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

[phaiinein]

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!

<center><b>Name:</b> NAME | <b>TITLE (Super High School Level, Ultimate, Champion, etc)</b> <b>Age:</b> AGE | <b>Species:</b> SPECIES | <b>Occupation:</b> OCCUPATION <b>Likes:</b> LIKES <b>Dislikes:</b> DISLIKES <b>Traits:</b> A HANDFUL OF NOTABLE TRAITS <b>Trivia:</b> A PIECE OF TRIVIA</ul>

Comments

[worthprotecting]

That's the point, innit, that you don't know. 's why people spend mad money on mystery machines like this. Are you that worried something bad's gonna come out? Something...hm, something for murder, I s'pose?

[fionnuisce]

[he may have visibly winced at that. god. where did you get that accent.]

I'm half expecting a gun, an explosion, or something like a pissed off feral cat. None of which are things I want thrown at my face.

[worthprotecting]

Aw, but you can't get too mad at a cat. I'd be right ticked to Timbuktu if I was stuffed in there, even with stasis.

Tell you what, why don't I go first? That way, anything happens, then you know. And if I die in a cataclysmic explosion, I hope no one thinks you did it.

[fionnuisce]

Oh, yeah, because I really look like I've got dynamite in this fucking thing. [tapping his cane lightly on the floor]

But sure, go ahead. If it blows up it'll likely get us both anyway.

[worthprotecting]

Anyone ever tell you you're real comforting?

[But, okay. Deep breath. When danger is near, etc etc. He rolls in a coin, presses the button, tenses with his whole body.

Clatter clatter thunk! Something lands at the bottom, and he eases back the flap. And...it's...adorable.]

Oh! Oh my goodness, will you look at that! I used to sell these at the gift shop! The goddess Taweret, Egyptian goddess of women, mothers, mothers-to-be, um, general childbirth, fertility, children, all that fun stuff. Also apparently takes over for Anubis to ferry souls across the Duat, but um, I don't think that's generally her job.

[fionnuisce]

I'm a little familiar--Egyptian myth isn't my particular wheelhouse, but I know more or less that much.

[He leaned over slightly to get a better look, adjusting his sunglasses.]

Kind of cute, honestly.

[worthprotecting]

She's lovely. ...The, uh. From myths. The stories. And the cute stuffie! [Definitely not, you know, a real actual hippo goddess or anything, no, that would be...nuts.]

Do you...want to give her a hug?

[fionnuisce]

[you know, from myths that definitely aren't real.]

I'm...not really a 'hug' sort of person.

[worthprotecting]

[Steven holds the adorable plush hippo out.] Maybe just a quick squeeze? Get some tension out with something soft and non-judgmental.

[fionnuisce]

Thanks, but I really think I'll pass. My tension is fine right where it is.

[worthprotecting]

You sure about that? Seems like you could use less tension. Snap like a twig, you will. [This is fine, he'll hug the plush to his chest. This is a grown man. It's fine.]

[fionnuisce]

I told you, I'm fine.

[Turning and resigning himself to spin the metaphorical wheel, the Professor put in his own coin--with a rattle the machine dispensed a small plastic capsule.]

Great, another day come and gone without explosives. I'm practically rel...

[He trailed off upon opening said capsule, swiftly closing it again like he was afraid to drop what was inside.]

[worthprotecting]

[Steven thinks the Professor should really hug out some of that energy, but, instead, he's going to stand here doing the hugging and shuffle his feet a moment.]

Not what you expected, is it?

[fionnuisce]

It's...something important I was worried I might have lost.

[worthprotecting]

Oh! Well...well, then congrats! Mm, best keep it safe in your room, yeah? Or wear it on you, if it's a wearable. Keep it in your pockets, maybe. Make sure it doesn't get lost.

[fionnuisce]

...yeah.

[Pocketing the capsule itself, what was in it was raised to clasp around his neck; a thin silver chain holding a small shard of ivory. Which, for those particularly sensitive to supernatural nonsense, might have felt just a little Off.]

[worthprotecting]

[...Hm! Given he does not currently have the ability to turn into a white-clad undying asskicker at the moment, whether Steven can actually sense shit for shit that's supernatural is questionable at best.

Marc is in the same questionable position, but he frowns a little more than his usual baseline frown in the colorful and somewhat distorted reflection off the front of the vending machine. 'I don't like it. We should keep an eye on him.' If nothing else, he doesn't like how the Professor is reacting in a kind of sketch way.

Steven gives a little huff and quietly chastises him (aloud).]

Hush, it's just a necklace. [And then louder, actually addressing their companion:] It's gorgeous. Someone get that for you?

[fionnuisce]

Not exactly. [His free hand took to fidgeting with the chain idly, with all the unconscious practice of an old habit.] It's an old catalyst for magecraft that I wanted to hold on to.

Is there...something bothering you?

[worthprotecting]

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]

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]

Had a falling out, did you? [He tuts like a granny.] Want to talk about it over tea?

[fionnuisce]

...

[Flatly:]

He's dead.

[worthprotecting]

...It's. a kind of falling out, in a sort, kind of-

Tea. I'll put the kettle on.

[fionnuisce]

Good idea.

[he's not mad, the mortification is punishment enough]