Dreamwalking
Dreamwalking is the ability to enter and influence the dreams of others. It can be an ability inherited genetically, or can show up as a random mutation. Those with high psychic ability can also teach themselves this skill. Some shamans may also practice this ability, relying on their totems as a way of navigation.
The dreams of others can be reached through the Maze of Dreams, Entra’s realm, which is also inhabited by the various races of Fae. Portals to the dreams of mortals can be found throughout the realm, and are protected by the goddess Luma and the legions of fae whom she commands to protect the portals. It is considered taboo for the fae themselves to enter dreams, not that many care to. Dreamwalkers can avoid these guardians as there are innumerable portals and it would be impossible to guard them all. Occasionally, they may be able to bribe or otherwise convince a guardian to let them through if caught.
Dreamwalking is an ability which carries with it many risks, but the greatest risk is to those whose dreams are invaded. During sleep, the dreamer is most vulnerable, though dreamwalkers themselves, shamans, and those with strong psychic abilities can repel things that would influence their dreams. Dreamwalkers may either enter dreams passively as an observer, or they can enter forcefully and manipulate the dream and plant ideas into the dreamer’s head to be implemented upon waking. This latter form of dreamwalking carries the greatest risk to the dreamer, as they may suffer permanent brain damage as a result of the dreamwalker’s influence, often in the realm of memories—especially of the dream itself.
The dreamwalker themself runs the risk of becoming lost in Maze of Dreams, or even dying or suffering injury in the dreams of others if they lose themself in the dream. Dreamwalkers also must be aware of how much time they have away from their body. If they stay away too long and their body wakes without them, they can become lost. Another risk is the fact that unlike with astral projection, where one creates a mental projection of one’s self in the astral plane, a dreamwalker’s consciousness and soul fully vacate their body to enter the Maze of Dreams, which leaves their body open for other entities to enter. If this happens, the dreamer may not be able to reclaim their body. In the long run, dreamwalkers also suffer long-term damage from psychic trauma, which may manifest as senility and memory loss.
