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Ryokan Suzuran
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Ryokan Suzuran
Ryokan Suzuran
The CBer sat in the shade outside their house, staring up at the single cloud in the sky. It was nearly July, and already sweltering hot. They wondered idly if it was going to rain tomorrow.
A bird glided over from somewhere behind them. Oddly, it landed right at their feet, seemingly unafraid. As the CBer watched, it set down a scroll, and stared at them for a second before flapping away. The CBer watched it go, then opened the missive.
You are invited to a free* thirty-one day** vacation at the luxurious Ryokan Suzuran! Located in a scenic valley, we offer hiking trails, hot springs and traditional Japanese rooms and services, all for no cost!* To accept, simply bury this message in open soil and water lightly. Guests and luggage to be transported by dragon.***
*Popcorn not included.
**Length of vacation may vary.
***Guests may not keep their dragons upon arrival.
The Ryokan Suzuran is not to be held responsible for any loss of property, sanity, health, or life. Weapons and popcorn-making supplies will be confiscated on arrival. By accepting this offer, you agree to all terms and conditions. All rights reserved.
The CBer leapt up, scroll in hand, and ran inside to find a watering can.
~~~
We are Summer and Sukāretto, proprietors of the Ryokan Suzuran. We will be accepting 32 guests, including AEs and Captchas. The password is Lily. All who wish to attend must fill out this sheet.
Name:
CBer, AE, Captcha, or Captchae:
Appearance:
Personality:
Strengths:
Weaknesses:
Reason for attending:
Luggage:
Reaction to an unexpected shower of cherry blossom petals:
Password:
Other:
Anyone who does not fill out their sheet before July 1st will be eaten by their dragon. We look forward to meeting you!
submitted by Summer & Sukāretto, the mountains
(June 15, 2018 - 5:57 am)
(June 15, 2018 - 5:57 am)
I think the murderer is either Allie, Viola?, or MJ. Also, are we allowed to guess who you are, will you reveal at the end, or will we be forever wondering?
(July 11, 2018 - 12:14 am)
I'm personally leaning towards Viola? since she keeps disappearing. I mean, that's kind of suspicious. Either that or she's being framed somehow. Like lead astray when she goes out so she takes longer and therefor seems more suspicous?
(July 11, 2018 - 9:58 am)
Yeah, I agree about MJ, Allie, and Viola?.
Also, like I said, on the subject of Rose bud, they could always be making it obvious so we think she really isn't, but she really is...
A few questions I have:
Can we guess you two now?
Is one of you in the ski lodge as your actual CB name?
If we can't guess you now, will there be a chance to guess you at the end of the ski lodge?
Yeah.... I'm leaning towards Viola?, though I'm probably totally wrong.
(July 11, 2018 - 12:03 pm)
I have asked Sukāretto about guessing, and am waiting for her reply.
One of us has entered the ski lodge as a guest as well as a host, yes.
(July 11, 2018 - 8:53 pm)
*takes a deep breath* I think it's Sam.
(July 11, 2018 - 12:42 pm)
I think that there’s a line between suspicious behavior and lots of big clues pointing at one person. The first one is actually more suspicious, because the second one will often end up being a red herring or something to that effect. Viola?’s repeated dissapearing act is getting close to the line, so it could be that she’s killing everyone, or it could just be bad luck, or as you said, the murderer leading her astray while she’s wandering to make her a suspect.
I’ve also remembered something. In one of T.O.N.’s original ski lodges, the clues all point to one person— and then that person turns out to be the murderer, and it was meant like that so that everyone thought that the one person was not because it would be to obvious. That could be what’s going on here, and one of the really likely people is actually the murderer.
I think where I’m going with all this is that it could be anyone. It could be someone with tons of clues pointing at them, or a few clues, or even someone with no clues. It could be one of the hosts. Because of how the clues are arranged, it could be literally almost anyone.
Another thought: Do you think the murderer knows who they are? Because if they don’t, then they wouldn’t drop any hints with their behavior, and it would make it even more difficult.
My last thought (because this is getting long): I think the murderer is MJ, but I don’t really know.
And the really last thing, a note to the writers: This is really good! Thank you for writing this!
And another thing (I guess that wasn’t really the last thing), Darkfeather says ihpy. You’re happy?
(July 11, 2018 - 1:35 pm)
Many thanks.
(July 11, 2018 - 8:51 pm)
Many thanks, indeed! ^^
(July 12, 2018 - 6:14 am)
Day 11
With the disappearances of the Captchas, Spyro, Celeste and Sam were the only remaining non-CBers, and only Celeste still had a CBer. Shy Peacock was becoming very protective.
