communion

Communion is a holy thing. From now, until you sate the Dream and fulfill its purpose, You, The Dreamer, and You, The Neophyte, will be as one. Praise be to the All-Seer, and [[awaken.]]

You come to at the Courier's funeral. It's always unnatural, the first union between two souls, and it takes you a moment to reorient yourself. The whole process is uncomfortable, and several of your guildmates take notice. Awakening at a funeral is... unfortunate, and the pull of The Dream even more so. Communion is a function meant for the Dream, you know, and the longer you take to enter it, the more difficult it may become. It might be wise to slip away from the event, but that would be... tactless, to say the last, and you'd hate to leave a bad impression on your ~~current~~ ~~future~~ colleages. Should you [[leave,|leave]] or should you [[stay?|stay]]

You hope your colleagues will understand that the Dream is not to be postponed. You mumble a few words to those nearby and excuse yourself away from the funeral, resolutely ignoring any stares directed your way. The walk towards the heart of the Apotheosis estate is mercifully short -- the area is empty due to the funeral. Even the Administators had turned up for it. You can feel yourself thrumming with... is it [[excitement,]] or [[dread?]]

Even if you don't //really// know the dead man, you still think it's only right to stay through funeral. You're jittery throughout the rest of the service, but the few of your colleagues that notice regard you with sympathy. You make sure that you're not even the first to leave. You make small talk with a few guildmates until you can politely excuse yourself from the area. You can feel the Dream [[calling.|go]]

Undoubtedly, you're eager. It's been so long since your last Communion, and you're not the only member of Apotheosis that has grown impatient. [[You can't wait.]]

Dread seems a good word for it. You haven't Communed in so long. What if something goes wrong, or you fail in your duty? But this is your calling, and you must succeed. And, you recall, there's a high chance that an ally will join your expedition -- a fact that puts your mind [[at ease.]]

Worry seems like a good word for it. You haven't Communed in so long. What if something goes wrong, or you fail in your duty? But this is your calling, and you must succeed. And, you recall, there's a high chance that a friend will join your expedition -- a fact that puts your mind [[ease your worries.]]

The Apotheosis estate is sparesely populated as you walk through it. Most of your guildmates have taken their leave, and the few that remain only give you slight acknowledgements. You're thankful for it. You can feel yourself thrumming with... is it [[excitement,]] or [[worry?]]

The heart of the estate is a small, simple room that's been set aside for you. Curtains cover each of the walls, thin and green, and a polished steel altar takes up the middle of the room. You sit at the base of the altar and close your eyes. [[Sleep follows.|2]]

You're well-practiced at sinking into the Dream, and it takes only a few minutes for you to be truly asleep. The Dream is dark and vast, but not empty. You can feel something tugging at you from multiple directions. Below you is a vast ocean extending beyond your sights. Above is a grey cloud, with a scent so strong you feel it clearly from so far away. You'll have to go one way or the other. [[Down|below]] or [[up?|up]]

You're well-practiced at sinking into the Dream, and it takes only a few minutes for you to be truly asleep. The beginning of the Dream is vague and dark, but far below you is an ocean, vast and shining like a beacon. You venture [[down|below]] towards it.

You're well-practiced at sinking into the Dream, and it takes only a few minutes for you to be truly asleep. The beginning of the Dream is vague and dark, but far above you is a cloud, grey and roiling, which a smell so strong you can feel it from down here. You climb [[up towards it|up]]

"Dreamer," called the Doctor, his calm voice cutting through the sound of gunfire. "Nice to have you with me." It takes you a moment to register that you're in pain, and with gritted teeth you force yourself to stay silent. You're in some kind of tent. It's hot, stiflingly so, and your clothes stick to your skin due to sweat and... dried blood? You sit up from the cot you're lying on and cast a glance around -- you're in a medical tent, you assume, given the Doctor is here. Speaking of the Doctor, he's tending to a patient as he waits for [[a response.]]

"Dreamer!" The Joy's voice is muffled, and you strain to hear it. "What a pleasure to see you." You're on the ground, flat on your back, and rain is dripping through the ceiling and onto your face. You groan and push yourself to your feet. The Joy is standing in the room's sole doorway. [[Fog]] drifts in from behind her.

