Side Trek: Through the Cotillion of Hours

[Raven Crowking]

Does Murq and/or Jed go through the door with Cisneros?

Enquiring minds want to know.

I think that's what he meant by "hustle to keep up with the others" ...

Okay, then, we will assume that this is the case.

Cisneros opens the door and walks through, with Murq and Jed right behind him. As he opens the doors and walks through, Cisneros imagines that he is suddenly wearing a fine suit of mithril plate armor, ornately carved and inlaid with bright gold, and around his neck is a fine crimson cloak emblazoned with the image of a golden sun, but nothing changes apart form a deep chime ringing somewhere in the distance.

In a tabletop game, I would now place a large d12 on the table, with the 12 facing up. That is the number of chimes you have remaining until the Cotillion ends.

The door opens onto an opulent chamber of alabaster walls, airily-carved into pleasing forms representing long-forgotten pleasures that cannot quite be brought to mind. Cushions and pillows are strewn about the marble floor, some occupied by dreamers and others by languid lovers whose soft cries of passion fill the air as with distant music.

A female elf languorously beckons to Cisneros, inviting him to pleasure. She wears a star-shaped mask.

A female dwarf wearing a mask like a ferret or weasel likewise beckons to Murq, and a woman in a mask representing a many-starred night sky beckons to Jed.

There is a door to the far right.

[beermotor]

Daryll followed through as well, does no one beckon to him? If so, he'll grumpily go inspect the door, ignoring the women.

"What is your name? What is this place?" Cisneros will ask the elf woman beckoning to him.

[Dumnbunny]

Jed approaches the woman who beckoned to him. "I'm sorry, I can't help staring at your mask. I'll often lie outside at night, staring up at the stars, wondering about what's out there."

Murq approaches the female dwarf in the ferret or weasel mask deferentially; "Excuse me, my friends and I are looking for Somnos."

[Raven Crowking]

Daryll followed through as well, does no one beckon to him? If so, he'll grumpily go inspect the door, ignoring the women.

Daryll intentionally held back when the others passed the door. Time seems to stretch for him, and another chime rings as he passes the threshold.

There are now 11 chimes remaining.

A woman in a mask of green leaves, not unlike a "green man" figure, attempts to draw him to her.

"What is your name? What is this place?" Cisneros will ask the elf woman beckoning to him.

"What do names matter?" she answers. "This is the Hall of Sweeter Dreams. Stop here with me, and take your pleasure."

Jed approaches the woman who beckoned to him. "I'm sorry, I can't help staring at your mask. I'll often lie outside at night, staring up at the stars, wondering about what's out there."

"As did I," she says. "But what is in here is just as interesting." Jed notices that her left leg is about three inches longer than her right.

Murq approaches the female dwarf in the ferret or weasel mask deferentially; "Excuse me, my friends and I are looking for Somnos."

"But you have found me," she says. "Am I not more pleasant for an hour's dalliance?"

[beermotor]

Daryll snarls at the woman who approaches him, then speaks to his comrades. "Y'all hear them chimes? We just got 11 left. Guess we gotta stick together. Ignore these wenches and let's go!" He moves to the door and motions for the others to follow him.

Cisneros follows Daryll.

[Dumnbunny]

Jed glances at Daryll. "I'm sorry, miss. Maybe we can talk more later, but I must go with my friends." Looking back at her longingly, he follows Daryll finding Murq already scurrying after him.

[Raven Crowking]

Beermotor, please clarify.....which door are you moving toward?

[beermotor]

Sorry... the far one. As I read it, we came into the room, and there's another door out of the room (not the one we came through).

[Raven Crowking]

As you cross the room, Cisneros notices a panel on the left-hand wall, marked with a radiant blue star.

The dwarven woman yells at Murq, "What's wrong with me? Don't you think you've left enough dwarves behind!?!?" and attacks him with a hammer, just hitting him for 5 points of damage.

[beermotor]

Yikes, combat! I think that's it for Murq, btw. To clarify, are our stats exactly as they are in the real world? i.e., is Cisneros still suffering from the spellburn? That puts a severe damper on this, if so. And, Grim's not here... sigh.

What happens, visibly, when she strikes down Murq? Does he disappear? Does she disappear? Do the other women react angrily or attack?

[Raven Crowking]

Yikes, combat! I think that's it for Murq, btw. To clarify, are our stats exactly as they are in the real world? i.e., is Cisneros still suffering from the spellburn? That puts a severe damper on this, if so. And, Grim's not here... sigh.

What happens, visibly, when she strikes down Murq? Does he disappear? Does she disappear? Do the other women react angrily or attack?

You are right; that does do it for Murq. He sinks down into the floor, disappearing from view. The female dwarf sinks down with him, still swinging the hammer. No one else seems to notice.

And, yes, Cisneros is still suffering!

[beermotor]

Cisneros says, "Psst... there's a panel right there that seems to be a door."

Daryll grunts. "Let's check it out. Quickly now!"

They hustle over to it, ignoring the women (but, politely) ...

[Raven Crowking]

The panel pushes open easily when touched, revealing a small hallway leading into another area to your right, perhaps 20 feet away.

[beermotor]

"Maybe a shortcut," Daryll mutters. "Let's go." He leads the way, Cisneros follows.

[Raven Crowking]

"Maybe a shortcut," Daryll mutters. "Let's go." He leads the way, Cisneros follows.

I am assuming, per last instructions, that Jed follows.

As you pass through the secret doorway, another chime rings in the distance.

Now 10 chimes remain.

The hallway leads into a chamber, its center lit by a floating blue star of many points, whose shining rays do not illuminate the walls or corners. Unconscious figures in masks and robes lie on the marble floor under the star, their eyes moving and limbs twitching with their dreams. The knowledge comes unbidden to you all: This is the Oracle of Deeper Dreaming. You may ask a question, if you will, but doing so will send you into a deeper dream than the Cotillion of Hours, and your companions will not be able to wake you.

[beermotor]

No doors out of here?

[Raven Crowking]

None that you can see; only the way you came.

[beermotor]

"Distractions!" Daryll storms back the way they came. Cisneros says "But...!" then hurries after Daryll. Back to the other door...

[Raven Crowking]

As you traverse the secret door, a chime rings.

Now 9 chimes remain.

In the Hall of Sweeter Dreams, there are now two elves beckoning to Cisneros, the woman wearing the star-shaped mask and one whose mask represents the sun.

Daryll finds the "green man" mask woman beckoning him, as well as a fox-masked woman.

The night sky woman continues to beckons to Jed, as now does a woman whose mask seems to be the shape of a full moon.

Which door did you wish to go to -- the one you entered the other room by? The one you have not yet entered?

[beermotor]

The one not yet entered. Hope this place isn't too big, heh.