It's Curtains Act 2 Test Drive

[stagemanagers]

1) CURTAINS UP

You’ve just woken up in a small dressing room, which is certainly not where you went to bed last night. Actually, do you even remember going to sleep…? Regardless, this isn't where you last were, and if you leave your room you’re going to find a lot of other people in the same state.

Go out and socialize! Most of these people may be strangers, but you’re gonna all have to get used to one another. And who knows? There may actually be a familiar face in the crowd.

2) THIS PETTY PACE

By now, you're acquainted with everybody here and you're slowly growing bored. Bored enough to kill? Hopefully not. You'd better try to find something else to do. You can always go hang out with your castmates, or maybe try and whip something up in the kitchen! There’s also a music room to keep you busy! I sure hope you like music.

3) BREAK A LEG

Comedies are fun and all, but that’s not quite what we’re about here. You’ve all just been handed this week’s motive. What do you make of it? Is it one that might actually tempt you to kill, or did you get off lightly this time? Either way, maybe you’d better look around the room and see who else is having a rough time.

4) CURTAIN

It was bound to happen eventually. Someone is dead, and now it's time to go off and investigate. Were they close to you? Are you, perhaps, feeling guilty? Either way, it's probably best not to leave anyone alone right now.

5) CUE MUSIC

Feelings in a murder-opera can get pretty gosh darn intense. Sometimes you’ve just got to let it out. And hey, if you sing a song about whatever’s going on in your head, maybe someone will hear and come help you? Either way, this is a musical – there’s not really any reason not to sing.

[Mod Note: The song mechanic is meant to be fluid and simple. You do not have to produce your own song lyrics, nor are you required to use show tunes (although we do encourage it!). If you want to rewrite existing lyrics to fit the situation, go for it! Anything goes - if Mumford and Sons expresses your character’s current emotions, then break out the banjos. We want to keep the musical mechanic as fun and simple as we can to encourage our players to use it as much as they like.]

6) WILDCARD

Make up your own prompt!

--

Questions, comments, concerned? Reach the mods on plurk at slothbless (Lynny) and lluosogrwydd (Lu) and at our public mod plurk stagemanagers. Our official Act 2 FAQ can also be found here!

Comments

2

[mcfife]

[Even when wearing loose-fitting clothes instead of armor, Angus McFife can barely reach bast his toes. Flexibility is not a priority of battle hammer-wielders.

He approaches Riley slowly, just trying to comprehend how any human could perform such feats.]

Is...is this what you do all the time?

[isawallflower]

[ Strrrrretch. Her head's bent, the line of her neck lining up with her arms as she easily reaches past her feet. At the sound of someone else, she pops up, ponytail flipping about from the speed of it. ]

Uh-huh? Beeecause I'm on the cheer squad? [ Everyone knows about cheerleading, right? ]

[mcfife]

A squad of...cheermasters? [Usually you'd have a band of musicians or performers to motivate royalty or warriors or whoever needs it, but they weren't necessarily acrobats.] And this involves performing feats of dexterity?

[Honestly, he's already impressed.]

[isawallflower]

[ Oh wow, she's never been called a master before-- Riley sits up, internally preening and curling one arm over her shoulder in a showy manner. ]

Why, yes! It's the job of the cheer squad to keep everyone energized, inspired--we are the heart of the school- no, the town! It's an honored position, one that empowers and emboldens young girls to take a stand in their community!

[ ...Well, he's got her talking, so, now she'll never shut up. ]

[mcfife]

[It needs more metal descriptors for Angus’ tastes, but she’s getting there.]

What else do you do when you’re working? Is it simply a matter of acrobatics? Do you perform for your entire town?

[It sounds like an interesting place, wherever she’s from?]

[isawallflower]

[ Her eyes have completely lit up. There's this kind of...fire in them that's all-consuming. In an instant, Riley's on her feet, bouncing on her tiptoes. ]

Oh, not just acrobatics! It's our very spirit, our nature. We...

We are the soul of the school,
The pride of the name,
The heart and the flame.
Our words are pure inspiration,
Years of creation,
Changing the nation!
We'll give you something to hold on to,
When you think your time is up.
We'll give you just the song you want to
Hear when you're out of luck.

[ And she's going through a slow routine while singing, reverently. She's filled with so much pride it's palpable. ]

We're to be role models, giving back to everyone else. We perform for anyone, everyone who happens to be there to see us.

[mcfife]

Incredible!

[Even though he’s trapped in this theater in and unknown dimension, watching Riley show off her skills makes him inspired to keep thinking of ways to escape! Even if there is no wizardry involved, her performance has power.]

Imagine if I were doing that while leading an army! Of course, I wouldn’t be dressed for battle, but it would have been a sight to see.

[isawallflower]

[ Dipping her head, almost shy, Riley rubs a hand down the side of her neck. ]

That was really nothing. You should see what the whole squad can do. There are some amazing stunts we've practiced--! ...They...we are kind of...rough, around the edges, but there's a lot of talent and potential in there!

[mcfife]

Perhaps...you can teach me some of those? [He is bored, but he would like to learn the secrets of an apprentice cheermaster. They don't have this exact thing in Fife.] IT would do some good for all of us if we kept our spirits fighting.