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𝐧𝐩𝐜 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐜𝐭
SLEEP
A manipulative enigma with grand presence and power within The Murmur that rivals that of a god, and many already treat Her as such. She is everywhere and nowhere at once. Call to her, and she may answer you. She may even treat you, if you treat her, but be prepared to sacrifice. Painful offerings and loyalty are her favorite gifts of devotion (She's also a hopeless romantic).
The Numerals and Espera seem to despise Her, and One is inexplicably bound to Her. What Sleep has disclosed about Her intentions seem quite simple: Collect more Vessels to host Her power, expand past the Earth She's tied to, and deliver them all from loneliness and prolonged suffering to a divine eutopia only She can create.
For that, She needs One.
The Numerals and Espera seem to despise Her, and One is inexplicably bound to Her. What Sleep has disclosed about Her intentions seem quite simple: Collect more Vessels to host Her power, expand past the Earth She's tied to, and deliver them all from loneliness and prolonged suffering to a divine eutopia only She can create.
For that, She needs One.
ONE
A somber, shy and elusive individual that better expresses himself through poetry and song. One's past is shrouded in mystery, tragedy and his own amnesia, but hinted to hold an incredible power that not even he is aware of. One has devoted his entirety to Sleep through blood sacrifice in an attempt to skew Her attention from the vessels to himself, but whether that was successful or not has yet to be known.
Vessels have been made recently aware that One has suffered Lunar Exaltation before the world was destroyed: An ascension, from mortal to more, and a beacon of power that remains the reason why Sleep seeks to claim him.
Vessels have been made recently aware that One has suffered Lunar Exaltation before the world was destroyed: An ascension, from mortal to more, and a beacon of power that remains the reason why Sleep seeks to claim him.
TWO
Not much is known about the Numeral Two, other than he is an expressive and unburdened Token, mute but not idle. He was very close to One before being thrown into a voided plane of existence by Sleep's hand, and scattered into fragments. Espera claims he is essential to returning One to his senses and putting an end to Sleep's reign.
With his fragments found, Two can now communicate through lights and electricity, but lacks a physical body. Something seems to be missing.
With his fragments found, Two can now communicate through lights and electricity, but lacks a physical body. Something seems to be missing.
THREE
An impish Offering of the Trickster variant, the Numeral Three has a playful disposition and colorful means of expression. Rather chaotic but not malicious, he takes the form of three-eyed corvids, cacatuas, and foxes with frequency, while answering riddles fuels his permanance for brief bursts. His connection with the Waking World is stronger than Two's, but in no less need of mending.
Currently his appearances are unreliable; He may be seen in shared dreams or when he has enough power to solidify from the Void's realm.
Currently his appearances are unreliable; He may be seen in shared dreams or when he has enough power to solidify from the Void's realm.
FOUR
The first Numeral to vanish and the last to be found. Not much is known about Four, other than having a very strong connection with Three.
Currently missing.
Currently missing.
ESPERA
Revealed to be Nymphai, The Espera were birthed from One's exaltation and were meant to guide him on his journey from mortal to more before being barred by Sleep. She, (or they), is (are) a singular entity of three bodies, which are missing in a similar manner to the Numerals.
She has a stronger presence within the Murmur but too weak to manifest physically, and is always watching to aid the Vessels in any way she can.
NIGHTMARES
First encountered during the Jaws dream event, Nightmares are familiars meant to aid Vessels through travel and companionship. Formed of shadow and mist, they may solidify enough to be touched and ridden, existing in a liminal state between dream and physical presence. Over time, Nightmares develop distinct personalities shaped by their bond with their Vessel, reflecting emotional resonance rather than command. After three months of Waking World presence, a Nightmare may take the form of an animal that represents its Vessel and may be permitted to shield or attack on their behalf up to once per day.
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she seizes on an idea. ]
I only tease. It's no fault, my lady. [ she'll smile, faint, ill with worry. ] I'd never loved or been loved by anyone, until you chose me. You changed my life. I am terribly grateful to you.
[ her throat and heart are burning, stomach churning.
to thank Sleep. thank her. she shuts her eyes.
what wouldn't she do for them.
for him. ]
I am your servant, my lady. Direct me, and I will worship.
[ will they ever forgive her?
is she so willing to sacrifice their trust in exchange for their safety?
please, please, there has to be a way... ]
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For L̸͓̭̯̘̩̠͊̔͐̄̓͆̿̈̈́̍͂͛͝ͅÖ̸̡̧̡͇̲̥̥̩͔͈̺̦͚̪͇́̉̅́̿̈́̈͌͗̈́̏̽͆̈͜͠ͅV̴̨̻̯̙̩̮̩̦͙̘̝̫̮̱̆ͅͅE̷̡̨̛͖̻͈̠͍̦͙̠̅̈̑͂̄͐̏̕͘,.
