streamy: (Default)
Do it for The Vine! ([personal profile] streamy) wrote in [community profile] thevine2026-02-15 04:14 pm
Entry tags:

✦ WEEK ZERO: TRIAL

✦ 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.
syncer: (It's Not A Fashion Statement)

[personal profile] syncer 2026-02-28 08:09 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Yeah, suffer.

"That's... a little optimistic." ]


Could be, yeah. Most of us still don't know each other's wishes, so who can say just yet? Maybe if it was that selfless, they convinced themselves one sacrifice was worth it but now they're having second thoughts.

[ Normally he would sound much more frustrated about this, but he currently sounds methodical and a little detached. ]

It's worth considering, but I wouldn't assume that's it.
quantizer: (pic#17325440)

[personal profile] quantizer 2026-02-28 08:14 pm (UTC)(link)
[ she's not suffering she's just shy!!!!! well maybe that's some kind of suffering. ]

Second thoughts? After something as drastic as agreeing to come here?

No, I'm not assuming anything. But it's a possibility.
syncer: (Sleep)

[personal profile] syncer 2026-02-28 08:17 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Slooowly closing his eyes... but she knows him enough to at least realize he's wide awake and very much tracking everything. ]

Ah. Like buyer's remorse, you know? We don't know how long ago some people agreed, so maybe circumstances changed enough it's not the same now. But I also meant second thoughts about being okay with killing someone for their wish.
quantizer: (pic#18298786)

[personal profile] quantizer 2026-02-28 08:26 pm (UTC)(link)
[ yeah.

anyway she still seems kind of doubtful that anyone would change their mind like that. so. ]
If you think so...
syncer: (Reinventing The Wheel)

[personal profile] syncer 2026-02-28 08:29 pm (UTC)(link)
It's something to consider. We have time to weigh options.

[ He has not looked at the timer for a bit and has still angled himself not to for now. ]
quantizer: (pic#17325435)

[personal profile] quantizer 2026-02-28 08:39 pm (UTC)(link)
We'll be able to ask when we figure out who it was.

[ hm. that's fine. ]
syncer: (Of Things To Do Today)

[personal profile] syncer 2026-02-28 08:40 pm (UTC)(link)
I could go for a good interrogation, sure.

[ This sounds like a joke! It is not. He's livid. ]
cleaved: (🔴 118)

[personal profile] cleaved 2026-02-28 08:42 pm (UTC)(link)
[ somewhere in the background she makes an agreeing noise. ]
syncer: (Guilty As Charged)

[personal profile] syncer 2026-02-28 08:43 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Thank you, Rawiyah, you get him. ]
cleaved: (🔵 039)

[personal profile] cleaved 2026-02-28 08:46 pm (UTC)(link)
[ it used to be part of her job, but this time there'd presumably no followup paperwork for her to do. ]
headmt: [ midnightartist ] (13.)

[personal profile] headmt 2026-02-28 08:42 pm (UTC)(link)
[ okay but consider every single time we run into this type of thing in trial its always like the saddest story ever like oh we were sharing silly stories from our childhood and holding hands while skipping and giggling and not murdering each other and he accidentally slipped and his head fell off into a mcdonalds box ]
syncer: (American Made)

[personal profile] syncer 2026-02-28 08:44 pm (UTC)(link)
[ @ our culprit please change your case for this to be the correct lore thank u ]
quantizer: (pic#17325433)

[personal profile] quantizer 2026-02-28 08:45 pm (UTC)(link)
Mmhm.

[ ... ]

It's probably the only way we'll get answers, since the hosts can't tell us much. We just have to hope the culprit will be able to, instead.
syncer: (Favorite Record)

[personal profile] syncer 2026-02-28 08:51 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't think they're going to have much of an option? [ In that Junpei's not interested in letting them not talk. ] But sure, we'll have to hope they'll be able to.
quantizer: (pic#18298772)

[personal profile] quantizer 2026-02-28 08:53 pm (UTC)(link)
It might be out of their control. And ours.

We still have to try, of course, but I'm just presenting the possibility.
syncer: (Na Na Na)

[personal profile] syncer 2026-02-28 09:02 pm (UTC)(link)
[ The look on his face says he does not like that idea and does not care if it's out of their control. ]

Nothing wrong with presenting possibilities. It's what we've been doing this whole time.
quantizer: (pic#17325440)

[personal profile] quantizer 2026-02-28 09:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah... [ actually we've been meowing and talking about cookies, mostly. ]

I almost hope that they were offered their wish to do it. That's nicer to think about than someone doing it for a worse reason. But if that is the case, means the same offer might be made to more people, later on.
syncer: (Footprints In The Snow)

[personal profile] syncer 2026-02-28 09:10 pm (UTC)(link)
That's the part I'm more concerned about. We've talked about this, haven't we? People who might get a little more desperate as time goes on for their wish and the things they might do to secure it. If that's the way we're playing this game, it... definitely changes how we have to look at everyone.
quantizer: (pic#18298786)

[personal profile] quantizer 2026-02-28 09:19 pm (UTC)(link)
I really don't want to have to look at people with that kind of suspicion. But if a motive is being handed to people like that... [ that makes it harder. ]

I don't know. It makes it hard to know if they're doing things that are in their nature, or being pushed past it.
syncer: (To The End)

[personal profile] syncer 2026-02-28 09:22 pm (UTC)(link)
[ He has a lot of thoughts on this as usual, but similarly to before, he does not share them because he suddenly goes quiet and seems to disconnect entirely again.

A motive... it can do a lot for someone. Hm... ]
quantizer: (pic#18312994)

[personal profile] quantizer 2026-02-28 09:26 pm (UTC)(link)
[ concerning again, but that's fine. ]
syncer: (Of All The Gin Joints In All The World)

[personal profile] syncer 2026-02-28 09:27 pm (UTC)(link)
[ We are having a good time. ]