Quote Originally Posted by banjo1985 View Post
I've had a change of heart (or a decent injection of silliness into my imagination), so my game on May 9th will be:

Fatbelly V – Who’s for Dessert?

Time to wheel out the old dog again, and flog it some more. It aint quite dead yet.

Tentative ruleset, and pretty much confirmed story below. The abilities for the faction leaders and deputies in particular are up for changes, as they've been made up pretty much on the fly. I've tried to keep them in line with each faction leaders philosophy and outlook, see I try and put some actual thought into these things.

STORY
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The Baron Fatbelly Contest is no more. It’s quite hard to have an eating contest when the venue is a pile of burnt wood and ash, and all the food in the world has been transformed into inedible junk, or even worse, Marmite. Hannibal the Cannibal and his nefarious Elucidated Brethren of the Ebon Doughnut definitely have a lot to answer for. If Hannibal hadn’t ascended to Food Heaven in a whirl of shiny trophies and blood he would definitely be off everyone’s Christmas card list.

As things are, Baron Banjo, Hank ‘Knuckles’ McCoy, Mr Creosote, the Fast Food Freak, and all the other survivors of the Culinary Armageddon are having to band together and make the best of things, which has proven rather difficult. With no food to be had, other than very rarefied tinned Spam, insects, tree bark, and Marmite (shudder) people have started to consider eating anything.

Including other people, it seems. Instances of cannibalism have gone through the roof, and the Fast Food Freak’s cookbook ‘Invite Your Friends Over for Dinner’ is a nationwide hit. Reports of survivors actually resorting to eating Angel Delight are unconfirmed, but worrying nonetheless.

The survivors of the previous Baron Fatbelly competition initially formed an alliance to survive in the harsh reality of a foodless world, but problems arose almost immediately. Mr Creosote’s plan to survive Culinary Armageddon was to eat as much as possible, whether it was Spam, insects, tree bark, or something even less edible, no matter how unpalatable. Maybe even Marmite. Fast Food Freak’s big idea was to turn some of the other survivors into burgers and open a takeaway restaurant. Hank wanted the survivors to learn from the mistakes of the past, and live a life of abstinence to atone for their previous greed. Only then would food return to the world. Baron Banjo’s dream was to rebuild the Fatbelly Mansion and hold another contest to bring the laughter back into the survivor’s lives.

Four very different grand designs for the future. It was only ever going to take the tiniest spark to send them their separate ways.

Hannibal the Cannibal provided that spark.

Early one morning, whilst the bedraggled survivors were making a clumsy attempt at refining Mr Creosote’s deep-fried tarantula and birds nest soup recipe, the storm clouds high above opened wide, and Hannibal’s evil smirking face popped through the gap in glorious widescreen.

“Good morning peasants! Belly’s nice and full are they? I’m just about to sit down to the Divine Ambrosia myself, followed by Suckling Pig and Spotted Richard.”

“I never knew you were that way inclined Hannibal.” The Fast Food Freak laughed, but the other survivors just grumbled and cursed, the slightest mention of such exquisite food making their stomachs churn and rumble with desire. Most of them would have murdered every other person on the planet for a Mars Bar though, so grumbles were only to be expected.

Hannibal laughed heartily, but his eyes stayed as cold and hard as death.

“Oh don’t be like that! I have an intriguing…proposition for you. You see, all this wonderful food and drink is almost beginning to become a little boring.” Hannibal patted a hand over his mouth in an exaggerated manner, “So I’ve decided to spice things up down there for my own entertainment! There will be a contest, and the lucky winners will ascend to Food Heaven for a seat at the table of the gods, if you can prove you want it enough. For that, you’ll need to be willing to eat anything.”

Hannibal’s voice lowered, and a shadow passed over his already evil face.

“…Anything”

“Why should we trust you?”
“You killed my mother!”
“Do you have Battenburg cake up there?”
“Why did you have to leave the Marmite?”

