“I don’t want you to overcommit."
I know you think you are safe all the way out here, but make sure you have enough to keep yourselves well stocked. If we succeed, we don’t know where they might hit next or how long they will need to lick their wounds after being repulsed from Loch Lodir,” Belle said, eyeing the numerous large containers Jackal was taking inventory of.
“Jackal agrees. Nightmare movements are unpredictable, and they aren’t hindered by the Unformed Dreaming the way the rest of the Dreaming is,” he said over his clipboard. “We want to keep everyone safe, even when we are not here.”~
“Jackal agrees. Nightmare movements are unpredictable, and they aren’t hindered by the Unformed Dreaming the way the rest of the Dreaming is,” he said over his clipboard. “We want to keep everyone safe, even when we are not here.”~
In the vibrant heart of the Muspelheim Coast the Lava Palace buzzed with an energy as fiery as its surroundings.
Of late, this renowned bar had become even more animated, thanks to the mischievous elemental spirits that had been appearing in the nearby hot springs.
The Dawsyn family, Gheorge, Anjela, and their children Mikel, Nalia, and little Paxon, stepped into the Lava Palace, their eyes wide with curiosity, and mouths slightly agap at the appearances of the place.
No sooner had they settled at their table than a rogue fire elemental spotted them. Gheorge’s chair suddenly became uncomfortably warm, causing him to jump up with a startled, “Whoa, hot seat alert!”
The kids giggled, but their laughter soon turned to awe as napkins began fluttering around like birds and utensils tap-danced across the table. The family ducked and laughed as the napkins danced in the air. Gheorge, trying to shield his hair from a stray fork trying to twist it like spagetti, muttered, “I just wanted a quiet dinner, not a circus act.”
Anjela, her menu starting to smolder, waved it frantically, exclaiming, “Well, this is one way to heat up the appetizers!”
Just when it seemed the elementals might take over the evening, the bartender, a robust man with a knack for handling more than just drinks, sprang into action. He waved his hands, uttering a few stern words in a language that hummed with ancient power and shooed them out with a fireproof broom. The elementals, sensing his authority, quickly dissipated into wisps of smoke and breezes, leaving the bar in a sudden, peaceful calm.
Gheorge, looking relieved and said, "That’s some impressive bar management. Beats yelling 'last call' any day."
A bit surprised by the families good humor, the exasperated bartender replied, "If they weren't such a nuisance I would be oblidged to agree with you, but they've been driving away most other customers. I'm just glad it wasn't one of the big ones."~
The Dawsyn family, Gheorge, Anjela, and their children Mikel, Nalia, and little Paxon, stepped into the Lava Palace, their eyes wide with curiosity, and mouths slightly agap at the appearances of the place.
No sooner had they settled at their table than a rogue fire elemental spotted them. Gheorge’s chair suddenly became uncomfortably warm, causing him to jump up with a startled, “Whoa, hot seat alert!”
The kids giggled, but their laughter soon turned to awe as napkins began fluttering around like birds and utensils tap-danced across the table. The family ducked and laughed as the napkins danced in the air. Gheorge, trying to shield his hair from a stray fork trying to twist it like spagetti, muttered, “I just wanted a quiet dinner, not a circus act.”
Anjela, her menu starting to smolder, waved it frantically, exclaiming, “Well, this is one way to heat up the appetizers!”
Just when it seemed the elementals might take over the evening, the bartender, a robust man with a knack for handling more than just drinks, sprang into action. He waved his hands, uttering a few stern words in a language that hummed with ancient power and shooed them out with a fireproof broom. The elementals, sensing his authority, quickly dissipated into wisps of smoke and breezes, leaving the bar in a sudden, peaceful calm.
Gheorge, looking relieved and said, "That’s some impressive bar management. Beats yelling 'last call' any day."
A bit surprised by the families good humor, the exasperated bartender replied, "If they weren't such a nuisance I would be oblidged to agree with you, but they've been driving away most other customers. I'm just glad it wasn't one of the big ones."~
RJ stepped through the portal and joined Ahdrian and Tink in the main hall on the Hope.
