South Africa
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Oom Leeuw
Oom Leeuw is a mythical figure from South African myth. His name means “Uncle Lion” and he was regarded as king of the beasts and could roar loud enough to shake the earth. He has strong iron claws and used to have massive wings like a bat that folded against his sides when not in use. He used his wings to swoop down on prey before they could even react and could use these wings to create massive bursts of air. A shortcoming he had was an inability to read, which he was notedly embarrassed about. He kept the bones of his prey in his cave guarded by pairs of…
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Isholugo
The Isholugo are dangerous creatures of South African myth. They are thought to be Impundulu who have escaped magical binding and are no longer forced to serve any magic user. They have a wild bloodlust and are incredibly difficult to track. They can only be killed if they are contained and burned to remove their supernatural strength. 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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Intulo
The Intulo is a creature from Zulu mythology in South Africa. It’s thought to be a cross between a human, and a lizard or alligator. Originally in the Zulu creation myth, everything was immortal before it was decided everything should die. Intulo became the messenger of death and has since become a bogeyman figure. It has also occasionally been sighted in rural areas. 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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Intaka Yezulu
The Intaka Yezulu is a creature from South Africa, and a variation of the Impundulu. It’s name translates to “bird of the sky”, and it appears as a big white bird with a red beak and red legs. It may sometimes take the form of a handsome man to seduce women, and then drain them of their blood. The flapping of their wings makes thunder, and their droppings become lightning. Their very presence can cause miscarriages and hemorrhages. They possess the ability to control eagles, owls, and hammerhead sharks and use them to find prey. Sometimes people bitten by the Intaka Yezulu turn into witches. They can be destroyed by…
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Impundulu
The Impundulu is a strange creature from the myths of South Africa. There are known to be several different variations of the Impundulu. They are often thought to be familiars belonging to witches that are then passed down through the generations. However while they commonly serve witches, it is unclear if they do so willingly, or are forced to do so with magic binding. They most commonly target the enemies of those in charge of them. They survive by draining the blood from livestock. If the Imundulus boss is angry enough at someone then the Impundulu may kill them and their entire families and their livestock completely unprompted. Sometimes they…
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Imfene
The Imfene are monstrous creatures from the myths of South Africa. They are described as a unique breed of large, vicious, and powerful baboons. They are unnaturally smart and vicious and are known to kill humans both for food and for sport. Some believe they are witches taking the form of apes, while other stories suggest witches ride on top of Imfene as mounts. They can be killed by normal weapons but have been known to set traps in case humans attempt to hunt them. 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,…
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Das-Adder/Dassie-Adder
The Das-Adder is a cryptid from the Drakensberg Mountains in South Africa. It’s name combines the local name for the hyrax “dassie” and the adder. They have heads resembling a hyrax, bodies like a snake, skin around the ears folded into crests, and a red and yellow striped tail measuring two feet in length. They have incredibly strong venom and are thought to be capable of luring in prey with a hypnotic stare. Citations: Eberhart, George M.. Mysterious Creatures: A Guide to Cryptozoology. United Kingdom, ABC-CLIO, 2002.
