"The Influenza Fiend (1893)" by Arthur Rackham. Sure it's not strictly-speaking scientifically accurate (or accurate in any way), but maybe we should revisit thinking about infectious disease as little nude goblins that breathe in your mouth, bite your head, and lick your ears

#CreatureOfTheDay is the Korrigan. Celtic princesses who opposed Christianity in Brittany, they're "lovely lustful women who try to lure men into their beds and into a watery death." Trying to put someone to sleep in water is barely a euphemism for murder so that's kind of on you

#CreatureOfTheDay is the Lutin, from France. It takes many forms - a horse that gives magical rides, a tiny person that crawls through your child's hair, or a fancy human. Its favorite form is a white cat, often seen in France & Canada as a Lutin in disguise. Art by Godo.

#CreatureOfTheDay is the Muryan, from Cornish folklore. Said to have offended God, but they were too good for hell & too bad for heaven. As punishment, they shrink each time they shapeshift. The largest are ant-sized, the smallest imperceptible. They'll do a jig if you ask nicely

New Fictional out today! Dr. Henry Harris has been called to asteroid Y-3, humanity's first line of defense against a vast, strange galaxy, because there's a strange infection growing among the soldiers of the outpost: they're turning into plants fictional.fm/subscribe

#CreatureOfTheDay is the lidérc, from Hungary. A "miracle chicken" that hatches from the first egg of a black hen kept warm under the arm of a human, then placed in manure, it will steal gold for you but also sit on your chest at night, making you sick.

#CreatureOfTheDay is the laminak, from Basque folklore. Tiny fairies that clean your house, you can tell they are a mythical creature because they have duck feet. Also b/c they are tiny fairies cleaning your house for you. All male laminak are named "William". Art by Morburre

Me in January: I’m gonna set boundaries this year Me in June after accepting a magical quest and the role of champion of the damp goblin-frogs in the cursed swamp:

#CreatureOfTheDay today is the oozlum bird, from Australian folklore. Said to fly backwards either to admire its own feathers or because it doesn't know where it's going, it flies in decreasing circles until it flies up its own butt and disappears.

#CreatureOfTheDay is the Kamaitachi(鎌鼬) the sickle weasel, from Japan. They ride in dust devils and use their sickle-like front claws to give people painless slices on their legs. They live in the mountains of Japan or "any place with weasels" so I guess watch out.

#CreatureOfTheDay is the squonk, a fearsome critter from Pennsylvania, in North America. A pig monster covered in warts and moles, it is always unhappy. When escape from a hunter is impossible, it will weep to the point that it dissolves itself in its own tears.

#CreatureOfTheDay is the nuno sa punso, from Philippine folklore. The "old man of the mound" is a hobgoblin who lives in termite mounds. If you disturb his mound, his curses can include: vomiting blood, urinating black liquid, and hair growth on the back

#CreatureOfTheDay is the kikimora, from Slavic folklore. A small old woman with chicken legs and a beak who secretly lives in your house and helps out and/or messes with stuff and breaks dishes. She'll make mouse noises behind your stove to let you know she wants food.

"I accidentally made that ice cube way too big! Use that sword to chop it up real good, Galahad." --King Arthur

#CreatureOfTheDay: Satori (覚) is a mind-reading monkey monster from Japanese folklore. In the forest, it’ll speak your thoughts before you can. Given the chance, it’ll kill and eat you, but if something unexpected happens, it flees. So hope a bird flies into its head

#CreatureOfTheDay are mooninjer veggey, from gaelic folklore: 2ft tall fairy people. They are mostly harmless, but like to get into mischief that ranges from harmless to very harmful & can include anything from tripping you up, stealing your stuff, light kidnapping, and murder.

#CreatureOfTheDay is the Dullahan, a headless horseman from Irish folklore. Active in August and September, he carries his smiling head (which has the consistency and color of moldy cheese), a whip (made out of a human spine), and lanterns (made out of human skulls).

#CreatureOfTheDay is the Boo Hag from Gullah culture in South Carolina. Like a vampire, she's a skinless witch who sucks the breath of sleeping victims for sustenance. She wears skin during the day to hide in plain sight.

#CreatureOfTheDay is the cat-sìth, the king of the cats from Celtic folklore. With a white spot on its chest and walking on hind legs, it steals the souls of dead people. You can keep it away with music, games, dance, and, of course, catnip.

tfw you were not only called in on your day off to play for the fairy tale forest creatures, but NONE of other people in the band showed.