Kasai Rex

The Kasai Rex is an African cryptid that resembles the dinosaur known as Tyrannosaurus. Sightings of the beast began in 1932, and originally described a red-and-black reptile with large fangs that had a long snout, thick legs and stripes. Multiple sightings have occured and a couple of photographs have also surfaced. However, the photos and the eyewitness accounts of this beast are suspect. At least one of the photographs is clearly a forgery made by cutting-and-pasting of pictures, and the accounts are full of improbable details. Also, this cryptid has no unique name in the native language, unlike most other mythical beasts. This indicates that it may be a recent invention and not a real beast at all.

Inkanyamba

Like the Grootslang, the Inkanyamba is a legendary snake cryptid from southern Africa. It lives by waterfalls, and is most commonly seen at Howick Falls in South Africa. This creature resembles a snake, except for the head, which looks like that of a horse. The Inkanyamba is aquatic and lives in lakes and waterfalls, so some suspect it to be a species of giant eel instead of a snake. This creature is said to be over twenty feet long, though its exact size is debated.

Grootslang

The Grootslang is a cryptid that supposedly dwells in a deep cave known as the "Wonder Hole" in Richtersveld, South Africa. Its name means "Great Snake" in Afrikaans, and it is described as either a forty-foot-long serpent or an elephant with a snake's tail. This cryptid is not the only unusual legend associated with the Wonder Hole cave. The caverns are also said to be filled with diamonds, to continue on for forty miles until they reach the ocean, and to stretch on forever.

Ennedi Tiger

The African cryptid known as the Ennedi Tiger is native to Chad, which lies below the Sahara desert. This cryptid is a cave-dwelling feline that lives in the mountains of Africa. It is much larger than a lion at up to twelve feet, and it is red or brown with white stripes. The Ennedi Tiger also lacks a tail. The one main feature of this cryptid, however, is its huge fangs. This obviously links the animal to the prehistoric Saber-Toothed Tiger, and indeed this supposedly-extinct beast is the main candidate for the true identity of this cryptid.

Interestingly, another species of Ennedi Tiger is also occasionally reported, though this one is very different. It dwells in water, and has a reddish coat with white stripes, much like the other species. It also posesses long fangs, but this variety has a long tail as opposed to its tailless mountain-dwelling brother. This species is also compared to the Saber-Toothed Tiger, but also to a walrus. Still, the tiger explanation is more likely, as no other walrus relative lives in Africa.

Sucuriju Gigante

The Sucuriju Gigante, or Giant Anaconda, as it is sometimes known, is a monstrous snake reported from several different countries of South America, especially Brazil. It is identified with various snakes, like the anaconda or boa, though it is probably more similar to the anaconda due to its aquatic nature. This huge snake is sometimes reported as reaching 150 feet in size, and dwells almost entirely in water. It is said to have yellow, glowing, lamp-like eyes that have a hypnotic effect on viewers. This monstrous serpent is a constrictor, squeezing the life out of its hapless prey and swallowing it whole. However, it is easily defeated, and several are supposed to have been shot dead by witnesses to this creature. Photos circulate of this beast, many dating back to the mid 1900s, but many are suspected to be hoaxes. The Sucuriju Gigante also figures in the mythology of native tribes, and many revere it as a sort of creator god or guardian of the waters.

Deinotherium

Deinotherium was a prehistoric elephant also known as the "hoe-tusker." It resembled a modern elephant, but had a shorter, stumpier trunk, tusks that curved downwards from the lower jaw and a large range extending from Africa to eastern Europe. This elephant was suggested by Bernard Heuvelmans to be a still-living creature responsible for the killings of pachyderms that are frequently attributed to Mokele-Mbembe. However, as no sightings actually indicate that Deinotherium was the culprit, this is unlikely.

Oscar

Oscar, the Beast of 'Busco, is a giant crpytid turtle that was once routinely reported from Churabusco, Indiana, starting in 1948. It lived in a nearby pond and routinely picked off and ate livestock and pets, including chickens, dogs and occasionally calves. At first it was unknown what was killing the animals, but eventually, a local farmer spotted a turtle over fifteen feet long basking on the shore. It was seen several times throughout the next months, and it grew in popularity as a tourist attraction. Hundreds of people saw it on one occasion, and many traps were set to bring in the beast. One day, a local farmer finally lassoed the beast and attatched it to a chain pulled by four clydesdales. The turtle and the horses strained for hours, but the chain finally snapped and the turtle sunk back into the lake. It was never seen again, and many postulate that it died.

