TEXT:  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  PLACES OF POWER: 
  RAGING SWAN PRESS 
  DREAMDEN 
  
   
  PATREON.COM/RAGINGSWANPRESS 
  	
    
  YOUR TIME IS PRECIOUS 
  MAKE YOUR CAMPAIGN PREP. EASIER 
  JOIN RAGING SWAN PRESS’S PATREON CAMPAIGN 
  
  ragingswan.com 
   
    
  gatekeeper@ragingswan.com 
  PLACES OF POWER: DREAMDEN 
  Dreamden is debauchery disguised as enlightenment. Here, wealthy aristocrats exchange gold for false visions, misplaced purpose and 
  distorted truth. In return, they invariably go mad.  
   
  Promoted as a rustic resort, Dreamden provides rich city-dwellers the opportunity to get in touch with their more primitive side. Here, the 
  wealthy aristocracy feign connection with their ancestors and, after smoking a range of exorbitant narcotics, go on self-aggrandizing sprit 
  quests. The whole thing is a scam, run by an enchanting elf named Dreamer. As customers stumble about in a stupor, Dreamer syphons 
  their mental energies to feed the demon-king to whom he is indebted. Dreamer guides the dreams of his clients, introducing them to highly 
  addictive substances and securing their life-long annual patronage.  
   
  C R E D I T S  
  Design: Jeff Gomez 
  Development: Creighton Broadhurst 
  Art: William McAusland and Maciej Zagorski (The Forge Studio). 
  Some artwork copyright William McAusland, used with 
  permission. 
  Cartography: Maciej Zagorski (The Forge Studio) 
  C O N T E N T S  
  Dreamden At a Glance .............................................................. 2 
  Notable Locations at a Glance ................................................... 3 
  Life in Dreamden ...................................................................... 4 
  The Locality .............................................................................. 5 
  Notable Locations in Dreamden ................................................ 6 
  Join Us! .................................................................................... 9 
  OGL V1.0A ................................................................................ 9 
   
  ©Raging Swan Press 2018. 
   
  The moral right of Jeff Gomez to be identified as the author of this 
  work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright Designs 
  and Patents Act 1988.  
   
  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, 
  stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any 
  means, without the prior permission in writing of Raging Swan 
  Press or as expressly permitted by law. 
   
  S Y S T E M  N E U T R A L  E D I T I O N  
  Welcome to this Raging Swan Press System Neutral Edition Village 
  Backdrop. Herein you’ll find evocative, inspiring text designed to 
  help you—the busy GM—run better, quicker and easier games.  
   
  This book is compatible with most fantasy roleplaying games. 
  It’s impossible to create a truly system neutral book, though, and 
  some generic game terms—wizard, fighter, human, elf and so 
  on—lurk within. These generic terms are easily modified to the 
  GM’s system of choice.  
   
  One special note about the NPCs in this supplement. While 
  some are wizards, fighters, clerics and so on, others are simply 
  normal folk. Because different game systems handle normal folk 
  differently we’ve made no attempt to note their “class” leaving 
  them simply as “female human” and so on.    
   
  If you enjoyed this book, please consider leaving a review. 
   
  If you didn’t enjoy this book, did you know Raging Swan Press 
  offers a money back guarantee? 
   
   
  
  2 
  D R E A M D E N  A T  A  G L A N C E  
  Ruler Dreamer 
  Population 113 (30 humans, 6 dwarves, 21 elves, 12 half-elves, 
  gnomes 9, 8 half-orcs, 19 halflings, 8 orcs) 
  Alignments CN, CE 
  Languages Abyssal, Common, Elven 
  Resources & Industry Drugs, tourism 
  Marketplace spellcasting none; crafting drugs (haze, mirrormist, 
  shell) 
  For those with more money than sense, there is always 
  Dreamden. Promoted as a rustic resort, Dreamden provides the 
  opportunity for rich city-dwellers to get in touch with their 
  primitive side. Here, the wealthy aristocracy feign connection 
  with their ancestors and, after smoking a range of exorbitant 
  narcotics, journey on self-aggrandizing sprit quests. 
   
  The whole thing is a scam, run by an enchanting elf named 
  Dreamer. As customers stumble about in a stupor, Dreamer 
  syphons their mental energies to feed the demon-king Grahl to 
  whom he is indebted. Dreamer guides the dreams of his clients, 
  introducing them to highly addictive narcotics and securing their 
  annual, lifelong patronage.  
  L O R E  
  A PC may know something about Dreamden, its history and 
  surrounds. Determine how knowledgeable the PCs are and then 
  impart some (or all) of the information below: 
  § 
  Dreamden sits on the edge of an immense and deadly desert. 
  § 
  Dreamden is built on an ancient battle site where a hero slew a 
  gigantic demon. 
  § 
  Patrons who stay at Dreamden for too long completely lose 
  their wits.  
  F O L K  
  There are three groups of people in Dreamden: patrons, servants 
  and Dreamer’s orc staff. 
   
