Will you have lunch with a lodge of fauns? Are you trying to find a senate of griffins to guard your treasure? Would you rather see a fulsome of hippogriffs or a dastardly of manticores? Would you be brave enough to walk through a snarl of minotaurs? When is a good time to travel to Loch Ness in Scotland to see a prize of Nessies?
fauns in the wood, jujusternchen.deviantart,com
Fauns come to us from Roman mythology. Except for a goat’s horns, they are human from head to waist. From the waist down, they have the form of a goat. Although they were said to cause fear in men traveling in lonely and remote places, they were capable of helping humans in need. Remember the faun, Mr. Tumnus, from The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe? An entire family or group of these mythical creatures would be a lodge of fauns.
griffin, www.worth1000.com
The griffin (also known as griffon and gryphon) is a mythological creature that has the body of a lion with the head and wings of an eagle. This is an impressive combination, as the lion is considered to be “King of the Beasts” and the eagle is considered to be “King of the Air”. Therefore, griffins are considered “King of the Creatures”. They are known for guarding priceless possessions and other treasures. It would be normal for a king to have a senate of griffins guarding all of the palace treasures.
Isei the hippogriff, deerdandy.deviantart.com
The mythological hippogriff is one strange-looking, yet beautiful, creature. Supposedly the offspring of a griffin and a mare, this unique creature was the symbol of impossibility and love. Except for the head of an eagle, feet armed with talons, and wings covered with feathers, it had the body of a horse. Usually the pet of a knight or sorcerer, it could be ridden like a horse or could fly. Supposedly omnivorous, a fulsome of hippogriffs could be found grazing in a field or feasting on a fresh kill.
manticore, arvalis.deviantart.com
A manticore is a scary-looking mythological creature. This one has the head of a man with horns, the body of a lion, and the tail of a scorpion or dragon. Its mouth is said to have three rows of sharp shark-like teeth. Poisonous spines are used to kill or paralyze the victim, of whom no trace is left. Your character must have a great amount of skill and cunning to defeat a dastardly of manticores.
charging minotaur, phillterunfiltered.deviantart.com
The minotaur comes to us from Greek mythology and is half-man, half-bull. The way this creature is said to have come about is just awful. King Minos is said to have asked Poseidon, the god of the sea and of earthquakes, for a bull to sacrifice. Poseidon sent a bull to him from out of the sea. All is good, right? No. When King Minos broke a vow that he had previously made, Poseidon caused the wife of Minos to fall in love with the bull. She actually had an affair with this bull. Yuck! The union of the King’s wife and the bull produced a minotaur. This beast was locked away in a maze that King Minos had built underneath his palace. He kept the monster calm by sacrificing children to it. A group of these half-man, half-bull creatures would be known as a snarl of minotaurs.
Nessie, wikimedia commons
I couldn’t find any information on a prize of Nessies, but I’m pretty sure I know the creature that is meant. The Loch Ness Monster, the legendary and mysterious creature from Loch Ness in Scotland, is commonly called Nessie. Sightings of this creature have been reported since the 6th century, but even with our modern technology, the existence of this large, aquatic creature resembling a serpent or dinosaur has yet to be proven.
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