e x p e r i m e n t #08 (video)

[mviw]

[Some time Friday morning, September 8th, a new and particularly important broadcast appears on the network.

The feed flicks on to show Ford at a desk in his lab looking both tired and very guilty. ]

Uh, yes! Hello. Uh. Good morning?

[He clears his throat. Might as well get right down to it.]

As anyone who's slept since Wednesday will know, something weird has been happening. I may have been experimenting with a ward against a certain demonic triangle when there was an explosion that caused the ward's effects to warp and, for lack of better layman's terms, gave everyone the ability to traverse the Mindscape--that is, the realm parallel to any waking dimension.

To put it simply: Once you left consciousness at any point, you likely were able to explore your own mind, and the minds of others.

Fortunately, the effects seem to be temporary and I only singed half an eyebrow in the explosion, so... Good news! Everything should be back to normal by tomorrow.

Ahh, science. Well! That's all for today. If you don't want to deal with it, I suggest visiting one of the tea rooms for a delightful pot of industrial coffee. Always works for me!

[With a winning smile from Ford, the broadcast ends.]

Comments

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[mviw]

Look.

If he's just some guy, then a locked door and a simple security system should keep him out of your hair. I don't know what else to tell you. If he's not some guy and he has superpowers where he can somehow navigate your head outside the context of this business with the mindscape, I will again suggest the metal plate.

I'm a scientist, not a magician.

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[postictal]

it's more complicated than that



but if i don't fall asleep he can't get inside right

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[mviw]

It always is. Why do you think I have a metal plate in my skull?

That's right. Give it another 24 hours and you can sleep like a baby.

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[postictal]

i'm pretty sure babies sleep even less than i do
are you sure it'll be patched by then

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[mviw]

You get the drift, though I do recommend at least three or four hours during every 24 hour cycle. Sleep deprivation hallucinations aren't conducive to keeping nosy jerks out of your life.

Like I said: I'm a scientist, not a magician. The effects will definitively last no longer than another 12-14 hours.

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[postictal]

[Hallucinations he can handle. Even ones brought along by sleep deprivation.]

i just don't want people walking around in there
i can't

[...]

how can you be sure

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[mviw]

[There's a pause before the next message comes.]

I'm sorry. I know how you feel.

According to the machine I have measuring the effects of the magic dispersed by the explosion, I can be sure give or take two hours.

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[postictal]

ok

[Time to...stay awake for the next sixteen hours. Just to be safe.]

is isn't gonna happen again right

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[mviw]

I will write a "DO NOT DO THIS" poster to ensure it doesn't.

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[postictal]

but this mindscape place
does it just always exist

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[mviw]

Yes, it does, but only beings lacking in physical form can reside within it. Beings with a physical form must either abandon their body or access it mentally.

As a rule, humans can't be there unless they're asleep, and the only way to get there is through magic.

It's not really a place anyway, so much as a parallel state of existence that has some consistency due to the consciousness of living creatures.

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[postictal]

not anyplace people could get to without trying then
right

text; SUDDENLY LOCKED

[mviw]

Exactly. I keep my notes on incantations and magic locked up, so you don't have to worry about that.

I will advise you to stay away from an illuminati triangle named Bill. He exists in the Mindscape and he's the reason I have that metal plate. You don't need one to avoid him, but context might help you appreciate why you should avoid him at all.

NOW ENCRTYPED FOREVER

[postictal]

bill

[He makes a note of that. And a note to pass that down the line to Jay.]

got it
he exists in wonderland too though

[mviw]

He sure does. He's a dream demon and he likes to make deals. Don't ever shake his hand.

[postictal]

you remember that guy i talked to you about
i think there's a real possibility he'd get himself involved with him

[mviw]

...That's not good. Bill's a swindler and he likes using people as meat puppets, but aside from causing nightmares and the occasional possession, there isn't much he can do.

[postictal]

he can break into people's heads though
right

[mviw]

In a manner of speaking.

He can't possess you if you don't give him permission, and from what I understand there needs to be magic involved to let him break into your mind and rummage around for memories.

The worst he can do on his own is give you nightmares and read your thoughts.

[postictal]

ANY thoughts?

[HI THAT'S A BIG AND TERRIBLE PROBLEM WHEN YOUR THOUGHTS CONTAIN SOMETHING THAT COULD HURT EVERYONE]

[mviw]

From my experience it runs the gamut between "guess what number I'm thinking of between 1 and 1,000,000! Oh no, you guessed" and your general mental state, to knowing about something embarrassing you did in 8th grade.

He isn't the All-Seeing Eye for nothing, but he doesn't actually know everything. He's also extremely arrogant and makes mistakes when he thinks he has the upper hand.

If he does show up in your dreams that's where he's at his strongest, but also weakest. Learning lucid dreaming can be a powerful tool for booting him out of your head.

Also, if you have any American money with the all-seeing eye on it, mark out the eye. He can see through triangles with eyes in them.

He also hates synthesized music, for what that's worth. I hope you like bands from the 1980s.

[postictal]

[Get rid of triangles with eyes in them. Got it.]

got nothing against them personally

[Good thing music is one of the few things he can appreciate.]

you know how?

to lucid dream i mean

[mviw]

Yep! Sure do. Always known, I think my brother and I know naturally, but it's also something you have to work at and you won't feel rested when you wake up.

One of the tricks that helps me is I overthink and question everything. Once you realize you're dreaming, you have to hold onto that thought and then be willing to admit you can change reality. It's not easy to shut off gravity, for example, because your brain will accept certain things as universal truths and constants.

It also helps to have a wild imagination.

[postictal]

i don't feel rested anyway

[Lifetime of insomnia, buddy.]

not really something you can teach huh
i mean

thanks.
i guess now's as good a time as any to learn to try

[mviw]

I think the last time I felt well-rested was last spring, and only because I'd nearly been electrocuted to death and had to rest.

Unfortunately no, but I'm always happy to dispense advice. It wouldn't hurt to ask one of the librarians for books on the subject. I know Evelyn in particular is extremely trustworthy.