Order of the Oneirophysics
From Edge of Darkness Wiki
 Lords of Summer p. 155-158 | |
| Wyrd | ●● |
|---|---|
| Preqs |
Medicine ●● Empathy ● |
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All Oneiromancers can enhance dreams to help someone heal better or learn faster. Oneirophysics take this a step further, however. Depending on their rank, a talented Dreamhealer can create miraculous effects through dream-wielding. From simple patch-up jobs to healing what would otherwise be fatal injuries and curing otherwise incurable diseases, they can work miracles in the slumbering world.
The Oneirophysics don't refer to themselves as a noble order. They see themselves as more of a trade union, a guild of healers. Even so, the gifts of the entitlement aren't to be given out lightly. A cruel hand could wield a dream-scalpel in ways that would rival even the most twisted of Gentry. This caution drives them to keep as rigorous an eye on potential recruits as any more aristocratic-minded entitlement might.
Mien
Onierophysics spend so much of their time and energy working in the ethereal world of dreams that they find that their presence in the waking world is diminished. For each rank within the Onierophysics that the changeling possesses, he gains a permanent cumulative -1 penalty to all rolls which involve Presence.
As well, with each rank gained, the Onierophysic becomes less visibly tangible in the waking world. For some, this manifests as a fading of coloration, until eventually they seem little more than a transparent outline of themselves. For others, individual parts of their body become colorless. A Dreamhealer might, as an Intern, find that his hands become little more than translucent outlines, possessing mass but little visual definition. As he progresses, he may similarly lose the coloration in his legs and feet, trunk, arms, and eventually his head, until he appears (like his companion whose whole body gradually faded out) as a near-clear form. This lack of color does not leave an Oneirophysic invisible or grant him bonuses to Stealth rolls. There is still obviously a changeling present; he just appears to be a gradually more and more translucent version of himself.
Privilege
Depending on their rank within the entitlement, Oneirophysics can achieve various effects which would be impossible for non-Dreamhealers.
The Plunge
All Oneirophysics have the ability to take the Plunge, essentially slipping into a deep dream state at will. By spending a point of Glamour, the Dreamhealer can drop into a state of lucid dreaming that allows him to connect to the dreamstuff of the Wyrd, even if he is outside of the Hedge or a Hollow. See p. 193 of Changeling: The Lost for the normal rolls and A Oneirophysic who has entered into the Plunge can use this state to enter into the dreams of any individual who is, herself, currently sleeping or unconscious, so long as he is making physical skin-to-skin contact with her at the time of taking the Plunge. If this contact is broken after the connection has been made, the Oneirophysic can attempt to maintain contact and continue his work by making a successful reflexive Resolve + Composure + Wyrd roll at the beginning of each turn. Success means he may continue the contact for that turn. Exceptional Success means he may continue the contact for the rest of the scene (or until the target wakes up, whichever comes first) without further rolls. If the Oneirophysic fails his roll to remain connected to his patient, the bond is forcibly broken, and he suffers a -2 penalty to all actions for the rest of the scene, due to disorientation.
The Plunge may be used only to enter the dreams of an individual who the Oneirophysic is making physical contact with at the time, at which time it can be used for any of the normal Dream Riding, Dreamscaping or Dreamweaving uses. It is, however, most often used for dreamhealing, the Oneirophysic specific rank-related Privilege.
Rank-Related Privilege: Dreamhealing
Dreamhealing is a privilege which goes above and beyond the normal oneiromancer's abilities to accelerate healing or reduce stress by promoting a restful or affirming dream. Rank-related Privileges are available only to those of appropriate rank for the privilege. Thus a Physic has access to all three rank related privileges, while an intern can only use Dream Triage.
An Oneirophysic can use dreamhealing on individuals whose dreams he has connected to through normal oneiromancy methods (rather than through the Plunge). He must, however, meet all the requirements of those methods (including being in the Hedge or a Hollow and taking the time to enter the meditative state, etc.) Dreamhealing cannot be used on one's self, nor can it be used on a conscious patient, making Aetherwine a commonly used draught by the Dreamdoctors.
