For context on the world, please see the Intro post and context on the Excalibur collection please see Item #51.
The
next sword in the Excalibur collection I was sent to collect, is the sword
given to The Sandman, the second strongest Immortal.
Now I should mention that even though “man” appears in The Sandman’s name, they are not a man, nor are they a woman. In fact, The Sandman is neither and both. By this I mean that The Sandman, being part of the dream realm, can be whatever they want. They can change their appearance, body, race, species and gender.
And because of this, The Sandman has both fathered children and given birth to children. The only thing we do know about The Sandman is that their true from is that of a giant Spider.
But I feel that I should quickly go over the eyes scooping thing. Now first thing is to mention that Humans, being part of the First Created, can enter the dream realm at will and can even cause chaos when there. The reason for this are the Humans’ eyes. For you see, the eyes are not only the windows to the soul, but also the portals to enter the dream realm. Other creatures can also enter the dream realm, but only with the help of The Sandman’s sand, because they don’t possess these portals.
Sometimes
there are Humans born who have stronger portals in their eyes, that allow them
to enter the dream realm and know they are dreaming and thus can shape and bend
the dream world to their will. This messes with The Sandman’s plans and thus he
usually makes a deal with them.
This deal consists of them working for him to keep the dream realm safe from the dark creatures that dwell in the nightmare lands. The nightmare lands (like the Atlantis prison mentioned in my Glacies Gladio document) is the home of unspeakable beings that want to destroy the dream realm and take over the real world. The most dangerous place in the nightmare lands is the city of Carcosa, ruled by the King in Yellow! But that is a story for another day.
Anyway, these Humans, The Sandman offer deals to, are known as Lucid Dreamers. Most Lucid Dreamers take the deal because of the consequence if they don’t: the removal of their eyes! For The Sandman can’t allow there to be beings that have such strong connections to their realm to roam free and do what they want. So, to stop the Lucid Dreamer who doesn’t want to work for the ruler of dreams, they must have their abilities taken away, via the removal of their eyes!
But don’t worry, for Lucid Dreamers only make up 5% of the population. So the chances that The Sandman will visit you is very low. I should also mention that this isn’t the only time that The Sandman takes eyes. The other way they acquire the eyes of a Human is through making a deal to allow the Human to stay forever in a dream.
To some Humans, dreaming can become an addiction. And thus some Humans have summoned the old man (the form that The Sandman takes) to give them their eyes in exchange to forever dwell in the dream realm.
The reasons why The Sandman wants the eyes of a Human will be explained later in this document. But to end this (not so) little history lesson, I will explain the only reason why we know that the old man isn’t The Sandman’s true from. This is because of the Anishinaabe tribes on Gitchi Mikinaak.
The Anishinaabe, where the first people to have Lucid Dreamers and not only that, but the Anishinaabe (along with other tribes on Gitchi Mikinaak), where the first Humans to show respect to The Sandman and the dream world. The Anishinaabe also gave The Sandman the name Asibikaashi.
It is because of the Anishinaabe, who showed great respect towards the Immortal, that The Sandman gives Lucid Dreamers the chance to work for them, instead of just out right taking their eyes. The Sandman also showed the Anishinaabe, their true from, that of a Spider.
Some Anishinaabe report that when this spider spoke, it spoke with the voice of a female. The Sandman or Asibikaashi (meaning Lady Spider), even taught the Anishinaabe how to enter the dream worlds through medicinal means, how to capture and avoid nightmares through the use of a dream catcher, which became The Sandman’s symbol and how to summon The Sandman.
Now the reason why The Sandman isn’t called Asibikaashi to the rest of Magusterra, is because unlike the Anishinaabe, the other Humans didn’t understand the importance of keeping balance between the real and dream worlds. For the dream world is where all the latent Immortal powers that Humans possess, (but can’t use) is stored. Without this storage, the real world will collapse.
So
to make sure that Humans listen, The Sandman took the form of an old man to
scare and intimidate the rest of Magusterra into obeying them.
Enough
of this tangent, let’s talk about the next sword in the Excalibur collection: Atetshents’
minkwa, or the Weapon of the Dreamer, made for the head of the dream world, The
Sandman.
