When the seagulls cry, there are no survivors
Credits to mr Cloud for the idea of turning umineko into a forum game!
Hello everyone, and welcome to the forum game version of Umineko (kind of)!
To be able to play, you must read the rules first, though the simple explanation is that this game is a murder mystery.
How to play
Spoiler: This game is to be played with a minimum of 2 players and a maximum of 10 players including the Game Master (GM) or Host. Though the number of players depends on how many the hosts needs.
Every "turn" several murders occur until all 18 characters on the "Game Board" inevitably die in seemingly humanly impossible ways. It is the players' job to discover as much information as possible while everyone is alive and decide on a certain verdict that they must argue in order to rebut the GM's claim. The players must come up with ways that the murders could have been possible through methods which the GM has intentionally left hidden. The game ends at the resignation of all players or when the GM has been proven wrong during the Meta Phase when all 18-19 humans have been eliminated. When the game has ended, the "Tea Party" is initiated for several days in order to discuss possible errors, suggestions or the round in general.
Every turn is separated into two phases, The Game Board Phase and The Meta Phase.
The Game Board Phase
Spoiler: This is when new murders are discovered. Here, living players may move throughout the mansions rooms as listed by the GM or question other living characters, it is the Game Master's duty to answer the question as the game piece that has been questioned, for example:
TakumiHijirihara wrote:I question Ryax, "Where were you at the time of the murders?"
Segaco wrote:Ryax replies "I was with Xerxes and Flaming in the study."
The information received may be interpreted in whatever way the player wishes, additionally the GM is not obligated to give the truth during Game Board phase, the character that is being questioned is able to refuse to answer a certain question, lie, or tell the complete truth to the extent of their own knowledge. If a game piece is killed, they may not be questioned, if a player's piece is killed, they may no longer question anyone. Once Game Board phase has ended, no more questions may be asked until the next turn.
The number of victims per Game Board Phase are determined by the GM and may vary between 1 and 5, however, the first turn can include 6. A corpse does not have to be found for every victim. There must be at leat 2 humans or just one alive during the last turn before they are inevitably killed off. The GM writes a summary of where and when every corpse was discovered at the end of the final Game Board phase with the exception of the final victims whose corpses are not to be found but are considered dead.
Game Board phase ends when all necessary clues are discovered.
The Meta Phase
Spoiler: Here is when discussion on the murders that occurred in The Game Board phase happen. This phase lasts 24 hours. Here, the players must question and debate with the GM themselves by using what is known as Bold and Red truths.
The Bold Truth
Spoiler: It is used by players to set forth a statement that makes a theory.
This text is the truth unless said otherwise by the GM using the red text. If the GM fails to disprove the statement by the last Meta Phase, it becomes absolute truth and the player is considered to have solved that murder. The GM is able to use the bold text to supply possibilities as to how their opponent's bold truth is not effective.
And something to know, the bold truth in umineko is actually blue, but since it's a lot easier to use bold than going all the way to get the color blue, we'll be using bold.
The Red Truth
Spoiler: The truth and nothing but the truth used by the GM (or Host), this is used to disprove theories the players make with the bold truth and conjecture placed by the players but additionally for the players to recall already stated facts. The GM does not have to show any proof to back up a red truth. Additionally, the GM is not obligated to use the red text when prompted.
Example of both truths in action:
Spoiler:
TakumiHijirihara wrote:The door was locked from the outside of the room.
The culprit used a master key to lock the door.
A secret passage exists.
Segaco wrote:Nopity nope, The door was locked from the inside.
No master keys exist.
No secret passages exist.
Roles
Spoiler: They aren't really roles, but there are some.
Players may be assigned these. Or not.
-Detective: There is only one detective per game, and everything the detective sees can be considered as the truth. So if he sees a witch appear in front of them out of thin air, it is the truth. Though that will not happen unless I get a very clever idea on how to pull off that trick.
Abilities
-The detective has something known as "duct tape". They are able to seal three rooms with it (all entrances/exits). If someone opens a door/window of a sealed room, the tape put on them will break, so the detective will know someone used them if they check on the duct tape again.
-Detectives can 100% confirm a death, so if they check and body and find it dead, the body they found is confirmed to be dead and not faking it.
-A detective cannot be the culprit. They also can't be an accomplice.
-Unless stated otherwise, the detective will always be William White.
-The detective must live to the end of the game.
-Doctor: There is only one doctor.
Abilities
-The doctor may confirm the death of all victims every turn if he's in the same room as them (if he's an accomplice he is able to lie).
-Helper: There is only one Helper. They do not help anyone, I just couldn't think of a better name.
Abilities
-Helpers are able to place a piece of paper in the door crack of any one room, the player is told immediately when this piece of paper hits the floor (in PMs. They can tell other players).
-In the Meta Phase, once per turn, Helper can force the GM to repeat a statement in Red, if the GM is unable to due to the statement being false/they refuse, they can try again until the Red Truth is used.
-Equalizer of Death: There is only one Equalizer of Death.
Abilities
Once per game and right after a gameboard phase starts, the Equalizer of Death can turn back in time to the start of a gameboard phase. There, any of the players can change the past. An example is preventing someone from dying, forcing the culprit to do something else, changing the future. Once that phase ends, players will go back to the original gameboard phase (before the Equalizer of Death used their ability).
This ability is very important to gather information and you can only use it once, so use it wisely.
-Furudo Erika: Unless stated otherwise, she's doesn't appear in the gameboard.
Abilities
-Erika Furudo, if she's not the detective, is able to declare herself as the story's detective, gaining the rank of "detective". If the detective was initially someone else, that person loses their "detective" rank, meaning that they can die, cannot 100% confirm deaths, they may see magic, be a culprit, etc.
-Erika declaring herself the detective may result in there being multiple culprits.
-Everyone else: They are people, they can move around, be scared, talk and other things.
The game doesn't necessarily need all players to be either doctors/watsons/detectives.
Though I can confirm that a detective will appear on every game and it will always be a player.
The cast
Spoiler: Every story needs its characters. This story is no exception.
1. William White (Male Guest)
2. Tech Netorius (Male Guest)
3. Fen Netorius (Female Guest)
4. Jezz Netorius (Female Guest)
5. Takumi Hijri (Male Guest)
6. Nate Turner (Male Guest)
7. Ryax Corney (Male Guest)
8. Yarn Watch (Female Guest)
9. Orange Duckling (Male Guest)
10. Thorus Idiotus (Male Guest)
11. John Watson (Male Guest) - Not the one you know, an entirely different character
12. Luka (Male Servant)
13. Fracie (Female Servant)
14. Sarah (Female Servant)
15. Zeus (Male Servant)
16. Flaming (Male Head-Servant)
17. Alex Lettuce (Male Private Doctor/Physician)
18. Xerxes Lefan (Male Mansion owner)
19. Erika Furudo (Female Uninvited Guest) - May or may not appear
Tips
Spoiler: Anyone can be the culprit or an accomplice, except for the detective.
If you are the culprit or an accomplice, you will not know. You won't be told what your character does in secret. Except for the detective.
Anything the detective sees is the truth.
And yes, this does have a logical explanation.
One last thing, umineko's special answer will never be used here. I don't really like spoiling people.