The Scourge of Ephesus [Concluded]

[ULC]

Oh, GH, such a wonderful monologue (that I didn't bother to read). I can't say whether or not that is OOC of you, but to assume I am a risktaker is something else all together - I am serendipitously gifted in my unknowing ability to be calculating, doing things that set a series of events into motion I do not foresee but play in my favor. That's not taking a risk, that's just being blind. Be truthful next time

Chaotix, may I ask why you just suddenly jumped on me? You concur with SK, but in defiance of him suggesting I am innocent, you instead vote for me? Why, pray tell, so interested in living? I really don't care whether I live or die, it's the thrill of the game that keeps me playing - what keeps you playing?

Hmmmm...I am sorry, but I will vote:abstain, until I can hear further from TC on the current matter. The more I can see different sides of the argument, the more inclined I will be to actually vote - and please, actually argue the facts, not with each other.

[Reenk Roink]

All right, time to play my trump card. I've been holding on to this one for a long time.

I've been playing Mafia for over two and a half years now on the .Org. In that time, I've played a lot of games, and had a lot of roles, with a lot of different overall outcomes. I've been mafia-killed, serial-killed, vig-killed, killed then brought back by host error, first killed, final killed, lynched as mafioso, survived as mafioso, survived as townie.

But, in all my time on the .Org, I have never been lynched as a pro-town player in a Large game. Ever.

Oh sure, I've come close more times than I can count. But I've always clawed through it, escaping the lynch and then either falling off the radar or killed. The hammer has never come down upon me.

I realized this little bit of trivia quite a while ago, probably sometime in 2007. I realized that, for whatever reason, I always escaped the noose as a townie or an aligned role. I figured that sometime down the line I'd bring this up when the chips were down and the votes on me were piling up, and hopefully people would realize the significance of me finally divulging this secret and unvoting me. God knows I've been tempted over the years - Midgard (I think both of them), Chicago Soiree, heck, even Capo II, but I always ended up keeping my cards to my chest.

Well, no longer. The votes on me are in. The chips are down. And I'm playing my hand.

Guys, I know the evidence against me looks bad. Every time somebody points out something else in the Andres writeups that seems to point to my guilt I cringe. Every time somebody asks me a question that I desperately wish I could answer but I can't, I cringe. I realize that there have been a steady drumbeat of posts calling for my lynch for almost a week, game-time, now, a drumbeat that has recently picked up into a crescendo. Heaven knows if the roles were reversed, I'd be screaming for my head too.

I don't have a defense to many of your accusations. I truly wish I did, but I don't. And I do realize how truly scummy I must look to you. But, I say to you here and now, that I am pro-town.

I know this may go against every single instinct in your body, every single unbreakable truth this game has ever taught you, but you guys need to trust me. I am on your side.

If any of you guys haven't totally lost your souls to the complete loss of belief in the goodness of mankind that this game provides, you need to trust me. If any of you guys have ever experienced in your lives the feeling when every single person around you has laughed at you and mocked you for being wrong about something, but you knew in your heart of hearts that you were right, you need to trust me. If any of you guys have ever enjoyed playing with me or in one of my games even one measly iota... you need to trust me on this. I am innocent. I am pro-town. I am nothing more than I have ever claimed to be. I know nothing more than I ever claimed to know. I swear this to be true.

If the game ends and it turns out I'm lying, feel free to ostracize me. Never believe me about anything again. Ban me from your games. Heck, Andres, ban me from the entire Gameroom. But you won't have to do that. Because I am telling the truth.

I am on your side. I am probably about to be lynched. And I firmly believe that my lynching will result in the loss of the entire game for the town. And I really want to win this one.

I have just divulged my deepest Gameroom secret for the sake of a town victory in this game. You guys just need to trust me on this.

[ULC]

Thats how I felt too Reenkmiester, but I want to hear from TC first.

[seireikhaan]

Oh, GH, such a wonderful monologue (that I didn't bother to read). I can't say whether or not that is OOC of you, but to assume I am a risktaker is something else all together - I am serendipitously gifted in my unknowing ability to be calculating, doing things that set a series of events into motion I do not foresee but play in my favor. That's not taking a risk, that's just being blind. Be truthful next time

Chaotix, may I ask why you just suddenly jumped on me? You concur with SK, but in defiance of him suggesting I am innocent, you instead vote for me? Why, pray tell, so interested in living? I really don't care whether I live or die, it's the thrill of the game that keeps me playing - what keeps you playing?

