Sandy

Final vote tally: Harriet Pewter/YG-49: 1 (sok117) Bulltoad Bulstrode/Roncanator: 4 (Zepher, Eskallon, Millacol88, CallMePie) Jolie Jadis/Lord Arjay: 1 (Escape The Fate) Voting is now closed, and Day Three ended without conviction. The Auror Deparment had had Hogwarts under tight surveillance for three days now, yet somehow the agents had been unable to prevent the tragedies taking place at nights. It wasn't incompetence by any means, but there was something big going on in the School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, something that even the famed Aurors were helpless against. "All clear up here!" shouted Auror O'Frallahay to his colleague from the bridge leading to the Forbidden Forest. O'Frallahay still remembered the Battle of Hogwarts twenty years ago, and then he hoped he would never have to see anything like that. Yet now, children were dying again... "All clear, not a single soul in sight", Auror Badminton-Jones hollered back. She had been approved as an Auror just months ago, and this was her first real assignment. Both excitement and fear raced in her mind. But the sun was setting, and that was the time when bad things started to happen. The other Aurors found them some time later, lying lifeless right where they had spoken their last words to each other. Before this, the Aurors hadn't realized the severity of the situation, but the deaths of agents O'Frallahay and Badminton-Jones proved what a great danger they all were in. Inside, the residents of Hogwarts were joylessly consuming dinner. They had failed to find out anything during the day, and they knew another rough night was ahead of them. Questions rose in each of their minds. Why were they still here? Why hadn't they all been shipped off to New Azkaban for interrogations? Could Professor Lastrada be still alive, after being missing for three days? What did the Death's Hallowed want? And on top of all, who would be the next to die? Those thoughts were interrupted as the leading Aurors Potter and Weasley stepped into the Great Hall, looking grim. They informed the faculty and students of the deaths of the Auror agents. "This is no longer a matter of Hogwarts only", Auror Potter announced. "Officials of the Ministry have died, and the fate of the whole wizarding community hangs at balance. I will now speak directly to those of you who belonged to the crazied cult calling themselves the Death's Hallowed: whatever you are after, your ways will not grant it to you. Violence and oppression will not get you anywhere. Voldemort tried it time and time again, and I defeated him every time, ultimately for good at the Battle of Hogwarts. Hear me as I swear that each and every one of you will be punished for the crimes you have committed here!" "It's alright, Harry, just calm down", Auror Weasley appeased his boss. "Just so you know, Headmistress McGonagall, none other than the Minister of Magic will pay a visit to Hogwarts tomorrow. You lot have a great deal of explaining to do!" With those words, the Aurors left the hall, leaving a perplexed crowd to stare after them. Quickly the headmistress ushered them to settle down for the night. As if any of them could. It is now night-time, so please send in your night actions as soon as possible.

Really?! Do you honestly think TLG would have started selling battle packs, vintage minifigure collections, collectable minifigs, build-a-minifig packs in their own stores, magnets with detachable minifigs or even the chess sets if there hadn't been a real demand for getting just minifigs? Because all these products started appearing only about five or less years ago, and to me, at least, they prove that as the variety and details in them have grown, minifigs have become increasingly popular.

Well, there's still 18 other players in this game, so I wonder why you are so worried about a few people's decreased activity. Both Dragonator and YG-49 have contributed within the limits of their time. It's not like they have been completely ignoring this game, or otherwise they would've been replaced, both of them. In Dragonator's case, I know his absence is only temporary and he will be back after this week. People have varying situations and responsibilities in life, and I understand that completely. Not everyone has the time to sit on their computer all day and night, and a forum game may not be the top priority in everybody's lives. And these situations change, too. In the sign-up topic, I emphasized that people shouldn't sign-up if they don't have the time to play, but it's hard to evaluate whether or not you have time months in advance. Of course I would love if all the players could be as active as you, flitwick, but I also know that's never going to happen no matter how many people I replace. You just have to trust my judgment and leave these hosting issues for me to solve, if you'd be so kind.

