Benjamin Clayborne
Auror
Humans are the best monsters. ;-)
-
Welcome to the Fantasy Writing Forums. Register Now to join us!
Monsters, and other things that inhabit your worlds
- Thread starter Draconian
- Start date
Johnny Cosmo
Inkling
I couldn't agree more. I've neglected mythical creatures and monsters, in favour of threats that are more relatable. I do intend to include beasts inspired my mythology, but my characters will face far greater problems in other humans.
Benjamin Clayborne
Auror
Although as far as creative monsters go, I really like the Malices from Bujold's "Sharing Knife" novels. Very creative kind of destructive evil. (I highly recommend everything by Bujold.)
KingArthur
Dreamer
I've create a creature that i thought was so unique i had to build a story around it. They're called Kae and are created from the idea of conflict. While there skin is ash colored they're eyes are silver and the see in shades of silver. they're eyes are also attracted to metal with hair that is silver and claw tipped fingers and toes. I think being created from conflict makes them interesting because they don't act like any other creature they are conflict embodied and the act as such and that's all, no pretenses, no mercy, no shame.
- Thread starter
- #45
Draconian
Dreamer
Hey this thread has gotten huge since I started. I made a new creature in my world, beings made of equal light and darkness but later these creatures split apart in two( beings of darkness and beings of light). I won't tell anymore about them because I don't want to spoil my story.
What do you mean by the words "light" and "darkness"? In a physical sense darkness is the absence of light. So beings of both could be patterned. Or they are a little bright, but not too much.
So when they split do you have shining white creatures and pure black ones?
Or did you put some further meaning in the words "light" and "darkness"?
- Thread starter
- #47
Draconian
Dreamer
That is what makes it interesting. Do I mean literal or metaphorically?
sashamerideth
Maester
Dark, can also be the absorption of light.
DameiThiessen
Minstrel
Creatures in my story are either "creatures created when a demon inhabits a physical body" or "soulless idol created by a sorcerer". So monsters are either conscious creatures with animalistic drives or a puppet created and used by a sorcerer.
Montana! Im from Mt. You should include some small snippet about Butte. I have a lot of different creatures and races more than I care to write down right now. Suffice it to say I have all the usual elves, dwarves, demons, dragons and the rest. Though they each have their own twists making some very unique, as unique as possible, and others with only minor differences. Along with the usual I have three races that I invented. Then I have a whole series of mythological supernatural godlike creatures in the mythology I wrote. You know I have to say the part I like the most is creating the cultures and traditions that go along with each race that I create. I think that is where my creatures become truly unique not in their physical appearance but in their culture, or their world view.
Whytemanga
Dreamer
Mnn...
It just seems like, "My elves are an inch taller, and orange."
The twists are more like tweaks, so when we get a mini-arc that introduces the "new" creature/race, well, we've been there and done that.
Only now, instead of "they're as tall as a human" we have, "they are an inch taller than a human," and instead of, "pale skinned," we get, "orange skinned." Besides that, barely anything else is notably different. Besides that, nothing else has any real wonder waiting for me to discover, document, fear, or love.
Wanna keep that audience guessing. Rarely ever want that audience to guess right--unless it's part of a ploy to have 'em guess wrong later, and so on.
Fantasy, to me, is when a book fills me full of childish wonder; be it a new creature, an object that does something it normally doesn't, a battle tactic I've never thought about before...
Use the old tropes if you want, but don't expect 90% of your audience to be filled with any sort of wondrous feeling if you do. Not unless they've got a pretty wondrous secret up their scales.
Seriously, entire portions of plot in the greatest books are carried by the flavouring of a NEW culture, NEW species, NEW way of looking at something. If you combine a two things you've seen before, chances are, everyone else has seen 'em too, and to see 'em both in one thing pro'lly ain't much of a "twist". We're looking for, "things you'd never see, not even in your dreams." which literally means, things you'd never see. Not even in your dreams.
I just don't wanna read a real boring section of an otherwise really good book!
It just seems like, "My elves are an inch taller, and orange."
The twists are more like tweaks, so when we get a mini-arc that introduces the "new" creature/race, well, we've been there and done that.
Only now, instead of "they're as tall as a human" we have, "they are an inch taller than a human," and instead of, "pale skinned," we get, "orange skinned." Besides that, barely anything else is notably different. Besides that, nothing else has any real wonder waiting for me to discover, document, fear, or love.
Wanna keep that audience guessing. Rarely ever want that audience to guess right--unless it's part of a ploy to have 'em guess wrong later, and so on.
Fantasy, to me, is when a book fills me full of childish wonder; be it a new creature, an object that does something it normally doesn't, a battle tactic I've never thought about before...
Use the old tropes if you want, but don't expect 90% of your audience to be filled with any sort of wondrous feeling if you do. Not unless they've got a pretty wondrous secret up their scales.
