Werewolf
Werewolf is a roleplaying event popularized on the heRO server, based on the game Mafia with more of a fantasy theme. There is no killing involved (not PvP nor PvM, anyway), so you don't have to be a certain level to join! The only thing you need is some maturity, patience, and a reasonable understanding of the English language.
There's a lot to explain. If you've been directed here by another player, then no wonder! This is the quickest way to get up to speed with everything. It's no fun having to repeat the rules and how the roles work every game, trust us.
Some hosts have different styles of hosting. It's typically best to ask your current host about anything, although they may have it posted on the forums. If so, you'll need access to the Werewolf subforum. Ask the group leader (L. Malady) to add you.
The Rules
- No talking during the night turn.
- We can't stress how important this is. If you talk, move, emote, or do pretty much anything on the night turn, the players can tell who is and who isn't in a chat room. This gives away roles, and basically spoils everything.
- No talking if you are dead.
- Dead men tell no tales. This rule sees a bit of leniency; so long as they don't say anything vital or try to distract the players, they are allowed a few words (just not many).
- No peeking in the chatroom when it's not your turn.
- At all.
- No PM (Private Message) to other players. This includes party and guild chat.
The Roles
At the start of each game, each player is given a role, typically via PM. This information is for your eyes only (meaning you don't tell anyone), and it will heavily influence how you play. On the outside, everyone looks like a peaceful villager, but much more may be hiding underneath.
Primary Roles
These roles are in almost every game, and play a vital part in how the game works. Only perhaps one out of every twenty games will not include any of these. ALL of these roles are only active during the night phase, except for the "chief," which is more of a secondary role than anything.
The Host
Games of Werewolf cannot start without a proper host. The Host organizes everything, assigns roles, and keep the game flowing. They announce day and night and when it's time to vote. Essentially, they are the director, and should always be listened to. It is the only role that isn't optional.
Villager
The Villager is the most basic role. They are the innocent, and are considered the protagonists.
The Seer
The Seer is a highly valued commodity, for they alone can see the innocent from the sinners, even though they are mere villagers. They have the ability to view the true form of one player (and only one) each night. There is only one of their kind.
The Alchemist
The Alchemist are men of magic and science in one simple villager. They possess two potions (that will last them the entire game unless used; they get no more, no less): a Potion of Life, and a Potion of Death. This role comes forth shortly after the meeting of the Wolves. They may use their Life Potion to bring the mortally wounded to wellness, use their Death Potion to silence someone forever, use both Potions, or use neither on any given turn, so long as the options are available. There is only one of their kind.
Werewolf
The number of these foul beasts typically range from two to five, depending on the number of participants. They wear the face of normal villagers by day, but at night, their true forms show to devour an innocent villager. They are considered the antagonists.
Village Chief
Also known as Mayor, this is an elected role that is decided on the very first day. This person looks like a normal villager, of course, but they may very well be any of the above roles. The Chief is supposed to orient the conversations and guide his people to finding the Wolves (unless, of course, they themselves are a wolf). The Chief normally gets two votes when hanging time comes around, and if there is a tie, their choice prevails.
Secondary Roles
Sometimes, when there are quite a few players, hosts might add some additional roles. These are some of those extra roles.
Cupid
Ah, Cupid! Bringer of love, weaver of fate. Cupid may make any two people (including themselves) fall in love at the beginning of the game. They are only allowed to do this once. Once the Lovers have been chosen, they are both PMed. Neither know of the other's role, but as they say, love is blind. When one Lover dies (be it during the day or night), the other commits suicide out of their all-consuming grief. The goal of the Lovers is to survive to the end of the game, regardless of their respective roles, and let love prevail!
The Hunter
The Hunter is a mere villager- nothing more, nothing less. The only advantage they bear is their bow, and a deadly arrow. When they are about to die (night or day), they are allowed to use their arrow and kill someone (they decide who they kill, but they do not know exactly what they have killed). The target will die at the same time as the Hunter.
The Idiot
The Idiot, being such a simple man, will reveal his role to the other players when the noose is slipped around his neck. The villagers take pity on the innocent man, allowing him to live. This will carry on ad infinitum, making him essentially invulnerable during the day.
