Description
The pelican is a white waterbird that lives by the banks of the great rivers. It has a large, distinctive bill and in this it catches fish, which it can store in its bill to take home to feed its young. The pelican is devoted towards its young; towards them it shows exceeding love. However, as the young grow older, they strike their parents in the face. The parent pelicans strike back and kill them; however, they are then filled with remorse and, after grieving for three days, the mother will peck open her own breast and bleed over her young, pouring her blood over them and bringing them back to life.
Symbolism
The pelican is a symbol of our Lord Jesus Christ who created all things; He made us from nothing. But we rebelled against God, just as the pelican's young do against their parents, and so were condemned to death and hell. Christ, by his death on the cross, poured out his blood for us; through this we were redeemed from death and granted eternal life.
"I have begotten sons and raised them up, but they have despised me." (Isaiah) Go to Comment
Therarn(Note that this one doesn't really exist; hence the non-Christian symbolism)
Description
The therarn is a large hawk with ruddy-brown feathers, a golden breast and a plume of sacarlet upon its head. Though a deadly hunter, it is entirely blind, when hunting it relies purely on its sense of hearing and vision. In the wild, it will attack any beast, regardless of size and will frequently but beasts much larger than it to flight. When tamed by a human, the hawkmaster must train it carefully to only attack suitable prey; however, without constant care it will break free and attack its holder and others. The therarn can fly higher than any other bird.
Symbolism
The therarn is the symbol of justice, the highest authority upon this world. True justice, as guided by the natural law of Andur, Lord of Order, is blind and will punish any who cross it, mighty or meak, rich or poor. Even when fettered and corrupted by humans to serve their own ends, justice still serves a higher law and will do all it can to slip out of their control, reward the innocent and punish the guilty.
"True justice is blind; all are equal before her gaze. The best of men's laws are still subject to a greater Law." (Book of Andur, Jaeland 18:6) Go to Comment
Description
The mole is a creature condemned to perpetual darkness. It is bling and has no eyes; always it burrows beneath the earth, digging and overturning it, gnawing at the roots. Never does it sleep; always it digs, blind and senseless; condemned to darkness.
Symbolism
The mole is the image of the pagan idols who are blind, dead and dumb, and also of their worshippers who wander in the eternal darkness of ignorance and folly. The mole is also the symbol of heretics who lack the light of true knowledge and devote themselves to earthly deeds. Like the eyeless mole which digs in the earth, heaping up soil and eating the roots of crops, they serve the desires of the flesh and succumb to the lure of pleasure, all the while trying, in every way possible, to gnaw at the roots of all that is good.
"In that day a man shall cast his idols to the moles and to the bats." (Isaiah 2:20). Go to Comment
Description
The scitalis is a large, carnivorous reptile. It is elegantly patterned with beautiful iridescent markings; so impressive are these that all who observe it slow down, fascinated, to observe it. Whilst they stare in wonder, the scitalis, lazy, slow and full of sloth as it is, will come up to them and devour them where they stand. The scitalis is full of internal heat; so hot is its body that its irridescent markings glow, adding to their beauty; even in the cruel frosts of winter the scitalis will expose its body to the open air.
Symbolism
Possessed of no virtue itself, the scitalis is like the sins and licentious pleasures of this world who, through their pleasing outward appearance and attractions, ensnare the weak-willed in to sin. Such people do not progress spiritually and, just as the scitalis devours its helpless foe, those in the sway of sin will be devoured by death, losing their eternal life. Just as the scitalis is warm, as if heated by internal fire, so are the sins of this world fueled by the fires of hell, placed their by the devil to snare the righteous.
"For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23) Go to Comment
It's true - they (mostly) represent Jesus or the devil, but then the person writing it was most likely a monk. In the Middle Ages, religion was an incredibly powerful and important force in people's day to day lives and, depending on your world, it could be the same there (though not necessarily). It would be quite easy to adapt either these creatures (or similar ones) so that they respresented things from a dominant fantasy religion - note the therarn, which represents justice. Go to Comment
This is a great idea. I have recently begun searching old beastiaries of different cultures for ideas for creatures. It is where the Alerion bird I created came from... This is a true helpful submission just to let people know about the amount of information out there that we are forgetting. Go to Comment
Obviously a good deal of work went into this scroll. I'm not sure if I've ever voted on a scroll before, I'd rather vote on entires individually I think because some I like much more than others. It seems like they all symbolize Jesus, but I guess that's what whoever wrote the book cared about. I like symbolism, but when everything you see reminds you of either Jesus or the devil depending on whether you like it or not it ceases to have meaning to me. But whatever... it's a neat idea for a scroll. Go to Comment
If anything, this is a great reminder to think outside of the box. The medievals were so creative with imagining their foreign creatures: http://bestiary.ca/Go to Comment
It brings to mind the old pagan practice if divining through animals....their symbolism and meanings.
I am an avid fan of using animals for color and interest in my games, so I will have to add to this scroll a few of the more mundane animals and what they represented to the early practitioners of pagan religions.
(Any amount of heraldry research would divine quite a bit of info as well) Go to Comment
Humerous, but not silly. It is like the Drunken Oxen that Captain Penguin submitted a while back. The odd details add so much to a lifeform (or any submission really). *golf clap* Go to Comment
Mourngrymn, they don't use fire on each other because it would very likely kill the other one - this is similar to many beasts in the real world for whom mating or territorial fights (with their own species) are either symbolic, do not use their full strength or have a get-out clause (e.g. rolling over to show submission). A species which routinely kills its own kind is not (usually) successful. However, you have a good point about food - I would think that in a very harsh winter, when it was find food or die, they might perhaps flame each other. Normally, the fire is just used against prey or predators. Go to Comment
I like the idea. I never was one for large or different types of the same creature, wyverns and dragons in particular. But this gives a perfect reason as to why they are the way they are. Why do they not use fire on each other? Only because they are flamable themselves? I would think that would be the perfect reason to use it, especially in a fight over territory or food.
Still all in all, a good solid idea with plenty of reasoning behind it. Go to Comment
Lifeforms (Fauna) (Any)
Description
The pelican is a white waterbird that lives by the banks of the great rivers. It has a large, distinctive bill and in this it catches fish, which it can store in its bill to take home to feed its young. The pelican is devoted towards its young; towards them it shows exceeding love. However, as the young grow older, they strike their parents in the face. The parent pelicans strike back and kill them; however, they are then filled with remorse and, after grieving for three days, the mother will peck open her own breast and bleed over her young, pouring her blood over them and bringing them back to life.
Symbolism
The pelican is a symbol of our Lord Jesus Christ who created all things; He made us from nothing. But we rebelled against God, just as the pelican's young do against their parents, and so were condemned to death and hell. Christ, by his death on the cross, poured out his blood for us; through this we were redeemed from death and granted eternal life.
"I have begotten sons and raised them up, but they have despised me." (Isaiah) Go to Comment