The Grim Glossary
whimsical and hauntingThe Grim Glossary
whimsical and haunting
A List of Faery Creatures
Adar Llwch Gwin – magical bird-like creatures of enormous size. Highly intelligent, they are said to understand all languages. Some stories compare them to gryphons.
Afanc – a strange creature that most resembles a cross between a giant furry crocodile and a scaly armadillo. It lives in lakes and rivers, but prefers bogs. The afanc seldom leaves its home. While it prefers plants, it is an opportunistic hunter—it will gladly eat any human or fae who wanders too close. Legend says it can be mesmerized by music.
Anghenfil, anghenfilod – literally “monster”. In the Grim Series, they are shadow creatures, beasts of the Inbetween that feed upon magic – and magic users!
Barghest – see Grim
Basilisk – a large reptilian creature similar to a dragon but without wings. It has bright tufts of feathers that flare around its head, and a tall feathered crest runs along its highly flexible spine. The basilisk can administer a paralyzing poison with its breath.
Bendith y Mamau – another Welsh name given to the Tylwyth Teg, meaning “mothers’ blessings”. It was widely believed that referring to the fae by flattering names would appease them and prevent them from causing trouble in the mortal world.
Bwbach (plural is Bwbachod) – a dark-skinned hobgoblin of enormous height and girth. It’s very strong and considerably hairy. A bwbach has a passion for ale, and will happily celebrate anything. It can often be seen bearing a wooden keg under its arm. A friendly bwbach is not to be confused with the unfriendly bwgan!
Bwgan (plural is Bwganod) – giant salamander-like creatures with wicked teeth. Bad-tempered and ferocious, they are hunted for the possibility that a stone may have formed in their skull. Like a pearl in an oyster, the stone is attractive when removed. More importantly, a bwgan stone has the ability to magnify one’s magical powers, intensifying spells
Ceffyl Dŵr – a water horse from Welsh folklore; called a Kelpie in Scotland. Known for lurking in ponds and bogs to drown unwary humans and devour them. Usually described as ghostly pale, and able to disappear by dissolving into mist.
Coblyn (plural is Coblynau) – Short, stocky and gnome-like, the coblynau originated beneath the Black Mountains of Wales, where their territory straddles both the faery and the mortal realms. They were known to give aid to human miners, warning them of danger or helping them find ore. However, the Coblynau are natural explorers and few stay beneath the mountains for long. They have an eye for business, and are often found running taverns and shops throughout the fae world. A coblyn typically wears a shapeless red cap.
Crymbil – slender beings with orange eyes and extremely long fingers. They are skittish and timid beings, but hardworking and often employed as servants. Females have stubby but serviceable wings.
Cŵn Annwn – the legendary white hunting hounds that follow the Wild Hunt, favorites of Lurien
Cyhyraeth – a bony gray-skinned creature that resembles a woman in form but with large leathery wings. Its demonic face features a wide mouth with large needle-like teeth and white pupiless eyes. Venomous and very dangerous, it preys on fae beings and humans alike.
Daemons – beings with gray skin and green eyes. Able to handle iron without harm and often hired as mercenaries. Not from the Nine Realms.
Ddraig (plural is Dreigiau) – a dragon. The faery realms are home to many types and sizes of dragons.
Draigddynion – the Dragon Men, one of the Dark Fae races. Many are extremely reptilian in appearance and have elliptical pupils. Others, particularly those of the nobility, can rival the Tylwyth Teg for beauty, though they always have at least a few scales.
Dryads – Also known as tree nymphs, they possess powerful earthen magic and communicate easily with the Planhigion, the plant kingdom. They can also command plants. Dryads are normally quite human in appearance but can either take on the form of a tree or merge into an existing one when they wish to hide. Dryads draw their magical energy from living things.
Ellyll (plural is Ellyllon) – A race of small beings who live in the Nine Realms but are not faeries at all: they are known as elementals. An ellyll is often described as a cross between a cranky gnome and a walking shrub in appearance, but is not to be underestimated. The ellyllon are well-versed in the most ancient of magics, familiar with spells that even the fae have forgotten and able to design charms at will. Acting collectively, the ellyllon are far more powerful than even the Tylwyth Teg. Unfortunately, there are very few left in the Nine Realms.
Fire Salamanders – These tiny red salamanders burst into flames when startled, then run away unharmed. They are one of several elemental creatures that live in the faery realms.
Green Stag – an ancient creature, a sentinel animal said to be the very life of the forest it guards in the Nine Realms. Much sought after for favors and blessings. When the Green Stag dies, another one will eventually take its place.
