Elementary! R1: TDM

[murderstars]

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murderstars

Arrival ;

You've woken up in a decrepit bedroom, with one suitcase nearby. You're naked, and the suitcase is your only clothing source. It contains several pieces of clothing, but none of them are yours - and they all happen to be sexy detective clothes. A good example. There are a mix of types for both genders. There's a stuffed animal on the bed, one that matches your inner heart's want for species.

You're free to explore this hotel. As you do, nobody greets you. But what you find is that no matter what you try, there's some sort of barrier keeping you from leaving. It's not that the windows or doors are barred off, excepting doors leading to unlocked places. It's that if you try, an invisible barrier stops you.

Mastermind ;

Please put 'attn, mod npc' in your subject title if you need input from the mastermind.

A guy comes out in a baby mask, as many of you have gathered to figure out what's going on. You can see it in the icon. He's doing a little jig, a cute little dance. He's singing this song in acapella. Eventually, he trails off and stops, looking at the group silently.

And then he bows, but says nothing.

...

Well?

Assistant;

Please put 'attn, mod npc' in your subject title if you need input from a mastermind's assistant.

So. That night, in the ballroom, a woman descends from the ceiling, her tentacles waving slowly. She has a smirk on her face as she comes down.

"So, all you little darlings must be wondering what's happening. After all, our leader isn't the best at speaking. As you must know, you're trapped here. We want you to play a little mystery game of murder."

Her tentacles undulating, she looks for reactions.

Motive
Behold the Jabberwocky, as he eats your kind. Snicker snacker as the blade becomes drawn, drip drip drip as the blood falls from your loved ones. Wish to save them? Kill someone else first.

Murder;

Someone's been murdered. The death is terrible but it's time to investigate. Maybe you'll use the corkboard, or maybe you'll follow the bloody trail of evidence first. Whatever you decide, it's time to get cracking.

Trial;

It's time to put someone on trial. Could it be you? Lay out the evidence and see who you think's at fault. You're all gathered in the ballroom to be the judge and jury.

Comments

Hermes v1 | Fortuna (15 Strangers CRAU) | ATTN MOD NPC

[somuchshipping]

Arrival

[Hermes is one of the first up and about, exploring. He does not know where he is. Which is an annoyingly familiar situation. As he explores, he calls out.]

Hello? Polly? Player? ...M- Mors...?

...Charon? ...Zagreus?

...AlastorBrainMakima HadesAoiOr AnyoneElseIKnow?

Assistant

[Hermes frowns.]

Nope. I'm not doing this again. Find someone else.

[Looks like someone doesn't want to play.]

Trial

[There was some decent progress at the start, but then it kind of petered out and not much progress has been made for the past two hours. Almost everyone has contributed in some way... all except the quadrupedal shipping robot. Whether or not you find that suspicious is, well... up to you. Or do you understand why and want to help the robot along?]

[murderstars]

Oh, my dear.

[ She reaches out for his monitor, long fingers stroking. ]

You have to.

Arrival

[getting_bi]

[ Rosa sits in a chair, tilted back. It obviously has an animal in it, but she also obviously doesn't care. She just watches him with amusement and interest. ]

- Find what you're looking for?

Arrival!

[superstylishsquid]

[The fact that he hears his name but doesn't feel it is...sadly familiar! But hear it he does, so he trots over with a serious look that's...somewhat at odds with the campy costume he's stuck with.]

You too, huh?

arrival

[infiniteskies]

[ Sora hears an unfamiliar voice, though he does recognize some of the names being called out. ]

Hello? Who's that?

[getting_bi]

Arrival ;

[ Wearing this (minus the wig), Rosa seems unperturbed about it. Don't be fooled, if anyone mentions it she will try to find a way to shank them. She's staring at the corkboard, moving pins around as she tries to decide a way to arrange it. ]

Motive ;

[ Rosa is annoyed. It shows in the fact she's using the kitchen knives as throwing stars, tossing them at a wall with a hand drawn picture of the Mastermind taped up. The next one lands right between his legs. ]

Murder ;

Alright, idiots, let's get started.

