The Dreams of Children - Kolis-Tane & Nightmare Realm

General Summary

As the Wardens take a well deserved break we pick up after the Wardens had toured Thompson's Lab. Hagren, having found Monty rather frustrating, now ready to take action on his promise to the bow breakers. The following events happen over a series of days and are not necessarily in order.

Adama - A Duel

As Adama comes down to breakfast the day after the events at the temple of mask he find Ayen busily rushing around the house tightening security measures. Ayen suggests that they could use a sparring partner and before they can finish the sentence Adama is dragging them out the door excitedly. They exchange barbs as they head out to the training mound some of they wardens tagging along to watch. Ayen starts with brass knuckles pulling some of his punches as he warms up.
Adama wonders if Ayen wasn't planning on using weapons as he pulls out his sword and set it alight. Ayen says to be his guest but jokes as Adama misses him. As Adama lights up the sword Ayen pulls out a scimitar and lets it dance in the air around him hitting Adama several times. Ayen eggs Adama on, Adama laying into Ayen as a soft glow starts to come from Ayen. Adama looks down and feels an old magic coming off.
"You know," Ayen comments at one point, " from where my information says your from you don't fight like one of them."
"You have no idea where I'm from."
"Well why don't you show me."
Adama throws a fireball but Ayen seems to dodge most of it, "You know I learned how to dodge these the last time someone walked up and tried to attack the house. You might want to try something a little bit more original."
As Ayen continues to take damage from the fight, the glowing seems to extend twirling through veins around his neck and chest with the light bleeding into his eyes. As he hits against Adama's shield Ayen's form seems to almost flicker out of control. As Ayen delivers a critical jab to Adama the group watching Hagren and Myra notice the smell of the soft spring dew, despite the chill autumn air.
"Ayen, buddy, I can't believe it," Adama says in an increasingly manic voice, "let's just go at it," as he bleeds onto the field.
"You know you are very persistent, I respect that in someone who is about to lose. I enjoyed this fight. I'm going to enjoy knocking you out. Maybe grab a pint after." As Ayen knocks Adama out cold. Ayen pops something into Adama's mouth and pops him up to one hit point.
Adama and Ayen hug, "That was good. What the hell is that gold light shit."
"Ehh... It's something that was promised to me but not something that I necessarily wanted. But, I see a little bit of that in you. If you are able to focus and contain that rage you'd be able to have some of the similar effects.
Myra asks if Ayen's okay after the fight, looking concerned but Ayen approaches and whispers, "wasn't even close." Myra smiles warmly at them.