I too collect parts, minifigs and sets more than entire themes, but naturally there are themes that include more interesting elements than others. Currently I have 142 individual sets (according to my Brickset list), and theme-wise they divide like this: Castle (34 sets) Harry Potter (24 sets) City/Town/Paradisa (14 sets) Orient Expedition (12 sets) Pirates (12 sets) Indiana Jones (6 sets) Power Miners (5 sets) Space (5 sets) Western (5 sets) Prince of Persia (4 sets) And then one or two sets from various other themes, like Adventurers, Agents, Atlantis, Speed Racer, Spider-Man, Star Wars, Studios, Toy Story and Vikings. My wanted-list includes sets mostly from Castle, Harry Potter and City, but also few from the other themes.

Current vote toll: Harriet Pewter/YG-49: 2 (CallMePie, sok117) There is now 24 hours left to vote.

Some of the comments had me thinking, and I too think I would not have returned to my childhood LEGO hobby if there were no minifigs. They bring the life and soul to MOCs, in my eyes. Plain brick-built things can of course be impressive and aesthetically pleasing, but without minifigs and accessories they seem lifeless to me (like for example the Taj Mahal set). I recently bought the Creator set "Apple Tree House", and as well-designed it was, it somehow felt like a ghost house since there weren't any minifigs included. It's hard to explain, really. I also think I know why minifigs have increased in popularity: they've become more and more detailed, varied and complex. They're not just a smiley face on a monochromatic torso and legs, now we have dwarves and aliens and children and cheerleaders, and with a little mix'n'matching and customizing, you can have just about any person, character or creature you want. There's just so much more to get enthusiastic about with minifigs nowadays. As a child, I was always excited to count all my female minifigs and how many different hairpieces I had for them, and that same excitement still takes over me when I get new, personalized figs. LEGO is a multifaceted hobby, and minifigs are the reason why some of us have this interest. Some other people are into LEGO for totally different reasons, but that's alright, isn't it?

The voting starts now, and lasts 48 hours unless a conviction is made before that. There are 20 players, so it takes 11 votes to convict someone.

Thanks for reviewing this set, Rufus! I think it's outstanding that TLG has even produced a set like this. When was the last time the City-theme had a civilian house set? Yeah, in the 90's. Sure, there have been Creator-houses and modular houses, but this is the first affordable minifig-including townhouse reminescent of those classic houses for at least a decade. It follows the modern way of building, but I'm sure kids love it, and I love it too. I for one will be getting this asap.

Did Dragonator really give you a go-ahead for this game? Because I suggested I could host a new RPG half a year ago, and he told me he already had similar plans (so I stuck my head into those plans, then). My point is that unless something drastic has happened, Dragonator has been very specific that all new ideas for games are run by him. He's away now for a vacation with minimal time online, and I of course cannot speak for him in any way, but I just had to wonder aloud... For the record, I welcome a new RPG here with open arms. JimButcher mentioned the ill-fated games, but in my opinion their problem were elsewhere than in the concept of forum RPG itself. EBRPG was just way too overblown and massive for anyone to really get into it after the start, and the few comic-games had hosts that couldn't really handle the responsibility (due to inexperience, I guess). In another message board, I was a moderator of a RPG forum (before I packed my bags and moved here), and there I experienced, hosted and saw numerous RPGs that succeeded from start to finish. All it takes is dedication and motivation from both the host and the players. It's just like the Mafia- and Mystery-games we have here, they have either succeeded or failed depending on the host and the players. Despite of that, there's still a big demand for that type of games, just like there is an obvious demand for RPGs here.

Headmistress McGonagall gives Miss Jadis a stern look and reminds her not to argue with grown-ups. The talk was about a missing book, and the library isn't missing a single book. The only missing books are the one stolen from the headmistress' office and the one owned by Francis Rowan.

Headmistress McGonagall reminds everybody that the missing book was taken from her office, not from any section of the library, and it had the symbol of the Deathly Hallows in its cover.

I guess I have to brush up my joking skills, then. Didn't even think about it at that time, but thanks for pointing it out, I guess.

...And Day Three is up! I want to thank ADHO15 for playing. It started to look good for you, but then Lady Luck intervened.

