The Diverse World of Dragons

Dragons. Massive reptilian creatures with interlocking scales whose breath can burn a person to cinders within seconds. The beating of their wings bends trees at the trunk, and at full spread they stretch a fields length. Then there are the claws; curved knives at the end of each toe that can tear flesh from the bone in one quick, leisurely, swipe.

But this is just the European dragon.

There are many dragons out there in the mythos, and they’re all different from one another. You’ve likely heard of the Chinese dragon too; a lengthy snake-like, four-legged creature with a large head similar to that of a boar. These are often paraded during festivals, but there are many other kinds of dragon in Chinese lore. Lake dragons, winged dragons, dragons that guard the underworld from thieves, two headed dragons, shapeshifting dragons and some are even legless (not drunk, but lacking legs - although, maybe they are drunk too - who knows?)

There are Indian dragons, Japanese dragons, Korean dragons, Slavic and Turkish and Albanian dragons… and they’re not all the same thing. They have similarities, for sure, but there are enough differences there to keep things interesting. So I give you; The Diverse World of Dragons *fanfare*.
Nāga

A Nāga is an Indian dragon that often appears as a huge king cobra. They are violent and aggressive creatures that possess great muscular strength, and like the king cobra, they’re fangs are capable of delivering fatal venom into the bloodstream of anything that gets in their path.

Despite these characteristics, Nāga’s are not all bad. Some act on the side of good, and a good number are pretty neutral. In Hinduism, Nāga’s are in fact nature spirits that guard bodies of water and can even bless the lands surrounding them. Of course, if you get on a Nāga’s bad side you can expect drought or floods - but keep it happy and you’ll get a damn fine harvest.

Unlike most European dragons, the Nāga can take human form and make curious individuals. In this state they are not aggressive - but can quickly become so if angered or mistreated. In the Buddhist faith, Nāga’s can often have more than one head, which makes the dragon significantly more dangerous.

Japanese Dragon - Ryū

These tend to be good guys - Japanese dragons are heavily influenced by the Chinese and Indian dragons. So it’s unsurprising to hear that the Japanese dragon - much like the buddhist reading of Nāga - is associated with rain, bodies freshwater, and the sea. There are further similarities between the two, and the Japanese borrow heavily from Indian folklore - such as the history of the underwater kingdom in which the Nāga kings live.

Ryū are snake-like in appearance and don’t often have wings. They have short clawed feet and generally are physically very similar to the Chinese Long, but usually have three claws instead of the Chinese four/five. Like many characters in folklore, the Japanese dragons are often quest givers and can easily manipulate the texture of the world around them - perform a deed for a local dragon, and your wish to become emperor might just come true…

Bukunawa

Another moon-swallowing creature, the Bukunawa is a Philippine dragon that threatens to swallow the moon forever. However, the creature is often scared away from total digestion by loud noise or music - and in these circumstances is forced to regurgitate the moon and return home, which is deep under the sea. We know these incidents as eclipses.

The Filipinos believe there are seven moons, not one, and that these moons were created by Bathala to keep the sky light at night. But every time Bathala let a moon rise into the sky the Bukunawa would launch itself from the water and eat it whole. Bathala wasn’t impressed, but there wasn’t a whole lot he could do about it either. He instructed the island's residents to gather outside with cookware and make as much noise as possible so as to confuse and scare the dragon away.

There is a short tales that details the history of the Bukunawa further. Apparently the deep-sea dwelling creature had a sister by who was a sea turtle. She would lay her eggs on the shore, but every time she did so she would bring waves with her which would not settle back to their normal levels after she had left. So, they killed the turtle, and the Bukunawa didn’t like this at all. It’s desire to eat the moon stemmed from this incident.

Lindworm

Away from the East we have the European dragons which are quite different (though equally as fierce). The lindworm is one such example - a serpent creature with no wings, two claws, and an alarmingly strong jaw. You might remember the post on apocalypses - if so, then you’ll remember the Norse concept of the end of the world, and how a creature known as Jörmungandr arrives on the land from the sea. Well, this foul demon is a lindworm. Perhaps the most famous lindworm of them all.

