Sharks Are Scary!

[HeavenShallBurn]

Maybe I'm very wrong but I'd always associated Turisas with squid. He was a thing of the sea and had a "great head" with "broad ears" and a squid has fins that often look like ears upon a head. It reaches forth and drags people down into the depths. All characteristics that fit a squid as much as a shark. And during WW2 ships making the end run to supply Russia that were sunk in Scandinavian waters often lost sailors to large aggressive squid dragging then down into the depths.

 

[Blackrat]

Maybe I'm very wrong but I'd always associated Turisas with squid. He was a thing of the sea and had a "great head" with "broad ears" and a squid has fins that often look like ears upon a head. It reaches forth and drags people down into the depths. All characteristics that fit a squid as much as a shark. And during WW2 ships making the end run to supply Russia that were sunk in Scandinavian waters often lost sailors to large aggressive squid dragging then down into the depths.

You're quite right with associating the word. The finnish word for squid actually is tursas, named after this beast. The actual depiction of Kalevala's Turisas is more humanlike though, if I'm not completely wrong. Funny that, I've studied much different mythologies, but have almost totally omitted that of my own people...

Damn, but now that you mention it, I got an image of monstrous, huge, humanoid creature with squid-like head. Anyone know any other similar underwater "god"? I'll give you a hint: Starts with "C" .

 

[HeavenShallBurn]

You're quite right with associating the word. The finnish word for squid actually is tursas, named after this beast.

Good to know I wasn't totally off-base, I haven't really been able to get much good material on anything beyond the Vanir, Aesir, and common Eddas. It can be hard to find mythology materials beyond the standard undergrad curriculum level.

Funny that, I've studied much different mythologies, but have almost totally omitted that of my own people...

Nobody really does, education systems in Europe & NA are set up to cover some Mesopotamian material, Egypt, Greece, and Abrahamic mythology from my experience. They'll varyingly mix things up by adding a token of Chinese, Japanese, British, or Vanir/Aesir stuff but never go beyond that. I've been trying to find some good resources on pre-Christian Lithuanian mythology but it's rather hard to come by.

Damn, but now that you mention it, I got an image of monstrous, huge, humanoid creature with squid-like head. Anyone know any other similar underwater "god"? I'll give you a hint: Starts with "C" .

Naw, drawing a total blank. Must preserve remaining SAN, must preserve remaining SAN.

 

[Aeolius]

I once used a beastie I called a Chumm; it was an unliving amorphous cloud of blood filled with swirling sharks' teeth. When I switched my old game from 1e to 3e I devised the hydrimera; part dire shark, part feline sea lion, and part giant squid, its ink clouds turn victims to stone (the party took a 12-year "nap" that adjusted the timeline).

 

[DM_Jeff]

Wow! Takes that whole "sharkskin is a bit like sandpaper" and turns it into "sharkskin is a bit like a thousand vorpal demon horns". Super stuff!

-DM Jeff

 

[Wolfspider]

I once used a beastie I called a Chumm; it was an unliving amorphous cloud of blood filled with swirling sharks' teeth. When I switched my old game from 1e to 3e I devised the hydrimera; part dire shark, part feline sea lion, and part giant squid, its ink clouds turn victims to stone (the party took a 12-year "nap" that adjusted the timeline).

These are great ideas! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Klaus]

You're quite right with associating the word. The finnish word for squid actually is tursas, named after this beast. The actual depiction of Kalevala's Turisas is more humanlike though, if I'm not completely wrong. Funny that, I've studied much different mythologies, but have almost totally omitted that of my own people...

Damn, but now that you mention it, I got an image of monstrous, huge, humanoid creature with squid-like head. Anyone know any other similar underwater "god"? I'll give you a hint: Starts with "C" .

I dunno... "Great Chuck", maybe?

 

[Andor]

 

[boerngrim]

Woah! Kittenshark is really fraking creepy!

 

[Aeolius]

These are great ideas! Thanks for sharing!

Another would be my blinogo, or sea goblins, based upon the goblin shark: