8/29/2019 – With the dream spice now in hand, Abigail had reached out to an alchemist friend to brew a particular formula which was believed to allow the user to perceive and interact with the Realm of Dreams, the theory being that if the rangers consumed the potion in the proximity of the unconscious Shamino, they might be able to find him there. Gathering at the healer’s shop where Shamino lay sleeping, Abigail gave the rangers their mission but warned them that Shamino, one of Britannia’s greatest rangers and a veteran of countless adventures, had in his life experienced many dark days and soul-wrenching evil, some of which they might perceive in his dreams. Furthermore, Abigail would remain in the waking world to watch over the rangers while they slept. Consuming the potion, the rangers fell into a deep sleep in the healer’s shop.
They awoke to find themselves in a strange realm, where small islands seemed to float among seas of stars – each island containing their own small fragments of structures or worlds. The island they found themselves on seemed to be a house plagued with strange, parasite-like monsters. When the rangers fought off the otherworldly pests, a man walked out of the house and greeted them.
This man, who called himself the Alchemist, spoke at length about himself, inadvertently revealing upon learning the ranger’s place of origin that he had dealt with other Britannians who were interested in his formulas for substances such as dream venom. He also described his own origin, that he originally came from a land known as Pagan, and had ventured into the Dream Realm searching for the source of an “inner voice” that seemed to him to be divine. Having traveled for many long years through the Dream Realm and even layers of reality beneath it, the Alchemist stated that he had learned a great many things, but had also forgotten much about his own history in the process. Nevertheless, the Alchemist offered to help the rangers find the man they sought, suggesting he could be nearby. Using his staff, the Alchemist dispelled a barrier and the rangers made their way to a nearby island.
What they encountered, however, was a grisly scene from a very familiar location: the docks of Skara Brae. The smell of death and smoke hung heavy in the air, as the sounds of anguish resounded from some distance place beyond the fires that burned the docks. The waters ran red with blood and upon the docks stood three familiar figures: Shamino, Connor the Ranger, and even Abigail. The ghostly parasites began to manifest around them as the disembodied voice of Shamino seemed to fill the air around them, telling a story known from Skara Brae’s history of a time when the city suffered under the weight of a vicious plague. Shamino and his companions, charged with preventing anyone from escaping the quarantine set on the isle, were forced to make the difficult choice of killing innocent people in order to prevent the plague from spreading to the kingdom, a time that would haunt Shamino for the rest of his life. However, as the rangers cleared away the dream spectres, the forms of Shamino and his companions vanished and a calm seemed to fall on the nightmarish island. The rangers moved on to another island.
They found themselves, suddenly, in a cold, mountainous region, where snow gently fell upon a ruined and quiet castle. Within its halls they noticed the form of Shamino, his body leaning against a doorway to what was once his own chambers of the castle he once lived in as a king in the Lands of Danger and Despair. In his chambers, a younger version of Shamino and his beloved Beatrix conversed while yet more dream spectres seemed to manifest around the rangers. As the rangers fought, they beheld Shamino expressing tremendous regret for ever leaving Beatrix alone and not telling her how he felt about her. When the rangers had vanquished the last of the pests, the barrier that held the doors shut vanished, and Shamino walked into his chambers.
Following Shamino, the ranger suddenly found themselves on another island, upon which was an image of the Well of Souls, and above it a silver serpent amulet hung suspended in mid-air. The form of Shamino seemed to be standing at the base of the Well, as usual not seeming to be able to notice his fellow rangers. Once again the dream spectres appeared before them, and as the rangers cleared them away, the barrier that held Shamino back dissipated, allowing him to walk up the steps and disappear into the Well of Souls. The Alchemist stated that he believed that Shamino was no longer being held here, and that it was there that the Alchemist and the rangers would have to part ways. After offering their thanks, the rangers ascended the steps and entered into the Well of Souls. Only, once they entered the well, they awoke from their slumber.
