From the World of TWTBM: Monsters and Mystical Creatures

Hello there, dear reader. I hope you are doing well this fine day. My name is not important, but the information that I write is. I live in a world completely unlike the human realm. Instead of bustling streets and technological impossibilities, the realm that I reside in is full of magic, mystery and monsters. I feel that it would be best if that for if you happen to stumble upon any of these creatures, it would be great for you to know what you are dealing with and more importantly, how to deal with them. So relax, dear reader, for you are about to learn about the strange beings that live among me every day.

Let's begin with something that's not entirely deadly, but can be vengeful and mischievous from time to time. Fairies are tiny, winged human-like creatures that tend to live within forests or woods. These tiny creatures live off what nature provides, such as nuts, berries and occasionally meat. Their average height is about 5 inches (or 2.54 cm). Despite their short nature, fairies are an extremely cleaver race. They use objects that a regular human would ignore and use them as everyday objects. Here are some of the ways the fairies use nature that researches have documented: The tops of acorns used as bowls; grass for clothing such as skirts and tops: harnesses made out of bark used for insects such as bees and praying mantises; etc.. Fairies tend to be solitary creatures. It seems that their policy of living is that if we don't disturb them, they won't disturb us.

Now don't be fooled, a fairy can be a force to be reckoned with. Because of their small size, these creatures are the dangerous combo of both agile and swift. An unattended fairy could ruin a farmer's crops for years, thanks to the power of fire. The best way to deal with a fairy is to not deal with them at all. However, if you happen to find yourself in the middle of a fairy colony, do not panic. Instead, be as polite and civil as possible. Explain that you simply lost your way and that you don't mean them any harm. If Lady Luck smiles upon you, they will understand and you can run along, hopefully without getting cooked.

On the opposite side of the coin, you have a creature that's both deadly and rather quite large. The sea serpent, also known as sea monsters, are water monsters that are extremely violent and hungry. These creatures live deep under large bodies of water. Their diet consists of large fish and humans. They possess no arms and no legs, but what they lack in limbs they make up for in size. A baby sea serpent could be around 75 feet (or 22.86 meters) and fully grown sea serpent can grow up to 150 feet (or 45/72 meters). Needless to say, this is one fish that you don't want to encounter by yourself. If you do end up meeting a sea serpent, I believe that the best option is to kneel down and start praying to whatever deity you believe in.

Perhaps we should move on from such vile monsters and turn our eyes to a species that's less violent. Korlmen are a race of beings that live in cities created under the sea. Living on the bottoms of oceans, these underwater beings are unique because their skin consists of coral and their eyes are made from pearls. Korlmen come in a variety of colors, from pink to yellow to even green! According to their records, Korlmen used to work along side dragons that lived underwater. However, since the disappearance of the dragons, this society has been struggling to survive. Despite this, Korlmen are fierce fighters. They spend their days practicing with various weapons such as spears and swords. It's no wonder that they're so dedicating to fighting because Korlmen are hunted for their coral and their eyes. I would want to be prepared if some stranger came down to take my eyes away.

We once again return to Mother Nature as we discuss a creature that, I confess, don't entirely have a lot of information on. The wood sprinter is an aloof creature that resides deep within wooded areas. These beings only appear to humans that are on the verge of death, so it's rather hard to obtain information about them. According to local reports, the wood sprinter is a creature that has the body of a wolf, the head of a snake and the tail of a demon. Rumors claim that the reason that their fur is red is because it's stained from the blood of previous victims. However, don't go into the woods expecting to find one immediately. You know when one is approaching when you hear a loud gust of wind, followed by a low, mournful howl in the distance.

As previously mentioned, the wood sprinter only appears to those who are on the verge of death. When meeting a wood sprinter, the person in question will run into two scenarios. The most popular of scenarios is that you will swiftly be eaten by the wood sprinter, for they long for the taste of flesh. However, you can save yourself by giving it something that is important to you. Those lucky enough not to be eaten haven given a wide variety of objects, from family heirlooms to a sandwich. However, you must be attached to the item you give to the wood sprinter. They know when you lie. And if it's one thing that the wood sprinter can't resist, it's the flesh of a liar.

