BIONICLE MAFIA IX: SENTINELS OF THE DARKENED SKIES

[-Toa Lhikevikk-]

iBrow says the round will end in nine hours and three quarters.

 

[staredown commences]

[Burnmad]

iBrow, you clearly confirmed Portal as dead in your blog. This is an undeniable truth. You also worded a post to make it seem like Zakaro was dead, and on top of that he and Lhik both targeted him. You have, therefore, undeniably and blatantly lied.

 

This is getting rather vexing. Portal was lynched and Zakaro was targeted by BOTH HIMSELF AND LHIK.

 

You have therefore host-interfered two separate Mafiosi from dying. I am finished with this. If you don't give us some answers now, I'm going to start breaking some clear Mafia rules myself and go host X.

 

-

Edited December 16, 2013 by Burnmad: Toa of Emoticons

[Voltex]

Then I am done with it all. I have had enough. I will host X alongside Portalfig like you all agreed to, because I don't want to ruin it for him. After that I'll be gone, because I don't think this is recoverable.

 

But you'll have to put up with me until IX ends, you'll have to put up with me for X. Do not try to get mad at me for supposedly "breaking the rules", and then break the rules yourself.

 

Enough is ENOUGH. I get that you Village folks are FRUSTRATED and that is FINE. I have refrained so far from saying this, but now I will, because you are far too close to really pushing me off the edge: deal. with. it.

[Chro]

Ignoring for juuust a moment the fact that I quit -

Are you saying that they should deal with the fact that you've interfered with the game's progression?

[Burnmad]

We're only getting mad because you refuse to explain this in any way.

 

If you can offer a halfway decent explanation for why two mafiosi, one lynched and one suicided, are listed as alive, then we have no qualms with you whatsoever.

 

You can tell a story if you want, but if it bends the game, then it shouldn't be in a game at all. It should be in the Library.

 

-

[-Toa Lhikevikk-]

Guys.

 

Seriously.

 

Calm down.

 

It's just a game.

 

As much as I want to win this I may just blow the whole plan and explain everything to cool everything down. I don't think we're quite at crisis point yet, but I will drop one major hint.

 

Burnmad, Xaeraz, you are all making a very large assumption about the basic operation of the Mafia role. Or any targeting role. So I will ask you this:

 

What happens to players who forget to PM?

[Burnmad]

Absolutely nothing?

 

But if you're saying you and/or Zakaro didn't PM, that doesn't change the fact that you both had the action of killing Zakaro in the scene. Anyone other than that not PMing isn't relevant.

 

-

[Xaeraz]

Firstly, don't tell me to calm down, my day has been rough as an unpaved road and my emotions are wearing thin as a rail.

 

Second, absolutely nothing happens, they just don't get to carry out their role that night.

[Chro]

I think Lhik is saying that both he and Zakaro claimed to have targeted Zakaro in the main topic but didn't actually do so... unless of course it showed up in the scene that way, which honestly wouldn't mean much either.

[Burnmad]

It did show up in the scene that way, which means a whole Karzing* lot.

 

Edit: Especially when Zakaro was listed as MIA, which is pseudo-dead. Besides, that still makes no difference in the case of Portal clearly being lynched but still showing up in the player list as alive.

 

^{*I hate BIONICLE swear words but goodness I needed to say something there}

 

-

Edited December 16, 2013 by Burnmad: Toa of Emoticons

[Trijhak]

Then I am done with it all. I have had enough. I will host X alongside Portalfig like you all agreed to, because I don't want to ruin it for him. After that I'll be gone, because I don't think this is recoverable.

 

But you'll have to put up with me until IX ends, you'll have to put up with me for X. Do not try to get mad at me for supposedly "breaking the rules", and then break the rules yourself.

 

Enough is ENOUGH. I get that you Village folks are FRUSTRATED and that is FINE. I have refrained so far from saying this, but now I will, because you are far too close to really pushing me off the edge: deal. with. it.

 

Then explain it. Then, and only then, shall we 'deal with it.'

 

If this is because a supposed rule, don't hide it from more than half of the players.

