The Contraption

**The Contraption** is a device in *The Demon's Light*, developed by Samuel Brownlee. Rooted in forgotten angel technology, it has the unique ability to share dreams between multiple people. The Contraption is stored in the Laboratory of the Mind.

## Appearance

The base of the device is comprised of a long, wide cylinder. In the center of the cylinder is a small digital clock, used for noting the lengths of dreams. At either end of The Contraption are yellow lights that glow when it is activated. One end of the device holds a shuttable glass beaker; allowing for the storage of sedatives. Extending from the beaker are eleven thin tubes. The end of each has a bracelet. The interior of the bracelet has a series of tiny needles used for delivery of the sedative from the beaker.

There is a red button next to the beaker, which initiates the sedation and begins the dream.

## Background

Prototypes of a dream-sharing device were first created in Eden by angels. Prototypes were proposed many times, but angel scientists would scrap the project after deeming it futile. Most prototypes resulted in comas or mental ailments.

Gabriel Alchemilia's portal to Eden allowed blueprints of the device to arrive in Euclid. Mostly undecipherable, the withered plans would find their way to a Silivian auction. A man known as Samuel Brownlee would come to purchase it and present it to the Laboratory of the Unexplainable.

After some experimentation, the device would be developed into a working state. Dubbed "The Contraption," it would be studied within the Laboratory of the Mind.

## Abilities

The Contraption allows for eleven people to be active participants within the dream of another person. Very rarely, people are able to enter without a sedative by being in contact with another dreamer.

The machinery within The Contraption creates a hivemind, temporarily linking the thoughts of the participants. The dreamer, the "host," is sedated first. Once they fall into a dreaming state, the "guests" enter into the host's dreamscape. The device can be adjusted to have multiple hosts.

Changes through the dreamscape are absolute and are interpreted the same way by guests and hosts. What is not deliberately created by the host, is created by their unconscious mind. While guests are able to interact with the host's dream, their presence cannot change it's appearance. A shared dream will stop if the host awakes.

While The Contraption is thoroughly developed, it is still largely experimental. As such, several precautions are taken. Amateur hosts are prone to be unable to distinguish reality from the dream. To solve this, the Laboratory of the Mind purchases die — when rolled in a dream, numbers on the die usually change. When a dreamer notes this change, they are reminded that the dream is not reality. This precaucation prevents many casualties, ensuring people will wake up from their dream.

## Role in Series

### Season One

"In Somnis Veritas"
Unseen, The Contraption is used by the protagonists in the creation of two separate dreams. One featured Melissa as the host, with Chris, Samuel, and Steven exploring it. The second featured Atticus and Blossom. The dream proceeded without incident, until a series of actions by unknown figures fused the two dreamscapes. After a rolling of Atticus' die, it would completely collapse.

"Ticking Clock"
Samuel used The Contraption to try understand the events of the dream he had the previous night.