DreamLyrics™ Play-by-Post Forums Fun & Games ETD: Escape the Dream Episode I: The Dreamthief's Tavern

You look around at the objects you've collected and not yet used.

There's the brick you removed from near the fireplace, or the hole it left, or maybe something related?

There's also the hammer you found in the crate.

And what was that song you saw?

With careful measrements using Alduin's method I pour 2oz of liquid into the round basin.

Sorry like everyone guess we've all been busy with holiday stuff! Still busy myself but some thoughts that might help others..

The fire gives no warmth. - so maybe we should light a fire?
The water has no taste. - do we need to flavour it?
The earth bears no weight. - maybe the brick needs to go in the hole again?
The air carries no song. - maybe need to create a melody or sound?
Balance them, and wake. - And then this results.

You consider the parchment's four elements. Fire. Water. Earth. Air.

They match the suit of armor's. Indeed, it seems you probably need to solve one puzzle in each category.

You've got the earth, possibly, with the balanced stones. And the water quantity and basin.

But fire and air... maybe that song about the wind is applicable for the air, and lighting the fireplace seems to make sense, too. But how?

As you look more closely at the armor, you think there might be something hidden behind that dusty visor.

Carefully lift the visor.

You get a bit of dust on your fingers, but you find a dusty leather-bound volume, with a cloth bookmark. You open to the bookmarked page and read:

Dragon's Breath Ignition (For Smithwork)

For a flame that reveals:
1. Salt of Silver (cleanses).
2. Niter from the Red Rock (quickens).
3. A Spark from the Heart Itself (ignites).

You think to yourself, "Hey, looks like I need these three things to start a fire."

Still only half a brain.. but could the brick be Red Rock?

You look at the brick and it does indeed look like a Red Rock. Even more, the act of wiggling it out of its spot on the hearth produced a small pile of red rock dust.

Looking at the list you also see "Heart" and glance around, finding that every table has a small glowing lantern on it... not flame, but something else. They are each marked with different symbols. One, on a table next to where you found the parchment, is marked with a heart.

Now... the salt?

So salt of silver? The bowl is silver. Could we find something that reacts with it?

The other thing that comes to mind are the various spice jars behind the bar. Go and examine thses.

Behind the bar there are indeed many spices, most in jars. Near them is a jar of rock salt, and a small, pure silver, salt cellar.

Is the salt cellar empty?

The salt cellar is currently empty, but you could easily put rock salt from the jar into it. And maybe even some of that brick dust.

Check first there is wood in the fireplace.

OK try both and take the salt cellar to the heart lantern. See if it ignites. If so Head to the fireplace.

The mixture of rock salt and brick crumbs ignites with glowing blue flame.... not burning, but some sort of magical light.

But the light goes away when you move away from the lantern... however, the lantern is portable, and when placed together with the salt cellar inside the fireplace, it lights up!

Thinking about the sound.. we have a hammer which could tap out a tune on something. We have sheet music. I was inclined to think that as this is air, we might have to blow an instrument? OK two things to try, whistle the tune on the sheet music, if not look around for any wind instrument or anything to play with the hammer.

Whistling the tune doesn't seem to have any effect and there is no wind instrument to play.

But as you study The Lay of the Four Winds you notice that beneath the East Wind verse, six musical notes, each at different points on the scale, are printed larger than the others.

Beneath each of those six notes, you notice a small raised enamel dot, numbered faintly 1 through 6, left to right.

With the number six in your head, you notice that the frame itself is secured by six small silver fasteners along the bottom edge. One of them shifts slightly when touched.

Undo the others.

You try to loosen the other fasteners, but they seem firmly attached to the frame.

You feel like maybe hitting them with the hammer would do ... something, but it's not clear exactly what.

Perhaps the lyrics of the East Wind verse might carry a hint?

The breeze is won by listening still,
It moves for those who follow through.
It waits three beats before it turns,
Then drifts away; too far, too soon.

Use the hammer to tap the first fasteners.

The fasteners give off a lovely "ping" sound when struck, but don't otherwise seem to do anything.

Perhaps the order of hitting them matters?

Hit each one, listening carefully to each. If different sounds, work out the lowest note then the next etc. Hit them in that order

Hitting the first five fasteners seem to give tones that match the notes they are assigned to (with the raised enamel dot) in the sheet music. In fact, hitting them sequentially 1-2-3-4-5 plays that five-note portion of the Song of the East Wind tune.

The sixth fastener, the one that's slightly loose, doesn't sound musical at all, certainly not like the note with the enamel dot numbered six.

Tighten the sixth one and then try again

The sixth fastener doesn't seem to get any tighter. It's not a screw, it's just somewhat like a button that can be depressed at some point.

Perhaps it only functions after you've done something else?

You keep looking for something that might tell you which order you strike the other fasteners. It's not 1-2-3-4-5...

You stare at the song lyrics again...