African Bestiary - Part 1 of 3

 

Image from the RPG Spears of the Dawn, released into the public domain.

As promised, after translating a list of creatures from South American folklores and mythologies, here is the list of fantastic beings from African folklore and mythologies. There are 101 creatures and it is divided into three parts. Please enjoy and inspire yourself.

Almost forgetting to say: this list focuses on Sub-Saharan Africa, leaving aside beings from Ancient Egypt or ones of Arab origin, such as genies. I wanted to discover what is less known.



1) Abambo (Western Africa) - The plural term for "ghosts". The singular is Ibambo. No one knows where they come from or why they become visible in certain moments. It is understood that they're the souls of the dead. Not good or evil, but they come without being called, sometimes possessing people.


2) Abatwa (Zulu Folklore) - People so small that they are covered by grass and sleep in ant hives. They're nomads, stopping only to eat what they hunt. They hate their own size, going as far as using their bows to kill people that they think have highlighted this fact. The singular of Abatwa is Umutwa. The correct way to greet one of them when he asks "When did you see me?" is to respond "I saw you from far away". This pleases the Umutwa, which answers "So I became big". The Abatwa make journeys to change their hunting grounds, the whole group riding a horse, from the neck to the tail. If they don't find food, they eat the horse. They're to be feared despite their size, for the grass hides them in such a way that they can "sting" a man to death with poisoned arrows without being seen. The poison they use is an anticoagulant, making the person bleed to death.



3) Adroanzi (Lugbara Mythology) - A race of snake-like creatures which actually are the spawn of the evil spirit Adro. The Adroanzi assume human shapes to hunt during the nights, seeking to devour humans. They approach someone from the back, attacking as soon as the person looks behind. But if their prey goes forward without fear, he won't be attacked.



4) Adze (Ewes Folklore) - A vampire that can turn into a firefly. If it is captured in this shape, it turns back to its human form. The firefly shape is used to pass through small spaces and enter houses, so it might suck the blood of sleeping people. This causes sickness and even death. In the human shape, the Adze can possess a person. He or she will be considered a witch, because possession brings bad luck to the people closest to the one possessed.



5) Arro (Dilings and Nubas Folklore) - Bail, supreme god of both peoples, charged the Arro, spirits of the dead, with guiding and helping the living. They would advise chiefs, guard a person, and bring gifts or punish humans according to their actions. One could think of the Arro as a mixture of angel and ancestor.



6) Cannibal Tree of Madagascar (Madagascar Folklore) - As the name indicates, it is a carnivore plant big enough to devour people. It is different from the other beings in this list in that it was invented by a white man for a paper in 1874. In the original article, it is said that the tree receives sacrifices from a "Mkodo tribe", equally fictitious. The plant is described as being pineapple-shaped and being over two meters tall. The trunk is brown and as hard as iron. From the top and going towards the ground, there are several leaves which are four meters long and half meter wide. They are covered by sharp hooks. A big white flower in the middle of the leaves stores a liquid which is sweet, intoxicating and which induces sleep. This flower also has six semi-transparent palps, almost two meters long and in constant motion. From between the flower and the leaves originate many green furry vines, each one two meters long. When a person is put above the trunk, the palps twist around the neck and the arms. Next, the vines curl around the person, followed by the leaves. The human sacrifice is then compressed as if by a hydraulic press. While the plant is feeding, it generates the sweet liquid, collected by the natives which brought the victim, as a type of narcotic which might be addicting.The leaves and vines open ten days later, a white skull being all that's left of the victim.



7) Arwe (Ethiopian Folklore) - A serpent which ruled over the region now called Ethiopia. It was as long as a river and its teeth were as big as a man's arm. It ate whole farms, cattle and people included. If the people refused to feed it, it would writhe itself, causing earthquakes. It was killed by a foreigner which managed to poison it. The locals asked for him to stay and governed them, which he accepted. When he got older, this ruler asked that the people were led by his daughter, Maked, which became the Queen of Sheba.


 

8) Asamanukpai (Folklore of the Gold Coast) - Dwarfs with backward feet. They can be white, black or red. The elders are bigger and bearded. The Asamanukpai like to eat and dance on outcrops of polished rock. If you enter their territory, you must appease them with gifts of rum. If you don't, you'll be stoned or led into the depths of the jungle, losing your way home. The dwarfs are sometimes friendly towards someone, teaching what they know. They also rub the juice of a certain fruit in someone's eyes, ears and mouth, making them capable of hearing and seeing thoughts, and predict the future, as well as becoming capable of speaking and singing with the dwarfs. These people become "Gbalo'', a kind of seer and wiseman.



9) Asanbosam (Akan Folklore) - A type of vampire. It is described as having iron teeth, pink skin, iron hooks instead of feet, long and red hair. It lives in the trees, ambushing people from above.



10) Asiman (Dahomey Folklore) - A vampire witch, She gains her powers by casting a certain spell, leaving her human nature behind. The Asiman can remove her own skin and become a flying bright presence that resembles the light of a candle. In this form, she searches for victims from high above. After feeding, she can become an animal. And it is only in the animal form that she can be destroyed.



11) Awiri (Western Africa) - A guardian spirit. The singular is Ombwiri. Most people have their personal Ombwiri, which lives in a tiny house built next to the home of the one which is protected. All good luck one has comes from its Ombwiri: all the problems one didn't have and all the good things one achieved. Awiri are also responsible for everything which is wonderful or mysterious: distinct geographical features, celestial phenomena and even the extraordinary events which happen during one's lifetime. There are no priests serving as intermediaries between humans and Awiri. They must be respected and even feared, but they aren't evil spirits. It seems all Awiri are, or descend from, the souls of the dead. And the Awiri which most often help someone are the ancestors of that person. The greatest fortune they bring is something many Africans desire the most: sons and daughters. Awiri mostly live nearby their original tribe. If it changes location or becomes extinct, the Awiri stay and accept to form relationships with new people who come to occupy the empty land. Awiri become inactive in the dry and cold season, which corresponds from May to September in the equatorial Western Africa. In this period, they're small and almost lifeless. One could think that they're hibernating. There are those which compare the Awiri to the European fairies.



12) Aziza (Yoruba and Jeje Folklore) - This deity and/or forest spirit is also called Aroni. It is described as a one-legged small man, smoking a pipe made from a conch. One of the myths about it is that it stole the fire from the heavens and gave it to humans. It also knows much about healing and medicinal herbs, and is willing to teach this to humans. There are those who believe that the Saci-Pererê from Brazilian Folklore is a variant from the Aziza, brought by the African slaves from Africa.

To prevent confusions, I must clarify there is another type of being called "Aziza''. In this case, they resemble European fairies, being small and possessing wings. These Azizas live in the deep woods, and usually help hunters and bring good luck to whoever invokes them.



13) Badimo (Folklore of the Tswanas) - The Badimo are the souls of the dead. Hostile towards the living, they act more like devils: corrupting and undoing the actions of the Supreme God, as well as convincing people to forget him.



14) Balungwana (Baronga Folklore) - Small beings, which some call dwarfs. It seems the singular is Mulungwana. It is said that they come from the skies when it rains. When people hear the thunder, they say: "the Balungwana are playing up there". During the locust plague of 1894, a man and a woman, both very small, supposedly appeared announcing the plague and saying: "don't kill the locusts, for they belong to us". A Mulungwana also appeared on a hill in 1862, and his appearance seemed to be the sign that a war among two chieftains would soon start.



15) Bida (Soninke Folklore) - A dragon in the shape of a huge serpent. It demanded sacrifices in the form of young maidens so it would generate a rain of gold upon the city called Wagadu. Bida lived in a well next to the city. A hero called Mamadi Sefe Dekote managed to sever its head. It fell down into a region far to the south, which became famous due to all the gold coming from there. Bida was said to be a golden snake, but it isn't clear if this refers to its appearance or the wealth it created.



16) Boio (Folklore of Zambia) - At a place called Chilunga, north of Loango, there was a fetish called Boio, which ruled the region through a princess which represented it. Boio lives inside the earth. People could hear its voice when passing near its shrine. All offerings put there would soon disappear. The spirit inside the fetish, also called Boio, had both the voices of a human and a bird. There is a story about two men carrying a stick as if there was a hammock under it, but nothing could be seen. Some people laughed upon seeing this. They were made prisoners by invisible hands and released only after paying a fine to the princess. There was a hammock under the stick, but it was as invisible as Boio itself. Only two people are capable of seeing Boio, inside its underground lair: the ones that bring it food.



