Mija, my flower, I have slowly watched you grow fonder of the creatures of the underwater world , the day you are old enough to traverse the world to discover the vast expanse of cryptids with me, will be the day I truly know happiness. In here, you will find 6 different elusive cryptids I have personally encountered and studied from all over the world. This book is a testament to our passion for cryptids, and labour of love for my supernatural daughter. With love, papá
I arrived in Dean Village by evening, and the locals in the pub humored my tales on catching a kelpie for observation - but all strongly denied tagging along. They warned me that despite kelpies having developed a taste of flesh mainly for children, no one should EVER mislead a kelpie to think that they are an easy prey. I have spent the whole night observing them from afar. This kelpie is a little over 2 metres tall, and the light from the moon makes it look somewhat ethereal - in spite of the fact that it has a skull for a head and that it’s body has gashes with it’s bone and flesh poking out. Mayhaps this is why they only feast on children . Scottish Kelpie eyes resemble a crescent moon
It perplexes me that a kelpie’s mane resembles that of a jellyfish’s dainty frills. I do wonder what possible use a kelpie could have for these as they serve no visible function. Mayhaps it is merely for aesthetic purposes. ¡Ajá!!!! I think I have solved it!! The kelpie’s scales are actually able to refract light and alter a human’s optical perception of it. Therefore, its actual body does not change and it is merely shrouding itself with an optical illusion! If humans could replicate its properties, I foresee a bright shift in the future of technology and humankind! Today is my fifth day of observing the kelpies. I have decided to go even further down the river. This one here has turned into a beautiful white horse in an attempt to lure me to my watery grave. A kelpie’s ability to shapeshift has always been one of their most fascinating and mysterious qualities!! I had attempted to subdue this one for observation as it was quite young, but unfortunately it fled from me.
I went swimming in an Amazonian river today and coincidentally crossed a pod of boto dolphins. Seeing them face to face in the murkish brown water brings a whole level of terror to the experience. My tour guide Andre simply laughed when I brought it up. He shared with me harrowing tales of the Boto. Some say a boto would come to Amazonian villages as a man and seduce and impregnate the daughters. Others say that he will lure her to the river, only to drag her deep into the water. Boto Dolphin a boto snout is larger then regular dolphins like the bottlenose
I decided to do more research on the Boto. They show no visible signs of hostility and are very playful, albeit too playful. Despite this , something about the way they look at me is haunting This morning, as I was waist deep in the river, the boto pod started up in a frenzy, lashing against me and attempting to trip me. Miraculously, I managed to get away. It is true, dolphins are truly Satan incarnate. I officially despise them as much as I despise your uncle Bryan. The boto has a really long snout compared to other dolphins pink and gray skin
It is said that a karkinos pinched Hercules while he fought the Hydra. Enraged, Hercules crushed the poor thing under its foot. Hera, the Goddess of women and marriage, took pity on it and placed it among the stars that make up the constellation Cancer. Today, the Karkinos’s descendants live on remote islands throughout Greece. KARKINOS A cast of Karkinos gathering to spar on unamed island
Karkinos often spar with one another as a form of sportsmanship and training. When one Karkinos triumphs in a match, it will raise its dominant claw in the air, much like a Spartans victory pose. Strangely enough, a Karkinos’s shell resembles that of a spartan helmet Karkinos have a bigger optic cavity which allows for safer protection during a duel. The dominant pincer of the karkinos functions as a shield and sword Stronger, bigger and more mature karkinos protect the young and pregnant from any danger. In spite of their enormous size, they are not aggressive unless they feel provoked.
Giant Leech Tlansi’yi’ The leech has a worm-like proboscis that is capable of piercing flesh Up in North Carolina, there is a deadly river that is rarely visited. Underneath its quaint blue exterior hides a sinister secret - a hole that hides countless bodies and home to the culprit - a beast born from Cherokee legends. It is known as the Giant Leech of Tlanusi’yi’. A thick, venomous coat of slime covering the leech’s body makes it harder for victims to defend or escape its bloodlust. The tip of the proboscis is made of dentine covered in enamel, allowing the leech to pierce through the skin without much struggle.
