha!

Im in! Blame Husar!:help:

In.

okay, I'm IN

In! If there is still space that is...

Confirming I'm still in.

yeah i'm in

Quote:

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Signups 40/40:

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:applause:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Beskar

a game of a lifetime, featuring never seen before mechanics

---

:applause:

When? When?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Romanic

When? When?

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Patience!

I've got to get cracking on the rest of the writeups and we've got to go over the role PMs one last time since Beskar's had a cluttered work schedule this last fortnight or so. Not too long to wait, though. :>

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Secura

Patience!

I've got to get cracking on the rest of the writeups and we've got to go over the role PMs one last time since Beskar's had a cluttered work schedule this last fortnight or so. Not too long to wait, though. :>

---

While we're waiting, could one of you post some... rules? :curtain: [© Beefy187]

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zack

While we're waiting, could one of you post some... rules? :curtain: [© Beefy187]

---

Beskar will post our game thread around 00:00 GMT on Thursday, which'll have all the rules in; he handles all that stuff, I'm just your humble narrator. :>

Speaking of which, I'm just putting together the finishing touches for the short writeup I promised earlier, that'll be up tomorrow for some further light reading.

I was just working on an AC mafia game.....

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Link

I was just working on an AC mafia game.....

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There's no reason why you still can't host it! I'd certainly play. :3

It's actually an amazing setting for a mafia game, I'm surprised this hasn't shown up on the org till now.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Secura

There's no reason why you still can't host it! I'd certainly play. :3

---

I wish I could play in this one.

As an FYI, I will be out of town for work from Saturday, February 26th through Sunday, March 6th. I will still have internet access during that time, but I will be significantly more busy and my participation rate will be lower than normal for mafia games. I do expect to be active enough to lodge votes though. Apologies in advance.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TinCow

Please, lynch me.

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~:confused:

Link, I'll put you down as a reserve. :>

TinCow, don't worry about it; long as you pop up to vote, you'll be fine. :P

Game will be starting Friday rather than Thursday.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Secura

Link, I'll put you down as a reserve. :>

TinCow, don't worry about it; long as you pop up to vote, you'll be fine. :P

Game will be starting Friday rather than Thursday.

---

Sounds good. :balloon2::balloon2:

Yeah, me and Secura are merging our notes on the Friday and gives us a good opportunity to ensure we are both on the same page. From the sounds of things, we are already but there is a lot of behinds the scenes work that went on.

I look forward to the beginning of this :happy2:

The game thread will be up Friday afternoon, GMT-time... can't give a definite time unfortunately, but it's simply so that we can get everything right to kick off the game in the best way possible.

I'm looking forward to it. :P

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zack

While we're waiting, could one of you post some... rules? :curtain: [© Beefy187]

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Our cult is getting larger and larger :curtain:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Beefy187

Our cult is getting larger and larger :curtain:

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And they think that there are games without recruitment? That this is not just one big game, and that we are slowly eating away at the formerly so solid fundament of the Gameroom townies?

Mweeeheehee :curtain:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Beefy187

Our cult is getting larger and larger :curtain:

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlqkSC-mEaM

Hey I love Mameshiba commercials :D

Kawaii!

Role PMs will be sent out over the next few hours, we're just having a few teething problems with resizing images and the like; you'll have a few hours to get used to your role before we roll out the game thread, which will be at midnight, GMT.

:bow:

Uh oh!! :clown: