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

[abardacttofollow]

"Bardic duty, of course."

[splashofbourbon]

Seems to me like it's a whole lotta reading, writing, and practice.

[abardacttofollow]

"Sure. And has that been done? Can you prove it? I need to receive it as an exchange."

[splashofbourbon]

[he frowns a little, then glances back at the door]

Hang on a sec, I'll get you your proof.

[and back through the door he goes]

[abardacttofollow]

"Hello, you're back quickly."

[splashofbourbon]

Need to grab a few things. I'll be right back with you.

[and back to the first room]

[abardacttofollow]

The teacher looks flustered. "Yes?"

[splashofbourbon]

Beg pardon but I'm gonna need that little bit of music back.

[abardacttofollow]

"He can't graduate if he doesn't turn in his work," the teacher grumbles, but he hands it back.

[splashofbourbon]

Think I'm way ahead of ya.

[he waves the music, heading back through the door]

[abardacttofollow]

Assuming you go straight through the middle room again, the head of the council lifts his brows at you.

[splashofbourbon]

[he's stopping off to snag the gittern string and the history book off the bed as well, but he'll present those three things when he's back in front of the council]

There you go. Reading, writing, and practice.

[abardacttofollow]

The man laughs merrily. "I mean, it's true, he's doing all that. Can you promote him? Speak for him? Give me any sort of assurance that a couple of signs indicate the whole? A poorly promoted Bard reflects on us all."

[splashofbourbon]

Look, I dunno how things work for you folk around here, but I've heard him sing before. It's a mighty powerful thing, gets you down in your bones. You won't do wrong with a kid like that.

[abardacttofollow]

"What bones of yours has it got down in?"

[splashofbourbon]

[he puts a hand over his chest]

These ones here. Though if you ask me, it don't seem fair to judge a man without letting him speak for himself.

[abardacttofollow]

"This is himself."

[splashofbourbon]

You saying this is him doubting himself then?

[abardacttofollow]

"I'm saying that everything in here is part of his perceptions and understanding and memory. So, for example, if I tell you I'm concerned about our promoting him because he's slept with so many boys that it may have a side-effect on how his teachers are perceived for giving him good marks and how the council is perceived for promoting him early, it's not necessarily because he believes it, but because that factors into his concept of duty." The councilman seems to be getting excited about this. "Do you feel it will impact that? Everyone here works, and practices, and tries to make others feel their music in their bone. Do you understand the weight of that duty? Can you explain your feelings on it? Rather than a puzzle to solve, what do you feel this key is worth?"

"Dellar," one of the others sighs at him.

[splashofbourbon]

[uuuh]

Think you gone a little too deep for me there, partner.

[abardacttofollow]

"Oh." He looks embarrassed. "Why do you think Stefen can live up to the duties of being a bard, specifically?"

[splashofbourbon]

Way I know him, he already has, so it's pretty much that I've seen the way he does it. He cares about people, more than he does himself sometimes, he'll do what's right. You can trust him in that.

[abardacttofollow]

"I suppose all that together's enough for me." He holds out the key.

[splashofbourbon]

Thank you kindly.

[takes the key!]

[abardacttofollow]

Dellar turns back to the other Bards and they start murmuring among each other.

[head back?]