The Art of Dreaming

[Seraphina]

Oh, she was supposed to talk now, and nods to Rhodes.

“It is true that any oneiromancer can sculpt the dreams of someone and increase the healing benefits of sleep. But what I do as a Oneirophysic is more in depth and aimed at saving lives. The healing powers I bring into Dreams mend bones, purge toxins and stop bleeding, essentially, I’m there to save someones life. I don’t alter the Dreamscape, I exert my will over the Dreamer, I make their body heal.” She begins, “What you ask about, the mental state of someone, is not out of my abilities, I simply haven’t focused on it yet. But from what I’ve gathered, it’s similar to therapy in the waking world, but can be done at an increased rate with better results. There doesn’t need to be combat to help a Dreamer overcome their inner demons. But,” a shrug, “everyone is different. Some might need that.” But emotional issues weren’t her thing at this point. Someday, yes.

“I don’t need a Pledge or as you put it, compact, to enter someones Dreams to heal them. I do, at this point in my learning, need to be next to them. Though a Pledge has many benefits to it when it comes to Dreams.” But, that was Rhodes thing.

And Yami was focused on names. The Nix had advised on Dream Healing liked asked, the rest was on the others.

[Sonnie Wu]

"Heh, gross. Shoulda known it'd be those," Desert Survival Sonnie chuckled, as she started moonwalking around the sand. "So, it's more like a disease than a poison? Because it infects other dreams?"

Finding the source sounded like a lot of boring work. "Ineffable..." she repeated. Yeah, she totally knew what that word meant. Totally. "There are male Yamiyos for hire? I need to spend more time at the Goblin Market!"

The moonwalking continued. She seemed to be heading towards the oasis water.

"I dunno about complicated," she said to Anatole, "Sounds like following a river upstream until you find the lake."

Closer she came, shuffling backwards.

She listened as Seraphina, D.M.D. (Doctor of Dream Medicine) spoke to her expertise, and Sonnie nodded along. She grinned, "Not everybody gets to punch their inner demons in the face, huh? That sounds very cathartic!" She knows cathartic but not ineffable. Her vocabulary is spotty.

Finally, she reached the edge of the crystal clear waters. Raising her arms out, making a T pose, the Beast tipped back and fell into the cool, soothing water.

[Rhodes]

The Dread Lord nods. "It is not easy. And once or twice. They are an interesting sort, usually self-serving and quite mercinary. Approach them like you would a Hob or unknown changeling, tie them in a pledge... all things they understand."

Emerald eyes turn to John. "Yes, and.... somewhat. Navigating the Skein to a specific dream can be dependant on how well you know the dreamer. Finding a random dream of a person you saw our of all the people alseep at onece? Next to impossible - one has to move from dreamer to dreamer until you find the right one. Hence, needing a guide. The Dream Pledge allows the Oathsworn to enter each others dreams regardless of where the two are, for the duration of the pact - usually to safeguard on another's dreams. Vicinity is what allows you access my dream so easily. We could enter any of each other dream from here - because our minds are in one location." The search for secrets draws a chuckle. "Oh, people do, and they find other ways. Some Courts have their own ways of navigating the Skein - but I understand these ways are secrets kept within the Court."

Yamiyo gets a very curious look, and an intrigued smile. "...Do you now, I actually have no idea. Incubus is a derivation from the Latin incubo and incubare - people disagree as to which. Incubi and Succubi have long been associated with dreams, imagination and lust.... It is simply what they call themselves. If you do ever find out I would be most curious to know."

Seraphina's explanation has the Flowering smiling, though he looks around to the others. "As I understand it - and I am sure Lady Sera will correct me if I am mistaken - the Oneirophysics only choose people to join their guild that seek to use these powers for healing and benevolent actions, moving from dream to dream, repairing and soothing minds as they go."

Sonnie is given a small nod. "It is more like an infection, yes. Poison is simply what it has always been known as."

He folds his hands in front of him, waiting for any other questions.

[Anatole]

Anatole grunted.

"Eh. These Incubi sound too much trouble then. Unless you can get leverage on one first."

He pauses abruptly as Yamiyo Lillich confesses her fears... which is definitely something the wizened dwarf had never considered before.

"Are you talking about hobs or skilled Changelings like us? My lord," he added carefully.

Seraphina's confessions caught Anatole's eye. And his interest. He listened quietly while the Emerald Queen spoke of her skill set. He didn't even flinch when Sonnie Wu made a splash.

[James Turner]

John looked over at Yami, she was making a lot of assumptions about the logic and conventions of beings we couldn’t possibly comprehend. He had thoughts on the matter but he wasn’t going to derail the Dread Lord’s lesson to postulate, merely turning his attention to Seraphina and listening intently as she spoke.

“Dreams to mend bones…”

It was an idle statement pulled out of wonder and awe, he didn’t know how such things were possible but it was certainly quite a useful talent. He had to say he was impressed, he hadn’t looked at the Spring Queen and saw a doctor, this was another facet to her that had gone unknown until now.

“Follow up, if I may be permitted? If Dream therapy is like normal therapy what is the advantage to it? Is it easier for a mind’s own subconscious to tackle issues its waking mind couldn’t?” He then turned to Sera. “You soothe minds and heal the body, does your passing in dreams not leave nightmares? I just deal with a lot of troubled people in my day-to-day life, I’d like very much to help them if I could.”

It might be time to get a car soon, easier to be close to a dreamer if one could park near them. Best you can do I think.

He held back rolling his eyes at Sonnie, always like a child given too much sugar and just as hard to control. He was certain she was a good defender of the spring court but she had zero situational awareness, they were all sitting here trying to learn and she was offering nothing but distractions. He looked to Rhodes’ and remembered his warning instead choosing to focus on the lesson.

