Dreamwalking

Dreamwalking is a magic practice that is as feared as it is venerated. Among the scholars who know of it, it is universally referred to as a form of High Magic, being the closest thing to Archmagic that mortals can produce independent of the act itself. Indeed, from the ranks of its ancient practitioners, many of them went on to become legendary Archmages who defied all imagining. This inevitably led most of its practitioners to believe themselves nothing short of gods. It was this hubris, perhaps, that led to their undoing.

The Land of Nod

The ancient Hytori elves were born in an age when there was no divide between the mortal realms and the realms of the gods. The deities of Ransera lived with them and among them with a normalcy that would baffle the minds of present day Ranserans. At some point in time however, the Dream Lord began to notice that as some of these ancient elves went to sleep…they never awoke. These poor souls became lost among the ebb and flow of the energies at play in that ancient time and found themselves drawn to the infinite realm of the Aetherium itself, a place no mortal soul can survive. As a result, the gods turned to Thiovan to construct the plane that would serve as the divide between the Aetherium and the many lesser planes that eventually led to the mortal realms.

The Land of Nod or the Dreaming, as it is called. This became the home plane of the gods as they came to realize that the mortal realms could no longer withstand the full potency of their divine manifestations. It was when this realm was created, that the gods were forced to depart the world in the manner most familiar to Ranserans in the present day.

Erosya, the Dreaming City

No place is like Erosya. Built before the construction of even the Land of Nod itself, this city, where the gods both Dragon and Mist first set foot upon the mortal realm, was the birthplace of all things in Ransera. This was where the dragons first soared through the skies. This was where mortals took their first breaths. This was where magic first bloomed. It was a timeless place with a glory all its own, the Jewel of an Infinite Empire. Using the power of Dreamwalking, the ancient elves transformed this city into a place where one’s wildest dreams were never out of reach. Nothing was beyond their imaginings for their very imaginations shaped the world into the pinnacle of whatever it was they desired.

It was not to last.

The Doom of Erosya it was called. In their pride and avarice, the ancient Hytori sought to explore the final frontier: the Aetherium. Believing themselves capable of harnessing the very essence of the gods in all of their glory, the grand Archmages of Erosya sought to build one last Rift Gate. They were woefully unprepared for what they were about to unleash and the backlash that followed their great ritual was immediate and terrible. The foundation of the Boundless Empire buckled and the many Rift Gates that connected their vast domain sparked a chain reaction that destroyed their kingdom in an instant. The mighty Dreamwalkers of the Empire sought to undo this terrible breaking of the living dream they had created for themselves but they were faced with a terrible foe that not even they were prepared for.

They are called The Watchers.

Exactly what they are is a mystery and it is unknown whether Thiovan, Dragon God of Dreams and Nightmares created them or they came about due to the terrible events surrounding Erosya. Every Dreamwalker of the Age of Dreams systematically found themselves hunted down by the Watchers. One by one, they vanished without a trace, with only a warning to those who followed:

You cannot hide, They see you.

You cannot run, They will follow you.

You cannot dream, They will unweave it.

You cannot craft, They will break it.

They are infinite. They are unstoppable. They are Watching.

Whatever they are, one thing has become abundantly clear to the Dreamwalkers who have cropped up in the ages since, The Watchers guard over the Land of Nod and the Dreaming. Exactly what constitutes a violation of their vigil is unknown, what is known is that when The Watchers come for you…there is no stopping them.

Learning Dreamwalking in the Present Day

Dreamwalking is still very much a lost art. Those Dreamwalkers that exist, prefer it that way as a matter of self-preservation. While it has never been verified, those Dreamwalkers that exist believe that the Watchers only tolerate a certain number of Dreamwalkers in any given era. Exactly what this number is remains a mystery. What is known is that if the practice of Dreamwalking becomes relatively too common place, the Watchers come and the numbers are thinned. It matters not whether the Dreamwalker was using their magic for good or ill, the Watchers, do not care.

With that in mind, learning the art of Dreamwalking requires only that an individual find a Dreamwalker. After that it is only a matter of them being willing to teach them what is required to create the Tools of the Dreamer. From there, they need only learn how to use them.

