Narcopolis (Part Two)
Chandagnac
Broken Robot
- Location
- Nowhere
I'm not entirely sure, but I think the consensus was for Elys to take Cassilda with her until she can find a safe place to leave her, so that's what I'm going with.
Or he doesn't particularly care. I mean, if Green Flame left it'd be a hassle because he'd have to pay another teacher's salary or find a way to split her workload between the other teachers, but he's not using her for anything other than free labour. Yes, he made her wear a skimpy dress for the school's fundraising evening, but he could have done much worse than that; several of his contacts already think he's weird and prudish because he doesn't use her as a sex slave, for instance.
Thanks a lot. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
*
Narcopolis (Part Two)
Narcopolis (Part Two)
"Melphior's cultists have used an arcane ritual to merge the Dreaming World with reality," you explain. "You're still in the same place you were in before; it's just a more symbolic, surreal version."
"So… where do we go from here?" asks Dorian.
"The Night Blades are preparing to assault the cultists' main base and end the ritual, but they'll need some assistance. Also, some of Zora Alishanda's masks are trapped here and demons have been sent to destroy them." You indicate Cassilda, who has been following you at an unobtrusive distance. "She's the mask of masques, apparently. I'm not entirely sure what that means, but…"
"I seek the truth behind the masks people show to the world," she says softly.
"And you'd like us to protect her?" Venta surmises. "I'm not sure we could do much to help with assaulting the cultists' base – except for Green Flame, obviously – but keeping one person safe and hidden, for a little while at least… well, I should hope that's not beyond us."
"I'd like to escort Cassilda to the Night Blades' base, in goblin town. There, she'll be safe enough," you say. "But maybe we don't need to walk her there. I wonder if…"
You try to open a portal to goblin town. It would be the simplest, most expedient solution; Cassilda could immediately go through it to somewhere safe. Assuming that the masks of Zora Alishanda are real and solid enough that they can move through portals, of course.
However, something is wrong. You open the portal easily enough; but, when you look through it, the destination is definitely not the one you intended. Instead of the shrine of Zora Alishanda, you see just another weirdly distorted street, with black stars glaring balefully down from above.
Closing the portal, you try again, but are no more successful than you were the first time. You think back to Raef's training and realise how much of your ability to use portal magic depends on your precise knowledge of the world's dimensions: its depths and heights, latitude and longitude, and so on. Presumably, this new world in which dreams are mixed with reality has very different measurements and rules to the ones you're used to. Before you can use portal magic here, you'll need to relearn everything you've been taught. But maybe that won't be enough: if this place is constantly changing, nothing you learn about it will stay the same for long enough to be useful.
"It seems I can't use my portal magic here," you say, shaking your head frustratedly. "We'll have to walk. But first, I'd like to find Professor Kunrath. I'm sure he'll be a great help."
"And what about the other teachers?" asks Green Flame.
"If we see any, I'll direct them to where Prentigold is holding off a horde of shadow demons," you say. "That was in the great hall. He seemed to be giving a good account of himself, but no doubt he'll be glad of some assistance."
Green Flame nods. "Do you know where Kunrath's office is?"
"I've been there before." You shrug. "I presume it'll be in more-or-less the same location as it was last time."
You begin to walk. Cassilda and Cadre 1F follow behind you.
As you proceed, you take the opportunity to surreptitiously get Green Flame's attention and say to her, in a low voice, "You don't dream, do you?"
"I don't sleep," she replies. "Not under normal circumstances, anyway."
"Will you still be able to fight as effectively as you usually do?" you ask.
The faintest suggestion of a frown spreads across her forehead. "I have no idea. How would I know?"
You worry that because she is so unused to the world of dreams, Green Flame will be unable to adjust to its peculiarities soon enough for the battles that undoubtedly lie ahead.
"Maybe you should practise?" you suggest.
"And how would you suggest I do that?" she asks. "Start setting fire to things as we pass them by?"