17) Bouda (Folklore from Ethiopia) - Ethiopians believe that blacksmiths are sorcerers capable of turning into hyenas. Some say that these werehyenas dig up graves and steal the bodies. Due to this, many Ethiopians are suspicious of blacksmiths.



18) Bulgu (Guji Oromo Folklore, Ethiopia) - A big and four-eyed cannibal ogre, with a axe-shaped head. It can speak magical formulas that destroy walls.



19) Chameleon (Burkina Faso Folklore) - A symbol associated with change, in particular of a person changing into a spirit. Chameleons are also suspicious, due to being able to change colors and seeing in two directions at once. Chameleons appear in masks, amulets and shrines, serving as spiritual guardians or to increase the power of the one using the fetish. It can also fight against diseases and spells.

In the Yoruba traditions, the chameleon Agemo is the messenger of the supreme god, Olorun. There is a tale in which he helped Olorun to win a competition against Olokun, the sea goddess. She believed to be the best weaver and dyer of cloth, and challenged Olorun. He asked that she showed samples of her skill. But every fabric she produced was perfectly reproduced by Agemo's skin. Olokun declared her own defeat, for if a messenger could duplicate what she did, Olorun must be even more powerful.



20) Cedar of the End (Kenyan Myth) - God created an enormous cedar beneath His throne. It has millions, perhaps billions, of leaves. Every leaf has a name written by God, for He knows each of us by our names. When He wishes, a leaf falls. Before it hits the ground, an angel catches it and reads the name to the Angel of Death, called Ndulo Mtwaa-roho, which means "Taker of Souls". Ndulo then goes to separate the soul of the body of the one whose name was read.



21) Chamma (Folklore of Congo) - The name means "rainbow". It is a giant snake which creates floods when it enters the rivers' sources, destroying fields, trees and entire villages.



22) Chemosit (Nandi Folklore) - A cannibal demon which lives beneath the earth. Half man, half bird, one-legged, it uses a spear-shaped staff as a crutch. It has nine buttocks. Yup, nine. It enjoys devouring children, attracting them with songs at night. The child, hearing the songs and seeing the strong light coming from inside the monster's mouth, thinks a dance around the fire is happening and goes towards it.



23) Chipfalamfula (Folklore of Mozambique) - A huge fish which can control a river. It can make the water flow underground or cause a flood. But it usually saves people drowning and always helps children.



24) Chiruwi (Folklore of Malawi) - A creature which haunts the woods. It has one arm, one leg and one eye. The other half of its body is made of wax. It also carries an axe. When it meets a man, challenges him to unarmed combat. If the man wins, the Chiruwi teaches him how to create supernatural substances and the medicinal properties of herbs and trees. But if the man loses, he dies.



25) Dingonek (Folklore of the lake Victoria) - A monster described as being four meters long; a head as big as the one of a lion but which resembles a leopard; two big and white teeth, like the ones of a saber-toothed tiger; covered in segments like an armadillo; with the coat of a leopard; a long and flat tail, like if made for swimming; the paws leave footprints as large as those of a hippo, but clawed like a reptile. The hunter which saw it, John Alfred Jordan, fired at its head with his 303. rifle from nine meters away, but it only made the creature leave the water. Jordan escaped and searched for it later, but had no luck. The locals worshiped a serpent or reptile which they believed to bring good harvests and big herds of cattle, but it isn't clear if is the same creature.



26) Dhegdheer (Folklore of Somalia) - The name means "which has long ears". It is a cannibal demon which hunts children lost in the woods.



27) Eloko; the plural form is Biloko (Folklore of the Mongo-Nkundo, which live in the margins of the Congo river, in Central Africa) -Dwarfs which might be either the spirits of ancestors or the dead which still have things to settle with the living. They live in the deep jungle, so thick as to have little sunlight. Their treasures are the animals and fruits of the woods. Hunters need powerful magic to enter and survive in the regions dominated by Biloko. If they go unprepared, they risk dying of hunger due to never finding anything to eat. The dwarfs live inside hollow trees and dress themselves in leaves. They have grass instead of hair. They also have snouts with mouths which enlarge until they become big enough to swallow a grown man. Possess long claws. Biloko use bells which bewitch whoever passes near, unless the person carries an amulet or fetish which counters this. They "smell like the woods", and their voices are similar to a child's. Oh, and they eat humans.



28) Emere (Yoruba Folklore) - A child which can travel between the material and the spiritual worlds at will. The word has a negative connotation, because it means that the son or daughter of a family constantly disappears and reappears. An Emere has no patience and desires the best of everything. She is actually a disguised spirit which has mistaken life and death. It is believed that Emeres are more powerful than witches. They usually die of pure happiness: when they get married; when they have children; or when they graduate, etc. Emeres are also beautiful and charming, and are usually women.



29) Fanany (Folklore of Madagascar) - This monster is a seven-headed serpent, all of them horned.



30) Fandrefiala (Folklore of Madagascar) - A snake which lives at the canopies of trees. When an animal or human passes down below, the Fandrefiala throws itself as if it was a javelin, the tail tip pointing in the direction of the victim. It wasn't clear if this tail is sharp, but I like to think it is. The snake is described as being yellow or brown, white the tail is red. The way to know if a Fandrefiala is about to attack is to see three or seven leaves falling from the tree. The creature makes them fall to judge its trajectory.



31) Funkwe (Lamba Folklore) - It is said that this creature has a body as long as the source of the Kafulafuta river down to the junction with the Kafue river. This means that it is a hundred and twenty eight kilometers long! The Funkwes live in a pit below the river source and leave when they want to eat fishes. Their tail has a fin, like a fish's. There is a tale of a Funkwe which became a human and married a woman.



32) Ga-Gorib (Folklore of South Africa) - A big killer monster with a trick. It sat near a great pit and held a stone at its forehead. It challenged passersby to pick the stone and throw at it. When they did this, the stone would ricochet and kill the thrower. Ga-Gorib was killed by the legendary hero Heitsi-Heib, which distracted the creature, hit it behind the ear and threw it inside the pit.


 

33) Gor the Thunderer (Central African Folklore) - a mythical elephant which serves the pygmy supreme god, Khonvoum, as a messenger.



34) Groot Slang (Khoikhoi Folklore) - I apologize if this disappoints anyone. One can find in several websites and drawings that this creature is a fusion of elephant and snake. Even I depicted it like this when I wrote about African fantasy.

However, for this list, I did further research. And didn't find any of this. What I found was that the creature is a huge serpent from Khoikhoi folklore, but all written sources are from European hunters and explorers. It lives inside a cave called "Wonder Hole" or "Depthless Pit", full of diamonds and connected to the ocean, which is dozens of kilometers away. Its entrance seems to be a great rock in the middle of the Orange river. The Groot Slang has diamonds instead of eyes and an evil aura, felt by all who gaze upon it. People which claim to have seen it say it is about fifteen meters long, and that there are two of them. The locals seem to believe that the creature is actually a serpent-shaped spirit which guards the cave and its diamonds.

Does this mean that the drawings, videos and texts are wrong? I don't think so. Although I'm far beyond being anyone with any authority in the subject, I believe that folklore evolves over time. This capacity for changing is one of the things I like the most about it. Even the "classic" Greek mythology has alternative versions of events, characters and monsters. What would be wrong is to freeze the myth, legend or tale in a single version which can't be altered.

English Material

Welcome to the repository of articles and RPG material written in English. We hope you find what you're looking for.

• 105 creatures from South American folklores (part one, two, three, four)

• 140 worldbuilding links

• Adventure hooks

• African fantasy ideas

• Chinese fantasy tips

• Equipment guide of the Atma setting for D&D5E

• Guide of the Atma setting

• Greek fantasy tips and ideas

• List of free 5E material

South American Bestiary - Part 4 of 4

Saci-pererê. Author: ASCOM Prefeitura de Votuporanga

How do you do folks? I thought I would gather and show some of the creatures found on South American folklores. The whole list has 105 creatures, so I'm dividing it in four parts. Please note that such myths have several iterations which may not be here. I also plan to later make D&D5E stats for a few of these creatures. Previous parts here, here and here.