  Patrons: Dreamden’s wealth is their uniting quality. 
  Generally, they are spoiled brats in search of enlightenment (for 
  a fee)—overweight, pale and totally unsuited to the desert sun. 
  Otherwise, they are as varied as the surrounding locales allow. 
   
  Servants: Servants carry water, serve food and perform other 
  menial tasks. However, they are treated well by Dreamer and his 
  companions and even provided with many of the same drugs. 
   
  Staff: There are only nine staff at Dreamden: Dreamer and his 
  eight orc companions. While Dreamer is a charismatic charlatan, 
  the orcs are nearly mute. They have devoted themselves to Grahl, 
  but are unsure if this is truly the best way to serve him. 
  § 
  Appearance Dreamden’s patrons run the gamut of ethnicities, 
  but most are pale, flabby folk unused to the desert’s harshness. 
  § 
  Dress When patrons arrive at Dreamden, they trade their 
  fineries for simple (but comfortable) tan robes. Some even go 
  nude or wear only basic loincloths. 
  § 
  Nomenclature Names are as varied as the patrons’ homes, but 
  most take on esoteric pseudonyms inside the Den—for 
  example: Breeze, Falcon, Freedom, Hunter, Joy, Life, Whisper. 
  W H I S P E R S  &  R U M O U R S  
  While in Dreamden, a PC may hear one or more rumours. The PC 
  can learn this information in several ways: perhaps by 
  overhearing two locals gossiping, chatting with regulars over a 
  few drinks at the local taverns and so on. Use the table below, to 
  determine which rumours the PC learns. 
  D6 
  RUMOUR 
  1* 
  Dreamer cut out the tongues of his orc slaves, lest their 
  rough words disturb the guests. 
  2 
  Every few years, a patron disappears on a spirit 
  journey. Dreamer covers the whole thing up. 
  3* 
  A bitter spring lies far out in the desert. A demon dwells 
  in this poisoned place. 
  4 
  Fuse is a matriarch of a wealthy elven family who 
  desperately wants her back. 
  5 
  A patron murdered another patron in the Den of 
  Howling Winds last month. Dreamer covered it up. 
  6 
  The stone Hand of God connects to a massive statue 
  buried deep within the sand. 
  *False rumour 
   
   
  I N  Y O U R  C A M P A I G N  
  Dreamden can serve a variety of roles in your campaign or it 
  may simply be a locale within a desert environment to be 
  visited or stumbled upon as the situation warrants. 
   
  More likely, however, it is the locale of a wealthy patron 
  with which the PCs must communicate. Perhaps this drugged 
  out tourist has valuable information, but only shares it after 
  the PCs engage in a spirit quest. Perhaps a grieving family sees 
  their patriarch slipping away into an endless drug-fuelled 
  stupor and desperately wants him back. 
   
  It’s also possible that Grahl’s influence seeps far past 
  Dreamden’s walls and into opium dens everywhere. Demonic 
  cultists may provide clues which lead to Dreamden, and the 
  PCs may need to destroy Grahl’s statue to end the corruption. 
   
  When Grahl collects enough psionic energy from his 
  unwilling victims, he returns to life as a demon-lord to be 
  defeated. Grahl could be a worthy foe, for good-aligned PCs. 
  
  3 
  N O T A B L E  L O C A T I O N S  A T  A  G L A N C E  
  Most of the Dreamden comprises locations of no interest to 
  adventurers. A few, however, are exceptional: 
  1. Den of Falling Mirrors: Hand-drawn patterns decorate the den’s 
  sand. Mirrors hang from the ceiling and lie strewn on the 
  ground. Here, patrons smoke the hallucinogen “Mirrormist” to 
  see the invisible and travel deep within the echoes of their own 
  minds. A new patron, Walker (LN male halfling), has just started 
  to experiment with the drug. However, he is unsure of what he 
  will find. 
  2. Den of Howling Wind: Outside the covering of the great canopy, 
  patrons become bestial and violent after smoking the stimulant 
  “Shell.” The area is bloody and chaotic, and must be monitored 
  closely by the staff. The elven matriarch Lace (CN female elf) 
  roams around in a fury, stripped of her mind by years of Shell 
  use. 
  3. Den of Velvet Dreams: In is plush, carpeted room patrons 
  smoke the opiate “Haze.” In the heat and smoke of this 
  concealed area, the dulling sensation of the drug is more 
  pronounced. Once a powerful soothsayer, the oracle Fuse (LN 
  male human cleric 7) is among many who loll on soft furniture.  
  4. Hand of God: The massive, petrified hand of Grahl emerges like 
  a statue from the sand. Around it bubbles narcotic vapours and 
  the unusual powder which Dreamer refines into other drugs. 
  Here, Dreamer (CE male elf magic-user 8) gives morning 
  sermons and performs other, darker rituals. Here too, the most 
  decrepit and destroyed patrons make their home. 
  5. Parley Grounds: Outside Dreamden’s walls, Dreamer and his 
  staff meet with visiting non-patrons—merchants, bandits, 
  nomads and the like. Those who do not pay are never welcome 
  inside the walls.  
  6. Place of Friendly Hands: Most patrons bring two or three 
  servants on the arduous journey across the desert. They stay in 
  comfortable accommodations, though they are separated by 
  tarps from the rest of the patrons. Dreamer visits the servants 
  frequently and offers them narcotics, a gesture which only 
  enhances his enlightened image. 
  7. Transmuting Forge: Dreamer and his orc servant Grub (CE male 
  orc fighter 3) synthesize drugs in the furnace. It is the one place 
  in Dreamden where patrons may not venture. Underneath the 
  furnace, a small cellar contains a selection of valuable goods 
  and gold.  
   
