Dream of Dreams
From Guild Wars 2 Wiki
“The dream is our connection. Our inspiration.
— Sylvari [1]
The Dream of Dreams, also known as the Inner Dream, is the name of the mysterious state of consciousness sylvari experience prior to their "awakening" into the real world. In this state, they experience visions of the outer world and become acquainted with it through the past experiences of other sylvari. In this way, they learn many things (both trivial and vital) about their future lives. Although the Dream is left behind by sylvari upon awakening in the real world, everything a sylvari experiences in his or her subsequent life is added to the Dreams of sylvari not yet born.
Killeen describes it thus: "In the Dream of Dreams, one grows one's identity. When once Awakened into the world, we leave the Dream behind, for the most part. But what we learn in the world goes back into the Dream to help new Sylvari understand. ... But knowledge is rarely specific. A face, an item, perhaps a name, may stay with us once we Awaken. We may feel drawn to a particular place or person, or feel that some task needs to be done. Occasionally, something in the Dream echoes back to an awakened sylvari, but it is more a feeling than a vision filled with details and specifics."
The Dream can impart knowledge and sensation, but not actual experience. Upon being served a leg of roast moa bird, Killeen states that she knows from the Dream what it is and how it will taste, despite never yet having done so herself.
However, concealed within the Dream are terrible, dark nightmares, something which the sylvari do not yet understand. The Nightmare Court, a sylvari faction, have embraced these nightmares.
The Dream of Dreams is said to be moving the sylvari toward their collective "destiny". It is unclear what precisely this means.