Hmmmm...I am sorry, but I will vote:abstain, until I can hear further from TC on the current matter. The more I can see different sides of the argument, the more inclined I will be to actually vote - and please, actually argue the facts, not with each other.

So wait... you want people to argue facts but not with each other, yet you don't read the posts...?

[ULC]

So wait... you want people to argue facts but not with each other, yet you don't read the posts...?

I read everything but GH's monologue, which I skimmed. And yes, argue the facts, as in the evidence and theories, do not argue against the person directing it - their is a difference. All to often I see a person's questions avoided and the person themselves attacked, which really doesn't seem to produce anything IMHO.

[seireikhaan]

I read everything but GH's monologue, which I skimmed. And yes, argue the facts, as in the evidence and theories, do not argue against the person directing it - their is a difference. All to often I see a person's questions avoided and the person themselves attacked, which really doesn't seem to produce anything IMHO.

So please tell me. You declared you wouldn't defend yourself. How on earth could we argue any point to get you lynched if you refuse to argue the points we make against you?

[ULC]

So please tell me. You declared you wouldn't defend yourself. How on earth could we argue any point to get you lynched if you refuse to argue the points we make against you?

I am sorry, I am running on minimum right now, and my sleep deprivation may be seriously impairing my judgment.

Why would you argue with me? Obviously, I won't respond to it, so thus you would argue amongst yourselves as to my guilt? Is not really up to everyone else, if I wish to step out, to decide my fate? I am removing myself as a variable, that is all, and removing myself does not remove the argument for or against me.

That is how I see it currently.

[Reenk Roink]

I guess this must be said though:

By coming this far GH has ensured himself an incredible performance, no matter what he is and no matter what the outcome. I'd say it is the best player performance this year so far already.

If he is Mafia then it's simply amazing that he was able to reveal a fake pro town role and then stay alive. It's been what, 8 rounds now, and it may come up to 11+. Kudos for choosing to reveal as a non detective for plausibility of why you were not killed, the PM's were well faked, and though some may point to the townies not lynching, it takes a Mafia of great strategy and tactics to gauge the town and it's behavior and push their buttons to lead them to what you want them to do. If you win, well and good, if you lose, it's still one of the finest performances ever (winning and losing matter little much in my judgments, it's how you play the game).

If he is really pro-town then you have done the thing that I think about the most when playing Mafia. It is the situation which intrigues me most about this game. Striking the balance between not appearing too innocent (so as to be Mafia kill bait) or too guilty (so as to be lynched). While to me, you crossed the line into too guilty, obviously I am completely insignificant and your audience of the current town and current Mafia you have got in your palms.

So I must say this Mr. Hurricane

[boudica]

You know, S'khaan, your summary got me to thinking again. Both of them jangled me, but of the two it was Chaotix I've been drifting back to in my thoughts.

Vote: Chaotix27


I believe that the entire game hinges on GH. His role is a unique power focus. I am reasonably sure he is NOT mafia -- but I have many jitters about whether or not he is pro-town, or in it for his own supernatural reasons.

@Chaotix - I have been just as active on this thread as I have in Chicago - ie. equally poor contributions in both.

@Khaan - I have to agree that your assesment of me as a bit green is accurate enough. I think there have been so many options for twists in this game that most of the detailed analysis has taken a leap of imaginary faith at some point.

The only thing I feel fairly sure of is GH's innocence. That has nothing to do with his 'trump' pulling, and everything to do with his behaviour throughout the game. (I may not have contributed much, but at least I've actually read everything YLC ;)

Not having much of a clue what to do, I was going to vote YLC until Chaotix27 made his last few 'mistakes' following Seireikhaans' analysis. You can read it as bandwagonning if you like, but hopefully history will justify it as a good lynch vote:

vote: Chaotix27

[Jolt]

How wierd is it that GH continually continues to survive despite evidence which he cannot disprove (And which is shrugged by the town).

[Ibn-Khaldun]

Since I don't have time to read everything I must Vote: Abstain

I hope that whoever is killed (Chaotix or GH) it will end with this lynch.

