Currently writing the first arc for my first campaign. Using Wildemount as a setting and just fleshing out a rough storyline. So far, I've got the players arriving in a town where the population has been plagued with nightmares since a nearby mine collapsed.
The basic idea so far is that this mine conceals the entrance to an Aeorian ruin containing a lab where they were developing a DreamSeed — a device that can influence the dreams of sleepers nearby, subtly shaping their subconscious thoughts . Over time, this manipulation can affect a person's emotions, decisions, and even their actions while awake.(but when undirected just causes weird nightmarish visions)
The premise is that the Aeorians were developing it to encourage populations on the continent to turn away from the gods, but in this campaign, a rogue faction wants to use it to push for war between neighbouring empires.
Any suggestions for how best to run this, or potential encounters, twists, or outcomes? I've come up with a first draft for the item, but again, it's my first time really coming up with anything like this, so I'm not sure how workable it is. To start with, the players aren’t going to know how to use it anyway, as none of them can cast Identify, so it’ll just be a paperweight for most of the time they have it — but I want to flesh out its properties now so I know how to use it if and when it does get activated, whether by them or someone else.
Properties
Activation: As an action, the attuned user activates the device. For the next 8 hours, the device continuously emits a psionic field within a 120-foot radius.
Dream Influence: Any creature that falls asleep within the radius must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed for the duration of their sleep. While charmed this way, the creature’s dreams are influenced, causing subtle shifts in their attitudes or beliefs (DM discretion).
Suggestion in Dreams: Once during the sleep period, the user can mentally implant a simple suggestion (similar to the Suggestion spell) that manifests as a dream command or compelling vision.
Limitations:
The device only affects creatures actively sleeping in range.
Creatures who succeed on the saving throw are immune to this effect for the next 24 hours.
To fully change a characters alignment/morals/views the same suggestion would need to be implanted every night for 25 days
For a D&D twist maybe have the Dream Seed in place of the Skull of Corruption and use some form of Night Hag as a power source as they have a nightmare haunting ability that could be quite apt.
EDIT: a second option, how about a vault lined with jars...brains in jars! It was the Aeorians attempt a creating a construct that would mimic a Mind Flayer Elder brain and their experiment went a little awry.
Properties
Any creature that falls asleep within the radius must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or be charmed for the duration of their sleep. While charmed this way, the creature’s dreams are influenced, causing subtle shifts in their attitudes or beliefs (DM discretion).
Once during the sleep period, the user can mentally implant a simple suggestion (similar to the Suggestion spell) that manifests as a dream command or compelling vision.
You could always burrow from the Elder Scrolls: Skyrim and use the Waking Nightmares quest for some inspiration, link to wiki here: https://elderscrolls.fandom.com/wiki/Waking_Nightmare
For a D&D twist maybe have the Dream Seed in place of the Skull of Corruption and use some form of Night Hag as a power source as they have a nightmare haunting ability that could be quite apt.
EDIT: a second option, how about a vault lined with jars...brains in jars! It was the Aeorians attempt a creating a construct that would mimic a Mind Flayer Elder brain and their experiment went a little awry.