Old Lord TP: Conservatory talk

The Old Lord\'s Keep: Conservatory(#27404RVlM)

Lit by lamps hung by silvery chains hang from the ceiling, this room is pleasant decadence. The room is not overly large though, a square only five meters is diameter. At it\'s center is a round pool nearly two meters across, it\'s water clear and clean. A statue of a nude woman, bathing herself in the pool, is at its center. Her relief is fair but there is a sadness in her eyes, and a hint of submission in her posture. Water pours from a spout at its edge shaped like a wicked animal with fierce fangs.

On the west wall, there is a woman\'s daybed, it\'s blankets white decorated with flower prints and its pillows soft and inviting. Before it is a heavy marble stand, upon it a thick tome laid open and marked with a thick leather strap laid between the pages. Laying upon the bed is a silver lyre, it\'s strings colored gold.

Only the sound of the gurgling spout finds itself way into the room. There is naught else here.

Aearon - It is near midafternoon in the Old Lords Keep, the foul winter weather continues to blow outside, within the Old Lords Conservatory is Captain Aearon, and like always the man is dressed in his uniform though he does not hold shield or spear this day. He stands near the round pool of water, his eyes looking about the room, going from the statue to water and back to the statue.

Menelglir - Menelglir\'s boots sound on the room\'s floor before the Squire speaks. \"I am beginning to think,\" he says, \"that we will all turn to stone before we figure how to leave this place. As this woman seems to have, apparently,\" he gestures to the statue. \"What an odd place. Full of mysteries and no ansswers. Nor the Lord Lyre.\"

Aearon - Looking to his cousin with a half-smile the Captain says \"It is all very queer, everything about it cousin.\" Looking at the statue once again he says \"What an odd figure for such a room as this, she looks defeated, there is a sadness about the figure.\"

Shaking his head the Captain looks about the room once again and says \"Have you learned anything cousin?\"

Gwendion - Following not so quick after the Squire, the bard Brongon also steps through the door. \"Ah, I see we picked the same mystery for the day, milords.\"

\"Any luck with our beautiful woman? Eyes filled with tears, ever with her fears, was the old maid of Linhir.\"

Menelglir - \"Learned anything? I learned there was a note on our food in some language I cannot read. I learned that the library books and shelves are upside down. That the librarian literally does not make any noise, though his lips move to form words, his feet hit the ground to make steps. And when his quill touches the paper, no ink comes out though he seems to be writing. And that if you take a book off the shelf to read it, the librarian makes the lights go out and then something throws books at your head or Turlach\'s nose, as the case may be.\" Menelglir grins, then twists around to Brongon. \"Linhir? Explain.\"

Aearon - Hearing the Bard, the Captain looks to the man and gives him a polite nod and says “Tis all a mystery, with little answers.” Looking back to his cousin again he says “I heard about Turlach’s nose, the poor boy is a glutton for punishment.” shaking his head he looks back to the statue and says “Yes, Master Brongon please explain.”

Gwendion - \"Oh, it\'s just a song about a lonely widow and she gets up with some men and...\" Brongon shakes his head, holding up his hands, \"It is nothing milord. My mind wanders quite easily.\"

\"So, what is this room used for? There is a pool, and a bed, a book and a harp. Some sort of baths? She,\" he says, raising his brow, \"Certainly is bathing.\"

Aearon - Looking about the room the Captain says \"It would seem as if this room is dedicated to her\" pointing to the statue \"She has a bed, a harp, Perhaps this was her room at one time. Or rather the woman who inspired this work?\"

Menelglir – \"Yes, she is bathing..perhaps this is...erm..was her room? That is, this statue is a memorial to the woman who lived here?\" He shrugs and wanders to teh book--hesitating a moment as if fearful what will happen, but then bending to read its pages

Aearon - With a nod to his cousin the Captain says \"What does the books say Cousin? Anything about the room or the statue?\" Looking back to the statue he looks her over once again as he slowly walks about the small pool of water.

