Crop Circles
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_Telli now leading a full winged armada, with the general's aide guide the combined forces of sidhe knights and recruited dreamers in massive, if deadly, aerial ballet. the motion of the various regiments carrying a well-orchestrated grace around the ever tightening defensive sphere held by the swarm of macroscopic flies around their lord and master. The circle of dreamers still protected by the Earthmother's divine presence are the have a the best vantage point to this…dance.
Within the formations the violence and reality of battle is a quite a different reality. Once the swarm is compacted, it becomes a task to peel away the outer lays of giant flies. A slow, grueling, but steady process.
The flies may take out a rider here and there, volunteer and Fey alike, but the losses are so lopsided against the giant flies that eventually, despite either number the gigantic slimy ball of flesh and true target is once more visible through the hazy veil of his remaining swarm.
The prayers of those in the circle above bear offensive fruit at that very moment..perhaps the Earthmother moved by the personal sacrifice and prolonged united effort..or maybe the slime lord's power is finally diminished in the shared dream...either way, the golden glow protecting the circle of praying dreamers shoots a chaotic bolt steaming down to strike amidst the swirling, whirling aerial dance. It surges around, through and over every last rider, fly and even the slimy lord itself. It has no physical effect, but Telli and all in the winged armada feel a rare sense of destiny in that moment and fight with an unstoppable ferocity that the diminishing swarm just cannot match.
Facing total defeat, the slimy, maggot-ridden fleshball dissolves into an almost solid mass of more macroscopic flies. On one last surge, the massive swarm punches through the perimeter of the winged atmada, taking out the Seelie general and few knights and dreamers, who will not wake in the morning.
The sudden burst is no counterattack, it's a calculated retreat as just enough giant flies slough off the outsides to slow down the pursuing armada riders. The fallen generals second in command and Telli rally the momentarily shocked riders to give full pursuit, driving the swarm full retreat. The core of the swarm that had been the slime lord, and what is left of his transformed maggot sea head to the east. The further it gets away, the more the swarm begins to look as a storm cloud flying fast against the wind.
Ahead of the swarm and its pursuers, a sudden thunderstorm arises, bearing a rainbow from its edges. Flying under this rainbow the thick swarm of macroscopic flies disappears, and the second-in-command Seelie knight signals to call off the pursuit. The armada mounts split apart and wheel around in two great formations, heading back to the circle of Z's dreamers.
Behind them the storm settles away and the rainbow fades The great armada wheels around in victory around a cheering crowd of surviving dreamers in the protective circle.
The next night, except for the occasional glimpse of a Seelie wandering through on patrol in their dreams, the shared nightmare is over.
The poor half-eaten villager in great charity is seen walking about again and whole, if greatly disturbed. After the last night of the shared nightmare, a number of people do not wake up around Narfell..those who are returned to life, share the villager's slip in mental stability.
The nightly, dazzling auroral storms over Z's farm and the slowly growing casualties from the persistent vines. One of the surviving dreamers who flew with Telli's armada and winged Seelie allies recalls one of the Seelie knights calling it...bloodsuckle in some odd conversation he head. From whatever else he remembers of that dreamside conversation, he is never seen anywhere near the voracious and ambulatory bloodsuckle again. The thorny weeds and blight, vermin and mage bot flies the bloodsuckle protects still rage through the fields at night, along with an assortment of garden flowers and beneficial predators that struggle to gain ground._
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The following morning Telli wakes with a sea of black powder all over herself and rises with a startle…OI!…Black powders shook to the ground as a dog would shake loose water. The shifting of the maggot fleshballs actions leave a grin across Telli's face as she see's their progress. The grin remains until she makes her way down the grapevines Inn hallway and hears the screams bellow from a room. Entering she finds the half eaten villager and crinkles her nose.
"Errr.....ewwww..."
Whispering a prayer of blessing and a blessing of regeneration on the villager she hefts the body over her squat shoulders lugging the body towards Norwicks healers as his legs slowly knit back together.
After the body's taken care of Telli returns to the Grapevine Inn...((Pm forthcoming.))
