Stained glass that might have once held the image of a curled up dragonfly makes the centerpiece of the first door. Most of it is now missing, fragmented into pieces or crushed into fine powder that glitters among the dust covering the ground. Sealed shut in its frame, the door doesn’t budge, so the only way in is to crawl through the hole in the glass, jagged edges catching on your clothes, and when you look up, the fall of Rome greets you with eerie silence.

Once grand domes and arches have fallen into disrepair, relinquishing their majestic structures to the natural disorder of the universe as grass and vines creep around toppled columns, overtaking the crumbled stone, pulling down the abandoned city. Marble pillars struggle to rise up towards the sky, cracked and ruined ghosts of what they used to be, and smashed windows that seem to have grown naturally from the once paved roads litter the earth beneath them with multi-colored panes.

The crunch of shattered glass under your feet...

...is disturbingly loud in this empty world.

Teleos is conspicuously missing, perhaps the reason why this Dreamscape is in such shape, but peer closely at the windows and tilt your head just so— There! Between the cracks, do you see?

Moving through the worlds, you trip over a metal ring on the ground, and upon looking down, see that it’s the handle to a hatch. Next to it, a piece of driftwood with a bit of art sits. At the top is some hatching that looks like:

“II → ∞ ??”

Underneath are a few crude stick figures, complete with fins and scales— more stickfish than stickmen, really, and all in varying sizes. Water can be heard underneath, gently lapping against the other side of the wood, beckoning you in.

Go on...

Take a swim!

Jumping into the water, you’re pulled immediately downward—down, down, down... until you touch the bottom of an ocean floor. Somehow, there’s no crushing pressure, and you have no trouble breathing. It’s as if the water is nothing but a bit of heavy fog, and you can move through it easily, feet kicking up small clouds of soft, smooth sand. All sorts of underwater decoration surround you: outcroppings of rocks, corals, cutely rusted over ship anchors, fake treasure chests.

It's a fishbowl.

The size of an ocean.

In the dim, green light, you can see that the world is full of life. Schools of fish dart around you, large sea turtles lazily float by, even the occasional dolphin or two frolic near you before swimming away. If it lives in water, you’ll probably spot it; no matter what kind of water habitat it originally had, it seems happy enough to be here. Thalatte herself will actively search out and greet any visitors in her Dreamscape.

Hello, hello!

She’ll attempt to take a human-ish form, though the proportions probably won’t be the best (Left arms are longer than the right ones, yes? Do legs bend like this?), and will be comprised of hundreds of identical fish packed together tightly to give some illusion of solidity. Rather scaly, her “human” form will have black holes for eyes and a row of tiny fish mouths as the mouth. The overall effect is somewhere between cute and disconcerting, especially since fish eyes will occasionally blink all over her body, staring at you from all sorts of angles.

And excuse her movements, the concept of walking is a little foreign to her, so she’ll just glide along, wiggling her rather noodle-y limbs as she chats away and apologizes for how dark it is. Don’t worry though... she does her best to make you feel at home! There’s always some sort of small alteration to her appearance, depending on who she’s with. Are you an angel? She’ll have “feathery” fish wings. A shinigami? Look at her being a wobbly swordfish with those fancy robes of theirs.

Many apologies for splitting your group up at the entrance though. A bit hard to keep everyone together with the way this place is laid out— it's a maze, after all! Well, sort of... Relatively straightforward paths are made difficult to navigate in the general gloom, some of the waving fronds are easier to pass through than others, and there are just so many underwater decorations. Not to worry, Thalatte will show you around!

What do you mean you can't pass right through coral like her? Oh, fine, we'll take the long way around. Now, was it left or right first...?

Minimum Party Size: 2

Additional Requirements: Everyone in the party must be of a different age group (or maturity level) and from different worlds.

Quest Completion: Follow Thalatte through the maze to find the rest of your party and leave together. Keep an eye on your surroundings, and try not to get impatient with the fish should they keep leading you to (but not through) dead ends.

