event log: a summons

[moustre]

Event Log: July, By Invitation Only

You're Invited The morning of the 19th hears Nessie's voice ringing out over the city, calling a summons of all mirrorbound, Wilders, Parliament members, and Master Witches to the Parliament proper; the 19th also sees regular Witches, presumably those not invited, heading around the residential districts and The Haven to help spread the word and get people up and going for something that's been talked about in brief over the week: A summons for information. The Parliament building is one rarely entered by those without clearance, and its inside is just the same as its outside: made of the same quartz blocks, everything feels clean, official, and new. The hallways are quiet and empty, save for the guards posted to keep people from moving off the path. The room everyone is herded into, however, is made entirely of an old, dark hardwood, a deep contrast to the white walls that lead the way. Nessie stands at the head of the room, dressed in her usual; Mhairi stands beside her, a little more formal and with her cane hooked in the crook of her arm - she is The Coven's ambassador to the Parliament, after all - and the leaders of Parliament themselves have seats behind the two of them. Once everyone is inside and seated, Nessie grins and steps forward, clapping three times; the third is particularly loud, a shiver of magic running through the room, and despite the fact she doesn't raise her voice it carries effortlessly. "Good morning, and thank you all for coming! We're right grateful, we are." A brief pause, gazing out at the gathered crowd, before she continues. "But this isn't a tour or pleasure visit - unfortunately, it's quite serious business, it is. We've summoned you all here today to talk." "Nerissa Bell," one of the Parliament leaders behind her calls, sounding worn, "enough of your dramatics. Please get on with it." Mhairi's ears twitch backwards as Nessie frowns slightly at him, but she laces her fingers in front of her and steps forward, head raising as she begins to address those gathered properly: "We've looked into a lot of things over the past two or so months since the lot of you arrived, and this is what we've come up with. Feel free to talk amongst yourselves and share what you've managed to find too - if we work together, I'm right certain we'll be able to figure out a couple of mysteries. With all that out of the way -" Some Coven Investigation Results The Shared Dreams • They seem to only affect the mirrorbound. While sharing a dream isn't technically unheard of, it isn't in the same capacity that the ones experienced each month by the mirrorbound (and, last month, by the city as as whole). While she isn't sure if this pattern will continue, or if the city will share the same experience again - or if that was an effect of Litha - it's something they're going to keep a close eye on, especially as continuous dreamwalking can prove fatal. • The few, true dreamwalkers that Aefenglom's Coven are in possession of are present; however, they're in and out of consciousness in their seats, and don't have much to offer in regards to the situation, staring with unseeing eyes as they speak of the dreams that they've been walking through. They're evidence that caution is advised regarding this situation, but their handlers and those that study their exploits and the concept of dreams make their best attempt to offer their insight. • However, they nor the Coven's diviners have discovered the source of the dreams. If the mirrorbound arrivals perhaps have any theories, they would appreciate hearing more, and are prepared to compile all of the information everyone has to share. Offers of learning under the diviners are open, as well. Dewaint Forest • Information about the long lost Dewaint Forest has begun to be uncovered, along with theories about it and the goings on that many mirrorbound have dreamt of. The majority of Parliament is less inclined to believe the tales, and their doubt and skepticism is fairly evident, but there are still those that ask for more - more knowledge, more theories, more investigation. • A possibility of Dewaint Forest falling on the node of a leyline - and a powerful one at that - has been brought up. Leylines run throughout the entire world of Talam, and Aefenglom was settled atop a node, as well, due to the magical power that they carry. The Coven (and the Parliament, to a small degree) want to see just how true this theory is. • The possibility that civilization still exists in Dewaint is something that they'd like to know, as well, considering the fact that within its depths was once the heart of the Fae civilization. But it now rests as the heart of the Wilde, and subsequently... the heart of the Cwyld. Was it the source? Is it safe from the blight that affects them? It's knowledge that they need, especially if there's a way to fight the Cwyld within the forest depths. The Meeting of the Fae • Some old folklore states that the Fae courts only come together in times of impending crisis; this lines up with the spread of the Cwyld seen by those who had this dream experience. The mention of the High Queen is particularly important though, as she is said to reside solely in the heart of Faeryland, slumbering in order to keep her youthful appearance. For her to have awaken and attended a meeting... Well, it doesn't spell the best of news. • There are a few Fae in the city, and after speaking with them, it's been deduced that - despite their long life - none of them remember something like this, so it's likely this particular meeting was much further in the past than anyone might imagine. This implies that it's possible that this isn't the first time the Cwyld has broken out, but she isn't entirely sure of that - it'd be best to take the idea with a grain of salt. • Regarding the Courts: it would seem the Fae used to divide themselves into two of them, though Fae nowadays hold no allegiance or importance to anything of the sort. Information about these specifically are sparse however, as the Fae were notoriously secretive about where their loyalties ultimately laid. The Looking-Glass House • There isn't much to report here - all records state the house has been around for quite some time now. What has been noticed is that inductees into The Coven cannot spell a mirror that is connected to one of the mirrorbound. This isn't too much of a problem, given the house's ever-expanding inside, but it's something to note. • Nessie's written to the heads at other branches of The Coven and found that none of them have an outside housing area for their mirrors - the rest of them have them inside their building proper, in rooms or hallways. Curious, but just another thing that makes Aefenglom's branch stand out from the rest. • If anyone has found out anything additional about the mirrors or the house itself - more likely the mirrors, Nessie thinks, since she feels as if they must have a special meaning to be bound so tightly to those who have come through them - then they're welcome to share it, be it fact or theory.