List of Cryptids

Here is Wikipedia's full list of cryptids. I hope to soon report on all of them.

Africa
Asanbosam · Bili ape · Deinotherium · Emela-ntouka · Ennedi tiger · Gambo · Grootslang · Inkanyamba · Kasai rex · Kongamato · Mbielu-Mbielu-Mbielu · Mokele-mbembe · Malawi terror beast · Mamlambo · Nandi Bear · Nguma-monene · Pygmy elephant · Trunko · Zanzibar Leopard
Asia
Almas · Akkorokamui · Ahool · Barmanou · Batutut · Bergman's bear · Brosno dragon · Bukit Timah Monkey Man · Buru · Caspian Tiger · Cat-fox · Con rit · Devil Bird · Hibagon · Hokkaido Wolf · Honshū Wolf · Isshii · Javan Tiger · Kappa · Killer badger · Kting Voar · Kusshii · Lake Tianchi Monster · Lake Van Monster · Maltese Tiger · Mongolian Death Worm · Monkey-man of Delhi · Orang Pendek · Pygmy elephant · Qilin · Ropen · Tsuchinoko · Woolly mammoth · Yeren · Yeti
Australasia-Oceania
Amomongo · Blue Mountains panther · Bunyip · Ebu Gogo · Gippsland phantom cat · Globster · Homo floresiensis · Manaul · Maero · Megalania · Moa · Moehau · Queensland Tiger · Siyokoy · Taniwha · Thylacine · Thylacoleo · Tikbalang · Waitoreke · Yowie · Zuiyō Maru
Europe
Afanc · Ayia Napa sea monster · Beast of Gévaudan · British big cats · Canvey Island Monster · Dahu · Dobhar-chu · Each uisge · Eachy · Elwedritsche · Fear liath · Giglioli's Whale · High-finned sperm whale · Jenny Haniver · Kellas cat · Kraken · Lagarfljóts Worm · Lariosauro · Lindworm · Loch Ness Monster · Morag · Morgawr · Muc-sheilch · Owlman · Sea bishop · Sea monk · Seljordsormen · Skvader · Storsjöodjuret · Stronsay Beast · Tatzelwurm · Teggie · Wolpertinger
NorthAmerica
Altamaha-ha · Amarok · Bear Lake Monster · Beast of Bray Road · Beast of Busco · Bessie · Bigfoot · Cadborosaurus willsi · Champ · Chessie · Chupacabra · Dover Demon · Flatwoods monster · Fiji mermaid · Fouke Monster · Fur-bearing Trout · Goatman · Grassman · Hodag · Homo gardarensis · Honey Island Swamp monster · Hoop snake · Iliamna Lake Monster · Jackalope · Jersey Devil · Kingstie · Lake Worth monster · Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp · Loveland frog · Lusca · MacFarlane's Bear · Manipogo · Melon heads · Menehune · Minnesota Iceman · Momo the Monster · Montauk Monster · Mothman · Mussie · Ogopogo · Old Yellow Top · Ozark Howler · Piasa · Pope Lick Monster · Shunka Warakin · Sidehill gouger · Skunk Ape · Thunderbird · Trinity Alps giant salamander · Turtle Lake Monster · Waheela · Wampus cat
SouthAmerica
Ameranthropoides loysi · Andean Wolf · Bloop · Cherufe · Chupacabra · Hombre Gato · Living dinosaurs · Giant anaconda · Gnome · Mapinguari · Minhocão · Mono Grande · Mylodon · Nahuelito · Peuchen · Yacumama

Here are the ones I haven't covered yet.


