I attended Elizabethton High School, where our mascot was a cyclone. Despite a strong rivalry with Science Hill High School, we had a playful rivalry with Unicoi County High School. At the time, I was confused as to why UCHS’s mascot was the Blue Devils and what that meant at all. Well now I know.

The Blue Devil is a cryptid hailing from Webster County, West Virginia. Though it has been primarily sighted in this area, it is not the only area and has been spotted all throughout Appalachia.

According to lore, the creature is less a devil and more a wolf-like creature, with fur and glowing blue eyes. This is the most common depiction of the creature; much of which comes from Fallout 76 rather than original art. There is a singular print by user Xylographilia on Etsy in which the creature is more demon like, however there is no proof to this being tied to actual sightings. In this print, the tie-in to the UCHS’s mascot makes much more sense. Often times inspired creations branch further from the original truth and change the legend entirely.

Initial sightings date back to 1939 and 1940 when many thought that it might be a panther (given their early presence in the area). It wasn’t long after these incidents that money was offered for its capture. The money was supposedly claimed by a hunter and they announced that the creature was some sore of canine. Yet, some still say it lurks within these mountains.

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