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jackabeelounge2020-09-29 03:37 pm
luce_felice) wrote in jackabeelounge2020-09-29 03:37 pm
Entry tags:
THE MURDERGAME MEME
You know the script. You wake up in a place you've never seen before, with a whole bunch of complete strangers and there's a mysterious voice or a mascot or what have you ready to let you know how things are going to work around here.
The rules are simple: You're trapped here, with no hope of release or rescue. You've been provided with all the basic necessities you need to live comfortably, and all you have to do is settle down and live out the rest of your days here in peace. But if you can't do that -- if you're really so desperate to escape that you'll do anything -- then there's one teeny tiny thing you have to do first.
All you have to do is kill somebody.
But it's not quite that simple. Every death will be followed by a period of investigation, followed by a trial in which the survivors will attempt to solve the mystery and out the culprit. If the survivors guess correctly and out the culprit, the killer is executed and life goes on. But if the survivors guess wrong, then the culprit is free as a bird and everyone else is executed.
Even with the promise of freedom, can you really bring yourself to kill so many other people?
tl;dr: it's a murdergame meme. TIME TO HAVE A BIG OL' MURDERGAME BLAST.
Settings
1. High School - A classic! Doesn't matter if you're too old or too young to be in high school -- you've been enrolled and the only way for you to graduate is to kill a fellow student. But hey, the faculties are nice!
2. Tropical Island - Weren't you just hankering for a nice tropical vacation? No? Too bad! You're going to have a nice sunny vacation at the beach and if you don't like it, just kill someone and go home. Simple!
3. Prison - It doesn't matter if you don't remember committing any crime; you've been tried and found guilty of something or other and now you can go ahead and rot away in jail. If you ever want to see the sunlight again, better put that criminal mind to good use and get rid of your inmates.
4. Mall - A huge mall stuffed full of stores, places to eat and all the regular amenities like deadbolted doors and the threat of death. It's like Black Friday but even worse because you can't leave and all the rest of the shoppers might actually kill you for real this time.
5. City - Holy shit, you've got the run of a whole city this time around! Maybe with all this room to keep out of each other's way, you'll be able to make sure no one starts killing people. But probably not.
6. Cruise Boat YOU'RE ON A BOAT, MOTHERFUCKER. The accommodation is all five star, even if there's no one around to act as wait staff. The only snag is that you still have this whole murder thing hanging over your head – but on the plus side, they have those little drinks with the umbrellas in, so...
7. Space Station - THE FINAL FRONTIER... Maybe you're familiar with space stations like this or maybe all this future tech is fascinating to you. Not like it matters either way, of course, because you won't be getting out of here unless you lay down a murder on someone.
8. Wildcard! - None of the above scratch your murder itch? Go wild and come up with your own setting!
Downtime
1. Excuse Me, Who Are You? - You've just woken up in this weird place and you have no idea what's going on. But hey -- maybe this stranger's more informed than you. Or maybe you can put your heads together and investigate what's going on.
2. Social Link Go! - Well, if you're going to be stuck in here for however long, you might as well get to know the people stuck in here with you. You've got plenty of rooms to explore together and there's enough to do to keep you occupied. How do you plan on passing time without killing each other?
3. Vending Machine Woes - Somewhere in this place there's a mysterious vending machine that spits out all manner of bizarre items and occasionally dispenses items that belong to you and the other people trapped here. You've got a fat stack of tokens and nothing to lose.
4. The Corners of My Mind - So as it turns out, your lovely hosts have been fiddling with your memories. Maybe you're just discovering this now or maybe you've had a particularly upsetting memory regain you're dealing with.
4. Wildcard! - GO WILD AND BE FREE (or as free as you can be here, anyways)
PUTTING THE MURDER IN MURDER GAME
1. Motive - Your mysterious overseer has decided there's not nearly enough murder going on and so they've ~helpfully~ given you a little push to do the deed. Maybe one of your loved ones is in danger, maybe they're offering more money than you could ever dream of or they're threatening to reveal your deepest darkest secrets. Whatever is it, would you kill for it?
2. Murder - WELL APPARENTLY, YES. Are you a killer or are you being killed? Either way, someone's not walking away from this alive.
3. Body Discovery - Rise and shine, murdergame! It's a brand new day and someone's dead. Better get investigating!
4. Trial - You know how this one goes. Line up all your evidence and sniff out the killer -- or sit there and sweat and hope no one works out you're the murderer. Will they go down with a confession or put up a fight?
5. Afterparty - You've survived another trial, but more of your friends have died. Even without the executions, trials are a stressful enough affair. It's time to destress and lick your wounds and support each other.
