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| Thread: Mythological Alignments | |
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regnus_khan
Responsible
Supreme Hero
[ Peacekeeper of Equilibris ]
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posted March 04, 2004 08:23 PM |
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Mythological Alignments
Mostly, Homm series are based on various mythological creatures or just simple mythical beasts made by the inventers of our dear Homm. Mostly we:
- Love these creatures
- Fear these creatures
- Hate these creatures
- Use these creatures
Of course, homm series will continue to do this no doubt. Still, I've made new suggestion - Mythological Alignments.
This is just an alignment that consists of several mythology- or religion-aligned creatures. I'll write only the names of them. Fortunately, I will add a few of them each day. I'll probably add some extra info about these in future.
GREEK ALIGNMENT: ACROPOLIS
Medusa
Stheno
Euryale
Erinye
Minotaur
Harpy
Fury
Lamia
Python
Titan
Cerberus
Hesperides
Chimera
Hippocampus
Naiads
Dryads
Pegasus
Satyr
Centaur
Cyclops
Hydra
Peryton
NORSE ALIGNMENT: VALHALLA
Swirfneblin
Duergar
Einherjar
Valkyrie
Kraken
Selkie
Sleipnir
EGYPTIAN/ARABIAN ALIGNMENT: PYRAMIDS
Mummy
Roc
Phoenix
Gynosphinx
Androsphinx
Criosphinx
Ghoul
Catoblepas
INDIAN/ARABIAN ALIGNMENT: TAJ MAHAL
Manticore
Naga
Ganesha/Ganapati
Djinn
Efreet
Dao
Marid
These creatures and alignments are main. I'll add some more soon. Maybe I'll post some images.
Few Images:
This suppose to be a harpy:
This suppose to be a little phoenix:
This is a phoenix too:
This is a selkie:
Sorry, if you are unable to see these creatures. If you can't see them, go http://www.paganlink.org/clipart/creatures/misc/page01.html. There are more of them there though.
Free to discuss!
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Vadskye91
Promising
Supreme Hero
Back again
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posted March 04, 2004 10:20 PM |
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Cool! But don't the Greeks have too many?
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Knowledge is power...
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Svarog
Honorable
Supreme Hero
statue-loving necrophiliac
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posted March 05, 2004 03:14 AM |
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Of course they do. They are the masters of mythology. NO other mythology is as impressive and rich as Greek.
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The meek shall inherit the earth, but NOT its mineral rights.
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regnus_khan
Responsible
Supreme Hero
[ Peacekeeper of Equilibris ]
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posted March 05, 2004 06:06 AM |
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As a matter of fact, even if the greeks weren't as tough as Egypt civilization once were. Greeks were "parents of history". Herodotus, Democritus and many more, were the most commonly known men in whole world by the time.
There's is something about greek myths in http://www.getty.edu/art/collections/subjects/s10-21.html
Anyway, one new pic:
Cool-looking Pegasus
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Svarog
Honorable
Supreme Hero
statue-loving necrophiliac
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posted March 06, 2004 01:57 AM |
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Heroes creatures' origins
In addition to regnus’ list, I created a list of all homm3 and homm4 creatures and arranged them in several groups, according to their place of origin.
Please note that the creatures are categorized according to their place of origin, not where they were most widely known (because later they were accepted in other regions, far from “home”. Eg. Griffin). I had some doubts where to put some of the creatures, because of, in some cases, the mix of different cultures and influences. Such examples are the biblical background of some Medieval European beliefs, influences from the Middle East or Scandinavia etc.
If you have any objections about this list, feel free to share them with us. Here goes:
Greek mythology
Centaur
Pegasus
Titan
Cerberus
Harpy
Medusa
Minotaur
Gorgon
Hydra
Cyclops
Satyr
Norse mythology
Dwarf
Elf
Gremlin
Goblin
Ogre
Sprite
Troll
Berserker
Celtic/Irish
Leprechaun
Medieval European
(Pikeman, Squire, Archer, Ballista, Monk, Cavalier, Crusader and the like)
Unicorn
Gargoyle
Imp
Pit Fiend
Basilisk
Wyvern
Mermaid
Slavic/Eastern European
Vampire
Middle Eastern (Persian, Assyrian, Babylonian)/ Arabian)
(Nomad)
Griffin
Genie
Efreet
Manticore
Roc
Phoenix
Biblical/Jewish
Angel
Golem
Magi
Demon
Gog
Devil
Behemoth
Native American
Thunderbird
Hindu
Naga
Common to all mythologies
Dragon
Ghost
Tolkien/D&D/Newly created
Dendroid
Lich
Black Knight
Troglodyte
Beholder
Gnoll
Lizardman
Serpent Fly
Orc
Halfling
Nightmare
Elementals
Venom Spawn
Real Life, Modified
Zombie (Voodoo animated corpse)
Mummy (Egyptian, you all know what)
Skeleton
Wolf
White Tiger
Sea Monster
Pirate
Mantis
Waspwort
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The meek shall inherit the earth, but NOT its mineral rights.
