Mikey's Beautiful Dreamers
Title: Beautiful Dreamers
- Game: Tapestry
- Date: August 2003
- Author: Mikey Powell
Note: This module has not been as carefully edited and formatted by me (Cayzle) in preparation for inclusion in the Woldipedia because I hope to play it someday!)
Here is the game as it originally ran in the Velvet Tap in 2003.
Basic idea: A town is plagued by a dream demon from the past, and inquisitors who come only seek to purge everything through destruction. Only the players can find the true demon, and save the lives of everyone, but everything is so dreamy and uncertain…
Course of Events Summary: (BOLD indicates potential combat)
- Week 1 (and maybe part of 2): Blizzard.
- Week 2: “The Garden of Nin” and Kyria.
- Week 3-4: Aeschlepios, Nin, Inquisitors.
- Week 5: Dreadful Dreams.
- Week 6: Fighting the Nightmare.
- Week 7: The Inquisition and the choice.
- Week 8: Fighting on the side of reality or dream, Destruction of Tranquility.
- Week 9: Return to the Garden. Destroying the Demon. Kyria’s death, and possible rebirth.
Plot: A girl was secretly infused by her loving witch mother with a dream being years ago in an attempt to save her life. She lived on, but the town began to suffer from a mysterious malady of people not waking up from dreams. In fact, those who dream find themselves having such wonderful fun that they just keep on dreaming and never wake up. Only by convincing the girl to wake up (and defeating the dream demon) can the town be fully healed and offered hope for the future.
Game Starts:
Week One (maybe part of two): The Blizzard.
This is the cold, uncertain, and yet for some reason oddly peaceful beginning. Everything is barren and lifeless. With a good search (a decent track roll, perhaps) they can discover the remnants of a trail, and that is their only hope, or they can blindly stumble through the storm… Either way, for a week of postings and as long as it takes to bring them suffering in gametime, they are trapped without mercy in a blizzard.
The characters must proceed through this area suffering damage, perilous danger close at hand, and no respite from the cruel harshness of nature. Attempts to find shelter are quickly destroyed, and they eventually must either give up or trudge onwards, clinging to the hope that they can survive. Wolves, avalanches, perilous winter storms, unending freezing cold biting winds, whatever it takes to get the players to feel unfair, to feel lost and hopeless. (This is a dangerous idea, because most games are supposed to be fun…but I hope it works out.)
Ideas to inflict upon the characters: The main thing is, that at this point they should be confused, cold, and trying to help each other progress. Attempts to find shelter, to warm themselves, to escape the cold blizzard should only result in other problems. They should proceed onwards, into the blinding snowstorm.
Examples of things:
- Blizzard: Fortitude check DC 13 every so often, or suffer 1d4 subdual damage. For every save that one makes, the check’s DC increases by two. So, if a warrior makes the first five saves, then misses one at DC 21, his next save is at DC 21 as well.
- Avalanche: Everyone make a reflex save at DC 20. For those who fail, make a Fort save at DC 15. Those who fail both take lots of damage, but those who made the reflex save take only freezing damage.
- Cracking ice: The area the characters step upon suddenly breaks and they fall. Reflex save: DC 20 to avoid falling in. Those who miss it must make swimming checks at DC 15 (+1 for every 5 pounds they carry!) in order to get out, and must repeatedly try until they get out. Each person who fails the swim check must make a Fortitude save at DC 15, or take 2d6 subdual damage. Those who make it take only 1d6 subdual damage. Further, until they get warmer, the DC of all their saves against the blizzard increases by four.
- Wolves: Never actually present them, but they’re always there…watching…
- Snowfall: Characters must make reflex saves at DC 15, or fall into icy pits. (Takes 1d6 damage) No problem really getting them out, just an annoyance.
- And so on. If things don’t seem scary enough, stretch this out another week…as long as it takes so that everyone starts suffering.
Week 2:
Suddenly, a beautiful garden, filled with faeries! As the players stand there, gaping at trees ripe with fruit and a few beautiful little pixies dancing around happily with each other, they see a young girl with a head full of hair running through the garden, playing and giggling. She stops, seeing the people, and simultaneously looks delighted, concerned, and wary.
