Yeratnik

Lore

Yeratniks are cursed sorcerers and witches doomed to return to the world of the living after death in the form of vampires or other evil spirits to harm people. They can even wage war among themselves.

The word "Yeratnik" was often associated with heresy, apostasy, and witchcraft. In some regions, this term was used for sorcerers and witches who practiced black magic during their lives and made pacts with dark forces and the devil.

In other legends, it's said that Yeratniks are former sorcerers and witches who, before death, wanted to renounce their dark deeds but weren't released by their masters—the demons. There's also the belief that Yeratniks were deceased sorcerers who didn't have time to pass on their knowledge during their lifetime. The earth wouldn't accept their bodies; they "didn't decay in the ground, could rise from the grave, and walk at night." Their punishment was that every night they were obliged to wander the roads, waiting for late travelers to harm them. They could penetrate people's homes, torment them, and instill terror.

Yeratniks began their activities after dusk and continued until the first rays of dawn. They would suddenly attack their victims, embracing them with their arms or grabbing them by the throat. In both cases, the person would lose consciousness or die from exhaustion. After this, the Yeratnik would drink the victim's warm blood and mutilate the body.