Dreams can be wild and zany and a source of grand inspiration. And so here I shall tell of the one I just woke from I promise you it will make very little sense.
Where to start... I suppose I should describe myself in the dream. I was rather thin, a longer face, kinda made me think of a xianxia character to be honest. Rather willowy really. Slender and flexible with a face that could be masculine, but also like that skinny guy from Mulan. So what I say later can make a little more sense I guess.
It started off feeling like an mmo. And it was third person, but it didn't feel like a game, it felt like it was life. But in a strange way. I was this person, I felt I had no recall of my memories, but at the same time it was waiting for me to simply reach out and grab it. I was wearing heavy metal armor which made me look bulky bully and huge as hell. Ahh... But wait.. we need to go back further. Strangely enough in my dream I was not even introduced yet.
We start again with our intrepid duo of adventurers, having already passed the highly stylized metal gate into the dungeon, bars and pipes bent and curved into the form of some sort of sigil of magic, with a rectangular frame held atop like a crossbeam, but there was nothing in it. It had two rounds of squared bars, an inner and an outer frame for this. Like if you saw a torii gate and it had a floating magic sign in it, but instead it was a wireframe gate made of metal bars. That would be the closest approximation to this thing I am mangling. The sides of the gate that flowers around the sigil we're bent outwards, as if they should have been straight but the force of the magic sigil itself, which could not be felt or seen in any sight, bent it outward in a gentle curve around the sigil, giving the legs a semicircle arch from the top to the ground.
Inside we found ourselves in a sparse forest grotto, walls of mossy stone rose upward and ever outward, like being in a muggy canyon where life bloomed and a forest of pine trees flourished. A young woman, dressed in leather armors, perhaps a ranger, perhaps a rogue, strode forth with her male companion, a small man covered in leather with pockets full of doodads. He seemed to be more of a crafter type. They got into a large enough clearing just off the main path through the dungeon and he pulled something from his pocket, it looked like a clockwork snow globe. Strange since you shake snowglobes and nothing else yes? He then dashed it upon the dried earthen pathway, and a strange vehicle exploded forth in a magical light show. It had four wheels and a dark color and a very odd frame.
Sadly my memory of this doesn't want to co-operate, as I do not recall much in the way of details for THIS vehicle.
They continued onward into the forest path, beaten dirt beneath their wheels giving the constant sound of shifting dirt under tire as they ran around the forest bottom, suddenly the girl pointed to the cliff face, "careful!" She whispered as loudly as she dared. Trees changed every now and then into what would arguably be a large oak tree, branches splayed out and growing in strange wiggling shapes. This one was little different, however it had branches digging into the cliffside and snaking along like roots across it's face. At a point where the cliff stopped being a wall, there was a large branch that rounded this corner, and upon this moss covered extremity sat an ape. It looked a lot like rendition. From Tarzan to be honest. More round and fluffy than bog beat the shit outta you brute.
The tinkerer slowed the vehicle down to make it quieter as they continued forth, slowly the path wound up around a very large, arguably mountainous pillar, set in the middle of the canyon deep. To continue this dungeon every level goes upwards, and the path sometimes goes by the edges, meaning you can fall all the way back down to the first level. If you survive at least you are close to the exit. Continuing on they had reached a large clearing near the edge of the second layer, lots of trees, but plenty of room to fight or manuever or turn with vehicles. They were scouting the area when suddenly they hear the buzz of another vehicle, it sounded like a four wheeler.
Keeping an eye on the direction of the sound, further in from the dungeon, not unlikely that an adventurer or team was returning from their hunt, but what rounded a bend in the trees was no adventurer... Instead it was a great white ape, with big old tusk like teeth shooting up like he was part or. To be honest his jaw and tusks would put most other creatures with tusks to shame, shy of a boar or elephant.
The vehicle came to a stop upon a small ridge on the edge of the clearing and it stood up, the vehicle was average for a human... The ape was not. It stood a good eight feet tall and seemed to have a neanderthal level spear. It roared and spittle flew, the trees shook, their hearts beat faster in abject terror, and birds took flight in the sky. His voice was overbearing, but sounded a little deeper than what would be anticipated from the perfect white Knight archetype. Big bulging muscles showed off pectorals that looked like they could crush rock if he flexed them. He spoke and the words came forth, demanding respect but also fear.
"BEGONE HUMANS! One of your kind has trespassed our lands and now you shall all be given the chance to leave or die!"
