004 - Lucid Dreaming

[tabularasa_mods]

Lucid Dreaming Event Info Pt.1 ▲ Event Info Pt.2 ▼ Comments Please see the two info posts linked above for details on the nature of the event, the nightmares within, and the setting it takes place in. You may ask any unanswered questions in either post. If your character dies at any point during the dream event, please leave a comment in the death report thread to notify the mods.

As a final reminder, all characters will fall asleep for the full duration of this event whether you decide to take part or not. You may continue tagging threads that take place before the event, but everyone will fall asleep simultaneously.

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Falling Asleep, Waking Up
The shift happens without warning, much like the first time people appeared in the world. Perhaps you remember what you were doing in the last moments before a strange feeling of exhaustion overwhelmed you - or perhaps you remember nothing at all. Whatever it may be, you've appeared somewhere new. A seemingly ordinary train station, if not for the bizarre walls of flesh blocking the only exits. The only path forward is down into the pulsating depths, a humid breeze pushing at your back.

There may be others here with you, or you may be alone. Could there be more people trapped in this strange place? You won't find them just by standing around.

Nightmares
The screeching of a distant train will echo through the tunnels on occasion, shadows flicking through the translucent flesh of the walls. Sometimes, however, instead of fading away the noise will only grow louder, closer, until it sounds like the train should be upon you. It never appears, but something else always will.

The train is a siren call for nightmares, and you're unfortunate enough to be their victim. The shadows turn alive, twisting and growing as they rise up from the ground and begin to transform. What form they take varies, but the shadows of the mind know the true fears of those who walk among them. Are you prepared to face the darkness?

Volcanic Panic

The shadows congeal at the edges of the floor, and soon after a hot orange glow begins to fill the room - molten lava is pooling in from the other end of the tunnel. It rolls slowly forward, devouring everything it touches with an unquenchable searing hunger, leaving behind only the charred bones of its victims... although, strangely, the tunnels themselves appear to be completely unharmed.

Outrunning the flow of lava shouldn't be a problem, but there seems to be no end to it. How long can you run from something that never stops? Or worse, what happens if you find yourself surrounded? You'll need to find a way to higher ground before that happens.

A Radiant Plague

The shadows rise up into familiar shapes, and at first glance it'd be easy to mistake them for people. They may even share the faces and voices of people you know, stumbling towards you with wide, open arms... and empty, glowing eyes filled with an orange light. Something smells sickly sweet, and it's only once they're close enough to grab you that they begin to attack.

These are not your friends, and they'll do whatever it takes to make you one of them instead. Unfortunately, it's not an experience you'll be able to survive. Your only hope is to fight back before the plague can take hold, lest you become another mindless husk that knows only to further spread the infection.

Trust No One, Not Even Yourself

The shadows stretch and fill the air, choking everything in a thick blanket of darkness... before dispersing just as quickly as they'd appeared. A few moments pass and nothing else seems to be happening. You must've gotten lucky this time!

... Or did you?

Surely it can't be that simple. Nothing else here has been, so something must have happened just now. It's only you and the person you're currently traveling with... but are you sure that's really them right now? How do you know they haven't been possessed by another nightmare, waiting until you let your guard down to stab you in the back? Should you interrogate them to be sure, or start with restraining them and ask questions later? Wouldn't it be better to just kill them before things get out of hand? The sooner you strike, the safer you'll be when their true form emerges.

Yes, that must be the real explanation. It has to be them that's been possessed by a nightmare. What else could it be?

Joker’s Wild

There’s no limit to what form the shadows can take. The world may have its own perception of fear, but your nightmares are something only you could understand. What darkness lurks in the depths of your heart?

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code bases by tricklet

Comments

Merlin | Fate/Grand Order | Open!

[gardenerofavalon]

[I. Lucidity]

Some people, upon realizing they're dreaming, especially dreaming of some kind of creepy subway system, might be more than a little put out. Others might simply take quite a while to realize they're dreaming at all, wandering in a funk without quite recognizing the little oddities here and there.

