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1 Chapter 1 : List of Greek Mythological Creatures and Monsters â Facts & Information The List of Mythical Creatures. I'll be honest, putting together a complete list of mythical creatures is intimidating, mostly because there are so many. Contact Author Each culture around the world has its own set of legends and mythological creatures. Each one turns out to be more amazing the more you read about it. I have compiled a list of the most interesting mythological creatures and their folklore. The Centaur or Hippocentaur is a legendary creature from Greek mythology. It is said to have the upper body of a human and the lower body of a horse. They were the offspring of the cloud-nymph Nephele and the Lapith king Ixion. It is said that Ixon was in love with Hera, the wife of Zeus and apparently tried to rape her. Hera informed Zeus about his actions who decided to test her story. He made a cloud which resembled Hera and laid it near Ixon who went about boasting how he had enjoyed Hera. On finding this out, Zeus bound Ixon to a wheel which was whirled by winds through the air. The result of the union between Ixon and Nephele was the Centaurs. Chiron was considered to be the wisest and justest of the centaurs. Chiron was also a teacher who taught many Greek heroes including Achilles. The Basilisk is a creature from European legends. Its name means "little king" and the Basilisk is said to be the king of serpents. It is said to have the power to kill a person with a single glare. So the resulting creature would be half-bird and half-snake. They are one of the most feared and deadly creatures of the mythological world and are extremely hostile towards humans. In one story, the venom of the Basilisk traveled up the spear of the warrior who stabbed the Basilisk and killed not only the rider but his horse as well! According to Greek mythology, the Chimera is a fire-breathing monster from Asia Minor. The Chimera looks like a Lion with the head of a Goat protruding from its back and a snake as its tail. The term Chimera has now been used to describe any mythical creature which has parts from various animals. The sight of a Chimera was considered to be a bad omen. The hero Bellerophon was commanded to slay this beast by King Iobates. Medusa was the only mortal of the three Gorgon sisters - Medusa, Stheno, and Euryale. She used to be a beautiful maiden but then one day Poseidon raped her in the temple of Athena. The enraged Athena turned Medusa into a hideous creature with the face of an ugly woman, snakes for hair and anyone who would dare look at her face would be turned to stone. In her despair, she became as gruesome as her outward appearance. She fled to Africa where young snakes dropped from her hair and according to Greeks, this was how the continent became inhabited by many poisonous snakes. Medusa was finally slain by Perseus. It is said that when Perseus cut off her head from the blood were born two creatures - Chrysaor and Pegasus. Banshee is a female spirit from Irish folklore. The word banshee means "woman of the fairy mound" or "fairy woman". The scream of a banshee is believed to be an omen of death. The wail or scream is also called as a "caoine" which means "keening". The wail is supposed to be a warning about an imminent death in the family. The banshees are not always portrayed as evil. Some are considered to have strong ties with families and it is said that each family has a banshee. They sing sorrowful haunting songs filled with love and concern for the families. The cyclopes were giant one-eyed monsters in Greek mythology which were a wild race of lawless creatures. The word cyclopes mean "round eye". The most famous cyclops, Polyphemus was a man-eating monster. The cyclops are said to be the sons of Uranus and Gaia. These were the weapons used to destroy the Titans. The Minotaur was a monster in Greek mythology which was half-bull and half-man. He lived in a Labyrinth which was present underneath the court of King Minos in Crete. Poseidon had gifted Minos with a Cretan bull which was supposed to be sacrificed. But he kept the bull instead of sacrificing it which enraged Poseidon. The newly born Minotaur would eat only humans and so Minos created a Labyrinth to keep the Minotaur as advised by the Oracle and sent human sacrifices as food for the creature. Theseus, the son of the king of Athens then slew the Minotaur with the help of the daughter of Minos who fell in love with him and aided him with a sword and length of rope. The rope was tied outside the maze so that it can be followed all the way out after slaying the beast. According to Scandinavian mythology, the Kraken is a legendary sea monster of giant size. It is said to dwell off the coasts of Norway and Greenland. The Kraken is usually described as a giant squid or octopus-like creature but it has also been described as crab-like. There are various tales of the Kraken Page 1

2 attacking and destroying ships. It is also capable of making giant whirlpools which could bring down ships. It is believed that the myth of the Kraken could have originated from giant squids which could grow up to 18 meters long and would be rarely seen by humans. According to Greek mythology, Cerberus is a three-headed dog which guards the entrance to the underworld where the dead are allowed to enter but no one is allowed to leave. Apart from its three heads, the Cerberus has the tail of a serpent, a mane of snakes and the claws of a lion. The name Cerberus is derived from the Greek word "Kerberos" meaning "spotted". His three heads were supposed to denote the past, present and the future. They were also said to denote birth, youth and old age. The most powerful weapon for Cerberus was his stare which could turn anyone into stone. He had razor sharp teeth and his bite was also poisonous. The Phoenix is a mythical bird which does not die but is cyclically regenerated. In all cultures, the bird is identified with the Sun. It is said to be colorful and vibrant and is said to have peacock like coloring. When the Phoenix senses that its end is near, it builds a nest of aromatic woods and sets it on fire. From the pile of ashes is formed a new young Phoenix. The Phoenix is a symbol or renewal and resurrection. The Sphinx was a mythical monster present in both Greek and Egyptian mythologies portrayed as having the head of a human and the body of a lion. In Greek mythology, the Sphinx was considered to be a woman. She also had the wings of an eagle and the tail of a serpent. According to