His tusks giving him a bit of an alteration to being able to speak properly, but his visage and the tone brooked no argument, nor told of any lie. He would drive that spear through your heart faster then you could react. The tinker revved the engine and spun the little cart on a dime, it tore ass along the forest path, and they could feel the eyes of the white ape upon their backs as they recedss down the path until out of sight. He was not a second level enemy. Someone had fucked up the natural order of things. As they continued on back into the first level nothing challenged them, nothing happened except their fear and curiosity spiking.
They came to the entrance and it looked innocuous enough. Even if behind the metal frame door and sigil was nothing but an abyss of darkness leading through the wall. The gate swung open at an insane speed just before the cart could hit it, it smoothly glided along it's hinges just barely out of reach of the carts frame until it was at 90° of it's closed position, and the cart tore through the whole while.
They left. The dungeon through a dark and winding path which always felt straight but they new was not. Barely a minute had passed before they started to see light. The tunnel with no roof and what felt like no walls, only darkness opened into a tiny clearing before the second gate that let you in. The cart slowed down as it got closer. No matter how fast you went you always took the same amount of time to enter or exit the dungeon space between the gates. And as they pulled up to the gate notifications relayed relayed across the rectangular frame on top of it. As if it were an LED sign with scrolling words. But this was made of magic, and it stated the same words that had been spoken by the white ape. Someone had tresspassed upon lands they should not. And all adventurers would feel his wrath.
For every escpade into the dungeon you would have a chance of rewards beyond just what you brought out. The tinkerer and woman of unknown class saw a bubble showing what they had gotten at random, and what they might have gotten. A few weapons and random items they could have won, and a vehicle with a trailer, the vehicle had a flat bottom, and the chassis rounded and looked like a large tree had been felled and turned into the exterior. A dark metal bark like texture ran to an uneven edge as it swept back along the vehicle, the hood of which for some reasons reminded one of a snake, despite looking more like a log you would drive. The trailer was in much the same style appearing like a sickly dead purplish gray log had been hollowed out to be a vehicle. Between them was a cable of red that acted as the hitch, but also provided unparalleled turning capabilities and the transfer of magic. Many vehicles were built this way.
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The title above it said the forestsidewinder, it was a vehicle based on a large snake found in the higher levels, big as a tree and it camoflage itself by using this to it's advantage with it's uneven scales that stuck out like a dead trees bad bark, it would hide it's tail to look like the root system, while really hanging from another trees branch far above. When adventurers past it's tail would whip out and crush them in it's monsterous grip, and consume them at it's leisure.
Just outside the gate as they exited a commotion came about as clouds drifted through the crowd across the stone work promenade. The area outside the dungeon was built to be a small staging ground in a radial pattern, and a medium sized group of adventurers had gathered for the news. Few had been able to kill the white ape, fewer survived to bring it's corpse back. And none did so unharmed.
Standing at the back edge of this crowd stood me, in my very large bully armor marking me as a tank. Take big hits, give big hits, survive to slay again. That was my role. My hands rested against the pommel of my sword hilt, stuck point downward in the ground. This was bad for the weapon of course, but over time many adventurers had set up station that had grind stones. Pedestals of various sizes awaited weapons of a specific make, and these all sat along the outer ridge, my greatsword sat in one now, being sharpened by a grindstone array in the ground. This area was not commissioned by the empire and as such was less lovely on the eyes and made of different materials than the promenade. Uneven bricks and sometimes wood we're the pathway around this outer ring of adventure preparedness. It was truly a great analogy for the world of adventurers. The basics funded by the government to make adventurers seem glamorous, the real gnitty gritty needed to survive was ugly and often mismatched.
I wandered over, wondering how I got here and only remembering something about possible reincarnation. Everything felt right but also wrong. I would find the wrong later. As I walked over the woman's class was finally outed as she said it would take a ranger of a higher level than her to even think of taking on the white ape.
I smiled at the thought of a challenge and stepped forward into the group, greatsword now slung across my back. My voice was smooth and just shy of Noble. A high level adventurer who was known in some locations, and had to deal with nobles, but still down to earth with what really happened in the life of an adventurer.
"I might be able to do it, I just need to job change and do a little training." I said with confidence
The entire group turned to look at me. A hulking tank of a man in heavy armor saying he could become the spritely and fast ranger class. They wondered if he were not insane.
I smiled as inside I knew exactly what I was talking about. Not many were aware of mastery of a job allowing you to utilize the skills of it even when it was inactive. And stats rose across the board as each job had it's own stats, and once mastered joined your base stats for any future job. However leveling up the new job became harder as mastered jobs increased the level cap, and became your base level.
