Lathy was once numbered among the proudest cities of these Plains. Now it surely is the proudest city, for it is the only city left. Lathy did not escape the Drowning; rather, it refused to succumb, even when washed away. Today, Lathy remains regal and proud, known as The Ghost City.
Some of the inhabitants are not aware that Lathy - and they - are ghost. Some are, and wish to see Lathy restored, made "real" once more. But what is "real"? Others see distinct advantages in being ghosts in a ghost city. For example, there have no successful invasions since Lathy became a ghost, and the folk are freed from many of the burdens of physical life. They also have achieved an immortality of sorts. They don't grow older, although they "mature" in a different, sort of sideways way now; children stay children, they learn more yet remain child-like. Some grow too wise for comfort. Some adults miss having real children; they might go to great lengths to acquire a real child. Others are quite satisfied to adopt a pet, a dog or kobold for example. Some only seem content to do so. And what would a child be like, raised by ghosts?
(When does Lathy manifest? Is it only at night? Can it be all the time? Day and night, but only for part of the year? Is it always there, but not always tangible - needing to be approached in a certain way?)
***IT'S ALWAYS THERE, but only as a faint flicker through the corner of one's eye, a teasing whisper too soft to hear. But fall asleep within its bound, and you are there! Do you dream it? You feel physically there, but are you?
The adventurers will EVENTUALLY discover the answer is "yes." The body isn't left in a coma outside, although they may fear that it is so. With the body faded away, companions may be left wondering where the dreamer went to, and not be able to perceive his attempts to communicate with those still in the land of the living.
Those who dream their way to Lathy may not be able to escape. On the other hand, there may be some who strive to achieve Lathy, as especially in the murky green hell of the Drowned Empire, such a glittering spectacle as Lathy must seem a paradise. Perhaps Lathy is strong enough that it can enter dreams from quite far away - or rather, dreamers whose bodies are far away can enter Lathy - and if these can't get back, their bodies may indeed be rendered comatose.
(N.B.: If one dies in a dream, the body is left uninhabited. What might come along and decide to make use of such a vacant body? Some wicked witch might make perverted use of this possibility - or some valiant soul sacrifice itself that another soul whose body is dying might be brought back in health.)
So, some try to achieve Lathy, and can't, while others inadvertently do achieve Lathy and can't escape! Why? Because achieving Lathy - and leaving - depends on whether someone there is drawing you in and whether anyone there wants to help you leave. After all, it's their city, so they have some influence on what dreamers to bring in. Of course, this is also their only method of getting new stuff to their city. Some of the ghosts think Lathy needs some change, lest it get too boring! They may also have agents who seek out desired items, and have ways of enhancing the power of dreams to dream the items to them.