Starting
with blade. The blade is composed of two materials. Hephaestus wanted to make a
blade that whoever it doesn’t kill, would make them wish that it did! When
Hephaestus brought this idea up to The Sandman, The Sandman told Hephaestus how
he can achieve this.
The Sandman told Hephaestus about the tribes on Gitchi Mikinaak and how they found a crystal that is almost as powerful and effective as The Sandman’s sand. That being the Amethyst crystal from the southern mines of Gitchi Mikinaak.
Often times the tribes would use these as arrow heads. And if the arrow doesn’t kill their enemies, the Amethyst would put them instantly to sleep for a long time.
Then The Sandman told Hephaestus about the spear of Aillen Mac Midhna, known as the Brigha. Aillen Mac Midhna, was the grandson of Dagda Mór, the head of Tír na nÓg, the underworld of the Goídel. Aillen was also part of the fairy folk in Tara, and like many fairies, Aillen was an amazing musician. Some say his musical talents come from his mother, Caer Ibormeith, the daughter of The Sandman.
When
the Humans expanded their empire, they invaded the island of Tara and waged war
against the peaceful fairy folk. The Humans won the war and sent the fairies
into exile. Some fairies fled to other lands, but Aillen Mac Midhna went to Tír
na nÓg, to live with his grandfather. There, Aillen, was taught to fight by
dead fallen warriors, who made a deal with Dagda Mór, that if they teach his
grandson to fight, they are guaranteed a place in paradise/heaven.
When
the Humans found a way to use magic without a magical animal or being and the
war between them and the Immortals broke out, Aillen Mac Midhna, took the
opportunity to enact his revenge. But there was one problem, he was stuck in
the underworld.
Meaning
he couldn’t just go to the land of the living whenever he wanted. But there was
one loophole: The Feast of Samhain, when the doors between the underworld and
the living open up, allowing him to enter and attack freely for one day a year.
Aillen
Mac Midhna, made it known that because he can only go back to Tara once a year,
he wanted to wreak as much havoc as he can. So, Dagda Mór, reached out to the
Immortals and their kin (those who were against the Humans), to help his
grandson.
Only
two reached out. The first was The Mighty Phoenix, who gave Aillen a red vest made from the skin of an enchanted fire dragon. This allowed Aillen to spit out
blue fire balls, that destroyed anything that stood in his way.
The
second was Dagda Mór’s daughter-in-law and Aillen’s mother, Caer Ibormeith.
Although The Sandman had no interest in the war between the Humans and the
Immortals, Caer Ibormeith was half fairy and thus hated the Humans for what
they did to her people and her son.
Caer
Ibormeith gave Aillen, three magical items. Two were a Pipe and Timpan that
when played will put anyone to sleep, even the one playing them! But to stop Aillen
from falling asleep himself, Caer Ibormeith also gave her son the spear Brigha.
A spear that gives off vapors and a foul smell that keeps whoever is holding it
the ability to stay awake and resist any sleeping spells or charms (and yes,
even The Sandman’s sand!).
When the Feast of Samhain came, Aillen Mac Midhna played the Pipe and Timpan, putting everyone to sleep, except for him. Aillen used his fire and spear to kill and destroy as many people and their homes as he could before the doors to the underworld closed.
When The Sandman heard that their spear is being used in the war, they ordered their daughter, Caer Ibormeith, to give it back. Which Caer Ibormeith did, but not before breaking off a piece from the cross-guard of the spear, fashioning it into a necklace and giving it to Aillen, so that he can still use the Pipe and Timpan without putting himself to sleep.
The Sandman sent their twin sons Thanatos and Hypnos, which The Sandman fathered by impregnating Sister Death, resulting in twin two sons: Thanatos, who had the powers of death and Hypnos, who the power of dreams. The Sandman sent them because Thanatos can enter the realm of the dead and protect his brother Hypnos, who was the only one The Sandman trusted to bring the spear Brigha back to them.
