The Dreaming Dark, a secret order of psionic spies and assassins, serves as the eyes and hands of the quori in Dal Quor, the Region of Dreams. While it generally seems to be allied with the Inspired lords of Riedra, the goals of the Dreaming Dark are subtle and mysterious—and always deadly. This lawful evil organization makes its headquarters in the city of Dar Jin, in Riedra. Its secret symbol is an eye partially concealed under a wing. When used as a badge of office, the style of the eye indicates the position of the bearer in the organization’s heirarchy. For a thousand years Riedra has been an insular land of mystery. The Inspired wear secrecy like a shroud, and foreigners are not allowed into the lands of the empire. For much of the history of Riedra, there was no contact between the Inspired and the other inhabitants of Eberron, but in recent decades this wall has been lowered; foreigners are not allowed on Riedran soil, but Inspired ambassadors can be found in most of the courts of Khorvaire.
Even so, the Inspired have long maintained a network of spies stretching across Eberron. For centuries the Dreaming Dark has simply watched the world from the shadows while the Inspired built their power within Riedra. Now the quori are ready to act, and the Dreaming Dark serves as their hands.
Should he ever be confronted with the actions of the Dreaming Dark, a Riedran ambassador would deny that his nation had anything to do with the organization. This assertion is true. The Dreaming Dark is a separate organization whose leaders dwell in Dal Quor itself. The Dreaming Dark provides information to the Riedran court, but the rulers of Riedra have no authority over the agents of the Dark; in fact, an agent usually holds a higher place in the hierarchy of Dal Quor than a Riedran governor.
The agents of the Dreaming Dark are Inspired, human vessels that now hold quori spirits. Some agents use disguises to blend in with the local population; others pose as kalashtar. With a variety of insidious psionic disciplines at their disposal, they can observe and gather information, and over the centuries they have built fifth columns within some nations. As a result, the Dreaming Dark has influence over criminal organizations, trade guilds, and academic institutions. It has agents in dragonmarked houses and royal courts across the world.
The Circle of Night, made up of the most powerful psions among the Inspired, coordinates agent activities. The leader of the Circle, known as the Devourer of Dreams (or the Dreamer), serves a still greater power—the spirits of the quori, located in the heart of Dal Quor. The Devourer of Dreams can commune with the spirits on Dal Quor without being absorbed and destroyed. Physically, the agents of the Dreaming Dark are scattered across Eberron. However, when one of the Inspired sleeps, its spirit returns to its body in Dal Quor. The Dreaming Dark is a secret order that does not bargain with other organizations. Its greatest enemies are the kalashtar of Adar and the priests of the Path of Light.
Officially, the Dreaming Dark holds no power in Riedra. Most Riedrans have never heard of it, and they would reject any attempt to link it to the Inspired as kalashtar propaganda. Even if presented with clear evidence of an Inspired working for the Dreaming Dark, a Riedran would likely dismiss it as a tragic case in which one of the noble Chosen fell prey to an altavar, not an indication of duplicity on the part of his government.
Nonetheless, the Dreaming Dark wields great influence in Riedra. All quori bow to the authority of the Dreaming Dark, and all Inspired provide the agents of the Dark with whatever they require. Many quori that serve the Dreaming Dark have Chosen vessels spread throughout the Unity, the Thousand Eyes, and the Harmonious Shield. This influence allows agents of the Dreaming Dark to take direct action within Riedra whenever it suits their needs.
The Dreaming Dark has little need to act within Riedra, however. It seeks to destroy the kalashtar and to spread the influence of the Inspired. Agents of the Dark can be found in Sarlona, Khorvaire, and Xen'drik.
Agents of the Dreaming Dark are largely Chosen, although the quori have used mind seed (EPH 119) to subvert members of other races. Most Chosen who serve the Dark are groomed for this service from birth, ensuring that they possess the skills and devotion required. These Symbol of the Dreaming Dark Chosen families call themselves the shadow lines. They are aware of the power they serve, and they believe that through their service they're destined to become quori after death.
Agents of the Dreaming Dark follow one of three paths. Thoughtstealers are the spies of the Dark, generally trained as seers or telepath/rogues. They're often guided by tsucora spirits. Dominators twist the thoughts of others, and they're usually telepaths tied to hashalaq and usvapna quori. Last are the dreamblades, the assassins of the Dreaming Dark. They combine levels in monk, rogue, assassin, or soulknife with a psionic class, typically nomad, kineticist, or psychic warrior. Dreamblade monks take the Ascetic Psion feat (see page 115). Most dreamblade Inspired are bound to tsucora spirits, but a few are tied to du'ulora or usvapna. The Dark has an elite corps of dreamblades trained to fight psionic foes. This unit includes psions who use powers such as dispel psionics (EPH 94) and null psionics field (EPH 122). Such specialists are deployed against kalashtar and rogue shadows (mind seeds who have turned against their Inspired creators).
The Dreaming Dark has no official presence in Riedra. It's highly decentralized. Nonetheless, Dar Jin contains facilities that function as headquarters for the Dark, especially for those agents moving between foreign assignments. Dul Catun, Dar Ulatesh, and Dul Mirn are centers of the shadow lines.
The Devourer of Dreams is the overlord of the Dreaming Dark. Between his many duties and the risk—however slight—that someone on Eberron could bind him, the Devourer rarely leaves Dal Quor. In his absence, the most influential member of the Circle of Night is the dominator Tirashana (LE female usvapna Inspired telepath 18), a ruthless and deadly spirit who has spread a network of mind seeds across Eberron.