81) Pururauca - Incan legend. It speaks of a massive battle where the Incas saw themselves outnumbered against a terrifying enemy, but invoked their greatest deity, asking for help. The god Viracocha responded to their call by turning rocks into soldiers, helping the Inca defend their city.

82) Roraima - The mother of Makonaima and Pia, which are either monsterslayer heroes or gods. They leave their mother on top of the tepui (which means "house of the gods") thus called Roraima. She cries due to this, and her tears are so many that they create torrential streams gushing down the mountainsides. It is also said that the tops of the tepuis Roraima and Kukenam have seas filled with fish and dolphins, and that giant white eagles act as watchmen, seemingly preventing people from climbing these mountains. Other tale says that the tepui Roraima is guarded by an anaconda so huge that it could crush a hundred people at once, and demons can be found there as well.

83) Romŝiwamnari - They are forest and cave demons which look like large birds with flabby, flightless bat’s wings, armed with beaks like scissors. Romŝiwamnari’ not only prey upon the living, but also ambush and consume the souls of the dead. A sufficiently powerful shaman can kill them while in the realm of death, but other souls are greedily devoured.

84) Saci-pererê - A one-legged black or mulatto youngster, who smokes a pipe and wears a magical red cap that enables him to disappear and reappear wherever he wishes (usually in the middle of a dust devil). Considered an annoying prankster in most parts of Brazil, and a potentially dangerous and malicious creature in others, he nevertheless grants wishes to anyone who manages to trap him or steal his magic cap. However, his cap is often depicted as having a bad smell. Most people who claimed to have stolen this cap say they can never wash the smell away. The legend says that a person can trap a Saci inside a bottle when he is in the form of a dust devil.

85) Sachamama (“Mother of the Forest”) - She is about forty meters long and two meters wide, with an iguana-like head and scales like stone plates. There is whole grove in her back, with tress, fungi, herbs and more. She doesn't need to move, because she can hypnotize any animal which passes by so it comes to her and she eats it. Sachamama can also summon storms, rain and lightining strikes, as well as causing fevers and headaches on whoever invades her domain. Many of the the plants on her back have medicinal uses. There is even a "thunder tree", whose bark, once eaten, allows one to invoke and end storms.

86) Sapo Fuerzo ("Strong Toad") - It can be easily distinguished from regular toads by its hard, turtle-like shell. It is phosphorescent, and glows in the dark like a firefly. It earns its name from its supernatural powers and its incredible resilience. A sapo fuerzo is capable of attracting or repelling anything within its reach by the sheer power of its gaze. It can also regenerate and recover from virtually any injury, and the only way to kill one is burn it and reduce it completely to ashes.

87) Stone-adzes - A tribe of stone people. It seems they can't move, and were turned to stone due to being punished by something or someone. Other tribes come to where the stone-adzes are because they are excellent raw material for making stone adzes and axes.

88) Supay - Both the god of death and ruler of the Ukhu Pacha, the Incan underworld, as well as a race of demons. Supay is associated with miners' rituals. After the spanish conquest, it was associated with the devil.

89) Taquatu - Invisible giant which has an equally invisible canoe that can fly. It kidnaps people and takes to places from no one has returned. They say it has a cave full of human remains atop a mountain which can't be reached.

90) Teju Jagua - The first son of Tau and Kerana and one of the seven legendary monsters of Guaraní mythology. A huge lizard with seven dog-heads and eyes that shoot out fire. His seven dog-heads make any movement difficult. Some versions of the story say Teju Jagua has only one giant dog-head. But all versions agree that he has a limited ability to move around. His appearance was the most horrid of all the seven brothers. However, his ferocity was tempered by choice of Tupã. He was left calm and harmless. Still he was feared for his fiery gaze. He feeds on fruit and his brother Yasy Yateré gives him honey, his favorite food. He is considered the lord of the caves and protector of fruits. He is also mentioned as a protector of buried treasure. Its skin became shiny after rolling around in the gold and precious stones of Itapé.

91) Tigtitig - A giant bird which tries to eat the soul of the newly dead as they fly away towards a western paradise land. The soul must then fight it with bravery to avoid such fate. This bird can also cause deformities in newly-born children. A similar tale talks of the souls going into certain lakes where they are eaten by monstrous snakes which then take them towards a paradise of dancing and drinking. I'm now thinking of both creatures fighting each other for the souls of the fallen.

92) Trauco - A goblin who lives in the deep forests. It has an ugly face, and legs without feet.  It has a powerful magnetism that attracts young and middle-aged women. According to myth, the Trauco's wife is the wicked and ugly Fiura. The trauco carries a small stone-headed hatchet that he uses to strike trees in the forest to symbolize his sexual potency. Whomever the Trauco chooses will go to him, even if she is sleeping, and fall enraptured at his feet. No woman can resist his magical attraction; all have sexual intercourse with him. Some men of Chiloé fear the Trauco, as his gaze can be deadly. When a single woman is pregnant and no one steps forward as the father, people assume that the Trauco is the father. Because the Trauco is irresistible, the woman is considered blameless. The Trauco is sometimes invoked to explain sudden or unwanted pregnancies, especially in unmarried women.

93) Trempulcahue - Four old women turn themselves into whales to carry the souls of the dead to the "Ngill chenmaywe" every night. There, the alhue (spirits) can start the long travel. No living thing can see the Trempulcahue. The whales were paid in llancas, turquoise stones.

94) Uakti - According to the legend, the creature had holes in his body such that they would produce sound when he ran or the wind blew through him. This music seduced the women of the tribe and so the other men burned and buried his body. The myth holds that out of Uakti's remains grew the palm trees from which the Tukanos' flutes are made. The women of the Tukano Indians are thus not allowed to play flutes.

95) Homem do Saco ("Bag Man") - In Brazil, o Homem do Saco is portrayed as a tall and imposing adult male, usually in the form of a vagrant, who carries a sack on his back. He throws children into the sack, making buttons and soap out of them. In Chile, Argentina and particularly in the Southern and Austral Zones, he is mostly known as "El Viejo del Saco" ("The old man with the bag") who walks around the neighborhood every day around supper time. This character is not considered or perceived as a mythical or fantastic creature by children. Instead, he is recognized as an insane psychotic murderer that somehow has been accepted by society which allows him to take a child that has been given to him willingly by disappointed parents or any child that is not home by sundown or supper time. In Honduras and Mexico, misbehaving children fear "El Roba Chicos", or child-snatcher, which is very similar to "Hombre del Saco".

96) Warracaba Tigers* - Small and ferocious tigers which hunt in packs with up to a hundred animals. They don't fear fire but do fear the barking of dogs. They also have an aversion to water. They may vary in size and color. Said to live in the mountains, going to the lowlands when hungry.

97) Water-mámmas - a sort of spirit which seems to assume multiple forms. On the Demerara River, they become huge scarlet macaws which come out of the river and drag canoes underwater, people and all.

98) Water Tiger* - This is a four legged creature similar to a "demonic monkey" or an otter, painted like a tiger, which lives in water and wraps its "very big tail" around the legs of people which pass through the water. The people drown. The water tiger doesn't eat them though, it seems to do this just because it's evil.

99) Yaguareté-abá - Also called capiango. It is a shaman which turned into a large leopard. It eats cattle and horses, animals brought by the colonizers. It also eats human flesh. To kill it, one must use bullets or blades blessed by a priest. After slain, it must be beheaded. Then the creature becomes a headless human again. In other version of the legend, a capiango is a leopard possessed by the soul of a murdered good and just man, which may then hunt the one which killed him. It will be as intelligent as a person, but incapable of speaking.

100) Yaguarón - A giant green fish with saber-like teeth. It can dig tunnels under the earth alongside the river margins, causing landfalls which cause people and animals to fall into the water. The Yaguarón then devours their lungs.

101) Yakumama (“Mother of the Waters”) - She appears as a gigantic anaconda with blue scales and eyes glowing like the headlights of a boat. She is capable of entrancing prey into immobility with her gaze. When happy, she blesses people with plentiful rain and abundant fish. When angry, she summons storms, fogs, and whirlpools in addition to putting her enormous bulk to destructive use. Sometimes Yakumama swallows all the fish and prevents fishermen from catching them, or flies into the sky and causes downpours that ruin crops. Offerings of food and spirits can placate her.