myth, she stayed outside the city of Thebes and asked travelers a famous riddle- "Which creature has one voice but 4 feet in the morning, 2 at noon and three feet at night? After Oedipus had answered her riddles correctly the Sphinx killed herself. The Egyptian Sphinx is an unwinged creature with the figure of a lion and the upper body of a human. A mermaid is a legendary aquatic creature with the head and upper body of a female human and the lower body of a fish. Mermaids appear in folklore from around the world. The mermaids are associated with misfortunes such as drownings and shipwrecks. They are known for being stunningly beautiful and lead sailors astray onto rocky shoals. Their male counterpart is called as Mermen. They also have a fierce reputation of summoning storms, sinking ships and drowning men. There have even been modern sightings of Mermaids around the world but there is no definitive proof. The Lernaean Hydra is a water monster from Greek mythology. It is said that the Hydra had many heads and whenever a head was chopped off, two heads will grow back in its place. The hydra had a poisonous breath and its blood was also deadly poisonous. It is said that the hero Hercules killed the Hydra with sword and fire. He protected his nose from the poisonous gas using a cloth and after cutting off a head he cauterized the open wound with fire to stop it from regenerating. Hera, who raised the Hydra then turned the dead monster into a constellation of the same name. The Kappa is an imp or demon in Japanese folklore. Its name means "river child". The Kappa has a small pool of water suspended above their head signifying their life force and habitat. The Japanese children are warned not to go near rivers or lakes as the Kappa are often said to lure people near the water and pull them in. The Kappa resembles a frog or a monkey the size of a human child. They are supposed to have a humanoid face, tortoise beak, shell and scaly skin. There are references to their capability to keep promises which can be extracted from them by tricking them into bowing their head which causes the water above their head their life force to spill. Once the water is spilled they lose their supernatural powers. According to Greek mythology, Lamia was the mistress of the God Zeus. It is said that she had the lower body of a serpent. Page 2

3 Chapter 2 : Mythical Creatures Quiz Go to Mythical Creatures List. A complete list of all mythological creatures and beasts that are and ever were is simply too massive to even try to compile onto one site and still be able to give each creature the spotlight it deserves. Creatures and Monsters from Greek Mythology The heroes are probably the best-known part of Greek mythology, but what makes a hero? There were also many fabulous animals such as the Nemean Lion, golden-fleeced Ram and the winged horse Pegasus, not to mention the creatures of legend such as the Phoenix, the Griffin and Unicorns. A fearsome two-headed hound that lived with giants Sphinx. When Oedipus was able to answer a riddle correctly, she jumped into the ocean in a fit of rage and drowned. A gigantic lion with impenetrable skin that eventually became the star constellation Leo. An ancient serpent-like water monster with reptilian traits and many heads that multiplied if they were cut off. An eagle that every day ate the liver of Prometheus. Hers is a cautionary tale about pride that we can all learn from. According to the myth, Arachne was a very famous and talented weaver. Centaurs were said to be primal, existing in tribes and making their homes in caves, hunting wild animals and arming themselves with rocks and tree branches. One of the most well known may be the three-headed dog known as Cerberus. It was the job of Cerberus to guard the entrance to Hades. An aura of mystery has always surrounded this creature. Greek sailors considered it a very bad omen to see Chimaera. She usually appeared right before a [â ] Cyclops The Cyclops were giant; one-eyed monsters; a wild race of lawless creatures who possess neither social manners nor fear of the Gods. They stole food from their victims and [â ] Medusa One of the most popular monsters of Greek Mythology, Medusa was a beautiful maiden with golden hair. She vowed to be celibate her entire life as a priestess of Athena until she fell in love with Poseidon. She went against her vow and married him. For this Athena punished her hideously. She turned Medusa into [â ] Minotaur The tale of the Minotaur is one of the classics of Greek mythology and contains an extraordinary number of important elements. Characters like the brilliant Daedalus, strong Theseus, evil King Minos and his beautiful daughter Ariadne all make an appearance in this story. The concept of the labyrinth, or the endless underground maze, also originates [â ]. Page 3

4 Chapter 3 : Steam Workshop :: Dragonpunk: Mythical Creatures A host of legendary creatures, animals and mythic humanoids occur in ancient Greek mythology. Check them all out! They will do your dirty work for you if you enter into a pact with them â which is a terrible idea. Some creatures like this are simply referred to as Black Dogs. Sometimes people call them cockatrices. Harry Potter fans, take note: Cerberus â a three-headed dog that guards the door of the Underworld in Greek mythology. These myths have some similarities with the abiku, above. Cloud People â also known as the Shiwanna. They bring bad luck to people who pass by them unless they are appeased. Coraniaid â the Coraniaid are Welsh dwarves with very sharp hearing who are immune to weapons. They use fairy money, which looks legit but soon turns into toadstools. These not the same thing as demons. In ancient Greek mythology, they were helpful spirit guides, similar to guardian angels. However, they are malicious tricksters and shape shifters. In the vodou religion, the word has a different meaning. Here are links to read about English fairies, Irish fairies, and fairies on the Isle of Man. They are Roman in origin, and this article discusses the difference between fauns and satyrs. You can kill them with sunlight or steel. They figure in both Hindu and Buddhist mythology. They have the head, talons, and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion. The cloud infects people and brings them bad luck. It has many heads, and if you cut one off, it grows two more in its place. However, in his natural state, he has cloven hooves. In a few variations, the incubus can take a male or a female form. Many cultures have their own version of the