 NOTE: Requests to learn Dreamwalking must be submitted to the Support Forum. It will be given to an individual to learn via moderated thread only.

The Tools of the Dreamer

Much like other World Magic, Dreamwalking is accomplished through the utilization of tools. The process of creating these tools is a road of introspection and reflection that reveals far more about the Dreamer than it does about the Land of Nod. Nevertheless, without these tools the practice of Dreamwalking would be impossible and it is only with tools that the Dreamer has created themselves that the magic can be accomplished.

The Grimoire

A Dreamer’s grimoire is an intimately personal item that takes a considerable amount of time and resources to create. While simple on its face, the grimoire is a record of the Dreamer’s dreams, nightmares, hopes and fears. It is their every desire, their every horror, all compiled into a book that to any other would seem nothing more than apparent gibberish. The binding of the book must be made from dragonhide from of the Gem Dragonflights (Crystal, Diamond, Emerald etc.). Gem dragons were created by Thiovan, Dragon God of Dreams and Nightmares, and thus have an innate link to the Land of Nod. The pages of the book must be fashioned from runeforged aetherite crystals. Utilizing Spellwright’s Ink fashioned from somnosyte, the Dreamer transcribes onto the pages of this book using Scrivening. The book must be written by themselves and it is a task that takes no less than sixty days.

Once a day, the Dreamer must write into the book, a dream or a nightmare and interpret its meaning upon the pages. As the book is filled, it creates a record of what dreams mean to the Dreamer. The utilization of Scrivening and somnosyte ink codifies these meanings into the aether. The aetherite crystal pages etch these meanings permanently into the book, making the pictographs one overarching glyph that is intricately linked from one page to the next. This becomes the roadmap for the Dreamer, allowing them to navigate the whimsical Land of Nod and interpret its landscape in a manner that makes sense to the mortal mind.

Conversely, it also grants insight into the very mind, heart and soul of the Dreamer. It becomes a reflection of them and their view of the world. Each dream is a hope or a desire, every nightmare is a confession of what they fear. To read the pages of the Dreamer’s grimoire is to see who and what they are down to the darkest corners of their soul. The creation of this book is an endeavor that can be unsettling, even for its creator. Some books are filled with great hope, becoming tomes that interpret the world from places of joy, whimsy, and innocence. Other books are filled with endless nightmares, becoming dark tomes that interpret the world from places of madness, horror, and malice. It is all dependent upon the author and how they interpret the dreams they record into the pages of the grimoire.

Dreamers must be careful to guard their grimoires or fortify the world against their influence. A grimoire that is left open, without its Dreamer to attend to it, will inevitably work to align the world around it to the perspectives of the Dreamer’s dreams.

The grimoire is a living book that is intricately tied to the Dreamer. As they grow in their understanding of the Land of Nod, Dreams, Nightmares and their depths, the book will change to reflect this.

The Dreamer’s Eye

The Dreamer’s Eye must be made either alongside their grimoire or shortly after but never before. Created from a powerful somnosyte dragonshard, the Dreamer’s Eye must be cut and shaped to appear as its name implies, that of an eye. As the Dreamer either works to complete their grimoire or after studying it in-depth following its completion, across the pages of the book, a glyph will present itself to the Dreamer. This overarching design represents the Dreamer’s inner most dreamscape. It is a reflection of everything compiled within the book. They must carve this glyph upon the surface of the crystal. Once the Dreamer’s Eye has been completed, the Dreamer must replace one of their natural eyes with the Dreamer’s Eye. This is typically done with the assistance of Necromancy. If done successfully, the Dreamer’s Eye will cause no harm to the Dreamer. They will be able to see out of it as though it were their natural eye, with one key difference.

The Dreamer’s Eye will reveal to them the dreams, nightmares, and dreamscapes that exist within the people and world around them. It becomes something that they naturally perceive at all times, to varying degrees of efficacy. Additionally, it allows the Dreamer to look beyond the Veil and peer into the Land of Nod itself if they properly focus. This ability, above all others, becomes one upon which the Dreamer relies upon most heavily. For while in the waking world it reveals the dreams of those around them, in the Land of Nod it allows the Dreamer overlay the weave of the waking world into the Land of Dreams. This is ultimately what allows the Dreamwalker to enact their will upon the Land of Nod, creating dreamscapes that abide by their will.

