2020 Socky Awards

[tutuu]

[VOTE: Marmot] aubergine

[JaggedJimmyJay]

Awards will be presented tonight at 6pm EDT, or in about 45 minutes.

We'll post the awards in this thread, but the majority of the chatter will be on discord.

Join us in the "Sockys 2020" channel.

[Sloonei]

Best Mafioso

Nominees

Spoiler: show

@Alison
@Dyslexicon
@G-Man
@Hally
@Jackofhearts2005
@Long Con
@Marmot
@MacDougall
@NANOOKTHEGREATANDFEARSOME
@Poison
@Sloonei
@tutuu

Finalists

Spoiler: show

Alison
Hally
Long Con
NANOOKTHEGREATANDFEARSOME

Winner

Spoiler: show

Alison

[Sloonei]

Spirit Award for the Community

Nominees

Spoiler: show

@boo
@dunya
@Hally
@JaggedJimmyJay
@juliets
@MacDougall
@nutella
@sabie12
@Sloonei
@tutuu

Finalists

Spoiler: show

boo
juliets
Sloonei
tutuu

Winner

Spoiler: show

boo

[Sloonei]

Funniest Poster

Nominees

Spoiler: show

@Epignosis
@Kylemii
@MacDougall
@Master Radishes
@TonyStarkPrime
@tutuu

Finalists

Spoiler: show

Epignosis
MacDougall
TonyStarkPrime
tutuu

Winner

Spoiler: show

tutuu

[Sloonei]

Best Quote

Nominees

Spoiler: show

@Carotenoid "nutella saiyan"
@Carotenoid "illuminati confirmed"
@Epignosis "Hee ho (Happy Anniversary)"
@Epignosis "Alas, it's barren"
@Epignosis and @Alison "Orgasmic misunderstanding"
@Kylemii "League of Legends Forum"
@Long Con "August 8, 2020"
@NANOOKTHEGREATANDFEARSOME "potato soup"
@novaselinenever "Good point"
@TonyStarkPrime "random poison"
@tutuu "the song of princess nutella"
@tutuu "the POE-letariat"
@tutuu "wind force dabs"
@Urist "Fish of the Day"

Finalists

Spoiler: show

Epignosis "Hee ho (Happy Anniversary)"
Kylemii "League of Legends Forum"
Long Con "August 8, 2020"
TonyStarkPrime "random poison"
tutuu "the song of princess nutella"
tutuu "the POE-letariat"

Winner

Spoiler: show

TIE!

Princess Nutella reached for her sheath and put her hand on the handle of her dagger. She pulled it out in an arc, producing a whistling sound in the air.

"How dare you betray me!" she yelled, as she lunged forward, intending to pierce through MacDougall's heart.

Her dagger penetrated through flesh and bones. Blood splattered everywhere.

Shocked, MacDougall came to his senses. He looked downward and he saw Nanook, collapsing on the ground, with a dagger sticking out from his chest. He grabbed the dying man as his tears started running down his cheeks.

"W-w-why ... Nanook ... why?! Please stay with me. You'll be okay ... We will call the apothecary ... you'll be fine ... please don't go!"

Nanook, coughing blood, gathered all his remaining strength to mutter one final thing. "MacDougall .... t-t-these are my final words .... I ... lo-" his eyes turned blank. He passed away.

MacDougall looked at Princess Nutella with fire in his eyes. He lunged forward with the full intent to kill. The last thing he saw were the armored gauntlets of the castle guards grabbing hold of him and knocking him out.

----

MacDougall slowly blinked. The darkness in front of him was starting to fade away. Along with it unfortunately the pain from his bruised face returned. He gasped.

"My own son... My own blood... What a disappointment" - said King JaggedJimmyJay, sitting on his giant golden throne, looking at Prince MacDougall with contempt. "I've given you everything you desire. All the fancy swords and lances, all the fastest horses in the West, all the riches our coffers can offer ... you know how much our kingdom needed that alliance. Your marriage with Princess Nutella was pivotal for the survival of our people. And you threw that away. Thousands of people will suffer as a result of your consequences. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Prince MacDougall remained silent. He was looking at his father's eyes, his eyes full of anger and hatred. His pride didn't allow him to utter a word.