Merlin is neither of those types of people.

In fact, if anything, he seems almost delighted by this new development. If you happen across him, especially if you were one of those skeptics who questioned the waking reality of the strange world in a void, he'll likely have something to smugly say to you:

"Now this... this is a dream!"

That it's not strictly his dream is a minor quibble. It's a dream, and he's here, as are the minds of others. It's about time his incubus side got a chance to play!


[II. Flowers]

As anyone who's, well, even taken note of the details of Merlin's robes, let alone noticed his gardening efforts may have realized, the man is quite fond of flowers. What might not have been immediately obvious is that, under ordinary circumstances, he doesn't need to bother with all that work of growing them the old-fashioned way.

Needless to say, he's taking full advantage of the nature of this being a dream to make up for his months of being relatively flower-less, causing them to suddenly bloom, well, pretty much everywhere. He might fill a room he's happened to pause in, or send some running down a set of train tracks as far as he can manage, or just have a few blooming about wherever he happens to be.

For that matter, don't be surprised if you suddenly find some tendrils of flowering vines growing on you, if you happen to catch him in one of his overly enthusiastic moments.


[III. Dreamscapes]

And, of course, being (partially) a creature of dreams, Merlin can't help but play around a bit in making a few things of his own design manifest. Pausing in a room suitable to his purposes, he focuses, overlaying the existing dream's features with those formed from his will. They're quite temporary, tending to fade almost immediately if he ceases putting effort into maintaining them and gradually even without that, but while they last, they might offer a brief respite from... the rest of the dream.

A - Garden of Avalon

For those who've visited the burning flower field in the Unforeseen Simulation Joint might find a familiar sight in this dreamscape. Minus all the fire, of course. And with the addition of a brilliant blue sky scattered with clouds seen through the now (temporarily) invisible ceiling. Merlin can typically be found here sitting under a tree by the edge of a pool in the midst of the field of flowers, while far off in the distance a tower can be seen, though no matter how far one walks it never seems to get any closer. Probably because there's only so much space he has to work with here, so he's tweaked physics a bit to make people run in place after a certain point rather than run (or jump, or fly) into an invisible wall.

B - A Rose-Scented Night

Stepping into this dreamscape is stepping into darkness. Not absolute, but like that of a summer night, one illuminated solely by the stars and a crescent moon. As one's eyes adjust, one can make out carefully-trimmed shrubs and flower beds, with smooth gravel paths winding between them, and the smell of flowers heavy in the slightly humid, warm night air. It's altogether enchanting, almost intoxicating... And, well, should one be tempted to take advantage of having a brief tryst in the dark, the white-robed mage will gladly assist.

C - Camelot Castle

Perhaps conjured more on a whim than anything, this dreamscape features a piece British castle from a bygone era. It's bustling and full of people, though those people are merely the phantoms of a dream, more a sort of mobile scenery than individuals who can be spoken with.

Still, it's whimsical and lively, and the man with long flowing robes and a wizard's staff doesn't look in the least out of place in it.


[IV. Exploration]

Merlin can't spend all his time goofing around though. Quite a lot of it, to be sure, but messing around with someone else's dreams takes effort and energy, and he doesn't have an unlimited quantity of that.

Well, that, and he probably got bored.

Which is why you might find him wandering about the tunnels, apparently not heading anywhere in particular, but rather quick to approach anyone he happens across.

"Hmm, the aesthetic here leaves something to be desired, don't you think?"

He might even help drive off a nightmare for you if you ask nicely. Maybe.


[V. Beast] ***please see notes at end***

Are you feeling watched? Or have an ominous sense like something is out to get you? Well, you might not be wrong, because from time to time, there's a monster that appears to be roaming the tunnels. Its exact form is vague, like a half-remembered dream, but there's no question that it's some kind of beast. A large beast, with a gaping maw, silvery-white fur, and a pair of horns adorning its head.

