[Realm] Dreamers: Rough Draft

[sayter]

Bear with me on the redundancy within some of the paragraphs. Im looking for feedback primarily on the Periapts, and ideas on how their philosophies fit or could be logically altered.

The Ones Before

   Historians speak of the ancient days as times of great progress and culture, and yet they say it was also filled with war and suffering. The only certain known fact, is about the end of the Aeon Slumber. Millions of people awakened one day, not even remembering having been asleep, and were lost in a strange land. Forced to band together to survive, they began building civilization from scratch. While their memories were gone, they somehow retained knowledge of skills they had learned, and it took only a short while to build communities.
   The cause of the slumber is unknown to them, and will likely remain a mystery for a long time to come. They inherit the world anew, and taming the vast unknown territories beyond the inhabited core of the continent is a feat beyond compare.
   Long ago, things were much different. For centuries, two great powers had struggled for dominion over the control of resources and territory. The books refer to both these races as The Ones Before (a source of much confusion for scholars.) They were in possession of both great science and magick, and each believed that their particular gift was superior to that of their rivals. Magick and technology clashed through the ages, and scorched the very world. A time of peace did eventually come. The Ones Before melded science and magick together, and birthed their first children through this fusion of power.
   Thus were the Dahk, Cyrue, Zaibat, Iudin and Baeld created. The Ones Before passed on the knowledge they chose to share with their precious creations, and then somehow, they vanished without a trace. Where they went and why they left are both a mystery. Their children were left to inherit the world, and none of them wanted to share it. The wars were numerous and bloody, and once beautiful lands had come to the torch. The misery created through loss of hope was all that remained to the people. They clung with what little strength they had left onto a frail thread of what could happen should peace at last come.
   Peace did come. It nearly killed them all.

The Red Devourer

   During the most brutal war in recorded history came the plague to end all plagues. It was named the Red Devourer, and every nation was forced to kneel before the acidic death it granted. It spread through the air, and any who contracted the illness died. The mortality rate was nearly one hundred percent. The victims of the terrible sickness could only watch in fear as their own flesh was eaten by their own bodies, covering them with awful sores and blisters. The pain was so excruciating that they eventually went mad, trying to gnaw the ghastly limbs off themselves to stop the agony. Even animals and plants were affected.
   All around them the world died, entire cultures decimated over the course of a few weeks. There was no stopping the terrible virus, and the only way to slow it was with flame. This became known as the Autumn of Ashes, when those still surviving did the only thing they could and set their homelands to flame. Crops, homes and castles were turned to ash. It proved futile, and the grisly death by illness loomed ever-present.
   In this time devoid of any hope and happiness came the Aeon Slumber. When the people awoke from their tomb-like sleep, they found before them a very different world than had once been.

The Waking World

   The mortal population has been awake for several hundred years since the end of the Aeon Slumber. They awoke to a new world, one grown wild and filled with perilous danger at every turn. Against all odds, they have formed new civilizations. Wars have been fought, alliances forged, but the majority of the continent remains nearly unexplored.
   Amid the cities, the people go about their lives. The majority are oblivious to the grander mysteries of life, knowing only what is told to them. Peasants toil the fields, whilst nobles scheme and plot against one another. Soldiers protect their homelands, and scholars spend their days within the libraries. From outward appearances, there is little difference between now and the times of old.
   Yet, beyond the borders of the civilized nations is a vast and immeasurably complex world, where dream and reality compete for dominance on a shifting landscape. Forests speak, whilst fields of grass and muck devour the unwary. Creatures spawned from the imaginations of mortals lurk in the great woods and plains, stalking prey. The Chimera, the true incarnation of pure and absolute evil, increase in power and await the moment to make their move.
   The time has come for heroes to rise up, and raise their steel against the coming threat. It is their duty to protect their people, and Reality itself, from the insidious machinations of the vile and horrific abominations of the Chimera.

[sayter]