“It looks like the Compass Rose is willing to help however they can. They are lending their power to us, so maybe we can expect to see some new people helping out,” he reported to Tink. Ahdrian nodded solemnly. “I had similar results in my parlay with the Grimm Companion.”~
Admiral Pratoria Green looked over her map of Loch Lodir with interest.
The nightmares' initial assault had come from the South West, crashing into the Southern and Western coasts of every island the Technohavens had controlled. Over the past month or so, the attacks had slowly shifted south. While this relieved some pressure on Loch Lodir itself, it meant that Loch Raven was now bearing the brunt of the attack. But she had a plan.
The decreased threat at the homebase had freed up resources. The idea was to counter-strike the nightmare forces, potentially saving Loch Raven and forcing the nightmares to retreat. It wouldn't end the siege, but it could cripple part of their forces and buy time to shift resources in the field. Everything needed to go off without a hitch.
Admiral Green's focus was palpable as the sounds of the base of operations faded.
The world around you disappeared, replaced by the real landscape of Loch Raven.
Your vision swept into the woods, focusing on Paladin Rivers and her team of four other Paladins. They had been rerouted to repel a massive block of nightmares. The initial assault was smooth, with husks falling to ranged fire. But now they faced larger, hulking masses of darkness. The damage was significant, but the fight seemed more like cleanup. Loch Raven would stand for another day.
One downside of piloting an exo-frame is the noise. The hum of the generator, the roar of engines, and gunfire often drown out other sounds. Despite digital readouts and warnings, sometimes the physical sound of danger, like the beating of wings, is the first alert. Paladin Rivers realized this too late. Her early warning system blared just as she felt a sword slash across her legs. She managed to turn and blast flame into her assailant's face.
Paladin Rivers had heard of the scourge of Loch Lodir but didn't expect him to be so human-like. His worn red jacket contrasted with his dark army, and his wings almost gave him an angelic look. In a different story Rivers imagined he could even be seen as a savior. She chuckled at the thought before a warning flashed on her screen: "suit integrity breached." She felt warm liquid in her armor and coldness within her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw someone else approach. Pull her attacker's attention.
She couldn't hear what was exchanged, but she did feel herself hit the ground. Then everything went dark.
Back in command, Admiral Green was overwhelmed with the buzzing of comms as reports came in: lost weapons, transports, rangers, and a Paladin.
She buried her head in her hands, collected herself, and reached for her reciever.
"All Technohaven operatives. Koroloth has taken the field. Loch Raven is lost. All assets fall back to Loch Ides. I repeat, Loch Raven is lost. All assets fall back to Loch Ides."~
The decreased threat at the homebase had freed up resources. The idea was to counter-strike the nightmare forces, potentially saving Loch Raven and forcing the nightmares to retreat. It wouldn't end the siege, but it could cripple part of their forces and buy time to shift resources in the field. Everything needed to go off without a hitch.
Admiral Green's focus was palpable as the sounds of the base of operations faded.
The world around you disappeared, replaced by the real landscape of Loch Raven.
Your vision swept into the woods, focusing on Paladin Rivers and her team of four other Paladins. They had been rerouted to repel a massive block of nightmares. The initial assault was smooth, with husks falling to ranged fire. But now they faced larger, hulking masses of darkness. The damage was significant, but the fight seemed more like cleanup. Loch Raven would stand for another day.
One downside of piloting an exo-frame is the noise. The hum of the generator, the roar of engines, and gunfire often drown out other sounds. Despite digital readouts and warnings, sometimes the physical sound of danger, like the beating of wings, is the first alert. Paladin Rivers realized this too late. Her early warning system blared just as she felt a sword slash across her legs. She managed to turn and blast flame into her assailant's face.
Paladin Rivers had heard of the scourge of Loch Lodir but didn't expect him to be so human-like. His worn red jacket contrasted with his dark army, and his wings almost gave him an angelic look. In a different story Rivers imagined he could even be seen as a savior. She chuckled at the thought before a warning flashed on her screen: "suit integrity breached." She felt warm liquid in her armor and coldness within her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw someone else approach. Pull her attacker's attention.
