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Utukku
The Utukku are spirits from Babylonian and Assyrian legends. They are formed when someone is murdered, and they cannot rest until they kill their murderers, or otherwise get vengeance. Some simply return from the grave of pure malicious intent and desire to feed on the living. They can be called forth with black magic or curses. They track down their killer and murder any human they encounter on the way. It’s thought they become stronger every time they kill and grow in their desire for power, sometimes choosing to remain on earth after finding their killer. They often take the form of a man or an animal. Citations: Maberry, Jonathan.…
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Humababa/Huwawa/Kumbaba
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Uthikoloshe/Oothikoloshe
The Uthikoloshe is a mythical creature from Bantu folklore. They’re short hairy hominids with muscular shoulders and chests, sloping foreheads, and bowed legs. They live in small mud huts by rivers or deep in the forest wearing sheepskin clothes and using primitive tools. They may also wear bright and shiny items stolen from their victims. They’re known for dancing and in some areas, it’s thought all women have an Utikoloshe as a secondary husband. They have their own language but can also speak Bantu, albeit with a notable lisp or slur. They often convince the children to play with them. They practice a unique form of witchcraft and commonly have…
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Ukobach
Ukobach is a low-ranking demon from the book Dictionnaire Infernal by Jacques Collin de Plancy. He is thought to have created fireworks and fried food. He is depicted covered in flames and tasked by Beelzebub with tending the oil in the cauldrons of Hell. He tortures the souls of the damned by throwing hot coals on them. Some beliefs describe him as the lamp oil used in jack-o-lanterns. Citations: Guiley, Rosemary. The Encyclopedia of Demons and Demonology. United States, Facts On File, Incorporated, 2009.
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Elder Cyclops/Uranian Cyclopes
The Elder Cyclops are three beings from Greek mythology. They’re incredibly strong giant humanoids each with a singular eye in the middle of the forehead. Their names were Arges, Brontes, and Steropes, and they were the sons of Uranus and Gaia, and brothers to the Hecatoncheires. The name Arges means lightning, Brontes means thunder, and Steropes means storm clouds. They were locked in Tartarus by Uranus, only to be freed and then locked away again by Cronus, until eventually Zeus freed them so they could help him defeat Cronus and the other Titans. They helped in the war and created many treasures for the gods. They were eventually killed by…
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Urokljivac
The Urokljivac is a mythical creature from Serbian Slavic mythology. The name translates to “Hex Man” and they are believed to be people who could cast evil magic from their eyes. They often do not know what they’re doing, naturally having those abilities or becoming that way through envy. They cast curses that could lead to misfortune, illness, or death, with the victims often being beautiful, rich, or children. Effects of the curse could be stopped by tying red thread around the wrist and wearing torn clothes or socks of different colors. They could also be stopped by amulets or religious symbols. Citations: Zlatic, Vladimir. Slavic Mythology: Demons in Serbian…
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Upior
The Upior is a form of vampire from Polish myth and was a common belief among the Ruthenian people. This term is a reinterpretation of the Russian Upyr into Polish myth in the seventeenth century. They are sometimes believed to be dead people possessed by the devil often described as swollen blood-filled corpses. This blood-filled appearance led to the phrase “red as an Upior” becoming popular. Someone born with two hearts, who later grows evil was thought to become an Upior. Corpses suspected to be at risk of rising would be staked in the heart, burned, decapitated and staked, or have pig manure stuffed in their mouths. It was also…
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Upier/Upierczi(pl)
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Utburd/Utböling/Utkasting
The Utburd is a form of ghost from Scandinavian mythology. They’re thought to be the ghosts of children left outside to die due to exposure. Sometimes the children are left out because they are deemed weak and deformed. Sometimes they’re viewed as identical to the Myling. They’re malicious creatures that seek vengeance. To stop a Utburd, their body must be found and properly buried on Holy ground and they could be stopped if you burn the remains. Citations: Bane, Theresa. Encyclopedia of Spirits and Ghosts in World Mythology. United States, McFarland, Incorporated, Publishers, 2016. Kvideland, Reimund, and Sehmsdorf, Henning K.. Scandinavian Folk Belief and Legend. United States, University of Minnesota…
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Urias
The Urias were a race of giants and were considered the first to inhabit the earth in Romania and Russia. They lived in peace with humans at first but eventually began to cause war and destruction. They were often connected to Nephilim. They were killed by the biblical flood. Urias burial mounds contain riches. These graves can be found on Christmas Eve, Easter, or Saint Georges Day, at which time a magic fire burns above them. Citations: McElroy, D.R.. Superstitions: A Handbook of Folklore, Myths, and Legends from Around the World. United States, Book Sales, 2020. World Mythology Lite. N.P., Frederick Holiday.
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Urayuli
The Urayuli is a cryptid from Southwest Alaska near Lake Iliamna. Its name means “hairy man.” They’re hairy hominids with long reddish-brown shaggy hair, glowing eyes, no neck, and long arms reaching to their ankles. They stand 6-10 feet tall, weigh 750 pounds, and have ape-like facial features. They are thought to eat fish, frogs, and even dogs. They are often blamed for trashing camps and stealing food but are generally peaceful. They make high pitched cries sounding like a loon. They’re thought to take children and turn them into Urayuli, but not hurt them. Citations: Cabre, Mel, and Mart, T. S.. The Legend of Bigfoot: Leaving His Mark on…
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Upyr
The Upyr is a Russian vampire that rises from the dead. They hunt down entire families starting with the children and working up to the adults. They come from the corpse of a witch or from someone who committed suicide. They can also be created if a person or animal walks over the grave of someone recently deceased, causing them to drain their life force to reanimate themselves. 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.
