T͝҉̡H͝E̵̢ ͝͝S̶Ę̡͞C͜͡҉OND̵̴ ̢I̶͢N͏V͝E͏̨̛ST͞I͢͞G̴͏A̛̕T͡ÌON͟


[The day has come.

..Valentine's Day, of course! Or should we now call it...ValITine's Day? Well, it doesn't matter. It's a Friday.

Hopefully, the Strangers got through this week without killing. But perhaps it's best to be sufficiently paranoid and check first, hmm?]
 
 
T̷́H̸̀͢E ̵̛F҉ÌRS̷̢̧T̸͜ ͘͜I͠N͞V́E҉S̀͜T͜I͡G̸̶A͏҉T͠I̢̛Ǫ̵N͏͝


[Good morning, Strangers.

How do you all feel today? Sad? Confused? Worried? Well, that's not the Hosts' problem. You guys are the ones being stubborn and obstinate, after all. In any case, it's time for all of you to get up and start moving.

It's Friday. Maybe you'll luck out and everyone's alive. But there's only one way to find out.]
 
 
01 August 2019 @ 10:13 pm
THE SECOND INVESTIGATION


[The morning starts as...most mornings do. Quiet, calm. In space. Next to a jail.

That, however, changes when screams start to emanate from the entrance.]


RUN RUUUUN!!

AAAAAAAH!!


[Soon enough, droves of people are streaming out of the jail, panicking and screaming and in some cases fainting. They start jamming towards the station in a near-stampede, screeching.]

LOOSE! THEY'RE LOOSE!!

THE ANIMALS HAVE ESCAPED THE PEN!!


[...Oh dear.

Help?]
 
 
25 July 2019 @ 03:18 pm
THE FIRST INVESTIGATION


[Friday morning dawns. It's a surprisingly brisk day; the winds are cold outside, and the sky is dark with its lack of sky. Well, a normal sky that one would be used to, at least.

The rats can be heard scurrying to and forth, in the walls. All seems to be as normal as it can be, this morning.]
 
 
22 May 2019 @ 09:23 pm
FINAL INVESTIGATION


[The morning of the last day-the day of the deadline promised by the Elder Steward--there is a loud CRACK that echoes through the Mansion. It comes above, over, and around them.

Indeed, it seems to originate from outside.

Those who go outside will find themselves staring at a sky that is cracking everywhere. The cracks Osomatsu had seen before had somehow spread over the days unchecked. Now, the cracks become larger and larger, until finally, the sky itself breaks.

Glass-like pieces fall downwards as it shatters, dissipating lone before they hit the ground into sparkles. A cool breeze suddenly blows through the garden, while the sun suddenly appears for the first time, shining high in the sky. A...slightly creeping-looking, laughing sun, but that doesn't seem to be an illusion, unfortunately. Also it doesn't look ready to swoop down to attack them, which might be a small comfort.

The hole in the wall that had been made earlier is still there, large enough to crawl through. And when they do, the Strangers will find themselves in a more open grassy field, with a beach to the south.

The nice weather and grass, however, is not all that is there. It's clear there are other places in this complex to explore.]





[Before anyone can react, there is the sudden telltale ticking that begins in their heads, and their investigation scrolls appear. It's clear that the Stewards have started a countdown for them to get to the Temple, which sits beyond their immediate area, within a forest of trees that the grass transforms into. But, perhaps, the Strangers can use this to their advantage. Now, they know they have a time limit to search these places for more information about just why they are there.

Perhaps, now, they might have a chance to find something useful.

There are six strangers left. Best get to work.]
 
 
16 May 2019 @ 11:14 pm
THE THIRD INVESTIGATION


[How is everyone, this morning?

No doubt, most of you are sleeping. Perhaps you are dreaming. Whether they are dreams or nightmares are irrelevant. Hopefully, none of you are heavy sleepers. Especially not when there is a very loud BANG that suddenly permeates through the ceiling right above the bedrooms.. The force of the impact is such the rooms actually shake, sending dust onto those in their bed.

If that didn't wake someone up, then the sudden scream coming from upstairs at roughly the same time will do it, right?

In other words. Good morning, Strangers. Something is happening upstairs.

Best to check it out, and quickly.]
 
 
10 May 2019 @ 11:46 am
THE SECOND INVESTIGATION


[It's Friday once more. As the third week begins to near it's end, the tensions-and nightmares-among everyone is on the rise. It doesn't help that this is Friday-and Friday is shaping up to be a bad day of the week.