Africa
Malawi terror beast · Mamlambo · Pygmy elephant · Trunko · Zanzibar Leopard
Asia
Akkorokamui · Batutut · Brosno dragon · Bukit Timah Monkey Man · Caspian Tiger · Cat-fox · Devil Bird · Hibagon · Hokkaido Wolf · Honshū Wolf · Isshii · Javan Tiger · Killer badger · Kting Voar · Kusshii · Lake Tianchi Monster · Monkey-man of Delhi · Ropen · Woolly mammoth
Australasia-Oceania
Amomongo · Blue Mountains panther · Ebu Gogo · Gippsland phantom cat · Globster · Homo floresiensis · Manaul · Maero · Megalania · Moa · Moehau · Queensland Tiger · Siyokoy · Taniwha · Thylacoleo · Tikbalang · Waitoreke Zuiyō Maru
Europe
Ayia Napa sea monster · Beast of Gévaudan · Canvey Island Monster · Dahu · Dobhar-chu · Each uisge · Eachy · Elwedritsche · Fear liath · Giglioli's Whale · High-finned sperm whale · Kellas cat · Lagarfljóts Worm · Lariosauro · Morag · Morgawr · Muc-sheilch · Owlman · Seljordsormen · Skvader · Stronsay Beast · Teggie · Wolpertinger
NorthAmerica
Altamaha-ha Bear Lake Monster · Beast of Bray Road · Bessie · Chessie · Flatwoods monster · Fouke Monster · Grassman · Homo gardarensis · Iliamna Lake Monster · Kingstie · Lake Worth Monster Lizard Man of Scape Ore Swamp · Loveland frog · Lusca Manipogo · Melon heads · Menehune · Mussie · Ogopogo · Old Yellow Top · Ozark Howler · Piasa · Pope Lick Monster · Thunderbird · Trinity Alps giant salamander · Turtle Lake Monster ·
South America
Ameranthropoides loysi · Bloop · Cherufe · Hombre Gato · Gnome · Minhocão · Mono Grande · Mylodon · Nahuelito · Peuchen · Yacumama

I eliminated known hoaxes and mythical beasts.

Waheela

The Waheela is a North American cryptid wolf-creature reported from parts of Canada and Alaska. It occupies a range that lies to the very north end of the continent, where it dwells in largely uninhabited forests. This creature resembles a wolf, but differs in a few key respects. First, it is far larger, and generally paler in coloration. Second, its range is much more limited, as it dwells only in cold northern climates. Most importantly, while normal wolves are very social animals that move in large packs, the Waheela is solitary and hunts alone. This creature is also more agressive than a wolf, as according to folklore this creature is known to kill and mutilate humans who wander into its territory. The Waheela may be of a species known as the amphycionids, or bear-dogs. The amphycionids were prehistoric canids that like the Waheela were large, solitary and wolf-like, so they match many of this cryptid's most important traits. The Waheela also resembles several mythical beasts, such as the Inuit monster wolf Amarok. This creature was a large white wolf that devoured hunters and hunted alone. The mythological Norse wolf Fenrir was also very similar to this creature in appearance.

Bobo

Bobo is a sea monster and a cryptid that dwells in the North Pacific Ocean, specifically near Monterey Bay, California. Descripitions of this animal vary greatly, and sightings of it are fairly common. It is generally thought to be large, though the size attributed to it varies from that of an orca to that of a small whale. The creature is also said to have wrinkly skin resembling that of an old man.

Momo

Momo, the so-called Missouri Monster, is a bigfoot-type creature found, as its name suggests, in Missouri. It is covered in shaggy black hair that even conceals the creature's eyes, and it has a large head and feet. Like the Skunk Ape, a similar bigfoot-like cryptid that lives in the nearby state of Florida, this creature is said to emit a terrible smell. It may be that these two creatures are of the same species. However, sightings of Momo may also be nothing more than black bears, as the physical resemblance between the two creatures is great and they live in the same range. The Momo is more agressive than a bear, however, as it is frequently known to kill and eat dogs and other animals.

Dover Demon

In the late 1970s in Massachusetts, an unusual cryptid was seen for the first time by modern man. Several teenagers on a drive spotted a four-foot-tall creature with spindly limbs, a large head, pale skin and huge red eyes perched nearby. The creature had hairless skin, and besides the eyes had no facial features. Over the next few days the creature was seen repeatedly, and several witnesses were interviewed by cryptozoologist Loren Coleman. The animal has yet to leave any physical evidence though sporadic sightings of it continue to this day. An interesting footnote to this story is that in the mythology of the local Native American tribes a creature is mentioned that is strikingly similar to the Dover Demon. It has spindly limbs, a bulbous head and red eyes. It may be that this mythical beast is the same creature as the Demon. This cryptid also resembles the typical picture of a grey alien, and thus an extraterrestrial origin for this beast has been suggested.

