Part 2 - Silberne Träume

[SunlessNick]

"There certainly has," Helmut says. "It will be interesting to see whether I am still injured in my dream. That will tell us something about the place's level of reality."

Alex,You would know that the bruises you got from the fight with the Dotherite weren't there when you woke up.

"Should we try to find each other in Hlanith tonight?" Wilhelm aks Alex and Elsie.
Elsie answers that it probably won't be hard - "We all appeared together last time. Now we've met you, you probably will too."

[Mr. Handy]

"Karl and I will most likely be together as well," says Max. "We'll have to wait until we awaken before our two groups can compare notes again."

[SunlessNick]

The rest of day passes without further bombs or fights, until nightfall comes.

Everyone,Remember in the character creation thread I said to note the characteristic that best exemplifies your character? Now that you are are aware of visiting the Dreamlands, each time you go there, if you wish to, you can reallocate skill points equal to that characteristic. You can take points from any skills you know, apart from Dreamshaping, Dream Lore, or Cthulhu Mythos, and add them to any skill that has a base chance above 01% (whether or not you already have points in it) - again, Dreamshaping, Dream Lore and Cthulhu Mythos can't be increased. While you're choosing whether or which skills to change, it's a not conscious process for your Investigators, so base it on your character's state of mind and what you think they'd be expecting as likely situations to happen. Skills will return to normal when you wake up. The next time you go to the Dreamlands, you can reallocate them again, not necessarily the same way.

Max and Karl: As you predicted, you and Helmut reappear on the Dotherites' ship - indeed it feels as if you are waking up in your impromptu cabin. Clearly some time must have passed, because you are approaching another shoreline. The Dotherites sailing the ship bid you good morning - their manner shows none of the confusion you might associate with your having disappeared, nor surprise consistent with you reappeaing.
At some point, while you are alone, Helmut wonders if you all unconsciously changed the Dotherite's perceptions to smooth over gaps in your presence - or perhaps there was no gap, and you all continue living in the Dreamlands even while awake, and it only your twin selves' perceptions that periodically align.

Before long, you see a city - presumably the port of Thraa that was mentioned. As you grow closer, it reminds you of pictures you've seen of Alexandria in Egypt, though a mingling of all the Alexandrias in history - there are buildings that remind you of nothing so much as Ptolomaric Egypt, intermingled with Mediaeval Arabic architecture, and more modern Colonial structures. The docks are great stone wharves - most of the ships are of similar design to the one the Dotherites are sailing. Even from the open water, there is a powerful scent of bread coming from the city, easily overpowering the smell of sea-brine, and leaving you all instantly hungry.

"Here we must dock and secure a river boat," one of the Dotherites says.


Alex: You find yourself on the same street in Hlanith where you first appeared. Once more the sky is dark, marked with white streaks, which turn the shadows of the granite and iron buildings deep and cold. This time however, you can more clearly see the people around you, though they are still doing little more than hurrying from one of the cabarets and clubs to another. Elise is beside you - she's wearing a party dress again, this time black, and has red, green, and blue coloured feathers tied into her night-black hair - she looks down at herself and says, "Am I always going to be dressed for the nightclubs when I get here?"

So far, you cannot see Wilhelm, or Louis or Friede, who always remained in Hlanith.

[HoneyDog]

"Certainly" Karl replies, looking about him in wonder. "Is it possible though to get something to eat? I'm famished."

[Philulhu]

“It seems that way,” replied Alex. “Perhaps if we return again then you could dream that you are wearing something else.”

He looked around. There was no sign of Karl or Max so they were presumably on a boat somewhere. He also wanted to check that none of the Dotherites were hanging around, looking for another kidnap victim...

[SunlessNick]

"Certainly" Karl replies, looking about him in wonder. "Is it possible though to get something to eat? I'm famished."

"That befalls all who come here," one of the Dotherites replies. "It is said that Thraa's bread is the greatest in all the world."

As you approach you can see that the city is built on a great estuary - the river's course is split into many different channels separated by small islands, which are in turn connected by stone bridges. The sunlight seems staggeringly bright, but does not hurt your eyes the way it might in the waking world. The ship docks near the river - you can see all the usual business that would serve the waterfront, along with alleys leading further inland. The people are dressed in long tunics and loose trousers, and display the whole range of human hues and features.

Two of the Dotherites head off to find river transport - the others intend to buy more supplies, and offer to show you all the souq quarter where the bakeries are to be found.

[SunlessNick]

“It seems that way,” replied Alex. “Perhaps if we return again then you could dream that you are wearing something else.”

"I'll try my best. Still... it's not all bad to wear something I could never afford in real life."

He looked around. There was no sign of Karl or Max so they were presumably on a boat somewhere. He also wanted to check that none of the Dotherites were hanging around, looking for another kidnap victim...

There are none on the street, and peering in through the metal filigreed windows of a few of the cabarets reveal none within.

You do see Louis and Friede dancing together in The Manticore's Feather. In the club next door to it, which doesn't appear to have a name, you see Wilhelm drinking alone.

Then you hear the sound of an engine, and a car passes by the end of the street - as it disappears from view, Elsie says, "I don't remember cars here before. Have you ever seen them?"

[Mr. Handy]

Max tries to summon up a large feast for himself and his friends, but nothing happens. "I suppose dreaming of things to make them appear doesn't always work," he says. "Looks like we'll have to get our food the old-fashioned way and buy it, unless one of you wants to give it a try?"

