Ilimu: A Creature that Can Shapeshift

In the Kikuyu tribe found in Kenya, there were stories about a creature that has the ability to shapeshift. This creature is called Ilimu. Compared to other werewolf, it is not a curse that turns a human to a shape-shifting monster. It is a demon that possesses the body of the animals and transform into a human form. On the other hand, according to the book ‘The Monster Magnus Vol. 1’, it is known to be a predatory animal. These animals can transform into human through magic.

Ilimu: A Predatory Animal or a Creature that Has

the Ability to Shapeshift

Dog Shift |Half fizz via Sketchport

In this article, we will look at the different legends surrounding the Ilimu creature.

 

An Insatiable Thirst for Murder

An Ilimu can be a hyena or a lion. There are some instances when it is a crocodile. They have been transformed with a magical incantation that allows them to gain the intelligence of a human being. In this story, the creature has the ability to shapeshift into a human. They will do this if they are killing their target. In addition, they will not stop from killing their victim. They will also visit their victim’s friends and family to murder them. Only then will he be able to return to the wilderness as an animal.  

But for an Ilimu to shapeshift into a human, he has to acquire a body tissue of a man such as a hair strand, nails or even blood. He would then extract it and would end up as a perfect replica of the person he wishes to copy. After successfully taking the appearance of a man, he would then kill that person and took over his life. It would then live a life of a human and socialize within the community.

A Clever Creature

Ilimu is known to be very clever, to a point that it can even trick a witch doctor or a shaman into thinking that he is indeed a human. Aside from Kenya, it is also known in the legends of different African communities which include Uganda and Ghana. Their ability to shapeshift has reached the different country in Africa.

In the year 1898, two lions were suspected of being an Ilimu. They were held responsible for the death of around 130 individuals that were constructing a bridge on the Tsavo River. The villagers formed a hunting team and hunted the creatures that can shapeshift. This incident was adopted in the movie “The Ghost and the Darkness” which starred Hollywood A-lister Val Kilmer and Michael Douglas. The lions were killed and were stuffed to place in a museum. They now serve as a tourist attraction in Field Museum found in Chicago, USA.

Ilimu has the habit of luring their victims to secluded area before attacking them. They have been closely associated with serial killers. This is due to the fact that they will not stop until the victim has been destroyed. They are also believed to be the leader of the pack. Aside from their ability to shapeshift, they also travel in pairs. This is to guarantee their protection.

The Case of Maria das Dores

Maria das Dores was a few minutes away from being buried when she came back to life.  Maria das Dores, 88 years old was pronounced dead by the doctors after they found her with no vital signs.  She had been admitted in the hospital located in the Apatinga for quite some time after being diagnosed of suffering from blocked arteries and Alzheimer’s disease.

On Christmas day, the doctors already signed her death certificate and asked them to transfer her remains on a funeral parlor.  And from the funeral parlor she was taken to the local church for burial rites.

When the funeral is preparing for her burial, the undertaker opened the coffin and noticed that Maria das Dores is alive.  She was alive after all but she’s not responding to any type of conversation.

She was quickly returned to the hospital where she was declared dead; they gave her an immediate treatment while she was still in her coffin.  Family members of Maria das Dores were claiming that she was moving more compared to before.

She was pronounced dead on a Tuesday and they have never seen a sign of life from her since Wednesday. Is this a sign of the reanimated corpse or a case of medical malpractice?  Is her lack of response caused by zombification or Alzheimer’s disease?

La Laurie Mansion

Those who are aware of the eerie side of the Voodoo they knew that the Voodoo-Hoodoo Master , Dr. John trusted no one but Delphine La Laurie.  Madame La Laurie was accounted for the death of several people and also for torturing number of slaves on the attic of her house with the help of her husband.

The house is located at the Governor Nichols St. found in New Orleans.  But recent findings claimed that these people who were supposedly tortured and whom the organs were saw outside of their body were allegedly zombies being created by Madame La Laurie.  This is said to be a part of the experiment being done by her husband as a part f the zombification.  Though it may be hard to believe circumstantial evidence was pointing towards that direction.

On the 10th of April 1834, a huge fire broke out at the Mansion.  Fortunately the fire department was quick to respond on the emergency.  While preventing the fire from spreading out, they discovered a locked door on the third floor.  They forced it open and were shocked to see that there are slaves in that room, some of them are dead, and others are tied on the table.  The bodies of the dead one were mutilated and cut open.  There are parts of human bodies scattered on the floor.  In one cage they discovered a bones and remains of a young man who seems to be remodeled to make it look like a crab.  There were also victims that went into a sex change operation.  Others had their faces turned into a gruesome creature.

