EVENT: Dreams and Portals and 4th Walls, Oh My!

[fatedhearts]

Well, lookie here! We have a new event! And it's a collab with another game, Missrecalled! How will that work, you ask? Here is the event info on their side:

https://the-spaces-between.dreamwidth.org/436.html

And on this side:

Jordan was not the only person desperately trying to fix things that had gone wrong. On Gaia, the Sephiroth native to that world had been running himself ragged for the last several weeks, frantic to find a solution to what he had caused by bringing so many there through portals. It had been an accident, and his intentions when inadvertently activating the portals had been innocent, but that hardly mattered to him. He saw only that he had tried to do something for himself—using the Ancients’ magic to be sane again—and everything had turned on its head.

The Heartless attack had been the last straw. That was dangerous, that was deadly, and something had to be done. He had to send all of these poor people home.

And so he was struggling to open the portals. His will should be able to override whatever was keeping them closed, shouldn’t it? He certainly thought so.

In hindsight, perhaps he should have asked the other Sephiroth for help, given that that Sephiroth had the power of portal-making. But he hadn’t wanted to bother or burden anyone more than he already had. He had caused this on his own. He had to fix it on his own.

So while Jordan dreamed, Sephiroth fought with the portals.

What could possibly go wrong?

As it turned out, a lot. Both magic users, desperate to correct the problems in their worlds, reached out through the cosmos ... and the cosmos answered. A piercing portal developed from Auradon, through the Isle, all the way to Gaia, with the two blue-winged Sephiroths the unfortunate conduits. The dreamscape mixed with the waking world and portals began opening in both.

When this latest disaster exploded across Gaia, Sephiroth stared out the window in shock. Portals were everywhere, but people weren’t going through them back to their worlds. The energy he could feel from them didn’t even feel like the portals that had opened to start this whole mess. He went outside, looking into the nearest portal. The bizarre world on the other side, of flowers growing in the sky and clouds on the ground, looked like someone’s fever dream. Several more inane sights led him to conclude that the portals were indeed all going to people’s dreams. And upon talking with the recipient of one such dream, he made another alarming discovery: the portals were going to the dreams in other worlds.

He groaned and slumped back, running a hand down his face. “What have I done now?” he cried in dismay. Would he never be able to fix anything, only cause more destruction?


OOC Info: This is a collaborative event with the RP Missrecalled (info below). Characters from different worlds can either meet on the dreamscape while sleeping or pass through to Gaia while awake via the portals. But even in the waking world, the dreamworld is insisting on encroaching. The longer the madness goes on, the more the strange sights from people’s dreams are creeping into Gaia.

While there isn’t as much awake time on the Missrecalled side of things (and less and less of it as the event progresses), the Gaia side allows for people to be awake and not asleep if preferred. (Or they can dream on the Gaia side as well, if preferred.) The Sephiroths are dream-walkers and can pass through the dreamscape both asleep and awake. They can also take others with them. Everyone else can also use the portals to wander amid other’s dreams or pass through to Gaia if they were someplace else. The portals popping up in the waking world must be closed from inside the dreamscape, which the Sephiroths will be trying to take care of along with those who volunteer to help them. But there’s so many, it could take some time. And while any are open, things from people’s dreams are getting loose everywhere. Monsters, weird disasters, any distressing scenario dreaming people can come up with. Go wild! Make top-levels and reply to others' top-levels from this post, or from Missrecalleds' 4th Wall at: https://the-spaces-between.dreamwidth.org/436.html
Just mark your threads accordingly if they have any content others may wish to avoid. Also keep in mind that as wild and weird as your dreams can be, you don't have the right to force that weirdness on others' characters unless they're okay with that. I.E., does your dream involve forced transformation into dogs or cats? Great! That's fine for you, but no one else should have to be changed if they don't want that. So either mark your thread that it's for those who want that weirdness, or have it open to all and expect to see some humans talking to your dogs and cats. :)

Given the nature of the event and the need to close so many dream portals, dream-walkers and characters with other dream-related powers will be especially useful. The Sephiroths could use all the help they can get! But everyone is welcome and all characters can help! Just know that if you’re going to try closing dream portals and you don’t have inherent dream powers, you’ll need to go with one of the Sephiroths. This is a combination collab event in which characters from both games can mingle, as well as a 4th Wall in which characters from anywhere and anything can appear, whether they’re in either game or not! Bring everyone! It’s like a test drive, only wilder. If you especially enjoy your time in the 4th Wall, apps are always open at Fated Hearts and open until October 30th at Missrecalled and we would love for you to join us permanently!