Seriously, entire portions of plot in the greatest books are carried by the flavouring of a NEW culture, NEW species, NEW way of looking at something. If you combine a two things you've seen before, chances are, everyone else has seen 'em too, and to see 'em both in one thing pro'lly ain't much of a "twist". We're looking for, "things you'd never see, not even in your dreams." which literally means, things you'd never see. Not even in your dreams.
I just don't wanna read a real boring section of an otherwise really good book!
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #52
Draconian
Dreamer
Hey thanks for the advice I think I have an idea of a new species, I will take this advice to heart.
My story has its share of supernatural beings. There are seven demon lords, who I refer to (behind the scenes) as the "distorted demons." They were all released from Hell at the same time and in the same place. As a result, they shared a body, each owning a different section of the body. The body parts split and grew into monstrous forms (except for the demon presiding over the sin of "sloth." He was too lazy to change his form, so he is merely a mustard yellow, hundred-yard-wide floating eye). The "lust" demon is the most disturbing.
I also have several demon children--creatures born of lust and one other sin. The form, including gender, is determined by the specific combination of sins. (Succubi are products of lust and gluttony, imps are products of lust and pride, etc.) Not all of them are inherently evil. As long as the concept of "fallen angels" is plausible, I figure demon children are capable of defying "their nature" (or their parents) as well.
Angels are more human-like, but they are far from perfect. My archangel character tries a little too hard to fit in with macho warrior-types, while the cherub is so far removed from humanity that her naked body is as bald and anatomically-incorrect as a department store mannequin.
Human villains aren't evil just for the sake of being evil. They usually have some grand plan, and more fallibility than they can admit to. Both my main hero and my main villain are capable of screwing up all their hard work in one deft move.
I also have several demon children--creatures born of lust and one other sin. The form, including gender, is determined by the specific combination of sins. (Succubi are products of lust and gluttony, imps are products of lust and pride, etc.) Not all of them are inherently evil. As long as the concept of "fallen angels" is plausible, I figure demon children are capable of defying "their nature" (or their parents) as well.
Angels are more human-like, but they are far from perfect. My archangel character tries a little too hard to fit in with macho warrior-types, while the cherub is so far removed from humanity that her naked body is as bald and anatomically-incorrect as a department store mannequin.
But I have to agree with ^.
Human villains aren't evil just for the sake of being evil. They usually have some grand plan, and more fallibility than they can admit to. Both my main hero and my main villain are capable of screwing up all their hard work in one deft move.
I did create an ecosystem for my country, but it doesn't feature any particularly magical creatures. I tried to flush out rare and unusual creatures from the world and from prehistoric times, as well as combine creatures in places that seemed natural to me. For example, there's a weasel with thin flaps along the side to glide like a flying squirrel or a sugar glider. Everything in this habitat is distinctly different in an effort to make the world "feel" magical without actually muddling the setting with more magic than is required for the plot. And since the people here originally came from somewhere else, they brought a handful of the "mundane" animals like horses with them. The same is also true for the plant life and their farming systems, and it's all relevant because the main character is something pretty close to a farmer.
While I'm still flushing out the races of the world a little bit, there are "groups" of several of the people-like races that share similar traits within the group. I've also done things like combine Ogres, Orcs and Trolls as the progressive life cycle of a single race, while adding other creatures to round out a group of races. There are elves and dwarves, but they're distant allies who have little place in the country.
In short, I'm hoping at times to be different without making things bizarre, unless I need to for the story I'm telling. The land has an origin-story focused on two or three distinct new races (the third has only a really tiny role). By the point that story is told, I think the reader will be intrigued enough to care about the new races involved. That's especially true, I think, because I didn't have to stop and explain the non-orc creature who fills that same insignificant orc role in the world.
While I'm still flushing out the races of the world a little bit, there are "groups" of several of the people-like races that share similar traits within the group. I've also done things like combine Ogres, Orcs and Trolls as the progressive life cycle of a single race, while adding other creatures to round out a group of races. There are elves and dwarves, but they're distant allies who have little place in the country.
In short, I'm hoping at times to be different without making things bizarre, unless I need to for the story I'm telling. The land has an origin-story focused on two or three distinct new races (the third has only a really tiny role). By the point that story is told, I think the reader will be intrigued enough to care about the new races involved. That's especially true, I think, because I didn't have to stop and explain the non-orc creature who fills that same insignificant orc role in the world.
Last edited:
Terra Arkay
Minstrel
I do a little research before I decide on creating a living thing. For example I've got this one race of people, they're sort of like a mix between orcs, goblins, ogres and trolls. I try to think up of unique ideas, so far I've got a wooly stegosaurus that's yet to be named 
Jabrosky
Banned
My current conworld has prehistoric fauna such as dinosaurs, mammoths, saber-toothed cats, and pterosaurs. Prehistory is a veritable treasure trove of strange and fearsome monsters!
In my world there's a type of energy that gives rise to elemental powers, better physique, and intellect. Animals with access to this energy will be filling the role of monsters. Though I think it would be cool to take an already powerful and magical creature like a dragon, and give it this energy.
