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Mythical Gaurdians

TetsugenTetsugen Registered User regular
edited May 2008 in Help / Advice Forum
Can someone name some mythical beasts or guardians that originate from European or Asian lore? Preferably ones that kicked ass and didn't suck. Thanks!

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Posts

  • DrFrylockDrFrylock Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Cerebrus, or Kerberos, was the hellhound who guarded the underworld in Greek and Roman mythology. He had three heads.

    Charon is sort of a gatekeeper of the underworld, he ferries people there.

    Idun guards the golden apples of immortality in Norse mythology.

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  • LewieP's MummyLewieP's Mummy Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Odin - Norse god of wisdom, war, battle and death.

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  • NATIKNATIK DenmarkRegistered User regular
    edited May 2008
    LewiePs Mummy wrote: »
    Odin - Norse god of wisdom, war, battle and death.

    While he is cool, Odin is neither a beast nor a guardian.

    In norse mythology, Heimdall would be a guardian, the guardian of Asgaard and he is the one who will alert the gods when Ragnarok begins.

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  • DasUberEdwardDasUberEdward Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Scylla and Charybdis

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  • GrinninBarrettGrinninBarrett Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    In Chinese/Japanese mythology, there are four beasts that are guardians of the north, south, east and west, along with seasons

    Genbu, a tortoise - North, winter
    Seiryu, a dragon - East, spring
    Suzaku, a bird - South, summer
    Byakko, a tiger - West, autumn

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  • KartanKartan Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    The Minotaur that guarded (well, kinda) the labyrinth in Minos (therefore the name, Mino-taur). Also, those winged, men-faced lions the babylonians were so fond of.

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  • skyybahamutskyybahamut Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Kartan wrote: »
    Also, those winged, men-faced lions the babylonians were so fond of.

    Sphinx.

    Also, Dragons guarded things too.

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  • Big ClassyBig Classy Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Gargoyles are guardians if I'm not mistaken.

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  • DavaDava Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    The Hydra was pretty dang cool.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lernaean_Hydra

    There's also a whole bunch of hellhounds--Cerberus, Argos, Fenrir, and Garmr.

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  • RainfallRainfall Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    skyybahamut wrote: »
    Kartan wrote: »
    Also, those winged, men-faced lions the babylonians were so fond of.

    Sphinx.

    Also, Dragons guarded things too.

    Sphinx were Egyptian.

    Skyy is thinking of Lamassu. Or Lammasu. I forget how to spell it, because I'm bad like that.

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  • DocDoc Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited May 2008
    If we can get into Egyptian mythology, we have this guy:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aker_%28god%29
    He's the guard of the underworld, and is the origin of the way some people have two statues of lions at their door/driveway.

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  • TheLawinatorTheLawinator Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Doc wrote: »
    If we can get into Egyptian mythology, we have this guy:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aker_%28god%29
    He's the guard of the underworld, and is the origin of the way some people have two statues of lions at their door/driveway.

    Soo... that isn't Italian? My mom's side always assumed that was Italian in origin.


    Edit: Ahh, adapted by the Romans. They always copy stuff.

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  • Double_FacesDouble_Faces Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Rainfall wrote: »
    skyybahamut wrote: »
    Kartan wrote: »
    Also, those winged, men-faced lions the babylonians were so fond of.

    Sphinx.

    Also, Dragons guarded things too.

    Sphinx were Egyptian.

    Though Oedipus did save Thebes from the Sphinx, and that whole mess is Greek Myth.

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  • Susan DelgadoSusan Delgado Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    Fafnir?
    Although he starts out as a human (dwarf or giant depending on what you read) and later turns into a dragon.

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  • krapst78krapst78 Registered User regular
    edited May 2008
    In Korean/Chinese mythology they have a fire-eating dog known as the Haitai or Haetae. The ancient Korean palaces were made of wood and susceptible to burning down so many of them had stone Haitais built inside them to protect them from fire. The Haitai is a common enough symbol in modern Korea that one of the largest Korean gum/cookie company is named after the creature.

    East Asian mythology also used a lot of animals as guardians.

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