And the info on our collab partner: Missrecalled is a game based on an AU of Disney's Descendants/the Isle Of The Lost novels, taking place if the third movie ended slightly differently. The game is split in two parts; Characters who start in Auradon are welcomed to a seemingly-idyllic setting with only minimal power nerf that is exploration, slice of life, and working together plot lines. Characters who start on The Isle are in for a powernerf experience with survival and school themes. There are ways in game to change from one to the other, but they are not frequent and the pace is often player driven. The Missrecalled Mod Squad hopes to see you on the 4th wall... once upon a dream.

Things to note: Missrecalled has a magical no-swear filter, and requires FTB for physical intimacy scenes.

Comments

Questions or Concerns?

[fatedhearts]

Normally we don't have one of these sections for events, but since this is very experimental and rather complex, we'll have one here! Ask away, if needed!

Beginning the Dreamwalk

[imjustaman]

After the initial shock and horror of seeing the portal mess, Sephiroth quickly snapped to in order to fix it. He contacted the blue-winged Sephiroth for help. The other came immediately, surveyed the damage, and tried to close one of the portals. It didn't work. Frowning, they both went inside it and closed it from there.

Now they were relieved. They knew what to do, and they found they could escape the dream world and return to the real world. Whether that was because of their wills or something else, they weren't sure, but it was good to know.

It was absolutely startling when a second blue-winged Sephiroth stepped out of another portal, utterly baffled. But he quickly warmed to the occasion as everything was explained to him. He also told of a sleep spell happening back in the world he had come from. He seemed to be the only one there who was awake.

This was so bizarre. Sleep spells and portals.... And two blue-winged Sephiroths.... Was it all connected? It seemed it must be, somehow. Perhaps those Sephiroths were the keys?

The Sephiroth who had been trying to open the portals in the sky and had opened the wrong ones sighed, steeled his expression, and looked back to his two companions. "Alright," he said. "Let's fix this."

((OOC: Characters who want to sign up to help fix the dream portals but don't have inherent dream powers will need to go with a Sephiroth. They can sign up here. Let Sephiroth know which Sephiroth you want to travel with, if you have a preference, and if you want to thread out the adventure in a top-level of your own! Closing the portals won't be easy most of the time, as there will be so much going on in people's dreams to deal with.))

Re: Beginning the Dreamwalk

[andstitch]

"Fix what?" Lilo asked, stepping out of one of the portals.

Re: Beginning the Dreamwalk

[imjustaman]

Three Sephiroths turned to look at her.

"This problem that's just started with these portals," said the one without blue wings. "I was trying to send everyone home. Something went drastically wrong. Now there are portals everywhere connecting to people's dreams!"

[phoenixwiz]

“I take that there is something weird happening with the portals right now that it requires us to deal with them,” Harry speaks as he steps out of the portals, having zero dream powers to utilize or that he might have another him waiting for him somewhere, “So what’s the current plan?”

(OOC: Let’s use the blue winged Sephiroth who managed to save him during the Heartless swarm for this one then we can bring the Isle of Avalon/Missrecalled version of him at some point.)

[3wingedangel]

((OOC: Okay!))

All three Sephiroths looked up with recognition to see Harry. It might be confusing to Harry to see the two blue-winged ones looked identical, unlike the conversation he'd had with the third Sephiroth.

"We are sealing the portals," one blue-winged one said, stepping forward. "People's dreams are escaping into the real world. Unfortunately, these portals only go into dreams except to exit into Gaia. There is still not a true passage home for anyone from these."

here, have a tree dude :D

[elvendryad]

He seemed... stressed. Tense. It was something in his expression and posture, though his body was covered in some sort of impossibly slim, shiny black platemail or maybe exoskeleton, or perhaps it was an oddly quiet robotic sort of form...? But however he was giving the impression, it didn't seem to be hostility, so much as guarded worry. Whatever had him on edge, he wasn't about to make it someone else's problem.

And then he heard someone who seemed to have just practically invited the notion that it was... or at least, was in terms of dealing with it. He headed right for the closest of the Sephiroths, pausing a good few yards away. He'd have their attention; he didn't need to come right up to them. It was a little difficult at first to tell exactly where he was looking, given that his eyes were entirely black... though definitely not impossible, if they watched.

In fact, there was something about this newcomer... though he'd paused a distance from them, the two could just about feel where his attention was, as he glanced between the two of them.

"Hello, friends. Do you know how to fix whatever is happening?" He was hoping so -- and they'd know as much, though how they knew was anyone's guess. He wanted... to be somewhere else. A particular somewhere else, one that was dark and chilly, a stone building surrounded by thorns....