ThalaeaAithusia
Acolyte
I like to take a particularly rotten human vice, and then personify it. I then "tweak" until I have a creature that is nothing like anything we see in our world...you can get some pretty gruesome monsters than way. For the "good creature" type things, I like to personify something really good and then embellish whatever I get.
I have other methods, but this one is particularly productive...
-Thalaea
I have other methods, but this one is particularly productive...
-Thalaea
The Striga and the Strigoi
(based on Slavic and Romanian mythology)
A person can be born with two souls. She usually has no idea of this, and only Gypsy scrying can reveal his (if the scryer desires to tell the person the truth). This person who has two souls is called Striga (used for feminine and masculine). When baptized, only one of the souls of the Striga is baptized. When the Striga dies, the baptized soul will leave the body and go to wait for judgement at the end of its days, but the other soul will remain in the body. After 40 days, the burried Striga awakens as Strigoi.
The body of the Strigoi remains in the ground where it is burried. At night, a malevolent, warped, beast-like spirit will manifest above the ground at the spot where the Strigoi is buried. This spirit is material, can be hurt and can hurt others. It will go berserk, confused by its awakening - the second soul of the Strigoi has lost all memories of who it was and what it is and follows only bestial instincts, preying on the flesh and blood of animals and mortal men.
If a brave warrior decides to take down the Strigoi, she must be warned that defeating the spirit form of the unholy creature is of no use - it will manifest the next night, if not the same. Using crosses and holy words will not turn the beast away - it has already been baptized and wards off all attepmpts to be turned from a priest. The only way to defeat it is to find its corpse during daytime. The Strigoi will not be able to manifest, but it will try to chase the hunters away with psychic shriek. The grave must be opened but the body should not be removed from it or this will allow the Strigoi to venture into the wilderness, becoming a Bukavac or Vrkolak or something worse. The body should be anointed with goose oil boiled at St Ignatiu's day. The head must be cut and turned backwards, looking directly towards the ground so that when the Strigoi will wake up at night its soul will go directly into hell. It will try to manifest, but the goose oil will not allow its soul to leave the corpse. It will cry three times the names of the hunters who did this to it and if they hear this call, their souls will be dragged to Hell with it.
(based on Slavic and Romanian mythology)
A person can be born with two souls. She usually has no idea of this, and only Gypsy scrying can reveal his (if the scryer desires to tell the person the truth). This person who has two souls is called Striga (used for feminine and masculine). When baptized, only one of the souls of the Striga is baptized. When the Striga dies, the baptized soul will leave the body and go to wait for judgement at the end of its days, but the other soul will remain in the body. After 40 days, the burried Striga awakens as Strigoi.
The body of the Strigoi remains in the ground where it is burried. At night, a malevolent, warped, beast-like spirit will manifest above the ground at the spot where the Strigoi is buried. This spirit is material, can be hurt and can hurt others. It will go berserk, confused by its awakening - the second soul of the Strigoi has lost all memories of who it was and what it is and follows only bestial instincts, preying on the flesh and blood of animals and mortal men.
If a brave warrior decides to take down the Strigoi, she must be warned that defeating the spirit form of the unholy creature is of no use - it will manifest the next night, if not the same. Using crosses and holy words will not turn the beast away - it has already been baptized and wards off all attepmpts to be turned from a priest. The only way to defeat it is to find its corpse during daytime. The Strigoi will not be able to manifest, but it will try to chase the hunters away with psychic shriek. The grave must be opened but the body should not be removed from it or this will allow the Strigoi to venture into the wilderness, becoming a Bukavac or Vrkolak or something worse. The body should be anointed with goose oil boiled at St Ignatiu's day. The head must be cut and turned backwards, looking directly towards the ground so that when the Strigoi will wake up at night its soul will go directly into hell. It will try to manifest, but the goose oil will not allow its soul to leave the corpse. It will cry three times the names of the hunters who did this to it and if they hear this call, their souls will be dragged to Hell with it.
The Grey Sage
Troubadour
My suggestion is: MAKE YOUR OWN along with using other established ones.
Personally I have made 8 species in addition to the 4 normal ones I use. This has given me more freedom and uniqueness while still connecting with audiences who want the 'norm'. Also with less common species it involves people more, they want to learn about this species and how it works into your story. And by make a NEW species, I'm not saying make a human w/ four arms or make a fish with tiger eyes and jello for brains, nothing stupid or miniscule. That's the basics o being original with species.
Personally I have made 8 species in addition to the 4 normal ones I use. This has given me more freedom and uniqueness while still connecting with audiences who want the 'norm'. Also with less common species it involves people more, they want to learn about this species and how it works into your story. And by make a NEW species, I'm not saying make a human w/ four arms or make a fish with tiger eyes and jello for brains, nothing stupid or miniscule. That's the basics o being original with species.
Similar threads
