Mythological Creatures

SkyWinx · Very bored Joined: 20 Nov 2005 Posts: 144

I was wondering if anyone knows behavioral traits to these following Mythical creatures:

1. Pegasus
2. Centaurs
3. Dryads
4. Phoenix's
5. Griffins
6. Satyrs
7. Elfs
8. Chimera
9. Hippogriffs
10. mermaids
11. Unicorns
12. Nereids
13. Elementales
14. Salamandras
15. Dragons
16. Triton

If you could tell me what you know, that would be so helpful and Appreciated.

-SkyWinx

grimfairy · Still very bored Joined: 17 Jan 2006 Posts: 300

It's hard to really describe the traits of mythological creatures because often times it varies depending on the lore. In some lore, mermaids are friendly vixens of the sea whereas in other stories, they're heinous sirens who tempt sailors into their their demises.

Sephir0th666777 · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 2:40 pm Post subject:

Toooooo lazy to type out like, a paragraph for each. Tell which one you want most. :/
_________________
[img]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y148/Sephir0th666777/mercy.jpg[/img]
Red_Quatre:Who's the guy that says "Get over here!" and then grabs you.
Blad: A rapist

Touzoku-joou · Oldbie Joined: 30 Oct 2004 Posts: 2399 Location: interweb

As Grim said, it's pretty hard to describe the traits of some creatures, because, depending on which lore you're talking about, some can all be generally the same, while others can be EXTREMELY different.

For example, which types of elves are you thinking of? Tolkien-esque elves or elves of the "Santa" type? And what types of Dragons? There are the Chinese God dragons, which range from good to evil, there are the western Dragons (those of the fairy tale type), and even then- some are good, and some are evil. Some live in the water, the clouds, caves...

So, uh. It's kinda hard to pin behavioral traits on all of those. :/
_________________
[url=http://www.fanart-central.net/user-Touzoku-Joou.php]FAC[/url]

Fade · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 3:27 pm Post subject:

I'm gonna be semi lazy here and give a general broad painting of the creatures I know.

1. A winged horse of Greek myth. Is white and has helped many a hero.
2. Typically a horse with a man's torso or a man with a horse's body. Some are very wise, thought the majority from Greek myth are blood thirsty monsters.

4. Sometimes called a "firebird". Is always female. Can be found in Native American myths along with Oriental, Greek, Baltic, Roman, ancient Mesopotamian(SP?) and possibly Egyptian myths.
5. Portrayed as half eagle and half lion.

8. My favorite myth animal. Originally a female goat with a lion's head and snakes tail that could breath fire. But over the years it has gained a goat's head and the tail turned into the front half of a snake. In Greek myth it was killed by Bellerophon.

I'll post more later but I want to check on some stuff...
_________________
[color=blue]Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.[/color]

Ogrim_Doomhammer · Oldbie Joined: 06 Dec 2004 Posts: 2116

Wikipedia is your friend OWNED.

It gives out the BEST links

http://www.pantheon.org/areas/bestiary/articles.html
_________________
[url=http://www.fanart-central.net/user-Ogrim_Doomhammer.php][img]http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b167/Ogrim_Doomhammer/lennonbannercopy.jpg[/img][/url]

www.pandora.com Find New Music You Like.... Free

SkyWinx · Very bored Joined: 20 Nov 2005 Posts: 144

Oh yea I forgot about variations. As far as which ones I want info on, Anyone one your willing to give info on. It's up to you guys. Sorry that I forgot about variation. As far as dragons I would like info on the european and chinese version.

Breloom · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 3:46 pm Post subject:

[quote]As far as dragons I would like info on the european and chinese version.[/quote]

Strata was always an expert on dragons. I'm not good with giving discriptions though. Then again wikipedia is your key OWNED.

_________________
Knowledge is no burden to carry.

manga_rules · in Deep Thought Joined: 18 Feb 2006 Posts: 42

the basilisc is also a ancient mitholigic creature

Stratadrake · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 7:52 pm Post subject:

I'm an "expert" on [i]fictional[/i] dragons, not mythological ones.

