Serial Killer Round 48: It's finished.
- Thread starter RaNDM G
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@Krim: No worries, life stuff happens.
@Link/Neo: So... How are we going to make this work? We have three different directions we can take this game, but if we pick one, that's going to be the new standard for the next fifty odd rounds. I've only been around for about a year; I'll defer to your judgement. But I think for a forum game, the best alternative is to streamline it and actually make it fun for the killer.
@Neo: I'm not saying the road to victory shouldn't be a difficult one. It has to be a truly satisfying victory, but that doesn't mean the killer has to take it alone. Heck, Link didn't.
To put this into context, we have had only two winners in 47 rounds. I find that to be absolutely crushing, and like you said yourself, it takes meticulous planning and nothing short of a miracle to even reach the last round. The least we can do is provide the killer more options to take on the mob.
If the killer does not want to use a team, that's their choice, but they would be foolish not to at least consider it.
@Link: I can understand where you're coming from. The Priest is your baby, and taking away a game's mechanics may not seem like a good idea in the short-term. But these kinds of roles are dead weight. There's little strategy involved using them, other than putting an extra vote in an execution, and since we lower the number of non-killer roles from six to four, there's less incentive for a Priest to sacrifice themselves. We may as well axe that one too.
Serial Killer should be a leaner, faster game. That's what I think.
@Link/Neo: So... How are we going to make this work? We have three different directions we can take this game, but if we pick one, that's going to be the new standard for the next fifty odd rounds. I've only been around for about a year; I'll defer to your judgement. But I think for a forum game, the best alternative is to streamline it and actually make it fun for the killer.
@Neo: I'm not saying the road to victory shouldn't be a difficult one. It has to be a truly satisfying victory, but that doesn't mean the killer has to take it alone. Heck, Link didn't.
To put this into context, we have had only two winners in 47 rounds. I find that to be absolutely crushing, and like you said yourself, it takes meticulous planning and nothing short of a miracle to even reach the last round. The least we can do is provide the killer more options to take on the mob.
If the killer does not want to use a team, that's their choice, but they would be foolish not to at least consider it.
@Link: I can understand where you're coming from. The Priest is your baby, and taking away a game's mechanics may not seem like a good idea in the short-term. But these kinds of roles are dead weight. There's little strategy involved using them, other than putting an extra vote in an execution, and since we lower the number of non-killer roles from six to four, there's less incentive for a Priest to sacrifice themselves. We may as well axe that one too.
Serial Killer should be a leaner, faster game. That's what I think.
@Randm: I think the way to proceed is to have 49 move to Forum Games and stay with the old format, then have 50 stay with the old format since a lot of veteran people will be coming in. By then the new format will be ready to go and I think it can be at the GM's discretion what format they want their round to be.
I agree with streamlining the roles, I've been a fan of that (no offense Link), I just don't think you want to give the killer too much to work with. That's why I thought nerfing the Spy was the way to go, instead of giving the killer so much power that the people without roles just end up waiting for death. Maybe we should just ban questions from the get go, make the Spy wait two cycles before asking away.
I agree with streamlining the roles, I've been a fan of that (no offense Link), I just don't think you want to give the killer too much to work with. That's why I thought nerfing the Spy was the way to go, instead of giving the killer so much power that the people without roles just end up waiting for death. Maybe we should just ban questions from the get go, make the Spy wait two cycles before asking away.
I hope you guys don't mind my thoughts since I've been gone for awhile and have not been in the game as long as some of you but I digress.
I do think that the cold fact of the matter is that it may have to be moved to the Forum Games forum. Not many people come to the RP forum but the forum games also really don't have a lot of people in them currently. But I think that pulling from that group there will help things in the short term until some of the regulars come back. I myself am planning on coming back next round so that may help the movement of the thread since I am pretty good at keeping threads alive with my posts.
As for the killer I think he needs just a minor buff, not a major one but a small one. I think that he should either get three questions to ask the GM about people with roles or appoint someone as the anti spy to do it for him. Another course of action is nerfing the spy. Since people like me can make a excel sheet of all the information of every player and control the others to vote out those who do not match up to better ask questions. But then again maybe I was just crazy when I did that but the fact is a good spy can completely overpower the killer. Also it seems that to make the killer winning feasible as it is you'd have to kill the spy off real early.
