The Art of Moving

• A guide to exploring the Dream for the newly Awakened*

As a Dreamer, the Dream itself is your greatest gift. As a Newly Awakened, your unfamiliarity with the Dream and its Planes means that you have hours of exploration, discovery, and wonder to look forward to. If you take nothing else from this guide, please let it be this: enjoy this time. Explore, discover, marvel, seek the hidden, lose yourself. But as you do, know that there are dangers, some small, some great.

You will by now, perhaps, have discovered that Dreamers are not the only creatures that inhabit the Dream. The Mares are a natural and unavoidable part of the geography here. But they need not be feared, if one knows what they're capable of, and how to protect oneself. With the right alterors, the right foreknowledge, and even just a little swift movement, you can keep yourself safe in your explorations.

The Emphants are the smallest and weakest of the Mares. The Bogroms, while larger, are similarly basic. These are the mares you will find in the planes nearest Threshold, and on the approaches to the Houses. Both have only limited Arts, and can do nothing to beguile or ensnare you. Avoiding them can be as simple as moving quickly. Keep your eye on them, stay in motion, give them a wide berth.

The Agoknights, while simplistic, are not to be underestimated. Their blows are ferocious, and they are capable of long-range Blasts. A dreamer that faces one without a sturdy shield is liable to be collapsed in short order. For a mercy, they are brutes with no power to vex or paralyze. You will begin to find them as you explore further afield-- the Chasm of Souls, the Cairn of Sorrow, the Harrow Glades. The shamblix/Shamblixes and Horrons are the greatest of your threats. Far from simple brutes, they have powers to render an unwary Dreamer helpless. Scare, Paralyze, Curse. Here I stress the importance of the protective Arts and Alterors-- most notably, Free Action. While Fear forces your movement and Curse debilitates your Arts, Paralyze is the one most likely to end in your collapse. You will be utterly at the mercy of the Mares. Mercy is not their strongest feature.

At all possible times, carry a supply of jade Alterors. At your earliest opportunity, learn the art of Free Action. Chamele (teal Alterors) will also ease your explorations tremendously, but Free Action is most liable to keep you alive if conflict can't be avoided. It should be noted that while the Nightmares keep to particular areas, the Darkmares can wander abroad. But please, Dreamer, do not be deterred, only forearmed. Your wings are not meant to stay folded against your back.

}@{ Alice