PDA

View Full Version : Help me create authentic sounding mythical creatures



moonfly7
2020-09-22, 09:20 AM
I'm working on more mythical creatures for my homebrew system and game(By more I mean more than the vast list of real myhical creatures that actually exist), which I will be as vague as possible about so as to get legitimately unbiased responses. I need some ideas for things that sound they could be mythical/legendary creatures. To kick start us I have a few names without any idea what the creatures are. if you could come up with suggestions that would be awesome.

Sulfrights:

Culfurs:

Lornwiles:



Any help is appreciated, thanks!

Xervous
2020-09-22, 09:23 AM
Are all those supposed to be listed as possessive X’s rather than plural Xs?

Celestia
2020-09-22, 10:00 AM
Just put two or more random animals together, and you're good! That's what the real people did.

moonfly7
2020-09-22, 10:36 AM
Are all those supposed to be listed as possessive X’s rather than plural Xs?

No they're meant to be plural. sorry. Stupid me thinks that Aesthetically, the 's is more visually pleasing so I use it on accident when a normal s is required.

EdokTheTwitch
2020-09-22, 11:18 AM
Sulfrights sound like undead that pop up after a fire to me. Sulphur Frights. I see them as half-burnt beasts that leave fiery footprints where they pass, use screeches of someone on fire to unnerve, and their bite/claw/other body part attacks deal ongoing burning damage to targets.

Culfurs could be an exceedingly agressive (possibly magically enchanced) packs of wolves (the Culling Furs) that have a seemingly endless apetite, and usually attack an area until they completely depopulate (cull) all prey species, before moving on. I imagine them as pack hunters, relying on howls and magically produced darkness to corral their prey.

Lornwiles (from folorn, lonely, abandoned), could be a stray type of critter, that usually travels alone and steals, similar to those monkies in temples across asia. Probably also looks really sad, to lure unsuspecting "victims"

Mr.Sandman
2020-09-22, 11:42 AM
Sulfrights: Sulfrights and Culfurs are both heavily connected, and the reason why most of the Hells smell rotten or bad in some way. Sulfrights are a lesser devil, an incorporial, oozing mass of some of the worst sulfur based smells in existence, mostly rotten eggs and garlic. Sulfrights are surrounded by an aura of disgust that spreads to any hit with their attacks.

Culfurs: Culfers, also known as Hell Skunks, are massive skunks that can grow as large as bears. Their fur is filled with brimstone, which they produce like dandruff, and they are often on fire due to it. With 'breath' weapons fired out of both ends, the adventuring group that chooses to flank one are either very brave, or very stupid.

Lornwiles: Lornwiles are a lesser Fey that feeds on the happiness of children. Finding a lonely target they torment the poor victim, making them think they will never be able to make friends and sabotaging any attempts. Many rivalries and hatreds that start in childhood are the result of a Lornwiles meddling, and a nest of them can make a town a festering pool of hate in a single generation.

Crazyfailure13
2020-09-22, 01:28 PM
Sulfrights: some believe that the masses of demons in the abyss are frightful for their power or legion, but that isn't the real thing to fear. These creature indulge in slaughter, and those victims return as the looming Sulfrights, undead infected by the stench of the abyss. Sulfrights weep and moan the last fears and dying words of their mortal lives, all the while releasing a poisonous sulfer aura. This aura is noticable long before the creature, draining prey as it attempts to draw it further into it's clutches with screams. Close up the undead appears as it did in life, however in far more pristine condition. The foul magic gets rid of any damage the corpse had on creation, leaving only the appearance of a deep flush from extended physical exertion.

MrStabby
2020-09-22, 05:54 PM
Sulfrights: An etymological corruption of hullwrights, these spectral creatures are the ghosts of the shipbuilders of Lorne. Their ships, wonderous works are atristry are their loves and when one of them sinks they are bound by that love to seek it and to mourn it's loss. Some Sulfrights turn not to grief but to anger and as they stalk the seas seeking their lost creations they bring havoc and destruction down on other sailors. Tales of Sulphrights are told in all the major port cities and superstitious or just plain wise sailors often refuse to venture out after a storm.

Culfurs: A culfur is well known as a hazard of travel in the highlands of Skarn or in the deep underground caverns and mines of the New World. These michivious rock spirits are not malevolent, but rather fiercely protective of their lands. Much like a dryad is a spirit associated with a tree, a Culfur is associated with a rich gem or other precious stone burried deep within the earth. They are the bane of miners who delve deep as they will attack anyone who approaches their bound gem. Some cultures particularly prize the living gems that remain home to the Culfurs and can cut the gems in such a way as to bind the Culfur to the will of the bearer.

