Skinwalkers: Friends by Day, Enemies by Night

Skinwalker, Mateus Roberts

There are very few creatures in fantasy that are genuinely petrifying. Sure, seeing a troll or an elf when you’re out and about might be shocking, but most of these critters look more goofy than scary. The skinwalker, however, has got to be one of the scariest mythical beings.

They’re so terrifying, in fact, that many people refuse to even say the word in fear of drawing attention to themselves. Even publishing information about skinwalkers is said to be enough to attract one (I’m praying to God that one’s just a rumor).

What is a Skinwalker?

Originating from the Navajo tribe, skinwalkers are believed to be dangerous and horrifying witches. During the day, they disguise themselves as members of the tribe, but at night, will turn on their people. When nightfall hits, these witches will dress in animal skin to disguise themselves, actually transform into the animal or use dark magic to occupy the body. Then, they search for their next victim.

The scariest part about skinwalkers, however, is not their disfigured, emaciated animal-like bodies or their burning and lifeless eyes. The scariest part about skinwalkers is how human they can be.

Not only do they have the ability to look human, but skinwalkers can also sound human. In fact, this is how they get their victims into a vulnerable enough position to attack. 

Much like vampires, skinwalkers can’t enter a house without being invited by the resident. Because of this, they will mimic the sounds of people or animals in distress in order to entice their victims into the open, giving them the perfect opportunity to attack.

A Skinwalker, Vollelune

That being said, I think the most impressive thing about skinwalkers is that they can actually imitate the voices of people you know. So, if you’re far from home and hear your dad call out to you in the middle of the night, it might be best to ignore it and head back inside. Besides, if the next words out of his mouth aren’t demanding that the oil in your car needs changing, it’s probably not him anyway.

How to Kill a Skinwalker

Unfortunately, there are very few ways to kill a skinwalker. The first is magic, though this is incredibly difficult to execute. Shooting a skinwalker in their animal form with a bullet dipped in white ash can also kill them. Some even claim that a silver knife or bullet to the heart can be fatal, much like werewolves. The most consistent way to kill a skinwalker is by saying their full human name, though it can take days for this to take effect.

Of course, if you’re having a face-off with a skinwalker, you’re not likely to win. That’s why I’m here! To improve your chances of survival, I’ve listed a few ways to prevent having a 1v1 with one of these beasts.

How to Survive a Skinwalker

1. If your area has had sightings in the past, don’t leave your house after sundown.

2. If you hear your name being called at night, don’t respond, and don’t follow the sound.

3. If you spot an animal acting strangely (walking stiffly, looking emaciated, staring, not being startled by loud noises), don’t engage. Head back inside immediately.

4. If you hear something moving in the trees at night, don’t look. If they notice you staring, they will mark you.

5. If you hear someone calling out in distress, don’t look for them. Call the authorities and head back inside.

6. Keep your windows and curtains shut at night.

7. If you see a pair of glowing eyes looking at you, don’t look back.

8. Don’t whistle at night. This will only attract them.

Skinwalker, David Ferreira

While I hope that these tips won’t be necessary, it’s always better to be prepared. The world can be a scary place, and the nighttime is a free-for-all for creatures like these.

It should also be noted that while some people still deny their existence, the skinwalker is a part of Navajo culture and their beliefs should still be respected, regardless of whether or not you believe them. After all, the Navajo people have been here around 500 years longer than us, so if anyone knows the horrors that lurk at night, it’s them.

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Madison Costeira

Maddy is a professional writing student at Algonquin College and an aspiring writer. She’s a certified procrastinator, overthinker, and owner of a depressing amount of cats (remember: two’s a party, three’s a crowd).

Mermaids vs Sirens: All That Glitters Depends On The Story

In fantasy there is a spectrum. You can go all the way from the light, happy style of Disney films like The Little Mermaid with Ariel's obsession with sparkly human things, to darker depictions like the sirens in the Percy Jackson books. Of course, that is not really a good comparison because while the terms ‘mermaid’ and ‘siren’ are often used interchangeably, there is actually a large difference between them.

Mermaids are beings that have shown up through several cultures, most notably European culture. Sirens on the other hand are rather strictly identified through Greek mythology.

Mermaids

Mermaids are seen in most cultures as beautiful women with a fish tail instead of legs. There are many songs from seaside towns that tell stories of sailors falling for the singing creatures from under the sea. You can even find mermaids in the Pirates of the Caribbean series, and they are indeed beautiful.

Characters like Ariel from The Little Mermaid are often shown to wear seashell bras, but many paintings of mermaids show that their breasts are only covered by long flowing hair, or not at all. Ironically enough, the hair always seems to be dry when above land despite their frequent swimming.

I don’t know about anyone else, but as soon as my head goes under water, my hairstyle doesn't stay put. Of course, maybe that’s just part of the mermaid magic.

Sirens

Sirens are depicted as mixtures of women and birds. Sometimes they were said to have wings, other times they had bird legs. Rather than being known for their looks, sirens are widely recognized as dangerous creatures. They live on an island and sing to lure sailors in. When the sailors approach, their ships are wrecked against the sharp rocks around the island.

