Editing Nightmare (section)

==4th Edition==
[[File:Nightmare 4e.jpg|right|300px]]
In the 4th Edition preview book Wizards Presents: Worlds and Monsters, we get both a first mention, and a first glimpse of the nightmare. There is a black and white illustration in the Shadowfell section, and it is noted that the shadar-kai capture nightmares to use as mounts, implying that the steeds have been displaced from the lower planes to inhabit a new home. The depicted nightmare is both heavily armored and heavy. There is nothing remotely skeletal about this beast, and it has extensive ornate barding covering its legs, head and neck. This is likely magical barding because it appears to cling to the nightmare despite no visible straps or means of attachment.

The nightmare which appeared in the Monster Manual a few months later is not armored, but retains the well-defined muscular appearance. It is also the most flame-engulfed version we've seen so far, with fire now leaping out from the nightmare's head and torso. In death, these flames go out, and its mane and tail turn to ash.

Mechanically, this is a simpler beast. It can no longer shift between planes, but gets a short-range teleportation ability instead, although the text notes that some particularly powerful individuals are capable of travelling to the Shadowfell. The nightmare has lost its bite and smoke breathing capabilities, and is limited to attacking with hooves. The only special attack it has is to leave a trail of fire behind it when it charges. It is able to extend its own fire resistance to a rider of sufficient power (13th level).

Although it is still described as intelligent, its intelligence score has dropped to sub-human levels and it is incapable of communicating in any language. The nightmare seems to be back to a carnivorous diet, which could explain the dramatic weight-gain. Nightmares have a taste for human flesh.

In theory (although not always in practice) nightmares of earlier editions were solitary creatures. These Shadowfell-dwelling versions are very much herd animals, even attacking in wolf-like packs. They get their name from the terrifying dreams experienced by survivors of their attacks. Nightmares enjoy spreading fear and terror and are known to let their targets think they have escaped, before closing back in for a kill.

Although they are still used as mounts by powerful evil creatures, such riders must now first defeat a nightmare in combat, and give the beast a choice of service or death in order to compel it to serve as a mount. Despite this rather onerous requirement, the Adventurer's Vault includes the nightmare on a list of potential mounts for adventurers. With a price tag of a mere 25,000 gp, the nightmare compares favourably with a wyvern (21,000 gp) or a manticore (45,000 gp), and has a faster flying speed than either of them.

Open Grave offers a slightly more powerful nightmare, Maheghoda the Black Course, ridden by the death knight ruler of a city populated by undead. Although Maheghoda is a unique creature with improved hit points, AC and attacks, it does not have any new abilities.

The article Codex of Betrayal: Alloces in Dragon #373 mentions that the devil known as the Butcher of Nessus claims to have created the first nightmares. Although the same article also states that his claim is unlikely to be true, it acknowledges that Alloces has bred new, more potent nightmares. Quite how this lore dovetails with the nightmare's new home in the Shadowfell is unclear here, but a later article offers an explanation, as we'll see below.

The adventure E1: Death's Reach introduces creatures called shadowclaw nightmares, but contains frustratingly little in the way of description or explanation as to what these are. They can clearly be mounted, so could be horse-like in nature. They are also large shadow beasts, like the nightmare, but unlike the nightmare, they are undead and capable of reanimating once slain. Are they relatives of the nightmare? It is impossible to tell from Death's Reach.

A boxed set released towards the end of 4th Edition, The Shadowfell: Gloomwrought and Beyond, provides a little more detail of the shadar-kai relationship with nightmares. We learn that some shadar-kai have mastered a tactical manoeuvre where they leap from the backs of their nightmare steeds directly into combat. Svyn, the religious leader of the network of mountain caves known as Thyrin Gol, roams the Shadowfell on the back of a nightmare steed named Sear, searching out the mysteries of the plane. There are also rumours that a jet-black unicorn has seized the leadership of the herd of nightmares living in the nearby Gol Mountains. 

According to Underdark, deep within the Shadowdark a pair of nightmares is chained to the body of a purple worm, which is used as a bridge over the River Lathan, also known as the River of Souls.

Strangely, it is the nightmare's last 4th Edition appearance that provides the most detailed version of the creature. Following on from the Essentials reboot, a number of monster update articles appeared in the online magazines. The nightmare gets a two page write-up in Dungeon #198, authored by Logan Bonner.

Some of the earlier characteristics of nightmares are restored here. They are again described (but not illustrated) as "gaunt", and there is a nod to their plane-shifting powers as a possible explanation of their ability to teleport short distances. Nightmares are again said to be predominantly solitary, except in the Shadowfell, where they hunt in packs. The predatory nature of the creatures is emphasized -- so grisly can the deaths of their victims be, that some of them remain behind as vengeful spirits.

The seemingly throw-away comment from the 3rd Edition Monster Manual that nightmares can invade dreams is repeated here, it seems that they somehow haunt the dreams of survivors of their attacks, as well as appearing in dreams as a foreshadowing of encounters still to come.

The damage inflicted by the nightmare's hooves has been boosted from 1d8+6 (plus 5 fire) damage, to 2d8+7 (plus 5 fire damage), and it is given a Shroud of Smoke defensive ability, which is another tip-of-the-hat to earlier editions. All nightmares can now travel to the Shadowfell, as well as take their rider with them when teleporting.

The discrepancy between their "lower" planar and Shadowfell habitats is addressed. The article makes it clear that in addition to the Shadowfell, there are also populations of nightmares in the Nine Hells and the Abyss. These herds are even given leaders. A stallion named Sin's Reward leads the nightmares of the Nine Hells. He wears spiked iron barding and is constantly surrounded by a cloud of black smoke and embers. Thunder of Hooves is a mare who has grown to enormous size, and mutated to grow an extra pair of legs. She rules over the herds of the Abyss by brute force.

Although these two rulers hate each other, they meet in the Shadowfell once each year to mate and produce three exceptional foals. One of these offspring remains on the Shadowfell, while the other two return to the home planes of each of their parents. The article suggests that these two rulers were originally servants of Vecna, but have been corrupted by their home planes, and that Vecna now plots their demise. The article finishes with a mention of the legendary Gloom Meet and the role that nightmare play in announcing this planar event. It is said that one way to find the location of the Gloom Meet is to follow the trail of scorched hoof prints.

This update does a good job of blending in traditional elements of nightmare lore, and it is a pity that it was published so late in the 4th Edition life-cycle. The 4th Edition Monster Manual would have been greatly improved by entries of this quality.