The second night after the initial attacks gave no rest to the residents of Hogwarts either. Spells flashed and whistled in the night, but nobody could be certain that their spell would be the one that hit home. Instead of flinging spells, Francis Rowan sat on the deadly quiet library to learn himself a new one. The library had always been his favourite place in the whole Hogwarts, because it contained countless of adventures and an infinite amount of knowledge. Too bad his poor mind was so unfocused he could only concentrate on one thing at a time. "Let's see, the next spell in this book is... Ooh, it's the killing curse! Adava Kadav... no, Avadra Kevadra... uh, A-va-da Ke..." "It's pronounced Avada Kedavra!" The most lethal of spells hit Francis square in the chest. The last spell he learned became his doom. "Hmph, amateurs! Now, what is this book? It looks interesting... and useful." The library fell silent again. During the night, the petrified body of Cuddles the Cerberus was found in the entrance hall. It looked like the monster hadn't gotten a chance to eat anybody that night. The Aurors detained it, but by the morning, Cuddles had escaped yet again. He was clearly well-trained. At sunrise, the remaining residents of Hogwarts gathered to the Great Hall to hear the inevitable bad news. Headmistress MacGonagall told them about the death of Francis Rowan, and few of them burst into tears. This all was starting to take a too heavy toll on them. Then the Aurors Potter and Weasley spoke again. "The interrogations of the convicted Angela Weasley in Juvenile Azkaban led to the conclusion that she was indeed speaking the truth about her innocence. Likewise, we found proof that Francis Rowan was innocent as well", Auror Weasley recounted. "Needless to say", Auror Potter continued. "This situation cannot last. We have brought every Auror agent to guard and patrol this castle. Meanwhile, it falls to you to point out the suspects among you." "But before that, let's give you a moment to discuss the previous events at peace, before making any decisions", the headmistress added. An uneasy hubbub filled the Great Hall. Rules: 1. There are two opposing sides in this game, the Death’s Hallowed and the Innocent. The Death’s Hallowed win when they outnumber the others. The Innocent win when they’ve vanquished all of the Death’s Hallowed. 2. Each day, the players will vote out one amongst them with a majority decision. To vote or to draw back your vote, you must use the following sentence in your post: vote: character/player or unvote: character/player. If you want to change your vote, you must first unvote before the second vote is calculated. 3. During days, there is a 24 hour period before anyone can vote. Once the majority decision is reached, you cannot unvote the player in question anymore. 4. Every player will get a short list of items, spells and skills at their disposal. These can be used only at nights. 5. Each night, the players can use one of their items, spells, OR skills by sending the host a PM about it. Some items and skills have an automatic effect, which will be handled by the host. Items can be handed over to another player, but that will cost the giver the night’s action. 6. To give someone else your item, send the host a PM stating the item you wish to give, the name of the player you wish to give it to, and whether you want to remain anonymous or not. Items cannot be exchanged without the host acting as an intermediary. 7. The night abilities have a pre-specified order of effect. If you don’t send your night ability by the time limit I’ve given each day, you will miss your chance to use it. 8. The Day-topics are meant for active players only, so do not post in them if you are already out of the game. The Discussion-topic is open to everybody. 9. Do not edit your posts, because it is considered unfair to other players. 10. Do not directly quote anything I’ve sent to you via PM. Use your own words, please. 11. All out-of-character discussion must be kept in the Discussion-topic. Likewise, all talk about game tactics and roles must be kept in the Day-topics and PMs. 12. Since this game deviates quite a lot from other Mafia-games, please ask any questions or doubts you might have directly from me, and you will be answered. Players: Hogwarts Faculty: Brigelda Hearth, nurse (WhiteFang) Crudo Alakhazam, teacher of Charms (Big Cam) Eloquence Malleus, teacher of Transfigurations (Shadows) Jingle the House-elf (Dragonator) Neville Longbottom, teacher of Herbology and Head of Gryffindor House (professor flitwick) Rhubarb Uxley, teacher of Care of Magical Creatures and Head of Hufflepuff House (Escape the Fate) Sicilia Bathory, teacher of Potions and Head of Ravenclaw House (Eskallon) Stephanie Kingston, librarian (Zepher) Tea Ching, teacher of Divination (iamded) Hogwarts Students: Desiree Jackson, Gryffindor (badboytje88) Harriet Pewter, Slytherin (YG-49) Jolie Jadis, Slytherin (Lord Arjay) Loki Malfoy, Slytherin (ILikePi) Nene Grandstaff, Hufflepuff (Millacol88) Prion the Centaur, Hufflepuff (Forresto) Rocky Broomwell, Gryffindor (sok117) Sheila Bones, Ravenclaw (Matn) Todd "Bulltoad" Bulstrode, Slytherin (Roncanator) Valerie MacArthur, Ravenclaw (Inconspicuous) Xander Lovegood, Gryffindor (CallMePie) Others: Cuddles the Cerberus (monster) The Deceased & The Confined: Brandon Townsend, Hufflepuff (Oky Wan Kenobi) - Impartial (killed on Night One) Oraman Furbad, caretaker (JimButcher) - Innocent (slain by a monster on Night One) Angela Weasley, Gryffindor (Burman) - Innocent (voted out on Day Two) Francis Rowan, Ravenclaw (ADHO15) - Innocent (killed on Night Two) There are 20 players in the game, so it will require 11 votes to convict someone. Voting starts 24 hours from now.

