TEST DRIVE

[stigematize]

Maybe you've been here for a while, or maybe you just got here. Either way, you're all in the same situation - you've been turned into a magical gemstone and stranded in a foreign world! And all you've been left with is the clothes on your back, stripped of all powers except one.

Clearly, you’ll just have to make the best of it.

How this works:

☆ This is a test drive for cosmographia, which means you should get a little familiar with the setting and premise.

☆ Otherwise, this is just meant to help you feel out how you may play and serves mainly as a chill interest gathering and get together kind of post! No app necessary, and you don't need to play in this post to apply - or vice versa.

☆ Everybody is welcome! There are no character limitations; pg au oc canon pigeon whatever. Just toss up a topcomment and/or jump any threads that pique your interest.

☆ Rules-wise: Be cool to yourself and others, and keep in mind the other game rules too.

☆ If you do apply to the game and are accepted, and you want to keep the CR, you may so long as what you did isn't setting breaking and everyone involved agrees.


YOUR OPTIONS:

☆ You find yourself in the Heart of a ruined temple. There is a large glowing gem that thrums with some kind of rhythm, and jewels scattered all over the room, kept in strange bubbles. At the very least, touching the large gem will give you a standard info-dump, but some of you might be a little cautious about touching weird luminescent gems. Good thing that there are other people there too!

☆ Or perhaps you already know everything there is to know, and are there in the Heart of the Ruined Temple to greet new arrivals. Or perhaps you simply had business there already, like storing away a corrupted gem from a monster, when someone new seemingly dropped in from no where.

☆ It's Farmer's Market day in the plaza of Waverly Bay! Perhaps you're there perusing the goods and strike up conversation, or accidentally bump into someone and get to know them that way. It's a fairly standard day.

☆ There's an event! You don't really know what else to call them - missions, perhaps? But something in the temple was triggered, and the glowy Heart gem has something new to "tell" you: If you want a new power, you should try telling other people two truths and a lie. Those who you interact with must try and divine the lie from your statements.

You have no idea how something this simple will get you a power, but hey.

Comments

[exceptionallybright]

[DID SOMEBODY SAY SUPERHEROS?!

Justice Knight never had any real magical ability. He would claim that it didn't bother him and any possible deficit from it was more than smoothed over by his massive amounts of money and technology (and he probably would have been honest), but now that he was aware that he had been given a special power, it ...called to him. Even though he hadn't had a clue what it was or how to use it. Justice had tried logically deducing it, but to no end. So he sneaked off to a seemingly remote and empty part of the temple to try and find it by force, starting with the only noticeable difference he had been able to pick up on - a block of pyrite embedded in the middle of his collarbone.

Justice strikes a pose that looks, in his opinion, "powerful" while making a point to stick his neck out.]

H-YAAAAH!

[perceptively]

[ hearing a loud cry wouldn't normally stir darcy, but this.... this is no ordinary cry. this is a war cry.

and she doesn't like it when people fight!

luckily she wasn't too far away from the source, and rounds a corner to see... some guy. posing in a weird way?

she sticks out her arms and hands straight in front of her and gives him a blank stare, but the gesture says "what the fuck is this?" ]

[exceptionallybright]

[He was still all fired up for another go (maybe if he had his head back this time?) when he realizes he's being watched. For the briefest moment he feels like he's experiencing the unbearable, but then he moves on.]

THIS IS A MERE TRAINING EXERCISE!

[He's still yelling for some reason. Maybe it's from his build up being suddenly diverted. Or maybe he's clinging to the idea that being loud enough will show that he's totally not embarrassed]

[perceptively]

[ there's another minute of intense staring - it's not at his face though, it's at his position. after she decides she's done, she inches her way next to him and struggles to get herself in the same position.

it's awkward and not as embarrassing skilled as his is, but she gives him a thumbs up and an approving nod anyway. ]

[exceptionallybright]

[Doing his best not to falter one bit, Justice gives a firm nod back. He starts stretching and straightening up for his next move. In a moment he speaks up with his recovered confidence, in an indoor voice this time.]

You've heard the large gem giving references to "superpowers", I imagine? I've been doing an investigation and I suspect there's a connection to the jewels that are on everyone.

[perceptively]

[ continuing to mimic him, she nods once more after he finishes and deduces quite quickly that this man is one interesting fellow. which could mean a lot of other things, too - she's already thinking his suspicion is a pretty smart one.

she points to the purple and sharp-looking gem on her cheek and then to the gem on his chest and keeps pointing to one, then the other again, like there could be a connection between their gems. ]

[exceptionallybright]

[Nice kid, he thinks. Kind of a quiet one. Not that he considers that a bad thing, he likes a good listener.

Justice taps his own crystal with his finger. As unnatural as a piece of mineral sticking out of his body sounds like it should feel, Justice can't help but feel a little proud of it. It helps that it matches his color scheme.]

Precisely! And, because our gems are in such prominent positions, our powers should be similarly obvious!

