I created this homebrew monster a long time ago, and it's one of my favorites since. Nightmare Weaver
The nightmare weaver is a powerful fiend that feeds off of the fears and nightmares of mortals. It enters the dreams of mortals, displaying a terrifying form, and giving them horrific hallucinations and nightmares. Few can withstand the stress that these dark dreams impose on their minds, and are found dead in their beds. Those that survive often wonder the waking world in fear after the experience. The Weaver continues to torment these individuals with nightmares, and seeks as much as it can to haunt their waking life. The weaver seeks to know a creature's deepest fears, and uses those fears to draw the creature to insanity. Once it's prey cannot understand the difference between the waking world and the dream, the weaver goads it into a vulnerable area, and siphon's off the creature's life force, devouring it's fears in the glorious feast it has been awaiting...
Haunting Form. the Nightmare Weaver appears as a 12 foot-tall humanoid with flaming eyes that billow smoke and flare when it is angry or pursuing prey. The weaver has charcoal black hair that flows unnaturally, as if moved by some invisible wind, and dark red skin. the Weaver has long claw-like nails, and six fingers on one hand. Even when it is taking a humanoid form (such as through polymorph or similar magic), it's six fingered trait still shows through. The Weaver has vampiric teeth, and strange black symbols on it's skin. It normally appears wearing noble clothes, such as long red robes, and ornate armor. If it appears to hunt or kill it's prey however, it will take a more muscular and fearsome form, and wear only armor. When trying to frighten it's prey, the weaver can contort it's limbs and face in uncanny ways, such as stretching it's jaw past the normal range of motion, stretching it's limbs out farther than they should go, or stretching out it's tongue in odd ways.
Palace of Nightmares. Nightmare Weavers are unique among fiends because they can move freely about the planes, for the most part. Many of them form palaces and fortresses in Limbo, where they are free to shape reality bending abodes that suit their needs. These palaces are often laid out in a labrynthine manner, with architecture that seems impossible to mortal humanoids. The Weaver often lures creatures to it's palace with servants across the planes, and then using it is as hunting grounds to chase the creature and feed off it's fears for sport. The weaver then displays the withered bodies of these creatures in it's palace as trophies.
Dark Servants. The Weaver attracts a very specific kind of minion, which carry out it's dark purposes and attract potential prey to it. The Weaver generally uses creatures such as Night Hags, Carrionettes, Incubi ,Rakshasa, Relentless Slashers, and Cambions to terrify and kidnap it's prey, and bring the creatures to it's domain. If the Weaver needs martial support, especially for the purpose of guarding it's palace, then it enlists Bone Devils, Erinyes, Relentless Juggernauts, and the occassional Abishai.
Basically, a dream horror monster. and, if I do say so myself, a fine use of the dream spell, and a much needed one. My idea for these things is that they are devils, in a way, concerned with obtaining souls or fears of creatures, but also relish in the hunt and manipulation of these creatures. Weavers almost gain a high from feeding and attacking what they consider "lesser beings".
My idea for a horror one shot would be to start the players in a small town or city. The party would be hired eventually by the locals to solve a local mystery, and slowly have clues draw them in to the lair of the Weaver. From there the party would be lured into a nightmare, which I would have them play as part of the adventure. Without letting on that it was a nightmare, they would wake up in a dark version of the town, and things would slowly devolve to show the twisted reality for what it is. At the climax, the party would have to fight through this terrifying creature's lair, and be drawn into it's feeding room for a boss battle.
First off, I love this spin on a dream monster. I homebrewed one for my own campaign that stalks characters during the day and attacks while they're sleeping, but I haven't had the chance to playtest it. Given what you're putting together, it might fit nicely, or at least give you an encounter idea: Daymare.
I can see a sort of Stranger Things vibe with this adventure. Odd things are happening in town (pockets of reversed gravity, for example, or inexplicable aging, or people half-turning into monsters) and the PCs learn that a creature is responsible. Only as the adventure progresses, the heroes discover that the odd things aren't real...they're signs of the nightmare they're stuck inside. And if you really want to gaslight your players, you can make some of the "normal" things they encounter also not real - like important NPCs, or locations they visit, or equipment they pick up. Heck, maybe the nightmare world is slowly taking over the waking world, and what/whom the PCs interact with or save has the potential to shape reality. Will their choices allow them to wake up, or will they author their own doomed slumber?
And for the record, I would play the crap out of a horror adventure with this conceit. I'm so down to see what others come up with.
