Dream Eater Asabikeshiinh (3.5e Elder Evil)

Dream Eater Asabikeshiinh
The remains of the ancient tribe of natives known as the saulteurs give testament to the cataclysm which wiped them from the earth. While many have blamed disease or civil war, the relics recovered seem to point to a different end. The saulteurs people were well known for their mysticism and lore surrounding dreams, in their interpretation and culture, and belief of another world, the "Dreamlands", where dreams were reality. What has not been explained however is a re-occurrence of a common sigil found on nearly every major building and artifact recovered from their civilization. This sigil is known as the mind spiderweb, or dreamcatcher. Believed to be a ward against nightmares, our research now has determined that it was no mere good luck charm but an actual defense against something very real, yet as ethereal as the wind. For if the Dreamlands is real, then so to may the creature in their legends exist, the devourer of dreams. Summary::Within the unreality of these Dreamlands lies a terrible predator of dreams and sleep, the being known as Asabikeshiinh. If such a creature was allowed to enter reality, the dream eater would devour the concept of sleep from the world.

Of course, there is no direct evidence of any such extraplanar threat these days. The only remaining proof to this theory are the many temples scattered in the far corners of the world, lined with marks of mind spiderwebs and dreamcatchers, and fragments of an ancient idol. Perhaps by completing the broken idol, a clearer image could be created of what terrible secret from the Dreamlands the saulteurs had unlocked.

Background
Dream Eater Asabikeshiinh is a form of cosmic mental parasite which lives within the darkest depths of the Dreamlands, an obscure plane of existence where dreams are reality. Within this ethereal ever-changing realm, mortal minds briefly travel, touching the edges in vivid moments and leaving once the dream collapses. (Knowledge The Planes DC 30) In some cases the mind draws too close to the lair of Asabikeshiinh and instinctively draws back in terror what it sees, waking in fright and suffering from insomnia. Fortunately for mortalkind, the link between reality and the Dreamlands is tenuous, but if some stronger connection between the two planes were made and a sleeping mind were to make contact, then Asabikeshiinh may be able to latch on before they could instinctively escape, and something terrible occurs. (Knowledge The Planes DC 40)

Asabikeshiinh desires the sleeping minds of others and its hunger is insatiable. Though it is unknown if it is sapient or not, the dream eater knows the prime material contains a feast waiting to happen and will enter the mind of those who make contact with it. From there its baleful presence would drain the psyche from others, leaving them unable to sleep. (Knowledge Psionics DC 30) Mild insomnia turns into heavier bouts of restlessness. The body grows sore and fatigued, and the mind strains as it is forced to stay awake, unable to sleep and feeling only sickness and terror instead of rest when their eyes close. Eventually the mind will break under stress, rendering its victims insane, catatonic, and in some cases dead from lack of sleep. (Heal DC 25) The area of the effect spreads over time as the dream eater establishes itself in more and more minds, a terrifying web of sleeplessness, until it has consumed the sleep of all sentient beings. Civilizations collapse, leaving only insane fragments of society and mindless wanderers.

It is said that saulteurs had originally set up a link between here and the Dreamlands in preparation of great religious pilgrimage, but called in the dream eater instead. (Knowledge History DC 45) Somehow, a group of heroes had somehow managed to severe the link between the prime material and the Dreamlands, but not before their society collapsed on itself. The broken idol was the key between worlds, and even in its broken state it has great power. If the idol is removed from their sealed chambers and repaired, Asabikeshiinh will surely re-establish control in the material plane and finish what it had begun thousands of years prior. (Knowledge The Planes DC 40)

Goals
The dream eater desires to devour the sleep from all creatures which seek to rest. Eventually its hunger becomes so great that even beings which only rest (such as elves) begin to feel its effects. Only mindless beings are safe from its degenerative effects. (Knowledge Psionic DC 30)

Dream Eater Asabikeshiinh in the Campaign
Dream Eater Asabikeshiinh is stranded in the Dreamlands, but can influence the prime material through the fragments of the Dreaming God idol. Mortals which come into contact with these shards without suitable protection will be subject to its memetic effects, resulting in insomnia and the beginning of the process. The first to make contact becomes the "seed", and they will be compelled to find the other fragments while those around them will begin suffering from sleep problems. The area of effect grows with time and the number of fragments gathered in one place. Even worse, late stage events render those affected by sleeplessness as "seeds" as well, spreading the effect even further and faster. If the idol is completed, Asabikeshiinh will manifest into reality and result in a world-ending event as it breaks into the mind of all living creatures, denying them of required sleep.

A possible campaign arc follows, complete with Encounter Levels so you may design adventures for the PCs and include various events that foretell the dream eater's influence in the world.

