Monster

**Monsters** are supernatural predators that prey upon humans.

## **Characteristics**

Often but not always many monster races were once human themselves. Each race has its own particular nature, patterns of behavior, strengths and weaknesses.

Some are savage beasts while others are intelligent, if no less bloodthirsty. While rare, some monsters can resist the urge to kill.

Not all monsters feed on human flesh, some feed on blood, while others feed off of souls or energies from humans. Some monsters don't feed on humans at all, they just kill them outright.

## **Appearance**

Monster races have different appearances, some are hideous in appearance, while others look no different than a normal human. Many races also possess the ability to shapeshift or alter their appearance.

## **Classification**

### **Elite Monsters**

These monsters are of the strongest type, either by being physically stronger than the rest, having very powerful abilities, or by being very hard to kill.

* Asura
* Dragon
* Draugr
* Gigante
* Gorgon
* Hecatonchire
* Jotnar
* Kappa
* Kyklopes
* Oni
* Phoenix
* Shedim
* Shtriga
* Soul Eater
* Tengu
* Yuki-onna

### **Average Monsters**

These monsters are significantly weaker than the Elite Monsters.

* Abiku
* Acheri
* Angiak
* Arachne
* Aswang
* Banshee
* Bearwalker
* Buruburu
* Chupacabra
* Crocotta
* Daeva
* Djinn
* Each-uisge
* El Naddaha
* Ghoul
* Harpy
* Hupia
* Jiangshi
* Kanaima
* Kelpie
* Kitsune
* Kohonta
* Lamia
* Loup-garou
* Mannegishi
* Marid
* Minotaur
* Musca
* Myling
* Nachzehrer
* Nacken
* Nagual
* Nakki
* Nix
* Nokk
* Okami
* Pishacha
* Pishtaco
* Pontianak
* Qareen
* Rakshasa
* Rawhead
* Rugaru
* Rusalka
* Selkie
* Shojo
* Siren
* Skinwalker
* Strigoi
* Strix
* Troll
* Undine
* Vampire
* Vetala
* Vodyanoy
* Vrykolakas
* Wendigo
* Werewolf
* Wraith
* Yama-otoko
* Yeti

## **Hierarchy**

### **Alphas**

Alphas are the first of each monster race. As a result, each one is more powerful than any other member of their race. They are the progenitors of the rest of their race, and as such are the undisputed leaders of their kind. Little is known about their whereabouts and origins.

### **Known Alphas**

* Ambrogio - First Vampire
* Lycaon - First Werewolf
* Ymir - First Jotnar
* Alpha Djinn
* Alpha Wendigo

### **Packs**

Although many monsters are solitary, some, particularly the intelligent ones, form groups or packs, where they live and hunt together. This is not always a definite rule however, as some prefer to live on their own as well.

### **Monsters Known to Form Packs**

* Arachne
* Dragon
* Ghoul
* Harpy
* Jotnar
* Kappa
* Kitsune
* Musca
* Nachzehrer
* Rusalka
* Siren
* Strix
* Troll
* Undine
* Vampire
* Vetala
* Werewolf

## **Creation of Monsters**

Monsters are made in a great variety of ways. While this is not a complete list, it shows some of the more common methods of monster creation.

### **By Other Monsters**

* **By Biting** - Vampires, Werewolves, Loup-garou, Arachnes, and Rugarus can pass their curses by biting a human.
* **By Reproduction** - Kitsunes, Muscas, Vetalas, Each-uisge, Kelpies, Pishachas, Mannegishi, Lamias, Jotnar, Kappas, Okami, Shedim, Yetis, Strixes, Gorgons, Tengus, Crocottas, Skinwalkers, Dragons, Asuras, Chupacabras, Undines, Selkies, and Phoenixes can reproduce with others of their race.
* **By Ingestion** - A significant amount of vampiric blood taken orally after being bitten, will turn a human into a Vampire.
* **By Transfusion** - Introduction and admixture of vampiric blood with a human's blood turns humans into Vampires.

### **Other Methods**

* **By** **Cannibalism** - Eating enough human flesh for a long period of time will turn a human into a Wendigo.
* **By Magic/Curses** - Soul Eaters, Skinwalkers, Naguals, Bearwalkers and Kohontas, are created after being inflicted with a curse or by the use of magic.
* **By Death** - Nachzehrers, Jiangshi, Yuki-onna, Strigoi, Draugar, Vrykolakas, Pontianaks, Rusalki, Angiaks, Mylings, Hupias, Acheri, Buruburus, Oni, Rakshasas, and Shojos are created after a human dies.
* **By Deities** - Gods are able to create monster races, Djinns, Lamias, Hecatonchires, Gorgons, Werewolves, Rakshasas, Shedim, Sirens, Arachnes, and Gigantes, were originally created by a god.

## **Interaction with Humans**

Monsters have hunted men since the beginning of time. Although powerful (at least in the modern era), most monsters preferred to hide from humans or blend into their society, taking great care to avoid detection. Because most of them could assume human form, they could easily pass as a regular human to the untrained eye.

Many monsters targeted isolated locations and communities as their hunting grounds. In some cases, they would attempt to reproduce, in addition to simply hunting men for food.

