Dreamlands

The Dreamlands is a fictional realm first introduced by H.P. Lovecraft in his short story "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath." It is a dimension accessible through dreams, inhabited by various beings and featuring landscapes that are often surreal and fantastical. The Dreamlands are described as a place where the rules of reality are fluid and where the subconscious mind holds sway.

The inhabitants of the Dreamlands include benevolent entities like the gods of dreams, the Great Old Ones, and various fantastical creatures. However, it is also a place of danger, populated by creatures of nightmare and entities that seek to harm dreamers. Navigation within the Dreamlands is often achieved through astral projection or by entering the realm via specific dream states.

Lovecraft and other authors who have written about the Dreamlands portray it as a vast and varied place, with distinct regions such as the silver forests, the purple seas, and the silent cities. The concept of the Dreamlands has influenced subsequent works of fantasy and horror, offering a rich tapestry for exploring themes of the imagination, the subconscious, and the boundaries of reality. It serves as a prominent setting in the Cthulhu Mythos, often a place where protagonists seek knowledge or escape from waking-world horrors.