But
this didn’t stop Aillen Mac Midhna from returning each year on the Feast of
Samhain. With the small piece of the spear in his possession, Aillen, could
still use the Pipe and Timpan to put everyone to sleep, so he can burn the
Human villages to the ground!
Aillen’s
assault on the Humans that invaded his home went on for nine years, until the
arrival of Fionn. Fionn was a mighty warrior, who feared nothing and no one.
When he heard the King of Tara, Conn of the Hundred Battles, was preparing for
the Feast of Samhain, by building giant walls around his castle and digging bunkers deep underground to protect his people from Aillen Mac
Midhna’s attack.
Fionn
went to Tara and made a deal with the King: If Fionn killed Aillen, then Fionn will
be the new King. Conn agreed, thinking that Fionn would fail. So, Fionn went to
the hilltop where he can see the entire island and waited for Aillen.
Fionn
was warned about Aillen instruments and his fire balls. And as Fionn waited, he
tried to come up with a plan, but couldn’t think of any. But then he was
visited by his Uncle Fiacuil, who brought him a gift that will stop Aillen’s
music from putting Fionn to sleep, the Brigha!
Fiacuil explained what the spear was and told Fionn that his brother-in-law and Fionn’s father, Cumhail, stole it. Nobody knows how, but some theorise that Cumhail asked who, between Hypnos and Thanatos, was the strongest. When the two couldn’t say, Fionn father, proposed an arm-wrestling match. Hypnos and Thanatos agreed and challenged each other. While the two were distracted, Cumhail, noticed the spear and stole it.
Fiacuil gave the spear to Fionn, but on one condition: that Fiacuil be on Fionn’s council once Fionn is King.
Fiacuil then fled to safety. A few hours later, the doors appeared and opened. Out stepped the “Burner” himself, Aillen Mac Midhna. Fionn hid and waited for Aillen to play his music and put him into a false sense of security. This plan worked, because after Aillen played his instruments, he smirked and leisurely made his way to the village.
Fionn waited for Aillen to be in range and then jumped out of hiding and threw the spear. The spear pierced Aillen Mac Midhna’s heart, killing him instantly! A great party was held in honour of Fionn, who become the new King of Tara. Fionn made Conn an adviser and gave Fiacuil a seat in his council.
Fionn also told everyone to leave Aillen Mac Midhna’s body and the spear alone. Turning the scene into a monument.
With
this information, Hephaestus, went to work drawing up plans to combine the two
materials. Within a week, Hephaestus presented his idea to The Sandman.
The
idea was that if the sword doesn’t kill the enemy, but instead wounds them, it
will cause the enemy to either enter into a deep sleep, that they can’t wake up
from, because the Amethyst crystals would, send small shards into the
opponent’s blood stream. Or if the target was cut by the Brigha, they would
stay awake forever, because the vapors would also contaminate their blood. This
would make them go mad and weak because their bodies can’t rest.
There
is a third function that is even worse: if the enemy is cut by both the crystal
and the spear. This would cause the victim, to be in both a state of eternal
wakefulness and tiredness, as both stone and vapor circulate through their body.
Meaning that the unlucky soul to survive and attack from The Sandman’s sword,
will be in a state of wanting to sleep, but can’t. Leading to only one
solution: suicide!
The
Sandman approved, and sent their daughter, Caer Ibormeith, to retrieve Brigha. Caer
Ibormeith first refused, not wanting to see her dead son and having to pull out
the spear from his corpse. But The Sandman said that, that is their way of
punishing Caer Ibormeith, for getting involved in the war.
The
Sandman, also told Caer Ibormeith, to retrieve the Timpan and Pipe, so that
Hephaestus can incorporate it into the sword’s design. While Caer Ibormeith,
went to face her punishment, The Sandman turned into Asibikaashi and went to
collect the Amethyst from the Anishinaabe, by themself.
The
Sandman was the first to return. Caer Ibormeith, took longer for she had to
first build up the courage to face her son. She also called for her
father-in-law, Dagda Mór, to help bury Aillen’s body and guide his soul to the
other side, because The Sandman forbade anyone to take his soul, leaving Aillen
in purgatory as punishment.
