Fardreamer

Julian sat up and blinked blearily. He was in the middle of a forest, thick-trunked trees looming over him, their silhouettes shifting slightly in a breeze he couldn’t feel. Moss-covered roots and fallen acorns and leaves covered the forest floor, only barely visible thanks to the pale white-gold light of the twin moons. Blue and white stars glittered distantly, and again he felt a strange sense of comfort and longing for them, and he could not help but feel as if he had forgotten something important.

Julian shook his head, dismissing his musings. He surveyed the forest around him. It was difficult to see, but not impossible, and what he saw looked almost identical to the forests he had navigated so much as a child, but he refused to let his guard down. He was naked and alone and completely unarmed. Hardly ideal for being alone in an unfamiliar forest at night.

He paused. The last thing he remembered was being sandwiched between the warm womanly forms of Izel and Ebbeth. Had he fallen asleep?

A chill trickled down his spine. Ever since he’d accidentally traveled to Nethruan and discovered his Fardreamer Attribute, the potential threats of falling asleep had hung over his neck like the executioner’s axe. The last thing he wanted was to see that red-eyed woman who had so casually threatened to end his existence, even if she was easily one of the most beautiful women, he’d ever laid eyes on.

Thankfully, this doesn’t look or feel like Nethruan. That could change, however. The last time I slept, Nethruan was not the first place I “visited,” so there’s still a very real danger of ending up there. But what was that place I was in before? That broken world caked in ash and millenia of forgotten history?

A knot of pain and anguish twisted in his chest, nearly causing him to double over.

Why do I feel this way about a place I’ve only been to once?

He cast his thoughts towards the presence. It had been there as well, standing alongside him. He could feel it there, swirling in the back of his mind. It refused to answer.

Julian could feel it sitting in the back of his mind like a tavern patron behind an opaque glass window. He shouted, screamed, and imagined himself throwing rocks at the windows. The being ignored him and soon the tavern faded from view.

He snarled angrily, wishing he could wring the entity’s neck.

Status, he thought, seeking for a way to distract and calm himself. Glowing red text winked into existence in front of him.

Julian Imerdan (lv. 7 Psion)

HP: 140/142

ST: 37/119

WP: 470/470

Skills...

Attributes…

Effects…

So I can access my status menu while asleep? I wonder if…

He held his hands outward. The air around them glowed dark crimson when he channeled psionic energy into them.

Psi-Bolt.

Angry red psychic energy leapt from his fingertips. The projectile speared through the air before dissipating against a nearby tree trunk.

For the first time since he’d arrived in the dark forest, he smiled.

So, I can at least defend myself here. That’s good. But what do I do?

The idea of remaining stationary in a forest at night was hardly appealing, and despite the relatively safety of the lands surrounding Rona and the Imerdan estate, the forests still teemed with predators and the occasional monster. Would such appear in his dreams, however? He couldn’t say, nor was he certain that the area around him shared anything in common with the forests of his youth aside from first appearances.

I’m always reacting to things. That needs to stop. I can’t stay in one place and wait until I wake up in the world I know.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he began a slow, cautious walk through the woods. Owls hooted and crickets chirped. A chorus of animal noises whose lyrics livened the night.

It was hard not to relax somewhat at the familiarity of it all. Before he could get too comfortable, he heard the unmistakable howl of a wolf. He tensed, his hands glowing bright red. His eyes tingled, and for a moment the world itself seemed to take on a red hue.

A twig snapped behind him. He spun around and unleashed a rapid salvo of Psi-Bolts. The bright red energy bolts sped off into the darkness before disappearing in the distance. He saw no sign that anything had been there to take the brunt of his attack. The crickets, which had kept chirping without care, were soon joined by frogs, croaking to attract a mate. The tingling in his eyes stopped.

He sighed and kept walking. He nearly stumbled when he came upon a trail. It consisted of little more than dirt trampled into the ground, but he could see cleanly-trimmed branches and shrubbery adorning the sides of the path, so someone must have been maintaining it.

Chances are it leads to a village or home eventually. So, left or right?

He chose left.

