Psycholypso
Information
Alias	(WIP)
Pronouns	They/Them | It/It's
Active Times	12 a.m. to 5 a.m.
Strength	Fear Inducement
Weakness	Reflections

Folklore

Psycholypso is a nocturnal monster that victimizes individuals who remain awake late at night. Rumor says that Psycholypso was a mythical being that discouraged young Saturnians not to stay up past their bedtimes. Others believed it to be a fictitious evil spirit of chronic sleep deprivision, as getting little to no sleep could lead to visual and auditory hallucinations. People that fall asleep late are also sought after by Psycholypso. They will watch their prey from a hidden nearby place and stalk them until they get out of bed or begin to fall asleep. They will sneak into the house and start making noises only the target could hear. These noises include knocking, footsteps, thudding, scratching, tapping, the creaking of floorboards or of a slowly opened door, inaudible whispers, and calling the victim's name. Once they sucessfully earned the victim's undivided attention, Psycholypso curses people that are caught awake and swallow them whole. On the first night upon being caught by Psycholypso, they cast the sleep deprived culprits into false-awakening dreams that will repeatedly scare their victims until dawn, forcing them undergo severe psychological trauma every time they "wake up" throughout the night. Once the clock strikes 5, Psycholypso will purge their prey out of their belly and puts them to sleep for them to wake up for real when the sun rises. Psycholypso will make their return to monitor their victims' sleeping patterns. Failing to fall asleep on time for seven consecutive days will result to eating their victims alive.

It is possible to be protected against Psycholypso's attacks. Following a proper sleep schedule may be a simple solution, but for some, it can prove to be a challange. Objects and materials of reflective properties prove to be the most effective way of warding off Psycholypso. Mirrors, water, and objects made of silver, aluminum, or glass are some of the various things that can be used against them. Psycholypso despises looking at their reflection, scaring the eyes on their hair shut and leaving them to cower away. Light is also avoided by Psycholypso. They can only attack behind the shadows of the night, so they will extinguish every light source that gets in their way before prowling on their prey. This explains inccidents of lightbulbs bursting, sudden power outages, and electronics shutting off by themselves. Or at least, Psycholypso manipulates the senses to make it appear that way. Night lights and candles can only stall Psycholypso from attacking, but flashlights can blind the eyes on their hair, as they are sensitive to it. There are no known weakness proven to kill Psycholypso, so it is assumed that Psycholypso is an immortal being of the night.

Appearance

Psycholypso is a slender and boney humanoid figure, standing twice as tall as an average human, perhaps taller. They have an especially ginormous torso to consume numerous bodies. Long, black hair drapes to the floor and drags behind them like a raggedy carpet. It can grow longer and infest an entire room, surrounding victims in a black, hairy abyss. It is speckled with eyes, each with a little white pupil that glows in the dark. The eyes would drip of a thick, inky substance sometimes. Some presume it to be blood. They have razor sharp teeth that can crush bone and rip off flesh like paper. Skin, tight and leathery, is soot black to blend in with the darkness. Sometimes Psycholypso is seen with ginormous horns that twist and sprout from its head.

Psycholypso Syndrome

Psycholypso Syndrome, or Psycholypsis, is a culture-bound syndrome that presents physical and psychological symptoms that cause intense fears of sleeping alone or believing to be possessed by Psycholypso themselves. These individuals are prone to present anxiety at nightime and take excessive lengths to avoid sleeping without someone else in their own homes. On the other end of the spectrum, people have grown so immune to the psychological torture that their perception of reality distorts, leading them to believe reality itself is a dream they need to wake up from, or mimic malicious behavior like Psycholypso. Saturnians are at the highest risk of suffering from such an illness. Other humanoid species can also be at risk, although less likely to be inherited. Phsycholypso Syndrome manifests upon frequent personal encounters with Psycholypso and surviving their attacks without following the 7 day streak. It is classified as a syndrome as opposed to a disease or disorder because of the many possible combination of signs and symptoms sufferers will display. The frequency of its horrific fake-awakening dreams can distort a person's ability to think, sleep, and behave normally, leading onto problems that interfere in other aspects of their lives.

Physical signs/symptoms: Dry eyes or mouth, headaches, toothaches, itchy gums, racing heart beat, chest pain, shakiness, daytime fatigue, bed wetting, night sweats

Psychological signs/symptoms: Visual hallucinations, hearing voices, feeling watched, unwanted or suicidal thoughts, dellusions (believing to be possessed, to still be dreaming, being killed during sleep, or becoming Psycholypso), phobias (of sleep or dying during sleep, bedtimes, midnight, mirrors, being alone), depression, fear, paranoia, restlessness, self-harm or suicide attempts

Additional signs/symptoms: Hypervigilance, anxiety (at night), anger, unusual changes in appetite (craving blood or flesh; overeating or eating little), depersonalization, derealization, apathy, sensitivity to light, clinginess towards others, separation anxiety, night terrors, destructive behavior, biting, grinding or clenched teeth during sleep

There is no cure for Psycholypso Syndrome. Therapy can help sufferers follow healthier sleeping habits, gain more qualitive sleep, cope with their fear, and regain their sense of reality. It proves the most safe and effective for treating the syndrome without causing further harm on oneself or others. Loved ones engaging in treatment plans prove to further accelerate the recovery process. Medications must be taken with caution, as they will either lessen or worsen psychotic and mood symptoms depending on the person. Drugs and alcohol must be avoided. They'll further worsen psychotic symptoms, which could lead to death. An outdated treatment would be to kill the victim to release the Psycholypso spirit, as well as prevent the victim from harming anyone else. This method is no longer in use nor encouraged. Saturnians with psychic abilities may help treat psychotic symptoms simply by removing them, or for Stelites with related abilities, decreasing the duration and/or intensity of the symptoms.

Trivia

● Psycholypso only targets people who sleep alone in their homes. They include individuals that live independantly, families with an only child, and siblings or guests sleeping in separate rooms. Insomniacs and those with sleep disorders are the most vulnerable to encounter them.

● 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. are Psycholypso's most violent times to be active, hence their magic is at its peak worst for their victims.

● Placing a mirror above the bed or outside the bedroom door can prevent Psycholypso from coming in and touching a victim. Full glasses of water can be aligned in front of doors to discourage it from entering rooms.

● Hiding places include behind open doors, under the bed, drawn curtains, vents, closets, attics, basements, toilets, bathtubs, and swimming pools.

● If any houses have surveillance hidden in their homes, Psycholypso will stare directly at the cameras. This is one of their hallucinating tricks, as checking the same room in person will reveal no sign of Psycholypso.

● Bedrooms with toys or stuffed animals will face the victim, a sign that Psycholypso is in the room with them.

● Although enticing to them, Psycholypso should never be given food. They prove to be gluttonous and will eat up all the victim's food, only to demand for more. Failing to do so would leave Psycholypso to induce the said victims into lucid dreams that involve starving to death, cannibalism, being force fed revolting food, or the victim being eaten or cooked alive.

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