Halloween is my favorite holiday because it gives me a valid excuse to
dress up and scare people, no judgment. Add in copious amounts of chocolate,
and it’s a win-win. But along with all the personal fun, Halloween also draws
people to the scary and supernatural. Maybe it has something to do with the
time change, less daylight, and the rumored thinning of the veil between
worlds. Whatever the reason, it’s a great time to explore some paranormal, and
one of my favorite creepy creatures are the shapeshifters in all their various
forms.
Shapeshifting mythology has roots in many different countries, and most
of the stories link shapeshifters with trickery and deceit, hunting and killing
weak humans. Sure, werewolves and vampires are common knowledge, but there are more
variations than a fanged dead dude who transforms into a bat or a sexy beast of
a man who becomes a slathering wolf at the full moon. Here are a few of my
favorite, lesser known shapeshifters.
Leshy – Slavic. Hang out in forests and usually appear as tall men, but
can change into plant or animal form, from moss to the mightiest oak. If you
see a peasant with glowing green eyes, watch out! He might tickle you…to death.
Kitsune – A Japanese fox that can take human form, usually a beautiful
woman, girl or grandpa. Not only can they clone your appearance, the can manifest
in dreams. Worse, they have the ability to weave an illusion so real, their victims
believe the alternate reality, sometimes going mad. Have a pet dog? Take it
with you. Kitsunes hate the puppies.
Skinwalkers – Navajos call them yee naaldlooshii (don’t ask me to
pronounce it). They are a variety of witch who can not only take the forms of
wild animals, but also steal your face. If you lock gazes with them, they’ll go
all bodysnatcher on you. And they might decide just to murder you…with poison
powder made from corpse dust, ground infant bones, to be exact.
Rakshasa – nasty Hindu creatures who eat human flesh. If you’re a
Supernatural fan, you might remember the episode with the Rakshasa who changed
into a clown, followed children home from the circus, and until the Winchesters
showed up, let’s just say there weren’t any fun balloon animals. Clowns are
scary. Don’t trust them. Period.
V’alkara – from my Dreamcaster world. Not only do these guys feed off
nightmares, they can change into the very creatures in their victim’s dream, from
fanged, fuzzy bunnies to fire-breathing demon horses. They aren’t afraid to
kill if someone gets in their way, and some of them have a serious sweet tooth,
so fair warning. Don’t steal any candy from something that looks like it
belongs in a nightmare.
With trick-or-treating adventures around the corner, shorter days, and
magic seeping through from other realms, you never know what might be behind
the masks, human appearance or not.
