The Traitor Game - basically, 'Mafia' with superheroes

This was a hit at the CBR (Comic Book Resources) forums. And, it was so huge a hit, it lasted around 20 games.

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What do you get when you cross the popular group game, 'Mafia/Werewolf' with a pop culture inspired multi-universe crossover RPG? You get something that might be a bit similar to the Traitor Games, I suspect. Characters from all sorts of different worlds, each from different genres, are all put together in one place to discover the identity of the 'Traitors'. This results in the strangest gatherings one is ever likely to see.

How do I play the game?
1) When a game is set to begin, all prospective players post in the sign-up thread to express interest and choose what character they want to role play as. Some games/hosts want characters to fit to a specified theme, so be sure to read carefully before making a character selection.

Unless otherwise stated in the Sign-Up Thread, characters can come from any media, any genre, or even real life. But, to keep the first game simple, I hope for you guys to pick just Marvel/DC Comics superheroes. You are allowed to pick otherwise, but to prevent confusion, I advise you from doing so.

Though I might be hosting the first few games just to show you how things work, in future games, other players of the game might get their chance to host one as well.

2) The game thread proper is created, normally with a clever title. "The Traitor Game: Massacre on the Doorstep!" (Not a real title.) There, the rules for the game are reiterated and the characters are gathered.

3) Soon, the Traitor(s) strike(s), killing off one character. Frequently, the first kill is some character that was controlled by the host of the game (commonly referred to as a First Kill NPC). This is done to offer more time to those who signed up to play the game. The banished and dead can usually interact with those still alive through means defined in-game.

4) Within the voting phase, the Agent(s) send(s) in their guess to the host through a PM for that round, while the normal characters post their votes in the IC thread the ordinary fashion.

5) Rinse and repeat steps 2-5 until the Traitor(s) is/are found or till all other characters end up dead.

The kill system goes something like this -

Round One: Traitor Kills
Round Two: Vigilante Kills
Round Three: Traitor Kills

Note, however, that the pattern is random by default. You could have all the kills being performed by the Vigilantes in a game for all you know.

What are the different roles?
The majority of players in the game have no particular role, but there are a few special roles that impact game play. Roles are assigned by the host after the Sign-Up Thread is closed, but before the first kill.

• Traitor - A character working to kill off members of the larger group. The Traitor(s) normally send in the name of ONE character they want to kill off to the host through a PM at the beginning of each round (normally excluding the first round which involves the First-Kill NPC).
  
  When more than one Traitor is selected, each (Traitor) works with the other to determine who dies and by what means.
  
  
• Agent - A person in this role is allowed one guess per round (again, save the first round) to determine who is a Traitor through PMing (Private Messaging) the host of the current game. The results of their guess (whether they guessed correctly or not) are revealed in-thread. If a game has more than one Agent, the Agents act as a team. They confer on the guess and submit that guess to the host.
  
  
• Vigilante - A force for the side of Good, the person in this role works to kill who they think is a Traitor. Every few rounds, the person in this role PM the host their kills instead of the Traitor(s).
  
  
• Breaker - Sometimes, this role is assigned so that if there is a tie during the voting rounds, this person will get an extra vote to break the tie.
  
  
• Inquisitor - A non-player character appears and has the players he or she suspects plead their innocence.
  
  
• Censor/Secret Role - Used seldomly, this role allowed the person assigned this role the ability to quiet or neutralize one vote.

Note: The names provided are the "base" names. For each individual game, they may be given a different name that better suits the theme, setting, etc.

For those characters without a role, they would just cast one vote of who they think the Traitor is in the IC thread as per normal in each round.

And those are only the FAQs! The game is so elaborate and complex that I couldn't believe it started out as a game with no interactions or story! Yes, as a 'sandbox' format. The first game only started out with a simple system - vote and kill. Vote for the Traitor and kill off the players. That was all. No storylines, not much dialogues. With the system progressed into such an advanced stage, it is now more fun and more interactable. But, I am still going to start out simple, first by having that same kind of 'vote and kill' format in the first game.

So, what do you think? Constructive but polite criticism are welcomed.

~ Flare

I'd play.

Cool. So... anyone else? 'Coz this game would totally suck with less than 5 participants. I'd know. I've tried it with 3.

~ Flare

I'd play...if for nothing else than to fill a spot.

Always welcome, Crain_S.

Waiting for at least 2 more players before I will start.

~ Flare

I look forward to it

This... sounds... so... fun... O_O
Rusty's in! ^^

1 more entry to the start of the game. I need to see interests in it before I will put effort into this.

Wow, I love Mafia! Sounds like it'll be even more interesting in the roleplaying world. =D

I show my interest! And also the fact that posting might be slow from my end. >_>

Haha... it's so awkward to revive this thread again after I mysteriously disappeared like that. I'll just check again if the ones who posted are still interested - (or still around this community, even) while, of course, accepting new interested members.

If your feelings towards this RP are, as of now, any similar to upset or frustration, I understand. lol But, I have more than one week to go before needing to head back to college, so that means lots of free time on my end, and I might be able to get this game more than up and running by then.

Also, for the convenience of all potential interested members, I'm going to play out a little example of how the game would go, just so you don't feel like a complete stranger to the Traitor Game (the writing style used in the example below does not reflect the writing style I shall use in the actual game nor does it reflect the gameplay of the actual RP; it's just an example, people):

Adrian was minding his own business in his home when all of the sudden, he was teleported to a small room filled with other interesting individuals.

Some smug materialized in the room and gave a speech about how all the characters teleported to the room were in some sort of game, where an individual called the "Traitor" was among the group and was out to kill each of the characters, one at a time. Smug laid down the ground-rules of the game and disappeared as sudden as he had materialized.

[insert character interactions between Adrian, the new environment, the other characters, and the twisted Traitor Game here]

[insert name] suddenly found [insert name] dead, mysteriously murdered through [insert method of death].

The characters begin placing votes on who they presume to be the Traitor.

"I believe [insert name] is the Traitor! He has to be!"

"No, no, [insert name] is the Traitor! I vote him!"

etc, etc.

[one real-time, ooc day passes by]

For the sake of the example, let's assume Adrian receives the most votes for being the possible Traitor.

Smug appears and announce whether Adrian is the Traitor or not. Regardless of whether he is or not, he shall be banished from the game for being the most voted. If he's revealed to be the Traitor, the game ends. If not, Smug announces that the Traitor is still among the group and the game continues with interactions, a sudden murder in the group, votes, and etc, etc.

Hope that simulation has helped you in understanding the basis of the game. I welcome you to participate in this maddening game of sleuth and murder. Thank you for your time.

I would still be interested in a Mafia-based roleplay. Although, whenever we played...the person killed was never revealed to be mafia, doctor, investigator or whatnot.

Why, that's the fun of it, my dear. It builds up the drama and emotions. How would the other characters feel after knowing that they've caused an innocent guy to be banished (or who knows what fate awaits him/her)? The suspicions amongst each other will increase, and tensions will rise.

It's not just all about finding the Traitor, you know? The fun of the game is what happens in between.

I guess...but that gives more weight to narrowing things down + logic, I feel.... Which, I suppose could be better rp-wise. =)

Dude I'm still in! =D

lol Wow. That's a long time already. I'm glad you're still in.

It's not fun just having three people in the RP, though, assuming Mitth is interested. Erm, but it doesn't seems like anyone else would be interested... I might get it running some time soon, I guess. I'll have to see.

I'd be interested in a Superhero-flavored Mafia game.
(Althought a superhero mafia game might be neat too...)

I've always heard it called Werewolf, though. Amazing what you can learn each day.