The Drunk
The Drunkard will, more often than not, be found in the local inn during the day, drowning themselves in alcoholic beverages. He is the last to leave at night, at which time he is so drunk, he cannot remember where his home is. In his drunken stupor, he tumbles around the streets, eventually entering someone's house. If the person is home, that makes them a Villager. However, if they are anything else (including the benign roles), they are out in the street. The Drunkard gets to choose whose house they stumble into, essentially making them a cheap Seer who can only know if someone is something special- not what they are.
The Priest
The Priest is somewhat like Cupid, in that at the beginning of the game, they choose two players- a Blessed and a Cursed. However, the effects of their linked destiny is somewhat darker. If the Blessed player is about to die in any situation, divine intervention is felt, and the Cursed will die in their place. However, the Cursed is of no use if they are killed before the Blessed is put into danger.
The Cultists
The Cultists are nefarious villagers who sacrifice their fellow people in the name of their dark God. Each night, they hunt a victim (much like the Wolves)- and everything is fair game. Their goal is to burn everyone else. However, since their numbers are so low, they win with the Villagers when the Wolves are killed...with a very sad smile.
The Heart
The Heart is a noble role. When someone dies, they are able to sacrifice themselves, giving their own lives to let the other live. They may intervene at any death, but they've only one life to give. They can only save someone once, so it is advised that you use this chance wisely. If the Heart happens to be Blessed, the Cursed will die in their stead.
The Shield
The Shield bears an honourable burden on its shoulders; to serve and protect. Essentially, they are able to safeguard one person (either per night or per game- being decided on). Unfortunately, their protection does not extend to those bound by fate, i.e. Cursed and Lovers (it can directly protect one, but if the other Lover of the one it's protecting dies, the protected dies, too). Neither does it extend to themselves: when they are attacked, they must die, as they are only mortal.
The Rogue
The Rogue is currently under construction. Basically, they are able to break into someone's house and potentially steal someone else's role. However, due to their possibilities of becoming very overpowered, it's still being ironed out, as well. Will remain here for future reference.
The Turns
Life alternates day and night, by day the angry villagers discuss the werewolf problem and at the end of the day they vote on a person to hang, while at night the werewolf feed on an innocent victim. So as you've guessed it there's quite a bit of killing happening in this seemingly peaceful village!
The First Day Turn
How the first day works depends on the host. In some cases, the essentials of it are sorted out while the roles are put in order, while with others, it acts as a full day where the villagers are allowed to speak and get through the formalities. Either way, a chief is elected to lead the villagers into the howling darkness of uncertainty. Note that the howling is both literal and metaphorical.
Typically, if a chief is elected when the roles are handed out, the game actually starts in the middle of the night turn. However, if it acts as a typical day turn after the game has been started, there will be no hangings, as there have been no crimes to accuse anyone of.
The Night Turns
At night, all is quiet. Well, perhaps not everything, though the players should definitely be. It is at night that the special classes will leave their homes and work what they will upon the helpless and hapless villagers- for better or worse.
During the night time, the host opens a chatroom whose title will indicate who should join. Any unauthorized visitors will be booted from the game, meaning that unless your role is specifically requested in the chatroom, do not, under any circumstances, join. Beyond that, however, the requested role(s) will join and either discuss among themselves what to do (with roles such as the Wolves or Cultists) or tell the host what they would like to do that night (as it is with all other roles short of the villagers). Who will die? Who will be saved? It's all determined under the veil of night.
What follows is the way most games will go about the turns at night. However, it is ultimately up to the host, and can be subject to change at any time. Turns written in italics indicate that they are extra roles, and will not always be in play.
Cupid & The Priest
Typically, the roles that can alter the course of the game are dealt with first. Such is the case of Cupid and the Priest. In the first night, they decide who will be linked, either by love or by fate. Cupid tells the host who will fall in love, determining who will die if one of the pair is killed. The Priest tells the host who will be saved, and whose life will have to be sacrificed to do so.
These two will only play a part during the first night, and will not have further chatrooms after this point.
The Seer & Drunkard
The Seer is active every night, so long as they live. They will enter the chatroom designated every night, and ask the host about one of their fellow players. They cannot ask something like "Who's a Werewolf?" Rather, they should ask, "Is [name] a Werewolf?" The host will answer yes or no, and the Seer will return to their home so that the night may continue.