Either that or the sailors themselves get impaled on the rocks as they try to swim closer. It’s not exactly the type of story Disney would go for.

Perhaps the myth they were most famous for is in Odyssey. Before Annabeth Chase ever wanted to hear what the Sirens would sing to her in The Sea of Monsters, Odysseus had his men plug their ears with wax and tie him to the mast so he could hear the song without getting himself killed, because why not.

Now, mermaids and sirens do have similarities. They are both said to have enchanting voices that lure in sailors. Eventually some people started giving sirens fish tails instead of the original bird legs and wings, making them more like the mermaids of Europe. However, one key difference found in the mythology is the reasoning. 

With Sirens they seem to lure people to their deaths because they can. In some myths it was even said that they were fated to die should anyone survive their singing.

Mermaids on the other hand, are understandable. Men would try to capture them as trophies to display, or for their scales, or  tears. If people were always trying to kidnap you and your family and friends, you’d want revenge too.

There is nothing wrong with using the terms ‘mermaid’ and ‘siren’ interchangeably. However, in knowing the difference, more options are opened up in what can be done with these creatures — with the characters. After all, wicked sea creatures with beautiful voices are fantasy gold.

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Emily-Rose Moskau

Emily-Rose is a student at Algonquin College. Her favourite genre to read and write is fantasy. In her free time she can be found surrounded by various creative projects, be it visual art, sewing, baking, or writing.

Dungeons and Dragons: Chaotic Storytelling at its Finest

You might be wondering: What does Dungeons and Dragons have to do with storytelling? The answer is: a lot!!

For those who may not know what DnD is, here's a little run down: it is known as a Table Top Role Playing Game. People create characters (and there are many choices) and a Dungeon Master (or DM) guides them through either an official campaign (story, if you will), or a made up one (aka a homebrew). The size of the group varies quite a bit (I've played in ones as small as four, not including the DM, or as large as six). Each player has a say in what the group does, and dice rolls often determine the success of their actions.

A D20, picture by Leah Levert

What do I mean by “dice rolls?” In DnD, you play with 7 dice. The most important of which is the D20. This one is used for what is called “skilled checks”, which can mean anything from: “Do you hit this monster?” to “Can you successfully sing a song to distract the guards while the rogue steals the keys?”. So, when you leave the success of each task up to chance, it allows for spontaneity that’s hard to come up with in traditional storytelling.

Even though this is far from the only method of co-operative storytelling, I'd argue that Dungeons and Dragons offers an unpredictability that makes it extra fun and exciting. In your head, you come up with a brilliant plan that will make your character seem cool, suave, and capable, but then you fail your dice roll and instead your character will fall flat on their face in a pile of poo.

When your character is too focused on a forcefield to see what’s past it. (Art by Leah Levert)

What adds to the dynamic of gameplay is how each player interacts with each other. As one of my Dungeon Master’s said: “it’s a group of leading characters.” Which means that everyone is acting out their own story at the same time as everyone else. With the right group of people, it’s not actually competing for the limelight, but it does mean that your actions might end up interrupting someone’s plan.

 For example, during a recent session our party had come across a camp of goblins and hobgoblins. The rest of the party wanted to stealthily sneak up to the camp so we could scout it out and see what kinds of enemies we were dealing with. However, one member of our group was unfortunately suffering from paranoia and didn’t trust the rest of us. Running ahead, she alerted a large worg. My character, seeing that her friend was in danger, rushed forward and unleashed a large, loud, spell called Shatter… which then alerted the entire camp of our presence.

It led to a very exciting and highly entertaining battle scene. Being able to constantly bounce off of other people in an improvised way really keeps the creativity alive and makes for very exciting storytelling. Even if the Dungeon Master has a thought out and carefully crafted narrative for the players to go through, it is very easy for both the players and the dice to completely throw it out the window. It keeps you on your toes and it forces you, as a storyteller, to be flexible and willing to change your ideas to adapt to what the dice and players are dictating the story to be.

Many authors have written stories based off of their D&D adventures. It is a game that excites imaginations and offers a dynamic method of storytelling that is both fun and exciting. If you ever have the chance to join a game, I highly recommend you do so.

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Leah Levert

Leah is currently studying Professional Writing. She loves to write and hopes to be able to use her skills to make the world a little easier to understand. When not studying, she can be found at the stable with her horses, or playing video games.

Fantasy Settings: Why Do They Matter?

A Map of Middle Earth

We’ve taken a look at weapons. We’ve taken a look at magic. Now, let’s dive into what is arguably the most important aspect of a story: Setting.

           The beautiful thing about fantasy is that you can do as much or as little world-building as you desire. There are some, like J.R.R. Tolkien, who spent years crafting and building their worlds. Then there are others, like Rick Riordan, that spent more time crafting the lore and mythology that goes behind a story.

