✦ WEEK ZERO: TRIAL

[streamy]

✦ WEEK 0, TRIAL: VICTIM ARCHETYPE

TRIAL

29

REMAINING

WUH-OH?

Rise and shine, superstars! It's a brand new day and a brand new opportunity to prove that you have what it takes to win this season's grand prize. Didn't manage to sleep well after yesterday's grisly discovery? A shame. But filming schedules are a cruel mistress, and they don't care to wait for the sleep deprived. As soon as the clock strikes 11:30AM, an announcement will play from the numerous loudspeakers hidden around the island:

THE REAL WAIFUS OF STREAMY VALLEY SEASON 11 RUNNER UP

All contestants, please report to Gold P. Beach. The next segment of this week's thrilling sudden elimination round is about to begin. I repeat, all contestants, please report to Gold P. Beach. The next segment of this week's thrilling sudden elimination round is about to begin.

... Hey, doesn't that voice sound familiar? Is this what they call a celebrity cameo? Huh. Ignore the announcement, and you'll soon find yourself accosted by the local mascots — namazu, loporrits and gestrals alike following after you and trying their damnedest to haul your ass to the beach. And if the pleading stare of these adorable(?) creatures is still not enough to get you moving, then worry not! Because at exactly 11:59AM, if you still haven't made your way over to the beach, a trap door will abruptly materialize under your feet and drop you right into the path leading up to the beach! Better stick your landing, or millions of viewers across the galaxies will watch you belly flop onto the ground. Embarrassing... The path leading up to the beach has been lined with torches, carving out a direct trail that leads right into the bowels of The Council — an old, abandoned ship that rests on the island's south shore. Whether it's the real deal or a fantastic piece of art from this season's set designers is anyone's guess, but you should probably avoid rubbing up against the rustier looking bits and bobs just in case. Inside the bowels of the rotting vessel, you'll see a circular area with enough benches for all of the remaining contestants to lounge about, and several long stone slabs that look a little less empty than usual. And while the sun shines bright above you during the daytime, you'll find that the torches surrounding the ship will soon become your only source of illumination once the sun sets and you are plunged into the murky darkness of the night. Well, with the sole exception of one torch that will remain unlit the entire time. At the far end sit three thrones with a rather peculiar display behind each one, and currently occupied by Live, Laugh and Love. A large LED display has been hung up behind them, which simply reads:

TIME REMAINING 09:00:00:00

As soon as it's officially 12:00PM, the LED display will begin to count down until it hits 00:00:00:00 at the very end of the trial. To the left of your hosts, there's a large beach cooler filled with all kinds of chilled drinks — from water bottles, to juice pouches and sodas, and, yes, even half bottles of wines and other alcoholic drinks. There's a plastic table nestled a couple of feet away, where the remains of the ship shield it from the sun, covered in a spread of sandwiches, baked goods, chips, dips, and what appears to be leftovers from yesterday's lunch and dinner. None of these items are fresh and most of them look like they came right out of a vending machine, but it's the thought that counts...? Welcome to your very first trial, superstars! Better get nice and comfy, because you're going to be here for a long, long while.

☰ VICTIM(S)

Will

☰ OOC NOTES

✦ It's trial time, baby! Over the course of the next nine hours, characters will have the opportunity to discuss, investigate and theorize about this week's murder. Characters will have time to examine the body of the victim and explore relevant locations. ✦ There will be a one hour tag break starting at 4PM EST/1PM PST. While players are allowed to keep tagging through the hour, all mod tags will pause and players are encouraged to take a break, eat and hydrate. ✦ The voting page is now unlocked! Please read through the post carefully for more information about how voting will work in this game. Note that voting is not mandatory in The Vine, and it is up to each character to decide if they wish to cast a vote before the end of the trial or not. ✦ Characters will be unable to leave The Council until the end of trial, as they will be blocked off by that same translucent barrier that prevents them from entering the currently locked segments of the island and a small gaggle of some very determined mascots. You wouldn't want to make them sad, right...? Exceptions will be made for the purpose of investigations, of course, where characters will be accompanied by an NPC escort.

🔗 FULL NAVIGATION

NPC QUESTIONS // NETWORK // VOTING // BODIES // EVIDENCE TURN-IN // EVIDENCE CHECK // INVESTIGATION REQUESTS // INVESTIGATIONS // LATEST FLATVIEW

Comments

[headmt]

[ wait what ]

What-- Has anyone said anything about investigating? Can we slow down for a second?

[syncer]

[ No, he's just crazy. ]

Do you have another idea of what we're supposed to be doing?

[headmt]

[ hes right but its just a funny assumption to make. ]

I agree we should find out what happened, but we're a bit over the edge here.

[ like theres a timer but. ]

Let's take it step by step.

[becomingpotatoes]

Since he was found far away from our lounge, it means either he was able to leave the lounge by himself, or somebody dragged him out. Regardless of which one it was, the door wasn't locked anymore.

[Whatever had kept it blocked away no matter how much people tried to open it was gone]

[amabie]

And chances are it was someone in our lounge. I mean, unless someone in one of the other places knew Will was staying outside his own team space?

[abracatdabra]

They could've also met up outside the lounge, though.

[etherealism]

If you didn't know you might get attacked, there isn't really any reason to stay inside... You might head out to see what's going on.

[abracatdabra]

Right. The lad might have been curious--and why would he expect anyone he ran into to be dangerous?

[becomingpotatoes]

Perhaps he was trying to return to his own lounge and stumble onto somebody along the way.

[abracatdabra]

He could've had any manner of reasons to look around. Even simple curiosity... Especially if he couldnae wake anyone else up.

[syncer]

When we were talking about it before, he was really insistent on the part where he could take care of himself. I kinda got on his case about going outside alone at night, but...

[ Look at how that turned out now. ]

[abracatdabra]

You cannae blame yourself for that.

[ teenagers think they are invincible that's just how teens are? ]

[becomingpotatoes]

Did he ever say why he felt so confident he could take care of himself?

[frostythehitman]

...of course he was.

[ shaking his head. fondly, perhaps, even. ]

[headmt]

This place is making a habit of not telling us rules until after it's happened.

[quantizer]

It's easy to imagine wanting to go look at the stars or something while everyone else was asleep.

[amabie]

I guess. Maybe he woke up and saw the door was open? But why only him?

[abracatdabra]

Now, why him, I cannae answer that... But he might never have fallen asleep in the first place as well. We were hit by that spell, but there's no tellin' who it affected and didnae.

[ maybe it wasn't a sleeping spell but he uses his frame of reference and it is magic and sometimes people have an accessory so they are immune to magic ]

[amabie]

Then... it could have been targeted. Like whoever was involved wanted Will to be killed. The team leaders probably know who it was too...

[ she has no proof of this of course, but she has no trust in them anymore after this. ]

[syncer]

[ He looks like he's about to vibrate out of his skin a little but in a way where his entire expression is still dead inside, so. ]

... right. Got it.

[headmt]

We'll ask some questions, get it sorted.

[ patting him on the shoulder. ]

You're doing good. We'll figure it out.

[syncer]

[ He nods slowly, more thoughtful this time. ]

We have time as long as we stay on task. Don't let anyone get distracted if we can help it.

[quantizer]

Plenty of people at least tried to yesterday... But there was nothing to find. [ week 0 confusion, etc ]

[headmt]

I took a look too, but seems we weren't meant to see anything then. Just don't want to rush into something we don't know anything about headlong. That's how you get stabbed.

[quantizer]

Right. Then we should... proceed with caution. But if we only have 9 hours, we also need to use that time wisely to find out as much as we can.