Sombre
Sombre is the home realm of the Travesty of Dreams, Drelux. It is a place of surreal beauty, danger, and mystery, where the subconscious and the arcane intertwine. It is both a refuge for mortal minds and a battleground between Drelux's will and the ever-encroaching terrors of The Far Realm.
Geography
Sombre is noted for its unique landscape; the ground, which has been described as soft and somewhat spongy, is a labyrinthine network of iridescent purple coral, towering as high as city walls in some places. The coral pulses faintly with a rhythmic glow, akin to the heartbeat of a sleeping beast. The coral formations twist and spiral into surreal shapes, occasionally resembling dreamlike structures—arches, staircases, or towers that seem to defy gravity. Huge forests, such as The Forest of Empty Faces, and valleys such as Night's Maw nestle amongst these structures.
Scattered throughout the land are pools of liquid dreams - silvery, rippling surfaces that reflect not the physical realm but the subconscious thoughts of those who gaze into them. Stepping into a dream pool can transport an adventurer to the dream of a specific mortal, or to a pocket dimension shaped by their own deepest fears and desires. Drelux often uses these pools to decipher a vistor's true intentions, or to punish wrongdoers in her realm. These pools are said to stem from The Glass Sea.
While the natural environment of Sombre is mind-bending, perhaps the most noticable feature is The Wall of Sleep. This celestial barrier is a shimmering expanse of liquid light and shadow that encircles the realm like a vast, undulating curtain. It is maintained by Drelux herself, powered by the collective dreams of mortals. On the far side, psychic horrors constantly claw at its surface, their forms distorted and fragmented by the barrier’s radiant glow. The realm also contains many other created locations; such as The Coral Spear, The Rift of Broken Sleep, The Spiral of Forever, The Somnium Bazaar, the village of Somnambula and The Sleepless Labyrinth.
Localized Phenomena
In the sky above Sombre, enormous clouds of opalescent gas drift, charged with magical energy. When they coalesce into storms, they release powerful “sleepquakes,” waves of soporific magic that can overwhelm even the strongest minds. A sleepquake occurs when the Stormclouds of Slumber collide with the landscape. Anyone caught in a sleepquake must make a Wisdom saving throw or fall into a deep, magical sleep filled with vivid dreams that might reveal visions, secrets, or nightmares. The storms leave behind patches of crystalline dew, which mortals can harvest to craft rare alchemical substances or dream-infused magic items. Items and weapons exposed to the realm for long periods gain these dream-infused properties, such as phasing in and out of reality, inducing sleep in enemies, or manifesting visions to guide their wielder.
In addition to these Sleep Gasclouds, Sombre is suffused with currents of dream energy. Spellcasters can tap into these currents to enhance illusion, enchantment, and divination spells. However, doing so risks attracting the attention of Far Realm entities.
Fauna & Flora
Drelux’s realm is populated by her loyal creations, the Dreambound. These entities are semi-ethereal beings composed of starry light and coral-like armor. They patrol the land and tend to the Wall of Sleep, repairing cracks and repelling incursions. Dreambound can manifest different forms - graceful humanoids, serpentine watchers, or massive guardians shaped from the coral itself.
However, not all creatures within Sombre serve Drelux. Some, such as Nightwraiths and Slumber Serpents, are predators that feed on the dreams of mortals who wander too far. These beings are cunning and dangerous, capable of weaving illusions to lure prey into their grasp.
On occasion, creatures not native to Sombre can be found there. When a breach occurs in the Wall of Sleep, horrors from the Far Realm spill into the Sombre. These intruders, known as Mindshards, are fragmented entities that take forms resembling broken geometry or nightmarish amalgamations of mortal fears. Each one is a glimpse into the madness that threatens to consume all minds if the Wall were to fall.
Alternative Name(s)
Morphan Kaledon
Type
Magical Realm
Included Locations
Owner/Ruler
Owning Organization
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