Menelglir - \"It...some sort of song in an old form of Sindarin. Love song,\" Menelglir sighs. \"Best I can make it out,\" he says, then recites what he has struggled to read. \"...know that you have been troubled So never hang ... ... ... Your love ... me is ... ...flower ... love for me ... ... dead.\"

Gwendion - Know that you have been troubled So never hang your love me is flower love for me dead...\" the bard slowly shakes his head, \"No, can\'t say I recognize it. Sounds like a dreadful tune though.\"

Aearon - With a nod the Captain says \"A love song this room is surely dedicated to this woman than. A long lost love of some sort\" stopping in his tracks his eyes stare intently at the base of the statue beneath the waters. Looking a moment he says \"There is something upon the base.\" Kneeling he continues to try and see what it is.

Gwendion - The bard crosses over, his eyes rarely leaving the statue, \"I have uh... I know some of that language I think. I can take a look at it as well...\"

He comments, more to himself, \"She was quite healthy, was she not?\"

Menelglir - \"Then take a look at it and stop staring at her...attributes,\" Menelglir snaps at the bard. \"Cousin, what do you see there?\" he asks Aearon.

Gwendion - Brongon\'s cheeks flower rose, \"Ah, of course, milord, of course. It\'s wonderful artistry.\"

He waddles over and his fingers run over the tome, instantly ruining some of the page, \"Oh dear. Quite fragile.\"

Let\'s see... I can really only make out the first line... I know that you have been troubled... the rest... I think that is an article. Maybe a noun.\"

Aearon - Still unable to make out what it is upon the base of the statue the Captain smiles at the words of the bard and says “Looks like I am getting in the water” Looking to his cousin he says “I do not know, but there is /something/ upon the base beneath the water, I’m going to take a look” then methodically he begins to remove his clothing and armor until he is in nothing more than his undergarments.

Menelglir - \"Oh, the Valar save us,\" Menelglir sighs in irritation. \"Read the last line and see if you can make it out. Do not touch the book! It seems to me most of the song can be guessed: I know that you have been been troubled. So never hang...something... Your love for me is like a flower..YOur love for me --is now dead?\" He turns back, nodding to Aearon. \"Careful. This place is full of the unexpected.\"

Aearon - Moving to the water\'s edge the Captain gives his Cousin a nod and says \"I am always careful cousin\" and with that he slowly lowers himself down into the water, submerging beneath he moves towards the base of the statue to get a better look.

Menelglir - Menelglir keeps a sharp eye out, as if he expects the statue to come to life at any moment.

Aearon - After a moment beneath the water the Captain emerges from the water to take a breath and say \"There is a plaque, I can make out most of what is written.\" Submerging once again he continues to look the base of the statue over again, standing up again he says \"Lady Rothrestil, A lover of all things art, her Heart ensnarled by music and words alike. She ever longed for the bards to play her just one more song.\"

Gwendion - \"It\'s not finely written and fresh like I was taught, milord. There is that a loop or two lines? I... really can\'t say. Perhaps after the Captain has dried off, he can give it a look? Though...\" and the bard\'s attention turns to the Captain popping up from the pool and his words, \"Ah... Lady Rothrestil... had we met in life, if only..\"

Menelglir - \"After the Captain has dried off, yes, he can try to read it,\" Menelglir agrees. His forehead wrinkles briefly in thought. \"Do you know many songs, sir? Love songs that would melt a woman\'s heart?\"

Aearon - Running his hand through his wet hair the Captain says \"Give me a moment\" climbing from the pool of water be picks up his cloak and uses is as a towel, drying himself off and looking the statue over a moment before slowly starting to re adorn his clothing and armor.

Gwendion - \"Well, I\'d certainly play the lady a song but,\" Brongon holds up his thick fingers, \"I am no good at the harp. Nor really song. Really, I\'m more of a lyricists and poet. So, yes, I know many songs. And poems? Certainly.\"

\"But I think if the rumors are true, my lord has the better dexterity with such delicate trades.\"

Menelglir- \"Me?! A singer?\" Menelglir nearly chokes on his laughter. \"Not only am I not trained in neither voice nor song, I know no old love songs in Sindarin that would melt a heart of stone. I mean to melt this statue of your lovely lady--not have her turn a troll\'s weight in stone on us in wrath for my poor voice and lyrics. No, Brongon, you must sing or find another man who can woo her with song.\"

Aearon - Slowly the Captain continues to dress himself, finishing by pulling his belt tight and running his hand through his still damp hair. Hearing the words of the Bard and his cousin he laughs a bit and moves over towards the tome and says \"let me see if I can make any of these words out, and you think one of us must sing to Lady Rothrestil?\" Looking the tome over he tries to read the old writing.