Julian wasn’t sure how long he walked. He kept his pace slow and quiet as he stalked down the path. Eventually the sounds of owls, frogs, and crickets faded into the background.

He was alert for anything resembling a howl or leaves and twigs being crunched underfoot, but nothing unusual sounded in the night aside from the occasional howl of a wolf or yapping of the fox off in the distance. Eventually, the pathway led to a clearing. The silhouettes of tall blades of grass swayed lazily in the gentle night breeze. The greater canvas of the night sky was visible to him now. It framed what looked like a town below, illuminated mainly by the orange light staggered torch poles and candles set on windowsills. Some of the lights moved slowly. People carrying torches and lamps to illuminate their walks. He licked his lips, wondering if it was wise to even approach them in his state of undress.

Gods, why couldn’t I have appeared here with clothes? Would that really have been too much to ask?

He ground his teeth frustratedly before taking a breath to calm himself and refocus.

So, there’s people here. That’s something at least. Heh. With my luck, they’ll actually be manifestations of some god or other who’ll rip me limb from limb once they notice I’ve intruded upon their realm.

Yet he couldn’t but stare longingly at the town. He loved nature, but being in the dark forest for who knew how long made him crave the familiarity of people. The village itself was relatively large, sporting well over three dozen wooden homes and other structures that he could glimpse in the darkness. Most were single-floored, but a few were taller and sported multiple levels. The homes were a decent distance apart and were fenced off from each other.

If I can get close to one of the houses, I might be able to grab some clothes that were left out to dry.

He walked for well over a mile before he reached the outskirts of the village. A few riders on horseback rumbled past him; he’d ducked behind a nearby bush to conceal his presence.

The town’s denizens looked human. The ones he could see had pale skin and blonde hair, but a few were of darker hair. They wore brown, gray, and blue cloaks and tunics and chatted quietly to themselves as they moved throughout the town. Most of them had a torch or lantern. Short swords and axes dangled from the belts of some of the rougher-looking men and one or two of the women.

One thing that struck Julian as odd was the seeming lack of any uniformed guard ****. Most towns and villages he had been to were ruled by some lord or other, and their enforcers usually bore their heraldry.

It’s possible this place is too remote for that sort of thing. Usually if a settlement becomes strong enough to attract the notice of the nobility, those with few titles to their name will usually scramble to set up shop there and bring the classless to heel before extracting what can be extracted.

Julian moved around the outskirts of the village until he found a small wooden house whose window sills were closed. He couldn’t see any light through the cracks in the window covers. He could just barely make clothes – tunics, dresses and patched pants that had been left on a bush near the house to dry.

Seems promising.

He hopped a wooden fence nearby and made his way into one of the back yards. He settled into a low crouch and paused, listening for signs that anyone had heard him. He only heard the chirping of crickets and the croaking of frogs. There was probably a pond or some other body of water nearby that he hadn’t seen in the dark.

He made his way past an outhouse. Mosquitoes and other insects buzzed through the air. He was surprised that none bothered to land on him. Naked as he was, he figured he would look like quite the feast to the bloodsuckers, but they left him alone. With a mental shrug, Julian decided he wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth and kept moving towards the clothes.

A deep dog bark punctured the relative silence of the night. Julian froze.

That came from further away. Not in this yard or any of the adjacent properties. I’m fine.

A few moments later, he reached the bush. He held his hand out to grasp a shirt and pants and gave a tug. They would not budge.

He pulled again, but the shirt and pants would not move. The bush’s limbs did not shift at all. It was as if they had been frozen in ice. He could feel the texture of the fabric between his fingers, but the material stubbornly refused to be gripped.

Is this the result of some manner of enchantment? Who would use such a powerful spell to prevent someone from moving such cheaply-made clothing, and in a backwater like this?

The back door of the house squeaked open.

Julian’s blood turned to ice as a tall, bald, bearded man strode into the yard. Pale skinned; he carried a small, dimly-lit lamp with his beefy right fist. His rounded ears marked him as human.

Julian was sure he was within eyesight of the man, but he didn’t appear to have spotted him yet. If he moved any closer, he would definitely see him. Julian would be reported to the authorities and the town would muster against him.

