The arts of dream manipulation are practiced by many changelings. Though all have the ability to shape dreams, not all bother to hone the skill. True oneiromancers seek to understand the nuances of the human condition, as expressed through dreams. The Skill associated with oneiromancy is Empathy — because changelings were once mortal, their manipulation of dreams is, of necessity, half psychology. They do not have the potency of Wyrd to wholesale reshape dreams the way the True Fae do, but if changelings understand what dreams mean and how they work, they can get the same result from a mortal dreamscape.
Entering Dreams
A changeling can always enter his own dreams without any difficulty. Moreover, he can always enter the dreams of his fetch simply by spending a point of Willpower as the changeling enters slumber. Changelings may enter the dreams of other through the use of a pledge, using the dreaming task. Motleys commonly enter one another's reams to keep a concerned eye on their brethren's dream-lives, and changelings often work dreaming tasks into the pledges they use to ensorcell mortals.
Entering the dreams of one bound to a dreaming task through the use of a pledge is an exercise of Wyrd, rather than innate power; thus, a changeling must spend a point of Glamour to enter the dreams of those the changelings are pledged to protect, rather than the point of Willpower the changelings use to haunt their fetches.
To enter the dreams of another, a changeling must enter a deep, meditative sleep. Because this requires a connection to the dreamstuff of the Hedge, where the Wyrd runs thick, the changeling must either be in a Hollow or in the Hedge itself — though, unsurprisingly, lying down and taking a nap while on a jaunt through the Hedge is considered more than a little foolhardy.
Then, the changeling's player makes a normal meditation roll (Meditation, p. 51 WoD core), except that the target number depends on the destination dream, per the chart below. The changeling may add his Wyrd to the roll.
| Target Number
| Destination Dream
|
| 8 Successes
| Personal Dreams
|
| 12 Successes
| Fetch's Dreams
|
| 16 Successes
| Dream-tasked Dreams
|
Though a changeling does pass through his own dreamscape as he follows the lines of Wyrd to the dreams of others, he need not use this technique to simply enter his own dreams and control them as he sleeps. The oneiromancer is a complete master of his own dreams and needs neither special meditative sleep techniques not the presence of the Hedge in order to manipulate his own dreamscape.
Waking
If a loud noise occurs nearby or something disturbs the oneiromancer's body, a reflexive Resolve + Composure roll is required to stay within his dream-state. If the roll fails, he immediately awakens, yanked from his reverie.
Likewise, an oneiromancer can choose to exit a dream at any time with a successful Resolve + Composure roll and an instant action. However, the one whose dreamscape serves as the setting for a dream-visitation is not so fortunate. Non-lucid dreamers have no control over whether or not they can end the dream. A lucid dreamer or oneiromancer can make a Resolve + Composure roll to awaken, as above, but this roll can be reflexively opposed by a present oneiromancer's Wits + Empathy + Wyrd roll; indeed, multiple oneiromancers may reflexively use Teamwork to assist one another in keeping the dreamer asleep until they are finished with their goals there.
Related
