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{{Infobox Story
{{Infobox Story SMW
| range          = DWM comic stories{{!}}DWM Comics
| range          = DWM comic stories{{!}}DWM Comics
| number in range = 9
| number in range = 9
Line 11: Line 11:
| enemy          = [[Slinth]]s  
| enemy          = [[Slinth]]s  
| setting        = [[Unicepter IV]]
| setting        = [[Unicepter IV]]
| writer          = [[Steve Moore]]
| writer          = Steve Moore
| editor          = [[Paul Neary]]
| editor          = [[Paul Neary]]
| artist          = [[Dave Gibbons]]
| artist          = [[Dave Gibbons]]
| colourist      =
| colourist      =  
| letterer        =
| letterer        =  
| publication    = [[DWM 47]]-[[DWM 48|48]]
| publication    = [[DWM 47]]-[[DWM 48|48]]
| release date    = [[13 November (releases)|13 November]] - [[11 December (releases)|11 December]] [[1980 (releases)|1980]]
| release date    = 13 November - 11 December 1980
| publisher      = Marvel Comics
| publisher      = Marvel Comics
| format          = Comic
| format          = Comic
Line 24: Line 24:
| epcount        = 2
| epcount        = 2
| reprint        = Dragon's Claw (graphic novel)
| reprint        = Dragon's Claw (graphic novel)
}}
}}{{comic stub}}
{{comic stub}}
'''''Dreamers of Death''''' was a [[DWM comic stories|''Doctor Who Magazine'' comic story]] featuring the [[Fourth Doctor]], [[K9 Mark II]] and [[Sharon Davies]]. It was notable for depicting Sharon's departure from [[the Doctor's TARDIS]].
'''''Dreamers of Death''''' was a [[DWM comic stories|''Doctor Who Magazine'' comic story]] written by [[Steven Moore]] and published between [[November (releases)|November]] and [[December (releases)|December]] [[1980 (releases)|1980]]. [[Dave Gibbons]] provided the artwork.


The story featured the [[Fourth Doctor]], [[K9 Mark II]] and [[Sharon Davies]]. It was notable for depicting Sharon's departure from the [[The Doctor's TARDIS|TARDIS]] crew. Aside from a cameo in ''[[A Life of Matter and Death (comic story)|A Life of Matter and Death]]'', Sharon wouldn't be seen again until [[2016 (releases)|2016]]'s ''[[The Stockbridge Showdown (comic story)|The Stockbridge Showdown]]'' thirty-six years later.
== Summary ==
The [[Fourth Doctor]] and [[Sharon Davies]] visit some of his [[Berrace family|old friends]] on the planet [[Unicepter IV]]. A peaceful cohabitation between the population and the native [[Slinth]] creatures have granted them the power to harness fully-controlled [[dreamscape]]s. However, reports of fatalities regarding [[Professional Dreamer]]s and their clients cause concern for the Doctor, but not one to turn down an adventure he nevertheless agrees to enter a dreamscape himself curtesy of [[Vernor Allen]].


== Summary ==
As the dreamscape soon turns into a nightmare the Doctor and co face off against a hoard of dead-men, [[devil bird]]s and gigantic Slinths. [[K9 Mark II|K9]] saves the day by severing the Doctor's connection to the dream world, and the Doctor is soon able to work out that the Sliths are in fact [[parasite|parasitic]] and feeding off the psyhcic energy being produced by the [[fear]] and [[terror]] experienced within the dreamscapes. Proving themselves to be more than a match for the Doctor, the Slinths combine into one large creature taking the form of [[the Devil]]. They plan to wreak havoc on the city and absorb the psychic energy from the population's fear.
''to be added''


