Classification: Mythical Beasts & Cryptids

Temporal Range: 18th to 19th Century

Geographic Range: Scottish Borders

Diet: The blood of its victims

Occupying ruined castles along the border between Scotland and England, the Redcap is one of the most vicious and violent creatures in Scottish folklore. These wicked creatures are members of the Unseelie Court, meaning they are truly malevolent fae. They have an elf-like appearance, being thin and ethereal but with none of the beauty or grace you might expect. Short in stature, they have talon-like fingers and wear heavy iron boots. Their weapon of choice is an iron pike, and they use it to kill regularly and often.

This horrible little thing gets its name from the cap it wears, which is doused in the blood of those it has killed. It has been said that if the cap ever dries, the Redcap itself will die. It could be argued then that survival forces it to kill as regularly as it does, but many tales of the beast describe the perverse pleasure it gets from killing. It is brutal and desperate, so consider yourself warned if you’re considering forming an alliance with it because if that hat ever starts to look dry, you may be first in line for keeping it bloody.