Mythical Creatures that you may not heard of [ LARGE COLLECTION]

Baykok

Region: America Type: Humanoid A Baykok is a creature from Native American lore which states that a warrior whom dies a dishonourable or shameful death (such as after committing fratricide) is not allowed to rest. The people wronged by the warrior will purposefully scatter his bones instead of giving him a proper burial. This means his spirit can never pass on. They appear as emaciated skeletons with burning red eyes. They wear tattered remnants of the clothes they were wearing on death and their motivation is to kill people. The Baykok hunt humans by emitting a loud shrilling screech and turn themselves invisible. Once their targets are paralysed with fear from the sound, the Baykok attack with their invisible arrows. Finally, with the target down, they finish the job with a large club, opens up the victim’s chest and devour the liver within. Baykok also have the ability to fly. It is possible to reverse the curse of a Baykok by gathering up all of the previously scattered bones and giving them a proper burial.

Domovoi

Region: Slavic Cultures Type: Humanoid The Domovoi, or house Goblin is a peaceful creature that lives in people’s homes. They are described as little old man, no taller than a 5 year old, with a long beard, blonde hair and glowing eyes. Domovoi are mostly invisible, although it is believed they always teeter around the house inserting themselves into affairs. Although a good addition to the hearth and home, they are incredibly moody. When domestic disputes and strife hit, the Domovoi become annoying poltergeist that make sleeping impossible. When treated correctly, a Domovoi is a beneficial spirit to the house. They protect the family horses and make sure the daughters of the house find good suiters. However, mention their name after dark and you incite their sleep-taking wrath. Some families left small amounts of food out for their Domovoi, so as to keep them happy.

Tarasque

Region: France Type: Chimera A Tarasque is a mythical creature closely related to the Dragon family of beasts with the body of an Ox, shell of a Turtle, Scorpian-like tail and the head of a Lion. The face had the ears of a Horse and the expression of a bitter old man. It was said to live beneath the waters of the river Tarasque. In the main tale, the beast was captured and its fiery breath tamed by holy water. The residents then stoned the beast to death and in remorse renamed their town to Tarascon. The creature preyed on innocent villages and burned buildings with its deadly breath. It apparently also lived in the Rhone at one time, destroying passing ships.

Sirrush/ Mušḫuššu

Region: Ancient Babylon Type: Chimera The Sirrush is a chimera depicted on the ancient gates of Babylon. They are dragon-like creatures with hind legs like an Eagle and forelegs like a Cat. The beast also sports a horned head and a Snake-like tongue. It is possible that this creature inspired the legendary Hydra. Sirrush are closely associated with the Babylonian God Marduk. In the Book of Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar plans on sacrificing Daniel to a Sirrush kept inside a Babylonian temple. Daniel defeats it by feeding it poisoned cake. There is actually a lot of debate as to whether the animal depicted by the Babylonians was actually a real world creature which really existed.

Selkie

Region: Celtic Scotland Type: Shapeshifter Selkie are Seals said to live in the northern waters of Scotland which occasionally transform into people. Depending on what form they are in, they crave the opposite state. In Human form they long for the sea and in Seal form they long for the land. They would often form relationships with people on land whom would be entrusted to hide away their Seal skins for transforming back later. If a woman in a failing relationship cried seven tears into the Ocean, a male Selkie was thought to arrive and seduce her. This was often used as an excuse for extra-marital affairs. For men, female Selkie were beautiful young “wife-material” women. Sometimes sailors would marry Selkie and settle down. Every now and again a child would be born with webbed fingers and toes. This child would be accused of being a child of a Selkie.

Hulder

Region: Ancient Scandinavia Type: Humanoid Hulder are mythical beautiful female woodland humanoids that attract men to their grasps. They appear actually quite normal except for having the tail of a Cow. Hulder would draw in men with their bright blonde hair, beautiful figures and enchanting singing voices. Although carefully hidden, spotting the tail would scare away most men. However, sometimes a Hulder would seduce an unmarried young man. Once seduced she would lead him into the mountains where he would be forced marry her or basically never been seen again. Some tales tell of Hulder turning into ugly old hags when rejected. In this situation, Hulder gain the strength of ten or more men and lose their tails.

Ahuizotl

Region: Aztec Mexico Type: Chimera These lake-dwelling creatures are a combination of an Ape-like simian and a large Canine. The most striking feature is the hand that the animal has on its tail. Ahuizotl were feared by fishermen as the beasts had a reputation for eating human flesh. They specifically had a penchant for eyeballs, teeth, nail and the ‘crunchy bits’. Ahuizotl would lure its human prey by pretending to cry like a human baby. The purpose of the Ahuizotl was, primarily, as a guardian of the waters. It was believed to protect the fish in the seas, making it a natural adversary for Aztec fishermen. Later stories tell of how the Ahuizotl didnt just target boats and fishermen on the waters, but also those that strolled nearby to the shore. It would use its long tail-appendage and strong tail-hand to clasp the legs of passers by and yank them to their doom.