Lornwiles: Children born of hags are often bartered, exchanged or simply eaten. Occasionally a hag will bear a child as the price of a pact with a devil. Such a creature is called a lornwile. Once in a generation such a hagspawn might be bargained for. Such creatures are the product of a contract and are contract bound by their nature; devoid of free will they feel compelled to complete their alloted task. Despite their lack of free will they are not unintelligent and are fully aware of both their herritage, their purpose and the nature of the contract they are part of. A lornwile typically looks much like an average human but with a sorrowful gaze and a wan smile. These sorrowful, twisted creatures are well versed in the sorcery of their hag anteceedent but also able to draw upon the power of their infernal herritage and are known to make powerful enchanters, diviners, and assassins.

Biffoniacus_Furiou
2020-09-22, 07:21 PM
The old man had promised to bless the bodies of the dead. They'd already been burned to avoid attracting any necrophages, but the Temerian soldiers stood by just in case. The few workers were spreading the charred bones across the ground as the old man instructed as he limped by sprinkling sulfur upon any skulls he found and muttering some sort of incantation. Had there been a witcher around to hear his words they would have known to stop him before it was too late. Once he reached the center he rubbed sulfur upon his own head as he spoke the final words and set himself alight. The fire consumed his flesh in an instant, his eyes boiled from their sockets and he screamed as his burning skull rose into the air, the hundreds of charred skulls rising to meet it as they too ignited. The vengeful old fool had become a Sulfright, burning away the flesh of the soldiers and workers and gathering their skulls into its terrifying form, then heading toward the nearest city....

Crazyfailure13
2020-09-22, 09:03 PM
Lornwiles:
While all mortals have some chance to become undead upon violent or traumatic death, the way one lived can determine what they become. Lornwiles are a type of wandering phantom born from daring thieves whose lives were cut short during a big heist. These phantoms are as untied as they were in life held to the mortal plane by the regret of not getting that big score. To that end Lornwiles typically inhabit large cities binding themselves to one affleunt noble or another.

The one with a bound Lornwile finds their possessions slowing start disappearing, beginning with petty trinkets and culminating in their most valued goods. Goods taken by a Lornwile are mostly dissolved, it's touch tarnishes metals and erodes biodegradables almost seeming to feed off the value. This process continues until the bound is driven to poverty, at which point the Lornwile will pick a new mark.

Young Lornwiles don't typically keep a lair or hoard but may have a few small untarnished magic items on them. Older Lornwiles who have hit far greater marks will typicall establish a lair, usually in a unused cave beneath the city they inhabit. These lairs are usually home to tarnished furnitures and amenites as well as some of the creatures greatest trophies.

Lornwiles are dangerous in combat because they still have a glint of the roguish instinct they had in life, despite lacking true intelligence or memory. Their habits also trick many adventurers into thinking they are dealing with some tricky feyling, causing a number of fools to bring cold iron instead of a ghost touch enchantment. Lornwiles also have a tendency to flee easily, many long before any true damage has been done, meaning finding it's lair is often a necessity. Lornwiles will not flee if you manage to get ahold of one of it's past trophies.

moonfly7
2020-09-24, 01:00 PM
Sulfrights sound like undead that pop up after a fire to me. Sulphur Frights. I see them as half-burnt beasts that leave fiery footprints where they pass, use screeches of someone on fire to unnerve, and their bite/claw/other body part attacks deal ongoing burning damage to targets.

Culfurs could be an exceedingly agressive (possibly magically enchanced) packs of wolves (the Culling Furs) that have a seemingly endless apetite, and usually attack an area until they completely depopulate (cull) all prey species, before moving on. I imagine them as pack hunters, relying on howls and magically produced darkness to corral their prey.

Lornwiles (from folorn, lonely, abandoned), could be a stray type of critter, that usually travels alone and steals, similar to those monkies in temples across asia. Probably also looks really sad, to lure unsuspecting "victims"


Sulfrights: Sulfrights and Culfurs are both heavily connected, and the reason why most of the Hells smell rotten or bad in some way. Sulfrights are a lesser devil, an incorporial, oozing mass of some of the worst sulfur based smells in existence, mostly rotten eggs and garlic. Sulfrights are surrounded by an aura of disgust that spreads to any hit with their attacks.

Culfurs: Culfers, also known as Hell Skunks, are massive skunks that can grow as large as bears. Their fur is filled with brimstone, which they produce like dandruff, and they are often on fire due to it. With 'breath' weapons fired out of both ends, the adventuring group that chooses to flank one are either very brave, or very stupid.

Lornwiles: Lornwiles are a lesser Fey that feeds on the happiness of children. Finding a lonely target they torment the poor victim, making them think they will never be able to make friends and sabotaging any attempts. Many rivalries and hatreds that start in childhood are the result of a Lornwiles meddling, and a nest of them can make a town a festering pool of hate in a single generation.


