Federation Cycle 1022.11.25
Sector -12.-51.2, an uncharted system
Federation starships rarely venture far from Federation space: but then, the FSS Apogee is not a typical Federation starship. Its official designation is “exploration vessel”, its official mission (as seen on Federation-approved holovision) is to “explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilisations, to boldly go where no man has gone before”. And it’s true: except that’s only half the story. The other half (not shown on Federation holovision) is: “and to mark them for colonisation, conquest and/or enslavement; for the glory of the Federation of Man.”
Make no mistake: the Apogee is a warship. Concealed weapon ports dot its hull, ready to be deployed at a moment’s notice, with enough combined firepower to obliterate life over a small continent. A squadron of Federation Enforcers, armed to the teeth with the latest in Federation battle tech, allow the Apogee to conquer particularly small or primitive civilisations without assistance. And if a civilization proves resistant to cultural integration, a warp beacon can be deployed to bring the full might of a Federation invasion fleet to bear on the hapless aliens.
You are a Federation soldier serving on board the Apogee. The current mission has been particularly uneventful. Only two new cultures have been discovered, and neither put up much of a fight: the first surrendered after one of their cities was reduced to a crater, and the second couldn’t enslave themselves fast enough after the Enforcers killed a few thousand of them. So far, nothing to write home about.
The ship’s intercom blares, interrupting your reverie. “Yellow alert. Unidentified alien vessel. All crew to your stations.” An unidentified vessel? No alien tech had ever been able to confound Federation sensors. Finally, something interesting…
You are about to leave your quarters when a psionic scream rips through your mind, sending you reeling to the floor. At the same time, all electronic devices in your room sputters and dies: the emergency lighting comes on a few seconds later, bathing your quarters in a dull red glow. You lie on the floor for a while, panting, trying to collect your thoughts. What the hell just happened?
You shakily push yourself off the floor and leave your quarters. The doors shut behind you with a hiss: the corridors (and presumably the entire ship) are also running on emergency lighting, making it difficult to see through the red gloom. Other crewmen are also emerging, looking just as confused as you feel. But something else is amiss…
Then it hit you. You don’t recognise anyone. In a small ship like this everyone should know everyone… so why don’t you? In fact, judging from people’s bewildered expressions, no one knows anyone else.
What the hell just happened?
This is a Murder Mystery game, more commonly known as a “Mafia” or “Werewolf” game. To those who do not know how this game works, read on.
THE FACTIONSThere are two factions: The Humans and the Changelings. The Humans win when every Changeling is dead. The Changelings win when the number of Changelings is equal to the number of Humans at the end of a Day Phase.
As a Human, you know only your own faction alignment and role. You have no knowledge of the alignment of other players or their roles, unless they choose to reveal it to you. Whether they’ll tell the truth or not is another matter.
As a Changeling, you of course know what you are and what your role is; but you also know the identity and role of every other Changeling. This allows you to coordinate with your fellow Changelings to bring down the Humans.
THE PHASESThe game is played in turns, with each turn having a Day Phase and a Night Phase. The Day Phase lasts for 48 hours, during which players are allowed to talk to each other. Every player must also publicly vote for one player they want dead: for Humans, this usually means voting for whoever you think is a Changeling. At the end of the Day Phase, the player with the most votes against them is lynched.
NOTE: When voting, the name of the player you are voting for should be
bolded and in red so it is easier for the GM to tally the votes. Should you change your vote later, do not edit out your old vote:
strike through it instead.
The Night Phase also lasts for 48 hours. Players are not allowed to talk to each other during this phase, with the exception of the Changelings; who are allowed to confer in private. During this phase, the Changelings hold a secret vote, invisible to the Humans: at the end of the Night Phase, the player with the most votes against them is killed.
ROLESAll players will receive a role at the beginning of the game. These roles confer special abilities that can be used during either the Day Phase or the Night Phase. Instructions on how to use your special ability will be given along with your role.
INJURYPlayers can become injured, preventing them from voting during the Day Phase or use special abilities for three Phases (including the Phase when the injury occurred). They may still however communicate with other players as normal. Injury can be caused by certain special abilities and events. An injured player cannot be injured again until they have recovered from their current injury.
ADDITIONAL RULES- Private messaging between players is allowed, although Phase restrictions apply: i.e. during the Night Phase, Humans are not allowed to private message anyone while Changelings are only allowed to private message each other.
- Dead players may not talk or private message anyone. They may however make one last post roleplaying their death, although this post may not reveal any information.
- Private messages from the GM are confidential and should not be revealed to anyone else unless the GM states it is okay to do so. However, information regarding your alignment and role may be revealed truthfully if you choose.
- Lynching will not occur at the end of a Day Phase if there is a tie, or if the top voted player has less than 25% (rounded) of the votes of remaining players.
- You may abstain from voting during a Day Phase, although doing so for more than two consecutive Day Phases will result in your death.
- A Day Phase may be ended immediately if more than 50% (rounded) of remaining players agree to do so and the top voted player has more than 50% (rounded) of the votes of remaining players. A Night Phase may be ended immediately by the GM if no more actions could be taken.
- Extensions to a Day or Night Phase may be granted on a per-case basis.
- Roleplaying is highly encouraged, but is not mandatory.
