Slender folk

"Slender folk" are beings that have come under the colloquially named "Slender Curse". It is said that individuals who abandon all individuality and become obsessed with their daily work, especially if it is of a tedious nature, run the danger of falling under the Slender Curse, which breaks the mind and estranges the individual from society as everything they have set their mind to becomes repulsive to them. Slender folk often exile themselves into the wilderness while being unable to shed the attire of their employment, a constant reminder of the life they once lead. The loss of individuality they resigned themselves to is now represented in the disappearance of all facial features, and their body shape becomes stretched and gaunt. Slender folk become tormented in the mind, no longer able to access their physical senses, and only dimly discerning their environment through painful and distorted psychic abilities. A mature Slender Curse completely paralyzes its victim when it is being observed by another individual, justice for being so reluctant to rebel against the expectations of others in their other life.

Slender folk are attracted to the souls of others who exhibit strong individuality for the feasting of their life energy. This makes children a particularly likely target of Slender beings as they have not yet shaped their personalities to match social expectations.