C-BMAD03 (Aug 18, 2001)
Puzzle
“Excessive rheum endemic to Baltimore.”
Research | 1 Word
Clue
Hover over the clues if you require!
Clue 1: Which traditional folklore creature causes 'watery fluid' in people's eyes?
Clue 2: He sprinkles dust on people's eyes to get them to sleep.
Clue 3: To quote Metallica: We're off to never-never land.
Answer and Explanation
Answer: Sandman
Explanation: According to legends, he throws sand at your eyes to get you to sleep, which leads to a build up of rheum in your eyes.
Summary of Receipt
Doppio figures out that the strange dreams are being caused by a Sandman from the Morningstar. Primordial demons of the Morningstar, they usually stay on the Morningstar’s outskirts in the ‘Crags of Paramnesia’ and rarely venture into the Flipside. They’re not incredibly dangerous, though they can induce horrific nightmares. Doppio recommends simply sending it back home.
Transcript
RECEIPT AS OF: 8/18/01
BARISTA ON DUTY: DOPPIO
RECEIPT FILED AS: C-BMAD-03
Well, this is a rather unexpected customer to have floating around in the Flipside. It would seem we are dealing with a Morningstarian Sandman, a dream demon, in other words. And it isn’t just the Cafe that has been experiencing these horrifying nightmares; it’s practically all of Belmont Shore to Seal Beach. I’m sure Galao will have something to say about a Sandman running amok. Though, to save her the trouble, I suppose I could explain what exactly a Sandman is for those unaware—it is a rather uncommon classification of demon, after all.
Sandmen are a sort of, well, primordial demon. Not to be confused with the Sandman of Borrego, a lesser Bigfoot from Esterskald. They predate the creation of the Morningstar itself. Or, at the very least, they predate Lucifer becoming the Simulacrum of the Morningstar. Though they are also not the children of either Lilith or the Devil… so where exactly they came from is still a bit of a mystery, I suppose. Typically, they don’t cause too much trouble for the denizens of Aurora as they prefer to stay on the very edges of the Morningstar in the Crags of Paramnesia. And, as mentioned, they rarely come to the Flipside, if ever. At most, a neophyte practitioner or warlock might accidentally summon a Sandman out of Paramnesia.
Sandmen are dangerous, though not quite “Miss.” so. As one could guess by the name and the dreams we have been experiencing, they are able to induce horrific nightmares that draw on your deepest, most repressed emotions. They are also able to induce rapid deep REM-sleep. It’s unpleasant, yes, and one of the main reasons few ever venture to the Crags of Paramnesia to the point they are often not included on maps of the Morningstar. I fear there is no quick fix for it beyond serving the customer outright. We’ll need to find this Sandman floating around after the sun sets and attempt to capture it. Thankfully they are quite frail… if you are awake.