Also I think that as it is now there are too many roles. I think that if you were to put it in the Forum Games you should stick to the main three of Killer, Medic and spy. Since as it is now some newer players could become confused over all of the roles. We can always add them in later but it may be better to lay off some of the roles for a bit if we want to recruit more people.
I also think that a person who doesn't participate in the round should automatically be removed from the regulars list. That doesn't mean that they can't play again but they just wont be on the regulars list. Since that seems to be what is killing this round so badly, a good number of the players aren't playing. Now I can understand that some people are going through finals but I am too and I could find the time.
Anyway that's my 2 cents for anyone that cares >.>
I do think that the cold fact of the matter is that it may have to be moved to the Forum Games forum. Not many people come to the RP forum but the forum games also really don't have a lot of people in them currently. But I think that pulling from that group there will help things in the short term until some of the regulars come back. I myself am planning on coming back next round so that may help the movement of the thread since I am pretty good at keeping threads alive with my posts.
As for the killer I think he needs just a minor buff, not a major one but a small one. I think that he should either get three questions to ask the GM about people with roles or appoint someone as the anti spy to do it for him. Another course of action is nerfing the spy. Since people like me can make a excel sheet of all the information of every player and control the others to vote out those who do not match up to better ask questions. But then again maybe I was just crazy when I did that but the fact is a good spy can completely overpower the killer. Also it seems that to make the killer winning feasible as it is you'd have to kill the spy off real early.
Also I think that as it is now there are too many roles. I think that if you were to put it in the Forum Games you should stick to the main three of Killer, Medic and spy. Since as it is now some newer players could become confused over all of the roles. We can always add them in later but it may be better to lay off some of the roles for a bit if we want to recruit more people.
I also think that a person who doesn't participate in the round should automatically be removed from the regulars list. That doesn't mean that they can't play again but they just wont be on the regulars list. Since that seems to be what is killing this round so badly, a good number of the players aren't playing. Now I can understand that some people are going through finals but I am too and I could find the time.
Anyway that's my 2 cents for anyone that cares >.>
@Neo: I see what you're saying, but a lot of the luster of my win was lost due to some people claiming it was illegitimate and the fact that very few people seem to even acknowledge it. I know that I said that I didn't want to be the new king of SK but it seems that only a handful even remember it. You are the shining figurehead, not me.
Basically, I'm not able to put as much stock in the win as you can. I expected it to feel better but just a couple of people completely killed it for me and invalidated a lot of the effort I poured into it.
So when I say that the killer needs to have help, I'm not approaching it from a prestige perspective. I'm approaching it from a gameplay perspective. Being the killer is an extremely isolated and lonely experience to start and it could remain that way for the entire game if they don't have the previous connections or the stroke of luck to find unwitting allies. By having a few people on their side, it could become less intimidating and would encourage more cooperation from the antagonists. Ideally, this additional threat would cause the other players to try to band together to stop this. A layer of paranoia could be added since you need to be afraid that you are disclosing too much information to an ally of the killer.
You might be right. Doing it this way would cheapen the win. The decision would come down to priority. Going forward, do we want a priority on game balance or do we want to maintain the prestige of overcoming impossible odds?
Another rambling thought on prestige: does it mean the same thing if a killer who puts little effort into strategy ends up winning the game due to key player's incompetence? I can think of at least two cases in fairly recent history where the killer almost blindly stumbled into victory because the spy either died early or just went inactive. In fact, I remember a twelfth hour mechanic coming into play to stop one such killer. Retrospect leads me to believe that this might not have been right and that I should have stood against it rather than help push it through.
I guess I'm just getting prospectively more jaded with the system. How much of this is genuine and how much of this is liquor talking might be up for debate.
Final note: I don't believe you introducing the race theme in 43 was really that strong of a problem. The themes are skin deep and usually fade after a certain time. Granted, the cars did appear in quite a few deaths (mine included), but I don't think that was what caused the fade in interest. That probably sits squarely on the inactivity and the lack of fresh blood coming into the game.
Edit:
@staika: You're alive?!?!
