Whispers of the Dark Group 3

@Cassius Eden

Opeila was entering this ball with mixed feelings. It was the first ball after Aaron's and her break up and she felt odd- oh, who was she kidding, she felt like a wreck inside. Who paid attention would find her fidgetting with her dress and looking around nervously whenever she believed no one was watching.

At least she wasn't going alone, otherwise she probably wouldn't have gone in the first place. Opeila really didn't feel like presenting herself like some lost, heartbroken girl in front of Aaron no less. No... no, he could see that she was just fine. Just- just fine...

Cassius and her met in a corridor once they had finished preparing, to go to the ball together. "Well, hello Mr- you'll have to tell me your name for tonight.", she greeted him with a smile. "You look amazing. I am- uhhh-" Quickly she glanced at her invitation again, turning sideways, so Cassius could not look at it. "Officer Alessio Ricci tonight, at your service."

More than ever, Opeila was glad that Cassius and her had signed up for the game that was offered at the ball. It allowed her to skip the phase of awkwardly deciding what to do, absentmindedly eating or drinking the wrong thing and finding herself under the influence of some pesky potion.
... Yes, some of her fears had gotten oddly specific over the past years.

Upon entering the small hall, her mouth fell open for a second. "... Christ.", she murmured in Cassius' direction. "These kids have become very creative with their decorations." Curiously, she ran one hand over one of the houses' facade. "This is such good work."
Even more excited now, she hurried to find their round of players- and a curious round that was.

All familiar faces for once- Eun-ji, who used to date her best friend, Evelynn, Pericles, Winnie and Mathias, and AJ. Not that she had really spoken to Matt or AJ in the past, but there had been some short exchanges some years ago.
It seemed that the group had already started to chatter away- amusingly in character. "Good evening. Officer Alessio Ricci is my name, at your service., she would greet with a light smile that was supposed to seem calm and collected, fitting her role- but the Slytherin was no actress, she barely managed to hide her excitement.

Listening to the conversation, Opeila nipped on one of the non-alcoholic margaritas and tried to recall all the details, professions and names. This was sure going to be interesting.

Outfit

Though the Ravenclaw prefect turned general store owner had intended to head for the bar, he was stopped by the touch of his date turned nemesis. Instead he turned, facing the woman with a defiant yet curious gaze.

"Well, Miss Romano. How about we make a deal," she said as she adjusted his collar. "I'll get you a drink and pay you back, if you manage not to lie to me in this investigation, yes?"

Cassius drew in a sharp breath, their proximity and her hands on his collar making his heart race. It was almost enough to get him to break character. Almost.

The moment was disrupted by a sudden darkness that consumed the room. The first of their number had been eliminated seemingly before they could even begin. It was a shame. Of those present in the ballroom, @Mathias Pride had been one he was hoping to speak with. After all, a not so insignificant portion of Summer Camp had been spent catching up on teenage gossip. Much of it involving that boy in particular. Surely Mathias could not be as evil and deranged as they made him out to be.

Alas, it was a question to be answered another time. Turning to Opeila, he lifted a hand to her cheek and cupped it sensually. "Darling, you cannot afford me," he said, a devilish grin gracing his features before he stepped back, shifting position towards the center of the room. "But if you wish to try, you can buy me a drink. It best be top shelf. I will know if it is not."

He winked and took a step back towards the center of the room. Another pseudo-hair toss accompanied a sassy posture as the amateur femme fatale took in his surroundings. Who were these people really? What were they hiding under the masks?

Not finding anything obvious, he turned back to @Opeila Winters. "I will allow you this, officer. I have no intention of lying during this investigation nor have I ever. I have the utmost respect for law enforcement, you see. The only trouble I have is not with the institution itself, but with the men who wear the badge."

Cassius turned then towards @Evelynn Decipio who had in turn focused her attention on him as a possible suspect. "Men are always the problem. Mmm?" With a coquettish smile he winked at her. "And it is Miss Romano, dear."

His hand settled on his hip as he glanced back towards @Opeila Winters. "If you want my opinion -- which you should if you want any hope of sealing our deal with a kiss later -- I would suggest you be a good officer and listen to a woman for a change. Start with Miss Marina. If it is not her, then it must be Miss Mancini. I would not trust a man to be such a subtle killer. This has the feel of a woman's touch."