The question is whether this Friday will be any different from the last. Perhaps this Friday will be different. After all, the morning is over, and nothing happened yet!

But then, isn't that strange too? Maybe it would be better to look around. Just in case.]
 
 
15 August 2018 @ 01:03 pm
FINAL INVESTIGATION


[Well, your time, your anger, your losses have led up to this.

It's time to go, and that blue card will give access to the floors above. In particular, there is the floor Barbara mentioned before the throne room, which seems to be a good idea to check out beforehand.

Indeed, it's much like the previous floors the Strangers had lived in, only smaller.]




[There is another elevator in the area, but that is inaccessible. Even using Marie's card doesn't seem to work on it. Hm. No matter. Marie's card works on all of these rooms, so it's fine, right?

In any case, if there's answers to be found about just whose in charge - and what in the world is going on - this is the last chance of finding them. You've all gotten this far, and as your teams descend on the rooms, you can feel the end is near. Hopefully, that end is not that of the universe - or of Ivy.

Good hunting, Titled.]
 
 
10 August 2018 @ 08:55 am
THE THIRD INVESTIGATION


[As Friday dawns, all seems peaceful. No screaming. No electricity. Nothing in the bathrooms. All is quiet. However, it is a Friday, so there's no guarantee anymore that someone hasn't taken up Marie's offer. Even if they haven't, it's clear time is running out for a guaranteed means of escape. At least, if what Marie claims is true.

It's probably a good idea to look around and check up on people and places before going about one's normal day, regardless. Better safe than sorry, right?]
 
 
03 August 2018 @ 11:59 am
THE SECOND INVESTIGATION


[Friday morning starts off normal as can be. Or, at least as normal as it can be for a place like this. Especially with the threat, such as it is, of Marie's offer over everyone's head. Surely, though, no one would fall for it. That's what everyone is no doubt convincing themselves of. Unfortunately, the peace of mind is all-too-brief. A loud, piercing, pained scream suddenly echoes through the base - a scream that seems to originate from the onsen.

Whoever is making the noise is in danger. Will - can - anyone get to them in time to save them?]
 
 
27 July 2018 @ 07:19 am
THE FIRST INVESTIGATION


[As Friday morning dawns, everything is quiet. Serene, even. It's been almost two weeks since the beginning of their stay here, and the time to fulfill the Commander's ultimatum offer is almost up. It seems that no one's taken her up on the offer, so far.

Maybe the lack of murder will continue, as everyone starts to go about their day....but there's only one way to find out.

Let's go about our normal routine, shall we?]
 
 
21 December 2017 @ 07:59 am
FINAL INVESTIGATION


[Its apparent when everyone wakes up that something isn't entirely right: Loewe's profile is gone.

It becomes incredibly apparent why, when people search: the bookshelf in Cafe MYJL has been destroyed, revealing the elevator behind it. Unlike the bookshelf itself, the elevator is not rigged with any kind of scanner; the Titled can get on the elevator without any problem. And, it goes down to the basement.

But. A thought occurs to everyone before they step on the elevator. They don't want to go down unprepared. Once they get on that elevator, they may not be allowed to come back up until they have finished what they started. If they are able to come back up at all.

So. Bring your supplies, your weapons, your notes on all of the information you've thus far gathered, your pets or whoever you want to steal from the cat cafe, and prepare.

And one you are prepared, you will find yourselves...going...

down. )
 
 
15 December 2017 @ 12:00 pm
THE THIRD INVESTIGATION


[As people wake up in the morning after last night's party, and exit their rooms, they will hear something...unusual as they get closer to Yotsukoshi's entrance.

Inhuman screeching.

It actually sounds like an animal of some kind...]
 
 
08 December 2017 @ 11:35 am
THE SECOND INVESTIGATION


[As the Titled wake up in the morning, there is quiet. No crazy electrical smells waft in the air, no burnt flesh sears their nostrils. It's got to be a relief to everyone, as they start to stir.

Or, perhaps it would be a relief, until they look at their phones.

The countdown is gone...]
 
 
01 December 2017 @ 11:58 am
THE FIRST INVESTIGATION


[Good morning, Titled.

Well, it's mostly a good morning. Those who are waking up in their bedrooms wake up to another boring morning. At least as boring as this place can allow, but even so, everything seems perfectly fine in that wing. Perfectly normal.

