Name(s): Alp, mara, mahr, mahrt

Origin: Germany

Appearance: It is a shapeshifter and often is invisible

Lore: The alp, or mara is the origin of the “mare” in nightmare. The alp is the male, and the mara is female. The creature will sit on it’s victims while they sleep, crushing them. These creatures are the cause of sleep apnea, sleep paralysis, nightmares and the like.

It is said that they can and will ride your horses at night, can sour milk overnight and will crush other animals to death at night. In some stories, they feed on the blood or milk from the nipples of their victim.

According to legend you can prevent their attacks by leaving a pair of shoes against your bed with the toes pointing towards the door. Other ways to prevent alp attacks include sleeping with arms and legs crossed, leaving a light on, having a piece of steel or iron in your bed, or having a broom under your bed crosswise.

They can be caught by closing all entries and holes to the room upon realizing they are attacking (this includes all knotholes and keyholes). Or if you awaken while being attacked you can ask them to come back in the morning for coffee. Then they will return and can be bargained with so they never return.

dracoselene

I'm an artist, writer, ordained interfaith minister, veteran, spiritualist, androgyne, and piles of other labels that never seem to fit. I'm following my passion and attempting to make myself and the world a better place. I think that through compassion and understanding we can all become one unified race of human beings, and life is better when you remember to play.