ysabetwordsmith | A Medieval Bestiary of Decompensation

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A Medieval Bestiary of Decompensation

Someone made a list of medieval beasts who Just Can't Handle It. They are sad, funny pictures. I also think they speak to the experience of feeling overwhelmed. Sometimes it's easier to express a feeling with a picture than in words. So I started imagining them as different mental conditions, because it would be cool to turn them into memes and talk about those experiences ...

(Warning for angsty images and corresponding mindstates.)

1) This griffin has general anxiety.

2) This basilisk has social anxiety.

3) This improperly socialized ass is confused as to why people are angry with him, and would like for someone to explain this. Now. Please. (

helgatwb)
3a) This poor, confused ass is like "How do I social?" (

helgatwb)

4) Autistic spectrum crocodile wants the changes to STOP.

5) This cat has impulse control disorder.

6) This winged asp has dyxlexia and wants the book to go away now.

7) This boar is fixated on thoughts of death.

9) This basilisk has anger management issues.

11) Okay, I can go with obsessive-compulsive whale.

12) This panther is another candidate for social anxiety.

13) This wolf has imposter syndrome.

15) The bear (with the bagpipes) has hyperacusis. (

gehayi)
15) This bear exists in a situation where the only available tools were not designed for a bear's body or mind. (

redsixwing)

16) The cat (with the stringed instrument) is dealing with dyspraxia. (

gehayi)

18) The mermaid and the centaur have gender dysphoria.

21) This lion is depressed.

22) This dragon does self-sabotage.

25) This dragon is trying very hard to be someone he's not. (

gehayi)

25) This dragon does not recognize the reflection in the mirror. (

redsixwing)

27) This dragon is tired of those around it treating it like the enemy. (

gehayi)

28) The dragon is verbally abusing the elephant.

29) This elephant and dragon have a dysfunctional relationship too.

31) This griffin wants to hear what you have to say, but just checked out.

32) This horse cannot word right now.

33) This manticore is having a panic attack.

34) This dragon is being crushed under the weight of everyone else's expectations. (

gehayi)

35) This rabbit is sick of having to work outside of their skill set. (

gehayi)

38) What happens when all of your headmates are fighting at once and you suddenly realize that nobody is manning Front.

39) This hedgehog has despair.

40) This owl is feeling so attacked right now. (

gehayi)

41) This giraffe is having one of those days when their body just won't work right. (

gehayi)

42) This dog is stressed by pursuing goals just because the goals are expected. (

gehayi)

42. This hound is disgusted by the realization that it is bullying others. (

redsixwing)
42a. This goat is sick of being chased by hounds. (

redsixwing)

43) These elephants are so overwhelmed by everything, they feel like they're drowning. (

gehayi)

44) This dragon self-harms.

Can anybody think of more?

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15. The bear (with the bagpipes) has hyperacusis.

16. The cat (with the stringed instrument) is dealing with dyspraxia.

25. This dragon is trying very hard to be someone he's not.

27. This dragon is tired of those around it treating it like the enemy.

34. This dragon is being crushed under the weight of everyone else's expectations.

35. This rabbit is sick of having to work outside of their skill set.

40. This owl is feeling so attacked right now.

41. This giraffe is having one of those days when their body just won't work right.

42. This dog is stressed by pursuing goals just because the goals are expected.

43. These elephants are so overwhelmed by everything, they feel like they're drowning.

That's awesome. I have added them to the list!

15) This bear exists in a situation where the only available tools were not designed for a bear's body or mind.

25) This dragon does not recognize the reflection in the mirror.

42. This hound is disgusted by the realization that it is bullying others.

42a. This goat is sick of being chased by hounds.

Edited 2015-01-22 16:56 (UTC)

I have added these.

20. Dur, read all the text. It's a chunk of Exodus - "and God spoke to Moses and said" but I couldn't tell you which. I'm not that good at this.

Edited 2015-01-22 17:49 (UTC)

Is there an image among those 44 suitable for 'this medieval beastie is overloading'? If so, can I get a description from somebody, please?

Chanter is seeking a possible icon.

There are lots of possible candidates:

1) Griffin with completely freaked-out expression.