[ Rosa has a head in her hands??? ]

Murder

[addipted]

Uh - wow.

[Oliver's face goes white as a sheet as he tries not to look at the head]

Where the hell is the rest of him? Under the floorboards?

Professor Robert Langdon I Dan Brown's Series: Inferno

[justasymbolprofessor]

Arrival

[ The Harvard professor is staring at his prized Mickey Mouse watch his parents gave him when he was about 9 years old. The time oddly never changed. But Professor Langdon does notice he is no longer in his class at Harvard. Even worse? He's naked. The first thing he notices are detective clothing, something not like his usual suits. But it would have to do. ]

"Anyone know where I am? Obviously Not at Harvard. Look, I don't have time to mess around with this."

[ The professor is immediately looking for some sort of symbology, art or something that can help him around the setting. ]


Trial
[ The Professor is used to seeing murder in its primetime and it usually had to do with something he got involved in. The Professor is intent in finding the murderer sooner than later.]

The Corkboard is the Professor's literal best friend as he is slowly looking for similarities from the murder.

trial

[getting_bi]

[ Rosa shoves her way in and messes with his work. ]

Look, you're doing that wrong.

Alastor | Devil May Cry/Viewtiful Joe (15S CRAU)

[superstylishsquid]

[Post-Explanation]

[Has someone been through a similar song and dance before, or is he just difficult to surprise? Whichever the case, he hadn't seemed shocked or disbelieving over the prospect of the 'murder mystery game'...though one could imagine the gesture he'd made was considered rude, even in Hell.

What he does seem, is concerned, as he makes a point of checking up on and introducing himself to his fellow captives. Hopefully no one will be alarmed to be approached by a devil with glowing white eyes, wearing a slightly ridiculous outfit that does little to hide the claw sheathes in his fingertips.]

Talk about a dump...should probably be prepared to be stuck here for a while, too. I'm Alastor, and before you ask? Yes, the wings are real. Yes, the tail is real. Yes, I'm an actual devil. No, this probably isn't Hell, and I'm not after your soul.

[Motive]

[Alastor's own kind? He doesn't care much about them. All of the devils he got along with are certainly already long gone. There are others, though, that he's close with. Others who aren't here, and are most certainly looking for him. Those others aren't helpless, though, and while his fist rattles the decrepit wall as it slams into it, the look on his face is a vicious, almost cruel looking confidence.]

Go ahead and send your pet. I'm sure my friends will appreciate the exercise.

[Murder]

[Of course, despite his own confidence, someone cracked. Again, he's not shocked, simply...frustrated. His tail swishes as he looks to the other person who found the body.]

We'll need to search the whole place. If I'm right, we've got a long day ahead of us, and there'll be at least one other person who doesn't see morning. I'll take care of the messy stuff...I'm used to much worse.

murder

[getting_bi]

[ Rosa already has her hands deep in the chest cavity. ]

What did you say?

Leona Kingscholar | Twisted Wonderland | ATTN MOD NPC

[superior_inferiority]

Arrival

Tch...

[After reluctantly (and very slowly) getting into the tacky attire, he stands there with flattened ears and a swishing lion tail. Well... at least the stupid clothes accommodate his tail. Not as though he'd be bothered enough to complain to the open air, when he's still got a kidnapper to figure out, but it's sometimes the little things that help most.

While the stuffed lion is given a lengthy stare, he doesn't so much as touch it for now. Because now is when he starts walking, looking, observing... And, man, this place is giving Ruggie's family's house a run for its (lack of) money. And it makes Ramshackle Dorm look like a luxury retreat.

Eventually, he'll encounter someone else. That someone else gets a lengthy stare, but odds are highest that he'll decide they aren't worth his time—as in, he'll just continue walking unless there's something very strange. Or... they try to stop him? That could work, too.]