*happy dance*
Edit 2: Ah, a couple posts that I didn't notice. F5 should be your friend. Especially when it makes your incoherent bitching even more petty. :/
@Roles: As I said, I value interaction of game mechanics and chance of emergent gameplay through role combination. The Priest was designed with that in mind. However, it has only been used in the way I envisioned a couple of times and never to great effect. Axing would make me sad, but I would understand it in a streamlining.
Double voter is boring. Entwined enrages me as currently implemented. Arbiter is unappealing because people die when they use it (even though death carries little meaning). Priest would be rendered useless without more roles and people are resistant to use it if it means they die. Medic has a low chance of saving anyone and even in the times where they could be useful they are squandered.
Really, the only role with any real actual power is the spy. We've nerfed it several times but it can always be overcome with good coordination and smart questions.
That's why the idea has been bouncing in my head about an anti spy. Someone who can at least try to neutralize the most powerful enemy of the killer.
Disclaimer: Reading this might lower your opinion of me. Upon reading it, I realized I kind of come off as whiny. That isn't the intention behind this block of text but it is certain the tone. That said, I'm not editing it for tone because it's how I feel sometimes.
This is not directed at anyone currently playing. This is not a condemnation of some of the obvious jokes that were made at the end of that round. I really didn't and don't want to think that I replaced Neo as the "king" of this game. I took a lot of his example from the research I did when I got the role. I actually kept his winning thread open in another tab at all times so I could have an example to model my speech and guide the conversation. I'm not mad at Neo. In fact, I'm not mad at all. I'm just disappointed that the reaction to my win was less than positive from one or two individuals.
Yes, I had help in my win. I converted a spy to my side. Converted. As in, he was not on my side from the start. I discovered that he was the spy without him knowing that I was the killer he was tracking through one insane coincidence. Based on our relationship, I chose to reveal myself to him that I was the killer with the promise that he could help boost me to the top. And he did as much. He really did help my cause and was a lynch pin in my plan. The two of us carefully chose realistic questions that would split the "suspects" and the "innocents" in half and give me enough room to work without seeming suspicious. Before every kill I would bounce my top choice to him and discuss the pros and cons of killing that player. With absolutely no exaggeration, I spent many sleepless nights both on the choice of my kill and who I would convince everyone to execute.
Oh, and speaking of execution, I was in control of four of the votes consistently and one or two on occasion. From the death of RaN and Fragrance on, the kill order was carefully controlled and monitored by myself. Everyone died exactly as planned. I ensured that the last three alive were two spies and the killer to put the cherry on top. I even felt (and still occasionally feel) extremely guilty for the trusts that I betrayed and the people that I manipulated to make this whole thing happen.
That's not even including the ballooned thread. I purposely inflated the post count and encouraged a fast pace to try to drive down speculative interest and to throw suspicion off of me. It worked to a certain degree even though multiple people supposedly deduced that I was the killer. This is probably in part because of the intentionally taunting posts I hid through the thread and the fact that I'm inclined to say WAY too much when I've been drinking (ie right now).
They say that between one hundred compliments and one criticism, it's the criticism that will stick in your head more. This is a fact. I was told I wasn't as "legitimate" because I didn't win it alone. That could mean one of two things. Either it was that I was only one of two killers (stupid since the other killer revealed himself and was executed in the second round) or because I was working with a spy. I get the second complaint, but there was so much more involved in what happened then just that.
As I said, I'm not mad at anyone currently playing. Any anger would be directed at other individuals. The only thing that peeves me now is that when someone is getting close to a win, it seems as though I get ignored. It's petty, but I'm human.
This is not directed at anyone currently playing. This is not a condemnation of some of the obvious jokes that were made at the end of that round. I really didn't and don't want to think that I replaced Neo as the "king" of this game. I took a lot of his example from the research I did when I got the role. I actually kept his winning thread open in another tab at all times so I could have an example to model my speech and guide the conversation. I'm not mad at Neo. In fact, I'm not mad at all. I'm just disappointed that the reaction to my win was less than positive from one or two individuals.
Yes, I had help in my win. I converted a spy to my side. Converted. As in, he was not on my side from the start. I discovered that he was the spy without him knowing that I was the killer he was tracking through one insane coincidence. Based on our relationship, I chose to reveal myself to him that I was the killer with the promise that he could help boost me to the top. And he did as much. He really did help my cause and was a lynch pin in my plan. The two of us carefully chose realistic questions that would split the "suspects" and the "innocents" in half and give me enough room to work without seeming suspicious. Before every kill I would bounce my top choice to him and discuss the pros and cons of killing that player. With absolutely no exaggeration, I spent many sleepless nights both on the choice of my kill and who I would convince everyone to execute.
