Barghest
(aka: black dogs, Grimms)
Gigantic goblin-dogs, these creatures are considered a portent of death. Territorial, they pick one land and will stick to it for centuries, leading to many sightings and reports of hauntings. Barghest descriptions are varied, often depending on the singular beast seen in the area; a headless Barghest haunts Darlington in northern England. These bear-sized dogs prey on lone travelers and always appear at night. They are thought to be untouchable in their dog forms, and their pelts are sacred, considered to hold power linked to foresight or the underworld. Besides serving as omens, they possess peerless sharp claws and teeth, able to rend a mortal or demigod apart in seconds and devour their power. As spectres, they maintain their way in the human world, without adapting, their number limited while they stick to their controlled hunting grounds. They are always male.
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Cyclops
A species of giant particular for having only one large eyeball in the middle of their forehead. Related to both the gods and the original Titans, these brutes were imprisoned in Tartarus during Cronos' reign, and were released by Zeus. After aiding him in overthrowing the Titan, they fashioned his lightning bolts, as well as Artemis' and Apollo's bows and arrows, Poseidon's trident, and Hades' helmet. Cyclops were creatures of the forge, and talented in masonry, though they were known for their brute strength and aggressive, fast tempers almost as much. A few cyclops were known to have survived the olden days, wearing eye-patches over one eye while working the smithy to disguise their beastliness, but none have been heard from recently, though there are rumors that, if found by an enterprising demigod, they may fashion a weapon for the hero. Females of the species are never mentioned, and have never been seen.
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Demons
(aka: oni)
Demons come in innumerable shapes and sizes; scattered across the cultures, their breed is an expansive and endless phenomenon. Because of this, and a generally shared wicked nature, demons are not very loyal as a species. Amidst each of the subsections, a variety of societies and rules bloom, though never many, as demons tend to stick to their own whims, mired in their own agendas or traditions, based on their birth. Demons may range from animalistic up to the humanoid demons of the Roman Catholic church — though many of these possess the heads or limbs of other beasts, only taking human form when demanded by those who summoned them, or in order to blend in. It is these demons who take the most interest in integrating into mortal society, in order to better cause chaos within. These gangs are often indistinguishable from mortals, until they call upon their various destructive powers, including long life, magic, and strengthened feats and senses.
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Dragons
Long extinct, the dragons were once regal and trustworthy guardians of ancient artifacts and places. Never-wavering, they would sit by their chosen treasure till past the end of eternity. However, with an influx of heroes in the middle ages specifically seeking them out, dragons became prime targets for knights, and were driven to the brink of extinction. A Japanese dragon survived by changing himself into his river form until he forgot how to change back. Another shrunk himself to the size of a rooster, breeding several generations of truly vicious chicken-children, until he, too, finally died. What happened to most of them has been chronicled, and then those chronicles lost or taken for fairytales, so that very few rumors — if any at all — persist about the existence of any dragons in modern days. The truth is, there's just no more room for them to hide.
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Fairies
Nature sprites, fairies are another species that branches across many cultures, ever-changing depending on their land of origin. As a whole, however, they tend to have more sense of community and respect for one another than the brutish demons, or whimsical spirits. Practitioners of magic, fairies are the enemy of Christianity and resent the religion its ego and far-reach. Malicious, too, they most often have to be guarded against, lest they seek havoc in the household; they are famous kidnappers. Shaped like humans, in miniature, they have a strong bite, and, while they enjoy doing favors, they hate to be thanked for it and can be known to rescind their help at the first hint of gratitude. Having learnt to force their size above their nature, fairies blend, though somewhat inefficiently. They are often still tiny, and have to find roles that suit their form, which doesn't often suit them much, in turn. Fairies sometimes run pawn shops, full of stolen goods. They can unable to lie, which has made them experts at turning a phrase.
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Fenrir
Fenrir, or Fenris, is the monstrous wolf of Norse legend, son of Loki, and fated slayer of Odin. Due to his rapid growth, the gods feared Fenrir and attempted to bind him, but none of their chains would hold. During one of these encounters, the wolf bite off the god Tyr's hand. However, they were able to capture him with the silken fetter Gleipnir and bind him in place. To this day, he remains captured in a location known only to the Aesir, and none others in their paranoia, and he will continue to be so until the time of Ragnarok.
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Giants
Cousins to Cyclops, and therefore original Titans and gods, the Giants are humanoid but of prodigious size, and their ferocious nature has led to many clashes with several pantheons. Creatures of chaos and the wild, they lashed out at the invasion of the modern world, cursing it as everything opposed to them. As a result, the gods had to lock many away, as they once had their old Titan brethren, and the rest were forced into general servitude, using their raw strength to build townships and do menial labor. Some of these mated with the mortals they were serving, and, generation by generation, they began to grow smaller and smaller, until, today, they are indistinguishable in appearance to humans, except for an unusual tallness or exceptional muscle.
