With the previous SAU/TAU coming to an end, I've decided to follow up with another one. Because SAUs are good opportunities to churn the rust off my writing skills. Because SAUs are good fun and intrigue. Because some of us are addicts and we need our fix.
If you'd like to participate, leave a post in this thread saying so. If you have any questions about the game, its mechanics, or anything related that comes to mind, this thread is also the place to do so.
I'm aiming for at least 16 players to start the game, which should allow for a somewhat more high-paced game.
- Current player list
- Drainial
- SleekDD
- Raneth
- Sidorio
- Zardock
- Belial
- Kefka
- Draknir
- Katash
- Deroth
- LordAnubis
- sassmaw
- gramash
What is a SAU?
SAU stands for Slaanesh Amongst Us. The name hails from the early days of SAU on Druchii.net, where Slaaneshi had infiltrated a group of Khainist Druchii and had to be rooted out. While the protagonists and villains change with every session, the fundamental concepts remain the same.
The game is about a number of players amongst whom are incognito infiltrators. Each Day, all players can vote by majority to execute one of their fellows in hopes of in fact catching an infiltrator. Each Night, the infiltrators get to kill one of the loyalists. The loyalists win when all infiltrators are caught and eliminated. The infiltrators win when they equal or outnumber the loyalists.
If you want a better idea of what a SAU is like, feel free to peruse any of the earlier ones I've hosted:
- SAU VI: The Temple of Khaine
- SAU VIII: Inquisition
- SAU IX: Lost Raiders of the Ark
- SAU X: Traders and Traitors
- SAU XII: Black Ark Down
- SAU XV: Pawn of the Dead
What are the requirements to join?
You should have enough of a grasp of English to be able to understand full phrases and prose. How well you write is less important, though your fellow players will thank you if you can occasionally use punctuation.
You should be able to keep track of the game at least once every two days, and preferrably daily. To keep the game flowing along at a steady pace, there are deadlines to every game phase. Typically, these phases are about 72 hours (3 days) in length. Experience teaches that phases longer than this tends to get the game 'stuck' and, because of the forum-nature of these games, SAUs are notoriously difficult to 'unstuck'.
How does the game work?
There are three main alternating phases to the game: the Morning phase, Evening phase, and Night phase. To set the phases apart from actual times in the short stories, phases always carry an initial capital letter: Morning, Evening, Night. After Morning comes Evening, then Night, and then Morning again.
The Morning and Evening phases are when all players convene and decide who, if anyone, to vote. Conversely, the Night phase gives infiltrators a chance to kill a loyalist.
-- The Morning phase --
Morning comes when Night ends, and is the phase where all players gather again to discuss. Everyone is required to post at least once in the Morning phase; players that have not posted by the time Morning ends are removed from the game.
Voting is possible during Morning, but execution is not. Votes made during Morning carry over to Evening, possibly leading to an execution.
-- The Evening phase --
When Morning ends, Evening sets in. During the Evening, posting is not required, but is still encouraged.
A majority vote leads to an immediate execution during Evening. When a player is removed through voting, or when the deadline is reached, Evening ends, and players retreat for the Night.
-- The Night phase --
Night starts as soon as Evening ends. The Night phase is when people with special abilities may choose how to use them; more importantly, it is when the infiltrators decide on and perform their kill, removing a loyalist from the game.
Infiltrators, and other players with the explicit ability to do so, may use the Night to communicate covertly with their allies. No other players may contact each other regarding the SAU.
When Night ends, Morning starts.
The game starts at Morning.
When do we start?
When we have enough players.
But don't worry, we usually wait a few more days to give latecomers a chance to sign up before we kick off.
How long does this game take?
The game typically lasts about a month, a month-and-a-half. If you're going on holidays, conventions, or congress for more than a few days in the next two months, you should probably sit this one out. (There'll be other games.)
