Dreamwalker
Lucid Dreamers gifted at traversing into the Trance Plane of Dreams, Dreamwalkers feel at home drifting alongside Al'Madoon's subconscious. But with such gifts comes responsibility. As the mortals of Erenel dream and their consciousness slips from their mortal bodies, Dreamwalkers scour the Trance protecting Dream Pearls from falling into the hands of dastardly fey or the hags that seek to spread the nightmare.
The Dreamwalkers are among the oldest known factions in Erenel, serving as vigilant guardians of the sleeping creatures’ Dream Pearls against the nightmares lurking in the Trance. These lucid dreamers wander the Plane of Dreams, skillfully navigating its shifting and unstable landscape. Some Dreamwalkers achieve this from the mortal plane, entering a meditative state that transforms them into wisp-like forms, allowing them to patrol the realm and monitor potential threats.
Veteran Dreamwalkers often adopt a semi-nomadic existence within the Trance, journeying along well-trodden dream pathways before returning to their homesteads. When tampering with a Dream Pearl is detected, lucid dreamers must act swiftly, seeking the guidance of a Veteran Dreamwalker to neutralize the danger.
Within the Trance, Dreamwalkers are generally hospitable to outsiders who respect their principles. If you ever find yourself lost in this fantastical realm, your best hope is to seek the aid of a Dreamwalker. Straying too far may draw the ire of its other inhabitants—particularly the fiercely territorial fey.
Lucid Dreamer
Certain species in Erenel possess a unique gift for dreaming, earning them the title of Lucid Dreamers. These individuals can enter a meditative state in which they remain semiconscious while their minds "float" within the Trance. Unlike others, Lucid Dreamers do not create Dream Pearls during meditation. Instead, they gain a fleeting glimpse into the plane and still enjoy the benefits of restful sleep.
Notably, Elves untainted by the Fallen Elf's corruption are instinctively blessed with this ability. Similarly, Dreamer Dwarves share a deep connection to the Trance, granting them the power to lucid dream. However, creatures that do not sleep are unable to experience lucid dreams or create Dream Pearls, as both require a connection to the dreaming state.
Removing Contamination
When a dream pearl is invaded or brought to the winter's dream, the sleeping creature's dream becomes a nightmare. An occasional nightmare is considered minor and prevents the sleeping creature from resting. However, when powerful horrific denizens of the winter's dream attach themselves to a dream pearl, the sleeping creature and the plane of dreams are in danger.
Terrifying fey can use a dream pearl as a gateway to escape the plane of dreams, hiding in a creature's subconscious until they are strong enough to force themselves into existence, shattering the dreamer's mind. Other dream intruders can manipulate a dream pearl, drawing on its power to reshape the surrounding area in the plane of dreams into their image. By following in the footsteps of the Architect, these intruders overtake and shatter a dream pearl, spreading the winter's dream while manifesting the creatures and environments born of their imagination.
To remove the contamination from a dream pearl, dreamwalkers must enter the sleeping creature's dream, placing themselves in whatever chaos the subconscious mind manifests, before expelling the threat from the dream pearl and back into the plane of dreams. Once back in the plane of dreams, the dreamwalker is free to deal with the invader in their chosen manner.
Dreamwalker Tenets
- Respect the suspension of consciousness, for all minds deserve a time of peace.
- Defend the dreamer’s journey from nightmare contamination.
- Drift with the creator and do not fault what its mind may create.
- Never dissuade or change the wondrous dreams of another.
by Dean Spencer
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