Raijun - Lunch Date

Another day, a carriage arrives at the front gate of the estate ready to take Raijun to his lunch with Gameta. The carriage drops him off at a cute restaurant names the Garistro Bistro. As it was reserved under the Stagwoods name they offer some more discrete and private tables but Raijun asks for a 'normal' table instead. Gameta shows up shortly after, appearing in a nicely put together set of adventurers clothes.
Raijun and Gameta exchange pleasantries as Raijun explains that he had to talk the staff down from the crazy fancy table. Gameta seems hesitant, asking, "did everything turn out okay?"
"Yeah yeah. We got Myra back! I have a whole story to tell you but first," Raijun whips out the flowers he had previously acquired from Birch that glow faintly. "You know how sometimes you glow when you're happy," he darkens the area and the flowers glow more strongly, "I thought you would like this!"
As they begin to softly glow, Gameta seems to almost reflect the intensity in the glow coming off herself. "Oh these are um," she breathes out not looking Raijun in the Eye, "these are wonderful thank you so much. This is very thoughtful. No one's ever gotten me flowers before. this is very sweet. They glow. I glow. I get it... Thank you Raijun."
"Anytime. I had to show a little appreciation for all the fine work you've been doing."
"I felt a little behind the curve. I kept looking at the papers. But they didn't even mention anything that happened at the Gala? They've just been talking about all the problems Zap's been having with the tunnels collapsing."
"Well isn't that always how it be? The royals don't really like when people get into their business. Especially when it's this scandalous. So I suppose it's good that you were there. Cause you can report on the truth if you wanted to."
Gameta bites her lip, "no... I don't think that would be doing me any favors with my previous employer..."
"Previous employer?"
"Yes Lady Stagwood was using my services to talk up some areas of gossip in the city before the Gala upon your-alls return."
"No kidding? You did PR for Lady Stagwood?" He leans in close, "She can be very scary."
"Yes. Yes she can. Is Myra like that?"
"Ahhhh.... Scary sometimes? Sure. But overall personality? Much different... Mostly when I touch her projects."
"Her what?"
"Her alchemy stuff or crafting things. She doesn't like the assistants messing up the concoctions. She's all 'Raijun you blew up something last week, I can't trust you this week.' And I'm like 'cmon'."
Gameta looks slightly concerned, "You sure seem to be involved in a lot of explosions."
"They seem to gravitate toward me like I'm some kind of magnet. But that's why you get super reflexes like a cat," punctuating the statement by almost falling out of his chair.
"So If I were to join you all... does that mean I would have to dodge explosions too?"
"Well, "Raijun scratches his head, "If you want to learn the ways of the marital arts I'm happy to teach you. But if you want to just do your own thing playing to your strengths and the things that make you special I don't have an issue with that either."
"I mean I grew up around a lot of ships. And would certainly be willing to help.. And wherever you all go next... I mean I certainly know how to find things out."
"Well," Raijun smiles, "It's good we have someone who is good at sleuthing and thinking cause I'm not good at either. If anything I think we'll make a good team. I'll dodge the explosions and you help me think of things before I do things... before."
"So I really could just come with you all?" Gameta asks skeptically.
"I thought you all ready were!"
"I guess I am now!" Her eyes flash. The waiter comes over and Raijun orders a ridiculous wine, the waiter coming back a moment later with a bottle with a familiar Stagwood symbol on the side.
"How much longer are you in the city for?"
"Couple days at least. So you have time to get ready if you need help you can let me know."
"Well I don't have much. There's room for me? With the group while you travel?"
"Gameta! You doubt yourself too much. All the Wardens like you. Myra wants to show you her library, Sarya want to hang out and do cinnamon roll things, you'll grow on Adama pretty quickly..."
"Wow... I... Thank you," She reaches out touching Raijun hand and as she goes to retract it, Raijun grabs it. She smiles.
"What's the story of the Gameta? I feel like you tell everybody else story you should get to tell yours!"
"Sure... My parents were part of an expedition that... years ago there was a new vein that opened up... Are you familiar with the Timeston mines?"
Raijun scoffs, "Am I familiar with the Timeston Mines? They have a rich history of mining... And minerals..."
