Classification: Legendary & Supernatural Humanoids

Temporal Range: 16th Century

Geographic Range: East Lothian, Scotland

Diet: Carnivorous

Horde: Wretched Mortals

In the 16th Century, the east coast of Scotland lived under a reign of terror - that of the cannibalistic Clan of Sawney Bean. Reportedly living in a coastal cave with a brood of terrifying family members, the head of the family Sawney Bean is thought to have eaten as many as 1000 people over the span of 25 years. Sawney was reportedly married to a woman called Agnes Douglas, who was said to be a powerful witch who dealt in dark magic. The pair made quite a horrible team and their clan of children and grandchildren grew to as many as 45 people living in that cave.

The cave was difficult to get to when the tide was high, suggesting that this is how the clan managed to stay so well hidden for so long. Or perhaps Agnes’ skills as a witch also cloaked the cave from view. Survivors from the attacks reported that the clan would jump unsuspecting travelers or trick them into seeking refuge in their cave. They would eat their victims and often pickle any leftovers. Locals started to notice something was wrong when bones would wash up further down the coast from the caves.

This activity was reported to King James I and VI, who sent a search party and a pack of bloodhounds to track down the clan. By the time the hounds arrived, the Bean family had fled but the contents of their cave were so horrible that we cannot include the details in this report.

Some skeptics argue that the Bean clan never existed, citing the fact that these stories were only reported in English papers as evidence of anti-Scottish sentiment. They suggest that such tales were intended to paint the Scots as barbaric and ruthless, particularly during a time when a Scottish King ruled England, a king known for his fear of the supernatural. Yet, the consistency of the accounts and their alignment with historical fears and folklore leave little room for the idea that the Bean clan was purely an invention.

No further traces of Sawney Bean and his clan have been found since then. Perhaps they simply escaped or perhaps Agnes’ magic was involved in helping them vanish. But we still recommend avoiding coastal caves and not taking directions from witches or anyone who looks like they might enjoy picking their teeth with your bones.

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