Qalupalik

Region: Alaska/ Greenland/ Canada Type: Humanoid Qalupalik are mythical creatures said to dwell in the deep icy waters of Alaska, Greenland and Canada. The tales of these beasts are regularly told amongst Inuit tribes. Qalupalik supposedly have long wet hair, green skin and really long fingernails. The creature’s m.o. is to abduct children that wander too far from home. They lurk in the waters nearby and hum to draw lost children towards them. Once the children are close enough, the Qalupalik forces the child into her amautik… which is kind of like a coat hood made for carrying babies. Sometimes the stories of Qalupalik say that the creatures are looking for children to raise as their own.

Enfield

Region: England/ Ireland Type: Chimera An Enfield is composed of the head of a Fox (craftiness/ cleverness), the chest of a Greyhound (swiftness/ endurance), the body of a Lion (royalty/ bravery), the hind legs/tail of a Wolf (fraternity/ loyalty) and forelegs of an Eagle’s talons (strength/ nobility). The Enfield is a beast of Celtic origin primarily seen as guardians of chieftaina that were slain in battle. Because Celts believed heavily in respecting the body of the deceased, enemies would try hard to capture bodies and tear them apart. To prevent enemies demoralising tribes in this way, the Enfield exists to defend the corpses.

Kirin / Qilin

Region: China & East Asia Type: Chimera Generally a hoofed animal (a Horse or Deer, sometimes an Ox) with reptilian scales to make it appear more dragon like. They are often described as being wreathed in flames. Chinese dragons are known to be antlered, so Kirin are generally presented with one or more antlers. For this reason they are sometimes referred to as East Asian Unicorns. A Kirin can be seen as a good omen of an important occasion or a symbol of serenity. They can represent the passing of a wise sage or that of a spirit which punishes the wicked. In Buddhist societies, Kirin are creatures that walk on clouds, rocks or water so that they don’t damage grass by walking on it. In this format they are peaceful natural beasts.

Blemmyes

Region: Ancient Greece Type: Humanoids Blemmyes are headless men with eyes and faces on their torsos. They were first described to inhabit western Libya but over time their origin changed place. Soon they inhabited Egypt and then Asia in the middle ages. They were said to live amongst other weird and unbelievable creatures, such as gigantic snakes and “other beasts not fabulous”.

Chamrosh

Region: Ancient Persia Type: Chimera Chamrosh are Persian birds with the body of a dog. The creature is said to live at the peak of Mount Alburz under the “tree of all seeds”. In Persia, all seeds were said to have come from this tree. The Chamrosh, when leaving its roost, gathers the seeds and distributes them to the sea. Once the seeds are in the sea, they are gathered up as rain and spread across the world.

Jorogumo

Region: Ancient Japan Type: Shapeshifter Jorogumo are (generally orb-weaver) spiders that when reaching the age of 400 become the size of Bulls and gain the ability to transform into a beautiful woman. These creatures often occur in tales from Japan’s Edo period and are highly referenced in stories set around waterfalls. Jorogumo are alwaysmalevolent spirits apart from in the tale of Kashikobuchi. In this tale a Jorogumo is a protective spirit that saves people from drowning. Other names for Jorogumo are “binding brides” or “wh*re spiders”.

Clurichaun

Region: Ireland Type: Humanoid Clurichauns are lesser-known relatives of Leprachauns. They are constantly drunk short creatures that sit in wine cellars and drink all the wine. Clurichauns are completely disassociated from their more famous cousins because of embaressment. Clurichauns are said to have caused absolute mayhem on farms, riding Sheep and other livestock bareback. A supposed way to keep a Clurichaun happy is to keep a well stocked spirit cabinet. There are also tales of a man that left food out for a Clurichaun every night and the creature was said to protect his wine cellars in return.

Bakhtak

Region: Ancient Persia Type: Humanoid Bakhtak, or sleep demons, are Goblin-like creatures which approach you when you are sleeping. The creature sits on your chest whilst you lay there and fills you with horrible nightmares. The goal of the creature is to kill you in your sleep. If you wake up and see a Bakhtak it will disappear and make you unable to move. If the Bakhtak fails, it comes back every night until it succeeds. People believed in these so much as an explanation for constant nightmares, that there were methods devised to stop a Bakhtak. Solutions involved sleeping on one side to stop it sitting on you or sleeping with a knife under your pillow to ward it off.

Wolpertinger

Region: Germany/ Bavaria Type: Chimera A Wolpertinger is a strange combination. It has the body of a Hare, the antlers of a Roebuck, a cotton tail, the feet of a Duck and saber-like teeth. The creature has a number of abilities unlike any Hare. It can fly, it has enhanced hearing, enhanced speed, enhanced swimming capabilities and immortality. It also cannot be poisoned and has a venomous bite. The creature is said to be completely in love with Human women, despite being the same size of a regular Hare. Because of this, the way to catch one involves sending a beautiful young woman into the woods to draw the Wolpertinger out. When the animal appears, the woman exposes her breasts, causing the Wolpertinger to fall into a drunken daze and be easily bagged.

