Monday, April 25, 2011

Guest list

You are warmly invited to Casino Fatale, an evening of deceit, treachery and murder!

The setting:
The banks of the River Seine in Paris; a dark night, and glittering casino lights. The wealthy of Paris, the talented, the brilliant... and a few people who are frankly just hangers-on... are descending on the Hotel D'Etoile to take part in a charity auction for the local orphanage, and you are about to join them!

Money will change hands, reputations will be made and lost, and intrigue will thicken, as wealth, crime and politics come together to play... Welcome to Casino Fatale!

"You are warmly invited to come and spend lots of (virtual) money in the name of charity at Hotel D'Etoile. We are holding a charity auction for our local orphanage and will be auctioning jewellery and the services of several local characters. Any further donations please contact the casino before the event."

Your character:
In Casino Fatale you and the other guests will take on the roles of characters at a Parisian casino. The character you will be playing is indicated above, and at the party you will be provided with background details for your character, along with simple rules and some cool abilities on the day.

Costume Tips:
These are suggestions only - you should wear whatever you find comfortable. However, photographs usually come out better if everyone wears a costume.

Guests attending the charity auction should be in formal eveningwear - black tie is preferred. The croupiers and casino manager should co-ordinate the look of the hotel and casino staff.

****If you are a '?' contact me by the end of the week so I can fix it

Thanks kiddos

Chris Velez yes
Mark Lee yes
Claire Digirolamo yes
Jack Naughton yes
Sarah Berry yes
Tyler Barnik yes
James San Miguel yes
Dan Chedid yes
Dennis Connors ?
David Mortilito yes
Alexa Perrotti no
Andre Malhotra ?
John Matera yes
Katie Belloff yes
Catherine Birri yes
Stephen Janiec no
Virginia Doherty yes
Bonnie Malhotra yes
Amanda Centeno yes
Julie Howell yes
Bryan Hastein yes
Jack Williams yes
Marrisa Minicino ?

Paris News
July 2001
Let the good times roll!
Hotel D'Etoile is having its best year ever. To celebrate, it is hosting a charity auction in aid of the local orphanage.

If you haven't already received your invitation then you won't be going, as the charity auction is strictly an invitation-only affair.

Most Eligible Bachelor
Alex Kirk has won a most prestigious award. He has been crowned "Most Eligible Bachelor in Paris". He already has ladies flocking round him, how on earth will he fit his ego through the door now!

Latest 'It' Girl
The latest 'it' girl in town is Anna Upanova. She has already been invited to all the best parties in town and is tipped to be the hot favourite at the charity auction at Hotel D'Etoile. She will be auctioning her services along with other local celebrities. Calm down boys, she is auctioning her company for a drink at the bar, and that is all!

The Black Panther Strikes Again
Another jewel has gone missing. A large emerald bracelet was stolen from a Paris jeweller last week. It is reported to be worth over 200,000 euros.

This is the latest in a series of jewel thefts by the notorious "Black Panther". The previous jewel stolen was a diamond ring lifted from a leading Parisian jeweller last week. The local police are refusing to comment.

New Book for Donovan Jones
The renowned local poet Donovan Jones has just finished a new collection of poems entitled Paris Seasons. This new book is expected to go straight into the Top 20 bestsellers list when it is published next month.

His last book My Town sold over 3 million copies.

Award for Nuclear Scientist
Professor James Havelott, a British nuclear physicist has been posthumously awarded the Paris Medal for achievements in science. Professor Havelott worked at the BB Nuclear Physics Centre on the outskirts of Paris for nearly 15 years until his murder earlier this year (his wife was also shot dead). His daughter Melissa accepted the award on his behalf.

Professor Havelott's assistant Ashley Bunsen said "There is no-one else in this country who knew more about nuclear physics than the Professor, he is sorely missed. He really deserved this award and I can't believe he isn't here to accept the award in person."


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Playing Casino Fatale
Casino Fatale is completely interactive. You decide who to talk to and when. You also decide what you will tell them, and whether you tell them the truth or not. Of course, that goes for everyone else in the game as well... The most important skill in Casino Fatale is the ability to hold a conversation. You will need to talk to the other players to find out who they are and whether they will help or oppose you. Some of the characters you may know a little about already, but some will be unknown to you.

Information is the key to achieving your objectives in Casino Fatale, so you should aim to talk to everyone. You may need to reveal information known only to you in order to get information from another player.

You will also have a number of abilities that give you an advantage against other characters in certain situations. The other players also have abilities that they may use against you!

Casino Fatale has a few simple rules, but the Host of the party usually oversees these. The Host is neutral, and is there to ensure that Casino Fatale runs smoothly and that everyone has a good time. If you have any questions about Casino Fatale, you should first consult the Host.

Tips for playing Casino Fatale
If you've not played a Freeform Games murder mystery game before, you might not be familiar with how they are played. Our games are different from most other murder mysteries - and we suggest you read through these tips first.

•Three basic attributes: Playing this game requires just three basic skills - a sense of fun, an ability to strike up a conversation with another person, and the willingness to pretend to be someone else for an evening. If you can do that, you should have no trouble!
•Dress the part: You will receive information, including costume tips, about your character beforehand. A good costume can help you get into the spirit of the game, and also means that you will be in lots of photographs.
•Read your character sheet: Your character sheet explains who you are, who you know and what your objectives are. However, your character sheet describes what your character believes, but that might not necessarily be true! Keep your character sheet handy as you may need to refer to it during the evening.
•Your Goals: Your goals describe the objectives that your character is trying to achieve during Casino Fatale. You should attempt every goal - although it is unlikely you will achieve them all (as other characters may be trying to oppose you).
•Read your character sheet again: This time, think about your goals. You should also take note of other characters - you will probably need to speak to them sooner rather than later.
•Introduce yourself: Once Casino Fatale starts, you will need to talk to people whilst pretending to be your character. The easiest way is to introduce yourself to someone as your character. If you don't know anything about them you can ask who they are and why they are here. If you do know something already (you may have information on your character sheet, or someone else has already told you something about them) then you can ask them about that.
•Tips for beginners: We provide tips for people who haven't played our games before. These give you a couple of ideas of things you should do at the start of the game. The tips are optional, but they may help you get started.
•Find your friends and enemies: In Casino Fatale there are those who will help you, and those who will oppose you. It's important to find both - although to get your friends to help you, you may have to help them in return.
•Ability cards: You will have special ability cards that you can use to help achieve your goals. The cards are self-explanatory and generally have a limited number of uses. You may need to think carefully about who you want to play them on.
•The Host: Ideally, you shouldn't need the Host to achieve your goals - most can be achieved by talking and negotiating with the other characters. You should consult the Host if you have a question about the rules, but you certainly shouldn't ask for help in solving your goals, as they are up to you!
•Act the part: Don't start talking about football or cars or anything else that isn't part of Casino Fatale. It's more fun if everyone tries to maintain the illusion that you're all at a grand party in Paris.
•Read your character sheet yet again: If you find yourself at a loose end, find a quiet place and re-read your character sheet. You may find that there's someone you haven't spoken to yet, or something you need to do.
•The body: Who carried out the murder? Finding out is a matter of talking to people and picking up the clues.
•Finally: Remember that the most important thing is to have a good time!