Void

Forever floating through the endless depths of the universe was Void. An entity of unfathomable power and age, it had starved since the moment it came into being. Across the vast gulfs of eternity awaited the world, shining like a beacon in the night to the immortal force of Void.
The Autumn of Ashes was upon the world. The grief, hatred and terror that flowed like water through the psyche of every living person fed energy into the Fabric. The death caused by the Red Devourer released psychic energy, life energy, into the atmosphere. Void was drawn to this great volume of potential food.
When it came, the sheer presence and power of the entity subdued every sentient being. They fell into a slumber from which they could never awaken, and in which they could never age and die. While they remained stuck in their dreams for countless ages, Void drank from them the essence of their dreams. The entity had never known good or evil, joy or suffering. It lived solely to feed. Ethics and emotions were things it had never experienced or expected, and as it fed upon the dreams it so needed, the very things it did not understand began to change it.
Gradually the dreams changed Void into something else entirely. It came to be a reflection of humanity, the embodiment of both Good and Evil. Void changed drastically based on what those who dreamt saw in their visions, and its' own mental state mirrored these dreams. The time of its' arrival had been during an age of great agony and suffering, and the mortals were locked forever in that period in time. Their dreams were of terrible events, and the very real evils they had seen.
Despite the changes it had undergone, however, Void still wanted nothing more than to feed. The terrible things it had absorbed into itself had twisted it somewhat, and it learned Greed. Knowing it had only glimpsed a piece of the energy that awaited it in the Fabric, it constructed the Spires.
Their purpose was to house Void, and create small tears in Reality, allowing it access to the vast untapped power of the dream plane. Each spire would contain a particular aspect of the Dream world, acting as a focus for that Strata of energy. Twelve such spires came to be, and they did indeed pierce the veil between Fabric and Reality. A massive burst of energy ripped through the tears in the aura of the world, the pure and unaltered energy of the Fabric.
The power forever changed the world, reshaping continents and altering the landscape in ways that defied conventional physical laws. Void itself was also changed. A trillion dreams filled the Void all at once, splitting Void into two separate selves.
Part of Void, tainted by the touch of darkness from limitless nightmares, loosed itself on Reality and took form as the Chimera. The very existence of this force was a blasphemy on creation, for they were the manifestation of pure and utter evil. These terrible entities siphoned greedily at the energy that spewed into their plane of existence.
Deprived of its' darkness, Void found it could no longer feed on the nightmares and black desires of the mortals. With its' food supply all but gone, Void soon began to starve once more. As the power within it waned, those under the influence of its grip awakened. The mortal realm was again alive.
The goodness and purity still within Void, taken from the rare dreams of serenity and peace, helped it to realise the threat that mortals faced at the hands of the Chimera. Using the remainder of its lifeforce, the great and ancient entity released all of the goodness it could muster into Reality. Drained of all its' power, it then lapsed into an Aeon Slumber of its own.
Void now sleeps, held almost powerless within the prisons of its own design. The spires keep it contained, unable to affect reality directly. It watches from the Fabric and awaits the day its' champions, the Dreamers, destroy the taint of the Chimera. Until that day, it can only wait...and dream.

Dreamers

   When Void expelled the positive energy that it had stored for a hundred or more centuries, there came to pass an unusual series of events. While the intention of the entity had been to eradicate the Chimera in one single blast, it did not occur in this fashion.
   Instead, the Ki from the Fabric was slowly absorbed into the native lifeforms of the world. Their osmosis of this supernatural energy had various effects throughout all Reality, but the most astounding was the birth of the Dreamers.
   Dreamers are unlike anything the world has ever seen. Unlike mortals, they are able to tap into the Fabric and pull the energy of dreams through it and into Reality. They can manifest this mystical force in any manner they wish, the results of which can be wildly incredible and beyond conventional imagination.
   They themselves were once like any other mortal, having no exceptional qualities or abilities save for their natural talents. When the positive essence of the Fabric entered their bodies and took root, they became the inheritors of incredible power such as superior healing and heightened senses. Along with these gifts they aquired the capability of tapping into the Strata, the twelve aspects of the Fabric.
   As for how they are chosen, none can say. They hail from all races, and run the gamut from criminal to judge. There is no set age, for some Dreamers are as young as small children while others are well past their sixth decade of life. No single requirement has ever been determined as to how these indivuals become what they are.
   There is danger in their gift, a sort of balance for the astronomically potent nature of their control over the Fabric. They have come to call it the Stain. Linked to the Fabric as they are, they are intrinsically bound to the state of the sleeping world and the good and evil that permeates every facet of existence. Always present, the Stain threatens to devour them utterly should they fail to maintain a precious balance in their actions.
   They are cautious in how they utilize their gift. Their enemies are legion, and are always poised to spring upon them should they be caught unawares. Mortals, sparks and the Chimera are a constant threat to their well-being. Mortals fear such displays of power, and are apt to believe the Dreamer is a living God. Such delusions are easy to understand, and the lure of such worship has been the undoing of several of these beings. The Sparks, holders of the gift to channel Ki into magickal effects, view the Dreamers are direct competitors for their position in the world. Some even grow jealous and seek to strip the power from Dreamers and absorb it themselves.
   The Chimera of course, present the greatest threat. They lurk in every shadow, waiting patiently to spring their nefarious traps upon them. They seek to taint and corrupt the dreamers, and kill those they cannot turn to their means. Dreamers must constantly balance sacrifice and selfishness, the very nature of the Stain, or risk becoming a tool of the Chimera.