While the firemen were busy and astounded on the horrors they discovered inside the mansion, it was said that Mary Ellen Pleasant was seen leaving the area with some documents.  A member of today’s secret society claimed that Ellen managed to take one document containing spells that could turn a man into a zombie.  Based on stories Mary Ellen holds the most powerful spells of Dr. John about zombification.

In 2007, the house of La Laurie Mansion was bought by a prominent Hollywood actor, Nicholas Cage.  Cage was aware about the horrific past of the mansion.  In 2008, he sold the mansion and said that he never slept in it.  He claimed that there are 6 ghosts inside the mansion that he is aware of.  They would constantly have a family dinner in the house but he would not allow them to sleep in the mansion.

Catherine Monvoisin

Catherine Monvoison also known as La Voisin is a serial killer who is said to be a sorceress and a fortune teller who arranged black masses in order for her clients to have an access to the devil and grant their wishes,

Her career as a fortune teller began after her husband passed away.  She started practicing palm and face-reading and adapted it as their steady source of income.  She studied medicine and midwifery but would later result to performing abortion to her clients.  Her gift of clairvoyance is said to be a gift from God.  She claimed that she already has the ability to foresight the future when she was just a kid.

Eventually La Voisin noticed that most of her clients have the same wishes and problems.  Most of them are associated with love.  She would recommend them to visit a certain church and pray for a certain saint.  She then sell amulets and love potion which consist of bizarre things found in some insects.

La Voisin has many loyal clients, most of them include aristocrats.  She would arrange black masses wherein a woman was put into the altar and a bowl was placed onto her; a baby was then held above the bowl and the blood of the new born would then flow into the bowl.  This black mass is said to grant his client the ability to talk to the demon and state their wishes.

She was arrested on March 12, 1679 outside of Notre-Dame de Bonne-Nouvelle after she heard a mass.  It was followed by the arrest of her daughter and other people associated within her network.  On December 27, 1679, Louis XIV release an order that everyone associated with the “cult” of La Voisin should be exterminated regardless of their rank and stature.

La Voisin was burned in public on February 22, 1680 at Place de-Greve in Paris.  Today the character of La Voisin has been an inspiration to the film Marquise and the manga ボアザン.

The Vampire of Gałkówek

Born on March 15, 1929, Stanislaw Modzelewski was a serial killer from Poland that unleashed his terror during the 1950’s.  He is also known as the “Vampire of Galkowek”.

Stanislaw Modzelewski who worked as a driver, murdered a total of seven women and attempted to kill 6 other women.  He was also believed to be responsible for killing his 8th victim though it was never included in the case since the body of the victim was never found.  Modzelewski supposedly confessed on killing the 8th victim.  He was sentenced to die by hanging on November of 1969 in Warsaw, Poland.

Modzelewski’s victim ranged from ages 18-87 years old.  He would strangle them with their scarf or in some cases; he would use his bare hands.  He would then discard the possession of the victims even the things that are valuable.  It also appears that the victims have been sexually assaulted, though it wasn’t confirmed if it was before or after he murdered his victims.

List of Victims (based on murderpedia.org)

Józefa Pietrzykowska (67) a forest in Zielona Góra near Gałkówek, strangled with bare hands, July 1952Maria Kunka (32) a forest near Tuszyn, strangled with a scarf, December 1952Teresa Piekarska (21) a field by the forest in Nowy Józefów, strangled with a scarf, March 1953Irena Bernadetta Dunajska (24) a field near the road in Gałkówek, strangled with a scarf, 1/2 January 1955Helena Walos (18) the vicinity of a country road near the forest in Gałkówek, strangled with a scarf, March 1956Helena Klata (22) the vicinity of a road near the rail track between Andrzejów and Gałkówek, strangled with a scarf or bandana (a fragment of material was left on the victim's neck), August 1956Maria Gałecka (87) a flat on Sienna Street in Warsaw, strangled or drowned (the corpse stuck out of the bathtub, the buttocks were exposed and cut with a sharp tool), 14 September 1967

Vampire-Related Incidents

June 2003, when a male prostitute named Shane Abbott was murdered inside his home.  He was accused of rape and was about to go on the 5th day of trial when he was murdered.  During the trial Abbott claimed that he’s a vampire and there are times that he attempted to bite the tongue of his victims; he further said that he used human blood to quench his thirst.  The identity of the suspected murderer remains anonymous.  But it is indeed baffling that the murder happened upon Abbott confessed that he is a vampire.

