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[Close] Find Old Friends The Cthulhu 2000 AD Campaign Extended Dream Travel Rules for GURPS CthulhuPunk

The Dream Travel psionic power is described in GURPS CthulhuPunk, pp. CT50-51. However, the treatment there is quite sketchy. Use the following rules in campaigns which make substantial use of the Dreamlands. These rules make two major assumptions: The GM owns and is familiar with both GURPS CthulhuPunk and the Dreamlands supplement (3rd or 4th edition) for Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu game. The campaign's setting is either the near-future described in CthulhuPunk or is modern-day. (If the campaign is set in an earlier era, modify the "Technology" notes near the end of these rules.) Special note: All Dreamlands page numbers in these expanded rules are given two page citations: "3rd ed./4th ed." All GURPS page references use the standardized abbreviation list in Compendium I, p. 181. Effects of Power and Skill Like any psionic ability, Dream Travel has a Power level and a Skill level. Effects of Power specific to Dream Travel are: Dream Travel lasts approximately one week of subjective time per level of Power, after which a new skill roll is required to continue Dream Travel. If you fail this roll, you return to the Waking World (either waking from sleep or re-entering a "normal" dream state). For each week of subjective time spent in the Dreamlands, assume that 1/2-1 hour of sleep passes. This duration will be affected by the quality of the dreamer's sleep, premature awakening, and the whim of the GM (which represents the unpredictability of the Dreamlands). For dreamers, Dream Travel Power roughly equates to Status within the Dreamlands, with similar effects. Natives of the Dreamlands can determine a visitor's approximate Power level on sight (see p. CT51), and will act accordingly (though they are less impressed by powerful dreamers than they are by high-ranking natives). Visitors may make a Dream Travel skill roll to determine the approximate level of another visiting character. The Aura spell may also be used. (Note that natives have no Dream Travel ability, and gain Status by more mundane means. Dreamers stranded in the Dreamlands by the death of their "real" body lose all Power levels, but keep any Status they had earned.) "Leveled" advantages gained within the Dreamlands should never be higher than

the character's Power level. The advantages to which this applies include (but are not limited to): Acute Senses/Alertness, Charisma, Extra Fatigue, Language Talent, Magical Aptitude, Magic Resistance, Military Rank, Psionic powers, Psionic Resistance, Reputation, Status, Strong Will. This limit never applies to levels possessed by the waking-world "template," only those added using Dreamlands-only character points. When creating dream-objects (see below), Power determines the maximum size (SIZ) of objects created by a single use. Skill is used for the following: Entering the Dreamlands requires a skill roll. One attempt is allowed per night. Characters with at least one level of Dream Travel Power but no skill may make a default skill roll at IQ-5. Creating dream-objects (see below) requires a skill roll. No default skill use is allowed. Skill in the common tongue of the Dreamlands (see below) defaults to Dream Travel skill. Dream-Objects Use the rules in Dreamlands ("Dreaming," pp. 8-9/14-15), substituting the following mechanics: Magic Points = Fatigue points. POW = levels of Will permanently sacrificed. Dreaming skill = Dream Travel skill level x3%. SIZ = about 15 lbs. per point, or 1 hex per 10 SIZ (whichever the GM feels is more appropriate). An average human is 10 SIZ = 150 lbs. = 1 hex. A PC may create up to his Power in SIZ per dream-session. Entering the Dreamlands To enter the Dreamlands, a character must either have the Dream Travel psionic power, or find a means of physically entering the Dreamlands (see "Physical Entry into the Dreamlands," below). The usual point of entry for dream-projecting characters is the Cavern of Flame, described in Dreamlands, (5-7, 46-48/8, 12, 18, 55). Nasht and Kaman-Thah automatically allow passage to PCs with the Dream Travel psionic power. Those who lack this power but have other means to reach the Cavern of Flame may only pass these two priests if their (Mythos Lore skill+Magery+ Strong or Weak Will) totals 15 or more. This test need only be passed once. Losing the key to dreams (Dreamlands --/12): If someone learns too much about the rational world, he may lose his ability to believe in the reality of the Dreamlands. If a PC has (or gains) 30+ points in a combination of science skills and TL5+ vehicle and weapon skills, then he will no longer be able to use Dream Travel without aid (items, spells, or other unusual conditions). He may still enter physically by the normal methods (see below). The Dreamlands PC The Dreamlands body is initially identical to the waking-world character sheet, except that no mechanical prosthetics, electronic implants, etc., will appear in the Dreamlands due to the difference in tech levels. The "real world" character sheet is the template for the Dreamlands character sheet. With the GM's permission, a character with a severe physical disadvantage (No Physical Body, Paraplegic, etc.) in the "real" world may start his dreaming career without that penalty. This difference must be play-balanced in one of the following ways: The player may set aside points from his starting total to spend on the Dreamlands character sheet. This will give the waking-world character sheet a lower point total than other PCs in the campaign.