[ Sleep can feel the internal struggle like a heartbeat, like strings she can strum upon a harp. She is not dull, She knows full well this is transactional, as are most devout . . . But this one. This one, for the reason, is so terribly juicy that She cannot wait to sink Her teeth into it. ]
Shed blood on every other Moon,
Yours, a meal, another's
Fresh
When it peaks
In the sky's midsection
Without fault.
Paint your stronghold
With crimson words
With your canines stained cherry red, eclipse black
And sing
The Siren song of your most
Devout
L̸͓̭̯̘̩̠͊̔͐̄̓͆̿̈̈́̍͂͛͝ͅÖ̸̡̧̡͇̲̥̥̩͔͈̺̦͚̪͇́̉̅́̿̈́̈͌͗̈́̏̽͆̈͜͠ͅV̴̨̻̯̙̩̮̩̦͙̘̝̫̮̱̆ͅͅE̷̡̨̛͖̻͈̠͍̦͙̠̅̈̑͂̄͐̏̕͘,.
Connect
Through him
With Me
And I shall filter the soil
And I shall breathe the air clean
And I shall grow my roots
Through the halls
Through the Earth
I shall become
Your citadel
If you become
A beacon
For My vitality.
1/2
[ a blood sacrifice? is she serious? ]
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yours, a meal, another's. a meal? can it be the blood of something she hunts? she already goes out of her way to help Ivan secure blood. this wouldn't be much of an imposition on her, and if all it takes is a few scrawled symbols every two weeks ...
... on the other hand, there's no telling what power Sleep might gain from her doing this. the consequences could reach much further than she can see right now.
doing her level best to make this seem like a follow-up question and not a ploy to stall for time while she thinks: ]
My lady... about Megumi and I. What ... happened to us? The—changes. The way we've gained each other's traits...
[ she hates having his scar. hates it with everything she has. it's been very hard not to feel self-loathing about it even with Megumi's reassurance.
she is also deeply and uncomfortably aware neither of them is going to give the other up just because Sleep does, in fact, derive direct and immediate benefit from their connection.
she might as well try to get a better understanding of what they've gotten themselves into, while she's here. ]
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You are
Converging.
A beautiful,
Most sacred ritual within Tethered,
Sharing your vitae
With another
Until you are close
So close
To singularity.
How magnificent it must be
To feel yourself
Intertwining.
[ She almost seems to say it with a nostalgic longing. ]
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what Sleep says is worse, though. She has to seize on the curiosity she feels over that odd tone to keep at bay the alarm that tries to claw up her throat.
converging? singularity?
do ... converged pairs eventually—
no, don't dwell on it. not now. ]
You sound familiar, my lady. [ obviously she knows well the concept, of course, but—how personal is it, to her? ]
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Once you have felt whole
You with feel fractured
Without your Other Half.
My vessels may experience
Only a fragment
Of what I once was.
What I
Could be
Once more.
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[ ... ]
I ... lost someone I loved, whom I was tethered with. I know it isn't the same as converging, but ... I'm sorry.
[ her sympathy is genuine.
as much as she is anti-Sleep brigade, she does empathize with that kind of loss, and—well...
it's to her benefit if Sleep thinks well of her. ]
Do you mean to say we could restore you? Is that something my task will help with...?
[ still in the spirit of a sort of concerned curiosity. there are other feelings there, but she locks them all into the same small mental cage, the more to make an unreadable knot out of them. ]
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If I may confide
I miss my beloved
D̶̨͍̞͉̮̲͖̤̘̂͒͊̔̔̄̓̅̿E̶̮̹̎̿͒͂̀̈́̕̚͠ͅA̷̡̢̞̞͓̫͕̮͍̒͐̋̽͜R̷̮̤̟̹͎̫͚͖̻͍̠͓̣͑̑́̓͆̉̋̎͐L̴̥͕̜͆̑͗̓͂̔̊̅̑̃͋̊̊̕͝͠Y̶͔͓̯̐́͛̏̅̒̽̒̿̇̊͒͆̿̓̅̕.
Should I gain more strength
And should he weaken enough
I may break free
And put an end
To not only this chaos
But this endless
Loneliness.
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Lortel shuts her eyes.
this is hardly the first time, and won't be the last, that she's chosen to sell her soul to the devil for something she wants. what's one more red tally in her ledger, long soaked in years of innocent blood?
she can bear it. the choice, and whatever consequences may come of it. she must. there is no other way. ]
I will do as you've asked of me, my lady. I am honored, and deeply grateful for your help.
[ ... ]
Your beloved... do you mean to say—One?
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The One
And only.