Mastermind

[The singing man doesn't get much of a reaction beyond an exaggerated yawn; he's heard better singing from his nephew (read: this is an insult). If anyone starts trying to get answers out of said man, Leona just rolls his eyes and mutters.]

Yeah, 'cause that'll get you somewhere...

[Frankly, this screams "act for the sake of an act", and he's not biting. Mostly.]

If you're the kidnapper, I can see why you're quittin' your day job.

[LEONA...]

Motive

[Have you been getting along at all with Leona? Have you been fighting with him, left and right? Well, as it turns out, none of this matters. And neither does how he's been acting prior to the motive going up. Without warning, he's cornered someone in a random room, and he's going right for the throat - literally. With a knife- where the fuck did that even come from?

>Struggle
>Yell for help
>???
>Profit]

Trial

Ugh, this is so stupid... It's already obvious who did it.

[Note: Leona has not said a single word during this ENTIRE trial, up to this point; he's been napping.

Regardless, now he's looking right at someone: either someone who fits the bill as the culprit, or someone totally innocent (spoiler: it's him, he's the culprit). Has anyone noticed the way his tail has a hint of clumped, darker-than-usual fur at the tip? Or maybe the thin scratch inside his ear will be what catches the eye first...]

Trial

[somuchshipping]

[And Leona's looking directly at... HERMES.]

Wh- me!? ...What about my alibi?

mastermind

[murderstars]

[ The guy in the baby mask slowly turns to Leona, then stalks much closer, grabbing for his collar. From this distance, it's obvious he's shaking... from fear? ]

Arrival

[superstylishsquid]

[Alastor is used to getting stares, though usually only from people with four limbs. His own tail swishes, and the fingers of his wings flex.]

Take a picture, it'll last longer.

arrival

[infiniteskies]

[ Sora stares back at him, blinking when the other just continues walking on. ]

Uh, okay? You seem pretty chill about all this.

[ Don't mind him, he's just going to follow after Leona. ]

Motive (CW: suicidal ideation)

[stingyshima]

[Ahah. His kindred soul.

Leona and Tsukishima had spent some time together during the whole thing. Snarking together, mostly. Griping about how stupid and exhausting everything was.

They kind of just... got each other on an unspoken level.

Which is why it's no coincidence that now Leona is trying to kill him.

He'd put up a fight. They struggled. But pound for pound, Leona still easily trumped Kei in muscle mass. He was still the better fighter, even as Tsukishima had tried to outwit him. Even though he managed to pull one or two over on Leona, the end result was the same.

They probably both expected that.

With him pinned against the wall and a knife pressed against his throat, already starting to cut into it.

And, selfishly... Tsukishima was tired. It was not just a small part of him that felt relieved for it all to be over.

At least... for a little bit, maybe.

...

Eyes narrowed as his chest heaves, he manages between gasps of air:]

Not... like you... to hesitate, Kingscholar.

Trial

[sweetdeductions]

Mm-hm. It really is quite obvious, huh?

[ Ranpo leaned forwards on his podium, a smile curling his lips in a way that almost makes it hard to read what he's thinking. He's been quiet during the trial but in a way that was different from how Leona had been not taking things seriously at all. ]

Please enlighten us, Leona. Who's the one who did it?

[ His green eyes are a bit sharper now, though his smile hasn't disappeared at all. ]

ushiromiya battler | umineko

[honkaku]

i. arrival

[A new game board, is that it? He yawns as he pushes himself out of bed, smirking slightly when he notices the lack of clothes.]

Heh... you could've just asked, you know. I might've even gone for the collar, ihihihi!

[Maybe he's supposed to stay like this, but the suitcase implies otherwise so he quickly puts on sexy detective short shorts. If this is what his wife wants... this is what she wants. It's not really her usual style, but everyone needs a change every once in a while.

