At first glance, it is a modest castle, suitable for a duke or perhaps a large lord. But upon entering the double doors, vaulted ceilings soar high into the air, held by the pillars that dot the massive hall. If a king were to enter, he would likely fall to his knees and weep at the splendor impossible for earthly royalty to achieve. The Palace is no earthly building.

This night, lit only by the speechless full moon, the double doors groan open as a silent procession of twelve marches through. Each of the masked figures knows that only one will exit alive, and each intends to be that one. The grandeur of the Palace has been stripped away, leaving the vibrant robes of the twelve at odds with the solemn, gray stones.

It began twelve years ago. A passing mention in a musty tome. A whispered conversation overheard in a tavern. A note left by a missing friend. Each of the twelve heard about a mystery, a puzzle, a dream: the Palace. For the owner of the Palace was nearing the end of his life, and a palace always needs an owner. The new master needed to be skilled, intelligent, and most importantly, cunning.

Across continents, over seas, through cities they traveled, searching for a hint, just one clue, to location of the Palace. Now, they stand in the belly of the building they sought, staring with covered eyes at the wrinkled old man breathing his last. He inhales, and exhales for the final time.

Behind the fifteen, the double doors groan shut. Not one looks back. The Game has begun.

Signups

• Before the game begins, the moderator forms a rolelist of the available roles. In the original game, this was typically 12 to 15 roles in a given game.
• The number of players is equal to the number of roles.
• Once signups open, players may “/join” the game and provide an animal mask to be referred to as. So, for example, one might post "/join as The Bear," and they will be referred to as The Bear in-game.
• After all available slots have been filled, the roles will be randomly distributed among players via PM, with no repeated roles.
• Players may still join a backup queue once the game begins. A player who is inactive may be replaced out by the moderator.

Basics

• The last player standing is the victor.
• A player’s role is not revealed when they die (of course, if their role was guessed you will know it).
• Players may PM other players during the game. In other BtM games, it is required that the mod be included in the PM, but that is not the case here, I don't want my inbox cluttered up, and I don't know if this forum allows PMs to be sent to more than one person at once.
• Dead players cannot post, but moderator discretion may permit a single final post or a pre submitted last will.
• Actions, gifts, and guesses are sent to the moderator.

Phases

• The game itself has four phases. Phases have set times but may be shortened if everyone is ready or lengthened if several people are not ready.
• Discussion is permitted and encouraged throughout all phases.

Challenge Phase

• The Challenge Phase lasts 48 hours, or until all players have challenged or nochallenged and all pending challenges are resolved.
• The game begins on this phase.
• Players may “/challenge” other players to dances or duels.
• Once issued, the challenged player must choose whether to “/accept” the challenge or use a “/deny” (all players begin the game with a deny).
• If the challenged player does not respond by the end of the Challenge Phase, the challenge is automatically accepted.
• Each player may only challenge once per Challenge Phase (even if the challenge is denied), but can be challenged multiple times.
• If a player does not wish to challenge, they may instead “/nochallenge”. This allows the phase to end earlier. Players must still choose whether to accept or deny challenges.
• The results of the challenges will be posted at the end of the Action Phase (see Action Phase).
• The victors of duels and dances are determined by which player’s roles are higher on the respective list (see below), plus any interfering abilities.

Duel Ranks:

• Barbarian
• Soldier
• Man at arms
• Blacksmith
• Sorcerer
• Peasant
• Blackmailer
• Poisoner
• Professor
• Student
• Thief
• Augur
• Court Jester
• Musician
• Royal

Dance Ranks:

• Royal
• Thief
• Musician
• Blackmailer
• Peasant
• Sorcerer
• Poisoner
• Court Jester
• Professor
• Soldier
• Man at arms
• Student
• Blacksmith
• Barbarian
• Augur

Action Phase

• The Action Phase lasts 24 hours, or until all actions have been received.
• Roles with abilities that are used during the Action Phase can PM the moderator to use them. Currently, this is the Blacksmith and Musician.
• At the moderator’s discretion, players may begin selected gifts (see Voting Phase).
• The results for duels and dances will be posted at the end of the Action Phase.

