A Story Born of Hope

Alexandria City, outskirts, late morning.

There's a grassy meadow here, not far from the outer watch-towers which serve as a kind of demarcation for magicians; the limits of the Alexandrian ward. It's actually a familiar place for one Telamon Lupecyll-Atlon, who's standing there in the humid mists, waiting patiently. Dressed elegantly as always, but lightly in deference to the heat, a pale cream colored silk shirt over linen trousers and his boots, with a broad-brimmed hat on his head.

The sorcerer reaches into his haversack idly, drawing out a set of notes bound into a kind of simple folio, paging through them. "Need to determine dimensions, which I -have-... also need to account for not being on the material plane..."

There's a slight disturbance in the mists, that zips past overhead. Nearby, a light thud is heard, and the sound of jingling moves towards Telamon. From the muggy gloom of Alexandria's famous mists comes the diminutive form of Simony. She's almost on top of Telamon before she properly spots him, and bounds into a hug at his waist.

"Telamon!", she cries out, giggling. She's a little heavier than normal, bearing a backpack, and silver-gold chainmail.

Telamon glances up, putting the folio away at the jingling. But then his expression smoothes out into a welcome smile, and he hugs Simony back firmly, patting her. "Hello again. Ready for a little trip? I've warned Lana, and we shouldn't be gone too long. I've got some work to do there as well, but I'm sure I'll have to answer -so- many questions from you first."

His dark eyes twinkle merrily. "Leca'fi Amdamu awaits, Simony. Oh, that reminds me." He reaches into his haversack to pull out a small brown bottle, offering it to her. "Soothe syrup, just in case the gate doesn't agree with you."

"I'm as prepared as I can be. I've got a few spells prepared to minimize any erm... planar atmosphere issues." She rubs at the back of her head and takes the offered brown bottle. Sniffing at it, her nose wrinkles. "I hope to not have to use it, but I am thankful to have it just in case. Thank you, Tel! I've a little treat for you, later."

"I've also informed my superiors of my absence, so if something goes horribly wrong, they will know to be worried if I am gone too long. In case we find ourselves somewhere... interesting." Simony giggles. "I'm good to go!"

"There shouldn't be any planar issues; the Border Ethereal isn't hostile on its own, and the Dreamlands may sit up against it but I doubt you're going into them. It's not like, say, the Plane of Fire or the Iron Hells." Telamon chuckles. "Yes, I've been to both. They're not pleasant."

"In any case, I don't expect trouble. But that doesn't stop me from being prepared." Indeed, magical rings wink on Telamon's hands and he wears his circlet. "So let's not waste time." He holds out one hand, and begins to describe a circle with the other, chanting as he does. "Anubda kaskal, nu siten, irhandi saggan." His voice is sonorous, reverberating, and as his hand circles a sparkle of silvery-blue starlight forms in the air... rapidly opening into a portal ten feet across. Beyond is a stone harbor, the waves of some distant ocean washing against it, with a set of stairs leading upwards to an imposing castle in glistening blue-gray stone.

The Goblin nods once at Telamon. "It doesn't hurt to be prepared. I watched a well thrown object mess up a wizard's spell, and ended up on another planetary body. Where I met the Watcher. It was a fortuitous end, but, it could have easily gone incredibly wrong." She taps her nose. "Now that I have the capability to bend things to my reality, I should at least have a few things ready."

The hand offered it taken, the slight trembling Simony displays easily felt. She watches in silence as the circle is cast, and the silver-blue starlight can be seen. Her eyes widen at the portal, and she almost pulls away. the castle is gawked at, and she blinks, rubbing at her eyes with her other hand.

Once the gate is stable, Telamon gently ushers Simony through, before following. Once he has passed, the gate immediately shrinks back down and disappears, leaving them on the stone quay. There's the soft sound of the tides, but it almost feels soothing, like a lullaby. Far off in the distance, barely visible, a ship can be seen.

The castle rears over the shoreline, looking almost like a artistic depiction of a fairy castle from the stories. One could imagine a fey prince stepping down to greet his guests, accompanied by a retinue. But at the highest tower flies a banner, sable, with the silvery-white crescent-and-raven of the house of Lupecyll-Atlon. Two translucent forms, like spectral footmen, stand at the foot of the stairs leading up towards the castle, and they come to attention with the arrivals.

"Welcome to the Castle on the Edge of Waking, Simony," Telamon says with a smile. "Not a bad little summer home, if I do say so myself."

