phaiinein: unlabelled icons are my own! (delete this)
phaiinein ([personal profile] phaiinein) wrote in [community profile] oddsandends2022-12-22 05:05 pm

110th ♫ | all the things making us sick and tired turn into bubbles and disappear

    The Murder Game 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!



friendwich: (4)

[personal profile] friendwich 2022-12-27 08:32 pm (UTC)(link)
...

[He sighs, rubbing his head]

No. Sorry, that was... mean.

[It's hard not to look at the AI and not only see his own bitterness, just like he did with Koraidon for so long]
worthprotecting: (your game; my crown)

[personal profile] worthprotecting 2022-12-27 08:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Mm. Hm? What? Oh, no, nothing, just- [with a pfft and a motion to his head] -peanut gallery. Better question is, are you okay? Just seems like you'd be happier about something like that.

Maybe if you had less tension.
fionnuisce: (bearing this miracle)

[personal profile] fionnuisce 2022-12-27 08:38 pm (UTC)(link)
I am happy, it's a relief to have it back. It's just...something that reminds me of an old friend. That's all.
worthprotecting: (Default)

[personal profile] worthprotecting 2022-12-27 08:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Had a falling out, did you? [He tuts like a granny.] Want to talk about it over tea?
fionnuisce: (i never mastered anything)

[personal profile] fionnuisce 2022-12-27 08:43 pm (UTC)(link)
...

[Flatly:]

He's dead.
worthprotecting: (you're taking me out)

[personal profile] worthprotecting 2022-12-27 08:50 pm (UTC)(link)
...It's. a kind of falling out, in a sort, kind of-

Tea. I'll put the kettle on.
fionnuisce: (to give you a future)

[personal profile] fionnuisce 2022-12-27 08:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Good idea.

[he's not mad, the mortification is punishment enough]
tworo: (<buffer>)

Professor Turo (?) | Pokemon

[personal profile] tworo 2022-12-27 09:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Name: Professor Turo | Champion of Paradise, Innovative
Age: 42 | Species: Human | Occupation: Researcher
Likes: His work, Paradox Pokemon, machines
Dislikes: Interference, disloyalty, distractions
Traits: Dedicated, intelligent, perfectionistic, obsessive
Trivia: Turo is the only human to ever live full-time in the Area Zero crater!


[Turo seems like a decent person to be stuck in here with, overall? He's a little hard to really get to know; while he's friendly enough and often interested to hear about other peoples' lives and worlds, he rarely speaks much about himself unless prompted. Always seems to avoid parties, too, unless they're combined with a group meeting. But he's thoughtful and practical, typically focused on supporting everyone else when motives or other nasty events happen. The deaths seem to shake him, but he retains his focus, making for a thorough and deliberate investigator who's occasionally quite cutting in his observations.

Even when the trials are over, he remains quite stoic. At least, he never sheds a single tear about any of it in public. Is that weird?

He'll do his best to look out for any teenagers or younger children around in particular! For whatever reason, he also seems especially interested in getting to know people who aren't human.]
cuttingremark: (hmhm)

Deadland Time!

[personal profile] cuttingremark 2022-12-27 09:37 pm (UTC)(link)
[For everyone's health and safety, Loki has been doing his best to avoid Clint. He's been pretty successful, outside of the couple of 'trials' they've been forced into.

None of that really matters now that they're both dead, does it?

Loki had been first. Executed for stabbing one of the younger members of their group after someone else botched a poisoning attempt. Most everyone seemed to understand that it had been a mercy killing, but Barton was unreadable as always.

He didn't really expect to go to Valhalla, but this strange island was also completely unexpected. What was more unexpected was the presence of those few who had died in the manor before him. Including his own victim. Perhaps it was all some kind of sick joke the Norns were playing.

A loud gong signaled the arrival of another pair of newly dead (he remembered waking up to the same gong after the world faded to black around him.) Morbid curiosity got the better of him, so he went to the little row of bungalows where he's awoken just in time to see one of the newcomers stumble out of a previously vacant door.]


Good morning, Barton. I have to say, I'm rather surprised to see you joining us so soon.
friendwich: (11)

[personal profile] friendwich 2022-12-27 09:46 pm (UTC)(link)
And Arven let himself be pulled in, and rested his forehead against Turo's shoulder, body shaking a bit as he started to cry, years of pain and longing coming out in a way he never could with anyone other than Mabosstiff, tears soaking into the pokemon's fur.