Ahool

The Ahool is a large cryptid bat native to the Indonesian island of Java. It is greater in size than any known bat, with a wingspan of almost fifteen feet, and its body is the size of a human infant. The creature has a flat, squashed, human-like face and a loud wailing cry that can be heard for miles. The sound made by this cry (ahooOOOOool) gives this cryptid its name. The Ahool is assumed to be generally tree-dwelling as are most jungle bats, but it has also been seen squatting on the forest floor. The Ahool is grey in coloration and blends well into the night environment in which it lives-- this creature is nocturnal. This leaves some doubt as to its appearance, since sightings of it are often not clear. It has been suggested that the Ahool is a bird, a pterosaur, or even a winged monkey. However, the general consensus is that the Ahool is a giant bat, perhaps related to the flying fox.

El Cuero

In Lake Lacar, a small glacier-formed lake in the Andes, dwells an extremely unusal cryptid known as El Cuero, or The Cowhide. This creature has a flat, hairless, ray-like body that resembles the hide of an animal floating on the surface of the water. It is known to attack and kill people and animals that mistake it for such a harmless object, dragging them underwater and draining their blood with its proboscis. This proboscis is unusual for a ray, but it is not this cryptid's only startling feature. El Cuero supposedly bears a pair of reddish eyestalks. These ususual traits and the lack of physical evidence for the animal's existence raises suspicion, but many legends and sightings of this creature exist that make its existence at least possible. Interestingly, there are many similar cryptids throughout other lakes in Argentina and Chile, all of which may be of one species.

Con Rit

The Con Rit, or Sea Centipede, is a very unusual Vietnamese cryptid sea serpent. It does not resemble a snake of any sort as do most sea serpents, but instead it appears to be an arthropod. The Con Rit is usually described as aa 60-150 foot long centipede-like creature with many paddle-like fins instead of legs. Its body is covered in segmented armor plates like its land-dwelling relatives, and according to some reports it has several antennae. This particular feature of the Con Rit was first described by an ancient Greek general, who described the creature as having "hairy nostrils." This has later been taken to refer to antennae. At least one corpse of this cryptid has also been reported, though the body was found in 1883 and subsequently dumped out at sea. According to this accound the Con Rit was some 60 feet long and found headless on the beach. The carcass was disposed of after its stench became too much for those examining it. If indeed the Con Rit exists, it would be the largest arthropod known to man by far. Just this fact alone makes its existence very unlikely, especially as it lives in the sea.

Icedrake

Like the firedrake, an icedrake is a mythological dragon that appears in Norse mythology. It is a smaller-than-average classical-style dragon, unusual for its ability to project not a stream of flame, but of ice. Depending on the depiction, they may or may not have wings. Though not very important in mythology, the icedrake shows up commonly in books, movies and video games. It has intruiged generations of mythology buffs, and thus its modern representations in media far overshadow its role in real Norse myths.

Grendel and his Mother

Grendel is an unusual monstrosity that appears in Norse mythology. He is depicted as a huge, hairy, violent humanoid that savages and eats men. In the epic poem Beowulf, the monster repeatedly attacks the title hero's allies, killing and consuming many, until he is challenged by Beowulf himself, who rips of its arm. Grendel dies of his wounds, but his mother, a "sea-hag," tries to avenge him by attacking the same hall frequented by her son. Beowulf hunts her down as well and kills her with a sword at the bottom of the lake where she lives. It is strongly hinted that both Grendel and his mother are aquatic or at least amphibious, as they both live in a cave at the bottom of a lake.

Firedrake

The Firedrake is a Northern European type of dragon common in Norse and sometimes British mythology. It is generally smaller and lighter than a normal classical dragon, and usually red in coloration. Firedrakes get their name from their primary method of defense-- spewing streams of flame powerful enough to melt rocks. These dragons are generally very agressive, and extremly posessive of their territory and their treasure. One firedrake, after a single cup was stolen from its hoard, attacked the surrounding area and eventually came into conflict with the Geatish king Beowulf. Beowulf killed the dragon at the cost of his own life.