But how would they know that? He definitely hadn't mentioned it, but the notion was there, faintly, similar to how his presence was, troubled but self-possessed....

There was nothing malicious here, merely a want to solve the issue.

They might find it a bit enlightening, to give him a closer look on another level: he most certainly had some sort of power. It didn't quite register the way the magic they'd be used to did, but one of the two Sephiroths might well recognize it as feeling akin to Mallia's. It was hard to tell just how much; he wasn't holding it as at the ready as she did, but considering how hers worked, that likely didn't mean much of anything past that they certainly weren't seeing the extent of it yet....

Did they want to pick up some sort of Black Knight-looking figure as a helper?

I replied to this last night, but apparently the reply is gone. Ugh, DW....

[3wingedangel]

One of the blue-winged Sephiroths looked particularly intrigued and curious, as he sensed the magic being similar to Mallia's.

"We know," he said. "We have to seal these portals to keep people's dreams from spilling out into the waking world." He tilted his head. "And you are ... ?"

Agatha Heterodyne | Girl Genius + Wake CRAU | OTA | CW: Mad Science

[agathaheterodyne]

Entering another dream

Ever since returning home to find that most of the issues she had been trying to fix while in the living city had been fixed in her absence, lending to new troubles, she had been trying not just to fix things at home but also to find a way to reunite with all the friends she had made in Nautilus.

She had been working in her sleep again, thankfully this time still in her adventuring gear, when she saw the portal. Which opened in the middle of the workshop she'd been offered. She frowned, tapping a spanner to her lips. Was she actually awake now? She thought she might be. But she wasn't certain. Caution said to call her friends and guards. Caution said she had enough problems already from portals very like this one. Caution said find a way to close it.

Science said it needed to be examined. And that it could be ephemeral. And she wanted to experiment, itched to experiment. She didn't fear the experiment, for that was science. She feared the result. But that fear could not override her curiosity. And so she quickly gathered the bare minimum - a huge bag of tools and parts, goggles, a leather jacket with many pockets, her weasel, her Pokemon, and a few dingbots. She really should leave a note... But the portal....

She hesitated just a moment then took one of the Dingbots back out of her pocket. "Get the others, have them follow me." She considered. "And bring more tools."

There, that was enough, right? Right. And with that, and a nervous touch to her locket, she stepped into someone else's dream.

Her Own Dream

Agatha's dreams weren't always as weird as they had been when she was first Breaking Through, but for those not of her world they were probably still plenty weird.

In her dream she was in a version of Mechanicsburg. One that wasn't locked away and hidden, and that also wasn't half destroyed. The town, from a distance, almost could pass for normal. So long as that distance was extreme. The walls around the town were crenelated and dotted with odd bronze and glass structures. The main gate in the town had a stone carved dragon leaning out over it, and the portcullis looked disturbingly like metal jagged teeth. There was no moat, but there was a burned circle of ground outside the wall that implied some sort of defenses.

Unluckily for anyone who came to the town from outside it, the gate was open. They were being subtly welcomed.

The town, once entered, was one that got weirder the more you looked. Perhaps the adverts for new varieties of snacking snails and minimamoths on a stick weren't that odd. The clockwork pigeons were from her memories of Beetleburg, but hardly seemed out of place compared to the Dingbots running all over the place like a living metal carpet, carrying tools back and forth.

Because it was a dream, the statue of the Heterodyne Boys was visible as soon as anyone entered the gate. And the road went past the coffee shop - which was oddly large in this dream and issuing forth dark smoke that smelled wonderful, a large tavern called Mama Ginka's, and a museum of historical battle armor, up to the castle that hovered at the top of the hill.

Sitting on a bench outside the Castle was Agatha herself. She was building another small Dingbot as she chatted with... something. The voice that answered her shook the ground and sounded old and... petulant.

"I don't know why you are making such a big deal about a little remodeling," Agatha said, with a mix of amusement and patience. "The Jägers do far more damage dancing than I'm proposing. And besides, you're hideously over built, especially since we repaired you."

"I just rediscovered that lab!" the voice boomed.

"Yes, and it almost killed us all," Agatha said, still seeming amused.

"Exactly!"

"So you agree it must go?" Agatha asked, looking at the Castle, seeming suspicious in the extreme.

"No! So I need to study it! I do not at all care for the woman whose lab it was and would gleefully crush her if she even set foot in your town again, Lady," the voice boomed.

"Who wouldn't you gleefully crush?" Agatha asked, distracting it.

"Um... Well...."

"Well?"

