SAPPHIRE

[dramatispersonae]

You sink down, down, down through the water, the light fading away above, but somehow you neither get wet nor have trouble breathing...

Occasionally, fragments of song reach you.

Comments

THE LOWEST LEVEL

[dramatispersonae]

You need to live, goes the snippet of song in your head.

Welcome to the bottom of the sea. It should be dark here, but something illuminates a vast garden surrounding you. It should be wet here, but the sensation of the water around you is distant, and you stay dry.

At the center of the garden rises a great spiral staircase carved out of mother-of-pearl.

EXPLORE AND DISCUSS

[dramatispersonae]

 

Re: EXPLORE AND DISCUSS

[masterofmystery]

Need to live, eh?

Glancing around uncertainly before heading for the staircase since that seems to be what's going up...

Re: EXPLORE AND DISCUSS

[dramatispersonae]

Great fronds of kelp rise out of the ocean floor, gleaming faintly in all shades of green, as well as red and purple. Strange creatures as beautiful as any flower inch slowly along the sandy bed, and brilliantly-colored fish dart in and out of the waving seaweed.

As for the stairs...

Glimmering with the light, the opalescent stairs rise high above, vanishing into dark water once out of range of the light. A coral gate bars them from you for now. It is locked, but the faint outline of a key can be seen in the lock.

Whenever you get near the stairway, a snippet of songs resolves into words in your head:

Make a wish from your heart.

You know that is what one person here must do to proceed.

Re: EXPLORE AND DISCUSS

[masterofmystery]

[ It's a good thing he's used to weird things. Though he has to wonder why the kelp is growing differently and edges just slightly away from the creatures. There's all sorts of dangerous magical creatures underwater, it's nothing persona;...

But he glances at the coral bars, a hand going to wrap around them. Frowning slightly, he considered the song and then the earlier one. Let's think, let's think.

His free hand will go to his key. That's the thing he knows usually works in places like this. His thoughts linger on "going home," but he settles properly on another word: ]

I want to play quidditch with everyone.

Re: EXPLORE AND DISCUSS

[dramatispersonae]

The key materializes in the lock. You can turn it now, open the gate, and go on up the stairs...if you want. The sea-floor garden remains vibrant around you.

ONWARDS

[dramatispersonae]

Glimmering with the light, the opalescent stairs rise high above, vanishing into dark water once out of range of the light. A coral gate bars them from you for now. It is locked, but the faint outline of a key can be seen in the lock.

Whenever you get near the stairway, a snippet of songs resolves into words in your head:

Make a wish from your heart.

You know that is what one person here must do to proceed.

THE MIDDLE LEVEL

[dramatispersonae]

You need to love, goes the snippet of song in your head.

As you come to a broad shelf on the sea floor, a peculiar sight unfolds before you in the returning light. The ancient remains of a shipwreck litter the ground, but before them, a number of marble statues have been arranged like some kind of art installation.

Beyond all this, another mother-of-pearl stairway rises into the waters above as they approach the surface.

EXPLORE AND DISCUSS

[dramatispersonae]

 

Re: EXPLORE AND DISCUSS

[masterofmystery]

[ Goes to look at the statues closer, then... ]

Re: EXPLORE AND DISCUSS

[dramatispersonae]

The statues might once have spilled carelessly out of the belly of the broken ship, but since then, they have been rearranged. Now they stand in groups and clusters as if posed. A few are set up so they almost look as if they are holding hands with each other; others seem to be embracing. At their feet are scattered jewelry and trinkets.

Re: EXPLORE AND DISCUSS

[masterofmystery]

[...Can he use transfiguration so they're actually holding hands (embracing would be far above his magical skill right now but hands are okay! :() Otherwise can he go back down and get seaweed to help...]

Re: EXPLORE AND DISCUSS

[dramatispersonae]

The statues wobble a bit, but you successfully transfigure their hands so that they are holding tight!

ONWARDS

[dramatispersonae]

The opalescent stairs rise high above, wavering faintly in the rippling water as they go up, then vanishing into more gloom. A coral gate bars them from you for now. It is locked, but the faint outline of a key can be seen in the lock.

Whenever you get near the stairway, a snippet of songs resolves into words in your head:

Make a wish from your heart.

You know that is what one person here must do to proceed.

Re: ONWARDS

[masterofmystery]

[ He's going to approach this one and say it suuuuper quietly. Shinji isn't allowed to hear, sorry. :v. ]


...I want the chance to tell Hermione one day and do things proper. [ A beat. ] And I want more then anything to see everyone again, too. My family and the lot here, too, suppose...

[ it's more then a suppose but he has to pretend, shh. ]

Re: ONWARDS

[dramatispersonae]

The key materializes in the lock. You can turn it now, open the gate, and go on up the stairs...

THE TOP LEVEL

[dramatispersonae]

You need to dream, goes the snippet of song in your head.

The water falls away around you as you emerge into a cavern, its stone walls dappled with light reflecting off the calm water. Plants and seaweed grow in the shallows, and all around you in the sand are fantastical sculptures.

The way out of the cave is barred by another coral gate.

EXPLORE AND DISCUSS

[dramatispersonae]

 

Re: EXPLORE AND DISCUSS

[oedipuswreck]

[heading on ahead of Ron, quiet, looking around]

Re: EXPLORE AND DISCUSS

[masterofmystery]

Don't suppose we're supposed to sleep do you?

[ Peering at the sand castles... ]

Or make some of these.

[ i've never seen sand castles before, oops. ]

Re: EXPLORE AND DISCUSS

[dramatispersonae]

The sand above the water is freshly sculpted into a myriad of forms. There is a castle, here; a dragon curled up around a treasure, there. A horse racing towards the shallow waves. A bird guarding its nest, and yet another castle.

Re: EXPLORE AND DISCUSS

[oedipuswreck]

. . . it's pretty here.

[crouching next to one of the sandcastles, inspecting it]

FINISH

[dramatispersonae]

The walls of the cavern slowly narrow into a tunnel to the outside. Yet another gate made of coral blocks the way to it, though. It is locked, but the faint outline of a key can be seen in the lock.

Whenever you get near the stairway, a snippet of song resolves into words in your head:

Make a wish from your heart.

You know that is what one person here must do to proceed.

Re: FINISH

[oedipuswreck]

[. . . presses his hand against it, then leans his head there, exhaling and closing his eyes]

I just want to fix everything. I want Ayanami back. I want to not have ruined everything. I can't . . . have bright dreams or goals like other people, where they're chasing a hopeful future. I just want there to be a future worth living in.

Re: FINISH

[dramatispersonae]

The key materializes in the lock. You can turn it now, open the gate, and continue to the Ring.