A character (guy or girl, named 77 for the purposes of making it easier to read/write this description) is very interested in bondage but has nobody to practice with and is too shy to find someone. Besides, there is a real risk that the person found will be incompatible or dangerous. Self-bondage doesn't cut it. 77 eventually decides that the solution is the use of lucid dreams (*see below if you don't know what those are).
77 also decided that this will provide a real opportunity to get rid of bad habits and improve 77's work ethic. 77 has the dream Master(s)/Mistress(es) provide punishments both for dream infractions and for real world errors. This includes deliberate changes to 77's own mind so that 77 cannot wake himself up from such punishments. 77 also makes the punishments spill across into the real world. The fact that such punishments do not exist does not prevent them from working. Hypnosis and Posthypnotic suggestions turn out to be very powerful when they are self-inflicted during sleep by one's own mind.
Although these exercises spiral out of control, only 77 is aware of it. To the world outside, 77 has improved dramatically. 77 is exercising more, putting more time/effort into work, and generally being an amazing worker. Only 77 can see the invisible torture devices that are forcing 77 to apply such energy to work.
I suppose an author's discretion would be needed to decide if 77 is happy in this world or unhappy but unable to do anything about it. Or, perhaps 77 is both.
A possible further plot to this story could involve 77 getting into a relationship with someone (in the real world) and telling them about these exercises. Such a person could easily suggest things to 77 which the dream mistress(es)/master(s) would be aware of.
*Lucid dreaming is dreaming where you know you are dreaming. While it takes time+effort to get to the point where you both realize you're dreaming and remember the dreams in the morning, it is possible to do so with self-training.
77 also decided that this will provide a real opportunity to get rid of bad habits and improve 77's work ethic. 77 has the dream Master(s)/Mistress(es) provide punishments both for dream infractions and for real world errors. This includes deliberate changes to 77's own mind so that 77 cannot wake himself up from such punishments. 77 also makes the punishments spill across into the real world. The fact that such punishments do not exist does not prevent them from working. Hypnosis and Posthypnotic suggestions turn out to be very powerful when they are self-inflicted during sleep by one's own mind.
Although these exercises spiral out of control, only 77 is aware of it. To the world outside, 77 has improved dramatically. 77 is exercising more, putting more time/effort into work, and generally being an amazing worker. Only 77 can see the invisible torture devices that are forcing 77 to apply such energy to work.
I suppose an author's discretion would be needed to decide if 77 is happy in this world or unhappy but unable to do anything about it. Or, perhaps 77 is both.
A possible further plot to this story could involve 77 getting into a relationship with someone (in the real world) and telling them about these exercises. Such a person could easily suggest things to 77 which the dream mistress(es)/master(s) would be aware of.
*Lucid dreaming is dreaming where you know you are dreaming. While it takes time+effort to get to the point where you both realize you're dreaming and remember the dreams in the morning, it is possible to do so with self-training.
