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Moroaica/Moroi/Moroii
The Moroaica are Romanian creatures referred to as Living Vampires. They’re hard to detect and hard to stop. It was thought that children could sometimes be born as this creature and identified because they would have a caul or a tail. It was believed more common for females to be born this way than males. Some become this creature after death if they lived a life of regrets, or were born on a Sunday. They have red hair, blue eyes, and red patches of skin on their faces. Males are thought to become bald at a very young age. They are described as fully human but can still drain the…
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Mora
The Mora is a supernatural creature from Slavic myth in Serbia. They’re believed to be the form taken by witches as children, and they sometimes only become full witches after marriage. Some see them as witches who have sworn not to kill. The birth of a Mora is indicated by the presence of a bloody placenta present at birth. It’s thought that burning this placenta can remove the witch’s power but may also kill the child. It’s also believed that announcing that the child was born a witch would cause them to lose their power. Often when Mora are born, they would have some sign on their body. They’re incapable…
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Mada
Mada is an enormous monster from Hindu myth, whose name means “drunkenness” “frenzy” “madness” “lust” and/or “insanity.” When Chyavana got into a fight with Indra, which resulted in him having a mountain thrown at him, he created Mada in retaliation. It was described as being made of the “substance of oblivion” and was divided into the four vices, being hunting, drinking, gambling, and women. It’s said its mouth was so large its top fangs pierced the heavens, and the bottom fangs pierced the earth. The gods were so terrified of Mada that Indra gave in to Chyavana’s demands, allowing the Ashvins to participate in the Soma Offering ceremony. Once the…
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Loogaroo
The Loogaroo is a mythical creature from Haiti. They appear as hags and remove their skin to take the form of glowing sulfurous fireballs to hunt during the night. They’re thought to remove their skin under a “devil tree” and hang that skin in the branches. They seek out houses with open windows and sneak in. These monsters are created when a witch makes a deal with the devil where in exchange for power, they bring the devil human flesh every night. Attacks are nearly always deadly but can be stopped by placing a large amount of small things, like rice or seeds, at windows or doors forcing them to…
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Lawrenceville Glowing Alien
The Lawrenceville Glowing Alien is a creature sighted in Lawrenceville, Georgia, on June 8, 2012. A couple was arguing in their backyard when the girlfriend saw a strange light approaching that turned into a fluorescent green orb and landed between the fences of two houses. The object was incredibly silent, and despite how bright it was, the witness’s dog didn’t react to it. When they looked closer they realized the orb was actually a tall, lanky humanoid glowing so bright that from a distance it just looked like a glowing green ball. This figure walked along the fence until it reached an elementary school playground. An array of lights appeared…
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Korreds
The Korreds are creatures from Breton myth in France. They resemble small humanoid creatures covered in shaggy hair with wrinkled faces, red eyes, goat legs, and cat claws instead of fingers. They’re known to be skilled metalsmiths who make beautiful coins. They’re also known to build stone houses called dolmen. Often Korreds have large dance parties around their dolmens with small fires lighting the area. Travelers who come close to these parties are invited to join and given delicious food and drink. If a human accepts an invitation to dance, they become enchanted and dance until they die of exhaustion. Citations: Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural…
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Kazenbō
The Kazenbō are ghostly yokai from Japan whose name means “monk in the flames.” They’re believed to haunt Kyōto around the mountain Toribeyama which has been a gravesite for centuries. In the 10th century, it is said several monks offered themselves up to sacrifice by burning themselves alive. They hoped to achieve enlightenment by burning away their ties to the material world and did so with public viewing. It turned out that these monks were not pure enough for enlightenment, and as such their tormented spirits now appear wreathed in the flames symbolizing their sins. They bring no harm but may appear suddenly in front of travelers while writhing in…
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Jingwei
The Jingwei is a bird from Chinese myth. Her name is thought to be onomatopoeia, and she’s seen as an ambiguous figure. She represents lone heroes and figures dealing with acts of futility. Her origin comes from a figure named Nu Wa, the daughter of another figure Yan Di. She was on a beach when she was suddenly washed away in the Eastern Sea where she drowned. She was reborn as a small bird whose call sounded like “jingwei. This bird remembered its past life and death and despised the ocean. To avenge her previous death she worked every day to try and fill the ocean with twigs and pebbles.…
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Imandwa
The Imandwa is a higher form of ghost from Bantu myth. They are referred to as the “kings of ghosts” and are typically seen as ancestors who want to be remembered by their living family. Typically they are known by name. They bring goodwill to those who honor their memories, but become spiteful or mischievous and move objects when ignored. They can take great energy to restrain and are sometimes even worshipped. Citations: Maberry, Jonathan. Vampire Universe: The Dark World of Supernatural Beings That Haunt Us, Hunt Us, and Hunger for Us. United States, Kensington Publishing Corporation, 2006. Werner, Alice. Myths and Legends of the Bantu. United Kingdom, Cass, 1968.
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Hwa Yih
Hwa Yih is one of the Lwan from Chinese myth. These birds resemble large, graceful pheasants, which have different names based on their changing colors. This form is the white version, and goes alongside the Fung, Yin Chu, To Fu, and Yu Siang. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.