incubus. They hide in caves and banyan trees, and either eat people or play tricks on them, depending on who you talk to. The more tails a kitsune has, the older and more powerful she is. They are versatile shapeshifters. They appear in Romani folklore. Korrigan â in northwestern France, these elf-like female beings have long hair, flowing white garments, and sometimes delicate wings. Their songs and firelit dances can lead travelers astray. I believe some emigrated. They are similar to kobolds and to dwarves. The females have one big breast and one small one. After hundreds of years, he spontaneously combusts, and a new baby phoenix is born in the ashes. They are guardian spirits of rice paddies. One is assigned to each field, and they take the form of butterflies. European medieval philosophers said that salamanders could create and put out fires. In Orkney, the selkies are seals who can turn into humans. From medieval European mythology. Click the link to find out about the nine times they are referenced in the Bible, among other things. Valkyries â finally we get to my favorites! Then they escort the souls of the chosen back to Valhalla, where everyone has a good time. This site has a pretty good breakdown of vampires and vampire-like creatures from different cultures. Most of our modern vampire lore comes from early 18th century Eastern Europe, when everyone lost their minds, claimed to see vampires, and tried to stake and kill them. You can read about one case here. The vampires in Romanian mythology are called the strigoi. These ladies are beautiful mountain nymphs of Serbia who like to dance in the forest under the light of the moon. They roam the woods looking for more people to eat. I hope this serves as good reference and inspiration, and if you happen to be an expert on one of these magical beings, please share more information in the comments! Page 4

5 Chapter 4 : â ŽMythical Creatures on the App Store From the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs to the oral tradition of Inuits and urban legends of the present day, mythical creatures are an integral part of any folklore or mythological account. Some, such as the Loch Ness Monster or Sasquatch, continue to be "sighted" and sought to this day. While the origins of these fabulous creatures are varied, and often disputed, they have played significant roles in human society. They have been educational, helped parents to discipline their children and to inculcate cultural values and norms, and have served to stimulate the imagination and desire that is ingrained in human nature to experience more than this physical world. Whether they truly exist in physical form is indeed secondary to their existence in the minds of so many people throughout the world and through history. Origins Detail of fifteenth century tapestry Some mythical creatures â such as the dragon or the unicorn â have their origin in traditional mythology and were at one time believed to be real creatures. Greek mythology, for example, features many creatures connected to the godsâ harpies were beasts sent by Zeus to exact punishment. In mythology and folklore the world over "wonder beasts" can be found representing the powers of good and evil, the virtues and vices of human nature, and the temptations into which human beings fall. Often incorporated into stories for children, " fairy tales " and the like, these "fabulous creatures" were more real in what they represented than in their physical form. Conversely, some creatures downplayed as just storytelling, have been rediscovered and found to be real in recent times, such as the giant squid. Mythical creatures are often chimeras, composed of parts of two or more animals Mythical creatures are often chimeras, composed of parts of two or more animals. Some of these are the combination of a human being and one or more other creatures. For example, a centaur is a combination of a man and horse, a minotaur of a man and bull. It should be noted that these were not always intended to be understood as literal juxtapositions of parts from disparate species. Lacking a common morphological vocabulary, classical and medieval scholars and travelers would attempt to describe unusual animals by comparing them point-for-point with familiar: In other cases, the beast was merely an exaggeration that made for exciting story-telling of adventures from far-off lands. Many mythical creatures have supernatural powers some good, some evil, powers that even in contemporary times have no physical explanation. In these cases the creatures bear more similarity to spiritual beings, such as angels, in religious thought. Cryptozoology Cryptozoology from Greek: Among these are included some of the legendary creatures. The field also includes the search for known animals believed to be extinct. While cryptozoologists strive for legitimacy â some of them are respected scientists in other fields â and discoveries of previously unknown animals are often subject to great attention, however, cryptozoology has not been fully embraced by the scientific community. Most criticism from the scientific mainstream is directed at proponents for the existence of the more famous "cryptids" like Bigfoot, the Yeti, and the Loch Ness Monster, whose existence remain unproven, despite numerous purported sightings, and is considered highly unlikely by scientists, biologists, and zoologists alike. In fact, many of the sightings of such creatures were found to be hoaxes, which further discredits cryptozoology. Types There are many types of mythical creatures, following are the main divisions with some examples of each. Birds and serpents Basilisk Most often depicted as a reptile, the basilisk is reputed to be king of serpents. One of the most feared of all mythological beasts, a basilisk is said to have the power to cause death with a single glance. In this aspect it bears similarity to the Gorgons of Greek mythology. Chinese dragon Chinese dragon Also appearing in other East Asian cultures, it is also sometimes called the Oriental or Eastern dragon. The Chinese dragon is easily recognizable for its long serpentine body that is generally wingless, and its anthropomorphic face, complete with beard. The oriental dragon is generally considered a supernatural or spiritual symbol of heavenly power. Dragon Typically depicted as a large and powerful Serpent or other reptile it has magical or spiritual qualities, the most famous being the ability to breathe fire from their mouths. More often than not dragons were considered malevolent, associated with evil supernatural forces and the natural enemy of humanity. The phoenix from the Aberdeen Bestiary. Feng-huang Sometimes called the Chinese Phoenix, the feng-huang is a symbol of summer and spiritual balance, and along with the dragon, qilin and tortoise, is one of the most high Page 5

