Isak Luna Urrego Bailén
Simultaneously one of the most frequently seen and least understood cryptids on campus. While many have gazed upon it, few realize this blurry figure wandering the night is anything but human. Those with common sense have nothing to fear, but those who like to chase shadows are at risk of being swallowed by the night.
Name: The Night Walker
Monikers: Dead Space, The Hollowed, and No-Eyes
Diet: Unknown
Activity: Nocturnal
Size: Reports vary but its shape and height are consistent with average human builds.
Weight: Unknown
Description: Appearing only during dark nights, at a distance Night Walkers appear to look human but a closer inspection would shatter that fallacy. It’s physically impossible to get closer than roughly fifteen feet next to one so no account has ever given much detail on its appearance. From what people have been able to tell, the Night Walker seems to be made of an ash-like powder although others claim its form to be made up of a swarm of an unrecorded species of insect. As one moves it becomes apparent it is not completely solid, with small parts of its body shedding and dissipating into the inky night. Investigation into sites where one has been spotted have yielded no answers as to what they could be made of as its shedded pieces seem to disintegrate soon after drifting away. There have been consistent reports of an eye-stingingly salty musk lingering in areas it has recently been at.
Our Night Walkers: It is currently unknown how many Night Walkers reside on campus. There has never been more than one confirmed sighting at a given time, however since some seem to have differing body types, it is assumed there are multiple. It is also argued that there may be only one Night Walker but that it is able to take on different shapes, which is not out of the question when it seems to not be completely solid. Spotted all around campus, they seem to materialize most frequently near the dorms and in the woods. What little we know about the Night Walker(s) is greatly attributed to a member of the original and now disbanded Evergreen Mystery Society, whose journal was found in the woods. The misshapen and seemingly rushed scribblings revealed that a group of four was tasked with looking into the Night Walkers by the E.M.S. Until this point the walking void didn’t even have a name to go by. As far as the Society was concerned, they might have not even been real.
The following are some of the transcribed notes which were found:
05/06/████
“Tate’s convinced there is something out there but honestly this is a waste of time. So what if people are saying they are seeing people walking around at night? Its a fucking college; they are probably going to a party or a walk to de-stress. Not only are we getting no sleep, but people keep thinking we are stalking them… maybe because we technically are… Imagine being crept up on by four shady looking people in the dark, it’s a miracle we haven’t been detained. Lora is checking in with some of her coven connections to see if we can learn anything but I honestly don’t see the point. Even if there is any truth to the rumors, we have no reason to believe it’s hurting anyone.”
12/06/████
“We were about to call it quits, but sadly Lora dug up some information. Apparently whatever we are looking for does not like light. Mike, the dipstick that he is, took out a lot of the lights around the dorms with some rocks without consulting the group and said he just wanted to be done with this asinine assignment, and I can’t say I disagree. I love the work we do, but being a student and holding a part time job is time consuming enough as it is. Hopefully with the lights out, something turns up soon.”
15/06/████
“Mike, that fucking spaz, chased it into the woods! We weren’t able to get close, not that we really wanted to, but past a certain radius our bodies would simply not let us move any closer. It felt… primal? I don’t know. It didn’t seem bothered by us, just lazily shambled about as if it were a lost child walking through a dream, into the unknown ahead. We decided to fall back so we could discuss what we learned and saw with the Society and come back more prepared, but Mike wouldn’t listen. I don’t know if he was in a trance or just ignoring us. It wouldn’t be out of character for him to rush in but at this point with everything he has seen he should know better.”
16/06/████
“The Society told us to stand down until Mike turns up after the search party came back empty. Tate and his boot licking posers may be the ones for leaving people behind, but we aren’t. With Mike missing we need answers fast if we want any hope of saving him. Gretta, that fool, managed to snatch some choice flood lights from the Society’s supply room. We are going to see if we can trap or stun this thing and get any leads.”
20/06/████
“It took them. I couldn’t have been gone for more than a few seconds when I went to plug in the lights. The light bulbs aren’t even on. We tested them and everything. Could that thing be what broke them?”
21/06/████
“Tate had my membership revoked. He said it’s my fault my group is missing. That fucker is the one who sent me out there chasing shadows. This mess is on his hands too, not that he sees it. When did he start running this show anyway! I should have jumped ship with the others when I had the chance. I doubt they would let me in now, it’s been too long. Regardless, I’m not done here.”
This was the first and last formal investigation into the Night Walkers. Only those who try to engage or follow them seem to go missing so people have decided it is best left undisturbed. Occasionally, some brave souls will claim they will be the ones to unravel the Night Walkers’ mysteries but they are never heard from again. All the advice I can give you is to never chase shadows and to always be mindful of what you shine a light on.
Traits:
-Mesmerizing: It is believed but unproven that some individuals seem to fall under a spell when they get too close, following the Night Walker into darkness, never to be seen again.
-Photophobic: It steers clear of well lit areas and is seldom seen on bright nights. In addition, directly exposing it to light is believed to trigger a violent response.
-Semi-corporeal: Seemingly made up of an unknown loose swirling material it is as silent as a breeze, leaves no tracks, and can vanish like a silent whisper.
-Barrier: As previously stated for some unknown reason it is physically impossible to get closer than 15ft, and it is reasonable to assume managing to do so would be a feat one would not live long to revel in.