Hannibal cut off the questions with a wave of his hand. Lightning streamed from his black-nailed fingers, engulfing a small forest not far from where the survivors stood.

“Enough! Get ready for this year’s Baron Fatbelly Eating Contest you little worms, this time I’m running the show! And to make things a little more interesting, I’ve let a few of my fellow Brethren infiltrate your quaint survival network. Spice things up, you might say, though I don’t have a spice weasel. BAM!”

Baron Banjo shook his fist at the newly crowned food diety.

“You’ll never get away with this Hannibal! The Fatbelly contests should be run by Fatbelly’s!”

“My dear moronically stupid little one-string Banjo, I think you’ll find I already have! Get the mansion rebuilt worms, and let the competition commence!”

RULES
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Fatbelly V – Who’s for Dessert? is going to cater for 20-30 players, unless we really struggle for numbers. I haven’t run a game here for nearly two years, so I’m not sure how quite how things are nowadays. The game will follow standard WW rules, but with quite a few twists from both the standard format and the previous Fatbelly WW game, back in the dim and distant eons of time.

Eating Contests and Food Rankings

Each competitor will be given a ranking in 6 types of eating contest, showing how good they are at eating that type of food compared to everyone else. A high number is good, and low is bad. So someone ranked 20 (for a 20 player game) in Spam Spam Spam Spam! starts the game as the best there is in that kind of contest. However, boosts and poison actions can take these numbers above or below original levels, as well as above the maximum threshold.

Eating Contests:
- Bugs & Wiggly Things
- Plant Matters
- Leftovers…and Other Detritus
- Spam Spam Spam Spam!
- The Dreaded Marmite
- Cannibal Surprise!

During the day, competitors vote for who they think should compete in that days eating contest. You can vote for yourself, but not the narrator or Chuck Norris. At the end of the day the two competitors with the highest amount of votes will take on the contest. The winner is determined by comparing the competitors ranking in that type of contest, and the loser is killed in a (hopefully) hilarious manner.

The winner of the previous eating contest also gets to choose the type of contest for the following day in the thread, though it can’t be the same as the previous day.

Factions and Actions

Each competitor will belong to one of five factions:

- The Elucidated Brethren of the Ebon Doughnut
- The Takeaway Terrors
- Baron Banjo’s Circus Clowns
- Mr Creosote’s Gourmand-gast’s
- Hank’s Hungry Knuckles

Each faction will have access to five abilities that they can use during the night phase:

- Kill (100% success rate, unless target is baned)
- Bane (negates one kill attempt on the target that night. If they are targeted by more than one kill action they will still die though)
- Scry (Identifies a targets faction and reveals one target’s strengths and weaknesses in eating contests, though not exact food rankings)
- Boost (improves the targets rank by 3 in ALL eating categories, lasts until after the target takes part in an eating contest)
- Poison (worsens the targets rank by 3 in ALL eating categories, lasts until after the target takes part in an eating contest)

A faction may only use one of these abilities per night, and must use all five at least once before using one a second time. So, for example, if the Takeaway Terrors use their Kill action on Night 1, they must use their other four actions on the next four nights before they can kill again on Night 6. A faction can choose not to use any ability on a particular night if they wish.

Certain individuals within each team also have personal abilities which they can use, which are described in the relevant Role entry.

The last faction standing will be the ones to ascend to Food Heaven, and maybe get a little bit of payback on Hannibal the Cannibal. Assuming he makes good on his promise of course! When only one team remains the game will end and they will be crowned the victors of Fatbelly V! I may even make a little trophy, but don’t count on it.

ROLES
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The Elucidated Brethren of the Ebon Doughnut
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The Masticator (Champ) – Hannibal has reanimated an infamous champion from the ancient Fatbelly contests in days of yore to lead the Brethren into battle. His mind and memories wiped, the Masticator exists only to eat, and is ranked in the top 10 of all types of eating contest.

