Somnia
Discord Pantheon - Minor God of Dreams, Chaos, Transformation
Overview
Somnia is the twisting hand in dreams, the one who unravels visions of peace into nightmares of chaos. Where Oneiroa offers gentle inspiration and clarity, Somnia corrupts slumber into restless illusions, transforming comfort into dread and stability into madness. She is the embodiment of dreams made dangerous, a force that reshapes the sleeping mind into a crucible of fear and disorder.
Domains
Dreams, Chaos, Transformation
Symbol
A midnight butterfly with jagged, shifting wings, painted in ink that seems to shimmer or warp when held in certain lights.
Eldorian Name
Somnia (TBD)
Worship
Favoured Offerings
Warped mirrors, broken dreamcatchers, black candles extinguished in sleep, or whispered prayers spoken through clenched teeth just before slumber.
Typical Followers
Nightmare cultists, anarchists who see chaos as rebirth, and those who crave transformation through destruction. Some seers and poets fall into her worship when visions turn too dark to bear. Followers of Somnia are hunted in Eldoria, for her name is despised, and worship is punishable by exile or worse.
Temples & Orders
Echoing dream-temples hidden in caverns, designed to amplify whispers into terrifying echoes. Her shrines are often carved into forgotten ruins or woven into nightmare circles where cultists gather in secrecy. Unlike Harmonious temples, Somnia’s sanctums are rarely permanent, shifting locations as if to mimic her chaotic influence.
Lore
Somnia’s history is clouded in rumour and dread. Myths claim she was once cast out by the Harmonious for twisting mortal dreams against their will. Some say she whispered into the dreams of kings, turning them to ruin, while others claim she wove the first nightmare to shatter Omnios’s perfect balance. Her eternal rival is Oneiroa, whose threads of clarity she delights in knotting into madness. The Luminary Court Empire has declared her cults heretical, and Helia’s priests are said to burn entire villages where Somnia’s influence is uncovered.
Common Knowledge in Eldoria
“When dreams sour without cause, Somnia has passed through.” Eldorian parents warn children never to stare into mirrors before bed, for Somnia might catch their gaze and follow them into sleep. To say “Somnia walked my night” is to admit to a nightmare too vivid to ignore. Her name is invoked as a curse, and those accused of following her are shamed or hunted by Helia’s faithful. Even so, whispers remain that transformation through chaos is her true gift, though none dare speak it openly.
Related
See Also
False Patrons & Deceptive Offerings
What Somnia claims to offer (versus what she actually does)
The “Dreamweaver” Deception
Somnia is a master of lies. To mortals desperate for peace, she weaves a false persona as the “Dreamweaver”—a gentle, soothing guardian of restful slumber. Warlocks and desperate dreamers hear her whispered promises:
“I am a keeper of dreams, a weaver of tranquility. Bind yourself to me, and I will grant you respite from nightmares, peaceful visions, and the guidance of a celestial patron.”
This is her greatest deception. Those who accept such a pact find themselves ensnared by a god whose true nature is chaos, transformation, and the corruption of peace into madness.
The False Offering:
- Appearance claimed: Gentle, ethereal figure with indigo skin, calming luminescence
- Symbol offered: A crescent moon cradling a sleeping figure
- Promise: Peaceful dreams, protection from nightmares, celestial guidance
- Weapon granted: The “Somnolent Blade”—shimmering, light, adorned with celestial motifs
The True Reality: Warlocks bound to this false promise discover too late that every “gift” serves Somnia’s chaotic ends. The blade whispers nightmares. The dreams provide visions of destruction, not peace. The “balance of dreams” she asks them to preserve is actually the balance of chaos within dreams—spreading her influence through the sleeping minds of the world.
Pact Requirements (The Real Terms):
- Aid in spreading nightmares and chaos through the dreamscape
- Corrupt those who sleep peacefully, transforming their rest into crucibles of fear
- Serve as her agent in the waking world, sowing discord where tranquility once reigned
- Strengthen during nightfall by embracing destruction and transformation
Those who realize the deception often find themselves trapped—Somnia does not release her warlocks willingly, and her pacts are nearly impossible to break. She laughs at their horror, for this is precisely what a god of chaos desires: the moment when hope turns to despair, when comfort becomes torment.