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regnus_khan
Responsible
Supreme Hero
[ Peacekeeper of Equilibris ]
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posted March 26, 2004 04:30 PM |
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I'd like to add some creatures here. This was copied from an old thread in Library, I think.
Banshee: The Banshee was a spirit of the fairy folk. If a person was talented with the fairy arts which were dance, song, or art she would follow them in life. When such a person neared death the Banshee's wailing was forwarning.
Basilisk: This creature looks like giant lizard with four pairs of legs. It's gaze will turn any living creature to stone. This creature comes from medieval legends.
Bigfoot: also known as the yeti and various other names. This large manlike creature is said to dwell in the hills and mountains of the wilderness. Often described as being covered with hair and standing 8-9 feet tall. Legends of the Bigfoot have been around for centuries. Except for some odd footprints, some hair found on a branch, or strange blurry pictures, it is still not known if this creature really exists.
Centaur: Depicted as half man half horse. Represented wisdom and old age. These excellent archers can be found in many Roman and Greek legends.
Cerberus: was three headed dog that guarded the entrance to the underworld in Greek legends. The picture shows Hercules son of the god Zeus fighting with the creature.
Chimera: This strange beast comes out of Greek legends. It is said to have the head of a goat, lion, and dragon (or snake depending on the source)with various different parts of the three beasts making up the rest of the animal. One legend tells of Bellerophon (Greek hero) taming Pegasus to aid him in battle against the Chimera.
Cockatrice: This creatures looks like a strange cross between a rooster and a dragon or snake. It's gaze can turn a person to stone. Often in legend this creature is confused with the Basilisk.
Cyclops: Barbaric Giants that have only one eye. They are evil and have been known to eat the flesh of humans.
Dragon: A reptile like creature found with or without wings. In legend it is said they breath fire, guard ancient treasures, and dwell in the mountain caves. Depending on the story this creature can be good or evil, intelligent or animal-like, but the thing all the stories agree upon was that dragons were magical.
Dryads: The Dryads: (Dryads, Hamadryades,) are female spirits of nature who preside over the groves and forests. Each one is born with a certain tree over which she watches - she comes into existence with it and often lives in a tree.
Dwarves: A race of beings found within most modern fantasy books. A people of short stature that have a liking for stone. Dwarves are a warrior race and are good blacksmiths. For some reason they are also noted for their dislike for elves.
Elves: A mythical people that have a strong ability toward magic. Said to dwell in woodlands and to enjoy a lifespan of centuries. Depending on the legend Elves can be short pixie like creatures or a tall people of uncommon grace and power.
Tree Ents: (Tree Folk) These are truely the folk of the forests. These intelligent trees guard the ancient forests. In Tolkien stories they guarded holy forests from those whom would destroy them.
Fairies: small people with insect like wings. Sometimes known as sprites these winged spirits of the forests are known for the tricks they play on mortals or in some cases the magical aid they can give. On midsummer nights it is said they can be seen dancing in the forest clearings.
Ganesha: Ganesha or Ganapati is an extremely popular God in India. People mostly worship Him asking for success in undertakings, and intelligence. He is worshipped before any venture is started. He is also the God of education, knowledge and wisdom, literature, and the fine arts.
Gargoyles: Gargoyles are guardian statues placed into the decoration of many castles and buildings. How can a lifeless stone statue guard anything? Perhaps they are not as lifeless as they seem...
Ghosts: Half seen spectral apparitions thought to be the souls of people long dead. In stories they either inspire fear or give warning to the living.
Griffin: A lion with the head, front claws, and wings of an eagle. Often seen in European coat of arms. The most noted can be seen of the coat of arms of the English royal family.
Gnomes: Gnomes are a small folk similar to elves. It is said they are the Fairy shoemakers. If a Gnome is found he will have gold because fairies pay them to make their dancing shoes. But, like the Lepricans don't take your eyes off them for they will vanish. In fantasy stories they are a people similar to the dwarves. They live underground and make fanastic inventions.
Goblins: These small creatures are found in many stories. Most often portrayed as evil imp-like creatures that delight in playing tricks on humans. In role playing games they are a tribe of demi-humans that are often found in wilderness areas that attack travelers.
