The Occult Club - Dreams and Omens

[Abacus]

"Lucid dreaming? I've heard about that online somewhere. People will peddle all sorts of supplements...but I've never gotten around to trying it myself."

Abacus took it upon himself to visit campus every now and again. The math department had hired a new chairperson, so he had a moment to enjoy some mundane festivities. It had been a while since he could call anything...mundane. Case and point being him standing in front of the door to what looked to a club meeting. The flyer three doors down heralded the topic: Omens and Dreams. This was either a complete waste of his time, full of Sleepers that talked about bogus tarot readings or crystal balls....or something else. The pull of that "else" was enough to tone down the will-worker and entertain someone he hadn't in a very, very long time.

To the rest of them, the new face was well...new. Luckily, Abacus wasn't the oldest of the bunch. He was also surprised to see a face he actually recognized. Shodan. Wonderful.

[Nathaniel Dormur]

Oh good, there weren't going to be any issues with the campus authorities (for now, at least). The old man said he was interested, and he'd definitely shown those quirks that seemed to be a constant in members of their little club- Nathaniel's eyes lit up lightly at the idea of rune tossing, and once more upon learning the man's name.

"Well I'm Nathaniel- and welcome to the Occult Club!" a stupid grin, then a clear throat as he jotted a note down."Runecasting could be an interesting endeavor. Thing is, the meaning of these things could change entirely based on one's state of mind- their own views and experiences can affect how they see the results. So having an 'occult' perspective might provide better responses." He really needed to catch up on Uratha history in Europe- if a Tarot Fetish existed, what were the chances a runic variant was made at an earlier point? As for the dreams...

... One could never call Mary dull. Not that Nathaniel was averse to her behavior- she offered a unique state of mind to bounce ideas off of. Adam seemed to understand the scientific aspect more than the Crescent did; this was also useful. "Ah, no coffee for me. Thank you for the offer though." Caffeine was bad for dogs. "I don't think any extreme substances would be needed- from what I've read at least. Maybe melatonin to help fall asleep? It seems how one learns can vary." And some, based on what he had found online, seemed capable of doing it naturally without training. "As for using dreams to fulfill desires- excess and indulgence is often thought to be a pathway to 'others.'" And Nathaniel knew enough about the Maeljin to know that not all of it was panic propaganda "So perhaps purposefully delving into your desires might actually serve as a catalyst?" Frightening if true... And an opportunity for the future.

At Mary's talk about frightened animals and their reactions to things... Well, he could certainly provide some harmless information here. "Instinct. Wild animals have it naturally it seems- probably a product of living in the wilds in the first place. A sort of sense that tells them when things are wrong. I'm sure most animals have it to some degree- even humans, though it might take some practice. And if we fine tuned it... Could we sense something 'other'?" Adam hit the nail on what Nathaniel intended, though Mary's interpretation hadn't been considered. "Now I'm not usually superstitious, but if things like animals and events can create patterns- and if patterns can be deciphered to uncover meaning- then it stands to reason that at least some of those occurrings would be the work of other elements." Spirits were known to possess animals, and their manifestations or alterations could take unusual forms. A rare White Deer might actually be a Spirit of the Hunt, a Black Cat one of bad luck.

"Either way- all these topics revolve again on the observation of patterns, and they're all presenting ways to interpret them. If we can control our dreams, we might be able to see there what our waking minds could not. If we can analyze omens through a certain lens, we might see the machinations of something more at work." Ley Lines were a bust- but there were other avenues.... As of now, Nathaniel was undecided on which might prove more useful to pursue first. He was kind of hoping this meeting would persuade him in one direction. "We could, perhaps, make our own Scrying instruments and document their use? Or if dreams seem a better avenue, we could keep dream journals?" Nathaniel wasn't experienced enough to make a powerful Scrying Fetish, but a weaker variant might be possible. And for dreams, he had no idea what an Uratha's Lucid Dreams might entail. Both were exciting to ponder!

More exciting was another newcomer! Luna above, any more and they might actually have to relocate. "Ah! Hello, I'm Nathaniel. We're following all the rules of campus congregations. Welcome to the Occult Club! By the sound of it you might have more experience with dreams, so maybe you can give us a perspective as well? I have this idea that the world's patterns can be deciphered to uncover unnatural-" Though Nathaniel would never consider himself so -occurences. Today's methods are Omens and Dreams. Which seems more interesting to you?"

