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Scipio
2010-05-19, 02:33 PM
Spoiler alert for anyone playing Expedition to Castle Ravenloft.

I am working on a replacement monster for the Witches of Lysaga Hill to be summoning in my Ravenloft campaign set in Eberron. The substitute for the Green God is a heavily revised Dream Master Quori (Magic of Eberron) with the uninspired (get it?) name of Dream Demon. The witches are bringing the quori demon into the world as opposed to just contacting it on the home plane of Dal Quor. The dream demon shares the home plane of the quori, but it has no real connection to them or their plans. It is looking to leave Dal Quor and Baba Zelena is willing to help.

I have taken the base DMQ and removed all psi-like abilities and any mechanical references to psionics. It retains the daze attack and of course all quori abilities. In place of the powerful PLAs of the DMQ, the dream demon has the ability to force opponents into a dreamscape of its own creation. It is called the Waking Dream. The party will potentially have to defeat it in the dreamscape before facing it in reality.

Here is what I came up with, and I would like any feedback you all can provide. The mechanics do not have a lot of precedent, and I want to make sure the ability is balanced. My intention is to leave the dream demon at the same CR of the DMQ, which is 11. The base will save is DC 20.


Waking Dream (Su): The Dream Demon is able to create a projection of the dreamscape, where it engages opponents in their dreams. The projection has a 100 foot radius centered on the demon. The demon is able to alter the dreamscape at will as a free action. Any creature entering the area of the waking dream is entitled to a Will save to disbelieve the effect. A failed save causes the target to fall asleep. If the sleeping creature is attacked, they immediately awaken. A successful save reveals shadowy traces of the projected dreamscape, but there are no adverse effects. Creatures that successfully save cannot be affected by the same dream demon’s waking dream for 24 hours. However, a creature may willingly fail the save to fall asleep and enter the waking dream. This allows a creature to join allies who succumbed to the waking dream.

Any creature within the dreamscape may communicate with another dreaming creature, but they cannot affect their environment or other creatures (except the dream demon) in any way. The dream demon is able to affect all creatures within the dreamscape normally. Any damage or conditions to a dreaming creature persist after the waking dream ends. Any damage or conditions to the dream demon do not persist after the waking dream ends. To end the waking dream, a dreaming creature must defeat the demon. Once defeated the waking dream ends for all affected creatures.

Typically, the dream demon utilizes this ability while in possession of a willing host. The host is unaffected by the waking dream. The host does not appear in the waking dream, and the dream demon appears in its normal form within the dream. If the host is slain or if the demon’s possession is interrupted the waking dream ends. The demon is able to act normally outside of the waking dream, but normally avoids any dreaming creatures.

This is a mind-affecting phantasm and compulsion effect. Creatures normally immune to magical sleep are not resistant to this effect. The save DC is charisma-based.

Any and all feedback is welcome. And yes I know Freddy Krueger is called a dream demon. The timing of the remake cannot be helped. :smallsmile:

Swordgleam
2010-05-19, 02:36 PM
I just dropped in to say how happy the confluence of your handle and your thread title make the classicist in me.

Scipio
2010-05-19, 02:50 PM
I just dropped in to say how happy the confluence of your handle and your thread title make the classicist in me.

Thanks. I am a huge Lovecraft fan. In fact I am presenting my Eberron Ravenloft with a more Lovecraftian approach than the classic gothic horror.