✝ even though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death ✝ heart game

[wwjd]

**TW: please note general potential warnings for murder, rape, suicide/mentions of suicide, gore, disturbing content/imagery, death, animal cruelty, cannibalism. This list will be updated as needed! Do not hesitate to PM me if something you aren't comfortable with ever comes up!**

[You’re suddenly in an open, expansive room. It’s huge. If you’re familiar with the setting or have the ability to compare it to something similar, it’s like the interior of a church—pews surround you, all centered around an altar, and all of the normal religious paraphernalia—Bibles, baptismal tools, sacramental wine and bread—is present as well, in its expected place for a church or set up on a table before the altar. The area is for the most part so dark, however, that you cannot clearly see around you for farther than a few feet. It feels like nighttime, but, well, you can’t look beyond the shadows to spy the windows to know for sure...

In this deep darkness, the well-lit altar is like a beacon. Blazing candles encircle it, and you can perceive at least four human-shaped figures standing upon it. Are they alive? Watch long enough, and you’ll understand that they don’t move, shift, or even breathe.

Also, you are dressed like an angel. ( 1 , 2 , 3 , or 4 ) Have fun!

You are directly in the middle of the central aisle, one that leads to the altar. What will you do?]

((game notes!

1) you are welcome to tag in at any time. this heart game will be running from december 10th to december 16th! please realize i have rl responsibilities and will not always be available to tag during the mornings/afternoons of every day, but in general i will be around.

2) my goal is to get everyone to at least one "room" outside of the church, but if that doesn't happen, it's okay! c:

3) this is my first time running a game thing/heart game, so if you notice any major problems or just want to check in with me about something, please do! i am doing my best (exercise_smiley)

4) again, i take comfort levels seriously. never hesitate to pm me if something is too squicky for you. i will change it right away!))

Comments

[wwjd]

[The path to the altar is long, flanked by pews, and it doesn't seem like anything prevented you from stepping into that first pew—nor is anything preventing you from passing into the others.

Will you try to reach the altar?]

[decomposed]

[ yes. he'll try to see if they're statues, at least ]

[wwjd]

[You can't get close enough to really see anything distinguishing about the bodies, unfortunately, much less touch them. Just at the end of the aisle, you bump into a prayer rail—it wasn't there before. It blocks your way and prevents you from reaching the altar.

More importantly, a crisp, airy but masculine voice rings out from behind you.]

Stop, you fool. This glorious King of Heroes demands it. I shall have some words with you.

[decomposed]

[ he's already real tempted to ignore this fucko

but he slowly turns to face the source of the voice, waiting for him to continue ]

[wwjd]

[There is a blonde man sitting at the end of a pew, close to the aisle. He's apparently naked, but some rich, red cloth is wrapped around his shoulders.]



You are something of an angel, are you not...? Hmm. Perhaps, on second thought, you actually feel rather at home in this detestable place. You probably wish to pray and celebrate God as your ignorant practices plead of you.

[decomposed]

[


turns away. can he walk around the end of the railing? ]

[wwjd]

[Yes.]

[decomposed]

[ cool. he is going to return to trying to investigate the possibly-statues then ]

[wwjd]

You’ll have to head to the altar to do that.

There are four stand-up cardboard displays in human form, like those oversized cutouts of celebrities for movies—if you’re familiar with those. The cardboard figures form a semicircle slicing through the center of the altar, cutting from one side to the other. They appear to be of an older man, a woman holding a baby, a man—neither too young nor too old, and a much younger man; actually, it’s Kuuha from Sakura, if you know him. Each of them wear signs that announce who they are, though you will have to step closer to really read them.

There is a message written on the platform of the altar, beneath your feet, in dried, red blood that sinks into the cracks between the polished wooden boards—having been smeared there haphazardly as if someone used their fingertip. It reads, simply,

STAB THE LIAR. ☺

And you feel the weight of a knife in your hand.]

[decomposed]

[ what if I. just don't

what if my reaction to everything in this entire heart is "no"

he does approach the figures, to read the signs, but also to see if there's anything else of note on or near the altar ]

[wwjd]

[There's nothing out of the ordinary aside from the figures. Which, speaking of...