Rewards: If you were observant while traversing the underwater world and did not simply dismiss dead ends as unimportant, you'll notice that some areas of the maze in the fourth nightmare look rather familiar. Decorations, outcroppings of rocks, maybe even the shape of some of the coral here may show up as small landmarks later on. Useful knowledge to help guide your way. Additionally, you may find yourself with a helpful little visitor later on.

You stumble across a double door of ageless, stately wood. The frame is covered in carvings, and the entrance is one that wouldn’t look out of place on a rich estate or old, respectable government building. Slid under the door is an invitation, written in an absurdly decorative script.

"Cour des miracles. Mediation services offered on request."

Stepping inside, you walk into a fancy ballroom and find yourself in the midst of a masquerade party. People adorned with beautiful, intricate masks—all nature or musically themed—mill slowly around as they talk to one another, the comfortable murmur of a polite crowd mixing with a possibly familiar harpsichord theme piped in from somewhere. Neither it nor the voices are overwhelming in volume.

Heads turn towards you when you step inside, but no one quite meets your eyes. Conversations still when you walk by, and trying to speak to anyone will only make them turn away and hustle back into the crowd. The attitudes towards you are otherwise mixed—some are curious, others upset or angry, and the rest display confusion and a bit of fear. Yet no one answers your questions.

The music doesn’t stop.

The refreshments aren’t that good.

Loiter around a bit more though, and a well-dressed man will eventually approach you. Immaculate in a three-piece suit with a turquoise cravat around his neck and a peacock feather neatly tucked in the jacket pocket, he appears middle-aged and human-ish, but all other details seem to simply slide away from memory, no matter how hard you try to note them down. He has a short, punctual way of talking, and may seem a bit exasperated at your presence. If you’ve already spoken to the other Animus, you’ll notice that his attitude is more variable than theirs, and will change more quickly based on who he is speaking to. During his conversations, others in the room may come up to him, whisper something in his ear and then walk off, sometimes causing his tone and opinion to change entirely.

What a gossip.

Talk to him long enough and he might give more details on “Esoteria’s” composition—that everyone in the room is a separate animus, willingly banding together as one entity to keep from getting absorbed by the stronger ones. As weaker gods, it is the only way they can maintain their separate identities, and they use music as a way of keeping themselves organized. Gossip that he is, “Esoteria” is also more willing to talk about the other Animus, as he knows pretty much everything that’s going on with anyone. The man in the suit is more organized than any other part of Esoteria, which is how he got the position of spokesman, and if you give him a good enough impression, he might even share his personal name with you.

This might also be a good time to learn just why and how this event is happening, if you haven’t already asked the other Animus for an answer. Since Saeclumda Cinis is of a similar, if uncontrolled and aggressive, composition, some of Esoteria is more reluctant to do anything to stop it. The overall decision, however, is that it is too dangerous to be left alone.

Handed a mask upon your entrance, you find yourself donning it without really knowing why. Wander away from your party though, and you’ll feel a sharp tug pulling you back towards each other, no matter how you may wish to avoid their company. Annoyance rises, but try not to snap at each other— a raised voice, a look of anger, and it suddenly feels much more crowded in here. None too gently, people brush past with disapproving looks, as if warning you to behave; you have the feeling you’d be mercilessly crushed should a fight break out.

Minimum Party Size: 3
Maximum Party Size: 5

Additional Requirements: Everyone in the party must have a serious grudge against at least one other person present, or have strongly opposing moral compasses.

Quest Completion: Two requirements need to be fulfilled.

The Song of Harmony: Having (mostly) cast aside their own egos in order to work together and survive, Esoteria is not tolerant of anger and discord. Dissension creates tension, so control your tempers, and if you must disagree, do so politely. Fail to comply, and the heat rises, the number of annoyed spirits increases and it gets ever harder to move through the dream. Think of Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Birds’ and tread carefully— with retreat cut off, you have nowhere to run.

