Run By: Soldier of Misfortune (3 xp)

Players: Hunting Mist, Clan Clan, Longinus

Synposis: Clan Clan, Hunting Mist, and Longinus discover the secret of Myri, and convince Lotus Dreams One Thousand Dreams Of Midnight to agree to their terms.

 

 

The village of Myri is supposed to be a pleasant little town in the Hundred Kingdoms. It's in a nice position - near a stream and a forest, with a fair amount of farmable land.

 

So where has it gone?

 

Where does a village of one hundred, two hundred people just UP and disappear to, with no sign of a fire, ruins, or having even existed beforehand? There isn't even the quiet brush, or the tell-tale ruins of a bandit raid - it's as if the village, the farmland, and everything else is just...gone.

 

Sign's still there.

 

Lovely lettering.

 

Hunting Mist says, "So, umn, where are we?"

 

From atop Savage Yoshi, Hunting Mist is peering around, looking for something to indicate the the trails and former roads actually *led* somewhere other than a sign. With lovely lettering. "Ah tracked you down to ask you about a particular question, an' now that we're here, ah'll have t'wonder what yer doin' here, Clan Clan."

 

To one with no insight on such things no villages don't vanish. To a sidereal it is common practice; there's even a form to fill out for a misplaced village. Heck even Clan Clan has lost a village or two in her day. Sitting on a large rock. Posibly the tallest thing since the town up and vanished. "Hmmmmm lets see...." she apears to be sniffing the air. As she does her nose meets with Hunting Mists. "Oh! Hello. Have you seen a town? I seem to have misplaced this one."

 

Hunting Mist rubs his nose after the oddly intimate contact, "Er, yeah, hi. Naw, Ah'm sorta lookin' fer you, Clan. Ah've been handed a responsibility, an' while ah can handle it, ah'm wonderin' about it. You may have heard of her...Dreams of Elsewhere?"

 

Moving along an relatively uncluttered landscape, a man with a Fedora on his head catches glimpse of a rather well crafted sign on the road up ahead, where two people stand apparently confused about something.

 

"Drrreeeaammmsss of Elsewhere?" Clan Clan thinks over the name, as it seems familar. "Ya thats Visions of Blue's little girl right?" leaning back just a little as you seem uncomfortable with your persoanal space invaded. Tail moving back and forth slowly, little cat ears perk. "Is she ok? Or are you just baby sitting? Not something that really should be a Solar's job, but who am I to judge?"

 

Sitting astride Yoshi, Mist ponders for a moment. "Well, maybe not, but ah got stuck with it anyways. Yeah, she's got this crying dark sutra thing, an' demons following her an' stuff. Ah'm not thrilled with it, but ah figure ah can handle myself until her dad can figure something out.". He stops for a moment, leaning down to his mount, as if to hear him better, "Yeah, whazzat? Someone coming?", whereupon his sits back up and turns to look behind him. "Ah think ah know him..."

 

After a few minutes, The man in the long black coat and Fedora arrives near the two travellers. "Afternoon, or should I say evening people." he says with a smile and a tip of his Fedora. "...Um, where's the village?" he asks somewhat confused looking from the sign to the open landscape. "I miss something?" he asks

 

"Oh? Sutra? I know sutra's fairly well. Takes a special talent to write them. I wonder who did that to her?" Clan Clan frowns thinking it might be a coworker at first. "Geeze someone is going to get hell her dad works for the Buro." looking to the sky she thinks for a moment. Then across the empty lot to Longinus. "Well ... Solars abound. Something is about to go down." looking off at something that is not there for a moment.

"Have you seen a village about? I think we misplaced it." Clan chirps to Long

 

Head fwapping back and forth between Clan and Longinus, "Hell?...Solar?... Longinus?" Hunting Mist is looking somewhat confused.

 

The look on Longinus's face goes silent and cold, "Since we're being so honest here, chosen of fate?" he asks with a slight edge to his voice. Before turning his face back to Hunting, "Does it really matter?" he asks, "In any case try and keep it to yourself, I'd prefer not to get mugged and killed by some beligerent mortal while getting coffee." he says with a shrug. "But no one's answered my question." he says pointing at the sign, "Did someone move a sign, or a town?" he asks

 

The road just kind of trails past the sign, and picks up a really good distance away, indicating that SOMEBODY built a road to SOMETHING here.

 

Noticing the chill, Hunting Mist pulls his jacket tighter around himself. "Th'town, appearently."