He leaves the room and begins to casually wander about, seemingly unbothered by any of this. True, this could be one of Bern's games, but it doesn't feel like that either. If he sees anyone, he'll wave,]

Yo!

[Otherwise he can be seen examining all the entrances and exits. At some point, he starts leaving scraps of fabric between the openings of doors. As he does so, he says to himself]

Kinda a cheap trick, but it's not like I gotta hear her judging me for stealing it at least...

ii. murder

[While he's still shirtless and still in short shorts, Battler does at least have a more serious expression on his face now. He knew it was coming, but it's easier to deal with it all when he's the game master. Without knowing the specifics, he doesn't know how cruel this mystery is yet, and that's what worries him.

Seeing someone else looking to investigate, he tilts his head towards them.]

Come on, check something with me. I set up a few markers earlier, we should be able to at least make certain of whether this is a closed room or not.

iii. trial

[They've been arguing for hours, going in circles, evidence becoming relevant then irrelevant then relevant again. Battler holds his head in his hands, almost laughing to himself,]

It's useless... it's all useless.

[Unless...

And then he suddenly springs up, pointing across the room]

The body wasn't properly identified! Since their face was smashed beyond recognition, we assumed their identity based on their clothes! However, the culprit could have easily swapped those!

Murder

[somuchshipping]

[Nnnnnot so much investigating as just standing around and generally being useless. Battler does get the AI's attention.]

Closed room...? I mean I can check to see which doors are open or closed if you want.

Sora | Kingdom Hearts | CRAU | attn, mod npc

[infiniteskies]

Arrival

[ Sora sighs at waking up in yet another strange location, even if he is completely naked. This was a common occurrence back at the Facility, and he's gotten used to it. He explores the suitcase with clothes that aren't his, putting it on with a sigh. The outfit doesn't really a lot to the imagination and puts most of his scars on display. He pats the little lion stuffed animal on the bed, before turning to the only door. ]

Time to figure out what this place is.

[ He steps out into the hallway. Exploration time! Sora goes to check out the kitchen and food situation, staring at the canned goods. ]

Well, better than cardboard food bars.

Assistant

[ Sora is in the ballroom when the woman comes down from the ceiling. He crosses his arms over his chest. ]

A murder mystery? I didn't think that was your style, Ursula. If you even are Ursula and not just someone that looks like her.

[ If she wants a reaction, she'll get a rather bored but sassy Keyblade derp. ]

Murder

[ This feels like an old song and dance for Sora. He's been through a torture box, horrible worlds, and a couple other murder games before. So he's going to start following the blood trails. ]

Do we know who's missing yet?

[ Asked of anyone who might be near him. ]

assistant

[murderstars]

Ah, Sora. You've grown.

[ She comes ever so closer. ]

It's not really my style, no. But you can't choose what you get paid for.

Ranpo Edogawa | Bungou Stray Dogs | attn: mod npc

[sweetdeductions]

Arrival

[ It was one thing to be kidnapped and put in a stupidly decrepit house, but the expectation of what they expected him to wear was absolutely ridiculous. However, he refused to go out without anything on so he grabbed some things hastily to put on.

Only to realize that this particular one was a girl's outfit. He debated on changing into something else but knew wasting time was not something he wanted to do, so as he begins exploring around?

Just not seeming to care.

Ranpo made a beeline for the pantry after some exploring, only to make the most tragic discovery. ]

...They really have no sweets here. Ugh...


Mastermind

[ There's just a pause as he stares at the weird guy in the odd mask once he'd finished whatever he was doing. ]

...Huh. Were we supposed to be impressed by that or something??

[ He has no sympathy for someone who doesn't even keep a place stocked with sweet things. ]


Trial

[ For most of this, he's seemingly been half asleep at wherever they've been doing this trial. Half slumped over his podium and looking completely bored as he watches everyone argue amongst themselves and getting absolutely nowhere.

In circles, even.

