Legendary Creatures of Urth
This article documents these legendary creatures of Urth 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.
South Peragen
The cuélebre is the beast Impel, the Peragian hero, king of Pelda and later Tunseist god of justice, defeated in the foundational myth of Arsal. He mostly resembles a serpent-dragon, with bat wings, iron claws and adamantine scarlet scales. He was a sapient creature: he ruled over the peoples of Peragen Exterior tyrannically and punished disidence by kidnapping the offenders and their families, who served to feed his offspring. The oppressed rulers called Pelda for help, and Impel himself crossed the Peragian sea to find the place the cuélebre hid his victims. When Impel found it near a bay to the north of the island, the beast found him and he spent two days and two nights fighting against him. The cuélebre was nearly impossible to defeat since he moved so fast he seemed to have multiple bodies, and the only vulnerability he had was inhaling salt. Impel, initially trying and failing to stab him with a sword covered in salt, while a storm was taken place found a slope near the beach, full of a mud nor the beast or the king could get off from; when the storm reached its strongest moment, they were inevitably covered by the mud and taken to the sea. Impel survived and returned to land, but the cuélebre drowned in salty water. He then went to the cave the kidnapped people were in, slained the cuélebre's offspring, who lacked their father's scales, and rescued the prisoners. Before returning to Pelda, Impel walked to the highest point of the bay, buried the salt he had still from the fight, and built a sanctuary over it. Its name was Ara de la Sal, "Sanctuary of Salt", around which the city of Arsal was later built by Peldan settlers.
Aurora
Borea
Concord
Itur
Gondwana
Aivintis
Aldergrove Forest, or simply Aldergrove, is a sentient forest in Aivintian legend. The forest itself is a dense woodland located north of Hagen, untouched by the many lumber operations in the wilder regions of Aivintis. Legend suggests that every tree, bush, animal, and insect is part of one single mind, the ancient spirit of the forest itself. The tales suggest that the roots of every plant are connected, and thus part of the same, huge tree, whose spirit has grown sentience with age, and speaks in rhyme and riddle. The animals that feed off of these plants' berries and leaves become connected to the mind as well, prone to suggestion. It is said that lost souls within the forest are guided back by the shifting plant and helpful animals, but that hunters, lumberjacks, and anyone looking to disturb the peace or destroy even a branch of the Aldergrove is met with hordes of animals and fire ants, while the forest shifts to trap them with their doom.
Demons, also known as Nightmares, are supernatural beings in Aivintian folklore typically associated with evil and terror, prevalent historically in and around Derrim and Asluagh. There is no mythological consensus for the origin of such Nightmares, and tales vary from the ghosts of Vampires and Werewolves to a portal to Hell located deep underground. Demons are traditionally associated with demonic possession, an act in which the demon controls the body of a mortal and channels their power through it, usually damaging or killing the host and others. While most people fear demons, others willfully attempt to summon them for knowledge, assistance, or power. The ceremonial magician usually consults a grimoire, which gives the names and abilities of demons as well as detailed instructions for conjuring and controlling them. Nightmares in some stories, however, mainly the texts of Howard Phillip Augustus Smith, Percy Wheeler, and Tobias Hedley Varmo, are unfathomable monsters, with varied and often horrific appearance, who appear in the flesh to feed on the fear of tormented souls. In Westhafen, the myth of the Nachtkrapp, a giant nocturnal raven with no eyes that brings terrible illness, and sometimes death, is one such example. Others include the Void Spirits, malevolent entities bound to pitch black armor, from which thick tentacles emerge, burrowing into the minds of their victims, and the Osem Rutse Uzhas, a flesh monster which eats children. Both these tales originate from Derrim. Some port cities, such as Waerham, have tales of Nightmares lurking in the fog. Nightmares are supposedly injured by salted blades and bullets, and cannot cross lines of salt. Consecrated weapons burn them, and some flee when exposed to a bright light, but most are virtually invincible. Some have the ability to control the dreams of their victims.
Dragons are few and far between in Aivintian mythology. Tundris, a dragon with the features of a snowy owl, such as its feathers, beak, eyes, and face shape, appears as a sacred guardian spirit in the Children of the Spine mountains between Aivintis and Serdemia. Tundris served as a wise mentor to great heroes, and is strongly connected to the Griffins of the Spine. Gyldren is a dragon with firebreath as hot as a volcano and metallic gold scales that are said to shine like the sun when reflecting light. His scales are said to be impenetrable, and legends have him transforming into a human with fiery eyes, a flaming sword, and gold armor. Gyldren is said to guard a massive hoard of treasure as large as a mountain, buried deep underground in his lair, which he guards ferociously. Gyldren myths appear in Southern Aivintis, mostly, as far south as Marnacia and somtimes as far north as Wolfgard. Karo Vadas is a dragon with scales like night and ash, as large as a mountain, who blots out the sun when he flies. Karo Vadas is the oldest dragon myth in Aivintis, appearing as far back as the founding of the Lerasian Empire, in which he conquers Serdemia for the Emperor with his talons and teeth alone. Karo Vadas is fabled to have some vaguely defined magical powers, and also appears in some myths in human form, although that form is never described beyond hair as black as his scales.
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.
Cascadii
Ents, also know as tree people, are sentient trees from Cascadii folklore.
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.
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.