The characters feel that this is a respite from the storm, which rages fully just beyond the cove that this area makes. It’s warm, and perhaps there’s even a hotspring or something like that. A large tree with ripe, delicious looking fruit dominates the center of the area, at the base of which is a large stone with undecipherable runes. Throughout the area is beautiful flowers and the occasionally remnants of some structure.
The pixies and the girl are extremely nice to the characters, and will answer any questions they can. Portray the girl as happy, dreamy, careless, lonely somewhat (except for her faerie companions, who all love her, but some of whom almost seem sad…).
Things she knows:
Her name is Kyria. She lives in the town nearby, Aeschlepios. She can give directions: It’s just nearby, and it’s easy to get to, only a few minutes walking. They have walked into her “Secret Garden”, a place she pronounces is her secret, and she tries to swear them to secrecy. This place used to be a temple, but something happened a long time back. Since then, most people don’t like the area, and faeries and other creatures come here to be safe.
She’s very happy that she has so many friends here: If pressed, she says that the people in the town don’t trust her because of her mother, but she can’t figure out why, her mother’s the nicest person in the world. She loves to play with the other kids, who used to come here, but now they don’t anymore.
The girl gives them a few last parting comments, hugs, and then says she’ll see them later on.
Week 3 (perhaps 4 as well):
The town is large and seems to be active and quite nice from a distance, but as they approach they hear a guard trumpeting, and people eagerly approach in tired, worn out-looking throngs, calling out, “Thank heavens! It’s the priests!”
The townspeople have been waiting for priests from the temple of (?) to arrive. Why? Because their town is---accursed! People go to sleep and just don’t wake up. (With careful asking, one might realize that it’s also mainly the children that fall asleep…)
Well, they all mutter and go off doing what they usually do…trying to stay awake, most of them.
If the characters ask anybody in specific about things, they get the answer that there is the witch… (Nin Gikuga) and a round of mumbling begins. People obviously don’t trust her.
If they go to visit this old woman (Nin), as it’s getting towards dusk, they come across her hut…and they see the little girl (Kyria) skipping along nearby, happily. She sees them and goes to greet them, but the mother opens the door and calls her back. The mother treats her with obvious affection but also obviously doesn’t want to deal with the characters. She can be very mean.
Nin/Old Woman/Witch: She is actually a powerful sorcerer, but forbidden to use magic. (She’s basically a witch of 12th or so level)
If they don’t visit the witch, nothing happens. In any case, just as they’re settling down after a few hours, the inquisitors arrive. They give the town its proclamation as dusk settles. Nobody can leave, until this curse of the demons is lifted. One person points out that their usual method of dealing with demons is to kill and torture and burn… People begin worriedly going to sleep. Characters, who still suffer from fatigue, should probably get some sleep too. Ever since they’ve been here, they should be feeling tired…
Throughout the above scenes, have everyone make will and fortitude checks at random times. They slowly feel sleepier and sleepier… Those who are elves or demihumans feel even sleepier than those are humans.
Week 5: The Dreaming
Option One: They all fall asleep eventually, or they try to stay awake, to the sounds of distant bells at the edge of their minds. Those who stay awake hopefully must full asleep…eventually. Just keep on the will checks…and even if they make them, they’re getting minuses to it.
Everyone who’s dreaming wakes up, and it’s a strangely warm day compared to yesterday. As they step out, they see people heading somewhere… Everyone’s walking through the streets, heading towards something. It’s a beautiful sunny day, and people are excited. They hear a bell tolling off in the distance. Dimly tolling, beckoning them.
Everyone’s heading out of town, walking a ways up to the great and beautiful temple. The inquisitors and the players are the only ones who aren’t obviously under mind control.
They follow, and enter the temple to see the high priestess before a strangely glowing statue. The high priestess is…the witch. The demon is an extremely evil looking creature (of whatever imagination we devise), who when the players look at it, stares at them, blinks with surprisingly familiar eyes in surprise and they suddenly awake.