"...But do you know about what they mine? Okay, so the Timeston mines have been notorious for finding... It was once believed that when the ancient civilizations took to the sky, there were some that went beneath. And in Timeston years and years ago they started finding relics. and my parents were interested in these relics and there was this cavern that opened up that seemed to lead within one of these... well the way it was described to me was 'this chamber in which something was supposed to happen'. Like it was part of a larger machine. And they went exploring in there and they found these different shards that looked like glass but felt like leather. There were all these rounded fragments of it. They kept trying to put it back together, it was kinda spherical? They eventually displayed it the Greenport Museum as some sort of mystery." Gameta shrugs, "My mom thinks she came into contact with something. And that's how I am..." She flares her eyes slightly, "How I am. I'm not really sure what it means but I glow sometimes. I have a little bit of an arcane ability. Most of my work comes through skill and training. Knowing how to listen and talk to people. Nothing much else to it..."
"Oh my god Gameta. Do you know that this means!?"
Gameta looks incredibly concerned, "N-no?"
"You're the chosen one!" Raijun exclaims excitedly. "Oh my god! I didn't see it before but it totally fits! A secret background where your parents touched ancient archaeological artifacts. Some sort of divine blessing from former civilizations. You acquired all your skills through training anyways despite having a latent power that hasn't been activated yet. A chosen one!"
Gameta is at a loss for words, "I - I don't think... You know what? Sure. That sounds like a good story."
"Reluctance? That's another sign of the chosen one." Raijun pauses smiling, "look maybe I'm exaggerating a little but at the same time I wish you would look at yourself like that. You're so talented, and smart, and funny. I like everything about you. So just believe in yourself the same way I believe in you."
Gameta smiles at Raijun's words. She pauses, "In the subway that was someone that you knew... was that your... caretaker?"
Raijun sighs, "Well... It's a long story but once upon a time there was a little orphan in Varoth. Who had no where to go. And he was basically put into an orphanage and from that orphanage was screened for a special program. And the special program turned out to be a death kunai for children but let's move past that." He continues quickly, "Iroh was my teacher, my mentor. For a long time..."
"But he almost dropped a tunnel on you..."
"I'd like to say it was out of love but that would be a lie. The truth is that it's hard for me to let of to the closest thing to family I ever had. I never had a dad. And I never really had anyone telling me what to do. So I just had to go out there and figure it out by myself." Raijun shrugs again, "When all you have is the faint semblance of a dad you cling to that as much as you can."
"I'm very sorry. I mean... You've certainly done well for yourself for what you have and you've left all that behind. I mean look what you've done, you've saved an entire region that's a lot."
"It's funny what you can do when you stop looking at the past and start looking toward the future. And you tell yourself just because I couldn't do it before doesn't mean I won't be able to do it in the future. It takes time and effort but if you go out there and you try, and you try your hardest every single day, the better off that you'll eventually be. I know I'm full of bluster and confidence and stuff but the truth is I'm never really that confident in stuff. But I know that if I keep telling myself that I believe in myself then I eventually will. And If I don't believe then nobody will. You know?"
"...Are you sure you're not a bard," Gameta's head is propped on one hand, "You just have such a way with words."
Raijun shrugs, "Maybe if I had been given a guitar instead of a sword as a kid. But, yah know, maybe I'll be the most charismatic monk of all time."
"Well you certainly had me enthralled," Gameta smiles. Raijun and Gameta smile over the wine laughing as they continue with the meal. Gameta tells Raijun more about herself revealing she has a younger brother and that her parents are in Greenport. Apparently, they took over the museum after the events that transpired there. Gameta admits to having been down to see the buried serpent temple as they exchange stories.
As they begin to wrap up Raijun looks to Gameta seriously, "There's one last thing you need to do to become a full on Warden of the Weave."
"Is this some kind of test?"
"Of sorts, yes. It is a long ritual that I have concocted that it shows that you have the stuff that it takes to be a Warden."
Gameta has gained a little liquid courage over lunch and she nods to Raijun seriously, "I'm ready."
"You must learn," Raijun springs onto the table executing the Warden's dance but almost falling over, if not for Gameta rescuing the attempt her own pose added to Raijun's dance striking a new profile. A couple in the back starts slow clapping confused. Gameta indicates that she'll gather her things and meet Raijun at the Stagwood Estate ready for whenever they are to depart.
Raijun hugs Gameta goodbye and as she turns around disappears into the streets. She turns back, "Is there someone..." she pauses when she see's Raijun's gone and continues softly, "that I should tell I'm coming?"