Grim – a legendary canine with many names: The Black Dog, the Gwyllgi, the Dog of Darkness, the Barghest, Dog of the Twilight, and the Black Hound of Destiny. It’s said to resemble a giant mastiff, larger than any living dog, and its eyes may be bright yellow or even glowing red. The Black Dog is the herald of Death itself, and those who see the animal are usually destined to die very soon. The Grim can also be an instrument of justice, hunting down escaped murderers. The great beast has been known to protect children or guard lone travelers. Sadly, the dog is not a natural creature – usually it was once a human who has been cursed by the fae for real or imagined offenses.
Gwyllgi – see Grim
Gwyllion – a shadow creature, often faceless, that haunts the mountains of the fae realms and feeds on the energy of living beings. Sometimes a gwyllion will take the form of an old woman to lure its prey closer.
Llamhigyn y dwr – a winged frog-like creature, with a venomous stinger in its long tail. Also called a water leaper.
Kelpie, kelpies – water horses that drown unwary humans. Also called the Ceffyl Dŵr
Kobold, kobolds – appear as small greenish goblin-like creatures with long pointed ears and tails; however this is a carefully crafted illusion. In their natural state, Kobolds are as large and strong as bwbachod. Kobolds are fun-loving and use their ability to become invisible to play jokes and pranks on others.
Morgens – one of the Pobl Dŵr, the Water People. Despite their great beauty, they are best known for luring mortals to their deaths by showing them visions of underwater cities and sunken treasure.
Passerines – little bright blue birds that circle the Palace and occasionally the vaulted ceiling of the Court
Planhigion – the plant kingdom. Dryads (wood nymphs) consider plants to be sentient beings and communicate with them freely.
Pobl Dŵr – the Water People. A consortium of beings who do not possess territory, but rather, live in the lakes and waterways of both human and fae realms.
Pysky, pyskies – These tiny beings are one of the few faery races capable of flight. They have bird-like feathered wings and when in the mortal world are often mistaken for darting swallows. Pyskies prefer to live in crowded colonies, foraging for food at night in the forests and marshes. In the dark, they often glow brightly with a bluish light.
Pwca, or Pooka – a shapeshifter that can assume the form of any creature it wishes, but always midnight black with glowing eyes. While it is often seen as a very large rabbit or a goat, its favorite form is that of a great dark horse that races over the countryside at night. Intelligent and extremely curious, a pwca enjoys conversation. But it possesses a sense of mischief and loves to play rather nasty pranks on both human and fae. It might also eat them…
Red crickets – these brilliant little insects are found only in the faery realms, usually around the roots of trees or in caves. There are many in the underground passageways of the Palace.
Rhai corniog – unicorns, but not the dainty and delicate creatures of legend. The size and heft of heavily-muscled Clydesdales, their enormous cloven hooves are skirted with long jet hair, and their dark roan coats are speckled with blue and gray. Their single horns are not slender spirals but thick and curving blades that taper up from their broad foreheads. Unicorns are herd animals.
Tree Nymphs – see Dryads
Tylluanod – the great ghostly owls that inhabit the Black Marsh. Nodin, one of the riders of the Wild Hunt, trains some of them.
Tylwyth Teg – the ruling class in the Nine Realms, claiming jurisdiction over all other fae beings of whatever race or type. The Tylwyth Teg are taller than most humans, and ethereally beautiful. Most have pure white hair, and unusual eyes that appear to be every color at once. They are divided into family Houses, such as Oak, Ash, and Rowan. The throne is held by the House of Thorn. The Tylwyth Teg are usually amoral and often cruel, particularly the noble-born among them.
Undine, undines – one of the water races (see Pobl Dŵr). Human in appearance but spend long periods of time in the water.
Warth, warths – striped predators that inhabit the dangerous Silver Maple Forest. Lithe and powerful, they have long muzzles with serrated teeth. They usually run in large packs.
Wenwyn – tiny orange toads that inhabit the the bottle tree forests in the easternmost borders of the faery realm. Their poison stops the heart instantly, and they can bite many times
Wight or Woodwight – a giant tree-like creature more dangerous than bwgans and warths combined
Wood Nymphs – see Dryads
Ysbryd pren – a Woodwight
Ystlumod – delicate white bats that sing quietly to themselves with a trilling sound when at rest. Their snowy fur is very soft, but ystlumod possess many needle-like teeth.
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Fae Characters
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Locations
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Welsh & Faery Languages
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