shapeshifters

A small red creature with a huge mouth and suckers on its hands and feet, the Yara-ma-yha-who drops from fig trees onto travelers, drains their blood through its suckers, swallows them whole, and regurgitates them alive but shorter. Repeated attacks transform victims into Yara-ma-yha-who themselves.

In Zanzibar and Tanzania, when darkness falls, people fear the Popobawa—a shape-shifting demon with bat wings, one eye, and a horrifying habit of sexually assaulting sleeping victims. Those attacked must tell everyone, or it returns. Mass panics grip entire regions when Popobawa is active.

White and black with blood-red eyes, the Impundulu is a bird the size of a human that can summon lightning, drink blood like a vampire, and serve as a witch's familiar—but with a terrible price. It demands blood, turns on masters, and shapeshifts into attractive humans to seduce and drain victims.

By day, she's a beautiful woman. By night, her torso detaches at the waist, sprouts bat wings, and flies through the dark hunting pregnant women. Her long proboscis-like tongue extends through roofs to suck fetuses from wombs. The Manananggal is the Philippines' most terrifying vampire.

Beautiful beyond compare, she appears at gatherings and crossroads, drawing men with her irresistible allure. But those who look down see not feet, but deer hooves. She punishes unfaithful men, those who disrespect women, and those who abandon families—trampling them to death or driving them mad with obsession.

In Navajo tradition, the Yee Naaldlooshii—'the one who walks on all fours'—is a witch who has gained the power to transform into animals by wearing their skins. They are practitioners of the highest evil, breaking sacred taboos to gain terrible power. This topic is rarely discussed, even among the Diné, for fear of drawing their attention.

A beautiful black horse stands by the Scottish loch, its mane dripping with water. It seems gentle, perfect for riding. But climb on its back, and you're trapped—your hands stick to its flesh as it plunges into the depths, drowning you while you scream for help that will never come.

Dwelling in cemeteries and ruins, the Ghoul is a shapeshifting demon that devours the dead, lures travelers to their doom, and consumes human flesh with insatiable hunger. By day, a corpse. By night, a monster that digs up graves and hunts the living.

With nine tails and the ability to transform into a beautiful woman, the Gumiho is Korea's most seductive and deadly monster. Unlike her Chinese and Japanese cousins, the Gumiho is almost always evil—she seduces men, then rips out their hearts or livers to consume their life force.

Every person is born with a spirit animal companion—a Nahual—that shares their soul. Powerful shamans can transform into their Nahual at will, becoming jaguars, eagles, or serpents. But harm the Nahual, and the human dies too. They are one soul in two bodies.

She appears as a beautiful woman, a hideous crone, or a crow on the battlefield. The Morrígan is goddess, prophet, and shape-shifter—she determines who lives and who dies in battle, washing the armor of those doomed to fall. She is sovereignty, she is fate, and she is unstoppable.

Part man, part tree, part beast—the Leshy is the guardian spirit of the Russian forest. He can appear as a peasant, a towering giant, or a wolf. He protects animals, confuses travelers, and punishes those who disrespect the woods. Cross him, and you'll wander lost forever.

A beautiful white horse appears by the water's edge, so gentle and tame. But if you climb on its back, it will plunge into the depths and drown you—for the Nøkk is no horse at all, but a deadly water spirit that hungers for human souls.

Cunning, deceptive, and insatiably cruel, the Rakshasa walk among us, their true forms hidden beneath veils of illusion.

The Selkies, enigmatic and tragic, walk the line between sea and shore, yearning for the world they left behind.

Neither fully beast nor fully human, the Huli Jing is a shape-shifting fox spirit that can seduce scholars, drain life force, or grant enlightenment. With each tail it grows, it gains a century of power.

In South America’s forests, mountains, and rivers, mysterious beings guard sacred places and challenge those who wander too boldly into their realms.

In the shadowed forests of Japan, the Jorogumo spins webs both seen and unseen, luring the unwary with beauty, music, and deadly intent.

In Ireland’s misty hills and shadowed forests, clever tricksters and ominous beings dwell unseen. From eerie cries in the night to glimmers of hidden gold, the land holds secrets for those who dare to look closer.

Step carefully under the torii gates, for the Kitsune are watching. These cunning fox spirits weave illusions, test the greedy, and vanish into the mist—unless they wish to be seen.

Under moonlit skies and ancient trees, Philippine monsters stir—shapeshifters, guardians, and spirits who watch from the shadows.

In the dense jungles and quiet villages of Indonesia, spirits and monsters stir—some to guard, others to haunt. Enter a world where every shadow holds a secret.

The Adze, a vampiric entity from West African folklore, is as elusive as it is deadly, slipping through cracks and shadows in search of blood.

In the shadowed forests and misty peaks of Japan, mythical creatures like Tengu, Oni, and Kitsune roam, guarding their realms and challenging the unwary.