The following script is written in a shaky hand, with many ink splotches.  The edges of the parchment are scratched and torn, and discolored with age.

 

After their ages-long absence, the beasts of the past have returned.  We didn’t believe the reports at first, thinking them simply the imaginative visions of an overwrought dreamer.  It is with utmost dread, however, that I report that the stories of old are NOT fake.  I have seen the beasts of chaos rising from the darkness.  I have looked into their raging eyes and seen my death approaching.  The nightmares are real!  THE NIGHTMARES ARE REAL!

 

The ink trails off the edge of the paper.  Several water stains mark the parchment at this point.  The following few paragraphs have become so washed out, it is impossible to make out the words.  The text picks up again further below.  This time, it is written in a firm, steady hand.

 

I take my quill in hand once again.  The battles have begun anew, just as they did of old.  Much to our leaders’ dismay, we have set aside our conflicts with one another to combat the ancient menace returned.

 

I seek to catalogue what is known about the Nightmares.  It’s been so long since they were last in the Dream, that we have forgotten nearly everything that was known about them.  Only the eldest dreamers remember them, and even they heard the tales fourth- and fifth-hand.

 

The following is an accounting of what is known of the Nightmares, as well as my own observations, and the observations of the brave warriors that have been combating them since their return.

 

 

Emphant:  This is the lowest form of Nightmare. Their avatar is weak, but their appearance is anything but. They have the form of a winged snake with dark eyes, vicious fangs, and bat-like wings. Small ridges of spikes trail down their scaled back, and their tails bear sharp quills with which they try to slash others. They are spry and quick, swiftly flying through the air, and are often upon you before you realize it. As with most Nightmares, they appear to hold at least limited intelligence. Do not be surprised when they pull your name from your own mind, and whisper vile threats at you, in an attempt to unnerve you.

 

 

 

 

 

Bogrom: This is an insectile monster, with four legs, a thorax, and an abdomen. Their mouths are pincer-lined maws, their eyes small and faceted. Their multiple legs allow them to move quickly, and attack with perfect balance. Worse yet, they possess an ability to manipulate the Dreamscape, allowing them to render themselves invisible. They turn invisible without any warning, and continue to attack while you cannot see them. Dread foes indeed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agoknight: These vicious beasts were among the first of the Nightmare ranks to return to the City. Many believe that these Nightmares embody the spirits of vicious warriors on Cloudsbreak. Their torsos are almost humanoid; they have no lower body. In place of arms, they instead have weapons; most often clubs and axes. They use these weapons with a skill almost beyond that of any of the City’s weapon masters, and we have always been hard-pressed in combating them. They use no mental or spiritual attacks – they are raw, brute force.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shamblix: These terrible beasts most fulfill the name 'Nightmare'. When we first met them, they crawled from the pits like the rising dead. Then they rose into the air, floating, their skeletal bones trailing ripped cloaks like tattered banners. Their screams of anger froze me in my spot. I can still feel the heat and hear the roar of the flames blazing from them. To this dream, I swear that underneath every shadowy cowl, each undead eye was glaring directly at me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Horron:  These Nightmares were second among the ranks to return after the resurgence.  Words fail to describe their monstrous appearance; they are demons.  Their claws are three-feet long, with edges as sharp as a razor.  Their heads are crested by an array of horns, jutting nearly every direction.  Their single eyes cause a paralyzing fear in the viewer, causing even the most stalwart of warriors to freeze in terror.  Many of our warriors have even commented on Horrons unleashing a breath of flame at warriors who edged beyond their grasp.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bhegwir:  The Bhegwir is currently the highest-known caste of Nightmare.  The Bhegwir is a tremendous brute, reminiscent of the fabled dragons of lore.  It has huge wings, and many long, wicked claws.  I have only witnessed a Bhegwir invading the City once and I am not ashamed to say, I fled.  I did not have the strength to stay near such a powerful being so intent on my destruction.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is all the information that is known currently about the Nightmares, but much is still unknown; there are many Nightmare castes recorded in legend that have not yet resurfaced.  Perhaps as our valiant warriors continue to fight, we will be able to better catalogue their behaviors and nature.  Perhaps we will never have to witness the return of the other ancient Nightmares: the Shamblix, the Emphant, and the Bogrom.  According to legend, the Dreamers of old were able to rid the City of these beasts.  If so, how was it done?  Where are the records?

 

It is probably lost to the ages, as most of the knowledge was.

 

The text drops off, and there is a large, blank area.  At the bottom, a small note is scrawled.  The handwriting is again unsteady and unstable.

 

…. More… so many… more…..

……. Overlight…. Save us…. All….