Oh, and speaking of execution, I was in control of four of the votes consistently and one or two on occasion. From the death of RaN and Fragrance on, the kill order was carefully controlled and monitored by myself. Everyone died exactly as planned. I ensured that the last three alive were two spies and the killer to put the cherry on top. I even felt (and still occasionally feel) extremely guilty for the trusts that I betrayed and the people that I manipulated to make this whole thing happen.
That's not even including the ballooned thread. I purposely inflated the post count and encouraged a fast pace to try to drive down speculative interest and to throw suspicion off of me. It worked to a certain degree even though multiple people supposedly deduced that I was the killer. This is probably in part because of the intentionally taunting posts I hid through the thread and the fact that I'm inclined to say WAY too much when I've been drinking (ie right now).
They say that between one hundred compliments and one criticism, it's the criticism that will stick in your head more. This is a fact. I was told I wasn't as "legitimate" because I didn't win it alone. That could mean one of two things. Either it was that I was only one of two killers (stupid since the other killer revealed himself and was executed in the second round) or because I was working with a spy. I get the second complaint, but there was so much more involved in what happened then just that.
As I said, I'm not mad at anyone currently playing. Any anger would be directed at other individuals. The only thing that peeves me now is that when someone is getting close to a win, it seems as though I get ignored. It's petty, but I'm human.
Basically, I'm not able to put as much stock in the win as you can. I expected it to feel better but just a couple of people completely killed it for me and invalidated a lot of the effort I poured into it.
So when I say that the killer needs to have help, I'm not approaching it from a prestige perspective. I'm approaching it from a gameplay perspective. Being the killer is an extremely isolated and lonely experience to start and it could remain that way for the entire game if they don't have the previous connections or the stroke of luck to find unwitting allies. By having a few people on their side, it could become less intimidating and would encourage more cooperation from the antagonists. Ideally, this additional threat would cause the other players to try to band together to stop this. A layer of paranoia could be added since you need to be afraid that you are disclosing too much information to an ally of the killer.
You might be right. Doing it this way would cheapen the win. The decision would come down to priority. Going forward, do we want a priority on game balance or do we want to maintain the prestige of overcoming impossible odds?
Another rambling thought on prestige: does it mean the same thing if a killer who puts little effort into strategy ends up winning the game due to key player's incompetence? I can think of at least two cases in fairly recent history where the killer almost blindly stumbled into victory because the spy either died early or just went inactive. In fact, I remember a twelfth hour mechanic coming into play to stop one such killer. Retrospect leads me to believe that this might not have been right and that I should have stood against it rather than help push it through.
I guess I'm just getting prospectively more jaded with the system. How much of this is genuine and how much of this is liquor talking might be up for debate.
Final note: I don't believe you introducing the race theme in 43 was really that strong of a problem. The themes are skin deep and usually fade after a certain time. Granted, the cars did appear in quite a few deaths (mine included), but I don't think that was what caused the fade in interest. That probably sits squarely on the inactivity and the lack of fresh blood coming into the game.
Edit:
@staika: You're alive?!?!
*happy dance*
Edit 2: Ah, a couple posts that I didn't notice. F5 should be your friend. Especially when it makes your incoherent bitching even more petty. :/
@Roles: As I said, I value interaction of game mechanics and chance of emergent gameplay through role combination. The Priest was designed with that in mind. However, it has only been used in the way I envisioned a couple of times and never to great effect. Axing would make me sad, but I would understand it in a streamlining.
Double voter is boring. Entwined enrages me as currently implemented. Arbiter is unappealing because people die when they use it (even though death carries little meaning). Priest would be rendered useless without more roles and people are resistant to use it if it means they die. Medic has a low chance of saving anyone and even in the times where they could be useful they are squandered.
Really, the only role with any real actual power is the spy. We've nerfed it several times but it can always be overcome with good coordination and smart questions.
That's why the idea has been bouncing in my head about an anti spy. Someone who can at least try to neutralize the most powerful enemy of the killer.
