✝ 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

[toiletseat_girl]

[she's spent some time trying to get her team back to normal, but it's no use

so she's trying another tactic: getting closer to the wedding party to see if she can find any clues there]

[wwjd]

[The altar is pretty open to approach. No one is stopping you from getting closer, but you'll pass rows full of bodies in other team colors on the way. The old man—"Loving Father"—is officiating the wedding between Kirei, in his groom's clothes, and the "Loving Wife", in her wedding dress. There are flowers amassing over the altar and a podium and so forth, but that's about all you can see from a distance.

Will you explore the altar?]

[toiletseat_girl]

[yes, she's exploring the altar after carefully pretending that she doesn't recognize anyone else in the pews

she wants to find out what's going on]

[wwjd]

[There's not much that's apparently weird or noteworthy. Dad is holding a Bible... Wife is carrying flowers.

On the ground is a cushion, bearing two golden rings. Why is it on the floor?

Along the sides of the altar, there are two rows of six golden circles painted on the wood—one row at Kirei's side, the other at Wife's side. They're in perfect formation for bridesmaids and groomsmen, basically. Stepping on them makes you immediately become rigid, and you turn to face the center of the altar for a few seconds, your attention directed to the priest and the newlyweds where they stand. Afterwards, you are released.

This routine happens every time you step on a golden circle.]

[toiletseat_girl]

[she accidentally steps into one of the rings and is stuck in place for a few seconds, then is released and breathes a sigh of relief

after that adventure, she's checking out the cushion with the rings]

[wwjd]

[A distant record of a memory fills your mind:

She has said, in no vague words, that she wants to marry you.

She can't begin the wedding herself, of course—even if she's eager, that's not how things work around here. So, it must be you. And you are faced with the decision; finally, definitely, marry this woman who claims to love you like a wife would, or turn her down after months of being engaged.

You have some regret, but... There is still some hope in you. Perhaps this could be it. Every man is completed by marriage to a woman, and maybe this is your best chance. You have certainly not tried it before... It is something.

This might save you. This might fix you.

You feel terribly guilty for using this woman like an experiment, in the end, in that way—but you also think she would not mind it, even if she knew the truth. She is that sort of vibrant person.

The cushion can be lifted, and the rings can be removed.]

[toiletseat_girl]

[muttering to herself] Maybe she wouldn't mind it, but I sure would. [looks up for a moment to glare at the groom]

[picks up the cushion and picks up both rings to examine them more closely]

[wwjd]

[He doesn't respond.

They are normal, unremarkable rings. You could put them on anyone's fingers (including the newlyweds') if you wanted. They're gold. They bear no markings or engravings.

They are far more heavy than you'd expect based upon their size, however.]

[toiletseat_girl]

[notices that]

...that's weird.

[tries on the ring that looks like it's for the wife]

[wwjd]

[You're wearing her ring. Are you proud of yourself?]

[toiletseat_girl]

[more like wistful. she'd never imagined getting married while she was alive but now that she's dead, the idea isn't as horrifying as it used to be]

[wwjd]

[Do you want to get married to him?]

[toiletseat_girl]

[she almost says yes. almost. but, there's someone else she cares for]

[wwjd]

[Who?

No one ever said this had to be "their" wedding.]

[toiletseat_girl]

[none of your business

but George is saying no and is trying to take the ring off]

[wwjd]

[It comes off. Lucky you.]

[toiletseat_girl]

[now about trying to fix her team...

yes that means she's interrupting the wedding]

Hey. HEY. Who are you and what the fuck did you do to my team?

[wwjd]

[Nothing happens.

Perhaps you shouldn't shout at inanimate figures...

Do you touch them, at all? ... While you're interrupting.]

[toiletseat_girl]

[she does, she tries shaking the groom because he's closest]

[wwjd]

[He moves, rocking back and forth but keeping his steady form. It feels like you could move him.]

[toiletseat_girl]

[hauls him back to the pew where she stashed her team]

Look at them! Did you do this? Do you know who did?

[wwjd]

[There is no answer. He's frozen.]

[toiletseat_girl]

[pulls out the knife (which she'd stashed in her belt, shhh, she totally did) and holds it to his throat]

Answer me!

[wwjd]

[The knife is a very special thing to you! Of course you've kept onto it, if you saw it that way.

He still doesn't answer.]

[toiletseat_girl]

[she digs the knife in a little]

If you don't tell me how to help them, I'll do it. I'll cut your throat.