songerein | open 🍃 still I follow heartlines on your hand

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open 🍃 still I follow heartlines on your hand

Who: Oriphi and anyone!
Which: Open log
Where: Around town and two (2) dreamscapes
What: Helping out with wimdy-related damages, and two traveling-themed dreamscapes. Do you want to D&D/Fantasy AU your character? Or meet Ori's friends? Here's your chance!

1 ✧ it fucken WIMDY

( A )
[ Destructive gusts of wind or no, Oriphi can usually be found helping out wherever she can around town - but this month especially so.

Some days she's around after a particularly strong bout of windiness, helping clear debris or patching up damage to buildings by using elemental magic to conjure and grow woody vines to reinforce structures. Sometimes, for a little extra flair, she makes flowers sprout all over the buildings. Though that seems like it might be pointless when the next gust will likely blow all the blooms away, it's worth it for any measure of joy it might bring to the those who dwell in the the previously-damaged home or shop or anything else. ]

Hmm... What do you think? [ This, she says to anyone who might be passing by as she finishes her work, or perhaps someone she's been helping repair this building with. ] Is it too much?

( B )
[ Other days, she's caught in the middle as the wind starts to pick up. Each time, she slams the end of her staff down, embedding it into the ground as vines come up to brace it into place. She does her best to plant her feet down and hold on, but— the livestock aren't so lucky. ]

Oh, no!

[ With one arm tightly wrapped around her staff, she reaches out with the other to send vines out in an attempt to prevent a sliding cow or sheep from going airborne. It seems to be working, but she might need additional help to hold on! ]

2 ✧ a hearth of moonlight and shadow ✧ interactive dream

[ It is well into the night, and a warm fire burns in the center of what looks like a campsite put up in the midst of the woods.

Spread out across the site are a few adventurers. A tall, lithe elven woman with copper-colored hair patrols the perimeter of the camp, embedding magical arrows into the ground in a seemingly logical pattern. In another corner, a white-haired elven man sits with an open spellbook and scrolls strewn about around him. Then, seated closer to the fire, there is (yet another) elven man with his hand gripped decisively around a bottle of wine, a tall, half-orc man sketching, a half-elven man with dark hair tuning a lute, and a masked figure. Save for the ambient sounds of jungle creatures coming alive in the night, the sound of various writing implements on parchment, and the tuning of a lute - the camp is silent.

Whose dream is this? Whose friends are these?

The answer is revealed when Oriphi emerges, seemingly out of nowhere. But the moment that she appears, it's as if the quiet vignette truly comes to life.

"Alright, this is boring. Anyone up for another team-building exercise?" declares the dark-haired elven man, setting his lute aside in resignation. Something about the dreamscape tells you that his name is Colin, and that he is a bard.

"Always," replies the bare-chested elf, Mellon, lifting his bottle of wine in agreement before he takes a hearty swig. Sian, the masked figure, simply shrugs and offers a noncommittal noise.

"Uuuuh, I'm really busy doing this drawing? It's coming out really well. Really cute, actually." And though Cibark's sketched drawing of a river scene is appealing, it's not what one would typically describe as "cute," and while his tone sounds serious, something says that he's being facetious.

Dae, the man with the glasses, slams his spellbook shut abruptly as he stands up with seemingly renewed purpose, startling Aerie and causing her to nearly snap an arrow in half. He pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose as the lenses catch the light of the fire, making them gleam in the dark.

"Mister Colin, what an excellent idea! The Alchemighty needs to have a strong foundation, so we've got to team-build as much as we can!"

One can practically hear the way that Colin rolls his eyes. "Aaand just like that, I suddenly don't want to." ]

I think it'll be fun!

[ Ori finally chimes in that moment, taking her seat beside the bard and shyly nudging him with her elbow and a smile on her face. The boredom on his face fades a bit, and he acquiesces, leaning back and folding his arms behind his head.

It's then that the adventurers turn their attention and gaze towards the dreamwalker present. ]

So, how about it? Two truths and a lie. You start!

