Fantasy worlds often rely on preestablished creatures and monsters to populate their settings. If you are creating a fantasy world, it may contain one or more of the creature types listed below. While an attempt has been made to provide a brief description of the creatures, these are likely not all-encompassing and in some cases may differ from other established descriptions of the same being. Often fantasy creatures undergo reimagining so that multiple ‘versions’ exist. Take for example the elf, which is simultaneously depicted as a thin, pointy-eared human as well as an obese, small-statured, merrymaker.

• Angel: celestial being with wings of a bird. Generally, messengers of a higher, benevolent power.
• Banshee: a spirit whose screams can kill.
• Basilisk: a large snake whose stare can kill.
• Beholder: a large floating eye from which spout tentacles ending in additional eyes. These are usually found guarding a lair or treasure.
• Bogeyman: a monster who hides under the bed.
• Brownies: tiny (inches in height) humanoids.
• Centaur: half-human, half horse.
• Chimera: Part-lion, part-goat, part-snake.
• Cyclops: a one-eyed giant.
• Deity: a god or goddess.
• Demon: a spirit of hell.
• Djinni: a powerful, magical being that grants wishes and is usually contained within either a lamp or bottle.
• Dragon: a giant, flying, lizard that may breath fire or some other element.
• Drake: a creature resembling a dragon but lacking wings.
• Dryad: a female forest spirit usually depicted as half-human, half-tree.
• Dwarf: a short, bearded humanoid that primarily lives in underground mines.
• Elemental spirit: a spirit manifesting as an element, for example fire, ice, water, air, etc.
• Elf: thin, pointy-eared humanoid.
• Fae: the umbrella term for any number of fairy or fairy-like creatures.
• Fairy: tiny (inches in height), winged humanoid that is often magical.
• Fallen angel: an angel who now serves a malevolent cause.
• Ghost: spirit of the dead.
• Giant rat: a rat, but larger.
• Giant: a massive human-like creature. Occasionally depicted as having low intelligence.
• Gnoll: half-human, half-hyena creatures.
• Gnome: small humanoid creature that often wears a pointed hat.
• Goblin: a small, usually green or brownish in color, humanoid with grotesquely distorted features such as long ears and noses.
• Golem: a human-shaped assemblage of rock or mud that has been brought to life.
• Griffin: a creature with the head and wings of an eagle and the body of a lion.
• Halfling: short humanoid that usually depicted as living a merry, primarily agricultural lifestyle.
• Hydra: a many headed serpent that grows a new head (or two) each time one is severed.
• Imp: a small, mischievous devil.
• Incubus: a male demon that lures women to their deaths.
• Kobolds: usually depicted as small, lizard-like humanoids, though in some cases they are mammalian.
• Kraken: a giant sea monster resembling either an octopus or squid that often destroys sea-going vessels.
• Living Skeleton: a reanimated skeleton.
• Lung Dragon: a long-bodied dragon lacking wings.
• Mermaid: the top half of a human and bottom half of a fish, these inhabit oceans, seas, and lakes.
• Minotaur: the head and legs of a bull with the torso of a human, these usually guard mazes.
• Nymph: a female nature spirit usually classified by the element they associate with, for example, wood nymphs, river nymphs, sea nymphs, etc.
• Ogre: a large, ugly humanoid creature, usually depicted as very strong but not particularly intelligent.
• Orc:  an imposing, warlike, humanoid creature resembling a goblin but larger. Will occasionally be depicted with short tusks protruding from the bottom lip.
• Pegasus: a flying, winged horse.
• Phoenix: an immortal bird that bursts into flame upon death and is reborn anew.
• Pixie: a mischievous tiny humanoid creature.
• Ratmen: half-human, half-rat. Typically depicted as cunning and vicious.
• Satyr: half-human, half-goat creature.
• Sentient animals: usually small animals such as mice, otters, rabbits, etc. that possess intelligence and the ability to talk.
• Shade: a spirit of the dead.
• Shape-shifter: a creature that can change it’s shape to resemble anything (or in other cases, can change into one specific animal).
• Siren: beautiful women whose singing can lure men to their deaths.
• Sphinx: a half-human, half-lion creature that loves riddles.
• Sprite: a fairy-like spirit.
• Succubus: a female demon that lures men to their deaths.
• Sylph: an air spirit that is invisible to humans.
• Troll: similar to a goblin but larger. Can be highly regenerative, only being hurt by fire. In some instances hide under bridges. In other instances are turned to stone with the sunrise.
• Unicorn: a magical, usually white, horse with a single spiraled horn growing from it’s forehead.
• Vampire: a fanged humanoid creature that sucks the blood of humans, can transform into a bat, and is hurt by sunlight. The bite of a vampire either kills you or turns you into a vampire.
• Werewolf: Humans that change into a ravenous wolf in the light of the moon.
• Will-o’-the-wisp: small flame-like lights that lure travelers to their deaths. Usually found in bogs or swamps.
• Wraith: an evil spirit of the dead.
• Wyrm: a massive serpent resembling a dragon without wings or legs.
• Wyvern: a creature resembling a dragon but missing it’s front legs.
• Zombie: a reanimated corpse that feeds on living flesh. Typically the bite of a zombie will cause a human to become a zombie.

What types of creatures inhabit your world? Are they common or rare? Can they only be found in certain areas, or are they widespread?

If your world contains more than one type of fantasy creature, do they live harmoniously, or is there friction between the species?

For each type of creature your world contains, are there more than one kind? For example, if your world contains elves, are there wood elves, dark elves, snow elves, etc.?

If your world contains living skeletons or zombies, has someone or something raised them from the dead, or are they endemic to your world?