Legendary Creatures of Urth

Legendary or mythological creatures, (also called fabulous creatures or fabulous beasts), are supernatural animals/plants or paranormal entities, whose existence has not or cannot be proven and that is described in folklore (myths), but also may be featured in historical accounts before modernity. Different continents and countries have different myths and folklore, and so sometimes legendary creatures in one place are wildly different from those in another place. This article documents these legendary creatures in alphabetical order by continent and country. Gods do not typically fall under this category, but angels, demons, and other religious entities may.

Arcturia

Banteay

Banteayan Dragons are large serpentine creatures appearing in the folklore and written myths of Banteay. According to the creation myth, dragons were created by Anak Bangkeut in the beginning of the world to plant the first seeds of the Banteayan Jungle. They made their homes in this jungle, aiding the growth of plants and fashioning thrones for themselves as the Kings of the Jungle. After elves were created, Anak Bangkeut is said to have come to the dragons, explaining their reliance on the growth of plants to survive, tasked the dragons with flying in the clouds to bring rain for the elves. Dragons are depicted as having scales of all different shades of green. They have long, graceful wings, rounded at the end with veins in the semitransparent webbing, which gives them the appearance of leaves in sunlight. They have very long tails, which taper to a thin point and can be easily mistaken for a snake. Their eyes are a deep forest green, and show all their kindness and wisdom. They have short spines along their back, and their snouts are slightly curved downwards. Their curved horns are long and relatively thin. Qualitative measurements within the myths imply they are a little over twelve meters long and almost seven meters tall, with eleven meter wingspans. Some old stories suggest that, along with their power to bring rain, dragons have the power to command plants and make them grow. There are only five named dragons, all named after trees - Banyan, Durian, Kapok, Mangrove, and Tualang.

Bonsamu Vampires are old mythical creatures described as hideous, terrifying beasts, bat-like monsters twice as large as a tiger, with large wings and a thirst for blood. They are said to reside in the mountains, drinking the blood from travelers and hunters who attempt to enter their territory. Like normal vampires, they are immortal, and burned by sunlight, but unlike normal vampires, they can shift forms at will when exposed to moonlight, allowing them to look exactly like a normal elf or show their true monstrous form. Some Bonsamu are said to have been exiled from their mountain tribe, which has very strict rules on when they are allowed to shift, and now roam the streets of large cities, feeding on whomever they please, usually in their sleep, and bringing terrible nightmares to the households they pass at night.

Naga are legendary elfin serpents appearing in Banteayan hero myths. Naga are described as having a torso twice the size of a normal elf, covered in snake scales. Their ears are pointed like elves, but their eyes are a deep red. Below the torso, the rest of their body is a huge, coiled snake, sometimes as large as a jungle tree trunk. They have scaled arms, which they sometimes use to grip spears or strangle their victims. Naga are unique in that they are neither wholly good nor bad, and can appear as antagonists or helpful spirits depending on the myth. Most are said to dwell in oceans and rivers, but some appear in the jungle as well. Naga have a very strong venom which can paralyze ten tigers with one bite, and kill their enemies. There is a degree of sexual dimorphism, as males are depicted with cobra neck flaps that females do not have. The most famous Naga is a helpful spirit called Watches-From-Jungle-Trees, who appears as a jungle guide to many heroes.

Qilin are mythological divine messengers appearing similar to horses, easily marked by their blue fish scales, russet manes, and large antlers. Some drawings show long fish whiskers, and they generally appear to have brilliant, sparkling eyes. They are said to run as fast as the wind, and that if you are all alone in the forest and listen carefully, you can hear their hooves as they bolt from place to place. Qilin are known for their extraordinary wisdom, but most often in stories appear while being hunted by foolish elves who can never catch up, and often find themselves led to their doom for daring to commit such a sin.

Gondwana

Aivintis

Demons, also known as Nightmares, including the Nachtkrapp.

Ghosts in Aivintian folklore are the spirits of the restless dead, when proper burial rights are not observed. In the north they appear as either barely visible wispy shapes or completely invisible presences, howling in the dark winter nights and roaming their home towns, or else returning to a place they loved in life to try and grasp what they had in life. In the south, they are much more malicious, punishing those who wronged them in life and haunting old houses and buildings. Here, they are more often the spirits of the murdered, and appear more tangible, sometimes even appearing almost indistinguishable from the living. In the south they are depicted as having some limited form of telekinesis and telepathy, which they use to terrorize their victims, and in very rare cases limited pyrokinesis. Throughout Aivintis, legend says ghosts can be kept at bay by lighting candles in front of one's house, usually on the porch.