3 ✧ there once was a ship that put to sea— ✧ interactive dream

[ This dream finds its inhabitants and visitors at sea, on the main deck of some kind of merchant or passenger ship. It seems to be a beautiful day out on the seas, the waters more or less mild and the skies clear and bright.

Only that the ship is actively under attack by a massive froghemoth. What is a froglike monstrosity doing out in the ocean? Can it even survive in saltwater? Don't worry about it - it's a dream. What matters is that in its many tentacles, it holds a few of Oriphi's adventuring friends.

And where is the tiefling, herself? Well, she's desperately clutching at the bulwark, looking absolutely miserable as she tries to keep her breakfast down.

See, she always gets so terribly seasick whenever they travel via ship, and she is in no condition to fight the froghemoth - at least, not without the aid of another, or at least a reminder that she's simply dreaming and could dream the seasickness away.

"Pull yourself together, Ori!" Aerie calls out from somewhere further away, nocking an arrow and letting it loose against the froghemoth. It zips through the air and finds purchase near one of the froghemoth's eyes - but it's the only one that hits before the ranger is promptly swept away by another tentacle. ]

I— I'm trying!

[ She manages to pull an arm away from the bulwark to take up her staff, summoning a bolt of fire and casting it at the monster - but she misses. ]

(( ooc: If you have any questions, especially about the dreamscape prompts, or want to plot out anything else, feel free to PM me or hit me up at

camerata! ))

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[ The exchange between Ori and Colin earns a chuckle from Trahearne as he watches them. Though he hasn't seen the rest of the party interact with her yet, he gets a sense of closeness from the two of them, and there's a fondness to his expression as the thought crosses his mind.

His head tilts, though, as he watches Ori go red. Does that mean--?

There's no time for that thought to settle in his mind as Ori suddenly directs her attention back to him. He suddenly finds himself sitting at attention, straightening his posture. ]

Right.

[ Back on track. He fiddles with the hem of his skirt (robe?) as he thinks. Two truths and a lie? Perhaps he should start with the lie. ]

I am my mother's second son, I have never ridden a horse before, and I have spent most of my life researching the undead Kingdom of Orr--oh. [ He realizes a touch too late that Orr probably doesn't exist in this universe, whatever realm Ori is from (and that is a good thing). Sheepishly, he glances at the knowledgeable man in glasses (well, he assumes he's knowledgeable); perhaps he knows of an equivalent? ]

Hmmm... Oh, I know this one! I think!

[ The bashfulness of just a moment ago gives way as excitement lights up on Ori's face. She realizes that she knows exactly which one the lie is. But she doesn't call it out, right away, and instead glances around at her companions, eager to see if they will answer despite the fact that they're not really here.

Though Orr is certainly an unfamiliar name to everyone in this dream with the exception of Trahearne - perhaps as a consequence of Ori's imaginations - nobody bats an eyelash. Here, in this dream, they are all friends who have been adventuring together, and anything to do with their respective worlds is left vague and insignificant. There is no Orr, in this dream, and there is no Duskvale or Delamoretta or Ocelovu.

"There's no way you haven't ever been on a horse," says Sian. "Even I've been on a horse."

"And," Dae says, pushing his glasses up dramatically, "Researching a kingdom of undead sounds exactly like the kind of extracurricular activity befitting a member of the Alchemighty!"

"So the first one, then," Mellon says. It comes out a bit slurred, but he tried. ]

You're the eldest son, yeah? Did I remember that correctly?

[ Trahearne's gaze slowly turns from one to the other as the party members speak, doing his best to keep his poker face as they analyze his answers. They're pretty good. Though it's true he has never ridden a horse (and he only saw his first after coming to Reverein. Weird creatures).

He lingers disapprovingly on Mellon though. Why are they dragging around a drunkard...

But he lights up when Ori answers. ]

You do! I'm honoured you remember, Ori. [ He does state this fact quite frequently, he felt like, but it was still touching to know that his friend has been paying attention.

With a tilt of his head, he smiles. ] I understand, now. This is a good way to break the ice, as they say. [ As Dae says. He is notably more comfortable now. ] Go on, then. Who's next? I'll do my best to answer.

