Questing Beast

From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe

They say that The Questing Beast is a creature of mere myth, a monster from Arthurian Legend, the subject of a metaphorical and unending quest by some of legends most famous knights, such as Sir King Pellinore, Sir Palamedes, and Sir Percival. But I know otherwise.

They say that the strange creature has the head and neck of a serpent, the body of a leopard, the haunches of a lion and the feet of a hart. This much at least I think is true, yet as strange as it sounds the beast seemed beautiful to me.

They say it is also called the Barking Beast (or the Beast Glatisant, from the french). Its name comes from the great noise it emits from its belly, a barking like "thirty couple hounds questing". But I have heard it and the sound comes not just from it's belly, but from the great spines it fires in all directions.

The legends suggest it is fast; it runs endlessly and can never be caught. But I have seen it snared, and I have seen it paused.

The beast has been taken as a symbol of incest, violence, and chaos. But it seemed a gentle creature to me.

They say it's appearance is an ominous portent of tragedy. The city weeps; it's coming seems inevitable to me now.