Their awakening, however, was not a calm one. They were suddenly roused by a frantic Abigail who wanted to know what they had encountered, and an empty bed where Shamino no longer seemed to be. Abigail explained that at some point while the rangers were in the Dream Realm, Shamino had, without warning, jumped out of his bed and made a mad dash out the door, seeming to escape into the wilderness of Spiritwood. Despite her best attempts, Abigail was unable to catch the elusive ranger and so returned to the healer’s shop to try to understand what had happened. However in the end, the rangers could only resolve to carry on and hope to find Shamino in their future adventures.
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They awoke to find themselves in a strange realm, where small islands seemed to float among seas of stars – each island containing their own small fragments of structures or worlds. The island they found themselves on seemed to be a house plagued with strange, parasite-like monsters. When the rangers fought off the otherworldly pests, a man walked out of the house and greeted them.
This man, who called himself the Alchemist, spoke at length about himself, inadvertently revealing upon learning the ranger’s place of origin that he had dealt with other Britannians who were interested in his formulas for substances such as dream venom. He also described his own origin, that he originally came from a land known as Pagan, and had ventured into the Dream Realm searching for the source of an “inner voice” that seemed to him to be divine. Having traveled for many long years through the Dream Realm and even layers of reality beneath it, the Alchemist stated that he had learned a great many things, but had also forgotten much about his own history in the process. Nevertheless, the Alchemist offered to help the rangers find the man they sought, suggesting he could be nearby. Using his staff, the Alchemist dispelled a barrier and the rangers made their way to a nearby island.
What they encountered, however, was a grisly scene from a very familiar location: the docks of Skara Brae. The smell of death and smoke hung heavy in the air, as the sounds of anguish resounded from some distance place beyond the fires that burned the docks. The waters ran red with blood and upon the docks stood three familiar figures: Shamino, Connor the Ranger, and even Abigail. The ghostly parasites began to manifest around them as the disembodied voice of Shamino seemed to fill the air around them, telling a story known from Skara Brae’s history of a time when the city suffered under the weight of a vicious plague. Shamino and his companions, charged with preventing anyone from escaping the quarantine set on the isle, were forced to make the difficult choice of killing innocent people in order to prevent the plague from spreading to the kingdom, a time that would haunt Shamino for the rest of his life. However, as the rangers cleared away the dream spectres, the forms of Shamino and his companions vanished and a calm seemed to fall on the nightmarish island. The rangers moved on to another island.
They found themselves, suddenly, in a cold, mountainous region, where snow gently fell upon a ruined and quiet castle. Within its halls they noticed the form of Shamino, his body leaning against a doorway to what was once his own chambers of the castle he once lived in as a king in the Lands of Danger and Despair. In his chambers, a younger version of Shamino and his beloved Beatrix conversed while yet more dream spectres seemed to manifest around the rangers. As the rangers fought, they beheld Shamino expressing tremendous regret for ever leaving Beatrix alone and not telling her how he felt about her. When the rangers had vanquished the last of the pests, the barrier that held the doors shut vanished, and Shamino walked into his chambers.
Following Shamino, the ranger suddenly found themselves on another island, upon which was an image of the Well of Souls, and above it a silver serpent amulet hung suspended in mid-air. The form of Shamino seemed to be standing at the base of the Well, as usual not seeming to be able to notice his fellow rangers. Once again the dream spectres appeared before them, and as the rangers cleared them away, the barrier that held Shamino back dissipated, allowing him to walk up the steps and disappear into the Well of Souls. The Alchemist stated that he believed that Shamino was no longer being held here, and that it was there that the Alchemist and the rangers would have to part ways. After offering their thanks, the rangers ascended the steps and entered into the Well of Souls. Only, once they entered the well, they awoke from their slumber.
Their awakening, however, was not a calm one. They were suddenly roused by a frantic Abigail who wanted to know what they had encountered, and an empty bed where Shamino no longer seemed to be. Abigail explained that at some point while the rangers were in the Dream Realm, Shamino had, without warning, jumped out of his bed and made a mad dash out the door, seeming to escape into the wilderness of Spiritwood. Despite her best attempts, Abigail was unable to catch the elusive ranger and so returned to the healer’s shop to try to understand what had happened. However in the end, the rangers could only resolve to carry on and hope to find Shamino in their future adventures.
Continue reading...