Swords of Fire contains plenty of mythical creatures. Unfortunately, Book I contains none of them. There are dragons. I even have a couple of dragon stories. But they are not part of the main Saga. Same with Unicorns, Gryphons, and other such creatures.
It's a pity, because I like these creatures. But putting cool creatures into a story simply because they are cool creatures only ruins the story and anything the writer wishes to say about the creatures. They have to fit. They have to be part of the story and, unfortunately, they aren't part of Book I's story. In fact, it's hard to bring them into the Saga at all.
I've seen movies where this is done. The hero/heroine comes across one unusual creature after another, but none really moves the story along. It's almost like little museum stops along the way. Say, boys and girls, look at this dinosaur. You thought they were extinct, but here is one alive. And look at the flying lizard/bird/antelope creature. I bet you never seen or heard of one of those again. Oh, well. Back to the story.
It's kind of like infodump, only worse, because the information has nothing to do with the story. At least with background information the reader learns why characters behave as they do. They're completely bored, but they know.
Mythical creatures are cool, and when they are part of a story they can make an interesting story even more intriguing. But when they are not part of the story they should be left out. They won't mind. They have their own stories.
Showing posts with label Unicorns. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Unicorns. Show all posts
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
The Reality of Unicorns
What is a Unicorn?
Well, to literal, it's a one-horned creature (the horn originating on the creature's head). End of description.
Using that description, any creature with a single horn could be called a unicorn. Rhino's? Single-tusked elephants? Goats?
Yes. According to the literal description, they would all qualify.
The Unicorn of legend is a horse, however. Generally white. Considered beautiful, magical, and extremely shy.
But did you know that God - our God - actually did create a species Adam named Unicorn?
There are no less than nine (9) references in the bible, according to Strong's Concordance.
Here are the references (using the King James Version Bible).
God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn. Numbers 23:22
God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strenght of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows. Numbers 24:8
His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh. Deuteronomy 33:17
Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib? Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee? Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? Or wilt thou leave thy labor to him? Wilt though believe him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy barn? Job 39:9-12
Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorn. Psalms 22:21
He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. Psalms 29:6
But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil. Psalms 92:10
And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness. Isaiah 34:7
The passages I find most interesting are those in Job and in Psalm 22. Clearly, God is describing a real animal to Job. And David seems to be talking of someone having taken the horn of a unicorn and made it into a sounding horn, such as with shells from dead sea-animals.
There is a difference, however, between the unicorns of the Bible and the unicorns of legend. The unicorns of legend are graceful animals, shy of people. The unicorns of the Bible appear to be powerful animals, unafraid of much of anything.
I found this article about Biblical unicorns which used other research to support unicorn existence. From it, I gather that the real unicorns more resembled a large ox-like animal.
“a little below the elephant in size, and of the appearance, color, and shape of a bull. Their strength and speed are extraordinary; they spare neither man nor wild beast which they have espied . . . . Not even when taken very young can they be rendered familiar to men and tamed. The size, shape, and appearance of their horns differ much from the horns of our oxen. These they anxiously seek after, and bind at the tips with silver, and use as cups at their most sumptuous entertainments.”
This description appears to fit with the unicorns described by God to Job. Unicorns were not creatures to trifle with. Not because of any inherant magical qualities, but because they were quite dangerous.
Suffice to say that, while I accept the likely description of real unicorns (extinct since at least the 1600s), the unicorns of my stories tend more toward the legendary type. Writing stories isn't about being accurate to the real world. Writing stories is about having fun.
Well, to literal, it's a one-horned creature (the horn originating on the creature's head). End of description.
Using that description, any creature with a single horn could be called a unicorn. Rhino's? Single-tusked elephants? Goats?
Yes. According to the literal description, they would all qualify.
The Unicorn of legend is a horse, however. Generally white. Considered beautiful, magical, and extremely shy.
But did you know that God - our God - actually did create a species Adam named Unicorn?
There are no less than nine (9) references in the bible, according to Strong's Concordance.
Here are the references (using the King James Version Bible).
God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn. Numbers 23:22
God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strenght of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows. Numbers 24:8
His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh. Deuteronomy 33:17
Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib? Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee? Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? Or wilt thou leave thy labor to him? Wilt though believe him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy barn? Job 39:9-12
Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorn. Psalms 22:21
He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn. Psalms 29:6
But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil. Psalms 92:10
And the unicorns shall come down with them, and the bullocks with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness. Isaiah 34:7
The passages I find most interesting are those in Job and in Psalm 22. Clearly, God is describing a real animal to Job. And David seems to be talking of someone having taken the horn of a unicorn and made it into a sounding horn, such as with shells from dead sea-animals.
There is a difference, however, between the unicorns of the Bible and the unicorns of legend. The unicorns of legend are graceful animals, shy of people. The unicorns of the Bible appear to be powerful animals, unafraid of much of anything.
I found this article about Biblical unicorns which used other research to support unicorn existence. From it, I gather that the real unicorns more resembled a large ox-like animal.
“a little below the elephant in size, and of the appearance, color, and shape of a bull. Their strength and speed are extraordinary; they spare neither man nor wild beast which they have espied . . . . Not even when taken very young can they be rendered familiar to men and tamed. The size, shape, and appearance of their horns differ much from the horns of our oxen. These they anxiously seek after, and bind at the tips with silver, and use as cups at their most sumptuous entertainments.”
This description appears to fit with the unicorns described by God to Job. Unicorns were not creatures to trifle with. Not because of any inherant magical qualities, but because they were quite dangerous.