Welcome to your meeting log! No question thread this time, and no making your own logs either - as this is a one day affair with a very specific location, for the purpose of sharing information and the like. Feel free to make your own top levels presenting information, tag or threadhop into relevant threads as necessary, and so on!

Comments

OOC QUESTIONS

[moustre]

Moving this from Plurk!

[starseedling]

I'm a little uncertain of how to proceed since it looks like the results of Steven's private investigations were shared as part of the event post instead of sharing them through him or anything, which makes forming a top level about it kind of redundant.

I can definitely see the value of sharing that stuff with everyone but it also kind of takes away the opportunity to share the stuff I found out myself. Unless the idea is that Steven told the Coven that info (because he totally would) I'm just a bit unclear.

Is that info something you're saying the Coven sought out/is sharing on their own or is it basically what they got from what Steven did? I'm asking largely so I know how to relate to it in any posting I do in here.

[usurpers]

if they ask, what would the answer be to how “fatal” constant dream sharing could be?

Re: OOC QUESTIONS

[silentsavant]

How would a Monster asking about the possibility of learning under the diviners be received? Would they be turned down? Is it something only a Witch can do?

[wordsinthesoul]

Soooo!

If a couple of people decided to try and get themselves some measure of 'lost', trying to wander further in and find the records- how would that go down? What would they be likely to find along the way- and is there any indication where the records are?

[fiddlestick]

[Elliot is in attendance, but honestly, most of this talk goes over his head. Fae Courts? Dwaint Forests? Mirror placement? Yeah, he keeps the stuff in mind, but it mostly doesn't mean a whole lot to him at this point. He doesn't have much to add either, as he's not really one to speak up in front of big groups.

However, one thing sticks out. He murmurs to the people sitting around him]

Is anyone else worried about the dreamwalking being fatal part...?

[THAT SEEMS VERY CONCERNING OK]

[redheired]

"It's a risk. And I'm not keen on the fact it appears to be out of our control."

[So she says, but her voice remains remarkably flat and matter of fact. Panic or worry, it seems, isn't something she's ready to indulge in.]

"What I want to know, is if it's possible to ward against such a thing. If any measures have been taken towards that... Or if there is a fail safe plan one should indulge in, if such a thing happens again."

[showsnopiety]

It seems to be a bit of a problem...

(Just a bit. Her voice was a touch wry as she kept her eyes on what the others were doing, just in case.)

But I think it's just them asking us not to dream our lives away.

[wordsinthesoul]

Particularly if it's something we cannot help. I… recall little that might have prompted our experience last month.

this is so late i'm sorry

[dirtdevil]

I guess it's not that different from being stuck in a coma.

[ it's just a ~magic~ coma. unfortunately, it sounds like that doesn't make it suck any less. ]

[cult]

( okay, there's loads of people here so might as well make this worth his while — clearing his throat to raise his voice, clapping his hands together to gain the attention of anyone who's willing to deal with him. )

Since we're all presented here today!! Do ANY of us have any dead bodies? Any corpsy boys you'd like to hand over to me? Rigomortis, fine. Missing balls out their sockets, fine! I'll even take bits and pieces.

( oh, well. )

I'll even take them off you for free! Peeled skin? Just whatever you have!

[fiddlestick]

[Goddess why]

I-Isn't Necromancy forbidden...?