[sayter]

Periapts

   All dreamers are connected to what they call the Ethereal Web. Each of them represents a thread upon it, and together they form an intricate and invisible net of souls. Through their link to the Ethereal Web, dreamers are able to sense others of their kind at great distances. Those who share the same common Strata sensitivity are capable of finding one another over a hundred miles, down to nearly a fraction of a centimeter. Their link to others without such common bonds is far less potent, allowing them only the knowledge that one of their kind is near and perhaps accurate only up to ten miles, twenty at most.
   This ability has led to the formation of the periapts. These groups exist to train new dreamers in the development of their powers, and to educate them on the nature of their gifts and the numerous dangers involved. The members of each periapt share a common Strata sensitivity, and usually pledge themselves to a particular philosophy on the nature of the Fabric, Reality, and their place in the world.
   Some of these Periapts occasionally feud, their beliefs clashing and leading to conflicts among their own kind. For the most part, however, the Periapts understand that each has an important role to play in the Great Task and will work together wherever possible to further the agenda of their fellow dreamers, despite differing views and beliefs.
   
The Immaculate Precepts

There are twelve major powers among the periapts, known as the Immaculate Precepts. Each of these groups practices a particular philosophy, and is composed of members who wield a particular core Strata. While lesser periapts exist, they are viewed as unimportant, having little to contribute to the Great Task. While this is not necessarily true, it does have some logical bearing. Many of the smaller periapts are corrupt or tainted, holding extremely dangerous beliefs rooted in zealousy. Several such groups, known as the Blasphemous Legions, are hunted relentlessly by the Immaculate Precepts for their twisted views and the danger they represent for all Reality.

[sayter]

Spiral Weavers
   
   The Spiral Weavers are wielders of the Strata of Life, and their core philosophy is rooted there. To them, life in all its forms, whether it is internal or external, is pure. Seeking the ultimate answer – the meaning of life – is not their goal. Rather, they seek to improve upon the very foundation of living organisms or to interpret how each living being fits into the overall picture of Reality.
   To a Spiral Weaver, the most noble of pursuits is the improvement if life through any means that does not destroy it. Many of their number achieve this goal by aiding those in need, healing the sick and wounded. Others, however, believe that this improvement should be literal. They seek to change the structure of life itself by altering the very nature of living beings. While many among them see such intrusion on the natural order of the world as immoral, they would rather erase the changes made rather than confront their brethren.
   They fight the Chimera using their gift, bringing new life to where there is only death and agony.





Disciples of Flesh

   Death has always been a foreboding and frightening aspect of existence. Mortals fear it, for it represents the end of all they know. The Disciples of Flesh hold no such fear. To them, death is an interruption to life, like sleep or disease, only permanent.  Life is to be lived in spite of it. Their Strata is, of course, the Strata of Death.
   To them, life is the ultimate celebration. They live for pleasure, self-gratification and expression. Sin, to them, is a ridiculous notion forced by the wrongful teachings of religion. They do not fear death, and are fascinated with experiments revolving around it. They see death as the culmination of ones achievements, and their final acts as the most important. Some of them believe in an afterlife, although it is not universal.
   They accept that death is a necessary part of life, but they also know that the best way to combat the Chimera is to thwart it wherever possible. Wandering from place to place, they use their abilities to sense impending doom and then take action to prevent the Reaper from claiming the souls it desires. The Warders are generally atheistic, seeing the concept of a God as utterly preposterous.







Immortal Architects

   Wielders of the Form Strata, the Immortal Architects are one of the most unified of the periapts. To them, creation is more fascinating than any other aspect of existence. Physical reality is far more profound to them than any spiritual concepts could ever be. They believe that the movement of molecules, how they merge to form objects and living beings, is the first step to a universal truth. To that end, they continually research the concepts of science and determine new theories on the nature of solid matter and its' relation to the universe as a whole.
   They spend a great deal of time experimenting with creating and modifying the inanimate using their power, shaping perfect stonework and utterly flawless tools and weapons. They enjoy travelling, for it allows them to view the countless wonders of the world and repair the great works of the ancient ages, which they believe was a time of perfect fusion between science and creativity.
   They counteract the influence of the Chimera by creating works of wonder, drowning the terror of mortals in a nearly tangible sense of awe.
   





Devourer Cult

   The Devourer Cult, wielders of the Strata of Decay, are perhaps the most disliked among the periapts, follow a nihilist philosophy. They deny the possibility of certainty, and dencounce traditional beliefs and truths as utterly unjustifiable. Their allegiances are chiefly to themselves, for they see little point in any other groups founded on ridiculous ideals of truth and fact.
   To them, decay is supreme over all things, for it is the unknowable and ultimate creative force for all existence- and its' destroyer. Their passion towards this concept is absolute. Additionally, they believe that personal freedom is the only law, and that government imperils freedom by its' very existence. Even worse than the establishment, however, are the constraints imposed by others. Some Devourers view particular individuals as obstacles, whose very existence compromises individual freedom. To the Devourer Cult, existence is an endless war of each, against all.
Their most potent weapon against the Chimera is eroding that which has been tainted by their filth-laden touch.






