the heart of the matter

[soldieronwards]

The ground falls out beneath you. You're in midair, you're surrounded by swirling clouds, and there's nowhere stable to put your feet. The space between your body and the turbulence around you feels poorly defined as well; where do you end and your surroundings begin? Is there a stable you in the first place?

But eventually--

[ Join channel #nobodystaysdeadincomics on IRC. ]

Comments

THE HALL OF MASKS

[soldieronwards]

Where the corridor before was fairly narrow and plain, this one is broad and lavish. The soft carpet beneath your feet is blue and white, and the walls shine with reddish wooden paneling. That's when you can see the walls, anyway--because there's other stuff here diverting your attention.

On the left side of the hallway, a series of white marble statues stand. All six of them wear masks of some kind. On the right side of the hallway, opposite the statues, hang cloth wall-scrolls as if they were flags or tapestries.

At the far side of the hall, an elegant-looking wooden double door stands.

Re: THE HALL OF MASKS

[ktenology]

[ weird, it feels intrusive to be here. . .

examines the wall scrolls and statues as she walks down the hallway. . . ]

Re: THE HALL OF MASKS

[soldieronwards]

From the start of the hall to the end by the doors, the six statues follow a progression. They start with a young boy holding up a full mask over his face; next is a smiling teenager in a domino mask; next a blank-faced young man in a mask like a muzzle; next a man whose face is mostly obscured by something that might be a mask or might be bandages; next a man standing proudly with a full cowl over his features; and next a man in knightly armor, save for the smiling full mask he holds up over his face.

For the most part, the statues are a single piece, but the masks are not a part of that piece--they are actually made of plastic or porcelain or cloth, and their colors stand out incongruously against the white marble.

As for the wall-scrolls, half of them are roughly in the design of American flags, but you barely need to glance twice to notice that where there should be stars, there are instead fifty little masks. The other half feature a tall black tree, not unlike the one Onyx takes residence in, but where it should have leaves, it instead grows little masks.

Re: THE HALL OF MASKS

[ktenology]

[ SENSING A THEME. . .

she backtracks a bit, to the young man with the mask like a muzzle -- trying to lift the mask up and off ]

Re: THE HALL OF MASKS

[soldieronwards]

You pull away the mask from the statue. For just a second, you can see the face behind it--and then a crack shivers loudly through it.

Re: THE HALL OF MASKS

[ktenology]

[ . . . oops.

but that raises her curiosity and she moves to the statue next to it -- to lift the cowl and check that face as well ]

Re: THE HALL OF MASKS

[yoloath]

[!! STATUES immediately examines them.]

Re: THE HALL OF MASKS

[soldieronwards]

From the start of the hall to the end by the doors, the six statues follow a progression. They start with a young boy holding up a full mask over his face; next is a smiling teenager in a domino mask; next a blank-faced young man in a mask like a muzzle; next a man whose face is mostly obscured by something that might be a mask or might be bandages; next a man standing proudly with a full cowl over his features; and next a man in knightly armor, save for the smiling full mask he holds up over his face.

For the most part, the statues are a single piece, but the masks are not a part of that piece--they are actually made of plastic or porcelain or cloth, and their colors stand out incongruously against the white marble.

Re: THE HALL OF MASKS

[yoloath]

[reaches out to trace his hands over the marble next to the mask on the young boy; is the mask connected?]

Re: THE HALL OF MASKS

[soldieronwards]

No. It could probably be removed.

Re: THE HALL OF MASKS

[yoloath]

[he sighs but doesn't do so. instead, he moves to the armored figure to repeat the test.]

Re: THE HALL OF MASKS

[justarider]

[Looking back down the hole to the corridor just WTF HAPPENED HERE]

I guess we should see if he's around here?

[Heading off towards the tapestries]

Re: THE HALL OF MASKS

[soldieronwards]

Half of them are roughly in the design of American flags, but you barely need to glance twice to notice that where there should be stars, there are instead fifty little masks. The other half feature a tall black tree, not unlike the one Onyx takes residence in, but where it should have leaves, it instead grows little masks.

Re: THE HALL OF MASKS

[justarider]

[WHAT IS AN AMERICAN FLAG?!?!

going to go look at the tree flag and reach up to touch the masks there.]

Re: THE HALL OF MASKS

[soldieronwards]

Who even knows around here.

Nothing happens, but from touching the tapestry, you might be able to tell that there's an empty space behind it.

Re: THE HALL OF MASKS

[whereismypie]

[... statues. what a nice touch.

will go take a closer look at them]

Re: THE HALL OF MASKS

[soldieronwards]

From the start of the hall to the end by the doors, the six statues follow a progression. They start with a young boy holding up a full mask over his face; next is a smiling teenager in a domino mask; next a blank-faced young man in a mask like a muzzle; next a man whose face is mostly obscured by something that might be a mask or might be bandages; next a man standing proudly with a full cowl over his features; and next a man in knightly armor, save for the smiling full mask he holds up over his face.

For the most part, the statues are a single piece, but the masks are not a part of that piece--they are actually made of plastic or porcelain or cloth, and their colors stand out incongruously against the white marble.

Re: THE HALL OF MASKS

[outstandingbalance]

That's... sure something.

Re: THE HALL OF MASKS

[whereismypie]

I like mummy-Bucky over there.

Or muzzle-face.

You think we're gonna find stuff inside those masks?

Re: THE HALL OF MASKS

[outstandingbalance]

[glancing at Dean!]

Anything you want to start with?

Re: THE HALL OF MASKS

[whereismypie]

[checking out the creepy statues!]

Re: THE HALL OF MASKS

[hunting]

[ I guess I should check out these masks... ]

Re: THE HALL OF MASKS

[soldieronwards]

From the start of the hall to the end by the doors, the six statues follow a progression. They start with a young boy holding up a full mask over his face; next is a smiling teenager in a domino mask; next a blank-faced young man in a mask like a muzzle; next a man whose face is mostly obscured by something that might be a mask or might be bandages; next a man standing proudly with a full cowl over his features; and next a man in knightly armor, save for the smiling full mask he holds up over his face.

For the most part, the statues are a single piece, but the masks are not a part of that piece--they are actually made of plastic or porcelain or cloth, and their colors stand out incongruously against the white marble.

Re: THE HALL OF MASKS

[hunting]

[ Going to remove the smiling mask to see what's behind it. ]

Re: THE HALL OF MASKS

[soldieronwards]

You pull away the mask from the statue. For just a second, you can see the face behind it--and then a crack shivers loudly through it.