  
  4 
  L I F E  I N  D R E A M D E N  
  Dreamden is debauchery disguised as enlightenment. Here, 
  wealthy aristocrats exchange gold for false visions, misplaced 
  purpose and distorted truth. 
   
  The great canopy covers most of Dreamden, protecting the 
  fragile patrons from the harsh desert sun. The interior is divided 
  loosely into sections for both meditation and drug use. Most 
  sections are open to one another, with only sand as the floor. Only 
  a few sections, such as the Den of Velvet Dreams, are separated 
  from others by hanging tapestries. 
   
  Within the great canopy, patrons and servants stumble from 
  place to place, or sit alone or in circles too drugged to move. 
  People are friendly and eager to share their imagined revelations 
  with others. They brag in false humility about the depth of their 
  enlightenment. However, none of the drugs here lead to truth. 
  T R A D E  &  I N D U S T R Y  
  Dreamden is reasonably isolated from the web of commerce, but 
  it requires a great amount of resources to function. With no 
  source of food, textiles or building materials, Dreamden receives 
  frequent caravans from specialty merchants with whom Dreamer 
  has made close connections. These merchants take payment in 
  both the copious gold Dreamer collects, as well as highly valued 
  drugs to be resold or consumed. 
  L A W  &  O R D E R  
  Laws are not needed in Dreamden. Patrons are so eager to 
  conform to Dreamer’s utopian vision, and the groupthink so 
  pervasive, they rarely act out of turn. Besides, grudges can be 
  settled on the road back to civilization, or acted out back home in 
  the grand fashion of the ultra-wealthy. 
   
  On the rare occasions where justice or intervention are 
  needed, Dreamer rallies the other patrons to do his bidding. If 
  there is a mess, word rarely gets out. Patrons would not have their 
  beloved Dreamden besmirched by rumour. 
  C U S T O M S  &  T R A D I T I O N S  
  Dreamden is steeped in endless ritual and tradition: morning 
  meditation, weekly spirit journeys, monthly dreamflights and 
  seasonal solstice festivals. Each hour, each tiny event warrants 
  some sort of guiding sermon—always led personally by Dreamer. 
  These rituals comfort and guide patrons who may not yet 
  understand the rhythm of things. 
   
  However, the activities are rarely mandatory. While some 
  enjoy participating in these ecstatic sermons, most prefer to 
  continue their drug-fuelled decent into sloth. As Dreamer leads 
  the new arrivals in meditation, the regulars lie in the sand 
  overcome by narcotic stupors. 
  L O C A T I O N  D R E S S I N G  
  Use this table to generate the minor sights and sounds the PCs 
  experience as they move about Dreamden.  
  D20 
  DRESSING/EVENT 
  1 
  A bandit emissary collects a small tribute—a sack full 
  of opiates—from Dreamer. 
  2 
  A drugged debtor with no money left is loaded onto a 
  merchant cart and sent back to civilization. He is totally 
  comatose. 
  3 
  A dwarf, blinded by hallucinogens, stumbles into the 
  PCs and begins screaming. 
  4 
  A great desert eagle lands on the highest point of the 
  tent, defecates and then flies off. 
  5 
  A howling sandstorm strikes the area. Servants and 
  staff comfort the anxious patrons and distribute cloth 
  masks. 
  6 
  A caravan of six wagons rolls up to the gates. A 
  corpulent half-orc dressed in finery emerges, kisses his 
  wife goodbye and then enters Dreamden alone. The 
  caravan leaves. 
  7 
  A meteorite streaks across the sky and falls into the 
  desert many miles away. Dreamer claims a spirit 
  journey to its location would be revealing. 
  8 
  A mute elderly gnome grabs a PC by the hand and 
  won’t let go. Her smile is vacant. 
  9 
  A naked halfling runs into the desert laughing.  
  10 
  A new patron wakes from a dream, screaming of a 
  demon trying to eat her brain. She is calmed with the 
  application of more Haze. 
  11 
  A pack of wild camels wander across the sands. The 
  patrons stop to watch, but quickly become bored with 
  the natural spectacle. 
  12 
  A servant takes too much Shell and flies into a rage. He 
  attacks his master, but is subdued by the orcs. 
  13 
  A small caravan of holy men approach. Dreamer meets 
  them on the Parley Grounds, before sending them on 
  their way. 
  14 
  A terribly sunburned half-elf returns from a spirit 
  journey. He gives a small speech to a group of halflings 
  on the value of serenity. 
  15 
  Dreamer gives a sermon on awakening the inner eye. 
  16 
  In an exceedingly rare occurrence, clouds roll in and 
  block the day’s heat for an hour. 
  17 
  It takes three orcs to subdue a pale dwarf hopped up 
  on Shell. 
  18 
  The drugged oracle Fuse prophecies an end to 
  Dreamden. Even Dreamer comes to listen. 
  19 
  The PCs notice two orcs with crossed arms glaring at 
  the PCs. If the PCs approach them, the orcs are mute. 
  20 
  Two members of the Den of Falling Mirrors get into a 
  serious fight. One is stabbed with a shard of glass. 
   