Harpy: A woman with the bottom portion and wings of a vulture. These creatures were originally sent by the Greek Gods to torment the evil doer. To the Greek the Harpy repersented justice. Later on in the middle ages they came to symbolize greed and the devil.
Hippocampus: The Hippocampus is a horse with the back half of a fish. This creature springs from Greek legends.
Hippogryph: The Hippogryph looks like a horse but with the head, front claws, and wings of an eagle. This creature is said to come from the union between a grphon and a horse.
Hobbit: Hobbits are a cheerful folk, fond of eating and friendship. They are shorter than dwarves and have hair on their toes. Hobbits are a people onto themselves.
Hydra: A serpent or dragon with five or more heads. In Greek legends this creature could only be defeated by cutting off it's heads and then burning the neck. If this was not done where one head was cut off two more would grow in it's place. Hercules had to defeat this monster in one of his 12 labors.
Imp: These small devilish creatures love to play tricks on mortals. Often their tricks tend toward the cruel side. In some stories mages were able to sometimes summon these creatures to do their bidding.
Jersey Devil: Within the Pine Barrens of New Jersey dwells a devil like creature. Where did it come from, how did it get there? Click the link to find out.
Leprechauns: The small elves, or gnomes dwell in the hills of Ireland. It is told that each owns a pot of gold. If a human is lucky enough to catch them then they must have the Leprechaun lead them to where the gold is hidden. But beware, catching a Leprechaun is not easy for he is clever and once caught never take your eyes off of him for he will be gone in the blink of an eye.
Loch Ness Monster: Within Scotland there is a large deep lake called Loch Ness. For ages people around the lake have told stories of seeing a strange creature or sea serpent within the Loch's dark waters. Some people have even been able to get pictures although they are blurry. Scientists are even probing the Loch's depths in hope of finding proof of it's existence.
Mages and Wizards: People throughout many legends gifted in the use of magic. They are known for their use spells and potions, etc.
Manticore: A lion with the head of a man, and the tail of a scorpion. These creatures roam the wilderness within the fantasy world. It is said they have a tast e for man.
Medusa: She was one the the three Gorgon sisters. They had living snakes as hair, bronze hands, and golden wings. Sometimes they were also shown having a snake's tail instead of legs. Any who looked at them would be turned to stone. They were daughters of a sea god and a sea monster. The sisters names were Stheno, Euryale, and Medusa. Medusa was later slain by Perseus (Greek hero).
Mermaid: A woman with the tail of a fish. Said to be the daughters of Triton God of the seas. The song of a mermaid as been said to be able to entrance sailors.
Minotaur: Man with the head of a bull. It is said that King Minos kept the creature in a large labyrinth. They would send captured enemies into the labyrinth for food for the Minotaur.
Naga: The Naga looks like a snake but has the head of a human. They are used as temple guardians in some fantasy stories and roleplaying games. Nagas originate from India.
Naiads: (Naiades) were nymphs of bodies of fresh water and were one of the three main classes of water nymphs - the others being the Nereids (nymphs of the Mediterranean Sea) and the Oceanids (nymphs of the oceans). The Naiads presided over rivers, streams, brooks, springs, fountains, lakes, ponds, wells, and marshes. They were divided into various subclasses: Crinaeae (fountains), Pegaeae (springs), Eleionomae (marshes), Potameides (rivers), and Limnades or Limnatides (lakes).
Nymph: In Greek mythology, Nymphs were spirits of nature. Even though they were female divinities of lower rank, still they were revered as the protectors of springs, mountains, grottoes, trees, the sea and rivers. They were portrayed as young, pretty girls, each subtype presiding over whichever aspect of nature they represented.
Ogre: Large beast-like men with low intelligence that roam within many legends. More akin to trolls and giants, these creatures are often battled by heros and are known to be evil. It is said they enjoy the taste of man. (Some have notified me that this picture is a troll...if anyone has a good picture of an Ogre please send it to me.)
Orcs: A race of degenerate creatures that look like distorted humans with animal features. Tribes of these evil creatures roam the fantasy worlds battling humans. In Tolkian it was told that dark forces took elves and warped them through dark magic into the orcs.
Pegasus: Is a horse with wings. In legend they were creatures created by the Greek God Zeus.
Phoenix: a firebird. This bird of myth is said to always rise from the ashes. The bird was sometimes seen as a sign of good luck or a bad omen depending on the legend.
Piasa Bird: In Illinois there is a local Native American legend that tells of a great bird that would eat humans. When Europeans came they saw the bird painted on the cliffs.
Roc: Giant eagles that were large enough to block out the sun with the shadow of their wings. They were said to prey on elephants and other large animals. These birds come from Arabian legends.
