The Murdergame Meme

[argyle_plaid]

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. Space Station THE FINAL FRONTIER... Everything is very chrome and high-tech and shiny and there's all sorts of neat futuristic doodads at your fingertips. It'd be cool, if it wasn't for the murder thing.
5. Shopping Mall It worked so well for those zombie apocalypse survivors, surely you'll have no trouble living here as well! Yes, there is a Starbucks, of course.
6. Haunted House There are restless spirits here, and they want company.
7. Theme Park Spoiler, the theme is death.
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. Office Hours One of you isn't a participant, you're one of the people running the game, and you've got an open door policy. Come beg for mercy, complain about the latest motive, or just try to Social Link the host. Or maybe the purpose of your visit is more sinister, and you're a mole or potential culprit looking for a little advice. I'm not the boss of you.
5. 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. Deadland Death's (usually) not the end in these games. Victim or culprit, you're waking up again! Is this place just a ghostly reflection of where you were already trapped, or is it an entirely new prison? Can you see your still-living comrades or not? Oh, and have fun meeting whoever killed you or vice versa. Not to mention the people you thought were already gone forever.
7. 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...?
8. 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?
9. Wildcard YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO

Comments

corrin | fire emblem | any route compliant

[tochange]

7 (feel free to choose any route for corrin, i'll be going with birthright elise)

[selfsacrificed]

[So the day had finally come that the subjects in this game would find out who their mastermind was. Through trials, tribulations, heartbreak, everything--they'd find out just who was putting them through this, who made them kill each other, and bring them to justice. For the most part, the Overseer of the game had maintained a distance from most; he was a stoic pillar, preferring to have as little involvement as possible in the personal lives of the game members themselves. Any personal questions were deflected, and the almost unflappable facade persisted for the most part--only the occasional rumor of petulance from the Overseer being a sign to something underneath.

That all would change today. Most of the participants are likely expecting a gruff old man to come and join them on the podiums, but what follows the acceptance to join them is something nobody likely expects.

A small girl opens what appears to have been a secret door, climbing her way out and landing while dusting off her skirt; she's younger than anyone would expect, far less the stuffy old man that people expected and yet, she seems tired. Most don't have a point of reference for the young girl's personality, but there is definitely one person who would.

And that one person--Corrin, her dear big sister--is one of the few people Elise can't bring herself to look at as she steps into place, doing her best to smile.]

Well, what did you all think? I guess I got you all really good, huh? [There's an attempt at humor, but it all seems...hollow, really.] You were probably expecting someone else, but nope! It's just me. I'll be the one standing trial here. You can call me Elise, if you want.

I'm sure you all have a bunch of questions, so let's get started, okay? Do your best, everyone.

[Not once has she stared at Corrin, and every bit of that enthusiasm--perhaps every bit of trying to be the girl she once was--seemed forced. This was going to be a wild time, for sure.]

shiro | voltron

[galrarm]

Nero | Devil May Cry 5

[devilarmory]

Somnus Lucis Caelum | Final Fantasy XV

[encelevenemus]

downtime 1

[starheal]

[ Luna is very, incredibly, distinctly not pleased. She isn't quite sure how she's arrived here. For that matter, she's not sure she cares for the specifics; she just needs to find a way back. Immediately. There are so many people counting on her, and she cannot help them if she's here.

Wherever here is.

Luna's scouring every inch of the facility they're in, until finally, she comes upon a man. Lightly, she clears her throat. ]

Excuse me.

Ardyn Izunia | Final Fantasy XV

[scourgingstars]

[everatyourside]

[Some kinda memory wipe scenario maybe? Though it could be fun if they know eachother too!]

Penny Polendina | RWBY

[in4apounding]

3

[telecosmetic]

[Eliza has retrieved a large number of tokens and shoved them all in the machine. For some reason, she has ended up with nothing but many, many cans of caviar.]

Oh come on! At least give me something tastier. [She might be lightly slapping the machine now.] This stuff sucks!

Florence Nightingale | Fate/Grand Order

[disinfection]

['Mercedes' is also an option for memory loss.]

Missy | Doctor Who

[takemebythehearts]

Kevin Beckman | Ghostbusters

[flying_beefcake]

body discovery

[neverstudied]

[Of course Venkman would wake up in a haunted mansion. And of course there'd be Ghostbusters from alternate dimensions. And of course Venkman would get stuck with the dumbest one of them all.

Sure, he didn't like the idea of any of his partners- or Janine- getting trapped in this place, but fuck, did Venkman miss them and their actually-useful insights right about now.

At least he's good eye candy.

Not that that really matters right now, since it's Friday morning and apparently there's a dead body in the building. Somewhere.]

Alright, big guy. Where do we wanna start looking? I'm thinking the kitchen. I need some coffee before I start checking out corpses.

Pyrrha Nikos | RWBY

[tokencanadian]

I'm sorry. 3 under murder.

[ebonyknight]

[There's a couple of bodies in the exercise yard this fine morning. The broken shards of the exercise equipment is splattered with blood. Though, one of said bodies is moving as Pyyrha enters. Apollo rises to her feet, groggily. One blood stained hand grasps her head as she tries to regain her balance.]

Ngh... feels like an air ship ran over me.

[...Has she noticed she's not alone and that there's a dead body next to her? Not at all.]

Ginko Yurishiro | Yurikuma Arashi

[lycoctonum]

3-6

[vendortrash]

[Welcome to deadland, Gintan! Home of... unfortunately, that obnoxious tsundere who died in Week 1 and is currently eating candy and sulking.]

Can you people just not keep dying? I thought you were better than that.