"I thought so" said King JaggedJimmyJay with a sigh. "He needs to receive his punishment. Guards, throw him where I instructed you."

A sack was put over MacDougall's head, rendering him unable to see. He was roughly grabbed and forced to walk.

After some time the sack was pulled. The loud echo of a door being slammed was heart. Then, a key being turned, locking it. MacDougall looked around. He was alone in an empty room, dimly lit by the two torches at the sides of the door he came through.

There was a rusty sword, a battered axe, and a splintered old shield. Puzzled, MacDougall pulled out the sword. He remembered the great old days when he used to fence.

Suddenly, the rustling of chains and metal was heard. A large door on the other side of the room was being slowly lifted up. Underneath it, the blinding sunlight was being reflected by the golden sand. The cries of crowd cheering was heard all throughout the Arena. Three armed men were rushing out of the other doors being opened into the center. MacDougall slowly stepped forwad.

Timsup2nothing, a Retiarius gladiator, threw his net on one of his approaching opponents, sprityo, and hurled his trident at JPIC, the other one.

sprityo was caught in the net and stumbled and fell on the ground. He desperately tried to slash it open.

Meanwhile, JPIC ducked at the last moment and barely managed to dodge Tim's trident. He approached the now unarmed man with his Gladius. But coming from behind, MacDougall tripped him over and bashed his head, rendering him unconscious.

Tim picked up JPIC's weapon and slashed at MacDougall, intending to catch him offguard. However, sprityo who finally managed to set himself free, tackled Tim. The two men wrestled on the ground, blood and sand mixing up all around them. MacDougall approached, grabbed them both by their heads and bashed them against each other, rendering them unconscious.

The crowd roared. "BLOOD. BLOOD. BLOOD. BLOOD. BLOOD. BLOOD" they kept chanting. MacDougall looked around and saw his father, sitting at the center balcony. King JaggedJimmyJay stood up, looked around, and smiled. He put his hand forward and his thumb up. Then slowly rotated the hand downards, resulting in a thumbs down.

MacDougall knew how cruel and merciless his father was. He demanded that he killed one of the other fighters, and if he disobeyed, all would be dead instead.

Timsup2nothing, sprityo and JPIC were all lying unconscious in front of him. MacDougall picked up his sword and looked at it. He had to make a choice.

Which was the right choice? - he asked himself

TO BE CONTINUED

[Sloonei]

Best Mafia Win

Nominees

Spoiler: show

2019 Game of Champions (Master's Team)
Assassin's Creed
Banjo-Kazooie
Coronavirus
Corrupt!?
Escape from Russia
FTL
Pyre
Space Invaders
The Lion King

Finalists

Spoiler: show

2019 Game of Champions (Master's Team)
Escape from Russia
Pyre
Space Invaders

Winner

Spoiler: show

Space Invaders

@Alison
@MacDougall
@Rej
@Soneji

[Sloonei]

Best Civilian Win

Nominees

Spoiler: show

Dopplegangsters
Grasslands
Radiohead
Take Me Out at the Ballgame!
The Polka Heist
U-Pick Vol. II

Finalists

Spoiler: show

Radiohead
U-Pick Vol. II

Winner

Spoiler: show

Radiohead Mafia

@Alison
@TonyStarkPrime
@DrWilgy
@Dyslexicon
@juliets
@Hally
@Herm
@Long Con
@MacDougall
@Master Radishes
@NANOOKTHEGREATANDFEARSOME
@Oddmerta
@staypositivefriend
@tedxtr
@Timsup2nothin
@tutuu

[Sloonei]

Best Independent

Nominees

Spoiler: show

@Dyslexicon
@Long Con
@MacDougall
@Poison
@Tranq

Finalists

Spoiler: show

Dyslexicon
Long Con
Tranq

Winner

Spoiler: show

Long Con

[Sloonei]

