Attic Whisperers
Attic whisperers, also known as the "forgotten", are a type of undead formed from the tortured souls of children. Unfortunately, the world is often a cruel and cold place. Poverty, disease, war; so much misfortune could leave a child in an uncomfortable position in life. They're ripped away from their families, sold into slavery to support their younger siblings, or abused by a drunken parent. Whatever the cause, these awful situations leave emotional scars that run deep. Upon their death, these scars keep them from moving on and leave them seeking out some kind of closure.
They abandon their physical bodies in favor of a form crafted from what little possessions they had, such as tattered clothes, toys, or even animal bones. An attic whisperer is a twisted display of what joy they had in an otherwise troubled life. They roam the places where they had died, crying out in the hopes that somebody will notice them. Longing for love and comfort, they seek out companionship from living creatures if they sense them enter the area. When they fail to find what they crave, it only adds more pain to their agonizing existence. The heartbreak causes them to grow cynical and bitter. Sadness turns to anger, eagerness becomes possessiveness.
They linger in the darkest places; attics, basements, and the crumbling walls of their childhood homes. Some lie in dormancy within homes of the living, only waking when they sense the presence of another child. They crave interaction with them and do anything they can to get their attention. When they succeed in doing so, they lure them to their hiding place by singing nursery rhymes or leaving toys out for them. These undead don't understand their condition and as such, they aren't aware that they're an active threat to those around them. Once a living child makes contact with an attic whisperer, it's too late. In a moment of great sadness, it stills the breath from their lungs, ensuring that they can never leave.
Attic whisperers are generally solitary beings, though not by choice. Even when alone, they're incredibly dangerous because of their volatile emotions and unpredictability. Attempts to get them to move on to the afterlife aren't useful when dealing with them. Due to years of abuse and neglect, they're wary and don't trust easily. It's quicker and much more efficient to kill them and be done with it before they have a chance to get at any children that live within the home. Author Zakina Kociak-Falenmir disagrees with this approach, calling it outdated and unnecessary.
In her book, Undead of the Realms, she suggests taking a sympathetic approach to dealing with attic whisperers. She does clarify that trained individuals are best for handling undead of any kind and commoners should seek out the aid of these professionals before attempting this method themselves. To begin, one should build a bond with the spirit, reaching out to the child still hurting inside of them. Read to them at night before wishing them a good-night, ask them questions to jog their memory or fuel their imagination, leave out new toys for them. Show them that they haven't been forgotten and are worthy of love.
With enough time and patience, an attic whisperer will settle down and become docile. Once they've reached this point, it'll be easier to convince them to move on to a peaceful afterlife. They won't leave immediately though, unwilling to detach themselves from the only source of compassion they've had in their entire lives. Keep fostering the bond that's been built and eventually, the child will learn that it's time to let go.
Basic Information
Anatomy
Attic whisperers leave their physical body behind and build a form from what little possessions they had in life. Each individual is different in appearance, displaying what these children treasured. Teacups, dolls, toy swords, whatever it may be, an attic whisperer can form themselves from anything if they expend enough energy. Most will take on a fairly harmless appearance if they sense other children in the area, but when encountering any other living being, they adopt a much more horrifying form to defend themselves.
Ecology and Habitats
Attic whisperers prefer the cold comfort of the shadows, opting to spend their eternity within dusty attics or moldy basements. It's uncommon for them to remain in places that are still teeming with life, but a tragic enough life can lead to the development of such a creature. For the most part, they stick to abandoned buildings where misfortune and tragedy befell them, such as an orphanage or a village left in ruins.
Additional Information
Perception and Sensory Capabilities
They have the ability to sense life within a 60ft radius and can discern the age of any detected creatures by reading their aura. They have natural darkvision and are immune to non-magical attacks unless a weapon has been enchanted with ghost touch. By stealing the breath of a living creature, the attic whisperer can leave its prey exhausted and on consecutive attacks, will render them comatose. The target of their ability can only be waken once the attic whisperer is slain or by using magic to remove their curse.
Scientific Name
Undead/Poltergeists
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