# Looking for a name of a gigantic firebased mythological beast **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 2, 2008, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-name-of-a-gigantic-firebased-mythological-beast/470760 "2008-11-02T20:51:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-name-of-a-gigantic-firebased-mythological-beast/470760/21 "2008-11-02T22:29:26Z")
> [@Terrifel](#): > > What’s wrong with just “fire giant?” They were a perfectly respectable race of fire-based gigantic humanoids in Norse mythology, destined to war against the gods and destroy Midgard in the time of Ragnarok. Alternately, if “fire giant” isn’t glamorous enough for the purpose, what about the Norse “eldjotun” (plural: “eldjotnar”)? “Fire giant” doesn’t fit the rhythm of the sentence. “Eldjotun” does, though. I may use it if I can hunt down my copy of Children of Odin & other such books that would have been available for a nerdish teen to read in 1987; if I can justify thecharcter knowing the word, I’ll likely use it. ETA: Off to tutor. See you guys after the election. Vote!! ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-name-of-a-gigantic-firebased-mythological-beast/470760/22 "2008-11-02T22:30:12Z")
[Wikipedia has a “list of species in folklore and mythology by type”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_species_in_folklore_and_mythology_by_type#Creatures_associated_with_fire) section—a bit small, but I did link to the section on fire-creatures. The [Cherufe](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherufe) sounds promising. (It beats “[Salaman](http://www.theweebsite.com/aliens/gallery/salaman.html)” [sic], I guess) ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-name-of-a-gigantic-firebased-mythological-beast/470760/23 "2008-11-02T22:59:41Z")
Any particular reason you can’t use dragon? How about another name for dragon, like drake, i.e. fire drake? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-name-of-a-gigantic-firebased-mythological-beast/470760/24 "2008-11-03T00:46:48Z")
> [@Wile\_E](#): > > Any particular reason you can’t use dragon? How about another name for dragon, like drake, i.e. fire drake? Because the bit I’m working on is about a war in a fantasy realm, and the dragons’ have already been established as waiting for one side to win the war so they can eat the losers. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-name-of-a-gigantic-firebased-mythological-beast/470760/25 "2008-11-03T01:42:07Z")
Salamander would seem to be ideal. Failing that, perhaps seraphim or kerubim. Or hellhounds. Or some variant of the ignis fatuus (will o’the wisp, corpse candle, kitsune-bi, etc.) ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-name-of-a-gigantic-firebased-mythological-beast/470760/26 "2008-11-03T02:01:44Z")
Surtr Surtur Logi ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-name-of-a-gigantic-firebased-mythological-beast/470760/27 "2008-11-03T07:19:01Z")
Charizard 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Gukumatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@Gukumatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gukumatz)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-name-of-a-gigantic-firebased-mythological-beast/470760/28 "2008-11-03T07:23:33Z")
Cacus, Enculadus or Typhon (two giants and a serpent) in greek mythology. A deviation of the many-tailed foxes in Japanese mythology. Eldjotnene, the Fire Giants of Norse mythology. Fire Elementals. Orks with flamethrowers. Manticores and chimaeras. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-name-of-a-gigantic-firebased-mythological-beast/470760/29 "2008-11-03T07:31:32Z")
[UTU](http://home.comcast.net/~chris.s/sumer-faq.html#Utu) Or [Shamash](http://home.comcast.net/~chris.s/assyrbabyl-faq.html#Shamash) ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-name-of-a-gigantic-firebased-mythological-beast/470760/30 "2008-11-03T07:36:36Z")
Ishum or Nergal ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 10:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-name-of-a-gigantic-firebased-mythological-beast/470760/31 "2008-11-03T10:26:12Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > Ishum or Nergal Lucifer? ---
**Author:** ![Acid\_Lamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Acid\_Lamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acid_Lamp)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-name-of-a-gigantic-firebased-mythological-beast/470760/32 "2008-11-03T13:03:34Z")
Wyrm? ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-name-of-a-gigantic-firebased-mythological-beast/470760/33 "2008-11-03T14:17:22Z")
Muspeli, meaning the denizens of Muspelheim, the realm of fire in Norse mythology? Of course, your reasons for excluding their ruler Surtr might apply to them as well… ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-name-of-a-gigantic-firebased-mythological-beast/470760/34 "2008-11-03T15:05:53Z")
So are Firedrakes and Fieryworms out? \*\*Haserapim \*\*are described as Fiery Ones. They are either some type of angel (possibly fallen like a Balrog) or a fiery serpent. They are connected with Seraphim. Thought of another one: “Britain’s Gog and Magog were the last survivors of a race of evil giants.” I have occasionally seen them describe as Fiery Gigantic Beings. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-name-of-a-gigantic-firebased-mythological-beast/470760/35 "2008-11-03T15:24:18Z")
> [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](#): > > Muspeli, meaning the denizens of Muspelheim, the realm of fire in Norse mythology? Of course, your reasons for excluding their ruler Surtr might apply to them as well… Actually it does not. I was looking for class names, not for names of individuals, so if Muspeli is as you describe it’s almost perfect. I’m going to have to track down my copy of Children of Odin to see if that term is used therein, as that would have been the viewpoint’s character major introduction to Norse myth. ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-name-of-a-gigantic-firebased-mythological-beast/470760/36 "2008-11-03T15:26:12Z")
Marid? (since dijinni and afrit are out) ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-name-of-a-gigantic-firebased-mythological-beast/470760/37 "2008-11-03T15:26:25Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > So are Firedrakes and Fieryworms out? Yes. They’re basically dragons, and as I’m talking about a battle in a war of mythological creatures in which the dragons are Switzerland, I can’t use them for this line. Basically I’ve been looking for a way to say “balrog” without writing “balrog.” ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-name-of-a-gigantic-firebased-mythological-beast/470760/38 "2008-11-03T15:32:02Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Yes. They’re basically dragons, and as I’m talking about a battle in a war of mythological creatures in which the dragons are Switzerland, I can’t use them for this line. Basically I’ve been looking for a way to say “balrog” without writing “balrog.” Use the \*\*Haserapim \*\*then. Here you have a fiery being that is an Angelic type. I think we just loosely described a Balrog. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-name-of-a-gigantic-firebased-mythological-beast/470760/39 "2008-11-03T15:36:38Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Use the \*\*Haserapim \*\*then. Here you have a fiery being that is an Angelic type. I think we just loosely described a Balrog. Right now I’m vacillating between that and Muspeli. As I wrote above, since I’m relating a character’s thoughts–and said character is a 13-year-old girl from 1987 Memphis–I have to be able to persuade myself that she’d know the word. Jotun she’d know, as well as leviathan, jinn, hydra, and even hecatonchire; she’s a kid who’s mainlined Bulfinchs Mythology, Hamilton’s Mythology, and the children of Odin. Now that I think on it, I should check Bulfinch & Hamilton for the two finalists. I know where my copies of both of those are. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2008, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-name-of-a-gigantic-firebased-mythological-beast/470760/40 "2008-11-03T15:44:27Z")
Also, given that “eldjotun” means "fire giant, does anyone know the construction for ice or frost giant? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-name-of-a-gigantic-firebased-mythological-beast/470760.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-name-of-a-gigantic-firebased-mythological-beast/470760.md?page=3)