You will create a Character which lives in the Dreaming. You are not required to wear any makeup, buy any special costumes, and for the most part, buy or construct any special props. There is no charge to play the game, nor is it physically dangerous.

There are rules which define how the universe works. This rulebook describes the universe in which the game takes place, as well as the various calls and rules of the game.

Arm Bands

Anyone wearing an arm-band is considered in-game. A blue arm-band represents that you are a Dark Side (one of the more nefarious races of the Dreaming)– anyone who sees the blue arm-band will sense that you are a Dark Side. An orange arm-band means that you are an NPC and are being directed by the Game Master; if you see a character in a orange arm-band, do not assume they are playing their primary characters. Any other colored arm-band indicates that you are playing your character and are in-game.

If you are a Dark Side, Fae, Lost Soul, or Husk of a God, you must come in-game while out of line-of-sight with other characters. If you are a Vision, you may “phase in” anywhere (even behind locked doors) by saying “I phase in one, I phase in two, I phase in three.” Anyone who hears you say this will see you fade into the Dreaming.

What is the Dreaming?

Behind this world, or perhaps under it, there is a place called the Dreaming. It is said that humans spend a third of their lifetime there, drifting through the misty corridors and shadowy forests of the plane of dreams. This is not a place of logic, it is a place of surreality and abstraction. It is a place of mischief and romance, danger and adventure.

The Dreaming looks just like the Waking World. The residents of the Dreaming can sense that real-live people (nicknamed “Wakes” or “Mortals”) walk through another version of their world which often overlaps with it.

While in the Dreaming, the people who walk by you and go about their regular day are just mortals who are actually asleep. They can interact with you to some limited extent – so 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.

In the Dreaming, some beings can cast spells, drawing from various sources to channel magic. Magic can create bolts of flame, put someone to sleep, or even warp the laws of the Dreaming.

Races of the Dreaming

Visions

Visions are the natural-born inhabitants of the dreaming. Visions are forced to take the form of something out of the imagination of someone in the waking world, but they usually (99% of the time) assume the form of a human itself, being the most common thing to appear in a dream and the easiest thing to manifest.

Visions can be very varied in personality and motivation. Many possess magical abilities which can affect the Dreaming. One things that all Visions share in common is a custodianship for the dreaming.

Each Visions is born with a Dream Stone; a gem that contains a part of the essence of the Dreaming. A Dream Stone can look like any rock – a pebble, a gem, a piece of sea glass … most are pretty or in some way unusual. If a Dream Stone is captured by another being, the Visions can take no offensive actions against that being. If the Dream Stone is destroyed, the Visions will die. Dream Stones can only be destroyed, luckily, through ritual. If the Dream Stone is lost, the Visions will lose his motivation, wandering aimlessly and restlessly.

All Visions are tied to the Dreaming through Essence. Essence makes up the fiber of their being. It is spiritual energy that can, unfortunately, be stolen and destroyed. When a Visions loses all his Essence, he will phase out of reality, vanishing from the Dreaming for a period of time. The Essence will, however, regenerate slowly and he can return to his world.

There are three sub-races of dreams – Weavers, Succubi, and Nightmares. All dreams fall into one of these categories.

Weavers are the guardians of the Dreaming. They are the custodians of the Laws of the Dreaming, and make it their duty to uphold the code. Weavers are often very xenophobic, not liking outsiders who are not born on the dreaming. Many see Fae as a threat to their homeland. The Dream Stone of a Vision is usually gray or brown.

Succubi are the seducers and enchanters of the dreams. They are sensual beings of the flesh. Many are female, though there are males. Within Succubi subculture, males are inferior to females; they will always submit to a female’s word or decision. Succubi like mischief and temptation. Their Dream Stone is often round and smooth. Succubi have the magic of Glamour, having the ability to change people’s appearance.

Nightmares are not evil, but are often perceived that way. They feed off the fear, pain, and hatred of others, reveling in taking power over someone. They are often very sadistic and cruel, but not to the extent where they will kill their prey. A Nightmare’s Dream Stone is often black and jagged, like coal or obsidian.