Satyr: A man with the legs and tail of a goat. Stemming from Greek legends they are said to like music which they would play from their pipes as they danced in the woodland glens. They are also thought to be quite promiscuous and lustful.
Selkie: A shapeshifting folk that can change from human into seals. It is said that they dwell in the Northern seas around the Orkney islands.
Sleipnir: Sleipnir was an eight legged horse that was able to travel through the sea and air. It served as steed to the great Norse god Odin. This creature was the child of Loki(Norse god trickster) and a mighty stallion.
Sphinx: Has the body of a lion and the head of a human. In Egypt the Sphinx was a creature used to guard temples and other holy places. Statues of them are often found outside of tomes. The most noted as the statue of the Great Sphinx. In Greece the Sphinx was a monster that attacked a city in one of their legends. The beast challenged people to a riddle. If they answered wrong they died. Finally a hero came and answered the riddle, thereby setting the city free. The riddle was this:
What walks on four legs in the morning, on two at mid-day(noon), and three in the evening?"
Well it seems someone leeked the answer. The answer is man.
Titans: The Titans were the older race of Gods before the Greek Gods like Zues and his crew took claim of their place. There was a great battle between them in which the Titans lost. Titans looked like Giant humans. The picture shows the Titan Altas bearing the weight of the heavens. He was sentenced to carry the heavens after the battle with the Greek Gods.
Trolls: large underground dwelling creatures that by legend have a taste for man. In certain fairy tales they live under bridges and other dark areas ready for the unwary traveler to come.
Unicorn: a horse with a single horn. Said to have magical powers in healing and the bringing of luck. The horn of the unicorn was prized for its ability to nullify all poisons that it came in contact with. Legend says that only those most pure in heart and soul may be approached by them.
Vampires: Thoughout history people have told stories of manlike demons that feed off blood in the night. Most Vampire legends were born in the middle ages because of fear of the black plague and ignorance. The most noted legend is the story of Dracula.
Werewolves: humans that can shapeshift into a wolf or a half-wolf form. They tend to only transform during the full moon.
Witches: In legend they are often portrayed as old hags that dabbled in the black arts of magic. They often were dressed in black and were said to even be the brides of the devil. These days witch-craft is being enbraced again but in a much better light. Modern "witches" use magic for healing and good and have nothing to do with the devil. They are the followers of the modern religion of Wicca.
Zombies: They haunt graveyards and horror movies. The Zombie is an undead creature that appears to be half-rotting and is said to like the eat the brains of the living.
Bahamut: mythology: Bahamut is the mythical king of the dragons.
Cerberus (sahr-rah-behs): greek: Three-headed hell-dog
Charon: greek: The ferryman of the Underworld
Cwn Anwwn (koon ah-noon): celtic: Hell-hound
Cyclops: greek: One-eyed giant
Drake/Draco/Draconis: latin: Dragon, serpent
Fenrir: norse: Fenrir is a gigantic wolf, offspring of Loki and Angerboda, who is the enemy of all the gods. He was banished and bound in Hell, but will break free at Ragnarok and slay Odin.
Golem: jewish: The original Golem was a stone creature that was brought to life by the sacred word of a holy man. The Golem was a sort of primitive robot.
Gyges (jigh-gees): latin: A 100-armed Giant
Ifrit: middle eastern: Orignally spelled "Efreet". Efreet are fire djinns from the elemental plane of fire who lived in the City of Brass.
Talos (tay-lohs): greek: Giant protector of Minos Island
Terrato: norse: The original name of this Esper was "Midgard's Serpent". Midgard's Serpent is a gigantic serpent, offspring of Loki and Angerboda, that lay at the bottom of the ocean. The Serpent was destined to consume the earth at Ragnarok.
Hiryuu: japanese: Flying dragon
Kirin: chinese: A Kirin is an imaginary creature that is part horse and part dragon. The male is called "Ki", and the female is called "Rin". It is capable of flying, and sparks of lightning shoot out from its hooves. Kirin are considered good luck.
Kouryuu/Kouryou: japanese: Rain dragon
Monoceros/Monocerotis: latin: Unicorn
Phoenix: latin: A mystical bird who every 500 years or so dies and becomes reborn from the fiery
ashes; rebirth or reincarnation.
Ryuujin: japanese: Dragon King (God)
Ryuuko/Ryouko: japanese: Dragon and Tiger
Sen: japanese: Woodfairy
Tannim: hebrew: Child of Dragons
Uniconus (oo-neh-coh-nehs): latin: Unicorn
Yousei: japanese: Fairy, elf, sprite; literal translation "bright (sunshine) star".
Al-mi'raj
"Monster in Islamic poetry, a yellow hare with a single black horn on its head." -- Fabulous Beasts and Demons, by Heinz Mode.