EL 5: Investigations into various ancient temples uncover fragments of the idol, first infecting either a PC or a friendly NPC. The discovery is seen as a landfall and the PCs will be encouraged to find more fragments. Evidence of sleep issues are subtle, appearing only over the course of a few days and causing no real issues besides a general bad feeling and overwork.

EL 10 (Faint Sign): As more fragments are found, the original seed will be suffering from insomnia, but no less willing to continue to go out to find fragments. In addition the local area has been having their populace turn cranky, irritable, and in some cases violent. Accidents are on the increase as well as public disturbances. PCs will soon start getting fatigued and sleepless as well. It should be played up as the effect of some kind of disease, though a cure is not known. A search for a cure can be made, but this is a red herring.

EL 15 (Moderate Sign): The original seed will no longer be able to sleep, and the surrounding populace is suffering much the same. Unrest and displeasure begins to turn into full scale riots. Police action will be taken on a wide scale and international events will be provoked. Any pre-existing stresses in the social structure of the world likely will begin to break among the lack of sleep and panic over a global pandemic. PCs will be seriously effected by lack of sleep, and spellcasters will begin to have spotty success recovering spells each day.

EL 18 (Strong Sign): The world is in full panic, half the people insane and the other half in mental stupors, unsleeping comas where they slowly starve. The desire to sleep now exceeds feelings of hunger and thirst. Crazed animals and monsters prowl the land in their madness. Spellcasters will have a very difficult time resting to recover spells, and all creatures have difficulty performing day to day tasks as they will be unable to focus.

EL 20 (Overwhelming Sign): The idol has been completed and the original seed will finally be able to sleep. The moment this is done, the original seed becomes a host for the dream eater, which bursts out of the victims body in material form. The effects of sleeplessness are now worldwide, and those in the presence of Asabikeshiinh are driven mad or catatonic. Even if Asabikeshiinh is defeated, by this stage the condition is now irrecoverable. Only those who somehow managed to avoid becoming corrupted, and newborn creatures will be free to be able to sleep in peace.

Description
The Dream Eater Asabikeshiinh has no inherent form, being little more than a thought, but whenever it is 'observed' it is always seen as something terrifying deep within the psyche. For many, Asabikeshiinh appears as something vaguely spider-like. When it manifests into reality, Asabikeshiinh takes the form of the host's worst fear, always massive and terrible in its visage. Its spider motif has some correlation to the idol of the Dreaming God, a humanoid figure in a relaxed pose who has a crown shaped like a spider, and when completed whose calm visage and closed eyes open wide as if in sudden terror.

Sign
Sign::Insomnia

Insomnia is a terrible mental memetic virus which prevents sleep, devouring REM sleep and then even basic rest. Those that are affected will suffer from sleep deprivation to such an extent as to create serious health risks.

Faint: When creatures within 10 miles of any fragment or the original seed go to sleep, their sleep will be troubled. They will still be able to rest, but if they fail a DC 15 Will save they will be fatigued the next day until they rest further (save negates), and have an additional -1 penalty to attack rolls, skill checks, opposed checks, and saves for the rest of the day even if they do rest.

Moderate: When creatures within 100 miles of any fragment or the original seed go to sleep, they will constantly be woken up by nightmares. If they fail a DC 20 Will save they will be exhausted the next day until they rest further (save negates), and have an additional -2 penalty to attack rolls, skill checks, opposed checks, and saves for the rest of the day even if they do rest. Spells and other things which refresh daily will not refresh if the save is failed. Creatures which don't sleep but trance, such as elves, are affected as well.

Strong: When creatures within 1000 miles of any fragment or the original seed go to sleep, their sleep will be troubled. They will still be able to rest, but if they fail a DC 30 Will save they will be exhausted the next day until they rest further and fatigued even if they save, and have an additional -3 penalty to attack rolls, skill checks, opposed checks, and saves for the rest of the day even if they do rest. Spells and other things which refresh daily will not refresh if the save is failed. Creatures which don't sleep but trance, such as elves, are affected as well. If a creature has gone more than 3 days straight without sleeping, they will randomly begin to experience hallucinations (treat as major image castings, whose save to disbelieve is also DC 30).

Overwhelming: Creatures all around the world lose the ability to sleep completely, no save. Spells and other things which refresh daily are now impossible to refresh. Creatures get a DC 35 Will save each day or become exhausted the next day until they rest further and fatigued even if they save, and have an additional -4 penalty to attack rolls, skill checks, opposed checks, and saves for the rest of the day even if they do rest. If a creature has gone more than 1 day straight without sleeping, they will randomly begin to experience hallucinations (treat as major image castings, whose save to disbelieve is also DC 35). If they have gone 3 days without sleeping, they must make a DC 35 Will save or be driven insane.

Malefic Properties
Anathematic Secrecy: Immune to all divine divination spells and effects.

Discord and Woe: Incite killing rage in living creatures.EE