I may be dramatic here, but I feel like most books I pick up are littered with Fae. The sexy high lord who is the most powerful Fae. Or a woman enters a faerie ring and is thrown into a new magical world. I know very well that my bookshelves have many books with fae in them.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I love Fae as much as the next person. The Infatuated Fae series by Lauren O’Riley is one of my favourites. Holly Black’s Cruel Prince is up there too.
But if you are like me and feel that maybe people have jumped on the band wagon because it has become so popular, I wanted to make a list of creature we can use and adapt for our own fantasy worlds.
A fresh look into folklore in fantasy. Who knows using one of the creatures below may get you being the next trend setter.
I would also like to note that these are from different cultures and please respect them. So, when I say adapt, please be mindful.
Also to note is some of these are in the Fae folk or fair folk family.
Mora
Pronunciation: MOR‑ah
Origin: Slavic folklore
Folklore Story
A Mora is a night spirit who causes nightmares. In some stories, she is a cursed woman who wanders between dreams and reality. She slips through keyholes and cracks, haunting one person obsessively.
In Other stories she is depicted as a dark figure or shape shifting spirit, who “rides” victims at night, sitting on their chests and draining their energy.
Writer Use
Can be used for dream magic, sleep‑bound bonds, or “she haunts your dreams” arcs. Their magic can springboard your worlds magic system.
Similar Creatures
- Cauchemar (French & French‑Caribbean)
- Pisadeira (Brazilian)
- Kanashibari Spirit (Japanese)
- Incubus (Medieval European)
- Succubus (Medieval European)
- Night Hag / Old Hag (British & Irish)
- Batibat (Filipino)
- Pontianak / Kuntilanak (Malay & Indonesian)
- Baku (Japanese)
- Alp‑Luachra (Irish)
- Strigoi (Romanian, dream‑haunting form)
- Daeva (Persian, nightmare‑associated)
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Púca
Pronunciation: POO‑kah
Origin: Irish folklore
Folklore Story
The Púca is a shape shifter who appears at night to offer humans cryptic warnings or mischievous “gifts.” In some tales, it guides lost travellers home; in others, it leads them astray to teach humility. It’s neither good nor evil, it reflects the human who encounters it. One of it’s most popular forms is black horse who takes his victims on a wild ride.
Writer Use
Perfect for a dark, mysterious MMC who tests the heroine’s resolve. Could also be perfect as a mirror to the MC.
Similar Creatures
- Nøkk / Nixie (Scandinavian & Germanic)
- Barguest (Northern English)
- Cù‑Sìth (Scottish)
- Black Dog / Black Shuck (British)
- Dobharchú (Irish)
- Tylwyth Teg (Gwragedd Annwn subtype) (Welsh)
- Kitsune (Japanese)
- Tanuki (Japanese)
- Huli Jing (Chinese)
- Encantado (Brazilian)
- Tikbalang (Filipino)
- Adlet (Inuit)
- Bannik (Slavic, liminal spirit)
- Domovoi (shapeshifting form) (Slavic)
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Selkie
Pronunciation: SELL‑kee
Origin: Irish & Scottish folklore
Folklore Story
A selkie sheds its seal skin to become human. They are know to be breathtakingly beautiful.If someone steals the skin, the selkie is trapped on land. A common tale involves a fisherman who hides a selkie woman’s skin and marries her. She eventually finds it and returns to the sea, heartbroken but free.
Writer Use
Ideal for high stakes if the FMC is a Selkie. Can also be an interesting love interest.
Similar Creatures
- Seal Wife / Roane (Scottish)
- Finfolk (Orkney & Shetland)
- Merrow (Irish)
- Nøkk / Nixie (Scandinavian & Germanic)
- Havfrue / Havmand (Nordic merfolk)
- Rusalka (Slavic)
- Melusine (French)
- Encantado (Brazilian, dolphin‑shifter)
- Kitsune (water‑aligned variants) (Japanese)
- Huli Jing (water‑aligned variants) (Chinese)
- Suvannamaccha (Thai)
- Sirena / Siren (Mediterranean)
- Ben‑Varrey (Manx mermaid)
- Sea‑Mither (Orkney)
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Leshy
Pronunciation: LESH‑ee
Origin: Slavic folklore
Folklore Story
The Leshy rules the forest, there to protect the trees and animals from people. He can grow as tall as trees or shrink to the size of a leaf. He leads travellers astray for fun but if respected, he protects them fiercely. Hunters often made pacts with him for safe passage. However if he is angered, he can be treacherous.
Writer Use
Perfect for forest worlds or adventures into the forest. Or, he protects the forest, but can he protect her vibes.
Similar Creatures
- Laufer (Slavic forest spirit variant)
- Boruta (Polish)
- Vodyanoy (Slavic, forest‑adjacent water spirit)
- Domovoi (Slavic household spirit with shape shifting ties)
- Bannik (Slavic bathhouse spirit, liminal like Leshy)
- Kobold (Germanic, nature‑linked variants)
- Waldgeist (German “forest spirit”)
- Moss People / Moss Folk (Germanic)
- Huldra (Norwegian)
- Skogsrå / Skogsfru (Swedish)
- Trow (Orkney & Shetland)
- Tylwyth Teg (Gwragedd Annwn subtype) (Welsh)
- Kodama (Japanese tree spirits)
- Yama‑no‑Kami (Japanese mountain deity)
- Jinn (nature‑dwelling types) (Middle Eastern)
- Aziza (West African forest spirits)
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Vila / Veela
Pronunciation: VEE‑lah
Origin: Slavic folklore
Folklore Story
Vila are air or forest spirits who dance in circles that mortals must never enter. They can bless heroes or curse them. In some tales, a Vila falls in love with a human but cannot stay unless he proves loyalty. They are young, beautiful women. But can be dangerous if crossed.
