Rare Monsters

  The succarath, also known as the su, was a monster Andre Thevet reported from Patagonia. The beast was described as having a very short face, similar to either that of a human or a cat. It had a red beard and lion like mane. The body was very skinny, with a deep chest in the front and narrowing to the back. The tail was very bushy and held over its back. The succarath carried its young on its back and sheltered them with its tail. The creature had long legs for running, and was quite quick and agile. The succarath was a carnivore and a capable hunter, comparable to a large cat. While Andre Thevet was the first person to write about the succarath, he wasn’t the only one. Other explorers such as Conrad Fore, Ambroise Pare and Juan Eusebio Nieremberg all mentioned the succarath. Each of these explorers all write about the succarath as a completely natural animal, and not hearsay from local legend. It was said that the local Tehuelche natives would hunt the succarath for its...

  The nguruvilu is a monster from Mapuche legend in Chile. It looks like an elongated fox, which can coil around like a snake. It's still fur covered like a fox. It has long sharp claws. The name nguruvilu means fox snake in Mapuche. The nguruvilu lives an amphibious life in rivers and can hide itself in the form of common water creatures. It's a dangerous trickster who drags people underwater and drowns them. The nguruvilu can make the water deep or shallow. It can make the river look inviting to lure people in and can also make whirlpools and rapids at will. It delights in drowning lone victims and watches the village morn. The only way to get rid of an nguruvilu is through the efforts of a machi, the Mapuche version of a shaman. At the river's edge the machi will make offerings to the gods and good spirits to protect him. Then he will dive underwater and guided by good magic will capture the nguruvilu in the form of a fish, frog or snake. He then threatens the nguruvi...