The lindworms physical appearance can vary, however. There are lindworms with four legs or none. There are those privileged enough to have wings. However, most lindworms are snakey, slithery creatures with only two claws with which they pull themselves around.

The stories surrounding the lindworm are various - in many they occupy negative space, and are truly demonic and foul creatures. It’s poisonous bite allows it to kill quickly, and so it has no reason to fear us humans. In Norse mythology the lindworms gnaw at the very bottom of the roots of Yggdrasil, and you can see the influence of the Norse in many tales - in which the lindworms rise from below the earth.

Wyvern

I can imagine the wyvern is familiar to many of us. We know the wyvern as a two-legged dragon with all the features typical of such a creature - there are however also underwater wyverns, who do not have the traditional tail, but a fin instead. Their similarities to dragons makes is difficult to tell them apart. Many a dragon has been called a wyvern by an ignorant writer, and that writer has often been turned to a charred corpse only seconds later…

Wyverns are often considered to be ‘lesser’ dragons. Many wyverns are incapable of breathing fire, and they tend to be smaller than the larger dragon. The wyvern is similar to the lindworm in that they operate largely with poison - though the wyvern has poisonous breath rather than a poison bite. Like the lindworm, there are no redeeming characteristics to a wyvern - they’re unpleasant, foul creatures akin to demons.

Slavic Dragons - Zmey Gorynych & Zmaj

Slavic dragons have much in common with their European counterparts, except they often have more than one head and some can even regenerate limbs. The two names above are specific dragons types - the first, Zmey Gorynych, is a creature particular to Ukrainian and Russian mythology, and the second is a creature of South Slavic origin which is said to be very wise, have incredible strength, and possesses magical abilities.

Zmey Gorynych is a more traditional dragon. It has four legs, though only walks on the rear two, and does all the traditional dragon things - spits fire, munches flesh, throws people around… the number of heads isn’t detailed, but paintings show the Zmey Gorynych owning three heads or more.

The Zmaj is altogether more interesting. Sure it has strength and knowledge and magical abilities, but it’s also said to possess great wealth and has a lustful desire for women. It can reproduce with human woman, and it lurks in the neutral zone of good vs bad. It’s not the most benevolent of creatures, but neither is it the darkest evil. Like other dragons it can breathe fire, but unlike other dragons it’s often highly respected - which makes it sound like an upstanding member of the local community.

They also have the Aždaja, which like the Zmey Gorynych which has many heads but is a creature of absolute pure evil. It lives deep in caves and dark areas and tends to guard specific locations. It’s basically a monster to slay in fairytales, which is rather unfortunate. It’s not really a dragon either - more of an evil creature - but it and the Zmaj get confused frequently.

They also have the Aždaja, which like the Zmey Gorynych which has many heads but is a creature of absolute pure evil. It lives deep in caves and dark areas and tends to guard specific locations. It’s basically a monster to slay in fairytales, which is rather unfortunate. It’s not really a dragon either - more of an evil creature - but it and the zmaj get confused frequently.

There are many other types of dragon existing in the world today. Chuvash dragons, Romanian dragons, Asturian dragons… maybe we will document more in later articles!

These tend to be good guys - Japanese dragons are heavily influenced by the Chinese and Indian dragons. So it’s unsurprising to hear that the Japanese dragon - much like the Buddhist reading of Nāga - is associated with rain, bodies freshwater, and the sea. There are further similarities between the two, and the Japanese borrow heavily from Indian folklore - such as the history of the underwater kingdom in which the Nāga kings live.

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Astarte

Astarte; lustful badass of the ancient world. She's had as many names as men throughout history, known in different cultures as Ishtar, Inanna, Astarte, Ashtoreth... the list goes on.

Some of her earliest appearances can be traced back to the Middle East - way back when it wasn't the Middle East - under the names Ishtar or Inanna. As goddess of love, war, sex and fertility she was a real force to be reckoned with and even makes an appearance in the ancient bestselling novel, Epic of Gilgamesh. In a famous chapter, Gilgamesh refuses Ishtar's advances and she returns home vowing revenge. She demands her father (the high god, Anu) give her the Bull of Heaven to unleash on Gilgamesh, and if he doesn't give her the Bull, then she'll 'break in the doors of hell and smash the bolts [...] I shall bring up the dead to eat food like the living; and the hosts of the dead will outnumber the living.'