            But why do authors spend hours, if not years developing all this detail? In Tolkien’s case, especially, not everything is actually shown in the story. Being able to create a living, breathing story where readers can get sucked into and lost for hours requires attention to detail. Even if the reader is only shown 1/10th of the world, an author needs to know it, so that they can keep the story well-grounded.

A night scene from Avatar.

            What do I mean by well-grounded? Well, while you may never set foot in the world your story is set in, the characters that you write about live there. They have knowledge about the borders between their kingdoms, or countries. They also have the knowledge of how magic works, or how many gods govern the world. For them to feel like living, real beings with their own set of beliefs and morals, their world needs to have the little details that will provide the fuel for the characters’ biases to form.

            Basically, it’s important to create a world that can live independently of whatever story you write. At least, that’s how I feel, when it comes to fantasy. I like the idea of creating an anthology of stories that follow a world as it evolves, where you can plop yourself at any point in the world, and be able to write a story. Going from a lonely fisherman to the mightiest queen, audiences should still be able to find wonder and magic.

            Now, the beauty of creative writing is that you can spend as much or as little time fleshing out your world as you so choose. This is why I chose the two authors I did. On one hand, the J.R.R Tolkien spent a staggering amount of time fully exploring and expanding all the nooks and crannies of Middle Earth. He wrote several languages, wrote songs, went deep into the history and mythology of Middle Earth, and has left us with a rich, detailed world that quite a few people long to live in.

From the follow up series to Percy Jackson and the Olympians

            On the other end of the spectrum, we have Rick Riordan. Now, one thing these two authors have in common is that they were heavily inspired by mythology, though they chose different methods of how to apply it. Rick Riordan may not have crafted a completely brand-new world, or even a brand-new mythology based on his passions. But what he did do, was give us a fresh, fun, modern twist on the classic myths. Percy Jackson and the Olympians is among my favourite series. Rick Riordan sets the Greek gods and goddesses in modern times, and delved into how their continued influence would shape the modern world. The heroes in his books are all modern demigods, trying to survive going to school while also being attacked by monsters. Though his world building isn’t as extensive as Tolkien’s, it’s no less rich in its simplicity.

            But what makes both of their worlds so fun, is that they’ve created something that makes me want to dive in and never leave. I know I could wander in their worlds and never get bored. But most importantly, the solid foundations of their settings, made it easy for me to imagine their stories taking shape. So, I urge you, my fellow writers, to love the worlds your stories are set in.

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Leah Levert

Leah is currently studying Professional Writing. She loves to write and hopes to be able to use her skills to make the world a little easier to understand. When not studying, she can be found at the stable with her horses, or playing video games.

Weapons and Story

Fantasy worlds are filled with adventure. Heroes go on epic journeys to defeat a villain, save a kingdom, or destroy a ring. They cross worlds filled with dangerous creatures and hostile foes and therefore have a need to defend themselves. Weapons can just be a means for a character to protect themselves, provide an avenue for exposition, or even be a pivotal point in a character’s journey. No matter how an author chooses to use weaponry in their stories, they add to the world and, therefore, are worthy of careful consideration. 

If you look at human history, you can see that weapons have changed and evolved throughout time. Different cultures came up with different types of weapons. The Knights of Europe wore heavy armour, and so broadswords, with blunt edges were forged for bludgeoning and stabbing. Unlike the sharp blades of the middle east, where hot deserts prevented their warriors from wearing layers and layers of metal armour. Therefore, what type of weapons each race has within a fictional world can help expand their culture. We can see this type of variety in the Lord of the Rings. Elves have sleek, elegant blades that have been carefully honed by master craftsmen over centuries, while the orcs have crude, misshapen weapons that were made in a hurry. It is a subtle detail that can help flesh out a fantasy world and give the readers another piece to help visualize the world in their minds. 

Aragon, from the Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, unsheathing Anduril.

For characters, their choice of weapon can be profound. It can be a pivotal shift in their story’s arc and help solidify their growth or descent. A lot of fantasy weapons have deep histories behind them and therefore come with a heavy burden. Take Anduril, the Flame of the West, from the Lord of the Rings. Aragorn is introduced as a Ranger from the north. A mysterious figure without much knowledge of who he is or where he’s been. But it is then revealed that he is actually descended from Isildur. Isildur was the king of men who, unfortunately, succumbed to the lure of the One Ring, forged by Sauron, and did not destroy it. This act of his ancestors haunted Aragorn, and for most of his life, he denied the throne that was rightfully his. But when the reforged blade of Anduril, which had been wielded by Isildur himself, is presented to him is a crucial moment where he’s chosen to accept his fate and be the rightful king that he was born to be. Anduril, in this case, is a tool to propel a single character’s arc forward and bring it to a satisfying conclusion. 

Instead of merely glossing over the weapons that characters use in the stories you write, think about how they can enhance the world your characters live in. How they can add history and dimension to their world, as well as to their stories. They can be a visual representation of a character’s arc, and well, they look pretty cool. 

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Leah Levert

Leah is currently studying Professional Writing. She loves to write and hopes to be able to use her skills to make the world a little easier to understand. When not studying, she can be found at the stable with her horses, or playing video games.