I turned away and headed to the central kiosk, a statue of stone and metal which allowed a greater access to the system, using this to store his armor and change his class to ranger. Starting over again... Sort of. Somehow this did not feel strange, just one of those things I needed to reach out and recall. And with it came a sense of familiarity and rightness.
(The kiosk I added in because... I have no idea how I changed classes in my dream... Weird huh?)
I returned to the group and they had mixed reactions to my leather clad self with a bow almost as tall as I was strapped to my back. The ranger girl had a look of worry, many of the physical attackers had looks like they were going to enjoy me going down a notch.
I walked up, arms crossed, my thin physique of corded muscles more aware now that I had on for fitting leather armor. Speed and movement we're necessary as a ranger, not knockout dragout potential. It was the same set as when I had been a rogue.
We walked over to an obstacle course set in the trees and as their smiles widened I knew this would be enjoyable. For me, but definitely not for them.
I ran through the obstacle course, jumping from one tree to the next as I went through rings suspended by ropes, shot targets from my blindspot, and generally outperformed any ranger previously seen upon this course. When I finished I was at the top of the highest tree, and I could see the rest of the island. This world was set upon floating islands and continents, it afforded a beautiful view, but I couldn't recall what or if there was anything below them. Only that I had been there some long forgotten time ago.
I leapt from the top and spun in a lazy circle before landing on my feet, a small plume of dirt billowing out. I had jumped from a height no normal man should be able to do without at least breaking something. Even as a high level class. But I was MULTIPLE high level classes.
The would be hecklers stood mouths agape as the ranger looked stunned but excited, the tinkerer surprised and eyes wide.
(I'm not sure what happened after this. My dream seems to have just... Skipped forward somehow.)
I found myself being ingratiated once more by some fool toady of the empire. I was wearing my official robes, a light cyan color as I walked the streets. I do not remember how or why I am here, but I do know I am supposed to be someone of importance. It felt like a Mongol empire or something of the sort. I don't know why however.
As things would progress I did meaningless tasks until something happened and I was met by another official from the emperor, the dream is fading now from my memory but I recall saying something about how it seemed like I was some sort of local czar, and everything flooded back about what my Noble title was, I was some sort of leader of a small City state or some such. After that I had .legal and lawful revenge against the fools who tried to use me. Somehow this amnesia thing I had been under was not uncommon and was said to be a sort of bonding of souls. I was one of the greatest of adventurers, and a leader of my people under the empire.
From what I recall the empire was not something evil. Though I do know corruption would exist as it does in any society. But streets were kept clean, the populace was fed, given work, and paid, and a sense of propriety was upheld as we ventured into the dungeons for wealth and the ability to further advance technologically. The strangest thing is, there were no mages seen, but I knew I was capable of being one.
Soon enough a call awakened me and I knew I wouldn't be able to get back to sleep. So I wanted to show where some of my creativity... Stems from? Floods into? I know not the truth of this matter. All I know is that dreams can be an exciting and strange spark of creativity.
The modified or false parts of this were the grindstone array, in my dream my sword was just set into the ground, but I know that damages and dulls the blade. So it felt wrong to continue such a stupid thing. The other was that the obstacle course did not exist, there were those who looked at me with derision, but much like the class change, I have no idea what happened outside of suddenly being a ranger leaping through the forest and off what felt like the dungeons internal cliffs, only to fall and land in a crouch and seeing the ranger from previously. After that the dream changed. I'm not sure why I used the term czar in my dream, but it had a strange mixture of feeling Russian, Mongolian, and having a heavy style influence from the far East. I did say that clouds obscurred the promenade. I wanted to allude to the later moment where I said it was all on flying islands. This is also true. But I don't know much about that too. And the land underneath was just a feeling. It's like somehow I had a birds eye view of the dungeon entrance island and there was a slate grey mountain reaching for the sky, but also a brown dirt and root mountain reaching for below, and something said I know what's down there... But I had no idea. So there had to be something. How would I know what exists below? Surely I'd have to have been there. Something says it is something of death. But I still do not know and this is all conjecture.
The city state I officiated was like seeing a brighter more pleasing version of the trolls market from hellboy. The many layers going over each other, the tall buildings with numerous shops interwoven between one another. But somehow it never kept sunlight from reaching the bottom. It never stopped the whole area from being civil and colorful. I feel like maybe the pathways were grates of some sort but I just don't know how it worked. I just knew it did. The main pathways along the bottom level marked out where buildings stood going straight to the sky, so in theory the only time they could be lit ulby sunlight is noon, but I also want to say I was at a higher tier for government officials and was able to look down and over the city walls to see the sunrise but it was all lit by sunlight. I assume now maybe magic had a hand in matters.