After
three weeks, Caer Ibormeith, returned with the spear and only the Timpan (the
Pipe broke, because it got caught in the spear’s path). The Sandman demanded
that Hephaestus add the Timpan to the sword. And this leads me to the hilt.
Hephaestus
agreed that the Timpan would be an excellent addition, but there was one
problem, the instrument isn’t exactly in good condition. It appeared that being
left alone for many years next to a corpse in the middle of the woods without
any protection from the elements, took a toll.
But
this was only a temporary setback, for Hephaestus knew the right person who
could fix it. And that was the most famous and greatest musician: Orpheus, the
son of Calliope the muse of poetry. The only problem was that after Orpheus
lost his wife, he became a recluse.
So,
to get Orpheus’ help, The Sandman and Hephaestus came up with a deal to get the
heart broken musician to fix the Timpan. This deal involved helping Orpheus get
back his wife, Eurydice, who died from a snake bite.
The
plan was set into motion when Hephaestus set out to meet Orpheus. To prepare
the musical genius for Hephaestus’ visit, The Sandman met Orpheus in a dream.
In this dream, The Sandman told Orpheus, that if he helps Hephaestus, The
Sandman will arrange a meeting with Hades, so that Orpheus can try and
convince, Sister Death’s favourite son, to let him take back Eurydice. Orpheus
agreed and prepared all the tools he and Hephaestus will need.
It took a few days, but the Timpan was restored. It was also modified to fit onto the sword and to make it wieldable. For Hephaestus wanted to use the Timpan as the handle/hilt.
After Hephaestus and Orpheus finished, they went their separate ways. Hephaestus went back to his workshop and Orpheus to meet Hades and well… We all know what happened after that… Anywho, moving on!
With the Timpan fixed and ready to be played, Hephaestus had to figure out how to attach it to the blade. For this Hephaestus requested the sand from The Sandman’s pouch, which he intended to be used as the cross-guard.
Hephaestus’ reasoning was that the sand could amplify the powers of the Amethyst, Brigha and Timpan. The Sandman agreed, but only on one condition, that Hephaestus also incorporates the eyes of Nathanael!
Now
for a brief (or not so brief) explanation: Nathanael, was the son of Father
Time, but Nathanael had no powers. For not everyone who has the parentage of an
Immortal is born with powers. Typically, when this happens, the Immortal will
leave the child be and the child will possibly never know that they are half
Immortal. But in this case, Nathanael was Father Time’s first child born
without powers and he felt sorry for him. So, Father Time, left his realm, the
Endless Void, to be with his son. But Father Time didn’t tell Nathanael who he was.
Instead Father Time took the name Kairos and pretended to be Human and left the
job of keeping the timeline safe to his assistants, which was forbidden.
The only person to find out that Father Time was neglecting his duties was The Sandman, who blackmailed Father Time into helping him create wax bodies for the Sleep Paralysis Demons or his Children as The Sandman likes to call them.
Sleep Paralysis Demons are spirits born in the dream realm. They are children that are conceived and birthed by Humans while they are dreaming. And because they are born in a dream, they aren’t technically real and thus are stuck in the dream world. Usually these spirits are forgotten about by their parents once the Humans wake up in the real world, thus abandoning these Sleep Paralysis Demons.
This leaves The Sandman to find and adopt them. The Sandman raises them and turns them into guardians to fight the creatures from the nightmare lands that invade the dream realm. But some of the Sleep Paralysis Demons want to see their parents and the only way to that is to possess a body.
So to help these spirits meet their biological parents, The Sandman made bodies of wax (from candles used in summonings and séances) for them to possess. And this is also where the eyes that The Sandman has acquired comes into play. Because as mentioned, the eyes of a Human are the portals that takes them to the dream realm. These portals can also be used to travel from the dream world to the real one.
This is why The Sandman wanted the eyes, to help his Children enter the real world and visit their real parents. Now some might think that these meetings are wonderful reunions, but this is far from the truth. Unfortunately, using the eyes to travel from the dream realm to the real world can create some side effects. Such as causing any Human, who is in close proximity to the wax figure, to be stuck between sleep and wakefulness, as well as being paralysed.