Sorcerer’s Sand

Created by Runeforgers who crush dragonshards and imbue the powdered form with varying properties, Sorcerer’s Sand has been a basic tool in the repertoire of wizards for millennia. What many forgot, was it true purpose. In the hands of a Dreamwalker, the sands have the power to create a realmspace wherein the Dreamer can bring Dreams and Nightmares to life. This is achieved by creating a border and within said border, they arrange the sands into the symbology scrawled across the pages of their grimoire. Combining this with the power to peer through the Veil and by channeling the vision of their Dreamer’s Eye, the Dreamwalker is able to craft within that realmspace a new reality. Rather than sleep and travel to the Land of Nod, they bring the Land of Nod to them in the waking world.

A basic realmspace is created simply by creating the border and drawing within it the great symbol presented to them upon the completion of their grimoire. This is the same symbol carved into their Dreamer’s Eye. It is through the refinement and addition of more pictographs that the Dreamwalker crafts their realmspace into the idea they are searching for. This is achieved by perusing the pages of their grimoire and copying into the sands the symbols associated with the various dreams, hopes, fears, desires, and nightmares found within it.

The Dreamwalker’s Pouch

The Dreamwalker’s Pouch can be created alongside the formation of the grimoire or shortly after but never before. It must be created from the hide of a Gem Dragon and utilizing spellthread forged from somnosyte, the Dreamer must sew into the lining of the pouch the great symbol presented to them upon the completion of their grimoire. This is the same symbol that is carved into the Dreamer’s Eye. It is the epitome of what dreams mean to the Dreamer. Furthermore, the Dreamwalker must sew into the lining the symbols of either Dreamweaving or Nightcrafting depending on which path they embrace most heavily. These are the pictograph glyphs found within the pages of their grimoire that are tied most innately to the meaning of either a Dream or a Nightmare as interpreted by the Dreamer. Once all of this has been done, the Dreamwalker must build a foundational realmspace that is unaltered. It is built using only the great symbol that represents the core of their understanding of Dreams and Nightmares. They must then take a pinch of sorcerer’s sand of their choosing and place it within the pouch. The pouch must be left open. The pouch must be placed atop their grimoire and left at the center of the realmspace. It must then be left there for no less than seven days and seven nights. The Dreamer may have to fortify the borders of their realmspace across this time. So long as the pouch is never disturbed and the realmspace remains intact, the process will be successful.

During that time, the Dreamer may see the phantom of what has been recorded within the pages of their grimoire manifest as ghostly apparitions. Dreams and Nightmares that drift through the realmspace only to eventually be drawn into the pouch.

On the morning of the eighth day, the pouch will be ready for collection. The realmspace will collapse upon itself and be drawn completely into the pouch, leaving only it and the grimoire. The Dreamwalker will then find that contained within the interior of their pouch is a realmspace that generates their chosen Sorcerer’s Sand infinitely. Sands that are now fully imbued with the Dreamer’s interpretations, thus making them unique attuned to the Dreamer’s perspectives.

Dreamwalkers can utilize any manner of Sorcerer’s Sand they desire but it is only through the utilization of the sands from a Dreamwalker’s Pouch that they can achieve the more powerful techniques of Dreamwalking.

Powers of the Sands

Because of their unique connection to the Land of Nod, the sands from a Dreamwalker’s Pouch have a few unique abilities that, when wielded by one who knows how to use them, can be put to potent effect.

Daydream – The sands can be used to coerce a waking person to enter a Daydream and thus expose them to the influence of the Dreamwalker in the waking world. This is achieved simply by pouring the sands into the palm of the hand and drawing within them the symbol for Daydreaming and casting them upon the intended individual. It should be noted that a person who is alert and on guard is not susceptible to such a technique, they are not in a state of mind that leaves them open to entering the dreaming state. Daydreaming is typically used to put an individual in a relaxed state by inviting pleasurable and desirable things into the conscious mind. If a Dreamwalker has established a Circle of Dreaming, these visions can be made to fully manifest within the Circle depending on the Dreamwalker’s skill.