And no question, if you so happen to look in its eyes, that it wants nothing more to slay you.

Fight is ill-advised, the beast seems to respond to such attempts by simply growing fiercer. It might be safer to flee, and hope it doesn't give chase.


[Notes/Wildcard]

First of all, see my comment here for a quick rundown on event-related stuff Merlin can do. I did forget one thing, namely Merlin's Clairvoyance: he can observe any place he wishes in the present time. If you want him to possibly spy on your character, please let me know, otherwise I'll just assume his attention is elsewhere.

Second, regarding his dreamscapes, please note that they're basically just changing the appearance and such of an existing part of the dream. Think of it like a holodeck: it might LOOK like there's scenery going off into the distance, but you're still actually in just that small room. You can even see the door(s) if you look for them!

Third, for the nightmare beast scenario, for the purposes of this being a dream/nightmare and operating on dream logic, the beast cannot be defeated in a fight. However! Finding alternatives like turning invisible, teleporting away, distracting it, etc, are perfectly fine. And in fact if you want to run with this scenario you can do basically anything short of harming the beast without bothering to ask first! It's all dream logic, after all. :)

Finally, feel free to tag with scenarios of your own, or hit me up in PMs or Discord (AC#7235) to plot!

ii

[forceofnature]

Hey, that's my shtick.

[A small child falls back into one of the flowerbeds, whereupon it immediately sprouts an enormous pink blossom to support her weight.
She lounges in a partially upright position.]

This is too calm to be another nightmare. And the flowers respond to me. I'm guessing this is your doing?

[This is probably the closest she gets to a good first impression.]

[gardenerofavalon]

Ah, well, that's a new face. Merlin does indeed notice the flower chair. Perhaps the girl is a fairy or such? Well, not that it matters to him much, anyway.

"Exactly," he says, perhaps a bit smugly. He's proud of his work, after all. "I've always preferred pleasant dreams to nightmares, after all."

[forceofnature]

"Uh. Sure, that's definitely a unique opinion no one else shares."

She arches an eyebrow.

"Personally, I love being chased by doppelgangers of my greatest enemies. It's good cardio. So what's the plan here - you going to lounge around in the botanical garden until the flesh tunnels rot and you can escape?"

[gardenerofavalon]

Merlin just shrugs at that.

"Oh, I have a few other ideas I want to try."

Eventually. When he gets tired of playing with this one. Which may be a while. Which, speaking of...

"Though while I can't speak for anyone else, I don't really see any reason to leave just yet, anyway."

Dreams are kind of his thing, after all, and he's been cut off for months. So what if most of it is a nightmare? Nightmares are typical for incubi anyway, Merlin's just an outlier on that point, so it doesn't really bother him all that much.

[forceofnature]

"I mean, don't get me wrong, this is great. But you're still building this on top of, let me repeat, a disgusting vile flesh tunnel, so it kind of detracts from the general ambiance here."

The stem of the flower blossoms a few more tendrils that curl over and begin to massage Viridi's temples.

"Well, you do you. I'm busting out of here A.S.A.P."

III.A

[pinwheels]

It's not her field. The flowers are all pink, rather than the mix of colors to which she's accustomed, and there's far more of them than she expects, the grass between them almost hidden by the bright-colored petals. The structure in the distance is not a ruined orphanage, but an ornate tower. And there are trees where there shouldn't be.

But there are similarities, too. The sky is bright and blue, sunlight pouring through the clouds, a sharp contrast to the dark gloom of the tunnels she's just made her way through. The bright scent of flowers tickles her nose. And perhaps most importantly, pink petals drift through the air, easily caught in her hand.

Besides, isn't it true that so far, everything in this Void has been a mix? Perhaps this is its manifestation of her field, just... joined with something else.

And if it's even partly hers, she has to try.