Servitors of the Divine Radiance

   In terms of philosophy, the Servitors of the Divine Radiance are a simple group to understand. They are wielders of the light, and they consider themselves the hand of the Creator herself. They are warriors of virtue, dedicated to obliterating all sources of darkness in the world so that the Divine Light can shine into the very heart of evil and turn it aside.
   They are preachers and holy men at their core, and they spread the word of their faith to those they aid whenever possible. They do not fear evil, and are the most likely of the dreamers to utilize their powers in plain sight. While this is dangerous, it also spreads a message of hope to mortals who truly believe they are seeing the touch of the Creator in these priests.
Against the Chimera, the Servitors believe they are the ultimate weapon. They combat the vile corruption of the blasphemous entities using their control of light, casting back the bleak shadow of their foes with the radiance of God on their tongues.






Veil Walkers

   To a Veil Walker, there is nothing more permanent and all consuming as shadows. They believe that their powers stem directly from darkness, and that they are born to stalk within the blackness of night to hunt those who would jeopardize Reality. They view both life and death as sacred, for both feel the touch of night no matter where they may turn. Their creative instincts use shadows as a muse, and their capacity for invention is strange indeed.
   The Veil Walkers do not believe in the concepts of good and evil, for they view every concious choice a person makes as but a part in a larger tapestry upon which every living being treads. Their goal is to manipulate this tapestry to a specific and necessary end: the balance of Reality being restored, no matter the cost to themselves or others.
   Among their number walk some of the most deadly assassins that have ever lived. These hunters stalk the night, cutting the threads of certain individuals that are an abberation on the tapestry. The Veil Walkers are not all killers, however, and there are many who follow more conventional and less violent paths. The Veil Walkers wield the Shadow Strata, and combat the Chimera by cloaking their influence in obscurity.






Progeny of Fabric

   Commanding the Strata of Force, the Progeny of Fabric wield the elements and the essence of Ki as their weapons. They view themselves as wisemen, dedicated to spreading the "truth". Their core belief is that the world should know about the Chimera, for one cannot defeat their enemy unless they first know him.
They most often do this by merging their own personal Ki with that of mortals, allowing them to see the world with an altered perception for a brief time. This moment of clarity often creates spiritual awakening, or a new perspective on life. The Progeny spread such truths, but they never do so overtly, preferring it to take the form of inspiration in the recipients mind.
This has led to the formation of many new religions and ideas, which challenge the hatred and fear upon which the Chimera so greedily feed. Because of this, the Progeny of Fabric are among the greatest foes of the blackhearted monstrosities.






Oracles of Bone

   Among the periapts, none are as deeply spiritual as the Oracles of Bone. They wield the Strata of Spirit, and due to its' influence, are deeply connected to the world of the dead. Where the other periapts are generally concerned with the affairs of the living world and the elements within it, the Oracles of Bone obsess over the realms beyond life and with the ancestors of their people.
   Secrecy is of great importance to this periapt, for that is the way of the spirits. Information given in confidence to the Oracles of Bone is never shared, unless commanded by the spirits themselves. They are observers of the world, rarely interfering with politics, war, or other issues. They dare only to lend a hand when the spirits demand action.
   Divination is among their most sacred and activities, and it is from this that they draw their name. Using bones, tarot, or a spirit stone they read the lives of others through the aid of the spirits. They combat the influence of the Chimera by cleaning the spirits of those whose fortunes they read. Many of the Oracles of Bone make their living in such arts, posing as traveling gypsies.






Destiny Sentinels
   
   Gifted with control of the Temporal Strata, the Destiny Sentinels are able to perceive the threads of time, seeing into the past and able to glimpse the infinite possibilities of the future. The vast majority among them are stoics, utterly indifferent to most pleasures and pains. Their faith is choice, for they possess firsthand knowledge that fate is not immutable. Only through choice, they believe, can any man define his own destiny. Pleasure and pain are of no consequence in the grand scheme of life.
   They often take the roles of teachers and advisors, spreading their wealth of wisdom and knowledge to those of whom they have glimpsed the future. They preach of the countless possibilities presented by every conscious decision, never telling their students what they should do. The most potent of their lessons is this: Destiny does not exist. 
   The Destiny Sentinels battle the Chimera in the only way they know how. Their teachings guide those willing to make the correct choices in life, severing the vilified strings of fate which the demonic entities would otherwise have controlled with cruel talons. The unfortunates who fail to listen are left to the cruel devices of the destiny they fear to escape, for not everyone can be saved.







Wanderers of the Way

   The Wanderers of the Way are nomads of a sort, for their power stems from the Spatial Strata. They sense the world around them as if it were little more than a single path leading to all points, and are masters of travel in every conceivable meaning of the word. They believe that personal enlightenment can only be achieved through understanding the world around them. This belief has fostered within them a need to travel, and to experience all that Reality has to offer.
   They are capable of perceiving the mystic gateways linking Reality to the other planes of existence, and are able to sense any path recently traveled. They wander from place to place, spreading the tales of their experiences with any who are willing to listen. Their stories are often regarded as flights of fancy, for most mortal minds see them as nothing more than a common bard.
   To combat the Chimera, the Wanderers of the Way make every effort to seal rifts and to obscure paths traveled in the past, effectively choking off the points in which the Chimera can enter Reality, one portal at a time.