  
  5 
  T H E  L O C A L I T Y  
  Dreamden stands on the edge of a harsh, seemingly endless 
  desert. While a handful of nomads roam the wastes, there are no 
  major cities for hundreds of miles. The terrain is simply too severe 
  for habitation. 
   
  Immense sand dunes roll away far past the horizon. The sun 
  beats down on the baking earth. The endless blue sky provides no 
  clouds for respite. Great beasts roam the sands, though they give 
  Dreamden a wide berth. 
   
  When the wind comes, it whips the dunes into strange shapes 
  and patterns. When a storm comes, the dunes become mobile, 
  shifting giants. A man lost in a sandstorm may have to swim to 
  keep above the surface. 
   
  No matter its origin, the path to Dreamden strips away 
  fragments of comfort one by one. Over the weeks-long journey, 
  the temperature slowly rises and all moisture evaporates from 
  the air. Plants shrivel and die, and the sun burns clouds from the 
  heavens. Many patrons see this as a symbolic metamorphosis, 
  with the heat cleansing them of their many distractions. 
   
  The great canopy of Dreamden provides a respite, as does the 
  cool water and fine meals provided. However, patrons cast off 
  even these comforts when they make their way into the desert on 
  spirit journeys. The scotching sun or freezing nights only heighten 
  the effects of any hallucinogens. Dreamer encourages patrons to 
  wear a blindfold for the first hour of their journey; these spirit 
  seekers should get as lost as possible, without any means of 
  orienting themselves. 
   
  And yet, miraculously, nearly every wanderer makes his way 
  back. The patrons see this as divine providence, or the awakening 
  of a third eye. In reality, Grahl calls them back. They feel his pull 
  and they have no choice but to obey. 
   
  There are few features in the barren desert. Across the 
  horizon, black granite columns loom far out of the bedrock to 
  breach the sands. Depending on the day and the winds, these 
  structures are either gigantic monoliths or tiny pedestals only 
  barely emerging from the highest dunes. These obelisks have 
  names like constellations (Gilead’s Hand, The Triplets, The 
  Stork…), and serve as navigation landmarks. 
   
  One feature, however, remains despite the remorseless 
  onslaught of wind and time. Dozens of miles from Dreamden, a 
  tiny oasis sustains a miniature ecosystem. Birds and animals 
  journey long distances to drink at its cool, bitter springs. Dreamer 
  warns against this place, forbidding his patrons from visiting 
  there. In reality, the oasis is the final resting place of the hero that 
  slew Grahl. From his petrified body, purifying water flows. Once 
  per week, drinking from the oasis at its source removes 1d6 of 
  drained Wisdom. 
  S I G H T S  &  S O U N D S  I N  T H E  W I L D S  
  D6 
  EVENT 
  1 
  Heat shimmers rises from the sand, seemingly 
  distorting the surrounding dunes’ shapes into strange 
  otherworldly forms. 
  2 
  A dazzling light—almost like a lighthouse’s beacon—
  shines from far of in desert. 
  3 
  Dark clouds scud across the desert sands, casting a 
  gloom and otherworldly chill over any caught within 
  their shadows. 
  4 
  A sudden fury of wind blasts at the dunes, hurling sand 
  into the travellers’ faces. 
  5 
  A vulture soars high above the sands as it hunts for its 
  next meal. 
  6 
  A strange compulsion—to wander out into the burning 
  sands—tugs at a PC’s subconscious. 
   
   
   
   
  
  6 
  N O T A B L E  L O C A T I O N S  I N  D R E A M D E N  
  1 :  D E N  O F  F A L L I N G  M I R R O R S  
  A dozen patrons draw shapes in the sand floor, or stare drooling 
  into mirrors propped up on posts. 
  Patrons come to the Den of Falling Mirrors to see the invisible. 
  They sit in stiff chairs, take strong hallucinogens, then spend 
  hours draw shapes in the sand. Many wander about, marvelling 
  at the revealed world. Others simply stare into the handful of 
  mirrors propped up against tent posts. When they emerge from 
  their stupor, they cannot recall what they have seen. 
   
  The patrons of the Den of Falling Mirrors accost all visitors and 
  attempt to share their new-found knowledge. In drug-fuelled 
  visions, they proclaim prophecies or warn of absurd dangers. It 
  can be a disturbing experience for somebody who is not on some 
  kind of narcotic themselves. 
   