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Goblins
Approximately the size of a small child, these grotesquely featured mischief-makers are motivated solely by their greed, and love of money. As such, they tend to be hoarders, hiding away in their richly filled homes, stroking their collections and refusing to come out; their hideous features often mistaken as birth-defects or the results of terrible accidents. If looking for a rare item, a goblin would be the first person to ask, yet the most difficult entity to get to part with the thing. The entrances to their homes tend to be filled with traps in order to alert them to intruders or, as with them, scare visitors away entirely. When goblins do go out, it's usually at night thanks to their protruding eyes and poor sight, and they do so to cause problems. Their temperament seems to be one of perpetual annoyance, and so they cause grievances in turn, enjoying being petty and sullen. One of their favorite tricks seems to be standing whether lines are formed, like at bus stations or in grocery stores, and complaining.
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Grigori
(aka: Watchers)
A purely Christian phenomenon, the Grigori are the name for the angels who have fallen, roaming Earth, some for good, but most rebelliously. The original were dispatched to watch over humans, but began to lust, and from them were born the Nephilim, a breed of giants. Watchers have been teachers, philosophizers, war generals, and other brands of disguises that have allowed them to give their infinite knowledge to humans. Possessing fierce battle skills, they have been able to turn the tides of wars; with their magic they heal, and with their voices they force obedience. These fallen have continued to operate, even through Yahweh's judgment and punishment by the other pantheons, not acknowledging the words of other gods. Today, they are generally humanoid, except always beautiful, and have forgotten how to fly, because they are no longer able to get back to Heaven.
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Hags
Hags are old women who have become so engrossed in magic-using that it became part of them, perturbing their features and elongating their lives, until they were a species unto themselves. With a fancy towards frightening, and occasionally eating, children, hags take on jobs that will allow them to prowl playgrounds and schoolyards, though they are wary of those who would root them out. Clever and malevolent, they are nasty adversaries, and will retreat to their well-protected houses if threatened. Hags have refused to stop hassling mortals and, for that, they are often targeted and rooted out by those wanting to prove their mettle as heroes or demigods. A hag is also often the disguise chosen by beautiful goddesses who want to test the will of men, though they take on only the appearance, and not any of the lifestyle.
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Harpies
Once half-bird, half-woman, the harpies are vicious, egotistical, creatures, embittered by their need to take on human legs in order to stay in this world. Because of their violent nature, they live in hovel-like communities outside of large cities, and will only venture in to scavenge and steal food, causing more destruction in their wake than is oftentimes necessary. They've honed the craft of burglary to near perfection over the years. With the memories of their wings, they've gained the power of enhanced speed, often seeming to in fact fly with their intense jumps and quick movements. Their toes still retain claw-like nails, so they are unable to wear most shoes, which suits them just fine. Harpies are always female, and their breeding is a mystery that no one has yet desired to figure out. One particular tribe outside of Texas is an infamous motorcycle gang.
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Hugin and Munin
Thought and Memory are twin ravens who service the god Odin by going out into the world and bringing him back messages of current events. Having adapted to taking on human form, they, however, may only use it one at a time. Whenever one is in the human body, the other is not far as a raven. Over the years, they've honed the art of spying and, though they've never been caught, it is well considered that they sneak knowledge of the other pantheons to Odin, despite the current truces. They have, thus far, never been caught. Even Odin has proven unable to keep them tightly held, having feared often enough that they will, one day, not return to him.
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Incubus
A very specific subset of demon, the incubus is always male, and counterpart to the female succubus. These demons seek to spread their ways, by raping women in the night and getting them pregnant. They then spirit these babies away for their own doings, or else leave them with the unwitting mother to cause trouble. Once only operating in secret, and at night, the incubus have developed a new pattern of taking on a human form and going clubbing in order to ripen the sport of chasing women. Though they are typically handsome, they have been turned down before, and will resort to their old way of breaking in and raping should it become necessary once a chosen prey escapes. Incubus are not weak against holy items, and cannot be chased off by exorcisms. They have powers of charisma, as well as of possession and distraction. Repeated sex with an incubus drains your life.
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Minotaurs
Minotaurs are not independent thinkers; they will often be directed to a place, given an order, and will be content their whole lives doing nothing else. Without a purpose, they revert to their ferocious nature, seeking to rampage and devour men. The surviving minotaurs are split into two camps: those that have learned to stand on their front feet until they grew cow's bodies, too, and blended in as ill-tempered bulls, and those who work for the gods, never stepping into the mortal realm to be seen, but locked away in jobs as bullies or protectors of sacred places. Minotaurs love to fight, and they do not lust often, but when they do, they are only interested in virgins. The sight of their own blood sends them into a blind rage from which there is no recovery until the minotaur, or everything else in the room, is dead.