A mass hysteria about a vampire incident also happened in Malawi in Southeastern Africa.  In December of 2002, villagers would randomly beat people who they suspect is a blood sucking creature.  One day three Catholic priest are passing around the area when they were attacked by the villagers, other group also attacked a camp of a group who was drilling for fresh water.  Apparently the people of Blantyre suspected that it was a vampire’s camp.

Rumors started to spread across the land when the President offers a deal to trade human blood in exchange for food in order to alleviate their problem on food shortage.  The people thought that the government is dealing with vampires and they believe that the government issued a command to these vampires to hunt locals and collect bloods.

The government is willing to put an end to this panic thus they sent authorities to the villages to clear that there are no such dealing with a supposed group of vampires.  But that didn’t stop the mass hysteria, some says that this is because the people already felt hopeless against hungers and diseases especially AIDS.  There are also rumors that some people were attacked by these undead creatures, reason why their belief about the vampires grew stronger.  They are also sightings about a suspected modern day vampire that attacks their victim with a sleeping gas that immobilize them, but no sightings of the medieval type of vampire with a sharp teeth.  The government finally decided to take drastic measures and arrest those who were “hunting” vampires.  About 40 men were arrested by the police. Interestingly there had been an incident of vampire hysteria in Malawi 30 years ago.

Ratu Udre Udre

Ratu Udre Udre is said to be the most prolific cannibal based on the Guinness Book of World Record allegedly eating around 872-999 people.  He was believed to be keeping a stone for each of his victim and those stones were place alongside his tomb in Rakiraki after he died.

He was feared in the highlands of Rakiraki.  People would hide their little children when they started hearing the beat of a lali.  The beating of the lali is a sign that Udre udre is hungry and needed a human for food.  It was believed that there were groups of men working for him.    Those people would allegedly capture people and slice them and present them to Udre udre.  People often claim that the beat can be heard from far places.

Though he has already passed away, the name Udre udre is still feared by the people.  The stories of horror were being passed down from generation to generation. During his time of reign, there was a tribal war going on and a lot of people were killed and eaten along the river which is now known as the Kanakana Bridge.

Based on the stories told by the ancestors, Udre udre would eat anyone he wanted to eat.  He would first find the fat and healthy ones but he also eats children.  He would kill his victim by crashing their skull using a sharp stone.   It was believed that if Udre udre only managed to eat 1000 individuals, he would’ve attained an immortal life

Surender Koli

The series of murder dubbed as the 2006 Noida serial murder is blamed on a rapist and a cannibal named Surender Koli.  In December of 2006, the investigation on the incident began as the police discovered the bones and remains of a number of missing children in the town of Nithari, India

On the 26th of December 2006, an influential businessman named Moninder Singh Pandher as well as his servant Surender Koli were apprehended by the authorities for supposedly murdering a prostitute named as Payal. They were both sentenced to death on the 13th of February, 2009.

On December 29, 2006, two residents of the village claimed they knew about the location of the remains of the children who went missing on the past years. The two men, whom both of their children disappeared believed that a servant from the D5 house has something to do with the series of disappearances.  They were constantly ignored by the officials about their report of the missing children so they seek the help of S. C. Mithra, a former President of the Resident’s Welfare Association.

That morning Mithra lead the search on a water tank where the bodies of the kids were supposedly kept.  They managed to find a decomposed hand which prompted them to call the officials.  Upon the arrival of the police, the residents had already found additional remains of 3 victims.  Koli then confessed on murdering six children together with the murder of Payal.  The residents of the village as well as the parents of the missing children started to speculate that the police are corrupt and under the influence of a rich businessman.  They demanded a thorough investigation on the matter.  One of the residents even claimed that the police are claiming the discoveries of the bodies when they have long ignored their reports.

The Central government took the matter into their hands and started an investigation.  The press later divulged that an influential businessman, Pandher was apprehended by the police.  Two of the policemen were also relieved on their duty on the allegations of having connections with the murderers.  Later Surender Koli confessed on eating the livers of the victims as well as their body parts.  There was also evidence of Necrophilia committed on the victims.

Krasue

Krasue is a female vampiric spirit in the legend of Thailand, it is known as Kasu in Laos and Ap in Cambodia.  During the day the Krause assumes the form of a beautiful woman, but by night the beautiful woman would detach her head from her body causing her viscera to hang down to her neck and her entrails below the head.

