As the group go their separate ways, Mei bids them all goodnight and thanks them for being her lookout during the ritual.
She herself is in no hurry to return to a subconscious state and so decides, after dropping her things off, to take a stroll to ruminate further on the implications of the Dream. And work through what she might do differently the next time—if it were her own mistakes that caused the unnatural occurrence or if it was indeed some sort of external obstacle.
Eventually, she finds a bench to sit on and, meaning only to rest her feet, falls fast asleep.
Knapis able to keep himself hidden and soon is out of sight from the Campus Guide. He never can quite catch up with his roommates though, so ends up back at Dresar Hall. The others had arrived very shortly before him. Except for Malvyn, who had disappeared off with Aurora.
Guardokfinds Pieroin their room reading. He glances up as he enters the room. "Did you learn anything more?"
(Mei- Arcana Check; does anyone notice/follow Mei when she leaves?)
Guardok shakes his head, "Nothing worth mentioning. I think it takes a bit of time to interpet these dreams of Mei's".
He yawns and stretches, "It's late, and I'm beat". With that he gets ready for bed and intends to turn in.
(OOC: Guardok likely wouldn't notice Mei leave, unless he runs into her whilst on his way too or from the bathroom. Happy for DM to make that decision, either way is fine with me)
You are a bit unsurprised as you find yourself back standing in the grass by the pond as you dream. Again you see the footprint appearing in the soft ground, but nothing is there to make it. You recall a lesson, and something about how sometimes magic might be used to thwart divination. What you see might not be everything, but the magic might not shield everything.
As you remember what you had seen before and walk alongside the pond, you know the shift to red and growing darkness is coming. With the chance to review it though, you can be certain that what you are seeing is part of the dreamscape and not an actual thing that happened. But what could the red color mean? Clearly it is symbolic, but you are not certain of what.
As before you fall, then find yourself at the Bow's End tavern. Chaos suddenly erupts and you see some sort of blackness in the kitchen. Swiftly you are elsewhere, and things are becoming jumbled now. You glimpse the shape of an owlbear, but all in black. Then you are in a spooky swamp. You seem to be sinking into a dark pool of water and there's something hiding behind a tree watching you. It just starts to peak out where you can see...
And then you startle awake. The cool air of the night has led to a light dewy fog. You feel yourself covered with the cold dampness.
Pieronods to Guardok. "I've just a bit to look through here. I can step out to the study area to let you sleep." He closes the book, gathers up the papers next to him, and stands to slip out. "Sleep well." He then closes the door behind him as he heads down the hall.
Not much later Malvyn too returns to Dresar Hall, moving quietly to not wake or disturb anyone, deciding for a quiet read in the study room, possibly running into Piero there.
Pierois still sitting in the study room when Malvynreturns. He seems to be looking through a book and writing a few notes. The rest of the floor seems to be quiet at the moment.
Realizing the study room is already occupied, the purple-skinned Tiefling stops in the doorway, staying quiet, not wanting to disturb the enigmatic floor mate. It was some progress that Piero had taken an interest in the investigation, but Malvyn still found him annoyingly aloof, more annoying perhaps since Piero reminded him of himself when he arrived at Strixhaven. He hoped Piero's late night use of the study room would not become a habit as Malvyn was used to having it to himself at these hours. The purple-skinned Tiefling casts a curious glance over at what the floor mate is reading before quietly returning to his room, quietly slipping into bed to not wake his satyr roomie, his last waking thoughts going to the mysterious raven-haired performer.
With nothing on her person to write the Dreams down, Mei rushes back to Dresar Hall. Once there, she hurries towards her room, thinks better of waking her roommate, and changes trajectory to the study room.
She hardly notices Piero (if he's still in there) as she scurries about, a shivering mess of dampness and her hands all a-tremble while she searches for pen and parchment. Muttering over and over to herself about what happened in the Dream, Mei tries her best to keep it fresh in her exhausted mind.
Malvyncannot really see the title but there seems to be a chapter title, 'Abnormal Transmutations'. He slips off to his room to sleep.
