An essentially harmless psychoactive burned as incense. It should work fine on humans.

Well. Alright, then.

Oh yeah, this definitely helps get into a properly slippery frame of mind.

So down he goes, into something that's not quite oblivion. He breathes deeply and watches his thoughts, a conscious spectator right in front of his mind's controls, choosing not to use them and to just experience and record. Well, that's probably a metaphor, but it's pretty apt, all things considered. Deeper and deeper, his mind wanders, and he thinks of the vision they said they had about him, and of ghosts, and of Occlus and his master...

Always in motion, the future is. The currents of time are a crazy hyperspatial whirl and the unwary will be sucked down never to be seen again.

-------------

Craters pockmark the landscape and the sky is filled with smell of smoke and blood. His master lies on his back, lifeless eyes staring up at nothing. The bridge of his nose crunches as a boot presses down on his face, the wearer paying no heed as they continue walking up the rise to join the figure standing there.

"Lord Occlus. I am most impressed. Your efforts here have been extraordinary. The resistance is utterly crushed."

     Snarled. "I didn't do this for your praise, Lachris."

"Of course not. But do take a moment to relish the victory. The landing codes for Belsavis will have been transmitted to your ship by the time you return there."

Occlus turns and walks away, slightly hunched. Her face is a mess of spots the color of dirty grey ash and a thick black vein pulses in her temple as she reaches out and blasts a stunted bush into smithereens.

-------------

Another time, another place. Occlus and Rafa stand in a darkened vault, reminiscent of some rooms in the Shrine of Healing. She looks much healthier, complexion clear and back straight. "Sel-Makor!" she calls, "Come forth. Your destroyer summons you."

"Yyyoouu... DARE! I will devour you here, in the heart of my power!" The voice seems to shake the walls with its anger.

Occlus smirks. "Come out and see if you can."

-------------

The vision blurs and dissolves, and he gradually becomes aware of the room around him again.

He blinks, slowly.

...well, then.

He opens and closes his mouth several times without saying anything, blinks some more, and looks around. Is he, like, supposed to tell people about this?

Usually a Mystic tells the interpreters so they can, y'know, interpret. But it seems no one was expecting him to actually get a vision and he wasn't assigned any.

Was there anything else he was supposed to be doing at this time? Should he wait or is he allowed to go tell someone about this?

He can go tell someone if he feels the need.

Yeah it's probably best.

Here's his meditation instructor, Sata Vi.

"Do you need something, initiate?"

"I had a vision," he says without preamble.

"Oh?"

And he relates it to the best of his recollection ability.

"I see. Visions are not usually so... plain, but you are not Voss. Sel-Makor is an old and dark name. I must consult with others. You would do well to continue your studies of mental healing. You will need it."

"Thank you. May I ask what... or who... this Sel-Makor is?"

"An ancient evil. The corrupter of the Nightmare Lands. It is not spoken of."

"I see. Thank you for your guidance."

"You are welcome, initiate."

And what does the library have to say about this great evil?

About as much as Sata Vi did.

...that's disappointing. Is there anywhere else he might be able to find information on this?

It's kind of really not something they like to talk about. And looking at the case studies on people who have come out of the Nightmare Lands, it's easy to see why. Almost no one comes back whole, in body or mind.

Has it always been like that?

Yep.