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

Re: Mallia ~ Open to all! ~ Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ ʚїɞ εїз ྅༏༊ 🦋

[gregorydeegan]

The redheaded superhero had been flying along when he spotted the castle. Interesting, he flew around it a few times before he dropped a bit to follow the sound of the voice. This seemed interesting...

[queen_butterfly]

It was an absent sort of singing, less any particular performance and more just something done to fill the silence as she went about her business. The young lady was in that tower-top room, inspecting the pages that were set out on a table, a look of concentration on her face as she picked one up to inspect it.

It looked like it ought to have been notes on star positions -- an astronomy study? -- but it was hard to tell, from a distance. Quill and ink and more paper was still sitting out on the table, a stack of old books beside them. The walls were all but lined with large stained-glass windows, and at least from the inside, it was clearer than not that the lowly conical roof was actually fairly special, made of a mosaic of tinted glass rather than fully opaque, another kind of artistic feat that left the light filtering down through it to blend into near whiteness by the time it reached the lower half of the big room, allowed in by the canopy-curtains being pulled and tied aside for it. Plants grew bushily in their pots near the windows, and hung down in long tendrils covered in flowers from pots suspended from the rafters, as well as having climbed up from planters set out by the dainty railing around a stairway down to the rest of the castle through the tower, using said railing as a trellis. A telescope of some sort was sitting just inside the doorway, off to the side... it was an observatory of some kind, and a sunroom....

And the singing's source... She was a teenager, maybe? A younger adult? Black hair, loose and vaguely wavy, hung to about the middle of her back, her bangs twisted up to where they were tied behind her head with purple ribbon and fresh flowers. Her ears' tops were in view in that style, subtle points indicating that possibility that she wasn't quite human, though she looked it otherwise, from behind. She wore her usual flowy black dress with apparent stained-glass panes of dark purple that faded up into the rest of it along its hems, extra fabric falling down behind her like a cape.... If someone were familiar with Mallia already, her identity wouldn't be at all difficult to guess.

She hadn't noticed him just yet, intent as she was on the paper in her hands....

[gregorydeegan]

Okay, so he was curious, but this was a bit creepy. So he dropped down to the ground near whatever looked most like it might be a front door. Then he knocked loudly.

[queen_butterfly]

He didn't get to knock much; the doors swung open easily.

The inside wasn't as dark as it probably ought to be, given that stone, especially such dark stone, tended to block out light. But the stained glass windows were quite large, and the foliage climbing the outer walls didn't entirely obscure them. Within, it wasn't quite as grand as some castles probably were. It wasn't an over-the-top spectacle of wealth, but something that felt warmer, somehow, though who knew how the place was actually heated. The big foyer had a second set of doors, already open, to a hallway going deeper in. This, too, was lit, but how was far less obvious yet, the light coming from... where? From seemingly nowhere, that was where. And further in, the hall opened, split off: stairs up, and paths left, right, and further in, forward....

Her voice could still be heard from outside, from behind him. But its echo came from within, too. It ought not to be too difficult to find his way to her in a more mundane sort of way, if he'd rather. He seemed to have the castle's permission, as it was....

[gregorydeegan]

The lighting didn't really weird him out that much. He was used to magic, and it was a good catchall for "understanding" things that otherwise made no sense.

What did come close to confusing and disturbing him, however, was being able to tell if the voice was from behind him and outside, or from further in. He paused, unsure which way to go. Thought about how his brother would handle this... the brother who hadn't tried to kill him, anyway. And immediately got a headache. Alright, then how would his dad....

Ah!

He swing a guitar off his back. Had he been wearing that a minute ago? Did it matter? "This castle might be made of stone," he said to no one in particular, grinning. "But I'm made of ROCK!" And with that he drew his hands down on the first intense chord of a loud rock song.

[queen_butterfly]

Well, he'd probably gotten her attention; the singing had most certainly paused. As the echoes of the guitar's notes quieted, were he listening, he might well hear her footsteps echoing softly from the stairwell ahead.

[gregorydeegan]

Well then... He moved to another song to lure out whoever his audience was. Sword of Centuries! A loud song that he always ended up flying by the end of. Look it was in the lyrics, so he did it.

[queen_butterfly]

She stepped out of the stairwell in short order, a funny look on her face. What was going on here? Who was this? What sort of music was it, and what in the world was he playing on?

