Make The Nightmares Stop
Pinned to The notice board
A torn, ragged, and scrawled-on parchment pleads:
Make It Stop!
Every night it’s the same dream, but no matter what you change it always ends in death. And now the deaths are starting to become real.
Adventurers / Heroes / Anyone!
If you are able to help and to end this strange and deadly shared dream state, we are offering a large reward of 1000 Gold plus about another 2000 gold’s worth in various gems.
Speak to Braden at The Hound and Helper Inn if interested. That’s where we meet.
Ways to approach
In a strange way, this is essentially a fantastical murder mystery. Whether you plan to introduce the dreams to a player first, have the dreams come to the players after they poke their nose around a bit, or simply decide to give each of them the dream over the course of a few nights like an infection spreading, this quest can create an interesting dynamic for a mystery investigation. During the waking hours, our heroes have to find the culprit, but that doesn't mean clues can't also be found in their nightmares. For a GM this can add flexibility in making sure certain clues reach the players in one way or another.
As for whodunnit, I like the idea that this is actually some sort of retribution from a mage who has been wronged by these victims. Perhaps these people all were in some way responsible for the death of a loved one and must now live the circumstances every night. It only really ends when the dreamer fully admits guilt. Unfortunately, because the party are investigating and are working for the true villains, albeit unknowingly, they have to be taken care of too.
Possible Repercussions
Should your party not take on this quest, this fever dream will likely run its course by infecting a select group of people, who ultimately die, leaving a very nicely self-contained quest.