3) Ass with head tilted sideways. (For a great visual pun on the pinball table TILT as slang for anything shaken out of order.)

6) The winged asp is desperately hiding from the man with the book.

8) Everyone has frogs coming out of their mouths. (For those days when your Weird Shit-O-Meter goes "AAAAOOOOGAH!" ... and then falls off the post.)

11) Whale with a completely freaked-out expression, chased by a boat.

12) Panther cornered by a bunch of other animals.

17) Cat with a drum looking askance at a donkey blowing a horn. (For when other people are driving you bugfuck.)

33) Completely freaked out, fleeing manticore.

37) Pard with a horrified expression.

Hmm hmm. 12 and 33 sound the closest fits, 12 especially. 6 was a possible fit, but the book aspect made me decide otherwise.

Thank you! :D

If you can fit the multiple figures into the icon, I'd go with the panther because the crowding is so good for overload. If only one face will fit, probably the freaking-out manticore.

If there were an image of a panther being stared at by a thousand eyes... but that'd be mega specific to my personal experience of overload.

I may well enlist somebody at the crowdfunding com as a one-off icon maker for an icon of 12. :) I already know one of the keywords I'll use for it: Colorado.

>> If there were an image of a panther being stared at by a thousand eyes... but that'd be mega specific to my personal experience of overload. <<

A peacock's tail is said to have a hundred or a thousand eyes. Sometimes those are drawn with eyeballs instead of spots.

>> I may well enlist somebody at the crowdfunding com as a one-off icon maker for an icon of 12. :) I already know one of the keywords I'll use for it: Colorado. <<

Go for it!

I'm glad this helped. I thought those images would be relatable.

I like peacock plumage too much after reading Fledgling Grace to associate it with the way I tend to overload. It's a cool idea, though.

I am pervasively fond of peacock angels and have used the motif repeatedly.

I um. kinda made an icon? for chanter. it's here:

http://www.dreamwidth.org/userpic/8754211/2132528

I took the faces of the animals and collaged them so it was more like a bunch of eyes, and justified it right, instead of left, and took out a whole lot of background so it would be visible at 100 pixels by 100 pixels.

so yeah, i'll go hide my face now.

Wow, that is amazing! I was wondering if something like that was even possible.

*happyface*

I can do some things with MS Paint. I'm thinking about making more, from the list. Anything in particular anyone wants?

Edited 2015-01-24 02:51 (UTC)

I am feeling creative, so there's this:

http://helgatwb.dreamwidth.org/5238.html

Oh my gosh. Thank you so very much! *hugs, if hugs are permissible*

I'll gladly trade you fic for this. Got a preference who/what it's about? Say the word.

You're very welcome. *hugs* (for future reference, hugs are okay)

I was going to think about it, and see if you had any particular fandoms you liked, but I read some of your stuff, and I think I'd like something like "Autumn On the Oak Savannah".

Something on a nature theme, but spring this time, the early spring, when the air in the morning is like a cool caress on your skin, with the smell of loam and green things.

Edited 2015-01-24 20:54 (UTC)

That is still one of my favorites.

It made me smile, and autumn is my favorite season, then spring.

You have yourself a ficlet. I hope you like it!

http://chanter-greenie.dreamwidth.org/245256.html

I have the warm fuzzies. Let me see what I can come up with.

#3 isn't an ass: it has horns as well as ears!

Just going by the label on the page. Heraldic animals can be weird.

Hmm. Well, I posted essentially the same comment there too... mmm, it turned up under Contributions, with even a copy of the graphic, evidently because I referred to it as "#3". (Ista is my cat.)

I've always wondered about these expressions, so common in mss. I don't think they can have meant the same to the illuminators and the intended readers as they do to us, but I have NFI what they did mean to them.

#3 This improperly socialized ass is confused as to why people are angry with him, and would like for someone to explain this. Now. Please.

Alternately: This poor, confused ass is like "How do I social?"

I have added these.

I think you might have mucked up the html.. there's no images.

The images are on the original site and did not have individual links. There should be a link to the post with the images in it.

Link's working okay for me.

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A Medieval Bestiary of Decompensation

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