Wendy Corduroy | Gravity Falls

[kindaruledatit]

vending machine

[greekrevival]

[ Another day, another bunch of mysterious gifts. Annabeth knows she's somewhat playing into this, by even putting these coins in, but ever since one of the others claimed to get something personal...

Well, call her sentimental, but she's missing a few comforts from home. ]

Alright, trading cards, flannel... cupcakes, blueberry perfume... [ Annabeth rolls her eyes to spy familiar red hair. ] Hey. Anything here look familiar to you?

Reika Rikudou | Fate/Apocrypha

[leaveittomother]

Robert Speedwagon | Jojo's Bizarre Adventure

[isafraid]

1

[telecosmetic]

[Eliza does not like waking up in a strange bed again. She likes the rules she finds about murder even less. So right now she's standing in the middle of the hallway, frowning at them, until Speedwagon comes walking towards her. It still takes her a while to notice him, before she starts a bit in surprise.]

Oh! Sorry...did you just wake up here too?

lord el melloi ii | fate/

[londonstar]

idk-trial

[thesettingsun]

[Being in one of these games was enough. Waver being put through one of these games was more than enough. No matter what, Dazai will see Waver through this game alive.

Dazai is not the killer of this week's victim. He knows that. They all know that, because it's common knowledge that neither Dazai nor the victim shed normal blood, so the blood at the scene has to be from someone else. But that deer-in-the-headlights look when asked why the victim had previously told someone else not to trust Dazai doesn't do him any favors.]

This trial can't go on forever, you know? Shouldn't you be focusing on who actually killed them? We can get to my supposed untrustworthiness afterwards...!

[He doesn't look at Waver. He can't look at Waver. If he looks at Waver, then someone might figure out exactly what reason Dazai would have for being a mole. And if Dazai stops being useful, then the mastermind has no reason to protect Waver any longer.]

c-ta | shuuen no shiori

[mearry]

mmmmmotive

[lifegoalsorwifegoals]

[ This place has seen death. They've all seen death. Once, twice... It's only inevitable that it'll come again. It's starting to be a pattern.

So, it's expected when Tuesday comes and once again they get an ominous message. ]

My. Isn't this a problem?

[ D-ne finds C-ta - stands behind him, really, in that eerily silent way of hers, head tilted and hand at her back - quite soon after. They probably should've expected something like this--secrets. ]

flat escardos | fate/strange fake

[escardos]

Carmen Sandiego | Carmen Sandiego (2019)

[wheremst]

3-5

[rangerslayer]

[ In times like this, Kim usually likes to be alone. However, it seems someone else has taken up residency in her usual brooding spot. Third floor, looking down on everything. The world before them.

...Might as well, she supposes, talk. ]

You know, it's funny. When I was younger, I used to love malls. [ There's a drink in her hand. ]

Amanda | Dream Daddy

[coolbaby]

1-1

[invaderswim]

[You've all woken up in a mysterious school, most of the people here don't even seem young enough to be here... and then there's this kid with the weird wiggling tentahair, who doesn't seem old enough and who has climbed on top of the teacher's desk in the first classroom you check.]

Wahaha! These kidnappers don't know what they're doing! They've deposited me into the surface world's educational system! I hereby conquer this school in the name of the ocean! Sofishticated society will bend to the minds of the future, shaped to respect the ocean over land!

[She laughs to herself until she realizes someone's there.]

Aha! There's a human student now! Wait, or are you the kidnapper? Whichever one it is, bow to the might of the ocean!

Unikitty | The Lego Movie(s)

[bemorefriendly]

[ i might be a bad person ]

Free time WILDCARD

[telecosmetic]

[There's plenty of rooms in this place that don't seem to have any special function...but Eliza has been poking around them anyways. Today she comes running out of one that has a mural on it, looking excited. Unikitty's the first one she bumps into, so she grins.]

Unikitty! I figured out the secret of the mural room! Come and see!

The Duke of Detroit | Motorcity

[thedukeofficial]

Eliza Owens | Pokemon OC | CRAU

[telecosmetic]

[Bright and cheerful, but will also fight you if you insult her family.]

One CRAU Rantaro coming up! Theme Park, Downtime 1

[whatsmytalentagain]

[Rantaro frowned at one of the many posters plastered on the hotel walls. Welcome to Treasureland, it said. You will stay here for a long time, it said. There were other things as well, but the more he stares at the wording the worse he feels about this situation.

Is this another killing game?] Tch! [Damnit, this was the third time he got stuck in one of these things. Is he cursed or something?

... Okay, let's look on the bright side. At least he still has most of his memories. He thinks.

He glances down at the pad of paper in his hand. The hotel stationary was a far cry from a notebook, but maybe there's a gift shop somewhere around here that sells actual notebooks or something...]

keiichi maebara | higurashi no naku koro ni

[defeatsfate]

2-3

[lifeiskittyful]

What a pain.

[Shunsuke groans and runs a hand through his own hair before picking up the... panties? that just came out of the prize machine. He's holding them away from himself and doesn't really seem to want to touch them.]

Why is people's underwear in here? It's not like I'm going to use it. I hope these are clean.

Diana Cavendish | Little Witch Academia

[astroscopy]

[only s1 compliant right now]

Clear Rivers | Final Destination

[foxonly]

i mean.

[foxnews]

[Apparently we're in prison for franchise crimes, according to RNG. We've also just found a body, according to RNG! For simplicity's sake, Marius Pontmercy is dead since he's the first account in my LJ Juggler.]

I know they said we'd have to murder each other, but - [She uhhhhhhhh didn't expect it to really happen!] - this is just sick.