Rank One: Dream Triage -- Changelings (and humans) are often fragile creatures compared to some of the threats that exist in the World of Darkness. While any oneiromancer can hurry along healing by using dreamscaping Healing Sleep, sometimes a gentle nudge is simply not enough to keep someone from dying. Oneirophysics can produce more immediate and drastic results, which sometimes can mean the difference between life and death for their companions. To use Dream Triage, the Oneirophysic exerts his own will over the target's physiological systems through the dreamscape. He can force his patient's body to begin knitting severed muscles and tendons, slow or speed blood flow to injured areas and generally reduce the impact of life-threatening injuries, illnesses or toxins. Dream Triage is an instant action requiring the expenditure of a point of Willpower on the part of the Oneirophysic which clears any damage from the character's rightmost health box. Only one use of Dream Triage can be applied to any individual within any 24 hour period. This has the added affect of stabilizing a target that is bleeding to death or in a coma. (The loss of Health points to aggravated damage each minute is stopped.
Rank Two: Psychic Healing -- Through the use of Psychic Healing, the Oneirophysic can apply normal medical treatments (physical or mental) while in a shared dream with their patient. All rolls to heal or provide therapy once within a shared dream are made as if they were happening in the waking world, regardless of whether the patient is nearby (as with The Plunge) or across the world. As well, upon attaining the rank of Resident, the dreamhealer must choose one of the following specializations (or create a similarly powered one with the approval of his player's Storyteller): Battle Injuries, Communicable Disease, Mental Illness, Geriatrics, Pediatrics, Supernatural Illnesses, Reproductive Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Exotic Disease. The Oneirophysic can use the shared dream state to not only speed normal healing, but can diagnose and treat injuries and illnesses within it. Furthermore, he can apply a +4 bonus to all rolls to diagnose or treat within a shared dream, as long as the injury or illness pertains to his particular Psychic Healing specialization.
Rank Three: Intensive Care -- While round-the-clock intensive medical treatment can speed a character's healing process drastically, this kind of medical care is frequently not available to the Lost who are unlikely to have the identification, funding or insurance to facilitate a hospital stay. An Oneirophysic can, through intense effort, duplicate (or exceed) some of the healing offered in modern medical facilities, although at a severe cost to themselves. Using the Intensive Care privilege, an Oneirophysic can sacrifice his own health for that of their patient. The results are astounding; each turn, the Oneirophysic spends a point of Willpower and a single point of the patient's aggravated damage is reduced to lethal, lethal damage is reduced to bashing, or bashing damage is healed entirely (which damage is healed is at the Oneirophysic's discretion). The cost, however, is equally great; for every level of damage reduction, the Oneirophysic takes a point of lethal damage himself. This inflicted damage cannot be avoided through defense, armor or any other means. Attempts to negate the damage transferal also negate the healing process, leaving the patient as severely injured as he was at the beginning of the treatment. Damage incurred through the use of Intensive Care is just as painful to the healer as it was to the patient, and must be healed by the Oneirophysic naturally over time; supernatural healing, dreamhealing to speed the healing process, mundane medical treatments or the use of goblin fruit such as amaranthine have no effect . It is entirely possible for an Oneirophysic to kill himself by injudicious use of this privilege.
Aetherwine — Dangerous Brews
Aetherfruit generally take the form of small grape-like bunches, although they are also sometimes found in larger soft-fleshed forms with a single central stone. When consumed raw they intensify dreams, and are sometimes used by those seeking prophetic visions. When properly processed, however, they produce Aetherwine, a powerful general anesthetic highly coveted by Chirurgeons and Onierophysics, as well as those with lesswholesome intentions for the substance.
Aetherwine must be processed in very small batches, a lengthy process which requires several weeks of careful attention as the Aetherfruit are first fermented and then distilled into a foul-tasting fortified liqueur. (Creating Aetherwine is an extended Wits + Crafts + Wyrd challenge with 20 successes necessary and each roll representing a day of wine-making. Anyone other than Wizened Brewers makes all rolls to create Aetherwine at a -2 penalty, and failure on any individual roll results in the batch being ruined.)
