Author Mafia - Game Over!

[Gertrude Stein]

Madame Stein

, a truly mad woman, from what I can make out from her crazed talk, seems to be voting The Paper for simply summarizing the events, and not sharing opinions. Of course, I confess, I believe I am partly imagining what she is saying, and the other part imagining what she is meaning. But for the world to know,

Miss Stein

, please indulge us in why thou hath black-marked the papers.

The words which bubble forth from my countenance are sublime, they are consice, they are words, and they are not for consumption like a vegetable. In the cupboard you shall find more words. More sugar. More vegetables. And meaning, if that is what you seek.

The newspaper has begun with the stance of simply chronicling the events, such as the rose, the cushion, the grammar. Processing what all can see is a putrid waste of time, and is done only by those who wish to hide conceal bifurcate their true meaning of existence. Thus that is why I placed my vote with the periodical which smells of sardines. An object fears nothing save for object-eating objects. Arthur a grammar.

Turning to examine peer at ponder upon Miss Bradley, it seems clear that she is angry. She feels that (grammar notwithstanding) there are evil persons out to get her. She may be right and she may be grammatically grammar. There is sugar in the rose cupboard won't you join me.

unvote

Vote: Marion Zimmer Bradley, the feminist, the angry one, the grammar

[HP Lovecraft]

Voting Log, Vol. 1 No. 3

Christopher Marlowe - 0
Thomas Pynchon - 0
Shakespeare - 0
David Foster Wallace - 1 (God)
Edgar Allan Poe - 1 (The Daily Bugle)
James Joyce - 0
Moliere - 0
Bret Easton Ellis - 1 (James Joyce)
Lemony Snicket - 2 (Edgar Allan Poe, Tommy Wiseau)
Charlie Kaufman - 0
Oscar Wilde - 0
Dr. Seuss - 2 (David Foster Wallace, Christopher Marlowe)
Gregory Williamson - 1 (Dr Seuss)
Gertrude Stein - 0
Tommy Wiseau - 0
Jane Austen - 0
ee cummings - 0
David Mamet - 2 (Charlie Kaufman, Jane Austen)
The Daily Bugle - 5 (Marion Zimmer Bradley, Rucks, David Mamet, Lemony Snicket, Moliere)
Brian Jacques - 0
God - 0
Mark Z. Danielewski - 0
Marion Zimmer Bradley - 7 (God, ee cummings, Oscar Wilde, Edgar Allan Poe, Gregory Williamson, Thomas Pynchon, Gertrude Stein)
Rucks - 1 (Mark Z. Danielewski)

Not Voting - 2 (Shakespeare, Brian Jacques)

With 24 alive, it takes 13 to lynch. Deadline is 10/22 at 5PM EST.

[James Joyce]

Flashing open your boastingboards exploding of authortalent reeks inarticulation. I entreat as you amazepig pig pig pig the whole barn that the assembly strives for greater comprehension as the opposable thumb depends upon its bonework.

Gutterscum behind hiding be smokescream?

[Marion Zimmer Bradley]

There is no such thing as equality for some. Equality must be for all. That is what freedom is. That is what liberty is. No human being is born more or less important than any other. How can we allow ourselves to forget that? What simpler truth is there?

-- David Levithan

A good novel tells us the truth about its hero; but a bad novel tells us the truth about its author.

--G. K. Chesterton


I am still a tad suspicious of the Daily Bugle. I understand that he has constraints on him because of his native tongue, but I would like to see more from him. However, the haste with which some authors jumped onto the wagon seems a bit suspicious too. I will be watching several of you very closely. If only I had a bit of the Alderan Donas of seeing the future, but I lack that gift. Renegades to the Comyn, they may be, but that gift of foresight and others run strong in them.

For now, I will keep my vote where it lies, while I continue my research. I feel we need to unravel things a great deal more before we retire for the night.

33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

34

Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.

35

And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

This part is what got to me. As my Keeper reminded me though, I should not let patriarchal nonsense ruffle my feathers so. After all, my father was more understanding, and instead of arranging a marriage, has allowed me to stay in the Towers and accomplish much. Watching the speed with which the wagon has piled upon me though has reminded me of what my primary duty here is. I will analyze both wagons and see a place where to put my vote to better use--on scum. And I will do my best to ignore the disdain of the fairer sex that was portrayed. I must remember that there are many men among the Comyn who would wholeheartedly agree with the above bolded words. Accomplishing my task is far more important than trying to change the viewpoint of someone. It would be like trying to chain a dragon for cooking food.