[ Mellon meets his gaze and simply offers a very nonchalant, happy-go-lucky yet knowing smile. He may be acting a drunkard, but there’s something about the way he’s carrying himself (and perhaps also the way that he winks at Trahearne) that suggests it might be an act. Or at least, that part of it is an act.

”Alright, I’ll go,” Colin declares as he sits up, stretching his arms up before he assumes a thoughtful pose with his hand stroking his chin, ”I’ve got a younger sister, I’ve known Ori and her sister for four years now, and my grandfather is vampire.”

Unlike Oriphi, Colin has no discernible tells at first glance. Each statement is said as purposefully as any other, and the rest of the party seems equally perplexed. This… is the power of a bard with a 20 in Charisma.

Ori, however, needs a moment to straighten out her Colin Facts— ]

Oh—

[ Ori speaks up to answer, but Colin is quick to shush her, reaching over to press a finger to her lips before he pulls it away and wags it at her with a smile.

”No, no, Trahearne said he’d do his best to answer, so let’s let him, hm?” ]

[ Oh. Well. Despite his...lack of experience in some parts of life, Trahearne is knowledgeable enough that physical contact like that signifies a deeper bond. Barely, just barely, his brows raise. Ori...is liked by many people.

He will leave it at that.

Perhaps Trahearne's Wisdom stat might not be high enough to suss out the lie on vibes alone, but he is smart. He leans forward in thought, steepling his fingers and pressing them to his mouth (and his thought process is briefly interrupted by the shock of sensation of warm, squishy flesh, but he doesn't let it distract him) as he analyzes Colin's wording itself. He starts musing aloud as he works through his thoughts. ]

I can't say I know much of vampires, [ There are no vampires in Tyria. ] but that sounds outrageous enough that it may as well be true. And on the contrary, a younger sister sounds mundane enough to be true as well. But the specification of "four years" is rather suspect, as that could easily be four months, four decades, ten years.

[ Trahearne sits up again, gaze darting between Ori and Colin for a moment, trying to find any tells in their expressions. ]

I say the second.

[ Miraculously, Oriphi manages to keep her expression neutral enough as Trahearne thinks out loud, although her lips draw into a thin line as he makes his guess...

...and gets it wrong!

"Got you," Colin says smugly. "I don't have a younger sister. I do have an older sister, though."

"I figured Alyria was older. She seems way more put-together," is the snide remark offered by Sian, which earns them an unimpressed look from Colin.

"First of all, you're absolutely right, and second - age doesn't necessarily equate to put-togetherness."

Ori, smiles apologetically at Trahearne, meanwhile. ]

I'm sorry, friend. I think I would have guessed the same thing if I were you, though.

[ Trahearne is, well--not exactly surprised to be proven wrong, but a smile does cross his face as the answer comes to him and he watches the exchange.

He offers Ori chuckle as she apologizes. With a tilt of his head, his smile widens at her. ]

No need to apologise. I feel now as though I've learned more than if I'd gotten it right.

[ Like, for example, the name of Colin's sister.

Speaking of, he turns back to Colin, the smile on his face taking on a slightly different hue. ]

Four years, though. That's not an insignificant amount of time. I take it you two know each other well.

[ And he looks back at Ori. Ori. ]

Oh, um...

[ The pointed nature of that look does not escape her notice, and the bashful nature of her own look suggests that she's not entirely sure how to answer. A hand comes up to toy with the ends of her braid as she offers, meekly, ]

We do!

[ Colin, meanwhile, ever the one to take things in stride, shrugs his shoulders.

"We're old friends who happen to have, how do you say..." he waves a hand in a gesture of pretend-contemplation, "Mutual feelings."

Ah, dreamotion. So handy for when Ori is faced with difficult questions she doesn't want to directly answer, herself. ]

Ah-ha.

[ Very interesting development. Trahearne looks back and forth between Ori and dream-Colin. In all honesty, he's...kind of not surprised, considering she is the only one he knows that has two significant others, all at the same time, in Songerein. She is clearly adored by many, both here and at home.

