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

[originsong]

There's a girl I know who did something terrible once. She had been abused and mistreated, and so she killed many humans. She declared war, and to stop her from killing everyone we had to seal her away.

But sealing her away didn't fix anything. Hundreds of years later, it all started again. But this time... we spoke to her and tried to understand her. And this time she was able to live in peace along with everyone else.

Later, that girl... she did good things. She did great things. That girl helped regenerate our world.

So, I would say. Your duty is to be like that girl. Despite her guilt and her anger she moved on and did things that helped everyone.

[abardacttofollow]

"I'm afraid that I died in the fight to stop the invasion," he says. "It will be others who have to live on."

[originsong]

Oh. I'm also sorry about that! But I guess, you said it even better than I could. They have to do that.

[abardacttofollow]

He manages a wry smile. "I'm not sure you understand the situation," he says. "But I think that was the right answer regardless."

He holds the key out.

[originsong]

[ takes it '^' ]

I really don't... but I know there's a version of you that isn't dead here, so... you can still be happy now, regardless.

[abardacttofollow]

"I hope so," he says. "I didn't want to leave him alone."

[originsong]

I think... you two will be all right.

[abardacttofollow]

"We can hope," Vanyel says. "Well... we can try."

[originsong]

I support you!

[ headin back to the main room ]

[abardacttofollow]

Heart Guard Stef is still there, hanging around.

[originsong]

I got the third key. Would you like another hug?

[abardacttofollow]

That sounds nice.

[originsong]

[ HUGS!!!1 and also unlocks you ]

[abardacttofollow]

When you undo his neck manacle, he drops. The three cords that had been over the door behind him snap with a sudden discordant jangle.

[originsong]

How are you feeling now?

[abardacttofollow]

A little nervous, a little relieved.

[originsong]

That's fair. So, to go outside... I just go through there?

[abardacttofollow]

Right. I don't know what's back there, honestly, but I know that when you reach the last area, you can get out. I can't give you the key to that area, because it belongs to someone else, but you shouldn't need it.

Oh, and there's a sudden drop, so you might want to close your eyes.

[originsong]

A drop... how far?

[abardacttofollow]

I don't know. I've never been.

[originsong]

Okay. Well... it probably won't hurt me, right?

[abardacttofollow]

I don't think it would. I'm really sorry if I'm wrong, but I can't see why there'd be an area that would hurt you specifically...

[originsong]

Okay. Since you're the guardian, I trust you.

[ GOING THROUGH THE DOOR ]

The Truth 1

[abardacttofollow]

When you step through the door, you fall abruptly. You rapidly see yourself approaching the… ground? The ice? But just before you hit it, it shatters, and you find yourself in another room with a path leading forward. There's no going back.

You find yourself in a fenced in field, funnelling 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.

[originsong]

[ oh :( horse statue :( goes up to pet it ]