Once upon a dream... (4th Wall Event/TDM Combo platter)

[missrecalled_mods]

[((OOC note: This fourth wall is open to any character who would be game legal. If a character who posted here reserves or apps in September, these threads can be considered game canon as long as all involved agree. If a character doesn't app, for those in game already... wow that was a weird dream. Wait, what did you dream about again?))]


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For Jordan, still comatose after the magical mishap that had resulted in the first Misrecalled being summoned, it began with a dream. A dream so strong, that it had her stirring fitfully even in her current state; and eventually caused her to release an uncontrolled burst of magic.

For everyone else, unaware of what was coming, it began with falling asleep. Whether or not someone was tired before hand, whether they even could sleep, they simply fell asleep - or a reasonable facsimile - wherever they happened to be. Maybe they remembered falling asleep, maybe they didn't. But either way they suddenly found themselves in... a very strange place.

First all there was that they could see was a vast featureless plain in shining gold and silken draperies. But that was only a glimpse, for just by existing in this space, each dreamer warps it. Changes it. Not all at once, but bits, constantly changing between them and whomever they encounter. Each person brings with them bits of three places... where they had been last, a familiar place from memory, and whatever place they call home. But this is constantly changing and shifting, more so the more dreamers are present in any space. Before long, Bits of different landscapes, different environments, even different weather conditions will cover the landscape like some crazy patchwork quilt. Here a bit of a sunny, idyllic garden, there a section of shadowy, graffiti covered slum. To one side, a chunk of charming cobblestone streets under sunset tinged skies, to the other, a forest of towering trees, some of which seem to be moving. And glimpsed through the gaps between some of the odd terrain sections, some remainder of the poorly defined golden space, hung with colorful draperies could still be seen.

And the ground itself was not immune to the changes. While the ground on which they stood might seem stable enough, if someone walked more than a few paces in any direction, that could change. Solid ground could become shifting sand. Or water. Or a wall might suddenly appear to block their path. Doors might lead to places they definitely shouldn't or open to the edge of a sheer cliff. And if the complete lack of logic to the landscape wasn't enough of an indication that this was some sort of dream, then the unreadable signs would clinch it. Because any signs - or indeed, anything with writing on it that they didn't have on their person when they arrived - was covered with nothing but unreadable gibberish.

And it got even more surreal when a dreamer spotted anyone else in the dreamspace, or even looked at their own reflection - for each person appears in the dream in whatever way they see themselves. So someone with low self confidence might be short, someone with a huge ego might tower. If someone sees themselves as a horrible criminal who needs to repent, they might be in prison togs. If the change is dramatic enough people who know each other well might still fail to recognize each other within the dreaming.

Now normally such a bizarre dream might have been put down to stress, a meal that disagreed with them, or maybe indulging in some sort of illicit substance, but this clearly was no ordinary dream, if for no other reason than that in this dream, they weren't alone. The other people they encounter are not just figments of their imagination, and they too change the shared dream space.

Those already either on the Isle or in the kingdom of Auradon proper would find themselves all thrown together in the bizarre dreamworld. And that would have been strange enough. But more than the current populations of Auradon and the Isle could be found in this place. Maybe the faces where familiar. Maybe they weren't. But they definitely hadn't turned up in the physical world that was home to Ben and Mal. Yet anyway.

Given the extremely variable geography, exploring the area might be dangerous. At least as dangerous as anything in a dream could be. But investigating might help them find a way back to the physical world faster, for those who realize they are dreaming. Or they could just stand around and talk or complain about the latest bit of magical weirdness to happen to them and hope they woke up soon. Or they could go with it and enjoy the weird. It was their dream, after all. They could pretty much do what they liked. Or at least try to. Either way, they seemed stuck there for the present, for better or worse.

Comments

Have a birb? :V

[hermesbird]

For how long in this dreamspace has passed if time is measurable, it wasn't long. Nita won't be alone in the dreamspace. A blue bird with long tail feathers appeared flying around. The bird skillfully dodges the multicolored mass, sensing the desire for destruction in the subtle energy.

Meteion is empathetic but has grown to used to the feeling of despair and cosmic horror over a thousand years, having visited multiple dying stars and may had aided in the death of some to ease the pain of crumbled civilizations if everything else fails.