102) Yayá - A jaguar which can shapeshift into a woman. She lives inside a great cave called Olho d'Água ("Eye of the Water"). Her presence is made obvious due to her singing and the whirlwinds that appear in the area. She doesn't accept the presence of foreigners, making this clear with a whistle heard by all, and may either leave the region or attack the stranger. Only shamans can calm her down. She attacks cattle. Local leaders seek her counsel for personal and communal matters. She might also say things about the past, present and future. Every cave she has lived on becomes sacred.

103) Yerupoho - Okay, these creatures have a complex lore, so bear with me. In primordial times, there was only darkness. Two types of beings lived upon the land: the yerupoho and humans, the latter hidden inside termite hives. In a certain day, the yerupoho found out that the human cultural heroes would make the sun appear. This sudden cosmic change frightened the yerupoho, which started to create "armors" with all haste: clothing, masks and body painting which would protect them from the sun. These "armors" were based off things as varied as plants, everyday items such as pots, all kinds of animals, etc. Upon wearing such "armor", the yerupoho assumed the identities that such protections gave them, becoming the apapaatai. The latter became owners/masters/protectors of the things that their "armor" was based on. For example, the yerupoho which made vulture masks became vulture monsters such as two-headed buzzards. Other examples of apapaatai are: boat-snakes, flute-fishes, underwater macaws, celestial jaguars, etc. Countless mixes and variations are possible. The monsters are very intelligent, sentient, dangerous, creative, malicious and many of them know magic. Some eat people. To further complicate things, a yerupoho may wear more then one "armor", acquiring different traits according to what it is wearing.

I wrote above that a certain yerupoho is owner/master/protector of the thing his "apapaatai armor" is based on. That means that, for example, using a certain wood for a boat or eating a certain type of crab means trespassing upon the domains of a yerupoho. When that happens, the latter answers with spells that cause disease in the trespasser. Or maybe it eats the trespasser's soul. The practical consequences is that there are many taboos related to what one may use or eat out of the jungle. When someone is sick or has his soul eaten, the shaman is responsible for curing the disease or recovering said soul.

Although present everywhere, they can be seen only in dreams, trances, when one is sick or when one is dying. Masks, ritual drawings and flutes made by the Amerindians allow one to see them outside of such moments, because then, the Amerindians become apapaatai-like. Shamans might be able to convince apapaatai to serve them. That requires that the shaman gets sick on purpose, resisting the magic that made him sick and incorporating it. Having apapaatai allies gives one a series of powers, such as divination. This process seems necessary for one to become a shaman in the first place. Removing a sickness or recovering a soul seems to require secret songs that only shamans know.

I'm sorry if this is confusing, but I tried to summarize what is essentially an unique cosmology. One personal interpretation of mine, for rpg purposes, is that the yerupohos are spirits made out of darkness which were forced to create bodies (constructs made out of organic/natural materials like leaves, bones and clay?), the said apapaatai, so they wouldn't be destroyed by the sun. And they dispute with humans the control over certain plants, animals and objects from which the materials are harvested, creating an eternal conflict. The shamans are like supernatural ambassadors in this context.

104) Xiriminja - Fishfolk, but it seems that the only trait distinguishing them from normal humans is the membranes between the fingers. They live at the bottom of the rivers and taught the Kinja Amerindians how to have sex and get married, weaving baskets, singing, dancing and how to farm.

105) Zaori - Not really a monster, but a sort of blessed person. Zaoris look like common people, except that their eyes shine. They can see through rocks, earth, whole mountains, thus locating hidden treasures. Silver and gold, crystals, rare weapons, nothing escapes the zaori's gaze. There's a catch: a zaori can't use its gift to benefit himself, like becoming rich, only other people.

*It seems like a term that means any large felines, as there are no tigers in South America.

South American Bestiary - Part 3 of 4

Headless Mule.

How do you do folks? I thought I would gather and show some of the creatures found on South American folklores. The whole list has 105 creatures, so I'm dividing it in four parts. Please note that such myths have several iterations which may not be here. I also plan to later make D&D5E stats for a few of these creatures. Previous parts here and here.

54) Kurupi - One of the seven monstrous children of Tau and Kerana. Said to be short, ugly, and hairy. He makes his home in the wild forests of the region, and was considered to be the lord of the forests and protector of wild animals. Kurupi's most distinctive feature, however, was an humongous penis that was ordinarily wound several times around his waist like a belt. Due to this feature, he was at one time revered by the Guarani as the spirit of fertility. Kurupi is often blamed for unexpected or unwanted pregnancies. His penis is said to be prehensile, and owing to its length he is supposed to be able to extend it through doors, windows, or other openings in a home and impregnate a sleeping woman without even having to enter the house. Together with the Pombero, Kurupi was a scapegoat used by adulterous women to avoid the wrath of their husbands, or by single women to explain their pregnancies. Children fathered by the Kurupi were expected to be small, ugly and hairy much like their father, and if male to inherit something of their father's virility. In some cases, Kurupi is blamed with the disappearance of young women.

55) Lafquén Trilque - It is said to be a dark mass whose shape resembles the stretched skin of a cow. It moves silently through rivers and lakes searching for animals or persons standing next to the shores. Once it founds the preys it swallows them and made them completely disappear leaving behind no trace of the bodies.

56) Lakúma - These water spirits have been known to tip canoes over, pull their occupants out, and drag them under to consume, leaving their entrails to float to the surface. They can also create huge waves, summon whirlpools, and whip up storms to damage larger vessels. Lakúma have been compared to whales, squids, and giant worms, making their exact appearance hard to pin down. What is known is that they like to flatten themselves out on the water’s surface, letting their back protrude like a small island. Their broad and flat backs are covered with encrustations of unusually large mussels. Sometimes there are so many lakúma in one spot that they can be used as stepping-stones.

57) Lluhay - A one-meter long silver lizard that feeds on potato flowers. It is hard to catch but whoever manages to gains good fortune. The lluhay is immortal and rare. Certain families would take care of one generation after generation, like if it was a treasure.

58) Lucerna - A ghost ship. Its interior is so huge that a person would take a lifetime to cross it from bow to stern. Its duty is to transport warlocks and the souls of the dead, as well as the phases of the moon.

59) Luison - In the original version of the myth, Luison was the seventh and last child of Tau and Kerana, and thus was the most accursed of the bunch. He was of vaguely human appearance, but said to be extremely ugly, even horrendous looking. Luison had long, dirty hair that fell down to cover most of his form, pale and sickly looking skin and eyes, and accompanied by the constant, fetid odor of death and decay. So frightening and repulsive was his appearance that his mere presence would instill terror in any unfortunate enough to encounter the beast. Luison was said to be the lord of the night and was associated with death. His habitat was limited exclusively to cemeteries and burial grounds, where he would feed upon rotting flesh. Som say that if Luison passes through a person's legs, the person turns into Luison.

60) Mallki ("mummy") - The Inca civilization mummified many of their dead and buried them with valuable materials. Considered a link between the living and the gods, these mummies could also be taken from their resting place and 'consulted' on important occasions so that their knowledge might serve the living community. Given places of honor and offered food and drink, mummies were involved in such ceremonies as marriages, sowing, and harvesting, or when long journeys had to be undertaken by individuals within the community. Incas believed that the dead ruler remained the owner of the property he had accumulated in life, so a necropolis could include whole palaces filled with treasure. Each had a dedicated attendant who interpreted their wishes and stood by with a fly whisk. Just add a little fantasy and have such mummies be intelligent undead which advise the current ruler.

61) Mapinguari - This monster is like a huge, hairy humanoid. It has powerful claws which can rip off parts of their prey to put inside the large vertical mouth that it has in the chest. The mapinguari has a strong, nauseous smell. Some say that his skin is like that of a crocodile, and equally impervious to bullets.

62) Maricoxi - General term for several large ape-like creatures that have allegedly been seen in many parts of the jungle regions of South America. Percy Fawcett claimed an encounter with a group in 1914. They allegedly were extremely hairy, lived in villages and used bows and arrows. He claimed that they spoke in grunts and lived to the northeast of a tribe called the Maxubi.