Option Two: They dream they wake up, and it’s a beautiful day. Everything’s wonderful, everybody’s nice to them, and Kyria approaches them asking to play. All that day people are playing, and having a great time. Then the bell rings… and it goes back up to the option one.
Option three: They dream of beautiful, wonderful things, but find themselves bothered also by hidden nightmares. This option would be filled with incredibly obsequious and strange descriptions of the dreaming world, and constantly shifting from one thing to another. They feel lost, in this dream. But finally, they hear the bell tolling, as though it’s a heart beat, and it draws them to the temple…and Kyria pleads to them as they enter, apparently the only one unnaffected by it, “Please…stop it…kill it.”
I like this option, as it allows for floating, vague dream-like descriptions with vivid details for players to draw upon. I might even say, “Now, describe your characters’ most wonderful dreams.” And leave them to do it…and then draw them to each toher, then to the temple with the girl. This is the most interesting approach, it allows many things.
Week 6:
The players should follow the path that led to the temple. Coincidentally, it is the dream garden…but upon entering the dream garden at night, they encounter the demon and its minions. Combat ensues.
Week 7:
Upon killing the demon…they wake up again!!! This time, they’re really awake…or are they? (hehehe)
Nearly everyone in the town has woken up from the curse and they begin to clamor outside as dawn approaches. Before long, the inquisitors emerge, and they explain things that happened…as the witch’s evil cult.
Everyone heads to burn the witch!
The players can try to intervene, or whatnot, but the crowd is too violent to be stopped. The priests ignore them, and when they get to the witch’s house, she cries out at them in obvious hatred, to go away.
The girl, Kyria, steps in front of her mother, begging them not to hurt her. At this point, the players have the option of saying something.
Option one: If they stand by, doing nothing, or accuse the mother of being a witch, in any case the mother is set upon by the people. Kyria watches as they drag her away, and cries. Finally, creatures come out of nowhere and set upon the townspeople, the priests, and the players.
(See below for dream monsters)
Once the players destroy the dream monsters, the girl screams at the inquisitor to let her mother go, that she’s innocent, but if he wants a demon, she’ll give him one…and she does, changing into a half-demon, half-kyria form that slaughters him, then flying off.
Option two:
If they defend Kyria’s mother, she will thank them, and the guards will attack the players. The people will back away…the priest will cast a spell of destruction that strikes the girl instead of the mother, because she steps in the way. “You dare??” she cries out, and seems to become something different… A subimage of the demon appears interposed over Kyria’s body, and it strikes at the priest, sending him into gibbering antics. Then, Kyria withdraws into herself, becoming a pure dream, crying out one last thing: “I just wanted to be with my friends! And none of you would let me…not you, the mayor, not you the priests, not you my friends, not even you, my own mother! I…I…only you would protect me! And…” as she’s in full image, only her ghostly self remaining, as the demon begins to go away, “please…end my suffering…”
In either option, the mother (Nin) breaks down after the daughter is gone and confesses everything. Years ago, she found the strange temple, and learned of its secrets in the dream realm, of magics, “But only beneficial ones would I use…all my life. Then something horrible happened; my daughter, my lovely daughter, died.” She went to the temple, and found the spell of true endless life, and cast it, using her daughter’s (Kyria) body…and sure enough, her daughter lived on. But things began change. Her daughter never grew older and seemed to become alien. Then her friends started falling asleep and never waking up… The creature must be put to rest, but her daughter…she doesn’t know.
Week 8: Combat.
Week 9:
In any case, the players should now head to the temple. The inquisitors and their bodyguards should be dead, and the townspeople are all too weak from their ordeals…
When they get to the garden at dawn, everything is as beautiful as ever…but it seems somehow a false truth.
If they chose Option One, then the creature is hideous, and turns and attacks them with more of its dream creatures.
If they chose Option Two, the girl is sitting there crying. The faeries that surround her seem of two minds; some seem to be trying to comfort her, others are telling her that they all hate her, that she’ll never be happy again. When the faeries see the players entering, the comforting ones (by far the minority) say, “Here, they come to help you!” The girl looks up…and the mean faeries seem to become monstrous, growing. Suddenly, the phantasmal dream creature appears, warping around the tree, which becomes as ugly and disgusting as the demon. It grasps the girl and begins pulling her over to the stone table (an altar: insert that above when they enter the garden. Maybe that rock next to the tree is moved a distance and it’s the altar?).
