Mothman

Mothman

Region of origin: Point Pleasant, West Virginia

Starting in November of 1966 in the area near Point Pleasant, there were numerous reported sightings of a large creature, black or dark brown in color with large glowing red eyes, with descriptions ranging from humanoid to a massive bird to something in-between. Most were just sightings but one couple said it chased their car down the road, keeping pace with them even as they reached speeds of 100 mile per hour. These sightings carried on for thirteen months, accompanied by phenomena like illness in witnesses, animal mutilation, technological malfunctions. One of the most widely-corroborated cryptid sightings, in all there were over one hundred people who had claimed they had seen the creature or otherwise experienced strange anomalous incidents that would get tied into the investigation. The sightings continued but slowed, and largely stopped around the same time as the collapse of the Silver Bridge into the Ohio River in December 1967, a tragic event that resulted in 46 deaths, for which many believe the presence of the strange creature had functioned as a omen or warning, and has since led to claims of similar creatures showing up in the time preceding other large disasters. Origins attributed to the creature range from the demonic to the extraterrestrial, or that West Virginia itself may just be a supernatural hotspot where reality is thin and extra-dimensional creatures like a Mothman may more easily slip through. Alternatively, many also write off the sightings as large bird such as a sandhill crane or maybe a giant owl obscured by the darkness, and connecting all the events leading up to the bridge’s collapse being a form of mass hysteria and apophenia fueled by Mothman coverage in the local papers. Imagined or not, Mothman remains a popular celebrity for Point Pleasant, receiving a statue and an annual festival in the city in 2002. Based on my research, I’m pretty sure everyone on the internet wants to date him.

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The Black Bird of Chernobyl

The Black Bird of Chernobyl

Region of origin: Chernobyl, Ukraine

It’s said in the days leading up to the Chernobyl nuclear disaster there were sightings of a black creature, resembling a headless winged humanoid with two large red eyes, appearing throughout the city before finally appearing over the plant itself flying through the smoke after the explosion occurred. Additionally these were accompanied by locals reporting they had received strange phone calls and were having intense nightmares. In other words, basically an MO identical to that of the Mothman of West Virginia in the Sixties. And also like the Mothman, the Black Bird was never sighted again after the disaster, seemingly disappearing after delivering its vague prophecy.

Originally posted on Tumblr on May 11, 2016

Byangoma

Byangoma

Region of origin: Bangladesh

Creatures from Bengali folklore and fairy tales, the byangoma were prophetic birds capable of imparting knowledge of the future to those they deemed worthy or wholesome. In some stories they could speak directly to the person, in others they sang as a bird is wont to do and those hearing it received a vision of their fate.

Originally posted on Tumblr on April 23, 2016

Bai Ze

Bai Ze

Region of origin: China

The bai ze, or hakutaku as it has become known in Japan, is a kind, wise creature who will seek out good-hearted people and warn them of impending danger or impart wisdom. According to legend Haungdi, Emperor of China, encountered a bai ze on an Imperial tour and the creature dictated to him information on all supernatural beings in the world, which the Emperor copied down into a book since lost to antiquity.

Originally posted on Tumblr on November 17, 2015