The Institute Field Manual: Classified Specimens

B-06 – Banshee

Classification: Spectral Harbinger (Spirit)
Habitat: Rural homesteads, crossroads, and thresholds in Ireland and Scotland
Physical Description: Cloaked in grey or white, hair wild, face shifting between beauty and corpse-like distortion
Behavior: Heralds death through keening, induces fear and despair
Cultural Notes: Celtic folklore portrays her as a messenger of death, tied to family lines and ancestral ties
Institute Containment: Shares Jennie Greenteeth’s swampy enclosure; uses sound and environmental cues for safe observation

BM-01 – Bloody Mary 

Classification: Mirror-Tethered Specter / Liminal Entity
Habitat: Mirrors, reflective surfaces, ritualistic areas
Physical Description: Pale woman in blood-stained gown, hollow or dark eyes, sometimes elongated fingers
Behavior: Bound to mirrors, manifests when summoned, induces panic and hallucinations
Cultural Notes: Western folklore cautionary tale about curiosity, vanity, and ritualized summoning
Institute Containment: Reinforced mirror with ritual candles; observation conducted from non-reflective vantage points

C-22 – Chaneque

Classification: Small Humanoid / Forest Spirit
Habitat: Dense tropical forests and jungles in Veracruz and southern Mexico
Physical Description: 60–90 cm tall, darkened skin, childlike proportions, agile limbs
Behavior: Mischievous, steals objects, leads humans astray, communicates with high-pitched vocalizations
Cultural Notes: Totonac folklore portrays them as guardians of nature punishing disrespectful behavior
Institute Containment: Dense jungle enclosure with climbing structures and green laser grid

D-07 – Draugr

Classification: Undead Guardian / Revenant

Habitat: Burial mounds, coastal graves, and longhouses in Norse regions

Physical Description: Corpse-like, bloated or desiccated body; pale or dark blue skin; glowing eyes

Behavior: Fiercely territorial; protects treasures and graves; possesses immense strength; capable of growing in size or altering shape

Cultural Notes: In Norse mythology, the Draugr embodies greed, vengeance, and the power of the restless dead. It serves as a warning against dishonor, grave robbery, and betrayal of kin.

Institute Containment: Contained within a reconstructed Viking longhouse with low light, earthen floors, shields, and numerous treasures to encourage dormant behavior.

G-13 – Gargoyles

Classification: Lithic Predator / Animatable Stone Entity
Habitat: Medieval structures, cathedrals, towers in Europe
Physical Description: Dormant as stone statues, animate with claws, teeth, and flight capability
Behavior: Nocturnal ambush predators, territorial, silent movement
Cultural Notes: European legend portrays them as guardians and potential threats, symbolizing vigilance
Institute Containment: Garden with stone buildings, fountain, perches for hunting and observation

JG-05 – Jennie Greenteeth

Classification: Aquatic Predator (Humanoid / Folkloric Entity)
Habitat: Rivers, ponds, and marshes in England
Physical Description: Small humanoid, mossy green skin, jagged teeth, bioluminescent eyes
Behavior: Ambushes prey, particularly children, in aquatic environments
Cultural Notes: Cautionary tales about the dangers of water and vigilance
Institute Containment: Swamp environment with small lake, dense foliage, and wooden bridge

J-03 – Jorōgumo

Classification: Shapeshifter / Predatory Spirit
Habitat: Mountainous forests, caves, waterfalls in Japan
Physical Description: Beautiful woman until revealing massive spider form, glossy black and yellow markings
Behavior: Ambush predator, paralyzes and consumes prey, vocal mimicry
Cultural Notes: Legends warn of deception and danger hidden beneath beauty
Institute Containment: Traditional Japanese room with shoji walls and dense webs

O-12 – Onryō

Classification: Vengeful Spirit (Spectral Entity)
Habitat: Sites of betrayal, violent death, or intense grief in Japan
Physical Description: Pale, disheveled woman, hair unbound and tangled, tattered garments
Behavior: Manipulates environment to punish the living, feeds on negative emotions
Cultural Notes: Embodies karmic retribution and the potency of unresolved anger in Japanese folklore
Institute Containment: Chamber lined with vertical white flags inscribed with emotions

P-11 – Pontianak

Classification: Revenant / Female Spirit
Habitat: Forested areas, banana groves, abandoned villages in Malaysia and Indonesia
Physical Description: Beautiful woman with long black hair; talon-like nails and corpse-pale flesh in predatory form
Behavior: Lures victims with fragrance and beauty, attacks swiftly
Cultural Notes: Warnings against injustice, particularly toward women who die in childbirth
Institute Containment: Forested enclosure with dense undergrowth and plumeria scent

ES-09 – El Silbón

Classification: Haunting Revenant / Liminal Predator
Habitat: Open plains and farmlands of Venezuela and Colombia
Physical Description: Gaunt humanoid, elongated limbs, carries a heavy sack, tattered clothing
Behavior: Announces presence with eerie whistle, punishes wrongdoing
Cultural Notes: Folklore emphasizes filial piety and moral accountability
Institute Containment: Miniature cornfield enclosure simulating rural hunting grounds

S-02 – Sirens

Classification: Luring Predator / Chimera-Hybrid
Habitat: Rocky coastlines and offshore waters of the Mediterranean
Physical Description: Human-bird hybrid, feathered wings, taloned feet, faces shifting between beauty and terror
Behavior: Lures prey with melodic song, induces hallucinations and longing
Cultural Notes: Greek myth warns of temptation, distraction, and the dangers of desire
Institute Containment: Reflective, oceanic chamber with “lily-pads” and mirrors simulating endless sea

S-08 – Strigoi

Classification: Undead (Blood Predator / Revenant)
Habitat: Graveyards, crypts, and abandoned structures in Romania
Physical Description: Corpse-like, pallid, capable of imperfect shape-shifting into animals
Behavior: Nocturnal predator, drains life force, hunts strategically
Cultural Notes: Folklore stresses proper burial rites and consequences of grudges
Institute Containment: Crypt-inspired chamber with coffins and stained-glass lighting

TZ-31 – Tzitzimitl

Classification: Celestial Predator / Undead Entity
Habitat: High-altitude regions, ruins, areas associated with eclipses in Aztec mythology
Physical Description: Skeletal humanoid with ritualistic ornamentation, multiple cranial eyes, elongated limbs
Behavior: Descends during eclipses, emits panic-inducing vibrations, predatory
Cultural Notes: Represents cosmic chaos, death, and ritual protection in Aztec belief
Institute Containment: Ancient temple-like enclosure with skeletal cavities and vines

V-19 – Vetala

Classification: Corporeal Spirit / Possessing Entity
Habitat: Graveyards, cremation grounds, desolate ruins across the Indian subcontinent
Physical Description: Animates corpses, glassy or faintly glowing eyes, smooth, unearthly movement
Behavior: Preys on minds, manipulates corpses strategically
Cultural Notes: Folklore emphasizes moral lessons, consequences of improper burial, and spiritual awareness
Institute Containment: Traditional graveyard with tombstones and central raised mound

W-01 – Wendigo

Classification: Cannibalistic Spirit / Predatory Humanoid
Habitat: Boreal forests and snow-covered plains of North America
Physical Description: Emaciated, elongated limbs, sunken glowing eyes, jagged teeth and claws
Behavior: Relentless predator, mimics speech, induces paranoia and compulsion
Cultural Notes: Algonquian folklore warns of greed, isolation, and moral corruption
Institute Containment: Forested enclosure with dense trees and projected blood-red moon

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