Tokoloshe

The advent of the phantom tokoloshe came about through Bantu folklore to explain why people inexplicably died while sleeping in their rondavels at night.

Traditionally, these people slept on the floor on grass mats encircling a wood fire that kept them warm during sub-freezing cold winter nights on the highveld in the rarefied air.

They never realized the fire was depleting the oxygen levels, leaving noxious carbon monoxide, which is heavier than pure air and sinks to the bottom.

Eventually it was realized that anyone who happened to be sleeping in an elevated position escaped the deadly curse of the tokoloshe, which was described as a short man about hip high who randomly stole one's life in the night unless they were lifted to the height of their bed.

The tokoloshe is then let loose to terrorise its target, taking its payment of the soul of the client's loved one for weeks, months, or maybe years later.