ENTITY FILE: SOOTLING

Overview
Sootlings are minor but insidious fauna of the Briar Reaches. They resemble smouldering butterflies or moths, but feed not on nectar or flesh, but on human dreams—specifically those steeped in grief, regret, or unspoken longing. Though individually small, they gather in swarms that erode emotional resilience and compromise sleep integrity.

While not overtly aggressive, their cumulative effect on the psyche is severe. Exposure during sleep—whether in the Reaches or near a temporary incursion—can result in night terrors, memory loops, and emotional blight.

They do not bite. They burn through hope.

Appearance

• Size: Wingspan of 4–7 cm (about the width of a human palm).
• Colour: Deep black with ember-like speckles across the wings.
• Wings: Frayed at the edges. Appear to smoulder but do not emit heat.
• Body: Wispy, soft as ash. Sometimes leave soot trails on surfaces or skin.
• Light: Emit a faint phosphorescence in darkness—barely enough to read by.

Behaviour and Abilities

• Dream Drift: Enter sleeping minds and unravel comforting or joyful dreams.
• Grief Feeding: Thrive on sadness. Will flock to grieving individuals or sites of emotional trauma.
• Cumulative Decay: One or two are a nuisance. Dozens can erode sleep stability and emotional defences within hours.

Signs of Presence

• A fine layer of black dust on windowsills or pillowcases.
• Flickering shadows on bedroom ceilings.
• Sudden onset of vivid, sorrowful dreams involving long-lost people or places.

Folklore and Signs

• “Ashwings”: In some rural communities, Sootlings are believed to be the remnants of forgotten lullabies. Burning an old cot or crib is considered a way to ward them off.
• Funeral Light: Seeing Sootlings at dusk is considered an omen of lingering grief. Some mourners report seeing them only after they’ve hidden their true sorrow.

Effect on Earth and Human Minds

• Mild Exposure: Vivid dreaming, melancholy, tearfulness without known cause.
• Prolonged Exposure: Chronic sleep disturbances, looping dreams, emotional flattening.
• Long-Term Contact: Identity erosion, loss of ability to feel joy or connection. Some victims report they “forgot how to wake up properly.”

Summary for Field Operatives

Trait	Detail
Threat Level	Low physical, High psychological in numbers.
Signs of Presence	Black dust, moth-like silhouettes, disrupted REM sleep.
Containment Risk	Moderate. May cross into our world through grief-linked dreams.
Engagement Advice	Use sealed sleep environments in suspect zones. Dream wards or
	Lucidity charms recommended. Grief-processing rituals effective.

Quote from Field Report #194:

“I kept seeing my sister—every night. Not the way she died, but the way I left her behind. They fluttered around her eyes. I think they were eating her smile.”
—FDG Dreamlog, Operative N., Miregate Collapse