Legendary, Mythical and Iconic Monster Types

[Roman]

Which 'monster' types (apart from normal humans and normal animals) would you say are well rooted in legend or myth or are otherwise iconic? They can, but do not have to occur in D&D.

My list so far (feel free to add) of legendary/mythical creature types (I say types, because I am only looking at general creature types and not including unique creatures like a hydra or some other mythical beasts would be):

Dragons
Giants
Ghosts, Spirits & Souls
Vampires
Giant/Oversized Animals
Demons & Devils
Angels
Skeletons
Mummies
Zombies

Feel free to add!

 

[hong]

Flumph.

 

[Richards]

I would add:

Lycanthropes
Fey creatures

Johnathan

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Fey.
Flesh and clay golems.

 

[TroyXavier]

Modrons...it's not a monster book without Rogue Modrons.

 

[Doug McCrae]

Skeletons

These seem more a Ray Harryhausen thing, Black Death engravings not withstanding.

Mummies
Zombies

These seem more a Hammer Horror thing.

 

[Doug McCrae]

Orcs are probably the most iconic DnD monster. They're the first thing that comes into my mind. Way before dragons.

 

[Tonguez]

Which 'monster' types (apart from normal humans and normal animals) would you say are well rooted in legend or myth or are otherwise iconic?

I don't understand the question.

It could be argued that ALL the monsters of DnD are either rooted in myth OR are otherwise iconic

The Iconic group being: Abberations and Oozes (which are DnD Icons)
Everything else is Mythic

or have I missed some kind of subtlety in your question

 

[johnsemlak]

Which 'monster' types (apart from normal humans and normal animals) would you say are well rooted in legend or myth or are otherwise iconic? They can, but do not have to occur in D&D.

My list so far (feel free to add) of legendary/mythical creature types (I say types, because I am only looking at general creature types and not including unique creatures like a hydra or some other mythical beasts would be):

Dragons
Giants
Ghosts, Spirits & Souls
Vampires
Giant/Oversized Animals
Demons & Devils
Angels
Skeletons
Mummies
Zombies

Feel free to add!

Remember that Mummies are not rooted in legend, AFAIK. I believe that's a creation of 20th century hollywood film.


I would add:

werewolves
cyclops
trolls/ogres
chimarae

 

[Nuclear Platypus]

These seem more a Hammer Horror thing.

Nah. Zombies have a background in voodoo.

Greater golems / animated statues, stone being Greek with metal being Arabian I guess (maybe a Harryhausen thing)
Sea monsters
Gazebos!