[silentsavant]

( soren looks mostly judgmental, mildly disgusted, and is treating him to such a side-eye. )

And now we all know of your questionable interests. I think you may have succeeded in having your suspicious character flagged down by members of a legislative body of government.

[purpose]

[ that request is ... the definition of disconcerting, in all honesty. rey's eyebrows furrow as her head swivels with incredulous momentum, nearly quick enough to rival an owl's. ]

People might be more willing to offer what they have to you if they knew your reasons for asking.

[ by sole nature of that petioning, it seems like bad news bears. here she is, anyway, willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for a moment or two. ]

[figmentpigment]

[ Generally, any time Bendy's gone to any sort of big meeting or event he's had to largely sit and listen. The information tends to go largely over his head, but he would feel bad slowing everything down trying to act out all his questions in front of everyone. This time, however, the Toon came prepared.

Pen in hand and a mess of loose-leaf papers laid out in his lap, Bendy listens intently, taking notes that largely compose of stick figures and fire and large, angry scribble-monsters. It makes sense to him, anyway.

When the subject of the mirrors comes up, his attention perks. Pulling out a new sheet, Bendy scrawls a question down in messy handwriting and holds it aloft. ]

MIRRORS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN USED CAN BE MAGICKCKE SPELLED ? ?

[starseedling]

[Steven has been watching Bendy take notes because it's kind of an interesting spectacle, but the toon manages to point out something that Steven's mind had just kind of glossed over.]

I don't know what that means, either.

[He looks at Bendy, to clarify.]

Is that just like how witches can enchant most things, or does the Coven do something special with those mirrors?

[whomthebelltolls]

[Maria had filed in with the rest of the crowd. Her height and pallid facade had, of course, garnered the same amount of attention as always, but she couldn't help but feel like more eyes were on her than usual. Perhaps the continued threat - tacit though it would be for so many of the people here - had made its rounds, and way to more important members of society.

It doesn't matter. She's here for a reason; even if the curiosity kills her again.]

I asked it of our Coven leadership, but I will ask it again: Are there any here who know of powerful beings who exist only within dreams? Or whose powers particularly pertain to them? They need not be human, and, in fact, I don't expect them to be. We had them at home. It did not take much for them to create dreams from which you could not escape. What is to say something like that hasn't happened here?

Besides, those very same creatures were tied to the spread of the Beasthood. [She ignores the brief mutter through the crowd - the Monsters will remain "Beasts" until it has been proven to her satisfaction that they will not inevitably try to eat every human here.] Would it then be so strange to think, it is also what is transforming what had been other humans into things which are not?

[Later in the conversation, she has another suggestion, and it's about the fae courts, and the Cwyld. So... perhaps a Fae experiment or something gone terribly wrong is what's spreading the Cwyld? Ah, the "coincidences" keep coming and coming.]

How close can we get to those former Fae lands? By air - by boat - perhaps on foot? Has anyone tried? ... Will anyone try? [She will. Just ask her. Not like it matters much if she lives... or dies.]

[iminthebook]

We had some of those back in my world, too. And not the fun ones.

[ He nods, as he had not thought of that yet here. ]

I'll go. Not sure how easy or hard it will be, but I've dealt with the Fae in my world, and I think it could be informative to know what they know.

[fifty]

I can try flying! [America spreads his wings ever so slightly, as if they could possibly be missed.] Unless people who already live here tried that and something happened, I guess, but aerial surveillance totally makes sense! Even if we can't fly over the forest I could at least just fly really high up over the city and see if I can see anything from there.

[futhark]

[ Caster doesn't comment on Beasthood claim. They'd need to know first can Witches turn into Monsters, and so far it does not seem to the case. It might be an interesting topic to file for later though, even if it is quite literally kicking a hornet nest.

But the Dream itself, that is a fascinating concept. With the revelation that not only it is dangerous in consequences but also something that normally isn't forced upon— it means someone or something is inviting them in. ]

I'd wager a guess that if a Dream dweller is native to this world, pooling our knowledge can only shed as much light on it. But it is worth a try.

[ Who is to tell how differently it works in all those different Worlds out there? Who is to tell it doesn't work exactly the same in one of them. It's a gamble, and they muddy the waters, but the more information is out there— He's got no stake in returning or staying, but he also has no reasons to keep secrets anymore. ]

I'm familiar with the dream-sharing concept— it's related to what I am. [ Was ] To put it briefly: were I to form a contract with a magus, he or she could see glimpses of my past in their Dreams. [ And vice versa too, but there is a lot of specific bullshit not relevant to the current situation he is sparing. It's just about the mechanic ] Not on purpose, it's a side effect of sharing a deep mental connection.

