The Smokeman

"He dances upon the rooftops at night,
Dancing a jig to send our hearts a'flight!
Down the chimney he'll come if he knows you're awake,
And your sweet dreams will be his to take!
Made of smoke 'n nightmares 'n cinders alike,
Sleep, sleep, or the Smokeman will strike!"

— an well known Coratani rhyme about the Smokeman

Summary

There is an entity known as "The Smokeman" that is said to haunt the cities and towns of Coratan (though those who live in villages and hamlets say that they do not fear him). He is said to only appear at night, and that he runs around or "dances" upon the rooftops like a drunk chimneysweep.
But this is not a harmless and goofy activity—it is a warning.
The Smokeman dances upon the rooftops of the buildings he wishes to enter, but he won't enter if he senses that everyone is asleep. Folks believe that this is because he is ashamed of his appearance and that he doesn't want people to look at him, so he makes them stop looking at him if they are awake, as if he believes that they can see him through the ceiling.
If he senses that someone is awake in the building below him, he will enter in through the chimney like smoke and enter the room where the awake one is. There, he undertakes his revenge.

Historical Basis

No one remembers when this myth came to be, and there's only hints of who the Smokeman might have been. Something about disobeying the Creator, or meddling in things that should have been left alone...

Spread

This myth is only known in Vedour and Coratan.

Variations & Mutation

In Vedour, the Smokeman doesn't dance on the roof—instead, he sings softly, just loud enough for his victims to hear, a last warning.

"Eyes of coal, I have no soul, you should be sleeping, but now mine for keeping..."

Cultural Reception

Despite the fact that most of the lore surrounding the Smokeman is geared towards kids, adults fear him just as much, as they believe that the Smokeman will take something other than dreams from them—like their will to live, their memories, or even their life. Those who don't believe in the Creator believe that he might even steal their souls.
In Vedour, they believe that the Smokeman will kidnap them and take them to the limbo-like world where, when it rains, the raindrops are red and it is hard to breathe, the sky is always at twilight, and you can't die.

Date of First Recording

202 ES

Date of Setting

172 ES

Related People

• The Remorseful Assassin