IT'S CURTAINS 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 sloooowlllyyyy 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!

Comments

[callmeaschemer]

[The words are well meant, she can tell that much, but they still cause the reaction of an eyebrow being raised and a scoff to be issued from her mouth]

Yeah. No. No 'feeling faint' going on here.

[dechagny]

[Well that's an odd reaction, but...it's probably also due to the shock, he thinks, and nods respectfully.]

Ah. Good! Then surely you are made of considerable strength.

[He can respect women who can keep their heads like that. Not that he doesn't respect Christine - he loves her to heaven and back - but he does feel a fool for not having made sure to heed Madame Giry's advice for that moment the Phantom caught him unawares.]

[callmeaschemer]

Nah, I'm just used to seeing the dead.

[It's a shrug. Tilting her head slightly, the curiosity is clearer]

Anyone know how it happened?

[dechagny]

...

[Ah. So this is not shock. This is complacency. Raoul shakes his head. Uh, yeah, don't think about that too hard buddy. Answer the lady's question.]

I'm afraid I can't say. The...the murderer would, of course, but I highly doubt he would be forthcoming if we were to ask. As for myself, I don't know.

[callmeaschemer]

[Mal leans back, looking thoughtful]

Cabin fever's always possible, people don't do well trapped in places.

[dechagny]

Cabin - pardon, but a cabin fever?

[He has to stop himself from feeling his own forehead in worry that he, too, may become a murderous fiend.]

[callmeaschemer]

You know, when you go stir crazy from being trapped in a place?

[dechagny]

No, I don't know - at least, that there was such a term.

[callmeaschemer]

Well, there's your new thing learnt for the day.

[dechagny]

So it is.

Would such a drive really force someone to commit murder, though? [He asks, as if the Phantom isn't proof enough.]

[callmeaschemer]

Probably? People kill others for stupid reasons, at least that one has something behind it.

[dechagny]

But how can we even be sure we'll be released if any of us get away with murder? We're essentially at the whims of the madman who kidnapped us - who is to say he isn't lying?

[callmeaschemer]

[Mal shrugs]

Not my issue.

[dechagny]

I certainly think it's something to keep in mind. If anything, it might be the only reason to dissuade a potential murderer.

[callmeaschemer]

[There's another shrug, this time accompained by a smirk]

That's my kind of company.

[dechagny]

...You do realize that such company might end badly, don't you?

[callmeaschemer]

[Mal gives a look]

I'm rotten to the core, badly is how I like things.

[dechagny]

[A sigh, and a shake of the head. Youth these days.]

If you insist. But, do have the sense to be careful about it.

[callmeaschemer]

[Mal rolls her eyes]

I'm always in control of what I do. Except for coming here, but we can't have everything now.

[dechagny]

No, of course not. I would have happily chosen a dozen more amiable places to find myself in than this one.

[callmeaschemer]

So would everyone else. Like I said. Can't always get what you want.