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lostcompass2023-04-24 07:14 pm
groundrules) wrote in lostcompass2023-04-24 07:14 pm
dream a little dream of her | part ii
The second part of the Dream a little dream of her journey event covers 26 April to 11-12 May. No mod-led log this round — but the floor is yours for logs & posts, back/forward date at will!
The Sandman encounters a small… bump in its road and receives three visitors — as well as, on the wedding mystery side of things, a handful of new clues and confirmation that, alas! A dream thief walks among us.
A BUMP ON A HIGH ROAD
The Sandman’s merry trot above the Cradle’s nightmarish abyss stops abruptly, jolting passengers. Staff members urge everyone seated or inside their cabins. Deputy Conductor Bauc informs everyone by train radio that the ferally strong nightmare storms outside have corroded the Sandman defences and caused a brief, if fixable technical disruption.
- ■ You might overhear maids and attendants gossip and speculate heatedly: one faults the engine, another the train’s metal plates, a third says the railway tracks.
■ The Sandman shuts down many services to prioritise resources supplying the technical investigation. Electricity turns off, leaving you with candles and a forcibly.. cozy atmosphere. The gambling and cinema room close. To public uproar, the same two courses are served across all classes for each meal — one is an unidentifiable, bland but filling oat mush.
■ A few hours into the incident, party members receive a message from their strained benefactor, the Merchant on a distinctly poor communication line that dissolves shortly. The line is sadly too jumbled to call him back.
”Thisssssis the — M-M-Merchaaaaaaaaaant. N — ime… not — eave the tracks. Repea critical — you do no — ttttttt cross the-the-the-traaaaaaaaaacccccksssss — ”
But never mind that. A crew of Sandman engineers exits the train, starting five days of track and engine repairs. They’re grateful for help.
- ■ Repairs helpers are dressed to the nines in heavy but sturdy protective gear, offered self-replenishing torches and bound with ropes at their waists in pairs of twos to avoid losses.
■ Magical lights have been set down to mark out the tracks. Otherwise, enjoy hard winds and pitch black.
■ You can help weld the tracks, clean or repair engine parts, or pose intellectually with a screwdriver!
■ You’re told, don’t fall asleep. Those who start to doze must be immediately taken inside, to avoid being invaded by dreams.
■ Sometimes you hear voices trying to lure you off the tracks. Don’t fall into the Abyss —
■ It’s not all gloom and doom, with fragments of dreams and laughter wisping around you now and then, filling you with overwhelming joy.
With so much staff repairing, there are fewer hands to cook and clean inside. There’s briefly an open-door kitchen policy for anyone who wants to make their own Camembert in aspic.
AND THEN THERE WERE THREE
Day three of the train disruption: a loud knock at the train doors. Mr. Bauc opens them to reveal three strange hooded figures that manifest as either woodland or cosmic creatures. They say they are the three forms of the Abyss’ voice and must befriend all those who stop so long in their territory — and seek out any ‘living dreamed things,’ or dreams materialised into the waking world.
Conductor Rossakoff confirms the Three have rare ’old-issue’ tickets and must be allowed in.
- ■ The Three are only inside the train for three hours and only rummage through half of the train compartments.
■ They spread out, each woman (?) knocking at a different compartment door. Open yours, and she sniffs or peers intently through your cabin for illicit dream things. Down to you if your character is visited by the Crone, Mother or Maiden.
■ The Three bring with them light fairies to the size of small dust motes that pinch, tickle or tease you.
■ The visitor collects any smuggled dream trinkets left over without reporting it to the Sandman’s crew. She might also try to pilfer cute, interesting or shiny non-dream belongings: the Crone she forgot the item was not hers, but asks if you won’t gift it to ease an old woman; the Mother says the thieved thing is a personal heirloom, and you’re trying to steal it from her; the beautiful Maiden says she felt you meant to give this to her, and insists on keeping it.
■ …your visiting member of the Three might also try to steal and drag you off.
■ The Three ultimately have a word with Conductor Rossakoff, who insists “the matter” must be left to the staff. They offboard by the end of day three.
The journey, electricity, staff service and luxury amenities resume once repairs have been conducted.
THE WEDDING(S) | CLUES SO FAR
- ■ Veiled bride Prassenze only met heroic Firo in person upon boarding the Sandman. Their wedding day repeated three times, ending in upset between Prassenze and Firo or her party. The wedding(s) culminated in Prassenze’s disappearance from her ravaged, locked cabin, its windows wide open. Only the Merchant’s party members seem to recall all the weddings. Prassenze took on a different shape and mannerisms each wedding day.
■ Train windows opened without a staff key set off an alarm. Conductor Rossakoff, who can track anyone on board, says the number of passengers has stayed unchanged. He adds there was no violence on the train, and no windows were forced open.
■ The Merchant’s party smuggled in dream trinkets that dream thieves used to bring dreamed things into the waking world. They used the energies of the Cradle and worsened its storms.
■ The Cradle storms picked up each night of the wedding.
■ A letter received by Prassenze warned her of ‘drastic and dangerous effects’ and urged her to tell Firo the truth — signed by a ‘C.’ The letter was likely sent by a train passenger.
■ Prassenze was Firo’s devoted admirer and wrote an ‘obsessive’ amount of letters, saying all the right things.
■ Firo knew very little about her bride, who preferred to let Firo talk. Prassenze lacked family, work or interests.
■ Prior to disappearing on the second wedding night, Prassenzestormed her compartment, seeking a hidden small box.
■ Speculation that Prassenze used dream trinkets to reinvent herself to please Firo’s party each wedding night.
■ Letters received by Firo’s sister Lita show her rich husband minds a sheep estate, she is a profligate hat shopper, her maid broke ties in outrage, and her doctor switched her from a higher to a lower sleeping concoction.
■ The party has ‘old-issue’ tickets — a very rare, expensive commodity for frequent travellers..
THE LIVING DREAM(S)
Hours after the Sandman resumes travel, Conductor Rossakoff makes a radio announcement;
”Most… esteemed passengers. It is with disappointment and humility that we, the unworthy staff of the Sandman, must report the train’s dignity has been compromised.
Despite… best efforts, we advise that… a dream thief is aboard our honoured train. And with them… living dreams, brought from the dreaming to wakefulness. We beg… your and the train’s patience… as we investigate the matter. To the thief… and living dream… we invite you to disembark peacefully... at the first station following the Cradle. We may stay… civil. That is all. ”
Many train occupants appear alarmed — some fearful, most surprised and a handful disgusted. Wounded in his upper-class sensibilities, the gentilhomme duc Marcel de Bagade offers the change from his pockets — a watch worth an exorbitant 150,000 coins — to anyone who identifies the dream thief and living dreams, so that they might be thrown off the Sandman at the next station with certainty.
Your character may claim his ransom by submitting their theory on the identities and activity of the dream thief and living dream(a) by 23:59 GMT on 10 May. The closer you are to being right, the more coins in your pocket!
- ■ A few passengers complain loudly that clothing times are missing. They are later discovered in the LOST & FOUND booth, to their owners’ grudging stupefaction.
■ Sometimes, you could swear you just saw the passenger you’ve run into, wearing different clothes moments before.
■ Firo’s entire group appears unlike itself: Firo does not eat, does not sleep, does not rest, only searching for Prassenze; a nervous, irritable Lita keeps drinking; Maiza seems overwhelmed, with Dulcinea moody, and Attru isolated. Hugo is resigned and calm.
■ ...the apothecary Rigolante is still missing his herbs and recipients.
NOTES:
- ■ Enjoy the second leg of the train trip, before stopping at the Arc VI destination. Don’t forget to fill out the optional form to help make your character’s arrival as... memorable as possible!
■ For the wedding mystery: one (or more) of the passengers is a dream thief. One (or more) of the passengers is a living dream. Your character can try to win M. de Bagade’s ransom or help Firo find her wife.
■ Each member of Firo’s party (and Rigolante) has a potentially helpful clue. Sign up for a thread!
If you need a hand with anything, drop a plotting comment here!
QUESTIONS
That pocket watch is a certified Patek Philippe.
THE RANSOM
Win a part of M. de Bagade's ransom by submitting your character's IC guess of who the dream thief is, who the living dream is (or are!) and what they are doing on the train — by 23:59 GMT on 10 May.
