WEEK ZERO: MINGLE

[guestservices]

W̴͍̎E̴̝̊E̸͚͝K̸͕̿ ZERO: MINGLE

(35 ḡ̴̻u̷͌͜ê̴̯s̶̢͑t̵̻͝s̴̡̐ ̴c̴h̴e̶c̴k̷e̶d̸ ̶i̴n̴)

Needless to say, marble isn't exactly the most comfortable surface to sleep on. Do you even remember falling asleep? Maybe not, but the moment your eyes flutter open and the lingering stardust fades, you come into consciousness with the distinct feeling that your dreams were very important.

You vaguely remember a shadowed hand, the pen and the scroll in its grip as the terms and conditions glow softly before you. You can't quite remember the details, the words blurring and fading fasting the longer you try, but you come to a conclusion rather quickly:

-Someone you care about is in trouble and their life is now your responsibility.
-You have signed a contract to provide entertainment to the Host in exchange for their safe return.

Your other memories begin to settle now that you're more awake. You remember that this isn't the first time you've been swept away for a game by someone else's design. You remember what those games entailed, too, but as the pieces click together you get the sense that murdering everyone around you isn't a solution. It won't get your hostage back sooner. It will only end tragically for everyone involved.

So instead, perhaps it's time to take in your surroundings. Where the hell even are you now? The marble floor of the lobby is still cool to the touch, and the front desk is before you with several keys on hooks against the wall. Each of them includes a keychain with two small, clear star-shaped crystals embedded at the bottom. Too bad you can't seem to remove the keys just yet! Guest accommodations aren't quite ready.

Ah, right. About that. You aren't alone! After all, what's the fun in playing a game by yourself? Should one try to actually count the keys hanging on the wall, you'll find there are 35 in total. You can also learn more about them should you look at the leather-bound book bolted to the front desk. Though some of them may look a bit different, seeing how everyone gathered in the lobby is dressed to the nines. What happened to your other clothing? Worry not. You do want to be presentable at the front desk, don't you?

Speaking of the front desk, while you aren't able to retrieve your keys or even leave the ground floor right now, you will find small gift boxes scattered around the desk as a complementary gift for each guest. Inside these boxes, you will find:

-A flask. Those of legal drinking age will find it filled with a sweet wine, and those underage will find juice of some kind.
-A shaving kit
- A single aspirin
-A keychain
-A condolence card
-A sheet of temporary tattoos
-A small bag of jerky
-A compact mirror with a cute pattern on the outer casing

No other items are on your person even if you were holding onto them prior to your arrival. Perhaps the bellhop has already taken your luggage for you?

But despite the front desk hosting a small cluster of bells, ringing them doesn't seem to draw the attention of anyone. The bells cannot be removed from the desk, but the hotel staff appears to be occupied with other tasks.

It looks as though you're on your own for now until maintenance is finished. But it's just like the first time, isn't it? Get to know the other guests, start asking questions, and settle in for your stay.

You can check-out any time you like, but you can never leave...

N̸A̵V̴I̶G̶A̶T̴I̴O̸N̷.̷

█ LOCATIONS █ STATUSES █ PROFILES █ AUDIENCES
█ REPORTING █ PRIVATE CONVOS █ MURDER

Comments

[fishingforcompliments]

[hmm. she thinks about it.]

This place is certainly more opulent than the last two places I was stuck in...

[stillnot]

Last place I was in had a castle.

[ this is fancy and all, but you can't beat a castle. ]

[fishingforcompliments]

A castle? But I do not recall seeing you on the screen when they showed us the castle, back in the camp...

[stillnot]

... What?

[fishingforcompliments]

The place I was last time had a screen that would show the various places we came from each week. One of them was a castle, over which the Tiger and the Dragon presided. Is that not where you came from?

[stillnot]

Don't think so.

There was someone going by Tiger, though.

[fishingforcompliments]

I see... so there has been more than one murder castle.

[flayn feels exhausted just saying that.]

[stillnot]

The castle's not really the part that bothers me...

[fishingforcompliments]

Yes, the murder is the more pressing matter.

[stillnot]

Yeah.

So... How many of these things have you seen?

[fishingforcompliments]

...this is my third.

[stillnot]

[ hm. bad! ]

So this can just keep happening.

[fishingforcompliments]

It seems so.

[stillnot]

... But you made it this far, so. That's a good sign.

[fishingforcompliments]

...yes. And if we can figure out what it is that brought us here and set up this whole situation, perhaps we can prevent these sorts of things from happening for good.

[stillnot]

That would be nice.

[ she doubts it's possible, though ]

[fishingforcompliments]

[mood]

It would be. ...in any case, I suppose for now we ought to familiarize ourselves with our surroundings... and be on the lookout for anything that changes. If the pattern holds, that would be about when this... "entertainment" would likely begin in earnest.

[stillnot]

We've probably got a few days before anything big happens - but that means now's the best time to memorize the layout.

Of what we can get to, anyway. Wish they would just let us see the whole place already.

[fishingforcompliments]

Hmm... from what I remember, we had access to the entirety of the island from the very beginning, but there were parts of the camp we could not get to.

...but we were only on the island for a short time. Our stay at the camp was longer... does this mean that this will be a longer stay as well?

[stillnot]

... I was expecting to be here a couple weeks. How long were you at the island?

[fishingforcompliments]

It was only two weeks, for the island.

[stillnot]

I'd take that.

[fishingforcompliments]

I would too. It seemed like a long time, the first time, but... it was preferable to the longer stay at the camp.

[stillnot]

Everything seems bad until you go through something worse.

[fishingforcompliments]

Yes, that is so.