 

"Honesty is the best. I have no problems people knowing what I am." Clan tilts her head not knowing it was something he was hiding. "Nothing to be embraced about Longinus. Mortals killing you during coffee?" she giggles "I think you need a bit of combat training then. I might be able to help. As for the town, it was moved, and legally to boot. Fate isn't snarled in the least. So by hand or a lot of paper work in the prosses."

 

(Judge) Hunting Mist rolls Wits + Awareness: [ 2 6 9 <10> ]

        Resulting in 3 successes.

 -= OOC =- Longinus says, "I'll burn for 2 successes"

(Judge) Longinus rolls Wits + Investigation: [ 3 5 5 7 8 8 ]

        Resulting in 3 successes.

-= OOC =- Longinus says, "So 5"

(Judge) Clan Clan rolls 6: [ 2 4 6 6 7 7 ]

        Resulting in 2 successes.

 

Longinus looks at the ground, "Hrm." he says with a grin, "Take a look at this." he says with a smile noting the tracks on the ground. "Shall we?" he asks as he tips his Fedora down and follows the set of three tracks

 

"Yeah, ah reckon we shall. Clan, tracks lead thisaway.", Mist says, adjusting his cowboy hat, and hanging back while mounted.

 

Clan Clan slides off the rock and fallows the others absently looking about her with more curiosity. Looking at the beauty of the world and more importantly looking for that one thing off. Bare footed today, plants seem to perk up and bloom under her footfalls instead of being crushed. "Sids can move towns, but it would leave the fate in teh area much more disturbed than this. What ever did this must have not used much essence doing it. Heck all teh displaced people usualy mess with the loom more than this. Its so odd."

 

Longinus nods quietly, "Yea, I thought of that." he says to Clan, "There could be an area shift, but the essence would be high in the area." he says, "One of those lost in the mists area." he says, "Other than that, we'll see. Might be good to check with local gods." he says

 

The footprints lead to what looks like a rock, and then simply stop. The rock doesn't look particularly special.

 Mighty Sol starts to fade over the horizon, his chariot disappearing to pave the way for sweet lady Luna and the brilliant radiance of the moon. The shadows begin to fall, darkness radiating across the group like a creeping swarm of insects.

 

(Judge) Longinus rolls Wits + Awareness: [ -1- 3 8 8 <10> ]

        Resulting in 4 successes.

(Judge) Clan Clan rolls 4: [ -1- 5 6 9 ]

        Resulting in 1 successes.

 

As darkness falls, the sound of fluttering seems to echo from somewhere - as though it weren't the actual sound they were hearing, but the impression of the sound echoing forth from elsewhere, like some multitude of butterflies were right beside their ear in a world just to the side of their own.

 

Turning around, Mist heads off back to where he left Dreams.

 

"Bye Mist." Clan Clan waves. The sound goes almost unnoticed by the young cat girl for a moment, so accustomed to the sound, ears only just recognizing it out of place at the last moment. "Butterflies?" the girl turns around. "Ladies can you speard out for me and look about. Let me know if there is anything out of place." speaking kindly to what seems empty air. "Never go into a scary forest unless you have more eyes than scarry monsters do." smilling wide.

 

-= OOC =- Clan Clan says, "My cloud of inmaterial Flame Butterflies are going to speard out and seach the place"

 

Looking down at the rock, Longinus frowns, "Strange." he says and kneels down to sweep debree from around the rock. Then looking back up to Clan, "Ahh, Good idea. I've got to learn that one." he says with a smirk. "This isn't essence driven...is it possible that the town itself was an illusion or a shaped aspect that simply expired?" he asks

 

The air surrounding them is absolutely -saturated- with gossamer obsidian butterflies. Like a cloud of ethereality, they flutter and flap around the rock - which, Longinus's sweeping has revealed, is not a rock at all but a hatch - the most, but they seem spread over the entire area.

 

Longinus chuckls to himself, "Well, this should be useful." he says with a grin, pointing to the hatch. "Shall we darlin?" he asks.

 

"That too would leave some kind of..." something seems to come to her. "If this was done by Siderials there is a charm to clean up the loom I didn't think of that ...." scratching her head. "Errrr so help me if its a coworker ... there will be ... audits" looking up ear twitching "Gossamer butterflies. Oh thats kind of cool. Though much more worrying." Grabbing a stick and drawing an outline about were the town should be to judge the size of the area. "I wonder if its a matter of healing the area?" looking up to Longinus. "Were we going?" she moves to fallow

 

Shaking his head, Longinus sighs, "Are you seriously paying attention?" he asks Clan, as he pops the hatch open. "In any case, I was wondering on the by if you could help me come up with some good teaching aides for sorcerers?" he asks

 

Upon opening the hatch, the butterflies suddenly cease being ethereal, surging as one from all over the area into a mass of dripping gossamer threads, with huge obsidian butterfly wings growing forth from its back; hundreds of compound eyes blink in succession at the pair as mandibles explode outwards from the wriggling, flapping mass.

