Long title, but I don't know how to make it shorter. I'm looking for mythological creatures with bestial aspects that are created from regular human beings being transformed into such a creature. Either by infection, some sort of curse or even willingly accepting the transformation.
The most obvious example would be werewolves, but also wendigos fit the bill, and to a lesser extent vampires (though the connection with bats is actually more modern than the vampire myth itself)
What I'm not looking for are animalistic creatures that have the ability to take on a human form, like selkies and kitsune, but creatures that were once normal human beings and somehow became afflicted with their animalistic state.
zombies
wights
revenants
ghasts
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I'm looking for ones that take on animal aspects (like a werewolf does with wolf-like features, a wendigo with those of a deer etc.)
Therianthropes! (Also "zoothropes" though I like "therian" better.)
Generally speaking, werewolves fall under this category, but are a specific form of the broader trope. I'm on a phone at present, but I recommend searching Google for "Wikipedia" or "TVTropes" plus "Bestial Humans" - can't guarantee results, but those will likely get you started on something useful.
are you asking for RPG monsters or real-life folklore/literature/movie critters?
Sometimes Japanese Yokai are said to have once been human before either dying or doing some immoral/dishonorable action to become a monstrous/animalistic spirit creature. Can't name any off the top of my head at the moment though.
Yeah, the pathfinder Wendigo takes some stylistic visual liberties...
Swanmays?
Various takes on Selkies?
are you asking for RPG monsters or real-life folklore/literature/movie critters?
Any folklore or classic storytelling monster is good.
Yeah, the pathfinder Wendigo takes some stylistic visual liberties...
Swanmays?
Various takes on Selkies?
It is remarkably similar to a lot of wendigo related art i can find online though. But granting that wendigos don't fall under this category, I just need even more others then.
Selkies and Swanmaidens as far as i know about them are not human, but are shapeshifting creatures that can take on a human form.
Sometimes Japanese Yokai are said to have once been human before either dying or doing some immoral/dishonorable action to become a monstrous/animalistic spirit creature. Can't name any off the top of my head at the moment though.
I will look into those, thanks.
are you asking for RPG monsters or real-life folklore/literature/movie critters?Any folklore or classic storytelling monster is good.
Yeah, the pathfinder Wendigo takes some stylistic visual liberties...
Swanmays?
Various takes on Selkies?It is remarkably similar to a lot of wendigo related art i can find online though. But granting that wendigos don't fall under this category, I just need even more others then.
Selkies and Swanmaidens as far as i know about them are not human, but are shapeshifting creatures that can take on a human form.
Sometimes Japanese Yokai are said to have once been human before either dying or doing some immoral/dishonorable action to become a monstrous/animalistic spirit creature. Can't name any off the top of my head at the moment though.I will look into those, thanks.
Yeah I think a lot of wendigo art takes its inspiration from relatively recent movies like The Last Winter and such.
Their is the Win from Mexico. Basically, an evil sorceror who beats the devil in wrestling gets unlimited abilities to shapeshift into any animal, although the animal can always be identified based on it being unusually ugly, performing odd behaviors, or luminous eyes.
There are probably others, but I would need to consult my big list after work.
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Selkies and Swanmaidens as far as i know about them are not human, but are shapeshifting creatures that can take on a human form.
It depends on the version of the story. *shrug*
Yeah, I've heard versions where they were originally humans given an animal shape as part of a wish/curse/spell/etc. as well as versions where they're an animal given a human shape for some reason.
Selkies and Swanmaidens as far as i know about them are not human, but are shapeshifting creatures that can take on a human form.It depends on the version of the story. *shrug*
Yeah, I've heard versions where they were originally humans given an animal shape as part of a wish/curse/spell/etc. as well as versions where they're an animal given a human shape for some reason.
I guess mythology is somewhat malleable, so I'll add them to the list.
I've used Wyfwolves before in some of my stories and games. I'm not sure they have an actual mythological origin, but as I imagine it, they are the antithesis of the werewolf. If the werewolf (were=man, in old German) represents the bestial destructive nature of the "male" energies, then the wyfwolves (wyf=woman in old German) represent the bestial protective nature of the "female" energies
Were and Wyf actually come from old English. But that's an interesting concept, thanks.
I'd recommend the Invunche, from Chilean lore. It's a monster altered from a child into a truly vile... thing, by an evil sorceror.