The art of Drain Self was created when the Ancient Dreamwright Theofanes was appalled at how easily the newly awakened were collapsed by the nightmares. In anguish he called upon the force of the dream and learned how to transfer his soul and self into them.
Version Two
A long time ago, when items were scarce... a time when, although you could find them, you weren't always able to secure them in your pack. As there were fewer weapons to find, it became necessary to evoke arts... especially in order to collapse DMs and protect the City from Chaos. Practicing arts to get them to last longer required patience and frequent meditation.
Theofanes, an elder SoulMaster and inventor, was working on a way to solve this dilema. Through his newly aquired art, Forge Talisman, he attempted to combine different arts... but without success.
After many, many months of discouraging attempts he discovered, quite by accident, that by combining the art of restore and recall, he was able to generate elemental forces to another dreamer... at a small cost of his own elemental forces.. which inspired him to name this new art "Drain Self."
Theofanes practiced this with his wife until she was no longer able to progress further in her arts. He them taught her this art and she, in turn, helped him advance to optimum in all of his own arts. Then both set out to teach as many dreamers as possible so that they too could help others to grow stronger in order to defend against the DMs and protect the City.
Theofanes loved his wife more than life itself. He was proud of her and her efforts to train others to help the city. They loved to spend time together... go for walks in the evening, watch the sun go down...
One evening, while he and his wife were out on their evening stroll, they were suddenly, without warning, ambushed by the DM Molog. Theofanes was mortally wounded.. and paralyzed from the attack. Unable to move... unable to defend himself and his beautiful wife. He watched in horror as she was brutally torn to pieces by Molog, who roared with laughter as he disappeared into the night.
After Theofanes regained movement, it was too late... he stared at his wife, now a beautiful soulsphere, glowing in the evening darkness. She tpoke to him of a feeling of dismay... a foreboding sensation that she was about to be lifted from the dream forever. In a desperate attempt to bring her back, he evoked Restore on her... but the art failed... over and over again.
She was slipping away... He could see her fading.. the light of her soulsphere dispersing into the moonlight. Suddenly, without thinking, he evoked Drain Self on her... not realizing what he was doing... not caring if it would take his own life.
To his wonder and amazement, she materialized before him... appearing unharmed. She had been so traumatized that she didn't remember what had happened to her. He held her in his arms... not wanting to let go as she looked into his eyes.... telling him that she loved him... talking to him of this beautiful night among the stars.
He never had the heart to tell her what happened... and never did.