Guns are firing steadily in the background, and you have to raise your voice. "Doctor," you respond, "you know where we are?" He hums and brings a bonesaw down on his patient's leg. The amputation is quick and bloody, and you would feel bad if not for the fact that you knew the patient was a construct of the Dream, not a real man. "You've heard of the Vietnam War?" the Doctor says, still tending to his patient. You've obviously heard of the Vietnam War, so you nod. "It's like that, somewhat, except I believe we're fighting ghosts." [[That doesn't sound similar]] to the Vietnam War at all, you think of saying, or you could get [[straight to business.]]

You can't help yourself. "That doesn't sound similar at all," you say. The Doctor casts an eye around the tent before replying. "The environment is similar," he says. "...Otherwise, no, it's not, but I was trying to find a point of reference." Before you can respond, a man pops his head into the tent. A //courier//, you know immediately, and you ignore the sting. "Doctor, Dreamer," he says. "The general requests your presence." The Doctor nods and waves him off. You wonder if he felt odd about the courier as well, or if he even identified him as a "courier" rather than a simple messenger. "We should be going," the Doctor says. "I've not met the leader of this camp, but I've heard he's not a friendly man." You nod and push yourself to your feet. The pain is muted, now, and the conversation has pushed it to the back of your mind. Time to go meet [[this general.]]

"What's the goal, then?" you ask. The Doctor glances around before replying. "I'm uncertain," he says. "Winning this war seems too big a scale. I've heard multiple people make mention of crows, so they may play into the scenario." You push yourself to your feet as he talks, and find it easy to ignore the pain radiating through your body. "These crows, then," you say. "They might be worth [[looking into.]]

The Dream here is bright, nearly blinding you in your ephemeral state, and you push against it. It's worse than swimming against a current, and it's distressing, how small you feel, but you push those feelings down and [[surface for air.]]

The Dream here is hazy, an overpowering smell and tase that nearly chokes the life out of you. You stagger, except you're not on steady ground -- not on ground at all? It's an endeavor to even keep yourself upright, but eventually you [[reach the source.]]

The general is an underwhelming man, but that's nothing surprising about a construct of the Dream. He's a small and unassuming man, with a temper you heard before you even reached his tent. He's pacing back and forth, staring down at a map that's incomprehensible to you. (Frankly, you think, he would never have earned his title in Apotheosis.) He's sour when he spots the two of you. "Dreamer!" he snaps. "You had better have a good explanation for this!" He stalks off without another word. You exchange a quick, confused glance with the Doctor before [[following.]]

The soldiers around the camp are all constructs of the Dream, and that may be why they all seem to adore you. They share information freely and readily -- too freely, frankly, because most of it is useless, fake gossip that the Dream doesn't provide real details for. The Doctor doesn't have nearly as much luck. You wonder if the Dream is just naturally disinclined to everyone but you, or if it's just his impatience for the whole matter, but the soldiers barely give him the [[time of day.]]

The crows are more literal than you had expected. They're giant crows. "Hello there, Dreamer," the largest crow greets you as you approach. He's over seven feet tall, and he speaks like any average person. Half a dozen crows stand behind him. "I've heard much about you. My name is Crow." You hear the Doctor sigh behind you. There's so much you want to say about this scenario, but you settle for a neutral, [["It's nice to meet you."]]

The general rants throughout his walk, and the majority of it is useless noise. However, you do gather that your title in this Dream is more spiritual than it usually is. The Doctor's hint about ghosts might be as literal as you had thought. The walk is long, and the Doctor doesn't have as much patience as you do. "General," he snaps, cutting the man off in the middle of a sentence, "I don't really care about your concerns. What do you //actually// want us to do?" The general stops. He seems shocked, and more than a little offended. You could probably [[step in,]] or you could let the scene [[play out.]]