Mr Entropy (Voider) – As well as the epitome of eating, Hannibal has sent down the opposite; Lord Entropy. Nothing more than a whirling black mass in a dark hooded cape, Lord Entropy can target one person during the night phase and negate their ability for that night. If the player has no ability this action is wasted.

Brothers of the Doughnut – Normal (using the term rather loosely) but enthusiastic followers of Hannibal’s shadowy but sprinkle-coated brotherhood, eager to earn their place in Food Heaven.


The Takeaway Terrors
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Fast Food Freak (Expert Assassin) – When the Freak goes on the prowl, he always gets results. Freak can make all his factions abilities unvoidable and unbanable, as long as he still lives.

Donald McRonald (Chef) – A sinister sadist with a big red afro and stripy dungarees, this random crazy is head chef of FFF’s flagship cannibal restaurant, where he is free to cook anything...anything. During the night phase, Donald allows the Takeaway Terrors to substitute any of their available actions for a poison action instead.

Takeaway Terrors – Insane, evil, or just plain desperate, the Takeaway Terrors have faith that the Fast Food Freak will lead them to Food Heaven. If they can eat all the competition along the way then even better!


Baron Banjo’s Circus Clowns
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Baron Banjo (Vote-Swayer) – The Baron retains his title, and the associated fame of being a Fatbelly. He is also dumber than a box of hair. As such his opinion, as silly as it may be, holds more weight than that of other survivors. Baron Banjo’s daily point counts as three. This ability is automatic, unless the Baron PM’s the narrators at the beginning of the day to say otherwise.

NomNom the Monkey (Primate) – Baron Banjo’s favourite pet is just as likely to throw his own poo at you as he is to eat off of the palm of your hand. Each night NomNom can throw his poo at a single target. That target doesn’t know they’ve been targeted, even though they stink, but their vote during the next day phase will not count.

Circus Clowns – Former performers in Banjo’s travelling circus, these competitors stay loyal to the Baron even now, mainly because they know he has a few Twinkies hidden away that somehow survived Culinary Armageddon.


Mr Creosote’s Gourmand-gast’s
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Mr Creosote (Mr All or Nothing) – A legendary figure in eating circles, Mr Creosote is the worlds greatest gourmand…briefly. Mr Creosote automatically wins the first contest he is voted into, but then automatically loses the next one as he explodes in a shower of half digested food. His first victory does not reveal his role.

The French Waiter (Matre De) – Having served Creosote many times at the famous Le Nice Noche a la carte restaurant, it was natural the French Waiter would ally with him after the apocalypse. If the French Waiter comes second in the votes, the player with the third highest number of votes gets picked for the contest instead.

Gourmand-gasts – Fellow diners at Le Nice Noche, who will give their right arms for a place at the demigods table in Food Heaven.


Hank’s Hungry Knuckles
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Hank ‘Knuckles’ McCoy (Day Baner) – Hank isn’t the worlds greatest eater, and he knows it. But he’s a fighter, and can hold his own in eating contests thanks to his awesome stamina, not to mention a few well aimed threats and punches to force other competitors to take his place. During the night, Hank can target a player, including himself. That player will be not take part in the next day’s contest, no matter how many votes they get.

Miss Apli Plaster (Medic) – Apli is a former army medic, who after the apocalypse has been reduced to handing out antacids to survive. Each night she can remove the effects of poison from any one target, including herself.

Hungry Knuckles – Loyal followers of Hank, who they see as something akin to an avatar of Chuck Norris. They may trumpet the virtues of abstinence, but they want a spot in Food Heaven as much as anyone, though it’s vengeance on Hannibal the Cannibal that drives them most of all.


Not sure at the moment whether I want to make it a 20 player game, or let it grow to 30-35. Probably the latter, as there are a lot of games going on right now it seems.

Opinions, suggestions? Better names for any of the roles. Anthropomorphic leopards dressed in pink sequined spandex? You get the picture.
From across the aether of space, I felt a niggling to check the forum. I have been drawn inexorably to this moment in time.

I am hungry.