Deception: Murdered in Hong Kong Second Running OOC

[Galactic Druid]

Welcome to Hong Kong!

Deception Rounds are short and fast, each one typically taking a little less than a week to play through with attentive players. Like last time, I'm looking to run three rounds. Just like before, on follow-up rounds, players already involved will be automatically included for the next, unless they wish to drop, in which case anyone else looking to join will be welcome. Signing up now does not commit you to all three rounds.

Because I want to keep LCS having one game at a time to avoid burnout, this game will not begin until Perse's game of Town of Salem is concluded, likely some time mid March.

Confirmed Players
looking for 5-10

1. Remiel
2. mia h
3 Madame Professor
4. yugi006
5. SunshineSparkle
6. Christa
7. NightOwl35
8. Rosemaryprincess

Rules and Roles

In deception, players take on the role of a team of investigators, trying to figure out who among them committed a murder by interpreting clues given to them by a forensic scientist as a team. Figuring out the culprit isn't enough on it's own, as the detectives also have to decipher how the murder was committed, and what key piece of evidence was left at the scene that ultimate got them caught.

At the beginning of the game, each player will receive a role, sent out randomly by the GM. The forensic scientist will be publicly revealed to the entire group, as their role is different than the other players. All other roles are kept hidden during the game. For the rest of the round, the only posts the forensic scientist can make is to reveal clue cards used, detailed below.

The remaining players will each receive 4 potential murder weapons (The 'means' cards, which was changed in murder weapon in the final translastion), as well as 4 pieces of 'key evidence' that potentially solved the case (originally just called clue cards, changed as well.). These cards as a whole represent the potential weapons and clues that could have been left behind, but only one of each is the actual evidence. Once this setup is complete, the game is ready to begin.

Step one; revealing the murder.

The GM will send out a group PM to the forensic scientist and murderer, asking the murder to select one of their weapons and one piece of key evidence from their own cards. The forensic scientist will learn this information, as well as the GM, as well as who the murderer is. This information is to be kept secret between them during the duration of the game.

Step two; Giving clues

The forensic scientist cannot openly communicate with the players. Instead, they have a series of clues they are able to give. They have one board (the pink one in the picture above) that shows how the victim died (Such as blood loss, severe injury, illness or poisoning, an accident. Many of these are vague by design.). The scientist picks one of those possibilities and declares that to be the clue they are giving. They also have 4 boards that show potential locations the crime took place. The scientist will pick one of those boards, and then announce one possibility from that board as their location clue. Once the first clue has been given, other players may begin to post and discuss their suspicions as well.

Example of play.

Scientist: The cause of death options are Suffocation, Severe Injury, Loss of Blood, Illness/Disease, Poisoning, and Accident. The victim died of Blood Loss.

Alice: Well, that rules out Mary's drowning card, but not much else.

Sam: It's too early to know much...

Scientist: The location board I'm putting into play has the Vacation House, Park, Supermarket, School, Woods, and Bank. This crime took place at the school.

Sam: Looks like I'm off the hook. I have a chainsaw, acid, axe, and blades. None of that fits in a school!

Alice: Nice try, Sam! Sulfuric Acid is super common in school labs.

Sam: But the victim died of Blood Loss! If it were acid, wouldn't Madame Professor told it was a severe injury, or maybe poisoning?

Alice: That's a good point... none of us has a weapon that would cause blood loss and fits in a school though....

Mary: Well, maybe the school is pointing to the key evidence rather than the weapon, like Sam's notebook....

Players are free to make as many posts as the like to discuss the game or their thoughts, though each player only gets one guess to solve the crime (explained later).

After the cause of death and location boards are player, the Forensic scientist is given 4 additional clue boards. Each board will contain a description of the type of clue, and 6 options to give players. Like ever other board, only one option may be picked. The scientist can play the 4 boards, one at a time, in any other they choose, allowing as much discussion as they like between each placed board.

Example:
Scientist: Noticed By Bystander - Sudden Sound, Prolonged Sound, Smell, Visual, Action, Nothing; The bystander noticed Nothing.

Alice: Well, that doesn't help us any.