This time he doesn't snap at the AI, telling him not to say such a thing now that's it's far too late. This time it didn't read as pandering to his hurt, bitter ears like it had before.
brandingproblem: (there's a future)

[personal profile] brandingproblem 2022-12-27 09:54 pm (UTC)(link)
[It's not the kind of afterlife he was expecting.

Don't get him wrong, tropical paradise is nice and all, but it doesn't scream 'afterlife' to him. There is, perhaps, a moment when he wonders if he's died at all.

Stumbling on out of the room, dizzy, trying to catch his breath and recenter himself, means apparently running into Loki, very certainly dead in a manner they all got to watch. So. Yeah. Probably dead.

Possibly dead. Illusion? Hm.

Not what he wants to see, though, so he goes back into the bungalow and flops back onto the low bed.]


Fuck. [Muffled into the crisp white sheets.]
cuttingremark: (Default)

[personal profile] cuttingremark 2022-12-27 10:14 pm (UTC)(link)
[Well, Loki's got nothing better to do, so he follows him in.]

I'm offended! Here I thought you'd be so happy to see me. [His voic3 drips with sarcasm]
brandingproblem: (like a really nice guy)

[personal profile] brandingproblem 2022-12-27 10:20 pm (UTC)(link)
FUCK. [Still muffled, much more emphatic.

He tilts his head so he's not muffled and glances at Loki.]
Are you really dead? [Read: am I really dead, because if you're actually really dead then...]
past_it: (pic#16099087)

[personal profile] past_it 2022-12-27 10:36 pm (UTC)(link)
[She nodded, her mouth opening like she was sighing but... No lungs.]

It was. [Despite everything, she couldn't lie or sugarcoat it.] But expected.

[She had the memories and...] My apologies for not contacting you more. I was unsure if I should.

[It was easier to send an email every now and again where she could focus on just the wording. No need to monitor her tone or facial expressions.]
696_9: Turning and angrily shouting. (shut the up)

[personal profile] 696_9 2022-12-27 11:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Now you're just making it sound like cat breeds. Like you're a fluffy old Himalayan, or a Siamese making noise all the time.
divisors: (endpoint)

[personal profile] divisors 2022-12-27 11:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Is that supposed to be an insult?

[Puffing out his cheeks a little...]

But I swear, that's how it was.
cuttingremark: (gentle persuasion)

[personal profile] cuttingremark 2022-12-27 11:37 pm (UTC)(link)
As far as I know. I certainly remember dying, as does everyone else here.

[Loki perches against the small desk next to the bed.]

Here I thought you chance of killing someone dropped to 0 once I was out of the picture.
696_9: Flippant gesture, closed eyes. (like whatever)

[personal profile] 696_9 2022-12-27 11:39 pm (UTC)(link)
So there's... different categories. And you can only be one, or just one at a time?
divisors: (cosine)

[personal profile] divisors 2022-12-27 11:43 pm (UTC)(link)
I think.......you can qualify for many. [He's frowning, trying to remember.] But I think...there was a version of me in a different category I didn't like all that much. Daft old man.
brandingproblem: (Default)

[personal profile] brandingproblem 2022-12-27 11:57 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't- [His face scrunches up, eyes sliding from Loki, in thought.] I don't remember dying.

What do you mean everyone else here?
cuttingremark: (eyebrow)

[personal profile] cuttingremark 2022-12-27 11:59 pm (UTC)(link)
The few who died before us in the manor are also here.

[Loki's eyebrows draw together.]

What do you mean you don't remember dying? What was the last thing you do remember?
brandingproblem: (Default)

[personal profile] brandingproblem 2022-12-28 12:02 am (UTC)(link)
Dizziness. [His hands clench in the sheets as he pushes himself up to a kneeling position.] Falling. Shit. Everyone's dead here? Fuck kind of afterlife is this?
696_9: Gasp. (what the)

[personal profile] 696_9 2022-12-28 12:06 am (UTC)(link)
A version of you? What, like another timeline's you? And you were just both there?

[She puts her head in her hands, ignoring her lunch.]

Of course you'd have that too. You've got everything. Why not?
cuttingremark: (:()

[personal profile] cuttingremark 2022-12-28 12:12 am (UTC)(link)
Sounds like your execution was far more merciful than mine. [Loki remembers gasping for air, his vision going black as his windpipe was crushed.

He rubs his next neck reflexively.]


I would say 'the bad kind', but there are several here who don't deserve that. Perhaps a type of limbo?
brandingproblem: (save us all)

[personal profile] brandingproblem 2022-12-28 12:14 am (UTC)(link)
Exe--no. The fuck? [He blinks up at Loki, befuddled, then annoyed.] You think I was fucking executed?

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