Thus creating a fearful situation for the Human who is visited by their dream child. The Sleep Paralysis Demon also loses the ability to talk, so they can’t explain who they are. Combining this with the awful looking wax bodies, the Humans mistake them for horrible monsters, and instead of being called “Dream Children” as The Sandman intended, the Humans called them Sleep Paralysis Demons.
Now
back to Nathanael’s story. The Sandman approached Father Time, to help them
create better looking wax bodies and that didn’t cause paralysis, using Father
Time’s knowledge of clockwork mechanization and engineering.
The
Sandman also came in disguise and went by the name Coppelius. But Nathanael
could tell that this Coppelius wasn’t Human and so one night, when he was sent
away so that his father and Coppelius could work in the basement, Nathanael
spied on them.
There
Nathanael saw one of the new wax creations that The Sandman wanted. Frightened,
Nathanael ran, but knocked over some tools alerting them to his presence. The
Sandman grabbed Nathanael and told Father Time that he wanted Nathanael’s eyes
to test this new wax body. Father Time refused and the two Immortals fought.
This created an explosion that killed Nathanael’s mother and destroyed the wax
body.
No longer able to keep his secret, Father Time fled the scene and confessed his crime to the other Immortals. Father Time was punished, by blocking him from tracking or knowing what Nathanael is doing. He was also imprisoned in the Endless Void. The only time he can leave is when a meeting is held in the Celestial Plane.
But
The Sandman still held a grudge against Nathanael for destroying his new wax
vessel for his children. But The Sandman couldn’t harm Nathanael, as that was
his punishment, for blackmailing Father Time.
Years
later, Nathanael, grew up and got engaged to a woman by the name of Clara, who
turns out to be the daughter of The Sandman! Although, like Nathanael, Clara
was born with no powers. But nonetheless, The Sandman didn’t want their
daughter marrying Nathanael.
So,
The Sandman decided to make Nathanael’s life a living nightmare. This seemed to
work, but Clara’s love and devotion towards Nathanael helped him cope and fight
back.
This
lead to The Sandman becoming Coppelius once again, but slightly changed the
name to Coppola and worked with a skilled alchemist and physicist, Spallanzani,
to help finish the wax body he made with Father Time. They succeeded, and The
Sandman or Coppola, allowed Spallanzani’s Dream Child (Sleep Paralysis Demon)
to possess the wax golem, so that Spallanzani, who always wanted children, but
never had any, to finally have a daughter, who he named Olympia.
The
Sandman used Olympia to split Nathanael and Clara up, for Olympia seemed to be
the perfect woman for Nathanael. But Nathanael could feel something was wrong
with Olympia. On top of that Olympia wasn’t allowed to leave the house because
the wax could melt in the sun, but Olympia was never told this.
Frustrated
that Olympia was forbidden to leave her home, Nathanael convinced her to sneak
out and run away with him. Olympia agreed and when her father was out she snuck
away. The Sandman saw this and alerted Spallanzani, who ran home and stopped Nathanael
from taking Olympia away. This lead to a fight between them, which resulted in
Olympia falling apart, revealing wax and an inner body made from clockwork
gears. Spallanzani, angry, tried to kill Nathanael, but Nathanael got away.
Spallanzani,
distraught, committed suicide, taking the secrets of how to make the new wax
bodies with him to the grave. Once again ruining, The Sandman’s plan of
allowing his Children from successfully visiting their parents. But at least
Clara wouldn’t want to be with Nathanael because he left her for another,
right?
Wrong,
because Clara took Nathanael back as soon as he apologised to her. Then The
Sandman tried to torture Nathanael in the dream realm, but couldn’t find him or
track him. Eventually The Sandman gave up. But Nathanael’s mental state was in
a downward spiral after the death of Olympia. Nathanael started believing that
everyone around him was made of wax, even Clara. This delusion lead to him
almost throwing Clara from a balcony. But She was saved last second by the police
who intervened.
Nathanael
was a wanted man for attempted murder, and eventually, thinking he was made of
wax, jumped from that same balcony. When he went splat, he was still conscious!
