Shadow Play is an ärˈkād - located near the VSD - that utilizes the increased electromagnetism to activate a shared-dream state among the arcade's subscribers. This shared dream is considered by some as a glimpse into another dimension. More of a simulation than a game, the patrons walk throughout the world observing the alien, yet familiar planet. Within this realm the visitors are in an intoxicated trance going unnoticed by the inhabitants which adds to the fantasy element of the communal dream.
History[]
Shadow Play was established by Ren'ai'di, a Hyla that owns and operates the ärˈkād. The shared-dream effect was discovered when Ren'ai'di and his small crew began to explore the VSD and the surrounding regions for resources and elements. Falling asleep after enjoying a traditional Hyla cocktail, which would poison a human but maintains a delightful buzz among the Hyla, the cadré, they later deduced, had all had the same dream. They dreamt of a bright region, glowing red from the sun which seemed oddly out of place in the sky. Ren'ai'di would later express that beyond the circumventing mountain range overlooking the desert, which he claimed was replaced with lush green pastures and ice-capped mountains, existed a bright red ray of light nearly blinding him. His later experiments in the dream-realm would reveal more detail behind the blinding red light. With each induced vision the position of the sun continued changing in the sky resulting in a less intense red glow on a metallic city.
Due to the continuity of the induced dream-state Ren'ai'di hypothesized that the dream-world was the actually reality and everything else was the dream. Deist claim it is but one version of many realities, another dimension on a different but parallel version of Wreel. A reality in which Wreel rotates as it revolves around its sun. This, the Deist presumed, was the explanation for the varying positioning of the sun and the clear environmental differences. Many Deist astronomers and biologists frequent the ärˈkād simply to study the planets orbit and ecology from the small territory in which they can occupy within the dream-realm.
Before the Deist, or any race other than the Hyla, could enter the dream-state the effective compound within the Hyla's toxic cocktail needed to be isolated and rendered innocuous. When the Deist chemical engineers finally accomplished this the ärˈkād was developed. Unlike traditional ärˈkāds the user did not need to connect to cybr. The effect was believed to be caused by elevated electro-magnetism and the brains response to the isolated neurotoxin.
Early after Shadow Play was opened to the public most could enter the shared-dream but few would remain in a lucid state during the vision. The majority would realize they had been in a dream only after they had reawoken into their reality. Many advancements have been made since the first iteration of the dream-inducing pharma that allows for extended, lucid visits to the alternate reality.
Deist attempts to recreate the conditions believed to be responsible for the shared-dream have been unsuccessful to date.