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!



daggardaggardaggar: (M)

[personal profile] daggardaggardaggar 2022-12-23 09:18 pm (UTC)(link)
[teenager in a murdergame, more like free grandchild]

[Honestly it's not totally unexpected to Daggar that she might have ended up in a prison, given some of things she and her party have done. Ending up in one alone is a bit more worrying. The rules about murder are definitely so.]

[That there was a non-zero number of kids here? She might be down for a little murder herself, once they managed to find the people actually in charge of things.]

[Things didn't get easier once the actual trials started, and made it clear more than once that these kids weren't above involving themselves even more deeply.]

[This had been a rough one.]

[But there were other people who obviously needed help more than Daggar did at the moment, and very conveniently they'd gathered en masse in the canteen. This is definitely not any kind of coping mechanism.]

[Regardless of who is unhealthily shoving down their trauma for the alleged sake of who, the end result is Arven having a large tray of simple but nourishing foods pushed across a table at him by a hardwood stump of an old woman. Yellow eyes peer at him seriously over the top of darkened glasses lenses. You know, the kind they definitely had in medieval fantasy settings, it's fine.]


You should at least drink the broth from the soup. Rehydrate.
friendwich: (3)

[personal profile] friendwich 2022-12-23 09:23 pm (UTC)(link)
[Before the murder, Arven had occasionally peered at anyone in the kitchen and in fact used it himself a few times, clearly skilled in culinary arts. But the trial was... it was just too much, so he's just been sitting here looking lost. He likely cried at the execution, honestly, and is still puffy eyed and horse now]

Eh? Oh... thanks Granny.

[He doesn't even try to smile, hiding his face behind his bangs. At least the food smells good... and food is one of two things he can count on for comfort.]
divisors: (reduction)

James Moriarty (Ruler) | Fate/Grand Order

[personal profile] divisors 2022-12-23 09:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Name: James Moriarty | Butterfly of Evil, the Wicked Emperor, the Evil Charisma
Age: in his 20s | Species: Heroic Spirit | Occupation: Professor of Mathematics, Criminal Mastermind
Likes: Math, evil deeds, complication, understanding all there is to know
Dislikes: Detectives, evil, simple-minded people, waterfalls
Traits: Intelligent, charming, cool-headed, ruthless, insecure
Trivia: His thesis, The Dynamics of an Asteroid, is not ready to be presented...yet.

[The very image of an evil mastermind, though...what's with those dark eyes, and that clown makeup? He clearly looks down on others, and is the type to react to his circumstances with a cool head, though he's prissy at his best and cruelly sarcastic at his worse. He's not here to make friends....though he does get huffy if you're the type to get buddy-buddy with him. He will not pretend he's not what he is, though he will state at any opportunity that he's merely a neutral party and arbiter of evil, not some common murderer.....(and its true...he's never murdered anyone before.)]
gonepostal: (and you're gonna do it all anew)

[personal profile] gonepostal 2022-12-23 09:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Hey. I've dealt with a lot of assholes. And I've dealt with a lot of good people in fucked up situations, too. I'm not just saying shit to say it.
fionnuisce: (your name's all it knows)

[personal profile] fionnuisce 2022-12-23 09:32 pm (UTC)(link)
[Waver frowned slightly, brushing some loose hair out of his face.]

You barely even know me.
escardos: (pic#16002353)

afterparty

[personal profile] escardos 2022-12-23 09:36 pm (UTC)(link)
[ well, another trial has ended and someone else has been executed for their failed attempt at a perfect crime. in other words— it’s time for a party! people look downtrodden and tired, but hey! there’s food and they’re alive, so what’s not to celebrate?

and while this may not be his professor, flat still gravitates towards him, munching on pizza like someone wasn’t just killed an hour ago, nor that he had been the suspect for a good chunk of the trial. ]


Hey, Professor! Did you try the pizza?
fionnuisce: (may it follow you forever)

[personal profile] fionnuisce 2022-12-23 09:38 pm (UTC)(link)
[Second Magic was (as usual) a logistical nightmare. And while he didn't believe in true universal constants...well, if anyone would be one,]

You know, call me crazy, but I'm really not all that hungry right now.
gonepostal: (like your mother and your father too)

[personal profile] gonepostal 2022-12-23 09:46 pm (UTC)(link)
I guess you could just be totally bullshitting me and all the kids and everyone else into a false sense of security. I like to think I've got a good sense for these things, though.
696_9: Annoyed, eyes shut. (nothing doing)

[personal profile] 696_9 2022-12-23 09:50 pm (UTC)(link)
[Nana drops the label roll, which bounces and rolls halfway under the machine, and manages to catch the coin in time. She rolls her eyes and tosses it.]

What kind of girl do you think I am, exactly? I have plenty of adventure!

[Sufficiently egged on, Nana puts the coin in and turns the crank. Out pops a machine capsule, and she twists it open, turned away from her in case it's something large again.