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Muse
A famous collection of nine Nymphs, who have transcended their species, the Muses are feminine entities who inspire creative endeavors in other creatures. Muses have found most success when inspiring mortals. By themselves, muses have no creative bones in their bodies; they cannot make art on their own, but must work through a medium, by inspiring him or her. This is not always limited to artistic endeavors, but can be a kiss for luck before a battle that makes a warrior stronger, or a good word of encouragement before a big speech that takes away nausea. Whatever it is, Muses pride themselves on their work, and need to be around positive energies in order to keep going. Being separated from people for long periods of time turns them grey and weak. Often, a Muse will pick a favorite mortal and inspire him or her throughout that mortal's entire lifespan before moving onto another.
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Nymphs
As gentle, nubile creatures who watch over nature, nymphs have, predictably, become much more scarce in these latter days. Despite an extended life, many have disappeared. Those who remain are faithful to the gods, serving their whims, while attempting to maintain the longevity of whichever natural element they've set themselves up near. They occasionally act as gardeners, or environmental activists, in order to take a firm hand in the world's survival. Nymphs also make good musicians, or even just groupies, because of their love for song and dance, and their amorous natures. But a Nymph that stays within the city confines, away from anything natural, will begin to fall ill, and Nymphs that have reached the end of their life, or have been brought to an unnatural end, become natural phenomenons, such as tornados, geysers, or unusually large trees. There are 5 different types of nymphs, Celestial Nymphs, Water Nymphs, Land Nymphs, Plant Nymphs and Underworld Nymphs; of them, celestial and underworld are gone.
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Sphinx
Sphinxes, like dragons, are consummate guardians, though, unlike the now extinct beasts, these lion-bodied women do not work out of a sense of humor. Much more malicious, and twice as treacherous, they entice their victims into games of wit and then punish or otherwise devour the losers. Because of their cleverness, they were able to adapt to the changing times, giving themselves human bodies, and taking on jobs as museum guards or overly strict teachers, where they were able to challenge the minds of the mortals they hide amongst. Most sphinx have found alternative diets, choosing elaborate punishments rather than jumping straight to the eating, in order to stop from becoming targets of demigods attempting to prove their worth by taking out troublesome creatures. Sphinx are exceedingly tricky, and even a demigod or god who falls into riddling with them and fails will have to pay the price.
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Succubus
A very particular subset of demon, and the always female counterpart to the male incubus. Succubus sneak upon and rape men in the night, attempting to get themselves pregnant, though they are not particularly maternal. In recent times, they have adapted to human bodies, which they will shed if injured or surprised, and stalk night-clubs, frequently as beautiful call-girls or strippers, in order to take their human victims. Other succubus find this to be too easy, but most are not troubled by the quick pickings, as their nature demands that they have frequent sex. A succubus who has not fed on sexual energy often enough will begin to wither and age. Succubus have the power of charm, as well as illusion, and long claws. They cannot stand the presence of other women for long and will become jealous. Repeated sex with a succubus ages the man.
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Trolls
Trolls are rock-dwellers, preferring to live in caves, and mountains, or tucked up against cliff-faces in small, tight-knit family units. While their limbs are human in number, they tend to look hunch-backed, with 'ugly' features, to match their slow, dull minds and voices; they lumber, and do not hurry - though a running troll is nearly impossible to stop. If undisturbed, a troll will leave mortals alone, but when their territory is trespassed upon, or they are in another way hassled, trolls are quite grouchy and will defend themselves with their terrible strength. It is difficult to convince a troll of a misunderstanding as their slow brains may not catch on until after they've already started swinging, usually crushing an opponent to death before realizing the mistake. Despite all this, trolls have excellent memories, and know every nook and cranny of the mountain or cave they live beside, making them perfect guides, if you can get one to cooperate. Trolls are weak against sunlight.
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Undead
(aka: spirits, zombies, ghosts)
A broad category across all cultures and areas of worships, the undead include many types, including ghostly spectres, malevolent spirits, and the walking corpses of the dead. Spirits are often the reincarnated, but deformed, figures of the violently killed who then haunt a spot near their death. They come in all shapes and sizes, across all lands. Zombies, however, do not occur naturally, and are creations of voodoo practices or else the power of some god or demigod related to the underworld. The undead typically lack any kind of functional intelligence, stuck in the loop of their vengeance, or else just a reanimated body without a soul. Spirits are good for powering spells, but not much else, as they serve no master, have no agenda except malevolence, and cannot blend in with the mortal realm. These do not include spirits that are more akin to sprites or faeries, such as nature spirits, or those of fortune.
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Valkyrie
Pale-skinned spirits of Norse legend, the Valkyrie lead the charge of Justice. Selected for their great skill at picking warriors to bring to Valhalla, the Valkyrie hunt down rogue monsters and demigods to bring them to judgment in front of the Council. Swift-riders, and expert trackers, they rarely lose a target. The Valkyrie are all women and command small elemental powers in order to ride more swiftly, often on horses, though occasionally, these days, on motorcycles or other swift vehicles. Valkyrie, while ruthless bounty hunters, are not without feelings, and have been known to lay with mortals before - though they are choosy, and select only the bravest of heroes.
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