63) Mayantu - Goblin-like creature with the face of a frog that lives in the Amazon Rainforest. According to the Iquitos legend, the Mayantu is said to be found living high in canopy of giant trees, such as the Kapok tree. Unlike many other magical inhabitants of the jungle, the Mayantu is not evil, and even is known to come to the aid of humans when they are in trouble and need assistance. Therefore, the Mayantu is often referred to by the people of Iquitos as “the good god of the rainforest.”  However, the Mayantu will not help those who come to the rainforest to destroy it or harm its inhabitants.  It possesses the knowledge of the medicinal plants of the rainforest and can use these plants to cure.

64) Mbói Tu'i - One of the seven legendary monsters of Guarani mythology. He is the second son of Tau and Kerana. His form is of an enormous serpent with a huge parrot head and a huge beak. He also has a red, forked tongue the color of blood. His skin is scaly and streaked. Feathers cover his head. He has a harmful look that frightens everyone who has the bad luck to be found with him. He patrols the swamps and protects amphibian life. He enjoys the humidity and flowers. He lets out an incredible powerful and terrible squawk which can be heard from very far off and which instills terror in all who hear it. He is considered the protector of aquatic animals and the wetlands.

65) Minhocão ("giant earthworm") - Described as a huge subterranean serpentine creature with hard black scales and horns, which causes much destruction by its tunneling. It is also said to be amphibious, living in water, and in at least one account wallowing in mud. Heuvelmans describes it "overturning trees like blades of grass, shifting the courses of rivers, and turning dry land into fathomless marshes" through its tunneling. It may not be an earthworm, but an enormous lungfish or caecilian.

66) Moñái - Third son of Tau and Kerana and one of the seven legendary monsters of Guaraní mythology. This creature has an enormous serpent-like body with two straight, colorful horns over his head, which serve as antennae. His dominions are the open fields. He can climb trees with ease and slide down to hunt the birds on whom he feeds and dominates with the hypnotic power of his antennas. Because of this he is called "the lord of the air". Moñái is fond of stealing and hiding the products of his misdeeds in a cave. His continuous robbing and raiding in the villages provoked great discord among the people as they all accuse each other for the robberies and mysterious "disappearances" of their belongings.

67) Motelo Mama - A turtle of such proportions that her shell holes a grove of the rainforest. When she moves the ground trembles, but this is rare, as she can stay still for centuries. The mother of all turtles. A few say that she has always existed, and will continue to do so.


68) Muki - A goblin-like creature, two feet tall. They are known to be miners which live underground. They are a small brawny creatures with a disproportionate body. Their voices are deep and husky, not matching their appearance; the long hair is bright blonde; the face is hairy and reddish, with a long white beard. The muki's look is deep, aggressive and hypnotic and his eyes reflects the light as if they were made of metal. In some mining traditions, he has two horns that are used to break the rocks and point at the mineral veins. His skin is very pale and he carries a mining lantern. Sometimes he is described as having pointy ears. Elders advise that when dealing with the muki, one should use one's belt to battle him without succumbing to fear. The muki can be by himself or in groups, but they are known to prefer living on their own. They live in a timeless world of eternal darkness and they don’t age, as if they were not affected by the pass of time. He can also make the metal veins appear and disappear, sense the moods and emotions of the miners, help with the miner’s work by softening or hardening the metal veins, etc. He is known to sometimes to make pacts with miners. He gravitates towards discreet and honest people, who will fulfill their promises and keep the pact a secret.

69) Mula sem Cabeça ("Headless Mule") - A woman cursed for having sexual relations with a catholic priest. The myth has several variations concerning the sin that turned the cursed woman into the monster: necrophagy, infanticide, sacrilege against the church, fornication, etc. She becomes a mule with a fire coming out of the hole where its head should be. It has silver (or iron) horseshoes that might be razor-sharp, and that produce a hideous trotting, louder than any horse is capable of producing. A removal of the curse can be achieved by removing the bridle, in which case the woman will not shape shift again while the benefactor is alive. Tying the bridle back to the woman's mouth will return the curse. Removal of the curse is a great relief for the woman because the curse includes many trials, so the grateful woman will usually repent her sins and marry the benefactor. In any case, when the mule changes back to human form the accursed woman will be completely naked, sweated, and smelling of sulfur. There are those who say it is actually a Headless Horse, but the mule remains the more popular version.

70) Negrinho do Pastoreio ("Black Boy of the Herd") - The tale goes like this: an orphan black boy was the slave of an evil master which didn't even give him a name. He lost a horse and was beaten by his owner. He then went to find it. He did and tried to lass it, but the rope snapped. When he came back without the horse, his master beat him again and tied he up, naked, atop an ant nest, to die. Said master waited until the ants covered the body of the black boy before leaving. He came back three days later. He was scared, for the boy was there, untied and without any marks or wounds, the lost horse near him. Since then, many have seen a black boy riding a horse and guiding many others. And whoever loses something, must light up a candle under a tree and pray for the Negrinho. He finds all lost things, but will only deliver them back for those that lit the candle.

71) Negro d'Água ("Water-Black") - If you're in a boat along the São Francisco river, you might hear someone laughing. The same voice will ask you to give it a fish. If you refuse, it will then capsize your boat. Some fishermen might have a bottle of cachaça (brazilian spirit) that they'll throw into the water instead of fish. The creatures responsible for this are dark humanoids with bald heads and scale-covered bodies, whose hands and feet are like duck feet. They also like to make holes in nets, scare people near the water and so on. Some versions of the legend include claws, and if you manage to cut off one of them, the Negro has to do something for you so it can have it back.

72) Nguruvilu - An aquatic, fox-like animal with a long tail which ends on fingernails that it uses like a claw. They live in and are the cause of dangerous whirlpools which kill people who try to cross rivers. The creatures make the water shallow on either ford, to encourage people to try to cross it making it seem safe. However, the only safe way of crossing a river with a nguruvilu is by boat. The only way to get rid of a nguruvilu is through the offices of a shaman or a good witch.Both require gifts in exchange for this service.

73) Okpe - It looks like a huge pig made of rock, without any soft spots or weaknesses. Okpe preys on children, luring them with cooked meat before carrying them off in a device on his back. Children captured by Okpe are taken into the jungle and devoured. It is considered unstoppable because it's impervious to common weapons.

74) Omars - Water spirits with bodies of giant crabs and fishes. They eat rotten wood, but drag down boats due to mistaking them for floating logs. The tale also says that a peaiman (shaman or sorcerer) carefully wrapped up two pieces of the wood rubbed to make fires, so that they wouldn't become damp. Then he let himself be swallowed by an omar. He found a great amount of wood inside its belly, which he set fire to. The omar felt great pain, rose to the surface, belched out the peaiman and died.

75) Onça Celeste - A tribe believes that eclipses are caused by a blue-colored jaguar eating the sun and the moon. At the end of the world, it shall descend upon the land and eat the people. Until this time comes, it rests below the hammock of Nhanderuvuçu, the supreme god.

76) Oroli - A giant serpent which stretches between trees like a living bridge. It causes pieces of its flesh to fall down to the ground, where they take the form of dry firewood. Whoever passes by and gathers it up would be pounced upon by the Oroli. When a warband killed it with blowguns and poisoned arrows, they set fire to the carcass. The ashes became covered in plants from which binas (charms) can be extracted from. Said binas can be used to attract all kinds of animals, thunder, rain and even lightning.

77) Pai-do-Mato - A humanoid beast which seems to protect animals from people. Taller than the trees, very long hair, ten meter-long nails. Its roar echoes throughout the forest. At night, it laughs. Will swallow people whole. Can't be killed by blades or bullets unless one targets the area around its bellybutton. Its piss is blue, which may a way to track it down.

78) Peuchen - It has often been described as gigantic flying snake which produced strange whistling sounds, while its gaze could paralyse its prey so it could suck the blood.

79) Peuquen - Gnomes that are clothed in avellano leaves. They also have a hat made from bark and an axe whose handle is of avellano wood. Those who come across them face a nasty fate, their heads are turned around for the rest of their lives. Peuquen like to have sex with women. If a child is born of these trysts, his or her skin is like the bark of an avellano.

