Long post (1,100 words). An index is provided so that you skim/avoid at ease.
Contents: 1. Why claiming Huffleclaw is not that great. (@GR)
2. Tables (@Micro). 3. PMs: just say no. 4. Fisherman's Friend. 5. All the king's men. 6. Last moment updates. ===============================================
1. Why claiming Huffleclaw is not that great. Meaning: Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw.
This is addressing a question from @GR, who asked what was the problem with Ravenclaw/Hufflepuff.
ZFR: Now, it is well known that the four Houses of Hogwarts are all equal. But some Houses are more equal than others. It is therefore fitting that Slytherin were put on a team, and pitted against the other houses combined. It might look like it's one against three, but in reality we know that after all only Gryffindor really matters. Plus, unlike the other team, Slytherin probably know their teammates the cheaters that they are.
As seen from here, Dumbledore said that: 1) It is Slytherin vs the other houses COMBINED (in a single team).
"But in reality we know that after all only Gryffindor really matters". What to make of this? Well, we know for sure that there are Gryffindor. Most (with few exceptions) of the prominent 'good' named characters in 'the books' (including the three kids of the 'golden trio') are Gryffindor. The most natural way of understanding this paragraph is considering that either all characters are Gryffindor or that the other two Houses have at most a token presence.
=> This is what the text says. The Slyth have not read your PM. Do not exhibit information from your PM to make the text less ambigous. Let the Slyth twist and sweat and keep wondering.
Now, according to this text, and knowledge of Hogwarts and 'the books', how to use this: Since Gryffindor is to be expected for sure, it is safe to guess that most participants are Gryffindor. Then, if you are a Slyth, what do you claim?
–Gryffindor, of course.
–No, you don't, little brat. Pay attention:
Imagine the setting is something along these lines: SSSN GGGG GGGG H R. It can be different. Anyway: they are all Votus-ing you and you offer your true name. Now, you have to say a Gryffindor name. What's the problem? that a prominent name in 'the books' is expected. You say Potter. But then, what happens? Yes, the real Potter notices and calls your bull. But if you say 'Potter' and nobody counter-claims, that is really something. People nods, pats you on the back, they even untie the rope from your neck, someone offers you a biscuit, that kind of thing.
So a Gryffindor name, (the most prominent in 'the books', the better), holds poise. Since it is expected to be countered easily.
On the other hand, if you claim a Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw name, then, AS PER DUMBLEDORE'S SPEECH, NOT PMs, it is possible that only one such name is 'taken', or maybe none. So, yes, a such claim holds less poise.
NOT that anyone claiming Hufflpuff has to be inmediately Votus-ed, but also keep in mind that it simply adds little to the credibility (meaning the credibility will have to emanate form other sources).
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2. Tables (@Micro). Glad to hear that you enjoyed those table-shaped musings. There were two, you know. One was about Agent's and yogsloth's opening, in reply to @SPF, and also as an exercise.
The second was about sharing impressions so far. Others had made lists, but it seemed a good idea to make a complete ordered list. No probabilities were assigned at that time. Just an ordered list from higher to lesser suspicion. @GR falled right in the middle. BTW, some people has gone up and some down (or left).
Keeping everything relevant in text shape seemed easier to read for people on the go and everyone with a poor connection, but it is not a bad idea to add a pretty screen capture of a spreadsheet. Now, if you publish something in the same vein, it might be better to add a text-only version, just in case.
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3. PMs: just say no. The information in PMs is a precious resource. It might be the last resort of an innocent headed for the gallows, or a way to corner a threat in the later stages of the game (and maybe the veterans know of further uses). Slyths should be left in the dark as much as possible. If they claim falsely, let us do it in the most catastrophically way possible. Let them show their tartan.
Looking at: too many.
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4. Fisherman's Friend. People sending posts that can only be read as attempts to fish. Really? People, do not engage in those discussions. If someone says anything utterly wrong or obnoxious, you give them nothing. Do not even correct them... (except for coursteously asking them to kindly SHUT UP).
You do not want to be the fisherman's friend. Let fisherman's friend be just candy. Good candy, strong candy. You can be something else.
Looking at: @Caesar, @Micro.
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5. All the king's men. Carradice: Just to throw in an opinion: Dumbledore's speech was ambiguous. That has lead to different interpretations. Now, after checking it again, it seems more like either the 'townies' team is made of Gryffindor plus the other Houses, or that it is formed of Gryffindor alone.
ConsulCaesar: No ambiguity in Dumbledore's speech: it's all three other Houses combined in a team vs Slytherine. You must clearly be either Gryffindor or Slytherine if you missed that. Which is like saying you're 50%-50% town or scum (that is, nothing). What it does tell me is that you probably have some kind of special ability, if you belong to either the "cool" or the "evil" house.
So many things wrong with this post. Let us comment while trying to keep to the advice above, though.
1st. Making a partial quote that changes the meaning of the statement. Bad. Then, after joppo points the man how he is wrong in #240, Caesar acknowledges the existence of the completing sentence (that he had omitted), with a theory of his own, in #253, dealing, oh yes, with an entertaining theory on, what else, PR distribution among Town players. O yes, kids, now go and refute him, holding your PM ticket high inyour fingers–NO, YOU DON'T. We let them guess.
2nd. It is hard to read that post as anything other than fishing. Slyth or hostile neutral, or just some obnoxious play as town. So lying was a liabilty? So what to make of this? This approach is just terrible for town and hopefully no one keeps taking the bait for such posts.
3rd. Prior lurking until heavily pressured. Repeated times. Then, this. Plus, he claimed in the signature thread that he had experience.
All this, regrettably, makes of @Caesar a top tier suspect now.
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6. Last moment updates. People smelling more fishy: @Caesar. Then @Micro because of fisheries rights.
People looking more legit: @Trent.
yogs, he can be either be an asset, or become the doom of Town. He tries too hard, and at the very beginning overreacted. On the other hand, RWarehall's slips seem legit. He cares less for looking townie, too. Both have shown to be eloquent. It might be town vs town, it might be not townish RWarehall vs something else. Or this might be all wrong, of course.
Feedback is welcome, so as to enlighten this Uniwizard first-timer and enliven the discussion.
That will be all for now.
