logsinthenight | EVENT LOG: ENTER MR. SANDMAN (DREAMERS)

Entry tags:

EVENT LOG: ENTER MR. SANDMAN (DREAMERS)

characters: all characters that signed up as a dreamer for the event.
location: dreamland feat. beacon of the past.
date/time: november 16-29.
content: the dreamers investigate beacon as it once was.
warnings: psychological/existential horror. further cws will arise depending on the location; mods will cw tags appropriately, and you will too!

say your prayers, little one.

Hello, dreamers. Welcome to Beacon.

Below, each group has a toplevel ready and waiting for the investigation to begin. Feel free to tag in however to establish a tag order, and mod responses will begin once each character has tagged in. If you need a refresher on how the event will work, give the OOC info another read!

As for those of you in the ~~sin bin~~ opt out area...

The Beacon of the past isn't all too different from the Beacon of the present, frankly, except for a few notable exceptions. For one, it's far better lit: daylight leaves everything feels a lot brighter and more sensible than eternal night does. Several advertisements for community theater in the Invincible are hung up (Tryouts for the Ice Man Cometh! Cometh try your luck!) and minor lost and found posters are tacked to a community bulletin board nearby. Oh, and a merry little tune is playing on loop from a record player set up outside the Invincible.

It's cheerful, if not a little off-putting. But the signs of life are clear, even if the forest still looks darkly oppressive over yonder.

Additionally, since investigation threads 1) rely on mod responses, and 2) will likely move on the slow side given the nature of the event/size of the groups, if you would like to have your characters "mingle" in their assigned location, please feel free to write your own toplevels! We ask that you post them as separate toplevels not in response to the mod toplevels (so our inboxes don't get super flooded/we don't accidentally miss stuff). Remember that groups may only interact with each other during the event, but you're welcome to assume timey-wimey shenanigans to excuse why your characters are mingling instead of searching for clues—they do have two weeks in this dream, technically, and dreams are not always linear. If your investigation thread has not yet progressed to a point in which you've got enough of a handle on the setting to write a separate mingle starter, ask the mod you're working with! We'll fill you in on some OOC details so you can mingle accordingly while still allowing for characters to discover those details ICly in the investigation thread.

If you're still jonesing for more threading action during the event, we encourage you to check out the TDM!

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[ wanda squints into the— she's nearly blinded by the—
did that girl just say— ]

...the sun...

[ it's an astonished whisper that leaves her, barely making much sound because her mouth has suddenly gone dry and sandy from shock. she's developed a poor habit, running her tongue over her chipped molar (courtesy of the deep forest baubledook), as a nervous tic of anxiety — to do it now is more painful than usual, so surely she isn't... paralyzed or... deader than before.

a hand snaps out to steady herself against a tree, feet momentarily unsteady on the cliffside terrain. wanda doesn't know either of the people she's with, but she could have sworn they were two of the shadowed people at the— ]

—I was... there was a feast. I was eating, before this. Weren't you both? Or...

[ she glances down from their faces to her free hand. still carrying her lantern, in broad daylight. so close to the off-limits lighthouse. god, why bobby darin, where is the elevator they're about to get stuck in...? wanda tries to keep her thoughts from swimming. ]

[It really is a lovely, lovely day.

A gentle gust drifts in from the lake, and something near the lighthouse clacks faintly. The noise continues every so often as the breeze picks up.

The song continues from the lighthouse.]

[ With a sigh, Buffy glances at both of the strangers she's been dropped here with, wondering if they were just the drawers of unfortunately short straws or if there was a reason they'd been put together. It's something that Giles might have immediately pursued back in the day, even Willow, but she's too used to action to even consider it right now. There are no books to consult, no ancient temples to track down, just... this. A sunset, a lighthouse, and a song that has never seemed creepy until this very moment. ]

We feasted, we teleported, we're here. And judging by my way too many years of experience with this sort of thing, we're supposed to go that way. [ She points at the lighthouse perched above some serious looking cliffs. ] So let's get with the going.

[ She doesn't wait to see if they agree before heading forward — sorry, fellow kidnappees, she's just used to taking charge of situations. ]

Let us hope it's not a trap.

[If it was, then there was nothing to do but spring it. He glanced at the second woman, not recognizing her either. He started walking with Buffy, not waiting to see if Wanda would keep up with them. He didn't see the point of introductions while they had to figure out where they were.]

Do you have experience with finding yourself in strange places with no logical explanation?

[Even Kylo's Force hadn't done anything like this to him before. This was a new kind of sorcery and he didn't much care for it so far. They came to the door of the lighthouse but he would let Buffy or Wanda go in first, just in case.]

