Mantyger

Mantyger

Region of origin: Medieval Europe

A chimeric beast with the body of a tyger, a creature from heraldry similar to but distinct from a tiger, and the hands and face of a man with curling horns and tusks. It is believed the name may be a corruption of the Persian manticore based on a false etymology and use has become somewhat intertwined, but despite some similar features they are often considered separate beasts, and the mantyger may take its origins from second-hand descriptions of baboons.

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Coonigator

Coonigator

Region of origin: Montpelier, Vermont

Sighted on several occasions rummaging through garbage and camp sites, there have been regular reports of a creature that is said to resemble a normal raccoon until witnesses saw its face, which has been described as reptilian and full of sharp teeth and compared to that of an alligator or the Critters from hit science-fiction horror franchise Critters. There is some belief it is a genuine hybrid creature roaming the woods of Vermont, either through mishaps of science or nature, others have put forward that it may be a gator or similar reptilian creature that evolved a coat of fur to survive the chilly New England climes, while yet another camp simply believes witnesses may have just seen some weird opossum in the dark.

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Aigikampoi

Aigikampoi

Region of origin: Mespotamia and Mediterranean regions

A half-goat, half-fish creature, the aigikampoi was used as a symbol of the Mesopotamian god Enki (or Ea), thought to be a visual metaphor acting as a bridge between his aspects representing the earth and the sea. They are later featured in the iconography and art of the Etruscans and then adapted by the Greeks, associating them with the gods Aphrodite and Pan and the astrological sign Capricorn.

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Strong Toad

Strong Toad

Region of origin: Chile

A type of toad believed to live in remote areas of central Chile, the Strong Toad is said to glow like a firefly and be able to compel things to or away from it using only its gaze, but its primary attribute which earns it its name is its turtle-like shell, which makes it incredibly resistant to harm. It’s thought the only sure way to kill one is to burn it until it has been reduced to ashes.

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Elwetrisch

Elwetritsch

Region of origin: Germany

A mythical bird said to live in the underbrush of the forests of southwestern Germany, the elwetritsh was believed to be created from the crossbreeding of ducks, chickens and other fowl with fae inhabitants of the woods such as goblins and elven creatures. Similar to the wolpertinger, the elwetritsch was a hoax of assembled animal parts to create a new creature; people would serve small game fowl and claim it was the creature, or take interested parties out on snipe-hunts in the night and attempt to catch elwetritschen by beating bushes and putting out a lantern that would attract the birds who got disturbed from their nests. Early depictions were commonly a large chicken with horns or antlers, but as time went on artists creating statues of the creature would add an increasing number and variety of parts, often including number of beaks or limbs from different animals and human breasts. Folk tales of the elwetrisch have carried over through emigration to America and still exist in some Pennsylvania Dutch and Amish communities.

[Sources referenced: X | X | X ]

Ahti

Ahti

Region of origin: Egypt

Relatively little information about Ahti has survived, but it is thought she took on a form consisting of the body of a hippopotamus and the head of a wasp. It’s believed the wasp aspect represented her role as a goddess of malicious intentions and she was a spiteful, malevolent figure aligned with the god of darkness, Set, leading to few recorded examples of worship or depiction. Alternatively, the name Ahti has also been associated with Bes, a more benevolent god who protected homes and childbirth.

Grootslang (updated)

Grootslang

Region of origin: South Africa

In a rare instance of gods realizing they might have made a mistake, the violent, lapivorous Grootslang was deemed too much of a jerk to exist and was separated into two different animals, which resulted in the creation of snakes and elephants. One Grootslang escaped the gods’ wrath and has since propagated, and are said to be living in a cave where they have secreted away their horde of diamonds. They will be aggressive or possibly murderous towards people who encounter them but it’s believed they are willing to accept bribes of delicious gemstones to not kill those who stumble into their domain.

An updated version of this post

Tupilaq

Tupilaq

Region of origin: Greenland

Within Greenlandic Inuit tribes, the tupilaq was an evil spirit crafted from pieces of various animals (or humans) and black magic. The shaman who performed the ritual to create it did so in secrecy in the middle of the night; to admit publicly that they had been the one that created it would undo the magic and weaken or destroy the creature. Invisible to all but the shamans, the one who created the tupilaq could control it and send it out against their enemies, but it could be turned on its owner by another shaman with greater magical skills.

Originally posted on Tumblr on October 3, 2016

Peryton

Peryton

Region of origin: Atlantis

Despite the ostensible appearance of a winged deer, the peryton was a vicious predator with a particular disdain for mankind who lived in the mountainous ranges of the island continent of Atlantis, forced into smaller and more remote habitats as the expanding human civilization encroached into their territory. When the disaster which sunk the island struck, a flock of the dwindling population of peryton flew across the sea and resettled into the Mediterranean region, with tales of them encountering Greek and Roman soldiers in violent altercations. The peryton was said to be initially impervious to all weaponry the humans possessed, but once they took a man’s life the magic providing their protection would fade and they could be slain as normal animals.

Originally posted on Tumblr on August 23, 2016

Shachihoko

Shachihoko

Region of origin: Japan

With suspected ties to the Hindu Makara and the orca, the shachihoko is a giant tiger-carp said to have control over the weather, specifically the summoning of rain. Statues of them are placed on buildings and temples to function as a guardian against fire damage.

Originally posted on Tumblr on July 25, 2016