Oneiromancy

Origin - Oneiromancy

The endless battle for dominance over the heart of humanity unfolds across all realms, even within the realm of dreams. To counter the insidiously growing strength of darkness on the minds of dreamers, Oneiric Guardians can arise, burdened by choice with the solemn duty of safeguarding dreamers from the clutches of nightmarish terrors. By bravely facing the shadows that haunt both dreamworld and reality, these guardians strive to grant the world a more peaceful slumber, for at times the specter of tragedy lurks just one restless night away.

To become an Oneiric Guardian, one must confront and overcome their personal nightmare and purify it of the negativity associated with it. It isn't just enough to 'defeat' the nightmare, one has to meaningfully embrace it in some way, turning it from a weakness to a strength. If someone of the appropriate age and potential can do this, one can bring a piece of that sanctified nightmare into the real world with them. It will serve as the focus and symbol of their new power over dreams and allows them to join the ranks of the Oneiric Guardians... if they so choose. Every such talisman is unique and specific to the nightmare it came from, be it a friendly talking spider, a tiny and cute version of the monster under their bed, or a locket symbolizing the loss of a loved one. The observant foe can potentially gain some insight into the Guardian by the shape of their talisman or its reflection in their powers.

In addition to encouraging restful, positive slumber, self-realization through dreaming and good feelings, Oneiric Guardians get their name from their responsibility in confronting Nightmares with a capital N. In a place where magic is stronger, the powers of darkness can manifest by realizing someone's nightmare into a Youma that must be confronted. In addition, there are Youma that spread, prey on, and draw strength from nightmares in the dreaming world, as well as in reality. Oneiric Guardians can sometimes see when someone is touched by these despairing shadows and must intervene before this darkness wholley consumes its victims. This intervention can take any number of forms, typically battles in the dream world where the guardians either help the victim confront their fears head-on, casting out the shadow in their mind, or defeat the dream-demon themselves by ultimately capturing and purifying it through their talismans, reducing it into harmless dream energy.

As befitting something that draws its powers from something as individualized as dreams, Oneiric Guardians can vary wildly in style and appearance, with their powers frequently reflecting the talisman from which they channel dream magic. Commonalities do exist, however, with manifestations of their powers having an ephemeral, dreamy quality to it, a haze of sparkles and shimmering light surrounding them. Manifestation of sleeping sand, tapirs or their mythological counterparts in the Baku, or other cultural associations with dreaming can often appear when they invoke the fullness of their power or transformation.