Hopefully, the characters destroy the faeries and the dream demon…but it wounds the girl.
The girl lies dying, poisoned, as the mother and others arrive after the combat.
She falls to the ground in the midst of this desolate place, and the winter winds feel like its picking up. As her life leaves her, she asks if everyone’s okay…and says she just wanted friends to play with her. Her mother holds her, and cries, and she tells her mother not to worry, that dreams live on somehow, and to keep on believing in the dream. Not to warp it or change it… that it wasn’t the spell that made her monstrous, but that nobody believed in her dream. She asks her mother to sing that song, and the mother does as she dies…
She seems to shimmer out of existence, her mortal body long gone. The faeries fly around her, changing into other youths who gave up their lives to be with her and the wind picks up dangerously. As the Tapestry fades, the characters see the area, though desolate and no garden, has now a single sapling growing in the center of it.
End Matter
Items allowed list: One from table one, two from table two, three from table three, four from table four.
Anytime it lists multiple items per line assume that you choose only one item unless specifically said.
Fighters: These items are oriented around those who value strength and damage, the ‘tanks’.
Table I:
A +3 weapon or 20 +3 ammunition.
A +2 ring of protection, +2 cloak of resistance, +2 amulet of natural armor, +2 suit of armor, +2 shield, or +2 bracers of armor.
Rhino Hide.
Ten Javelins of Lightning.
Belt of Giant Strength +4.
Dwarven Thrower.
Table II:
A +2 weapon or 20 +2 ammunition.
A +1 ring of protection, +1 cloak of resistance, +1 amulet of natural armor, +1 suit of armor, +1 shield, or +1 bracers of armor.
Ring of Minor Elemental Resistance (Choice).
Cloak of Displacement (Minor).
Gauntlets of Ogre Power +2 or Amulet of Constitution +2.
Necklace of Fireballs Type II or III.
Boots of Striding and Springing.
Table III:
A +1 weapon or 20 +1 ammunition.
Bracers of Archery (Lesser).
Elemental Gem (Choice).
Elixir of Fire Breath.
Gloves of Swimming and Climbing.
Horn of Valhalla.
Necklace of Fireballs Type I.
Any nonmagical Mithral or Adamantine weapon or armor.
Adding Resistance: Choice to armor, or “Defending”, “Throwing”, “Ghost Touch” to weapon.
Table IV: Any masterwork item.
Ring of Climbing, Jumping, or Swimming.
Four potions/Oil: Cure Light Wounds, Endure Elements, Hide from Animals, Hide from Undead, Jump, Mage Armor, Magic Fang, Magic Stone, Magic Weapon, Pass without Trace, Protection from (choice), Remove Fear, Sanctuary, Shillelagh.
One Potion/Oil: Enlarge/Reduce Person, Aid, Barkskin +2, Bear’s Endurance, Bull’s Strength, Blur, Cat’s Grace, Cure Moderate Wounds, Darkness, Darkvision, Delay Poison, Eagle’s Splendor, Fox’s Cunning, Invisibility, Lesser Restoration, Levitate, Misdirection, Owl’s Wisdom, Protection from Arrows, Remove Paralysis, Resist Energy (Choice), Shield of Faith +3, Spider Climb, Undetectable Alignment.
Potion: Heroism or one Oil: Greater Magical Weapon +2, Flaming, Frost, Shocking, Icy, Keen.
Darkwood shield.
Rogues: These items are oriented around agility, speed, and utility. Table I:
A +3 Cloak of Resistance.
Rapier of Puncturing.
Sword of Subtlety.
A +2 suit of armor, +2 weapon, +2 shield, 20 +2 ammo, +2 ring of protection, +2 bracers of armor, +2 amulet of natural armor.
A suit of +2 armor with the quality “Shadow”, “Slick”, or “Silent Moves”.
Ring of Freedom of Movement.
Ring of Blinking.
Amulet of Mighty Fists +2.