Ranpo then groaned and stood up straight, adjusting his hat. His eyes open and he turns his gaze to the other's almost irritably. They all couldn't figure this out? Ugh. Well. Time to prove himself. ]

You're all looking in the wrong places. It was a clear misdirection by the culprit and you all fell for it.

[ His eyes fell to one of their number, then smiled knowingly. ]

The blood on their shirt cuff. An alibi with several holes in it... need I keep going or would our esteemed culprit like to come clean?

mastermind

[murderstars]

....yes?

[ Does the baby sound hesitant?! ]

Oliver Putnam | Only Murders In The Building | ATTN MOD NPC

[addipted]

Arrival
Oliver snorts in surprise at finding out he's woken up somewhere unfamiliar, in the nude... but the stuff in the suitcase is even more of a crime: tight pinstriped pants, and a dress shirt with no buttons to speak of. He'd love some accessories, but the only one in the suitcase is a magnifying glass, which he leaves on the bed next to the stuffed duck tolling retriever before getting dressed and heading out to see what's what.

As he's exploring, he notes what floor he's on, if there are any Do Not Disturb hangers on doors... If a door isn't marked as such, he's got no problem knocking on it, to try and see if anyone is there.

Mastermind
Once the song-and-dance is over, Oliver folds his arms and tilts his head at the mastermind, trying to guess some things by their voice: gender, age, that sort of thing. Is there a voice-changing device somewhere in that ridiculous mask?

"Alright, you're not half bad, but your pitch needs work. If this is your way of angling for an audition once I start casting in the spring, you're going about it entirely the wrong way, I must say."

Murder
Oliver is standing at the corkboard, rearranging things a bit so that it's tidier and leaves space for adding any new evidence that might get uncovered. He feels a bit odd doing it: running the murder board is usually Charles' thing. But Charles isn't here, and it helps him to move things and group them as he thinks.

"So these two had an alibi together ... and he was in the kitchen on the other side of the floor from the scene of the crime ..." He moves suspects around until there are only three left. "Which narrows it down considerably. And there was enough blood splatter at the scene that the killer would have either had to wear something protective, or wash their clothes. Has anyone checked the laundry room?"

Trial
Inevitably, the finger gets pointed at Oliver. "Listen, I didn't have any love lost for the victim - but I didn't want them dead. Besides, the body was clearly moved post-mortem, and I've got two fake knees! Do you really think I'm in any shape to move someone like that?"

Mastermind

[murderstars]

No voice changing device. His voice sounds like a college age boy.

"I don't need to audition! I don't want to be in your stupid play!"

Kei Tsukishima | Haikyuu!! (15S CRAU) | ATTN MOD NPC

[stingyshima]

Arrival Pt. 1 [ATTN MOD NPC]

[Ah. He's in an unfamiliar place. Again. With no rhyme or reason that he's aware of.

Again.

He could get up, get dressed and get to the bottom of this.

Or... he could not.

Maybe if he "goes back to sleep" he'll wake up from this absurd dream.]

Arrival Pt. 2

[For better or worse, he's here. Sort of.

In spite of the outfit he's been forced to wear, his expression remains fairly... blank. It won't take much looking to see the dark bags under his eyes that indicate he hasn't slept well for awhile, if at all. In fact, it almost seems as if his whole lanky body sags a bit, his footsteps only just barely not dragging with each step.

His listless gaze doesn't change much upon encountering someone else, either, no matter how ridiculous their outfit. In fact, all said outfit will get out of him is a flat:]

Really?

pt. 2

[sintiment]

[He just smiles at the question, doing a bit of a ~seductive~ pose in his own outfit.]

Really, really. It looks very nice on me, I know.

[This isn't a question. There isn't a shred of doubt in his voice, regarding this, and the overwhelming confidence and pride might be enough to knock Kei over, if not for powers being sealed.]

I'm willing to trade, if yours proves too much for you to endure.

[He leans in a little, his smile a teasing one.]

Riku | (early) Kingdom Hearts 3 | attn mod NPC!