6 revered creatures in Chinese tradition. Its appearance is said to indicate some great event, or to bear testimony to the greatness of a ruler. It is often viewed as the sacred union of male and female, Feng being male and Huang female, but also the Feng-Huang can be regarded as a female entity in relation with the male dragon. Firebird In Slavic folklore, the Firebird is a magical glowing bird from a faraway land. Usually described as a large bird with majestic plumage that glows brightly emitting red, orange, and yellow light, the Firebird is both a blessing and a bringer of doom to its captor. The feathers of the Firebird continue glowing when removed, and are able to provide light for a large room. Thus, the Firebird is much prized and often the object of a difficult quest in fairy tales. Characterized as a bird with brightly colored plumage, after a long life the phoenix dies in a fire of its own making only to rise again from the ashes. Ziz A giant bird in Jewish mythology, the ziz is the counterpart in the air of the Behemoth giant creature of land and Leviathan giant creature of water. The Ziz is said to be large enough to be able to block out the sun with its wingspan. They are generally believed not to exist by conventional zoology and allied sciences, and are principally the subject of investigations by followers of cryptozoology. Sightings are often similar to some sea monsters. Loch Ness Monster Oilpainting Other well known lake monsters include: There is a legend that the Leviathan and the Behemoth shall hold a battle at the end of the world. The two will finally kill each other, and the surviving men will feast on their meat. Leviathan is a Biblical sea monster, referred to in sections of the Old Testament. It is regarded as the monster of the waters, while the Behemoth and the Ziz are regarded as monsters of the earth and the air, respectively. Chimeras and hybrids In Greek mythology, the Chimera is a monstrous creature that was composed of several different animals. Animals Catoblepas The catoblepas is a legendary creature from Ethiopia, described first by Pliny the Elder and later by Claudius Aelianus. Its head is always pointing downwards, hence its name which means "to look downwards" in Greek. The creature is said to have the head of a hog and the body of a buffalo with scales on its back. Its stare or breath could either turn people into stone, or kill them. The catoblepas is often thought to be based on real-life encounters with wildebeest. The griffin has the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. Seen as guardians of secretly buried wealth, the griffin evolved from a ferocious animal of antiquity to become a symbol of strength and valor. Hippogriff A Hippogriff is a chimeric legendary creature, supposedly the offspring of a griffin and a horse, specifically a male griffin and a mare female horse. Pegasus and Bellerophon, from Hamilton Wright Mabie, ed. Riding on Pegasus Bellerophon was able to defeat the chimera. Pegasus threw Bellerophon from his back for such blasphemous behavior, and was awarded his own place in Mount Olympus. Unicorn The unicorn, usually depicted with the body of a horse, but with a singleâ usually spiralâ horn growing out of its forehead, is one of the most revered mythical beasts of all time. Appearing in numerous cultures, the unicorn has come to be a symbol of purity and beauty, and is one of the few mythical creatures not associated with violence, danger, and fear. The sheep were connected to the plant by an umbilical cord and grazed the land around the plant. When all the grazing material was gone, both the plant and sheep died. In the medieval period, the plant was said to explain the existence of cotton. Inuit in Labrador and Hudson Bay also use this term to refer to inland native American tribes, but the Inuit from Greenland and Baffin Land, who have no such neighbors, regard Adlet as part-human part-dog. Centaur In Greek mythology, the centaurs are a race of mythical creatures that are half human and half horse. Faun In Greek and Roman mythology fauns are forest spirits that may help or hinder humans. They are often associated with the Greek god Pan and satyrs. Gorgon In Greek mythology, the Gorgons were three vicious female mythical creatures that lived on an island and possessed the ability to turn a person to stone by looking at them. They possessed both beautiful and hideous traits, the most famous being their head of coiled snakes instead of hair. Of the three, Medusa is perhaps the most famous of the Gorgons, being the only one of the three who was mortal. She, like many such creatures, met her doom at the hands of a hero aided by the gods. Harpy in Ulisse Aldrovandi, Monstrorum Historia, Bologna, Harpy Harpies in Greek mythology were winged-beasts that were sent down by Zeus to punish, most famously the prophet Phineus. Like many other second-tier Greek creatures, the Harpies were more prominent in art works than in mythological literature, and while they may occasionally be used in popular culture today, they are most widely remembered for their part in the legendary adventures of Jason and the Argonauts. Manticore The manticore of Central Asia is a kind of chimera, that is sometimes said to be related to the Page 6

7 Sphinx. It was often feared as being violent and feral, but it was not until the manticore was incorporated into European mythology during the Middle Ages that it came to be regarded as an omen of evil. Mermaid mer is the French word meaning "sea. The male version of a mermaid is known as a "merman," and the gender-neutral plural is merfolk or merpeople. Merfolk appear in a plethora of cultures worldwideâ legends often tell of mermaids singing to sailors, enchanting them, and luring them to their death. Minotaur In Greek mythology, the Minotaur was part man and part bull. It was kept by King Minos of Crete in the center of a "labyrinth," an elaborate maze-like construction designed by the architect Daedalus specifically to hold the Minotaur. According to legend, the Minotaur required human sacrifices on a regular basis. Theseus volunteered to be sacrificed, and with the help of Daedalus, was able to slay the Minotaur and escape the maze. Siren In Greek mythology the Sirens were creatures