[As the group heads toward the lighthouse, they'll quickly discover the source of the sound: The wooden door to the lighthouse tower has been left open, and it bangs against the bricks as the breeze catches it. Inside, it's too dark to see much. They'll have to get closer (or just head inside!) to see what's in there.

Coming around the lighthouse though, they'll also get a better look at the outbuilding! It's a small brick house, like this except pretend there's an outer door to the lighthouse as well. The outbuilding's door is closed, and should the group investigate, they'll find that it's locked.

The song continues from the lighthouse.]

[ wanda is still squinting through the onslaught of sunlight as much as she keeps her eyes narrowed and guarded at buffy, and to a lesser degree, hux — neither of whose names she actually knows. but mild senses swirl toward her as they make their way in a unit (strength in numbers, they seem to have agreed silently), closer into the cliffside.

she still remembers what happened to vanitas not far from here... those spindly demons, ripping him apart— the visions she had when he came back—

and later, the others... so many... ]

Experience diving headfirst toward what looks like bait or no, I think we should check the perimeter first,

[ she says, drawing up close to the base of the the lighthouse. the door left ajar seems even more suspicious than it would if it were closed. wanda pauses, listening with her ears and with her mind for any sign of life, a presence, but so far things seem... muddled. especially with that song playing, over and over.

she looks at her company with a slight shake of her head to indicate she didn't pick up anything discernible, then snaps her eyes to the side: the outbuilding. with a gesture of her hand, ]

Let's try in there first. There could be something useful.

[Hux wondered if there was someone else here but no one had come out of the lighthouse. It seemed odd that music had been left to play on a repeat but there was a lot about this situation that was strange, to say the least.]

That's a good place to start as any.

[He was careful as he stepped up to the outhouse, up the stairs. He didn't touch the door right away, there could be a trap but he didn't see any wiring. Slowly, he took the latch and pulled, only to find it locked.]

I don't suppose either of you has a way to unlock the door?

Unlock? Not exactly.

[ Walking up to the door in question, she gives it a good once-over with a frown, testing the handle herself, before glancing at her companions. The red-haired woman has... something coming off her but it isn't demonic. Him, though? All human. ]

But I've got this. You might want to stand back.

[ She only waits a few seconds for them to move before she does herself, fully confident that this will work just like it always has. Throw her strength around and get stuff done.

If the door opens inward, she'll give it a good kick, throwing her full Slayer strength behind it. If it opens outward, then that handle is likely to be yanked right off as she pulls with that same strength, hoping to take the locked part of the frame with it. If, of course, she manages to do anything at all. ]

[Oddly enough, Wanda won't be able to sense any signs of life outside of herself and her two companions. In listening, she'll of course hear the song, as well as the mourning dove cooing in the treeline.

The door is old and weathered and not particularly intimidating, so there's no reason why Buffy shouldn't be able to kick it in given both her strength and expertise. Her kick lands with a crack next to the door handle, but the door doesn't budge. In fact, it's like she's just kicked a concrete wall at full strength, the impact strong enough to even fracture some of the bones in her foot. Ouch.

And to make matters worse, her shoe is now stuck to the door. No amount of yanking seems to free it...]

[Oh, and the song continues from the lighthouse.]

[ wanda took silent note of how hux made sure not to use force; meanwhile buffy wasted no time. (she sort of liked that about her, even if that kind of thing could get you in trouble as often as it could save you in this town. buffy had... what did rhodey call it? moxxie.)

but— hell, she cringed as she heard the tell-tale crunch of bones breaking. she wished she could be surprised by the fact buffy's boot was stuck to the door, but leave it to beacon.

even daylight beacon. ]

Damn it— here, let me help you...

[ she slides between hux and buffy to get close to her imprisoned leg and ascertain the damage, the best angle from which she can assist. it would be one thing to use her powers to try to extract everything in one piece, away from the door, but not with what she suspects is a severely injured foot. ]

If you have any medical training, speak up,

[ wanda says over her shoulder to hux, before focusing her attention back on buffy. ]

I am Wanda, by the way, and I'm going to pull your foot free, gently, alright?

[ she unzips the offending boot and slowly draws buffy's foot back from the ankle, careful not to touch lower for the moment. ]

[There was no sympathy as he heard the crunch of Buffy's foot. He considered it a foolish idea to try to kick the door without assessing the situation better but he kept that judgment to himself, only watching as he watched her foot get stuck to the door.

That was unfortunate.]

I'm an engineer, not a medic.

[While Wanda helped Buffy with her boot, he moved to the side to inspect the hinges on the door to see if he could remove them and open the door that way since there didn't seem to be a control panel anywhere that he could find.]

Hopefully, you'll be able to walk.

[ Buffy glances from Hux to Wanda, whose name she actually knows, and tries not to curse. There might not be an impressionable younger sister hanging around, but that still just isn't her style. It is really tempting though, because damnit, that hurt. ]

I'll be fine.