"It's probably not practical to start practising now," you admit.
Professor Kunrath's laboratory has grown huge and strange since you saw it last. All around, you see large glass bottles and storage containers, each of them carefully labelled, which apparently contain all manner of wonders: phoenix feathers, frozen laughter, elf tears, rare and extinct plants, ever-burning fire, the fossilized heart of Sharhedron the dragon, the bones of animals that have never existed except in fables, and countless other things, many of which are even stranger.
In the centre of the room, carefully distilling something in his alembic, you recognize Kunrath himself. However, under normal circumstances he is short and plump, whereas in this hazy, not-quite-dreamlike place he is thin and gaunt – in fact, his appearance puts you in mind of an ascetic monk – and he appears dedicated to his craft to the exclusion of everything else. There is a peaceful look in his eyes.
"Excuse me, professor," you say, approaching him. "I need your help."
"Hmm? What…?" He blinks a few times and shakes himself as if trying to wake up. "Oh, um… excuse me. Sorry, I must have dozed off."
As you have quickly grown accustomed to doing, you explain what is going on: how Melphior's cultists have used an arcane ritual to blend the Dreaming World together with reality, in the hope that by doing so they can enable their evil master to achieve his final victory over Zora Alishanda. For want of anything else to do, it seems that Cadre 1F have decided that their role is to stand at your back and nod along. Except for Green Flame, who is as expressionless as ever.
"I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't notice," says Kunrath with a rueful smile. "I've been engrossed in my work." He glances around with some perplexity at the dream-version of his laboratory. "Well… all of this is absolutely fascinating."
"You'll have a chance to investigate it later," you unashamedly lie. "For now, we really must be moving on."
"You're right, of course," he says, bowing his head. "Very well, lead the way."
Despite your best efforts, escaping the Academy is not as easy as you at first thought. Obviously, you can't go back the way you came, through the horde of shadow demons in the great hall, but you struggle to find another exit. Along the way, you see several more giant crows, obsessively pecking for coins and scraps of knowledge.
"Who are they?" asks Phil, looking bemused.
"You don't recognise your fellow students?" asks Venta, giving him an ironic glance. "For shame, I say."
"What happened to them?" asks Isolia.
"They're dreaming. Just dreaming," says Venta. "They'll be fine."
Outside, you find yourself back on the street. The outer wall of the Academy is behind you; it appears that you've left through a side door. To the left, the street is clear, invitingly empty, but that's not where you need to go; in fact, you'd be heading in the opposite direction to Tyrepheum's goblin town. Straight ahead, the cobblestones are glazed with a layer of rime and there are a few snowflakes gently fluttering down. To the right, where you need to go if you want to reach goblin town as soon as possible, you see a pallid figure sitting by an easel, painting something with swift, energetic brushstrokes. There is something about the outline of his body that seems… not quite right.
You do a quick headcount, checking that all of your companions are still with you: Kunrath, Green Flame, Dorian, Venta, Philander, Isolia, Cassilda and a massive bear dressed in a formal business suit. Yup, they're all present and accounted for.
In the sky above, you see Melphior himself, a titanic figure composed of many parts, most of which he stole from other gods. He is doing battle with a dragon that seems barely more than a silhouette, composed of fuliginous darkness, with flaming red eyes and wings that cast a shadow over the entire city.
"The Dream Dragon," says Venta, reverently. "I never thought I'd see it for myself."
You give her a sidelong glance. "One of Zora Alishanda's masks, I take it?"
She nods.
"Well then, we'd better hurry." You sigh heavily. "Otherwise no one will ever see it again."
What will Elys decide to do next? (Choose one)
[] Go left, down the 'invitingly empty' street.
[] Go straight ahead, down the street 'glazed with a layer of rime'.
[] Go right, towards the 'pallid artist'.
[] Ask your companions for help and suggestions.
-[] Write in: what do you want to say to them?
[] Do something else (write in).
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