  Returning to the real world is a challenging experience. Lines 
  seem too straight and surfaces too dull. The world revealed by 
  Mirrormist is a far more interesting land to travel, and those who 
  visit too frequently never return. 
  2 :  D E N  O F  H O W L I N G  W I N D  
  Hair and teeth are scattered in a blood-soaked pit and wild-eyed 
  patrons filled with violent energy lumber about like animals. 
  The den resembles a fighting pit more than a place of pleasant 
  debauchery. Blood is spattered on the baking ground and fences 
  cordon off areas from one another. It’s not uncommon to see 
  teeth or clumps of hair scattered across the sand. 
   
  Here, patrons take a variety of stimulants. In the Den of 
  Howling Wind, more than any other den, patrons utterly lose their 
  minds. They strip naked, run wildly into the desert or beat each 
  other bloody against the wooden gates. 
   
  Despite all appearances, these unusual acts produce the most 
  pleasant possible effects. The drug Shell transforms every physical 
  sensation into pleasure. In the Den of Howling Winds, sunburned 
  and bleeding patrons attack one another with bestial ferocity—
  laughing all the while. 
   
  Given the dangers involved, at least two orc staff members 
  are always present to bind wounds or restrain guests when things 
  get out of hand. 
  3 :  D E N  O F  V E L V E T  D R E A M S  
  This dark, smoky room is carpeted with velvet and separated from 
  the rest of Dreamden by hanging tapestries. Limp figures lie in 
  heaps on soft furniture. 
  The Den of Velvet Dreams is the most lavish and luxurious den at 
  Dreamden. Fine carpets cover the sand and servants take great 
  care to keep them clean. Tapestries hang from the tented ceiling, 
  enclosing the area. It is dark, smoky and incredibly hot, within. 
   
  Here, opiates are the drug of choice. Tourists recline on soft 
  furniture or lie on the floor, completely out of their wits. Those 
  with open eyes rub their hands and faces into the velvet cloth, or 
  stare dully at patterns in the tapestry walls.  
   
  This is a slow, muffled place, and it is easy to fall prey to its 
  lethargy. Some patrons have been here for months or even years, 
   “ W A L K E R ”  ( A N N O  H A Y W I G )  
  LN male halfling  
  This thin, young halfling wears the clothing of a wealthy 
  merchant. He has yet to don the robes of his companions. 
  Mannerisms: Walker goes about fully dressed in merchant’s 
  clothes. He keeps one hand in his pocket at all times and 
  sweats constantly. 
   
  Personality: Walker is cautious, talking slowing and in 
  over-long sentences. He is still unsure about Dreamden and 
  gives away little about himself. 
   
  Background: Walker is new to Dreamden. Second son of 
  a wealthy merchant, he has had nothing but time and money 
  to spend. He arrived here recently and is still coming to terms 
  with things. There is still time to save him. 
  “ L A C E ”  ( A L Y A N E  T R A T H Y R A )  
  CN female elf  
  This haggard and bloody elf wears only a loincloth and grins a 
  terrible, unmoving grin. Her skin, nearly black from the sun, 
  hangs loosely from her frame. 
  Mannerisms: Lace has become an animal. She lopes around, 
  making wide gestures and giggling roughly through a 
  permanently clenched smile. 
   
  Personality: Lace has completely lost her mind. She is 
  incapable of rational thought and desires physical sensation 
  above all else. 
   
  Background: Lace was once the matriarch to an ancient 
  elven line. In pursuit of divine truth, she came to Dreamden 
  to commune with her god. Instead, her mind was incinerated 
  by Grahl’s corrupting influence. 
   
  Bringing Lace Home: The Trathyra family will pay good 
  money to any who can bring Lace home. Lace may be a shell 
  of her former self, but her family believe there is a way to 
  restore her mind. However, Dreamer does not take kindly to 
  abductions and Fuse is beyond convincing. 
   
  
  7 
  and remain here until their money runs out or Grahl has bled their 
  minds dry. 
  4 :  H A N D  O F  G O D  
  In the centre of a large, shallow pit, a gigantic stone hand emerges 
  from the smoking sand. Around this hand, a dozen near-comatose 
  patrons mumble and moan. 
  The Hand of God is Dreamden’s centrepiece. It rises out of a pit of 
  narcotic sand and steams with hallucinogenic vapours. Each 
  outstretched digit is as large as a man and feature rough skin and 
  sharp fingers. The hand’s sheer size suggests a statue of titanic 
  proportions buried deep within the boiling desert. 
   
  While Dreamer calls this the “Hand of God,” this statue is truly 
  the hand of the petrified Grahl, turned to stone where the hero 
  slew him. 
   
  Here, where delirious odours bubble from the earth, the 
  demon’s dormant body transforms the land itself into dizzying, 
  noxious chemicals. Like a hot spring of narcotics, hallucinogenic 
  substances seep upwards to the surface where they are collected 
  and refined. This is the source of Dreamden’s drugs. From these 
  fertile sands, Dreamer synthesizes powerful stimulants to confuse 
  the senses and bring his patrons closer to Grahl. Grahl nourishes 
  his worshippers and, in turn, they unknowingly nourish him and 
  bring ever closer the time when he can return to the world. 
   