Writer Use
Great for a tragic story to fit in with their folkloric stories. Just remember they may be young and beautiful but they are very dangerous too.
Similar Creatures
- Samodiva (Bulgarian)
- Rusalii (Romanian)
- Apsara (Hindu/Buddhist)
- Huldra (Norwegian)
- Skogsrå / Skogsfru (Swedish)
- Mavka (Ukrainian)
- Banshee (Bean Sí) (Irish, wailing spirit sub-type)
- Leanan Sí (Irish)
- Swan Maiden (European)
- Alkonost (Russian)
- Sirin (Russian)
- Peri (Persian)
- Yakshi / Yakshini (Indian)
- Lauma (Baltic)
- Tylwyth Teg (female forms) (Welsh)
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Melusine
Pronunciation: MEL‑oo‑seen
Origin: French & Western European folklore
Folklore Story
Melusine is a beautiful woman who becomes serpentine or mermaid‑like from the waist down every Saturday. She marries a mortal man under one condition: he must never see her during her transformation.
When he breaks this vow, she leaves him forever, sometimes returning only as a spirit to watch over her children or her ancestral lands.
Writer Use
Ideal for gothic romances, cursed lovers, or stories about trust and betrayal. She works beautifully in water‑bound, castle‑ruins, or medieval‑inspired settings.
Similar Creatures
- Gwragedd Annwn (Welsh lake maidens)
- Merrow (Irish)
- Selkie / Roane (Irish & Scottish)
- Melusina variants (Western European)
- Nøkk (female‑appearing forms) (Scandinavian)
- Havfrue / Havmand (Nordic merfolk)
- Melusine‑type Fairy Bride (French & Breton)
- Ben‑Varrey (Manx mermaid)
- Finfolk (Finwife) (Orkney & Shetland)
- Laume (water‑aligned forms) (Baltic)
- Suvannamaccha (Thai mermaid princess)
- Melusine‑adjacent Fairy Queens (European medieval romances)
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Nøkk / Nixie
Pronunciation: NOCK
Origin: Scandinavian & Germanic folklore
Folklore Story
The Nøkk plays enchanting music to lure people to lakes. They’re know to be dangerous, shape shifiting water spirits. In some stories, he falls in love with a human woman and tries to become mortal, but cannot fully shed his nature.
Writer Use
Can work for a musician MMC with a dark secret. Or as an antagonist for a traveller. Gothic eerie stories could fit this well.
Similar Creature
- Each‑Uisge (Scottish)
- Nixie / Nixe (Germanic)
- Neck / Näcken (Swedish)
- Fossegrim (Norwegian)
- Merrow (Irish)
- Selkie (Irish/Scottish)
- Rusalka (Slavic)
- Vodyanoy (Slavic)
- Encantado (Brazilian)
- Kappa (Japanese)
- Jengu (Cameroonian)
- Bunyip (Australian Aboriginal)
- Sirena / Siren (Mediterranean)
- Havfrue / Havmand (Nordic merfolk)
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Huldra
Pronunciation: HOOL‑drah
Origin: Norwegian folklore
Folklore Story
A Huldra appears as a beautiful, alluring woman with a cow or foxes tail and a hollow back. She rewards kind men and punishes cruel ones. In some tales, she marries a human and becomes fully human herself. She is the guardian of the forest.
Writer Use
Ideal for “she’s not what she seems” dynamics. Or for learning that she is not what they said she was arcs.
Similar Creatures
- Vila / Veela (Slavic)
- Samodiva (Bulgarian)
- Lauma (Baltic)
- Mavka (Ukrainian)
- Rusalii (Romanian)
- Swan Maiden (European)
- Peri (Persian)
- Yakshi / Yakshini (Indian)
- Tylwyth Teg (female forms) (Welsh)
- Leanan Sí (Irish)
- Bean Nighe (Scottish — darker, but related to supernatural women)
- Apsara (Hindu/Buddhist)
- Alkonost (Russian)
- Sirin (Russian)
Learn More
Tylwyth Teg
Pronunciation: TILL‑with TEG
Origin: Welsh folklore
Folklore Story
The Tylwyth Teg live in an other-world called Annwn. They lure humans into dances that last centuries. Some tales involve marriages between humans and these beings but the human must obey strict rules or lose them forever. The other side to them though, is that they are known for stealing children and replacing them with changelings.
Writer Use
Great for high‑fantasy worlds with portals or liminal spaces. They could even be the antagonist.
Similar Creatures
- Sídhe / Daoine Sidhe (Irish)
- Sluagh (Scottish)
- Seelie Court (Scottish)
- Unseelie Court (Scottish)
- Ellyllon (Welsh)
- Gwragedd Annwn (Welsh lake maidens)
- Huldrefolk (Norwegian)
- Alfar / Álfar (Norse)
- Ljosálfar (Norse “light elves”)
- Dökkálfar (Norse “dark elves”)
- Peri (Persian)
- Lauma (Baltic)
- Rusalii (Romanian)
- Samodiva (Bulgarian)
Learn More
And there you go. Nine Folkloric creatures you can use if you’re looking for something more new to write into your fantasy stories. I am no expert just a person with a love of folklore, I feel like I need to specify that.
If you liked this post and found it helpful, give it a like. If you have any ideas on how else each of these creatures can be used in a book comment. Or even if you know of a good creature let us know. And if you don;t want to miss out on any posts, subscribe.
Until Next Time
A. R. Moody
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