 "MORE?!" It wails, in a voice like a thousand cicadas chirping, "WHY DO YOU COME TO TORMENT US SO?!"

 

Stopping in his tracks, Longinus stands up, "We have not come to torment anyone." he says calmly. "Please name yourself, if you wouldn't mind?" he asks

 

"Well I can't see things like Solar's can. I'm limited to normal vision and friends like you and my butterflies." Hoping over not sure what the Solar is up to as she can't see the hatch. "I can teach you some Martial Arts. I've mastered a style or two." jumping suddenly the sound of a thousand wailing voices permiate her ears. "Oh, were sorry. She walks forward to them opening her arms. "Who has been tormenting you? Are you ok?"

 

Longinus looks over at Clan, "It was right out in the open! I just moved the brush away!" he says and shakes his head, "never mind." he says and looks back at the butterflies, "Did someone build a town on you or something?" he asks

 

The horrific mass looms down at them, blinking compound eyes in random patterns. It's immediately apparent that the thing is blind. "THEY HAVE," it moans, "THE CHILD OF LUNA AND HER FRIEND. THEY STOLE OUR DREAMS FROM US!"

 The mass swings back and forth. "THIS TOWN WAS OURS - IT WAS OUR DREAMS. IT WAS FOR OUR DREAMS! AND THEY TOOK OUR DREAMS, AND NOW, AND NOW, WE CANNOT KEEP IT ACTIVE...WE CANNOT CONTINUE!"

 

"Lotus Dreams One Thousand Dreams of Midnight?" Clan Clan bows to the god. "I'm sorry you were wronged so." holding an arm out to comfort the thing. "I am Clan Clan, chosen of Serenity. I've come to help it will be ok love." hugging it the best she can. "Now try to tell us about the Lunar and the other will you?"

 

Looking over at Clan Clan, Longinus frowns, "A Lunar?" he asks curiously and shakes his head, "Perhaps you could tell us more of what happened, so we could correct the problem?" he asks quietly. "It'd be nice to restore a sense of normality here."

 

"A LUNAR AND ANOTHER - AZAMI A NO-MOON LUNAR AND PHILOKRATES OF GREAT FORKS STUDENT AND SERVANT OF THE THREE WORLDCIRCLER ARROWMASTER WINDSTRIDER TORTURESUFFERER LIESMITER LORETEACHER QUICKERSILVER FALCON CHOSEN OF SOL CONSECRATOR OF OATHS AND DECLARATIONS! THEY STOLE OUR DREAMS FROM US!" The god rages, lowering itself to blink its blind eyes at the two. "DO YOU SWEAR YOU WILL NOT MEDDLE IN OUR AFFAIRS, SHOULD WE ALLOW YOU INTO OUR HOME?" It asks, sounding very, very wary.

 

"Longinus!" Clan Clan squeeks, pointing to the man trying to get him to stop. "That is a sanctum, best not go in. Its a very private place for a god. Sacred and such." looking to the spirit. "I'm sooo sorry. We best bother you as little as possible. I wonder why Azami would steal your dreams, poor thing." patting it gently. "Now calmly tell us the whole story so I can fix this. I know were to find Azami, but I want to hear all your side of the story before hearing Azami's"

 

Longinus tips his a little, "I wouldn't mind coming into your sanctum, if this discussion could happen more comfrotably." he says with a frown, "Though I promise not to take any meddling action from within your sanctum while duely invited and under hospitality." he says calmly. "Would that set your mind at ease?" he asks

"YOU WILL NOT MEDDLE?" It begs, "THEN YOU MAY ENTER - YOU WILL NOT UNDERSTAND OTHERWISE. YOU WILL THINK US MAD."

 

"I swear to not medal with your Sanctum, though as a heavenly official on Official business I am obligated to report anything I may see in there, understand?" clan would look it its eyes but seems at a loss since its blind. Then moves to Longinus for permission to enter. "Now tell us all you can please."

 

Longinus begins descending into the Sanctum of the God, into the heart of the manse.

 

The butterflies shatter into a swarm, sliding down to follow all around them as they're led into the heart of the manse.

 It's a huge, circular room. There's very little light, but enough - dimly lit, lit well enough for them to see what lines the walls.

 Crystals. Maybe a hundred, two hundred crystals line the walls, each with a person locked inside, apparently asleep. A few of the crystals - those nearest the door - are opened.

