A fatal oversight. You misclassified a crucial dream. In the Empire, such incompetence is perceived as treason. The Master-Dream readers have been alerted. The state police are already at your door.
{Your time at the Palace is over.}
Congratulations, you have been promoted. The deepest secrets of the Empire are now in your hands. But remember: those who watch the dreams are always being watched in return. Do not look away.
Dream reported by a merchant, eastern province, 15th of May, twilight. The river caught fire, burning with a pale blue flame. Thousands of silent, faceless men marched across the water holding torches pointing downwards, chanting a march of rebellion.
Dream reported by a tax collector, capital city, 3rd of March, midnight. A massive flock of black birds blotted out the moon. They carried golden coins in their beaks and dropped them over the sea, leaving the treasury completely empty.
Dream reported by a soldier, northern border, 28th of January, before dawn. I saw the Emperor’s statue crumbling into white dust. From the ruins, a giant, two-headed serpent emerged, whispering secrets in a forgotten language that made the mountains tremble.
Dream reported by a watchmaker, district of Shkodër, 12th of December, deep night. The town clock struck thirteen times. Suddenly, all the cobblestones turned to blood, flowing uphill towards the governor’s mansion. A dark shadow swallowed the sun.
Dream reported by an innkeeper, district of Gjirokastër, 7th of November, at first light. A stretch of wasteland covered in rubble and filth. An old bridge. An instrument of music unlike any I had ever seen or heard. And a bull, wild with fury, charging through it all.
You have been promoted to a superior position within the Interpretation section. Your duty is getting more and more important, as you now are in charge of interpreting complex dreams.
Dream reported by an innkeeper, district of Gjirokastër, 7th of November, at first light. A stretch of wasteland covered in rubble and filth. An old bridge. An instrument of music unlike any I had ever seen or heard. And a bull, wild with fury, charging through it all.
Dream reported by a baker, district of Berat, 2nd of September, midday. I was walking through a vast field of yellow wheat. The sky was perfectly clear, but it started raining rose petals. I gathered them in my apron until I woke up peacefully.
Dream reported by a miller, district of Përmet, 14th of October, at dawn. Three white foxes were seen atop the minaret of the local mosque. They did not move. They watched the town below in silence until the call to prayer, at which point they were gone.
Congratulations! You have been hired to work at the Palace of Dreams, a place where the conscious meets the unconscious. You are now a vital part of the Empire’s most secluded institution, entrusted with the task of gathering the dreams of an entire nation. Here, you will wander through endless halls.
