Mafia is a mock combat game for a medium number of players. The players are split into two groups, the mafia (about 20% of the players), and the townspeople (the remaining 80%). The mafia must try to kill all the townspeople and the werewolf. The townspeople must uncover and kill the mafia and the werewolf. The werewolf must be the last survivor. The game shall be open to people who live for much of the time within a five mile radius of Great St Mary's Church in Cambridge city centre.
It is recommended that those who wish to play be quite familiar with Assassins' Guild events.
If you have any questions about these rules once you have read them thoroughly, please ask for clarification from the Umpire as she will be only too happy to provide it.
Everyone who wishes to play should provide the Umpire with:
Anyone found to have supplied false or misleading details to the Umpire will be disqualified, but I'm sure it's not necessary to say that.
The main aim of the game is for everyone to have a good time. The aim of the mafia is to eliminate everyone else. The aim of the townspeople is to clear the town of the mafia menace, and also the werewolf threat. The aim of the werewolf is to be the last individual standing.
IMPORTANT: Since recent events, and the public awareness of guns, and gun-related crimes, players should be very careful when using weapons in public. Any guns, or other weapons, that look realistic should be made to look obviously like toys - e.g. spraying them bright colours. Anything that looks too much like a real weapon the Umpire will refuse to licence for use. In all cases players should be careful about any weapon used in public, and should avoid themselves being seen using them.
The following gives an outline of the various weapons which can be used against enemies. It is not an exhaustive list and players are encouraged to use their imagination; however, the Umpire may make any kills carried out with an unauthorised weapon invalid, so do come and check before using your latest creation in the heat of battle. In general, all weapons must be completely safe (for both people and property) and actually do something, to indicate to the victim that he/she has been killed. All non-obvious weapons must be clearly labelled.
Messy weapons and water weapons should be used sensibly; where the rules state "with care", no large-calibre water weapons (larger than a Super-soaker XP270 or a Storm Force 2) should be used, smaller water weapons should be carefully aimed and not used to excess. Don't use messy or water weapons against people carrying something expensive or wearing formal clothes; they might get annoyed.
Weapons should be specific to the victim - killing bystanders is to be avoided even when the effect is harmless.
Guns, knives, swords, grenades and darts will kill instantly if they hit the head or torso. If a limb is hit then it can no longer be used for the duration of the encounter.
Remember that if you bear a weapon in public, you run the risk of being identified as a mafioso. More to the point, please don't get the police or college authorities annoyed at us by excessive waving of toy guns.
Represented by water pistols, rubber band guns (or rubber bands fired by hand) and other soft projectile weapons. BB guns are NOT allowed.
You must get a definite hit with the main jet. If you just splash them with water (e.g. at extreme range or out of ammo) then it is only a flesh wound - they can carry on as normal. If they are hit in the head or torso then they are killed instantly.
If your private room contains expensive equipment (e.g computers) which may easily be broken by maniacs with water pistols, you may ask the Umpire and have it declared out of bounds for water- based weaponry only. Your assassin will be reminded of this. Note that other weapons may still be used, and also that you may not use water weapons out of such a room.
Water pistols may not be used in shops, or in places which contain electrical equipment.
Water and messy weapons MAY NOT BE USED in the rooms of non players, and must be used with care in staircases and other indoor areas.
Rubber bands fired from the fingers, small rubber band guns, Edison Giocattoli orange pellet pistols and all Nerf weapons are allowed. Anything else must be shown to the Umpire before use. Guns must not look like real guns. Pellet guns must not have the orange piece at the front of the barrel removed, and should be decorated in some way to make sure they look like toys.
In this game, pellet rifles will be allowed. Please be sensible and don't wave them around too much in public.
Head shots should be avoided where possible with all forms of projectile weapon.
This won't be available.
Represented by a cardboard poster tube or a newspaper rolled up and stuck with Sellotape. Either should be clearly labelled "Cosh". The effect of a cosh depends upon the location of the hit:-
Head .......... Unconscious for 5 minutes.
Body .......... Immobilised but conscious for 5 minutes.
Arm or Leg .... The limb is immobilised for 5 minutes.
Foam, soft rubber, retractable plastic or cardboard knives
may be used. If the knife has been made by you eg. from cardboard,
it must be plainly labelled "KNIFE". Plastic ones which are more
obviously knives don't need this. Plastic swords are permitted,
but please be careful. Cardboard swords must be clearly labelled "SWORD".
A rolled up paper tube is a cosh, not a sword.
Plastic light-sabres count as swords and do not require labelling.
No metal knives may be used, including cutlery.
Latex weapons (as used in LARP games) will not be allowed
in this game.
These will not be available for this game.
No bombs. Sorry.
It is possible to use 'novelty' weapons which aren't in this list. Email the Umpire before using such a weapon. A kill using a non-sanctioned weapon may not be accepted! Also remember that the weapon used may well be included on victim's death report, giving evidence about the killer.
Deaths should be reported to the Umpire as soon as possible after the event, stating all salient details (when, where, how, and whether any innocent bystanders were killed). It is best if both assassin and target report the death to make sure there is no mistake. Victims should not make their deaths public on IRC for at least an hour after death, and should state no details about time, manner or place until it is up on the news.
The standard kill-reporting procedure will be to place a report detailing the individual killed, the manner in which their body was found, and the (approximate- e.g. "pellet gun" not "Jeff Watson") murder weapon. Time and place of death will be recorded. If the killer wishes to "leave a note", this may be emailed to the Umpire and will be added to the kill report. More full reports may go up after game end.