The Krasue is said to live in the same place where the Krahang (a male spirit) lives.  She moves by hovering into the air.  She is depicted as a creature with a throat (sometimes with a neck) hangind down from her head.  It also includes organs such as heart and stomach complete with intestines.  The intestines were said to show the voracious nature of the Krasue.  Her viscera are believed to be always filled with blood.

Krasue is similar to the Penanggalan of Malaysia and Indonesia.  It also bears a striking resemblance to the Mananangal of the Philippines that detaches the lower half of its body to hunt victims.  The Krasue has been a source of inspiration for movies and television shows such as Kon Aeuy Madai Ahp (My Mother is Arb), Krasue Valentine and Ghost of guts Eater.

The Krasue is said to feed on their victim by inserting their long tongue into the anus of their victim.

Nahual/Nagual

A Nahual is a spirit of an animal which is usually a jaguar. A Nahual is particularly a part of the Mexican lore but also known in other Spanish speaking country in the west.  It is said to be a human who possess magic that can turn him into different animals.  The creature is usually depicted as a jaguar or a puma.

This creature is not necessarily evil.  It depends on the person’s behavior.  Unlike other ravenous creature, the Nahual can retain his rational thinking despite of turning into a vicious animal.  The idea of the Nahual is said to derive from the Pre-Columbian rituals of the Shaman wherein human was described of having a capability to take the form of any animals.  The Nahual is often linked to its birthdates; they believe that each birthdates symbolizes an animal similar to the animal totem or a zodiac sign.  But the nahuals were not easily given to the kids; they were only informed about their nahuals when they reached their proper age and when they are responsible enough to control it.

In other legends, the Nahual can also transform into a force of nature such as lightning.  Though there might be some differences on the description of a nahual depending on the region.  The general beliefs are all the same.  They believe that whatever animal passes through the ashes spread all over the new born baby will become its nahual.

Legends say that people use their nahual in order to guard their villages.  They usually transform during the night and they usually sends out a warning to their enemies which were also on their nahual form.

Camazotz

In a world that is old as the Mayan civilization, it is interesting to note that a creature that resembles a vampire exist on their legends.  A Camazotz is a were-bat monster that was encountered by Hunahpu and Xbalanque while they were undergoing their trials at the underworld.   The two were known to be the Maya Hero twins, during their encounter, they had to spend their entire night at the House of bats and hide into their own blowguns in order to keep them safe from the Camazotz.  Hunahpu sticks his head out of the blowgun to check if the sun had risen, but the Camazotz immediately snatched his head and took it to the ball court which will be used by the Gods as their ball into their next game.

Camazots is a bat god which is often associated with death, blood, and night.  They have the limbs of a man, sharp claws, a huge bat wings and their canine teeth are protruding similar to a vampire.  He is said to dwell in a cave with a pool of human blood filled with bats about the size of a regular adult male that feeds on the blood.

Experts believe that the idea of the Camazotz may have been originated from the vampire bats.  Mayans believe that this creature tend to snatch the head of the victims and even known to kill a God.  In order to stop the torment of the Camazotz, a human should be sacrifice to calm the spirit of the bat.

Cannibal Mom

An 8 year old boy was apparently skinned by his own mother and eaten by his relatives after locking him up in a cellar.  His mother, Klara Mauerova is said to be a member of the Grail Movement, an evil religious cult. She was weeping inside the court room while telling the story of horrors about torturing his son, Ondrej and his 10 year old brother named Jakub.

The two kids also tell the court how their own mother would stub cigars out on their skins.  She also allegedly whipped them using a belt and tried to drown them on different occasions.  The boys were apparently sexually abused by their own relatives and even forced them to cut themselves using a sharp knife.  They were allegedly being kept in cages if not handcuffed to the tables.  She would also make them stand in their own urine for a few days.

The abuse was discovered when a man from a nearby room installed a baby monitor to make sure that his kids are properly taken care of.   But the baby monitor picked up other signals from a similar monitor installed in the house of the suspect.  It showed an image of a kid naked and beaten while chained in the cellar.

He called the attention of the police and the police immediately responded.  They were able to rescue the two boys and a 13-year-old girl.  But apparently, upon further investigation it turns out that the 13-year old girl was really 34 years old and one of the torturers of the boys named Barbora Skrlova.

She went to Norway to evade the charges but was later captured and brought back to Czech to face the trial.  The torturers were all members of the Grail movement which have a tleast ten thousand followers worldwide. The suspects is said to receive a text message from someone who was only known as “The Doctor” telling them how to abuse and torture the boys.

