Kichede

Long Face Folk

Long Face Folk who eat dreams and memories to sustain their life

Kichede are most commonly described as appearing as female, wearing a loose shift or nightgown, with messy, unkempt (or loose) hair, and sad, silent expressions. They typically look dazed or confused.

It is unknown if they are actually female, or if they take the face of one in order to appear more harmless.

Kichede are not typically described as making sounds or using speech. Variations of this describe the Kichede as making soft weeping noises (when approached from a distance) or screaming when fleeing.

Kichede are typically relatively passive, but tend to form parasitical relationships, preferring to revisit the same victims repeatedly.

Variants of this are the Southern Kichede, who prey on sailors and act similarly to sirens. These Kichede are said to be more aggressive in nature, probably due to a lack of access to easy sustenance, choosing instead to devour the entire host’s memories at once when the opportunity arises.

Kichede lean over or sit on the sleeping or fainted prey, applying pressure to hold the victim in place. They are also said to have mild hypnotic or suggestive powers that paralyze the victim during the feeding.

Kichede tend to flee if startled by an intrusion to their feeding. Some reports mention the Kichede screams if the intercession is aggressive, and that the scream itself is disruptive to the listener's inner ear, allowing the Kichede time to get away.

Kichede are usually described as slow moving, with the exception of fleeing, in which they seem to have preternatural speed.

Hypnotic, paralytic gaze and ability to devour memories - even of the attack itself - provide the Kichede a stealthy method of existing.

Kichede are easily distracted, usually by sudden movement. It is possible to circumvent a Kichede by throwing a handful of salt or grains onto the ground; the act itself distracts the Kichede's gaze before it can truly paralyze, and the Kichede feels compelled to retrieve the discarded objects.

Kichede are also easily confused, and subsequent attacks can be avoided by changing the location of furniture or oneself, or by hanging mirrored elements on the clothes or in a net above the bed.

Because they are creatures of fog and mist, it is not certain if anyone has actually ever killed a Kichede. However, if someone is to find a clump of hair, it is sometimes attributed to a faded Kichede, and seen negatively.

Kichede are most commonly discovered in the home, usually within the sleeping areas.

In less populated areas, they are also found on the sides of roads, or near rests.

Kichede are generally solitary, though travelers have said to occasionally (and chillingly) see a group of them coming out of (in twilight) or returning (in pre-dawn) to mists, hot springs, and fogbanks.

It is unclear if Kichede migrate, though they do seem to have territories they appear within regularly.

Kichede prey on other folken, devouring memories and dreams for sustenance.

Kichede are blamed for bouts of forgetfulness both small and large, and for the inability to remember one's dreams.

They form supernatural causes for natural or traumatic memory loss, as well as reasonings behind disruptive sleep patterns ranging from night terrors or sleep apnea to uncomfortable sleeping conditions.