(Broken Cycle) Poisoned Well

[James Turner]

James nodded, a little stiffer and more formal than usual. “I’d like that, thank you.” He didn’t feel so naked and exposed here, sure there was fear an anxiety of what they had to do, but here in dreams was a lot easier than it was out there. “Agreed, the hospital was the last thread before…” He trailed off letting its name go unsaid.

Though as Sera mentioned the patients James frowned and shook his head. “They’re hounds now, I’d like to believe they can be saved.” But if they can’t….He thought with a sigh, that frown stuck to his face for now, having to shake himself out of those thoughts.

“Sounds like we’re as prepared as we’re going to be.” He stepped back to let the Dread Lord lead the way, this was Autumn’s territory not Winters. James had talent and he could get there on his own but not nearly as quickly and sometimes time was a factor. He did what he could to help reinforce the gate; anxiety was both a curse and a blessing. In a normal situation it left you feeling panicked, afraid, overwhelmed. But this wasn’t normal, this was a potentially life or death situation, there anxiety was your bodies response to danger, to increase reaction speed, to put you on edge to notice the monster lurking in the shadows. He took that those threads, ones he was all too familiar with and used those to help Rhodes punch through the dream.

5 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-02-01 06:07:03	James Turner rolls 10 to Dreamgate Teamwork (Wits + Wyrd + Empathy) (10 Again)	8, 8, 1, 4, 9, 10, 6, 9, 2, 3, 1	5 successes

[Rhodes]

The Dream Lord pushes up his sleeves and rolls his shoulders. "Right then. Let's see where we're going..."

6 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-02-02 07:25:26	Rhodes rolls 9 to Oneiroscope - Int+Occult+Spec+Autumn Mantle (10 Again)	9, 7, 8, 9, 8, 3, 7, 10, 4, 8	6 successes

He closes his eyes and stretches out, concentrating on the connection between himself and the Huntsman form their encounter. He could feel it... closer than ever.

"... There."

The strands of the Skein were like a web, but the thin line in his mine of dark glitter pointed the way in his mind's eye.

Rhodes watched as Sera opened the door from his dream, the wall opening into the light beyond. He allowed himself a small smile. Between the three of them they were some of the best oneiromancers the freehold had to offer - this was as ready as they were going to be.

He advanced slowly through the portal, leading the way.

[Saber Sloth]

As one, the Lost tumble forward, the steady floor of Rhodes' Dream disappears as they step foot through the Door. They shoot forward, faster then thought the hooks of the Dread Lord's Oneiroscope spears through to the sought after Hospital Dream.

Flashing as they're pulled through, there are glimpses of a tumultuous sea, a burning house, and a coffin in a grave, buried in a cave.

Then suddenly, dropping, stopping, with the force of of a body hitting a brick wall they're here.

Faded but present, the Hospital Dream is a horrifying sight of consequences. Unlike the last time Sera saw the Dream, there's no one strapped to the bed. Beds, bloody and rumpled. The lights are flickering, but still searing.

Time to look for that Dream Poison! Wits+Empathy+Wyrd-3Intencity!

[Seraphina]

It was always the stop that got her. Taking a few moments to gather herself, she looks around, a mixture of sadness and anger on her face. The bodies were gone. She had failed them, had failed to rescue them from whatever had been keeping them here.

But she couldn’t dwell on that, she had to find that poison, and sets to work searching for it. Not pausing, just looking.

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-02-07 16:40:13	Seraphina rolls 6 to Dream Poison(Wits+Empy+Wyrd)-3 (10 Again)	3, 5, 5, 2, 8, 6	1 success

[James Turner]

It was unusual for him to pierce through the skein like that, normally having to play a city-wide game of telephone to connect like dreams to the source he originally intended. This was far more effective if you knew your destination, he wondered if this was an autumn secret or one that could be shared. He didn’t have a head to spin so the feeling must be his consciousness catching up. He had to shake off the feeling and get to work.

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-02-09 05:21:06	James Turner rolls 7 to Find Dream Poison (Wits + Empathy + Wyrd - 3) (10 Again)	3, 4, 6, 7, 1, 2, 2	failure

He was overwhelmed by the changes to the place, the feeling of guilt over not being able to help three more people get taken. Add on to that the fear, the memory of what was just a dream away. The size and terrifying majesty that was The Huntsman, he was frozen with analysis paralysis.

[Rhodes]

Rhodes slowly lets out the breath he had been holding. Oneiroscopes were unpredictable, but this one seemed to bring them to where they sought. Even the abrupt leap had brought them closer than he had hoped.

Something was awry - there were no people. Where was the dreamer? This place was fading, fragmented, but anchored - at least for now. It was suspicious.

The Dread Lord took in a deep breath, standing still in the center of the room, eyes closed. The actions meant little here, but it was habit, a way of focusing the mind. Carefully he reached out with his thoughts into the ethereal world around them.

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-02-09 07:22:26	Rhodes rolls 8 to Sense Dream-Poison: Wits+Empathy+Wyrd-3 (10 Again)	7, 4, 1, 5, 5, 2, 4, 6	failure

The echoes were everywhere... it was difficult to see where they actually originated from or where they were going to. Rhode scowled, and sighed. This might be harder than he thought.

[Saber Sloth]

The Lost know the ills Fae induced malady, that was Dream Poison, but presented in this way, it isn't as shocking that the Resident of the Order of Oneirophysics is the first to notice the lingering traces.

With an experienced eye, the Nix sees the tubes, and wires, and IVs lines, and they glow under her understanding. The Poison had been literally being pumped into those poor Dreamers she had seen strapped to the bed the last time she made it to the Hospital Dream.

[Seraphina]

It was there! The glow.

And she moves, without thinking, to where the tubes and wires were. Walking around them, her eyes are glued to them, looking to see where they were hooked up to. Where were they drawing the poison from? Another Dream? She had to find it, maybe it would save others of suffering the way the other Dreamers had.

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-02-10 13:40:40	Seraphina rolls 4 to Looking for Source(Wits+Inv) (10 Again)	7, 10, 3, 1, 7	1 success

[James Turner]

Sera was on the hunt for something but John did not know what, he looked where she was looking and furrowed his brow, squinting closely trying to see if he could see the same thing as her. He checked for the tell tale signs of the Wyrd, any form of corruption or distortion of the dream. He was reaching out to find out where the dream was wrong, where the outside influence infiltrated the dream.

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-02-12 11:36:59	James Turner rolls 7 to Find Dream Poison (Wits + Empathy + Wyrd - 3) (10 Again)	1, 7, 10, 6, 10, 6, 3, 1, 5	2 successes

“Any Luck?”

[Rhodes]

It was frustrating. Rhodes looked up from his ruminations and saw that of the three of them, only Sera seemed to be more focused, more directed. It was only natural - she was seeking paths of dreams his very nature made closed.

Heading over to her, he stretched his senses in that direction, hoping for more success.

3 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2021-02-14 05:26:07	Rhodes rolls 8 to Search for Dream Poison: Wits+Empathy+Wyrd-3 (10 Again)	1, 3, 4, 9, 8, 6, 5, 10, 3	3 successes

There. Somehow looking to her made everything easier.