It seems every other fantasy world that was published after J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings has a variation on his orcs as armies of marauding monsters. And while Tolkien did not invent the "orc" per-se, his use of it a a horde monster was fairly novel. Whether they are called Trollocs, Gargoyles, Draconians, etc... fantasy worlds tend to feature swarms of monsters that raze villages and lay siege to castles.
Lord Dunsany does some interesting things with his Gibbelins and Gnoles, but rather than send raiding parties out into The Fields We Know, they lie in wait in their own remote lairs for the foolish and greedy to seek out their treasures.
Yet our world is filled with stories about creatures beyond those categorized by naturalists that dwell in our forests, mountains, swamps, tombs, and other places off the beaten path. Giants and Dragons, Trolls and Hags, Goblins and Ghouls, and Vampires and Werewolves are just some of the threats that can populate a low fantasy setting while still preserving the feeling that locked doors, lit hearths, and warm beds remain places of comfort and safety.
Heraldic devices of Wyverns, Griffons, and Unicorns suggest that these creatures also, rare though they may be, also reside in The Fields We Know. Localized "cryptids" like The Jersey Devil, The Goatman, Mothman, Bigfoot, and Nessie are known in nearly every region on earth and are also ripe for inspiration for low fantasy settings.
Even the Devil himself can make an appearance. Whether he makes a dramatic Faustian entry, gets outsmarted by a blacksmith, meets you at the crossroads, or walks with you down a lane at night, Old Nick is a reliable standby for mingling with mortals in The Fields We Know. Even stranger things might be summoned into the world by those mad enough to perform such rituals.
There is ample room to populate your world with monstrous things, yet keep them at arms length from a quiet village on a sunny spring day where the birds are chirping, children are playing, and brewers and bakers go about their business with a whistle on their lips.
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| Arthur Rackham |
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