Hero Quest, episode three

The Song of the Faceless

Character Sheet

Race: elf

Class: bard

Background: scholar/street urchin

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Previously on Hero Quest:

After weeks of searching for some clue as to his long-lost brother’s fate, our intrepid hero has found his way to a tomb of some ancient king whose name is now long forgotten. With the tomb he stumbled upon a whispering well. Before he knew it, the sound had taken hold of his mind, pulling him to the wells edge, and then over into the darkness. Within the well’s depths he found himself in a twisted hall off mirrors accompanied by a strange, twisted, faceless man.

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You hesitate, shifting your grip on your sword. The creature glances back at you, then continues down the hall, humming. It seems harmless enough, and it has a strangely strong sense of rhythm and melody.

Sheathing your sword, you unbuckle your lute from where it’s slung over your back and swing it round. Then you strike a chord, soft yet resonant as it reverberates off the stone walls. The acoustics in here are excellent.

It stops walking, falls silent and looks back at you as the chord rings out.

You strike another.

It hums a tone in perfect harmony.

The tone rings and silence falls.

Then the creature resumes humming.. From where the sound arises on its featureless face you cannot guess.

For a few beats, you tap your foot, then you join in, plucking a quick melody in harmony to the creature’s own.

The creature hums loud, faster, happily jumping from foot to foot and clapping its hands. But then its song suddenly grows discordant, dropping from the major into the minor, and for a moment it seems the two of you are battling: its song dark and sorrowful, your song bright and full of fading hope.

The song of darkness fills the hall, surrounding you, filling you. The humming is almost a scream. Then the faces in the mirrors stir, joining their voices to the dissonant cacophony.

The spectral light goes dim.

But still you play on, your cheerful tune a weak and subdued light within the gloom.

As you play, one by one, the faces lining the hall grow subdued in their singing. Their voices lighter, joining you to turn the tide.

You play. The creature hums. Your fingers ache and your head throbs beneath the din. For a time, it seems as though the songs are evenly matched. The discordance rises to a deafening crescendo, battering you, almost throwing you from your feet.

Then the hall is silent. After the battle of songs, everything feels eerily empty.

The creature stands before you, straighter and stronger than before. Upon the blankness of its face is the barest impression of eyes, nose and mouth.

It seems to be waiting for you to do something.

“I’m looking for my brother,” you say cautiously. “Do you know where I might find him?” You’re unsure if it even understands your speech, but it's worth a try.

It nods and turns to walk off down the hall towards the distant, swirling mists.

• Episode four

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Thank you for joining in on the adventure.