Carl Jacquneaux

A gruesome attack involving a Louisiana Man named Carl Jacquneaux who allegedly bit a chunk of flesh on another man’s face.  The suspect is said to be high on bath salts. 43 year old, Jacquneaux attacked Todd Credeur, whom he had a long standing domestic rift in Lafayette Parish.  During the attack the police stated that the suspect was able to rip off the flesh on Credeur’s face. 

Credeur said that he was working at that time when Jacquneaux showed up and attacked him.  He was able to defend himself by spraying an insecticide into the man’s face.  Jacquneaux left the scene only to appear in another man’s home and steal a handgun.

A friend of the suspect told the reporter that Jacquneaux is known for using bath salts.  But that allegation was never proven since the authorities never conducted a test on him before he was taken to the jail.  Bath salts are legally sold in small stores that can cause paranoia and hallucinations.

The suspect was arrested and charged with burglary, violation of probation, battery and violation of protection order.  The bail for the said charges amounted at around $312,500.

On the other hand, Creduer was released from the hospital and is now recovering on his house.  

Peter Stubb/Stumpp/Stubbe

Peter Stubb is a German who was accused of being a wolf; one of the most popular werewolf trials that happened during 1591.  Peter Stubb gave a detailed account on his transformation and mutilation of the body of his victim.  A detailed and illustrated description of his confession and trial can be found on Lambeth Palace Library.

Based on the statement of Peter Stubb, he claims that he has a direct knowledge of witchcraft at an early age of 12.  They believed that he started on his evil ways and began studying about black magic and necromancy at a young age.  He said that a demon gave him a magic girdle that allows him to transform into a wolf.  He accepted the girdle in exchange for his protection from any kind of dangers.  He returns to his normal human form when he removes the girdle.

According to the London Chapbook of 1590, and it states:

 “Stubbe Peeter herewith was exceedingly well pleased, and the shape fitted his fancy and agreed best with his nature, being inclined to blood and cruelty. Therefore, satisfied with this strange and devilish gift, for that it was not troublesome nor great in carriage, but that it might be hidden in a small room, he proceeded to the execution of sundry most heinous and vile murders; for if any person displeased him, he would incontinent thirst for revenge, and no sooner should they or any of theirs walk abroad in the fields or about the city, but in the shape of a wolf he would presently encounter them, and never rest till he had plucked out their throats and tear their joints asunder. And after he had gotten a taste hereof, he took such pleasure and delight in shedding of blood, that he would night and day walk the fields and work extreme cruelties. And sundry times he would go through the streets of Collin, Bedbur, and Cperadt, in comely habit, and very civilly, as one well known to all the inhabitants thereabout, and oftentimes was he saluted of those whose friends and children he had butchered, though nothing suspected for the same. In these places, I say, he would walk up and down, and if he could spy either maid, wife, or child that his eyes liked or his heart lusted after, he would wait their issuing out of the city or town. If he could by any means get them alone, he would in the fields ravish them, and after in his wolfish likeness cruelly murder them. Yea, often it came to pass that as he walked abroad in the fields, if he chanced to spy a company of maidens playing together or else a milking their kine, in his wolfish shape he would incontinent run among them, and while the rest escaped by flight, he would be sure to lay hold of one, and after his filthy lust fulfilled, he would murder her presently. Beside, if he had liked or known any of them, look who he had a mind unto, her he would pursue, whether she were before or behind, and take her from the rest, for such was his swiftness of foot while he continued a wolf that he would outrun the swiftest greyhound in that country; and so much he had practiced this wickedness that the whole province was feared by the cruelty of this bloody and devouring wolf.”

For 25 years, Peter Stubbe will roam around the streets of Bedbur, Cperadt and Collin as he wears nice and expensive dress, fooling the people that he came from a reputable family.  When he found his victim, he will attack them at the time that they least expected it.  There are also accounts that he molested the maidens before tearing the bodies into pieces.  His victims are not limited to women, he also killed children, animals etc. sucking their blood and draining their life out of them.  There are total of 13 accounts of murder committed by Peter Stubb.  Some of the victims are pregnant; she took the fetus out of their womb and ate their heart.

At first Stubb was not the prime suspect for the pieces of the body owned by the victim.  The people then finally got convinced that he is the culprit, when the hunters chased a wolf wearing a girdle.  The girdle slipped from his body and he turned into a human.  He was arrested and quickly placed into trial.  He immediately made a confession afraid that they might torture him.  He also named his accomplice and all 3 of them were found guilty and sentenced to die.