Griffins are majestic hybrids that reside in the Spine mountain range, with the body, tail, and back legs of a lion; the head and wings of an eagle; eagle talons as their front feet. They are animalistic, but smarter than most animals. They are carnivores, hunters, in every old legend, and are sometimes said to be the guardian spirits of the mountains. Some tales speak of heroes befriending griffins as their mounts on epic quests, others speak of foolish mortals hunting them, and ending up as food. They are not as common as other legendary creatures, due to their secluded position, but aren't unknown by most Aivintians knowledgeable in folklore.

Little Spirits are creatures found in the north of Aivintis, no taller than a human child, with the heads of foxes, hares, and owls, and the bodies of normal humans, with long fingernails and keen eyes. Small and nimble, the Little Spirits move through the forest quickly and quietly, living with the animals. They are usually depicted wearing assorted rags and furs, and flee upon being sighted. Aivintian legend paints the Little Spirits as omens of good luck and fortune, favoring kind travelers and lost children, which they bring home in some tales. The feeling of being watched is said to indicate good favor from the Little Spirits. Although they don't often appear directly in most stories, they sometimes leave offerings of berries and flowers at campsites.

Werewolves are humans cursed to transform into half-wolf monsters under the full moon, appearing in many legends and folk tales. They stalk the forests and mountains of Aivintis, hunting deer and other forest animals, never smaller than foxes, which they can devour in one bite. Some Werewolves, who cannot escape into the wild before they transform, end up hunting other humans. Even in their human form, they maintain heightened reflexes and senses, and sometimes unnatural strength. Some werewolves are different from others, and thus the degree of control one has over oneself in the werewolf form varies from story to story.

Zzor Vampires are monsters that appear as pale humans, usually with a worn, haggard expression and unnaturally long teeth. However, when exposed to candlelight, they appear much more feral and animalistic, to a horrifying extreme. Zzor Vampires have a well documented weakness to wooden stakes and sunlight, but at night are known to have heightened strength, speed, reflexes, senses, and regeneration. Unless killed by a wooden stake, sunlight, or a consecrated weapon, they are said to be immortal, unaging and highly resistant to conventional weaponry. In one tale, it is suggested that being starved of blood can also kill a vampire. Poison and disease cannot touch them, but they are repelled by wild garlic, and injured when trying to cross a salt line. Most have the power to compel mortals to do as they say, but more powerful vampires have the ability to levitate and use telekinesis, and some even more obscure tales tell of Zzor Vampires who are completely undying, maintain their powers during the day, and can even turn into bats or a cloud of mist. Zzor are created through an unholy blood pact with an existing Zzor, making use of rare ingredients and a dozen sacrifices, and Zzor that are created during a blood moon have the ability to practice blood magic, which converts the blood they consume into magical energy which they can use to cast spells and strengthen their existing powers. Powerful blood magic can even temporarily protect vampires from sunlight.

Oilean

Dullahans are headless riders on black horses, ghosts of fallen warriors who sometimes carry their heads high in their hands. The mouth is usually in a hideous grin that touches both sides of the head. Its eyes are constantly moving about and can see across the countryside even during the darkest nights. The Dullahan is believed to use the spine of a human corpse for a whip, and its wagon is adorned with funeral objects - it has candles in skulls to light the way, the spokes of the wheels are made from thigh bones, and the wagon's covering is made from a worm-chewed pall or dried human skin. The ancient Oileanians believed that where the Dullahan stops riding, a person is due to die. The Dullahan calls out the person's name, drawing away the soul of his victim, at which point the person immediately drops dead.

Enbarrs are mythological horses who could traverse land and sea and were faster than the wind. They are usually found by or gifted to questing heroes.

Faeries

Fear Gorta are phantoms of hunger and famine resembling emaciated humans. Their skin has a greyish green color, and they are deathly thin, with arms as thin as twigs. It has long, matted, grey or white hair and facial hair. Its nails are terribly long and dirty as well. The fear gorta walk the earth during times of famine, seeking alms from passers-by. They can be a potential source of good luck for generous individuals, but those who refuse to give charity are cursed with hunger, poverty, and bad luck. In one myth, the fear gorta were harbingers of famine.

Oilliphéists are huge, angry sea monsters that are said to inhabit the waters around the Oileanian Isles, lakes, rivers, and ocean. Sometimes they are slain by great heroes, but sometimes they cannot be defeated, blocking passage over a waterway.

Púcaí

Selkies

Sluagh

Witches

Serdemia

Drekavac

Fext

Nocnitsa

Rübezahl

Vedma, or Witches,