== Plot ==
== Plot ==
[[File:Intro dreamscape.jpg|thumb|right|[[Karith]] rescues his fiancée [[Lyan Berrace|Lyan]] from the [[Kroad]]s within their [[dreamscape]]]]
=== Dreamers of Death ===
Inside a [[dreamscape]], [[Karith]] battles an army of [[Kroad]]s to save his fiancée [[Lyan Berrace|Lyan]] who has been tied to a stone archway. No sooner has he broken through the hoard is Lyan being menaced by a [[Devil bird|devil bird]] which he is forced to slay in order to rescue her. As Karith and Lyan embrace in the company of her parents, [[Garret Berrace|Garret]] and [[Camilla Berrace|Camilla]], the four of them are awoken in the [[Berrace's Dream Room|Dream Room]]. [[Professional Dreamer]] [[Scylla]] greets her clients as they wake and humbly combats their compliments of her work as a dreamer by stating that she was working with an excellent cast.
[[File:Intro dreamscape.jpg|thumb|left|[[Karith]] rescues his fiancée [[Lyan Berrace|Lyan]] from the [[Kroad]]s within their [[dreamscape]]]]
 
Inside a [[dreamscape]], [[Karith]] battles an army of [[Kroad]]s to save his fiancée [[Lyan Berrace|Lyan]] who has been tied to a stone archway. No sooner has he broken through the hoard is Lyan being menaced by a [[devil bird]] which he is forced to slay in order to rescue her. As Karith and Lyan embrace in the company of her parents, [[Garret Berrace|Garret]] and [[Camilla Berrace|Camilla]], the four of them are awoken in the [[Berrace's Dream Room|Dream Room]]. [[Professional Dreamer]] [[Scylla]] greets her clients as they wake and humbly combats their compliments of her work as a dreamer by stating that she was working with an excellent cast.
Elsewhere, the [[Fourth Doctor]] and [[Sharon Davies]] land on [[Unicepter IV]] and the Doctor wastes no time in tracking down his old friends Garret and Camilla. He is surprised to learn that it has been over six years since their last meeting and that Lyan is now a grown adult who is soon to marry Karith at the next [[Two-Moon festival]]. When Lyan mentions their adventures within the dream world, Garret explains to the doctor that a native animal known as the [[Slinth]] was found to possess [[Telepathy|telepathic powers]] which they could harness through a [[Dream headset|headset]] to create a fully-controlled dream story. Upon Lyan's insistence Garret agreed to hire another Dreamer, [[Vernor Allen]], so that the Doctor could experience the dreamscape for himself.
 
However, before their dream session, Garret received word that [[Lord]] [[Veith]], his dreamer [[Enox]], and two others had been killed during their dream session from an apparent electrical fault. Vernor arrived with his Slinth, [[Miki]], and Sharon showed an instant interest in him - disappointed that he would not be joining them within the dreamscape. Strapping themselves into the headsets in the Dream Room, Vernor informed the group that they would be dreaming of [[The First Landing on the Bliss-World Ansillar]] where they would be playing members of the survey team.


[[File:Welcoming Committe.jpg|thumb|left|[[Fourth Doctor|The Doctor]], [[Sharon Davies|Sharon]] and the others are created by an alien welcoming committee within the [[dreamscape]].]]
Elsewhere, the [[Fourth Doctor]] and [[Sharon Davies]] land on [[Unicepter IV]] and the Doctor wastes no time in tracking down his old friends Garret and Camilla. He is surprised to learn that it has been over six years since their last meeting and that Lyan, whom he remembers as being a "little minx", is now a grown adult who is soon to marry Karith at the next [[Two-Moon festival]]. When Lyan mentions their adventures within the dream world, Garret explains to the doctor that a native animal known as the [[Slinth]] was found to possess [[Telepathy|telepathic powers]] which they could harness through a [[Dream headset|headset]] to create a fully-controlled dream story. Upon Lyan's insistence Garret agreed to hire another Dreamer, [[Vernor Allen]], so that the Doctor could experience the dreamscape for himself. However, before their dream session, Garret received word that [[Lord]] [[Veith]], his dreamer [[Enox]], and two others had been killed during their dream session from an apparent electrical fault. Vernor arrived with his Slinth, [[Miki]], and Sharon showed an instant interest in him - disappointed that he would not be joining them within the dreamscape.