@link: Yes sir, I posted on the other page awhile ago so you must have missed that. Though I think I should apologize to everyone for leaving in the middle of the night with no word. I was dealing with a lot of personal stuff and even went through a bout of depression. But I am all better now and have returned to take my place back from all of these newer people.
@staika: I'm pretty much with you. And for the record, no regulars list this round. We had twenty slots. Sixteen players showed up. Gotta admit its Finals month. Bad time for SK.
@Link: I thought that was a brilliant win. Never mind the prestige; you need to fight dirty in this game.
Either that or blunder through the kills like Terra did last round.
@Link: I thought that was a brilliant win. Never mind the prestige; you need to fight dirty in this game.
Either that or blunder through the kills like Terra did last round.
@Randm: Yeah the regulars list was just an idea I was tossing out since we should punish the people not participating in the game somehow. Though I admit that I did not know that there was no regulars list this round, so I must have missed that. And the fact that it is finals month sucks for the game since it is distracting everyone.
Though for me I get my another few weeks to work on my final project and it is my final term in college so this is the big one. We are behind schedule since I am forced to do someone else's work along with mine since he is worse than useless. Though the sheer amount of research is keeping me busy, but I keep telling myself that there is only a few more weeks to go then I am done for good.
Though for me I get my another few weeks to work on my final project and it is my final term in college so this is the big one. We are behind schedule since I am forced to do someone else's work along with mine since he is worse than useless. Though the sheer amount of research is keeping me busy, but I keep telling myself that there is only a few more weeks to go then I am done for good.
@staika: Huh...guess I need to get my eyes checked.
Nevermind that though. Never leave us again.
*ties staika up and hides him in the basement*
(Also, I'm going to die of a zombie sheep. This seems acceptable.)
@RaN: Well thanks. As I mentioned, a lot of that moaning on my part is heavily without merit. It's just the negative always seems way more pronounced than the positive.
As for last round... :/
You know Terra was the last person I suspected. Had she not gone about eliminating all other suspects so efficiently, I know that she would have won. Had it come down between her and any of the options that remained when I contacted you after CA's death, I know that I would have suggested all but two before I would have tried offing her.
In all honesty, I had actually become more suspicious of you than any of our leads about one or two cycles after I contacted you. My brain started turning and I started coming up with all these elaborate rouses where you got the spy to release a false list and then offed her to contain any additional information (mostly impossible in retrospect; Michi was executed, not murdered). Then you took over as leader of the mob and were leading us quietly down a path of destruction.
The way I saw it, there were two ways the game would play out. Either you were being honest and chances were getting increasingly better that we would catch the killer or you were playing out an extremely elaborate gambit and I would be proud to have been duped by it. As it was going, I was ok with either outcome.
Nevermind that though. Never leave us again.
*ties staika up and hides him in the basement*
(Also, I'm going to die of a zombie sheep. This seems acceptable.)
@RaN: Well thanks. As I mentioned, a lot of that moaning on my part is heavily without merit. It's just the negative always seems way more pronounced than the positive.
As for last round... :/
You know Terra was the last person I suspected. Had she not gone about eliminating all other suspects so efficiently, I know that she would have won. Had it come down between her and any of the options that remained when I contacted you after CA's death, I know that I would have suggested all but two before I would have tried offing her.
In all honesty, I had actually become more suspicious of you than any of our leads about one or two cycles after I contacted you. My brain started turning and I started coming up with all these elaborate rouses where you got the spy to release a false list and then offed her to contain any additional information (mostly impossible in retrospect; Michi was executed, not murdered). Then you took over as leader of the mob and were leading us quietly down a path of destruction.
The way I saw it, there were two ways the game would play out. Either you were being honest and chances were getting increasingly better that we would catch the killer or you were playing out an extremely elaborate gambit and I would be proud to have been duped by it. As it was going, I was ok with either outcome.
@staika: I'm sorry man, I can't help you out of the basement. GM conflict of interest, you understand.
@Link: Yeah, gotta admit I'm not that clever. I was genuinely in survival mode for Team America.
Fun fact: When we killed everyone off and narrowed it down to Terra, I was actually rooting for her to win that round. But we put it to a vote and went for the take-down. We were all duped. You always think the killer is someone you know; it's not often we see a relative newcomer do so well.
