(IC) Lost in Dreams (Julian)

[ericthered]

Julian Hayden dreamed of wooden platforms that night. Dozens of them, all suspended from the enormous overhang of a cliff... The bottom is behind a bank of clouds. He can see that they're covered in moss and dripping wet from an enormous waterfall in the distance... though how far distant he can't tell. Behind the platforms he sees what he thinks are birds flying... though he can't see them well... funny looking birds, at this distance.

His dream shifts to an indoor rough wooden market lit by glowing stones hung from strings. There, people dressed in brightly colored but plainly adorned clothing, busily bought and sold. Some of them sport feathered wings, while others have palid grey skin, pointed ears, or seemed almost albino.

The main item purchased seems to be various fruits and vegtables: presumably they're getting their grains from somewhere else. They also sell a fair amount of clothing and metal house-hold goods. He also notices a thriving trade in smoothly polished black stones. Many people wear a single large disk made of one around their necks, just smaller than a palm. The raw stone is traded for cash at a different stall. The guards pay closer attention to the goings on then the typical petty thief is comfortable with, even if they are only armed with spears... and wearing a uniform that looks like a raincoat and hat.

Julian woke up to the feeling of damp ground. Rough wooden damp ground, with a sprinkling of fine mist in a light wind on his naked body. Yes, his body was naked. He opened his eyes, and saw the overhang of a cliff above him, with vines growing up it and wooden beams anchored into it. Its well lit though. He looks down, and the wooden platform he's on has an edge that reveals a fairly brightly glowing bank of clouds underneath.

The platform's four sides have a railing protecting the edge, a door to a wooden building, a slimy cliff face, and a tunnel made in the thick vegetation on the cliff, leading... somewhere else.

Riask
Panogos
sand

[TGLS]

I awoke to a wetness on my back. I mumbled, "Great, I have another useless television dream and the storm sewer floods. Just perfect."

I got a bit of a chill and I opened my eyes, to see the overhang of a cliff. I wasn't thinking straight quite yet; I could only think of a joke. "Watson, what does this tell you? Well, meteorologically we're decently protected from the elements, tactically we only need to guard from three directions, and geologically we're about to be crushed. What does it tell you, Holmes? Watson you fool, someone stole our storm drain."

I was mulling over why the joke wasn't right when I realized someone had moved me and that I was naked. I panicked, and began checking my neck, wrists, and ankles. Not being bound wasn't any real comfort. As I got up, I called out to no one in particular. "OK, very funny. I'm sure you gotten a good laugh and taken a lot of pictures. Throw me my clothes back."

Nothing. I scooped up my diary, and tried to conceal my nakedness. It didn't really work out well. I got a better look around. I don't know of any place like this on Rattan; I must have been moved very far... But why would they bring my diary and nothing else, not even the clothes on my back?

I stepped towards the railing, looking over the clouds. Must be a cloud inversion below. There were more wooden platforms up the cliff's edge. Was I still dreaming? No, that hadn't happened before. Every pins and needles dream ended when I woke up. I decided the television dream was just a coincidence or a bad attempt and moved on.

I decided to spit into the clouds. Some people said they spit into the Grand Canyon, but who could say they spat into the clouds? Well, pilots I guess. Then I decided to check out the wooden building; I tried to open the door gently to take a peek inside.

[ericthered]

The spit seemed to hover forever, and he lost track of it before it hit the clouds.



The building was lit by one of those glowing stones hung from string. The room opened up at one end into a larger space, lit by more glowing stones. On the sides of it where what looked like wooden hang gliders, rope, and various climbing gear. A man stood behind a counter. He was pale, almost albino, and tall,but with jet black hair. The man launches into babbling some incoherent language, exceptionally friendly, and possibly expectant of something.

[TGLS]

I'll pop close the door quickly. This isn't happening. It can't be happening. I must have hit my head, and now I'm just hallucinating off of a dream I had. The dream was too ridiculous to be true. But what if I was wrong? I mean, they could just be wearing wings, and really pale skin can happen sometimes.

