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

Foulques OTA

[mist_the_point]

For the first time since his arrival on the Isle, Foulques stood amid the dappled light of the forest. Towering trees rivaling the largest of giant sequoias formed the canopy overhead, and interspersed among them were a multitude of smaller trees, shrubs, and assorted forest plant life. The sound of a flowing stream could be heard in the near distance. All in all, it was a rugged, but idyllic scene. Or at least it would have been had it not been for the tree creatures and monstrous birds that could be seen wandering amid the undergrowth. They seem content to leave most people alone, but it would likely be unwise to approach them.

Foulques meanwhile, is not dressed in his usual armor, or even the normal clothing he wore beneath it. Instead he wore a rough woven, undyed hempen tunic and slops above simple sandals. The clothes were a bit frayed at the edges, stained in places and smudged with grime. Not the sort of thing one wanted to be trekking through an apparently primaeval forest in, though Foulques was looking around with a mix of confusion and consternation rather than fear. "What in the name of Nophica's great, heaving tots is going on?", he demanded. "Is this another of this places' thrice-cursed visions?"

Re: Foulques OTA

[modified20]

'Down!' the blond woman yelled as she fired some sort of weapon at one of the tree creature, exploding it in a rain of fire that splashed flame to other trees. She smirked. 'Modified twenty!" she called, blowing the top of her weapon before turning to see if he had actually ducked or not. "You the one who is supposed to lead me to the plot?"

[mist_the_point]

Well if the shout hadn't made him duck the fireball passing uncomfortably close to his head certainly did. One Treant went up in flames immediately at the attack and two others who'd been struck by the sparks were now advancing on her, clearly bent on avenging their fallen brethren, and the previously calm Ziz were also squawking aggressively in her direction. And after that the woman had the nerve to shout nonsense and then ask him if he was going to lead her somewhere?

Foulques straightened back to his full height, glaring daggers at the woman. "Are you mad?!", he half shouted. "You're like to set the whole forest ablaze and draw the ire of every beast for malms around, you swifting imbecile! I'll not lead you anywhere!" In fact he was backing away rather quickly so as not to get caught up in the battle she'd incited with the Treants and Ziz. Normally he could slay either with little trouble, but he was currently weaponless and misliked his chances without a spear in hand.

[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.

[mist_the_point]

The woman was absolutely and utterly mad. There was no other explanation. But if playing along with her delusions was the only way of preventing her from burning the forest down around them- he didn't trust the Elementals to not take offence at even an illusion of their domain being thus attacked- then he would do it. "Wait!", he shouted. "Deal with the beasts you've angered- without burning down the forest-, and I'll tell you what you wish to know."

And hopefully he'd have figured out what that was by the time she'd finished off the Treants and Ziz. Meanwhile he was still keeping a healthy distance from her, ready to break and run if she decided to ignore him.

[modified20]

"Kill the things trying to kill me. Without fire. Check!" she said. "I vanish my flamethrower and manifest that.. lightsaber thing...y." And as she said it, it happened, the ground under her looking oddly like... A carpet over wooden floor. She strode away from what looked like a table covered in papers and dice very like the ones that floated around her. She flicked one of the dice that hovered around her waist. "Modified twenty to hit the bird thing." She swung the lightsaber at it. "Doing 34 damage."

[mist_the_point]

Said 'bird thing' screeched in pain as the lightsaber sliced into it, leaving a long gash in its side and an unpleasant scent of charred flesh and feathers behind. But the Ziz wasn't dead, and its throat pouch expanded, as it spewed a cloud of toxic-looking purple mist in her direction. The other Ziz, meanwhile, came at her from the side, attempting to bite her non-lightaber holding arm, and the two injured but still very much alive treants closed in behind her, branch arms raised to strike.

[modified20]

She flicked another die. Glanced to the side and shifted it to a better number, subtly, as she dodged. "I got a 23 to hit!" she said, she rolled again. "45 damage. To the thing trying," she coughed, "to overcome my save against poison."

[mist_the_point]

The toxic cloud for better or worse, had no effect, and her strike struck home felling the injured Ziz. However, the other one was still very much alive, as were the Treants. And from the way they were closing in around her, dodging was unlikely to be an option for much longer.

[modified20]

This would have been so much easier with fire, of course. But fine, this was her challenge. Oh! Suddenly the lightsaber was gone and she was holding a chainsaw. "Redneck edition!" she cried as she revved it up. A die rolled. "twenty to hit, modified. Using a feat called And I'm Okay to hit both of them at once..." another die rolled. "Thirty three damage for each dirty tree."

[mist_the_point]

Her attack hit one of the Treants, cutting a long gash in its woody body, but unfortunately for her, simple physics did not agree with her roll; the Treants were simply too large for her to hit both properly at once, and thus her strike barely grazed the second one.

And though the uninjured one's return strike was clumsy, it connected solidly. A huge, wooded hand slammed into her with a great deal of force, sending her sprawling. Or perhaps flying, if she happened to be standing on some slippery moss. Either way, it was going to hurt.