Occasionally, the Drunkard will show, as well. They essentially do the same thing as the Seer, though in a much less refined way: they can only tell that the person whose home they've barged into isn't there, which could mean many things. They will go just after the Seer, if they are in play.
The Werewolf
After the Seer has gotten their clue for the evening, it is time for the nefarious wolves to come forth and plot their next move. In their turn, they will discuss who to kill in that night, and notify the host when they have come to an agreement. If there is only one wolf, they will simply tell the host who they will attack. Once that has been decided upon, the wolves (or wolf) will return to their home(s) to resume their human form, and wait for the events of the coming day to unfold.
The Alchemist
When it seems the damage is done, and perhaps hope is lost for one of the innocent villagers, along comes the Alchemist with his potions of Life and Death. Some hosts will inform the player who has died under the wicked claws of the wolves, while others will simply state that there is a body. Either way, the Alchemist can react in one of four ways:
- Revive the victim with the Potion of Life.
- Use the Potion of Death to kill someone else.
- Use both of the potions.
- Use neither of the potions.
Needless to say, their choice can affect the direction of the game. However, the Alchemist only has one of each potion, and as such, can only use them once each. So choose wisely, dear Alchemist. We hope that you can sleep soundly after the decisions you've made here.
The Regular Day Turns
The sun rises on the village, and one of several potential things will more than likely be noticed:
- A villager is dead (including special roles). This is typically what will happen.
- No deaths have occurred (which means the Alchemist has used their Life Potion).
- Two or more deaths. This usually means that the Alchemist has used their Death Potion, but it can also mean that one of the Lovers were struck, if Cupid is in play (though sometimes the other Lover alone without love will kill themselves that morning).
The rest of the day is spent with discussion among those who remain. The villagers will talk with each other and attempt to accuse someone for this heinous act, proactively or not. This will typically take a few minutes, typically no more than five to ten. The goal of the heated discussion is to have someone hung, either one of the wolves (if you are a villager), or to an innocent villager (if you are a wolf). At the end of the day, everyone votes on who should be hung.
Once the victim has been decided on, the player will be allowed a few last words (usually from 1-3 lines) before the noose is drawn around their necks. It is only after their death that their role becomes apparent, either by physical manifestation (such as in wolves) or by searching their home. Either way, their deeds will be laid bare before the people to take of it what they will, and it will be either in high spirits or heavy hearts that the villagers go to their homes as the sun sets. The night envelops them, inviting whatever may come next under the shroud of blackness.
The Goal
The game alternates between day and night turns ad infinitum until one of the following things happen:
- All of the wolves are killed, meaning that the villagers have won.
- The number of wolves and villagers have become even (two wolves and one human; one wolf and one human; etc.), meaning the wolves can rise up and openly claim a violent victory against the humans.
If the game is played with Cupid, the Lovers win if both are still alive by the end of the game, regardless of the victory of the villagers or wolves.
In short...
The villagers are trying to figure out who is one of the monsters, the werewolves, and the wolves wear placid masks of normalcy, pretending to be villagers while trying to throw suspicion onto the innocent all while making their job much easier.
The Seer is trying to throw suspicion on any wolves they discover while being careful not to reveal themselves. If the wolves were to figure out their ability, they will almost certainly kill them, as the Seer is perhaps the greatest threat to their numbers. Of course, the Seer can still reveal themselves whenever they see fit. Mind that anyone can claim to be the Seer, however, including wolves; meaning they can "reveal" anything they please.
The Alchemist only has two potions to last them for the entirety of the game, so it is important that they are very careful with them. Their decisions could save a killer, or kill a saviour- or rather, someone that could have been a saviour, had they not been melted in acid. Dead men may tell no tales, but you'll wish they could once you've found out that you've condemned the Seer to an unwarranted death without any final words that could have saved the village.
In summary, the only information the villagers have to go on is the word of their fellows, and it is up to them to decide who they will trust. The only sure thing is death: it reveals all of the deceased's sins, or in turn, their virtues. Accusing someone is suspicious; accusing no one is suspicious; staying quiet is suspicious; talking is suspicious. Everything you do or do not do in this game is suspicious, and your life will always rest in the hands of those around you. Pray that those hands aren't stained with blood, and chances are that if they aren't, they soon will be.
Good luck to you! If you have any further questions, feel free to ask the host or other players- just don't ask them anything that might give you away!
