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-====== The Dreaming ======
-===== Overview =====
-The Dreaming is a world of emotion and hope, borne from the thoughts and emotions of mortals. Denizens of the Dreaming are called the [[lore:races:supernatural#fey_origin|Dreamt or the Fey]]. People on Cahyali also occasionally refer to the Dreaming's people as the Iwa.
-They are well known for being tricksters, with some being benevolent and others malevolent, while even more are mercurial - flitting from one to the other without rhyme or reason. The landscape of the Dreaming is never as it seems: entire places may be illusionary, unexpectedly alive, or comically opposite to how it normally is.
-==== Magic in the Dreaming ====
-For the most part, magic will function normally in this world. However, spells that directly affect or alter one’s emotions can be easier or harder depending upon where you are in the Dreaming. For example, a spell that causes fear will have a harder time functioning in a part of The Dreaming that is about hope and love, the opposite is also true. Spells and psionic disciplines that resonate with the area in their powers and theme will have a much greater effect then they might normally would. This is up to the GM in the game to decide how the effect plays out.
-{{:a_rocha-jellyfishvillage.jpg}}
-== One of the Dreaming's many settlements. By Andreas Rocha; used with permission. ==
-===== The Slumbering Woad =====
-The Slumbering Woad is the primary way that mortals can enter into the Dreaming. In order to do so they must find places connected to the Dreaming: places ripe with folk tales, ancient grottos, places that invoke the whimsy of childrens' stories told by the bedside. Mapping the Woad is an impossibility, for it is always changing and labyrinthine. There are rumors of portals directly into the Dreaming, but if these exist, they are fiercely guarded by powerful archfey or mortal mages, and are almost never used.
-The Woad itself is sentient, but not in the way many people read sentience. It rejects all mind-affecting magics that many try to interact with it, and will react negatively to someone trying to force control of it in any way. The Woad's purpose is to act as a barrier between the mortal world and the Dreaming.
-Simple travelers and those with benevolent intentions will rarely have problems navigating the Woad; it has the ability to sense intentions, and will let these sorts through. Sometimes, it is even possible to accidentally slip beyond the veil and past the Woad, ending up in the Dreaming on accident.
-Those seeking to cross over and cause harm to the other realm, though, will have to find some way around it - as it takes great care to turn around and reject these people.
-The Woad usually accomplishes this goal by splitting up parties traveling together, to weaken individual wills. Once this is done, it shows travelers visions and dreams of their greatest hopes or deepest fears, in the hope that they will turn back.
-It is said that a particular item is required to pass through the Woad against its will, referred to simply as the //Lantern of Dreaming.// Without light from this lantern, the Woad is completely dark - no mundane or magical sources of light work here, and non-sight-based methods of navigation such as echolocation or tremorsense get turned around. Hopeful travelers must guard their Lantern of Dreaming carefully to ensure it never goes out.
-===== Locations =====
-As a reflection of all mortals' dreams and desires, the Dreaming is near infinite. The locations that follow are simply brief descriptions of places that have been traveled to and mapped to by adventurers. As a GM, feel free to make up your own realms of the Dreaming!
-==== Ti’wath ====
-(pr. TEE-wath). Also called the //Sprawling Glades.// Here is where the exit of the Slumbering Maze comes to, here the land is basked in an eternal spring. The sun shines gently, and when night falls the crickets sing and the stars dance. Here rare plants called the Sleeping Lilies grow; they are used by denizens to cure many of the sicknesses that befall the dwellers of the Dreaming. What the Sleeping Lilies could do in the material world is only speculated, as none have brought them back yet. However despite its serene looks, Ti’wath still holds many dangers to the unwary, for here those that disrupt balance will be seen as an enemy, and those that would dare take from the slumbering maze will be hunted. Ti'wath has a few sub-regions:
-=== Hollow Ward ===
-A vast forest of blue leaves that glow softly with the light of the moons. Here the trees are hollowed and it is where many of the denizens of Ti’wath make their homes. It is peaceful and serene, a place where one could rest their head. However, the residents of Hollow Ward take great pleasure in trickery and mischief. They may decide to rob you blind or entice you with dreams only to steal them.
-=== Lake Karath ===
-Also known as the Drowning Pit. A vile place that few Dreamt ever go, for it is here that the dreams of the wicked are left to fester and rot. Many legends say at the bottom of this lake is a spear of black iron, //Fateweaver//: a weapon that will one day bring about the ruin of The Dreaming and all things that dream. Even the gods will be helpless as the spear will shatter the dream with its jagged point.
-=== The Fortress of Memories ===
-A location on the edge of Ti’wath and Parasoma. Near a river of flowing dreams, the fortress is a large castle made of an obsidian black stone, and towers high into the sky. Located within is only a single denizen of The Dreaming, an entity known as ‘The Lost One’. It appears to grant protection to those who show respect, keeping them from becoming lost in the memories contained within the castle's walls.
