Encounter Atlas
The Rake is a modern internet legend: a pale, thin, hairless humanoid that crawls on all fours, has long claw-like fingers and is said to appear at the foot of people's beds at night. Some tellers say it speaks in a high, rasping voice.
It is widely traced to a mid-2000s thread on an online paranormal board where users set out to invent a new monster together. The supposed historical documents that come with the story, including a 1691 ship's log and later diary entries, were written as part of that fiction. Since then the Rake has spread through creepypasta sites, videos and a low-budget 2018 film.
Some people now describe their own night-time encounters using the Rake's description, often alongside sleep paralysis. There is no record of it before the internet, and it is best treated as an online-era legend.
What witnesses report
- A pale, hairless figure crouching or crawling on all fours
- Very long fingers or claws
- Appearing at the foot of a bed at night
- A shrill or rasping voice
Famous cases
Seen the The Rake?
Tell us what happened. Every report is read by a person before it goes on the map, and you can stay anonymous.