It might be a touchy subject, and with literally zero experience in this department, he isn't sure if this is something that should be brought up, but it still concerns him. ]

...Do they know about this?

[ The stern, worried look on his face, and the hard stare he gives her when he says "they" means he doesn't mean any of the present party members--he means her dream-realm boyfriends.

He doesn't know one of them has gone, though. ]

[ Ori knows exactly who they are, and the question seems to almost pause the scene happening around them, pulling Oriphi closer into a sense of awareness, of being awake. Dream-Colin, dream-Cibark, dream-Dae— all of her dream friends seem to almost be cast in a haze along with the woods around them, with only Ori and Trahearne remaining in clarity - because they are the only two souls in this dreamscape who are real.

Of course... It's a dream. Her friends aren't really here. And they'll never be able to meet the friends she's made in this dream world unless they were to be pulled into it, too...

There's a bittersweetness to the thought and to the answer lingering at the tip of her tongue at Trahearne's question, but when she looks up at him to answer— ]

T—Trahearne?

[ Why does he look like that. With the realization of where they are, though, she also realizes she's very much in control of how everything looks. She waves a hand, as if to dispel the dream-illusion that had made Trahearne look... not like himself.

Once he's back to himself, though, she continues. ]

They do know. They know that in the waking world, Colin and I are traveling the world together... Just taking things step by step. I made sure to tell them, but Thoma's left, anyway, so he... He won't even remember any of this. But they know.

[ The sudden shock coming from Ori only causes Trahearne to jump, not sure why she's saying his name like that; he peers at her curiously and--

Ah, right. There's a sigh of relief as he feels himself go back to the way he should be, that strange clamor in his ears from what he assumes was a heart now silenced. Clarity returns to him, and with the rest of the scene falling to haze, he can concentrate on the answer and get back on track.

And he gets his answer to a question that came from a place that was essentially an older brother's concern, yes, but...

His brows raise in surprise, sympathy, and worry. He doesn't speak up right away--he just studies her. ]

He left? Ori, I'm...I'm so sorry.

[ He hadn't even noticed anything was wrong. ]

[ As he studies her, he would find... someone who is very much trying her hardest not to be too sad. She and Diluc have spent much time in the last month or so in grief, scrambling to find some sense of normalcy in their life together despite the absence of their partner. It hasn't been easy, and Ori has tried very much not to let it affect her goings-on with others... At the end of the day, Thoma wouldn't have wanted them to wallow in hopelessness, so she owes it to him to try. ]

He... He did. [ She tries for a small smile, here. ] But it's alright. I know that he's going to be okay in his waking world. I... I'm sorry that you never got to meet him. You would have liked him a lot.

[ He sees just how hard she's trying to keep it together, trying not to worry...well, him, in this instance. As she speaks, his hands come to fold neatly and politely in his lap, processing what she tells him. How she tells it to him. And it doesn't exactly sit right with him.

He appreciates that she's thinking of him, how they would have gotten along if they got the chance to meet. And perhaps she's right, but this really isn't about him and there's nothing she needs to be sorry about, as far as he's concerned.

When she's finished speaking, a deep frown settles in. ]

You know, a good friend of mine once told me that it's okay to take a moment to grieve those we've lost. [ It was Ori who told him that. ] I know he's only woken to return to the waking world. He hasn't died, but it's clearly not all right all the same.

[ He pauses for only a brief second, wondering if there's anything he can do to help her. ]

...Do you need a hug?

[ He gives her pause as he offers the words she'd once offered him in his grief, and she can't help but smile, even faintly so, at the sentiment. ]

Mm, it's not the same, but regardless, now he's in a place where I can't reach him, so...

[ It feels the same, at least somewhat. She leans in and wraps her arms around him without another word, drawing in a deep breath and sighing as she seeks that comfort. ]

Ah, I can't believe it. You were asking me about Colin, and then I ended up talking about Thoma... How silly of me.

[ The end result is quite similar, isn't it. He may be okay, all things considered, but he is...still gone.

