11/14/2010 1 Copyright CDC ©2009, all rights reserved. Prologue October 1, 1914 We do not sleep those who dare to Dream. There is a world of wonders and wickedness that only Dreamers can witness. It is both similar and different from our world in its natural laws. My companion, Miss Claudia Drumanii, and I have been exploring this world together for several years now. She feels it is incumbent upon us to write down our findings and opinions on the place. The finished document should serve as an aid to ourselves or perhaps future adventurers like us. Claudia and I have charted most of the region surrounding a city by the name of Asereth. It is a walled city, resting high on c liffs that fall away towards a shining sea. The city walls are a necessity. People who visit these lands are not alone. Besides creatures of wild imagination, there are two peoples who also inhabit this place that do not take kindly to our presence. The Maudit, strange plant like creatures, with thorns and spears, patrol the area to the west o f Asereth. The Maudit control the Thicket Forest and most of the terrible Corbacks and Thorves that roam within its twisted foliage and dark swamps. These creatures could be avoided if the forest did not contain such rare herbs and valuable minerals. Such things are essential for commerce and the healing arts in Asereth. Communicating with the Maudit is impossible; therefore, the establishment of trade missions is equally impossible. It seems as if the savages use no vocal mannerisms to express themselves, but rather exchange body parts in what passes for a greeting. When fellow Dreamers have been taken by the Maudit, we find their remains shredded and dismembered. It is as if the plant-men were trying to understand them the same way a child might consider a flower while they pluck its petals. The Maudit are not the worst characters that can be encountered in these lands. The Eltern are far worse. The Dream Folk of Asereth employ them as monsters in stories meant to frighten, but they bar their doo rs all the same if rumors of a Gleaning pa rty are overheard in the Bazaar. It appears that it is not possible to truly lose one’s life while in the Dreaming Kingdoms. A dream where one can fly, or converses with a talking Unicorn is still only a dream. In most cases, one simply awakens in a disconcerting state after sustaining some injury in the Dream world. But the E ltern have a much more aggressive way of visiting injury upon Dreamers. The Eltern possess enormous scythes, Gleaners, which are capable of seve ring a Dreamers connection to the Dream Kingdoms. Living souls who have been Severed can never return to the Dream Kingdoms. A fair question to ask what should c oncern anyone about the possibility of being Gleaned. It is reasonable to assume that no longer having a home in a dream land will encourage a deeper sense purpose and industry in the waking world. Perhaps it might even cure a ch ild’s tendency to daydream? But this is not the case. I believe that all human kind needs to dream to feel vigorous and healthy. Further, we have observed that those who have lost their connection with the Dream Kingdoms become listless and hollow. Humanity is happiest when they can a lign the character of their inner most selves