Table II:
A +2 Cloak of Resistance. A +1 suit of armor, +1 weapon, +1 shield, 20 +1 ammo, +1 ring of protection, or +1 amulet of natural armor, or +1 bracers of armor.
A suit of +1 armor with the quality “Shadow”, “Slick”, or “Silent Moves”.
Ring of Shooting Stars.
Ring of Invisibility.
Ring of Minor Elemental Resistance (Choice).
Boots of Speed or Striding and Springing.
Cape of the Mounteback.
Cloak of the Arachnid or Bat.
Gloves of Dexterity +2, Cloak of Charisma +2.
Necklace of Fireballs Type III or IV.
Table III: A +1 Cloak of Resistance.
Cloak of Elvenkind.
Ring of the Ram.
Ring of Mind Shielding.
Bag of Tricks (Any).
Belt of Dwarvenkind.
Boots of Elvenkind.
Brooch of Shielding.
Circlet of Persuasion.
Eyes of the Eagle.
Gloves of Swimming and Climbing.
Goggles of Minute Seeing.
Helm of Comprehending Languages and Read Magic.
Necklace of Fireballs Type I or II.
Table IV:
Any masterwork item.
Wand of Wonder.
Ring of Improved Climbing, Improved Jumping, or Improved Swimming.
Ring of Chameleon Power.
Potion: Displacement, Flame Arrow, Haste, Nondetection.
Four potions/Oil: Cure Light Wounds, Endure Elements, Hide from Animals, Hide from Undead, Jump, Mage Armor, Magic Fang, Magic Stone, Magic Weapon, Pass without Trace, Protection from (choice), Remove Fear, Sanctuary, Shillelagh.
One Potion/Oil: Enlarge/Reduce Person, Aid, Barkskin +2, Bear’s Endurance, Bull’s Strength, Blur, Cat’s Grace, Cure Moderate Wounds, Darkness, Darkvision, Delay Poison, Eagle’s Splendor, Fox’s Cunning, Invisibility, Lesser Restoration, Levitate, Misdirection, Owl’s Wisdom, Protection from Arrows, Remove Paralysis, Resist Energy (Choice), Shield of Faith +3, Spider Climb, Undetectable Alignment.
Four Divine or Arcane Scrolls (0 level spells).
Two Divine or Arcane Scrolls (1st level spells).
One Divine or Arcane Scroll (2nd level spell).
Elixir of Hiding, Sneaking, Swimming, Vision, Hearing.
Wizards: These items tend to be oriented around the purer magic and firepower.
Table I: A +3 ring of protection, +3 bracers of armor, or +3 amulet of natural armor.
A +2 suit of armor, +2 weapon, +2 shield, 20 +2 ammo, +2 ring of protection, or +2 cloak of resistance.
Ring of Wizardry (I-IV).
One: Wand of Fireball, Lightning Bolt, Dispel Magic, Keen Edge, Slow, Summon Monster III.
Headband of Intellect +4.
Table II:
A +2 ring of protection, +2 bracers of armor, or +2 amulet of natural armor.
A +1 suit of armor, +1 weapon, +1 shield, 20 +1 ammo, or +1 cloak of resistance.
Ring of Major Energy Resistance (Choice).
Arcane Scroll of 5th-6th level, or 4 3rd-4th level spells.
One: Wand of Eagle’s Splendor, Cat’s Grace, Bull’s Strength, Fox’s Cunning, Bear’s Endurance, Owl’s Wisdom, Ghoul Touch, Knock, Levitate, Acid Arrow, Mirror Image, Summon Monster II, Magic Missile (7th), Web.
Headband of Intellect +2 or Gloves of Dexterity +2.
Necklace of Fireballs Type III or IV.
Robe of Blending.
Table III:
A +1 ring of protection, +1 bracers of armor, or +1 amulet of natural armor.
Ring of Feather Falling.
Ring of Evasion.
Ring of Minor Energy Resistance (Choice).
Arcane Scroll of 3rd-4th level spell.
One: Wand of Detect Magic, Light, Burning Hands, Charm Person, Color Spray, Detect Secret Doors, Magic Missile (1st), Summon Monster I, or Shocking Grasp.
