Somnambula
Somnambula is a small village found in Sombre, the home realm of the Travesty of Dreams, Drelux. Somnambula's populace is made up of souls who wandered too far into their subconscious or were ensnared by the sleepquakes and dream pools. Unable, or unwilling, to wake, they have built a fragile existence in the Dream Realm, teetering on the edge of reality and imagination.
Demographics
The villagers of Somnambula are mortal dreamers trapped in the realm, each shaped by their subconscious. They are misfits, unable to return to the waking world and slowly losing their grip on what is real. The villagers of Somnambula are defined by their slow loss of self. Each has a unique way of coping, from Eryndor the Architect’s desperate attempts to impose logic on the chaotic realm, to Kelvin the Laughing Shadow's gleeful descent into delusion. Many villagers experience strange phenomena, such as fragmented memories; in which conversations with locals often trail off as they forget key details or repeat themselves, subconscious manifestations; in which the villagers' strongest emotions take physical form, such as a villager mourning a lost loved one might attract shadowy figures resembling their family, while an angry outburst could summon a storm of flickering lights and fading Identities; in which, over time, some villagers become translucent and eventually dissipate, consumed entirely by the realm.
Defences
The Dreamwarden is a particularly important facet of life in Somnambula. The Dreamwarden is the chosen protector of Somnambula, a title passed down through generations not by blood, but by a mysterious and ancient ritual. The truth is that the Dreamwarden is not a mortal being at all; it is a living dream, an amalgamation of hope, courage, and willpower born from the collective subconscious of the villagers. This dream possesses the body of a willing host, granting them extraordinary abilities to safeguard the village from the many dangers of the Sombre.
Points of interest
At the center of Somnambula is a circular plaza formed from smooth coral, its surface engraved with shifting constellations that reflect the collective dreams of the villagers. A large dream pool sits in the center, serving as both a gathering point and a portal to the dreams of others.
North of this plaza is The Luminous Chapel, a small, glowing structure made entirely of pearlescent coral. Inside, villagers meditate, attempting to reconnect with the waking world. Closeby is The Spiral Market, a a chaotic bazaar where villagers trade objects pulled from their dreams, and The Tethering Tree, a massive, ancient coral tree covered in glowing sigils.
Architecture
The buildings in Somnambula are as fragmented as the minds of its inhabitants. Homes appear as mismatched constructions of coral, dreamstuff, and physical objects pulled from the dreamers’ subconscious memories. One house might resemble a half-finished stone cottage fused with an ornate ballroom, while another is a leaning tower made of books that reshuffles its interior layout each night. Streets are lit by floating, glowing coral lanterns that change color depending on the emotional state of nearby villagers. When someone is calm, the lights are a soothing blue; when panic or despair rises, they flicker crimson.
Founders
Type
Village
Location under
Included Locations
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