[Circe]

Circe laughs as Shodan runs with the oracle joke, "Don't threaten me with a go time," she prepares another cup and hands it off to him, "I find that the serenity of meditation can be found with coffee much more easily in my experience," then shrugs, "Or it could be an Italian thing."

Circe eyes Shodan up and down at the dress accusation. She thinks the man could pull it off. Then looks at the flyer to see what it says about mortal lucid dreaming, "Hmm, well Nate already shot down the narcotics so no special brownies. Sounds he wants ta share a turkey dinner though," technically accurate given the connection between melatonin and trytophan. Though Nathaniel's advice was very Springy in regards to what to do with lucid dreaming. Though she had a counter to that which was fair warning.

But lucid dreaming to find things? Oh she could see that going very badly. The weakling academic Nathaniel finding a Keeper and being helpless to fight back? Great, she was caring about a mundy again. How could she, oh that could work!

Circe taps her chin, "So search fer an Other in yer dreams?" She inhales then sighs, "Dream seers were a thing sure but welp," she squeaks out the last part as she points at Nathaniel and her tone goes flat, "Have ya ever seen Nightmare on Elm Street?" Circe let the implication sit as the Fairest digs out her telephone to look for mundane advice, "Somebody has probably posted thoughts of how ta fight Freddy. Could help." And would if the foe was a crazy Autumn trying to haul Glamour but not really if the foe had other intents.

Circe had no idea if mortal scrying was a thing or if it was worth trying to do, but it could be useful if it was. "Oh welcome new dude, I'm very Mary," she cheerfully waves at Abacus, "Ya want coffee?"

As for the animal thing that got a nod from Circe, "Like how animals straight up refuse ta enter the killer haunted houses?" Circe nods, "Cool. Oh hey, omens used ta be a big thing in ancient times. Like kings obeying 'em on how ta fight wars." She is looking at Nathaniel, "Ya think yer university might have some studies on omens of the past already? Fits with the whole pattern thing and saves time if somebody already found the pattern, even if they wrote it up as this is what primitive savages believed but we modern folks don't kinda bullshit."

[Anatole]

Anatole settled in his seat.

"Dream journal's are always a thing. Nearly everything I've read recommends them. Heck, even from a psychological standpoint, they seem to have a use. Dreams work in symbols. Patterns - as you say. So maybe we can start there without having to source more... um... esoteric gear?"

He tugged at his beard, eying Nathaniel Dormur through narrowed eyes.

"And. Well. Tarot cards and rune-things... They can be bought in the shops if you want to try them."

He turned to Circe .

"I guess the internet. Or the libraries here. I mean, we're here, right? They can stop us loaning the books but they can't stop us reading in the library, surely?"

To the group as a whole:

"Anyone got good old fashioned research skills. I did a bit... back in the day. Don't know how good I'll be nowadays with everything digitalised and all..."

[Nathaniel Dormur]

Were Mary and Adam... Flirting? Nathaniel couldn't quite tell. As for coffee helping meditation- "Relaxing varies with each person- and it's not like you have to be criss-cross flaunting mantras to meditate... With enough practice, anyone could find their er... What do they call it, 'center?'" Was Mary serious about those special brownies? Wait. Was weed safe for wolves? A mental note to look that up later.

Then she spoke of attacks in dreams. Admittedly Nathaniel had briefly thought of that- but Nightmare Spirits were the precedence for him. Apparently horror films were hers? "You think Dream Demons or something like them might be a thing? Scary if possible- and perhaps a good reason to learn how to protect yourself... Er... Unless Lucid Dreaming attracts them in the first place?" Oh great. Now Nathaniel had ANOTHER avenue of supernatural defense. Nonetheless. "So you take it in caution, and try not to turn all of your dreams into fantasyland? Do it sparingly, maybe." Take things in degrees. Like this club.

People died in their sleep all the time. Were Dream Entities to blame for some of it? A chilling thought that only seemed to embolden the desire to learn how to control them- scrawny as he was, his forms could compensate for most physical challenges. But Nathaniel didn't know if those same defenses would be afforded in a dream. How would his nature act?