"Excuse our Doctor's rudeness," you say. "He's had a tough time, you know?" "A tough time," the general says slowly. "You know, with his job," you say. "It's been very emotionally draining for him." The Doctor looks offended at the idea, but the general nods. "I'll keep that in mind," he says. "I'll try to be more considerate of you in the future, Doctor." "Now hold on," the Doctor starts. He can't seem to manage anything else, so you ignore him. "What was it you wanted us to do, then?" "Oh, that's simple," the general says. "There are crows at the [[border."]]

The Doctor and the general are shouting at each other. It's kind of obnoxious, and the constructed soldiers of the encampment keep stopping to watch, but on the other hand it's slightly amusing? The Doctor is one of the few people that's still invested into the Dream, and it's always better to Commune with them when you can. On the first hand again, the general is threatening to have the Doctor executed and you just wanted to know where to go. Thankfully, the general tires himself out, and it cools down without any executions. "You're a rotten bastard," the general wheezes, "but I can respect anyone that can keep up with me." "Okay, but what do you //actually// want us to do?" you say. "Oh, that's simple," the general says. "There are crows at the [[border."]] "Well, why didn't you just say so?" says the Doctor.

It takes far too long to get a helpful answer. You're listening to a soldier rambling about nothing in particular when you get the answer. "...and you know, I said to him, I said no, man, that's stupid," he's saying. (The Doctor had checked out of this conversation five minutes ago.) "With those crows are the border, you can't get away with arson anymore, and-" "Wait," you interrupt, and his expression snaps into neutrality unnaturally fast. "Which border?" "Yeah, crows have been showing up near the forest," he says. It's not really a response to your question, but more of a non-sequitur, loosely inspired by your question. It's still enough of an answer for you to work with, and you disengage from the construct instantly. The Doctor has kept his distance, waiting, and now he jogs up to you. "Any luck?" "A lead," you say. "There are crows at the [[border."]]

"You as well," Crow says. "I've heard much about you." The Dream can get odd with conversations, sometimes. It's best to move on when it gets stuck. "What brings you here?" "Oh, I come with an offer," Crow says. One of the crows is preening behind him. "An alliance, if you would. I know your ilk are having trouble with the specters, yes?" "I suppose," you say. Crow nods (you think.) "Most of the offer is in this document," he says, and he flaps a wing forward. A single piece of paper is stuck on the edge of his wing, and you take it gingerly. The words are a mess of nonsense, of course, but you glance over them as if you're reading them. "I'll need to [[discuss]] this with my allies," you say. "Of course," Crow says. "Take your time."

"Dreamer, this is exceptionally stupid," the Doctor says. The two of you have moved a few feet away from the crows, and that counts as "out of earshot" to the Dream. "Has the Dream ever been this ridiculous before?" "It's not our place to question the Dream," you say. "That's precisely your role," he says, and then huffs. "What's even the challenge here?" You think it's obvious the Dream wants to see if you'll ally with these crows or not. You wish you had more context, in this scenario, but the Dream must have set it up this way for a reason. So, to answer the Dream's question... do you [[ally]] with the crows, or [[not?]] The Doctor looks like he has [[something to say.]]

You return to the crows. "We'd like to accept your terms," you say. Crow's beak widens in what you //assume// is a smile. "Wonderful news!" he caws. "Our union will be one of legends, passed down [[forever--"]]

You return to the crows. "We cannot accept your terms," you say. "You need to leave." Crow emits a harsh breath from his beak -- a sigh? "I was afraid of this." Behind him, his crows seem agitated, and they shuffle in place. "Very well, then. If you wish to face this plight on your own, we will take our [[leave--"]]

"Well, what do you think?" you say. You'd like to hear the Doctor's opinion before you make any choices. "To trust them or not?" The Doctor frowns. "No one in this camp has seemed to like them. I'm not even sure we should have the power to make this deal, but it's obvious that the Dream wants to see if we're stupid enough to take it." ...You're not quite sure if he has the right of it or not, but the Doctor isn't one to change his mind. Seems that's all there is to [[discuss]] about this.

The Dream's purpose has been fulfilled. Communion [[ends|ending1]] at this point. Praise be. Thank you for your journey, Neophyte.

