Dragons
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Tarasque/Tarasconus/Taras/Tauriskos
The Tarasque was a bizarre chimerical dragon from Medieval France. It was an amphibious beast thought to live in the forest around the Rhone River. It was believed to be the child of the Leviathan and the Onachus. It was larger than an ox, had six legs ending in bear paws, a lion head, a serpentine tail ending in a scorpion stinger, a hard shell covered in spikes, and impenetrable scales covering its body. It was incredibly vicious, being known to sink ships and kill anyone moving along its river. It was believed a village requested the assistance of Saint Martha, who then went and found the creature in the…
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Nabau/Iban Dragon
The Nabau is a mysterious creature from Borneo, Indonesia resembling a giant snake. The term Nabau can be either singular or plural. They have a diameter like a big drum, scales the size of plates, measure eighty feet long, and swim around in rivers. They’re described as dragon-like creatures with small or non-existent legs and seven nostrils. They’re also believed to poop pythons. It has been described as an ancient serpent spirit and depictions of Nabau often show small animals near the mouth to represent food. It is thought to sometimes show itself, and some locals claim to have witnessed it. It was sighted in the Baleh River in February…
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Dreki/Drekar
The Dreki are a form of Dragon present in Norse myth. They were often thought to be capable of flight, could breath fire from their mouths or nostrils, and may be described as having only two clawed front limbs. The Dragon Nidhogg from Norse myth was often referred to a Dreki instead of other kinds. The Dreki is depicted on viking ships, likely for the purpose of sympathetic magic. The Dreki are distinctly different from the Ormr, another form of Dragon in Norse myth. Citations: Fee, Christopher R.. Mythology in the Middle Ages: Heroic Tales of Monsters, Magic, and Might. United States, Praeger, 2011. Jesch, Judith. Ships and men in…
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Azure Dragon/Green Dragon/Qinglong/Seiryu/Seryu/Shōryū/Meng Chang
The Azure Dragon is a creature that was initially a Chinese symbol and was later adapted into Japanese myth. It is one of the Shijin along with the Vermillion Bird, White Tiger, and the Black Tortoise. It is connected to the East, the colors blue and green (because there wasn’t always a clear distinction between the two), wood and spring. It was thought to represent new life and was connected to the Kamo-Gawa River. It was depicted as a long serpentine dragon with no wings, that was blue, green, or turquoise color, occasionally with a red or black mane. It has the associated mansions (these being associated with the phases…
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Asag
Asag is a demonic dragon of Sumerian myth. He was thought to embody plague and sickness, and his name even means “demon that causes sickness.” He was also believed to embody the cold of winter and could cause drought, head fever, and migraines. He lives in the underworld, Kur, and holds back the primordial waters to keep them from flooding the earth. He is the son of the gods An and Ki, and was fought by Ninurta with the conclusion of that conflict being unknown. He is thought to be so hideous, that his presence causes water to boil. He is father to an army of rock demons born from…