  Patrons who have totally lost their wits are drawn to the hand 
  like moths to a candle. They lie around it in a stupor, eating the 
  sand itself and mumbling about Grahl. There is no return for these 
  poor souls. They have become carrion for the demon king, the 
  psionic sustenance which he now uses to regain his strength. 
   
   
  D R U G S  O F  D R E A M D E N  
  M I R R O R M I S T  
  Mirrormist is a silver powder which quickly sublimates into a 
  metallic smoke. It is a strong hallucinogen which opens the 
  eyes to both the invisible and the unreal. 
  Users inhale or ingest this severely addictive drug. 
   
  Price 75 gp Effect For 1d4 hours, the user can see arcane 
  auras and invisible figures with perfect clarity but is 
  vulnerable to illusions and enchantments (-4 on saving throws 
  against such effects). He may also ask a question of natural 
  spirts, but only has a 50% chance of getting the right answer.  
   
  Aftermath The user suffers 1d4 Charisma damage and 
  1d2 Wisdom damage. For each night’s rest, he regains 1 point 
  of each (or 2 points of each with a day of complete rest). 
  H A Z E  
  Haze is a slow acting opiate which dulls the senses and 
  temporarily suppresses madness. The drug is a purple paste 
  which can be eaten, smoked or even mixed with rubber to 
  produce a chewable gum. 
  Users inhale or ingest this severely addictive drug. 
   
  Price 100 gp Effect For 1d4 hours the user is exhausted, 
  but gains a +4 bonus on saving throws against enchantment 
  effects and other mental effects. 
   
  Aftermath The user suffers 1d2 Charisma damage and 
  1d2 Dexterity damage. For each night’s rest, he regains 1 
  point of each (or 2 points of each with a day of complete rest). 
  The user also has a 10% chance of suffering 1 Wisdom damage 
  which can only be cured with strong magic. 
  S H E L L  
  Shell is a crystalline red drug that must be inhaled (often 
  cutting the throat and nasal passages in the process). It 
  transforms all physical sensations into pleasure, driving the 
  user to inflict harm on himself and others. 
  Users inhale this severely addictive drug. 
   
  Price 90 gp Effect For 30 minutes, the user gains a +2 to 
  Strength and Dexterity and no longer feels pain. He takes a 
  random course of action every 10 minutes (25%: acts 
  normally, 25%: babbles incoherently, 25%: attacks self, or 
  flees randomly if near death, 25%: attacks anybody nearby. 
   
  Aftermath The user suffers 1d2 Charisma damage and 
  1d2 Wisdom damage. For each night’s rest, he regains 1 point 
  of each (or 2 points of each with a day of complete rest). The 
  user also has a 10% chance of suffering 1 Wisdom damage 
  which can only be cured with strong magic. 
  “ F U S E ”  ( B R E N E N  R A Y L E )  
  LN male human cleric 7 
  There is something both strange and great about this blind 
  man. Though young, wisdom and sadness radiate from him 
  like sunlight. 
  Mannerisms: Despite his youth, Fuse is blind, slow and 
  groping. His dexterity left him, when the drugs took hold. 
   
  Personality: An aura of profound wisdom and sadness 
  emanates from Fuse. He is, apparently, unable to speak in 
  anything but riddles.  
   
  Background: Fuse was once a promising adventurer, a 
  spellcaster and soothsayer of great power. He came to 
  Dreamden to investigate strange rumours, but fell into the 
  opiates hard. Haze has ruined Fuse’s once prodigious 
  spellcasting ability. 
  
  8 
  5 :  P A R L E Y  G R O U N D S  
  Outside Dreamden, a small area is fenced off and filled with 
  packed earth. It seems tiny and harsh in comparison with the 
  grand canopy nearby. 
  Not everybody who visits Dreamden is a patron, and those who 
  have not paid cannot enter. Instead, Dreamer receives such 
  guests in a fenced area just outside the main gates. The grounds 
  are bare, without furniture or water, and they make the luxury of 
  Dreamden seem more tempting by comparison. 
   
  The most common visitors are merchants bringing food and 
  other materials to Dreamden. These merchants are paid well for 
  their time and leave with both gold and drugs to spare. Bandits 
  come to demand small tributes from Dreamer, which the elf 
  willingly provides. Lost travellers are welcome to sleep outside for 
  a night, and then given food and water and sent on their way. 
   
  Dreamer almost always provides a small sample of his wares 
  to visitors. Addiction is a powerful motivator, and there’s always 
  the chance someone will scrounge up enough money to enter. 
  6 :  P L A C E  O F  F R I E N D L Y  H A N D S  
  Servants, slaves and butlers recline in comfy chairs, or lie on cots 
  on a large cloth tarp. Many sample Dreamden’s narcotics, but 
  they remain far more cognisant than the patrons. 
  Here dwell Dreamden’s servants. Few patrons come alone. Most 
  of these enlightenment seekers require small circuses of servants 
  to carry their gear, set up camp and serve them food. When not 
  needed, the servants are expected to get out of sight, lest they 
  distract the other guests from nirvana. 
   