Witches of Anaga

The Witches of Anaga is said to be a group of female performing evil craft in the mountainous section of Anaga found in the island of Tenerife in Spain.  Witches in Spanish speaking countries were often called brujas.  They believe they are creatures that acquired supernatural powers by signing a pact with the devil in order to execute their evil plan.

The witches of Anaga are also known as a vampire witch.  They attack those newborn babies that are sleeping in their cribs.  It is believed that the stories about the witches of Anaga has a touch of the legends of the vampires on Eastern Europe that is why they were given the  indication that they feed on the blood of their victims.

The people in the Canary Island believed that they held their sabbat on the mountains of Anaga reason why the place was given the name El Bailadero that refers to the dances of the witches that are faithful to the coven.  It is believed that the witches would dance all night while circling around the bonfire and proclaiming their loyalty to the pact.  Also during their gathering, they will throw their male victims on the bonfire as a form of sacrifice.

But there is a twist to this story.  Some people claimed that those women dancing on the mountain regions of Anaga are not witches but a normal human being.  They said that they are performing rituals in celebration of the rain, but such paganism practices are not tolerated by the church and considered as blasphemous and an act of the devil.

In 1797, during the invasion led by Horatio Nelson, the troops claimed that they encounter the witches of Anaga which gave them the fright of their life.

Manananggal

One of the goriest types of vampire can be found in the Philippines.  They are called manananggal which means to detach.  Manananggal true to its name detached its upper torso from its lower body, leaving her lower part on a place that is hard to find.  When the manananggal transform into a vampire, he would acquire a huge bat like wings and fly. They say that you would notice her intestines showing while she fly and search for her victims.  She also has a long tongue that she uses to suck blood.  She would search for a pregnant woman and fly on top of their roof.  She would use her sharp claws to drill a hole enough to fit her tongue.  They said that she was able to suck the baby out of the mother by sticking their tongue into the navel of the pregnant woman.

Mananangal’s human form is usually someone respectable, those who are least suspected of being a vampire creature.  Some of them went into the secluded place cloaked as a doctor and extend their help to the village.  True to their word, they would help these people during the day, but at night time they would feed on them

The curse of the manananggal just like the aswang can be transferred to a family member.  They said that a dying vampire has to transfer a dark stone to a family member in order to preserve their clan.

The manananggal change its form during night time with the help of special ointment.  She will rub it on her body while chanting a ritual.  There are number of ways that you can kill a mananaggal but you have to focus on destroying its lower part.  If one man managed to inflict a damaged on her upper part, she would just return to her lower part and heal.  One has to search for her lower half which she usually hide in the same place and pour salt into it.  The salt has a substance that can melt the lower half of the manananggal.  Unable to return to her lower half, the sun would eventually burn her skin and kill her.

This creature appeared on one issue of the famous marvel anime series, Blade.  Blade and his partner have to fight a mutated vampire in the island of the Philippines.

The Werewolves of Val de Travers

During the trials of the witches, Guyetta Bugnon is one of those who admitted of performing witchcraft.  She also admitted that there was one time when she kidnapped children in the form of a wolf and took it to the sabbats to eat.  This confession led to her nickname “The Werewolf of Val de Travers.”  The incident happened on the 8th of July, 1580.

There is a little to no information about the werewolves of Val de Travers, what is known is that Guyetta Bugnon is not alone on that trial.  In Switzerland, most of the wolves’ persecution and hunt happened on the 16th and 17th Century.  On the trial of Guyetta Bugnon in the year 1580 another woman is apprehended for being a lycanthrope.  France Meuron Thevena, is one of the alleged witch that was also executed in Neuchatel during the 1580’s.

During the trial, Guyetta Bugnon confessed in front of the court that one time she was able to kidnap two children in a wolf form.  It is not clear how she was able to transform into a wolf, but it appears that her knowledge of witchcraft was able to grant her the ability to change.    She then allegedly took the children in the sabbat, a ritual performed by witches.

On June 22 of 1590, a man named Michel Jacques also confessed that he was able to change in a form of a wolf for 7-8 times at least.  He said that he would use an ointment given to him by the devil in order to shape shift.  He also said that there were times that he tried to kidnapped children but failed in doing so.

Princesse de Lamballe

Princesse de Lamballe died in the hands of an angry mob in 1792 at the Streets of Paris.  Her murder is described as hideous and strange because despite of serving as the confidante of the queen she was devoted to charity works and civil improvements.

