The Colabrian System
The Magic System
When we were inventing the rules in which the world exists, we decided to create our own unique magic system founded in Dreams and Manifestation. The system might not be the simplest, but we believe it brings a lot of Role Play potential and makes for a more creative and fun experience! That and we didn’t just want to copy that which already existed and has been done to death in other systems and media. So welcome to the land of Dreams and the extensive overview of the rules of Manifestation in the Colabrian System!
The Dreamscape
The universe of Colabria is made up of the Dreams of Primordial beings. The simplist dreams are that of Life (Liffa)’s Dream, where the living reside, and Death (Decyst)’s Dream, where the dead reside. Between these two Dreams is a middle ground known as the In-Between where a Divine ferryman (Artmus) helps bring souls across from one to the other. Encompacing all Dreams is The Greater Dream, a strange and floating landscape where every beings dream is held in it’s own pocket dimension. All living things dream, and this is where their dreams go. Primordial Chaos (Khosah) has their own Dream, a dream in which all living realities that fail exist go. Whenever Life’s Dream collapses, a version of it goes to Chaos where the memory of it’s existance remains for all eternity.
Terms and Concepts
Manifestation & Dreamweaving
When somone peers into The Greater Dream, they may gain insight into the symbols and fabrics through which all dreams are made. With this knowledge, it is possible to Manifest this energy into the waking world by pulling it through the boundaries of Life’s Dream and thus into existance. This is why magic is known as Manifestation, and those able to utilise it are known as Dreamweavers.
The Lucid Dreamer
As all living things dream, and all dreams become thier own pocket dimensions, some are able to take control of their dreams and venture into the Greater Dream beyond. These people are known as The Lucid or Lucid Dreamers. Not all of The Lucid gain insight enough to use the magic of The Greater Dream, but all those who can are Lucid Dreamers.
Types of Manifestation
Schools of Dreaming
As highlighted in ‘The Founding of Somnothurgy: A Treatise on the Origins of the Dream Weave’ there are three main schools of Manifestation within the more controlled groups of Dreamweavers across the world of Colabria:
“Conjuring : The most primal and direct of the schools, became the study of raw force, it’s students learned to pluck out the threads that summoned energy - fire, lightning and force itself.”
“Transformation : Became the art of change, the twisting and knotting of the weave to reshape matter with imagination being its primary herald, strength and weakness.”
“Collision : Of which much will be written in later volumes, focused on moulding - reaching through the weave to distant places or dreamscapes and pulling forth creatures or objects directly.”
These three schools became the focus point of most Lucid Dreamers who had experience with The Greater Dream and wanted to hone their craft as Dreamweavers in a safer and more controlled manner.
This above is a symbol of the School of Collision
Trades of Power
Some of the Lucid break forth from their pocket dimensions of dream and meet beings of The Greater Dream who might offer powers of Manifestation in return for desires of their own. Those who accept these deals become Witches whos power is tied to an entity outside of Life’s Dream in unpredictable and often dangerous ways. There are four types of entity that are known to make deals with mortal beings:
Guardians of the Dream - Protective entities who are tasked with keeping pocketed dreams safe within The Greater Dream. Those that make deals with these are known as Dream Guardian Witches.
Prisoners of the Dream - Entities that might once have been mortal, now trapped to forever exist within The Greater Dream, often looking for means of escape to new mortal forms. Those that make deals with these are known as Dream Trapped Witches.
Wanderers of the Dream - Some souls become bound to curiosity and are forgotten by the Divines. Left alone to linger among the dreams of all mortal things they have great insights into all that has and ever existed. Those that make deals with these are known as Dream Wanderer Witches.
Consumers of Dreams - Ever-starved and dangerous entities are these that become predators of the mind. Feasting on all dreams that have died, they are powerful manipulators and forces of will. Those that make deals with these are known as Dream Eater Witches.
Natural Manifestations
The Druids of Colabria have found other ways to manifest the power of The Greater Dream by tapping into the Primordial World (Sesmi)’s Dream. As Sesmi sleeps, crystals of various rarities grow across the landscape above, each type capturing different elements and powers of her Dreams. The Druids harvest these in moderation and attune themselves to her Dream in order to Manifest the powers of nature and healing that they are so well known for. It takes a well trained mind to attune, which is why the Druidic Circles are the only ones to really understand this kind of Manifestation and utilise it in their everyday lives. Each Circle has one specific, more common, stone that is representative of their power.