How should the Nightmare look?

For a long time I have discussed the Nightmare within my quests as being a physical being, but we have come no closer to actually deciding on a final image. I've had some ideas, but what does everyone else think?

More skilled in magic than the Mahjarrat, stronger than a Dragonkin and far more menacing than both the Corporeal Beast and Nomad combined. An entire cult following from all species across Gielinor during the God Wars was founded around it, a being that feeds from fear rather than being empowered by faith, so image is everything. You can't have something look to flimsy or inconspicuous, but neither a snarling beast.

Any ideas?

According to first-hand information, the Nightmare speaks will a darkened tone of speech and a deep voice. In terms of height, it is roughly between 8.5' and 9' and despite appearing to have one, does not have a skeletal structure as far as anyone can tell.

Hmm.

Well, for starters, I always thought (and I don't know if it's imagination or if you told me) that the Nightmare was a shapeshifter. It seems to me that the Nightmare at least partially embodies things like fear and deceit - I think the ability to shapeshift would work well with these values. Not to mention, if he's as magically capable as you say he is, he should have the power to change form.

Anyway, that's probably not helping you. Even if the Nightmare can shapeshift, he still needs a true or preferred form, like the Mahjarrat do. Being somewhat of a devil figure, I think it might be a good idea to start there -basing it on or taking elements of from images of the devil. Horns would be good in my opinion. Red skin would work nicely too (you've said a couple of times that red and black are the colours of the Nightmare, haven't you?). Perhaps give him black markings - something like what Wahisietel after rejuvination, or Vanstorm in his vyre form.

I like him being taller than an average human. However, I think in true form, a Mahjarrat stands at roughly the same height. I know Kharshai is somehow involved in this, so if you want to show the nightmare to be dominant over Mahjarrat too, you might wanna make sure he's just a few inches taller than them.

I imagine the nightmare wielding a pikestaff of some kind. No idea why.

Anyway, that should be enough to keep you thinking for a few minutes. What do you think?

Edit: Blaze has posted while I was writing this. I like his idea of understatement. You should defiantly work with that. Perhaps even ignore my thoughts on his height.

I honestly that you shouldn't even see the Nightmare. Honestly; it would be cliche to be anything tangible like a swirling cloud of black mist with red eyes.

Although, that could be cool, it is already done.

Maybe instead of it having a physical form why can't it manifest something physical. It is such a powerful being cannot exist in reality, like you say, so why not it be an object of the collective unconscious (Jungian application there ).

Blaze FF8 wrote:When it comes to antagonists likes this, I always prefer something that's both
abstract and symbolic, rather than straight-up mighty.
Something that frightens not because of how huge its jowls are, or its claws or
muscles, but because it radiates an uneasiness that a player/reader/viewer
can't easily connect with. Something morbidly surreal.
For example, a creature that looks misshapen, scarred and mutilated, but
disturbingly comfortable with it, and with each of its deformities graced with
unfittingly elegant/luxurious trimmings. Do you see what I mean?

Symbolism's good too. Blunt, forceful or crude nods to previous goings-on,
lores or objects seen throughout the story, presented in a fashion which shows
them in a new, unsettling light

For this monster, I really think you should rely on the abstract rather than the tangible to make the battle believable.

EDIT: I know in my most recent series I have some pretty abstract boss battles riddled with symbols and foreshadowing.

While I'm not disagreeing with your idea, Dragon...

How would you battle an abstract monster? There needs to be something tangible there to stab or slash or cast spells at, surely?

good question;

well, as you pointed out, conventional means can't work since this beast attacks both mentally and physically it needs to be trapped in a mindless state to where it can expose itself and, well, conventional means can be used against the beast.

I want this beast to be formless and is created from your specific fears and the environments it creates for yourself is it, but it has to be contained to only yourself for it to eat from the inside out.

EDIT: I seriously want the monster to be in the gas state rather than the solid state of matter

EDIT 2: The monster on its true level should the weakest it could be because blind fear itself, although powerful, is weak and it withers away eventually if you do no take care of the phobia. But I know the nightmare is not a phobia but a cretin that the world has never seen before, like Lucien and Nomad and The USSR, the Huns, and every other quest boss in any game.

Perhaps, if you want the nightmare to be abstract, it might be a good idea to simply have it possess someone for the final fight. That way we never actually have to see it, and it could be quite an emotive finish if you have to kill whoever gets possessed to save the rest of Gielinor

The Nightmare does not possess creatures. It can get inside creatures' heads, extract their pain and make them suffer, but never possesses them. It considers possession too common and not worth the trouble.

It's just a suggestion. It could be a powerful ending to your story, don't write it off so quickly...

I have plans for the Nightmare beyond its destruction...

The Living Nightmare is a creature the Nightmare breeds for the purpose of marching into combat and it is purposefully designed to be empty so it can inhabit it, if that's what you need.

You mean this ISN'T going to be the finale???

okay Morbius... way to fall in to the common "Evilest enemy will return cliffhanger so I can can capitalize on a franchise" approach which so many good movies unfortunately do...

Whilst the Nightmare perishes, you still have the Shadow Apprentices to worry about.

So the nightmare battle is like the boss fights in the final moments of D Age 2 where there is a monstrous minor boss that is composed of the the dead bodies of his fellow mages and the final, crazy-ass bitch Meredith who gets statues to kill you and your friends' asses?

Edit: I plowed through so….many…people just to get from the minor boss to the Meredith person… God… I hope that's not what the Nightmare will be like…. o_O

So you want what comes across as one of the greatest villains to be defeated after just appearing in two quests?

Also, the Nightmare doesn't use possession, just suggestion. It is how it has controlled the fate of everything for a long time. But its ideas are so well planted no one questions the notion.

sure; well at least its fight.

I think fighting it twice would be painful. You can have this antagonist be a reoccurring character but oh wait, he cannot. He can only appear when you battle it.

I think the first quest you encounter it you don't fight it at all; let it get peeps to kick your ass. Then, when you have finally cornered it in the final quest, you can tear it from limb to limb.

You fight it at the end of "Nighttime over Lupine". To be honest, it has been aching for a fight for over two thousand years, it's been reborn and you're the first possible enemies it can find.

You also fight it twice (or three times if you count the Living Nightmare and the True Nightmare to be separate battles) in "The Nightmare Begins"; once in the dream world as a duel and then you fight it again as the final two bosses.

A lot of other quests do follow the events of the Nightmare Begins even if they aren't specifically linked to it. "Truth and Law" involves the Shadow Apprentices as does "The Pandoran Boxes", but it is referenced in both.

A tall, slender, completely pale humanoid, with an almost featureless face, and far too long to seem reasonable arms and legs. Its body has an odd glow around it, that appears to pervert the air around it, and as it moves, things discolor for moments as it nears. It can change its shape into whatever form it feels right, but whilst in its Blank form, it is its most powerful.



As for appearances, I suggest going back and actually adding hints and the like in, as to the existance of it, in earlier available quests. This allows you to build more of the tension and lore for the creature as the series progresses.

I approve of the feature humanoid.

A small boy, coughing constantly, with a placard hanging behind him saying "I'm more powerful than anything apparently...so I win"

"Please sir, may I kill you more?" -brit accent-

Here's a character that would embody the Nightmare if he was a human male.

Amascut wrote:-brit accent-

I assume you want the Cockney...not RP...or any of the others...