A glossary of fantasy creatures
You’ve taken the quiz and are unsure what something is. Read below to find a brief description! (Use your imagination as I had difficultly finding royalty-free images.)
If you haven’t learned your fantasy creature percentages yet:
Dragon
While there are many dragons and dragon-variants - wyvern, wyrms, and hydra to name a few - I’m focusing only on the more broad descriptions of “Western” and “Eastern” dragons. Dragons also differ based on culture, location, and fantasy story, so these are broad descriptions to get you started.
Western:
⟡ Examples: Christopher Paolini’s Eragon - Saphira; Rebecca Yarros’s Fourth Wing - Tairn
Physical Appearance:
⟡ Bat-like wings, horns on the head or spine, tail spikes
Abilities:
⟡ Breathe fire, wield magic
Eastern:
⟡ Examples: Elizabeth Lim’s Six Crimson Cranes - Seryu; Disney’s Mulan - Mushu
Physical Appearance:
⟡ Serpentine, generally wingless, bearded, whiskered, horns
Abilities:
⟡ Wield magic (generally related to the elements)
Fairy
In recent popular media, fairies (“faeries”, or simply “fae”) are depicted as physically attractive and similar to humans, but that’s not the only definition. Some people define “fae” as the overhead term for all fairy types (brownies, pixies, etc.), and some use the words interchangeably.
A few takes on fairies:
⟡ Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Puck the fairy is highly mischevious, and generally fairies tend towards the dangerous side
⟡ Aprilynne Pike’s Wings: faeries are human-passing highly advanced plants with seasonal magic (my personal favourite interpretation!)
⟡ Daisy Meadows’s Rainbow Magic series: Lucy the Diamond Fairy or Katie the Kitten Fairy’s magic is tied to their titles / wands, they tend to be sweet and caring towards all creatures
⟡ Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Mist and Fury (ACOTAR): many types are included, but the “High Fae” such as Rhysand and Mor are physically attractive, immortal but can be killed
⟡ J. M. Barrie’s Peter and Wendy*: Tinkerbell is hand-sized, and because of their size, can only hold one emotion at a time. This makes her both kind and vindictive at times. Also, the fairy language sounds like tinkling bells, hence her name. This has since evolved to the Disney Fairies franchise including Tink, Silvermist, and Rosetta.
Inugami
These are a type of Yōkai, a supernatural entity in Japanese folklore. Inugami are believed to be a household dog-spirit. It may look like a dog, but it’s the size of a mouse. Inumai can even possess people. It’s said that if you treat one well (I bet a wagyu steak would go a long way) you’ll receive wealth, but if you treat one poorly, you’ll soon find yourself in ruin.
Kikimora
From Slavic mythology comes the homebody spirit, Kikimora. She’s often thought of as the slightly move vindictive version of the Domovoy, a benevolent household spirit. The Kikimora may spin hemp for you while you sleep, but she’s just as likely to poke a hole in your ceiling right above yout clothing. In recent perceptions, the Kikimora has become more of a bog or forest spirit (and possibly the wife of a leshy, a forest guardian).
⟡ A. B. Poranek’s Where the Dark Stands Still has wonderful worldbuilding based on Polish folklore, with the Leszy as a featured character.
Kitsune
Similar to the Inugami, Kitsune are a type of Japanese animal Yōkai, but this time they represent a fox. Counterparts from other cultures include the húlijīng (Chinese) and the nine-tailed fox (Korean). Kitsune live hundreds to thousands of years, and the older they are, the more powerful their magic. There are two types of Kitsune: holy / good and mischevious.
In pop culture, Kitsune tend to appear human but with fox ears, whereas their more traditional folklore appearance is fox-like. In some versions, Kitsune are guardians of agriculture, such as rice, but in others they shapeshift into human-form to cause trouble.
⟡ Jayci Lee’s Nine Tailed is a recent release on my TBR list that combines Korean folklore and Americana.
Phoenix
This firey bird symbolizes immortality and resurection. It’s a large bird (somewhere between an eagle and an ostrich) with golden and maroon plumage. So the legend goes, the bird lives for hundreds of years before making a nest, erupting into flame, and being reborn. This is where the phrase “[like a Phoenix] rising from the ashes” originates from. In Egyptian mythology its associated with the sun, but in modern times its connected with hope and overcoming trials to start anew.
Qilin
Some might say this is the Chinese Unicorn, as the Qilan also sports a single horn on its head. However, it’s is also described as chimeric: deer antlers and body, oxen hooves and tail, sometimes every portrayed with scales. It tends to be multicoloured with a yellow belly. The Qilin is known for being a benevolent and gentle creature.
Selkie
These are shapeshifting creatures. Of Norse or Celtic origin, legends tell us they are seal-people who can shed their skin and walk among humans on land. If their seal skin is taken, then they’re trapped in their human forms. In many myths they can procreate with humans and are neither purely good nor evil.
⟡ Margo Lanagan’s The Brides of Rollrock retells selkie mythology and is another TBR
Sentient Spoon
An incredibly rare creature, never seen, only heard of in whispers underneath the blanket tent. Allegedly it hails from the mysterious land of Spoonporium. Rumour has it that offerings of fried chicken will halt its hunger-induced destruction. Contrary to their name, Sentient Spoons aren’t spoon-shaped at all; the best way to describe them is as fuzzy boulders.
Siren
Are you imagining seductive, singing mermaids that lure sailors to the deaths? According to Greek mythology, sirens are half-bird, half-woman. In one version, Sirens were human until they begged to be granted wings to search for Persephone. However, in modern literature sirens tend to be any humanoid, water-dwelling, singing creature that has the ability to use their power for great evil (but don’t necessarily).
⟡ Homer’s The Odyssey* depicts sirens as luring sailers not for their attractiveness but because they promised wisdom and knowledge
Any of these creatures pique your interest? Take the FREE quiz below if you haven’t already.
And if you have, comment below which creature is your favourite!
*Readers in the United States can read Peter and Wendy and The Odyssey for free thanks to Project Gutenberg.
Disclaimer: all of these fantasy creatures differ based on culture and time period as myths are constantly evolving. I’ve done my best to give a general description for each, but I don’t claim to be an expert on any of them. If you feel I’ve done one a misservice or have a fun fact you think should be added, please reach out to me via my contact form.
Resources:
Blog thumbnail: Lewis the Llama from Liechtenstein