Dream Realm/History

After the gods were dead and their corpses drifted forlornly, shedding rivers of golden ichor in the void, a vile cancer nested among the mortal realms that had been devastated by war, forming a mass of profane darkness in the heart of existence, and that darkness extended its tendrils to the mortal worlds around it, slowly absorbing them into itself while the few unfortunate souls who still survived there were doomed to experience a gruesome and appalling fate—this was the birth of the Dream Realm.^[1]

At the same time, something else had been born in the hidden space between the realms, between dream and reality, woven out of Strings of Fate, its vast, unfathomable tapestry glistening with silver light in the darkness and tethered to the souls of fallen deities it had consumed, and that was the Nightmare Spell. The Nightmare Spell waited patiently as the Dream Realm slowly absorbed all the remaining mortal realms and became vast and dreadful, and when the Seeds of Nightmare bloomed in the hearts of the people of Mictlan and surrounding lands, the Spell infected the dying world, culled the population of the Sun Realm, and put those who carried the seeds of Corruption in their souls to the test, where the Seeds became battlegrounds for the Spell's trials, allowing those who survived to step on the Path of Ascension and escape Corruption while those who did not succumbed and became Nightmare Creatures, and although the Spell pushed its carriers toward greater and greater power without mercy or compassion, the Sun Realm eventually fell, forcing the Nightmare Spell to retreat and wait again as other realms, such as the Beast Realm, also fell, until only the Realm of War remained.^[1]

Hundreds of millions of mundane humans inhabited the Dream Realm, many of whom were refugees or from the outskirts of the overcrowded siege capitals. Many inhabited the sprawling cities surrounding the three Great Citadels, but most settled in lesser Citadels scattered around the human-controlled regions, forming dozens of towns and developing rapidly.^[2]

Their lives had only improved after leaving the waking world behind, but they could not return without risking their lives. The moment a mundane human entered the Dream Realm, a Seed of Nightmare was planted into their soul. However, that seed would not bloom, summoning them into the First Nightmare, unless one of two conditions had been met: stepping back into the waking world or leaving the territory of the Domain to which they had pledged loyalty. As long as the Sovereigns willed it, their mundane subjects were protected from the ravages of the Nightmare Spell. This led to a significant increase in the number of Awakened in the last four years, with many challenging the First Nightmare and even surviving.^[2]

The Great Clans had been secretly preparing for a crisis when hundreds of millions of people entered the Dream Realm. Many specialists in building robust infrastructure were found among the refugees or recruited from the waking world. These champions of civilization on the hostile magical frontier were challenged due to the Dream Realm's subtly different laws from the waking world. However, human intelligence prevailed.^[3]

Despite the significant expansion of humanity's presence in the Dream Realm, they remained reliant on the waking world for numerous purposes.^[4]

Following the conflict, Nephis was declared the ruler of a new unified territory called the Human Domain. Her ascent to power was solidified by her victory in the war and her status as the only known Supreme, which left little room for opposition. She had already secured the loyalty of the Saints, ensuring a smooth transition of power.^[5]

After Nephis rose to power, she compelled most Saints and countless others to swear fealty, but resistance remained. Loyalists who refused to accept her and sought to avenge the fallen Sovereigns were quietly purged—few were killed, but many were exiled. These exiles were relocated to a settlement in Europe and a Citadel in Godgrave, now led by Old Jest. Among them was Gilead, who also chose exile.^[5]

In the past, only two types of Awakened populated the Dream Realm: those who entered it in their sleep and those who were Lost. Those who entered in their sleep could return to their physical bodies by touching a Gateway, while the Lost were doomed to remain in the Dream Realm forever, or until they conquered the Second Nightmare. However, countless people have since entered the Dream Realm through Dream Gates, crossing the realm boundary in the flesh rather than merely in spirit, meaning they have no sleeping bodies to return to. Gateways still function for them, but differently. Masters return to the place where they established their tether, while Awakened are sent by the Spell to the location in the waking world where they were last present. There are two exceptions: the Lost, who possess no true body and cannot return to the waking world, and people who have never been to the waking world at all.^[6]

The Dream Realm is also home to people who originated there. Previously, only two known humans had never been to the waking world: Saint Ling, Effie's child, who was carried across the realm boundary and allowed to leave an imprint on Earth, and the Dreamspawn, who was born in the Dream Realm and later crossed into the waking world with assistance from Clan Valor. Now there are many such people, including the River People, who have never been to the waking world. It is unclear what would happen if one of them attempted to use a Gateway, and Rain believes that no one has tested it.^[6]

Individuals who enter the Dream Realm in the flesh can return to Earth through a Gateway if they originally came from the waking world. Rain and her companions, having entered in the flesh, were sent by the Spell to the vicinity of the Seed they destroyed rather than being returned to sleeping bodies and having their Dream Realm manifestations merged with their original physical shells. Because they originated in the waking world, they could return home without assistance from a Saint or a Supreme. However, Sunny faced a different situation. Although he could cross the realm boundary, the waking world rejected his presence and continually attempted to push him out, allowing him to visit only briefly.^[6]

For those who spend long periods there, the Dream Realm can come to feel more real than Earth.^[6]