hadriel_logs | Event Log: Dreamwalker

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Event Log: Dreamwalker

Who: Everyone!
What: The Dreamwalker event
Where: In your comfy bed and your sleepy head.
When: May 16th-26th
Warnings: Good dreams, weird dreams, bad dreams, straight-up nightmares. Please remember to tag for warnings in the header if things are going to be bad!

Have you been having trouble getting a good night's sleep? Tossing and turning, unable to rest those tired eyes? Or maybe you don't sleep at all, and never have. Not to worry! For a little while, you'll have no trouble at all falling asleep - in fact, as night falls, you'll find yourself overwhelmed with exhaustion whether you want to sleep or not. Lay down and rest your weary head, friends. Everyone could use a little extra sleep.

But what will your dreams bring? Something happy, images of a perfect day? Something hopeful, something you've wanted for a long time? Maybe you'll dream of anger, of the face of your worst enemy. Or maybe - just maybe - you'll have a horrific nightmare, and wake screaming, covered in cold sweat.

Not before others have time to see it, though. As you sleep, as you dream, the other residents of Hadriel, friends and enemies and people you've only met once, might find their way into your dreams. Or you might find your way into theirs - and then have to deal with someone's else's nightmares, or hopes, or anger. For the next ten nights, you'll find yourself either a host or a visitor, and no matter how you try you won't be able to stay awake once night falls.

Sweet dreams, Hadriel. Don't let the asshole fear gods bite.

► This log covers May 16th-26th.
► Feel free to make your own logs as well!
► Please tag headers of threads with content warnings where they apply
► Please put your character's name and open/closed in the subject line of your starters!
► You can't die in the dreams, but if you somehow manage to trip and fall and kill yourself getting out of bed, please report it on the death post.

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[Miriam smiles up at him. Damen always seems very tall to her. Even more so when she's sitting down. She waves the flower at him. It smells nice. Everything smells nice here, like sunlight and earth.] Maybe you only need one. It's pretty here. Is your father nice?

[ To Damen, Vere is a fragrant place. The gardens and courtyard are full of flowers, many of which he can't readily identify, and it makes the place smell distinctly foreign. That's not a bad thing, though.

As it happens, those scents are accurate. Damen's real visit to Vere had not been under such happy circumstances, but his memories are clear enough. ]

They care to make it pretty here. Veretians like designs, patterns...it all seems busy to me.

[ Busy, because he's used to the harsher, more utilitarian architecture of his own home. Still, he doesn't find this displeasing. ]

My father is... [ And here Damen frowns, while the dream wars with reality. Ultimately, it's the dream that wins. ] ...a proud and noble man. He is the King of Akielos, and now I will treat with Vere in his name. It's a wise course. We should have been enemies...

[ A deeper frown. ]

We were enemies. I would like that to change.

[Miriam tips her head to the side, wondering.] Why were you enemies?

[ Something in the dream seems to flicker, again. It doesn't seem to want Damen to think about this, or concentrate on it.

The time when Laurent was his enemy is something that does not belong here. It's from a different world, the real world. ]

We were at war...

Or...we could have been. It's different now. This time will be different.

[ His eyes have fallen on Laurent again. ]

Look at him. He has always deserved to be courted like this. I want to give that to him.

[Miriam rubs her feet along Barnaby's back, nodding. She likes this place. It's warm and smells nice, and Damen looks happy. Not so guarded.] You really love him, don't you?

[That must be nice, to love somebody that much.]

I think I do.

[ This feeling resonates with reality. Damen and Laurent didn't get to where they are because of what Damen is imagining now, but they'd reached that point nevertheless.

He turns to Miriam. ]

You have never seen sights like these, have you? I remember that. You're from a land of metal.

Let me show Vere to you.

[ He signals to his men, and a horse is produced for Miriam to ride. ]

[Miriam gapes, scrambling to her feet.] Is that--you have horses! Damen, you have horses!

[He has a lot of things in this world, flowers and horses and even somebody to make eyes at. And in this place, Miriam can feel the sun on her skin, warm and strangely soft. There's dust between her feet and flowers tucked into her hair, relics from an old world made new.

And now there are horses.

Miriam snaps her fingers, motioning for Barnaby.] Can he say hi? He's never seen one either. But he'll be really nice if I tell him.