 

(also, burnmad has my support if he wants to run X)

[Burnmad]

Well then I don't have your support, because you can sure as heck bet I don't want to do this at all. :\

 

-

[Sumiki]

iBrow, follow your own rules. If you have an explanation for the contradiction that Burnmad pointed out, then do so. Avoiding this is grounds for further staff intervention ... and boy do I love closing Mafia games.

 

If Burnmad wants to run the next game because he has the support of the majority of Mafia regulars, than he should be able to do so. I, nor any other staff member, has control over informal agreements as to who is going to run sequels to games.

Edited December 16, 2013 by Sumiki

[-Toa Lhikevikk-]

Sumiki, don't worry, no rules are being broken. I have explained the situation to Xaeraz already. Portal, Zakaro, sorry for blowing the plan but I had to diffuse the crisis. I'm sure you'll understand.

[Xaeraz]

...It's the most underhanded, cruel, and most game destroyingly convoluted plan I've ever seen, but it's completely legal. I'll cut you in on it, Sumiki.

 

I've never been so masterfully outplayed in my life.

 

EDIT: Granted, iBrow's handling of it seriously messed up any chances the village had of winning still, as you can tell by Burnmad's contradictions, but otherwise...

Edited December 16, 2013 by Xaeraz

[Blessed Blade]

I'd of course kinda like to be included on what exactly happened; but it's not necessary, as now I have a sneaking suspicion what happened.

 

/EDIT: Welp, uh, yeah; we're dead. Good plan, Zakaro, I didn't even get filled in, but understand the basics I think. ._.'

Edited December 16, 2013 by Blade: #XIII. Roxas

[Xaeraz]

I just want to know one thing, iBrow. No doubletalk, no runaround.

 

Is Portal alive or dead?

[Burnmad]

If it's what I was thinking and suggested as possible, Zakaro was still, as I said, completely and utterly host-interfered to be thought dead. And Portal still being alive is still completely illegal.

 

Edit: lol keep doing strikethrough instead of underline.

 

Edit #2: And "if" Zakaro is still alive, I switch to him.

 

The worst part of all this, for me, is that I thought I'd actually get to survive a game for once. Silly me.

 

-

Edited December 16, 2013 by Burnmad: Toa of Emoticons

[Xaeraz]

I switch to abstaining.

Edited December 16, 2013 by Xaeraz

[Shadowhawk]

Alright, when this is all over, I want to know what The Plan was. I'm practically dying of curiosity.

Edited December 16, 2013 by Shadowhawk

[Ehksidian]

oh

uh

i have no idea who to vote

but

hm

oh

i know

zakaro

he will be the dead and then lhik will be the dead next round

yay

[Burnmad]

Shadowhawk: Seeing as, this time, iBrow hasn't told us we can't vote for dead people in response to an unspecified post, so as to make us think he was responding to us, the plan was to have iBrow make Zakaro commit suicide and be killed by Lhikevikk in the scene, despite the fact that neither of them had an action that round.

 

-

Edited December 16, 2013 by Burnmad: Toa of Emoticons

[Lara White]

Three days. I leave for three days and this is what I come back to.

 

Village people: Calm down. It's just a game. There's no point in shouting and it doesn't make your arguments any more compelling.

 

iBrow: I am disappointed in you. You have broken the one unwritten rule of GMing: You must be the immutable, unbiased constant of truth. I will not be voting for you to run any Mafia games for a while, and I will not support any further experiments in GM involvement from anyone. You, unfortunately, have shown a habit of tinkering with the game to ensure you have more fun. You do not seem to realize that, while you are allowed to have fun, the players' enjoyment comes before your own. Considering the situation at hand, well...

 

If Sumiki closes this topic prematurely I will have no objections.

 

Edited December 16, 2013 by Lloyd: the White Wolf

[Voltex]

I will have a response ready as soon as possible, but I maintain that I did not intentionally interfere.

[Portalfig]

I am dead. 100% completely dead for the purposes of this game.

 

That is all.

[Voltex]

Alright, I'm counting 2 votes for Zakaro, 1 for Lhikevikk, and 1 for Xaeraz - so Zakaro will be lynched. I'll have the scene up eventually.

[Ehksidian]

hold on wait

i didn't realize the number of votes

so

i abstain voting

unless I can't, in which case, i was never here

OooOOOOooo

Edited December 16, 2013 by Ehks

[Voltex]

Sure. Three-way tie, then. Voting closed.