[ Which brings him to— ]

They said that one would require immense power to bring us here, so it would make sense for us to retain some connection to our summoner, no? If the Dreams we see are indeed memories, we should look for someone [ —something— ] incredibly old and powerful...

If the dreams we see are what is happening in the now, well, we'd need to find what they have in common.

[ It is pretty easy to jump into the assumption that they all have Cwyld infection as a common theme. Not saying that there is a possibility of them all being soullinked to some Cwyld Cthulhu but... yeah, kind of saying exactly that ]

[gallowsbait]

Greyjay lets himself be shepherded along and into the building and despite his distaste for it all, keeps his sneering mostly internal. As he finds a place to stand, he mulls it over: a Parliament. The final sign that he's trapped in a backwater civilization run by half-wits. Moon's tits, next they'll have to cast ballots to decide on what to do.

When Nerissa starts to condescend, he can't decide if she's serious or if this is all some sort of act. If they're strong enough to change the weather, if they don't care about those consequences, why don't they know what else they're doing with the mirrors?

"I've got no information myself," he says directed to the other mirrorbound and mostly ignoring the 'Parliament'. "But what I wanna know, is if anyone's seen how far we can go if we're bound to mirrors? Can we leave 'em here and go abroad? Or, if we choose to go, can we take 'em with us?"

[showsnopiety]

"I haven't tried yet." Caren shook her head. "But I haven't explored as much as I should. I think the only way to know for sure is to see if we can travel to another city."

She was thoughtful, thinking to herself. "Do you think that we'd end up with another mirror if we were travel to another Coven with a different mirror house?"

[showsnopiety]

"We do know that only our personal mirror is unique to us; to others who look, they appear unremarkable. It's something interesting of note, if that hasn't been known before."

Caren had to raise her voice to be heard, and stand up as well. She was a slender person, and too, often soft spoken.

But she did spread her new, if small wings to gather a bit of attention. She still appeared worn from the Full Moon, but she was alert, and straight backed.

"I'm not sure how many investigated during the dream session, but there was also something of note-that while the Mirror house was covered in infected vines, and the housing itself was untouched otherwise-there were still many mirrors intact. As well, there was no glass, but there were shattered mirrors."

She spread her hands. "There are a few things that we can take from this. One, that from the warning of this impending disaster, we're affected-killed-as well. Two, that we're likely all connected due to the way we've traveled here from our worlds-we share a common Bond. It's possible that because of that commonality, that we share a Bond together, even if it comes from dreams so far. Other things may occur due to sharing this, but also pooling together magic from Witches and Monsters both."

She moved to tuck her wings back against her spine; they were still new and uncomfortable to use.

"We also have all arrived at the Witching hour, correct? I know that in other worlds, it can be considered a height of magic. But I suppose the biggest questions are: are we the only city who have reflected persons such as us, and why we may be here."

[iminthebook]

Harry, standing near Caren, steps forward, and speaks his voice echoing quietly around the chamber as he magically makes it so all can hear.

"Good questions. And I wonder if there is any link between what happened in the dream and the way we are linked. I've noticed that we are growing stronger fast. And part of that is getting connected to this world. If something broke that connection, suddenly, shattering us and our mirrors, whole we were still connected... how badly would that affect this world? Was the disaster the cause of our deaths, or were our deaths the cause of the disaster?"

He nods and steps back again.

[silentsavant]

Soren soon finds his chance to bring up the major concern that has been plaguing him. That no amount of research can sufficiently conclude. There's nothing in the books about people emerging from other worlds through mirrors, after all. At least, none he has access to.

"Often, when we share dreams, we share them with those who have not emerged through the mirrors yet. But what does it mean when somebody dreams of someone important to you, but they never manage to come through into the Looking-Glass House? Where might they be now? Trapped in the plane of these dreams? Or..."

He doesn't want to arrive at the fatal conclusion. Ordinarily composed and level-headed, a drop of the underlying anxiety that couples with the desperation to understand seeps quietly, so subtly into his bearing with his bated breath and intent eyes as the harrowing notions worm about in his chest, even though he speaks at an even and controlled tone. His whole life's meaning hinges upon this question. His throat tickles suddenly, as it has been ever since the magical cold snap, and he coughs into his sleeve out of politeness before continuing.