Princesse de Lamballe was allegedly butchered on the spot and her heart was ripped out of her and eaten by one members of the mob.  The account states:

 One of the brigands carried on the end of a pike that head from which hung a mass of blonde hair soaked with blood. He was followed by another, who carried in his hand the bloody heart of the princess while her entrails were twisted around his arm. In this way they passed under the windows of the Duc de Penago, whom they forced to gaze on the mutilated members of his daughter-in-law. From there they proceeded to the Temple, to the royal family. The queen fainted at the horrible sight. All the carriages in the streets were stopped and their occupants compelled to kiss the head of the princess. One monster boasted of having made his dinner on the heart of Madame de Lamballe. 

On September 3, she was taken to a tribunal that demanded her to swear her hatred towards the king and the queen as well as the monarchy.  She refused to do it and the tribunal ordered to take her away.  She was then taken to a group of men who killed her in just 10 minutes.

She was allegedly raped and one of her breasts was severed.  Her body was mutilated and her head was decapitated and placed on a pike and paraded on the window of Marie Antoinette.  In the historical biography of Marie Antoinette, it states that she was not able to see the head of her long time friend Princessee de Lamballe but she was well aware of what is happening. 

Princesse de Lamballe’s body was never found, reason why she was not entombed at the necropolis of the Orleans family located in Dreux.

Jaracca

When you are in Brazil and you happened to hear a high pitch cry, which sounds like a coughing roar, they said that it belongs to a vampire creature which was given the name, Jaracca.  The sound of its cry is enough to raise the hair at the back of the neck of an individual since a Jaracca is greatly feared all over Brazil.

There are no definite reasons as to how a Jaracca came into existence.  Some says that it is a merging of darkness that sprung into the jungle.  Others say that they came from the blood drinking Gods of the South America.  There are also stories that say that Jaracca are spirits of those blasphemous people who were denied by the heaven and hell.  They return to the jungle consuming anything they can to survive.

The Jaracca does not feed on the blood of the people with intent to kill.  It just drains enough blood in order for its sustenance.  But if a Jaracca would continually victimize the same individual, they would grow weary and wither out and eventually die.  The Jaracca shape shift in the form of a snake, it sneaks out on a breast feeding mother in order to suck her blood.  Without the mother knowing it, the snake slips out under the baby and placed its tail into the baby’s mouth to silence him.  He would start drinking the milk of the mother and if he likes the taste of it he will return again and again.

When you come face to face with a Jaracca, you must be extra careful; they said that once it is in the form of a snake, they spit venomous saliva that can cause insanity.  There is no known cure for the insanity brought by its venom.

At times that milk is not available; a jaracca tends to suck the blood of men.  He would bit them in their arms while they were sleeping and their venom would cause them to go insane.  The next morning the victim will ran out of his house like a madman that is why the Jaracca is greatly feared on Brazil.  There are no ways stated on how you can destroy a jaracca, you can only prevent yourself from being its victim form prayers and incantations.

A snake that is endemic to Brazil is also named as Bothrops jararaca.

Gello

The story about Gello can be traced as early as 600 BC.  Sappho, a Greek poet mentions this type of vampire into her poetry.  During the Byzantine period, the Gello evolved into a demon and can be found in an ancient text “Apotrofe tes miaras kai akazartu Gyllus” which means Averting of the wicked and impure Gello.  The text contains the story about the demon and also the spell that can be use against it.

According to the legend, Gello is a name of a beautiful maiden living in the Isle of Lesbos.  Eventually she died without an immediate heir or any descendants.   Because of this, the Gello returned as a vampire creature.  The favorite victims of this vampire were female children.  She would lure the children by playing with them and she will then eat them after getting bored playing with them.

If a person managed to catch a Gello, this creature is required to do his bidding in exchange for her life.  One thing that a gello cannot tell you is her 12 ½ name, a gello has to be tortured in order to squeeze that information out of her.  The Gello has to be guarded well, as it will take every opportunity to escape its master.  Once it managed to escape, the gello will not stop until she is at least 3000 miles away from its captor.

Based on the story, it took the strength of three angels to defeat this creature. Senoy, Sansenoy and Semangeloph had to join forces against the gello.  First they tried to discover her name, then after that she was forced to breastfeed on a mother of a child that she killed.  After the feeding, the gello vomited every single one of the children she consumed.  The angels eventually killed her by stoning her to death.

During the byzantine Era, the names of the three angels became three saints.  They are Sines, Sinodorus and Sinisius.

The 12 ½ names of gello are Vordona, Strigla, Psychanaspastria, Petasia, Pelagia, Paidopniktia, Mora, Marmarou,  Gulou, Chamodracaena, Byzou, Apletou and Anavadalaia.

