Chimera in fantasy novels

[OP1000]

Hello!!!!
How are chimera usually portrayed in the fantasy novels that they appear in?
P.S.: Do you have a preference in regards to how they should be portrayed in stories that include them?

 

[Macha]

Carefully.

 

[georgelee5786]

Abominable amalgamations. Multiple creatures fused together to forge a new being.

 

[Macha]

Abominable amalgamations. Multiple creatures fused together to forge a new being.

It might look like an abominable amalgamation. But there is a little girl inside it. Inside its stomach.

 

[kophzi]

It might look like an abominable amalgamation. But there is a little girl inside it. Inside its stomach.

Oh no...

 

[Chaos_Sinner777]

All sorts of ways. Mostly as big bad monsters. Sometimes they can be more like, deific figures? Of more interest to me, how are they made, what's the specific composition. The Classic Greek of Lion-Goat-Snake? Or other chimeric mythological creatures like the Japanese Nue which is a Baboon-Tiger-Snake, the Manticore which is a Man-Faced Lion with a scorpion like tail. Huh, lotta big cats there. How about creatures that are chimera of a single type of animal, like the two headed dog Orthros, the three headed dog Cerberus, or the eight headed serpent Yamata No Orochi? Even Dragons can be argued as a type of Chimera. And of course you can always use Chimera as a broad term for any mashed up animal monsters. Want to give a crocodile the legs of a buffalo, an ankylosaur's club tail, and weird skeletal bladed wings? Slap that title on baby!

 

[whitesculptor]

Chimera Ants

Chimera Ants (キメラ゠アント or キメラ()蟻(アント)()()()()()()()(), Kimera Anto) are extremely dangerous insects designated quarantine level one. Also known as "Gourmet Ants" (グルメアント, Gurume Anto) due to carefully selecting their food, they have voracious appetites and can consume several times their own...

hunterxhunter.fandom.com

 

[CarburetorThompson]

Lion with dragon wings and a scorpions tail, is the most consistent depiction.

 

[DarkeReises]

I usually see either the Greek version, or a random abomination.

 

[Sebas_Guzman]

Of course, we must not forget the humble platypus. A mammal with the bill of a duck, the feet of an otter, the tail of a beaver, and the egg laying capabilities of non-mammals. Truly it is what most chimeras wish they could be--real.

But in slightly less seriousness, yeah it kind of depends. Most mythological creatures end up being chimeras of some kind since a lot of monsters were conceived of by combining aspects of things people knew. You end up with two distinct variations--the monstorous abomination kind. Things like baphomet, manticore or griffin or the classic alchemical created chimera show up. Since fantasy is full of natural chimeras, you end up with a secondary distinction that chimeras are created by human or human-like higher forces. On the other end, you have holy chimeras-by-definition. The sphinx would be a good example of something that is technically a chimera and seen in a relatively positive light and as a symbol of wisdom.

If you switch to real world and sci-fi, our chimeras are like the goats that produce silk. Then, you go up the ladder to the pig-human chimeras, or animals being engineered to produce human organs. In our world we see ethical concerns arise with the treatment of these creatures such that people are now starting to question the ethical concerns of disposing of these creatures.
Sci-fi would ratchet up these concerns and depict futuristic worlds which are filled with these creatures and play with various philosophical concepts such as trans-humanism VS naturalism and the nature of sentience.

Overall, I like the platypus.

 

[georgelee5786]

Oh no...

I can feel all the trauma rushing back...

Lion with dragon wings and a scorpions tail, is the most consistent depiction.

aren't manticores depicted that way too?

 

[Ssthat]

yeah they're usually forced fusions of many monsters created by mad scientists from my experience.

hope this helped

 

[NotaNuffian]

Lion with dragon wings and a scorpions tail, is the most consistent depiction.

More like lion with an extra goat head, a pair of bat wings and a snake for tail.

 

[gogo7966]

Chimera Ants

Chimera Ants (キメラ゠アント or キメラ()蟻(アント)()()()()()()()(), Kimera Anto) are extremely dangerous insects designated quarantine level one. Also known as "Gourmet Ants" (グルメアント, Gurume Anto) due to carefully selecting their food, they have voracious appetites and can consume several times their own...

hunterxhunter.fandom.com

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
sorry, just a natural impulse i have anytime hxh chimerant arc comes up

 

[CheertheSecond]

I stick with the greek depiction to the most part. A lion with a goat head to the side and a cobra for the tail. Since this chimera has lived for a long time, they gained wisdom and has an interest in magic. As a result, they studied and became scholar. Each head follows a school of magic that they interest. :3

 

[Kenjona]

I saw one good write up story of a "chimera" human (Doppleganger type), it was an harem/RPG/sci-fi storyline and it was very well done. Forget the name though, I will have to go look it up.

Here it is: it is on royal road and completed: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/11295/into-the-black

 

[Cipiteca396]

Chimera is (descended from) the ancient Greek word for "She-Goat". It could breath fire and was a child of Typhon and Echidna. It was slain by the hero Bellerophon with the assistance of Pegasus during a Hercules-style labor.

That version is still very popular today, but there's also the use of it as any sort of hybrid, particularly an alchemic or necromantic construct.

Personally, I use the term 'Chimerid' as a catchall term for any creature that's a mashup of other creatures... However, I've been a little reserved about that since I found out it means 'She-Goat'. Not a very accurate description in most cases.

So if I'm being honest, I'd prefer the term gets swept under the rug and fades into obscurity. Instead, I'd like to see Alchemic Hybrids, Liminal Hybrids, or Monstrous Hybrids. (Distinguished from the typical Hybrid, which is just a crossbred animal like a Liger or Mule.)