Boots of Levitation.
Brooch of Shielding.
Hand of the Mage.
Necklace of Fireballs Type I or II.
Table IV: Any masterwork item.
Ring of water walking.
Ring of Climbing, Jumping, or Swimming.
Potion: Gaseous Form, Magic Circle against (Choice), Magic Vestment, Nondetection, Protection from Energy (choice), Water Breathing.
Four potions/Oil: Cure Light Wounds, Endure Elements, Hide from Animals, Hide from Undead, Jump, Mage Armor, Magic Fang, Magic Stone, Magic Weapon, Pass without Trace, Protection from (choice), Remove Fear, Sanctuary, Shillelagh.
One Potion/Oil: Enlarge/Reduce Person, Aid, Barkskin +2, Bear’s Endurance, Bull’s Strength, Blur, Cat’s Grace, Cure Moderate Wounds, Darkness, Darkvision, Delay Poison, Eagle’s Splendor, Fox’s Cunning, Invisibility, Lesser Restoration, Levitate, Misdirection, Owl’s Wisdom, Protection from Arrows, Remove Paralysis, Resist Energy (Choice), Shield of Faith +3, Spider Climb, Undetectable Alignment.
Four Arcane Scrolls (0 level spells).
Two Arcane scrolls (1st level spells).
One Arcane scroll (2nd level spell).
Cleric: These guys have a great defense selection, and are very moderate on everything else.
Table I: A +3 shield or +3 suit of armor.
A +2 weapon, 20 +2 ammo, +2 ring of protection, +2 cloak of resistance, +2 amulet of natural armor, +2 bracers of armor.
Pearl of Power
A +2 shield of shocking bashing.
Rod of Thunder and Lightning.
Amulet of Health +4.
The Bronze Shield of Vurlaz:
Pearl of Power (5th)
(Dwarves only): Dwarven Thrower.
(Druids only): Sylvan Scimitar.
Table II:
A +2 shield or +2 suit of armor.
A +1 weapon, 20 +1 ammo, +1 ring of protection, +1 cloak of resistance, +1 amulet of natural armor, +1 bracers of armor.
Rod of Withering.
Ring of Minor Energy Resistance (Choice).
Divine Scroll (5th-6th level spell or 4 3-4th level spells).
Amulet of Health +2 or Cloak of Charisma +2.
Horn of Blasting.
Necklace of Fireballs Type II or III.
Pearl of Power (4th).
Periapt of Wisdom +2.
Table III: A +1 shield or +1 suit of armor.
Divine Scroll (3rd–4th level spell).
Circlet of Blasting (Minor).
Eagle Eyes Lens.
Necklace of Fireballs Type I.
Pearl of Power (2nd or 3rd)
Druid’s Vestment.
Table IV: Any masterwork item. Ring of Animal Friendship.
Ring of Climbing, Jumping, or Swimming.
Four potions/Oil: Cure Light Wounds, Endure Elements, Hide from Animals, Hide from Undead, Jump, Mage Armor, Magic Fang, Magic Stone, Magic Weapon, Pass without Trace, Protection from (choice), Remove Fear, Sanctuary, Shillelagh.
One Potion/Oil: Enlarge/Reduce Person, Aid, Barkskin +2, Bear’s Endurance, Bull’s Strength, Blur, Cat’s Grace, Cure Moderate Wounds, Darkness, Darkvision, Delay Poison, Eagle’s Splendor, Fox’s Cunning, Invisibility, Lesser Restoration, Levitate, Misdirection, Owl’s Wisdom, Protection from Arrows, Remove Paralysis, Resist Energy (Choice), Shield of Faith +3, Spider Climb, Undetectable Alignment.
One Potion/Oil: Barkskin +3, Shield of Faith +4, Cure Serious Wounds, Daylight, Magic Vestment, Neutralize Poison, Remove (Either Blindness, Deafness, Curse, Disease), Tongues.
Four Divine Scrolls (0 level spells).
Two Divine scrolls (1st level spells).
One Divine scroll (2nd level spell).
Pearl of Power (1st level spell).
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