Nocnitsa

Sounds pretty cool eh?

This is the name of a Slavic mythological creature that fits the bill of what taunts my nights. AJ’s gone through many sites and many iterations of what the name of the nightmare was called and settled on nightmare until this one. This one interpretation is perfect!

Nocnitsa, also known as Plasky, Kriksy, Night Hag or Night Maiden, are powerful entities in Slavic and Russian folklore. They have the power to use other creatures such as Incubi or Nue to accomplish goals. A Nocnitsa will often torment those in places of power, such as kings and other powerful leaders. They will appear to humans in their dreams and corrupt them, making them exhausted and feel pain. Unlike other creatures of the dream world, a Nocnitsa can kill you in dreams as they only reside in the dream world and have no physical form. However, this also means that they themselves are able to be killed. To kill a Nocnitsa, a powerful dreamer is needed to overcome the creature. If you are able to kill one of these creatures, their body will become a cocoon, out of which a Shtriga will hatch.

Yoair – Nightmares in Mythology

It fits the bill in almost all aspects.

1. It only lives in dreams
2. It is the only creature of the dream that can kill you
3. A powerful dream can kill them

Like if that isn’t perfect for the story we are telling (have told) and will continue to tell.

And there are a few things you can do to avoid a Nocnitsa.

1. Keep a stone with a hole in its center
2. Place an iron knife under the child’s cradle
3. Draw a cirle around the cradle or bed with an iron knife
4. Find a Baku to devour the nightmare (Baku are rare because the Nocnitsa hunt them down)

Baku are also very interesting and fit the bill very well.

The baku, otherwise known as the ‘dream eater’, is a mythological being or spirit in Chinese and Japanese folklore which is said to devour nightmares. The baku cannot be summoned without caution, however, as ancient legends say that if the baku is not satisfied after consuming the nightmare, he may also devour one’s hopes and dreams.

Ancient Origins: Baku

The image looks like a Chinese dragon with legs, which is kinda what Alex represents in my dream — my Mushu. So yeah — just perfect!