The Dreamer wasn't overly satisfied when this Communion ended, but the Dream doesn't tell you when you've made the right choice or not. Communion has ended. I am the Correspondence, and this is my personal addendum to your first Communion, Neophyte. Contact me at "The Correspondence#3864" with the codeword "Corvus" to take your next step into Apotheosis.

The Dream's purpose has been fulfilled. Communion [[ends|ending2]] at this point. Praise be. Thank you for your journey, Neophyte.

The Dreamer wasn't quite satisfied when this Communion ended, but the Dream doesn't tell you when you've made the right choice or not. Communion has ended. I am the Correspondence, and this is my personal addendum to your first Communion, Neophyte. Contact me at "The Correspondence#3864" with the codeword "Black" to take your next step into Apotheosis.

"Hello, Joy," you say, stretching. You're in a room small enough that you can touch each wall to your side, and short enough you can reach up to the gap in the ceiling. "You know where we are?" "I think this was supposed to be a mausoleum," she says. "You can probably guess, but we're in a graveyard." She steps out the door, and you follow her. You //are// in a graveyard. It's a spacious area, with a dozen graves and another mausoleum in sight. The fog lying low over the ground blocks the furthest edges. There's a [[girl]] outside that the Joy has met up with. Beyond the two you see an [[axe]] embedded in a gravestone.

You're curious for a moment, but the third person isn't a real person at all -- she's an artifice, a construct of the Dream. You can't help but feel disappointed. The Joy notices your disappointment. "Dreamer, this is my disciple," she says, gesturing towards the girl. "I assume she's rather important." The disciple nods. The Joy is one of the few associates of yours that cares about Dream constructs, but it's a [[harmless quirk,]] all things considered.

"Hey, Joy," you say casually, "what's with that axe?" The Joy glances back at it. "Oh, that's just been there," she says, casually, like it's normal. "I assume it will play into this scenario soon." "It wasn't here when we first arrived," the third girl comments. You finally take a look at her, but you're instantly disappointed -- she's not a real person, simply a construct of the Dream. The Joy takes notice of your disappointment, but keeps silent. You know that she worries about the Dream constructs -- a rare trait among your associates -- and so you say nothing. It's a rather [[harmless quirk,]] after all.

The Joy clears her throat. "The axe is likely the main hint here," she says. "Personally, I think it's a hint that we should leave, sooner rather than later." Frankly, you're inclined to agree. The Dream //could not// scream "horror movie scenario" louder than it already is, and you'd rather not get axe-murdered again. But before you can assent, the disciple speaks up. "I think we should stay," she says, which brings both you and the Joy to a stop. It's rare for a construct to speak unprompted, and even rarer for it to offer actual advice. [[But it sounds like pretty bad advice.|decision]]

The Joy's face looks pained, but she has more patience than you. "Dear," she says, with just a slight bit of condescension, "why do you think that's a good idea?" The disciple frowns. "I'm not sure," she says. "It's just a feeling I have. Instict." You're not too confident, but the Joy nods, staying neutral. "Let me discuss this with the Dreamer," she says. The two of you step away. "What do you think of this, Dreamer?" [[It sounds like nonsense,]] honestly, but maybe there's [[some merit]] to the disciple's "feeling." Maybe you should ask [[The Joy's opinion]] first.

"Alright," you announce, already planning the most tactful way to continue. "I'm sorry, disciple, but we're not staying here based on your instincts." The disciple frowns. "I think we should stay," she repeats. It's exactly the same tone, like a recording being played back. You withhold a sigh. "No," you say. "It's too risky-" "I think we should stay," the disciple says again. [[This isn't getting you anywhere.]]

"Alright," you announce. "I think your idea has merit, disciple. We'll be staying in this graveyard." The Joy nods her assent, and the disciple... doesn't seem happy, per se, but she does seem to relax. "You won't regret it," she says, and you refrain from responding. The axe has disappeared from the gravestone. It's slightly worrying. Even if you're going to stay in this graveyard, you think, you'll still have to do //something.// Step one in that is searching the area for anything useful. There's the [[set of graves]] that the axe was embedded in, or the other [[mausoleum.]] Or maybe you could search the [[edges of the graveyward.]]