Not if I stop him, he thought grimly and grit his teeth.

He primed a Suggestion.

-You will not notice anyone in your yard for the remainder of the night.-

The black tendril left Julian’s mind. It speared through the air towards the man’s head. Then it passed through and dissipated with a snap.

Julian blinked, feeling as if some of the energy he had expended for the Suggestion had returned to him.

What?

He could feel that the Suggestion had not connected with the man’s mind – he always knew when it reached a person’s thoughts. He could always feel it scrape against the outer edges of their minds before finding purchase. It also had not been resisted at all. Usually, he felt a piercing pain in his skull when his Suggestion failed to breach a person’s mental barriers. It was as if the man in front of him did not exist at all.

The man trudged closer, his boots thudding against grass and dirt. He hummed a tune that struck Julian as strangely familiar. He needed to move, but if he did, the man would definitely notice him then.

Godsdammit, what do I do?

His heart thudded heavily in his chest. His fists clenched and unclenched. He could feel psionic energy thrumming in his palms, ready to be unleashed at a moment’s notice, but would that even affect the man – if he was a man at all – when Suggestion had seemed to simply ignore him?

The man’s eyes passed over him, but his expression didn’t change. He simply kept humming and walked past him, passing within a foot of where Julian had crouched.

H-he didn’t see me? But… I was right in front of him! He should have noticed me as soon as he entered the yard. I was within eyesight of him the entire time!

Julian stared at the man’s back as he moved to the outhouse and opened it, entered, closing the door behind him.

He stared at the small structure for a long moment, unable to believe his luck. He reached for the clothes on the bush again and still wasn’t able to pull them off. He could not even pinch the fabric between his fingers. They simply slipped off of it as if there were no friction between his fingers and the fabric.

A nearby light source drew Julian’s eyes back to the house. A woman strode towards the doorway and gazed outside. She was completely naked save for a gown that hung lazily off her shoulders, leaving her perky breasts and toned stomach exposed. She held a chamberstick in her right hand and at its center a candle flickered bright orange, illuminating her almost-naked body. She looked to be in her mid-to-late twenties, with nary a wrinkle marring her features.

Julian’s eyes bulged as he stared at her. He bit his lip.

She’s looking right at me. Why isn’t she sounding the alarm?

The woman exited the house and walked towards Julian, her hips swaying. Her breasts jiggled slightly. She stopped in front of the bush Julian was crouched next to. At this angle, he had a clear, unobstructed view of the woman’s body.

She was closer to Julian than the man had been.

Julian watched, almost stunned, as the woman reached for the clothes on the bush and gathered them into her hands. His eyes passed over Julian again without seeming to see him. Then she turned and strode back into the house, shutting the door behind her with a thud.

He swallowed the lump in his throat and stood, staring at the door the woman had disappeared behind.

For whatever reason, the people here cannot see me.

He thought about the clothes. He had not been able to move them an inch, yet the woman had done so casually. He doubted there was magic involved. No, this was clearly something else.

If I can’t be seen, then perhaps I was worrying over nothing. As long as Fardreamer doesn’t whisk me away to some other place, I can just… stay here until I wake up. I just wish I knew where here is, exactly.

A smile tugged at his lips.

Well, if no one here can see me, then there’s nothing stopping me from doing a little exploring, is there?

He thought about the woman again. She was pretty and had an incredibly enticing body to boot, and she had no idea she had just exposed herself to a complete stranger. Shrugging to himself, Julian walked to the back door of the house. He tried the handle, but the door wouldn’t move. There was no resistance, either. No clattering of the door against a locking mechanism – why would it be locked if the woman knew the man had gone to the outhouse? – no, he simply could not interact with the door in any way whatsoever.

Julian’s smile widened. His heart raced with excitement.

Astral projection. I’m actually somewhere else – someplace within our world instead of a godly realm. Or rather, my consciousness is. My body’s probably still resting comfortably between Izel and Ebbeth. Warm and safe. Gods, this is amazing!

