Dream

Illusion (Phantasm) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Bard 5, Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Unlimited
Target: One creature
Duration: Instantaneous; see text
Saving Throw: Will negates; see text
Spell Resistance: Yes
Spell Points: 9

“Sleep tight. I’ll be there.”

You enter another creature’s dream, either to deliver a message or to interrupt its sleep. These two functions of the spell work as follows:

  • Deliver message: You send a ghostly avatar of yourself into the subject’s dream, allowing you to communicate as if you were standing face to face. This communication happens instantaneously, regardless of how long the conversation is - time is irrelevant when dreaming. The conversation lasts for as long as you both desire - if one participant wishes the conversation to end, it ends. When the participants wake up, they remember the conversation perfectly. You cannot use any spells, magic items, or any class or racial features during this dream conversation. However, the skills Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Intimidate, Knowledge, Sense Motive and Speak Language work perfectly.

  • Nightmare: You send a hideous and unsettling phantasmal vision to a specific creature that you name or otherwise specifically designate. The nightmare prevents restful sleep, leaving the subject fatigued and unable to regain arcane spells for the next 24 hours. A successful will save negates this effect. The difficulty of the save depends on how well you know the subject and what sort of physical connection (if any) you have to that creature. See the table ([tab:Scrying]) accompanying the scrying spell. Using this function adds the [Evil] descriptor to the spell. A creature under the influence of an Aligned Protection spell is immune to this aspect of the spell.

If the recipient is awake when you cast the spell, you can choose to cease casting (ending the spell) or to enter a trance until the recipient goes to sleep, whereupon you become alert again and complete the casting. If you are disturbed during the trance, you must succeed on a Concentration check as if you were in the midst of casting a spell or the spell ends. If you choose to enter a trance, you are not aware of your surroundings or the activities around you while in the trance. You are defenseless, both physically and mentally, while in the trance. (You always fail any saving throw, for example.)

Creatures who don’t sleep (such as elves, but not half-elves) or dream cannot be affected by this spell.

Augment: If you spend 8 additional spell points, the Nightmare function of the spell becomes truly deadly. If the subject fails the Will saving throw, it must also make a Fortitude save using the same DC or die of fright, never waking up again. This adds the [Death] descriptor to the spell, in addition to the [Mind-Affecting] and [Evil] descriptor it already has.