ROUND 3 INTRO LOG

[foundationmods]

Welcome to The Island. The Witch extends her greetings to you on this fine day, and is pleased to finally begin the game. Please, take a seat.

Though this game may be more difficult than originally expected, there are high hopes placed upon you. Fight well against what awaits you in order to reach a truly sparkling end.

The difficulty level is challenging, but also depends on you. Think deeply on your moves as you play.

You wake with a start - even if you don't remember falling asleep in the first place - and find yourself standing on the dock of what looks like an island. There's a noise behind you - and if you turn to look, you'll see a plain white boat taking off and leaving you all behind, not stopping for a second if you try to flag them down or scream at them.

It doesn't look like you can swim to shore, either - there's nothing but sea in all directions, and something tells you trying to swim out will end up badly. However, a small dip, if you were so inclined, would be fine. It's not like the weather is bad for it - it feels like it's summer, despite it having been firmly springish at the Foundation.

...Speaking of, what happened? The last thing you remember is being...wherever you were, and then seeing a yellow bird come towards you. Perhaps it was in the corner of your eye, or landed on your shoulder...regardless, all of you saw the bird before you were whisked away to this strange island.

Is it a new SCP? Something like this isn't outside the realm of their abilities, after all.

And there's something else. Your abilities are blocked, beyond those natural to your body. Try as you might, you just can't use any of your more supernatural or superhuman skills - though all of your physical abilities are intact, of course.

There is also a...letter? on your person, as if it was there all along - in your pocket or in your hand. It is...a remarkably plain envelope, and even the letter itself is plain parchment.

It reads:

'To the players in this game,

First and foremost, let me begin with an apology: for many of you, this is not a good time to bring you here, and forcing you to play in this game instead of asking nicely is quite rude of me. For that, you have my apologies.

However, as you will soon find out, this game is quite necessary. I hand-picked all of you because I felt you were the best for this task, strange circumstances notwithstanding, and I am sure you will excel beyond even my expectations. Please give me some consideration and play this game to your best efforts. Success will be greatly rewarded.

I will be watching, and I will intervene if needed. But I think all of you are up to this task. I am in your debt for this.

- The Witch of ██████████'

...hm.

If you decide to head up the path, you'll find Goat....men? waiting for you near the doors to the mansion. Despite their bright red eyes, they merely bow politely and wordlessly bring you into the mansion, showing you your rooms and then stating that they will prepare food for you or anything else you should need whenever you want, in surprisingly deep voices.

As they leave, you can't help but wonder...

Where are you now?

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Comments

THE APPEARANCE OF THE WITCH

[lutea]

[On Sunday morning, the Goats wake everyone up and bid them get dressed and ready, as if they're about to meet someone important. Once everyone is ready, the Goats usher them into the grand ballroom - a room that held little interest earlier. In the middle of the hall, a massive dining table has been set - but it seems empty, though there are plates and silverware set up on it. There's also a few other tables scattered around with seats, in case people want to sit. For a moment, the hall is still and quiet -

And then, without a sound, the tiniest of black flames begin to form in the air. Even looking at it, you can instinctively tell that to be touched by that fire would be a terrible fate - and, indeed, it races throughout the hall, bringing change in it's wake.

The tables become laden with food when the flames recede, all kinds of elegant banners and decorations on the tables, walls, and eves. It's all grand food, a feast fit for kings and queens - and it all smells so very, very tempting - though it might be best to wait for the host to show themselves before digging in.

They don't have to wait long, however - after the flames set the area just so, they all rush to the center of the hall, congregating together in a pillar of jet black flame...and begin to fade, leaving a beautiful woman in a black dress that seems to dance like flames, her eyes gazing over all of them impassively.

She truly does look like some magical witch, beautiful and mysterious at the same time, her long hair spilling around her and practically blending in with her dress.

And then, she smiles.]

...Welcome, dear guests. I am Yuuko, Witch of Dimensions - and the one you will be facing in this game.

