Dreamwalking

"To find one's way in The Dream requires that the Dreamwalker lets their mind wander, but with intent and focus." - Kailo Moana

Dreamwalking is the art of navigating into and through the Dreamlands without getting lost. While almost anyone can manage to find their way into The Dream by entering through a Wild Place, it is a far rarer skill to know how to go where you want to once there.

Dreamwalking versus Lucid Dreaming

Some people have learned the ability to direct themselves around The Dream while they sleep, leaving their physical bodies safely in their beds while they wander the Dreamlands as an Eidolon. This is known as lucid dreaming. Dreamwalking is different in that it involves physically entering The Dream while awake - a more dangerous activity, but one that can reap greater rewards in the end.

Navigating in the Dream

The geography of the Dreamlands is defined by associations and thoughts, not physical location. This means that the state of mind of the Dreamwalker is paramount when attempting to find one's way. With each step, the Dreamwalker must let their mind follow the paths of association that connect what they are seeing to where they intend to go. The exact distances that must be covered can vary depending on how much lore the Dreamwalker has accumulated; a skilled master of the art will know ways in which various ideas connect that allow them to pass more swiftly from one part of the dreamscape to another.

The most common danger is from the unwanted or intrusive thought. While the mind must be allowed to wander from one connection to the next, a thought at the wrong moment can send the Dreamwalker down a dangerous path. Nostalgia can draw them into the realms of memory, and fear will bend their path towards nightmares. This can especially happen if the Dreamwalker is threatened, and is attempting to flee from the danger. If they cannot harness their mind and follow only those thoughts that connect with their chosen destination, they are likely to flee into ever more frightening and disturbing places within The Dream.

There and Back Again

For those who aspire to learn Dreamwalking, leaving The Dream again is as important as anything else. Like entering The Dream, leaving must be done through a Wild Place (although not necessarily the one you entered by). By following the train of associations between one dreamland to the next, a Dreamwalker can cover vast amounts of space in the physical world in a short time.

It is also possible to bring objects and creatures out of The Dream, drawing them into the Physical Realm. This is not a safe thing to do, and can only be undertaken with extreme caution. Dream things are tightly bound to the stories they associate with, and pulling them into the physical realm has a high chance of creating an Invasive Narrative that can take over the people of an area, forcing them to play out the roles of whatever story the object is connected to.

The Dreaming Lighthouse

The Fáros Óneiro, or Dreaming Lighthouse, is the oldest and largest lighthouse in the Great Ring. It was constructed to exist as much in the Dream as in the physical realm, and to serve as a guide to those lost in the Dreamlands. According to dreamwalkers, anyone who seeks the Fáros Óneiro with hope in their heart will find it on the horizon, and any who travel towards it will eventually make their way there, if they can overcome whatever dangers lie between them and lighthouse. The Fáros Óneiro is the beacon that guides lost people home, and is one of the most sacred buildings in the Great Ring. You can read more about it here.

The Masters of Dreamwalking

Among the Mu'o'a, there is a type of shaman specifically trained in the art of Dreamwalking, known as a Fai Tala. They are acknoweldged by all as being the most skilled at this art, and those who can learn it from them should sieze the opportunity. You can read more the Fai Tala here.