Trahearne wraps his arms around her in turn. It's still a bit awkward for him, not being much of a hugging person in general, and for a moment he isn't sure where to put his hands, but he knows Ori finds comfort in the gesture. And so he offers it. ]

It's not silly. [ He peers beyond the haze to the vague silhouettes of the party members, eventually settling on Colin. ] I asked because I was worried. You have...many whom you hold dear, yet it's no less painful to see one of them go.

[ Maybe it's easier with another significant other, but still. He peers down at her. ] I can go back to asking you about Colin if you'd like, though.

[ She laughs, the sound of it a little hollow and maybe a little self-deprecating, even though it's muffled against Trahearne's shoulder. She pulls away before much longer, turning her head to glance over to where Colin is; the half-elven bard comes back into focus just a little bit, showing him idly strumming half-formed songs and thoughts on his lute while their other companions continue to converse or go about their own respective activities. ]

I know it might be... Strange to hear, but I really do miss Colin and Thoma both... Not at all because Diluc isn't enough or anything like that, but... I just miss hearing their voices. And seeing them smile. It would be pretty funny if they were all here too, but I have a feeling that won't happen.

[ She laughs a little. ]

What did you want to know about Colin?

[ He lets go and settles back into his spot on the grass, hands coming to rest on his lap as he listens. A little smile of his own crosses his face. He gets it. There are some people whose smiles, voices he would almost quite literally kill to see and hear again. There are people he desperately wished were here with him, but he isn't in control of the whims of the realm. And so, he nods. ]

I want to know...

[ He looks over at Colin. He isn't particularly interested in Colin himself, unfortunately. He seems interesting enough. But he's more interested in how his own friend, who is with him right now, feels about him. ]

...About a favourite memory you have with him.

[ The hue in his smile changes a bit. Don't be shy now, Ori. ]

[ Almost as if on cue, Colin begins to strum in earnest, smiling as he parts his lips to begin singing. His voice no doubt pleasant to the ears as he begins to tell the story of a princess who longed to see the world, who began training in the art of sword-fighting in secret.

And then, another figure appears in the dream, stepping into view and into clarity. A red-skinned, white-haired tiefling sits across the bonfire from Colin, looking rather unimpressed. Despite never having seen this tiefling before, there's a warmth and familiarity in this dream that would tell Trahearne that this is Oriphi's younger sister, Valphi.

"Don't you know any other songs?"

Colin merely winks at the younger tiefling as he continues to sing the same song. Then, around him, vines and flowers start to sprout and bloom— and if Trahearne were to glance at Ori, he would find her going through well-practiced motions and incantations of a spell, ostensibly conjuring the flora around the bard. ]

...We would go busking together like this. He wound find a nice spot full of people, and start playing, and I would do this.

[ A smile slowly crosses Trahearne's face as he watches. He isn't sure exactly what it is about the scene--perhaps it's the depiction of Colin, or the presence of Valphi, or the flowers blooming in tandem with the music--but it's so quintessentially Ori. Of course this is the sort of memory she would choose--and that thought isn't meant in a negative way. It's nice. ]

That's lovely. [ His eyes dart from Colin's playing, to Ori's casting of the spell, to Valphi. ]

Was it just the three of you? [ He doesn't remember seeing Valphi with the rest of the party, but he has a feeling that's a sore spot. For another time. ] Did you travel long together like this?

[ She shakes her head. ]

It was mostly Valphi and I. But we ran in the same circles as Colin, so we'd... Cross paths often.

[ Namely, circles that were not quite so wholesome and walked those fine lines between mercenary work and... well, criminal activities. ]

Those were... tough times, for Val and I, but... It was always nice to run into him and have moments like this.

[ The song ends before long, after which point Colin says something in that smart-ass, smarmy way that he's been for the duration of this dream, and to which Valphi responds in an incredibly unimpressed, almost irritated manner. They begin to bicker, but Ori watches them both fondly, the nostalgia clear on her face. ]

[ Trahearne watches, listens as Ori explains. Ah, interesting. He'd gotten the impression they were together all the time, but that was perhaps the scene from the party coloring his perception.

