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- Developed slowly from the
- Norman chain mail instrumental
- in the Battle of Hastings,
- plate armor reached its peak
- in 15th- and 16th-century
- Germany and Italy. Firearms
- rendered it obsolete in the
- 17th century.
-
- Have been made in
- many shapes and
- sizes, and of many
- materials. The
- first shields were
- probably made from
- wood and hide.
-
- The only type of
- ancient armor
- still used in
- modern combat.
-
- Used by witches to
- create potions and
- warm up leftovers.
-
- Increases the
- effectiveness of
- magic spells.
-
- Allows wizards to
- cast long-distance
- spells.
-
- Typically inhabited by
- genies. The genie’s
- disposition may only be
- determined by invoking her.
-
- Western folklore holds
- that unicorns can be
- captured only by
- virgins. Drinking from
- their horns is said to
- bring good health.
-
- Eastern dragons are typically
- long and thin with lions’
- heads and no wings, and can
- be benevolent. Most Western
- dragons are more compact,
- winged, and considered evil.
-
- A six-headed monster
- killed by Heracles
- as one of his famous
- twelve labors.
-
- The Labyrinth’s resident,
- to whom citizens of Athens
- were sacrificed each year.
- Theseus slew him with
- Ariadne’s help.
-
- Beasts with lions’
- bodies and eagles’
- heads, claws and wings.
- Said to eat horses.
-
- Giant two-headed
- birds from the tales
- of Sinbad the Sailor.
-
- The first winged
- horse, sprung from
- Medusa’s blood after
- Perseus slew her.
-
- Beasts with men’s
- torsos and horses’
- bodies. Centaurs
- are skilled archers.
-
- Beasts with
- horses’ bodies
- and fish’s tails.
-
- Merlin, the most
- famous wizard, was
- King Arthur’s tutor.
- He was born very
- old and lived
- backward through
- time.
-
- Like dwarves, Gnomes
- live underground and
- are fond of treasure.
- They are smaller than
- dwarves.
-
- Often found under
- bridges. They are
- fond of goat meat.
-
- In both Greek and Norse
- mythologies, giants are
- enemies of the gods.
- Greek myths associate
- them with earthquakes
- and volcanoes; Norse
- myths associate them
- with winter storms.
-
- Associated with magic
- and trickery. Elves
- typically have pointed
- ears and blink their
- eyes one at a time,
- like cats.
-
- Short dwarf-like
- creatures with
- hairy feet and
- no beards.
-
- Tales of mermaids may
- have originated with
- sightings of manatees,
- aquatic mammals similar
- in appearance to walruses.
-
- Sir Lancelot
- succeeded Sir
- Gawain to become
- King Arthur's
- bravest knight.
-
- The “little people”
- of Ireland, known
- for causing mischief
- and hoarding gold.
-
- The handle of a sword
- is called the ‘hilt’;
- the crossbar that
- protects the hands is
- the ‘quillon.’
-
- Developed in Europe,
- crossbows are fired like
- rifles. They take more
- time to load than
- longbows, but can shoot
- great distances and
- require less strength.
-
- Medieval weapons, very
- heavy and awkward to
- use, but capable of
- shattering armor and
- causing great injury.
-
- Used for both
- blocking and stabbing
- while swordfighting.
- Daggers are also
- useful as concealed
- weapons.
-
- Though superseded by
- firearms in the 15th
- century, the English
- longbow survived as a
- sporting bow with
- very little change
- until the 1930s.
-
- Capable of
- piercing all
- but the
- heaviest armor.
-
- Aside from rocks,
- the most primitive
- and ineffective of
- projectile weapons.
- Somewhat useful in
- hand-to-hand combat.
-
- General-purpose
- weapons, fairly
- good for both
- offense and defense.
-
- Used in the 15th and 16th
- centuries. Some halberds
- have an axlike blade in
- addition to a steel spike.
-
- King Henry VIII instigated
- the Reformation of the
- English church in order
- to divorce the first of
- his six wives.
-
- Queen Victoria was
- the longest reigning
- monarch in English
- history, from 1837-1901.
-
- Known for kissing frogs
- and sleeping on peas.
-
- Jesters were employed in
- ancient Egypt, and as
- late as the 18th century.
-
- Wearing this ring makes
- you invisible. Don’t
- wear it too long or you
- may disappear altogether!
-
- This cup will always refill
- with water, but will lose
- its power forever if spilled.
-
- This chest contains a
- king’s ransom, but may
- also contain cursed items.
-
- If you are wise enough,
- staring into this gem
- will let you foretell
- certain events.
-
-