We’re back again for another week. Work continues on the upcoming Earthdawn Companion, which, among other things, includes material suitable for higher Circle characters. In addition to fourth edition conversions of creatures that originally appeared in earlier editions, we’re developing new creatures, Horrors, and Horror constructs to surprise and challenge even experienced Earthdawn fans.
One of these new constructs is the subject of this week’s preview.
Dreamer
Kreescra are an underestimated Horror when compared with others that are more physically powerful, but they did immense damage during the Scourge. One variety took particular enjoyment torturing obsidimen in the dreaming state. Instead of killing them over time, these Horrors carefully drew out the torture throughout the Scourge, allowing their victims to recover, then feeding again. Eventually, maddened by decades of nightmares, fear, and pain, the obsidimen tried to waken, only to discover they were forever doomed to a life midway between sleep and wakefulness. This was the origin of the dreamers, who can be found all over Barsaive but particularly in the Badlands, where there was no brotherhood to keep a watchful eye over them as they sleep.
Dreamers are made up of two or, rarely, more obsidimen merged together in one form. Each is physically distinct though they have at least two heads and are much tougher than standard obsidimen. Communication with them is almost impossible as they are lost in a waking nightmare that never ends rather than truly perceiving reality. They see other Namegivers as part of their nightmare and attack. Additionally, the emotional force experienced by dreamers interacts with the astral plane and the perceptions of onlookers, incorporating them into their nightmares in a very real sense.
Challenge: Journeyman (Eighth Circle)
| Dex: 6 | Initiative: 8 | Unconsciousness: 77 |
| Str: 13 | Physical Defense: 12 | Death Rating: 84 |
| Tou: 18 | Mystic Defense: 16 | Wound Threshold: 26 |
| Per: 6 | Social Defense: 16 | Knockdown: 15 |
| Wil: 10 | Physical Armor: 12 | Recovery: 7 |
| Cha: 4 | Mystic Armor: 10 | Karma: 5 (10) |
- Movement: 10
- Actions: 2; Unarmed: 16 (23)
Powers
- Eyes in the Back of Their Head: The dreamer is not Harried due to multiple opponents and only Blindsided or Surprised through the use of magic, such as talents.
- Fury (2)
- Hardened Armor
- Harvest Energy (18, Free action)
- Horror Power (16, Illusory Horror and Mental Rend, Standard action)
- Illusory Horror (18): Illusion – The dreamer creates a frightening illusory creature from its nightmares that attacks its opponents. It makes a Horror Power tests against the victim’s Mystic Defense. If successful, the target suffers Step 18/Mystic damage and is Harried until the end of the next round.
- Mental Rend (14): The dreamer directly attacks the victim’s mind, manifesting visually as a nightmarish creature. It makes a Horror Power test agains the victim’s Mystic Defense. If successful, the target suffers Step 14/Mystic damage. This power is virtually indistinguishable from Illusory Horror.
- Night Terrors (16, Standard action): Illusion – The dreamer can entrap opponents they encounter in their waking nightmare by making a Night Terrors test against the highest Mystic Defense of all opponents within 10 yards. If successful, the victims believe they are transported to a horrific, barren netherrealm occupied by frightening creatures tearing apart and torturing Namegivers. For 8 rounds, the victim must either use the Defensive Stance combat option or be Harried. The Sensing Difficulty is 23.
Special Maneuvers
- Agony (Dreamer, Horror Power): The dreamer may spend additional successes on a Horror Power test for Mental Rend to cause a temporary Wound per success to the opponent until the end of the next round.
- Enrage (Opponent)
- Fight or Flight (Dreamer, Night Terrors): The dreamer may spend two additional successes on a Night Terrors test to cause all opponents who do not use the Defensive Stance option to automatically use the Aggressive Attack combat option. The Strain cost must still be paid, as applicable.
- Stagger (Dreamer): The dreamer may spend two additional successes on Attack, Horror Power, or Night Terrors tests to force the target to make a Knockdown test against a DN equal to the test result. If the test fails, the target is knocked down and knocked back a number of yards equal to the total number of successes on the Attack test. When used with Night Terrors, this affects all targets.
- Provoke (Opponent, Close Combat)
- Trapped in the Dream (Dreamer): The dreamer may spend additional successes on a Horror Power or Night Terrors test to give the target a -3 penalty to Sensing tests per success until the end of the next round.
That does it for this week. Next time, we continue the dark and spooky theme with a discussion about the good and bad which can accompany the use of Horrors in your game.