(IC) New Orleans by Night CtL

[Bennosuke]

Pushing through his fatigue and frustration, Sebastian continued to lead the group through the winding paths of The Dream Roads. As the group progressed, the stone steps became slick from the rising tides, and it required steady footing to avoid slipping and falling into the dark waters. The moon faces became larger as the group progressed, more sinister in appearance and expression. Some had horns, or tusks like a boar; others had multiple eyes, or more than one mouth filled with rows of pointy teeth.

"You think these guys are real? Or just dreams?" He looked up at one of the jeering moons, wondering. "Maybe we could ask 'em if they know a good spot."

Big Tom, who was in the back of the group, and helping to carry the rolled up corpse of Arthur Pengrove simply grunted the word, "No", his voice seeming to carry and echo as if the group were underground in a cave.

As if in response, a sickled yellow crescent moon with a needle-like nose and a pock scarred surface leered down at Songbird and said, "Why not? Go ahead and ask us!" in a voice that sounded like waves in a seashell.

At the head of the pack, Sebastian was busy looking too and fro, and a film of sweat had begun to develop on his forehead. He either did not hear the moon, or simply ignored the thing above as he tried to pick the right path at a fork in the Dream Road.

Spoiler: OOC and Rolls

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Rolling for Sebastian at ER's request while he is traveling. (4d10)[3][9][2][2](16) and 10 again (4d10)[2][7][1][6](16), and for the Hedge (5d10)[8][5][3][1][8](25)

[Ohiska]

Songbird kept following along, struggling against the fatigue. He stared up at the moons, but immediately regretted doing so, or even drawing attention to them in the first place, when they began speaking to him.

"Uhh-..." The avian changeling glanced to his fellows a moment, before looking back up to the moon. "We're looking for a good place to b-bury a lost friend. Somewhere-... P-peaceful. Respectful."

Spoiler: OOC

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Composure 3 + Surival 0 - 1 for Unskilled Survival = 2. I guess I'll toss some Willpower in there to make it 5-... Hopefully, I can find an opportunity to get some back.

(5d10)[9][4][5][1][3](22)
10-Again - (5d10)[9][3][5][7][2](26)

If you didn't add the dice I gave to Sebastian's rolls, I'll roll it here. Feel free to discount it, if you've already accounted for it.
(1d10)[8]

[Ladorak]

Reggy nods to Songbird and adds 'He was a good man, a man who made one awful mistake and spent the rest of his life torturing himself over it.' Despite his answer Reggy tries to imitate Sebastian, ignoring the mocking moon and concentrating on surveying their surroundings.

Spoiler

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Resolve+survival+WP=
3+1+3
(7d10)[6][5][10][2][4][7][8](42)
10-again
(7d10)[6][9][3][5][4][4][3](34)

[Bennosuke]

The crescent moon turns to look down at the Motley of Changelings, growing slowly till it is nearly a yellow sphere glowing in the strange night's sky. Grinning down at Songbird, the moon says, "Why not just... put him to rest in the water. A proper burial for a sailor of the sea of dreams, no?" The wind seems to pick up as this moon speaks, blowing hair and clothing about, though not interfering with the words of the sentient lunar surface.

The group heads right down the path, and now in the distance, structures are coming into view. The tall silhouettes appear in the shape of tall Victorian style houses, like the ones in The Garden District, some as dilapidated and twisted as Arthur Pengrove's own house, others are well kept, regal structures. Rather than a street number, strange symbols and hieroglyphs hand above each door, pinned to the frame in bronze. Though nothing is visible from the dark windows of the houses, when not directly staring at a building, one gets the sense that he/she is being watched by ghoulish faces peering from the tall shuttered windows. Now all that is needed is picking an appropriate Bastion.

Spoiler: OOC and rolls

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Okay, so this last roll will go back to Wits/Intelligence + Occult, to pick a Bastion that would be appropriate. I will roll for Sebastian and for the Hedge, and will ask that Ohiska and Ladorak roll if Sebastian loses to the Hedge
Sebastian: (7d10)[3][1][2][10][8][9][6](39) and 10 again (7d10)[1][4][5][4][5][2][8](29)

The Hedge (5d10)[5][2][6][8][7](28) and 10 again (7d10)[1][2][8][6][5][8][7](37)

EDIT: And the Motley wins. I will be posting another IC post shortly, moving things along. Thank you for the patience everyone.