[Her voice is quiet, yet....it rings throughout the halls with little effort.]

I ask that you stay polite during it, and don't destroy my island or the mansion. That would be...quite unpleasant for you. There is also no escape from here, so making a boat would be...just as unpleasant.

[With that hint of a threat hanging in the air, she continues - lifting her arms.]

You've been brought here as my competitor's pieces, in this game we're playing against each other. This game is....well.


Each week, someone among you will die...killed by myself, of course.

[The moment she says that, a thrill of magic power seems to run through all of you - and the words themselves hang in the air before her, glowing a bright red.]

Though it would be incorrect to say that none of you will have a part in this, for it is through your wishes that I will be killing them.

...I can grant your wishes - any wish - but it comes at a price. This price...is the life of one of your own. If you want it granted, you must be willing to come to me and bear the weight of a life in your hands.

...However, that isn't fair to those who aren't willing to kill. So I will make another offer, as part of this game.


You must find the culprit when one of you are killed.

Of course, I will show you how I killed the victim. But if you are truly against me, then you must fight to display the power of Humans - and decide which among you have been stained with sin.

There will be a better explanation of how you will do this once the time comes - but keep this question in your mind for the rest of this week:


Is this a Mystery, or a Fantasy?

...And if you manage to survive to the end, I will grant you any wish you desire. Likewise, if you manage to successfully kill someone through me, I will grant you your wish when the game is over.

...Enjoy the food I have prepared for you, and you may ask me any questions you like. I have nothing to hide, and I wouldn't bother poisoning you when the game hasn't yet started.

[With that, she walks - with an elegant, almost regal gait - to a chair that practically looks like a throne, which a goat butler respectfully pulls out for her to sit down in, and then bows to her.

...Is this...the same witch who wrote the letter you all had on arrival...?]

[excavated]

[ It doesn't even take a single second for Syaoran to snap into something actually less than polite and friendly. ]

If you have nothing to hide, then tell me. Why exactly are you wearing her face?

[ Because he already has doubts about this. ]

[lutea]

...It has been a while, Syaoran.

[If his words disturb her, she doesn't show it.]

How have you been?

[chaoscontrol]

You. You know this charlatan?

[keydomhearts]

[ At the sight of the flames, his mind skips to Maleficent for a moment. He relaxes as soon as he sees it's not her, but then her words actually catches up.

Wait. We have to kill each other??? ]

Are you serious? Why are you doing this?

[lutea]

Because it must be done.

[HEY SORA ARE YOU TIRED OF OMINOUS, VAGUE STATEMENTS YET]

[goldenmaniac]

[Takumi watches the flames and all the magic with wide eyes... and after Yuuko's speech starts... clapping.

... yes, he's concerned about the murder part, but that was really cool??]

[lutea]

[She beams.

At least someone around here appreciates a dramatic entrance!!]

[respring]

[ alright

Well

Sakura just has one pressing question. ]

...why are you doing all of this?

[lutea]

Because it is necessary, of course.

[chaoscontrol]

[haha. Dressed. Clothes. That's funny. No longer constrained by the Foundation's rules, Shadow is wearing his plain black sneakers, a pair of plain, clean white gloves, and his inhibitor rings -- nothing else.

He keeps to the back of the room, arms folded and expression tense]

Bullshit.

[kagamiimagak]

[Kagami was prompt, choosing the sit at the table. She'd managed to find something nicer than the orange jumpsuit. It was supposed to be a three piece suit, but she'd left the blazer. It was too hot for that.

What an entrance that is.]

My, what happened to witches being old hags? They're really going against that nowadays...

[But she shakes her head, moving on.]

You said this was necessary in your letter, how so? Granting a wish for anything we want is nice and everything, but it doesn't seem like something that important.

[cryosurgeon]

[For someone like Erhard, who holds life as something almost sacred, this "game" is an abomination. For once, he raises his voice, eyes narrowed to red blades of anger in his face.]

You want us to commit murder? That's your idea of a game?