A successful batch of Aetherwine produces only 10 doses. Each one-ounce dose has the potential to render its consumer unconscious almost immediately. (Roll the consumer’s Stamina + Resolve at a -4 penalty. Success or Exceptional Success means the wine does not work. Failure or Dramatic Failure and the consumer falls into a deep dream-state and remains unconscious for 11 turns minus his Stamina + Resolve if the roll was a contested one. The consumer can elect not to resist the Aetherwine’s effect.)
This property is lost if the substance is diluted, and as Aetherwine has a bitter taste and numbs the tongue when tasted, it is difficult (but not impossible) to consume it unknowingly. Tasting the wine without consuming a full dose does not activate its anesthetic property.
Joining
Oneirophysics are most often those who have exhibited a marked interest and acuity for oneiromancy, and who have been approached by current members of the entitlement for additional training and possible indoctrination into the organization. Sometimes, however, a changeling's innate ability and knack for oneiromancy will allow them to spontaneously manifest the entitlement's mien and privileges, without formal mentoring. These cases often come to the attention of the more traditionally indoctrinated members of the entitlement who will investigate them and (assuming the individual is abiding by or willing to conform to the Oneirophysic Oath) will encourage them to formalize their membership in the entitlement. Those who spurn the invitation to formalize their connection to the group as a whole are often seen as "rogues" and treated with scorn and distrust by more traditional members of the entitlement.
Organization
Oneirophysics hold themselves to strict ranks based on skill, ability and demonstrated adherence to the Oneirophysic Oath. Those who show talent and skill but are believed to be less than ethical in their wielding of said abilities are often placed under close scrutiny and investigation by higher ranking members of the entitlement and if found guilty of misusing their abilities, are "dealt with" in a myriad of manners beginning with having their own sleep tormented until they see the error of their ways.
Note: Characters enter the entitlement as Interns, but players may choose to advance their character to higher ranks at any point that they have met the prerequisites for that rank (with the Storyteller's permission).
No Rank: Initiates -- Initiates are those who are being considered or groomed for membership in the Order, but who have not yet been accepted (or spontaneously manifested any of the Order's privileges). They may be students of official members of the entitlement or associates who aid members in their studies, maintain contact between Entitlement members in different freeholds or who act as an information network to locate those who could benefit from the Entitlement's attention. Initiates have neither the entitlement's privileges nor mien and are not officially part of the entitlement, although they are associated with it.
Rank One: Intern -- Interns must meet the basic prerequisites for the entitlement. They may be those Lost who have finished their initial interviews and cursory studies with other members of the entitlement and who have been indoctrinated into the entitlement proper. Alternately, they may be talented rogues who have begun to spontaneously manifest the entitlement's privileges and mien on their own. Due to the nature of the Oneirophysic privilege associated with the Intern rank, some Interns manifest the Intern level Oneirophysic ability (and are spontaneously indoctrinated into the entitlement) in emergency situations, such as when a motley-mate has sustained a life-threatening injury and no other medical aid is available.
Rank Two: Resident -- Resident Oneirophysics have usually undertaken in-depth studies of the healing potential inherent in dreams, and quite often have developed a specialty -- battle wounds, mundane disease, age-related debilitation, mental illness or the like. Some act predominantly as healers for their own motley, while others may serve a freehold or even travel as an itinerant healer, trusting that their paths will take them to those who are most in need of their services. (Prerequisites: Wyrd ●●●, Medicine ●●● + Specialty, Empathy ●● )
Rank Three: Physic -- Full-fledged Physics have wholly come into a sense of oneness with the nature of their entitlement. While they are capable of performing medical miracles, the cost to themselves is a heavy one to bear. Some become quite reclusive, either to deal with the heavy price of their power, or to prevent themselves from being asked to tend to every foolhardy Lost who rushes into dangerous situations without thinking. (Prerequisites: Wyrd ●●●●, Medicine ●●●●, Empathy ●●● )
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