who lived on a remote island surrounded by rocky cliffs. Marble sphynx on tomb in Metairie Cemetery, New Orleans Sphinx The sphinx has had a long history of secrecy and intrigue, being viewed by many cultures as guardians of knowledge and as speaking in riddles. The sphinx varies in physical features, but is almost always a composite of two or more animals, and some versions are part-human part-animal. Whatever the form, the sphinx embodies paradox, beautiful and alluring, she is also dangerous even deadly; encountering a sphinx is described as confusing and destructive and requires great caution when approaching. Tengu Tengu "heavenly dogs" are a class of supernatural creatures found in Japanese folklore, art, theater, literature, and religious mythology. These Japanese spirits were originally thought to take the forms of birds of prey, such that they are traditionally depicted with both human and avian characteristics. In the earliest sources, tengu were actually pictured with beaks, but, in later depictions, these features have often been anthropomorphized into unnaturally long noses. These crafty oftentimes dangerous bird-men were long held to be disruptive demons and harbingers of war much like their Chinese prototypes. Over time, this overtly negative evaluation was softened somewhat, as the Buddhists came to acknowledge the popular conception of these spirits as morally-ambivalent protectors of the mountains and forests, who were as likely to bring windfalls as calamities to humans intruding upon their domains. Humanoid creatures A banshee is one of many spirits of Irish and Scottish folklore. Banshees are omens of death and messengers from the afterlife who would appear and wail under the windows of a house where a person was about to die. Brownie A brownie is a legendary household spirit popular in folklore around Scotland and Northern England. They are said to inhabit houses and aid in tasks around the house. Page 7

8 Chapter 5 : Ten Mythological Creatures in Ancient Folklore Ancient Origins The centaur is a humanoid mythical creature with the head, arms, and torso of a human and the body and legs of a horse. Perhaps one of the most popular centaurs in Greek mythology is Chiron. Tweet 24 Awesome greek mythology creatures with pictures I have always been fascinated by Greek mythical creatures. The only downside is that there was a lack of pictures to depict how they really look. Thankfully, the design community has stepped in to re-imagine how these fantasy creatures look like. Most of the pictures are really awesome so I want to showcase my favorite Greek mythology creatures with pictures. They were featured in the story of Theseus during their battle with Lapiths. In this story, the centaurs were invited to the wedding of Hippodamia, who was part of the Lapiths clan. In their drunken state, the centaurs took a liking to Hippodamia and attempted to steal her from the wedding. The Lapiths fought back, and with the help of Theseus, manged to drive the centaurs from the wedding. Appearing in both Greek and Roman mythology, Cerberus has also been depicted numerous times in various game titles. According to the Greek legend, Cerberus was was given birth by Echidna, a hybrid half-woman and half-serpent, and Typhon, which we will will cover later in the article. Cerberus was featured in the stories of Hercules as the last labor in which the hero must captured the monster alive with no tools. There are currently some disagreement over the representation of the three heads. Some said that they represent past, present and future while others have argued that they represent birth, youth and old age. In the former, she was portrayed as the daughter of the sea god Poseidon and goddess of Earth, Gaia. In this interpretation, she had a mouth for a face and had to swollen huge amounts of water each day. When Charybdis belch the water back, it lead to the formation of large whirlpools. Charybdis was featured in the story of Odysseus, who had to cross a narrow channel in the Strait of Messina. On one side of the channel lies Charybdis while the other side lays a hydra monster by the name of Scylla. Similar to Cerberus, Chimera parents were Typhon and Echidna. In the literature, Chimera is often depicted as a female creature, that is capable of breathing fire. Chimera was eventually killed by the Greek hero Bellerophon, with the help of another Greek mythology creature. The killing blow is said to be a spear that was thrown by Bellerophon. God of War The name taken by the leader of the famous X Men comics, Cyclops is a Greek mythology monster that is well known for their one eye. In most Greek stories, cyclops were often depicted as giants. According to the Greek story, cyclops were the weapon makers for Zeus to help him overthrow the rule of Cronus. She was first introduced as a demi goddess who was birthed by the goddess Hecate and the spirit Mormo. Her physical characteristic is her beautiful flaming hair and her bronze foot. However, it is clear that Empusa is definitely not a vampire. In later stories, Empusa was portrayed as a species of Hecate whose duties was to guard important roads and devour any travellers who might stumbled onto them. They were born out of the blood of Uranus when Cronus castrated him. It is unknown how many Erinyes were there although their physical attributes were unmistakeable. They had serpents around their waist and had blood dripping from their eyes. In the Greek mythology, they appeared to Orestes and try to hunt him when he killed his sisters on the orders of Apollo, the god of sun. Eventually, Orestes managed to escape to Athena template where he was given a trial, attended by both the Erinyes and Apollo. Orestes was later found to be not guilty and was released from pursuit by the Erinyes. The general name of such a monster was known as the Gorgons. Throughout history, there have been many interpretations and stories of how the Gorgons came about and what were their roles. The most famous was of course the version with the three sisters, otherwise known as Stheno the mighty, Euryale the far-springer, and Medusa the queen. In this version of the story, Medusa was the only Gorgon who was not immortal. As such, King Polydectes sent Perseus to deal with Medusa in the hope that he would be killed. Fortunately, Perseus was armed with the shield of Athena, the goddess of war, and used it as a mirror to avoid glazing into the eyes of Medusa. They were birth by Phorcys and Ceto and were in fact sisters to the Gordons See above. The names of the three Graeae sisters are Deino, Enyo and Pemphredo. Although mot stories portrayed the Graeae sisters as old hags, some poets actually described them as beautiful creatures. The Graeae sisters appeared in many pop culture including the second book of Percy, as well as in the movie, Clash of the Titans. In the Greek legend, it was the Graeae Page 8