Judicators

   The Judicators harness the power of the Physical Strata. Their beliefs are based on valor, honesty and integrity and they stand to uphold such virtues in the mortal world through whatever means they can achieve it. They can come across as harsh and cruel, but they firmly believe that the only way an individual can attain their true destiny is by taking responsibility for the deeds committed in their lives. In this act of acceptance, the Id and Ego can be suppressed and open the door to true oneness of self.
   They often take the role of guards and soldiers, using their superior physical capabilities to protect those who would be harmed by the plotting of the morally unsound. They stand up for the unfortunate and the downtrodden, passing judgment on those who refuse to judge themselves with a fury seldom matched.
   They directly combat the Chimera, and use their natural gifts to inflict grievous harm or utter obliteration on the monstrosities that prey upon the minds and souls of mortal Reality.





Enlightened Protectorate

   The Enlightened Protectorate, masters of the Mental Strata, are psychics of unmatched skill. They believe that Reality is a product of the communal conciousness of all sentient beings, and that it is possible to rearrange its structure through the manipulation of the thoughts and knowledge of individuals.
   They see themselves as the guardians of knowledge, meant to know all secrets and information. While they are not generally conceited, they believe that they are entitled to any information they desire. To this end, they often seek out the educated minds of Laos in order to scry from them the wealth of research contained within their thoughts.
   Their weapon against the Chimera is the mind itself. While there can be no sure way to determine if negative thoughts are the result of their taint, they nevertheless attempt to wipe such terrible aspects from their memory. In this way, they cleanse the presence of the demonic beings from the brain.
   

[sayter]

Blasphemous Legions

   While many of the less prominent periapts have noble ideals, a number do not follow a morally sound path. They are dedicated only to themselves and their uncouth ethics. The vast majority of these cults tend to believe they are incarnate gods, or supreme beings destined to rule the mortal world.
   There are three groups of these hated dreamers. They make no effort to hide themselves, and openly use their powers to affect Reality without regard to consequence. The Immaculate Precepts hunt them relentlessly, for every action these fringe groups commit increases the hold the Chimera possess over the world. Additionally, these twisted periapts are extremely succeptible to the influence of the Chimera and are at high risk of becoming one of the Corrupted.

The Corrupted

   There are few who would deny the threat psychotics and sociopaths pose upon civilized society. Murder sprees and acts of unthinkable evil are only minor examples of the terrible deeds such people can commit. When such a person has control of the Strata, they are capable of devastating atrocities easily equal to genocide.
   The Corrupted are dreamers who have fallen prey to the taint of the Chimera. The putrid presence of these vicious entities has literally eroded all aspects of sanity from their minds, leaving behind a completely insane person. They are the lapdogs of the Chimera, doing their bidding although rarely knowing that this is the case.
   These insane dreamers do as they please, existing only for their own ends. No act is too horrible, no sin too great for them to commit. They would murder a baby just to hear it cry, and laugh at the mothers misery before skinning her alive and wearing her flesh as a suit.
   Most disturbingly, the majority of the corrupted are child dreamers who were unable to control the vast power that flowed through them during their Awakening. The Chimera preyed upon their weakened state, luring them into darkness and insanity. Because of this, many can go unnoticed in populated areas until it is too late.
   The only certain way to determine who is among the corrupted is to view them under the light of the moon. Their flesh appears pallid and chalky in this light, and the veins and arteries under their skin appear as black as the night itself.
   
   
The Great Task

   The Immaculate Precepts all share at least one common goal, which they have deemed the Great Task. The objective is simple: eliminate all influence of the Chimera on Reality.
   This is not an easy undertaking, for even the smallest of fears and doubts can allow one of the demons to slip in and take control. The dreamers who obey their instincts, rather than give in to their own power and selfishness fight against the entities. They refuse to stop until every one of their wretched foes are destroyed.





The Awakening

   Before a dreamer obtains their power, they must all undergo a process know as the Awakening. It is a life changing experience in many ways, and not all survive the event with their sanity or lives intact. There are no known reasons for their being chosen, and dreamers come from all walks of life.   Before the experience begins, they feel a sudden compulsion to go somewhere isolated and devoid of people. There, they lay down to rest. It is then that the Awakening truly begins.
   Falling into a coma-like state, the dreamer sleeps for twelve days and nights. During this time, they experience a single dream that lasts the duration of this slumber. So vivid is this dream, that it is virtually indistinguishable from reality. Throughout, they are subjected to a series of physical and psychological tests that interpret their capabilities and moral fibre. This is the positive energy of Void doing its work.
   The Chimera often infiltrate this process, especially if the dreamer in question is fearful or filled with pain or doubt. Within the dream, they whisper into their mind and attempt to plant the seeds of evil within them. They attempt to taint the essence of the dreamer from within, when they are unable to resist as easily.
   Should the dreamer fight back against the whispers and cast them out, they survive to become a dreamer. Should they fail, however, they awaken as one of the corrupted.
   