Hallucinate – The sands can be used to invite erratic and uncomfortable hallucinations that are spawned from the dark undercurrents of an individual’s thoughts. This is achieved by simply pouring the sands into the palm of the hand and drawing within them symbols associated with Nightmares. An individual who is less prone to paranoia or who is not in a heightened state of fear already will likely not be as susceptible to this property of the sands. Hallucinations are used to put individuals into an erratic and frightened state, much like the Nightmares they stem from. They prey upon the subject’s fears and if invoked within a Circle of Dreaming, can even make those fears manifest in truly terrifying ways.

Slumber – Perhaps the most useful of the power of the sands is the ability to put an individual into an almost immediate and deep sleep. By pouring them into the palm of the hand and drawing the symbol for slumber within them, the Dreamwalker can induce drowsiness, weariness, lethargy and ultimately sleep. A person who is wide awake can be made tired. A person who is tired can be put to sleep and a person who is fast asleep can be made to slumber even longer.

How It Works

Dreamwalking is a magic that blurs the line between the imagination and reality. Within the spaces created by the Dreamer, reality is as they define it. The skill and power of a Dreamwalker is measured in their ability to craft these spaces with expediency and accuracy. This requires that the Dreamwalker understand the depths of the meanings found within their grimoire and how they apply not just to themselves, but to the world around them. To be a Dreamer is to walk a road of existential understanding and philosophical exploration. Ultimately, Dreamwalking is a magic that forces the user to question the definition of emotions, motivations, and to explore the reality (or lack thereof) of things that most consider to be universal truths. Many go mad, some find enlightenment.

All methods of the Dreamwalker follow the same fundamental format, it is the modification of these techniques that comes to define their craft. However, just as the Land of Nod is divided into an Upside and a Downside, so too is the practice of Dreamwalking. As a Dreamwalker grows in understanding of their craft, they will find that the more they embrace one, the more difficult it will be to access the other.

Path of Foundation

The Path of Foundation is the central element of Dreamwalking. From these methods are spawned all others.

Circle of Dreaming – As its name suggests, this is the principle pictograph from which all other techniques for the Dreamwalker is spawned. This is the glyph that serves as their trademark symbol. It is the symbol that is carved into the Dreamer’s Eye and is the symbol that was presented to them upon the completion of their grimoire. By drawing the circle with either Sorcerer’s Sand or their Dreamwalking Sand, they create the borders of their realmspace wherein they are able to blur the line between the waking world and the Dreaming. The larger they draw their circle, the more area become subject to the manipulation of their craft. This can be dangerous however, as the broader the area they attempt to influence, the more focus and coordination it takes to properly craft and maintain. A hastily made circle will crumble. Additionally, the larger the area they influence, the more they invite the presence of the Watchers.

The Door – Perhaps the most notorious and dangerous of the Dreamwalker’s powers is the ability to create The Door. This is a portal built within their Circle of Dreaming, through which the Dreamwalker can physically enter the Land of Nod. Upon doing so, the Dreamwalker enters the realmspace immediately overlaying their geographic area. Once there, they are able to walk the Land of Nod and behold the many dreamscapes of the people who slumber and dream there in the waking world. The Dreamwalker can enter Dreams and Nightmares as they see fit, but should be cautious. A Dreamwalker can only leave the Land of Nod via the Door through which they originally entered. The Door is created by establishing a Circle of Dreaming around a sleeping individual and through the invocation of their Dreamer’s Eye, they align their vision and the drawing of their Circle to the aetheric pathways that most resonate with the dreamscape of the sleeper. Once the subject falls asleep, the Door will open. Once the Door has been opened, it will only close via the will of a Dreamwalker or the collapsing of the Circle of Dreaming that contains it. Be warned, The Door is both a portal of entry and exit for anyone and anything that sees fit to use it and the longer it remains open, the more the walls between the waking world and the Land of Nod begin to crumble. Guard it well.

Sigil of Dreamsight – When drawn upon a sleeping individual, this sigil will allow the Dreamwalker to see into the active dreams that the individual is currently having. By combining the Sigil of Dreamsight with their Circle of Dreaming, the Dreamwalker can pull the sleeper’s dreamscape into their realmspace and exert influence over it to a degree.