9 sisters who directed Perseus on how to kill the Medusa, although the hero did steal the eye from them before they are willing to do so. The creature itself is an amalgamation of two creatures, the body of a lion, and the wings and head of an eagle. Given that both the lion and the eagle are kings of animals and birds respectively, it is said that the Griffin was the king of all creatures. Interestingly, there is actually no Greek stories that featured Griffin but it is known to be featured in ancient Greek drawings and literature. The punishment involved putting Phineas in an island that always had good food but which he cannot touch. This is because the harpies would come down and steal all the good food before Phineas can have a chance to eat. This continued until the arrival of Jason and the Argonauts. Among them, the Boreads, who can fly, helped to drive the harpies away. However, hippalectryon can be found in sculptures and ceramics thus proving that it indeed was part of the Greek mythology. Part roaster part horse, it is one of the strangest creature that I have come across. Its sole purpose was to kill Hercules as part of his 12 labors. In the second labor, Hercules was tasked to kill Hydra. However, the beast had the ability to regrow any of the heads that Hercules had cut off. Finally, Hercules recruited the help of his cousin, Iolaus, who came up with the idea of burning the stump after the head was cut off. The reason for this transformation has been the subject of much interpretation. One story told how this was caused by Hera forcing Lamia to eat her own children. Others said that Hera directly gave Lamia the monster appearance. Whatever the origin, Lamia has been used extensively in many folktales and stories. The manticore started as a Persian mythology creature but was later reflected in the Greek mythology. What is less known is its origin. The story started with the King of Crete, Minos, praying to Poseidon for support. As sign of this support, Poseidon would send Minos a white bull which he had to killed as a sacrifice. However, Minos loved the white bull so much that he attempted to swap the white bull for one of his own. They mated and their offspring was Minotaur. However, this half man, half beast devoured man for food. Minos thus had no choice but to order Daedalus to build a large maze which could contained Minotaur. In the Greek legend, Minotaur was slayed by the hero Theseus. The latter volunteered himself as the sacrifice on behalf of the people of Athen. On arriving on Crete, the daughter of Minos fell in love with Theseus and helped him to navigate the maze to find Minotaur. However, upon slaying the beast, Theseus eventually choose the other daughter of Minos, Phaedra, as his wife. In fact, I only got to know about it because this creature was mentioned in the third book of Percy and the Olympians. Ophiotaurus had the head of a bull and the body of a sea serpant. It was a vastly powerful creature that was birthed from the same Chaos that give arise to Gaia, Mother of Earth. In most literature, Pegasus was given birth by the blood of Medusa, one of the three Gordon sisters mentioned above. Bellerophon captured Pegasus who agreed to help the hero is his battle against the Chimera. Bellerophon, however, eventually died as he fell off the back of Pegasus when they were trying to reach Mount Olympus. Satyr are mostly known as creatures of pleasure and passion, although some modern day artist have created darker sides of the Satyr characters. Despite their popularity, Satyr were not featured prominently in any Greek mythology. Sirens was featured in the story of Odysseus. Once the ship was outside the influence of the voices, Odysseus woke up from his obsession and sailed away unharmed. The Sirens then flung themselves to the water and perished. In the Greek mythology, there was one sphinx who guarded the road to the city of Thebe. The riddle was eventually solved by Oedipus who gave the correct answer: It was said that the Sphinx either jumped off a cliff or devoured herself when the riddle was solved. Stymphalian Birds picture Source: These birds were characterized by their beaks of steel and appetite for human flesh. In this labor, Hercules was helped by Hephaestus, the god of technology, who gave a rattle to the hero. With it in hand, Hercule frightened the birds into the air from where he quickly fired arrows to kill them off. Together with Echidna, it gave birth to many of the monsters that were featured above including Chimera, Cerberus, Sphinx etc. Typhon is said to be really huge. Its upper body is human like and is said to be taller than a mountain. His bottom half comprised of large vipers that can reach far out in any directions. Fortunately, the god of speed recovered the sinews. In the second battle, Zeus managed to defeat Typhon and sealed him under Mount Etna. Page 9

10 Chapter 6 : Real Sea Monsters and Mythical Creatures of the Deep Exemplore This category is for pages about mythological creatures. To add a category to this category, add [[Category:Mythical creatures]] to the bottom of the page. Real Sea Monsters and Mythical Creatures of the Deep Updated on October 20, more With interests in science, nature, and the paranormal, cryptid explores fringe topics from a unique and sometimes controversial perspective. Of all the things sailors considered to be bad luck getting dragged to the depths of the sea by a giant monster was surely at the top of the list. Source Mythical Sea Creatures Myths of sea monsters have been in existence likely since the first moment early humans laid their eyes on the ocean. No doubt their imaginations began to manufacture all sorts of amazing and terrifying sea creatures that might dwell beyond the rolling surf. When Europeans began travelling regularly to the New World, sailors who crossed the massive oceans braved dangerous seas, huge storms, enemy navies and maybe even a few pirates. But just as they feared the dangers above the waves, they were still wary of what may await them beneath. In fact, they so worried about the beasties of the deep that some maps of the day marked the locations where these animals were said to haunt. Today the ocean remains