[TinCow]

Hmmmm...I am sorry, but I will vote:abstain, until I can hear further from TC on the current matter. The more I can see different sides of the argument, the more inclined I will be to actually vote - and please, actually argue the facts, not with each other.

Oh, hells. My head (and the majority of the evidence) says GH is guilty, but after that post of his my heart says he's innocent. This is a situation in which I'm truly glad I can't vote. If I absolutely had to choose, I would let him off the hook. If he's innocent and we lynch him after a monologue like that, I would actually feel bad. If he's guilty and wins because of that, most people will never trust him in a mafia game ever again. Between those two choices, I'd prefer for it to be him that suffers rather than me, even if it costs the town the game.

One thing we do know is that even if GH is scum in some fashion, there's at least one more mafioso out there, likely two. He's not the only target. Thus, my advice: find another person to lynch and get it right.

GH: Do me a favor, and don't make a post like that again in any game I'm part of. If you're telling the truth, you're generating a 'foolproof' method of determining your innocence in any game, and that's just not fair.

[Chaotix]

Ah, so now it's me that gets bandwagoned, eh?

I'm voting for YLC because I have chosen to trust GH for this round, and there is at least some evidence against his case. If I were to change my vote, I could not put it on anyone else but GH. If I let him get off another round scot-free, there's no telling how many more lynches he'll avoid. Either he makes the right decision here, or he is responsible for the lynch of another townie, and permanently scum in my mind.

[glyphz]

FoS: Chaotix27, Ibn-Khaldun, Lord Winter

One mafia is always active since day 1. Chaotix27, Ibn-Khaldun, and Lord Winter are the only 3 GH has not blocked.

N1: Killed - Ares
GH blocked: Sigurd and QJC
Lynched: TC
Analysis: Both died N5 when there were 2 kills N6. Mafia intentionally killed one then, IMO.


N2: 2 diggers
GH: TSzat and RR
L: TSzat

N3: WE:D and TheFlax
GH: Seamus and shlin28
L: FH

N4: 2 diggers
GH: Atpg and boudica
L: Jolt
Analysis: The last time they do so. What was the point of it?


N5: QJC and a failed attempt
GH: Sigurd and boudica
L: Sigurd


N6: shlin28 (cigarette) and woad&fang (cigar)
GH: Beefy and YLC
L: 'khaan
Analysis: The 2 mafia were still out there.

N7: El Diablo (cigarette) and failed attempt
GH: Seamus and glyphz
L: CountArach
Analysis: Identity of target unknown... Dead or alive:

N8: Yoyoma1910 (cigarette)
GH: Seamus and YLC
Analysis: Only 1 identified mafia kill/attempt[/spoil]Only one mafia attempt/kill since way back on N1.

2 theories:

a) YLC is mafia (cigar), another mafia present (cigarette)
b) CountArach was mafia, another mafia present (cigarette)

YLC was blocked N6 when shlin and w&f were killed. This makes b) possible, though YLC isn't off the hook completely.
That's why, Vote: Chaotix27

If this does not end this day phase, then MAJOR FoS at LW and I-K ((and Chaotix, if he isn't lynched this round).

Tally:
Chaotix27 - 3 (Seamus Fermanagh, boudica, glyphz)
YLC - 2 (GeneralHankerchief, Chaotix27)

Abstain: Ibn-Khaldun, YLC

[GeneralHankerchief]

Good, that's what I was hoping for. Unless there's a third mafioso we can leave YLC off for now.

Unvote: YLC
Vote: Chaotix

[TinCow]

Correct Tally:

Chaotix27: (4) Seamus, boudica, glyphz, GH
YLC: (1) Chaotix27

Abstain: (2) YLC, Ibn-Khaldun

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Since I don't have time to read everything I must Vote: Abstain

I hope that whoever is killed (Chaotix or GH) it will end with this lynch.

You know, this late in a game, your vote is less than "compelling." Couple it with a somewhat cheesy "I hope we get it right" comment, and you do little but draw suspicion to yourself.

I think, Ibn-old chap, that I must dig into your participation a bit more thoroughly.....

[GeneralHankerchief]

Oh, and TC: Don't worry, this is definitely a one-time thing. One of the reasons why I've held off from doing something like that for so long was because I don't want a reputation as a truthteller or a liar either way.