In the event of a dispute, a "discussion phase" can be declared between the players involved in the disputed incident. You are not then out of bounds for anyone else who comes along independently, so take it somewhere where this isn't likely to cause further complications while the incident is being sorted out.
Dead players may UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES pass information to live players, apart from the fact that they are dead. This is vital to the running of the game and cannot be stressed enough. They should also shut up about the game as much as possible, to avoid giving additional information or emotional input.
At the beginning of the game, a small number of randomly selected townspeople will be told that they are members of the mafia. The mafia will be identified to each other, but not publically. The mafia must try to eliminate all non-mafiosi.
If the Umpire feels the game is going too slowly and may not finish in time for the beginning of the main one, the name of the most idle mafioso will be made public. Sorry guys, but you are largely responsible for making the game exciting.
At the beginning of the game, a very small number of randomly selected townspeople will be told that they are members of the Illuminati. The Illuminati will be identified to each other, but not publically.
To begin with, the Illuminati may investigate a live player every two days. They must jointly decide on a target and inform the Umpire of their decision. The Umpire will then inform them of the player's mafia status. The rate at which investigations are allowed will be controlled by the Umpire. The werewolf will appear as non-mafia to the Illuminati.
The werewolf is a single character, also randomly selected, whose job is to kill anybody and ultimately survive everybody. The werewolf cannot be a mafioso or illuminatus (or, obviously, a Seer). The werewolf only wins if he or she is the last individual alive, which is a harsh victory condition for what should be a very fun role. The werewolf also has a special advantage due to the debatable undead status of the species- he or she will be told whether players who die were mafia or non-mafia.
The Seers are townspeople who can use mystical powers every second night to check a live player of their choice for lycanthropy, in an effectively similar manner to the Illuminati checking for mafia. Mafia will appear as non-werewolves to the Seers. The Seers will not know who one another are, and will have separate guesses. This is to avoid weakening the mafia, without allowing doubling up of roles.
You may legally kill any player or witness, within reason. If you try and kill the entire market square, you're on your own.
A special case of this is Catherine Zentile, who is not on any account to be shot. (There is no reason why you should want to kill Catherine, and the Umpire would like to be involved in a whole game in which her beloved neighbour does not get brutally murdered).
No assassination attempt may be made if victim or assassin is in an out-of-bounds area. The following are always out of bounds:
Assassinations CAN take place in the Phoenix User Area, Cockcroft 4, departmental/college computer rooms etc, but only as follows:
Should the situation occur again, computer rooms in libraries are defined as computer rooms, not libraries. A computer room is, in general, defined as a place where the public (or any clearly defined group, e.g. members of a college) are permitted to use computers. Players' private rooms do NOT count.
"Formal college dining halls" shall be taken to mean in a hall
for the purpose of eating food which is served to the table. We are
aware that this applies to some colleges' informal dining arrangements.
Any meal where you get the food yourself from a servery is in bounds.
The Umpire would like to encourage people to keep their playing to University grounds if at all possible. If you must attack on an open street, then please be careful about showing visible weapons where members of the public might see them, and call the police.
Any further suggestions should be communicated to the Umpire as soon as possible. Please use your common sense!
Whenever you make an attempt on the life of another player or an innocent, successfully assassinate him or her, are attacked yourself, or become involved in any other game related incident, you must notify the Umpire as quickly as possible. If you can, confirm the exact details of the event with the other assassins involved — though be careful about exposing yourself to danger, when doing this.
Players may gather after an incident to discuss what happened, and will be under a no-kill zone during the discussion, until the players disperse.
In general, all players concerned should submit reports; the Umpire can update the game news more quickly and with fewer problems if this is done.
A witness is any player or non-player who is in a position to
see an assassination take place. Witnesses can, of course, talk about the
assassination to other players. The same rules about dead men, tales and not telling
apply to non-players as to players. This is probably unenforcable, but do try not to let dead witnesses tell you anything of importance. It's got to be left up to player honour really.
Be sensible about what witnesses you eliminate.
In the case of player witnesses, dead men MUST tell no tales. By signing up, you promise to take secrets to the grave with you for the duration of the game.
Dead players are invited to talk on the #corpses IRC channel, to other dead people, which offers a useful vent for frustrating desire to discuss game happenings.
This game's Umpire is Jenny Chase of Girton College. (jmc80@cam.ac.uk)
The primary method of contacting the Umpire is through email, though players are welcome to visit if they're feeling fit. The Umpire is immortal. Jenny Chase lives in E21a, Girton College. Both the corridor and the room are no-kill areas. They are also non water zones. The Umpire will not take a dim view of players who run into her corridor in order to escape an attacker, because if you've run from town you probably deserve to escape.
If you have any queries, send mail or visit the Umpire (but try to arrange the meeting beforehand), preferably before the query becomes a matter of life and death (yours or anyone else's).
Player-Umpire communications may be made public at the end of the game for everyone's enlightenment and amusement. If you do not wish a certain communication to be made public, please tell the Umpire.
NOTE: It is the responsibility of players to read their e-mail and read the news. Players are deemed to know information as soon as the Umpire send e-mail to that effect or publish the details on the website.
This may seem a bit unfair, but is less so than expecting the Umpire to guess if a player has logged on recently.
The game has its own World-Wide Web pages, which will host these rules and game news:
<URL:http://www.srcf.ucam.org/assassins/mafia/>
To avoid waste of bandwidth, game news will not be distributed by email.
The history of this set of rules is thought to be: