Project Athena - Futuristic Mafia (Rules/Roles/Interest Check)

Started by Galactic Druid, June 14, 2014, 01:40:25 AM

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Galactic Druid

No longer a WIP! Feel free to join, comment, and suggest! 0/20 slots taken!



By 2028, Patriot Security was practically a household name across the globe in both home and military security. With dealings in everything from city cameras, data protection, secure cellular service, secure elections, even social media, with contracts and task forces specializing in PMC dealings in major warzones, there were few individuals who didn't fall under Patriot's worldwide 'blanket of protection', fewer still that would dare speak against the benevolent corporation. During September elections, the company's sterling reputation managed to get them nearly unopposed clearance from politicians - and clients - across the globe to launch Project Athena, a hybrid satellite and data network that would span the entire globe. With the touch of a button, Patriot would be able to completely control warfare, not to mention the warfare market, across the globe. At the small cost of a little privacy, nations would be able to sleep easier at night, knowing they were constantly monitored and protected from dangerous terrorist threats.

Best of all, a combination of advanced information gathering networks, along with advanced satellite and drone-based weaponry would allow Patriot to target and eliminate threats and crimes before they were even committed, all while minimizing the manpower needed to do so, saving governments across the entire coverage zone billions. The system was swiftly and unanimously approved worldwide by officials, ringing in a new era of worldwide peace.

-Excerpt from November 21st, 6PM Patriot News Network

With the launch of Project Athena less than a month away, Patriot was ready to inherit the world, up until the day CEO Marcus Toll failed to show for work- for days at a time. One by one, key corporate personnel began to go missing around the Patriot corporate offices. Internal security suspects foul play, specifically from the terrorist organization calling themselves 'The Unplugged', a group of self-proclaimed 'hacktivists' intent on disrupting the corporation's global security blanket. With the loss of key employees, trilobytes of data on 'clients', and the trust of the masses due to their inability to keep their own backyard clean, the terrorist organization poses a serious threat to worldwide security, with the potential to disrupt the Athena Project itself.
A/As last updated 11/27 - Halfway past busy season!

Galactic Druid

So what is this game?

Project Athena is a hidden role, 'mafia' style game with a focus on misinformation. While I'm hoping there will be plenty of role playing in player's flavor text (this is not a requirement), the game itself is not a role play. The primary point of the game is to figure out who your can trust, both in game threads and PMs, carefully pruning the enemy team before they can do the same to you.

Every player takes on a role as one of the key employees of the Patriot corporation, though some are secretly members of the hacktivist group 'The Unplugged', working from within the corporation to bring it down.

The game is divided into two phases. During The Night Phase, hacktivists have an opportunity to cause an 'accident' around the Patriot offices or at employee's homes, removing a player from the game. Other key members of the staff will also have special roles to perform as well.

During the Day Phase, conferences are held to determine who in the corporation may actually be working for The Unplugged. Players will vote on who they wish to accuse, or may vote No Termination if they feel there are either no hacktivsts left, or they simply don't have enough information and don't want to kill one of their own.

During the first day phase, players vote for the New CEO of Patriot Security, to replace the recently deceased.

- In the event of a tie Termination vote between two players, the CEO decides which one will be terminated.
- In the event of a tie between any number of players and No Termination, No Termination takes precedence.


Cool! So how do I win?

Well, that depends on which team you're on;

-The Corporation team wins when they finish a day without a kill when no members of The Unplugged remain.

-The Unplugged players win the moment they are even numbers with the Corporation players.

Sounds easy enough! Let's start!

Well, hang on a moment, there's a few rules and notes you should be aware of first, not to mention game roles!


  • Once the game has started, no new players can join unless requested by the GM to replace a member who had to leave.
    • You must have access to PMs to play this game. Apologies to those waiting approval, there's no way to keep your role secret without a PM.
    • The game decides your alignment, not your friendships. It's easy to get caught up in circles, but it's also a good way to lose.
    • A vote is required of each player, each round.
    • Hacktivists always work together. You may not attack other hacktivsts at night.
    • Terminated employees cannot talk. Not in thread, not by PM. No, you didn't have a 'dead man's switch' installed on your heart to send out a data packet of everyone you think should go in the event you died. Once a player is dead, they can still comment and chat in the OOC, but influencing the game in any way is prohibited.
    • The first thing The Unplugged targeted were the office copy machines. Don't ask me why they felt those were the highest priority targets, but they did. As a result, use of quote boxes for any reason is prohibited. You can tell each other what X or Y told you in a PM all you want, so long as you're not using the quote feature.
    • Watch the game, not the players. Don't try and use the Who'se Online feature to try and timestamp actions, etc. Nobody likes a metagamer.
    • Have Fun! Remember, mafia games are all about sneaking, backstabbing, and lying. Try to enjoy it and have fun with it. Don't let the fact that your best friend lied to you about their role ruin your experience.
    • Keep the GM Entertained! Make sure you include ThatRPGuy in your game related PMs, so I can fully appreciate your shenanigans.
    • Try to vote based on what's happened in the game. Voting off players because they have more mafia experience or seem like good liars makes the game less fun. Swarming the first person to vote, accusing them of bloodlust just ensures that no one will want to vote.
    • Please put your vote each round in bold.
    • Lastly, You may not vote for yourself. Not for CEO, and certainly not for termination, though why you'd want to is beyond me.
A/As last updated 11/27 - Halfway past busy season!

Galactic Druid

Players

1. yugi006
2. Blythe
3. ehlamjanx
4. Madame Professor
5. Remiel

Depending on how many players we get, every role may or may not be used.
Patriot Security Roles

Patriot Security Employees - One of many cogs in the machine. While not everyone may have a special role within the corporation, these parts of the whole are no less important.

The Tracer - An expert in online security and field forensics, tracers track down IPs, paper trails, fake corporate IDs, and much more, reporting everything they find to internal security. Once per night, the tracer may name a player, learning which team they play for. Note: You will not learn a player's special role, only if they work for Patriot or The Unplugged.

The HR Specialist - A patriot employee who specializes in knowing the Patriot team and their strengths. Each night, she may choose a player. She will learn if that player has a special role or not. Characters such as the tracer, the medic, or the bodyguard, for example, will appear as 'special', whereas patriot employees, any member of The Unplugged, The Intern, and the Scapegoat will not.

The Bodyguard - A former secret service operative scouted by Patriot HR, the bodyguard may choose one player to protect each night. If that player is attacked by a member of The Unplugged, The Bodyguard protects them from a kill. The bodyguard will also scare off any recruitment agents attempting to turn the player.

The Medic - An expert in clinical and field medicine, the medic will have the option to save a player that was attacked per night, either once or twice per game, depending on the number of players. In addition, the medic may also discreetly poison one player per game (of any size). This poison is a secretive and discreet kill that cannot be blocked by the bodyguard.

The Communication Specialist -This role is under consideration! I'd like to get some feedback from potential players in this thread before deciding if it would be fun and usable, or too powerful to use in a balanced game. Each night, the comms expert has a chance to monitor a player's outgoing messages. He will receive (from the GM), a copy of the first PM that player sends. They will not learn who the intended recipient(s) was/were, but will otherwise see the message word for word. If the monitored player does not send a PM before the next night phase, the monitoring ends when a new target is selected.

The Scapegoat - The access codes used to sabotage the drone networks, the missing accounts that have resurfaced, the fingerprint on the VP's bottle of scotch that he swears wasn't that empty before- somehow it all point back to you. The Scaptegoat is a Patriot Employee who appears to the tracer (and when their Termination is announced) as a member of The Unplugged.

Unplugged Roles

Unplugged Member - A member of The Unplugged, masquerading as a Patriot employee in order to take the organization down from within. At the beginning of the game, all members of The Unplugged will learn one another's identities. Each night, you may collaborate with your partners to decide which Patriot employee to take down next, or not to kill at all, in order to sow confusion.
 
The Recruiter - The Unplugged's most charismatic member, the recruiter may, once per game, attempt to bring a member of Patriot over to their side. This ability may only be used on a night when The Unplugged collectively decides not to take down an employee. In addition, if the player chosen is being protected by the bodyguard, the ability is wasted.

The Runner - The Unplugged aren't especially proud of this hire, but he can certainly get the job done. The Runner, a professional for hire, managed to open a lot of doors for The Unplugged, getting them inside Patriot, carrying out the dirty work no one else is willing to. Once (or twice, depending on game size) per game, the runner may eliminate another player during the night phase, chosen independently from the regular group decision.

The Intern - It couldn't possibly be them! They're fresh out of school, they know nothing besides how to bring coffee, they're inconsequential. Besides, they don't even have full security clearance, so it's just not possible, right? The intern is an Unplugged member so invisible in the eyes of employees they aren't even worth the resources of performing a proper trace. They appear to the tracer, who didn't really bother to look thoroughly, as a Patriot Employee (as well as when they are Terminated).

The Hitman - Concept role! A seemingly loyal member of The Unplugged who has conned his way onto the Patriot Job, but ultimately has been working his own angle the entire time, getting close enough to Patriot VIPs to complete his own contract. He wakes up with the other Unplugged members, who will not know who among them is the Hitman (or any special role, for that matter). The Hitman's goal is to see to it a number of targets (depending on game size), chosen by his handler, are eliminated before the end of the game. Since the handler chooses impartially, it is possible the Hitman may need to see to it members of The Unplugged are terminated in order to win. The Hitman wins if, and only if, his targets are eliminated when the game ends.

Neutral/Unaligned Roles

The Merc - An ex-con mercenary hired on by Patriot, brought in from the field to guard assets when people began disappearing. He only cares about two things; getting paid and seeing combat. The merc starts the game on the corporate team. However, if a day phase ends without a terminated contract, he loses faith and jumps sides, becoming a member of the Unplugged, as they're never so soft as to avoid bloodshed. Exception: If there are no members of The Unplugged left on the day there is no termination, he wins the game with the other members of the Patriot team.

The Recruit - The very first day the new recruit was welcomed into Patriot, he was approached by The Unplugged, who shared information gathered on the company, and invited him to join their cause. On the first night the recruit must choose which side they're going to ally themselves with. They are considered a regular member of that team (even to the tracer) for the remainder of the game.


The Handler - Concept Role! The Handler is working with The Hitman. At the beginning of the game, the handler will pick a number of targets (depending on game size) the Hitman mus eliminate in order to win. Unlike the Hitman, the handler will not know who The Unplugged members are when he selects the hitman's targets. The handler will appear as a special role to the HR specialist, but otherwise has no special abilities aside from knowing their partner. The handler wins, even if they die, if the Hitman wins. Should the Hitman be terminated, the handler abandons their post, also being eliminated.
A/As last updated 11/27 - Halfway past busy season!

yugi006


Blythe

Been interested in this since the first time you mentioned it to me, Guy. Sign me up!


Madame Professor

The Professor's Research Notes (O/O)  Locked away in the Laboratory (A/A) 
Not currently available for new roleplays
Procaffeinating: (verb) The tendency to not start anything until you've had a cup of coffee.
Perkatory: (noun) The anguished, prolonged period spent waiting for a fresh pot of coffee to be ready.

Remiel

Wow! There are a lot of special roles! Should make for an interesting game.

I'm in.

BAMF

»O/O’s«»Ideas«»A/A's«
Great things are done
by a series of small things
brought together.

»Vincent Van Gogh«

Galactic Druid

Quote from: Remiel on June 16, 2014, 11:58:11 AM
Wow! There are a lot of special roles! Should make for an interesting game.

I'm in.

Depending on how many sign up, hopefully I'll be able to use most if not all. I'm trying to do new things with a few of them, going for a real misdirection feel with the game. Once I'm home, I have a few more ideas to add, actually.
A/As last updated 11/27 - Halfway past busy season!

Aislinn

I have been told I'm participating....~laughs~ So here I am!
"I am the one thing in life I can control
I am inimitable I am an original
I'm not falling behind or running late
I'm not standing still,
I am lying in wait.”


Remiel

Quote from: ThatRPGuy on June 16, 2014, 03:19:00 PM
Depending on how many sign up, hopefully I'll be able to use most if not all. I'm trying to do new things with a few of them, going for a real misdirection feel with the game. Once I'm home, I have a few more ideas to add, actually.

My own personal opinion is that we probably don't need the neutral / unaligned roles.  If both swing toward the Unplugged, it could tip the balance and make things very difficult for the Patriots.   Just my opinion.

I do like the option to vote No Termination, particularly since the Recruiter's ability can only happen if the good guys decide not to eliminate anybody. 

Blythe


Aislinn

Yay, Blythe!

Everyone needs to understand that I'm a total newbie at this game so no making fun of me as I try to stumble through it!  ;D
"I am the one thing in life I can control
I am inimitable I am an original
I'm not falling behind or running late
I'm not standing still,
I am lying in wait.”


Blythe

It's okay--I tried out my very first mafia game here on Elliquiy, and it was...an adventure. And really fun. ^^

The rules seem complex when you first look at a mafia game, but they are much easier to get as you try your hand at things in gameplay.

Aislinn

I'm sure it will be fun! I've been looking forward to doing something like this for awhile since I can't do things like minecraft and some of the other games.
"I am the one thing in life I can control
I am inimitable I am an original
I'm not falling behind or running late
I'm not standing still,
I am lying in wait.”


yugi006


Remiel

Welcome, Aislinn! There are only three rules to Mafia games:

1. Don't trust Blythe.
2. Don't trust Remiel.
3. For the love of God, don't trust Valerian.

Aislinn

~scribbles down the rules, nodding her head~

Got it...got it...and got it!
"I am the one thing in life I can control
I am inimitable I am an original
I'm not falling behind or running late
I'm not standing still,
I am lying in wait.”


Galactic Druid

There is a very real chance I may kill someone over Windows 8...
A/As last updated 11/27 - Halfway past busy season!

Aislinn

Deleted comments....
"I am the one thing in life I can control
I am inimitable I am an original
I'm not falling behind or running late
I'm not standing still,
I am lying in wait.”


Galactic Druid

Added a couple of ideas I had earlier today for the game, tagged as concept roles. I'd love to get feedback from you guys about them.
A/As last updated 11/27 - Halfway past busy season!

yugi006


Remiel

I like the concept of the Hitman, but I think his targets should be chosen randomly.

Blythe

I think that the Hitman in conjunction with the Communications Specialist could potentially slant the game too strongly in favor of the Patriot Security players, since the Hitman potentially may target Unplugged members and the CS can potentially get into their PMs; I'd rather only see one of those roles included, max.

Between them, I favor the Hitman and agree his targets should be chosen randomly.