New apprentices Finnian and Penelope are tasked with polishing ceremonial brass bells at the Toy Workshop but find the metal is cold and dead due to the resonance drain, failing standard shine tests. Penelope suggests seeking out the pure silver alloy of the Carillon of Wishes bells to generate a counter-frequency. At the Carillon, they find a specialized silver striker rod that Finnian identifies as a tuning conductor designed to hold a specific harmonic. While returning, Finnian accidentally drops the rod near a drainage grate, producing a single, pure C-sharp tone that visibly pushes back the grey resonance dust near the grate. This event makes them realize the source of the cold might be deep underground infrastructure accessible via the tunnels beneath the grate, setting up their next immediate objective.