 "THESE ARE OUR DREAMS," the god moans as it congeals in the center of the room, "OURS. THEY HAD THE AUDACITY TO TAKE WHAT WAS PROMISED SO LONG, LONG AGO..."

 

-= OOC =- Vicis says, "Occult + Intelligence"

(Judge) Clan Clan rolls 12: [ -1- 2 3 3 3 4 5 6 8 8 9 <10> ]

        Resulting in 5 successes.

-= OOC =- Longinus says, "Spending for 4 successes"

(Judge) Longinus rolls Occult + Intelligence: [ 3 3 3 4 4 5 7 8 <10> <10> ]

        Resulting in 6 successes.

 

"Dream Capsules? Am I right?" Clan Clan goes over to one touching it lightly and with great care not wanting to mess it up. "How long have they been in there?" not sounding too worried, after all they were build for fun. "Were these people's Dreams stollen?" head canting to the side as she looks at the god.

 

Longinus sighs, "Why are you holding these people in these Dream Capsules?" he asks the god here. "And what agreement was made by whom?" he asks

 

"TIME IS MEANINGLESS IN DREAMS!" Lotus Dreams One Thousand Dreams Of Midnight hisses, "MEANINGLESS! IT IS ABSURD!"

Lotus Dreams One Thousand Dreams Of Midnight sinks down a bit, resting colossal hands on the guardrails as its head settles to stare at them. "SHE BOUND US - THE CHILD OF SOL - SO LONG AGO. WHEN WE COULD SEE THE LIGHT OF THE UNCONQUERED ONE. AGES." The god murmurs, "IT IS OUR DUTY TO GUARD THESE DREAMERS AS THEY SLEEP, AND GIVE THEM OUR DREAMS - AND WE IN TURN FEED OFF THEIR JOY. WE LIVE OFF IT. IT IS OUR FEAST, OUR HUNGER - THEIR DREAMS ARE OUR DREAMS. THEY ARE OUR DREAMS."

 

With a sigh Longinus tips his Fedora, "These capsules are Addictive, they drive you insane, and if you spend too long in them, you can't survive outside of them." he says with a shake of his head, "How long have these people been in these capsules?" he asks, "And how long do you claim to be able to sustain them?"

 

"Are the people ok..." Clan Clan is answered by Longinus. "Ah well that would explain why they are still in there. "Can you sustain them wile you lack your dreams?" looking concerned again. "Are we on a time table here?" looking about at all the lives that might be lost.

 

"SOME ARE DEAD," the god admits quietly, "WE FAILED SOMETIMES. AND WE SOON REALIZED WE REQUIRED MORE - WE MADE THE VILLAGE FROM OUR DREAMS AND SCATTERED IT, AND PEOPLE CAME, AND WE BROUGHT THEM DOWN. BUT WE WERE PROMISED - SWORN - THAT WE COULD KEEP WHAT WE HELD!" The voice picks up a bit. "WE WE SWORN THIS BY THE LAWGIVER! IF YOU WOULD COME TO TAKE IT AWAY YOU ARE AS BAD AS THEY!" It sounds desperate.

 

Longinus raises an eye brow, "You make a lot of assumptions of our decisions here." he says, "Do you know why the Lawgiver put these people here?" he asks quietly, "Why she fealt they needed to be held in a state of dreaming?" he asks, "And are any of these people from the first age?" he asks

 

"Its ok, its ok. Were not taking anything away." Clan Clan says warmly. "I'll get working on the paper work. We will get you a human substitute for your Manse and slowly we will find a way to faze people out of the Crystals so that the Lawgivers wrath might not fall upon you." her soothing voice ordering a bit of calm, like a mother comforting her child. "This is a first age Amusement park." Clan fills Longinus in. "At least I assume thats what the records said he did here." pointing to the god.

 

"FIRST...AGE?" The god asks, blinking its huge blind eyes at Longinus.

 

Longinus shakes his head, "Sorry, you didn't tell me about your paper work on the way in." he says with a sigh. "Yes, Everything from the Fall of the Primordials to the Dragonblooded Usurptation of creation...It's a long story, don't worry about it." he says. Turning back to Clan Clan, "Well, If any of these are the original inhabitants, I'm actually curious about...nevermind, let's just get this taken care of." he says, "It might help to just open the park back up, to keep people coming and going to prevent addiction." he says

 

Clan Clan moves to the door. "If that is all I will try to find your dreams, and I'll get working on the substitute too ok?" moving with the air of urgency. "Longinus, you keep nosing about, see what else you can learn. The faster I start the better. As for the first age I have the memories of my last three incarnations, I can help all you want." going to the stairs

 

"WAIT!" The god urges, "WE HAVE ONE LAST REQUEST."

