Path of the Vampire forum

OUT OF CHARACTER SECTION

Okay folks, so hold onto your britches, because things are about to get strange!

By now, each of your characters has been given the role they are going to be playing inside of the Masque of the Red Death game. That's right, you're going to be roleplaying, inside of roleplay. What's the worst that could happen?

Gameplay shall be broken into two phases: Lights On and Blackout.

During the Lights On phase, people are free to chatter, enjoy refreshments, accuse each other of being members of the Red Death team, make attempts at convincing, etc. What moves the game forward? Voting! Voting will take place in the form of #Vote:Name. An example post is provided below:

"I caught sight of Red Rum outside of the window of Innocent Victim's room last night when everyone was at the party. They've got to be the killer!

#Vote:Red Rum

A person may similarly unvote using #Unvote:Name. The game progresses when a majority vote is reached. The moderator (in this case Azraeth), will be keeping up with votes, so while you can vote and unvote each post, be careful not to do so frivolously! People may post as often as they want during the Lights On phase, without posting order. This is to simulate the 'reality' of conversations and side conversations.

When a majority is reached, the moderator will post "BLACK OUT" meaning posting is to stop. The person voted on is banished after it's revealed by the moderator what their role was. From there, those roles become super important.

The Detective: May PM the moderator during black out phase with the name of 1 other participant to find out what their role is. It should be noted that the detective may not want to reveal his 'hand' early on, as he might be taken out by the Red Death.

The Red Death: Work in tandem, they may select one person to murder during the blackout phase. It is encouraged for them to speak privately between rounds to come up with some sort of strategy. The one person they kill during Black Out phase should be PMed to the Moderator at this time.

The Doctor: Selects one person to save per round. If they are lucky, they will save someone the Red Death would murder. Though they may also choose to save their own hide every round. The doctor should submit the name of the person they are protecting to the moderator via PM during the Black Out phase.

Everyone else is an innocent.

Once all of the roles have done their thing, the moderator will post "LIGHTS ON!" along with any events which may have taken place during the night, such as the death of a participant, or the attempted murder and then saving of a participant. Roles will not be revealed, obviously. Things will continue accordingly.

The game is over when all of the members of the Red Death team are eliminated OR when there are more Red Death members than other players (including doctor, detective and innocents).

Those who have been 'eliminated' by vote and 'death', may not participate in this thread anymore. However, they can socialize here until the event is over! The linked thread has no word count limit and no requirements. People may obviously speculate as to what's going on in the game (which they would be watching IC anyway), get drinks, leave, or do whatever they want really!

IN CHARACTER SECTION

The night starts right as you pull up, with a pair of men identically clad in dark colors, charcoal coats with black cravats. On their faces are what look to be heavy brass masks designed after a style which makes them look like skeletal birds. They are nondescript otherwise, and though they may help you into the Dragon Tower, or park your vehicle, they are uniform in their silence.

Once led inside, you are directed to a previously inaccessible set of rooms, which are richly, luxuriously, and comfortably outfitted, which gives the impression of Victorian decor sensibilities, but intimacy of atmosphere. One room seems to be a sitting area, with a handsome, crackling fire, plenty of space for everyone to be seated, and a black glass mirror, which seems to reflect nothing. Through a plain door, you have access to an eat in kitchen, which seems mostly abandoned save for the smell of food and the coppery scent of blood. There is a lone figure in a red cloak, who stands behind an improvised bar. Apparently his selection of drinks is vast. Horderves are numerous - everything from seared shrimp on skewers, to clams, to thinly sliced salmon on crackers, crostinis, sweedish meatballs - all of it designed to be eaten standing, quickly. A taste of something delicious for those able and desiring.

Past a lone door on the other side of the kitchen is a corridor leading up some stairs, and a viewing gallery, the entrance to which has the phrase 'Purgatory', scrawled above it. This limbo is where eliminated participants will go to watch the remainder of the game, if they so desire, able to see through the black glass mirror from the previous sitting room.

Speaking of that previous sitting room, as you enter, you will notice a figure standing in the middle of the room. Azraeth is there in all white - hair powdered under an elegant French wig, face and hands painted with Venetian ceruse to make his already pale features stark white, with clothing undoubtedly inspired by the Victorian era. When all have gathered, he speaks.

"Good evening, and welcome to the Masque of the Red Death. You have all been called here, on this woeful occasion, because I, the good prince Prospero, have been killed by the Red Death itself.

Look around you. Drink in every little detail, watch everyone here, and trust none, because amongst you are killers. To free my spirit from this mortal coil, you must find those who took my life. That, or join me here for eternity."

And with that, the first Lights On phase begins.

I have been around the room a few times. It is exactly what I would expect given the invitation I received. I move with care as I am the pack horse hauling at least fifteen pounds of venetian lace. White lace no less. I feel wrong about it already. Not the lace or the fact that I am at the party to begin with. It is the abundance of white that only pales in comparison to the tiered wig and heavy porcelain powdered dust that sits on my skin. I feel far too clean when deep down I know I am as dirty as they come. Not only that, I am wading with each new step into the darkest waters imaginable. I can smell the sources of cool liquid power around me. They forget to add the disclosures and warnings to one’s health at the bottom of the limited invites. Of course, for me, it was too tempting to resist.

More observations are needed. I do this while adjusting the sage organza draped over my bare shoulder. I see dark colors and enough black to satisfy a funeral procession. Perhaps it is going to lead to that. I am invited so it isn’t probably meant to be spiked punch and lady fingers with a side of salacious chatter. Then again...who really knows?

Why I was invited is a mystery but I assume given enough time the reasons will come to light. I have taken into account the guests as they arrive. Each are wearing something falling under the victorian theme and the masks hide enough that will require me to get in closer, eventually. For now I shift my focus and attention to the one who seems to be stepping up as the ringmaster of this shindig.