What is the Dreaming?

Interlaced with the world in which we live and die, there is a place called The Dreaming. It is said that humans spend a third of their lifetime there, drifting through its misty corridors and shadowy forests. This is not a place of logic, it is a place of symbols and abstraction. It is a place of mischief, politics, danger and adventure.

Who lives in the Dreaming?

There are four races which you may choose from when making a character: Visions, Dead Gods, Fae, and Lost Souls. These four races are collectively known as Dreams. The Dreaming also contains wakes (humans who are asleep) and shades (spirits without a body).

for longer descriptions, see also: Dreaming Race

Visions

Visions are the natural-born inhabitants of the dreaming. Visions usually look just like humans themselves - humans are the most common thing to appear in a dream and the easiest thing to manifest.

Visions are varied in personality and motivation. Many possess magical abilities which can affect the Dreaming. One thing that all Visions share in common is a custodianship for the Dreaming. They know that the Dreaming and the Waking World have a symbiotic relationship. As such they try to keep the Dreaming pure - this often involves slaying monsters and repelling invaders.

Fae

Fae are mythological creatures who come from realm called Faerie, an enchanted place where water runs backwards and stories become real. There are many different kinds of Fae, including elves, leprechauns, goblins, dryads, and redcaps. Fae used to spend most of their time in Faerie, but would occasionally journey into the Waking World. Now their plane is overrun by monsters, and the Waking World makes them sick, so they've take refuge in the Dreaming. In January 2010, the Fae made a mass exodus into the Dreaming where they now reside.

Many Visions are happy to give the Fae a home, as there is no lack of space in the Dreaming. But there are also many Visions who do not like outsiders populating their homeland and influencing the Dreamscape.

Dead Gods

The Sumerians and Babylonians, the Egyptians, the Native Americans, worshiped literally thousands of Gods, many of which have been forgotten. When a God loses all his followers and belief, he passes into the Dreaming and waits for his return to Earth.

When an ancient God regains a following the mortal world, it will become real again. Until that time, the forgotten Gods wait in the Dreaming, vying for power and respect.

Each God has an altar somewhere in the Dreaming. An altar is the God’s resting place, and is sacred to that God. The Gods followers can meet at the altar and receive blessings.

Lost Souls

When a mortal dies, their soul passes into the labyrinth, the cosmic mystery at the center of all existence. From there, it is guided to the afterlife it has earned. Certain Fae took the responsibility of guiding mortals into the next life, threading a holy path through the Labyrinth to that mortal's destiny. But since the fall of the Fae world, more souls have been know to become confused. Many pass into the Dreaming. There, they are called Lost Souls, mortals who have lost their way to the afterlife.

Wakes

The Dreaming looks just like the Waking World. The residents of the Dreaming can sense that real-live people (nicknamed wakes) walk through another version of their world which often overlaps with it. When playing the game, we regard people who aren't playing as "Wakes" - people who are just having a dream. You can still interact with Wakes, but they're not really a part of the game. You can light their cigarette, give them directions, ask them if they saw someone come running this way, et cetera, but they cannot have any other influence on the game.

Shades

The Dreaming is home to countless spirits who lack a body, called shades. They cannot be seen or interacted with, but some characters can feel their presence. Their spirits drift aimlessly until they find a body which they can occupy.

Dreams and wakes may be possessed by a shade spirit who will use their body for its own purposes. Some characters, called Summoners, can call a shade into a dead character's body and command it as a minion. Shades also appear during Dream Walks, where they must possess characters in order for the Dream Walk to progress.

Monsters

Some shades are neutral spirits with no specifically ill intention. They are native to the Dreaming and are fairly benign. However, shades from beyond this realm have begun to arrive too. Most of these shades are monsters, hostile creatures which cannot be reasoned with. Monsters have only begun appearing in the Dreaming recently. Some believe the monsters' goal is to corrupt the Waking World by filling the Dream World with violence and suffering. If this takes place, the wakes will get no respite or inspiration from their stay in the Dreaming, and the Waking World will begin to fall apart.