 

Clan stops and looks expectatly to the god. "Yes?"

 

Longinus nods, "Actually, I'm thinking this might make this open to my Students for vacations." he says, then stops, "You needed something more?" he asks

 

"Addictive" Clan adds

 

"WE...SENT SOMEONE. AFTER AZAMI A NO-MOON LUNAR AND HER COMPANION. THEY STOLE OUR DREAMS." It lowers its head, "THEY DID NOT ASK - THEY TRICKED US, THEY SHINED THE LIGHT UPON US, THEY HURT US BADLY UNDER THE PRETENSE OF KINDNESS. MAKE CERTAIN THAT THEY PAY, AND WE WILL RELEASE ALL OUR DREAMS AND SUBMIT TO YOUR RULING."

 

Longinus stops and frowns, "What method of remuneration did you demand for this offence?" the quietly loosing his patience Lawgiver and Chosen of Sol says

 

Clan Clan sighs. "Azami and Phill will go to tribunal under heavenly law. I have no such authority to go about as a vigilante. Though they will face justice for wounding a member of heaven." there is no lie in her voice, she my not like it but she has a job to do. With that she leaves to hurry after Azami.

 

Longinus takes off his Fedora, and strokes the brim as he watches Clan Go, "As a Lawgiver, I shall do what I can to rectify this matter. And the heaven's will deal with this...but have you ever considered having people come and go?" he asks

 

"THEY DID, ONCE. LONG AGO, THEY WOULD PUT THEIR LITTLE COINS IN OUR DOOR AND GET LITTLE THINGS THEY CALLED TICK-ITS, AND THEY WOULD GO WHEN THEY WISHED. BUT THEN SOMETHING HAPPENED, AND THEY STOPPED COMING, AND THOSE STILL HERE DID NOT WANT TO GO, SO WE LET THEM STAY. THEY LOVED US, WE LOVED THEM. THEY ARE LONG GONE NOW," it sighs sadly, "LONG GONE. WE DO NOT KNOW HOW LONG."

 

With a nod, Longinus places his Fedora back on his head, "I'll get people coming and going again, but in the future please try to keep people limited to their alloted time. Otherwise the people who depend on them in the world proper, won't have them. And others love and care for them like you do." he says

Longinus stops a moment, "Um, I have a little request, if you wouldn't mind?" he asks the god of the manse.

 

"REQUEST?!" Lotus inquires, looming down over him. "SPEAK YOUR REQUEST, LAWGIVER - WE ARE CONSIDERATE."

 

Reaching into his satchel, Longinus pulls out a set of fliers, "Well, I've setup a college for the Detectives, and Sorcerery." he says with a shrug, "I was wondering if you could leave these lying around for people when they leave, after their stay in the dreaming. And if you wouldn't mind, could you perhaps help encourage some dreams about wielding sorcerey?" he asks, "I'm trying to encourage new student enrollment." he says warmly

 

The god considers it for a moment, lowering, its huge fingers curling around the guardrails as its head lowers below Longinus. "WE WILL AID YOU IN YOUR REQUEST, LAWGIVER, BUT WE HAVE TWO FOR OURSELVES. REOPEN OUR HOME - LET THE PEOPLE COME AND GO - LET US TASTE NEW DREAMS AGAIN. AND FINALLY, WE DESIRE A SACRIFICE EACH SEASON - SOMETHING MAGICAL, A TOY TO PROVOKE OUR IMAGINATIONS. WE HAVE GROWN LISTLESS IN THIS PLACE. WE WISH TO DREAM NEW DREAMS AGAIN."

 

Longinus stops and thinks for a moment, "Actually, I don't think that will be too much of a problem. My college is for Sorcerer's after all. I'll have them produce such toys, and send you one of the best of what they make." he says with a shrug. "You can keep it around, to show the dreaming would be sorcerers what they too could accomplish." he says

 

"THEN WE ARE IN AGREEMENT." The god replies, content. "IT WILL BE NICE TO SLEEP AND DREAM ONCE MORE."

 

With a tip of his Fedora, "Glad to hear, You didn't give me your name by the way. Mine is Longinus." he says as he starts to walk out, leaving a number of fliers laying behind.

 

"WE ARE LOTUS DREAMS ONE THOUSAND DREAMS OF MIDNIGHT. GOOD-BYE, LONGINUS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO WHAT DREAMS YOUR STUDENTS WILL BRING US." With that, the god breaks apart, a storm of butterflies vanishing into the air.