Ant-Lion
Based on a real insect, though one which is not quite that large. ("Monster-figure in bestiaries, because of a linguistic misunderstanding pictured as a lion with the hind-quarters of a gigantic ant. Described in detail in the Physiologus." -- Fabulous Beasts and Demons, by Heinz Mode.)
Basilisk
Medieval alchemical folklore. "King of serpents, gigantic monster with the body of a cock, iron claws and beak, and a triple snake's tail. Its stare, like that of the Medusa head, is fatal. Killed by holding a mirror up to it." -- Fabulous Beasts and Demons, by Heinz Mode. The name is sometimes used in folklore as a synonym for cockatrice.
Catoblepas
"Ethiopian bull-monster feeding on poisonous herbs. Its breath killed all adversaries. Mentioned by Pliny." -- Fabulous Beasts and Demons, by Heinz Mode.
Centaurs
Greek mythology.
Chimera
"Ancient Greek monster in Homer, with the head of a lion, the body of a goat, the tail of a serpent. In Hesiod, it has not a triple body, but three heads--of lion, goat, and snake. Begot by Typhon and Echidna and defeated by Bellerophon." -- Fabulous Beasts and Demons, by Heinz Mode.
Couatl
Derived from the feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl of Aztec myths.
Cockatrice
Medieval alchemical folklore. Created when a snake hatches a rooster's egg, the monster combines features of each creature. Its gaze is fatal.
Cyclops, Cyclopes
Greek mythology
Demodand
The name (changed slightly from "Deodand" to "Demodand" to add a tie to the word "demon") and evil nature are taken from the "Dying Earth" series by Jack Vance, but everything else about them was created by TSR.
Demon, Succubus (also Incubus)
Medieval Christian folklore.
Demon, Type V (Marilith)
Derived from Indian (Hindi) mythology.
Demon, Type VI (Balor)
Originally named Balrog, it was taken from Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. It was renamed "Type VI Demon" (with one example being named "Balor") after the Tolkien estate asked TSR to stop infringing Tolkien's copyrights. (The associated picture from the Monster Manual is based in part on the story of "Night on Bald Mountain," put to music by Modest Mussorgsky and animated as part of Disney's Fantasia.) In 2nd edition, "Balor" went from being the name of one of these creatures to the name for the type of demon.
Devil, Erinyes
Greek mythology, where they are also known as "the Furies".
Devil, Horned (Malebranche)
Inferno, by Dante Alighieri.
Dragon
Worldwide folklore. Most of the D&D dragons are derived primarily from European folklore, though folkloric dragons almost exclusively breathed fire. Gold dragons and the Oriental dragons (river, sea, cloud, mist, celestial dragons, et al.) are all from Chinese mythology. Tiamat is from Babylonian mythology, though her D&D form is much different from her original appearance. Tiamat was the evil mother of all dragons, which is partly why TSR made her a "prismatic" conglomeration of all of the evil chromatic dragons they created. The character of Smaug from The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien, is an obvious more recent influence.
Drow
Teutonic folklore included both light elves (good) and dark elves (evil). The word "drow" is of Scottish origin, an alternative form of "trow", which is a cognate for "troll". Trow / drow was used to refer to a wide variety of evil sprites. Except for the basic concept of "dark elves", everything else about drow was apparently invented by TSR.
Duergar
The word is [Norse?], roughly a synonym for dwarf. Paracelsus (1493-1541) wrote of gnomes as "earth elementals", and described them as little old men who could shift to the size of giants and were malicious, greedy, and miserable creatures. This would appear to be the origin of D&D duergar.
Dwarf
D&D dwarves are an amalgamation of many sources, including Germanic folklore and J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit & Lord of the Rings, chiefly the latter two (though Tolkien's dwarves in turn have Germanic influences). D&D dwarven society and lifespans are primarily based on Lord of the Rings.
Eagle, Giant
While giant versions of normal animals are a staple of science fiction and fantasy, and are often found in folklore, the D&D version of the giant eagle is lifted directly from The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Elf
D&D elves are an amalgamation of many sources, including folklore, J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit & Lord of the Rings, the fantasy stories of Lord Dunsany, and other fantasy novels. D&D elven society and lifespans are largely based on Lord of the Rings.
Gargoyle
French folklore. Cathedral-builders carved grotesque faces around downspouts used to route rain run-off away from the sides of the building, partially to ward off evil spirits, partially to find a decorative use for what would otherwise be a plain block of stone, partially to have fun with their work; the English "gargoyle" is derived from the French "gargouille", which is thought to derive from the gargling sound water makes as it pours through these downspouts. Over time, things which originally were done to scare off evil spirits became thought of as evil themselves, as the groteque faces on these downspouts often inspired fear in the common folk themselves. Architecturally speaking, "gargoyles" are used to funnel water away from the sides of a building; "grotesques" are similarly-carved statuary or corner blocks that have nothing to do with the building's drainage system.