Within the dreamscape the Doctor found himself in awe at how real the planet of [[Ansillar]] seemed, exclaiming that the environment even smelt like another world. The group were met by a welcoming committee consisting of several alien creatures, including [[Nymph (Dreamers of Death)|flying Nymphs]], but the man riding under a canopy took the group by surprise - Lord Veith. Alongside Veith were the equally deceased-looking Scylla and Enox, and upon that revelation the flying Nymphs turned into devil birds and attacked the group.
[[File:Welcoming Committe.jpg|thumb|[[Fourth Doctor|The Doctor]], [[Sharon Davies|Sharon]] and the others are created by an alien welcoming committee within the [[dreamscape]].]]
Strapping themselves into the headsets in the Dream Room, Vernor informed the group that they would be dreaming of [[The First Landing on the Bliss-World Ansillar]] where they would be playing members of the survey team. Within the dreamscape the Doctor found himself in awe at how real the planet of [[Ansillar]] seemed, exclaiming that the environment even smelt like another world. The group were met by a welcoming committee consisting of several alien creatures, including [[Nymph (Dreamers of Death)|flying Nymphs]], but the man riding under a canopy took the group by surprise - Lord Veith.


As the group beat a hasty retreat they found their [[Rocket ship (Dreamers of Death)|rocket ship]] destroyed having been eaten by the ground, and they were forced to run for shelter from a sudden [[Meteor Shower|meteor shower]]. A cage appeared out of nowhere containing a trapped Vernor who revealed that he had lost control of the dream and that they were all in danger of dying from [[Mental shock|mental shock]]. His Slinth Miki had been transfigured into a gigantic beast that attacked the group.
Alongside Veith were the equally deceased-looking Scylla and Enox, and upon that revelation the flying Nymphs turned into devil birds and attacked the group. As the group beat a hasty retreat they found their [[Rocket ship (Dreamers of Death)|rocket ship]] destroyed having been eaten by the ground, and they were forced to run for shelter from a sudden [[Meteor Shower|meteor shower]]. A cage appeared out of nowhere containing a trapped Vernor who revealed that he had lost control of the dream and that they were all in danger of dying from [[mental shock]]. His Slinth Miki had been transfigured into a gigantic beast that attacked the group.


=== Psychic vampires! ===
Back in the Dream Room, [[K9 Mark II]] sensed that the group's [[Pulse|pulse-rate]] was reaching a critical limit and that their breathing had quickened, and so he severed the Doctor's dream headset from the main controls. The Doctor then decided to cut the dream off by its source by removing Vernor's headset - bringing the group back to consciousness in the real world. Although Miki turned ravenous and attacked Vernor, the Doctor managed to pull the creature off and allowed it to escape the Dream Room.
Back in the Dream Room, [[K9 Mark II]] sensed that the group's [[Pulse|pulse-rate]] was reaching a critical limit and that their breathing had quickened, and so he severed the Doctor's dream headset from the main controls. The Doctor then decided to cut the dream off by its source by removing Vernor's headset - bringing the group back to consciousness in the real world. Although Miki turned ravenous and attacked Vernor, the Doctor managed to pull the creature off and allowed it to escape the Dream Room.


[[File:Slinths wreak havoc.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Slinths]] combine together to create a giant [[the Devil|Devil-like]] figure.]]
[[File:Slinths wreak havoc.jpg|thumb|left|The [[Slinths]] combine together to create a giant [[the Devil|Devil-like]] figure.]]
 