80) Pishtaco - An evil monster-like man — often a stranger and often a white man — who seeks out unsuspecting Amerindians to kill them and abuse them in many ways. The legend dates back to the Spanish conquest of South America. The belief is that the Pishtaco steals one's body fat and sells the meat as fried chicharrones. Pishtaco derives from the local Quechua-language word "pishtay" which means to "behead, cut the throat, or cut into slices".

Part four here.

South American Bestiary - Part 2 of 4

A tumi sacrificial knife. Attribution: Sean Pathasema/Birmingham Museum of Art

How do you do folks? I thought I would gather and show some of the creatures found on South American folklores. The whole list has 105 creatures, so I'm dividing it in four parts. Please note that such myths have several iterations which may not be here. I also plan to later make D&D5E stats for a few of these creatures. First part here.

27) Curupira - “Curu” = boy and “pira”, body, meaning “with the body of a boy”. According to the legends, this creature has bright red hair, resembles a man or a dwarf, but its feet are turned backwards. Curupira lives in the forests of Brazil and uses its backward feet to create footprints that lead to its starting point, thus making hunters and travelers confused. Besides that, it can also create illusions and produce a sound that's like a high pitched whistle, in order to scare and drive its victim to madness. A Curupira will prey on poachers and hunters that take more than they need of the forest, and he also attacks people who hunt animals that were taking care of their offspring. In some versions, he has a wife called Yatacy or Tatámanha and they have children. May carry a wooden axe.

28) Cupendiepes - a tribe of man-bats which raid nearby villages at night, using spears and axes to kill people. The best way to fight them back is to find the cave in which they hide by day while they sleep, and block its entrance.

29) Curinqueãs - Tribe of black giants. Their lips and noses have golden piercings. They're few in number, but most amerindians seem to fear and respect them.

30) Decapitator god (we don't know his real name) - From the Moche civilization. Half-man, half-jaguar, often represented holding a vicious looking sacrificial knife (tumi) in one hand and the severed head of a sacrificial victim in the other. The god may also be depicted as a gigantic spider figure ready to suck the life-blood from his victims.

31) Devil's Garden - The ant Myrmelachista schumanni creates devil's gardens by systematically poisoning all plants in the vicinity except D. hirsuta, the tree in which it nests. The ant poisons the plants by injecting formic acid into the base of the leaf. By killing other plants, the ant promotes the growth and reproduction of D. hirsuta, which has hollow stems that provide nest sites for the ants; a single ant colony might have more than 3 million workers and 15,000 queens, and may persist for more than 800 years. Devil's gardens got their name because locals believed that an evil forest spirit Chullachak lived in them. He is said to persuade his victims to follow him deep into the jungle where even experienced trackers cannot find their way back. He does this by taking the form of a family member or a loved one long not seen, or disguising himself as a prey animal. His uncanny ability to replicate others makes him impossible to tell apart, except for his mismatched feet.

32) Dog - Dogs were sometimes believed to be able of moving between life and death and also see the souls of the dead. In addition, the Inca believed that unhappy dead souls could visit people in the form of black dogs.The Aymara people of Bolivia were reported to believe that dogs were associated with death and incest. They believed that those who die must cross an ocean to the afterlife in the ear of, or on the nose of, a black dog.

33) Eintykára - These are stingless bees whose honey can produce hallucinations, because of a fungus living in the plants visited by the bees. But the real fantastic ability they have is to unite and shapeshift into a man, of milky white skin and hair as golden as honey. The legend says that one hive actually married a woman and had children with her. The whole village came to admire him, for he was intelligent, worked hard and, when going into the forest, he would turn back into the swarm and gather nectar. His body then produced wax and honey, which he would distribute among the villagers.

34) Ehéie - A beautiful woman with poisonous snakes in her womb which bite the penis of whoever has sexual relations with her. It seems the snakes also suck the blood, so the Ehéie is a vampire.

35) Ewaipanoma - South american blemmyes. They're described as a "nation", which most likely means that they're a distinct tribe. Their eyes are on their shoulders and their mouth are on their chests. A long train of hair grows backward between their shoulders. Blemmyes also appear on the Piri Reis map as bearded and red-haired.

36) Furufuhue - There is a myth which explains the bitter Patagonian winds as being created by an enormous and mysterious creature resembling a cross between an eagle and a fish. This bird is the size of a Mapuche hut and its body is covered with shiny scales instead of feathers. Furufuhue is seldom seen, but its song is heard at a great distance “even in the whole world”.

37) Goshg-e - A quadruped monster which kidnaps children at night and devours stray hunters. It was arrow-proof due to its armadillo-like shell. It seems the myth was made up based on the shells of glyptodons.

38) Huaca - The Incas believed that gods, spirits, and long-dead ancestors could be manifested on earth in the form of natural features such as mountain peaks (apu), rivers, springs, caves, rocky outcrops, and even peculiar shaped stones. These places were sometimes modified to accentuate unusual features and were treated as shrines with special power to influence reality. They were known as huacas (wak'a) and, in the case of stones, were taken for safe-keeping in palaces and tombs, on occasion, even transported on military expeditions. People left offerings at huacas, especially sea shells, textiles, coca, precious goods, clay figurines, and sacrifices were made, most commonly of llamas and guinea pigs. The Quechua people traditionally believed every object has a physical presence and two camaquen (spirits), one to create it and another to animate it. They would invoke its spirits for the object to function. The incas also believed that the tenth inca ruler, Túpac Yupanqui, could talk with the huacas and thus know past and future events.

39) Huancahui - Called the "laughing falcon" because his cry sounds somewhat like someone laughing.  He possesses magical powers and is even able to catch fierce snakes, upon which he is said to feed. According to this Iquitos legend, if an Amazonian shaman is able to learn the song or icaro of the Huancahui, he can also dominate snakes just like the Huancahui does. However, if he fails to chant the song perfectly, he will be besieged by snakes and die. Properly sung by the shaman, his icaro will stunt a snake and defeat it, leaving it impotent and unable to bite.

  

40) Huayramama (“Mother of the Wind”) - One of the three ancient snake mothers of the Peruvian Amazon. She is believed to be an enormous boa with an old woman’s face and very long hair that tangles in the clouds – in comparison, her counterparts the Sachamama and the Yakumama are the boa constrictor and the anaconda, respectively. The guardian of the air and the daughter of the red huayracaspi or “wind tree”, she is herself the mother of all the good and evil winds. Huayramama also grants power to deserving healers and shamans, giving them control over the weather.

41) Iara - A beautiful mermaid with green hair decorated by red flowers, copper-colored skin and brown eyes. Some say she is half-dolphin or half-manatee instead of half-fish. She would sit on a rock by the river combing her hair or dozing under the sun. When she felt a man around she would start to sing gently to lure him. Once under the spell of the Iara a man would leave anything to live with her underwater forever, which was not necessarily a bad thing, as she was pretty and would cater for all needs of her lover for the rest of his life.

42) Icamiabas - The woman warriors found by Orellana near the river which he then named "Amazon". It is said that numerous tribes paid tributes of bird feathers to them. The Icamiabas were worth ten men in battle, using bows and arrows. If their indian thralls tried to run away from the battle, they would kill the deserter with clubs. Tall and of fair skin, very long hair which was braided around the head. Naked save for their genitals. The Icamiabas lived in seventy walled towns built with stone. Their queen was called Coñori, their lands were rich with gold and silver, as well as five temples, called caranaí, dedicated to the sun, whose internal surfaces were gold-plated. Men could come inside said cities, but they should leave before it was dark. The green amulets called Muiraquitãs were said to be gifts of the Icamiabas to all those Indians who annually visited their camp at the river Nhamundá. Once a year, during a ceremony dedicated to the moon, the Icamiaba received the Guacaris warriors with whom they mated. At midnight, they dived into the river and brought up a greenish clay in their hands, which they molded into various forms: frogs, turtles or other animals, and presented these to their loved ones. Some versions say that this ritual would take place in an enchanted lake named Jaci uaruá ("mirror moon" in Old Tupi: îasy arugûá). Retrieved from the bottom of the river and shaped by the women, the still soft clay hardened in contact with the elements. These objects were then strung on the strands of hair of their brides and used as amulets by their male warriors. To date, this amulet is considered a sacred object, believed to bring happiness and luck and also to cure almost all diseases.