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@3dee514304=acmefalls:
_In the waking world, dazzling auroral storms stream in in the skiies over Z's farm, similar to those that had taken place over the Silver Valley. Anyone caught dazzled by the display just might swear to witnessing a few glimpses of said shared dream battle playing out within the storm itself, flies and winged calvary squaring off in an unrelenting aerial battle. Or maybe the lights are just REALLY pretty.
Garden flowers and beneficial predators appear within Z's fields, though the beneficial animals mostly fall prey to the wooden, predatory vines. One citizen volunteer is lost. A splinter in his finger, the ill-fated villager scraped it out with is teeth. half he spit out harmlessly, the other half of the splinter he swallowed. Three hours later the villager was dead, his body a mangled, burst open mess amid entirely new growth of the dangerous vines._
Whispers a silent prayer
Z prays, pours holy water on the vines, and angrily hacks them back. He then quickly and carefully gathers what's left of the farmer's body and wraps it in a blanket for transportation. Time is of the essence and Z wastes no time.
He will then supply the diamond and pay to have him raised.
If necessary ((sounds like this guy is pretty messed up)), he'll pay for a regeneration to repair the damage before the raise dead ((7th level cleric spell for full regen. or 5th level for a lesser version - whichever works, Z will spare no expense. Please PM the cost to me)).*
whispers quietly to himself Not on my watch…
To the others Folks, please...be careful. These, obviously, ain't normal plants and they're extremely dangerous. Don't go usin' your teeth ta take out splinters and such.
@3dee514304=acmefalls:
Morale among the farmers helping out falls quickly after being drunk on their two previous victories in Norwick and total victory in Silver Valley. While the vines can be defeated temporarily by simple hacking to pieces, the only thing that seems to prevent any new growth from the remains are the fire elementals who burn the vines and remnants to ash. The pieces and vines the fire elementals leave only partially burnt prove more than capable of growing back to full menace.
@3dee514304=Speedy_Z_:
Z returns from the Silver Valley, VERY early the next morning and looks exhausted. He (and anyone from his team, Norwick, and/or the Silver Valley who is willing to help) immediately begins preparing the "Crop Blight Ritual" for his farm.
Time is of the essence. I believe these crop circles are the source of the creature's power and by eliminating all of them we will severely weaken, if not end, its influence in our region and our dreams.
Chauntea, grant me strength…
((Once the elementals are able to temporarily destroy the woody vines, the ritual will begin.))
.
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_A few nights later a few more people drop from the circle and disappear in their fall as Telli had many nights before. Each one of them appears the next tight riding with Telli and her Seelie sidhe allies, adding to the numbers of winged calvary. Among the growing winged and mounted allies are other townsfolk who until now had nothing to do with the ritual or the shared dream.
They further divide the numbers of macroscopic flies the Lord of Creeping Crawl can direct to harry the remaining circle of dreamers and to those it needs to protect itself from the assault of the winged calvary. As further Seelie reinforcements seem to arrive to the shared dream, the flies swarming around the remaining circle of dreamers is minimal.
At least three full compliments of winged calvary now (two comprised fully of additional Seelie knights and casters and one of Seelie knights and Telli and her fellow recruited dreamers) swing around toward the floating, maggot-ridden fleshball in a three-pronged three-dimensional pincher movement. The only thing keeping them at bay is the fact the entire maggot sea below seems to rise up at once as macroscopic flies, leaving not a reserve behind to draw from. Only the newest flies form a swarm so thick that the Lord of Creeping Crawl is obscured completely from view.
The tide seeming to have completely changed from from the slime lord barely being kept at bay to the slime lord barely keeping the dreamers and their new found allies at bay.
The dense swarm is very dangerous thing to come anywhere near as at least one dreamer who joined Telli on winged beastback does not wake in the morning, the body partially eaten…or digested from the legs on down.
Telli and those who ride with her in the shared dream awake each morning covered in the same powdery black of the macro flies they busted through in the raging dream battle.
The protected circle and those still in it are finallyleft unmolested.
In the waking world, dazzling auroral storms stream in in the skiies over Z's farm, similar to those that had taken place over the Silver Valley. Anyone caught dazzled by the display just might swear to witnessing a few glimpses of said shared dream battle playing out within the storm itself, flies and winged calvary squaring off in an unrelenting aerial battle. Or maybe the lights are just REALLY pretty.