Vision of Dreaming – The Dreamer’s Eye is the tool that ultimately allows the Dreamwalker to channel their vision of Dreams, projecting what they see into the world around them. As the Dreamer sees portions of a dream that they wish to change, they need only envision it and then channel the change through the Dreamer’s Eye, creating a projection of it into the realmspace. However, until such time as the Dreamwalker fully crafts and breathes life into that vision, it remains just that, simply a vision of what they wish to enact.

Sands of Shaping – The sands contained within the Dreamwalker’s Pouch are key to fully realizing the changes that the Dreamer wishes to enact. Once they have projected the vision of what they wish to change into the world through the Dreamer’s Eye, they must find the pictographs representing those changes within the pages of their grimoire. Upon finding the appropriate symbols, these must be drawn using the Dreamwalker Sand from their Pouch. Following this, they channel their aether through their Dreamer’s Eye and finally bring the manifestation to life within the Dreaming.

Dream Nexus – A nexus of dreams is the linking of multiple dreamscapes into a single one. The uses for a Dream Nexus are many as the joining of others into a single realmspace can allow the Dreamwalker to witness the myriad of interactions that come into play from multiple viewpoints. No person experiences a given circumstance the same way and witnessing such reactions can only help to empower the Dreamwalker’s understanding of how dreams play out in the Land of Nod. This can assist them in making dreams much more convincing in the waking world within the borders of their Circle of Dreaming. The creation of a Dream Nexus is achieved by placing multiple dreamers within the same Circle of Dreaming and creating a bridge between them with the Dreamwalker’s Sands.

Path of Dreamweaving

Dreams are a reflection of a mortal’s inner most desires. They are a fantasy brought to life within the Land of Nod, woven to represent that which the dreamer craves most. To experience them is to behold what that dreamer believes to be an ideal representation of something, no matter how abstract. The practice of Dreamweaving is the enhancement of a dream’s more positive aspects, brushing away the influence of Nod’s Downside and propelling a dream closer to the idealized version that may be found in the Upside. While that might sound like a universally good thing in theory, Dreamwalkers should be cautions. There can be no Light without Darkness and to push a dreamscape so far away from a balanced equilibrium creates an imbalance that can yield terrible results.

Desire – Mortals crave things. This is as natural as breathing. Whether it is a desire for affirmation, love, accomplishment, adventure, or even sexual pleasure, it is a fundamental aspect of existence. In the pages of their grimoire, the Dreamwalker can find the symbols for Desire as they interpret them. By drawing this symbol and beholding it through the Dreamer’s Eye, the Dreamwalker can bring to the forefront that which either they or a sleeper desire in that current moment. They can then bring it to life within the realmspace they create using their Sands. The more elaborate the desire, the longer it may take to bring about.

Hope – Hope represents the willpower to push through adversity in order to find solutions to problems that seem impossible to solve. While it cannot conjure solutions from nothing, it can inspire the individual to find a path forward using skills and knowledge at their disposal that might not have been obvious before. By inspiring Hope, the Dreamwalker can dispel such things as Doubt, Disbelief, and Despair strengthening a dreamer’s belief in the dream that is being woven for them. It can also be used to reinforce the believability of one they have crafted themselves. This can cement a manufactured dream into a more stable state thus making it far more resilient to dissolution. By observing the realmspace through their Dreamer’s Eye, the Dreamwalker can find what inspires the most Hope in the world around them. Consulting their grimoire, they can then find the symbols most closely attuned to these ideals and can then place them where they are needed to bring stability to the dreamscape.

Joy – To take joy in something is to experience satisfaction in the act. It does not matter what the act is, the joy in performing it affirms the act itself as something that is subjectively good and right to the individual doing it. By instilling the notion of Joy into the dreamscape, the Dreamwalker can reinforce behaviors in the things they create and in the people who experience their creations within the dreamscape. Whether it is taking pleasure in eating food and thus gaining sustenance from it or the simple joy to be found in being present in the company of a loved one, the application of Joy is limited only to the imagination of the Dreamer. By observing the realmspace through their Dreamer’s Eye, the Dreamwalker can discern what does and does not bring Joy to that which they observe. Within the pages of their grimoire are found symbols associated with the concept and by drawing them with the Sand from their Pouch, they can reinforce the concept where applicable.