Baku

Region: Japan Type: Chimera Baku, or the Dream Eater, is formed from the body of a Bear, trunk of an Elephant, tail of an Ox and eyes of a Rhino. The story goes that when the gods were finished building all the animals, they placed all the leftover odd and ends together to form the Baku. Baku are presented as devourers of bad dreams. People actually prayed to them to come and relieve them of nightmares. The down side to this is that in occasional stories, the Baku eats ALL dreams. Dreams of hope and aspirations among them.

Abarimon

Region: Ancient Greek/ Roman Type: Humanoid These interesting creatures have a name that translates to “mountain-people”. They appear mostly like other humans, however their feet are on backwards. They are normally presented as naked as well. The creatures themselves are said to be savage in nature, valuing strength and agility. Abarimon do not ‘live’ anywhere specific. They share the same lands with the animals they hunt and consume in the mountains of the Himalayas. In fact, they are so ingrained into the landscape and mountains of the Himalayas that they never leave, fearing they will suffocate at lower altitudes.

Leshy

Region: Ancient Slavic Cultures Type: Shapeshifter Leshy are the protectors of Slavic forests and the animals that live within them. Mostly a peaceful species, they are sometimes accompanied by Wolves or Bears. The natural form of a Leshy is a large humanoid, with a long beard and head of hair made from living vines. Leshy can transform themselves into any plant and animal that they choose, leaving behind two glowing green eyes as the only evidence. Leshy are known to be very mischievous (but not malevolent) at times, impersonating the voices of travellers to force them onto the wrong woodland paths. As a Leshy moves closer to the center of a forest they grow in size, appearing as giants. As they move away, they appear more human-like.

Death Worm

Region: Mongolia Type: Beast Somewhere among the Gobi Desert, legend tells of a gigantic worm. The worm looks like a dark red, long digestive tract of a cow with spikes protruding from each end. It lives deep beneath the Gobi sands, ready to pounce at any time. The Death Worm has a couple of deadly abilities. Apparently, it can spit a deadly corrosive venom at its victims, dissolving them. If that doesn’t kill them, the worm can also electrocute them from a distance. Many real world explorers have sought out the legitimacy of this creature’s existence, with many books in the early 20th century written on the matter.

Cynocephali

Region: Ancient Rome Type: Chimera/ Humanoid The Cynocephalus is a mythical race of dog-headed humans. Each Cynocephali has the ability to understand language but do not have the ability to speak. They are mostly represented as savage beasts intent on killing everything, however they are sometimes conveyed as civilised. A fierce warrior tribe from somewhere near India, they apparently rarely traded with humans that they trusted. Interestingly, the Christian, Saint Christopher, is perhaps the most famous example of this creature, described very clearly as a Cynocephali in the Irish passion about him. Surprisingly, reports of this beast are quite substantial, with even Christopher Columbus reporting to having met a tribe of them. It was also very widely accepted that Cynocephali were real up until a few hundred years ago. This leads historians to believe there may be a level of fact within the fiction.

Roc

Region: Ancient Persia Type: Beast The myth of the Roc, a gigantic bird, were first spread by Marco Polo as he travelled the world. In it, he speaks of an Eagle of unimaginable size, strong enough to be predatory on huge animals. He tells that Roc can lift an Elephant to the sky and drop it from a great height to destroy it. In terms of size, each feather was said to be “over twelve paces” long and incredibly thick. In the original tale, the bird never landed and supposedly lived atop a mystical mountain named Qaf. Many versions of the tale speak of an island off the Indian Ocean, suggesting Madagascar as the home of the flying titan.

Jikininki

Region: Ancient Japan Type: Humanoid Perhaps one of the worst demonic creatures ever to be devised, the Jikininki are human-eating ghosts. They are in many ways a similar beast to Wendigos. Jikininki are the souls of greedy spirits cursed in death to find and eat human corpses. They are of the 26th class of Preta in Japanese Buddhism Active strictly at night, they find the burials of the recently deceased and eat them. They also eat the offerings left to those people and loot their bodies of treasures. With the treasures they bribe officials into leaving them alone. Whist corrupt, they lament their unquenchable torment. Jikininki look like rotting human bodies with sharp claws and glowing eyes. Any mortal that looks on them is frozen in a state of perpetual fear. However, some tales give them the ability to appear as normal humans by day and live out ‘normal’ daily lives. It is possible to cure Jikininki of its torment by finding a righteous man that has not brought dishonour to his family. This man is then asked to prey for the tortured spirits.

Aspidochelone

Region: Ancient Greece Type: Beast The Aspidochelone is a gigantic creature which can appear as many different species but is usually depicted as huge Turtle. The defining characteristic of this beast is a colossal shell that is indistinguishable from a regular island. The creature can be both aquatic or land-based. and its sheer size means that it is unconcerned with basically anything as nothing can ever harm it. If anything does come to its attention, say a fire lit on its shell, it normally responds in annoyance rather than anger. Over time, an Aspidochelone starts to form a symbiotic relationship with the island on its back. With this the beast can empathise will all of the animals born and killed on the island. Even longer and it starts to exert a mental control over the shell island, a psychic control. With this is can then affect the soil, rocks, plant-life, waters and even the unique weather system over the top of it. This is why the island shell is said to be able to perfectly sustain life. The Aspidochelone purposefully makes things easier for the animals and plant life living on top of it.

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