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

[mindinthegittern]

Okay.

Okay, I know, it's just—this is all—

I'll do my best.

[abardacttofollow]

"It's incredibly depressing," Vanyel says. "But not the end."

[mindinthegittern]

[pinching his own arm hard to distract himself from wanting to cry]

I just wish I could—do something.

[abardacttofollow]

"Do you love him?"

[mindinthegittern]

Of course I do.

[abardacttofollow]

"That sounds like you're doing something that he can hold onto."

[mindinthegittern]

[scrubs his face with both hands]

Gods. Alright.

[sort of thickly]

Thanks. I'd... I'd better go.

[abardacttofollow]

"Don't doubt what you mean to him, in everything you do."

Vanyel nods to the last.

[mindinthegittern]

[going back the way he came before he fuckin loses it, key in pocket!]

[abardacttofollow]

[still there] Sorry. I should have warned you better.

[mindinthegittern]

[shakes his head, stepping up to unlock the neck shackle at once]

I don't know why I didn't expect it. I'm alright.

[abardacttofollow]

[Stefen drops to the floor. Behind him, the strings play a sudden discordant note and snap.]

You don't entirely look all right, Medren m'love.

[mindinthegittern]

[reaching to catch or steady him, a bit jumpy]

What was that?

[abardacttofollow]

The door's open now.

Er, I mean, available. That came out rather scary, didn't it?

[mindinthegittern]

Well, I'm in your Heart, Stef, the whole idea's a little scary. Are you going to remember any of this?

[abardacttofollow]

I have no idea!

I honestly don't know anything down there. I just know that there's a drop, and no going back from it but when you get to the end of Truth you can get out. There shouldn't be anything you have to solve down there because it's just... all Truth. Or at least, anything you can solve. I think Vanyel can go a little further than anyone, even you.

[mindinthegittern]

I guess that... all makes sense.

...

[leans over and kisses his forehead]

I love you, okay?

[abardacttofollow]

I love you too. You know that, right?

[mindinthegittern]

Yes. I know.

[abardacttofollow]

[leans up to kiss Medren's cheek]

Maybe close your eyes when you step through.

[mindinthegittern]

...okay. I'll... see you later, I guess.

[he will, in fact, close his eyes when he steps through into Truth]

The Truth 1

[abardacttofollow]

You do feel a sudden drop, but no impact: you're just suddenly standing on firm ground.

You find yourself in a fenced in field, funneling you forward to the next door. In the distance, you see white horses grazing. It is calm and peaceful; a large tree grows here, shading the area so it feels calm, quiet. It genuinely seems as though you're outdoors, though you get the impression you won't be able to leave the fenced in area except through the gate at the end.

By the gate at the end is an old, moss-covered statue of a horse. Well, most of a horse. It has been weathered, and it looks like something has destroyed its head.

The gate at the end is open onto darkness.

[mindinthegittern]

[this is pleasant! but he's walking straight over to the gate and through unless something stops him.]

The Truth 2

[abardacttofollow]

You enter into a fancy bedroom in a manor house, with two bunks, both sticking out into the room. As well as the door you came in through, there is a door to the left and right, and an open doorframe ahead. You wouldn't be able to exit through the left or right closed doors if you wanted to, though. There's a statue in front of each of them. One is a tall, stern-looking woman. The other is a strapping, broad-shouldered young man with curly hair and a confident grin.

[mindinthegittern]

...

[cool cool cool MOVING ON through the open doorframe!!]