Meimakes it back to Dresar Hall without incident. She runs into Pierocoming out from the Study Room, a book tucked under his arm. He stops when she sees her, narrowing his eyes. "Well, what happened to you? Are you alright?"
Mei blinks in surprise as Piero appears, but shakes her head. "N-No--I mean, yes, I'm alright," she says, mustering a brave face, though the expression quickly crumples as her gaze darts to the floor. "I... had another Dream." Her hands tuck into folds of fabric to hide their trembling, not wishing to look so weak in front of someone who clearly already thinks as much of her.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to bother you," she apologizes as she tries to squeeze past him into the Study Room, assuming he'd rather their exchange be as short as possible.
"An astute observation," Mei snaps back, though immediately winces at her own tone. Inwardly scolding herself for such unkindess, she sheepishly admits in explanation of her shivering, "I feel asleep on a, um... a bench."
Surprised that he's stayed, her amethyst gaze flicks back to his form in the doorway as she searches for writing utensil and paper. "It was and--" she pauses her search, brow furrowing, "--wasn't." After a deep breath, she plops tiredly down into a chair and recounts her Dream to Piero.
"I do suppose sleeping is very conducive to dreaming,"Pierosays plainly. "If that was your aim." Piero listens to Mei's account of the Dream. "Do you think that whoever was there was intentionally blocking Divination magic?" he asks when he hears her report. He then pauses, waving his hand. "Sorry, that's just my thought. I'm sure there's far more to it - you are after all the Dream expert I imagine." He sounds almost... respectful?
Mei studies Piero’s face a long moment, taken aback by his tone and surprised when no derisive comment follows. “N-No, I appreciate your thoughts, Piero. I’m afraid I’m not an expert at much of anything,” she says with a small smile and shake of her head. “I think you’re right, though. It felt… intentional. They don’t want to be seen.” A shiver that has nothing to do with damp clothes rocks her shoulders.
“But I… what should I do now? None of the professors have believed me. And the Dream showed more attacks coming and I—I don’t know how to protect anyone from them. I never have,” she confides.
Before Strixhaven, her only Dreams had been of impending deaths. Strangers’, usually, who were impossible to warn simply for not knowing them. Except for her very first death Dream; she knew them very well. And each death since has hung like an albatross around her neck, growing heavier and heavier. Today she had *control.* For once, she was not a passive recipient—someone who Dreams *happened* to. But what good is her gift—her training—if she cannot use it to help anyone?
All the confidence she felt earlier drains like a plug pulled from the barrel and Mei visibly deflates. “You saw me today. I kept doing the wrong thing. Making the wrong choices. I didn’t save anyone, just gave them more opportunity to be hurt.”
Piero raises a hand a bit dismissively. "You were fine. It seems you have abilities beyond mere fighting. Though always good to be able to defend yourself." He takes a step closer to where you stand. "Impending attacks. You think that's what you saw at the end? Perhaps we can come up with some way to try to prepare." He pauses, "Or we figure out how to find those who don't want to be found."
He seems lost in thought for a moment, then adds, "You really think though your dreams are accurate? It would be truly amazing if you learned to direct them and control them more."
'...able to defend yourself.’ Mei pictures Guardok with his sword, wondering if he'd be willing to teach her how to use one. Or a dagger, at the very least.
As Piero suggests preparing, she looks hopefully up at him. "Yes, okay! A plan. More information. We can--we can do that! And I'll tell the others about everything in the morning." And she's quite sure that, between the lot of them, they could certainly do something about this. It's not something she needs to do alone. Regarding her Dreams, Mei tilts her head back and forth. "It can be difficult to tell a portent from a ripple sometimes, but... they're accurate, yes. Sometimes I wish they weren't," she says with a hapless chuckle.
"But that's what I'm here for--to learn guidance and control." She's quiet a moment as she regards Piero curiously. "What are you here for? If you, um... don't mind my asking?"
As the group go their separate ways, Mei bids them all goodnight and thanks them for being her lookout during the ritual.
She herself is in no hurry to return to a subconscious state and so decides, after dropping her things off, to take a stroll to ruminate further on the implications of the Dream. And work through what she might do differently the next time—if it were her own mistakes that caused the unnatural occurrence or if it was indeed some sort of external obstacle.