Myra & Nari - Check Ins

Myra asks to borrow Yamil's hair, that Adama previously collected, so that Nari might attempt to scry on him to divine if he still lives. Adama agrees following Myra to the room. Myra addresses Nari, "I believe you saw him in one of the memories of Irik I believe. I think this would help," handing over the hair.
"The one who didn't die," Sarya adds.
Myra fidgets, "They said it was unclear?"
"Well it was somewhere in between... It's like when there's a duplicate illusion doing two things at once. Anyway, I'd be happy to attempt to scry." As Nari concentrates her eyes and tattoos go indigo in a familiar look to when she scried on Myra. In her third eye she sees herself step out from her body, identify the thread connecting the hair back to it's former owner and start pulling following the path.
As she steps she finds herself at Fortis's tower. She steps again and she's ten feet outside the broken window. As she looks the thread almost splits and wraps back upon itself. As Nari tries to separate the tangle she sees the man she's looking for being pushed out of the window. He falls three stories disappearing, as Alsume stands in window laughing. She adjusts, pulling the other thread, and as she does the man she's looking for slows as he falls until his momentum is reversed back into flight. He ascends back the three stories entering through the broken window grabbing Alsume's head. Nari finds the thread that leads out from that path stepping, she finds herself following a path of blood. Pieces come through, a satchel tucked under a hand, a broken vial. She steps, she's underground or in a stonework alley. Two figures approach Yamil obscuring her vision. She steps and there is void, another step and an aurora appears, another step a single desert rose in a mound of sand, a final step takes her into a dimly lit stone chamber.
There is an odd vein that juts out from the ceiling running down a wall. Heavily bandaged, sitting breathing on a bed is Yamil, as he begins looking through a book. Outside, Nari's eyes flash brightly as her portend comes to pass, she peers deeply into the book. The front of it marks it clearly as a journal. Inside are formulations, the crafting of spells, but parts of the spells that would go together for arcanic purposes have been swapped out and replaced in a geometric or visual consideration with other schools of magic. So where bonds or completed understood sigils are there are these amalgamations or compositions such as a spell with a conjuration base but with a transmutation outer circle and notations about the effects. There are also notes about objects and how they are being studied, and how they are so close to a break through. "Now that they are all assembled together the 'true possibility' can be achieved."
Yamil shuts the book and on the cover it says, "Creation by the elimination of possibility - ZFT"
Nari scans the room and sees a paper airplane, it appears untouched and unopened. As she looks around the room trying to determine if Yamil is in the room willingly she sees creature comforts. She sees a tray of food and his wounds seem to be taken care of. As she focuses on the stone vein in the wall she recognizes the room as one similar to where she stayed during her own last failed attempt at understanding in the Bismuth Abbey.
Despite Yamil having not looked directly at the sensors Nari gets the impression that the book was closed because he knows she is present. Being stubborn, Nari decides to wait to see if he might acknowledge her presence and after about four minutes Yamil lets out a long sigh. He puts the book down, "You are quite stubborn." He frowns, straining as he adjusts something around his leg. "It is rude to intrude like this. I have already told you that if I could separate I would. You can just walk through the door an talk to me. You do not need to use such tricks while you are at a distance."
Nari pulls out of the vision. "Well good news, your friend's alive. He also got your letter. I don't know what else do you want to know?" Myra's face vacillates between deeply relived and inwardly upset at herself. Nari hands the hair back to Adama. "He's up at Bismuth. Had a weird book. He seems to be being tended to. He thought I was someone else, mentioned something about 'separating'." To Myra, "Would you like me to send him a more... direct message?"
"Nah I mean I can do it thank you," Adama says.
Nari shrugs, "Your call. Seems alive though." To Myra, "I put in the request with them but it will take a minute to get through. Unless you have ways of pulling those strings that you want to pull. But if we are headed up there anyway, he's up at the Abbey.
"Thank you Nari," Myra pauses, "I was hoping that we could head up that way eventually. Maybe..." She trails off on thoughts of how to move the political strings before turning back to Adama. "Adama, I don't think it's worth a spell slot. We know he's alive. I just wanted to know that he wasn't bleeding out in the street somewhere."
"I wasn't going to," Adama comments practically, "My assertion is if he wants to talk he will."
"Oh yes. He has, according to Nari, a way of getting back to me if he so chooses. He has just chosen not to. Which is understandable, and fine."
"You're moody. He's alive that's all that matters."
"I agree."
"And it seems his brother doesn't know," Sarya adds.
"Well Nari did tell him rather loudly but his brother didn't seem to believe her. So yes I suppose he doesn't know."
"It's interesting," Nari adds, "while I was getting to him it went through the memory again. The path, the window. Something is weird there still. To have so thoroughly convinced everyone in that group that one fate happened while the other didn't that takes some serious magic of some kind."
"Yamil did seem to have some kind of magic," Myra shrugs. "I don't know much about it personally. Adama he didn't ever talk to you about it did he?"
"He seemed to have a bit of a bias against it," Sarya reminds them.
"He mentioned that it's sand base and kinda a curse but that's all I know."
Myra turns to Nari, "I suppose I owe Lylah a conversation anyway but I'll see if I can do anything to get your request expedited."