Simony wobbles, and her knees give out, and she finds herself on the stone quay, on her hands and knees. "Ooooh. Why is this so difficult? So dizzy. It's like a smack to the back of the head." She huffs and gets to her knees, beginning to look around at her surroundings. "It's almost surreal, like a fanciful painting of a place we know isn't real, but is." With a grunt, she stands, swaying a little.

"It seems like a nice place to seek peace and quiet from. When you do not wish to be found. Is there any sort of civilization out here? Towns? Cities? What is this keep a bastion against?"

The Goblin peers up at Telamon. "And uhm... isn't it sort of misnamed? If you're on the edge of waking.. shouldn't it be in the Dreaming, almost touching... well, here?" The Castle on the Edge of Dreaming?"

Telamon shrugs lightly. "I didn't name it. But if you look out there..." He points to the ocean. "That's not really an ocean. I think we -perceive- it as one, but that's the Dreamlands. We're literally sitting on the edge of it, like children perched on a dock, kicking their feet above the water."

He helps Simony get back to her feet. "I haven't seen anything. The Border Ethereal isn't exactly... well, a coherent place. It's a space between spaces, much like how the void -- small 'v' there -- is the space between the stars. This place, though, is a kind of pocket of stability -- my theory is that Ni'essa, or one of her servants, established it as a good place to keep an eye on the Dreamlands. Kind of like the watchtowers outside Alexandria."

"What would happen if we really sat down and put our feet in the water? Would someone dream of that? Feet in the water?" Her notebook has been pulled from the pouch she keeps around her waist, and her pencil wiggles back and forth as she tries to note down... well, everything.

"So we're in a liminal place. That must explain the ... the odd feeling I have. It's meant to be a place that exists to link one place to another. Not a place to live in." Her eyes got out over the vast ocean. "So... that ship sails over the Dreamlands. Are there other places like this, then? Bastions of other gods? Fey dwallings?

He wasn't wrong about the number of questions.

Telamon laughs softly. "Maybe. I don't know. I'm not eager to go swimming, though. I don't want to disturb someone's dream with 'strange half-elf swimming through it'. Although it would explain why some dreams are so surreal."

He lifts his hand to peer out at the ship on the ocean. "That would be the Barque of Sweet Dreams. One of Ni'essa's servants rides on it, striving to bring good and insightful dreams to mortals." He offers Simony a grin. "We've met a couple times."

He gently taps on Simony's shoulder. "Why don't we go up into the castle proper? It does have a library, and I haven't had the chance to peruse it extensively -- the life of a lordly hero, you know. But I'd be surprised if there weren't journals from past wardens of this place."

Simony peers at the waters, and giggles lightly. "I don't know, I suspect some people would not be upset with you swimming through their dreams. I'm sure some of your fan club would be beside themselves with cheer." Another giggle is had before she eyes the ship.

"A barque? An interesting ship designation. Have you had a chance to sail on it, or simply acquainted with her captain?

The Goblin's gaze goes to the fairytale castle before them, and nods slowly. "I think that would be a nice way to pass the time, catching up on your reading list. Is the castle prepared for guests? I don't want to be a drain on the supplies here." Her stomach gurgles noisily. "Er..." She begins to make her way towards the entrance.

The portcullis is raised, and more of those strange, translucent guards can be seen. They look almost elven, like animated glass statues of such, and they snap to attention as Telamon and Simony pass. The doors swing open, admitting the pair into the great hall.

"Once. I don't know if it's -actually- a barque -- it looks too big. But then, Isaak is the only one on it, and somehow it sails itself." Telamon rubs his chin. "It's hard to tell how much was 'real' versus how much is 'interpretation'. But at least he's friendly. Not like the strange prince." Tel makes a face. "That fellow is just -weird-."

The great hall is made of that same blue-gray, glistening stone, the sconces blazing with pale light, illuminating dozens of banners hanging from the ceiling. At the head of the hall are two chairs, carved of wood in the elven style, and the black and silver of Tel's family hangs behind them. "The castle is, in fact, stocked for guests. I have an interesting theory -- that certain things, like stories and spells, are inspired by older works and designs." He leads Simony towards a side door. "The kitchens are this way," he says with a grin.

Things are quickly written and sketched into Simony little notebook, including a number of the 'guards'. "What sustains all of this? The White Disc's magics? Or once dreamt into existence, it remains self-sustaining?"

She peers up at Tel once more, her face bearing a puzzled expression. "Strange prince? You're going to have to explain things like I've never heard of them before. Since that is very likely the case."