Sulfrights: some believe that the masses of demons in the abyss are frightful for their power or legion, but that isn't the real thing to fear. These creature indulge in slaughter, and those victims return as the looming Sulfrights, undead infected by the stench of the abyss. Sulfrights weep and moan the last fears and dying words of their mortal lives, all the while releasing a poisonous sulfer aura. This aura is noticable long before the creature, draining prey as it attempts to draw it further into it's clutches with screams. Close up the undead appears as it did in life, however in far more pristine condition. The foul magic gets rid of any damage the corpse had on creation, leaving only the appearance of a deep flush from extended physical exertion.


Sulfrights: An etymological corruption of hullwrights, these spectral creatures are the ghosts of the shipbuilders of Lorne. Their ships, wonderous works are atristry are their loves and when one of them sinks they are bound by that love to seek it and to mourn it's loss. Some Sulfrights turn not to grief but to anger and as they stalk the seas seeking their lost creations they bring havoc and destruction down on other sailors. Tales of Sulphrights are told in all the major port cities and superstitious or just plain wise sailors often refuse to venture out after a storm.

Culfurs: A culfur is well known as a hazard of travel in the highlands of Skarn or in the deep underground caverns and mines of the New World. These michivious rock spirits are not malevolent, but rather fiercely protective of their lands. Much like a dryad is a spirit associated with a tree, a Culfur is associated with a rich gem or other precious stone burried deep within the earth. They are the bane of miners who delve deep as they will attack anyone who approaches their bound gem. Some cultures particularly prize the living gems that remain home to the Culfurs and can cut the gems in such a way as to bind the Culfur to the will of the bearer.

Lornwiles: Children born of hags are often bartered, exchanged or simply eaten. Occasionally a hag will bear a child as the price of a pact with a devil. Such a creature is called a lornwile. Once in a generation such a hagspawn might be bargained for. Such creatures are the product of a contract and are contract bound by their nature; devoid of free will they feel compelled to complete their alloted task. Despite their lack of free will they are not unintelligent and are fully aware of both their herritage, their purpose and the nature of the contract they are part of. A lornwile typically looks much like an average human but with a sorrowful gaze and a wan smile. These sorrowful, twisted creatures are well versed in the sorcery of their hag anteceedent but also able to draw upon the power of their infernal herritage and are known to make powerful enchanters, diviners, and assassins.


The old man had promised to bless the bodies of the dead. They'd already been burned to avoid attracting any necrophages, but the Temerian soldiers stood by just in case. The few workers were spreading the charred bones across the ground as the old man instructed as he limped by sprinkling sulfur upon any skulls he found and muttering some sort of incantation. Had there been a witcher around to hear his words they would have known to stop him before it was too late. Once he reached the center he rubbed sulfur upon his own head as he spoke the final words and set himself alight. The fire consumed his flesh in an instant, his eyes boiled from their sockets and he screamed as his burning skull rose into the air, the hundreds of charred skulls rising to meet it as they too ignited. The vengeful old fool had become a Sulfright, burning away the flesh of the soldiers and workers and gathering their skulls into its terrifying form, then heading toward the nearest city....


Lornwiles:
While all mortals have some chance to become undead upon violent or traumatic death, the way one lived can determine what they become. Lornwiles are a type of wandering phantom born from daring thieves whose lives were cut short during a big heist. These phantoms are as untied as they were in life held to the mortal plane by the regret of not getting that big score. To that end Lornwiles typically inhabit large cities binding themselves to one affleunt noble or another.

The one with a bound Lornwile finds their possessions slowing start disappearing, beginning with petty trinkets and culminating in their most valued goods. Goods taken by a Lornwile are mostly dissolved, it's touch tarnishes metals and erodes biodegradables almost seeming to feed off the value. This process continues until the bound is driven to poverty, at which point the Lornwile will pick a new mark.

Young Lornwiles don't typically keep a lair or hoard but may have a few small untarnished magic items on them. Older Lornwiles who have hit far greater marks will typicall establish a lair, usually in a unused cave beneath the city they inhabit. These lairs are usually home to tarnished furnitures and amenites as well as some of the creatures greatest trophies.

Lornwiles are dangerous in combat because they still have a glint of the roguish instinct they had in life, despite lacking true intelligence or memory. Their habits also trick many adventurers into thinking they are dealing with some tricky feyling, causing a number of fools to bring cold iron instead of a ghost touch enchantment. Lornwiles also have a tendency to flee easily, many long before any true damage has been done, meaning finding it's lair is often a necessity. Lornwiles will not flee if you manage to get ahold of one of it's past trophies.

Thanks so much to everyone, these are all super awesome! I'll be going with sulphrights as burning zombie things, and culvers as creatures bound to gemstones. I'd like to keep looking for Lornwhiles for now(although the ones so far are all good). Also props to biffonacious for that awesome passage.