Fae

Fae are often playful and mischievous creatures with an affinity towards magic. They live for thousands of years but never lose their curiosity about the world or their fascination with nature and beauty. They can take many forms, but in this mundane day and age, all have grown to look human.

Fae used to exist in two worlds: the Waking World, and Faerie. Faerie is a magical place where water runs backwards and wishes become real. It was the homeland of the Fae until the Great Exile.

In the mid 1800s, magic in the Waking World began to fail. Advancements in science and technology resulted in a plague among the Fae – a widespread color-blindness and therefore depression spread through the Fae as they began to wither and die. This was called the Great Fade.

Meanwhile, on Faerie, a new race had appeared. The Dark Sides arrived from the stars in great cold-iron machines. It was a race of beings that had fully discarded their spiritual nature and embraced the sciences. The Dark Sides fought a great war with the Fae, eventually violently herding them out of their homeland.

With the exile both from Faerie and the Waking World, the Fae had nowhere to go. In mass, they traveled through large Rifts to the Dreaming, where they made their home. The Fae found that though they may have appeared as tiny leprechauns, intimidating giants, or any number of dazzling creatures, when they came to the Dreaming, their appearance changed and became quite mundane. Many Visions were happy to give them a home, as there is no lack of space in the Dreaming. But there existed many Visions, especially the Weavers, who did not like the outsiders tinkering in the affairs of the Dreaming.

Many Fae are very resistant to magic, though they are incredibly susceptible to damage from metal. When a Fae is “killed”, he will be banished from existence for a period of time. Slowly, as his wounds heal, he will be able to re-attune himself to the Dreaming and return there. All Fae take double damage from iron weapons.

There are four types of Fae, the Guides, the Dark Ones, the Guarders, and the Elementals.

Guides used to be the beings that guided dead mortal spirits through the Labyrinth at the center of Faerie and into the Afterlife. They like the color black, and like hoods and sunglasses, things that will cover their faces. They have a certain fascination with the “grim reaper” fairy tale. Since the Fae were ejected from Faerie, the Guides cannot lead the mortal spirits through the Labyrinth, causing them to wander endlessly and eventually exit into the Dreaming. This is where Lost Souls come from. Guides have the ability to open portals from one door to another door anywhere in the Dream Country.

Dark Fae are often called Dryads or Nymphs (female) or Satyrs (male). They are a reclusive breed of Fae that would prefer to live in the deep woods where no one will ever find them. Dark Fae are excellent at stealth and will disappear from sight, often eavesdropping and listening rather than directly participating in the affairs of the Dreaming.

Guarders are often called Redcaps or Ettins. Before the Great Fall and the Great Fade, they used to guard borders, Fae Nobility, and holy places. The Guarders have a certain lust for challenges and dares, and enjoy physical combat. They have natural resistances to magic and physical pain.

Elementals are nature spirits. They used to be Elves (forest people), Nyads, (river ffolke) Salamanders, (fire lizards) Wisps, (night lights) and Dwarves (earth men). When they came to the Dreaming, they became a more homogenous stock, though they found that all breeds of them could manipulate the other elements as well as their native one. Elemental Fae can channel elemental energy and throw it as an attack, or simply manipulate the elements around them.

Dead Gods

The Sumerians and Babylonians, the Egyptians, the Native Americans, worshipped literally thousands of Gods, most of which have been forgotten. When a God loses all his followers and belief, he falls into the Dreaming and waits for his day to come.

When an ancient God is worshipped again in the mortal world, he will become real again. Until then, they wait in the Dreaming, vying for power and respect. A God’s power rests on Faith. He can be worshipped by denizens of the Dreaming and gain Faith, which he channel into powers and abilities. When a God loses all his Faith, he will cease to exist. In a few days, Faith will slowly return, allowing the God to rest in the Dreaming again.

Each God has an Altar somewhere on the Dreaming. An Altar is the God’s resting place, and is sacred to that God. Each God has a Verse, a passage that is chanted over and over to give the God Faith. The Gods try to get their allies to meet at the Altar and chant the Verse. Doing so will power the God’s powers and abilities.