Genie
Jinn, Efreet (Ifrit), Dao, and Jann all appear as powerful (and usually trickster-like or demonic) creatures in Arabic folklore, sometimes identified with each of the four elements (fire, water, earth, air). The English term "genie" derives from the Latin "genius", which derives from the Arabic "jinni", the plural of "jinn". The lamp-dwelling, wish-granting genie in D&D is taken directly from the Arabian Nights tales.
Ghoul
"Ghul. English: ghoul. An Arabian desert monster, blood-sucker and man-eater. It resembles both man and animal." -- Fabulous Beasts and Demons, by Heinz Mode
Gnome
European folklore. According to Webster's dictionary, "One of a fabled race of dwarflike creatures who live underground and guard treasure hoards…" Teutonic mythology includes earth spirits closely resembling dwarfs--small, stocky, & generally grotesque. They dwell in the earth and can merge at will with trees or the earth. They occupy their time in quarries & mines deep in the earth, where they are thought to be guardians of fabulous treasures. Paracelsus (1493-1541) wrote of the four elements and the four types of elementals: fire = salamander, water = nereid, air = sylph, earth = gnome. Gnomes looked like little old men.
Goblin
Very loosely based on The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. ("Goblin" has the same Germanic root as the word "kobold". Both mean 'evil sprites'; Goblin from English folklore, kobold is from German. In English folklore, it is a general term for any malevolent misshapen or grotesque creature that lives in dark places.)
Golem
Animated man-shaped statue from Medieval Jewish folklore. The golem was made of clay, and was created to protect the Jewish quarter of Prague in the late middle ages, around 1500-1600. The name of God was written either on a piece of paper placed in its mouth, or on its forehead, which gave it life. It eventually went on a rampage until its creator managed to remove the slip of paper from its mouth or erase the letters from its forehead, which turned it back into a clay statue. As the story goes, the golem is still hidden somewhere in the city, ready to be re-animated to protect the local Jews from their persecutors.
Golem, Flesh
This is exactly the creature from Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus, by Mary Shelley.
Gorgon
Edward Topsell in his 1607 History of 4-footed Beasts, included a bit translated from Conrad Gesner's 1551 Historiae animalium that was a description of a Gorgon as a [four-legged] animal with dragon's scales, pig's teeth, a poisonous mane, human hands, and lethal breath, that was a native of Africa and supposedly was bred in Libya. This description is possibly based on misunderstandings of Greek descriptions of Medusa's sisters.
Griffin, Gryphon
Medieval folklore, most often depicted with the body and rear legs of a lion, and the head, wings, and front legs of an eagle, and still used as a heraldic device. Composite creatures such as this were apparently a favorite of the authors of medieval bestiaries.
Half-elf
The character of Elrond (and his family) from The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien is the origin for the half-elf, but the D&D version is significantly changed from Tolkien's view. For example, Tolkien's half-elves had to choose whether they would be elves or men, and as a result had lifespans typical for the race of their choice, whereas D&D half-elves are a true amalgamation of elves and men.
Halfling
Halflings were originally hobbits, taken from The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. They were renamed "halflings" when the Tolkien estate asked TSR to stop infringing on Tolkien's copyrights. 3rd edition D&D halflings are an amalgamation of 2nd edition halflings with Dragonlance's kender.
Harpy
Greek mythology.
Hippocampus
Medieval bestiaries. Depicted as the front half of a horse and the rear half of a fish or sea-serpent. The name is a Latinate construction, used because most scholarly books of the period were written in Latin and no common name already existed for such a beast.
Hippogriff, Hippogryph
"Horse-griffin (horse's body) with eagle's head and wings." -- Fabulous Beasts and Demons, by Heinz Mode.
Homonculus
Medieval alchemical folklore. Homunculi were created through use of various powders, rare earths, potions, etc., and were lesser than man because only God could create Man from scratch; man could only create lesser beings at best. Mandrake root is sometimes given as the primary ingredient, since it usually appears vaguely man-shaped.
Hydra
Greek mythology. The classical form is the Lernaean hydra, which had nine heads and could only be killed by cutting off all of its heads--however, whenever one was cut off, two more quickly grew in its place. Hercules defeated it by using a torch to immediately cauterize each stump as he cut heads off, thus preventing new ones from growing. The cryohydra and pyrohydra variants were apparently created by TSR.