   
   

   
The Branding

   All dreamers share one more experience, which they have deemed the Branding. Shortly after their Awakening, they begin to feel an agonising pain course through their bodies. The pain is madenning, and they are almost unable to function due to its' paralyzing effect.
   With this pain also comes an overwhelming urge to perform a specific action, one that causes them to use their power for the first time. This particular action could be literally anything. As soon as they have first used their power, the pain dissapears, leaving behind only a strange set of markings somewhere on their body (usually the palms of the hands, across the back or chest, or on the bottoms of their feet.) The markings are representative of the strata to which they are most aligned, that which they will forever hone to perfection.

The Stain

   All dreamers are cursed with the Stain, a balancing act of good and evil to which they all must pay careful attention. Selfishness and rash actions run the risk of increasing the negative aspects of the Fabric within them, which could attract and foster Chimera. On the opposite end, should they act with completely pure intent they may become so flooded with the positive energy of dreams that they are absorbed back into the dream world, effectively becoming little more than a spirit.
   Thus, dreamers must weigh choice and consequence in all of their actions, lest they be consumed by the power awaiting them at either end of the spectrum
 

Ki

   Every single aspect of the waking world is connected to a primal force that shapes the very nature of existence. It makes birth possible, is the guiding hand of weather and miracles and it allows the existence of the spirit world. This force is responsible for the delicate balance required in Reality, as well as the Fabric. Without its' formidable presence, all that has ever come to be would vanish in an instant.
   This force is known as Ki, and it is the very lifeblood of all things in creation. It does not have sentience, although many argue that it is alive in a certain fashion, and that it has a will of its' own and desires certain things towards which it will gravitate.
Some individuals possess the capacity to perceive and manipulate this force, shaping it into whatever their needs require. Sparks and Dreamers are two such sorts of people. Using Ki can sometimes be risky, even deadly, depending on how it is used.
There are two forms of Ki. One, referred to as Raw Ki, is the most pure and powerful of the two. It resides within each object in the world, binding it to the whole of existence. The second type is Attuned Ki, the free energy flowing through the breeze. It awaits a purpose, and can be channeled through meditation or other means. 
   
Fayges (Fey-j)

   A fayge is a place where Fabric and Reality coalesce, and vie for domination. Such places are a virtually limitless source of Ki, allowing those with the ability to channel such energy a vast wealth of power. Fayges act like a magnet to wildlife as well as supernatural forces, however. Often they are dangerous places, acting as a gateway from which the dreams of the Fabric can manifest into existence. The most common cause for the formation of such a place is through the influence of the Chimera. They enter reality through such breaches; leaving behind the tear should they ever need to escape. This is not always the case, however, and some fayges appear spontaneously.
   The largest known fayges are at the sites of the spires, where the very essence of Reality struggles against the infinite power of the Fabric. In these places the natural order is all but absent, resulting in bizarre and deadly territory. Gravity may be altered, seemingly harmless creatures may devour flesh and bone and trees may plot against unwary travellers...one can never be sure exactly what waits for them in a fayge.

Relics

   The ancient world is not even a memory, erased from the minds of the mortal world by the Aeon Slumber. History, however, is not so easy to erase. Hidden in the libraries and tombs, and deep within the ruins and wild places of the world there remain a great number of ancient text and artifacts. These objects contain long forgotten languages or knowledge, or are powerful or extremely useful weapons, tools and jewelry.
   The technological wonders and mystic creations of the Ones Before are highly sought, and their value is often beyond measure. Those fortunate enough to find such relics should be careful to guard them with great care, for many are the hands that would kill to obtain these treasures.




---there....Long enough for ya? hehe.

[Bill Masek]

Chris,

You have a lot of good stuff here.  Theres enough backstory to make it interesting without swamping your readers with the history of countless wars and other unneeded events.  You did a good job portraying the history of the Void and Chimera.  Good stuff.

When I first started reading this it seemed like Man was fairly few in number.  There are not that many more then there were after the Autumn of Ashes.  The few who survived the Autumn of Ashes and awoke banded together to recreate society, but they have had less then a dozen generations to grow.  There are what, maybe a million people left on the world?  Two million?  This works well with the world being largely unexplored.  So far so good.