Slight difference. Wink

_________________
Strata here: [url=http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/242293]Nanowrimo[/url] - [url=www.fanart-central.net/user-Stratadrake.php]FAC[/url] - [url=http://stratadrake.deviantart.com]dA[/url] - [url=www.furaffinity.net/user/Stratadrake/]FA[/url]
[size=9]Disclaimer: Posts may contain URLs. Click [url=http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TVTropesWillRuinYourLife]at your own risk.[/url][/size]

Coronae · Very bored Joined: 11 Jan 2006 Posts: 137

11.) I haven't seen or heard much about unicorns other than random six-year-old babblings. Still, I know I used to love 'em. I don't know if there are very many variations, but I've heard that they will only appear to virtuous virgin girls. They are equine creatures, usually white, and have a horn (either white or gold from what I've heard) on their foreheads. Their horns have healing properties.

12.) In Greek mythology, the nereids are the daughters of Nereus and Doris. I've been taught that they're all female. Other than that, the descriptions given to me have always been conflicting, and people who don't know better confuse them with sirens, mermaids, nymphs, and such.

But I'm going to spout what everyone else has already said. Wiki it. Good luck!

Fade · Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 5:04 am Post subject:

Ok. I'll start on dragons. Oreintal dragons (That's Chinese basically) are long and snake-like. they have a mane, four sets of claws [which can have 3-5 toes], a tail with feather-like plumes, and it has large eyes. Has no wings, and flies with magic. Is considered a source of wisdom despite being egotistical and having a hair trigger temper.

Example:
[img]http://members.cox.net/ddraig2/images/ordrgn_big.jpg[/img]

Western/European dragons, look more like large lizards with wings [that's six limbs people] and breathes fire [Oriental dragons also breathe fire but they're better known for being water dragons]. Except the Wyvren. In which case, it has four limbs [two hind legs and two wings].

There dragons.
_________________
[color=blue]Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.[/color]

PhunkYMunkY · Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 6:31 am Post subject:

I know them all and everything you need to know.

But I'm not doing your homework for you. Sollie.

SkyWinx · Very bored Joined: 20 Nov 2005 Posts: 144

Oh this isn't homework Phunky Monkey, this is for a thread on anouther forum. That and personal curiosity. Thank you everyone for what info you have given me. Smile

Tru · Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 6:17 am Post subject:

2. Centaurs........................Its head, arms, and chest are those of a human and the rest of its body, including four legs, hindquarters, and a tail is like that of a horse. There are also deer-centaurs, dog-centaurs, and the Gaelic androcephalous or man-headed horse.
Centaurs lived in herds on Mt. Pelion in Thessaly, Greece, and were a plague to the people around them. They went about drunk, eating raw flesh, trampling crops, and raping female humans. The intellectual parts they inherited from humankind left them ignorant and yet cunning. The Centaurs were creatures that were sometimes very hostile towards humans. They were always involved in brawls and battles. Often Zeus would send the Centaurs to punish gods and humans who had offended him.

10. mermaids.......well i think they where= Sirens. Sweetly singing enchantresses, part woman, part bird, who lured sailors to their doom. Some say the Sirens had been given their wings in order to help Demeter search for her daughter Persephone, who was abducted by the King of the Underworld. Their singing would have caused Odysseus to steer his ship into their rocks, had he not ordered his men to bind him to the mast as a precaution. But it was no match for that of the minstrel Orpheus, who distracted his fellow Argonauts so they sailed by the Sirens safely....from Greek Mythology.

14. Salamandras...........Elemental spirit of fire, used in wicca ritualls.

_________________
[img]http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w153/tru_pride/Banners%20others%20have%20made/Trubannersexy.jpg[/img]

UrbanSamuraiDJ · Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2006 10:01 am Post subject:

why no zombies, i know alot about them...
_________________
[color=red]hello[/color]
I'm that guy. Yeah, him.

Tru · Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 3:00 am Post subject:

[quote="Fade (Renee D)"] Ok. I'll start on dragons. Oreintal dragons (That's Chinese basically) are long and snake-like. they have a mane, four sets of claws [which can have 3-5 toes], a tail with feather-like plumes, and it has large eyes. Has no wings, and flies with magic. Is considered a source of wisdom despite being egotistical and having a hair trigger temper.

