Dragon: The Embers Core Book - MrGone's Character Sheets

180
180
it spends on an action. Normally its attacks
are bashing, but if one Dread is used (even if
it’s just the activation cost of a Numina) the
attack becomes lethal. Five Dread makes a
Nightmare’s attack inflict aggravated
damage (and the activation cost of Numina
counts towards this).
Besides this, combat functions as
normal. In situations where Strength + a
Skill would be rolled, the Nightmare instead
rolls Power + that same Skill. Likewise,
instead of Dexterity + a Skill the Nightmare
would roll Finesse + that same Skill. If a
Nightmare is ever completely depleted of its
Dread, it is forgotten and ceases to exist.
Gone Gone for for Good?
Good?
The wording is a little dodgy regarding
the destruction of a Nightmare. While
the Nightmare itself is destroyed, the
Dreamer who created it forgets why he
was afraid. This works for the most part
when it comes to Material Nightmares,
but for those that descended from
Pandemonium…. Pandemonium
Nightmares are known to a large
population, and even if they are
destroyed in the Dreamtide the sources
that made them renowned are likely to
craft them anew.
For example, a popular scary movie
features a slasher villain that births a
Pandemonium Nightmare. A Den of
Dragons enters the Dreamtide to deal
with this monster, but constituents in
their Provinces just see the movie again
and create a new one. Even if the movie
loses its pizzazz from viewer burnout,
somebody will get the idea to film a
remake.
This makes it virtually impossible to
eliminate a Pandemonium Nightmare,
which is why it’s better to discourage reexposure
from the material side after
dealing with it in the Dreamtide.
Other Other Traits
Traits
Nightmares do not have Willpower.
Though they maintain the illusion of
sentience, they lack the actual mental impact
to push themselves to extremes. Instances
where Willpower would be removed instead
drain Dread, and a Nightmare obviously
cannot expend Willpower for bonuses to
Resistance or a roll.
Initiative is Finesse + Resistance.
Defense is the higher of Power or Finesse.
Speed is Power + Finesse, + Power again.
Size is totally variable, but usually falls
between 3 and 20. Since Size plays no part
in calculating any of the Nightmare’s traits,
it really doesn’t matter all that much (though
it may play into the whole stature of fear
thing).
Numina
Numina
Just like ghosts, Nightmares have
access to otherworldly mysticisms called
Numina. They could technically use the
same ones presented in the World of
Darkness book, though Nightmares have
little if any interest in the waking world (so
it’s unlikely).
• London Bridge is Falling: The
Nightmare can meld with the dreamscape,
sinking its limbs into the walls or floor and
then resurfacing them elsewhere. When
the limbs re-emerge, they do so as skeletal
fingers, bloody swords, tendrils of
darkness, or some other horrific extension.
For one Dread, the Nightmare can attack
anything within ten times its Power in
yards (such attacks are made with Power +
Brawl or Power + Weaponry, depending
on the type of weapon formed). For an
extra two Dread, the Nightmare also
grapples its target (provided the attack
hits).
• False Awakening: The Nightmare
reaches down to the floor and rips out a
chunk. Abruptly the dream takes a sharp
turn, one which causes the Dreamer to