Leyin

Lore

It can call out or laugh in a human voice, attracting the attention of travelers. In most cases, it leads travelers and adventurers off the road or familiar paths, causing them to wander aimlessly through the forest. Sometimes, when it sees travelers, it pretends to be a deer drowning in a swamp. Kind-hearted people rush to help the poor animal but end up trapped in the mire themselves. After that, the demon disappears, and in most cases, the travelers simply perish in the swamp. If someone approaches it in the forest, it usually attacks with its horns and hooves. Its horn strike is so powerful that it can kill.

It appears as a huge, muscular creature moving on all fours with enormous horns. Interestingly, this creature doesn't have hooves on its front legs; instead, it has four-toed paws ending with sharp claws, while the hind limbs end with hooves. It also has a tail that resembles a tufted brush. Its head is elongated with a wide mouth full of sharp teeth—long on both jaws. Its skin is covered in spots with short fur. Leyin's belly has a different coloration compared to the rest of its body.

Leyin is much larger than ordinary deer and also differs from them in the shape of its horns—usually more branched, like those of a deer. This creature possesses devilish physical strength and excellent regenerative abilities. Leyin is omnivorous and doesn't disdain either meat or plant food.

In legends, there's a story where villagers banded together to find and kill this demon in the forest. Interestingly, the demon transformed into a girl who led a significant number of the hunters into the swamps, where they perished.