Her gaze goes up, and up, to the heights of the hall, her hand working the pencil at speed to get a sizable sketch done of what she sees. "That is most likely the case, Telamon. All stories have their basis in truth, and in older stories. I suspect magic follows this same pattern." She goes quiet for a moment, her expression thoughtful. "It may be a disturbing thought, but... it is likely everything, every story, is true. But like a rumor or gossip, it gets changed in the telling of it. Colours, people, smells, sounds... we all experience these things slightly differently and it .. tints everything we say. The King in the Mountain? Probably true. Fabled hero to return in an hour of greatest need? Perhaps meant to inspire hope... but does it not happen? Does not a hero appear when most needed, and least expected? It happens every day. Here. Alexandria. In our dreams and nightmares. Even the depths of the Hells and the heights of the Heavens are not free of such things. Is hope born of the story, or the story born of the hope?"

The duo walk down the hall, as Telamon muses on Simony's questions. "Indeed. It's hard to tell what comes first, the hope or the story. But I would add that we must dream of things that are not real -- otherwise, how can we make them become real? A man dreams of hope... he can carry it to many places in the waking world."

Unsurprisingly, the kitchens are a sprawling affair, pots and kettles clean. A translucent servant stands in front of a door marked 'Pantry'. "I set that up in case Lana brings Pothy with her on her visits. Don't need him emptying the pantry -- assuming he doesn't make himself sick." He gestures for one of the other servants. "My friend and I will need menus. We'll be eating in the breakfast nook."

"The dining hall is ridiculous. I arranged to have a smaller dining area put in after I took control of the castle. Even if Lana and I had children here we'd still rattle around like peas in a tankard." Tel smirks. "But to get back to my point... I believe the magnificent mansion spell was based on this place. There are enough similarities to make me suspect as much -- the variable nature of the castle, the servants, and the conjured and crafted foodstuffs."

Her head bobs in agreement, and she gawks at the kitchen's size. "I can't help but feel sad. If the kitchen and hall are this large, surely at some point there was a great many here. It must have been a lively place, not one of solitude. Something I hope you will correct in time, Telamon."

She falls silent, her expression growing thoughtful once more. "So if this place is inspiration for spells... I wonder if this place was inspired by some other, more impressive keep. Perhaps the in the heavens above? Or far away fey realms? Perhaps the first place?" She chuckles lightly. "Which might mean that the awful keep where Verna was kept is modeled on some variety of Hell, hmm?"

"Maybe. I hope to learn more, as time permits." Telamon opens the door to a small cozy room with a half-dozen chairs around a table. A large bay window looks out over the quay and the ocean beyond. Ghostly footmen stand ready, and two settings have already been laid out.

Telamon slides into a chair. "I... feel the same way. I would make this place lively, a refuge but also a place of merriment. But... everything has to start somewhere, and this is no exception." Two neatly made placards of stiffened parchment are laid down before them, scribed in sildanyari, along with a pitcher of clear water and two goblets. "Of course, my first step is securing the castle. It prevents scrying innately, but I want to lay a ward around it like Alexandria's to prevent unwanted intrusions."

"Well, I am happy you have a place that is safe, that will allow you to do that learning. Though you may find the view distracting." She spends a little bit of time gazing out the window, before she seats herself. Taking up the pitcher of water, she fills both goblets.

"Oh. Yes, making it safe is a good idea. May I offer a suggestion, perhaps... one you've already thought of, but... one of this place's biggest advantages is it's remote location. Likely few outsiders have seen inside, it's layout. I would suggest finding a means to change the castle, somehow, randomly over time. To prevent most from gaining any sort fo familiarity of the place. You can leave yourself a single place that never changes, but is never seen by others. Heavily warded, of course. But if someone cannot even find the place to teleport, gate or shift to, that makes it much harder to just drop in unannounced."

"Something the city of Alexandra can't do. Everyone knows where it is, and it is not difficult to become familiar with its layout. This makes warding it a necessity. Where as you have the chance to cut out a huge amount of bother before it happens."

"I don't find the view distracting. Comforting, maybe. A reminder of the insights and benefits that dreams can offer us." Telamon looks out the window, his starry eyes agleam, before turning his attention to the menus. "How does brunch sound? I'm thinking omelets, bacon, toast, and juice." He pauses. "With goblin-sized portions for you, obviously." He offers Simony a grin.

Mulling over her comments, Tel responds, "Well... I know one that has definitely been here, but I doubt he's likely to cause trouble: Cupertos. He serves as warden of the place when no mortal has been chosen to do so." His fingers tap a staccato beat on the tabletop as he thinks. "That reminds me of something. Warding places. Not Alexandria, this was elsewhere..."

Her stomach speaks before she can, and she rubs at her reddening cheeks. "That sounds lovely. One cannot complain when one is a guest. Especially when the food is practically infinite and can be whatever you want."