So far, three for Dream Journals. Four, counting himself. Anatole also suggested purchasing a scrying tool which... Was probably a good idea to start off. "Well, Composition Journals should be easy enough. It might take a few months, but with enough practice and preparation... I can see some wonderful results from it." And as Adam suggested, there were other benefits. And it was relatively cheap and not that time-consuming, compared to attempting to locate and awaken a Ley-Line Spirit. "I'll see if I can find a cheap Tarot Deck or something for us to practice with at the next meeting."

Then Anatole's question- it presented a cool opportunity to the crescent. "I use these libraries a lot for looking into things- I'd say I'm decent at research. If you all wanted, we could spend the rest of our time after the meeting looking into a topic? The library has computers as well- I'm sure together we could find something interesting?" It might be a good team-building exercise. "Could give us tips on this as well- campus is bound to have studies on Lucid Dreaming and sleep around here." Among other things.

[Abacus]

"Nice to meet you all. I'm Holden."

The fact that the Libertine was here was enough to suspect that a Guardian could burst through that door any moment. The last thing he needed was Sympathy. Surely, his first name would be acceptable. There was a part of him that knew that it wasn't. Far from it. Foolish. Stupid.

Mary offered him coffee, "Yes, please, thank you."

The guy with the beard referenced research. He asked around for someone that knew what they were doing. "I'm pretty good with computers, I could shop around."

Finally, the ringleader. Nathaniel. All of this time spent sitting and listening, laying the groundwork for a...side project, he hadn't cast a single spell. No will-work. Just...socializing. No edges. No Supernal wisdom to guide him.

No Arcadia.

I have ideas that the world's patterns can be deciphered to uncover unnatural occurrences...

That was strangely articulate for undergraduate occult shenanigans. Abacus didn't expect it and he surely could not say anything remotely on brand. He didn't dare toe the line even though there was a small part of him that wanted to see if they'd bite. He wondered what Shodan told them, if he told them anything at all.

"Omens or dreams? Well..omens exist outside of yourself. You may attribute meaning to them and subject it to your own way of looking at the world and its habits, but they ultimately stand apart from you. A sign in the sky. Dreams, on the other hand...well, they're solipsistic. It's not like I can enter into someone's dream. But you can imagine me there."

That was a lie. One could exercise the practice of Ruling through the Mind Arcana in order to enter someone's dream-space. He never learned it, but he damn well read about it.

"Dreams can be chaotic. Omens seem...safer? I sound like I know what I'm talking about, but I swear I just read Macbeth one too many times."

.

[Circe]

Circe gives Shodan a flat look and opens her mouth to say something. Then closes it. Opens, closes. Shrugs, "Ya know it really does. Like whiskey being invented ta keep the Irish from ruling the world."

She looks to Nathaniel as he struggles with the word, "Thought it was something with an N at the start for perfect meditation." Circe sips her coffee before sighing. "Ya were looking into leylines, items empowered by the history of deeds done with 'em, and ghosts yet yer gonna nay say Dream Demons?" She giggles as she shakes her head, "Skepticism seems arbitrary fer anything brought up in the discussions here. But good," she raises the coffee in salute, "Idea ta limit it. What attracts a predator in the dark more, that brief flash of light or the rave?"

A good analogy, probably. It couldn't hurt to lessen the attention of Them, keep these mundies from being taken to Arcadia. "Also it looks like on the dream monster tryin' ta scare ya ta death front they recommend US military techniques fer stayin' calm in battle," Circe finished with her phone. "And an exorcist."

"True man, that's a great idea," she nods to Anatole. "Not just the dream journal fer what he," nods to Shodan, "Said but the university library too. Take stuff out not likely but browsing should be copacetic," and Nathaniel confirms that it should be okay, "And clearly not a problem if Nate thinks it's cool."

"Hold on and ya will be Holden yer coffee soon," Circe was quick to pocket her phone and make good on the punny statement. She does freeze up as Holden mentions entering others dreams. A scan of his shadow shows naught out of the ordinary. But neither did hers really so that whole Mein shows in shadow thing probably didn't work. She offers him the coffee, "Omens over dreams? Well I guess I get ta nay say one more thing. Sometimes dreams mean either jack or don't do X before bed. Or do do X before bed if ya happen ta like the dream. Kinda confusing there."

[Anatole]

Anatole listened with narrowed eyes.

"Stick to lucid dreaming," he ventured at last.

"It has... shall we say... more credibility as an academic subject. Less chance of raising suspicions - if thats what you fear - and probably more chance of finding some useful academic studies and what not."