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

Re: Composition 1

[abardacttofollow]

He nods, clutching it.

Re: Composition 1

[ahorseforgood]

[sincerely]

:I will try to return.:

[...OPENS THE LATCH... I GUESS]

Composition 2

[abardacttofollow]

The next room is a very small tenement room. There's a heap of rags making up a bed. In it is the same old woman from the previous room, snoring loudly and drunkenly. There's no mistaking her condition—an empty bottle is still clutched in her hand.

The boy is huddled in the opposite corner from the bed. He is stretching out legs that are clearly sore, a shiner of a bruise on his cheek and his fingers are shaking, though whether it's hunger or pain, it's hard to tell. There are resentful tears unshed in his eyes as he silently goes about his business. He too is on a pile of rags, and although he clearly recognizes you, he stares at you suspiciously, shoving them a little more behind himself like he thinks they're about to be taken away. A crutch leans against the wall near him. A rat scurries through the room as you take the image in.

As before, the cord runs through the room and under a locked door with some sort of weighted platform next to it. This time, there's no bowl, but it's clear something should still go there.

A sign on the door reads: "What is the weight of family? What of love?"

Re: Composition 2

[ahorseforgood]

[...nods seriously to him, eyes dark]

:My young friend.:

Re: Composition 2

[abardacttofollow]

"Madam?"

Re: Composition 2

[ahorseforgood]

:You're hurt...:

Re: Composition 2

[abardacttofollow]

He nods, huddling back again. "I'm okay though."

Re: Composition 2

[ahorseforgood]

:I'm sure. You've been very brave.:

Re: Composition 2

[abardacttofollow]

He shrugs a shoulder. "Have to."

Re: Composition 2

[ahorseforgood]

:Yes.

Are you cold? Can I help?:

Re: Composition 2

[abardacttofollow]

He shakes his head. "I'm just getting out of this while she sleeps it off."

Re: Composition 2

[ahorseforgood]

:Where will you go...?:

Re: Composition 2

[abardacttofollow]

"Oh. Just to go buy some food. Don't... tell her?"

Re: Composition 2

[ahorseforgood]

[shakes her head hard]

:No, of course not!:

Re: Composition 2

[abardacttofollow]

He drops his voice even more. "I took a couple of coins."

Re: Composition 2

[ahorseforgood]

:You earned them, didn't you...?:

Re: Composition 2

[abardacttofollow]

He doesn't look sure about that, but sort of shrugs.

Re: Composition 2

[ahorseforgood]

[softer]

:It's not wrong to make sure you've wrapped your belly around some food today, child. Go. I'll keep watch.:

Re: Composition 2

[abardacttofollow]

"I have to finish," he says, gesturing to his bound-up legs. "But you can, um, look around if you want."

Re: Composition 2

[ahorseforgood]

[nods and carefully picks her way further into the room, as if she was waiting for permission; is there anything that becomes obvious when seen from this new angle?]

Re: Composition 2

[abardacttofollow]

You can see a package of something near the bottle on the old woman's bed, and the tin whistle and same moldy roll in Stefen's. The roll does have a few more bites taken out of it.

Re: Composition 2

[ahorseforgood]

[something he ate as best he could till he choked on it? possibly.

moves delicately towards the package, lowering her nose to touch it]

Re: Composition 2

[abardacttofollow]

There appears to be some kind of powder in it. Stef stiffens up. "Careful..."

Re: Composition 2

[ahorseforgood]

[steps back]

:Dangerous--?:

Re: Composition 2

[abardacttofollow]

"It's a drug, dreamerie. She uses that and drink in lieu of love."