Simony nods lightly. "If you trust him, you can give him access to the one place that remains familiar. I dislike having to be paranoid, but you have seen just how insidious some of our shared foes can be. When I started my journey, by leaving my familial home, I had no idea the lengths some of the dangers could or would go, how deep depravity and evil could sink. I obviously lacked the imagination, but I can say I've rapidly caught up."

She slides over her open notebook, showing off the numerous sketches. "Even my own artwork can pose a danger." Her head cants sliglty. "Warding places?"

Telamon furrows his brow. "All I can say is that if these powers arrayed against us can subvert a solar, we have much more serious troubles. But you make a good point. I suspect we need to keep our plans fluid, and flexible. Do not lock ourselves into any one design."

At Simony's inquiry, Telamon nods. "There is a place I read about on the Plane of Air, called Cloud City. Supposedly, it is warded in such a way that attempts to travel there -- via plane shift, gate, teleport, and so on -- always land you in one place. This might be worth exploring -- if I can gain access to the rulers and their spellcasters."

Telamon grins at Simony. "The genies of the Air are neither cruel nor capricious. I suspect I will not have -too- much trouble -- though I may have to make a trade that will please them."

GAME: Simony rolls knowledge/the planes: (5)+7: 12

"Wellll..." The Goblin gestures with her hands, and then sips at her water. "The fiends have some powerful types, they may be strong enough to do so. And... forever is a long time. If you have forever to try to corrupt someone, and incredible power, anything is possible. Wait... solar?" Her eyes widen. "Is he... still around?"

"Cloud City? I don't believe I know of that place. Genies?" A slow blink. "Like... grant three wishes if you rub their lamp? That kind of Genie? Erm."

The Goblin rubs at her chin. "I think you will have to rely on both your good looks and personable personality, as well as a good helping of luck and ingenuity. If they have made it so it's difficult to get to, they may not take kindly to intrusion."

"Oh, that's the best part, Simony. It's not hard to get to Cloud City. It's just hard to -sneak- into Cloud City. Like a walled town with one entrance, where everyone must pass by a watchful guard." Telamon shrugs lightly. "Evidently it is something of a trade center in the Plane of Air. Not too dissimilar from Alexandria in that regard."

"And yes. Genies. Well, to be specific, djinn. Passionate, free spirited, but typically good hearted. The most powerful ones can grant wishes, yes, but I'd sooner trust in my own wishcraft -- it's safer that way."

At this juncture, the food starts to arrive, plates with cheese omelets, a pile of bacon, toast, and large mugs filled with fresh fruit juice. "It's a bit early for wine," Telamon comments with a grin.

The Goblin's eyes widen at all the food, and she giggles. "Oh gosh, thank you, Telamon! But uhm... what will you eat?" Her grin is beatific as she digs in. The bacon is tasted first. "Mmmph. Delicious."

Between sips of fruit juice and omelet, she wonders, "Hmm, so what does a wish cost you? I... now have access to a similar spell. Thanks to uh... but, to do anything remotely approaching a miracle, I have to ritually sacrifice a diamond."

A second plate is brought for Telamon, with a more modest amount of food. "You're shameless, Simony," he teases, but he does bend to eating as well. "Mm. Definitely good. I wonder if I can modify the menus here like I did with my mansion spell? It's always good to have some variation."

Sipping from his glass, he nods. "The same. It's a ritually-prepared diamond -- I have mine carved into prisms to focus the starlight. Needless to say, it's expensive. Hence why I was looking into Cloud City -- you can't buy this sort of thing even in Alexandria, at least not easily. A planar marketplace, though... that might be another story."

She pauses a moment to laugh. "I am not one do deny all of my baser desires. Just most of them. So by not giving into the desire to set fire to everything wooden, I allow myself copious amounts of delicious food." Another laugh follows, before the inhalation of bacon beings anew. "Oh gosh. I don't think anything needs changing at all. I could eat this every day for breakfast. Or lunch. Or dinner. Midnight snack, even."

She lets out a little sigh, sipping at her water again. "I am sad to hear that. I was quite willing to purchase it legitimately. And this is why you are going to the city of the Djinn? They sell diamonds?"

"Legitimate isn't the problem. Diamonds don't grow on trees." Telamon pauses, and grins. "Which might be for the best, we don't need the world swimming in them. A little rarity is a good thing." He munches on a strip of bacon, considering.

"But yes. The larger the marketplace's reach, the larger the selection. And supposedly Cloud City's souks and bazaars are the marvel of the planes. And," he lays a finger alongside his nose, eyes glinting with grim merriment. "There is one other good reason to visit. The ruling shaykh has no love for fiends, and has banned them from Cloud City. Now, someone like that might not be able to pass out wishes... but he might be willing to point us in the direction of a merchant dealing in diamonds."

