Astral Plane 2

A series played using Dreamstone Soup. This post is published under the CC-BY-SA-4.0 licence.

Concept: The crystalline beings of the icy oceans sense the astral travellers arrival and take action.

Lifestones: 5 | Dream points: 50

Our choir drifts in the depths, singing to each other as we plan our next performance. Our discussion takes the form of practised scales and harmonies. We fall into a hushed silence when we hear a new song reach out to us. It seems to come from all directions and sounds unlike any song we have ever heard. We instinctively try to pinpoint its location.

Difficulty 25 | Spending 10 Dream points | 1d20 = 8 + 10 = 18. Fail.

We send out inquisitive notes, hoping to find a point of origin for the mysterious song. Our voices reach into the silvery waters of the world and along the walls of its borders, but return alone. None of the choirs can find the source. Our choir is abuzz with confused chatter, fragments of melodies layering over each other, harmonies combining and fracturing. Smaller, discrete harmonies begin to cluster together, though we soon realise the new harmonies are mutually discordant. At first we try to reconcile the discord into our overall performance.

Difficulty 20 | Spending 5 Dream points | 1d20 = 18 + 5 = 23. Success.

It is taxing, but we slowly integrate our differences into a more complex and nuanced soundscape than we'd achieved prior. Overflowing with joy we sing out to the others, to share our new song. We listen for responses from the other choirs, but are met with silent. We push down our doubts, telling ourselves the others must still be resolving their own internal conflicts. We sing on regardless to inspire further discourse.

Difficulty 15 | Spending 5 Dream points | 1d20 = 4 + 5 = 9. Fail.

We sing on and as night draws in we sink down into dormancy until the time that our choir slowly drifts in the dawn’s light as we regain mobility. To our dismay we are greeted by the clash of sounds, many voices reach out to us but as individual singers. We strain to hear some harmony or shared motifs, but none are present. Our neighbouring choirs are lost. The ice around us continues to thaw until we have freedom to move. We debate the best responses, again discord surfaces but as before we integrate it and draw strength from it. We decide to move apart to travel to the others to comfort them. We will use our new harmony to stay aligned over the distance. We begin our journeys, our song coordinating our efforts and heralding our coming.

Difficulty 10 | 1d20 = 15. Success.

We widen our configuration, each member a node in our vast melodic net. In time we reach the first fragments of shattered choirs and send out invitational notes. Some of them respond and the slow process of harmonising begins. As our choir grows in size and complexity we learn of the new mystery song; a new voice that descended into a world bringing a new song that can shift and flow like the waters of the day. We sit in reflective silence, reducing our internal song to the merest hum; enough to maintain unity. We listen to the tides for traces of the mystery, we hope that our large topography will allow us to catch an echo if nothing else.

Difficulty 10 | Spending 5 Dream points | 1d20 = 14 + 5 = 19. Success.

Our choir hears the echo of the mystery song and pinpoints its direction. Conferring among ourselves we estimate that we can reach it within no more than a few centuries. We regroup to a more respectable proximity and begin our joyous journey. We sing among ourselves in anticipation of finally learning of the source of our creation. As we travel, our excitement is a beacon drawing the fragments of other broken choirs to us. Some are cautious in their newfound individuality; some join us but some reject unity in favour of isolation. We can’t agree but we must respect their choices. Many join with us and in time most of the choirs of the great ocean are united. Finally, we reach the point of origin and attempt first contact with our creator.

Difficulty 25 | Spending 15 Dream points | 1d20 = 20 + 15 = 35. Success.

Our song is transformed and becomes transformational. The creator sings to us of their creation; the silver star, the inner fire, the shadow without a moon. When we hear the song, our visions are expanded beyond anything we have ever known. We hum among ourselves, hesitant to sing now that we know such wondrous notes. We soon realise that we don’t need to sing or even hum in order to communicate. The barriers that divided our minds soften and dissolve. We are finally one in the truest sense and have nowhere else to sing but outwards into the world. We reach out with our own divine music and, like the daily freeze and thaw of the ocean, we reshape the world.

Difficulty 25 | Spending 10 Dream points | 1d20 = 18 + 10 = 28. Success.

Each note of our song takes on a life of its own, our symphony is multifaceted and always evolving into new and more complex arrangements. Our song stretches into the heavens and touches both the shadow and the inner fire, drawing fragments of them down into our song. Ice forms bodies, inner fire forms souls, and shadow forms minds that are veiled from each other. We fall silent and listen to our new song unfold.