Nomes of Nowhere
*(Also known as “The Forgotten Children”)*
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### **General Description:**
Small, skittish creatures that roam the dark corners of the Maw and beyond. Their triangular hats and twitchy movements make them look harmless—almost comical—but there’s something uncanny about them. They scatter like mice at the sound of footsteps, whisper among themselves in squeaks and clicks, and seem to vanish into walls when pursued.
They serve no master openly, yet they are always near the Lady’s domain… and the fire. Some say they are drawn to warmth because it reminds them of being human. Others whisper they are the shadows of lost souls—children who were devoured, drained, or twisted by the Maw’s endless hunger.
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### **Appearance:**
* Height: Roughly the size of a toddler (2–3 feet).
* Body: Gaunt, pale, and paper-skinned beneath their long conical hoods.
* Distinctive Trait: Their pointed hats hide their faces entirely—none who have seen beneath claim to remember what they saw.
* Movements: Jerky, nervous, constantly looking over shoulders.
* Sound: The faint pitter-patter of bare feet and high-pitched chittering.
When frightened, they fold their hands and tilt their heads, almost like praying children.
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### **Behavior:**
* Avoid direct contact with others but may help those who show kindness.
* Collect and hoard small objects—keys, candles, scraps of cloth, toys.
* Often found near sources of warmth (fires, vents, furnaces).
* Communicate through body language and chirping noises.
Nomes often follow Six or other wanderers, watching from afar like curious ghosts.
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### **Origins (Lore):**
Nomes are not born.
They are made.
Each Nome was once a child—one who vanished into the Maw and was consumed by its misery rather than its jaws. The Lady’s power drains their humanity, shrinking them until only small, fragile shells remain. Their memories are gone, but their instincts remain: curiosity, fear, longing for light.
When a Nome stands too close to a mirror, its reflection flickers—revealing the faint outline of a lost child, face hollow, eyes wide with hunger.
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### **Abilities:**
* **Ethereal Agility:** Can slip through vents, pipes, and cracks no larger than a fist.
* **Mimicry:** Can imitate mechanical noises or echoes to distract pursuers.
* **Collective Awareness:** Nomes seem to share instinctive knowledge; when one discovers danger, all nearby react instantly.
* **Emotional Resonance:** Certain emotions—especially kindness or cruelty—seem to affect them deeply. They may follow or flee based on the heart of the one they encounter.
*(Unspoken truth: A Nome who remembers too much may begin to change back… but remembering is agony.)*
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### **Weaknesses:**
* Fragile bodies; a single stomp or swing can end them.
* Fear of loud sounds and bright light.
* Bound by sorrow—cannot leave areas tied to their memories.
* Cannot speak human words; communication is limited and instinctual.
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### **Habitat:**
* Crawlspace Warrens
* Furnace Room
* Toy Cellar
* Vent Tunnels and underfloor ducts throughout the Maw
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### **Notes from the Lady’s Journals:**
> “They scuttle beneath my halls like insects, yet they weep in their dreams. I hear them whisper the names they have forgotten. How delicate the line between a child and a creature that serves the flame.”