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

[forceofnature]

"A pantheon? Sure, there's a bunch of us. Me, Palutena, Hades, Poseidon, Zeus... We have our allies and demigods that support us - I've got Phosphora, Hades gets Thanatos. I definitely lucked out. And a few unaffiliated like Dyntos. Most of the time, we leave each other alone. It's dangerous when gods go to war."

As irreverent and brash as she was, Viridi had some respect for order.

"If you're asking if there are other gods -- " She clears her throat slightly. "We don't talk about them."

[obscurus_phantasma]

Only a few names register, which is curious and interesting in and of itself, but learning that the other deities aren't quite acknowledged is saddening. Mainly for the fact that they flourish in her own universe, that she went to an academy with them, learned under them, took some on as lovers.

Drinking before speaking, Mel nods. "I cannot relate to that, but I could possibly understand. Before I was...hm, pulled here, I was at an academy that acted as a safe haven to any myth that required or wanted it. Deities, creatures, demigods, though they all exist, not all accept us."

[forceofnature]

"Ooooooooh."

Viridi gives a nod as if she suddenly understands.

"You're a spin-off!"

Well, that's a little rude.

"'The teenaged school years'. Popular amongst multiple demographics. Lots of crossover opportunities. Lots of crossover shipping. That makes sense! Is it mostly children of gods and demigods?"

[obscurus_phantasma]

A slight frown forms and she corrects the fellow Goddess. "I am reincarnated. The form you see before you is not the one I wear when we're awake; the mortal I've returned as was born in Italy, adopted and named Dulcinea Diāo, and then promptly shipped to an academy so that her parents might avoid the embarrassment of having a mythological being for a daughter. Just because the body is in its twenties, does not change the fact that I myself am ageless."

[forceofnature]

It's still a great spinoff setup. Viridi listens as patiently as she can to this before deciding that her description was almost as good.

"What, does that happen often in your world? Reincarnation? The gods just mostly disguise themselves as human if they want to walk among the mortals. Being human sounds awful."

[obscurus_phantasma]

She considers this and finds herself lacking in enough evidence. "My time at the academy wasn't long enough to offer proper feedback, but there were a good handful. Set mentioned being reincarnated frequently, so if we're going off his experience, I suppose.

"But there were also deities as themselves. That could have been for the safety the academy provided." Hm. Curious. And Mel has no one to ask, being the sole person from her universe.

"The restrictions of a mortal body before being Awakened were, indeed, awful. So far as I gathered, I, it, was susceptible to death."

[forceofnature]

"Appalling!"

Viridi sips from her nectar with the air of somebody listening to a soap opera.

"Completely unacceptable. You need to complain to the general manager if this is how they do things in your world. Who would ever want to be reincarnated as a mortal? How did it even happen?"

[obscurus_phantasma]

With a furrowed brow and a moue, Melinoë sets her own treats aside for the moment, considering this. "That part's still hazy." Looking back on Viridi somewhat apologetically, she merely offers a one shoulder shrug. "I'm sorry, I don't even know how it's determined; who goes when, how many times, the length between reincarnations...damn. If it means talking to Zeus, and here features collect into a look of distaste. Fuck that?

[forceofnature]

"Well, you clearly deserve better. The next time you're up on the list, just boot some other random shmuck into the reincarnation portal."

That's probably how it works.

"But you speak like you've pretty much regained your divinity?"

[obscurus_phantasma]

She sniggers at that, resuming consumption of the edibles. "I'll keep that in mind, Viridi, thank you." If such a thing can be accomplished. Otherwise, Mel is all for advocating that a choice exist at all; reincarnation may be enjoyable for some, but not all.

"Yes," Mel sighs contently, eyes briefly closing to relish the feeling. "I've not felt this powerful in some time and I do not want to lose it again. It's effortless, contorting and conjuring. Do you feel it as well? Has entering this dreamscape given you your abilities back?"

[forceofnature]

"Oh - I meant back in your world, after you figured out your reincarnation deal. But yes, this is literally divine."

Viridi leans back as a carpet of wildflowers spreads out around her in every direction, culminating with a little ivy vine that offers a dark purple lily to Melinoë.

"Obviously, I have none of this in this world. It's very trying. And no one understands! I mean, I'm super biased against humans, but how can you expect them to sympathize with, "I used to feel the heartbeat of all nature and now all I feel is revulsion at having to upkeep a physical body.' So you can't even really blame them."

[obscurus_phantasma]

She smiles so widely at the flower that it almost hurts. Mel plucks it with much tenderness and an offering of thanks to the vine itself, breathing in its decadent scent and finding a place for it on her gown. Careful, Viridi; Melinoë just may begin to crush on you.

"I think that I had, but then I found myself in the Void shortly after the October and November celebrations." Hallowe'en, Samhain, Dias de los Muertos, Diwali, whichever religions had festivals during that time period, all were observed.

And being in sync with her divine company, she nods vehemently. "Exactly that. I feel so very lost and empty here. Where at first I was able to cope, lately I detest our new home more and more."

[forceofnature]

"Oh, I never coped."

And she's not ashamed at all! Even though she spent the first hour here screaming. It's fine.

"It will be a shame to break out of this dream. But they'll have to accept 'divinity' sooner or later. If this world is influence-able, the more of us there are, the easier that will happen, right?

"Really, it might even be nice to be at the start of things again."

[obscurus_phantasma]

She has to chortle at herself, head shaking in resignation; because of course Damien had been right. Explaining so that it doesn't come across as laughter in jest of the other Goddess, she states, "I have been a hermit and now I'm feeling like a damn fool for it. I stubbornly stuck to only interacting with two others and am only now admitting it was a poor choice. Especially when they, Damien and Merlin, have made contact with our fellow neighbors." Shrugs helplessly. "I didn't realize it at first, without there being time, suns, moons, et cetera. And then it was...I do not even know.

"I suppose this is a very long-winded manner of saying thank you, Viridi."

[forceofnature]

"Huh?"

Viridi blinks for a moment or two, because nobody has thanked her or has had reason to thank her for quite some time. ...Understandably so.

"Oh! Sure."

She dimly grasps what is happening here. It feels odd. There's no like, actual reason to be snarky here, but it's her unshakeable impulse, nonetheless.

"It's, uh. Nice to meet you, too. ...I'm gonna get a move on deeper into the flesh maze of horrors but you keep doing your thing."

[obscurus_phantasma]

"Thank you again, for the gifts. I would send a ghostly companion along with you, but they seem unable to keep themselves tethered without my assistance." With an apologetic grin, Melinoë moves back to play more music, adding, "I look forward to seeing you outside; at least there will be one nice thing."

[forceofnature]

Viridi does not know how to make friends.

"You, uh... too..."

Wow, it's almost physically painful. Solution: flee immediately before it gets more awkwrd.

"Enjoy your music byeeeeeeeee."

She flits off into the darkness, leaving her overgrown ivy behind. It will stay for as long Melinoe continues to play music before it withers, separated from the sustaining life of its goddess.