First off, I love this spin on a dream monster. I homebrewed one for my own campaign that stalks characters during the day and attacks while they're sleeping, but I haven't had the chance to playtest it. Given what you're putting together, it might fit nicely, or at least give you an encounter idea: Daymare.
I can see a sort of Stranger Things vibe with this adventure. Odd things are happening in town (pockets of reversed gravity, for example, or inexplicable aging, or people half-turning into monsters) and the PCs learn that a creature is responsible. Only as the adventure progresses, the heroes discover that the odd things aren't real...they're signs of the nightmare they're stuck inside. And if you really want to gaslight your players, you can make some of the "normal" things they encounter also not real - like important NPCs, or locations they visit, or equipment they pick up. Heck, maybe the nightmare world is slowly taking over the waking world, and what/whom the PCs interact with or save has the potential to shape reality. Will their choices allow them to wake up, or will they author their own doomed slumber?
And for the record, I would play the crap out of a horror adventure with this conceit. I'm so down to see what others come up with.
This is dope. I love your input. Tbh I didn't really have a fleshed out idea for this adventure as a whole, so this helps a ton. Awesome idea. I definitely want to mess with the whole dream scape idea
And yeah I feel like the dream spell gets super disregarded, so I really wanted a good application. I was thinking that they go to sleep, have a nightmare, and from then the rest of the adventure they are playing through the nightmare. Instead of taking the psychic damage at the beginning, I was thinking that they start at a high level, but take psychic damage throughout the adventure, which stays permanent.
Another absolutely bonkers idea I had that would not work for a campaign but could potentially work for a one-shot or a mini-campaign/plug-in adventure: long rests are impossible while in the nightmare. You can't benefit from a long rest until you finish it, after all...Plus, that could be the final clue that Something Weird Is Happening Here.
Since it's a dream world, time and physics is whatever you want it to be. Maybe they suddenly get a fly speed. Maybe what feels like 4 days happens in 20 minutes. Maybe they randomly teleport while still having the same conversation (or combat!) just like a real dream randomly shifts scenes. You could well and truly go nuts with this. Again, tough for a long-term campaign, but totally doable over a couple sessions.
Another absolutely bonkers idea I had that would not work for a campaign but could potentially work for a one-shot or a mini-campaign/plug-in adventure: long rests are impossible while in the nightmare. You can't benefit from a long rest until you finish it, after all...Plus, that could be the final clue that Something Weird Is Happening Here.
Since it's a dream world, time and physics is whatever you want it to be. Maybe they suddenly get a fly speed. Maybe what feels like 4 days happens in 20 minutes. Maybe they randomly teleport while still having the same conversation (or combat!) just like a real dream randomly shifts scenes. You could well and truly go nuts with this. Again, tough for a long-term campaign, but totally doable over a couple sessions.
I plan on making this more one-shotish (that's a word). I plan on giving them major detriments and debuffs, but also adding some weird dream buffs. I'll also be watching Inception for some dream scape tips
I created this homebrew monster a long time ago, and it's one of my favorites since. Nightmare Weaver
The nightmare weaver is a powerful fiend that feeds off of the fears and nightmares of mortals. It enters the dreams of mortals, displaying a terrifying form, and giving them horrific hallucinations and nightmares. Few can withstand the stress that these dark dreams impose on their minds, and are found dead in their beds. Those that survive often wonder the waking world in fear after the experience. The Weaver continues to torment these individuals with nightmares, and seeks as much as it can to haunt their waking life. The weaver seeks to know a creature's deepest fears, and uses those fears to draw the creature to insanity. Once it's prey cannot understand the difference between the waking world and the dream, the weaver goads it into a vulnerable area, and siphon's off the creature's life force, devouring it's fears in the glorious feast it has been awaiting...
Haunting Form. the Nightmare Weaver appears as a 12 foot-tall humanoid with flaming eyes that billow smoke and flare when it is angry or pursuing prey. The weaver has charcoal black hair that flows unnaturally, as if moved by some invisible wind, and dark red skin. the Weaver has long claw-like nails, and six fingers on one hand. Even when it is taking a humanoid form (such as through polymorph or similar magic), it's six fingered trait still shows through. The Weaver has vampiric teeth, and strange black symbols on it's skin. It normally appears wearing noble clothes, such as long red robes, and ornate armor. If it appears to hunt or kill it's prey however, it will take a more muscular and fearsome form, and wear only armor. When trying to frighten it's prey, the weaver can contort it's limbs and face in uncanny ways, such as stretching it's jaw past the normal range of motion, stretching it's limbs out farther than they should go, or stretching out it's tongue in odd ways.