[TinCow]

It appears that the general consensus is to simply bite the bullet and take GH on faith. Whether this is the correct move or not is largely irrelevant now. Let's commit to our stance on him and work through the evidence from there. Thanks to glyphz, we have a nice and easily accessible summary of night actions which allows for a blueprint for declaring who can theoretically be in the known roles.

GeneralHankerchief - Presumed innocent based on the above.

Glyphz - With GH trusted, cannot be the mafia duo, as he was blocked on a night with two attempted hits (N7). Also cannot be the supernatural thing, as he was blocked on the night it attacked Seamus (N7). Thus, cannot be any known role.

Seamus Fermanagh - With GH trusted, cannot be the mafia duo, as he was blocked on a double kill night (N3). Also cannot be the supernatural thing that attacked him, though questionable whether that thing changed his role in some manner (as could occur in the previous game). Thus, cannot be any known role.

boudica - With GH trusted, cannot be the mafia duo, as she was blocked on a night when both were active digging (N4) and on a night when two attempted hits were made (N5). However, could be the supernatural thing.

YLC - With GH trusted, cannot be the mafia duo, as he was blocked on a night with two kills (N6). Also cannot be the guy who destroyed the statue (N6), but could be the supernatural thing.

187Beefyz - With GH trusted, cannot be the mafia duo, as he was blocked on a night with two kills (N6). Also cannot be the guy who destroyed the statue (N6), but could be the supernatural thing.

Lord Winter - Never blocked. However, was well-known to be absent for the first week of the game. This includes N2, when the mafia duo were digging. Thus, cannot be the mafia duo, but could be the supernatural thing.

Chaotix27 - Never blocked, can be mafia duo or supernatural thing.

Ibn-Khaldun - Never blocked, can be mafia duo or supernatural thing.

This leaves us with 6 potential candidates for the supernatural thing and 2 for mafia. Due to these odds alone, concentrating on the 2 mafia contenders is the wisest thing. Deal with the supernatural thing later. More concrete evidence would be useful. I would suggest looking for periods of non-voting for Chaotix27 and Ibn-Khaldun. If one of them did not vote during a period that suggests they might have missed a night order, this could be useful.

Write-up links for those doing research:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Night 1
Day 1
Night 2
Day 2
Night 3
Day 3
Night 4
Day 4
Night 5
Day 5
Night 6
Day 6
Night 7
Day 7
Night 8

[Andres]

Voting concluded. Stand by for execution.

[Andres]

The Scourge of Ephesus - Day 8 - Conclusion



The gate of Augustus - 10.00 pm

As predicted, it was a very hot day.

The tourists started to discuss past events. Some made long speeches or endless monologues. People started to make bold statements, with their hand on their heart and swearing by all their beloved ones that they were innocent.

The more the day continued, the more the tourists were convinced that Chaotix27 had to be a murderer.

"But, this isn't true. I came to Turkey because there's a live concert from Sertab Erener. I'm such a big fan of her. Allow me to sing one of her songs and you'll understand that I'm innocent!"

Chaotix27 jumped backwards and started to dance and sing his favourite Sertab song, "Everyway that I can".



The tourists looked at the spectacle. First slightly amused, but when it became clear that Chaotix27 was not a, well, eh, to put it diplomatic, not a gifted singer, tourists began sticking their fingers in their ears.

The old man, who just got new batteries for his hearing device however, couldn't stand it any longer and began to moan.

The aggressive tourist slapped the old man in the face.

"Ok, ok," enough of this, one of the other tourists said.

A gun was pointed at Chaotix27 and a bullet in his head ended the torment of the gathered townies.

"Let's hope that was the last one of them."

"We can only hope..."

A cold breeze sent shiverings down their spines.