Best Theme

Nominees

Spoiler: show

2019 Game of Champions
Assassin's Creed
Chess
Coronavirus
Corrupt!?
Dopplegangsters
Escape from Trump Tower
LGBT+
Pyre
Radiohead
Space Invaders
The Polka Heist
The Simpsons
U-Pick Vol. II

Finalists

Spoiler: show

Pyre
Radiohead
Space Invaders

Winner

Spoiler: show

Pyre Mafia

@Epignosis

[Sloonei]

Spirit Award for Gameplay

Nominees

Spoiler: show

@dunya
@Dyslexicon
@Epignosis
@Hally
@JaggedJimmyJay
@MacDougall
@Marmot
@novaselinenever
@nutella
@sabie12
@Sloonei
@TonyStarkPrime
@tutuu

Finalists

Spoiler: show

dunya
Epignosis
Hally
MacDougall
tutuu

Winner

Spoiler: show

TIE!

MacDougall
tutuu

[Sloonei]

Best Role Use

Nominees

Spoiler: show

@Alison in Shadow Corridors
@Dyslexicon in Escape from Russia
@Long Con in Coronavirus
@MacDougall in FTL
@Michelle in Dopplegangsters
@NANOOKTHEGREATANDFEARSOME in Philosophers'
@Russtifinko in Banjo-Kazooie
@Tranq in 2019 Game of Champions
@Wisp in Jack Attack
[The entire mafia team] in Pyre

Finalists

Spoiler: show

MacDougall in FTL
NANOOKTHEGREATANDFEARSOME in Philosophers'
Wisp in Jack Attack

Winner

Spoiler: show

NANOOKTHEGREATANDFEARSOME in Philosophers' Mafia

[Sloonei]

Best Job

Nominees

Spoiler: show

2019 Game of Champions
Assassin's Creed
Danganronpa
Pyre
Radiohead
Shadow Corridors
U-Pick Vol. II

Finalists

Spoiler: show

2019 Game of Champions
Pyre
Radiohead
U-Pick Vol. II

Winner

Spoiler: show

Radiohead Mafia

@Sloonei

[Sloonei]

Best Heist

Nominees

Spoiler: show

Christmas Time is Here Again
Corrupt!?
Escape from Russia
Escape from Trump Tower
Space Invaders
Take Me Out at the Ballgame!
The Polka Heist
The Simpsons

Finalists

Spoiler: show

Escape from Russia
Space Invaders
Take Me Out at the Ballgame!
The Simpsons

Winner

Spoiler: show

Space Invaders

@Dragon D. Luffy

[Sloonei]

Best Racket

Nominees

Spoiler: show

Banjo-Kazooie
Dopplegangsters
Grasslands
Making Friends and Enemies
Philosophers'

Finalists

Spoiler: show

Banjo-Kazooie
Dopplegangsters
Grasslands

Winner

Spoiler: show

Grasslands

@Dyslexicon

[Sloonei]

Best Host or Host Team

Nominees

Spoiler: show

@Dragon D. Luffy
@Epignosis
@Epignosis & @MacDougall
@NANOOKTHEGREATANDFEARSOME
@Sloonei
@sprityo

Finalists

Spoiler: show

Epignosis
NANOOKTHEGREATANDFEARSOME
Sloonei
sprityo

Winner

Spoiler: show

NANOOKTHEGREATANDFEARSOME

[Sloonei]

Best Civilian

Nominees

Spoiler: show

@Alison
@dunya
@Hally
@MacDougall
@novaselinenever
@nutella
@Sloonei
@TonyStarkPrime
@tutuu

Finalists

Spoiler: show

Hally
MacDougall
nutella
tutuu

Winner

Spoiler: show

MacDougall

[Sloonei]

Best Newcomer

Nominees

Spoiler: show

@Alison
@Carotenoid
@Fatmo
@Hally
@MartinGG99
@Scirrus
@tedxtr
@Timsup2nothin
@tutuu

Winner

Spoiler: show

TIE!