The Song of Unity: Upon asking to leave, your party will be led to an inner courtyard that opens up to the blue sky. Platforms made out of musical notes and vines float in the air, forming series that rise up towards the ornate doors that can be seen waiting for you on the islet hovering high above. Some are stationary while others move left and right or up and down, and the occasional flying object darts through the air, adding another layer of obstacles. The task is obvious: make your way up to the exit and leave.

But it’s not that easy. The mask you wear only allows you to see certain platforms and obstacles while rendering the rest invisible, leaving you with large, vacant spaces and no idea how to move across them on your own. Since everyone in the group sees something different, and no one person can see the whole picture, you will all need to work together in order to reach the islet. There is no choice but to rely on your teammates to tell you when to dodge and which way to jump, even if it looks like you are doing nothing more than leaping out into empty air.

Teamwork and trust are key— refuse to work together, and no one will reach the exit. Take too long to follow instructions, and you’ll find the platform under your feet start to disappear. Give a teammate the wrong directions, and they may fall back down towards the masked, upturned faces watching from below. Be careful... The higher you go, the farther you have to fall, and it is quite possible to die from such heights.

Remember... waste your time with distrust and antagonism at your own risk— the gods of Esoteria will only stand for so much.

Rewards: Upon reaching the exit together, the masks will come off and transform into gloves for each person. Inside each pair will be a single peacock feather that will guide your party back together should you wish to work together again.

Other Notes: Since the focus of this part of the dreamscape is the interaction and teamwork between characters, the mods will not be NPCing the quest portion. As such, the layout of the platforms is up to player discretion/hand-wavey. Also, [THIS] video (starting at ~1:50) may help.

At one point, traveling through a portal brings you to an infinitely empty space. Or an area that appears to stretch out infinitely. It's a little hard to tell when it all fades into the shadows the farther out you look. In the middle of this "room" is a thick rope cord, hanging from... well, nowhere. It stretches upward and disappears into blackness. Tied to it is a small bell, and ringing the bell pulls away the shadows, revealing and transforming the area around you.

It looks much like how the city did during the Ekpyrosis event, the trees of the Wastes a dark shadow in the background. The sky is burnt, symbols carved into it as if it were a flat surface. Fire drips down from the cuts, as if it's been wounded. Smoke, thick and cloying, surrounds you, and the heat is considerable.

An inhospitable world.

Forever stretched out around you, all that meets your eyes is the cityscape crumbling into ash and the lake boiling into steam while the steady, oppressive tick of a clock counts off each second until the very beat of it echoes in your head.

The source is a large, ornate timepiece, usually carried or dragged by a human girl— Ekpyrosis' real form. Occasionally visible in some corner of the world, the Animus is almost always corrupted— fire deities and spirits taking over its functions and burning away at its core, yet its ticking never wavers, only grows louder, more insistent, even as it lumbers away from any attempts at conversation. There's a sense of chaotic confusion underneath that slow, inexorable crawl of passing time, each second a piece of coal dropped into hell.

As a result, the land looks like a battlefield, a war (or is it wars?) raging in the middle of it. Figures— beautiful and hideous, humanoid and plantlike, all impossible to look upon— tear each other apart, even as their limbs burn, as the smell of scorched skin fills the air, as their charred remains fall to the ground. They scream, they die and are then replaced by yet another soldier.

It's a battle with no sides.

No victor.

No purpose.

If you manage to fight your way to the Wastes and through the forest to Aelia's gate without dying from your wounds, you'll experience the sensation of being painfully branded somewhere on your body. When you take a look, the mark burned into your skin is clearly one of time.

Minimum Party Size: N/A

Additional Requirements: None

Quest Completion: Survive.

Reward: Ekpyrosis' brand offers some protection against Saeclumda Cinis' second nightmare. The Animus is still too confused to truly battle 'age' itself, but it can at least buy you some time.