Remember, your character would have to ICly agree to put in their
guesstimateconspiracy theorywell-researched analysis. Only one per character.NPC THREADS
Seven (!) quick threads up for RNG grabs — sign up by responding here by 23:59 GMT on 26 April whom your character would like to speak with. The 'lucky winner' will be informed on 27 April and can assemble a short starter after.
Threads must be completed by 5 May, and you should aim to ICly post the findings shortly after you're done to help fellow mystery sleuths c:
Good-humoured, sincere and just heroine, renown for her many feats of bravery — from rescuing villages to outwitting sphinxes and challenging immortals. Loud and prone to laughter. Quick to tell everyone about her beloved Prassenze.
Doting older sister of Firo, married to a Count who prefers a quiet life at his countryside estate. Preposterously wealthy and fashionable. Life of every party.
Once a gifted mathematician, Maiza quickly realized there is more money for the modern man to make from his brawns than his brains. After retraining as a barbarian, he served as muscle (and accountant) during many of Firo’s adventures..
The prince of a distant land, some say descended from wolves. Walks among men to learn their ways. Looks young, but will mention at least three wives and five children in the first five minutes of conversation. Smooth.
Redeemed mercenary, who once used to sell her sword to anyone with the coin to spare — some say, even the dead! Turned an honest leaf after meeting Firo, of whom she is very protective. At times still sinister at her edges.
A pilot turned priest, or a priest turned pilot. Met Firo during his many travels. Soft-spoken, mild-mannered, but jittery, with the kind of thin nerves that suggest he has survived numerous fraught circumstances.
An apothecary of exotic drugs and herbs. He had hoped to make his fortune in Alem, but arrived just as the fortress crumbled, before he could sell enough of his wares. Prays he will find better fortune east.
Contessa Lita
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Q2. So, Wrathion has Anduin's Serthica droid -- it's a hunting dog style because of his role as a droid hunter! If he took it around the passengers, does it react differently to anyone? Beyond the Three who are doing their spooky visitation, obviously. His logic being if the Serthica illusions couldn't trick them always, maybe they can tell the difference between a Dream and a Real Person? Worth a try!
Q2.5 If this poor apothecary has anything that might have a trace of those herbs on it, he'll get the good-droid to help search for those too.
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Jon is less likely than a lot of people here to be like "lol why would you marry someone you've never met, that's just weird."
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#1. This is actually tougher math than it seems, because you have to figure out how many singles, doubles and quads, add staff — let's call it 1,800 over 90 carriages. Nice and breathable 20-person average per carriage.
#2. Hmmmmmm, I think letting the dog tell what's dream and what isn't would be too much of an advantage!
#2.5. We can let the doge sniff out the scent of the herbs, mind. Funnily, some seem scent traces seem to be in Prassenze's compartment, stronger ones — doge spends a longer time there. There is only very minor residue, but clearly there were a lot of the herbs located there at some point.
And some herbs are in... Attru's compartment? Oh dear. Once more, only a sniff, no visual indication. But doge is never wrong.
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Or Maiza, alternatively, because it’s suspicious when a guy that strong looks overwhelmed.
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Re: Contessa Lita
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Per what other folks learned during the trip, some dream thieves like to use dream artefacts for lower-level or subtler dream changes.
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- one's wispy, a little dry, dark green, small prickling points on the stem
- one has small waxy leave
- one is purple-blueish, looks but isn't aquatic
- and one looks precisely like dill, but leaves behind a pale silvery sheen, not unlike a pollen
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Also, I guess Wrathion should have asked about the tools too since he's already looking for the herbs. What kind of tools they are, and then he can check the rooms for them while he goes!
Sorry for VERY BITTY questions my brain was half on a course during the week
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The tools are largely mixing instruments and containers.
The herbs have been largely used as very potent sleeping aids. Some as magical stabilisers. The tools, he would use to mix and store potions and draughts.
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And to keep it in the family, so is Lita, who also is one of those acting as a dream builder, with Hugo's help.
(He's so far from invested in this but HE SUPPORTS BOTH HIS BOYS)
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Also suspects Contessa (or more likely Hugo on her behalf) stole the herbs, possibly because Firo is a living dream and they’re trying to make it look like she’s asleep somehow. Makes sense! (50/50 on if the conductor is a robot, he’ll get this conspiracy sorted.)