She couldn't hear what was exchanged, but she did feel herself hit the ground. Then everything went dark.
Back in command, Admiral Green was overwhelmed with the buzzing of comms as reports came in: lost weapons, transports, rangers, and a Paladin.
She buried her head in her hands, collected herself, and reached for her reciever.
"All Technohaven operatives. Koroloth has taken the field. Loch Raven is lost. All assets fall back to Loch Ides. I repeat, Loch Raven is lost. All assets fall back to Loch Ides."~
“Here you go, Wayfinder…Trash, this is everything we were able to gather here."
A rather eager young Shepherd said, handing Trash the last box of supplies. "Nothing brings people together like a food drive! I hope you all show those nightmares what’s what,” “I love it when the community comes together. We had a grand baking event for the occasion! It was lovely, I just know you will put it to good use!”
Trash put on his best smile, amused by her enthusiasm. “Of course we will. I hope to see you again soon, Shepherd Naos. It was enlightening to meet you.”~
Trash put on his best smile, amused by her enthusiasm. “Of course we will. I hope to see you again soon, Shepherd Naos. It was enlightening to meet you.”~
The door to the Eternal Regent’s office slammed open, revealing a rather out-of-breath 11th Princess.
Queen Clavelina looked up from her desk, her face deadpan.
“Dearest most beloved sister, monarch of all she surveys,” Nicolette began, in the sing-songy voice of someone who is trying to butter someone up.
“I feel like we’ve talked about your entrances, Colette,” her younger sister huffed. “What did you do?”
“Nothing, this time,” the voice came from the 10th Princess, Nicolette’s elder twin, who appeared to have just caught up. “Lina, do you remember the layout of Aubin’s first garden? The one on the castle grounds?”
Clavelina raised a carefully manicured eyebrow.
“Here,” Gabrielle walked over to the central desk, her heels clicking loudly against the mosaic tile floor. “This is the map. And this,” she pointed to a circled label on the parchment, “is why Colette is convinced she’s going to get in trouble.”
“I didn’t do it! How could I have done it!” Nicolette collapsed dramatically onto one of the sitting couches in the center of the room. “Brielle, I’m going to go to jail forever, and you’ll have to come visit me and bring me soup, lest I waste away from sadness.”
The queen rubbed her temples for a moment. “How is this,” she gestured at the map, “possibly enough of a problem that the two of you are in here in the middle of the day? Colette, stop having a fit of anguish; you’re getting dirt on the cushions.”
“It's gone.”
Clavelina stared at Gabrielle for a moment, disbelief clear on her face. “What do you mean ‘it's gone’?”
“We were in the garden earlier, because Colette is meeting a suitor tomorrow and wanted to do something weird down there—” “I did not want to do som—” “And anyway, the statue is gone. It is not there. We checked with the groundskeeper, just in case it needed to be taken down for, I don’t know, maintenance? They laughed and said they couldn't move her if they tried because she's solid marble all the way through to the pedestal. The now empty pedestal.”
The queen knitted her brows together. “So, you think, what, that someone stole it? Destroyed it?”
Before Gabrielle could reply, Nicolette sat up from the floor, where she had immediately rolled when reprimanded for the couch situation. “Well, it's not exactly like Study of Female Figure 1 could have just walked away, could she?”~
“Dearest most beloved sister, monarch of all she surveys,” Nicolette began, in the sing-songy voice of someone who is trying to butter someone up.
“I feel like we’ve talked about your entrances, Colette,” her younger sister huffed. “What did you do?”
“Nothing, this time,” the voice came from the 10th Princess, Nicolette’s elder twin, who appeared to have just caught up. “Lina, do you remember the layout of Aubin’s first garden? The one on the castle grounds?”
Clavelina raised a carefully manicured eyebrow.
