Horror of Vengeance

You hold the torch beneath your chin, just high enough that it shrouds your face in mystifying light. Your skin slightly heats from the flame, but not enough that it burns. You begin to tell the familiar tale of the Horror that eats little children if they don't behave. The four small human children look at you, their faces going from excited, to indignant, to terrified, as you keep adding details. When you finish the tale, the small boy with sandy brown hair pipes up nervously, "That's just a story, right?" You grin evilly. "No one knows."

Summary

A tale commonly told to children to keep them in line is that if you are bad, a horror will come and get you. The critical components are that the tale always includes that there is a horror who watches out for misdeeds, and will hurt, maim, or kill anyone who is bad. Typically there is mention of kids who were bad and then were never seen again, often heavily implying the influence of a Horror.

Historical Basis

The closest thing to this was a reference to the fire that always burns, which was supposedly created to destroy a man who was prophesied to destroy. While some recognize the irony, some take this to mean that even being thought to destroy can result in your destruction.

Spread

This is an old wives tale, so many children have heard it, but none really take it extremely seriously. It originated in Andria, so it is most commonly heard in Andria, Pelidore, the Desert of Souls, and is less common outside of those regions.

Variations & Mutation

It was originally much received as less real until the fire began in Andria, when it suddenly gained a bit more backup.

Cultural Reception

While it scares children, most grow up and leave it behind. However, in Andria, it occasionally sticks, mostly in children who lived near or were shown the fire that always burns.