[Marion Zimmer Bradley]

The next time you’re faced with a choice, do the right thing. It hurts everyone less in the long run.

--Wendelin Van Draanen

Voting Log, Vol. 1 No. 2

Christopher Marlowe - 0

The Daily Bugle - 5 (Marion Zimmer Bradley, Rucks, David Mamet, Lemony Snicket,

Gertrude Stein

)


With 24 alive, it takes 13 to lynch. Deadline is 10/22 at 5PM EST.

Voting Log, Vol. 1 No. 3

Christopher Marlowe - 0

The Daily Bugle - 5 (Marion Zimmer Bradley, Rucks, David Mamet, Lemony Snicket, Moliere)

Marion Zimmer Bradley - 7 (God, ee cummings, Oscar Wilde, Edgar Allan Poe, Gregory Williamson, Thomas Pynchon,

Gertrude Stein

)

Not Voting - 2 (Shakespeare, Brian Jacques)

With 24 alive, it takes 13 to lynch. Deadline is 10/22 at 5PM EST.

In taking a look at varying player ISOs, so far, I have started to see some patterns. In looking at the wagons both of which grew pretty quickly, I also see some patterns.

First the bolded Ms Stein seems not only to have changed votes frequently, but to jump on to both the Bugle wagon, followed by the wagon on me with great speed. She is high on my list of possible Terran infiltrators.

Thomas Pynchon and Mr Cummings are notable for their lack of posting much and both voted for me without any real case or adding to points others made. In fact, Mr. Cummings only has ONE post where he voted me as the wagon du jour. Very opportunistic of them and they remind me so much of the Alderans.

I still have to research a few others, but I feel that we may find scum in these three.

and for now, I will vote for the one I feel most likely of the three.

VOTE: ee cummings

[David Foster Wallace]

27 September Y.D.A.U.

Vote: Edgar Allen Poe

For displaying a strategy of throwing you-know-what⁴ at the wall to see what sticks.⁵ His overall level of activity has been high when compared to the rest of the authors in attendance but his posting conveys a frenetic sense of trying to blend in and keep himself in the right position. Thomas Pynchon's post #47 raises salient points and mirrored my thought process on the matter to such a degree that I confidently call him town⁶ yet E.A.P. deftly ignores it while doing a V.C.A.⁷ that is clearly built specifically to lend credence to his joining of the M.Z.B. wagon.⁸

Other persons of interest at this time are Gertrude Stein, about whom I had the same concern just raised in post #79 by the the much-maligned M.Z.B., and David Mamet⁹ based on the principle put forth by Lemony Snicket in posts #10 and #25.

I will also take the time to note that some authors seem to be getting lost in style-over-substance, and though to this point I have given such authors a free pass, as it were, if it becomes a habit they can expect to rise accordingly in my tracking of suspects. My own posts can reasonably be expected to be in depth, infrequent¹⁰ and in style.¹¹

4. Fecal matter, in the most common versions of the metaphor, or spaghetti for an audience of children
5. Ex: post #32, coupled with 3 out of his first 4 posts containing a change of vote
6. And would encourage him to come join me back on the Poe wagon, where I have kept his seat warm
7. Vote Count Analysis
8. A wagon which has me greatly unsettled primarily due to those aboard it rather than the merits of the point raised against her
9. Especially if Poe is, as I suspect, scum - see post #27
10. A luxury afforded by the generous deadline length and overall low pace of posting, something I don't wish to see changed as a game such as this could quickly drown under the weight of too many words.
11. Though not, I hope, lacking in substance.

[OscarWilde]

The young man laughed at Marion's accusations. "I hardly find the suspicions of Mr. Cummings opportunistic, as there was one vote against you, which was based upon the notion that your case against the Daily Bugle was both ill-conceived and insincere. I find it fascinating that even when confronted with this you continue to cry misogyny as the reason for the increased suspicion that has been cast in your direction. Your accusations seem to born out of resentment rather than research."

He crossed the room and seated himself in a cushioned chair with arms of polished oak. He gestured at the newest speaker and spoke again. "Master Wallace has made an interesting point. Poe's alarmist statements in regards to Mr. Snicket seem to seek to sow the chaos that he has accused Snicket himself of attempting, but I would hear him speak on the matters you have raised. I think I would also like to hear of Dr Seuss's delightful rhymes. He's spoken very briefly to criticize the paper, a criticism he did not seem to see fit to act upon. His vote in jest still remains placed upon Mr. Williamson, who has since cast three votes in succession which were without reason or rhyme, and joined the case against Madam Bradley. I find his work obtuse and unoriginal."