Example:
[img]http://members.cox.net/ddraig2/images/ordrgn_big.jpg[/img]

Western/European dragons, look more like large lizards with wings [that's six limbs people] and breathes fire [Oriental dragons also breathe fire but they're better known for being water dragons]. Except the Wyvren. In which case, it has four limbs [two hind legs and two wings].

There dragons. [/quote]
Damn IT!............now i have to go and tell my cousin that the dragon he spent 4 hours drawing for me for the tattoo he is putting on my back is not the one i want! because i want the one you posted <_< ...........wait why am i angry?.......dunno, anyways yeah thanks for putting that pic up ^_^
_________________
[img]http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w153/tru_pride/Banners%20others%20have%20made/Trubannersexy.jpg[/img]

Fayore · Moderator Joined: 12 Mar 2004 Posts: 6195

[quote="Breloom (Breloom)"] Strata was always an expert on dragons. [/quote]
Why is it that I always get ignored when it comes to dragons? D: Is it because I don't have a dragon avatar? Or is it because I never post my art anymore? Hmmm. :0
_________________
[url=http://vdexproject.net/user.php?user=15636][img]http://vdexproject.net/p/15636/trainer.png[/img]
[img]http://vdexproject.net/p/15636/partymini.png[/img][/url]

Tru · Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2006 3:32 am Post subject:

why`d you even care?
_________________
[img]http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w153/tru_pride/Banners%20others%20have%20made/Trubannersexy.jpg[/img]

Fayore · Moderator Joined: 12 Mar 2004 Posts: 6195

Why not? :>

EDIT (before this goes way off topic): Since Western Dragons have been relatively abused/ignored so far, I'll talk about them.

There's several names for these types of dragons (eg. "Wyrm," but one could say that that's an entirely different matter altogether). Their typical structure has been outline already, although that's not always the rule. They tend to be covetous and can get quite vicious when they want something, although that's typically more common in younger dragons. The older ones are often seen in myths and legends to be quite wise and extremely knowledgeable. Most breathe fire, although a few have been known to have poisonous or acidic breath.

Speaking of myths, familiar with Norse Mythology? Time for some dragons that are more European in nature (because I honestly don't know too much about the others other than general/D&D knowledge 8D).

Loki, the God (technically a giant, though...) of Mischief has children, one of which is Jormungandr. Commonly named as "Great Serpent;" "Midgard Serpent" (due to the fact that one of his other names is "Midgardsormr"...) he's also been described as a dragon. Banished by Odin into the waters surrounding Midgard, he grew so large, he ended up wrapping himself around the world (hence the other name, "World Serpent").

Other famous dragons of Norse Mythology include Fafnir, who was originally a dwarf but changed to a dragon due to his excessive greed, who was ultimately killed by Siegfried. Nidhogg also comes to mind - a serpent who lives in Niflheim and, at the base of Yggdrasil, the World Tree, he threaten to destroy it by continuously gnawing on its roots.

Another "dragon" would be Grendel of Beowulf fame. It's actually unknown as to what Grendel actually [i]is[/i], but in the poem, he's given a lot of draconic characteristics. In the epic poem, Beowulf has to fight three monsters: Grendel, Grendel's mother (both of which are typically unknown as to what they are, I believe, although Grendel seems to be a troll of some sort of... dragon-man? Time for the Trogdor jokes 8D), and a dragon. In the final battle, Beowulf manages to kill the dragon but sustains so much damage that he dies from his injuries.

Note: In Norse Mythology, it looks like "wyrm", "dragon", and "serpent" are all interchangeable... Although I think it'd be best to keep with "serpent" for most of them lest they become confused with the image of western/Christian dragons. I suppose one thing to remember is that, generally, they're all "evil" and have excessive amounts of greed. Neutral

Although I wouldn't say that about Jormungandr. :S

...Good God. It's much shorter than it should be. Maybe I should start getting back into the stuff. Neutral

_________________
[url=http://vdexproject.net/user.php?user=15636][img]http://vdexproject.net/p/15636/trainer.png[/img]
[img]http://vdexproject.net/p/15636/partymini.png[/img][/url]