Dream Deprogramming

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TheKingsRaven
Tuesday, November 01, 2011 12:03:19 PM(UTC)
#1

Just a little something I hacked togeather in a spare moment for playing Alice:
Madness Returns in Changeling.

Translating Alice into this system.

Dr Bumby would be an amoral Mage, the Dollmaker is a Dream Tyrant created with Mind
Arcana. The Ruin are Corrupted Incubi. Like in the game The Infernal Train is just
part of the setting and not a charachter.

Dream Deprogramming

Changelings can use dreams for a lot of things. They can teach, heal and they can
even break the unnatural hold a supernatural power keeps over the mind. This is a
three stage process. First the Changeling must enter or craft a Dream appropriate
to the influence they wish to remove. A dark Transylvanian landscape under the
watchful gaze of a thunder-lit castle might work for a Vampire's mental domination,
but not for a Flowering Fariest's use of Fleeting Spring.

The second stage is the simplest, once inside the Dream the Changeling must spend a
point of Glamour to forge the connection between the Dream and the supernatural
power. This summons the Dream Tyrant and leads to the third stage. The Changeling
must defeat the Dream Tyrant in Oneiromachical combat to free the dreamer.

Sidebar: Freeing yourself.

The crude mental tricks performed by Changelings and sorcoerers are nothing
compared to what a Changeling experienced in Arcadia. After overcoming the Gentry's
mental manipulations Changelings can often notice when they're affected by mental
techniques.

While under the effects of mind affecting magic a Changeling with a Clarity of 5 or
more can roll Clarity every time they fall asleep. On a success they enter a Dream
and proceed directly to the third stage. There is no need to spend Glamour when the
mind is already fighting the intrusion.

Merit: Second Thoughts (OOO)

Perquisite: Non-Changeling, Composure 3, Lucid Dreamer.

Although only Changelings have the mastery of Dreams to enter a mind and unpick the
supernatural control. It doesn�t require Glamour when a mind is able to defend
itself. The Merit Second Thoughts works like using Clarity to free yourself, but
roll Composure instead.

Dream Tyrants
Changelings give the name Dream Tyrants to the Dream representation of supernatural
mental influence. Within a Dream they appear any other character and may be talked
too, fought and even vanquished.

To Create a Dream Tyrant start with one in every attribute. Distribute a number of
dots among Power Attributes equal to the number of successes rolled when extending
mental dominion over the dreamer. Distribute a number of dots among Finesse
Attributes equal to the creators score in Dominate, Mind, Vainglory or equivalents.
Changelings may use Mantle for Court Contracts. Finally distribute a number of dots
equal to the influencer's Wyrd, Blood Potency or equivalent among Resistance
attributes. Finally the Oneiromancy Skill is the skill used to activate the power,
the Dream Tyrant has it at the same level as it's creator. Oneiromachy benefits
from concentrating on single attributes and the Storyteller should feel free to do
so. Magical spells are not noted for their well rounded personalities.

Dream Henchmen
People who find themselves in opposition to Changelings sometimes armour their
spells against pesky dreamcrafters. Once someone has exerted unnatural influence
upon another they may use a second power, such as Mind magic or a Dominate
Devotion, to create Dream Henchmen. Changelings use Dreamscaping to reinforce the
effects of their Contracts. Each Dream Tyrant may have a number of Henchmen equal
to it's creator's Wyrd or equivalent.

Build Dream Henchmen like Dream Tyrants but assign dots from Successes to any
attribute. It is not necessary to defeat a Dream Henchman, but they are sure to do
everything in their power to protect the Dream Tyrant.

Corrupted Incubi
The most perverse magics can rewrite, or replace an entire personality. When this
happens the Changeling attempting to free the origonal mind might uncover Corrupted
Incubi, part of the mind's own defences that now regard the Dream Tyrant as
belonging here, and the Changeling as the invader acting against a rightful part of
the mind.

Changelings have reported seeing full blown civil wars between the Corrupted Incubi
and uncorrupted Incubi or small pockets uncorrupted Incubi fighting a rebellion
against a mind under total thrall.

Destroying the Dream Tyrant does not nessacarially purify all Incubi of corruption,
they may linger on as scars of such horrific mental abuse. But without the Dream
Tyrant the healing process can begin.

Build Corrupted Incubi as normal dream residents.

Sidebar: Bastions and Mind Control.

If a Changeling with the Bastion Merit can get just the merest moment of sleep they
can resist mind control, for a while anyway, by entering their Bastion and refusing
to wake up. The spell takes effect like normal and creates a Dream Tyrant. But the
Tyrant must assault and overcome the Bastion before it can take over the body. If
this lasts long enough other members of the Motley may join the fight, or just drop
by the Bastion for a night to learn the location of their trapped comrade�s body so
they can mount a rescue.

A skilled Oneiromacher may protect his body from control for an extended period.
Destroying attacking Dream Tyrants before they can breach the walls. Much to the
confusion of their captor who simply sees an abnormally tough mind resist spell
after spell.