| “ |
Rise, my nightmare champion! |
” |
| —Mab, Queen of Sands | ||
Nightmares are the primary kind of monster seen in the ninth Dark Parables game, Queen of Sands. They are nightmarish transformations of benign creatures, caused by Mab's corrupted Golden Sand. They are possibly based on the Mares of Germanic folklore.
Appearance[]
Transforming into a nightmare involves different appearance changes in different kinds of creatures, mostly humans and a wolf. Generally, the transformation involves an increase in size, a darkening of one's natural coloring, glowing eyes, and an overall shadowy appearance. Non-Sentient beings and items, such as plants and elements, are also given some degree of sentience, allowing them to move and attack at will.
Field Notes[]
Nightmare People[]
The citizens of Montafleur begin to change into Nightmares days before the Fairytale Detective's arrival. By the time the Detective arrives, most of the people have either fled or are in hiding somewhere. The Detective expresses concern at several points that breathing in the mist around Montafleur will turn her into a Nightmare.
Nightmare Tree[]
This is the first Nightmare encountered by the Detective upon her arrival in Montafleur. A once benign tree now exhibits glowing red eyes and reaches for the Detective with gnarled branches. The Tree is returned to normal by Ruth, who shoots it with an arrow.
Nightmare Wolf[]
The second Nightmare seen by the Detective is a giant wolf that greatly resembles the Mist Wolves of the Mist Kingdom. However, this wolf has glowing purple marks on its body. The wolf is summoned by the Queen of Sands as an obstacle to keep the Fairytale Detective from joining forces with the Red Riding Hood Sisters at their cottage. The Wolf is reverted back to its normal form by the Detective, using Golden Sand. Once restored, the Nightmare Wolf is revealed to be Shadow - Elder Sister Ruth's wolf companion.
Nightmare Water Monster[]
This monster is created from the water in a small fountain at the Shrine near Montafleur's Fountain Square. It is a relatively benign Nightmare, in that it doesn't actively attack the Detective. It merely stands where it sprouted, blocking the Detective's path. This Nightmare is dissipated with another handful of Golden Sand.
Nightmare Bats[]
These little Nightmares spring up around the door to the Perfume Factory as guards. They are formed from the bat-like molding in the door's frame and brought to life by Mab as she travels into the Factory to search for the first Prism of Dreams. They aren't really dealt with officially, as they're little more than a nuisance. After the explosion in the Perfume Factory, these bats are let loose to fly randomly around as Mab searches for the second Prism. They form a few barriers at Mab's command to hinder the Detective's progress through the Moon Temple Ruins.
Nightmare Golem[]
This is the largest and most troublesome of the Nightmares generated by Mab. She forms him with her newly replenished powers after finding the first Prism of Dreams. He is a large, rock-like creature with glowing veins running throughout his form. He is gigantic, nearly as large as the Montafleur Clock Tower itself, and possesses immense strength. This monster is first restrained by enchanted vines summoned with Rapunzel's singing voice, then later weakened by Blessed Arrows shot by Brianne. The monster is still present in the final showdown against Mab, though it doesn't seem to be able to do much. It is dissolved when Mab returns to her pure, uncorrupted form.
Origins[]
Nightmares are created by Mab, using her Golden Sand. Presumably, her sand, which is meant to create dreams in sleeping people, is capable of turning those dreams - and nightmares - into reality. Once Mab is saved from her own corruption, she dissolves all of the Nightmares she has created. This species of monster is considered dormant, as they are not currently causing problems, but could easily be recreated by Mab at any time.
Powers and Abilities[]
- Sentience: Definitely a useful thing for those Nightmares that weren't sentient before their change.
- Creepiness: They are quite literally the stuff Nightmares are made of - giving them a psychological edge against anyone they set their sights on.
- Immunity to Most Things: Nightmares can only be dissolved by Golden Sand or other magically imbued items. They are otherwise immune to weaponry and attacks.
Gallery[]