Then you started talking about the dreamers.  I am assuming that dreamers are relatively rare amongst the population.  Maybe 1 in 1,000 people are dreamers?  1 in 10,000?  They are clearly not common, otherwise they would define human society.  Wars would be fought with Dreamer's magic not steel.  If they were relatively common, say 1 in 100, all of man kind would be united behind the Dreamers as the Dreamers held the reigns of power.  While this would make for a decent setting, it is not yours.

If there are 2 million people and 1 in 1,000 are dreamers then that only leaves 2,000 dreamers in the whole world.  This is not very many.  Assuming 1 in 4 get corrupted this leaves 1,500 actual dreamers total in the whole world.  Divided amongst the strata, this leaves a little over 100 dreamers per.

So of the 100 people in each strata, how many belong to their strata's corresponding Immaculate Precepts?  5?  10?  I have a hard time believing that that so many centralised entities could form themselves from such a small population base, especially given that man kind has only been awake for a couple hundred years.

What if, instead of strong philosophical organisations, the Immaculate Precepts were cults of personality.  One very power dreamer (or maybe two) seeks out budding Dreamers of their strata and shows them The Truth as they see it.  They try to mold the young and vulnerable minds of recent Dreamers in order to better protect themselves from the Chimera, gain personal power and/or do what they believe is right.

This would result in the kind of stringent philosophy you meantion for each Immaculate Precept, but would make sense given their small numbers.  The Dreamers who lead these Immaculate Percepts could be nearly as old as Dreamers.  Perhaps some of them were from the first batch of Dreamers.  Unlike most Dreamers who have a short existence due to Chimera, Stain, etc. the Dreamers who lead the Immaculate Precepts us it to protect themselves from these dangers and thus live far longer.

Individually your Immaculate Percepts are cool.  However, some of them, like the death ones, would become Chimera very quickly.  Remember, these each represent how one Dreamer views how his strata's power functions, how the Chimera should be fought and how Dreamers should stays in the center of their Stain.

You have covered how they view their powers and how they fight the Chimera nicely.  I would look over your Immaculate Precepts think how each A:  Keeps their sway positive and B:  How they drop their Sway.

The death strata folks are all about partying and excess.  Heck, they kill babies to watch them cry.  This is great at shifting Sway negatively, but what do they do to shift it positively?  Likewise, your Light fanatics, they are obsessed with destroying Chimera.  What do they do to keep theselves from joining with the fabric?

You have a solid rough draft of your world.  Keep up the good work.

Best,
        Bill

[sayter]

Lots of questions there to answer.

First, there are no humans :) So "man" is a moot point.

onto population:

The story starts about 800 years after the Aeon Slumber. There have been wars for territory, etc, but this length of time has allowed a fair amount of population growth and whatnot. Pair that with the odd dreamer altering birth rates here and there to increase their numbers, chances of more of them being born etc ....

the "main" empire has about 2 million people total, most of whom live in the main province, Balo.

The second major empire has about 2 million as well, 90% of which are Dahk and Miriko.

The other empires are less populous (Queensland has about 500,000 or so. The Zaibat Empire is left up tot he reader to discern. obviouly large enough in number to have a sizable military to last a 30 year war. I would say about 1 to 1.5 million).

The lesser "empires" (the Shendu tribes, the Nixxa "plant empire" and the K'lanul Regency) are populous, but generally isolated and uninvolved in the general politics of the world. The Shendu would be most numerous, but dont have a formal structure, instead being relegated to hundreds, perhaps thousands of small tribes.  Additionally, the Shendu and Nixxa were creations of dreams, old life mutated by void. The K'lanul are a "new" species, mutated from one of the old races (Iudin).

Dreamer Rarity:
I would say 1 in 10,000 is about right.
That means there are approximately 400 dreamers at current time.

I would say that 25 members for each of the Immaculate Precepts is about right, led by the most powerful of their Strata. They teach one another (think Dojo) the techniques they learn and how to harness their powers, etc. The remaining dreamers would be part of the fringe precepts or the blasphemous legions...or among the Corrupted.

As for some of the precepts becoming chimera very quickly: not so. (and a correction, the death strata dont kill the babies..that was the Corrupted :)   )  The death strata folk thwart death as a way to gain positive strata. They might, for instance, take some of the pain of death into themselves in order to allow someone who is on the verge of death to go on living. Thus, they sacrifice self (pain) to save others (social/world).  When using their powers for other purposes, obviously that is a balance act.
The partying to excess, etc....thats a purely social thing, not so much selfish. They would invite anyone else worthy of their time to join in the fun, and to enjoy life while they still have it.


As for philosophical organisations (Immaculate Precepts) being cults of personality...they are kinda both. I forgot to write a blurb in the rough about how they generally work (for each group) and will have to add that in on the second pass.

As for the Divine Radiance (light strata) guys: They fight the Dreamers as a matter of need, and are generally obsessed with it. this gains them in the positive. as does their healing and helping others. However, they are a snooty bunch. Think Spanish Inquisition. Their very attitutde is "we are gods children, no one else is. thus, we are your superiors"  So, that attitude balances the scale, so to speak. It is a purely selfish belief, and little more.

