thelockedplace | MINGLE

MINGLE LOG | WEEK 2
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Greetings, house guests. Surely you're getting into the swing of things, by now? Though, a friendly reminder: there is no escape.

Sunday is, once again, a quiet and likely somber day. At least, until there's one hopefully welcome surprise: belongings from back home that you may have missed will be delivered to your rooms today, if you did not come in with them. (Note: these should be the personal items from your applications, if your characters don't already have them on hand. The dead's personal items WILL NOT be appearing.)

Iris, Shauna, and anyone else in the house who might be considered a mother will also find a red carnation in a small vase by their bedsides. Enjoy these small creature comforts. You have earned them.

(Don't forget to check out the post-trial afterparty!)

Come Monday, everyone will once again wake up to a most unpleasant surprise: their motive for the week. This one is more immediately apparent than the last; the house's hunger has not been sated.

Pratibha is, once again, nowhere to be found, but this time, she's absent every day this week. What's up with that? (Should you feel strongly about this, you may attempt to find her.)

Bucking tradition, this week's first puzzle also arrives on Monday; it unlocks, of all things, a huge wardrobe full of fancy clothes. What could all this be for?

On Tuesday, the second puzzle appears; and it unlocks, this time, a grand ballroom.

On Wednesday, it will become clear what this week's locations are for. Because the ballroom doors open by themselves at 6 PM sharp, and reveal:

A ball. Splendid and scintillating, this gracefully lit space is warmed by the sound of distant music that has no apparent source. There are tables for food and drink, and more tables besides at which to sit. The star, however, is the dance floor; are you feeling brave enough to step out there? More importantly: with whom as your partner?

The windows display only endless green forest before night falls. Twilight and rising darkness paint the ballroom in shadows and shades of gold. All of it is enchanting and lovely to behold. The ballroom even sports numerous little nooks for ... privacy.

Remember, above all, rule 5: Get to know each other. Become friends. Become more. Who cares. Just do it.

Thursday brings calm after the busy storm of the ball. Rest, recuperate, and reflect; you all know what tomorrow brings.

Friday is investigation time once again. The investigation post will go live at 3 PM EST, 5/16.

Saturday is the day of your second real ritual. You may find the ritual post here at 12 PM EST, 5/17.

Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday

code bases by tricklet

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Something that doesn't feel alive, at least.

[He'll take it, compared to some of the paintings from the Guertena exhibit.

He'll also go ahead and carefully put the rest of his hand in since it's not being bitten or chewed on or anything ~~watch me jinx this by saying that~~. Plasticy thing, what are you...]

[The thing just below the magnet seems about the size of each of their own hands. Flattish, too. It feels like there's one fairly broad part, and then it splits into one, two, three-four-five thinner, tapering appendages, each two or three inches long, gently bent at evenly-spaced joints...

Ah. It feels like a doll's hand.]

[... oh. It doesn't take long for the realization of just what it is that's inside to sink in, and--]

No. Nonononono, why of all things...!!

[Is he looking a bit pale? He may be looking just a bit pale right about now.]

What if we just left this alone and didn't mess with it further? Whatever is in here can't be that important, surely...

[Yuri blinks.]

It... just feels like a doll hand?

[Some condescension seeps into Yuri's tone.]

In any case, I surmise we're supposed to find the matching hands, perhaps.

Yes, and that's exactly the problem...

[Okay. Time for a deep breath.]

Ugh... we can't see them, at least, so I suppose as long as that's the case...

[Ohhhhh he hates this so much, but he's going to give that doll hand a squeeze. Does it feel like it might have a magnet in it?]

[It sure does. The hand is actually being held to the ceiling with the strength of the magnet. If either of you moves the magnet, the hand will move, too.

Also, now that they've both stuck their hands in the coffin holes, the outlines of the hands disappear. Instead, the outline of a whole human body lights up on the lid.

Or it would be a whole body. Five areas are missing: the head, a hand, the torso, one leg, and the opposite foot.]

[As soon as the outline appears-]

Ah! This will make things so much easier. We do the head and feet first, and then finish off with the hands.

[Yuri will fiddle with the magnets, feeling the doll parts until she finds the one with the doll head.]

[She finds one that definitely feels large, round, and topped with long, fake hair. Ew.]

[YURI CAN HAVE THAT ONE, in the meantime Garry is going to be trying to get that hand into place since he's... already kind of holding it... thanks he hates it.]

[Once it clicks into place, the outline of the hand on the lid lights up, and the magnet attached to the hand no longer moves.

Nice!]

[By the time Garry starts work on whatever second limb, Yuri will probably have carefully transferred the head over to where it belongs.]

[Click! Same thing happens: the outline of the head lights up, and the magnet will no longer move.

The next doll piece is larger than even the head, and broad. Vaguely rectangular is perhaps a good description. There's a small dip, just about the right size to poke a fingertip into, towards one end of it.]

... hmm. Are we supposed to slot the leg into here, do you think...?

[Just kind of poking his finger at that dip to see if anything happens... ohhhhhh he hates this.]

Hmm, perhaps... Do you think you can get the other hand while I work on the legs?

Yes, I can do that. The sooner we finish this the better, in my opinion...

[Time to see if he can't find that other hand in there!]

[Meanwhile, Yuri will search for that first leg to slot it in.]

[Right! Well, the dip Garry stuck his finger in was kind of the same width and depth of a belly button. So that's probably the torso.

Only one hand was missing from the outline, and the other has been restored. Garry can find one more doll piece with five little digits on it, though they're much shorter and stubbier than fingers. This little piggy went to mark it, this little piggy stayed home...

Yuri finds something long and mostly cylindrical, though it, too, kind of tapers. Seems leg-like, right?]

[Not sure if better or worse than he was expecting...]

... ah. I think I found the foot. And the... body.

MINGLE | WEEK TWO

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