At the rightmost side, the sturdy cardboard(?) cutout of an elderly man stands. Around his neck is a placard that reads “LOVING FATHER”.

Between the elderly man and adult man is a cardboard figure of a young woman with white, almost transparent hair. She is smiling, despite her thin, clearly ill frame and the eyepatch plastered to one eye. She carries a baby in her arms, a toddling thing with hair just as pure white as hers but eyes that are cool, empty, and dull gold—the baby girl seems to be her own separate figure, and it feels like you could pluck her right out of the slot between the woman’s arms if you wanted. A placard is looped around both of their necks, and reads “LOVING WIFE AND DAUGHTER”.

Between the woman holding the baby and the younger man is a tall gentleman, with dark hair. His elegantly sculpted beard makes you imagine someone who really has his act together. His blue eyes might even seem familiar, calling up the memory of someone else—oh, perhaps he’s related to someone you saw once, in the forest? His clothing is a smooth red suit. Nevertheless, he smiles warmly, looking at you as he would a beloved student with his wine goblet in hand, and it makes sense, because the placard hanging from his neck reads “LOVING TEACHER”.

Last but not least, there is a cardboard cutout of a member of Sakura, a younger man, someone that perhaps you have seen in passing—in any case, even if you don’t know him, his appearance is distinctive enough. He has spiky, white hair that trails down his shoulders and sakura-colored robes that are designed like a priest’s garb. Indeed, he wears a cross, and he’s holding his arms open wide, smiling gently, like he welcomes the word of the Lord from the ceiling of the church itself. It’s Kuuha, and the placard hanging around his neck reads, “LOVING OLDER BROTHER”.]

[decomposed]

[ ... older brother????

in any case. he's going to see if he find the doors to the back rooms. hopefully he can just... leave these here. stabbing none is an answer right ]

[wwjd]

[That's what it says. He could be a "liar", any of them could be, if you want to believe the smeared blood.

Interestingly enough, if you step down from the altar and head to way in back—there are a few rooms, or at least, doors to rooms in the little hallways along the alcoves extending from the altar, but... they don't open or anything. It's as if they're completely there for show.

Do you spend some time back here, anyway, exploring?]

[decomposed]

[ he does. if nothing else he'll try all the doors, just in case ]

[wwjd]

[At the very end of one of the hallways, when you linger in the same spot for too long, you swear you taste the rich hint of wine touching your tongue. It quenches your throat so thoroughly you feel like you will never be thirsty again. It's so intoxicating and so pleasant that you just want to stay here

have sex

laugh

kill.

The door's knobs can be turned, but they do not open. They are made of wood, and you can try other things with them if you want; no one's necessarily preventing you from this.]

[decomposed]

[ he. moves to a different door that isn't near that feeling.

he doesn't try to break it down (yet), he just tries to "feel" with magic senses if he can determine the shape of the room behind the door, if there is anything. or if there's anything physical blocking the door, like a deadbolt or an obstacle. it's just tracking the physical presence/shapes of things etc. tho also he can sense souls ]

[wwjd]

[The door has three souls behind it.]

[decomposed]

[ is it deadbolted shut. can he magic-pick the lock. or is it closed by some other means? ]

[wwjd]

[It's not clear what it's closed by, necessarily, but it seems impossible to open no matter what you try.]

[decomposed]

[ knocks on the door ]

[wwjd]

[Nothing.]

[decomposed]

[ ???

ARE THERE PEOPLE BEHIND OTHER DOORS TOO

ARE THOSE DOORS ALSO IMPASSABLE ]

[wwjd]

[They are impassable, but you don't sense any more souls, oddly enough.

You have that knife in your hand. You're reminded you could STAB THE LIAR.]

[decomposed]

[ what if he still, doesn't do that thing

he's going to look for a way out of the church, actually. if he has to go back through the main area he will ]

[wwjd]

[The blonde man is still seated where you left him. He sort of quirks his lips at you from a distance, smiling in amusement.

There is no way out. There are windows, and there are great doors near the tops of the aisles, but there is no clear way for how to leave the church itself.]