As the song comes to an end, he glances over at Ori. He hears the others conversing, but he concentrates on the look on her face instead. She must really miss this. A small, gentle smile plays on Trahearne's lips before he turns his attention back to the seen. ]

I suppose that made your chance meetings all the sweeter.

[ It is nice to have memories like these.

Now to ruin the moment by being too direct. ]

When did you realise you were in love with him?

I—

[ The question gives her pause. Has she ever been asked this, asked to put it in words...? She doesn't think so... ]

I don't... I don't know if there's any one moment, to be honest, but... I guess it was while we started adventuring together.

[ Certainly, she'd held feelings of fondness for him long before she would deign to call those feelings love. She knew that she was simply infatuated, at first, in the way that a hopeless girl would be for any charismatic, handsome person. But when it turned into a deep admiration, into a desire to see him happy was not due to any one occasion - it was built over the course of their adventure, over quiet conversations across campfires, over moments in which they relied on each other in the heat of combat.

But there is a moment that Ori can think of, the moment when she realized she didn't want to be apart from him again. The scene disintegrates into wisps and darkens as another materializes around them, one that is much drearier than the warm campsite in which the dream started: now, they find themselves in the dark hallways of a palace that has seen much better days. There is a dire, oppressive atmosphere as Ori and her friends make their way through. The druid and the bard lag behind the rest until Colin - who looks much, much worse for wear, not unlike a dead man walking - reaches out and rests a hand on Ori's shoulder.

"Ori, I... Can we talk?"

"Of course..."

"I wanted to say that I'm sorry. For leaving without a word."

"It's alright... You didn't say anything because you knew I would try to stop you.... I understand."

"I wanted to ask you to come with me, you know. But I figured... The others, they needed you more. They'd fall apart without you— Though, I suppose it's pretty clear that I'm the one that fell apart without you, isn't it?"

"...I'm just glad we found you again."

"So am I. Can... Can I give you a hug?"

Ori watches the conversation unfold, a memory playing out like a scene in a play before them. And as the Ori in front of them and Colin embrace, the real Ori turns back to Trahearne. ]

I woke up one morning and he was gone. All we knew was that he had gone back to his home and that he didn't want us to follow him. It was... Painful, and it hurt because I thought he trusted me enough to at least tell me what he was planning on doing... But when we did finally find him again and he was nearly on the brink of death, I think that's when I realized... That I wanted to do everything I could to protect him and never let him do something so reckless again.

[ Well. Trahearne was, in all honesty, expecting a nicer scene to accompany the answer, but it seems this isn't the case. It is often said that people don't know what they have until they've lost it, or that absence makes the heart grow fonder. Perhaps that's doubly so with an affection slowly built over time, that the change in heart is only noticeable with a change in circumstance.

As she turns to look at him, he does the same, his brows raised in sympathy. And he listens. Finding and maintaining love in desperate situations, ones that require attention to time-sensitive, potentially world-ending matters, is not easy. Nor is it easy to watch someone held so dear vanish from one's life. Be it sudden...or gradual. ]

...The realisation must have been painful, then. I know things seemed to have eventually worked out for you, but it could not have been easy at the time. [ He can't imagine the heartache. ]

I'm glad you have him. And he, you.

[ A bit of a wistful sigh escapes between her lips as she looks back at the Colin and Ori near them. If she could, she would reassure those two that things were going to be alright. Maybe they didn’t need to be so afraid to act on their feelings back then. She doesn’t know if that would have helped them, but… She remembers how much she worried - perhaps excessively so - about where the two of them stood. Even despite the fact that there were much more pressing things to worry about. She worried about those, too.

At the heart of it, she only wishes she could tell her past self that things were going to be okay, that she needed to trust herself more. ]

I’m glad, too. He and the me who’s awake are… Well, they’re figuring things out. But I think they’ll be fine.

The me that’s here in the dream realm, though… I’ll be fine, too. I still have Diluc, and I have friends like you and Eustace and Tifa and everyone else. I’ll always be grateful.

[ Light begins to seep into the edges of the scene. ]

Speaking of… I should probably go ahead and wake up, huh? Thank you for spending time with me here, Trahearne. And for always listening.

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