III. ♔ Video

[oathwalk]

[Time for your scheduled public service announcement. At his console, Richard's arms are folded and his tone level. After talking to Sadie, he has realized that they can't continue with people being ignorant of the situation.]

For those who aren't yet aware, in Sinbrilee, there are marble arches with runes on them. The gateways with runs that seem to glow with a faint light lead to the realm of Dreaming, while the gates to Death have runes oozing a black substance.

Be careful of both. The worlds both shape themselves to the minds of those within. Dreaming can be pleasant, if you are in such a state of mind, but if you are not, it can be cruel. Death is always malicious. If you come to harm in either realm, that injury may prove to be very real. [Hidden in the folds of his sleeves, his hand tightens into a fist.] In at least one case, an injury has been. It's most likely that healing magic won't work there, nor any other abilities to protect you that require Tu Vishan's energy to function.

[Richard unfolds his arms so he can brush his bangs from his eyes.] I'd like to know if anyone has done any research on the gateways themselves or the realms beyond. Given that one seems the home territory of the being we've been brought here to handle, some understanding of how to move in and out of it could be an advantage.

Comments

[onefouroneseven]

It was simply reactionary - every time an action was taken it would retaliate, but the fear was vague and sourceless. This felt like it was a direct attack.

( there wasn't any other word for it, as far as soranik was concerned. it was too... personal. )

[oathwalk]

[Richard frowns as he remembers what it did to him, Ivy, and Enjolras when they were there] Yes, I . . . can see what you mean. I wonder if we can discern what exactly has caused that change in method.

[onefouroneseven]

Most likely our efforts against its own. Foiling blood sacrifices, for instance.

( that wasn't exactly a pleasant experience. )

[oathwalk]

[Yeah, that'd probably piss a thing off.] Do you think it likely that it's the realm itself that is conscious, or if it's a defense left behind by our enemy?

[onefouroneseven]

Previously I would have believed it to be a defense, but my current exposure to it leads me to believe it's a purposeful attack. If anything, the realm itself is harmless.

( except for the part where it's dead, but hey. )

[oathwalk]

[Plenty of perfectly nice people and things are dead. Don't judge people on their state of living!]

There's a certain balance to that. Here, we have Asti's protection; there, we have the enemy's assault; and in Dreaming, it is neutral territory.

[onefouroneseven]

( in her universe anything that's dead but aware means they want to consume hearts full of emotion. she can't help her biases!! )

I consider here to be the neutral territory - why else would the war be waged in this realm if it was not capable of being taken over? We are the land between Death and Dreaming, and it would require the destruction of this realm before it can get to Dreaming.

[oathwalk]

[That's a different perspective, and he considers it.] Do you have reason to believe it can't access Dreaming?

[onefouroneseven]

The experience in Dreaming would have been vastly different if it could.

( because she stumbled into a few nice things that weren't manifestations of what she feared most, or what other people did. )

[oathwalk]

I see your point. But it may simply have chosen not to move in on Dreaming yet.

[onefouroneseven]

But why wait? A war on two fronts may prove to be more successful.

( she's not familiar with military tactics, so the finer points escape her. )

[oathwalk]

[It's okay, he's got this.]

His attacks so far have been subterfuge and the like to weaken us. That may indicate limited resources; if that's the case, he would need to focus them. It appears that that which happens in Dreaming has little effect here, and it's rare for people to cross from one realm to the other, so if his target is Life itself, conquering Dreaming would be a waste. [He frowns.] Of course, the theory works with more assumptions than I'd like.

[onefouroneseven]

All we have currently are assumptions, even if we do not like it. But every little bit helps.

( and it's annoying. )