Just about everyone loves to read about mythological creatures. Basilisks, centaurs, cockatrices, dinosaurs, and dragons are mentioned in this article. When I see these creatures mentioned (with the exception of dinosaurs), I think of castles, woods, royalty, villains, and plenty of swordfights. Dinosaurs makes me think of a more primeval setting with cavemen, although I also think of Jurassic Park, a movie in which dinosaurs were brought back to life in modern times. Whichever of these creatures you decide to use in your story, try and do it in a way that hasn't been done before.
The basilisk exists in classical mythology, as well as in tropical America. The basilisk is a tropical lizard known for its ability to run across the surface of water on its hind legs. In classical mythology, it is said to be a serpent, lizard, or dragon that is able to kill with its breath or just a look. If your character were to encounter a tackle of basilisks, his chances of survival would be very slim.
A centaur is a mythological creature that has the head, torso, and arms of a man. Its body and legs are those of a horse. Most centaurs are said to be good, though they also have the reputation of being heavy drinkers with short tempers. That is not a good combination. Your character would not want to disagree with an eminence of centaurs, especially if they were drunk.
The mythological cockatrice is part cockerel, part serpent. Its head and feet are those of a cockerel, while its tail is that a serpent. This serpent-cockerel mix is extremely dangerous to be around. A single glance from this deadly creature has the ability to kill. Their saliva is so poisonous that it can kill a creature as large as an elephant. Is there any way that your character could protect himself from such a deadly creature? Actually, there is. If he were to run across a cabal of cockatrices, he could use a mirror to reflect the creatures' gazes back upon them. Or he could choose to be accompanied by a weasel or cockerel (or both) wherever he journeys. The weasel is a mortal enemy of the cockatrice, while the crowing of the cockerel causes the cockatrice to have such fits that it will flail about until it is dead.
Dinosaurs really did exist. They were reptiles of varying sizes, some large and some small. Mainly living on the land, they could be either herbivorous or carnivorous. They have the reputation of not being so gentle and reigned supreme while they were on earth, so even if a supremacy of dinosaurs was herbivorous, your character might not want to mess with them.
Dragons are enormous mythological creatures who have wings, a crested head with huge teeth and claws, and the ability to breathe fire. Some form of dragon exists in almost every culture. They come in different colors and have different abilities, but are most always portrayed as being evil. Your character, the hero of the story, might be working to keep a dignity of dragons from destroying the village he grew up in.