43) Ihuaivilu - When a group of calcus (shamans) choose a cave for their reunions, they perform a large ritual to summon a Ihuaivilu to guard it. This monster is a dragon with a snake-like neck. It flies by using strong winds and has a fire breath which can put aflame whole fields or groves. It roars like thunder and its passage throught the air leaves a green trail.

44) Inkarri - It's said that the last Inca king was supposedly beheaded. But his head, buried somewhere, is either regenerating his body or waiting to be reunited with it. When this is done, he shall rise and rebuild the Inca Empire. Other versions say that it is the body which is regrowing a head, because the original head was taken to Spain. Further tales say that his return heralds Judgement Day.

45) Inulpamahuida ("mountain climber") - A tree without roots. But it has many clawed branches which it uses to climb the mountains.

46) Ipupiara - An aquatic man-eating mermen. It had hair all over its body and whiskers, so think of it as half man, half sea lion. 3.30 meters long. It kills people by hugging them until they suffocate. Female ipupiaras had long hair and were "fair to look at".

47) Irapuru - A magic red bird, symbol of happiness. It was a young indian cursed by a chief due to being in love with the latter's daughter. It begun a beautiful song. The chief heard it and went inside the woods to capture the bird, becoming lost forever in the process. The Irapuru still sings to this day, hoping that the girl he loves will recognize him. Whoever finds this bird may have a wish come true.

48) Jasy Jatere - One of the seven cursed children of Tau and Kerana. He is usually described as being a small man or perhaps a child, with light blonde hair and sometimes blue eyes. He is fair in appearance, sometimes described as even beautiful or enchanting, and carries with him a magical wand or staff, sometimes described as a golden cane, although what clothing he wears, if any at all, does not seem to be an important part of the legend. Like most of his brothers he dwells in the wild, he is considered to be the protector of the yerba mate plant. Sometimes he is also viewed as a protector of hidden treasures. It is said that Jasy Jatere's power stems from the magical staff that he carries, and if one is able to take it from him, he breaks down and cries like a little child. In this state, one may ask him for the treasures that he is protecting in return for the staff, not unlike a captured leprechaun who must reward his captor with a pot of gold.

49) Kaalimatu - A small waspman who served as a messenger for Made-from-Bone, a trickster deity. He helped the latter to defeat Sickness itself by plugging up its blowgun.

50) Kanaíma - An evil spirit which possesses people and makes them go into a murderous rage. Said people might or might not turn into animals as well. Assassins and people seeking revenge sometimes called upon this spirit through drugs and magic rituals. The usual method of killing the target is with stealth and a poisoned arrow. So it's like a berserker ninja shapeshifter. Further lore talks about a certain tree whose sap, once rubbed in one's skin, makes one go mad and turn himself into an animal, usually a tiger** or a snake. Throwing this sap at people seems to cause the same effect. Some tribes believe that either the spirit, or the person possessed by it, can use an invisible poisoned arrow, practically a magic projectile of some sort, and that said arrow leaves a blue spot somewhere in the target's body. Even if the kanaíma manages to kill his target, he has to visit the corpse three days later and lick off a bit of its blood. This can be thought of as an offering to the kanaíma spirit so that it leaves his body. If he can't do so, he can't return to his tribe, remaining an outlaw that must be killed in sight even by his family. He also further sinks into madness until death, for the spirit isn't pleased. There is a large-leaf plant, the caladium, which serves as a sort of magical proximity detector of kanaíma spirits. When one of the latter comes close, the plant emits a long low whistle and somehow shakes the target's hammock to wake him up.

51) Kawtcho - Nocturnal spirit described as resembling a very tall man, with hard and straight hair covering its head, "a gigantic brawny body and sharp claws," and a smell so putrid that it could awaken dogs. It was said to "walk under the ground" during the day, coming out at night to prowl the beaches, attacking people from behind to tear out their eyes and kill them. Out of fear of attracting the kawtcho, the Alakaluf refrained from lighting fires in the open during the night.

52) Kiantô - A giant snake colored as the rainbow. It rules a "realm of the waters" with its own people and animals.

53) Kori - It has the appearance of a giant anteater, except far larger, and it lives underwater in the rivers. It uses its large claws to dig under riverbanks, causing their collapse, and that is why this is such a common occurrence in the rainforest. A kori can also cause strong gales to destroy constructions, and can turn soil into water to drown people.

Part three here.

South American Bestiary - Part 1 of 4

A boto. Image acquired here.

How do you do folks? I thought I would gather and show some of the creatures found on South American cultures, mythologies and folklores. The whole list has 105 creatures, so I'm dividing it in four parts. Please note that such myths have several iterations which may not be here. I also plan to later make D&D5E stats for a few of these creatures.

1) Abaçaí - A sort of indian Pan. A spirit which leads one to dance, sing and party. It possesses the person, leading him or her into a trance. The Abaçaí can also transform into any animal, person or object.

2) Abúhukü - Nocturnal creatures who embody disease, death and other evil things. They associate with the spirits of dead poisoners, murderers, and male adulterers. They have an extra face in the back of their head, and sticky bodies that make escape from their embrace impossible. An abúhukü will cut a hole in the skull before sucking out the innards of its victim . Sometimes prey is rolled in palm leaves and tenderized. Either way, they leave an empty skin hanging from a branch. The abúhuwa were once far more common, and were allied with a race of evil jaguars that worked with them to decimate human populations. Humanity got a respite after a series of floods and fires that reduced the numbers of both predators.

3) Ajaklalhay - A tribe of birdfolk. It is said that, as the number of human tribes, deities and shamans grew, these birdmen felt their value decreased. So they decided to burn themselves into a huge bonfire from which they were reborn as all sorts of normal birds. But it is also said that not all of them went into the bonfire. The Ajalalhay knew how to talk with animals, how to summon storms, invoke lightning and strong winds.

4) Alicanto - These birds bring luck to any miner who sees them because they feed on gold and silver. If the lucky miner follows an alicanto without being caught, they can find silver or gold. But, if the alicanto discovers them, the bird will guide the greedy miner off a cliff or into a ravine and cause them to fall to their death. The alicanto's color depends entirely on their diet. If the alicanto eats mostly gold, then their feather's color will mirror that, the same goes for silver. They make their nests near hillsides and caverns where they can collect gold and silver to eat. One account I found says the alicanto is too heavy to fly and that it has a curved beak and long legs which end on claws.

5) Amaru ("snake") - A gigantic two-headed snake, the andean equivalent to the dragon. In what seems to be the original written legend, it was turned to stone. it is mentioned that the natives used the dust from the body of the petrified Amaru to heal their ailments. The Amaru is usually associated with the underworld, the earth and seismic movements. This creature is said to cause tremors and earthquakes when it moves through the depths of the earth due to its huge size. It is important to point out that the Amaru of the legends is not always a unique, individual entity; indeed, in a few tales it appears as if there is just one Amaru, but most of them seem to suggest that there are actually several more of them. After the Incas were conquered and the region was influenced by spanish culture, the Amaru gained aspects of european dragons such as wings.

6) Anchimayen - Anchimayens are described as little creatures that take the form of small children, and can transform into fireball flying spheres that emit bright light. They are the servants of a kalku (a type of Mapuche sorcerer), and are created from the corpses of children. It isn't clear to me if they're the same creature as the Anchimallén, which is a type of man-eating dwarf which lives in caves, throws rocks at people and uses spears. It might be that the legend changed over time as all legends eventually do.

7) Andurá - A tree which flames up at night. It seems that this doesn't harm it whatsoever. Sounds useful as a landmark or as a source of fire.

8) Anhanguá - A spirit which protects animals, specially the females and young ones. There may be more than one. It usually appears as a white deer with red eyes, but can assume any shape. One tale says that an amerindian once tortured a young fawn so its screams would attract its mother. When the latter came, he killed her just to realize that the Anhaguá had used an illusion and that he had killed his own mother.