Temper Tantrums

As the group exits Myra's study Max delivers a letter, it reads:
"Sorry we missed the party the other night, Madam Slesma has taken a turn for the worst and Rachel has been a little terror. Hope to see you before you leave. - Sky"
Myra asks Sarya to come and the others tag along. Myra asks Raijun how his date went and upon learning that Gameta may be joining them instructs Max not to turn her away. They take a carriage ride down to find Vila outside dealing with customers as a loud ruckus comes from within their house.
Myra approaches, "Vila, I take it they're inside?"
"Oh, yes it is... Rachel is being very difficult as of late. How was the party?"
"...Eventful."
Vila smiles warmly, "Good I'm sorry we missed it. I'm sure it was a very nice display."
"It certainly was a display."
Vila and Raijun talk a bout his sword with Vila noting that she'd like to talk to Raijun more before the Wardens leave town so he knows what ingredients to look for. Raijun promises to circle back as Myra asks if they would prefer to chat now. Vila indicates that she has other customers so Raijun promises to come back at a later time.
As the group enters the house a pestle flies into Myra's head, preventing it from breaking a window. As Myra rubs her head, they notice Madame Slesma sitting in the far back corner of the room. Sky stands in another corner with a feral looking Rachel.
"Ow, well I was going good morning but it seems like you've been up," Myra rubs her forehead.
"It's a new day?" Sky ask dismayed.
"Need some help there?" Myra offers.
"Yeah. Do you, any of you, know anything to put a little one to sleep."
"I'm NOT going to sleep!" Rachel yells as she chucks another item that Sky skillfully catches and discards.
"Are you against forcing people to do things?" Adama asks Sky.
"Depends. If you have a way to force her to go to sleep sure yeah go ahead." Adama indicates he can do that and Sky looks stunned turning to Myra, "Is he for real? Can he do that?"
"I mean he can," Myra offers unsure. "Rachel what's the matter why don't you want to go to sleep?"
"I don't want to go to sleep!" Rachel screams. Myra asks if Rachel is okay and she responds angrily, "I just wanna go out and play!"
"No dear you need to go to sleep," Sky insists. Sky looks to Myra concerned, "he was burning up earlier today, and then Slesma she's been going in and out. And whatever she's been doing to help alleviate whatever is going on..." She looks down at Rachel concerned, "She's just turned into this."
Myra's eye's glow gently as she casts detect magic. Madame Slesma has some objects that glow faintly but nothing on Rachel gives off a strong glow. In the meantime Raijun looks down at Rachel, "So you want to play? Are you any good at tag?"
"Yeah," Rachel grabs a knife and stabs Raijun in the foot. "This was a fun game do you want to play again?"
"Okay Adama, maybe sleep," Myra suggests nervously.
"You're gonna bleed real good, that's when the game gets fun," Rachel says menacingly.
"Who taught you this game? I love this game," Asks Raijun.
"All my sisters they teach me the best games," Rachel smiles menacingly.
"Your sisters?" Myra asks confused knowing Rachel is an only child.
"Yeah their a lot more fun than her," Rachel says pointing to Madame Selsma. "She won't let me play with them. They're the ones who teach me fun games and how to really have fun."
"Who are these mystery sisters," Raijun asks Sky.
