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Old 01-18-2019, 05:30 AM   #140
Icelander
 
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Iceland*
Default Thoughts on the rituals

Ok, so we broke up the session for the evening as the PCs were swirling through a kaleidoscope of colours as they entered the dreams of 'Gwen Delvano', a.k.a. 'The Girl with the Kaleidoscope Eyes', a.k.a. (unknown to the PCs), the sorceress whose botched spell had touched the Void and given the Cold Ones a toehold in this world.

I hadn't defined the effects of the rituals involved in any way, just that the main one, which all the PCs cooperated on, but Alice Talbot acted as the lead caster, was meant to take the PCs in some kind of avatar form into the dreams of Ms. Delvano, where they could not only obtain answers*, but also confront the Lord of the Last Waste whose Ineffable Form had extended a fraction of Its consciousness into Ms. Delvano, and by extension, the world.

Metaphysically, by defeating the dream representations of the Being or beings inhabiting the Dreamlands of Ms. Delvano's mind, the PCs are supposed to be able to close the gates of reality and prevent any attempt to widen the entrance, say, at the New Year's in three days, when the veil between the worlds is weakest.

It was not specified, but I'm thinking that the ritual was bound into an object which they must use not only to enter Ms. Delvano's Dreamlands, but also to come back. This object can be nothing else than a Silver Key, especially as the ritual they are using was reconstructed and theorized by Dr. Alfred L. Lapointe, a long-time gamer and GM with an encyclopedic knowledge of geek lore.

I'd like the PCs to have appropriate equipment for their Dream-Quest. They'll be able to take their Signature Gear with them, of course, which actually serves them as a fairly decent start, including as it does at least one magical weapon for each of them and, in the case of Lucien Lacoste, his somewhat idiosyncratic outfit of a business suit, fancy waistcoat, gun belt, long duster, nice black leather shoes and a black leather hat with a vague cowboy-ish look.

I'm wondering if the ritual they used to travel there should include some extra equipment for them or if the hallucinogenic tea 'Nonc' Morel made them drink, to give them power and protection in the Dreamlands, ought to cover that part.

Also, the PCs will appear somewhat differently than they might in the real world. They'll have some dream-self that they appear as. That might actually be a good hook to use for dream equipment which awaits them in the antechamber to the Dreamlands.

Edward Alvin Smith, for example, no longer looks entirely human and has flaring gills and apparently, his mustache now resembles some kind of aquatic feelers. Lucien Lacoste's player shouted that his character now appears as his character's player character in the in-game campaign of D&D that the PCs are playing with several NPCs, one Glorn the Barbarian (Glorn Smash!!!) I expect that 'Nonc' Morel's disheveled look will get even earthier and greener, with his beard apparently having some kind of flora growing in it. Alice Talbot will probably appear much as she always does, but, if possible, even less prepossessing.

Hmmm... perhaps the antechamber ought to be the result of Morel's spell and contain some greenery, including water, fruit and other supplies (as well as a beautiful spring of high-proof moonshine), for them to load up on. As Morel started play without any prepared Charms, whereas the other PCs did, it might be fair to rule that the antechamber contains a selection of dream-versions of Charms and Elixirs he might have at his grove at home, up to what he could have chosen to start with, but didn't.

Any other thoughts?

What should be the equivalent to Papa Legba as Lord of the Crossroads for a Cajun druid who has studied rural Louisiana 'hoodoo' or 'root work', but not actually voudon religion. I'm thinking a black rooster, but what might one call him in Cajun French or English?

*The original purpose of 'Nonc' Morel when he proposed a vision quest into her dreams.
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