[Yamiyo Lillich]

Smiling at Sonnies comment and giving her a wink.
"Why settle for a man when a woman with the added ability to have a custom tailored look is that much closer." Blowing her a kiss, it was a good way to clear her mind from the thoughts of the names that were running through her mind, why was it like that, it was a small detail but it still gnawed at her mind.

Listening to the dread lords reply eased her mind but only for a second, she knew as much even if she wasn't an expert so did she know about Succubus and Incubuses and the various tales of them and she knew the truth of them better than most. True a lot of the tales were written by people that didn't really understand them and the folklore differed, they had been known under various names in various places and at some points she wasn't sure if the things she had read about were tales of one of her, of something else or just a story after all there were a lot of things one couldn't know for sure with just second hand tales. However why her kith were the only kith that wore two names to separate genders at least as far as she knew and why the male version had this duality were frightening. Was it somehow linked to the kith itself, was it just for men or did she have a link towards it as well or was it all just a coincidence created to be a riddle that no one could really solve or to mess around with those that tried?

Looking lost in thought as she replies.
"I will venerable dread lord, I am sorry that I spun away on this talk being the female equivalence to it by kith kind of caught me of guard a bit."

3 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2020-05-07 15:08:38	Yamiyo Lillich rolls 3 to wit+emp+wyrd-inten(2) (10 Again)	10, 4, 10, 5, 9	3 successes

Sitting down as a pavilion tent appears over her, filled with lounge chair sofas made of wood and silk for them all except the dread lord which had a throne made of autumn leaves at a kings position, each one soft and warm to sit upon and forming a perfect circle around a small but cozy fire, evidently she was far better at this when her mind was busy with other things.

Sitting cozily and warmly whilst listening to the others speak, taking in the lessons of her Queen and the words of those around her albeit her mind never truly being able to push the names aside.

[Seraphina]

A slender shoulder shrugs to Sonnie, “You can if you want, I certainly wouldn’t frown on it.” She had been tempted many times in her Dreams, but the fear always took over. “I’ve just seen that it isn’t always necessary.” But that was from a healer’s point of view.

As the Beast fell into the water, an amused smile appears on her face.

Then a knowing smile to Rhodes, “Perhaps next to impossible for some, for me? When I increase my abilities, easy.” Was she looking forward to it? Yeah. Would she accept the next step? She wasn’t sure, things were still up in the air for her.

“And you are correct. They choose those they want to join their ranks, you don’t ask for it. And you are watched, all the time, to make sure you are using your gifts for good.” Though she had heard tales of the healing being turned to something more sinister.

A nod to John, “Yes, one of the things I am able to do.” It was a bit odd to have this much interest in it.

“Sure.” Why not. “The advantage to it is that I am able to do it at with a more skilled and practiced hand. Sometimes, yes, it is. But for the minds that are truly troubled, a skilled hand and the right knowledge can advance the progress.” It was simple to her, but hard to explain. “I never allow myself to be seen when I have entered the Dreams of others, and I always make the Dream as soothing and calming as I can while I do what I need to do. Those I have helped have never mentioned having nightmares. But I’m also very careful and only go into those Dreams to heal. Going into someones Dream without knowing what you are doing could be detrimental without you knowing. The mind is a delicate thing, difficult to understand and even more difficult to heal.” Words of caution.

Sapphires watch as Yami made her seating area, but the Nix remains standing, her long dress flowing gently.

[Sonnie Wu]

The Monkey floated serenely in the dream waters, face up towards the sky, her eyes closed in bliss.

Did the Spring Court have secret ways of traveling dreams? She couldn't recall any. Maybe it was classified information? Maybe she'd ask Seraphina, later.

"I imagine," she said towards James, "that the advantage is time. Just like training someone in a dream montage? Big time saver!" It was just a guess, but it made sense to her.

Her army helmet had fallen off of her head and floated away, like a boat. She opened an eye, arched her neck, and watched it bob about the surface of the oasis water. "I dunno, Yami, I still like a good... wait, custom tailoring? What does that mean?"

[Rhodes]

Rhodes frowns. "Honestly? They could be either, or neither. They keep their true forms a secret. They could be an entirely different creature... but they behave like hobs enough to use that as a guideline."

He turns to John. "As Lady Sera says, and Sonnie is also correct. A difference in time. Healing with dream therapy can be twice as fast as standard recovery."

Her smile is met with one of his own. Next to impossible, yes.... Unless you knew how to perform an Oneiroscope, or happened to be an Oneirophysic. He watches as Yamiyo bends the dream again, and smiles. "Very kind, Miss Lillich, but the next part is so much better to remain standing."

The Flowering reaches out an arm and a thick, dark root branch shoots out ground. It twists and forms into a an elegant staff of Autumn leaves, rising into his open palm and breaking itself from the ground.

"So, unless there is anything else...?" He leaves the question in the air, in case there was a final question. "Some of you wanted to know about Oneiromachy. The way of fighting in Dreams. We'll move on to that next." The Staff clinks on a rock emerging form the sands.

[Anatole]

Anatole was giving his sidelong look to the Dread Lord now.

He grunted by way of response, dipping his head in a quick and simple nod.

As the conversation bounced and flowed, the wizened dwarf moved over to Yamiyo's pavilion so he could take a better look at the craftsmanship - how solid it seemed and how it felt to his touch. The Romancer got a grunt of satisfaction.

"Ah yes."

Anatole's eyes glinted as Rhodes turned the conversation to Oneiromachy.