"She's an only child," Sky says confused trying to get closer to her daughter. Rachel slashing out again with the knife.
Raijun offers to punch Rachel but before Myra can say no Sarya had her wrapped up in a literal bear hug. Rachel starts stabbing the bear, "Ooh this one will bleed a lot. My sisters will love this."
"Rachel are your sisters here now?" Myra asks concerned as she motions for one of the guys to disarm the small child.
"No! I want to go out an play with them!"
"Oh where are they then?"
"I'm not telling you! Only I can play with them. They told me I'm gonna be their sister too!"
"I mean I can put the child to sleep," Adama mentions and both Sky and Myra nod vigorously, "The question is is this temporary. Is she just acting out right now. Or is there something else going on?"
"It would still be good to get the knife out of her hands," Sky says distraught.
"Oh that's easy," as Adama goes up and disarms Rachel.
"No that's mine!" As she screams blackness spills from her eyes and face. As Myra sees it she tries to dispel the effect but the blackness seems to almost eat her magic. It swarms and bounces back into Myra and the darkness reveals a form of pure nightmare, but as it goes it seems to take a piece of Myra away with it. She clutches her chest and rubs her throat, staggering back, "well that sucked." Sarya looks torn between holding Rachel and going to Myra's side. Myra winces, "Adama could you put her to sleep please? If you don't I will put her in a bubble but that's significantly more effort."
"I could still just punch her," Raijun offers.
"Don't punch Rachel!" Myra says out loud as Sarya echoes her mentally. Adama grumbles and casts sleep as she starts to doze in Sarya's grasp. Myra turns to Sky her eyes hard, "You said Madame Slesma had something to do with this?"
"She's been helping her. She hadn't had nightmares in forever. But Madame Slesma got weaker and weaker, I don't know what happened."
Myra stalks over to where Madame Slesma lies in the corner. She looks exhausted and drained similar to how Myra looked a few days ago. Myra jostles her awake gently. She barely comes to consciousness as a shimmering effect seems to emanate around her, "where's Rachel?" She rasps, "Is she okay?"
Myra's brow furrows, "She's not doing well. There's a black ichor coming out of her eyes and I would like very much for you to tell me what it is."
She goes to sit up but Myra pushes her back down into the bed. "I can help her. You must let me help her," Slesma begs.
Myra crosses her arms, coldly, "More information now, please. Before I call someone in who will ask much less nicely."
"My sisters saw her in a dream and want her. They want her to join the coven."
"Who are your sisters?"
"We are... the women of the elder wood. We do not hail from here. But hail from a place of dreams and nightmares. I can help her. You must let me save her before she's doomed to the same fate." She's still trying to get up in her exhausted state. As Myra sees her attempt to actually aid the group her countenance softens slightly.
Adama suggests they send for a cleric but Slesma croaks that it won't help. Myra suggests they send them both to Lylah anyways but asks, "What do you need? What would you do?"
"I need to go into the dream and free her from the clutches of my sisters."
"You're in no shape to do that," Myra protests.
Adama comments that it might be fun, "Can I do it?" He asks.
Slesma coughs, "You must know it is very dangerous. If you die in the dream you die in real life. It is too dangerous. They are too powerful there."
