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

[splashofbourbon]

Think I—[he stops, biting back "need a drink" and just sort of gestures ineffectually]

—no worse than what I've seen before.

[he waves the key]

Lemme get you out.

[abardacttofollow]

[gestures to his other foot]

[splashofbourbon]

All right then.

[unlocks!!]

[abardacttofollow]

[getting there! Just the neck now]

[splashofbourbon]

[yeah. he glances over at that one]

I'm guessing that's where Vanyel's at.

[abardacttofollow]

It's... not all bad. Just. Some bad.

[splashofbourbon]

Figured as much.

You gotta place for the rest of it? What's happened since we met, I mean.

[abardacttofollow]

I think I'm still processing a lot of that. Maybe it doesn't need something entrenched like this yet.

[splashofbourbon]

Why don't it need that?

[abardacttofollow]

"Maybe because he's living it. It's not something to move forward using as a base yet. Maybe that's just me, the Heart's Guard."

[splashofbourbon]

What's just you?

[abardacttofollow]

What really knows and is understanding it before. I wonder what the path would be if it gets added?

[splashofbourbon]

[he scratches at his neck]

Don't go asking me. Sounds like you're talking in riddles half the time here.

[abardacttofollow]

Does it? It all seems really clear to me.

[splashofbourbon]

"What really knows and is understanding it" sounds about as clear as mud to me, partner.

[abardacttofollow]

I'm the one who knows what's happening now! And understand it.

[splashofbourbon]

If you say so.

[he takes another look at the remaining door]

Only one to go, huh?

[abardacttofollow]

One to go.

[splashofbourbon]

[well, time to get this over with. through the door!]

The Gift 1

[abardacttofollow]

You find yourself in a royal court, with a king on his seat. He looks tired and unwell, but is upright and smiling. The music is loud here, the source of where it's playing throughout the Heart: Stefen, much the age you're used to seeing him, seated on the dais and playing a lute for entertainment. Across the king's lap is a scepter, and a long lush carpet leads up to the throne. On either side of the carpet are people come to get the king's audience, mostly the rich and fancifully dressed. Behind the throne there is a door; the cord runs through the middle of the room, under the throne and the king's feet, and under that locked door. Next to the door is some sort of empty scale, clearly attached in some way.

"Well? Who's next?" the king asks, in a friendly voice despite his paleness, and the dark circles under his eyes.

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

[splashofbourbon]

Security, huh?

[side stepping the line of people, moving over to where Stef's seated]

[abardacttofollow]

He looks up at you, mostly tranced. His fingers are blistered, and the blisters are starting to tear on the strings.

[splashofbourbon]

What in the—hey now, you cut that out.

[nudging at him, trying to break the trance]

[abardacttofollow]

He stops playing with a startled gasp. On the throne, the king starts to sag a little.

[splashofbourbon]

Easy now, you done tore your fingers up. Just give it a rest for now, all right?