“Here,” Gabrielle walked over to the central desk, her heels clicking loudly against the mosaic tile floor. “This is the map. And this,” she pointed to a circled label on the parchment, “is why Colette is convinced she’s going to get in trouble.”
“I didn’t do it! How could I have done it!” Nicolette collapsed dramatically onto one of the sitting couches in the center of the room. “Brielle, I’m going to go to jail forever, and you’ll have to come visit me and bring me soup, lest I waste away from sadness.”
The queen rubbed her temples for a moment. “How is this,” she gestured at the map, “possibly enough of a problem that the two of you are in here in the middle of the day? Colette, stop having a fit of anguish; you’re getting dirt on the cushions.”
“It's gone.”
Clavelina stared at Gabrielle for a moment, disbelief clear on her face. “What do you mean ‘it's gone’?”
“We were in the garden earlier, because Colette is meeting a suitor tomorrow and wanted to do something weird down there—” “I did not want to do som—” “And anyway, the statue is gone. It is not there. We checked with the groundskeeper, just in case it needed to be taken down for, I don’t know, maintenance? They laughed and said they couldn't move her if they tried because she's solid marble all the way through to the pedestal. The now empty pedestal.”
The queen knitted her brows together. “So, you think, what, that someone stole it? Destroyed it?”
Before Gabrielle could reply, Nicolette sat up from the floor, where she had immediately rolled when reprimanded for the couch situation. “Well, it's not exactly like Study of Female Figure 1 could have just walked away, could she?”~
“It would make sense if we met up at the shared studyhouse, it is in the center of Croithir."
Katria said as she stepped out of the shimmering portal, looking over her shoulder at Nemiriel and James, "They build it for students who are at both universities, and it would be easiest for all of us to get there.”
“That does seem to make the most sense, I know where you and I are going, Katria, but James, where are you headed to?” Nemiriel asked, looking quizzically at the tall teenager.
James smiled a goofy smile, “I wouldn’t worry about it too much, meet you all back at the university!” He said before slipping down an alleyway and out of sight.~
“That does seem to make the most sense, I know where you and I are going, Katria, but James, where are you headed to?” Nemiriel asked, looking quizzically at the tall teenager.
James smiled a goofy smile, “I wouldn’t worry about it too much, meet you all back at the university!” He said before slipping down an alleyway and out of sight.~
Deep in the Spirit Realm, near an ethereal stream of soulfire, a young woman lay on the mossy banks.
She held a small sunflower token with both hands, arms outstretched, squinting as she stared at the flower, wondering if it might change in some unknowable way, as that strange boy had suggested.
She sighed heavily and dropped her arms to her chest, clutching the flower. With a hint of sarcasm, she said aloud, “I don’t know why I would expect someone to come for me here.”
As she rolled over, contemplating her next move, she stared down at her closed palm, which had suddenly warmed, as if a summer sunbeam shone upon it. “What the…” she started, sitting bolt upright at the sight of a vaguely human form materializing before her, gold swirling in a black expanse like stars in the night sky.
“I did not mean to startle you, child,” intoned Paavali’s deep voice, as gentle as he could manage. “I received a letter that you would be waiting here and in need of assistance. It seems your soul has been trapped here unnaturally.”
The woman stared intently for a solid ten seconds before slowly responding, “Yes, I was told someone who could help me would come, but I was starting to lose hope. Do you think you can get me out of here? I assume you can, since you managed to get here..”
Paavali's expression flickered with pain, but he sat down beside her on the bank. “I can escort you out of here, but I think we should stay and talk for a while before we decide where you should go next.”~
She sighed heavily and dropped her arms to her chest, clutching the flower. With a hint of sarcasm, she said aloud, “I don’t know why I would expect someone to come for me here.”
As she rolled over, contemplating her next move, she stared down at her closed palm, which had suddenly warmed, as if a summer sunbeam shone upon it. “What the…” she started, sitting bolt upright at the sight of a vaguely human form materializing before her, gold swirling in a black expanse like stars in the night sky.