Sparks: Also about 1 in 10,000 people.

[Bill Masek]

Chris,

The world population to Dreamer ratio seems good.  The population of the world given its current age also makes sense.  I would put a little more focus on the barriers which have stopped humans from expanding and, more importantly, the conditions which make the places they have live inhabitable.

The ratio of Dreamers in the IPs to "Free" Dreamers seems very high.  If there are 400 total and 300 of them are in the Immaculate Percepts (12 strata x 25 each).  Assming that only 1 in 4 are corrupted that still means that all of the non-corrupted dreamers are part of these weird cults.

If I were a Dreamer my first inclination would not be to join a cult.  While many people might be confused and easily controlled in the early stages, there are going to be a sizable percentage who will not.  Of those who are easily controlled early on, once they understand their power, many of them would probably move on after they understood their power.

On top of the difficulty involved in recruiting/holding on to these godlings, IPs must actually find these people.  Only 1 in 120,000 people will be focused on their Strata.  In order to maintain any semblance of community or benefit from their alliance the IP will need to stay together.  Even if they can sense each other at 100 miles.

I recommend either decreasing the number of members per IP or increasing the total number of Dreamers.  If I were you I would drop the number of Dreamers in IPs.  Raising the number of dreamers will make them less rare and unique.  If their numbers get to high then you need some way of explaining why they are not the people in power.

Each IP is, at its heart, on value system which keeps Dreamers human.  It is important that each have its own way to stay centered.  These were not all clear from your descriptions.  It is very important that, for each IP, you write in how it gains negative sway and how it gains positive sway.

All rough drafts need polishing.  You have a good start.

Best,
        Bill

[sayter]

well, in my initial draft, I failed to take population into account. I initially pictured them each as a group with a hundred or so folks.

Then , I realised the issue of population. The Immaculates became smaller groups.

This , overall, changes the entire focal point for them now. Would it make more sense if I took a "Vampire:The Masquerade" leaning with them...or to instead make them able to actualyl communicate across that 100 mile gap, telepathically? I think the idea of telepathic communication may make a lot more sense in the setting rather than groups that meet regularly .

It would also add a sort of community to the IPs, but also allow each member to essentially be a unique individual. They have the same general views but every member goes about their duty in a totally different method. Jimmy might fight the Chimera openly without hiding it and casting beams of devastating sunlight on them....whereas Sam might instead heal the sick and wounded, ignoring the creatures themselves and instead preying on the Chimeras inability to comprehend goodness.

[Bill Masek]

Chris,

I would try to keep this game as far away from Vampire as possible.  If Dreamers becomes political entities they will loose most of their uniqueness.  A Dreamer is given infinite options/choices and must struggle to limit herself.  In politics you by definition have limited options and try to reduce the limits on yourself.  Making Dreamers into political entities will shift their struggle from the first to the second, and thus undermine much of the innate conflict that makes them interesting.

As for Telepathy, are you sure you always want your PCs to have 25 allied NPCs always at their beck and call?  If you had 3 PC Dreamers of different Strata in a party they would effectively have an army of 75 ubergodlings to fight any major threat.  It would also make the Dreamers very easy to mobilise as a group, beggin the question, why haven't the Dreamers hunted down all the Chimera yet?  Either the Chimera would have to be SO powerful that all Dreamers united could not defeat one or bogymen who hide in the shadows and only occasionally emerge.

For Dreamers to make sense in the world as you want it they need to be few in number and disorganised.  Any major centralised Dreamer social structure will undermine both the primary external and internal conflict Dreamers face.  This is not to say that you can not have groups of five or so running around united, especially if they have a common short term goal.  You could have the occasional mentor/student relationship.  Even small cults of personality could make sense.  But anything more and you begin to really restrict who dreamers are and what they can do, which undermines both their greatest strength and greatest flaw.

Best,
        Bill

[sayter]

interesting. Might even be interesting to say there is a maximum of X number of a certain strata dreamer at a time. so you could, in effect, limit it to maybe 100 of them total worldwide, or less if you wanted a diffrent style campaign. Course, having many hundred allows for actual real conflicts between the IP and blasphemous legions, etc


as for the telepathy thing..I totally agree there. Didnt look at it in that manner.

[Bill Masek]

Chris,

Oooh, I like that.  It makes the threat of becoming one of the Corrupted so much darker.

What if this number decreases every time a Dreamer is Corrupted?  The essence of what made him special is lost.  This would raise the stakes in the Dreamer's internal conflict even further.  (Perhaps there was a time when dreamers were not so rare, but that time is long gone...)

Best,
        Bill

[sayter]

Im not for the dreamers reducing in overall number. Void could just spawn another.

However, it starts as a weak, new dreamer. which is still potentially bad for the good guys