[Path/Book Magic] Dreaming as a core skill

[Prince Charon]

I haven't seen this done in GURPS, but it seems to me that Dreaming (Basic Set p188; it's the skill for lucid dreaming, as well as recalling them better) could work as a core skill for some Path/Book styles. A style that's focused on the Dreamlands, or philosophically associates the realm of dreams with the realm of spirits, or similar things, could fit this concept pretty well. The sacred space would probably contain a bed or bedroll, or maybe just a pillow, with the symbols and material components places around, or held on a shelf above the head of the bed (even if you have Path/Book Adept for Space, you might still want a place to put objects to be turned into charms or fetishes). Paths would almost certainly include the Path of Dreams, and probably the Paths of Knowledge and Spirit, but depending on the style's philosophy/mythology, might or not include too many others. Path of Health could fit due to historical beliefs that illnesses were caused by evil spirits, for example, or the Path of the Elements might involve bringing things from the Dreamlands into the Waking Lands.


Thoughts?

[Gef]

The Dreamwalk ritual basically does what Dreaming skill does, so I wouldn't expect a magician with Path of Dreams to ever learn Dreaming unless required. I wonder if Dreamwalk would have been included if GURPS Voodoo had contemplated a separate Dreaming skill. -GEF

[Prince Charon]

Originally Posted by Gef

The Dreamwalk ritual basically does what Dreaming skill does, so I wouldn't expect a magician with Path of Dreams to ever learn Dreaming unless required.

You have it backwards: In styles where Dreaming is the core skill (the prerequisite for the various Paths), you need to already know it in order to start learning the Path of Dreams, and thus the Dreamwalk ritual.

Originally Posted by Gef

I wonder if Dreamwalk would have been included if GURPS Voodoo had contemplated a separate Dreaming skill. -GEF

That's a good point, though. 'Dreaming' in 3e was the Dream interpretation skill (which is a branch of Fortune-Telling in 4e). There was a separate 'Lucid Dreaming' skill in 3e, but I'm not sure what book introduced it, and thus whether it was available when GURPS Voodoo was written.