Tag: creature entry
-
Ghost Ships
As their name suggests, ghost ships are haunted ships set to the sea long after the last of their crew has passed on. As with a haunted house, a ghost ship will have absorbed the dead and is itself alive in a similar way to the spirits that sail it. Category: Apparition History There are…
-
Jack-o’-Lantern
The jack-o’-lantern comes from Irish origins, of a carved vegetable holding a light to ward off evil. While often done with a pumpkin, they were traditionally carved from turnips. Category: Object History The jack-o’-lantern is a hollowed out vegetable, carved with some kind of gruesome or terrifying face and lit inside with a candle. They…
-
Fungus Lure
A carnivorous plant found only in the deepest of caves around the world, fungus lures draw in prey by imitating human speech. Category: Plant/ Caves History Fungus lures are rarely, if ever, depicted in any historic tales beyond speculation. Tales of people going searching in the mountains or cave systems and never returning are often…
-
Sirens
Native to the Mediterranean, the siren is an oceanic creature that lures sailors to their deaths against the cliffs. Category: Aquatic History The most well-known legend of the siren is the tale of Odysseus. In this tale, the crew has to fill their ears with wax to ensure they cannot hear the sirens’ call, while…
-
Manticore
Originating in Persia, the manticore is a cat-like creature known for imitating humans and luring them into the wilderness to be killed and eaten. Category: Forest/Nocturnal History The manticore is a kind of boogeyman or legend used to keep people, especially children, from wandering deep into the woods and jungles. They are known to entirely…
-
Kelpies
The kelpie is a Scottish water creature, who tricks humans into joining them in the water to drown and eat them. Category: Aquatic History Kelpies are water spirits known for drowning their victims after enticing them to follow them. This is usually in the form of a horse or person, convincing the person to follow…
-
Pooka
Originally native to Ireland and the British Isles, the pooka (also spelled phouka, or púca) is a mischievous shapeshifting spirit tat has been known to both help or hinder anyone who comes across it. Category: Fae/Shapeshifter History The pooka in myth is a trickster, who could be dangerous but is more often depicted as mischievous.…
-
Basilisks
Originating in ancient Greece, the basilisk is the king of serpents and snakes. Its’ venom is incredibly lethal, but it is best known for its’ gaze, which can kill anyone that makes direct eye contact. Category: Grasslands History First written about by Pliny the Elder, the basilisk as believed to be a rather small snake,…
-
Grim
The Grim, or church grim, is the specter of a large black dog that, if seen, is an omen of death. They originate from British legend. Category: Apparition History The Grim is associated with both English and Scandinavian folklore, though in Scandinavian stories the Grim is not always a dog, often appearing as a lamb…
-
Loch Ness Monster
The Loch Ness monster (or Nessie) is, as the name suggests, a creature that lives in the depths of the Loch Ness, a large body of water in Scotland. Believed to potentially be an ancient dinosaur species, Nessie has lived in Loch Ness for centuries Category: Aquatic History The earliest stories about Nessie date back…
The Creature Compendium 