why am i still writing this
[spoiler]You’ve gotten used to begrudgingly following Thorn around at this point, so you don’t think twice about following him and the other LC participants into a dimly lit room. In real life, it would be dangerous. Here, it’s just par for the course.
The lot of you sit around a table with a piece of parchment bearing a grid pattern spread out atop it. Several miniatures sit on the parchment Thorn speaks up first per usual. “Okay, I’ll cut right to the chase. I’ve been trying to organize LC-themed Dungeons & Dragons for a while now and I just want to get it started. Who wants in?” obfusc8 raises his hand, to which Thorn responds, “Okay, grab a miniature.” obfusc8 reaches for one… and suddenly, a tiny obfusc8 appears in the place of the miniature with the normal obfusc8 nowhere to be seen.
“Hah! I wondered who I’d get first,” exclaims Thorn. “Everybody grab a miniature and get on the game board.” You grab one and miniaturize just as fast as obfusc8 had as the rest of the participants and Thorn join you. Thorn again speaks up. “So, Leg 1 was about getting to specific locations, Leg 2 was about breaking dream physics, and Leg 3 is about manipulating your dream self. All of this week’s tasks are designed for miniature dreamers, and… uh…”
Thorn trails off and looks behind the group. You turn around to see the usual troll sitting at what is normal size to him but colossal to you, looking down at you devilishly. Thorn’s shout of “RUN!” is unnecessary as everybody instinctively flees.[/spoiler]
Week 5: LD4small
This task will have one BIG restriction on it (there’s the pun!): you can only earn points if you are no taller than six inches (about 15 centimeters). Large environments will not count, nor will finding ways to explore a small environment at normal size; you must be tiny.
Shrink to the required size: The first time you manage it at all, you’ll get these points. 20 points
Explore a model of a location: Any toy or decoration meant to resemble a miniature version of what could feasibly be a real-life location will do. 20 points* Explore a dollhouse: 20 points
- Wander around a model city: 20 points
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Get inside of a snow globe: 20 points
Use a keyboard: Your fingers may be resting on one right now, effortlessly able to push down keys. Can you type a message while the size of a fingertip? That, or perhaps you could play a tune on a piano keyboard. 20 points
Use a toy racetrack: Gotta go fast relative to your size! This is a great way to earn some missing Week 4 points if you put an inversion on the track or grind a slot car’s rail. 30 points* Ride a miniature car: 20 points
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Use your hovergear on the track: 20 points
Play a board/tabletop game: Be a living chess piece, get caught in a game of Mouse Trap, be your D&D character as the actual miniature, actually be involved in the game of Life or Chutes & Ladders… the possibilities are endless. 30 points
Wander through grass: This is the stereotypical scene for shrunken characters in fiction. Wander through what may appear to be a jungle where your lawn used to be. 30 points
Explore a small animal’s living quarters: People are creeped out enough by rodents, insects, and the like even when the size difference is massive. How will you react when you’re looking them in the eyes? Will you still assert your dominance over them? 40 points* Explore a mouse hole or rodent/bird nest: 20 points
- Explore an anthill or ant farm, spider web, beehive, or other bug’s nest: 20 points
- Explore a small animal’s cage (hamster, lizard, etc.): 20 points
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Swim in a fish tank: 20 points
Interact with a much larger creature: Every hackneyed plot about shrinking has this happen at some point. Now it’s your turn! Creatures at least as big as a house cat will count for this task. 40 points* Climb the creature: 20 points -
Interact with a normal-sized LC participant or the host: 40 points
Ride a living thing for flight: Maybe you can fly all by yourself, but this way you can imagine you’re a noble knight riding a dragon or something… except you’re a tiny man riding a bug, a bird, a flying LC participant/host, or something else. Same difference. 40 points
See microscopic organisms, molecules, or other impossibly small things: Witness the building blocks of life or even of all existence. 40 points
Explore inside a living thing: Yes, we’re referencing Fantastic Voyage. If being in a body grosses you out, perhaps you could explore inside a plant? 40 points
Complete another task with a shrunken LC participant or a shrunken host: I’m sure other participants would love to join you for such a fantastic expedition. I know I’d be up for joining you, and any LC participant who’s not for it is just a miniature party pooper! The task must be from Week 5 and must not be simply to shrink to the required size. 50 points