[Quest for Selenia]

[dramatispersonae]

[There's a tugging sensation, and the scenery around you blurs. When it resolves itself, you're standing in an impressive -- albeit not very long -- hallway. The walls are old stone and the ceiling is high. The floor is marble. The wall behind you is mostly taken up by a large painting, under which stands a tall porcelain vase containing white lilies. At the other end of the hall is a large wooden door.

There are four other doors, two on each of the remaining walls. These doors appear to have a small paintings hung on them in lieu of any other identifying feature.]

Comments

Re: THE HALL

[dramatispersonae]

It is! It leaves a nice-sized hole behind, though. Luckily it's just a dummy and there's no blood.

Re: THE HALL

[glorious]

[looks over the stake and then carefully sets it down on the ground]

[then leans over to look the dummy over again, trying to gauge the size of the hole]

Re: THE HALL

[dramatispersonae]

It's big enough that you could probably fit your hand through it.

If that's a reassuring method of measurement.

Re: THE HALL

[glorious]

[...]

[ . . . ]

[going to fit my hand through it]

Re: THE HALL

[dramatispersonae]

Good plan.

... because there's a key in there. The music stops.

Re: THE HALL

[glorious]

[...]

I apologize for the uh, intrusion. Ma'am.

[just...going to back right back up to the hallway.]

Re: THE HALL

[dramatispersonae]

Well! There's only one door left. The big wooden one at the opposite end of the hall from where you appeared.

Re: THE HALL

[glorious]

[heading over to that door to look it over]

Re: THE HALL

[dramatispersonae]

It's a large door, made of some hardwood -- oak, maybe? What's odd about it is that there are four keyholes, and none of them are near the doorknob. Something has been carved into the door, and leafed with gold: a treble clef. The keyholes are located as though they were notes on the clef.

Re: THE HALL

[glorious]

...So I need to match the right key to the right note...

[takes the first key and places it in the highest note, testing it]

Re: THE HALL

[dramatispersonae]

It's pretty easy to figure out which key goes where, really. As soon as you put a key in its matching hole, a piano note sounds. So even going by trial and error, you'll get the answer soon enough. Once all four keys are in their proper place -- the first key you received goes in the fourth hole, the last key you received goes in the third hole, the second key goes in the first hole, and the third key goes in the second hole -- the notes sound again, and continue into a full song.

As it plays, the door swings open just a crack. Will you go inside?

Re: THE HALL

[glorious]

[That is good to hear because the player is ironically tone-deaf.]

[And yes, stepping inside.]

Re: THE HALL

[dramatispersonae]

And your narrator only took piano through middle school, what do you want from me.

It's dark inside. Your footsteps echo on the marble floor -- the room has remarkably good acoustics. There is a large window at the back wall, looking out at a stormy seaside scene. Tall cliffs, churning waves, and a cloudy sky. A grand piano is backlit by what little light comes through the windows.

A flash of lightning, illuminating for the briefest of moments what the darkness had previously hidden.

There is blood everywhere. Seven distinct pools of crimson surround the piano, which is playing on its own-- and then it stops. All is silent.

The red-orange glow of a cigar comes from a particularly dark corner of the room. There's an inhale, then a long exhale, smoke curling towards the ceiling.

And then that's gone too. The room is illuminated by electric wall sconces meant to mimic candles. There's no blood, no men smoking cigars in the corner. It's a lovely room, really -- bright and warm in contrast to the rain that has begun to pound down outside.

There is an envelope sitting on the piano bench.

Re: THE HALL

[glorious]

[just, taking a moment to let all that sink in...]



[then steps to the piano bench and looks over the envelope]

Re: THE HALL

[dramatispersonae]

There is a note scrawled on the outside:

Dear Mr. Selenia,

Please find enclosed the reward for your quest. It is in miniature form, as it would be quite rude of me to expect you to carry it back. When you have placed it when you wish it to stay, simply turn the key and it will become a full-size piano.

I apologize again for both my lateness in completing your quest and the difficulties you may have experienced during it.

Sincerely,
Cecily

P.S. You will return from whence you came as soon as you open the envelope.

There seems to be a small object inside the envelope.

Re: THE HALL

[glorious]

...Thank you for the quest, Cecily.

[opening the envelope]

Re: THE HALL

[dramatispersonae]

Inside is a tiny toy piano, about two inches in diameter. A small key protrudes from the back -- it seems to be a music box, and the key is for winding.

Your surroundings blur, and then you are back in Camelot.

Re: THE HALL

[glorious]

[Placing the tiny piano in my Key Items section of my inventory!]