week one | match ceremony

[marriagebroker]

Today's Match Ceremony starts the moment the sun goes down. They will be led to a courtyard on the estate, filled to the brim with lanterns of all kinds and plush couches and chairs for them to sit on. The place is lit bright by the lanterns and the vibe is very cozy. There will be a few camera crews lingering around, ready to catch sight of the contestants as they settle in and get comfortable. There is also food and beverages, some alcohol, some non-alcoholic, for everyone to partake in.

In the center of the courtyard is a stage, hanging above it are eight lanterns, none of which are lit up. Wei Wuxian stands in the middle, dressed to impress for tonight's festivities. In one hand, he has his flute, in another, a cup of huangjiu. He lifts it merrily, giving a laugh before knocking back the alcohol and tossing the cup away. (A staff member nearby catches it, thank god.)

"Welcome, everyone! To your first match ceremony! I am your humble host and we're here to see if chemistry can happen, even under duress~!"

A staff member nearby grimaces at that. It might be the same staff member who caught the cup. It's fine, the producers won't punish him. Probably.

But characters will notice that there is a podium next to the stage for them to lock in their answers.

"For those who are new to this, let's talk about how this works. First, I will call up one of the members of Team Suibian and they will go to the podium over here, make a choice of who they think their match is, and together you will press your hands to the podium to lock it in."

He gives a hum, twirling the flute in his hand a few times before grasping it by the end and using it to point at the contestants.

"As a result of your choices, the lanterns above me will light up with however many perfect matches you've chosen. It is your job to figure out which of the choices made tonight are indeed perfect matches. If you aren't able to get any of them right, you will get a black out. Which means, someone will lose their wish. Don't do that!"

He'll let his warning hang for a moment before smiling, tapping his shoulder lazily with the flute and then grinning broadly.

"With that, let's get started."

——

Each character of Team Suibian will be called in random order, under the selections top level. Feel free to react there!

After the matches, the results top level will reveal how many are right!

Otherwise, feel free to use this log for any reactions, catherding, whatever you want for the match ceremony.

Comments

[anathemaw]

[ this guy... one of the snakes twists to look at him. ]

Mine appearance is of no import.

[gamboler]

[ He offers a polite bow of his head at the snake at least?? ]

Oh, but it is. Surely you must know that, or you would have just shown up in your pajamas.

[anathemaw]

[ one point to aventurine for being polite to snakes. ]

Thou knowest my meaning. Mine intent is an appearance proper, not one that mayest catch thine eye.

[gamboler]

What if it catches my eye regardless?

[ And the eye of several others, it seems. None of them are immune... ]

[anathemaw]

[ suddenly, messmer's charms are revealed to everyone... ]

'Tis none of my concern.

[gamboler]

It may become your concern before long, considering you'll be up to pick next week. You'll need to know who's drawn to you in order to find your match.

[anathemaw]

Naught has changed since we last spoke. This game is one of numbers; let those more easily laid low by love be paired, and let calculation deem what remaineth.

[gamboler]

[ Good heavens...he's so exhausting about this. ]

That's what you're going to leave this up to? Just..."calculations"? There are some people here who are genuinely interested in you, you know.

[ At least. He's making that assumption based on the previous day's discussions and Vibes. ]

[anathemaw]

I know it well. I should spare us both from disappointment.

[gamboler]

Not to offer advice where I'm hardly qualified, but — maybe you ought to let them decide that themselves.

[anathemaw]

[ it's a surprisingly pointed comment, and it strikes at something Messmer hadn't actually thought about. He's very used to playing the role of prince, commander, tyrant - it's become second nature for him to make the call on whatever situation is at hand. But here, he's just a man... or, more accurately, a lowly and vile serpent. Maybe he's being too self-centered. There's a pause before he answers. ]

... Perhaps. Yet I suspect the outcome changeth not.

[gamboler]

Your suspicions may very well be correct. [ No use in sugar-coating it. ] But we have a little saying at the table: don't count your chips until the game is over. You never know what hand your opponent might be holding.

[ ...Has Messmer ever played poker. Well, hopefully his meaning is clear either way. ]

[anathemaw]

[ i'm going to assume games like poker exist in elden ring land for my own sanity ]

Thou art a gambling man, I take.

[ a statement more than a condemnation. This is certainly quite the gamble he's taken - this entire game.]

[gamboler]

[ It certainly is...and on himself, a chronically lonely man, no less. Perhaps it's why he's being more stubborn about needling Messmer. ]

I am. That's also why I know that games like this never turn out the way we expect them to.