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beautifuldreamermods) wrote2023-02-19 11:41 am
beautifuldreamermods) wrote2023-02-19 11:41 am
Dreamer FAQ
DREAMER FAQ
?So, what IS a Dreamer exactly?
Dreamer is the name given to magical warriors in the Beautiful Dreamer universe. Rather than manifesting in reality, a Dreamer is a person able to cross over into the Dream Sphere and assume a more powerful form, making their magic manifest and using that power and imagination to protect both the real world and the Dream Sphere from Nightmares and Torments.
?Who can become a Dreamer?
Anybody!
There are no in-universe limitations on who can or can't become a Dreamer and characters of any age and gender may awaken their powers. The only real roadblock is that there is no way to force this process or to encourage it to happen - ultimately, the process (ICly) comes down to luck... though whether it's bad luck or good luck depends on who you ask.
OOCly, we have some suitability standards for apped characters but these are purely to maximize playability and enjoyment for players rather than any sort of in-universe mechanic.
There are no in-universe limitations on who can or can't become a Dreamer and characters of any age and gender may awaken their powers. The only real roadblock is that there is no way to force this process or to encourage it to happen - ultimately, the process (ICly) comes down to luck... though whether it's bad luck or good luck depends on who you ask.
OOCly, we have some suitability standards for apped characters but these are purely to maximize playability and enjoyment for players rather than any sort of in-universe mechanic.
?How does a character become a Dreamer?
The process of becoming a Dreamer is ICly referred to as an Awakening and comes about as the result of a character's own imagination and willpower making tangible changes within the Dream Sphere.
The most common and 'default' way this can occur is during a Nightmare attack while a character sleeps. Characters can be targeted by a Nightmare for any number of reasons - maybe they're sleeping on some troubles that attracted the Nightmare or maybe their Figment was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. What matters most about this encounter is that the targeted character is able to summon the strength to fight back against the Nightmare, triggering their first transformation into a Dreamer. Once the character wakes from this dream, they'll find they've been granted their Sandglass, the magical item that allows them to transform and shift between worlds, as well as an instinctive understanding of how to use it. The Sandglass itself is small, around two inches in diameter, and can be hung as a pendant, a keychain, or anything you can clip it onto. You also can't misplace it, no matter how hard you try... it somehow, mysteriously, finds its way right back to your pillow...
Visual reference of a Sandglass and an example of how it changes in appearance to match the Dreamer. Art by![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
merlyn_art
Staving off a Nightmare attack is the most common cause of an Awakening but it isn't the only one. Since the root of an Awakening is a character's strong will influencing the Dream Sphere, this can happen in other ways as well - for instance, a particularly vivid lucid dream may be the cause and result of a character's Awakening. Typically, though, these alternate causes are atypical enough to be considered rare – but feel free to come up with a cool Awakening for your character if nothing above really sings to you!
As mentioned elsewhere, there is no known method of forcing an Awakening but a character who strongly wants to become a Dreamer may be able to more easily gather the willpower to fight during a Nightmare attack. Other than this, the process is generally understood to not be something one can control.
The most common and 'default' way this can occur is during a Nightmare attack while a character sleeps. Characters can be targeted by a Nightmare for any number of reasons - maybe they're sleeping on some troubles that attracted the Nightmare or maybe their Figment was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. What matters most about this encounter is that the targeted character is able to summon the strength to fight back against the Nightmare, triggering their first transformation into a Dreamer. Once the character wakes from this dream, they'll find they've been granted their Sandglass, the magical item that allows them to transform and shift between worlds, as well as an instinctive understanding of how to use it. The Sandglass itself is small, around two inches in diameter, and can be hung as a pendant, a keychain, or anything you can clip it onto. You also can't misplace it, no matter how hard you try... it somehow, mysteriously, finds its way right back to your pillow...
Visual reference of a Sandglass and an example of how it changes in appearance to match the Dreamer. Art by
Staving off a Nightmare attack is the most common cause of an Awakening but it isn't the only one. Since the root of an Awakening is a character's strong will influencing the Dream Sphere, this can happen in other ways as well - for instance, a particularly vivid lucid dream may be the cause and result of a character's Awakening. Typically, though, these alternate causes are atypical enough to be considered rare – but feel free to come up with a cool Awakening for your character if nothing above really sings to you!