Alison
Hally
tutuu

[Sloonei]

Most Valuable Player

Nominees

Spoiler: show

@Alison
@DrWilgy
@Epignosis
@Hally
@MacDougall
@nutella
@Poison

Finalists

Spoiler: show

Alison
Epignosis
MacDougall

Winner

Spoiler: show

TIE!

Alison
MacDougall

[Sloonei]

Lifetime Achievement Award

Nominees

Spoiler: show

@Black Rock
@Dragon D. Luffy
@dunya
@Dyslexicon
@G-Man
@MacDougall
@Marmot
@sabie12
@sprityo
@Turnip Head

Lifetime Achievement Announcements:

dunya

Spoiler: show

I am privileged and proud to induct this user into The Syndicate's Lifetime Achievement company. Their Mafia journey is older than my own by a month or two, and I've watched them grow into the game from one site to another. Their capacity for pure intuition in a game otherwise largely ruled by meta, analysis, or flat guessing is second to none. That's a reputation they've carried for nearly a decade now, and everywhere they've gone it has been proven again and again -- sometimes despite their insistence that it's overstated.

Now they're among the most feared and beloved players on the site regardless of alignment, and have become integral to our community on the website, in our Discord server, and abroad. They have worked with our staff on both platforms, as a game facilitator and a Discord moderator. They're extremely important to The Syndicate and to me personally, and I suspect this will come as a surprise to exactly nobody. And they touched poop once.

MacDougall

Spoiler: show

If we think of the Lifetime Achievement Award as a recognition of the individual's contributions to The Syndicate alone, this user has earned it and then some: as a player, as a host, as an ambassador, and simply as a member of our community. Since joining the Syndicate, they've been one of our winningest players in the community. As a host, they've contributed some of our most memorable games in recent memory. This includes the largest game in the history of the Syndicate, an event which would have been impossible if not for this person's remarkable recruiting prowess and charisma. He was one of our Season 6 Champs representatives, and in that time he cemented himself at the top of the mafia hierarchy by being named a finalist.

But before that, I knew him from the early days of RYM Mafia, where he brought the same playful fieriness to every game. No one could make you laugh so hard while they were solving the game back then, and that's still true to this day, as evidenced by his consecutive Funniest Poster Sockys each of the previous two years. Throughout my own mafia lifetime, few people have contributed as much sheer fun as this person, regardless of when and where we've been playing. I'm thrilled and delighted to be presenting this award to the one true Mafia God. Now if only I could figure out how to read him.

Turnip Head

Spoiler: show

When I originally decided to join The Syndicate back in 2015, I was still in the middle of the Season 2 championship tournament. Three primary sources drove me here. First was a user we know here as a2thezebra, who often plugged this site in our RYM games. Then there was our founder M Plus 7, who had started playing with us at RYM just a short while prior. Finally there was one more Syndicate mainstay that I followed closely in their own tournament game immediately after my own, where they served as this site's first ever representative. They played a tight mafia game and made everyone here proud, but more importantly they did so with the class and respect that our site has come to be known for in outside circles.

That has never changed in the five years since, and it shows in the positive vibes and the fun that they bring to every game they play in (all while being more than formidable in any alignment). They also served for a good while as a site administrator, and they played a large part in showing me the ropes there when I eventually joined the team. Needless to say then, they have given quite a lot to The Syndicate, and this recognition is well deserved. They also kick our asses at Walrus pretty much every week.

[Sloonei]

Thus concludes this year's Socky Awards. Thank you to everyone who made the Year of the Lockdown a pleasant one in our community. And congratulations to all of the winners.

[MacDougall]

Tears stream down my face

[Sloonei]

[Hally]

congrats to all the winners!

[MacDougall]

Lmao

[Hally]

oh and thanks @Long Con for the nifty banners

[JaggedJimmyJay]

I'm jelly. Banners perty.

[Alison]

nice

[Michelle]

Congrats to the winners ^^

[Fatmo]

Oh lol I was nominated for something.

I just realized I don’t think I’ve checked this site in months.

Congrats everyone