Gogguins
The Perpetuarium is a conceptual meta-dimension which contains everything that does, did, will, or even could exist across the entirety of the illusory spectrum of times and spaces. This being the case, could any race truly be said to be “alien?”
If so, the Gogguins would probably qualify.
Within the Proprian phylum (Anthroneirioi Ambiguum), a group of species about which we know very little, are any number of races and/or cultures about which we know even less. Of these, the Gogguins are among the most mysterious.
Gogguins appear as pure white, almost luminescent beings. Their bodies seem to be rudimentary copies of whichever species is observing them at the time, though it’s commonly reported that whatever form they take, their faces* always seem to display a calm expression of mild, stoic interest. It’s unknown whether their bodies revert to some natural form when no one’s looking, or if they are simply conscious nodes drifting within the subtle existential fields which take on illusory shapes based on the expectations of those who encounter them.
Perhaps, like so many of us, they are just travelers who only visit the Hypnagog as they move between points—but if so, where the heck are they traveling from?
In the long history of dimensional anthropology, there are no records of any beings from any other plane, planet, or nomadic civilization whose appearance and behavior resembles the Gogguins’. Thus, we can only speculate about their culture and native dimension.
The Hypnagog contains few permanent inhabitants, as most conscious minds lack the willpower to withstand the ever-shifting realities therein while still retaining any semblance of sanity or self. If the Gogguins are native to that plane, though, establishing some kind of communication with them would be a great boon to Somnicists and casual travelers, as they may have much to teach us about mental and spiritual survival in challenging dimensions.
*While the Gogguins’ faces can be disconcerting, they should not be confused with the Faces, a natural phenomenon specific to the Hypnagog.
*While the Gogguins’ faces can be disconcerting, they should not be confused with the Faces, a natural phenomenon specific to the Hypnagog.
Related Locations
Despite the fact that almost everyone who dreams has encountered the Gogguins at some point, this is all that can be said about them with any relative certainty:
- They are only known to appear to dreamers within the Hypnagog.
- They never interact with those who see them; they only watch.
- If anyone attempts to communicate with a Gogguins, the Hypnagog itself dissipates, ejecting the traveler either into a nearby dreamscape or back into wakeful consciousness.
The Gogguins are absolutely fascinating—they remind me of dream watchers, like those almost-real figures you encounter in lucid dreaming. I love how their forms adapt to the observer, yet their calm, stoic faces remain constant; it really makes you think about perception, consciousness, and what it means to encounter something truly “alien.” The mystery around their origins and behavior adds so much depth, and I’ll definitely be thinking about them the next time I close my eyes. Even if they only exist in the Hypnagog, the concept feels so vivid and thought-provoking!