[Bennosuke]

Sebastian leads the group to the foot of a two story Victorian house painted a summery yellow. Potted daisies hand from chains on the porch, and over the door is the bronze symbol of what appears to be crown and a lamb. Oil lamps frame either side of the door, though both appear to be off. There is nothing but blackness through the windows, though a strange glow casts shadows on the porch from inside the Bastion. The only sound is the creaking of the wooden steps as Sebastian walks up to the porch. But when he tries the silver door handle, Sebastian finds the entrance locked.

Sebastian sighs, turning to the group to say, "I'ts locked. I might be able to bust the door down, but it's kinda tricky. Maybe we can find a key somewhere to unlock this door."

Spoiler: OOC

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So to enter the Bastion, the group will either have to find the key (Wits + Investigation -3), or they will have to break their way in. Breaking in will be a paradigm shift roll, though Sebastian would first likely assess the fortifications. I'll hold off on this roll in case people want to investigate first before busting the door down

[Ohiska]

Songbird glanced around at the buildings as the Motley neared their destination, looking for the faces that he clearly felt watching them, but turns his attention to Sebastian after he picks out a particular house. He wondered who it might belong to-... Maybe it was Catoire's? He suddenly wondered at the possible consequences of burying a body in a dream.

"Don't worry, I'll find it for sure." The avian changeling replied in response to the Wizened, before getting to work searching for the key and - after a moment - speaking his mind again. "I suppose it's too late to turn back now, but-... What do you suppose it does to a person? Having a body buried in their dreams?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Wits 3 + Investigation 2 - 3 = 2. I'd also like to employ Songbird's Acute Senses to add an extra die, if that should work - I can roll again or something if it doesn't.

(3d10)[5][6][10](21)
10 Again: (3d10)[2][10][1](13)

[Bennosuke]

As Songbird gazes about the porch, a sudden bright gleam of light catches his eyes from one of the hanging potted plants. He had almost missed it, but perhaps it was part of Jack's acquired Avian-fae nature. Songbird moves to the pot, and reaches up to grab a small silver key, the grip formed into a grinning jack o' lantern.

[Ohiska]

"Ah! Here we are." Songbird held the key up for the rest of the group to see, before making his way over to the door to try it. "Everybody ready?"

[EarthenRite]

Sebastian nods, the navigation having drained him somewhat.

“That was very lucky finding that key.”

[Bennosuke]

Following the groups approval, Songbird presses the key into the large black keyhole; but there is no locking mechanism, no click of metal on metal. Instead, the moment the key hits the lock it begins to glow, and Songbird can feel it emanating a warm tingle in his hand. The light from the key begins to spread, climbing up the surface of the house, and out across the wooden porch where the Changelings stand. The light grows brighter and brighter, swallowing up the Dreamscape, until the entirety of the universe is nothing but white light.

Then the light begins to fade, as the scent of burning candles and musk begins to float through the air. The Lost find themselves standing in a somberly lit room filled with towering structures. As their eyes begin to clear, the structures thin and the Changelings can see that they are standing in a giant room, filled with giant tables and giant chairs. The place seems to be like a restaraunt for giants. Tall windows look out to a garden with bushes that come to shoulder height, and trees that climb stories into the air.

In the far corner of the room, standing near what appears to be a door open to the brightly sunlit world, stands a waiter glares at the group. He's dressed in a tailcoat tuxedo, and his "regular" proportions in relationship to the tables near him make him out to be a giant. In the most menacing of voices he mechanically says, "All guests must be appropriately dressed, even children!"

(OOC: If you are up for it, give me a Wits + Intelligence roll and give yourself a +2 modifier if you are a member of the Lagniappe Tribunal)

[Ohiska]

"I'm a lucky guy." Songbird winked at Sebastian, before turning the key.

The avian changeling looked around at his surroundings as the light began to fade, trying to figure out whose dream this might be, though he's interrupted by the arrival of the giant waiter.