Biloko

Biloko is a vampire creature in the lore of Democratic Republic of Congo.  It is described as a humanoid with no hair but grasses are growing on its body.  It also uses leaves as its clothing.  Their name biloko is equivalent to “food” in the English language.

They also have long and sharp nails, their eyes are said to be piercing and they have a nose similar to a snout.  The biloko has a peculiar way of hunting its prey.  Since the biloko is known to be a small, dwarflike creature, it always hides until it is sure that his prey no longer poses a threat on his existence.

The biloko own a bell that when they magically ring will put their victim into a daze.  Once they are sure that the victim is already on a deep slumber state, the biloko would open its mouth wide, enough to fit the whole body of their victim.

With the ability of their bells, they were also said to be the guardians of treasures.  It dwells on the deepest parts of the forest away from the grasp of mankind.  Amulets and charms can be made in order to protect them from the enchanting sound of the bell.

A biloko (eloko) tale

“One day a hunter took his wife, at her insistence, into the forest, where he had a hut with a palisade around it. When he went out to inspect his traps, he told her: "When you hear a bell, do not move. If you do, you will die!" Soon after he had left, she heard the charming sound of a little bell coming closer, for the Eloko has a good nose for feminine flesh. Finally, a gentle voice asked to be let in to his room. It was like the voice of a child. The woman opened the door and there was an Eloko, smelling like the forest, looking small and innocent. She offered him banana mash with fried fish but he refused: "We eat only human meat. I have not eaten for a long time. Give me a piece of your arm." At last the woman consented, totally under the spell of the Eloko. That night, the husband found her bones”

Hendrix Students Panicked From a Man Escaping From a Werewolf

The students of Hendrix College witness a man fleeing from a supposed werewolf that is chasing him.  Based on the report of the Conway Police the man forcibly opens the door of a student residing at Carrington Apartment located on Cleveland Avenue. It ran straight to the apartment and left by jumping out of the two-storey balcony.

The students immediately reported to the police about what they think are a case of burglary, but the subject is no longer to be found.  The department that is assigned for the welfare of the students warned them of a man allegedly running from a werewolf that was found in Galloway Hall.

When the police approached the subject, the man said that he was in Walmart that night when he noticed a bizarre red light. The man who was 27 years of age claimed that the red lights cause his body to smoke.  Fearing of what might happen next, the man ran to the alley where he was supposedly sleeping.

The man said that he was approached by a large hairy creature who told him to “get rid of the odor”.  The report stated:

"The only thing (the subject) could think of is that he needed to disguise his own odor. (The subject) went to Carrington Apartments and took off all his clothes, threw them in the dryer with someone else's clothes, and then poured a gallon of bleach in the dryer. (The subject) then put on some more clothes and decided to scare the "werewolf" off. (The subject) attempted to light the bleach and clothes on fire but was unsuccessful," 

The subject said that he kicked the door of the apartment because he was too scared when the creature threatened to kill him.  Finally the subject calm down when the officer said that one of them was the werewolf and will not hurt him because the handcuff that he was wearing was made out of silver.  The matter seemed to make sense to the subject and he was taken to the Unit 2.

Lemures of the Ancient Rome

Lemures are the spirit of the deceased which were believed by the Ancient Rome to rise from the dead and inflict harm to those who are living.  They are also often referred to the souls of the deceased which is separated into two types; the soul of those who live a good life and those who lived a life of sin.

They are known to attack during the night time usually to scare the villagers.  In order to calm the soul of Lemures certain rituals has to be done during May 9, 11 and 13 annually by the head of the family.  He has to wake up during the wee hours of the night and walk out of the door making signs to drive away the specter of the Lemures.  He will then have to wash his hands using spring water for three times and then he have to turn around.  Black beans should be pop in the mouth, spit the black beans and throw those pieces behind you without looking.  The head of the family should utter a simple incantation and wash his hands again while making a loud noise with the basins that are made of brass and shout on the specter proclaiming that he is unwanted in your house.

After performing this ritual, you are now free to gaze to your room that is now Lemure-free.  The day that these rituals are being practiced were considered as unlucky.  Temples and other place of worships were closed during this period.

The Lemures are known to be furious since they have been tortured for a very long time.  They are considered as the weakest type of demon.  During the torture, the soul will be infused with hatred and a lemure will be born.  They commonly attack the people when they are commanded by the higher demons.  Unless you perform the ritual that was stated above or kill it, the lemure will continue to attack.