Oceanus

Oceanus was one of the first generation of Titans, a group of primitive Greek deities that predated the Olympian gods. He fought against the gods like his brothers in the Titanomachy, and was on the losing side. He personified the giant ocean that was believed to surround the world, and he was the father of the Oceanids: nymphs who controlled all of the world's rivers, oceans, lakes and streams. Like the other first-generation Titans, he married one of his sisters: Tethys. Interestingly, Oceanus seems to have been one of the only Titans who was on good terms with the Olympian gods after the end of the war. He was not thrown into Tartarus with most of his siblings, and even appeared at the wedding of the minor sea god Thetis. Even Greek heroes like Odysseus prayed to Oceanus like a god-- an honor given to no other Titan except Hyperion.

Atlas

Atlas was one of the Titans, an early race of Greek mythological deities that controlled the universe before the rise of the olympians. Atlas was not one of the first generation of Titans, but he was one of their most powerful. Atlas was a brother to Prometheus, among other Titans, and the son of Iapetus. Atlas fought in the Titanomachy, the war that pitted Titans against Olympian Gods, and was on the losing side. Unlike his brothers, who were thrown into Tartarus, Atlas had a special punishment reserved for him after the war. He was forced to stand by the Garden of the Hesperides in northern Africa, supporting the weight of the sky upon his shoulders. Only once was he freed of this burden, and then only briefly--when Hercules temporarily held up the sky for him while Atlas fetched the golden apples of Hera to help the hero finish his eleventh labor. Atlas would not take the sky back willingly, but Hercules tricked him by asking for a break to fetch a shoulder pad. Atlas foolishly held up the sky once again, but instead of fetching a blanket to aid him in his task, Hercules left. Though he was one of the strongest Titans, Atlas' low intelligence cost him his only chance at freedom.

Fenghuang

The Fenghuang of Chinese mythology reigned over all other birds. The males of this immortal, magical species were called Feng and the females Huang. It lived atop the Kunlun mountains in China, and was a powerful bringer of good luck. It represented fire, the sun, and justice. The Fenghuang was notable for its long neck, which it shared with the Phoenix-like Bennu bird of Egypt. It may have been based on a crane or pheasant, or possibly an extinct species of ostrich. Chinese Dragons were partially described from the fossils of dinosaurs, and bones of the extinct Asian ostrich may have inspired stories of the Fenghuang in a similar manner.

Yamata no Orochi

Yamata no Orochi, or Orochi for short, was an eight-headed dragon in Japanese mythology. Every year one Japanese couple was forced to sacrifice one of their eight daughters to the creature, which consumed them. Their last daughter, however, was saved by the god Susanoo. He transformed the girl into a comb to hide her. He then set up a gated enclosure with eight windows and a vat of rice wine beneath each one. The dragon put one head through each window and began to drink the wine, soon falling into a drunken slumber. Susanoo then drew his sword and beheaded the creature. Within the creature's body he found a powerful magical sword, Kusanagi, which he used in later battles.

Echeneis

In Medieval bestiaries, the Echeneis was said to be a six-inch-long fish that dwelled in the Indian Ocean. It had a sucker atop its head which it could attach to a passing ship, thus rendering it immobile. The Echeneis could keep a boat rooted in the water even during a storm. The force of the Echeneis' power was greater than the strength of fifty oarsmen. To get a ship moving again the Echeneis had to be removed by force-- pried off by a sailor or scraped off against a rock, for example. The Echeneis was probably based off of a real animal, the remora. The remora clings to larger creatures like sharks for transport. In fact, the Echeneis was sometimes referred to as the remora, which provides even greater evidence for this hypothesis.

Roc

The Roc was a monstrous bird from Madagascar with feahters as large as palm frongs and a body huge enough to carry off a fully-grown elephant. It frequently raided mainland Africa and Arabia to hunt its favored prey. Marco Polo and Sinbad the Sailor are both said to have encountered one of these colossal birds. Sinbad and his crew broke one of the beast's colossal eggs, inadvertently discovering another trait of the Roc: its vengeful nature. The Roc attacked Sinbad's fleet to get back at them for destroying its unborn chick, both by throwing bounders and by physically attacking them. The Roc was a vicious and relentless predator. This creature was probably based off of the Arabian Sharokh, but myths of the Roc are strikingly similar to that of other mythical beasts like the Native American Thunderbird and the Brazilian Blue Crow. Perhaps all of these giant mythical birds are based on the same creature-- a real giant bird that is either now extinct or yet undiscovered.

