Keep in mind: In this game, all communication between players takes place IN THIS TOPIC, with NO PRIVATE MESSAGING ALLOWED. Your only PMs regarding the game will be to send in your votes and/or actions (depending on your role) to the GM, Stopwatch.
Each phase of the game will end sometime around 4:30 PM EST (click here to see how that relates to your timezone), during which results from the previous phase will be posted and the next phase will begin thereafter. You have 24 hours from the time a phase ends to get in your votes/actions for the following phase. This time is subject to change anytime between now and the start of the game, stay tuned for any updates.
The Game
Espionage revolves around the interplay between two special roles: the Spy and the Detective. The goal of the Spy is to eliminate the Detective by whatever means possible, while the goal of the Detective is to assist the other players in locating and arresting the Spy. Two players will be assigned these roles at random, while the remaining players will be civilians tasked with identifying and eliminating the Spy before they escape. Civilian players are all given a unique list of names of fellow players, with each list containing, among other civilians, the name of a special role player. The list could be generated with either the Spy or the Detective in mind, but both could appear as well. It is the job of each civilian to work their way through their list and decide who can be trusted and who cannot. Do note that lists cannot in any way be shared with another player, be in privately or publicly.
During each phase (typically lasting 24 hours in total), each player is expected to send in their vote via PM to the Game Master (GM) for who should be arrested as the Spy. Whichever player receives the most votes will then be arrested and removed from the game (ties result in no arrests). If the arrested player is the Spy, the civilians and Detective win the game. If the arrested player is the Detective, the Spy then begins their escape—the civilians then have two phases to arrest them or else they lose the game (the amount of phases remaining to catch the spy is reduced to one should less than half of the original total players remain). The results of the vote are revealed by the GM at the end of the phase, announcing any arrests that have resulted from the vote as well as who voted whom.
In addition to voting for the daily arrest, the Spy and Detective each have special abilities unique to their roles. Neither receive lists at the beginning of the game and instead are to rely on their abilities to progress in the game. The Spy has the ability Execute in which they are able to kill another player each time the Spy survives a phase. The Detective has the ability Investigate which allows them to definitively check whether one specific player is or is not the Spy. These abilities are used in addition to the daily vote and the results of which will be sent privately by the GM once each phase's results are announced. The Spy is not permitted to specifically mention the results of their ability to any player in any form, instead having to indirectly and creatively sway public opinion without exposing their identity.
For the daily vote, the Spy will be attempting to mislead the public while also attempting to mislead the investigation. The Detective will be attempting to sway public opinion in order to see the Spy arrested.
* * * * * * * NEW ROLE ADDED! * * * * * * *
The Informant
The Informant is a civilian who has been corrupted and is now an asset and assistant to the Spy. Their aim in the game is to assist the Spy by whatever means necessary in winning the game. For example, if the Spy is suspected by the civilians, it is the Informant's job to distract them and ensure they focus on arresting someone else. If the Spy successfully escapes, the Informant is considered victorious as well. Keep in mind: The Informant does NOT receive a list unlike normal civilians.
The Informant is told the Spy's identity from the beginning of the game. The Spy does not begin the game knowing their Informant's identity. However, these two roles are NOT ALLOWED to directly communicate in private messages of any kind. Their only means of direct communication is done through an ability known as an Order. An Order is sent from the Spy to the GM before a phase ends (beginning with the Prep Phase), later along with who they intend to kill and their vote for a given phase. At the end of the phase, the Order is then passed on to the Informant (the Order may be changed at any time prior to the phase, as with other actions). The Order can be of any length and say anything, and can begin by asking the Informant to identify themself in the topic with a certain keyword or action (such as, "Let me know who you are by mentioning a hug in a post"). The Spy may continue to send an Order for each phase to their assistant through the GM for the duration of the game. The Spy may begin to send an Order beginning with the Prep Phase, which will then be delivered at the start of Day One. Keep in mind only the Spy can send an Order. The Informant's only means of contacting the Spy is to speak creatively in public in the game's discussion topic without arousing suspicion toward themself or the Spy.
If the Informant is arrested or killed by the Spy accidentally prior to their identity being known, it is announced by the GM with their arrest or death that they were the Informant.
NOTE: Depending on the size of a game, additional Informants may be added prior to the start of the game at the GM's discretion. Any such additions will be announced in the topic prior to the game beginning. Should this be the case, the Spy may then send Orders to "Informants #1" and "Informants #2" separately.