Palace of Nightmares. Nightmare Weavers are unique among fiends because they can move freely about the planes, for the most part. Many of them form palaces and fortresses in Limbo, where they are free to shape reality bending abodes that suit their needs. These palaces are often laid out in a labrynthine manner, with architecture that seems impossible to mortal humanoids. The Weaver often lures creatures to it's palace with servants across the planes, and then using it is as hunting grounds to chase the creature and feed off it's fears for sport. The weaver then displays the withered bodies of these creatures in it's palace as trophies.
Dark Servants. The Weaver attracts a very specific kind of minion, which carry out it's dark purposes and attract potential prey to it. The Weaver generally uses creatures such as Night Hags, Carrionettes, Incubi ,Rakshasa, Relentless Slashers, and Cambions to terrify and kidnap it's prey, and bring the creatures to it's domain. If the Weaver needs martial support, especially for the purpose of guarding it's palace, then it enlists Bone Devils, Erinyes, Relentless Juggernauts, and the occassional Abishai.
Basically, a dream horror monster. and, if I do say so myself, a fine use of the dream spell, and a much needed one. My idea for these things is that they are devils, in a way, concerned with obtaining souls or fears of creatures, but also relish in the hunt and manipulation of these creatures. Weavers almost gain a high from feeding and attacking what they consider "lesser beings".
My idea for a horror one shot would be to start the players in a small town or city. The party would be hired eventually by the locals to solve a local mystery, and slowly have clues draw them in to the lair of the Weaver. From there the party would be lured into a nightmare, which I would have them play as part of the adventure. Without letting on that it was a nightmare, they would wake up in a dark version of the town, and things would slowly devolve to show the twisted reality for what it is. At the climax, the party would have to fight through this terrifying creature's lair, and be drawn into it's feeding room for a boss battle.
Updog
That was kind of my idea for this monster. Any DMs or creative people want to take a stab at helping brainstorm a horror adventure out of this?
Updog
First off, I love this spin on a dream monster. I homebrewed one for my own campaign that stalks characters during the day and attacks while they're sleeping, but I haven't had the chance to playtest it. Given what you're putting together, it might fit nicely, or at least give you an encounter idea: Daymare.
I can see a sort of Stranger Things vibe with this adventure. Odd things are happening in town (pockets of reversed gravity, for example, or inexplicable aging, or people half-turning into monsters) and the PCs learn that a creature is responsible. Only as the adventure progresses, the heroes discover that the odd things aren't real...they're signs of the nightmare they're stuck inside. And if you really want to gaslight your players, you can make some of the "normal" things they encounter also not real - like important NPCs, or locations they visit, or equipment they pick up. Heck, maybe the nightmare world is slowly taking over the waking world, and what/whom the PCs interact with or save has the potential to shape reality. Will their choices allow them to wake up, or will they author their own doomed slumber?
And for the record, I would play the crap out of a horror adventure with this conceit. I'm so down to see what others come up with.
This is dope. I love your input. Tbh I didn't really have a fleshed out idea for this adventure as a whole, so this helps a ton. Awesome idea. I definitely want to mess with the whole dream scape idea
Updog
And yeah I feel like the dream spell gets super disregarded, so I really wanted a good application. I was thinking that they go to sleep, have a nightmare, and from then the rest of the adventure they are playing through the nightmare. Instead of taking the psychic damage at the beginning, I was thinking that they start at a high level, but take psychic damage throughout the adventure, which stays permanent.
Updog
Another absolutely bonkers idea I had that would not work for a campaign but could potentially work for a one-shot or a mini-campaign/plug-in adventure: long rests are impossible while in the nightmare. You can't benefit from a long rest until you finish it, after all...Plus, that could be the final clue that Something Weird Is Happening Here.
Since it's a dream world, time and physics is whatever you want it to be. Maybe they suddenly get a fly speed. Maybe what feels like 4 days happens in 20 minutes. Maybe they randomly teleport while still having the same conversation (or combat!) just like a real dream randomly shifts scenes. You could well and truly go nuts with this. Again, tough for a long-term campaign, but totally doable over a couple sessions.
I plan on making this more one-shotish (that's a word). I plan on giving them major detriments and debuffs, but also adding some weird dream buffs. I'll also be watching Inception for some dream scape tips
Updog