  The servants’ quarters are separated from the rest of the tent 
  by hanging tapestries. Unlike most of Dreamden, the sand here is 
  covered by a thin tarp. Atop this tarp, the servants pass the time 
  with cards and narcotics.  
   
  Servants are treated well. They bunk under the shade of the 
  great canopy, and smoke low-grade drugs provided by Dreamer. 
  Indeed, Dreamer often visits the servant’s quarters. It is part of 
  his allure to associate with such common rabble. Besides, his 
  demon king is not picky—the servants’ psionic energies are often 
  stronger than their masters, and Grahl willingly takes both. 
  7 :  T R A N S M U T I N G  F O R G E  
  Stacks of large wooden crates filled with food and supplies stand 
  neatly near several alembics and wood ovens. Nearby, a locked 
  wooden cellar door protrudes from the sand. 
  Outside of the great canopy, Dreamer and his orc servant Grub 
  synthesize the drugs needed for Dreamden. Compared to most 
  other alchemical mixtures, the process is easy. The narcotic sands 
  bubbling up around Grahl’s statue are unstable, and as mutable 
  as clay. The simple application of heat, water or basic organic 
  materials transforms it into powerful drugs. Despite the grandiose 
  name of the area, it holds only basic alembics and ovens—nothing 
  else is needed. 
   
  The furnace also serves as a storage area. The food and 
  supplies needed to keep Dreamden running are stored both 
  above ground and in a cramped cellar. Water created through 
  magic is stored in great clay jugs. Copious amounts of gold are also 
  stored in this shelter, though bandits and thugs have learned 
  better than to steal from Dreamer. His orcs are vicious (when 
  unleashed), and—anyway—most of the nearby gangs are 
  addicted to Dreamer’s drugs. 
   
   
  D R E A M E R  
  CE male elf magic-user 8 
  This pale elf’s silver hair hangs almost to his waist. His golden 
  eyes and soft smile are both enchanting and comforting. 
  Mannerisms: Dreamer is confident, deliberate and wildly 
  intense. With his grand speeches and insights into the 
  unknown, he has all the trappings of a pacifistic cult leader. 
  His unblinking eyes pierce his victims like poisoned spears. 
   
  Personality: Dreamer plays the part of a guru well. He is 
  calm and patient, but forceful when the situation demands. 
  His confidence is staggering. From his tone of his voice, it’s 
  impossible to imagine his declarations would not come true. 
   
  Background: Dreamer wandered the desert in search of 
  truth. Instead, he found Grahl and Grahl found him. After 
  tasting the sands around Grahl’s hand, Dreamer became an 
  instant disciple. He built Dreamden to trap naïve aristocrats 
  and to feed his demon master with their psionic energy. 
  “ G R U B ”  ( G R U G  H A R G R U M )  
  CE male orc fighter 3 
  This orc is as silent and impassive as his companions, but his 
  green skin is tattooed with swirling white shapes. 
  Mannerisms: Grub makes for an imposing figure and stands 
  in silence with his arms crossed. 
   
  Personality: Like the other orcs on staff, Grub is 
  humourless and without empathy. He works hard. 
   
  Background: Grub and his orc companions are the last of 
  an ancient cult dedicated to Grahl’s worship. They thought 
  their cause lost until Dreamer happened upon the demon’s 
  petrified corpse. While Grub and his fellows are unsure if this 
  is the best way to bring their master back to life, they have no 
  better ideas. They follow Dreamer… for now. 
  
  ragingswan.com 
   
    
  gatekeeper@ragingswan.com 
  J O I N  U S !  
  Please join our Patreon campaign. 
   
   
  Get our books before they go on general release. Help Raging Swan Press be more awesome! 
   
   
  Sign up at patreon.com/ragingswanpress. 
   
  O GL  V 1. 0A  
  The following text is the property of Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and is Copyright 2000 Wizards of 
  the Coast, Inc ("Wizards"). All Rights Reserved. 
   
  1. Definitions: (a)"Contributors" means the copyright and/or trademark owners who have 
  contributed Open Game Content; (b)"Derivative Material" means copyrighted material including 
  derivative works and translations (including into other computer languages), potation, 
  modification, correction, addition, extension, upgrade, improvement, compilation, abridgment or 
  other form in which an existing work may be recast, transformed or adapted; (c) "Distribute" 
  means to reproduce, license, rent, lease, sell, broadcast, publicly display, transmit or otherwise 
  distribute; (d)"Open Game Content" means the game mechanic and includes the methods, 
  procedures, processes and routines to the extent such content does not embody the Product 
  Identity and is an enhancement over the prior art and any additional content clearly identified as 
  Open Game Content by the Contributor, and means any work covered by this License, including 
  translations and derivative works under copyright law, but specifically excludes Product Identity. 
  (e) "Product Identity" means product and product line names, logos and identifying marks 
  including trade dress; artifacts; creatures characters; stories, storylines, plots, thematic elements, 
  dialogue, incidents, language, artwork, symbols, designs, depictions, likenesses, formats, poses, 
  concepts, themes and graphic, photographic and other visual or audio representations; names and 
  descriptions of characters, spells, enchantments, personalities, teams, personas, likenesses and 
  special abilities; places, locations, environments, creatures, equipment, magical or supernatural 
  abilities or effects, logos, symbols, or graphic designs; and any other trademark or registered 
  trademark clearly identified as Product identity by the owner of the Product Identity, and which 
  specifically excludes the Open Game Content; (f) "Trademark" means the logos, names, mark, sign, 
  motto, designs that are used by a Contributor to identify itself or its products or the associated 
  products contributed to the Open Game License by the Contributor (g) "Use", "Used" or "Using" 
  means to use, Distribute, copy, edit, format, modify, translate and otherwise create Derivative 
  Material of Open Game Content. (h) "You" or "Your" means the licensee in terms of this 
  agreement. 
   