Garden flowers and beneficial predators appear within Z's fields, though the beneficial animals mostly fall prey to the wooden, predatory vines. One citizen volunteer is lost. A splinter in his finger, the ill-fated villager scraped it out with is teeth. half he spit out harmlessly, the other half of the splinter he swallowed. Three hours later the villager was dead, his body a mangled, burst open mess amid entirely new growth of the dangerous vines.
Morale among the farmers helping out falls quickly after being drunk on their two previous victories in Norwick and total victory in Silver Valley. While the vines can be defeated temporarily by simple hacking to pieces, the only thing that seems to prevent any new growth from the remains are the fire elementals who burn the vines and remnants to ash. The pieces and vines the fire elementals leave only partially burnt prove more than capable of growing back to full menace._
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A time after most of the digging is done, Jerrick wanders off, as if intent to do something before night falls, and the dreams must fight again.
He is not seen for an unspecified amount of time (Need Acme's input on that) and leaves word that he'll be back, and not to do anything drastic til he returns, or you get a message from him. He waits for no replies, but shapeshifts and bounds off.
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Returning from his one night trip to the glen to sleep under a bush, Jerrick goes to help Z and the crew with the crops.
Again, as in the silver valley, Jerrick digs as a barkskinned direwolf most of the time, and the rest of the time is a quiet worker, brow furrowed with annoyance or concentration, though the annoyance seems to be of a general sort, and not related to the task, which he diligently keeps at.
((PM to Acme forthcoming))
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@064f7a7ac4=Speedy_Z_:
@064f7a7ac4=Speedy_Z_:
@064f7a7ac4=acmefalls:
It is then that Z's farm one night is visited by the aurroa of color maelstrom. A swirling tornado of the dazzling lights leaving behind one, two three crop circles….one extra...bringing the glowing fungal blight to Z's crops along with the mag bot flies...and barren wooden vines, resembling leafless kudzu or wild morning glory vines. Harmless seeming enough until anyone tries to trudge past them amidst the flies and usual resulting thorny hedge of wild weeds and slimy, creeping vermin. The additional wooden vines literally jump from the plants they seem to be growing around and attack the would be interlopers, feeding woody tendrils into an orifice it find or create to apparently feed on the blood of its victim. They can rescued by hacking the attacking vine to bits and pieces, however, it seems in teh end this only produces heavier growth of the predatory wooden vines around the a newly afflicted fields as ANY piece whatsoever that finds warm flesh or wet soil grows into a whole new plant.
Upon arriving home, Z nods his head slowly and lets out a long, deep sigh followed, unexpectedly, by a very slight chuckle.
Heh, 'twas to be expected…
*He whispers a silent prayer and then turns towards the house.
"Have faith," he is heard saying to himself as he heads inside to rest and prepare for, yet another, ritual...*
The next morning, rather than performing the "Crop Blight Ritual" on his own crops, Z is spotted with a group of Norwick farmers heading towards the Silver Valley…
Z returns from the Silver Valley, VERY early the next morning and looks exhausted. He (and anyone from his team, Norwick, and/or the Silver Valley who is willing to help) immediately begins preparing the "Crop Blight Ritual" for his farm.
Time is of the essence. I believe these crop circles are the source of the creature's power and by eliminating all of them we will severely weaken, if not end, its influence in our region and our dreams.
Chauntea, grant me strength…((Note: The aggressive wooden vines will be taken care of first (no holds barred - manually, magically, elementals, whatever it takes), to ensure the safety of the ritual participants.))
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Z smiles slightly and chuckles a bit as he slowly shakes his head.
Guess she'll get ta do some smashin' after all…
He bows his head and continues to pray. His focus seems to be on simply keeping the Norwick farmers and their families safe.
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One of the nights Telli swoops in near the circle smashing some flies to black powder as she looks to Z with a wink and a grin from ear to ear.
Giddup spike…!
Telli thrusts her heels into the unicorn sending it horn first into a cluster of flies sending powder in her wake on her way towards the slimy fleshball a familiar war cry echoing the dreamscape.
Whoohoooooooosss....