Amphisbaena

In Greek mythology, the Amphisbaena was a dangerous dragon-like beast that lived in the Libyan desert. The first of its kind sprung from Medusa's blood as her head was carried over the area by Perseus. The creature resembled a two-headed serpent with a pair of legs. In some descriptions, the Amphisbaena also had a pair of wings. It fed off ants, human corpses and other prey of opportunity. The Amphisbaena chased down prey by putting one head in the mouth of the desert and rolling after them. It was very swift, but did not always need to hunt for its food. It could also set up ambushed by lurking under the desert sands or in an oasis-- the creature could swim and burrow. Like many other mythological serpents, the Amphisbaena also had toxic fangs and hypnotic eyes. The stare of this monster was even more dangerous under the full moon. Anyone who made eye contact with an Amphisbaena while the moon was full would die instantly. The creature's body also had many uses in folk medicine. For example, the wearer of its skin would be cured of a common cold or of arthritis. The Amphisbaena is similar in description to the Lindorm/Lindworm of Arabia.

Catoblepas

The Catoblepas was a legendary creature from Ethiopia described by the ancient Greeks. It was a mid-sized beast with a black, buffalo-like body and the head of either a gnu or a hog. In some descriptions it had scales that ran down its back, protecting it. The head of the Catoblepas was too heavy for it to support, and so it usually was bent downwards, resting on the creature's chest. This is fortunate for travelers in the area, as the gaze of the beast, like that of a basilisk, was lethal. The death-gaze of the Catoblepas withered the vegetation in the area around the creature, often leaving it with nothing to eat. The creature was known to chew on its own legs and hair when hungry. The Catoblepas myth is probably based on the gnu, a similar-looking animal from Africa's savannah. Visitors to the area may have been confused by the prescence of the gnu in the desolate savannah and invented a myth to explain it.

Griffon

The Griffon is a majestic beast that results from the mating of a lion and an eagle. It is, interestingly, quite larger than either of these creatures and in many other ways greater than the sum of its parts. Griffons have the incredibly sharp vision of an eagle combined with the strength and ferocity of a lion, however they also posess a number of unique powers that neither of their parent organisms posess. Griffon claws change color in the prescence of poison, which makes them excellent goblet material, and griffins have a level of intelligence almost equal to that of a human. Griffons are noble beasts, though fierce, and they will usually only attack someone if they stray into the beasts' territory. However, they loathe horses, and will attack them on sight. Though they sometimes eat equines, Griffons are also known to kill them out of pure spite. It is unknown why this natural hatred exists. Few Griffons are known to put aside this hatred of horses, but when they do, occasionally a Griffon/horse half-breed called a Hippogriff would occur. Because of their unusual combination of parents, Hippogriffs are some of the rarest of beasts. Griffons themselves are also very uncommon, and are usually only found in the Caucasus Mountains and the surrounding area.

Vegetable Lamb

The Vegetable Lamb was a bizarre cross of plant-like and animal-like traits. This creature resembled a small, rabbit-sized lamb with extremely soft fur, though its skin was light green and it was connected to a plant by a stem. This stem provided the lamb with nutrients, as did the lamb's mouth, though neither could sustain a lamb alone. Thus, the lambs would die when they consumed all of the nutrients in the area. Sometimes multiple lambs would spring from one stem, which would expend the plants in the area even faster. The wool of these lambs was once a much-treasured resource, as it was both incredibly rare and incredibly soft. The value of this wool was increased even more due to the rarity of the creatures and the small wool yield from each one. This wool farming and their biological weaknesses seems to have led to the disappearance of the vegetable lamb as a species, though they may still have survived in small groups.

Questing Beast

The Questing Beast was an unusual and probably one-of-a-kind creature that was eternally pursued by a number of knights and kings. Even King Arthur himself once encountered the beast as it stopped to drink at a lake he was resting by. The Questing Beast was a large animal with the head of a large serpent, the body of a leopard, the hooves of a deer and the tail of a lion or snake. It was larger than a horse, perhaps the size of a rhinoceros, and very fast. Many knights made the hunting of this beast their life's mission, including the famous King Pellinore. However, none of them ever succeeded. The beast appears to be immortal, as King Pellinore revealed to Arthur that his family had hunted this individual creature for many generations. The questing beast represents the ultimate unattainable goal; the subject of a quest that can never be finished.