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Duende/Dwende
The Duende are mythical creatures from the myths of the Philippines. Their name comes from the Spanish word for “dwarf.” They’re described as incredibly small humanoid figures that generally ignore people. It’s thought they can be appeased if given food left on the floor by a doorway. If they accept the offering, the Duende can be helpful to have around. They can bring good luck and help people find lost possessions and if fed offerings effectively and often enough, they may even protect households from malevolent supernatural forces and intruders. If given improper offerings like spoiled food, or otherwise offended, the Duence becomes malevolent. When angry, they may bring bad…
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Donnerschröter/Thor-Bagge/Thordyfvel
The Donnerschröter is a mythical creature from various Germanic beliefs. The name Donnerschröter translates to “Thunder Beetle” and the alternate Thordyfvel translates to “Thor’s devil.” They are beetles thought to be the embodiment of Thor. This associates them with lightning, agriculture, and later on the devil. Dung beetles were considered sacred to Thor since they lived in cow dung and dug in the earth, fitting the agriculture connection. Because of this, the larvae of the dung beetle were called “Earth Ox.” Putting a Dung Beetle on its back is considered a sin since they can’t right themselves, and failing to help an upside-down beetle could result in stomach aches. Some…
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Dooligah
The Dooligah is a form of hairy hominid from Australia related to the Yowie. They stand four feet tall, have ape-like features, and can move incredibly fast through the woods. 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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Dipsa/Situla
The Dipsa is an obscure creature from Greek myth. They’re described as serpents so small they cannot be seen. Their body is destroyed when they’re stepped on and they deliver a lethal bite. The venom acts so fast that the victim doesn’t feel the pain of the bite before death, though it’s believed that its bite causes an unquenchable thirst. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Beasts and Monsters in Myth, Legend and Folklore. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016.
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Dopplesaugr
The Dopplesaugr is an undead creature from Hanover, Germany. They’re formed when a child is allowed to breastfeed after already having been weaned off of it, this causes them to return from the grave as a Dopplesaugr. Because of this origin, their name translates to “double sucker” and they eat woman’s breasts. They attack family members to feed on the flesh of the breasts, blood, and breast milk when available. However, they may feed on anyone if they become desperate enough. They may feed on their own breasts to get the energy to rise and can be preemptively dealt with by using thick wooden blocks to keep the jaw from…
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Doan
Doan is a spirit in animal form from aboriginal Australian myth. He existed in the form of a glider possum and had remarkable strength for his size. He was a swift hunter, possibly due to the gliding possum’s speed going through the air, and flew effortlessly. He is known from the myth Bram-Bram-Bult where he chased a kangaroo named Purra, only to be attacked and consumed by an echidna named Wembulin. His uncles Yuree and Wanjel found pieces of his remains being carried away by ants and swore vengeance on Wembulin. Citations: Allan, Tony, et al. Journeys Through Dreamtime: Oceanian Myth. Netherlands, Time-Life Books, 1999. Wilkinson, Philip. Myths & Legends:…
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Demon
A Demon is a form of dark spirit. The term means “replete with wisdom” and comes from the Greek word Daimon. Some cultures had demonic figures that were not necessarily evil, such as Egypt. Demons at large are well documented in ancient Middle Eastern cultures and it is thought that Hebrews absorbed some knowledge of Demons from Mesopotamia. Sometimes Demons are believed to have been spawned by Lillith, who was to be the first wife of Adam in Jewish beliefs. Christianisation often describes all pagan gods and spirits as demons despite their attributes. The idea is that they are disguises meant to trick humans into worshiping someone other than God.…
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Conjoined Giants/Denecho Keníhshon
The Conjoined Giants come from a story in Slavey myth. After the figure Wolverine stole a child, this child accidentally mistook these giants for his grandparents. They were connected at the back and faced opposite directions. They were dragging a giant toboggan. They were known to eat humans and ate the boy who had been stolen. Thankfully the father of the boy prayed for his son’s resurrection. Unfortunately, the boy made the same mistake and died again, but this time he wasn’t brought back. The boy’s father tricked them into killing each other by shooting an arrow at them while they were covered by a blanket. This caused each to…
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Zduhać/Aloviti/Vjedogonja/Wind Chasers/Cloud Chaser/Hail Defender/Fairy Man/Dragon Man
The Zduhać are mythical figures from Slavic myth. They are described as people capable of protecting people, homes, and entire villages from rain and hail. They are often thought of as mythical creatures, like dragons or fairies, but in human form. Sometimes they were seen as prophets and connected to angels and saints. They are generally seen as heroic figures that look entirely human, though often melancholic, thoughtful, strong, resourceful, and resilient. A Zduhać could be detected from birth if they were born with the caul still on their head, and they would also often have an affinity to crows. Some believed however that a Zduhać could only be born…
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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…