Ki-rin
Chinese mythology, sometimes written "Ch'i-lin" (depending on one's transliteration scheme). "Chinese male-female form of unicorn; symbolic of grandeur, felicity, noble offspring and good administration." -- Fabulous Beasts and Demons, by Heinz Mode.
Kobold
Cave-dwelling evil sprites from German folklore. (Note: cobalt is named for supposedly having the same blue/green color as German kobolds.)
Lamassu
"Winged lion, or winged bull with human head, of late Assyrian times. Guardian spirit of the city of Assur." -- Fabulous Beasts and Demons, by Heinz Mode.
Lamia
"Greek witch who devours children, also called Mormolicoe. She has cow's feet and cat's claws.... In the Alexander romance, very beautiful women, larger than life, with long hair and horse's feet" -- Fabulous Beasts and Demons, by Heinz Mode. The origin is from the Greek myth of Lamia, Queen of Lybia, who ate children, and whose own later children were cursed with half-human/half-animal bodies. When the authors and artists of medieval bestiaries got their hands on this one, it became a scaled 4-legged beast with claws on the front paws, hooves on the rear, and a woman's head and breasts.
Leucrotta
From Roman folklore, mentioned in Pliny's Natural History. (Also known there as "leucocrotta")
Lich, lych
A lichgate is an entrance to a churchyard where a body rests before burial--"Lich" means person or dead body (From German "Leiche", meaning "dead body, cadaver, corpse"). The D&D lich is very similar to a character from Taran Wanderer, by Lloyd Alexander, a magician with an unnaturally-extended life who can only die if the item in which he has stored his soul is broken (in this case, a bone from his little finger); however, the term "lich" is never used in the book. The origin of both the D&D lich and Alexander's character is probably the Russian folkloric character "Kotshchey the Deathless", an unnaturally long-lived magician (or demon) who was almost impossible to kill. (Kotshchey himself was written up with D&D stats in The Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth, reprinted in Monster Manual II.)
Lycanthrope
Worldwide folklore. Werewolves are found throughout European folklore, and tales of men turning into other creatures are found all over the world. The word is a medieval Latin creation (used in bestiaries and the like), based on Greek.
Lycanthrope, Werebear
Largely based on the character of Beorn from The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Lycanthrope, Wereboar
The tale of Circe, from Homer's Odyssey?
Lycanthrope, Werefox
North American Indian mythology?
Lycanthrope, Weretiger
Hindu mythology?
Lycanthrope, Werewolf
At least partially based on the character of Lawrence Talbot from the 1930's Universal Pictures movie The Werewolf.
Manticore
"Monster mentioned in [medieval] bestiaries, probably of Indian provenance, according to a report by Ctesias." -- Fabulous Beasts and Demons, by Heinz Mode.
Medusa
Greek mythology, though a proper name there rather than a type of creature. "Gorgon" was the general term used to describe Medusa and her sisters, but TSR used medusa as a general term, and gorgon for a different kind of beast.
Mermaid
Greek folklore, though similar tales can be found in the tales of sea-faring cultures around the world. The D&D form is basically identical to fairy tales from the 19th-20th centuries, such as The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Anderson, which were related to European sailor's tales from the 17th-19th centuries. All of these owe their source to the Greek myth of the Sirens.
Minotaur
Greek mythology. Bull-man creature who lived in Minos' labyrinth of Crete; usually portrayed as a hairy man with the head and rear hoofs of a bull. ("Minotaur" means "Minos' bull")
Mummy
1930's Universal Pictures movie. Egyptian beliefs had the mummy moving on to the next life, not returning to this one. Even the supposed curse of Tutankamun, which was part of the influence for the movie, involved the curse's power making people catch deadly diseases and/or suddenly drop dead, not anything to do with the walking dead. The movie (and the Egyptology fads of the early 20th century that spawned it) is the first place walking mummies are seen.
Naga
"Naga. Indian [Hindi] demigods, part snake, part man." -- Fabulous Beasts and Demons, by Heinz Mode. The accompanying picture depicts a creature with the body of a snake and the head of a man.
Nereid
Sea-nymphs from Greek mythology.
Nixie
Water elves from European folklore, sometimes depicted as mermaids.
Nymph
Greek mythology. Female sprites who are the embodiment of beauty and female lust.
Orc
Very loosely based on The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, which was in turn based on creatures from English folklore.
Pegasus
Greek mythology, from the tale of Bellerophon.
Peryton
Greek folklore that the souls of the lonely manifest as dangerous half-deer/half-eagle creatures that cast human-shaped shadows.
Phoenix
"A wonder-bird, which according to Herodotus flies once every five hundred years from India to Egypt, burns itself there on a pyre and arises renewed from the ashes." -- Fabulous Beasts and Demons, by Heinz Mode.