OOC,Dreamshaping roll (10% skill) to conjure a feast: 0 Do I still have my pistol in the dream, or a variant on it? If not, I will probably borrow points from that, and I think I'll take points from Drive Auto and Art/Craft(Acting) as well. I realize I could always use Dreamshaping to conjure a gun (or a car for that matter, as someone in Hlanith seems to have done), but it's unlikely to work. I'll have to think of what skills to add points to when I have time, but I'm pretty sure I want to add points to Swim.

[HoneyDog]

"No" says Karl. "But we could try to imagine some money."

[Philulhu]

”l don’t remember seeing any last time,” replied Alex. “Horse and carts, yes, but not motor vehicles. Shall we go and take a look?”

Offering his arm to Elise he set off down the street.

[SunlessNick]

OOC,Do I still have my pistol in the dream,or a variant on it? If not, I will probably borrow points from that, and I think I'll take points from Drive Auto and Art/Craft(Acting) as well. I realize I could always use Dreamshaping to conjure a gun (or a car for that matter, as someone in Hlanith seems to have done), but it's unlikely to work. I'll have to think of what skills to add points to when I have time, but I'm pretty sure I want to add points to Swim.

OOC,You don't have your pistol,although you do find yourself in possession of a punch dagger.

[SunlessNick]

"No" says Karl. "But we could try to imagine some money."

Whether by dreamshaping or the vagaries of the Dreamland's reality, Karl proves to have a supply of money on his person.


The Dotherites lead you down one of the alleys - the high walls on either side quickly turn the bright sunlight into cold shadow - likewise, the crowd and noise of the docks is replaced with solitude and silence. Only the ever-present smell of bread remains from your first impression of the city. Your path leads you round a few turnings, and over a bridge that crosses a narrow canal, its waters still and grey compared to the sparkling of the sea and main river.

But then crossing a second bridge takes you out into wide square crammed with market stalls, and lined with shop fronts, and bustling everywhere with people. Almost like a switch the sunlight is bathing you once more, and the voices of the traders and customers rises to a din.

"All the shops here are bakeries," one the Dotherites tells you. "Other goods are restricted to the stalls. Eat your fill and we will meet back here."

[SunlessNick]

”l don’t remember seeing any last time,” replied Alex. “Horse and carts, yes, but not motor vehicles. Shall we go and take a look?”

Offering his arm to Elise he set off down the street.

Elsie takes Alex's arm and walks with him.

At the turning where you saw the car, you see street signs made of iron with embossed lettering. The street with the Manticore's Feather is called the Leenstraße (though there is no immediate clue what "Leen" means) while the one crossing it is called the Tempelstraße (Temple Street) - on your last visit, the taxi-cart turned down Tempelstraße, thought the opposite way to the one the car was going - the street looks wider than you remember.

Looking in the direction the car went, you can see a few of them parked out the front of another cabaret. From this distance you can tell if the one you saw is one of them, but it didn't seem to be slowing down as it passed. The cars look normal enough in design, though they are painted in incongruously bright colours.

[Philulhu]

”Well, that’s different,” commented Alex. “Let’s go and take a look.”

Leading Elise by the arm, he crossed over the road to look at the cars in more detail.

[HoneyDog]

Karl procures a supply of food, buying extra for the journey ahead.

[Mr. Handy]

"I have some money from Hlanith as well," says Max. "I discovered this last time. I'll pay for my share."

[SunlessNick]

Karl procures a supply of food, buying extra for the journey ahead.

"I have some money from Hlanith as well," says Max. "I discovered this last time. I'll pay for my share."

As well as plain bread, the bakers sell loaves that have meats, herbs, cheeses or vegetables baked into them. The taste of it all lives up to its scent - far better than anything available in Berlin, it leaves you feeling warm and invigorated inside.

A short while later, the Dotherites return with their own supplies. The route to the riverside docks is different from the one you took from the seafront. The alleys are no wider than before, but the shadows of the buildings are less cold - the sunshine still reaches you. They are still empty of other people besides your party.

The riverside docks are bright and bustling, with cargo being loaded and unloaded from barges - it occurs to you that it must be hard to get goods through the city's alleys. You catch up with the pair who were looking for river transport - they have procured a barge - once loaded they are ready to set off immediately.

[SunlessNick]

”Well, that’s different,” commented Alex. “Let’s go and take a look.”

Leading Elise by the arm, he crossed over the road to look at the cars in more detail.

Up close, the impression of the cars' design is confirmed - all resemble common makes, though they don't have the logos or markers you would expect. They're painted almost like murals - one an abstract clash of colours you might find on a Dada painting, another in a multicoloured feathery pattern like a mythical bird's plumage, a third sporting a scene reminiscent of Hlanith's docks, while a fourth displays a cityscape that reminds you of Berlin.

"Who owns these?" Elsie wonders aloud. "Are dreamers making them?"

[Mr. Handy]

"How long will it take us to reach our destination?" asks Max as he boards the barge.

[SunlessNick]

"How long will it take us to reach our destination?" asks Max as he boards the barge.

"Three, maybe four days," one of the Dotherites answers.

OOC,Making Idea rolls: Max: 84 Karl: 56 Helmut: 97

Karl,It occurs to you that the Dotherites never introduced themselves to you, and never even refer to each other by name when you're around.