"Well you, I suppose."

"Just me?" Agatha sounded a little annoyed now.

"And your minions I suppose..."

Agatha set down the now finished Dingbot and crossed her arms, somehow without impaling herself on the very sharp screwdriver she'd been using. "I need those. Who else?" Her voice was almost demanding now.

"I mean I wouldn't crush them until after you had heirs of course..."

"You won't crush them at all," Agatha snapped firmly.

"But... What if they really need crushing?"

"You sound like Bang," Agatha said flatly. "If they really need crushing, I am perfectly capable of crushing them myself!"

"Last time you did that you took out four of my walls! One was load bearing!"

"You survived," Agatha said. She turned to whatever poor unfortunate had wandered into her dream, green eyes flashing behind her glasses. "You agree with me, of course. Right?"

Another Dream

[3wingedangel]

Well, this was a complication. The blue-winged man had been just about to close this dreamer's portal when someone else walked through it. He grunted, giving them a deadpan look. "Hello."

An Eevee happily scampered around at his feet.

Re: Another Dream

[agathaheterodyne]

She gave a bright smile. "Fascinating! Is this part of Nautilus, by chance?" she asked, as she crouched to offer her hand to Eevee.

Me/Ashildr | Doctor Who + Wake CRAU | OTA |

[memories_of_me]

Me's dream of where she was... was very like her reality. Real life was quiet weird enough thank you very much. She didn't need her dreams to add to it. As if they even could.

For those who stumble into her dream portal they would find what looked like a retro 40s era dinner. There was a partial stone wall around it covering the sides and back. In front of it sat Me.

She looked like an older teen or very young adult. She was sitting back in a lounge chair reading what looked like a very old journal, with a large raven on her shoulder. She didn't look all that odd herself, until one looked at her clothing and realized that the pattern on her leggings was changing. What started as a star field of almost glowing silver on black was slowly becoming darker as the silver stars slowly winked out, one star at a time. Then once the leggings were jet black all the stars faded back in together and the cycle began again, always in the same order.

She wore silver scrunch socks and black sneakers with silver laces and rubber. Above the leggings was a short black and silver pleated skirt with silver buttons on one hip. Above that she wore a high necked fussy looking black silk blouse laced through with thin silver pinstripes. The silver buttons up the front had intricate carvings of odd circular design. The book covered most of them, though those of Gallifrey might recognize the carvings as their own language all the same. The girl's long black hair was pinned up in a style every bit as fussy as the shirt, held in place with silver pins. Clearly she believed in committing to a theme...

Without looking up from her book she spoke to whoever approached. "No, I do not require your presence, you may remove yourself and spare us both the inevitable argument." Her voice was cold and cutting. The raven cawed. She seemed to ignore it as she turned the page of her book.

Re: Me/Ashildr | Doctor Who + Wake CRAU | OTA |

[darkshroudingcloud]

"What the ... ?" The spiky-haired blond with the bat wing coming out of his cloak stared, then scowled. "Look, I'd be glad to leave. I didn't come in here on purpose. I'm just trying to find out what's going on around here!"

His right hand is holding a giant sword oddly wrapped in bandages over his right shoulder. He doesn't seem to have any trouble lifting it.

Re: Me/Ashildr | Doctor Who + Wake CRAU | OTA |

[memories_of_me]

She looked up, opening her mouth to snark, when she blinked. "Link...?" No. Couldn't be? Could it? Well, in Nautilus very nearly anything was possible, including aging up and gaining a wing....

Najaran | Culdcept + CRAU from VT and Song | OTA

[najaran]

Where was she now? Najaran wasn't aware at first that she was dreaming. She was on some beach that she felt she should know, but didn't. And she wasn't alone. A suit of armor was with her. She was actually sitting on his shoulder, holding Goligan. There were others too. Gargoyle loomed over even the tall Knight. A massive stone wall with a face loomed over even Gargoyle. A rideable flying dinosaur/dragon hybrid was basking in the sun near the water's edge. Cait Sith was playing with Eidolon and Gremlin. And a few Baby Woodfolk were playing under the watchful eye of an Adult Woodfolk.

The way she realized it was a dream though was when a huge feast appeared before her. "YUM!" she said, jumping down off Knight's shoulder. "Come on, everyone! Dig in!" Looking to whoever approached she beamed a bright open smile. "You too!"

[mystic_mongoose]

Mina was confused over where she was. It certainly wasn’t home but it felt safe. However, her confusion faded and turned to joy hearing a familiar voice asking her to join her.

“Najaran? Najaran!” Mina called out, running up to hug her.

