View source for Nature of Mares

The following is a discussion of the nature of [[mare]]s and their [[essence]]s. 
This research was done by request of Dreamwright [[Yog-ka]], in fulfillment of
a quest for power. 

The [[Dream]] is a realm where the mind takes precedence over the physical form.
The physical Avatar which a dreamer presents to the world is formed through 
mental strength -- [[Dreamsoul]] -- out of the surrounding material of the dream.
The nature of the Dream is chaotic, and we dreamers are beings of order. 
Although the First Dreamers must have formed their Avatars out of the chaos
which surrounded them, that task requires immense mental power. It is easier
for a [[Dreamer]] to form an Avatar in a peaceful and ordered environment, such
as that of a [[Sanctuary]]. All of this follows directly from the histories. 
But what of the Mares? They too form Avatars in a sense, though theirs are
different from our own. The mares are creatures of chaos -- they came from 
outside the order of the city of [[Underlight]]. This fact is documented in the 
history of the Nightmare Wars, and several elder dreamers (Balthiir, for example)
have clear memories of the entry of the mares into the city. Since the mares
are creatures of chaos, it makes sense to assume that while they also form
their avatars from the surrounding material, their avatars are formed from chaos
rather than order. Indeed, this would explain why mares cannot enter the 
sanctuaries... just as a dreamer's avatar would likely be pulled apart if he or
she left the city and stepped into chaos. 

What is essence? Many different theories exist on this point, but most are 
variants of a single idea. When a dreamer (or a mare) creates an avatar, the
individual invests a part of himself in that avatar -- a bit of his own mind is
combined with material from the surrounding [[dreamstate]]. When the avatar is
collapsed, this bit of soul is compressed, along with the remains of the material
used to create the avatar, into the essence. This explains the loss of experience
when a dreamer is collapsed -- that experience resided in the bit of his or her
soul invested in the avatar. 

A few theorists would claim that the mare's essence is in fact the whole of the
mare's spirit. I reject this theory. It has been observed that after a mare is 
collapsed, even if the essence is taken, a new mare reappears in the same 
location shortly thereafter. One could claim that this is a coincidence -- a 
different mare taking the place of the first. But since mares cannot pass the
portals, and no one has ever seen two mares (other than darkmares) in the 
same place... it seems more likely that the same mare has simply formed a
new avatar. 

So what happens when essence is imprisoned or banished? The answer to this
question depends on the exact nature of the mares, on which there are many
theories. My own belief is that mares are like animals -- beings which roam the
dream much like we do. In this case, once the essence is removed from the
mare, the fate of the essence makes little difference. This would mirror the 
effect of essence on a dreamer -- though losing the essence is painful, once 
it is lost, the fate of the essence is irrelevant. 

The other major theory on the nature of mares suggests that the mares are
somehow formed from the souls of humans, either dreamers or unawakened.
If this is the case, it might stand to reason that by either imprisoning or 
banishing the essence, a part of the human soul would be somehow restored.
However, I have found no evidence to this effect. The war against mares 
pursued by such houses as [[House Calenture]] and the [[Dreamers of Light]] appears to
have no direct effect on humans in the waking world, humans in the dream,
or even the mare population. This lack of evidence is insufficient to reject the
theory... but it seems more reasonable to assume the mares are independent
beings unless such evidence surfaces. 

A brief mention of the dark mares for completeness here: it seems clear to all
who have observed dark mares that they are fully sentient. They attack in 
groups, focus their assaults against specific targets... they can use arts as
dreamers do... and they have even been observed to respond to English 
language pleas for peace. These facts would indicate that each dark mare
has a single unified soul, and is not some conglomerate of souls of the 
unawakened. It is my belief that the dark mares are a combination of dreamer
and mare, created by the [[Entropy Coalition]] in an attempt to make dreamers
immune to [[dreamstrike]]. Since such a creature cannot be truly at home in
Underlight or the surrounding Chaos, they wander about, angry for what has
been done to them, and seeking vengeance. My evidence for this belief is
beyond the scope of this document, but I will be happy to present it if the
interest exists. 

In conclusion: Mares form avatars from their own souls and a bit of [[Chaos]], just
as we form avatars from our souls and a bit of Order. On collapse, a mare
leaves behind a "[[soulsphere]]" which we cannot detect, along with an essence.
The [[essence]] contains the remains of the avatar, along with a bit of the soul of
the mare... however, once the essence is detached from the mare, its fate
is irrelevant (much the same as when essence is detached from a dreamer).
As soon as all dreamers have left the area, the defeated mare forms a new
avatar from the surrounding [[Chaos]]. 

The author would like to thank all those dreamers who offered insight into this
matter. In particular, she would like to thank Wraith of the [[Dreamers of Light]],
A'Lan Shanik of the [[Order of Sable Moon]], and Luinitari of the [[Order of Sable
Moon]].

[[Category:City Histories]]