mysterious for most of us, dark and a little frightening. But what if there was some truth to the myths and legends of ancient sailors? Real Sea Monsters The sailors of days gone by believed in many terrifying creatures. Some sound funny today, and we can chalk it all up to superstition and nerves, but on the other hand these sailors had to be seeing something. Did they imagine it all? Dip a little too deep into the rum cask, maybe? Or, perhaps they were actually seeing real sea monsters. The Kraken The kraken is a monstrous, multi-tentacle sea creature capable of emerging from the depths and dragging a ship to the bottom. It sounds insane, but could there be some truth to these stories? We now know of giant squid capable of reaching over 30 feet in length, a true sea monster. And, there is another species called the Colossal Squid, just as long with a more massive body. Squid usually dwell in deeper water by day, and come closer to the surface at night. There are even a few tales of giant squid attacking boats. Could sightings of these massive creatures have led to stories of the Kraken? The giant and colossal squid are two animals that are only recently coming into the scientific light. In the past, surely they would have been considered monsters. Mermaids Top like a woman, bottom like a fish. It might sound like a good thing, but mermaids were bad luck for sailors who believed they would enchant them into losing their loot, or even their lives. One explanation for these sightings could be the manatee. Manatees are large, aquatic mammals with flippers they can use like arms, and paddle-like tails. Though one would have to imagine these sailors to be awfully lonely indeed, some experts say the isolation and stress brought on by long sea voyages could very well cause such a misidentification. Did lonely sailors mistake the manatee for a mermaid? Source Sea Serpents With a snake-like body, a head like a dragon and spikes along its back, no wonder stories of the sea serpent struck fear into sailors. This description might sound fantastic, but it fits a very real animal which may have accounted for these sightings. The giant oarfish is a deep-ocean species that can reach over 50 feet in length. They remain in the depths in the light of day, and may migrate into the upper water column at night. Biologists say it would be rare for the oarfish to come all the way to the surface, but if one did come within sight of a ship it would surely be mistaken for a massive serpent. Despite its fearsome appearance, the oarfish is harmless to humans. Though rare, they are occasionally encountered by divers. The bizarre Oarfish may be at the root of sea serpent legends throughout history. Source Giant Octopus As feared as the kraken is the massive octopus, lurking beneath the sea and ready to reach up and snatch sailors off deck. But these fears of giant octopus may in reality be driven by sightings of, well, giant octopus. The Giant Pacific Octopus can reach a length of over 20 feet across, certainly large enough to worry a diver or even a small boat. Octopus are intelligent creatures, with excellent problem-solving abilities. But the best thing about it is this: No matter how wild our imaginations get, the reality of these creatures is even more incredible. The recent discoveries surrounding the giant squid reveal it to be more interesting that any mythical sea creature. This is a real sea monster, a flesh-and-blood animal that shares our world. Or take the giant octopus, which is revealed to possess amazing intelligence and problem-solving abilities. Consider the case of the coelacanth, and bizarre Page 10

11 prehistoric fish thought to have gone extinct at the time of the dinosaurs, only to re-emerge in recent years. Unlike ancient sailors, we have better resources available for understanding our world, and bringing mythical sea creatures to light. Are there still large sea creatures yet to be discovered somewhere in the oceans of the world? The sea is a big place. Maybe, but it seems like we should have discovered them by now. Page 11

12 Chapter 7 : Mythic Creatures AMNH This is a list of legendary creatures from mythology, folklore and fairy tales, sorted by their classification or blog.quintoapp.comres from modern fantasy fiction and role-playing games are not included. For thousands of years, humans everywhereâ sometimes inspired by living animals or even fossilsâ have brought mythic creatures to life in stories, songs, and works of art. Today these creatures, from the powerful dragon to the soaring phoenix, continue to thrill, terrify, entertain, and inspire us. Some, such as the Loch Ness Monster or Sasquatch, continue to be "sighted" and sought to this day. While the origins of these fabulous creatures are varied, and often disputed, they have played significant roles in human society, and have served to stimulate the imagination and desire that is ingrained in human nature to experience more than this physical world. Whether they truly exist in physical form is indeed secondary to their existence in the minds of so many people throughout the world and through history. The legendary Kraken According to the Scandinavian mythology, the Kraken is a giant sea creature said to be 1 mile long that attacks ships and is so huge that its body could be mistaken for an island. The Hafgufa is supposed to be a reference to the Kraken. The existence of the Kraken was even acknowledged in scientific texts, including the first edition of Systema Naturae [], a taxonomic classification of living organisms by the Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist Carolus Linnaeus. He classified the Kraken as a cephalopod, designating the scientific name Microcosmus marinus. Accounts of the Kraken are believed by many historians to have originated from sightings of the giant squid, which can reach 18 meters in length. Grendel, the beast of Hrothgar Beowulf is an Old English heroic epic poem set in Scandinavia and cited as one of the most important works of Anglo-Saxon literature of all time. The mythological Kappa In ancient Japanese folklore, the Kappa is a water demon that inhabits rivers and lakes and devours disobedient little children. While they are primarily water creatures, they are believed to occasionally venture onto land. According to legend, the cavity must be kept wet when the Kappa ventures out of the water, or he will lose his powers. The Kappa is one of the most well-known folk legends in Japan and many believe the mythical creature to be true. In fact, there are signs near some