Profile
Carmine Rousseau
The Dream Dealer of Doskvol
"What memories shall I weave into the fabric of your slumber today?"
In the northwest corner of Nightmarket lies a quaint but unassuming bookstore specializing in historical tomes that would interest only the occasional inquisitive university student or discerning scholar. However, those who present a copy of The Mind's Eye by Professor Eleanora Ravenscroft at the front counter and form the symbol of a diamond between their hands are led to the backroom, where the Sandman awaits.
Carmine, otherwise known as the Sandman, runs a clandestine dream-dealing business located at the intersection of Black Stag Road and Incense Alley, just close enough to the Railbridge to conveniently obtain supplies from the Alchemists' Parish, but far enough from the tracks so that the sound of the trains won't disturb her slumbering customers. Those who are privy to her work are taken not to the dusty backroom of a bookstore, but downstairs to a waiting room lavishly furnished with hanging Moroccan lamps, tasseled cushions, high pile rugs, and antiques scavenged from the deathlands. A deathseeker crow with one leg, trained by Carmine herself, observes the room from a high wooden perch. The air is heavily perfumed with a peculiar incense formulated to ward off the spirits that plague Doskvol.
Patrons are greeted with a warm smile, perhaps even an embrace, and gently directed to a cozy candlelit room adorned with a plush armchair and a thoughtfully curated selection of bottled dreams. In contrast, mercenaries are met with a casual wave and guided to a massive, sterile chamber lined with unprocessed spirit bottles and...are those bodies?
Humble Beginnings
Carmine was once the apprentice of a psychic who conducted seances for the entertainment of Doksvol's most affluent nobles. During her apprenticeship, she learned to summon and communicate with the spirits of the recently deceased. Such practices usually required fresh corpses, and when the bodies were no longer of any use to her mentor, Carmine was free to experiment with them as she pleased. She developed a means of extracting the memories of the dead into spirit bottles and implanting the memories into the minds of the living. The memories of the deceased - if pleasant - manifested as dreams, providing sensations ranging from nostalgia to euphoria.
Dangerous Dealings
Years later, she left her mentor to found Sweet Dreams. Many of the rich clientele who fancied her mentor's seances followed Carmine to her little business in Nightmarket, chasing the high that came with vivid dreaming or seeking respite from the harsh realities of living in Doskvol. As her business relies on procuring fresh bodies from graverobbers racing against the deathseeker crows and corrupt coroners at the Bellweather Crematorium, both her clients and collaborators are sworn to absolute secrecy. She can also, however, obtain memories by siphoning them from the living. Paupers in desperate need of coin may sell their cherished memories to the Sandman - after all, putting food on the table is more important than remembering a child's first birthday or one's wedding.
Bittersweet Dreams
There are some unfortunate consequences for those who seek out her services too frequently. Patrons may wake up from induced dreams with heightened emotions, experiencing joy or sadness more intensely. They may have disruptions to their regular sleep patterns for the next few days. Over time, customers may have difficulty coping with emotional challenges, as they become accustomed to seeking solace in artificial dreams. As they become more dependent, the lines between their actual memories and the induced dreams begin to blur, making it challenging for patrons to distinguish reality from their dreamt experiences.
Design Notes
- Almost always seen with either a long cigarette holder or cigar. She doesn't show much outward emotion but twirls it when she's worried
- Has extremely long hair since she thinks cutting her hair is bad luck (most commonly worn in braids, but can be any hairstyle)
- Potion bottle and satchel can be replaced with a plain black/dark brown belt
- Appears to have a languid, lazy, or carefree personality, which relaxes her customers. However, she is always vigilantly observing her surroundings
Trivia
- While her most popular service is administering cheerful dreams, she is capable of removing bitter memories as well
- Jokes that she has a tattoo somewhere on her body but won’t say where it is or what it depicts
- Is a beacon for the supernatural. It’s usually just a minor annoyance, but when she wants to keep ghosts away, she burns a blend of herbs in the form of incense. In public, she hides the herbs discreetly in the form of a cigar (basically a smudge stick) or cigarette and pretends to smoke
Moodboard
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse sit amet massa blandit, fermentum enim a, scelerisque velit. Integer interdum urna ac dui sollicitudin sollicitudin. In feugiat posuere nulla, eget lobortis ante.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse sit amet massa blandit, fermentum enim a, scelerisque velit. Integer interdum urna ac dui sollicitudin sollicitudin. In feugiat posuere nulla, eget lobortis ante.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse sit amet massa blandit, fermentum enim a, scelerisque velit. Integer interdum urna ac dui sollicitudin sollicitudin. In feugiat posuere nulla, eget lobortis ante.