"Oh, of course-... But I'm not a guest. I'm the entertainment." Jack collects his guitar from his back, then glances back to the rest of the group, before speaking in a tone barely above a whisper. "You guys part of the act?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Intelligence 2 + Wits 3 = 5
(5d10)[9][2][10][8][2](31)
10-Again: (5d10)[6][10][1][1][2](20)

If I need to roll to convince the waiter, I'll try Persuasion + Presence. I figure Presence fits better than Manipulation, but if you would rather I use that, I shall.
Persuasion 2 + Presence 4 = 6
(6d10)[3][2][6][8][7][9](35)
10-Again: (6d10)[7][9][7][1][2][2](28)

[Bennosuke]

Spoiler: What Songbird knows

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Looking around, the room appears to Songbird to be some giant version of Commander's Palace, the famous New Orleans fine dining restaurant located in the heart of the Garden District. However, this is like a rough facsimile of the restaurant, with something feeling off... other than the scale

The waiter sneers at Songbird, stepping forward with his legs the size of an adult human. "Well you aren't dressed the part," he growls, and suddenly a giant black blazer has appeared in his hands, "all guests... and staff must have the appropriate attire!"

[Ladorak]

Reggy pushes himself to the front of the group with uncharacteristic venom, all the time tutting and muttering pompously. He points an accusing finger at the giant and demands in a reedy whining voice 'Do you know who I am?'

Spoiler: OOC:

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Can we use contracts in the dreamscape? Specifically Hostile takeover (Crown). If so use that, I imagine it requires a clash of wills (And 2 glam)
wyrd+presence+fairest bonus dice
2+4+2
(8d10)[2][5][1][7][2][8][8][7](40)
10again
(8d10)[5][2][2][2][6][3][6][5](31)
If not then use Presence+ Socialize (Formal Events)
4+2+1
(7d10)[9][8][6][3][4][6][1](37)
10again
(8d10)[3][3][6][7][1][7][10][10](47)

[Bennosuke]

One moment the world is too big, the next The Motley have "returned" to normal size, finding the scene in Commander's Palace to be now proportional to the real thing.

When Reggy speaks there is a sudden discomfort in the man's face, though he seems not to have noticed the sudden change in size that the Changelings have undergone. "My apologies," the waiter says flatly, and taking another step towards the intruders, "however, restaurant policy is still that guests are appropriately dressed, no exceptions."

[Ohiska]

Songbird looked up at gigantic blazer with trepidation, but his expression changed as he found himself suddenly much larger-... Or maybe everything else just became smaller?

"Oh, ah-... Thanks, man." The avian changeling accepted the jacket, putting his guitar aside while he put it on, before picking the instrument up again and proceeding onwards. "This is enough, right? Oh, ff course it is. I'll get right along to playing."

Fontenot danced his way into the restaurant, not giving the waiter any time to stop him. He strummed his guitar and began singing, a song that starts sanguine but grows more melancholic over time, bringing to mind the coming of autumn. After he began to get into the rhythm, the instruments of his Mantle arose to join his own music, together forming an ethereal kind of harmony.

Spoiler: OOC

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Expression 4 + Presence 4 + Specialty 1 + Mantle 2 = 11
(11d10)[7][5][4][7][5][6][2][6][1][8][10](61)
10-Again: (11d10)[3][1][10][8][5][9][2][4][9][1][10](62)

[Ohiska]

Spoiler

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And so my bad luck with ridiculously high dice pools returns.
I'll spend a point of Glamour to shift one of those successes to giving the group appropriate clothes, if that's doable.
If that 10-Again got me an extra success to spare, I'll put it towards subtly shifting the tone of the dream more toward a sort of autumnal funerary air; if it didn't, then nevermind.

[EarthenRite]

Sebastian nods at the functionary of the dream and gestures towards his own black blazer.

“Of course, that is only fair to be attired appropriately. Is this acceptable to the management?”

He found it easiest to always wear black, because it really did have a way to fit everything.

[Bennosuke]

Spoiler: @Ohiska

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Wow, that was unfortunate luck! Songbird only gets two successes. One glamour spent and listed in your character box in the OOC thread. However, if Songbird were to look outside...

Spoiler: OOC: What Sebastian Knows

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Also not the best luck, but being a member of the Lagniappe Tribune who often holds meetings at Commander's Palace, Sebastian recognizes that this representation is a poor facsimile of the actual Commander's Palace, like someone's memory of the restaurant from their childhood. The waiter is also a cartoonishly evil version of an actual waiter that Sebastian remembers... he also knows that right outside of Commander's Palace is the famous Lafayette Cemetery #1, one of the largest and most visited cemeteries in New Orleans.