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_A few nights later Telli reappears on on a winged mount and wielding a mace that gleams with its own light. Flying with her ar e regiment of winged calvary of various fantasitc beasts from wiinged unicorns to briillaintly colored hippogriffs. The knights atop these winged steeds are indeed Fey, Seelie sidhe. With their help Telli gets the opportunity to get a few good whacks in on the giant slimy, maggot-ridden fleshball with the mace. The macroscopic flies in their way are all easily turn to black powder dust with strike of her borrowed mace. On the dream embodiment of the Lord of Creeping Crawl the mace leaves satisfying if putrid and scorched wounds.
The battle proves to be in a full three dimensions and the slimy ball has an entire ocean of maggots to draw new flies from to run interference. Though he retreats from the winged calvary that follows Telli around bringing their own attacks, the Lord's macroscopic flies remain numerous enough to harry the airborne regiment, keeping the Seelie allies from swarming the slimy ball of maggot-infest flesh. It's game of cat and mouse…with the Lord of Creeping Crawl keeping a running battle in circles and diverging loops around the huddled group Telli was pried from only a few nights ago. The good news, the macroscopic flies now have their attention divided between the regiment of winged calvary of sidhe knights and the original circle of dreamers._
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Telli waddles alongside Z heading to the Silver valley whispering in his ear (Pm coming.)
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@d6ae13185f=Speedy_Z_:
@d6ae13185f=acmefalls:
It is then that Z's farm one night is visited by the aurroa of color maelstrom. A swirling tornado of the dazzling lights leaving behind one, two three crop circles….one extra...bringing the glowing fungal blight to Z's crops along with the mag bot flies...and barren wooden vines, resembling leafless kudzu or wild morning glory vines. Harmless seeming enough until anyone tries to trudge past them amidst the flies and usual resulting thorny hedge of wild weeds and slimy, creeping vermin. The additional wooden vines literally jump from the plants they seem to be growing around and attack the would be interlopers, feeding woody tendrils into an orifice it find or create to apparently feed on the blood of its victim. They can rescued by hacking the attacking vine to bits and pieces, however, it seems in teh end this only produces heavier growth of the predatory wooden vines around the a newly afflicted fields as ANY piece whatsoever that finds warm flesh or wet soil grows into a whole new plant.
Upon arriving home, Z nods his head slowly and lets out a long, deep sigh followed, unexpectedly, by a very slight chuckle.
Heh, 'twas to be expected…
*He whispers a silent prayer and then turns towards the house.
"Have faith," he is heard saying to himself as he heads inside to rest and prepare for, yet another, ritual...*
The next morning, rather than performing the "Crop Blight Ritual" on his own crops, Z is spotted with a group of Norwick farmers heading towards the Silver Valley…
-
The first few nights Telli wakes is a harsh jumble to her cognitive ability. Her motor skills slowed and she can be seen clutching the bridge of her nose with a stumpy finger and thumb. Gag reflexes take effect and she swears she's going to hurl.….
Unnnghhhh...bleah. Telli not feel so goods.
sipping from her canteen she lays back in the grass for a good hour each morning regaining her barings a small smile creeping across her lips...
Least Telli finally gottedededs ta puts a mace inta sometings.
After an hour or so its back to the daily grind, the look of exhaustion coming and going each day the effects of her dreams a little different. A Morning prayer and greater restoration to clear hear body she looks to find Diet to find out more about the trinket he so willfully gave her.
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_One night, Telli falls out of the circle and is carried off toward the maggot sea below and yet… she disappears from the shared dream when the fly carrying her bursts into a black powdery cloud..She never got anywhere near the open waiting maw the fly was headed toward.
The stalemate remains for everyone else,,,the flies hit by the lighhtnes directly spray a smoldering smoky spray of bug guts over the circle. The glow may protect them from the touch of guts but not the acrid smell._
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@5f1ee8fbd8=acmefalls:
_Jerrick will the first to find solace of sorts from the dream..in an unsettling dreamless sleep beneath a certain vine and bush.
Protected from fear and perfecting their control of their floating circle within the collective dream, the macroscopic flies explode against the almost blinding holy aura that permeates the circle of dreamers.