He paused a moment.

"The three are worth pursuing, however my vote shall remain until each has spoken."

[Brian Jacques]

Several fingers and glares accused Sister Marion. Abashedly she answered the authors' charges and claimed brother ee to be the culprit. Oscar Wilde, a young man dressed sharply for the occasion, spoke up,

"I hardly find the suspicions of Mr. Cummings opportunistic, as there was one vote against you, which was based upon the notion that your case against the Daily Bugle was both ill-conceived and insincere."

Brian thought he made a valid point.

In the corner, James Joyce sat up and mumbled incoherently, a glass of raspberry cider in his hand, and several other empty glasses beside him. Brian hoped this would not be a trend! He echoed David Foster Wallace's sentiments, but thought James Joyce should have had enough of his fun by now, and should be getting down to solving this crime.

Brian started, "If you could be so kind to share an actual understandable thought, James," but paused. The alcoholic's head had slumped over mid-sentence. Brian scrawled a note on a napkin and placed it tactfully in James' jacket pocket.

"Ah, Gregory Williamson," Brian turned to the crowd. "Your vote against Marion Zimmer Bradley is exactly one of the reasons I won't be voting her at this very moment. Your vote hides itself behind your poems and not reasons. Please, if you care to enlighten us in clearer terms?"

[Gregory Williamson]

Riddles: Part the First

1.
A lady who's sole complaint
Is god's word, but said not straight,
By claiming "chauvanism's taint".


2.
Suspicion lingers
With pointed fingers
At Bret's malignance.


3.
Finally proposed:
Red Death's maestro
Quoth truth - 'tis so!

[Gregory Williamson]

Spoiler: Answers

1.

A.

Scum

B.

Marie Barielle

C.

Misrepresentative

D.

All of the above

2.

A.

A FoS

B.

Bret Easton Ellis

C.

Scum read unabated

D.

All of the above

3.

A.

QFT

B.

Town

C.

Edgar Allan Poe

D.

All of the above

[James Joyce]

Inkpens down on the farnientedesks!

Wagon this hiss bag'o'scum! Gums aflapping, pens ascraping, brain nomeaning.

No more page-antry, soldiers, war has bee gun.

VOTE: Rucks

[Thomas Pynchon]

The first flames of the day have appeared, reflected in the eyes of those looking upon them and fanned by each breath. Everyone was alert, jostled by the ever growing murmur of expectancy. All at once, into their gaze strolls a disheveled norfolk terrier, with a raffish gleam in its eye.

A talking dog, and it sings.


laaaaaa laaaaaa laaaaa

My dear Rucks, you're a ratter
With your: not-referencing-my-vote don't matter.

backup singers:

My vote on the paper.
You follow that up with a defense of the Zimmer.
Your misinterpretation of why she's scum makes me simmer.

backup singers:

It brings me a boil!
Comin' right up is the final treason.
You think I'm scum for not givin' reason.

backup singers:

For my vote on the Zimmer!
But just remember, "not-referencing-my-vote don't matter."
Are you ready hear those gallows clatter.

backup singers:

Gallows clatter!

VCA before flips
Is for drips.
I don't know what Bradley's doin'
But it ain't a shoe-in.

backup singers:

Not it ain't!
She's got a case on Ms. Stein.
But she fingers me and mine.

backup singers:

For not posting enough, and voting her!
I'm certainly not feelin' better 'bout her.

David Wallace, you're a confusing fellow.
How you get that MZB's VCA was to mellow

backup singers:

me hoppin' on her wagon.
I'll never know.
And when it comes to Poe, his posts might be for show,
But I'll give him a chance
cause the MZB vote's a dance.

backup singers:

Good, good times.
Good times indeed.

[James Joyce]

Thomas Algernon Spock Pinch On, your poo-dle shall be drowned I say it is rabbit.

Stoop stop the flow flowery flim flam, get dawn to buzz Ines and vote four Rucks. Ewe no you want two.

