Cryptids

Cryptids (from the Greek κρύπτω, krypto, meaning "hide" or "hidden") are a subset of animals and other creatures that are mentioned in local folklore and other accounts, but whose actual existence is questionable. This does not apply to anything that is widely acknowledged as existing. For example, the deathclaw was presumed to be a rumor or hoax in New California around 2161,The Vault Dweller: "{347}{}{Do you know anything about the Deathclaw?}"John Maxson: "{262}{Gen_78}{Oh. Just another stupid rumor. Some people say it's a huge fanged monster and others say it's a vampire.}"(John Maxson's dialogue) but other regions of post-war America had many confirmed sightings beforehand.
==Background==
Cryptids were a part of local superstitions with cryptozoologists, like Shelby O'Rourke doubted by her community. But many cryptids actually existed before the Great War, and both the United States Armed ForcesCitadel terminals; Pentagon library terminal, Report on U.F.O. codenamed "Palandine" and United States Intelligence (like the Sugar Grove SIGINT)Cryptid Sightings: Grafton Monster 9/27, Snallygaster 10/4 and Wendigo 10/25 kept records on any cryptid encounters up until the Great War. While considered to be hoaxes and superstition, cryptids still played a large part of the culture before the war as well, with examples of this cryptid craze coming from Point Pleasant erecting a Mothman statue, Vault-Tec University's football team called the Fighting Wendigos,Fallout 76 loading screens: "In 2031, Vault-Tec re-branded Morgantown's local college as Vault-Tec University, and some of their top executives and scientists either taught or graduated from there. Go Fighting Wendigos!" Tales from the West Virginia Hills focusing on a different cryptid for each of its stories and Grafton holding a local holiday where the "Grafton Monster" would appear in the parade (and the real Grafton Monster appearing in it after the Great War).
After the Great War, cryptids began to appear far more often than they ever had before. This was noted by Shelby O'Rourke from her shack in The Mire where she theorized that the near extinction of the human race made room for cryptids to come out of hiding.Hunter's shack terminal entries; Shelby's terminal, Entry 8: Motion Detected!
==Known cryptids==
===Aliens===
Multiple species of aliens appear throughout the Fallout series. One race being the zetans from Fallout 3 that have appeared in each subsequent game.
===The Beast of Beckley===
The Beast of Beckley is a dangerous albino wolf known to roam Appalachia since before the Great War. Intrigued by reports of a shredded bear and sightings a "pale monster" near Beckley, Janelle Priblo set off to find and trap the Beast.The Beast of Beckley (holotape) Raymond Priblo showed up later to assist Janelle, but disregarded her warnings and was killed by the Beast. Soon after, desiring revenge for Raymond's death, Janelle attempted to leave the area to assemble a hunting party but was caught unaware when the Beast attacked and killed her too.Janelle's revenge
===Blue Devil===
A bipedal wolf-like creature with human features, the Blue Devil is a legendary Appalachian cryptid with the ability to produce a terrifying howl, sending those in its vicinity into Uncontrollable Fear. It appears as the event boss during Safe and Sound, as well as in assault-type random encounters.
===Chupacabra===
The chupacabra (Spanish for "goat-sucker") is a legendary creature of Puerto Rican origin. In Fallout: New Vegas, No-bark Noonan calls an invisible nightkin a chupacabra, after it has killed several brahmin around the town of Novac.The Courier: "What's been going on in town?"No-bark Noonan: "There's been things of a disturbing nature going on at the McBride Corral. Seems every night one of their herd meets a most unnatural death, and always there's holes all over the body. Work of the chupacabra, the livestock vampire, says No-bark, but they don't pay no mind. Too many holes, they say, and there's bullets in them. Well, says No-bark, we got a chupacabra with an automatic weapon. And that's when they get real quiet, 'cause now they see the predicament we're in."(No-bark Noonan's dialogue)
===Flatwoods monster===
===Ghost===
Ghosts are the spirits of the dead that have been trapped in our earthly plane that had unfinished business or failed to attain something valuable to them.Return Anna's locket Not much is known about the function of ghosts, as the only examples of ghosts are Anna Winslow whose spirit became trapped in the Den after dying, kept on the mortal plane in agony due to the theft of her locket by a petty thief, and Lucy Grandchester who haunts the Grandchester Mystery Mansion for unknown reasons. Based on Anna Winslow's actions in her quest, after attaining the item they need most, the ghost will disappear with the item, leaving only a pile of bones.