All results from the Night Two actions should now be sent to you via a PM, and Day Three will be up in practically no time at all.

I could be wrong, of course, and trust me, I'd love to have a theme based on the Antiquity just as much as you, but I can't help but to be skeptic about this issue. I'll believe it when I see it, I guess. By the way, none of the LEGO lines you mentioned were based on a license (not that I'm saying that the Antiquity theme should be, it would just help), and none of them were very popular. But I don't know about the PlayMobil themes, you could very well be right about them.

But those aren't really kids' movies, are they? Why would TLG be inspired by movies geared towards adults in any way? The theme needs to be popular among kids (and suitable for them) to make TLG even consider creating a line from it. That's why we don't have Twilight- or James Bond-sets, despite how popular those movies are.

I've got one word for you: Naruto. I've worked with kids from 3 to 12 years old for the last couple of years, and especially among the older kids, Naruto is a big, big fad. So maybe that (and the whole Japanification of youth culture in general) explains the rise of popularity for ninjas?

The question was about the helmets, which are from Aquasharks, right? I never said the whole minifigs came from that line.

We also have to remember that TLG bases it's licensed themes on films and series that are at least suitable, if not aimed for children. All the historical medieval movies that have been released in the last decade or so have been very serious, gritty and sometimes gory - so there's nothing to really make a LEGO line out of, or even get inspired by. We'd definitely need something in line of a medieval version of Pirates of the Caribbean - adventurous, action-packed, tongue-in-cheek - to really rouse up children's interest in knights and castles again.

I hope it's because the theme doesn't interest you, and not because the way it's hosted or presented. But Zepher's right, the line was taken from MacBeth and used in a song in a Harry Potter film. The subtitles of the Day-topics follow a certain formula (like in several previous Mafia-games), but it takes a while to notice it.

Clever! Now it just needs some kind of stabilizers so that the hull wouldn't rock like that when it moves. Poor minifig, he must be horribly motion-sick!

I noticed that I hadn't commented this wonderful, fantastic and incredibly detailed creation that deservedly won the PoP-contest's "Expand the theme"-category. This MOC proves that the design and aesthetics don't have to be perfect to be impressive and captivating. It's obvious that normal MOC-builders don't have an infinite amount of every single piece available to them, but you certainly did the best you possibly could with the pieces you have, lego-maniac. Sure, not all the floors are tiled and the minifigs are a mixture of various colors and themes, but your creation really proves it doesn't really matter. I hope to one day build something as extravagant, detailed and interesting as you have. Excellent work! They're actually helmets from the underwater Aquasharks theme.

I'm still crossing my fingers for a girl-oriented theme for the System-bricks. Belleville's biggest fault was that it wasn't really compatible with the other themes because of the doll-like figures and the big scale. And TLG must realize that over 50% of world's population are female, and we like to create and build too. So why abandon us as a demographic, clinging to age-old stereotypes that girls only play with dolls?

I actually like the variety the "bright yellow" gives to the hairpieces. In my opinion it's perfect for yellow minifigs to portray the bleached type of hair, whereas tan hairpieces look more natural blonde.