The Sandman appeared to taunt him. But then realised why Nathanael could tell Coppelius
wasn’t Human and why The Sandman couldn’t find him in the dream realm. It was
because he was a Lucid Dreamer, not just any Lucid Dreamer, but the most
powerful The Sandman had encountered.
It
turns out that although Nathanael never inherited any of Father Time’s power,
the Immortal part of his lineage enhanced some of his Human abilities. Usually
these abilities are super strength or speed, but for Nathanael it was his eyes.
The Sandman saw that Nathanael had the strongest portals.
This filled The Sandman with regret. Even though Clara and Nathanael had no powers, their children could’ve been the strongest warriors in the dream realm.
This regret lead to The Sandman to make a deal with Nathanael before Nathanael lost consciousness and died. This deal was that Nathanael would give The Sandman his eyes and live in the dream world, although he won’t have the powers of a Lucid Dreamer, he could at least see Clara. Nathanael, wanting the pain to stop and a chance to apologise to Clara signed the deal and went into a permanent coma. The Sandman gave Nathanael’s eyes to Father Time, as an apology.
But
now the Sandman wanted the eyes back. The reason: If Hephaestus wants to use
their sand, to give the Timpan and blade more power, then the sand can also
give the eyes power. This will allow the sword to open a portal to the dream
realm so that The Sandman can summon the sword to appear in his hand when he
calls for it. Similar to Sister Death’s sword.
So The Sandman held a meeting and convinced the other Immortals that this was the best way for his sword to be equal to theirs. Father Time, agreed, but only gave The Sandman one eye.
Hephaestus, took the sand and turned it into glass.
But before the glass cross-guard cooled down, Hephaestus dipped the eye of Nathanael in melted wax that came from candles used in a succubus summoning ritual (that ended badly). Then Hephaestus folded the glass over the waxy eye.
Hephaestus felt that the sword was still weak and went to do some research. And the only thing that Hephaestus could find that could make the sword equal to the other ten, was if it had and object directly connected to the dream world.
The
problem is that nothing in the dream realm can survive in the real world. There
are exceptions of course, such as succubi, incubi and Sleep Paralysis Demons.
But even these beings have their limits.
Succubi
and Incubi can only be summoned through summoning rituals and séances. And
Sleep Paralysis Demons can only enter the real world through possessing a wax
statue.
And even then, they don’t stay long. Succubi and incubi can only stay until sunrise, or until they drain the summoner’s energy (which also leads to the summoner’s death). To which the succubi or incubi will automatically be sent back to the “red district” part of the dream realm. And as for Sleep Paralysis Demons, they can only stay for as long as their wax bodies will hold together or until the Human, they are visiting, can break the paralysis spell. When that happens, the Sleep Paralysis Demon’s wax suit will disintegrate into thin air and the spirit will go back to the dream realm.
This annoyed Hephaestus, until he remembered something from his research when making Sister Death’s sword. It turns out that some people die in their sleep, and can get stuck in the dream world, where the grim reapers can’t get to them.
To help Sister Death reclaim these souls, The Sandman appointed their three grandsons, Morpheus, Phantasos and Phobetor (the trio also known as “The Oneiroi”), to help bring the souls back to the real world and give them over to the grim reapers.
The problem was that The Oneiroi, had no idea how to enter the real world. Until Morpheus came up with a new teleportation system, using poppy flowers! For you see, dear reader, poppies (besides Amethyst, The Sandman’s sand and the moon), has the ability to connect the dream world to the real one.
Morpheus, the most powerful of the three, used one of the eyes of a Lucid Dreamer to form a connection with the poppies in the real world. Then, Phantasos (who has the ability to make things in the dream realm, like rivers, stones, plants, etc.), then planted the eye and a real poppy seed in the dream world.
After
that, Phobetor, who was the bravest, went to do research in the nightmare
lands. Because the things in the dream world are perfect, they can’t survive in
the real world were imperfection lives. But the things in the nightmare lands
are imperfect, thus they can manifest and enter the real world! But first the
nightmare beings must enter the dream realm, to capture and use the Humans’
portals.