These three concepts serve as the cornerstone of the Path of Dreamweaving but they are not the only concepts within its umbrella. The number of concepts that can be found within the Path of the Dreamweaver are as endless as the myriad of mortal and immortal experiences. As the Dreamwalker grows in their understanding of concepts, the nuances of them, and how to apply them, so too does their repertoire of Dreamweaving methods. The techniques for applying their understanding does not change, merely the understanding of how to apply the techniques themselves.

Path of Nightcrafting

Nightmares are as necessary as they are often terrible. They represent a mortal’s fears or aspects of themselves that they actively work to suppress in the waking world. Inevitably, that which is tamped down will have to be faced one way or another. Nightmares are used to showcase the harshest elements of what can be experienced by an individual, or at least what they believe to be life’s harshest elements. As dreams are ultimately subjective to the individual from which they stem, it falls to the Dreamwalker to observe and interpret how to bring Nightmares to life that are best suited for any given situation. Nightmares are grounded in the Land of Nod’s Downside, where Darkness reigns supreme but Dreamwalkers should be cautious. Where there is Darkness, there must also be Light, lest what they create become something unrecognizable even to them.

Horror – Representing that which an individual is viscerally averse to, Horror is the concept that governs what the Dreamer avoids. It is not simply that which they do not desire, it is that which they might be morally opposed to, that which they refuse to confront about the world or even themselves. It encompasses things that the individual refuses to face and which fills them with a need to turn away from it. This could be something that fills them with anger, revulsion, disgust, or even dread. Dreamwalkers can use Horror to mold the dreamscape into following trajectories they desire by discouraging elements they do not wish to amplify. By observing things through the Dreamer’s Eye, they can find what evokes the most horror in a given circumstance. Consulting their grimoire, they are able to find the pictographs that correspond to such things and can then craft them appropriately.

Fear – Fear is more than just abject terror, it is the drive to survive. It is the primal urge that informs the individual that a circumstance in front of them is dangerous, abnormal, and that they should listen to their instincts. Fear propels people to act, whether that action is to be paralyzed by it or to move swiftly to escape or even confront that fear is irrelevant, the propulsion to act in some manner is there. Fear is used to reveal an individual’s true motivations or aspects of themselves they keep hidden because of shame, doubt, or guilt. Fear reveals the harsh truth about who and what an individual is in any given circumstance. For people reveal their truest selves when their worst fears are made manifest. By observing things through the Dreamer’s Eye, the Dreamwalker can delve into what it is that those they behold fear. Through consulting their grimoire, they can ascertain which symbols most closely resonate with those fears, thus enabling them to construct things that force the beholder to face the truth about who and what they really are.

Anger – Anger can lead to a great deal of suffering across both the mortal and immortal experience. Nevertheless, anger serves a purpose. Anger can inspire an individual to better themselves, even if such inspiration is born from a place of dissatisfaction or humiliation. Anger can upset an individual into rebellion against unfair circumstances. But anger can also lead to incredible violence. Anger can lead to acts of uncontrolled rage leading to bloodshed, misery and pain. It is a tool, one that can empower or destroy accordingly depending on the circumstances of its use. Through the Dreamer’s Eye, the Dreamwalker can observe that which inspires those they behold to wrath and fury and upon consulting their grimoire can ascertain the symbols that correspond to such manifestations. Caution should be taken when creating a manifestation of anger however, for these creations above all others have a tendency to rage out of control.

These three concepts form the cornerstones of Nightcrafting but they are not the only ideas from which the practice of making Nightmares stem. The number of concepts to be found under the umbrella of this Path are as infinite and nuanced as the minds that come up with them. As the Dreamwalker grows in their understanding of concepts, the nuances of them, and how to apply them, so too does their repertoire of Nightcrafting methods. The techniques for applying their understanding does not change, merely the understanding of how to apply the techniques themselves.