Cassius turned towards @Eun-ji Lee Hunt and @Evelynn Decipio, lowering his voice but still loud enough for the entire room to hear. "It is nothing personal, loves. I just have no intention of going home alone tonight."

Action: Observing.

Well, this was going well. Tasteful drama, it was like a Hogwarts Soap Opera, every word out of someone's mouth was worth listening to, well, except when Winnie kept fumbling. A drumming noise made as he banged on the wall, a warning that he was about to turn out the lights.

Out went the lights, it was now a blackout. Natural light would hit the glimmering but bland plastic nerf gun, yet leave the murderer buried in the shadow. The sound of the nerf bullet hitting the floor told him that the murderer missed. With a quick drumming on the wall once again, he turned back on the lights, knowing he would likely blind whoever couldn't get their eyes accustomed fast enough.

The murderer had hidden the weapon.

Noah spoke. "Well, guess no one died. Now, mister Bianchi. I have to say that I'm sorry to inform you of this unfortunate circumstance but you are eliminated. Come stand over here besides me." Noah pulled out a fake retractable knife from his back pocket. "This won't hurt a bit." He whispered as he quickly "stabbed" him in the chest. "You are eliminated, five votes against you verses the two votes for another."

He faced the group again, now without Mathias being a suspect or a living person, he proclaimed. "He was, in fact, not the murderer. The murderer still lingers among us."

Information Section: Please Read

Reducio

Information
- Posting DEADLINE: Friday
- Intended Mod Post and Rolls: Saturday
- Post at least ONCE per round
- Murderer must owl me their target by Posting Deadline.
- Detective, Doctor and Citizens, must owl me who they think the Murderer is by Posting Deadline. Please send individual owls with the subject "Group #: Round # Vote"
- If you are eliminated via murder you do not have to post in this thread, you could choose to leave or sit out and watch.

Posting Information
- Please follow site rules and ratings
- Please be registered in the Index to sign up
- 200+ wc minimum
- Deadline to Post: From recent mod post to Friday of that week

Notice
Every mod post, you will notice that the light goes out every time there is a murder. The light stays out for 1 minute to allow the murderer to conceal the weapon in some way and to avoid suspicion. When the light goes out, you'll hear a bang from the nerf gun and if you feel yourself getting shot with a foam bullet, you have been killed. You may lay down on the ground and play dead. You may find a funny pose to be in, whatever. When the light goes back on, a vote will be held to accuse someone of the murder.

I've been accused of a murder! What do I do?
Well dearie, you would've been considered "executed" if the majority votes you as murderer. This means that you are out. The game is over when all of the players are dead except for the detective and murderer, or when the murderer has been accused and executed.

How do I vote?
Every round, you need to send me an owl of who you're voting or accusing. Additionally you MUST post otherwise your vote will be seen as invalid.

I did not post for a round or more, what happens? (if you don't send me your vote but post, it's okay, don't worry about it.)
The murderer will likely kill you the next round.

I'm the murderer! What happens now?
Post each round. Send me your target via owl. In Character, when the lights go out, you can pull out your nerf gun and shoot your target. You will have the rest of the minute to hide the gun or conceal it.

I'm the detective! What happens now?
Post each round. Send me your accused victim via owl. You cannot be killed.

I'm a doctor! What happens now?
Post each round. Send me your accused victim via owl. There will be a second blackout in the mod post in where you will have a CHANCE of healing the shot victim.

I was a shot victim! I was healed!
Good for you, you may continue in the game. However, one of your limbs have been ic AMPUTATED so in roleplay, you would not have that limb because the doctor amputated the shot limb.

What if I have to leave Out of Character and I'm the Murderer or a Doctor or a Detective?
That's fine, just please notify us at some point. We will owl another person and give them an additional "title" for their character that they are already playing. For example: Baker is now Murderer but still the same character, you don't gain another. When it comes to a detective and a doctor, unfortunately, we won't pass it on. The game continues until its over.

Please note: We are taking actions via owl so that actions and votes are anonymous to keep the mystery. What you choose to say or do in your post whether ooc or ic can be used against you so do your best to keep your "secret" role anonymous. If you are a detective or a murderer it can be used against you if you say it out loud. We suggest coming up with an undercover job to conceal the fact. Not required, you could be vague, but what you say and do whether oc or ic can be used against you.

