I have a timer that runs an alias where it then does a /msg $chan <text> function. It seems to be ignoring the $chan and trying to msg the first word of the text. /msg chan works in other areas of my script.

Code:
 alias distroles {
  if (%plyrs == 3) {
    set %game 2
    msg $chan |MAFIABOT|Mafia game starting, %plyrs playing, distributing roles.
  }
  else {
    msg $chan |MAFIABOT|Mafia game cancelled, not enough players signed up.
    set %game 0
  }
}
on *:TEXT:!mmafia start:#:{
  if (%game == 0) {
    msg $chan 0,1|MAFIABOT|Starting a game of mafia, type !mmafia in to join.
    set %game 1
    timer1 1 15 [ distroles ]
  }
  else if (%game &gt; 0) /msg $chan 0,1|MAFIABOT|Game of mafia already in progress
}

the starting game line works just fine, but after the timer i get this:

* Timer 1 activated
-
-> *|MAFIABOT|Mafia* game cancelled, not enough players signed up.
-
* Timer 1 halted
-
|MAFIABOT|Mafia No such nick
-

so I'm confused