Nightmare
Whereas the Tapestrum Arcanum is like a veil of magic that rests upon the real Nascindor, the nightmare of the Adversary is like a metaphysical corruption or infection that spreads from the Heart of Hate, twisting the tapestry into an abominable realm of terror from whence few mortal minds have returned sane.
The Tapestrum Arcanum generally corresponds almost fully to the contours of the real Nascindor, but the Nightmare does no such thing. Projecting into it is like being transported to another planet, one where madness rules. The spotty ramblings of returned mages make repeated mentions of a blasted, ashen wasteland that teems with a kind of writhing flesh and hateful eyes that fixate their awful gaze on anyone who intrudes into the horrid dreamscape, as if some all-encompassing presence has become aware of the intruder.
The few signs of civilization within the Nightmare are invariably monolithic cities or monuments that consist of empty streets and buildings, or are otherwise inhabited by slavering hatelings, as if to mock and belittle the civilizations of the real Nascindor and their achievements.
It is likely that should the Adversary awaken and burst forth from the Heart, Nascindor and possibly the rest of reality itself would come to mirror the Nightmare.
It is widely believed that the Ashen Baron taps into the Nightmare for his arcane atrocities, and that the orb he wields originates from this realm of evil.
It is perhaps fortunate, then, that just as the manifested malice of the Adversary subsides somewhat during a Lull, so too does the Nightmare, its sphere of influence within the Tapestrum retracting.
This is further supported by the proselytizing nature of the cult known as the Congregation of Witnesses, who serve the Tyrants at the cost of their physical and mental wellbeing.
Nature
The Nightmare is believed to be the actual dream the Adversary dreams in its slumber within the Heart. As such, it is also considered to be the realm of origination for the Hatelings, a kind of metaphysical offal that spills through the seams of crossing realities.The Tapestrum Arcanum generally corresponds almost fully to the contours of the real Nascindor, but the Nightmare does no such thing. Projecting into it is like being transported to another planet, one where madness rules. The spotty ramblings of returned mages make repeated mentions of a blasted, ashen wasteland that teems with a kind of writhing flesh and hateful eyes that fixate their awful gaze on anyone who intrudes into the horrid dreamscape, as if some all-encompassing presence has become aware of the intruder.
The few signs of civilization within the Nightmare are invariably monolithic cities or monuments that consist of empty streets and buildings, or are otherwise inhabited by slavering hatelings, as if to mock and belittle the civilizations of the real Nascindor and their achievements.
A...a-a distant bell tolls... no, it is wailing voices, a... a lamentation. For me. I-I am sure of it now. Mother... I cannot see you, mother! Why won't you stop crying?! Please, just PLEASE stop crying!
It is likely that should the Adversary awaken and burst forth from the Heart, Nascindor and possibly the rest of reality itself would come to mirror the Nightmare.
Nightmarish magic
As the Nightmare corrupts and perverts the Tapestrum, it too retains the energies that suffuse the tapestry, albeit twisted beyond any recognition. Those with the supreme willpower to not only project into the Nightmare but also to tame it and bend it to their will find themselves capable of directing destructive forces beyond the ken of mortals, yet destruction is also all they can wield. The Nightmare offers no succor, no fortification of the spirit, only annihilation both in body and mind.It is widely believed that the Ashen Baron taps into the Nightmare for his arcane atrocities, and that the orb he wields originates from this realm of evil.
Spread
The Nightmare is mostly contained entirely within the borders of the Black Forest, but as is the case with the physical corruption radiated by the Heart of Hate, the Nightmare threatens to spill beyond those borders. The Hatelings and tangible corruption can be kept in check with vigilant Seeker patrols, but how does one stop a metaphysical infestation that spreads along a parallel dimension? This question is one that the Enlightened Few concern themselves with the most. It is also one that they have been unable to answer.It is perhaps fortunate, then, that just as the manifested malice of the Adversary subsides somewhat during a Lull, so too does the Nightmare, its sphere of influence within the Tapestrum retracting.
Parallels
Most of the eyewitness accounts made by visiting mages that have remained sane tend to mention the fleshy growths that dominate the landscape within the Nightmare, and many of those also liken them to the growths spread in the real Nascindor by the Tyrants, Hatelings which dominate the wills and twist the bodies of those that come in contact with them. As Hatelings originate from the Nightmare, it is possible that the Tyrants are some kind of harbingers that are meant to prepare Nascindor for a transition or subsumption into the Nightmare.This is further supported by the proselytizing nature of the cult known as the Congregation of Witnesses, who serve the Tyrants at the cost of their physical and mental wellbeing.
Don't. Not here.–A Seeker of the Circle of Dawn to another, referring to projecting in a known pocket of Nightmare corrupted tapestry
by Midjourney
by Midjourney
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