The Nightmare Court

[Shadow]

Finally, after a long hiatus and a new gaming group, I'm DMing Ravenloft once again. I decided to feature the Nightmare Court prominently in my campaign. To stop the schemes of the Court, the PCs are going to have to unravel the secrets behind them. I need to come up with some back story for each of the members of the Court. The Book of Shadow gave an interesting backstory for the Nightmare Man, featuring as an insane failed artist. I'll keep that backstory, with some changes.

What about the other members of the Court? There was an article that seemed to imply that the Ghose Dancer was a victim of some type of domestic violence. What type of tragedy could have hardened her so? How did she get involved with the Nightmare Man? I need a background for all the members of the Court.

Finally, it occured to me that the Court is missing a member. There are Court Members that deal dreams of guilt, of inferiority, of jealousy, but there is no Court member dealing with dreams of confusion and disorientation. My worst nighmares don't deal with monsters or downright terror, but with rather mundane events that have some key element out of sync. Have you ever had a dream where you are in a familiar place, but the atmosphere just seems different? Have you had an especially vivid dream where you went through familiar routines, only to have something happen out of place to make you gradually question whether you were really just dreaming?
Hence, I've been thinking of adding a "New" member to the Nightmare Court dealing with dreams that are so vivid that the characters are unaware that they are dreaming. He (or she) would play mind games with the victim attempting to cause confusion over what's real and what's just the dream. When does the dream end and reality begin? This court member would feed off of the confusion and anxiety that he caused. Any ideas?

[Nathan of the FoS]

I've been thinking of adding a "New" member to the Nightmare Court dealing with dreams that are so vivid that the characters are unaware that they are dreaming. He (or she) would play mind games with the victim attempting to cause confusion over what's real and what's just the dream. When does the dream end and reality begin? This court member would feed off of the confusion and anxiety that he caused. Any ideas?

You could make Lemot Sediam Juste part of the Nightmare Court. I think he would fit rather well there; heaven knows the existing members are disparate enough that he wouldn't be disqualified on the basis of "not fitting in".

[Sorti]

My worst nighmares don't deal with monsters or downright terror, but with rather mundane events that have some key element out of sync. Have you ever had a dream where you are in a familiar place, but the atmosphere just seems different? Have you had an especially vivid dream where you went through familiar routines, only to have something happen out of place to make you gradually question whether you were really just dreaming?

This is exactly the description of Morpheus-spawned dreamscapes...

[Joël of the FoS]

The Nightmare Court is a favorite of mine, and I'm currently using it in my campaign. It can be a lot of fun, but I suggest mixing it with other "day" adventure, to avoid a monodimensional campaign only based on unreal dreams.

Background? You could have all the other members of the NC as former victims of the NMan, but they were so wicked, or pure in their guilt / jealousy / etc. that he took them to the NLands to make them his pawns?

This is exactly the description of Morpheus-spawned dreamscapes...

Agreed, Morpheus is your fiend for these dreams

You could make Lemot Sediam Juste part of the Nightmare Court. I think he would fit rather well there; heaven knows the existing members are disparate enough that he wouldn't be disqualified on the basis of "not fitting in".

Fun idea, Nathan. What would be his emotional focus? It seems Lemot's actions covers confusion like Morpheus?

Joël

[Rotipher of the FoS]

Given the esoteric nature of dreams in general and the archetypal nature of the lesser Court members in particular, I've often speculated that the minor members are actually calved-off elements of the Nightmare Man's psyche, rather than independent beings. Perhaps, soon after becoming a darklord, he tried to achieve the emotional depth denied his intact "self" by splitting off lesser beings which would embody and feed off the various motifs of nightmare -- fear, helplessness, etc -- that seemed to plague his dreaming victims, the most terribly.

These new fragments took on forms that best symbolized their respective natures, in the eyes of their dreaming victims: the Ghost Dancer (symbol of guilt) appears as a fragile victim of violence no one dared or bothered to avert; the Rainbow Serpent resembles a beautiful, yet venomous snake, an archetypal representative of betrayal, etc. However, while the lesser Court members did manage to craft nightmares that showed far greater innovation and depth than their maker could ever achieve, he couldn't duplicate their creative potential when he tried to re-absorb them into his psyche. Rather than forfeit the extra power he'd obtained from these fragments' preying upon dreamers, the Nightmare Man opted to let them remain as individual (though dependent) entities within his realm ... but he's secretly jealous of their talents and hates them all, in a form of projected self-loathing that Malken might appreciate.

[Scot Storm]

I think that the Nightmare Court that useDeja'vous would be interesting and twisted, like somehow can they escape their fate. Given that you are the DM you could arrange the PC's to unfold thier fates in a sick and twisted sense that death is around the corner. How can they avoid the trauma and insight of their demise.
Storm

[Rotipher of the FoS]

Hence, I've been thinking of adding a "New" member to the Nightmare Court dealing with dreams that are so vivid that the characters are unaware that they are dreaming. He (or she) would play mind games with the victim attempting to cause confusion over what's real and what's just the dream. When does the dream end and reality begin? This court member would feed off of the confusion and anxiety that he caused. Any ideas?

Given the complex meta-thinking involved in crafting such dreams, and the lack of actual creativity involved, I'd think that sort of thing might be a good choice as a specialty of the Nightmare Man, himself. It would showcase his superior control and understanding of how dreaming works, yet would still be entirely derivative of the dreamer's expectations, hence would maintain the notion that the leader of the Court can't actually create anything novel, just draw off his victims' imaginings.

After all, while the NL boxed set showed us the Nightmare Man taking an active role in pursuing a nosy pest (Dr. Illhousen), he doesn't seem to be given an actual "specialty" in that product. Letting him mess with what is or isn't real, to his victims -- hence, focusing his interests in driving people mad (appropriate for the top NL darklord, who should be the most evil of the lot) as efficiently as possible; it's also a possible explanation for how he cut a deal with that other doctor who betrayed Illhousen, if he made Tasker think he was awake when they bargained to "take over the sanitarium" -- would be most appropriate for the leader of the pack, not just another lesser-Court member.

[Shadow]

Things are beginning to heat up as the party has discovered the Nightmare Court... It will be interesting to see how things unfold next session.

Anyway, I've decided for my campaign that the members of the court are actually independent entities. It seems to me that part of the Nightmare Man's curse is to be so incompetent and uninspired that he can not create anything himself, forcing him to relegate some control to his minions. With that in mind, I need some ideas for backstories for the members of the Court. Give me some twisted ideas to work with!

[Jasper]

I took me awhile to find it again (Thank you Way back machine!) but I found a entry at Alanik Rays website (now sadly lost to the mists) that had rather unique and good backgrounds for all the court

http://web.archive.org/web/199911031700 ... htcrt.html



Click here if you want to persue the old Alanik Ray wesite-

http://web.archive.org/web/199901162254 ... lpage.html

[maraudar]

Great link Jasper. Ill be looking over all this stuff for days it seems .


Maraudar