[ She practically growls the words in Hux's general direction, a sustained wince etched into her expression as Wanda works on her boot and helps get her free from the door that is holding tight. A magic door that doesn't like being kicked. Great, that's just great. Exactly what she needs while being stuck in interdimensional purgatory. Suddenly she can't punch her way out of her problems and she doesn't like it.

When her foot is finally loose, she hops back slightly before lowering her leg and gently putting weight on the injured foot. It hurts like hell, there's no denying that, but she can tell from many years of fighting that it's only fractures and nothing broken enough to effectively slow her down. As a slayer, that's really all that matters. ]

Thanks for the help, Wanda. I'm Buffy. [ Then, raising her voice (perhaps a little too much) ] Hey, engineer guy, what do we call you?

[Wanda and Buffy will be able to free Buffy's foot from her shoe, and thus the door. Phew.

When Hux moves to inspect the door, he won't be able to see the hinges from this side. He will notice thought that the door looks very sturdy from close up, much moreso than it did at a glance. It looks like it's made of wood, but given his inspection and the state of Buffy's foot, the group will be able to tell that now it seems to be made of stone that just looks like wood.

Oh, but there's a keyhole just below the doorknob... Was that there before?

Finally, when Buffy asks for Hux's name, the paint on the door chips abruptly, as if scratched by one sharp fingernail. The paint flakes away until ARMITAGE HUX is spelled out in scratchy lettering. There's even an arrow pointing to Hux as he inspects the door.

The song continues from the lighthouse.]

[ wanda is still holding onto one of buffy's arms to help her balance, all three of them more or less huddled around the door, when she opens her mouth to reply to the man— something about how an engineer should hopefully be able to make heads or tails of this door—

when the door starts writing. her mouth stays frozen, voiceless for a few seconds before glancing up at him, ]

...Is that really your name?

[ as she asks, the song wafting from above them in the lighthouse twists, distorts, and she nearly winces at the garbled, eerie quality. wanda looks between the two of them. ]

Something is wrong. [ she quickly amends, glancing up at the lighthouse windows ] Something new is wrong. Maybe we've been down here too long.

[Hux glanced at the door, raising his eyebrows. The door apparently could respond to questions and knew something about him. He was wary about what other things the door could disclose. He wasn't sure how his name appeared but there had to be a logical explanation even if nothing else in this place seemed to be real.]

Yes. Just call me Hux though.

[He looked up with a frown when he heard the change in the music. Something in the lighthouse was changing the music and he doubted that they were alone here.]

Does anyone have any ideas about how to get through the door? If not, I suggest we look in the lighthouse for more information. Something is in there.

[ Between the creepy door that apparently answers questions and the even creepier music that makes her no more eager to venture inside than she had been two minutes ago, Buffy is very much Not Okay with their present situation. She's in the dark here, almost literally again with the sun setting the way it is, and there are forces at work here that she doesn't fully understand. Whatever magic is at play is pointing toward something Big or Scary and she's not certain she really wants to figure out which. Of course, she doesn't really have much of a choice — but when has she ever?

Eyeing Hux for a moment, she contemplates their options, weighing choices before turning her attention back to the door. She watches it closely as she asks it one simple question. ]

Where can we find the key that fits your lock?

[Nothing happens.

At first, that is. Just the group is about to give up on the question, a fleck of paint chips away from the center of the first "A" in Hux's name, and then another, and then a short rain of chips reveals a smiley face.

Another scratchy line appears on the door, this time trailing all the way to the frame and onto the wall of the building before eventually leaping to the lighthouse itself. The scratch continues midway up the tower before ending in an arrow pointing toward the sky.

The song continues from the ligthhouse.]

[ wanda releases buffy and leans down, frowning skeptically up along the trajectory of the arrow, then back at the door. accusatorial, she retorts back at the no longer quite inanimate object, ]

You're a real creep, you know that?

[ she glances around at their motley crew. ]

Up we go, then. If we want the key to Wonderland, it seems we've got to confront nightmare Bobby Darin.

[ wanda turns her chin up toward the lighthouse window, musing to herself as she heads for the door that hangs open, ]

...or is it Frank Sinatra...?

[ natasha always had this pristine collection of old records... wanda stirs herself from the memory of late night drinks and that record player to call over her shoulder, ]

Buffy, you can lean on me if you need to.

[Hux watches the arrow traveling up the lighthouse. He didn't have an explanation for what was happening and that bothered him. He went down the stairs, making no offer of his own. Either Buffy could walk or couldn't, he would let them figure that out by themselves.]

Nightmare who? Is this Wonderland then?