"What in the world...?" She eyed the instrument, and Greg, not sure where to even begin with this.

[gregorydeegan]

He grinned. "Sorry, I tried to find whoever was here, but I couldn't so I figured I'd make sure you'd find me."

[queen_butterfly]

"Well, it seems you've accomplished that." She gave him a little smile and a polite sort of nod-bow. "I'm Mallia. And this is... well, it's a memory of my home, at least, which has always been open to friends, while standing."

[gregorydeegan]

"I'm Gregory. Gregory Deegan. Yes, that Deegan. And hopefully that means it is open to me?"

[queen_butterfly]

"It's open to anyone who'd be a friend, as I said."

She gestured, and pulled a little cloth out of nowhere at all. "I don't suppose you're hungry, after coming all the way from wherever that is, Gregory of Deegan?"

She'd completely misunderstood the name, but maybe what she was pulling out of the cloth would appeal? It looked to be a little pie, dark black stains glossy around the little holes in the top crust, hinting at some sort of fruit filling... and the aroma of it was certainly designed to be enticing. How long ago had that been baked, and where had she been hiding it? She hadn't reached into any pockets. Her dress, fitted to her top as it was, didn't seem to have any....

[gregorydeegan]

"That smells delicious! Magical pocket space?" he asked floating over with a grin.

[queen_butterfly]

"Pockets? No, just magic." She held it out; if he wanted it, it was his. "It's one of my favorites, to be sure. Entberry."

[gregorydeegan]

"If I've ever heard of that, I ent recall. Thank you."

[queen_butterfly]

"....Most haven't, as of late," she admitted, turning her hand back over to pick up a fresh example of the black berries from... where they hadn't just been a moment ago, in that same little cloth. "Perhaps you'd like to try one fresh as well, then? They used to be a staple, among--"

She paused, eyeing him again, unsure if she ought to finish that sentence how she almost had. Was he human, as his appearance suggested? She didn't know of any that could fly. But if this was a dream as it seemed.... hmm. Well, it was a puzzle, though not a huge one.

"Well... among those I was raised by...."

[gregorydeegan]

"Thanks, and thanks for not making so many I'm berryed in them!" he said taking some of the offered berry. "It is sweet of you."

He rolled them in his hand, considering a moment before adding... "That sounds like there is a story there, need to talk? Even if the story is corny, I'm all ears."

[queen_butterfly]

She tilted her head a little, eyeing him, not even trying to hide that it was something about him that had her curious here. "I admit, I've never seen an actual human use magic before... so I presume you merely look like one...?"

So, there, have confirmation that she's not? Her features aren't just dreamscape-self stylization....

[gregorydeegan]

"So I get to be your first?" A grin. "Human with magic, that is. I'm a white mage. 100% human unless my parents have a secret I'd really rather not know."

[queen_butterfly]

"A white-- ...." She blinked. The word was to herself, very quiet, expression sobering a little: "Blue...." She sighed, made a face, and looked back to Greg again, frowning a bit. "My apologies; my mind has been everywhere while I've been here. There was another I've met, though certainly not from my world. So you would be the second. The first I've seen fly, though... and if I might inquire, what exactly is a white mage?"

[gregorydeegan]

He looked a little sheepish. "Someone who can use white magic at a high level. I... had just decided to try and be more humble..." he landed. "Guess I'm not doing such a good job of that. But um... you know, healing and stuff..."

[queen_butterfly]

"That's associated with a color, for you?" She tilted her head a little, confused. Humans were so... interesting, sometimes? Yes, she'd just go with interesting. "Well.. I suppose, to be fair, healing one doesn't result in anything that would have to disappear again afterwards, would it." Whatever that had to do with anything.

[gregorydeegan]

"I mean.. it is white like... white knight and good stuff. It's about as far as you can get from Necromancy which tends to be more black, or Infernomancy which tends to be very dark red... Not sure what you mean about things disappearing? If you're talking high level magical theory, you have the wrong Deegan, that would be my mom or my big bro."

[queen_butterfly]

Congrats on confusing her so thoroughly! She blinked at him uncomprehendingly for a good moment, and then finally shook her head. "I have no idea what you're talking about. 'Necromancy' and 'Infernomancy'? What is all that about...?"

[gregorydeegan]

"You know, Necromancy, like when you go out to make friends,... but you make them out of dead people. And Infernomancy, when you say blast it all and make a bargain with a demon."