Tier Progression

Novice (1-24)

The neophyte Dreamwalker is only just beginning to explore the meaning of Dreams, Nightmares, and everything in-between. The vast majority of their time is spent learning about and crafting their Tools of the Dreamer. Every technique is available to them once their tools are completed, it is the efficacy with which they wield them that is questionable. Their Circles of Dreaming are rudimentary with only a surface level of understanding of how to wax and wane with the ebb and flow of dreamers. As a result, they can only reliably cover a radius of up to 30 ft outdoors or must be confined to a single room. The crafting of anything from scratch, using purely their own imagination is something that takes an exhaustive amount of time, study and concentration. As a result, they find it much easier to manipulate existing dreamscapes as opposed to creating them from scratch. It is nearly impossible for a novice to alter the course of a dream, rather they work best when tweaking or amplifying its existing characteristics. With only a beginner’s knowledge of the various methods of influencing and creating manifestations within the realmspace, their dreaming constructs are relatively minor and limited to inanimate objects that are absent of the nuance of expressive, living things. Their grasp on the dream world is such that their Circle will remain stable for only 8 hours at a time before it collapses entirely. This same time limit extends to The Door. The Dreamer’s Eye reveals to them only active dreams, meaning they can only see into the dreamscapes of those who are already slumbering, actively daydreaming, or experiencing a hallucination of their own. Their Dreamwalker Sands only have mild effects at most and are best used on an individual who is already sleeping or very near such a state.

Apprentice (25-49)

The apprentice Dreamwalker is beginning to explore the more dynamic experiences offered by the Land of Nod and its applications in the waking world. Their grasp on manipulating the Dreaming is such that they have refined their ability to craft inanimate objects and bring them fully into manifestation within their Circles of Dreaming. While they are still incapable of introducing any semblance of a facsimile of advanced intelligence into such things, they could effectively create a suit of armor that might spring to life in their defense if given such a purpose. While it would be clunky, such simple manifestations do have their uses. Their skill is such that they are capable of expanding their Circle of Dreaming to encompass up to a 60 ft. radius outdoors or two rooms within an indoor location. The Circle and by extension the Door will last for a total of 24 hours at this state. They still find it easiest to manipulate things that are already in existence within a dreamscape as opposed to creating from scratch but not as difficult as before. While it is still difficult for them to alter the course of a dream, they find it much easier to interact with and manipulate the aspects already in play. Their knowledge of Dreams, Nightmares and such has advanced to such a point as to expand the perception of the Dreamer’s Eye. They are now capable of not only perceiving that which is actively being dreamed but also dreams, hallucinations and nightmares that individuals have had within the past 24 hours. This can lend great insight into understanding the many perspectives of people and their experiences within the Land of Nod. Their Dreamwalker’s Sands still only have mild effects and are best used on an individual who is already sleeping or very near the required states that are mentioned.

Journeyman (50-74)

It is at the journeyman stage that the Dreamwalker begins to see the true versatility of the magic and it is usually here that the wizard tends to decide whether they embrace the practices of Dreamweaving or Nightcrafting more. At this stage, the Dreamwalker can reliably create inanimate objects and creatures of a more simplistic nature. To the Nightcrafter, these are nightmarish abominations with only rudimentary instincts spawned from the realms of the Downside of Nod. To the Dreamweaver these might be fantastical creatures that, while fascinating to behold, have only an animal’s level of intelligence to draw upon. They are able to comfortably build dreamscapes from scratch within the Land of Nod or can step into an existing one and alter its course by introducing their various methods to it. Their understanding of the knowledge reflected in their grimoire is such that a journeyman Dreamwalker can alter the course of a sleeper’s experience within the Land of Nod. They know where to look for moments of opportunity in order to break the hold of a Nightmare or conversely, turn a Dream into a Nightmare. That being said, while the journeyman can certainly introduce this alteration, perpetuating it is another matter entirely. The journeyman must be vigilant in order to maintain strict control over the direction of the dreamscape, that their alteration might be sustained. This is achieved by consulting the grimoire and finding those glyphs that resonate with what is unfolding and then drawing them into their Sands to be unleashed upon the dreamscape. The potency of their Dreamer’s Eye is such that not only can they perceive active dreaming, they can see dreams, nightmares and hallucinations that have affected an individual for the past 7 days. The Circles of Dreaming that they create, and by extension their Doors, remain stable and in effect for up to 7 days. Their Circles of Dreaming can influence an area of up to 150 ft. in radius outdoors or the interior of an entire building in an indoor setting. The Dreamwalker’s Sands have more potent effects, being able to put up to 3 individuals from a completely waking state into either weariness or slumber depending on the alertness of the individual.