"This won't be our first time going into a dream," Raijun comments. "The last time we went into a dream I kicked ass!"
"Is there a way for you to send us?" Myra asks.
"I can but... I will not be able to bring you back unless you free the grasp my sisters hold on her."
"Great, got it. Kill your sisters free Rachel. Sounds pretty straightforward," Myra says coldly.
As Slesma agrees Adama addresses the group, "So just hear me out here. We could... kill the kid. I'm not saying it's the answer-" Myra has already shrouded no both out loud and mentally before he can finish the sentence. Myra whirls on him ready to draw blades. Adama raises his hands in a placating manner, "I'm just saying maybe that's a solution."
Sarya clutches Rachel as Sky comes up and clocks Adama in the jaw. He rubs it sorely, "Fine we don't kill the kid yet." As Hagren looks at Adama disappointedly Adama looks at I'm confused, "You know this isn't the first time I've threatened to kill kids. Or killed kids for that matter-"
"That is enough." Myra's voice echoes, stopping the arguments. "We are not having this conversation." She turns back to Slesma, "Can you do it now or will it kill you?"
"No," Slesma says breathing heavily. "You must save her."
Myra nods and pulls out a notebook scribbling a quick note to Ayen, "Ayen, Rachel is in danger. I've done something reckless and gone after her. Please have Lylah look at both Rachel and Madame Slesma. I do not believe everything is as it appears with Madame Slesma. Please ensure she doesn't die so I may ask her some questions upon my return. I hope to be gone less than six hours. If we've been gone longer, something's gone wrong. I will bring her back. Love, Myra" She folds the note and hands it to Sky instructing her to bring them up to the estate and to give the note to Ayen.
Sky looks at Myra bewildered, "What are you all going to do?"
"We're going to go save your daughter," Myra smiles.
"You can just do that?"
"Yeah I mean I can just punch ghosts and shit," Raijun adds helpfully from behind. "Cause that's what heroes do!" He comments as he strikes a pose.
"You don't even know what you're going in there to do?"
"We never know!" Raijun says excitedly, "They just drag me in and I go out there and kick ass anyways."
Myra adjusts something in her bags, using her ring to swap to her armor, "We're going in there to save your daughter, that's easy" she says seriously. "It's the most straightforward quest we've had in a while."
"You sure you're up to it? You haven't rested very long and..."
Sarya mentally comments from bear form, "I am unsure about this."
But Myra seems undeterred as she walks over to Slesma, looking at Sky over her shoulder hurt, "I'm not going to let Rachel be hurt. Not when there's something I could do about it."
"Yeah let's just get into this dream and punch some ghosts!" Raijun says excitedly as Adama agrees that he's ready to have some fun with ghosts.
Myra points to the letter, "Give that to Ayen, get them Lylah. If there's anyone who will be able to talk to us while we are in there it will be Nari. She should still be up at the house, or Ayen can get her." Myra hugs Sky and as she releases she nods to Slesma to pull them in.
Madame Slesma starts to talk in a tone that reminds Sarya of Reina as Raijun hears kind of a lullaby, "While my slumber may be long my slumber will be eternal. While the night is full of terrors the terrors will feast on thee."

