I've been digging through my old notebooks lately, trying to see what I've come up with in the past, and what I can use in some of my short stories. I pulled a composition marbled notebook off the shelf tonight (it was right next to the red marbled Fabambus notebook) and rediscovered something.
Stormrealm.
The terms been used by others (a quick Google search informed me of this), but not quite in the way I originally attempted it. Gather close to the fire. Mike's got a story to tell...
When the thunderstorms roll across the North East of America, some folks find that they awake in a different place from where they laid their heads down. As far as I know, only two people in the New York area have ever made it across one of those Storm Thresholds. One was an artist from Saratoga Springs, the other a writer and scoundrel from Suffolk County. These are some of the documents:
James D'------,
You are known by another name in Stormrealm (The artist substituted the name
"Ignatious" here).
This is the grand invititation to a unique Live Action Role-Playing Game. It
is not Mind's Eye Theatre. It is not the S.C.A. This is a game we will make
up
as we go along.
Care to play?
The first session of Stormrealm begins today. The previous night has been
torn by wind and rain. With the morning sun, you find yourself in a bed in a
small inn called "Brubeck's Rest".
Strange dreams haunt you as you rise. You half-remember nightmares with metal
carriages and boxes of moving light.
But now you are back in Stormrealm. Where magic and monsters, poisons and
potions, and danger and dragons dwell.
And you'll help make the rules...
-Murphy
I actually tacked that to the door of the room where Jim was sleeping. It was following a huge thunder & lightning storm, and since I had the idea of a different LARP game brewing in my head, I figured it was appropriate. Jim, in true spirit, jumped at the chance. He got some further missives:
Stormrealm.
You've awakened in Brubeck's Rest, an inn at the end of the Bog Road, situated on the edge of the Twisted Grove. Strange dreams and visions have lead you this far. Your possessions are few: a pocket of silver, two scrolls which you bought from a pock-marked vendor at the Night Market, and a bag of magical tools.
You've heard tales of the Twisted Grove in your travels. The legends speak of strange and ancient magics that lay slumbering there. The tales also speak of bizarre creatures which male their home within.
Most fierce are the Trolls. Strong and deadly, yet the touch of sunlight turns their forms to stone. Also, the Mongrelmen dwell within. Twisted creations left over from alchemical experiments left over from the Pax Imperium, the Mongrelmen live a fierce and violent life, killing trespassers with glee.
Despite these dangers, you've determined that not only is the Twisted Grove an ideal place to establish a Threshold, it may harbor some of the ingredients you need to creat a potions you've been working on.
You've been awoken this morning by Odd, the handyslave at Brubeck's Inn. He's gathered the tools you've requested: shovel, axe, etc. and is willing to accompany you to the edge of the Twisted Grove. After that, you're on your own...
To add to it, Jim wrote this index card up:
"Through my life, I can remember being in places only describable as dreams. Now I feel things have flipped. I feel cursed with anger, and seem to break weapons often upon killing beasts. Searching for control of myself, I have begun a pilgrimage. In the grove of the Twisted Root is an old marker for the head of the way. From the small village of Winter Stone.
He further had these scrolls:
Rite of the Threshold
A Threshold is a magical nexus, which allows those who know the mystic invocation to travel from one place to another.
To construct a Threshold, one must first find a proper nexus point, where two or more ley lines meet. Once this is done, construction can begin.
First, a gate must be built. The gate must form a boundary to contain the Threshold's magic. A crude doorway, circle of standing stones, or a shallow pool, are all examples of gates built for a Threshold. A gate must be constructed by the one opening the Rite of the Threshold.
Once a gate is built, the caster must consecrate the gate with symbols of all four elements. Air must be envoked first, followed by Fire, Earth, and Water, If not done in this order, the gate will not work.
Next, the gate must be named. This will, in affect, become the Threshold's "address". Only those who know the Threshold's name will be able to employ it. A small token must be held in the caster's left hand and be given the Threshold's name. The token is then buried at the site.
Finally, to seal the magic within, the caster must circle the Threshold counter-clockwise three times. After that, the Threshold will be bound to the site and available for use.
And then there was the Potion of Fire:
Potion of Fire
One Burnberry
Two sprigs of Ignatium Root
Water of the Flames
Bottle made of Gren Glass
And the Dowsing Wand:
Dowsing Wand
Requires a proper dowsing wand ontp which the following symbol must be carved:
(Looks like a dual-headed arrow)
Then speak what you wish to find and follow the rod. If it is nearby, the rod will lead you to it. If it is not, the rod will lead you back to where you began.
To tell the whole story, Ignatius and Odd wandered out to the Twisted Grove. Ignatius began building a Threshold, mayhaps to get back home, mayhaps to explore Storlmrealm. But then the drums began. The Mongrelmen were on the warpath and began beating the drums. At that, Ignatious fled back to the safety of Brubeck's Rest.
So what does this have to do with what I'm thinking?
Quite simply, I've finally figured out where Stormrealm is. It lays between Earth and Raum. A good portion of my readers have spent time on Raum, whether they knew it or not. If you've ever been to Xultvar, the Drast, Erlenford, etc. you've been to Raum. I just never realized that Stormrealm was the foyer between the two.
If you ever wake up in a strange place after a thunderstorm, look around. You might just very well be in Stormrealm. Build a Threshold and try to get...somewhere. You might ether end up back here, or find yourself on a strange road on Raum.
BTJM
-AM