Roc
"Enormous bird, probably of Persian origin, said to live in India... best known from the tales of Sindbad the Sailor" -- Fabulous Beasts and Demons, by Heinz Mode.
Satyr
Greek mythology. Half-man, half-goat forest creatures who are the embodiment of unbridled male lust. "Faun" is the Roman term for the same creature.
Scorpion-man
"Sumerian and Akkadian monster-figure, Girtablulu, created by Tiamat to do battle with the gods. Gilgamesh meets him on his wanderings." -- Fabulous Beasts and Demons, by Heinz Mode.
Sea-Horse
Horse-like aquatic creature from Sinbad's first voyage in the Arabian Nights.
Shedu
"Human-headed, winged bull-monster of Assyrian-Babylonian mythology." -- Fabulous Beasts and Demons, by Heinz Mode.
Simurgh
"An enormous bird, which lived before Adam. Al-Mas'udi describes it as having a human face.... Gigantic bird of Persian mythology." -- Fabulous Beasts and Demons, by Heinz Mode.
Sphinx, Androsphinx
Based on Egyptian statues with a lion's body and a man's head.
Sphinx, Criosphinx
Based on Egyptian statues with a lion's body and a ram's head. (The Greek word "Crios" means "ram")
Sphinx, Gynosphinx
Greek myth of Oedipus. In the tale, Thebes was beset by a monster with the body of a winged lion, but the head and chest of a woman. It posed a riddle to all travelers, and would eat all who answered it wrong. Oedipus was the first to answer it correctly. The Greek monster is based on the Egyptian creature; note that Thebes is in Egypt.
Svirfneblin
Scandinavian folklore.
Swanmay
"Swan maiden" is a "[t]erm for the Valkyries in Nordic mythology. In fairy-tales they are supernatural beings, who fly down to earth, mostly to bathe, laying aside their winged or feathered garb." -- Fabulous Beasts and Demons, by Heinz Mode. Also, one of Grimms' tales includes seven maidens cursed to turn into swans. The D&D swanmay is actually taken from Three Hearts and Three Lions by Poul Anderson, who based it on the folkloric swan maidens.
Tarrasque
The Tarasque (one "r") was a dragon-like creature that lived near Tarascon, France. It was a giant, hulking, turtle-like fire-breathing beast with six legs and armor-like scales that were impervious to even the sharpest weapons. The sheer size and invincibility were about the only recognizable features that were kept when TSR turned this into a D&D creature, however.
Treant
The original name, "ent," betrays the creature's origins in Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien. Except for the name, which was changed along with hobbit and balrog at the behest of the Tolkien estate, the creature is essentially identical to how it appeared in Tolkien's books.
Triton
Merman from Greek mythology.
Troll
While trolls can be found throughout folklore, and are well-known to readers of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, the D&D troll comes from Three Hearts and Three Lions, by Poul Anderson.
Unicorn
"Unicorn. Found in the legends of many countries. Often derived from the rhinoceros and explained as a real animal, or interpreted as the profile view of a two-horned animal... But in the literature of many peoples, unicorns occur clearly as fabulous animals." -- Fabulous Beasts and Demons, by Heinz Mode. The D&D unicorn is straight out of medieval European tales, like the Unicorn Tapestries, that involve it being the ultimate purity, susceptible to virgins, able to purify water with the horn, the horn being a powerful item to use in alchemical creations, etc.
Wight
Essentially identical to the barrow-wight from Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien. ("Wight" is the Anglicized form of the Germanic "wicht", which now means "elf, goblin, dwarf, gnome", but originally simply meant "a being". The English word used to mean "a human being", but changed to be a term for a type of malicious sprite during the 14th-16th centures, like happened with many English synonyms for "person", including hob, pukka, orc, and boggart.)
Will-o'-wisp
English folklore, probably based on swamp lights or marsh gas, or possibly the way lanterns look through a thick fog.
Worg
The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Wyvern
Medieval heraldry & folklore, in which it is a dragon with wings, two legs, and a barbed tail. ("Wivere" is a Saxon word meaning "serpent".)
Sorry, it's messed up. Dunno the site name.
Edit By ThE_HyDrA: If this was just copied from an old thread from the Library of Enlightenment, it would be beneficial to include the name of the thread, and a link to it. Also, try to give credit to whoever the author was.
EDIT: the author of the thread is me, while the thread's link may be found here
Moderator's note:This topic has been closed, as it refers to an older version of the game. To discuss Heroes 3, please go to Library Of Enlightenment, to discuss Heroes 4, please go to War Room Of Axeoth, to discuss Heroes 5, go to Temple Of Ashan.
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