"I have... my own hypotheses, of course. But I would appreciate the insight others might have to offer."

[fifty]

"I figured they were back at home." Judging by the slight confusion in America's expression, it hadn't occurred to him to think anything different. He's not really the type to come up with extra things to worry about. "I know when I had the dream I still woke up in my own place and only got dragged here later, so it'd just be that getting dragged here part that didn't happen, right?"

[futhark]

[ "Dreamwalking can be fatal" that's definitely new. Granted neither of them (from what Caster had heard of) has been granted this talent in full. No one he knows hops from a Dream to a Dream. It's the opposite, they are all pulled in during one night of a month— ]

Is there any relation between that Dream we share and the Moons, I wonder? There is a correlation in dates, and the magic is, in theory, the strongest during Full Moon, is it not?

[ Not for him, and not for other Mirrobounds from what he had seen. But he is not sure how well known this particular aspect is. As always, he is a bit reluctant to share what could be exploited as a weakness. ]

Speaking of which... The stories tell that mirrors in Looking-Glass House were a gift from the Sisters. Yes, the Moons themselves. They're an aspect, if not literal bodies, of pair of primordial goddesses. Their names long forgotten, but they still watch over the surface.

[ It's a story people tell in taverns at night. Someone might have made a song about it but everything is lost in so many layers of metaphors that without knowing the legend itself, one would never know it's about the Coven ]

Or do they? [ And then there is that ]

Back where I am from, even in different mythos the role of the primordial gods is very often similar. They create the world, they populate it, but then the next generation comes and dethrones them. Or— they are simply just tossed aside as those no longer needed.

[ Who needs a mother when all of the creation has been already made and is now self-sufficient? ]

One goddess was mourning in such pain that she was ready to destroy all her children that had abandoned her. I heard a similar story here, for some people believe, the Sisters created Cwyld as a punishment.

[ Those are "just" stories though. But there are always grains of truth in legends. Maybe some powerful beings created these gifts then left, later remembered as the gods? Still, he chuckles, and a joking lilt enters his tone. A storyteller told his part ]

That's it if you choose to entertain a possibility that gods exist and can affect this world. [ Or that a concept of their existence is a force strong enough to affect the world. But really, this world is full of magic, they have been brought here by an unknown force that eludes the investigation of the local population... Assuming that gods might exist and might even be partially related to everything here isn't that far fetched.

But Caster himself is a man of myth— divinity isn't a concept he is hard to be sold on ]

I couldn't find names of the gods in local pantheon although I've collected some aspects they govern over. [ Which on itself is curious. The erasure of names. ] But as I've been studying the runes, I found that the current alphabet has been in use for only around three centuries. That means a lot of knowledge is to be found in scripts older than that.

[ Admittedly, he did have a headstart due to the similarity to Ogham runes ]

If someone with similar interest wants to exchange notes I am always open for that. Should an expedition deeper into the Wilde happen, whatever traces of the past we might find will probably use the older script.

[ Would be useful if they had few people capable of reading them, yes? ]

[starseedling]

[Steven listens intently to all of that, the stuff about the mirrors being from the Sister being completely new to him. Some of it ends up sounding familiar.]

Oh - yeah! When I was trying to find information about the Fae, most of the books about them were so old the language wasn't readable to most people anymore. None of the Fae now have any connection to the culture they had before, even if they've heard the stories.

One of them was even saying how they thought the Fae might have come from somewhere else originally.

[starseedling]

[The Coven already started with some information about the Fae, but Steven has some more that he's found, and will take that as an invitation to share it.]

I spoke to some of the Fae around the Coven, too, and they didn't know anything about the Fae meeting we saw in the dreams, either. But... I found some stuff in the library about how some people think that the Fae came from the moons, or from a different world, and that the Fae that live here are kind of like a hybrid between those Fae and humans! They've been around for ages - and if the books are right, probably before humans or witches.

Some of the books about Fae were so old - the witches in the library said that they were in the language that witches use for runes and spellcasting now.

Their Queen is supposed to look like an Atlas Moth - with with the fuzzy antenna and orange kind of wings? So if you see anything like that, it could be about her!

Oh, um, also one of the Fae told me not to give out my full name to anyone, especially other Fae. So you might want to keep that in mind.

[wordsinthesoul]

That's… a curious place for them to come from. [just what is up with the moon, though, really.]. I wonder why…

But then, that would mean that they've existed for quite some time. Then- do we know how far back the records go?

Ah. I'll be sure to do just that. Thank you.