Sibelle Grey
Worldweaver
Angst, angst, angst-y angst. Kinda Gossip Girl meets PLL meets my angsty, exam-weary little mind. I have this idea, and I'd like some feedback.
Short version:
The weekend before the start of senior year, a group of friends honor the old tradition of a back-to-school getaway. Most of them have known each other for years growing up in their picture-perfect suburb together, camping in each other's backyards, carpooling to soccer games, trick or treating among the same old houses. Before they're separated by college prep, life, and differing ambitions, they head up to the house in the mountains one last time.
But after one of them disappears on the getaway, nothing is ever the same.
Characters:
If the Newbie was hurt, then why, and by whom? Was it the Golden Child, enraged at their authority being challenged? The Glue, jealous over their budding relationship with the Siren and toxic friendship with Golden? The Siren, angry about their wandering eye? Or the Adult, feeling threatened about this new person in their SO's life?
That's for the killer to know, or be blissfully unaware of, and for us to find out.
I've left all of these roles gender neutral, because they could go any which way, and I'm considering aging the characters up a couple of decades. Late-thirty-somethings catching up with old friends, rather than teenagers catching up before school starts. I like high school stories featuring teenagers, and I like drama and romance and complicated relationships, so I've mixed them all into a sort of whodunit-type roleplay where I would torment us all by giving each character a motive and opportunity to kill the character and only revealing/deciding who actually did it near the end of the whole thing.
But how do I do that while nudging everyone in the right direction? How do I make sure the innocents stay innocent and sure of their innocence with just the right amount of doubt? How do I make the guilty doubt their own guilt? I have a couple of plot twists in mind, but I don't want to deus ex machina this and have someone completely out of left field commit the murder. This is going to be either a 1x1x1 with one person doubling, or a 1x1 with both of us doubling, or a four-person group (although I'm hesitating with the last one even if it makes the most sense to me). If I could do this right, it would be so much fun tbh
Feedback, suggestions!
Short version:
The weekend before the start of senior year, a group of friends honor the old tradition of a back-to-school getaway. Most of them have known each other for years growing up in their picture-perfect suburb together, camping in each other's backyards, carpooling to soccer games, trick or treating among the same old houses. Before they're separated by college prep, life, and differing ambitions, they head up to the house in the mountains one last time.
But after one of them disappears on the getaway, nothing is ever the same.
Characters:
"Being perfect is harder than you'd think."
Unofficial yet indisputable leader of the group, GC was the one who brought the group together, friend by friend, until the five of them were inseparable. Charismatic and respected by all, they're usually the coolest person in the room. But despite seeming picture-perfect, GC's carrying a few burdens of their own.
Unofficial yet indisputable leader of the group, GC was the one who brought the group together, friend by friend, until the five of them were inseparable. Charismatic and respected by all, they're usually the coolest person in the room. But despite seeming picture-perfect, GC's carrying a few burdens of their own.
"It'll be just like old times. Best friends, right?"
GL has always been Golden's best friend, closest to them out of the entire group. They're the shoulder to cry on, the fixer, the one who finds solutions and helps others bear burdens, the reason they've all stayed friends for this long. Fiercely protective, GL would do almost anything for their friends-- when your family's shit, you build yourself a new one. How far GL's loyalty stretches is left to be seen.
GL has always been Golden's best friend, closest to them out of the entire group. They're the shoulder to cry on, the fixer, the one who finds solutions and helps others bear burdens, the reason they've all stayed friends for this long. Fiercely protective, GL would do almost anything for their friends-- when your family's shit, you build yourself a new one. How far GL's loyalty stretches is left to be seen.
"If I'd known shit would get this bad, I'd have stayed away from both of you."
S has caused a few rifts, if only because everyone's found them irresistible at one point or another. Artistic, geeky, reckless and too attractive for their own good, S dated GL for quite a while (to GC's well-hidden chagrin).They're preparing to go abroad for college and between choosing a path and trying to deal with their jumbled feelings, S has just enough time to drive themself insane with guilt over their missing friend.
S has caused a few rifts, if only because everyone's found them irresistible at one point or another. Artistic, geeky, reckless and too attractive for their own good, S dated GL for quite a while (to GC's well-hidden chagrin).They're preparing to go abroad for college and between choosing a path and trying to deal with their jumbled feelings, S has just enough time to drive themself insane with guilt over their missing friend.
"Group this and squad that, God, will you just let it go?!"
A is S's cousin and easily the most mature of them all. They find the whole 'clique' thing to be a bit childish, and frequently scoff at GC's attempts to assert their togetherness and 'supremacy' over their town's social scene. They're the least attached to this group of friends, being involved in a bunch of activities and having tons of other friends, but an active part of it nonetheless. And upon returning from the getaway, where they got blackout drunk, A is the first to realize that things just aren't adding up.
A is S's cousin and easily the most mature of them all. They find the whole 'clique' thing to be a bit childish, and frequently scoff at GC's attempts to assert their togetherness and 'supremacy' over their town's social scene. They're the least attached to this group of friends, being involved in a bunch of activities and having tons of other friends, but an active part of it nonetheless. And upon returning from the getaway, where they got blackout drunk, A is the first to realize that things just aren't adding up.
"You're just mad because you can't help but love me."
N is new in town, and draws others to them like moths to a flame. When they catch S's eye, they slowly become part of the group, although some are hesitant to let them in, especially GC. Newbie and Golden are often at odds, if only because they're so similar in temperament-- the ultimate love-hate relationship. N is invited along on the trip, despite being at odds with both GC and A (whose SO seems to be eyeing N). When N disappears on the eve of the group's return into town, suspicion is cast upon anyone and everyone who might have had a motive to harm them.
N is new in town, and draws others to them like moths to a flame. When they catch S's eye, they slowly become part of the group, although some are hesitant to let them in, especially GC. Newbie and Golden are often at odds, if only because they're so similar in temperament-- the ultimate love-hate relationship. N is invited along on the trip, despite being at odds with both GC and A (whose SO seems to be eyeing N). When N disappears on the eve of the group's return into town, suspicion is cast upon anyone and everyone who might have had a motive to harm them.
If the Newbie was hurt, then why, and by whom? Was it the Golden Child, enraged at their authority being challenged? The Glue, jealous over their budding relationship with the Siren and toxic friendship with Golden? The Siren, angry about their wandering eye? Or the Adult, feeling threatened about this new person in their SO's life?
That's for the killer to know, or be blissfully unaware of, and for us to find out.
I've left all of these roles gender neutral, because they could go any which way, and I'm considering aging the characters up a couple of decades. Late-thirty-somethings catching up with old friends, rather than teenagers catching up before school starts. I like high school stories featuring teenagers, and I like drama and romance and complicated relationships, so I've mixed them all into a sort of whodunit-type roleplay where I would torment us all by giving each character a motive and opportunity to kill the character and only revealing/deciding who actually did it near the end of the whole thing.
But how do I do that while nudging everyone in the right direction? How do I make sure the innocents stay innocent and sure of their innocence with just the right amount of doubt? How do I make the guilty doubt their own guilt? I have a couple of plot twists in mind, but I don't want to deus ex machina this and have someone completely out of left field commit the murder. This is going to be either a 1x1x1 with one person doubling, or a 1x1 with both of us doubling, or a four-person group (although I'm hesitating with the last one even if it makes the most sense to me). If I could do this right, it would be so much fun tbh
Feedback, suggestions!
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