My goodness, so many of these creatures are so violent! Perhaps it's time to focus on something a bit more... wholesome. The unicorn is a rather unique breed of equestrian that lives among meadows and lightly wooded areas. They have pure white fur and a golden horn placed upon their forehead. They consist of a vegetarian diet, with some of their favorite foods being carrots and berries. You are able to relax if you encounter a unicorn. These beautiful creatures are possibly the most passive beings within this realm. Because of this, unicorns are popular with both children and young women. Unfortunately, like the Korlmen, unicorns are being hunted for their fur and horn, both of which fetch incredibly high prices within the black market. Laws are trying to be made to protect these creatures, but at the time of writing, the unicorn is considered to be an endangered creature.

Our next creature is one drenched in magical energy. Paralots are small creatures the size of a house cat. Unlike a house cat, the paralot has two tails, three eyes and a round jewel on their neck. They typically have black fur, but they can also be white or red. Their diet consists of fish, small birds and rodents. What makes these creatures unique is their psychic abilities. Born with three eyes, they go about their day with their third eye closed. When the sun sets, a paralot will find a spot to sit still and meditate so that it can see glimpses into the nearby future. Paralots love humans and use their third eye to warn people about upcoming tragedies. These powers and their docile nature make paralots an extremely popular house pet. In fact, I have one myself. I named it "Indigo".

Let's talk about a monster that's more man than beast. Werewolves, in my opinion, are the most fascinating monster we've studied so far. Not because they're huge, snarling beasts that crave meat and could tear you limb from limb, but because the werewolf is a study of tragedy rather than horror. For about twenty nine to thirty days each month, a werewolf looks like a regular human being. However, there are some subtle differences that tells you that they aren't normal. Heightened senses and odd colored hair are some of the signs that someone could be a werewolf. However, the true event occurs during the full moon. The werewolf will go into a trance before transforming into a large wolf. If encountering a werewolf during the full moon, it would be best to carry silver trinkets, for silver burns the werewolf's skin and a silver bullet will kill them instantly.

If I were to give my honest opinion, I do feel a bit sorry for werewolves. They could live their lives as best they can, but they can't escape the fact that they will always be a monster. The only way that werewolves spread their curse is by biting or scratching a human during their transformation. You would have to live with those scars for the rest of your life. And imagine that you know that a werewolf is killing your livestock, but you don't know who it is. Do you start doubting your fellow man? Could your neighbors you've known for so long actually be a vicious monster? Fascinating stuff, I must say.

Now according to the human realm, there are three man monsters that tend to show up every fall. There's the reanimated corpse made by one Victor Frankenstein, there's the werewolf, which we already discussed, and then you have the creature known as Dracula: the vampire. Vampires are embodiments of civilized chaos. They are humanoid beings that can take on many forms. If there is one thing that everyone knows about these beings, it's that vampires are immortal. If not killed, a vampire shall live for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Vampires are especially dangerous because not only do they look like humans, apart from blood red eyes, but they are extremely alluring to weak minded humans. They posses several abilities such as superhuman speed and strength, mind control and turning into mist.

Oh no! It seems that a vampire has found you and wants your blood! What should you do? Fear not, for vampires have several weakness. Some of the ways you can kill a vampire are burning it with sunlight or fire, steaking it in its heart and . There are also objects that help keep these bloodsuckers at bay, such as garlic or a silver And then there is the curious quirk that vampires seem to have an obsession with counting. If you are being chased by a vampire and they have not used their incredible speed, throw a bag of rice or beans onto the ground. The vampire will stop in their tracks and will count every single grain, giving you plenty of time for you to escape. So despite vampires being incredibly powerful, you still have enough options for you to keep your blood.

Now I wanted to save the best kind of a creature for last. Why? Because these beauties haven't been seen for thousands of years, but I heard locals say that they might still be alive. What can be more deadly than all of the monsters previously discussed? Dragons. Now this is where I would discuss the size and eating habits of these creatures, but as mentioned before, no one has seen a dragon for thousands of years. However, I can give you what knowledge we saved all those years ago. The dragon was truly a magnificent beast. They can be as tall as a mountain, soar high into the sky with their wings and burn down the mightiest of castles with the fire contained in their bodies.

So what made the dragons leave? Some say humans killed them all. Others say that dragons became enraged with what we had become. Still others say that they want to increase their numbers for some unknown reason. As for me, my personal belief is that the dragon simply had no need for us anymore. It got bored and flew away. Not a particularly positive thought, but it was the only reason I could give to such large beings living among such insignificant creatures such as humans.

Oh dear, I see that I have to leave soon. I believe this is where I will sign off for now. But fear not, avid reader, for I shall return again some day. I would never think to abandon you. I will, and always will, be your companion. Keep an eye out for my writings so that you can stay informed of this strange world we live in.

Sincerely, Your Friend