15677/Dream for the lady hellspawn.

Dream for the lady hellspawn.
Date of Scene:	05 October 2023
Location:	Dreaming
Synopsis:	Another has the dream about the strange creatures in the desert area. What do they all mean?
Cast of Characters:	Satana, Harry Dresden

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Satana has posed:
"I love you, Daddy!" The young girl, just beginning to bud into the woman she'd become, hugs her father and gets hugged back by his muscular, all-encompassing arms.

"I love you too, Satana," the father says. "You make me proud I am your father."

What has engendered this exchange? The kitten staked out inside a pentacle, torn open, with its innards carefully arranged around it in eldritch symbols is likely part of it. What father wouldn't be proud of his daughter's first independent summoning, without his assistance or guidance, just his proud witness? And the fact that it was not only done correctly but summoned a hideous-looking imp that was screaming and hopping in rage inside of the protective shell the pentacle provided, impotently screaming threats at the twelve year old without her flinching was just a bonus. She had succeeded in summoning and kept her cool. What was not to be proud of?

Satana's father was her whole world back then. It's no wonder that she keeps returning to those days in her infrequent bouts of sleep and dreaming. But now the dream ... changes. Something new enters the picture, sweeping away her first great triumph and the love of her father...

Harry Dresden has posed:
Late in the night, a vision comes to light. In her dreams she sees herself in a more arid climate area that she is used to recently. There are small homes, a farming community dotting the landscape.

In the distance, there is a herd of smallish animals and a few juveniles watching over the flock. It is night time and the would be shepherds look nervous. Something in the air is unsettled, even to the dreamer.

Satana has posed:
Satana is no stranger to lucid dreaming. She causes it in others, after all, as she prepares their souls for damnation.

Well, in theory. In practice that's for the working-girl succubi. She doesn't soil herself with that nonsense.

Still, the skills are there and she walks around the new dreamscape inspecting everything, before walking up to the juveniles, looking as non-threatening as a naked woman walking through an arid landscape can appear.

"What is happening?" she asks of the closest once they spot her and have a chance to see she's not taking any hostile actions. Yet.

"This place feels ... wrong."

Harry Dresden has posed:
In the distance, near the kids, there is the sound of barking dogs. They are a little more than warning something, rather preparing to stand off with something. Of course, the kids are instantly on edge. The child she spoke to looks at her, then points in the distance.

The community is pretty close, presenting almost a town like atmosphere, but none the less she can see close to a dozen sets of eyes looking over the herds. By the look of them, the creatures with the eyes aren't terribly big, but they are fast and they descend on the herd of animals, attacking several. The sounds of goat cries makes it clear what the herd consists of.

For their part, the young protectors throw any projectiles they can find and make a lot of noise, but the creatures mostly ignore them, starting to drag four of the goats away, while a few seem to be drinking at the neck of two others.

Satana has posed:
Dreams are sometimes the subconscious telling you something. And sometimes they're an assault from outside. It's important to distinguish between these, so Satana, as the attack unfolds, merely watches, approaching the animals as they attack to see them more closely.

"A warning?" she wonders aloud. "A premonition? A message?" She ponders it all while watching the goats getting dragged away. The ones remaining to drink blood are an opportunity to observe them more closely.

"What are you my little dears?" she asks as she crouches to watch.

Harry Dresden has posed:
The creatures start to drag the dead goats away, the dogs making lunges at them now. However the creatures aren't afraid of the dogs and a few hold them off as the rest drag the bodies.

The creatures suddenly stop again as, in the distance against the light of one of the farms two massive, shadow bodies stand, glowing red eyes at a level making them easily nine feet tall whatever they are. The smaller creatures run away as they see the bigger ones.

Then, the red eyes move from the goats and they lock on...Satana. They start to move in a lumbering, almost human like way. They never cross enough light for a clean look at them. All the kids and dogs have ran towards the houses again, leaving her with the two big monsters in the field and the dead goats. The creatures growls something akin to a dog or wolf, only much deeper and louder.

Satana has posed:
It's time for a rest. In her hands a long pole with a W-shaped attachment appears. Stupid literal subconscious. She tries again and gets a handfull of coins.

"STOP IT!" she snarls, ignoring the giants coming toward her. Last try.

And this time it works. Bat wings. Cloven hoofs. Wreathe of fire. Horns. Eyes glowing with Hellfire. And, most importantly, height. Satana grows into a giantess in her dream, not ostentatious like 3m tall. Just 2.5m tall. Large enough that the incoming creatures might wonder what else she can do. And besides, she's wreathed in flame. That's gotta count for something, right?

"Who are you and why are you in my dream?" she asks the pair as they approach. "Also ... can I have a few of your little pets? They look delightful!"

Horrifyingly murderous/delightful. ToMAYto/toMAHto.

Harry Dresden has posed:
Though the dogs have fled, they still bark from a distance. The two big creatures ignore them completely and continue towards Satana. Then, from beind her, another dog barks. This dog's bark fills the valley in a way that a lion's roar breaks the night. Passing her on her right side, a massive dog, Tibetan Mastiff by appearance,settles between her and the two large creatures. He does glance at her once, considering her with what would pass for a raised eyebrow, but then it faces the approaching creatures.

The dog has a deep growl that rattles her bones nearly. Around him, the air begins to light, a powerful aura around the dog as he stares down the two larger creatures without any fear. The two bigger creatures pause, heads turning from one side to the other. They seem like they might, but the dog barks again, mystical energy blasting from his body at the creatures and they finally turn and run.

The big dog watches them flee and the energy around him fades. There is a chuffing sound like a parting insult, then he starts panting like any normal dog, a little drooly. Shaking his head he turns, walking past her with a side eye and goes back the direction he came from. Standing at the edge of the shadows is one last figure, a tall man in a black duster. He mutters something softly and a pentacle around his neck glows. In the brief glow she can see the face of Harry Dresden, before he turns and walks away with the dog.

Satana has posed:
The pair still coming toward her has Satana's mind switch to aggro mode. Flames start to build in her hand for a blast of Soulfire ... when suddenly a giant dog appears and interposes itself.

Satana pauses a moment to assess, then shrugs and continues building up the attack. If the dog gets caught in the blast, so be it. It's her dream, after all, she gets to do what she likes.

Then the dog attacks. Twice. And the large creatures run away, leaving Satana looking demonic, a huge ball of infernal flame in her hand, and more than a little confused.

Then Harry's face shows up in the dog's owner and confusion hits peak.

It seems the world *is* a more interesting place with Harry Dresden in it. And her interest is piqued. May God have mercy on Harry's soul...

Harry Dresden has posed:
Someone needs to have mercy on it. In the dream, Satana can see Lasciel glaring at her behind Harry before he turns to walk away. Harry waves a hand, mutters something quietly, and a gateway opens to the Ways. The two of them vanish through the door and it closes behind them.

That passes and the dream starts to fade as well. The village passes to nothing, the people vanish, no more dogs, and all the cryptid creatures vanish. Instead, the ground fades from under her feet and she falls into nothing...for as long as it takes her to wake. She never strikes the ground.

Satana has posed:
The fall is very soothing. Nothingness has a calming influence on the busy mind, after all. She processes what she's seen; who she's seen before coming to a conclusion.

"This was an incursion."

And anybody invading her dreams is going to feel the pain of that when she gets her revenge. Not Harry, obviously, who came because he felt she needed help, insulting as that may have been. But those large creatures ... when she finds out what they are, they will be kneeling before her, writhing in agony, begging forgiveness.

Which may come. Someday. When she grows weary of their whining screams.

Or, you know, when she forgets about them because something else crossed her goldfish attention span.