lakes in Japan warning people of their presence. The legend of Nian According to tales and legends, the beginning of Chinese New Year started with the fight against a mythical beast called Nian, who had the body of a bull and the head of a lion. It was said to be a ferocious animal that lived in the mountains and hunted for a living. Towards the end of Winter when there was nothing to eat, Nian would come on the first day of New Year to the villages to eat livestock, crops, and even villagers, especially children. To protect themselves, the villagers would put food in front of their doors at the beginning of every year. The villagers would live in terror over the winter, but over time they learned that the ferocious Nian was afraid of three things: So when the New Year was about to come, the villagers would hang red lanterns and red spring scrolls on windows and doors. They also used firecrackers to frighten away the Nian. From then on, Nian never came to the village again. After Nian was captured, everyone had a big celebration and the ritual involved in banishing him was repeated the following year, and so the ritual was passed down from generation to generation and the custom of celebrating New Year with firecrackers, noise, and the colour red has persisted to this day. Naga, the water deity The naga is a legendary aquatic, serpentine creature that resides in oceans, rivers, lakes, or waterfalls. Nagas are said to have black scales and can grow to hundreds of feet in length. Nagas are traditionally worshipped as personifications of water deities and considered bringers of rain and clouds. They are guardians of temples and holy places. Most Kaliyatran believe that the superior God direct the actions of the nagas, and these sea serpents are honoured with many titles such as the "Maharaja Sarpa" and the "Naga who is God". It is commonly believed that nagas live in underground cities, are capable of speech and can use their heavenly powers to control weather and assume humanoid form at will. The tradition of the Piasa The legend of the Piasa Bird dates back to long before European explorers came to region. It has been traced to a band of Illiniwek Indians who lived along the Mississippi in the vicinity north of present-day Alton. This tribe, led by a chief named Owatoga, hunted and fished the valley and the river and lived a contented life until the "great beast" came, described by French missionary priest Jacques Marquette in as follows: The face was something like that of a man, the Page 12

13 body covered in scales, and the tail so long that it passed entirely around the body, over the head and between the legs, ending like a fish. The Dacotah tribe believed that thunder was a monstrous bird flying through the air and claimed that these birds were large enough to carry off human beings. In the ancient Buddhist caves of India there can be found a number of carved and painted dragons that easily fit with the descriptions of Piasa. Some have questioned whether the so-called mythical creature could have been an ancient species of bird that actually existed. That so many cultures and groups of people separated by thousands of miles and years have similar tales of immense flying creatures is curious to say the least. The Menhune of Hawaii In Hawaiian mythology, the Menehune are said to be an ancient race of people small in stature, who lived in Hawaii before settlers arrived from Polynesia. Many scholars attribute ancient structures found on the Hawaiian Islands to the Menehune. However, others have argued that the legends of the Menehune are a post-european contact mythology and that no such race existed. The mythology of the Menehune is as old as the beginnings of Polynesian history. When the first Polynesians arrived in Hawaii, they found dams, fish-ponds, roads, and even temples, all said to have been built by the Menehune who were superb craftspeople. Some of these structures still exist, and the highly-skilled craftsmanship is evident. According to legend, each Menehune was a master of a certain craft and had one special function they accomplished with great precision and expertise. They would set out at dusk to build something in one night, and if this was not achieved, it would be abandoned. While this does not disprove that a race of small people existed, it does draw the truth behind the legend into question. Nevertheless, there is compelling evidence, both archaeological and in the numerous legends passed down over generations, that suggests that there was indeed an ancient race of highly skilled people who inhabited the Hawaiian islands long before the Polynesians arrived. Cipactli, the Aztec creator The Aztecs of Mexico held the belief that the Earth was created from the destruction of a large sea demon, created by and known to the gods as Cipactli. Cipactli was described in many fashions: Regardless of the description, the Aztecs considered this asexual sea monster the source of the cosmos. As the gods began the process of creation, they soon realized that their other creations would fall into the void and be devoured by the demon, so they decided to destroy Cipactli. Tezcatlipoca lured the monster in and lost a foot to its insatiable appetite before the gods were able to defeat it. Cipactli put up a fight, but in the end the gods prevailed. The majestic griffin The griffin is a legendary creature with the head and wings of an eagle, and the body, tail, and hind legs of a lion. During the Persian Empire, the griffin was seen as a protector from evil, witchcraft, and slander. While griffins are most common in the art and mythology of Ancient Greece, there is evidence of representations of griffins in ancient Persia and ancient Egypt dating back to as early as the 4th millennium BC. The four mythological creatures of China In ancient Chinese astronomy, the sky ecliptic was divided into four sections. Each of these sections contained seven mansions, and together they formed the 28 Mansions. The 28 Mansions may be considered to be equivalent to the zodiacal constellations in Western astronomy, although they reflect the movement of the Moon through a sidereal month rather than the Sun in a tropical year. This enabled the ancient Chinese to mark the travelling positions of the Sun and the Moon, as well as to determine the time and seasons. Each section of the sky is assigned to a mythological creature, collectively known as the Four Symbols. Apart from their astronomical significance, each of the Four Symbols is surrounded by various mythological associations. Page 13