Monster Mash

In the spirit of Halloween I’m going to write about monsters this week. Monsters are a good way to show the danger of the world, and to give insights and make better stories. They are also one of the few things where knowing how you want to use it in a story is the better pace to start than how it would work in the world. As depending on what the monster is it may or may not actually exist.

The first question is: Does this monster really exist? Historically, monsters don’t exist, at least outside of the human ones. Thus in the story will the monster be real or a story within the story. If it’s a story within a story, not only is that good worldbuilding, but it’s a great way to hide morals and themes in plain sight.

This leads to monsters as folk lore or myth. Generally these monsters are representing something that either goes wrong or the dangers of the world. Some creatures are there to give a name and face for things like undertow, or a reason for the sink hole. Yes with enough science we can explain away these monsters, yet some we can’t. Those are the ones that often stay in our collective memories. Sometimes the monster keeps it’s tied to the wisdom, or that too can fade away. Which can be left for another time. Often rediscovering the wisdom lost can be a fun way to use a monster.

Examples here are as numerous, as can be seen in any RPG Monster Manual. These can be good sources of inspiration, as they often carry a bit of lore, statistics, and the examples of the way can harm someone. Yet don’t let that stop the determined worldbuilder from inventing their own mythos. When doing this take care to tie it back into the culture that created it, and the time it was created. It is how one can layer the wisdom and add that degree of completeness and believability that worldbuilding adds to a story.

Yet what if the monster isn’t an allegory or story? What if the monster is just a creature. I’m thinking about bears, wolves, and perhaps some of the big cats. In this case the monster is less monster and more misunderstood large predator. In this case add something, strange to them. Maybe they are smarter, or can do something strange. While these creatures can be dangerous and scary as is, adding the supernatural is what can drive them to be properly monstrous. There’s also a tradition to make them larger, which can help to sell the monster part.

I would recommend if it’s a monster version of a natural creature have it do something different than the expected. Have it talk, have it shoot lasers out of its eyes, have it fly, phase though solid objects, or whatever else spooky thing that fits. Personally I like the classic ghostly version of the creature. It’s spooky, different enough, and gives an aura of ‘is this real or is the character seeing things’ that I find compelling. Vampiric version is my second pick, although they leave less room for it not really existing. I see this layer as the group of creatures that have scary enough base to then supercharged into a monster. All in all a pretty good option for those who want something interesting yet still grounded.

Regardless when a normal creature becomes a monster it should be used to oppose the main plot. It could be a metaphorical opposition where the threat of this creature is worse than the creature tends to be. In this case I’d have the monster be a rumor and reality it’s ‘just a’ creature. Because for as scary a wolf is, it’s a lot scarier when the wolf sucks blood, shoots lightning and can fly. Generally used to show that what we dream up is worse than what really is.

Yet there are times where monsters that must be true monsters. These monsters are monsters though and though. Instead of taking a creature from the world and adjusting it into a supernational entity. Narratively speaking, monsters are meant to be opposition to the protagonists. True monsters should be cunning, scarry, and dangerous. Often overcoming a monster is a point of character growth. Thus monsters have to challenge the characters and often personify the weakness of said character. When done well a monster will be an out right villain and one that’s satisfying to defeat.

When it comes to creating this creature I would use a myth or legend as a base. Then evolve it into something that fits into the world as a feature of it. In essence figure out how this creature either fits, or doesn’t fit into the world that surrounds it. From the more supernatural like Vampires, and Dullahan to the more mundane like harpies, and griffons. On the supernatural side, these creatures often working in their self interests, and often without care for those whom are not themselves. If the main characters actively offended the creature or are simply in the wrong time and wrong place. These supernatural masterminds will often make their revenge a vendetta against the characters. Meanwhile the more supernatural of nature’s creatures will also be crafty opposition yet this seldom comes from malice. Instead their opposition comes from either a desire to eat, or defend their territory from, the protagonists. In either case the moniker of monster comes from their overwhelming power.

I wouldn’t lock a world to one type of monster. Which can give some very interesting mixes. What would mythological monsters look like for a world with Vampires and Dragons? If supernatural creatures appear and disappear are they mythological or recorded as fact? How exactly do the cultures interact with these monsters?

For example if we have a world with a creature, the Pumpkin King it has a head that of a carved pumpkin, a dark cloak, and clawed feet. Once a year he travels the night rewarding those who pledged allegiance to him, and punishing those who have not.

He always makes his rounds shortly after the end of the harvest those who have pledged to his cause will placed a carved pumpkin, attempting to capture his likeness on their doorstep. Few claim to see him each year, placing pouches of gifts next to those he deems to capture his likeness the best.

Now where the story of the Pumpkin King goes from there depends on which of the three categories he falls into. Which I will leave as an exercise to the reader.

Until next week.

What did you think of this Halloween themed Worldbuild Wednesday. I got about half way though another topic before realizing Halloween would be the day afterwards. Thus a pivot. While a little shorter than I would want I think it came out well. Expect some stories soon.