Questing Beast - 3pm-6pm PST

[dramatispersonae]

When the fog clears enough for you to make sense of the shapes around you, you find yourself in a small, dark clearing, ringed with black trees. There are a small number of others with you; you can still make out the beast's blood splattered in the grass, so it's clear you haven't strayed too far.

The full moon has come out briefly from behind a cloud, giving you a brief moment to collect yourself—and note that there seem to be no gaps in the trees whatsoever. Which direction is Camelot? Where are the others . . .?

Comments

MINGLE

[dramatispersonae]

Re: MINGLE

[neverhesitate]

... [glances around with some concern]

Re: MINGLE

[badnewsboy]

Er ... whoopsie. It seems that we're ... quite a bit lost, actually.

Re: MINGLE

[emomachine]

[what just happened. . .]

[-oh the moon is pretty. stares at it.]

Re: MINGLE

[heirbrained]

[greaaaat]

...Was anyone keeping track of our path?

Re: MINGLE

[seasidelove]

... Um!

Re: MINGLE

[shockingability]

[glancing around, hmm]

... We lost the others.

Re: MINGLE

[karlsefni]

[had been attempting to keep track of the path, buuuut.

keeping his ears open while looking around, what the hell >T]

Re: MINGLE

[deadofknight]

[also looking around, tense and wary, sword in hand.]

Re: MINGLE

[heroicmemory]

[WAS TTLY HERE THE WHOLE TIME]

[one]

[dramatispersonae]

As you gather yourself and examine the surroundings ((read: keep mingling if you want)) a glowing violet orb descends into the middle of the clearing, glittering and letting out a pale light.

You hear a whisper:

If you wish to proceed after the Beast, I would have you answer me a riddle.

A king has no sons, no daughters, and a barren queen. As such, he must choose between distant relatives as to who will rule after him. His rare surviving sisters and cousins come, as do eligible nieces, nephews, and so on. "To tend a kingdom is like tending the land," he says, and gives them all a single seed. They leave, and tend their seeds, and when they return he examines all the plants that grew. Every single person, except one, has a thriving and beautiful plant -- but one fresh-faced boy has only an empty pot. The King immediately chooses that one as his successor over all the others. Why does he?

[Discussion]

[dramatispersonae]

[answer]

[dramatispersonae]

[two]

[dramatispersonae]

The path leads off. As it continues, the air starts to get cooler, less muggy. There's no twists or turns, but the beast's blood marks the path - and the trees crowd too close to pick an alternate route regardless.

But as you continue forward, another will-o-wisp comes down. It whispers:

To proceed, your heart is required. Each of you heroes or knights may make a choice about your heart. First, you may choose to either keep it in your chest, or you may choose to have it removed. Then, if you choose to have it removed, you may choose to keep it solid, or split it into as many pieces as you desire. Then, you may choose to keep or give away as many of the pieces (or the solid heart) to other people here. Make your decisions.

The will-o-wisp then transforms into a ghostly knife.

[Discussion]

[dramatispersonae]

[Decision]

[dramatispersonae]

(Please turn your decisions in individually, with as much or little discussion as you like.)

[dramatispersonae]

After this, the will o'wisp vanishes, and you can continue forward in the path (carrying your ghost hearts, should you have one).

The trees seem to come in even closer for a while, the beast's blood spattered on them, and it looks like it had to tear through this part. Branches are somewhat damaged, vines hang down torn, and -- looping strings hang from some branches? What could those be.

As you proceed you come across a young man lying asleep in the path, pale and seeming nearly dead. In the dirt next to him is written: I will wake only for an act of love. Please wake me, so I may return to where I belong.

[Discussion]

[dramatispersonae]

[Decision]

[dramatispersonae]

(Group or individual depending on what you want to do o/)

[Four]

[dramatispersonae]

The path widens for a while, then narrows, then widens again. The ground is getting softer as you go, and you might need to mind your footing.

At one point it narrows, trees clustering on all sides, and there is an actual door blocking the way forward. Brambles crowd around the edges of the door.

The door handle is labelled: "Give me a heart, previously plucked from your chests."

2 small slots are on the door. One slot is labelled 'Your own heart, whole or in pieces'.

The second slot is labelled 'Someone else's heart, whole or in pieces.'

What do you do or try?

DISCUSSION

[dramatispersonae]

DECISION

[dramatispersonae]

[Five]

[dramatispersonae]

You proceed through, finding yourselves liberally scratched on any uncovered skin (and with a few scratches through clothes as well) -- some deep enough to bleed freely, others welling up, others just leaving red marks.

As you proceed on, the path widens -- though not because, well, the path has actually widened. Scattered foliage surrounds the area. The soft spots of the ground are more frequent. More of those wires hang down -- but more vines are torn as well. You can see footprints in the soft ground as well as blood -- one hooves, one a dog's paw, one a lizard's claw, one a man's bare foot, on and on...

But standing in a crossroads, you find a young man with wild dark hair and a small growth of stubble. He has a sword in his hand, the tip planted in the ground in front of him.

He says, "I will let you pass, and give you true and honest directions tot he correct path, if you give me a thoughtful and honest answer to a question which has been vexing me: What room is there for consideration in love? Where must it be denied? Where must it be permitted? Please discuss together, then give me your answer."

DISCUSSION

[dramatispersonae]

[END]

[dramatispersonae]

The knight listens to your thoughts with a serious expression. "I see," he says. "Thank you. I've much to think on."

And with that, he vanishes. The hearts in the bags you are carrying seem to become lighter; they float out of the bags, which disappear as well, and rush back into the bodies of those who had owned them. They may feel a little warmer than before in your chests...

A few moments later, a will-o-wisp appears and leads down one path. As you go, it darts ahead through the woods, leading you up a slight slope. There seems to be considerably more blood here—the trees are caked with it, and you can see clear moonlight and hear voices up ahead . . .

[to be continued Sunday @ 11AM PST ♥]