Night Mare
In Xanth, deserving people receive nightmares. They are delivered by
"Night Mares" from the gourd.
The gourd resembles a Mundane squash with a hole on the surface. If one
peeps into the hole, they become entranced into the gourd. Their body stays outside,
but their soul goes into the land of the gourd. The only way to be released from the
gourd, is if someone blocks the victims' view of the peep hole.
Inside the gourd there are several sections. There is the haunted house, the
graveyard, the city of Brassies and all kinds of spooky stuff. When you go into the gourd
and then leave, when you look at the peep hole again it takes you right back to the place
you left.
Inside the gourd is where nightmares are made. Nightmares are each
constructed for each individual who is to receive it. People must have nightmares. If they
didn't, they would not have any consciences. Nightmares make you a better person. The
Night Stallion is in charge of the gourd. He assigns the nightmares to the "Night
Mares" who deliver the bad dreams all over Xanth and sometimes in Mundania.
Night Mares are solid black and are immortal. They phase out in the
darkness and travel all night delivering nightmares. You can tell that one has been there
by the hoof prints they leave behind.
The most famous Night Mare is Mare Imbrium. She had always had a
secret desire to see a rainbow. Since Night Mares can not be out in the day, she had never
seen one. After she recieved half a soul which ruined her, she no longer had
the right additude to deliver her nightmares with the malice in which they were to be
delivered. So the Night Stallion fired her and sent her to day duty.
Day Mares deliver day dreams. They also have been known to show up in
Mundania.
After she became a Day Mare, Mare Imbrium was told by the Night Stallion to
deliver a message "beware the horseman". This started an adventure that
consisted of saving the whole of Xanth.
You can read about it in the book "Night Mare".
Look who I found! Reminds me so much of Mare Imbrium!
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