Critters on the Cutting Room Floor

Although my Alexander Southerland, P.I. books feature a number of traditional fantasy creatures, such as trolls, gnomes, dwarfs, and at least one elf, I also draw on the folklore of the Western Hemisphere for many of my non-human (or semi-human) critters. In researching these mythological beasts, I ran across a wealth of intriguing critters. 

The adaros, featured in A Troll Walks into a Bar, are taken from the mythology of the Pacific Islands, although these myths deal primarily with the adaro men. These humanlike sea creatures were often described as having gills on either side of their necks and a shark-like dorsal fin on their head. They were strong enough to pull ships from the surface of the sea to the ocean depths. Unfortunately, female adaros are rarely mentioned in the stories about these creatures, but that allowed me to use a lot of creative license in developing my backstory for the adaro women in my books.

Beginning with A Witch Steps into My Office, I began to research Mesoamerican and Native American folklore to find more fantasy creatures, and I ran across some fascinating examples. I used a few in Witch and also in A Hag Rises from the Abyss: notably the Sihuanaba, the Nirumbee, the Huay Chivo, and Xolotl, the dog spirit, to name four. But a number of the critters I discovered in my searching wound up on the cutting room floor, at least for now. Here's a few of the ones I found fascinating, but simply didn't have the room to use--so far!

The Wechuge is a cannibalistic creature featured in the folklore of Native American people in Northwestern Canada. In some of these stories, he is the result of spirits possessing humans who are ambitious for power. These possessed humans become powerful beasts who hunt, kill, and eat people who stray too far from their tribes. Although strong, they are intelligent and more apt to use cunning and guile rather than brute strength to trap their prey. In some stories, the Wechuge are made of ancient ice, which has come to life to hunt human prey. They can only be harmed by fire, which melts them. If you're wandering in the wilderness areas of Northwestern Canada, always have a lighted torch in hand.

The Navajo Indians tell stories of the Skinwalkers, shapeshifting demons that walk through the wilderness in human form, but transform into supernatural bears, wolves, coyotes, or giant birds. They started as powerful shamans who used dark magic to take on the attributes of powerful animals. By wearing the pelts of animals, they could transform themselves into the animal itself. Over time, they became so attached to their animal selves that they ceased being human. More than mere werewolves, these Skinwalkers had mystical powers that allowed them to read the minds of humans and even enter their minds and take control of their bodies. These were terrifying critters, and the Navajo tended to blame a lot of natural misfortunes, such as disease, on their haunting presence. Because of the stories of the Skinwalkers, the Navajo adopted the practice of forcing shaman to wear the pelts of friendly animals, such as sheep.

The Bakwas are diminutive creatures, about half the size of humans, featured in the stories of Native Americans living in the Pacific Northwest. They live in the country of ghosts, and wander the forests searching for lost travelers. When they run across one, they will offer him food that appears to be dried salmon. In actuality, the meal consists of maggots, snakes, lizards, and rotten wood pulp. If the hungry traveler eats the food, he dies and his spirit is forced to serve the Bakwas in the ghost country forever. Don't trust little people in the wilderness offering food when you're hungry!

The Maya told stories of the Camazotz, an intimidating god (or, occasionally, goddess) noted for his/her bat ears. Pregnant women worshipped Camazotz, who would ensure the health of the baby in return for blood sacrifices (animal blood was fine, but human blood would work, too). Camazotz looks scary, but was usually benign. Usually. Unfortunately, the god had a penchant for swooping down on wanderers who strayed too far from human settlements during the night, beheading them, and draining them of their blood. Best to stay with the group, guys, especially at night.

I'm going to have to find a way to put the Dark Watchers of Big Sur in one of my books. To this day, people in Big Sur report sightings of these dark mysterious giants who stand on the cliffsides overlooking the beautiful Central California coastlines. Wearing cloaks and broad-brimmed hats, often holding staffs, these brooding statuesque watchers, standing more than ten-feet tall, are often spotted gazing out over the ocean, silent and unmoving, only to vanish in the twinkling of the eye. The stories of the Dark Watchers date back to tales told by the Chumash Indians long before Europeans set foot on the California coast. No one knows who these watchers are, what they want, or what they might represent, but sightings are common. Maybe one day they will reveal their mysterious intentions. Or maybe their only intent is to watch.

Pictures and illustrations taken from: 

https://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Adaro

https://historycollection.com/18-spooky-native-american-monsters-that-will-keep-you-awake-at-night/17/

https://yamunahrodvitnir.medium.com/%C3%A1tahsaia-the-zuni-cannibal-demon-11c4a99b41ba

https://umistapotlatch.ca/objets-objects/index-eng.php?nojs=true&object=80.01.013

https://gods-and-demons.fandom.com/wiki/Camazotz

https://skeptoid.com/episodes/4522