Menelglir - \"The inscription on the statue says she always longed to hear one more song from the bards. So I think we should give her one more song. Maybe about troubled love...but maybe something about love that is true and never fails. Make her happy. This place is a mystery to me and not right--things make no sense. So...\" Menelglir shrugs, \"why not try to melt a woman\'s heart of stone with song?\" He looks to Aearon. \"What can you read?\"

Aearon - Thinking a moment the Captain says I was only able to make out a few words \"that ... ... ... troubled So ... hang ... your ... ... love ... me ... like ... flower ... love for me ... is dead\". Shaking his head \"I think we should decipher /this/ song and then sing it, why else would this page be marked?\"

Menelglir - \"Oh...true. We should find Lady Tathar. See what she can make of it,\" Menelglir says.

Gwendion - \"Ah, you\'re a romantic sir!\" Brongon says of Menelglir, \"And you have an eye for the lady too! Fair enough fair enough but,\" his eyes narrow, \"Did you not spend a fair amount of time with uh,\" he clears his throat, lowering his voice, \"Knitting? It\'s pretty well know, Sir, with Sir Gwendion\'s scarf and all. I can try to sing but I can\'t play. But I know you have some skill with your fingers and string. That\'s all you need to play a harp, right?\"

Aearon - Nodding his head the Captain than hears the words of the Bard and starts to laugh shaking off the laughter he says \"What sort of translation do we have so far? Is it even worth trying if we have only half the words?\"

Menelglir - \"Cats play with balls of yarn, too--it does not mean they can knit. Or play a harp,\" Menelglir says, shaking his head. \"And perhaps half a song is no song at all. We can try it with our own words or the missing words mumbled.\"

Aearon -  Moving over towards the bed the Captain looks at the Lyre and picks it up gently, looking to his cousin he says \"My mother had me learn as a child, though it has been some time.\" Running his hands across the golden strings the Captain plays a slow childish tune, obviously fumbling his way along.

Gwendion - \"So, what words do we have so far?\" the bard asks.

Menelglir - Menelglir\'s brows arch in surprise, but he nods as Aearon picks up the lyre. \"We are missing pieces of the middle and last line.\"

Gwendion - \"I know the beginning is, \'I know that you have been troubled\' and then you and the captain spoke, \'So never hang something your something\' \'Your love for me is like a flower\' and finally, \'Your love for me something something dead\'. Is that the right of it?\" Brongon asks.

Menelglir - I know that you have been troubled so never hang...never hang up your harp?\" Menelglir suggests. \"Your love for me is always in flower your love for me is never dead?\"

Aearon - Still playing a soft tune upon the lyre the Captain says \"One of you sing it, see what happens.\"

Menelglir - Menelglir glares at the bard, then sighs. \"I will.\" He clears his throat, then grimaces, then looks up at the naked statue and sighs. \"I cannot read music. I can only guess and follow what Aearon plays.\"

So he sings: \"I know that you have been troubled so never hang up your harp your love for me is always in flower your love for me is never dead.\"

Aearon - As the Squire sings the Captain changes the tune to something more befitting, something sounding fairly romantic but not overly so, looking to his cousin he gives him an approving nod and continues to play.

Menelglir - \"Oooh...what a nice lyre,\" Menelglir says, looking closely at it.

Aearon - Sighing the Captain stops playing and sets the instrument back down upon the day bed and says \"Perhaps we will have to work upon this more, think it over.\"

Gwendion - \"Perhaps you are right milord,\" Brongon says with a wince, \"But maybe with practice, even you can impress the lady,\" he says, eyes following her form once more.

Faded out here