Finding mythical monsters to put in my books

Posted on September 8, 2018 (Subscribe to Blog)

I'm having a blast writing Death Storm, the latest book in the Island of Fog Legacies series. It's got more monsters than you can shake a stick at!

If you've read Forest of Souls, which was Book 10 in the Island of Fog series, you'll have some idea what this cross-series sequel is all about and why it features a pretty wide assortment of mythical creatures. I don't think I've had so many different species since Castle of Spells.

Now, granted, most of the characters you'll meet in this book are "intelligent" in that they walk, talk, and think like the sort of people who might co-exist with humans -- goblins, elves, centaurs, dryads, the naga, and that sort of thing. But there are plenty we haven't really met yet. In Castle of Spells, we bumped into a gnome, pixie, brownie, minotaur, cyclops, and others. All these could be considered "equals." Some are less intelligent than others, but we won't judge them for it.

In Unicorn Hunters, Travis met a whole load of others. Two of my favorites were the cherufe and the empusa vampire. The cherufe showed up in Haunted Fortress, and the empusa will play a role in Death Storm.

But wait a minute -- the empusa is not your typical vampire...

I was writing a scene last night featuring the empusa (pronounced "empoosah," plural empusae). This vampiric creature from Greek legend is credited by some as being the source of all vampire stories, though other vampire stories existed before hers in other parts of the world. She's described as a demon-phantom who drains the blood of innocent men while they sleep, and as usual, legends get a bit mixed up, and the empusa was later called (or confused with) the lamia, which is another vampiric creature I wrote about in Castle of Spells. The empusa is also called the succubus in medieval history.

I like to keep all these different creatures separate. The empusa, lamia, and succubus are all different as far as I'm concerned. In my books, the empusa is a fanged woman with goat legs whose hair bursts into flames when she's angry or frustrated. The lamia is a catlike creature with a woman's head, a serpent's tail, and a generally silver, scaly, reptilian body. As for the succubus... I haven't written about her yet, and probably never will. She's a phantom creature that steals into a sleeping man's room at night and... well, I'd have to come up with a less "adult" version!

The empusa is described as having one leg made of either brass, copper, or bronze depending on what you read. (Other stories say she has multiple feet, "one of bronze, one a donkey's foot, one an ox's, one a goat's, and one human." I think that's going too far. Come on, Ancient Greeks, get a grip.)

Anyway, I deliberately avoided a metal leg when I wrote of the empusa in Unicorn Hunters. That one clearly had two normal goat legs with which to leap enormous heights. But the one in Death Storm... well, I won't give it away, but this is what I love about writing fantasy. I can interpret old legends exactly as I wish and make them "my own." One day, my take on these creatures will become part of Wikipedia along with Robert Graves in the "Modern Interpretations" section, or even just listed with Rudyard Kipling's Tomlinson, Goethe's Faust, and Rick Riordan's The Battle of the Labyrinth.

And then there are gnomes...

Gnomes are a funny lot. You immediately think of colorful ornaments in the garden -- blue coats, red pants, big white beards, happy smiles on their faces, that sort of thing. The real legend is, of course, is a little different. They date back to the sixteenth century or so, and apart from being "very reluctant to interact with humans," they are also "able to move through solid earth as easily as humans move through air." I've found both these traits to be accurate among the gnomes I interviewed for roles in my books.

But it's hard to get an accurate description when they're described so differently by so many modern writers:

L. Frank Baum, in his Land of Oz, described gnomes as ugly, hot-tempered, round-bodied, and with spindly limbs. They had long beards and wild hair, and they lived underground.
Tolkien wrote them as tall, beautiful, and "the most gifted and technologically minded of his elvish races." They lived in underground cities.
C.S. Lewis depicted gnomes, or Earthmen, with "a wide variety of physical features and skin colors." They lived in the Underland.
J.K. Rowling wrote them with "heads that look like potatoes on small stubby bodies" and were generally "considered harmless but mischievous and may bite with sharp teeth." They lived in the gardens of witches and wizards.
Terry Brooks described them as "tribal and warlike," and easily subverted to an evil cause.

Lots to chew on there. It seems they live underground more than in gardens, but honestly, I like the idea of them being partial to gardens. Tolkien may have described them as tall and beautiful, but I think short and fat is more likely. Not just short and fat, though. The spindly arms and legs kind of appeals to me. That's how I see them -- short, rotund people with thin arms and legs. As for wild hair and flowing white beards... I don't think that's necessary, but there's no reason why some can't have the traditional bushy beard, right?

