Disclaimer: The following document fragment is presented from an in-character perspective, it should not be taken as the truth of the setting.
Context: Nightmares come in all shapes and sizes, forming a complex surreal taxonomy of forms and shapes that the collective subconsciousness of mankind dreamed up. In this text we find an example of a rather specific, not particularly dangerous nightmare and an attempt to explain what kind of impressions upon the mind might bring them forth.
Picture this; you walk down a dim, poorly lit street, and you feel uneasy. A chill runs up your spine. You turn around and see someone peeking out from an alley or from behind a block corner. Whatever it might be, it provides enough cover to obscure half of the figure… except that it doesn’t. It’s not obscuring anything.
The half of a man you observe peels off from the corner and rushes towards you.
This entity is one of the more common nightmares encountered in the shallow dream. A relatively powerless though somewhat violent entity that often appears in the dreams of Norma. However, rarely do they bother mages as they are cowardly and straightforward creatures, choosing to prey on the weak and vulnerable.
Despite their relative abundance in the shallow dream, few mages took to studying these lowly beings. As such, for a long time, they’ve been misattributed as a specific case of a Schlammmann. With a notable lack of inquiry into what makes them different.
The association can’t even be considered refuted, as both beings are associated with distorted human archetypes in the human mind. However, while the Schlammmann corresponds to the fear of strangers, a much later form of psychological reaction, or phobia, the Halfman, or Polczlek, relates to a much more basic fear surrounding object permanence.
Eustachy Filipek and Roksana Slusarska conducted a study around 1993 that had finally shed light on the formation of these nightmares. The cause pinned attributed to the resonance between the larger collective subconsciousness and very young children startled by half-seen human figures.
When encountered within the dreaming world, they take the form of misshapen human figures, with only a single leg, arm and roughly half of the expected facial features. Apart from this, the Mask one drapes over these entities contribute heavily to their exact appearance. They might or might not wear clothing, they may or may not appear clay-like, but as long as you can describe it as half of a man, you are likely dealing with a Halfman.
Esoteric Musings... 