After turning on the [[Vis-News]], the group watched as the [[Newsreader (Dreamers of Death)|Newsreader]] reported that there were a number of reported fatalities between Dreamers and their clients, and that the Slinths were believed to be responsible and should be treated as vermin and destroyed. The Doctor concluded that the Slinths were acting as psychic vampires and feeding off people's dreams. A further news report revealed that a giant creature was wreaking havoc on the [[4th District|4th]] and [[5th District]]s. When the Doctor, Sharon, K9 and Vernor raced outside they realised that hundreds of Sliths had combined together to great the body of a giant [[the Devil|Devil]] in an attempt to generate more psychic energy to feed on from [[fear]] and [[terror]].
After turning on the [[Vis-News]], the group watched as the [[Newsreader (Dreamers of Death)|Newsreader]] reported that there were a number of reported fatalities between Dreamers and their clients, and that the Slinths were believed to be responsible and should be treated as vermin and destroyed. The Doctor concluded that the Slinths were acting as psychic vampires and feeding off people's dreams. A further news report revealed that a giant creature was wreaking havoc on the [[4th District|4th]] and [[5th District]]s. When the Doctor, Sharon, K9 and Vernor raced outside they realised that hundreds of Sliths had combined together to great the body of a giant [[the Devil|Devil]] in an attempt to generate more psychic energy to feed on from [[fear]] and [[terror]].


The [[Unicepter IV Military|Military]] arrived and attempted to shoot the beast with [[Thorsen-303|their weapons]] before it could cross the river, but the creature simply soaked up their fire power and grew even larger. The Doctor warned the [[Captain (Dreamers of Death)|Captain]] to cease fire as the Sliths were absorbing the energy from their weapons and would soon be big enough to cross the river and destroy the city. Having absorbed the power from a nearby pylon the beast became almost unstoppable, even when Vernor began firing at it using an old-fashioned weapon from a museum, and began to make its way across the river. However, the Doctor realised that it was avoiding the water due to the amount of electrical energy it was producing and, with help from K9, managed to tie a cable around its leg and blast it with water from a nearby fire truck's hose. The beast was electrocuted and the Slinths fell away from the whole which allowed the military to easily take care of them individually.
The [[Unicepter IV Military|Military]] arrived and attempted to shoot the beast with [[Thorsen-303|their weapons]] before it could cross the river, but the creature simply soaked up their fire power and grew even larger. The Doctor warned the [[Captain (Dreamers of Death)|Captain]] to cease fire as the Sliths were absorbing the energy from their weapons and would soon be big enough to cross the river and destroy the city. Having absorbed the power from a nearby pylon the beast became almost unstoppable, even when Vernor began firing at it using an old-fashioned rifle from a museum, and began to make its way across the river. However, the Doctor realised that it was avoiding the water due to the amount of electrical energy it was producing and, with help from K9, managed to tie a cable around its leg and blast it with water from a nearby fire truck's hose. The beast was electrocuted and the Slinths fell away from the whole which allowed the military to easily take care of them individually.


[[File:Sharon remains with Vernor.jpg|thumb|left|[[Sharon Davies|Sharon]] remains behind on [[Unicepter IV]] with [[Vernor Allen]].]]
[[File:Sharon remains with Vernor.jpg|thumb|[[Sharon Davies|Sharon]] remains behind on [[Unicepter IV]] with [[Vernor Allen]].]]
 
A few days later it came time for the Doctor to say goodbye to the Berrace family once more, but Sharon surprised him by revealing that she planned to remain on the planet with Vernor. The Doctor and K9 returned to the TARDIS with Sharon requesting that he come back and visit her sometime. The Doctor says "''I'll try, Sharon... but you know the TARDIS... If I set the controls for Unicepter, it'll probably put me in Blackcastle''!"
A few days later it came time for the Doctor to say goodbye to the Berrace family once more, but Sharon surprised him by revealing that she planned to remain on the planet with Vernor. The Doctor and K9 returned to the TARDIS with Sharon requesting that he come back and visit her sometime.