She sees Nita and well...there isn't exactly any place for a birb to perch. So she flew and hover about, keeping safe distance. Reaching out telepathically, it seems the bird can talk.

"Hello? Can you hear me? Please don't be alarmed. I'm not here to harm you. I just wish to aid you. Are you hurt?"

Ahoy! Fancy seeing you here.

[unfavorableinstigation]

There was no response for the words themselves - this was more on the 'cosmic horror' end of the spectrum, unfortunately - which meant the result for Meteion would be quite unpleasant.

'Nita' herself also failed to react, a bright blue loop of energy cutting aimlessly around her in circles.

[hermesbird]

Having once flew fast as fast as a literal space comet, Meteion managed to evade the energy, being able to sense and see them. She was used to failure to make contact with other beings especially if they're predisposed to hostility, war, death, and destruction.

She'll make a friendly attempt at contact one more time but if Nita gave in to despair and her nightmare, there's nothing much a telepathic, empathetic birb can do. "Hello? Can you hear me? I only want to help if you can hear me."

[unfavorableinstigation]

That was to assume Nita was distinct from her nightmare...

There was what could only be described as a burst of mental static; the blue bean flickered, though the miasma remained.

Nothing is real. some deeper presence insisted. Only chaos.

It was a contradiction, a paradox - but one that sustained itself.

Meteion may wish to seek reinforcements, or at least a retreat.

[misery_called_npcs]

Her shadow would loom over him until he left her dreamscape, the floors shifting to worn wooden boards.

[professorsong]

"Then perhaps I've heard your name on the broadcasts...?"

[mal_contented]

"I can play. Or... I can help relieve you of that jewelry?" she offered. The eye on her dark side glittered, that side of her mouth twisted up in amusement, as her other side's expression winced. The dark side's brow lifted. "Wouldn't be the first time I swiped someone's bracelets while they were watching. Might be the first time I get permission in advance, though."

[gregorydeegan]

"Don't you know we do better when we band together?" he asked with a grin. "Besides, you look like you already hit rock bottom. Unleash your alto ego to see how low we can go, or else you might fall flat on your face while I chain these puns."

[nobodys_puppet]

She actually gave a small whimper. She reached up to pull her hood up, but her hands were full. So she couldn't. She hunched in on herself. She was terrified to speak, but didn't know what else to do, as the sky above them shifted to match the one in the World That Never Was, even as the patch of ground under one of her boots became a sunset kissed stone ledge.

[missrecalled_npcs]

"The root, yes yes, of lucid dreaming is much the same as the root of the music, one must, my boy, start with belief."

[nobodys_puppet]

"Nobody here...." she whispered. A lie and a truth all at the same time as she hunched in on herself as the sunset took over a part of the sky, shining golden-orange light that bounced off the reflective surface of her head.

[not_42]

They were not, though the being that had wandered in there after leaving the familiar paths of his garden looked decidedly out of place on a starship. Clad in a dark hooded robe and birdlike half-mask that obscured most of their features, even the features that would normally be visible were rendered blurred and indistinct in the dreamscape. The being seemed harmless enough though. Not to mention fascinated by the view of the galaxy outside.

"I can hear you," Hermes assured them. "Is this... the sea of stars?"

[not_42]

At least the being that wandered into her kitchen was no less odd looking. They were humanoid and rather tall, but most any distinguishing features beyond that were concealed by a dark, hooded robe and birdlike halfmask. And in this place, even the parts of their face that would normally have been visible were blurred and indistinct.

Hermes simply stood and watched her work for a moment. Though the girl's features kept shifting, that... very bright clothing remained. He privately wondered what the one who'd come up with the color had been thinking and what the girl had been thinking dressing in it, but felt it would be rude to open the conversation with that. "Greetings," he said politely. Though it was impossible to tell just then whether or not he was smiling, his voice gave that impression. "I hope I'm not intruding on your work."

[modified20]

"Pretty sure if I set the whole woods ablaze, that'll kill most of the dangerous creatures. So that's what I have to do before you take me to the next part of the plot? Check." She grinned a smug little grin. "I have a feat called enhance the fire. You might want to get behind me," she said, aiming both her weapons at the woods.

