✦ 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

[quantizer]

I agree that we should be trying to solve this regardless of how we want to handle... the rest of it.

[katzepaw]

Time to talk about the rest when not on a time limit, yeah?

[quantizer]

Yes. And the details matter. Things like motivation, or how it played out might change how we feel about the person who did this.

[katzepaw]

It might. Or at least tell us what to be worried about going forward.

[hmm.]

You are troubled?

[quantizer]

It's just scary thinking that one of us did this. And... thinking about our only options for how to handle it. Keeping them around when they're that dangerous?

Or... Whatever happens if we don't keep them around.

[famem]

[ She's watching from a distance, lightly touching the tip of her perpetually drooping rabbit ear. ]

[quantizer]

[ hewwo. ]

[famem]

[ Narja will remember that. ]

[quantizer]

[ girl it was the most middle ground 'i don't like either option' statement WHAT ARE YOU REMEMBERING ]

[famem]

[katzepaw]

It is scary. But when we know who did it, we can have a conversation about what to do.

[he did say very definitively he wanted this person out of the competition, but that's before he knew it likely meant death.]

There are things we can do short of throwing someone to the wolves. I don't know if it will be possible to get everyone to agree, but the chance for mercy is there.

[quantizer]

[ she nods. ]

The truth is more important than punishment. We don't know why they acted, or how, or what they knew when they did. And if the punishment is... [ getting mcmurdered ] ... Then I'm not sure that's right.

[cleaved]

... sometimes, it's better to find a punishment that's not just blood for blood. If we can find something else and come to an agreement on it together, or at least get majority agreement, then we can find a way of making it happen.

We just need the truth, first. But we'll find it.

[quantizer]

You're right.

I think that sometimes people learning what someone has done can be punishment enough.

[cleaved]

And, for some, they'd rather die with what they've done. Making them live with it is the punishment.

[quantizer]

... I hadn't thought about that. Death as an escape from real consequences.

[cleaved]

Mm. I've seen it too many times. [ she reaches to rub akane's back at that, though. ] Which is why we can't jump to anything too fast, before we know what we're dealing with.

[imperioso]

[silas is not contributing to this conversation because i walked in late and also it's completely ic for him to stay silent but i'm just establishing that he is listening to everything intently...]

[quantizer]

[ hi silas ]

[syncer]

... only options for now. Doesn't mean they're the only options permanently.

[ Hi. He's finally calmed down enough to have shifted back to his normal self. ]

[quantizer]

[ hi. she's been trying to just let him run around doing the leader thing. enjoy catherding, she is but one of the cats. ]

You think we'll get more choices than those?

[syncer]

[ Yes, but she's a special cat. ]

Maybe. It depends on what their reasons are for doing this in the first place. We don't have enough information just yet to make that call.

[quantizer]

I think so too. But once we know why, don't we still have the same options?

To handle it however the show wants to without knowing exactly what that means... or to handle it ourselves?

[syncer]

Technically, we have the option of asking the culprit how they want us to handle it. It's not normally an option I'd go with, but... again, circumstances.

[ Maybe if someone's feeling so guilty they want to be killed, they'll just ask? ]

[quantizer]

Yeah. There's a lot I want to ask the culprit, and it might change things.

But do you really think anyone wouldn't pick "let me stay"? Everyone came here wanting something, badly. And if they wanted it badly enough to kill, then I don't think they would choose... [ well. maybe dying? we don't know for sure that's what happens but the implication sure seems to be there. ]