As mentioned elsewhere, there is no known method of forcing an Awakening but a character who strongly wants to become a Dreamer may be able to more easily gather the willpower to fight during a Nightmare attack. Other than this, the process is generally understood to not be something one can control.
?What happens after an Awakening?
That's up to you! ICly, characters have the option to join the Dreamer Union and become active in patrolling the Dream Sphere, though this is not considered mandatory; it's perfectly acceptable for a Dreamer to decide they don't want to fight. Please note that while no characters are forced into fighting ICly, from an OOC character choice perspective, characters who are completely unwilling to engage with this aspect of the setting at all may be a poor fit for the game – they don't need to jump in head first, but some level of engagement with the magical and mystical aspects of the setting are expected.
Regardless, once a character joins the Dreamer Union, they'll be given a rundown on the basics of their magic – younger or particularly inexperienced characters may also be assigned a Mentor, a more experienced Dreamer who will help them through the early stages of their power development. In addition, characters of school attending age (six to eighteen years) will be given the option to attend the private Promised Morning Academy which is specifically structured to accommodate students who are also working as Dreamers.
From there, the world is your oyster! Play around in the setting as you see fit.
Regardless, once a character joins the Dreamer Union, they'll be given a rundown on the basics of their magic – younger or particularly inexperienced characters may also be assigned a Mentor, a more experienced Dreamer who will help them through the early stages of their power development. In addition, characters of school attending age (six to eighteen years) will be given the option to attend the private Promised Morning Academy which is specifically structured to accommodate students who are also working as Dreamers.
From there, the world is your oyster! Play around in the setting as you see fit.
?How do Dreamers travel to the Dream Sphere?
A Dreamer hops over to the Dream Sphere by making use of their Sandglass! It functions similarly to a spinner pendant and by turning the little hourglass in the center and allowing the sand to spill into the other half, a Dreamer is transformed and taken to the Dream Sphere – so the act of transforming and of going to the Dream Sphere are one and the same.
From the perspective of the Waking World, a Dreamer quite literally vanishes into thin air then they hop over to the Dream Sphere, though because of the disparity in time passage they usually aren't gone for too long. Rather than popping back where they vanished from, once a Dreamer leaves the Dream Sphere, they'll reappear back in their bed as if waking up from a long sleep... though whether 'their bed' is actually the bed they think of as being their own or just the last bed they slept in is up to players to mess around with based on what would make for the funniest bit.
A Dreamer cannot take anything into the Dream Sphere with them, save their Sandglass, but will find any belongings they had on them safe and sound beside their bed once they emerge from the Dream Sphere.
On occasion, a Dreamer may accidentally slip into the Dream Sphere while just sleeping and not using their Sandglass - and may find themselves wandering strange and distant parts of the Dream Sphere usually beyond their reach...
From the perspective of the Waking World, a Dreamer quite literally vanishes into thin air then they hop over to the Dream Sphere, though because of the disparity in time passage they usually aren't gone for too long. Rather than popping back where they vanished from, once a Dreamer leaves the Dream Sphere, they'll reappear back in their bed as if waking up from a long sleep... though whether 'their bed' is actually the bed they think of as being their own or just the last bed they slept in is up to players to mess around with based on what would make for the funniest bit.
A Dreamer cannot take anything into the Dream Sphere with them, save their Sandglass, but will find any belongings they had on them safe and sound beside their bed once they emerge from the Dream Sphere.
On occasion, a Dreamer may accidentally slip into the Dream Sphere while just sleeping and not using their Sandglass - and may find themselves wandering strange and distant parts of the Dream Sphere usually beyond their reach...
?What should a character's Dreamer form be like?
Creating a Dreamer form for your character isn’t particularly complicated! There are some general guidelines to ensure all characters fit into the universe, but you have plenty of freedom within those boundaries.
Thematically, Dreamers are extremely individualistic, born as they are from the strong feelings of their original selves. Many things influence a Dreamer’s transformed state and their powers, such as their personalities and their beliefs, their worries and anxieties or even something as simple as their hobbies and passions. All this together is what creates the magic that gives a Dreamer form.
A Dreamer's transformed self will often drastically change from their appearance in the waking world – their hair and eyes will often change colour and of course, they have a stylin' new outfit. For a Dreamer, while they cannot consciously choose any aspect of their transformed self, their appearance in the Dream Sphere will always be something they will be happy and comfortable with.