"I'm considering it," you say. "What are you thinking?" "I'd still like to leave," the Joy says. "But if my disciple is of the Dream, then perhaps her intuitions are worth more than we credit her for." "Or it could be the Dream leading us astray," you say. It's not a common occurence, but it has happened. The Joy shrugs. "It could be," she says. "I don't think so, truly, but you are the expert, and I'll follow your judgement." Seems like there's no more discussion to be had. It's time to make a [[decision.|decision]]

You approach the cluster of graves. Somehow, the gravestone that held the axe isn't the worst one of the bunch. They're all chipped and too faded to read. Buried deep into one of the graves is a shovel. You grab it and pull. It's wedged into the dirt, but you could probably pull it free with [[some effort.]] Or maybe you should spend your time on [[something else?|some merit]]

You decide to peek into the second mausoleum. There //was// a grave inside of this, topped by dusty glass. You wipe some of the dust away, grimacing, and inside see an old body, lying on its back. Clutched in its hands is an axe, identical to the one you saw earlier. Honestly? You could probably [[grave rob]] this guy for that axe, but the idea is a little distasteful. Maybe you should spend your time on [[something else?|some merit]]

You leave the area you awoke in and head to the farthest end of the graveyard. The graveyard is enclosed by stone walls, topped by a wrought iron fence. You sweep the border of the graveyard and find an iron gate, rusted and chained shut. You almost think the walls were a waste of time when you spot a dark pile near the gate. You crouch down and realize it's a roll of //barbed wire.// You think for a moment. You've never handled barbed wire, but this is the //Dream.// Theoretically, anything could be possible if you [[dedicated the time]] for it. Or you could spend that time trying [[something else?|some merit]]

"Listen, disciple," you say, a tad harsher than you'd intended. "I'm leaving. You can stay here if you want, but I'm not." The disciple shakes her head and doesn't repond. The Joy simply sighs. "Dreamer," she mutters, "why did you have to go and say that?" The disciple is still shaking her head, the Joy is clearly annoyed with you, and the axe is gone from the gravestone. You only notice the missing axe when you see it in the hands of the man approaching you. You do a double-take, almost convinced you're imagining him -- but no, there's a bulky man wearing a pure white mask approaching your group with the axe in his hands. The Joy and her disciple note your surprise and turn towards the man just as he reaches the group. In a split second, you wonder if you should [[confront the man]] or [[run?]]

The Joy provides moral support as you wrench the shovel out of the ground. (You would have preferred physical support, but you keep that to yourself.) The disciple, on the othe hand, has actually been active -- a pleasant surprise. "I found something weird," she says, after you've freed the shovel. "Show us," you say, and she does. It's a chapel. It's absolutely massive, easily the biggest thing in the graveyard, and you have no idea how you missed it, even with the fog. It's also long abandoned, decrepit and unsafe. The wood creaks ominously under your feet. "Oh, lovely," the Joy says. "We surely won't be be murdered in here." You're about to say something in response when something thuds [[against the door.|path1]]

The Joy grimaces when you ask, but she helps you peel the grave open. She complains the whole while -- and again when you pull the axe from the corpse's hands -- but you do your best to ignore it. The disciple, thankfully, has been active without complaint. "I found something weird," she says, after you've grabbed the axe "Show us," you say, and she does. It's a chapel. It's absolutely massive, easily the biggest thing in the graveyard, and you have no idea how you missed it, even with the fog. It's also long abandoned, decrepit and, frankly, it's probably a danger to even be in. The wood wobbles as you walk over it. "Oh, lovely," the Joy says. "We surely won't be be murdered in here." You're about to say something in response when something thuds [[against the door.|path2]]

