Witherwitches as a mythological figure

I have found that, in general, inventing a creature which stalks the night seeking to punish misbehaving children is ineffective, and more often than not leads to further misdemeanour. In Gardsel, however, there is no need to fabricate such a monster. Witherwitches are real, and for nearly a hundred years terrorised the south-western areas of the empire. Historical records give us a clear picture as to what they looked like, how they acted, what horrible powers they had, and of course how they were eventually driven from the mangroves around the Aude. The stories told of them were once real warnings given to children in order to avoid the witherwitches' grasp, which is perhaps the most terrifying fact of all.

Summary

Witherwitches are most often mentioned as warnings against staying outside after sunset, which children across the empire have been known to do on occasion. However, they are in some households also used to dissuade children from causing a fuss, or even leaving food uneaten. Each of these has roots in historical fact - witherwitches roamed the streets at night looking for people to kidnap and eat, and would often be attracted to houses where loud noises could be heard or which generated large amounts of food waste, for reasons best known to themselves.

Historical Basis

From roughly 730 to 830, witherwitches made their homes in the mangroves around the river Aude, and would sneak into villages in the area, kidnapping people and causing plants to decay and wood to rot. Any possible precautions were taken to try to keep them away, or at the very least to remain as safe as possible should one show up. Children were obedient out of fear, and this was not unnoticed by other towns and cities in the empire, several of which were convinced that witherwitches would indeed wander that far from their marshes. Thus, even before the threat of witherwitches was ended with their expulsion in 832, they became mythological figures who punished children for their misbehaviour in the rest of the empire, and this has never ceased to be the case.