-Records of The Dreaming show that the Lost One has been around since antiquity, but its purpose has been more shrouded than the castle. For people who enter the fortress, they might find the entry hall and guest chambers rather empty, but as time passes, they slowly start to become more aware and attuned to the atmosphere. Voices can be heard, conversations and laughter. Spirits or hallucinations can be seen moving about the place, going about daily lives, echoes of times that have passed. They seem to be full of emotion; happy, joyous, angry, sad, jealous... but they never interact with those who pass through.
-==== Haralwa ====
-(pr. hah-RAHL-wuh) Also called the //Eternal Palaces.// Here is where the dreams of the celestial grow and dwell. The land is covered in shifting divine iconography: the trees are gems, the rivers like glass. Priests who come here will feel a much closer connection to their gods and might find their spells to be stronger. Travelers might find blessed artifacts, the wings of angels, or reliquaries for holy artifacts. Beware, though: while dreams may be pleasant and empowering, the gods' nightmares also roam Haralwa...
-=== The Pillars ===
-Massive towerlike structures, each one guarded by hosts of celestial beings. Legend has it that within the pillars lie the dreams of the gods. There is one pillar for each of the [[:gods|Fourteen,]] and within each pillar is a labyrinth of traps and guardians, which hold treasures that the gods have unknowingly created. The guardians fight viciously to protect the Pillars, and few - if any - have ever made it inside.
-=== Sapphire's Dial ===
-A grand sundial as big as a forest lays near the heart of Haralwa. Nobody remembers who built the dial or what its purpose even is, though many will say that when the sun aligns itself just right, a glimpse of the First Dream can be seen, and thus many Dreamt will take pilgrimage to the dial in hopes of being able to witness the First Dream.
-{{:a_rocha-theeerieforest.jpg}}
-== A forest on the outskirts of Parasoma. By Andreas Rocha; used with permission. ==
-==== Parasoma ====
-(pr. pare-ah-SOH-muh) Also known as the //Nightmare Lands.// Here, the horrors and monstrosities lay in wait for their prey, luring them in with fantastical treasures, promises of riches beyond one’s imaginations, anything that one’s heart could desire, but in the end it is naught but a lie. Legends speak that deep within the heart of the nightmare lands is a tree that bears silver wings and promises only ruin for those that seek it out.
-=== Shattered Island ===
-Found deep within Parasoma, this is an island in the middle of a large lake. On the island live the Broken. These Dreamt are those that have been exposed to powerful nightmares and emotions that caused their very selves to deteriorate. Here they spend their final days - guarding the knowledge of what they discovered in the nightmares of people with jealousy, as it is the only thing that they have left to them.
-=== Castle Rotwood ===
-An ancient castle built from nightmares of being trapped and caged. The castle is alive and is a malicious being, and its grounds are infested with traps and monsters that delight in games of cat and mouse. Legends say that the castle’s heart is a shard of the First Dream, and the legend inspires many foolish Dreamt to seek out the center of the castle.
-==== Concordia ====
-(pr. con-CORE-dee-ya) At the heart of the Dreaming lies a city of where the peace between the courts of the Dreaming are kept; where the accords and the oaths are held in sacred regard. Here the most powerful of the Dreamt, the rulers of the courts, will come to forge treaties, alliances, and diplomatic relations between others. In Concordia no spell shall be cast to do harm, no blade shall be drawn, and no arrow shall whistle.
-=== Irogueil Peak ===
-Locals will often refer to it as the //Peak of Falling Stars.// This mountain holds a special place in the hearts of all the dreamt, for it is here where the First Dream was born. On the top of the mountain is a shrine dedicated to the First Dream. During the //Festival of the Dancing Skies,// a meteor shower occurs along with a bright aurora that colors the sky. This festival celebrates the First Dream and is a cause for merriment among the Dreamt.
-==== Dearmad Agrad ====
-(pr. DEAR-maid ahg-RAhD) The realm of Dearmad Agrad is eternally shifting, for when the seasons change on Jaern so too o the powers shift in Dearmad Agrad. Here the grand courts of the Dreamt reside, and here they wield great power over the Dreaming. When in Dearmad Agrad, one must tread lightly, for the four Courts and their little kin. A false move or a slight offense shall bring their wrath upon the unprepared, but for the clever and the well traveled, there is much to gain from the courts. The land changes seasons whenever one of the seasonal Courts is the dominant power.
-===== The Courts =====
-There are many Courts of the Dreaming - factions with certain aligned goals, who may or may not live together in self-styled "nations". Each Court has an archfey leader, and there may be too many minor Courts to accurately represent here. Listed, however, are the Courts with the greatest power and influence. These most powerful Courts regularly meet up in Concordia. The four seasonal Courts all keep dominion over some part of Dearmad Agrad.