Gods of War have the ability to forge weapons. With special components (such as Quicksilver, Cold Iron, and Dream Stones), greater weapons can be forged.

Gods of The Harvest are hunters. On a New moon or a Full Moon, they can call a Hunt, where everyone in their hunting party gets certain combat bonuses so long as the God is playing an instrument.

Gods of Love can stop combat even midway through it. They make excellent bodyguards as they can prevent two people from doing damage to each other in any way, or even sanctify a room so that no damage can be done there.

Lost Souls

Long ago lost souls were never heard of in the dreaming. Guider Fae took the responsibility of guiding them into the next life. But since the faall of the Fae world, souls have been know to become confused, and end up wandering the dreaming for all eternity

Lost souls are the most versatile race. Being the souls of human's the have the mostr sense of individuality, and independence. Although centuries of the "real world" being sapped of magic has left them without racial abilities, they can more easily then most races learn any skill tree.

Dark Sides

The Dark Sides have come from the Beyond. 200 years ago, they entered Faerie and violently ejected the Fae folke. In the last ten years, they have reached the Dreaming and have begun their assault on it.

The Dark Sides are best described as monsters. They are filled with a bitter hatred of all that exists, and attempt to destroy it, often through violent means. When the come to the Dreaming, they assume the form of another being who lives in the Dreaming.

Gremlins were once a breed of Fae. During the War for Faerie, the Gremlins sided with the Dark Sides and began building the huge steam engines that eventually destroyed much of the Fae Countryside. The Gremlins are fascinated by gadgets and devices … they would prefer to microwave their meal than cook it over a fire. Their special ability is the power to make items simply stop working, even if it is a sword or a potion. When an item loses its function for a period of time, the owner must drop it on the ground and cannot pick it up until the magic has worn off.

Automatons, also known as Golems, are great steamwork beasts that always speak in monotone. The first few attacks of an Automaton will be incredibly strong and fierce, but as steam will run out they will get weaker and slower. If an Automaton drinks water or rests for a period of time, he will be re-steamed and may function at full efficiency again.

Properties of the Dreaming

Geography

The Dreaming is divided in to regions called Dream Countries. A Country is usually not more than a mile wide. The different Countries do not interact with each other in any way. If a being in one Country tries to cross into another Country, sometimes it will take hours, other times, years. When you leave one Dream Country, there is no guarantee you will arrive at the same place or time as people you are traveling with. No maps can be drawn of the Dream Countries, because the juxtaposition of the Dream Countries changes from moment to moment.

The Shaper

Each Dream Country is ruled by a Shaper, who can modify the Laws of the Dreaming. The Shaper does not necessarily have to be a Vision himself - even Fae can become a Shaper.

The Shaper is greatly respected, at least to his face. To fall out of favor with the Shaper is dangerous, as he is the Word of the Law. The Shaper is addressed as “My Lord Shaper.” It is traditional and considered good etiquette to kneel before the Shaper the first time you interact with him on each day. You may rise as soon as he nods to you.

From One Side to the Other

It is possible for Visions to phase in and out of the Dreaming. During this time, they enter the dreams of someone in the Waking World. When a Vision is not in-game, it is assumed he is phased out, sculpting the Dreams.

It takes 30 seconds to phase out of the Dreaming. During this time, the being must stand still and look at the sky. (therefore, this may not be done indoors) During a full moon, this only takes 10 seconds. During a new moon, it takes a full minute. Phasing Out costs the Vision one point of essence.

Moons

Full Moons and New Moons are a special event in the Dreaming. Most dreams in any Dream Country will meet somewhere special and discuss what is going on in the Dream Country.

New Moons are called Dark Moons, as they are a special night for Dark Sides. Dark Sides get slightly more powerful, and are a bit more courageous on Dark Moons.

On the full Moon, as stated above, it takes Visions 60 seconds to phase out instead of 30. On the new Moon, it only takes them 10 seconds.

Refer to the darkside stat page for new and full moon stats.