***

Tally

Chaotix27: 4 (Seamus Fermanagh, boudica, glyphz, GeneralHankerchief)
YLC: 1 Chaotix27

Abstain: 2 YLC, Ibn-Khaldun
Not voting: 2 (187Beefyz, Lord Winter)


Alive (8) :

boudica
GeneralHankerchief
187Beefyz
YLC
Ibn-Khaldun
Lord Winter
Glyphz
Seamus Fermanagh

Killed (10) :

777Ares777
TheFlax
White_Eyes :D
Reenk Roink
Askthepizzaguy
Quintus.JC
woad&fangs
shlin28
El Diablo
Yoyoma1910

Lynched (8) :

TinCow
Tevashzat
FactionHeir
Jolt
Sigurd
seireikhaan
CountArach
Chaotix27

WoG/Suicide (4):
Rythmic
Ignoramus
Tiberius of the Drake
Caius

It's now night. PM's please. Night will last for +/- 23h30 (until 22h00 GMT+1)

[ULC]

It appears that we have not killed our "aggressive tourist", meaning who ever replaced Manfredo (bless his somewhat merciful heart), it was not Chaotix. This doesn't absolve Chaotix of any guilt however, because I have noticed a bit of a trend in the lynchings.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Here we see the mafia's greatest mistake. After I revealed, they gambled. They left me alive, banking on the town lynching me, believing that my chances of blocking them didn't make up for my being cleared by innocence. I am still alive. They failed. And now they will feel the walls closing in on them. It's now a numbers game. And, because I am alive and of what I can do, we have the numbers.

Town, thank you for your trust. I intend to reciprocate it tonight.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

You know, this late in a game, your vote is less than "compelling." Couple it with a somewhat cheesy "I hope we get it right" comment, and you do little but draw suspicion to yourself.

I think, Ibn-old chap, that I must dig into your participation a bit more thoroughly.....

Yes, please dig. I must say that you wouldn't find anything except that I am a townie!

If you wonder why I haven't participated more with long analysis like TC then it is called language-barrier(I'm not a native English speaker). Work also have distracted me a bit(I think you can see when I log in and out or something like that then you can see that I always do that almost in the same time) and some other forums are a bit more important(WotB for example).

Oh, and it's 01:00am at the moment and this means I go to bed soon and that means you will all debate and stuff when I am sleeping!(Thus I can't participate)

Ibn-Khaldun - Never blocked, can be mafia duo or supernatural thing.

Lol.. perhaps a supernatural mafia duo in one person??

And thanks for the write up links!

[TinCow]

Here we see the mafia's greatest mistake. After I revealed, they gambled. They left me alive, banking on the town lynching me, believing that my chances of blocking them didn't make up for my being cleared by innocence. I am still alive. They failed. And now they will feel the walls closing in on them. It's now a numbers game. And, because I am alive and of what I can do, we have the numbers.

Town, thank you for your trust. I intend to reciprocate it tonight.

I must be jaded, because this sounds to me like the kind of stuff I was saying right before the end of Netherworld.

[GeneralHankerchief]

It appears that we have not killed our "aggressive tourist", meaning who ever replaced Manfredo (bless his somewhat merciful heart), it was not Chaotix. This doesn't absolve Chaotix of any guilt however, because I have noticed a bit of a trend in the lynchings.

Not quite. It was said that the aggressive tourist slapped me (again) while Chaotix was singing, but he could have done that and sang as well.

Also, note that it said "a gun was pointed at Chaotix27 and a bullet in his head..." and not "the aggressive tourist shot Chaotix".

[Askthepizzaguy]

How wierd is it that GH continually continues to survive despite evidence which he cannot disprove (And which is shrugged by the town).

I am so burnt out by the chicago game, that I have to take a breather... and so far, only a few people are listening to me anyway.

[Askthepizzaguy]

Town, thank you for your trust. I intend to reciprocate it tonight.

I bet you will.

[TinCow]

What GH says actually makes a lot of sense. Just like with the death of Sigurd, this one is written in a manner that allows it to be read as if the aggressive tourist was the one who died. In addition, notice the dying man enjoying a Turkish song right before he dies. This is the same as with the death of CountArach, which I have already explained is a possible mafioso lynch. While this could be just colorful narration due to the location of the game, it could also be the signature that Chaotix is a lynched mafioso.

If I had to place a bet, I would say we've lynched the digging duo on two consecutive night. Which then begs the question why the game is still continuing. Is it just the supernatural thing left? Are there other roles I've missed? (Barring scum-GH, which I have not missed, but am choosing to let him stab us in the back if that is his inclination.)

[Ibn-Khaldun]

So we should lynch Seamus??