## **Common Attributes**

Many monster races share traits and attributes:

* **Feeding on Humans** - Most, if not all, monsters feed on humans - either human flesh, blood, certain organs, souls or all four. Only Phoenixes, Jotnar, Chupacabras, Buruburus, Undines, Okami, Acheri, Daevas, Shedim, Qareens, Selkies, Rusalki, Nokken, Bearwalkers, Mannegishi, Nix, Nacken, Mylings, Nakki, Harpies, Wraiths, and Shojos don't seem to feed on humans, they just kill them outright.
* **Non-Human Eyes** - Djinns, Werewolves, Strixes, Arachnes, Naguals, Shedim, Kitsunes, Wendigos, Skinwalkers, Vetalas, Dragons, Tengus, Muscas, Rawheads, Vodyanoy, Minotaurs, Bearwalkers, Pishachas, Kanaimas, Nakki, Rugarus, Selkies, Rakshasas, Kappas, Gorgons, Oni, Pontianaks, Soul Eaters, and Banshees can all be identified by their strange or unusual eyes, though some require certain conditions to be noticed.
* **Claws** - Werewolves, Kitsunes, Acheri, Loup-garou, Strixes, Hupias, Skinwalkers, Naguals, Kohontas, Pontianaks, Shedim, Kappas, Harpies, Tengus, Angiaks, Rawheads, Jiangshi, Bearwalkers, Dragons, Kanaimas, Nakki, Lamias, Rugarus, Wendigos, Rakshasas, Oni, and Okami all have razor sharp claws.
* **Fangs** - Vampires, Nachzehrers, Okami, Strigoi, Hupias, Vrykolakas, Pontianaks, Kappas, Naguals, Undines, Selkies, Acheri, Oni, Loup-garou, Crocottas, Rawheads, Strixes, Shedim, Bearwalkers, Vetalas, Kanaimas, Pishachas, Angiaks, Rugarus, Aswangs, Wendigos, Rakshasas, Skinwalkers, and Kohontas all possess monstrous fangs.
* **Super Strength** - All monsters typically possess some degree of superhuman strength, ranging from just stronger than humans, to being able to lift a man with one hand, throw a man several feet with great effort or none, rip through flesh with some to great ease, or snap steel chains. While some monsters need to exert greater effort to access superhuman strength other more powerful monsters can destroy objects with a light movement or gesture.
* **Invulnerability** - All monsters have a degree of invulnerability, ranging from minimal, low, medium, or advanced.
* **Immortality** - Monsters such as, Vampires, Hupias, Wendigos, Undines, Kohontas, Nachzehrers, Phoenixes, Kitsunes, Gigantes, Yuki-onna, Strixe, Djinns, Jiangshi, El Naddaha, Draugar, Angiaks, Rusalki, Hecatonchires, Qareens, Lamias, Jotnar, Harpies, Sirens, Kappas, Acheri, Strigoi, Pontianaks, Gorgons, Vrykolakas, Rakshasas, Daevas, Crocottas, and Shtrigas possess immortality and will live forever unless killed.
* **Super Speed** - Many monsters are much faster than humans so they can sneak up on humans unnoticed or outrun them in a chase. While weaker monsters seemingly have the speed of the best human athlete, others can move at the speed of certain animals and can easily catch up to humans. Skinwalkers, Rugarus, Werewolves, Vampires, Muscas, Strixes, Kanaimas, Kitsunes, Rawheads, Hupias, Angiaks, Naguals, Crocottas, Acheri, Djinns, Loup-garou, Wendigos, Kohontas, Arachnes, Ghouls, Pishtacos, Dragons, Selkies, and Rakshasas.
* **Shapeshifting** - A common power of many monsters is the ability to change their form. Some, such as , Djinns, Qareens, Nix, Hupias, and Rakshasas can change into whatever they want, while others are more limited. Dragons, Phoenixes, Selkies, Aswangs, Oni, Kitsune, Skinwalkers, Acheri, Naguals, Lamias, Okami, Undines, Shtrigas, Draugar, Kelpies, Bearwalkers, Each-uisge, Loup-garou, Marids, Kanaimas and Crocottas can only change between their true form and a human disguise. Some monsters have certain requirements or limitations to their transformations, such as Werewolves, the only monsters that can't control their ability to transform or Ghouls, which are able to change into anyone, but only if they eat the person's flesh. Sirens are limited to only being able to change into different human forms.

## **Common Weaknesses**

Although there is no universal weakness that applies to all monsters (except for Deities, Angels and Demons) many share weaknesses:

* **Decapitation** - Many monsters can be killed by being beheaded, such as Vampires, Arachnes, Nachzehrers, Ghouls, Skinwalkers, Strixes, Nakki, Mannegishi, Loup-garou, Vrykolakas, Marids, Kanaimas, Chupacabras, Hupias, Satyrs, Naguals, Dragons, Selkies, Strigoi, Werewolves, Gorgons, Nacken, and Rugarus can all be killed with decapitation.
* **Fire** - Monsters such as Wendigos, Rugarus, Jiangshi, Vrykolakas, Harpies, Djinns, and Lamias have a weakness to fire.
* **Silver** - Several monsters are vulnerable to silver, some of these include Werewolves, Skinwalkers, Wraiths, Pishtacos, Kohontas, Gorgons, Loup-garou, Kelpies, El Naddaha, Lamias, and Vetalas can be killed with silver weapons.
* **Iron** - Dragons, Pontianaks, Angiaks, Kelpies, Each-uisge, Hupias, Abikus, Buruburus, Kappas, Shtrigas, Acheri, Phoenixes, Djinns, Strixes, Draugar, and Qareens are vulnerable to iron.
* **Salt** - Few monsters such as Rugarus, Angiaks, Jiangshi, Lamias, Acheri, Aswangs, Buruburus, and Djinn can be repelled with salt.
* **Deities** - Gods can effortlessly annihilate any monster.
* **Angels** - Angels out class all monsters and can easily overpower and kill them.
* **Demons** - Demons generally out class most monsters and overpower them. Higher-tier demons can easily overpower and kill them.
* **Magic** - Certain forms of magic have proven useful in killing various monster species or in some cases, binding them to the caster's will.