Antsybal

There’s an old myth in the eastern parts of Russia – across the Ural mountains and far away in Siberia – about a creature called Antsybal (or Achibal), an evil spirit who lives in swamps.

Nobody who has ever seen him has survived to tell the story, so his appearance changes depending on who you talk to: a tall creature, covered in wet swamp water, with legs, arms and other parts covered and protected by plants and wood.

Antsybal makes venturing into the swamp very dangerous. He's mostly active at night, and he lives in swampy areas because it’s neither land nor water — it's unstable, just like himself.

Although Atsybal doesn't hunt people, when someone approaches the place where he has settled, he will try to kill them. He can make people go deaf, he can can strike people blind, and he can disorient people who get too close. He'll do anything in his power to ensure that you get lost and drown in his swamp if he feels threatened.

Depending on the region, people also believe that Atsybal doesn't have any eyes, and that he can mimic any animal sound, such as ducks and birds, drawing in local hunters.