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

[missrecalled_npcs]

"That you'll have to ask the king and queen, eh what. I have my hands full enough with one student."

[phoenixwiz]

“Um alright then. I might as well add that in as a part of my to do list once we return back to Auradon soon. If we can find a way to get out of here that is.”

[missrecalled_npcs]

"Have you not figured out where we are yet my boy?" He said, waving a wand and from it sprung a small stool. He sat himself down on it.

[phoenixwiz]

For a moment, he did found it hard to see any signs of the school from the dreamscape or Auradon but that was a good question.

“Um, no. I wasn’t able to figure out where are we currently. Sorry about it, I’m just too stunned by this situation we’re all in.”

[missrecalled_npcs]

"Then think lad, I suspect you can..." he waved the wand again and a table appeared and upon it two tea cups, a tea pot, a sugar bowl, a cream pitcher. They started making his tea for him. "This is a dream state, eh what? We're nowhere. Or everywhere, yes yes?"

[phoenixwiz]

“Oh right. I suppose that we could be anywhere and nowhere at this time,” he speaks as he tries to think hard and sees the tea set making tea, “Maybe I could try to think of something and then it would show up in this dream state if we want to.”

Think, think, think, think… He has brought out his own wand from his jacket pocket, and with a swift flick of the wrist, caused a light wind breeze to swirl above his head.

[missrecalled_npcs]

"There you are, lad! When you wake up I suggest researching lucid dreaming, eh what. But the most important thing to remember is that magic isn't illegal in dreams," he said, a bit smugly.

[phoenixwiz]

“Lucid Dreaming? Oh wow. I never heard of it before, but I’m going to do some research on the topic at the school library and how it works. Always something new to learn in new worlds, is that right, Merlin?”

[missrecalled_npcs]

"Exactly lad, exactly."

[phoenixwiz]

“I will definitely keep that in mind for much of my stay in Auradon then. By the way, is the tea ready by now?”

[missrecalled_npcs]

"That depends lad, on your imagination..." He sipped his own tea, iridescent bubbles floating up as he drank.

[phoenixwiz]

“Oh well, in any case, I think that it is safe to drink it then,” he then takes the last cup and, as he drinks it, sparkles begin to fly from the cup in a joyous manner.

[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."

[phoenixwiz]

“Belief being tied to dreams and music? Oh wow! That’s a really intriguing idea. I never learned about it in school before, but I’m starting to realize that it is much deeper than anyone can imagine.”

Hopefully this can counteract the many bad visions and nightmares he had back home. He doesn’t get to have very nice dreams for most of his life, so perhaps lucid dreaming could be the key to that.

[missrecalled_npcs]

"Dreams, music, magic, dance... belief is the start of doing any of it with any skill."

[phoenixwiz]

This is getting to be more clear that perhaps he had the belief to pursuit his goals back in his world and in Avalon in spite of the hardships he had gone through. Nothing, not even the harshest of scenarios, wasn’t able to break him that easily. It just so happens that he didn’t expect it to play a big part in life until now.

“Whoa! No kidding, Merlin. Belief does help in boosting any skills to make things possible, even if they do seem to be hard to achieve.”

[missrecalled_npcs]

"Exactly, what what. Tell you what, my boy. If you can't get along in Auradon, I suppose I can teach you until Arte and the king return."

[phoenixwiz]

“Oh wow, that would be a honour to be under your tutelage. I didn’t imagine becoming a student of yours one day, but I’m definitely willing to learn so many things from you.”

[missrecalled_npcs]

"Well try Auradon on for size first, lad. I'll not have young Ben thinking I am poaching his people, what what."

[phoenixwiz]

“Oh alright, that’s okay. I was just curious about getting some tips from you. I’m going to try learning from the school faculty first and hope that I don’t cause a lot of trouble along the way. It has been a long while since I have went to school, I had to put it on hold in my world for some, um, disclosed reasons.”

Knowing Harry though, there is a good chance that chaos and trouble will always lurk around in every corner, even if you take him out of his world or even Avalon.

[missrecalled_npcs]

"Well, not much of a school at the moment, but when it is running, must admit it isn't a bad one, what what. At least when it isn't being attacked by the forces of evil anyway. Biscuit?" he asked, offering a cookie tin. It appeared to be empty.

[phoenixwiz]

“Oh why yes, thank you. Wouldn’t mind having one right now,” he politely speaks up as he looks at the empty cookie tin, “Is the tin empty at the moment though?”

[missrecalled_npcs]

"As empty as the tea cup is." Which both was and was not an answer.

[phoenixwiz]

“Okay, if I can imagine it, maybe there are some biscuits inside,” Harry tries to find something inside the cookie tin, hoping that he can test his theory of being able to imagine whatever things he can think of inside a dream.

[missrecalled_npcs]

Merlin waited to see if the lad could pull it off.