Air Realm: 5 Common Creatures

Dragons

Physical Description: A large, serpent-like creature that varies greatly depending on region. Sometimes they have wings, horns, four legs or two legs or no legs, multiple heads, a tail, breath of fire, and the ability to swim and they are very colorful and have strange markings

Other Name(s): None

Origin: Virtually all cultures around the globe

Creation: Depends on country

Characteristics: They often live in dank caves, deep pools, wild mountain reaches, sea bottoms, and haunted forests. They are usually seen hoarding treasures and are extremely protective. They sometimes have supernatural powers or effects on nature. They are greedy and gluttonous with insatiable appetites. Some of their glares are said to be deadly. They live alone or in communities. They can also fall ill, but never die from this. They sometimes help humans with various quests.

Defeat/Weakness: Can be killed by smashing its head with a rock, stabbing it in the underbelly, beheading, electrocuting, sign of the cross or other religious symbols, tricked into eating sulfur, shooting with an arrow, or metal weapons

List of Dragons from Various Countries

Griffins

Physical Description: Creature with the body, tail, and back legs of a lion and the head, wings, and front legs with the talons of an eagle but larger and sometimes having prominent ears like a horse

Other Name(s): "Griffon" / "Gryphon"

Origin: Many countries

Creation: Depends on country

Characteristics: They were guardians of treasure, often gold, and priceless possessions and protectors from evil, witchcraft, and secret slander. They mated for life and if either partner died, then the other would continue the rest of its life alone, never searching for a new mate. Their claws had medical properties and one of their feathers could restore sight to the blind. They can carry a great horse or two oxen yoked together to their nest in the mountains.

Defeat/Weakness: Can be stock down in flight with some form of weapon but very difficult

Phoenxies

Physical Description: A bird with red and gold plumage and about the size of an eagle

Other Name(s): None

Origin: Greece or Egypt

Creation: Created by the Sun god

Characteristics: It regenerates every 500 years by arising from the ashes of its predecessor. It may burst into flames when it dies or simply die and decompose. They are mostly kept as pets and usued as messangers.

Defeat/Weakness: No weakness

Fairies

Physical Description: A human in appearance but with magical powers, green eyes, smaller than normal humans, ranging from quite tiny to a human child, either wings or the power to fly using magic, and often clothed in some form

Other Name(s): "Fata" / "Fay" / "Fey" / "Fae" / "Fairy Folk" / "Faery" / "Faerie"

Origin: Europe

Creation: Unknown creation, but have existed for all time

Characteristics: Sometimes described as spirits of the dead, demoted angels or pagan deities, demons, hidden people, or elementals. They often have some connection to nature and are said to be the builders of plants. They also are known to play pranks on humans or cause death. Rowan trees were sacred to them. They may live alone or in large groups. They were subject to changelings where they would switch a human child for a fairy child. They would also confuse travelers using will o' the wisp. They could control fire, water, and machinery. They can disguise themselves as animals. They live in the realm of Fairyland.

Defeat/Weakness: They are weakened by cold iron, charms of rowan trees or various herbs, simply shunning locations "known" to be theirs, therby avoiding offending any fairies, wearing clothes inside out, church bells, St. John's wort,four-leaf clovers, bread, and a cock's crow. They can be summoned by saying their name and they must do the speakers biding.

Pegasus

Physical Description: A pure white stallion with bird wings

Other Name(s): "Winged Horse"

Origin: Greece

Creation: Child of Poseidon and foaled by the Gorgon Medusa until birthed when Perseus decapitated Medusa

Characteristics: Bellerophon rode Pegasus, after capturing the stallion using a golden bridle Polyeidos gave to him in his sleep, in order to defeat the Chimera. After Bellerophon fell from Pegasus, Pegasus was taken to Olympus by Athena, who had tamed him, to be one of Zeus's horses. Pegasus was a friend of the Muses and created Hippocrene on the Muses's Mount Helicon. Later, Athena gave Pegasus to Perseus to use in combat. Zeus turned him into the eponymous constellation after his death.

Defeat/Weakness: Can be caught with a magical bridle