[seakingduality]

((Info/Permissions can be found here.))

arrival

[Waking up naked definitely isn't in his list of acceptable things to wake up to, but the outfit is just insult to injury...

After reluctantly sliding the clothes on, he yanks the sheet from the bed and throws it around himself. It's not perfect, but it can go around his waist and make it so he doesn't have to worry about the skirt lifting and showing way too much. Once he's managed to tie it securely, he first takes a moment to get his bearings. No powers... No Keyblade... and even one of his senses are completely shut off. Whoever did this is clearly powerful, and it has his mind drifting to a certain place—is he in some kind of simulation, maybe?

Standing around and wondering, of course, won't get him anywhere. So he begins to explore the entire floor. If he spots someone new, he hesitates a moment - maybe he's trying to determine if they seem more like a friend or foe type? Either way, he's soon calling out:]

Hey...

[There's a whole list of questions in his mind, but better to start simple.]


mastermind

[Riku opens and closes his mouth a couple of times, and then glances around. Before things can get too awkward, he finally speaks:]

Nice voice. [Listen, he's endured Sora's singing before... Anyway, this guy's the only one wearing a mask, so that must mean something, right? He'll just... attempt a really easy conversation, for now.] Does... that song have a name?


murder

[Riku's been extremely levelheaded up to this point! As easygoing as it gets, all things considered. But... something to keep in mind...

Blood isn't... really something he's seen a lot of. Where he's from, the dead generally... vanish, into light or darkness. So, when he's suddenly staring down a particular gruesome sight of a body missing an entire arm, red everywhere, insides now on the outside...? He starts to go even paler, a thin layer of sweat forming as he begins to feel... a little cold.

AKA half-Disney isn't taking baby's first hardcore murder scene very well.]

Murder AKA Hermes makes things worse

[somuchshipping]

[Hermes, who was with Riku as they walked into the kitchen, where the corpse is, just sighs a disappointed huff.]

Aww, man... And I still don't get to see the death happen...

Roland Fortis | The Case Study of Vanitas | 15S CRAU (ATTN: MOD NPC)

[godspiousjasper]

Arrival

[ It’s a VERY short time after waking up that this very particular man wasted no time in finding something to wear. Though it wasn’t anything male-leaning, so as he went out to explore?

Everyone would be privy to a six-foot tall, broad shouldered blond man with muscles walking around dressed in an outfit that almost looked like it’d rip in places due to how closely it fit his frame. He doesn’t at least look too bothered by wearing it though, attention focused on the places he was inspecting with a frown on his face. ]

Really… I had thought things couldn’t have been worse than that dreary ship…

[ He sighed and shook his head. ]


Mastermind

[ Unlike mostly everyone else, Roland just claps his hands together and laughs. If it was possible, he’d probably be physically sparkling. ]

Magnifique! You’re truly quite skilled, aren’t you?

[ Who would have ever seen this coming? ]



Motive

[ An exhaled, heavy sigh is followed with a tight smile and a darkness flashing within his green eyes. Arms crossing over his chest firmly. ]

This again? I know Olivier and the other Paladins are capable of handling any threat that comes at them.

[ Though there’s a quiet anger that burns under the surface, it’s not something he’s going to take out on anyone. He won’t rise to what it is they want from him. ]


Trial

[ Looking around at everyone, he nodded then flashed everyone a bright smile. He wasn’t going to let people die if he could avoid it, save the one who was to be punished for killing another human being. ]

Now, everyone. If we stay calm and look at everything rationally, i’m sure we can find out who’s done it.

[ Granted… if everything doesn’t get derailed like some trials he’s been to.. ]

Arrival

[superstylishsquid]

[Roland's outfit still leaves more to the imagination than Alastor's, though it certainly does catch the devil's eye for a moment. Alas, now is probably not the time to be eating the eye candy...]

Considering what was hidden on that ship? I have to say I'll take the rotting hotel.