OK, if this is really happening, I can't walk around naked. Maybe I can put something together with the vegetation out here that will keep me semi-decent.

I guess this is as good as I'm going to look. I'll step inside the wooden door and ask that really friendly man some questions. I'll talk slowly and try to translate what I say into gestures in case he doesn't understand me.
"I don't understand what you're saying. Do you understand me? [Spanish] How about now?"
"Where am I?" I'll draw a map from memory beforehand so he can point where I am.
"I have no food or clothes. Where can I find work?" Work is probably a hard concept, so I'll try gesturing out examples: wiping, sweeping, lifting, digging.

[ericthered]

Gathering vegetation... scrounging roll.... success by 5!

Julian gets at a covering for his most important bits out of vines and leaves. Its wet, but gives at least a semblance of modesty.

The man understands neither English nor Spainish. He also doesn't seem to understand the map.

He does understand the request for work, and he waves Julian deeper into the building. turn right once he's in, and then keep an eye out for a big chamber on the side. Then talk to a tall man with weird hands and long hair*.

*Gesture... success by 4! Julian isn't sure what is meant by the weird hands, but he figures at least something should be distinctive about the hands.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Julian gets at a covering for his most important bits out of vines and leaves. Its wet, but gives at least a semblance of modesty.

Enter Julian, wet. It's like Pericles except I haven't been shipwrecked.

Originally Posted by ericthered

The man understands neither English nor Spanish. He also doesn't seem to understand the map.

Where on Earth am I? Either he's profoundly ignorant or my map's a lot worse than I think. Probably not a good map.

Originally Posted by ericthered

He does understand the request for work, and he waves Julian deeper into the building. turn right once he's in, and then keep an eye out for a big chamber on the side. Then talk to a tall man with weird hands and long hair*.

*Gesture... success by 4! Julian isn't sure what is meant by the weird hands, but he figures at least something should be distinctive about the hands.

Supposing that the friendly chalky man's hands were normal looking [they aren't] and this is the marketplace Julian dreamt about
Well, I suppose it's hard to be delicate about physical disabilities when you're just gesticulating wildly. I'll follow the directions and head deeper into the building, looking for the tall weird handed man. I bite my lip, trying my best to remain indescript as I wander through this marketplace. I thought I was done with public humiliations.

Also, Julian felt nothing strange from the lighting?

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

Supposing that the friendly chalky man's hands were normal looking and this is the marketplace Julian dreamt about

Originally Posted by TGLS

Also, Julian felt nothing strange from the lighting?

Wow, I'm off my game. Both of those deserve further comment.



Julian does feel something about the lighting... it feels like a divot somehow. a divot in space with a strange smell even though he can't actually touch it. That weird sense picks up other divots he can't see on the other side of walls as well.



The man's hands are not normal... he has a noticeable webbing between them, and the tips of his fingers are rather larger than expected. He indicates these differences are also true of the man to look for.

Well, I suppose it's hard to be delicate about physical disabilities when you're just gesticulating wildly. I'll follow the directions and head deeper into the building, looking for the tall weird handed man. I bite my lip, trying my best to remain indescript as I wander through this marketplace. I thought I was done with public humiliations.

Its not quite the same market place, but its quite similar. The hall only has doors to the right of it. Its quite crowded. Julian hoped to be indescript... but failed. Everyone who passes by looks at his strange "clothing". They look quite strange themselves. He passes a couple with wings, a woman with the grey slate skin and pointed ears, and what he thinks is a woman with substantially more body and facial hair than 99% of men.


The big chamber is a smaller market, though this one isn't running at the moment. The few hawkers present watch him suspiciously. He spots the tall man with long hair and webbed hands.

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Julian does feel something about the lighting... it feels like a divot somehow. a divot in space with a strange smell even though he can't actually touch it. That weird sense picks up other divots he can't see on the other side of walls as well.