[ee cummings]

mZb

all good

NEED

pushness

you LACK

(just

like

EACHness

and

senseness -

op

port

unism

for #2?

ilaugh)

[Jane Austen]

If not for the scummy nature of Mr. Mamet, I would find myself voting Dr. Seuss; sadly I have only one vote and it is promised to another. With Dr Seuss, I am afraid we have a scum hiding waiting for an opportunity; where he will rush up only to hide again, and wait for the next opportunity. I know this this, yet I am made unhappy, and I have good reason to be: I can not exercise my suspicion of Seuss without leaving Mamet with just the tendrils of suspicion, and none of my fellows are willing to make the first leap onto Seuss; though that would be the gallant thing to do.

The alacrity in which that paragraph had been been written lead to the missing of two major reasons to calm my soul; the two great heroes who have voted Seuss. While others focus on distractions that shall lead to nothing; that

can't

lead to anything. Although I still

FOS: Mamet

I can with comfort

Vote: Seuss

[Lemony Snicket]

Poe, your most recent message about regarding me confuses me. It also twists my words like a wet sponge under a running faucet which is being rung by a man with one hand.

After poking him, he simply states that anything “odd” is a sign of a criminal.

I am not sure what you are referring to because I never said anything of the sort. Here are all mentions of "oddity" in my messages:

It was an oddity, which means something strange and worth a vote.

I'm afraid that when searching for these criminals in the early stages of our game ... oddities are the best we can find.

Perhaps the first quote is what you are referring to? It still does not translate to what you mean remotely. In the excerpt of your post I quoted and the rest of your post, you use odd in its general definition: something that seems slightly out of place. But as you can see with your dreary eyes, I have defined it as something that is strange

and

worth a vote. In the second excerpt, you see that I search for oddities in the early game. Later in the game, I find the criminals with more solid grounding in logic.

You then accuse me of hypocrisy because I have been accusing Mamet and the Bugle of inaction, yet somehow I have been inactive as well. This makes little sense. Hypocrisy is a term which is embodied in the saying "not practicing what you preach." My vote for Mamet was based on his lack of vote, not just because he was "odd," as you put it. I voted Mamet and then, when his reaction seemed paranoid, urged others to vote for him. I see no hypocrisy. My vote on the Bugle was based on the fact that it has been stating things that we all clearly see and not acting on them. Again, I do not see how this is similar to what I am doing.

The detail here may seem woefully unnecessary, but it is because it seems that you are, as you say, "sowing the seeds of chaos" towards me. I had not thought it before, but now that you are blatantly twisting my words, it seems possible.

--------

Other, dire, miserable, bad things:

I am not troubled by G.S., and don't share the concerns of my fellow authors with her change of votes, which incidentally are not for President regardless of the election season.

I find the V.C.A., being done so early strange, most recently by E.A.P and M.Z.B. since, as noted by others, we have not had flips so using it as justification for votes or suspicions is meaningless. M.Z.B.'s vote on E.C seems unjustified, and I am concerned that she is delirious.

[William Shakespeare]

 I, i 
        
 [Enter] Shakespeare. 
SHAKESPEARE
  From death's centurion slumber newly waked
    And yet already facing death's renew
  I find myself. Old Time is playing games,
    And wicked murd'rous spirits skulk about.
      
Enter Poe
POE
  Austen is a mad woman!
  Stein is a mad woman!
  Bradley is a mad woman!
    
Exit
SHAKESPEARE
  It is an easy thing, this naming 'mad.'
    Our state unnatural doth confound us all
  Who have been driven from our proper spheres;
    A fev'rish mind may good or evil be.
      
Enter Wilde
WILDE
  The news is not a worthy source of news.
    The blasphemous miss Bradley must be hanged!
  The day's events require some further thought.
SHAKESPEARE
  Your efforts in deduction praise you well,
    So whilst I work to separate the curst
  And all their tainting grossness from the fair,
    I'll cast my vote in joined strength with yours.
      
 Voteth Bradley 
[Exeunt.]

[Rucks]

Mod: By my reckoning we need some prods on a whole mess of folks.

It was a slow time. Kid was used to slow, with all of that time on The Rippling Walls. Hard to separate the killers from the good folks when they're all keepin quiet, though. But The Kid was patient.

Wallace made a good point about style over substance. It seemed like most people here didn't speak in straight lines. Kid had fought his share of monsters, but he had no clue what a grammar looked like. A lot of damn nonsense, is what it was.

The Kid didn't understand what Ms. Austen was on about. Seuss not saying a damn word, now that ain't healthy for anyone, no matter which sort of people he is. But she said he was waitin, and rushin up, and waitin again? Well, there's no rushin' up part to speak of, is there? What makes him read as more of an opportunist?

