004 - Imperium

Concept:

Since the UniverSim is inspired by dreams and the events/beings that can occur within them, I felt it was fitting for a Conjure to be inspired by lucid dreams.

My initial idea is to make a Conjure that is definitively the most powerful of the bunch, as to represent lucidity properly. A lucid dreamer is able to manipulate and interact with their dream at will, thus it would make sense for the Conjure to be able to do so within the UniverSim.

Research:

• Lucid dreaming is the name given for dreams in which the dreamer is able to control and manipulate them, and are aware they are doing so.
• Lucid dreaming is a hybrid of REM and waking states in which the 'dosolateral prefrontal cortex is partially activated during lucid dreaming'. During normal REM, this dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is deactivated. Lucid dreamers actually 'evidence of the highest dream recall rates'.
  • Its theorised that their high recall rate is down to 'their ability to solve puzzles, to achieve sudden insight in solving a puzzle, and in control of their attentional skills'.
• It is argued that lucid dreams can have a negative impact one ones mental health, as they can interfere with sleep, and can cause individuals to blur the lines between reality and fantasy.

Translatable Qualities:

A lucid dreamer would be capable of a nigh-infinite array of actions within the UniverSim, with the most all-encompassing power being matter/data manipulation. If the Conjure can manipulate the data of the UniverSim to a high degree, they are effectively capable of anything. For obvious reasons, I can’t just give this Conjure every bit of power under the sun in terms of gameplay, so I need to focus on what really makes this concept tick.

I see this Conjure as both immensely supportive and offensive. It does not connote bulk, thus I think a lower health pool would make sense. Between support and offensive though, I see this concept for its supportive qualities. I think there are other concepts that play into offense more clearly, and I think lucidity is a more interesting concept to explore on the supportive end, through things such as teleportation, healing, shields etc.

• Teleportation
  • Moving an ally or enemy across the field
• Healing
  • Standard healing, but with a unique approach perhaps?
    • Healing that only activates in certain situations?
    • A means of revival or preventing a fatal blow?
• Shields
  • Putting up a barrier around an ally, negating a certain amount of damage on next hit?
  • Preventing an ally from being attacked?
    • Preventing enemy from attacking?

Conjure Ideas:

This Conjure is going to cause a lot of problems for DreamWare and Externus due to its nature as a lucid dreamer. It, by definition, has to be aware of its existence as a simulated being and be able to have a high degree of manipulation over the UniverSim. In this state, I feel as though the concept is almost too powerful to keep, so I’d need to think of in-universe reasons to explain why it could be restrained in some capacity.

• Perhaps this Conjure is a child, and is unaware of the full extent of their power?
  • Perhaps they have been conditioned to be unable to access their full power?
  • Perhaps, by being aware of the nature of their existence, they are apathetic and thus not motivated to use their powers, as there is no way to break free?
    • Perhaps they have tried to escape before?
• Perhaps they lack sentience, or are impaired in some way?
  • Perhaps they act on instinct?
• Perhaps they simply don’t want to use their powers? That there is nothing to gain from it?
  • Similar to god as a concept, what challenges are there to overcome if you have absolute power? The only thing left to do would be to sit back and observe and willingly let the universe around you act outside of your control.

Visually, I’m leaning towards the ‘creation’ side of this concept. I think the Conjure should be ‘creating’ something in the artwork, emphasising its manipulating of its surroundings.