Those that do not explode in gore and guts bond off and hover at bay through and among the surrounding clouds. Down below the giant, slimy ball of maggot-ridden flesh belows anrgily below them eachnight unable to touch them._
Z seems satisfied, almost pleased, with the stalemate…for now.
My first priority was with y'all in the community and keepin' you safe. And, by us workin' together and the grace of the Earthmother, we been able to do that. I realize we're still havin' the bad dreams, but they end on a much more positive note and I know we're all sleepin' a little better each night.
They brought the blight to our crops and we stood together and beat 'em.
They invaded our dreams and we stood together and beat 'em.
It's only a matter of time before we figure out how to beat this thing, once and for all. Until then, continue to pray, plant your crops, help each other, and stand together as a community. But most of all...have faith.
@5f1ee8fbd8=acmefalls:
_It is then that Z's farm one night is visited by the aurroa of color maelstrom. A swirling tornado of the dazzling lights leaving behind one, two three crop circles….one extra...bringing the glowing fungal blight to Z's crops along with the mag bot flies...and barren wooden vines, resembling leafless kudzu or wild morning glory vines. Harmless seeming enough until anyone tries to trudge past them amidst the flies and usual resulting thorny hedge of wild weeds and slimy, creeping vermin. The additional wooden vines literally jump from the plants they seem to be growing around and attack the would be interlopers, feeding woody tendrils into an orifice it find or create to apparently feed on the blood of its victim. They can rescued by hacking the attacking vine to bits and pieces, however, it seems in teh end this only produces heavier growth of the predatory wooden vines around the a newly afflicted fields as ANY piece whatsoever that finds warm flesh or wet soil grows into a whole new plant.
Meanwihle the communal dream continues, the dreamer still having to gather together to keep from being plucked away._
Upon arriving home, Z nods his head slowly and lets out a long, deep sigh followed, unexpectedly, by a very slight chuckle.
Heh, 'twas to be expected…
*He whispers a silent prayer and then turns towards the house.
"Have faith," he is heard saying to himself as he heads inside to rest and prepare for, yet another, ritual...*
-
Miea Floating in the middle of said circle not only concentrates on floating but calling lightning as per the spell, but does not need to cast it using the power of dreams alone, to cause flashes of lightning to attack the slimy thing and it’s minions, also is very careful not to strike the circle or disrupt it in anyway.
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_Jerrick will the first to find solace of sorts from the dream..in an unsettling dreamless sleep beneath a certain vine and bush.
Protected from fear and perfecting their control of their floating circle within the collective dream, the macroscopic flies explode against the almost blinding holy aura that permeates the circle of dreamers.
Those that do not explode in gore and guts bond off and hover at bay through and among the surrounding clouds. Down below the giant, slimy ball of maggot-ridden flesh belows anrgily below them eachnight unable to touch them.
It is then that Z's farm one night is visited by the aurroa of color maelstrom. A swirling tornado of the dazzling lights leaving behind one, two three crop circles….one extra...bringing the glowing fungal blight to Z's crops along with the mag bot flies...and barren wooden vines, resembling leafless kudzu or wild morning glory vines. Harmless seeming enough until anyone tries to trudge past them amidst the flies and usual resulting thorny hedge of wild weeds and slimy, creeping vermin. The additional wooden vines literally jump from the plants they seem to be growing around and attack the would be interlopers, feeding woody tendrils into an orifice it find or create to apparently feed on the blood of its victim. They can rescued by hacking the attacking vine to bits and pieces, however, it seems in teh end this only produces heavier growth of the predatory wooden vines around the a newly afflicted fields as ANY piece whatsoever that finds warm flesh or wet soil grows into a whole new plant.
Meanwihle the communal dream continues, the dreamer still having to gather together to keep from being plucked away._
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@d3223d7d88=Tigrelily:
After a week when the dreams start to shift slightly Telli's encouraged by Z's actions and she offers one little bit of counsel.
"Mr Z… mebbe we can choose ones a dese nights ta gaders as a group....and wid Chauntea's helps... we asks her ta removes all da fear in ALL a us ((Group blessing Remove Fear))... and den we joins dis big pile a puss fer one lasts nights worth a dreams... Cause I nots knows abouts yuhs buh Telli's getting purdy pissed fighting sometings she can't puts a blade inta."