6. Mastermind - It's the end. It's time to uncover all the mysteries behind this murder game -- and find out just who trapped you here. Are they really an unconnected party, or is the mastermind someone among you...?
7. Freedom - Just as it says -- you're finally free, but at what cost? Have those you love been returned to you, or are you still reduced to just those who made it to the end? Are you on your own, or is anyone here to help you? And more importantly, how the hell are you going to get home?
8. Wildcard! - YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO
OPTIONAL FUN
Lots of murdergames have in-universe public profiles for other characters to get the skinny on yours. If you'd like to fill one out to post with your toplevel, peep at the code below!
no subject
That is exactly how it is done. I...I promise I shall not lose my hope.
no subject
That's all a guy can ask.
[He wipes his eyes once more, then pulls a cloth out of his satchel to blow his nose into. Once that's done, even if he's still teary and upset, Alfyn seems somewhat more himself.]
Cripes, didn't even think to ask. How're you holding up yourself? Look at you, running 'round taking care of the rest of us on your own...
god fuck it I sprang for a paid
[Flayn is, after all, not allowed to cook any food whatsoever, so someone else is making like. Grilled cheese? Many a grilled cheese.]
But I will admit, after today...I am a bit disheartened. That our time here has come to this at all is...well. I had expected a different outcome.
[She's not mad, just disappointed.]
If I paid for Alfyn I'd have to make 136 Alfyn icons... I'm not strong enough
It's like you said. If we were in a different situation, they probably wouldn't've... None of us would've had to lose a friend today.
[Motives. Trapping them, threatening secrets and loved ones. They had to pronounce the killer guilty, and they weren't wrong, but still. It ain't right.]
This 'mastermind' fellah knows how to put pressure on people.
I miss the days when people making giant icon posts was the norm
[There has to be a way to push back, but...Flayn doesn't know it. She was never good at strategy, just at hoping, relentlessly, and doing what she knew how to do best. That doesn't really grind someone keen for death to a halt on its own.]
The good ol' days of 500+ Homestuck icons in one post...
[Of course the group's been over this already in the time they've been trapped, but hope springs eternal! If Flayn's got something else in mind...]
I'm all ears, Flayn.
BUT THEN ONLY FIVE OF THEM ARE FOR THE CHARACTER YOU WANT in my experience at least
[She may not have healing magic, but Flayn's done enough field medicine when out of spells to know how to stabilize someone. Alfyn likely knows how to do the same.]
Hhhyeah, I'm basic enough to end up playing the fan favorites, usually
[Alfyn's whole deal is healing with medicine over magic, and much of his experience comes down to emergency measures in the field, given the dangers he and his friends have faced on their journeys all over Orsterra. He groans and taps his heel against the floor, wracking his brain for a way to make it work for them. What's the point of being a healer if you can't help all the people you can?]
Someone mentioned runnin' patrols before. Maybe if everyone on watch had one of us healer types tag along, we'd have a better chance to do something before it's too late. No one'd have to waste time fetching us.
shush that's not being basic
[It's good to go and help people but you don't do it without a backup plan.]
no subject
[Not to be discriminatory, but c'mon. Him big burly Riverlands man. She sweet and smol.]
no subject
Come now, I am perfectly capable of defending myself! I am decently versed in the ways of the lance, and I have been taught how to punch things!
[It doesn't have the same oomph as it would if she were using magic-channeling gauntlets, but she can in fact throw a punch! War Clerics, baby!]
no subject
[He ducks to press the startled laugh into his fist, but too little, too late.]
Uh, sorry there, ya know I don't mean to make fun. I believe you, honest! Just--the way you said it...!
[I Have Been Taught How to Punch Things! (ง •_•)ง]
You... you know there's more to it than that, right?
no subject
Flayn, however, pouts slightly.]
Of course I do! But I shall have you know that proper form is paramount to landing an effective blow, and were I not confident that I could do so? Why, surely I would hurt my hands!
no subject
[It's really, really hard to think of her as a War Cleric, or a War Anything, when she pronounces things like "I shall have you know..." and "Why, surely...!" so earnestly.
Alfyn manages to dredge up another smile, though, given the day they've had, it's a shadow of his usual boisterousness. Unsurprising, probably.]
Mind showing me, then? [Nod!] We oughta be sure of each other's strengths if we're going to help with this patrol thing right.
no subject
[She probably can't leave any bruises, but at least you'll see that her form is impeccable.]
no subject
[He holds up a palm. Sock it to him right in his hand, fellow green!]
no subject
Hah-!
[Like. Her form's good? Her form is great. Steady on her feet, fist made correctly, point of impact on the first two knuckles. She's studied and worked hard and put that work to use and that's awesome.
But there's not a lot of strength behind it.]