(••••) Cobblethought

Using this clause allows the changeling to reach into his subject’s dreams and extract an item or image from them that then exists or plays out in the real world. The subject need not be asleep for the changeling to attempt this; he simply must have had a dream at some point in recent events, which allows the changeling a trove of such experiences and artifacts to draw from.

The exact nature and duration of the Contract’s ability to echo the dreamer’s thoughts depends on how successful the changeling is at invoking the power. In general, though, images and symbols will mostly as they did in the dream (as with a changeling who assumes the “costume” of an entity in the dream), while an item will appear by and large as it did in the sleeper’s thoughts. Determining which objects may be available from the subject’s dream is largely the Storyteller’s responsibility, though the Storyteller may choose to let the player take more creative control of the subject’s dreams, as long as such control isn’t abused.

Items pulled from dreams in this way have a hazy, imprecise sensory quality to them. A dream-sword, for example, would feel like soft metal and fade around its edges, but would cut nonetheless. Objects are treated as normal, unexceptional equipment despite their appearance. The guise of a terrifying night-fiend might shift subtly each time onlookers see it. A murky fog drawn from a dream might leave a runner feeling as if he were plodding through oatmeal, even though he was running as fast as he could.

Items drawn from dreams in this manner are made of dreamstuff, and thus don’t have to be reasonably carried by the changeling. That is, the changeling could conceivably draw out the fog mentioned above, a rainstorm from a dream, or even something bigger or heavier than a person, such as a life raft or a heavy wooden door. The limitation is a single object or idea, however — the changeling could not withdraw a full castle (made up of walls, hallways, doors, stairs and towers) or a functional car (with its own distinct parts and pieces).

One more limitation is that this Contract may not draw people or thinking entities from dreams. While a changeling would be able to draw the appearance of an individual from a character’s dream, this would manifest as a sort of “costume” that the changeling or another character would wear, and not the individual herself.

Cost: 1 Glamour

Dice Pool: Intelligence + Wyrd ({Intelligence}+{Supernatural Trait})

Action: Instant

Catch: The changeling must possess at least a single fiber of her subject’s bedclothes, whether a thread from her pillowcase or a full nightshirt.

Roll Results

Dramatic Failure: The changeling reaches into the dreamscape to grab the object of her intentions, but instead pulls back something else entirely, and probably hostile. If it’s an inanimate object, it’s wholly inappropriate to the changeling’s original intentions, and if it’s some conscious creature, it probably reacts with appreciable hostility at being removed from its lair.

Failure: The Contract fails to function but otherwise betrays no attempt on the changeling’s part to rifle the character’s dreams.

Success: The changeling draws forth one concise image or object from the character’s dreams. The image or object remains in reality for a number of turns equal to the number of successes obtained on the roll.

Exceptional Success: As with a normal success, but the object remains permanently in reality. In addition, the changeling may, at any time, banish the dream-item back beyond the wall of dreams.

Suggested Modifiers