One thing I added to my gnome characters in Castle of Spells, Forest of Souls, and now Death Storm is the oversized head, which they keep banging on walls when stressed. That's entirely my own design, and I have a good reason for it, as will be explained. Again, this is just my take on them, but that's my right as an author.

Mentioning different creatures in passing can be tricky. In Castle of Spells, when I briefly described a brownie as "a thin creature the size of a small boy with large ears and long black hair," I have to make sure to stick to that when I mention one in a later book. And by golly I do. I'm always very careful about that sort of thing. There are brownies in Death Storm too, but I haven't gone into detail about them yet. I will if I find a suitable scene to do so, but otherwise I'll save them for another book.

What would YOU like to see featured in the Island of Fog world?

Finally, I wanted to asked all you Island of Fog readers which creature you want to see given some screen time? I'm about two-thirds through Death Storm, and there's still time to throw in some extra creatures if they're suitable. I hereby invite you to offer one suggestion each -- something that hasn't yet been featured in detail in my books, and something that is at least reasonably humanlike and could live alongside people as neighbors (so no griffins or krakens).

Maybe I can squeeze your suggestions in. :-)

Comment by ANDY on Saturday, September 8, 2018...

Harpy

"In Greek mythology and Roman mythology, a harpy was a half-human and half-bird personification of storm winds, in Homeric poems"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harpy

Comment by KEITH ROBINSON on Saturday, September 8, 2018...

Thanks, but already done harpies throughout the series — one of the main characters is one — and actually there's a few in the new book already. You'll have to do better than that to catch me out, haha! :-D

Comment by ARANTZA on Sunday, September 9, 2018...

How about a Glaistig or a Trasgu:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glaistig
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trasgu

And hopefully you haven't forgotten to include Mr Grimfoil in Death Storm, you did promise... :-)

Comment by GRAEME JENKS on Sunday, September 9, 2018...

You could go for the Arabic Djinn, or Genie but I like the name Djinn. A creature of fire and smoke. They can be any size including giant and awe-inspiring.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Djinn

Most are hostile but some can be friendly. There are five different types, first and least powerful, is the DJann. Next is the Djinn (which is also the name for the group). Then comes the sheytans or devils. Second most powerful are the Afrits or Efreets but the Marids are the most powerful from this group. It is said they can be witches, wizards or the wise to gain power over a Djinn to use to perform amazing tasks.

They can be very unpredictable and are not a being to break an agreement with as they will make you forget it.

I love fantasy, as you know. I could sit and spin off several creatures and beings. But decided on the above. Looking forward to Death Storm.

All the best

Comment by KEITH ROBINSON on Sunday, September 9, 2018...

Hmm! Arantza, the Glaistig is a little too close to not one but two characters in Death Storm — the empusa I described in this post, and the evil faun herself — being a human upper half and the legs of a goat. But the Trasgu is a possibility. Let me research this one some more...

And Graeme, with the Djinn, you may have just put a name to something I already have in the story but haven't identified yet. That could work, but again, let me research some more. I've heard of the Djinn many times, but I hadn't realized they could be gigantic.

And no, haven't forgotten Mr. Grimfoyle. He's a major character.

Thank you, both! :-)

Comment by GRAEME JENKS on Sunday, September 9, 2018...

The most famous portrait of a Djinn would probably be Genie from Aladdin. If you remember the film, this also shows the height a Djinn can grow to. When he is under the wizards control, he fills the sky and is able to throw full size buildings.

I would assume this is due to the fire/smoke or vapour body types. I will also mention that they are able to shape shift too. Apparently taking any shape they wish.

Comment by MONICA on Monday, September 10, 2018...

The Bubak or the Bake-kujira!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sack_Man

Comment by KEITH ROBINSON on Monday, September 10, 2018...

You know, someone posted on Facebook to suggest the Windigo (or Wendigo), which is a forever-gaunt cannibalistic creature that grows taller the more he eats... and he eats people, which makes him the most charming character you can imagine.

And now you, Monica, are suggesting the Bubak, or Sack Man, or Bag Man, a fiend that carries children off in a sack to sell. Which makes me wonder what a cheerful bunch my Island of Fog readers are! Haha! No fluffy unicorns here. Still, he's definitely an interesting idea. He seems to deserve a bit more than a quick mention but isn't enough for an entire novel to be centered around, so I'll have to think on that. Unless... *ideas forming* :-)

Thanks!

By the way, Arantza, I really like the Trasgu — a mischievous character who won't leave you alone until you give it impossible tasks to complete, like bring a basket of seawater to the house. It prides itself on completing the task, and when it can't, it leaves in shame. Love it!

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