Cryptid Encounters

Pookas are shapeshifting creatures that roam Celtic lands. It might appear as a horse, or a goat, a cat or a dog, or a rabbit. Pookas love mischief; in their horse form they entice you to get on their back and then they carry you away on a terrifying ride.

This freshwater monster dwells at the bottom of Lake Thunderbird near Norman, Oklahoma. The octopus grabs unsuspecting swimmers with its tentacles, pulling them down into the water where it devours them. Swimmers who survive the attack say the octopus is bigger than a horse with tentacles about fifteen feet long.

This man-eating beast terrorized the region of Gévaudan in southern France, using its massive teeth to rip out its victims' throats. Eyewitnesses describe it as a canine-like creature with an extremely long tail; its tall, strong legs allow it to chase down its victims and pin them to the ground.

Mothman is a flying human-like creature of West Virginia with 10-foot-wide wings; witnesses report his eyes glow red in the dark. Mothman has been known to attack cars, and his appearances coincide with other supernatural phenomena such as UFOs or imminent disaster such as the Silver Bridge collapse in 1967.

The Tokoloshe is a short, hairy goblin found in southern Africa. He is a mischief-maker who likes to creep into people's homes at night: sometimes he just nibbles on their toes; sometimes he kills them. He likes to scare children and leave long scratches on their bodies when they sleep.

The Wampus Cat is found throughout the southern United States. It is a massive amphibious panther with green eyes; some say it has six legs, allowing it to run on four legs while fighting with two legs. Wampus Cats prey on livestock and can be heard shrieking in the night.

The wyvern is a winged dragon. It has only two legs, so it moves awkwardly on the ground, but flies quickly, and its teeth and claws are extremely sharp. It has a long, whip-like tail tipped with a sharp barb. The tail-barb is poisonous, and some wyverns have poisoned breath.

The wendigo looks like a gigantic human, but it has a heart of ice. A chill foul-smelling wind blows when it approaches. The wendigo is forever hungry, eagerly devouring human flesh. No matter how much the wendigo eats, it can't grow flesh on its bones, giving it a skeletal appearance.

This cat-demon moves soundlessly. Electricity sparks from their fur when petted, but be careful: their teeth and claws are sharp, and they delight in licking pools of blood. The bakeneko also likes fish-oil. They can speak in human voices and morph into human form. They can also control the dead.

The Gytrash is a supernatural black dog with a huge head and bright red eyes that glow in the dark; it can also take the shape of a horse or mule. The Gytrash waylays travelers on deserted roads at night, although sometimes it will help lost people find their way.

This demonic creature from India lives in the cremation grounds and uses reanimated corpses to move from place to place. Vetalas can put curses on humans, and they can also predict the future. They kill babies and cause miscarriages. The chanting of the right mantra can counteract a vetala's powers.

Bunyips live in the swamps, creeks, and waterholes of Australia. Some say Bunyips resemble shaggy seals or dogs with eyes like apricots, while others describe them as having weirdly long necks. The Bunyip makes a loud, roaring noise, and it drags humans, especially children, to their death in the water.