Mod Post Content: Mods

Reducio

Order of Mod Post and of What Order it is in:
1. Blackout #1
-> Murderer Shot Accuracy: 1d100 [1-49, miss. 50-100, hit]
-> Murderer Body Part Hit: 1d6 [1 - Left Arm, 2- Left Leg, 3- Right Arm, 4- Right Leg, 5- Torso/Chest, 6- Head]
2. Lights On [this is so that they see that the victim is shot and allows the doctor to see who they're healing if they can.]
3. Blackout #2
-> Doctor Healing: 1d100 [1-49, failed to heal. 50-100, successfully healed but amputated the limb]
--> Additional notice re healing: If the torso or head is shot, the victim cannot be healed. This is simply skipped if the torso or head was shot. If a limb [right leg/arm, left leg/arm] was shot and the doctor successfully healed you, then you are amputated. If they failed to heal you and you were shot anywhere on your body, you are dead.
4. Lights On
5. Accusation/Execution Time
--> Additional notice re Accusation/Execution: If a person is accused via majority, they are eliminated from the game. If there is a TIE, the people accused remain in the game for another round.

Rolls [if any]

Reducio

Pericles Being Shot Accuracy: [1d100]: 9 -> Missed

Result: Pericles was not shot, he may remain in the game.

@Allister-Jameson MacAllister, @Evelynn Depicio, @Winnie Harper, @Mathias Pride (@Solomon Lear), @Cassius Eden, @Opeila Winters, @Pericles Dralt, @Eun-ji Lee Hunt

Full Outfit * @Allister-Jameson MacAllister, @Evelynn Depicio, @Winnie Harper, @Mathias Pride, @Cassius Eden, @Opeila Winters, @Pericles Dralt

In the beginning, Eun-ji worried whether all members of their group would even show up, considering the drama unfolding at the Main gala event. However to her surprise, even those at its centre managed to join the game in time in the end. It was a good thing no doubt but she would be lying if she said it didn’t make things more difficult as well. She listened to all the involved introduce themselves and tried to remember all the details and names. Some familiar due to her role card, others completely new. Few characters gave away a thing or two about their grudges but most simply stated who they were and there was not much to work with for all involved. Still, there was time to put the whole picture together as the scene progressed further. While still not sold on this whole idea of socialising, the girl couldn’t help feeling curious about the characters’ backstories and how others might portray them.

The corner of Eun-ji’s mouth quirked up as Peri’ snorted into his drink upon hearing her comment directed at Eve’s character. “Don’t choke on me now, you still owe me a dance.” She whispered to her ‘date’, allowing herself to slip out of her role momentarily. She did not bother to be quiet enough so the Gryffindor wouldn’t overhear. No. She very much hoped Eve did in fact overhear, even though in reality, she did not spare her a single glance. Eun-ji knew she needed to be subtle. Instead, turning to Winnie, who also seemed to slip up right from the start. Or did she? Who knew if it was the truth or just a clever trick she was playing. Her fellow Ravenclaw hardly came across as a deceptive person but who knew if that was indeed the case... Nevertheless, Eun-ji took her bait and decided to play along. “Thank you, Mr. Rossi. Though I probably shouldn’t drink. I still have much work to do.” She made sure to come across as polite yet unaffected by the bartender’s playful wink or his compliment. It seemed like an appropriate response, considering her job and background story.

Matt and his usual creepy self did little to help paint a clearer picture. While Eun-ji appreciated him not simply ending everything with stating his job and name, his proclamation was so vague that it barely revealed the fact that he did not like Dr. Giovanni. AJ’s response in turn, was not giving anything away either. She wanted to ask what the bad blood was but then the last pair joined in and she opted to hear their quip first. Interestingly enough, it seemed we have two couples where at least one party is not fond of the other. How fun for them. “A detective stealing milk? Interesting…” The Ravenclaw muttered, sounding utterly confused by such accusation.“Seems like even officers of the law are not paid enough these days.” She shook her head disapprovingly.

Peri, still standing by her side managed to get another word in. As couple others, claiming to be innocent but more importantly probing for information from Matt. As fate would have it however, that’s when the lights went out and the answer would remain lost in it for when the room lit again, Carlo Bianchi was eliminated.