Eventually, she finds a bench to sit on and, meaning only to rest her feet, falls fast asleep.
Guardok looks for Knap when they get back, wanting to make sure he is ok.
If he finds him, then he goes to his room, briefly checking to see if Piero is there and asleep or not before going to sleep.
Knap is able to keep himself hidden and soon is out of sight from the Campus Guide. He never can quite catch up with his roommates though, so ends up back at Dresar Hall. The others had arrived very shortly before him. Except for Malvyn, who had disappeared off with Aurora.
Guardok finds Piero in their room reading. He glances up as he enters the room. "Did you learn anything more?"
(Mei - Arcana Check; does anyone notice/follow Mei when she leaves?)
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
I think Mae is back in her room by now too.
(Arcana 9+6 15)
Guardok shakes his head, "Nothing worth mentioning. I think it takes a bit of time to interpet these dreams of Mei's".
He yawns and stretches, "It's late, and I'm beat". With that he gets ready for bed and intends to turn in.
(OOC: Guardok likely wouldn't notice Mei leave, unless he runs into her whilst on his way too or from the bathroom. Happy for DM to make that decision, either way is fine with me)
As Mei falls asleep, she dreams:
You are a bit unsurprised as you find yourself back standing in the grass by the pond as you dream. Again you see the footprint appearing in the soft ground, but nothing is there to make it. You recall a lesson, and something about how sometimes magic might be used to thwart divination. What you see might not be everything, but the magic might not shield everything.
As you remember what you had seen before and walk alongside the pond, you know the shift to red and growing darkness is coming. With the chance to review it though, you can be certain that what you are seeing is part of the dreamscape and not an actual thing that happened. But what could the red color mean? Clearly it is symbolic, but you are not certain of what.
As before you fall, then find yourself at the Bow's End tavern. Chaos suddenly erupts and you see some sort of blackness in the kitchen. Swiftly you are elsewhere, and things are becoming jumbled now. You glimpse the shape of an owlbear, but all in black. Then you are in a spooky swamp. You seem to be sinking into a dark pool of water and there's something hiding behind a tree watching you. It just starts to peak out where you can see...
And then you startle awake. The cool air of the night has led to a light dewy fog. You feel yourself covered with the cold dampness.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Piero nods to Guardok. "I've just a bit to look through here. I can step out to the study area to let you sleep." He closes the book, gathers up the papers next to him, and stands to slip out. "Sleep well." He then closes the door behind him as he heads down the hall.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Not much later Malvyn too returns to Dresar Hall, moving quietly to not wake or disturb anyone, deciding for a quiet read in the study room, possibly running into Piero there.
Piero is still sitting in the study room when Malvyn returns. He seems to be looking through a book and writing a few notes. The rest of the floor seems to be quiet at the moment.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Realizing the study room is already occupied, the purple-skinned Tiefling stops in the doorway, staying quiet, not wanting to disturb the enigmatic floor mate. It was some progress that Piero had taken an interest in the investigation, but Malvyn still found him annoyingly aloof, more annoying perhaps since Piero reminded him of himself when he arrived at Strixhaven. He hoped Piero's late night use of the study room would not become a habit as Malvyn was used to having it to himself at these hours. The purple-skinned Tiefling casts a curious glance over at what the floor mate is reading before quietly returning to his room, quietly slipping into bed to not wake his satyr roomie, his last waking thoughts going to the mysterious raven-haired performer.
Perception: 3
With nothing on her person to write the Dreams down, Mei rushes back to Dresar Hall. Once there, she hurries towards her room, thinks better of waking her roommate, and changes trajectory to the study room.
She hardly notices Piero (if he's still in there) as she scurries about, a shivering mess of dampness and her hands all a-tremble while she searches for pen and parchment. Muttering over and over to herself about what happened in the Dream, Mei tries her best to keep it fresh in her exhausted mind.
Malvyn cannot really see the title but there seems to be a chapter title, 'Abnormal Transmutations'. He slips off to his room to sleep.