Rinoa's fingers curl around a petal as it drifts past, the magic flowing through her as easily as it did the first time. Her eyes close, her fingers open, and any onlookers will see the flower petal gone, a single white feather in its place. She pulls her hand back, letting the whirl of petals carry it away...

...to nowhere. Instead of traveling the way she wanted it to, it just joins the swirling wind of petals.

She wasn't meant to hope, but the disappointment weighs heavy on her heart even as it writes itself all over her face.

[gardenerofavalon]

"Now, now, that's hardly a good look for such a pretty face."

The voice might be familiar, but the tone is not: unlike his largely unemotional affect of late, now Merlin's voice sounds gentle and teasing. Granted, that doesn't mean he actually feels such things, being what he is, but he's feeling up to projecting the right things for appearance's sake again, at least.

"It may only be temporary, but you should enjoy this dream while it lasts."

[pinwheels]

"Merlin!"

Her surprise is palpable, written all over her expression as she looks up at him. Not only did she not see him there, but the tone in his voice is so very different to the tone he used the last time they met. She offers him a smile, something somewhere between embarrassment, apology, and greeting.

"I'm sorry. I guess I got my hopes up again. This place is... a lot like something from my home."

Rinoa glances across at the feather still drifting amongst the petals, and pulls a face.

"But something's missing, I guess."

[gardenerofavalon]

"It is a dream, you know."

A very well-crafted one, if he does say so himself, but it will never be quite the same thing as reality.

"Or would something else be more to your liking?"

He's quite happy about having his powers working again, he'll gladly show off a bit.

[pinwheels]

Rinoa nods. "Mm, I thought so. My memories are kind of fuzzy, but I think I remember falling asleep..." Plus, her powers are active, which is something she can't say is true anywhere else within the Void's grasp.

"It's beautiful, though. Perfect." She means it, too, even if the smile on her face hints at something a little different. Even if it's not quite hers, any flower field has the potential to represent something beautiful. Besides, she doesn't know if she can quite put into words exactly what she'd want to see.

Embarrassed at how visible her displeasure is, she offers him a small smile. "I'm sorry. It's beautiful, and you... you have so much talent, to make this, you know? It just makes me miss my boyfriend."

ii

[forwearemany]

(Flowers are fine, but flowers growing on them? Not so much.

At the sudden feeling of something on their leg, their headflaps flare out and they chatter, and seeing that a vine is growing there only increases their panic. Overgrowth!

Except no, that's not growing from inside them. But that's not particularly reassuring: it just means that it's probably some other horrible plant based nightmare.

They rip the vine off their leg, lights flashing red in alarm.)

[gardenerofavalon]

The noise of the small commotion catches Merlin's attention from... whatever he was doing. Probably coming up with his next brilliant idea of what to do with these dreamscapes. When he sees what's happening, though, he can't help but laugh.

"Now, is that any way to treat flowers? They're harmless enough, I assure you."

[forwearemany]

(They startle, staring at the individual. They don't recognize him, and the words are only slightly reassuring. They continue to attempt to remove any vines encroaching on their person.)

It attacked us.

[gardenerofavalon]

Ah, Merlin sees what's going on now. It's actually rather amusing, really, and he's tempted to allow it to continue a bit longer... but no, it takes effort for him to make these flowers appear here, he'd rather not it go to waste too easily.

"I wouldn't call it attacking, but allow me."

With a gesture and a moment of concentration to alter his dreamscape, and the flowery vines promptly retreat in a shower of petals.

[forwearemany]

(And the flowers go away. Legion is grateful: they like plants, but they do not like plants growing on them.

They relax, then look at Merlin.)

You control them?

IV (Powers Active, as discussed)

[bridge_princess]

[Parsee was there in the middle of a tunnel, seated on top of a broken pillar that kept her out of arm's reach of any of the glowing eyed zombies that might happen around. Admittedly, they were long gone, having lost their interest in trying to reach someone who seemed willing to just wait them out, out of reach.