I feel my eyes drawn in the direction of these divots. I think briefly if this is related to the more familiar pins and needles feelings I've had, and decide that could be possible. I've never seen a rock that just glows like that.

Originally Posted by ericthered

The man's hands are not normal... he has a noticeable webbing between them, and the tips of his fingers are rather larger than expected. He indicates these differences are also true of the man to look for.

They look quite strange themselves. He passes a couple with wings, a woman with the grey slate skin and pointed ears, and what he thinks is a woman with substantially more body and facial hair than 99% of men.

I briefly consider that this is some kind of cosplay convention. I rule it out primarily because I can't recognize any of the "characters" they'd be playing, and because I don't think the vendors would be dressed up like the crowd. Besides, how would you fake having physique like that?

Given the climbing vendor didn't understand my language, I decide against stopping to talk with anyone, and I decide not to stop and tweak their costumes either. That might draw more unwanted attention.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Julian hoped to be indescript... but failed. Everyone who passes by looks at his strange "clothing".

I find myself growing more and more red as I continue through the chamber, eventually trying to hide my face behind my diary. It doesn't help much.

Originally Posted by ericthered

The big chamber is a smaller market, though this one isn't running at the moment. The few hawkers present watch him suspiciously. He spots the tall man with long hair and webbed hands.

I don't suppose the friendly climbing vendor mentioned a name (even one I could only recognize by context). Actually thinking about it should be doable to just point at myself, say my name and then point at the friendly climbing vendor. Could we go back [retroactively or literally] and do that?

I'll be gesturing while speaking:
"I don't suppose you speak English either."
"The climbing vendor [alternately his name], said you had work here? Would you happen to have work for me?"

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by TGLS

I feel my eyes drawn in the direction of these divots. I think briefly if this is related to the more familiar pins and needles feelings I've had, and decide that could be possible. I've never seen a rock that just glows like that.

Something about these rocks feel more like... holes in some way. Like the light comes from deeper than just the rock, appearing less like a glowing surface and more like the entrance to a lantern. And in fact, Julian notices that the backside of the rock doesn't glow.

I don't suppose the friendly climbing vendor mentioned a name (even one I could only recognize by context). Actually thinking about it should be doable to just point at myself, say my name and then point at the friendly climbing vendor. Could we go back [retroactively or literally] and do that?

Lets retroactively do that. the Climbing vendor is named Graco Umaakyat.

I'll be gesturing while speaking:
"I don't suppose you speak English either."
"The climbing vendor [alternately his name], said you had work here? Would you happen to have work for me?"

The man tries a few different languages with Julian, but nothing is understood. At least not with words. The man mimes swinging some sort of tool, and holds up a chunk of black rock: he has work for Julian as a miner. He also holds up a coin, indicating some rate of payment: four of those per... day? maybe? it took the man way too long to understand the gestures for "Day".

He gestures asking where Julian's parents/guardians/taller responsible people are (yes, height is the most concrete gestured for).

[TGLS]

Originally Posted by ericthered

The man tries a few different languages with Julian, but nothing is understood. At least not with words. The man mimes swinging some sort of tool, and holds up a chunk of black rock: he has work for Julian as a miner. He also holds up a coin, indicating some rate of payment: four of those per... day? maybe? it took the man way too long to understand the gestures for "Day".

Well I'd probably be more inclined to ask if it was piecework before day. I guess I don't have any choice but to accept his terms.

I'll ask what his name is and what the rock is called.

I guess this is the raw rock and not the worked and polished material? Is it smooth or rough? Is there any patterning on it?

Originally Posted by ericthered

He gestures asking where Julian's parents/guardians/taller responsible people are (yes, height is the most concrete gestured for).

Well, I don't actually know and I rather not say if I did, so I guess I'll lie a little. I'll gesture that they're dead. That usually shuts down most conversations about the topic.