* * * * * * * NEW RULE CHANGE! * * * * * * *
Civilian lists are partially revealed upon death, BUT:
Once killed by the Spy, a civilian's list will be partially announced by the GM, with three random names revealed while the rest remain illegible. These revealed lists are valuable to all players, so strategize accordingly. After the first death, the second and proceeding deaths all will reveal only TWO names, which will likewise be completely random. Note that this does not apply to arrests. Lists of arrested players will remain private.
As the reveal, the GM may post something akin to:
"A piece of paper was found among their belongings. It read:
1) KleeneOnigiri
2) [illegible]
3) shinichi'sapprentice
4) [illegible]
5) [illegible]
6) kkslider5552000
7) [illegible]
The remaining names on the list are illegible and can't be read."
General Rules
Do NOT discuss the game in private messages or anywhere that is not the original game topic.
Unlike our other Mafia games, all correspondence and interaction amongst players in Espionage takes place in public in the designated topic. The only person you should contact in private in regards to the game or its operation is a given round's GM. They will assist you with anything you may need help with.
Once you are arrested, you are out of the game.
You can consider yourself dead once you have been arrested. This means NO contact about the game, in any form whatsoever, to any other living player for any reason whatsoever. You are no longer permitted to post in the topic of the ongoing game until it has reached its conclusion. If you have any questions, you may send a PM to the GM anytime.
You are required to vote for the daily arrest.
If you do not vote as a civilian, the top name from your list will be used as your vote. If you do not vote as one of the special roles, your vote will be for a random player as determined by the GM. It is highly advised you vote, because any absentee votes are not permitted to be acknowledged publicly as such (example: You may not post, "Sorry, I didn't mean to vote you! It was randomly decided by the GM!").
The game will end with either a Spy & Informant or a Civilian & Detective victory.
If the Spy is arrested, the game ends immediately and the Detective and civilians win. If the Detective is executed by the Spy or is arrested in the daily vote, the civilians then have only two phases remaining to find the Spy and arrest them before they escape. If less than half of the original starting players remain, however, only one phase will remain before the Spy escapes. If only the Spy and Detective remain at the end with no other civilians still in play, the Spy wins automatically.
As a Civilian: You must not reveal the content of your list for any reason or in any form.
Your list is unique to you and is meant to inform your decisions and help you and only you along. You will not know who is friend or foe and are expected to attempt to catch the Spy while avoiding arresting the Detective.
As the Detective: You are advised to be discreet.
Hide yourself the best you can from the Spy while attempting to catch them. However, you are not allowed to discuss or in any way hint or acknowledge the results of your Investigate ability. If you have suspicions about someone, you must appear as a civilian with common suspicions would and get creative in how you reveal information. Use of your Investigate ability is to be sent prior to the end of a phase, preferably along with your choice for the vote that day.
As the Spy: You are free to lie.
You are encouraged to mislead other players within the confines of the game topic. Hiding your identity is paramount, thus blending in to the civilian population is ideal. Use of your Execute ability is to be sent prior to the end of a phase, preferably along with your choice for the vote that day.
As the Informant: You must protect the Spy.
For all intents and purposes, you are a corrupted civilian who is now a partner of the Spy. If you are Investigated by the Detective, you will not appear any different than a normal civilian. However, unlike a normal civilian, you are NOT given a list at the start of the game and must only pretend to have one to blend in with others. You will be told the identity of the Spy at the start of the game but are NOT permitted to in any way contact that player except through creative public posts in the game topic. However, the Spy can use a special proxy messaging system through the GM known as an Order. This is a message sent by the Spy that will be forwarded to the Informant. The Spy can use Orders throughout the game and can use them to request information from the Informant including their identity (such as saying, "Post in the game topic something including a hug so that I know who you are"). However, even once the two have established one another's identities, they may not communicate outside of Orders forwarded by the GM at the end of each phase.
Only civilians receive a list.
The Detective will rely on their Investigate ability to progress, while the Spy will rely on their Execute ability. Each civilian's list will be completely random and will be generated to contain the name of one player holding a special role (Detective or Spy). However, a list may also contain the names of both the Spy and Detective players, so it is cautioned to be careful before making assumptions. The size of the list is determined by the amount of starting players and will generally be 35% to 45% of that amount.
No wills are allowed.
Last wills and testaments are not permitted for use in the game. If you are killed as a civilian, the first three names on your list will be revealed upon death.
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