...Hey, isn't this yours?]
daggardaggardaggar: (C)

[personal profile] daggardaggardaggar 2022-12-23 09:53 pm (UTC)(link)
[Daggar has- mostly been keeping her tears private, but anyone sharp eyed will probably note she's a little more insistent on keeping her dark glasses pushed all the way up in the hours after a trial and execution.]

Thank me by eating.

[She's so tired.]

The food you had at home, what were they like?

[Cause hey let's focus on literally anything else right now.]
escardos: (pic#13478900)

[personal profile] escardos 2022-12-23 09:54 pm (UTC)(link)
I don’t think you’re crazy, sir. Everyone seems kind of upset, too.

[ he munches on his pizza, thinking about it. ]

But I’m not sure why, it’s not like it’s that different from the week before. Or the week before that.
fionnuisce: (your name's all it knows)

[personal profile] fionnuisce 2022-12-23 09:59 pm (UTC)(link)
[deep breaths, waver]

People tend to get upset when brutal and sudden murders occur regardless of frequency, Escardos. Doubly so in a situation as unprecedented as this one.
fionnuisce: (hope discarded and broken)

[personal profile] fionnuisce 2022-12-23 10:04 pm (UTC)(link)
I could, you know. In a situation like this, you can't be too careful.
escardos: (pic#13478919)

[personal profile] escardos 2022-12-23 10:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Well… um… I see…

[ flat smiles wrily, brows knit together as he tries to understand. he’s trying very hard, actually. ]

But think about it, sir! Perhaps we can still find a way to bring them back— like if we build robot bodies or if we find the seven dragon balls. Then there wouldn’t be a need to be upset.
friendwich: (4)

[personal profile] friendwich 2022-12-23 10:18 pm (UTC)(link)
R-right.

[He grabs a spoon and starts sipping at the soup, slowly both because it's hot and to savor it a bit. His throat is raw so it stings but... it's a bit grounding.]

Well, I guess if you wanna know what Paldean food is like, you can' go wrong with paella.
gonepostal: (i could tell you how the story goes)

[personal profile] gonepostal 2022-12-23 10:18 pm (UTC)(link)
That ain't news to me. But I've put thought into it, you know, weighed the cost-benefit, and I'm deciding to trust you.
fionnuisce: (your name's all it knows)

[personal profile] fionnuisce 2022-12-23 10:21 pm (UTC)(link)
...Just try not to do anything you'll regret later.
daggardaggardaggar: https://picrew.me/image_maker/263035 (Default)

[personal profile] daggardaggardaggar 2022-12-23 10:25 pm (UTC)(link)
[The fuck's a mall, the fuck is all this, the fuck are you people]

[Yeah, Ardyn and Daggar have almost certainly not gotten along well? Maybe if he's been very good about pretending like his lunatic good cheer is a coping mechanism for actual feelings.]

[But today- maybe it's the day after a trial, maybe there's been a nastier than usual motive, maybe the memory regains this week hit harder than usual- whatever the reason, she's approaching Ardyn with one-hundred percent more bluntness than her usual chilly politeness.]


Mister Izunia. You know how to use a sword, yes?
scourgingstars: (you're gonna bring yourself down)

[personal profile] scourgingstars 2022-12-23 10:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, please, do call me Ardyn. I so hate to stand on ceremony.

[anyone with any sense can tell he is faking it, but to cope with WHAT is the question]

But I am capable of such. Several such weapons, in fact. Whyever do you ask?
daggardaggardaggar: (L)

[personal profile] daggardaggardaggar 2022-12-23 10:30 pm (UTC)(link)
[Paldea sounds like an unusual place, but maybe one she'd like to visit once they're all free. Once things are settled back home, if she can-]

[Well, if she can.]


Paella, paella-

[Getting used to the word, kind of tasting it a little. Sounds homey, at least.]

I'm not familiar, what is it?
fionnuisce: (to give you a future)

[personal profile] fionnuisce 2022-12-23 10:32 pm (UTC)(link)
I am neither part of Spiritual Evocation nor am I a necromancer. We have no way of knowing if something like that is possible, much less remotely feasible. They're afraid and upset, with pretty damn good reason to be.
gonepostal: (i could tell you how the story goes)

[personal profile] gonepostal 2022-12-23 10:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Haha! Well, I don't make decisions like that lightly, so don't worry your pretty little head too bad.
daggardaggardaggar: (M)

[personal profile] daggardaggardaggar 2022-12-23 10:33 pm (UTC)(link)
Mister Izunia.

[Maybe a little of the usual iciness.]

I need someone who won't hold back against an old woman.

[so you know how this mall has a worryingly well-stocked training arena, of course you do]

Would not do to be rusty for the Overseers, yes? For either of us.
friendwich: (2)

[personal profile] friendwich 2022-12-23 10:33 pm (UTC)(link)
[As he speaks he certainly perks up a bit- this is a subject he's comfortable with, maybe even passionate about]

It's a savory rice dish, with vegetables and meat- usually seafood. But the most important part is the saffron.
scourgingstars: (stifled the choice; the air in my lungs)

[personal profile] scourgingstars 2022-12-23 10:34 pm (UTC)(link)
My, do I truly seem so callous?

[:)]

Page 6 of 24