== Characters ==
== Characters ==
* [[Fourth Doctor]]
* [[Sharon Davies]]
* [[K9 Mark II]]
* [[Vernor Allen]]
* [[Garret Berrace]]
* [[Karith]]
* [[Karith]]
* [[Lyan Berrace]]
* [[Lyan Berrace]]
* [[Garret Berrace]]
* [[Camilla Berrace]]
* [[Camilla Berrace]]
* [[Miki]]
* [[Scylla]]
* [[Scylla]]
* [[Fourth Doctor]]
* [[Sharon Davies]]
* [[Vernor Allen]]
* [[Miki]]
* [[K9 Mark II]]
* [[Veith|Lord Veith]]
* [[Newsreader (Dreamers of Death)|Newsreader]]
* [[Newsreader (Dreamers of Death)|Newsreader]]
* [[Captain (Dreamers of Death)|Captain]]
* [[Captain (Dreamers of Death)|Captain]]
* [[Lord]] [[Veith]]


== References ==
== Worldbuilding ==
''to be added''
''to be added''


Line 92: Line 88:


== Continuity ==
== Continuity ==
''to be added''
* Sharon feels she has to start anew away from [[Blackcastle]] now that she has been aged four years, ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Doctor Who and the Time Witch (comic story)|Doctor Who and the Time Witch]]'') a feeling she had previously expressed. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[The Collector (DWM comic story)|The Collector]]'')


== External links ==
== External links ==

Latest revision as of 03:11, 13 March 2024

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Dreamers of Death was a Doctor Who Magazine comic story featuring the Fourth Doctor, K9 Mark II and Sharon Davies. It was notable for depicting Sharon's departure from the Doctor's TARDIS.

Summary[[edit] | [edit source]]

The Fourth Doctor and Sharon Davies visit some of his old friends on the planet Unicepter IV. A peaceful cohabitation between the population and the native Slinth creatures have granted them the power to harness fully-controlled dreamscapes. However, reports of fatalities regarding Professional Dreamers and their clients cause concern for the Doctor, but not one to turn down an adventure he nevertheless agrees to enter a dreamscape himself curtesy of Vernor Allen.

As the dreamscape soon turns into a nightmare the Doctor and co face off against a hoard of dead-men, devil birds and gigantic Slinths. K9 saves the day by severing the Doctor's connection to the dream world, and the Doctor is soon able to work out that the Sliths are in fact parasitic and feeding off the psyhcic energy being produced by the fear and terror experienced within the dreamscapes. Proving themselves to be more than a match for the Doctor, the Slinths combine into one large creature taking the form of the Devil. They plan to wreak havoc on the city and absorb the psychic energy from the population's fear.

Plot[[edit] | [edit source]]

Dreamers of Death[[edit] | [edit source]]

Karith rescues his fiancée Lyan from the Kroads within their dreamscape

Inside a dreamscape, Karith battles an army of Kroads to save his fiancée Lyan who has been tied to a stone archway. No sooner has he broken through the hoard is Lyan being menaced by a devil bird which he is forced to slay in order to rescue her. As Karith and Lyan embrace in the company of her parents, Garret and Camilla, the four of them are awoken in the Dream Room. Professional Dreamer Scylla greets her clients as they wake and humbly combats their compliments of her work as a dreamer by stating that she was working with an excellent cast.

Elsewhere, the Fourth Doctor and Sharon Davies land on Unicepter IV and the Doctor wastes no time in tracking down his old friends Garret and Camilla. He is surprised to learn that it has been over six years since their last meeting and that Lyan, whom he remembers as being a "little minx", is now a grown adult who is soon to marry Karith at the next Two-Moon festival. When Lyan mentions their adventures within the dream world, Garret explains to the doctor that a native animal known as the Slinth was found to possess telepathic powers which they could harness through a headset to create a fully-controlled dream story. Upon Lyan's insistence Garret agreed to hire another Dreamer, Vernor Allen, so that the Doctor could experience the dreamscape for himself. However, before their dream session, Garret received word that Lord Veith, his dreamer Enox, and two others had been killed during their dream session from an apparent electrical fault. Vernor arrived with his Slinth, Miki, and Sharon showed an instant interest in him - disappointed that he would not be joining them within the dreamscape.

The Doctor, Sharon and the others are created by an alien welcoming committee within the dreamscape.