A Crooked Gate

Each of the group wakes in turn depending on how long it took them to fall asleep.
Hagren wakes first. He walks along a path, there's no sound as he steps, a crooked gate opens to a forgotten village. At the center is a crooked tree and underneath it plays Rachel, talking to the tree in front of her. She seems to be playing with a doll in front of her. He creeps closer trying to remain silent but Rachel seems to notice calling out, "Come play with me! Don't you want to play?"
"What do you want to play?" Hagren answers warily. As he does, Rachel turns and he notices that where her face should be there isn't one. And the doll she was playing with is a perfect recreation of Rachel.
"Come play with me. Don't you want to play a fun game?"
Hagren pauses, "Would you mind waiting cause friends of mine are coming soon.... so..."
"Oh, friends are not allowed here. I think we would have a lot of fun playing together." Hagren 'mmm's' in response. "What kind of games do you like to play?" The doll continues.
"Uh, hopscotch?" Hagren says warily.
"Oh why don't you play," as the doll lifts Hagren starts playing hopscotch content to play.
Raijun enters next finding Hagren playing hopscotch. Raijun knows something is up immediately when Hagren asks Raijun to play with him. Raijun starts to try to back out or figure out a way around the situation when he suddenly finds himself overwhelmed with the desire to play tag as a spectral version of himself appears before him to chase.
As he runs off Sarya, finds herself appearing at the same crooked gate. She sees Raijun off running and Hagren playing hopscotch, Rachel's voice calls out again, "Come play with us! We're all playing our favorite games." Hagren echoes the request. Sarya approaches warily, as Rachel's voice asks "What's your favorite game?"
"Hide and seek."
"That's a great game! Do you want to play?"
"I don't know if now is a good time for that."
"Oh but it's always a good time for games."
"It is. I wonder if we can play a game where we can find all my friends?"
"They're all here! We're all gonna play games together."
"What about you? Did you bring your friends?"
"I have it right here," Rachel calls as Sarya turns to see her lack of face and the doll.
Sarya resists the urge to join in the games retaining her sense of self as she calls out, "I see. I think it would be fun to play too. What if we played hide and seek and we were the seekers and we went and found your friends? Your sisters."
"Hmm I don't know. I don't know if they want to be found. But they just want me to play and stay here. Stay here." As the crows start to gather in the tree, numbering over a hundred. "This is where I'm gonna stay. I'm gonna play that's what I'm here for. To play with my friends, to play with my sisters."
"Are you playing with them right now? Can we join in?"
"Of course! I'm sure they'd love to play with you."
Myra and Adama arrive in tandem at the crooked gate. As they peer over they can just make out the crooked tree with the birds gathering as Sarya seems to edge ever closer to the small form of Rachel.
"The fuck is this?" Adama asks. "Why is Hagren playing hopscotch?"
"Well it seems some of us got here first. Better to prepare ourselves." Myra whispers a rhyme and Adama feels his mind fortify.
They walk through the gate and Rachel claps again. "More friends, more friends!"
"Alright give the kid up and you don't have to die," Adama's yells through the space. "But I haven't murdered anyone today so keep it up with the games and I'll play my favorite game. Know what that is?"
"Is your favorite game murder?" Myra rolls her eyes.
"That's my favorite game too! I have so many friends who have come to play. I guess we can play that game. Look my friends, their here to play!" As ghosts start apperating around the group
Adama looks to Myra as the ghosts surround them, "I'm going to go deal with the thing in the middle."
As he goes to take a step Myra puts a hand out to stop him, "I don't know how that's tied to Rachel. Could you handle the ghosts while I try to get her back?"
Adama nods and takes off towards the ghost as he speeds up. He hits the ghosts once as they lash out with visions but Myra's spell holds and he's unaffected. Myra feels a chill run down her spine but as she steels herself she feels it begin to move away. Hagren shakes himself out of wanting to play but as he does, he sees the ghost and a sense of dread fills him as ten years of his life leaves him. Despite his fear, he draws his hell forge pistol still managing to hit the ghost twice. As the crows begin to circle above Sarya feels a pressure as her and Adama are struck by the crows, the power coursing through them.
Raijun stops running as he excitedly returns shouting, "Oh shit ghosts" as he whacks them.
"You don't play very nice."
Sarya burns through a line of ghost as she raises a fire. As she does something flashes for a second, invisible, spindly fingers and matted hair. "Are your friends here now?"
"One, two we're coming for you. Three, four better lock your doors. Five, six grab a crucifix. Nine, ten never sleep again." As the ghosts move in they surround Raijun dragging forty years of his life from him as he becomes frightened of the specters.
As Rachel steps back into the tree Myra dashes forward, the tree turning into wisps of nightmare as Myra reaches out to touch them. Myra clutches her staff focusing on the doll making it temporarily immovable. As images and nightmare shatter around, fog beings to wisp on, the tree groans as the crows and ravens circle.
"You dare to take our sisters?" An old voice calls out, "What nightmares you will suffer from."
The crows dive toward Myra as she grips the doll, battering her with claw and beak. In the absence of the crows Myra sees the vision of a hag's face looking down as the crows say in unison, "We are Nightmares. Prepare to be asleep forever in dream and embrace eternity."

Report Date

15 Sep 2022

Primary Location

Kolis-Tane

Related Characters

• Gameta
• Rachel
• Sky Soothammer
• Yamil Alshara

Related Notes:
'A Fun Night' - Lion's Crest