Greetings, Fellow Adventurers,
It’s another Folklore Friday!
As you know every Friday, we’ll embark on a journey through ancient tales, hidden myths, and mysterious legends that make up the fantasy worlds. Folklore Fridays will dive into the stories that shape the heart of our epic adventures.
So grab your sword, light your lantern, and prepare to journey into realms of fantasy and lore. Who knows what we’ll uncover?
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Your contribution is greatly appreciated. 🙏
THIS WEEK: Mythical Creatures
In your fantasy writing, mythical creatures can serve a wide range of narrative, symbolic, and thematic purposes. They contribute to world-building by helping you create immersive and imaginative settings. These creatures can also be used symbolically, representing ideas, emotions, or moral concepts (think of the phoenix rising from the ashes). They can introduce conflict and danger, creating tension and obstacles for your protagonist. My favorite reason to include them is as companions or guides who aid the protagonist and offer wisdom along their journey.
Let’s begin by exploring some of the types of mythical creatures, along with a few examples. While I’ve left out many creatures, my focus here is primarily on those I found in video games. However, there’s a vast world of mythical creatures to discover across different cultures, ranging from ancient Greek to Japanese mythology.
Types of Mythical Creatures:
🐉 Legendary Beasts
Dragon – Serpentine or reptilian creature found in many cultures
Griffin – Body of a lion, head and wings of an eagle.
Phoenix – Immortal bird that is reborn from its ashes.
Chimera – Fire-breathing hybrid with the head of a lion, goat, and a serpent tail.
Hydra – Multi-headed serpent; cutting off one head causes two more to grow.
Image: The Chimera from Dragon’s Dogma
🧚 Fey & Magical Beings
Fairy – Small humanoid creatures with magical powers, often winged.
Elf – Tall, magical beings with pointed ears, often wise or mischievous.
Dryad – Tree spirit or nymph connected to forests.
Banshee – Irish spirit whose wail foretells death.
Image: Fae from Kingdoms of Amalur Reckoning
🧌 Giants, Trolls & Monsters
Cyclops – One-eyed giant from Greek mythology.
Ogre – Large, brutish humanoid known for eating humans.
Troll – Often depicted as large, dim-witted, and living under bridges or in caves.
Giant – Beings of immense size and strength.
Image: Ogre from God of War Ragnarök
🐴 Mythical Mounts & Steeds
Pegasus – Winged horse.
Unicorn – Horse-like creature with a single horn, symbolizing purity.
Kelpie – Shape-shifting water horse that lures people to drown.
Hippogriff – Half-horse, half-eagle hybrid.
Image: Chocobo Mount from Final Fantasy
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Mythical Creatures in Video Games:
Dragons are classic creatures in many myths, often representing great power and danger. In games, they often serve as formidable bosses or epic challenges that test the player's skills. The thrill of battling a dragon combines the mythical awe of these creatures with the intensity of high-stakes gameplay. The sense of accomplishment after defeating a dragon can feel like a monumental achievement.
EX: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Dark Souls, Dragon Age to name a few.
The Chimera’s hybrid nature makes it an ideal creature for games, where players are often faced with multi-phase battles. With its lion head, goat body, and snake tail, the Chimera becomes a puzzle to defeat, players must adapt to its unpredictable attack patterns. It embodies the concept of monstrous creation and chaos.
EX: Final Fantasy, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, and Dragons Dogma I and II
The Minotaur represents an ancient, labyrinthine challenge. In many games, this creature often resides in mazes or dungeons, serving as a test of both the player’s skill and ability to navigate complex environments. The Minotaur's terrifying presence emphasizes themes of isolation and overcoming obstacles.
EX: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, World of Warcraft (Tauren)
Valkyries, warriors from Norse mythology, are often depicted as powerful female figures who decide the fate of warriors. In games like God of War, they are formidable bosses that embody the fury and justice of the gods. These characters add a deep sense of honor and destiny to the narrative, and their inclusion enhances the game's themes of conflict, strength, and fate.
EX: God of War
Their fantastical designs grab players' attention and draw them into the world, and they often carry deeper meanings or reflect the protagonist’s journey, giving them narrative weight. Many mythical creatures are strong, difficult to defeat, or present challenges that test the player's abilities, making them ideal for gameplay mechanics. Some are rooted in rich traditions, and enhance world-building, making the game world feel more alive and connected to our cultural history.
You can apply this same concept to your writing. Just like in video games, mythical creatures can add layers of depth and meaning to your narrative. For me, video games are often a major source of inspiration when I’m crafting my own stories. The way creatures are integrated into the gameplay, not just as obstacles, but as symbols or guides, helps me think about how to bring creatures to life in a way that enhances the plot and themes. Whether it's the tension they create, the way they reflect the protagonist's journey, or how they enrich the world-building, video games offer endless ideas for storytelling that can be adapted to the page.
What inspires your writing?
Meet Seesee, my creation from The Chronicles of Shalvasan and The Crown of Ashes and Blood series. Seesee is one of the Karrassu beasts native to the planet Shalvasan. These beasts share a symbiotic relationship with the Kazaki clan, who feed and care for them in exchange for protection and aid in battle. Karrassu beasts have rocky hides that are nearly impermeable and resemble dragons. Although they lack wings, they can be mounted, comfortably carrying two Shalvasan on their backs. Additionally, they have the remarkable ability to burrow through rock as if it were butter. They were inspired by the Rockbreaker beast in Horizon Zero Dawn.
Image: Rockbreaker Horizon Zero Dawn
✨ Only Two More Folklore Fridays Left! ✨
I can't believe we're almost at the end of the Folklore Friday series. It's been such an amazing journey, and I hope you've been enjoying every twist and turn! But don’t worry, there's still time to dive into the magic, mystery, and adventure that these stories hold.
If you haven’t yet explored my books, now's the perfect time! You can grab your copies through these links:
🔗 Check out the full series on Substack
📚 Or head over to Amazon to grab your favorites:
Red Fall Rising
The Crown of Ashes Blood I & II
Thank you so much for your support and encouragement, they mean the world to me! ❤️
Mythical creatures you say? Have you heard of the Kosmovoi?