Voting Phase

• The Voting Phase lasts 24 hours, or until a 90% majority has been reached or until all players have voted.
• The Voting Phase will still occur during the first round, but no players will be voted and no execution will occur.
• Any player who lost a duel or dance during the past Challenge Phase is a valid vote target.
• The player with the most votes at the end of the phase will be executed.
• If there is a tie, there is a revote. If the votes are still tied, no player is executed.
• The Man-at-arms, Royal, and Poisoner act during this phase. The Royal may also PM an extra vote.
• Players may also select gifts during this phase (see below).
• For each challenge participated in (no matter if won or lost) the player earns one gift. Gifts are revealed at the end of the Voting Phase.

Gifts

• Extra Deny- grants an extra deny to deny a challenge (see Challenge Phase) (each player starts with one deny)
• Extra Switch- grants an extra plate switch to swap plates (see Dinner Phase) (each player starts with one switch)
• Free Guess- during the upcoming Dinner Phase, you may make a guess as to a player’s role. If you are correct, they will be executed. You may only choose one of this gift per round.
• Guess Immunity- you are not a valid guess target during the next Dinner Phase.
• Premium Food- your plate cannot be switched and you cannot be poisoned that round.
• Gift Reserve - This gift can be redeemed at any point later in the game for a gift of your choosing. You can only hold up to 3 of this gift at a time.

Dinner Phase

• The Dinner Phase ends after 24 hours, or after all players have switched or noswitched.
• Each player is given a plate of food.
• You may “/switch” the food of any two players, consuming a plate switch (each player begins with one plate switch).
• At the end of the phase, each player eats the food in front of them.
• Players who eat poison food will die (excluding the Soldier).
• The Barbarian and Blackmailer act during this phase. The Thief may secretly switch plates during this phase.
• In addition, if you received a free guess as a gift, you must use it during the Dinner Phase. If you are correct, that player will be executed at the end of the Dinner Phase. All attempted guesses are revealed at the end of the Dinner Phase.
• If you do not have a free guess, you may still make a guess as to another player’s role as normal. However, if you are incorrect, you will be executed.

Augur

You are an Augur! Death can never come too soon, for you there is new life in death. Those that die around you are merely wandering spirits, waiting for your guidance underneath your spiritual light. You offer repentance to all who dwindle on this plain of existence.

During the Action Phase, you may ask any dead players up to three questions divided (question length = 100 characters). The dead player may respond to each question(20 characters). This is done by P Ming the Mod with the question. Three per game, during the Action Phase, you may ask the moderator of the current game and ask 1 question about someone who is already dead. Questions against anyone who is currently alive will be ignored. The Moderator will not lie about what they tell you; the information is correct.

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Barbarian

You are a Barbarian! Across the land, your name is whispered in fearful corners and shouted from the peaks of mountains. Mighty conquerors seek mighty trophies, and the Palace is certainly a worthy trophy.

Three times per game, during the Dinner Phase, you may intimidate one player, preventing them from acting (challenging/being challenged) in duels. PM the Moderator to use this power. If you intimidate a player, the intimidated player will be announced at the beginning of the Challenge Phase.

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Blackmailer

You are a Blackmailer! Your hobby is certainly dirty- in that you dig up dirt. Research and preparation are the keys to success. Before you entered the Palace, you were already familiar with every tidbit and secret embedded in the past of the other players- secrets that will make them cringe in fear and do your bidding.

During the Dinner Phase, you may blackmail one player. PM the Moderator to use this power. Blackmailed players must challenge during the Challenge Phase, or will die. Only the blackmailed player will know that they are blackmailed.

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Blacksmith

You are a Blacksmith! Steel flows like water under your steady gaze and steady flame. The pounding of your hammer crafts works of art and workers of war. One of your weapons in a hand guarantees victory.

At the beginning of the Action Phase, you will be notified of the intended winner(s) of the accepted duel(s). Three times per game, during the Action Phase, you may change the winner of a duel. PM the Moderator to use this power. You may use this ability once on yourself.

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Court Jester

You are a Court Jester! Entertaining is your bread and butter, you live and breath laughter and lightheartedness. Capable of soothing even the loudest of mobs into a quiet peace and calmness. You will do anything to prevent death, including changing your act when it occurs.

When a player dies by non-execution your position on the duel/dance list is randomized. Once per game you may choose to entertain your fellow guests and force a skip of the current voting phase and preventing that the MAA Shot, Poisoner's Poison and the Current execution from taking place.