With a slight mental push from Songbird, the Changelings all find themselves dressed in matching blazers (OOC: Ohiska, I'll let you flesh this detail out if you desire). Again, the waiter does not even bat an eye at the sudden shift in reality. He simply shrugs and says, "Very well," seemingly uninterested in the group of Lost who suddenly appeared in his restaurant, now that they were "appropriately dressed".

Songbird begins to play a sad and melodic number. However, Imere, still carrying the wrapped up corpse of Arthur Pengrove (with the assistance of Big Tom) gives an unsubtle moan and says, "perhaps we can move this along and find an acceptable place to... put our rug?"

[EarthenRite]

Sebastian nods to Imere and Tom after they’ve moved a little into the restaurant and gestures towards a door.

“Outside the door...there’ll be a cemetery. We can lay him to rest there.”

He hastens to move towards the door, opening up the side that will bring him to the cemetery.

Spoiler: OOC

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Can I sculpt a shove from dreamstuff as we get to the cemetery? Or, better still, a pair of gravediggers?

[Bennosuke]

Sebastian moves to the front entrance of Commander's Palace so that he can see outside. Like in reality, the turquoise colonial building of the restaurant opens up to a wide open street, across from which are the tall stone walls and wrought iron gates of Lafayette Cemetery No. 1. Unlike in real life, the streets are completely empty; no cars, no pedestrians, and no tourists crowding to get into the cemetery to take Instagram photos.

Peering at the cemetery, Sebastian can also see that it is this area that has an increased layer of texture and detail; less of the caricature of the dream's Commander's Palace. From the cemetery, Sebastian can also hear the mournful sound of funeral music. The dreamer must be in the cemetery!

Spoiler: OOC: Responding to ER

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So this is the one area I feel the rules of dream shaping is interesting. The idea as posed by the book is that you have to take some action to convince the Dream to believe you to shape it the way you want. So, Sebastian could for example enter the scene in the cemetery and pronounce "We are here to bury The King", making a Presence + Subterfuge roll, and as long as the dreamer or an eidilon overhears and believes Sebastian/the roll is successful, Sebastian could spend glamour to cause a subtle shift that would give him the attire of a funeral worker and the appropriate equipment.

[EarthenRite]

Spoiler: OOC

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Oh my goodness I love that! I might not be good at it, but I love it. I am going to have to spend a willpower to get more than 1 dice. Here goes...

(4d10)[2][4][7][5](18)
10s - (4d10)[3][6][7][7](23)

Sebastian walked up to the gate of the cemetery and opened it, speaking loudly, trying to adopt the cadence of a ministerial voice.

“We are here today to lay to rest a great man, a man who held on to his honor.”

As he feels the dream ignoring him, he turns to the others in the motley, shaking his head.

“Someone else try. Make the dream believe we are part of it...pallbearers, ministers, whoever. I...can’t really act.”

[Ladorak]

Reggy cleared his voice delicately, and cried out an 'Amen!' Clapping his hands to gather the attention of an invisible crowd he intoned 'Brothers and sisters, we are gathered here today to bury a man who deserved better, but did not want it. A noble soul who dearly needed the peace he now rests within. The Lord welcomes him back to his bosom with love. The Lord forgives all sins.'

Spoiler

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Presence+ subterfuge
4+1
(5d10)[5][2][6][6][3](22)
10again
(5d10)[7][4][8][8][7](34)

edit: Not my night... No WP or dramatic failure

[Bennosuke]

Outside, it appears to be an overcast and autumnal afternoon. The sky is filled with bloated grey clouds that blot out the sun.

The group walk out into the cemetery in their best attempt at a somber procession. Sebastian opens the gate, and thankfully, the wrought iron of dreams does not hold the same bane for Changelings as real iron. The inside of Lafayette cemetery No 1 is likely a familiar site to every individual who has visited New Orleans, let alone a group of Changelings who have lived in the city since escaping their Durance.