Grand doors made out of old, seasoned wood bar your path this time, the simple carving of an orchid on its surface indicating just whose world you are about to walk into. Consider it a warning, rather than a decoration. Over the doorway is an arch. On it are inscribed symbols— the circle of life. A lion crushes an ant, which pushes the earth, which swallows the fire, which burns the stars... The signs flicker and change; there are an infinite number of combinations, all opposed to one another. No two signs are alike, but the cycle remains unbroken.

A lush field flanked by a thick, dense forest greets you when you finally managed to push the heavy doors open. It’s a warm day, and the smell of greenery is strong as you follow the simple dirt path up a hill to where Aelia awaits. The animus is unaggressive and polite, and the urge to linger in such a pleasant place is quite strong.

Stay and chat for a while.

The things that growl and scratch the dirt in the shadows of the forest around you can almost be forgotten. Why think about such an unpleasant place when you are welcomed here? Besides, there’s a low stone wall that keeps you protected from whatever creatures are out there, though the more you linger near it, the more you realize that it can’t actually keep anything out. It's not high enough, there are cracks in the wall, and if you look closely, a few pieces of shattered glass.

This is not an oasis of safety, especially not with that battle you can hear raging on the other side of that forest.

If you can manage to pull yourself away from the serenity of the glade and ask to leave, Aelia will present to you an option: murder someone in the party, or fight your way through the forest and risk losing everything. Survive, and not only can you escape from her dream, but you will also receive a weapon to use against the god of ashes and time. Of course, it’s also possible to just have tea with Aelia and leave the way you came—empty handed, but still possessing all your limbs.

Minimum Party Size: 4

Additional Requirements: Everyone in the party must have a different skill type. People of the same species (i.e. shinigami, benders, wizards, etc.) would be classified as being of the same category. Normality, or the complete lack of any supernatural traits and/or abilities, would count as its own class.

Quest Completion: Pick a path and don't look back...

The Path of Treachery: Loss of life should never be treated lightly, and so taking a life has its consequences.

* Martyr’s Offering: Blood must be paid to obtain freedom, and perhaps one person in your party understands that best. Are you the one who willingly lays down their life for their friends? Or are you the unlucky sacrificial lamb, chosen for slaughter without realizing it until the knife’s in your back?

Cross of Remorse (for the guilty): Sometimes, sacrifices have to be made in the name of war, and comrades betrayed so you can survive. Others die so you can live, that is the circle of life. You may have gotten what you needed, but at what price? The crosses we bear on our conscience are the heaviest of them all.

Mark of Practicality (for the uncaring): The choice was simple—kill one of your temporary allies and get what you want, or refuse to stain your hands with their blood and get nothing in return. You made your decision easily, but did you do so too carelessly? Aelia’s turned around and marked you for death as punishment for your treachery. Those left in your group are now your executioners. Do you yield, or do you fight?

Last Man Standing: Theoretically, this scenario could repeat until only one person remains. With Aelia as your judge, will you live or die?

The Path of Giants: If your party decides to brave the forest, beware. There is no trail to guide your feet, and the trees hide nothing but ruthless danger in their midst. The creatures within are brutal and vicious, able to scent fear and drawn towards it like sharks to blood. Fighting against them is not a matter of skill, but rather one of luck. No matter what you try, it all comes down to chance. Better hope the odds aren’t stacked against you.

Rewards: Permission to leave her clearing, along with a lance made out of ice that's capable of freezing time. However, (*) this ice will melt away if touched by someone with any sort of supernatural powers. Hope you didn't let all the normal humans die! Also, this lance is much easier to carry and wield without losing hands to frostbite with a certain pair of gloves obtained from a certain Animus.

Other Notes: The role of Lady Luck will be played by the mods tossing a coin (or hitting the RNG) should her involvement be necessary.