What supernatural creatures were once human

[tecnowraith]

What supernatural creatures were once human other any undead type or Shapechangers like werewolves or werecreatures? I know some stories has demons but looking something other than the "spirit" or incorporeal beings for setting. Looking for something using real world myths and not just one culture myth either. Looking creatures that were once human and somehow transformed into said creature. I am not looking for anything scifi-ish but for more occult and supernatural genre.

This is not for D20 games but using some d20 (or more D&D) terminology, which racial template, type or subtype would fit the type of creatures I am looking for?

Any ideas or suggestion?

 

[Jimlock]

Real world myths?

Smurfs.

Mod Edit: Let us not wander into commentary on real-world religions, please. Thanks much. ~Umbran

 

[Noir le Lotus]

Flesh Golems

 

[Jimlock]

Example follows...

Example removed by moderator - no religion, please and thank you. ~Umbran

 

[Salacar]

The werecreatures would be an obvious answer, vampires and vampire spawns as well. There's also wendigos (humans who resorted to cannibalism), demons and devils are both created using the souls of the dead in the Plains of Fugue, I believe the Lamia in original legends was also human female, skinwalkers might be a choice as well.

That's all I could come up with atm, hope it helps.

 

[Wednesday Boy]

In Cthulhu mythos the Deep Ones (fish marine creatures) mixed with some humans. The offspring appear like humans when they are born but as they grow older they begin to transform into a Deep One and their appearance becomes more fishy--bulbous eyes, shrinking ears, losing of hair, etc. (This is called the "Innsmouth Look" because it first occurred in the coastal town of Innsmouth in Lovecraft's The Shadow Over Innsmouth.)

In the Marvel universe (primarily the X-men titles) there is the alien species, the Brood. They lay eggs in humans and eventually transform the human host into another Brood.

Driders and skum are abominations that were created by drow and aboleths (respectively) from drow and humanoids (again, respectively).

 

[Jhaelen]

Driders and skum are abominations that were created by drow and aboleths (respectively) from drow and humanoids (again, respectively).

Well, Mindflayers also propagate by implanting their larvae into humans (or humanoids).

In myth, humans are often polymorphed into all kinds of beings.

In Ars Magica, long-term exposure to high magical or faerie auras can lead to 'warping', effectively turning humans into supernatural beings of the appropriate kind.

 

[tecnowraith]

Well like I said I want to use real world myths for the creature type and none written specifically for games like for some for D&D, fiction (like Lovecraft) or comics. And even I did say no scifi creatures like robots or aliens, I do want not want to too scifi, maybe a little but not overly done. I want to keep it more supernatural or occult focus.

Wednesday Boy when I meant is to use d20/D&D terminology is to the creature types and subtypes like Undead, Fey, Lycanthropy, etc.

 

[Dragonbait]

Wendigo - I believe that the Wendigo is a spirit, but not undead that transforms people into cannibalistic creatures. I know there are several versions for D&D that acknowledge this.

I know you were looking for something other than demons, but in Japanese mythology people can be called a demon so much that they become one. Those killed by demons become ghosts and can not go to the afterlife. I presume you have to kill the demon to free them.

The fey would take human children and replace them with faerie children, typically called Changelings. I don't know what they do with the baby.

A LOT of mythology deals with people transforming into animals which is probably where there is a proliferation of werebeasts in modern fiction.

The setting Arcana Unearthed has a lot of this, since its all about magical evolution. I'm rusty on my AU lore but I believe it goes something like this: Humans go through a ritual to become the neutered Mojh, draconic spellcasters. Some who serve dragons become the dracha, winged dragon men warriors. Both worship dragons in different ways and could be representatives of a dragon cult.

 

[Corathon]

Most of the transformed humans in myth would be classed as undead in D&D terms, but there are exception.

In Greek myth, people are sometimes transformed into monster by the gods for some offense or slight. Medusa was a human transformed into a gorgon, scylla was a woman transformed into a many-headed monster.

In the myths of the Phillipines there are several monsters that a person could become such as a berbalang or aswang.

In Lovecraft, ghouls were transformed humans (or at least partially human) and not undead.