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Ech Tened
The Ech Tened was a creature mentioned in the Epistil Isu, or Sunday letters, from Ireland. Its name means “fiery horse” and it was the third creature mentioned by these letters who punish those who do not keep the Lords Day holy. It was said that any who rode a horse on Sunday would be cursed to ride an Ech Tened in death as punishment. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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Zamba Zaraa
The Zamba Zaraa is a bizarre cryptid from the West part of the Segs Cagan Bogd Mountains of Mongolia. One was notably sighted sitting on a rock with its head erect. It hit its tail on the rock to make a sound like a galloping camel and inflated itself to the size of a type of tent known as a yurta. Citations: Shuker, Karl. The Beasts That Hide from Man: Seeking the World’s Last Undiscovered Animals. United States, Paraview Press, 2014.
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Y-Pora
Y-Pora are from the Guarani people of Argentina. They attack fishermen and anyone else who travel the waters of the area. They sometimes appear in the form of a fish/human hybrid but can also appear in the form of a thick mist smelling like sulfur. 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.
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Xan
The Xan are monstrous creatures from Mayan myth, mentioned in the Popul Vuh. They resemble mosquitos with stingers large enough to kill a man. After killing their victims, they drain the bodies of blood. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016. Zell-Ravenheart, Oberon, and Dekirk, Ash. A Wizard’s Bestiary: A Menagerie of Myth, Magic, and Mystery. United Kingdom, New Page Books, 2007.
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Waillepen
The Waillepen is a form of undead shapeshifter from Mapuche myth. They are thought to take the form of animals, though they may sometimes appear as a horrific conglomeration of animals, commonly a cow and a sheep. They can also appear in the form of a human. They are evil creatures living in swampy woods known to spread disease and attack newborn animals and babies, causing blindness. It is because of these attacks that blind people are sometimes referred to as Waillepen themselves. They are vampiric creatures that feed on flesh and blood, but also chase prey for extended periods to feed on their fear. The Waillepen can only be…
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Vampire Vine/Devil’s Snare
The Vampire Vine is a cryptid plant from Nicaragua. According to locals they are also referred to as Devil’s Snare. They were encountered by a naturalist named Dunstan who was walking with his dog. The dog was suddenly wrapped up in vines causing it pain. Dunstan hacked away the vines and freed his dog. As he pulled loose the vines, they wrapped around his arms and gripped it strong enough to leave blisters. The vines were thin rope-like tissue similar to roots or overlapping stems like a weeping willow. They were nearly black in color and covered in a foul-smelling viscous substance. It caused serious pain and left small, puckered…
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Uber
The Uber is from Turkish legend. They are related to witches and vampires. They are formed when someone rises from the dead that died a violent death or when a foreigner died in Turkey but was not Muslim. These creatures are related to Vlad of Wallachia (Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration for Dracula) and used as a bogeyman figure. The Uber legend is closely tied to the intimidating nature of Vlad the Impaler. 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.
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Tarasque/Tarasconus/Taras/Tauriskos
The Tarasque was a bizarre chimerical dragon from Medieval France. It was an amphibious beast thought to live in the forest around the Rhone River. It was believed to be the child of the Leviathan and the Onachus. It was larger than an ox, had six legs ending in bear paws, a lion head, a serpentine tail ending in a scorpion stinger, a hard shell covered in spikes, and impenetrable scales covering its body. It was incredibly vicious, being known to sink ships and kill anyone moving along its river. It was believed a village requested the assistance of Saint Martha, who then went and found the creature in the…
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Rabisu/Rōbēs
The Rabisu are vampiric spirits from ancient Akkadian myth. Their name means “evil fiend” or “evil croucher.” They’re ambush predators that stalk from the shadows and lunge at unsuspecting humans to drain their life force. They are known to cooperate amongst each other and even with other creatures like Labartu. They often appear in nightmares and hide out in rarely visited places. Rabisu would often be a term placed before various forms of demons, and at one time a Rabisu was a high official just under a judge much like a magistrate, with the name changing context due to the fear of the power these people held. People who can…
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Qallupilluit/Qalupalik
The Qallupilluit are bogeyman figures from Inuit mythology. They scared children away from sea ice and lurked near patches of broken ice. Steam rising from the water were signs of a Qalupaliik. They hunt on shorelines and near ice flows. They have human forms, green skin, scales, long heads, and long sharp fingernails. They typically wear an amautik (a parka specifically for women with a pouch to carry children in the back.) They are known to hum eerily and knock on the ice underneath people to lure them to more dangerous areas. They specifically target children separated from any adults. Children caught would be put in a sack (or the…