Which
is why The Sandman needs warriors, to stop this from happening and also why The
Sandman didn’t fight in the war between the Humans and the Immortals, because
they were already engaged in a war that seems to have no end!
Anyway,
Phobetor, learned what made the things in the nightmare lands able to enter the
real world. But Phobetor, stayed there too long and became a part of the
nightmare lands and thus became associated with nightmares. But he is still a
part of The Oneiroi. To control his new nightmare powers, Phobetor, is always
chained up in restraints made from Howlite, a powerful stone that can imprison
and withstand nightmare’s dark magic. For extra precaution, Phobetor, also has
a dreamcatcher around his neck.
Just
a quick mention, Hephaestus didn’t include Howlite in the sword’s design,
because The Sandman already wears a suit of armour made from Howlite at all
times. So there was no need to have included it.
Back
to the poppy flower. The Oneiroi, made a poppy flower that is perfect in the
dream realm, but as soon as it blooms, it becomes imperfect and immediately
teleports to the real world. Morpheus would use the flower to travel to the
real world, and hand over the souls to the grim reapers.
It
is also said that a bunch of poppies bloomed, at the end of the war between the
Immortals and Humans. The reason being that Sister Death refused to collect
those souls because The Sandman didn’t help the Immortals. But because the war ended,
Sister Death was forced to collect them and many poppies bloomed releasing many
lost souls.
When
Hephaestus remembered this, he asked for one poppy, that The Sandman can
control, so that if the final battle breaks out and The Sandman calls for their
sword, they can cause the flower to either bloom, so that The Sandman can use
it in the real world, or if they are in the dream realm, to reverse it into a
budding flower, to be used there.
Not
only that but the poppy’s association with the dream realm (and even the
nightmare lands) adds to the sword’s power, increasing it to be equal to the
other ten. Hephaestus, incorporated the plant, by making it the pummel.
When the sword was assembled, Hephaestus named it Atetshents’ minkwa, or the Weapon of the Dreamer. Hephaestus took it to the Anishinaabe, who used a ritual taught to them by Asibikaashi, to summon The Sandman. There, Hephaestus, presented the sword to The Sandman and was one of the few outside the Anishinaabe, to see The Sandman in their true form, the Spider!
Now, I was sent to get the sword on a night with a full moon, because that is where the sword is kept (the dark side of the moon to be precise). The moon was previously used by The Sandman as a place to stay when they were visiting the real world, but after the fight with Father Time, they were banned from doing so.
Now unfortunately, the Ark can’t get me to the moon. Instead it took me to a place in Magusterra where there was a full moon. There I had to wait for a yokai, known as a Baku.
A Baku, is a creature that has the head of a small elephant, a body of a bear, tiger paws and an ox tail. They are creatures that cause anyone near it to be calm and relaxed. They are also a favourite of The Sandman, because the Baku is capable of eating nightmares.
Mostly
found east in the Nihon region, where if someone called three times after
having a nightmare, a Baku will appear and eat the nightmare. Baku are also
given to Lucid Dreamers who join The Sandman’s fight against the nightmare
lands. The Baku helps, when the Lucid Dreamer fails to stop a nightmare, by
eating it before it causes problems in the real world.
This
is why The Sandman chose a Baku to bring me the sword. Because if any nightmare
creature made it into the real world and wanted to steal the sword, the Baku
can protect it by eating the nightmare.
I
got out of the Ark at six pm, and waited until midnight. Then a Baku came
flying down from the moon, with the sword in its mouth. When it came closer, I
saw an envelope around its neck. In it, a letter read: “In case a nightmare
attacks you for the sword, I give you this Baku and a dreamcatcher, I made
myself, to keep it safe. Signed Asibikaashi”
In
the envelope I found the dream catcher. I nodded at the Baku and she took the
sword into the Ark. She placed it on a pedestal, given to me by The Lady of the
Lake, next to the other swords.
The
Baku made herself comfortable on my bed and I decided to name her Olympia. Already
within the hour, the calmness that Olympia, gave off put me to sleep.
Later
I awoke and found a letter, that instructed me to collect Item #53 The Sophia,
or Wisdom’s cutting edge.
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