demorns

Demorns are a term used in contemporary fantasy and speculative fiction to describe a class of small, nocturnal beings associated with ruins, forests, and other shadowed places. They are typically depicted as semi-sentient creatures that interact with their surroundings through simple tools and bioluminescent signals, and they feed on residual magical energy or emotional traces left in locations frequented by humans.

Most depictions describe demorns as 5 to 12 centimeters tall, with soft fur or scale-like skin, large eyes that glow pale blue or green, and subtle appendages such as wings or tails in regional variants. They are generally shy and elusive, but curious about human activity. They communicate with chirrs, squeaks, and patterns of glow, and they tend to form loose kin groups or roam alone.

Demorns prefer habitats that offer shelter and latent energy: ruined buildings, caves, overgrown groves, or abandoned mines. They are said to be most active at dusk and predawn, and some traditions recount dawn rituals that mark the end of night. Their ecological role is ambiguous in fiction, often portrayed as guardians of forgotten places or collectors of memory.

In literature, games, and media, demorns function as lore generators or minor antagonists, providing clues, puzzles, or quests. The name is a portmanteau of demon and morn, and first appeared in early 21st-century fan writing, later spreading to tabletop and digital works.

See also: List of fictional creatures; dusk folklore.