They said that sometimes, a Marshal who's been out on patrol too long would start stabbing at every shadow he sees, burnin themselves out on nothin'. When the real threat came he'd be worn out and sleeping, and well, you can tell the story from here. Kid wasn't one of those. He had his eyes open and he knew he'd find what he was seekin' in the end. Truth was funny that way.

[Rucks]

When new recruits start their first tour, they always do the same thing. They pick big weapons, biggest they can find, bigger than anything they've used before. Tryin to prove something, I suppose. Well, the Marshal's have seen that song and dance before, so the first thing they'll do is make you drill with the damn thing for hours and hours. If it's a heavy weapon, you gotta keep swingin; if it's a heavy gun, you gotta keep shootin straight. Well, naturally, this tires the green ones right out. But it makes the point. If you can't keep using it consistently, you need a smaller weapon.

Kid was startin' to figure it was the same for voices. If you can't keep talkin, maybe you're putting too much work into your voice and not enough into your words.

This was getting a little close to philosophy for The Kid's taste. Kid never liked philosophy. Didn't connect to the world enough for his liking. But when you're alone for a day, well, not much else to think about.

[James Joyce]

No klew Watt Rucks is obscuretalking about. Crowdheads filled with smokescreens of silky ink.

Kill him!

[Lord God]

Thinking something does not make it true. Wanting something does not make it real.

-- Michelle Hodkin


You who call yourself God, I have met many men like you in my life. Small minded men who use Scripture to prove that a woman's place is being barefoot and pregnant and most of all, the chattel of men. Many who deny the Goddess, and limit themselves to an unbalanced and skewed view of the world. If you are planning on pursuing me and blackening my name as scum, you will have to do better than saying I am scum because I am female. Have you ever seen a Cheiri? They are both male and female at different times in their lives, though many spend most of their life in a neuter state. Thanks to them interbreeding with the early settlers on Darkover, many powerful Gifts came to the Comyn. All Gods are one God and all Goddesses are one Goddess, just multiple facets thereof. But you need BOTH to be balanced.

And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.

-Genesis 2:22

A sharp edge does not automatically make a sword a good weapon. Only the wielder can do that.

-- Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson
I see the sword thrusts have already begun. There must be a Terran among us, or maybe even one of those renegade Alderans!
VOTE: Daily Bugle
What kind of name is that Mestro? For I am sure as I am Comynara and Leronis, that you must be a commoner, you do not even seem to have red hair?
I will be observing all of you closely with my Laran, and find out who the imposters are.

I am still a tad suspicious of the Daily Bugle. I understand that he has constraints on him because of his native tongue, but I would like to see more from him. However, the haste with which some authors jumped onto the wagon seems a bit suspicious too.
For now, I will keep my vote where it lies, while I continue my research.

41 Let not a vote which is unrighteous and founded in sin be the vehicle for your deliverance. For your Bugle vote was pronounced during the time of Creation, and the attempt to turn a sinful lie unto the truth is most evil.

[Lord God]

...I pray...

Noted and received.

[Lord God]

Madame Bradely voted first, at RVS. A wagon, which seemingly appeared out of little and less, surfaced. Miss Bradely decided “I am still a tad suspicious of the Daily Bugle…. However, the haste [of the] wagon seems a bit suspicious too.” She, however, simply puts not effort into attempting to analyze the voters. Tell me, Madame Bradely, why do thou insist on camping a simple random vote on The Bugle when the wagon is springing faster than one can descend into madness? Surely, if thou no longer agree with thy original mark (for surely, no man – or woman – can simply know before hand of someone’s guilt – and surely, you confessed to the rest that thou hath suspicions of the wagon), why must thou insist on keeping thy mark on the Bugle? Thy rambling towards “God” does you no favors, either, Madame.

A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels.

~Proverbs 1:5

[Lord God]

http://forum.mafiascum.net/viewtopic.ph ... overview=1


Son of man,

speak

to the children of thy people

~Ezekiel 33:2

[Thomas Pynchon]

The daily briefings are all but abandoned. No one sees the old Zimmer Bradley around any more. "The old woman's lurking," I cry, but my vote on her's stable. I can't disagree with Austin's Dr. Seuss vote, bu there's another matter pressing. Some of the group seem to have other ideas, but no one seems to want to shoot down the whole scheme. There's little panic and in the background, all but Joyce seem to move about content.