Strapping themselves into the headsets in the Dream Room, Vernor informed the group that they would be dreaming of The First Landing on the Bliss-World Ansillar where they would be playing members of the survey team. Within the dreamscape the Doctor found himself in awe at how real the planet of Ansillar seemed, exclaiming that the environment even smelt like another world. The group were met by a welcoming committee consisting of several alien creatures, including flying Nymphs, but the man riding under a canopy took the group by surprise - Lord Veith.

Alongside Veith were the equally deceased-looking Scylla and Enox, and upon that revelation the flying Nymphs turned into devil birds and attacked the group. As the group beat a hasty retreat they found their rocket ship destroyed having been eaten by the ground, and they were forced to run for shelter from a sudden meteor shower. A cage appeared out of nowhere containing a trapped Vernor who revealed that he had lost control of the dream and that they were all in danger of dying from mental shock. His Slinth Miki had been transfigured into a gigantic beast that attacked the group.

Psychic vampires![[edit] | [edit source]]

Back in the Dream Room, K9 Mark II sensed that the group's pulse-rate was reaching a critical limit and that their breathing had quickened, and so he severed the Doctor's dream headset from the main controls. The Doctor then decided to cut the dream off by its source by removing Vernor's headset - bringing the group back to consciousness in the real world. Although Miki turned ravenous and attacked Vernor, the Doctor managed to pull the creature off and allowed it to escape the Dream Room.

The Slinths combine together to create a giant Devil-like figure.

After turning on the Vis-News, the group watched as the Newsreader reported that there were a number of reported fatalities between Dreamers and their clients, and that the Slinths were believed to be responsible and should be treated as vermin and destroyed. The Doctor concluded that the Slinths were acting as psychic vampires and feeding off people's dreams. A further news report revealed that a giant creature was wreaking havoc on the 4th and 5th Districts. When the Doctor, Sharon, K9 and Vernor raced outside they realised that hundreds of Sliths had combined together to great the body of a giant Devil in an attempt to generate more psychic energy to feed on from fear and terror.

The Military arrived and attempted to shoot the beast with their weapons before it could cross the river, but the creature simply soaked up their fire power and grew even larger. The Doctor warned the Captain to cease fire as the Sliths were absorbing the energy from their weapons and would soon be big enough to cross the river and destroy the city. Having absorbed the power from a nearby pylon the beast became almost unstoppable, even when Vernor began firing at it using an old-fashioned rifle from a museum, and began to make its way across the river. However, the Doctor realised that it was avoiding the water due to the amount of electrical energy it was producing and, with help from K9, managed to tie a cable around its leg and blast it with water from a nearby fire truck's hose. The beast was electrocuted and the Slinths fell away from the whole which allowed the military to easily take care of them individually.

Sharon remains behind on Unicepter IV with Vernor Allen.

A few days later it came time for the Doctor to say goodbye to the Berrace family once more, but Sharon surprised him by revealing that she planned to remain on the planet with Vernor. The Doctor and K9 returned to the TARDIS with Sharon requesting that he come back and visit her sometime. The Doctor says "I'll try, Sharon... but you know the TARDIS... If I set the controls for Unicepter, it'll probably put me in Blackcastle!"

Characters[[edit] | [edit source]]

Worldbuilding[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

Notes[[edit] | [edit source]]

to be added

 Original print details[[edit] | [edit source]]

(Publication with page count and closing captions)
  1. DWM 47 (8 pages) Next: Psychic Vampires!
  2. DWM 48 (8 pages) The End.

Reprints[[edit] | [edit source]]

  1. DW84 8 (Doctor Who (1984) colourised reprint)
  2. Dragon's Claw
  3. DWC 10 (IDW colourised reprint)
  4. Doctor Who Classics Volume 2 (IDW colourised reprint)
  5. Doctor Who Classics Omnibus Volume 1 (IDW colourised reprint)

Continuity[[edit] | [edit source]]

External links[[edit] | [edit source]]