Expert (75-99)

The power of an expert Dreamwalker rests in their ability to blur the lines between reality and the Land of Nod as opposed to anything else. While their skill is certainly formidable in the manipulation of the Dreaming, it is the subtlety with which they are capable of wielding this skill that can make them seem miraculous or terrifying. At this stage the Dreamwalker can reliably manipulate the dreamscape into creating basic forms of programmed intelligence. Animalistic instincts come easily but higher functions require careful direction or actively manipulation by the Dreamwalker. Programming a hapless victim on the side of a road to be in distress and speak certain dialog and respond to specific stimuli is within their grasp. The act of imbuing that same dream with the ability to act and think across the myriad of ideas and emotions that the dreaming mind can experience is beyond them. Dreamwalkers must be wise in interjecting such creations into the Dreaming as they tend to fail under careful scrutiny. This can alert the dreamer subject to the Dreamwalker’s manipulations that something is amiss and may derail the Dreamwalker’s control over the dreamscape entirely. Fortunately, it is at this stage that the Dreamwalker can completely take hold of a dreamscape within the Land of Nod and redirect it entirely. A horrifying nightmare can be stopped in its tracks or a deeply pleasant dream can take a sudden and terrible twist. Dreamwalkers should be careful though, it is at this stage in a Dreamwalker’s journey that they are most prone to inviting the Watchers into their manipulations. A Dreamwalker who acts brazenly and flexes their power too hard will quickly find themselves under unwelcome scrutiny…or worse. An expert’s Circle of Dreaming can extend an entire city block and effectively influence both the exterior and interior of the encompassing buildings, people, and objects. The Circle and by extension, any Door created within it will remain stable for up to 30 days. Not only will the Dreamer’s Eye reveal to them dreams, nightmares and the like for the past 30 days, it may also reveal a pattern linking a series of dreams together, thus lending insight into greater understanding of why people are having them. The Dreamwalker’s Sands at this stage can be made to be potent enough to bring a fully alert person into unconsciousness or place them in a state where they are susceptible to Daydreaming or Hallucinations.

Master (100)

The Master of Dreamwalking is an individual who has discovered a frightening truth; that the line between the Land of Nod and the waking world is an artificial one. There is no line and thus, they can work to effectively dissolve it entirely. Their understanding and skill at both manipulating and crafting Dreams or Nightmares is such that they can give their creations the perfect facsimile of the spectrum of mortal emotions and understanding. They have spent countless hours studying their own psyche, the dreamscapes of others, and pouring that understanding into their grimoire. Thus, to manifest anything in the Dreaming is to create something capable of experiencing it to whatever extent the Master desires. A Master Dreamwalker has such a profound understanding of the Land of Nod and its ebb and flow that even the simplest of pictographs and glyphs drawn from their grimoire, carry a myriad of nuanced meanings. As a result, the Master need not pour so much over details as they are free to focus more on an overarching vision of what direction they want a dreamscape to go. The details will be filled in because the symbology within their grimoire already accounts for them. A Master’s Circle of Dreaming can span the breadth of an entire city, ensnaring every building and person within its borders. Such a Circle and any Door within it can last for years at a time. The Dreamer’s Eye will reveal to a Master any such dream or nightmare that they deign to witness, showing patterns between them and revealing to the Master the very source of such dreams. The Master’s Sands are potent enough to bring an entire crowd from wakefulness to slumber with merely a breath and the Master can, with ease, ensnare all such people into a single dreamscape if they so desire or allow them to experience dreamscapes of their own. Ancient Masters of Dreamwalking were responsible for the creation of just as many wonders as they were horrors in the waking world, some of which still exist in the present day.