[najaran]

Hearing her, Najaran turned, smiling around a mouthful of food. "MINA!" she cried happily, not even noticing she was spraying bits of food.

"Najaran! Manners!" Goligan chided.

Mallia ♥ OC ♥ OTA

[queen_butterfly]

Awake or asleep, it made little difference to her....

She's out traveling. Because of course she is.

"....Hello?" The lady stepped through the portal, looking about with a relaxed, faint smile. She seemed in a pleasant enough mood as she explored. She was dark: all black with purple accents and flowing lines. Her black hair was wound high on her head in a tight, elegant twist -- somewhere between a princess bun and a French coil -- forming twin spirals up behind her that ended in subtle points, nearly horn-like if not for how short they were. Her gown clung close before loosening past the hips, the bottom of its flowing skirt patterned in vertical panes of purple like stained glass. A long cape fell behind her, hiding against her back and blending into her skirt’s folds... Even her makeup was dark, emphasizing her too-large dark purple irises. That her ears were subtly pointed didn't even seem out of place, somehow....

"Are you sure that's wise, calling out like that?" The man who followed looked more suited to a renaissance faire than a ballroom. His blond hair was tucked behind similarly pointed ears, eyes similarly large, but light blue, and his loose tunic and leggings were dyed in much more natural-looking green and browns, his canvas boots and belt matching. He carried a staff, one that looked to be made of several lengths of wood, all twisted together as if braided as the tree had grown it, a large crystal orb caught in its grasp, at the top. Despite questioning her, he didn't seem much more wary than she did... which was to say, practically not at all.

"No. I'm not. But perhaps a bit of foolishness is warranted...?" She flicked her wrist, tossing something bright that arced skyward -- a glowing orb like a firework’s heart, trailing sparks as it climbed. It slowed and hung overhead, flickering like a beacon.

She stepped a bit further, looking about; where even was this? "Hello?" She called again, her companion quiet behind her.

(( ...and I shall link to her post in the other comm in case anyone's curious for that side of things.... :) ))

Re: Mallia ♥ OC ♥ OTA

[imjustaman]

"Hello."

A strange man steps out: upswept, white hair, glowing, pupilless eyes, one multicolored wing on his right shoulder, six lavender ones around his waist like a kilt, and strange metal armor that only covers his right side. His appearance is unusual and likely not familiar for the most part. His deep voice, however, and perhaps the upper wing's positioning, may or may not be familiar.

Re: Mallia ♥ OC ♥ OTA

[queen_butterfly]

Hmm, well, no need to assume things. She's seen herself how that can turn out. She's been dealing with it.

She gave him more of a smile, stepping forward, not a trace of wariness in her stance. Her companion simply seemed... amused? He was letting her take the lead. Maybe that was why he'd only sense her presence, so far? She certainly had some power to her, some sort of magic, but what was probably just as difficult for him to figure out as it was for his counterpart.

"The last time something like this happened, it ended up being an interesting bit of a diversion, and we all made a few new friends before it ended. Admittedly, there wasn't the doorways, as such, but it was rather similar aside from that."

"Should summon your castle again," the guy said, smiling, more a mumble from the peanut gallery than actually trying to steer the conversation.

"My name is Mallia. And yours...?" She gave him a little half-nod. Not a bow, more a gesture meant for an equal.

[darkshroudingcloud]

The place looked like the Dark Depths in Radiant Garden. The actual Dark Depths were currently on Gaia. This was probably a dream world version of them. Maybe.

They seem deserted, save for a lone figure in a tattered red cloak with spiky blond hair and a huge, bizarrely bandaged sword slung over his right shoulder. A bat wing protrudes from his left shoulder, twitching as he stares off into the distance.

[andstitch]

"Awwwww, this place doesn't look as fun!" Lilo protested.

[3wingedangel]

Sephiroth, however, stiffened. "Cloud?!"

The wing went stiff. Cloud spun around, eyes narrowed. "Sephiroth? ... Great, that figures you'd be here. What's with the kid?" He gripped the sword tighter. "You into kidnapping now?"

Zack Fair, Kingdom Hearts | OTA

[icangothedistancetoo]

The place looked like Olympus Coliseum, but there were elements of other worlds too, even a monorail going through it all.

A boy with spiky black hair grinned and turned to face the visitors. "Hey!" he grinned. "You training here too?"

Re: Zack Fair, Kingdom Hearts | OTA

[agathaheterodyne]

"WE're mostly just exploring and letting the two of them have their fun fighting," Agatha said as she wandered over to inspect the monorail. "Wonder if I can get up there..." she mused.