Suffice to say that, while I accept the likely description of real unicorns (extinct since at least the 1600s), the unicorns of my stories tend more toward the legendary type. Writing stories isn't about being accurate to the real world. Writing stories is about having fun.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Lords #1
The role of the Children of Fire changed over time. Originally, control of the Sea was to be given to one of the Three Lords. That plan ended when the Lords initiated the War which nearly destroyed the Sea. Then the Children of Fire became regents for the Free People, who would be granted final dominion.
That was the original concept. Subsequent exploration shows it to be inaccurate. The Great Sea was always meant for Madatar and Ardora.
There is not a lot written about the Three Lords at this time. Most of what is known about them is still in my head. I did come across some archival records, written nearly thirty years ago, which sheds some light on who the Lords were, and what their role was. The following is the result of combining several documents into one record. Please forgive the overly dramatic prose.
There were three (3): Kensington, Draem and Zenophone. They were the first of the Children of Fire to come to the Great Sea. They were also the most powerful of those who came. That there were more powerful members of their order seems to be implied by means of their limited abilities. However, on the Great Sea there were only two (2) powers mightier: Madatar - when joined with Ardora; the High King himself.
"Kensington, Draem and Zenophone were ever known by the Free Peoples as The Lords. These were chosen for the powers which they represented.
Kensington cherished wisdom and understanding above all else. His delight was in the search for knowledge and truth.
Draem loved beauty and order. She believed in the good of existence and purpose. To Draem, nothing was ugly and nothing was meaningless.
Zenophone believed in strength. Without strength, mortal beings could not survive. Their wisdom would fade, their beauty abandon them, and their purpose be short-lived."
Kensington is credited with bringing the first land to the surface.
"And the Three came to the Great Sea together. They saw it and marveled at its wonder and beauty. Then Kensington stepped upon the still melting ice, and his step caused the ice to flee, and land, freed from its prison, rose in its place. This would be where they would begin."
Each of the Three Lords is credited with the creation of certain mythological creatures, although they all had a part in the creation of all. The following list is NOT all-inclusive.
Kensington's creatures: Phoenix, Winged Horses, Gryphons
Draem's creatures: Golden Sheep, Giant Cats, Unicorns
Zenophone's creatures: Dragons, Centaurs
That was the original concept. Subsequent exploration shows it to be inaccurate. The Great Sea was always meant for Madatar and Ardora.
There is not a lot written about the Three Lords at this time. Most of what is known about them is still in my head. I did come across some archival records, written nearly thirty years ago, which sheds some light on who the Lords were, and what their role was. The following is the result of combining several documents into one record. Please forgive the overly dramatic prose.
There were three (3): Kensington, Draem and Zenophone. They were the first of the Children of Fire to come to the Great Sea. They were also the most powerful of those who came. That there were more powerful members of their order seems to be implied by means of their limited abilities. However, on the Great Sea there were only two (2) powers mightier: Madatar - when joined with Ardora; the High King himself.
"Kensington, Draem and Zenophone were ever known by the Free Peoples as The Lords. These were chosen for the powers which they represented.
Kensington cherished wisdom and understanding above all else. His delight was in the search for knowledge and truth.
Draem loved beauty and order. She believed in the good of existence and purpose. To Draem, nothing was ugly and nothing was meaningless.
Zenophone believed in strength. Without strength, mortal beings could not survive. Their wisdom would fade, their beauty abandon them, and their purpose be short-lived."
Kensington is credited with bringing the first land to the surface.
"And the Three came to the Great Sea together. They saw it and marveled at its wonder and beauty. Then Kensington stepped upon the still melting ice, and his step caused the ice to flee, and land, freed from its prison, rose in its place. This would be where they would begin."
Each of the Three Lords is credited with the creation of certain mythological creatures, although they all had a part in the creation of all. The following list is NOT all-inclusive.
Kensington's creatures: Phoenix, Winged Horses, Gryphons
Draem's creatures: Golden Sheep, Giant Cats, Unicorns
Zenophone's creatures: Dragons, Centaurs
Friday, November 7, 2008
Unicorns
I do not know where my original work on Unicorns is. It may be lost forever. A lot of work was when my computer crashed beyond repair a few years ago. Everything I had failed to print was lost. I had done backups, but the new computer doesn't recognize the format and they can't be read. Technology is so wonderful.
What I remember is that the Unicorns were similar to Dragons in that their number was fixed. I don't recall what that number was. Unlike Dragons, Unicorns were not phyically powerful. Instead, they imparted extraordinary ability to those who managed to befriend them. Many believed the Unicorns to be magical, but in truth they merely enhanced natural ability.
There were eight kinds, each with its own color. A Unicorn's color revealed its special power, as well as the region in which it could be found. I do not recall which power went with which color, nor the region. It may be that had not been decided. Certainly, I had not named any.
The colors were as follows: white, black, red, green, blue, gold, silver and lavender.
The powers (as I remember them) were: sight, hearing, quickness, smell, vision (as in fortelling), understanding, healing (both self and of others), shadow (the ability to remain unseen).
What I remember is that the Unicorns were similar to Dragons in that their number was fixed. I don't recall what that number was. Unlike Dragons, Unicorns were not phyically powerful. Instead, they imparted extraordinary ability to those who managed to befriend them. Many believed the Unicorns to be magical, but in truth they merely enhanced natural ability.
There were eight kinds, each with its own color. A Unicorn's color revealed its special power, as well as the region in which it could be found. I do not recall which power went with which color, nor the region. It may be that had not been decided. Certainly, I had not named any.
The colors were as follows: white, black, red, green, blue, gold, silver and lavender.
The powers (as I remember them) were: sight, hearing, quickness, smell, vision (as in fortelling), understanding, healing (both self and of others), shadow (the ability to remain unseen).
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