The player may spend some of his points on advantages (wealth, contacts, equipment, etc.) that do not carry over into the Dreamlands. The player may accept a "point debt": he must pay back these points using future Dreamlands awards. For the sake of allowing some improvement (albeit slow), a 75% "pay rate" is suggested: 75% of points earned in the Dreamlands must go towards paying off the debt, while only 25% may be spent improving the character normally. (The player may, of course, pay more than the 75% if he wishes.) The Dreamlands character may have some bizarre magical curse that replaces the point value of the waking-world disadvantage. (Many of those in the "Occult and Paranormal Disadvantages" section of Compendium I are suitable.) The GM or player should justify this background in some way (even if only vaguely, such as a curse from an unidentified god). Mental disadvantages gained in the Dreamlands will carry over into the waking world, even if the character does not remember the source of the flaw--the mind is the same on both planes. These disadvantages may be bought off normally in either the waking world or the Dreamlands, and doing so removes them from both character sheets. (See "Recovery," p. CT46.) Dreamlands Languages Most languages are learned normally in the Dreamlands; however, few Dreamlands languages exist in any form outside that plane, so may only be learned and used there. Each dreamer also has a second native language in the Dreamlands. For all humans except those in distant and isolated areas, this is the "Dreamlands" language, which all dreamers can understand with ease: M/E, defaults to Dream Travel skill (or IQ for natives). The following is a partial list of other languages in the Dreamlands: Human languages: Aklo (M/H; a "dead" language derived from Serpent People writing) Inquanok (M/A) Lengish (M/A) Lomarian (M/A) Nonhuman languages which may be learned by humans: Cat (M/H; Animal Empathy gives +1) Ghast (M/H) Ghoul (M/H) Gnorri (M/H) Goblin (M/A) Moon-Beast flute-language (M/H; Musical Ability and Language Talent add 1/2 level) Nightgaunt sign language (M/H) Sarrubian (M/A) Serpent People (M/VH) Shantak (M/VH) Zoog (M/VH) Improving Dreamlands PCs Character points should be awarded separately for waking-world and Dreamlands adventures. If a session includes both, divide the points between the two. Points may only be spent in the setting in which they were earned. As per p. B81, most advantages are inborn, and cannot be "bought" later with experience. However, the Dreamlands are highly magical and protean, and exposure to various magical forces can produce new abilities. This costs twice the usual

number of points, plus whatever "campaign cost" (quest, service, ritual, etc.) the GM deems necessary. See "Effects of Power and Skill" (above) for level limits on selected Dreamlands abilities. Improving Dream Travel Ability After each visit to the Dreamlands of one week or longer (dream-time), a character may spend points to improve Dream Travel power and skill. The maximum increase per trip is 1 level each of power and skill. Normally, points for this improvement must come from waking-world character points. However, after dream-adventures in which the character gains 4 or more character points, up to 50% of those dream-points may be spent on the Dream Travel improvement following that visit. This is the only exception to the strict division of waking-world and Dreamlands points. Remembering the Trip A dreamer's memories of his adventures in the Dreamlands rapidly fade once he wakes up. For this reason, many adventurers will suffer through great hardships to reach a goal rather than risk forgetting some key piece of knowledge by waking up to "start over." This danger of fading memory is common knowledge among dreamers (make a Dreamlands Lore roll at +3 to recall this fact). To recall a given memory after awaking, make a roll against the lower of IQ and Dream Travel skill. Characters with Eidetic Memory get a +2 bonus per level of that advantage, but even they will not have perfect recall of dream-memories. If a character wishes to record a Dreamlands adventure in story form (a la H. P. Lovecraft), use the lowest of Dream Travel skill or Writing skill (or the IQ-5 default) for his chance of success. As per p. CT51, increases to Dreamlands Lore and Mythos Lore will carry over into the waking world on a successful IQ roll (costing no points if successful). Physical Entry into the Dreamlands Some characters may find spells or magical artifacts allowing travel to the Dreamlands without the need for sleep and dreams. (See Dreamlands, pages 7-9/10-12, for some examples.) These characters use their waking-world character sheets for this visit, and do not gain any benefits they may have acquired for their dream-selves. Character points may be earned normally, but may not be spent until the character returns to the Dreamlands through the use of Dream Travel. Unfortunately, physically entering the Dreamlands does not help memory retention upon leaving that dimension. Apply the usual rules above for "Remembering the Trip". The Dreamlands and Other Planes The Astral Plane The Dreamlands may be reached from the Astral Plane (see p. P51), by passing through the inner astral plane, then using Dream Travel to enter the Dreamlands. (Astral travelers without Dream Travel power cannot find the entrance.) The dream-body in this case is identical to the normal dream-character, as both are essentially similar "projections." The point of entry is usually somewhere in the Enchanted Wood, though the character may attempt to enter at another point with a penalty to Dream Travel skill set by the GM (-1 for Ulthar, -3 for Celephais, -8 for the Moon, etc.). An astral character may not enter the Dreamlands in a place he has never seen. (No short-cuts to Kadath!) The Dreamlands do not have an outer astral plane; entry is directly from the inner astral plane, and the traveler may not survey the dreamscape from the