Mei makes it back to Dresar Hall without incident. She runs into Piero coming out from the Study Room, a book tucked under his arm. He stops when she sees her, narrowing his eyes. "Well, what happened to you? Are you alright?"
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Mei blinks in surprise as Piero appears, but shakes her head. "N-No--I mean, yes, I'm alright," she says, mustering a brave face, though the expression quickly crumples as her gaze darts to the floor. "I... had another Dream." Her hands tuck into folds of fabric to hide their trembling, not wishing to look so weak in front of someone who clearly already thinks as much of her.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to bother you," she apologizes as she tries to squeeze past him into the Study Room, assuming he'd rather their exchange be as short as possible.
Piero nods. "You look cold," he says flatly, still staying in place. "Was this a dream about the frogs?" he asks, seeming intersted in the subject.
As Mei squeezes into the Study Room he turns to watch.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
"An astute observation," Mei snaps back, though immediately winces at her own tone. Inwardly scolding herself for such unkindess, she sheepishly admits in explanation of her shivering, "I feel asleep on a, um... a bench."
Surprised that he's stayed, her amethyst gaze flicks back to his form in the doorway as she searches for writing utensil and paper. "It was and--" she pauses her search, brow furrowing, "--wasn't." After a deep breath, she plops tiredly down into a chair and recounts her Dream to Piero.
"I do suppose sleeping is very conducive to dreaming," Piero says plainly. "If that was your aim." Piero listens to Mei's account of the Dream. "Do you think that whoever was there was intentionally blocking Divination magic?" he asks when he hears her report. He then pauses, waving his hand. "Sorry, that's just my thought. I'm sure there's far more to it - you are after all the Dream expert I imagine." He sounds almost... respectful?
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
Mei studies Piero’s face a long moment, taken aback by his tone and surprised when no derisive comment follows. “N-No, I appreciate your thoughts, Piero. I’m afraid I’m not an expert at much of anything,” she says with a small smile and shake of her head. “I think you’re right, though. It felt… intentional. They don’t want to be seen.” A shiver that has nothing to do with damp clothes rocks her shoulders.
“But I… what should I do now? None of the professors have believed me. And the Dream showed more attacks coming and I—I don’t know how to protect anyone from them. I never have,” she confides.
Before Strixhaven, her only Dreams had been of impending deaths. Strangers’, usually, who were impossible to warn simply for not knowing them. Except for her very first death Dream; she knew them very well. And each death since has hung like an albatross around her neck, growing heavier and heavier. Today she had *control.* For once, she was not a passive recipient—someone who Dreams *happened* to. But what good is her gift—her training—if she cannot use it to help anyone?
All the confidence she felt earlier drains like a plug pulled from the barrel and Mei visibly deflates. “You saw me today. I kept doing the wrong thing. Making the wrong choices. I didn’t save anyone, just gave them more opportunity to be hurt.”
Piero raises a hand a bit dismissively. "You were fine. It seems you have abilities beyond mere fighting. Though always good to be able to defend yourself." He takes a step closer to where you stand. "Impending attacks. You think that's what you saw at the end? Perhaps we can come up with some way to try to prepare." He pauses, "Or we figure out how to find those who don't want to be found."
He seems lost in thought for a moment, then adds, "You really think though your dreams are accurate? It would be truly amazing if you learned to direct them and control them more."
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
'...able to defend yourself.’ Mei pictures Guardok with his sword, wondering if he'd be willing to teach her how to use one. Or a dagger, at the very least.
As Piero suggests preparing, she looks hopefully up at him. "Yes, okay! A plan. More information. We can--we can do that! And I'll tell the others about everything in the morning." And she's quite sure that, between the lot of them, they could certainly do something about this. It's not something she needs to do alone. Regarding her Dreams, Mei tilts her head back and forth. "It can be difficult to tell a portent from a ripple sometimes, but... they're accurate, yes. Sometimes I wish they weren't," she says with a hapless chuckle.
"But that's what I'm here for--to learn guidance and control." She's quiet a moment as she regards Piero curiously. "What are you here for? If you, um... don't mind my asking?"