Mythic Creature: The Squonk and Others
February 9, 2011The mythic creatures that first come to mind, beasts like the unicorn, dragon, or sphinx, all have their origins in ancient or medieval cultures. Relatively…
Category: Mythic Creatures
Mythic Creature: The Manticore
January 12, 2011Name: Manticore, manticora, man-tiger Appearance: Imagine a beast with the body of a lion, red in color (like blood, some claimed) and the head of…
Mythic Creatures: The White Stag
December 10, 2010Some creatures clearly belong to the land of myth (centaur, phoenix), while others straddle the border, taking more direct inspiration from creatures that roam the…
Mythic Creatures: The Catoblepas
November 10, 2010Most people have at least passing familiarity with unicorns, griffin, and kraken, but this month I thought I’d highlight a more obscure creature, intriguing for…
Mythic Creatures: The Kraken
October 15, 2010Name: Kraken Appearance: The earliest legends sometimes depicted kraken as somewhat crab-like, with enormous claws, but kraken swiftly assumed an appearance more resembling a giant…
Mythic Creatures: The Griffin
September 17, 2010Name: Griffin, Griffon, or Gryphon (and other assorted spellings) Appearance: Throughout the centuries, the most common description of a griffin has been that of a…
Mythic Creatures: The Unicorn
August 20, 2010Dragons, sea-monsters, griffins—all these populate various fantastic realms, providing one enduring characteristic of fantasy, its unusual creatures. They may be fearsome, endearing, or bizarre, but…