Monsters come from a variety of sources, including Faerie, the Labyrinth, and the Void between planes. These monsters are not open to alliances or negotiations. Most people, especially Visions, feel that monsters are a blight on the Dreaming and should be destroyed. Sometimes Dreams will beckon monsters so that they can be defeated.

See also: Shades

What do people in the Dreaming do?

Dream Walks

Dream Walks are special structured game activities, representing an event or story which happens within the Dreaming. You might think of one as an adventure. (sometimes called a module) Each Dream Walk has a "script", instructions for the adventure. Characters must band together into a party. While on a Dream Walk, you may face danger, interact with other characters, or solve puzzles. Other characters in your party, called guides, will leave you for a little while to play monsters or other non-player characters.

If you want to go on a Dream Walk, print out its script and gather up your party. You'll meet in an agreed upon local spot, like a park or a friend's house. You will use local geography as sites to have encounters, which are described in the script. Each encounter may involve different types of scenarios. They often involve combat, and physical or mental challenges. During Dream Walks, some players will turn into shades, hostile monsters which the others must fight off.

In-Game, a Dream Walk is regarded as a sacred journey. They are given the respect and reverence akin to a hunt or a rite of passage. It is known that if you begin a journey and regard it as a Dream Walk, the Dreaming will often change around you. Danger seems to find you. But with skill and teamwork, you may accomplish what you set out to do.

In order for a Dream Walk to count, somebody must "archive" it. This means posting photos, videos, or blog entries about the adventure. This documentation is also a check against cheating. If you suspect someone has some power that they shouldn't have, you can easily check the website to see what they did to earn it.

Every character has a unique magic item called a Dreamstone. By completing Dream Walks, you can awaken special properties of your Dreamstone. Over time, your Dreamstone will become more powerful. For more information about Dreamstones and Resonance, see Rewards.

see also: Dream Walks

Astral Magic

Astral Magic is the art of manipulating the Dreaming. Dreams often gather to perform Astral Magic, actions which can affect the Dreamscape.

Dreamscaping Rituals can create special areas such as Arenas or Banquet Halls. The owner of these properties has special powers related to their function. You may gain blessings or bonuses for singing at a performance hall or winning a fighting tournament at an arena. Dreams will gather at these locations regularly, often before embarking on a Dream Walk.

Other rituals, called Oneiromancy, can put a curse on an area, create special items, or allow you to create a new character. Some rituals require you to collect components created by other rituals.

see also: Astral Magic

Dreaming Society

Territories

Each character may own one territory, a small region of the Dreaming where dreams gather. These territories are often in local parks, college campuses, or other relatively secluded spots where one can get into a boffer fight without accidentally hitting a bystander. Territories are hotspots for the game and may be points for action or intrigue. A park, restaurant, or trail through the woods can have a special identity within the Dreaming. Characters may be able to take special actions there which affect the Dream Country or its residents.

You may create a territory by using a Dreamscaping Ritual. This enchants the region with a special meaning within the game, such as a banquet hall or an arena. Each player may own one territory at a time. The owner of a territory is called a Warden, and is imbued with special powers they may use while there.

Generally, these powers are bonuses and buffs that you can bestow upon other characters who perform a certain activity. This activity is related to the nature of the territory. For example, the winner of a duel at an arena can be bestowed with a bonus skill.

A warden is ruler, referee, and safety marshal. Combat can only take place in areas designated by the warden. The warden must check people's weapons for safety, and pay attention to make sure people aren't cheating. The warden can issue warnings or eject people from the territory if they are unsafe or display poor sportsmanship.

Players can challenge each other to take control of territory. Boffer fights, chess matches, foot races, and other types of challenges are allowed to contest a location. Though you may only own one location at a time, a group of people working together can take over large portions of the Dreaming.

See also: Territories

Dream Countries

Five or more Wardens can band together to form a Dream Country, a group of territories which agree to live under the same law under the same ruler.

The ruler of a Dream Country is called the Shaper. While he is within one of the Dream Country's territories, the Shaper has powers to bend and influence the Dreaming. He can use these powers to create items, characters, or events for others. A shaper's powers allow him to act, in some ways, like a game master or storyteller, organizing narratives which players may participate in.

See also: Dream Countries, The Shaper