A Nightmare Beldam, "beldam" being an archaic word for "witch", is an entity which resides in a separate dimension of ours. They thrive on the energy produced by nightmares and spend their existence creating nightmare sprites, which induce the unpleasant subconscious activities in the inhabitants of our world. Such sprites are generally wicked little things, cursed with ghastly appearances and attitudes to match. Nightmare Beldams are proud parents, however, taking the time to stitch these creatures with loving care and carefully chosen materials: maggot's skin, obituary notices, stinging nettle - just to name a few.
Ben's creator was easily the most skilled with his needle and thread, his children especially fierce and structured with lasting excellence; his labor was always of love and he cherished each of his creations and each of their unique attributes. His supplies were an endless collection of specific items and rare treasures from our world, gathered by his children upon their frequent returns home for minor repairs. Among these were objects unusual and often rejected by Nightmare Beldams, but Ben's creator had something in mind for them.
On his 10,782nd birthday, he began quite the memorable project. His newest child would be no bigger than a mouse, and would contain the lovely things he had secretly stockpiled for hundreds of years: rolled baby's breathe for his four ears, two to listen to his environment, and two to hear the dreams of others; parchment from a lost love letter for his wings, to keep him restless in the world; two drops of starlight for each of his primary eyes; dream catcher's beads for his infrared secondary eyes; gentle antenna from a blind woman's sewing thread to taste the world, specifically red peppermints; defense spines upon his back from the thorns of a white rose, to ensure his safety; a child's yellow hair ribbon for the stripes upon his fur; and a tuft of his own beard for his tail.
Ben was filled with starlight, sewn with spider's silk, and dipped in magic. Ben was beautiful.
His creator then extended an ancient hand in an iron cage suspended from the sky and retrieved one of the many moths fluttering inside. He paired every one of his children with a companion moth, to keep his creations from becoming lonely or falling into danger. Ben would be no different.
He blessed the moth and breathed life into Ben, but he took care to make it his last for this child, impregnating it with all his longing, and all his happiness, and all his courage, and all his sadness. Ben was his final creation, and he was his most special.
The society of Nightmare Beldams which contained Ben's creator mourned the loss of their greatest member, but scorned his last creation. They assumed Ben was the creation of tired and dying hands, a confused confection of a detestable degree. Ben was kind. Ben was innocent. Ben was lovely. Ben was a disgrace.
Ben was banished.
Despite being cast out as an exile, this small orphan has found a unique niche in instigating pleasant dreams in small children, thriving off of this happy energy. Those who decided his fate had assumed Ben was far too defective to survive, but they underestimated the care his creator put into Ben, even in his last day.
Ben spends his time exploring the many bedrooms of children while visiting their dreams, occasionally taking along with him souvenirs. Doll houses are mansions, action figures are super-sized heroes, and simple toy balls have led to many pretend circuses. It isn't uncommon for a child to find Ben among their toys in the dead of night, and such encounters have led to hours of play.