Sam: Yeah...

Mary: Actually... what if there's a reason he noticed nothing. We're at the school, and the bystander didn't see anything, what if that's because they were wearing that drama mask card that Alice has? That certainly fits in a school...

In the interest of keeping the game moving, I will likely ask the scientist to play a new board every 48 to 72 hours, if necessary. This rule may change, I won't know the sweet spot for timing this game until we try it.

Making Guesses

At any time after the first clue is given, players can make a guess as to who they feel the criminal was, and how the crime was committed. If they are correct, the investigators win the game! If they are incorrect, game play continues. Each player gets only one guess. Once you have incorrectly guessed, you can not try to solve the murder again. This does not mean you are eliminated. Deception has no player elimination. Players who guessed incorrectly are still able to discuss and play through the round, they just cannot guess again. They can, however, try to convince another player to use their guess on another hunch. A player will only ever learn if they are correct or incorrect. They might have the right person, they might have the right weapon, but if they don't have all three, the only response they will get is incorrect. They will not know if they are partially correct. If at any time the players run out of guesses between them and the murderer is not found, the murderer wins.

Sam: Alright, I think we've got this figured out. It was Alice, who did it with the Razor Wire, and the key evidence is the drama mask.

GM: That is incorrect.

Sam: Dangit, I was so sure! Her only other possibility is the box cuter and mask, Mary, you wanna try that for me?

Mary: I dunno Sam, how do I know you're not just trying to waste everyone's guesses so you can win?

Redacting Information

After the first 4 clue boards are placed, the Forensic scientist will be given two more. They can use these clues to cover up one of the clue boards that was already put into play. It's a good idea to use this to 'cancel' information that has been sending the players down the wrong path.

Sam: The trace left at the scene was a fingerprint! Doesn't it make more sense that Mark's broken bottle was used? That carries a way cleaner print than an axe.

Scientist: I am covering up the 'Trace at the scene' board with "Evidence Left Behind - Natural, Artistic, Written, Synthetic, Personal, Unrelated". The Evidence left behind was written.

Alice: Well, that kills your argument, Sam. And about that notebook...

The final word!

If the crime is not solved and players still have guesses after all 8 clue boards have been placed (the original 6, followed by the replacement 2), then the final round begins. Each player will get to make one post making their case. At any time, players can make their guesses. After the last guess is spent, or after 72 hours from the declaration of the final word, if the murderer has still not been found, they automatically win!

Mary: I've already used my guess, but I really feel like it has to be Sam at this point. His blades are the only thing that fits since I already guessed the axe, and I'm really sure about that notebook, especially after the written clue we got last.

Alice: You know what? I agree, I'm going to use my guess that Sam did it with the Blade, and left the notebook behind.

GM: Correct! The investigators win!

A note on Private Messaging

First and foremost, the ability to receive PMs is required to play. Apologies to unapproved members, but you'll need approval before you can join. When it comes to PMs, especially in social gaming, I don't like to restrict players from chatting with one another, but I do ask that you keep anything that has to do with the current investigation public.

Social PMs are always okay!

"Hey, it's great to be playing a game together again! Are you having fun?"

"I've enjoyed getting to meet you in deception. Man, guy is such an awesome GM. Anyway, you seem really cool, do you have any time for an RP?"

"Jeez, this round is getting crazy. If you end up being the murderer, I'm never trusting you again!"

Please don't do this!

"I didn't wanna say this to the whole group and make Sam suspicious of me, but I think that last clue MP gave was about his notebook. What do you think. Should we guess him?"

"Hey, do you think acid would be more likely to be shown as poisoning or severe injury?"

"Pssst, hey Forensic Scientist. Can you give me a hint? At least which player to look at?" This is straight up cheating. Please don't get caught doing this.

tl;dr

The game is played by guessing who committed a crime by guessing which cards were used in a crime. Everybody gets one guess to solve the murder.

The murderer wins if everyone uses their guesses incorrectly.

The investigators win if, at any time, they correctly guess the cards used in the crime.