[modified20]

She went flying. "HEY!" she said, shoving herself up, looking rough. "No way tis is gonna TPK me!" she snapped. "You're gonna pay for that! You see these character sheets?! I'm gonna make you into a whole folder of them, buddy!"

[mist_the_point]

The treant either didn't understand her threat or didn't care, letting out a wordless roar as it stomped forward arms raised to strike again. Moving would probably be a good idea, as even if she attacked it, something that big and heavy can't exactly stop on a gil.

I have not played Ayesh in years. Here goesRe: Foulques OTA

[oneahn_ayesh]

The short human woman with the salt and peeper hair waked through the woods, aware of everything but unconcerned, seeming. Her steps were steady and even. She gave the creatures a respectful space without seemed afraid, or even concerned. When she saw him, she shifted the backpack she wore, settling it as she bowed. "Hello,' she said quietly, her voice even. "Can you tell me where i might be? These woods are unfamiliar to me." Which would have been alarming if she wasn't a master of her emotions. Now it was simply concerning and even that she would not allow herself to show. diamond mind, always.

[mist_the_point]

The hyur woman who addressed him had both the look and air of an adventurer about her. Which made Foulques even more conscious of the fact that he currently did not, being clad only in the poor garb he'd been forced to wear during his time in the Gridanian gaol. Yet if she took him for an escaped fugitive, she game no sign of it. "Under other circumstances, I would be able to direct you," he said. "But though this seems to be the Twelveswood, I know it cannot be, And I don't trust the visions this place produces to stay true to the paths I know through the Black Shroud."

[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."

[mist_the_point]

"If I had any, I would gladly share them," he said. "The place I was last in- and where I presume my body still is- seems fond of inducing visions, but this is far more dreamlike than either of the ones I experienced there previously. They were more like memories of my past playing out around me, while I and any others swept up in it were mere observers. Once the memory had played out for a brief time, the illusion faded on its own. I doubt that this one will be so obliging, however."

[oneahn_ayesh]

"Perhaps not. But if you are correct that we are not physically here..." she moved into a stance that looked... almost awkward. A low bend of both knees, feet well apart from each other, back straight, shoulders loose and ready. Well, after she pulled two items from her backpack. A small box and an odd flute.

She eyed the flute then nodded. "You are correct. This is no form of reality." She lifted the flute, then raised both her eyebrows slightly. Her hands. She had all ten fingers once more. "Things that were gone have been returned here, and that is not possible in what I know of as reality. So as I see it we have two options that we can try to return. Music and meditation."

[mist_the_point]

He considered a moment. "I've never attempted the latter, though I wouldn't be averse to doing so," he said. "As to the former, I do not play an instrument, though I've been told that I can sing reasonably well. The difficulty would be in finding a song that the both of us were at least somewhat familiar with."

[oneahn_ayesh]

"With this flute, that would not be an issue, even were we in an actual plane of reality with firm rules. You may try it if you wish, I can activate it for you." And since she was actually aware that explained nothing, she added, "This is an Oneahn teaching flute. When charged, one has only to think of a tune while holding it and blowing and it will move the players fingers to the proper positions, so that one builds muscle memory. As for my part if you were to play that flute, I know music from many lands. I am certain if I have this flute I also have one of my copper ones and I could follow your lead."

[mist_the_point]

He looked at the offered flute with interest. "I've never heard of an instrument that instructs its player on its use," he said. "Though I'm admittedly far from a scholar of such things. In any case. I'm willing to make the attempt."

[oneahn_ayesh]

She nodded and drew from her bag a box. She flipped the lid open one handed and a purple flame came out. She shifted the side and the flame became green. She set it on the floor and dipped one end of the flute in the green flames. The green raced up the body of the flute. She twisted the ring on the end and the flute settled to a soft gold glow. She held it out in offer.

[mist_the_point]

He was clearly not expecting the flame, but relaxed once it was clear that his companion wasn't alarmed by it. He took the offered flute a bit gingerly at first, examining it more closely for a moment. He's still a bit dubious as to whether the flute will do what she claims but, under the circumstances, sees no reason not to try it.

He considered what tune to play for a moment, before raising the flute to his lips and blowing into the mouthpiece. And as he'd been told it moved his fingers to help him create the notes of one of his father's favorites.

[oneahn_ayesh]

It would work, he'd hear the flute playing the song he was used to, though in a slightly different scale. She started playing on a hammer coppered flute after a bit, catching the tune and providing a harmony.

[mist_the_point]

After an initial moment of surprise, he found himself relaxing into the familiar tune. With the flute doing most of the work, he closed his eyes for a moment, focusing only on providing the breath it needed. And as he did so, the forest around them changed from day to night, the roaming Treants and Ziz vanishing, replaced by several antelope does, browsing the foliage at the edge of the clearing where they stood. The forest was lit by the light of a full moon, and all was calm and peaceful, though there was a tinge of sadness over it all. Of things that had once been, but could never be again.

But one thing the song didn't do was release them from the dreamworld.