Order of the Oneirophysics

The Order of the Oneirophysics is an order of changeling dream-healers.

Background
"I walk the ethereal path to heal those who are wounded by ghostly barbs. I swim the darkest river, brave the bottomless channel and dive into the depths of night-time’s passage. I go where each man holds his deepest fears and his secret passions, and I do so for the good of all."

A group that sees itself as a guild of healers, rather than an order, the Dreamhealers are talented oneiromancers capable of miraculous feats of healing through dream-wielding, ranging from healing otherwise fatal illnesses to ridding patients of incurable diseases. However, given the potential for abuse that dream-weaving can foster, the order is rather picky about those it permits entry.

Organization
The order is divided into ranks based on the individual’s skill, ability, and adherence to the Oneirophysic Oath. The talented but unethical are often placed under scrutiny, punished by having their sleep tormented until they learn from their mistakes.

No Rank: Initiate — These changelings are not true Oneirophysics yet, instead being groomed for the position. They lack both mien and privilege, though they remain associated with the entitlement.

Rank One: Intern — The bottom rung of the actual order, Interns have either just recently finished their interviews and cursory studies or have, in the case of rogues, spontaneously generated the first-rank privilege in an emergency.

Rank Two: Resident — Those who have undertaken in-depth studies of the healing potential of dreams, the Residents may act as a healer for their motley or freehold, or may travel as an itinerant healer, helping those who cross their path. Upon attaining the rank of Resident, the dreamhealer must choose one of the following specializations (or create a similarly powered one with ST approval): Battle Injuries, Communicable Disease, Mental Illness, Geriatrics, Pediatrics, Supernatural Illnesses, Reproductive Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Exotic Disease. (Prerequisites: Wyrd 3, Medicine 3 + Specialty, Empathy 2)

Rank Three: Physic — Full-fledged members of the order, Physics are capable of medical miracles, though at great cost to themselves. As such, they often become reclusive, so as to avoid requests from foolhardy Lost. (Prerequisites: Wyrd 4, Medicine 4, Empathy 3)

Joining and Membership
Prerequisites: Wyrd 2, Medicine 2, Empathy 1 (additional for higher ranks, see Organization) Title: Oneirophysic, Dreamhealer (male or female), Dream Doc (slang), Leech/Nightmare/Quack (insulting)

There are two means by which one may join the order. First, one may be approached after exhibiting interest for and acuity with oneiromancy, being earmarked for additional training. Second, certain changelings may spontaneously develop the mien and privileges without any mentoring at all, eventually being noticed by the order. In the second case, the changeling will be offered an invitation after a cursory investigation. Those who refuse are seen as rogues, and are looked at with scorn by the Oneirophysics.

Those within this entitlement are strong of mind and will, due to the need to deal with the nightmares that afflict their patients. Darklings and Wizened are the most common seemings to be found in the order.

Mien
Due to their heavy interaction with the world of dreams, an Oneirophysic will begin to fade somewhat from the waking world. For each rank, a Dreamhealer will gain a permanent, cumulative -1 penalty to Presence rolls. Less mechanically speaking, he will become visibly less tangible (i.e. a fading of coloration in parts of or the entirety of the body).

Privilege
Action: Instant Cost: 1 Glamour
 * The Plunge: The Dreamhealer can drop into a state of lucid dreaming that allows him to enter into the dreams of any individual who is, herself, currently sleeping or unconscious, so long as he is making physical skin-to-skin contact with her at the time of taking the Plunge. If contact is broken after the connection has been made, the Oneirophysic can attempt to maintain contact and continue his work by making a successful reflexive Resolve + Composure + Wyrd roll at the beginning of each turn. Success means he may continue the contact for that turn. Exceptional Success means he may continue the contact for the rest of the scene (or until the target wakes up, whichever comes first) without further rolls. If the Oneirophysic fails his roll to remain connected to his patient, the bond is forcibly broken, and he suffers a -2 penalty to all actions for the rest of the scene, due to disorientation.

Rank-Related Privilege: Dreamhealing
A member of this order will have access to ranks of the privilege equal to or less than his own rank. As such, a Physic has access to all three, while an Intern has access only to the first rank.

Action: Instant Cost: 1 Willpower
 * Rank One: Dream Triage — Clears any damage from the patient’s rightmost health box. Only one use of Dream Triage can be applied to any individual within any 24 hour period. This has the added affect of stabilizing a target that is bleeding to death or in a coma. The loss of Health points to aggravated damage each minute is stopped (see Incapacitation, p. 173, World of Darkness Rulebook).


 * Rank Two: Psychic Healing — Applies normal medical treatments (physical or mental) while in a shared dream with their patient. All rolls to heal or provide therapy once within a shared dream are made as if they were happening in the waking world, regardless of whether the patient is nearby (as with The Plunge) or across the world. The Oneirophysic can use the shared dream state to speed normal healing and diagnose and treat injuries and illnesses within it. Furthermore, he can apply a +4 bonus to all rolls to diagnose or treat within a shared dream, as long as the injury or illness pertains to his particular Psychic Healing specialization.


 * Rank Three: Intensive Care — An Oneirophysic can sacrifice his own health for that of the patient. Each turn, the Oneirophysic spends a point of Willpower and a single point of the patient’s aggravated damage is reduced to lethal, lethal damage is reduced to bashing, or bashing damage is healed entirely (which damage is healed is at the Oneirophysic’s discretion). For every level of damage reduction, the Oneirophysic takes a point of unavoidable lethal damage. Attempts to negate the damage transferal also negate the healing process, leaving the patient as severely injured as he was at the beginning of the treatment. Damage incurred through the use of Intensive Care is just as painful to the healer as it was to the patient, and must be healed by the Oneirophysic naturally over time; all attempts to do otherwise have no effect. It is possible for an Oneirophysic to kill himself by injudicious use of this privilege.