When the leech succeeds in latching onto a victim, it lunges in for the kill, clamping it’s mouth shut. This deadly doubled step combo ensures that victims almost never have a chance of breaking free. Upon clamping down on its prey , the leech then takes its time with sapping every last drop of blood. All 8 tubes of the leech have 13 rows of jagged teeth respectively Anti coagulants from the leeches saliva prevent blood from clotting The exterior tooth is fully retractable, and can be done so at will. The same cannot be said for the interior teeth. Because of this genetic flaw, the mouth of the leech is often covered with many lacerations.
Mr Kenichi showed me a proper kappa skull. It is said that if the water in the disk on its head is spilled or dried out, a kappa becomes severely weakened. He warns that the kappa has a devilish obsession with the human soul, a shirikodama, located in the...human anus. I am now in Tono, the Iwate Prefecture. It is a historical place that is best known for the most common sightings of the fierce kappa, a creature that is both deity and monster to the people here. The innkeeper, Mr Kenichi, was unfazed when I spoke to him about my goal. This was clearly not his first time listening to a traveller’s brazen delusions. Japanese Kappa
Kappas adore the taste of a fresh cucumber, but they steer clear of sesame, iron and ginger. It is advised that oneself avoids eating any cucumbers before wading in a river or pool as it makes the chance of a kappa attack much higher. In my two weeks in Tono, I have learned that there are two ways to appease a kappa. First, Kappas demand respect, bow down to one and it will do the same. Second, just rip it’s arm off. I totally did this and definitely did not lose miserably. An adult kappa at it’s biggest reaches roughly the size of a teenager or a 10 year old child, but its bodily strength far surpasses that of any adult human. I found this out the hard way when I waded too close to one and it shrieked and lunged at me. I managed to placate it by tipping the liquid from its head.
Ahuizotl In Aztec legends the Ahuizotl, or water dog, is known for luring people to their deaths.It is said that it only pays heed to the water gods, Tlaloc and Chalchiutlicue who pick souls of mortals they had a penchant for. A hand for a tail, a defining trait of the Ahuizotl The Ahuizotl’s gills fan out like a crown, making it resemble a penacho
Under what’s left of Lake Texcoco sits an underwater cave, The cave is entirely composed of luminous crystals. The crystals shimmer in hues of purples and blues, illuminating the massive cave which would otherwise be bathed in darkness. But that’s not the most amazing thing!!! It is home to a creature I believe would be the Ahuizotl, an Aztec deity!! skulls worn as a good luck charm
The crystals seemed to resonate with the elusive Ahuizotl, glowing brighter wherever it touched , its luminous teal scales shimmered in an iridescent hue from the light. The Ahuizotl watches me from a moderate distance, its behaviour neither hostile nor kind, simply indifferent to my presence. After all, it is a deity , a higher being that operates outside the insignificant ordeals of humankind. Finding the Ahuizotl left me with more questions unanswered. What are the properties of the crystals, do they possess magic of some sort? How many more are there like the Ahuizotl? How many more gods - unknown to humankind walk among us? What are their intentions, do they simply want to coexist in silence? Or have they always been plotting something else?
Mija, If somehow this reaches you, this will be my last log and expedition. I have found leaks in my oxygen tank, rendering me unable to return to shore. My canteen has run dry and the cave waters are all saltwater. Soon all I will leave in the material world is this book. Throughout my life, I have always sought to uncover the mysteries of the aquatic realm of cryptids. It holds a beauty that no other place has to offer. And yet nothing brings me greater joy to find that we both share this same love for cryptids. My daughter, my greatest joy, and a kindred spirit. Know that my love of the unknown pales to what we share. Everytime you would flip through my sketches and writings,when you would relentlessly beg me for answers about cryptids, when your eyes would fill with wonder and curiosity, it felt like I was discovering something brand new all over again. Which is why pains me to say that I lament now being able to spend more time with you, exploring the world with you, and watching you walk into the bright future that was made for you. With love, papá
Thank you for reading! created by @blurdshuns