I'm sure we've all been there - didn't get what you wanted for Christmas? Threaten to bust open the doors of hell, and watch your parents scramble around to get you that book you always wanted. 

The name Astarte appears as a Hellenized form of Ishtar. The goddess became popular in Egypt and Phoenicia, and an adapted version found its way into the Greek Pantheon as Aphrodite. Astarte was a more warlike incarnation of Ishtar, and though she'd dropped out of the sacred prostitution trade she was still a lady of 'leisure' and fertility.

In later years views of Astarte shifted, particularly during the rise of the Jewish faith. She is condemned in the Hebrew Bible, and worship of the 'Queen of Heaven' slowly became blasphemous. She became a demon of lust for many, and became connected with Astaroth, the Great Duke of Hell.

Familiar with both the heavenly and hellish, Astarte knows how it feels to fall from grace. From feisty and flirtatious beginnings as Ishtar, to the warlike Astarte, to a fallen deity in later religions - she's seen it all. I mean it. She's seen it all.

Of course, that’s what history thinks happened. In Season Two of Paradise Lot: Keep Evolving, we have a bit of fun with history's inaccuracies. 

Interested in learning more about the GoneGod World? Check out our flagship series HERE and join our Facebook Group: The House of the GoneGod Damned! HERE. 

THEY MIGHT BE A GNOME

Let’s be honest, there are a lot of mythical creatures walking around in the GoneGod World. Some of them are painfully obvious, standing out in ways that make sore thumbs positively innocuous. Sure, sore thumbs stand out, but they pale in comparison to extra appendices, wings, claws and, either massive or minuscule, size.

There’s no mistaking an angel with their dove-like wings, an ogre with their tusk filled jaws or a phoenix with their fiery (as in literally on fire) bodies.

But what about the mythical creatures that are harder to identify … the ones that you need to do a double-take just to be sure?

Cover those ears and an elf is just a Tom Cruise-level looking dude.

From the waist up a centaur is just the cover model to a Harlequin novel.

And that babe whose too good to be true might just be a succubus sucking you of your life-force by … ahh … well, you get it.

Then things get even more complicated when you add in magic. Illusionary … or rather, delusionary magic can convince any casual onlooker that they’re human, when they’re, well, not.


Gnomes are one such creature that could be human, but then again, really aren’t.


And given that the little tinker-wizards hate outsiders and hate being an outsider even more, it is common for gnomes to cast a wee spell on themselves just to fit in.


The following will help you decide if your neighbor is a gnome or just a short, hairy human.


So let’s play a round of ‘Are they or are they not human?’ and get to the bottom of this once and for all …


1 - Gnomes like being underground. And the deeper the better. Their philosophy is, ‘Who needs light to brighten your day, when the dark hides everything you probably don’t want to be looking at anyway?’ But make no mistake, just because they like to be underground, doesn’t mean they like to be inside. Gnomes love caves, underground caverns, subterranean rivers … in other words, they love nature. Sunless nature, sure, but nature nonetheless. So if the person in question spelunks on the weekend and lives in a basement, despite several above ground apartments being available, then they might be a gnome.


BONUS: If they own a pet mole and their best friend is a morlock, then they’re definitely a gnome.


2 - Gnomes are basically blind. OK, that’s not true, they can see in the dark but it’s more of a ‘sixth sense’ kind of sight. In the light, they need glasses. And not just glasses, but glasses upon glasses. So if your co-worker is tripling up on the reading glasses and has a magnifying glass in hand, chances are they are a gnome.


BONUS: If their glasses are literally two coke bottles strapped together, they’re most certainly a gnome.


3 - Gnomes own bespoke screwdrivers. And I’m not talking about the fancy screwdrivers you can get at a vintage store or some high-end haberdashery. I’m talking one-of-a-kind screwdrivers that were specifically designed for screw heads that only exist in their home. Gnomes are tinkers of the Nth degree … or rather GNth degree … and bespoke tools are kind of their thing.