"Stay with me," she told her AE. "I don't want you to die, too, and we'll be safer if we stick together."
Claaws and Fireburst led a hunt for Darkfeather and Noon all day, beginning in the morning when the two failed to appear in their beds. They started in their rooms, expanding throughout the ryokan and gaining help as they went. By the time they began to search the gardens, Viola?, Allie, Aspen, MJ, Shy Peacock, Celeste, Kate-the-Great and Pooki P had joined them. Rose Bud didn't think anyone would trust her enough to look, Spyro was too busy eating donuts and killing time in the game room, and Tuxedo Kitten, Cockleburr and Sam had all caught colds. I went along, but did not assist. It would do little good.
The day had brought sun this time, though not much of it. I lurked in the shadows its light cast and watched the guests look through paths and plants, benches and stones. They stopped for lunch, and to discuss things.
"Do you think they're dead?" Pooki P asked.
"Noon and Darkfeather? Probably, yeah," Kate replied.
"I think Viola? is the murderer," Fireburst confided in a low tone.
"I heard that," Viola? informed her, munching calmly away.
"You have been disappearing a lot," Pooki defended.
"I know."
"It's not exactly..."
"Making me look good? Yeah. But I don't remember killing anybody."
"Which is exactly what a murderer would say," Claaws and Kate said simultaneously. "Jinx!"
"I'm kind of starting to sympathize with Rose Bud," Viola? murmured. Rose Bud looked up at the mention of her name, and Viola? shot her a half-smile.
Rose Bud, Tuxedo Kitten, Cockleburr and Sam again sat out when the meal ended, but the search party went to check the hiking trails. Pooki and Celeste shuddered when they passed the spot of HAB's fall, and many looked uncomfortable, but all returned without incident, and without the Captchas.
Evening drew near, and Fireburst and Claaws were becoming more and more agitated.
"They must be here somewhere," Fireburst said, pushing aside the same drapes she'd checked behind twice already.
"Unless they got eaten?" Claaws suggested, turning over couch cushions.
"Usually we find out about that," Shy Peacock said.
"I guess," Claaws conceded.
The group was considering going through the baths again when Aspen piped up.
"What about the secret rooms?"
"Oh yeah," Allie exclaimed.
"Let's go!"
Everyone piled into the front room. Fireburst crawled under the desk to pull the lever, but found a crumpled piece of paper there and brought it out instead.
"The secret lies under the stairs," she read to the room. The steps were quickly swarmed; Celeste discovered the button, and Kate-the-Great pressed it. Claaws and Fireburst rushed forth to their Captchas and cried with each other when they were found dead. I escorted them quietly to their rooms.
The next morning, Claaws was discovered when Shy Peacock noticed her missing from the breakfast table and Sukāretto confirmed that she had not requested room service. A piece of candy lay by her bed, but it was most likely not poisoned; a pillow had done her in.
End of day 11. Death toll: Nineteen.
Inkling, Eliana, Hibiki Starlight, Rose Bud's Sam, Wildflower, Leeli and Viri of dragons.
Jwyn of a broken neck.
Agent Winter of drowning.
Dream of strangling.
Poison of poisoning.
Blue Moon of a Zeamaizock.
Ann of burning.
Byann of being crushed.
Secret of a hit on the head.
Hotairballoon of falling.
Darkfeather and Noon of dart venom.
Claaws of smothering.
(July 11, 2018 - 8:49 pm)
I can’t help noticing that the person that Claaws last accused before being killed was Viola?. I’m wondering if there is a connection.
Darkfeather says zzxv. Are you sleeping?
(July 11, 2018 - 9:53 pm)
Hehehehe, a fear-of-discovery murder! Seems a little risky, maybe impulsive--you made that connection pretty fast. But panic doesn't really lend itself to planning.
Mexi says vowm. Looks like a sound effect--but to what? Mexi, have you manifested magic powers?
(July 12, 2018 - 4:22 pm)
Another thought I just had now: Is the note typed or handwritten? Because if it’s handwritten, maybe we can check the handwriting.
(July 12, 2018 - 12:18 am)
It was typed on a typewriter.
(July 12, 2018 - 9:51 am)
Theory: Either Summer or Sukaratto is Viola?. That would make the disappearing make sense, and also I may or may not have spied on Classified: Ryocan Suzaren. This also seems a bit like her writing style. Viola however is not a big writer so I may be mistaken on that. I’m also guessing one of you is Alizarine or Pooki P, just for the heck of it.
(July 12, 2018 - 12:16 am)
Wait, how would my being one of the hosts explain my disappearances? I don't follow... Not going to say anything about whether I am or not, though, theories are fun.
(July 12, 2018 - 4:18 pm)