“I did not mean to startle you, child,” intoned Paavali’s deep voice, as gentle as he could manage. “I received a letter that you would be waiting here and in need of assistance. It seems your soul has been trapped here unnaturally.”
The woman stared intently for a solid ten seconds before slowly responding, “Yes, I was told someone who could help me would come, but I was starting to lose hope. Do you think you can get me out of here? I assume you can, since you managed to get here..”
Paavali's expression flickered with pain, but he sat down beside her on the bank. “I can escort you out of here, but I think we should stay and talk for a while before we decide where you should go next.”~
“Alright, so then we put the grease on this section of the slide here, and you can put this piece back here and this here aaaaaaaand... There we go!”
Mindy finished her lecture as she reassembled the parts of an Iron Sights Technohaven equipment. The Talon clan lizardkin stared in rapt attention, learning everything they could from the clever Wastelander. Even the loud noises of their Godking working on the Heavy Gear a few hundred feet away only distracted them a little, and that was only at the explosion sounds. They were learning quickly, almost as fast as Mindy herself caught on to technology. There was a rumble that was felt more than heard, followed by a shout of “I MEANT to do that!”~
As the siege at Loch Lodir intensified, you see a familiar coin, still in the hand of a thief.
Erys was held aloft, soaring high above a vast dark lake, but the sounds of battle grew louder. It felt her pulse quicken with anticipation and fear as the shadow of the monster with dark wings, carried her far above the battle of Loch Raven. The coin's edges shimmered faintly, resonating with the tension in the air. Suddenly, the world turned upside down. The coin felt a crushing weight as gravity descended, the monster's landing obliterating Erys on impact. Tossed from her hand, the coin spun through the air, its brief flight a dizzying blur of smoke, fire, and screams.
Landing amidst the rubble, the coin rolled and bounced, its journey chaotic and unguided. It passed the feet of fleeing combatants, the fallen bodies of soldiers, and the desperate clashes of fighters. Each tumble and turn brought it closer to the heart of the battle.
There, a Paladin engaged in fierce combat with the winged monster. The coin, now lying near their feet, felt the vibrations of their every strike and parry as the clash of titans played out. The ground shook with their conflict, and the coin vibrated in response to the ferocity of their blows, bouncing down and away towards one of the fleeing and badly wounded soldiers. As the dust settled, the soldier, his face caked with dried blood and eyes wide with horror at the sight of the fallen Paladin, spotted the coin.
Driven by an inexplicable urge, he picked it up, its worn surface cold against his trembling hand.
The coin, now in the possession of this new, unassuming guardian, was carried away from the battlefield. It felt the rapid, fearful beats of the mans heart as he navigated through the chaos, the warmth of his palm a small comfort in the midst of despair. ~
Landing amidst the rubble, the coin rolled and bounced, its journey chaotic and unguided. It passed the feet of fleeing combatants, the fallen bodies of soldiers, and the desperate clashes of fighters. Each tumble and turn brought it closer to the heart of the battle.
There, a Paladin engaged in fierce combat with the winged monster. The coin, now lying near their feet, felt the vibrations of their every strike and parry as the clash of titans played out. The ground shook with their conflict, and the coin vibrated in response to the ferocity of their blows, bouncing down and away towards one of the fleeing and badly wounded soldiers. As the dust settled, the soldier, his face caked with dried blood and eyes wide with horror at the sight of the fallen Paladin, spotted the coin.
Driven by an inexplicable urge, he picked it up, its worn surface cold against his trembling hand.
The coin, now in the possession of this new, unassuming guardian, was carried away from the battlefield. It felt the rapid, fearful beats of the mans heart as he navigated through the chaos, the warmth of his palm a small comfort in the midst of despair. ~
You feel dread come over your vision and attempt to rebuff it.
You hear a whisper.
"Blood and battle is all he wanted and I gave it to him."
"Play your part in his war, but soon you will learn the truth of your futility."
Elsewhere in the dreaming you hear a rallying cry.
“Operation Thinking With Portals is a go. Let's give them hope, people.”