BONUS: If your buddy has a bespoke Adjustable Wood Hole Saw Circle Cutter Drill Bit Kit Wood Working Twist Hole in their basement apartment, then they’re definitely a gnome … Scratch that: If they not only know what an Adjustable Wood Hole Saw Circle Cutter Drill Bit Kit Wood Working Twist Hole is, but can also give you a twenty minute lecture on the history of the device, then they’re a gnome supreme.


4 - Gnomes figgin’ love darts. They can’t get enough of them. They’re constantly spending their day throwing those little needles at random targets and keeping score. So if they have gold, silver, platinum and obsidian darts with their name engraved on them, then they might be a gnome.


BONUS: If your date insists on playing darts and pulls out their own set ... well, then, alarm bells should be ringing. But if that set comes with several elixirs labelled with words like, “Sleep”, “Paralyse”, “Charm”, etc.,... then your date is most certainly, undeniably a gnome.


5 - Gnomes are loyal to a fault. As in ridiculously so ...

BONUS: If your friend’s reaction to you coming over and saying, “I need your help slaying a dragon,” is to grab their bag of darts, then, sir or madam, that person is a gnome … and a friend to the end.

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The Strangest Yōkai from Japanese Mythology

I’m sure I’ve mentioned the yōkai in an article already, but maybe I haven’t gone over them in detail. So, yōkai are essentially supernatural creatures from Japanese folklore. They can be spirits, or monsters, or creatures, or really rather human - and their characters are equally as various. Some are deadly, whilst others are actually harmless and rather friendly. So let’s begin.

Tōfu-kozō

The Tōfu-kozō are harmless servant-creatures that are frequently seen in towns and cities in Japan, delivering tofu and sake to their masters. They are a harmless variety of Yōkai and are very shy - though those who persevere and make the Tōfu-kozō feel comfortable will enjoy their cheeky and humorous nature. Unfortunately, they often get disorientated when travelling from one master to another, and so end up following humans around the city - hoping to find their sense of direction.

They are easily recognised by their short stature and wide-brimmed straw hats (kasa). Their clothing often features rich patterns - lucky charms - which ward off smallpox. This can include daruma dolls, swinging drums, horned owls and red fish. Records suggest they originated in the Edo period, and fit comfortably in with other Yōkai that are often depicted enjoying tofu. The small tofu servants are now often seen on packaging for tofu in Japan.

Later incarnations of the Tōfu-kozō turned their mischievousness - they would offer those surrounding it a taste of the tofu it carried. Those who tasted the tofu agreed that it was fine tofu, but on eating half of the tofu it would suddenly turn to mold. Tasty stuff.

 

Ashiarai Yashiki

Said to be a major influence to Monty Python’s instantly recogniseable giant foot, the Ashiarai Yashiki is a giant dirty foot, bristling with hairs, that crashes through the ceiling of residential homes in Japan and demands to be cleaned. If you refuse to clean the often mud caked (or blood caked, in some instances) hairy foot, then said foot will angrily stomp around your home smashing and breaking anything it comes into contact with.

However, clean the foot and everything goes back to the way it was before the giant hairy fleshy foot fell through the ceiling. Except, of course, there’s still that massive hole in the roof that you now have to fix.

If you do a really good job - perhaps perfume it, give it a massage - then it will give you a big kiss before it leaves.

(Okay, alright. I made that last bit up).

Akaname

The akaname is a night-dwelling demon that strikes fear into the hearts of even the most courageous. Descriptions of the creature are rare, though many depict it as a small, red, goblin-like Yōkai. The ‘aka’, of ‘akaname’ means both ‘red’ and ‘filth’, hence its red appearance, but you might be wondering where ‘filth’ comes in.

The akaname haunts bathrooms at night, occupying itself by licking the dirt and mould that accumulates between the tiles.

Can it hurt you? No. Will it scare you? No, probably not. Akaname are shy creatures and are rarely seen by humans. However, if you have an akaname in your home then it’s a sure sign that you need to clean your bathroom. Akaname can spread sickness and disease - but then, so too can dirty and mould - so what does an akaname do, exactly?

It licks your filth, and I suppose some people would find that scary.

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