Original Post

So this is something I played recently at a gaming convention and absolutely fell in love with. Those of you that live in the eastern continents may have already played it as "CS Files", but I've got a reprint named Deception coming in on the 20th that I'm interested in running here on E.

Until I get my copy and make sure I have everything correct, I'm not going to post any rules, but the basics of the game go something like this; I believe it runs anywhere from 4-10 players. 1 player is always going to play as the forensic investigator, who knows everything that happened, but is unable to communicate other than giving specific clues by placing markers on a series of boards that are played. Some of the board's may suggest the nature of the death (if it looked like an accident, or if it was clearly an attack, where it took place, etc.). Every other player is going to have a set of four cards in front of them; 4 potential weapons, and 4 potential items that were found at the crime scene (whether as a calling card, accidentally dropped, part of the scene, etc.) one of these players is the murderer; he'll reveal to the forensic scientist which of their cards they used as the weapon, and what was found. The scientist then uses the clues he can give to help the players figure out who among them holds the true murder weapon and evidence.

I'll need to go over the rules when I get it and figure out a fair way to run/time the game on a forum, but if we've managed it with One Night and Resistance, I'm sure we can for Deception as well.

Anyway, I'd like to get a general interest lost for when I run the game. I'm looking for anywhere between 5 and 10 players.

[mia h]

Sounds like it could be fun.
Just one question is a Box of Cornflakes one of the means? Want to know if there's a possibility of there being a cereal killer  :P

[Galactic Druid]

It is now. I'm adding that.

[Remiel]

Oh FUCK yes.   Me me me me me!!!

[Galactic Druid]

Oh FUCK yes.   Me me me me me!!!

<3

Sounds like it could be fun.
Just one question is a Box of Cornflakes one of the means? Want to know if there's a possibility of there being a cereal killer  :P

Btw, did you want me to add you to the player roster, miss mia?

[Madame Professor]

Sign me up! ;D

[mia h]

Btw, did you want me to add you to the player roster, miss mia?

Yes please  ;D

[yugi006]

I'm up for more.

[SunshineSparkle]

I'd love to play this!

[Galactic Druid]

Yay for Sunshine! It's been too long!

[Clio]

Still room?

[Galactic Druid]

For you? Always!

[NightOwl35]

Gonna drop my name in here, to help the investigations!

[Mintprincess]

Leaves name in thread ;)

[Galactic Druid]

Got room for 2 more! Since I'm already dead, I'll be starting this up soon.

[Mintprincess]

Hoooooow come my name and nights names are all codified but no one else is?

[Galactic Druid]

I have no idea why my phone changed "35" to " 37", but yours I was just goofing around with. =p

[NightOwl35]

I have no idea why my phone changed "35" to " 37", but yours I was just goofing around with. =p

Sure, blame the phone  ;D.

[Mintprincess]

I feel so special ;D

[Galactic Druid]

I'm sending out roles during my lunch after I catch up on a few posts. Would anybody like to volunteer for Forensic Scientist? Remember, being FS means having limited ways to communicate in the game thread, but is a very fun role to play.

If we have multiple volunteers, I'll roll a dice between them when I pass out roles. Also, those who haven't had a chance at the role in the last set of rounds I ran here will have first priority.

[Galactic Druid]

Since no one claimed it, I rolled a die for everyone;

Test Roll: ThatRPGuy rolled: 1d8
Comment:
Result: 7,
Total: 7
Note that this is a test roll and not saved.

NightOwl35, you're up for Forensics!

[Mintprincess]

I didn't claim it because you know I need my communication!!

[NightOwl35]

Since no one claimed it, I rolled a die for everyone;

Test Roll: ThatRPGuy rolled: 1d8
Comment:
Result: 7,
Total: 7
Note that this is a test roll and not saved.

NightOwl35, you're up for Forensics!

Funny thing, I was gonna volunteer haha :P!

[Galactic Druid]

Role PMs are out and game thread is up. As soon as I finish gathering some information, we can get started! In the meantime, feel free to look over the game thread to get a feel for what's out there and decide what you might want to use in the event you end up the murderer. Good luck!

[Galactic Druid]

Promise you guys haven't been forgotten. I'm still waiting on something before we can start.