[Ehksidian]

so

victory...?

me and burn survive, lhik is 100% dead now since zakaro will be lynched along with xaeraz (sorry), thus resulting in a village victory

i hope

unless i horribly messed everything up in which case i am sorry village

[Xaeraz]

Nah, I'm dead, zak's dead, lhik's dead. Two survivors.

 

Good job, gang.

[Ehksidian]

eh

better end result than last game

1 survivor

this time there were two

which is a full 2x better than last game

maybe we'll hit 3 next game...?

[Samus Aran-Bounty Hunter]

Who knows, good sirs? Who knows..

Well played, all of you. I salute you. Even in the.. controversial parts this game was enjoyable.

And hey: future Hosts: I fully expect a role in the future that fake-kills people, whether or not the role him/herself knows it.

Zakaro

[Burnmad]

>>

<<

 

Zakaro and I are still siblings.

 

-

Edited December 16, 2013 by Burnmad: Toa of Emoticons

[Samus Aran-Bounty Hunter]

ahahah xD

that's true

i totes forgot

as did everyone else

1 survivor once more!

I just realized that Ehks died first round last game and survived this one, while Taka Nuvia survived last game and died (by my choice xD) first round this game

this makes me glad

Zakaro

[Ehksidian]

...

orite

i forgot about that too

so

i am the only one

which means...

I DIED ROUND ONE

I AM THE SOLE SURVIVOR

this makes me happy, yet incredibly sad at the same time.

[Portalfig]

"The Tribe has spoken."

 

BWWWWWAAAAAHHHHHHHH

[Voltex]

Posting here because relevance. Please read through and then answer my question at the end as quickly as possible. The sooner you do, well, it'll be obvious.

 

An Open Response to Recent Events

 

This game will haunt my memories for a long time – if Bionicle Mafia 31: Mind Games is anything to go by, I have years of bitterness and regret ahead of me. I never should have hosted the above game, and regrettably, I never should have hosted Bionicle Mafia IX: Sentinels of the Darkened Skies. The only nice things I can take away from this game are the number of pages (which is stupid, and indicative of astronomical problems underneath) and the friendship I’ve developed with Portalfig while designing the Darkest Day Trilogy, and making the three games work together. I have lost my faith in many aspects of BZPower over the last several months, but this by far hits me the hardest. For now, my hosting abilities are one of them. Considering the upcoming Bionicle Mafia X, this is both disappointing and nerve wracking.

 

I am disappointed by the lack of trust that was displayed during this game, but I unfortunately cannot say that I was surprised. It has been evident to me for a long time that the BZPower Mafia games are inbred on their traditions; I have received a lot of flack in the past for attempting to push beyond these boundaries and do something new. Sometimes I succeeded (The Cult), most times I didn’t (Everything in IX). The best clues I gave you towards the plan of the Anti-Town players were ruined by my distracted mind – I updated the player list of the game on the wiki, but not in the first post. The scene where Zakaro nulled his kill was misleading, though I did not intend for it to be so – I designed the scene to parody several popular stories where the character being parodied survived (Burnmad was Harry Potter – Zakaro was the Doctor, who supposedly dies but actually survives the ordeal). Needless to say, this did not work. But the fury that battered against me relentlessly from that point forward was ruthless in its surprise. I have been hassled constantly in the game topic, via several different PMs, and even on Steam Chat and Skype Chat. I have not been able to contact my friends who weren’t involved with this game, because doing so required being online for the players of IX to drag me lower again... and again... and again. It even leaked into Zakaro’s game, and for that, Zakaro, I apologize – I have removed myself from the living players of that game and had hoped that could be the end of it, but I guess not. I still need to prove to some of you that I didn’t lie and cheat in that game now. I find it difficult to word how depressing and frustrating I have found this (although I guess I’m not allowed to feel that way, so feel free to toss a couple more accusations at me, by all means). Over one mere scene in a simple game, even those I had considered friends have become snarling monsters, despising me for something they had no tangible proof of (and, to that matter, something that I never did). I understand that the scene was misleading – I should have worded it differently. But the senselessly brutal accusations and insults I have endured and tolerated were almost entirely baseless, and 100% not required.

 

Of course, this cannot be said without backing my claims, though I doubt anyone other than the Mafia (who were the true gentlemen of the game) will believe me. As a Host, I must keep any player plans that I learn of confidential, unless the players themselves make those plans public without me. So when Lhikevikk created the master plan with Portalfig and Zakaro, they came to me and asked if it was legal. I said yes, as the trade off included the Hunters being unable to kill (and losing a vote) for at least two rounds. It was convoluted, and it was extremely fragile. One wrong move on their part would cause it to crash and burn around them. So naturally, when I learned of this plan, I could not just tell you their plan. But when the questions began to be asked, they were very direct questions – what is going on? Why is Lhikevikk not dead? Why are you a lying, cheating, sneaking Host with an enormous bias? Why do you interfere in every single game you Host? Well, let me answer those how a Host should – the clues are right there and easily visible if you’d actually look to find out what is going on. Lhikevikk is not dead as per his role – all of the Hunters, or all of the Sentinels, must be dead before he can die... so obviously that has not occurred yet. That accusation is grossly exaggerating, and not true to boot. The most I have ever interfered was in Bionicle Mafia III: By the Numbers, when it came time for Blade to be lynched – I told him what the outcome would be if he killed his fellow Hunter, what would happen if he killed the Medic, and what would happen if he killed the Turaga. He made the decision there, people, I didn’t control him. Back to those questions I was asked, though – due to the direct nature of your questions, and the fact that I would be revealing player plans if I answered them in an equally direct fashion, I refrained from doing so. Instead, I attempted to guide you towards the answers you were seeking. When someone pointed out that Lhikevikk died “if all the Hunters OR all the Sentinels were dead”, I agreed with them immediately and asked them if that might not be why he had not died. But of course, looking for the clues was too difficult – it was far easier to paint me as a villain instead. So my answers were turned from helpful clues to Host interference – although if I was interfering anywhere, it was by answering your questions (I call them questions... in truth, I was never asked a question properly. Answers were demanded by me and no patience was given). The lack of trust that I mentioned earlier comes into play here. Instead of trusting that, as the Host, I knew what I was doing, the Village assumed I was lying and cheating. However they might decide to play, Lhikevikk, Portalfig, and Zakaro are not cheaters and would not tolerate the Host cheating or interfering in their favor – and obviously, that includes me.

 

The first post was my fault, I shall openly admit that. While I did update the player list on the Mafia Wiki for the deaths of Portalfig and MaliceGhost, I forgot to do so with the list on BZpower. This is due in part to a couple reasons. Number one is that, in earlier rounds, I wrote the scenes with a personal player list open in word – I did not have that these past few rounds as it was not required. The bigger reason, though, is that my real life has been extremely busy these last few weeks with the holiday crunch time. While running this game, I have also had a job to work, gifts to buy (on limited time), a two part exam in Calculus, of which I write the second part tomorrow, and several major assignments and presentations. I have been stretched thin IRL, and it leaked through to BZPower with regards to my update patterns (hence what some deemed as “unnecessarily long wait times” between scenes)... although I should note that I was updating according to schedule, every two days. I do not and should not have to describe the intimate details of my life to you all to excuse having updates that are on time, but it has been demanded of me. And when I finally began brushing people off so that I could have enough time to finish up my IRL stuff, I was blamed in the game for being rude and not answering questions. I cannot spend 24 hours a day answering the same questions over and over again. That is not how it works.

 

Darkest Days was an idea conceived by myself and Portalfig with regards to Bionicle Mafia VIII: The Sound of Darkness, Bionicle Mafia IX: Sentinels of the Darkened Skies, and Bionicle Mafia X. A trilogy of games, linked to each other by their story (loosely), their titles, their hosts, and of course, the Mysterious Figure. It would all lead up to X; the ultimate game, the finale of the trilogy, the tenth game of the Third Age, and the 50^th game ever on BZPower – it was going to be a celebration of Mafia history, while also closing those doors and opening up the road to a different and more unique future where we were not so entrenched in our traditions that the slightest bending of them summoned a tidal wave of fury. I cannot describe how much I regret ruining this for everyone. It is no longer certain that X will end off Darkest Days, nor is it even certain that the game Portalfig and I designed will ever see the light of day at all (which sucks, because we had a really cool combination of roles from all three Ages, plus an awesome new one). The game that has been designed and planned for months to be as good a milestone celebration as you can get may very well never exist. I hope it can remain as originally planned. My involvement was going to be substantially less than Portalfig’s anyway, due to the nature of how we were going to set up both of us Hosts and how scenes must be written. The scenes being written from Portalfig’s side made more sense (and this was decided before IX even began, before you start). Maybe that is enough to help you all decide to let X continue as it was originally planned.

 

IX has been a disaster; I wish 31 were still around so that I could properly compare the two, but due to the constant, brutal nature of the multiple issues with IX, I lean towards it being the worse of the two. That sucks big time. For three years, hosting Bionicle Mafia 31: Mind Games has been my lowest moment on BZPower; now, three years later, I have only increased the number and gravity of the errors made exponentially. This year I finally grew more confident and comfortable with hosting through Bionicle Mafia III: By the Numbers and Mafia III-4: The Four Tribes... but do not worry – I shall never make that mistake again. At this point in time, unless Bionicle Mafia X occurs, I do not plan on every hosting another game here. I’m so sorry that I have ruined everything. I wish I could wipe it all out, but the most I can do is learn (again) from my mistakes. This time, I intend to make those lessons permanent. Bionicle Mafia 31: Mind Games was the first strike, and Bionicle Mafia IX: Sentinels of the Darkened Skies was the second. I do not ever intend to reach the third – unless X runs as the conclusion to Darkest Days, I shall not host again.

 

I have received two apologies from two members of the Village regarding this whole incident on BZPower for their actions in IX – to the first, I’m letting you know here that I do accept and appreciate your apology, and in turn I apologize specifically to you once again. Despite what has been said on both sides in IX and before, it is events like this that continually prove to me that you are one of the most mature players we have. To the second, this ordeal has been surprising and disappointing for me, and while I do accept and appreciate your apology, I must withdraw my support for you with regards to your eventual next hosting endeavour.

 

I also apologize to Lhikevikk, Portalfig, and Zakaro specifically – the three of you have been dragged into this mess, and you didn’t deserve that. Lhikevikk has had to become a spokesperson for the three of you where I could not, and I’m sorry your return to Mafia had to suck so much. To Portalfig, I apologize once again for ruining everything we poured so much time and work into. To Zakaro, I apologize for all of the animosity that has leaked into your game because of this.

 

And once more to everyone else, I apologize for this disaster of a game. Maybe we’ll get lucky and it shall be wiped out in a database loss... unfortunately, I really doubt that’ll happen.

 

I do not want any apologies as a result of this. If you feel you need to apologize just because you’ve read this... well, first off, you don’t – and second off, that’s a stupid reason to apologize to someone, so get it out of your brain pronto. The purpose of this has been to help you all understand.

 

And I must end off on a question that will determine how exactly I end my current travesty – can Portalfig and I host Bionicle Mafia X as originally planned, or shall it never be?

 

We leave the decision up to you, but please be timely. The sooner you respond, the sooner IX can be thrown in the trash can.

 

-Voltex

[Lara White]

I am willing to let you and Portalfig host X, considering you've already got it planned out.

 

The rest of that post, I shall have to digest.

 

[Ehksidian]

...

....

i feel like a terrible person now.

that's all i have to say on the main part of the post

on x, however, i don't think hard work should go to waste, so yeah, i'd be fine with you and portal hosting x

(i really feel like a specific kind of jamacian chicken now)

[Trijhak]

Host the next game. You did a good job, and you messed up. That's okay, everybody makes mistakes. Mistakes aren't bad, and they aren't good. But we do learn from them, and the experiences they provide.

 

What happened here, in this game, is not and never will be your fault. It's ours, the players. In our arrogance, we overlooked one very simple possibility, right in plain sight, the entire time. That one simply possibility? The possibility of one not PMing, therefore not doing anything, or, with the exception of one death, to put it otherwise, Missing In Action.

 

I apologise myself, not once, but three times. Firstly, for going against the Cult when I wasn't meant to in Cult III. Secondly, for listing the Descendant's roles in Cult-IV when I wasn't meant to. And thirdly, where we come to this very game.