[oneahn_ayesh]

She nodded as though she wasn't surprised. As if he confirmed her suspicions, no more. "I suspect we have both fallen afoul of a planeswalker or the like who has banished or unsummoned us to this place. I can presume at least that this is no healing sleep. This place both is and is not too disjointed for that, nor was I near the Miritian Mountains last I recall. I also remain uninjured, and my mouth does not taste of the leaves. I welcome any ideas you might have as to how we can return."

[ubuntu_programmer]

"I had a brief musical theater period. Ended after I pointed out that the director's choice of which musical we should perform was... less than ideal. But no, I mean computer games. NPCs are non-player-characters. The prescripted or AI characters run by the computer to help, hinder, inform, or just add flavor."

[aquawayfinder]

She shifted over closer, then pulled him over to lean against her. "There is nothing the three of us can't overcome, if we believe. In ourselves, and in each other. If we never give up on each other. And trust the connection between us."

[souls_of_roles]

She turned and her hair darkened and lengthened as she gave a bright smile, wok in one hand, long chopsticks in the other. "Welcome! Please have a seat and I'll take your order in a moment, all right?" she said in a bright and cheerful customer service voice.

Re: Æn'kae | Star Trek OC | OTA

[nobodys_puppet]

She froze in the opening of the door when he spoke. She was smaller than usual, and partially translucent. And her head was a round cracked mirror absent hair or features. But that jacket, and that Keyblade were familiar. It could have been Xion. Or Roxas. Or maybe there was another of the Organization that he had not yet met that could also hold a Keyblade? The Keyblade was in the hand he could see, the doorframe blocked the other and whatever - if anything - she was holding.

[not_42]

"My... order?", he said, sounding a bit confused. "I'm afraid you're mistaken. I didn't come here with the intention to give orders, and my authority doesn't extend beyond Elpis in any case. I merely wished to speak to you for a while, if you have the time."

You said whoever....Re: Leia Organa | Star Wars (CRAU Wake + Voidtrekers) | OTA

[utauhoshina]

The blond girl in the pigtails would be the first she might meet. Under her feet - daylit sidewalk. Over her head, dark clouded night. And around her on all sides but the left - Where Leia came to her from - tight close in walls. Her wrists glittered with broken shackles, bits of chains around her feet, broken and inert. On her back were two wings. The feathery white wing was high and tight to her back, the small black bat wing was broken and listed, pressed against the wall behind her. There was on either of her shoulders what looked like an angel and a devil the size of her hands. The girl's eyes were closed as she sang a deep and haunting melody. The sing seemed to flow along around her, illuminating her in a soft glow of whiteish gold light.

Re: Leia Organa | Star Wars (CRAU Wake + Voidtrekers) | OTA

[modified20]

Sarah had been cycling through her characters as she moved through the dreams. She didn't even notice Leia at first. "Okay, so manifesting works..." she said, currently blond and more or less human looking. Except for the dice that seemed to encircle her at waist height and the papers that floated around just above her head. "Let's see what I can manifest... Oh! I know!" A flame thrower appeared in her hand. She grinned. then it vanished. "Even better. Let those star dorks see me now," she said. One of the dice started rotating. She reached out and touched it. "Modified twenty, I summon my lightsaber!" and in her hand appeared a lightsaber. Active. A red lightsaber. "Alright! Didn't really get to test this out last time. I wonder if it still has blood on it. Can you even get blood on one of these...?" She seemed like she was talking to someone else, but no one else was there.

[motherofresistance]

The woman who wandered into the space would undoubtedly be familiar to Ian, as might her outfit. She didn't seem fazed by the odd combination of locations, and seemed more interested in the holograms. They were a bit more solid-looking than those she was used to, and she wanted to see if she could find a projector, or if they were simply there due to dream-logic. She was aware of their presence of course, but didn't know if they were aware of hers and didn't want to bother them if they'd rather be left alone.

[souls_of_roles]

"Speak... to me?" she asked, seeming confused. Then another small smile. "I'm sorry sir, if you want, I can get you some tea to drink? But I have to see to the other customers." Another customer service smile as she presumed he was just a drunk. After all, why else would someone want to talk to her?

[ubuntu_programmer]

They were almost instantly aware of her. They stumbled back a step, yes staring a bit. "Okay... I know this place is beyond weird... so I have to ask, just to tell myself that I am actually finally losing my mind. Your name....?"