Adventures in dreams, or any other locations that adhere dream logic, can be difficult to adapt into dungeon games. At the same time, I believe they’re closely related. In this blog entry, I tap into my own dreams o explore how dream worlds might figure in fantasy adventures, and how to give fantasy back some of its dreamlike qualities without impeding gameplay.
Oh hey! I didn’t know this had a name in German! “Blogwichteln” That’s neat!
The idea to ask sleeping characters about what they dream is a good idea. I’ll have to do that in my games!
You’re coming up with good ideas. The items appearing in a clenched fist is a good one that ties the dream to the practical game world. Smart!
Dreams being based on their actions in the game world is key for the interconnection. makes sense.
Monsters hunting the players in their dreams + the horror combo is good. Reminds me of Freddy Krueger. In a timed / countdown the days scenario, dreams marking the ticking of that clock with recurring monster nightmare is quite good. The monster haunting their dreams until the story ends one way or another!
Your ideas on concept fusion for the dreams are good and I think can help lead to interpretation of the dream’s meaning by the characters in the waking world. A fun way to build on the uneasy dream monster/connected element in the waking world.
The contrast of those elements certainly help make it pop in symbolism or at least in dream-esque quality. I find this interesting as it feels like a more purposeful type of Gonzo, which to be fair, perhaps there are Gonzo adventures out there that I was not reading with the mind of literature and symbolism!
I really like your take on this and especially like the reminder that dreams can be kind of mundane and reinforce the kind of play we expect from an OSR/NSR game. It also makes me think of how you can use that idea to make neat traps, like a door that makes your backpack hide whatever tool your looking for.
The mini scenario at the end seems really fun to me. Entering straight into a lich’s job interview is creative, and the guidance for how to escalate the weird is a nice touch.
I like the countdown idea, with dreams getting more weird and intensive as time runs out!
Interesting thought about Gonzo, When I hear Gonzo, I think of the Mona Lisa in the Anomalous Surface Environment, so I‘d say Gonzo is perhaps more on the funny side than dreams are (though more the smirk that LOL kind of funny).