[He turned to Wanda, raising his eyebrows. The references aren't familiar to him at all. He started to head towards the lighthouse, pausing at the door. He glanced back once before stepping inside.]

[ The smile is the worst part of the answer, as if it's gloating that it has all the power as a door. But at least it is an answer, pointing them toward the farthest possible point on this little stretch of land. Somehow, achieving even this much gives Buffy a sense of renewed confidence that she can, in fact, handle this — mysterious riddles and magicked objects and cursed places are right in her wheelhouse. ]

I'll be fine, Wanda, thanks.

[ She takes note that Hux doesn't offer his own help, trying not to judge him too harshly for it but also definitely judging him. He does, however, bring up a ridiculous but totally plausible in her world possibility that she mutters about to herself, eyeing that arrow leading up the side of the structure. ]

I sure hope this isn't Wonderland, I'd really like to keep my head today.

[ Her list of prior deaths does not include decapitation and she'd really prefer to keep it that way. It's messy and unpleasant, and if she comes back for a fifth encore... Well, the scarf look to cover scars is just a bit too in-thrall-to-Dracula for her.

Since fighting her way out of things hasn't gotten her very far yet, she hangs back behind the others, limping slightly and keeping an eye (and ear) out for anything they might not notice. Slayer senses, don't fail her now.]

[Before the group moves too far, more paint chips away from the door. NO, it reads this time, and then more paint chips—but, no, that's not paint, that's... An arrow scratches off of the door and into the space between it and Wanda, pointing at her with an impossible tear in the world itself. It's the color behind your eyelids, both something and nothing all at once, a two-dimensional thing gone cockeyed as it rubs against the grain of spacetime. It shouldn't be possible, but it hangs in the air, this arrow scratched out of reality itself.

The song goes quiet as soon as they set foot in the lighthouse, but something about the way it gently fades suggests the silence is meant to be a gift. The door won't slam shut behind them, nothing will pop out of the shadows to maul them to death, they haven't walked into some grisly scene... In fact, what they've walked into is a storeroom that takes up the entirety of the lower level of the lighthouse. It's packed to the gills with just about everything a Lighthouse Keeper could ever need: food and water, of course, but also various toiletries, cleaning supplies, tools, linens, clothing, cookware, first aid supplies, etc. The lighthouse is well stocked.

A set of stairs spirals upward against the far wall, suggesting a second floor, and a body-sized heap of bloody plastic lies in the center of the room, crinkling faintly as raspy breaths heave from under it.]

[ no? no, what? no, it's not a creep — no this isn't wonderland — no don't go up —

suddenly wanda almost doubles over and has to catch herself on the stone outer wall of the lighthouse with the effect that reality-shredding, light-blinding arrow has on her mind, just for a moment. it stretches on in an echo (or is that just the sound of her voice she's hearing distantly as she groans?), and she pushes her thumb into her temple, shutting her eyes and then squinting them back open again. why is it pointing at her, only at her? it had to have cut through some kind of physical dimension or probability context, to ripple through her abilities like this.

stung, she does the only thing she can do — stumble away from it and lead the others more quickly into the mystery of the lighthouse. breathlessly, she starts, ]

Did you two see...

[ once inside, still talking and eyes adjusting yet again to the change in light, she scans the circular perimeter for any threats. nothing but stocks of ordinary goods, and in the center — ]

— oh god.

[ wanda rushes for the heap, then glances hastily back at her comrades. ]

Oh god, [ she repeats, ] I think there's someone alive under here.

[ one hand reaches for the edge of the blood-stained plastic covering. ]

Edited 2019-11-27 06:27 (UTC)

[The first thing he noticed was the sound of the song fading away. He wasn't sure if it was reassuring or ominous- something was clearly here but he couldn't see anything other than Wanda and Buffy with him.

And the body on the floor. He glanced around the room to see what else was there but it looked like a storage room, his attention was on the breathing under the bloody plastic covering.

He moved around the body as Wanda reached for the plastic. He wasn't going to touch it- he didn't want to get his own hands dirty even if he wore gloves.]

The blood doesn't seem as if it's dry- this looks recent.

[And what was under there clearly wasn't dead.]

[ The scent of blood is one she recognizes in her very soul, the coppery tang of it on her tongue screaming as loud to her enhanced senses as those rasping breaths. But everything in her is warning caution, an innate distrust of this place combining with the pain radiating up her leg to send her instincts into a spiral of self-preserving urges. Run, get out, fight. But it's not like she has anywhere to go.

So while Wanda moves to help whoever or whatever might be under that plastic, Buffy scans the room, taking in her options before grabbing a hammer from the assortment of tools available — or the closest thing to it. Just having a weapon in her hand makes her feel infinitely more prepared for whatever might come next. ]

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