Tuesday, October 4, 2011

7


Dream of The Endless

Origin - Dream came into existence once sentient lifeforms capable of dreaming appeared in the universe. Dream was one of The Endless, personifications of ideas and concepts that were tied to life, and were fated to fulfill their functions until the universe ended and all life disappeared from the cosmos. Dream saw Will Shaxberd at the tavern, and promised him unlimited inspiration in writing his plays if Will created new dreams to spur on the minds of men. As part of William Shakespeare's contract with Dream he wrote the first of two plays specifically for the Dream King, A Midsummer's Night Dream. Dream and the emissaries of Faerie were the audience for Will's first performance of the play. Dream told the court of Faerie that this was his payment for all the diversion they'd offered him in the past. Although their time on Earth was over humanity would remember them through Will's play. On the night of June 10Th, 1916, British occultists accidentally summoned Dream while trying to summon and imprison Death. Drained from a recent odyssey, Dream was no match for Burgess, who stole his ruby, helm and pouch and held him captive in a crystal prison in the basement of his house in Wych Cross. Dream's imprisonment led to worldwide problems. Some people slept all day, while others couldn't sleep or experienced waking dreams. Among those affected was Wesley Dodd whose nightmares only stopped when he became the mystery man Sandman and fought crime. Dream returned to the Dreaming, but escaping his prison took a lot out of him, and he collapsed on the way to his castle. He was taken to the House of Mystery and cared for by Cain and Abel. Once he was strong enough he went to his castle, and found it in shambles. Lucien, his only servant loyal enough to have stayed at the castle during Dream's imprisonment told him the Dreaming had suffered because of his absence. He summoned the Three Witches, and they gave him clues as to where he could find his helm, pouch and ruby. Dream found John Constantine, who had possession of his pouch at one point. John told him it was stolen by his ex-girlfriend Rachel, so they went to her residence. Rachel had abused the power of the pouch to get high, and inadvertently loosed dreams into the waking world. Dream took back his pouch, which was the only thing keeping Rachel alive. At Constantine's insistence Dream let her die peacefully with a pleasant dream of Constantine in her mind. Dream journeyed to Hell to reclaim his helm. The Demon Etrigan met him at the gates of Hell and offered to take him to Lucifer. He met with Lucifer, and learned that the duke of Hell, Choronzon, had the helm. Choronzon challenged Dream to a duel, a game in which they would fight by altering reality and alternately choosing something in creation that would vanquish their opponent's choice. Dream used hope to defeat Choronzon's anti-life. Dream got his helm back and Lucifer punished Choronzon. Lucifer threatened Dream, and Dream reminded him that dreams kept hope alive in Hell, and without that hope Hell would lose it's purpose. Lucifer let Dream leave Hell, but vowed to one day destroy him. Dream visited Mr. Miracle and the Martian Manhunter of the Justice League because he knew one of their old foes had his ruby. They told him that Dr. Destiny was the one who used the ruby, which was currently being stored in a JLA warehouse in the town of Mayhew. Dream found his ruby, but Destiny had altered it to the point that Dream couldn't use it. When he picked it up it drained away a good portion of Dream's power, and he collapsed to the floor. Destiny came by the warehouse and took away the ruby. When Dream awoke he found Destiny in a diner, using the ruby to drive people to madness and suicide. Destiny wouldn't give back the ruby, so Dream challenged him to a duel in the Dreaming. After an intense battle, Destiny destroyed the ruby, hoping this would also destroy dream. Instead all of the power Dream had placed in the ruby returned to him. Dream returned Destiny to his cell in Arkham Asylum. Lyta Hall and the Kindly One's arrived at Dream's castle, and after killing his gatekeeper Gryphon they demanded an audience with him. Lyta mistakenly believed Dream killed her son Daniel because Dream once told her Daniel belonged to him since he gestated in the Dreaming. She demanded vengeance, which is why she merged with the Kindly Ones. Dream considered what to do about the Kindly Ones as they murdered his loyal dreams and began wrecking the Dreaming. Once Lyta realized Daniel was all right she told the Kindly Ones not to hurt Dream, but once they were set in motion the Kindly Ones couldn't be stopped. Dream had words with Daniel, giving him the eagle dreamstone and letting him know that when Dream died Daniel would become the new Dream of the Endless. Matthew insisted on accompanying him to the borders of nightmare where Dream would make his stand against the Kindly Ones, but when they arrived Dream made Matthew leave. Death met Dream and correctly guessed that he'd let things go so far because he wanted to leave his role as Dream of the Endless, but couldn't abandon his post like their brother Destruction did. The Kindly Ones arrived but Dream would not fight them, he allowed them to destroy him in order to save the Dreaming, and Death took Dream. Dream's role in the Endless was assumed by Daniel.

Powers and Abilities - One of the seven Endless, inconceivably powerful beings, Dream is both lord and personification of all dreams and stories, all that is not in reality (which, in turn, Dream may define by his existence). He controls sleep, dreams, nightmares, and insomnia. Morpheus could change his appearance and clothing at will, when he thought of it, especially when in the waking world, Dream would cast a shadow to appear more human-like. His illusions don't just seem real, they are real, as dreams and reality are far closer to one another than most realize. This includes nightmares sent as punishment. Inside the Dreaming, he can easily alter reality on a multiversal scale. He can create objects and entities to obey his every command. The Dreams landscape and weather can change simply but his current mood. He also controls all the dreams within it. Anyone who doesn't show the proper respect is also subject to his power. Dream was ageless and virtually immortal. Nigh-Omnipotent mastery of magic. He has a particular talent for introducing ideas and new concepts into people's minds and lives.

Weaknesses and Limitations - Despite his great powers Dream, like the rest of the Endless, was bound to a complex set of rules and customs. One which requires him not to spill the blood of family or he is no longer protected as the personification of Dreams from other Personifications. Another is that he cannot fall in love with a mortal or the mortals downfall is assured. Although he is ultimately a heroic character, Dream has many negative aspects to his personality. He is sometimes slow when dealing with humor, occasionally insensitive, often self-obsessed, and is very slow to forgive or forget a slight. He has a long history of failed romances, and is both directly shown and implied to have reacted very harshly to some of his breakups. As Mervyn Pumpkinhead remarks, after the end of one of Morpheus' romances, "He's gotta be the tragic figure standing out in the rain, mournin' the loss of his beloved. So down comes the rain, right on cue. In the meantime everybody gets dreams fulla existential angst and wakes up feeling like hell. And we all get wet." Near the end of the Brief Lives story arc, Desire says of Dream, "He's stuffy, stupid, and thinks he knows everything, and there's just something about him that gets on my nerves." There is a long-standing enmity between Morpheus and Desire, stemming from Desire's involvement in the breakup of one of Dream's romantic relationships. He consistently strives for understanding of himself and of the other Endless, but is ultimately defeated by his most tragic flaw, his inability to accept change.


It is never "only a dream".

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