I'm content with our kill-streaks, regardless of how the game turned out.
@Link: Yeah, gotta admit I'm not that clever. I was genuinely in survival mode for Team America.
Fun fact: When we killed everyone off and narrowed it down to Terra, I was actually rooting for her to win that round. But we put it to a vote and went for the take-down. We were all duped. You always think the killer is someone you know; it's not often we see a relative newcomer do so well.
I'm content with our kill-streaks, regardless of how the game turned out.
*is now tied up in the basement*
@Link: Well it's not like I can leave now, I can't even see. I think the blindfold was a little much >.>
@Randm: YOU TRAITOR! You can't leave me here tied up in the basement. There are killers and mice down here.
@Thought: I wonder if I should write my death that should have been from the round that I left in. I'm sure that I was killed and I would like to write a death >.>
@Link: Well it's not like I can leave now, I can't even see. I think the blindfold was a little much >.>
@Randm: YOU TRAITOR! You can't leave me here tied up in the basement. There are killers and mice down here.
@Thought: I wonder if I should write my death that should have been from the round that I left in. I'm sure that I was killed and I would like to write a death >.>
Although many people question my choice in career, myself included among those who wonder why I do what I do, though I feel in some cases it can be more rewarding than most other professions. For example, when I put forward my application for the Doctor Wilson's sustained underground living program, I'm fairly certain I received extra consideration because of my work. Oh, I'm a mortician by the way. Yeah, not exactly something that comes up in everyday conversation. 'How's work going?' 'Great, I embalmed someone's grandmother earlier today.' Anyway, I figured they were probably looking for someone who, if worse should come to pass, would be able to handle and deaths in the program. As unfortunate as that would be, I figured not only would I be able to help, but I'd get an interesting experience out of it. So I packed my bags, headed for the airport, and was on my way to meet up with the other people I'd be staying with. It was certainly going to be one hell of a year.
Everything was moving along so quickly, it seemed like no sooner than I stepped off the plane that I was being ushered into the facility, and just as I was starting to get settle in, the big doors closed. This was it. This was the beginning. And here I was, in this top-of-the-line mortuary, taking inventory like I've done so many times before in my own. It was kinda nice, actually. A little bit of normalcy to start my time locked up was rather comforting. I was in the middle of counting my implements when I heard a sudden slam of the doors swinging open. I had jumped, startled, almost dropping my clipboard in the action. I eased up when I saw that it had only been a fellow subject in the program.
"Sorry," called the subject, "didn't know the doors were so light."
"Yes, well," I started, clearing my throat before continuing, "Makes it easier when pushing a gurney through. I certainly hope I won't have to be using often, or even at all in this place."
"I think most of us feel the same way, but just out of curiosity...what happens if you die?"
I merely stood there for a moment, scratching my head at the thought. It really was a good point to bring up. As far as I could tell, I was the only one truly qualified to take care of the dead, at least in a manner more proper than just finding a hole to put them in. Out of habit, I turned towards the cabinets, staring at the bottle of embalming fluid as if the answer was written for me on the label. Perhaps I was too deep in thought, or perhaps it was just the loud hum of the ventilation systems, but I failed to hear the sound of metal scrape metal as a scalpel was lifted from its tray. My back was exposed, my gaze was averted, and it never occurred to me that it was a misstep. After all, why should it? How was I to know the true, dark intentions of the person drawing nearer in silence?
"Well," I said with a small chuckle, "I suppose that would be rather ominous, don't you think? For the caretaker of the dead to die? At least that's how I'd see it."
"I couldn't agree more."
Those were the last words before the scalpel pushed up through the base of my skull. I felt a cold pinch, and then nothing. As the blade passed through my brain stem, I was completely shut out from the world. Like a flame snuffed in the night, leaving the lifeless candle in darkness. Alone. Lost.
Everything was moving along so quickly, it seemed like no sooner than I stepped off the plane that I was being ushered into the facility, and just as I was starting to get settle in, the big doors closed. This was it. This was the beginning. And here I was, in this top-of-the-line mortuary, taking inventory like I've done so many times before in my own. It was kinda nice, actually. A little bit of normalcy to start my time locked up was rather comforting. I was in the middle of counting my implements when I heard a sudden slam of the doors swinging open. I had jumped, startled, almost dropping my clipboard in the action. I eased up when I saw that it had only been a fellow subject in the program.
