RATATOSK—MESSENGER OF THE GODS
November 5, 2081
I’ve been away visiting family in Asgard, so please forgive the interruption of the blog. I won’t go into details of my trip, only to say that it was more successful than I could have hoped and also more devastating. One good thing that came out of it was that I met a new friend. His name is Raol, and he’s a ratatosk, the only one on Terra as far as I know.
Ratatosks are descendants of the creature known as Ratatoskr.
BLUECAPS AROUND THE WORLD?
September 22, 2081
Unlike the bloodthirsty redcaps, who get their name from dipping their hats in the blood of their enemies, bluecaps are mostly a peaceful race. Peaceful, as compared to the other dwarven races, that is. They still like to carry a good axe and know how to use it.
IS THAT A HIDEBEHIND BEHIND THAT TREE?
July 7, 2081
This is one for the entomology and cryptozoology enthusiasts. Has anyone come into contact with a hidebehind? We might have one lurking near the house. Our property manager seems concerned.
HARPIES: WINGED GODS OR DEMONS?
Harpies have been called everything from evil child snatchers to seductive maidens. So what’s the real deal with harpies? Do they even exist?
Yes, they do.
Don't Say Boo to a Goose
June 15, 2081
The name Canada goose is misleading. Even in the days when international borders meant something, these geese could be found as far south as Texas. In the same way that pigeons dominated cities, Canada geese found their niche in suburbs. At one time, you could barely walk along sections of the Lake Ontario shoreline without tripping over a goose (or slipping in its droppings).
A Glory of Will O’Wisps
May 5, 2081
Will o’wisps have gone by many names over the centuries: ghost light, feu follet, jack o’lantern, hobby lantern, hinkypunk, and my favorite, Ignis fatuus (Latin for “foolish flame”).
Rodent + Lizard = A Curiosity
April 10, 2081
Today on the continuing saga of my life with critters, I bring a truly unique creature. I’m calling it a squamus—squamata (a genus of reptiles which includes snakes and lizards) + mus (a genus of rodents including mice).
A Hell Hound Tale
January 1, 2081
Happy New Year! I have been thinking a lot about hell hounds lately, and I thought I’d tell you a story about these amazing and often misunderstood beasts.
Once upon a time, a young woman left the only home she’d ever known to live in Asgard, the land of her ancestors.
Golem vs. Gargoyle
(November 25, 2080)
No, we aren’t doing some kind of gladiator show where we pit golems against gargoyles. But I want to have a serious discussion about the distinction between the two. This is a topic close to my heart for many reasons, and something we should all be aware of. So here goes.
BODACHS: LOOKING AT THE BEING BEHIND THE CURTAIN
(November 17, 2080)
As usual, the information I can find about bodachs is antiquated and fairly useless to dealing with these beings in the modern, post-war world.
The origin of the term “bodach” may be derived from the old Irish word for peasant or from an old Norse term for cottage. In Gaelic, bodach is used as a familiar term of affection and simply means “old man.”
Riddle Me a Brownie
November 10, 2080
If you came here looking for the “best chewy brownie recipe,” you’re in the wrong spot. Actually, I was amazed at the number of brownie recipes on the ley-web, especially considering my ward hasn’t had real chocolate in over a decade. But that’s a topic for a different blog. This is a discussion on the fae subspecies known as a brownie.
Bijou
(August 1, 2080)
Someone gave me a present. Isn’t she beautiful. We named her Bijou. As far as I can tell she’s just a normal snail except for her brilliant colors. But she does make an odd whistling noise sometimes.
Dragons
(June 8, 2080)
Okay, folks. Let’s talk dragons. There’s so much information and disinformation out there, it’s hard to know what is true and what is myth. Not only that, but how do we know if there are different breeds of dragons? I have very limited experience with these amazing creatures so I’d like to pool our knowledge and create a database of sightings and info.
Chimera
(May 4, 2080 - Posted May 18, 2080)
The fun continues. I came face-to-face with an actual chimera recently. Now before you all start sending me irate messages that the term chimera is generic and misleading, I agree with you, but bear with me.
Shushers
(May 3, 2080 - Posted May 16, 2080)
I'm on an adventure outside our ward where I encountered some really interesting creatures. The first one is a shusher. I have never heard of this creature before. They may be a hybrid, created in the magic flares during the war.
Take the Quiz
Do you know what to feed a basilisk? Or how to stop a dervish from spinning into overload? What would you do if you found an abandoned baby dragon? These are just some of the quandaries that Kyra Greene faces in Dragons Don’t Eat Meat. Test your fae knowledge to see if you could be a fae caretaker too!