  2. The License: This License applies to any Open Game Content that contains a notice 
  indicating that the Open Game Content may only be Used under and in terms of this License. You 
  must affix such a notice to any Open Game Content that you Use. No terms may be added to or 
  subtracted from this License except as described by the License itself. No other terms or conditions 
  may be applied to any Open Game Content distributed using this License. 
   
  3. Offer and Acceptance: By Using the Open Game Content You indicate Your acceptance of 
  the terms of this License. 
   
  4. Grant and Consideration: In consideration for agreeing to use this License, the 
  Contributors grant You a perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, non-exclusive license with the exact 
  terms of this License to Use, the Open Game Content. 
   
  5. Representation of Authority to Contribute: If You are contributing original material as 
  Open Game Content, You represent that Your Contributions are Your original creation and/or You 
  have sufficient rights to grant the rights conveyed by this License. 
   
  6. Notice of License Copyright: You must update the COPYRIGHT NOTICE portion of this 
  License to include the exact text of the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any Open Game Content You are 
  copying, modifying or distributing, and You must add the title, the copyright date, and the 
  copyright holder's name to the COPYRIGHT NOTICE of any original Open Game Content you 
  Distribute. 
   
  7. Use of Product Identity: You agree not to Use any Product Identity, including as an 
  indication as to compatibility, except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement 
  with the owner of each element of that Product Identity. You agree not to indicate compatibility 
  or co-adaptability with any Trademark or Registered Trademark in conjunction with a work 
  containing Open Game Content except as expressly licensed in another, independent Agreement 
  with the owner of such Trademark or Registered Trademark. The use of any Product Identity in 
  Open Game Content does not constitute a challenge to the ownership of that Product Identity. The 
  owner of any Product Identity used in Open Game Content shall retain all rights, title and interest 
  in and to that Product Identity. 
   
  8. Identification: If you distribute Open Game Content You must clearly indicate which 
  portions of the work that you are distributing are Open Game Content. 
   
  9. Updating the License: Wizards or its designated Agents may publish updated versions of 
  this License. You may use any authorized version of this License to copy, modify and distribute any 
  Open Game Content originally distributed under any version of this License. 
   
  10 Copy of this License: You MUST include a copy of this License with every copy of the Open 
  Game Content You Distribute. 
   
  11. Use of Contributor Credits: You may not market or advertise the Open Game Content 
  using the name of any Contributor unless You have written permission from the Contributor to do 
  so. 
   
  12 Inability to Comply: If it is impossible for You to comply with any of the terms of this 
  License with respect to some or all of the Open Game Content due to statute, judicial order, or 
  governmental regulation then You may not Use any Open Game Material so affected. 
   
  13 Termination: This License will terminate automatically if You fail to comply with all terms 
  herein and fail to cure such breach within 30 days of becoming aware of the breach. All sublicenses 
  shall survive the termination of this License. 
   
  14 Reformation: If any provision of this License is held to be unenforceable, such provision 
  shall be reformed only to the extent necessary to make it enforceable. 
   
  15 COPYRIGHT NOTICE: Open Game License v 1.0 ©2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. 
   
  Open Game License v1.0a. Copyright 2000, Wizards of the Coast Inc. 
   
  System Reference Document: ©2000, Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Authors: Jonathan Tweet, 
  Monte Cook, Skip Williams, based on material by E. Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. 
   
  Places of Power: Dreamden. ©Raging Swan Press 2018; Author: Jeff Gomez. 
  Product Identity: All trademarks, registered trademarks, proper names (characters, deities, 
  artefacts, places and so on), dialogue, plots, storylines, language, incidents, locations, characters, 
  artwork and trade dress are product identity as defined in the Open Game License version 1.0a, 
  Section 1(e) and are not Open Content. 
   
  Open Content: Except material designated as Product Identity, the contents of Places of Power: 
  Dreamden are Open Game Content as defined in the Open Gaming License version 1.0a Section 
  1(d). No portion of this work other than the material designated as Open Game Content may be 
  reproduced in any form without written permission. 
   
  To learn more about the Open Game License, visit wizards.com/d20. 
   
  
  R A G I N G S W A N . C O M  
   EVERYTHING  
       is better with  
  tentacles 
  
  	
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  TITLE 
  ragingswan.com 
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Raging Swan - Gloamhold/Raging Swan GM's Miscellany Places of Power/Raging Swan Places of Power Dreamden.pdf