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   Man-at-arms   

You are a Man-at-arms! All these poor people attempting to fool their way to riches, you have, and always has, been an excellent murderer. By detecting weakness in the group, you can spread fear with one simple line - Who done it?

Once per voting phase, you may shoot one person. They will not survive the shot unless they are the Soldier. If you shoot the Soldier, the Soldier will kill you instead. You can only shoot losers of duels/dances. Additionally, you also gain an additional shooting every time you defeat a player in a duel or dance. The shooting is silent, meaning it does not reveal your role. You cannot store more than 1 shot at a time. You start off with one shot.

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Musician

You are a Musician! Perfect pitch, perfect playing... perfect music. Hands dance across strings and keys as the notes rise and fall. No matter the tune, no matter the tempo, every song ascends to perfection in your grasp. Yet with a single twist, that song becomes an instrument of death.

At the beginning of the Action Phase, you will be notified of the intended winner(s) of the accepted dance(s). Three times per game, during the Action Phase, you may change the winner of a dance. PM the Moderator to use this power. You may use this ability once on yourself.

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Peasant

You are a Peasant! Every day, you go out onto your simple plot of land and farm. But those who look past your grubby face will find a mind as sharp as a tack. The world is an open book to you, as darting eyes pick out nuances in every scenario.

You will be notified whenever the Blacksmith or the Musician interferes in a challenge. You will be notified of any secret plate switches. You will be notified of the original target for the poisoner. (Not post-switch)

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   Poisoner   

You are a Poisoner! There is no better color than the pale blue of asphyxiation. Or perhaps a simple white pallor. Hmm, but the rich re- No matter. Your art is that of death, slipped unnoticed into a vein, on the rim of a cup, among familiar foods...

You may poison a player's food during the Voting Phase. If they eat it, they will die during the dinner phase. PM the Moderator to use this power.

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Professor

You are a Professor! A higher education you had, and a higher education you now teach. You are an expert in the field of social analysis. Whether it be his posture, or or his grin, or another tell that no one but you can pick up upon, all you need to determine the past, present, and true intentions of a man is to observe him carefully.

Whenever you guess a player's role, you may also submit a secondary guess to the moderator for the same player. If the secondary guess is correct, it will be displayed as your submitted guess, otherwise, your primary guess, whether correct or incorrect, will be displayed. Whenever you win a challenge, you may submit a third guess the following Dinner Phase.

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Royal

You are a Royal! The blood running through your veins is undeniably royal. An aura of command encircles and influences those who behold you. Combined with a forceful and assertive personality, you can direct others without their knowledge.

Your vote counts as two during the Voting Phase. PM the moderators to cast your second vote secretly. Once per game, during the Voting Phase, you may force a vote. PM the Moderator to use this power.

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   Sorcerer   

You are a Sorcerer! Why must the magical elite linger among the unpowered civilians? No matter. Your victory is near certain, as you are obvious the the most cunning and clever person here. The other contestants must be grateful that your powers are too flashy .

Once per game, you may choose a player to magically kill. PM the Moderator to use this power. When you use your power, you will be revealed as the Sorcerer. There are no restrictions on when you may use this power, only that you cannot use it if you are one of the losers in a voting phase.

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Soldier

You are a Soldier! You went off to war a simple peasant boy, unsure of the world. You returned not a man, but a soldier. With guns, war is hell. With magic, war is worse. Your mind was nearly shattered, and your body forever changed.

You are immune to poison. You will kill the MAA when he shoots you.

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Student

You are a Student! During your college years, you could never confine yourself to a single field of study. Thankfully, a natural knack for learning led to the collection of a wide variety of skills. In the Palace, this ability will serve you well, as dueling and dancing are simply other skills. However, victory does not tell you where you need to improve as well as defeat does…

Each time you lose in a duel or dance, you move up two slots on the corresponding list. Each time you win in a duel or dance, you move up one slot in that list. Dead players count as being on the lists.

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   Thief   

You are a Thief! The perfect crime remains unknown. It is a mark of your prowess as a thief that no one had heard your name or seen your exploits. You have stolen from the richest kings, scammed the brightest scholars... Switching plates is like taking candy from a baby.

You may switch player's plates up to 5 times per dinner phase without their knowledge. PM the Moderator to use this power. If the poisoner dies, you will become the new poisoner.