"Sorry," called the subject, "didn't know the doors were so light."
"Yes, well," I started, clearing my throat before continuing, "Makes it easier when pushing a gurney through. I certainly hope I won't have to be using often, or even at all in this place."
"I think most of us feel the same way, but just out of curiosity...what happens if you die?"
I merely stood there for a moment, scratching my head at the thought. It really was a good point to bring up. As far as I could tell, I was the only one truly qualified to take care of the dead, at least in a manner more proper than just finding a hole to put them in. Out of habit, I turned towards the cabinets, staring at the bottle of embalming fluid as if the answer was written for me on the label. Perhaps I was too deep in thought, or perhaps it was just the loud hum of the ventilation systems, but I failed to hear the sound of metal scrape metal as a scalpel was lifted from its tray. My back was exposed, my gaze was averted, and it never occurred to me that it was a misstep. After all, why should it? How was I to know the true, dark intentions of the person drawing nearer in silence?
"Well," I said with a small chuckle, "I suppose that would be rather ominous, don't you think? For the caretaker of the dead to die? At least that's how I'd see it."
"I couldn't agree more."
Those were the last words before the scalpel pushed up through the base of my skull. I felt a cold pinch, and then nothing. As the blade passed through my brain stem, I was completely shut out from the world. Like a flame snuffed in the night, leaving the lifeless candle in darkness. Alone. Lost.
@RaN: It's a long, complicated process that I find really tiresome to expl-
@Neo: Oh dear god, it buuuuuurns!!
@Neo: Oh dear god, it buuuuuurns!!
To be fair, one of the reasons why people might not participate as much could be due to just forgetting. That's whats happened to me nearly every round I've been in, providing I actually remembered to send a number. In any case...
I looked at the group all flocking to one location. Everything had been quiet at that time, but that hadn't helped me find him. Not in the slightest. I got up from the very uncomfortable chair, and began to move towards everyone. What were they doing, had they found something? Had they found someone? Did it mean the murders would stop?
[small]"Ethan..."[/small] I muttered, thinking carefully. I mindlessly walked through the small crowd, without an aim. And then I got a small hunch. Just a little hint, that he was close. I began shoving my way through the group, looking carefully at every face. I had a goal, a mission possibly. The noise brought me back to reality though. What on Earth was everyone doing? They seemed angrier than normal. Or were they always this angry? Maybe the AC went on the fritz again. It was feeling particularly warm that day.
I eventually made my way to the last few people, at the heart of the action. And then I saw him, and I knew who it was. I had found Ethan. It was just a shame that he was dead. Or was he dying? It seemed like he was moving, but then again, that could have been the angry beating upon his corpse. I began to think aloud.
"If he's still alive, he might just be my key to getting out of here..." And so I grabbed his wrist and checked his pulse. I couldn't concentrate, but I thought I could feel something. I began trying to-
Oh right, the crowd was there. I had forgotten about that.
So then they closed in on me too, under the assumption that I was aiding the killer. I'm still not sure what killed me officially, it may have been the beatings, or the stab wounds. Or maybe it was the heat.
[small]"Ethan..."[/small] I muttered, thinking carefully. I mindlessly walked through the small crowd, without an aim. And then I got a small hunch. Just a little hint, that he was close. I began shoving my way through the group, looking carefully at every face. I had a goal, a mission possibly. The noise brought me back to reality though. What on Earth was everyone doing? They seemed angrier than normal. Or were they always this angry? Maybe the AC went on the fritz again. It was feeling particularly warm that day.
I eventually made my way to the last few people, at the heart of the action. And then I saw him, and I knew who it was. I had found Ethan. It was just a shame that he was dead. Or was he dying? It seemed like he was moving, but then again, that could have been the angry beating upon his corpse. I began to think aloud.
"If he's still alive, he might just be my key to getting out of here..." And so I grabbed his wrist and checked his pulse. I couldn't concentrate, but I thought I could feel something. I began trying to-
Oh right, the crowd was there. I had forgotten about that.
So then they closed in on me too, under the assumption that I was aiding the killer. I'm still not sure what killed me officially, it may have been the beatings, or the stab wounds. Or maybe it was the heat.