[perceptively]

[ she takes another moment to marvel at his gem. it couldn't be gold, gold doesn't have that kind of texture (also, she's pretty sure gold is a metal). it could be fool's gold, but that option barely stays in her head for a moment. there are probably other gems that look like gold too. she doesn't know enough about this stuff to be sure.

his suggestion embarrasses her a little bit though. their gems are in prominent positions - it is true, but it also makes her self conscious. he looks pretty content with it, at least.

either way, she offers a third and final nod, complete with a tiny smile, and concentrates more on his... interesting exercise regimen. if this will get them these 'superpowers,' then it couldn't hurt to try. ]

[exceptionallybright]

[Alright, moving on to the next attempt - Justice makes a movement that can best be described as "how far can you stick your head out without moving your legs"]

H-Hrugh!

[perceptively]

[ it's right at this very moment that she remembers she's actually not very flexible. despite these limitations, she'll at least try to follow to a lesser extent - it's a gradual process, but it's better than nothing.

once she feels like she's about to fall down and take him with her, she reverts back to standard position and sheepishly shrugs at him. and she decides to throw in a small, slow clap too, just because he lasted longer. ]

[no_refunds]

You ok there, pal? Should I call an ambulance? Bahaha!

[It'd probably be best to ignore the mean-spirited chuckles from the other side of the room. Stan had no idea that anybody else was in here until that weird yell happened. Plus that pose is... kinda silly, honestly.]

[exceptionallybright]

[He had intended to wear for this unusually noisy meditation session an expression of intensity but the laughter induces some not-so-subtle spasms of his jaw]

Th-th-the situation is entirely fine here, I inform you!

[no_refunds]

Yeah, yeah, sure. Listen, y'might have a better go at it if you loosen up a bit. ...But hey, what do I know? I can't get this dang thing to work either.

[He flicks the Obsidian stone stuck in his right palm, creating a light tink noise. They're all stuck in this weirdness together, right? He sighs and leans back against the temple wall.]

Riling yourself up to the point of spontaneous combustion probably ain't gonna do you any favors, is all.

[exceptionallybright]

[That makes him shut his eyes for a bit - he's frustrated that he can't argue with him. He slides into a different pose, with slightly bent knees, arms pointing dramatically. It would be comparable to a kid trying "kung-fu" gestures if the reference wouldn't have gone over his head.]

You and others might not have any problems saying that, but it would be irresponsible as a Knight of Justice if I did not make every effort to find out.

[no_refunds]

["Knight of Justice"? Oh, boy... Stan walks over to Justice, giving his battle-ready posture a quick up and down glance.

Well... Maybe if he helps this guy out, he can figure out what the heck is wrong with his own gem.]

Fair enough. So what is it you're trying to do, exactly?

[exceptionallybright]

I'm trying to think of an action that truly feels like I'm "using" the gem. If it was so easy to use these powers, then there would be nothing preventing it from going off all the time!

[no_refunds]

Good point. Not sure if your kung fu moves are the trick to turning it on, though.

[He opens and closes his hand around his gem. It just feels like a rock.]

Didn't that giant heart boulder say somethin' about weapons? Maybe try concentrating on that.

[exceptionallybright]

But I - [Draws out large sword from his back] - already have a fine weapon. [He looks at it, turning it over a bit. Sure it's gold like his gem but it was always gold.]

[no_refunds]

[...Just gonna take a step back away from the sword, but he's not leaving. As long as Justice doesn't take a swing at him.]

No need for that, then. What else can these things do?

[lookoutforthetriangleguy]

Whoo! Take it down a notch there, Muscles, you don't wanna scare the big rock off! Haha!

[The speaker steps into view, a tall whip-thin man in a frankly garish black and yellow suit with a top hat. He steps forward, leaning forward on his cane and fixes the large man with a wide grin, let eye covered by a triangular eyepatch.]

Nah, I'm just kidding! That was pretty impressive! Very, uh, heroic-like!

[exceptionallybright]

Whoa!

[That surprises him, enough to almost fall face-forward. That disaster avoided, Justice resumes his straight-face.]

I'm glad you think that way. It's in my very nature to be the expert on all things heroic. [He puts some extra stress on the last syllable. He seems to have a bit of an European accent.]

[lookoutforthetriangleguy]

Oh, I can tell! You've got the whole thing down to a T!

[The skinny man saunters over to Justice Knight's side, that toothy grin of his never fading for an instant, and reaches out to knock on that shiny armor.]

Really dig the look too! Boy, I'll bet everyone'll feel a lot better knowing there's a hero like you around!

[exceptionallybright]

[That puts a self-satisfied smile on his face. Almost enough to make him forget the reason why he came here...

Justice decides not to mention it. He's already proclaimed himself an expert, it would be awkward to go back on that and admit he couldn't control what was supposed to be a basic function of these gemstones.]

They would be right to. I am the hero that anyone good of heart can depend on - Justice Knight! [He's practiced for several of these introductions. In this one he whips out both of the two swords kept on his back and crosses his arms, angling his swords across his chest]

[lookoutforthetriangleguy]

[Yep. Thaaat's it, big guy. Just keep eating it up, Bill can dish out the flattery all day. He even hooks his cane over his forearm and claps cordially at that goofy pose.]

Bill Cipher-feeling safer already! [He sets his cane back down in front of himself, resting both hands on it.] So, big time expert like you, I bet you've already got all this gem business figured out, huh?

Sorry for being late!

[exceptionallybright]

A pleasure to meet you, Bill Cipher. And, indeed, anything to do with hero-ing comes almost naturally.

[Trying to move the subject...]

What brings you to this area? It's secluded and likely dangerous to move around in.