Eun-ji flinched as she watched the Slytherin get stabbed. Much like a simple frightened maid would though it was not entirely an act on her part. She had seen couple stab wounds during her stays at her father’s hospital. Some of them lived, some did not. Either way, it was not a pretty sight for a child so even knowing the knife was fake didn’t help ignoring the unsettling images resurfacing from her memory. I wonder how many votes had a legitimate reasoning behind them… Either way 5 votes in agreement was pretty impressive. She expected the opinions would wary this time round since there was not enough information to go on yet. Well, at least Winnie will have a moment to take a breath since her 'fiancé' is dead. And we now know Matt’s and Peri’s roles. She patted her date’s shoulder in envy. He did not have to thread carefully any longer. Free to probe around as he pleased. “Indeed...very interesting. ” She nodded thoughtfully at his words before adding “Or perhaps he was about to reveal some vital information...seems your question went unanswered Mr. DeLuca but I’m also a bit curious…” Eun-ji turned to AJ as if eager for gossip. “What did you 'get', exactly, Dr. Giovanni?”

AJ was no Detective Poirot, AJ seriously doubted he could even correctly pronounce 'Poirot' without significant effort on his part. He was no idiot. Such a thing might've been debatable to some but it was at least somewhat true. It was the cloak and dagger, half-truths and semi-deceptions. The sneaking around each others words, giving things away with a mere look whilst giving nothing away in their speech. That was what he struggled with. Where most present in the group seemed to have a firm grasp on the clandestine game he had not a clue what was going on or even who the killer indeed was. Nearly everyone else seemed so very confident, and it made him feel a tad inferior.

The lights shut off, the room plunged into darkness for a moment. There was a click and a thunk before the lights turned back on. It seemed as though someone had tried to murder Pericles but hadn't quite hit the mark. That, or perhaps Pericles had shot near himself in order to throw off suspicion...Probably not, but AJ was trying to do this whole 'detective' thing.

What next became clear is that Matthias had been almost unanimously voted out. Even as the other boy called them out for being easily tricked and guessing wrong AJ had a sneaking suspicion that he hadn't been voted out because the group truly thought he was the murderer, who's to say though?

The group were fully assembled now, such a motley cast of characters that AJ had troubles keeping them all straight in his head, and as he opened his mouth to address the latest arrivals he was soon cut off by the questioning voice of Jessica the Housemaid. Well, if this was the game of half-truths and avoided answers. He could play too.

"'e wez tukken oo' ez arse fer th' mos' par'." "He was talking out his arse for the most part." He shrugs casually as he looks at the dramatically posed 'body' of Matthias. "'e nuvver leeked meh much. Nuvver too' m'dvice wun et muttered. Bu' am alwez loo'in t'elp thoose tha' nee' halpen." "He never liked me much. Never took my advice when it mattered. But I'm always looking to help those that need helping."

@Cassius Eden

“Officer Ricci”

Cassius was the first to address her when they joined the group, leaning close to her and raising one hand to her cheek. Opeila held his gaze, initially intending to reply in character, but the thought was wiped from her mind entirely at his sudden proximity.

“I need you and everybody here to know you stole something from me. I have been wanting to tell you for a while now….”

A shudder ran down her spine. "Oh yes?", she whispered back. Hopefully he couldn't hear her heartbeat.

“... you stole my milk.”

What the f-
And suddenly he was gone, leaving Opeila flushed and at a loss of words for a moment. Giving herself a few seconds to collect her thoughts again, she took a few sips of her drink, listening to the accusation. So Cassius was Maria Romano... Opeila bit her tongue to hold back the delighted giggle that threatened to escape her at the new information.

"Well, Miss Romano,", she began and put down her glass again. "How about we make a deal."
The sixth year leaned over to adjust Cassius' collar- if he was going to play seductive, so could she, right? Or at least try? "I'll get you a drink and pay you back, if you manage not to lie to me in this investigation, yes?"

Opeila didn't get to get Cassius a drink, as the lights went off. The sound of the nerf gun made her wince and duck her head, but it seemed that the bullet had not hit anyone.
The Slytherin had just gotten used to the lack of lighting when the lights went back on and Noah walked in. By the time Opeila didn't feel blinded again, the younger Gryffindor had walked over and stabbed Mathias in the chest with a retractable knife.

Opeila looked at the remaining participants. Where did the sound of the nerf gun come from again? She couldn't recall, dammit.