Julian jumped when the outhouse door was wrenched open. He turned as the man exited the outhouse; the door swinging shut behind him as he walked back to the house. This time, Julian didn’t even bother to hide. The man approached him, his eyes unseeing. He walked right past Julian and pulled the back door of the house open before entering the home, shutting the door behind him.

“All set for the night?” a feminine voice muttered, muffled slightly by the door.

Julian heard a masculine grunt. “Yeah.”

“Good. You had better not wake me. We have to be up early for Cilliden.”

The man merely grumbled in protest and was admonished in turn by the woman Julian was fairly certain was his wife.

Julian frowned.

Cilliden. That’s a holiday in Hylan. It’s meant to celebrate one’s connection with nature. I’m in Hylan.

“Jasda above! What in the name of the gods is that perverted boy doing in the Tamblejanes’ yard naked?” a woman’s voice cursed from behind him.

Julian turned towards the sound of the voice and nearly gasped as his heart leapt into his throat.

Joanna Greenhart stood a few yards away from him, her hands on her broad hips. She wore a light red dress that clung to her voluptuous body. The dress had an almost scandalously-low neckline, exposing considerable cleavage. Julian managed to drag his gaze off her body and meet the woman’s eyes. They flickered with recognition and surprise.

How did she get here so fast? She was in Rona yesterday. It should have taken her two days to get back to Hylan by horse, at the minimum. Even longer, actually, since she and Bryce were dragging a cart with them. But that’s not even the strangest thing about seeing her here.

“Joanna,” Julian said quietly. “You can see me?”

The beautiful older woman’s eyes widened in surprise. She took a soundless step backward, dark blades of grass seeming to pass through her pale feet. Julian swallowed, sweat pricking at his arms and neck.

“Julian Imerdan? What are you doing here?”

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Julian Imerdan (lv. 7 Psion)

HP: 142/142

ST: 72/119

WP: 462/470

Skills...

Attributes…

Effects…

Julian's Skills

[Manipulation] Suggestion (cost: 20 WP) – Telepathically implant a suggestion in the mind of a target to influence or induce an action, thought, or emotion.

[Manipulation] Hypnosis (cost: 30 WP) – Lull someone into a hypnotic trance. Requires the use of a pendant or other foci to draw the target’s gaze.

[Affliction] Mind Jab (cost: 15 WP) – Project a weak bolt of psionic energy that attacks the mind of an opponent, causing crippling mental pain that lasts for a few moments.

[Affliction] Psi-Bolt (cost: 5 WP) – Emit an unguided bolt of psionic energy that inflicts low Psi damage to a target upon impact. It deals moderate Psi damage against targets affected by Mind Jab, but clears them of the status.

[Connection] Detect Mind (cost: 2 WP/s) – Focus your awareness outward to detect the minds of sentient organic beings within ten feet.

[Connection] Connect Mind (cost: 5 WP) – Choose two minds glimpsed with Detect Mind and link them together for a time, allowing a psionic Skill used on one mind to affect the other.

[Matter] Piercing Field (cost: 15 WP) – Imbue a weapon or projectile within range with an impossibly narrow telekinetic field, allowing it to cut through armor. The field dissipates after a single attack.

[Knowledge] Safe Fall (cost: free) – You have learned how to shift your body mid-air to significantly mitigate falling damage.

[Knowledge] Meditation (cost: free) – Clear your thoughts and retreat into an introspective state within your own mind. Your WP regeneration is significantly increased while meditating. Meditation is a viable substitute for the equivalent amount of sleep.

[Innate] Focus (cost: free) – When in combat, enter a state of emotional detachment which allows you to ignore pain and resist negative mental effects.

Julian’s Attributes

Human – As a member of the human species, your body is more resilient than most other sapient races.

Magical Ancestry – Several of your ancestors possessed powerful magical abilities and talents. The barest hint of their talent resides within you, granting you easier use of magical items.

Psionic – You are capable of affecting physical and nonphysical reality through Will alone. You are resistant to mental effects and psionic damage. You can perceive all spectrums of psionic energy.

Fardreamer – While you sleep, you may randomly send your mental awareness to another place in the universe.

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