#PIASA

[siryl]

An illustration of the Piasa by Timothy Ladd, possibly based on an earlier drawing by William Dennis, printed in A Student's History of Illinois by George W. Smith. "Piasa" is the name attached to a fantastical creature depicted in Native American pictographs in what is now Alton, Illinois. That artwork is long gone, and the accuracy of this recreation is questionable. The "old Indian legend" of this monster, the "true story" of the discovery of a bone-filled cave that might corroborate the legend, and even the name "Piasa" may be later inventions.

[huhunder]

North American dragonkin / serpentkin flag

Otherkin whose kintype is/similar to dragons and serpents from North American mythology, including but not limited to Piasa, Amhuluk, Mishipeshu.

The flag represents all North American dragons and serpents.

[thatonefatgumsimp]

Trying to catch up again, I'm still 4 days behind- 💀

Reference I used under the cut

[bethanythebogwitch]

Got to go see the Piasa. It's a recreation of older Native American (specifically Illini) rock art depicting a legendary creature. A lot of the original meaning and legend was probably lost between when the original painting was made and when non-indigenous people recreated the image, sadly.

[jedifieldnotes]

My picture of the piasa isn't great, but I'll start off with this because it's pretty easy.

When the databank entry popped up (I just catch glimpses), I saw the name and it jogged something in my memory.

I actually went and pulled out the book I swore I remember reading about a piasa in (a book I have not looked at in years). Sure enough, it was there and it was North American. Here's a wikipedia link to the "real world" piasa because it's late and I don't feel like writing a summary.

[empirearchives]

Engraved portrait of Napoleon from year 5 (circa 1796-97), with a view of the fort of Milan. Plate is captioned “Buonaparte L'italique, Pacificateur de l'Europe”.

Provenance: Old archives of the castle of Villebon, Eure-et-Loir.

(Piasa Auctions)

[lunalostdraws]

Creatuanary 2025 Challenge Day 12, Piasa "as large as a calf; they have horns on their heads like those of deer, a horrible look, red eyes, a beard like a tiger’s, a face somewhat like a man’s, a body covered with scales, and so long a tail that it winds all around the body, passing above the head and going back between the legs, ending in a fish’s tail. Green, red, and black are the three colors composing the picture." - Jacques Marquette

[lynniceberg]

Piasa Dragon

Piasa Dragon likes walks in the forest, swims in the river, limestone caves, and philosophical discussions.

Piasa Dragon dislikes judgy people, bullies, and most "cides," especially pesticides and genocides.

The Piasa is considered a beast from Native American mythology and described as winged with talons, antlers, a human face with long fangs, a beard, and a tail long enough to wrap around it's body ending in a fish tail.

Joliet Marquette is the first European to record the Piasa from seeing a large indigenous painting of it on the limestone bluffs above the Mississippi north of what was the indigenous city of Cahokia near what is now Alton, Illinois.

The Piasa recently came out of hiding after hundreds of years to "set the record straight."

The Piasa scoffed at an 1836 paper by Professor John Russell. In the report Russell wrote that "Piasa" is a Illini word that means "Bird That Devours Men." And that the Piasa was said to have developed a taste for human flesh after eating the dead on a battlefield. "Russell wasn't even there!" the Piasa growled.

"I mean, I thought I was doing the humans a favor by disposing of their dead. There were a lot of them and I didn't want them to stink up the place. You'd think you'd be more concerned with how they died than what happened to them after." The Piasa says it does not prefer to eat humans but will if provoked.

It added that the word "Piasa" is actually an affectionate term of the Illini that can be loosely translated to mean "wise weirdo." "Another thing," the Piasa griped, "Do I look like a bird? No! I'm a dragon. And don't mix me up with my cousin, Mishipeshu, who you've called a 'water panther.' We're very different and, frankly, we're both tired of the comparison. Just don't believe everything you read on Wikipedia"

When asked why it's never revealed itself to Europeans before it replied, "I meant to get around to it but you all were busy with genociding and it seemed you weren't very open to differences. Then your whole Civil War happened and I just thought I'd lay low again until you wiped each other out. That hasn't happen yet and, I don't know... I'm just so tired of the BS."

[illustratus]

Piazetta San Marco in Moonlight by Friedrich Paul Nerly

[jam-campasta]

(loud warning)

new OCs from a fantasy story based of Native American folklore i wanna make where the main three characters are poly and love each other in very different ways, here's my silly video about the latter <3

[jurakan]

#and it has BEAUTIFUL luscious lips

Uh... I mean, yeah, I guess that, too.

*shuffles into line for my fun fact*

Today You Learned about the Piasa Bird.

Alright so the Piasa Bird, isn't actually a bird, as such. It's a... this dragon thing:

It's a carving above the Mississippi River in Illinois. The above image isn't the original; I think the original has been destroyed or worn away, and image was redrawn, and it's been retouched a few times since. The original art may have been contemporary with Cahokia, the old mound city that was long uninhabited by the time Europeans arrived in the Americas.

Jesuit Father Jacques Marquette was the first European to write of it in 1673. He, and the next recorded description, don't mention wings at all, so some think it was meant to be another Native American mythological creature, like the underwater panther. We don't know!

In any case in the 1800's Professor John Russell gave an account in which he said it was called the Piasa, which meant something like 'the Bird that Devours Men.' It terrorized the local peoples until the Chief Ouatoga was given a dream by the Great Spirit on how to kill it. He and his men hid by the monster's lair and the Chief used himself as bait. When the creature flew out, the men from their hiding spots killed the Piasa with poisoned arrows.

There are... a lot of people who think that John Russell made up this story, because again, earliest accounts and sketches don't mention wings, and we don't have any other records of this story. And let's be real, it does sound a bit like the kind of thing white people make up as 'an old Indian story'. There are a few of those floating around. But we don't know.

In any case, it's the story that's carved on a stone monument at the site where this art is now, and it's the version that's adapted into A Natural History of Dragons, where I first saw the story.

[rs-hawk]

Oh to have a Piasa Bird lover who takes you to his nest and fucks you until you’re a sobbing mess. Him rutting his cock in and out of you as he growls how humans have ruined his river, his home, and the least you can do is take his cock as the beginnings of a semblance of an apology.

Check out early access, exclusive stories and more on my Ko-fi or Patreon. Use code SUSA2025 for 50% off select tiers on Patreon

[aerialaim]

AFK until Wednesday, visiting my Uncle in Illinois for his 65th birthday and I'm flying into St.Louis!

Anything you see whilst I'm gone is from the queue! See you on Wednesday! Be safe, everypony!

[somninomicon]

Inktober day 29

[thegenxorcist]

Piasa Bird

"as large as a calf; they have horns on their heads like those of deer, a horrible look, red eyes, a beard like a tiger’s, a face somewhat like a man’s, a body covered with scales, and so long a tail that it winds all around the body, passing above the head and going back between the legs, ending in a fish’s tail. Green, red, and black are the three colors composing the picture..."

Piasa Bird

Image Source: Piasa Bird By Vintorezz

[thewolfparadox-things]

Pisa caves