You're not sure where to use the barbed wire, but thankfully the disciple has been investigating on her own. "I found something weird," she says when she meets up with you. "Show me," you say. She nods and leads you away. It's on the other side of the graveyard -- you pick up the Joy on the way there -- but it's a chapel. It's absolutely massive, easily the biggest thing in the graveyard, and you have no idea how you missed it, even with the fog. It's also long abandoned, decrepit and, frankly, it's probably a danger to even be in. The wood creaks worringly under your feet. You take the time to set up your barbed wire. While you do, the Joy takes to commentary. "Oh, lovely," she says. "We surely won't be be murdered in here." You're about to say something in response when something thuds [[against the door.|path3]]

There's an axe through the door. As you watch, it pulls itself out and smashes into the door again. The door splinters and falls inward. The man that steps into the chapel is... pretty generic, in all honesty. He's a bulky man, wearing overalls and a blank, white mask. He swings the axe around wildly as he marches towards you. He reaches you with surprising speed, and you're just barely prepared enough to dodge a swing of the axe. You swing the shovel and smack him in the fact, causing him to stagger back. In a moment of panic, you stab at him with the head of the shovel. The man slaps the shovel down and tilts his head, probably confused. The shovel buries itself in the rotted wooden floor -- and the wood collapses. The man flails his arms as he plummets into... a pitch black void. Some strange architecture, you start to say, [[but--]]

There's an axe through the door. As you watch, it pulls itself out and smashes into the door again. The door splinters and falls inward. The man that steps into the chapel is... pretty generic, in all honesty. He's a bulky man, wearing overalls and a blank, white mask. He swings the axe around wildly as he marches towards you. You step back as the axe swings by your face, clutching your own axe close. You infer that this man has more axe skills than you, and you're forced into a steady retreat. "Dreamer?" the Joy asks, a note of panic in her voice. You glance towards her -- and so does the masked man, just as he takes a step towards you. His foot twists and plunges through a weak floorboard. You don't waste a moment. You swing the axe forward and bury it in his mask. The man's head snaps back and he falls back, crashing straight through the floorboards and into a pitch black void. That's odd, you start to think, [[but--]]

There's an axe through the door. As you watch, it pulls itself out and smashes into the door again. The door splinters and falls inward. The man that steps into the chapel is... pretty generic, in all honesty. He's a bulky man, wearing overalls and a blank, white mask. He swings the axe around wildly as he marches towards you. But you've prepared. The man rushes in and makes it two steps before his ankle catches on the barbed wire you set up. He twists, falling into more of the wire, and flails wildly. The wooden floor creaks and gives out. The man falls, dragging the wire with him. You glance into the hole he's made and see nothing but a pitch black void. You start to think about how peculiar it is, [[but--]]

The Dream's purpose has been fulfilled. Communion [[ends|ending3]] at this point. Praise be. Thank you for your journey, Neophyte.

The Dreamer was... confused when this Communion ended, but the Dream is a brief and fleeting guiding light. Communion has ended. I am the Correspondence, and this is my personal addendum to your first Communion, Neophyte. Contact me at "The Correspondence#3864" with the codeword "Valor" to take your next step into Apotheosis.

You don't really think about it. You rush forward, knocking the other two out of the way, and shove the man. It's the first thing you think of, and you almost regret it when the man's axe swings by your face. But it misses, narrowly, and the man stumbles and falls onto a grave. He doesn't stop there; as soon as he hits the ground, he begins to sink below the earth. His arms sink below the dirt, and he flails and struggles, painstakingly pulling one arm free. He gives you a thumbs up and then calmly sinks into the dirt. "What?" you say, [[but before you can continue--|but--]]

You turn tail and run. [[You don't make it far before--]]

The Dream has deemed you a failure. Communion [[ends|ending4]] at this point. It was a good attempt, Neophyte.

The Dreamer wasn't happy when this Communion ended, but it turns out the Dream doesn't take kindly to cowards. Communion has ended. I am the Correspondence, and this is my personal addendum to your first Communion, Neophyte. Contact me at "The Correspondence#3864" with the codeword "Apodemus" to take your next step into Apotheosis. Or... perhaps that isn't what happened?

↶

↷

Communion is a holy thing.

From now, until you sate the Dream and fulfill its purpose, You, The Dreamer, and You, The Neophyte, will be as one.

Praise be to the All-Seer, and

awaken.