[h3]The Hunter's Dream[/h3]
The figure in the wheelchair turned their obscured face in Farren's direction, but did not speak. Instead it was once again the doll that answered his question: “The Shopkeeper is not so called because they buy, sell or craft wares, good Hunter, but because they are the caretaker of this place. The Hunter's Dream is modeled after the very first Hunter Workshop as built by the first Hunter, you see. The Shopkeeper is the custodian of the Dream and the guide and guardian to its Hunters.”

There was a pause as the Shopkeeper turned their face to the doll and the doll looked at them, resulting in a brief moment of silence. Yet though not a single sound was uttered by the Shopkeeper, Ophelia would feel a subtle itch in her brain. They gestured toward the small house at the top of the hill marking the highest point in the Dream, and the doll nodded her head in acknowledgment.
“The Shopkeeper wants to let you know that while they do not trade goods, they do have an assortment of Hunter tools, weapons and garbs in the workshop that you may take and use as you see fit.”
Another moment of silence, another itch in Ophelia's head, and the Shopkeeper gestured toward the birdbath overflowing with Messengers.
“They also want me to let you know about services offered by the little ones to good Hunters like yourselves,” the doll translated the Shopkeeper's intent. “As I said, the little ones traverse all manner of worlds much more easily than others do. One of the services they provide with this ability is to deliver messages across distances and even between worlds, as I understand they have already delivered a couple of messages for you from the Shopkeeper themselves in the Waking World. Another is that if you ever acquire something that you want to take with you, but would be cumbersome or otherwise troublesome to have on your person, the little ones can keep them safe until you need them.”
At this, the Shopkeeper picked their book back up and held it up to show them – incidentally displaying a cover with large, gilded font reading “How To Pick Up Fair Maidens” – before reaching the book over the armrest of their wheelchair and toward the ground. As they did so, a Messenger immediately emerged from the ground and eagerly received the book into its arms and, as soon as the Shopkeeper relinquished their hold on it, took the book with them into wherever it went.
“Also,” the doll spoke up again, “the little ones find more in the Nightmare than just information. They travel alongside you as you explore the worlds and may occasionally find things in other worlds that may be of use to you. If they do, they will bring such items to this basin.” She pointed to the birdbath. “They will show you the items in the reflection on the water, but sadly the little ones lack the power to manifest these items for you on their own. To get them, you will have to supply this power yourselves through the echoes of your fallen prey that cling to your blood.”
The doll bowed her head. “Though I am but a doll, good Hunters, I can also use these echoes to assist you. If you wish it, I can turn your blood echoes to strength, skill, vitality, endurance, bloodtinge or affinity for the arcane.”