The Beast of the Moors

In the Devil's Moor, not too far from your front door, is a menhir (standing stone). It is located in the center of a stone circle, and while much of the writing is faded, the word "monster" and "evil" can be made out quite clearly. No one knows who wrote it, or the fate of those who wrote it, but one thing is clear: something evil lurks in the Moor.
It is said that many years ago, a group of witches constructed the stone circle which surrounds the Devil's Menhir as a place of worship; as to which religion is it connected to, we do not know. However, archaeological findings have uncovered evidence of animal sacrifice, so it is to be concluded that the circle at first had an innocent purpose.
After some time, however, that changed. We do not know if the Beast was conjured, simply appeared, or had always been in the Moors, but soon after the stone circle had been built, the Beast began to unleash his terror. He ate animals and humans alike, destroyed cities in a night, and generally ravaged the consciousness of those that lived in the Moor or near it.
Some believe that perhaps the Beast brought Dark Magic to witches; some believe that the Beast was at the command of Dark witches. Academics are unsure of the Beast's purpose, or even of its veracity, but the emptiness of the Moor and the areas around it are a testament to the Beast's bloodthirsty nature and the fear witches have of it.
--Excerpt from a children's book

Historical Basis

There is actually several pieces of archaeological evidence that points to the veracity of the myth. The biggest piece of evidence is the Devil's Menhir, a standing stone located in the Devil's Moor. The Devil's Menhir pictographically depicts the Beast and its destruction. Additionally, there are several other menhirs which refer to the Beast, and many stone circles have been uncovered, which are believed to have either been an appeasement tool or a conjuration circle.

Spread

It is presumed everyone in the United Britannia and Hibernia knows this myth.

Variations & Mutation

Strangely, unlike most myths, variations of this myth are rare. Some believe this is because the myth is actually true.

In Literature

The Beast pops up in many different kinds of literature, from children's to adults'. It is often a key used to scare its audience.

In Art

The Beast has very few witnesses of its appearance, and so appears differently in each piece of work, depending on what the artist finds most frightening.

Date of First Recording

1431

Date of Setting

Unknown