She just looked tired when she caught sight of him. Odd, to see someone this tired in a dream, wasn't it? but she was definitely tiring to her.]

Ngh. That's one way of putting it. You look pleased as punch. Having a good dream are we? Or just finally getting your boredom alleviated?

[Her eyes flared green for a moment and one eyebrow climbed. That... was unexpected. She felt almost nothing.]

[gardenerofavalon]

Merlin shrugs at the question.

"All dreams are dreams; a nightmare is only that if it inspires fear or such in the dreamer." He has his preferences, but at the end of the day dreams are dreams to someone like him who subsists on the dreams of others. "It's been some time since I could properly access them, though."

He is pleased about that, whether he admits it or not, although the actual associated emotion isn't nearly as strong as it would be for a human, anyway.

[bridge_princess]

"Aren't you a fortunate one, to have such a view. To be able to live through it and access your dreams like that." She growled a little, struggling some. there was so little there. It was almost like looking at Legion, like seeing Kaiba's heart literally in his hands, his jealousy ripped out of him along with his toxic ambitions. Yet, like Legion, it was natural.

She snorted and leaned in close, the air shimmering a little. Whatever passive effects there were, there wasn't much to manipulate and if you didn't have much, you couldn't do much. "What ARE you? You're not like the Geth. For all I don't understand it, I understand why it's immune to me."

[gardenerofavalon]

"It does come in handy from time to time."

Nope, no humility here. Especially not when he's enjoying the sensation of finally being able to do what comes naturally to him once more. He does raise an eye brow at her question, though.

"Haven't I mentioned? I'm an incubus. Or half-incubus, at least."

[bridge_princess]

"A western demon then... a spirit of desire," she nearly spat it out with a hint of derision. In her mind, the two of them were a little bit similar in that moment, though far from identical. The loathing she felt for other bridge princesses didn't insert itself in that instant after all. Desire and Envy weren't quite the same thing.

"That explains a lot about why I can barely touch you. Do you even have desires of your own, or do you feed on others'?"

II + IIIa

[obscurus_phantasma]

Having been separated from Damien, Melinoë has taken to exploring this strange setting, consistently with ghostly companions and more often than not, as she would appear in the Underworld. When they come across Merlin's playscape, she takes a moment to drink it all in; the scents, sounds, and sights, the display of power, how it feels familiar and yet foreign.

With only one spirit in tow for now, the Goddess seeks out the creator, already assured it's her darling mage. Inky eyes are trained on the floating tower when Matias rasps its discovery, lackadaisically pointing at the seated figure near the water.

Melinoë doesn't bother gathering up the extensive train of he gown as she approaches, and her smile could almost be ghastly were it not so mirthful. "Is this you, caro mio?"

[gardenerofavalon]

At the moment, Merlin is staring intently at several seeds held in the palm of one hand. Seeds that are but one more part of his dream, of course, but within that dream, well, he can decide to let things work more or less 'naturally' from there.

As such, however, he doesn't immediately look up when approached and addressed, instead watching as the seeds sprout and begin to rapidly grow under a magical influence.

"Is there anyone else it might be?" he replies, a tinge of amusement in his voice.

[obscurus_phantasma]

Head shifts to one side as those oily orbs also watch his magic at work, fascinated and feeling a moment of longing for her mother. But she's quick to laugh at Merlin's words, because her response is, "Yes; me!" and it's followed by another trill of chortling. Since it's so clearly not her, and they're the only two capable (at least, that Melinoë is aware of).

[gardenerofavalon]

"Oh? So you dabble in pleasant dreams as well as nightmares?"

There's absolutely no judgment in his tone; for all he prefers the former, he has no real trouble with the latter. It's part of his inherent nature, after all.

Meanwhile, the sprouts in his hand continue to grow, putting out leaves and buds, until finally Merlin crouches down and places them on the ground to continue growing there.