Aye, I like the remove fear idea. Let's do that.
Yes, I understand that you are frustrated about not bein' able to just pick up a blade and deal with this problem in a simple, direct manner. It's always worked for you and it's your way.
However, we ain't just dealin' with a big gobbo here. This is somethin' different and we gotta solve the problem in a different way.
The Earthmother teaches us patience and, just like growin' crops, it will take time.
Have faith.
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@e70ddfc2e0=acmefalls:
The night the dreamers attain their envisioned haven the the clouds, the nightmare changes true course.
*As Z looks around to the others, it is obvious that the lack of sound sleep is taking its toll on everyone. He, himself, is constantly yawning and rubbing his tired, blood-shot eyes.
That said, he is encouraged by the progress he has seen and he uses that to motivate the others and help them keep the faith.*
We can, control these dreams and we're gettin' better at it. We can and we will fight back…
Right now we're still takin' baby steps in controlin' the dreams, but we will get better the more we do it, if we keep it simple, and if we work together.
@e70ddfc2e0=acmefalls:
No longer does anyone disappear down into the vortex in the maggot sea each night. Instead macroscopic flies rise up out of the squirming, brown sea of maggots. The slimy monster drifts up after them into the clouds up at altitude it belches forth more macroscopic flies. Thick clouds of them come to black out the skies around the dreamers, the buzzing of the giant flies' wings deafening. They harry the group, picking off and carrying away anyone who can be isolated from the edges.
In the next dream, Z too, will make some changes.
First, we're gonna hold hands and form a circle ((actually, this was kind of how I was picturing it in the first place, but didn't specify. :()). That way, when the flies come, they will not be able to pick off the people on the edges.
Second, as you begin to float up, I want you to concentrate on the holy light of Chauntea that burns deep within all of our hearts. I want you to let it shine out of your body in all directions. This bright, holy light will surround you and those close to you. As you float up, it will protect you and it will destroy the flies (or any other vermin the beast sends at us). By the Earthmother's grace, it will keep us safe from harm.
Now, the Beast will probably try to blot out our light with some sort of magical darkness or something, but it won't work. The beast is no match for the Earthmother and nothin' can blot out our holy light, nothin'. It come from within and it's brighter and more powerful than even the sun.
Once we reach the safety of clouds we will sing, pray, give thanks, and praise to the Earthmother. We will continue to concentrate on the light comin' from our hearts and souls and it will increase in brightness and expand. This bright, holy light will shoot out in all directions and keep the beast and all its vermin far away from us. Not only will the light keep it away, but the sound of our singing and prayer will also serve to keep the beast at bay. ((Basically, a giant sphere of protective, holy light to keep the Slime Lord and all his vermin away.))
During the dream, Z will be giving instructions and encouragement all along to keep people focused on the plan and strong. The mantra "Have faith" is still an important part of this ritual.
((If they choose (it's their dream after all), non-Chauntea followers (Norwick Militia, Dwin, Mord, etc. - even the Banite if he wants ;)) who were part of the blight ritual and having these dreams will be in the center of the protective light. Thus, giving the followers even more strength and determination by serving as protectors of the protectors. For many of people, their strength and courage is multiplied tenfold (or more) when they are protecting someone or something that cannot defend itself. That's the plan anyway. :)))
((PM will be sent with a few more details that are not known to the general public…
))
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@7a867daf17=acmefalls:
_When Tristina checks the dreamers out, nothing special sticks out. They all appear in in perfect , normal health. The only anomaly might be found is the dim remnants of magic in those who in the dream were swallowed down into the vortex in the dream. Tristina says there's no detectable school either. A few of the children Z casts Remove Curse on, who claim to have seen "the monster eat them" after going down the vortex in the shared nightmare, show no such dim remnants of magic.
Such remnants can be the result of anything though left behind by any exposure to MOST any magic (Even Z's cleansing spells)…some just linger around longer than others._
*To be safe, anyone going down the vortex in the dream gets a remove curse and a dispel magic the next morning.
Z will discuss the experience with any adults that go down the vortex and ask if they remember anything after the vortex.*
