2023
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix has been in a unique situation these past few years: with the three years of pandemic finally, mercifully over, the residents have been working hard and uncharacteristically cooperatively to have Phoenix become almost a brand-new town.
And what better way to do that than to bring back their yearly halloween tradition, called off for reasons so far beyond their control, so unanticipatable?
And so, the people of Phoenix donned costumes - some traditional, and some far more… conceptual - for pretty much the whole of October, with their colourful garb bringing joy to the tourists who flocked in and spent their hard-earned money on all manner of tacky knick-knacks.
The highlight was to be their famous Halloween party, held for the first time in many years. It had been started by a beloved resident some ten years earlier, who delighted the town with his ghost stories. However, when he moved unexpectedly to Egypt one year, a husband and wife team decided to take on the mantle lest the beloved tradition be lost.
However, the pandemic had not been kind to the duo: they had a bitter divorce. And this year, instead of working together on a party that was sure to be the talk of the town for the remainder of the year, they had each decided to organise their own party.
“My party will be the best,” exclaimed Sabrar. “Everyone will get exactly the right amount of food! And I will make sure that everyone gets to do their favourite halloween activities!”
“No! Mine is where it’ll be at!” cried out Madge. “Sure, I won’t give everyone a neat plate of food, but there’s going to be all sorts of FUN GAMES, some of which you will enjoy!! Probably?! You guys might go hungry, but at least you’ll have a great time! Also, did you hear about this UNRELATED TANGENT about my personal life????????”
The residents of Phoenix were split:
the more haughty, well-to-do people in town were excited to eat a carefully curated meal in the company of like-minded people, because the past parties had sometimes left them over-full or hungry;
a small but vocal contingent was excited for some more pizzazz, because the past parties had been too restrained;
but the overwhelming consensus was that Sabrar and Madge should put aside their differences, work together, be professional, and provide a first post-pandemic party that is positively, pleasingly perfect.
But for that to happen, a parent trap of epic proportions would need to occur.
And so, the majority set about trying to get Sabrar and Madge to set aside their differences, using the most important pillar of community participation: their local facebook group.
But the minorities were not above sabotage to get their way: the well-to-do had quickly realised that it takes only a modest bribe to have someone call off their vendetta, and set about applying them; and the pizzazz lovers created a private facebook group that they invited a select few people into.
Both were trying to bring down the parent-trappers from the inside...
Player List:
1. heuristically_alone Seven
2. moody7277
5. jimbob alive, but died previously
11. the snide sniper Zeniba alive, but died previously
3. bessie permanently dead: Cryonicist, independent Antisocial Survivor
4. laserguy permanently dead: The Fab Five, town Double Voting One-Shot Resurrector
6. BoomFrog permanently dead: Ellen Ripley, town Jack of All Trades
7. wam permanently dead: Futurama, mafia Resurrector
8. somitomi permanently dead: Edward Cullen, Town Resurrector
9. patzer permanently dead: Dr Daniel Jackson, town Mafia Cop
10. suzaku permanently dead: Zombie, town Cult Cop
This is what I missed about mafia games at the xkcd forum. I get your point on the setup providing enough grist without your patented blend. Laserguy's question on jimbob's ordering of threats looks to be from a townie POV to me as well.
