Several students and members of staff have reported seeing what appears to be a Kackle near the outer grounds of Bogmire University.
Kackles are dangerous dark entities, usually seen as tall, vaguely human-shaped figures made of smoke and shadow. They move silently and are known to follow their victims for long periods before attacking.
Servants of Noctora, the long-banished Goddess of Death, Kackles are said to collect souls in her name, carrying them from the living world to what lies beyond. Until recently, Kackles had not been seen in decades, making their sudden appearance near Bogmire a matter of concern.
Fortunately, they have an intense aversion to light and cannot easily cross brightly illuminated areas or certain magical wards.
The first report came late last week from fourth-year student Kassindra Blaire.
“It was dusk. I was cutting across the courtyard near the old well,” she said. “I saw something move. Gliding. It didn’t make a sound, but the birds stopped singing.”
Since then, at least six students and two staff members have claimed to witness similar phenomena: tall, shadowy figures, often seen in quiet places and most frequently at dusk or dawn. No one has been harmed, but Kackles rarely appear without death close at hand.
Professor Agnes Worthowl of Floramancy was unconvinced by the reports.
“Students see all manner of things when they forget to eat breakfast,” she said. “These are likely stress projections. Etheric residue from overtaxed minds. I recommend sleep and more root vegetables.”
While no link has been officially drawn, many have noted that the sightings closely coincide with the arrival of a young girl who had previously been pronounced dead. She was recovered by a Magistration search party and brought to Bogmire weak, disoriented, and barely conscious.
When asked whether the events might be connected, Headteacher Macazlan declined to comment.
For now, speculation spreads like fog through the Bogmire halls.
Are the Kackles truly returning?
And if so, does this suggest that Noctora’s power may be growing again?