Oileanian Dragons are five meters tall, with broad, muscular bodies and thick, armored scales. They are usually orange or brown in color, but some can be dark red. They are unique for their flat snouts and thick, curved horns, sharp enough to skewer livestock. Oileanian dragon tails notably end with a spearhead points. Their wings are massive and bat-like, lending to their ability to fly for very long times without rest. Oileanian dragons are known for stealing cows and sheep from farmers and terrorizing villages and towns that offend them. Some of the oldest ones, however, are said to be wise and benevolent.
Serdemia
Dragons are as rare in Serdemic mythology as in Aivintian mythology. Tundris, a dragon with the features of a snowy owl, such as its feathers, beak, eyes, and face shape, appears as a sacred guardian spirit in the Children of the Spine mountains between Aivintis and Serdemia. Tundris serves as a wise mentor to various heroes, but is not as prevalent as in Aivintis. The Devouring Storm is a dragon myth localized around Nisava, and tells of a dragon made of storm clouds, who brings heavy rain and destructive lightning to the land, bringing life and death in equal measure. Some tales tell of the dragon tyrant Calemvir, a ruby dragon slain by heroes. Karo Vadas, the black Aivintian dragon as large as a mountain, appears in Serdemic myth as well, notably in the myth in which he conquers Serdemia for Emperor Lerasi, laying waste to the Serdemic armies. Karo Vadas rarely appears in his human form in Serdemia, but in older myths he is depicted patrolling the skies of Serdemia on behalf of the Emperor. Karo Vadas myths become less and less common over the years as the influence of Lerasia fades.
Vedma, or Witches, are practitioners of magic who have the ability to enchant any inanimate object with any power they see fit, limited only by the energy they must use to complete their enchantments. Their power is strong enough to move, completely transmogrify, imbue with power, and even animate these objects. If a witch uses too much power it is likely to kill her, but they can also capture the energy released by the death of living things to strengthen their enchantments. Witchcraft has limits, however, and cannot enchant living things or bring back the dead, for example. However, a rare few have the power to see the future. Some witches use their power to sell magical trinkets, to assist great kings, or to help the common people. Most, however, live in covens of thirteen witches, using their power to defend themselves and reach enlightenment. Witches can be trained to use their power, and start off rather weak, but must be part of a witch bloodline, and even then it is not guaranteed that bloodline members can be witches. Vedmak, or Warlocks, are male witches, but are far less common. For every two covens of Vedma, there is only one Vedmak.
Vukodlaks, or Werewolves are humans cursed to transform into half-wolf monsters under the full moon, appearing in many legends and folk tales in southern Serdemia, close to the border of Aivintis, where they originate. They stalk the Children of the Spine mountain forests, 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.
Novaris
Cryria
Blödhaj are large, mythical sharks who pursue their victims to the ends of the earth. These creatures typically appear as curses or minions of mythological villains. It is said that when they taste a man's blood, he can never again be safe on the waters, for the Blödhaj will always know where they are and will pursue them tirelessly as long as he lives. Myths of the Blödhaj can likely be traced to the ability of actual sharks to smell blood from extraordinary distances.
Draug are the spirits of drowned sailors said to haunt the seas. Typically depicted as saltwater-drenched, barnacle-encrusted corpses, Draug lurk on their lost and wrecked vessels, or in the waters which slew them. Cryrian myths portray Draug as hostile, unintelligent creatures driven to drown and murder any life they encounter. Scenes of Draug hordes marching up from the depths to attack settlements are a popular mainstay in Cryrian media, and they play a role similar to zombies.
Leviathans are legendary sea creatures that appear across Cryrian mythology, and are said to dwell in the deepest parts of the ocean. The physical form of these creatures varies wildly across myths, though they are most often shown as massive squids, whales, or crabs. Indeed, it is likely that tales of Leviathans were born from exaggerated tales of encounters with such creatures, and further fueled by the rough and dangerous nature of the northern seas, where ships could often vanish without trace or explanation. Leviathans are typically portrayed as incredibly ancient creatures with a strange and alien intelligence beyond the comprehension of most sapients. As such, their own motives and natures are left mysterious. Instead, they typically play the role of a force of nature, sometimes helping but often hindering heroes and villains alike by smashing ships to splinters or sinking coastal towns. On occasion, they are also shown to be sources of forgotten knowledge. Leviathans continue to be the centerpiece of Cryrian cosmic horror literature.
Yasteria
Vistaraland
The most iconic creature of Vistari mythos is the Noorvic myth of the Adliausir. The Adliausir are creatures not of flesh and blood, more akin to a sentient white goop that shambles around in a humanoid form. They are known to have a notably strong smell, reminiscent of rotting fish and perturbing to a point of inflicting illness of those with poor constitution. They have three indents in the area where their face would be that function as their eyes, filled with an orange ooze which writhes and pulsates as the creature looks around. They have three eyes, two horizontal that are reminiscent of the placement of human eyes and a third vertical eye on what would usually be described as a forehead. The Adliausir bear some ability to mould their form to appear as another sapient creature, though in most cases they would appear malformed and be clearly visible to not be such, still traversing the world in a shamble and having to consume food by excreting their orange acidic blood from their mouth to break the food down. They do not show any physical signs of aging, believed to be functionally immortal if not slain or starved.
While they cannot connivingly mimic a sapient form themselves, Adliausir are said to use the flesh of dead humanoids and wear them like clothing, allowing the Adliausir to mimic the humanoid, appearing as it by sound, touch, feel, smell or sight. The skin they use to mimic continues to age as if the creature it came from were alive besides the pigmentation of the eyes, and must be discarded after it surpasses the natural maximum lifespan of the creature. This process is usually the subjects of stories of the Adliausir, containing dire warnings of peers who do not appear themselves.