Due to constant flooding in the city, New Orleans being below sea level and surrounded by lake and rivers, bodies are buried in above ground graves, made of brick, morter and marble. These tombs are meant to prevent floods from washing unearthed bodies into the city streets and have been in place in New Orleans for hundreds of years. The wealthiest families inter their families in large mausoleums, where multiple family members can be "buried" together, while the poorest citizens have their bodies actually interred in the high walls that line the. Rows of these above ground graves line the cemetery, but unlike in reality, where the graves are mostly six feet tall brick and marble rectangles (many with rounded arch tops), this dream cemetery is mostly populated with gargoyle and angle festooned statues, and tombstones like out of a child's horror cartoon.

As the Changelings make their entrance into the cemetery, they come upon a congregation of adult figures dressed in black. They stand somberly around an open and empty above ground tomb. This grave is crystallized in the most realistic of details, as if the artist who painted this graveyard had spent the most time bringing just this tomb to life. Standing next to the grave is a young boy of maybe eight or nine years old. The boy is dressed in a black suit with brass buttons, and unlike the faceless congregation who produce noises like moans and sobs, the boy stares with fascination and horror at the grave.

As Sebastian and Reggy attempt to make their introductions, a faceless eidilon priest drones on, while the others of the congregation look up with their dark smudged faces to stare at the intruders.

(OOC: Ohiska, I'll give you a shot at a Presence + Subterfuge roll, but I'm going to give you a -2 penalty if you want to roll, given the "success" of your partners)

[Ohiska]

Songbird lingered in the restaurant longer than his compatriots, so that he might finish his song, but he quickly joined left to join them after the exact last note. As the Motley enters the cemetery he joins Imere and Tom in carrying the body, trying to appear the part of a pallbearer.

"The body of the departed is here." The avian changeling states simply, upon noticing the congregation and the empty tomb. "Let us lay him to rest."

Spoiler: OOC

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Oh boy, those penalties are punishing. I'll have to spend Willpower to have more than a single die-... I guess I'll have to find an opportunity to recharge it.

Presence 4 + Subterfuge 0 + 3 for Willpower - 1 for Unskilled Penalty - 2 for Partner Penalty = 4
(4d10)[2][4][4][9](19)
10-Again: (4d10)[1][5][9][8](23)

[Bennosuke]

The gathered congregation seems to accept Songbird's words, finally putting their heads down and returning their attention to the funeral before them. However, Songbird is unable to force a shift in the dream, and the Changelings are stuck in their blazers and without tools.

Though the dream's eidilons seem appeased, the boy has turned his attention towards the new and strangely dressed figures who have entered his dream. His cold blue eyes study the Changelings without self awareness, and he steps forward between the dream priest and the congregation to come slightly closer. "Who are you," he asks with a mix of curiosity and confusion. His voice is high and childlike, but textured with true New Orleans grit.

(OOC: Ohiska's roll is enough to prevent the dream from rejecting the Changelings, but with only one success, he can't enforce a subtle shift. WP taken from your character box Ohiska)

[EarthenRite]

Sebastian looks at the young boy and smiles. He crouches down to look at eye level.

“Who do we seem to be, my young friend?”

He interposes himself between the grave and the boy to afford the others uninterrupted chances to lay the body down. He felt in his core that this was the key, this boy. The dreamer, perhaps.

[Bennosuke]

"I don't know," says the boy, his voice rising with curiosity, "you say you are here to bury someone important, but you don't look like you're dressed right." His eyes narrow as they are drawn to the rolled up carpet, and he points a finger at the space between Imere and Tom and he says, "Is that who you are going to bury?"

Behind him the funeral continues in its drone of sobs and sermons, like the audio from behind the boy is somehow out of focus.

[EarthenRite]

Sebastian nods.

“We are here to bury him. He was a great man. We are dressed...as he knew us. Are you here to pay your respects to someone? You seemed...unsettled when I first saw you.”

[Bennosuke]

The boy shrugs, seemingly unphased by Sebastian's words, and still pointing at the corpse of Arthur Pengrove he says, "If he was such a great man, why is he rolled up in a carpet? Did you kill him or something?" There is no accusation or moral judgement in the boy's words, just a continued childlike curiosity that seems to have overridden his prior mourning.

[Ohiska]

Songbird listened intently to the kid and Sebastian speaking, but as he was playing the role of pallbearer, he figured he should remain silent. He slowly moved alongside Imere and Tom to lay Pengrove to rest in the open tomb, trying to act as naturally as he could in the situation.