Dreamers do not have a cohesive uniform style, but they do have a cohesive aesthetic; crystals and glass, glitter and sand, sheer, floaty fabrics. Colour wise, Dreamers tend to have pastel or desaturated colour schemes. If you would like visual references, yume kawaii (ゆめかわいい) and fairy kei (フェアリー系) fashions and aesthetics are a good place to start. Additionally, Beautiful Dreamer’s visual style as a whole was massively inspired by the Japan Animators Expo music video GIRL (NSFW for some nudity and sexual themes), so it can provide additional inspo material where needed.
Lastly, Dreamers have very simple naming conventions. In their transformed state, a Dreamer will be called “Dreamer [UNIQUE NAME]”, with their individual title tying back thematically to the ideas that make up a Dreamer’s identity. For ‘canon’ examples, Usagi Tsukino could be "Dreamer Moon" or "Dreamer Serenity", Ichigo Momomiya could be “Dreamer Strawberry” or “Dreamer Kitty” and Hana Nono could be “Dreamer Cheer” or “Dreamer Kiratto”.
Thematically, Dreamers are extremely individualistic, born as they are from the strong feelings of their original selves. Many things influence a Dreamer’s transformed state and their powers, such as their personalities and their beliefs, their worries and anxieties or even something as simple as their hobbies and passions. All this together is what creates the magic that gives a Dreamer form.
A Dreamer's transformed self will often drastically change from their appearance in the waking world – their hair and eyes will often change colour and of course, they have a stylin' new outfit. For a Dreamer, while they cannot consciously choose any aspect of their transformed self, their appearance in the Dream Sphere will always be something they will be happy and comfortable with.
Dreamers do not have a cohesive uniform style, but they do have a cohesive aesthetic; crystals and glass, glitter and sand, sheer, floaty fabrics. Colour wise, Dreamers tend to have pastel or desaturated colour schemes. If you would like visual references, yume kawaii (ゆめかわいい) and fairy kei (フェアリー系) fashions and aesthetics are a good place to start. Additionally, Beautiful Dreamer’s visual style as a whole was massively inspired by the Japan Animators Expo music video GIRL (NSFW for some nudity and sexual themes), so it can provide additional inspo material where needed.
Lastly, Dreamers have very simple naming conventions. In their transformed state, a Dreamer will be called “Dreamer [UNIQUE NAME]”, with their individual title tying back thematically to the ideas that make up a Dreamer’s identity. For ‘canon’ examples, Usagi Tsukino could be "Dreamer Moon" or "Dreamer Serenity", Ichigo Momomiya could be “Dreamer Strawberry” or “Dreamer Kitty” and Hana Nono could be “Dreamer Cheer” or “Dreamer Kiratto”.
?Can my character's Dreamer form be nonhuman? How different can they be to their real life self?
A Dreamer's appearance can change pretty radically from their waking world self, so don't feel like you have to stick too close to their real appearance! Similarly, while some Dreamers change to the point of being unrecognizable, some may not look all that different to how they appear in reality apart from their mahou makeover.
Generally though, characters should remain recognizably human, if only for the practicality of being able to distinguish them from Torments. You can incorporate elements of animals/bugs/etc into their Dreamer designs (catboys real) but the overall design should still read as a human.
Generally though, characters should remain recognizably human, if only for the practicality of being able to distinguish them from Torments. You can incorporate elements of animals/bugs/etc into their Dreamer designs (catboys real) but the overall design should still read as a human.
?What are my Dreamer's powers like? How do I get new ones?
Since powers are a bit more complicated, they've got their own page! Check that out for the full rundown on how powers work in BD.
?How do my character's powers work in the Waking World?
In short – they, uh, don't. Since a Dreamer's magic is so tied to the Dream Sphere, characters currently cannot use their powers outside of their dreams. Of course, that's just currently...
?If my character gets hurt in the Dream Sphere, do they get hurt in reality?
Thankfully, no! Dreamers can take a lot of punishment but even in the event of them taking a lot of damage in the Dream Sphere, none of those injuries will be reflected on their Waking World self. They may experience some phantom pain or residual aches and pains but they'll fade fast and there won't be any lasting effects.
!I've got another question not covered by this page!
No worries! Drop it below and we'll get you a response as quick as we can!
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Most KR weapons are designed with the explicit purpose of becoming a toy so a lot of them work along the same lines of reasoning as the Trick Weapons do in Bloodborne assuming they change forms at all. Of course, sometimes a sword is really just a sword.
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