-=== Spring Court ===
-Known for their festivities, and some of the most extravagant amongst Dreamt. Those of the Spring Court love to play tricks on and fool the steadfast and solemn. They are associated with the element of earth, and make their home in a place known as the //Shadowmarr Woods,// a perfectly triangular forest in the midst of a large windswept plain - there is no proper Spring capital, but the town of //Sindili// is where the Spring throne sits. They have become quite isolationist recently.
-**NOTE: Please contact Noah Kauffman (@bluekid, Discord) if you would like to run anything related to the Spring Court.**
-=== Summer Court ===
-The most passionate, and most well-armed of the major Courts. Sometimes known to let their passions get the better of them. Those of the Summer Court are known to fight like they are dancing, letting the clash of blades and arrows sing for them. They are associated with the element of fire, holding dominion over the //Kalazaria Archipelago//, an island chain surrounding the dormant volcano Mt. Bainwe. Their capital is an enclave near the volcano's caldera named //Dardabos.//
-=== Autumn Court ===
-Seemingly rather aloof and uncaring when it comes to matters of mortals and other courts. However, the rulers of Autumn are extremely shrewd and cunning, always knowing how to play both sides when it comes to political matters and come out on top. They are associated with the element of air, and live in a wondrous realm known as //Aeklanata.// On a high plateau in this place is their capital of //Araz-Doran.//
-=== Winter Court ===
-To outside observers, Dreamt of Winter are silent and somber, often seemingly lost in thought. In reality, the Winter Court is always searching for new information, even going as far as to freeze visiting mortals in an attempt to find the source of the First Dream. They are associated with the element of water, and make their home in a massive glacier named //Rimewind//. In the center of this glacier is the //Inisheller Keep,// a seat of power and a massively hostile place to those unwelcome.
-=== Dawn Court ===
-These Dreamt present themselves as muses or wise advisors to mortals, always seeking to scry and find clues to the First Dream. They see themselves as an illuminating light, bringing truth and wisdom to the world. They make homes in underground caverns lit with glowing crystals, and their capital is a grand city known as //Pelbriad//. They are associated with the psionic disciplines of clairsentience and metacreativity.
-=== Dusk Court ===
-Many other Dreamt see the Dusk Court as villains and evildoers, as they care little for mortals and tend to inflict terror and nightmare on them in an attempt to understand them better. They are hidden within the Spring Court's Shadowmarr Forest, where a camouflaged entrance to //Prismeer,// their Gray City, lies. They are associated with the disciplines of psychokinesis and psychometabolism.
-=== Equinox Court ===
-Not so much a court, as a loose group of individuals who take pleasure in pitting the other Courts against each other. They quietly sabotage or prop up efforts made by the other Courts, subtly pushing their agendas and goals. The Equinox Court rarely interacts with mortals. Their home, the //Oranas Labyrinth,// is a wondrous place of eternal twilight, only accessible through liminal spaces called "ways" in the Dreaming proper. They are associated with psychoportation and telepathy.
-{{:a_rocha-crimsontribe.jpg}}
-== An small settlement somewhere between the Dreaming's Realms. By Andreas Rocha; used with permission. ==
-===== History =====
-The Dreaming has existed since the dawn of time, when the first dreams were created. The land of the Dreaming is the culmination of the dreams, fears, aspirations, hopes, and nightmares of every living thing that dreams. Some say the Dreaming is the god [[gods:orus|Orus']] celestial plane, others say the Dreaming is a result of the collective dreams that all living things experience.
-Many believe it is merely a fictitious story, something told by parents to their children. However, the Dreaming is real. The denizens of the dreaming have always longed to experience the true capacity of emotions, imagination, and dreams, to rediscover the First Dream. Throughout time, those that lived in the Dreaming searched for ways to cross over into the real world, some stole the children so that they might truly understand the First Dream, and to others it is merely a flight of fancy.
-In recent years now, with the many events and changes that Jaern has undergone, the Dreaming and its people have begun to find more ways to cross over into the material realm of Jaern, and subsequently those in the material realm of Jaern are now understanding they can cross over as well.
-==== The First Dream ====
-The First Dream is what gave birth to the Dreaming. When the first beings started to dream they brought forth the First Dream, and from that First Dream came the Dreamt. The First Dreamt were among the most powerful and regarded as gods among the Dreamt. From the First Dreamt came the rest of the Dreamt and the denizens of the Dreaming. Many of the Dreamt regarded those ancient times as a golden age, but when The First Dream vanished, the Dreamt lost the ability to dream and thus since then have the Dreamt sought a way to reconnect with The First Dream so that they themselves can dream once more.
-The original document for the Dreaming, which may contain more information, is linked [[https://docs.google.com/document/d/1q1YpNFW-flxflpWzx1ob3B4bA8ufPNA_HorBJ99ATDA/edit?usp=sharing|here]]. By Noah Kauffman (@bluekid, Discord).