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A Fascinating Dive into the Vicious Cerberus
Sunfire
CONTENTS
Overview
Many monsters and creatures in fantasy are inspired by folklore from thousands of years, dating back to Greek times. Though their appearance may vary from world to world, they serve the same purpose in the stories they’re in. One of these monsters, the Cerberus, is vicious but has an interesting appearance that is hard to forget.
The Cerberus is essentially known as an oversized dog but that isn’t the thing that makes it stand out from the others. You see, instead of having one head which is the norm for the vast majority of the creatures of the genre, it sports more than one. While it is commonly depicted as a beast with three heads, the truth of the matter is it can have even more than that.
This massive dog is a select few monsters that doesn’t have a home associated with it unlike many other animals. However, you can use this to your advantage to place it in areas that it seemingly doesn’t fit in like the jungle or a mansion. This helps add lore to it in that people don’t expect to run into such a fearsome monster in these spots!
The Cerberus is unique in that it serves basically the same function in many of the tales it shows up in. Due to its viciousness, it is one of the best monsters to act as a sentry, provided one knows how to control it or at least restrain it from attacking innocent persons. Though it may be a wild animal, only just a few people are capable of domesticating it which makes it more useful as a sentry.
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The Intimidating Appearance of the Cerberus
The origins of the Cerberus dates back to Greek times where it was one of the creatures that appeared in their mythology alongside their gods and goddesses. How it looked then set the tone for virtually all the tales it’s been in ever since. In today’s world, the beast nearly looks the same as it did all these centuries ago, making it one of the genre’s most recognizable figures.
In all of the tales it’s in, the Cerberus is depicted as a massive, vicious dog. It towers over even the largest dog species, making them seem small in comparison. In fact, it is so vicious that even the bravest dog would run away from it, lest it be bitten.
What sets the Cerberus apart from the other dogs is that it doesn’t have just one head, it has two or more. In many stories, it has three but it can go even higher than that, going! In one world, it can have five whereas in another, it could have ten! The multiple heads of the beast puts it in a small group of monsters, one of which is the feared hydra.
The monster having multiple heads only compounds the threat it poses since they give it more avenues in which to attack. Its main means of attacking is biting which is exemplified by it having razor-sharp teeth. Generally speaking, the more heads it has, the more mouths it has which gives it more teeth in which to tear apart its victims.
Besides its sharp teeth, the Cerberus sports a number of other abilities and powers. It emits a shrieking growl that strikes fear in its foe, causing him to be temporarily frozen. In some worlds, it knows magic and uses a variety of spells to either inflict damage or render its opponent immobile for a brief period of time, making it a difficult monster to defeat in battle.
The Best Places to Find the Cerberus
What sets the Cerberus apart from many of its peers in the animal world is that it has no set locale it calls home, meaning that in the stories it appears in, it doesn’t show up in the same environment over and over again. At first glance, this seems to be a disadvantage but it is actually the opposite in that you can use it in far more places than you would with other animals.
In the tales it plays a part in, the Cerberus appears in places that are dark in terms of having little to no light. The cave is the perfect example of this. It offers it a great place to slumber for extended periods of time and whoever waltzes in, it can make a meal out the unwanted intruder, whether it be a human or animal. The monster doesn’t just remain close to the entrance, it goes to the deepest parts of the cave where it won’t be bothered by the other denizens who call it home.
Another place where the Cerberus is likely to call home is in an abandoned building. It could be an old temple, castle, or even a mansion, as long as it is vacant and devoid of anyone living there at the moment. The former has the highest odds of encountering one since in many video games, it serves as a dungeon where this monster is designated as its boss, meaning the protagonist will have to battle him in order to successfully complete the dungeon and move onto the next one.
As a monster, the Cerberus has little love for the light, preferring to live in areas that don’t see much light. Even though the cave is number one in terms of places it likes, there is another one that also serves as a great site to come across one and that would be the jungle. Its oversized trees blot out the sun, coupled with the constant heat and ample wildlife, make the jungle one of the best habitats for this four-legged monster.
Surprisingly enough, the Cerberus can be placed in a remote area far removed from civilization. A place like the tundra on the edge of the world. Its fur keeps it warm amid the subzero temperatures, allowing it to move around with relative ease when it is searching for its next meal or a cave or a place to hunker down during a blizzard or nasty ice storm.
The Role the Cerberus Plays in the World
Many monsters serve a function in both the story and the world. While the former is more stringent, the latter is far more freewheeling in that it gives creators the opportunity to fully explore them in different ways, as if building upon the former. In both cases, this multi-headed beast has a purpose, one that shows up in every tale it’s in.
The Cerberus primarily acts as a guardian, as if protecting something or someone. It being a guard makes perfect sense given it is a vicious monster with more than one head. Only a fool or one who possesses great courage would dare approach it, let alone engage it in battle. Additionally, it is a tough monster to defeat in a fight since it moves quickly when it is in an enraged state.
Think about all the times you’ve seen the Cerberus show up, whether it be in a video game or novel. It is a sentinel, standing guard and is constantly on the alert for even the slightest bit of a disturbance. It is precisely this reason why it is assigned to protect something, whether it be the trapdoor that eventually leads to the Sorcerer’s Stone in Harry Potter or a boss of a dungeon that holds a valuable power that will help tilt the war between good and evil towards the former in various worlds.
The Cerberus being a guardian is also why you seldom see it roaming around in the world, unless it is hungry and is looking for something to dine on. It takes its guard duties seriously and will fight to its last breath protecting whatever it is keeping safe, making it a monster not to be taken lightly.
Many tales depict the Cerberus as a vicious, savage monster that will go to any lengths to safeguard the thing it is protecting, even going so far as to kill those who attempt to steal it. It is truly a force to be reckoned with which is why if you’re contemplating bringing such a beast into your world and story, it will serve you well and is a superb tool to use for storytelling purposes!
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Sunfire
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