9) Ao Ao - As one of the cursed sons of Tau and Kerana, it is one of the central mythological creatures among Guarani-speaking cultures. The Ao Ao is often described as being a voracious sheep-like creature with a massive set of fangs. Alternatively, it is also described as being a large, carnivorous peccary. Its name is derived from the sound that it makes, howling "Ao ao ao!" when it is pursuing its victims. The original Ao Ao is said to have profound reproductive powers and thus sometimes is identified as being the Guarani spirit of fertility. Ao Ao produced many offspring who are cursed in the same manner, and collectively they served as lords and protectors of the hills and the mountains. It is said to have people as its sole source of food. According to most versions of the myth, the Ao Ao, upon locating a victim for its next meal, will pursue the unfortunate person over any distance and over any terrain, not stopping until it catches its prey. If a person attempts to escape by climbing a tree, for example, the Ao Ao will circle the tree, howling incessantly and digging at the roots until the tree falls. In fact, according to the myth the only way to successfully escape from an Ao Ao is to seek shelter by climbing a palm tree. The tree contained some unknown power against the Ao Ao, and if its intended victim did climb one, the creature would howl in defeat and leave in search of another meal. Ao Ao is known for eating clothes.

10) Apu ("lord") - These are the spirits of the mountains - and sometimes solitary rocks and caves, that protect the local people in the highlands. One for each mountain.

11) Boi Vaquim - A winged bull with golden horns which exhale fire. Its eyes are two diamonds. To catch it with a lasso, one must have a fast horse, be brave and have a strong arm.

12) Boiúna ("Black Snake") - Nocturnal black snake creature which is the most powerful creature of the rivers within the Amazon rainforest. It can take on various shapes in order to frighten away any fishermen that enter its territory. Some of the forms the Boiúna can take on are a canoe, a sailboat, a transatlantic, and a woman.

13) Boitatá ("Fire Snake") - The legend says that the woods suffered a period of darkness. There was a huge flood as well. All the animals ended up on a hill. A snake woke up due tot he flooding. It was starving and went out to eat. It had the advantage of being the only animal which could see in the dark. For some reason, it only ate eyeballs, so many that they filled its body, making it luminous and flaming. Whoever finds the Boitatá may become blind, crazy and even die. Some believe it protects the woods from people which may set it on fire.

14) Boraro - Both a creature and its red skin, which seems to lead people to become feral or boraro-like. The Boraro’s skin myth is the following: a man found the skin of a boraro while its owner was fishing shrimps, “the skin was like clothing; the boraro always removed it to swim”, the man put the skin on, and it took control over him. It made him do some dreadfull things: kill and eat the boraro, go to his home and take over his place there –even sleep with his wife. Years later he returned to his tribe and told his story. He went back with a relative to the boraro territory and the relative donned the boraro wife’s skin while she was fishing. They ate the woman and returned home. Their kinsmen refused to believe them so all went back to the boraro land. The two original men put on the boraro furs, killed and ate the other men. Boraro is also another name for the Curupira, seen below.

15) Boto - The name of the river dolphins of the Amazon River. It is also the name of the legend associated with them. It is said that during parties and festivals, the boto turns into a handsome man dressed in white clothes and with a white hat which hides the nostril atop his bald head, for it doesn't go away even after it transforms. He seduces young women and sometimes makes them pregnant. So when a woman has a child of an unknown father, it is said the kid is "child of the boto".

16) Caboclinho do Mato - a little man living in the woods. He is one of the spirits which teach the shaman apprentices. He was an ordinary amerindian which drank so much ayahuasca (a psychoactive beverage) that he was transported to the spiritual world, body and all, without dying.

17) Cabra Cabriola - A goat-like monster which causes fear and eats children, "two at a time", so when I used it in my table, I made it up with two heads. It can run along hills and valleys.

18) Caipora - a dark-skinned, small amerindian, naked with a very long red mane, smoking a cigar and very mischievous. Sometimes Caipora is depicted as a girl and other times as a boy. The representation of the creature varies among the different regions of Brazil, and is sometimes confused with Curupira, which is another mythological creature who protects the forest. In some regions, the indigenous tribes believed that the Caipora was afraid of the light. For this reason, they would walk around the forest protecting themselves using firebrands. Some say it rides a great peccary holding a stick. In some other areas of Brazil, the Caipora is considered to be a cannibal and would eat anything, even the smallest insects. The Caipora is known as a forest dweller, as a king of the animals of sorts, and is very vengeful of hunters who do not respect the rules of "fair-play" when hunting. It is told that it scares away prey and "hides" animal tracks or makes hunters lose their way in the jungle. It disorients the hunters by simulating animal noises and by leaving fake tracks.

19) Caleuche - A large ghost ship sailing the seas around Chiloé (a small island off the coast of Chile) at night. It is said to be a being who is conscious and sentient. The ship appears as a beautiful and bright white sailing ship, with 3 masts of 5 sails each, always full of lights and with the sounds of a party on board, but quickly disappears again, leaving no evidence of its presence. The ghost ship is also known to be able to navigate under water. It is the magic ship that the Warlocks of Chiloé use to have parties and transport their goods. It is also used by the warlocks every three months when they go on a journey to improve their magical abilities.

20) Camahueto - Bull with a small horn on its forehead. The horn is the most valuable part of the animal, used to plant small pieces in the earth from which other camahuetos will grow. When it has grown, it erupts from the earth with such force that it leaves a tremendous hole and drags down everything in its path in a rapid race to reach the sea. A sorcerer will stalk and capture the camahueto with a lasso and tear out the horn and bandage the opening. Afterwards, he will use the horn for curing many kinds of illnesses. One use of the horn is to scrape shavings from it into a mixture of sea water and apple cider until it turns into vinegar and coarse salt. This potion has the capacity to restore the vitality of older men and to those who have become impotent. Users of this preparation claim to have become like Hercules and gain the reputation throughout the islands as "a man like a trauco".

21) Capelobo - It's humanoid and hairy but its head is like an anteater's. You find out it is nearby due to its loud screaming. It likes to eat kittens and puppies. Its hooves are perfectly round, so even if you see the tracks you can't know which way it went. Its hands are clawed so it may crush open a person's skull and suck its brain. Some versions like to drink the blood instead.

22) Carbunclo - A carbunclo has a shining mirror on its head. The creature itself produces a bright bluish-white glow from its body, easily visible from over a league away. A carbunclo is larger than a mouse, perhaps cat-sized, and has a segmented body shaped like a small corn cob. The light is produced from within and shines out from gaps in the body segments. If an enemy is detected, the shell clamps shut, extinguishing the light and camouflaging the creature as an ordinary stone. I personally imagine it as a sort of giant woodlouse. Carbunclos are also capable of leaping and running swiftly. Miners try to catch carbunclos, because their bodies contain valuable ores.

23) Carcancho - Patagonian Bigfoot. These hairy men led a solitary existence in the mountains and meadows feeding on tubers. They could measure up to 2 m (6 ft. 7 in.) tall in the mountains, but were dwarfish (1 m – 3.3 ft.) in the lowlands, where they lived burrowing underground. They walked in the snow and their large foot-prints were the only clues of their existence.

24) Cherufe - An evil humanoid creature made of rock and magma. It is said that it inhabits the magma pools found deep within Chilean volcanoes and are the source of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Cherufe are also said to be the source of "magicians' ardent stones" (meteorites and volcanic stones) that cause damage in volcanic regions. The only way to abate the Cherufe's appetite for destruction was to satiate the beast's taste for human flesh by throwing a sacrificial victim, usually a maiden, into the bowels of its volcanic home.

25) Cuero - A creature that looks like a cowhide stretched out flat and laid on the surface of the water. It is usually white with black or brown spots. It has hooked claws along the edges. For some, these monsters are damned souls. In central Chile the cuero is an octopus that resembles a cowhide with numberless eyes and with four enormous eyes in its head. Anything that enters the water is engulfed and squeezed in the cuero’s folds, and dragged under to have its blood sucked out. After feeding the cuero will release its drained prey and find itself a solitary beach on which to stretch out, bask, and digest peacefully. Unexplained drownings are the work of a cuero. Cueros can be killed by tossing branches of quisco cactus (Cereus or Echinocactus) into the water. The creature will attempt to seize the cactus, injure itself, and bleed to death.

26) Cumacanga - To become a cumacanga, one must be the seventh daughter from her mother's affair with a priest. This woman then suffers the following curse: at night, her head goes away from its body, flying like a fireball and scaring people. Some also say she might try to bite whoever she finds.

Part two here.