Simony continues to eat, nodding along with Telamon's reasoning.

"Ah. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. That's reasonable. And perhaps they might have information on how to fend off these fiends. Weapons made for such a purpose. Even allies in the fight."

She nods her head. "Though. What do you intend to wish for? The final death of a fiend? Verna's health and age restored? For the power to best this terrible foe?"

"Hence why I seek lore on how Cloud City was warded. Perhaps I can make use of it here." Telamon's eyes glint. "I have no quarrel with goodly folk seeking refuge. But I don't need low-lifes like hags or fiends trying to set up shop here. That won't be tolerated."

At Simony's question, he exhales. "My first responsibility is to my family. That means the restoration of Verna. Anything else must take second place -- even in the face of this beast. But..." Telamon's dour expression lightens. "I have faced hard odds before, and triumphed. I will triumph here as well."

"Ah, to guarantee that anyone trying to get here, goes to a place of your choosing. A heavily warded and protected place, difficult to leave without outside intervention." She nods. "An excellent idea. What do you have to trade for that, though?" The Goblin wiggles a piece of bacon in Tel's direction. "They will want something, certainly. And Djinn are powerful, if I recall some reading I did ages ago. They lost some great war, but are certainly not weak. Do you have something they would seek?"

She's quite a moment while an orange is quickly peeled.

"Information."

Her expression saddens. "If you need help with the restoration of Verna, please allow me to help."

"Information. Lore. I will need to do some homework. The djinn have enemies, just as we do, and also allies. It will not be easy, but then, I didn't expect it to be." Telamon's expression is placid. "After all, I did not expect to be at these lofty heights, and yet -- here I am."

A bowl of fresh fruit is brought, and he picks out a strawberry. "I will need to visit Cloud City first -- no point in planning before then. But I intend to do some digging before I go. Whatever information I can dig up. Even if it's just a song, a tale, a bottle of wine -- anything to get my foot in the door."

His expression softens at Simony's offer. "Absolutely. You're a good friend of the family, Simony. If we need another hand, I'll be sure to call on you."

"Not if, Telamon. When.", she says, soberly.

"And I am also happy to delve into research for you as well. I do enjoy having my nose in a dusty tome that no one's opened in years." The entire orange is popped into her mouth, the fruit squished and chewed rather thoroughly before she swallows. "I think this is the best possible use for magic outside of healing people. Feeding people." She snaps her fingers. "I clean forgot my surprise!"

From her pack, discarded earlier, she pulls out a small wooden box. Sliding the lid off, she retrieves two sizable cream puffs. "These are absolutely divine. Melt in your mouth pastry with thickened cream mixed with icing sugar. So simple and amazing." She offers one to Tel, complete with a small paper doily.

"When, then. But don't think you'll be left out. We -will- fix this." Telamon's eyes are confident and calm. At Simony's offer, he grins. "Don't think I won't hold you to that! Once we've gotten our foot in the door so to speak, we'll probably be tasked with some sort of thing to make sure we're trustworthy. And that'll mean hitting the books." He chuckles at her devouring the orange. "For what it's worth, I agree. Magic used to make lives better... that's what I'd rather do more than anything."

At her mention of a surprise, Telamon's eyebrows lift up, and he waits in interest. "Good gods, those are huge. Where did you get those, Simony?" He deftly takes one of the puffs. "Usually they're made... y'know, -smaller-."

"We shall fix this. I have a feeling, however, that will shall have to best the fiend in order to restore Verna to her former age. Perhaps it is not just souls that the fiend can take, but other bodily traits, hmm? Certain undead can rob you of your strength, or of blood, and other things. But clerical magics can restore that, even if the creature remains animate. This power seems a step beyond such things." Simony lets out a long sigh.

Slowly her smile returns. "It is one of the bakers in the noble area, Ms. Shelly's Assorted Sweets and Confectionaries. I asked if she could make larger puffs. For a bit of financial incentive, she was agreeable. And now she has more demand than before." She giggles lightly.

"Sunguard Zeke said as much. We need to kill the fiend, break him, before we can restore Verna -- and anyone else he's abused." Telamon grins. "But who knows? We might discover something useful in the libraries and stores of Cloud City, or here in Alexandria. An edge to defeat him with. I have faith."

With that, he starts to eat the cream puff, grinning at Simony. "Size does matter, at least in this respect. Everyone likes a bigger plate of food -- or a bigger dessert." He lightly bumps fists with Simony, as the two finish their brunch in a castle somewhere between dream and reality.