===Grafton Monster===
===Jackalope===
The jackalope is a mythical animal of North American folklore (a fearsome critter) described as a jackrabbit with antelope horns. The word jackalope is a portmanteau of jackrabbit and antelope. All jackalope taxidermy mounts are simply novelty items or hoaxes, as they are mounted made with deer antlers. Taxidermied jackalopes have been a part of American culture since the 1930s and continued to be popular up until the Great War.Priblos' Curios sign features a jackalope However, despite being fake, the gullible and stupid would still believe they exist both pre and post-War.Word list
===Jersey Devil===
The Jersey Devil is a horrifyingly mutated creature from the Pine Barrens. It is a reclusive creature that rarely ventures near Atlantic City, being mostly a myth among the locals. The Devil has a unique feature: its blood, with Russo and Gene turning it into the Devil's Blood, a highly addictive, incredibly rare and prohibitively expensive narcotic for Acee high rollers.
===Loch Ness Monster===
The Loch Ness Monster is a legendary creature of Scottish origin, said to dwell in Loch Ness. In Fallout: New Vegas, Jenny DeSoto, an employee at H&H Tools Company couldn't attend a weekend event, due to having to partake in a play recounting the life of St. Columba, specifically in having to work the Loch Ness Monster puppet.H&H Tools Factory terminal entries; terminal, E-mail from Jenny DeSoto
===Mega Sloth===
===Mothman===
Prior to the Great War, the "Mothman" was a mythical creature in local Appalachian folklore that was described as a terrifying half-man, half-moth hybrid that stalked the area around the town of Point Pleasant.Fallout 76 loading screens: "According to local folklore - as well as a statue and museum in Point Pleasant, West Virginia - the Mothman is a terrifying half-man, half-moth hybrid. Pray you never encounter it and learn the truth." The story of the Mothman was sensational enough to create a wide following, ranging from cryptid hobbyists to aggressive conspiracy theorists hellbent on uncovering the deeper mystery of the creature. The Mothman's legend lead to a number of tourist attractions, such as the Mothman Museum in Point Pleasant. Stories and other popular fiction were sold as novelty holotape recordings.
Ultimately, the interest in the Mothman was generally unserious and not seen as worthy of genuine scientific inquiry by the scientific community.KMAX Transmission terminal entries; KMAX Talk Radio show notes, The Conspiracy While the legend of the Mothman was seen as a simple folktale, a clandestine following of the creature emerged in secret. The mysterious Cult of the Mothman, its followers fervent in their worship of the Mothman as a divine being, practiced numerous rituals and established numerous hidden shrines that can still be found all over post-War Appalachia. 
As the nuclear holocaust loomed on the horizon, the cult attempted to summon the creature to benefit from its cosmic wisdom and earn protection from the nuclear fire soon to rain from the skies.Sermon: Summoning the Mothman The summoning was complete on October 22, 2077, and visible to just one of their number, Brother Charles, who immediately shared the wisdom he received, speaking of floods to come on the following day. The faithful took it as a signal to gather on the rooftops to avoid the destruction and give praise to the Mothman.Sermon: Impending doom
===Ogua===
A massive turtle-like creature, the Ogua has deep set eyes and a large, hooked beak. Its shell resembles a cragged, spikey boulder. The Cult of the Mothman are interested in procuring its blood for sacrificial purposes.A worthy sacrifice It appears as the event boss during Beasts of Burden, as well as in assault-type random encounters.
===Sasquatch===
The sasquatch, though more commonly referred to as "bigfoot," is said to be a hairy, upright-walking, ape-like creature that dwells in the wilderness and leaves footprints. Depictions often portray them as a missing link between humans and human ancestors or other great apes. They are strongly associated with the Pacific Northwest (particularly Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia), and individuals claim to see the creatures across North America. The sasquatch would continue to be a prevalent cryptid in popular culture until the start of the Great War, with some magazines even proclaiming titles such as Hardy as a Sasquatch.
===Sheepsquatch===
===Skinwalker===
A skinwalker is a type of witch creature from Navajo culture that has the ability to shapeshift themselves into any animal are often deceitful or sneaky. The word in Navajo for a skinwalker is yee naaldlooshii and a corrupted form this word (yee nad loo shee) is shouted in frustration by Dead Horses tribals when losing track of a person.Language of the Dead Horses
===Snallygaster===
===Squonk===
===Veggieman===
===Wendigo===
===Yeti===
==Notes==
After completing Volare! and raising the crashed B-29 out of the water, Mr. New Vegas will air a segment on Radio New Vegas about locals having seen a large "object or creature" surfacing on Lake Mead, and that it has been dubbed "The Lake Mead Monster."Mr. New Vegas: "Witnesses report a huge object or creature surfacing in Lake Mead. So far, photos of the so-called Lake Mead Monster are grainy and underexposed."(Mr. New Vegas' dialogue)
==References==
Category:Fallout mentioned-only creatures
Category:Fallout 2 creatures
Category:Fallout 3 creatures
Category:Fallout: New Vegas creatures
Category:Nuka-World creatures