Re: THE APPEARANCE OF THE WITCH

[oceanicbutterfly]

[excuse you get that red text out of karen's face do you not see her color scheme

Karen is sure not to miss a detail. She'll remember every single word Yuuko speaks. What they're being told to do is bad enough taken at face value--she doesn't want to miss any hidden meanings.

And sure enough, she's already found something.]

Who's this "competitor?"

[youkaiwatch]

[ ... ]

If we're your competitors' pieces, why aren't we hearing from them instead?

[improbablenotimpossible]

[Syaoran's familiarity with the witch was noted, but filed away for later. Ruler neatly holds his hands on the table as he listens, seeming stone-faced, but there's a flicker of anger that flashed in his eyes, and a slight flex of his hand, curling up slightly]

Is there a reason why it has to be in the form of a "Game"? Is it ritual, or the terms of this 'competition'?

[fullbodied]

Yikes.

I knew any game offered was going to be another round of bullshit.

[literalidiotball]

[In spite of Wheatley being a robot that doesn't normally wear clothes, at least he makes an effort to dress nicely. Even though the suit and clip-on tie clearly aren't made to be worn by robots. He wants to make an impression, so-

Holy heck that display was frightening!

....]

Y-you're kidding right? You aren't going to make us.... Okay, maybe people are gonna die?

[He's starting to get a little scared.]

Whose idea was this?!

[anonnomnomnom]

[He's already digging in happily, taking his time appreciating the... ominous black flame food...? Before addressing her. Maybe he's thinking over her words. Maybe he's just enjoying the ambience. This is probably one of the fancier places he's been lately, all things considered.

Speaking of which--]

You know, you're a lot prettier than the last guy who told me to go out and fight people.

[This seems to be totally sincere! He'll grin at her.]

And you're a lot nicer to your guests than the Foundation. But we're supposed to be lackeys for somebody who wants to fight you? That's a pity.

[earnahappyending]

[When the fire started, the crackling alarmed Makoto. She stepped back, ready to start getting out of the room, but nobody around her was running away. Perhaps everything was fine...?

Then the woman who called herself a witch talked. Makoto listened, horrified once the part about murders was announced]

That's awful! How's any of this necessary?!

[The letter said "the game" was necessary. It sure didn't seem like that now]

[very_good_end]

[Erika just stares, face neutral, looking neither frightened, happy, nor sad, even when the red starts flying, until the supposed witch finishes her speech.]

I see.

[then, her lips twitch into a polite little insincere smile]

And, if I may have the privilege of asking... who is this 'competitor' you speak of? I think I'd really like to know. Was it by this competitor's will such a haphazardly selected lot were brought here, or was it your own machination?

[aleph_armed]

...So which one is it that's disabled all of our powers? Was that you, or the other one?

[rikuchi]

[ A sense of deja vu strikes him. Enough to make him feel sick, but he keeps himself calm and steady until Sora opens his damn mouth. ]

You can't force us to play this 'game' of yours.

Besides, it's not like we have any guarantee you'd grant anyone's wish.

HOLD IT

[foundfate]

You're not Yuuko-san.

[He had listened to her introduction, had given her a chance to explain herself. And indeed, there was an explanation of sorts there. But he's not interested in this game, or in the danger, or anything else. No, what has his attention is the person right in front of him, sitting in a chair like she is a queen or something.

It's not her. He doesn't know who this person is, but it's not Yuuko.]

[incrediblystressedout]

[Joey, rookie that she is, is shocked into silence by the sudden lightshow and the sudden appearance of a beautiful "witch", once again proving her thesis that The Wizard of Oz is kind of bullcrap. Or at least, it is assuming Yuuko is as much of an evil overlord as she comes off here.]

[She stays quiet and allows people more experienced with this level of craziness to take the lead, but there is one thing in particular that bugs her.]

Hi, uh, Miss Yuuko? Sorry if I'm being dense, but this is a game, right? I get that we're supposed to survive, but how do you win or lose?