The Nightmare Warriors are the opposite side of the priests and priestesses of the Temple of Azaur. Founded by the First Commander Ananun, they use dreamweaving to defend against threats, and harm but only when necessary.
They are chosen from the ranks of
The Frost Army where they go through many tests and years of endurance training in the Shadow Mountain, where only the superior rise. Upon joining, they are taught Dream Weaving if they don't already possess the magic.
They use Dream Weaving to cause waking dreams, like hallucinations, to distract or confuse. They can also enter dreams to damage the minds of enemies. They use these skills along with stealth and fighting abilities to accomplish specialized missions, such as altering the course of human wars. Or they can be assigned to simple assassinations, or in rarer cases spying. While in many missions they work solo, sometimes they are sent to the front lines in a team unit to fight the Voidborn. When there they may also rescue soldiers lost in the Battered Lands, as Dream Weavers are stronger in mind and can hold back the waking nightmares caused by the Alostar flowers.
They have had at least two versions of their mantra, depending on whether the purpose was for defense or attacking first. Once it was said: I own my fear, none can make it unbalance me. I am a Nightmare, in the Darkness is my dwelling, safe and pure like biting winter ice. I defend the brightest Dreams, like Winter's Auroras. Death is never the end of our story, but a beginning.
There was at one time as well an older oath that has since gone out of use, but some know it as a song with many composed tunes over the millennia:
I am the defender of the Night skies,
I keep the shadows from Winter's Heart,
We light the candles of mystery and fight terrors' cries,
Wounds and marring gained in service set us apart.
Our pride and dreams defend, call out, sound off in the dark.
No Nightmare is alone and without a full heart.
Over time the focus of the Nightmares has leaned in the direction of striking first, rather than defending and the mantra has been shortened to be easier to recall, but has sadly lost some of its warmth with more of a focus on colder, more brittle view of death.
Their current mantra: I fear nothing, I am a Nightmare, I am death and ending.