astral plane before entering. To leave the Dreamlands by way of the astral plane, a character must make two skill rolls, one vs. Dream Travel and one vs. Astral Projection. Failure on either roll means the character remains in the Dreamlands. If a character has the Astral Entity disadvantage (p. P98, CI96), the dream-body is the astral body: the character physically enters the Dreamlands. Points earned adventuring are still divided by source, and may only be spent in the matching setting. However, improvements carry over both ways; the character only has one character sheet. The Ethereal Plane & Teleportation The Dreamlands has its own separate Ethereal Plane (p. M72, CII183), so magic using that mode of travel works normally. However, this plane cannot be used to travel between the "real" world and the Dreamlands. Some spells may exist which block this form of travel. Likewise, Teleport abilities work normally, but cannot cross planar barriers. The homes of gods or powerful sorcerers will probably be shielded from such intrusion. Magic All waking world magic is allowed in the Dreamlands, as are all Mythos "magicks." However, those which affect only creatures found outside in the Dreamlands will be useless. The Dreamlands have their own magicks as well: mythos spells which may only be learned and used in the Dreamlands. (GMs will have to convert these to GURPS mechanics from the descriptions in the Dreamlands book: 22-25/ 138-144.) Mana: The Dreamlands are mostly normal mana, with some areas of high mana. Very high mana regions are known, but rare, as are "aspected" areas. Due to the highly magical nature of the Dreamlands, low- and no-mana areas are probably impossible there, and the spell Destroy Mana will almost certainly backfire disastrously. The following is an example of a waking-world Mythos magick which affects Dream Travel (converted from Dreamlands, p. 74/171): Assist Dreamer: This spell promotes the caster's use of the Dream Travel psionic power. The spell may only be cast by an experienced dreamer (one who has at least 1/2 point in the Dream Travel skill). The spell costs 8 Fatigue, requires no Fright Check, and is cast while preparing for sleep. The character enters the Dreamlands that night with no need for a skill check. Some versions of this spell transport the dreamer to an inhospitable part of the Dreamlands (such as the Vale of Pnath), while other versions take the dreamer to the Cavern of Flame (as if entering the Dreamlands normally) or to other locales. Each possible entrance is a separately-learned spell. Technology According to Dreamlands (pages 7/12-13), the technology of the Dreamlands is about 500 years behind that of the waking world. In tech level terms, this plane is currently limited to TL4, which has only just recently appeared (since H. P. Lovecraft's death). Gunpowder has not yet entered the Dreamlands, and (depending on the GM's preferences) it may or may not at some future date. The main TL4 presences are: a few crude printing presses; advanced sailing ships; and fencing weapons. With the exception of firearms, most TL1-4 weapons and armor described in the Basic Set and Compendium II can now be found in some part of the Dreamlands. See pp. B186-187 about learning and using skills at non-native TL's. Note that

all computer and electronics skills, as well as TL5+ levels in weapons, Armoury, Engineer, and Mechanic skills will be useless. Even if the materials are at hand for creating items of high TL's, the reality of the Dreamlands will not allow their creation. Leaving the Dreamlands If physically present, the character must leave through one of the physical paths. The character will find himself in the waking world location from which he entered the Dreamlands, even if he used a different path. If dream-projecting, the character may also leave by a path to the waking world. If he does so, as he approaches he will see his home--first his town at a distance, then approaching closer and closer, waking just as he enters his own house. A dreamer may also will himself awake. This may be done only in very dire circumstances, and only if a skill roll is made. Failure means the character is still in the Dreamlands; he may try again later. A character will awaken if his body is disturbed. To remain asleep requires a Will roll. If the character awakens during the adventure, his companions will simply notice that he is no longer with them, but will never witness the instant of vanishing (see Dreamlands, pages 9-10/14-15).

This article first appeared, in slightly different form, in The Scribbling Unicorn #5 (in Interregnum #28, November 1997). Return to the Cthulhu 2000 index. | Return to the Game Room. | Return to the Foyer. This page last updated 2/1/2000. | 1998, 2000 Timothy E. Emrick. | [email protected] sacrificial victims and counting...