QUIET MOUNDS - STEF HEART

[abardacttofollow]

You find yourself in a stone room that looks like some sort of medieval dungeon. There are (thankfully), no torture instruments, but there is a man strung up here. One large manacle is around his neck, chaining him stiffly to the door. His hands are free, but each foot is manacled to the matching bottom corner of the doorframe. There is a visible lock on each of the three manacles.

It's Stefen, and there's a knife in his chest. Despite that, he's alive, apparently alert, and doesn't look to be in pain, perhaps due to the lulling, sense-dulling music that seems to be coming from nowhere at all—in fact, if you were in pain before you entered, it's gone here. His wound is bleeding, but only a little, and he smiles his usual bright smile at you.

Behind him, but in front of the closed door he's bound to, you can see three double sets of strings running vertically. Where they meet the floor, they are fastened, and then each runs across the floor to the three doors on the opposite wall, then under them.

There is nothing else in this room.

((OOC: Here's how this will work! Since we're doing individual runs, rather than me putting up individual top levels for areas, just jump the post itself, and I'll run everything for you within your one thread. If you're wanting to do a run with someone else, just stay in the same thread together.))

Comments

[twicebonded]

[. . . immediately horrified?]

Stefen—!

[abardacttofollow]

Vanyel-ashke, don't look so alarmed. It's all going to be all right, I promise.

[twicebonded]

[hurrying over to him, casting his mind about, testing the barriers here]

An illusion—?

[abardacttofollow]

[You feel Stefen's love for you, steady and calm]

Sort of. [he draws a deep breath.] You're inside Stefen—you're in his heart, the essence of who he is. I'm the Heart's Guard, and, as you can see, I've been put here to keep this path blocked off. I'm sorry that you're in this position, as I can't imagine it's a very comfortable one. To get out, you'll have to find your way to the Heart's Truth. That's the door behind me, and it's got a truth about me even I don't know! As you can see, to do that, you're going to need three keys.

[he gives a crooked smile after finishing that speech]

[splashofbourbon]

[well this sure ain't normal]

Stef—?!

[rushing at him, going for those chains]

[abardacttofollow]

Hello! Sorry I can't show you better hospitality but I'm all tied up right now. Careful, careful! You can't get me undone just yet.

[splashofbourbon]

[he is obviously still distressed]

This ain't the time for cracking jokes! How the hell do I get you outta this?!

[mindinthegittern]

[Medren just—freezes, completely speechless]

[abardacttofollow]

Hello, Medren! Sorry I can't show you better hospitality, but I'm all tied up right now.

[mindinthegittern]

Wow.

[hurrying to him, movements a little jerky]

Stef, what's... I'll get you down—

[clocked_out]

... Welp.

[abardacttofollow]

Hi, Dave! Fancy meeting you in a boy like me.

[clocked_out]

What??? Slow down I haven't even finished playing 'find the phallus' with the initial setting yet.

[originsong]

[ whAT ]

A-are you hurt? I can heal you—!

[abardacttofollow]

Oh! No, thank you, it's not time for that yet.

[originsong]

[ oh, well, you don't seem distressed... calming down a bit ]

Are you sure? I have lots of MP, so a healing song wouldn't be any trouble...

[ahorseforgood]

[instantly concerned by the knife, AN UNORIGINAL REACTION, I KNOW]

:Stefen--!:

[abardacttofollow]

Hello, m'lady! Don't worry, don't worry.

[ahorseforgood]

[shocked into acerbity by that response, even as she IGNORES HIM TO COME OVER TO CHECK ON THAT]

:That's the most senseless thing I've heard you say yet.:

[chasethedragon]

[ what the fuck staring at him with a hard expression, brows furrowed, and coming up in front of him. ] Stefen.

[abardacttofollow]

Hello! Don't worry, it's all right.

[chasethedragon]

Has Vanyel seen you.

[exiled_honor]

Stefan!

[Alberich pauses, first, to try to evaluate that wound. It's not bleeding much, which is good, but taking the knife out or moving Stefan too much could be a very bad idea. But leaving him shackled in this state is also a bad idea... Alberich moves to check the leg manacles first.]

Let me look at these locks.

[abardacttofollow]

Hello! Sorry that I'm all tied up right now.

[he seems... in a fine mood.]

[all three of the locks are similar, but look as though they might take different keys]

[exiled_honor]

[Alberich raises his eyebrows, though there's a touch of dry humor there if anyone looks for it. He appreciates Stefan's evident unflappability.]

I doubt that it was your doing.

[Hmmm, he's not sure he can pick these. Certainly he'd need specialized tools he doesn't have here.]