[ He does have a lot of things in this world. This world is a fantasy, the best possible version of Damen’s world that there could be. Even though Miriam is a stranger in it, the soldiers in the dream seem to have accepted her presence. They’re influenced by the need to make a happy dream, and that includes making Miriam happy, too.

The horse that’s brought for her is smaller than Damen’s stallion, and fitted for a female rider – even though there aren’t any, with this company. Why it’s even here is a mystery, but the dream is keen to accommodate the dreamer, and Damen had asked for a horse. It’s dappled grey, with a white mane that it tosses while it bends its head towards Miriam. ]

It should be fine. They hunt with dogs, they’re used to them. Barnaby, come to say hello.

[ And then he fixes on Miriam, smiling. ]

And you…I need to teach you how to ride.

[Barnaby trots forward, tail wagging, and sniffs the mare. There's a solemn moment where the two animals take measure of each other, and then it's broken when Barnaby dances with a yip, play-bowing before the mare. Miriam giggles at the sight, covering her mouth with her hand.] You can't play with her, silly! She's too big!

[This is a good moment, Miriam decides. She takes a hesitant step forward, then holds out her hand for the mare to sniff. The horse puffs at her. Miriam giggles, charmed, then reaches out to scratch the mare's neck.] Damen! Damen, she's soft!

[Softer than Miriam would have thought possible. The mare snorts, but doesn't seem bothered. Miriam glances back to Damen, beaming at him.] Yeah! Yeah, you're gonna teach me!

[ Damen is laughing. He is, personally, relieved that the mare didn't react badly to Miriam. It's a good horse, trained not to fear people, but Miriam is still a stranger to it, and she's never done this before. Damen doesn't want to see her disappointed.

Would that even be possible in a dream like this? Everything about it seems made for enjoyment, from the kindness of the people of Vere to the great beauty of the city. In another light, with another emotion fuelling it, this place would be terrible to Damen.

But it's not, and that reaction to it seems a million miles away from him now. Within the context of the dream, he can barely even remember it. He moves, however, fully intending to lift Miriam by the waist and set her on the horse. If she lets him, that's exactly what he'll do. ]

You need to hold the reins, for balance. And put your feet in the stirrups. You won't fall if you keep your back straight, do you see?

[Oh, this is so exciting! She even likes the smell of the horses, something hearty with a little bit of dust, and the feel of the mare's coat under her hand. Warm and soft. Different from Barnaby's coat, but not too much. Miriam beams up at Damen, and giggles when he lifts her.

Feet in stirrups, right. Sit up straight. Miriam pats the mare's neck.] Like this?

[Oh wow, she's really high up!]

Yes.

[ Damen moves around the horse, his own hand on her neck. That's partly to check Miriam's position, and partly to make sure the horse doesn't move. He lifts the reins, offering them to the small rider. ]

Now hold on to her with your thighs, and take the reins in your hands. Don't let them go.

You click your heels on her flank to tell her to go, and pull the reins - gently - to each side, to tell her to turn. Pull them towards you to tell her to stop. Does that make sense?

Uh huh. [Kinda like when she'd been small enough to ride Barnaby, except that had been about leaning to steer him. Miriam shifts experimentally, holding the reins carefully. Be gentle, be slow. She moves her hands carefully.] Like this?

[The mare flicks her ears back, but doesn't seem to mind.

Barnaby watches curiously from the ground, tail wagging.]

[ Damen nods, and then moves to retake his own mount beside her. His stallion is taller and more broad, to bear both Damen's weight and that of his weapons. Regardless, Miriam's mare does not shy as he moves close. ]

Click your heels gently. We'll walk together.

[ That way, he can herd the mare if need be, and keep her from getting out of control. He kicks his own horse forward, and it moves slowly, hooves clipping along the ground. All around them, the Veretian countryside seems to brighten, as though it's welcoming them. ]

Tell the dog to follow - if he can keep up!

[Okay, that's bouncy. Miriam tries not to squeeze too tight. Barnaby hadn't liked it when she'd done that, except the mare is a whole lot bigger than Barnaby ever was. But something in the dream makes it easy, smooths over the tricks that would come with practice, and they're moving.

She's riding a horse. She's riding a horse with Damen and she can feel the sun - the real sun - on her skin.

Miriam throws back her head and laughs. She can't help it.] He can! He totally can! C'mon, buddy, don't let me down.

[Barnaby trots after the horses, tail wagging like a banner.]

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Event Log: Dreamwalker

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