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"Dream-Walker" Seithr (5.5 Aberrant Sorcery re-skin)

by Marc Saindon

To summarize rapidly, I like the idea of splitting the Sorcerer and Wizard along the (see previous post) along the lines of Seithr ("shamanic" like magic) and Galdr/Völvo (runic arcane magic). I'm also not into including psionics in a Norse setting, and so the Aberrant Sorcerer subclass, "as is", can't really be integrated in the Northern Reaches.

However, weird people can hang out in the backwoods, fasting, doing vision-quests, and consuming strange herbs and mushrooms. Some hope to become Berserkers, others emerge with Seithr sorcery. Other people might have Fey ancestry, or have been exposed to faerie energies of the Good Kingdom too long. At some point, like in the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, the line between reality and hallucination, dream and nightmares, sleep and wakefulness has been severely blurred, allowing the Seithr to tap in the "dream-stuff" (possibly channeling either the Nightmare Dimension energies or vibes from the Feywild/Good Kingdom) and work it as magic. (Of course, this might attract vivisectionnists of a particular Glantrian secret society)

Dream magic is not necessarily whimsical. Aberrant Sorcery taps into the HP Lovecraft mythos, although one might argue that Lovecraft has cosmic horror Chthulhu Cycle, yes, but also the Dream Cycle (which is slightly less menacing). Maybe find inspiration in the second half a bit more.

Another inspiration might be Game of Thrones' Warg ability. Having the Seithr's eyes go blank white when casting spells fits the theme of weirdness.

The game mechanics stay much the same, with the word 'Psionic' replaced with 'Oneiric' and the concept of Psionic points becomes 'Dream Points' (for lack of better term).

Seithr/Seiðmaðr

Although intended for the Northern Reaches, the Dream-Walker could exist under other names in different societies, with Sybils in Thyatis, Oracles in the Milenian Empire, and spiritual guides from Ethengar and the Atruaghin Clans.

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image from: https://www.deviantart.com/isabellbartnicki/art/Norse-Celtic-inspired-Human-Sorceress-909315627