Free Spirit Meg

I can’t believe how quickly this month is flying by! Although, I have been quite busy keeping up with my Inktober project while also taking an online course, caring for family matters which include an 8 month old and enjoying this wonderful Autumn weather. Even the few rainy days we’ve had have been refreshing but I digress. I’ve only a few more Inktober prompts to complete and I will have a full set of sketches for this year. I’m having a lot of fun drawing all the different cryptids, beasts and creatures. It’s a menagerie of madness and I love it!

In Inktober 2023 – Part 1, I described each creature from 1-10. For Part 2, we will be reviewing 11-24 which will leave us with one final entry later in the month. As always, I am following along with the official Inktober prompt list for 2023. Let’s begin!

11. Wander – Baba Yaga is a witch from Slavic folklore and if she catches you wandering in the woods, she’ll eat you up! She travels in a mortar and pestle while using a broom to sweep away her tracks. She also lives in a house that is always moving because it stands on chicken legs!
12. Spicy – An Ifrit is a type of djinn or genie that is born from smokeless fire…A fire elemental from Islamic folklore.
13. Rise – The mothman is a creature that was sighted from 1966-1967 near Point Pleasant, West Virginia. It became an omen of doom because tragedy followed closely, wherever it was seen. It was described as 7-10 ft. tall with a 10 ft. wingspan. Be leery if you see the mothman rise into the night sky. He could be warning you of danger!
14. Castle – Leap Castle is in Ireland and is said to be one of the most haunted castles on earth. One of the creatures that has been seen there is called the elemental. The description is vague. Mainly that it’s some kind of “thing” with hands and a gaunt face with two black holes for eyes. It’s entire body is grayish in color and has the appearance of wool. It is accompanied by a horrible smell of rotting corpses.
15. Dagger – Mapinguari is a creature that is said to inhabit and protect the jungles in Brazil. There are a few different descriptions of this beast, one of which states that it is the size of a newfoundland dog that is both bipedal and quadrupedal. They have long claws like daggers. Some believe it is an apelike relative to bigfoot, while others believe it could be a giant ground sloth believed to be extinct since long ago! Other reports say it has one eye and a mouth in its abdomen!
16. Angel – The cherubim is an angel from Jewish , Christian and Islamic literature. It has four heads… an ox, a human, an eagle and a lion. Each head has two wings and the front wings cover the body. The feet are like calves’ feet. There is another description that says it has eyes from head to toe, even on its wings!
17. Devil – The Jersey Devil is a popular cryptid that terrorizes the Pine Barrens in South Jersey. This creature is often described as bipedal with hooves, bat-like wings, horse-like head with horns, short arms and a pointed tail. Size varies from 3-7 ft. tall and with a wingspan of around 6 ft.
18. Saddle – Sadie is a sea monster that supposedly dwells beneath Saddle Lake in Alberta, Canada. This creature is described as a black serpent with a horse-like head and is around 60 ft long! Sightings peaked in the 80’s but have since died down.
19. Plump – Tsuchinoko is a fat snake from Japanese folklore. They range from 10-30 inches in length with a head and tail much thinner than their plump body.
20. Frost – The Yeti or Abominable Snowman is a creature like Bigfoot that inhabits the Himalayan Mountains in Asia. They are described as large, ape-like and bipedal. They are very strong and sturdy to survive the harsh climate. People have reported sightings of yetis with white or black hair and ranging anywhere from 6-10 ft. tall.
21. Chains – I chose the thylacine for this prompt because the last one that was seen, died in captivity in 1936. Also know as the Tasmanian Tiger, this extinct creature inhabited Australia until then and was hunted to extinction by European settlers who feared it would slaughter their sheep. There have been sightings in Tasmania since then but expeditions have never turned up any evidence. The thylacine was officially declared extinct in 1986. Let’s hope that if they are still out there, they remain hidden.
22. Scratchy – The Black Beast of Exmoor is a cryptid of England. This beast is described as a large, feline creature about 6 ft. long including the tail. During the 70s, big cats such as panthers, leopards and lions became a popular exotic pet. You didn’t need a license to own these animals until 1980, which at that point many owners set their “pets” free in the woods. It is believed that the Black Beast of Exmoor is a black panther that was set loose. There is a theory that perhaps two different species had created a feline hybrid that now inhabits the English countryside. Although, no evidence has been found to prove this.
23. Celestial – Aliens and UFOs have been sighted all over the world. One of the most recognizable alien descriptions is the Grays. They are described as being 3-4 ft. tall, with large black eyes, a tiny nose and mouth, and gray skin. Some believe that their outer appearance is actually a type of space suit they are wearing. These celestial beings are said to be the ones involved in the famous crash at Roswell.
24. Shallow – The Beast of Busco is a humongous alligator snapping turtle that was sighted in Churubusco, Indiana, during the late 40s. The Beast of Busco is said to have a shell that is 6 ft. long and 4 ft. wide. Although some have reported it as large as a small automobile! The community held a month long hunt to capture the beast. No such creature was captured, although two men claimed they had almost caught it until it broke through their homemade net made from chicken wire.

Wow! What a line up! Which beast do you find most fascinating? Have you ever seen one with your own two eyes? Share your story in the comments below! Thanks for stopping by today and check back soon to see the completed series of all 31 sketches!

Stay curious, free spirits!