However, that feeling of normalcy might not stick around for too long. Especially as people start approaching the stairs going down to the food court...]
 
 
15 June 2017 @ 01:26 pm
FINAL INVESTIGATION


[It is time.

The chill which had come from the now-open, unnumbered room has now begun to seep into the rest of the Depths. It seems to call to the Titled, beckoning them to come forward and to face whatever is now beyond that door.

Fie and Rubedo were right - that room was, indeed, the exit to the Depths. And at the end of the staircase is a door, which the Skeleton Key can very easily open. A few seconds later, the door at the top of the stairs opens.

And the city within the cave below is revealed to them, as they stand on a platform high above the ground.



The ruin still looks as new as it did the day it was built. The air here is cold mountain air, though the only light seems to come from one massive building carved into the very rock of the cave. There is nothing coming from the mouth of the cave save for snow.

On the door they just came through is a single parchment of paper which reads "LEINALZIND OUTER DISTRICT." Each building, they will find, is labelled similarly. Which means there is only one conclusion.

Welcome to the city of Leinalzind, Titled. And good luck, teams.

You will need it.]
 
 
10 June 2017 @ 01:42 pm
THE THIRD TRIAL


[Once the final clues are found, the unsettling chimes sound three times again. However, the Debate Hall doors do not open for the Titled. At least, not for a moment or so.

When they do, though, and the Titled descend the stairs, they will find that the desks have been completely updated, up through the deaths of the previous night. It is...unsettling. Have they truly lost half their numbers in such a short time? But, what can they do about it?


The logs are on the desks, and the Intercessor finishes up the final touches of the evidence they made, placing it on the desks.

There is no chanting on the stage. The dragon, also, seems to be gone, leaving only traces of arms and legs and goo. So, the Intercessor simply goes and sits on the stairs, looking at the remaining survivors. They sound tired as they speak.]


All right. Everyone...do your best. Take your time, and...good luck.


[The trial of Raphtalia, the Dreamstrider, and Farkas, the Outcast, has begun.]
 
 
09 June 2017 @ 12:06 pm
THE THIRD VICTIM


[A week has passed. Food supply is starting to get low, despite the group's best efforts. It's only a matter of time before the food runs out or becomes more difficult to procure. Not to mention the trash that has been accumulating since the beginning of the week, with no one changing or cleaning it up. Not exactly the healthiest environment.

And, as the day dawns, there is - unfortunately - that very worrisome feeling that something is very, very wrong. It's quiet. Too quiet. The feeling of being watched has increased tenfold.

And there is a smell in the air, even above the garbage, as people step into the second floor hallway.]
 
 
02 June 2017 @ 12:08 pm
THE SECOND VICTIM


[It was getting unbearable. The illness, the stress, the threat of death, either by oneself or by another. The worry about finding a cure for a disease that, in this comparatively primitive world, might not even exist outside of the Depths.

However, on Friday morning - or what the Titled could at least conceive as Friday - all the Titled will wake up with the remnants of a very soothing sensation in their throats. Cool and at the same time almost burning, like someone had dropped liquid menthol down their throat while they were sleeping.

They will also find something else, especially if they had been infected: their perception of time is back to normal. Which means one of two things. One of the Titled actually managed to create the potion needed to cure the disease, or...the Titled might have an Inquisition looming on the horizon.

There is only one way to find out.



((OOC: Just a reminder that, due to the nature of the motive this week, there may be references to self-harm and suicide, along with other possible triggers, during this Inquisition, including during the Investigation, and that potentially triggering comments should (and comments by the mods will) be given a trigger heading on those comments.))]]
 
 
26 May 2017 @ 11:40 am
THE FIRST VICTIM


[Friday morning is quiet enough.

Everything seems to be normal, as before. Normal and boring, even with the strange things happening around the Depths. After all, no one's killed yet. Why would they? Surely something as ridiculous as a weird fruit and a fleeting promise wouldn't provoke anyone to kill to see if something like that was actually true, right?

Right?

Still, if anyone was worried, they would at least feel justified at being tense. People were told to kill another in return for the safety and life of a loved one, after all. And it included a way out for someone who succeeded in getting away with it. There may be someone more than willing to kill for that chance.

And that's when you don't consider the two empty rooms, one of which was opened and resulted in more strange things happening. And what happened last week? It hasn't been solved, has it? And no one expected that.




Perhaps it's a thought to look around to make sure there's nothing off this morning.

Certainly, it couldn't hurt.]