Mythical Beasties Thread

I've always had a strange love for mythical creatures. Particularly ones from classical mythology that have been romanticized over the years such at satyrs and centaurs. Admittedly they're a lot more appealing in their modern depictions than in their original forms.

Any mythical beings you particularly like (or hate)? Discuss.

I'll take 'mythical' to mean 'appears in myths' as opposed to 'doesn't exist' so as not to offend anyone or anything...

I'm fascinated by the origins of the orc and/or ork and the repeated appearance of that phoneme in connection with bad/scary/unwanted things in multiple languages, not to mention the frequent association with boar or pigs.

At the moment I'm desperately trying to find information on the Dvergar (dwarves). It is like looking for a needle in a room that you're fairly sure has no needles in it.

edited 18th Jan '12 2:09:43 PM by InverurieJones

FUCK. THE. DWARVES.

... Sorry 'bout that. Getting back on topic, I've always had a soft spot for good ol' Leviathan.

I love creatures from folk tales and myths. Especially I love modern depictions that try to show how such magical creatures can still exist in our current world. But just being able to identify creatures as they appear in random media is always great fun.

Wait...there are dwarves in Skyrim??? I haven't played it yet. Are they Dwemer or...no...no...back on topic! Back on topic!

"It is like looking for a needle in a room that you're fairly sure has no needles in it."

You'll never know until you run around barefoot and step on one.

I like dragons, if only for the variety.

Fairies. No points if you already guessed this.

Real fairies, by the by. Magical warrior-folk that steal children and glamour people into dancing themselves to death.

Manticores, Chimeras, Hydras, etc. are nice. Blame Golden Sun.

Also, Golems. Golems are probably one of my favorites.

I like the wyvern type of dragon. As in, wings and back legs, no arms (like the ones in Skyrim).

Behemoth, Leviathan, and Ziz are interesting.

And trolls. Not internet trolls, or Skyrim trolls, or World Of Warcraft trolls, or... there are a shitload of different interpretations of trolls, aren't there? Even more so than dragons. Anyway, some trolls. Like here.◊

I'd probably have more but Wikipedia's down. Oh well.

Ooh, trolls are really hard to pin down. As far as I can tell a troll is what a wight turns into when it's really pissed off.

It's like the difference between 'person' and 'rampaging maniac'.

Hydra is cool too. You wanna cut me, bitch? Think you can kill me with your pansy sword? Fuck you. I'll grow two heads back and eat your ass.

edited 18th Jan '12 2:38:01 PM by Exelixi

o_o

That was my impression of a hydra from Cincinatti.

^^^^ Well, as a Norwegian, that's not the theory we subscribe to up here. Trolls come in two variants: the humanoid and tailed variant that plays tricks on humans and has magical abilities, and the mountain-sized monstrosities that turn to stone in daylight.◊

edited 18th Jan '12 2:47:54 PM by Lemurian

Ah, see, now that's interesting. More stuff to research.

See, this is one thing I find deeply interesting; how certain mythological creatures and phenomena are similar, but still very different between the different countries and regions.

The small type sound like the Trows from Orkney and Shetland, but that's hardly surprising given that they still burn longboats every year up there...

Yeah, it does. I see a lot of similarities.

Chimeras are really cool. I don't know why, but I like that brand of hybrid animals for some reason, even if it does have some squicky implications.

I'm also really into satyrs right now. Maybe it's because for me they represent the recklessness and um... horny-ness I feel as a teenager. Pun intended for good measure.

I have a great fondness for vampires, vampire here being used as a general term for all manner of often times nocturnal beings who feed on blood or some form of life energy. Whether or not they need this to survive, are dead, or are constantly in this state varies from type to type. Hell some vampires are pumpkins or miscarried fetuses used by witch doctors.

See, now I have a particularly deep-seated hatred for vampires. I'm not really sure why.

Vampires are also awesome, I can't believe I forgot to mention them. My avatar is a vampire, even- Sorin Markov.

Hm, Chimera don't actually have any squick factor. In the original myth, the Chimera was the child of Echidna, who birthed out way weirder shit.

Anne Rice, maybe.

edited 18th Jan '12 6:54:18 PM by Exelixi

I'm not really sure why I have my fondness for the creatures. Have since I was a kid, starting with more traditionally known Western movie vampires, moving onto the creatures that inspired those, and finally to other types such as the various Malaysian vampires. The aforementioned miscarried fetus vampire is one of them.

I like most mythical creatures in general though...

Speaking of weird shit, mythology and giving birth... Loki.

Heh. Maybe. Seriously, though, I think it's much deeper than 'I don't like their portrayal in fiction'; it's very much a 'kill them all with fire then stomp on the ashes' kind of hate. Right down in the bones.

edited 18th Jan '12 6:56:46 PM by InverurieJones

The fey. As said earlier, the real kind. But because they're so alien. Capable of good and "evil" without apparent reason.